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 Brick Church Memorial, 
 1699-1877. 
 
 The Days of Old 
 
 AND THEIR COMMEMORATION. 
 
 Wednesday, September ^, i<?77- 
 
 COMPILED BY 
 
 OW/ 
 
 Rev. Theodore W. Wells, Pastor of the Church. 
 
 MARLBOROUGH : 
 Published by Request, under the Direction of the Consistoiy- 
 
 .877. 
 
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 / 
 
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 V 
 
 Brick Church Memorial, 
 
 NOV 20 19'' 
 
 1699-1877 
 
 The Days of Old 
 
 AND THEIR COMMEMORATION. 
 
 Wednesday, September 5, i<?77. 
 
 COMPILED BY 
 
 Rev. Theodork W. Wfli.s, Pastor of the Church. 
 
 MARLBOROUGH : 
 
 Published by Request, under the Direction of the Consistory. 
 
 1877. 
 
PRINTED BY 
 
 JAMES S. YARD, 
 
 FREEHOLD, N. J 
 
Reformed Church of the Navasink. 
 
 Now Known as the Brick Church, Marlborough, 
 Monmouth County, New Jersey. 
 
 1699-1877. 
 
 Consistory in 1709. 
 Kev. JOSEPH MORGAN, President. 
 Elders, Deacons, 
 
 Peter Van Deventer, Garret Schenck, 
 
 John Wyckoff. Jacob Van Doorn. 
 
 Consistory in 1827. 
 Rev. SAMUEL A. VAN VIMNKEN, D. D., President. 
 
 Elders, • Beacons, 
 
 Garrett Wyckoff, Joseph Van Cleef. 
 
 Daniel S. Schenck, Denise Schenck, 
 
 Aaron Smock. Garret G. Conover. 
 
 Consistory in 1877. 
 Rev. THEODORE W. YfELLS,' President. 
 WILLIAM SPADER, Treasurer, 
 LAFAYETTE G. SCHENCK, Clerk. 
 Elders, Deacons, 
 
 Uriah Smock, Addison W. Hobert, 
 
 Peter L. Cortelyou, Selah B. Wells, 
 
 James E. Wells, John L Rue, 
 
 Milton Smock. John H. Van Mater. 
 
Reformed Church of the Navasink. 
 
 Now Known as the Brick Church, Marlborough, 
 Monmouth County, New Jersey. 
 
 1699-1877. 
 
 PASTORAL RECORD. 
 
 1699 to 1709. — Suiiplied hy tlic Mini.stor.^^ of Loii.ii' 
 Island : 
 
 WjJ, 111:1, MUS LUPARUl S, 
 ViNCKXTlUS AnToNIDKS, 
 
 Behxahi>u.>< Freeman. 
 1709 to 17ol. — Ju.sEPH Morgan. 
 1731 to 17'-]5. — Gerardus IIaeohoort. 
 1730 to 1704. — Reymiard FCrickzon. 
 1704 to 1827. — Benjamin Du Boi.s. 
 1818 to 1834.— Samuel A. Van Vuankkn. 
 1835 to 1838. — Iames Otterson. 
 1839 to 18.51. — Aaron A. Marcelh s. 
 I8r)l to 1808. — Raeph Wii-LI.<. 
 1868 to 1873. — George Swain. 
 1873 — TiiKoDoRK \V. Wki.i.s. 
 
Semi-Centennial Celebration 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Dedication of the Brick Church, Marlborough, 
 Monmouth County, New Jersey. 
 
 PRELIMINARY PROCEEDINGS. 
 
 At a meeting of the Great Consistory of the church, 
 July 16th, 1877, wliich was well attended, it was unani- 
 mously resolved that the Semi-Centennial of the church's 
 dedication he properly celebrated on the 5th of Septem- 
 ber, 1877. 
 
 That day was chosen because the 9th of September, 
 the true anniversary of the event, was the Sabbath day and 
 the consistory did not wish to interfere with the accustom- 
 ed worship of the Lord's day. 
 
 The Pastor was requested to prepare an Historical 
 discourse, and the following- committees were appointed : 
 
 On the Order of Exercises. — Rev. Theodore W. 
 Wells, Mr. William Spader, and Mr. Lafayette Schenck. 
 
 On Entertainment.— Mr. & Mrs. John Baird, Mr. & 
 Mrs. Uriah Smock, Mr. & Mrs. Daniel P. Conover, Mr. & 
 Mrs. William Carson, Mr. & Mrs. P. Conover Vanderveer. 
 
 On Supplies.— Mr. & Mrs. Asher Holmes, Mr. & Mrs. 
 L. G. Schenck, Mr. & xMrs. John V. N. Willis, Mr. & Mrs. 
 Charles Millspaugh. 
 
 On Tent and Seats.— Messrs. Vanderbilt Whitlock, 
 Peter C. Cortolyou, Gideon McDowell, James H. Baird. 
 
 On Decoration. — Miss Alethia Cooke, Mrs. John 
 Herbert, Mr. & Mrs. James R. Cruikshank, Mr. & Mrs. 
 
6 
 
 Daniel J'. X'an l>orii, Misr^es Aiuiie Smock', Lil)bie Snioc-k, 
 Aiinio lioice, Xelio Herbert, Kate Herbert, Jane A. 
 ►Scheiick, (-arrie Laird, Aniiir \'aii(lerveer, Mai'v L AVliit- 
 lock. Messrs. John Cooke, Dn Bois Smock, Aaron 
 Smock, Scbenck Herbert, .lames Owens, Jobn D. Cono- 
 ver, (Miarles E. Conover, David A. Baird and Kieliard 
 Herbert. 
 
 Tbe Deacons of the (•biir<"b were apjiointed to act as 
 tishers. 
 
 Tiie tbllowinL>- notice was inseitid in tin' local pa- 
 pers : 
 
 .sK.MF-ChlNTKNNIAl-. 
 
 Tlie Congregation of the Brick cir.ircii, Marf^x.roiigli. will celelirute 
 the oOtli anniverfsary of the church's organization, on Wednesilay, Sep- 
 tember 5th, 1877 — (D. V.) The exercises will l)e liold in the church, and 
 will begin at 10^ o'clock, A. M. The services will open with the singing 
 of the anthem sung 50 years ago at the dedication of the church. The 
 pastor of the cliurch will deliver an Historical Disconr.^e in the morning, 
 and in the afternoon sliort addresses will be delivered by the pastors of the 
 cluirches formerly associated with, or springing from, the old mother 
 church. A collation will he provided for all who may be present, and ;in 
 invitation to old ftiends and acqaaintaiice.s is cordially extendeii. 
 
 Thko. W. Wkij.s, Pasior. 
 
 The Freehold and New York Railway advertised spe- 
 cial trains from Matawan and Freehold, for the accommo- 
 dation of those wishins^ to attend the services. 
 
The Celebration. 
 
 The day was all that the most ardent lover of nature 
 could desire — one of the brightest jewels of the year — 
 making joyous witb its genial influence every heart. 
 
 The people commenced assembling at an early hour, 
 filling the ample grounds about the church, and reading 
 with interest the inscriptions upon the many old tomb 
 stones in the cemetery. 
 
 The church was richly and handsomely adorned with 
 flowers, evergreens, and mottoes bearing appropriate in- 
 scriptions. 
 
 The decorations were descril>ed in one of the county 
 papers* as follows : 
 
 In the vestibule was tlie hospitable motto, " Welcome." On the front 
 of the gallery, which runs around three sitles of the church, were inscribed, 
 in letters of evergreen, tiie names of the nine pastors formerly connected 
 with the church, namely : Moroan, Haechoort, Ehii'kzon, DuBois, Van 
 Vranken, Otterson, Marcelmis, W[i,lis, Swain". As the present pastor, 
 Mr. Wells, occupied the pulpit, which is on the south side of the building, 
 he thus completed the circle of pastors. On tiiq rear of the wall in the 
 gallery, back of the choir, was tiie inscription : " Prnise ye the liord." — 
 Over the entrance door to the left of the pulpit, was the date of the or- 
 ganization of the church, 1699; while over the other entrance, to tne 
 right, was the date 1877. The pillars back of the pulpit and those sup- 
 porting the gallery, the windows, and the gallery front, were adorned with 
 heavy cords of evergreens. The adornment of the pulpit was, however, 
 the most tasteful and attractive feature of the decorations. In front of it 
 was a table from the centre of which rose a stand of rare and exquisite 
 flowers. Back of this, on the front of the pulpit, was a beautiful lute of 
 evergreens. To the right and left of this were magnificent boquets. Im- 
 mediately in the rear of the pulpit was a large motto in the shape of a 
 shield, the inscription on which was " God is our Strength." Above this 
 were the words, "The Lord our God he with us as He was with our Fath- 
 ers ; " and still above this was a dove with spread wings, made of white 
 flowers. 
 
 * The Monmouth Democrat. 
 
8 
 
 The exercises coinmeiiced promptl}- at 10.30, A. M., 
 with the singing of an anthem entitled : " I vvasghid when 
 thev said unto me let ns go to the house of the Lord."* 
 
 The music for tlie occasion was furnished by the 
 church choir and clicnted much praise. Tlie choir con- 
 sisted of : 
 
 Miss Tillie Conover, Organist : Mrs. John V. K Wil- 
 lis, Soprano; Miss Minnie Conover, Alto; Mr. I). Alieel 
 Statesir, Tenor; Mr. Lafayette S. Schenck, Basso. 
 
 The pulpit was occupied hy the pastor, Kev. Theo. 
 W. Wells, Rev. William Reiley, 1). ])., Rev. Charles tS. 
 Ilageman, D. D., Rev. (Miarlos I). Buck, Rev. James P,. 
 Wilson, Rev. Samuel L. Cox, and Rev. Garret C. Schenck. 
 After the singing of the anthem, an earnest and very 
 appropriate prayer was offered by the Rev. Dr. Hageman, 
 of the Second Reformed Church of Freehold. The fol- 
 lowing hymn, composed by the Rev. Samuel A. Van 
 Vranken, i). D., and sung at the dedication of the church, 
 Sept. 9th, 1827, was then read by Rev. .lames B. Wilson, 
 and sung to the same music as on the former occasion — 
 the old version of the " Portuguese Hvmn : " 
 
 Here in Thy temple, (mhI of jiiace Mtid glory. 
 
 Lo Thy peoiile wait, the Lord of life to meet : 
 come tins day. Thou iiiishty F'riii^'e and .Saviour. 
 
 '() come, Cor we winild worship .-it Tliv feel. 
 Bless all Thy servants waiting at Tliiiie altar : 
 
 ("lothe them with Thy grace to do Thy work, O God : 
 With zeal and love to .'^ound the great .salvation, 
 
 Our blest Redeemer purchased with His blood. 
 Hles.s all Thy people in Thy conrt.s attending, 
 
 Thy good Spirit send, in answer lo their call.*: 
 (» then with joy we'll chant the loud Hosanna. 
 
 .\Md lasting be the echo from the.'?e walls. 
 Thy kingdom prosfjcr, thou great .Jehovah ; 
 
 r.et victory's shout through all the nations run. 
 Till other sound blown froTu archangel's trumpet 
 
 .Vnnounce the .second advent of Thy Son. 
 Then, farewell temples laid on earth's foundation, 
 
 To loftier Coiirta the ransomed speed their wa_\ , 
 And Joining .all in one immense assembly, 
 
 The arch of Heaven shall echo with tiieir l.iy. 
 
 * See ,\p|iendi\ II. 
 
9 
 
 At tlie conclusioa of the siuging the Rev. Samuel L. 
 Cox, of the Baptist Church, Marlborough, read the first 
 eight v'erses of the 44th Psalm, and the latter part of the 
 46th Psalm, commencing with the eighth verse. After 
 the reading of the Scriptures, the Rev. Charles D. Buck 
 read the following hjmn, written for the occasion by Miss 
 Aletliia Cooke, which the choir sung to the familiar tune 
 entitled •• Missionary Hymn : '" 
 
 Thou God who led our fathers ; 
 
 Tbou God Jehovah, Lord I 
 Hear now our solemn praises, 
 
 We raise with one accord. 
 For blessings without number 
 
 Through all the changing days; 
 For ev'ry Eben-ezer, 
 
 We shout aloud thy praise. 
 
 Be thou our shield and Saviour, 
 
 While wrestling with our foes ; 
 Grant us Thy love and favor, 
 
 While passing through life's woes. 
 Rejoicing in Thy pleasure 
 
 Through all our dev'ous ways. 
 We'll sing our Eben-ezer, 
 
 And shout aloud Thy praise. 
 
 When we lay down our armor, 
 
 And cease our conflicts here, 
 Through Christ our loving Sa,viour, 
 
 We'll banish every fear ; 
 Within the walls of jasper. 
 
 With saints in glory raise 
 Our songs of Eben-ezer, 
 
 And shout aloud Thy praise — 
 
 Hallelujah I hallelujah! amen I 
 
 The discourse contained in the following pages was 
 tlien delivered by the Pastor. 
 
 At the conclusion of the discourse the Hon. George 
 C. Beekman, of Freehold, offered with appropriate re- 
 marks, the following resolution : 
 
 Resolved. That the thanks of the people of Monmouth County, here 
 present, be tendered to the Rey. Theodore W. Wells, Pastor of the Brick 
 church, for the able, instructive and interesting address he has prepared, 
 and that a copy of the same be requested for publication." 
 
10 
 
 The resolution having been carried ananiuiously, 
 the Doxology, " Praise God from whom all blessings flow," 
 was sung by the vast assembly, and then the congregation 
 was dismissed by the Rev. 6. C. Schenck, who blessed 
 them in the name of the Triune Jehovah. 
 
 A plentiful collation had been prepared by the ladies 
 .)f the church, to which :ill pn'sciit were invited. It is 
 comput«'d that not less than one thousand persons partook 
 of refreshments. At three o'clock the church was again 
 filled and the exercises commenced by the singing of The 
 Gloria from .Mozart's Twelfth Mass. 
 
 The following imi>romptu addresses were then deliv- 
 ered, for the sketch of which we are indebted to the re- 
 ports in the Monmouth Democrat and the Monmouth Inquirer : 
 
 The Ilev. Dr. Reiley, Pastor of the Reformed church of Holmdel, said 
 that such a large concourse of people to show their .-espect and regard 
 for the sanctu;iry of the Lord was a very interesting fnct. He remarked 
 that he was present because he served the church which was regarded as 
 a child of this Old Mother Church. •• My church " he said, " is rather the 
 sister of this one." They had a community of interests for many years, and 
 are 80 nearly of an age, that some are perplexed to know which is the 
 mother. He stated that it was fifty-two years since they h.-id separated, and 
 that since that time there had been increase in the daughter's household 
 nearly equal to thai enjoyed by the old Mother church. 
 
 Mr. Wells said he had received leUers of regret from the Rev. Ralph 
 Willis, and the Rev. George Swain, the only living e.\-pastors of the 
 church ; the former declaring his inability to be present on account of 
 public duties, as Superintendent of Schools, and the latter declaring the 
 overturning of his plans, much to his sorrow, by the death of one of the 
 oldest members of his church, whose funeral was at 12, M. He also said : 
 he had received a letter of congratulation from the Rev. James Bolton, 
 pastor of the Reformed church at Colts Neck — the youngest child of the 
 Old Brick ctsurch. 
 
 The .566th hymn, '• Hymns of the (-hurch," was then sung, alter which 
 the Rev. Dr. Hageman, of Freehold, presented the salutations of the sec- 
 ond daughter of the Brick church. He thought the second daughter was 
 the fairest, and had thought so ever since he courted his wife. He said 
 that the great power of the old Mother church e.visted in the fact that she 
 had faithfully maintained the holy ordinances of the gospel, and had sought 
 the extension of th^ Redeemer's Kingdom This church is stronger to-day 
 by diniision — by the organization of otiier churches from her members. 
 
 The Rev. Garret C. Schenck, one of the sons of the church, and for 
 many years a successful pastor, said that it was truly interesting to watch 
 
11 
 
 the progress and advancement of the Christiiiii church, in fulfillment of 
 the prophecies of the word of God. He ti)en referred to our ancestors 
 seeking a home in the wildernesses of America, and asserting their faith in 
 God's truthfulness, by bearing witii them the Holy Scriptures and erect- 
 ing churches where they built their homes. Mr. Schenck then exhibited 
 two Bibles printed in the Dutch language, which, he said, were the pulpit 
 Bibles of this old church ; one of them used in the church which stood 
 where we were assembled, and the other in the church at Middletown. — 
 Mr. Schenck presented the books to tlie Consistories of the churches in 
 which they had been used.* He also exhibited an old sermon printed in 
 Dutch, published in 1758, written by Daniel Hendrickson, many years 
 an elder in this church, and commended in strong terms by his pastor, the 
 Kev. Reynhard Erickzon. 
 
 A part of the 575th hymn, "Hymns of the Church," was tiien sung, 
 after which. Rev. James B. Wilson, of Long Branch, said : "I bear to vou 
 the congratulations of the fifth daughter, who is not far from thirty years 
 of age. The immigration of some families of the Brick church con- 
 gregation to Long Branch was the cause and origin of the Reformed 
 church there." He said he had ministered nventy-si.x years at Long Branch, 
 and that the congregation had been blessed by the Lord most abundantly. 
 "This fifth daughter has two children, the Sea-side Chapel, and the church 
 at Asbury Park. The church at the Highlands is also a foster-child, 
 having received most of its assistance and encouragement from the Long 
 Branch congregation." He concluded by saying: " I hope the mother will 
 remember the children and grand-children tliat God has given her. A 
 mother's prayers never go unanswered. In answer to prayer God will 
 pour out great blessings upon you, and upon us." 
 
 Rev. Charles D. Buck said : he did not pretend to know anything 
 about the churches of Monmouth County, but that he had learned a good 
 deal through the day. •' I come to tell you of a grand-daughter which is 
 full grown. I feel like a grand-child coming tb see its grand-mother for 
 the first time, and I am pleased to find that she is such a beautiful, vener- 
 able old lady, fresh and youthful as ever. It was a happy thought in 
 Brother Wells, to bring together the children, and recite the history of the 
 past, so full of interest, before them. .Memory never dies. In eternity we 
 will remember the scenes of to-day, and the thoughts thus awakened, 
 will add a stanza to our anthem of praise." 
 
 The choir and congregation then united in singing "Lord, dismiss us 
 with Thy Blessing," and the Benediction was pronounced by the Rev. Dr. 
 Reiley. 
 
 * See Appendix G. 
 
THE DAYS OF OLD, 
 
 A HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Reformed Church of the Navasink, 
 
 Now Known as the Brick Church, Marlborough, 
 Monmouth County, New Jersey. 
 
 DELIVERED AT THE CELEBRATION OF THE SEMI-CENTENNIAL 
 
 ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEDICATION OF THE BRICK 
 
 CHURCH, SEPTEMBER 5, 1877. 
 
 By Rev. THEODORE W. WELLS, 
 
 PASTOR OF THE CHURCH. 
 
Historical Address.^ 
 
 " I remember the days of old," is the language of 
 King David in the 143d Psalm. His words form a suita- 
 ble and appropriate motto for my present discourse. They 
 also furnish a royal precedent for considering the days of 
 old, and teach us that in so doing we are all following the 
 footsteps of the honored and good. 
 
 The past is the mold, the fashioner of the present. Its 
 manners and customs, its thoughts and religious life, the 
 triumphs of its genius and the achievments of its piety, 
 have made us what we are. The past is a store-house of 
 instruction for the present. In it we discover how man- 
 kind have struggled with the mysteries surrounding them, 
 and from it we learn how they triumphed over difficulties 
 and achieved noble things. It also contains a record of the 
 dead, of those who were wrecked by Life's tempests and 
 storms, and of those who through faith out-weathered the 
 gale and entered with joy the Haven of Rest. 
 
 The past is a great benefactor of the present. It gives 
 us a legacy, better and more enduring than land titles or 
 treasures, of far reaching influences which aftect the dailv 
 conduct and determine to a great extent our success or de- 
 feat in the great battle of life. It gives us precious mem- 
 
 * In the preparation of this liistory I have appropriated facts where- 
 ever found, and hereby acicnowledge my indebtedness to " Corwin's Manual 
 of the Reformed Church," to several manuscripts of the late Rev. Aaroa 
 A. Marcellus, deceased, and to the friendly co-operation and aid of the 
 Rev. G.irret C. Schenck. To give my authority for every statement made 
 would encumber the pages with foot notes, and prove without interest to 
 the reader. "p \Y W. 
 
16 
 
 orios, whieli cause us to view with reverential feelings the 
 objects about wliich tbey may be entwined ; wliich snatch 
 the soul away tVoni the power of the present, and "advance 
 us in the dignity of thinking beings." 
 
 To you the past has given this christian clinrcii, witli 
 its precious nieniories, its hallowed associations, and its 
 holy inHuences, through which, as through a channel wide 
 and dee[), there has ever flowed to you the priceless bene- 
 fits of relie-ious instruction, and a mind made familiar 
 with the trutlis of redemption. This church stands to-day, 
 a monument of the past, per[>etuatiug the faith of your 
 buried ancestors, and reminding you that those whose 
 names you bear possessed hearts tilled with love of the 
 Ileaveidy Father. Worshiping bore, we are surrounded 
 with the memories of nearly two centuries, and can we not 
 sav. in the language of a distinguished New Kngland Poet: 
 
 If leaflets from some hero's tomb, 
 
 Or moss-wrealli torn from ruins lioary. 
 
 Or faded flowers whose sisters hlooiii 
 On fields renowned in story ; 
 
 ****** 
 
 If it he true that things liiie these 
 
 To heart and eye briglit visions bring, 
 
 .Shall not far holier memories 
 To these memorials cling? 
 
 Which need no mellowing mist of tiniH 
 
 To hide the crimson stains of crime ! 
 
 A hundred and scventy-eight years ago a baud of 
 christian worsiiipers, desirous of enjoying the stated min- 
 istrations of the means of grace, founded for themselves 
 and for their children, and for ail whom the Lord their 
 (lod should call, this christian cliuich. They came from 
 a land ovei'shadowed with " the grandest historical asso- 
 ciations and the noblest menu)ries of the past;" from a 
 land, which, redeemed from the sea by the energy of its 
 iidial)itants, becanu' the centre ol commerce and tlu^ mis- 
 tress of the seas, and dui'ing the era of the great reforma- 
 tion was the fre(pient scene of the purest patriotism, the 
 most heroic courage, and the most unfaltei-ing devotion 
 
17 
 
 to the right, tlie world has ever witnessed. They came 
 with strong faith in the God ot Heaven. They bore in one 
 hand the Holy Bible, and with the other held aloft, as a 
 true exposition of the truths of Redemption and a clear 
 declaration of christian doctrine, the Heidelberg Cate- 
 chism, the Belgic Confession of Faith, and the Canons of 
 the Synod of Dordrecht. They founded this church, that 
 they and their children might be duly instructed in the 
 doctrines taught by these venerable symbols, and cheered 
 by the hopes which sucli teaching inspires, they lived and 
 labored and died in the Lord. They rest from their la- 
 bors, and their works do follow them. 
 
 [ propose to relate the history of the church they es- 
 tablished — the first Reformed church of Monmouth Coun- 
 ty — the church with wliich so many of ns are connected, 
 in our several relations as pastor, officers, families, and 
 communicants. 
 
 Our church records begin in 1709, one hundred years 
 after Hendrick Hudson landed at the Highlands of the 
 Navasink, the first European to set his foot upon the soil 
 of New Jersey, or to behold the fertile fields now known 
 as Monmouth County, the garden of the State. 
 
 The early settlement of the county is a portion of 
 history I have not time to explore to any great extent. It 
 commenced in 1665, the yeuv following^ the surrender of 
 the Dutch Provinces in America to the British Crown. 
 The first settlers were Scotch and P]nglish people from 
 other American Provinces, with a few from Barbadoes 
 and England. They formed the towns of Shrewsbury 
 and Middletown, which in 1673 contained 128 white men. 
 The township of Freehold was not formed until 1693. 
 
 There are those who think there was a previous set- 
 tlement by tlie Dutch, and a church in this region, known 
 as the Reformed Church of the Navasink. The most 
 diligent research has failed to discover any historical data 
 in support of such a statement. The church whose histo- 
 ry I propose to relate is styled in the records in my pos- 
 session, the Reformed Church of Freehold of the Nava- 
 
18 
 
 sink. In 1788, in a record of u ministerial gathering in 
 New York city, the residence of the pastor of this church 
 is given as Neversink. and the Hon. G. C. Beekman has 
 in his possession a letter bearing date 1754, directed 
 "Roelif Schenck, Naversinks, near the Freehold church." 
 Mr. Schenck lived within a rifle shot of where I am stand- 
 ing. The whole county of Monmouth, previous to 168S, 
 is frequently called, in the Court Records, the county of 
 Xevvasink.* 
 
 The earliest reliable information we have of a Re- 
 formed church in the county, is that in 1699, the Dutch 
 families of Monmouth county were sufficient in number 
 to have stated preaching. This service was rendered ac- 
 cording to agreement, by ministers from Long Island at 
 appointed times in rotation. Their names were Wilhelmus 
 Lupardus, Vincentius Antonides and Bernardus Freeman. 
 They were pastors of the collegiate churches of King's 
 County, Long Island. Of the Rev. Mr. Lupardus nothing 
 is known. The Rev. Vincentius Antonides, who is de- 
 scribed as an amiable christian gentleman, had a son 
 named Johannes, who married Jolianna Kowenhoven, 
 and settled in Middletown about 1720. He was a deacon 
 in this church in 1726. The Rev. Bernardus Freeman, 
 before his settlement at Flatbush, was a missionary among- 
 the Mohawk Indians, and was celebrated in his day for 
 his knowledge of the Indian language. 
 
 These ministers, it is said, found their services here 
 exceedingly burdensome because of " the distance they 
 were compelled to travel, and the danger of crossing the 
 great bay in small boats." 
 
 * Dominie Erickzon, when commencing the record of Bii])tisms admin- 
 istered by himself, in 1736, says : "Baptismal record of the Reformed 
 congregation of the Nevezink." The whole region between the Ocean and 
 the Raritan river was known as tiie Navasink. So called because occu- 
 pied by a sub-tribe of the Lenape Indians, tiie Navasinks. This same re- 
 ^fion is sometimes called tiie Raritans. Families settling here are said to 
 have rcmove<l to the " Raritans,'' on the old cliurch records of Flatbush » 
 Long Island. 
 
19 
 
 This was undoubtedly immediately after the com- 
 mencement of Dutch settlement in Monmouth County. 
 The Dutch pioneers seldom delayed efforts for securing 
 the benefits of stated religious services. 
 
 The first intimation we have of a Dutch settler is 
 from a deed conveying a small house and lot in Middletown 
 to Deirick Teunison, in 1672. For the next twenty years 
 there are only a few conveyances of real estate to Dutch 
 people, and the localities conveyed are too scattered and 
 the number of the Dutch too small to justify us in speak- 
 ing of a Dutch settlement in Monmouth County, until 
 about 1695. Bearing this date we find a deed of con- 
 veyance executed to one Garrett Von Schenck. Two 
 years later the names of Samuel Hoffmire and Garret Von 
 Schenck are among the list of Grand Jurors. Soon after 
 this we iind the names of Jacob Van Dorn, John Schenck, 
 Johannes Polhemus, Cornelius Cowenhoven, Daniel Hen- 
 drickson, Lawrence Van Kirk, John Wyckoft" and Benja- 
 min Van Cleef. This brings us to 1707, when Aurie 
 Booraem and one Van Brackel, are appointed Overseers of 
 the Poor in Freehold. 
 
 The majority of these pei'sons came from Long Island, 
 they or their parents having located there when arriving 
 from Holland. Their families, and a, few others, as they 
 settled here from time to time, made up the congregation 
 to which for ten years the Long Island pastors ministered, 
 when their labors issued in the regularly organized Re- 
 formed church of Freehold and Middletown. 
 
 Other Dutch families intimately connected with the 
 history of our church, followed soon after. In the Church 
 Records we find the name of Smock in 1710, Van Mater 
 and Sutphen 1713, Brower 1715, Van Der Veer 1723. A 
 few Scotch and English families, who through intermar- 
 riage have become Dutch, settled here much earlier. The 
 name of Bown, Tilton, Holmes and Whitlock, are fonnd 
 among the first settlers in 1665. The Bairds made their 
 appearance about 1680, and " Janathan Forman " was 
 
20 
 
 inadi' a DiitclMiian by being received into tiie cliureli in 
 1713, the first adult to be baptised. 
 
 The Bairds endeavored, but without success, to intro- 
 duce a new mode of courtship. The tirst of that name 
 was surnamed John, and tradition declares that one day 
 he met Mary Hall, whom he afterward married, in the 
 woods. As both were bashful, they halted at some dis- 
 tance from each other, under a tree. It was love at lirst 
 sight, and in a short time, John, who was a Quaker, broke 
 the silence by saying: " If thou wilt marry me, say yea, 
 if thou wilt not, say nay," Mary said "Yea," and proved a 
 noble wife and mother. 
 
 At this time the wliole region now composing the 
 townships of Marlborough, Manalapan, Freehold, Mill- 
 stone, Upper Freehold, and a portion of Ocean County, 
 was known as Freehold. Tlie present townships of Mid- 
 dletown, Ilolmdel, Raritan and Matavan were called Mid- 
 dletown, while Atlantic, Shrewsbury and Ocean town- 
 ships, together with a large portion of Ocean County, was 
 designated Slirewsbur\-. 
 
 In Middletown village there was an English church, 
 where the Protestant F.piscopal church now stands, and, 
 also, an old Presbyterian cliurch near Crawford Hendrick- 
 son's, on what is known as the Presbyterian Burying 
 Ground. This was an old, dilapidated building in Domi- 
 nie Morgan's time, even then al)andoned and left to de- 
 cay. Its neo-lected condition annoyed the Dominie, and 
 . when riding by, if he saw the door or a window open, we 
 are told he would stop, and dismounting his horse, reve- 
 rently close the open door or window before proceeding 
 on his way. 
 
 The Scotch Presbyterians had a meeting house at tlie 
 place now known as the Old Scotch Burying Ground, 
 but at that time honored with the name of Freehill. " The 
 Baptists of Monmouth County" also had a meeting house, 
 described as standing " on tlie west side of u little brook 
 called John Bray's brook, in the township of Middle- 
 town." There was a Scotch and Knglish Quaker meeting 
 
21 
 
 liouse on the present site of the Topanamus Burying 
 Ground, which through the labors of George Keith, Sur- 
 veyor General of East Jersey, who led the Quakers into 
 the Church of England, became the place of worship for 
 the congregation now known as the Protestant Episcopal 
 church of Freehold village. 
 
 The Church Records begin with this statement, re- 
 corded in the Low Dutch language : "In the year of our 
 Lord, 1709, on the 19th of October, the Rev. Joseph Mor- 
 gan, a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, was installed 
 as pastor of the Reformed congregation of Freehold and 
 Middletown, in the presence of Rev, Bernardus Freeman, 
 of King's County." 
 
 Then, as now, it was the Reformed Church — nor 
 should it be overlooked, that it is spoken of as the Re- 
 formed congregation of Freehold and Middletown — one 
 congregation, with families residing in the two townships 
 of Freehold and Middletown, and sometimes called, as I 
 have already remarked, the Congregation of the Navasink. 
 
 The Consistory was composed of Peter VanDeventer 
 and John Wyckoff, Elders, and Jacob Van Dorn and Gar- 
 ret Sclienck, Deacons. 
 
 There were 49 in the communion of the church, 45 
 of whom had been received by certi,ficate and 4 by con- 
 fession of faith in Christ. 
 
 » From this time to the present, a period of 168 years, 
 this congregation has never been without the services of 
 a settled pastor for a whole year but once. That was more 
 than a century ago, when, for 15 months in 1735 and 6, 
 there was no under-shepherd for the flock. This is a very 
 remarkable record. The first Reformed Church duly or- 
 ganized on the soil of ISTew Jersey was the Reformed 
 Church at Bergen, but this church was without a pastor 
 until 1757. 
 
 The first installed pastor of a Reformed Church in 
 New Jersey was Rev. Guillaume Bertholf, who was in- 
 stalled at Hackensack in 1694. The second pastor of a 
 
22 
 
 Reformed elm rcli installed in the State was Kev. Josepli 
 M origan, at Frreliold, in 17(>!». 
 
 Until 182G there was no otlu-r Reformed church in 
 Monnionth county. Now there are nine, all of them the 
 ()tis])ring of the Old Mother Church, over which, in 1709, 
 t]»e Rev. Joseph Morj^an was installed. At this time Mr. 
 Moriran was pastor of the Scotch Presbyterian church, the 
 .i^erm of the well known Old Tennent church. He was a 
 Presbyterian minister and a Dutch dominie at the same 
 time. When he a[)peared in Oourt to take the necessary 
 oaths us a minister of the Gospel, he was i)resented by rep- 
 resentatives of both congregations. These oaths were 
 required because he was not a minister of the churcb of 
 Kngland. According to " An Act of Parliament for Ex- 
 empting her Majesties Protestant subjects discenting from 
 the ('hurch of England, from the penalties of certain 
 laws," every minister not in the communion of the 
 English church was obliged to take oath that he would 
 not teach the doctrine of Transubstantiation, nor any- 
 thing contrary to the doctrine of the Trinity, as taught 
 in the thirty-nine articles of the English cliurch. This 
 was (;alled " qualifying," and in this manner Dominie 
 Morgan " (pialified " himself, in ])ecember, 1709, having 
 been "presented b}- several of said congregation, viz : Ja- 
 cob Laen, Jolin Wikof, John Sutfin, William Hendrick- 
 son, John Essmith, William Wilkms and Auri Mattison, 
 in behalf of themselves and the rest of their brethren." 
 The first three of these persons were in the communion of 
 the Reformed cliurch. the otluM-s reprcsentctl the Scotch 
 Presbyterians. 
 
 J)uring his whole ministry Dominie Morgan was con- 
 nected with tlie Presbytery of Philadelphia, to wiiich h" 
 was amenable. Tiie circumstances which led t(^ his set- 
 tlement among the Dutch were his ability to preach in 
 the liOW Dutch language, and the willingness of himself 
 and the Scotch Presbyterians to give the Dutch three- 
 tburths of his services — an ai lanii-cnicnt it would have 
 
23 
 
 been impossible to make bad not tbe Dutcli congregation 
 been tbe most flourisliing. 
 
 At tbis time Monmoutb county was little less tban a 
 forest. Here and tbere was a clearing, but the settlements 
 were widely scattered, tbe streams unbridged, and tbe 
 roads not mucb more tban patbs tbrougb tbe wilderness. 
 Horse-back riding for many years was a necessity. In 
 tbe latter part of bis ministry Dominie Morgan, it is said, 
 attracted attention by riding tbrougb tbe country in a two 
 wbeeled cart or gig — probably tbe first tbing of tbe kind 
 brougbt into tbe county, Tbat was more tban a century 
 and a half ago, but even to tbis day, as I know from ex- 
 perience, tbe people laugb if tbey see tbeir minister riding 
 in a sulky. 
 
 Mr. Morgan was probably of Welsb origin. He was 
 born in 1674. Wben 23 years of age be was ordained in 
 Connecticut to tbe Gospel ministry. He was 35 years old 
 wben becoming tbe pastor of tbis cburcb. He bad previ- 
 ously been settled over tbe Presbyterian clmrcbes of Bed- 
 ford and East Chester, in New York, and afterwards min- 
 istered to tbe churches of Hopewell and Maidenhead, New 
 Jersey. He was persecuted in his ministry on account of 
 the manner of his ordination and bis use of notes in 
 preaching. He incurred the ill-will of Dominie Freling- 
 buysen, of Six-Mile-Run, the most influential Dutch minis- 
 ter in this section of tbe State, by baptising tbe children 
 of some of the disaffected members of his congregation, 
 who applied for such service. Our baptismal register 
 contains the record. In bitter retaliation Dominie Fre- 
 linghuysen denounced him as " the friend and advocate of 
 a lifeless, God-dishonoring formality." In 1728 various 
 charges were brought against him, such as practicing As- 
 trology, countenancing promiscuous dancing, and trans- 
 gressing in drink, but tbey were not sustained. About 
 ten years after this, intemperance was proved against him 
 and be was suspended from the ministry. He was fully 
 restored in 1738. Two years later, having beard George 
 Whitfield preach, he was so affected with Whitfield's spir- 
 
24 
 
 it tluit lie weiiL forth as an Evangelist, proclaiming the 
 (Gospel towards the sea coasts of New Jersey and otlier 
 places destitute of the means of grace. He died while en- 
 gaged in these missionary lahors, W years of age, and was 
 laid to rest in a grave unknown. 
 
 lie was a man of more than usual ahility, a learned 
 man and a scholar. TFe was the author of a number of 
 printed sermons, on various subjects, and published sev- 
 eral theological treatises. A Latin letter written by liim to 
 Cotton Mather, the most eminent clergyman of New Eng- 
 land, bearing date 1721, is preserved at Worcester, Mas- 
 sachusets. The testimony of the Consistory, at the time'of 
 his leaving this congregation, gives liim a reputation for 
 piety and ministerial fidelity scarcely equalled by any of 
 tlie ministers at that time in the country They declare 
 him to be "a man of acknowledged ortliodoxy and exem- 
 plary character." Their language is " we have enjoyed 
 the services of Dominie Morgan, who, accordijig to his 
 ability, has faithfully and zealously performed the duties 
 of his charge." Or. Reiley informs me that he was told 
 bv tlie Uev. Dr. Thomas De Witt that Dominie Morgan 
 learned the Dutch language out of pure zeal tor the Lord's 
 work, tiiat he might be able to preach to tlie Dutch peo- 
 ple, among wiiom he found himself placed. His labor 
 was not in vain in tlie Lord. 
 
 In 1714, five years after the installation of Dominie 
 Morgan, the land on which this building stands, and the 
 adjoining farm of Mr. Daniel W Conover, became the pro- 
 perty of the church. It was first bought of one Richard 
 Salter or Sadler, in 1709, for the sum of 450 pounds, by 
 <Jhertie Komain, widow of Stotfoll Komain, ''for the use 
 of the Dutch Presbyterian minister." in 1714 it was con- 
 veyed bv Jacobus Komain, hei- son, to .lolm Schenck and 
 Cornelius Cowenhoven, of Middletown, and Peter Tyson, 
 of Kreehold, in trust for the use of the congregation. Be- 
 cause of the uncertain tenui'c of lands and the conflict of 
 titles at that early day, the same property, with the addi- 
 tion of 30 acres, was deeded, in 174.S, to Cornelius Van 
 
25 
 
 Der Veer, of MicKlletown, and John Hans, of Freehold, " in 
 trust for the Low Dutch congregation of Protestants, as 
 the same was estahlished by the Synod of Dort, in the 
 years 1618 and 19, to be equally divided between the two 
 congregations of Freehokl and Middletown, both in quan- 
 tity and quality." This deed was executed by Thomas 
 Kinnan. The property was occupied by Dominie Mor- 
 gan as a parsonage. It is described as containing " 100 
 acres of good arable land, as good as any in Freehold, on 
 which a family may subsist comfortably." Dominie Mor- 
 gan, it is said, realized at least 30 pounds a year from his 
 farming operations " besides his own bread." Its loca- 
 tion is designated "five quarters of an hours distance 
 from the waters edge, and the half of a quarter of an hours 
 distance from the church." 
 
 The question now arises, where urns the church, the 
 first lieformed church of Monmouth county, located? 
 Two places are referred to as the probable site. The Rev. 
 Aaron A. Marcel 1 us, to whom I am indebted for much 
 valuable information, says, in a book of historical notes, 
 that the old church stood either on the brow of the hill, 
 on the right-hand side of the turnpike, just as you cross 
 the bridge near the mill in going from the church to 
 Marlborough, or on Hendrickson's Ilil'l, the large knoll 
 on which a solitary apple tree is now growing, almost di- 
 rectly in the rear of the present parsonage at Marlbo- 
 rough. Between these two places it is not difficult to decide. 
 There is in the former place an old grave yard, whose ex- 
 istence has probably led to the conclusion that a church 
 once stood there ; but in tracing the history of this bury- 
 ing ground, I find it was formerly known and called 
 Hance-s burying ground, and was a portion of the estate 
 of John Ilance,* one of the original proprietors under the 
 Nicholls patent. This proves conclusively that the old 
 
 * Some persons think tl.is n;ime should be spelled Hans, pronounced 
 Honce. If so, the property in question did not belong to the John Hance 
 mentioned, but to a Dutch family whose name I find on the baptismal 
 register in 1735, Johannes Hanse and Lena. Willemse, his wife. 
 
26 
 
 eliureli did not stand there. Burying grounds invariably 
 take the nanio of the church to which they belong. The 
 tradition which fixes the site of the old church on Hen- 
 drickson's Ilill, is probably correct. 
 
 In tracing back the title to the property in question, 
 I find that more than a century ago, a quarter of an acre 
 of land, which takes in ITendrickson's Hill, was deeded 
 several times to difierent parties, until at length it became 
 the property of Mr. John II. Smock, who owned the ad- 
 joining land. When we remember that in those days set- 
 tlers, instead of buying just land enough to build on, 
 sought large tracts of land — that the division of farms has 
 always been obnoxious to the taste of the Dutch yeomanry, 
 and that the sale of small parcels of land is of compara- 
 tivel}' recent origin — it seems almost certain that this quar- 
 ter of an acre was set oflt'and fenced about for some spe- 
 cial purpose, a school house or a church. Among the 
 Dutch the same building frequently served both purposes 
 — was called a " Gabat House," or prayer bouse — and was 
 used for religious worship on Sunday, and as a school 
 house througli the week. It may be the first church par- 
 took of this character. The building which formerly 
 stood on Hendrickson's Hill, and was taken down more 
 than 50 years ago, was just such a building as a pioneer 
 people would be likely to erect as a house of worship. It 
 was about twenty feet square, with a steep gable roof. 
 The sides were shingled. The door was in the middle of 
 one of the sides, and was quite large. There was a win- 
 dow on each side of the door. There were no partitions 
 within, but one room occui)ied the whole space. Such a 
 building would not have l)een erected for dwelling pur- 
 poses. It was used as a dwelling in later years, but only 
 after additions were built and alterations made. It was a 
 very old huilding when taken down. It is also well 
 known that 50 years ago, when the congregation was di- 
 vided in opinion and sentiment concerning the location of 
 the liriek church, some wished to ha\e it [ilaeed on 
 Jlendrickson's Hill. As at that time there was no 
 
village at Marlborough, the only apparent reason for such 
 a desire is the fact, then better known than at present, 
 that the first church stood there. So confident am I that 
 this is the fact, I think the property should be purchased 
 and a suitable monument erected thereon to the memory 
 of the founders of the Reformed Church in Monmouth 
 county. 
 
 At this time, 1709, there was no house of worship 
 belonging to the Reformed Church at Middletown. The 
 deed for the Middletown church property was executed 
 in 1723. This was after the erection of the church. In 
 describing the property, tlie deed locates the place of 
 beginning a certain number of chains " southeast of the 
 Meeting House." The date of the erection of the cliurch 
 is unknown. It was probably commenced as early as 
 1721, as at that time I find a permanent increase in the 
 number of Elders and Deacons composing the Consistory. 
 This church was located about half a mile beyond the 
 present Holmdel parsonage, on the road leading to Mid- 
 dletown village, near an old burying ground. We know 
 nothing in relation to its former size. From some old 
 papers in possession of Dr. Reiley, we are led to suppose 
 that it must have been built in squares, without pews. 
 There seems to have been eleven of these squares, besides 
 benches. There are still extant curious lists of these 
 squares and their occupants, which show that the present 
 congregation is to a great extent descended from those 
 who reared the old building. It was pulled down or de- 
 stroyed in 17ti4. The property on which it stood was 
 conveyed to Daniel Hendrickson and Johannes Polhemus, 
 by Andrew Johnson, of Middletown, in consideration of 
 the sum of three pounds " for the sole use, benefit and 
 behoof of the people belonging to the religious society 
 known as the Dutch Presbyterians." Previous to the 
 erection of the Middletown church the only Reformed 
 church building in Monmouth county was the one located 
 on Ilendrickson's Hill, in the present township of Marl- 
 borough, then forming a part of the township of Freehold. 
 
28 
 
 This is the reason why the congregation is always called, 
 in the early church records, the congregation of" Freehold 
 and Middletown." Dominie Morgan's ministry lasted 22 
 years. lie received 100 persons into the communion of 
 the .church, the first of whom, Jan Romain, Benjamin 
 Keener, Derrick Barkalow and Janake, his wife, were 
 received the 13th of May, 1711. He baptized 582 infants, 
 the first of whom was Abraham, son of Jacob Van Dorn, 
 October 20, 1700. In 1721 a revival was enjoyed, when 
 12 persons united with the church at one time. He 
 ipreached his fiu-ewell sermon August 2, 1731. 
 
 The Kev. Gerardus llaeghoort, a licentiate of the 
 Classis of Amsterdam, Holland, succeeded Mr. Morgan. 
 He came in answer to a call sent by the Consistory to the 
 above mentioned Classis, with the request that they would 
 send them a suitable minister. Accompanying this call 
 there is an interesting description of such a minister as 
 the Consistory suppose would be acceptable to their peo- 
 ple. He was to be a person of competent abilities, not 
 more than 35 years of age, whether married or unmarried 
 it mattered not. He was to be sound in the laith of the 
 Reformed Church, well educated, exemplary and prudent. 
 
 The call also contained the following stipulations. 
 The pastor is to preach in two places. Freehold and Mid- 
 dletown, on alternate Sabbaths, the two meeting houses 
 being " about an hour and a half's travel apart." He is 
 to observe Xow Year's day. Paas. I'inxter, Ascension 
 un<l Chi'istmas days, ''according to the custom of a nia- 
 joritv of the churches in this einintry.'' The Lord's Sup- 
 per is to be administered (juarterly and alternately in 
 cither church, the preparatory service having been held 
 on the preceeding Thursday. 
 
 For such services the Consistorj' promise him the 
 (Mitire use of the parsonage and farm in Freehold, " on 
 which in a short time the church will be placed, not far 
 from the minister's house." They promise him annually 
 70 ponndu good currant nuMiey, in exact half yearly pay- 
 ments — a custom still in vogue. 'I'hey also promise to 
 
29 
 
 repair the parsonage according to the Dominie's wishes, 
 after his arrival, and likewise to furnish him with a good 
 riding horse — a custom now obsolete. The congregation is 
 described as " live-quarters of an hour's travel in breadth, 
 in the middle, and full three Dutch " or twelve English 
 " miles in length." And the consistory assure the Olassis 
 that if the minister they send is not accustomed to farming 
 " he could let the farm for two-thirds of its yield, or hire a 
 farmer for 15 pounds, or by the assistance and instruction 
 of friends he would be able in a few years to manage the 
 farm." We know not which method the Dominie pursued. 
 This call was signed by Jan Ivowenhoven, Garret 
 Schenck, Elbert Williamse and Cornelius WyckofF, El- 
 ders, and Dirk Barkalow, Ilendrick Kip, Jan VanMater, 
 and William Covenhoven, Deacons. It was moderated 
 and attested by the Rev. Gaultherus DuBois, who seems 
 to have been very much in the esteem and confidence of 
 the people. He was pastor of the Collegiate Eeformed 
 church of New York city. " He was more like a Bishop," ' 
 says Dr. DeWitt, " among the Dutch churches, than the 
 pastor of a single organization." 
 
 Mr. Haeghoort having accepted this call, was sol- 
 emnly ordained by the laying on of hands, and installed q 
 pastor of the church of Freehold and J^liddletown, by the , 
 Classis of Amsterdam, Holland. On the 9th of August, 
 17.31, he was introduced to his charge by the Hew Gaul- 
 therus DuBois, who preached a sermon on the occasion. 
 Mr. Haeghoort delivered his inaugui-al sermon in tlie af- 
 ternoon of the same day, taking for liis text, Eom. 1 : 15 ; 
 " As much as in me is 1 am ready to preach the gospel to 
 you." He seems to have been a man of great respecta- 
 bility as a preacher, and to have enjoyed in a good degree 
 the confidence and esteem of his people. His wife's name 
 was Catherine de Loij, who came with him from Holland. 
 Four years after his arrival, he resigned his call to become 
 pastor of the Reformed church at Second River, 'now 
 Belleville, Essex county, N. J. There is on our rec-ords 
 a minute signed by the Consistory, expressing their heart- 
 
30 
 
 felt gorrow under the dispensation of Providence, by wLicli 
 they were so soon deprived of their pastor's faithful ser- 
 vices, and their wishes that (lod would bless his labors in 
 the future no less than in the past, and " that he might 
 lind himself no less beloved, to the honor of God's great 
 name and to his own satisfaction." The last clause gen- 
 tly intimates that the Consistory thought him a little too 
 ambitious. 
 
 For 15 years Mr. Haeghoort's relations to the church 
 at Second River were delightful and pleasant. Dissatis- 
 fi\ction then took the place of harmony and love. The 
 church doors were closed against him, and he preached 
 to a few friends from the steps of the church. His salary 
 was withheld, and for so long a time that the possession 
 of some property brought with him from Holland, alone 
 saved him from needing the very necessaries of life. A 
 thorough Dutchman, he maintained hisground, triumphed 
 over his enemies, and continued the pastor of the church 
 until in 1776, when he died, and was buried within the 
 walls of the church, immediately in front of the pulpit; 
 and there his remains are now, awaiting the coming of the 
 Lord and the general resurrection. 
 
 During the first year of Mr. Haeghoort's ministry, 
 and previous to September, 1782, the congregation com- 
 menced the erection of a house of worship on the site we 
 now occupy. They were so evenly divided in sentiment 
 and desire that at a meeting called for deciding the loca- 
 tion of the church, they agreed that the church should 
 stand on the site to which the first load of stone for build- 
 ing purposes, was carted. It was late in the afternoon 
 when the meeting adjourned, but Mr. Roeleff Schenck, 
 more frequently called Black lloelcff, immediately went 
 home, hitched up his team, gathered the stones and carted 
 them to the lot on which this building stands. That de- 
 cided the matter. 
 
 This Roeleff Schenck was a large, muscular, and very 
 strong man. According to tradition, a professional prize 
 fighter, having heard of his strength, was desirous of test- 
 
31 
 
 ing his physical endurance. For this purpose he came to 
 see him. Roeleff was returning from the fields with his 
 plow upon his shoulder, when he met the stranger. 
 Engaging in conversation with him he placed the ptow 
 upon the ground; becoming deeply interested as the 
 conversation advanced he grasped the handle of the plow, 
 and holding it out at arm's length, as we would a cane^ 
 pointed out with it the various localities of which he was 
 speaking. The prize fighter looked on in utter amaze- 
 ment, when suddenly he remembered that he wished to 
 see another man by the name of Schenck, on important 
 business, and started ofl^' to find him. 
 
 The building which the congregation erected on the 
 site to which Roeleff carted the stones was a good, substan- 
 tial edifice, nearly as large as the one we now occupy. There 
 were three windows on each side, and a large double 
 arched door in the center of the gable end facing the road. 
 It had a steep, hip roof, surmounted by a sniall belfry, 
 crowned with the four points of the compass and a large 
 brass rooster. This finial is now the property and istn 
 the possession of Mr. Asher Holmes. There were galleries 
 extending about three-fourths of the length of each side, 
 and entirely across the front. The building was ceiled 
 within with boards standing on end. 'The "ceiling over- 
 head met from each side in the center, from winch a 
 hirge wooden ornament resembling an acorn was pendent. 
 The pulpit was small, but quite'' high. It was reached 
 by a narrow flight of stairs, and over it hung a sounding 
 board to give volume and depth to the min'ister's voice. 
 For many years there were no pews in the building. The 
 congregation sat on benches, the men around tlfe wall, 
 the women in the center. Some used double chairs, such 
 as were generally used in wagons in those days, and may 
 occasionally be seen even now about old farm houses. 
 Some of the families would ride to church in these chairs 
 and tlipn taking them out of their wagons would carry 
 them into- the church for use during service. Others, the 
 aristocracy I suppose, kept such seats especially for use in 
 
32 
 
 the siinctiiary. A great many would ride to church on 
 horseback. One horse generally carried a man and his 
 wife, and very frequently the baby also. Carriages were 
 uidviiown. The first family carriage in this vicinity was 
 owned by Mr. John H. Smock, and was purchased about 
 seventy-five years ago. Farm wagons without springs 
 were thought to be comfortable. There were no means 
 for heating the church. Stoves were not in existence. 
 Private houses were made warm by the use of large fire- 
 places, but churches were built without chimneys. The 
 ladies brought with them small foot-stoves, which kept 
 their feet warm, while good homespun, cloth in ample 
 folds, protected their persons. 
 
 " ! the pleasant days of old, which so often people praise ! 
 True, they wanted all the luxuries that grace our modern days : 
 Bare floors were strewed with rushes — the walls let in the cold ; 
 ! how ttiey must have shivered in tiiose pleasant days of old." 
 
 In this building the congregation worshiped more 
 than ninety years. It was taken down in 1826, to make 
 room for the house we are now occupying. Mr. Ilaeg- 
 hoort continued the pastor of tlie church only four years. 
 He baptized 123 infants, and when resigning his call, Au- 
 gust 17, 1735, left 119 persons in the communion of the 
 church, G7 ot whom were in the congregation of Freehold, 
 and ^2 in that of Middletown. 
 
 The year following the resignation of Mr. Haeghoort, 
 the Rev. Keynhard Erickzon was recommended to the 
 Consistory as one who would probably be found an accept- 
 able pastor, by the Rev. Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuy- 
 sen,* of Raritan. The result is thus recorded in the 
 haiidwritini; of Mr. Frelinirhuvsen : 
 
 * The first minister of the Reformed Cliurch in Central New Jersey, 
 1720. Gilbert Tennent, George Whitfield and Jonatlian Edwards speak 
 of liim as one of tlie great divines of the American church. He was the 
 j[reat grandfather of the late Hon. Theodore Frelinghuysen, who for many 
 years was President of Rutgers College. — See Coni'in\i Manual of Rvf. Ch., 
 pp. 87. 
 
33 
 
 " In the year 1730, in Decenaber, a meeting of the Consistory was held 
 at Freehold of the Navasink, at which were read the call of the Rev. Reyn- 
 bard Erickzon, and his honorable dismission and certificate from the con- 
 gregration at Schenectady. The which certificate being found lawful and 
 constitutional, the Rev. R. Erickzon was received and recognized as pas- 
 tor and teacher of the congregation of Freehold and Middletown, by the 
 Rev. Consistory of that place. 
 
 "T. J. FRELINGHUYSEN, President Pro Tem." 
 
 During the first twelve years of Air. Erickzon's min- 
 istry, after which for some cause the record ceases, 80 
 were added to the communion of the church. He bap- 
 tized 708 infants. On the 20th of May he administer- 
 ed the rite to Garitje and Jantje, twin daugliters of 
 William Cowenhoven and Elizabeth Aumack. When 
 recording the baptism of his own son the Dominie is very 
 explicit in stating the time of his birth. The record reads : 
 " Wilem, born the 12th of September, 1737, at ten o'clock 
 in the morning." He was the first pastor of the church 
 to keep a record of marriages, 44 of which he solemnized 
 during the first ten years of his ministry, when the record 
 ceases. The lirst marriage recorded is that of Johannes 
 Langstraat and i\.ntje Kouwenhove, Dec. 17, 1736. The 
 records show that it was not as easy to get married in 
 those days as it is at present. The law made it necessary 
 for the persons desirous of being joined in wedlock to 
 have their names entered on the church register, together 
 with the places of their birth and their present residences, 
 and public notice given of their purpose three or four 
 weeks before the marriage ceremony was performed. 
 Failing in this they were obliged to procure a special 
 license from the Governor of the Colony. An extract 
 from the records may he of interest to those who are con- 
 templating matrimony : 
 
 " In 1740, October 4th, there was entered and published the mutual 
 purpose of marriage of Jan Sutveen, a young man born and living in 
 Freholt, and Pieternella Stout, a young woman born in Middletowne and 
 living in Freholt, and October 30th they were married."' 
 
 " In 1741, Aug. 12th, Roelef Couwenhoven, a young man, and Jan- 
 netje Hen dri kzon, a young woman, with his Excellencies License were 
 married." 
 
34 
 
 The license they procured — following the form then 
 in use, as I timl it in an old issue of the New York Ga- 
 zette — probably read as follows : 
 
 "By his Excellency, Lewis Morris, Esq., Captain General and Gover- 
 nor-in-riiief of the Province of New Jersey in America, Vice Admiral of 
 the same, ami Colonel in His Majesty's army, to auy Protestant minister : 
 Whereas there is a mutual purpose of marriage between Roelef Couwen- 
 hoven of Freehold, Monmouth county, of the one party, and Jannelje Hen- 
 driksou of the same place, spinster, of the other party, for which they have 
 desired my license, and have given bond upon conditions that neither of 
 them have any lawful let or impediment of precontract, affinity or con- 
 sanguinity to hinder their being joined in the holy bonds of matrimony ; 
 these are therefore to authorize and empower you to join the said Roelef 
 Couwenhoven and Jannetje Hendrikzon in the holy bonds of matrimony, 
 and them to pronounce man and wife. 
 
 "Given under my hand and prerogative seal at Kingsbury, the IGlh 
 day of July, in the 15th year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George 
 tbe 2d, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, 
 Defender of the Faith, Annoque Domini, 1741. 
 
 ( ) Sect. LEWIS MORRIS." 
 
 8uch a license was quite expensive, and therefore by 
 far the greater number preferred to have their names en- 
 tered on tlie cliurch register, and their purpose of mar- 
 riage published from the pulpit, although the expectant 
 bride, if present at the time, was suffused with blushes, or, 
 if not very pious and unable to pass such a trying ordeal, 
 denied herself for a time the privilege of attending the 
 services of the sanctuary. Customs may change, but wo- 
 man remains the same. 
 
 Dominie Erickzon was a Swede. He came to Amer- 
 ica in 172r>. He was then about 25 years of age. He 
 sailed from Holland with his brother and sist'er in the ship 
 King (TTOorge, Captain Saul l*ayton. He was iirst settled 
 at Hackensack, Paramas and Schraalenbergh, where his 
 labors were very greatly blessed of God, and converts 
 were multiplied. After a three 3'ears ministry he re- 
 moved to Schenectady, and there also was cheered and 
 greatly encouraged by constant and growing accessions 
 to the communion of the church. 
 
 For a portion of the time he ministered at •stated 
 periods to the people of Schoharie, in the Old Dutch 
 
35 
 
 Church, of which, in after years, my father was pastor, and 
 whicli still stands, although, unoccupied for many years, 
 at the northern end of Scholiarie village, a memento of 
 the Kevolution, and associated with the memories of my 
 own childhood. 
 
 When entering upon liis labors here, Mr. Erickzon 
 was in the prime of life, an experienced jjastor, and a suc- 
 cessful minister. He was a man of considerable intellect- 
 ual ability, highly esteemed by his ministerial associates, 
 and influential in the counsels of the church. He was as- 
 sociated with the Frelinghuysens, Goetschius, Harden- 
 bergh and Westerlo in preparing young men for the 
 Gospel ministry. Johannes Schuyler, who for along time 
 was the only pastor of the Reformed Church in Schoharie 
 county, was one of his pupils. Tlie period of Mr. Erick- 
 zon's ministry was one of confusion and high party spirit 
 througliout the Dutch churches— occasioned by a differ- 
 ence of opinion concerning the maintenance or the disso- 
 lution of the connection subsisting between the churches 
 of America and the Classis of Amsterdam, Holland. From 
 the first settlement of the country the churches had looked 
 to this Classis for clerical supplies. Ministers were or- 
 dained by them with the approbation of the Synod of 
 North Holland, and then sent to America to preach the 
 Gospel. The churches here were denied the privilege 
 of granting license to their own young men. To be or- 
 dained, a man was compelled to journey to Holland. 
 This arrangement, because of its great inconvenience as 
 the churches increased, became burdensome and odious 
 to a large portion of the church membership. Those in 
 favor of its abandonment, and the organization of an in- 
 dependent Classis in this country, were called the Ccetus, 
 while those who desired to remain under the care of the 
 Classis of Amsterdam, were called the Coiifercntia. The 
 controversy was bitter, fierce and long. Some congrega- 
 tions were rent in twain, and evil passions aroused, wlik-h 
 issued in personal animosity and hatred. The confer- 
 •entia party was the most violent, but of both we can say : 
 
36 
 
 " Opponents of that stubborn sort were they, 
 Wlio, if they once grow fond of an opinion. 
 They, call it honor, honesty, and faith, 
 And sooner i)art with life than let it go." 
 
 Dr. Strong tells us, in his history of Flatbiish, from 
 which locality a largo number of oar Monmouth county 
 families immigrated, that on one occasion two of these 
 ecclesiastical opponents meeting on the highway in their 
 wagons, they refused to turn out for one another. The 
 horses were stopped liead to head. For awh.ile the two 
 men gazed at each other furiously. Each then deliber- 
 ately took out his pipe, and filling it with tobacco, com- 
 menced to smoke — and there they sat and smoked and 
 smoked. Their pipes grew hot but still they smoked. — 
 How long I know not. It may be that at last their pipes 
 proved a calumet of peace. Tobacco is soothing. A poet 
 has said that : 
 
 " Savage warriors, softened by its breath. 
 
 Unbind the captive hate had doom'd to death." 
 
 But from what is known of Dutch perseverence, we 
 can probably say of these conferentia and coetus antao-- 
 onists, as it is written in song : 
 
 " If they are not dead, 
 
 They are smoking there still." 
 
 Mr. Erickzon belonged to the coetus party. Both 
 he and his Elder, Mr. J. Sutphin, subscribed the articles 
 of organization in 1738. At the first mectino; of the 
 coetus, nine years after, in 1747, Mr. P>ickzon was pres- 
 ent with his Elder, Matthew Pieterson, and was chosen 
 president. His name, as such, appears on the commission 
 granted by the coetus party, in 1751^, to the Kev. Theodo- 
 rus Frclinghuysen* to solicit funds in Holland for found- 
 ing a Dutch Academy or Seminary in America, "in 
 
 * He was the son of Rev. Theodorus Jncobns Frelingluiysen. He sailed 
 from New York, Oct. 10th, 1759, to fulfill his commission, but he never 
 returned. There is a mystery concerning his fate. The plans thus inau- 
 gurnled were not consun.mnled until si.xteeii years later, v\ hen Qnetn's, 
 now Rutgers, College was chartered.— " Corvin'x Mamiul." 
 
37 
 
 which should be taught both the arts and theology." In 
 this we learn the origin of the College and Seminary at 
 New Brunswick, which have furnished the Reformed 
 Church with the great majority of her ministers. 
 
 Towards the close of his pastorate, because of some 
 personal oftense, Mr. Erickzon joined the conferentia par- 
 ty, but never became a very active partisan. He was 
 married twice. The first time in 1726, at Hackensack, to 
 Maria Provost. The second time, while settled here, in 
 1736, to Sarah Luyster, the widow of Rulif Brokaw, and 
 daughter of Johannes Luyster and Lucretia Brower, who 
 resided near Middletown village. In tlie latter" part of 
 his ministry— which lasted for twenty-seven years— he be- 
 came a victim to the drinking customs of the day. The 
 Consistory made out charges against him, withheld his 
 salary and excluded him from the pulpit. He continued 
 to reside in the parsonage until 1770, six years after his 
 successor was called. He then removed to New Bruns- 
 wick, and resided with his daughter, Mrs. Van Norden. 
 He died soon after tliis, and his widow returned to Mid- 
 dletown, her native place. His remains, it is said, were 
 also conveyed to Monmouth county for burial. If so, he 
 lies in an unknown grave, tliough wor,thy of being honor- 
 ed as one of the fathers of the American Reformed Church. 
 An excellent portrait of him is in the possession of Rev. 
 Garret C. Scheuck. 
 
 In justice to th^ memory of Dominie Morgan and 
 Dominie Erickzon, both of whom, when advanced in life, 
 were " overtaken with a fault," through the drinking 
 customs of the day, it seems to me necessary to di-aw the 
 vail from a portion of liistory I would gladly overlook— 
 the universal use in that day of intoxicating liquors. 
 During the eighteenth century every family used wine or 
 rum, more freely and frequently than they now use tea or 
 coffee. It was a breach of etiquette not to ofier your 
 guests some sort of liquor, a greater breach for the guest 
 to refuse the offered cup. The Dominie, in visiting his 
 congregation, was expected to drink at every house h^'e en- 
 
38 
 
 tered. Those still living, liav6 told me of their giving 
 great offence to christian families, when they first entered 
 the ministry, by refusing to drink with them. Farmers 
 thought it impossible to get through harvest without pro- 
 viding their hired men with plenty of rum. Wine flowed 
 freely, not only at weddings, but even at funerals. Many 
 who entered the ministry, not more than fifty years ago, 
 w^ere denounced and persecuted, because of their teaching 
 the necessity of total abstinence. The wonder is not, 
 that now and then, in advanced life, a minister of the 
 Gospel fell before the vice. The wonder is, that the 
 church itself was not utterly destroyed. Nothing but the 
 omnipotent grace of the Lord Jesus Christ saved it from 
 annihilation. It becomes us to send on high loud halle- 
 lujahs of thanksgiving to God for the great change 
 wrought in opinion and sentiment and custom, through 
 the power of the Gospel, and to cherisli towards those 
 who having fought boldly and manfully for God in the 
 prime of life, but who through the weakness of old age un- 
 wittingly went astray, that charity, without which our own 
 character is nothing. The Captain of our Salvation leads 
 many a wounded, crippled soldier to glory. 
 
 The venerable Dr. James S. Canon has related an in- 
 cident that occurred not long after the Consistory of this 
 church denied Dominie Erickzon the use of the pulpit. 
 The Dominie was in company, one evening, at the house 
 of a friend in the city of New York, with one Eirens Van 
 Der Speigel, who seems to have been — 
 
 " A creature of one mighty sense, 
 Concentrated impudence." 
 
 In the course of tlie evening they chanced to converse 
 nj)on the duties of the ministry. Mr. Erickzon dwelt 
 much on their arduous nature. Mr. Van Der Speigel 
 thouglit there was much to be done in the way of visiting, 
 attending funerals, and olhei- pastoral lal)ors, but as to 
 prcac/iiv(/, that was nothing. Mr. Erickzon thought he 
 knew very little of whnt he aflirmed. But Van Der Spei- 
 gel said, he thought he could himself preach as good a 
 
39 
 
 sermon as any other man. Mr. Erickzon replied, " I 
 would like to see you make the attempt." " I am willino- 
 to do so," xVIr. Van Der Speigel said, " if you will give 
 me an opportunity." It was then agreed that the same 
 party should meet at a private house, on a certain evening 
 and that Mr. Van Der Speigel should preach. The eve- 
 ning arrived. The party assembled, and by private invi- 
 tations and the earnest solicitations of Mr. Erickzon, had 
 been swelled to quite a large audience ; a hymn was suno- 
 and the Dominie requested to lead in prayer, which he 
 did, and then took his seat directly in front of the speak- 
 er. Mr. Van Der Speigel took his text " Be not drunk 
 with wine wherein is excess," and proceeded in a bold 
 and eloquent manner to deliver a discourse which had 
 been previously delivered by a minister in Holland, be- 
 fore his Classis, at the deposition of a minister for intem- 
 perance, and which Mr. Van Der Speigel had committed 
 thoroughly to memory. As he proceeded to speak of the 
 evils of intemperance in general, Mr. Erickzon became 
 uneasy in his seat. As he went on to speak of its aggra- 
 vations in professors of religion, Mr. Erickzon began to 
 wriggle exceedingly, turning now one side and now the 
 other to the speaker, and glancing furtively around upon 
 the assembly. xMr. Van Der Speigel at length came to 
 the main branch of his discourse, "the evirinfluence of 
 intemperance in a minister of the Gospel." Mr. Erick- 
 zon's choler rose higher and his position in his chair was 
 changed more frequently, until the application of the dis- 
 course becoming too pointed to be longer endured, he 
 sprang to his feet and with a signilicant^gesture, similar 
 to that of a man in whipping his horse, he exclaimed, in 
 Dutch, " I can no longer bear it and I will no longer bear 
 it." He was as good as his word. He abandoned excess. " 
 He became temperate. Both he and Dominie Morgan, 
 though they fell, like Noah, like Noah rose again victorious- 
 ly, and triumphed through the grace of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ. A cloud sometimes obscures the sun, but after a lit- 
 tle while the sun shines again as brightly as ever ; and so 
 
40 
 
 the lives of these two men, obscured for a moment by a 
 passing cloud, shine out at tiie hist brightly and gloriously. 
 Their foes were mighty, tlic conflict was tierce, but they 
 came oft" as conquerors through llim who loved them ; and 
 receivintr the crown, heard their victory proclaimed in the 
 blessed words, " Well done, enter into the joy of your 
 
 Lord." 
 
 Fn 1704, the same year in which Mr. Erickzon's min- 
 istry closed, Rev. Benjamin DuBois, a young man, just 
 licensed by the American Classis to preach the Gospel, 
 was called to occupy the vacant pulpit. There is no re- 
 cord to be found of his installation and ordination. 
 
 Tie was born at Pittsgrove, Salem county, N. J., 
 March 30th, 1739, and was baptised in the Presbyterian 
 church there in which his tiither was an . Elder. He 
 Avas the son of Lewis DuBois, a lineal descendent of the 
 French Huguenots of New Paltz. His mother's name 
 was Margaret Jansen, who was born in Kingston, of Low 
 Dutch descent. He was educated at Poughkeepsie, and 
 studied theology with Pev. Johannes H. Goetschius, of 
 Hackensack, N. J. A short time after his settlement 
 here, he married Phemertje Denise, the daughter of Tunis 
 Denise and Francynthe Hendrickson, of Freehold, a wo- 
 man of intelligence and activity, sprightly, prudent and 
 pious. They had ten children, four sons and six daugh- 
 ters, all of whom wore married, were highly respected for 
 their virtuous principles and became members in full com- 
 munion of the Church of Christ. Four of them settled in 
 this locality, and their descendents are very largely repre- 
 sented here to-day, among those who are active in the 
 I work of the Lord. When Mr. DuBois commenced his 
 ' ministry, the coetus and conferentia difficulties were at 
 I their height. lie had preached l)ut a short time when he 
 delivered a sermon, which greatly displeased his predeces- 
 sor, Mr. Erickzon, who still resided in the congregation, 
 and then consorted with the conferentia party. The con- 
 gregation was divided in opinion and sentiment. The con- 
 trovcrsv grew mort' and moio intense for years. The 
 
41 
 
 Conferentia party became extremely violent. They re- 
 fused to attend religions services conducted by Mr. Du 
 Bois. They even went so far as to call for the perform- 
 ance of the appropriate duties of their pastor, by one of 
 the ministers of their own party from a neighboring con- 
 gregation. A minute is entered on tlie records of the 
 church, from which it appears, that in 1770, the Rev. 
 Isaac Rysdyck, pastor of the churches at Fishkill, Hope- 
 well and N'ew Hackensack, a violent partisan and one of 
 the most prominent of the Conferentia party, visited the 
 congregation, and on the 16th of September, baptised five 
 children at Middletown. A few days after he baptised 
 another child, and together with the Elders of the church 
 at Middletown, received five persons into the communion 
 of the church, on confession of their faith. At this time, 
 it is said, to the honor of the congregation, the church 
 was closed against Mr. Rysdyck, who was compelled to 
 preach in a barn, somewhere in Middletown. At this 
 time he also administered the sacrament of the Lord's 
 Supper to the Conferentia party. A more unwarrantable 
 interference with the duties of a pastor, or a o-reater 
 breach of ministerial etiquette it is difficult to imagine. 
 But the disturbing forces were happily quieted by Mr. 
 DuBois. Three years after the unpleasant occurence he 
 entered the names of the persons thus received, and of the 
 baptised children, upon the church register, with tlje fol- 
 lowing explanation : " Names of the children baptised, 
 with the names of their respective parents, also the names 
 of the members who were received by a confession of 
 their faith, in the congregation at Middletown, by Dominie 
 Isaac Rysdyck, Sept. 10th, 1770— being a time of the dif- 
 ferences in the congregation — tlie which persons after the 
 time of union, by me. Dominie Benjamin DuBois, were 
 entered on the church register of the combined Reformed 
 congregations of Freehold and Middletown."* 
 
 * Of this Rev. Isaac Rysdyck, Dr. Brownlee says ; "He was in his day 
 considered the most learned theologian in tlie Dutch church." Dr. Kip 
 in his history of the Fishkill church, says that Dominie Rysdyck '" be- 
 lonc^ed to tiie Conferentia party, but ne%'er manifested much bitterness of 
 spirit." The facts I have related speak for themselves. 
 
42 
 
 Tradition has preserved a domestic scene, which shows 
 that although Dominie DuBois and Dominie Erickzon 
 differed in rehxtion to tlie question of tlie Coetus, they did 
 not permit tlieir difFcrences to disturb friendly relations 
 between themselves and their families. They were inti- 
 mate acquaintances for many years. One time, while 
 on a visit at the old parsonage, we are told that Air. 
 Van Norden, who married the daughter of Dominie Erick- 
 zon, chanced to meet Mr. David Van Der Veer, who had 
 married the daughter of Dominie DuBois. While convers- 
 ing with each other, Mr. VanXorden, pointing to a par- 
 ticular place on the floor of the room in which they were 
 sitting, said, " That is the place where I stood when I mar- 
 ried my wife." " And that is the very spot wliere I mar- 
 ried mine," replied Mr, Van Der Veer. " But I," said 
 Mr. Van Norden, " married a Dominie's daughter." 
 " Well," said Mr. Van Der Veer, " so did I marry a Domi- 
 nie's daughter." " But this was my wife's home," said 
 Mr. Van Norden, "and her father joined us in marriage." 
 " And this," said Mr. Van Der Veer, " was my wife's 
 home, and her father joined us in marriage." They both 
 thought, as I think, having enjoyed the same privilege, 
 that there is nothing to be compared with marrying a 
 Dominie's daughter, unless it be the marrying of some- 
 body else's daughter. 
 I During this period of Mr. DuBois's ministry, a new 
 
 house of worship was erected at Middletown, on the place 
 I where the old one stood. The subscription for defraying 
 i the necessary expenses bears date February tlie 28th, 1764, 
 This was in the midst of the Coetus difficulties ; and the 
 decided Conferentia principles of the congregation are 
 manifested by the peculiar wording of the subscription. 
 It is exjjressly stipulated, " The church for which we sub- 
 scribe is to be the National Church of the High Synod 
 of Dort, established in the years 1(118 and 1619." 
 On this paper w-e find the names of 63 subscribers. The 
 amount of their subscription is 335 pounds; 14 pounds is the 
 largest sum subscribed, and lo the credit of the ladies, who 
 
43 
 
 are generally foremost in good works, when they have 
 means at their own disposal, it is the subscription of " Mrs. 
 Jane Schenck, widow." The house of worship thus erect- 
 ed was known for many years as the Red Meeting House. 
 It corresponded in size with the one at Freehold, and was 
 very much such a building. It was used for divine wor- 
 ship until the erection of the Holmdel church. 
 
 In 178/> the church building at Freehold was repaired 
 and improved. A chimney was built and a large stove 
 purchased. The rude benches which had formerly been 
 used were taken out and replaced with pews. To meet 
 this expense the pews were sold at public auction. 
 The terms of the sale are carefully penned in the 
 hand-writing of the pastor. From these it appears all 
 right and title to a pew should cease so soon as a pew- 
 holder or his heirs should cease to pay for the support of 
 the minister. Preference was also given to certain per- 
 sons, on account of extraordinary services rendered by 
 them, over and above the rest of the congregation. These 
 favored ones were Garret Cowenhoven, Esq., John Tyle, 
 Benjamin Van Cleef, Cornelius Cowenhoven and William 
 Cowenhoven. To these persons it was granted, that they 
 should have, as of their own right, the choice of each one 
 a pew, to be held by them on the same' terms with others. 
 The seats in the gallery were not overlooked. Concern- 
 ing them it was: ''Resolved, The seats on the gallery shall 
 be free for any : only the subscribers and singers shall 
 have the preference to seat themselves wherever they 
 choose, so as may suit best for carrying on the difi'erent 
 parts ot music." 
 
 There was considerable contention about this time 
 in relation to the singing. The younger portion of the 
 congregation, who conducted this part of the worship, 
 were desirous of using new tunes, which the older peo- 
 ple could not sing, nor enjo}'. The dissatisfaction thus 
 occasioned, and to a certain extent very reasonably occa- 
 sioned, assumed an aspect so serious as to demand the 
 attention of the Consistory. On the 26th of February, 
 
44 
 
 1787, a long list of resolutions were passed, reviewing the 
 whole matter in an original manner, and concluding as 
 follows : 
 
 " Resoloed, Tluit tlie Consistory, not wishing to Lord it over God's 
 heritajre, will not with stern command saj' to our congreoralions, you shall 
 or you shall not improve nor practice in any collection of Psalm tunes 
 whatever. We leave the christian where God hath left him, to the liberty 
 of his own conscience, to sing in private what Psalm or Psalm tune he 
 please, and wben he sings in consort, we recommend him to sing in order 
 and decently, as the Apostle would have all things should be done." 
 
 The contention respecting the change from Dutch to 
 English preaching, commenced with the settlement of Mr. 
 DuBois. The English language was introduced in the 
 Freeliold congregation during theiirst year of his ministry^ 
 without much opposition. But not so at Middletown. In 
 that congregation there were some who yielded a very re- 
 hictant consent, and a few who bitterly opposed it to the 
 very last. At a meeting of the Consistory in 1766, held 
 at Freehold, it was "Resolved, that those who wish to en- 
 joy the services of our minister in the English language, in 
 our church at Middletown, shall have their request to the 
 half of the service in that congregation." About twenty 
 years after this, in 1785, it was resolved in a church coun- 
 cil at Middletown, that the Dutch and English preaching 
 shall be in proportion to Dutch and English subscription 
 for salar3\ The following year it was ascertained, in com- 
 pliance with this resolution, that the proportion of Dutch 
 service should not be more than three Sabbaths a year, 
 and it was left to the option of the pastor to make an ad- 
 dress in English, after the Dutch service. It Avas also 
 " Resolved, that if for the want of Dutch singers it seem 
 expedient, the pastor, if he choose, may have English 
 singing and preach in Dutch.'' The Dominie, I am con- 
 fident, enjoyed the preaching in Dutch. 
 
 The English language was a ibreign tongue. The 
 story is told, that several years ago, an aged lady, who 
 when young dwelt in this vicinity, but wlio had been 
 a resident of nnotlier State for a long lime, was asked if 
 slie rfmenibcred anv of the Schcncks, of Monmouth coun- 
 
45 
 
 tj, New Jersey ? " Oh, yes," she replied, " I remember 
 one who had a cliild baptised, by the name of De La Fa- 
 yette." "What makes you remember that ?" her ques- 
 tioner inquired. "Because," she answered, "Dominie 
 DuBois, the good man, stuttered so, and made such a fuss 
 in pronouncing the name, I have never forgotten it." 
 
 The revolutionary war was the occasion of much dis- 
 turbance and difficulty in the congregation. The County 
 of Monmouth, from its peculiar position, was especially 
 exposed. It was liable, not only to frequent raids from 
 foreign enemies, but suffered, it is said, to a great extent 
 from the Refugees, the lawless tories wlio took up arms 
 against their former neighbors. 
 
 Families were divided in sentiment ; fathers and sons 
 took different sides. At one time the Refugees gained 
 the ascendency and held possession of Freehold village for 
 a week or ten days. They were driven out by the Whigs. 
 Thirteen were executed at different times, on a gallows 
 that stood in the vicinity of the Court House. " Many 
 were sent as prisoners to Ilagerstown. The Refugees 
 were so annoying, tliat the inhabitants favorable to the 
 popular cause, bound themselves together for the purpose 
 of defense, by articles of agreement. 
 
 The names of nearly all, who com'posed tJds congre- 
 gation, are signed to these articles. The name of Mr. 
 DuBois is not to be found, but it is probably because he 
 was a minister of the Gospel. He frequently shouldered 
 his gun and his knapsack, and went out in his turn on 
 patrol "like a pack-horse," as was sneeringly said by a 
 noted tory of his congregation. He is said to have been 
 perfectly fearless. One day, when out in a skirmish, he 
 was so eager to press upon the enemy, he could not be 
 kept in line, and Col. Holmes was obliged to make a dif- 
 ferent disposition of his troops, to prevent him from being 
 singled out and shot down. Returning home from one of 
 his military expeditions with a friend, they beheld at a 
 distance a party of British passing by ; they were too far 
 off to do them any injury, but the Dominie laid his gun 
 
46 
 
 on an old fence, deliberately took aim and fired, remark- 
 ing pleasantly, " They will not be able to say, after this, 
 that I have never fired at the enemy." He frequently 
 commended the Patriot cause in his sermons, and invaria- 
 bly made their struggle for liberty the subject of his pub- 
 lic prayers. 
 
 The difficulties and troubles we have mentioned 
 bear eloquent testimony to the christian character of 
 Mr. DuBois. Dwelling among a people of discordant 
 views on a variety of subjects, an officious neighboring 
 minister, interfering with his labors and fomenting dis- 
 cord ; the worst passions of the human heart, stirred by 
 the exciting political issues of the da}', war raging and 
 the people of his charge sympathizing with opposing 
 armies and factions, he must have been a man of more 
 than ordinary wisdom, meekness, prudence and discre- 
 tion, inasmuch as lie maintained his ground and conduct- 
 ed himself in such a manner as to win the confidence and 
 esteem of those who difl^ered from him. He continued 
 the pastor of this very people for 63 years. 
 
 In 1817 he was relieved from the active duties of the 
 ministr}' by the labors of a colleague, but he was never de- 
 clared Emeritus, and the pastoral relation was dissolved 
 only by his death. He was the settled pastor of this 
 church for 63 years. That is by far the longest pastor- 
 ate in the historj' of the Reformed Church in Ameri- 
 ca. It is not probable that any minister has remained the 
 pastor of the same people for a longer time. Very few 
 continue so long as did he, 53 years in the discharge of 
 the full round of ministerial duties. 
 
 He received 166 persons into the communion of the 
 church, baptised 1,283 infimts, married 725 couples. The 
 last marriage ceremony he performed, was Sept. 28, 1818, 
 when he united in marriage Denise Denise and Altie 
 Hulse. 
 
 In recording baptisms he iiuuigurated a custom con- 
 tinued through the ministry of Mr. Marcellus, of desig- 
 nating certain parents as " not re8pohsil)le " or as "not 
 
47 
 
 in "' the baptismal engagement. The first of these is very 
 curious. It reads, " 1783, April 6th, Benjamin McDan- 
 nel, not in covenant, Mary Easlick, liis wife, in covenant 
 and deceased." Well versed in the Scriptures, the Domi- 
 nie knew that tlie child of a believer was born in the 
 church and belonged to tlie church, and although its 
 mother had gone to the heavenly home on high, ought to 
 be consecrated to God in holy baptism. The name of 
 Mary Cowenhoven is recorded as sponsor or God-mother 
 at this baptism. It was not a rare thing to have sponsors 
 in that day. The custom long ago became obsolete, none 
 appearing later than 1804. 
 
 Dominie DuBois was the first to record the election 
 of Kirken Masters for each of the churches, a term he 
 afterwards translates " Saxt07W." They were elected an- 
 nually, and only once or twice was the same person 
 chosen for successive years. The services they rendered 
 were entirely gratuitous. The position was considered 
 one of dignity and honor. The first whose names are re- 
 corded, were chosen May 16th, 1765. For Middletown, 
 Garret Hendrickson. For Freehold, Cornelius Cowen- 
 hoven, son of one Albert Cowenhoven. The last whose 
 names are recorded, were cliosen May loth, 1817. For 
 Middletown, Peter Smock, son of one RoelifiSmock. For 
 Freehold, Elisha Schenck. In 1815 this ofiice at Freehold 
 was occupied by Mr. Peter VanDorn, whose death oc- 
 curred only a few months ago. 
 
 During the ministry of Mr. DuBois, Communion Sab- 
 baths were called Great Meeting days. The audience was 
 larger than at any other time. Every communicant, if 
 possible, was present. The services were long. Many 
 brought a lunch to eat between the morning and after- 
 noon sessions. It was a time of reunion and friendly 
 cheer, as well as of holy communion with God. But this 
 is not all. There were in those days, as now there are, 
 those who improved every opportunity to make a few 
 pennies. There was in front of the old church a large 
 chestnut tree, and under that tree on Great Meeting days 
 
48 
 
 tlicre ^vas alAvays to be seen a man with a wagon offering 
 for sale cake and small beer. Nor were customers lacking. 
 After the sermon the great majority of those who were 
 not communicants, were in the habit of leaving the church 
 and thought it no harm to refresh themselves with the 
 offered cake and beer. There are those now living 
 who can remember, that as children, they beguiled the 
 time of service by feeling of the pennies in their pockets, 
 with which they expected to treat themselves at the small 
 beer wagon, when the sermon closed. 
 
 The Sabbatli was also most frequently chosen as a 
 wedding day. Friends were invited from far and near 
 and a great feast made. The Dutch have always been 
 proverbial for their hospitality. So frequent were Sunday 
 weddings, not onl}' here, but generaUy throughout the 
 land, that both Synod and Classis thouglit it necessary to 
 condemn the custom, and I learn from a minute in 
 the records of the church, that from the pulpit Dominie 
 DuBois expressed his disapproval of Sunday weddings, 
 and exhorted the people " not to marry on the Lord's day, 
 but in case of necessity." 
 
 Funerals also were attended with a large amount of 
 unnecessary labor. There was much cooking and feast- 
 ing. All the friends were expected to return to the house 
 and partake of a good meal. Sunday, of all days, was con- 
 sidered the best for these funeral ceremonies, which not 
 unfrequently were attended with disorder. Such things 
 seem to us to be highly im[)ro[)er. But we should not 
 Ibrget that our views are clearer, and our ideas more ex- 
 alted, simply because of the influence of the church our 
 ancestor.M maintaine(l, and niir inslruction in the truth, 
 which for us they ])erpetuated, 
 
 A minute of the Consistory, which touehingly por- 
 trays th(^ Dominie's love for his wife, and his desire to 
 make li;iit])y the closing years of her life, bears date Decem- 
 ber llJth, 171>5. Tt contains an agreement between himself 
 and (he Consistory, Ihat it Mrs. DuBois should survive 
 him, " she should roniaiii in the full use and quiet posses- 
 
49 
 
 sion of the parsonage for the term of two years." The ac- 
 tion of the Consistory, in 1817, settled an annuity of $150 
 upon both the Dominie and his wife, tiie benefit of which 
 Mrs. DuBois enjoyed until 96 years of age, when she 
 peacefully and quietly entered the home on high. Her 
 remains were interred by the side of her husband's in 
 front of the church.* 
 
 Mr. DuBois was not a man of worldy ambition, but 
 one Avho sought to glorify God and be faithful to his trust. 
 Retiring and modest, he lived and labored among his own 
 people. But little is known of his public life. That lit- 
 tle, however, is not without interest. On the 7th of May, 
 1771, he was present at a meeting held at Hackensack, 
 for the purpose of settling the location of Rutgers College. 
 Two places desired the distinction and honor, Hacken- 
 sack and New Brunswick. By a small majority of three, 
 it was carried in tavor of New Brunswick. Mr. DuBois 
 voted thus, as he always did, with the party of progress, 
 independence and liberty, led by the Rev. Dr. Jacob R. 
 Hardenbergh, who became the first Presidenfof the col- 
 lege, and who was the great-grand-father of your present 
 pastor. To me it is not the least of the precious memo- 
 ries of the past, that frequently your ancesters and mine 
 labored together, as we are laboring together, for the pro- 
 motion of God's glory. 
 
 In 1777, Mr. DuBois, with his Elder, Mr. AartSutphin, 
 was present at the first meeting of the General Synod of 
 the Reformed Church in America; and subsequently 
 with the Elder, Mr. Tunis Denise, signed the articles of 
 agreement which formed the Dutch Churches of Ameri- 
 
 * The tomb of Mrs. DuBois bears tliis inscription : " In memory of 
 Phebe Denise, relict of tlie Rev. Benjamin DuBois, wlio departed tbis life 
 January 7th, 1839, aged 95 years, 4 months and 26 days." 
 " could this tomb her fair example spread, 
 And teach the living, while it praised the dead ; 
 Then, reader, should it speak her hope divine, 
 Not to record her faith but strengthen thine; 
 Then should her christian virtues stand confessed, 
 And kindle christian virtues in thy breast." 
 
50 
 
 ca into one ecclesiastical body, June 18th, 1772. At 
 the special session of the Synod of 1786, of whicll Synod 
 Mr. DuBois was clerk, " the Reverend Body was opened," 
 we are told, " with a solemn and earnest prayer by the clerk, 
 Rev. Benjamin DuBois; the president. Dr. Jacob R. Har- 
 denbergh, being as yet absent." 
 
 Fervent piety, ratlier than intellectual ability, was 
 his distinguishing characteristic. His ministry was faith- 
 ful and successful, his sermons sound, evangelical and 
 practical, his preaching scriptural, his zeal for his work 
 so ardent, that he kept on in very advanced life, un- 
 til his bodily strength would no longer support him un- 
 der its exhausting influence. He frequently fainted in 
 the pulpit. In person he was of medium size, with pleas- 
 ant features, and jet black eyes. He wore small clothes 
 and a large wig, which by reason of long use had turned 
 from white to yellow. A few still remember his appear- 
 ance, the large spectacles he wore,* and his solemn man- 
 ner of entering the pulpit. He always paused at the foot 
 of the pulpit steps, and placing his hat before his eyes, 
 bowed his head in silent prayer, before proceeding to take 
 his seat. A few years previous to the close of his life, he 
 removed from tlie parsonage to reside with his son-in- 
 law, Mr. David G. Van Der Veer. A short time after, 
 the dwelling was burned, and all the books, private pa- 
 pers and letters, together with the furniture belonging to 
 the Dominie, were consumed, a loss to the historian and 
 to all who are desirous of honoring his memory. He died 
 August 21st, 1827, thereby receiving the iiiliillment of 
 the promise, "Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, 
 like as a shock of corn comcth in in his season." He was 
 interred immediately in front of the church. The marble 
 slab on his tomb bears this inscription : 
 
 * The s|»ectiicle.s were exhibited to tlie audience- The glasses are set 
 in ivory, so discolored from nge ns to look like box wood. They are per- 
 fectly round, seven-eighths of an inch in diameter. The bows are steel, very 
 heavy ; each glass, with tin- ivory rim and steel bosv, is one and a half 
 inches in diameter. 
 
51 
 
 " In memory of Rev. Benjamin DuBois, who departed this life August 
 21st, 1827, aged 88 years, 4 montlis and 11 days." 
 
 "He was Pastor of the United Dutch Church of Freehold and Mid- 
 dletown 52 years. 
 
 " In his deportment he set a worthy example to his flock. In his 
 preaching he was sound, faithful and affectionate. 
 
 " He lived in peace, in peace he died. 
 His Master's glory near his heart. 
 He preached of Christ and none beside, 
 And with him now enjoys his part." 
 
 His funeral services were very largely attended. Rev. 
 Samuel A. Van Vranken officiated on the occasion, tak- 
 ing for his text, St. John 5 : 85. "He was a bright and 
 a shining light." 
 
 The Classis of New Brunswick, in session a short time 
 after his decease, when informed of the death of their 
 aged brother, caused the following minute to be placed 
 on their records : 
 
 " The Clasis, sensible of the worth of the venerable deceased, Resolved 
 to record this testimonial of regard to the memory of the Rev. Benjumin 
 DuBois, and they hereby assert their veneration for the uniform consis- 
 tency of his walk and conversation, and the uninterrupted fidelity with 
 which he discharged tke duties of his ministerial office. 'Blessed are the 
 dead who die in the Lord.' " 
 
 In 1817 the Classis of New Brunswick, in answer to 
 an application from the Consistory of the lieformed 
 Church of Freehold and Middletown for ministerial sup- 
 plies, because of the infirmities of their pastor, appointed 
 three young men, who had just been licensed, to occupy 
 the pulpit ; one was afterward known as Rev. Isaac N. 
 VVyckotf, D. D., for many years pastor of the Middle Re- 
 formed Church, at Albiiny. Another Avas afterwards 
 known as Rev. John Ludlow, D. D., L. L. D., Professor 
 of Hebrew, Ecclesiastical History, -Church Government 
 and Pastoral Theology. The third was afterward known 
 as Rev. Samuel A. Van Vranken, D. !>., Professor 
 of Didactic Theology. Each of the young men, if my 
 information is correct, discharged the duties of their ap- 
 pointment. If that was the case, a church seldom has 
 such a brilliant array of latent talent among its candi- 
 dates. 
 
52 
 
 The minds of the people were not at all distracted. 
 The last of the young men to display his gifts, was Mr. 
 Jolm Ludlow, who occupied the pulpit, it is said, the 
 second Sabbath of August, and in September the Consis- 
 tory presented a call to the Uqv. Mr. Van Vranken. Plis 
 ordination and installation as pastor, took place in the 
 Freehold church, the first Sabbath of April, 1818. The 
 sermon was preached by Rev. John L. Zabriskie. Revs. 
 James S. Canon, John S. Vredenbergh and Benjamin Du 
 Bois delivering the charges to the pastor and people, and 
 taking part in the devotional exercises. 
 
 The occasion was one of the deepest interest. More 
 than half a century had passed away since the congrega- 
 tion had assembled for a similar purpose. As the newly 
 installed pastor pronounced the benediction, many prayers 
 ascended on high for the perpetuity and prolongation of 
 the relation just formed. 
 
 Since the organization of the church, its pastors had 
 resided in the Freehold congregation, and now, as the 
 parsonage at Freehold was occupied by Mr. DuBois, the 
 Middletown people desired their new pastor to dwell 
 among them. To gratify their wishes, the Consistory in- 
 augurated measures for the purchase of a parsonage at 
 Middletown. The property selected, was that now occn- 
 pird by Rev. Dr. Reiley, of Holmdel. There Dr. Van 
 Vranken commenced house-keeping, and there he dwelt 
 until 182G. lie was born at Hopewell, in 1790. His fa- 
 ther was Rev. Nicholas Van Vranken, the principal of 
 a flourishing Academy, which proved the germ of Union 
 College. Uq was afterwards pastor of the Reformed 
 churches of Fishkill, Hopewell and Poughkeepsie. It is 
 said, that one day he was surprised by having an Elder 
 of hia church greet him with the remark: "Dominie, I 
 liear that a great woe has been pronounced against you; 
 u woe ujion the very highest authority ; ' woe unto the 
 man of whom all speak well.' " Samuel, it is said, re- 
 sembled his father. He graduated from the Theological 
 Seminary at New Brunswick, in 1817. A short time af- 
 
53 
 
 ter, he married Miss Maria Gaiisevoort, of Albany, a de- 
 scendant of Wessel Gansevoort, of Gronnigen, " one of 
 the Morning tStars of the Reformation in Holland."' This 
 lady died while Mr. Van Vranken was pastor of this 
 church. Her remains,* with those of her children, three 
 in number, and her mother's,! are interred in the adja- 
 cent burying ground. Her ancestors were among the 
 noblest of old Holland's sons, prominent actors in events 
 whose influence is still felt throughout Christendom. 
 
 Dr. Van Vranken was again married twice. First to 
 a Miss Swift, of Poughkeepsie, and then to Mrs. Mary 
 Boulden, of Delaware, who still survives him, honored 
 and esteemed by her acquaintances and friends, because 
 of her estimable christian character, deeply attached to 
 this, the church of her husband's first service, and present 
 with us to-day, to review the past, and to rejoice with us, 
 because of the Lord's goodness and mercy. 
 
 In 1834, after a pastorate of 16 years. Dr. Van Vran- 
 ken accepted a call to the First lieformed Church of 
 Poughkeepsie. Here he remained about three years, 
 when he removed to IS^'ew York and became pastor of the 
 Broome street congregation, from which position he was 
 called in 1841, by the General Synod of the Reformed 
 Church, to occupy the chair of Didactic' Theology, in the 
 Seminary at Kew Brunswick. This position he filled 
 with credit to himself, and honor to the church, until the 
 day of his death, January 1st, 1861. I was then a student 
 at College, and well remember the last sermon he ever 
 preached. His text, as if he had received intimation of 
 deatli's approach, was the 16th verse of the 7th chapter of 
 Job, " I would not live alway." The sermon was full of 
 
 * Mrs. Van Vranken's tomb bears this inscription : "In memory of Ma- 
 ria Gansevoort, wife of Rev. Samuel A. Van Vranken, who died June 19th, 
 1831, in the 35th year, of her age." 
 
 f This lady's tomb bears this inscription : » In memory of Elizabeth 
 Roseboom, relict of the late Conrad Gansevoort, of Albany. Died Jan- 
 uary 11th, 1850, aged 81 years, 17 days. Her holy virtues are sacred 
 memorials, embalmed in the hearts ofher children, who rise up and call 
 her blessed." 
 
54 
 
 expressions setting forth the grand and glorious hopes 
 which make peaceful and joyous our advance to the tomb. 
 It seemed to be the breathing forth of the ardent long- 
 ings of the speaker's heart, to be at home with Jesus : 
 and made one sigh for the same strong and precious faith. 
 
 As his character has been portrayed by abler pens 
 than mine, I will not mar the good work they have done. 
 A few extracts from that which others have written, will 
 be sufficient to indicate the noble type of his manhood. 
 
 " Ilis personal presence was imposing. His voice 
 rang out freely and clearly. The grasp of his hand was 
 animating, llis eye rested confidently upon you, and 
 when he spoke, you saw plainly that he was a man of a 
 frank and open disposition. In early life he preached 
 Memoriter. Every sermon was profitable. At commun- 
 ion seasons, in the prayer meeting, and often in social in- 
 tercourse, when he related some striking instance in 
 which the power of divine grace had been sweetlj' and 
 kindly manifested, his huge frame would quiver, his utter- 
 ance become choked, and his cheeks wet with tears." In 
 a word, " he was a highly intelligent, noble, christian gen- 
 tleman." It is said, he never lost a friend. So long as 
 he lived the officers of this church were accustomed to con- 
 sult him and seek his advice, assured that their interests 
 were dear to his heart. After his death they testified 
 their appreciation of his character by [)lacing on record a 
 minute, ju-cpared by Mr. William Spader, who at that 
 time, and for many years, was the clerk of the Consistory. 
 This minute says : 
 
 <' Wc remember, with gratitude to God, that this eminent minister of 
 Christ was ordained to the sacred office, and commenced his long and 
 useful career, in this church. He enjoyed, in a remarkable degree, the re- 
 spect and all'ections of the people of Monmouth county, and, although 
 many years have elapsed since his separation (rora them, their early attach- 
 ment has not been diminished. We recognize, even at this distant day, 
 the vigor and evangelical character of his mitiistry, in the prevalence of 
 sound doctrinal views, and the growth of the Reformed Dutch Church in 
 this community. As a further expression of our grateful remembrance of 
 the honored pastor and professor, it is : Resolved, by this Consistory, to 
 obtain a portrait of the Rev. Dr. Van Vranken, to be presented to the Gen- 
 
55 
 
 eral Synod, with a request that it may be permitted to hang in the Chapel 
 of the ' Peter Hertzog Theological Seminar^-.' " 
 
 The portrait thus procured may be seen in the James 
 Suj'dam Hall, of the Theological Seminary, at New Bruns- 
 wick. A worthy tribute to the memory of a worthy man. 
 
 In 1825, seven years after Mr. Van Vranken's instal- 
 lation, the Consistory petitioned the Classis of i^ew 
 Brunswick to organize two churches out of the church 
 they represented. The causes which led to such a request 
 were the great extent of the congregation, and the dis- 
 tance which many were compelled to travel every other 
 Sabbath to enjoy divine worship. There were twenty- 
 seven gates between the house of Mr. Uriah Smock, near 
 the village of Marlborough, and the church at Middletown, 
 to. be opened and shut, both in going to and returning 
 from church. Many other residences were shut in in like 
 manner. And now, the imperative necessity of a new 
 house of worship at Freehold, the location of which had 
 occasioned considerable feeling, and disturbed to some ex- 
 tent the peace of the congregation, brought on the issue, 
 shall we continue under one pastorate or become two dis- 
 tinct churches. 
 
 Dr. Van Vranken desired to build one large church 
 in the center of the two congregations, to take the place 
 of the two houses of worship in which he was then preach- 
 ing on alternate Sabbaths, He wished to concentrate his 
 forces and move upon the enemy with a solid army in- 
 stead of separate squadrons. The people were divided 
 in opinion. The Classis appointed a committee to 
 investigate the matter, possessing talent enough to set- 
 tle the gravest questions of State. Its chairman was 
 Rev. James S. Canon. Associated with him were Revs. 
 John L. Zabriskie and James B. Hardenbergh, and 
 the Elders, John Frelingliuysen, of Somerville, and Jacob 
 R. Hardenbergh, of New Brunswick, This committee, 
 after holding divine service in the church at Middletown, 
 met with a committee appointed by the two congregations, 
 to present their views, and then conferred with other pro- 
 
56 
 
 rnineiit and intiuentiul ones who chanced to be present. 
 Tlie meeting was harmonious, and with one mind desired 
 the division of the congreijation, believing it would tend to 
 the enlargement of" each of the congregations, and be the 
 means also of making friendship therein. Dr. Canon re- 
 commended the formation of the two congregations, ac- 
 cording to tlie requirements of the Church Constitution. 
 The Classis adopted Ids recommendation, and also, with 
 others, the following resolution : "'That the line which 
 divides the township of Freehold from the township 
 of Middletown be recommended to be the line of divi- 
 sion, for the present, between the the congregations of 
 Freehold and Middletown, when formed." By this ac- 
 tion of the Classis, the united congregations of Freehold 
 and Middletown, which for nearly a hundred and twenty- 
 five years had enjo^'ed the labors of the same pastors, had 
 mingled their voices in the worship of God, had conse- 
 crated their children to the Lord at the same baptismal 
 font, and had gathered about the same communion table, 
 mutual sharers in eacli others hopes and fears and pros- 
 perit}', was severed in twain, November 28th, 1825, the 
 larger portion becoming the First Reformed Church of 
 Freehold, tlie other the Reformed Church of Aliddletown, 
 wliich has since been incorporated the Reformed Church 
 ot Holmdel. 
 
 Henceforth their history flows in two distinct and 
 separate channels. I propose to trace the course *of only 
 the main branch of the divided stream, the First Re- 
 formed Cliurch of Freehold. Eighty families and sixty- 
 eight communicants were represejited by tliis corporate 
 title. The Consistory was composed of three Elders and 
 tiiree Deacons. Garret Wyckoff, Daniel I. Schenck 
 and Aaron Smock were the Elders ; Joseph Van Cleef, 
 Denise Sclienck and Garret G. Conover were the Deacons. 
 
 The first act of the Consistory was to extend a call to 
 the Rev. Samuel A. Van Vranken, to become their pas- 
 tor. It was accepted at once, and Mr. Van Vranken's re- 
 hition to the "United Congregation of Freehold and Mid- 
 
57 
 
 dletown," dissolved by Classis April 19th, 1826. On Sun- 
 day, the 22d of the previous January, he had preached a 
 farewell sermon to the Middletown congre*yation, and va- 
 cating their parsonage, had moved within the bounds of 
 the Freehold congregation, April 11th. .Mr. Van Vran- 
 ken was a very popular preacher, and his great populari- 
 ty as a pulpit orator caused the Classis, when dissolving 
 liis pastoral relation with tlie United Congregations, and 
 approving the call of the First Church of Freehold, to 
 adopt tlie useless and impracticable resolution, " that it 
 be enjoined upon the Consistories of Freehold and Mid- 
 dletown, so soon as may be convenient, to take the late 
 recommendation of Classis in regard to a division line 
 between the two congregations, into their serious consid- 
 eration." It was never convenient. The Consistories 
 were wiser than the Classis. No body of men can dictate 
 the place where christian families shall worship. Con- 
 venience, inclination or preference, will invariably deter- 
 mine church relations. Arrangements were made, but, 
 never perfected, for tlie installation of Mr. Van Vranken 
 at the Freehold church, on the third Sabbath of July. A 
 question was raised in relation to the necessity of installa- 
 tion services. As Mr. Van Vranken had already been in- 
 stalled the pastor of the same people wlio now called him 
 again, and had never vacated the pulpit he occupied, it 
 seemed to many a superfluous thing to have him re-in- 
 stalled. It took the Classis two full years to decide the 
 matter. The letter of the law was obeyed, and formal 
 installation services were held A.pril 16th, 1828. The 
 Rev. .James Romeyn preached the sermon. The Rev. 
 James B. Hardenbergh delivered the charge to the pas- 
 tor, and the Rev. J. Tenbrooke Beekraan the charge to 
 the people. 
 
 The settlement of the affairs of the two congrega- 
 tions was pushed forward with energy. At a meeting, 
 held the 2d day of January, 1826, it was unanimously 
 agreed, "• that the church edifice, and grounds adjacent 
 thereto, should be considered the exclusive property of 
 
58 
 
 the congregation worshiping therein ; that all the other 
 property, whether real or personal, belonging to the cor- 
 poration of the United Congregations at the time of their 
 separation, should be equally divided between the two, 
 the one moiety, or half, to each ; that all monies in hand, 
 at the time of their separation, or thereafter to be collect- 
 ed, shall be equally divided, whether arising from sub. 
 scriptions, bonds, notes or otherwise, and that all debts 
 shall be equally borne by each, and paid previous to any 
 division of the property." A fairer settlement could not 
 be adjusted. Its realization was attended with difficulties. 
 Ill feeling was engendered, bitter words were spoken, and 
 the peace of the two congregations greatly disturbed. 
 The storm soon passed by ; the final settlement between 
 the congregations taking place May 6th, 1826. At this 
 settlement the Consistory of this churcli received $2,555. 
 They were the possessors, also, of $2,500 received from the 
 estate of Tunis G. Van Der Veer, of blessed memory. They 
 also had ^8,750, the half of the sum received from the sale 
 of the parsonage farm ; making a total of $8,805, with 
 which to commence their independent career. 
 
 The only real estate of which they were possessed, 
 was the land adjacent to an old church, so thoroughly out 
 of repair that the building of a new one was an impera- 
 tive necessity. They had no parsonage, and for this pur- 
 pose purchased the small farm of al)Out 18 acres, in the 
 south-western portion of the congregation, now owned 
 and occupied by Mr. Daniel Van Mater. There the pas- 
 tors of tliis church resided for nearly forty years. When 
 the property was purchased it cost the congregation 
 $3,766. 
 
 Early in the Spring of 1826, measures were inaugu- 
 rated for securing a new church. There was considerable 
 difficulty in determining its location. Some of the con- 
 gregation desired to have it built on Hendrickson's Hill, 
 the place already mentioned as the site of the first Re- 
 formed church in Monmouth count}-. But in April the 
 Consistoi'v uiiHuimonslv resolved to erect a new house of 
 
59 
 
 worship "on the site of the present church." They also 
 determined that the building should be 45 ft. wide and 55 
 ft. long, and that it should be of brick, with a steeple and 
 a gallery. Mr. James I. Baird and Mr. Garret H. Smock 
 were appointed a building committee, subject to the di- 
 rection of the Consistory. 
 
 On Sunday, the 4th of June, Mr, Van Vranken 
 preached a farewell sermon to the old building, which 
 since 1732, a period of 94 years, had echoed with the 
 praises of Almighty God, and to many was endeared 
 above all the places of earth. After the old building was 
 taken down, and while the new one was in course of erec- 
 tion, Mr. Van Vranken preached at the Court House, in 
 Freehold village, and also in the vicinity of Colts ^eck, 
 sometimes at Mr. Statesir's, and frequently in a barn on 
 the old Stoutenbergh fiirm, the property now owned by 
 Mr. Kyall. The work on the new church was pushed 
 forward with energy and zeal. So far as practicable the 
 materials of the old building were used in the construc- 
 tion of the new. A well was dug, not far from the road, 
 in the present church yard, to supply the necessary water. 
 This well remained many years after the church was fin- 
 ished. A shed for cooking purposes was put up, on the 
 church grounds, not far from the building, that the labor- 
 ers might be boarded, and much expense saved.* The 
 bricks were made and burnt on the farm now oc- 
 cupied by Mr. John H. Van Mater, adjoining the 
 church property. Captain Isaac Herbert, who was learn- 
 ing his trade with Mr. James Thompson, the blacksmitli, 
 on whose anvil all the necessary iron fixtures for tlie 
 church were wrought, carted the first load of sand, with 
 an ox team. The day was very warm, and one of tlie 
 oxen, when returning home, fell dead in the road. The 
 greater part of the carting was done by Joseph Van Der 
 Veer, who, when I moved into the parsonage, came to bid 
 
 * There were present at our memorial services two of those who were 
 employed in the construction of the building— Mr. John W. Van Cleef 
 carpenter, and Mr. Thomas J. Smith, mason. 
 
60 
 
 me welcome, saying he had welcomed Dominie Van 
 Vranken, and eyerj minister since his day, to their home 
 in the parsonage. May those whom he has thus wel- 
 comed rejoice with him in the heavenly home. 
 
 While the church was being built, the bridge across 
 Hop Brook, on the main road between Freehold and 
 Matawan, was carried away by a storm ; a fact of interest 
 only because the bridge on the same road and across the 
 same stream, since preparations were commenced for these 
 memorial services, has shared the same fate. 
 
 The corner stone of the new building was laid some 
 time in July, and the building was completed the follow- 
 ing year. Tlie marble tablet in the front of the building, 
 was the gift of Mr. Hull, a stone cutter at Matawan. It 
 bears this inscription : 
 
 Reformed Dutch Church. 
 
 Erected A. D. 1826. 
 
 " Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, 
 and be more ready to hear, tlian to give the SHerifice of i 
 fools. Eccle. 5 : 1." 
 
 The first religious services held within the walls of 
 the new church were the funeral ceremonies of the Rev, 
 Benjamin DnBois, August 23d. 
 
 The building cost about $10,000; rather more than 
 less. Its appearance, when completed, differed within, 
 from its appearance at present. The pulpit was higher. 
 Back of the pulpit there was a window, and above the 
 window a gilded dove. The Elders' and Deacons' seats, 
 and other pews tilling up the space, were each side of the 
 pulpit where the stoves now stand. The change was 
 made in 1853, through a committee of which Mr. Uriah 
 Smock was chairman. No other material alterations have 
 been made. 
 
 The buildini'- was solemnly dedicated to the service 
 
61 
 
 of the Triune Jehovah, by the pastor, Sunday, the 9th day 
 of September, 1827. The pastor also preached a sermon 
 suitable to the occasion, taking his text : Psalm 132: 8, 9. 
 " Arise, O Lord, into Thy rest. Thou and the ark of Thy 
 strength. Let Th^- priests be clothed with righteousness, 
 and let Thy saints shout for joy." The occasion was one 
 of rejoicing and gladness. In answer to the pastor's prayer 
 the Lord chose the new building as the place of His abode 
 Here for fifty years He has met with His people. His 
 presence has sanctified and hallowed these walls, and His 
 spirit has carried the joys of salvation to penitent hearts. 
 God lias dwelt here, making this house, through the in- 
 strumentalit}^ of its iioly services, like unto the river of 
 which the Psahnist sings, " the streams thereof make glad 
 the city of God." Oh ! the rt;joieing before the throne on 
 high ; who can describe it, because of the souls liere born 
 again ? We have heard its echo ; we liope, bye and bj'e, 
 to join the chorus. What a grand siglit it would be, if all 
 who have here confessed Christ before men, were assem- 
 bled together. What a shout of thankso-ivinof would cro 
 up to lieaven from pastors and people, from parents and 
 children and children's children. Ah, indeed, as we have 
 festooned these walls to-day Avith evergreen boughs, even 
 so are they festooned with sacred memories in many hearts 
 now rejoicing in glory. 
 
 Only two of those who formed the membership of 
 the church when this building was dedicated are in the 
 communion of the church to-day : the aged widow of Mr. 
 Elias Brewer, Sr., long since deceased, and the Rev. Gar- 
 ret C. Schenck. But thanks be unto God, if the fathers 
 have fallen in the -'good tight of faith," their children, 
 and children's children have rallied around the cross, and 
 stand to-day, maintaining the truth as it is in Jesus, and 
 perpetuating the institutions of our holy religion for those 
 who are to come. 
 
 When the church was dedicated, an original anthem, 
 and an original hymn, prepared for the occasion, were 
 sung by the choir. They are said to have been the com- 
 
62 
 
 position of Dr. Van Vranken, They have been repeated 
 here to-day, that so far as possible, Ave miglit link the past 
 with the present. The singing was led by Mr. Garret H. 
 Smock, deceased. Among those who assisted him were 
 Mr. John Conover, Mr. Garret 8. Smock, deceased ; Mrs. 
 Sydney Schenck, Mrs. Benjamin DuBois, Mrs. John Hen- 
 ry Van Der Veer, Mrs. Elizabeth DuBois, Mrs. Jacob 
 Probasco, Mr. Aaron Smock, deceased; Miss Phoebe 
 Van Der Veer, and Mr. Daniel Polhernus Smock, who 
 afterwards for many years was the church chorister. I 
 have seen in his possession a large bible bearing the in- 
 scription : " Presented to Daniel P. Smock by the Ladies' 
 Society of the First Reformed Dutch Church of Freehold, 
 N. J., asa token of christian regard and appreciation of long 
 continued services, August 16th, 1S^6." I also find a 
 minute of the Consistory, made in 1863, granting Mr. 
 Smock a family plot in the church cemetery, "as a token 
 of appreciation of his long, faithful and gratuitous servi- 
 ces as chorister of the church." At the dedication ot the 
 church the singing was without the aid of an organ. The 
 chorister in those days pitched the ke}' note witli a tuning 
 fork, and the congregation were not afraid to join in. It 
 was such music as stirred the soul of Burns to say: 
 
 " They chant their artless notes in semple guise, ' 
 They tune their hearts by far the noltlest aim, 
 
 Perhaps Dundee's wild warbling measures rise, 
 Or plaintive martyrs wnrtliy of the name — 
 Or noble Elgin beats the heavenward tlame. 
 
 " Compared with these Italian trills are tame — 
 
 The tickled ears no heart-fell raptures raise, 
 No unison h.we they with our creator's praise." 
 
 After a few years, a base viol and violin Avere used in 
 the choir. In 1853 the first reed instrument Avas pur- 
 chased. It was a small piano-cased melodeon. Mrs. J. 
 Conover Smock was called to preside at the instrument, 
 and thus became the first ors^anist of the church.* Mr. 
 
 * See Appendix E. 
 
83 
 
 Van Yranken continued to occupy the pulpit of the new 
 church for about seven years. In July, 1834, he received 
 a call from the Reformed church of Poughkeepsie, and 
 liis pastoral relation with this people was dissolved by 
 the action of Classis, the 28d of that month. His ministry 
 was one of abundant blessing. We can only estimate its 
 results by its lasting effects. There is no record of com- 
 municants covering tliis period, but during the eight 
 years of his pastorate, immediately following the separa- 
 tion of the congregation, the 80 families and 68 commu- 
 nicants with which the first church of Freehold com- 
 menced its independent existence, became 130 families 
 and 159 communicants. 
 
 The Rev. James Otterson was Mr. Van Vranken's 
 successor. He was formally installed the first Wednes- 
 day of January, 1885. Dr. Messier, of Somerville, 
 preached the sermon. The charge to the pastor was de- 
 livered b}' Dr. Howe, of Xew Brunswick, and that to the 
 people by Dr. Sears, of Six-Mile-Run. The relation thus 
 formed was of short duration. It was dissolved Xovem- 
 ber liTth, 1838. 
 
 Mr. Otterson was born of Scotish ancestry, in the city 
 of Xew York, October llth, 1791. He was brought up 
 in the Associate Reformed church. He graduated at 
 Columbia College, having entered that institution at 
 about eleven years of age. He studied theology with Dr. 
 Mason, and was ordained to the Gospel ministry in 1821. 
 When called to the pastorate of this church he was in the 
 prime of life. He had been pastor of the Associate Re- 
 formed church of Broadalbin, in Fulton county, N. Y. , 
 and of the United Reformed Dutch churches of Hemp- 
 stead and Oyster Bay, Long Island. After his settlement 
 here, he took charge of the church at White House, Hun- 
 terdon county, and then of the Presbyterian church at 
 Johnstown, X. Y. His last charge was in Wilmington, 
 in the State of Delaware. He was too deep a thinker to 
 be a popular preacher, in the usual acceptation of the 
 term. His sermons were frequently beyond the reach of 
 
64 
 
 ordinary con.^regatioiis. His intellect was vigorous, his 
 habits scholarly, his mind clear and anylitical. Oaretul 
 in his pulpit preparation, he ever caused you to feel that 
 he was master of the situation, whatever the subject of 
 discussion, knowing what he atiirmed, and the conclusion 
 he was to reach. Some who remember him speak of him 
 as a remarkable minister, a splendid sermonizer, a learn- 
 ed theologian, a very instructive and edilying teacher. 
 His speech flowed smoothly from his lips, and his appeals 
 to the heart and conscience were often very eloquent. He 
 was a tine elocutionist, often stirring the heart's depths by 
 his impressive manner in reading a hymn, or the pathetic 
 portions of Scripture. In ecclesiastical assemblies, he 
 had few superiors, and not matiy equals. He was strick- 
 en with paralysis, and died at the residence of his name- 
 sake son in Philadelphia, September 17th, 18H7. 
 
 To succeed Mr. Otterson, the Consistory called the 
 Rev. Aaron A. Marcellus in 1839. He was installed the 
 last Wednesday of May. On this occasion the Rev. Jas. 
 K. Campbell, of North Branch, [>reached the sermon. 
 The Rev. J. Tenbrooke Beekman delivered the charge to 
 the pastor, and the Rev. J. C. Sears the charge to the 
 people, 
 
 Mr. Marcellus was born at Amsterdam, New York, 
 in 1799. His ancestors were Dutch. He graduated from 
 Union College in 1826, from the Theological Seminary at 
 Xow Brunswick in 1880, and the same year was licensed 
 to preach the (4ospel by the (Massis of New York. His 
 first settlement was as pastor of the Reformed church at 
 Lysander, X. Y. In 1831 he removed to Sehaghticoke. 
 Ln 1834 to .Manhatteti. En 1836 he became principal of 
 the Lancaster Academy, which position he resigned in 
 1839, to take charge of this churcli. This was by far his 
 longest pastorate, extending over a period of 12 years. In 
 1851 he resigned his call and commenced teaching in 
 New York city. In 1856 he assumed the pastorate of the 
 church at < Jrocnvilh', hut aft«M' a ministrv of about three 
 
65 
 
 years, commenced teaching at Bergen, where he died 
 in 1860. 
 
 Mr. Marcellus was an unpretentious and unassuming 
 man. Every place wliere he ministered bears testimony 
 to the fact that he was a faithful ambassador of the Lord 
 Jesus Christ. In preaching he did not seek his own glory, 
 but endeavored to hold up Christ as the sinner's only 
 hope, rather than charm the ears of his auditors with 
 bursts of eloquence or rhetorical display. He is said to 
 have been especially gifted in prayer. When leading the 
 devotions of the people, he seemed to have an unction 
 from the Holy One. His personal trials and difficulties 
 were many, but he found the grace of the Saviour, whose 
 love he proclaimed, sufficient for him, and amid the many 
 vicissitudes of life, was ever a cheerful and happy man. 
 
 He sought for souls and won them for Christ. Many 
 who for years have been the most active in promoting the 
 church's interests, made a profession of their faith during 
 his ministry. At one time twenty-four united with the 
 church by confessing Christ. This was the most exten- 
 sive revival the church has ever enjoyed, excepting per- 
 haps the precious season of the Spirit's presence and power 
 in the Winter and Spring of 1876, which we all remem- 
 ber so well, when 23 confessed Christ at one time. In 
 1840 the membership of the church wasuncreased by the 
 reception of 40 persons, 39 of whom were received on 
 confession. This is the largest accession we have ever 
 been privileged to report to Classis. 
 
 In 1885 the rapid growth of the village of Freehold, 
 and the large number of tlie families of the congregation 
 residing in its vicinity, caused the Consistory to purchase 
 a lot in tlie village, from Mr. Cj'rus Bruen, and to com- 
 mence the erection thereon of a house of worship. The 
 corner stone was laid witli appropriate ceremonies bj' the 
 Rev. James Otterson, in the Spring of 1836, but when 
 the frame was raised and partly enclosed, work was sus- 
 pended for want of funds. The building remained in this 
 untinished condition for nearlv two vears. The Consis- 
 
66 
 
 tory thought of abandoning the enterprise, and would 
 have done so, it is said, but for the earnest protest of Mrs. 
 John H. Smock. When her liusband rehited the views 
 of the Consistory, she shook her head and made reply, 
 saying : " No, John ; no. That church ought to be fin- 
 ished and must be finished." Mr. Smock was of the same 
 opinion, (a wise man always agrees with his wife.) He 
 started a subscription, advanced money, and pushed the 
 work forward with such success that the completed build- 
 ing was dedicated to the service of the Triune Jehovah by 
 the Rev. James Otterson, February 1st, 1838. It cost the 
 congregation, exclusive of the lot, about $5,000. Its pos- 
 session was the cause of mucli anxiety and trouble. It 
 involved the congregation in debt for many j-ears, and 
 gave birth to much feeling in relation to the amount of 
 service there to be rendered by the pastor. 
 
 At one time an attempt was made to again consoli- 
 date the Freehold and Middletown congregations, and 
 call two pastors for the three pulpits. When Mr. Mar- 
 cellus was called, in 1839, it was stipulated that he should 
 preach twice on the Sabbath — in the Brick Church in the 
 forenoon, and in the church in the village of Freehold in 
 the afternoon. But this arrangement soon proved very 
 nnsatistactory to the village people. Thev naturally" de- 
 sired a morning service, and finally resolved to organize 
 the Second Reformed Church of Freehold. Mr. Eben- 
 ezer Conover and Mr. David Buck were appointed a com- 
 mittee to petition Classis, and the church was organized 
 the first Tuesday in October, 1842. The church was 
 formed almost entirely from tliis congregation, and they 
 at once requested a full warranty deed for the church 
 property in the village. The Consistory refused to grant 
 their request, because those still remaining in tlie Brick 
 Church congregation had expended at least $3,500 in the 
 erection of the building, and the congregation liaving 
 been weakened in their ability to support a pastor, did 
 not feel able to present the new congregaliDn with a house 
 of worship. But dvsirous of en<K)nraging the enterprise. 
 
67 
 
 they offered to give them a clear title for $1,500. This 
 generous ofter was not accepted. They then offered the 
 church for $1,000, but even tliis magnanimous offer was 
 rejected ; and so, finally, in 1846, four years after their 
 organization, the village congregation offered this Consis- 
 tory $750 for the village church. The offer was accepted, 
 and thus was consummated the cheapest transfer of real 
 estate the county clerk has ever recorded. 
 
 Bat the Lord knows how to provide for the changes 
 which time works in communities. The ministry of Mr, 
 Marcellus was very greatly blessed, so that, although a 
 church had been formed out of the congregation, he had 
 the satisfaction of seeing their places more than filled. 
 When commencing his ministry, the membership of the 
 church was 187. When the pastoral relation was dis- 
 solved it was 181. To the ministry of Mr. Marcellus, two 
 important institutions of the church owe their origin — 
 the Sabbath school and the week-day prayer meeting. 
 The Sabbath school was organized in 1840. It was held, 
 for want of a better place, in the gallery of the church, 
 and there it has ever since convened. It is known as 
 the Brick Church Sabbath School, and is in session only 
 through the warm months of the year. The first year of 
 its existence it reported 108 scliolars, with an average at- 
 tendance of 80. Its first Superintendent was Mr. William 
 Statesir. He was succeed.ed by Mr. William Spader, 
 who superintended the school for twenty years with 
 great ability and success. Mr. Lafayette G. Schenck 
 was Superintendent a short time, when Mr. Lafayette 
 Schenck, the present Superintendent, assumed the office. 
 There are in this school four large adult Bible classes, an 
 infant class, 13 teachers and 100 scholars. 
 
 About the same time that the Sabbath school was or- 
 ganized, the weekly prayer meeting was started. Mr. 
 John Baird and Mr. William Van Dorn, now deceased, 
 met, according to appointment, at the house of Mr. Van 
 Dorn, the present residence of his son, Mr. Daniel P. Van 
 Dorn. The meeting was small. There was only one 
 
68 
 
 other present— the Lord Jesus Christ. Mr. Van Dorn led 
 the shiging, Mr. Baird led in prayer, and the Lord Jesas 
 Christ blessed the assembly. The same evening Mr. Wil- 
 liam Spader and Mr. Tunis V. Conover, deceased, accor- 
 ding to appointment, held a similar meeting at the resi- 
 dence of Mr. William Statcsir, the house now occupied 
 by his son, Mr. D. Abeel Statesir. This was also quite a 
 small meeting. But, as at the other, so also here, Jesus 
 Christ was present. It was a day of small things. But 
 similar meetings were afterwards held in other parts of 
 the congregation, whicli gave rise to neighborhood prayer 
 meetings, that were well attended, and issued at length in 
 the regular Thursday evening lecture and prayer meeting. 
 
 In I80I the Rev. Ralph Willis succeeded Mr. Mar- 
 cellus. Tie was installed September 23d. The Rev. Dr. 
 Van Vranken preached the sermon, from. St. Matthew's 
 Gospel, 24 : 14. " This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be 
 preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations, 
 and the!i shall the end come." The Rev. Dr. Reiley read 
 the form and delivered the charge to the pastor. The 
 Rev. A. C. Millspaugh delivered the charge to the people. 
 Mr. Willis was a graduate of Rutgers College, and of the 
 Theological Seminary of New Brunswick. He was li- 
 censed by the Classis of Philadelphia, and ordained to the 
 Gospel ministry as pastor of the Reformed church at 
 Bethlehem., N. Y. in 1842. Uis ministry here embraces 
 a period of over 16 years. The pastoral relation was dis- 
 solved February 28th, 1868. From that time to the pres- 
 ent he has been settled at Spotswood, Middlesex county, 
 a pastor beloved l)y the peo})lc of his charge and cheered 
 by the blessing of God upon his labors. The years he 
 occupied ihe i)ul[)it of this church, althougii unattended 
 b}' any speeial seasons of revival, were years of seed-sow- 
 ing and constant ingathering; 166 were added to the 
 communion of the the ehureli — 12!) by confession and 37 
 by certilieate. 
 
 In 1852 a seeond Siil)l)atli school was organized at 
 Marll)oroiigli. It met in the District school house, and 
 
69 
 
 was intended only as a winter school. It was at first su- 
 perintended by Mr. AVillis himself. Those who have oc- 
 cupied the ofHce of Superintendent are too numerous to 
 mention. Those who have done so for the longest period 
 are Mr. Lafayette G. Schenck and Mr. John Baird. 
 Since the erection of the Chapel this school has been 
 maintained both Summer and Winter, and has proved 
 what every Sabbath school should, a nursery of the 
 church. It is known as the ^larlborough Chapel Sabbath 
 School. There afe in it a large infant class, two adult 
 Bible classes, 15 teachers and about 150 scholars. It has 
 also a well selected library of 400 volumes, purchased by 
 the young ladies attending the school. 
 
 In 1855 the church grounds for burial purposes were 
 enlarged by the addition of an acre ot land, on the west 
 side of the church, and in 1866 a similar addition was 
 made on the east side, and the sheds which formerly stood 
 in the rear of the church were removed to their present 
 position, greatly enhancing the appearance of the ceme- 
 tery, which is rapidly becoming one of the most pictur- 
 esque and beautiful. The church building was also put 
 in thorough repair and the wood work painted. The im- 
 provements cost the congregation about $2,000. 
 
 In 1856 the Reformed. church at Colts Neck was or- 
 ganized, from families and communicants of this church, 
 and the church at Holmdel. But the congregation, al- 
 though twice depleted by the organization of churches 
 since their separation IVom Middletown, were not disheart- 
 ened. 
 
 A minute of Consistory discloses the fact, that a com- 
 mittee appointed to revise the salary list, "which, owing 
 to some changes in the congregation by removals had 
 fallen short," were more than successful, not only making- 
 good the loss sustained, but increasing the minister's sala- 
 ry $125. Division quite frequenth' results in increase. 
 
 In 1868 the Rev. George Swain succeeded ]\lr. Willis. 
 He was installed September 1st. He was a graduate of 
 the College and Seminary at New Brunswick, and bad 
 
70 
 
 been ordained in 1866, by tlie Clussis of New Brunswick, 
 at Middlebush, Somerset county, N. J., which position 
 lie resigned at the call of this people. At his instaHation 
 the Rev. Garret C. Schenck presided, and read the form. 
 The Rev. George Seibert preached the sermon, from Gala- 
 tions 6 : 4 — " Let every man prove his own work," The 
 charge to the pastor was delivered by the Rev. Samuel 
 Lockwood, and the Rev. James Bolton delivered the 
 charge to the people. Mr. Swain's ministry jn'oved to be 
 a short one. lie resigned his call in April, 1873, to take 
 charge of the Gates Avenue Presbyterian Church, of 
 Brooklyn, iS". Y. This position he occupied about two 
 years, when he became pastor of the Old Presbyterian 
 Church at Allentown, Monmouth county, IST. J., where he 
 still resides. During his ministry here 60 persons were 
 added to the membership of the church, 43 by confession 
 of faith, and 17 by certificate. 
 
 Immediately atter the settlement of xMr. Swain, meas- 
 ures were inaugurated for securing a Lecture Room or 
 Chapel in the village of Marlborough. Various causes 
 rendered such a building desirable. The village was 
 growing, and many of its inhabitants, in the communion 
 of the church, were unable to attend the services in tliis 
 house of worship with regularity and convenience. 
 
 In 1809 a suitable lot of about half an acre, on the 
 west side of Main street, in the center of the village, was 
 purchased by the Consistory, and a committee appointed 
 to secure the erection of a Chapel. >[essrs, Uriah Smock, 
 Peter L. Cortelyou, Lafayette Schenck and Dr. Lewis LGor- 
 don constituted this committee. They pushed the work 
 forward with energy and zeal. The building they erect- 
 ed is 26 ft. wide and 46 ft. long and cost the congregation 
 ^2,725. The pulpit was provided by the Consistory of 
 the Second Reformed Church of Freehold. The bell was 
 donated by Mr. Peter L. Cortelyou. The head-light 
 over the door was the gift of >h\ David R. Ilobart. Tho 
 clock was presented by the Hon. Garret A. Ilobart, of 
 Paterson, N. J., and tht> IViblc and Hymn l)Ook bv Mrs. 
 
71 
 
 John E. Coiiover. The building was entirely free from 
 debt, and was dedicated to the service of the Triune Je- 
 hovah, in accordance with the beautiful form prescribed 
 in the Liturgy ot the Reformed Church, November 2l8t, 
 18t>9. An eloquent sermon was preached on the occasion 
 by the Rev. Gulick Van Aken, of Freehold. The house 
 was crowded to its utmost capacity, and the services were 
 of a nature the most interesting. The people rejoiced and 
 the angels of God rejoiced in heaven. The building was 
 needed to meet the wants of the growing village. Its servi- 
 ces have ever been largely attended. It has proved a move- 
 ment in the right direction, and at the right time. It has 
 constantly tended to the church's increase. God has 
 made the place glorious by displays of His power. We 
 need a similar building in the northern part of the con- 
 gregation. My heart aches because there is none. I am 
 ready for the service such a building would require, and 
 pray God and my people to hasten its erection. 
 
 In 1870 the congregation determined to dispose of 
 the farm, which for forty j^ears had been the home of their * 
 pastors, and build a parsonage in Marlborough village. 
 To carry out this desire a committee was appointed, con- 
 sisting of Messrs. Peter L. Cortelyou, Uriah Smock, 
 Peter C. Van Der Veer, A. W. Ilobart and Peter C. Du 
 Bois. A suitable lot near the Chapel, but on the oppo- 
 site side of the street, was purchased of Mr. William W. 
 Herbert, for $550. The farm was sold for $6,110, and a 
 pleasant home erected for the pastor's use. The building 
 cost $4,325. The necessary grading and fencing and out- 
 side improvements about $1,300. The house is an orna- 
 ment to the village, and with slight alterations to be made 
 in the future, will be as convenient and ample a dwelling- 
 place as any one could desire. 
 
 Your present pastor was called from the First Reformed 
 Church of Bayonne city, N. J., the latter part of July, 
 1873. He commenced his labors the iirst Sabbath of Sep- 
 tember, and was installed the 7th day of October. The 
 Rev. Dr. Hageman presided, read the form and delivered 
 
72 
 
 the cliargeto the pastor. The sermon, by request of Clas- 
 sis, was preached by the Rev. Ransford Wells, D. D., then of 
 Brookfield, Conn, from Hebrews 13 : 17— " Obey them 
 that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for 
 they watch for your souls as they that must £:ive account." 
 The charge to the people was delivered by the Rev. Jas. 
 B. Wilson. 
 
 On the following Sabbath the newly installed jiastor 
 preached his inaugural sermon, from Rom. 1 : 15 — " I am 
 ready to preach tlic Gospel to you." The great and good 
 God, from that time to the present, has been with us and 
 blessed us. Only four years have passed since I first ad- 
 ministered to you the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, but 
 God in his mercy has made those years exceedingly fruit- 
 ful ; 90 persons liave been added to the membership of 
 the church, 61 by confession of faith in Christ, and 29 by 
 certificate. When commencing my labors as your pastor, 
 there were in the communion of the church 176 persons. 
 Death has been busy, and removals have been numerous, 
 but to-day, so great has been the Lord's goodness, there 
 are 217 persons in the conmiunion of tlie church — a larger 
 number than during the whole period of the elnirch's ex- 
 istence, 168 years, have ever been identified at one time 
 with the church. To God be all the [)raise and all the 
 glory given. The increase is the gift of His saving love. 
 
 Since 1709 tiie congregation has bet.n in charge of 
 ten pastors, three of whom are living. They have been 
 of various nationalities, and the record is amusing. Of 
 Welsh, Hollandish, Swedish, French and English descent 
 there has been one each ; of Scottish descent two ; of Amer- 
 ican J)utch three. The present pastor is the only one " to 
 the manor i)orn " — the oidy New Jersey Dutchman, born, 
 baptised, edncatod, licensed and ordained in the Reformed 
 Church, who has ministered here. 
 
 The first benevolent contribution made by thischnrch 
 (tf which there is record, was in 1789. 'J'he record is in 
 the Ibnii of a i"o<H'ipt. and reads as follows : 
 
73 
 
 " Cash collected by Cornelius Van Mater, Dekan in the Middletown 
 Meten house, for the uce of the .Seporte of the Gospel in naseteleii con- 
 gregations, and among the Iniiian Tribe, on Sonday, the 23 August 1789 : 
 
 To Jarsey paper money £2 17 9 
 
 To Silver, 8 5 
 
 Jarsey Coppers, 17 8 
 
 £4 3 10 
 " Received of Cornelius Van Maier, Dekan, the sum of fore pounds, 
 three shillings, and ten pence, for tiie uce above saide. 
 " Received by me 
 
 tjeptemher the 1 Benj. DuBois." 
 
 28lli, 17t«9. / 
 
 In 1822 there is n record ot a contribution of $22 for 
 the Theoh)gic:il Seminary at New Brnnswiclc. There 
 were probably other benevolent gifts, but the record can 
 be seen only in the books on high. In 1827, $300 were 
 given for the purclr.ise of tlie College edifice at New 
 Brunswick, and in 1831, $150 was contributed for the 
 same purpose. 
 
 Since 1853 there has been a record of the monies 
 raised for benevolent purposes, and since 1857 of tlie mo- 
 nies raised for congregational purposes. In this record 
 there are some omissions, a few years are not reported. But 
 the record shows that for 23 years, since 1852, there has 
 been contributed to benevolent objects $11,922 ; and tliat 
 for 18 years, since 1857, there has been contributed for 
 congregational purposes, $32,948. 
 
 The friends of the churcii liave also to some extent 
 in their last will and testament remembered her interests. 
 
 In 1825 there was received for church building pur- 
 poses from the esttite of Tunis G. Van Der Veer, deceased, 
 $2,500. 
 
 In 1850 there was received from the estate of Garret 
 Wyckotf, deceased, the interest to be applied to the main- 
 tenance of the ministry, $1,725. 
 
 In 1859 a legacy was received from William II. 
 Smock, deceased, of $200, and in 1877, a legacy from 
 Garret S. Smock, deceased, of $250, the interest from 
 both to be used for the support of the pastor. 
 
74 
 
 Such examples are wortliy of imitation. A few hun- 
 dred dolhu-s thus wisely ai.propriated are a lasting good. 
 The christian believer, i)y such gifts, is enal)led to pro- 
 claim the Gospel forever on earth, while he is adoring the 
 Savior who loved liini, and sought him, and brought him 
 to his own bright home in the skies. 
 
 Of the membership of the church, three have conse- 
 [ crated themselves to the Gospel ministry. The tirst to do 
 I so was the Rev. AVilliam Schenck, Avho was born October 
 13th, 1740. Tlis parents were Court Schenck and Maria 
 Cowenhoven. They lived on the farm now occupied by 
 Mr. Uriah Smock, and gave their child, William, to God in 
 holy baptism, January liOth, 1741. When 23 years of age 
 ' he married Miss Anna Cummings, a daughter of Robert 
 Cummings, Iligli Sheriff of Monmouth county, and a 
 grand-daughter of the wife of Rev. William Tennent. He 
 commenced studying for the ministry in the fall of 1763, 
 graduated from the College of New Jersey at Princeton 
 in 1767, studied theology with Rev. William Tennent, and 
 was licensed by the Presbytery of Xew Brunswick in 1770. 
 He was ordained pastor of the Presbyterian church at 
 Allentown, X. J., in 1771. In 1777 he assumed the pasto- 
 rate of the Reformed churches of North and South Hamp- 
 ton, Penn., where he remained for three years. This was 
 his only charge in the church of his fathers. In 1780 he 
 removed to Pittsgrove, N. J., and became pastor of the 
 ■ Presbyterian churcii in which Rev. Benjamin Dubois was 
 baptised. After a ministry here ot six years, he settled 
 at Ralston, near Saratoga. Here he continued until 1793, 
 when he removed to Huntington, Long Island. This was 
 his last pastorate. In 1817 he resigned his charge, retired 
 from the active duties of the ministry, and moved to 
 Franklin county, Ohio, where he died September 1st, 
 1823, in the 83d year of his age. One of his grand-sons 
 has for many 3'ears been an Admiral in the United States 
 Navy. 
 
 " He was a man of inucli personal dignity, and sus- 
 tained a character which challenged the respect of all who 
 
75 
 
 knew him."* His manuscript sermons exhibit mental 
 ability of no mean order— clear expositions of divine truth 
 and neatly turned sentences. lie evidently relied upon 
 God's truth, faitlitully proclaimed to do God's work. Tie 
 was a sound, evangelical [.readier, a venerable, tine look- r> 
 ing- gentleman, as is testitied by a silhouette in the posses- / 
 
 sion of Rev. Garret C. Schenck. 
 
 The other members of tins churcli wlio have entered 
 the ministry, are the Rev. Garret C. Schenck, who united ' 
 with the church February 2(1, 1827, and whom you all 
 know and love ; and the Rev. Edward P. Livingstone, 
 who united with the church in December, 1854, and who 
 is laboring in the West with remirkable success. 
 
 In 1827 there were 80 families in the congregation, 
 and only 08 in the communion of the church, or 12 
 less than one communicant for each family. These are 
 the numbers with which commenced the occupancy of 
 this building. Two Reformed churches have since been 
 formed out of the congregation, one entirely and the 
 other in part. A Baptist church has been organized in 
 Marlborough village, and a Methodist church in the ' 
 northern part of tlie congregation, but this year we report 
 100 families aiul 214 in communion, or 14 more than two 
 communicants for each family. 
 
 The changes of the half century, with the blessing of 
 God, have tended to our increase; advancing age, instead 
 of bringing decrepitude, has brought greater strength, God 
 has remembered his covenant promises, and the Gosjoel 
 has -proved the power of God unto salvation to the chil- 
 dren of the covenant. 
 
 Of those who are now in the communion of the 
 church, by far the greater number were born and educa- 
 ted in the Reformed church : 10 were brought up in the 
 Presbyterian church, 14 in the Baptist, 3 each in the Epis- 
 copal and Congregational church, one in the Methodist, 
 but 183 in the Reformed church. The children of pious 
 parents have followed their footsteps ; 16 descendants of 
 
 * Thompson's History of Long Island. 
 
76 
 
 Dominie DuBois, althougli but a comparatively small por- 
 tion of his descendants, are in the congregation, all in 
 the conmiunion of the church. Of this number 5 are 
 grand-children, 10 are great-grand-children, and one is a 
 great-great-grand-child. 
 
 In 51 families both husband and wife are professing 
 christians. In 38 families all who are over ten years of 
 age are professing christians. 
 
 On the new church register of communicants, made 
 in 1873, the name of Schenck occurs 32 times. Van Der 
 Veer 17 times, Conover 15 times. Smock and AVhitlock 
 each 12 times. 
 
 The congregation contains 367 persons : 166 are males 
 of whom 67 are in the commmunion of the church; 201 
 are females, of whom 147 are in the communion of the 
 church ; 185 are or have been married ; 71 are under ten 
 years of age. Of the families composing the congrega- 
 tion, 88 reside in Marlborough township, 7 in Atlantic, 3 
 in Matavan, and one each in Freehold and Manalapan. Of 
 the heads of the families, 70 are farmers, 11 are farm as- 
 sistants, 6 are merchants, 5 are mechanics, 5 are gentle- 
 men of leisure, 2 are clergymen, and 1 is a physiciati. 
 
 In 1709 there were only 50 persons in the county of 
 Monmouth in the Reformed church. There are now, ac- 
 cording to the last Synodical report, 1,288. The total pop- 
 ulation of Monmouth county in 1737, was 6,086. The num- 
 ber then in the communion of the Reformed church was 
 119, or about one member of the RefornHxl church for every 
 52 inhabitants. The last United States census gives the 
 total population of Monmouth county at 46,316, so that 
 now, with a church membership of 1,288, there is one 
 member of the Reformed church for every 36 inhabitants. 
 While the population of the county is nearly 7.62 times 
 greater than in 1737, the membership of the Reformed 
 church is more than 10.62 times greater than at that date. 
 While the po[»uhition of the county has increased at an an- 
 nual average rate of only 4^ per cent., the membership of 
 the Reformed (ihurch has increased at an annual average 
 
77 
 
 rate of 6h per cent. Such increase is gratifying. It 
 shows us that the Kingdom of God is advancing, and that 
 propliecies ia relation to the church's triumph, are hast- 
 ening to their fultiUment. To the God of all grace, all 
 the praise is due. He gives the increase. His presence 
 and favor and blessing are the genial influences which se- 
 cure prosperity. " Except the Lord build the house, they 
 labor in vain that build it." " To Him be all the glory." 
 The sainted ones who have ministered here cry ever be- 
 fore the throne — " To Him be all the glory." From all 
 the churches represented here to-day the cry ascends — 
 " To Him be all the glory." " Blessing, and honor, and 
 glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the 
 throne, and unto the Lamb forever." 
 
 The fact, that here, where we are assembled, for nearly 
 a century and a half, God has graciously been pleased to 
 dwell, the Gospel has been proclaimed, the sacraments 
 have been administered, redeeming grace lias abounded, 
 and saving mercy has been found, not only justifies these 
 memorial services, but proclaims that this is hallowed 
 ground. 
 
 " What's h:\llo\red wroumi : "Tis what gires birth 
 To sacred thoughts in souls of wortli.'' 
 
 But where shall thoughts more sacred be born than 
 at the slirine ot achievements so mighty, or of works so 
 grand that the>' mutely testify : 
 
 " To rear ine was the tasi< of power divine, 
 Supri-'mesi wisdom and primeval love." 
 
 The memories of the past should awaken gratitude 
 the most devout, gratitude that this old church, venerable 
 with age, when American independence was aciiieved, 
 possesses still tlie vigor of youth, with no marks of old 
 age save the lioary memories which hang over her brow, 
 a crown of glory ; gratitude that since our fathers rallied 
 around the cross, one hundred and seventy-eight years 
 ago, the ranks they formed have never been broken ; that 
 when the fathers fell in the conflict, their children took 
 their places ; that we have triumphed over the gates of 
 death : that to-day we are marching on, a larger, stronger, 
 
78 
 
 better disciplined army than ever before; gratitude that 
 so many now in glory, pointing to this sacred spot can say : 
 
 " Oft the iiisle of that old church we trod, 
 Guided thither by an an{iel raotiier ; 
 
 that we have their example to cheer us and encour- 
 age us, and that their presence with God in heaven is now 
 like " a great voice from heaven, saying, come up hither." 
 Oh, it is worthy of continual gratitude to know that 
 when we are following Jesus, there is for us a grand re- 
 union with those from whom we are descended, a numer- 
 ous company of relatives in heaven ; well may we say : 
 
 " Our boast is not tliat we deduce our birtli, 
 From loins enthroned and rulers of the earth, 
 But higher far, our proud pretensions rise, 
 The sons of lathers passed into the skies." 
 
 The memories of the past should quicken our dili- 
 gence and increase our zeal. What God has accomplished 
 through the instrumentality of this church — the souls 
 here won for Jesus Christ are but the iirst fruits of the 
 full harvest ripening for us to gather. More than a thou- 
 sand have here enrolled themselves the followers of Christ, 
 a complete regiment in the grand army of the Kingdom 
 of Heaven, following to victory and glorious triumph the 
 Captain of our salvation, [f we are worth}' sons of wor- 
 thy sires, we will "hold the fort," advance our pickets, at- 
 tack the foe boldl}', and with zeal unabating cease not the 
 good fight until we wear the crown. " Be ye steadfast, 
 unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, 
 forasmuch as ye know 3'our labor is not in vain in the 
 Lord." Forgetfulness maj' gather over our graves, but 
 what we do for God is eternal. The sculptured marble 
 crumbles into dust, but neither time nor age destroys the 
 record on high. Blessed are those whose names are writ- 
 ten in heaven. 
 
Appendix, 
 
 A. 
 
 The records of the church are too imperfect to make a complete list 
 of the Elders and Deacons. The persons named are known to have served 
 in these offices. After ITG-i the list is of those onlj who represented the 
 Freehold congregation. 
 
 Elders. 
 
 Peter Van Deventer. — 1709. Koert Schenck, 
 
 Jan Wiikof, William Williarase. 
 
 Daniel Hendrickson, John Antonidees. — 1785. 
 
 Peter Kowvenhoven, Hendrick Smock, 
 
 Peter Wiikof, Denise Denise, 
 
 Jacob Van Doom, Peter Van Dorn, 
 
 Kriin Van Jletra, Ouke Leffersen, 
 
 Gerrit Schenk, Teunis G. Van Der Veer, 
 
 Jacob Laen, George Lane, 
 
 Jan Schenck. Tuenis D. DuBois. 
 
 Adrian Bennet. — 1719. John H. Schenck. — 1826. 
 
 Johannes Polhemus, " Tunis D. DuBois, 
 
 Jan Sutphen, Gar;-et Wyckoff, 
 
 Cornelis Wiikof, Daniel I. Schenck, 
 
 Jan Kowvenhoven, Aaron Smock, 
 
 Cornelis Kowvenhoven, Peter Van Dorn, 
 
 Johannes Lujster. Denise Schenck, 
 
 Ouke Hagewout. — 1728. John H. Smock, 
 
 Ouke Leffertsen.— 1735. Ebenezer Conover, 
 Jan Sutphen, ., William Van Dorn, 
 
 Derick Barkalo, David Nevius, 
 
 Matthew Pieterson.— 1747. Garret H. Smock, 
 
 Wellem Cowenhoven, John Denise. 
 
 Theunis Swart, Disbrow Carson.— 1836. 
 
 Koert Schenk, John G. Denise, 
 
 Hendrick Bennet. William Statesir, 
 
 William Wyckotf.— 1754. David Buck, 
 
 Peter Covenhoven.— 1764, Henry Smock, 
 
 Theunis Denise, Elias Sickels. 
 
 Peter Schenck William Woolley. — 1846, 
 
82 
 
 Tunis V. Conover, 
 D. P. Smock, 
 Williiim Spuder, 
 Tunis S'litesir. 
 John S. Wliillock, 
 Diivid D. Hiince. 
 Uriali Smock.— 1856. 
 Hendiick E. Conover, 
 John D. Schenck, 
 John E. Conover 
 John Baird, 
 
 Peter L. Cortelyou, 
 Josepii LefTerson. 
 Lafiiyelte Schenck.— 1866. 
 William A. Whitlock, 
 Garret Wall, 
 Isaac Qnackenbnsh, 
 Daniel P. Conover, 
 Lafa3'ette G. Sclienck, 
 John Van Der Veer, 
 James E. Wells, 
 Milton Smock, 
 
 B. 
 
 Deacons. 
 
 Jacob Van Dorn.— 1709. 
 
 Garret Schenk, 
 
 Jacob Laen, 
 
 Jan Schenk, 
 
 Adrian Bennet, 
 
 Cornelius Cowenhoven, 
 
 Jan Cowenhoven, 
 
 Johannes Poliiemus, 
 
 Jan Sutphen. 
 
 Albert Cowenhoven. — 1719. 
 
 Cornelius Wiikof, 
 
 Elbert Willimsen. 
 
 Johannes Luyster, 
 
 Oukc Ilagewout, 
 
 .\drian Ijangeslract, 
 
 Benjamin Van Cleef, 
 
 Jacob Cowenhoven, 
 
 Cornelius Doom, 
 
 Peter Nefies, 
 
 Gisbert Sutphen, 
 
 Thomas Davis, 
 
 riendrick Kip, 
 
 Joiiannes Antonides, 
 
 Joris Kowcnhoven, 
 
 Derick Barkalo. 
 
 Willem Cowenhoven. — 1729. 
 
 Jan Van Metra, 
 
 Koert Schenck, 
 
 Theunis Swart. 
 
 Thonnis Amack. — 1735. 
 
 William Cowenhoven. — 1764. 
 
 David Willemson, 
 
 Derrick Sutphen, 
 
 Cornelius Cowenhoven, 
 
 John Antonides. 
 
 Peter Van Doom. — 1787. 
 
 Gorge Smock, 
 
 Ouke Lcffersen. 
 
 Gorge Lane. — 1797. 
 
 Tennis G. Van Der Veer, 
 
 David A'an Der Veer, 
 
 Teunis I. D. Van Der Veer. 
 
 Tennis D. DulJuis.- 1807. 
 
 Garret Wyckofl', 
 
 Peter Wyckoff, 
 
 Samuel Wjckoff, 
 
 Aaron Smock, 
 
 John H. Smock. 
 
 Garret G.Van DerVeer— 18) 7. 
 
 John Wyckoif, 
 
 .loll n Lane. . 
 
 Garret II. Smock. 
 
 Jos. Van Cleef.— 182G. 
 
 Garret G. Conover. 
 
 Denise Schenck.— 1827. 
 
 William Van Dorn. 
 
 David Nevius, 
 
 Ebenezer Conover, 
 
 Geo. Reid, 
 
 John Denise, 
 
83 
 
 Hendrick H. Smock, Jolm E. Conover, 
 
 William WooUej',' K. liters B:iiid, 
 
 Elias Sickels, Lafayette Sclienck, 
 
 Henry Harris, iM. D. Henry Olterson, 
 
 Disbrow Carson. — 1832. William H. Hyer 
 
 Peter P. Van Dorn, James Van Kirk.— 1860. 
 
 David Buck, Edwin Sutplien, 
 
 Peter Van Dorn, Jr., Garret Wall, 
 
 Henry Smock, John II. Sickles, 
 
 William Statesir, Jas. Sherwood, 
 
 William Wall, Lafayette G. Schcnck, 
 
 William Robinson, Isaac Quackenbnsh, 
 
 J. F. T. Forman, William A. Whillock, 
 
 Aa'-on Aumack. Aslier Woolley, 
 
 D. Polhemiis Smock. — 1840. Milton Smock, 
 
 RiilifL Conover, Alfred Conover, 
 
 John DnBois, D. H. Leflerson, 
 
 Sylvester Buck, D. P. Conover, 
 
 Garret S. Smock, John Whitlock, 
 
 Tunis V. Conover, Joseph A. Van Der Veer, 
 
 David D. Hance, John Van Der Veer. 
 
 William Spader. Peter Conover Van Der Veer. 
 
 Tennis Statesir.— 1 850. William W. Herbert. — 1870. 
 
 Uriah Smock, Oscar F. Goodrich, 
 
 John S. Whitlock, Richard Laird, 
 
 Joseph Schenck, Jas. II. Bairu, 
 
 John Baird, Jas. Tilton, 
 
 Jiilin D. Schenck, Schenck Herbert, 
 
 Hendrick E. Conover, Denise Schenck, 
 
 John C. Smock, Selali B. Wells, 
 
 Aaron A. Smock, Addison W. Uobert, 
 
 Joseph Lefferson, John I. Rue, 
 
 Garret S. Whillock, John H. Van Mater. 
 
 John Jolly, 
 
 c. 
 
 Treasurers. 
 
 Garret Hendricks.on, William Statesir, 
 
 Tobias Polhemus, William A. Whitlock, 
 
 Daniel I. Schenck, William Spader. 
 John H. Smock, 
 
 D. 
 
 Clerks. 
 
 William Statesir. William Spader, 
 
 Hendrick Smock, Lafayette G. Schenck. 
 William Wall, 
 
34 
 
 E. 
 Organists, 
 
 Mrs. J. Conover Smock, 
 " Peter R. Boice, 
 " John V. Conover, 
 
 Miss Shepherd, 
 
 Mrs. John V. N. Willis, 
 
 Mrs. P. Conover Van Der Veer, 
 
 " Wm. I. Conover, 
 
 " Jas. H. Baird, 
 Mr. Jas. R. Cruikshank, 
 Miss Tilly Conover. 
 
 F. 
 
 A literal copy of the list of communicants, as recorded by Dominies 
 
 Morgan, Haeghoort and Erickzon, only in some cases the name of the 
 wife has been supplied, co|)ied trom the Baptismal Register. 
 
 Peter Wiikof and Willimpe 
 
 1709. 
 
 Peter Van Deventer and his wife 
 
 .Mnyka. 
 Jan Wiikof and Nelke Kowen- 
 
 oven, his wifa. 
 Kriin Jansen* and Nelke Van 
 
 Cleve. 
 Gisbert Laen and Jannetie Lam- 
 
 merse. 
 Jacob Van Doom and Maryka 
 
 his wife. 
 Jan Schenk and Sara Kowen- 
 
 oven, his wife. 
 Gerret Schenk and Nelke Voor- 
 
 hees, his wife. 
 Peter Kowpnoven and Patience 
 
 Daas,f his wife. 
 Cornelius Kowenoven and .Mar- 
 garet Schenk, his wife. 
 Albert Kowenoven and Nelke 
 
 Schenk, his wife. 
 Jan Kowenoven and Jacoba 
 
 his wife. 
 Jacob Kowenoven. 
 Daniel Heridricksen and Katriink 
 
 Van Dlik, his wife. 
 Willem Hendricksen and Wil- 
 
 lempe, his wife. 
 Andreas Jansen and lianiiii. Iii.s 
 
 wife. 
 Jacob Laen and Kiizabct Barka- 
 
 lo, his wife. 
 
 Schenk, his wife. 
 Johannes Pollieraus and Anna-- 
 
 tie his wife. 
 
 Ouke LeH'ersen and Catrina 
 
 Vonk, his wife. 
 Joseph Golderand Anneke Daws 
 
 his wife. 
 .\urie Borum aud Sarah Smack, 
 
 his wife. 
 Aurie Bennett and Barbara 
 
 his wife. 
 Hendrick Guyluck and Cautie 
 
 Ammerman, his wife. 
 Jacol) Wiikof. 
 
 Karet Van Diik and his wife. 
 Johannes Court. J 
 
 1711. 
 
 Jan Romiiu and Geerke Van 
 
 Diik, his wife. 
 Geerke, Widow Romeyn. 
 Perick Barkelo and Janeke Van 
 
 .\rsdale, his wife. 
 Benjamin Keener. 
 Simon Van Noorten and his wife. 
 Barbara, wife of Johannes Court. 
 Hank Sutphin, wife of Benjamin 
 
 Van Cleve. 
 
 1712. 
 
 Sarn ^)chenk, wife of Jacob 
 Kowenoven. 
 
 ♦ This niiiiie slioiilil Imvti lictfii writtt-u Kriin Jmiscn Vtiu Miitir. 
 
 t SoiiietiniPs spi'lloil DiiWR. 
 
 X Tli«'Ki! iir« tilt- 4y uit-iiilierx of the chiiirli at tin- timo ol il.i urjiaiiizittiuu. 
 
86 
 
 1713. 
 
 Jan Sutphinand Angelke Bennet 
 
 his wife. 
 Derick yutpliin and Alargaret 
 
 Van Pelt, liis wife. 
 Adrian Laiigestraet and Criste- 
 
 na Janse, liis wife. 
 Cornelis Doom.* 
 Janeke Sclienk. 
 Eyke Van Jletra. 
 
 , wife of Jacob Wiikof. 
 
 Margaret, wife of Albert Emans. 
 Mattiis Laen. 
 John Van Metra. 
 
 1714. 
 Albert Amermaii. 
 Janatban Foreman. 
 
 1715. 
 
 Laurence Van Hoeck and his 
 
 wife. 
 Roleph Schenk. 
 Jan Van Noordtstrandt. 
 Helena Willemse. 
 Frans Lukas. 
 Johannes Luj-ster and Lucretia, 
 
 liis wife. 
 Cornelis Wiikof and Adrianke, 
 
 his wife. 
 Anke Schenk, wife of JIatiis 
 
 Laen. 
 Antie Brower, widow of Pieter 
 
 Brower. 
 Debora Buys, wife of Thomas 
 
 yniilli. 
 Elizabeth, wife of Obadia Bown. 
 
 1717. 
 
 Nicholas Lake. 
 
 Gisbert Suti)lien and Geertruy 
 
 Van Pelt, his wife. 
 Elbert Willenison and Jocka- 
 
 miinke, his wife. 
 Benjamin Ilolsaert and Annitee 
 
 Luyster, his wife. 
 ■Peter Nefies and Aiitie his 
 
 wife. 
 Aart Willemson and Autie his 
 
 wife. 
 
 1719. 
 
 Benjamin Van Oleve. 
 
 Anke Golder, wile of Cornelis 
 
 Doom. 
 
 , wife of Jacob Wiikof. 
 
 -Martiin Nefies and his wife. 
 Hendrick Voorhies and Jannelje 
 
 Hendricksen, his wife. 
 Jahannes Swart, and Rebecca 
 
 Smak, his wife. 
 Jacobus Swart. 
 Theunis Swart. 
 
 1721. 
 
 Jacob Sutphiu and his wife. 
 
 , wife of Peter Voorhees. 
 
 Jan Bennet. 
 Gisbert Van Metra. 
 Hendrickus Kip. 
 
 Willem Ger Kowvenhoveu and 
 his wife. 
 
 1723. 
 
 Janneke Kouwenhoven. 
 
 Englke Van Diik, wife of Hen- 
 drickus Van Wie. 
 
 Tunis Amak and Lena Laen, 
 his wife. 
 
 Anna Katrina. 
 
 Gurtruy Bennet, wife of Tunis 
 Van Pelt. 
 
 Geertie Luyster, wife of Tunis 
 Swa'rt. 
 
 1724. 
 Johannes Anionides and Johan- 
 na Kowveniioven, his wife. 
 Marike, wife of Ed. Barber. 
 Jan -Machis and Yda, his wife. 
 
 1726. 
 
 Johanna Lu3 sler, wife of Bar- 
 rent Smack. 
 
 Maria Van Dijk, wife of Joseph 
 Golder. 
 
 Hans Brower. 
 
 Maria, wife of Frank Jacobise. 
 
 1727. 
 
 Stephen Auniack and Jannetse 
 Janse, his wife. 
 
 * Afterwards written Cornelis Van Doom. 
 
S6 
 
 Willem Alb. Koweaoveu, and 
 
 Elizabeth, his wife. 
 Roleph Ger Schenk and Eng^el- 
 
 ke, his wife. 
 Ananeke Van Doom. 
 Jan Lamberts. 
 Jan Benham and Gertie Van 
 
 Diik, his wife. 
 
 17S1. 
 
 Gkkardus Hakghoort, Pastor. 
 Ariaentie, wife of Willem Kou- 
 
 wenhoven. 
 Pieter V. Voorhees. 
 Cornelius Van Der Veer and 
 
 Yannetse Wykhaf. 
 Arriaantie Van De Water, widow 
 
 of Willem Bennit. 
 Koert Sclienck and Mareitie, his 
 
 wife. 
 Joris Kouwenhoven and Altije 
 
 Luyster, his wife. 
 John Johnson and Willempe, his 
 
 wife. 
 Nicolaas Van Brunt and Geertje 
 
 Hendrickson, his wife. 
 Aris Van Der Bilt. 
 Aguitie Van Doom, wife of Wil- 
 lem Wjkhoff. 
 Joanna Van Du Mast. 
 Widow De Looy. 
 Catharina De Looy, wife of Rev. 
 
 G. Haeghoort. 
 Margretse Willemse, wife of 
 
 Abram Aureus. 
 Gerrit Gerritsen. 
 Gerrit G. Wyckoff. 
 B. Bryck. 
 Jan Van Devenler and Antije 
 
 Wynants, his wife. 
 Jan Bennet and Yda Van Matere. 
 Gerret Kowenoven and Lysbet 
 
 his wife. 
 Hendrick Bennet and Jannetse 
 
 Kowenoven, his wife. 
 Sara Meser. wife of Hans Hen- 
 
 dricksen. 
 Sara Huysman, wife of Nathan 
 Diyk. 
 
 Ytie Suydam, wife of Jan Van 
 ^leteran. 
 
 Hendrick Smak and Autie Van 
 Duyn, his wife. 
 
 Cornelia Gysberts, wife of Jos. 
 Dennis. 
 
 Grietje Wikhof, wife of Willem 
 Wallen. 
 
 Willeinitse Van Voorhees, wife 
 of Hendrickns Kip. 
 
 Sytie Van Wihkale, wife of Jo- 
 seph Van Cleeft. 
 
 Gannethe Laen. 
 
 17S7. 
 
 Reynhard Erickzon, Pastor. 
 
 John Smit. 
 
 Johannes Snuik. and Trijntje 
 Barentze, his wife. 
 
 Anna Elisabet Tederick. 
 
 Tenntje Hendrikze, wife of Jona- 
 than Homes. 
 
 Hendrik Hendrikze. 
 
 Barent Smak. 
 
 Cornelius Van Der Veer and 
 Marretje Smak, his wife. 
 
 Benjamin Van Metteren and 
 Elisebeth Laan, his wife. 
 
 Joseph Van Metteren and Sara 
 Schenk, his wife. 
 
 Maria Elisabeth Diets. 
 
 Widow, John M. Scholtes. 
 
 Jan Sutveen. Jr. 
 
 iMaijka Van Kerk, wife of Jan 
 Lammertze. 
 
 Altje Couwenhove, widow. 
 
 Abraham Van Deventer. 
 
 Arie Van Doom- 
 
 Geertje Voorhees. 
 
 Altje Garretze. 
 
 J74O. 
 Phoebi Smit, widow. 
 Adriann Hun. 
 Theunis De Neis, and Francijut- 
 
 je llindrikzon, his wife. 
 Maijke Hindrikzon, wife of Gijs- 
 
 bert Van Metteren. 
 Joiiannes Bennit and Agnietje, 
 
 his wife. 
 
87 
 
 Wilm Corn. Couwenliove. 
 
 Roelef Couwenliove. 
 
 Hindrik Zedam and .Maria Van 
 
 Sikkele, his wife. 
 Cathrina Langstraat, wife of Jan 
 
 Sutveen, Jr. 
 Elisabeth Borkioo, wife of Reik 
 
 Zedam. 
 Peregrinus Imbiirg and Cornelia 
 
 Provoost, liis wife. 
 Gerrit Sclienk, Jr. and Jannet- 
 
 je Couwenhove, his wife. 
 Neeltje Schenk, wife of Hindrik 
 
 Hindrikzon. 
 
 1741. 
 
 Pieter Voorhees. 
 
 Wilm Couwenhove and Antje 
 
 Hindrikze. 
 Maria Langstraat, wife of Wilm 
 
 Hindrikzon. 
 Ariaantje Couwenhove. 
 
 1743. 
 
 Matthias Pieterzon and Gezina 
 Hindrikzon, liis wife. 
 
 Johannes Hills. 
 
 Jannetje Thiesson, wife of Jona- 
 than Hout. 
 
 Jan Jansen. 
 
 Jannetje Couwenhove, wife of 
 Aart Van Derbilt. 
 
 Willem Heijer and .Maria Van De 
 Rijp. 
 
 Jannetje Thijsson, wife of Petrus 
 Hegens. 
 
 Antje Schenk, wife of Arie Van 
 Doom. 
 
 Sarah Van Brijk. 
 
 1745. 
 Wilm Wijkhof. 
 Aafje Erickzon. 
 Bernardus Vroman. 
 
 1746. 
 Helena Boomgaart. 
 
 1747. 
 Geesjc Hindrikzon, wife of Roe- 
 
 lef Schenk. 
 Daniel Hindrikzon »nd Cathrina 
 
 Couwenhove, his wife. 
 Jannetje Hindrikzon, widow of 
 
 Roelef Couwenhove. 
 
 1750. 
 
 Derk Zutveen. 
 
 Wilm Wilrazon and Aaltje Cou- 
 wenhove, his wife. 
 
 Pieter Couwenhove and Lea 
 Schenk, his wife. 
 
 Mattheus Laan and Catheiina 
 Polhemus, his wife. 
 
 David Wilenzon. 
 
 Pieter Schenk. 
 
 Jan Schuraeman. 
 
 Neeltje Van Mettere, wife of Ger- 
 rit Couwenhove. 
 
 Sara Smak. 
 
 Jacob Van Doom. 
 
 ^ 1752. 
 
 David Wilemzon and Femmetje 
 
 Swart, his wife. 
 Johannes Smak and Elisabeth 
 
 ConwenhoTe, his wife.* 
 
 G. 
 
 These Bibles are the same. They were piinted in 1728, and probably 
 brought to this country by Rev. Gcrardus Haeglioort, in 1731. They were 
 published by consent of the States General cf the Netherlands. They con- 
 tain : 
 
 An introduction to all the books of the Old and New Testaments. 
 
 The Psalms of David set to music. 
 
 * The spelling of the Uiinies seems to have been ut the option of the pastor. IlHeghoort 
 was the only Ilolhinder, and proliillj- gives the correct Dntch oitho(:rHj.liy. Mort:an was 
 a Scotchman, and has spelled the names ae tbtj si unded to Lini. Lis reiird n.ay Le a 
 guide to the Dutch pronunciation. 
 
88 
 
 The Heiilelbergh ratechism. 
 
 The Helj^ic Confession of Faith. 
 
 The Liturgy of tiie Reformed Church of the Netherlands, and copies 
 of several Ancient Creeds, together with a Compendiuai of the Christian 
 Religion. 
 
 The following is a literal transcript of the title page with the excep- 
 tion of the wood cut which adorns it : 
 
 BIBLIA, 
 
 DAT IS 
 
 De gantfche H. Schrifture, 
 
 vervattende alle de Canonijcke 
 Boecken des Ouden en des Nieuwen 
 
 TESTEMENTS. 
 
 ■a€.Md J^-e^ ^-ed^u^^l ^-a^-tz-e Synode Nationael, 
 
 Uyt de Oorfpronckelicke talen in onfe 
 . Nederlandtlche tale getrouwelick 
 overgefet. 
 
 Met Consent van de Ed: Gr: Aohtb : 
 
 Heeren Burgermeesteren 
 in Amsterdam. 
 
89 
 
 H. 
 
 This anthem was selected because of its similarity to the one sung at 
 the dedication of the church, September 9th, 1827. The music then used 
 could not be found, and the anthem could not be repeated entire. The 
 first verse was sung to a modern melody. We insert for preservation the 
 old 
 
 Dedication Anthem. 
 
 I was glad when they said unto me 
 
 Let us go to the house of the Lord : 
 
 Our feet shall stand within thy gates, 
 
 Jerusalem ; Jerusalem, Jerusalem is builded 
 
 As a city that is compact together, 
 
 Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, 
 
 Unto the testimony of Israel, 
 
 To give thanks to the name of the Lord. 
 
 Peace be witliin thy walls 
 
 And prosperity within thy palaces ; 
 
 Peace be within this sacred place. 
 And joy a constant guest. 
 With holy gifts and Heavenly grace 
 Be her attendants bleat ; 
 
 Here, mighty God, accept our vows. 
 Here let Thy praise be spread. 
 Bless the provision of Thy house, 
 And feed the poor with bread; 
 
 Here let the Son of David reign. 
 And God's Anointed shine ; 
 Justice and truth His courts maintain, 
 With love and power divine ; ' 
 
 Here let Him hold a lasting tiirone, 
 And, as His kingdom grows, 
 Fresh honors shall adorn his crown, 
 And shame confound His foes. 
 
 How beautiful upon the mountain 
 Are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings. 
 That publisheth peace. Peace be on earth, 
 Good will towards men. Hallelujah I 
 
 For the Lord God 
 Omnipotent reigneth ; for the Lord God 
 
 Omnipotent reigneth ! 
 
 Amen ! amen ! 
 
NAMES OF COMMUNICANTS, SEPT. 5, 1877. 
 
 C, indicates received by Certificate ; P, by Profession of Faitli. We 
 do not know the exact time when those were received who united with 
 the church during the ministry of Dr. Van Vranken ; the dale of their re- 
 ception is left blank. The maiden name of married ladies is in the right 
 hand column, f Designates widows. J Indicates filial descent from 
 those whose names, if man and wife, are immediately above without this 
 mark, or from the person whose name is immediately above without this 
 mark. * Denotes long continued residence beyond the bounds of the con- 
 gregation.. The persons thus designated are unknown to the present pas- 
 tor. 
 
 Names. ;When Rec'd.IHowI Rbmarks. 
 
 Miss Mary Ellen Asay Dec. 6, '73. 
 
 John Baird, JNov. 19, '40. I P '. 
 
 Mrs. John Baird Jan. 31, '52. i C Sarah Ann Denise. 
 
 David A. Baird. J June G, '73. i C ' 
 
 Robert C. Baird. i \ " " " i Pi 
 
 James H. Baird. J " "'68. I Cj 
 
 Mrs. James H. Baird " "'73. , C Huldab Millspaugh. 
 
 Miss Elizabeth Baird Nov. 19, '40. , P I 
 
 Mrs. John B. Bennet.f Mar. 1, '62. ; P ;Ann Sickels. 
 
 Miss Anna Boice " 6, '69. P 
 
 Mrs. Elias Brower, Sr.f P Elizabeth Myers. 
 
 " Elias Brower, Jr Mar. 1, '40. P Mary McGachen. 
 
 John E. Brower Dec. 4, '69. , P 
 
 Mrs. J. E. Brower June 3, '60. P Elizabeth Anderson. 
 
 Joseph E. Brower.J Mar. 3, '77. P 
 
 Miss Anna M. Brower. + '• " " P 
 
 Mrs. Garret Brower Dec. 5, '^4. (" Sarah Brower. 
 
 " William Brown " 1, '60. 1' .Matilda Reed. 
 
 " Edward Burke* " 5, '57. P Mary E. Hulse. 
 
 Joseph A. Butcher ' " '75. P 
 
 Mrs. Joseph A. Butcher " " " P Eimira Pittenger. 
 
 Disbrow Carson , <' 
 
 William V. Carson. + Mar. 6, '75. P 
 
 Mrs. Wm. V. Cars^on i " 5. '65. P Kleanor Herbert. 
 
 " Garret Carson May 25, '44. P Anna M. Hyer. 
 
 " William Clavton P Ann Brower. 
 
 " Wm. Clayto^n, Jr Mar. 3, '77. P Anna BurJte. 
 
 Miss Mary A. Clayton. J " " " P 
 
92 
 
 Names. 
 
 Mrs. Charles F. Clayton Sept, 
 
 " John V. Conover.-)-* Mar. 
 
 " Wm. I. Conover Dej;. 
 
 Daniel P. Conover Sept, 
 
 Mrs. D. P. Conover 
 
 John D. Conover.;}: Mar. 
 
 Mrs. Garret Conover Sept. 
 
 Miss Elizabeth W. Conover Mar. 
 
 Mrs. John R. Conover. f Sept. 
 
 Miss Alethia Cooke Ma: 
 
 " ilartha M. Cornell 
 
 Peter L. Corcelyou 
 
 Mrs. P. L. Cortelyou 
 
 Cornelius Conrson I Oct. 
 
 James R. Cruikshank Mar 
 
 Mrs. James R. Cruikshank 
 
 Miss Kate M. Cruikshank.];.... 
 
 When Rec'd. 
 
 Mrs. P. Conover DuBois.f. 
 Miss Mary Klla DuBois.J... 
 Mrs. E. J. Dunham.* 
 
 John T. Emmons.* 
 
 Mrs. Wm. T. Emmons. 
 Holmes S. Emmons. J.. 
 
 Miss Jane E. Gordon 
 
 Mrs. Lewis I. Gordon. f. 
 
 " George C. Gordon 
 
 Miss Ella C. Gordon. J.... 
 
 David D. Hance Jan. 8, '43. 
 
 Mrs. David D. Hance". 
 
 Miss Helen Hankinson June 6, '74. 
 
 Joseph W. Hau.xhurst.* Mar. 6, '69. 
 
 Miss Margaret Hayes Dec. 4, '69. 
 
 Mrs. Jolin W. Herbert " 5, '68. 
 
 Miss Catherine Herbert. J June 6, '74. 
 
 J Schenck Herbert Dec. 6, "i3. 
 
 Miss Cornelia H. Herbert June 6, '74. 
 
 Gordon D. Herbert Dec. 4, '75. 
 
 Addison W. Hobert June 5, '69. 
 
 Mrs. A. W. Hobert 
 
 David R. Hoheri..J •' 2, '77. 
 
 Mrs. D. R. Hobert 
 
 Mrs. Jonathan S. Hcflmes Mar. 4, '76. 
 
 Asher H. Holmes. ;J; " 6, '6^*. 
 
 Mrs. A. H. Holmes " 3. '67. 
 
 Tylee S. Holmes. J " 4, '76. 
 
 .Miss Sarah M. Holmes. J 
 
 Mr.-^. Ijozell Holmes j " 5, '70. 
 
 .Michael Holmes iDec. 4, '69. 
 
 Mrs. Michael Holmes " " " 
 
 Miss Ella Holmes. J 'June 3. '76. 
 
 '70. 
 '37. 
 '74. 
 
 '65. 
 
 il 
 
 '76. 
 
 '71. 
 '76. 
 
 '55. 
 '71. 
 '76. 
 '61. 
 
 '42. 
 '76. 
 
 June 6. '63. 
 Sept. 5, '74. 
 Mar. 4, '71. 
 
 Mar. 3, '66. 
 June 5, '70. 
 Mar. 3, '77. 
 
 Dec. 5, '68. 
 Mar. 4, '76. 
 
 How 
 
 Remarks. 
 
 Mary H. Wall. 
 Eleanor Schenck. 
 Cornelia L. Smock. 
 
 Elmira T. Morgan 
 Mary Hulshan. 
 Mary Jane Van Kirk. 
 
 Jane Bergen. 
 
 Kate .M. .Molt. 
 
 Ann Virginia Carson. 
 
 Ann Eliza Bennet. 
 
 Rachel Emmons. 
 
 Lydia V. Wallers. 
 Mary S. Conover. 
 
 Jane Ann Van Cleef. 
 
 Agnes Wright. 
 
 Sophia Van Der Veer. 
 
 Ella S. Smock. 
 .Matilda V. Schenck. 
 
 Margaret Schenck. 
 
 Ellen E. Sickels. 
 Julia Ann Emmons. 
 
93 
 
 Names. 
 Samuel T. Holmes. J; 
 
 When 
 
 Mar. 2, 
 
 II II 
 
 June 5, 
 Apr. 26 
 
 Mar. 3, 
 June 2, 
 
 Sept. 4 
 
 " 5, 
 
 ALir. 3, 
 
 " 5, 
 
 Rkc'd. 
 
 '67 
 
 Mrs. S T. Holmes 
 
 
 Mrs. John S. Hulshart.f 
 
 Miss Catherine L. Hyer.* 
 
 Mrs. James Johnson.* 
 
 '5y. 
 
 , '5L 
 '66 
 
 Samuel Jones 
 
 '77 
 
 Mrs. Samuel Jones 
 
 II 
 
 Richard Laird 
 
 '69 
 
 .Mrs. R. Laird 
 
 
 Miss Rhoda R. Laird. J 
 
 u 
 
 " Caroline Laird. J 
 
 '74. 
 '77. ■ 
 '54. 
 
 " Mary Ella Laird. + 
 
 Lewis M. Laird. J 
 
 Samuel Leigli ton 
 
 .Mrs. Samuel Leighton 
 
 William R. Leighton^ 
 
 Mrs. Wm. R. Leighton 
 
 ■' Conover Leighton 
 
 Rev. E. P. Livingston.* 
 
 Mrs. Samuel Luyster 
 
 Mar. 3, 
 Sept. 1, 
 M.-ir. 1, 
 Dec. 2, 
 Sept. 2, 
 
 June 3, 
 Feb. 28 
 
 '77. 
 
 '77. 
 '73. 
 '54. 
 
 '76. 
 
 '76. 
 '74. 
 
 
 
 Miss Elizabeth S. McGachen.J 
 
 Sept. 3, 
 Dec. 4, 
 
 Mar. 4, 
 June 2, 
 
 " 6, 
 Sept. 5, 
 June 6, 
 
 " 5) 
 
 '53. 
 69. 
 
 76. 
 '72. 
 '74. 
 '74. 
 '74. 
 '58. 
 '69. 
 
 " Sarah J. McGachen 
 
 Jacot) McGachen, Jr 
 
 Mrs. Jacob .McGachen, Jr 
 
 Mrs. Rev. A. 0. Millspaugh.... 
 Miss Sarah E. Millspaugh. J.... 
 
 Mrs. Charles Millspaugii 
 
 Miltbrd Minkinson * 
 
 .Mrs. Jonathan Morgan 
 
 How 
 
 Remarks. 
 
 George Nodes iMar. 4, • 
 
 Mrs. George Nodes jMay 30, 
 
 John H. Nodes. j iMar. 4. 
 
 Mrs. J. H. Nodes \ - " 
 
 Ira Otterson ISept. 2, 
 
 Mrs. Ira Ottersoii ! " " 
 
 Absolum Powelson June 2, '72. 
 
 Mrs. Isaac Quackenbush |Jan. 19, 
 
 Miss Sarah E. Quackenbush. J. jSept. 6, 
 
 Mrs. John N. Reed,* !Mar. L 
 
 James Reiley " •^• 
 
 Mrs. J. T. Roberts •■ ^• 
 
 John r. Rue I'cc. 4. 
 
 76. 
 
 P 
 
 '75. 
 
 P 
 
 76. 
 
 P 
 
 
 P 
 
 '76. 
 
 C 
 
 ■ ' 
 
 C 
 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 
 p 
 c 
 
 c 
 
 c 
 
 c 
 c 
 
 
 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 c 
 p 
 
 p 
 c 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 c 
 p. 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 
 '50. 
 
 P 
 
 '66. 
 
 P 
 
 62. 
 
 P 
 
 77. 
 
 i' 
 
 66. 
 
 P 
 
 77. 
 
 P 
 
 iJane L. Hendrickson. 
 Jane Maines. 
 
 Adeiia Hendrickson. 
 
 JMary D. Schenck. 
 
 i 
 
 JAmelia Emmons. 
 
 iSarah Jane Nivison. 
 
 Mary Louisa Weeks. 
 Eleanor J. Sickels. 
 
 Catherine G. Painton. 
 
 Sarah M. Van Kirk. 
 .Marv Nivison. 
 
 Sarah C. Van Kirk. 
 Sarah A. Barkalo. 
 
 Jane Elizabeth Conover. 
 
 Gerradine Van Winkle. 
 
 Henrietta Stillwagon. 
 iSarah Easton. 
 
 Cathr'ne A. VanDerVeer 
 
 i 
 
 .Margaret Chasey. 
 
 Amelia Woolev. 
 
94 
 
 Names. 
 
 When Rec'd. 
 
 Mrs. John I. Rue Dec. 4, '69. 
 
 Rev. Garret C. Sclienck I Feb. 2, '27. 
 
 Mrs. Rev. G. G. Sclienck Ijune 5, '53. 
 
 Martyn G. Sclienck. J Mar. 6, 'fi;*. 
 
 Lafayetie G. Schenck.J ' " • 3, '60. 
 
 Mrs. Lafayette G. Schenck ] " -','72. 
 
 Lafayette Sclienck ! '' 1, '56. 
 
 Mrs. Lafayette Sclienck IDec. 2, '54. 
 
 Miss Jane Ann Sclienck. J jJnne 5, '76. 
 
 A^rs. Sydney Sclienck.f 
 
 " William Sclienck. f i 
 
 Miss Eleanor H. Sclienck. J JDec. 1, '60. 
 
 Mrs. Jacob Sclienck j 
 
 Joseph Schenck Ijan. 2, '47. 
 
 Mrs. Joseph Schenck June 1, '40. 
 
 Aaron V. P. Schenck JMar. I, '63. 
 
 Mrs. A. V. P. Schenck June 6. '63. 
 
 Denise Schenck JMar. 5, '65. 
 
 Mrs. Denise Sclienck iDec. 5, 
 
 Miss Mary G. Schenck j " '' 
 
 Mrs. Holmes Schenck Sept. '1 
 
 " Garret Schenck. f iJune 2, 
 
 Miss Georgianna Schenck. t... Dec. 4, 
 
 '63. 
 
 1, 
 
 '63. 
 
 '75. 
 . '67. 
 June 5, .'70. 
 Dec. 3, '50. 
 Mar. 2, '51. 
 '' 2, '67. 
 Dec. 5, '74. 
 
 Mrs. Elias Schenck 
 
 " Gordon Schenck 
 
 John H.Sickels 
 
 Mrs. J. H. Sickels 
 
 " Wm. Sickels. f 
 
 .Miss Laura Sickels. J 
 
 " Irene Sickels. J 
 
 Mrs. Holmes Sickels Sept. 5, '69. 
 
 " John R. Sickels j •' 1, '73. 
 
 Miss Mary Smith " 3, '70. 
 
 Daniel P Smock Mar. I. '40. 
 
 Mrs. D. P. Smock 'Oct. 14, '48. 
 
 Miss Ann P. Smock. + iJuiie 1, '67. 
 
 " Elizabeth Smock. J jSejjt. 1, '67. 
 
 '• Jane V. D. Smock. J 
 
 Milton Smock. J. 
 
 Mrs. Milton Smock , 
 
 " Garret S. Smock.f 
 
 Uriah Smock 
 
 Mrs. Uriaii Smock 
 
 William Spader 
 
 Mrs. Wm. Spader 
 
 J. Van Der Bill Spader.;];* 
 
 .Mrs. D. Abeel Statesir 
 
 " Joseph Stryker.f 
 
 Miss Sarah Slrykcr 
 
 " Ann Sutpliin 
 
 Mrs. Wm. Sntiihin 
 
 Miss Jessie C. Sutpliin. ;|; 
 
 " Fannie J. Sutpliin. + 
 
 .Miss Josephine Sutpliin 
 
 Dec. 6, 
 '' 5, "63. 
 
 11 u u 
 
 June 1, '40. 
 May 25, '44. 
 Nov. 19, '43. 
 July 15, '43. 
 Mar. 3, '54. 
 Sept. 4, '58. 
 Mar. 6, '65, 
 .\pr. 10. '41. 
 Mar. 4, '76. 
 Feb. 12, '53. 
 Mar. 1, '68. 
 
 " .1. '76. 
 
 " 3, '77. 
 
 •■ 4, '76. 
 
 3pw 
 
 REM.MtKS. 
 
 p 
 p 
 
 C 
 P 
 I^ 
 
 c 
 p 
 (.1 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 
 p 
 
 Adaline Armstrong. 
 
 Jane McCormick 
 
 
 Mary V. DuBois. 
 
 Sarah S. Van Der Veer. 
 
 Sarah Ann Smock. 
 Abby Polhemus. 
 
 !Mary Ann Hall. 
 
 Catharine A. Taylor. 
 
 Ellen H. Buck. 
 
 Jane Ann Hyer. 
 
 Eleanor .Morgan. 
 Anne V\^ill. 
 
 Ida V. W. Morgan. 
 Catherine Garretson. 
 
 Amanda Johnson. 
 [Hannah Clayton. 
 
 Catherine L. Wotlle3^ 
 Amelia Ann VanSchoick 
 
 Sarah Jane DuBois. 
 
 Ulizabelh DuBoi.< 
 Ann Con over. 
 
 Catherine Schenck. 
 
 Mary L. W hillock 
 
 Ann Van Der Veer. 
 Jeriisha Sanford. 
 
 Margaret Ann Str.vkei 
 
95 
 
 Names. 
 
 .Mrs. Lawrence Taylor. 
 
 " yamiiel Taylor.... 
 
 Miss Sai-ali Thompson. 
 
 James VV. Tilton 
 
 Mrs. James W. Tilton.. 
 
 Charles Van Cleef 
 
 .Mrs. Cliarles Van Cleef 
 
 Aaron Van Der Veer 
 
 Mrs. Aaron Van Der Veer 
 
 P. Conover Van Der Veer. J 
 
 Mr.s. P. C. Van Der Veer 
 
 Joseph A. Van Der Veer 
 
 Mrs. Jos. A. Van Der Veer 
 
 Miss Georgiana Van Der Veer 
 
 John. Van De.r Veer 
 
 Mrs. John Van Der Veer 
 
 '■ Edgar Van Der Veer 
 
 " Abrara Van DerVuer 
 
 " B. Sclienck Van DerVeer 
 -Miss Catherine Van Dorn 
 
 '• Fannie Van Dorn 
 
 Mrs. Joseph Van Dorn 
 
 George H. Van Dorn 
 
 Mrs. R. Schenck Van Kirk.f ... 
 
 John Henry Van Kirk 
 
 John H. Van Mater 
 
 Mrs. J. H. Van Mater 
 
 Charles S. Van Mater 
 
 Augustus Van Mater 
 
 June 1, '4(1. 
 Dec. 5, '68. 
 Sept. 5, '57. 
 Dec. 1, '72. 
 " 4. '69. 
 
 Garret Wall 
 
 J a m e s W a 1 1 
 
 Mrs. Charles Walters. f 
 
 ■' Rev. Ransford Wells 
 
 Rev. Theodore W. Wells. J ... 
 
 Mrs. Rev. T. W. Wells 
 
 Miss Laura H. Wells. J 
 
 James E. Wells 
 
 Mrs. J. E. Wells 
 
 Miss Harriet C. Wells. J 
 
 Sehih B. VVells.J 
 
 Mrs. S. B.Wells 
 
 Miss Lydia Whitlock , 
 
 John S. Whitlock 
 
 Mrs. John S Whitlock 
 
 Miss Mary E. Whitlock. + 
 
 Van Der Bilt Whitlock. J 
 
 Mrs. Van Der Bilt Whitlock. 
 
 Miss Mary Anna Whitlock.. 
 
 " Cluirlotte S. Witlock... 
 
 John V. N. Willis 
 
 Mrs. J. V. N. Willis 
 
 Asher Wooley. 
 
 Mrs. Asher Wooley 
 
 Mar. 6, '75. 
 June 5, '70. 
 Oct. 14, '48. 
 
 June 5, '69. 
 Sept. 1, '67. 
 June 6, '74. 
 
 li a u 
 
 Dec. 1, '67. 
 Sept. 4, '6i'. 
 
 Mar. 4, '76. 
 
 Mav 30, '75. 
 Mar. 1, '62. 
 Sept. 2, '60. 
 Dec. 3, '70. 
 Mar. 4, '76. 
 Jan. 8, '43. 
 Dec. 5, '68. 
 Mar. 4, '76. 
 
 " 3, '77. 
 June 3, '76. 
 
 Sept. 3, 
 June 2, 
 Mar. 4, 
 
 Sept. 1, 
 
 Dec. 6, 
 
 Mar. 4, 
 
 " 6, 
 
 " 3, 
 ' 6, 
 
 '59. 
 '66. 
 '76. 
 
 W 
 
 '73. 
 '73. 
 '76. 
 '75. 
 
 .i 
 
 '77. 
 "75. 
 
 Apr. 2, 
 
 '47. 
 
 July 17 
 
 '47 
 
 Apr. 2, 
 
 '47. 
 
 Dec. 6, 
 
 '62. 
 
 Sept. 2, 
 
 '76. 
 
 Dec. 6, 
 
 '62. 
 
 Mar. 6, 
 
 '58. 
 
 " -1. 
 
 '76. 
 
 June 1, 
 
 '65. 
 
 Mar. 2, 
 
 '61. 
 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 
 p 
 c 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 c 
 c 
 p 
 c 
 c 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 
 p 
 p 
 c 
 c 
 c 
 c 
 p 
 c 
 c 
 c 
 c 
 c 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 p 
 c 
 p 
 c 
 p 
 p 
 c 
 
 REMAKK.S. 
 
 Jane Cherao. 
 Sarah Stuart. 
 
 Catherine A. Thompson. 
 
 Mary Ann Fielder. 
 Mary P. Conover. 
 
 Abhy E. Herbert. 
 Son of Aaron. 
 Rachel M. Rue. 
 
 Elizabeth Brown. 
 Jane L. Morris. 
 Madora M. Schenck. 
 Ellen Johnson. 
 
 Rachel Hampton. 
 
 Eleanor Conover. 
 
 Mary E. Conover. 
 
 Sarah E. Johnston. 
 Joanna Hardenbergh. 
 
 J. Elizabeth VanDyck. 
 
 Henrietta Mapes. 
 
 Jennette Giliiand. 
 
 Mary Van Der Bilt. 
 Rebecca Whitlock. 
 
 Ann Schenck. 
 Catherine A. Snyder. 
 
^6 
 
 RECAPITULATION. 
 
 Received liy Profession 178 
 
 Certificate 53 
 
 231 
 
 lleceived during Rev. Dr. Van Vranken's Ministry 9 
 
 •' '• •' Mr. Marcelius' • 24 
 
 " " " " Willis' ■■■ fi5 
 
 " '• " " Swain's •• 4.') 
 
 " " the present pastorate 88 
 
 231 
 
 No longer residing in the (-ongregation 10 
 
 Ministers of the Gospel 3 
 
 Under the Consistory's care 218 
 
 Males 67 
 
 Females 151 
 
 218 
 

PHOTOMOUNT 
 PAMPHLET BINDER 
 
 •AYLOflD BROS. \m. 
 Sirf*cut«> N. Y.