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To William Kempe, Esg., his Majesty's Attorney General for the Province of New York:
Whereas, The Trustees mentioned and appointed in and by an act passed, etc., etc., (as above) hath by their humble Petition presented unto me and read in Council on the 28th day of May last, humbly prayed I would grant to them, the petitioners, or to such persons as should be thought proper, his Majesty's Charter of Incorporation with such privileges as should be thought meet, which Petition was then referred to a Committee of Gentlemen of the Council, or any five of them. The Chairman whereof afterward reported that the Committee were humbly of opinion that I
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should grant to proper persons his Majesty's Letters Patent for incorporating the said College according to the purport and prayer of the petition, and direct the Attorney General to prepare a draft of the said Letters Patent or Charter, which report was agreed to and approved of as the said petition and the proceedings in Council thereupon, copies of which are hereunto annexed, may more fully and at large appear.
I have therefore thought fit by and with the advice of his Majesty's Council to direct, and you are hereby directed and required to prepare a draft of the said letters Patent or Charter according to the purport and prayer of the said petition, and to lay the same before me in Council-and for so doing this shali be your sufficient warrant.
Given under my hand, etc., etc., the 4th day of June, 1754 .- From N. Y. Col. MSS., Ixxvii., 121.
REPLY OF WILLIAM SAMUEL JOHNSON, (SON OF DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON,) A LAWYER, TO LIVINGSTON'S TWENTY UNANSWER- ABLE REASONS." JUNE 13, 1754.
Abstract.
Did not wish to enter into controversy. Livingston's reasons far-fetched. Strained construction of the Act of Assembly, (to raise moneys), and of the purport of the petition and Charter, (as proposed? for Charter is dated October 31, 1754.) The gentlemen determined to oppose everything which does not coincide with Indepen- dency in religion and government .- "The Protest, I think, goes upon a wrong sup- position, namely, that the Charter petitioned for, is to establish a College without the approbation, and almost independent of, the Assembly or Legislature; to the support of which, nevertheless, the moneys granted by the two Acts of Assembly are to be applied, contrary to the intentions and design of the Assembly in making the grant; which, I take it, is by no means aimed at by anybody, nor, indeed, I con- ceive can possibly be." Trinity Church could not be expected to make the offer of land for the College without the conditions annexed.
June 13, 1754.
William Samuel Johnson.
Beardslee's Life of Dr. Samuel Johnson, 192. See May 16, 1754, and Nov. 1, 1754.
RELIGION AMONG THE MOHAWKS. Proceedings of the Colonial Congress held at Albany. (New York Papers, Bundle Kk., No. 20.)
Albany the 19. June 1754.
Brethren: We the Mohawks of both Castles have also one request to make, which is, that the people who are settled round about us may not be suffered to sell our people Rum; it keeps them all poor, makes them idle and wicked; if they have any money or goods they lay it all out in Rum, it destroys virtue and the progress of Religion amongst us: (the lower Castle of the Mohawks have a Chapel and an English Missionary belonging to it).
We have a friendly request to make to the Governor and all the Commissioners here present, that they will help us to build a Church at Cannojohary, and that we may have a Bell in it, which together with the putting a stop to the selling of Rum, will tend to make us Religious and lead better lives than we do now.
His Honour's draught of the speech he proposes to make to the Six Nations which was delivered to the Board the 6th inst: was read, and after debate had thereon,
77
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relative to the sale of Rum amongst them, and the Cannajohary's desire about a Church, some alterations and additions to it were agreed to be proposed to his Honour.
Brethren of the Upper Castle of the Mohawks.
I am well pleased with your earnest request to have a Church built amongst you, and shall do everything in my power to promote so good a work, and it is very agreeable to me, and the Commissioners from all the Governments present to find a disposition in you to receive the Christian Religion.
-Col. Docs. N. Y., Vol. vi. 876-7, 880, 883.
THE CHURCH AND THE COLLEGE.
Reverend S. Johnson to the Archbishop of Canterbury .* July 10, 1754.
May it please Your Grace:
The Bearer hereof is Mr. Solomon Palmer who having been brought up and gradu- ated at New Haven College, has for several Years, been a dissenting Minister of a very good character and in much esteem but upon occasion of our late Confusions he hath been led to read many of the best Divines of our Church, which has of late convinced him that it is his duty to conform to the church, and now goes well recommended by several of the Clergy of Connecticut to my Lord of London for holy orders to be incumbent to several adjacent places in the County of Litchfield in that Colony, where his late parish is, and where there are many people that earnestly desire he may be settled among them. And though they are most of them, but poor new planters, they have engaged thirty pounds sterling per annum which he hath accepted as a Title for his Ordination, and which I hope my Lord of London will accept of as he does not go with any dependence on any Salary from the Society. Nevertheless, as this will be but a very slender support for a family of seven Children, he is also recommended to the Society; and I shall be very thought- ful for Your Grace's influence, if it may be, that he may have a small pension allowed him in addition to it.
On this occasion I humbly beg leave to inform Your Grace that the Gentlemen of the City of New York, where I now am, have, for several Years, been projecting to establish a College here, and been raising money for that purpose, and are now resolved speedily to carry it into execution. They have all along been often express- ing their design that I should be the Head of their intended College; from which, (upon a visit I made them last fall,) I sincerely endeavoured, to my utmost to dis- suade them; notwithstanding which they have since unanimously chosen me to this Office, assuring me that they cannot be agreed on any other method, and that my refusal would much endanger the miscarriage of their design; and it seems the gen- eral persuasion that it is my duty to accept.
However I have this Spring been prevailed upon to spend, at least, some months here, (my neighboring brethren in the mean time taking turns to do duty for me in my absence;) in which time the Trustees have been projecting a Charter, according to the tenor of which, the service of the Church is to be always used in the College, and the President to be always of the Church of England; and it is passed in Coun- cil and preparing for the Seals .- In consideration of which conditions, the gentle- men of Trinity Church will give a tract of land excellently situated, whereon to build it, with 7 or 8000 pounds,-And it is intended that Your Grace and my Lord of London be first named among the Governors of the College to be incorporated.
Here is indeed a most virulent and active faction of Presbyterians and Free- thinkers that do violently oppose such a Charter, and do all they can to disaffect
* The most Reverend Dr. Herring was Bishop of Bangor in 1737; he succeeded Dr. Blackburne as archbishop of York in 1743, and on the death of Dr. Potter, in 1747, was elevated to the See of Canterbury. He died on the 13th of March, 1757. "He was a very amiable man, to whom no fault was objected; though perhaps the gentleness of his principles, his great merit, was thought one. During the rebellion he had taken up arms to defend from oppression that religion, which he abhorred making an instrument of oppression." Walpole .- Ed.
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the Dutch, without whom they bear but a small proportion in the province .- But as the Dutch seem generally steady in their union with the Church of England, it is not much doubted that the General Assembly will approve of the Charter: and if they do, I believe I must accept of this Office and settle here, and apply myself to the discharge of it as well as I can .- And I humbly beg an interest in Your Grace's prayers in my behalf, of which I shall stand in much need as I am very deficient in proper qualifications for such a business, and especially considering my advanced Years .- I am, May it please Your Grace, Your Grace's most dutiful son & most obedient humble Servant,
New York, July 10, 1754.
(signed) Samuel Johnson. -Col. Docs. N. Y. Vol. vi. pp. 849, 850.
RELIGION AMONG THE MOHAWKS. Lieutenant Governor De Lancey to the Lords of Trade. (New York Papers, Bundle Kk., No. 19.)
New York, July 22, 1754.
My Lords :-
They (the Mohawks) have desired me to get a Church built among them. I shall grant a Brief for that purpose, and encourage subscriptions, and if I can obtain a sufficient sum, I will order the Church to be built of Stone, in such a Manner, that it may serve as a Fort upon any emergency. Thus much of the upper Mohawks.
The lower Castle of Mohawks have also put in their complaints to me, and they consist of two articles. One relates to a grant of Land made by them to Mr. Bar- clay, present Rector of Trinity Church ; this grant passed through the usual forms, but they say they intended it as a Glebe for his use, while he lived among them as a Missionary and afterwards for the use of his successors; but I am informed he made a regular purchase of it, and believe it to be so, as he laid out a considerable sum of money in building on it, which no prudent Man would have done, who had only an estate of so short a continuance. I shall lay it before the Assembly and endeavour to prevail on them to pay Mr. Barclay for his improvements, who, I am assured, is willing to convey that Estate for the use of a Missionary forever, upon being reimbursed the Expenses he has been at.
My Lords, Your Lordship's most obedient and most humble servant,
James De Lancey. -Col. Docs. N. Y. Vol. vi. pp. 850, 851, 852.
CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM. Acts of the Deputies. July 22, 1754. (Abstract.) No. 213.2.
Letter from the Consistory of Queens County on Long Island of May 21, 1754. Signed by David Durye as committee. Re- ceived July 22, 1754.
Contains a declaration in favor of Rev. Arondeus; viz., that he was inclined to preach a second Confession-Sermon, but the committee of New York, Rev. Ritsema, Rev. de Ronde, and the elders on the committee, prevented this second agreed-to-con-
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fession, because they were convinced that Rev. Arondeus was no unlawful intruder, and thus need make no confession of being so. Four other elders also testify to the same by their signatures. xxiii. 411.
CERTIFICATE OF STUDY, FOR JOHANNES AEMILIUS WERNIG, (WER- NICH) JULY 23, 1754.
Ornatissimus Juvenis, Johannes Aemilius Wernig, Weingarten- sis, S. St. Theologiae Studiosus hactenus non solum curriculum Theologiae dogmaticae absolvit, at repetendo huic curriculo nunc intentus est; sed etiam praecepta formandae orationis sacrae audivit. Vitam quoque externe honestam, quantum scio, et a vitas immunem dunit. Quoniam vero fundamenta tantum prima utriusg. Theologiae Scientiae et Theoreticae et Practicae posnit, industria opus, et continnata diligentia, crescente etiem in dies fervore et zelo, ut ab initiis hisce ad felicem studiorum metam bono cum Deo pregrediatur. Eum in finem deum in Christo propitium, et Spiritus St. bonum ac gratiam apprecor.
Heydelbergae, July 23, 1754. C. Brunings. [See July 14, 1751; July 17, 1752.]
THE SYNOD OF NORTH HOLLAND, JULY 30-AUG. 8, 1754.
The Synod received a German letter from New York, dated April 25, 1754, relating to Pennsylvania affairs. See Article 45. The German churches advised not to unite in a Conference with the Presbyterian churches in America. Nothing in the Minutes of this session relating to New York.
CORRESPONDENCE IN AMERICA.
(Rev. U. Van Sinderen to his Opponents, Aug. 15, 1754.) No. III. L. S.
Men and Brethren :-
Having understood from reports that the Classical Letter from Amsterdam, which your Revs. recently received, made mention
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of peace and union; and also, having understood that many of your Revs. would be inclined thereto : these few lines, therefore, are intended to show that from our side we are not less so in- clined. But if this desirable work is to be accomplished, it will be necessary to take action; and means to that end ought to be put in operation.
Probably there is no more effective or proper way than for both parties to come together and confer about it. In order therefore, to bring about such a result, we most kindly invite your Revs. (to such a conference), that we may, together, devise means wherby the fire of discord and dissension which has been burning among us for so long a time, may, by the blessing of God, be graciously quenched; and that instead, peace so desirable, with its wholesome fruits may be enjoyed among us, according to the 133 Psalm; " Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity," etc.
In order to reach such a result, five men have been appointed for that purpose from our side, one from each village; and our request is that the same thing be done by your side. The men who are thus appointed to meet together ought to keep in mind the Savior's saying, " Blessed are the peacemakers ", Matt. 5:9. To this request we hope for an early answer. Resting in this expectation, we commend your Revs. to God and to His Grace.
Witnessed in the name of all,
U. Van Sinderen, Minister of the Holy Gospel in Kings County.
Flatbush, Aug. 15, 1754.
THE COLLEGE AND THE CHURCH.
William Livingston to Chauncey Whittelsey, New Haven. August 22, 1754.
Dear Sir :-
Your brother did me the honour of waiting upon me this morning with your respects, and told me you desired from me a state of our college, and what was, or was like to be its plan and constitution. It was opened last June, in the vestry-room of the school-house belonging to Trinity Church. It consists of seven students, the majority of whom were admitted, though utterly unqualified, in order to make a flourish. They meet for morning prayers in the church, and are like to make as
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great a progress in the liturgy as in the science The doctor's advertisement promises stupendous matters.
I have acquainted the trustees with the contents of your last letter, but we have had no meeting since I received it. The plan on which they would fix it, you will see by the paper enclosed. They expected the governor would have granted the charter on their preferring a petition, and I believe they had some assurance to that purpose ; but the noise and uneasiness created by the protest which I pub- lished, on purpose to create such a noise and uneasiness, have so puzzled his h-r that he has hitherto deferred his answer. The protest has indeed excited so great a fermentation in the province, that in consequence of the reasons therein urged, and some other steps that had been taken by me and my friends for rousing the people to an opposition, several of the members in our present session of Assembly are come with petitions from their constituents to them, against granting any further fund for. the college till its constitution and govern- ment be settled by an act of legislation. The adverse party are also making interest with the members, to nod over the affair and leave it to the management of the trustees. But I believe we have a majority who will enter into an examination of their conduct, and vote for incorporating it by Act of Assembly : Had the printers not been overawed from publishing anything on the subject in their newspapers, I am confident we should have raised so great a fervour in the provinces, as nothing but a catholic scheme would have been able to extinguish. However, a new press will be set up in the fall, and then I am persuaded (if not then too late) the trumpet will not cease to blow in Zion.
After the session, I shall acquaint you with the event of this affair. Some of the members are greatly exasperated against the trustees, but they have better hearts than heads, and are browbeat and nonplused by some of the house of better capacity than themselves. But they are lately inspired with much fortitude by the promise of a foreign aid, which I believe will render them a match for their antagonists. The act proposed and every other requisite will be prepared to their hands.
With respect to my own transactions in this matter, as I have not been without the thanks of some, I have not wanted the malediction of others. Those who were at the bottom of the partial plan I opposed, and who thought it just on the point of being carried into execution, when I published the very scheme they had, not a fortnight before, absolutely disowned from having in view, will never forgive me ; as this effectually prevented all possibility any longer to conceal their intentions of monopolizing the management of the college, they waxed exceeding wrath, and I repaid their anger by laughing at their resentment. I am, etc.
William Livingston. -Sedgewick's Life of Wm. Livingston, pp. 91-93.
ACTS OF THE CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM.
The Classis of Amsterdam to the Consistory of Lower Rhinebeck, Sept. 2, 1754.
To the Rev. Consistory of Lower Rhinebeck, on the Flats of Dutchess County :
Very Rev. and Much Beloved Brother (Brethren) : All that your Revs. con- temptuously write in your former letter of May 27, 1754, being fully expressed in ours of Dec. 5, 1752, we must refer your Revs. to that, and request that your Revs. be pleased to conduct yourselves according to the Postscript. Everything must be dropped, and all things done in order. We pity the woful condition of the churches, and pray God for your Revs. and the Church. Wishing you every grace and blessing we remain,
Very Reverend and much beloved brethren, your very Revs.' very dutiful servants and brethren, In the name of the Rev. Classis of Amsterdam,
Joh. Alb. Van Muyden, Rev. Cl. of Amst. et depp. Cl. ad res ext. p. t. Praeses. W. Peiffers, E. Cl. Amst. depp. Cl. p. t. Scriba.
Amsterdam, in our Classical Assembly, Sept. 2, 1754.
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CHURCH OF NEW YORK.
Domine Boel's Widow. Salaries.
New York, September 15, 1754.
Consistory held after calling on God's name.
Resolved 1st. That the widow of Domine Boel shall receive the full salary for the quarter, now expired, in which her husband died, and shall have the free use of the house until May 1755.
2. That the salary of the minister shall henceforth be increased to two hundred pounds, it being understood that this is an addition of ten pounds to the former increase. The old minister had for the entire service, in both churches, one hundred and fifty-five pounds, with fifteen pounds for fire wood. Besides this twenty pounds were afterwards given on certain conditions, and they pledged themselves to attend to the catechizing, private as well as public.
This done in Consistory. Signed in the name of all.
J. Ritzema, President.
CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM. Acts of the Deputies. Sept. ? 1754. (Abstract.) No. 222. Answer, 46.
Letter from Kings County on Long Island, of March 29, 1754; signed by the elders John Lott and John Couwenhoven.
They state that they are the old Consistory of the Church of Kings County. On Sept. 18, 1753, they protested against the utterance of the sentence of the Coetus on Rev. Arondeus, both as consistory and congregation ; and that, no answer having been received thereto from the Classis, Rev. Arondeus as early as last year departed. And that after much slinging (Dutch : slingeringe) about by Rev. van Sinderen and his party, they had finally unani- mously chosen the peace-loving and estimable Rev. Antonius Cur- tenius, who had been for more than twenty-four years the praise- worthy pastor at Hackensack. He had accepted this call, on con- dition that the reunion of the parties in the church should be proposed to Van Sinderen and his party, by the election of a New Consistory for the whole church, whereby the foundations of peace might be laid.
That then his friends should see what they could contribute towards a salary for him. This should also then be approved on their side, beyond the total which by him (?) should be paid to Rev. Curtenius. That the proposal was rejected by van Sinderen and his followers, although Rev. Curtenius wrote to Rev. van
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Sinderen, that he was willing to join friendly hands with van Sinderen, to promote the peace and to supply van Sinderen's arrears of salary. Van Sinderen objected that he, Rev. Curtenius . but that since Arondeus was an unlawful pastor, in consequence his consistory was also illegal; and from its ille- gality followed the illegality of the call; which they deny. They give as reason, why they did not previously unite the consistories, that then they would not have been able to chose a minister to their general satisfaction; and also because, when Rev. Mancius once had preached there, they had made out a call to him, by which signatures they deemed themselves authorized to call. Their request is, that the Classis would approve this call (to Curtenius) as lawful, assuring us that this would tend to peace.
They request a speedy answer, expecting the coming of Rev. Curtenius at the earliest opportunity. xxiii. 419-420.
COETUS OF NEW YORK. Portfolio of " New York ", Vol. ii.
Meeting of the Reverend Coetus at New York, Sept. 17-19, 1754.
The Rev. Assembly was opened with prayer by the retiring president. It consisted of the following members, ministers with their elders: Ministers. Rev. R. Erickson
G. Haeghoort
A. Curtenius
Jan Berdan
J. Ritzema
Abr. Van Wyck
66 Ulp. Van Sinderen
Pieter Leffers
J. H. Goetschius
Abr. Leydekker
.6 Joh. Leydt
Hend. Vischer
66 B. Van der Linde
Albert ter Hune
J. C. Freyenmoet
Gerrit Brink
66 S. Verbryck
Jan Haring
Derick Vreeland
Simon Van Aarsdaal
The Rev. Assembly had, to its sorrow and regret, learned that the Rev. Joh. Frielinghuysen, on his way hither, even as far as Long Island, had by a sudden attack, been taken home out of this life; and that, therefore, his Rev. did not reach his destination, while we, also, must be deprived of his Rev's. presence and help.
As Rev. de Ronde, whose turn it was to preside, did not appear that day, the Rev. Assembly chose Rev. J. Ritzema as temporary adsessor.
Tuesday forenoon.
1. The Minute relating to the improvement of the Coetus, or to the setting of it on a better footing, was read from the records of the Coetus last held. The mem- bers were asked in turn by the president to give their views on that minute. Their several suggestions were also heard. The result was, that some of the brethren
D. Marinus
Elders. Willem Wyckhoff
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advised that the Coetus remain in statu quo, but be freed from what was defective; while others held that there must be an improvement which would amount to a transformation.
2. Resolved that the reading of the Classical letters be next in order.
The meeting was closed with thanksgiving to God.
Time of meeting in the afternoon, 2:30.
Afternoon.
The meeting was opened with prayer.
1. A complaint was brought in by the Rev. Consistory of Fishkill against Rev. Benj. Meinema. It was resolved to consider it the next morning at 10 o'clock.
2. The Classical letters of Sept. 3, 1753, of. Jan. 8 and May 6, 1754, were read.
3. According to previous suggestions, it was decided by a sufficient unanimity of votes, that an effort be made to get the Coetus changed into a Classis; the exact form of which to be left for further consideration.
4. It was decided that a plan in brief be drawn up indicating the form which the Classis should take. As a Committee for this purpose there were appointed Revs. Haeghoort, John Leydt and S. Verbryck, together with the elder, H. Vischer.
The meeting was closed with thanksgiving to God.
Time of meeting in the morning, 9 o'clock.
Wednesday forenoon.
The Rev. Assembly having been opened with prayer to God,
1. The minutes of the previous session were read, and the errors noted, were corrected.
2. It was resolved that Rev. John Ritzema preside at all the sessions.
3. The complaints of the consistory of Fishkill were read, and oral explanations heard. It was resolved that Revs. Erikson, A. Curtenius and D. Marinus, together with their elders, be a committee to go to Fishkill as soon as possible, to deal there with the matters brought in, according to certain instructions; and, in order to gain this salutary object, it was recommended that Rev. R. Erikson preach a Peace- Sermon there. This duty was by him accepted.
The meeting closed with thanksgiving to God.
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