USA > New York > New York City > Jubilee, the fiftieth anniversary of the organization of the 34th Street Reformed Church of New York City, Dec. 14-21, 1873 > Part 2
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
April 16, 1822, He is spoken of as "now laboring as a missionary in the City of New York." March 18, 1822, by the record of the Mis- sionary Society it appears " that Rev. Mr. McLean and Dr. Peter Wil- son be authorized to procure sconces and candles and to make such other arrangements as may be immediately necessary for opening the room and commencing missionary operations at the corner of Elm and Howard Street." This room was about twenty-five feet square, with a low ceiling, on the second floor of a wooden building on the northwest corner. It was reached by stairs on the outside in Howard Street. The first sermon was delivered to about a dozen people, but the number soon increased to fill the room.
Services Sunday morning and afternoon and a lecture during the week were held there for about a year and a half, with the exception of some twelve weeks in the Summer of 1822, when the yellow fever was prevalent.
February 10, 1823. A committee was appointed in the Missionary Society "to see if Mr. McLean could assist at Houston and Greene Streets."
Greenleaf, in his "History of the Churches in New York," (p. 4. ) speaks of that church, which had some connection with our own : " In the year 1822 an effort of a missionary character was made to provide the
16
means of grace for some destitute portion of the population, and the Rev. Stephen Ostrander was employed as a preacher. A large room in the watch-house, at the corner of Prince and Wooster Streets, was procured and a meeting for worship was held liere for several months, the people having in view the establishment of a Reformed Dutch church somewhere in that region. As the matter ripened for an effort to build, there was a diversity of sentiment as to the place, which resulted in a separation amica- bly accomplished, but of course, demanding a great struggle in both sections."
"The church now worshiping on Greene Street, corner of Houston, and known as the Houston Street Dutch Church, was first formed. A Consistory of three elders and three deacons was organized on the 15th of April, 1823, and at the Communion in June following, other members had been added, making the whole number at that time 18. Arange ments were made to build, and in 1825 the house was opened under Rev. Eli Baldwin, as pastor."
" When the division stated above took place a site was selected for a church edifice on Broome Street, corner of Greene, and preparations were made to build. Before the house of worship was furnished it was thought expedient to organize the church, which was accomplished on the 2nd Monday of December, 1823. The meeting house was finished and opened in the beginning of the next year, and in April, 1824, the Rev. Robt. McLean was called as pastor."
Another view of this matter is given in the records of Classis and the Missionary Society :
February 17, 1823, a committee was appointed by the Society "to find a better location for Mr. McLean than the school-room." It thus appears that in a year the mission had out-grown its quarters. A committee was also to ascertain if Mr. McLean's congregation could pay their own expenses. And a committee of two for each month were appointed, one of whom should "attend service morning and afternoon, to help Mr. McLean."
The committee appointed to find a better location soon reported that "they had taken a general survey of the ground from Canal to Houston Streets, and that the most eligible places were on the corner of Broome and Greene, the latter, 75 by ro0 feet, they could purchase for $3, 250."
17
and they proceed to show that this site was about one-third of the dis- tance from Rev. Mr. Bork's church in Franklin Street to the Greenwich church, and there was no church between ; that to locate it further north would give an opportunity for the Presbyterians to come in, which it was understood they were ready to do. The three lots at the north-east corner of Broome and Greene Streets were bought from Stephen Van Courtland, who conveyed them by decd to Messrs. Cornelius Hyer, Timothy Hutton, William Shaw, James Bogert, Jr., and Gerard Beekman, who were chosen as the building committee, and held the property in trust until the church was organized.
" The corner-stone was laid in June, 1823. A large company of the prominent clergymen and laymen of the Reformed Dutch Church as- sembled on that occasion at the residence of a prominent citizen in Spring Street, and walked in procession to the site. . . . The vener- able Dr. John H. Livingston (then in his 78th year, and Professor at New Brunswick) laid the corner-stone of the building in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and accompanied this solemn ceremony with a most earnest and eloquent address, (Dr. Stryker's Hist. Discourse, 1860.)
June, 1823, the Minutes of General Synod contains the following notice of the new society and Mr. McLean's work: "A digest of their proceedings was received from the Board of Managers of the Missionary Society of the Reformed Dutch Church, and referred to the committee on M ssions. . . In nediately after the formation of the society in January 1822, two missionaries were appointed to labor in the city of New York viz : Rev. Robt. McLean, now a member of the Classis of New York, and Mr. Seymour P. Vonck, a licentiate from the Theological Seminary at New Brunswick. Mr. McLean has been employed at the corner of Howard and Elm Streets, and his labors have been accompanied with an encourag- ing degree of success. As the place of meeting however was by no means calculated to attract a congregation, and as no other could be obtained in its vicinity, measures were taken to erect a church at the corner of Broome and Greene Streets, and a subscription for this purpose to the amount of about $7, 000 had been obtained. The foundation was already laid and the building will be completed in December next. The corner-stone of anoth- er Reformed Dutch Church has been laid at Greene and Houston Streets."
.
2
18
Thus we see as a matter of great interest that our church was the first fruits of this Missionary Society ; the first and immediate result of an attempt to spread the denomination through the city.
October 21, 1823. Classis reports : An application signed by Rev. Mr. McLean as chairman, and Mr. S. Hasbrouck as secretary, of a meeting of the persons worshipping in the new building erected at the corner of Broome and Greene Streets to be organized into a church, under the care of the Classis of New York, was received and read. The communication was accompanied with an extract of the minutes of the building commit- tee of that church expressing their concurrence in the application. Re- solved, that the application be granted, and that Rev. Drs. Milledoler, Matthews, and McMurray, and elders DeLamater and Thompson, be a committee to organize the church. This was done on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 1823. Luke Hinchcliff and Stephen Hasbrouck were installed Elders, and John Butler and James Smith deacons ; Mr. Smith was chosen clerk, and Leonard W. Kip, treasurer.
The church at Broome Street was incorporated January 26, 1824, Its first cost was $13, 000. February 28th $7,000 was raised on bond and mortgage.
February 8, 1824, the church was dedicated ; Rev. Dr. Milledoler preached from 2 Chron. 6: 18. In the afternoon Dr. McMurray preached from Ps. 89: 15. In the evening Dr. Matthews preached from Ezek. 37: II.
February 16, 1824. The Missionary Society reports : " Whereas, a church has been recently organized at the corner of Broome and Greene Streets, in this city, under the direction of the Classis of New York, in which place a missionary from this Board in now laboring ;
Resolved : That the consistory of the church be inquired of whether they desire missionary aid from this Board, and if so what amount cher will probably contribute to the funds of this Institution."
In March, 31, 1824, this resolution was answered by a letter from Dr. Stephen Hasbrouck, stating the sense of their obligations to the Board. but regretting their inability to contribute.
In April 20, 1824, Mr. McLean was called to be pastor of the church, and was installed in May, Drs. Matthews and McMurray conducting the exercises.
May 17, 1824. A letter from Mr. McLean appears in the Missionary
19
Society's minutes stating the termination of his mission work, and asking the Society to aid in supporting him as minister of the Broome Street church. The treasurer was directed to pay him up to the time of his call to Broome Street, and in September 20, 1824, $150 were given to the church. .
June 20, 1825. Mr. McLean appears as a member of the mission Board, and so remained until his resignation in May 13, 1826. In June 15, of the latter year, Dr. Brodhead appears as one of the vice-presidents of the Society.
July 1825. Mrs. McLean, the pastor's wife, died. She "was a most estimable, pious woman, and devoted wife and mother." Her remains were buried beneath the floor of the lecture room near the pulpit, on the east side, and from thence they were removed thirty-five years after to a private vault in the cemetery of the Reformed Dutch Church, in Houston Street.
May 17, 1826. Mr. McLean was dismissed by Classis, having resigned on account of failing health, to return to Europe. He became the pastor of the large and flourishing dissenting church in Great George Street, Liverpool, over which Dr. Raffles and Mr. Spencer had been pastors. He died a little before the year 1850, his two children, one of whom had arrived at manhood, having deceased before him.
Mr. McLean was a man of good appearance and address, about five feet eight inches high, and of a fair complexion. He preached without notes. " All who knew him and . were accustomed to hear him preach, testify that he was a man of more than ordinary talent, a sound theologian, a forcible reasoner, a pleasant speaker, a man of piety and power." (Stry- ker's Hist. Discourse. )
During his ministry 79 persons were received as members of the church.
On March 17, 1826, the day in which Classis dismissed Mr. McLean, they approved the call on Rev. Jacob Brodhead, D.D., then pastor of the Dutch Church in Crown Street, Philadelphia. He accepted in a letter dated April 7, 1826. And he was installed on May 14, Rev. Eli Baldwin, pastor of the Houston Street Church preached the sermon from Rom. 10. 15, and gave the charge to the pastor and people. Rev. Dr. Kuypers of the Collegiate Church, read the form of installation. In the afternoon the new pastor preached from 2 Thes. 3. 4.
ยท
20
Dr. Brodhead's influence began to tell immediately, and the church was soon crowded.
I give, now, some bare items concerning the church which may throw some side lights on its history, and recall to the old members interesting reminiscences ; I take them simply in order of time.
August 31, 1826. On account of the increase of the congregation, the consistory took measures for the building of the upper gallery which those who were familiar with the old church will remember went across the south end above the main gallery. That was called the Sunday School gallery, and the Sunday School children were taken at every ser- vice from the basement, outside and up the front steps and into the church, and up the two flights of stairs, and guarded there by two male and two female teachers appointed to the duty, who watched the scholars and gave them water from the wooden pails and tin dippers which were at each end of the gallery.
The church services during Dr. Brodhead's ministry were a Teachers' prayer meeting every Sunday morning at 8. Sunday School from 9 to 10:30 ; then preaching ; Sunday School at 1:30, and preaching at 3, with an occasional service in the evening. Prayer meeting was on Tues- day, and the lecture on Thursday, at which the room was generally crowded.
The elders and deacons used to take turns in sitting at the head of their pews, and an arrangement was made every quarter as to the ones who should sit by the minister at Communion and distribute the ele- ments.
October 16, 1826. The Consistory resolved "that as preaching from the catechism every Lord's day injures the church as it is now constituted, the pastor be requested to preach from it but once a month ;" a plan now adopted by General Synod.
The first recognition of the Sunday Schools on the part of the Con- sistory was in giving them a collection on the Ist Sunday in January, 1827.
February 26, 1827. Mr. Hudinot, the chorister, proposed to resign if candidates were allowed to sing, whereupon he was dismissed and Mr. Nash engaged at a salary of $50.
1
2 I
February 1827. The church was insured for Sio, ooo in the North River Insurance Company.
The Sunday School room was let to Levi Gould for school purposes, for $100 a year.
April 9, 1827. Trees were set out about the church at a cost of $24, by Elder John Ganse.
June 7, 1827. The walks were paved with brick, and a wooden fence put at the side of the church.
September 10, 1827. A resolution was offered by Mr. Keily that the chorister be requested to take his place below the pulpit as heretofore, and that the choir be discontinued. After long debate at several meetings the matter was laid on the table. But the subject excited so much inter- est that it was carried up to Classis by Dr. Hasbrouck.
The church as originally built was a red brick building, 80 feet long and 60 feet wide. It had five, long, round-topped windows on each side, reaching from the pews nearly to the ceiling ; three windows and three doors in front, and three aisles ; the basement was divided by a partition separating the rooms for the boys' and girls' Sunday Schools ; in front of the church were five or six wooden steps. In October, 1827, it was proposed to replace these steps with stone, and build a portico with pillars above. After referring the matter to the congregation and discuss- ing it in Consistory, it was concluded that the state of funds would not warrant the undertaking. It was done, however, a year or two after.
November 29, 1827. As the church was heated by wood stoves, it was resolved that the sexton . be directed to prohibit the use of wooden foot stoves in the church and lecture room.
December 10, 1827. A society was formed auxiliary to the American Tract Society.
January, 1828. The Consistory,-which had six elders and six deacons -was divided, giving to the elders alone charge of the spiritual concerns of the church.
March 1828. There was an auxiliary Missionary Society to the church.
August 1828. A request was made by the Finance Committee for per- mission to put an organ in the gallery free of expense to the Consistory ; after a month's deliberation it was deemed inexpedient to grant it. But the next July permission was given.
.
-
22
January 1829. It was made part of the duty of the sexton to put up and take down the chains which were put across the street at each side of the church, to prevent any vehicles passing by and disturbing the congrega- tion. These chains were sold in April, 1834.
December 1829. A finance committee of twenty persons from the church and congregation were appointed for the following year.
April, 1830. The chorister was brought down again to the front of the pulpit.
In June, 1830, Mr. Whitter, and in August Jas. R. Curtis were chosen choristers.
December, 1830. Dr. Brodhead's thanksgiving sermon was published.
In 1832 the summer meetings of the Consistory were omitted on account of the cholera.
In 1833 appears the record of a "Fragment Society," the ladies of which gave $50 toward the finances of the church.
October, 1833. Elder Woram was granted the use of the lecture room on Wednesday evenings for a singing association.
January, 1834. Consistory recommended to the Board of Education, as a candidate to prepare for the ministry, Mr. Wm. R. Gordon, a young member of the church. This was the present Dr. Gordon of Schraalenberg, who has proved himself an able and efficient minister.
In April, 1834, the subject of heating the church by a coal furnace was first proposed.
September 15, 1834. Wm. W. Cowan, a deacon, died, being the first . death in the Consistory.
November, 1834. A Juvenile Temperance Society was formed.
December, 1834, David Gulick, an elder, died.
January, 1836. A Missionary Society was formed to support a mis- sionary in China.
June, 1837. The salary was raised from $2000 to $2,500, to date from the April previous.
September 29, 1837. Dr. Brodhead resigned on account of ill heath. His resignation was not accepted, but on October 4, 1837. after consul- tation, the Consistory acceded to it, and on October 18, 1837, Classis dismissed him to the Classis of Ulster, thus ending a pastoral relation of eleven years and a half.
23
Dr. Brodhead was born at Marbletown, N. Y., 1782 ; graduated at Union College, 1801. His pastorates were Rhinebeck Flats, 1804-9 ; New York Collegiate Church, called December 5. 1809, installed March 29, 1810, dismissed August 31. 1863 ; Crown Street, Philadel- phia, 1813-26, Broome Street, 1826-37; Flatbush, Ulster Co., 1837-41 ; Brooklyn Central, 1841-6. He died Wednesday, June 6, 1855. He was president of General Synod, in 1816 and 1825 ; John M. Bradford being the only other man who was twice president in a regular session.
In person Dr. Brodhead was tall, manly and dignified, with a marked and pleasing face, a man of great vivacity, warmth and tenderness. He was a most winning pastor, and earnest and im- passioned in the pulpit, and had wonderful skill in touching the hearts of his hearers. He attracted crowds, and those crowds were impressed for the better by his manifest zeal for their good. His preaching was generally without notes, and was peculiarly pointed.
The influence of Dr. Brodhead on this church may be seen in the fact that it was for a long time popularly known and is yet remem- bered best by his name. During a large part of his ministry the church was so thronged that it was impossible to get a pew or sitting without waiting for months. During his ministry 218 were received to the church on confession, and 273 on certificate. Total 491.
October 27. 1837. Rev. Dr. Samuel Van Vranken, of Poughkeepsie, was called on a salary of $2,500. The call was at first declined, but on December 6th it was renewed with the salary at $3,000, and accepted ; and on December 31, 1837, he was installed. Dr. Brownlee preached the sermon, Mr. Baldwin gave the charge to the pastor, and Mr. Hunt to the people.
May, 1838. The pew rents were raised 15 per cent. to meet the increase of salary.
October, 1838. The second service was changed from afternoon to evening, the afternoon being used for catechetical instruction. But in the next month the old order was restored.
May 13. 1839. The question arose as to whether arrangements should be made to light the lecture room with gas; after two months consideration it was decided not to do it.
March 9. 1840. Consistory protested against the Roman Catholics
24
having any part of the public school fund for sectarian purposes.
In 1841, Dr. Van Vranken published a sermon showing that it was proper to baptize the children of parents who had been baptized, even if they were not members of the church in full communion. This doc- trine was strenuously assailed, and the discussion ran on in the Christian Intelligencer for several months.
After Dr. Milledoler resigned the professorship of theology in New Brunswick in 1841, Dr. John Ludlow was elected to fill his place in September 1841, but he having declined, Dr. Van Vranken, his com- petitor in the first election, was chosen in October. He asked a dis- mission from the church. and the pastoral relation was dissolved November 15, 1841. He was installed at New Brunswick, December 14, 1841, Dr. Vermilye preaching the sermon, and Dr. Ferris giving the charge.
Dr. Van Vranken continued in his professorship 20 years, and died January Ist, 1861, two months before the dedication of this building. During his pastorate 72 were added to the church. He was president of General Synod in 1834.
Dr. Van Vranken was a man of wide intellectual grasp and keen insight. He had a very acute mind, was a master in dialectic and had the art of making an abstruse subject plain to a popular audience. His person was large, his voice loud, and his whole appearance commanding. He moved according to the description of one of his old hearers, " like a steamboat." He was a man of deep and tender feeling, some- what quick, but a true friend, greatly enjoying social intercourse. His preaching was not so pointed and popular as that of Dr. Brodhead, but it was very clear and convincing, and gave evidence of a strong mind, well trained and richly stored.
He was born in 1790, graduated at New Brunswick Seminary 1817, licensed by the Classis, of New Brunswick the same year. His pasto- rates were Middletown and Freehold, 1818-26, Freehold 1826-34, Poughkeepsie 1834-7, Broome Street 1837-41. He was professor in the Theological Seminary at New Brunswick, and in Rutgers College from 1841-61.
December 13, 1841. In less than a month after Dr. Van Vranken left, the congregation advised the Consistory to call Rev. George H.
e
i
25
Fisher of Hudson. This was done, offering a salary of $2,000.
December 27, 1841, Classis approved the call, and on Sunday eve- ning, February 24, 1842, he was installed. The church was full, Dr. Van Vranken preached, Mr. Marselus read the form of installation, Dr. Vermilye offered the prayer, and Dr. Brodhead gave the charge to the pastor and people.
December 12, 1842, a record appears of both afternoon and evening services.
Between July 1843, and the autumn, the church was repaired, and a number of minor changes in the pews and furnishing of the church were made. The pulpit was replaced by a platform, the pew doors cut down and surmounted by mahogany scrolls. the pews lined and uphol- stered, and the church carpeted anew and painted.
January, 1844, the Ladies' Sewing Society gave $300 toward the re- pairs.
In December 24, 1846, a plan for weekly subscriptions was arranged. It resulted in raising $1,623.15 in a year.
March, 1849, it was proposed to light the church with gas.
In 1853 Dr. Fisher lost one of his daughters, and on account of his own ill health the Consistory, March 1853, gave him leave of absence to go to Europe.
March, 1854, the second service was fixed in the evening.
December 14, 1854, Dr. Fisher resigned having accepted a call to Utica.
His pastorate is the longest the church has known, coming within two months of 13 years. During his ministry there were received into the church on certificate, 181. On confession, 122. A total of 303.
Dr. Fisher was born 1803, graduated at Columbia College 1821, at the Seminary in New Brunswick 1825. Pastor at North Branch, N. J., 1825-30, Fishkill to 1835, Hudson to 1841, Broome street to 1854, Utica to 1859, 2d Hackensack from 1864 to 1870; died at Hackensack November 23, 1872. In 1849 he was president of General Synod.
Dr. Fisher was a good scholar and an assiduous pastor. He was very particular as to all matters of appearance, and precise in his habits. His manner was impressive, and he took rank with his people and else- where, as among the leaders. His dignity, propriety and general
26
respectability of character gave him weight and influence. He was an able and earnest preacher, a man of more than ordinary force, a genial and beloved pastor. One who bore his people constantly in his heart and gave continued evidence of the interest he took in their welfare.
March 1855, the Collegiate Church made a grant of $1,000 a year for three years, to sustain the Church, which was feeling the change of population very severely. During the winter, while the Church was without a pastor, they were happy in having Dr. Brodhead supply the pulpit, and he performed the last regular service of his long life in Broome Street. In the same month Rev. Henry V. Voorhees was in- vited to become the pastor of the Church.
He was installed June 3d, 1855. Rev. Mr. Lord, of Harlem, preached the sermon from I Thess. 2: 7, 8. Rev. A. R. Van Nest gave the charge to the pastor and Rev. E. R. McGregor to the people.
Mr. Voorhees first sermon as pastor was preached the next Sunday, June 10, from 2 Tim. 2 : 15. Assailed by disease, he was prostrated after a few Sundays service. A second trial after an interval of rest was followed by a second prostration. Being thus shut off from the possibility of doing his work, he resigned on December 20. 1855, six months after his installation. During that time 8 were received on cer- tificate and 5 on confession.
It was a brief ministry, but one which I have often heard spoken of as marked with signs of peculiar promise and power.
Mr. Voorhees graduated at Rutgers College 1847, New Brunswick 1850. His pastorates have been, Geneva 1851-4. Broome Street 1855. Bound Brook 1858-62. Washington Heights 1862-5. South Bushwick 1867-9. Nyack.
January 1856, Alex. R. Thompson was called, but declined. In February the call was renewed and again declined.
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.