USA > New York > Ecclesiastical records, state of New York, Volume II > Part 5
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Meantime we hope and wish that this call which we have made, may have the desired effect, and that your pious and devout aim in this matter may be accomplished.
We request you to receive the pastor whom you have called with all joy, and hold him in honor for his works' sake. May there exist and ever continue, between the pastor and consistory and people, an honorable and sincere harmony, with peace and friendship. To this, we trust Rev. Weecksteen will contribute his share, and may the church contribute hers.
We pray the Lord of the harvest that it may please him to enlighten your pastor more and more by his spirit, and bless his ministrations, by strengthening his hands, and enabling him to walk in his ministry successfully. May all this be done to the magnifying of his Holy Name, and the extension of Christ's King- dom. Moreover, we tender you our services in all things in which you may need them. Wishing God's rich blessing upon your church, yourselves and your families, we remain, with our re- spects, Dearly Beloved Brethren,
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Your obedient and affectionate Friends and Brethren,
The Rev. Classis of Amsterdam. In their name, the Deputati ad res Transmarinas,
Zegerus Van Son, Dep. p. t. Praeses, Rudolphus Rulaeus, Dep. p. t. Scriba. Pet. Wolfius Ducher, Dep. Thos. Caenen, Dep.
Amsterdam,
2nd June, 1681
Correspondence from America.
The Magistrates of Albany to the Classis of Amsterdam, June
7, 1681.
Albany, in the Province of New York, formerly Fort Orange in New Netherland, the 7th June, 1681.
Reverend, Pious and Highly-Learned, the Classis of Amster- dam :- Grace, mercy and peace be with you from God the Father, and Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
Having now an opportunity by a ship bound directly for Am- sterdam, we feel it our duty to inform you of the great necessity which exists in this congregation for another good and orthodox minister. Our present Domine, Gideon Schaats will explain mat- ters to you more fully in his accompanying letter. He has be- come infirm and is very weak, being a man now seventy three years old. He could no longer conceal his infirmities from his congregation. Accordingly on Feb. 6th last, he preached a ser- mon, bearing upon his condition, from 2 Peter 1:12-15 " . .... I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance, knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle ". He felt that he must not only care for his flock during his life, but make some pro- vision for it after his death. He unites with the consistory in requesting that all possible endeavors be made to obtain a good
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and orthodox minister for this congregation. The consistory have therefore addressed themselves to us, considering it their duty to further this good work with all earnestness. They ask us to use our influence to obtain for them a good and orthodox minister for this congregation, exemplary in doctrine and life; one who would labor for the edification and increase of the church of God in this place, and for the salvation of souls. This we especially desire, because God has planted a flourishing congre- gation here, which would soon languish, without the preaching of the Word of God, if our minister should die.
After a due consideration of these things, we resolved to seek to obtain, as soon as possible, another good and sound teacher. The congregation was conferred with, and they cordially united in this good work, and voluntarily contributed to its success. Knowing the general wish, we made application to our Com- mander-in-Chief, because his Excellency, our Governor, is at present in England, and he approved of the same.
We therefore humbly request the Rev. Classis to send us, as quickly as possible, such a minister as we have described; one elo- quent for this congregation, and whose arrival we will impatiently await. We have remitted to Richard Van Rensselaer, John Hen- drick Van Boel, and Abild Wolff the necessary funds, to pay for his passage and other expenses. We have also fixed his sal- ary at eight hundred guilders, in beavers, besides house rent; we also do this without diminishing the salary of our old Domine, who has now served this congregation more than twenty nine years. We engage ourselves to these things in the name of, and on behalf of our congregation. We would also observe that the coming of such a minister here as we have described, is not only for the term of five or six years, but durantiae vitae. Indeed, this country is now deprived of nearly all its ministers. God Almighty has sorely afflicted us in the taking off of Domine van Nieuwenhuysen of New York, and Domine van Gaasbeeck of Esopus. Only Domine van Suyringh (van Zuuren) of Flatbush,
49
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and Tesschenmaker of South River, besides our Domine Schaats, remain - a small number of laborers for so large a harvest.
We have communicated all this to Domine van Suyringh (van Zuuren), who can give some additional information to the Classis about our congregation. Therefore we doubt not but that the Classis will take pity on us in this our emergency, and see that a proper person shall be sent over, who will feed our congrega- tion, consisting already of four hundred members, so that this number may soon be doubled; and this can easily be done even in such a wilderness as Albany, in America. Trusting that the Rev. Classis will take this into consideration, we commend your Rev- erences to the protection of the Most High, and remain,
Your Reverences' obedient servants,
The Magistrates of Albany in the Colony of Rensselaerswyck, etc.
Martin Gerisen, (Gertsen). Cornelius van Duyck, Dirck Wessels, Jan Jansen Bleecker. By order of the same, Robert Livingston, Secretary.
Correspondence from America.
Rev. Gideon Schaats to the Classis of Amsterdam, June 9 (or July) 1681.
The Peace of Christ :
Rev. Brethren, the Rev. Classis of Amsterdam :-
Inasmuch as I am beginning to feel the infirmities of age, hav- ing reached seventy three years, it seemed proper to me that I should recommend my congregation, to look about in time, and provide a Colleague to assist me in my old age; lest such a flourish- ing congregation, in case of my death, should remain vacant too long. For this purpose I recently took for my text 2 Peter 1:12-
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15;" . I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance, knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle ". The brethren heartily accepted of the suggestion, and a meeting was soon held to con- sider the matter, and we informed the magistrates about it. They also agreed to the proposition, and brought the subject before the whole community. All were favorably inclined to it, and author- ized their Honors to call another preacher. This they have al- ready done, and have also requested me to write at the same time to the Rev. Brethren, and to urge them to look for such a Colleague, one exemplary in doctrine and life. They place full confidence in the judgment of your Reverences. I cannot write much about the conditions, except to say, that at present it is not as it was for- merly, either here or in foreign lands. Preachers are no longer engaged for a term of years, but for life, and with the promise of receiving the same salary in their old age, which is an important consideration in a foreign land. I entrust this whole matter to your Rev. Body. I commend you to God and the Word of his Grace.
Gideon Schaats, Minister at Albany.
July 9, 1681, New Albany.
Correspondence from America.
Rev. Caspar van Zuuren to the Classis of Amsterdam, June 25, 1681. Extract, xxi. 231-2; also in Mints. of Synod North Holland, 1682, Art. 11.
Reverend, Pious, Very Learned and Prudent Gentlemen and Fathers in Christ: -
A curious occurrence, which happened to me lately, compels me again to take my pen in hand and send the present letter to your Reverences. Before I arrived, a difference had arisen here be- tween my predecessor's widow (Mrs. Polhemus) and one of her neighbors about some land and its boundaries. After my arrival
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this quarrel continued with vigor, notwithstanding the judges have given several decisions concerning it. Several surveyors, called in by the parties, did not succeed in removing the difficulties but rather increased them; because they did not agree as to the proper understanding of the matter nor as to the measurements, and they gave different opinions, whereby the truth was the more obscured and the feelings on either side were the more excited.
It happened last winter, that the elders of Midwout came to speak with me about some matters relating to the Holy Supper. They said among other things, that the widow Polhemus did not intend to come to God's table this time, because she had been injured by every one. I answered that she ought to know how her case stood, and should be conscientiously persuaded of the fair- ness and justice of the matter. Otherwise she could not continue to assert her claims without wronging her neighbors or her own family. As far as I am concerned, I could not see, that she was in the right; but I would not judge her, either in her business or in her conscience; but I advised her to be temperate and modest ; for a good cause could be defended badly, and thereby made bad or at least suspicious, while good causes should be accomplished in a good way, etc. The land had just then been surveyed by a surveyor, who placed her in the wrong. But in the spring another surveyor belonging to another place, vindicated her claim; but he was a Socinian, a man of bad reputation and distrusted generally in his profession. She now sent me word by the same elders, of whom one is her remaining son, that she would take part in the Lord's Supper with her children, because her case was decided in her favor, and the other side had their mouth stopped. I then used the same arguments as before, proposing all churchly means and remedies to remove the quarrel; but I considered that my visit to the widow and her family, which my elders had requested me to make, could not bear any special fruits, unless the other side was also present.
Meanwhile, I was informed from another quarter, that I was
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her antagonist. The elders had not allowed this to be told me before. A little later I was told by an elder, and also by a former elder, in the widow's name, that I must come to reconcile myself with her and her children, as otherwise she would enter a com- plaint against me before those (ministers and elders) of New York. This appeared very strange to me. I found out after- wards, however, that my elders had misrepresented my position, as well as my intentions and my words. I therefore replied that I would come; but advised and warned the widow not to begin a quarrel with me. I used very earnest expressions, conscious of my innocence, and understanding all the consequences of the case.
After I had performed my duties in Breuckelen, preparatory to the Holy Communion, I went there with a deacon. She said that he also was her antagonist; but I had been warned, as before, that I must be on my guard. I found on my arrival that there were present the before mentioned surveyor, some one else from New York, and also our schoolmaster. After some common conversa- tion, I was spoken to by the widow on the subject which she had taken up against me, but she wearied me. I then requested that the three men present should leave the room, or that we should go into another room. She still very seriously declared that she would not undertake anything against me. Thereupon I was most irreverently and slanderously abused by the schoolmaster, and still worse by her eldest son. I therefore left them not without very great astonishment at their conduct. And then wicked and slan- derous rumors were reported of this meeting. I was accused by great and small, by English and Dutch, by the Lieutenant-Gover- nor of the land as well as by the Rev. Consistory of New York, of having said that she did not fairly own the land, and that I had therefore made out her late husband a thief, and her children rogues. After this had lasted a few weeks, it was finally settled by the Rev. Consistories of the two churches, New York and Long Island, who imposed upon the slanderers a recantation [Tadevodia ].
And even the schoolmaster's son, who was not the first slanderer,
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and what he did was not altogether his own fault, for he is a person given to drink and jesting, to abuse and squabbling - but even he, in my judgement, ought not to be passed over; especially, because he was one who had been already censured by us for the occurrences before related; and although he had been forbidden to ring the bell, or read the scriptures (as voorleser) at Midwout, when the congregation of that place go to Brooklyn to communion, yet to spite me, he rang the bell several times, on such occasions, even before I removed to Brooklyn, and also read the scriptures (as voorleser) contrary to all custom and order.
I therefore called together our consistory, and as is usual here, invited the Magistrates to meet with them. After I had explained to them all these misdemeanors of the schoolmaster, and of others, they all declared that they had long wished for some opportunity to discharge this schoolmaster, and this statement was verified by others, and his discharge was now effected. But we were all, then, and especially myself, immediately abused, with irreverent words and cursings and threats.
It is impossible to tell, in this short account, all that this fellow has done since, to have this decision nullified, and to defame us and all preachers. During the last six weeks he has, without regard to time or place, occasion or the presence of others, and even before the very judges themselves, abused and slandered us. He usually asserted that I was a false-witness, a tale-bearer, a rogue, a villain of villains, a scoundrel of scoundrels, and even threatened me with personal injury. On acccount of all this, I petitioned the Magis- trates, who had signed the sentence, the Justice of the Peace, the High Council and even the Governor, that this evil-doer should be punished ; but all my efforts have not even resulted that our de- cision - that he should remove from the school-house before the first of May - could be carried out.
All this increased my troubles and added to the scandal, which has hardly had its equal. Some Englishmen and their adherents, among them the party before alluded to, who have been brought
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into the quarrel by the schoolmaster, encouraged him, and so jus- tice miscarries, while the very maintenance of our religious ser- vices, and even our liberty, suffered. At last, no other way being opened, I recommended my case and honor to the Rev. Consistories of all our Dutch villages. At their meeting on the 31st of May, O. S. they first reaffirmed our decision, and then acquitted me of all charges. Later on, three of their number were appointed and authorized to consult about the case with some (of the elders ?) of New York, and to vindicate our freedom (rights) before the judges, before whom they first cited us, and then, we, him. It is quite incredible and impossible that such great audacity would be exhibited by a man, unless others of no better character, but of better position, supported him. First I had a difficulty about the value of the money in which I was paid; now my honor is in danger. I have even reason to fear that if these passions are not bridled, I shall ultimately run the risk of my life. I am too straightforward for this place, and too much respected by many. These things some people do not like. These have caused my present, and as some think also my former difficulties. If it were not for the condition of my wife, who is in the last month before child-bearing; the embarrassment of the congregation at New York, and others in the neighborhood whose pulpits I have to supply, besides my own; I would have come home with the vessel bearing this letter ; for I cannot see of what service I can be here; or if I continue my work how I am to remain in peace.
Finally I must tell how far these matters have been carried. The term of the court having arrived, and the parties to the suit being present, the New Yorkers judged it advisable, not to let the difficulty come before the Justice of the Peace. They feared an encroachment on the liberty of our exercising our religious ser- vices (from the English). Therefore they made an agreement with said schoolmaster, that henceforth he should keep still, and be satisfied with what they of New York should arrange in refer- ence to this matter. Our commissioners agreed to this, and a bond
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of fifty pounds sterling was given. I can only inform you in my next letter what these New York people determine in this diffi- culty, and what propositions they make. Among them are two elders for us ; one ex-elder and a member of the Council, but both our very good friends, are for the schoolmaster.
(The following is a marginal note in the original. )
ship gives me an opportunity to inform you herewith of the re- sult, namely : the said arbitrators have decided, that he, the school- master should remain deposed from his duties and be obliged to retract his slanders and to reestablish my honor, which was done before them by word of mouth with a promise not to do it again under a bond of fifty pounds. I see the following in this judge- ment: 1. We are held in the same esteem, as this scoundrel, and our clerical resolutions are subordinate to the decisions of some individual members of other congregations: 2. Our church will never be free from English politics, etc, Therefore I most humbly request, that your Reverences will please to consider this, and guard our cause and liberty. Such things may happen to me again, even in censuring an ordinary member, etc. Midwout, 25th of June, O. Style 1681.
All this clearly proves the condition in which our churches find themselves under the English government, and it is better to be silent, than to speak much about it. But these things sometimes make me long all the more for the Fatherland. Besides these troubles, my duties now are also much harder because of the va- cancy at New York. I preach and baptize there once a fortnight, and administer the Communion once every three months. I have likewise been requested to administer the Communion for the congregation on Staten Island and also at Bergen with the places depending thereon. I have now the care of about one thousand members in my own and in the said congregations, all distant from each other. In closing I commend myself to the favor of your Reverences and earnestly beg of you to think of me in connection
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with our churches (at home) and call me in due time to a better and more quiet place. I pray God, to protect you in his goodness ; to bless your meetings and determinations for the welfare of the church, and to make it independent of the great ones of the earth. Herewith I remain, Reverend, Pious Gentlemen and Fathers,
Your Reverences humble and very obedient
servant and colleague, Casparus Van Zuuren, Preacher on Long Island, America.
Postscript, of the same date. xxi. 232.
Reverend, Pious, Very Learned, Prudent Fathers in Jesus Christ :-
After I had closed my special letter to your Reverences (of this same date,) another circumstance of a more pleasant nature oc- curred, than what I reported in said letter, and I feel compelled to send the following additional lines to your Rev. Assembly.
Rev. Domine Gideon Schaats, minister of the congregation of Jesus Christ at New Albany, formerly Fort Orange, having ar- rived at a great age, and having served in that congregation, to the praise of God for about thirty years, is constantly becoming weaker and unable to bear the burden. Accordingly the over- seers of that congregation, taking into consideration the age of their minister and his consequent weakness, as well as the good of their congregation, having its welfare at heart, have deliberated together and resolved humbly to ask your Reverences for an as- sistant minister. You have fully learned from former letters, as to the condition of this country and of the congregations here. At present, during the vacancies at New York and at the Esopus, which we hope your Reverences favor will soon fill, there are only three preachers in this whole province of New York or New Netherland. One is at the North, Domine Schaats; one in the South, Domine Tesschenmaker, and I in the middle part between them. We have not only to take care of the respective congrega-
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tions, to which we have been called, and which are our special charges, but also of all the neighboring ones. Domine Schaats still serves the congregation of Schoonechtedi, (Schenectady), and also during the vacancy, that of the Esopus. Domine Tesschen- maker has likewise some neighboring hamlets besides New Castle, his headquarters, and must also occasionally preach at other places.
As far as I am concerned, I have reported in my special letter, what troubles, besides the usual ones, I have to bear at present. Your Reverences will therefore agree with us, that the harvest is great and abundant, but the laborers are few. One thing is very desirable, and that is that this country should be governed either by the Dutch, or by the English in a Dutch manner. I say this in reference to public worship and its maintenance. There are many congregations, scattered here and there in villages and hamlets, which are too weak to support a minister, and sustain public worship, yet they would like to have the means of grace - the Word and the Sacraments. Some are now obliged to come from a great distance to have their children baptized, or to par- take themselves of the Holy Communion. If the present govern- ment of this country would be pleased to furnish the means for maintaining religious services according to the laudable custom of the Dutch, East and West, it seems to me, relief could be easily obtained. At present the duties of ministers in this country are very burdensome, because they are so few in number, and all the people, especially those who are scattered in small hamlets along the rivers and creeks, cannot be ministered to as they desire. This causes among many a condition of great rudeness, and a marked negligence in the use of the Sacraments by their children as well as by themselves.
For this reason I approve of the plan of the people of New Albany as good and praiseworthy. It will not only make it easier for the old minister, especially in reference to all outside duties ; but also because when he dies, although this may first happen to the younger, the congregation will still remain provided with a
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good shepherd, to show them the way to Christ's sheepfold, and to go in and out before them. Thus they seek to avoid the incon- veniences and embarrassment which the New York congregation now finds itself in. We therefore can only approve of their plans, and join in their request, humbly asking your Reverences in their name, to choose and send over for them a proper person. We likewise beseech you, for the love of Christ and his Church, to take this matter quickly to heart. It is an honor to our nationality here in this country, that in the matter of religious services we far excel the English. They have but few ministers. Some of these are Independents ; others Episcopalians; yet few of the right kind. Even the Capital, New York, has no English minister or chaplain, and very few ever partake of the Lord's Supper, when they have a minister. Therefore religion which is the solid founda- tion of all government, is on a better footing among the Dutch ; although even they have their failings and abuses, and neither are they small. It will be a matter of great joy to us, when Almighty God, the Chief Shepherd, shall be pleased to fulfill the requests of the now vacant and praying congregations, and send to us as many more laborers, as there are here already. For this we make supplication in our prayers ; and we also request your Reverences, as his instruments appointed for that purpose, to pay attention to the wish and the hungry desire of these bleating sheep, and especially to extend your favor to those of whom we have spoken.
The Lieutenant Governor, Anthony Brockholst, the Governor himself being absent, has confirmed this request, by his approba- tion. The congregation has collected an abundant sum to pay for the traveling expenses of the expected minister, and has re- mitted it to Messrs. Richard van Rensselaer, Jan Hendrick van Baal, and Abel de Wolf, merchants at Amsterdam. They can also give your Rev. Assembly full information concerning the condi- tion of said congregation (at Albany). The salary is to be eight hundred guilders in beavers, which, as I understand it, is, one hundred beavers,) each piece (beaver skin) being worth about eight
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