USA > New York > Ecclesiastical records, state of New York, Volume V > Part 73
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DIVERSION OF ONE HALF OF THE MONEYS RAISED FOR A COLLEGE
TO OTHER PURPOSES, BECAUSE THE COLLEGE CHARTER IN p
NEW YORK WAS NOT UNSECTARIAN. DECEMBER 1, 1756.
December 1, 1756.
An Act for appropriating the Moneys Raised by diverse Lottery's for Erecting or founding a College in this Colony. (See Nov. 6, 1754.)
(Passed December 1, 1756.)
WHEREAS by diverse Acts of the Governor Council and General Assembly of this Colony Several sums of Money have been raised by Way of Lottery for the Erecting or Founding a College for the advancement of Learning in this Colony Which Sums of Money are now vested in the Trustees appointed by An Act Passed in the Twenty Fifth year of his present Majesties Reign Entituled "An Act for Vesting in Trustees the sum of Three thousand four Hundred and Forty three pounds Eighteen shillings raised by Way of Lottery for Erecting a College within this Colony" And hath by them been put out at Interest from time to time and not Yet disposed of by any Act for that purpose Made.
BE IT THEREFORE 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 one full and equal Moiety or half part of the said Money's raised by way of Lottery as aforesaid and the Interest and Profits of the said Moiety shall be and hereby is Vested in the Governors of the College of the Province of New York in the City of New York in America and shall and may be disposed of by them in Such manner as to them shall seem best for the advancement of Learning in the said
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College; and the Receipt of the said Governors or Their Treasurer To the Treasurer of this Colony for the said one Moiety or half part of the Moneys so raised and the Interest thereof or any Security or securities for the Same or any part thereof taken shall be good and sufficient discharges to him for the same or any part thereof anything in either of the Said Acts to the Contrary thereof Notwithstanding. And the said Governors are hereby fully impowerd and authorized in their Name as Governors of the College of the Province of New York in the City of New York in America or in the Name or Names of the Person or Persons to whom such security or Securities is or are given or Made payable or the survivor or survivors of them or the Executors or Administrators of Such Survivor to Sue for and Recover the Moneys due on Such Security or securities to and for the use of the said College.
AND BE it further Enacted by the Authority Aforesaid that the other full and equal Moiety or half part of the said Moneys raised by Way or Lottery as Aforesaid and the Interest and Profits of the said Moiety or such part thereof as shall be requisite for that purpose shall be applied for and towards the Purchasing (if Necessary) a Sufficient and Suitable Quantity of Land in or Nigh the City of New York and for Building and Erecting there on a proper Pest House for the Reception of Such Person as may be infected with any Contagious Distempers. And all the Residue of the said Money shall be imployed to and for the Erecting a New Pub- lick Goal in the City of NEW YORK in Lieu of that which in now in the City Hall of the said City and the Treasurer of this Colony is hereby Required to Pay the same to the Mayor Aldermen and Commonalty of the City of New York or their order and the Receipt of the said Mayor Aldermen and Commonalty of the City of New York or their order to the Treasurer of this Colony for the said Remaining Moiety or half part of the Money's so raised and the Interest thereof or any security or securities for the Same or any part thereof taken shall be good and Sufficient discharge to him for the same or any part thereof any thing in either of the said Acts to the Contrary thereof Notwithstanding And the said Mayor Alder- men and Commonalty of the City of New York are hereby fully Authorized and impowered in their own Name or in the Name or Names of the Person or Persons to whom such Security or securities are given or Made Payable or the survivor or survivors of them or the Executors or Administrators of Such Survivor to Sue for and Recover the money due on such security or securities to and for the uses and purposes aforesaid.
AND be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid that the annual Sum of Five Hundred Pounds directed to be paid by the Treasurer of this Colony in and by an Act Entituled "An Act further to continue the duty of Excise and the Cur- rency of the Bills of Credit Emitted thereon for the purposes in the former Act and herein Mentioned" to the Trustees aforesaid for and during the Term of seven Years from the first Day of January one thousand seven hundred and fifty four shall Yearly and every year hereafter be paid by the Treasurer of this Colony to the said Governors of the College of the Province of New York in the City of New York in America and their Successors together with all the Moneys received or that is become due for the Tuition of the Scholars in the seminary And also all the Money's received by the said Treasurer of the said annual Sum and not expended by the said Trustees except as herein After is excepted and the said Governors are hereby made liable and Chargeable with any Contract or Contracts entred into or made by the said Trustees with the chief Master or any other Masters for the Instruction of Youth in Pursuance of the Power and authority given them in and by the said Act Entituled "An Act further to Continue the Duty of Excise and the Currency of the Bills of Credit Emitted thereon for the purposes in the former Act and herein Mentioned" And the said Trustees are hereby Absolutely and Wholly discharged and Acquitted of and from such Contract or Contracts And the Receipt of the said Governors of the said College or their Treasurer shall be from time to time a good and sufficient discharge to the Treasurer of this Colony for the same.
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PROVIDED ALWAYS and be it Enacted by the Authority Aforesaid that the Treasurer of this Colony shall and hereby is directed and required to apply the sum of Five Hundred Pounds part of the Said annual Sum now in his Hands or that SHALL first come into his hands in pursuance of the said Act for and towards sink- ing And Cancelling the Bills of Credit of this Colony Emitted on the Credit of the Duty of Excise on Strong Liquors retailed in this Colony.
And be it further Enacted by the Authority Aforesaid that the said Trustees are hereby discharged of and from any further Trust Powers and Authorities given or Granted to them in and by the said Acts or either of them .- The Colonial Laws of New York. pp. 160, 161, 162.
CORRESPONDENCE FROM AMERICA.
Rev. Johannes Ritzema to the Synod of North Holland, Decem- ber 6, 1756. [This letter is a forgery].
High and Right Rev. Sirs, Fathers and Brethren, the High and Right Rev. Synod :-
Never did I expect to put my pen to paper, with such an object as I now have in view; partly because I am aware that the High and Right Rev. Synod does not very willingly allow ordinations (promotions) in this country-"sed circumstantia variantrem "(?)-as is now the case. Therefore I take the liberty to bring before your Revs. the person of Adrianus Van Der Sman. He came over to us in the year 1751, from Amsterdam, and was provided with attested recommendations. He was appointed by our (New York) Consistory as "Visitor of the Sick". He is one who cannot be unknown to the Consistory of Amsterdam, having been examined by them, in the year 1729, when he was appointed to instruct others in the fundamental principles of religion. This appears from the testimonium of the (proper officers). While he was yet in the Classis he was twice examined to go as a "Comforter of the Sick" to the East Indies. This was in the years 1732 and 1736. I refer further to his own presentations, and to the Classical Acts shown to us.
This Adrianus Van Der Sman, has also conducted himself, during his residence among us, industriously, piously and humbly, and has been exemplary in the service entrusted to him. He has afforded abundant proof of his purity of doctrine, and of his edifying walk, to the great satisfaction of our congregation. He now finds him- self aroused to use his talent for greater and more general usefulness, and has the inclination and hearty desire to be ordained to the holy ministry. This is also In accordance with the views of myself and of several other ministers, who have approved of this step, in writing, but who can not sign this request on account of the winter season and the distance of their habitations. Nevertheless, they are to be accounted as having signed their names to this request, that he may attain his
G D object with you, Highly Rev. Sirs. He hopes that you will send over permission to the ministers in this country, that he may receive his ordination here. That which gives no freedom in urging this matter is principally as follows:
1. That he is a man endorsed by us; that he is now nearly fifty years old and hae a wife. He has more than once crossed that great ocean, but it is hard to advise him to do it again, simply for the sake of being examined; and especially at this juncture of time, on account of the war with France. For he would be not only in danger of the sea, but also of being taken prisoner. We have received intelligence that a vessel from here, has been taken in the Texel, by the French.
2. That such a voyage also would be accompanied with great expense, to meet which, the congregation desiring to call him has no means; yet they have great need of a minister to teach them, in their deep blindness and ignorance.
3. We urge this, also, because there are several vacant congregations which lack both the means and the resolution to secure pastors, and which may lack these
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things forever, especially to secure them from the Fatherland; but these might in this way become flourishing congregations, in the near future.
4. And allow us to add this yet :- The party under consideration is very well versed in Sacred Theology, and possesses singular gifts of eloquence. He is humble and straightforward. His gifts are accompanied with piety, and are in accordance with truth in its purity. He also knows how to refute wisely these errors of the present day, which contradict the truth, to the deterring of the simple, and with more success than is given to most ministers.
This request, dressed in this garb, we humbly lay down upon the table of your High Revs. not only with the expectation and hope, but with the earnest wish and prayer that it may be granted, according to the wisdom of your High Revs., and for the consolation of that congregation which has called him; to the honor of Jehovah and the extension of his kingdom in these regions and in our native tongue.
With the expression of my wishes for all conceivable blessings on the persons, the families and the arduous labors of your ministry, I sign myself with great respect,
Very High and Rev. Sirs, Fathers and Brethren, Your High Revs. obedient servant and brother, Joannes Ritzema, V. D. M. Neo-Eboracensus.
New York, December 6, 1756.
This copy accords with its original. Amsterdam, October 6, 1763.
John Creyghton, Notarius.
[ Compare Nov. 6, 1753. See Acts of Synod, July 26, 1757.]
SMITH'S DESCRIPTION OF TRINITY CHURCH, NEW YORK, 1757.
"Trinity Church was built in 1696, and afterward enlarged in 1737. It stands very pleasantly on the banks of the Hudson River, and has a large Cemetery on each side, inclosed in the front by a painted paled fence. Before it a long walk is railed e off from the Broad-way, the pleasantest street of any in the whole Town. The building is about one hundred and forty eight feet long, including the Tower and Chancel, and seventy two feet in breadth. The Steeple is one hundred and seventy five feet in height, and over the Door facing the River is the following inscription:
Per Augustam
'Hoc Trinitatis Templum fundatum est Anno Regni illustrissimi supremi Domini Gulielmi tertii, Dei Gratia, Angliae, Scotiae, Franciae et Hiberniae Regis, fidei Defensoris, etc. Octavo, Annoq; Domini 1696. Ac voluntaria quorundam Contribu- tione ac Donis Aedificatum, Maxime autem, dilecti Regis Chiliarchae BENJAMINI FLETCHER, hujus Provinciae strataeci et Imperatoris, Munificentiâ animatum et auctum, cujus tempore moderaminis, hujus Civitatis incolae, Religionem protes- tantem Eccelsiae Anglicanae, ut secundum Legem nunc stabilitae profitentes, quodam Diplomate, sub Sigillo Provinciae incorporati sunt, atque alias Plurimas, ex Re suâ familiari, Donationes notabiles eidem dedit.
The Church is within ornamented beyond any other place of Worship amongst us. The Head of the Chancel is adorned with an Altar-piece, and opposite to it, at the other end of the Building, is the Organ. The tops of the Pillars which support the et Galleries, are decked with the gilt Busts of Angels winged. From the ceiling are suspended two Glass Branches, and on the Walls hang the Arms of some of its principal Benefactors. The Allies are paved with flat stones" .- Smith's Hist. of . New York, 189.
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ACTS OF THE CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM.
William Jakson.
1757, Jan. 11th. Art. 2 ad Art 2, of the Classis of May 3 1756. Rev. Jakson apearing within, requests preparatory exami nation. This took place after a sermon by him on Luke 22 He 31, 32, "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath se desired to have you, etc." He gave so much satisfaction that he
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Iste can be well (lit. amply) admitted to the Sacred Ministry. This idite was done, and he was admitted among the candidates, after he had repudiated the condemned opinions of Prof. Roel and Dr. Bekker and promised to read word for word the Forms of Baptism and the Supper, and signed the Formulae of Concord. He requested that his final examination might take place at the Classis of April Th as he was destined for the service of Bergen and Staten Island Lime in New York. This was granted him. xiii. 127.
Installation of Rev. Le Febre.
Art. 4. Rev. Le Febre, exhibited his paper of dismissal front the Walloon Church at Voorburg. This was found satisfactory pin alt He was thereupon installed as pastor of the Walloon Church ofis Suriname by the President. He has also signed here the For and land mulae of Concord. xiii. 128.
Art. 8 ad Art. 5. The Messrs. Committee report that they have received letter numbered 256, from John Loth, (Lott), etc., dated vent Flatbush June 22, 1756. xiii. 133. Ith
ACTS OF THE CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM. (Foreign Letters.)
Letter numbered 258, from the Consistory of New York, datec July 10, 1756, signed by Lambertus de Ronde, etc., and six elders, Beet and eight deacons, and three church masters.
No 259, from Erickson, Leith, (Leydt), from New York, Mayale 30, 1755, in the extra session of the Coetus.
All of these were answered by the gentlemen in Committee with the approbation of the Classis. xiii. 134.
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CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM.
Acts of the Deputies. Jan. 11, 1757. No. 254. Answered, Jan. 11, 1756, (1757?) No. 71.
Letter from John Caspar Lupp, V. D. M .; dated April 1, 1756.
He states that, being originally from Hesse-Hanau, he studied at Hanau, Offen- ach, and Marburg, and was accepted as a candidate (Proponent) at Marburg, on December 14th, 1744. Further, that he had served as the Assistant of an aged min- ster, Daniel Seel, in the County (Graafschap) of Tuyn Harchenburg, having also erformed the full ministerial service for the period of a year in that congregation, fter the decease of the same (Rev. Seel). Finally, having become pastor at Raben- cheyt, in the Dillenburg district, he had supplied, during the absence, the place of be Court preacher to the Princess-Dowager of Nassau-Dillenburg., Thence, he says e went over on a lawful call, into the county (Graafschap) of Solms, Hohensolm eing under a guardian. There, in the interest of his people, he became involved in ome unpleasantnesses, even to the peril of his life; so that after serving that hurch four years, he was lawfully dismissed. All this is confirmed by enclosures, nder letters A, B, C, D.
Thereupon, hearing about the pastorless condition of the churches in Nortli merica, he had departed for Pennsylvania, and had arrived at Philadelphia, with is wife and a son three years old, on October 20, 1753. He was called to Amwel, in he County of Hunterdon, Province of New Jersey, which is forty miles from Phila- elphia and sixty miles from New York. This church, he says belongs under the foetus of New York, (rather of Pennsylvania?) and is subordinate to our Classis. fe has never consorted with unlawful ministers; of whom he complains bitterly. lo far as he knows, (the churches) are supplied occasionally during the year, by ministers of the neighboring places. They consist of many members, and in a cir- uit of fifty miles, they are daily growing in numbers. He had been installed in is ministry there by John Frelinghuysen, minister at Raritan, eighteen miles dis- ant, according to the Church Order, which says he, had been approved in the Hol- and Synods, and accepted by this one, (Frelinghuysen.) He requests some increase o his meager salary of forty pounds, the pound being reckoned at three and a half aalders .* In accepting perquisites, he must be careful not to get the name of a noney-preacher, (gold-prediker) among these parasites, (parasisten). This supple- nent could be sent him via. New York, per Rev. Ritzema and Rev. de Ronde, Ithough they are not known to him. He concludes with salutations.
xxiii. 447.
No. 259. Answered, Jan. 11, 1757. No. 73.
Letter from New York, dated October 7, 1756, written by Samuel Verbryck, p. t. President, and B. Vrooman, p. t. Clerk, in the name, (as they write,) of their regular Joetus; serving into further information of a letter, dated New York, May 30, 1755, signed by R. Erickson, p. t. President and J. Leydt, p. t. Clerk, in their Coetus Meeting extraordinary.
They therein renew the request, that two condidates for examination, (John) Maurice Goetschius, Doctor of Medicine, and Henry Frelinghuysen, respectively alled to Stone Arabia and Marble (town), by the Coetus over there, as they still all themselves, may be ordained. They urge this-
1. In view of the peril of a journey to Holland, on account of the war with the French.
* A daalder equals one and a half guilders, or sixty cents; sixty times three and a lalf equals two dollars and ten cents; therefore forty pounds equal eighty-four lollars. A New York pound was generally equal to two dollars and fifty cents.
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2. By reason of the situation of these churches. They lie on the borders; ar greatly exposed to the incursions of the savages (barnaren) or Indians. Thereb; they are in greater need of ministerial services, but get less, as the journey of th ministers thither is too dangerous. They add to this,
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3. That if they get no authority to effect ordination, the churches are lost; for say they, they have with difficulty been able to restrain them from going over t other bodies. They ask for a speedy and favorable reply, and conclude with salutations.
xxiil. 455.
ACTS OF THE CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM.
The Classis of Amsterdam to the Rev. John Caspar Lapp, [Lupp ?] at Amweyl, [Amwell], N. J., Jan. 11, 1757. Vol. 31, p. 121; No. 71.
Very Rev. Sir and Brother :-
We are glad that your Rev. has not gone over to the illegal ministers, and that you have had nothing to do with them. We trust that your Rev. will henceforth stand steadfast and unmovable in the truth, and always adorn it with a holy and consistent walk. We wish your Rev. every blessing upon your ministry. We praise your Rev. very much for keeping yourself, scant as is your compensation, from becoming guilty of covetousness, which would cause the holy ministry to suffer dis- honor; and that your Rev. is ever careful about accepting perquisites, so as not to get the name of "money-preacher" among the Separatists. From the depth of our hearts we deplore your Rev's. meagren compensation. If we were in a condition to do something, as you request, for your support, we should be most ready and will- ing; but, to our sorrow, we must assure you that we are unable to help your Rev. in that way, because we have no purse or fund for the New York churches.
The All-Sufficient God Himself be your shield and very great reward. May He cause you to walk before His face in all sincerity! Praying this, we sign ourselves, Very Rev. Sir and Brother, Your Rev's. obedient servants and brethren,
In name of the Rev. Classis of Amsterdam.
Signed. . L. R. Schutte, Depp. Cl. h. t. Praeses. Joh. Boskoop, Depp. Cl. h. t. Scriba.
Amsterdam in our meeting of Classis, Jan. 11, 1757.
ACTS OF THE CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM.
The Classis of Amsterdam to the Brethren in Kings County, John Lott, R Van Brunt, etc. Jan. 11, 1757. Vol. 31, page 121. No. 72.
Dear Brethren :-
We received your letter of June 22, 1756. In answer thereto we briefly respond: That we have lately given our opinion, in a letter of July 21, 1755, concerning the pretentions that you are the rightful Consistory, as well as concerning the call of Rev. Curtenius, and it is, therefore unnecessary to repeat it again. But notwith- standing our opinion as then expressed, we also inform you, that in the documents of Oct. 6, 1755, we wrote to Rev. Van Sinderin, that if it were possible to do so, to arrange the whole matter in the best way he could. Finally, Sirs, we cannot do
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anything further before the Coetus is re-established, of which we hope soon to bhear. Having committed you to God and the Word of his Grace, we remain, Dear Brethren, Your obedient servants in the Lord; In the Name of the Classis of Amsterdam,
R. Schutte, Depp. Cl. h. t. Praeses. John Boskoop, Depp. Cl. h. t. Scriba.
Amsterdam, In our Classical Assembly, January 11, 1757.
ACTS OF THE CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM.
The Classis of Amsterdam to Revs. Erickson and Leydt of New York, Jan. 11, 1757. Vol. 31, p. 122. No. 73.
Rev. Brethren :- We have learned from your letter that you want to know whether you cannot be allowed to qualify two young men, Mauritius Goetschius and Henry Frelinghuysen, for the work of the ministry. This letter we received May 30, (1756.) We also heard of the same request through another channel, in which were also included the reasons therefor. These were also subsequently mentioned, in the name of the Coetus, in the letters of Revs. Verbryck and Vrooman, dated Oct. 7th, 1756. We have again presented the matter to the Classis, but she holds to the reso- lution, which she has already made known, not only to Rev. John Frelinghuysen, May 6, 1754, but also to the Coetus of New York, Dec. 9, 1755. Herein the Classis is of the same opinion as the Consistory of New York, which disapproves of the ordi- nation of candidates in your country. We are, accordingly directed to inform you that the Classis disapproves of such acts of qualification, and can by no means authorize the Coetus to perform them. This is our answer. We hope also you received our preceding message. We advise you to send the two young gentlemen over here, in order to satisfy the desires of the Classis, which rest on good founda- tions. We consider ourselves,
Rev. Sirs and Brethren, Your obedient servants, In the name of the Classis of Amsterdam,
R. Schutte, Depp. Cl. h. t. Praeses. John Boskoop, Depp. Cl. h. t. Scriba.
In our Classical Assembly, Amsterdam, Jan. 11, 1757.
CORRESPONDENCE FROM AMERICA.
Earnest Petition of the Old and Legal Consistory at Hackensack, to the Classis of Amsterdam, against the Seceders from their Church. Jan. 29, 1757. [Compare Nov. 25, 1755].
Portfolio, " New York ", Vol. ii. Extracts : Vol. xxiii. 451.
Petition from the Elders and Deacons, of both the Dutch Reformed churches, at Hackensack and Schralenburgh, in North America, and Province of New Jersey :-
To be laid before the very Rev. Classis of Amsterdam. May the Classis be pleased to hear us patiently!
After Rev. Curtenius had, in April, 1755, left us for Long Island, to be there installed, by Rev. Ritzema, as the minister of the former adherents of Arondeus, a portion of the members of each of our churches set up four heads. When we, the consistories, learned of this breach of the peace in our churches, we asked them for the reasons. Besides some other things, they emphatically declared, "We want to be by ourselves." We kindly admonished them against such a course, and begged
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them not to cause a schism; but, if they had anything against minister or elders, we exhorted them to proceed in reference to us, in an ecclesiastical manner.
But they took Rev. Haaghoort for their Director, (Consulent), and after having taken violent possession of the houses of worship, they chose, on the 21st and 22nd of May, 1755, four elders and four deacons in each church. This was done notwith- standing the fact that at Hackensack for over seventy years, and at Schralenburgh for thirty years, there had been no dispute about the legality and regular succes- sion of the Consistory. In opposition to the many admonitions also from our neighboring ministers, whom we called together at that time, as a circuit-meeting, (Ring-vergadering), that they might be eye witnesses of these irregularities, (they went on), as the Minutes here following show:
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