USA > New York > Rensselaer County > Brunswick > History of Gilead Evangelical Lutheran Church, Centre Brunswick, Rensselaer Co., N.Y. and the vicinity > Part 5
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The Church did not suffer by remaining vacant after the removal of Mr. McCarty; a new pastor was almost immediately installed. This was Rev.
J. Ro: Coopmano.
the Ninth pastor.
Had a less worthy man, or one of less force of character been called at this juncture of affairs, the church would not so soon have regained its prosperity. The new pastor had
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been in charge only a short time before the ancient tare-sower set about his evil work. Cer- tain malicious persons started a report that Mr. Goodman had been seen in a state of inebriety. Being told of it by the Church Council when he came to fill his appointment at Gilead, he so suddenly resented the imputation, and proceeded so promptly to clear his character, that instead of being harmed by the mischievous falsehood, it, or rather his energetic action in the premises, wrought to his advantage, and at once secured the confidence of his parishioners and of the community. Mr. Goodman, we believe, came from North Carolina and returned thither at the close of his connection with these churches. He subsequently went over, it is reported, to the Episcopalians. The following extract from the President's Report to the Ministerium of N. Y. announces his withdrawal, without giving his destination :- "On the 23d of June, (1828,) I received a letter from Rev. J. R. Goodman in- forming me that measures having been adopted which demand a resignation of membership in the Ministerium of our Church, and of his office of Secretary thereto, he herewith tenders the same." The President had previously announced that "the Rev. J. R. Goodman, the Secretary of
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our Synod, having left our Church, he had there- fore appointed," &c. Mr. Goodman was deservedly popular among his Ministerial col- leagues, being a man of learning, a ready speak- er, easy and affable in manner, and in all respects a Christian gentleman. When he withdrew from our Church he had been elected a third time as Secretary of his Synod, which regretted great- ly his withdrawal. The Church as yet having no parsonage, and as he preferred Troy to Sand Lake as a place of residence, the parish hired a house for him there. He remained in charge until May, 1828, a period of six and a half years. He restored to the records their Latin headings, and penned his "remarks" in the same language. He baptized 243 infants and 1 adult, confirmed 55 persons and married 41 couples.
In personal appearance Mr. Goodman was comely; dark skinned, with curly black hair and keen eyes of the same color, in height about 5 ft. 10 inches and weight about 160 Ibs. His digni- fied bearing and suave address gave him a charm and magnetism that won and retained popular respect, and strongly attached his people to him, who received with sincere sorrow his announce- ment of his determination to leave them. He
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HISTORY GILEAD CHURCH,
found the Churches in bad condition, but left them prosperous.
CHAPTER V.
THE PERIOD COVERED BY REV. DR. SENDERLING'S MINISTRY.
We come now to one who did more to mold public sentiment in Brunswick, and to develope righteous energy and spiritual excellence in Gilead than any pastor preceding him, and who fanned into flame the fire on its altar, which to this day burns with a steady light and fervor. This was Rev.
Jacob Server hin
(Rev. J. Z. Senderling, D. D.a.) the Tenth pas- tor. He entered Hartwick Seminary in 1817, took a seven years' course under the learned and pious Dr. Hazelius; was licensed to preach the gospel in 1824; took charge of a small church in Clay, Onondaga Co., N. Y., where he was com-
a. Up to May, 1830, he signed his name as above, after that he added the Z, and thereafter wrote it "J. Z."
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pelled to teach school, as his salary was inadequate to his support. While a student at the Seminary he formed an attachment for Miss Louise, a daughter of Rev. John Molther, (Gilead's seventh pastor,) with whom he was united in marriage on Sept. 15, 1826. Having resigned the church in Clay, he was recommended to this parish by the President of the Synod, who introduced him by letter as follows :-
"TO THE VESTRIES OF THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCHES IN SAND LAKE, BRUNSWICK AND SCHAGTICOKE
BRETHREN,
At my request, the Rev'd JJacob Senderling has agreed to pay Your congregations a visit and to preach in your churches one or more Sundays should the offer be acceptable. He is a gentleman, whom we all esteem, and in full good standing with our Synod; and one, whom I think You will be pleased to hear.
ALBANY, Sept 19th 1828.
I remain, Brethren, Your's sincerely F. G. MAYER
This letter he brought with him and delivered when he visited the congregations, (Oct. 1-8, 1828,) during which visit he baptized several children, and administered the Lord's Supper in Gilead. Rev. Thomas Lape visited the Parish at the same time, filling the appointments jointly with him, being also a candidate, but whether
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also bearing a letter of recommendation from the President of the Ministerium is not known.
Mr. Senderling was promptly elected and called, and took charge Nov. 16, in the year above named. His first place of residence was a house owned by Hans Wager, now a part of Adam Wager's house, on the road leading from Tamarack to Haynerville, and near the former place. He resigned Zion's Church, at the end of his first year, which immediately called Rev. John Depeyster Lawyer,-afterwards prominent in the movement which resulted in the organiza- tion of the Frankean Synod, -as its pastor. This left him Gilead and St. John's which he served till about the close of the year 1840. The immediate cause of his resigning St. John's was this :- He was asked to decide which of two rival singing-school teachers should be allowed the use of the church, the partisans of each sol- emnly agreeing to acquiesce in his decision whatever it should be. He at first refused to have anything to do with it, anticipating trouble, but being urged by both parties, he finally con- sented. When he announced his decision, those disappointed, as he had feared, were not satisfied, and cast the burden of blame on him. He then resigned; to which course he was the more
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inclined because of failing health. He felt him- self physically unable to serve both Churches, and being now relieved of the care of one of them, and of the fatigue of so much travel, his health soon improved. Those who remember him as tall and stout, weighing fully two hun- dred pounds, will be surprised to learn that he was at that time so reduced as to weigh less than half as much. One day, returning from his appointment in Schagticoke, he was attacked with vertigo and fell from his horse. He was soon discovered lying by the roadside, and was carried into a neighboring house. However, by the mercy of God and the exercise of his indom- itable will, he carried forward his work without interruption.
The first two years of his ministry in this par- ish he practiced catechisation, diligently gathering the children into classes, whom, when he had faithfully instructed them, he confirmed; but toward the end of his second year, his yearning to see a higher state of spirituality among his people led him to introduce first monthly prayer meetings, and soon thereafter special meetings protracted through the week. He was among the first to institute this new departure in the Lutheran Church, which soon, starting up in
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other places, spread far and wide throughout the Church, and came to be designated by the name "New Measures." He now abandoned catechisation, which he never again prac- tieed, and substituted the revival system. Th church was ripe for this change, and in a very brief space of time underwent a complete revolu- tion. Many of those who had long been members made the discovery, as they declared, that they had never been converted, and crowded forward among the seekers of religion. Whatever ex- travagances may have occasionally characterized such meetings, certain it is that a great deal of good resulted in Gilead. Some vet live who recur to those days with tears of joy. The pas- tor however was so pious, consciencious and prudent, and withal so firm, that he never allowed the meetings to degenerate into the wild, noisy carnivals of confusion which afflicted many localities here and elsewhere. Indeed it was charged upon Mr. Senderling by certain clerical zealots that he had no religion, because while he favored revival meetings, and labored zealously to promote them, he preferred to con- duct them himself, and always insisted on order and moderation. The mistake of that day, not confined to him, but which was almost universal,
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consisted in rejecting catechisation for so unreli- able a substitute, and in not conbining the two. Many of our churches after fifty years have not returned to the custom nor discovered its value. A prejudice continues to exist. the result of mis- education and want of candid deliberation. A.s early as 1830, special meetings added during less than four months, over one hundred to the mem- bership of Gilead, and many at St. John's.
On one occasion, we have been told, the dominie somewhat severely rebuked a very zeal- ous member for being noisy above measure. It seems a prayer meeting preceded the regular service, at which the pastor was not always present. That evening one of the brethren led the meeting who was partially deaf. Mr. Sen- derling entered the church just as some individual had been requested to lead in prayer, who had declined by remaining silent. The leader, how- ever, supposed the man was praying, and, at short intervals broke the stillness by shouting- "Amen, -The Lord grant it," &c., &c., which besides greatly disturbing the solemnity of the occasion, seriously annoyed the pastor who did not wait long before advancing and announcing a hymn, after which he made some pointed re marks on the impropriety of much of the ejacula
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tory and vociferous praying sometimes indulged in.
In 1830, he, with others, having regularly withdrawn from the Ministerium of New York, organized the Hartwick Synod, which was so named in honor of Rev. Johann Christopher Hartwick, the founder of Hartwick Seminary .- In the bounds of this Synod he lived and labored to the close of his life. In 1837 the Frankean Synod was instituted, about which time and in consequence of which many churches connected with Hartwick Synod experienced considerable disturbance and some of them were permanently divided. Gilead and St. John's, then compris ing this pastorate, were less disquieted, than would have been the case had a less calm and competent man than Mr. Senderling been at the head of affairs. Not more than half a dozen members withdrew from both. These churches prudently clung to their pastor and resisted all the disorganizing tendencies then so rife.
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
In 1833 the Sunday School was organized and six dollars worth of books were purchased. Ow- ing to the novelty of the enterprise and the people's inexperience it soon languished. Four
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years later, when the pastor was enabled to devote more of his time to this congregation, he decided to re-organize it and get it into better working order, taking its supervision upon him- self, with a full corps of officers. We transcribe the minutes, in preference to describing in our own words what was done
"At a meeting held June 13, 1837 in the Brunswick Luth. Church, by the friends of Sabbath Schools, agree- ably to previous notice from the pulpit, the Rev. J. Z. Senderling presiding as chm. it was agreed that it is expedient and necessary for the more effectual furthering the cause of Sabbath Schools throughout our town that a Sabbath School Society be immediately organized, and that it commence forthwith operations
Accordingly a constitution was prepared and proposed, by the chm. which upon due consideration was adopted. After which the following officers were chosen for the following year.
REV. J, Z. SENDERLING, Prest.
Mr. Dan. Simmons Esq. 1. V. P. Mr. Isaac Brust .. Isaac Brust, 2. do. Paul File
Paul File. 3. " Wm. Coonradt
Executive Committee.
John Bornt sen. 4. 66 Peter Shuman
Paul Smith 5 .. John Bornt jr
MR. MARTIN SPRINGER, EsQ. Sec. MR. WM. COONRADT. Treas.
The meeting was opened with singing and prayer and closed in like manner.
J. Z. SENDERLING, chm."
The pastor then appointed committees as follows :-
"The following committees are appointed nem. con. to
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HISTORY GILEAD CHURCH,
visit all the families throughout the district of the Luth- eran Church in Brunswick. Each Committee will visit the families in their respective neighbourhoods, inform them that our Sunday school has begun; invite and en- courage the parents to send their children, and their children to come to the same.
COMMITTEES.
1. Miss Emeline Derrick 6. Miss Lana Cipperley, 66 Nellegan Derrick Mrs. Christine Morrison.
%. Miss Mary Roberts Mrs. Lana Smith
Mrs. Cath. Miller Betsey Smith
3. Miss Eve Haner 8th. Miss Eve Clum
66 Sally Haner 66 Mary Clum.
4th. Mrs. Mary Lape 9th. Miss Cath Maria Springer
Miss Margaret Ham.
Elisa Coons.
5th Mrs. Mary Bornt. 10th. Miss Rachel Philips Betsey Bornt 66 Elizabeth Simmons."
to which committees he gave written instructions as follows:
" These committees will please to enter upon their duties immediately, and report the results of their visits to the Superintendent, who will report the same at the next monthly concert of prayer. In their report the committees will please to mention how many families they visited, how many would send their children, and how many children.
In case any the before named committees, or any of either of them should not be present at the organization of the school the following circular shall be sent to them.
Dear Miss-or Mrs .-
You have been appointed together with Miss or Mrs. to visit the families in your neighborhood-you will please to signify to them that the Lutheran Sunday school has commenced-and in the name of the Pastor of the Church & the officers of the school invite and encour- age the parents to send their children, and their children
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to come to the same. After the visits shall have been made, have the goodness to inform the Superintendent, how many families you visited, how many will send their children, and how many children will attend the school.
Respectfully
Your friend," ---
The zeal of the pastor begat an enthusiasm on the part of the membership in behalf of this movement the like of which had never before been manifested for any cause. The school flourished, blessing the Church and community. Its effects are seen to this day in that those who yet remain on earth of the number who were then connected with it, have not, under the burdens and infirmities of age, lost their interest, but are as regular and attentive as they were nearly half a century ago. The only loss of advantage the school may have sustained during the forty years succeeding its inception was owing to its being closed during the winter months. Not until 1877 was this remedied. It is doubtless largely due to the remarkable tact of Mr. Senderling in starting right that all along. and now, almost the entire church is found attending the Sunday School, and rice rersa.
THE THIRD PARSONAGE.
For sixteen years the Church had owned no parsonage, and, however content it may have
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HISTORY GILEAD CHURCHI,
felt. the Pastor did not share the feeling. Hle declared a Church imperfectly constituted which had no parsonage when it was able to have one. Hence he set about remedying this defect imme- diately. In less than three months after he had taken charge he called a congregational mecting which instructed the Church officers to secure "a house for our minister as near the church as it can be obtained." The Council and Trustees met and appointed a committee which subse- quently reported to the congregation as follows :-
" The committee appointed by the board of officers of Gilead Lutheran Church, Brunswick, met in said town at the house of Henry Snyder, on Monday the 10th, of March, to deliberate upon the object for which they were appointed, to wit: to purchase or to build a house for their minister. - Present Revd J. Senderling.
messrs Frederick Smith Adam File Adam Clum Henry Snyder :- Absent mr Jacob Wager Esq .-
After some conversation concerning mr Jacob Conrod's & mr Vanpelt's farms it was resolved that mr Vanpelt's house & lot be purchased for a parsonage.
Resolved that mr Snyder be appointed to see & consult with mr Vanpelt upon the subject.
Resolved that the proposed terms be as follows-Five hundred dollars to be paid on the first of May next, & the rest a year from the first of April Inst .-
Brunswick March 30th, 1829 .- J. SENDERLING chrmn
This property, a part of the original tract obtained from the Patroon by Andoni Derck,
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CENTRE BRUNSWICK, NEW YORK.
was by him deeded to Alexander Vanpelt in 1795, for and in consideration of the sum of Sixteen Pounds, New York currency, ($40.00) with an annual rent of seven shillings, and con- tained 18 acres more or less.a Mr. Van Pelt received for it from the church eleven hundred dollars, assigning the tract with the deed he had received from Mr. Derrick to Daniel Simmons, Jacob J. Wager and Frederick Smith, Trustees, on the 3d day of April, 1829. The house being too small, an addition was made to it, and a stable and shed were built. Here Mr. Sender- ling resided all the years he was pastor.
Of their seven children, one was born before they came here, one while they lived in the Wager house, and five in the parsonage. Two died here. The aged widow, and four of their children, are yet living, (1880.)b. All made a profession of religion, and united with the church, but only one remains a Lutheran- Mrs. E. M. Rogers, of New York City.
a. It might be stated in this connection that some 37 years later so much of this land as lay on the south side of the road, and on which the parsonage stood, containing about three- fourths of an aere, was sold, (for $450.00,) except a strip of about 11 ft. in width, which extends along the road, and between the land now owned by Win. Blair and the highway fence. A frac- tion of an aere was then purchased on which the present parson- age stands; and later still, while Rev. Barnett was pastor, 1.66 aeres were added. The 18 acres, however, have mysteriously shrunk to about eleven.
b. Mrs. Senderling died March 22, 1881, aged 81 years.
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HISTORY GILEAD CHURCH,
Mr. Senderling was called at a salary of Five hundred dollars, each of the three churches agreeing to pay the one-third. Gilead, however. at a meeting of the Church Council held May 31. 1830, took this action :-
"At this meeting it was agreed unanimously, nem. con. that whatever monies shall henceforth be collected upon the present subscription for the salary of the Pastor, be- yond the sum stipulated in his call, the same shall be paid to him. The sum however shall be limited to twenty five dollars for each half year."
The church did not at once unite with the Hartwick Synod, but for nearly two years after said Synod was organized remained in the old Synod, although the pastor urged the change of Synodical relations. Finally, at the annual meeting, June 11, 1832, the following action was recorded:
" Resolved, that the question of uniting ourselves to the Hartwick Synod be now taken up for consideration. It was Resolved that this Church be with Drawn or detached from the Newyork Synod and united to the Hartwick Synod. It was Resolved that the act of with Drawing ourselves from the New York Synod and Uniting our- selves to the Hartwick Synod take place at the next meeting of the Respective Synods."
While it is true that Mr. Senderling had strong predilections, personal preferences for certain measures in church work, and placed great reli- ance on revival efforts, he vet was surprisingly
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CENTRE BRUNSWICK, NEW YORK.
successful in husbanding the fruits of such special meetings, and in promoting everything caleu- lated to keep his Church alive and active. It was he who evoked and fostered the spirit of benevolence for which this Church is justly cele- brated. No pastor ever more promptly and cheerfully responded to calls for contributions in aid of any worthy object than he, especially such as came from the General Synod of our Church, to which he was strongly attached. The annual reports of the Church treasurers show that liberal sums were frequently sent abroad; for instance, in 1842, the General Synod called for what was designated Centenary Contributions, concerning which this record is found in the minutes of the Church for that year :-
" Resolved, that we do heartily concur in the Centenary effort now making in the Lutheran Church that we will do our part towards the furtherance of that enterprise by contributions by our fervent prayers & by all other appro- priate and needed efforts-It was moved and seconded that the sum of five hundred Dollars be proposed to be raised in the congregation for the Centenary effort."
One thing that endeared him to his people and gave him power to lead them almost at will, was the frank, honest way he had of commending them when some word or act indicated a peculiar interest in Church affairs, or fidelity to their
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Christian profession. Among the many inci- dents illustrative of this quality in him that are told, this one may be written: Bro. B., who lived some five or six miles distant from the church, unless detained at home for reasons he could not overcome, was always at the meetings day or night in all kinds of weather, and generally called at the houses along the road to carry in his wagon such as had no conveyance of their own, or such as otherwise would not have gone. No- ticing this, Mr. Senderling said to him one day, " My dear brother, you are a famous preacher. You preach all the way from your home to the church. The very rattle of your wagon
preaches." Those words have been a benison to that man, to his family, and to the Church and community to this day.
After twenty-five years of faithful service as the beloved pastor of Gilead, thirteen years of which he had charge of it alone, in September, 1853, he resigned and removed to Troy. During the next three years he was actively engaged in an effort to arouse an increased interest in our Churches in behalf of Foreign Missions, the Board of which had appointed him Correspond- ing Secretary. In 1856 he was called to the
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pastorship of St. Paul's Church, Johnstown, in charge of which he remained eleven years.
In 1874, having honored God in the ministry of the Lutheran Church for fifty years, his worth was at last recognized by having conferred upon him the degree of D. D. He died in Johnstown, N. Y., Dec. 20, 1877, aged 77 years.
Only a partial statement of his ministerial acts, while pastor of Gilead, can be gleaned from the books, as he was not particularly careful in mak- ing records. The infant baptisms number 392; confirmations 489, and marriages 234. At first he kept a communicant list, but, in 1831, he abandoned that altogether.
To the praise of certain members of Gilead be it said, that during the ten years of his superan- nuation, next preceding his death, they did not fail to transmit annually gifts of money; and once a year, sometimes oftener, invited him to visit them on sacramental occasions, when large collections were always taken up for his benefit, which were increased by such individuals as his health or opportunity enabled him to visit at their homes. His last visit was made in 1876, at which time he preached and assisted the pas- tor, Rev. J. N. Barnett, in the administration of the Lord's Supper.
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HISTORY GILEAD CHURCH,
The history of these twenty-five eventful years to Gilead would be incomplete if no mention were made of one whose tranquil spirit, unfalter- ing faith and uniform courage was strength and inspiration to Dr. Senderling at all times, but especially when his burdens became heavy, and his heart grew faint. A member of the Church, one who from boyhood up knew Mrs. Senderling well, who was a frequent and welcome visitor at the parsonage, bears this testimony :- " Mrs. Senderling was a superior woman, a model wife, intelligent and energetic, an efficient help-meet in home and pastoral work, a real mother in Israel. She exerted a grand influence over her husband, who respected her highly, loved her tenderly, and always treated her with the greatest consid- eration. He was a gallant husband."
CHAPTER VI.
FROM THE CALL OF REV. MR. KLINE TILL THE REMOVAL OF THE FIFTEENTH PASTOR.
The Eleventh pastor was Rev.
David Whine .
who succeeded Dr. Senderling, formally taking charge Nov. 15, 1853. When called he was in charge of the Lutheran Church at West Camp, N. Y. He was elected for a term of three years, and his salary fixed at five hundred and fifty dollars per annum. Whether this action was taken at a congregational meeting or not does not appear in the book of minutes, there being nothing written between the last meeting at which Dr. Senderling presided and the first at which Mr. Kline presided. Most likely up to this time the Church Council continued to select and call pastors without special action by the congregation, and when we say congregation we mean the male members of the church, for the
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