USA > New York > The earliest churches of New York and its vicinity > Part 7
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In the year 1754, King's College received a charter, by which, as we have noticed, its head is always to be a member of the Church of England, and its prayers are to be always used. Some provision for additional funds was made by lotteries, as once the fashion in New York : and soon after, the trustees unanimously chose Dr. John- ston president of the new college. The institution re- ceived another benefaction of five hundred pounds ster- ling from the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. with also a bequest from Dr. Bristowe of London, of his library -- fifteen hundred volumes : and, finally, another legacy, from Mr. Murray, of ten thousand pounds cur- reney-then twenty-five thousand dollars. He was a lawyer of great eminence in New York, about the middle of last century, and Attorney-General of the Province.
* Mr. King has recently in igned, and the Rev. Dr. Baraard takes ins place.
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After the erection of the college building, and the purchase of its philosophical apparatus, the trustees found it impossible to carry out its liberal plans without encroaching on the permanent funds. To avoid this, collections were made in England for the joint use of this and a Philadelphia college, which produced for King's six thousand pounds sterling.
What numbers of useful, learned, and professional men have since graduated from its venerable classic halls ! The president was assisted by his son, William John- ston, and Mr. Cutting, a graduate of Cambridge, and Mr. Treadwell, of Harvard, Massachusetts, who became Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. He died in 1760, and was succeeded by Mr. Robert Harper, a graduate of the Glasgow University.
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CHAPTER VIII.
IN 1685, THE JEWS REFUSED PERMISSION OF PUBLIC WORSHIP BY THE CITY AUTHORITIES-CHURCHES IN GOVERNOR DONGAN'S ADMIN- ISTRATION-PETITION OF THE JEWS-SYNAGOGUES BUILT IN BALTI- MORE AND RICHMOND -- BURIAL-PLACE IN 1672-FIRST SYNAGOGUE BUILT IN MILL STREET -JEWISH FAMILIES NEAR IT -HARMAN HENDRICKS-REV. GERSHOM ISAAC JESHURUN PINTO-MR. SEIXAS- THE RABBIS-NAMES OF THE PRESENT TEMPLES-JEWISH WORSHIP -THE HOLY LIGHT.
WHAT a wonderful people are the Jews ! Of course. they have no churches : but, wherever Christians are to be found, they appear also, and, if not forbidden by law or persecution, ereet their synagogues. Among the early settlers of New York, came some Israelites ; and although they petitioned for liberty to enjoy public worship, according to " Moses and the Law," they were refused by the city authorities in 1685. In Governor Andros's description about the ". Plantacons for New Yorke," he says: " There are Religions of all sorts, one Church of England, several Presbiterians and Indepen- dents, Quakers, and Anabaptists of severall seets, some Jews, but presbiterians and Independ's most numerous and Substantiall. . . . There are aby 20 Churches or Meeting places, of web above halle vacant, thier allow- ance like to be from 40% to 70" a yeare and a house and garden. Not Beggars but all poore cared for. If good Ministers could be had to goe theither might doe well
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and gaine much upon those people .- 16th of Ap. 1678." *. Such was the state of religion in our infant city one hun- dred and eighty-five years ago, and such the style of its royal English Governor.
Nine years afterwards Governor Dongan reported that, "Every Town ought to have a Minister. New York has first a Chaplain belonging to the Fort, of the Church of England ; Secondly, a Dutch Calvinist, third- ly, a French Calvinist, fourthly, a Dutch Lutheran- there bee not many of the Church of England ; fow Roman Catholics : abundance of Quakers preachers men (a) Women especially : Singing Quakers, Ranting Quakers ; Sabbatarians; Antisabbatarians: Some Ana- baptists, some Independents ; some Jews ; in short of all sorts of opinions there are some, and the most part of none at all. . . . The most prevailing opinion is that of the Dutch Calvinists." . " But as for the Kings natural-born-subjects that live on long Island (a) other parts of the Government, I find it a hard task to make them pay their Ministers.
"THO. DONGAN."+
Some thirty years after this, we find a " Petition of Abraham De Lucena, Minister of the Jewish Nation," to his Excellency, Governor Hunter. It " SHEWETH, That yor Petitioners, Predecessors, Ministers of the Jow- ish Nation, resideing at the City of New York, by rea- son of their ministerial ffunction, have from time to time beene Exempted by y" Government, not only ; from bearing any Office Civil of Military within this City : * Lond. Doc. III.
+ Lond. Doc. V.
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but likewise beene excus'd from severall Duties and Services Incumbent upon the Inhabitants of this city. Wherefore yor Petitioner most humbly beggs yor Excel- lencies care of him (in Consideration of his ministeriall ffunction) That hee may likewise be excused from all such Offices, duties and services, and be allowed the like Priviledges and advantages within this city, as have formerly beene Granted to his said Predecessors, as Ministers aforesaid.
"ABRAHAM DE LUCENA. "New York, 13th Sept' 1710."
Compared with other people, there are not very large numbers of Jews in America ; still, they are found in every section of the Union. About 1660, probably, they made their earliest settlement in New Amsterdam ; and these, doubtless, were Spaniards and Portuguese, who had first fled to Holland from the bloody Inquisition. Shortly before the American Revolution, a congregation of Jews assembled in Newport, Rhode Island ; but. after the peace of 1783, they began to leave-some set- tling in New York, some in Richmond, Virginia, and other places. In Pennsylvania, Israelites were found long before the Revolution. but no regular congregation was formed until the one in New York.
In Maryland, the Jews wore formerly excluded from equal rights of the people, but these disabilities wore removed, and a large congregation formed in Baltimore. About LES0, two synagogues were founded in Rich- mond, Virginia. The Jews have no ecclesiastical author- gaities in America, except the congregations themselves. Milch makes its own rules of government, elects its own
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minister, who is appointed without any ordination, and he is inducted into office by election, for a term of years, or during good behavior, according to the will of the majority. All the congregations make provision for their poor; and hence, among us, it is a rare thing to see an Israelite asking alms.
There is some evidence that a Jewish congregation did assemble for worship, according to their own forms, before the close of the seventeenth century. A burial- place was procured, very soon, in Oliver street, where monuments still stand, with epitaphs, inseribed as early as 1672. This ground was the gift of Noe Willey, Lon- don, to his three sons, merchants in New York, to be held forever as a burial-place for the Jewish people. The generous Hebrew, however, could not govern futu- rity, and this trust was violated, like other charitable legacies sometimes, in our day. Part of the ground was sold, not many years since, for building purposes-the Tradesmen's Bank occupying some of its space on Chatham street, and the New Bowery running through it. The small portion left, now separated from New Bowery by a plain iron railing, is quite full of Jewish graves and headstones. The earliest minutes of the Jewish congregation in New York are dated 1729, and written in Spanish and English, but reference is made to previous minutes of 1706.
On Mill street, not now existing, the first synagogue was placed- a small frame building : and this was sie- ceeded by a solid. neat stone temple in 1729-30. Its dimensions were thirty-six by fifty-eight feet. Here the Israelites continued to worship Jehovah in their own 7
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way for nearly a century. While the fathers descended to the grave, their children occupied their vacant places before the ark.
New Yorkers of the last fifty years remember this little lane or street, about where the present Beaver street runs. Its name was derived from a mill built on a little brook of water, where, it is related, the Jewish women performed their ablutions. For very many years this neighborhood was a favorite section for Jewish resi- dents. Here were located the families of Abrams, Laza- rus, Levy, Seixas, Meyers, Hendricks, Gomez, Juday, Noah, Isaac, Nathan, Hart, &c .- all well-known names. Harman Hendricks, the great copper merchant, a few doors from this spot, made his immense fortune; and when he died, twenty years ago, it was estimated at three millions of dollars. His three sons continue the same business in the same place, on Broad street, where they have remained fifty years. He was a decided Israelite ; and when he left the world the synagogue lost one of its best worshippers. No man stood higher in our comnumity. He used to boast that in all of his immense money operations, no one could accuse him of taking more than legal interest, and that, in this respect. he strictly kept the law of Moses. Some will say this was rare for a few, but very rare now among Christians. on Wall and William streets.
In 1833, the Jews selling their property on Mill street, created a spacious and elegant synagogue in Crosby street, with dwellings for the sexton and minis- ter. We have not ascertained the names of the earliest Jewish ministers; one, however, was the Rev. Gershom
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Isaac Jeshurun Pinto, who died in the year 1766, but it is not known how long he officiated. He was succeeded by the Rev. Gershom Mendez Seixas, who came from Philadelphia with a number of Jews, served the temple for fifty years, and then descended to the tomb in 1827. The Rev. Isaac B. Scixas, a nephew of the former, fol- lowed him, continuing until his decease, October 15. 1839. We need trace the line no further. Thousands among us, Jews and Gentiles, remember these well- known "Rabbis," whose duty it was to pray, preach, and interpret the Law in the synagogues. In the great "Exodus" from Europe to our land, large numbers of Israelites arrive-so that they have, probably, ten or twelve sacred temples in our city. They all bear strik- ing and beautiful Hebrew names: Anshi Chescd, The Men of Benevolence ; Shaary Shomaim. The Gates of Heaven ; Rod of Shalom, The Pursuers of Peace; Im- manuel, God with us; &c. Another most magnificent and costly temple has recently been finished in Six- teenth street.
Born within sight of the old Mill Street Synagogue. among our earliest impressions are seenes connected with it. The venerable Rabbi, reading out of the Book of the Law : his splendid robes of office and long, flow- ing beard ; the men, with their silk scarf : the females latticed in the gallery, and the whole congregation chanting aloud in Hebrew, were sights and sounds to leave lasting remembrances upon a youthful mind. 1 narrow private lane ran from Beaver to Mill street, and upon its eastern side stood the old temple : and very often have I looked in at the window to see if the
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"Holy Light" was burning before the altar. I never saw it extinguished ; and the rumor then was, that the lamp must be taken to the nearest synagogue, which was at Philadelphia, "to be re-lit." This over-burn- ing little Jewish light was the wonder and mystery of the First Ward, among its youngsters, and some old folks, too.
Alas ! alas ! Unbelieving Jew ! The sacred fire which first fell down from heaven upon the altar of the Taber- nacle was thence transferred to the Temple, and pre- served, unextinguished, until the destruction of this sacred edifice. Then the holy flame, so long watched, day and night, by the priests, went out forever! And what need have we of this ever-burning light? The Temple, with all its glories, has passed away. But the . Christian, now, has access to God on the mercy-seat daily in prayer. The high-priest, under the law, only enjoyed this precious privilege annually, when within the veil, at the mercy-seat, and here God communed with him from between the cherubim.
"We have no such lengths to go." We know where he "waiteth to be gracious ;" the eternal throne now is the mercy-seat, and the blood of Christ our introduction and plea. The pious Jews only possessed " shadows of good things to come." whereas we have, in our closets of prayer and churches, the " good things" themselves.
In Deuteronomy (iii. 61) we read : " And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from one end of the earth even unto the other." What a most striking proph- ecy, foretelling the calamities of the people of Israel in consequence of their departure from God! All these pre-
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dictions have been fulfilled and are now receiving their fulfilment. Even in modern times, we have authentic accounts that three thousand Jews, old and young, men and women, went away from Spain, on foot, in one day, not knowing whither to go. Some reached Portugal, others Navarre, where they encountered many calami- ties. What stronger proof can any man desire of the fulfilment of Divine Truth? How they affect others, we know not, but they amaze and astonish us beyond ex- pression. In this condition they are to remain until the veil is removed from their hearts, and they again turn to the Lord their God.
NEM
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CHAPTER IX.
LUTHER'S NAME A WAYMARK IN THE CHURCH-TWO CENTURIES AGO A LUTHERAN CONGREGATION IN NEW YORK-REV. JACOB FABRI TIUS-BUT FOUR CLERGYMEN OF THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH IN NEW NETHERLANDS-CONFORMITY ATTEMPTED -THE LUTHERANS AND BAPTISTS TROUBLED -- WILLIAM HALLET FINED FIFTY POUNDS, AND A BAPTIST PREACHER ONE HUNDRED POUNDS, AND ORDERED FROM THE COLONY-REV. ERNESTUS GOATWATER BANISHED -- GOV. STUYVESANT CENSURED FOR HIS PERSECUTIONS-IN 1664 NEW AMSTERDAM BECOMES NEW YORK-LUTHERANS ERECT A CHURCH, 1702-REV. BARNARDUS ARENTIU'S ITS PASTOR-REV. JACOB FAB- RITIUS-IHS SUCCESSORS-SWEDISH SETTLEMENT ON THE DELA- WARE-IN 1710, THREE THOUSAND PALATINES ARRIVE IN NEW YORK -- CHURCH BURNED IN 1776-GRACE (EPISCOPAL) CHURCH OCCUPIES THE SPOT -- REV. MR. MUHLENBERGH-SWAMP CHURCHI -DR. KUNZIE-SHAEFFER-STROBEL-GEISSENHAINER-DR. MILLE- DOLER IN GERMAN REFORMED CHURCH, NASSAU STREET.
MARTIN LUTHER'S name has now become a striking waymark in the history of the world and the Church. It has immortalized him and his age, for from the cell of his monastery dawned truth which shall shine more and more, with increasing brightness, until its perfect day. The Lutheran is an ancient, honored. and efficient branch of the Redeemer's kingdom on the earth ; and we learn from the Dutch records at Albany, that a church of the Augsburg confession was established in New York as early as the year 1663, just two centuries ago. The same record also states that the Rev. Jacob Fabritius, Lutheran minister at New York, was fined twice for
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some misdemeanors. It is not known what these were, but in 1675 he was forbidden to preach in the province.
Our Dutch forefathers, it must be admitted, at an early day were stern in some of their religious views. Up to the year 1656, through all the vicissitudes of New Netherland, conscience seems to have enjoyed comparative repose. Some, who were persecuted in New England for its sake, could come here and wor- ship God, the Creator of all, according to the wishes of their own minds. New Netherland was now, for a time, to lose this great honor. Governor Stuyvesant seems to have forgotten, at the moment, the tolerant and wise policy which enriched and ennobled his father- land, by making it the asylum of the persecuted from all climes. This was more essential in a new country, but he unfortunately was persuaded to follow the un- happy example of his more eastern Puritan neighbors. A public proclamation condemned those who presumed to preach without an appointment by the Dutch ecclesi- astical authority. As "numberless heresies and schisms" would arise from such conventieles, such were positively forbidden, as they differed from the established religion, propounded by the ". Synod of Dort,"-" which was not only lawful, but commanded by the Word of God." A fine of one hundred pounds Flemish was imposed upon al' unlicensed preachers; and all persons, malo and female, married or single, attending the meetings, and listening to their exhortations, were subject, each to a penalty of twenty-five pounds. This was the first penal law against the blessed freedom of conscience that disgraced the statute-book of New Netherland, and was
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passed to "promote the glory of God, the increase of the Reformed religion, and the peace and harmony of the country."*
It must not here be forgotten that, at the period of this unwise enactment, the Dutch jurisdiction extended only over Delaware, two settlements on the North River, New Amsterdam, Oostdorp, in Westchester, with eight villages on Long Island. There were but four clergy- men of the "Established Church" in the province-one at Beaverwick and two at the Manhattans, with the Rev. Mr. Polhamus, who ministered in the villages of Breuke- len, Midwout, and Amersfoort. The other towns got along in religious matters the best way they could. Those of Gravesend were Mennonists, rejecting infant baptism, the Sabbath, and the preacher altogether, "say- ing that through these entered all sorts of contention into the world."
Under such circumstances, and in such a country, the government determined to build up an Established Church and enforce conformity. It did not, however, attempt to accomplish this work by introducing more orthodox clergymen, but by bills of pains and penalties, fines and banishment-evils so familiar in all religious persecutions.
The Lutherans were first troubled. At an early period the directors in Holland were solicited to allow this svet the liberty to elect their own pastor, with the free exer- cise of their own faith and worship, in New Netherlands. This, however, was refused, with orders " to employ all moderate exertions to lure them into our Churches, and
$ Alb. Rec., vii., 355-357.
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to matriculate them in the public Reformed religion." But of what avail is moderation where conscience inter- poses her scruples ? Fathers, contrary to their princi- ples, were compelled to attend the baptism of their children in the Dutch Church, and, with the sponsors, to declare their belief in the truth and doctrines promul- gated by the Synod of Dort ! They objected, and many, consequently, were imprisoned ; complaints followed to Holland, when Governor Stuyvesant was censured, and the Lutherans were then allowed to exercise their reli- gion "in their own houses." Still they demanded unin- terrupted freedom in their worship, but the Director- General declared his intention to enforce the law against conventicles .* Similar harsh measures were adopted in Beverwyck against the same sect.
The Baptists next experienced the severity of the law. At Flushing, William Hallet, the sheriff, "dared to col- lect conventicles in his house, and to permit one William Wickendam to explain and comment on God's Holy Word, and to administer sacraments, though not called thereto by any civil or established clerical authority." Hallet was removed from office for this offence, fined fifty pounds, and, failing to pay, he was to be banished. The Baptist preacher, who "maintained that he was commissioned by Christ, and dipped the people in the river," wvas fined one hundred pounds, and also ordered from the colony. But he was "a poor cobbler from Rhode Island," with a wife and family ; so the line was remitted, but the remainder of the sentence was rigidly enforced.+ Up to this period the Dutch congregations
* Alb. Rec., iv., 212; viii, 170, &c. + Alb. Rec., xiii., 274-7.
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of New Amsterdam had been superintended by a "ziek- entrooster," or comforter of the sick, when a clergyman now arrived. This was the Rev. Everardus Welius, commissioned on the 9th of March, 1657; he was the first Dutch minister in New Amsterdam, arriving there the same year.
At the same period came the Rev. Joannes Ernestus Goetwater, a Lutheran, with a commission from the con- sistory at Amsterdam, to act as pastor to the Lutherans at the Manhattans. He was immediately cited before the tribunals and forbidden to exercise his calling, and or- dered to leave the province. As he was sick, however, he could not comply with this severe and unchristian order, but was put on the limits, and finally compelled to embark for Holland.
These early religious persecutions continued several years, especially against the Quakers on Long Island. Retributive justice at length visited the Director-General himself. His brother-in-law's sister, Judith Farlath, lay imprisoned in Hartford, charged with being a witch, when the orthodox Governor Stuyvesant was com- pelled to implore for her that Christian forbearance which he had refused to others. A dispatch, too, came to him from the Directors at Amsterdam, severely con- suring his persecuting course. " In the youth of your existence." they said. "you ought rather encourage than check the population of the colony. The con- sciences of men onght to be free and unshackled. so long as they continue moderate, peaccable, inoffensive and not hostile to the government. Such have been the maxims of prudence and toleration by which the magistrates of
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this city have been governed; and the consequences have been, that the oppressed and persecuted from every country have found among us an asylum from distress. Follow the same steps, and you will be blessed."* Wise, noble, and holy sentiments for glo- rious old Protestant Holland ! From this time the Dutch persecutions ceased in New Amsterdam. In 1664, during profound peace, New Amsterdam was wrosted from its rightful owners by the violation of all publie justice and public law. This outrage was fur- ther increased by imposing upon our State the name of one unknown in history, only as a bigot and tyrant-the enemy of religious and political liberty. Thus New Netherland became New York.
At this period the city contained about fifteen hundred inhabitants, and the only church was the Dutch Re- formed, built by Director Kieft, within the fort at the Battery. The service of the Church of England was now introduced, and Governor Nicolls, who appears to have been a man of liberal views, allowed the Lutherans to erect a church and to send to Europe for a preacher, a privilege vainly sought from Stuyvesant. Availing teenselves of this offer, they built a small church in 1702, when the Rev. Barnardus Arentius became the pastor. The edifice was on the corner of Rector street ail Broadway, and remained until the Revolutionary period. Some accounts state that the carliest minister was Jacob Fabritius, who arrived in 1669, and, after eight years' labor, connected himself with the Swedish Jetherans at Wicaco, now Southwark, Philadelphia.
* Alb. Rec .. iv., 127, &c.
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Here he preached fourteen years, nine of which he was blind, and died in 1692 .* The names of his immediate successors we have not discovered; but, from 1703 to 1747, the pastors were the Rev. Mr. Falkner, Berken- mayer, Knoll, Rochemdahler, Wolf, Hartwick, and oth- ers. The next Lutheran settlement was made by the Swedes, on the Delaware, in the year 1636, a colony sanctioned by the enlightened and illustrious monarch, Gustavus Adolphus. For many years this Christian colony prospered ; but the English language prevailing, the churches, amounting to three or four, fell into Epis- copal hands. There were more Germans than Holland- ers in the New York congregation ; hence half of the services were performed in German and half in Low Dutch. In 1710, some three thousand Germans, chiefly Lutherans, went from the Palatinate to England, and the next year were sent by good Queen Anne to New York. At the great fire in September, 1776. this church was consumed, and not rebuilt, the ground remaining unoc- cupied until 1805, when the Episcopalians purchased it and erected " Grace Church" on the spot.
The year 1742 was memorable in the history of the Lutheran Church in America. from the arrival of the Rev. Henry Melchior Muhlenbergh. Ilis high intel- lectual and moral qualities : his indefatigable zeal, and long life of zealous labors for his Master's cause, have entitled him to the appellation of patriarch in the Amer- ican Lutheran Church.
Some years before the burning of the old church on Broadway and Rector street, another Lutheran congre-
* Rupp's Religious Denominations, p. 379.
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BAPTIST CHURCH, FAYETTE ST., NEAR OLIVER ST.
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