VIII. - CHURCHES

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REFORMED PROTESTANT DUTCH CONGREGATION OF THE NEW PALTZ

This was one of the earliest religious organizations effected in the county of Ulster. As soon as the infant colony of New Paltz had secured a shelter for their families on the east bank of the Wallkill, to which they had removed, they erected a rude log building to answer the double purpose of school-house and church. It stood on the old burial-ground, and within this antique structure the people met for such Sabbath worship as they could themselves conduct. But at length, after five or six years, on Jan. 22, 1683, a minister of their own nationality as well as faith found his way to their secluded home, and a church was formally organized. This important event is thus signalized on the first page of the ancient records of the church, in the handwriting of Louis Du Bois:

"Le 22 de Janv (Janvier), 1683, monsier pierre daillie, ministre de la parole de dieu, est arive (arrive`) au nouveau palatinat, et presca (precha) deux fois le dimance (Dimanche) suivant, et proposa au ceef (chefs) des famille de coisir (choisir) a plus de vois (voix), par les peres de famille, un ancien et ua diake (diacre), ce quil firt (quíils firent), et coisirt (choisirent) Louys du bois pour ancien et hughe frere pour diake, pour ayder le ministre a conduire les membres de leglise (líeglise) quil sasemble (qui síassemble) au nouveau paltinat; lequel furt confirme (lesquels furent confirme`s) ensuite dans ladict carge (charge) dancien et diake. Le present liuur (livre) a est faict (a e`te` fait) pour meste (metre) les choses quil apatien (qui appartiennent) a la diet eglise."

The following is a translation:

"The 22d of January, 1683, Mr. Pierre Daille, minister of the Word of God, arrived at New Paltz, and preached twice on the following Sunday, and proposed to the heads of the families that they should chose by majority of votes, by the fathers of families, one elder and one deacon, which they did, and chose Louis Du Bois for elder and Hugh Fre`re for deacon, to assist the minister in guiding the members of the church that meets in New Paltz; who were subsequently confirmed in the said charge of elder and deacon. This minute has been made to put in order the matters which pertain to the said church."

As the settlement consisted of only ten or twelve families, the church was unable to secure the services of a settled pastor, but Mr. Daillie appears to have divided his services between the church of New Paltz and the Huguenot church of New York. The last recorded service of this minister was the marriage of "Peter Guimar, native of Moir Saintogne, to Esther Hasbrouck, native of the Palatinate, in Germany, April 18, 1692."

Dominie Bonrepose was the next minister, his services beginning May 31, 1696. A change of language from the French to the Dutch occurred from 1700 to 1730, during which time there was no settled ministry. The English language has been used during the present century.

A second house of worship was dedicated on Dec. 29, 1720. It was of stone and finished with brick brought from Holland. It was of small size, square, with a window on each of three sides, and a door inclosed by a portico on the fourth. The roof was surmounted by a little steeple, from which a horn was sounded for religious services. The following entry of the event appears in the records:

"Reni sois Dieu, Quij L nous a mys a coeus de Luy batir une maison pour y estre adores et servir, et que par sa grace nous Lavon finys en Lan Dix vii; et Dieu veillie que son evangile y soit anouce dean ce ciecle et dedan Lautre y usque au jour De Leternite. Amen."

The translation is as follows:

"Blessed be God, who has pout it into our hearts to build a home where He may be adored and served, and that by his grace we have finished it in the year 17 [1717]; and God grant that his gospel be preached here from one age to another till the day of eternity. Amen."

On Dec. 12, 1741, the consistory of New Paltz united with those of Rochester, Marbletown, and Shawangunk in calling Rev. Casparus Fryenmoet to be their minister at a salary of £100 per annum. Rochester was to pay £31 6s. and provide a parsonage, receiving one third of his services; Marbletown £36 14s. for another third; and New Paltz and Shawangunk £31 for the remaining third.

In 1760, Rev. Johannes Mauritius Goetschius entered upon duty of pastor of the churches of New Paltz and Shawangunk. Among the stipulations of the call were the following: To preach twice on Sabbath, from Paas to October, in each church alternately, the morning service to be from Scriptures and the afternoon service from the catechism. He was to visit his families every year with an elder. On the other hand each congregation was to pay him £40 good New York gold, and the Shawangunk church furnish him with a house, barn, garden, outbuildings, spring, and farm, and the New Paltz church to provide himself and horse with lodging.

In 1773 a new stone church was erected, and was superseded in 1839 by another house of worship, which, having undergone enlargement and alteration in 1872, is the one still in use. It is a large, imposing structure, and has a seating capacity of 1000. Rev. C.H. Stitt was installed pastor of the church on Dec. 20, 1848. The present pastor, Rev. Philip Peltz, D.D., was installed May 2, 1865.

The membership of the church is large. The congregations of New Hurley, Hiughland, Guilford, Rosendale, and Dashville have gone out from the mother-church at New Paltz. The consistory consists of:

Elders. - Abram D.B. Elting, Joseph Hasbrouck, Uriah Auchmoody, Solomon Van Orden.

Deacons. - Jesse Elting, Lewis H. Woolsey, Oscar Steen, and Charles M. Harcourt.

The pastor occupies a pleasant parsonage, which was built in 1848, replacing an old stone parsonage that had been built many years before.

The certificate of incorporation for this society was executed Oct. 3, 1796. Is was signed by the elders and deacons, - Benjamin Freer, Jeremiah Freer, Abraham Dayo, Dene D. Relyea, Jonathan Van Wagenen, Andries Lefever, Jr., Elias Een, Jacob Lefever. The document was witnessed by J. Dewitt and Dayton N. Wagenen, sworn to before Judge Abram Bevier, and the record attested by Christopher Tappen, deputy clerk

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