The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-12-06
Centennial Anniversary Of the Foundation o.
the Earliest Dutch Reformed Church-Ser
mon by Rev. DIR. De Wit.

AT three T. NJ yesterday the Rev Dr. Dc Witt preached
in the Protestant Dutch Reformed church in Forsyth
street. Canal being the centennial anniversary Of
the foundation Of said church Tho reverend gentleman
spoke from the following words, found in the 1921
Psalm
peace be within thee.
Because Of the house OF the Lord our God viii seek
thy good.
There is nothing perhaps, more delightful in the sp.
ritual exercise and experience Of the Christian than his
enjoyment and degh, the services Of house Of God
There Christian who does not feel tins attachment
the house Of the Lord meet you on this OCCASION my
beloved friends in Christ, stranger to your faces; but
am not stranger to your hearts We are met in com
memoraton q the foundation Of tho FIRST German Re
formed church In tbs city. century has since passed
We look at IL, and then think just opening
into another century, in which shall soon
pass away. But stll our children shall
here 70 worship where Tho re.
verend speaker said he was willing TO give his time
labor and devotion for the advancement and support OF
the church Of God. The Bible the rule Of fe Christ
the light of lfe and the church the pillar Of life The
church shah be the JOY Of tho whole earth; she
IL the fundamentally for the salvation Of the
world II Is by feeling the attractive and halowed
rowcr Of Christian love Ina, She 4 bound Together Thcv
should unite firmly and freely in prayer-thelr hearts
should he IN unison 10 common counsel, common effort
then God would bless them As band of brethren they
should take up this declaration, for my brethren and
companions sake now say, peace be with you" That
would be the precursor OF D~SNgN HeicFt prayed,
and willing 10 exercise all bis influence for the ad
vnnccment and support o. the church 81 God and the
good OF his brethren. They met in memory Of the
foundation OF the church century SINCE and he desired
make remarks in reference 10 that Foundation A
close intercourse q friendship existed prior and t
sometime after the revolution, between the reformed
church of Holland and Germany lie looked back to that
church IN Europe a. the source % the civil liberty
enjoy, M well &c our religious privileges.
The cfur nation broke out in Germany and the hierarchy
II the Church Of Rome with all its dcspOsm and power
could not subvert it-pcrsecuon and blood could not
quench II.
The learned Doctor wen, on 10 sketch the history Of the
early Reformation AZ some length Notwithstanding The
terrible persecution OF the Waldens and HngGenots
thought there nowhere else snch persecution and
scattering and death there in Holland Before that
monster OF cruelty, Charles ", died. eighteen thousand
martyrs had been slain These prosecutions lei many o
the Dutch 20 emrrao 10 this country, and the Germans
began 50 follow them. TIL Reformed church ia tio
land FRS. called the "Church Of the Cross oi Christ
The early Dutch settled IN Philadelphia and New Iork
III 1910 there the rst large German mgration ~
this country. during the Paatne persecution their cln
grafton kept NJ, until their numbers were great
that they began e. form churches ~ ther own or
ship. Until the Revolution these churches
tanned almost entirely by the churches IN the parent
try. There were very large sums of money sent over
here 70 SUPPORT poor scrs and schools ono hundred
years since 1853 the number ~ the members 81 th3
Reformed Dutch church had increased that they
enabled 10 cstabsha church 81 their oen, distinct from
the German churches in which they could have the az
vantage of their language ard their forms "
lgious services They first bought old structure then
built church building. ~ 1875 The corner stone or
the church in which they then asseInb "A laid
Every ono ~ the cOnssury laid stone The church
then in connection with the charch of Holland. The Rev
Doctor closed by exhong the church 70 unity harmony
and good feeling not only W ITSELF but also To the German
and American churches.