USA > New York > Ecclesiastical records, state of New York, Volume V > Part 77
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the ground then lost: though I believe the King to be well disposed; and those, whom he consults, to be, in general, either not averse, or only so through ground- less fears. But in the mean while, both you and we may be seeking occasions, in friendly and seemingly accidental discourse, and with better effect as we can truly affirm, that no plan for this purpose lies now, or will be laid soon before our supe- riors, to shew men, that nothing ever was intended, at which Christians of any denomination have cause to be alarmed: but merely a provision that those of our communion in the Colonies might have the complete and easy exercise of every branch of their religion which others there have, and would complain bitterly if they had not; and ought therefore from the love which they profess of universal harmless liberty, not only to consent that our people should have but join to pro- cure it for them. The powerful objection made at home against our proposal, is, that the Dissenters abroad have terrible apprehensions of being injured by it. And in proportion as their remonstrances are vehement, our endeavours will be unprom- ising. Therefore the principal point is to convince them, that whatever the Bishops were, from whom their ancestors fled into the New World, those of the present age are, and have always been, most sincere patrons of extensive toleration; and that we are for sending persons of our own order into America, not to claim the least jurisdiction over them, but merely to ordain Ministers for Episcopal Congregations, without the trouble, expense, and hazard of a voyage to England; a burthen, to which if they were subjected, they would think insupportable, to confirm from time to time the Youth of those congregations; a practice which rightly or wrongly we hold in high esteem; and we exercise such discipline in those congregations only, as they exercise by ordained Presbyters or lay Elders; which discipline of ours would no more hurt them, than theirs hurts us. To these Representations they will pay more regard, if we are careful not to give them unnecessary offence in any thing: but in everything to oblige them; as far as there is room for it, without betraying the doctrines, the interests or the honour of our Church.
I conceive it would be best to lay before you, thus plainly and distinctly, my judgement concerning the due method of conducting the affairs of the Society. If in any article we differ, I beg you will communicate to me your opinion and your arguments for it, with the utmost freedom; and be assured, it will give me pleasure. Where we agree, you will have the goodness to lead others into the same way of thinking, and a suitable course of behaviour. Thus let us each be doing the best we can, and leave the event to God. That his blessing may be on all who serve him in the Gospel of his Son, particularly on you and your College, our Clergy in America and their people, is the fervent prayer of
Your loving brother,
(signed) Tho. Cant. -Col. Docs. N. Y. Vol. vii. pp. 346-9.
CORRESPONDENCE FROM AMERICA.
The Coetus, per Rev. John Leydt, to the Classis of Amsterdam, Oct. 3, 1758.
Portfolio, " New York ", Vol. II. Extracts, Vol. XXIII. 488. To the Rev. Classis of Amsterdam.
Rev. Sirs and Brethren :-
From a sense of duty, as well as through the urgency of many churches, we can- not for a moment consider it a question whether or not we shall continue to hold our meetings. And just as little are we inclined to break off the correspondence
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(with you), unless, without helping to do so, on our part, we should be compelled thereto. On the contrary, we desire to communicate the chief things on which we take action, and so consult with your Revs. on the weightiest of them.
Thus it was, that last spring a special meeting of the Coetus was requested, in order that the young man, Jacob R. Hardenberg, might take his preparatory exam- ination. The churches of Rev. John Frielinghuysen, deceased, had a call nearly ready for him, and so they, too, urged this matter. Therefore a meeting of the Coetus was called, and the business was attended to. As he gave satisfactory proof of knowledge, both in the languages and in theology, he was declared a can- didate. The call was made complete and offered to him. and when he accepted it, his Rev. was examined finally, and qualified to be their regular pastor and teacher.
We think it necessary, however, to communicate to your Revs., in a few words, the actual condition of those churches. It is known that that former long continued dispute, in Rev. John Frielinghuysen's time, has been settled. The churches being vacant, Rev. Casparus Fryenmoet went to live there, under pretext of having been obliged to flee from the enemy. Thereupon a dispute arose in the only recently united churches, about calling him. Those who had been formerly discontented were generally in favor of him, also a few of the others. The result was that the consistory at North Branch (Readington) and Neshanic became divided; but all the other consistories, together with the leading people in the churches, were opposed to calling him. A meeting of the (Jersey) Circle, (Ringver gadering) was then called. In general, there were about as many opposed to that call as in favor of it. At last, Rev. Fryenmoet himself, seeing that no urging on his part could well bring it to a (unanimous) call, consented to accept a call that came to him from Livingston Manor, Claverack and Kinderhook.
Thereupon, it was thought the divisions would cease. But, on the advice of Rev. Fryenmoet and the New York ministers, a part of the North Branch (Readington) consistory, with some others, among whom was a man from the (Raritan) Landing, not a member of the church even, and living twenty miles from Readington, and in Rev. Leydt's parish,-these formed a clique and sought a separation. This proved to be impracticable, however, because the people were dwelling so intermingled. Two elders and a deacon, however, at North Branch, (Readington), and a deacon at Neshanic separated themselves and formed an opposing (consistorial) Assembly, etc. Rev. Leydt, being a neighborong minister, employed many means to heal this breach some how or other, but in vain. Taking the easiest way, he went to work, finally, to change the consistories, according to custom, by regular elections; so that by two elections, the one a year after the other, the members of the consistory who had separated, found themselves all out of service. In opposition thereto, Rev. de Ronde allowed himself to order a counter-election at once, at North Branch, (Readington),-one irregular as to time and as to the number of people, etc.
The opposition party is now considerably diminished in numbers, owing to the calling of Mr. Hardenberg. He is possessed of good gifts and is meeting with suc- cess. Nevertheless, it is said that this seceded party must have sent a call to your Revs. for a minister for the Brook, (de Broek), deceitfully so called, as it really lies in the North Branch (Readington) parish. This is just what the discontented formerly did at Millstone (Harlingen)-adding, as it is said, the (Raritan) Landing which has always even to this day belonged to the New Brunswick parish. (Sen- tence is obscure) But of their actual calling any one, we know nothing for certain; for they communicate nothing to our Coetus, because they have joined themselves to that (other) Coetus, (generally called Conferentie), and are seeking to bring to the ground all government; for their strength lies in darkness. We bring this to the knowledge of the Rev. Classis, simply that it may not be blindfolded, as has been done to it too often.
We have not as yet been able to come to a union with our brethren who left the Coetus. All we learn, is, that they are holding separate meetings, possibly more for
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the purpose of taking up reproaches than for doing what is good. May the Lord not lay it to their charge!
We now have appointed two young men of promise as candidates; one Jacobus Van Nest, who gave satisfaction in the languages, and was well-grounded in the- ology; the other, Johannes Barcolo, who in the sciences has received his Bachelor's degree from the New Jersey college. He has a good idea, also, of theology and is godly in his walk.
The churches, from which Rev. Meynema resigned for a money consideration, have already been at work to call Mr. Jacobus Van Nest, as have also other churches. A call will probably be offered him before long.
Thus are we looking up to Heaven, as your Revs. have directed us to do, for a gracious blessing upon our efforts. May the King of Zion rule over us! May He build up His church here, and also in your midst! May He fill us all with wisdom and piety! May He yet give us peace of every sort!
Thus done in our meeting of Coetus, at New York, Oct. 3, 1758. In the name and by the authority of all, signed.
John Leydt, Scriba
CORRESPONDENCE FROM AMERICA.
The Opponents of the American Classis and Academy, or the Conferentie to the Rev. Classis of Amsterdam, October 12, 1758. Vol. XXIII. 488-9.
As cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country, as Solomon says. And we wish that we were able to refresh with good news, you, the Rev. Brethren, who have been so long troubled and pained with evil tidings. But, in the present state of things, you cannot take it amiss that we appear with those matters which we think that we, as subordinate to the Rev. Classis of Amsterdam, are bound to state to you, to whom our ecclesiastical affairs should be presented. And we hope that this will not be considered an annoyance, but as the discharge of our duty, with a view to the removal of burdens, so that our congregations may prosper and have peace.
The undersigned have deemed it one of their highest duties to appoint a Conferentie of ministers, (to which Dom. Erickson and Van Sinderen were invited, of whom the latter has testified his entire concurrence with us, and the former could not attend on account of indisposition,) to deliberate upon the welfare of the congrega- tions, and to present it to you, not at all out of passion or quarrelsomeness, or to bite and devour; but because we see that day by day our foundations are under- minded, and harmony is more and more impaired, which must end in the downfall of our churches here. To hinder this so far as we can, we here declare our honest intention to be that you, by your great wisdom and power, may help us, so far as we stand under the same constitution, to guard those under us, and keep our churches in the old doctrine and discipline.
I. We greatly wished that you had sent a special answer to us, inasmuch as we, as a committee, have sent to you the articles of the last Coetus, held Sept., 1754, (since which we recognize none as lawful,) and therein protested against the pro- ceedings of the brethren, who still call themselves a Coetus. We were driven off by the imperious course of Dom. Theod. Frelinghuysen, who took upon himself, without the order of any one, to put the congregations under a Classis here; and besides, to erect an academy, the professors of which he had already named, and the support of which he intended to draw from Holland. He even thought to obtain a doctorate from Holland or Germany, (as appears from a letter of Professor Brun-
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nings, at Heidelberg,) in which he has not yet succeeded. They retain the answers received, and make it appear by their writing as if they were the upholders of the Church, when they are really the desolaters of the temple, and the special cause of the troubles, as can be plainly shown by the following instances:
II. Let not that expression seem harsh, since it can be proven by facts, such as the following:
1. What is the most manifest proof that any are the cause of troubles? Is it not that they unlawfully lay censures upon Consistories, and even whole congregations, with their ministers, as Dom. Haeghoort, Curtenius, Schuyler, and others; and when the Classis ordered them to be removed, (which they did, as appears from their own letter to the Consistory of New York, and that of Professor Curtenius to his uncle,) they do not take them off, but leave ministers and congregations in that state, (although by the intelligent it is not esteemed such,) to take offence thereat, and be continually grieved? When any impose a public censure which the higher judicatory orders them to remove, does it not behoove them, if they are under the Assembly, as they unjustly pretend to remove the censure in public, and so prove themselves peace-makers? The more especially since the Professor wrote that the Classis had arranged everything to mutual satisfaction, not one of which arrange- ment has been made known to us, but all have been kept back.
They talk now of a request which some of them made of us; but how could we grant such a request, when they do not meet on the same grounds as they formerly did, and we observe them to be those who have broken our laws, and daily con- tinue to do so? Wherefore we cannot go to them, but they must come to us, and defend themselves before us for their disobedience to the decision of the Coetus, by which all the congregations were bound.
2. Another proof is found in the making of candidates and ministers. A minister thus qualified is approved in some congregations, but rejected in others; nay, in the same congregation some will admit, and others deny, his right to preach and admin- ister the seals of the covenant. This has made confusion, and in the end will make more. Such was the case when the brethren made Henry Frelinghuysen and Dom. Goetschius candidates in a meeting of two or three ministers outside of the Assem- oly, and afterwards in the same way ministers. Although the former has already lied, yet his brother from Albany, preaching his funeral sermon, defended from the pulpit his ordination, and sought to open the eyes of the people, saying that it was time to look away from the Classis, and that they who recognized a foreign authority were in danger of falling into the hands of the King's counsel; which produced a great excitement in the congregation, so that a large portion of them went home, and did not return to the afternoon service; and thus men, instead of preaching God's Word to the edification of the community, cast strange fire upon the altar, which also has been done in other places, to the prejudice of their lawful ministers. As for the latter, he has been called from one place to another, without being either candidate or minister, for we think that to receive a call belongs only to ministers, and not to students or candidates. Yes, he has gained as much by performing other ministerial duties as by preaching, if not more.
Thus they proceeded in the spring to make a candidate of one Hardenberg, whose character is stated in part in the complaints of Raritan, and afterwards, even last week, made him the minister of Raritan; and further, two other candidates, one Van Nest, called to Fishkill and Poughkeepsie, and one Barcalo.
3. The Coetus is now an apple of discord, its disorderly proceedings appearing so plainly that many have their eyes opened; and fathers are against children, and children against fathers, as to the lawfulness or unlawfulness of the same. And thus a terrible dissension is made. Already Dom. Marinus has refused baptism in his congregation, because they would not bind themselves to submit to an irregular Coetus, and for that reason openly took his departure from them; the elder of the . village (who would have been here himself, but for his family,) writing to us that,
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as their Domine said, to receive authority from Holland to make candidates minis- ters was Popery, and that Holland could not give such power, and that those who depended thereon were Papists, even announcing their meeting as if it were a Synod.
4. Another instance of injury to the Church is seen in the complaint of a com- mittee from the North Branch portion of the congregation at Raritan, of which the following is an abstract:
(1.) The origin of the disputes there was in the neglect of the Consistory of Rari- tan and the associated congregations to provide suitable ministerial service after the death of Dom. Jno. Frelinghuysen, only three or four sermons having been preached by Low Dutch ministers in the course of two years.
(2.) Dom. Fryenmoet, fleeing before the public enemy, came to North Branch, and was several times asked by the Consistory there to officiate, which he did with sc much acceptance that many members of the four united congregations requested that he might preach in all the churches; but the Consistory in the other three villages refused, no doubt because of their engagements to a certain Hardenberg, who had married the widow of Dom. Frelinghuysen. The adherents of Dom. Fryen- moet, being by far the greater number in the four congregations, bestirred them- selves to obtain a subscription to have him called for their lawful minister, but the Consistory opposed this with all their might, and the dispute rose so high that each party called in the Circle to settle it. The proceedings of the Circle were so mani fold, withal not obscurely showing partisanship, that we cannot relate them. Bu we must mention one thing, viz., that the adherents of Dom. Fryenmoet promised to raise the whole salary for him, and offered further, if the others would call any lawful minister whom they preferred, (seeing the congregations required two,) that they would assist in paying him; still they could not agree, and Dom. Fryenmoet had to go away.
(3.) An elder and two deacons in North Branch, consulting together without the knowledge of two elders and another deacon, their associates, requested Dom. Leydi to preach there and choose a new Consistory. When the time came to carry out the plan, they made it known to the others, and wished them to aid in making the choice; but they protested against it, as almost the whole congregation afterwards did, as being opposed to the Church Order, and the ancient usage of that Church Notwithstanding, the election was had, and immediately after, the ordination also which compelled the remaining lawful members, after the lapse of four months (for they could not side with the newly chosen, and the old ones, who went out would not act with them,) to make with their Consulent, Dom. De Ronde, a new filling up of the Consistory, in order to heal the breach, and as such they have sought to maintain the Church in the right.
(4.) The new Consistory together with the Consistories of the three other villages have made and executed a call upon the so-called student Hardenberg, who wa: examined and qualified before the congregation as minister by those who style themselves the Coetus, who yet had no proper business with that call; not only because of the things above stated, but because the student was an unfit person not having made the least proficiency in what belongs to the ministerial office, and having been, by the acknowledgement of all, under the instruction of a teacher fo: only two years at the furthest. Besides, he was qualified without the order o either Classis or Synod. They cannot, therefore, but separate from those who thu: act, and they request the aid of the Classis to provide them with a minister fron the Classis.
All these things show plainly, in our judgement, what these men declare, both il words and deeds, that they stand, and will continue to stand, by the constitution o our Church, from which the others depart; and this is the only reason why the: join the old ministers, who mean to guard the constitution and maintain subordina tion to the Classis of Amsterdam, and who now, in order to prevent the downfal of the Church, have met together to represent to you its miserable condition
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III. The Rev. Classis, having thus seen the sad and pining state of our churches, we feel bound in conscience to present (under correction) the only expedient there is for restoring peace and unity, in strict propagation of, and adherence to, our holy doctrine and excellent Church Order, to wit:
1. To disapprove the unlawful and disorderly examination and ordination made by those who still (however improperly) call themselves the Coetus, (just as formerly the ordination of Dom. Goetschius and Fryenmoet was disapproved;) and to make known this disapproval not only to us, but also to the brethren who call themselves the Coetus, and to the congregations where the persons thus ordained are, so that thus these unlawful proceedings may be checked.
2. The unanimous cry of all our congregations is, for liberty to admit suitable persons to the preparatory and final examinations here for the ministry, because of our great distance from Holland, and the consequent great expense and danger of the sea-voyage, especially in time of war, and also because of the sad consequences which they and we have painfully experienced from the unlawful examination and ordination of unfit persons by the so-called Coetus, which, if not hindered by your Rev. Body, we must expect to issue in the total downfall and ruin of our Church in both doctrine and discipline; because almost all the congregations, being unable to help themselves in any lawful way, will be compelled to avail themselves of this. Another important reason is, that the country has the well-grounded expectation of having, from time to time, more suitable persons, and better skilled in the lan- guages, in divinity, and other branches of knowledge; because our Academy estab- lished at New York prospers remarkably, and we Low Dutch Reformed have liberty to call a professor of theology, according to the Constitution of our Netherlandish Church Order, established in the Synod of Dort; and this privilege shall be used at the first opportunity.
Seeing that we cannot exercise the right of examination and ordination without being a Classis, which we will not be without your approbation and a lawful appointment of one of the Synods of the fatherland, through your meditation-and yet, the erection of a Classis seems, for the aforesaid reasons, to be necessary for the restoration of our languishing Church-we propose the matter for your consid- eration, and await your will and fatherly advice thereon, whether we, the under- signed, who heartily maintain our subordination to your Rev. Body, may not, through you, once for all, obtain full power to examine and ordain in nomine Clas. Amsteldamsis, such fit persons as may present themselves, although we should still be no Classis, but remain in qualitate qua, as subordinate to you. In this way, the general desire of the congregations would be met; the unlawful examinations by the brethren, who, although without, or rather against your approval, alreay act as a Classis, would be ended; and the true welfare of our New Netherlands Zion be advanced.
In case of the institution of such an Assembly with the aforesaid power, to be exercised in your name, or that of any other Classis named by the Synod, we request your fatherly aid in laying down its rules; one of which, in particular, should be, that no important matter be decided by a mere majority, in order that there may be no domineering over brethren, and the Assembly be not abused by ambitious and passionate members, who will have everything their own way, as we experienced to our sorrow in the old Coetus, where, in the most righteous matters, we were overruled by a majority, and that often-times made up of inexperienced young men. And therefore, if anything be unexpectedly disapproved, it will be and continue impossible for it to come into the Union or Assembly. Meanwhile, all our congregations inclined to a Classis among us are especially determined to suffer no ruling of a majority, but to refer all matters in which unanimity cannot be obtained hey to you, or to the Synod by whom we shall be constituted.
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Thus expecting the gratification of our request from you, and cordially wishing al conceivable health and blessing upon your persons and work, we remain, with high esteem,
Rev. Fathers and Brethren,
(Signed,) Gerard Haeghoort G. W. Mancius John Ritzema Lamb. De Ronde
Your servants and associates,
J. C. Fryenmoet
J. C. Rubel
A. Rosenkrantz
John Schuyler.
Done in our Conferentie, New York, October 12, 1758.
P. S .- We request you to favor us with a speedy reply, and to address the same t the Rev. J. Ritzema and L. De Ronde, ministers at New York.
NOTE.
[1758, Nov. First Convention of Episcopal Clergy at New York, followed by regu lar Yearly Conventions. Ten, out of fifty-one, who had gone to England for ordi nation, lost their lives in the passage. Die's Hist. of Trinity Church, 314.]
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