USA > New Jersey > Passaic County > Preakness and the Preakness Reformed Church : a history 1695-1902 : with genealogical notes, the records of the church and tombstone inscriptions > Part 20
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The Consistorial report to Classis in the spring of 1884 was made out before Mr. Wyckoff left, and was a good one. As com- pared with the one of the spring before he came, in 1878, it shows a net increase of 7 families, 11 members, 10 in the Sunday School enrollment, $115.84 against nothing for religious and benevolent purposes, and $1,170 against $400 raised for congregational pur-
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AND PREAKNESS REFORMED CHURCH.
poses. During Mr. Wyckoff's pastorate, 16 persons were received into the membership of the Church on confession, and 16 also by certificate. But aside from these statistics, the condition of the con- gregation was in almost every way much improved over what it had been before he came. The people, were united, harmonious and ready at once to call a new man, when they might find him.
The dissolution of the pastoral relation was effected March 17, at a special meeting of the Classis, in Paterson, in the First Reformed Church of Totowa, Rev. J. C. Cruikshank in the chair, and Rev. J. L. Danner, Clerk. The Rev. J. H. Owens presented the formal application, and remarks in addition were made by him, Rev. J. N. Jansen, and Brother Wyckoff; upon which it was resolved that the request be granted. The resolution of Classis which marked the occasion is as follows :
"Resolved, That while Classis regrets the occasion which takes brother Wyckoff from us, it desires to express its high appreciation of the work which he has accomplished while a member of Classis, not only with his own Church, but also in Classical work, especially in connection with the Mission Record."
Mr. Wyckoff also at this meeting resigned his position as Treasurer of Classis, which office he had held for several years. The usual certificate of dismission to the Classis of Raritan, with- in whose bounds he thereafter expected to labor, was voted to him. Mr. Wyckoff's memory is still fresh and fragrant with the Preak- ness people.
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HISTORY OF PREAKNESS
CHAPTER XIV.
PASTORATE OF REV. J. RUSSELL VERBRYCKE.
Mr. J. Russell Verbrycke, a graduate of Rutgers College in 1881, and a member of the graduating class of the Theological Seminary at New Brunswick in 1884, succeeded Mr. Wyckoff as pastor of this Church. A call was made on him Apr. 22, 1884, Rev. J. H. Owens presiding at the Consistory meeting when it was done. Mr. Verbrycke accepted the call provisionally, and was ordained and installed June 17, Rev. T. C. Easton, afterwards his father-in- law, of New Brunswick, N. J., preaching the sermon for the occa-
THE REV. J. RUSSELL VERBRYCKE.
sion. The charge to the pastor was given by Rev. J. O. Van Fleet, and that to the people by Rev. P. Furbeck. The President of Classis, Rev. J. L. Danner, presided and read the form.
It will be seen from this that Mr. Verbrycke was called in a little over a month, and settled in just three months to the day, after Mr. Wyckoff was dismissed, showing that the congregation, as we have said, was left by Mr. Wyckoff in a healthy and prosper- our state. These circumstances also indicate that the Church people of Preakness were inclined to try another brand new man from the Seminary, for whom they had to wait a while before he could be
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AND PREAKNESS REFORMED CHURCH.
ordained, his ordination being the third and last so far that has occurred in this church.
The Rev. J. Russell Verbrycke was born, reared, and educated in New Brunswick. He came of good old Holland stock. His work for the time he was here was a decided success. On March 1, 1885, the largest accession to the membership of Preakness Church that has ever been experienced occurred, 20 persons in all, every one of them young people, two each from two families, three from another, and four from still another, uniting with the Church on that day, on confession of their faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Seven of the number were baptized. In all, during his pastorate, Mr. Verbrycke received 30 persons into the membership of the Church, all but one of them, his own wife, on confession ; and what is still more remarkable, every person of the whole 30 being young people. His personal influence over the young appears to have been especially marked, which was due in part no doubt to his having singing classes and choir meetings, where he came in contact with the young people as their musical instructor, a position for which he was exceptionally fitted, or well qualified. Some of these young people who are still with us are among the best members of the Church we have to-day. Mrs. Verbrycke like- wise has left a memorial of her energy and devotion to the cause of the Master, in the organization of the Woman's Missionary Society of the Church, which is still in operation, and has been without intermission since she organized it, an organization which has con- tributed all these years from $40 or thereabouts, to over $100 annually to the Mission work of our Reformed Church.
In the fall of 1886, the heating of the church by stoves not having been satisfactory, a furnace was put under the front end of the structure, the necessary excavation having been made for that purpose. The members of the committee of Consistory in charge of the work, and who had it done, were Jacob R. Berdan, John G. Merselis, and David Bensen. The cost of it was about $400. The arrangement has since been fairly satisfactory, except in the coldest weather.
Mr. Verbrycke remained in Preakness until the spring of 1887, not quite three years,-more accurately about two years and three-quarters. On April 4, 1887, a meeting of Consistory was held at the house of Elder Albert Bensen, at which Rev. Philip Furbeck presided, and it was resolved at the request of the pastor
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to apply to Classis for a dissolution of the pastoral relation. The, following resolution was offered at this meeting and adopted :
"We, the Consistory of the Preakness Reformed Church unite with J. Russell Verbrycke in his request to Classis that his pastoral relation to us may cease; and resolve that we do so with sorrow and regret; and speak of his pastorate as the relations which have been pleasant and harmonious for three years, and which we believe are the sentiments of the Church and congregation. With the young people of the Church he will be missed, especially with the Choir, in which he took a deep interest, and for which he labored earnestly. During his pastorate among us, he has proved him- self a workman who needeth not to be ashamed, a diligent and conscien- tious pastor, a friend and consoler in sorrow, full of sympathy and tender- ness toward the bereaved. That we commend him to the love and conti- dence of the Church of which he is about to become pastor. And that we pray, and will continue to pray that the blessing of God abide with him and his family, and that his labors in the Gospel may be crowned with abun- dant success."
Classis acted on the application thus presented the next day at Fairfield, and gave the brother a letter of dismission from this Classis to the Classis of Paramus. He went from here to the Reformed Church of Piermont, New York, where he labored until the last of 1893, or the beginning of 1894, since which time he has been pastor of the Gurley Memorial Presbyterian Church at Wash- ington, D. C. The Preakness Church reached its highest reported membership under Mr. Verbrycke, who, in 1886, reported the total number of those in communion with us to be 125, although the next year the list was revised, and nearly 50 were not reported, making the number 79.
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AND PREAKNESS REFORMED CHURCH.
CHAPTER XV.
REV. T. A. BEEKMAN, STATED SUPPLY.
After Mr. Verbrycke left, the Church, for several months was without a pastor. Candidates were heard, but it was not until Oct. 27, 1887, that a resolution was passed in Consistory to have Rev. Theodore A. Beekman supply the pulpit for a year. The vote, according to the minutes, was unanimous. And from the a communication from the Clerk of Consistory, (J. G. Merselis, Deacon), to Classis, we see that on the part of the officers of the Church at any rate, it was with a view to having the brother ulti- mately permanently settled. Mr. Beekman had a call from the
THE REV. THEODORE A. BEEKMAN.
Consistory, but preferred not to be installed at first, as he enter- tained other plans. The brother was here in all about a year and a half, and certainly did a good work, receiving quite a number, seventeen, into the Church, mostly, though not all, young people, and nearly all of them on confession. Two of these persons are now .(1902) in Consistory, and have been for years, and two others have been members of that body. In different ways Mr. Beekman greatly helped the Preakness Church. He was a firm friend, socially inclined, and a good pastor. Also among other things he brought the people up in their contributions to missions, as they had never contributed before, and which they continue to feel the effects of to this day. "And then the large and flourishing Chris-
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HISTORY OF PREAKNESS
tian Endeavor Society, which for the size and location of the Church, has been exceptional, was a creation of Mr. Beekman's and his wife's, of which moreover they have ever since been proud, and they have reason to be.
This Society was organized Jan. 18, 1888, in the parsonage, by the adoption of the Revised Model Constitution of the United Society. Mr. Beekman acted as Chairman of the organization meeting, and Deacon J. Frank Day acted as Secretary. Nine other persons were present on the occasion, who therefore constituted the original membership of the Society, viz: Richard Bensen, Louisa E. Vail, Kate B. Vail, Mary A. Vail, John S. Post, Sadie B. Vail, Mary L. Berdan, Mary Bensen, and Libbie R. Berdan. Almost immediately, however, twenty-five or more persons in all became active members of the Society, and signed their names to the Active Membership Pledge, as follows: Mary A. Vail, Mary L. Berdan, Kate B. Vail, Chatty Bensen, Lou Ethlen Vail, Sadie B. Vail, Mary Bensen, Libbie Berdan, Libbie R. Berdan, Minnie Martin, Ella Terhune, Nellie Bensen, John D. Merselis, Fred Ber- dan, J. S. Post, R. Bensen, Fannie F. Doremus, Lizzie H. Doremus, Mattie S. Doremus, Jennie Bensen, Lottie Cahill, Clara Cahill, Mamie Merselis, George Braddock, Lizzie Hudson, Fannie I. Vail, J. W. Doremus, Augustus Mowel. No dates were given, but these were all carly Active Members. The first officers of the Society werc: John S. Post, President; Richard Bensen, Vice-President; Mary A. Vail, Secretary; Mary L. Berdan, Treasurer; Libbie R. Berdan, Organist; Mary A. Vail, Assistant Organist. There was no separate Corresponding Secretary to start with, but Richard Bensen was afterwards chosen as the first one. Friday evening was at the outset designated as the regular weekly prayer meeting evening of the Society, and this has never been changed. The meet- ings began to be held at the parsonage, and there is where they have always been held, except for a while between pastorates, after Mr. Beekman left, and occasionally for an evening, when it has been more convenient to have them elsewhere, usually at the house of Mr. Albert Bensen, next neighbor. The Society reached its highest membership two or three years after its organization. The largest attendance at any one meeting ever held in the parsonage was 52. At that time there were about 40 active members, and about 10 associate members.
Mr. Beekman was graduated from Rutgers College in 1882, and from the Seminary at New Brunswick in 1885. He was
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ordained to the ministry and settled in Columbia, N. Y., in 1885, where he remained until he came to Preakness. After leaving Preak- ness, he went to Howe's Cave, or Central Bridge and Schoharie Mountain, N. Y. In 1894, he was called and went to Jerusalem, N. Y., where he remained until late in 1901. He is at present in Red Bank, N. J., endeavoring to build up a Reformed Church congregation there.
The spring report to Classis in 1889, just before Mr. Beek- man's work here closed, indicated 48 families, 93 members, 130 in Sunday Schools, $212.25 raised for benevolence, mostly missions, and $902.11 for congregational purposes. Mr. Beekman, with his family, remained in the parsonage most of the summer, and occasionally, after the June communion, when candidates were not heard, he preached as a supply. During the summer, the outside woodwork of the church was painted, and also later in the season, the parsonage, both inside and outside. Just before he left Preak- ness with his family, and before the parsonage was occupied by the new pastor-elect, this brother performed the first marriage cere- mony, we believe, that was ever performed in this church building, -that of Augustus Mowel and Sadie B. Vail, on Sept. 19, 1889. And there has been but one other service of the same kind since, in the Preakness church, viz. : that of A. C. Post and Lizzie Hudson, by the present pastor, June 17, 1896.
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CHAPTER XVI.
PASTORATE OF REV. GEO. W. LABAW.
Aug. 9, 1889, it was resolved in Consistory to call to the pas- torate the Rev. Geo. W. Labaw, of Colt's Neck, N. J. Mr. Labaw had preached as candidate June 30, and also July 28. On the 5th of August, Deacon J. Frank Day had been appointed a committee to go and see Mr. Labaw, as to whether he would accept a call from this Church, if tendered. The result of Deacon Day's visit being favorable, the Consistory came together at the aforemen- tioned date, (Aug. 9), with Rev. J. C. Cruikshank in the chair, who drew up and moderated the call. Mr. Labaw, on receiving said call, wrote his acceptance, and began his labors Sept. 15. He was installed Oct. 22, 1889, a good congregation being present to enter into Covenant with him. Rev. J. A. Trimmer, of Pompton, preached the sermon on the occasion. Rev. C. M. Perlee, of Boon- ton, presided and read the form, as well as pronounced the rela- tions of pastor and people of the Reformed Church of Preakness duly formed. By invitation of Classis, Rev. Theo. W. Welles, of the Classis of Paramus, gave the charge to the new pastor, and Rev. A. A. King, of the Riverside Reformed Church, of Paterson, the charge to the people.
George Warne Labaw was born near Clinton, N. J., Feb. 29, 1848, and is a lineal descendant, through his mother, of Thomas Warne, one of the Twenty-four Proprietors of East New Jersey. He was prepared for college, in 1864 and 1865, at the Rutgers College Grammar School, then under the charge of the Rev. C. E. Crispel, D.D .; was graduated from Rutgers College, in 1869; he spent a year in Illinois, in teaching, first near Warrensville, Du Page county, and then at Dunton, now Arlington Heights, Cook county ; after which, in the fall of 1870, he entered the Theological Seminary, at New Brunswick, from which institution he graduated in 1873, having spent his first summer's vacation in doing mission work in the Congregational Church at Whiting, Maine, and the second, at Cooper, Maine, both in Washington county of that state. Mr. Labaw was licensed by the Classis of Philadelphia, in session
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AND PREAKNESS REFORMED CHURCH.
at Harlingen, N. J., May 27, 1873, and was dismissed to the Classis of Saratoga, within whose bounds he had received and accepted a call. The next month, June, on the 18th, he was ordained and installed pastor over the joint charge of the Reformed Churches of Northumberland and Fort Miller, in the Classis of Saratoga, and remained there until July of the following year, when he resigned. For about three months after this he supplied what was then the mission station, but which is now the Reformed Church at Ridgewood, N. J. In October, 1874, he received and accepted a call from, and, on November 1st, began his labors in, the Reformed Church of Blue Mountain, N. Y., in the Classis of Ulster, where he remained eight years. The date of his installation over said Church was Nov. 10, of that year. The preliminary exercises were con- ducted by the Rev. Stephen Searle, of Caatsban. Prayer was of- fered by Rev. Asher Anderson, of Flatbush, Ulster county, N. Y. Rev. Wm. G. E. See, of Platte Kill, preached the sermon. The President of Classis, Rev. D. N. Van Derveer, of Kingston, pre- sided, read the form, &c. The charges to the pastor and people were those contained in the form.
On the 25th of November of that year, Mr. Labaw married Kate B. Mosher, daughter of Lewis H. Mosher, M.D., of Griggs- town, N. J.
The first winter of Mr. Labaw's labors in this large and labori- ous field was distinguished by the greatest revival that has ever been experienced in that section, resulting in more additions to the Church there, as reported to Classis the following spring, than were received in any Church in the denomination that year, the exact number being 124 on confession, and 6 by letter ; while 23 others were received later at the next June communion. Several other smaller additions were made during this eight years pastorate, and at the preaching of his farewell sermon many of his hearers had to stand in the aisles and galleries of the church.
In the fall of 1882, Mr. Labaw received and accepted a call from the Reformed Church of Colt's Neck, N. J., where he was installed Dec. 5th, Rev. Ransford Wells, D.D., the President of Classis, presiding and reading the form, Rev. William Reiley, D.D., preaching the sermon, Rev. Wm. H. Phraner giving the charge to the pastor, and Rev. Theo. W. Welles, that to the people. Mr. Labaw remained at Colt's Neck about seven years, during which time repairs and improvements were made on the church edifice, and some additions were made to the parsonage property. The
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HISTORY OF PREAKNESS
pastoral relation of the writer with the Colt's Neck Church was dissolved by the Classis of Monmouth in stated session, at High- lands, N. J., Sept. 24, 1889. The following resolution, previously adopted by the Consistory of the Church, was at this time presented to Classis :
"Resolved, That while we are constrained to comply with this request, we deeply regret the severing of the ties that have bound us together for so many years, and desire to bear our cheerful testimony to his untiring en- ergy and faithfulness to the Master's cause; his attention to the sick and suffering; and the hearty and faithful co-operation of his devoted wife in every good word and work during their labors among us, which we trust may yet bring forth much fruit to the glory of the Master, whose blessings in such abundance we humbly pray may accompany them in whatever por- tion of His vineyard they may hereafter be called to labor."
Mr. Labaw entered upon his work at Preakness under favorable auspices. He was well received by the people, the congregation was united, the spiritual state of the charge was good, and the Church property was in good physical condition. The Consistory borrowed $150 on note with which to pay bills for repairs; but the note was soon afterwards taken up, and there was no other debt. The following collections for benevolence were at once resolved on :
3rd Sunday in April, Domestic Missions.
66 July, Foreign Missions.
October, Domestic Missions.
66 66 January, Board of Education.
But these were directly changed to
3rd Sunday in January, Board of Education. 66 March, Foreign Missions.
May, Domestic Missions.
66
July, Foreign Missions.
66 August, Passaic Co. Bible Society.
October, Domestic Missions.
At the same time the prayer meetings held in Upper and Lower Preakness were well attended; the Woman's Missionary Society, organized during the pastorate of Rev. J. R. Verbrycke, by Mrs. Verbrycke, was in good working order ; the Church Sunday School was closed during the winter months; but the Lower Preakness Sunday School continued in operation ; while the most promising feature of the work was the flourishing condition of the Christian Endeavor Society, with an Active Membership of 33, and an Asso- ciate Membership of 9, which was still further increased later on. The number of families reported in the spring of 1890 was 48, the
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AND PREAKNESS REFORMED CHURCH.
number of church members 99, and the Sunday School enrollment in the two Schools was 106. This was a good start, and everything betokened prosperity. The highest membership of the present pastorate was 109, in 1891. For two years after that it was kept at 106, but later, through removals, dismissions, and deaths, and by keeping the list constantly revised, it has fallen to 90. The num- ber of families also has been reduced to 40, while our contribu- tions, whether for benevolence or congregational purposes, have been as a rule, and have averaged, higher than ever before.
In the spring of 1891, the road in front of the parsonage was cut down and macadamized, and the stone wall built which has since greatly improved the appearance of the parsonage property.
In April of this year, Elder William Cahill was taken suddenly and violently ill with pneumonia, and almost before any one knew he was sick, passed away. At a meeting of Consistory May 29, the following resolution in reference to Mr. Cahill's death was offered and passed :
"Resolved, That this Consistory feel deeply the loss which the Re- formed Church of Preakness, N. J., and we ourselves, as his associates in office, in said Church, have sustained by the unexpected decease, Apr. 23, 1891, of our brother, Elder William Cahill, who for several years had been an earnest, active, and efficient officer in the Church, and whose character had won the esteem and respect of all."
"That we sincerely sympathize with the family and relatives of the deceased, and desire to add this tribute to his memory."
"That this resolution be signed by the members of Consistory and given to the family, and a copy of it made in the Consistorial Minutes."
(Signed ) GEO. W. LABAW, Pastor.
JACOB R. BERDAN, JOHN G. MERSELIS, J. F. DAY,
Elders. RICHARD D. BENSEN, GILBERT F. MERSELIS, HEZEKIAH BRADDOCK, J. W. DOREMUS, Deacons.
Ex-Elder Peter G. Merselis died Aug. 30. In 1892, the young people of the congregation, as represented principally by the Y. P. S. C. E., by a series of special efforts in the shape of entertain- ments, for which they were responsible, placed new cushions in the church pews, made by Ostermoor and Son, of New York, at an expense of $285.
A couple of King's Daughters Circles, named "The Willing Helpers Circle" and "The Inasmuch Circle" were organized in
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HISTORY OF PREAKNESS
1893, and the same year the former gave to the Church Sunday School a new book case, and the latter nearly paid the winter's coal bill of the church. These Circles continued in existence for two or three years, and then gradually disbanded; but not until together they had raised about $70 toward a new carpet for the church, which money was deposited in the Paterson Savings Insti- tution, and, with a few years' interest added to it, was sufficient to pay over two-thirds the expense of the new carpet laid on our church floor just before our Centennial celebration.
In the early part of 1896, beginning with the observance of the Week of Prayer, considerable special interest in spiritual things was manifest among the young people, and as a result of nightly meetings for three weeks in all, (excepting Saturdays), seven of our young people united with us in confession of their faith, and one by letter, at the March communion.
In the fall of 1897, late in September, the Rev. S. T. Jackson, pastor of Calvary M. E. Church, Paterson, went around, with the pastor of this Church, among the Preakness people, to solicit con- tributions in farm produce or cash, for the Paterson General Hos- pital. For several years already the Sunday School or Sunday Schools here had contributed, and continued to contribute, from $6 to $25 or more, annually, toward the Children's Ward of said Hospital; but this movement of Brother Jackson's was entirely new. Nevertheless, the people responded most liberally. And three years later, viz: in the fall of 1900, as well as in that of 1901, the Rev. Joseph Sullivan, of the Fourth Baptist Church of Paterson, repeated the experiment, with equal or even better suc- cess,-from $125 to $150 in value, each year, for all three years, besides what the Sunday Schools gave those years, thus being willingly contributed by this people, or the people of this com- munity, to the work of the General Hospital in our neighboring city; while we suppose the same thing will be done this coming fall, viz: that of 1902.
On Jan. 18, 1898, the Preakness Christian Endeavor Society celebrated the tenth anniversary of its organization. . From the report of the Recording Secretary, Archibald Lindsay, on the occasion, we cull and copy the following partial extracts :
"Since our organization, ten years ago to-night, we have had connected with our Society eighty of the young people of the neigh- borhood. Our largest attendance (52) at any one meeting was during the third year of our history, when we had about forty
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