CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM. Acts of the Deputies. Jan. 11, 1757. No. 254. Answered, Jan. 11, 1756, (1757?) No. 71. Letter from John Caspar Lupp, V. D. M.; dated April 1, 1756. He states that, being originally from Hesse-Hanau, he studied at Hanau, Offenbach, and Marburg, and was accepted as a candidate (Proponent) at Marburg, on December 14th, 1744. Further, that he had served as the Assistant of an aged minister, Daniel Seel, in the County (Graafschap) of Tuyn Harchenburg, having also performed the full ministerial service for the period of a year in that congregation, after the decease of the same (Rev. Seel). Finally, having become pastor at Rabenscheyt, in the Dillenburg district, he had supplied, during the absence, the place of the Court preacher to the Princess-Dowager of Nassau-Dillenburg., Thence, he says he went over on a lawful call, into the county (Graafschap) of Solms, Hohensolm being under a guardian. There, in the interest of his people, he became involved in I some unpleasantnesses, even to the peril of his life; so that after serving that church four years, he was lawfully dismissed. All this is confirmed by enclosures, under letters A, B, C, D. Thereupon, hearing about the pastorless condition of the churches in North America, he had departed for Pennsylvania, and had arrived at Philadelphia, with his wife and a son three years old, on October 20, 1753. He was called to Amwel, in the County of Hunterdon, Province of New Jersey, which is forty miles from Philadelphia and sixty miles from New York. This church, he says belongs under the Coetus of New York, (rather of Pennsylvania?) and is subordinate to our Classis. He has never consorted with unlawful ministers; of whom he complains bitterly. So far as he knows, (the churches) are supplied occasionally during the year, by ministers of the neighboring places. They consist of many members, and in a circuit of fifty miles, they are daily growing in numbers. He had been installed in his ministry there by John Frelinghuysen, minister at Raritan, eighteen miles distant, according to the Church Order, which says he, had been approved in the Holland Synods, and accepted by this one, (Frelinghuysen.) He requests some increase to his meager salary of forty pounds, the pound being reckoned at three and a half daalders. In accepting perquisites, he must be careful not to get the name of a money-preacher, (gold-prediker) among these parasites, (parasisten). This supplement could be sent him via. New York, per Rev. Ritzema and Rev. de Ronde, although they are not known to him. He concludes with salutations. No. 259. Answered, Jan. 11, 1757. xxiii. 447. No. 73. Letter from New York, dated October 7, 1756, written by Samuel Verbryck, p. t. They therein renew the request, that two condidates for examination, (John) Maurice Goetschius, Doctor of Medicine, and Henry Frelinghuysen, respectively called to Stone Arabia and Marble (town), by the Coetus over there, as they still call themselves, may be ordained. They urge this— 1. In view of the peril of a journey to Holland, on account of the war with the French. *A daalder equals one and a half guilders, or sixty cents; sixty times three an half equals two dollars and ten cents; therefore forty pounds equal eighty dollars. A New York pound was generally equal to two dollars and fifty cent 1757 1757 2. By reason of the situation of these churches. They be on the borders; are greatly exposed to the incursions of the savages (barnaren) or Indians. Thereby they are in greater need of ministerial services, but get less, as the journey of the ministers thither is too dangerous. They add to this, 3. That if they get no authority to effect ordination, the churches are lost; for, say they, they have with difficulty been able to restrain them from going over to other bodies. They ask for a speedy and favorable reply, and conclude with salutations. xxiii. 455. ACTS OF THE CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM. The Classis of Amsterdam to the Rev. John Caspar Lapp, [Lupp!] at Amweyl, [Amwell], N. J., Jan. 11, 1757. Vol. 31, p. 121; No. 71. Very Rev. Sir and Brother: We are glad that your Rev. has not gone over to the illegal ministers, and that you have had nothing to do with them. We trust that your Rev. will henceforth stand steadfast and unmovable in the truth, and always adorn it with a holy and consistent walk. We wish your Rev. every blessing upon your ministry. We praise your Rev. very much for keeping yourself, scant as is your compensation, from becoming guilty of covetousness, which would cause the holy ministry to suffer dishonor; and that your Rev. is ever careful about accepting perquisites, so as not to get the name of "money-preacher" among the Separatists. From the depth of our hearts we deplore your Rev's. meagren compensation. If we were in a condition to do something, as you request, for your support, we should be most ready and willing; but, to our sorrow, we must assure you that we are unable to help your Rev. In that way, because we have no purse or fund for the New York churches. The All-Sufficient God Himself be your shield and very great reward. May He cause you to walk before His face in all sincerity! Praying this, we sign ourselves, Very Rev. Sir and Brother, Your Rev's. obedient servants and brethren, In name of the Rev. Classis of Amsterdam. Signed. L. R. Schutte, Depp. Cl. h. t. Praeses. Amsterdam in our meeting of Classis, Jan. 11, 1757. ACTS OF THE CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM. The Classis of Amsterdam to the Brethren in Kings County, John Dear Brethren: We received your letter of June 22, 1756. In answer thereto we briefly respond: standing our e of Oct. 6, 175 arrange the is, therefore unnecessary to repeat it again. But notwith n expressed, we also inform you, that in the documents V. Van Sinderin, that if it were possible to do so, to best way he could. Finally, Sirs, we cannot do anything further before the Coetus is re-established, of which we hope soon to hear. Having committed you to God and the Word of his Grace, we remain, Dear Brethren, Your obedient servants in the Lord; In the Name of the Classis of Amsterdam, R. Schutte, Depp. Cl. h. t. Praeses. Amsterdam, In our Classical Assembly, January 11, 1757. ACTS OF THE CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM. The Classis of Amsterdam to Revs. Erickson and Leydt of New Rev. Brethren:-We have learned from your letter that you want to know whether you cannot be allowed to qualify two young men, Mauritius Goetschius and Henry Frelinghuysen, for the work of the ministry. This letter we received May 30, (1756.) We also heard of the same request through another channel, in which were also included the reasons therefor. These were also subsequently mentioned, in the name of the Coetus, in the letters of Revs. Verbryck and Vrooman, dated Oct. 7th, 1756. We have again presented the matter to the Classis, but she holds to the resolution, which she has already made known, not only to Rev. John Frelinghuysen, May 6, 1754, but also to the Coetus of New York, Dec. 9, 1755. Herein the Classis is of the same opinion as the Consistory of New York, which disapproves of the ordination of candidates in your country. We are, accordingly directed to inform you that the Classis disapproves of such acts of qualification, and can by no means authorize the Coetus to perform them. This is our answer. We hope also you received our preceding message. We advise you to send the two young gentlemen over here, in order to satisfy the desires of the Classis, which rest on good foundations. We consider ourselves, Rev. Sirs and Brethren, Your obedient servants, In the name of the Classis of Amsterdam, R. Schutte, Depp. Cl. h. t. Praeses. In our Classical Assembly, Amsterdam, Jan. 11, 1757. CORRESPONDENCE FROM AMERICA. Earnest Petition of the Old and Legal Consistory at Hackensack, to the Classis of Amsterdam, against the Seceders from their Church. Jan. 29, 1757. [Compare Nov. 25, 1755]. Portfolio, "New York", Vol. ii. Extracts: Vol. xxiii. 451. Petition from the Elders and Deacons, of both the Dutch Reformed churches, at Hackensack and Schralenburgh, in North America, and Province of New Jersey:To be laid before the very Rev. Classis of Amsterdam. May the Classis be pleased to hear us patiently! After Rev. Curtenius had, in April, 1755, left us for Long Island, to be there installed, by Rev. Ritzema, as the minister of the former adherents of Arondeus, a portion of the members of each of our churches set up four heads. When we, the consistories, learned of this breach of the peace in our churches, we asked them for the reasons. Besides some other things, they emphatically declared, "We want to be by ourselves." We kindly admonished them against such a course, and begged 1757 1757 them not to cause a schism; but, if they had anything against minister or elders, This day, May 21, 1755, we were assembled at the house of Peter Zabriskie, one of the deacons of the consistory of the churches of Hackensack and Schralenburg. the Revs. Samuel Verbryck, David Marinus and Jonathan Du Bois, with elders from Tappan and Acquackanonck, being present. After the name of the Lord had been called upon, the business was transacted which is hereby made known. Rev. Gerardus Haaghoort, with certain members of the churches at Hackensack and Schralenburgh, being assembled for the purpose of appointing a consistory among them, according to a notice given in the churches, we by a friendly petition, expressed our desire to hold a conference with them at the house of Peter Zabriskie. To this, Rev. Haaghoort made no reply. Six of the said members came for the church key. Whereupon the said three ministers stepped outside and again requested a friendly conference. To this they replied, that Rev. Gerardus Haaghoort could (not) do that after he had done them (illegible); but they kept on asking for the key, for half an hour. Again, an elder and a deacon were sent to them with the request to know, whether or not Rev. Haaghoort would consent to such a conference. But a conference was declined. Still again, two elders were sent to Rev. Haaghoort to ask him whether he himself would not appoint a conference, and at some other house, where the ministers, with the elders from the neighboring places, might confer with him, before he proceeded with this matter. This he also refused. Whereupon a letter was sent to his Ret. which reads, word for word, as follows: Rev. Sir, Rev. Gerardus Haaghoort: We, the Consistories of both churches, have been informed of your Revs. Intertion to enter into our church at the present time, for the purpose of appointing a Consistory, etc. And as we consider such a purpose as one calculated to cause disruption, and to be a dishonorable intrusion into another's ministry-which is reckoned (in our Constitution) among the great public sins: We, therefore, exhort your Rev., altogether in a brotherly spirit, to desist from such a purpose. declare also that we will use every legal and ecclesiastical means, even to st extreme remedy, to protect ourselves and our church in our ecclesiastical rights, etr In the name and by the authority of the churches of Jesus Christ at Hackensack and Schralenburgh, now assembled with the consistory at Hackensack. May 21, 1755. This he refused to read and so gave it back. We J. H. Goetschius In the mean time the said parties had violently opened the churches. Whereupo Rev. Haaghoort, passing over to the church was thus accosted by Rev. Goetschim as, with the consistories, he encountered him: "I exhort your Rev., and beseeri and command you, not to intrude yourself upon the Church of Jesus Christ in th place, which has been entrusted to my care." As he passed on, he only replie "Thank you." An elder from Schralenburgh then said to him: "We admonish your Rev., warn you, by authority of the consistory, to cause no rupture among us, and net # ascend the pulpit, or grieve God's children." To this he replied: "That is not my intention." The present meeting therefore considers it very advisable to bring this important matter before the Ecclesiastical Meeting which is to be held the following week, for its judgment and advice. In the name and by the authority of our meeting. Signed by, Rev. J. H. Goetschius Rev. S. Verbryck Rev. D. Marinus Rev. Jonathan Du Bois, who We, accordingly, presented our matter to that assembly which is called the Convention Assembly; and, following their Rev's. counsel, we called a special meeting of the Coetus. This meeting was held May 29, 1755. All parties having been cited in a regular manner, and Rev. Haaghoort with those church-members not appearing, the Special Coetus appointed four ministers and elders, with instructions enabling them to act as Commissioners in this business. They, in writing, invited Rev. Gerardus Haaghoort and the offending members to meet at the church of Hackensack, on June 2, 1755. They held a regular session, and, after an examination of the matter, as the minutes show, exercised, according to the Word of God and Church Order, Christian discipline, in the case of Rev. Haaghoort and those members. Notwithstanding that, however, Rev. Haaghoort proceeded to install them as elders and deacons on the 22nd of July 1755. The Commissioners placed their Acts before the Regular Coetus, held Oct. 7, 1755. These were approved. These disclplined but incorrigible ones, then met at Paramus, Nov. 3, 1755. They called in Rev. Van der Linde also, and cited us. They then did what the gentlemen at New York signed on Nov. 28, [25th?] 1755, and which your Revs. have since come to know, from their own communications. Their intention was to put us under censure, but this was foiled by your Revs. answer of Jan. 13, 1756. They still continue in their course. In March, 1756 they took violent possession of the parsonage at Hackensack, and called Rev. John Schuyler of Schoharie. He came on the advice of Rev. Ritzema. His intrusion among us commenced on July 25, 1756. In opposition to many wholly fraternal admonitions from all quarters, nevertheless he was installed at Hackensack by Rev. Haaghoort. Thus this great wrong is perpetuated. The ministers of the Jersey circuit were called together on Aug. 11, 1756, to consider a certain dispute in the church of Raritan. We then brought our complaint against Rev. Schuyler before them. They referred it to the following regular session of the Cœtus. This was held Oct. 5, 1756. There, and at that time, Rev. John Schuyler, who had been cited but did not appear, was, according to God's Word and Church Order, suspended from the sacred ministry. But he paid no attention whatever to this act, and is still perpetuating amongst us that grievous wrong. Behold, then, worthy Fathers, how Revs. Haaghoort, Schuyler, etc., have acted, and how we have sought to save our churches. Thus have the Christian Church Assembly of our neighboring Consistories, our sessions of Coetus, our ministers and elders, those who are impartial and well-acquainted with all the facts, thus have they acted, in the name and fear of God, and according to His Word and our Church Order. And thus have they, with extreme humility and with most earnest requests, often, and for a long time past, presented their communications, If these have, indeed, reached your Revs. in the hope of securing our own preservation, as well as the reprobation of such offensive and ruinous irregularities; for such things have never been heard of in our land. But, in a communication of April 5, 1756, to Revs. John Leydt, John C. Fryenmoet, Theodore Frielinghuysen, etc., Nota Bene, Your Revs. declared that you considered 1757 |
