USA > New Jersey > Somerset County > Raritan > Forty years at Raritan : eight memorial sermons with notes for a history of the Reformed Dutch churches in Somerset County, N.J. > Part 23
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In 1737, March 4th, another important step was taken in the de- termination to build a new church at North-Branch, and Joris Hall, Jan Van Sickelen, Nicholas Wyckoff, and Martin Reyersen were ap- pointed to carry this resolution into effect. The contemplated enter- prise was happily carried into effect, and on the 7th of October, 1739, the first sermon was preached in the new church of North-Branch, from Psalm 48 : 9, " We have thought of thy loving-kindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple," by Dominie Frelinghuysen. It was also
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decided, at the same meeting, that the consistory should meet four times in each year, once uniformly just before the sacrament of the Lord's Supper was dispensed.
The minutes are continued regularly, and the yearly election of elders and deacons noted, until 1744, when Jan Van Neste, Abraham De la Meter, and Pieter Wortman were the elders, and Nicholas Wyckoff, Jacob Ten Eyck, and Martin Reyersen deacons, and then a broad line is drawn across the page, and we are left in darkness as to all that passed in the congregation until the year 1750. What intervened in these six years we can not know, only Dominie Fre- linghuysen died in 1748, and his son succeeded him.
Anno 1750. The first sermon was preached by Johannes Freling- huysen-called to the churches of his honored and beloved father- in the church of Raritan, August 8th, from Psalm 45 : 16, " Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children ;" in the church of North-Branch, on the 10th, from Zech. 4 : 6, " Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts;" at Millstone, on the 17th, from Psalm 133 : 1, " Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for breth- ren to dwell together in unity !" Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen was dead, his son was in his place ; but where he died, when he died, and where his remains rest, are strangely omitted in the minutes of all his churches.
The register of baptisms in North-Branch commences promptly on the 21st of February, 1720-the very day when T. J. Frelinghuysen preached his first sermon-and records the baptism of Matthew, a son of Andreas Ten Eyck, one of the first deacons chosen on the first organization of the church. It is a beautiful register, and seems to have been kept by Albert Stoothoff until December 7th, 1783. It notices a variety of important circumstances in passing on its course, as, for instance, the death of John Frelinghuysen on the 15th of Sep- tember, 1754; that T. J. Frelinghuysen the younger baptized three children on the 3d of May, 1747, apparently just before his father's decease ; that Dominie Fryenmoet baptized nine children December 10th, 1746 ; that Ericksen baptized three March 31st, 1748, and again, on the 6th July, 1748, ten, both evidently after the decease of T. J. Frelinghuysen, and while he was temporarily supplying the pulpit ; again, eighteen by Fryenmoet in 1750, when he was a second time on his errand of strife in the congregation ; John Frelinghnysen's introductory sermon, August 5th, 1750; the introduction of the " New Style" on the 3d day of September, 1752, when, in place of
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the 3d, the true reckoning was the 14th of that month. It is, in- deed, one of the neatest and best-kept registers we have ever seen.
From this register we derive the following names of persons who offered their children for baptism to the intruding ministers of the Conferentie party, namely : Elbert Voorhees, Adrian Hageman, Joris Middagh, Abram Van Hoorn, Matthias Brewer, Jacob Kinne, Lode- wick Hardenbrook, Cornelis Wyckoff, Willian Poling, Adrien Sut- phin, Marten Myer, Benjamin Louw, Cornelis Van Campen, Rynier Van Sicklen, William Van Neste, Hendrik Null, Abm. Van Sicklen, Hendrik Vroom, Lodewyk Richtmeier, Abm. Van Neste, Jan Staatsz, Jan Sickelse, Jan Van Neste, Hendrik Van Wagenen-baptized by Fryenmoet, May, 1750; and previously, in 1746, by the same person, at Neshanic, but recorded at North-Branch, Abm. Van Neste, Har- men Lane, Peter Middaglı, William Poling, Jost Schamp, Jan Anten, Peter Beekman, William Hall, Jacobus Kinne ; also, by Errickson, in 1748, Benjamin Louw, Derik Lonw, Denys Strycker, Isaac Bogert, Matthys Kaalsie.
But John Frelinghuysen's short and earnest ministry of three and a half years came to an end suddenly and very unexpectedly to all his people. It was a severe dispensation of providence, and he was mourned greatly. Zion appeared to lay waste and desolate. Hope there seemed to be almost none. Ministers could not be procured in Holland without great expense and delay, and the church was divided on the policy of raising a ministry of her own. It was, indeed, a dark and gloomy day, and almost four years passed before any thing was effectually done. Then, at last, a young man was found to take his place, and called to enter into this wide and invit- ing field. It was the Rev. Jacob Rutsen Hardenbergh, a student of Frelinghuysen, and the husband of his widow.
But, before proceeding to notice his ministry, we turn to some reminiscences of an earlier date, derived principally from Dr. John Van Liew's dedication sermon.
We have noticed that a house-said to have been of logs-was built for the purpose of holding religious service's in this vicinity as early as 1619 or 1620. It stood near the junction of the north and south branches of Raritan River, on the second bank, nearly oppo- site the residence of Andrew Ten Eyck. The land is now owned by Mr. John Vosseller. In this rude building T. J. Frelinghuysen preached his first sermon on the 21st of February, 1720. This house served as the ordinary place of meeting for the inhabitants of that
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district for about eighteen years. Tradition says it was burned down.
The population increased during this term of years, and spread westward. The location appeared to be too near to the Raritan church, and a change was called for, in view of the erection of a better and more commodious house of worship. The result was that the new church was built about three miles further west, where the church of Readington now stands. It was a frame building, quite commodions, built in the ordinary form of churches in our State in those days, with the side to the street, the main entrance in the centre, and the pulpit directly opposite to it, with a centre aisle, and galleries in the ends on the right and left of the pulpit. The dimen- sions we are not able to state. Mr. Frelinghuysen preached the first sermon in this building, and, by being repaired, refitted, and painted, it continued to suffice as a place of worship for ninety-five years. In the mean time, the congregation had increased in numbers, the ministry in it had been blessed, and it had grown up to be one of the most respectable churches in Somerset County-not Somerset, for the change of location had not only given it a new name, but had also transferred it into Hunterdon County. Nevertheless, a large portion of the people-at this time, at least-resided in Somerset. Being in the township of Readington, it took that name and became incorporate by that title, and, in effect, the old church of North- Branch became extinct.
The new church at Readington was built in 1833, under the ministry of the Rev. John Van Liew. It was 51 feet in breadth by 71 in length. It was dedicated by a sermon from the pastor founded on 2 Chronicles 7 : 1, " And the glory of the Lord filled the house." It stood thirty-one years, and was consumed by fire in March, 1864, but replaced at once by a larger, better, and more beautiful house, 56 feet by 76, and dedicated July 21st, 1865, by a sermon from the same pastor, from Haggai 2 : 9, "The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts : and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts." The dedicatory prayer was offered by Rev. Dr. Gabriel Ludlow, of Neshanic, and the sermon and prayer published. Before this, Mr. Van Liew had been honored with the degree of D.D. by Rutgers College, New- Brunswick.
During the ministry of T. J. Frelinghuysen the church of North- Branch formed part of his charge, and enjoyed its share of his labors.
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It again united with Raritan and Millstone in calling his son, John Frelinghuysen, as pastor. A copy of that eall is recorded in the minutes of the consistory both of Raritan and North-Branch, dated May 18th, 1747. But it has no signatures, and apparently was not considered as of any importance, being not the instrument itself, but only a copy.
At a meeting of the great consistory of the three united congrega- tions, on the 21st of Angust, 1750, (the minutes of which were re- corded in the book belonging to Raritan,) we find the first record of church officers under John Frelinghuysen. It is stated there that a new consistory was chosen for North-Branch, consisting of two elders and one deacon, namely, Jan Van Neste and Peter Montfort, as elders, in the place of Jan Van Neste and Abraham Lametre; for deacon, Abraham Dumont, in the place of Nicholas Wyckoff.
This election was made by an agreement which looked to the set- tlement of the dispute's existing in the congregations, as recom- mended by the Coetus, that two elders and two deacons should be taken from Dominie Frelinghuysen's friends, and one elder and one deacon from among the disaffected.
On the 15th September, 1751, the case was again brought before the Coetus-in session in New-York-and the following record is found in the published minutes of that session : "North-Branch .- This case, it was determined, should be taken up to-morrow, [Septem- ber 12th, forenoon.] In the case of North-Branch and Raritan the decision of the reverend Coetus was, that the disaffected should choose out of their numbers six persons ; that Dominie Frelinghuysen, with his consistory, should choose two ont of the six-that is, an elder and a deacon-who, being ordained, two of Dominie Frelinghuysen's consistory should resign, whereupon the former, being associated with the rest, should be recognized as the consistory, all expenses to be borne in proportion by each ; so shall all error and dissatisfaction be done away with at once."
On this basis on the 25th of September the new consistories were chosen, and the following was the result: For Raritan, as elders, Jeronimus Van Neste, Peter Willimse, Jan Van Middleswaert; as deacons, Pieter Van Neste, Pieter Stryker, Frans Cusaert. For North-Branch, Jerometan Neste, Pieter Montfort, Daniel Sebring, elders; Marten Ryerse, Jan Dumont, and Pieter Schomp, deaeons.
In the mean time, John Frelinghuysen having died, (September, 1754,) his congregations were left vacant. Those who had sympa-
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thized with the party opposed to him and his father at North-Branch took this opportunity to endeavor to further their own views. We quote from a letter to the Classis of Amsterdam from the Conferentie party, dated November 9th, 1756 : " We turn to the Raritan congre- gation, made vacant by the death of Dominie John Frelinghuysen, where for two years they have been left almost without any divine service, although the congregation is large and scattered, and affords work for more than two ministers. Agreat part of the congregation was induced to call Dominie Fryenmoet, a fugitive minister who had been obliged to leave his place through danger of the public foe." "The place he left was Warwarsing. The foe must have been the Indians, for it was in the midst of the French war. "But a com- mittee, or circle of the Coetus, was called in, who did what they could to remove him, and now have succeeded." "The consequences of this can not be other than bitter, all the service now being rendered by those who call themselves the Coetus, to the dissatisfaction of the greater portion of the people."
Again we quote : "Another instance of injury to the church is seen in the complaint of a committee from the North-Branch portion of the congregation at Raritan. The origin of the dispute there was the neglect of the consistory of Raritan and the associate congrega- tions to provide suitable ministerial service after the death of Dominie John Frelinghuysen, only three or four sermons having been preached by Low-Dutch ministers in the course of two years. Dominie Fryenmoet, fleeing before the public enemy, came to North-Branch, and was several times asked by the consistory there to officiate, which he did with so much acceptance that many members of the four united congregations requested that he might preach in all the churches; but the consistories in the other three villages refused, no doubt because of their engagements to a certain Hardenbergh, who had married the widow of Dominie Frelinghuysen. The adherents of Dominie Fryenmoet being by far the greater number in the four congregations, bestirred themselves to obtain a subscription to have him for their lawful minister; but the consistory opposed this with all their might, and the dispute arose so high that each party called in the circle* to settle it. The proceedings of the circle were so manifold that we ean not mention them ; withal, not obscurely show- ing partisanship, that we can not relate them. But we must men- tion one thing, namely, that the adherents of Dominie Fryenmoet
* Equivalent to a classis or committee.
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promised to raise the whole salary for him, and offered, further, if the others would call any lawful minister whom they preferred, (seeing the congregation required two,) that they would assist in paying him. Still they could not agree, and Dominic Fryenmoet had to go away.
" An elder and two deacons of North-Branch, consulting together without the knowledge of two elders and another deacon, their asso- ciates, requested Dominie Leydt to preach there and choose a new consistory. When the time came to carry out the plan, they made it known to the others, and wished them to aid in making the choice ; but they protested against it, as almost the whole congregation after- ward did, as being opposed to the church orders and the ancient usage of the church. Notwithstanding, the election was had, and, immediately afterward, the ordination also, which compelled the re- maining lawful members, after the lapse of four months, (for they could not side with the newly chosen, and the old ones who went ont would not act with them,) to make, with their 'consalent' Dominie De Ronde, a new filling up of the consistory, in order to heal the breach, and, as such, they have sought to maintain the church in the right.
" The new consistory, together with the consistories of the other three villages, have made and executed a call upon the so-called stu- dent Hardenbergh, who was examinel and qualified before the con- gregation as minister by those who style themselves the Coetus, who yet had no proper business with that call, not only because of the things above stated, but because the student was an unfit person, not having made the least proficiency in what belongs to the ministe- rial office, and having been, by the acknowledgment of all, under the instruction of a teacher only two years at the farthest. Besides, he was qualified without the order of either classis or synod. They cannot, therefore, but separate from those who thus act, and they re- quest the aid of the classis to provide them a minister from the classis."
This letter is signed by Hagehoort, Mancius, Retzema, De Ronde, Fryenmoet, Rubel, Rosenkrantz, and Schuyler. We have thus allowed them to tell their own story, and put in a plen for their own cause, and the result is, we believe, in the estimation of all, that they were prejudiced men, men of rule and law, and not of candor, pru- dence, and earnestness in the pursuit of great ends in the midst of no ordinary emergencies and difficulties ; "men of one idea." The
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church could not have been built up by them. They would have allowed a thousand things to be undone, because some rule, in their estimation at least, forbade the doing, but not because it was not right that they should be done. Evidently they meant to bring in at North-Branch a man of their own views, in order to strengthen their adherents there, and they were bitterly disappointed when not able to do it. Properly understood, their case condemns itself. Their sneers at Hardenbergh are in bad taste, and the results proved that they were unjust, and would have been unfortunate in their re- sults. We proceed, after having allowed the malcontents to state their case.
The next record is dated Jane 14th, 1758, after the Rev. Jacob Rutsen Hardenbergh had been called and settled over the five united congregations of Raritan, North-Branch, Millstone, Neshanic, and Bedminster. It states that Andrew Ten Eyck was chosen elder in the place of Nicholas Wyckoff, and Pieter Montfort, in the place of Francis Waldron, and as deacon, Harmanus Lane, in the place of Derick Sebring. Again, June 15th, 1759, consistory met at the house of Andrew Ten Eyck, and chose, as elder, Jan Van Neste, in the place of Pieter Wortman, and Cornelius Bouwman, in place of Johannes Pittenger, deacon. Again, April 26th, 1760, at the house of Andreas Ten Eyek, were admitted to the communion of the church, on confession of faith, Petrus Van Neste, Mattheus Ten Eyck, and Maria Van Arsdalen, wife of Dirck Sebring. August 4th, 1760, the consistory elected were, Teunis Post and Johannes Pittenger, in the place of Pieter Montfort and Andreas Ten Eyck, elders; and Matthacs Ten Eyck, in the place of David Van Duyne, deacon. December 14th, 1761, as elder, Andreas Ten Eyck, in the place of Jan Van Neste ; as deaeon, David Van Duyne, in the place of Har- manus Lane. January 12th, 1762, received, on confession, Nicholas Egbort and Jannetie Corse, wife of Edward Harrinton. January 2d, 1764, as elder, Teunis Post, in the place of Andreas Ten Eyck, and, as deacons, Harmanus Lane and Michael De Mott, in the places of David Van Duyne and Peter Van Neste. . December 31st, 1764, ad- mitted to communion, on confession, Deriek Sutphin and Petrus Nevius, from Bedminster, and Catherine Bunn, wife of Edward Bunn, Neeltije Montfort, wife of Abraham Montfort, and Catherine Sutphin, wife of Peter Sutphin.
November 4th, 1773, a meeting of the consistories of Raritan, North-Branch, Bedminster, and New .Millstone convened at the house
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of Rynier Van Neste, in view of calling Dominie Christian F. Foering as a colleague of Dominie Hardenbergh, and admitting New-Mill- stone into the united charges. At this meeting it was agreed that a new church was to be built near Cornelius Van Horn's, and arrange- ments, were made to have it supplied by the two collegiate pastors ; and, as the old and new churches are both mentioned and provided for, it appears that services were intended to be held-at that date, at least-in both places; but the whole effort was a failure, from Dominie Foering declining the call.
The last minute relating to North-Branch which we shall copy from the Raritan records is a meeting of consistory at the house of Michael De Mott, January 10th, 1774, when Jacob Bogert and wife, Cathe- rine Albertsen, and Margaretta De Mott, wife of Jacob De Mott, were received into the communion of the church on certificate, and William Van Vliet, Albert Cornell and his wife Antje Stryker, Jo- hanna Stoothoff, wife of Abraham Dumont, Jr., Lea Simonson, wife of Jan Snediker, and Marya Dorlandt, wife of Cornelius Metzelaer, were received on confession of faith. Rev. J. R. Hardenbergh con- tinued to serve the church until 1781, when he resigned his call and removed to Rochester, New-York, taking possession of the Harden- bergh manor-house, and preaching to that people for a short time. He was then called to the presidency of Queen's College, and re- moved to New-Brunswick, serving, at the same time, as pastor of the church.
We have given these extracts from the minutes of Raritan, as sup- plying a hiatus in the North-Branch book, which, from 1757 to 1781, contains no records whatever. September 11th, 1781, the consistory met at the house of Peter Dumont, and fixed upon a line between it and Bedminster. Again, March 7th, 1782, at Abraham Dumont's, and decided to take up the eall sent to Rev. Direk Romeyn, unless he should have concluded to accept it. June 19th, they met again at Peter Dumont's, and consulted as to the way in which they might. succeed in having divine service performed in the congregation. This eventuated in the calling of Simeon Van Arsdalen. The first minutes signed by him are a meeting of consistory at the house of John Simonson, Esq., January 15th, 1784.
We have noticed the disaffection toward Hardenbergh on the part of a few people. When he had left, the same individuals, for a time, were supplied by Gerrit Leydecker, a licentiate of the Conferentie party. His name occurs first on their minutes June 20th, 1764, re-
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questing the assembly to unite in his behalf to the Classis of Amster- dam for liberty to ordain him. To this the classis assented, and recommended him in the strongest terms as one "taught from his yonth in Latin and Greek, and also as having studied four years in the College of New-Jersey under President Burr, and received the degree of A.M., and then spent a year and a half, under Dominie Ret- zema, in divinity, and in Hebrew, under Dominie Kals." He was examined October 8th, 1765, and licensed as a candidate. He has, however, left no trace on the minutes of being at North-Branch at all, though it is known from other sources that he preached there in 1769 for some time. He settled, finally, in the English Neighbor- hood in 1770, remained until 1776, became a Tory, fled to New-York, then to England, and died at the house of his son, in Pentonville, near London, in 1794.
In 1783, after a vacancy of two years from the resignation of Dr. Hardenbergh, the candidate Simeon Van Arsdale preached at Read- ington, and received the call. He was a native of Bucks County, Pa , graduated at Princeton, studied under Livingston, it is said, and applied for examination to the general meeting of ministers at Mill- stone, October Ist, 1782. "After a well-arranged anl agreeable exercise upon Romans 8 : 32, he was subsequently carefully exa- mined by Messrs. Direk Romeyn and Hermanus Meyer in the sacred languages and principal points of sacred theology, both positive and controversial, and, by his appropriate answers, afforded such satisfac- tion that the reverend body feel the freedom to receive him among the licentiates." He was again examined for ordination at New- Paltz, October 7-9th, 1783, and the Rev. Messrs. John M. Van Har- lingen, Solomon Froeligh, and Benjamin Dubois were appointed to ordain and install him, the time being left to be fixed by them. They reported the fulfillment of their commission to the general meeting in New-York in May, 1784, and thus he became, to the satis- faction of all parties, pastor of Renidington. He is remembered as one of the most amiable and accomplished young men of his day. He possessed both eloquence and power as a preacher, was untiring in his pastoral work and ardent in his piety. He received, soon after his ordination, a call from the collegiate churches in New-York, but declined it on account of his youth. His beautiful life came to an early and sudden close in less than three years. His remains lie in the church-yard at Readington, with the following inscription on the tablet erected at the head of his grave: " In memory of the Rev.
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Simeon Van Arsdale, who departed this life the 26th day of May, 1786, in the thirty-third year of his age.
" Here lies entombed a servant of the Lord, A faithful preacher of his sacred word, Who now with Christ in glory is set down, Decked in white robes and honored with a crown."
He was succeeded, the same year, in his pastoral charge by the candidate Peter Studdiford. Mr. Studdiford was born in the city of New-York; studied under Livingston, and was licensed by the synod in New-York May 1st, 1787, and arrangements made for his ordina- tion, at the same time, on the 28th, and J. R. Hardenbergh, John M. Van Harlingen, Jr., and John Duryea were appointed to perform that service,-the sermon to be preached by Dr. Hardenbergh. Mr. Stud- diford preached at Bedminster, in connection with Readington, until 1800, and then at Readington alone until his death. ITis long pas- torate fills up a large portion of the history of the congregation. He is remembered as one of the most efficient ministers of his day. Rev. Dr. Van Liew has said of him, " The records show that, for years after he commenced his labors in this place, there were large acces- sions to the church. At the time of the great ingathering in the church at Somerville there was a considerable ingathering also here." His ministry lasted about forty years. Another says, " He had readiness and aptness as an extempore preacher which few pos- sess, almost transcending himself when suddenly called upon to take the place of an absentee. Instances of this we have often heard re- lated. Such efforts would seem to have all the finish and even more than the force of elaborate preparations." He died in his own house at South-Branch Mills. His remains lie at Readington, beside those of Simeon Van Arsdale, and the following inscription is engraven on his tomb: . " Beneath this tablet lie the remains of the Rev. Peter Stnddiford, who, after a long and laborious ministry, died on No- vember 21st, A.D. 1826, in the sixty-fourth year of his age. Ile was born in the city of New-York, A.D. 1763. Having completed his collegiate and theological studies in the place of his birth, he was installed pastor of the Dutch Reformed church of North-Branch. Here he continued to labor with unabated zeal and diligence, until visited by the sickness which issued in his death. Possessing en- arged views of divine truth and a rich store of various knowledge, he was ready, instructive, and forcible in his preaching. He loved
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