USA > New York > Dutchess County > Fishkill > A discourse delivered on the 12th of September, 1866, at the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the First Reformed Dutch Church, Fishkill : with an appendix, furnishing a brief historical sketch of the associated churches of Hopewell, New Hackensack, Fishkill Landing, and Glenham > Part 3
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During Mr. VAN VRANKEN'S life-time the parson- age, still standing, was near Swartwoutville, a location very central for the associated congregations. There he lived, and there, after a very brief but violent ill- ness, he died on the 20th of May, 1804. in the forty- second year of his age and the thirteenth of his pastorate. His illness was so severe in its nature and rapid in its termination that the majority of the people knew not that their beloved pastor had been stretched upon a bed of sickness until they were in- formed of his death. A member of this church. Miss GERTRUDE BRINCKERHOFF-the oldest com-
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municant at the time of his decease-left us in De- cember, 1864. Her memories of the past were ex- ceedingly accurate, and her descriptions vivid. She said that Mr. VAN VRANKEN having preached as usual on one Sabbath, the congregation assembled on the following Lord's Day to listen to the instructions of their loved and revered teacher. While they were waiting, expecting each moment to see him enter the sanctuary, the sad and startling intelligence was communicated to them that their pastor was not, for God had that morning taken him. She added that on the following Sabbath a stranger was expected to supply the pulpit of this church. Being herself delayed it was past the hour of service when she reached the house of God ; but on entering she found that the preacher had not yet arrived, and the people were waiting for him just as they had been on the preceding Sabbath for their honored pastor. The sameness of the circumstances producing a con- viction of their great loss simultaneously affected the whole assembly. and with bowed heads they yielded to bursts of sorrow which could not for a time be checked. The same venerable lady has told me of the immense throng which gathered at the parson- age to follow his remains to his grave in this church- yard, where they were deposited to rest till the morning of the resurrection. On the stone which designates his grave is the following inscription : "Glory to God alone. Sacred to the memory of the Reverend NICHOLAS VAN VRANKEN, Minister of Jehovah Jesus and Pastor of the Dutch Reformed Congregations of Fishkill, Hopewell, and New
39
Hackensack. This excellent man lived tenderly beloved and died deeply lamented by the people of his charge. He was born the 24th of May, 1762, and departed in peace and rested in hope the 20th of May, 1804, aged 41 years, 11 months, and 27 days. 'The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away ; blessed be the name of the Lord.'"
Mr. VAN VRANKEN was married twice. Of his children, one, the Rev. Dr. SAMUEL A. VAN VRANKEN, after having for many years occupied some of the most prominent positions in our Church, was elected Professor of Didactic and Polemic Theology in our Seminary at New Brunswick, N. J., and died there, a man greatly beloved, in 1861. One son WILLIAM AUGUSTUS VAN VRANKEN, of Geneva, N. Y., still survives, and one daughter, Mrs. HARRIET V. V. MABON. A grandson, Rev. Dr. MABON, is settled in the ministry of our Church at New Durham, N. J. The widow of Mr. VAN VRANKEN subsequently married Colonel DERICK BRINCKERHOFF, and is still living among us-being now in her ninetieth year- and the oldest member of our Church, suffering to some extent from bodily infirmities, but still yield- ing the fruits of holiness and patience, happy in her- self and contributing to the happiness of others. The esteem of the Classis for this excellent servant of God is manifested in the action of that reverend body, July, 1804. " Adjourned to meet at Red Hook, September 21. Ordered that the Rev. COR- NELIUS BROWER preach a sermon at our next meeting sacred to the memory of our lately deceased brother, Rev. NICHOLAS VAN VRANKEN." After the decease
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of Mr. VAN VRANKEN, Classis, in October, 1805, dis- solved the connection between Fishkill, Hopewell, and New Hackensack: and Fishkill became a sep- arate charge.
The Rev. CORNELIUS D. WESTBROOK succeeded Mr. VAN VRANKEN. He was born in Rochester, Ulster county, in 1782, and graduated from Union College in 1801. Of this institution he was a tutor for two years. His theological studies were pursued under the direction of the Rev. Dr. JOHN B. ROMEYN, and he was licensed to preach the Gospel by the Classis of Albany in 1804. Mr. WESTBROOK Was ordained to the ministry and installed pastor of this church in 1806. In the Treasurer's book, in which are recorded some occasional minutes of Consistorial meetings, I find the following entry : " Sunday, March 9. 1806. after previous publication, and after a suitable discourse from i Cor. v. 11. by the Rev. CORNELIUS BROWER, Mr. CORNELIUS D. WESTBROOK was ordained minister and bishop. CORNELIUS BROWER, Mr. BRODHEAD, and Mr. BARCULO, perform- ing the same, ordained him, the said CORNELIUS D. WESTBROOK, Minister and Bishop over the first Re- formed Dutch Church in the town of Fishkill, in the presence of the elders and deacons of the church and a very crowded audience." Since that time -- sixty years ago-no ordination service has taken place in this church, though there have been two in- stallations to the pastorate. Mr. WESTBROOK'S ser- vice of the church appears to have commenced a short time previously to his ordination, his salary being payable from January 1, 1806. His pastorate here
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was long continued. embracing a period of twenty- five years. Says his son, F. E. WESTBROOK, Esq., of New York : "This ancient and venerable church was the object of solicitude and affection of my late respected and beloved father from the date of his settlement to the time of his removal to a brighter world. It was his first love, and amid the varied scenes of his subsequent life the church and congre- gation he had left were always the object of his af- fectionate remembrance."
By many still with us he is well and tenderly re- membered. A man of much reading, of very ge- nial manners, and of a peculiarly benevolent disposi- tion, he could not but be loved. Suffering human- ity never passed under Dr. WESTBROOK's notice without receiving relief to the very extent of his ability. It is related of him that riding in a sleigh on a very cold day in the Highlands he passed a foot-traveler whose broken boots afforded no protec- tion from the snow and cold. The Doctor took off his own boots and gave them to the poor man ; then, wrapping his feet in a buffalo robe, returned to his own house. About July, 1830, Dr. WESTBROOK re- signed his pastoral charge to edit the "Christian In- telligencer," the first number of which was issued at the commencement of the next month. He removed to Harlem, where he was also engaged in the in- struction of youth. In 1833, being appointed Rec- tor of the Grammar School at New Brunswick. he transferred his residence to that city, where he re- mained till 1837, when he resumed the active duties of the ministry, taking the pastoral care of the Re-
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formed Dutch Churches at Peekskill and Cortlandt Town. In 1850 he resigned his charge and removed to Kingston, where he died, at a good old age. in the year 1858, leaving a widow. who still survives, and several children. During his pastorate the church at Fishkill Landing* was formed and ministered to by him in connection with his services to this church. For a number of years he preached in this village on the morning and evening of the Sabbath, and at the Landing Church in the afternoon. A few years prior to his resignation this church was separated from Fishkill, and in 1823 the Rev. WILLIAM S. HEYER, who has recently entered into his rest, was settled as their pastor. At a meeting of the South Classis of New York, held April 20, 1858. it was
RESOLVED, That the stated clerk be requested to forward to the family of the late Rev. Dr. WEST- BROOK the following tribute to his memory :
" After a long, active, and useful life, the Rev. CORNELIUS D. WESTBROOK. D.D., for many years a member of this Classis. a father in Israel, and a veteran in the camp of Christ, has been gathered to his fathers in peace and in honor. In him all the best purposes of the life of man were accomplished. and he came to the grave in full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in its season."
Our next pastor was the Rev. GEORGE H. FISHER, who was born in New York, where he received his education, graduating from Columbia College in the year 1821. His theological studies were prosecuted
* See Appendix D.
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at the seminary of our church in New Brunswick. from which, after passing through the entire course, he graduated in 1825. Licensed by the Classis of New York to preach the gospel, he was during the same year invited by the church at North Branch to be their pastor and teacher, and on his acceptance of their call was ordained and installed by the Classis of New Brunswick. In October, 1830, he received and accepted a call from this church, where he la- bored with much fidelity and with marked success for the next five years. In October, 1835, he resigned his charge, having accepted a call from the Reformed Dutch Church in the city of Hudson, where he re- mained till 1842, when he became the pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church in Broome street, New York. In 1855, having accepted a call from the Re- formed Dutch Church in Utica, he removed to that city. In 1864 he assumed the pastoral charge of the Re- formed Dutch Church at Hackensack, N. J., where he is still engaged in active labors for the promotion of his Master's glory.
On the 25th of July, 1836, I received a call to the pastorate of this church. Like my immediate predecessor I was born and educated in the city of New York, graduating from Columbia College in 1826. I commenced my course of theological studies at our seminary in New Brunswick in 1827, and graduated from that institution, and was licensed to preach the Gospel by the Classis of New York in April, 1830. In August of that year I was ordained by the same Classis, and installed pastor of the Re- formed Dutch Church at Bloomingdale, then in the
4-4
suburbs of the city of New York. In October. 1831, having been invited to take charge of a new enterprise in Ninth street, New York. I resigned my call, and entered on another field of labor. A church was organized of which I was installed the pastor. and in connection with that church I continued to prosecute the work of the ministry until I accepted your call. Here, on the third Sabbath of August, 1836. I commenced my labors. Consequently I am now in the thirty-first year of my pastorate.
In the following year. 1837, the church at Glen- ham* was organized, being constituted in a great measure of members dismissed from this church and that at the Landing.
Thus we learn how the Head of the Church has watched over and blessed the churches whose his- tory has been brought before us this morning. Un- til 1747 the only churches of any denomination in Dutchess county were the church at Poughkeepsie and our own. Then. and for some years subse- quently, one pastor occupied the whole ground from Poughkeepsie to Fishkill. Now, in addition to the many flourishing churches of various denominations to be found in this district, we have two large and flourishing churches in Poughkeepsie, one at New Hackensack. one at Hopewell, one at Glenham, one at Fishkill Landing, and this the old church of Fishkill-seven churches, each having her own pas- tor. and being not only self-sustaining, but able and willing to take part in those grand efforts of the day,
* See Appendix E.
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the aim of which is the conversion of a revolted, fallen world to God. From the reports presented by these churches for the year ending April, 1866. it appears that they numbered seven hundred and ninety- one families, fifteen hundred and sixteen communi- cants. and that the sum total of their contributions during the year for religious and benevolent pur- poses was $7.445.57.
In the year 1757 the church at Hopewell was or- ganized by a colony of nineteen persons from this church. About the year 1822 the church at the Landing was constituted by those who withdrew from this church for the purpose of effecting such organization, and in 1837 the church at Glenham was, as we have seen, formed by those whom we and our brethren at the Landing cheerfully dismissed for this purpose. Yet, though this church has thus with the cheerful relinquishment of brethren be- loved aided in lengthening the cords of our Zion. she has not lost any measure of her own strength and life. When I began my labors here the number of communicants reported was one hundred and six- teen. There have since been received one hundred and ninety-seven on confession and ninety-seven on certificate. Our total number at present is two hundred and three. During this period one hundred and two of our communicants have passed away from earth. One of the elders of our church had fallen asleep a short time previously to my settlement. so that there were but seven to sign my call. Of these all are dead but one, and he, many years since. removed from this place. The ministerial brother
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who, according to the rules of the church, presided at the meeting of Consistory when the call was exe- cuted, and signed it as the temporary president, is dead. The stated clerk of Classis who, when the call had been approved by them, gave it his official in- dorsement, is dead. The three brethren who, by the appointment of Classis. officiated at my installation. are dead. Six of the nine who then constituted the - ministerial membership of the Classis are dead.
A few extracts from the occasional minutes of the Consistory which are found in the Treasurer's book of accounts may be presented, as both interesting in themselves and valuable for the information they im- part on matters of a local nature. I cannot learn the precise time of the erection of the present church edi- fice, but from information heretofore derived from some of our aged members I have reason to think it was immediately after the close of the revolution- ary war, about the year 1784. At a meeting of Con- sistory, held May 12. 1790. "a committee was ap- pointed to investigate the accounts of the subscrip- tion list for the building of the Low Dutch Church at Fishkill Town," and a contract was entered into for finishing the church. according to written articles, October 27, 1790. It was resolved that the pews in the church should be exposed to sale on Monday. November 8. December 12. 1790. Consistory asked of Mr. BARNES his account for work done by him in rearing the spire of the church. 1793. June 25, the Consistory took measures for finishing the steeple of the church. 1795. June 1, the bill for finishing the new pulpit, amounting to about $75, was presented
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to Consistory. 1795, December 26, the Treasurer records the payment for a spindle ball, &c, for the steeple of £46 14s. 2d. August 17, 1796, Consis- tory examined the accounts rendered for finishing the steeple of the church.
Books were scarce in those days. At a meeting of Consistory, December, 1790, " a letter being laid on the table from the printer, Mr. POWERS. of Pough- keepsie, requesting the loan of a number of catechise books for the use of the Consistory of Poughkeep- sie for a few weeks; RESOLVED, that the said books, being in number thirteen, be lent for the purposes aforesaid." At the same meeting two resolutions were passed, which in the present day would find little favor with either church officers or members. 1st. " That a petition be drawn and signed by this Board praying leave from the Legislature of this State to make a lottery for the raising the sum of {1,000 for the use of this corporation." 2d. " RE- SOLVED, That the Treasurer of this corporation shall, out of moneys in his hand belonging to this cor- poration, purchase a ticket in the New York lottery." And it was purchased : and the price ( £2) and the number (2,671 ) were duly recorded.
Various alterations were made at different times in the interior of the church building. The iron rods by which the galleries had been fastened to the walls were removed, and wooden pillars placed un- derneath to sustain them. The pulpit, which origin- ally stood in the middle of the northern side, was transferred to the rear of the church, and the door of entrance on the opposite side opening directly on the
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street was closed, a door being opened on the front immediately under the spire. This change necessarily effected a change in the position of the pews on the ground floor. In 1854 the internal arrangement of the building was entirely altered. This alteration was effect- ed under the direction of a committee, selected from the Consistory and congregation, consisting of JOHN GRAHAM, JOHN LOUNSBURY. JOHN SECORD, ANTHONY VAN WYCK, JOHN C. VAN WYCK, COFRT A. VAN VOORILS, and RICHARD H. BRINCKERHOFF. The old, high and uncomfortable pews were removed and re- placed by others much more convenient for the occu- pants The galleries were narrowed and lowered. The venerable old pulpit. with its high sounding- board (oftentimes to strangers the occasion of fear lest it might suddenly fall on the preacher). was taken out, and the rear wall of the church having been par- tially removed, a new pulpit was placed in the recess some eight or ten feet back of the site of the old, giving u's a wide aisle in front of the desk and an ad- ditional row of pews. A furnace was placed beneath the church, and thus the room formerly occupied by the stoves became available. By the changes thus made some fifteen or eighteen pews were added to the church.
During the one hundred and fifty years of this church's existence she has had but ten pastors, including the present : or. perhaps, since during the troublous times two simultaneously officiated-the one for the Coetus, the other for the Conferentie party-it might more properly be said that but nine have sustained the pastoral office. From Mr. VAN VRANKEN'S settle-
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ment to the present time-a period of seventy-five years-the pastorate has been held by four. Of the pastors of this church but two-VANNIST and VAN VRANKEN-have actually fallen asleep while engaged in the service of the church, Mr. RYSDYCK having resigned his call some time previously to his decease : and two, the Rev. Dr. FISHER and myself, are living.
It is a remarkable fact that during one hundred and forty-three years of this church's existence, not a single one of her young men went forth directly from her communion to prepare for the work of the min- istry. But within the last seven years, three of our sons who have consecrated themselves to the work of Christ have been ordained to the Gospel ministry. Another has just received his license, and the fifth, if God shall spare him, will be very soon commissioned to make known to his fellow men the blessings of re- demption through Christ.
But, having already occupied much time, and per- haps exhausted your patience, let me bring the sub- ject to a close with the presentation of a thought the review of the past naturally suggests. One hundred years have elapsed since Mr. RYSDYCK was installed pastor of this church and entered on the faithful dis- charge of his duties. In the interval the churches with which he was associated have grown and strengthened, breaking forth on the right hand and on the left. But he and all his parishioners have passed away from among the living, and his succes- sors, BLAUVELT, VAN VRANKEN, and WESTBROOK, have been called to render in their account to God. 7
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Three generations of men have during that period exchanged time for the realities of eternity.
What shadows we are! The past is the history of the future. We are following to the grave those who have preceded us. One hundred years hence -what changes shall then have taken place !
Who'll pass along our village street A hundred years to come ? Who'll tread this church with willing feet A hundred years to come ? Pale, trembling age, and fiery youth, And childhood with its brow of truth ; The rich and poor, on land and sea- Where will the mighty millions be A hundred years to come ?
We all within our graves shall sleep A hundred years to come. No living soul for us will weep A hundred years to come. But other men our lands will till, And others then our streets will fill, And others words will sing as gay, And bright the sun shine as to day, A hundred years to come.
APPENDIX.
Through the loss of a portion of our records it is impossible to furnish a full and accurate list of those who have constituted the Consistory of this church. We can only give the names of such as are recorded in the minutes in our possession.
" A."
ELDERS.
Peter Dubois,
Abraham Brinckerhoff,
Abraham Buys,
Isaac Van Wyck,
Abraham Brinckerhoff,
Obadiah W. Cooper,
Hendrick Philips,
William Hoogeland,
Frans. De Lange,
Peter Bogardus, Henry Philips,
John Brinckerhoff,
John Van Kleek,
Peter B. Dubois,
Henry Vanderbergh,
John Ackerman, Tunis Dubois,
Elias Van Benschoten,
John Van Voorhis,
Duncan Graham,
Henricus Rosecrans,
John Anthony,
Louis Losee,
Jacobus Swartwout,
Jacob Brinckerhoff,
Cornelius C. Van Wyck,
Frans. Le Roy,
Robert R. Brett, John Van Vliet,
Cornelius Wiltse,
Cornelius Van Wyck,
Richard Rapalje, Abraham Dubois,
Jacob Dubois, John Heermans, Francis Brett,
Isaac Sebring, Allard Anthony, Enos Wright,
Isaac Romeyn,
Theodorus Van Wyck,
John R. Philips,
Elias Dubois, John De Witt,
Samuel L. Van Voorhis, Jerome Scofield,
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David Romeyn,
Foris Adriance,
Louis Dubois,
Thomas Van Dyck,
Tunis Van Benschoten,
Richard Van Wyck,
Ephraim Schutt,
Abraham Duryee,
John Bailey,
Peter Montfort,
John W. Brett,
Jacobus Swartwort,
John Lounsbury,
Martin Wiltse,
John Graham,
Evert W. Swart,
John Secord,
Abraham Schenck,
Seely Slawson, William R. Vail,
Cornelius Cooper,
John C. Van Wyck,
Daniel Graham,
Henry Van Wyck,
Abraham Smith,
Stephen Bedford,
Joseph Vail,
Hyman B. Rosa.
DEACONS.
Abraham Brinckerhoff,
Peter J. Dubois,
Jacobus Swartwout,
Richard Van Wyck,
Henry Vanderbergh,
Daniel Philips,
Hendrick Philips,
John R. Philips,
Foris Adriance,
John Van Vliet,
Isaac Romeyn,
Henry H. Philips, Richard Rapalje,
Theodorus Van Wyck,
William R. Van Voorhis,
John C. Van Voorhis, Jacob Dubois,
Abraham Dubois,
Isaac Brinckerhoff,
George Bogart,
Maas Ostrander,
Peter Dubois,
Jonathan Dubois,
Jerome Scofield, Adolph Van De Water,
John Brinckerhoff, Louis Losee, Abraham Bloer,
William H. Wiltse, Peter Bogardus,
William E. Rapalje, Samuel A. Hayt,
Cornelius Van Wyck, Cornelius Wiltse,
James Given, John H. Rosa, Daniel Van Voorhis, Ephraim M. Scofield, Samuel A. Hayt,
Cornelius T. Pudney, Andrew Wight, T. V. W. Anthony, Charles Scofield,
Jacob Dubois,
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Peter Montfort, Abraham De Graff, Henricus Rosecrans, Jacob Brinckerhoff, Richard Van Wyck, Rodolphus Swartwout, Tunis Van Benschoten, Adrian Brinckerhoff,
James Given, David Smith, Samuel Meeker, Joseph Vail,
Thomas Lawrence, John H. Rosa,
Nicholas Anthony,
Daniel Van Voorhis, William F. Wiley,
Nathaniel Pepper, -
Samuel Bowne,
Abraham Van Voorhis,
Daniel I. Philips,
John Bernhalt,
David Barker,
John Ackerman,
Daniel I. Van Voorhis,
Cornelius Luyster,
Augustus Bedford,
Elias Dubois,
John Graham,
David Romeyn,
T. V. W. Anthony,
Peter Outwater,
John W. Brett,
Garret Storm,
John Lounsbury,
John Cooper,
Philip Heermans,
Cornelius Newkirk,
Henry E. Scofield,
Ephraim Schutt,
William R. Vail,
Benjamin Hasbrook,
Nicholas H. Stripple,
Peter Klump,
Francis H. Bowne,
John Dubois, Jr.,
William Van Wyck,
Peter J. Montfort,
Anthony Van Wyck,
Adam Aalgelt,
Hyman B. Rosa,
William Schouten,
Hendrick Van Tassel,
Jacob Vandervoort,
Garret Luyster,
Cornelius Adams,
John Anthony,
Isaac Norris,
William Hoogeland,
James E. Van Steenbergh, Jesse B. Horton, Alfred W. Lomas,
William M. Horton,
Richard B. Horton, Garret Dubois,
Sylvester Southard, Harvey Rozell,
John Bailey, Peter P. Dubois,
John Sjurg,
A. A. Bogardus, Seely Slawson,
A. Z. Van Voorhis, Frederic Cook,
Coert Van Voorhis,
John Secord,
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Shibboleth Bogardus,
Cornelius Bogardus,
Cornelius C. Van Wyck,
Jacob Dubois, Jr.,
Samuel Quackenbush,
James R. Needam,
Joseph Scofield, A. Gildersleeve, Herman F. Lee, Theodore A. Rosa, Theodore Anthony.
CLERKS.
The only Clerks whose names are recorded are :
Daniel Graham, Abraham Schenck,
Martin Wiltse,
William E. Rapalje, Andrew Wight, John H. Rosa, John W. Brett.
TREASURERS.
Daniel Graham, Abraham Brinckerhoff, Abraham Schenck, Martin Wiltse,
Richard Rapalje, James Given,
James E. Van Steenbergh, John Graham,
Stephen Bedford.
The members of the present Consistory are :
John C. Van Wyck, Henry Van Wyck,
ELDERS. William R. Vail, Seely Slawson, Hyman B. Rosa.
Garret Dubois,
Theodore Anthony,
DEACONS. Harvey Rozell, Sylvester Southard, Joseph Scofield.
CHURCH MASTERS.
John C. Van Wyck, Stephen Bedford, John W. Brett. TREASURER. Stephen Bedford. CLERK. John W. Brett.
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" B."
After separating from the church at Fishkill, in 1805, Hopewell and New Hackensack formed a col- legiate charge, and called as their first pastor the Rev. GEORGE BARCULO. Mr. BARCULO was born at New Utrecht, L. I., and pursued his theological stud- ies under Dr. LIVINGSTON, being licensed to preach the Gospel in the year 1800. In 1805 he was called to the pastoral charge of Hopewell and New Hack- ensack, which he retained till 1810. He afterwards removed to Long Island, where he died in 1832.
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