USA > New York > Ulster County > New Paltz > Records of the Reformed Dutch church of New Paltz, N.Y., containing an account of the organization of the church and the registers of consistories, members, marriages, and baptisms, 1720-1814 > Part 2
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Johannes Bekker, Jr. Joh. Hannese Becker.
Copy of letter of call to Domine Goetschius :
In the fear of God's holy name, amen.
Whereas the preaching of God's holy Word is the means ordained by him to lead men living upon this earth to salvation, therefore we the undersigned Elders and Deacons at present constituting the Consistories of the united Nether Dutch Re- formed Churches at Shawangonk and New Paltz in the county of Ulster, province of New York, having learned about the gifts of the Rev. Johannes Mauritius Goetschius, preacher at Schoharey, and being satisfied with the same, and feel like call- ing "Come over and help us," have met together in the fear of the Lord for the purpose of extending this call, and after call- ing upon God's Holy Name we unanimously resolved to call the aforenamed Joh. Mauritius Goetschius, as we are by the present calling him, as our stated Overseer, Pastor and Instruc- tor, to administer the holy office in our aforesaid congregations in conformity with God's Holy Word, and the Reformed doc- trine and the discipline, adopted by the Christian Synod held at Dordregt, anno 1618 & 1619.
And we thus call his Reverence upon the following con- ditions :
I. That his Reverence through God's guidance and good government may come over to us and faithfully administer the holy offices in all portions as befits an orthodox Instructor and Pastor of the Reformed Church of Jesus Christ, publicly call upon the Name of God, preach the Word of God in its purity, administer the holy Sacraments according to the institution of Christ, and instruct the youth once a week in the congregation where his Reverence shall preach on the catechism, earnestly admonish, exercise the church discipline and in every respect
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as much as possible have a good supervision over the Church of Jesus Christ.
2. That his Reverence when in health and the weather per- mitting, shall, from Easter fill the commencement of October, preach twice on every Lord's day in the Church of Shawan- kong and the succeeding Lord's day at New Paltz ; in the fore- noon from some free text out of God's holy Word, in the afternoon from a topic in the Heidelberg catechism; the re- mainder of the year, from the beginning of October till Easter, one sermon on each Lord's day will be sufficient, Shawankong and Pals each to have an equal share of the services.
3. That his Reverence shall conduct services on the Holy days as is customary in the Reformed Dutch Church, each place to receive an equal share.
4. That his Reverence, God willing, shall administer the Lord's holy supper four times per year, twice per year at Shawankong and twice at New Paltz, by turns, as Domine and his Consistory shall decide.
5. That his Reverence before administering each Supper, shall preach a preparatory sermon at the place where he is to administer the same, and to do the house visiting once per year in each congregation.
Upon these afore-named conditions we, the Consistories of the aforesaid congregations of Shawankong and New Paltz in our quality of elders and deacons for us and our successors who shall from time to time hold office after us, promise in all sincerity as long as his Reverence shall be our Pastor and Overseer the following salary or sum of money of eighty pounds current money of the province of New York to be paid annually and every year, each congregation its just half, and whether the salary of £80 shall be paid out in a single pay- ment, or £40 each half year, we shall agree about with your Reverence when coming over to us.
Each Elder and Deacon before being installed in their office shall sign this letter of call, while your salary shall commence as soon as your Reverence shall come among us.
We shall provide your Reverence with a decent house, barn, garden, and ninety acres of land besides a good spring near the house, the same to be provided in and by the congregation of Shawankong, near the church where your Reverence will live, as long as your Reverence shall be with or among us as our Overseer, Pastor, and Instructor.
His Reverence while conducting the services at New Paltz
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shall be provided by the New Paltz congregation with quarters, board and bed.
His Reverence is to find his own fire wood as there is enough of it on the land where he will live.
These promises we, the undersigned Elders and Deacons and our successors, shall pay in the fear of the Lord annually and every year the amount of £80, New York money. [Literal translation of this clause.]
We, then, the Consistories of the aforesaid congregations dedicate this call to and deliver it into the hands of the afore- said Joh. Mauritius Goetschius, desiring and praying that he may accept the same in the fear of the Lord and come over to us with a rich blessing of the Gospel as a member of the Reverend Coetus,
And to show that this our action is sincere and well-inten- tioned we affix our signatures on this 18th of January in the year of our Lord 1760.
ELDERS.
Matheus Terwilge.
DEACONS. Benjamin Smedes, Jr.
Lourenz Alsdorf.
Hermanus Ostrander.
I. Bruyn.
Hugo Terwilliger.
Johannes Beviers.
Sampson Sammons.
Simon Dubois.
Johannes Dojou.
Jacobus Hasbrouk.
Petrus Ostrander.
Johannes Hardenberg.
Jacobus Bevier.
Abraham Lefefer.
APPROBATION.
The Reverend Assembly of the Coetus finds this call correct, and approves the same, in accordance with the desire of the Consistory.
New York, May 6, 1760.
(Signed) B. VROOMAN, p. t. Praes. DAVID MARINUS, p. t. Scriba.
March 17, 1771. The Reverend J. Mauritius Goetschius, Helvitio Figurinus, Instructor of the congregation at New Paltz and Shawenkonk died in the Lord, Sunday afternoon at 4 o'clock in his house at Shawenkonk, and was buried on the 19th inst. in the church at Shawenkonk in the baptistry, aged 47 years.
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Receipt by the widow of Rev. J. M. Goetschius for salary due to her deceased husband.
New Paltz, March 14, 1772. Then received of the Rev. Con- sistory of this congregation the amount of three pounds four shillings, and some time ago the amount of twenty-two pounds six shillings, being my deceased husband's salary in full, and also in full of all accounts up to the present day. I say received by me.
(Signed) CATHRINA GOETSCHIUS. £ 3-4. 22-6. £25-10.
(Translated from Book No. 4.)
Ds. Rynier Van Nest's call [to the Second church of New Paltz].
In the Name and Fear of the Most High Triune God, Amen.
Whereas the preaching of God's Holy Writ in its purity is the God-ordained means to lead men from misery to eternal salvation ;
Therefore, we the undersigned Elders and Deacons at present constituting the Reverend Consistory of the two united Nether Dutch Reformed Congregations of Jesus Christ at Shawengonk, and the Second Church at New Paltz in the County of Ulster and Province of New York, having with much pleasure, heard the laudable gifts of the pious Mr. Rynier Van Nest, Jr., S.S.M.Cand. to whom the inclination and desire of the aforesaid Congregations are calling "Come over, and help us," having met together in the fear of the Lord for the purpose of seriously considering the matter of a call, have unanimously resolved after calling upon God's Name to call, and consequently call by these presents, the aforesaid Mr. Rynier Van Nest, Jr., for our stated Pastor and Instructor, to faithfully administer the holy office among us, in accordance with God's holy Word and the accepted doctrine and disci- pline of the Nether Dutch Reformed Church adopted in and by the National Synod held at Dordrecht, A.D., 1618 and 1619.
And we extend our call to his Reverence on the following conditions :
I. That his Reverence as soon as possible shall submit to a peremptory examination by the Very Reverend General As- sembly of the Nether Dutch Reformed Church of New York
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and New Jersey to be set apart to the holy office with the lay- ing on of hands according to apostolic Reformed usage, and to be confirmed before our congregations.
2. That his Reverence thus having come to us through God's government shall observe all parts of the holy office as befits an orthodox Overseer, Pastor and Instructor of the Reformed Church of Jesus Christ ; publicly call upon the God of heaven, preach the word of God in its purity ; administer the sacra- ments of salvation (heyl-Sacramenten) according to the insti- tution by Christ ; [a word left out in the original] the keys of heaven diligently and prudently besides, and with the Con- sistory, visit the sick, and in every way as much as possible exercise a good supervision over the church of Jesus Christ.
3. His Reverence shall, God willing, from Easter to the be- ginning of October, preach twice on every Lord's day in one of the aforenamed congregations, in the forenoon from some text out of God's holy Word, in the afternoon according to the topics contained in the Heidelberg Catechism ; during the remainder of the year one sermon shall be sufficient. After the sermon his Reverence shall, in the place where it is his turn to preach, teach the youth and others who need it through catechetical exercises. Further catechetical instruc- tion shall be given on such a day during the week as shall be approved of by his Reverence and the Reverend Consistory. The congregation of the Second Church at New Paltz is to enjoy every fourth turn of preaching, the remainder of the time the preaching service shall take place in the congregation of Shawengonk ; on the holydays there will be services accord- ing to Reformed usage.
4. His Reverence shall twice per year administer the Lord's Holy Supper in each of the aforenamed congregations, at such a time as shall be approved of by his Reverence and the Rev- erend Consistory, and God willing, once a year the house visiting shall take place in both congregations.
Upon these conditions we the Reverend Consistories of the two aforesaid congregations in our quality of Elders and Deacons promise for us and our successors who shall from time to time come in after us, as long as his Reverence shall be our stated Pastor and Instructor, the following :
I. We promise to provide his Reverence from the congrega- tion of Shawengonk with a good and commodious dwelling, barn, cistern, garden and ninety acres of land situated close to the church in the congregation of Shawengonk, and the Reverend Consistory of the Second Church at New Paltz
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promises his Reverence decent lodgings and board at the time when the turn to preach there shall come.
2. We promise to pay his Reverence annually and each year by itself the amount of eighty pounds New York current money. By the congregation of Shawengonk the amount of sixty pounds and by the congregation of the Second Church at New Paltz the amount of twenty pounds, so that each congre- gation shall be responsible for its own share, to be paid an- nually in two payments, i. e. the twenty pounds of the Con- gregation of the Second Church at New Paltz in the spring and the sixty pounds of the church at Shawengonk in the fall, which salary shall commence from the day when his Reverence shall deliver his first sermon in one of the aforesaid congrega- tions, after having accepted this call.
3. We promise to allow six Sundays in the year to his Rev- erence to be spent as his Reverence may please, up to the time that the said congregations shall feel able to increase the salary to the amount of one hundred pounds, when the Reverend Consistories expect that his Reverence shall spend the six aforesaid Sundays among the two calling congregations.
4. We promise that every newly elected Elder and Deacon shall sign this call, or an authentic copy of the same, before being installed in their respective offices.
We, therefore, dedicate this call to his Reverence and deliver it up into the hands of the aforesaid Mr. Rynier Van Nest, hoping that his Reverence may accept the same in the fear of the Lord, with a cordial prayer that the good God, the gov- ernor of the World, the appointer of his Ministers, may be pleased to send him to us with a rich blessing of the Gospel.
That we are sincere and well-meaning in this our .Act we certify by our own signatures on this 26th day of April, Anno Domini 1774.
SHAWANKONK. Elders.
Jacobus Bruyn. Dirk Roosa.
Benjamin Van Keure. Jacob Smedes.
Deacons.
Benjamin Terwilliger. Joseph Dekker. Cornelius Schonmaker. Thomas Jansen, Jr.
SECOND CHURCH, NEW PALTZ. Elders.
Roelof Jos. Eltinge. Jacob Dubois.
Deacons.
Isaak Low. Dirk D. Wynkoop.
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These following persons have affixed their signatures to the call in behalf of the Second Church at New Paltz :
(Signed) S SALOMON LOW. SALOMON ELTINGE.
We promise to carry out the conditions of the above call, for the Second Congregation at New Paltz.
(Signed)
ABRAHAM ELTINGE. ( HENDRICUS DUBOIS, Jr.
(Translated from Book No. 3.)
Stephanus Goetchius, son of J. H., born October 25, 1752, having undergone his preparatory examination October, 1775, has accepted the call of the New Paltz in the fear of God, on November 1, 1775.
The call reads as follows :
Whereas, the whole world on account of sin has become condemned before God, and it has pleased God in His infinite mercy to reveal a road to salvation, and to lead the poor sinner to believe in Him through the truth of preaching ;
Therefore, we, the undersigned Elders and Deacons consti- tuting the Consistories of the two united congregations of Jesus Christ at New Paltz and New Hurly, in the County of Ulster and province of New York, having heard with great pleasure the laudable gifts of the Reverend and pious Mr. Stephanus Goetschius, at present licentiate and living just now at Schralenburg, and whom it is the unanimous wish and desire of our congregations to call " Come over and help us," having met in the fear of the Lord for the purpose of con- scientiously considering the matter of a call, unanimously resolved, after calling upon God's name, to call the aforesaid Mr. Stephanus Goetschius as our stated Pastor and Instructor, to faithfully administer among us the holy office, in accord- ance with God's Holy Word, and the formulas of unity and discipline established in the Nether Dutch Reformed Church at and by the National Synod, held at Dordrecht, A.D. 1618 and 1619, as by the present we immediately call his Reverence (Zyn E.) upon the following conditions, viz. :
First. His Reverence shall assiduously and faithfully ob- serve all parts of the holy religion as it befits an orthodox Overseer, Pastor and Instructor of the Church of Jesus Christ ; publicly call upon the God of heaven ; preach the Word of God in its purity ; administer the holy sacraments in accord- ance with the institution of Christ ; impart necessary instruc-
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tion in the catechism to the youth, on each day where it shall be his Reverence's turn to preach ; therebesides his Reverence shall, as often as possible, catechise during week days in both congregations, and thus, in every way, as much as possible, shall exercise due supervision over the church of Jesus Christ.
Second. His Reverence, when in good health and with the will of God, from Easter till the end of September shall preach twice per day on each Lord's day in one of the aforenamed places ; in the forenoon upon some text from the Word of God, in the afternoon according to the topics suggested by the Heidelberg Catechism ; the remaining time preaching once on every preaching day shall suffice, with the proviso that his Reverence is required by the present to preach only once on every Lord's day or other preaching days during the first year of his Reverence's ministry as aforementioned.
New Paltz shall receive twice as much service as New Hurley, so that New Hurley shall only receive one third portion of the service, which service shall be performed by turns in the congregations in such a manner that not on three successive Sundays services shall take place in one congregation. On the holy days services shall be held according to Reformed custom.
Third. His Reverence shall administer the Lord's holy Supper twice per year in each of the two aforesaid congrega- tions, and shall do the house visiting once per year in both congregations.
Upon these conditions we, the Consistories of the above- named congregations, in our quality of elders and deacons, promise for ourselves and our successors, who from time to time shall come in after us, as long as his Reverence shall be our regular Overseer, Pastor and Instructor, the following, viz .:
Firstly. We promise to provide his Reverence with a good dwelling fit for a preacher with kitchen, barn, cistern, garden and sixty acres of land ; the house, barn, and larger portion of the land being situated near the church in the congregation of New Paltz. His Reverence will also be provided with fit lodg- ings and refreshments at New Hurley by the said congregation at the time of his turn to preach there.
Secondly. We promise to give his Reverence six Sundays in the year to do with as he pleases, from the share of the con- gregation at New Paltz, to be spent where his Reverence shall deem it necessary. This the Consistory of New Paltz alone promises.
Thirdly. We promise to pay your Reverence annually and all years the amount of ninety pounds of money current in
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New York, viz., the congregation of New Paltz the amount of fifty-six pounds ten shillings, and the congregation of New Hurley the amount of thirty-three pounds ten shillings, so that each congregation is responsible for its share, to be paid annually in two installments, i. e., one of the said congrega- tions to pay in the spring, the other in the fall, and the whole of this salary shall commence from the day that he shall deliver his introductory sermon in the abovenamed congregations.
We, therefore, dedicate this call to his Reverence and deliver the same into the hands of the said Mr. Stephanus Goetchius, wishing that his Reverence may accept the same in the fear of the Lord, with the heartfelt prayer that the good God, the gov- ernor of the world, the appointer of his servants, may be pleased to send him to us with a rich blessing of the Gospel.
That this is our sincere and cordial opinion we confirm by affixing our seals and own signatures this 24th day of Septem- ber, 1775.
Actum at New Paltz.
CONSISTORY OF NEW HURLEY.
CONSISTORY OF NEW PALTZ.
Dirk Teerpenning, Johannes Hardenberg,
Petrus Ostrander, Andries Lefever,
Hermanus Ostrander,
Jacob Hasbrouck, Jr.,
Jacobus Roos, Jr.,
Jacob Frere, Jr.,
Teunis Teerpenning,
John Terwilger,
Cornelius Masten,
Johannes Frere, Jr.,
Jan Teerpenning,
Benjamin Doio.
Johannes Parleman.
Executed in the presence of me as Moderator (Consulent), September 24, 1775, at Schawangong.
RYNIER VAN NEST, JR., V.D.M.
The above call has been approved by the Reverend particu- lar Assembly of Dutchess and Ulster Counties, on this 26th day of May, 1777.
Ds. RYSDYK, Ds. RYNIER VAN NEST.
Addition to, or Revision of, his Reverence's letter of call made on September 1, 1784.
In the name of the Triune God, Amen.
Whereas the whole world is condemned before God, and it has nevertheless pleased Him in His infinite mercy through the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to urge the sinner to believe and to lead him to salvation.
Therefore, we Elders and Deacons constituting the Consis-
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tory of the Collegiate Reformed congregations of Jesus Christ at New Paltz and New Hurley in Ulster County and State of New York, well knowing the laudable gifts of our present Pastor and Instructor, Stephanus Goetschius, fearing his Reverence's departure and the sad consequences of a pastorless condition, being met together and having considered the matter in the fear of the Lord, join our voices to those of the congregation, and call out to him :
" Remain with us, and help us."
· And in order to show this to be our sincere opinion we promise in our quality of consistories of the aforesaid congre- gations, for us and our successors, to pay his Reverence annually and each year besides the amount stipulated in his Reverence's letter of call the amount of twenty-four Pounds New York current money, viz., from the Congregation at New Paltz sixteen pounds, and from the Congregation of New Hur- ley eight pounds.
Upon the following conditions :
I. In case his Reverence, having been called by Meniscenc, shall remain with us, and observe the church services in every part as is required in the office of a faithful Pastor and Instructor, as has been stipulated in the call.
2. Nor shall the Consistory be responsible after the date of these presents for the losses in his Reverence's call through death or his removal up to the present time.
[The above is very obscure in the original ; it may mean that death or removal of those who subscribed towards the salary may affect the minister's salary.]
3. The aforenamed amount shall be payable on November 1, 1785, and so in every year besides the money mentioned in the call.
4. The money shall be collected by the aforenamed Consis- tories, and the persons having subscribed corn shall be notified to annually deliver the same at his Reverence's house.
That this is our sincere intention we certify through our seals and with our signatures this September r, 1784.
CONSISTORY OF NEW PALTZ. CONSISTORY OF NEW HURLEY.
Abram Lefever.
Johannes Bovier.
Jacob Hasbrouck.
David Ostrander.
Daniel Lefever. Dirk Wynkoop, Jr.
Cornelius Vernoy, Jr.
Jacob Terwilger.
Dr. George Wirtz.
Lawrence Alsdorph, Jr.
Hugo Frere, Jr.
Ezechiel Masten.
Jacob I. Frere.
Abram Steenberg.
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The Reverend Stephen Goetchius removed later on to Mar- bletown, and the congregations of New Paltz and New Hur- ley on March 23, 1799, called the Rev. John H. Meier, Cand. Sac. Min. to the pastoral care of said congregations. The call is in English and copied in Book 3 of the original.
The following entries were translated from a book, labelled " Account Book " :
In the year of our Lord 1766, the 29th day of Angust, some Christian inhabitants of the village of New Paltz and the neighborhood thereunto belonging, assembled together and resolved to build a church on the southern extremity of the land of Noach Eltinge, named the Great Piece on the "Hoog- tentje " to the West of the Royal road and near the Great Parcel gate (Stuck heck), viz .: A church or house of Bint- werck* and thirty feet square, the walls to be drawn up with clay and wood and to be covered with boards on the outside, a shingle roof, and with room enough to make a gallery in the same if necessary, and further to finish the whole in a becom- ing manner. And in order to finish this work we have thought fit to systematically proceed until the work shall be completed.
I. A subscription list shall be drawn up of what every one will give towards the building of this church, whether money or anything else.
2. And after the list shall have been made up, those who have given promises shall select three men for managing this work. They shall have authority to build the aforesaid church as they think fit, according to the aforesaid subscriptions, but in conformity with this order. In case the subscriptions are insufficient they shall send out men for the purpose of getting more for the building of that house or church, and in case they cannot get enough to finish it, the aforenamed three men shall finish it, and each subscriber to the list shall be obliged to pay in proportion to his promise until the church shall be completed.
3. And these aforenamed three men shall choose an over- seer for this work and shall from time to time as they see fit give him written instructions about what to do in building the aforesaid church.
This overseer shall be obliged to execute the orders given him by these men in building the aforesaid church, and after having executed the orders he shall, from time to time, send in his accounts to them. And thus they shall give orders, and he shall render account from time to time until the work shall be completed.
* A bint is a joint or cross beam.
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4. And in case this overseer should happen to die or move away, or not submit correct accounts, the aforesaid men shall select another, and the former overseer shall be obliged to ac- count to the newly appointed overseer, and to surrender all things belonging to the aforesaid church to the newly elected overseer, and this shall be adhered to from time to time, at the appointment of new overseers.
5. These three men shall also have power to make regula- tions in the church after the same shall be completed, provid- ing always that those regulations are not contrary to the regulations of the Christian Reformed Churches, adopted by the National Synod last held at Dordrecht, in the years 1618 and 1619. And after the work shall have been completed the above named three men shall andit all the overseer's accounts and he shall be obliged to fully account for everything and to sur- render to them everything belonging to the aforesaid church, and thereupon they shall discharge him.
6. When they know the total expense, they shall put the total cost equally upon the seats, and shall invite those whose names are on the subscription list to appear on a fixed day and hour in the aforesaid church, and shall then be just to whom- soever they owe places or to their heirs, and shall sell the places at vendue. Those having given much shall be repaid in places and in no other manner, and those having given little shall add thereto in case they buy a seat or seats which cost more than they have subscribed. But no place shall be sold at less than the estimated cost.
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