USA > New Jersey > Hudson County > Bergen > Annals of the classis of Bergen, of the Reformed Dutch Church, and of the churches under its care: including, the civil history of the ancient township of Bergen, in New Jersey > Part 27
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To the constant increase of this peculiar population,
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the Rev. William V. V. Mabon, the ever vigilant pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church at New Dur- ham, foresaw, that there would be no check, and wisely sought to do something, to meet the spiritual wants of this people. He procured the partial labors of a German minister, and opened for service in Ger- man. the school room near to his Grove church. But this did not fully meet their wants : more extensive services were needed.
In the summer of 1853, the Rev. Leopold Mohn, a German clergyman, was employed by the Hudson County Bible Society to explore and re-supply, with the word of God, the destitute in the township of North Bergen. This labor, in which he was eminently judicious and successful, brought him in contact with the people of these new villages, and prepared the way for his occupying this most interesting field of missionary labor. God had evidently opened a door of eminent usefulness to him; and he entered it with cheerfulness. He thus narrates his early labors in this field :
" Our very beginning was crowned with happy re- sults, and our attendance both in the morning and afternoon numbered toward one hundred. But as a great number of German infidels had settled here, with the prospect of keeping taverns and establishing for infidelity and immorality an undisturbed retreat, our movements, which were so signally blessed, were not left without opposition, for the seed of the serpent will always rise in enmity against the cause of Jesus. They did not only employ every artifice to draw the people away from the Gospel; they did even hold
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meetings here and in New York, to adopt measures for counteracting us.
" Amidst all persecutions our cause has had to un- dergo, it has prospered nevertheless, yea, the opposi- tion we have had to meet has given us strength. A deep interest in the preaching of the gospel was felt among a large portion of Germans, and on the 20th of September, 1853, the Classis of Bergen, at their stated meeting at Hackensack, received from them an application to be organized into a church, in.connec- tion with the General Synod of the Reformed Dutch Church of North America. This application was granted, and a committee on organization appointed, which met on the 4th of October, 1853, in the Grove Church of New Durham, and received thirty-four members, namely : four on certificate from the Dutch Church of New Durham, and thirty on the confession of their faith, to be constituted into a German Church of North Hoboken. A Consistory of two was elected and ordained by the same committee, on the 23d of October in the Grove Church, before a large assembly of German and American Christians ; since that the Lord has not ceased to bless us. Our services have been well attended, and our prayer meetings have often numbered between forty and fifty worshipers. On our first communion, on the 29th of January, 1854, which was exceedingly solemn, nine more joined Christ's banner by the confession of their faith, and the statements of some of these applicants about their spiritual state were touching, and gave us ground for hope that the Lord had established his everlasting covenant with them.
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CHURCH OF NORTH BERGEN.
" By the exertions of our own people, among whom some who were able have given largely, and others poorer have contributed with true self-denial their sacrifices of love, as also by the rich gifs of our Ameri- can brethren, we have now erected a fine and com- modious house of worship, which was dedicated to the service of God yesterday, the 28th of March. It will seat about four hundred or five hundred people, and cost, with lots, two thousand dollars, of which sum seventeen hundred dollars have been paid. As our people are mostly poor, we can not bear debts, and will try, therefore, to have the property all paid for."
One year later his Consistory, in their report to the Board of Domestic Missions, say :
" Our growth has not been very large in receiving new members into our communion during the last year, yet a more thorough increase in inward union and spiritual knowledge has taken place. During the last classical year we have admitted by certificate five, by confession of faith five, so that the whole increase has been ten.
"Notwithstanding the many obstacles that beset our way to prosperity and strength, the Lord has been pleased to help us onward through all difficulties and wants. Our people, though small in number, have contributed during the past year about one hundred and fifty dollars, to cover the expenses of public wor- ship, and to improve their property, besides alms dis- tributed to our poor."
In 1856, the progress of this most interesting Church is thus set forth by the Consistory :
" The past year has not gone by without trials and
-
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embarrassments to us as a Church, yet the Lord's blessing and gracious help has been ever present. We have been enabled to call the Rev. L. Mohn as our pastor, and thus a beginning has been made to- ward self-support. Though this beginning is but small, yet it encourages us, being confident that as our congregation increases, the good will of the people and the liberality of God's children among us will not decrease. Our contributions are more than double the amount they were last year, and though we can not say that we have done much, yet we will continue to exert the little strength we have. The increase to our number has been eight by profession.
" Our Sabbath school and parochial school are in a fine condition, and we hope and believe that our efforts for the benefit of a rising generation, which shall fill up our places, will not be in vain."
These simple narrations of this work among these Germans, present some instructive lessons of faith and Christian love, demanding our kind regard and Christian sympathy. We here see a far-reaching effort to evangelize a population of foreign birth, education, habits, and customs, and to bring them into contact with those American churches which are most closely allied to them in doctrinal faith and church order. It is impossible not to honor and love the wisdom and Christian liberality manifested on this behalf. The benevolent contributions of the principal families of the Rev. Mr. Mabon's congregation-their hearty co- operation and good will, betoken their just estimate of this noble movement. That large hearted benefac- tor, James Brown, Esq., in the most delicate manner,
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furnished the funds to meet the payments, as they fell due, for erecting the parsonage. When applied to to meet the church officers, for adjusting what they supposed were his claims against the Church for these advances, his kind request was preferred through their pastor, that they would accept the whole as a gift from him. The amount was twelve hundred dollars. It demanded not only the acknowledgements of this feeble congregation, but the tribute of regard adopted by the Classis of Bergen, at their stated session in April, 1855. It is a grateful privilege to record it in this connection :
" Resolved, unanimously, That this Classis have heard with great satisfaction, of the recent act of generosity of James Brown, Esq., towards the German Church of North Hoboken, under our care, in the erection for them of a parsonage house, and that we hereby acknowledge, with sentiments of warm Christian regard, this renewed expression of fraternal sympathy, in the efforts of one of a sister denomination."
With this increased facility for maintaining the gospel among them, this people were prepared to call their missionary, the Rev. Leopold Mohn, to be their pastor. Their call was approved by the Classis, on the 19th of July, 1855, and he was duly installed on Sabbath, the 5th day of August following. The con- gregation, in April, 1856, numbered sixty families, and sixty-two communicants.
In continuing his eminently useful labors, Mr. Mohn has been enabled to explore more fully the condition of the Protestant German families in the vicinity. The city of Hoboken and Jersey City have attracted
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his attention, and called forth his energies. His sphere of influence has been greatly enlarged hereby, and at the stated session of the Classis, on the 21st day of April, 1857, the pastoral relation between Mr. Mohn and this people was dissolved, to enable him to prose- cute his labors in Hoboken City, he having been called to the pastorate of the German Church recently con- stituted there.
God has opened to the Classis of Bergen spheres of usefulness of a special character, within the very territory so long occupied by the original settlers and their descendants. Thus he has given them a work to do, strongly resembling that thrown long ago by provi- dence upon the ancient Classis of Amsterdam, in furnishing to the early German emigrants to Pennsyl- vania, New Jersey and New York, a faithful, learned, laborious and evangelical ministry.
History of the Beformed Dutch Church in the City of Hudson, A. J.
THIS recently incorporated city was originally the central part of the ancient township of Bergen. Af- ter the division of that township, by which the town ship of North Bergen was erected, it became the ex- treme South part thereof. It was long known as "Bergen Five Corners," and for a quarter of a century past has been constantly increasing in population.
In this immediate neighborhood, the pastor of the Church at Bergen constantly visited the families, as part of his pastoral charge. Under the ministry of the Rev. John Cornelison, prior to 1828, every family in what is now the city of Hudson, was for years identified with the Reformed Dutch Church at Bergen. Until the year 1826, no other denomination of Christ- ians had set up their standard in this district. In that year, a movement was made to rear a small Methodist church, which was located on the ground now oc- cupied by the building owned by Mr. Nicholas Vree-
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land, and which is in the occupancy of the city authorities. No school house had yet been erected within the district, and the pastor's preaching services were rendered in private houses. As the successor of the venerated John Cornelison, the present pastor of the Church at Bergen continued these services. In 1831, on the completion of a district school house, (which stood nearly opposite the present premises of Mr. Kutzemyer, on the avenue leading from the Cor- ners to the Reservoir, but has recently been removed), the author established and regularly maintained a service every Wednesday evening, until it was deemed more comfortable to remove to the Female Seminary ' instituted by Miss Caroline Graves, whose school room After the erection was freely offered for the purpose. of the present Female Seminary, by Jared W. Graves, Esq., which contained a convenient chapel in the second story, these Wednesday services were conduct- ed there for years. Many, in years gone by, have there received the blessings of grace and salvation, and become professed followers of Christ.
This laid the foundation for the subsequent formation of a distinct church. As population increased, and different denominations of Christians were settling there, other efforts were put forth. The Protestant Episcopal Church was started by the Rev. Mr. Pat- terson, of Jersey City, and constituted in 1852. Their house of worship was consecrated by Bishop Doane, May 19th, 1853.
In watching over the churches under the care of the Classis of Bergen, that body have been forward to occupy every favorable position, and urge on the
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rearing, in such places, of new churches. In March, 1851, the Consistory of the Church at Bergen had laid before them a resolution of the Classis, appointing a committee to confer with the Consistory, with reference to the propriety and expediency of organizing a church at the Five Corners.
The Rev. Drs. John Garretson, and Gustavus Abeel, were the committee, and met with the Consistory on the 4th of April, 1851. They were heard in behalf of the Classis. Subsequently, the Consistory -
"Resolved, unanimously, That in their judgment the organization of a new Reformed Dutch Church, at North Bergen, (or Five Corners), is at the present time inexpedient ; but that we feel the importance of cherishing a watchful interest in regard to the imme- diate neighborhood of North Bergen, and will look with favor on future appropriate efforts for the spirit- ual welfare of that community."
In December, 1852, the Rev. John Gosman, D. D., by request of the Executive Committee of the Board of Domestic Missions, conferred with the Consistory, with reference to his occupancy of that field as a mis- sionary, and after consultation and discussion it was
"Resolved, That this Consistory view with favor the subject of occupying North Bergen as missionary ground."
Through the instrumentality of Miss Graves, and her pupils, an interesting Sabbath school had been gathered, with a good library, and competent teach- ers, identified almost entirely with the Church at Ber- gen, the school being often visited and addressed by the pastor of that Church.
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In May, 1853, the ministers of the Classis of Ber- gen, residing in the vicinity, commenced a stated Sabbath afternoon service in the chapel of Miss Graves' seminary, and continued their labors until a missionary was appointed. Early in September, 1853, the Rev. Aaron Lloyd was commissioned by the Board of Domestic Missions to labor in this field.
In the spring of 1854, Mr. Lloyd reported to the Board as follows :
"My first service in this place was held in the chapel of the Female Seminary, on the first Sabbath of September last, soon after which I entered upon the field as the missionary of your Board. Two services have been ever since maintained at the usual hours of worship upon the Sabbath. These have been uni- formly well attended, the number of hearers ranging from fifty to one hundred and fifty, and averaging about seventy-five. Our morning service was at first somewhat of an experiment. But although the begin- ning was small, yet the attendance has generally ex- ceeded the anticipations 'of the friends of the enter- prise, and this service is now as important as the after- noon service, which had been maintained for a time previous tò my entranee upon the field.
" As our numbers increased, and the enterprise be- gan to wear a promising aspect, a petition for a church organization was prepared and circulated. In response to this, a committee of the Classis of Bergen, previously appointed for the purpose, met the congregation in the chapel on the evening of December 14th, 1853, and organized the Church by receiving the certificates of forty-four members from other churches, thirty-
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CHURCH IN THE CITY OF HUDSON.
three of whom came from the Reformed Dutch Church of Bergen, admitting two persons on confession of their faith, and superintending the election of a Consistory of four Elders and four Deacons. Our first commun- ion was held on the first Sabbath of April, when we received two members in addition, one by certificate and one by confession, making our whole number forty-eight."
During the first year of his labors here, there were proffered to the Church, by Jared Graves, Esq., four valuable lots of land on Prospect Avenue and Sum- mit Street, as a site for the church, two of such lots as a donation, and the remaining two for one thousand dollars. Mr. John J. Newkirk also conveyed, gratui- tously, an adjoining lot for a parsonage site. On these premises they had hoped to have seen, ere this, their sanctuary reared, but subsequent arrangements prevented ; circumstances occurred which, during the next year, caused a removal from the chapel to the district school house.
In 1855, the Consistory report that they " have one Sabbath school, with over eighty scholars. During the greater part of the year, the attendance upon the word and ordinances has been good, and although we have been obliged to remove our services to another ' building, yet the number of hearers has rather in- creased than diminished. We see the importance of our having a church edifice which shall be under our control and serve as a rallying point for our people. We had expected to have been in a position to build by this time, but the pressure in the money market during the last fall and winter has precluded all effort
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to attain this object. As soon as Providence seems favorable, we intend making vigorous efforts in this direction."
Mr. Lloyd continued in this field until August, 1855, when, having been invited to the pastoral charge of the Reformed Dutch Church of White House, in New Jersey, he deemed it his duty to accept the call, and entered on his labors there.
On the removal of Mr. Lloyd, the Rev. Frederick L. King was invited to supply the desk, and did so until the ensuing November, when he was appointed a missionary of the Board of Domestic Missions.
On the 16th of October, 1855, Mr. King, (a licen- trate of the Presbytery of Elizabethtown), was re- ceived into connection with the Classis of Bergen, and after examination, which was creditably sustained, he was ordained to the work of the ministry. The
Rev. J. Scott, D. D., preached on the occasion, and Rev. B. C. Taylor, D. D., charged the missionary.
The best description of the onward course of this Church, is in their own terms, used in their report for 1856 :
"The Consistory in making their annual report would remark, that though they have barely held ' their own during the past year, still they feel no dis- couragement, but are more than ever resolved · to labor on for the cause of God in this place. In Au- gust they lost the services of the missionary who had from the first conducted the enterprise. The pulpit was then supplied by the present missionary till the middle of November, when he took up his permanent residence amongst us. The audiences were at first
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CHURCH IN THE CITY OF HUDSON.
small, but they steadily increased, and the way was soon opened for our return to the convenient room occupied by the Church when organized.
"Last fall, through the liberality of Mr. Daniel Van Reypen, the Church was presented with two lots of land as a site for the proposed house of worship. A building committee, and a committee to solicit sub- scriptions, were appointed, who are now engaged in their labors with a fair prospect of success."
As far as at present ascertained, the subscriptions in progress for erecting a church, amount to about fifteen hundred dollars. Of this sum over five hun- dred dollars were subscribed by members of the con- gregation of Bergen, of which also the donor of the land, which is worth one thousand dollars, has long been a member, and repeatedly an acting elder.
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History of the Reformed Dutch Church of Bergen Joint, Hudson County, H. J.
IN narrating the history of the Reformed Dutch Church at Bergen Neck, we have presented the early efforts for securing gospel privileges to the inhabit- ants of Bergen Point. The circumstances leading to the separation of this part of the congregation from that Church, we need not repeat.
On the 18th of April, 1854, a petition signed by thirty-one persons, was presented to the Classis, ask- ing to be constituted a distinct church, under their care. The Classis adopted the following resolutions:
"Resolved, 1st, That the Classis are deeply im- pressed with the importance of an amicable arrange- ment of the difficulties existing at Bergen Neck, and that a committee be appointed to confer with the Consistory of said Church, with the view of adjusting their difficulties, either by the organization of a new church at the Point, or by some different arrange-
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ments for their Sabbath services, more likely to satisfy the whole congregation.
"Resolved, 2d, That should the way be opened, in the judgement of the committee for a new church organization at Bergen Point, said committee are hereby authorized, on application to them, to organize such church.
"Resolved, 3d, That the Rev. Drs. Scott and Abeel, and Rev. Mr. Van Cleef, Ministers; and Messrs. Gar- retson and Kirk, Elders, be the committee."
This committee met in the new church at the Point, on the 26th of April, 1854, and recommended for the relief of Greenville, and for the advancement of the best interests of all parts of the congregation, that a new church be organized at the Point.
On the 16th of May, 1854, all the preliminary ar- rangements having been made, the committee met and constituted the Church, when Messrs. James Currie and John M. Enyard, as Elders; and Henry Van Horne, as Deacon; were ordained to their re- spective offices. Twenty-two members were recogniz- ed as communicants, and fifty families composed the congregation.
On the 24th day of May, 1854, the Elders and Deacon filed, and had recorded in the County Clerk's office, their act of incorporation, as "The Reformed Protestant Dutch Church at Bergen Point, N. J."
On the same day the Consistory, at the request of the new congregation, called the Rev. Jacob C. Dutcher, to be the first pastor of the Church. The call was moderated by the Rev. Paul D. Van Cleef.
On the 30th of May, the meeting of another com-
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mittee of Classis, with the Consistories of Bergen Neck and Bergen Point, succeeded in adjusting the diffi- culties which had led to this severance. Each Church has since gone on unembarrassed, and both have been favored with internal peace and comfort.
On the 25th of May the call on Mr. Dutcher was approved, and arrangements where made for his in- stallation on Sabbath the 11th day of June, when he was installed.
The arrangements made on the 30th of May having been satisfactorily carried out, this new congregation, in quiet and proper possession of their church and parsonage, and having a pastor to whom they are attached, are advancing pleasantly in their Christian work. They have already had accessions to their communion, and by report, in April, 1856, numbered forty-three communicants. Their first year's con- tributions for religious and benevolent objects, a- mounted to two hundred and one dollars.
The church was erected at a cost of about six thousand five hundred dollars. Four thousand dol- lars worth of pews have been sold. All the unsold pews have been rented, except two, and an enlarge- ment of the house is a matter of conversation, and will soon become indispensable. The cost of the par- sonage and the ground was about five thousand three hundred dollars.
The Lord strengthen and establish this Church forever.
history of the Beformed Dutch Church of franklin, Esser County, H. J.
FOR many years the geographical boundaries of the congregation of the Reformed Dutch Church at Second River, (now Belleville), included the district now known as Franklin. It is distant, in a Westerly direction, about two miles from Belleville. The land is fertile, and the water-power valuable.
Here the pastors of Belleville have, in times gone by, bestowed much labor, and experienced many an- noyances. The Rev. Gustavus Abeel, D. D., from 1828 to 1834, experienced here not a few discourage- ments. After sad rejections of his messages of salva- tion, and shameful attempts to interrupt the meetings for prayer, a rude and boisterous effort was made to force a bull into the school house, during the religious exercises. Other fearful evidences of hardness of heart induced him, when he delivered his last sermon to this people, to preach on the words, Jude 13 : 5, " to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever."
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By the enterprise, energy and management of Messrs. William, Sebastian, Robert and John Duncan, and John Cunningham, Esqrs., in 1836-37, an impulse was given to this place, by the introduction of woolen manufacturing. The water-power was turned to good account-the indolent found active employment, and population gradually increased. The Sabbath school, in its blessed influence, was silently at work, the teachers coming from Belleville; and afforded such encouragements, in its aspects, as to warrant its con- tinuance all the year, instead of the spring and sum- mer only. Out of the Sabbath services came the stated weekly prayer meeting. The laborers in the school were thus sowing the good seed in hope. It was a good omen, though the day of gladness seemed remote. This was under the ministry of Rev. Abra- ham H. Myers.
The Rev. John Garretson, during his twelve years pastorate, made the catechising of the children and youth, in this Sabbath school, very prominent, per- sonally examining the scholars every month, and lec- turing to the school on the subjects in the catechism, thus laying a foundation broad and deep, on which a future superstructure would arise to bless and com- fort the community. In 1849, a preaching service became needful here, for at least one part of each Sabbath. The members of the Reformed Dutch Church at Belleville, residing at Franklin, made ap- plication to the Consistory of that Church, and ob- tained their consent to the procuring of that service, with the understanding that the applicants were to bear the expense of it, and continue their connection
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