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The humble petition of Natheniell Baker Senr. of Easthampton.
Sheweth
That in June 1682, Your Peticoner being fined by the Court of Sessions then held at Southold the sum of forty shillings and costs of Court, which in all amounted to nine pounds three shillings and three pence, which your petitioner paid, was also forct to enter into bond for his good behaviour (in the penall sume of twenty
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ECCLESIASTICAL RECORDS
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pounds sterling) till the month of March following, only for bringing home an ox of his on the Sunday, which the day before hee went for but could not find, so was obliged to tarry out till the next day and having then found'him brought him to his house; which said bond of your petitioners, without any processe 'against him or warning to answer for himself, the Court aforesaid have adjudged to be forfeited, pretending some difference to have been between your petitioner and his wife, and that your petitioner should have struck or kicked her by reason whereof without any legall proceeding they have condemned your petitioner to pay the said sume twenty pounds sterling, and have issued out execution against his Estate for the same; By which your petitioner finding himselfe agrieved and as hee thinks very much wronged,- Therefore humbly prayes.
That your Honor taking into consideration the illegality of the proceedings against him, the smallnesse (if any) of the first fault, (upon which the bond afore- said was given,) and the true meritt of his case, will be pleased to reverse the said sentence, adjudged against him, or give him such other reliefe as your Honor in your Judicious and grave judgement, shall find agreeable with Right equity and Justice.
And as in Duty bound hee shall ever pray, etc.
Endorsed.
December 23, 1683.
This petition was delivered to the Governor on the bridge, Captain Brockholls, Mr. Lucas Santen present, and then ordered to write to them of ye Court of Ses- sions at Southold to appear before the Governor and Council on the second Monday of March next to show cause for their proceedings.
May ye 5th 1684.
The petition of Nathanael Baker Senr. read. Capt. Young and Mr. Arnold present in behalf of ye Court of Sessions was referred to law .- Doc. Hist. N. Y. iii. 212, 213.
ORDER FOR A THANKSGIVING DAY. LIB. A. 37.
The day of special Thanksgiving, Fasting and Prayer for the
Dutch Reformed Church of New York, to be held January 6, 1684.
Since it has pleased the Lord God, in his undeserved compas- sion, to preserve this land and city and church during this past year and many preceding years from all misfortune, and has guarded us against all dangers, known and unknown, notwith- standing other nations and churches were visited with the sword of righteous judgments and Fatherly chastisements ; and especially to bless us with all prosperity, through evangelical preaching and desired intercourse on land and sea: This church, to avoid the reproach of ingratitude, desires to begin the year and to continue it with sincere evidences of gratitute; and particularly, since cer- tain ones have sought to disturb some of the simple minded -
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OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
God help us - and to ensnare them by feigned piety and am- biguous words: We, in order to preserve ourselves, and to save God's honor and his Church, join prayer and self-abasement, with our aforesaid thanksgiving.
Wherefore, the Consistory of this congregation have resolved for themselves and the flock committed to them, to appoint the coming day of rest, January 6, 1684, as a special day of Thanks- giving, Fasting and Prayer; for the purpose of thanking God for his undeserved compassion, and at the same time to humble our- selves before the Most High, and entreat him with loyal and earnest prayers, to preserve his Royal Majesty of Great Britain (Charles II) to bless the Duke of York, (James, afterward James II), and his Governor, (Thos. Dongan, Gov. of New York) who has come in health to this province, and to spare his Church, bought with the blood of Christ, that it may not be overtaken with pride and increasing unrighteousness within, nor by schisms and soul destroying doctrines from without; also to implore that here, as elsewhere, his wrath may not be poured out upon our sins and worldly transgressions.
To the attainment of this end, we commend to the whole con- gregation without distinction that day to keep from food and from servile work.
Actum New York, in our ecclesiastical meeting, December 30, 1683.
In the name and by authority of said Consistory,
Henry Selyns, Minister. Boele Roelofszen Elders.
Nicholas Bayard
874
1676- 1683
ECCLESIASTICAL RECORDS
LABADISTS.
1676-1683. Abstracts of various Synodical Acts and resolutions touching Jacob Coelman, taken ad notam, as before. Lib. A. pp. 47-50 of Eng. Trans. of Mints. of Ch. of N. Y.
1. The Synod of Utrecht, 1676, Art. 44. Coelman had come to dwell in Friesland, and had preached there. The Classis ad- monished the churches to keep him out of their pulpits.
2. The Synod of South Holland at Dort, 1676. "The church of Rotterdam and the Classis of Schlieland gave information that Domine Coelman was excluded from the city by an Act of the Magistrates. Hereupon the Deputies were thanked, and the Con- sistory of Rotterdam and the Classis of Schlieland were enjoined, together with the Deputati Synodi ".
3. The Synod of South Holland at Delft, 1677. "Touching Domine Coelman, he was excluded from the city, and had already departed ". The Correspondent from Utrecht testified that the Synod of Utrecht had forbidden him their pulpits. Similar words came from Frisia. In all this, this Christian Synod rejoices, and recognizes a special providence. God was purging his garden of its weeds. They communicated their action by correspondence with the other Synods, and enjoined their Classes " to inquire carefully, by their visitors or some other suitable means, where and by whom any private meeting, catechizing or any other sort of service, conflicting with the Synodical resolutions, may be main- tained, so as to act efficaciously against it."
4. The Synod of South Holland, at Leyden, 1678. Nothing occurred at this session concerning Coelman. At the Hague both the Nobility and the Magistrates had been very watchful and would continue so. The Synod charged their Deputati and all their Classes to guard against the encouragement of error.
5. The Synod of South Holland at Gouda, 1679 .- It was said that Coelman at different places sought to set forth his schismati- cal views. All parties were enjoined to watch against him.
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OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
6. The Synod of North Holland, at Edam, 1679 .- Coelman had held his Separatist Meetings in different places, and had publicly preached morning and afternoon, in the vacant church at Middelye. "The Synod, regarding this as an evil example, ear- nestly warned the respective Classes to see that it does not occur again. And since it is understood from the report of various brethren that the said Coelman seeks to make the services of the brethren fruitless, and to give the members of the churches an uncharitable judgement of them, thus resisting the Church Order of this land, all the Classes and especially those where he sows his evil seed, are admonished to watch against him and his con- venticles ".
7. The Synod of South Holland, at Rollerd, 1680 .- The Deputati exhorted to watch.
8. The Synod of North Holland, at Alkmaer, 1680 .- " Since it appears that Jacob Coelman appears in various places and travels from one place to another to hold conventicles, and to dis- quiet the minds of the members, giving them an evil impression of their lawful teachers, the respective Classes are enjoined to guard carefully against this. Likewise the brethren of Amster- dam and of some other Classes gave information of their faith- ful endeavors already in this direction ".
9. The Synod of South Holland at Gorinchen, 1681 .- Since Coelman preaches in Gelderland, our Committee on Correspond- ence are requested to induce the other Synods to act in uni- formity with us.
10. Synod of North Holland, at Harlem, 1681 .- Speaking of the Labadists, especially Koelman, it appeared from various re- ports, that they were gradually declining in our churches, and that Koelman shows himself here and there with a very small fol- lowing; still, it is important to be watchful.
Similar action occurs in seven other Synods held at different places and times. Coelman is represented as preaching here and there, and care is enjoined as above. 1681-83.
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1683
ECCLESIASTICAL RECORDS
LABADISTS.
"In the latter part of 1679, two speaking brothers, as they were called, of the followers of John de Labadie, came from Wiewaard in Friesland to New York on a tour of exploration for a place to found a colony of that sect. After traveling over Long Island and Staten Island, up the North River to Albany and eastward to Boston, and traversing New Jersey and along the Delaware, they finally determined upon a site in Maryland, where they actually formed a settlement on the Manor of Augustine Hermans, called New Bohemia. In order to aid this settlement they sought prose- lytes in New Amsterdam. The Labadists professed the doctrines of the Dutch Church, but adopted some peculiarities more of practice than faith, and very dissimilar to those of the shaking Quakers of modern times. These two brethren spent much of their time in New York, from whence they made their journeys of observation of the country, and where, in fact, they obtained the members of their new community. A son of Augustine Her- mans residing in New York was one of their principal converts, and through him they obtained the lands in Cecil county, Mary- land, where they finally settled ". Murphy's Anthology, 94-98. See also Selyns' letter, October 28, 1682.
1683.
This Jacobus Coelman was of Sluys in Flanders. He embraced the doctrines of the Labadists. It was for this reason that the church at New Castle called him; for there Sluyter and Danckers had secured a controlling influence. Coelman, however, did not come. About this time he renounced Labadism. He published in 1683 an exposure of its errors in a work entitled, "Historical Account of the Labadists."
OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
877 1683
ENGLISH JESUITS IN NEW YORK UNDER GOV. DONGAN.
1683.
Governor Dongan really intended to send some English Jesuits as missionaries to the Caughnawagas, if they would remove into English territory near Saratoga. A certain Roman Catalogue of the Society of Jesus, shows that the following English Jesuits were in New York in Dongan's time:
Father Thomas Harvey, S. J., born in London 1635, became a Jesuit, 1655, was in New York, 1683-90; 1696; in Maryland, 1690-96; 1697-1719, died.
Father Charles Gage, S. J., labored at Norwich, England, in the reign of James II; in New York, 1686-7.
Father Henry Harrison, b. 1632; became a Jesuit 1652; in New York, 1685, died 1701 .- See Doc. Hist. N. Y. iii. (4to ed.) 73.
BRITISH CHAPLAINS IN NEW YORK.
Rev. John Gordon, 1683, was succeeded by Rev. Josias Clarke, who was commissioned June 16, 1684, and served two years, as appears by the certificate in New York Colonial Manuscripts, xxxiii, dated October 7, 1686. He was succeeded by Rev. Alex- ander Innes, whose commission bears date, April 20, 1686. Book of Deeds, viii, 13, 31, 39 .- Col. Docs. N. Y. iii. 415.
EARLY PRESBYTERIANISM IN AMERICA.
Rev. Francis MaKemie. 1683-1706.
He was the organizer of Presbyterianism in America. Between 1670 and 1680, large numbers of Presbyterians came to America from the north of Ireland. Their leading men kept up corre- spondence with the home churches. The Presbytery of Laggan,
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ECCLESIASTICAL RECORDS
1683
Ireland, was besought to send over a minister. MaKemie was selected. He was a native of Ireland. He studied in Glasgow University 1675-6; was licensed to preach, 1681, and was or- dained by the Presbytery of Laggan 1682, to go to America. He arrived in 1683. He traveled through all the colonies. He or- ganized Presbyterian churches at Rehoboth and Snow Hill on the eastern shore of Maryland.
In 1704 he returned to Great Britain to secure aid for the American Churches. The ministers of London agreed to sup- port two men for two years. He returned to America in 1705, bringing with him John Hampton and George Macnish.
Rev. Jedediah Andrews was already a Presbyterian Minister in Philadelphia, having been ordained there in 1701. His prede- «cessor was Benjamin Woodbridge, who had been sent there by the Boston ministers. In 1700 there were three Presbyterian ministers in Delaware, one in Philadelphia, and a Scotch Presby- terian, Stobo, in South Carolina. There were also at this time probably several Scotch Presbyterian pastors over congregational churches in New England.
There were many groups of Presbyterians scattered through the country, ready to be organized into churches. The ministers needed support and sympathy from one another. An occasion soon arose to bring them together. John Boyd was to be ordained as pastor at Freehold, N. J. This ordination took place on De- cember 29, 1706 .- Two pages of the oldest record are lost .- Hence it is difficult to decide who called the meeting, and whether they adopted, formally, the Westminster Confession. Probably MaKemie was the leading spirit. Boyd or the people wrote, asking how the ordination was to be obtained. This brought about the meeting and thus the First Presbytery was formed.
In 1717 the Presbytery divided itself into four Presbyteries, and formed a Synod. In 1788 the Synod divided itself into two Synods, and the General Assembly was constituted.
That first Presbytery of 1706, at the ordination of Boyd con-
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1684
OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
sisted of Revs. Francis MaKemie, Jedediah Andrews, John Hamp- ton, George Macnish, John Wilson and Nathanael Taylor.
MaKemie died in 1708. On January 19, 1707, he preached in the house of a Mr. Jackson in New York City, without permis- sion of Governor Cornbury. For this he was arrested and tried. MaKemie beat the Lawyers at every point, and the jury acquitted him; but the court made him pay the costs, about 200 dollars. Cornbury had borrowed the Presbyterian parsonage in 1702, and then turned it over to the Episcopalians.
GOVERNOR DONGAN'S REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE PROVINCE, ETC.
AS TO RELIGION. 1684.
(Abstract and Extract.) The Laws in force are the Laws called his Royal High- nesses Laws (The Duke's Laws) and the Acts of the General Assembly, the most of which, I presume your Lordships have seen, and the rest I now send over by Mr. Sprag, etc. p. 390.
He refers to the necessity, in order to preserve the Beaver and Peltry trade, to erect forts on the Delaware and Susquehannah, and on the Great Lake, to secure the English right to the country in opposition to the French. The French had had " Fathers " living among the distant Indians more than twenty years; also among the Five Nations in New York, and had converted many of them, and six hundred or seven hundred of them had gone off to Canada. Dongan had promised to give them a piece of land called Serachtague, on the Hudson, forty miles above Albany, and to send them priests, and build them a church. These Indians have ten or twelve Castles at a great distance from each other, and there were needed three traveling priests, and others to live with the Christian Indians. This would destroy the French pretence to the country, and the French priests would return to Canada. Page 394.
" The principal Towns within this Government, are New York, Albany and Kingston at Esopus. All the rest are country villages. The buildings in New York and Albany are generally of stone and brick. In the country the houses are mostly new built, having two or three rooms on a floor. The Dutch are great improvers of land. New York and Albany live wholly upon trade with the Indians, England and the West Indies. The returns for England are generally beaver, peltry, oil and tobacco, when we can have it. To the West Indies we send flour, bread pees, pork and sometimes horses. The return from thence, for the most part, is rum, which pays the King a considerable excise; and some molasses, which serves the people to make drink and pays no custom ". Page 397.
Every Town ought to have a Minister. New York has first a Chaplain belonging to the Fort of the Church of England; (Clarke); secondly a Dutch Calvinist, (Selyns); thirdly a French Calvinist, (Perret); fourthly a Dutch Lutheran, (Aren- sius). Here bee not many of the Church of England; few Roman Catholicks;
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ECCLESIASTICAL RECORDS
1684
abundance of Quakers preachers men and Women especially; Singing Quakers; Ranting Quakers; Sabbatarians; Antisabbatarians; Some Anabaptists; some Inde- pendants; some Jews; in short of all sorts of opinions there are some, and the most part, of none at all.
The Great Church which serves both the English and the Dutch is within the Fort which is found to be very inconvenient; therefore I desire that there may bee an order for their building another, ground already being layed out for that pur- pose, and they wanting not money in store where with all to build it.
The most prevailing opinion is that of the Dutch Calvinists.
It is the endeavor of all persons here to bring up their Children and servants in that opinion which themselves profess; but this I observe that they take no care of the conversion of their slaves.
Every Town and County are obliged to maintain their own poor, which makes them bee soe careful that no vagabonds, beggars, nor idle persons are suffered to live here.
But as for the King's natural-born-subjects that live on Long Island and other parts of the Government I find it a hard task to make them pay their Ministers. Page 415.
Tho. Dongan. - Col. Docs. N. Y. iii. 390, 394, 397, 415.
ACTS OF THE CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM.
Rev. Dellius.
1684, May 29th.
Rev. Dellius, the very successful (edifying) minister at New Albany, and who had been more closely bound to that place by the increase of his salary, was now called to Henkelom, (in the Netherlands.) The. Rev. Assembly deems it necessary that the documents relating to this his call should be sent him as soon as possible; but that in addition thereto, he be dissuaded from this call by weighty arguments, nomine Classis. vii. 363; xix. 224.
REV. MR. CLARKE'S COMMISSION AS CHAPLAIN.
James Duke of York and Albany etc. Earle of Vister, etc.
Whereas I have had sufficient Testimony of the Abilityes and Integrity of Josias Clarke Clergyman And of his Fitnesse to be Chaplaine to the Garrison of New Yorke I doe therefore hereby authorize and Require You to putt him upon the Estabment as Chaplain to the said Garrison Accordingly; with such salary and allowances as are thereunto belonging to Commence from Michaelmas next and to continue Dureing my Pleasure only. For which this shall be your Warrant. Given under my hand at Windsor this 16th Day of June 1684.
James.
To Coll. Dongan my Lieutenant
and Governor of New York and its Dependencies in
America.
By Command of His Royal Highness
Jo. Werden.
*** A like Commission follows to Alexander Innes, Clerk and Master of Arts, dated 20th April 1686 .- Doc. Hist. N. Y. iii. 245.
OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 881 1684
SYNOD OF NORTH HOLLAND, AT ENCKHUYZEN.
1684, Aug. 1-11, et seq.
Article 13.
Extract from a letter from New York, of Rev. Sullyns, (Selyns)
of 11/21 October 1683.
1. He sent word of his arrival. He complains that he has not received a reply with the coming of Rev. Dellius.
2. He preaches twice on Sundays, once on Wednesdays.
3. He finds more laymen than teachers in his church and therefore has appointed a limited (besloten: closed, defined, only for a limited time,) catechising, for one hundred candidates, in the Compendium, extending over three months, in order to ad- mit those who are suitably prepared to the communion.
4. Discipline which had declined, has again been brought into exercise.
5. He has no complaint to make about his salary.
6. His congregation is building for him a spacious stone house.
7. He does not leave the surrounding villages without preach- ing, and the administration of the Lord's Supper. He serves these on Mondays or Thursdays.
8. Rev. Peter Daille, formerly Professor at Saumur, (France), has become his colleague, but in the French language. He is very zealous.
9. In the English language Rev. John Gordon (English Chap- lain) preaches between his two services.
10. Mr. Dongan, their new Governor, has arrived. He says he has instructions from the Duke (of York) to leave consciences free.
11. What is to be devised for the best interests of country and church, will appear at the ensuing (Civil) Assembly, (1683) which has been appointed to frame laws for them and their posterity.
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ECCLESIASTICAL RECORDS
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12. Rev. Schaets at New Albany, Van Zuuren on Long Island, and Rev. Weeksteen at Esopus, are well.
13. Rev. Dellius has attained his object in securing nine hun- dred guilders, Holland money, as a yearly salary.
14. Rev. Tesschenmaker has been called to Staten Island: this was approved on condition that he would sign the Formula, which has also been done.
15. The Sheriff (Schout) of Schenectady had come from there with a letter, requesting to have a minister, at one hundred beavers, i. e. five hundred guilders, Holland; it is impossible to contribute more.
16. At Newcastle, where Koelman was called, it is now very quiet. On Sundays a sermon is read; there were too few people there to support a minister.
17. Mr. William Penn, Governor, an eloquent man, preaches very learnedly.
18. The state of the churches in New England is better.
19. At Hartfort (Harvard) there is an Academy, and it pro- duces learned men.
20. Rev. Caleb, an Indian, is preacher among the Indians.
21. At Boston, the capitol of New England, there are four ministers.
22. They approach somewhat nearer the Presbyterians in re- gard to Baptism.
23. He had understood from Verkuyl's writing that it was still well with the church of Curacoa.
Ends with salutations.
Extract from a letter from the Sheriff (Schout) of Schenectady to Rev. Selyns; which he sent over; dated October 25, 1683.
1. He thanks him for his diligence in regard to their church; and says it is necessary to stipulate (as salary) for not more than one hundred beavers.
OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
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1683
2. In addition, it is promised by the church of that place, that besides the aforesaid beavers, there will be a free dwelling, and fire wood every year. was signed, Roger Jacobs Schermerhorn John Van Eps Meynert Wenen John Portman.
Extract from a letter from New Albany, of Rev. Dellius, 24/14 August, 1683.
1. He states that he arrived on August 12, and was received with pleasure.
2. He had handed over our letters to the Consistory, who were much pleased with him.
3. It had been conceded to him, not to pay him in beavers but in Holland money.
4. Rev. Schaets had gone to New York to enter into a second marriage; therefore could not write as to the state of the church.
5. He had began to conduct services on Sundays and in the week time.
Concludes with salutation.
Extract from a letter from the Magistrates of New Albany, August 15, 1683.
1. They had received the letter of April 6, 1682, on August 20, and also that of July 20.
2. Had received Rev. Dellius with great joy.
3. For this they thank the Classis, after God.
4. They hope that papists will be converted through him.
5. They give Rev. Dellius nine hundred guilders, Dutch cur- rency, and free dwelling.
6. Whereupon Rev. Dellius had promised not to leave them except for very weighty reasons.
Concludes with salutation.
Another letter of 13th ditto, was of the same contents.
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ECCLESIASTICAL RECORDS
1684
PETITION OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH AT NEW YORK TO BE EXEMPT FROM TAXES.
To the Right Honorable Thomas Dongan Lieutenant and Governor Under His Royal Highness of New Yorke and Dependencies in America.
The humble Peticon of the Lutheran Congregation in the Citty of New York. Sheweth. -
That by the allowance of your honors Predecessors and the Acts of the Generall Assembly the said Congregation have had, and still have Diverse Libertyes Privil- lidges and Immunitys granted allowed and Confirmed to them and their Place of Worship and other Religious houses and Places in this City, etc. have always been held reputed and Esteemed as Priviledged Churches and Places Notwithstanding which is a Tax or Assessment now made by the Mayor and Aldermen of this Citty the said Church and other Religious houses are Assessed and rated as if they were the Estates and freehold of a private Person, and as such are taxed, although the Religious houses and Places in this Citty for those of the Cauluinest opinion are wholly Exempted and freed from any such Imposition tax or Rate.
Your Peticoners therefore humbly Pray
That your honor will be pleased to Examine the Premisses and taking them into your serious Consideracon grant that the said Church and other Religious houses and Places belonging to the said Lutheran Congregacon may as well as the Religious houses and Places of the other Christian Professors allotted within this Citty and Province be Released freed exempted and Priviledged from any such Tax Rate or assessment and that your honor will Please to give such order Concerning the same as shall appear to your Honor to be fitt and Requisite.
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