Columbia etlntt)er^ttp 
 
 THE LIBRARIES 
 
 Bequest of 
 
 Frederic Bancroft 
 
 1860-1945 
 
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A MEMOIR 
 
 OF THE 
 
 EE V. EICHAED SLUYTER, 
 
 LATE PASTOR OF THE REF. PROT. DUTCH CHURCH OF 
 CLAVERACK, N. Y. 
 
 By R. ORMISTON CURRIE. 
 
 ^<•ITH 
 
 AN INTRODUCTION, 
 
 Br THE Rev. PHILIP MILLEDOLER, D. D. 
 
 LA.TE PRESIDENT OF RUTGERS COLLEGE, AND PROFESSOR OF DIDACTIC 
 
 AND POLEMIC THEOLOGY IN THB THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 
 
 OF THE REF. PROT. DUTCH CHURCH. 
 
 N E W - Y O R K : 
 
 JOHN MOFFET, 194 WEST BROADWAY. 
 184 6. 
 
A 
 
 ^^ 
 
 Van Norden & Amerman, Printers, 
 No. 60 William- Street, N. Y. 
 
en 
 
 I 
 I>- 
 
 S THIS MEMOIR 
 
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 RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED 
 
 I 
 
 TO THE 
 
 PASTOR AND CONSISTORY 
 
 Heformcb Protestant Slutcl) €l)tjr€() 
 
 OF 
 
 C L A V E R A C K., 
 
 BY 
 
 THE AUTHOR, 
 
P R E F A C E , 
 
 The accompanying Memoir of the Rev. 
 Richard Sluyter was prepared at the request 
 of his widow, and with the approbation of some 
 of his personal friends. In its structure it is 
 historical to an extent which perhaps may be 
 unusual, but this was unavoidable. The pau- 
 city of materials out of which to construct it 
 was such, that it either had to take this form or 
 to remain unwritten. To some, however, this 
 will be no objection, especially as, in our day, 
 no inconsiderable degree of attention is given 
 to historical inquiries. 
 
 The introductory essay, by the Rev. Dr. 
 MiLLEDOLER, will not fail to receive a careful 
 perusal. Its style, its matter, and the spirit 
 which it breathes, render it well deserving of 
 attention, and cannot fail to suggest matter for 
 profitable reflection and judicious action in the 
 settlement of pastors. It contains the lessons 
 of wisdom; of age, and of long experience in 
 1* 
 
VI PREFACE. 
 
 positions which give the venerable M^riter a 
 claim to speak with some degree of authority. 
 
 The delay in the publication of the Memoir 
 until this date, is the result of circumstances 
 which the author could not control. He does 
 not, however, regret it, inasmuch as he believes 
 that the mellowing influence of time will pre- 
 pare the minds of the people among whom Mr. 
 Sluyter lived, and laboured, and died, better to 
 appreciate what is said concerning him. And 
 though the memoir was written with a special 
 reference to its circulation among them, yet it 
 is possible that it may fall into the hands of 
 some others, in whose minds misccmceptions 
 exist as it regards the character, attainments, 
 and usefulness of its subject. These, as being 
 in part the result of information indirectly re- 
 ceived, and in part of the discolourings impart- 
 ed to it by the mediums through which it was 
 communicated, it is desirable to remove; and 
 the hope is indulged, that at least an approx- 
 imation toward it has been made. 
 
 New Utrecht, L. J., Scpteinher, 1846. 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 Hev. Robert O. Currie : 
 
 Hev. and dear Sh; 
 
 Having requested from me a prefix to 
 your Biography of the Rev. Richard Sluyter, I 
 send you herewith some thoughts on the Gospel 
 Ministry, to be used, modified, or rejected, at 
 your pleasure. That God may greatly bless 
 you in your ministry, and have you and yours 
 now and always under the safeguard of his 
 ,most holy keeping, is the prayer of your friend 
 and elder brother in the Lord, 
 
 Ph. Milledoler. 
 
 New-York, Oct.21,1845. 
 
 The lives of useful men is a department of 
 literature which has been cultivated in all na- 
 tions and ages. The biography of individuals 
 is indeed so intimately connected with general 
 history as to be inseparable from it. God or- 
 dinarily works by means. Those great events, 
 
VlU INTRODUCTION'. 
 
 therefore, which have agitated, and in many 
 instances changed the face of communities, 
 nations, or the world, have not occurred with- 
 out human instrumentality ; and we should 
 have a very imperfect view indeed of the 
 changes themselves, if we knew nothing of the 
 agents by whom they were accomplished. 
 
 In profane history, we have not only a record 
 of events, but also of artists, sages, statesmen 
 and warriors, who were prominently distin- 
 guished in them, and whose memories, on that 
 account, have been embalmed by the world. 
 In like manner, in the history of the Church, 
 we have patriarchs and prophets, apostles and 
 martyrs, reformers and pastors, who, by their 
 writings, missionary labours, piety, eloquence 
 and faithfulness, have eminently subserved the 
 cause of Christ, and the best interests of theii- 
 fellow men. With these stars, tlie whole firm- 
 ament of the church is lighted up ; or, to 
 change the figure, we have an extended gallery 
 of portraits, the likenesses of men who in their 
 day were signally owned and blessed. On- 
 these the eye fastens with more than ordinary 
 interest ; and whilst we give glory to God for 
 the splendid gifts with which they were invest- 
 ed, we are also powerfully excited to emulate 
 
INTROnUCTfON. IX 
 
 their diligence, their faith, their zeal, and deeds 
 of noble bearing. 
 
 There is, however, an order of men in the 
 Christian Church, whose names have seldom 
 been celebrated, either in historical records 
 or the minstrel's song. I allude to that whole 
 class of retiring but faithful servants of God, 
 who, seeking honour of God rather than men, 
 have produced much fruit of personal holiness, 
 and have largely contributed to the glory of 
 Christ and the extension of his kingdom. 
 Many of these, from an humble opinion of 
 themselves, and a naturally unobtrusive dispo- 
 sition, have shrunk from, rather than courted, 
 popular applause ; whilst others, from their 
 local situation, like the sweet mountain flower, 
 have imparted their beauty and their fragrance 
 within a very limited field of observation. 
 Men like these, more especially in the ministry, 
 though undervalued by the world, and unknown 
 to fame, are, nevertheless, our productive 
 working men, and constitute, in fact, the T^one 
 and muscle of the Church. To form ministers 
 of this description may be considered a very 
 light matter ; but is it so in reality ? In send- 
 inor out missionaries to the heathen, for exam- 
 pie, it has been thought that inferior qualifica- 
 
X INTRODUCTION. 
 
 tions would suffice. Experience, however, has 
 long since demonstrated, that this work calls 
 for literary and spiritual SKicomplishments of a 
 very high order. The same observation will 
 apply to many of our country parislies and 
 churches. There are few such which have not 
 their literary men. These, if Christians, have 
 a right to expect, in their spiritual guides, a 
 sound mind, connected with piety and learning. 
 Even infidels, who are sometimes unhappily 
 found in these associations, require consistency : 
 a man, therefore, without learning and good 
 common sense, will be pitied ; and, without 
 piety, will be despised. Of the unlearned, there 
 are not only men of piety, who will expect 
 to find a large share of it in their pastor, but 
 also men of strong minds, who if they cannot 
 learnedly criticise his productions, yet have 
 an intuitive perception of their weakness or 
 strength. This being the case, an acceptable 
 pastor in town or village can be no ordinary 
 man. If as a sacred orator — a counsellor of the 
 Church — a man of God, and an ambassador of 
 Christ, he must have weight ; he must also 
 have a corresponding weight of character. To 
 say, then, of any man, that he has faithfully 
 served, and fur many years, that flock of Jesus 
 
INTRODUCTION. XI 
 
 Christ over which the Holy Ghost had made 
 him overseer — that he has during all that time 
 laboured among them both in and out of sea- 
 son — that he has not only done this w^ithout 
 just reproach, but also with many seals to his 
 ministry — and that he retained to the last the 
 love and confidence of his people — is to speak 
 volumes in his praise. 
 
 Such, from the description of him in the Me- 
 moir which follows, must have been the life of 
 the Rev. Richard Sluyter. He is described in 
 the house of God, distributing the Bread of 
 Life to his people ; in the prayer meeting, that 
 pulse which so truly indicates the weakness or 
 strength, life or death spiritual of Christian 
 associations ; among the lambs of his flock> 
 instructing them in their most holy faith ; and 
 in the chambers of the sick, the dying, or be- 
 reaved, directing, soothing, comforting. And 
 who does not see, in all this, the importance of 
 the servant, in the very nature, and manner, 
 and glory of his work 1 
 
 Such indeed is the life and character of many 
 a retiring servant of God, little known, and less 
 regarded by the world, but who nevertheless 
 stands hig;h in the esteem of Him who searches 
 the heart — is the Fountain of honour — and will 
 
Xll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 eventually give to every one according to his 
 work. 
 
 It is not very easy, on slight acquaintance, to 
 form a proper estimate of ministerial worth. 
 Some minds are carried away by pretension ; 
 others by talents more showy than solid — the 
 mere tinsel, after all, of what they are supposed 
 to represent. In this matter, nothing can be 
 more true than the well-known proverb, "All 
 is not ffold that or]itters." 
 
 We do not see why men may not write or 
 speak as fluently on truth as on fiction, and more 
 especially on truth expanding and soaring 
 like that of Scripture, from first elements to 
 inimitable sublimity. Nor do we see why they 
 may not speak or write of Christian expe- 
 rience, not their own, indeed, but gathered from 
 that of others. If idolatrous Rome could boast 
 of herFabricius — Athens of her Aristides — and 
 Judea of her pharisees — it would be strano^e 
 if men were not found in the Christian Church, 
 who, though destitute of vital piety, should be 
 their compeers in external morality. 
 
 The practised eye itself is sometimes de- 
 ceived by an admirable likeness. Notwith- 
 standing these appearances, however, there is 
 really an immeasurable distance between the 
 
INTRODUCTION. Xlll 
 
 true and the folse, in men as well as things, 
 to say nothing of those who, under religious 
 pretexts have rioted in human misery ; or, of 
 those horrid shapes which poets feign to have 
 stood at the entrance of Elysium, to disgust, 
 terrify, or drive back those who would enter 
 the abodes of the blessed. We shall confine our 
 remarks to such, and such only, as, uncalled of 
 God, have ventured upon the holy ministry. 
 
 Of these we observe, first of all, and that on 
 scriptural authority, that it must be a cheerless 
 work to preach an unknown Saviour. But if 
 it be true, as it certainly is, that God has put 
 enmity between the seed of the woman and the 
 serpent — that the natural man comprehends 
 not the things of the Spirit — and that the carnal 
 mind is enmity to God — will it not inevitably 
 follow, that such office-bearers can never be a 
 blessing, and will ever be injurious to the house 
 of God ? They are neither true soldiers in the 
 camp, nor faithful defenders of the citadel of 
 God. 
 
 God may indeed honour his own word, 
 though it fall from the lips of a perjured pro- 
 phet ; but this is not his ordinary course of 
 working. On the contrary, we believe, on tes- 
 timony of the Church, that the labours of un- 
 
xWr INTRODUCTION. 
 
 godly ministers are seldom, if ever, attended 
 with success. We speak not now of loud pro- 
 fessions, laboured imitations, or doubtful tri- 
 umphs, but of true and actual success. 
 
 By adding to, or taking from the word of 
 God — falsely accusing, or otherwise persecuting 
 his people — deceitfully handling the word of 
 God, and giving rise to all manner of re- 
 proach — they become either stumbling-blocks 
 or snares to the souls of men ; and the Holy 
 One may well say, in rebuke of their pseudo 
 services, " Who hath required this at your 
 hands r' 
 
 If the view we have thus far taken, then, be 
 correct, it will follow : That great vigilance 
 should be exercised by the Church in the ad- 
 mission of men to the sacred office ; that great 
 care should be taken by aspirants themselves 
 to that office, that they may not enter it uncalled 
 of God; and that great circumspection should 
 be used by vacant congregations in the settle- 
 ment of their bishops. Considering it in its 
 consequences to themselves and to posterity, 
 there is no public act they can perform, which 
 requires more serious deliberation, or more 
 fervent prayer. But if falsehood in some in- 
 stances so resembles truth, how shall they be 
 
INTRODUCTION. XV 
 
 distinguished ? Our Lord himself answers that 
 question, where he says, " By their fruits ye 
 shall know them." 
 
 There is something in truth itself more 
 easily felt than described. If called to define 
 it, we can only say, it is a secret, mysterious^ 
 and yet powerful influence of the Holy Ghost, 
 commending the truth, as well as him who 
 delivers it, to the hearts and consciences of 
 men. This peculiarity, with special and united 
 prayer for direction, careful inquiry, and due 
 reflection, are landmarks which should never 
 be lost sight of in the settlement of a minister. 
 
 On a review of the whole ground, we con- 
 elude : — That that pastor who faithfully preach- 
 es the word of God, and administers its sacra- 
 ments — gives to all and each their portion in 
 due season — carefully and diligently plies his- 
 work with earnest desire of success — fearlessly 
 and impartially maintains scriptural discipline 
 in the house of God, and adorns the doctrine 
 of God his Saviour by an exemplary life, is a 
 servant worthy of all human confidence and 
 honour — a servant that God on eaith will own 
 and bless, and eventually and most assuredly 
 crown with everlasting glory. 
 
"m 
 
M E M O I R 
 
 REV. RICHARD SLDYTERr 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Birth of Mr. Sluyter — Account of his family — Resides with an elder 
 brother — His aunt's testimony concerning him — His fondness of 
 music — His efforts as a minister to improve sacred music— Intro- 
 duces singing in the English language into the Lutheran Church, 
 Sandlake — Teaches school at Poisten Kill and Greenbush— Studies 
 medinine— Is converted, and joins the Church — Gives up the study 
 of medicine — Studies for the ministry — Pursues classical studies 
 under the Rev. Mr. Zabrisivie — Enters Fairfield Academy — Enters 
 t'he Theological Seminary — Resumes school teaching — Studies 
 Hebrew under Rev. Dr. Banks — His opinion of his scholarship — 
 His views in desiring to preach the Gospel — Licensed to preach— 
 Summary. 
 
 The R.ev. Richard Sluyter was born 
 at Nassau, N. Y., on the third of Septem- 
 ber, 1787, and was the eleventh son of his 
 father, WiUiam Sluyter, by his second 
 wife, Mary Ray. On the maternal side, 
 his family was not only highly respectable,. 
 2* 
 
IS MEMOIR OF 
 
 but also somewhat distinguished for talents. 
 His uncle, William Ray, was a man of 
 considerable note in the literary world. 
 Some of his productions, both in prose and 
 verse, are yet extant, in *' The Miscella- 
 neous Register," a work which he edited 
 at Geneva, N. Y. Mr. Sluyter's own ac- 
 count of his parentage, drawn up some 
 years since, is as follows : ^' My parent- 
 age is respectable, though not distinguish- 
 ed ; and will probably bear as critical an 
 investigation, in point of pedigree, back 
 even * to the land of our fathers' sepul- 
 chres,' as almost a.ny, in the light of plain 
 honesty and worth." His father once 
 possessed a handsome estate, and settled 
 his elder sons upon valuable farms. Sub- 
 sequently, however, but through no fault 
 of his own, his property designed especial- 
 ly for his 3^ounger children was much re- 
 duced. This placed them in early life in 
 circumstances of dependance, but not of 
 want, and threw them m.ainly upon their 
 own resources to make their way in the 
 the world. 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER* 19 
 
 At the age of nine years, Richard, the 
 subject of this memoir, went to reside with 
 an elder brother, at Sandlake, whose wife 
 testifies of him : *' He was the most dutiful 
 boy I ever knew ; moral, kind-hearted, 
 naturally timid, and passionately fond of 
 music, vocal and instrumental." His na- 
 tural timidity he never lost, nor did his 
 fondness for music ever in the least degree 
 diminish. After he was inducted into the 
 ministry, the subject of psalmody engaged 
 his attention, and his efforts were con- 
 stantly directed to the improvement of this 
 delightful part of worship. He omitted 
 no opportunity to impress upon the youth 
 of his charge the importance of giving 
 early and particular heed to it. Indeed, 
 to induce them to do this, he expended 
 much time and money. 
 
 Mr. Sluyter continued with his brother 
 at Sandlake until he was eighteen years 
 old, and during this time v/as instrumental 
 in introducino^ sino-lns; in the En^^lish Ian- 
 guage into the Lutheran church of that 
 place. He was also there awhile engaged 
 
20 MEMOIR OF 
 
 in teaching school. This occupation he 
 also followed at Poisten Kill, and Green- 
 bush. At this latter place, prior to his 
 resuming teaching, he pursued for one 
 year the study of medicine under Dr* 
 Downs. About this time he was made the 
 subject of renewing grace, and was re- 
 ceived into the communion of the Reform- 
 ed Protestant Dutch Church of Greenbush, 
 then under the pastoral charge of the Rev. 
 John L. Zabriskie. Nothing is known of 
 his exercises before and after his conver- 
 sion, beyond what is expressed in the 
 change which ensued in his pursuits. He 
 gave up the study of medicine,. believing 
 (and events have fully justified his conclu- 
 sion) that he was called of God to preach 
 the Gospel. In this belief he was con- 
 firmed by his pastor's counsels, backed as 
 they were by efforts to enable him by 
 teaching to procure the funds necessary to 
 enter upon a course of study preparatory 
 to the work of the ministry. *' Being in- 
 digent," says that pastor, " and still de- 
 sirous to receive an education, he availed 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 21 
 
 himself of every laudable means to obtain 
 funds. He taught school ; and being a 
 popular teacher, the school, from small 
 and unpromising beginnings, increased to 
 sixty or seventy scholars." While teach- 
 ing at Greenbush, ** if he did not com- 
 mence, he certainly prosecuted the study 
 of Latin and Greek under the direction'* 
 of his pastor. Subsequently, he entered 
 Fairfield Academy, Herkimer county, N. 
 Y., for the purpose of pursuing classical 
 studies ; and while there, it is certified 
 by the Principal, that he sustained " a 
 high character for scholarship and good 
 conduct." He left this institution, A. D. 
 1811, and about this time wrote to the late 
 venerable Professor Livingston respecting 
 his admission into the Theological Semi- 
 nary of our Church, and referred him, for 
 any additional information which he might 
 desire, to the Rev. Mr. Zabriskie, then 
 pastor of the church of Millstone, N. J. 
 In his reply, Dr. Livingston acknowledges 
 ihe receipt of a letter from Mr. Zabriskie, 
 and adds: " In this he expresses his sen- 
 
22 MEMOIR OF 
 
 timents so decidedly in behalf of yourself^ 
 that I do not hesitate one moment to en~ 
 courage you in the object of your wishes, 
 and to promise you that I will most gladly 
 assist you to the utmost of. my power in 
 prosecuting 3^our theological studios." 
 
 At New-Brunswick, through the agency 
 of his old pastor and unwavering friend, 
 the way was prepared for Mr. Sluyter to 
 resume teaching, as a means of support. 
 It is proper, however, here to remark, 
 that he was not left entirely to his own 
 resources in the prosecution of study. 
 His brother, who seems to have been 
 warmly attached to him, and anxious for 
 his success, supplied him in part with 
 funds for this purpose. 
 
 The study of Hebrew Mr. Sluyter pur- 
 sued with diligence, during the summers- 
 of 1813 and 1814, under Dr. Banks, at 
 Florida, N. Y., who in his day was said to 
 be one of the best Hebrew scholars in the 
 country. In the study of Hebrew, the 
 Rev. Mr. Kissam says, *' he became quite 
 a proficient, and received testimonials to- 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 23 
 
 that effect from his teacher." He also 
 adds, that " Dr. B. thought highly of him 
 as a general scholar, and of his future 
 prospects in the Church." Of his charac- 
 ter for piety while at Florida, he thus 
 speaks : " At Florida, I became intimately 
 acquainted with Mr. Sluyter, and the more 
 I knew of him, the more I loved him. 
 We were room-mates, and sweet and re- 
 freshinsf were the dailv devotions in which 
 he led. His piety w^as ardent, though 
 modest, forming him to a proper temper 
 and proper conduct toward God and his 
 fellow creatures. Truth had evidently 
 sanctified his heart agreeably to our Lord's 
 prayer : * Sanctify them through thy 
 truth ; thy w^ord is truth.' " 
 
 With respect to Mr. Sluyter's views in 
 wishing to preach the Gospel, we know 
 but little. He has left nothing in writing 
 by which a knowledge of them can be 
 obtained. The testimony, however, of 
 Messrs. Zabriskie and Kissam, in relation 
 to this matter, is satisfactory ; especially 
 as, in the whole course of" his ministry, he 
 
S4 ,^^- MEMOIR OF 
 
 seems to have been influenced by the con- 
 siderations which they say governed him, 
 in desiring *' the office of a bishop." Says 
 the former — " He desired to obtain an 
 education, that he might enter into the 
 service of the sanctuary, and bear the 
 messages of peace and reconcihation to a 
 perishing world. This was the object of 
 his ardent desire, and unremitting exer- 
 tions." The latter writes : " He had not 
 himself high expectations, and often said 
 he should be satisfied to labour wherever 
 his Master might place him. In antici- 
 pating those high and holy services in 
 w^iich for years he was so sincerely and 
 so happily engaged, the prayer of Moses 
 when ordered to depart with his people to 
 the land of promise often escaped his lips : 
 * If thy presence go not with me, carry us 
 not up hence.' That presence did accom- 
 pany him (though with intervening clouds) 
 to the closing scene of life, and in its ful- 
 ness and glory he is now perfectly happy." 
 But not to anticipate what may be more 
 properly said hereafter, it may be ob- 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 25 
 
 served, that Mr* Sluyter continued during 
 the prescribed terra of study in the Theo- 
 logical Seminary at Nev/-Brunswick; was 
 highly e-steemed by the venerable Pro- 
 fessor Livingston ; and on being furnished 
 by him with the usual certificate, was 
 admitted to examination before the Classis 
 of New-Brunswick, on the ISth of May, 
 1815, and licensed to preach the Gospel. 
 
 In view of what has now been stated, it 
 is evident that Mr. Sluyter's piety was 
 sincere and ardent; that his natural abili- 
 ties and literary acquirements were not 
 only highly respectable, but also such as 
 to give rise to the expectations which many 
 indulged respecting his prospective use- 
 fulness in the Church ; that his design in 
 wishing to be admitted to the ministry 
 was not to make himself a name, but to 
 exalt and honour his Redeemer, and to be 
 instrumental in savins^ souls : that though 
 for lack of means he had not a little diffi- 
 culty to encounter, in sustaining himself in 
 the prosecution of study, yet so intent was 
 he upon obeying what he believed to be a 
 « 3 
 
2G MEMOIR. 
 
 call of God to preach the Gospel, that it 
 did not move him from his purpose to go 
 forward. The funds which a kind-hearted 
 brother could not supply, he procured by 
 his own exertions. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 t»reaches as a Candidate in the church of Claverack— Called as the 
 colleague of the Rev. Mr. Gebhard— Reasons lor hesitating to 
 accept the call— Terras of the call— preaches in Ghent— Condensed 
 view of his field of labour— Obstacles existing in it. 
 
 After receiving from the Classis of 
 New-Brunswick a commission to preach, 
 among other churches which Mr. Sluyter 
 visited with a view to a settlement, was 
 that of Claverack, N. Y. This church 
 was then under the pastoral charge of the 
 Hev. John G. Gebhard. He was succes- 
 sor to the Rev. Johannes Casparus Fryen- 
 moet,* was settled over the church, A. D. 
 1770, and continued its sole pastor up to 
 
 * From the records of the church of Claverack having 
 been made evidently by a variety of persons prior to the 
 settlement over it of the Rev. Mr. Fryenmoet, it is proba- 
 ble that he was its first stated pastor. Be this, however, 
 as it may, either as pastor or as a stated supply, the 
 church, as its records show, had his services for the space 
 of fourteen j'ears, or from 1756 to 1770. 
 
28 MEMOIR OF 
 
 November, IS 15, and, conjointly with Mr. 
 Sluyter, until near the time of his decease, 
 a period of about forty-nine years. He 
 preached alternately in the High and Low 
 Dutch languages ; but as in the schools 
 the English language had supplanted 
 these, they gradually ceased to be well 
 understood. As a consequence, there was 
 a growing conviction throughout the con- 
 gregation that EngUsh preaching was re- 
 quired. Happily this was participated in 
 by the venerable Gebhard, and he cor- 
 dially cooperated with the Consistory in 
 their efforts to settle a colleague whose 
 ministrations should be performed in that 
 language. Accordingly, as the president 
 of Consistory, he formally invited Mr. 
 Slu3-ter to preach in the church of Cla- 
 verack, in September, 1815 ; and, as an 
 inducement for him to accept the invita- 
 tion, added, " It may prove to be an ad- 
 vantage to you finally." 
 
 At the time designated, he preached, 
 and wilh great acceptance, as appears 
 from numerous letters which were subse- 
 
REV. RICHAUD SLUYTER. 29 
 
 quently addressed to him by the most in- 
 telh'gent, active, and influential persons in 
 the church. The result was, an imme- 
 diate effort by the Consistory toward call- 
 ing him as the colleague of their aged 
 pastor. About the same time, the united 
 churches of Bethlehem and Coeymans 
 were endeavouring to secure his services. 
 This was one impediment in the way of 
 the Consistory of the church of Claverack, 
 when they made to him overtures to serve 
 them in the Gospel. Another and a more 
 formidable one was found in the fact, that 
 their church, though nominally belonging to 
 the Reformed Protestant Dutch denomina- 
 tion, was really independent. Mr. vSluyter 
 was unwiUing to do any thing toward per- 
 petuating its independency ; and until, 
 therefore, he received formally from the 
 Consistory the assurance of their willing- 
 ness to come under the care of the Classis 
 of Rensselaer, he did not accept their call. 
 This was conveyed to him in a letter from 
 the Rev. Mr, Gebhard, in which he saysy 
 " All efforts which hitherto have beer> 
 3* 
 
30 MEMOIR OF 
 
 made to brino- iliis conore^atlon under the 
 Classis, have proved abortive ; but this is 
 the first and most favourable opportunity 
 to effect that purpose. The present Con- 
 sistory is not averse to it." Farther on 
 he adds, and I quote it both to show that 
 in the congregation there was not entire 
 unanimity as to coming under the care of 
 Classis, and the impression which Mr. 
 Sluyter had made by his preaching : " I 
 am confident that the high opinion which 
 the whole congregation entertains of your 
 person and talents will readily overcome 
 the caprice of a few individuals. This 
 circumstance is another argument in our 
 behalf to give our call a favourable con- 
 sideration, and finally to accept it. You 
 alone will then be entitled to the merit of 
 having brought this congregation under 
 the Classis. May the Lord incline your 
 heart to see the necessity of bestowing 
 your labour in his vineyard among us !" 
 
 As colleague of the venerable Gebhard, 
 it was stipulated in the call which was 
 presented to Mr. Sluyter, that he should 
 
REV. E-ICHARD SLUYTER. 81 
 
 preach *' three fourths of the Sabbaths of 
 each and every year in the Reformed 
 Dutch Church of Claverack." That the 
 other "fourth of the Sabbaths" might be 
 occupied, and his salary increased, the 
 Reformed Dutch Church of Hillsdale, then 
 belonging to the Classis of Rensselaer,* 
 united in the call with the church of 
 Claverack. But thou2:h three fourths of 
 his time and preaching, by the terms of 
 his call, were to be given to the latter, yet 
 it was with the express understanding that, 
 at the commencement of his ministry, only 
 two fourths would be exacted of him. 
 Every fourth Sabbath, therefore, he was 
 permitted to employ himself where he might 
 deem it most expedient. As, however, 
 when the call upon him was made out, the 
 preliminary steps had been taken toward 
 
 * It is not certain that the church of Hillsdale was 
 under the supervision of the Classis of Rensselaer. The 
 Rev. B. B. Westfail, recently deceased, who had the means 
 of acquiring correct information, in a published article 
 says, that it *' remained independent of any ecclesiastical 
 body." 
 
32 ME^IOIR OF 
 
 building the First Reformed Protestant 
 Dutch Church of Ghent, it was suggested to 
 him that he " might bestow a fourth part" 
 of his annual labours in " that portion of 
 Christ's vineyard, especially as long as 
 Mr. Gebhard continued preaching." Sub- 
 sequently, (and doubtless mainly through 
 the agency of him who made it,) this sug- 
 gestion was carried into effect ; and for 
 " more than seven years," and until the 
 settlement of the Rev. P. S. Wyncoop over 
 that church as pastor, Mr. Sluyter was its 
 stated supply. 
 
 From the imperfect view which has now 
 been given of the extent of the field of 
 ministerial labour upon which, on accept- 
 ing the united call of the churches of 
 Claverack and Hillsdale, Mr. Sluyter was 
 expected to enter, it will readily be con- 
 ceded that there was work enough before 
 him to tax to the utmost his mental and 
 bodily energies. While its acceptance 
 was pending, he received, from a reliable 
 source, the information that " Claverack, 
 exclusive of Hillsdale, had more than five 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 33 
 
 hundred families in it."* But Claverack 
 and Hillsdale (or that part of it which 
 composed his congregation) united, did not 
 comprise the whole of his pastoral charge. 
 Included in it were the corporate limits of 
 the city of Hudson, without the city pro- 
 per. Beside, some few families who re- 
 sided in the city were attendants upon 
 his ministrations, and subject to his super- 
 vision. In fine, where once he stood alone, 
 (with the exception of the assistance of the 
 Rev. Mr. Gebhard, which was limited al- 
 most entirely to preaching on the Sabbath,) 
 several ministers of our own and other de- 
 nominations of Christians, are now con- 
 stantly, usefully and fully employed. 
 
 The extent of the sphere of Mr. Sluy- 
 ter's ministerial work, however, was not 
 the only nor the most formidable obstacle 
 which was visible even to a superficial ob- 
 server. It embraced a great deal of nev/ 
 
 * The town of Ghent, which was not at this time 
 constituted, was for the most part embraced in that of 
 Claverack. 
 
34 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ground, or (what is scarcely to be preferred 
 to it) of old ground, which, through neglect 
 of tillage, might almost be said to have be- 
 come an uncultivated waste. One who 
 was a first fruit of his ministrv,* and from 
 his subsequent attendance upon him as he 
 went from neighbourhood to neighbour- 
 hood preaching the Gospel, had an oppor- 
 tunity to learn what was the moral and 
 religious aspect of things, testifies, *' Dis- 
 cipline was altogether out of the question, 
 and it was no uncommon thing for church 
 members to engage in horse-racing, and 
 other like gambols. Deadness and stu- 
 pidity'' were to a great extent character- 
 istics " of professors of religion, and moral 
 desolation prevailed over the whole field 
 of his labour." Now it was these things, 
 rather than the wide sphere in which to 
 " make full proof of his ministry," which 
 were the great existing impediments. Mean- 
 time there were not wanting some in the 
 church, who, like Caleb, had " another spi- 
 
 * Rev. B. B. Westfall. 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 35 
 
 rit," and saw and deplored the ungodliness 
 of professed Christians, and the presump- 
 tuous wickedness of transgressors ; and 
 their solicitude for the purification and 
 reformation of the Church, and the salva- 
 tion of sinners — their prayers, and the ho- 
 liness of their *' walk and conversation" — 
 together with the gracious promises of 
 God to the faithful servant — were among 
 the things which induced Mr. Slu^^er to 
 listen to their urgent requests to become 
 " their pastor and teacher," and animated 
 him in the performance of an amount of 
 work which, apart from its peculiar diffi- 
 culties, was sufficient to break down a 
 man of less resolution and fortitude, and 
 of less vigour, both of mind and body. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 Accepts tlie United call of tlie churches of Claverack and Hillsdale— 
 Early decision as to the mode in which his duties should be per- 
 formed — Marriage — Results of his preaching^Preliminary work 
 to be done— Eucouragement— Character of his preaching — First 
 revival, A. D. 1821— Opposition to it— Fruits of it— IIJs account 
 of it— Revivals of 1822 and 1823- Their effects— Subsequent de- 
 clension in religion — Trials of Mr. S. — Causes of them — Pastoral 
 relation to the church of Hillsdale dissolved — On Mr. Gebhard'fi 
 ceasing to preach, becomes sole pastor of the church of Claverack 
 — Death of Mr. Gebhard— Obituary— Affecting scene. 
 
 The objections which Mr. Sluyter had 
 made to accepting the call of the churches 
 of Claverack and Hillsdale, having at 
 length been removed, he signified to their 
 Consistories his acceptance of it. This 
 was followed by his examination for ordi- 
 nation to the office of a bishop, by the 
 Classis of Rensselaer, and his ordination 
 in the church of Claverack on the 26th 
 of December, 1815. Being then in the 
 prime of life, and in the enjo3''ment of ex- 
 cellent health, he entered upon his work, 
 as "the ambassador of Christ," with the 
 
REV% RICHARD SLL'YTER. 3Y 
 
 evident purpose of " spending and being 
 spent" for the people of his charge. The 
 cursory survey which at the first he was 
 enabled to take of the sphere in which he 
 was called *' to fulfil the whole work of the 
 Gospel ministry," convinced him, that 
 many who expected at his hands to receive 
 " the bread of life," would die without it, 
 if he confined his ministrations to the 
 sanctuary and the Sabbath. Accordingly, 
 he concluded to go about preaching the 
 Gospel, especially in those parts of his 
 congregations which were most remote 
 from the churches in which they respect- 
 ively worshipped. And being naturally 
 of an ardent temperament, he displayed 
 in excess the zeal for which young men are 
 apt to be distinguished at their first setting 
 out in life. " I have known him to preach," 
 says the late Rev. Mr. Westfall, " for 
 months in succession, almost every night 
 in the week, and visit families in the day 
 time." 
 
 Amid his various and increasing duties, 
 however, he paused to be united in mar- 
 4 
 
38 MEMOIR OF 
 
 riage on the 6th of August, 1816, to Lydia 
 Mary W. Schureman.* But he merely 
 paused. As soon as he returned to the 
 scene of his labours, he resumed them with 
 his characieristic energy. Intent upon ad- 
 vancing the glory of God in the salvation 
 of souls, he was literally " instant in season 
 and out of season," in preaching the gos- 
 pel ; yet, at the first, the results could 
 
 * Mrs. Sluyterwas the daughter of the late Hon. James 
 Schureman, of New Brunswick, N. J. — a man in whom 
 were blended the qualities of the patriot and the christian^ 
 He was a graduate of Queens, (now Rutgers College ;) 
 served as a soldier in the revolutionary war — was engaged 
 in battle on Long Island as one of a company which he 
 had been mainly instrumental in raising ; was afterward 
 taken prisoner near New Brunswick, and imprisoned in 
 that city, and also in the " Sugar-House " in New-York, 
 from which, however, he made his escape. Having by 
 these services proved his patriotism, he was elected a 
 member of the first and second Congress under the New 
 Constitution ; was subsequently chosen a United States 
 Senator for six years, and in A. D. 1812 was again elected 
 to Congress as the colleague of the late Hon. Richard 
 Stockton. Though he did not until a late period of his 
 life make a public profession of faith in Christ, yet he was 
 " always serious, an attendant upon, and a hberal ©upport- 
 er of the church." 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 89 
 
 scarcely be said to equal his expenditure of 
 time and effort. B ut this was to be expected. 
 As when a man settles himself in a new coun- 
 try, or in a country which, through want of 
 proper tillage is overgrown with briers and 
 shrubs much preparatory work is required 
 before it can be reasonably supposed that 
 the earth will 5'-ield an increase covering, 
 and more than covering the expense of its 
 cultivation ; so also, when a minister set- 
 tles in a congregation where there is much 
 fallow ground to be broken up, he has 
 *' need of patience" to wait for the pro- 
 mised blessing. He must look for obsta- 
 cles in the lifelessness, and even ungodli- 
 ness of professors of religion ; in the bold 
 and accumulating wickedness of the unre- 
 generate ; in the prejudices of ignorance 
 steeped in error, as it respects the nature 
 and extent of divine requirements, as well 
 as in the remoteness of many from the 
 church, and their want of facilities to re- 
 sort there, to use and profit by the means 
 of grace. These obstacles, and others akin 
 to them, Mr, Sluyter encountered at the 
 
40 MEMOIR OF 
 
 beginning of his ministry ; and their re- 
 moval was not the work of a day, or even 
 of a year. Still as he endeavoured this 
 by the divinely appointed instrumentality 
 of the gospel, he persevered even amid 
 opposition and reproach " in holding forth 
 the word of life." It sufficed for him that 
 it was written, " in due season we shall 
 reap if we faint not." Meantime, how- 
 ever, he was not left without encourage- 
 ment in his work. " His preaching," says 
 the Rev. Mr. Westfall, " was made to 
 bear with point and energy upon the evil 
 practices that prevailed in the church ; 
 discipline began to be exercised, and soon 
 it became reproachful for a professor of 
 religion to be seen at the revelries of the 
 day. The standard of morals was elevated 
 in the community, a spirit of piety began 
 to breathe in the church, family altars 
 began to be erected, and pra3^er-meetings 
 were established in different sections of 
 the congregation." He farther testifies : 
 " Many had their attention arrested, and 
 some interesting conversions followed." 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 41 
 
 These perceptible fruits of his ministra- 
 tions served to animate Mr. Slu3^ter amid 
 a great variety of discouragements, and to 
 make apparent the fact that " the way of 
 the Lord among the people of his charge 
 was in a gradual, but sure course of pre- 
 paration. And at length, after more than 
 five years of continuous and faithful effort, 
 in February, 1821, the indications became 
 unequivocal that God had begun to pour 
 out his Spirit. This year, indeed, was me- 
 morable for the descent of the Holy Ghost 
 on all the churches in the surrounding re- 
 gion. Among these were the churches of 
 Nassau, Kinderhook, Hudson, Catskill and 
 Coxsackie. As it respects more particu- 
 larly the church of Claverack, the year 
 1821 may be said to form an era in its his- 
 tory. Never before had God so signally re- 
 vealed himself to it *' in the power ofhis word 
 and Spirit." But his work then, as in the 
 days of the apostles, met with opposition. 
 Not only when its first fruits became visi- 
 ble, but also when it was most pervading 
 and controling in its influence, it could ia 
 4* 
 
42 MEMOIR OF 
 
 truth be affirmed, " and there are many 
 adversaries." So firmly convinced, how- 
 ever, was Mr. Sluyter, that it was of God, 
 that in a letter written early in March, to 
 his wife, then absent on a visit to her pa- 
 rents, he said, " I cannot yield to any 
 opposition, for I know that the Lord is on 
 our side." Nor did he yield, even though 
 as a consequence he found arrayed against 
 him members of the church as well as 
 men of the world. The former never hav- 
 ing witnessed a revival of religion, in most 
 cases, doubtless, assumed the attitude of 
 opposers, " ignorantly through unbelief;" 
 the latter spake " evil of the things that 
 they" understood "not," because the 
 church was increased by a thinning of 
 their ranks, in a manner as effectual as it 
 was unusual. But if in the opposition 
 which Mr. Sluyter encountered, there was 
 much which was trying to his feelings, and 
 might have proved disheartening to a man 
 less ardent and sanguine, there was also 
 much in the richness of the blessing of 
 God upon his ministrations, which was 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 43 
 
 encouraging and sustaining. Christians ac- 
 quired new views of the power and grace 
 of God ; had their errors corrected and 
 their prejudices removed ; saw illustrated 
 in a manner the most convincing the pre- 
 valence and " blessedness of prayer," and 
 learned to appreciate more highly the gos- 
 pel, as the instrumentality ordained by 
 God to save sinners, and promote the sanc- 
 tification of believers. Had these been the 
 only fruits of the outpouring of the Spirit, 
 it would be difficult to over estimate their 
 value to the church of Claverack ; but be- 
 side, during the year one hundred and 
 twenty-five members were added to it on 
 confession. 
 
 The following is the account which Mr. 
 Sluyter himself gave of the revival of 1821 : 
 *' This work made its appearance about 
 the middle of February, in the village of 
 Claverack, after being long prayed for, 
 fondly expected, and strongly anticipated 
 from the manifest movings of the Spirit of 
 God upon the consciences of several who 
 had been attendants upon the means of 
 
44 MEMOIR OF 
 
 grace previous to the day on which a re- 
 vival was announced to have commenced. 
 It was preceded by a spirit of prayer 
 poured out upon the church, which was 
 unusual and solemn. Nothing in the whole 
 progress of the work has appeared wild or 
 enthusiastic, nor was it discoverable that 
 its spread was through the medium of 
 sympathy." 
 
 The years 1S22 and 1S23, were also pe- 
 riods in which the church of Claverack 
 was revived, and the accessions to it on 
 confession were numerous. But these 
 seem to have been rather the continuous 
 fruits of the work of grace, commenced in 
 A. D., 1821, than distinct seasons in which 
 the Holy Spirit was poured out. And this 
 is a feature of the first revival of religion 
 in Claverack which ma}" be contemplated 
 with pleasure, for it confirms the testimony 
 of Mr. Sluyter, that *' its spread was" not 
 "through the medium of s^^mpathy." No 
 person will contend for the extension of 
 this throughout a period of three years. 
 Equally, if not more preposterous would 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 45 
 
 it be for any one to maintain that hu- 
 man machinery, no matter how well de- 
 vised, nor how efficiently plied, continued 
 to extend its effects for so long a space of 
 time. Much has been said of its power 
 and its results, but never have its most ar- 
 dent advocates pretended that for three 
 successive years it continued to produce 
 its fruits. 
 
 Now when it is remembered what was 
 the state of things in the church of Clavei- 
 ack, when Mr. SIu3'ter was settled over it 
 as pastor, and what it continued to be, up 
 even to the time when it pleased God to 
 pour out his spirit upon it — when it is re- 
 membered that the opposition to the revi- 
 val was strenuous and determined ; that it 
 was regarded and spoken of as the work 
 not of God, but of man ; and that it was 
 confidently predicted that it would " come 
 to nought," it is easy to perceive that its 
 continuance, though with diminished pow- 
 er, through three ^^ears, must have been 
 of very great advantage. It did indeed 
 result in the removal from the minds of 
 
46 MEMOIR OF 
 
 christians of all scepticism as to its origin, 
 its nature, and the blessedness of its fruits ; 
 in giving more elevation to the tone of 
 their piety, and more circumspection and 
 consistency to their walk; in increasing 
 the degree of their influence, and in mak- 
 ing them the fast friends of revivals of re- 
 ligion. As it respected the world, its effect 
 was to falsify their predictions, to stagger, 
 if not to uproot their faith in their own de- 
 clarations that it was the work of man, 
 and measurably to overcome their opposi- 
 tion, or rather to make it powerless. As 
 the result, therefore, of the first revival of 
 religion in the church of Claverack, Mr. 
 Sluyter was placed upon vantage ground. 
 By it God set the seal of his approbation 
 upon his ministry, and virtually proclaim- 
 ed him to be an approved and faithful ser- 
 vant. Beside, he made it subsequently 
 contribute toward his encouragement, com- 
 fort, and success. 
 
 After the fruits of the revival of the 
 years 1821, '22, and '23 had been gather- 
 ed in, though God did not leave himself 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 47 
 
 wiihout witness that by his Spirit he was 
 present with the church, giving efficacy to 
 his own truth, yet it gradually became 
 more and more apparent that christians 
 w^ere losing their " first love" — were satis- 
 fying themselves with the mere formal dis- 
 charge of religious duties, and indifferent 
 about the salvation of sinners. The usual 
 effect followed as it respects the impeni- 
 tent. They waxed more careless, more 
 bold in sinuincr, and more regardless of the 
 calls and invitations of mercy, by w^iich it 
 was sought to persuade them. Neverthe- 
 less, the moral and religious aspect of 
 things differed widely from w^hat it had 
 been previous to the late revival. But 
 this fact, interesting and important as it 
 was, did not, could not overbalance the 
 causes for mourning both within and with- 
 out the church. And during the period in- 
 tervening between the years 1823 and 
 1S31, when God again poured out his Spi- 
 rit, Mr. Sluyter experienced some of his 
 severest trials. These were occasioned 
 partly by the causes which have been 
 
48 MEMOIR OF 
 
 mentioned, and were of a character to af- 
 fect him deeply : so that if during the pro- 
 gress of the revival in A. D. 1821, he 
 could write to Mrs. Sluyter, " My heart 
 is full of this glorious work ; I have a thou- 
 sand things to tell you about the passing 
 scenes of this day of God's merciful visita- 
 tion ; I do not know how to pray and 
 praise the Lord enough for his kindness 
 and love to me, in giving me health and 
 strength to perform the arduous duties in- 
 volved in a work of revival" — he now 
 found reason often to exclaim, " Who hath 
 believed our report? and to whom is the 
 arm of the Lord revealed ?" As it respects 
 the other things by which he was tried, as 
 a notice of them could subserve no good 
 end, it is best that the mantle of oblivion 
 be thrown over them. 
 
 During the period of Mr. Sluyter's mi- 
 nistry which is now under review, some 
 things occurred which deserve notice. 
 These were, the cessation from preaching 
 and the death of his venerable colleague, 
 and the dissolution of his pastoral connec- 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 49 
 
 tion with the church of Hillsdale. It was 
 contemplated by the Consistory of the 
 church of Claverack, in the settlement of a 
 colleague to the Rev. Mr. Gebhard, to 
 claim the whole of his time and services, 
 when through growing infirmities the latter 
 should be unable longer to preach. In 
 April, A. D. 1825, this period arrived ; 
 and the Rev. Mr. Gebhard bavins: been 
 declared emeritus by the Classis, and the 
 stipulations of Mr. Sluyter's call, so far as 
 they respected the Consistory of the church 
 of Hillsdale, having been annulled, the lat- 
 ter thenceforward, up to the time of his 
 death, was the sole pastor of the church 
 of Claverack. As, however, his pastoral 
 relation to the church of Hillsdale had been 
 productive of much comfort to himself, 
 and of much good to it, it was not without 
 regret mutually felt and expressed, that 
 he parted from it, and left the people, " as 
 sheep without a shepherd." Nor did he 
 ever cease to take an interest in its wel- 
 fare. 
 
 Mr. Gebhard did not long survive the 
 
60 MEMOIR OF 
 
 relinquishment of the active duties of his 
 calling. " He was gathered to his fathers " 
 on the 16th of August, 1S26, in the seven- 
 ty-seventh year of his age, and the fifty- 
 fourth of his ministry. From a brief obi- 
 tuary of him, which was published in 
 *' The Magazine of the Reformed Dutch 
 Church," it appears that *' he was born on 
 the 2d of February, A. D. 1750, at Wal- 
 dorf, in Germany. He received his classi- 
 cal education at Heidelberg, and com- 
 pleted his theological studies and was li- 
 censed to preach at Utrecht, in Holland. 
 In A. D. 1771 he emigrated to the United 
 States, and officiated in the ministry in 
 Pennsylvania for about three years. In the 
 month of January, 1774, he was called to 
 the German Reformed Church of the city 
 of New-York, now under the pastoral care 
 of the Rev. J. S. Ebaugh, and continued their 
 pastor until 1776, when he, together with 
 many others of said church, fled before the 
 British. In 1776 he was called to the pas- 
 toral charge of the Reformed Protestant 
 Dutch Church of Claverack, N. Y." He 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 51 
 
 was a learned and a good man, and in 
 the fullest sense of the term a gentleman.* 
 He was always modest, dignified, cour- 
 teous and affable in his intercourse with 
 others. He was, beside, distinguished for 
 his sagacity, his knowledge of human na- 
 ture, his prudence, and his self-control. 
 He was eminently a man of peace, and 
 in practice conformed to the exhortation, 
 " Let us follow after the things which 
 make for peace, and things wherewith one 
 may edify another." And it is due to truth tO' 
 say, that it was as much owing to him as 
 to Mr. Sluyter, that there never occurred 
 the "least rupture" between them. It 
 was because peace was their mutual aim, 
 that it was preserved during the period 
 
 ♦ The writer is indebted to the Rev. Mr. Ebaiigh for 
 matter to supply what was wanting in the obituary of Mr. 
 Gebhard, as it was originally published; and also for the 
 information derived from the records of his church, that 
 Mr. G. was recalled to it, " but declined accepting the call 
 solely on account of the largeness of his family, and the 
 inadequate support offered him in it." 
 
52 MEMOIR OF 
 
 of their collegiate connection, and until the 
 death of Mr. Gebhard. 
 
 The writer, who was kindly taken by 
 the hand, and encouraged by Mr. Geb- 
 hard when he had resolved to devote him- 
 self to the work of the ministry, cannot 
 forbear to advert to one scene in which 
 that venerable servant of God was an 
 actor, and which is vividly impressed on 
 his mind. It was the Sabbath, and the 
 church had come t02:ether to remember 
 Christ in *' the ordinance of the Holy 
 Supper." Just about the time the elements 
 were to be distributed, he came into the 
 church, it is believed for the last time. At 
 any rate, the writer never saw him there 
 afterward. As he opened the door, every 
 e3^e was directed toward him. His gait 
 was erect, but his countenance was wan, 
 and every feature of it pointed him out as 
 a candidate for the tomb. He took his 
 seat in front of the pulpit, and at the right 
 of the table. And as he sat there contem- 
 plating the scene before him, and doubt- 
 less anticipating with confidence and joy 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 53 
 
 of heart the arrival of the moment when 
 he should be welcomed home to glory with 
 the plaudit, '• Well done, good and faithful 
 servant," the peace within was shadowed 
 forth in the heavenly serenity which was 
 depicted on his brow. The services pro- 
 ceeded. " He ate of the bread and drank 
 of the wine in remembrance of Christ.'* 
 He arose in his place amid silence like 
 that of the grave, and delivered the last 
 address which he ever made at the com- 
 munion table, or to the church to which he 
 had ministered for about half a century. 
 He spoke in the Dutch language, with 
 earnestness yet with deliberation, and in a 
 manner such as became him, standing on 
 the borders of eternit}^ In the tones of 
 his voice there was something sepulchral. 
 He seemed like one from the other world, 
 who had just appeared to deliver a mes- 
 sage from God and return. And when I 
 looked on him standing forth as the " am- 
 bassador of Christ," remembered how 
 often he had said, '* I would rather wear 
 out than rust out," and saw the lamp of 
 5* 
 
54 MEMOIR. 
 
 life then evidently flickering in the socket, 
 I experienced sensations which for the 
 time were overpowering, and cannot be 
 described. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Revival of 1831— Four days' meetings— Their results— Revivals of 
 1833 and '35— Their fruits— Result to Mr. S. of injudiciously unit- 
 ing with the Baptists in a protracted meeting — Revival of 1S3S — His 
 account of it — Revival of 1842 — His account of it — Extent of the 
 several revivals— State of religion during the intervals between 
 them — Seeks no notoriety on account of his success — His manner, 
 in seasons of revival— His errors and excesses — Causes of them 
 assigned. 
 
 After eight years of comparative bar- 
 renness of the fruits of the Spirit, the 
 church ofClaverack was again, in the year 
 1831, favoured with a revival of religion. 
 This was the year in which *' four days' 
 meetings" began to be held in many church- 
 es of different denominations ; and it must 
 be confessed, generally with the happiest 
 effect. The perversions and abuses of them 
 which eventually operated to their disad- 
 vantage, and caused them sometimes to be 
 the source of evil, rather than of good to 
 the church of Christ, were then compara- 
 tively unknown. Having made himself 
 acquainted with their character, and the 
 
56 ME^IOIR OF 
 
 mode of conducting them, Mr. Sluyter, 
 prompted by the consideration that *' in 
 almost every case they were followed with 
 awakenings in the church, and in the hope- 
 ful conversion of many," resolved, with 
 the approbation of his Consistor}^, to hold 
 *' a four days' meeting" in the church of 
 Claverack. But let him speak for himself. 
 He says, " The church in Claverack after 
 much earnest pra3^er and solemn delibera- 
 tion, resolved to hold ' a four days' meet- 
 ing,' which began on the 17th of August, 
 1831, and continued until the 21st. Every 
 day w^itnessed a crowded auditory, and 
 great solemnity and interest seemed to rest 
 on the minds of all ; and a considerable 
 degree of revival in the church prevailed 
 for some weeks, and many were brought 
 into the kingdom." 
 
 The revival of A. D. 1831, was happy 
 in its influence upon the church, and in a 
 high degree inspiriting to Mr. Sluyter. It 
 was followed by another in A. D. 1833, of 
 which the fruit was a large accession to 
 the church. In A. D. 1835, God again 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER, 57 
 
 poured out his Spirit ; and to the number 
 of professed christians, forty-four were 
 added. Of these last two revivals it may 
 in truth be said, that they were a great 
 blessing to the church of Claverack, both 
 in consequence of their immediate and sub- 
 sequent fruits. The former were visible 
 in its increase by new accessions from the 
 world, and in the upbuilding of christians, 
 by means of the rich communications of 
 grace which were imparted to them. The 
 latter were discoverable in the higher ap- 
 preciation on the part of the people gene- 
 rally of the house of God, its ministrations 
 and ordinances, and their consequent more 
 diligent attendance upon public worship. 
 At no period of his ministry had Mr. Sluy- 
 ter greater cause to be gratified on account 
 of the number of persons who regularly 
 sat under his preaching, than during that 
 which succeeded these revivals. In con- 
 nection with the revival of A. D. 1835, 
 there was one thing which contributed 
 much toward this, namely, the difficulty 
 in which he became involved with the 
 
58 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Baptists, on account of injudiciously unit- 
 ing with them in the holding of a protract-- 
 ed meeting in the very heart of his own 
 congregation. This operated to awake in 
 the people the dormant feelings of kind- 
 ness and affection for their pastor, and to 
 rally them around him with the determina- 
 tion to encourage and sustain him. The 
 pain, therefore, which the trial occasioned 
 him, was more than compensated by the 
 discovery which it enabled him to make 
 of the place which he retained in the 
 hearts of the people. 
 
 In A. D. 1S3S, Mr. Sluyter was again 
 permitted to rejoice in seeing an abundant 
 blessing poured out upon the people of his 
 charge. Of all the revivals which occur- 
 red under his ministry, this was the one 
 which he seemed to regard with the most 
 interest. He could scarcely advert to it 
 without becoming excited in the recollec- 
 tion of what God had wrought. His report 
 of it is as follows : — " It is with great 
 pleasure and satisfaction that I am able to 
 record the result of a o^reat work of God 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 59 
 
 in the church of Claverack, which com- 
 menced about the middle of January, 
 ] S38, in the east part of the town called 
 Centreville.* In that neighbourhood of the 
 congregation I have been accustomed to 
 preach every alternate Sabbath, in the af- 
 ternoon, for some j^ears ; and for some 
 weeks previous to the breaking out of the 
 work, much solemnity prevailed under the 
 preaching of the word, and an uncommon 
 spirit of prayer among christians. Two 
 little praying bands separated about a 
 mile apart, formed a purpose of coming 
 together in one meeting, and to pray every 
 night in succession during one week, for 
 the outpouring of the Spirit to begin on 
 Wednesday. This pious design was in-» 
 troduced by a request that I should come 
 and preach in the neighbourhood once or 
 twice that week, which was done on Mon- 
 day and Tuesday evenings preceding. A 
 deep interest was very evidently felt, and 
 
 * Now Mellenville. 
 
40 MEMOIR OF 
 
 much of divine influence was realized by 
 many hearts. On the night of the fourth 
 meeting for prayer in succession, the Holy 
 Spirit seemed to come down as on the day 
 of Pentecost, and filled the place where 
 they were assembled. It was a memora- 
 ble night, and something like twentij-one 
 souls were brought under deep conviction, 
 and cried out for mercy. I entered into 
 the field on the following week, and great 
 power from on high reigned over the whole 
 community ; and in the space of two 
 weeks more than sixty souls were rejoicing 
 in hope. A protracted meeting was held 
 in the church, and the work spread over 
 the congregat'on generally, so that in every 
 part of it some precious souls were con- 
 verted, and the people in the whole region 
 of country around were impressed." An- 
 other season of revival, and the last, un- 
 der Mr. Sluyter's ministry, was enjoyed 
 by the church of Claverack in A. D. 1842. 
 In relation to this revival, under date of 
 March 1, Mr. Sluyter wrote as follows to 
 a son-in-law. " We have had a very in- 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 61 
 
 teresting work of grace in this place this 
 winter. Evident tokens of the operations 
 of the Spirit of God appeared in Decem- 
 ber, in the north and east parts of my con- 
 gregation, which drew me out in unusual 
 labours to cherish and promote the work. 
 The distant points have been brought to- 
 gether in a great degree, and a feeling of 
 general interest spread over the church. 
 This work has been preceded by a fervent 
 spirit of prayer among christians, and at- 
 tended with great harmony and love. Last 
 Sabbath we celebrated the Lord's Supper, 
 when thirty-one united with the church 
 on confession of their faith. It was a 
 blessed season, indeed. A deep solemnity 
 reigned over a crowded auditory ; and 
 what greatly deepened the sacredness of 
 the scene, was the baptism of seven adult 
 persons, some of whom were of the first 
 respectability in society. This was one of 
 the good days of the Lord in this ancient 
 church, several of which it has been my 
 high privilege to see and enjoy during my 
 ministry among this people. At Mellen- 
 6 
 
62 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ville, there is now a deeply interesting 
 state of things. Sixteen souls have been 
 recently converted, and the work is ad- 
 vancing. I shall commence a series of 
 meetings in that church on Wednesday of 
 this week, (God willing,) and may the 
 Lord bless the means that may be em- 
 plo3^ed for the conversion of precious 
 souls." 
 
 On the 13th of March, Mr. Sluyter wrote 
 to a son, " I have been holding a succes- 
 sion of meetings at Mellenville, for two 
 weeks. There has been quite a serious 
 time in that church, and upwards of twen- 
 ty souls have been hopefully converted. 
 Among the means which produced serious 
 thoughtfulness in the congregations of Cla- 
 verackand Mellenville, was the prevalence 
 of the scarlet fever, which occasioned an 
 unusual mortahty among children. At 
 Mellenville, particularly, it was desola- 
 ting ; no less than eleven mothers having 
 been called to mourn the loss of their chil- 
 dren, between January 1 and March 1." 
 
 In addition to the foregoing, he writes 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. G3 
 
 concerning the revival of 1842, "Indeed, 
 there has been a very solemn time in this 
 region ; more than two hundred and fifty 
 have been converted since the beginning 
 of the winter, and have connected them- 
 selves with different churches." 
 
 The revivals wiih which the church of 
 Claverack was favoured under Mr. Sluy- 
 ter's preaching, it may be here remarked, 
 were some of them general, extending 
 over the whole congregation, and some of 
 them limited to particular portions of it. 
 
 It need scarcely be added, that the 
 intervals between the several revivals were? 
 characterized by some degree of stagna- 
 tion in the religious feelings of christians, 
 and some want of perseverance and fidel- 
 ity in their doing the will of the Lord, as 
 well as by apparent and growing indiffer- 
 ence on the part of sinners, as it respected 
 their eternal well-being. These, though 
 they need not, and should not be, yet 
 usually have been the results following in 
 the train of revivals of rehgion. In part 
 they arise from a law of our nature which 
 
64 MEMOIR OF 
 
 renders it impossible, without prejudice to 
 health and usefulness, to keep the mind 
 for a great length of time highly excited, in 
 reference to any topic. Meantime, how- 
 ever, the church gradually increased in 
 numbers and in grace, in the use of ordi- 
 nary and divinely appointed means. If 
 on this point there was no other evidence 
 save the fact stated by Dr. Gosman at the 
 funeral of Mr. Sluyter, it would be con- 
 clusive. He said, " His ministry was 
 eminently successful. Nearly 1,100 souls 
 have been received into the communion of 
 this church. 
 
 In this connection it is proper to state, 
 that though Mr. Sluyter's ministry was 
 unusually distinguished for revivals of re- 
 ligion, yet his humility was equal to his 
 success. He never " sounded a trumpet 
 before him" — never sought notoriety by 
 publications of what God through his agen- 
 cy was accomplishing. 
 
 On the subject of publishing accounts of 
 revivals, Mr. Sluyter expressed himself as 
 follows, in a letter to the author : *' With 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 65 
 
 fespect to your remarks on the subject of 
 withholding information from the pubhc at 
 the early stages of a revival, for fear that 
 ihe church might think more highly than 
 she ought to think of the hopeful work, I 
 partly agree with you and partly not. 
 
 " I acknowledge that much injur}'' has 
 arisen through indiscretion and untemper- 
 ed zeal, in times of the evident nearness 
 of God's power in quickening and reviving 
 the souls of men. To publish exaggerated 
 accounts, and to make more of the work 
 than the Spirit of God warrants us to 
 make, is wrong. Although such accounts 
 may be the result of ardent wishes and 
 pious hope, in view of an extensive work 
 of grace ; yet if the intelligence published 
 be not strictly and faithfully the history of 
 facts as they exist, it is not true, and con- 
 sequently cannot be right. This is an er- 
 ror, on the one hand, which has doubtless 
 hurt the character of religious revivals in 
 no small degree. Tiiose who heard the 
 report at a distance, and had raised ex- 
 pectations, have been disappointed when 
 
66 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ihey have come to see what God had 
 wrought. The wicked have taken advan- 
 tage of such things, and turned them to an 
 evil account. I am, however, apprehen- 
 sive that much needless fear is indulged 
 by many on this subject — that too much 
 squeamishness is often felt and manifested 
 by many ministers and christians respect- 
 ing revivals of religion. If the movements 
 of the Holy Spirit are manifest in awaken- 
 ing the Church and exciting the alarm of 
 the impenitent in any place, I see no ne- 
 cessity of studied silence on the subject. 
 If o?ie only be converted, it excites 'joy in 
 heaven ;' and that one may not, and can- 
 not be silent, but in the language of the 
 Psalmist, is constrained to say, * Come 
 and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will 
 declare what he hath done for my soul.' 
 May not, then, private communication be 
 sent to those * who for Zion's sake will 
 not hold their peace, and for Jerusalem's 
 sake will not rest, until the righteousness 
 thereof go forth as brightness, and the sal- 
 vation thereof as a lamp that burneth V It 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 67 
 
 would be a comfort to them to hear un- 
 varnished intelligence of the Lord's power 
 and goodness to others, and might prove a 
 mean of exciting them to unusual zeal and 
 prayer, and be attended with a blessing 
 upon them and theirs." 
 
 Moreover, the revivals of religion, of 
 which mention has been made, were 
 not the products of other men's labours. 
 The Rev. B. B. Westfall, in the pubHshed 
 notice before referred to, says, " None 
 could be attributed to the preaching of an- 
 other man. It pleased the Spirit of God 
 signally to own his ministrations ; and in 
 more than one instance, to come down 
 upon the listening audience with heart- 
 melting power." With respect to the man- 
 ner of Mr. Sluyter, in seasons of religious 
 awakening, he speaks as follows : " It was 
 the writer's privilege to be among the first 
 fruits of his ministry. And for some time 
 I was with him as Timothy with Paul; 
 and if ever I have been successful in 
 bringing souls to Christ, much of it must 
 be attributed to the lessons I received in 
 
68 MEMOIR OF 
 
 this school of my first discipleship. The 
 firm grasp with which he would lay hold 
 of the hand of a humble inquirer or care- 
 less sinner, with the look of love and com- 
 passion, whilst he would plead and expos- 
 tulate with him on the necessity of an im- 
 mediate submission to God, seldom failed 
 of producing its effects ; and as he pointed 
 out the way of life and salvation through 
 the efficacy of Christ's blood, I have seen 
 stout hearts break and yield to the claims 
 of the Saviour." 
 
 In concluding the notice of the revivals, 
 with which, under the ministry of Mr* 
 Sluyter the church of Claverack was bless- 
 ed, it would be claiming for him a degree 
 of perfection to which he made no preten- 
 sion, to say, that, in his doings with re- 
 spect to them he committed no errors, fell 
 into no excesses. He did both, as he 
 was himself aware, and on more than one 
 occasion ingenuously admitted* In his 
 preaching he was sound in the faith ; but 
 in his measures he sometimes went too far. 
 There is, however, some excuse to be 
 
REV. RICHAUD sluyter. 69 
 
 found for him in the fact that he was na- 
 turally excitable, ardent and impulsive. 
 Hence, no scene was more congenial to 
 him than that in which men were absorbed 
 in the great work of^ seeking salvation. 
 Standing among such, he was in his ele- 
 ment, and no where else appeared to bet- 
 ter advantage as the ** ambassador of 
 Christ." It was then that he displayed 
 his skill in anatomizing the human heart ; 
 exposed in a most convincing manner to 
 unbelievers the refuges of lies in which 
 they were trusting ; exhibited the Divine 
 law in its nature, extent, spirituality and 
 perfection, and preached Jesus ** as the 
 end of the law for righteousness to every 
 one that believeth.'* And all this he did 
 often in strains of impassioned, persuasive 
 and commanding eloquence. But if in a 
 revival the state of things was congenial 
 to his feelings, it must also be conceded 
 that he was sometimes rather under the 
 control of these than of his judgment. 
 The alarms of conscience produced by 
 convictions of sin, the agonizing cries for 
 
70 MEMOm OF 
 
 rrrerCy- — the gushing tears of penitence — 
 the joy arising from a sense of sins for- 
 given, and the praises to God for his dis- 
 plays of the wonders of redeeming love, 
 were fitted to excite, and did excite him in 
 a high degree. At such times, when it 
 might almost be said that his feelings took 
 a hue from every passing scene, his acts 
 and measures were not always governed 
 by the rules of strict propriety. But this, 
 from his peculiar temperament, was to be 
 expected, and is not therefore to be un-^ 
 qualifiedly condemned. Indeed, when 
 under the influence of excitement in refer^ 
 ence to any subject save religion, men are 
 hurried into some excesses, there is no he- 
 sitation to make due allowance for them. 
 But why make religion an exception? 
 When it is viewed in all its bearings upon 
 the weal or wo of man, both for time and 
 eternity, who will affirm that it is not of a 
 character to take a powerful hold upon a 
 person of strong susceptibilities ? Such a 
 person was Mr. Sluyter : but the extremes 
 to which in any instance he was carried, 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 71 
 
 did not militate against the genuineness of 
 the revivals of religion with which the 
 church of Claverack was blessed. That 
 they were the work of God, is proved by 
 the many living fruits of them by which it 
 is now adorned and strengthened, as well 
 as by the holy and useful lives of many 
 who have " fallen asleep in Jesus." 
 
 -Mv'Ml 
 
^* 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 The light in which Mr. S. is presented as a preacher — Repntatiftn 
 as a preacher — His own justification of his course in serving the 
 Church of Claverack— The Divine blessing attends it— Character- 
 istics of his preaching — His description of liimself— Pastoial qua- 
 lifications — His description of liimseH— Attachment to his own 
 church— Introduces two of his spiritual children into the ministry 
 —Rev. B B. Wcstfall— His death— His resemblance to Mr. S.— 
 Mr. Sluyter's comparative inefficiency in prosecuting works of 
 benevolence— The cause of it— His own view of his success— Con- 
 stituted his own biographer. 
 
 The view which has been given of Mr. 
 Sluyler's ministrations in the church of 
 Claverack, exhibits him in the threefold 
 light of a laborious, faithful and successful 
 preacher. Some ministers are laborious, 
 but are wanting in fidelity. Some are suc- 
 cessful, as the result of the labours of their 
 brethren. Some are faithful in proclaim- 
 ing God's truth, but are neither laborious 
 nor successful. Some blend with fidelity 
 in declaring the whole counsel of God, un- 
 tiring diligence in their work, and yet are 
 permitted to see very few fruits of il. But 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 73 
 
 it is only occasionally one is seen in whose 
 ministry these are combined. Indeed, 
 with many the want of success apparently 
 causes very little solicitude. They say, 
 and say truly, that the promises of God 
 are made to the faithful servant, and hence 
 their acceptance with God, and their re- 
 ward, are not suspended upon the fruits 
 of their ministrations, be they few or many. 
 It is written, and this suffices for them, 
 *' Be thou faithful unto death, and I will 
 give thee a crown of life." This kind of 
 reasoning, resting upon a scriptural basis, 
 may be carried too far ; and its eiFect may 
 be both to diminish the sense of obligation 
 to strive for the salvation of souls, and to 
 cause the truth to be so presented to men, 
 as to awaken in them scarcely any inte- 
 rest in regard to eternal things. For while 
 it is proper (ministerial success being de- 
 pendent upon the blessing of God) that the 
 faithful servant should be rewarded, yet it 
 is difficult to conceive how a minister can 
 establish for himself this character, and 
 still be indifferent as it respects being suc- 
 
 7 
 
;^ » MEMOIR OF 
 
 cessful. He is likened to a sower, and the 
 seed which he sows is the word of God ; 
 but when the sower has deposited his 
 seed in the prepared earth, does he, because 
 its germinating and yielding fruit are re- 
 sults which God only can accomplish, feel 
 no solicitude to receive a return for his la- 
 bour in a bountiful harvest? He is also 
 compared to a fisherman ; and in this cha- 
 racter he casts the gospel net : but does 
 not the fisherman show concern, lest he 
 may toil and catch nothing ? He is also 
 called an ambassador ; and as such his 
 business is to " beseech " men, " in Christ's 
 stead, be ye reconciled to God :" but does 
 an ambassador, in the execution of his 
 highly responsible trust, discard from his 
 mind all ideas of success, and aim at no- 
 thing beside being faithful ? If then the 
 sower, the fisherman and the ambassador, 
 to whom the minister of the gospel is liken- 
 ed, while labouring faithfully in their re- 
 spective vocations, keep constantly in view 
 success, and in the hope and prospect of 
 this find themselves stimulated and encou- 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 75 
 
 raged, how can ministers reconcile it to 
 their consciences, their obligations, their 
 relations, their characters, and the design 
 of their commission to preach the gospel, 
 to say they are concerned only about fide- 
 lity in their work ? Are they sure that this 
 can exist to the degree to entitle them to 
 be received at last with the plaudit, " Well 
 done good and faithful servant," provided 
 they are not intent upon being successful ? 
 So thought not Mr. Shiyter; and the result 
 has been summarily given in preceding 
 chapters. As Abraham, when he had 
 made supplication in behalfof Sodom and 
 Gomorrah, to see what had been its suc- 
 cess, "gat up early in the morning to the 
 place where he had stood before the Lord, 
 and looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, 
 and toward all the land of the plain," so 
 Mr. Siuyter looked to see the truth, which 
 he had preached, and for the success of 
 which he had prayed and wept, take effect 
 in the consciences and hearts of men, and 
 to produce in them conformity to the will 
 of God. Nor did he look in vain. : 
 
^# MEMOIR OF 
 
 As a preacher, Mr. Sluyter did not oc- 
 cupy a prominent position in the public 
 estimation, nor even the position to which 
 he was justly entitled. This was in part 
 owing to himself, as he concedes in a ser- 
 mon which he preached on the anniversary 
 of the twenty-fourth year of his ministry. 
 Adverting to the sphere which he had 
 been called by the church of Claverack to 
 occupy, he says — " This course of daily 
 duties, and almost daily preaching, seems 
 to have arisen from the necessity of the 
 case. The extent of the charge, and the 
 wants of the people, presented calls faster 
 than they could be reasonably answered ; 
 and I do frankly confess to you that I have 
 frequently been constrained, under these 
 circumstances, to neglect the preparation 
 of my Sabbath exercises, contrary both to 
 principle and inclination. And I am fully 
 sensible that with respect to those who 
 are ignorant of the labours and difficulties 
 of the ministry, sufficient allowances have 
 not been made for any short comings in 
 these exercises. It would have been to 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 77 
 
 my interest, honour and ease, to have de- 
 voted my whole time to preparations for 
 the pulpit, but numerous families and in- 
 dividuals in every section of the congrega- 
 tion, who were destitute of the means to 
 come to church, presented their claims for 
 lectures in their own neighbourhoods, and 
 I have yielded to their wants and wishes 
 be3^ond what might be considered in the 
 opinion of some either my duty or interest." 
 Doubtless, he did so yield ; and yet the 
 circumstances of the case were such, that 
 where they are understood it is presumed 
 that fev/ will censure him for preaching too 
 much, and being too much out of his study. 
 He acted in view of facts, of which the 
 most of those who think he ought to have 
 confined himself more to his Sabbath per- 
 formances are ignorant ; and though to 
 these, in some instances, he may have at- 
 tached undue importance, yet situated as 
 he was, it is believed that in the main his 
 action was right. Beside, whatever may 
 be thought of his laying less stress upon 
 his reputation as a preacher than upon the 
 
7S MEMOIR OF 
 
 salvation of the flock whose oversight had 
 been committed to him, it is certain that 
 God in several, and memorable instances, 
 set upon It the seal of his approval. " His 
 sermonSj v»diich never drew forth the ap- 
 probation of the m.ultitude," with the bless- 
 ing of God upon them, efFected'what is far 
 more desirable, namely, the building up of 
 christians on their most holy faith, and the 
 conversion of sinners. 
 
 As it regards the distinguishing charac- 
 teristics of Mr. Sluyter's preaching, they 
 may be summed up in three words — plain- 
 ness, directness and fervour. He never 
 sought to wrap up his meaning in a mul- 
 titude of words, and with a view to divest 
 the truth of its native force and pungency. 
 He never preached about his hearers, but 
 at them.* He considered them as beiuQ- 
 each a candidate for eternity — as each pos- 
 sibly listening to the last message which 
 
 * An i>\d elder, long since deceased, used to say, "the 
 difficulty with Mr. Sluyter when he preaches, is, that it is 
 just as if lie says, you." 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 79 
 
 ihey might receive from his lips, and aim- 
 ed to make the *' truth as it is in Jesus," 
 bear directly upon them. His own feel- 
 ings also became so excited by the sub- 
 jects which he discussed, the persons 
 whom he addressed, and his knowledge 
 that both he and they would soon be ming- 
 ling in eternal scenes, that his manner 
 and lano^uaire were earnest and impassion- 
 ed, and fixed the attention of his hearers. 
 In fine, he seemed to realize that he was 
 preaching for eternity, and had no time to 
 *' sugarcoat" the truth, to render it more 
 palatable to the fastidious and vitiated 
 taste of some of his hearers. 
 
 As, however, IMr. Sluyter has well de- 
 scribed himself, in a charge which he deli- 
 vered to the Rev. G. I. Garretson at the 
 time of his ordination and installation over 
 the church of Stuyvesant, it is preferred 
 to let him, in his own words, give his idea 
 of the style of preaching and the manner 
 of performing the duty which is suited to 
 the pulpit. He said : " But whatever du- 
 ties, either public or private, call for your 
 
80 MEMOIR OF 
 
 attention in this great embassage, remem- 
 ber that you are not your own ; and as an 
 incentive to setting^ the Lord Jesus Christ 
 always before you, recollect that your 
 work is not yours, but his that sent you. 
 Be not afraid, therefore, to tell men of 
 every description, of their total depravity 
 by nature, and that they are lying under a 
 dispensation of wrath while they are stran- 
 gers to the. love of Christ. Never be guilty 
 of softening down the terrific denuncia- 
 tions of God's word for fear of leaving a 
 gloomy impression upon the minds of your 
 hearers, by telling them you hope better 
 things of them, and things which accom- 
 pany salvation, though you thus speak." 
 But cease not to persecute the impenitent 
 with the tempest, and make them afraid 
 with the thunders and the storm of Sinai, 
 until they repair to Mount Calvary and 
 take refuge under the banners of the Sa- 
 viour's cross. Maintain with fidelity the 
 infinite perfections of God your Saviour, 
 and oppose with promptitude and firmness 
 any doctrine which militates against them. 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER, 81 
 
 Be not backward to preach the self-deny- 
 in 2: and humblinc; doctrines of free and 
 sovereign grace, however unpalatable they 
 may be to some, or whatever your faith- 
 fulness may cost you. Warn sinners 
 boldly of every danger. Strive to displace 
 the hypocrite from his false foundation, 
 and the wicked from their ' refuges of lies.' 
 Give them no peace until they are brought 
 trembling and humbled at the feet of Je- 
 sus, collected and in their right mind ; 
 then, and not till then, apply the balm of 
 Gilead to their wounded hearts, and lead 
 them to the peaceful sanctuary of grace. 
 In discharging these duties, remember that 
 you are not at liberty to ' confer w^Ith flesh 
 and blood.' The command of your Mas- 
 ter is, Go preach the gospel, and wo unto 
 you if you do it not." The foregoing is 
 conceived to be a good description of Mr. 
 Sluyter as a preacher — a description whose 
 accuracy in its several parts w^ill be dis- 
 cerned without effort by all who are fami- 
 liar with his style and manner. 
 
 Before passing from the subject of Mr. 
 
S2 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Sluyter as a preacher, it is proper to re- 
 mark, that it was less by his preaching on 
 the Sabbath, than by his lectures during 
 the week, that he commended himself to 
 the people. "He was never more ele- 
 vated," observes Mr. Westfall, " tlian in 
 the lecture-room or private house, where 
 'the neighbours were assembled. It was 
 here that he would discourse of heaven 
 and hell, and bring eternity near to the 
 view of his hearers, while his own soul 
 would yearn over sinners ready to perish." 
 But it is not simpl}^ in his character as 
 a preacher, that we are called to con- 
 template Mr. Sluyter. He was also a 
 pastor ; and his success in " breakhig the 
 bread of life," was interwoven with the 
 discharge of pastoral duties. That he 
 possessed rare qualifications for their per- 
 formance is undeniable. Few pastors 
 have ever surpassed him in ability and 
 tact to accommodate themselves to per- 
 sons of ail ranks and descriptions of cha- 
 racter ; to disarm them of all opposition, 
 and to convince them of the solicitude 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. S3 
 
 which he felt for them, especially in view 
 of coming reckonings at the bar of God. 
 Of this truth, the conviction will doubtless 
 be deeper when the following, from the an- 
 niversary sermon before referred to, is read. 
 ''Entering the field, labour presented it- 
 self on every side. The living soul and 
 the dead body pressed upon me a load of 
 duty. Instructing the ignorant, directing 
 the inquiring, comforting the sorrowful, 
 and. burying the dead, were among my 
 daily employments. Most of you know 
 after what manner I have been with you in 
 these various duties. In seasons of afflic- 
 tion I have pressed you to the bosom of 
 sympathy ; in times of sore grief hushed 
 the sigh of sorrow, and wiped the falling 
 tear : and in all seasons, my willingness 
 to be with you has been greater than my 
 abilities. I have taught you publicty, and 
 from house to house ; and few that have 
 attended my public instructions have es- 
 caped my private admonition and advice." 
 Preaching, lecturing and discharging 
 pastoral duties, however, do not comprise 
 
84 ;i2I ■ MEMOIR OF 
 
 the whole of a minister's work. In addi- 
 tion, but yet in subordination to it, it is 
 incumbent on him to cooperate with others 
 in sustaining the cause of benevolence 
 through the medium both of the institutions 
 which his own church has originated, and 
 also of those which are of a general cha- 
 racter, and not in conflict either in design 
 or operation wdth the former. For in 
 churches, as in families, the principle 
 holds good that provision must first be 
 made for our ov/n ; but this does not ne- 
 cessarily restrict our benevolent feelings 
 and efforts to our own denomination. And 
 this truth was illustrated in the case of 
 Mr. Sluyter. His attachment to his own 
 church was strong and abiding, and was 
 the result not merely of feeling, but also 
 of conviction. Her doctrines, government 
 and order, commended themselves to him, 
 because he believed them to be conform- 
 able to the word of God. And in this fact 
 we have the key to that self-sacrificing 
 spirit which induced him, to an extent 
 which is not usual, to merge his personal 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 85 
 
 feelings and interests in her welfare. In- 
 deed, few ministers have exhibited in 
 greater strength and fervour that " domes- 
 tic feeling," which is requisite as well to 
 the peace as the prosperity of a church. 
 
 As it regards his efforts to extend the 
 church by new organizations, he says, in 
 his anniversary sermon, " I have organized 
 three Reformed Dutch churches under the 
 direction of Classis, namely, Ghent, Hud- 
 son* and Mellenville, which have been 
 raised principally by the influence and in- 
 strumentality of the ministry of this church ; 
 and the greater part of the members, by 
 which they were originally constituted, 
 were dismissed from this church. "t Sub- 
 
 * Second Church, Claverack. 
 
 t On the subject of organizing a church in Hudson, in 
 May, 1835, Mr. Shiyter wrote as follows :— " The enter- 
 prize of a Reformed Dutch Church in Hudson, you have 
 no doubt seen stated in the Christian Intelligencer. This, 
 you remember, has been a subject long talked of by me, 
 and we have spoken together about it. Since the thing 
 was first started last winter, there have been several wa- 
 aing periods^ in which the whole project was well nigh 
 
 S ■ 
 
86 MEMOIR OP 
 
 sequently Mr. Sluyter became the leading 
 agent in the establishment of the church of 
 Chatham. Its pastor, the Rev. E. S. Por- 
 ter, basing his testimony upon what he 
 had learned verbally from members of the 
 Classis, and also from Mr. S., says : *' In 
 the autumn of 1841, Mr. Sluyter, acting 
 upon information which he received from 
 Chatham, addressed a communication to 
 the Rev. Classis of Rensselaer on the sub- 
 ject of establishing a missionary at this 
 place, with the view to the erection of the 
 church. The proposition did not fully 
 meet the concurrence of Classis ; and as 
 Mr. Sluyter was unwell, and not able to 
 attend the session of the body, a decisive 
 measure was postponed until the next 
 meeting. A committee of Classis was, 
 however, appointed, of which Mr. Sluyter 
 was chairman, to visit this place and re- 
 port concerning the feasibihty of the en- 
 
 abandoned .... You would be quite surprised to hear 
 how many, and who, are in favour of this undertaking in 
 Hudson. I am pretty strong in the faith of their success.'^ 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. ST 
 
 terprise. At the meeting of the following 
 sj^ring, (1842,) the committee reported fa- 
 vourably. Some members of Classis still 
 feared the failure of the proposed effort. 
 But Mr. Sluyter, with others, were san- 
 guine, and proposed that at least an effort be 
 made, which was agreed upon." After sta- 
 ting that as the fruit of this effort, he was in- 
 vited to commence his ministry there, that 
 *'the church was organized January 22d, 
 1843," and a church built and dedicated 
 the following October, Mr. Porter adds : 
 " And from the date of the completion of 
 our building, this church has amply sus- 
 tained the gospel, without any assistance 
 from any foreign source. Much, under 
 God, is undoubtedly due to the agency of 
 Mr. Sluyter in this work." 
 
 In addition to organizing new churches, 
 Mr. Sluyter was instrumental in inducing 
 two of his spiritual children to devote 
 themselves to the work of the gospel min- 
 istry. At the time of his death, one of 
 them, the Rev. B. B. Westfall, had ceased 
 from his work on earth, and was in daily 
 
88 MEMOIR OF 
 
 expectation of the summons " to depart 
 and be with Christ, which is far better." 
 He however lingered on, until the 27th of 
 the following April, when he died. " He 
 looked forward," it is said, " to his end 
 with great composure, enjoying the pre- 
 sence of his Master, and a well-grounded 
 hope of exchanging the earthly house of 
 this tabernacle for a building of God, a 
 house not made with hands, eternal in the 
 heavens."* In the spirit of fervid devotion 
 to the work of preaching *' Christ and him 
 crucified," in fidelity in declaring the 
 '' whole counsel of God," and in the success 
 which attended his ministrations, there were 
 strong points of resemblance between him 
 and Mr. Siuyter. The writer is the other 
 individual whom Mr. Siuyter encouraged 
 by his advice, by his personal influence 
 and aid, in prosecuting studies with a view 
 to the ministry. But of himself he may 
 not speak. 
 
 In sustainino: the benevolent institutions 
 
 * Christian Intelligencer, 18th May, 1844. 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 89 
 
 of the church, Mr. Sluyter did not fully 
 meet the expectations of man}'- who 
 knew the resources which existed among 
 his people. The reason of this was, nei- 
 ther want of interest in them, nor failure 
 to perceive their connection with the ex- 
 tension and prosperity of the church. The 
 former he felt, and the latter he clearly 
 discerned. He knew also the value of 
 system in conducting benevolent opera- 
 tions, and made sundry attempts at esta- 
 blishing it ; but he was not himself a sys- 
 tematic man. Beside being in a high de- 
 gree impulsive in his acts, he was not con- 
 stant in adhering to the plans which he 
 had formed, when their novelty ceased to 
 attract the attention of the people, and 
 their interest in them began to flag. Hence 
 his comparative inefficiency in carrying 
 forward among the people of his charge 
 works of benevolence, having respect to 
 the accomplishment of good through the 
 medium of the institutions of his own 
 church. 
 
 A like inefficiency characterized his ef- 
 8* 
 
PI MEMOIR OF 
 
 forts in sustaining the cause of benevo- 
 lence in its more general aspects. When 
 it was presented to him, he embarked in 
 it with his whole soul. He was literally 
 '• ready to every good work," and endea- 
 voured to bring up the people to the pro- 
 per standard of feeling and liberality. In 
 his anniversary sermon he thus discoursed 
 to them : " Every benevolent institution 
 must secure your cordial support, espe- 
 cially the Sabbath School, the Tract, the 
 Missionary, Bible, and Temperance So- 
 cieties. Christians are bound to cherish 
 in their hearts a kind and faithful regard 
 to these institutions, and to go on to their 
 support, and to the support of the gospel 
 at home, as though the spring of action 
 was in their own breasts, and not alone in 
 the motion of their pastor." 
 
 Notice has already been taken of the 
 fact that Mr. Sluyter never sought noto- 
 riety for himself, by publishing to the 
 world what God, through his agency ef- 
 fected, in saving the lost. Some, perhaps, 
 may wish to know how he felt, in view of 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 91 
 
 the blessing of God upon his ministrations, 
 and the means to gratify them are at hand. 
 In his anniversary sermon, after giving an 
 account of his labours and their results, he 
 says : ^' But the estimate of success must 
 be referred to the great day of retribution. 
 * In the time of harvest God will say to 
 the reapers. Gather ye together first the 
 tares, and bind them in bundles to be 
 burned, but gather the wheat into my 
 barn.' If there should be one that has re~ 
 ceived his religious impressions, and has 
 been brought to embrace the Lord Jesus 
 Christ by my ministry, I am more than 
 compensated for all the labour which I 
 have performed in this part of the vine- 
 yard. Yes, it was indeed w^orth while 
 that I should be brought into being, and 
 placed in this holy office, if my Redeemer 
 has been pleased to use my feeble, unskil- 
 ful hand, to save one soul from eternal wo. 
 This is a more noble and truly benevolent 
 work than to save an empire from the hea- 
 viest temporal bondage. No earthly trou- 
 ble or calamity can equal the misery of a 
 
•32 MEMOIR OF 
 
 soul that has no God, and no temporal 
 prosperity, though it be the possession of 
 the whole world, with all its glory, can 
 compensate the loss of the soul. 
 
 " If there be some reason to hope that a 
 degree of success has attended my minis- 
 terial labours in this region, the glory be- 
 longs to Him who * commanded the light 
 to shine out of darkness,' for it has been 
 amid many discouraging circumstances. 
 I have hoped against hope for success, and 
 toiled against a mighty tide of opposition." 
 
 A brief sketch has now been given of 
 the life of Mr. Sluyter, in its connection 
 with the discharge of his official duties as 
 the servant of God in the gospel of his 
 Son. In it, the aim has been, as far as 
 this was practicable, to make him his own 
 biographer ; and he appears to the more 
 advantage in this character, because he 
 never had an idea of assuming it. To pre- 
 sent himself and his labours to posterity 
 in a favourable point of view, could not 
 therefore have been his object in what has 
 been spread out on preceding pages. And 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 93 
 
 the writer, in his own remarks, has endea- 
 voured to guard against acting the part of 
 the mere eulogist. He holds in grateful 
 remembrance his spiritual father and 
 friend, and "elder brother in the Lord,'* 
 but is persuaded that he never could have 
 obtained his cousent to set before the pub- 
 lic a one-sided view of his ministerial cha- 
 racter and acts, and to ascribe to him ex- 
 cellencies and perfections of which he him- 
 self had no consciousness. Beside, the 
 attempt to do this could not fail to be un- 
 successful, especially as far as the people 
 are concerned, to whom for twenty-eight 
 years he had " gone preaching the king- 
 dom of God." They ** know from' the 
 first day that" he " came into Claverack, 
 after what manner" he was " among 
 them at all seasons." 
 
m 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Mr. S. in the walks of private life— As a companion and friend— 
 As a husband and father— Proof that he took a proper interest 
 in the well-being of his children. 
 
 It remains that our attention be direct- 
 ed to Mr. Sluyter in the walks of private 
 life. And there is the more need of this, 
 because the character, temper, sentiments 
 and feelings of a man cannot be correctly 
 inferred from his public official acts. Many 
 things may combine to make him assume 
 abroad, what at home, or among intimate 
 friends he disregards, or even treats with 
 contempt. His place, its honours and 
 emoluments, and his influence to a greater 
 or less degree, depend upon the light in 
 which he presents himself to others in the 
 execution of his trust. Hence, what he 
 does, may be done " to be seen of men," 
 and with the express purpose of retaining 
 their favour and confidence. To estimate 
 men aright, therefore, we must pass with 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 95 
 
 them from the scenes where it is possible^ 
 yea, probable, that selfish considerations 
 are often the basis of action, to those in 
 which their influence ceases to be felt, and 
 they unmask and exhibit themselves as 
 they are. For they cannot always, and 
 in all places, so wear their disguise, as to 
 hide from others their true character, and 
 the motives which actuate them. Accord- 
 ingly, when in public our minds are fa- 
 vourably impressed in their behalf, usually 
 we desire to know, whether in retirement 
 they sustain the same character, and give 
 like cause for our approval of their doings. 
 The lawfulness and propriety of this de- 
 sire, as it regards Mr. Sluyter, is conceded^ 
 and the endeavour will be made to gra- 
 tify it. h/ f-! ■; r ' 
 In his private and social relations and 
 intercourse he was frank, dignified and 
 courteous. He was agreeable as a com- 
 panion, and devoted as a friend. He was, 
 beside, unsuspicious, and possessed in 
 large measure that *' charity which think- 
 eth no evil/' and hence was sometimes 
 
in MEMOIR OF 
 
 imposed upon by what was the bare resem- 
 blance of these things in others, and too 
 readily, as he learned by painful expe- 
 rience, admitted them to his fellowship 
 and confidence. And to his disposition to 
 rely upon what in men appeared to be sin- 
 cerity and honour, and friendship and af- 
 fection, some of his severest trials are trace- 
 able. It is due to him, however, to say, 
 that in his private and social intercourse 
 with others, he never Jost sight of what be- 
 came him as the minister of Jesus Christ, 
 nor failed, as occasion offered, to display 
 his concern for their salvation. 
 
 In his domestic relations, he was the 
 common centre of attraction to his house- 
 hold, and lived and acted under a sense of 
 his responsibility ; and while he aimed 
 to make provision for their comfortable 
 maintenance, he forgot not that their spiri- 
 tual and eternal interests were measurably 
 committed to his keeping. As a husband, 
 in person, in address, in ^' qualities of head 
 and heart," he was such as endeared him 
 to the partner of his life, its cares and its 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 97 
 
 duties. He gave " honour to the wife, as 
 to the weaker vessel ;" consulted her in- 
 terest, comfort and happiness ; counselled, 
 aided and encouraged her in her domestic 
 and maternal avocations ; sympathized 
 with her, and solaced her in seasons of 
 aflliction, and practically taught her the 
 lesson of submission to the will of God. 
 As a father, he took an enlarged view of 
 his duty; and of him it cannot be said, 
 that while he was anxious for the salva- 
 tion. of others, he overlooked his own chil- 
 dren and domestics. He regarded him- 
 self as their teacher and guide ; and be- 
 lieving that well-ordered communities and 
 prosperous churches are the fruits of care- 
 fully instructed and wisely governed fami- 
 lies, he strove to " command his children 
 and his household after him." In fine, 
 he practically recognised the truth, that, 
 through the medium of the parental rela- 
 tion, God designs that children shall be 
 trained up for usefulness on earth and hap- 
 piness in heaven. He did not, therefore, 
 suppose with some that his only business 
 9 
 
It MEMOIR OP 
 
 was to educate his children for the several 
 stations to which, in this life, they were 
 destined or might be called. Import- 
 ant as he considered this work, and zea- 
 lously as he laboured to effect it, he yet 
 held it to be subordinate to that of teaching 
 them *' the fear of the Lord." 
 
 In proof of the foregoing remarks, and 
 to show how on various occasions he dis- 
 played his interest in them, and in what 
 affected them for good or evil, and urged 
 them to make God their trust, some ex- 
 tracts from his letters will now be given. 
 To a son who had recently left the pater- 
 nal home, he writes, "I sincerely hope, 
 and it is my daily prayer, that you will be 
 as faithful as time, and honest as the 
 golden rule, and that you may grow in ha- 
 bits of virtue and piety. Try, my son, to 
 be useful where you are. Be kind and 
 obedient in your station, social in your 
 disposition, and polite in your manners. 
 It pleased me to learn that you followed my 
 advice about reading a chapter in the Bi- 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 99 
 
 bie every night. Do not forget to pray 
 that the reading may be blessed to you." 
 To the same son, in another letter, he 
 says, " You must often reflect upon the 
 old family altar around which you have so 
 frequently bowed the knee of devotion, 
 and the many prayers w^iich have been 
 offered to God for j^our spiritual and tem- 
 poral interests. Indeed, when the thought 
 arises in my mind, in connection with the 
 distance by which we are now separated, 
 I am moved with feelings of tenderness, 
 and the tear of parental sensibility starts 
 in my eyes. I hope, my dear son, that 
 you will cherish a deep sense of your de- 
 pendence on God, and feel your need of 
 religion. It is necessary to your real com- 
 fort in this world. It will preserve you 
 from a thousand snares, and save you 
 from temptations. It is the only consola- 
 tion in the hour of affliction, and the only 
 hope in the hour of death. Yes, the hour 
 of death should be kept in view always. 
 The king of terrors is prowling for his 
 prey every where, and none can escape 
 
IflP MEMOIR, OF 
 
 his desolating stroke. We cannot begin 
 too early to prepare to meet God. May 
 the Lord help you to feel a sense of sin, 
 and to forsake it, and give your heart to 
 him." 
 
 When this son had taken up his resi- 
 dence in New- York, he wrote again, " I 
 hope you are pleased with your situation, 
 and that you may improve, and become an 
 accomplished clerk and a man of business. 
 
 I suppose Mr. is a very strict and 
 
 particular man. This is the very man to 
 make good clerks, and fit them for busi- 
 ness. If 3^ou should be found fault with, 
 do not resent it, or appear cross or pouty. 
 Nothing is so hateful as such a disposition. 
 
 Never let either Mr. , or the clerks 
 
 above you, find fault with you the second 
 time for the same thing. Try to gain the 
 confidence of your principal, and this will 
 gain for you promotion, and consequently 
 advantage." 
 
 Again, on sending him some new clothes, 
 he says, *' Do not forget, my son, that a 
 good character is a better ornament to you 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 101 
 
 than fine clothes. Therefore keep this in 
 mind, and above all, seek a character 
 with God." 
 
 Again, he writes, " I hope you may al- 
 ways entertain a high sense of virtue and 
 honour, and aim to cultivate the one and 
 exemplify the other, in all your dealings 
 and intercourse with your fellow creatures. 
 Your character will he the sheet anchor of 
 your hope of success and prosperity in 
 this world ; and, I trust, you have heard 
 enough of me, and observed enough in the 
 course of others, to shun every evil way, 
 and maintain a conscience void of offence 
 toward God and toward men." 
 
 When this son had, by a somewhat ra- 
 pid promotion, " succeeded to the first sta- 
 tion in the clerkship of the store," he ad- 
 dressed him thus : *' I hope, most sin= 
 cerely, that you may have wisdom enough 
 to retain the continued confidence of your 
 employer, and be as faultless as the frailty 
 of human nature will admit. You know 
 that your prospects in life depend on your 
 character and standing in society. Be as 
 9* 
 
II® MEMOIR OF 
 
 attentive, and more so, than you ever 
 were. Our responsibility always increases 
 with the increase of our standing and in- 
 fluence in the world. ' Unto whomsoever 
 much is given, of him shall be much re- 
 quired.' " 
 
 To another son he writes, *' Perhaps I 
 am more solicitous than I ought to be, 
 about my children's welfare and prosperi- 
 ty in this world, and not enough about 
 their future salvation. I am anxious about 
 the one and the other. The latter is infi- 
 nitely more important than the former, and 
 ought to be the first and great concern of 
 life ; and it is my daily prayer to God 
 that you may be converted and made a 
 child of his family and an heir of his 
 kingdom." 
 
 In a letter in which he speaks particu- 
 cularlyof the blessing of God upon his mi- 
 nistrations, as this was displayed in the 
 conversion of men, he remarks : 
 
 " When I am engaged in this labour for 
 the good of souls, I often think of my own 
 dear childrenj especially of you and — — , 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 103 
 
 removed from these scenes of religious ex- 
 citement, and say to myself, Oh that I 
 could hear of their conversion to God ! 
 when will they repent and yield up 
 their hearts to the Lord ? Now, my 
 children, is the accepted time for you. 
 Oh, embrace the golden days of youth, 
 and these blessed means of grace, to se- 
 cure an interest in the Lord Jesus 
 Christ." 
 
 To his oldest daughter, subsequently to 
 her marriage, he expresses his views re- 
 specting her duties in the following appro- 
 priate terms : "You will find a very dif- 
 ferent state of life in your advanced rela- 
 tions, to what you were previously ac- 
 quainted with. When you lived with your 
 parents, mingling with your brothers and 
 sisters, you felt that you was but as one of 
 the children ; and as such, you involunta- 
 rily leaned upon your parents, like all 
 children, and expected that every thing 
 would be said and done for you. * You 
 thought as a child, and understood as a 
 child ;' but now your relations have chan- 
 
MS MEMOm OF 
 
 ged ; responsibilities devolve upon you as 
 Mrs. — . They are domestic and so- 
 cial, civil and religious. They must be 
 met with punctuality, with suavity, with 
 patience and perseverance, and will re- 
 quire the adoption of principle and the ar- 
 rangement of system, if you would estab- 
 lish the desirable character of consistency 
 in the varied relations and intercourse of 
 life. But however methodical and prompt 
 you maybe in your views, and resolute in 
 your determination to do well, 3^ou must 
 remember that you need the grace of God 
 daily, and that without him you can do 
 nothing. May he constantly ' work in you 
 both to will and to do of his good plea- 
 sure.' And may you and your dear hus- 
 band live together in peace and love, and 
 f)e eminently useful in your day." 
 
 To the same daughter and her husband, 
 on the birth of their first child, he thus 
 wrote : — "I present you my most sincere 
 congratulations in the gift which Provi- 
 dence has bestowed upon you, even the 
 gift of a lovely little daughter, and the ad- 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 105 
 
 dition of a new relation to your earthly 
 state, even that of parents. This is a re- 
 lation that cannot be sustained without 
 feeling it. It is one that takes hold of the 
 heart, and can better be experienced than 
 described. I hope you may, as father and 
 mother, be able to realize the great 
 weight of this relation, as it relates to time 
 and eternity, and be suitably qualified 
 to bear the solemn responsibilities there- 
 of." 
 
 Again, after they had buried a dear 
 child, he endeavoured as follows to act the 
 part of ' a comforter of the mourners' : — 
 *' You have, no doubt, occasional emotions 
 of grief when your dear departed child 
 comes up to your memory, and this is every 
 day, and many times in the day, but I trust 
 you consider the Providence, and try to 
 improve it. ' Shall we receive good at the 
 hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?' 
 was the reasoning of patient Job, when la- 
 bouring under the afflictive providence of 
 God. Surely w^e ought not to chide or 
 find fault with the dealings of his righteous 
 
iW 
 
 MEMOIR OF 
 
 hand upon us, for the Judge of all the earth 
 cannot do but what is right. The trial 
 teaches you to be more humble, more holy 
 and faithful in Christian duty ; to live un- 
 der a daily sense of the uncertainty of life 
 and all earthly enjoyments. Consider how 
 much better this dear babe might be spared, 
 or more easily given up than others of your 
 little family ; and though it is hard to part 
 with him, yet it is comforting to know that 
 ^ he is happy, and mingles with the spirits 
 of the blessed in heaven, and would say, 
 could he speak to you now, ' Weep not for 
 me, but for yourselves.' " 
 
 The following brief extract is from a 
 letter addressed to a son-in-law. It is 
 given, because it shows that he knew how 
 to appreciate the Divine wisdom and good- 
 ness in the constitution of those diversi- 
 fied, intimate and endearing relations, 
 which are the fruitful source of much of 
 the comfort and enjoyment which are 
 found among men. He says, *' The world 
 is linked together very strangel}^, by ties 
 of consanguinity and affinity. How wise 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 107 
 
 and good is the Divine Being, in implant- 
 ing a principle of nearness and affection 
 where they exist. May grace cement 
 every tie of nature, and all our relatives 
 be kindred of the Lord." 
 
''.'f 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Disease of which Mr. S. dies, begins to be developed in October, 
 1842 — His anticipations respecting its probable issue— Continues 
 in the discharge of his duties until January, 1843— Preaches a full 
 sermon in June following— Death of a grandchild — Its effect upon 
 him— His disease erroneously pronounced to be dyspepsia — Ac- 
 count of its progress — His view of his affliction — His appearance 
 on a communion occasion — Travels — Apparent advantnge of this 
 — CIocs to Saratoga — Unexpected return — Death — Disease, " Can- 
 . cer of the stomach" — During the progress of his disease is a great 
 sufTcrer — His carriage amid his sufferings— His concern about his 
 family — His doubts— Their removal — Takes leave of his family — 
 Closing scene— Conclusion— Action of tlie Classis of Rensselaer. 
 
 In October, 1842, Mr. Sluyter began to 
 experience the painful effects of the dis- 
 ease which carried him to his grave. At 
 the time, he was on his way to Hillsdale, 
 to preach. How long previously it had 
 existed in his system in a state of gradual 
 developement, is not known. When he 
 returned home he was quite unwell, and 
 not long after, was in the night violently 
 attacked by what was then supposed to be 
 bilious colic. In November, the symptoms 
 of his disease became more alarming to 
 him, and he seriously thought that the pe- 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 109 
 
 riod of his ministry was about to close. 
 On the 14th of the month, in a letter to his 
 son, he says, " But I do not wish you to 
 feel any alarm on my account. I am in 
 hopes that this bilious attack may pass 
 over, as you know I am subject to them, 
 and have from time to time been relieved. 
 Yet we should all be prepared for the 
 worst, as the time of separation cannot 
 be very far distant. May you all be brought 
 under the bonds of covenant love, and be 
 more the Lord's than your own." Seven 
 days afterward he wrote to a son-in- 
 law, as follows: — "I have had it strongly 
 in mind to visit you this fall, but the 
 numerous cares and business daily occur- 
 ring, prevented me during the month of 
 September and the first part of October. 
 Since I have not been well enough to leave 
 home for such a journey. I have been la- 
 bouring under a torpor of the liver for some 
 time past, and it has rather increased up- 
 on me of late ; not so as to diminish my 
 exercises as yet, but I am sometimes ap- 
 prehensive that I shall not be able to con- 
 10 
 
110 MEMOIR OF 
 
 tinue in the ministry many years, if my 
 life should be spared." Meanwhile, though 
 conscious that he was a prey to disease, he 
 yet continued in the discharge of his duties. 
 On the 10th of January, 184-3, when his 
 strength was on the point of giving way, 
 he wrote to a son, *'My own health remains 
 very much as it was when you and James 
 were home. If anything, I am sometimes 
 encouraged to hope that I am better, al- 
 though my digestive organs are still de- 
 ranged, and I experience almost an entire 
 loss of appetite. I still continue to be 
 about, and have thus far preached every 
 Sabbath at least once." When he penned 
 these lines he w^as expecting to hear of the 
 death of a little grandson who had been 
 named after him, and toward whom the 
 affections of his heart seem to have been 
 drawn out in all their strength and fervour. 
 On Saturday, January 13, his corpse was 
 brought up from New-York by his afflicted 
 father and deposited in the parsonage. 
 The next day Mr. S. preached for the last 
 time in regular succession. Nor did he ever 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. Ill 
 
 afterward, except on one occasion, preach 
 a full sermon, and that was on a Sabbath 
 in June following. The classical supply* 
 did not on that day fulfil his appointnfient, 
 and he discoursed to the people from John, 
 15th chapter and 14th verse, " Ye are my 
 friends if ye do whatsoever I command 
 you." • • .- : ::. .i 
 
 The funeral of his grandson took place 
 from the parsonage on the afternoon of 
 January 14th. *' This providence was a 
 shock to his feelings to which, perhaps, 
 may be ascribed his sudden prostration of 
 mind and body. He never after spake of 
 this darling boy without emotion and evi- 
 dent sorrow. On the morrow, after the 
 funeral obsequies, he kept his bed and 
 sent for his medical attendant. From this 
 time it was manifest that the strong man 
 was sinking. He lost his wonted relish for 
 
 * During a part of the time that Mr. Sluyter was laid 
 aside from his labours, the congregation supplied the pul- 
 pit, and the rest of the time the Classis made arrangement* 
 for this purpose. 
 
112 MEMOIR OF 
 
 society, sought retirement, and in his study 
 shut out for a season from the world's in- 
 tercourse, he held close communion with 
 his Maker, reviewed his ministry and 
 prayed for his flock and family." 
 
 During the most of the remainder of the 
 winter he continued in the house. A num- 
 ber of physicians were consulted respect- 
 ing the nature of his disease, and they 
 were almost unanimous in the opinion that 
 it was dyspepsy, and prescribed accord- 
 ingly. On his part were brought into re- 
 quisition all the resolution and energy 
 which were left, to take such exercise as 
 was recommended. He sawed wood, and 
 rode both on horseback and in his car- 
 riage ; and yet his appetite did not return, 
 nor was his strength recruited. All the 
 while he lost flesh rapidly. His physi- 
 cians, however, encouraged him to hope 
 that the return of warm weather and tra- 
 vel would restore to him that priceless 
 boon, health ; and in March, he wrote to 
 a son, " Since my last communication, my 
 health, compared with the account then 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 113 
 
 given, is rather favourable. I am still 
 very thin in flesh, but in the general as- 
 pect more inclined to recovery ; but the 
 bettering must, from the state and circum- 
 stances of the case, be gradual." To a 
 son-in-law, at a later date in the same 
 month, he wrote, " I have been almost 
 wholly confined to the house since the 14th 
 of January. I have not preached since, 
 and when I shall be able to do so, is at 
 present uncertain. It is not likely that I 
 shall very soon. The church has been 
 supplied by the dif?»3rent ministers of the 
 Classis, who have been very kind and ac- 
 commodating in my adversity. This is 
 truly a dark and mysterious providence 
 both to myself and family, and the church 
 in this place. What can the Lord design 
 by this afflictive dispensation ? To teach 
 us all to withhold our trust from an arm 
 of flesh, and look to God for help and di- 
 rection, both in temporal and eternal con- 
 cerns. O that the trial may be sanctified 
 to me and my family, and to the congre- 
 gation ; and that it may be good for us to 
 10* 
 
314 MEMOIR OF 
 
 be afflicted. The doctor says that I am 
 not in immediate danger, and that I am 
 actually getting in a better state, and when 
 the warm weather opens, I shall probably 
 recover." 
 
 In the foregoing extract, Mr. Sluyter 
 speaks of his affliction as " a dark and 
 mysterious providence," as it respected 
 himself and family, and the church. He 
 seems to have been specially exercised as 
 it regarded the purpose of God in it with 
 reference to the church ; and in wanting to 
 a son, after saying, " There is a great stir 
 in religion at Mellenville, and also at 
 Johnstown," he adds : " An awful judg- 
 ment rests upon this church. The lips of 
 their pastor are sealed ; and the means of 
 grace almost entirely suspended. Truly 
 God hath a controversy wdth us as minis- 
 ter and people. Oh that I might feel more 
 humble, believe more confidently, and 
 submit more cheerfully to the Lord's will, 
 and that this people might turn unto him 
 that smiteth them." 
 
 To the father of his deceased grandson, 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 115 
 
 in a letter written in April, he says, *' You 
 have heard from time to time how it has 
 been with me for a few months past ; how 
 I am changed from a healthful, vigorous 
 man to a feeble hypochondriac or dys- 
 peptic, unable to do scarce any thing. I 
 have not preached since the solemn day 
 that you spent with us when dear little 
 Richard was consigned to the grave." 
 The people, generally, not having seen 
 him after he ceased to*meet them regular- 
 ly in the sanctuary, had no conception of 
 the alteration which, in a couple of months 
 had taken place in his appearance. Arid 
 when on the communion Sabbath in March, 
 just before the elements were distributed, 
 he entered the church, " all eyes were 
 fixed on his pallid face, heretofore over- 
 spread when within its doors with the hue 
 of health. His visage spake in monitory 
 language to the living, and what the eye 
 beheld affected the heart." 
 
 About the middle of May, in compliance 
 with the advice of physicians, and the 
 wishes of friends, he left home to visit his 
 
116 MEMOIR OF 
 
 children in Nev/-York, and Patterson, N. J. 
 But with them he did not tarry long ; and 
 on his return to Claverack, his family and 
 others thought he was somewhat improved 
 in health and spirits. Soon, however, fa- 
 vourable symptoms disappeared ; and to 
 his wife he one day remarked, " When it 
 was cold, the doctors said warm weather 
 would benefit me ; now it is warm, they 
 say I must wait for cold weather, so nei- 
 ther will do it." A 
 
 As the only alternative, it was resolved 
 that he should again leave home ; and the 
 means for the purpose w^ere provided by 
 " a few generous friends." His first in- 
 tention was to go to the sea-side, but " a 
 medical friend urged a change of purpose, 
 judging him too feeble to bear sea air or 
 bathing, and proposed the springs." Ac- 
 cordingly, on the morning of the 12th of 
 July, accompanied by a friend and his 
 youngest son, he started for Saratoga, 
 where he arrived about five o'clock, p. m. 
 The next day he wrote to his wife, " This 
 long journey in one day very much fa- 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 117 
 
 tigued me ; and had I been free from dis- 
 ease, rest would have been very sweet last 
 night ; but disease destroys life and its 
 enjoyments. I took pretty freely of the 
 Congress waters last night: the flavour is 
 very delightful to me, but what will be the 
 effect I have yet to experience. I do not 
 know that I am any worse than when I 
 left home ; perhaps the journey has in- 
 creased my strength." The following day 
 he again addressed a brief note to Mrs. 
 Sluyter, in which he says : " As the bene 
 fit of my health is the sole object of my 
 being here, the experiment is not yet com- 
 plete. My stomach was not in a proper 
 state to receive the waters. That bloat- 
 ing and tenseness of the abdomen which 
 caused me so much distress for more than 
 a week before I left home, became intoler- 
 able on the next morning after drinking 
 this water, so that I was obliged to send 
 for a physician for advice as to its use, and 
 of course I have had to undergo another 
 revolution of purging by salts and magne- 
 sia, which made me very sick yesterday. 
 
lis MEMOIR OF 
 
 To-day I am some better, having been 
 thoroughly evacuated, and drank two bot- 
 tles of the Congress water this morning 
 before breakfast ; but, notwithstanding, 
 the soreness and bloating continue to a 
 certain extent. If spared, I wish to con- 
 tinue some days longer and make a fair 
 trial. I have not been in the baths as yet. 
 I have a hope that the warm bath of these 
 medicinal waters may help me. I am 
 waiting to see the doctor on the sub- 
 ject." 
 
 His expectations from the warm baths 
 were not realized. *' The swelling of his 
 extremities and bowels commenced in a 
 warm bath ;" and his physician. Dr. Free- 
 man, advised him immediately to return 
 to his family. By them his arrival was 
 not expected ; and the altered appearance 
 of his outward man, when he got out of the 
 carriage at his own door, led his wife anx- 
 iously to ask, " Dear, but what does this 
 mean?" he faintly replied, "the waters 
 have developed a new disease." After he 
 was seated in the house he remarked, 
 
RE\^. mCHARD SLUYTER. 119 
 
 ** This is the man who has been called ner- 
 vous, hypochondriacal. Is there not dis- 
 ease about me "/" From this time he lin- 
 gered on in constant and distressing pain, 
 which neither the skill of ph}- sicians, who 
 did not fully understand the nature of his 
 disease, nor the sympathy and kind atten- 
 tions of his famiJy and friends had power 
 to alleviate, until the 25th of July, when 
 he departed this life.* 
 
 The progress of Mr. Sluyter's disease, 
 until its termination in his death, has now 
 been traced. Meanwhile he was a great 
 sufierer; cried out on one occasion, " O, 
 my life is a burden to me ;" and at all 
 times might have appropriately expressed 
 himself in the words of Job, " Have pity 
 upon me, have piiy upon me, O ye my 
 friends, for the hand of God hatli touched 
 me." But how, during the protracted sea- 
 
 ^ A post iiiortein examination was held, which showed 
 that " the disease which was the immediate cause of his 
 death, was a scirrhus, or cancer of the stomach, extend- 
 ing over every part of it, from the cardia to the pylorus." 
 
120 MEMOIR OF 
 
 son of his affliction, did he bear himself? 
 Did he illustrate in practice the truth which 
 he had preached, and often used to com- 
 fort others, when he found himself gradu- 
 ally but certainly sinking into the grave ? 
 Was it verified in him that " patience 
 worketh experience and experience hope ?" 
 and did he " rejoice in hope of the glory 
 of God *?" Some, as they read over the 
 brief record of his life and labours, may, 
 in advance conclude that a servant of God 
 so distinguished for his fidelity and success, 
 must have enjoyed ver}^ special manifesta- 
 tions of the divine presence and favour. 
 Like many of " the children of the king- 
 dom," however, he was left without any- 
 thing resembling an ecstacy of joy. But 
 though indulged with no transporting vi- 
 sions of future glory, yet he was permitted 
 and enabled to plant himself immoveably 
 upon the " Rock of Ages," and confidently 
 to expect that he would say to him, " Come 
 up hither, inherit the kingdom prepar- 
 ed for you from the foundation of the 
 world." 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 121 
 
 When first he ceased from his labours, 
 and indeed during the whole winter, he 
 felt much solicitude about his family, and 
 gave himself up to desponding fears as it 
 respected the means necessary to their com- 
 fortable support. In reference to this state 
 of feeling, he wrote : " It has been a hard 
 and melancholy winter with me, and one 
 of great trial in regard to condition and 
 circumstances." About these things his 
 concern was excessive, and while it lasted 
 no doubt prejudicial to his spiritual peace. 
 Hence, until it was removed, there con- 
 tinued to be more or less of haze thrown 
 over all his prospects for eternity. He 
 could not rise to " assurance of hope" re- 
 specting them. This is evident from the 
 following extract of a letter to a son-in- 
 law. He remarks : "In respect to our 
 moral state, it is a truth well established in 
 the experience of all the Lord's people 
 that they know not how little faith they 
 have, until they are tried. When the can- 
 dle of the Lord shines upon our head, or 
 we enjoy days of worldly prosperity, we 
 11 
 
122 MEMOIR OF 
 
 fancy that our mountain stands strong, and 
 that by his light thus enjoyed, we can 
 walk through darkness ; but when dark- 
 ness comes, we find that we need some- 
 thing more illuminating than the sparks 
 which we have kindled, and by which we 
 have compassed ourselves about. Even 
 the believer, in the near prospect of death 
 and judgment, has nothing whereof to 
 glory, but much to fear, lest a promise 
 being left him of entering into God's rest, 
 he should even seem to come short of it. 
 I found this to be emphatically my case. 
 Although the Lord's promises are exceed- 
 ing great and precious, yet they must be 
 received — of their truth we must be per- 
 suaded. They must be embraced and 
 rested on, or it cannot be said that 
 our ' faith is the substance of things 
 hoped for, and the evidence of things not 
 seen.' Afflictions and troubles lead us 
 to the reflex act of faith — a looking back 
 upon former experience, to see all the ex- 
 ercises of our first love, and to examine 
 ourselves indeed, whether we are in the 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 123 
 
 faith. No direct exercise of faith can be 
 comfortable, unless it grow out of the re- 
 flex act as its root and source. So far 
 as it relates to my own case, I think that 
 all things are well in view of my accept- 
 ance with God, although I am not un soli- 
 citous about it, but aim to press toward 
 the mark for the prize of the high calling 
 of God. I know that the righteous will 
 be but scarcely saved, and why should I 
 vaunt myself in an assurance which sa- 
 vours not of things that be of God, but 
 those that be of men ? My great concern 
 has been about my dependent family, 
 should I be taken from them ; but I do 
 most confidently trust them to the guidance 
 of a merciful and righteous providence, 
 relying implicitly upon those of them who 
 have come to years of maturity to be an 
 example and advisers to the rest." 
 
 As, however, Mr. Sluyter drew nearer 
 to his end, his confidence in the gracious 
 promises of God to the widow and the fa- 
 therless waxed stronger ; and he intimated 
 that his great distress in behalf of his fa- 
 
Ifi ' . i MEMOIR OF 
 
 mily had entirely passed away. His 
 views respecting his own interest in Christ 
 also became more clear, and he spake 
 confidently of having "in heaven a better 
 and an enduring substance." A few days 
 before his death he entered upon a con- 
 versation with his wife respecting his ex- 
 pected speedy separation from her, the 
 increased cares and responsibilities which, 
 in consequence, would devolve upon her, 
 in reference to the younger children ; his 
 concern for his family ; what he thought 
 was due to them from the church for his de- 
 votion to its interests. When she asked him 
 if he had any anxiety about himself, he re- 
 plied, " O, my dear, I have no anxiety in 
 regard to myself; the interests of my soul 
 have been secured long ago." Then he 
 added : " How much do I owe to so- 
 vereign grace, which arrested me when a 
 young man, in my course of folly. Let us 
 magnify the grace which not only saved 
 me, but honoured me, by placing me in 
 the gospel vineyard to save others. I 
 might have pursued a profession (that of 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 125 
 
 medicine) in which I might have laid up 
 a patrimony for my fami]}^ but I rejoice 
 now that I have spent my time on earth 
 as I have." 
 
 On the Thursday preceding his death, 
 he took a formal leave of the children who 
 were then at home ; counselled and ad- 
 monished them individually ; recommend- 
 ed them to go to the Saviour for help, to 
 do what he had enjoined upon them, and 
 gave them his blessing. In the course of 
 his remarks on this occasion, with evident 
 emotion he said, *' It is painful to leave a 
 helpless family, but for me to die will be 
 gain." When to console him, his wife 
 reminded him that it is written, " Leave 
 your fatherless children, I w^ill preserve 
 them alive ; and let thy widows trust in 
 me ;" and that she could plead the pro- 
 mises w4iich have respect to the fatherless 
 and widows, he said, " Yes, but I fear 
 your faith will fail you when you are call- 
 ed to put it into exercise. It is easier to 
 talk of what you can do at my side, than 
 to do it when you are left alone in the 
 11* 
 
MEMOIR OP 
 
 world: and these children, they are not 
 in personal covenant possession of these 
 promises." Then addressing them, he 
 said, " You must seek a covenant right 
 yourselves to them." 
 
 On the next day, from 12 o'clock, a. m. 
 his sufferings were excruciating, and it 
 was supposed that he was in his death 
 struggle. Then was seen the triumph of 
 grace over nature. Though naturally im- 
 patient and irritable in sickness, yet now 
 he " let patience have her perfect work." 
 Not a murmur escaped his lips, when, to 
 get relief from pain, he was in constant 
 motion, either changing his position, or 
 walking across the room leaning on his 
 two eldest sons, and occasionally exclaim- 
 ing, " O, my boys, I am a great trouble to 
 you." Once, and only once, *' being in 
 an agony," he piteously asked, *' O, where 
 shall rest be found ?" and when his wife 
 responded, " Rest is found ; it is only 
 your body that is wearied with pain," he 
 quickly said, " yes, yes." 
 
 On the Sabbath, the Rev. John Grey, 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 127 
 
 of Schodack, preached to his people ; and 
 when he called upon Mr. Sluyter and in- 
 quired respecting his spiritual interests, 
 he answered, *' O, brother Grey, those 
 interests were secured long ago. It is a 
 poor time to make our peace with God in 
 a dying hour, and a death-bed is a poor 
 place to begin such a work." 
 
 On Monday evening his children from 
 Buffalo arrived. He expressed, himself 
 glad to see them, and after a few brief in- 
 quiries about them and their family, he 
 said, *' I cannot talk to you to-night, to- 
 morrow I will." But he conversed with 
 them no more. He was then finishing the 
 last day of his pilgrimage on earth ; and 
 v/hen early on Tuesday morning his chil- 
 dren were aroused from their slumbers, 
 and summoned to his dying bed, he had 
 lost the power of speech, and could onl}*- 
 by a nod signify his recognition of them. 
 It was thus also that he replied affirm- 
 atively to his wife's inquiry, " Is it 
 peace ?" Then followed " a little gasp- 
 ing," and the work of death was accom- 
 
128 MEMOIR OF 
 
 plished. The tears and sobs of his family, 
 which before he had requested might nei- 
 ther be shed nor heard in his presence, 
 now moved him not ; and doubtless if his 
 departing spirit could have been permit- 
 ted to pause in its heavenward flight to 
 speak to the mourners, he would have ad- 
 dressed them in the words of Christ to 
 the daughters of Jerusalem — " Weep not 
 for me, but weep for yourselves and for 
 your children." 
 
 The history of Mr. Sluyter's life and 
 labours has now been traced to its con- 
 clusion. It is necessarily imperfect, from 
 the want of materials to do full justice to 
 it ; 3^et it is believed that a faithful outline 
 of it is given. From this, something like 
 a just estimate of Mr. Sluyter may be 
 formed. He made no pretensions to being 
 faultless, and a claim to this effect has not 
 been set up in his behalf. He was descend- 
 ed from parents whose respectability and 
 moral worth are unquestionable, and, as a 
 son and brother, was dutiful and affection- 
 ate, and contributed effectually toward the 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 129 
 
 comforts and pleasures of the family cir- 
 cle. As a man, in person and in the 
 qualities which in the domestic and social 
 relations throw a charm around their pos- 
 sessor, he was distinguished above many. 
 As a husband and father, he had enlarged 
 views of the nature and extent of his du- 
 ties, and conscientiously endeavoured to 
 discharge them. As a Christian, his piety 
 was genuine, intelligent, fervent and con- 
 trolling in its influence over his feelings, 
 his purposes and his acts. As a preacher of 
 the gospel, his attainments, both in extent 
 and variety, were such as enabled him to 
 hold a respectable position in the Church 
 of Christ, and to be useful to a degree 
 which falls to the lot of comparatively few 
 of his brethren. " In labours," he was 
 " abundant," and in fidelity, both to God, 
 who had called him to the work of the 
 ministry, and to the people, whose " ser- 
 vant for Jesus* sake" he became, he was 
 eminent. He " shunned not to declare 
 the whole counsel of God." Meantime, 
 with his fidehty he blended affectionate 
 
130 MEMOIR OF 
 
 tenderness in his address, and earnestness 
 in his manner. As the colleague of the 
 venerable Gebhard, he " honoured the 
 head of the old man," and studiously 
 avoided those things which might prevent 
 an interchange of sympathy and counsel 
 in their united efforts to " fulfil the whole 
 work of the gospel ministry." As a pastor, 
 he had rare qualifications. He could enter 
 into the spirit of the apostle's words — 
 " llejoice with them that do rejoice, and 
 weep with them that weep." Whether 
 he *' sat as a comforter of the mourners," 
 or sympathized with the afflicted, or point- 
 ed anxious inquirers to Jesus Christ, or 
 exhorted Christians to *' give diligence to 
 make their calling and election sure," or 
 warned the careless, slumbering sinner of 
 his danger, and urged him to " flee from 
 the wrath which is to come," he seldom 
 failed to commend himself and his dis- 
 course to each of them. In the death of 
 Mr. Sluyter, therefore, society and the 
 church, as well as his family, sustained a 
 
REV. RICHARD SLUYTER. 131 
 
 loss, which, if it be not irreparable, is 
 assuredly not easily made good. 
 
 The following extract from the minutes 
 of the Classis of Rensselaer, of which, at 
 the time of his death, Mr. Sluyter was 
 the oldest member, will show the estima- 
 tion in which he was held by his brethren 
 of the Classis. 
 
 " Whereas it has pleased Almighty God 
 to remove by death our beloved brother, 
 the Rev. Richard Sluyter; this Classis 
 deem it due to the memory of one so long 
 associated with us in the counsels and 
 labours of the church, to record our affec- 
 tionate remembrance of his varied excel- 
 lencies as a man, a Christian, and a minis- 
 ter. While considering his removal, in the 
 maturity of his powers, as a calamity to 
 the Church of God, (although to him great 
 gain,) they bow in humble acquiescence to 
 the will of God, and are consoled by the 
 
132 MEMOIR. 
 
 assurance that our departed brother will, 
 by the Faithful and True Witness, be 
 numbered with those who turned many to 
 righteousness, and shall shine as stars for 
 ever and ever. 
 
 Resolved, That this Classis sympathize 
 with the afflicted relict and her fatherless 
 children, in the bereavement they have 
 suffered, in the removal of a kind and 
 affectionate husband and parent. 
 
 Resolved, That the stated clerk be di- 
 rected to transmit a copy of the above 
 resolutions to the family of the deceased, 
 and forward this report for publication in 
 the Christian Intelligencer. 
 
 Attest, 
 
 A. N. Kittle, Stated Cleric, 
 
 END 
 
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