Ecclesiastical Records, State of New York

May

June

Petition for a Charter for a College in New York, by the
Trustees holding certain Funds-Efforts to secure In-
structors-Trinity Church will give land if the President
shall be a member of the Church of England-Petition
referred to a Committee of the Council-See May, 30.

PAGE.

3478, 3479

21 Elder Daniel Durye and others to the Classis of Amsterdam-

Testifies that Arondeus was forbidden by the commissioners

from preaching a second Confession-Sermon-Defends

Arondeus

...3479, 3480

30 Report of Committee on Petition for Charter for a College

in New York-The Governor requested to direct the

Attorney-General to prepare such Charter to be laid be-

fore the Council for their approbation....

30 Protest of the Minority of Committee against a Charter
giving any one denomination a predominance in said Col-
lege-Two against three-Injuries to the common rights;
tends to jealousies and animosities; seven-eighths of the
population, non-Episcopalians-Importance of Liberty of
Conscience and equal civil rights-College to be supported
by public funds-If sectarian, its influence will diminish.

3480

3480-3482

4 Order of the Governor to the Attorney-General to prepare a
College Charter according to the Report (of the majority).

3482, 3483

13 Partial answer of Dr. Johnson's son to Wm. Livingston's

Twenty Unanswerable Reasons; or to the Protest... ... 3483

Religion among the Mohawks....

.3483, 3484

The Church and the College-Rev. Samuel Johnson to the

Archbishop of Canterbury.

3484, 3485

3485

22 Religion among the Mohawks.

22 Acts of the Deputies-Testimonies in favor of Arondeus.

3485, 3486

Certificate of study, for Johannes Aemilius Wernig...... 3486

July 30-Aug. 8 Synod of North Holland-Receive a German letter from

New York, dated April 25, 1754, on Pennsylvania affairs—

Deem it unwise for the German churches to organize a Con-

ference with the Presbyterians....

Aug.

Sept.

3486

15 Rev. U. Van Sinderen to his opponents-Invitation to a Con-

ference for peace.....
.3486, 3487

22 The College and the Church-Wm. Livingston to Chauncey

Whittlesey of New Haven-College exercises begun before

the Charter is obtained-Charter delayed on account of

the Protest-Opposition to a Sectarian College......3487, 3488

2 Classis of Amsterdam to the Consistory of Lower Rhine-

beck-Their contemptuous former letter-Referred to

answer of Classis to that.....

15 Church of New York-Domine Boel's widow-Salaries..

Acts of the Deputies-Letter from the Old Consistory of

Kings County, dated March 29, 1754-Troubles caused by

Arondeus-Call of Curtenius-Efforts for peace......3489, 3490

17-19 Acts of Coetus of New York-Death of Rev. John Freling-

huysen-Reports on the transforming of the Coetus into

a Classis Committee appointed to prepare Plan for a

Classis Church of Fishkill complain of Rev. Meinema-

Committee sent to Fishkill-Plan of Classis reported-Case

of Jamaica and Rev. Romeyn-Rev. Mancius preaches to

the adherents of Arondeus-Matter referred to Classis-

Case of Jamaica and Rev. Romeyn-His installation ar-

ranged for Plan of a Classis adopted-Committee ap-

pointed to receive reports of the churches on a Classis-

Sessions of the Assembly hereafter to be in October...3490–3492

19 Circular Letter of the Coetus to the churches, proposing a

Classis-Reasons for changing the Coetus into a Classis:

Coetus is not a body recognized in the Constitution; can-

not give any final decisions; delays in sending to the

Classis of Amsterdam; a Classis necessary, to save time

and expense, and danger, and to promote regularity in

ordinations; also to dispatch business, to supply candidates

and ministers-Classis of Amsterdam requested to advo-

cate an American Classis before the Synod of North

Holland-Churches requested to approve Plan for a

19 The Coetus (per Ritzema, etc.) to Classis of Amsterdam-

Acknowledgments of letters received-Romeyn's call to

Oyster Bay and Jamaica-Installation-Deaths of

Domine Boel and John Frelinghuysen-Prospect of peace

in Kings County-Coetus minutes to be delayed, in the

sending until next spring.......

3493

3494

.3495, 3496

1 Action of the Church of New York on Circular Letter of

Coetus about a Classis-A Classis of less use than a Coe-

tus-Domine De Ronde released from his obligation to

belong to the Coetus-Consistory to write to the Classis

of Amsterdam against a Coetus-A petition to be pre-

sented to the Legislative Assembly to allow the Dutch to

have a Professor of Divinity in Kings College-Another

copy, with omissions..

12 Rev. Gerard Haeghoort to the Classis of Amsterdam-Says

he has fulfilled his duties as minister, and his church

bound to pay him his salary-Defends his former criti-

cisms of the Classis in severe terms--Rebukes the Classis

for charging him with lack of humility-Lawsuit for his

salary-Suggests his breaking off of correspondence with

the Classis-Under English law-Will strive for peace-

Coetus about to go to pieces-A Classis needed, if prop-

erly organized-His admonition to the Classis against

spiritual pride and the exercise of lordship-P. S.: Re-

marks on the Pennsylvania churches..

.3497, 3498

1754.

Oct. 17

The Church of New York to the Classis of Amsterdam-Com-

pelled to acquaint the Classis with the recent action of

the Coetus-Plan of Coetus, to turn itself into a Classis,

presented-Lust of power rules the Coetus, and would rule

the Classis-Danger of the overthrow of the Dutch

Church by the English-Desirability to make candidates

and ministers here, if they could receive proper education-

But education here would bring about the separation of

the Church from Holland-In the proposal for a Classis,

independence lurks-Partizanship rules the Coetus, as

appears from several incidents-Hence the Church of New

York abjures the Coetus, and renews its old relations

direct with the Classis of Amsterdam....

18 Rev. Ritzema to Rev. Van Sinderen-Requests assent to his

preaching in Van Sinderen's church, on invitation of op-

18 Wm. Livingston to Rev. Noah Welles-The Governor acting

a double part-Hopes the Assembly will defeat the Royal

Charter-The Dutch Church of New York has requested to

have a Professorship of Divinity in the College-If granted,

the College less partizan-If rejected, evidence of

hypocrisy

20 The Church and the College-Bishop Sherlock to Rev.

Samuel Johnson

3501

3502

22 Rev. Van Sinderin to Rev. Ritzema-Consents conditionally

to an exchange with Ritzema..

.3502, 3503

25 The Church and the College-Rev. Samuel Johnson to Bishop

Secker

.3503, 3504

25 Rev. Dr. Johnson to the Archbishop of Canterbury-The

Church in Westchester County....

.3504, 3505

25 Petition of the Collegiate Church to the Assembly, for a

Divinity Professorship in the proposed College-Importance

of such Professorship to the College-Postponed until the

Charter is presented to the House....
.3505, 3506

31 Draft of Charter for a college (Kings College) presented to

the Council by the Attorney-General-Names of Trustees-

Dissent of Mr. Smith-Charter adopted.....

Charter of Kings College-Sketch of Rev. Dr. Johnson, the

first President

3506

3506-3515

1 Report to the House, of the Trustees holding the College

Funds-Funds invested-Trinity Church had offered land. 3515

1 Minority Report of Hon. Wm. Livingston on the College

Funds-The majority Report not complete-The Trustees

were not incorporated; had not reported his dissent-

Minority Report included various documents-Also Liv-

ingston's "Twenty Unanswerable Reasons" against the

establishment of a Sectarian College, of May 16, 1754,

presented to the Assembly....
3515-3517

4 Rev. Henry Barclay, Rector of Trinity Church, to Rev.

Samuel Johnson, the nominated President of Kings Col-

lege The College Charter passed by the Council-Report

to the House of the Trustees holding the Funds, Wm. Liv-

ingston dissenting-His protest-The cause almost lost-

The Governor determined-Difficult to decide whether John-

son better yet resign his charge-Support as President of

College doubtful-But two Dutch members made a pro-

posal for a Dutch Professorship of Divinity in the Col-

lege, and they would vote the money..

.3517, 3518

5 Rev. Anthony Curterius to the Classis of Amsterdam—The
Coetus voted to turn itself into a Classis-Reasons against
an American Classis: If the Synod granted the request,
Arminianism and Independency would come into the
church-The Academies here are Independent, Presby-
terian or Anglican-Johnson, of the Anglican Academy,
is an Arminian-The Dutch have asked for a Professor-
ship of Divinity in that Academy, for themselves-A num-
ber of Dutch ministers consort with the Presbyterians-
George Whitefield allowed to preach in Dutch churches.

3518, 3519

6 Resolution of the Assembly that the moneys raised for the

College shall only be employed according to the direction

of the Legislature (See June 12, 1755; and Dec. 1,

1756)—Wm. Livingston asks permission to bring in a bill

for a College to be incorporated by Act of Assembly-

Granted-(See Nov. 26, 1754)...

12 Rev. Van Sinderin to certain parties in reference to peace.

3520

3520, 3521

18 Jeremias Van der Bilt, of the (anti) -Consistory to Rev.

Van Sinderin, in reference to peace....

3525

..3521-3523

Dec.

26 Livingston's Bill for an Unsectarian College-Abstract..3523-3525

Christ's Church (Episcopal) at Oyster Bay....

7 Act for raising £1125 by lottery toward further provision
for founding a College in New York.....

7 Wm. Livingston to Rev. Noah Welles-"The Watch Tower "

-The Church-College-Bill for a Free College...

3525

.3525, 3526

? Rev. John Ritzema to Classis of Amsterdam-(This letter

is a forgery of a schoolmaster, Van der Sman)......3526, 3527

Classis of Amsterdam to the Coetus of New York-Refer-

ence to Thos. Romeyn-Regret delay in sending the

Minutes of Coetus-Acts of Synod of North Holland, sent

over....

..3527, 3528

Church of New York resolves to call a chorister, school-

master, etc......

....3528, 3529

6 Specimen of one of the articles called "The Watch Tower."

3529, 3530

Church of New York to certain gentlemen in Amsterdam, to

call a chorister, schoolmaster, etc.-Terms..

Rev. Anthony Curtenius to the Classis of Amsterdam-Turn-

ing the Coetus into a Classis-Visit of Rev. Theodore Fre-

linghuysen to all the churches, to get signatures for a

Classis and a College-Preaches on the subject-Names of

subscribers-Document addressed to a Synod, but no

special Synod specified-Danger of a College and Classis-

Many Dutch ministers favor Presbyterianism... .3532-3534

March 19 Nicholas Wyckof (of anti-Consistory) to Rev. Van Sin-

deren, respecting call of Rev. Curtenius as colleague; and

conditions of peace.....

3534

Rev. Van Sinderen and party decline overtures..

Church of New York-Sale of domine Boel's parsonage.

3535

3535, 3536

Church of New York to certain gentlemen in Holland, about
choosing chorister, etc....

29 Churches of Kings County, (adherents of Arondeus) to
Classis of Amsterdam-Arondeus has left-Have occa-
sional supplies-Opposition of Van Sinderin and his ad-
herents-Rev. Mancius, not a member of the Coetus, had
preached and prepared a form of call for them-Called
Curtenius-Acceptance, on conditions of efforts for peace
and union-Van Sinderin declines overtures for union,
because of the assumed irregularity of Arondeus and his
consistory-Can raise £107-Ask Classis to recognize
Curtenius as their lawful minister..

3536

.3536-3538

....3538, 3539

March ? Acts of the Deputies-Letter from Rev. Thomas Romeyn-

His installation at Oyster Bay-Similar letter from the

Consistory, accepting Romeyn..

Classis receives letters from Queens County, dated May 21,

1754; from the Coetus, of date Sept. 19, 1754-Replies

postponed ....

April 7

3539

10 Rev. E. T. Van Hoevenberg to the Classis of Amsterdam-