USA > New York > Ecclesiastical records, state of New York, Volume VI > Part 8
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Your obedient servants and brethren
J. J. Kessler, Depp. Cl. h. t. Scriba.
In the Name of the
Classis of Amsterdam. April 5, 1762.
*No. 898.
+No. 904. ** No. 897.
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ECCLESIASTICAL RECORDS
1762
REVEREND DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON TO ARCHBISHOP SECKER.
Kings Coll., New York, April 10, 1762.
May it please Your Grace
I am most humbly thankful to your Grace for the honour you have done me in constituting me your proxy at our Board, the second Instrument being now arrived, and I am sorry the loss of the first has put your Grace to the trouble of sending another.
I come now, my Lord, most humbly to thank your Grace, for the care and trouble you have taken about providing Tutors for us ; on which I shall not need to enlarge, as I conclude Your Grace must, by this time, have received an answer to your Message by Mr. Read. I am convinced by the Reasons you give, that the gentleman I mentioned would not have well suited us, but I intlrely submitted it to your Grace's Judgment, and I hope Mr. Cooper may sult us very well, and release me in a degree from the dally drugery of tultlon, which grows too tedious for my years, being far In my 66th. I only wish he were a little older, that he might be the better qualified to succeed me, If I should soon be called off. But the difficulty Is, that the College cannot well provide for the support both of him and me at the same time, In our present circumstances.
The President's Business here Is, to oversee and govern the College, to read prayers, moderate in Disputatlons and prescribe Exercises, and to hold commence- ments and give Degrees, and besides, to act the part of a tutor to one of the Classes, (I have often two.) all which the Vice-president must do in my absence, and be always one of the Tutors, living In a Collegiate way, at a common Table, at the expence of about six shillings sterling per week, for meer board.
I am greatly obliged to Your Grace for suggesting to those great men the Importance of sending us good and religious G- rs, and am glad they admit the request to be very reasonable and Important, and wish It may be always admitted, and the cholce considered with great care : but cannot say our present case is a great deal mended. The G-1 appointed for us seems a very humane, generous and benevolent gentleman : but how he will conduct In respect to what I mentioned, there has not been yet opportunity to see, since his accesslon. It would be a very unfortunate thing for such a Country as this, If any time hereafter a gentleman In that high statlon should neglect rellgion and keep a m-8 : a thing we have too much reason to fear may come to pass.
Indeed I fear the times are so bad, that it will be difficult to find many Gentle- men, otherwise Ilkely to gain such stations, that have much sense of Rellgion left .- Our only Hope, under God, 18 In (what Your Grace mentlons next, to my inex- pressible joy.) the example and Influence of our most excellent young Sovereign, whose unquestionable sincerity in his Declarations, I do, with Your Grace, most earnestly pray, may ever be preserved Incorruptible .- Blessed be God for the happy unanimity of the nation, and the good dispositions of Lord Hallfax towards our being In due time provided for with Bishops, and your good hopes relating to that affair. I was sorry for the premature mentlon of it In the Boston Address, and am very thankful for your Candld acceptance of the Draught I presumed to send to be considered In Its proper time, and for presenting our Addresses to IIls Majesty, particularly the Governors of the College for your presenting theirs, and I doubt not of Your Grace's Influence, when you have a proper opportunity, that he may become a kind benefactor to lt.
As to Ilye (though I have once or twice put them upon applying to the Society,) I suppose the Reason why they have not, has been, because they have been trying and desirous to get one they know, In these parts, but have not yet succeeded, and they are too much governed by an overbearing gentleman there, a member of our Assembly, who I doubt not has but ilttle regard to religion, which was also the case at West Chester. As to what Mr. Wetmore writes, the case is this : The Govern- ment formerly, when they had a religious Governor, established the Church In
OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
3817 1762
several parishes, viz. New York with a Salary of 100 per annum Statten Island, West Chester, Rye, Jamaica and Hempstead with 50 per annum to be raised from the people; to whom by their Church Wardens and Vestry, the Law gives a right of presentation. The Society adds 50 St. but if they send them a minister, he must also be chosen by the people and inducted by order of the Governor, in order to be intitled to their Salary. As on the other hand, they may chuse and present a Minister, and he is inducted, and then they apply to the Society for their Salary. And there never was but one Instance wherein the Society refused, viz. at Statten Island, because the person inducted had not had the Society's leave to remove.
I hoped Rye would have chosen young Mr. Wetmore to succeed his father, whom the people generally like, but there is such a faction against him, influenced by the person above mentioned (tho' without any good reason) that I doubt it will not do. I wish instead of Amboy Mr. Palmer had been appointed there, who would doubtless have been accepted and inducted : and this I wish may yet be done : because Amboy had so much set their hearts on Mr. Mc Kean, that they are utterly averse, I hear, to having Mr. Palmer, who is equally averse to going thither, and will be very unhappy if he does. I expect every day an earnest petition both from him and his people at Litchfield to the Society, that he may be continued where he is. And indeed it is highly expedient he should ; as there is vastly more duty to do in that County than Mr. Davis can do with advantage, and indeed full enough for them both .- But if the Society cannot afford to continue him where he is, I beg he may be appointed at Rye.
I wish, when there is a new Bishop of London, that Commissaries may soon be appointed who, among other things should direct the Clergy to take turns to preach and administer in such vacant places .- And I beg leave, my Lord, to observe, that it is a great pity, when patents are granted, as they often are, for large Tracts of Land, no provision is made for Religion or Schools. I wish therefore Instructions were given to our Governours never to grant patents for Townships or villages, or large Manours, without obliging the Patentees to sequester a Competent portion for the support of Religion and Education.
Some worthy persons in these parts are not without apprehensions concerning a certain gentleman gone to England from America this winter whose ambition is remarkable, that (excepting there would have been a peace,) one of his designs was, to have endeavoured to be made the first Bishop of America : which, if it could be supposed to take place, would be very disgustful to the generality of the Church in these parts, nor can it be imagined that any one from hence would be acceptable.
Your Grace's most obliged and
most dutiful Son and most obedient humble Servant,
(signed) Samuel Johnson.
-Col. Docs. N. Y. Vol. vii, pp. 494-8.
CHURCH OF NEW YORK.
Request for English Preaching.
New York, May 3, 1762.
Messrs. Jacobus Roosvelt and Philip Livingston presented a re- quest, signed by a great number of members of the congregation, · as well as others, together with a request from young men baptized and partly reared in our church, for the services of a minister using the English language for our church, according to the Nether- landish Constitution. This having been read and considered,
98
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ECCLESIASTICAL RECORDS
1762
received the following answer, a copy of which was also given to the petitioners at their request.
Answer: The Consistory find in the proposal of the petitioners many things, which occur to them, as proper and becoming, and for which reasons the subject deserves close attention. But it also appears from the names of the signers, that there is a great number of members, to whom they, owe no less consideration, who have not signed said petition. Therefore as guardian of the quiet and wel- fare of the congregation, we do not find ourselves in a condition to give immediately such an answer as is perhaps expected, but we are compelled to delay a little.
Thus done etc.,
Signed etc., J. Ritzema, p. t. President.
ACTS OF THE CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM.
Rev. John Arondeus, suspended, seeks a call to the West Indies.
1762, May 3rd. Art. 6. The Deputies ad res Exteras make known that John Arondeus, formerly a minister on Long Island, was in the year (1750), declared by the Classis of Amsterdam unfit to preach and to perform the other functions of the Sacred Ministry. This declaration was placed by the Clerk of Classis upon one of his papers, so that those unacquainted should not be deceived thereby. Nevertheless, he has not scrupled to ask the Messrs. Directors of the West India Company that he might go as preacher to the West Indies. They referred him to the Deputies. To these he showed a quasi-renewed certificate from New York, in which did not appear the above mentioned declaration (of sus- pension) of the Classis of Amsterdam, and to which circumstances also he did not in the least alluide. The Deputies rebuked him for his deceptive conduct, and announced to him that he could not be recommended by them for securing any pastorate until he were rehabilitated by the Classis of Amsterdam. The Deputies also gave the Messrs. Directors an account of what had happened with this John Arondeus, in order that the duplicity he had practiced might be exposed, and its repetition prevented in the future.
xiii. 291.
OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
3819 1762
1
CHURCH OF NEW YORK.
Opposition to English Preaching. Other Plans.
New York, May 13, 1762.
Consistory held after calling on God's name.
Messrs. Abel Hardenbrock, Jacobus Stoutenburg and others, pre- sented a request, signed by a great number of members of the con- gregation. This being read and considered, the answer was, that the consistory would do their utmost to satisfy both parties, if at all possible. Thereupon domine Ritzema presented two propo- sitions, enquiring if these would not meet the views of both parties.
1. The call of a Professor of Theology who also has the ability to preach in English, and who shall have an evening turn in the New Church, for which proper provision can be made.
2. Or the call of an English preacher, according to the Con- stitution of the Netherlandish Church, yet that he and those of the congregation who desire an English minister may have a con- sistory by themselves, without coming into the colleagueship of the Dutch consistory ; and the consistory shall provide for the payment of such minister, and he shall preach in the New Church at such times as shall be satisfactory to the congregation.
This the President undertook to explain more fully. He also requested anyone who had or knew anything that was better, to bring it forward. This domine de Ronde and others promised to do.
The President then represented that it behooved the consistory to take into serious consideration :
1. The securing of the privileges [charter rights] of the Dutch Church to the same, so that the consistory, neither now nor in the future, should use them for the support of an English minister or ministers.
2. The minister or ministers shall always be of the Nether- landish Constitution which was confirmed in the Symod of Dort 1618, 1619, and shall subscribe all the Standards of Doctrine, and preach one a week on the Heidelberg Catechism.
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ECCLESIASTICAL RECORDS
1762
3. He shall be in full fellowship with our Church, to teach along with the Dutch, and to rule jointly with the Consistory ; that the Dutch and the English shall make together only one congrega- tion ; although the estates granted in the charter and confirmed by the Act of Assembly, shall remain definitely for the Dutch.
4. That in order to settle satisfactorily the dispute about the seasons in the New Church to which divine service in English shall be limited, the arrangement shall be to establish an evening service there first, and afterward to put it in the morning or afternoon, at the usual time of worship.
Thus done in our meeting,
J. Ritzema, p. t. President.
New York, May 17, 1762.
Consistory held after calling on God's name.
The farther explanation of domine Ritzema's two propositions in the last consistory was presented. Also another plan of Mr. Clopper, relative to the English minister yet in full communion with our Church, etc. Then came again the first petitioners, with papers of greater urgency than before, especially with a view to remove the point on which the second petitioners stuck fast. They stated these positions. They were then proposed by the President, in the name and presence of the first party, to the second, as fol- lows :
1. The English minister should be in full communion with the Dutch Church and under the same consistory.
2. The payment of the English minister should be singly and only from voluntary subscriptions.
3. The Consistory coming in from time to time, (when chosen to office,) shall, under the subscription for the payment of the minis- ters, in every case, bind themselves not to touch the Dutch treasury for the English preacher, but to keep the Dutch treasury intact.
This proposal, accompanied with reasons by the President, found, however, small acceptance among those to whom it was addressed; and so they separated, with nothing done.
OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
3821 1768
Thereupon the consistory, considering further what was to be done, resolved to examine the confirmatory Act of Assembly, which Act relates to the New Church also; and to see if it limits us, as the first charter does in relation to the Old Church.
This done etc.
J. Ritzema, p. t. President. New York, May 18, 1762.
Consistory held after calling on God's name.
The committee to examine the Confirmatory Act of Assembly re- ported, that they found nothing there to show any danger of for- feiting our Charter, in case an English minister was admitted in the New Church. Thereupon the entire Act was read in the meeting. No one observed anything of that nature. The first petitioners thus put out of the way what the second petitioners had insisted on to some degree, namely, the fear of losing the church- estates. The following matter was then taken up: that, let the service be limited as much as men pleased it would, nevertheless not work well for one and the same Consistory to sit under both ministrations. Either each congregation should be by itself, or else a new Consistory should be chosen consisting of three Elders and four Deacons, who should occupy their own place under the (English) minister to be called; and the same number as usual, namely six Elders and eight Deacons should remain for the Dutch, yet all making together one congregation and one consistory. Endeavors should be made with this proposal. to reconcile both parties to each other.
Signed etc.
J. Ritzema, p. t. President.
ACTS OF THE CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM.
Approval of the Call of Rev. Blaauw.
1762, June 7th. Art. 2. Rev. Cornelius Blaauw, minister on East Vlieland, was called by the elders and deacons, unanimously as a minister in the province of New Netherland in North America, for the villages of Pompton (Plains), Totowa, and Gansegat
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ECCLESIASTICAL RECORDS
1762
(Fairfield). He requests that this call may be fortified by the Classis with its approval. The Classis finding this call satisfactory and on the declaration of Rev. Blaauw that he accepts the same in the fear of the Lord, approves said call with prayer for a blessing upon him. After his dismission from the Consistory and the Classis of Enkhuisen, Rev. Blaauw was installed by the Rev. (Deputies) ad res Exteras in the Sacred Ministry (for said places. ) xiii. 292.
PSALMS BY VOET .- BUSING.
Art. 4. The rhymed Psalms of E. Voet, cum suis, of Psalm 73-88 inclusive, and also two treatises by Mr. Busing, being exer- cises on selected subjects-were likewise approved. xiii. 293.
ACTS OF THE CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM.
Report of Committee on the Rhymed Psalıns.
Art. 5. The Rev. Committee on the Rhymed Psalms report that with great care they took into consideration some copies of Rhymed Psalms, and now read a report (pre-advice) bearing on the sub- ject.
This report (pre-advice) with the appended specimens, will remain sealed up, and in the hands of the sexton. He shall keep them in readiness, so that each member may have an opportunity to examine them. But all the members who do this also pledge themselves to make no copies of any of them, but only to sign his name underneath (these Rhymed Psalms) after reading them ; and then to seal them up again with his own seal. The Rev. Committee are cordially thanked for their manifold pains and explanation. A copy of this resolution shall be laid with these aforesaid papers. The members are requested to appear at the next following Coetus [Assembly ] in order to come to a conclusion in reference to them.
xiii. 293, 294.
OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
3823
1762
CORRESPONDENCE FROM AMERICA. Rev. Abraham Keteltas to the Classis of Amsterdam, June 7, 1762, (Abstract, Vol. 33, page 51. No. 324.)
Queens County, Jamaica, June 7th, 1762
Reverend Sirs :-
The object of this letter to your Revs. by a stranger, will become clearer from the letters of the Revs. Ritzema, De Ronde, Van Sinderen, and Rubel, and of the Consistories of the four united churches of Queens County, with which this church is united. Your Revs. will see from these letters, that I am called unanimously, by these Consistories, in the name of their congregations, to the office of Pastor and Minister among them.
It may reasonably be expected in such a weighty affair as this, your Revs. will desire some special account of my person and the circumstances of this call. In order to satisfy your desire, I write to your Revs the following account, with all humility and respect.
At present I am a member of the Presbytery of New York. I was examined by that Body in the regular way, and was subsequently ordained. This your Revs. will learn from the letters of Messrs. Ritzema and De Ronde. That Presbytery, with several others, is under the Synod of New York and Philadelphia. This Synod receives as her Articles of Faith and Rules of Church Government and Wor- ship, the same as those used in the Church of Scotland. The Westminster Con- fession of Faith and the Scotch Directory of Worship must necessarily be adopted by all who place themselves under the jurisdiction of this Synod.
It was my conviction that there was no real difference between the Presbyterian churches under the jurisdiction of the Synod and our Dutch Church, in which I was educated and first received as a member :- I say, it was this conviction, as well as a very considerable knowledge of and practice in the English language, more than in the Dutch, which led me, after I had directed my thoughts to the ministry, to unite with the English Presbyterians, to preach the Gospel among them.
After I had preached a few sermons, I was invited by the English Presbyterians in Elizabeth Town, New Jersey, which is situated about twenty English miles from the City of New York, to preach to that congregation at that time without a min- ister. That church was then vacant on account of the removal of their former minister, in accordance with the action of the Presbytery, on account of disputes which had arisen in that congregation. It is the largest and most important English Presbyterian church in New Jersey. With the tenderest evidences of affection, I was then called to that charge to be their pastor and minister. I accepted the call and was installed in the service among them in a solemn manner, by the Presbytery, on the second Wednesday in September, Anno Domini 1757, in the twenty-fifth year of my age.
I remained a little more than three years in Elizabeth Town. Then disputes arose in the congregation and animosities developed toward me. This led me, together with some others in the congregation, to request a release, through the Presbytery, from my charge. This took place on October 1st, 1760.
After these things I realized most profoundly the uncertainty of a settlement in the Presbyterian churches. I was also cut to the heart by the cruelty and ingratitude of the people. But being reasonably provided with the necessaries of life, through the gracious Providence of God, and after much depression of feeling and earnest pleadings before the Father of Wisdom for his direction, I bought a farm in Jamaica, Long Island, and went thither with my family on the 1st day of May 1761.
One of the most important reasons for my removal to Jamaica was the oppor- tunity which it gave me to preach the Gospel to a poor English congregation at Hempstead. They had been without a pastor for more than twenty years, and were not at all solicitous about their own miserable condition. They were both
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ECCLESIASTICAL RECORDS
1762
unable and declined to support a pastor, and alas! that It must be said, for such reasons too much despised and neglected by the ministers. I preached more than a year in this congregation. It prospered by my services; and the people even began to appreciate the privilege of divine services so much that they offered to pay me a salary. I hope and expect that under the good hand of God, my preach- ing among them will result in the permanent reestablishment of public services among them. But while I was preaching at Hempstead, some of the Dutch, the doors of whose churches were then closed, came to hear me, and expressed a desire to call me to service among them.
Your Revs. may be assured that all this took place without any suggestion on my part. I was an entire stranger to all matters pertaining to their calling me which were In progress In the Dutch congregations, until the Consistory was on the very point of giving expression to their desires. Your Revs. may well understand that I was very much surprised when asked by the Consistory after a recital of what the Consistory had done, if I would accept the charge of their four united congre- gatlons. I gave them the following answer: that I could not at once decide on so important a matter, but that I feared that I could not forsake my ordination by the English; and then, too, my small abilitles in the Dutch language would be an obstacle thereto. They answered that they had spoken with the nelghboring Dutch ministers concerning my ordination and their own affairs, and that those ministers thought that the suggested obstacles would be no hindrance to the call.
Furthermore, the Consistorles desired me to go with them to visit the nelghbor- ing ministers, and talk with them on all these matters. This I did, and the result of the conference was that the Consistorles were encouraged by Messrs. Ritzema and Rubel, to go through the congregations to make up a call for me. The min- isters, moreover, declared that such call would be confirmed In Holland by the Rev. Classis of Amsteldam (Amsterdam.)
Subsequently, by the advice and with the consent of the aforesald ministers, but not before, the Consistorles obliged me to preach successively In all their four churches. Then the four Consistories, upon the nnanlmons request, and in the name of the four congregations, presented their call to me. And notwithstanding the desires of the congregation of Hempstead to retain iny services, I accepted this call after dne consideration. it was done with prayers to God to direct me as to my duty, and In order to promote the greatest good of Christ's kingdom, and antici- pating that the same would be confirmed by your Rev. Classis. If the Classis Is willing to receive me as a brother, I am willing to subordinate myself to the same in all ecclesiastical matters, under Christ.
Reverend Fathers and Brethren, thus stands the matter. In the bosom of your Church I was educated and have always highly esteemed her. And now, in order to promote her prosperity, I am willing, while I hope for the help of God's Spirit and the affection of your Rev. Classis, to give my weak facultles, as a Minister, to this work.
Your Classis is well aware of the sad disputes, the unchristian discords, the unhappy schisme, and the great animosities which have so long prevailed in these congregations, and have robbed so many preclons and Immortal sonis of the pleasing messages of the Gospel. Your Revs, have frequently In your letters expressed your grief over these things, and manifested your Christlan compassion for these distant parts of Christ's vineyard. I have had a closer vlew of the unhappy conditions of these congregations. Consistories opposing Consistories and members opposing members. These sad scenes have caused great sorrow In my heart, for my brethren, my kindred according to the flesh.
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