Ecclesiastical records, state of New York, Volume V, Part 72

Author: New York (State). State Historian. cn; Hastings, Hugh, 1856-1916. cn; Corwin, Edward Tanjore, 1834-1914, ed. cn; Holden, James Austin, 1861-
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Albany, J. B. Lyon, state printer
Number of Pages: 720


USA > New York > Ecclesiastical records, state of New York, Volume V > Part 72


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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We cannot conceal the grief which we feel that your Revs. received from the five above alluded to ministers, such misinformation; intimating that we, having left the Coetus, had together with Rev. Theodore Frielinghuysen, set up a new Coetus, etc. How contrary to truth this is, your Revs. can see well enough from the con- duct of Rev. Ritzema. He, in opposition to the action of the Classis and the Coetus, appointed a meeting at Flatbush, and installed, Rev. Curtenius as the successor of Arondeus there. The same may be understood from the doings of Rev. Haaghoort at Hackensack and Schralenburg. In opposition to many petitions of the neighbor- ing ministers, he took it upon himself to appoint, at Hackensack, certain dissatis- fied members of those churches as elders and deacons; and thus he organized a full anti-consistory. For this act the Assembly of the Rev. Coetus, which had been specially called for that purpose, suspended his Rev. and disciplined those members.


Nevertheless, his Rev. installed those men, helped them in calling Rev. Schuyler, and installed him, when he came, in their two houses of worship. Rev. Van der Linde also took all this in good part. What, then, would be the position of those gentlemen, if their Revs. were plainly told that there is still a Coetus, and that we constitute that Coetus? They would have to deny it, or they would not have earned the money received for such conduct. Their work also would then be illegal, and on the other hand, the ecclesiastical discipline exercised on them would be- legal.


Your Revs. complain about the unsuitable character of the composition, and the obscurity of the Minutes, and of the fact that the churches consented to the organi- zation of a Classis. But, presently, your Very Revs. will better understand this whole matter, when you come to consider how treacherously and preposterously Rev. Ritzema has acted in sending over the reports, in order to make the matter obscure and distasteful to your Revs. His Rev. and the others of his party attended the meeting which sought to make a Classis, and actually demanded one. But this


* Haaghoort, Curtenius, Ritzema, De Ronde and Van der Linde, being the "Con- ferentie "


* The Classis of Amsterdam.


** Septentrio, or Ursa Major, the Great Bear, the seven stars near the North Pole; < while Orion lies toward the south. The remoter regions of the North and South, rather than nearer home, their light shines.


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they did, not because they wanted a Classis, but in order that they might break up the Coetus. This very thing Rev. Haaghoort boasted of-that he had cast off its bonds, and then-that done-God pity us, (het zy Gode geklaagd), they beat their fellow-servants and did eat and drink with the drunken. They saddened the hearts of the righteous by perfidy, and strengthened the hands of the ungodly, in the case of Arondeus, who even obtained a large sum of money.


As the reasons given by the Rev. Consistory of the City of New York against the Coetus, and its improvement or change (into a Classis) have impressed your Revs. favorably, with your Revs. permission, we will do ourselves the honor to reply to them in another letter, possibly accompanying this.


But we have yet one observation to make: that that CLOSED LETTER to the Synod, together with the circumstantial account given by Revs. Curtenius and Ritzema, [of Sept. 3rd 1755,] in which they said five ministers acquiesce, as men- tioned in your Revs. letter, WAS not at all composed by order of the Coetus, but is spurious, fictitious, nil, and belongs entirely outside the Coetus. Against such letter we protest most earnestly; and we most heartily and fraternally beseech your Revs., out of the respect and tender love which we have for your Revs. not to be influenced by that communication.


We are very sorry that your Revs. have such a dread of the intended improve- ment in our church assembly, (turning the Coetus into a Classis), and that you intend, through your commissioners, to raise your voice in the Synod, against the change, as an irregular enterprise, and whose influence will extend far into the future; (that you intend to oppose it) before your Revs. have been apprised of the reasons which are to be advanced in its favor, and which are to be submitted to the judgment of the Rev. Synod.


The reasons which are quoted in your Revs. missive, collected out of the circular letters sent to the churches, and seized upon by your Revs .- we have never had these chiefly in mind, nor have we proposed them as our only or chief arguments to be laid before the Classes and the Synods of the Fatherland; but these were only to show our own churches the necessity and benefits of our salutary aim. And we hope your Revs. will before long learn, with the Rev. Synod, what churches are in favor of, and what churches are against a Classis; that is, with the exception of the parts and fragments, which Haaghoort and Ritzema have here and there torn off from the regular churches, in order that their Revs. might not be found naked.


We ask, besides, with all fraternal submission, that we may be permitted to refute your Revs. counter-arguments and objections which are noted in your Revs. com- munication. For this we shall keep ourselves prepared when occasion offers. And not only before your Revs. and the Christian Synods of South and North Holland, but also before the entire Reformed World, we shall demonstrate, that the FOUN- DATIONS on which we desire to build, with God's help, our Dutch Reformed New Netherland Zion, ARE NOT the "Air Castles" of a Cartesian phaino (thesaur?) nor a conclave of ministers, nor the mere customs of (East) Indian islands, or Hottentot shores, etc., but the FOUNDATIONS of the Apostles and Prophets, of which Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone; and (the foundations) of the Church Order, appointed by the National Synod of Dordrecht, 1618-1619, even the Constitution of the Reformed Church Government in accord therewith.


It is by this Plan, indeed, that we shall be prevented from cutting ourselves loose altogether from the Church of the Fatherland; or from becoming in character, a reproach to the Classis and Synods. And only thereby, also, shall we be delivered from that power of Prelacy, or of Independency, under which we are groaning. Our aim is, that we may rejoice together in the exercise of knowledge, in experi- ence, in confession and in practical piety; also in the defense of our most holy Reformed Faith, that thus we may subserve God's counsel, and afterward be received into His Rest.


In closing, we express our heartiest acknowledgements of your Revs. care, and continued offers of correspondence, for the promotion of the welfare of our


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churches; and we pray that your Revs. may be pleased to forgive us, if we have given expression to anything which is not becoming. We wish your Revs. every blessing, and with entire sincere respect and reverence, as also with a hearty brother-love, we sign and call ourselves, Your Very Revs. brethren and obedient servants, the Coetus at New York. In the name and by the authority of all, Samuel Verbryck, p. t. Praeses. R. Vrooman, p. t. Scriba.


In our Coetual Assembly this day, October 7, 1756.


CHURCH OF NEW YORK. New York, October 8, 1756.


Consistory held etc.


Present: Domines J. Ritzema and L. de Ronde.


Theo. Van Wyck Jno. Brevoort


Cor. Clopper


Pieter Keteltas


Anthony Ten Eyck


Abram Lefferts Jakobus Roosevelt


Deacons. Simon Johnson Elders.


Joris Brinkenhoff


Benj. Wynkoop


John Duryee 1


Isaac Rosevelt { Church Masters. Abram Lott


Leases were presented of two farms on the Manor, of which one, was for Hendrick Kien, (?) being the lot with the " Boslot ", thereby, marked - * 3 on the Map; the other for Hendrick Teneur, marked . ×7 on the Map. Whereupon it was agreed that the seal of the church should be affixed. This was done.


ANTONIUS CURTENIUS DIED OCTOBER 19, 1756. FRAGMENT OF AN OBITUARY.


Kings County in Mourning:


On account of the happy decease of the Rev. Antonius Curtenius, in his life, the faithful minister of the five combined congregations of the Dutch Reformed Church on Long Island in Kings County; and who went to his rest in the Lord, at his residence at Midwout, on the 19th of October, 1756, in the 59th year of his life.


Mat. 5:9. "Blessed are the peaceable." (According to Dutch version).


This thought in our Lord's Sermon on the Mount is, I think, very appropriate and applicable to our deceased minister, just mentioned. I will, therefore, attempt to explain and apply these words somewhat on that ground, keeping steadily in view our late friend, well known for his unusual love of peace, and his persevering efforts to make peace.


I will speak, first, of the Disposition-peaceable; and then, of the Divine Approval . and Promise respecting it-Blessed are they!


I. Peaceableness is a state of mind which enables its possessor to accept with calm resignation all that is allotted from above, without envying others their gifts


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and privileges. The eye of such a one being single, his whole body is full of light. Mat. 6:22.


Thus, there are meant here those peaceable people, those peace-loving friends of God who with all their powers aim at the upbuilding of the Spiritual Jerusalem, and try to bring to it "living stones", to prepare them and join them together, 1 Pet. 2; and thus, through the love of Christ


(Missing)


Those who were somewhat acquainted with out deceased minister and knew his peaceable nature and disposition, will, if free from prejudice, readily see that this promise of the Savior is, in many respects applicable to his Reverence. The con- gregations of Kings County must vividly recall, how to their earnest, yea, I may say, divine call-a call so unanimously offered to him, without any effort on his part; for the domine replied: that, before he could consent to it, peace must be made with Domine Van Sinderen and his dissatisfied membership. Again and again his Rev. urged this point; yea, even before accepting his call, he made in his own handwriting, to Domine Van Sinderen and his friends an offer of peace and friend- ship; but this, too, was without result.


It is known also that his Rev., during his residence in these parts, ever since his 26th year, both in his former charge and in this his last one, did conduct himself like a peaceable, yea a peace-making minister, in a blameless manner. All his efforts were directed to bring peace to the alienated minds of the dissatisfied members and to remove hinderances. Indeed, he brought it so far at last with his Consistories, that they consented to a general family visitation, to invite all the members with- out regard to partisanship to the Lord's Most Worthy Supper. With this, his Rev., though groaning under bodily weakness, had made a beginning; and to his comfort, it found entrance with many; but, afterwards, to his heart's sorrow, he met with uncivil treatment, so that, vexing his righteous soul on account of the fruitlessness of the effort his exhausted spirits increasing his bodily weakness-his Rev. took to his bed. Till the last he showed his love of peace, in being reconciled with God and with all men. After an illness of about thirty days, he was released by a peaceful death, crying out, at the moment of parting, "Death, where is thy sting, etc." 1 Cor. 15:55-56. His dear congregation, his friends, but, most of all, his afflicted family, while unusually grieved by his death, are, somewhat refreshed by his glorious word of farewell, and his blissful departure.


Dear friends, brethren and sisters of the still alienated congregations in Kings County, be ye moved and stirred up by this case of death, to seek the desired peace which this peace-loving care-taker of souls would have bought as with his blood, exhausted, as he was, by his labors of love. Think of his peaceful efforts, in which he persevered to the end. Do not fail, then, to follow after this wished for peace. Remember, you will by so doing, serve the Great Teacher and Spiritual Physician, who will sustain you with wisdom and power, if you keep on in His work. Yea, you will, by so doing, as Peace-makers, be called God's children here, and here- after-His friends. Then, on putting off this earthly tabernacle, you shall have a house built by God. And on the Day of Recompense you shall hear, (Mat. 25:34), "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."


CORRESPONDENCE FROM AMERICA.


The Opponents of the American Classis and Academy, or the Conferentie, to the Rev. Classis of Amsterdam, dated Novem- ber 9, 1756.


To the Rev. Classis of Amsterdam :-


Since the Rev. Ministers and Elders, who still call themselves the Coetus, under- take, without us, to answer the letter which you wrote to us, in reply to that which


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3679 1756


we sent to you last year, along with the minutes of the Coetus for September, 1754, we cannot be silent, but must present various matters to you, without being guilty of needless repetitions of things mentioned. This may seem to you an evidence. of partisanship; but we declare that we hold nothing in the world in so much abhor- rence, and desire that only truth and peace should remain in the midst of us, and of all God's congregations.


Could we be silent without injury to God's cause and his Church? when we dally see and hear such sad complaints of congregations and ministers against the unrighteous dealing of the brethren who call themselves the Coetus, who desire to dispose of everything according to their own views, and condemn in an unkind and unmerciful manner those who will not act with them, making them out to be dis- turbers of the peace, violators of the Church Order; and what is more, doing noth- ing else themselves than making disturbances, as might be shown by a number of examples, whereof, however, these few are enough.


1. You are aware how much right the people in Queens County had (considering the behavior of Dom. Van Sinderen and his party) to look around for a teacher for them, being the old and lawful Consistory. Their choice fell upon the blessed Anthony Curtenius, who, to the grief of his friends, departed this life on the 19th of October last. Yet this excellent character, known to all for many years as a worthy divine, has been censured by the Coetus, to his pain and that of his friends, and to the derision of them that are without, while all his course shows that he has been a seeker of peace and quiet, even amid disturbances, and that he bore a good conscience before God in his work.


2. We keep our eye upon the old congregation of Hackensack, which Dom. Cur- tenius has just left. The attempt has been made in various ways to thwart them in the choice of a pastor in his place, but the congregation has not yielded to the pressure, but called Dom. John Schuyler, of Schoharie, of whose doctrine and life we cannot speak of our own knowledge. He came to the help of the congregation, and immediately was put under censure by the Assembly. No notice was taken of this; yet it had sad consequences, for men tried as far as they could to make his ministry fruitless, and to persuade the ignorant that it is not only unlawful for him to administer baptism, but that such service, when performed by him, is invalid; so that the children that he baptizes cannot be heirs of their parents, but must forfeit their inheritance into the hands of the King's Attorney-General, by which no small stir has been created.


3. The censure imposed on Dom. Haeghoort has not had much influence in his own congregation, but has made considerable bustle in that of New York. For being in the church there one afternoon, when Dom. Ritzema preached and a child was to be baptized, he, according to custom, baptized it. Afterward the father came to Dom. Ritzema, and said that if he had known that Dom. Haeghoort had been cen- sured, he would have taken the child from him in the face of the congregation. This was caused by one of Dom. Goetschius's followers from Hackensack, who went to the father and said, "Your child is unlawfully baptized, because Dom. Haeghoort is under censure, and can neither preach nor administer the sacraments." The New York ministers have had much trouble to satisfy the man.


4. We turn to the Raritan congregation, made vacant by the death of Dom. John Frelinghuysen, where for two years they have been left almost without any divine service, although the congregation is large and scattered, and affords work for more than two ministers. Matters are now a little better. A great part of the congre- gation was induced to call Dom. Fryenmoet, (a fugitive minister, who had been compelled to leave his place through danger of the public foe;) but a committee or Circle of the Coetus was called in, who did what they could to remove him, and now have succeeded, an account of which, we doubt not, you will receive from the suffered. The consequences of this cannot be other than bitter, all the service now being rendered by those who call themselves the Coetus, to the dissatisfaction of the greater portion of the people. All these things make the name of Coetus hate-


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ful to all who have any knowledge of the Netherlandish Church constitution, which allows no lordship over God's heritage. Consequently, their congregations, from time to time, are divided: the congregations of New York, Albany, Kingston, and many others, abide by their purpose to have nothing to do with the Coetus; others issue their calls with the condition that the minister shall not be a member of it, as the congregations of the Manor of Livingston, Claverack, etc., have already done; and we are assured that the congregation of Long Island, made vacant by the death Dom. Goetschius's brother have, without any call or commission, officiated for more Coetus. Our daily experience teaches us that it is needless to state what injury and reproach these proceedings must cause the Netherlandish congregations from those who are without.


5. No less trouble was occasioned to the congregations of Hackensack, Schraalen- bergh, and Paramus, by Dom. John H. Goetschius and Henry Frelinghuysen, who, having in a clandestine way become possessed of a copy of the letter of the Rev. Classis of Amsterdam to the Consistory of New York, spread it abroad among them, reading it everywhere, and making special explanations of it after their own liking, with extreme contempt of those who had neither part nor lot in that disorderly Coetus action. Goetschius and his brother were not ashamed to say that we, the ministers who did not act with them, were already censured by the Classis, and that the censure would presently come home to us.


6. It is impossible, Rev. Sirs, to mention everything. In one word, the laws of the Coetus are trampled upon and despised by them. They receive members into the body against its fundamental articles. They let students preach, and those who have authorized them they let go away unpunished. Henry Frelinghuysen and Dom. Goetschius's brother have, without any call or commission, officiated for more than two years as ministers in congregations, except that they did not administer the sacraments. They speak with the utmost contempt of excellent ministers. And they care for nothing, if only they can gain their end, whether with order or with- out, as appeared in the last meeting of the so-called Coetus brethren, when Henry Frelinghuysen would have constrained the Assembly by force to lay hands upon him, without the order of the Classis; and they were compelled to turn him out of the Assembly, and to rebuke his zealous associate, the so-called Dom. Goetsehius, who said, "We have been ciphers long enough; if we cannot gain our ends, let us go to the Presbyterians, whose ordination is as good as that of the Netherlandish Church."


Here we conclude, in the expectation that, so far as you can, you will check these unruly proceedings, that the alienation may not become greater, and we not be compelled, for lack of an answer, to lay our complaints regularly before the Rev. Synod itself; for we are weary of the difficulties. And this we hope you will the more feel yourselves bound to do, because you cannot be unaware of the high esteem which the most of the congregations cherish for the Classis of Amsterdam, and that the subjects of the King of Great Britain in North America care as little for the irregular censures of our ambitious Assembly as they do for those of Rome.


Love, good counsel, and tact, with mutual consideration and indulgence, must be exercised here, or our congregations will be torn apart, and another communion built upon our ruins. If we force ministers upon congregations against their will, who yet are to pay these teachers, the plan will never succeed. Men will rather go over to other churches, or else live without publie worship, as is the case now with hundreds, if not thousands, of so-called Christians in this land, to the grief of all who love the welfare of Zion.


With the highest esteem, Rev. and Honored Brethren, we subscribe ourselves your obedient servants and fellow-laborers,


G. Haeghoort,


L. De Ronde


J. Schuyler


J. Ritzema


B. Van Der Linde.


In our Conferentie, New York, Nov. 9, 1756.


OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.


3681 1756


CORRESPONDENCE FROM AMERICA.


The Consistory of Saugerties to the Synods of North and South Holland, November 20, 1756. [Letter a forgery. See Dec. 6.]


High and Rt. Rev. Synod!


High and Rt. Rev. Gentlemen and Fathers of North and South Holland :-


We take upon ourselves the liberty of recommending to your Rt. Rev. Body the person of Adrian Van Der Sman, at present a Visitor-of-the-Sick in the Dutch congregation in New York, and our very highly esteemed friend. We ask and pray of your Rev. Body to be pleased to allow the Reverend Ministers in this country to promote (examine and ordain) the above mentioned Mr. Van Der Sman, to be our minister and pastor; and for that purpose, to send over an Act authorizing such promotion. We make this request, inasmuch as this Van Der Sman is a man of high attainments, sincere, modest, pious, and versed in theology. Of this not only the congregation of New York is convinced, but we ourselves also know it from experience, for we have often perceived his talents in his speaking. After mature dellberation, therefore, and before the Lord, we have concluded to call the above named Van Der Sman as our minister and pastor, as also we hereby do. We pray your Rt. Rev. Body, allow him to be promoted here. We not only lack the means, to send him across the ocean, but the voyage is exceedingly dangerous, and also attended with a great deal of risk in these critical times, occasloned by the war which is now being carried on here with the French.


But we are without a minister and are hungering after the Word of God, that we may have it preached among us. We live in "The Bush," (The Woods), called Saugerties, far from New York, and have no public worship; therefore, You, Rev. Fathers, can easily appreciate how it grieves us to be without a preacher. There- fore we, the Elders and Deacons, as the Consistory of the congregation of "The Bush", pray that your Rt. Rev. Rody may have compassion upon us, and allow this Van Der Sman to be examined and ordained here in New York, upon the authority and by the commission of your High Rev. Body, and for such favor we will ever be grateful to you. Expecting from your Rt. Rev. Body, by the Provi- dence of God, a favorable result, and a fiat in our behalf, we beseech and pray, that this matter may be brought to a speedy accomplishment, to the honor of Jehovah God, and for the extension of the kingdom of Jesus Christ, in these heathen regions.


We remain,


Most High and Rt. Rev. Body, Your Obedient Servants,


Was signed,


Christopher Van Eck Nicolas Van Den Berg and Theunis Van Asperen


Elders.


Jacob Van Kleel Deacons.


N. B. With all submission and humility we will expect from your Rev. Body a favorable reply. If your Revs. will be pleased to direct the letter to Adrianus Van Der Sman, Visitor-of-the-Sick, in New York, we will duly receive the letter; other- wise we may not, as we live at a great distance from New York; but he will forward it to us.


·


In the Bush, (In the Woods) Saugerties, November 20th, 1756.


The address reads, To the Rt. Rev. Synod of North Holland.


The above agrees with its original.


Johannes Greyghton, Notarius.


Amsterdam, Oct. 6th 1763.


[See Acts of Synod, July 26, 1757. ]


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AN ACT TO REPEAL PARTS OF THE SEVERAL ACTS THEREIN


MENTIONED (IN RELATION TO RAISING FUNDS BY LOTTERY TO FOUND A COLLEGE IN NEW YORK).


(Passed November 27, 1756.)


BE IT ENACTED by his Excellency, the Governor the Council and the General Assembly, and it is hereby Enacted by the authority of the Same: that the four- teenth Clause or Section of an Act Entituled "An Act for raising the sum of Two thousand two hundred and Fifty Pounds by a Publick Lottery for this Colony for the advancement of learning, and towards founding a College within the same", passed in the Twentieth Year of his Majesty's Reign; the fourteenth Clause or section of an Act Entituled "An Act for raising the Sum of One thousand Eight hundred Pounds by a publick Lottery for a further provision towards founding a College for the advancement of Learning within this Colony", passed in the Twenty first Year of his Majesty's Reign: The fourteenth Clause or section of an Act Entituled "An Act for raising the sum of One thousand one hundred and twenty five pounds by a publick Lottery for a further provision towards founding a College for the advancement of Learning within this Colony", passed in the Twenty seventh Year of his Majesty's reign: And the fourteenth Clause or section of an Act Entituled "An Act for raising the Sum of One thousand One hundred and Twenty five pounds by a publick Lottery for this College for a further provision towards founding a College within the same", passed in the Twenty seventh Year of his Majesty's Reign: Shall be and hereby are repealed and all and every the said Clauses or Sections declared to be Null and Void to all intents Constructions AND purposes whatsoever, as if the same had never been inserted in the before mentioned several Acts, Anything in the Said several Acts to the Contrary Not- withstanding .- The Colonial Laws of New York. pp. 104, 105.




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