The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-05
PRAYING FOR THEIR PASTOR
THE ABTLTCTTON TH1T mas BEF1LLLN
THE RET. Mr.. SUTPHIN.
The Popular Minister of the Reformed /
Church Dashing IIHIrClothed into the street, /
aud Praying that his Reason be Rcstored. /

The Rev David S. Sutphen has for twelve
yonrs been the esteemed and beloved pastor Of
the First Dutch Reformed Church Of New
Utrecht. The church is the second Oldest on
Long Island. and its two hundredth annivcr-
sary was celebrated in October. 1876. Tho
members are solid Long Island farmers. we'll
to-do in this worlds goods. and with an anpre-
citation Of good preaching. Mr.. Sutphen
preached his trial sermon to them when he was
yet a student in Rutgers College and so pleased
were the New Utrecht folks that they engaged
him forthwith A short time after his instala
tion he married the beautiful and accomplished
daughter OF DR.. POlhemus OF Waverley. n. j.
They have Ind four children. The congrega-
tion voted him n snary Of $4,000. besides
nm annual donuton amounting to $500 or
500 more. The old parsonage house
was rcmodelled for him at the expense OF the
congregation and fitted up as handsome
modern residence. The pastor kent hs horse
and carriage. and lived in rs good style ns the
best of his ncighbors. He was a frequent guest
at tea drnkings and merry mRkings. and was
the life and soul Of church festivals and gather
ings. During his incumhcncy. and largely
through his instrumcniaty. the old stone
church built in 1928 has been reiltted at n cost
Of nearly e. 600. while Young Mems Chris
tan Association has boen organized. and hail
purchased at a cost Of 81 400 more.
In person. Mr.. Sutphen is Of medium height.
with dark eyes and hair. and Of modest. win
ming ways. He has always been n great stu
dent, and. two years ago. is thought to have
over cxertcd himself during a revival in his
church. His health for some time past has
been declining. and last summer ut the request
OF his consstory. he prolonged his usual
vacation of four weeks to two months, in order.
II possible To- rebuild his shattered constitution.
On his return he told a fri nd who inquired
about his health that he felt better than ir had
in many years Two months ago II Is said that
he consulted Or. r. Flint Speir Of Brooklyn
concerning "A trouble with his head. wuich he
said pained and ached at times in m unac-
cOuntRbe manner. No change in MIR. Sut-
phen's appearance was noted until about ten
4 week ago last Sunday Mr.. Sutphen
preached an unusually eloquent sermon from
the text
upon US that W. should be called the son, OF God
Shortly after preaching he was seized
n,.ri nen ,.' ~ .,,i,. ~
| reappearvd. but they were slight aS
! to cause little or no uueasines-. On Monday
| hls wife that he Thought he would consult Dr.
| De Mund ~ to bis condition. ana Mrs. Nutphen
| remarked tnut Tn" Doctor nud gone down tO the
sea shore at Bath The family retired at tha
usual hour Mr. Sutphen remainlng awake and
restless. A. usunl, shortly after ocloes the
wife WAS aroused by the noise of some one talk
| lng in violent tones. she looked up ana saw her
| husband standing in the middle OF the room
and pouring forth the most FRANTIC and dis
coriant declarations. He tremb.ed Violently.
| his body swung to and iro. and his hands were
| clenched tightly together.
| I'm madv he cried. in piteous accents
wrlnging his hands and gesticulating wildly.
I'm mad; do you heHrr | must 90 70 the
| doctor or shall do some harm to somebody
linen ne drew on palr ot trousers. and,
wearing nothing else save MS ngttshirt, started
| before Il and tried 10 GN-uade hitn. Don't 20.
| dearest!', she said. Ia heavens name. b.
! calm aud W. vii send for the doctor"
The maddened man tried to drag her away
| from betorr the door. but she resisted his ef-
forts and ciuns 20 him. hcsecching ban o. stay.
suddenly. and with an ovcrfr w"ruE rffn he
| showed her away. burst through another door
| leading into the hall, rushed down the stars.
| falling. and the roads were rough covered with
| halt frozen mud and Ice. Out into tue storm
| the street In the direction % the Doctors. lie
| had lust sense enough 20 remember The gen
| era dltc.lpn, out wien ~ h.i .'' ,na.t way
| there a numuness seemed in r,mgtp Als l!niu~
| and he sank To- the ground lie raised his
| ciasped hands 90 heaven. with the tears rolling
| down MS lace, anu prayed T. God Tor strength
| tO find his way 10 the Doctors house So that he
might be prevented from doing harm TO any
one. Then he arose an staggered on.
| 1t is a good quarter ui milo from the par
sonage to DR.. DrMuud's large thrre-story rrsi-
dence and when the unfortunate pastor got
| there he was IN a pltuhe plight He hurried
| UP on the steps and rang the bell iuriously.
Inen Iasss IA. drbI%@gd ba.lor %ho a nss had "pao% B
sitting up late reading. and mad gone
to BED only ten minutes mn. before, iHFust
| his head ont OF window ana askrd, WHO'S
! there :' When the rays % his light fell upon
| the half-cad torn. the deathly- pale face, with
| the peTspiration stand NJ IN beads on the fore
| head. ana the wet and bcdragged garments. he
"It- mel Doctor" cried the poor clergyman
| IN despair!ng tones. m a r9Vng mauiac.
| Take me in. lOr Gods sake. for the sake Of my
The doctor descended to the door. and with
| kind ana soothing words lei the trembling man
| ~ stairs into warm bedroom. He washed the
| dirt from his wounded feet. and alter attending
to his other wants and giving him sedative
| powder prevailed on him 10 gct into bed. The
| patient however, exhibited a ten lenry 10 VIC
! lence. ana II WAS only after some struggles that
| he consented to DO a. he was bid. Then the
doctor called Mr.. DeNIund ana her moth,r
| The Doctor had Hardly cot out Of tie
| room before Mr.. Sutphrn sprung up ana made
| for the door. The iHlleS cried for assistance.
! and. the Doctor coming bach. tuS-le rneued
! between him and the frantic clergyman. in
| which the luitrr considering his weak cOndi-
tion and recent exposure. exhibited surprising
| but the pastor forced him baok through the
| room IN which he had lain into another. At
| last the struggle ended los Mr. SutpArn hecOm-
While the Doctor sat rs him. Mr. Sutphen
| said that he had great secret 10 lmpart. Al
secret ON which he had been wondering ior n
| long time. Ii is this" said Mr. Sutptrn'
| " the arrangement of the mind II directly op-
| poslte 10 the decay OF the b.dy. have always
|
sumption. hut now am going mhdW He also
told the Doctor that on his way hr had knocked
Ht Eli HavllHnds. and thar several persons
| must have heard him, but that he got no re-
| spQnse.
Meantime the widest confusion prevailed in
the parsonage. Mrs Sutpuen hurried 10 the
door. and ufter calling wildly after hrr husband.
! threw on a wrapper and shawl ana WAS setting
out after him rs the cries of her chlidrrn made
! her pause" She reused Clara. the servant maid,
| and sent her after Mr.. SutIhrn.
| On her way the eirl knocked nj the doors oi
/ Michael Fri2el and several other nrighhors.
! The neigh borhood tO the suuthward was secured
Tor the missing man. Mrs. Nutpuen brlnE afraid.
| from what she mad said that afternoon. that her
/ husband iancled the Doctor WAS at Bith and
| had gone in that direction. At the end OF half
| an hour her anxiety Was somewhat relieved 10y
| master had reached the Doctors. and WIS he-
| ing properly cared ior. As soon as she could,
! Mrs. Sutphen hurried To- her husbands bed-
! side. ana found hlm in srmi-rHtlOual state.
! Thclr meeting was q most affecting one. The
| patient Recognized his wife Immediately, and.
taking her hand in his spoke kindly and sooth-
ingly TO her. Throughout thr interview hc con-
! versed intellglhiy. only hreuking OF M times
into rambling remarks nhOut the topic whie IA
! seemed uppcrmOst in his mind. The pastor
| had evidently brOOded over hs supposed trn-
| drncy 10 insanity ior a long time prior TO this
I attack.
The most strenuous efforts wero made by tho
| pnstOr's friends and mis- family to keep the mcl-
| augDolV affair from the luilir Duriuts fiie