USA > New York > Ecclesiastical records, state of New York, Volume IV > Part 75
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5. At the first session, the Clerk shall read over the Acts of the preceding Coetus, and narrate whatever has since occurred within the circle of the members.
6. At the beginning of each session, the Minutes of the pre- ceding shall be read, and, if found correct, approved.
7. The business being finished, the President shall inquire of each member concerning particularia, and thereupon concluded.
II .- For the Preservation of Order.
1. Every enrolled member shall be bound to be present at the Coetus, unless prevented by a legitimate hindrance.
2. In the lack of an acting elder, a Consistory may depute a former elder.
3. Every member shall preserve silence, that the Coetus may the better deliberate.
4. In the meeting, each shall keep his own seat in the circle, and not speak except in his turn; or else pay twopence.
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5. Whoever, without the permission of the President, comes in after prayer, shall pay sixpence; if he is absent from the whole session, he shall pay a shilling; if from the Coetus entirely, six shillings ; and in case of the officers, these fines shall be doubled. Every one shall abstain from invective and injurious words, under penalty of not less than twopence, and not more than six shillings.
III .- Of the Examinations.
1. The examinations shall be conducted by the President and the Clerk; i. e., by him whose regular turn it is to be Clerk, and strictly according to the determination of September 7, 1747.
2. The examination being satisfactorily finished, the President shall ask the person examined,
(1.) Whether he declares with a good conscience before the Lord that he sincerely believes what he has professed ?
(2.) The Formulas of subscription for the ministers shall be read to him, as contained in the Post Acta, Syn. Dord., 1618, 1619, p. 83.
(3.) Then he shall be asked if he " will always conduct him- self in the strictest manner according to all that is contained therein, especially according to the xxxvii Articles of the Nether- landish Confession of Faith, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of the Dordracene Synod."
Thus shall he, in the presence of the Rev. Assembly, make the appointed attestation, and then add,
" And in case, hereafter, I take up any opinion contrary to the doctrine of the Reformed Church, I now promise that if I do not subject myself to the Coetus in subordination to the Classis of Amsterdam, but do and teach otherwise than the Low Dutch Re- formed Church has determined irrevocably to hold and maintain, that I, ipso facto, by the very deed, shall be deprived of all my ministerial office, and all the fruits and privileges thereof ; which I now confirm with my own hand in the presence of you all." Which he shall immediately do.
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(4.) Then shall he also promise, in all sincerity, to govern him- self by the Church Orders usual in the Netherlandish Church, and to adhere inviolably to the Coetus while he is in these provinces ; and to conduct himself according to all its rules, as subordinate to the Rev. Classis of Amsterdam.
IV .- In Regard to Church Visitation.
This shall be conducted according to the determination of the Coetus, September 10, 1747. The President shall ask each min- ister and elder,
1. Whether the Lord's Supper is duly administered among them at the proper season, and with previous visitation of the families, and a preparatory discourse ?
2. Whether the prescribed preaching on the Catechism and the catechising of the children are attended to ?
3. Whether the names of the members of the church, of the baptized children, and of persons united in marriage, are properly recorded ?
4. Whether the ministers, elders, and deacons faithfully dis- charge the duties of their several offices ?
5. And whether the minister receives the amount promised to him in his call ?
V .- Of the Questor of the Coetus.
1. Every year a Questor shall be chosen, properly to receive and pay out the revenues of the Coetus.
2. On leaving office, he shall give a proper account of receipts and expenditures to the Coetus, or to those whom it deputes for the purpose; shall hand over the cash-box; and shall state what the Coetus owes.
**
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VI .- Of the Revenues of the Coetus.
1. Students admitted to the preparatory examination shall be- forehand pay to the Questor four pounds, New York currency; and the same amount afterwards, when they receive their testi- monials.
2. In the case of those admitted to the final examination, the congregations which have called them shall pay to the Questor twenty pounds, New York currency.
3. All fines shall come into the treasury of the Coetus, and be delivered by the Directors to the Questor.
VII .- Of the Book of the Coetus.
The Questor shall provide an ordinary blank book, in which the Fundamental Articles, the Rules of the Coetus, the subscriptions of all the members, and all our important Acts and letters, shall be carefully recorded.
VIII .- Of the Clerk.
Since all this recording will require much time and labor, the Coetus thinks fit to appoint an Extraordinary Clerk, who shall be compensated for his toil. For this purpose, they have unanimously chosen Domine Du Bois; or, if he should be unable to serve, Domine Ritzema.
IX .- Of the Election for Questor.
They have also unanimously chosen for Questor Domine Rit- zema, who shall be recompensed for his trouble, according to the pleasure of the Coetus.
[Signatures.]
1748.
1748.
Gerardus Haaghoort.
Elder, the mark (x) of Hendrik Jacobussen.
Antonius Curtenius.
John Zabriskie.
G. Du Bois.
Chris. Bancker.
1
3
t
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ECCLESIASTICAL RECORDS
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Reinhard Erickson. Joannes Schuyler.
Elder, Joannes Luyster. the mark (HD) of Dirck Hagedorn.
Joannes Ritzema.
Abraham Van Wyck.
Benjamin Meinema.
Jacobus Stoutenbergh.
Abraham Lott.
Carolus De Baun.
Hendrik Fisher.
Joannes Leydt. Benj. Van Der Linden.
Subsequent signatures.
Joannes Fryenmoet, 1750.
Samuel Verbryck, 1750.
Lambertus De Ronde, 1751.
Joannes Frelinghuysen, 1751.
David Marinus, 1752.
Dirck Van Houten.
Theodorus Frelinghuysen, 1755 ?*
Barent Vrooman, 1755 ?
Joannes Schuneman, 1755 ?
Thomas Romeyn, 1755 ?
Cornelius Hoogeland. Joannes Hardenbergh,
For the Congregation of the Paltz. Jacob Hoornbeeck,
For the Congregations of Marbletown, Rochester, & Wawarsing.
Joannes Gerretse,
For the Congregations of Staten Island. Dam Laucks, For the Congregation of Stone Arabia. Roelof Terhune, For the Congregation of Gravesend.
* Note: As Theodore Frelinghuysen, Vrooman and Schuneman never attended a meeting of Coetus up to Sept., 1754, their signatures could hardly have been secured before May, 1755; yet the Minutes of that meeting are not recorded in the Minute Book. Ritzema was president of the Coetus in Sept., 1754, and Verbryck, clerk. The latter may have secured the book in May, 1755, for these signatures, but the Minutes of the Coetus meeting of May, 1755, are not recorded in the Book. Ritzema must have retained possession of it, and from Sept., 1755, the Minutes of the Conferentie are recorded therein.
U. Van Sinderen. J. H. Goetschius.
Albert Van Dien. Subsequent signatures. Benjamin De Puy.
John Haring.
66 Jacob Roosevelt. Simon Van Arsdalen.
·6 Jacobus Mynderse.
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ACTS OF THE CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM.
Letter from Rev. E. T. van Hoevenbergh.
1748, May 6th. Art. 6. The Rev. Depp. state that they have again received a letter from Rev. E. T. van Hoevenberg, in which he announces that he is not able to set out for Suriname. He requests that the moneys that are in arrears should be secured for him. The Rev. Assembly thereupon requested the Rev. Depp. to put forth their good endeavors to this end, and to offer him as much as possible a helping hand in his necessity. xii. 149, 150.
CHURCH OF NEW YORK.
Manor of Fordham.
New York, May 12, 1748.
Consistory held, concerning the renewal of the expired leases on the Manor of Fordham.
1. The Committee thereon, consisting of elders Wynand, Van Zandt and Abrm. Van Wyck, and deacons Abel Hardenbroek and Pieter Lot, reported an appraisement of the sum each farm was to rent for, which they had made as requested. This was ap- proved, and referred to the Committee, to make agreement accord- ingly with the tenants as far as possible.
2. One of the late leases was read and approved as a pattern for the others, but with this addition: That the farms shall be rented for seven years, with the promise that every tenant who fulfills the stipulated conditions, shall have the privilege of re- newal for seven years more. But it shall be stipulated in the present leases, wherever the condition of the farm permits, how many rods of good stone fence the tenant shall make every year, and within what time he shall do it.
3. It was Resolved, That a plan of a lease, including all this, should be prepared in writing by the elders, C. Banker and Guil- yam Verplank, with a space for inserting any special require-
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ECCLESIASTICAL RECORDS
ments in a given case. This they agreed to do, and were, there- fore, added to the Committee.
4. Finally, when all this is done, it shall be reported to the Con- sistory, that when all is approved, it may be put in a Resolution. Also, in order to spare the pains and costs of copying, the Forms of Lease shall be printed. Thus done in the present Consistory, at the time above written.
Witness in the name, etc.,
Henricus Boel, p. t. President.
New York, May 26, 1748.
The above named Committee presented a Form of Lease, which was read, considered and approved. It was also Resolved, That two hundred copies of the Form should be correctly printed by Mr. Hendrik de Forest, at the cost of our church, under the di- rection of the Committee. And they, or a majority of them, shall write, in the printed Forms, the particular agreements for each farm. One Form shall be signed by the tenant, and another by the President (of the Consistory) for the time being, and sealed with the Church-seal.
Thus done in Consistory meeting May 26, and June 16, 1748, in presence of me,
Henricus Boel, p. t. President, in May.
CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM.
Acts of the Deputies. 1748, June?
No. 33. Letter from Lambertus de Ronde, minister at Para- maribo, of March 9, 1748. To this is added an extract from the action of the Consistory of March 9, 1746. (or 1748?)
He complains of the quarrel in the church there. This is par- ticularly on account of the French, who are also in the Consistory there. Especially does he complain of the conduct of Rev. du Voisyn. This man, as may be seen partly from the Acta of the
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conventus of February 4, 1747, and partly from those of Feb- ruary 6, 1748,
1. Occupies the time of the Assembly with long and tedious memorials, in French. These then have to be translated; but they relate to matters settled long ago.
2. He opposes Rev. de Ronde in all sorts of improper ways, in the face of the clear laws of Church-Order. To these, the Rev. de Ronde refers himself, both in the Acta of the Conventus, soon to be sent, and in those of the Consistory of March 12, 1748. He mentions further, as special instances,
(1) That the court of Police (the Civil Court) has released the ministers from the performance of the marriage ceremony. This had been recommended by two commissioners from the Court. But against this, the Rev. du Voisin had expressed himself in a sharp memorial, in French, read before the Consistory. This, upon a milder motion of Rev. de Ronde had been disapproved of in Consistory. Rev. du Voisin thereupon angrily put his paper in his pocket, and uttered many untruths against Rev. de Ronde.
(2) That just before the holding of the last Conventus, the Governor - having heard that one of the elders who had been commissioned, together with Rev. de Ronde, as one of the Com- missioners of the State, would make a certain request, but that he was also in a criminal suit,- had caused it to be made known by the Rev. de Ronde that the court would not permit that elder to serve; and that Rev. du Voisin at once attacked that proposition; until after much dispute, the said elder finally resigned, and an- other was appointed in his stead; but about this circumstance, the Rev. du Voisin, after the opening of the Conventus, caused much inconvenience to the Commissioners, and hindered them in their business, generally, as well as the Assembly,- to their great displeasure.
(3) Shortly after the Conventus was held, at the election of Elders and Deacons for the Dutch, there was chosen by lot, as Elder, a man involved in a serious criminal process, one Jacob
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van Dalen; and there were chosen for the Dutch and French congregations, two brethren as deacons, neither of whom were members of the Church. This election was therefore void. In the place of the two latter two others were chosen, about whom Rev. du Voisin expressed himself in severe complaints. In the name of the entire Court, the Rev. Yver was now informed that the petitions of van Dalen could have no effect before the end of his suit. But this notification, in the opinion of the French breth- ren, was not in forma. They therefore resolved, by a majority of votes, to defer the petitions of all. But to the decision of the Court on this matter, which was made known by the Governor personally to Rev. de Ronde, and by him (to the Consistory?), Rev. du Voisin opposed himself again, and also to Rev. de Ronde, as is to be seen in the Acta.
(4) Thereupon Rev. de Ronde asks that the Dutch and French Consistory may be divided; that to each may be commended good order, in his own language, (and) laws; so that the Catechism may be preached, and that there may be no reading from the Geneva Bible, nor of prayers out of other books except the Formula: For this is said to be the case by many, and complaints of doing this have been made even about Rev. du Voisin to the Lord Governor. He mentions, further, several other irregu- larities, and asks the aid of Clasess and a speedy answer. He con- cludes with salutations.
Signed, Lambertus de Ronde.
In a Postscript, there is here added, that upon his protest of April 1, 1748, it was unanimously resolved by the brethren that Rev. du Voisin should apologize (give him satisfaction); but that he could in no wise be induced to do this. To this was added an extract from the transactions of the Consistory of March 9, 1748, containing their deliberation, on the order of the Court, regard- ing van Dalen. There was also an extract concerning a Memorial of Rev. du Voisin, relating to the right of the Court as to the
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aforementioned business, and some complaints of du Voisin against de Ronde. To these Rev. de Ronde replies, point by point, in a protest, signed April 1, 1748. xxiii. 82, 83.
ACTS OF THE CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM.
The Case of Rev. E. T. van Hoevenbergh.
1748, June 10th. Art. 6. The Rev. Depp. ad res Exteras re- port that they have conferred with the Messrs. Directors of the Suriname Society, and informed them of the distress of Rev. E. T. van Hoevenberg. The said Directors, however, had said that they could do nothing, because Rev. E. T. Hoevenberg must be written about to the consistory or government of Suriname. The Rev. Depp. were therefore further requested to be helpful to him in his distress as far as possible to them, and for his benefit to pre- pare a letter of recommendation. xii. 151.
TRINITY CHURCH, NEW YORK.
St. George's Chapel.
Vestry, 1748, July 11. Col. Robinson, from the committee appointed to pur- chase the lotts of ground from Mr. Clarkson, to build a chapel of Ease on, Re- ported, that the committee had agreed with Mr. Clarkson for the said lotts for £500, to be paid in a Year; and several persons residing in Montgomerie Ward appearing, and alledging that the lots of Col. Beekman, fronting Beekman's street and Van Cliff's street, would be more commodious for building the said chapel on, proposed that, if the Vestry would agree to the building the chapel there, the Inhabitants of Montgomerie Ward would raise money among themselves sufficient to purchase the ground, and that if Mr. Clarkson insisted on the performance of the agreement with him for his lots, they would take a conveyance for them, and pay the purchase money; which proposal being considered by the Vestry, was agreed to.
Mr. Reade, Mr. Livingston, Mr. Holland, Mr. Grant, and Mr. Henry Ludlow, or any three of them, were appointed a committee to procure plans for a chapel of Ease to Trinity Church, not exceeding ninety feet in length, and to make their report to the Board with all convenient expedition; and Mr. Murray, Mr. Hors- manden, Mr. Chambers, Mr. Lodge, and Mr. Nicholls, a committee to examine into the title of Col. Henry Beekman to the Lands near Beekman's Swamp, proposed to be purchased for the building a chapel of Ease.
Power also was given to the committee appointed, to inspect into the title of Col. Beekman to the land near the swamp, to agree with Col. Beekman for the pur- chase thereof, for such sum as they should think fitt, and to prepare deeds to be by him executed for the conveying the same to the Rector and inhabitants of Trin- ity Church; and when such purchase should be so made, to agree also with James Burling for exchanging part of the said ground for a lott of ground which be- longed to him adjoining thereto, or such part thereof as they could agree with him to exchange for the same, on such terms and for such consideration as to them should seem meet.
-- Berrian's History of Trinity Church, New York, pp. 78, 79.
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CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM.
Correspondence from America.
Rev. Theodorus Frelinghuyzen to Classis of Amsterdam, July 11th, 1748, (O. S.)
Albany in 1748.
Very Reverend Sirs and Brethren :- It is now two years since, by the wonderful care and protection of heaven, after having been driven six months on the waves, and having fallen into the hands of the French, I arrived at my field of labor in Albany. I have there found a large and numerous congregation, which was for- merly, when not so large, served by two ministers, Messrs. Van Driessen and Van Schie. Many who formerly lived outside of the city have now fled into it, because of the war and their fear of the heathen. From the first since my coming here, there has been manifested by the people an extraordinary interest in public wor- ship, and this is daily increasing, so that the church which is large and provided with a spacious gallery is becoming too small for the crowds that come to it. Since this place is on the frontier and near the enemy, men have been sent from other places to help in granting it. Most of these are Englishmen, and do not understand the Dutch language, and since they have no preacher among them, I have undertaken by their request to preach for them in the English language, and this I have now done for some time, during the longest of the days, on the Lord's day, after having preached twice in the Dutch language.
Last year while in New York there was placed in my hands a copy of a circular letter from the Reverend Classis containing inquiries about the case of Domine Goetschius, and about the formation of a regular Ecclesiastical Coetus. Concern- ing the former I was informed that it had been placed in the hands of a commit- tee who had prepared a report on it to the Rev. Classis. Concerning the latter, viz., the question of a Coetus, I did not require long time for consideration, but was able at once to explain and declare my views; but not knowing what ground my congregation would take in regard to the matter, I submitted to them the letter of the Rev. Classis, and also one from the Consistory of New York, having read them previously to the Consistory, and having declared myself to be for the Coetus, adding my reasons for the same, drawn from the great advantages to be expected from it. Whereupon they declared that they were not yet prepared to determine the question of joining a Coetus, fearing lest, perhaps their rights and privileges by this means might receive detriment. I have for these reasons not deemed it safe to involve myself further in the Coetus question, for this would make a great breach between the congregation and myself. I have noticed that in this place the minister is regarded as a servant hired for money, and who has no right to do anything else than to serve his congregation. This the Rev. Classis must know, if they have noticed an extraordinary clause in the Albany call - that the minister " shall not be allowed to perform service (except what is required by the call,) neither here nor elsewhere, neither on Sunday nor in the week with- out the knowledge and approbation of the Consistory."
I take the liberty to inform the Rev. Classis that for the purpose of catechizing I cannot here find a sufficiency of books of one kind, and suitable for the purpose, and I know not whether an adequate supply has been brought into this country. Moreover the seas being at the present time very unsafe, and copies being re- quired for the use of young men whom I am teaching in science, and who may be required for the ministry, I have prepared a catechism which I would have sent over to be examined and approved by the Rev. Classis were it not for the dangers of the sea already alluded to. My intention, therefore, is to have it printed here, and to send a copy over to the Rev. Classis, not doubting that this will be con-
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sidered as the best course to be taken, since it is for use in my own congregation which cannot procure suitable books. These things I thought it not unsuitable to write to the Rev. Classis wishing the very Rev. Brethren and Sirs prosperity, blessing and peace.
Very Rev. Sirs, Your Obedient Servant and Brother,
Albany, July 11, 1748, O. S.
Theodorus Frelinghuyzen.
ACTS OF THE CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM.
Rev. E. T. van Hoevenbergh.
1748, July 22nd. Art. 5. His case remains still recommended to the Rev. Depp. ad res Exteras. xii. 153.
CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM.
Acts of the Deputies. 1748? July ?
No. 38. Letter from Rev. George W. Mancius, in the name of, and as President of the Consistory of the Dutch Reformed Church of Kingston. Dated, August 24, 1747.
1. He writes that he has received our letter of January 6, 1747, sent with Rev. Ulpianus van Sinderen, and perceives there- from that theirs of December 17, 1744, reached us only in June, 1746. For this he gives several reasons; among others, that there was no opportunity for sending it off until July 27, 1745.
2. Furthermore, he makes several remarks about what passed at the examinations, preparatory and final, of Fryenmoet. He also recalls what happened in the case of Rev. Bohm. By sending over to the Classis a written Christian Confession, he, (Fryen- moet), had been, as it were, examined by the Classis directly. This, we had not disapproved of, but had rather approved of, and in more ways than one; that, for the present they had resolved not to accept authority to examine from Holland, especially, (lit., the less so). on account of the evil consequences which might be expected therefrom in that country; but that authority to install, (bevestigen, confirm, meaning either to install or ordain), was an- other matter.
3. Further: he suggests certain objections as to the danger
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of giving to a Coetus there (in America) power to hold the prepara- tory and final examinations. Thereby an instance had already occurred, that unfit persons might be palmed off upon the minis- try, by authorized hands; and by such a course, (American ordi- nations of unqualified persons,) the Dutch Churches in New Neth- erland might be made to become dependent upon a foreign power.
4. Finally, he concludes therefrom, as well as from a copy of a letter of Classis of March 1746, sent to him, and received by him, May 1747, that he is not yet inclined towards a Coetus, for he deems that such a body would be injurious to the churches there. On the contrary, he is resolved to remain under the imme- diate jurisdiction of our Classis inasmuch as, in the case of Rev. Fryenmoet, the Classis writes, offering its continued correspond- ence. Furthermore, he thanks us for our advice regarding the baptisms administered by the said Rev. Fryenmoet before his ordination, and promises to act in compliance therewith. He con- cludes with salutations. xxiii. 92.
CHURCHES OF KINGS COUNTY, LONG ISLAND.
Proposals for reconciliation between Revs. Arondeus and Van Sinderin and their respective adherents. (Aug. 8, 1748?)
The undersigned, taking into consideration what sad circum- stances have occurred, in consequence of the dissensions, which have now for a long time existed, well nigh to the ruin of the churches committed to their care:
And also considering what unwearied efforts and diligence have been employed to effect a union of hearts, and to remove all strife and discord, not only by the Rev. Coetus of New York, but also by the Rev. Classis of Amsterdam:
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