Class VV2.3__ 
 
 PRESENiEn m- 
 
 'O-^rkA-/ 2- 
 

NORTH DUTCH CHURCH. 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE 
 
 Icfonneln fxol pntrlj QEIjuwl) of ^Ibant), 
 
 DELIVERED ON 
 
 THANKSGIV^ING DAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1857, 
 
 THE NORTH DUTCH CHURCH, 
 
 BY THE PASTOR, 
 
 REV. E. P:1^0GERS, D. D. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY REQUEST OF CONSISTORY. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 BOARD OP PUBLICATION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 REPORMED PROTESTANT DUTCH CHURCH. 
 337 BROADWAY. 
 
 1858. 
 
■' ' 7-. 
 
 ' mix ^80& 
 
 MUNSELL, PRINTER, ALBANY. 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 Walk abottt Zion, and go round about her; tell the lowers 
 thereof. Mark ye well her buhoarks, consider her palaces; that 
 ye may tell it to the generation following. — Psalm xlviii: 12, 13. 
 
 Thus does the pious psalmist exhort us to 
 note with zealous care, the history and charac- 
 ter of the Church of God. To trace out that 
 history, to record her progress, to take note of 
 God's dealings with her from time to time, and 
 testify to her advancement and triumph, is a 
 grateful task, and a solemn duty. Especially 
 when that history runs over the track of centu- 
 ries, should this duty be discharged. For as 
 the river widens its channel, and bears richer 
 freight on its bosom,: as it flows farther and 
 faster from its source, so as we follow the his- 
 tory of the Church down the stream of time, 
 we find it richer in interest, and more deeply 
 laden with the treasures of the Divine presence 
 and blessing. 
 
And what is true of the church at large, is 
 no less true of individual churches and congre* 
 gations. We regard it as the solemn duty of 
 every church to keep a faithful record of its 
 history, and to afford the opportunity to suc- 
 ceeding generations to know something of its 
 origin, its progress, its vicissitudes, its foes, 
 its struggles and its triumphs. The ancient 
 Jews were required " to instruct their children 
 that they might convey throughout all genera* 
 tions the history of those Divine interpositions 
 and mercies with which they had been fa- 
 vored." And the obligation is no less binding 
 upon Christian churches, thus to keep in per- 
 petual remembrance the dealings of God with 
 them for the information and encouragement of 
 succeeding generations. 
 
 Impelled by such considerations, I have 
 undertaken to prepare in a concise and sum- 
 mary form, a sketch of the history of the Re- 
 formed Protestant Dutch Church of Albany, 
 being the Church witli which we are happily 
 connected in our several relations as pastor, 
 officers, families and communicants. I have 
 sought to make this brief, but comprehensive, 
 including all the main facts in our history, so 
 far as they could be gathered from accessible 
 
sources, but going slightly into details which 
 would swell the sketch into dimensions utterly 
 beyond the limits afforded by the present occa- 
 sion. 
 
 Before proceeding, however, to the history, 
 let us notice for a moment the name and the 
 origin of the Church to which we belong. Our 
 name is " The Reformed Protestant Dutch 
 Church of Albany." We are the Protestant 
 Dutch Church, because we are descended from 
 those in the sixteenth century, who boldly pro- 
 tested against the authority of the pope, and the 
 false and unscriptural tenets and practices of 
 the Church of Rome. We are the Reformed Pro- 
 testant Dutch Church because we are of those 
 who differed from some of the early Protestants, 
 and from Luther himself, on some points, par- 
 ticularly in respect to the presence of the hu- 
 manity of Christ in the Holy Supper. We are 
 the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church, be- 
 cause we are descended from that branch of the 
 Reformed Church which was organized in 
 Holland. Our doctrinal standards and polity 
 are derived primarily from the action of those 
 who met at Antwerp in 1563, "and adopted a 
 system of principles and rules which laid the 
 foundation, and in a great measure formed the 
 
full texture of church government and order 
 adopted by subsequent synods." 
 
 We bear a name, every word of which is 
 connected with the grandest historical associa- 
 tions and the noblest memories of the past. It 
 associates ns with some of the brightest names 
 in the catalogue of God's illustrious servants. 
 It dates back more than three hundred years, 
 to the day when six princes of the German em- 
 pire made their manly protest against the 
 decrees of the Diet of Spires, and associates us 
 with that glorious era, when, at the command 
 of God, light, the light of the Reformation, 
 illumined the dark ages and brought freedom 
 to imprisoned souls. It connects us with 
 such illustrious names as Wessel Gansevoort 
 and Rudolf Agricola;* as Luther, Calvin, Zuin- 
 glius, Knox, Cranmer and others, who labored 
 with zeal and devotion in the cause of God's 
 truth in Germany, Switzerland, France, the 
 Netherlands, Scotland and England. And it 
 connects us with that land which was first re- 
 deemed from the jaws of the sea by the energy 
 and industry of its inhabitants, and afterwards 
 became the centre of commerce, the mistress 
 of the seas, and the arena for the noblest exhi- 
 
 * See Appendix, Note A. 
 
bitions of pare patriotism, heroic courage, 
 sublime fortitude and martyr devotion to the 
 right which the world has ever witnessed. 
 Our Mother Church was distinguished in that 
 day for the profound learning of her theolo- 
 gians, the devotion of her pastors, the purity of 
 her creed, and the scriptural beauty of her forms 
 of worship. She opened her arms freely to 
 welcome the fugitive Huguenot, the outlawed 
 Jew, and the exiled Puritan. She sheltered in 
 her bosom the wanderer from the valleys of 
 Piedmont, and the mountains of Scotland. She 
 had drank of the bitter cup of persecution, and 
 the sufferer for conscience sake, though a 
 stranger to her land and her dialect, was ever 
 hailed as a brother in their common Lord. It 
 is needless to speak of the learning of her 
 scholars, the genius of her artists, the prowess 
 of her warriors. They have all hewed out for 
 themselves enduring niches in the Temple of 
 Fame. 
 
 Such are the associations and the memories 
 connected with our name and origin. And it 
 is worthy of notice, that those noble men who 
 landed on Plymouth Rock, and to whom this 
 western world owes so much, came from their 
 own land by way of the land of your fathers, 
 
8 
 
 where for twelve years they found a safe retreat 
 from persecution, and enjoyed the Christian 
 hospitality of their Dutch brethren. That 
 twelve years of sojourn in the Netherlands 
 might have been no unimportant portion of the 
 training of the Pilgrims, for the work which lay 
 before them on the rocky shores of New Eng- 
 land. 
 
 In the autumn of 1609, Hendrik Hudson 
 anchored his little vessel in the river which 
 bears his name, opposite the bank on which now 
 stands the city of Albany. In 1614, six years 
 before the landing of the Mayflower at Ply- 
 mouth, trading posts were established here and 
 at New York, then Fort Orange and Manhattan. 
 The first permanent agricultural colony was 
 established in New Netherlands in 1623. In 
 1630, a tract of land around Fort Orange was 
 purchased by Kilian Van Rensselaer, and a 
 colony was at once planted here of which he 
 was the head, or patroon. Kilian Van Rensse- 
 laer, was a merchant of Amsterdam, a dealer in 
 pearls, and a director in the Dutch West India 
 Company. The tract purchased by him of the 
 Indians was twenty-four miles long and forty- 
 eight broad; ,containing over 700,000 acres 
 of land, lying now in Albany, Rensselaer and 
 
9 
 
 Columbia counties. This gentleman seems 
 to have regarded the institutions of religion 
 as a very essential element of prosperity for 
 his colony, and his first eftbrts were directed 
 towards their establishment and support. In 
 the year 1642, he secured the services of 
 the Rev. Johannes Megapolensis, who was at 
 that time the pastor of two congregations in 
 Holland, and in good repute as a man of learn- 
 ing and piety. The call which was sent to Do- 
 mine Megapolensis, states that " By the state of 
 navigation in the East and West Indies a door 
 is opened through the special providence of 
 God, also in New Netherlands for the preach- 
 ing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for the salva- 
 tion of men, as good fruits have been already 
 witnessed there through God's mercy."* It 
 was signed by the president and scribe of the 
 Classis of Amsterdam, in Classical Assembly 
 at Amsterdam, March 22d, 1642. 
 
 The salary which the domine was to receive 
 for the six years of pastoral labor which was 
 stipulated, was 1100 guilders ($440), 22| bush- 
 els of wheat, and 2 firkins of butter per an- 
 num for the first three years, and if his labors 
 
 * See Appendix, Note B. 
 2 
 
10 
 
 were satisfactory to the patroon, he was to re- 
 ceive an additionalamount of 200 guilders ($80), 
 per annum for the succeeding three years. In 
 addition to this he was to receive $120, by way 
 of outfit, and a free passage and board for him- 
 self and family to his new field of labor. A 
 house was also to be provided for him on his 
 arrival at Rensselaerswyck. It was also stipu- 
 lated that in case he was captured by the 
 Dunkirkers on the passage, measures were to be 
 taken immediately for his ransom, and a certain 
 sum allowed monthly for his support. In case 
 of his death before the expiration of the six 
 years, provision was to be made for the support 
 of his family till the end of that term. These 
 provisions may be called just and liberal, and 
 they show conclusively that the then head of 
 the colony duly estimated the value of the in- 
 stitutions of religion, and the services of a pious 
 and learned ministry. 
 
 Having accepted this call, Domine Megapo- 
 lensis embarked for this country with his wife 
 and four children, of whom the oldest was four- 
 teen and the youngest eight years of age, and 
 arrived on the 11th of August 1642. He was 
 then in the thirty-ninth year of his age, and 
 consequently was just in his prime. His cha- 
 
11 
 
 racter while a minister in Holland was that of 
 " a good, honest, and pure preacher." In the 
 call from the Classis of Amsterdam he is styled 
 " a faithful servant of the Gospel of the Lord." 
 He must have been a man of zeal and devotion 
 of more than ordinary character, to have been 
 willing to leave a sphere of usefulness and 
 honor in his native land, for the perils of the 
 sea and the toils and privations incident to a 
 new and savage country. Ko attractive pros- 
 pect of ease or honor awaited him, on the 
 banks of the far distant Hudson. A small 
 colony in an unknown land, in the midst of 
 savages, and subject to all the perils and dis- 
 comforts of pioneer life, was to be his field of 
 labor. Yet we find him ready at the call of 
 his classis to break the ties which bound him 
 to his native land ; to part from two churches 
 with whom he was happily connected, and 
 with a spirit worthy of a true Hollander, to 
 come, the apostle of a pure Christianity, to 
 these western shores. 
 
 Domine Megapolensis remained during the 
 six years of his agreement, faithfully discharg- 
 ing the duties of his office. He not only labored 
 among the colonists, but took a great inte- 
 rest in preaching to the Indians. Numbers of 
 
12 
 
 these resorted to Fort Orange for the purposes 
 of trade, and the domine learned their lan- 
 guage, and preached the Gospel to them, seve- 
 ral years before the celebrated Eliot began his 
 labors among the Indians in New England. 
 He was the author of a treatise on the Mo- 
 hawks, which was afterwards published in 
 Holland. His efforts among them were crown- 
 ed with much success. At a later date the 
 names of many baptized Indians are found in 
 the early records of the Church, the fruits of 
 the labors begun by the worthy domine who 
 was its first pastor, and the first missionary to 
 the red men of the forest.^ 
 
 His term of service having expired. Dr. Mega- 
 polensis left the colony to return to the father- 
 land. On his arrival at New Amsterdam (now 
 New York) he was prevailed on by Gov. Stuy- 
 vesant to remain there in place of Domine 
 Backerus, who had returned to Holland. The 
 representations of the governor, of the spiritual 
 destitution prevailing in New Amsterdam had 
 such weight with the domine, that he con- 
 sented to remain, and labored more than twenty 
 years as senior pastor, being assisted from 1664 
 to 1668 by his son Samuel, who was educated 
 
 * See Appendix, Note C. 
 
13 
 
 both in divinity and medicine, and who re- 
 turned to Holland a short time before his 
 father's death, which occnred in 1670, in the 
 sixty-seventh year of his age. 
 
 The first house of worship in Albany, was 
 built on the arrival of Dr. Megapolensis. It 
 stood near the fori, in what is now called 
 Church street. It was a plain wooden building, 
 thirty-four feet long by nineteen wide, furnished 
 with a pulpit ornamented with a canopy, pews 
 for the magistrates and church officers, and 
 nine benches for the people. In this simple 
 structure the congregation worshiped thirteen 
 years. 
 
 The second minister of the Church at Albany 
 was the Rev. Gideon Schaats. He was born in 
 1607, and was at first a schoolmaster in Hol- 
 land. Having received ordination, he was sent 
 to this country in 1652, in company with the 
 Rev. Samuel Drisius, a man of great learning, 
 who was able to preach in Dutch, English and 
 French, and who became a colleague of Dr. 
 Megapolensis at New Amsterdam. Dominie 
 Schaats was forty-five years of age when he 
 arrived in this country, and he labored here for 
 more than thirty years. He died in a good old 
 age leaving three children, the eldest of whom, 
 
14 
 
 a son, was killed at the great massacre in 
 Schenectady, Feb. 10, 1690. His remaining 
 children, a son and married daughter, are sup- 
 posed to have outlived their father many years. 
 The house in which Domine Schaats resided, 
 stood on the north-east corner of North Pearl 
 and State streets. It is said to have been im- 
 ported from Holland, bricks, wood-work, tiles, 
 and ornamental irons with which it was pro- 
 fusely adorned, expressly for his use, in the 
 same vessel which brought over the pulpit and 
 the bell, for the new Church. It stood from 
 1657 to 1832, and was for some time the resi- 
 dence of Balthazar Lydius, a grandson of 
 Domine Lydius, Avho died in 1815, aged 78 
 years. 
 
 Four years after the settlement of Mr. Schaats 
 the congregation erected their second house of 
 worship. It was built at the intersection of 
 what is now State street with Broadway. It 
 is supposed by some that this building was of 
 stone, but we find that in 1714 a petition was 
 addressed to Governor Hunter, then governor 
 in chief of the province of New York, which 
 purports to be "The humble petition of Petrus 
 Van Driesen, Minister of the Nether Dutch lie- 
 formed Congregation of the city and county of 
 
15 
 
 Albany, and the Elders and Deacons of the said 
 Congregation," which states in substance that 
 the Church which was built in 1656, "being 
 built of timber and boards, is by time so much 
 decayed that they find themselves under neces- 
 sity of building a new one in its place," and 
 concludes by praying his excellency " to ap- 
 prove and encourage this pious work.""^ 
 
 It would appear from this that the building 
 was of wood. The corner stone was laid by 
 Rutger Jacobsen, one of the magistrates of the 
 city, and the ancestor of the venerable lady, 
 now a member of this Church, who has become 
 distinguished by her munificent patronage of 
 astronomical science.f As this was an edifice 
 intended to last for many years, the congrega- 
 tion determined that the pulpit should come 
 from the same noble land, from which its oc- 
 cupants were imported. So they sent to Hol- 
 land for an oaken pulpit and a bell, both of 
 which in due season arrived, and were erected 
 in their appropriate places. The old pulpit, 
 after having been occupied for a period of one 
 hundred and fifty years by a succession of able 
 and faithful pastors, is still preserved in this 
 
 * See Appendix, Note D. f Mrs. Blandina Dudley. 
 
16 
 
 edifice, a fine specimen of architectural propor- 
 tions and workmanship, and an interesting and 
 valuable memorial of the past. 
 
 In 1675 we find that the Rev. Mr. Niewen- 
 huysen (or Niewenhuyt) was a colleague with 
 Mr. Schaats, but I have not been able to learn 
 any particulars of his history. During his 
 ministry Rev. Nicholas Van Renssalaer (or 
 Ranslaer) arrived in Albany, and set up a claim 
 to the pulpit, and also to the manor: neither 
 of which claims were successful. He was not 
 approved by the Classis of Amsterdam, and was 
 moreover strongly suspected of being a papist 
 in disguise. He however had the governor on 
 his side, Sir Edmund Andross, to whom he had 
 been recommended by the Duke of York, and 
 who endeavored to obtain for him a living in 
 the Church. Mr. Niewenhuysen stoutly resisted 
 this attempt, and suffered much oppressive 
 treatment in consequence, at the governor's 
 hands. The people however sympathized with 
 him and refused to acknowledge Mr. Van 
 Renssalaer as a minister, or admit his claims 
 to any consideration from his clerical cha- 
 racter. 
 
 In 16S3 the Rev. Godfreidus Dellius, was 
 
PULPIT OP THE OLD CHURCH, 
 Built in Holland, 1656. 
 
17 
 
 sent out as assistant to Domine Schaats, who 
 was now upwards of seventy-five years of age. 
 There are no church records prior to this date 
 extant in any connected form, but in this year 
 the Register of Baptism begins, which has con- 
 tinued to be kept with much accuracy down to 
 tlie present day. Mr. Dellius found the Church 
 large and flourishing. It contained among its 
 catechumens and its communicants some of 
 the Indians in the vicinity, and large additions 
 were made during the sixteen years of his 
 ministry. It is said that the baptisms during 
 this period reached the astonishing number of 
 eleven hundred. The list of members in 1683, 
 in the hand writing of Mr. Dellius, amounts to 
 between six and seven hundred. It is interest- 
 ing in looking over this list to notice how 
 many of the names still are found among the 
 present members, having come down in un- 
 broken succession from the godly men and 
 women of two hundred years ago."^ 
 
 At a meeting of the magistrates of the town, 
 liolden August 13th, 1683, the following resolu- 
 tions were adopted: 
 
 " Resolved, That a letter be written to the 
 
 Venerable, Pious, and very Learned the Minis- 
 
 * See xVppendix, Xote E. 
 3 
 
18 
 
 ters and members of the very Rev. the Classis 
 of Amsterdam, assembled at Amsterdam, sin- 
 cerely thanking their Rev. for their Fatherly 
 care, in sending over the Rev. Pious and 
 Learned Dom. Goddefridus Dellius, with whom 
 the congregation is highly pleased. 
 
 " Resolved, Also to write to Sieur Richard Van 
 Renssalaer and Sieur Abel D'Wollff to thank 
 them heartily for the trouble they have taken, 
 in finding out the Rev. Pious and Learned 
 Dom. Goddefridus Dellius, who arrived here on 
 the 2d inst. to the great joy of every one, and 
 whose preaching was heard with the greatest 
 satisfaction and contentment." 
 
 Mr. Dellius remained with the Church for a 
 period of sixteen years, and sailed for Holland 
 in 1699. 
 
 In 1699, Dominie Johannes Petrus Nucella, 
 began his labors, which continued only three 
 or four years. The date of the first baptisms 
 administered by him is Sept. 3d, 1699. During 
 his ministry the rite of baptism was administer- 
 ed as far down the river as Kinderhook, as the 
 sacrament of the Lord's supper had been ad- 
 ministered by his predecessor at Schenectady 
 four times a year. Very little is known of the 
 
19 
 
 peculiar character of Mr. Nncella, or of the 
 results of his ministry in Albany, His connec- 
 tion with the congregation seems to have termi- 
 nated in 1702. 
 
 The next minister was the Rev. Johannes 
 Lydius, who commenced his labors in 1703. 
 Like his predecessors, Domine Lydius seems 
 to have interested himself much in the instruc- 
 tion and conversion of the Indians. There is 
 mention made of his having labored among the 
 tribes of the Five Nations, and of his receiving 
 from the governor and council pecuniary com- 
 pensation for such labors. He died on the 1st 
 day of March, 1710. In a letter written by the 
 Rev. Thomas Barclay, an Episcopal minister 
 at Albany in that year, to the secretary of " the 
 ^Society for the propagation of the Gospel in 
 foreign parts," he mentions Domine Lydius 
 in terms of high commendation, speaking of 
 him as an intimate friend, and fellow laborer, 
 and mentioning that by his death the Dutch 
 Church and about thirty Indian communicants 
 have been left without a pastor. Domine 
 Lydius left a son, John Henry Lydius, a promi- 
 nent Indian trader in the colony of New York, 
 who retired to England in 1776, and died at 
 
20 
 
 Kensington near London in 1791, in the ninety- 
 eighth year of his age.* 
 
 After the deatli of Domine Lydius, the 
 Church continued without a pastor for about 
 two years. During this time, however, they 
 were not entirely destitute of the preaching of 
 the word, or the administration of the sacra- 
 ments. The Rev. Gualterus Du Bois, who was 
 a minister in the Church in New York for fifty- 
 one years, and who is described as a man of 
 high character, and greatly beloved by his peo- 
 ple, visited Albany in 1710, and preached and 
 administered the sacraments. Also the Rev. 
 Petrus Vas, who died at Kingston, performed 
 ministerial labors here in 1731. The names of 
 both these ministers are found on the Register 
 of Baptisms of the above dates. 
 
 In 1712 the Rev. Petrus Van Driessen was 
 called to the pastoral charge of the congrega- 
 tion. During his ministry a new edifice was 
 built for the use of the Church, which is well 
 remembered by some of the older members of 
 this congregation. It was built of stone with 
 a steep, pyramidal roof, and belfry surmounted 
 with a weathercock, and was for its day quite 
 
 * Doc. His. of New York, Vol. Ill, p. 893. 
 
OLD DUTCH CHURCH ON STATE STREET. 
 
21 
 
 an imposing edifice. It was built around the 
 old Church, which was taken down and carried 
 out piecemeal after the walls of the new build- 
 ing were raised and covered. It is said that 
 the services of public worship were interrupted 
 only three sabbaths by reason of this removal. 
 The new Church was of massive architecture, 
 and solid workmanship. Each of its windows 
 contained the coat of arms of some one of the 
 families of the congregation, in stained glass. 
 Several of these are still preserved, and one espe- 
 cially may be seen in excellent preservation at 
 the residence of Mrs. Dudley. The seats around 
 the walls were occupied by the respectable old 
 burghers, the heads of families, among whom 
 were some whose names have been distinguish- 
 ed in the history of the state. On the west 
 side, were the seats occupied by the governor 
 and the magistrates of the city. On the right 
 and left of the pulpit, were the members of the 
 consistory ; conspicuous among them was the 
 voorlezrr or clerk, a very important functionary, 
 who opened the services of the sabbath by the 
 reading of a few texts of Scripture, the ten 
 commandments, another chapter of the Bible, 
 and the singing of a Psalm, the number of 
 which was displayed on a tablet hung at the 
 
22 
 
 side of the pulpit, in sight of the congregation. 
 The seats in the body of the house were oc- 
 cupied by the females, and the large galleries, 
 which extended on three sides of the edifice, 
 were appropriated to the younger male mem- 
 bers of the congregation. It was the custom 
 in those days for the minister to enter during 
 the singing, and before ascending to the pulpit 
 to stand a moment at the foot of the stairs in 
 silent prayer, a custom which Avas certainly 
 highly appropriate. In front of the desk of the 
 pulpit was placed the hour glass, and our fathers 
 would hardly have thought that the domine 
 gave them good measure if he closed his dis- 
 course till the last sands had fallen. It is not 
 often in these days that our hearers complain 
 of the brevity of our discourses. 
 
 For ninety-one years the old stone Church 
 stood as the centre of devotion, and place of 
 worship for the Church of Christ in Albany. 
 There your pious parents loved to go to worship 
 God in simplicity and godly sincerity. There 
 they listened with reverent attention to the 
 preaching of the Word. There they sat down 
 at the sacramental table, and commemorated 
 the love of their blessed Saviour. There they 
 carried their children to receive the rite of bap- 
 
^^I 
 
 23 
 
 tism in the name of the adorable Trinity. -^ 
 From that temple they were called to the purer 
 and nobler worship of heaven. Fifty-one years 
 have rolled away since that old building was 
 taken down. There are but few left who were 
 familiar with the venerable and time honored 
 structure. It is fast becoming only a thing of 
 tradition. Very soon the last of the smiling \ 
 babes, who received baptism at its font, will be ^ qs.**^ 
 borne a gray haired man, to the silent grave. But c4 
 the results of what transpired within its walls 
 for nearly a century, Avill last as long as the 
 eternal throne of God endures, i "^'*" 
 
 During the ministry of Mr. Van Driessen, a 
 petition was presented to the Hon. Peter Schuy- 
 ler, president, and the rest of his majesty's 
 council of the province of New York, for an act 
 of incorporation. The petition is dated 3d day 
 of August, 1720, and is signed by Petrus Van 
 Driessen, minister; Johannes Cuyler, Johannes 
 Roseboom, Hendrik Van Rensselaer and Wil- 
 liam Jacobse Van Deusen, elders ; and Rut- 
 gert Bleecker, Volkert Van Veghten, Myndert 
 Roseboom and Dirk Ten Broek, deacons of the 
 Reformed Protestant Dutch Congregation in the 
 city of Albany.* 
 
 * See Appendix, Note F. 
 
24 
 
 The petition was successful, and an act of 
 incorporation was granted to the Church under 
 the title of the " Minister, Elders and Deacons 
 of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in 
 the city of Albany," bearing date August 10th, 
 1720. 
 
 Mr. Van Driessen continued in the pastoral 
 charge of the congregation till his death, which 
 occurred about February 1st, 1738, having 
 labored with zeal and fidelity for a period of 
 twenty-six years. The Church at Kinderhook 
 was organized by him in 1712, and the Church 
 at Claverack in 1716. 
 
 In 1733, five years prior to the death of Do- 
 mine Van Driessen, the Rev. Cornelius Van 
 Schie was settled as his colleague. Mr. Van 
 Schie had previously labored in Poughkeepsie 
 and Fishkill. He survived his colleague but 
 six years, and died August 15th, 1744, aged 41 
 years. His last sermon was from Rev. ii, 10: 
 "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give 
 thee a crown of life." 
 
 The next pastor was the Rev. Theodorus 
 Frelinghuysen. He entered upon his labors 
 about 1745. He was the son of the Rev. Jaco- 
 bus Theodorus Frelinghuysen, a native of West 
 Friesland, who came to this country in 1720, 
 
fopit'fl from t/iy (.frfz/ir/f// /n pussessfini r'/'/Z/f ITrrft/r// /•i/////7y. 
 
25 
 
 and settled in New Jersey about three miles 
 west of New Brunswick. He was a man of 
 sound evangelical views, and a bold and earnest 
 preacher. He had five sons, all of whom be- 
 came ministers; and two daughters, both of 
 whom became the wives of ministers. His 
 second son, Johannes, succeeded his father at 
 Raritan, in 1750, but died in 1754, in the 28th 
 year of his age. He was the grandfather of 
 the Hon. Theodore Frelinghuysen, president of 
 Rutgers College. His oldest son, Theodorus, 
 was the pastor of the Church at Albany. 
 He is said to have been a man of more than 
 ordinary excellence. His temper was ardent 
 and his manners frank and popular. In the 
 pulpit his preaching was earnest and eloquent, 
 while his pure and spotless life, when out of it, 
 illustrated and enforced his teachings. For fif- 
 teen years he labored beloved and respected by 
 all, and probably no pastor was ever more 
 deeply seated in the confidence and affections 
 of his flock. 
 
 About this time, a regiment of royal troops 
 was stationed in Albany, whose gay and youth- 
 ful officers introduced quite a new order of 
 things into the staid and quiet circles of the 
 city. Parties, balls, and theatrical entertain- 
 
26 
 
 ments kept the families of the honest burghers 
 in a continual state of flutter and excitement. 
 The good domine in all sincerity, but perhaps 
 in not the most judicious manner, took the field 
 against these seductive innovations. He ad- 
 monished, he preached, he prophesied, he even 
 denounced, but with all his authority and elo- 
 quence and goodness combined, he could not 
 exorcise from the community the rampant 
 spirit of gaiety and fashion. There is a tradi- 
 tion that after having preached an unusually 
 earnest sermon against the follies and fashions 
 of the day, the good domine found at his door 
 on the following Monday morning, a pair of 
 shoes, a staff", a silver dollar and a loaf of bread. 
 He conceived that this was an intimation that 
 he was desired to depart, and determined at 
 once to leave. However this may be, it is 
 quite probable, that supposing that his influence 
 was decidedly weakened, and being a man of 
 peculiar sensitiveness, he withdrew from his 
 charge, and with a grieved and humbled spirit 
 took passage for Holland, in 1760, to visit his 
 native land, and return again to the scene of 
 his labors. He however never returned, and is 
 said to have been lost overboard on the passage. 
 A mystery hangs over his real fate, but the 
 
27 
 
 good people of Albany long mourned his de- 
 parture and cherished his memory with the 
 deepest affection. 
 
 Domine Frelinghuysen was succeeded in 
 the pastoral office by the Rev. Eilardus Wes- 
 terlo, a name connected with many interesting 
 and tender associations in the history of this 
 Church. He was born in the city of Gro- 
 ningen, in October, 1738. His father, Isaac 
 Westerlo, was pastor of the Church at that 
 place. He was named after his maternal 
 grandfather, Eilardus Reiners, who was also a 
 clergyman and pastor of the Church at Dalen, 
 a village in the province of Drenthe. He was 
 designed by his parents from his early youth for 
 the ministry of the Gospel, and having spent six 
 years in the Latin school at Oldenzaal, he was 
 admitted in his 16th year to the University at 
 Groningen, where he remained also six years, 
 and prepared himself for examination and ad- 
 mission to the holy office of the ministry. 
 
 It was just at this time, when he was but 
 twenty-two years of age, that a call from this 
 Church was most unexpectedly placed in his 
 hands. After due deliberation, and with the 
 earnest advice of his instructors at the uni- 
 
28 
 
 versity, he decided to accept it. He was ac- 
 cordingly examined and approved, and in 
 March, 1760, was installed in Holland as min- 
 ister of this Church. He arrived here and 
 entered upon his duties in the autumn of that 
 year, and soon had reason to believe, that in 
 removing to this city he had chosen the path of 
 duty. 
 
 Dr. Westerlo was a m.an of more than ordi- 
 nary religious feeling. About eight years after 
 the commencement of his labors, he fell into 
 a state of great despondency and fear as to his 
 personal hopes. After a time of severe self-ex- 
 amination and earnest prayer, he obtained re- 
 newed hope and peace. He always considered 
 himself to have undergone a great change at 
 this time, and frequently spoke of it as a most 
 interesting and eventful period of his lile. He 
 was on very intimate and friendly terms with 
 several distinguished ministers and private 
 Christians, and derived much edification and 
 enjoyment from correspondence and fellowship 
 with them. Among these were the Rev. Drs. 
 Livingston, Laidlie, Rodgers and Mason, of 
 New York ; and Dr. Meyer, pastor of the 
 Church at Esopus, and afterward of New Jer- 
 
29 
 
 sey ; also Mrs Livingston, mother of" the late 
 Chancellor Livingston, and other pious indi- 
 viduals in humbler life. 
 
 In 1775 he was married to the widow of 
 Stephen Van Rensselaer, then Patroon of the 
 Manor of Renssalaerswyck. She had three 
 sons, Stephen, whose memory is still precious 
 in this Church and city ; Philip, who was for 
 seventeen years mayor of Albany ; and Eliza- 
 beth, who married for her first husband, John, 
 a son of Gen. Philip Schuyler, and afterwards 
 the late John Bleecker. From the time of his 
 marriage till 1784, he resided at the Manor 
 House. At that time he removed to the par- 
 sonage which stood in Broadway, on the site 
 now occupied by the building known as 
 Bleecker Hall. 
 
 Dr. Westerlo was decidedly in favor of dis- 
 solving the ecclesiastical connection which at 
 that time bound the Dutch Church in this 
 country to the jurisdiction of the ecclesiastical 
 courts in Holland, and of an independent 
 organization, by which the training, ordination 
 and installation of ministers, and other church 
 business could be transacted here, by our own 
 ecclesiastical courts. In the discussion of this 
 question, which agitated the whole Church 
 
30 
 
 deeply, and which was debated with earnest- 
 ness if not with acrimony for several years, he 
 took a prominent part. The separation was 
 finally made in 1772.=^ 
 
 Dr. Westerlo was also a warm patriot. 
 During- the Revolution, he took strong ground 
 on the side of independence, and at that cri- 
 tical period just prior to the surrender of Bur- 
 goyne, he held special religious services in the 
 Church daily for a week, imploring the inter- 
 position of God in behalf of our army, and ani- 
 mating and encouraging the people by his 
 prayers and exhortations. He was assisted in 
 these services by his distinguished friend, Dr. 
 John H. Livingston, who was also his brother- 
 in-law,f and who spent much time in Albany 
 and its vicinity during the progress of the war. 
 
 Up to this time all the religious services in 
 the Church were in the Dutch language. The 
 importance of introducing the English, was 
 however more and more felt, and in 1780, Dr. 
 Livingston was called as colleague to preach in 
 that language, but declined the invitation. In 
 1782, Dr. Westerlo began to preach half the 
 day in English. 
 
 * See Appendix, Note F. 
 f They married sisters. 
 
31 
 
 In this year General Washington visited 
 Albany and had a public reception. An address 
 on that occasion was delivered by Dr. Westerlo 
 as the minister of the Church, and president of 
 the consistory. The last sermon which Dr. 
 Westerlo preached was from the 65th Psalm, 
 4th verse : "Blessed is the man, whom thou 
 choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, 
 that he may dwell in thy courts : we shall be 
 satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even 
 of thy holy temple." 
 
 He died on the 26th December, 1790, in the 
 53d year of his age. The event was somewhat 
 sudden, though his health for some time had 
 not been good. It excited the deepest feeling 
 throughout the congregation. A letter written 
 by Dr. Livingston to Dr. Meyer soon after, says : 
 " His disease at first affected his mind, and 
 rendered him very melancholy, but it pleased 
 the Lord to remove all his fears and distresses; 
 his mind became serene, and he was cheerful, 
 established, and rejoicing in Ihe Lord till his 
 last moments. His house was filled with his 
 people, who came from all parts of the city to 
 see him, and he left them with his blessing in 
 such a solemn manner, that it is thought he 
 did as mych good in his death as in his life. 
 
32 
 
 Blessed are the dead, who die in the Lord ! O 
 that we may die the death of the righteous, 
 and our last end be like his." 
 
 Dr. Westerlo left two children, a son Rens- 
 salaer, who was at one time a member of 
 congress, and a daughter Catherine, who mar- 
 ried the Hon. John AVoodworth, who still 
 survives her. 
 
 He was a man of solid learning, especially 
 in the classics, of imposing presence, and 
 gentle and dignified manners. Few ministers 
 have maintained a higher standing in the 
 Church, or a deeper place in the aflTections of 
 the people. The late Harmanus Bleecker, in a 
 sketch for Rev. Dr. Sprague's work, which 1 
 have been kindly permitted to see, and from 
 which much of the foregoing account of Dr. 
 Westerlo has been derived, says in closing 
 the sketch : " Indeed so omnipresent was his 
 religion, so engrossing his piety, that his ha- 
 bitual state of mind seemed to be one continued 
 prayer, and his life an unbroken offering of 
 praise." 
 
 In 1787, the Rev. John Bassett was settled as 
 colleague pastor with Dr. AVesterlo. He was 
 born in Bushwick, L. I., October 1, 1764, and 
 educated in Columbia College, N. Y. His 
 
33 
 
 tlieological studies were pursued under Dr. 
 Livingston, and he was ordained and installed 
 here, November 25, 1787. In December, 1S04, 
 he retired from his pastoral charge to the Boght, 
 and afterwards to his native place on Long 
 Island, where he died, September 4, 1824, in 
 the 60th year of his age. He left five children, 
 four of whom still survive. Upon his retirement 
 from this Church, the consistory voted to pay 
 him an annuity of $562-50 for the term of his 
 natural life. 
 
 Mr. Bassett was a man of extraordinary eru- 
 dition. He was an excellent Hebrew scholar, 
 and excelled in classical learning. He always 
 had several young men in liis family, and under 
 his instruction. He was a sound and edifying 
 preacher, though not gifted with great vividness 
 of imagination or eloquence. He had many 
 warm friends in the congregation, who deeply 
 regretted his departure. 
 
 The congregation at this time, as might be 
 supposed, had grown to be very large and power- 
 ful. The population of the city was about 5,000. 
 The Church having been in existence for nearly 
 150 years, the members of the congregation 
 could not be accommodated in the old stone 
 
 building, and it was decided to build a new 
 5 
 
34 
 
 one. The corner stone of this edifice was laid 
 June 12, 1797. It was solemnly dedicated to 
 the worship of Almighty God, January 27, 1799. 
 The dedicatory discourses, on the occasion, 
 were preached by the two pastors; Rev. Mr. 
 Bassett, in the morning, from the 84th Psalm, 
 1st and 2d verses ; and the Rev. Mr. Johnson, in 
 the afternoon, from the 4th verse of the same 
 Psalm. At that time this street presented a 
 very different aspect from that which it wears 
 at present. From State street, the unpaved 
 and grassy road was lined Avith the ancient 
 Dutch dwellings, with their gable ends and 
 weathercocks, very different from the fine 
 modern residences, which are now the homes of 
 some of our most respectable citizens. Conspi- 
 cuous among the old buildings, was the Vander 
 Heyden palace, which stood about where the 
 Baptist Church now stands. It was built in 
 1725, and taken down in 1833, and was one of 
 the most imposing buildings of its day. But 
 this Church edifice was in striking contrast to 
 the buildings which then surrounded it. It 
 rose in its massive and commanding proportions, 
 the finest specimen of ecclesiastical architect- 
 ure then in the city, and still the largest protest- 
 ant house of worship, and showing, after sixty 
 
35 
 
 years, how faithfully it was constructed. It will 
 now outlast many of the more showy edifices, 
 which are at this day rising through our country^ 
 Its interior has been twice modified ; once in 
 1820, when this pulpit was erected, and again 
 in 1850. 
 
 In 1796, the Rev. John Barent Johnson was 
 called to become colleague pastor with Mr. 
 Bassett. He was born at Brooklyn, L. I., 
 March 3, 1769. His father's name was Barent 
 Johnson, of Dutch descent, a farmer in pros- 
 perous circumstances. His mother was Maria 
 Guest, daughter of Capt. John Guest, of New 
 Brunswick, who commanded a vessel which 
 sailed from New York to Antigua. He lost both 
 his parents before he was nine years old, and 
 was brought up by a cousin, who was his father's 
 executor. In his 17th year, while attending 
 school at Flatbusli, he became acquainted with 
 the Rev. Dr. John H. Livingston, who was 
 spending the summer there. Dr. L. discovering 
 that he was a youth of much more than ordi- 
 nary talents, encouraged him to commence a 
 course of liberal studies, and kindly offered to 
 receive him into his own family, and superin- 
 tend his education. This offer was gratefully 
 accepted, and he was soon prepared to enter 
 
college. In 1788 he entered Columbia College, 
 and in the same year became a communicant 
 in the Reformed Dutch Church. After his 
 graduation he studied theology with Dr. Liv- 
 ingston ; was licensed by the classis of New 
 York, April 21, 1795, and preached his first 
 sermon on the succeeding sabbath in that city 
 for the Rev. Dr. Kuypers. 
 
 On the 5th of June, 1796, Mr. Johnson was 
 ordained tothe workof the ministry, and settled 
 as colleague pastor with Mr. Bassett over this 
 Church. His ordination sermon was preached 
 by Mr. Bassett. 
 
 In 3 802, Mr. Johnson was called to the Re- 
 formed Dutch Church in Schenectady, and also 
 to that in Brooklyn. He decided to remove to 
 the latter place. He preached his farewell 
 sermon to this Church, on the 26th of Septem- 
 ber, 1802, and was installed in Brooklyn, on 
 the 24th of the following October. Among 
 other marked features of this sermon, which 
 was a very able, earnest and eloquent dis- 
 course, is a fine tribute to the Heidelberg 
 catechism, and a plea for its faithful and re- 
 gular exposition in our churches. His health, 
 which was much impaired before his removal 
 from Albany, now began to fail rapidly, and the 
 
37 
 
 death of his wife, which occured in March, 1803, 
 contributed to hasten his own. He died at the 
 house of his brother-in-law, Peter Rosevelt, 
 Esq., in Newtown, August 29, 1803. He left 
 three children, two of whom still survive, in 
 the ministry of the Episcopal Church; one at 
 Jamaica, L. L, and another a professor in the 
 Episcopal Theological Seminary in JNew York. 
 From a sketch of Mr. Johnson, from the pen 
 of Hon. Teunis Van Vechten, for Rev. Dr. 
 Sprague's work on the American Pulpit, we 
 learn, that he was a man of unusually prepos- 
 sessing personal appearance, and easy and 
 graceful manners. " His countenance had an 
 expression of great benignity, united with high 
 intelligence. His manners were bland and court- 
 eous, and predisposed every one who saw him 
 to be his friend ; and his countenance and 
 manners were a faithful index to his disposition. 
 He was acknowledged, on all hands, to possess 
 an uncommonly amiable and generous spirit. 
 He had the reputation of an excellent pastor. 
 He mingled freely and to great acceptance with 
 all classes of people. He was particularly 
 attentive to the young, and had the faculty of 
 making himself exceedingly pleasant to them ; 
 this I know from personal experience. 
 
38 
 
 As a preacher he was undoubtedly one of 
 the most popular in the Dutch Church at that 
 day. Of his manner in the pulpit, I retain a 
 very distinct recollection. His voice was a 
 melodious one, and though not of remarkable 
 compass, yet loud enough to be heard with 
 ease in a large church. His gesture was natu- 
 ral and effective, and sometimes he reached, 
 what I should think, a high pitch of pulpit 
 oratory." 
 
 At the death of General Washington the 
 legislature of the state, then in session, 
 requested of the consistory the use of this 
 Church for the celebration of appropriate fune- 
 ral services, and invited Mr. Johnson to deliver 
 the eulogy on that occasion. The service was 
 accordingly held Feb. 22d, 1800, and as might 
 be supposed, was one of unusual interest and 
 solemnity. The Church was hung with black, 
 and crowded by a mourning people. The 
 oration by Mr. Johnson was a masterly effort, 
 and produced a great sensation. It was pub- 
 lished by vote of both houses, Hon. Stephen 
 Van Renssalaer, being then president of the 
 senate, and Hon. Dirck Ten Broeck, speaker 
 of the house. Mr. Van Vechten says of it : 
 " The exordium was spoken of at the time, as 
 
30 
 
 a rare specimen of eloquence, and the whole 
 performance was of a very high order. I speak 
 with confidence concerning this, as it was 
 published, and I have had the opportunity of 
 reading it, since I have been more competent 
 to judge of its merits than I was when it was 
 delivered." 
 
 Mr. Van Vechten closes his sketch of Mr. 
 Johnson in these words : " He left an excel- 
 lent name behind him, and the few who still 
 remember him, cherish gratefully the recollec- 
 tion of both his gifts, and his graces." 
 
 After the removal of Mr. Johnson, the Church 
 made two unsuccessful attempts to secure a suc- 
 cessor in the pastoral office. In Sept., 1802, a 
 call was sent to the Rev Henry Kollock, of 
 Elizabelhtown, and in Dec, 1802, to the Rev. 
 Philip Milledoler, of Philadelphia, both of which 
 were declined. In 1803, Rev. William Linn, 
 was engaged as temporary supply, and con- 
 tinued to serve the Church for several years. 
 
 At the removal of Mr. Bassett in 1804, the 
 Church was left entirely without a pastor. 
 In the meantime it had grown to be one of the 
 largest and most influential congregations in 
 the state. In Feb., 1805, a call was sent to 
 Rev. Edward D. Griffin to become the pastor, 
 
40 
 
 which was declined. A meeting of the Great 
 Consistory was called afterwards, to deliberate 
 upon its interests and to consider the subject 
 of calling a pastor. They met on the 27ih of 
 May, 1S05. Forty-nine members were present. 
 The names of all of them are on record, and it 
 is worthy of remark that of these forty-nine 
 names, there are only six names which may 
 not now be found in the congregation, although 
 only one of the individuals who composed the 
 meeting yet survives.* At this meeting it was 
 decided to call the Rev. John Melancthon 
 Bradford to the pastorate of the Church. He 
 was required to preach but once on each sab- 
 bath during the first year of his settlement, and 
 in case of his marriage was to receive an 
 addition to his salary'. 
 
 Mr. Bradford was born in Danbury, Conn., 
 May 15, 1781. He was the son of the Rev. 
 Ebenezer Bradford, then pastor of the Congre- 
 gational Church in Danbury. His collegiate 
 education was received at Brown University, 
 R. I., where he graduated with honor. He 
 then pursued his theological studies with the 
 Rev. Dr. Green of Philadelphia, one of the 
 most distinguished ministers of the Presbyterian 
 
 * The venerable Jacob Ten Eyck, Esq., of Whitehall. 
 
41 
 
 Church, who was his maternal uncle. He was 
 called to the pastoral charge of the Church in 
 May, 1805, and having accepted the call was 
 ordained to the office of the ministry, and 
 installed pastor of the Church. The ordination 
 sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. Linn of 
 New York. 
 
 Dr. Bradford continued in the pastoral 
 charge about fifteen years. He was a man of 
 fine appearance, and dignified manners, and 
 an eloquent and impressive preacher. Few 
 men have been better fitted by natural endow- 
 ments for the position of a public speaker. 
 His voice was uncommonly melodious, and his 
 gesticulation dignified and graceful. His style 
 was rich and yet chaste, and his sermons were 
 compositions of a high order. For years he 
 commanded large audiences, and was ranked 
 among the distinguished pulpit orators of the 
 day. 
 
 He died in 1827, leaving a widow and seve- 
 ral children who yet survive. One of these, 
 Alexander W. Bradford, now holds the office of 
 surrogate of New York, and is a gentleman of 
 high standing in his profession. 
 
 As early as 1799, the project of building 
 another new church, began to receive some 
 
42 
 
 attention, but it was not finally decided upon 
 till 1805. In that year the site of the old stone 
 Church in State street was sold to the corpora- 
 tion of the city for $5,000, and in the spring of 
 1806, the venerable building, which had been oc- 
 cupied by the congregation for nearly a century, 
 was taken down. For one hundred and fifty 
 years that spot had been occupied as the site of 
 a place of worship, and there were many sacred 
 and touching associations connected with it. It 
 was not strange that many hearts should feel 
 emotions of sadness when at last it was given 
 up to the crowd and bustle of business. The 
 corner stone of the noble edifice now occupied 
 by the Second Reformed Dutch Church, on 
 Beaver street, was laid April 30th, 1806, by 
 Rev. Dr. Bradford, and the building after several 
 delays in the prosecution of the work was 
 finally completed in 1810. It is one of the 
 finest specimens of ecclesiastical architecture 
 in this city. Indeed there are few superior to 
 it, in our country. 
 
 In 1813, the Rev. John De Witt was called 
 as colleague pastor with Dr. Bradford. He 
 was a native of Catskill, the son of a farmer, 
 who desired him to enter the profession of law. 
 With this object he spent several years in 
 
MII>l»f.K DlTClf CHL'KCII. 
 
43 
 
 study, and graduated at Nassau Hall, in Prince- 
 ton, in 1809. He then commenced the study 
 of law in Kinderhook, but his mind having at 
 this time been brought under deep religious 
 impressions, he felt that it was his duty to 
 devote himself to the work of the Christian 
 ministry. He accordingly commenced the study 
 of theology with the Rev. Dr. Porter of Cats- 
 kill, and was first settled in the ministry in 
 Lanesboro, Mass., in 1811. From thence he 
 was called to become collegiate pastor with 
 Dr. Bradford. In IS 15, it was deemed advisa- 
 ble that the collegiate form of the Church 
 should be abandoned, and that two distinct and 
 independent congregations should be formed 
 each with its own church edifice, pastor and 
 consistory. This was carried into effect in an 
 amicable spirit. An equitable division was 
 made of the Church property, the two pastors 
 drew lots for the church edifices, and the 
 congregations connected themselves with one 
 or the other, according to their individual 
 choice, or convictions of duty. Dr. De Witt 
 became the pastor of the Second or South 
 Church. Dr. Bradford remained with the old 
 Church, which was thereafter popularly known 
 as the North Dutch Church. 
 
44 
 
 Dr. De Witt remained pastor of the South or 
 Second Church till September, 1823, when he 
 was elected to the professorship of Biblical 
 criticism, ecclesiastical history, and pastoral 
 theology in the Theological Seminary of the 
 Reformed Protestant Dutch Church, at New 
 Brunswick. In this honorable and useful 
 position he remained till his death, which oc- 
 curred on the 11th of October, 1831, in the 42d 
 year of his age. 
 
 Dr. De Witt was a man of frank, joyous, and 
 generous nature, yet of accute and tender 
 sensibilities. His piety was deep and ardent, 
 and his preaching eminently plain, evangelical 
 and earnest. His manner in the pulpit was 
 unaffectedly dignified and serious, his voice 
 clear and strong, and his enunciation distinct 
 and deliberate. No man could listen to him 
 without pleasure and instruction. As a pastor 
 he enjoyed in a high degree the confidence 
 and affection of his people, and his separation 
 from them was an event deeply regretted by 
 them all. 
 
 In October, L824, Rev. Isaac Ferris was in- 
 stalled as pastor of the Second Church, and 
 continued in that office, greatly esteemed and 
 beloved by his people until the year 1836, when 
 
45 
 
 he was transferred to the pastoral charge of the 
 Reformed Dutch Church, in Market street, New 
 York, where he remained twelve years. He was 
 then elected chancellor of the University of 
 New York, in which honorable and useful posi- 
 tion he now remains. 
 
 In Nov., 1836, the; Rev. Isaac N. Wyckoft' 
 was installed pastor of the Second Church, 
 where he still remains, after a pastorate of 
 twenty-one years, enjoying the confidence and 
 affection of his people. " Serus redeat in ccelumJ' 
 
 During the ministry of Dr. Ferris, and mainly 
 through his instrumentality, the Third Re- 
 formed Dutch Church, in this city, was organ- 
 ized, December 19, 1834. The first pastor was 
 the Rev. Edwin Holmes. He was settled in 
 February, 1835, and resigned his charge in 
 1840. The Rev. Andrew Yates, D. D., supplied 
 the pulpit, and labored very efiiciently and 
 successfully in behalf of the Church, till Novem- 
 ber, 1841. 
 
 In Nov., 1841, Rev. W. H. Campbell, D. D., 
 was installed pastor, and continued his ac- 
 ceptable labors till September, 1848, when he 
 entered upon his duties, as the principal of the 
 Albany Academy, from which he was trans- 
 ferred to the Theological Seminary at New 
 
46 
 
 Brunswick, where he now labors with distin- 
 guished ability in the service of the church at 
 large. 
 
 Rev. Rutgers Van Brunt was ordained and 
 installed pastor after the removal of Dr. Camp- 
 bell, but was soon obliged, by the failure of his 
 health, to resign his charge. He was succeeded 
 by Rev. W. W. Holloway, who remained until 
 1853, and then entered upon another field of 
 labor. 
 
 The present pastor. Rev. Alexander Dickson, 
 was installed in October, 1853, and still con- 
 tinues, the able and devoted minister of an 
 affectionate people. 
 
 The retirement of Dr. Bradford, from the 
 charge of this Church, left them again without 
 a pastor. The pulpit was supplied for about 
 three years by different ministers, amongwhom 
 were Revds. Gabriel Ludlow, Eli Baldwin, 
 
 John Kennedy, Bruen, R. McLeod and 
 
 M. W. Dwight. 
 
 On the 31st day of August, 1822, a call was 
 given to the Rev. John Ludlow, then professor 
 of Biblical literature and ecclesiastical history 
 at New Brunswick, which was accepted ; and 
 in July, 1823, Dr. Ludlow entered upon his 
 duties as pastor of this Church. His installa- 
 
SOUTH DUTCH CHURCH. 
 
47 
 
 tion sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. 
 Yates, and was published at the request of the 
 consistory. 
 
 Dr. Ludlow was born at Acquackanonck, 
 N. J., Dec. 13, 1793. He graduated at Union 
 College in 1814. He studied theology at New 
 Brunswick; was licensed to preach in 1817, 
 and in the year following was installed pastor 
 of the First Reformed Dutch Church in New 
 Brunswick. In June, 1819, he was elected as 
 a professor in the Theological Seminary, from 
 whence, in 1823, he removed to Albany. In 
 1834 he became provost of the University of 
 Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, where he re- 
 mained till 1852, when he was again elect- 
 ed professor of ecclesiastical history, church 
 government, and pastoral theology, at New 
 Brunswick, which professorship he filled with 
 distinguished ability till his death, which 
 occurred on the 8th of September, 1857. 
 
 Of the character of Dr. Ludlow, as a man, 
 and a minister, it is not needful that I should 
 enlarge. His memory is too fresh and fragrant 
 among this congregation to require that I 
 should add anything to your own stores of 
 knowledge. You have lately listened to an 
 able and faithful delineation of his character, 
 
48 
 
 from onr friend and brother, Rev. Dr. Wyckoff, 
 and you have his discourse in your possession^ 
 as a memorial of your former pastor. Suffice it 
 to say, that Dr. Ludlow was a bright and con- 
 sistent illustration of all that distinguishes the 
 minister of Christ. He was bold, fearless, 
 earnest as a preacher, uncompromising in his 
 devotion to the truth, and faithful to declare 
 the whole counsel of God. To the hardened 
 sinner he was a ^' so7i of thunder-," to the 
 weeping penitent, a "son of consolation J" His 
 ministry was much blessed of God, and there 
 are many now who look back to him, as the 
 earthly instrument of their conversion. The 
 turf is yet green upon his grave, but when the 
 storm winds of years shall have blown over it, 
 his memory will be green and fresh in the 
 midst of this people. 
 
 In 1828 the consistory voted to erect a par- 
 sonage, on the rear of the Church lot, and 
 appointed a building committee for that pur- 
 pose. They subsequently, and very wisely, 
 modified that purpose, and erected the present 
 new Consistory Room on that site, and altered the 
 former Consistory Building into a Parsonage, 
 which, after several additions and improve- 
 ments, suggested by the liberality of the people, 
 
49 
 
 now furnishes a spacious and delightful resi- 
 dence to the pastor of the Church. 
 
 In March, 1835, the Rev. Thomas E. 
 Vermilye, then pastor of the Congregational 
 Church, of West Springfield, Mass., where he 
 succeeded the Rev. Dr. Sprague, who has been 
 for twenty-eight years the esteemed pastor of 
 the Second Presbyterian Church in this city, 
 was called to the pastoral care of the Church, 
 He remained here between four and five years, 
 enjoying a happy and prosperous ministry, and 
 was then transferred to the Collegiate Dutch 
 Church of New York, where for eighteen years 
 he has labored, and where he still remains, a 
 faithful and acceptable minister, in connection 
 with the three excellent brethren who share 
 with him the labors and responsibilities of that 
 important charge. 
 
 After the removal of Dr. Vermilye, the pulpit 
 was supplied for more than a year by Rev. John 
 Austin Yates, D. D., then professor in Union 
 College. Dr. Yates was a preacher of uncom- 
 mon eloquence and power. His sermons made 
 a deep impression upon the congregation, and 
 a call was informally tendered to him, to the 
 pastoral office, which, however, he declined. 
 
 The Rev. Duncan Kennedy, then pastor of 
 7 
 
50 
 
 the Presbyterian Church in Galway, Saratoga 
 county, was chosen to succeed Dr. Vermilye, 
 and was installed pastor, December 22, 1841. 
 After laboring in this field with zeal and fidelity 
 for more than thirteen years, during some of 
 which, large accessions were made to the 
 Church, Dr. Kennedy, in 1855, accepted a call 
 to the Second Presbyterian Church in Troy, 
 where he still remains, the acceptable pastor of 
 a large and important congregation. 
 
 In August, 1856, a call was presented to the 
 Uev. Ebenezer P. Rogers, D. D., then pastor of 
 the Seventh Presbyterian Church in Phila- 
 delphia, which was accepted, and he was 
 installed pastor of this Church, November 19, 
 1856. 
 
 I have thus brought down the record of the 
 history of this Church to the present time. Two 
 hundred and fifteen years at least, have passed 
 away, since the first minister began his labors 
 here. What changes have been wrought in 
 those years ? Where the insignificant trading 
 post of Fort Orange then stood, with its few 
 hundred inhabitants, rise the domes and spires 
 of this goodly city, with its 70,000 inhabitants, 
 its fifty churches, its numerous commercial, 
 manufacturing, benevolent, philanthropic and 
 
51 
 
 scientific institutions, the capital of a great 
 state. The little cluster of worshipers, who 
 sat under the instructions of Domine Megapo- 
 lensis, has grown into three flourishing congre- 
 gations, embracing 600 families, nearly 1,200 
 communicants, and nearly 2,500 souls con- 
 nected with the congregations/* These three 
 congregations are here to-day, united in the 
 delightful duty of thanksgiving to God for all 
 his mercies. Though three, we are one ; one 
 in our name, our origin, our faith, our polity, 
 our spirit, and our aim. We rejoice in each 
 other's joy; we sympathize in each other's 
 sorrow. United as we are by so many asso- 
 ciations and memories of the past, let us be 
 still more closely united in the history of the 
 future. To you, beloved brethren of our sister 
 churches, we tender our warmest assurances of 
 Christian love and sympathy. Your beloved 
 pastors are heartily welcome to this pulpit. 
 You shall always have a place in these pews ; 
 and in token of these, the sincere feelings of 
 our hearts, for myself, and for this Church, I 
 
 *In 185*1, the North Church reported to General Synod, 
 200 families ; communicants 40t. The Middle Church, 254 
 families ; communicants 560. The South Church, 85 families; 
 communicants 350. 
 
tender to yon, throngh yonr pastors, the hand 
 of Christian fellowship. 
 
 Connected with this Chnrch are abont 200 
 families, embracing 1,000 souls, while our list 
 of communicants embraces more than 400, 
 fifty-one of whom have been added during the 
 past year. 
 
 Have we not something then for which to 
 render thanks to Almighty God, on this day of 
 public thanksgiving and praise? We thank 
 God, for our origin, our name and our history. 
 We thank Him for that constant care and 
 kindness which He has displayed towards us 
 as a Church for two hundred and fifteen years. 
 We thank Him, for the long line of able, 
 faithful and eloquent ministers, who have gone 
 in and out before this people in the years that 
 are past. We thank Him for the men of piety 
 and wisdom who have been entrusted with 
 the government of the Church, and who hav- 
 ing ruled well are accounted " worthy of double 
 honor." We thank Him for the names which 
 stand conspicuous in the history of our country, 
 in the ranks of her soldiers, her jurists, her 
 statesmen, her scholars, and which may be 
 found recorded among the members of this 
 
53 
 
 congregation.* We thank Him for the godly 
 men and women who have gone from the 
 fellowship of the Church below, to that of the 
 Church above, leaving behind them that 
 *' memory of the just," which is "blessed." 
 
 "We thank Him for the memory of that 
 devoted Foreign Missionary who went forth 
 from the bosom of this Church to labor, and to 
 die in the service of our Master, on heathen 
 ground. We thank Him, that now, after two 
 centuries have passed away, we are permitted 
 to occupy such a distinguished place, in our 
 denomination, and country. We thank Him 
 for the piety, intelligence, and means of ex- 
 tended usefulness, which characterize us as a 
 people to day. The old North Dutch Church 
 while she is the senior of all other Churches 
 in this city, is surely in a green old age, and 
 will yield to none of her sister churches in the 
 power of usefulness which God still gives her. 
 Let our united thanksgivings ascend to God for 
 all His goodness to our fathers, and to us their 
 children. And let us feel the solemn responsi- 
 bilities which our history and position devolve 
 upon us. For to whomsoever much is given, 
 of such shall much be required. I confess, 
 * See Appendix, Note G. 
 
54 
 
 my friends, that the thought of this responsi- 
 bility makes me tremble. And yet I am 
 cheered and encouraged, by the many hopeful 
 indications which the history of the past year 
 has recorded. I would fain anticipate for this 
 ancient Church, a glorious future. I would 
 anticipate her progress in piety, zeal, liberality, 
 and efficiency in her Master's service. I would 
 rejoice in the hope that the God who was with 
 your fathers, will be with you and your child- 
 ren. And when all of us have been called to 
 leave our places, and our duties here, I rejoice 
 to hope, and believe, that this Church will still 
 remain, through generations yet to come, a 
 monument of God's faithfulness to His cove- 
 nant with His people, and a source of spiritual 
 light and blessedness to this city, this country, 
 and the world ! 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 NOTE A. 
 
 "Wessel Gansevooet and Rudolph Agricola. 
 
 These men were among the " morning stars," of the 
 Reformation in Holland, as Wycklifte was in England, 
 and Huss and Jerome, in Bohemia. " They were natives 
 of Groningen, and eminent scholars, who in the latter 
 part of the l5th century, fifty years before Luther 
 studied the scriptures, came to the knowledge of 
 the doctrine of the justification by faith as well as the 
 other cardinal doctrines of the gospel." 
 
 Through the kindness of Gen. Peter Gansevoort of 
 this city, I have been favored with the following ac- 
 count of Wessel Gansevoort, which was obtained by 
 Hon. Harmanus Bleecker, during his residence at the 
 Hague, from authentic documents in Holland. 
 
 Jan Wessel Hermansz. (son of Herman) Gansfort or 
 Ganzefoort, was born at Groningen in the year 1419. 
 After the loss of his parents he was brought up by a 
 respectable lady of that place, to whom his mother 
 was related. She sent him with her son of the same 
 age, to Zwolle, that he might there, in the flourishing 
 school of the Brotherhouse, acquire the rudiments of 
 learning. He afterwards pursued his studies at Cologne ; 
 
56 
 
 where from the Greek, the study of which was not 
 permitted in his own country, he acquired a more 
 thorough knowledge of the original text of the New 
 Testament. 
 
 Subsequently he resided for some time at Heidelberg 
 and Louvain ; also long at Paris and in Rome ; in all 
 which places he endeavored to be useful, by instructing 
 in several sciences, especially in philosoph}^, in which 
 he followed the opinion of Plato. But what he taught 
 with most fondness was the Christian theology. In this 
 he was frequently opposed by the priests, who admired, 
 but hated him. Whenever he found no hindrance, he 
 shed on this subject, an unusual light, which was re- 
 ceived by the intelligent, and handed down to posterity. 
 Finally, when he was fifty years old, he established him- 
 self in his native city, Groningen. Here he spent the 
 remnant of his days in the Cloister of the Holy Virgins, 
 and died on the 4th of October 1489. In the mean- 
 while, he passed much time in the Abbey of 
 
 not far from Groningen, where there was then a very 
 celebrated school, over which he acquired an unlimited 
 influence. As he was an uncommonly learned man, he 
 also exceeded all his cotemporaries in the knowledge 
 of theology. He taught that the holy scriptures were 
 the only rule of faith and godliness, rejecting as such 
 a rule, the traditions of the church, the decrees of 
 councils, and the writings of the fathers. He taught 
 that the lighteousness of Christ w^as imputed to us by 
 faith, and that no one could be saved by the righteous- 
 ness of the law; that the holy sacrament was desecrated 
 by the abuse of the mass ; that by indigencies a com- 
 merce was carried on utterly opposed to the doctrine 
 of the Gospel concerning the forgiveness of sins ; that 
 the notion of a purgatory as it was maintained by the 
 priesthood, must be viewed as a chimera ; that in so far 
 as the pope has a supremacy, he is by no means infallible; 
 
57 
 
 that he can not forgive sins, &c. In consequence of all 
 this, Luther long afterwards perceived that Gansevoort 
 had thought exactly like him ; and made this just observa- 
 tion, that it would appear to the enemies of the Reforma- 
 tion that he had read the writings of this man, and 
 borrowed from them all his opinions. But notwith- 
 standing this was not entirely the case, it was matter of 
 great joy to him that he had been so confirmed in his 
 opinions, Erasmus had before made the same observa- 
 tion in relation to Luther, compared with Gansevoort, 
 adding however that the last had brought forward 
 everything with a more moral and Christian pro- 
 perty than the former, and the greater part of his 
 followers. Luther also acknowledged this, and ascribed 
 it to this alone, that Gansevoort had not been able to 
 advance the work of the Reformation beyond the circle 
 of his friends at, and in the neighborhood of Gro- 
 ningen, and thus had been only a forerunner of the 
 Reformation. 
 
 All the writings of Gansevoort, have been collectively 
 published at several places and times. The first edition 
 at Wittemberg in the year 1521, under the superintend- 
 ence of, and with a preface by Luther. Other editions 
 followed long afterwards at Arnhem, and at Groningen, 
 in the year 1614, and at Marburg in the year 1617. 
 
 Agricola, on the other hand, was distinguished for his 
 attainments in Greek and Latin literature, and in vari- 
 ous sciences. He spent a great part of his life as a 
 professor at Heidelberg, and preceded Erasmus in 
 applying a knowledge of Greek to the critical examina- 
 tion of the New Testament. In theological views, he 
 harmonized with his friend and countryman Gansevoort. 
 The seed sown by these men was quickened into life by 
 the Reformation. — [Demaresfs History mid Characteristics 
 of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church.) 
 
58 
 
 NOTE B. 
 
 Although we have not been able to find the record of 
 the labors of any minister before the arrival of Domine 
 Megapolensis in 1642, yet from the allusion in his call, 
 as well as from the character of the Hollanders, there 
 is reason to suppose that the institutions of religion 
 were planted in the colony at an earlier day. The Col- 
 legiate Church in New York is said by some to have 
 been organized as early as 1619. Among the manu- 
 scripts of the late Rev. Dr. Livingston, there is refer- 
 ence to a list of the members of that church in 1622. 
 But Dr. Livingston also says in another of his manu- 
 scripts that " in Albany they had ministers as early as 
 any in New York, if not before them." It is certainly 
 possible, that the first church organized in this country, 
 was the church in Albany. 
 
 NOTE C. 
 
 The following additional particulars respecting Do- 
 mine Megapolensis, we gather from Vol. Ill of the 
 New York Historical Society Collections, from the pen 
 of J. Romeyn Brodhead, Esq. 
 
 " Nor were the pious services of Megapolensis con- 
 fined to his own countrymen. A part of his duty was 
 to " edify and improve" the savages in the neighbor- 
 hood. He therefore applied himself diligently to the 
 task of learning what he termed the "heavy language" 
 of the Mohawks, so as to be able to speak and preach 
 to them fluently. The Red men around Fort Orange 
 or Beverwyck were soon attracted to hear the preaching 
 of the gospel ; Megapolensis, the first protestant Dutch 
 
59 
 
 clerg3'man on the northern frontier of New Netherland, 
 thus gave, in 1643, the example of missionary zeal, 
 which, three years afterwards, in 1646, was imitated, 
 near Boston, by John P]Iiot, the " Morning Star " of a 
 similar enterprise in New England. 
 
 " An incident occurred about this time, whicli should' 
 not be omitted in any notice of Domine Megapolensis. 
 Father Isaac Jogues, a noble-hearted and self-denying 
 Jesuit missionary, while on his Avay from Quebec to the 
 Chippeways, was taken prisoner by the Mohawks, and 
 suffered horrible cruelties from the savages. During the 
 winter of 1642-3, however, some of his persecutors 
 began to listen to his teachings, and his situation was 
 so far improved that he was allowed to make occasional 
 visits, with parties of tiie Mohawks, to the neighboring 
 Dutch at Fort Orange, who did all they could to efiect 
 his deliverance. At length Jogues eluded the vigilance 
 of the savages, and remained for several weeks in close 
 concealment, during which constant kindness was shown 
 him by Domine Megapolensis, who had become his 
 warm friend. The Jesuit father was eventually ran- 
 somed by the Dutch, and sent down to Manhattan, 
 whence he sailed for Europe. Jogues returned to 
 Canada in 1646, and again visited the Mohawks, by 
 whom he was cruelly put to death. 
 
 " In 1644, two years after his settlement at Bever- 
 wyck, Domine Megapolensis drew up the tract entitled 
 Korte Ontwerp van de Mahakuase Indianen in JYieuw JYeder- 
 landt, &c., or, '• A Short Sketch of the Mohawk Indians 
 in New Netherland, &c." This little work is said by 
 Van der Donck (N. Y. H. S. ColL [II. Series], i, p. 158,) 
 to have been in the form of a letter written to his 
 friends in Holland, by whom it appears to have been 
 published — as the domine himself said — " without his 
 consent." Van der Donck, who is very competent 
 authority, adds, that it " may be fully credited, he [Me- 
 
60 
 
 gapolensis] being a man of truth and of great learning, 
 who writes in a vigorous st3'le." The domine's tract 
 gives a very interesting account of the Mohawk Indians, 
 their habits and customs, of which but little was then 
 known in Holland. ***** 
 
 ■ "Megapolensis never lost his interest in the Mohawk 
 savages, among whom he had spent his early years in 
 the province. His letters to the classis of Amsterdam 
 contain several interesting details concerning them, 
 from whom he obtained the missal and other memorials 
 of his murdered friend, the missionary Father Jogues. 
 In 1658, another Canadian Jesuit, Simon Le Moyne, who, 
 in the summer of 1654, had discovered the salt springs 
 at Onondaga, visited New Amsterdam, and became 
 quite intimate with Megapolensis. He related to him 
 his discovery at Onondaga, which the domine commu- 
 nicated to the classis in Holland, adding, however, a 
 somewhat uncourteous expression of his doubt of the 
 fact. Le Moyne seems to have been very anxious to 
 effect the conversion of his Dutch clerical friend to the 
 Romish doctrine, and wrote three polemical essays, 
 which he sent to Megapolensis, after his return to the 
 North. The domine, however, not shaken in his faith, 
 prepared a reply to the father, which he dispatched to 
 him by a bark which sailed from New Amsterdam for 
 Quebec. But the vessel — which was the first that 
 cleared from Manhattan for Canada — on entering the 
 Saint Lawrence was wrecked on the Island of Anticosti 
 and Le Moyne lost the benefit of the domine's elaborate 
 answer. * * ***** 
 
 " Megapolensis, after seven years' service at Bever- 
 wyck, and twenty years' labor at Manhattan, died in 
 the discharge of his pastoral functions. He was a man 
 of thorough scholarship, energetic character, and de- 
 voted piety ; and he is entitled to high, if not preemi- 
 nent position, in the roll of early protestant missionaries 
 
61 
 
 among the North American savages. For nearly a quarter 
 of a century he exercised a marked influence in the affairs 
 of New Netherland. He saw the infancy of the Dutch 
 province, watched its growth, and witnessed its sur- 
 render to overpowering English force. His name must 
 ever be associated with the early history of New York, 
 towards the illustration of which his correspondence 
 with the classis of Amsterdam, now in the possession 
 of the general synod of the Reformed Protestant Dutch 
 Church, and this sketch of the Mohawk Indians, form 
 original and very valuable contributions." 
 
 The Baptismal Register 
 
 For 1690 contains the following names of Indian con- 
 verts : 
 
 Age. Bap. Name. 
 
 Sucongara (Little Plank), 40, David, 
 
 Kowajatense (his wife), 30, Rebecca, 
 
 Tekaneadaroga, 22, Isaac, 
 
 Tejonihokarawe (Open the Door),. . . 30, Hendrick, 
 
 Karanondo (Uplifter), 50, Lydia, 
 
 Kaadejiheudara, 12, Seth, 
 
 Siouheja (Lively), Rachel, 
 
 Skanjodowanne (Eagle's Beak), Manasse, 
 
 Sagonorasse (Fast Binder), 12, Adam, 
 
 Karehodongwas (The Plucker), 16, Eunice, 
 
 (Son of Eunice) 9 mos. Simon, 
 
 Kwaorate (Mother of Eunice), 60, Leah, 
 
 Karehojenda (Daughter of Leah),. . . 30, Alida, 
 
 Waniho, 40, Josine, 
 
 Daughter of Josine, 9, Jakomina, 
 
 Son of Josine, 7, Joshua. 
 
62 
 
 NOTE D. 
 Petition for Rebuilding the Dutch Church in Albany. 
 
 To His Excellency Robert Hunter Esqr Cap* Generall 
 
 and Governour in Chief of the provinces of New York 
 
 New Jersey and Territories thereon Depending in 
 
 America and vice Admirall of the Same &c 
 
 The Humble Petition of Petrus van Driesen Minister 
 
 of the Nether Dutch Reformed Congregation of the City 
 
 and County of Albany and the Elders and Deacons of 
 
 the said Congregation, Humbly Sheweth 
 
 That the Predecessors of your Excellency's humble 
 Petitioners in the year of our Lord 1655 & 1656 when 
 this towne was Settled did with assistance of the then 
 nether dutch Congregation build and Erect at their own 
 proper Cost and Charge the Church belonging to the 
 said congregation (Standing & being in the said City) 
 for their Christian devotion and Publick worship of 
 Almighty god, in the Exercise of the Reformed pro- 
 testant Religion, which Church is Since been Confirmed 
 to the Mayor Alderman & Commonalty of y*-' Said City 
 by Charter, under the Scale of the Province. 
 
 That the said Church being built of timber & boards 
 is by time so much dccayd that they find themselves 
 under the necessity of building a new one in its place 
 and your Petitioners believing your Excellencys Con- 
 tinance and approbation will be very advantageous to 
 them, in this their undertaking. 
 
 Your Excys Petitioners do therefore most humbly 
 pray that your Excellency will please to approve and 
 Encourage this pious work by signifying such your ap- 
 
63 
 
 probation and your petitioners as in duty bound shall 
 
 Ever pray &c 
 
 Petrus van Driessen V. D. Pra}co 
 
 Johannes Rooseboom 
 
 Myndert Schuyler 
 
 Hendr van Rensselaer 
 
 Johannes Beekman 
 
 RUTGERT BlEECKER 
 
 Stevanie Groesbeck 
 I do approbe of what is desired In the petition and 
 recommend the Same to all who are concernd 
 
 18 June 1714 Ro: Hunter 
 
 Introduction to Mr. Van Driessen's Three Discourses. 
 We give below the introduction to three sermons by 
 Rev. Mr. Van Driessen, two of which were preached on 
 the accession of King George I to the throne of Great 
 Britain, and one on the occasion of Gov. Burnet's treaty 
 with the Five Nations. The sermons were printed in 
 1726: 
 
 To his Excellency WILLIAM BURJVET, Esq ; Captain 
 
 General and Governour in Chief of the Provinces of 
 
 JYew-York, JYew-Jersey, and the Territories depending 
 
 thereon in America, and Vice Admiral of the same, &c. 
 
 May it -please Your Excellency : 
 
 Of Ancient Times certain Princes of this World, thro' 
 the Greatness of their Souls, have made themselves 
 renowned ; so that several Princes are famed, that 
 They held the Scepter in their left Hand, but the Pen 
 in their Right : And thence the old Proverb, HIS 
 PRJEVIDE ET PROVIDE; that they might not only show 
 themselves ready and capable for the Execution of those 
 Affairs, confided and subjected to them, but were also 
 willing to prove the Elevation of their Souls (called by 
 Aristotle the Lord of Nature) by applying and explaining 
 
64 
 
 themselves in their Studies of noble Sciences : Cassidorus 
 calls it the Croicn and Lustre of the Majesty of Princes, as 
 of a far greater Lustre in a Crown than precious Stones, 
 and more Excellent than the best of Jewels. 
 
 This Nobleness of Mind has not a little contributed 
 to the good Management of their Affairs ; thereby 
 evincing that they were capable to Execute such Matters 
 as were fitting for their Grandeur. 
 
 In the Picture of Ccssar, standing upon a Globe, he is 
 seen holding a Sword in one Hand and a Pair of Scales 
 in the other, with this Motto, on both sides cjesaR; 
 whereby we are taught, that in Government an illumin- 
 ated Judgment, as well as the Use of Arms, was neces- 
 sary : Therefore it was very pertinently said by the 
 Ancients, Good Learning is Silver in the common People, 
 Gold in the JYobles, but in the Princes precious Stones : Yea, 
 the Holy Scriptures exalts them yet above ail those 
 Excellencies ; so Wisdom in such Persons is glorifying 
 her Government, as they are thereby glorified. 
 
 I having the Honour and Happiness to know Your 
 Excellency, not only in your Chief Government of these 
 American Provinces, but also as being endued with the 
 noble Attributes of a zealous Lover of noble Sciences 
 and Languages ; thereby continually animating Your 
 great Soul to a further Progress in sound Knowledge, 
 both of Divine and Temporal Matters, to the greater 
 Lustre of Your Excellency and Advancement in Repu- 
 tation and Grandeur. 
 
 So that the Greatness of Soul of your deceased 
 Father revives in you, who exceeded in all what may 
 be called Learning, many of his Cotemporaries, and as 
 such was highly esteemed and loved by Foreigners, as 
 also for his Zeal for the true Religion, manifested as 
 the Flower and Lustre of Pious Men, when the Mystery 
 of Liiquity was in Travel and brought forth Vanity, at 
 the Time when his Honour published his History of 
 
65 
 
 the Keformation ; and shewed himself moreover, with 
 many others, a vigilant Defender of that blessed Con- 
 stitution in Church and State, whereof we now enjoy 
 the pleasant Fruits, which will cause him to be admired 
 by our Posterity in many Ages, and therefore to live 
 forever in the Remembrance of us and ours. 
 
 How just is then the Oppinion of such who are 
 assured hereof, and have the Honour to know Your 
 Excellency, and have spied out Your innate Love to 
 Learning, and that Your Excellency ma3' be numbered 
 among those that are said to Patrizare, I mean to suc- 
 ceed their renowned Parents in their excellent Virtues. 
 Aristotle said once. It is likely that those are better that draw 
 their Pedigree frovi the Good. To that End we read in 
 
 Horace, 
 
 Fortes creantur Forlibus, Sf Bonis, 
 Est in Juvencis, est in JEquis Par turn 
 Virtus : nee imbellem fcroces 
 Progcnerunt Aquilloi Colhhviham. 
 
 Your Excellency honoured me with your Presence 
 when I treated of The Jipointment of the Powers of this 
 World, by the Divine Jesus ; on the occasion of Your Excel- 
 lency'' s treating 'with the Five JYations of Indians, upon Prov. 
 \H1, 14,-16. Doing me the Honour to desire that 
 Sermon of me ; far from it that I should have formed 
 the least Thoughts that would have been unwilling to 
 shew my Readiness to satisfy Your Excellency,- that, on 
 the contrary, I not only concluded to dedicate the same 
 to your Excellency, but also to joyn thereunto Solomons 
 Coronation and Exaltaiion to the Throne, on Occasion of his 
 Majesty King George's Accession to the Crown and Throne 
 o/"Great Britain ; upon 1 Reg. I, 36,-40. A Matter brought 
 forth from the sincere Inclination of my Heart, which I 
 have to our present Sovereign Lord GEORGE, by the 
 Grace of GOD, King of Great Britain, and my Desire for 
 the Establishing the Protestant Being. A happy Esta- 
 9 
 
66 
 
 blisliment, which we are to look upon as a happy Con- 
 sequence and Effect of the Actions of the great and 
 prevoyant King William the third, of glorious Memory, 
 and his faithful Ministers of State, who certainl}' effected 
 it plura Concilio quam Vi. An Establishment, neverthe- 
 less, which we ought peculiarly to ascribe to the Provi- 
 dence of the most High. So that we must acknowl- 
 edge, that this great Event depends more on the divine 
 Council than on the Power or Wisdom of Men. 
 
 Hereunto I have added. The Scaffold of Felonious 
 Traitors against their laicful Sovereign Lord George, King 
 of Great Britain, erected and exposed to View ; upon Psal. 
 LXH, 3,-7. In Expectation that this Sermon would be 
 no less pleasant to Your Excellency than the former, 
 considering Your Love for the Kings Happiness and 
 Zeal for the Commonwealth. They who designed to 
 dethrone their lawful Sovereign King GEORGE, are de- 
 ceived in their Enterprize, and all their Designs are 
 fallen out to their Shame. A Prove of the horrid Per- 
 versness of Antichristian Malignants, wickedly designing 
 to change the Protestant Religion into Papal Tyranny. 
 
 For the rest, with this Dedication I do express my 
 Acknowledgment and Esteem for Your Excellency's 
 penetrating Judgment in noble Sciences ; as also my 
 Duty to You, as my Superiour Governour ; my Desire 
 is that they may serve as a Token of my Gratitude for 
 the especial Favours wherewith Your Excellency has 
 honoured me during my Abode here. 
 
 And my Pra3'er to the Alsufficient God is, That he 
 endue Your Excellency with more Wisdom, and make You 
 more and more capable to execute those high Poioers of Go- 
 vernment, tinder the Divine Providence entrusted unto You by 
 His Majesty, and thai according to the best Policy, to the 
 Wellbeing of Church and State ; and that especially the Af- 
 fairs of the Kingdom, which are here of great Consequence, 
 may, under Your good Government, be happy and flourish. 
 
67 
 
 To which End the Lord grant you Wise, Faithful and 
 Wellmeaning Counsellors, to make Yottr Government the more 
 praiseworthy, and the Inhabitants happy and prosperous. 
 
 Yea, the Lord crown Your Person, Government and Family 
 with Grace and Honour, in Length of Days. 
 This Desires, Wishes and Prays, 
 
 May it please Your Excellency, 
 
 Your Excellency's J'ait/iful, and 
 
 ready Servant in the Lord, 
 Petrus Van Drissen. 
 
 NOTE E. 
 Early Members of the Church. 
 We give below the list of members from 1683, as they 
 stand upon the records of the Church in the hand- 
 writing: of Mr. Dellius: 
 
 Juriaan Tennis, 
 
 Ariaentje Teunis, 
 
 Abraham Staats, 
 
 Tryntje Staats, 
 
 Willem Teller, 
 
 Marritje Teller, 
 
 Jan Becker, 
 
 Mari Becker, 
 
 Aarnout Cornells Vilen, 
 
 Gerrigje Vilen, 
 
 Andries Teller, 
 
 Sephia Teller, 
 
 Johannes Provoost, 
 
 Cornells Van Dyck, 
 
 Lysbet Van Dyck, 
 
 Catryn Rutgirs, 
 
 Anaetje Lives (married 
 Goosen Gerritsen Van 
 Scayck, July, 1657), 
 
 Jochum Staats, 
 
 Lysbet Baucker, 
 
 Margeriet Schuyler, 
 
 Rich art Pritti, 
 
 Lysbet Pritti, 
 
 Aunetje Staats, 
 
 Jan Tomes, 
 
 Geertruyt Tomes, 
 
 Jacob Schermerhorn (im- 
 migrated 1645 ?), 
 
 Janetje Schermerhorn (da. 
 of Cornelis Segers), 
 
 Meindert Herman (VanDen 
 Bogert), 
 
 Heleen Hermans (his wife, 
 and da. of Jacob Jans 
 Schermerhorn), 
 
 Evert Wendel the Father, 
 
 Merritje Wendels, 
 
68 
 
 Johannes Wendell, 
 Lysbet Wendell (now Schuy- 
 
 ler),_ 
 _^ Hendrick Cuyler, 
 1 Aimetje Cuyler, 
 
 Henderick RosenLoom, 
 Gysbertje Rosemboom (da. 
 
 of Lansing), 
 
 Jan Oudorkerck, 
 
 Dirck WesselseTenBrouck, 
 
 Styntje Ten Brouck (da. of 
 
 Cornelis MaasenVan Beu- 
 
 ren ?), 
 Marten Krygier, 
 Jannetje Krygier (da. of 
 
 Hendricks), 
 
 Adriaan Gerrits (Papen- 
 
 dorp), 
 Jannetje Gerrits (his wife), 
 Gerrit Swart, 
 Antonia Swart, 
 Wouter Van Den Uythost, 
 Leendert Phlipsen (Conyn), 
 Agnietje Leenderts (his 
 
 wife), 
 Anna Van der Heyden, 
 Arien Van Elpendam, 
 Gerrit Van Esch, 
 Marietje Van Esch, 
 Hermen Tomes (Hun?), 
 Catelyntje Tomes (his wife) 
 Anna Kettel, 
 
 Grietje Gouws (she is dead) 
 Taakel Dircks, 
 Marritje Taakels (his wife), 
 
 Wynand Gerrits (Van der 
 
 Poel), 
 Tryntje Wynands (his wife) 
 Pieter Loockerman, 
 Marretje Lookermans, 
 David Schuyler, 
 Catelyntje Schuyler, 
 Pieter Mees Vrooman, 
 Folikje Vrooman, 
 Jacob Mees Vrooman, 
 Lysbeth Vrooman, 
 A albert Ryckman, 
 Nelletje Ryckman, 
 Sybrent Van Schayck, 
 Lysbet Van Schayck (now 
 
 Corlaar), 
 Jacob Staats, 
 Ryckje Staats, 
 Willem Percker, 
 Maria Percker, 
 Robbert Levinchston, 
 Alida Levinchston (da. of 
 
 Schuyler), 
 
 Philip Freest, 
 
 Tryntje Freest (da. of 
 
 Kip), 
 Gerrit Hardenberch, 
 Joapje Hardenberch, 
 Abraham Van Tricht, 
 Lysbeth Van Tricht (now 
 
 Vanderpoel), 
 Symen (Jacobs) Schermer- 
 
 horn, 
 Wilmje Schermerhorn (now 
 
 Winnen), 
 
69 
 
 Johannes de Wandelaar, 
 Sara de Wandelaar (da. of 
 
 Schep-Moes). 
 
 Johannes Van Sandt, 
 Marge riet Van Sant, 
 Melchert Wynandts (Van- 
 
 derpoel). 
 Areaautje Wynandts (his 
 
 wife). 
 Laurens Van Alen, 
 Elbertje Van Alen, 
 Tryntje Rutten (now Rose- 
 boom), 
 Jan Jans Bleecker, 
 GrietjenBleecker(da. of 
 
 Van Schoendemund), 
 Jan Byvang, 
 Belia Byvang, 
 Gerrit Lansing, 
 Elsje Lansing, 
 Hendrick Lansing, 
 Lysbet Lansing, 
 Jan Lansing, 
 Geertje Lansing, 
 Jan Nack, 
 Jan Vinhagel, 
 Marretje Vinhagel, 
 Geertje Bout, 
 Willem Bout, 
 Luycas Gerrits, 
 Antje Lucas, 
 Isaac Verplanck, 
 Abigail Verplanck (da. of 
 
 Bogert), 
 
 Johannes Beeckman, 
 Machtelt Beeckman (da. of 
 
 Jacob J. Schermerhorn), 
 
 Nicolaas Van Rotterdam, 
 Lysbet Van Rotterdam, 
 Harmen Bastiaans (Vis- 
 
 scher), 
 Hester Bastiaans (da. of 
 
 Turk), 
 
 Robbert Sanders (Glen?), 
 Elsje Sanders (Glen), 
 Jacob Sanders (Glen), 
 Caatje Sanders (now Douw) 
 Nicolaas Rips, 
 Marie Nicolaas Rips, 
 Jacob Coenraats, 
 Geertje Jacobs (his wife), 
 Johannes Roosenboom, 
 Margeriet Roosenboom, 
 Jan Cloet, 
 Bata Cloet (da. of 
 
 Slightenhast), 
 Pieter Davids Schuyler, 
 Alida Schuyler (da. of Sligh- 
 tenhast), 
 Guysbert Marselis, 
 Barbar Marselis (his wife, 
 
 da. of Claas Jacobs Groes- 
 
 beck), 
 Willem Claes Groesbeeck, 
 Geertruyt Groosbeeck (da. 
 
 of Schuyler), 
 
 Johannes Roos, 
 
 Cornelia Roos, 
 
 Jan Gilbert, 
 
 Cornelia Gilbert (da. of 
 
 Van den Bergh), 
 Evert Wendel (the son), 
 Lysbeth Wendel (da. of 
 
 Glen), 
 
70 
 
 Cornells Scherluyn, 
 Geertriiyt Scherluyn (da. of 
 
 Harman B. Vlsscher), 
 Rachel Rettle, 
 Jacob Loockerman, 
 Tryntje Loockerman, 
 Caatje Lookerman (now 
 
 Ten Brock), 
 Jacob Abrahams, 
 Catelyntje Jacobs (his wife) 
 Nicolaes Van Elslant, 
 Aaltje Frans (Pruyn), 
 Johannes Appel, 
 Anetje Appel, 
 
 Johannes Tomes (Mingaal), 
 Marl Jans (Mingall, da. ot 
 
 Jan Jans Oothout), 
 Jacobus Turck, 
 Caatje Turck (da. of Van 
 
 Benthuisen), 
 Levinus Van Schayck, 
 Margaret Van Schayck, 
 Henderick Bries, 
 Marie Bries (now Loker- 
 
 mans), 
 Reimer Barents, 
 Bastiaan Harmens (Vis- 
 
 scher), 
 Dirckje Bastiaans (his wife, 
 
 and da. of Tennis Teu- 
 
 nisse de Metselaar), 
 Maas Cornells (Van Buren), 
 Jacomyn Maas (his wife), 
 Willem Guysberts (Van den 
 
 Bergh), 
 Catryn.Willems (his wife), 
 
 Cornells Gysberts (Van den 
 
 Pieter Winne, [Bergh), 
 
 Tanne Winne, 
 
 Levinus Winne, 
 
 Jan Salomons (Goewey), 
 
 Caatje Salomons (his wife), 
 and da. of Looker- 
 man), 
 
 Barbar Salomons (Goewey) 
 
 Dirck Bensing, 
 
 Fytje Bensing, 
 
 Lysbet Herris (now Kaer), 
 
 Huybertje Jeedts, 
 
 Pieter Schuyler, 
 
 Engeltje Schuyler, 
 
 Arent Schuyler, 
 
 Maria Van Renselaar, 
 
 Ciliaan Van Renselaar, 
 
 Anna Van Renselaar, 
 
 Tennis (Cornells) Van der 
 Poel, 
 
 Catryn Van der Poel, 
 
 Anna Van der Poel, 
 
 Hendrick Van Esch, 
 
 Annetje Van Esch, 
 
 Luycas Pieters (Coeyman), 
 
 Ariaantje Lucas (his wife), 
 
 Adam Winnen, 
 
 Anna Winnen (now Teu_ 
 nisse). 
 
 Marten Jans, 
 
 Jannetje Martens (his wife, 
 and da. of Cornells), 
 
 Marritje Quakelbosch, 
 
 Douwe Jells (died Nov. 27, 
 1700), 
 
71 
 
 Rebecca Douws (his wife), 
 
 Woiiter Quakelboscli, 
 
 Neeltje Quakelbosch, 
 
 Jan (Pieters) Quakelbosch, 
 
 Machtelt Quakelbosch (da. 
 of Jan Post), 
 
 Reinier (Pieters) Quakel- 
 bosch, 
 
 Lysbit Quackelbosch, 
 
 Folekje Brabanders, 
 
 Margriet Ketel, 
 
 Ysbrant Elders, 
 
 Jan de Noorman (the elder) 
 
 Marritje Noorman (now 
 Carbith), 
 
 Jan (Andries) Douw, 
 
 Catryn Douw, 
 
 u\rien Appel, 
 
 AVouter de Rademraaecker, 
 
 Grietje Wouters (his wife), 
 
 Gerrit Reyers, 
 
 Annetje Reyers, 
 
 Marretje Van Schayck, 
 
 Geertje Brickers, 
 
 Marretje Zacharias, 
 
 Robbert Sickels, 
 
 Cornelis Van der Hoeven, 
 
 Metje Van der Hoeven, 
 
 Merselis Jans, 
 
 Annetje Marselis (his wife), 
 
 Pieter Bogardus, 
 
 Wyntje Bogardus (da. of 
 Cornelis Bosch), 
 
 Marten Gerrits (Van Ber- 
 gen), 
 
 Jannetje Martens (his wife, 
 Nieltje Myndert, 2d wife) 
 
 Teunis Cornelis (Van Vech- 
 ten), 
 
 Hester Teunissen (his wife) 
 
 Geertje Van der Hoeven, 
 
 Jurian Coller, 
 
 Lysbeth Coller, 
 
 Andries de Sweed (i. e.. An- 
 dries Alberts Bratt), 
 
 Neeltje Andries (da. of Teu- 
 nis Sway), 
 
 Teunis Slingerlandt, 
 
 Celia Slingerlant, 
 
 Jan Hendricks (Van den 
 Bergh), 
 
 jMaria Jans, 
 
 Jan Van der Hoeven, 
 
 Jannetje Ver Wey, 
 
 Sara Ketel, 
 
 Sela Ketel (now Rachel Van 
 der Heyden), 
 
 Antje Cross, 
 
 Paulyn Jans, 
 
 Wyntje Paulyns (his wife), 
 
 Ryck Michiels, 
 
 Jannetje Paulyns, 
 
 Anna Pieterse (Van Slyck), 
 
 Hendrick Maes (Van Beu- 
 ren), 
 
 Lysbeth Hendricks (his 
 wife), 
 
 Gerrit Gysberts (Van den 
 Berg), 
 
 Teuntje Gerrits (his wife), 
 
 Frerick de Drent, 
 
 Jannetje Vries (now Sals- 
 berry), 
 
 Hendrick Marselis, 
 
72 
 
 Barent Pieters (Coeymari), Mayken Jacobus, 
 Jacob Salomons (Goewey), Abraham Van Breemen, 
 Lyntje Salomons (his wife), Marretje Van Bremen, 
 Geertruyt Rinckhout, Johannes Jans (Witbeck), 
 
 Mattj's Hooghteeling, Lysbet Jans (Witbeck, da. 
 
 Maria Hooghteeling, of Leendert Conyn), 
 
 Jan Jacobs Van Oostrant, Claes Van Petten, 
 Agnient Van Oostrant, Isje Van Petten, 
 
 Phlip Leenderts (Conyn), Cornells Tenuis Van Vecli- 
 Wyntje Phlips (his wife, and ten), 
 
 da. of Dirks), Annetje Cornells (his wife), 
 
 Gerrit Lamberts (Van Val- Marten Cornells (Van Beu- 
 
 kenburgh), ren), 
 
 Marie Jochems, Marretje Martens (his wife) 
 
 Dirck Tennis (Van der Cornelia Martens (now Van 
 
 Vechten), Deusen), 
 
 JannetjeDircks (rather Van Angeltjie Andries (wife of 
 
 der Vechten), Andries Jans Witbeck ?), 
 
 Gerrit Tennis (Van der Geertje Gysberts, 
 
 Vechten), Hendrick Ver Wey, 
 
 Grietje Gerrits (Van der Tennis de Metselaar, 
 
 Vechten), Egbertje Tennis (his wife), 
 
 Magdeleen Quakelbosch, Wilmje Tennis (now Bratt) 
 Andries Jans (Witbeck), Symen Schouten, 
 Jan Bronck, Cypjen Schouten, 
 
 Commertje Bronck (da. of Andries Hans, 
 
 Lendert Conyn), Gerretje Andries (his wife^, 
 
 Melchert Abrams(Van Deu- and da. of Tennis Tennis- 
 sen), se de Metselaar), 
 Engeltje Abrams (his wife), Isje Hans, 
 Hendrick Abels (Ridden- Jacob Van Oostrant, 
 
 haas), Mees Hogenboom, 
 Sephia Abels (now Nak), Catryn Hogenboom, 
 Johannes (Jans) Oothout, Ariaantje Hogenboom, 
 Hendrick (Jans) Oothout, Antoni Van Schayck, 
 Jacobus Jans, Marietje Van Schayck (da. 
 Jannetje Jacobs (his wife), of Van der Poel), 
 
73 
 
 Roeloff Gerrits, Maria Jacobs (now Van 
 
 Geertruyt Roelofs (bis wife) Vechten), 
 
 Jan Gratters, Jan Martens, 
 
 Hermen Lievens, Dirckje Jans (his wife), 
 
 Marretje Hermens (Liever- Aalbert (Jacobs) Gerdenier? 
 
 sen), Marretje Aalberts(liis wife) 
 
 Jan Van Esch, Jannetje Lamberts (Van 
 
 Aalfje Van Esch, Volkenburgh), 
 
 Barent Bratt, Tarn Kreeve, 
 
 Susanna Bratt, Jannetje Kreeve, 
 
 Geurt Hendricks, Aaltje Adams, 
 
 Marretje Geurten (his wife) Tenwis Cool, 
 Andries Carstels, Marretje Teuwis (his wife), 
 
 Harmen Jans Knickelback- Ariaantje Ilendriks, 
 
 er, Tenwis Abrams, 
 
 Lysbet Harmens (his wife, Helena Teuwis (his wife), 
 
 and da. of Bogert), Samson Bensing, 
 
 Wessel Ten Broeck, Tryntje Samsons (his wife, 
 
 Elsje Ten Broeck (now Guy- a Mathus), 
 
 ler), Johannes Bensing, 
 
 Lambert Van Valkenborgh, Mattys Hooghteeling, 
 Alida Vinhagel (now Vis- Nanning Harmens (Vis- 
 
 scher), scher), 
 
 Gysje Vanderheyden Cornlis Stephens (Muller), 
 
 (now Geesje Kip), Hilletje Cornelis (a Looker- 
 
 Cornelia Van der Heyden, man his wife), 
 Jan Tysens Hoes (i. e. Caasper Leenderts (Conyn) 
 
 Goes ?), Colette Caspars (Winnen 
 
 Styntje Hoes, his wife), 
 
 Jochum Lamberts (Van Val- May ken Martens, 
 
 kenburgh), Isabella Dellius, 
 
 Eva Jochum (his wife, Dorete Volkens (Douw ?), 
 
 da. of Vrowman), Catryntje Volkens (Douw?) 
 
 Pieter Vosburgh, Maria Schuyler (now Van 
 
 JannetjePieters(Vosburgh) Dyck), 
 Geertruyt Vosburgh, Mayken Jacobs, 
 
 10 
 
74 
 
 Anerigje Jans, 
 
 Phlip Wendell, 
 
 Bastian Harmans ( Vissclier ) 
 
 Rebecca Everts (wife of 
 
 Hanssen), 
 
 Hester Bricker (now Slin- 
 
 gerland), 
 Aaltje Arents, 
 Andries Jans, 
 Barentje Jans, 
 Jonas Volkens (Douw), 
 Chilian Winne, 
 Thomas Winne, 
 Barentje VoUewever (sur- 
 
 named Schaats), 
 Jacob Tennis Van Schoon- 
 
 derwooert, 
 Margaret Van Dam, 
 Hester Harmens (Visscher) Jan Huyberts, 
 Willemyntje Nack, Johannes Bleycker, Jr., 
 
 Sara Cuyler (now Van Antoni Bries, 
 
 Brugge), Gerrit Lansing, Jr., 
 
 Maria Sanders (now Rose- Herbert Jacobs (Van Deu 
 
 boom), sen), 
 
 Gerritje Costers (now Rose- Hendrick Rosenboom, Jr., 
 
 boom), Jan Abeel, 
 
 Alida Everts (now Oothout) Maria Parcker, 
 Paulus Martens Van Bent- Catryn Villeroy, 
 
 Catelyntje Ten Brouck, 
 Martina Bicker (now Hoo- 
 
 Susanna Wend el, 
 
 Benony Van Corlar, 
 
 Jan Ratlife, 
 
 Antje Van Esch (now Rid- 
 
 der), 
 Martina Tennis, 
 Cornelia Ten Broeck, 
 Susanna Barents, 
 Sara Sanders (now Greeven- 
 
 rood), 
 Marie Katelyne (now Bratt) 
 Dyrckje Luyckens, 
 Antje Becker, 
 Abraham Staats, Jr., 
 Elbert Gerrits, 
 
 huysen, 
 Wouter Pieters Quakel- 
 
 bosch, 
 Pieter Hendrick De Haas, 
 Pieter Tomes Mingaal, 
 Helena Byvang, 
 Rebecca Claes (Groesbeck 1 Symon Van Esch, 
 
 now Van Schaak), Catharine Van Schayck, 
 
 Sarah Hardenberch, 
 Annetje Lives, 
 Abraham Cuyler, 
 Dirck Barents Bratt, 
 Solomon Frederick Booch, 
 Elizabeth Van Gelder, 
 
Deborah Tan Dam (Avife Cornelia Tys (Goes ?), 
 
 of Hendrick Hansse), Geertruy Jans Witbeck 
 
 Margriet Jurries, (now wife of Barent Ger- 
 
 Zytje Marselis (wife of Jo- ritsen), 
 
 seph Jansse), Marretje Hendericks (now 
 Est de Ridder, Schermerhorn), 
 Cornelis Martens, Ariaantje Gerrits, 
 Jacob Yosbergh, Lyiitje Winne (now Wit- 
 Isaac Yosberch, beek), 
 Abraham Jans (Yan Al- Lysbeth Rosenboom (now 
 
 styne ?), Yan Deusen), 
 
 Lambert Jans (Yan Al- Johanna Bratt (now Kete- 
 
 styne ?), luyn), 
 
 Isaac Jans (Yan Alstyne ?), Henderikje Yan Schoonho- 
 
 Dorotche Yosburgh, ven (now Poppi), 
 
 Teuntje Jans (Yan Alstyne? Ariaantje Yan Schoonho- 
 
 now Winnen), ven, 
 
 Manetje Yosburgh, Frans Pieters Clauw, 
 
 Anna Yosburgh, Elsje Fransen Clauw, 
 
 Geertru}' Sickles, Adam Dingman, 
 
 Est Bancker, Geertje Martens, 
 
 Elizabeth Bancker(anAbeel Geertruy Ten Broeck (now 
 
 his wife), Schuyler), 
 
 David Christiaans, Anna de Peyster, 
 
 Abraham Isaacks, Annetje Gerrits, 
 
 Anna Sickels, Eytje Pieters, 
 
 Cornelia Yan Male, Caatje Bleycker (now Cuy- 
 
 Johannes Schuyler, ler), 
 
 Margriet Schuyler, Eva Vinhagel (now Beek- 
 
 Cornelia Yroman, man), 
 
 Lysbeth Lansing (now Bratt Willem Jacobs (Yan Deu- 
 
 Judick Marselis (wife of sen), 
 
 Lucas Lucasy), James Willet, 
 
 Andries Hans Huyck, Maria Wendell, 
 
 Catryn Andries (a Yan Yal- Abraham Kip, 
 
 kenburgh his wife), Henderick Greefradt, 
 
76 
 
 Johannes Pruyn, 
 
 Jan Jans Post, 
 
 Johannes Bratt, 
 
 Hnybert Gerrits, 
 
 Rnt Melcherts, 
 
 Cornells Gerrits, 
 
 Anna Sanders, 
 
 Maria Van Renssalaer (now 
 
 Schuyler), 
 Jacomyntje Vile, 
 May ken Oothout (wife of 
 
 Thomas Harmensen, Jr.?) 
 Coatje Melcherts (Van der 
 
 Poel ? now Witbeck), 
 Jannetje Cobus, 
 Rachel Melcherts (Van der 
 
 Poel ?), 
 Cornelia Coljer, 
 Catarine Van Allen (now 
 
 Van der Poel), 
 Nelletje Quakelbosch, 
 Francyntje Hendericks, 
 Geertruy Hogenboom, 
 Neeltje Slingerlandt, 
 Engletje Lives, 
 Geertruy Jans, 
 Margriet Brickers, 
 Susanna Lansing, 
 Her men Rutgers, 
 Cornelia Van Vreedenburch 
 
 (now Van Yselsteyn), 
 Hester Davids, 
 Weyntje Fransen (Clauw?), 
 Judick (Jans) Van Housen, 
 Henderick Van Renssalaer, 
 
 Joseph Jans, 
 Jan Fondaas, 
 Marretje Van Petten (now 
 
 Van Allen), 
 Catelyntje Van Petten (now 
 
 Van Vechten), 
 Margaret Hans (now Vis- 
 
 scher), 
 Henderick Van Dyck, 
 Abraham Schuyler, 
 Cornelia Van Olinda, 
 Arieentje Vanderheyden. 
 
 On July 11th, 1690, the fol- 
 lowing Indians : 
 Paulus, 
 Laurens, 
 Maria. 
 
 On October 22d, 1691, the 
 following Indians : 
 David, 
 Rebecca, 
 Lydia. 
 
 At the same time the fol- 
 lowing persons : 
 Sarah Harmens (Visscher), 
 Marretje Gerrits, 
 Jannetje Blyker, 
 Marretje Vanhagel, 
 Anna Coster. 
 
 On March 24th, 1692, the 
 following Indians: 
 Isak, 
 Rachel, 
 Rebecca, 
 Eunice. 
 
77 
 
 At the same time the fol- 
 lowing persons : 
 
 Meindert Schuyler, 
 
 Jacobus Van Dyck, 
 
 Johannes Rykman, 
 
 Willem Van Allen, 
 
 Tanimus Noxen, 
 
 Luthers Jans (Witbeck), 
 
 Andries Douw, 
 
 Pieter Lucas Koeyman, 
 
 Debora Staats (now Rose- 
 boom), 
 
 Elsje Rutgers (now Schuy- 
 ler), 
 
 Maria Banker, 
 
 Anna Gansevoort, 
 
 Christina Ten Broek, 
 
 Antje Yan der Heyden, 
 
 Marietje Pruyn (wife of El- 
 bert Gerretsen, 
 
 Rachel Cuyler (now Schuy- 
 ler), 
 
 Tryntje Rykman (now 
 Breese), 
 
 Marritje Lookerman (now 
 Fonda), 
 
 Marritje Bogardus (now 
 Van Vechten), 
 
 Grietje Takel, 
 
 Barbar Jans (wife of Gerrit 
 Rikse), 
 
 Elsje Wendell (now Staats), 
 
 Jannetje Oothout (Van 
 Schaack). 
 September 17th, 1692. 
 
 Canastasji (Indian), 
 
 Gerrit Rosenboom, 
 Pieter Verbrugge, 
 Stephanus Groesbeeck. 
 December 23d, 1692. 
 Henderik (Indian). 
 
 April 13th, 1693. 
 Antoni Coster, 
 Johannes Gerrits (Van 
 
 Vechten), 
 Marten Winnen, 
 Melchert Vanderpoel, 
 Elizabeth Kreigir, 
 Tryntje Wendell (now Mil- 
 
 lington), 
 Neeltje Schermerhorn (now 
 
 Ten Eyck), 
 Elizabeth Ten Broek (now 
 
 Coster), 
 Catrine Nack, 
 Geertruy V^an Benthuysen 
 
 (now Becker), 
 Maria Van der Poel (of Neo- 
 
 borum), 
 Cornells (Indian), 
 Claas Jans. 
 
 October 25th, 1693. 
 Johannes Harmens (Vis- 
 
 scher), 
 Moeset (Indian), 
 Marta do. 
 Sara do. 
 
 Jose do. 
 
 April 6th, 1694. 
 Pieter Hogeuboom, 
 Johannes Kip, 
 Jacobus Van Schoonhoven, 
 
78 
 
 Geertruy VanSchoonhoven, January 20th, 1695, ofKin- 
 
 Jecomintye Van Schoonho- 
 
 ven (now Van Deusen), 
 Geertje Willems, 
 Anna Bogardus, 
 Lydia Ten Broek, 
 Lysbeth Slingerlandt, 
 Christine Priiyn, 
 Catelyntje Schuyler (now 
 
 Abeel), 
 Susanna Wendell, 
 Claartje Brott, 
 Elsje Hans, 
 Jannetje Swart (now Van 
 
 der Zee), 
 Alida Fondaas (now Van 
 
 Vechten), 
 
 derhook. 
 
 Arieentje Barents (wife of 
 Pieter Martens), 
 
 Robbert Teuwis (Van Deu- 
 sen), 
 
 Johannes Van Allen. 
 March 21st, 1695. 
 
 Thomas Harmens (Hun ?), 
 
 Hendrick Hans, 
 
 Tarn Williams, 
 
 Agneetje Gansevoort (his 
 wife), 
 
 Frans Winne, 
 
 Elsje Gansevoort (Winnen) 
 
 Claas Si vers, 
 
 Albert Rykman, 
 
 Hester Fondas (wife of John Gerrit Ryks, 
 
 Dircksen), 
 
 Rachel Winne (of Schenec- 
 
 Lysbeth Jans, 
 
 tady), 
 
 
 Geertje Quakelbosch (now 
 
 Hendrik Pruyne, 
 
 
 . Groesbeck). 
 
 Tryntje Cornelis (wife 
 
 of 
 
 July 6th, 1694. 
 
 Pieter Waldron), 
 
 
 Gideon (Indian), 
 
 Sara Foreest, 
 
 
 Alida do. 
 
 Claartje Quakelbosch (w 
 
 ife 
 
 December 26th, 1694. 
 
 of Dirk Takelsen), 
 
 
 Neeltje Van Bergen (now 
 
 Annetje Hogenboom, 
 
 
 Donw), 
 
 Rachel Slingerlandt, 
 
 
 Dirk Van der Hey den, 
 
 Maria Wendell, 
 
 
 David Schuyler, j 
 
 Dewertje Van Petten, 
 
 
 Margriet (Indian), ; 
 
 Anna Van Petten (wife 
 
 of 
 
 Eva do. 
 
 Claas Siversend), 
 
 
 Maria' do. 
 
 Daniel Bratt, 
 
 
 Elsje do. 
 
 Pieter (Indian), 
 Joseph do. 
 Tierk do. 
 
 
79 
 
 Agniet (Indian), 
 Lea do. 
 
 Susanna do. 
 
 December 25tli, 1695. 
 Cornells Bogardus, 
 Brant (Indian), 
 Jacob do. 
 
 January 22d, 1696. 
 Jan Teuwis (Van Deusen), 
 Marrietje (Van Deusen), 
 Laurens C laas (Van Schaick, 
 Catelyntje Teuwis, 
 Jannetje Jochums (wife of 
 
 Isaac Jans). 
 
 April 9th, 1696. 
 Myndert Rosenboom, 
 Abram Lansing, 
 Catrine Staat (now Schayk) 
 Saartje Brats (wife of Rey- 
 
 nier Mynderts). 
 Anna Glen (now Wendell), 
 Maria Salisbury, 
 Mayken Van Escli (now 
 
 Wendell), 
 Margreetje Pells, 
 Saartje Van Deusen, 
 
 June 26th, 1696. 
 Antonio (Indian), 
 Dorcas do. 
 
 Barent do. 
 
 Catrine do. 
 
 September 18th, 1696. 
 Johannes (Indian), 
 Arent do. 
 
 April 1st, 1697. 
 Mayken Van Esch (now Ou- 
 
 derkerck). 
 
 Annetje Schaats, 
 Margariet Ryks, 
 Elizbeth Lansing (now 
 
 Groesbeck), 
 Susanna Wendell (now 
 
 Wyngaard), 
 Margriet Schuyler (now Li- 
 vingston), 
 Catrena A^an Schayk (now 
 
 Quakenbosch). 
 
 December 27th, 1697. 
 Sara Van Allen. 
 
 January 13th, 1698. 
 Guysbert Scharp, 
 Hendrik Jans (Witbeck), 
 Sara Jans (Witbeck), 
 Marritje Jans (Witbeck). 
 
 April 21st, 1698. 
 Hagar (Indian), 
 Jacomine do. 
 Luycas Lucas (Van Hoog- 
 
 kerke), 
 Solomon Cornels Van Vech- 
 
 ten), 
 Hasuera Marselis, 
 Mars Ryks, 
 Harraan Rykman, 
 Robbert Levingston, Jr., 
 Margriet Levingston, 
 Margriet Van Trigt, 
 Margriet Blyker, 
 Margriet Harmons, 
 Catelina Wendell (now 
 
 Schuyler), 
 Neeltje Gerrits, 
 Dirkje Winne, 
 Sara Marselis, 
 
80 
 
 Marritje Eoelofs (Kidni), 
 
 Helena Pruyn, 
 
 Lammertje Lokerman (Oot- 
 hout). 
 January 8th, 1699, from 
 Kinderhook. 
 
 Est Van Allen, 
 
 Stephenas Van Allen, 
 
 Manuel Van Schaack, 
 
 Lysbeth Arnoutse Van Eli. 
 April 6th, 1699. 
 
 Reyer Gerrits, 
 
 Jacobus Schuyler, 
 
 Andries Nack, 
 
 Hendrick Douw, 
 
 Jan Jans Van Aarnen, 
 
 Wouter Quakelbosch (mar- 
 ried Cornelia, da, of Law- 
 rence Bogert), 
 
 Matthyse Nak, 
 
 Maria Verplank, 
 
 Geertje Gerrits (Van den 
 Bergh), 
 
 Lysbeth Gansevoort, 
 
 Margriet Rykman, 
 
 Lysbeth Viele (from Neobo- 
 
 rum), 
 Helena Fonda, 
 Antje Quakelbosch, 
 Josina Maas (Van Buren ?), 
 Hillitje Gansevoort, 
 Maria Quakelbosch, 
 Neeltje Marinus, 
 Rachel Douw, 
 Cornelia Quakelbosch, 
 Anna Pruyn, 
 Canastasji (Indian). 
 
 September 8th, 1699. 
 Jonathan Braadhorst. 
 
 January 5th, 1700. 
 Susanna Wendells. 
 
 May 8th, 1700. 
 Claes Fonda, 
 Daniel Winnen, 
 Isack Ouderkerck, 
 Lysbet Wendell, 
 Mary Ingolsbie, 
 Rachel Bogardus, 
 Susanna Trujex. 
 
81 
 
 NOTE F. 
 Petitions for the Incorporation op the Dutch Church. 
 
 To the Honbl® Peter Schuyler Esqr President and the 
 Rest of his Majesties Council of the province of New 
 York and the Territories depending thereon in Ame- 
 rica. 
 
 The Humble Petition of Petrus van Driesen Minister 
 of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Congregation in the 
 City of Albany Joannis Cuyler Joannis Rooseboom 
 Hendrick van Renslaer Willem Jacobse van Deusen 
 present Elders for the same and Rutgert Bleecker Yol- 
 kert van Veghten Myndert Roseboom and Dirk Ten 
 Broek present Deacons of the said Church. Most Hum- 
 bl}^ Sheweth. 
 
 That the said Minister Elders and Deacons and other 
 the members in Communion of the said Reformed Pro- 
 testant Dutch Church have at their own charge built and 
 erected a Church within the city of Albany and dedi- 
 cated the same to the service of God, and have allso 
 purchased Certain two Tenements and Letts of ground 
 for a Poor or alms house and for a minister's dwelling 
 house; and sundry other small Tracts of Land within the 
 said City the Rents and incomes whereof are by them 
 (as they were allso by their Predecessors since they M'ere 
 Possessed of them) employed for the relief of the Poor 
 and other Persons and charitable uses. And the Peti- 
 tionrs further say that they and their predecessors have 
 for many yeares before this Province was under the 
 Government of the Crown of great Brittain and ever 
 sinse Peaceably and quietly had and enjoyed the full and 
 free Exercise of the Protestant Religion in the Dutch 
 Language according to the Cannons Rules Institucons 
 and Church Government Established by the Nationall 
 11 
 
82 
 
 Synod held and assembled in the City of Dort in Hol- 
 land in the year 1618 and 1619. 
 
 And the Petitionrs humbly conceive and are advised 
 that they and their Successors would be the better ena- 
 bled to employ the Rents and incomes of the Lands and 
 Tenement aforesaid for Pious and Charitable uses if they 
 were incorporated as some other of the Protestant re- 
 formed Dutch Churches in this Province are. 
 
 They therefore most Humbly Pray yor Honors that 
 the Peticonrs and their Successors may be Incorporated 
 by Letters Patent under the great seal of this Province 
 with such or the like Priviledges and Liberties as are 
 granted to the Ministers Polders and Deacons of the Re- 
 formed Protestant Dutch Church in the City of New 
 York and that the said Church and the aforesaid Tene- 
 ments and Lotts of ground and other the Tracts and 
 Parcells of Land aforesaid may be Confirmed unto them 
 and their Successors for ever under such moderat Quit 
 rent as unto yor Honors shall seem meet. 
 
 And yor Petitionrs as in Duty bound shall ever Pray 
 &c — Petrus Van Driesen 
 
 V D M 
 
 Nomine Synodij. 
 
 New York 3*^ day of August 1720. 
 
 To the Honble Peter Schuyler Esqr President and the 
 Rest of his Majesties Councill of the Province of 
 New York and the Territories depending thereon in 
 America. 
 
 The Humble Petition of Petrus van Driesen Minister 
 of the Dutch Protestant Congregacon in the City of 
 Albany Joannis Cuyler Joannis Roseboom Hendrik van 
 Renselaer and Willem Jacobse van Driesen the present 
 Elders, Rutgert Bleeker Yolckert van Yegten Myndert 
 Roseboom and Dirk ten Broeck the present Deacons of 
 the same — Most Humbly Sheweth 
 
83 
 
 That yor Petitionrs did lately most humbly pray yor 
 Honors to grant unto them and their Successors Letters 
 Pattent under the Great Seal of this Province for incor- 
 porating them with such and the like Priviledges and 
 Liberties as heretofore granted to the Reformed protest- 
 ant Dutch Church in the City of New York together 
 with a Confirmation of all such Lands and Tenements as 
 they now hold to and for the use of the said Congrega- 
 con — 
 
 But so it is may it please yor Honors that one Mr 
 Hendrik Hansen of the City of Albany has entered a 
 Caveat against the passing of the said Patent under pre- 
 tence that the Dutch Church erected in the City of 
 Albany is built on some part of the ground belonging 
 to the said Mr Hansen, and altho yor Petitionrs can 
 easily make appear that the said pretence is groundless 
 and only make up of by the said Hansen to delay yor 
 Petitionrs in the Presenting and obtaining of the said 
 Patent. 
 
 They therefore most Humbly Pray that for the Re- 
 moving of all difficultyes and objections that may be 
 raised against the passing of the said Patent a Clause 
 may be inserted in the Same to save the Right and Title 
 of all manner of persons to the Lands and Tenements or 
 any part thereof which the Petitionrs by their former 
 petition did Humbly pray to be Confirmed unto them 
 and their Successors. 
 
 And yor Petitionrs as in duty bound shall ever Pray 
 &c. Petrus Van Deiesen 
 
 V D M 
 Nomine Sijnodeii, 
 
 New York 6th Aug 1720 
 
84 
 
 Act op Incorporation. 
 
 George by the grace of God King of Great Britain, 
 France and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c., to all to 
 whom these presents shall come or may concern, send- 
 etli greeting : Whereas our loving subjects the Rev. 
 Petrus Van Driessen, Johannes Cuyler, Johannes Roose- 
 boom, Henrych Van Rensselaer, William Jacobse Van 
 Deusen, Rutgert Bleecker, Volkert Van Veghten, Myn- 
 dert Rooseboom and Dirck Tienbroock, the present 
 ministers, elders and deacons of the Reformed Protest- 
 ant Dutch Church in the city of Albany, in our pro- 
 vince of New York, by their humble petition presented 
 to our trusty and well beloved Colonel Peter Schuy- 
 ler, president of our council for our province of New 
 York, in council have set forth that the inhabitants 
 of Albany, descended of Dutch ancestors, have from 
 the first settlement of this province by Christians, 
 hitherto held, used and enjoyed the free and undis- 
 turbed exercise of their religion and worship in the 
 Dutch language, after the manner of the established 
 Reformed Protestant religion in Holland, according 
 to the common rules, institutions and church go- 
 vernment of the national synod of Dort, in Holland, 
 in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand six hun- 
 dred and eighteen, and one thousand six hundred and 
 nineteen. And that the said minister, elders and dea- 
 cons, and their ancestors and predecessors, at their own 
 charge and expense, erected, built and hitherto main- 
 tained a church within the city of Albany aforesaid, and 
 have dedicated the same to the service and worship of 
 Almighty God, situate, lying and being on the high street 
 commonly called Yonkers street, nigh the bridge in the 
 city of Albany, containing in length on the south side 
 thereof seven rod, three foot four inches, on the north 
 side seven rod three foot one inch, Ryland measure, and 
 
85 
 
 in breadth on the east and west ends, sixty-one foot and 
 five inches, wood measure. And are now not only quietly 
 and peaceably seized and possessed of their said church, 
 but are likewise seized of sundry other demesnes to 
 and for their sole and only proper use and behoof of 
 their said church and congregation, that is to say, one 
 certain messuage or tenement and lot of ground in the 
 aforesaid city of Albany commonly called the Dutch 
 minister's house, situate, lying and being in the Brew- 
 er's street, on the east side thereof, in the third ward of 
 the said city, being in front from the southward to 
 the northward five rod ten inches, and behind toward 
 Hudson's river, six rod fifteen inches, Eyland measure, 
 and in length from the said street to the city stockadoes, 
 bounded on the south side l)y Jan Solomans, and on the 
 north side by that of the late Hans Hendrycks and the 
 widow of David Schuyler. Also one other certain mes- 
 suage or tenement and lot of ground, situate, lying and 
 being in the city aforesaid commonly called poor house 
 or alms house, in the first ward of the said city, bound- 
 ed on the south by the high street that leads to the 
 burying place to the north of Rutten kill, and to the 
 east of Harman Rutgers, and to the west by the lot of 
 Garry t Bancker, containing in breadth towards the 
 street that leads to the Lutheran church by the said 
 E-utten kill, six rod one foot and the like breadth in the 
 rear, and in length on the east side, eight rod and two 
 inches, all Ryland measure. Also that certain parcel 
 of land commonly called and known by the name of 
 the pasture, situate, lying and being to the southward 
 of tlie city of Albany, near the place where the old fort 
 stood, extending along Hudson's river, till it comes 
 over against the most northerly point of the island com- 
 monly called Marten Gerrytsen's island, having to the 
 east Hudson's river, to the south the manor of Rensse- 
 laerswyck, to the west the highway that leads to the city 
 
86 
 
 aforesaid, the pastures now or late in the tenure and oc- 
 cupation of Martin Gerrytsen, and the pasture now or late 
 in the tenure and occupation of Casper Jacobs, to the north 
 the several pastures late in the tenure and occupation of 
 Robert Saunders, j\[yndert Harmans and Evert Wendell, 
 and the several gardens late in the occupation of Dirck 
 Wessells, Killian Van Rensselaer and Abraham Staats, 
 together with the old highway from Beaver kill to the 
 end of Schermerhorn's pasture, adjoining to the same on 
 the west side thereof. Also that certain parcel of pasture 
 land situate, lying, and being to the southward of the 
 said city, and to the westward of the before mentioned 
 pasture, near and about the limits of the said city on 
 the manor of Rensselaerswyck, containing in breadth 
 along the wagon way, six and twenty rod, and in length 
 towards the woods eight and twenty rod, and in breadth 
 towards the woods twenty-five rod. And also all that cer- 
 tain garden lot of ground, situate, lying and being in the 
 great pasture, containing in the breadth six rod and five 
 foot, and in length eight rod and two foot, and stretch- 
 ing backwards with another small lot of three rod and 
 two foot in length, and in breadth one rod and two foot 
 Ryland measure; praying that they may by charter or 
 patent under the great seal of the province of New 
 York, be incorporated and made one body politic in fact 
 and name, and that they and their successors forever 
 hereafter, may not only be enabled to use, exercise and 
 enjoy their aforesaid privileges, and the free use and 
 exercise of their said religion and worship in manner 
 aforesaid, by the name and style of the ministers, elders 
 and deacons of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church, 
 in the city of Albany, with such other liberties and 
 privileges as have been formerly granted to other Re- 
 formed Protestant Dutch churches within the province 
 of New York, with variations, additions and commis- 
 sions, as long usage and experience has taught them to 
 
87 
 
 be most agreeable to their well being and circumstances, 
 but also the grant and confirmation ot" all those their 
 said inheritances and demesnes, to hold to them, the said 
 minister, elders and deacons of the Reformed Protest- 
 ant Dutch Church in the city of Albany and to their 
 successors and assigns for ever. We being willing to 
 encourage and promote the said pious intentions and 
 the free use and exercise of their said reformed pro- 
 testant religion, to the same congregation and their 
 successors for ever, in the said city of Albany, know 
 ye, that of our especial grace, certain knowledge, and 
 meer motion, we have given, granted, ratified, and 
 confirmed and do by these presents for us, our heirs 
 and successors for ever, give, grant, ratify, and confirm 
 unto all the inhabitants of Albany, so as aforesaid 
 descended of Dutch ancestors, and professing the said 
 reformed protestant religion, and to their successors 
 for ever, the free use and exercise of their worship, 
 doctrine, discipline and church government, according 
 to the canons, rules, institutions and directions of the 
 Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in Holland, insti- 
 tuted and approved by the National Synod of Dort, and 
 that no person nor persons whatsoever in communion of 
 the said Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in Albany 
 aforesaid, or at any time or times hereafter, shall be 
 molested, disquieted, or disturbed in the free use and ex- 
 ercise of their said religion and worship, they behaving 
 themselves peaceably, and not abusing this liberty to 
 licentiousness, profaneuess, and the civil injury or out- 
 ward disturbance of the National Church of England, 
 as by law established, or other reformed protestant 
 churches in the aforesaid city of Albany. And to the 
 end the same liberties and privileges be hereafter for 
 ever supported, maintained, and continued to them and 
 their successors for ever, we of our especial grace, 
 certain knowledge and meer motion, do likewise will 
 
88 
 
 and grant for us, our heirs and successors for ever, 
 unto the same Petrus Van Driessen, the present minis- 
 ter of the same congregation at Albany, Johannes 
 Roseboom, Henryck Van Rensselaer, and William 
 Jacobse Van Deusen, the present elders of the same 
 church, and unto Rut,i2:ert Bleecker, Volkert Van 
 Veghten, Myndert Roseboom, and Dirk Tienbroock, the 
 present deacons of the same church, and the inhabit- 
 ants of Albany communicants of the said church, that 
 they be as they are hereby created and made one body 
 corporate and politick in fact and name, by the name 
 of the minister, elders and deacons of the Reformed 
 Protestant Dutch Church in the city of Albany, and 
 that they and their successors for ever, shall and may 
 by that name have perpetual succession, and be able and 
 capable in the law to sue and be sued, plead and be im- 
 pleaded, answer and be answered unto, defend and be 
 defended, in all and singular suit, quarrels, controver- 
 sies, difierences, strifes, matters and things whatsoever, 
 and in all courts whatsoever, either in law or equity, of 
 what kind soever, as also by the same name, to have, 
 hold, take, receive, be seized of, possess and enjoy to 
 them and their successors for ever their said church, 
 parsonage or minister's dwelling-house, alms-house, 
 and other their demesnes or inheritances, by fee simple, 
 before mentioned, and such other demesnes or inherit- 
 ances to purchase and acquire to them and their succes- 
 sors and assigns forever, and by the same name, the same 
 lands, hereditaments and appurtenances, or any part of 
 them (excepting only the same church); to alienate, 
 bargain, sell, grant, demise, sell and to farm let to any 
 other person, or persons, body corporate and politic, 
 whatsoever at their will and pleasure, in fee simple for 
 life, or lives, or for term of years, as to them shall seem 
 most convenient and profitable, as any other person or 
 persons, body corporate or politic, may or can do, not 
 
89 
 
 exceeding the yearly value of three hundred pounds 
 over and al ove what they now stand seized and pos- 
 sessed, or for the common use and benefit of the same 
 Dutch Church and of all the members of the same con- 
 gregation. And we do further will and grant that the 
 minister, elders and deacons of the same church, for 
 the time being, for ever hereafter, be the consistory of 
 the same church, and shall and may have, keep and use 
 a common seal to serve for all grants, matters and 
 things whatsoever belonging to the same corporation, 
 with such device or contrivance thereon as they or their 
 successors for ever shall think fit to appoint, with full 
 power to break, new make and alter the same at their 
 will and discretion; and the same consistory shall have 
 and enjoy the like powers and privileges as a Dutch con- 
 sistory in the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in Hol- 
 land do, or may or ought to use and enjoy. And we do 
 will and grant that the same Petrus Van Driessen be the 
 first minister of the said church at the time of this our 
 grant, and the same Johannes Cuyler, Johannes Eose- 
 boom, Henryck Van Rensselaer and William Jacobse 
 Van Deusen, be the first elders of the said church at 
 the time of this our grant ; and that the same Rutgert 
 Bleecker, Volkert Van Veghten, Myndert Roseboom, 
 and Dirk Tienbroock, be the first deacons of the said 
 church at the time of this our grant, to all intents and 
 purposes; and that the said ministers, together with the 
 said four elders and four deacons, or the minister, el- 
 ders and deacons for the time being, and the major num- 
 bers of them whereof the minister for the time being 
 always to be one — be the consistory of the said church, 
 and have and shall have full power and authority, 
 at all time and times for ever hereafter, to act in all 
 their church affairs and business, by majority of voices, 
 in as full and ample manner as if the minister and 
 all the said four elders and four deacons were person- 
 -"^ 12 
 
A 
 
 90 
 
 ally present and did actually and severally give their 
 votes. But in case of the death, absence or re- 
 moval of their said minister, then, and in any of 
 these cases, the elders and deacons of the same church, 
 for the time being, or the major number of them, 
 whereof the first elder in nomination we will always 
 to be one, and shall preside, shall have, use and 
 exercise all the power and authorities of a consistory 
 to all intents and purposes, and shall manage and order 
 the church affairs in as full and ample manner as it their 
 said minister were alive, present and consenting there- 
 unto, any thing in these presents to the contrary there- 
 of in any wise notwithstanding. And we Avill and 
 grant that the same elders and deacons continue in 
 their respective offices until the next anniversary 
 election. And the said elders and their saccessors, for 
 ever hereafter, have and shall have the full power and 
 authority of receiving and paying the moneys given 
 for the maintenance of the minister or ministry of the 
 same church, whether the same arise by legacy, donation 
 or voluntary contributions or collection from the inhabit, 
 ants or members of the same congregation, and are to 
 keep exact and true accounts to the consistory, when 
 thereunto by them required. And that the said deacons 
 and their successors for ever hereafter, have and shall 
 have the sole power and authority of receiving and 
 paying all the moneys collected and offered at the ad- 
 ministration of the Holy Sacrament of our Lord's Sup- 
 per, and in church in the times of divine service of 
 preaching, for the maintainance of the poor, and are to 
 keep and render exact and true accounts thereof to the 
 consistory aforesaid, when thereunto by them required, 
 which election of the same elders and deacons of the same 
 church is to be at Albany on every second Saturday of 
 December, annually, forever, by majority of voices, of 
 the consistory, in the manner following : That is to say, 
 
91 
 
 
 on each second Saturday of December, annually for ever 
 at Albany, shall be chosen two new elders and two new 
 deacons, who, together wiChTthe two elders anil two 1 1 
 deacons last in nomination in this our charter, shall ' 
 serve for the year ensuing in their respective offices, 
 and for ever thereafter, the two new ones shall be 
 chosen and added to the younger two elders and dea- 
 cons of the preceding year, so always as to preserve 
 the number of four elders and four deacons of the 
 said church. And moreover we do will and grant 
 unto the said minister, elders and deacons of the 
 Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in the city of 
 Albany, and to their successors for ever, that on 
 the second Saturday of December next, and on every 
 second Saturday of December annually forever here- 
 after at Albany, shall be elected and chosen four dis- 
 creet persons by the majority of voices of the consistory 
 aforesaid, to be kirkmasters of the said church, whose 
 office and charge is 'and shall be to build and re- 
 pair the same church and cemetery, parsonage, alms- 
 house, and all other the hereditaments and appurten- 
 ances to the said church belonging, and to have the or- 
 dering and direction of the pews and seats in the said 
 church, and the breaking of the ground in the cemetery 
 for burying of the dead, and shall have and receive all 
 the rents and revenues of the said church, coming there- 
 from or from anyother of the said church's inheritances; 
 also the payments of all sum and sums of money laid 
 out and expended, or to be laid out and expended, in 
 such necessary buildings and reparations of all which 
 the said kirkmasters are likewise to keep and surrender 
 exact and true accounts to the said consistory aforesaid, 
 two of which four kirkmasters last nominated, at the 
 next election shall continue in the same office for two 
 years and two new ones yearly for ever hereafter, to be 
 elected and chosen to serve with the two predecessors in 
 
92 
 
 like manner as with the elders and deacons aforesaid 
 and not otherwise. And it is our will and desire that the 
 two elders, two deacons and two kirkmasters, who shall 
 be superseded by a new annual election of two others 
 to succeed in their respective places, shall account and 
 deliver up their several respective charges and moneys 
 to their successors respectively, if any thereof be in 
 their hands and possession, respectively in public man- 
 ner. And we do likewise will and grant that the said 
 kirkmasters shall be under the direction of the said con- 
 sistory for the time being. And in case there shall not 
 be enough in the hands either of the elders, deacons or 
 kirkmasters, for the performing and finishing of any of 
 their respective charges and trust of their particular 
 respective funds before mentioned, which they be here- 
 by respectively empowered to receive and manage, that 
 then it shall and may be lawful to and for the consis- 
 tory aforesaid, to order and direct the lending of what 
 sum shall be necessary out of any of the aforesaid funds 
 towards deficiency of any other of the said funds, so 
 that there be no failure of any of the same three several 
 charges or trusts upon any unforeseen contingency 
 or emergency. And we do likewise will and grant 
 that in all elections of officers or other acts or orders 
 of the consistory the minister or president of the con- 
 sistory shall have but one vote. And if it shall happen 
 there be an equal division of the voices or votes, so 
 that the matter or thing in dispute can not receive the 
 determination of a majority of voices, that then it shall 
 and may be lawful to determine the same by lot, leav- 
 ing it to the sole wisdom of God to determine the same 
 as he shall think fit. And we do likewise will and 
 grant that it shall be in the power of the minister of 
 the said church, for the time being, by himself or in 
 case of his death, absence or removal, in the president 
 or first elder who shall preside for the time being, or in 
 
93 
 
 the power of the major number of the whole consistory 
 for the time being, to call a meeting of the consistory 
 for the good and service of the said church, and the 
 affairs of the said corporation, whensoever they shall 
 see meet within the said city of Albany; and in case it 
 shall please God that any of the said elders, deacons and 
 kirkmasters, for the time being, shall happen to die, re- 
 move, or otherwise be disabled from serving and offi- 
 ciating in their respective offices, within the year for \X.t*--^ 
 which they are so chosen or appointed to serve; we do ( * 
 
 will and grant that it shall and may be laAvful to the r^^^'***'^*^ 
 consistory, for the time being, to assemble and meet to- 
 gether at Albany, at any other time of the year than the 
 time of anniversary election, and so often as there 
 shall be occasion to elect and choose other elders, dea- 
 cons and kirkmasters in their respective rooms and 
 stead, to officiate for the remaining part of the year un- 
 til the next anniversary election ; which person or per- 
 sons so chosen as aforesaid into any of the aforesaid 
 offices of elders, deacons or kirkmasters, shall have 
 like j)Ower and authority to act in their respective 
 offices as if they had been elected and confirmed at the 
 aforesaid time of the anniversary election aforesaid, or as 
 if the same persons so dying, being absent or otherwise 
 disabled, were alive, present and capable to do the same; 
 and we do will and grant unto the said minister, elders 
 and deacons of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church 
 in the city of Albany, and to their successors for ever, 
 the advowson and patronage of the said church ; (that 
 is to say) that after the decease of the aforesaid Petrus 
 Van Driessen, or next and all other avoidances thereof, 
 that it shall and may be lawful to and for the elders 
 and deacons of the aforesaid church or the consistory 
 of the aforesaid church and their successors for ever, to 
 present and call another minister to succeed in the cure 
 of souls in the aforesaid church and congregation of 
 
94 
 
 the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in the city of 
 Albany, provided always such minister, so called or pre- 
 sented by them to the said living, be always a person 
 amenable to the laws of Great Britain and this Pro- 
 vince, and pay due obedience and allegiance unto us 
 and our royal heirs and successors, the kings and 
 queens of Great Britain. And that it shall and may be 
 lawful to and for the present minister or incumbent of 
 the said church and his succesors, or any of them to 
 have, take, receive and keep for his end and their own 
 use and support, that maintenance that now is or shall 
 be agreed upon betAveen him or them and the said con- 
 sistory from time to time, and at all times hereafter. 
 And it shall and may be lawful to and for the said 
 elders of the same church, and their successors for ever, 
 to collect and receive the voluntary subscriptions of 
 the inhabitants of Albany, belonging to the said congre- 
 gation, for and towards the payment of their said minis- 
 ter, or their minister for the time being, and to pay and 
 cause to be paid unto the said minister and his succes- 
 sor, the minister of the said church, for the time being, 
 his yearly stipend or salary, according to agreement, 
 by quarterly even payments thereof, or otherwise, as it 
 shall be agreed upon by and between them, the said 
 minister of the said church and the aforesaid consistory. 
 And we do will and grant that the said deacons of the 
 said church, and their successors for ever shall and may 
 lawfully and peaceably, from time to time, and at all 
 times hereafter, at the meeting of the said congregation 
 for the public service and worship of Almighty God, to 
 collect and receive the free and voluntary alms and ob- 
 lations of the members of the said congregation, and 
 the free and voluntary offerings made by the communi- 
 cants at their receiving of the holy sacrament of the 
 Lord's Supper for the uses aforesaid, and to dispose 
 thereof for the pious and charitable uses aforesaid. 
 
95 
 
 And we do "will and grant that the kirkraasters afore- 
 said, and their successors for ever, shall and may from 
 time to time, and at all times hereafter, and so often as it 
 shall be necessary, shall and may demise, grant, and to 
 farm let, of the demesnes of the said church, demisable 
 and grantable to and for the profit and advantage of 
 the said church, and receive and collect the rents and 
 revenues arising therefrom, or otherwise, and apply the 
 same for and towards the buildings and reparations of 
 the said church and parsonage, and other the heredita- 
 ments belonging to the said minister, elders and deacons 
 of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in the city of 
 Albany, and such other uses as are proper and necessary, 
 provided always that the said elders, deacons and kirk- 
 masters in their separate ofiices, be always accountable 
 to and under the direction of the consistory of the said 
 church, for the time being and not otherwise. And we 
 do further will and grant that it shall and may be in 
 the power of the consistory of the said church, 
 and their successors for ever, if they shall agree 
 thereupon, and find themselves able and capable of 
 mantaining him at any time or times hereafter, to nomi- 
 nate and call one or more able and sufficient minister, 
 lawfully ordained according to the constitution afore- 
 said, in all things to assist and officiate in the ministry 
 which doth belong to the sacred office and function of 
 a minister of the gospel in the said church, provided 
 always that there be no pre-eminency or superiority in 
 that office, and not otherwise. And we do likewise will 
 and grant to the said minister, elders, and deacons of 
 the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in the city of 
 Albany, and their successors for ever, that it shall and 
 may be lawfull to and for the consistory of the said 
 church, to nominate and appoint a clerk or precentor, 
 schoolmaster, sexton, bellringer, and such and so many 
 other offices and servants of the same church, as they 
 
96 
 
 shall think convenient and necessary, and to call them, 
 by the same or what other names they shall think fit. 
 And we do will and grant that it shall and may be law- 
 full to and for the consistory of the said church, and 
 their successors from time to time, and at all times here- 
 after, to make rules, orders, and ordinances for the 
 better discipline and government of the said church, 
 provided always that such rules, orders and ordinances 
 shall not be binding, nor effect any other of our reform- 
 ed protestant subjects within the same city, then the 
 voluntary members of their said congregation, and be no 
 ways repugnant to our laws of Great Britain and of 
 this colony, but agreeable to the articles of faith and 
 worship agreed upon and instituted by the National 
 Synod at Dort, aforesaid. And further of our especial 
 grace, certain knowledge and meer motion, we have 
 given, granted, ratified, and confirmed unto the afore- 
 said minister, elders, and deacons of the Reformed Pro- 
 testant Dutch Church in the city of Albany, and to their 
 successors and assigns for ever, all that their said church 
 and ground whereon it standeth, their said parsonage 
 or minister's dwelling house, with its hereditaments and 
 appurtenances thereunto belonging or any ways apper- 
 taining, and all the alms house or poor house aforesaid, 
 all that the pasture or pastures, and all other the pre- 
 mises aforesaid, together with all and singular edifices, 
 buildings, gardens, orchards, backsides, wells, ways, 
 hollows, cellars, passages, privileges, liberties, profits, 
 advantages, hereditaments, and appurtenances whatso- 
 ever, to all and every of them belonging, or in anyways 
 appertaining. And all that our estate, right, title, in- 
 terest, property and demand of, into or out of the same 
 or any part of any of them, and the revertions, remain- 
 ders, and the yearly rents and profits of the same, saving 
 only the right and title of any other person or persons, 
 body corporate and politick whatsoever, to any of the 
 
97 
 
 premises hereby granted, or meant, mentioned, and in- 
 tended to be hereby granted, or to any of them, to have 
 and to hold, all that their said church and ground, par- 
 sonage or minister's dwelling house, alms house or poor 
 house, pasture or pastures, and all and singular other 
 the premises with their and every of their hereditaments 
 and appurtenances unto the aforesaid minister, elders 
 and deacons of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in 
 the city of Alban}", their successors and assigns for ever, 
 to the sole and only proper use, benefit and behoof of 
 the aforesaid minister, elders and deacons of the Re- 
 formed Protestant Dutch Church, in the city of Albany, 
 and their successors and assigns for ever (save only as 
 before is saved and expressed), to be holden of us, our 
 heirs and successors for ever, free and common soccage 
 as of our manor of East Greenwich, in the county of 
 Kent, within our realm of Great Britain, yielding, 
 rendering and paying therefore, yearly and every year, 
 for ever unto us, our heirs and successors for ever, at 
 our custom house in New York, unto our and their re- 
 ceiver general for the time being, on the feast day of 
 the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, commonly 
 called Lady Day, the annual rent of one pepper corn, if 
 the same be lawfully demanded in lieu and stead of all 
 other rents, services, dues and duties and demands what- 
 soever, for the same church parsonage, alms house, 
 pastures, and all other the above granted premises, with 
 the hereditaments and appurtenances. And we do 
 hereby will and grant unto the aforesaid minister, elders 
 and deacons of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church 
 in the cit}' of Albany, and to their successors for ever, 
 that these our letters shall be made patent, and that 
 they and the record of them remaining in our secre- 
 tary's office of our province of New York, shall be good 
 and elYectual in the law to all intents and purposes what- 
 soever, according to the true intent and meaning of 
 13 
 
98 
 
 them, and shall be construed, reputed, esteemed and 
 adjudged in all cases most favorable for the benefit and 
 behoof of the aforesaid minister, elders and deacons of 
 the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in the city of 
 Albany and of their successors forever, notwithstanding 
 the not true and well reciting of the premises, or of the 
 limits and bounds of any of them, or any part of them, 
 any law or other restraint, uncertainty or imperfection 
 whatsoever to the contrary thereof in any way notwith- 
 standing. In testimony whereof we have caused the 
 great seal of our province of New York to be affixed to 
 these presents, and the same to be entered of record in 
 one of the books of patents in our said secretary's office 
 remaining. Witness our said trusty and well beloved 
 Colonel Peter Schuyler, president of our council at Fort 
 George, the 10th day of August, in the 7th year of our 
 reign, anno doaiini 1720. 
 
 Causes and History op the Separation. 
 
 A brief sketch of the causes and history of the sepa- 
 ration may be interesting to the reader. 
 
 Up to 1737, the churches in this country were all 
 connected with the ecclesiastical courts in Holland, and 
 were under their jurisdiction. The inconveniences of 
 this connection now began to be seriously felt, and 
 openly discussed. The highest church court here was 
 only the consistory, consequently there could be no 
 ordination of ministers. All candidates were obliged to 
 go to Holland to receive ordination, incurring a large 
 expenditure of time and money. No case of disci- 
 pline could be settled here, for the ultimate tribunals 
 were on the other side of the ocean. Congregations 
 were a long time without pastors. And in some cases 
 the ministers who were sent out from Holland were 
 unsuitable persons for the churches here. 
 
99 
 
 The first movement was the formation of what was 
 called a coetus, which was a body formed for counsel 
 and fraternal conference. It was merely an advisory 
 body, and had no legislative powers. They applied to 
 the classis of Amsterdam to sanction their organization, 
 which after a delay of nine years was done in 1747. 
 
 It was however found that this body was powerless 
 to remove the evils under which the American churches 
 suffered, by reason of their dependence on the father- 
 land, and in 1754 it was formally proposed that the 
 coetus should be made a regular classis, with all the 
 powers appropriately belonging to such a court. This 
 was bitterly opposed by many of the older ministers, 
 who had been ordained in Holland, and who looked 
 upon the proposed separation as treason to the mother 
 Church, A bitter dispute arose, and raged for fifteen 
 years. The party which opposed the separation were 
 called the Conferentie, the other the Ccetus. These 
 two parties carried on a controversy of the most deter- 
 mined character, which disturbed the peace of neigh- 
 borhoods, divided families, and rent the churches into 
 factions. Houses of worship were locked up, ministers 
 were assaulted in the discharge of their functions, and 
 the holy sabbath was profaned by scenes of violence 
 and mobs. 
 
 Such was the sad state of things when Dr. John H. 
 Livingston in 176- went to Holland to study theology, 
 and be ordained to the work of the ministry. By judi- 
 cious personal conference with the clergy of Holland 
 he disarmed their prejudices, and gave them correct 
 views of the wants of the Church in America. He then 
 obtained the consent of the synod of North Holland 
 that the classis of Amsterdam should have in its charge 
 all the matters relating to the American churches. 
 He then returned to this country, was settled in New 
 York, and soon after called a convention of ministers 
 
 LOfC. 
 
100 
 
 and elders, which met in that city in October, 1771, 
 and of which he was chosen president. The conven- 
 tion conducted their deliberations in a fraternal, and 
 candid spirit. The result was the formation of a plan 
 of union, which provided : 1st. For the internal 
 arrangement and government of the churches, the 
 organization of superior church courts, the establish- 
 ment of a professorship for the education of ministers, 
 and for the foundation of schools. 2d. For the healing 
 of dissensions in the various churches. 3d. For cor- 
 respondence with the Church in Holland. It was pro- 
 vided that the minutes of the ecclesiastical courts should 
 always be sent to the classis of Amsterdam, and that 
 the classis, or if need be the synod of North Holland, 
 might be appealed to in cases of difficulty. 
 
 This plan was cordially adopted, sent to the classis 
 of Amsterdam, and by them approved. Their letter of 
 approbation, expressed in the most cordial terms, and 
 breathing an excellent spirit, was read in convention in 
 October, 1772, and peace was at last restored to the 
 American churches. 
 
 NOTE G. 
 
 Distinguished individuals who have been at different 
 times connected with the congregation of the Reformed 
 Protestant Dutch Church of Albany. 
 
 Abraham Yates, Jr. 
 Before the commencement of the Revolutionary war, 
 Mr. Yates had obtained a distinguished and extensive 
 reputation as a patriot. While sheriff of the city and 
 county of Albany, he resisted the quartering of troops 
 upon its citizens, and was threatend with arrest by the 
 government for so doing. He was the author of a 
 
101 
 
 series of letters signed Rough Hewer, which had an 
 extensive circulation, and exercised an influence second 
 only to the famous articles, entitled Common Sense, in 
 giving character and direction to public sentiment. He 
 was chairman of the committee of public safety, during 
 part of the Revolutionary war, a member of the con- 
 vention which formed the first constitution of the state, 
 recorder and mayor of the city of Albany, and held 
 other offices of trust and distinction. 
 
 Hon. Robert Yates. 
 He was a cousin of Hon, Abraham Yates, Jr., and a 
 man of note in his day. He was a delegate to the con- 
 vention which formed the constitution of the United 
 States. In 1777, he was appointed one of the first 
 justices of the supreme court of New York, and in 
 1790, became chief justice of the same. He was a man 
 of great intellectual power, and largely contributed to 
 the success of our struggle for national independence. 
 
 Samuel Stringer, M. D. 
 
 Dr. Stringer, was a man of great eminence in the 
 profession of medicine, and ranked among the first 
 practitioners of his day. He was also an ardent 
 patriot. He was chairman of the committee of public 
 safety in this city during a part of the Revolu- 
 tionary war, and was also surgeon general of the 
 forces under Gen. Schuyler, during that memorable 
 struggle. A man of tine education, distinguished pro- 
 fessional abilities, ardent zeal in behalf of the cause of 
 his country, great dignity of manners, and gentleman- 
 liness of deportment, he deservedly commanded high 
 respect, and occupied a very prominent place in public 
 estimation. He died in 1818. 
 
102 
 
 Brio. Gen. Peter Gansevoort. 
 
 Gen. Gansevoort's name is identified honorably with 
 the history of his country. He was born in Albany, 
 July 16th, ]749, and educated in New Jersey. In 1775, 
 he was appointed by congress a major in the second 
 regiment of New York, and joined the expedition under 
 Gen. Montgomery. In 1776, he received a colonel's 
 commission in the third regiment of the army of the 
 United States. In 1777, he commanded Fort Stanwix 
 during its memorable siege, and conducted its defence 
 with a vigor and success which crowned his name with 
 distinguished honor, and for which he received a special 
 vote of thanks from congress. In 1809, he received the 
 commission of brigadier general in the army of the 
 United States, in which service he continued till his 
 death, which occurred 2d of July, 18 12, in the 63d year 
 of his age. 
 
 He was a man of noble presence, and fearless and 
 magnanimous spirit ; of undaunted courage, and inflexi- 
 ble integrity. His public life was without a blot, while 
 his private character was of unimpeachable moralityj 
 and showed distinctly the influence of Christian prin- 
 ciple. 
 
 Hon. Leonard Gansevoort. 
 He was the brother of Gen. Gansevoort. Much of his 
 life was spent in commercial pursuits, in which he 
 always maintained a high position as an enterprising 
 and honorable merchant. He was also a devoted 
 patriot. He was president of the convention which 
 adopted the first constitution of this state, in April, 
 1777, and was the first judge of probate in the county 
 of Albany, which office he held for many years. The 
 later portion of his life was spent at Whitehall, his 
 country seat, in the vicinity of Albany, where he ever 
 
103 
 
 displayed the dignified, and generous hospitality cha- 
 racteristic of those days. He was a devoted member 
 of this church, and sat as a ruling elder in her councils, 
 for many years. 
 
 Hon. Simeon DeWitt. 
 
 Mr. DeWitt was born Dec. 25th, 1756, in Ulster 
 county. He was educated at Queens (now Rutgers) 
 college, where he took high rank as a scholar, and at 
 his graduation received the double honor of the salu- 
 tatory, and valedictory orations. At the time of the 
 incursion of Burgoyne he joined the army, and was 
 present at the battle in which that distinguished general 
 was defeated, and witnessed his surrender. In 1778, 
 he was appointed assistant geographer (or as it would 
 now be called, topographical engineer), to the army, 
 and in 1780, on the death of the chief geographer, Col. 
 Robert Erskine, he succeeded to that honorable and 
 important post. He was attached to the main army 
 from 1780 to the close of the war, was present at the 
 siege of Yorktown, and witnessed the surrender of 
 Cornwallis. In 1784, he was appointed surveyor 
 general of the state of New York, and held this commis- 
 sion more than fifty years. In 1796, Gen. Washington, 
 with whom Mr. PeWitt was on terms of cordial intimacy, 
 without his knowledge or solicitation, nominated him to 
 the senate, as surveyor general of the United States, 
 which was cordially ratified by that body. This flatter- 
 ing appointment Mr. DeWitt did not feel at liberty to 
 accept. In 1798, he was elected a regent; in 1817, vice 
 chancellor ; and in 1829, chancellor of the University 
 of New York. He was a member of various literary 
 and scientific associations, and frequently made valuable 
 contributions with his pen to the progress of scientific 
 inquiry. He was distinguished for his habits of close 
 
104 
 
 study, and persevering investigation. He was a true 
 philosopher with all the treasures, but without any pride 
 of learning. His otlicial life was useful to his country, 
 and honorable to himself. And in the social relations 
 of life he was warm in his affections, and firm and true 
 in his friendships. 
 
 Mr. DeWitt was a sincere and exemplary Christian. 
 For more than twenty years, he was a ruling elder in 
 the Protestant Reformed Dutch Church in this city. 
 At the division of the Church, in 18 15, he became 
 connected with the Second Dutch Church, where liis 
 children still remain, and where his memory is yet 
 precious, as the memory of the just. He died on the 
 3d of December, 1834, within a few days of accomplish- 
 ing his 79th year. 
 
 Hon. John Lansing, Jr. 
 
 Mr. Lansing was one of the most prominent jurists 
 of his da}'. After practicing law with signal ability 
 and success for a number of years, he was appointed 
 in 1790 a judge of the supreme court of this state, of 
 which in 1798, he was made chief justice. In 1801, he 
 was made chancellor, which high office he filled with 
 distinguished ability. He was mayor of the city of 
 Albany from 1786 to 1790. In all his public offices he 
 united with great professional talent, an irreproachable 
 moral character, and commanded the respect and confi- 
 dence of his fellow citizens. 
 
 Hon. Abraham Van Vechten. 
 Few names are held in such respectful remembrance 
 by the citizens of Albany as the name of Mr. Van 
 Vechten. He was born at Catskill, December 5th, 
 1752, and educated at the Kingston Academy. His pro- 
 gress in learning was so remarkable that he was able 
 
105 
 
 at the early age of fourteen, to commence the study of 
 hiw with chancellor Lansing of this city, and was 
 actually licensed both as attorney and counselor, be- 
 fore he was twenty-one years of age. He commenced 
 practice in this city in 1793. He was soon after elected 
 to the senate of the state, and for nearly thirty years, 
 held a seat in one of the two branches of the legislature. 
 For eleven years he was recorder of the city of Albany; 
 was appointed attorney general of the state in 1811^ 
 and was more than once invited to a seat on the bench 
 of the supreme court, which honor he declined. 
 
 He made a profession of religion about the time he 
 commenced professional life, and was for more than half a 
 century, an active, consistent, and useful member of the 
 Church. He was often an elder and a member of our 
 ecclesiastical courts, in which he always exerted great 
 influence. 
 
 Mr. Van Vechten was a man of vigorous intellect, 
 sound judgment, and remarkable discrimination. His 
 learning, particularly in jurisprudence, was various, 
 thorough and extensive. In his disposition he was 
 generous and benevolent, simple in his habits, warm in 
 his affections, frank and easy in his manners. He was 
 a sincere and exemplary Christian. He loved the 
 Bible, and praj'er, and the ordinances of the house of 
 God. He was devotedly attached to the Dutch Church, 
 and no man in the long list of her members deserves to 
 be more gratefully remembered by that Church. 
 
 Hon. Harmanus Bleecker. 
 Mr. Bleecker was the fifth in descent from Jan Jansen 
 Bleecker, who was one of the early settlers in Albany, 
 and who married, in 1667, Margaret, daughter of Rutger 
 Jacobsen. He was born October 9th, 1779 ; was admitted 
 to the bar in 1801; and in 1810 was elected to congress 
 14 
 
106 
 
 where he served during the troublous times of the last 
 war with England. He was one of the regents of the 
 university, and a commissioner on the part of the state, 
 for settling the boundary between New York and New 
 Jersey. Under the administration of president Van 
 Buren, he was sent as American minister to the Hague. 
 Very few of our foreign ministers have made such a 
 favorable impression abroad. During his residence in 
 Holland he married Miss Sebastiana Cornelia Mentz, an 
 accomplished lady, who still survives him in her native 
 land. 
 
 Mr. Bleecker was a man of uncommon literary attain- 
 ments and high cultivation. He was dignified in his 
 manners, and affable and courteous in his deportment. 
 He spoke and wrote in the Dutch language with great 
 purity and elegance, and was on this account very 
 popular during his residence abroad. He was a man of 
 irreproachable character, a consistent supporter of the 
 institutions of religion, and more than usually versed in 
 the science of theology. He died at his residence in 
 Albany, July 19th, 1849, at the age of seventy years. 
 
 Hon. Stephen Van Kensselaer. 
 This is one of the most precious names connected 
 with the Church of Albany. Mr. Van Rensselaer was 
 born in the city of New York, November 1st, 1764, and 
 graduated at Harvard University in 1782. In 1789, he 
 was chosen to the legislature of this state, and in 1795, 
 when only thirty-one years of age, was called to 
 preside over the senate as lieutenant governor. He 
 held this position six years. From 1800 to 1820, he 
 was frequently a member of assembly, sat in two 
 conventions called to revise the constitution, and in 
 1822 was elected to the congress of the United States. 
 For the last fourteen years of his life he was president 
 
107 
 
 of the caual board, and at the time of bis deatb, was 
 chancellor of the University of New York. 
 
 He began his military career in 1787, and during the 
 last war with Great Britain he held the commission of 
 major general, commanded on the Niagara frontier, and 
 was engaged with honor in the battle of Queenstown. 
 
 In 1825, he received from Yale College the honorary 
 degree of doctor of laws. He died suddenly at the 
 Manor House, January 26th, 1839. 
 
 The following extract from a discourse delivered in 
 his memory by his eloquent and intimate friend, Rev. 
 George W. Bethune, D. D., at Philadelphia, February 
 3d, 1839, contains a just analysis of his character, and 
 tribute to his worth. 
 
 "Born to a large patrimony, the increasing prosperity 
 of the country poured wealth upon him, until he be- 
 came, with the exception, perhaps, of one other, the 
 richest man of the land ; and wearing, by the common 
 consent of all around him, the only hereditary title 
 known among us, he swayed an influence wider than 
 any other private citizen possessed. Cautious, but not 
 cold; frank, but never rash ; without the qualities of fer- 
 vid genius, or depth of learning, he had a judgment sin- 
 gularly clear and correct, a pure common sense, which 
 rarely failed to guide him in duties which his conscience 
 ioved. Surrounded by grateful dependents and affec- 
 tionate friends, though there could not be wanting those 
 who would have preyed upon his abounding fortunes, 
 he has gone to his grave without an enemy. 
 
 " The beauty of his wisdom was his guilelessness, the 
 strength of his power was his goodness, and the abun- 
 dance of his wealth his vast benevolence. 
 
 " His greatness was like that of a noble tree, planted 
 by the river of the water of life, spreading wide its 
 sheltering arms to overshadow all who needed refuge, 
 which yielded perennial fruits, and " whose leaf never 
 
108 
 
 faded. " His bounty was not the occasional and noisy 
 gushes of ostentatious pride, but silent, secret, and 
 gentle as the dew, refreshing far and near, yet with a 
 kindly care for the lowliest herb of the field, healing 
 but never wounding the heart it blessed; while every 
 drop glistened in the light of the Sun of Righteousness, 
 and was exhaled to heaven. * * * * 
 
 "An elder in the church of his fathers, he seemed 
 to count it his best honor to serve the followers of Jesus j 
 and when a member of ecclesiastical courts, as he fre- 
 quently was, he never shrank from any labor, nor became 
 " weary in well doing." It may be safely said, that the 
 church he so much loved, approaching as it does, more 
 nearly than any other, the order of the apostolic age, 
 became dearer, and yet dearer to his heart as he drew 
 near his end. 
 
 " Yet sect could not confine the charity of his spirit. 
 We dare not claim him as wholly our own. He belong- 
 ed to Christianity, to the world, because he belonged to 
 God and Christ ; and never was his aid sought in any 
 cause of benevolence, morals or piety (and the applica- 
 tions were as constant as the day, and numerous as its 
 hours,) that his answer was not that of " the cheerful 
 giver" whom "the Lord loves. " 
 
 "But it was in his home that the Christian shone most 
 radiantly and sweetly, where his gentle spirit found de*- 
 lightful fellowship with the innocence of children, and 
 the quiet loveliness of kindred afiection. The guest, 
 who crossed that threshold, forgot he was a stranger, and 
 though poor, amidst all the appliances of uncounted 
 wealth, felt only that he was at home. Alas! for the 
 bereaved hearts Avithin that dwelling which knows him 
 now no more ! God comfort them ! 
 
 "Long suff"ering had chastened his spirit to an almost 
 heavenly purit}', and they, who "marked the perfect, 
 and beheld the upright," saw, that "the end of that 
 
109 
 
 man was peace." In the midst of his aflectionato child- 
 ren and near his devoted wife, within the hall where 
 the servant of God, and the friend of man, ever found 
 an unfeigned welcome, his venerable head fell gently 
 upon his bosom. Ho Avas asleep in Jesus. His flesh 
 shall rest in hope, but his spirit is now singing the song 
 in heaven beloved to sing on earth. He "rests from 
 his labors, and his works have followed him." 
 
 Hon. Kilian K. Van Rensselaer, 
 
 Mr. Van Rensselaer was the son of Kilian Van Rens- 
 selaer, Esq., of Greenbush. His father was at one time 
 chairman of the general committee of safety for the 
 northern department of New York, in the Revolutionary 
 war. Three of the sons served as commissioned officers 
 in that war, and two of them were severely wounded in 
 different engagements. 
 
 He was educated for the legal profession, in which he 
 for many years held a high rank in this city. He served 
 for several years in the city councils, and about 1800, 
 was elected to congress. He retained his seat for five 
 successive terms and Avas always distinguished for his 
 intelligence, his decision of character, his integrity, and 
 the urbanity of his manners. 
 
 He was for many years a member of this- Church, and 
 was often elected to a seat in consistory. 
 
 He died June iSth, 1S45, at the age of 82, having 
 always enjoyed the esteem and confidence of his fellow 
 citizens, and leaving behind him a spotless memory^ 
 Three of his sons still survive him, and are among the 
 most respectable citizens of Albany; one of them, Gen. 
 John S. Van Rensselaer, being the father of the gallant 
 and lamented Charles M. Van Rensselaer, first officer of 
 the ill-fated steamer Central America. 
 
110 
 
 Maj. Gen. Solomon Van Rensselaee. 
 
 Gen. Van Rensselaer, was the son of Gen. Henry R. 
 Van Rensselaer of Revolutionary memory, and was 
 Lorn August 6tb, 1774. He joined the army before he 
 was eighteen years of age, under Gen. Anthony Wayne. 
 His gallantry at that early age was conspicuous, and his 
 promotion was rapid, so that he commanded a troop 
 before he had reached the age of twenty. In the battle 
 of the Miami, in 1794, he was shot through the lungs, 
 and almost by miracle survived the wound. After the 
 disbanding of the army he was appointed adjutant gene- 
 ral of this state under Gov. Jay, which post he held for 
 a number of years. During the last war he was aid to 
 Maj. Gen. Stephen Van Rensselaer on the Niagara 
 frontier, and rendered brilliant and effective service 
 throughout the campaign. At the battle of Queenstown 
 he received six balls in different parts of his body, one 
 of which he carried to the day of his death. 
 
 In 18 IS he was elected to congress, and at the expiration 
 of his term of office was re-elected. Under President 
 Monroe he was appointed postmaster of Albany, and 
 held this office under Adams and Jackson. In 1839, he 
 was a delegate to the national convention at Harrisburgh, 
 which nominated Gen. Harrison for the. presidency. 
 From President Harrison he received again the appoint- 
 ment of postmaster at Albany. The last years of his life 
 were spent in the bosom of his affectionate family at 
 Cherry Hill, where he died April 23d, 1852, in the 78th 
 year of his age, leaving behind him the memory of a 
 gallant soldier, a true patriot, and a faithful servant of 
 his country. 
 
Ill 
 
 Abraham G. Lansing, Esq. 
 
 The estimation in which Mr. Lansing was held by 
 the public may be well inferred from the following 
 obituary notice from the pen of his distinguished friend, 
 Abraham Van Vechten, Esq., which appeared in the 
 Albany Argus, September, 1834. 
 
 " It is due to the memory of those who have well 
 performed their part on the stage of life, that their 
 example should be held forth for imitation after their 
 departure hence ; for in this way it furnishes a useful 
 lesson to their survivors. The recent death of Abraham 
 G. Lansing, Esq., at the advanced age of 77 years, 
 afibrds such a lesson. 
 
 " Mr. Lansing was a native of this city, and a zealous 
 and active supporter of the liberties of our country 
 during the American Revolution. His merit and patri- 
 otism at an earl}'' period attracted the attention and 
 engaged the confidence of our distinguished leaders in 
 that arduous contest, w^ho confided to him several im- 
 portant offices, the duties of which he discharged with 
 faithfulness and ability. After the war of our independ- 
 ence was ended, Mr. Lansing received appointments to 
 various responsible public offices, from the United States, 
 as well as from this state, in all of which he merited 
 and preserved the undiminished confidence and esteem 
 of his fellow citizens. Happy in his domestic relations, 
 with an amiable and interesting family, who delighted 
 to minister to his comfort and happiness, he led a life 
 of benevolence and usefulness, and died in the faith and 
 hope of a humble Christian, and is buried in the affec- 
 tions of his bereaved wife, children, and friends." 
 
112 
 
 Hon. Charles E. Dudley. 
 
 The name of Mr. Dudley, already distinguished by 
 his own character and public services, has been ren- 
 dered still more extensively so, by the noble monument, 
 which the affection and munificence of his widow has 
 reared to his memory, and on which she has inscribed 
 his name in letters as bright as the stars to which it 
 points. 
 
 Descended from one of the most ancient of the noble 
 families of England, Mr. Dudley was thoroughly and 
 deeply attached to this country, the land of his adop- 
 tion, and of his life and labors. After engaging for 
 years in the honorable and useful pursuits of commer- 
 cial life, in which he was very successful, he retired to 
 Albany, and became happily connected in marriage 
 with one of its most ancient and respectable families. 
 He was soon called to preside over the municipal 
 government of the city ; thence he was transferred to 
 the senate of the state, where " he identified his name 
 with beneficent measures,which have contributed largely 
 to the intellectual progress and material prosperity of 
 the state." He was afterward elected to the senate of 
 the United States, and in that body, which was then 
 illuminated by those brilliant stars. Clay, Webster, and 
 Calhoun, and Silas Wright, his distinguished colleague, 
 he shone with no ordinary lustre. Intelligence, candor, 
 patriotism, and independence, characterized his course 
 as a statesman, no less than his character as a man. 
 
 " It was his fortune," says Gov. Hunt, in his address 
 at the inauguration of the Dudley Observatory, "to 
 act a prominent part on the stage of public events in 
 times of intense political excitement. Though decided 
 in his opinions, adhering always to his avowed princi- 
 ples with unyielding firmness, party spirit never ven- 
 tured to assail the integrity of his conduct, or to ques- 
 
113 
 
 tiou the purity of his intentions. . He cherished warm 
 political attachments, yet he was no partisan, in the 
 ordinary sense. If he loved Cajsar much, he loved 
 Rome more, and regarded the welfare of his country 
 as paramount to the interests of any part}'." His long 
 acquaintance with commerce, and knowledge of the 
 laws of trade, gave him peculiar advantages on ques- 
 tions which related to the. commercial interests of the 
 country ; and his views on these subjects always com- 
 manded a larger measure of consideration. 
 
 From the period of his marriage, Mr. Dudle}' was a 
 regular worshiper in the Dutch Church, in connection 
 with which he remained during the remainder of his 
 life. He was a man who had a sincere reverence for 
 the institutions of religion, and his moral character 
 was above reproach. He professed his faith in Christ in 
 his last illness, and the hopes of the gospel cheei-ed him 
 in his dying hours. He was dignified and courteous in 
 his manners, and commanded the respect of the public 
 as truly as he won the afiection of his friends. 
 
 He died in Albany in 1841. His afiectionate widow 
 still survives him, herself the descendant of one of the 
 first magistrates of the cit}', and one of the oldest mem- 
 bers of the Dutch Church of Albany. Through her 
 lamented husband and herself, the name of Dudley will 
 be rendered memorable, when centuries hence, the as- 
 tronomer shall watch the stars which look down upon 
 their graves in silent and solemn beauty. 
 
 15 
 
114 
 
 Rev. WiLLiAjr J. Pohlman. 
 
 Mr. Polilman was born in Albany February 17(b, 
 1812. He was trained up by pious parents in the 
 nurture, and admonition of the Lord, and was the sub- 
 ject of deep religious impressions from bis earliest 
 years. When be was about 16 years of age be became 
 a decided Christian, and eighteen months after, be con- 
 nected himself with this Church. Feeling then an 
 ardent desire to devote himself to the Gospel ministry, 
 be commenced a course of preparatory study, passed 
 through Rutgers College and the theological seminary, 
 and was duly licensed to preach by the Rev. Classis of 
 Albany, July 27th, 1837. He now determined to devote 
 himself to the foreign missionary work, and applied to 
 the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign 
 Missions to be employed by them on heathen ground. 
 His application was cordially granted, and in April, 
 1838, he was ordained in this Church to the work of the 
 ministry. On the 20tb of May, 1838, he was solemnly 
 set apart to the work of foreign missions, and immedi- 
 ately left for the island of Borneo, which was designated 
 as the field of his labors. In 1844, he was transferred 
 to the mission at Amoy, in China, where be labored 
 with zeal and fidelity for about five years. In January 
 1849, while passing from Hong Kong to Amoy, the 
 vessel in which be sailed encountered a severe storm, 
 in which she foundered, and Mr. Pohlman was among 
 the lost. 
 
 The Rev. Dr. Kennedy, who was at that time pastor 
 of this Church, and who knew Mr. Pohlman well, in a 
 discourse delivered in his memory in May, 1849, says 
 of him, that he " possessed elements of character, that 
 fitted him for extended usefulness among the heathen. 
 His piety took the form of a deep controlling principle. 
 It governed him in every thing he did. Were I to 
 
115 
 
 select what seems to me to have been the prominent 
 feature of his mental constitution, I would say it was 
 perseverance. And the union of these two elements, deep 
 piety, and unwearying perseverance, gave a cast to the 
 entire character, and fitted him in an eminent degree 
 for the toils and trials of the missionary life. Difficul- 
 ties never discouraged him. Obstacles only nerved him 
 to greater exertions. He was cheerful in duty, prudent 
 in counsel, amiable in disposition, and cordial and firm 
 in his friendships." 
 
LIST OF THE PASTORS 
 
 OF 
 
 THE CHURCH AT ALBANY. 
 
 V 
 
 Rev. Johannes Megapolensis, 1642 to 1649 
 
 " Gideon Schaats, 1652 to 1683, ^ 
 
 " Niewenhiiysen, . 1675 to , "^ 
 
 " Godfreidus Dellius, 1683 to 1699, ' ^ 
 
 " Johannes Petrus Nucella, 1699 to 1702, ^ 
 
 " Johannes Lydius, 1703 to 1709, ' 
 
 " Petrus Van Driessen, 1712 to 1739, f 
 
 " Cornelius Van Schie, 1733 to 1744, ' 
 
 " Theodorus Frelinghuysen, 1746 to 1760, 
 
 " Eilardus Westerlo, 1760 to 1790, ^ 
 
 " John Bassett, 1787 to 1805, / <6 
 
 " John B. Johnson, 1796 to 1802, ^^ 
 
 " John M. Bradford, 1805 to 1820, ' - 
 
 " John DeWitt, 1813 to 1815, : _ 
 
 " John Ludlow, 1823 to iSSffj" 
 
 " Thomas E. Verrailye, 1835 to 1839, "' 
 
 " Duncan Kennedy, 1841 to 1855, ■ '■ 
 
 " Ebenezer P. Rogers, 1856. - '"^ * ^ 
 
 Il 
 
 
OFFICEES OF THE CHURCH, 
 
 FOR 185 8. 
 
 Pastor, 
 Rev. Ebenezer P. Rogers, D. D. 
 
 Elders, 
 John Q. Wilson, Stephen Van Rensselaer,* 
 
 Philip Ford, Edmund S. Ilerrick.f 
 
 Deacons, 
 David Newland, Maurice E. Yiele,| 
 
 Edward Dunscomb, William Seymour.§ 
 
 Trustees, 
 Jacob H. Ten Eyck, Alfred Van Santvoord, 
 
 Peter Gansevoort, John H. Reynolds, 
 
 Lansing Pruyn, Henry Lansing, 
 
 Robert H. Pruyn, S. Oakley Vanderpoel, 
 
 Henry T. Buell. 
 
 Treasurer, 
 Richard Van Rensselaer. 
 
 *In place of Wm. McElroy, Elder, 1856-7, 
 t do Timothy Seymour, do. 
 
 % do Jacob J. DeForest, Deacon, 1856-7. 
 § do David McMicken, do. 
 
118 
 
 AN ACT 
 
 IN RELATION TO THE MINISTER, ELDERS AND DEACONS OP 
 THE REFORMED PROTESTANT DUTCH CHURCH IN THE 
 CITY OF ALBANY. 
 
 Passed February 4th, 1857. 
 
 The People of the State of New York, represented in 
 Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows : 
 
 Section 1. The corporation known as the minister, 
 elders and deacons of the Reformed Protestant Dutch 
 Cturch in the City of Albany, shall hereafter be known 
 and styled as the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church 
 of the City of Albany. 
 
 § 2. The proceedings of said Church, pursuant to the 
 provisions of chapter ninety, of the laws of eighteen 
 hundred and thirty-five, entitled "An act to amend the 
 charter of the minister, elders and deacons of the 
 Second Protestant Reformed Dutch Church in the City 
 of Albany," to vest the property of said corporation in 
 a board of trustees, are hereby confirmed. 
 
 § 3. Jacob H. Ten Eyck, Peter Gansevoort, Robert 
 H. Pruyn, John H. Reynolds, Lansing Pruyn, Alfred 
 Van Sanford, S. Oakley Yanderpoel, S. Yisscher Talcott, 
 Henry S. Lansing, the trustees of said Church, elected 
 in the month of January, one thousand eight hundred 
 and fifty-six, are hereby declared to be the first trustees 
 of said corporation, to hold their offices for the term of 
 one, two and three years, from the first Monday of 
 March, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, agree- 
 ably to the classification into three classes made imme- 
 diately after their said election, in pursuance of law. 
 
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 And oil the first Monday of March, in each and every 
 year, aii election shall be held for three trustees of said 
 corporation, in place of those -sYhoso term shall then 
 expire, and at the same time to fill any vacancies which 
 may not have been tilled by said trustees, and also elect 
 three inspectors of election. At least one week's notice 
 of the time and place of holding said election shall be 
 given by notice from the pulpit of said Church, or by 
 affixing a written notice on the outer door thereof 
 Said trustees shall appoint three persons to hold said 
 election on the first Monday of March next, and shall 
 have power to fill any vacancies which may exist there- 
 after, for any reason whatever. And in the event of 
 such election not being held in any year, the trustees 
 whose term shall expire in that year, shall hold office 
 until their successors shall be elected, and it shall be 
 the duty of the trustees, within three months thereafter, 
 to fix the time and place of holding said election, and 
 to give notice thereof as aforesaid. 
 
 § 4. The Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of the 
 City of Albany shall be entitled to receive and collect 
 all rents reserved in and by any and all leases of pews 
 in the Church, belonging to said corporation, heretofore 
 made by the minister, elders and deacons of the Re- 
 formed Protestant Dutch Church in the City of Albany, 
 as fully as if their corporate name had not been changed 
 as hereinbefore provided. 
 
 § 5. But nothing herein shall be construed to afiect 
 any action now pending in favor of or against the said 
 corporation ; and in case any suit shall be hereafter 
 commenced against the said corjDoration in this state, or 
 elsewhere, by any person or party not knowing the 
 change of the corporate name of said corporation, it 
 shall not be authorized to plead a misnomer, but shall 
 answer or plead to the merits of the action, stating in 
 such answer the true name of said corporation j and 
 
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 such action shall proceed against it, in either name, 
 according to the practice of the court in which such 
 action shall be pending ; and any judgment recovered 
 therein shall be as valid as if the action had been com- 
 menced and conducted against the said corporation by 
 its true name. 
 
 § 6. This act shall take effect immediately. 
 
 .EdAg?! 
 
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