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 26
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Christ with almost youthful vigor ; and may he be spared to do so for long years to come! The history of his ministry, when it comes to be written, will be an example for all.
MILLSTONE, NEW-MILLSTONE, HILLSBORO.
THE first religious organization in the village of Millstone was effected through the agency of the presbytery of New-Brunswick. The English settlers in that vicinity petitioned them to give them regular religious services. At their meeting at Baskingridge, October 30th, 1759, this petition was acted on and provision made for stated supplies. Some of the Dutch families united with this organization, and a house of worship was erected about the year 1760. It was, for a time, occupied once a month by the Rev. Israel Reed, the pastor of the Presbyterian church at Bound Brook. At the same time the Dutch families had the ministers of their denomination serving them about as often, thus giving the people a public religious service at least once in two weeks. Rev. John Leydt, of New-Brunswick, Van Harlingen, of Harlingen, and especially J. R. Hardenbergh, of Raritan, participated in render- ing these services. The church which had been built was not large and was never really completed. It stood south of the present church, on land now owned by Mr. Van Cleef, a barn-like structure without paint or any thing inviting about it.
In process of time difficulties in regard to its occupancy sprung up among the people, and those who were attached to the doc- trines and orders of the national church in Holland determined to erect another church for themselves. The Presbyterians had sup- plies given them by presbytery, and continued their own services for many years, a Mr. Elmore preaching for them, among the last, at or near the beginning of the present century. There was even a long correspondence between the presbytery and classis in reference to their respective rights to the territory in and about Millstone. Finally their church edifice became unsafe, and was taken down in the year 1809. It was a small house with a very steep roof, without cupola, and plain in its profile. When re-
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moved, the land was sold and the avails divided among the heirs of the original donor, a Mr. Ten Eyck, and so the Presbyterian interest in Millstone ceased.
On the 26th July, 1766, seventy heads of families, namely, Peter Schenck, Cornelius Van Liew, Hend. Probasco, Ab. Van Beuren, IIend. Schenck, Jice Sinock, John Vanderveer, Lawr. Vanderveer, Rem. Ditmars, Bergun Coevert, Jr., Sam. Brewer, Jolin Vandoren, John Smock, Peter Stryker, Dan. Coevert, Jac. Wyckoff, Jac. Van Nostrand, Hendk. Wilson, Jerh. Douty, Jan Stryker, Cor. Lott, John Probasco, Christian Van Doren, Ab. Van Doren, Phil Folkerson, John Blanco, Peter Blanco, Ab. Metzelaer, Peter Perrine, Bergon Huff, Jer. Stillwell, Jac. Stryker, William George Prall, Mary Arrismith, Jacob Metzelaer, Aron Van Doren, William Spader, Peter Cavaleer, Peter Wilson, John Chris- topher, John Brokan, John Hoogelandt, John Coevert, Mindert Wilson, Isaac Brokau, Joseph Arrismith, Joseph Vanderveer, Rem. Garretson, Juryee Van Cleef, Derrick Croesen, Peter Wyckoff, John Powelson, Stephen Terhune, Douwe Ditmars, Hendk. Vanderveer, Luke Rynierson, Reynier Van Hengelen, Sam- uel Gerretson, Jac. Gerretson, Stoffel Van Arsdalen, Gerret Ter- hune, Josh. Cornell, Barent Stryker, Gertje Cornel, John Ditmars, Roelof Terhune, Marritje Van Nuys, and William Corteljou, ad- dressed a "petition" to the Dutch ministers and elders of Raritan, New-Brunswick, Six-Mile Run, and over the Millstone, (now Har- lingen,) as follows : " We, the undersigned, belonging to the afore- said congregations, and living where the four congregations meet, finding it very inconvenient, and sometimes impossible, to attend the Dutch church or Dutch services with our families, which, in view of God's command and our baptismal vows, we feel to be the duty of ourselves and our children, and also for other reasons which we might present, therefore we have deliberated whether a new congregation ought not to be established, by taking some from each of these congregations; and having considered it advi- sable, we request respectfully your counsel and advice. If our desire be approved-and our prayer is that it may prosper-and we, on the Lord's day, once a month, or as often as possible, may · be served by our three ministers, then, for the accomplishment of the same, we will provide a place of worship and a salary. This petition we sign with respect, submission, and love, praying Al- mighty God to overrule all things for the best. And further-
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more, the salary, as is usual, shall be paid by each one of us. The reverend ministers above mentioned are invited, with elders from each of the congregations, to come together at the house of Peter Schenek, on Monday, the 11th day of August proximo."
Accordingly, on the 11th day of August, 1766, Rev. John Leydt, pastor of the churches of New-Brunswick and Six-Mile Run, with an elder respectively from each, namely, Hendrick Fisher and Abraham Voorhees; Rev. Jacob R. Hardenbergh, of Raritan, with the elder Reynier Van Neste, and the Rev. J. M. Van Harlingen, of Neshanic and Sourland, with elders Simon Van Arsdalen and Johannes De Mott, met together at the house of Peter Schenck, and, after prayer, each of the points of the peti- tion was thoroughly discussed, and the petition and plan were approved, except that the new congregation should not have the services of the three ministers without the consent of their re- spective congregations, as it would infringe on their calls. They at onee, after arriving at these conclusions, proceeded to eleet a consistory and to establish the congregation under the name of " New- Millstone." Joseph Cornell and Peter Schenek were chosen the first elders, and Johannes Hoogelandt and Abraham Van Doren, M.D., the first deacons. Dominie Leydt, of New- Brunswick, was appointed to ordain the new consistory on a sub- sequent day, (date not given ;) but, being prevented from per- forming this service by an accident, Dr. Hardenbergh, of Raritan, attended to it in his place, and the church was regularly ushered into being, the first regular organization in the county of Somer- set.
The three neighboring ministers, by an arrangement with their congregations, preached each at Millstone four Sabbaths in a year, giving them, in this way, one service in a month. This, however small it seems to be, continued to be the arrangement for eight years.
The first thing the consistory attempted, in furtheranee of their purpose to secure for themselves and their children the ordinances of the church, was to ereet a house of worship. A subscription was circulated as early as December of the year 1766, which amounted to £446, or $1115. The subscribers agreed to pay their quotas in four installments, at intervals of six months, beginning on May 1st, 1767. The conditions of subscription provided that the house should be built on land near " Somerset Court-house"-
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Millstone being then the county-seat-the land to be bought of John Smock, and that the church should unite with the " Coetus party," the party of liberty and advancement, as then understood. Aid pecuniarily was sought both in New-York and Long Island, and a subscription amounting to $260 obtained. The land for this church was ultimately given by John Van Doren, immedi- ately north of the present parsouage lot. It is, at present, in- cluded in the garden of Dr. Fred. Blackwell. But John Smock, who owned the site where the church now stands, being willing to exchange it for his land, considered more eligible, it was taken, and the deed stands in his name, dated Jannary 7th, 1767, and gives it to seven trustees, for the use of the congregation. Their names are Rem. Ditmars, Hendrick Wilson, John Probasco, John Vanderveer, Cornelius Van Liew, John Van Doren, and Henry Probasco. It comprised 8} tenths of an acre, and was valued at £10. It has been enlarged by three different purchases since, and now includes a little more than one acre. The house of worship was completed in about a year and three months from the date of the organization of the church. Like the churches of that day it was longer in front than in depth. It contained in all sixty pews. In the Revolution it was greatly damaged by the use to which it was subjeeted by the troops at different times ; but, being repaired, it stood for sixty years, and was finally succeeded by the present house, the corner-stone of which was laid on the 8th of June, 1828.
The baptismal register commences April 3d, 1767, with Eva, a daughter of Dr. Van Benren. At this time the church numbered only fifteen members in communion, including the elders and dea- cons. Ten were added in confession and two by certificate, while the first arrangement of supplies from neighboring ministers continned, and about $40 per year was paid by the Church of Millstone to the different consistories for the services of their pastors in that church.
In the year 1774, on the 23d of July, contemplating the settle- ment of a pastor for themselves, the congregation purchased a par- sonage farm, containing about fifty-three acres. It is now the resi- dence of J. H. Wilson, Esq. The house on it needed repairs, and these were provided for at once ; and now, being, as they believed, fully prepared to sustain public worship among themselves, they renewed their call upon the Rev. Christian Frederick Foer-
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ing, of the city of New-York, a preacher in the German Church, and their call was accepted October, 1774. He had been called as co-pastor with Dr. Hardenbergh, of Raritan, in November of the preceding year, but had declined. le represents, in a letter, that the Dutch language was rapidly passing away from Mill- stone, and that he was expected to preach only in English, so that we have the time fixed when English preaching only began in Millstone.
Rev. C. F. Foering was a native of Hanover, Germany ; was educated at Germantown, Pa., probably under . G. H. Dorstius a contemporary and friend of T. J. Frelinghuysen ; was called to the German Reformed church of Germantown, in 1771; and on the 21st of March, 1772, received a call to New-York City, as successor to the Rev. Mr. Kern. In process of time he had trans- ferred his ecclesiastical relations to the Coetus, which prepared the way for his entering into connection with the Dutch Church. He was driven from his home by fear of the British soldiery, constantly ravishing the district of Millstone during the winter of 1779. Ile was siek, and from the exposure contracted a cold which led to phthisis, and he died on the 29th of March, 1779. His remains were interred under the pulpit of his church, and still rest there. He was eminently a good man and a most faithful pastor.
In the mean time the court-house in the village had been burned by Lient .- Colonel Simcoe's Queen's Ringers on the 26th of the preceding October, and the people from all their suffering‹ and losses were almost in despair; but Providence interposed and sent them, unexpectedly, Rev. Solomon Froeligh, who became their pastor. He appeared in Millstone in the spring of 1780 as an exile from Long Island. The people at once, through the influence and advice of the Rev. J. M. Van Harlingen, nego- tiated with him for his services. He declined a temporary arrange- ment, but offered to accept a call. It was instantly made out for him, and he accepted it and moved into the parsonage on the 5th of June the same year. It was not competent for him to obtain a dismission from his charge on Long Island, and hence . the synod meeting in October, at New-Paltz, took the unusual measure of empowering a committee, raised to settle the dispute of boundaries between Millstone and the neighboring congrega- tions, in case they succeeded, to approve the call and grant him
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a dismission from his charge on Long Island, that he might be 'able to accept the call and become the pastor of Millstone.
The minute of this action is of sufficient importance to quote : " At the same time, the committee are hereby authorized, in the name of this reverend body, to approve the call made by the con- gregation of New-Millstone upon Mr. Solomon Froeligh, and there- upon (in this very unusual case) to dismiss him from his former congregations on Long Island, from which, having been driven by the enemy in these disturbed times, he can obtain no regular ecclesiastical discharge, being fully satisfied of his blameless, profitable, and edifying converse in these congregations, as also in others in which he has since served ; and as a committee for this purpose Drs. Hermanus Meyers, Dirck Romeyn, Samuel Ver- bryck, and Benjamin Duboise, or any two of them, are appointed, each with an elder from his congregation." (Minutes of Coetus, Oct. 3d, 1780.)
In the mean time, before the settlement was consummated, Neshanic applied for a participation in Mr. Froeligh's services, though it constituted, with Sourland, a part of the pastoral charge of J. M. Van Harlingen. Articles of agreement were entered into, and the call, as finally approved, embraces the two churches, and is dated Sept. 4th, 1780. He was to preach two Sabbaths out of three at Millstone and one at Neshanic, and alternate the Dutch and English languages. At Neshanic, in the long days of summer, he was to preach twice a day, after a short intermission, and was to receive from Millstone 160 bushels of good wheat, and from Neshanic 108. It was changed April 12th, 1784, to £120 proclamation money, divided between the two congregations, Neshanic providing £40 and Millstone £80 of the sum total.
On October 1st, 1782, the synod convened at Millstone, but it consisted only of nine members. Dr. Derick Romeyn preached the opening sermon from Isaiah 4 : 5, and Dr. Hermanus Meyer, of Pompton, presided. At this meeting the Rev. Simeon Van Arsdalen was examined for licensure. He became soon after the pastor of Readington, and died early.
Solomon Froeligh labored in his charge in Somerset county about six years. He then received, 1786, a call from the united congregations of Hackensack and Schralenbergh, which he accepted. Here he labored and died Oct. 8th, 1827. The latter
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part of his career was unfortunate both to him and to. the church. He was the principal occasion of the secession of eer- tain ministers in 1823 in Bergen County, and on the Mohawk, calling themselves the True Reformed Dutch Church ; was deposed and never restored to his functions as a minister and professor. The temporary union between Neshanie and Mill- stone ceased when Froeligh left. Mr. Leydt having also in the mean time died, New-Brunswick and Six-Mile Run became dis- connected, and a new alliance was formed.
It was now determined to unite Millstone with Six-Mile Run, and to call the Rev. John M. Van Harlingen, a young man just licensed by the synod convened in New-York, October, 1786. The call is dated May 1st, 1787. The churches were to pay him £130 in equal parts, and to have equal services. In Millstone one half the service was to be in English, and at Six-Mile Run one third. We have given the history of this pastorate in our notes on Six-Mile Run. The same union continued to exist under Dr. Cannon. He was ordained and installed at Millstone. May 1st, 1797, and continued to serve the people until 1807, when the connection between the two churches was dissolved and. Dr. Cannon became the pastor of Six-Mile Run alone, and Mill- stone called the Rev. John Schureman. He was called from Bedminster April 20th, 1807. He was a native of New-Bruns- wiek, a descendant of Jacobus Schureman, who came from Hol- land with Frelinghuysen and married a sister of his wife, a Miss Terhune, of Long Island. He was born Oct. 19th, 1778, gra- duated from Queen's College 1795, studied under Dr. Livingston, and was licensed in 1800. Ile had been settled at Bedininster about six years. He lived during his residence at Millstone in the place occupied by Mr. Jacob Van Cleef, near Blackwell's Mills. Ilis connection with Millstone was very brief. Ile re- ceived a call from the Collegiate Church in New-York, and the Consistory of Millstone agreed to unite with him in a request for a dissolution of their connection Nov. 17th, 1809.
John Schureman was not robust in his health, and soon left the city for a place in the college and died there May 15th, 1818. Dr. Gabriel Ludlow, who knew him well, says of him, "He was one of the worthies of our church, a man greatly beloved and confided in. He had nothing very remarkable in his appearance or man- ner. A stranger on meeting him or passing him would proba-
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bly have thought or said, "There goes a sensible, kind-healed man, an unpretending, humble man.' His constitution of body was rather frail from his childhood, and needed care on his own part and indulgence on the part of those to whom he ministered, to keep him at all in a proper condition for the pastoral work. When called to New-York, he sustained his reputation and com- peted successfully with some of the most popular eity ministers. He could not preach any thing but a solid, judicious diseourse, logically arranged, and therefore lucid in every part and symme- trical. In his style he was not strong or sparkling, but simple, clear, neat, direct. In manner not rapid or fervid or impas- sioned, bat distinct in his enunciation, just in emphasis, affection- ate in tone, with not much but proper and rather graceful gesti- culation ; altogether making the impression of a man that felt in his own soul the power of the truth and was desirous that his hearers should be profited by his ministrations. His course was a short one, though useful while and as long as it lasted. It was a melancholy day when the tidings came that Dr. Schureman was no more, and it was another melancholy day when those who loved him (and they were many) assembled to commit his remains to their long resting-place. Even the tolling bell was mute in merey to the stricken, bereaved widow. The character- istics of the man, on only a short acquaintance, were amiability, solidity, and Christian discretion. These qualities showed them- selves everywhere and at all times, in his family, among his pupils and his people when he had a pastoral charge, and in all his intercourse. If Dr. Schureman had showed himself harsh, selfish, frivolous, rash, every one that knew him would have been astonished with great astonishment. Such manifestations would have been thought foreign to the man. People would.almost have thought that there was something like a temporary metem- psychosis in the case. It is now nearly if not quite half a cen- tury since he passed away from among us, but we who survive" him among his pupils still think of him with a mournful plea- sure, and make powerful draughts upon memory that we may recall all that is possible of such a man and such an instructor." His remains sleep beside the other professors in the churchyard in New-Brunswick. We have given a fuller account of him already as one of the pastors of the church in that city. Perhaps we ought to have been satisfied with what was said, but we felt
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like giving a wider publication to Dr. Ludlow's admirable sketch of the man. It is a finished picture.
When Dr. Schureman left Millstone the church seemed to be almost in despair. It was a great loss indeed; but that kind Providence which watched over the interests of the yet feeble congregation interposed and gave relief. The attention of the people was directed to the Rev. John L. Zabriskie, settled over the united churches of Greenbush and Winantskill, near Albany. He preached at Millstone for the first time in the month of February, 1810, and took charge of the church, moving his family into the village in the month of May, 1811. He was installed by Dr. Cannon, and he remained with the church as one of her most faithful pastors until he died Aug. 15th, 1850-39 years and three months.
John L. Zabriskie was, it is said, of Polish extraction, a de- scendant of Albert Saborowiski, who arrived in this country in the Fox, in 1662, and of the fourth generation; born March 4th, 1779. He graduated at Union College, Schenectady, in the very first class, in 1798 ; studied theology with Dr. Derick Romeyn, and was licensed by the Classis of Rensselaer in 1801. He settled as successor to the Rev. J. V. C. Romeyn almost imme- diately at Greenbush and Winantskill, and continued to serve these churches faithfully and acceptably for eight years. The church at Millstone was comparatively weak, having only about 70 members in its communion and 84 families, when he consented to take charge of it. After preaching eighteen years in the old church, he succeeded finally in inducing his people to build a new one, the present building-sufficiently commodious and convenient for all who desire to attend the services in it, at least at the pre- sent time.
The present writer preached his funeral sermon, and afterward gave in Corwin's Manual the following as his conception of what the man was, what he deserved to be esteemed, and how he had labored in the Gospel for so many years.
During his long and faithful pastorate at Millstone he main- tained his influence and his standing unto the end. He was a man of many excellences; kind, social, unaffected, and sincerely and zealously pions, a gentleman of the old school, simple in his tastes, unostentatious in his life, and unsophisticated
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in his daily conduct. All who knew him loved him, and those who knew him best loved him most.
He was one of the most laborious and successful pastors in Somerset County. He preached and leetured more, visited more families, and attended more carefully to all his public duties, than almost any minister of his time. He was considered by all an example not only, but also a monitor, in his official life.
His talents were good. His mind was more judicions, solid, and safe than brilliant or endowed with genius. He was a wise man, a sensible man, a man to be depended on. His counsel was always judicious, and no one ever erred much in following it. Hence, he himself made no mistakes of importance, had no con- troversies ; and, while his friends were numerous, his enemies belonged to those whom his principles and his holy life necessarily brought in contact of opposition to him.
He was an excellent preacher ; and though he seldom wrote his sermons, they were solid, sensible, full of evangelical thought, and listened to with profit by all the earnest-hearted and godly in his congregation. His knowledge of the Gospel was full, distinctive, and clear; and when he had discussed any one of its doctrines, his hearers felt that they had had very important matters brought to their consideration, in a way which was ealeulated both to im- press their minds and edify their hearts. Few men could speak more judiciously and appropriately from the impulse of the moment, on any ordinary subject, than he did. Often there was a neatness, terseness, and directness which made his discourse highly pleasing ; always he was edifying and instructive.
Then he was a genial man ; and in his social intercourse could astonish you by his wit, his sarcasm, and even drollery. But this was only occasionally, and when he seemed to be carried out of his ordinary sphere. Habitually he was grave, thoughtful, and, though never reserved, by no means a facetious man. He was too . earnest and full of thought for any trifling or levity at any time.
IIis life was unstained by even a breath of evil. No one ever doubted his piety, or the sincerity of his admonitions, when he reprobated vice and reproved iniquity, for they knew his pure heart impelled him.
By his simple habits and economy, while in the receipt of only a small stipend, he was able to accumulate a large estate and leave it as an inheritance to his children. This, however, resulted
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chiefly from the early possession of his own patrimony, managed with prudence and care, and not from any savings out of his salary. In a word, he was a good man, full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, useful in his day, lamented when he passed away ; and he has left a name which will have a savor of excellence for many generations-especially among those for whose spiritual good he labored, and whose fathers and mothers he was the instrument of bringing into the kingdom.
He sleeps in view of the front door of his church, and his chil- dren have inscribed upon his monument these words : " In memory of John Lansing Zabriskie, born March 4th, 1779 ; died, August 15th, 1850. For more than 50 years a minister of God : from 1811 until his death, pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church of Mill- stone. Pure in life, sincere of purpose, with zeal, perseverance, and prudence, devoted to the service of his Master. Here amid the loved people of his charge, his carthly remains await the resurrection of the just." On his wife's monument is written : "Sarah Barrea, wife of Rev. J. L. Zabriskie, born May 11th, 1786 ; died December 21st, 1856."
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