USA > New York > Kings County > Brooklyn > Lives of the clergy of New York and Brooklyn: embracing two hundred biographies of eminent living men in all denominations. Also, the history of each sect and congregation, Pt. 1 > Part 28
USA > New York > New York City > Lives of the clergy of New York and Brooklyn: embracing two hundred biographies of eminent living men in all denominations. Also, the history of each sect and congregation, Pt. 1 > Part 28
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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 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28
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REV. DAVID B. JUTTEN, A. M.
hundred scholars and sixty officers and teachers, and a Mission school has been established in Hudson street. .
Mr. Jutten is of the medium height, and equally proportioned. Ilis head is of good size and form, while the face is expressive of an amiable character. His greeting to all is frank and sincere. A very short acquaintance with him shows him to you as he will always be found. IIe is plain, matter-of-fact, and honest in all that he says and does, making no pretensions in any particular, but quickly proving himself to you, in both mind and conduct, to be a man of the most commendable qualities. Calm and self-possessed in his nature, he is one who never hesitates in the line of his duty, nor is he ever at a loss to know exactly what it is. Socially there can be no person more agreeable and more interesting with the young and old, and in his public character there is the same adaptability and harmony of the individual with his position.
Mr. Jutten is by no means a fanatic or bigot, but at the same time he is a clergyman of very deep and earnest religious convictions. His own life is measured by strict and conscientious rules of personal action, and he seek through it, and by his teachings in the pulpit, and out of it, to illustrate, not only the necessity for the religious culture of every person, but the pleasure and profit in it. Thus im- pressed, he preaches with peculiar force and pathos. He does not seem to be desirous of making any display of his own talents, but he prayerfully and earnestly calls to the unconverted to be saved, and upon all to look closely to the acts of every hour of their existence. HIe argues with a great deal of power, for his scholarly ability is by no means limited, and his eloquence, though calm and modest, is very effective. Hence, in the Rev. David B. Jutten, the Baptist ministry has a most devoted and efficient representative, and the community at large one of its strong champions against evil.
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REV. JOSEPII KIMBALL, D. D.,
PASTOR OF THE FIRST REFORMED CHURCH, BROOKLYN.
EV. DR. JOSEPHI KIMBALL was born at Newburgh, New York, August 10th, 1820. His academic course was pursued at his native place. He was graduated at Union College in 1839, and in theology at the Associate Reformed Seminary in 1844. He was ordained in the latter year, and first settled at Hamptonburgh, Orange County, New York, where he remained eight years. After this he went to a church in Washington county, where he continued two years and a half, and then to a Presbyterian Church at Brockport, New York, over which he officiated for seven years. He next accepted a call to the Fishkill Reformed (then Dutch) Church, where he labored for two years and a half, and was thence called to his present field, the First Reformed Church of Brooklyn, where he was installed November 21st. 1865.
The organization of the First Reformed Church dates as far back as when the colony was under the Dutch regime. The records show that two hundred and nineteen years ago, in the year 1654, Gover- nor Stuyvesant, then little less than the omnipotent ruler of the colony, ordered the inhabitants of Flatbush, Brooklyn, and Flatlands, to pre- pare timber and materials to build a church at Flatbush-which was the county town. On the 6th of August, 1655, the scout (Sheriff) was ordered to convene the inhabitants of the county, for the purpose of ascertaining whether they would approve of the Rev. Johannis Polhemus as their minister, and what salary they would pay him. It appears that the people approved of Mr. Polhemus, and agreed to pay him one thousand and forty guilders ($416) per year. The churches of Flatbush, Brooklyn, and Flatlands were known as collegiate churches-the appointed minister making a circuit of them from Sab- bath to Sabbath. In 1785 the Dutch church at Gravesend became one of the collegiate churches. The union of the churches termina- ted in 1787 by the Flatbush church calling a minister of their own.
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REV. JOSEPH KIMBALL; D. D.
Brooklyn certainly had a church edifice before the first church was built at Flatbush, and probably a parsonage also, but where they were situated is unknown. The first church of which there is a dis- tinct record was built in 1666, on the public road, and rebuilt in 1766. The site was adjacent to the present location of the edifice of the first Church on Joralemon street. There were no other churches in the county of Kings than the Reformed Dutch churches before the year 1785. In that year a dissenting Episcopal clergyman gathered a few hearers, which subsequently formed the nucleus of the first Episcopal congregation in Brooklyn. The Dutch churches supported all the poor of the county until the year 1784. The English governors were not favorably disposed toward either the Dutch churches or people. In 1694, Governor Fletcher attempted to throw the support of the Episcopal church upon the whole colony, but the House of Assembly refused to concur with him, which offended his excellency. Lord Cornbury became governor in 1702. He was the vilest governor who cver ruled in America; a church robber, and a persecutor of the Dutch the Presbyterians, and the French colonists. Among his infamous , proceedings was the imprisonment of the Presbyterian ministers who attempted to preach in the city of New York without his license, and the denouncing of the Dutch for offering these men the use of their church.
The First congregation was largely made up of the old Dutch fam- ilies of Long Island, and for many years sheds were provided for those who came a long distance with their carriages. All the fine church buildings now in the vicinity, and, in fact, all the city improve- ments of that busy and elegant portion of the city, have risen in the fields with which the First church was for so long a period surrounded. The congregation for many years was in charge of the late esteemed Rev. Dr. Dwight. In 1860, Rev. Dr. A. A. Willets, of Philadelphia, was called, who remained several years, and was succeeded, after an interval of about six months, by Rev. Dr. Kimball.
Dr. Kimball received his degree of D. D. from Rutgers College, at New Brunswick, New Jersey, in 1866. ITis publications consist of various occasional sermons.
Dr. Kimball is about of the medium height and equally propor- tioned. Ile goes with active, quick steps, and whatever he does is done rather impulsively. His head is of the average size, with regu- lar features, which show him to be a person of very amiable charac- teristies. His complexion is fair, with luminous eyes, which impart
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REV. JOSEPH KIMBALL, D. D.
their bright beams to his whole countenance. While he is not with- out dignity, he is so affable and courteous that it places no reserve upon the intercourse of any one with him. ITis taste and disposition in all things lead him to prefer simplicity and frankness of character, and he exemplifies them in his conduct on all occasions.
Dr. Kimball's sermons are beautiful compositions, and while they do not lack in scholarship. this is not their distinguishing excellence. Their great peculiarity is the strong and cheerful religious faith with which they abound, and the affecting patlios with which the appeal is made to the feelings. IIe touches the springs of the heart's emo- tions as delicately, while as potently, as ever an enchanter touched with his wand, and he draws them forth in overwhelming floods. His power is in a soft musical voice, in his happy selection of language, and in his knowledge of the human character and heart.
There is genuine refreshment for mind and heart in the sermons of Dr. Kimball. You are not startled by those intellectual thunderings which characterized the sensational pulpit orators, nor are you fascin- ated by the flowery imagery of the sentimental preachers, but you are interested by the forcible statement of serious truths, and charmed and melted by the affectionate and appropriate language which is employed. The most sluggish mind awakens and expands under such teachings, and the heart, be it of stone, softens and yearns for better things under such appeals. Nothing that is said appears to be intended for profundity, or even eloquence, but it seems like words in good season spoken by a competent and friendly counselor. There is a pathetic style of preaching which has no pretension whatever to either learning or logic. Dr. Kimball's style differs entirely from this, for, while it is tender and full of emotional passages, it is alto- gether powerful in thought. He speaks as a scholar and thorough student of the Scriptures, and at the same time with a heart overflow- ing with tenderness. .
Dr. Kimball is always to be found treading quietly and faithfully in the paths of pastoral duty, rather than seeking public notice. He has attained a high rank in the Presbyterian and Reformed denom- inations for his talents, and he has now the first place in public re- gard; but all this has been quite unsought by him, for his incessant energies have been devoted to the practical work of the ministry and not at all to schemes of ambition. He is unselfish and unthinking of fame ; but his noble and consistent action in all spheres of duty has naturally given him great social and public influence.
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REV. G. FREDERICK KROTEL, D. D., PASTOR OF THIE LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY, NEW YORK.
EV. DR. G. FREDERICK KROTEL was born in the Kingdom of Wurtemburg, Germany, February 4th, 1826. His parents emigrated to this country when he was four years of age, and took up their abode in Phila- delphia, where he passed most of his life. He was graduated at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, in 1846, and pursued a private theological course under the Rev. Dr. Denne. HIe entered the ministry in 1848, in connection with the Lutheran Synod of Pennsylvania, and was installed over a small congregation in the suburbs of Philadelphia, where he remained one year. Ile next went to Lebanon, Pennsylvania, to the Salem Church, where he officiated until 1853. After this he went to Trinity Church, Lan- caster, where he labored until the close of 1861, when he accepted a call to St. Mark's Church, Philadelphia. In April, 1868, he com- menced his duties as pastor of his present congregation, the Evan- gelical Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity.
This congregation is a new Lutheran organization, which was founded by Dr. Krotel at the period named. It grew out of the different Lutheran congregations then in existence in New York, and mainly out of St. James' Lutheran church. All the Lutheran con- gregations in this city, except Holy Trinity and St. James' are Ger- man, and the preaching is in that language. St. James' Church is on the east side of the city, and it was thought necessary to have an English Lutheran church on the west side, and in accordance with this view the church of the Holy Trinity was established. The church edifiee occupied by the Reformed congregation under the care of Rev. Dr. Alexander R. Thompson, in Twentieth street, near Sixth avenue, was leased for one year, and regular services commenced. The congregation purchased this church for about sixty thousand dollars. The church began with eighty members, and there has been
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