The New York herald., 1878-11-22
THE OLD DUTCH CHURCH.
Celebrating Its Two Hundred and Fiftieth
Anniversary in New York.
'EEN DRACHJ MAAkT MACHT."
Planting the Seeds Of Protestant Christianity
.On Manhattan Island.


educational. The recent rage Tor "centennials
should drive of sight the fact that there
many organizations in this country which can al
ready count their two hundred years and more.
But the anniversaries of these institutions not
commonly found in any one particular locality. and
many of them not celebrated. their remembrance
having faded out in the dim obscurity of timo. 1t is
not often therefore, that the reporter is called upon
to chronicle such events and the celebration of
one Of them in this city yesterday may
be looked upon an occasion Of no
ordinary interest. The two hundred and ffteth an
niversary Of the founding Of the Reformed Protcs
tant Dutch Church in this city celebrated yester
day with appropriate ceremonies at the Fifth Avenue
Church. corner of Twenty-ninth street, Of which
the Rev. DR.. William Ormiston is pastor
In the afternoon at three o'clock the opening
vices held. The Rev. Thomas E. vermilye. D. d.
senior pastor of the church. delivered the historical
address. 1t very important and interesting. Civ
Ing complete details of the early struggles of the
Dutch Church in the mother country and the
history of its organization in this city Tho
devotional exercises conducted by Presi
dent Campbell. of Rutgers College; DR.. S. M.
Woodbridge, Dean Of the Theological Seminary
at New Brunswick, N. j.. and the Rev. n. S. Hutton,
of this city. The Rev. DR.. Ormston presided.
Services resumed in the evening, and number
of addresses delivered by prominent clergymen,
among others the Rev. DR.. Dix. of Trinity Church;
of the Methodist Church; DR.. Il. s. storrs.
of tho Congregational Church; DR.. Ander-
son. of tho. baptist Church. and Dr.. :.
p. Rogers, OF the Reformed Dutch Church.
The devotional exercises conducted by the
Rev. Dr. Taylor. of Newark. and the Rev. Mr. Sabine,
services The church was crowded during the after.
noon and evening. the ladies being more numerous
on the latter OCCASION
THE MUSIC AND DECORATIONS.
Appropriate music was rendered by several COM
bined choirs. and was of very high order of merit.
30 God, when Thou Appearest." Beethoyen's
"Hallclujah Chorus Memberships .'Te Deum,"
Haydn's anthem. The Heavens Are Telling" and
amateur musical talent is seldom witnessed in this city
The church very eaborately decorated. Behind
the reading desk were the American and Dutch flags
drawn and fastened each side to allow sight of
beautiful and anchor of red and white flowers
Over this wreath Of flowers. with a white dove
In the centre On each side the desk were American
Gags, each surmounted by two little Dutch flags.
On the wall of the church. to the left of the reading
"1s73." and on the right with the date 1925"
while under the desk itself similar pillow with
the sures The sa arms & Of Holland and the
Strength were conspicuously displayed on the
THE AFTERNOON SERVICES.
At the afternoon services. which began promptly at
the appointed hour. three O'Clock the Rev. William
ormiston. D. D.. presided. The doxology. Praise
This was followed by Mozart's anthem. =; 20
The Rev. W. H. Campbell. B. D.. President Of Rutgers
College, then read portion of the Scriptures. Tho
Rev. NJ ;. Hutton. D. D.. delivered the opening
prayer, after which the congregation sang the hymn
No. 924, "Our God our help in ages past"
SCRAPS OF HISTORY.
Tho historical discourse read by the Rev
Thomas i. vermilyc. d. d. The present ocr aston.
he said, appealed to the DESCENDANTS OF the Dutch
wherever they might be found From Holland came
he N settlers Of bo<fo
many the mother country the battle ground
of Europe but its inhabitants. who had wrested
1t from Europe, bound to maintain against all
odds. During these years of struggle the Dutch were
not at all behind in the arts and sciences Printing
according to the cssayist, was first discovered in
Haarlem in 1896 The press FREQ from censorship
For two centuries Holland the pivot on which
Europe moved. 1t was the handspring in all neotia-
tons the mediator Of the strength of the weak
and the light bearer OF the times. In 1909 Hudson
sailed from Holland and discovered the river which
bears his name. exploring it far north as ALBANY
The island of Manhattan was bought from the In
dians for $24. At the time of the Reformation the
movement awakened deep interest and sympathy
in Holland The nation the Dutch had Just been M
war with was Catholic. and the Dutch remained
true to the religion they had conquered
This religion was transplanted to the island of Man
haitian ut the very time when Holland was supreme
in learning Jurisprudence and politics. and just after
the Synod Of bort, which supplied the life blood to
the Dutch Church. In the year 1923 James Mchiae-
lius the dominic. arrived the island Sau
The church and school then organized and have
continued since. aaking the Dutch Reformed
the oldest Protestant Church in the New World The
preaching continued in the Dutch ng,age until
long after the English occupation. DIR. CIypers was
the last man to preach in Dutch. in the old Garden
Street Church. The change to English was made in
1764, 100 years after the English occupation.
The learned lecturer thought that this long DELAY
In adopting the dominant language was somewhat
injudicious and served to account for the falling oil
Of some OF the old Dutch families and their
10 Episcopalianism lie would not say. he pleasantly
nddod, how much OF the good there was In
For seven years after the Dutch Church was cstal
lished worship conducted in a large room over n
horse mill After this building near the Old slip
was erected. There they continued to worship fiji
l642 when stone edifce erected in the fort
at the southeast corner of the Battery Fifty years
later the church in Garden street was opened
In 1929 the church aftcrward used the Post once
built, and in 1869 the North Dutch Church cor
ncr of Fulton and William streets. then sur
In conclusion DIR. vermiiye spoke at length on the
growing want OF faith: which was being superseded
70 return to the devout belief Of their fortfathers
and showed that the spirit of the Church by no
means dead
After this eloquent discourse had been finished the
hymn $50. II love Thy kingdom. Lord" was sing
by the congregation The choir sang Beethoyens
''Hallelujah Chorus. and the "Gloria patri" after
which the Rev. DIR. 8. NJ. Woodbridge of tile Theo-
logical Seminary, New Brunswick, n. j., delivered
the benedcton which brought tho afternoon session
to . close.
rHH EVENING SERVICE
The evening service, beginning at halfpast seven,
consisted q series of hymns and conaratulatory
addresses from the various cergymen present. The
Rev. Talbot W. Chambers. d. D., presided Mem
nelssohn's lie Dcum" wus FIRST rendered by
The choir, after which the Rev. DR.. Taylor OF tho
Reformed Dutch Church delivered the opening prayer
The hymns sung by the congregation were No 657.
s'Glorious Things of Thee Arc Spoken" Holy, Holy
fIolyi" and the Doxoogy. Tho anthems by
the choir Haydns "1he Heavens Are
Telling and the "Hallelujah Chorus" Addresses
were made by the Rev. Morgan Dix, j. D., of
the Protestant Episcopal Church; the Rev. Il. l..
Rogers. ID. d.. OF the Reformed Dutch Church the
Rev. Howard Crosby u. d., OF the Presbyterian
Church; tho Rev. Thomas Anderson, j.. D., of tho
Baptist Church; the Rev. o. II. Tiffany, d. D., Of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. aud the Rev. Richard s.
Btorrs, u. D., of the Congregational Church. Tho
exercises closed with the usual bcncdction.
upTNTfrv. nIInTDc