USA > New York > Westchester County > History of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the county of Westchester, from its foundation, 1693, to 1853 > Part 38
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New York, MSS. from archives at Fulham vol. i. 535 -- 6. (Hawks.)
429
AND CHURCH OF NEW ROCHELLE.
COL. HUNTER TO THE SECRETARY.
" Bath, Sept. 21st, 1720.
SIR,
I had the honour of yours with Mr. Bondet's enclosed Monsieur Roux's moderation procured him the chagrin of a colleague of a different disposition, who was not so easy to hearken to advice, which was all that was in my power. The case stands thus : part of the inhabitants of New Rochelle separated from the rest from the time that Mr. Bondet owned his Episcopal ordination, and being without a pastor of their own they met on Sundays, at Mr. Alard's house, where they con- tinued their religious exercise after their own manner. Mon- sieur Roux, refused to go thither either to preach or administer sacraments, being persuaded that they were not without a law- ful pastor of their own, on whom he would not intrude, which got him enemies amongst the most zealous and considerable of his congregation, which ended in their calling an assistant tractable to their warm disposition. I foresaw what has hap- pened, and begged of Mr. Bondet to enter into no discussions with the Consistory at New-York, where his enemies would be his judges, but to bear all with patience and to represent it to the Society. If the chief of the ministers of the French Con- gregational Churches could be persuaded to write to Monsieur Molinar to forbare intruding where he has no lawful call, as his colleague has hitherto done, I believe that would answer all the ends Monsieur Bondet has in view, and keep things quiet there.
I am with respect, Sir, Your most obedient humble servant, -
ROBERT HUNTER."a
Monsieur Roux, in a memorial to the Governor, dated New York, Feb. 18, 1724-25, says :- " In opposition to this National
. * New-York, MSS. from archives at Fulham, vol. i. pp. 564-5. (Hawks.)
1
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HISTORY OF THE PARISH
Church, they (Moulinars and friends) have entertained and fo- mented for several years a scandalous schism at New Rochelle, where the incapacity of providing for a minister, obliged the inhabitants to establish an Episcopal Church, through the boun- ty and protection of the Society in England, and they would still support this schism if their M .... was not taken up in the custody of our church, of which he keeps the keys, in order to keep me out unjustly."a Wonderful to say, throughout this dispute, Moulinars and his party not only undertook to defend their independency from the discipline of the French Church, but labored to prove their attachment to the Church of England. In answer to the first, Mr. Roux very justly observes, (in the above mentioned memorial) " that if he is not mistaken, the true principles of the Independent are expressly condemned in our discipline." As to the second, he says :- " They have al- ways been enemies of the Church of England as by law estab- lished; they have always railed at her liturgy, her service, her Church government, and her ceremonies." This strife contin- ued for some time, until at length, the New-York seceders " be- ing fearful of a decree, that might expose their own estates to the payment of Mr. Roux's salary, thought it advisable to drop their debates, reinstate the minister and leave the Church."b
In New Rochelle the seceders erected a meeting house, styled themselves "The French Protestant Congregation," and re- mained violently opposed to their lawful pastors, and not only so, but in opposition to their own founders, prescribed the Church of England in her doctrine, discipline, ordinances, usages, rites and ceremonies, as popish, rotten and unscriptural. How dif- ferent this from the views of their great reformer Beza, who addressing Queen Elizabeth, says :- " But you, O Queen, and
৳ Smith's Hist. of N. Y., pp. 166, 167. " About the middle of the last century," the Historian of N. Y. says " the French Church of N. Y. by the contentions, in 1724, and the disuse of the French Language is now reduced to an inconsiderable handful.
431
AND CHURCH OF NEW ROCHELLE.
your people, by your means, enjoy what perhaps no other king- dom does, the complete profession of the pure and sincere doc- trine of the Gospel. 'T'o which, if you add (what all good men hope for, and the most faithful bishops of your kingdom have long desired,) the full restoration of ecclesiastical discipline also ; in truth I do not see what England can desire more of you, or your majesty can confer more upon it."a Here are none of those home-bred charges of superstition, idolatry, anti-christianism, or popery, brought against the liturgy ; but it is owned to be the pure worship of God purged from the filth and dregs of anti-chris- tianism.b As the poet Cowper well observes :-
" All zeal for reform, which gives offence To peace and charity, is mere pretence."
But there is one thing which it will not be amiss to mention here, which is, that these seceders not only proscribed the established Liturgy of the Church of England, but altogether discarded the public Liturgy or Form of Prayers and Adminis- tration of Sacraments, which all ministers of the French Church were obliged to use in their daily service. Calvin gave this advice to the heads of the English Reformation in King Edward's days, and we do not doubt but he took care to put it in practice in his own country :- " As to what concerns a form of prayer and Ecclesiastical rites," says he, " I highly approve of it, that there be a certain form, from which the ministers be not allowed to vary : that first, some provision may be made to help the simplicity and unskillfulness of some. Secondly, that the consent and harmony of the Churches, one with another, may appear, and lastly, that the capricious giddiness and levity of such as effect innovations, may be prevented. To which end I have shown that a catechism will be very useful. Therefore,
* Bingham's Antiquities of the Christian Church, vol. viii. 97-8.
Mr. Skinner, the grand-father of the late Primus of Scotland, somewhere observes, that Subter-stition is quite asibad as Super-stition. .
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HISTORY OF THE PARISH
there ought to be a stated catechism, a stated form of prayer and administration of the sacraments."a
" If we had no clearer light or evidence concerning the prac- tice of the French Church in this matter," says Bingham, "this were a strong presumption what it must be, considering how great an hand Calvin had in its reformation." But we have most certain and undeniable evidence in the case. Their Book of Discipline in one canon determines the controversy beyond all dispute, chap. 5, art. 32. where it says, " If any pastor break the Church's union, or stir up contention about any point of doctrine, or discipline, or about the form of cate- chising, or administration of the sacraments, or of our common prayers and celebration of marriage, and conform not to the de- termination of the Classis, he shall then be suspended from his office, and be further prosecuted by the Provincial or National Synod." Here we see conformity to the Liturgy and all its parts, as well as to the Confession of Faith and Discipline, is made necessary to the Church's union.b So that Moulinars and his party of seceders at New Rochelle were truly Indepen- dents, condemned by the discipline of the French Church.
The Rev. Daniel Bondet died sometime in September, 1722, aged sixty-nine years, having been nearly twenty-six years minister of this church. He was eminently useful in keeping the congregation together, under its adverse circumstances, and as he lived greatly beloved, so he died greatly lamented. His mortal remains were interred beneath the chancel floor of the old church. His will bears date the 24th of March, 1721-2, and was proved on the 21st of September following.
THE WILL OF DANIEL BONDET, CLERK.
" IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN, The four and twentieth day of March, one thousand seven hundred and twenty-two, I, Daniel Bondet, minister of the Gos- pel, of New Rochelle, being sick in body but of good and perfect memory, thanks
. Calvin Ep. ad. Protector. Angl. p. 4169. Bingham's Antiq. of Ch. Ch. vol. viii. B. viii. p. 87.
b Bingham's Antiq. of Ch. Ch. vol. viii. B. iii. p. 88.
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AND CHURCH OF NEW ROCHELLE.
be to Almighty God, and calling to remembrance the uncertain state of this transitory life, and that all flesh must yield unto death, when it shall please God to call ; do make, constitute, ordain and declare, this my ast Will and Testamen in manner and form following :- Revoking and Annulling by these presents, all and every Testament and Testaments, Will and Wills heretofore by me made and declared, either by word or writing, and this is to be taken only for my las Will and Testament, and none other. And first, being penitent and sorry, from the bottom of my heart for all my sins past, most humbly desiring forgiveness for the same, I give and commit my soul unto Almighty God, my Saviour and Redeem- er in whom, and by the merits of Jesus Christ, I trust and believe assuredly to be saved and to have full remission and forgiveness of all my sins, and that my soul with my body at the general Day of Resurrection shall rise again with joy, and through the merits of Christ, seek and pass in, possess and inherit the Kingdom of Heaven prepared for his Elect and Chosen : and my body to be buried in such place where it shall please my Executors hereafter named to appoint. And now for the settling of my Temporal Estate, and such Goods, Chattels and Debts, as it hast pleased God for alone my Deserts to bestow upon me. I do order, give and dispose of the same in manner following : that is to say, FIRST, I will that all those Debts and duties that I owe in Right or Conscience to any manner of per- son or persons whatsoever, shall be and truly contented and paid or ordained to be paid, within convenient time after my decease, by my Executors hereafter named. ITEM .- I Give, bequeath and constitute for my only heirs, Lieutenant Oliver Besley, Jun., of New Rochelle ; desireing him after my Decease to come and take possession of all my goods, chattels and debts, with obligations which is belonging to me, with a Negro Woman called Toinetta, Ready Money, Plates, Jewells, Rings, Household Stuff, Apparels, Utensils, Brass, Pewter, Bedding and all other of my substance whatsoever, moveable and immoveable. ITEM .- I do Give to Bety Cantin, one obligation from Peter, which is now in the hand and possession of her Father, Jean Cantin, and that she shall have from this present time and hereafter, lawful for her to receive the said Due, Debt or Interest to her proper use or benefit, without molestation hereafter, from any body whatsoever. ITEM .- I do give to Judith Robinseau, a little Negro Girl, named Charlotte, for her proper use and benefit, without molestation hereafter from any body whatso- ever. ITEM .- I do give to the use of the Church of New Rochelle all my Books. In witness I have put my hand and seal, this twenty fourth day of March, 1721-2. DANIEL BONDET, (P. S.)
Sealed and signed in presence of us, Isaac Mercier, Aman Guyons, Ceasar F. Suize.""
During the interval between the death of Mr. Daniel Bondet and the appointment of his successor, services were performed
a Rec. of Wills, Surrogate's Office, N. Y., vol. ix. p. 332, 333.
2S
434
HISTORY OF THE PARISH
by the Rev. John Bartow, rector of the parish, as appears from the following communication to the Honorable Society :-
MR. BARTOW TO THE SECRETARY.
" New York, Nov. 15th, 1722.
WORTHY SIR,
By the death of the late Rev. Mr. Bondet, last September, the care of New Rochelle is wholly devolved on me, till the Rev- erend and Honorable Society be pleased to send another mis- sionary for that place, which I hope will be speedily, being un- fit to travel so far at fixed times by reason of age and uncer- tain indispositions, but by God's leave, shall attend the care of that people as much as I can without doing wrong to the rest of my parish. I preach now at four towns, Eastchester, West- chester, Yonkers and New Rochelle; the last, eight miles, Yon- kers six miles, Eastchester four from home, and do other occa- sional offices. I have preached twice at New Rochelle since Mr. Bondet died, and intend, God willing, to administer the sacrament of the Lord's Supper there the first Sunday in the next month. According to the proportion of their annual pay- ment to the Church, I must preach there about eight Sundays in the year, and if the Society do think me worthy, should be. glad if they would allow me something for travelling charges until they send another missionary. Mr. Bondet bequeathed in his last will all his books to the use of the Church. Mr. John Pell, Lord of the Manor of Pelham, of which New Rochelle is a part, has given one hundred acres of land within the said manor, which land Mr. Bondet enjoyed to the use of the Church for ever. A house and about three acres of land adjoin- ing New Rochelle church was given by the town to the church for ever, all which I do presume have and do belong to me, durante vitæ, but should gladly acquit all to such missionary of the Church as the Society shall think fit to send, together with the perquisites as Mr. Bondet enjoyed them. I humbly pray that the Society would send them a missionary that can preach to them in their mother tongue, and that he be desired to preach once a month in English, at Eastchester, for I can't attend the
AND CHURCH OF NEW ROCHELLE. 435
people so often as they require, which was the occasion about three years since of the hiring a Presbyterian minister, who is now removed to Bedford within the parish of Rye, of which the Rev. Mr. Jenny has undertaken the care of, with the Society's approbation. I now by the bearer received my money of Mr. Perry, about which I have been so impertinent to you, through a mistake, and humbly beg the Society's pardon and venerate their justice, and shall not cease to pray for the blessing of God on their pious endeavors, who anı, Sir,
Your humble and obedient servant,
JOHN BARTOW. "a
In 1723, Mr. Bartow received from the Society £10 for his extra services at New Rochelle. Mr. Bondet was succeeded in 1724 by the
REV. PIERRE STOUPPE, A. M.
This individual was also a native of France, and nearly re- lated to, if not a son of the Rev. Mr. Stouppe, minister of the French Church in London, who was sent by Oliver Cromwell in 1654 to Geneva, to negociate in affairs relating to the French Protestants.b He was born in 1690, studied divinity at Geneva, and afterwards accepted a call as minister to the French Church of Charleston, in South Carolina. Here he continued until the Summer of 1723, when he resigned his charge, conformed to the Church of England, and crossed the Atlantic to be ordained. At Christmas, 1723, he was admitted to holy orders, by the Rt. Rev. Edmund Gibson, D. D., the then Lord Bishop of Lon- don, and licensed to officiate as a missionary in the Govern- ment of New-York. At the same time he was appointed the Venerable Society's missionary to New Rochelle, with a salary of $50 per annum. In July, 1724, he received his commis- sion from Governor Burnet. He proved very acceptable to his flock because he could preach in French, which language only most of them understood. In 1721, the Society's Abstracts
· New-York, MSS. from archives at Fulham, vol. ii. 582-3. (Hawks.)
Dr Vaughan's Protectorate of Cromwell, vol. i. p. 12.
-
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HISTORY OF THE PARISH
say :-- "That Mr. Stouppe's congregation is much increased since his arrival, and that the number of his communicants is thirty- eight."
REV. PETER STOUPPE'S ANSWERS TO THE QUERIES OF THE BISHOP OF LONDON.
[QUERIES TO BE ANSWERED BY EVERY MINISTER.]
New Rochelle, 1724, the 12th October.
Q. How long is it since you went over to the plantations as a missionary ?
A. Your Lordship knows that I went over as a missionary but since the last Spring.
Q. Have you had any other church before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had what church was it, and how long have you been re- moved ?
A. I had the French church of Charleston, in South Carolina, and left it about eighteen months ago.
Q. Have you been duly licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a mis- sicnary in the Government where you now are ?
A. I have been licensed by your Lordship himself.
Q. How long have you been inducted into your living ?
A. I have been inducted since the month of July last.
Q. Are you ordinarily a resident in the parish to which you have been in- ducted ?
A. I reside constantly there.
Q. Of what extent is your parish and how many families are there in it ?
A. The extent of it is two miles in length and three miles in breadth, and is reckoned to contain seventy families, among whom are some Presbyterians.
Q. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your parish, and what means are used for their conversion ?
A. There is in all but a few negro slaves, some of which come on Sundays out of their free will to church without their master's order, but no other means are used for their conversion.
Q. How oft is divine service performed in your church ; and what proportion of the parishioners attend it ?
A. Divine service is performed twice every Sunday, in the morning and evening, and upon Christmas day, Easter day and Communion days ; there is a preparation sermon upon some day of the week, which as well as other public service is always attended by the most part of the parishioners conformed to the Church.
Q. How oft is the sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered ; and what is the usual number of communicants ?
A. The sacrament of the Lord's Supper is administered four times a year, and the number of communicants is sometimes more, sometimes less, but commonly be- tween forty and fifty. .
Q. At what time do you catechise the youth of your parish ?
437
AND CHURCH OF NEW ROCHELLE.
A. The youth is catechised all the Summer long, six or seven months in the year.
Q. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the church for the decent and orderly performance of divine service ?
A. Every thing is provided in the church for the decent and orderly performance of the servico according to the church's ability.
Q. Of what value is your living in sterling money and how does it arise ?
A. I cannot tell your Lordship of what value my living will be in sterling money, depending only upon voluntary contributions, and having not yet received one farthing to that purpose ; the people is but very poor, and besides, New Rochelle is included in Westchester parish. They are obliged to pay towards Mr. Bartow's salary, appointed to him by act of Assembly, which rendered them incapable of doing anything for me, except otherwise should be provided.
Q. Have you a house and glebe ; Is your glebe in lease or let by the year, er is it occupied by yourself ?
A. There is a house and one hundred acres of land belonging to it, but at some distance, which land is let by the year for four pence sterling an acre.
Q. Is care taken to preserve your house in good repair and at whose expense is it dono ?
A. There is but indifferent care taken to preserve the parish house in good repair, and as for the expenses, they are taken upou the members of the Church each one.
Q. Have you more cures than one, if you have, what are they, and in what manner served ?
A. I have no other cures than the aforesaid.
Q. Have you in your parish any public school for the instruction of youth ?
A. There is no public school within the precinct of New Rochelle-the parents take care to instruct their own children.
Q. Have you a parochial library ; if you have, are the books preserved, and kept in good condition ; have you any particular rules aud orders for the preserving of them ; are these rules and orders duly observed ?
A. My predecessor, Mr Bondet, has left four hundred volumes for the use of the church for ever ; they are kopt in pretty good condition, but I know no particu- lar rules of preserving them.
My Lord, &c., LASoupe.
At the date of Mr. Stonp's arrival, the elders or ancients (as they are sometimes styled,) of this church, were Isaac Quan-
· New-York, MSS. from archives at Fulham, vol. i. p. 673. (Hawks.)
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HISTORY OF THE PARISH
tein and Isaac Guion. The following extract is taken from Mr. Stouppe's first letter to theS ociety :---
MR. STOUPPE TO THE SECRETARY.
[EXTRACT.] " New Rochelle, Province of New - York, May 12th, 1725.
SIR,
But there are yet thirty families unconformed within New Rochelle bounds, and were it not for fear of the cager censures of Mr. Moulinars, one of the French ministers of New-York, who comes quarterly amongst them, and some of the most creditable members of his congregation, who jointly with him do support their separation from the Church, all those yet dis- senting families, without exception, would have been come over . to it already. The proceeding is so unjust that I cannot for- bear to complain of, and set down to the consideration of the Honorable Society, some of the arguments they make use of to keep the Dissenting inhabitants of New Rochelle in their divi- sion, from the Church and even to pervert, if possible, its truest defenders. They not only at all occasions inspire them with a disadvantageous opinion of the Church of England, but they raile in a plain manner at its Liturgy and Ceremonies. The said Mr. Moulinars has declared (as can be proved) that he finds our Church and that of Rome as like one another as two fishes can be, besides, the said minister and his party have threatened the yet dissenting French inhabitants of New Ro- chelle of breaking with them all commerce, and of suspending all acts of charity and support towards them, if ever they should dare to join themselves at any time to the Church, nay, for in- stance, the said Moulinars and his party convinced long ago of Mr. Roux, the other minister of the French in New-York, and his inclination and good affection to the Church, and of his always openly blaiming and disapproving Mr. Moulinars, his colleagues irregular practices against the Church in general, and especial- ly his keeping up and fomenting our unhappy divisions in New
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AND CHURCH OF NEW ROCHELLE.
Rochelle. The said Moulinars and his party in revenge, have pretended to depose Mr. Roux, and suspend him accordingly of all his accustomed ministerial functions amongst them, as you may see it more largely in this collection of papers on that subject which I beg of you to put into the Honorable Society's hands, and which will justify in general the matters I here acquaint them with. They will find that one of the chiefest reasons of this violence against Mr. Roux, has no other ground than his constant affection to the Church, and the public appro- bation he has at all times and occasions given to its ceremo- nies and doctrine, and this affair is so far gone that the Hon- orable Council of this province could not forbear to take notice and to interpose their mediation and authority, which having been unsuccessful on the French dissenters part, Mr. Roux in- tends by the advice of his friends to carry his complaints into Chancery, where it is not doubted but he will find protection and justice. I thought it necessary to make you this relation that the Honourable Society might be more sensible of the great prejudice Mr. Moulinars and his adherents do in general to the Church of England, and in particular to that of New Rochelle, and that there is no unlawful practice which they scruple to make use of for the detriment of it. After Mr. Bondett's, my pre- decessors death, they engaged the dissenters to build a meeting house about two hundred yards distant from the church in which I officiate twice every Sunday, they incited them also to reclaim the one hundred acres of land which Mr. Bondet enjoyed, and which were given by the Lord Pell to the use of the Church, in order to deprive me of it; and not withstanding all the friendly presentations made from time to time to the said Mr. Moulinars by some gent of this country, and also by the late Lord Bishop of London, of which Master Aufere, one of the Society members, may give a more full and exact account, all this, I say, did not prevail with him, nor induce him to keep his own congregation and not to intrude hinself into those of others, and consequent- ly not to trouble their union and peace. He also of late eagerly consumed some of the dissenters of New Rochelle, who to save expenses and inconveniences they would lay under in bringing
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HISTORY OF THE PARISH
their children to York to be christened by him, or who by reason of having no aversion from the Church do not think fit to defer their baptism till he come amongst them, according to his . desire have required me to baptize them. I heartily wish the Honourable Society would pity our assaulted Church and take some effectual means for the removing of the cause and in- strument of the unhapy divisions we are in ; our endeavours here without their assistance having proved of but little and of none effect. For there is no irregular practice which in their opinion is not supported, and which they do not find justified and au- thorized by the benefit of toleration and liberty of conscience granted to them, in such manner they abuse that great and in- estimable priviledge. You will, Rev. Sir, very much oblige me in giving me notice as soon as possible, of the Honourable Soci- ety's intention and resolution about that affair.
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