USA > New York > Rensselaer County > East Greenbush > History of the Reformed church, at East Greenbush, Rensselaer County, New York > Part 9
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13
RESOLUTIONS PASSED AT EAST GREENBUSH.
The Consistory of the Reformed Church of East Greenbush, Rensselaer County, New York, has re- ceived the sad intelligence of the death of the Rev. William Anderson, their former pastor for ten years.
His eminent learning and devoted piety com- bined to make him conscientious and successful as
150
HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
a minister of Christ; his faithful labors for the con- version of the unsaved, the edification of the faith- ful and upbuilding of Zion, and his zeal in the cause of education, all endeared him alike to the young and the old of this community ; therefore,
Resolved, That the church express their deep sorrow at his death, and offer their heartfelt sym- pathy to his bereaved family, commending them to the God of all comfort, and joining them in the hope and consolation of the blessed promise of a glorious immortality.
Resolved, That a copy of the foregoing minute be sent to the bereaved family and also to the Christian Intelligencer for publication.
By order of the Consistory. Adopted May 4th, 1887.
XII. REV. JOHN STEELE, D.D. 1877-1887.
" As your guide,
He in the heavenward path hath firmly walked,
Bearing your joys and sorrows on his breast, And on his prayers. He at your household hearths Hath spoke His Master's message; while your babes, Listening, imbibed, as blossoms drink the dew; And when your dead were buried from your sight, Was he not there ?"
The last survivor of Christ's apostles was John, whose antitype in the pleasant parallel I have been
JOHN STEELE.
151
HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
suggesting, is the latest shepherd of this flock. Yonder, fifty leagues away, he lies resting his weary head on Jesus' bosom and counting the throbbings of the blessed Saviour's heart.
We all remember too well how sudden was the dreadful blow. In the fullness of his powers, in the midst of a very fruitful ministry with his commis- sion ringing fresh as ever in his ears and his heart yearning for the souls of men; in the study which had so long witnessed his meek searching of the Holy Word, and his prayers for help in proclaim- ing it-on the evening of December 7th, 1886, that commission seemed to be annulled, and the Master to say, "It is enough."
His last service, December 5th, had been to preach the Gospel, administer the Lord's Supper baptize Maria Boughton, and receive her into the fellowship of the church.
His parents were Nehemiah Vernon Steele and Sophia Garretson, and he was born at Somerville, Somerset county, New Jersey, September 20th, 1827. At the age of fourteen years he united with the Reformed Church in his native place. He was educated at Rutgers College and New Brunswick Seminary, and has preached in Lebanon, N. J., Union Village and Coxsackie, N. Y., and Totowa, N. J., and for the last ten years as pastor of this church. For several years he has contemplated
152
HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
this anniversary, and it is greatly to be deplored that he could not have written the history of this church from the standpoint of its centennial pastor. At his home in Newark last month he gave me for you his christian greetings for this day-to which for years he had looked forward in hope-and he has also sent you by his own trembling hand the letter from his heart to which you have listened.
It may or may not be that the spirits of departed friends re-visit this world in these latter days, but if ever they come back, they must be here to-day. Gathered as we are to recall their life-work and catch new impulse for our own, to praise their de- votion and pray for a double portion of their spirit, it is easy to think that the gates are ajar, and the throngs all around us. No picture gallery in the world could equal for us this temple, were these walls covered with the portraits of those hundreds gone, the godly dead, whose diamond dust lies here and there and yonder in many an angel-hovered grave. But even their pictures, looking down upon us here, might grow too sacred in our reverence- worshiping the images of the saints !
[At the suggestion of the historian the congrega- tion was asked to indicate, by rising, their recollec- tion of the pastors of the church, beginning with the last-Dr. Steele. Almost all of the vast assem- bly rose. Next, those who remembered his prede-
153
HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
cessor, Mr. Anderson, were asked to remain standing and others to be seated, and so on through the list in the inverse order of their settle- ment. It was a spectacle never to be forgotten, as name after name was called, to see the number melting down, until Dr. Marselus was reached, when but two or three remained standing. No one present remembered to have seen Labagh, Zabris- kie or Romeyn].
Time has forbidden that I should give, as I should have been glad to do, the many words of confidence and love and gratitude with which the officers of this church, from time to time, have parted with its pastors. It must have been a most welcome encouragement to the minister when re- signing his trust, that his confidential advisers- the men who knew him best-so cheerfully gave him their thanks and their prayers.
Three unsuccessful calls are all I have been able to trace, though the records may be defective. Most of the removals were occasioned by " calls " to other fields, and this church in turn disturbed other congregations by similar overtures. When we stop to think of it, there is a flavor of selfishness in this invading a sister church with a bold bid to take away their chosen settled pastor for yourselves. But all the denominations do it. There is a unique scrap of history of such an instance, which is so
154
HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
rare a curiosity that I must not withhold it: Dr. J. C. Freyenmoet, who preached some years in Schodack and hereabout before this church was organized, and whose name (sometimes spelled Fremont) appears in many of your old family rec- ords of baptism, had when a young man been sent to Holland, as the custom then was, to be educated for the ministry. The expense of his education was borne by a single church, with the understand- ing that on his return he should serve the church which had sent him out. He was accordingly duly installed as pastor. But after some six months had elapsed, another sound Dutch church in the vicinity made overtures to the bright ecclesiastic to honor their call, and an increased salary, by coming over to their Macedonia. When the old congrega- tion heard of it the blood was all up, to be sure, and they promptly met the occasion. Here is their missive, such as probably has rarely been equaled in its combination of scripture texts and human re- sentments, the Divine Gospel and the civil law, submission to the will of God and resistance to the church of "Rochester":
To the Consistory of Rochester, Greetings :
We, your servants, having been informed and concluded therefrom that you have had correspond- ence with our Preacher, and have in so far seduced him as to send him a call, and think by the amount
155
HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
of money to take him away from us, but that Lord who has hitherto hindered your underhand game, shall further direct it to a good result, therefore we find ourselves in duty bound, in accordance with the words of the Saviour, "Do good to those who do evil to you," etc., so will we in time to come do good to you as we have in the past, for which you do not thank us that he hath served you.
And then you dare say that he hath eight free Sundays in each year, which is as true as the words of the Devil to Eve, " Ye shall not surely die." But if you desire to have our Preacher four or six times in the year, we shall by no means refuse you, but will leave it to our Preacher to bargain as to the compensation for his services. And if this cannot prevent the execution of your unjust intention, and the Lord sees fit to use you as a rod to chasten us, we shall accept it as coming from the hand of the Lord, and comfort ourselves with the blessed say- ing of Paul, Hebrews 12: "For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth." And if the Lord hath fore- seen that you shall have our Preacher, then never- theless we do not hope that your consciences will be so seared as to take away with him a part of our livelihood, being the sum of £125, 12s., 6d., * otherwise we shall feel bound to leave the matter
* Money they had paid for his education.
156
HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
to the Civil Court. We expect an answer to this, and conclude our reasons with "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Ghost remain with you until a blessed eternity." Amen.
We remain your servants,
Signed. JAN KORTRECHT, JAN VAN VLIEDT, ABRAHAM VAN CAMP, WILLIAM COOL.
I testify to the above in behalf of the whole Con- sistory. JOH. CASPARUS FREYENMUTH,
Preaching Elder.
Done at a meeting of Consistory at Machacker- mech, 6th day of Dec., 1741.
There are no records of the nature of the com- munication of the Consistory of this church with that of Millstone, when Mr. Zabriskie was charmed away from here by their call-but if that Millstone did not feel that it was a nether Millstone before it came finally to the top-then the signs, protest to Classis, special Classis, etc., have little significance.
In those old days the domine was a man in society, and in the state, with a sharp eye on pub- lic affairs ; and the Dutch domine, at least, a man
157
HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
of very positive convictions. It is stated of one in a neighboring county that in the famous times of Andrew Jackson he led a file of men to the polls to vote for "Old Hickory," and so great was his influ- ence that only one man, out of a total of 701, voted against Jackson !
And not only in religion and in politics, but in love as well, was he straightforward and direct. Here is a model love-letter, written not many miles from here, by which domine Rynier Van Nest won his bride :
"Respected and Beloved Catharine Goetschius : My desire is to have you for my wife, if you will consent. Your friends at Scholarie have recom- mended you to me. If you will consent, then write me at your earliest convenience and I will come and see you. RYNIER VAN NEST."
There was no coquetry about Catharine; the frank proposal met with an equally frank accept- ance, and they were married within four weeks.
NOTES .- After the retirement of Mr. Anderson the pulpit remained vacant seven months before a successor was found. On June 5th, 1877, the Con- sistory decided to call Rev. John Steele, D.D., of Paterson, N. J. This call was accepted, but Dr. Steele did not begin his labors until in August. His installation took place October 30th, 1877. He
158
HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
continued his pastoral duties with eminent ability and genial affability for a little over nine years, when suddenly, without the slightest intimation, he was stricken with paralysis. He lingered along during the winter with doubtful hope of recovery until, being convinced that he was permanently dis- abled, on May 1st, 1877, he offered his resignation. This was reluctantly accepted, and the congrega- tion continued his salary to October 1st, 1887, and desired his family to remain in the parsonage. They, however, thought it best to remove to Newark, N. J., to be near their kindred. Here he passed the remnant of his days, so far rallying at times as to see his friends, to walk out some and to attend divine services and take some lesser part in the exercises. Indeed, on the Thursday evening previous to his death, he had taken part in the prayer meeting with peculiar force and earnestness. Says one: "Dr. Steele was especially favored in being surrounded by a family of great culture and refinement, who were able to, and did, sustain him in every good work, in the church, in the Sunday school, in the prayer meetings and wherever they could lend a helping influence. The most affec- tionate remembrances, and the warmest testimonials of love and appreciation will ever be theirs."
His death occurred suddenly at his home on January 17, 1889. Thus he lingered only a few
159
HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
days over two years and one month after his first stroke. He remarked to a classmate a short time before his departure: "My work is done; I am willing to go; I am only watching and waiting."
His blameless christian life, his wise counsels and his great zeal for the cause of Christ will ever keep his memory dear to this people.
He was in the sixty-second year of his age and the forty-first of his ministry. His body rests in Fairmount Cemetery, Newark, N. J .- (P. T. P.)
I must pass over chapters relating to the church edifices here and at Wynantskill and Blooming Grove; the parsonages on the turnpike and at Blooming Grove ; the sale of the land leased to the church, subject to a trifling rental; the alteration of the pews from the old square form in which nearly half of the congregation turned their backs upon the minister in an involuntary way; of the Academy, built in 1830 of timber from the old can- tonment barracks on Greenbush Heights-timber almost proof against cannon-shot; of the slaves in the old days before 1826, baptized and received into the fellowship of the church; of dear old "Sauer " Herrick, the dusky saint who always sat in the gallery at the minister's left as near as she could get, encouraging him by her constant pres- ence, and helping him more than he knew by her
160
HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
humble faith-a saint translated fifty years ago to be a glittering black diamond in her Saviour's crown; of the first Sunday school away back, which some of you still remember, with John O. Lansing as superintendent and the whole of the second chapter of Matthew for the first lesson, and very likely one or two more for the next-there was no nonsense about those old superintendents-of the rude vehicles for church-going; how the young men, dressed in their best, whatever that was, went barefoot, carrying their shoes until they came in sight of her house; and men and women doing the same as they went to and from church. It was hard for the old Hollanders to be obliged to receive · the Gospel in the English language. And what work they made with the new language, often get- ting out what they did not mean to say, as when one honest Dutchman who had fallen from the upper story of his barn to the floor, described it as a fall " sixteen feet in circumference !"
There is a pleasant and authentic old story to the purport that two prominent members of the congregation, widowers, were seized simultaneously with strong impulses to seek the hand in marriage of a beautiful woman, a sister of your fifth min- ister. The lady was at Ballston Spa, which, at that time, was the great summer resort, and both gentlemen set out at about the same time for the
161
HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
springs, each in the hope of outstripping his rival and winning the prize. It was in the old days before railroads, and their heavy carriages made slow progress. But the rivals-one a Frenchman and the other a Dutchman-were resolute and eager, and for hours the issue was doubtful. The Frenchman won the race and the bride, who proved to be a prize indeed, an ornament to the society of Greenbush, and a wife and mother of rare excel- lence.
Time would fail me to tell of how faithfully the officers of this church have cared for its property, and how when anything needed to be done they went at it and did it, and did it well. "Si monu- mentum queris, circumspice !" And in the old times when they needed money they asked for it directly in straightforward collections and subscriptions- no fairs, no oyster suppers, New England suppers, tableaux, excursions or concerts even-but money direct. Will ye ever come back, ye good old days ?
But when the sons of God came together, Satan came also among them. The fathers had often sore trials with the careless and worldly in the church, and sometimes with themselves. Intemperance was a crying evil, and many and many were the faithful admonitions and tender appeals to the erring. Their christian discipline was very effective, because administered in kindness, and without [11]
162
HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
delay. The careless were entreated to be "more punctual in attendance upon the Word and Ordi- nances." A member was suspended for trafficking in milk on Sunday, which Classis had declared to be a " violation of sacred law, and a reproach to the christian church." They used plain words. Drunk - enness in a professed christian they called "in- iquity"-they did not throw all the blame on the rum-seller. Attending a dance was designated as a " crime," and the offender must give evidence of re- pentance and reformation, or lose standing in the church. When offences were grave and repeated, public confessions were required and admonitions given. A member gave out, many years ago, that he had discovered a gold mine on his farm, hoping thereby, as was believed, and as he virtually con- fessed, to dispose of his farm to advantage. The church gave effectual attention to the matter and strangled the thrifty scheme. A member of Con- sistory who had been sued at law for a bill which he had paid, filed in defence a bill against the plaintiff, which had also been paid ! The plaintiff was non-suited, but the Consistory felt that this following of a bad example was inconsistent with the Gospel, however it might answer the civil law, and admonished the brother to "avoid the exercise of such a principle for the future."
In the year 1809 it was reported that a certain
163
HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
member of the church had been "guilty of very im- moral conduct in wounding and ill-treating his wife." It was immediately " Resolved unanimously, that the said - be and he is hereby suspended as a member of this church until the Consistory have satisfactory evidence of his reformation."
A case of elopement of a member of this church nearly seventy years ago, occasioned a new sensation in this quiet community. The delinquent was also charged with intemperance. Upon report of the affair, an investigation was instituted, and strong evidence of the truth of the reports being given, it was "Resolved, that Mrs. -- be and hereby is suspended from church privileges until she gives evidence of reformation, repents of her crimes and makes reconciliation with her offended family and this offended church." The records are silent as to the final outcome of the case.
A member disciplined for intoxication in the days before pledges for abstinence were thought of, vol- untarily offered to the church in token of his peni- tence an iron-clad pledge to abstain in the future from all intoxicants, including, with stronger drinks, beer, wine and cider.
A very prolonged investigation arose in the case of a young man preparing for the ministry, and who had received aid from the "Van Benschooten Fund" for educating ministers for the Reformed
164
HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
Dutch Church. He was charged with carelessness as to his financial obligations in several particulars, and as he was desirous of connecting himself with the Presbyterian Church, the use of the aforesaid money in his preparation was at first regarded as evidence of bad faith. But upon a very thorough inquiry into all the circumstances he was acquitted of all wrong intent and honorably dismissed.
Time will not permit me to relate, even if that were possible, the work that has been done to plant and nourish this Banian tree and bring it to this hundredth birthday anniversary. The half is not told, and eternity alone can tell it. As I survey it, I am reminded of an old Greek patriot in the days of Athen's glory, who, when he had undertaken to describe the mighty structures and monuments of the classic city, exclaimed exultingly, ere he had half completed the recital : "All cannot even be mentioned; the Athens was builded by the gods and by the ancestral heroes."
Here for one hundred years has Christ been preached as the world's only Saviour, and hundreds have believed and been saved. Here multitudes have been consecrated to the Lord in baptism, and multitudes have sat down to the Lord's Supper who now drink new wine with Him in the Father's Kingdom. The blessed promise which attended the founding of this church has received a noble
165
HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
fulfillment. The wonderful power which attended the early ministries has been felt all through the century. Were you rescued from sin through more recent visitations of mercy ? It was a result, in great part of the faithful labors-the divinely- approved work of Romeyn and Zabriskie and Mar- selus and Liddell and their co-laborers in the church, who plowed and planted and harvested so well. "The Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers."-I Kings, 8-57.
Dear, dear old Dutch Church! Church of my fathers, Church of the Reformation, Church of God, all hail ! "The past at least is secure." Hundreds of the blood-besprinkled bands who went up through great tribulation have left us their high examples and await us yonder. I want you who are descended from such an ancestry to look for- ward indeed, but to keep alive these memories as well. "Honor thy father and thy mother," which is the first commandment with promise." This precious old grave-yard is God's acre, planted for immortality. Visit it often ; there are voices there speaking always. There is more life there under the sod than in many a busy mart of worldly life. The Resurrection was born in a sepulcher, and life and immortality were there brought to light. Honor thy father and thy mother! In this newly-recon- structed church, on the threshold of a new century,
166
HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
let us pray that our Father in Heaven will make "all things new;" renewed hearts and new lives, new zeal and new sacrifices. Let every Sabbath be a high day indeed; bring your babes into the sanctuary, and give them to their Lord in baptism. Let the Sabbath school lack for nothing, and throng the place of prayer. When your prayers shall be answered, as they will be, and the Master sends you the missing prophet, let his hands be held up as never before; and then, as never before, shall his work bear fruit. You must suffer my words for they are born of pride and love and hope and faith. Here for a hundred years have the tribes come up-and my kindred always among them-to the worship of the great King. Some honored names in this lapse of years are dying out of the records ; who will take their places ? O ye children of such a parentage, who are neglecting the God of your fathers, do you know what you are doing ? . Who will crown this centennial service by giving to God the most acceptable offering-the offering of his heart? I know you feel you ought to; I almost feel that you will. For the last fifty days of searching for this history I have seemed to be so near the sainted dead that I have felt a spirit of hallowed communion. Shall I speak to them about you ? Shall I tell them that a hundred years is enough ? That the story of their faith and the
167
HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
memories they left you, have, by the grace of God, prevailed? The child now born here of God shall die a hundred years old-aye, in a deep and blessed sense is born a hundred years old-born in answer to that first prayer of Eilardus Westerlo, born in answer to the prayers of a hundred years !
NOTE .- The historian -. Rev. J. F. Yates, A.M .- who with such painstaking, elaborated the fore- going address, is the son of the lamented Christo- pher Yates, whose family has been identified with the church from the very beginning. He entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church, being licensed in 1846 and ordained in 1850, and has passed his whole ministerial life in that de- nomination.
It was a good providence that he had the leisure in 1887 to compile the history of the first century, and the church and people owe him a debt of grati- tude which can never be discharged. As a son of the church he has shown a just pride in her past, is interested in her welfare for the present, and hopes great things for her future .- (P. T. P.)
Three young men from the families of the congre- gation have entered the ministry of the Reformed Church, and these being present were called upon for ten-minute addresses.
168
REV. E. LODEWICK'S ADDRESS.
Rev. Edward Lodewick spoke on "The Reformed Church in relation to other Churches," as follows :
BELOVED IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST :- It affords me very great pleasure to be present with you on this grand occasion, and to bring you my hearty greetings as one of the sons of this church; for I look upon this church as my spiritual mother.
I owe my early religious impressions, first of all, to my beloved, pious mother, whom years ago we laid to rest in yonder cemetery ; and next to her to this church, when under the ministry of that good and holy man, Dr. James R. Talmage, who has also gone to his reward. Here, when a child, I gave my heart to the Saviour, and resolved, God willing, to devote my life to the preaching of the glorious Gospel of Christ. Here I received my early re- ligious training, was fed and nourished with spirit- ual food during the pastorates of Rev. P. Q. Wil- son (who is with us to-day), and of the Rev. W. Anderson, the memory of whom is very precious to many of us.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.