^{page 83 note 1} The works referred to were, indeed, all published in London, but in this country have been printed not a few works of original material on Episcopal Church history, as Facsimiles of Church Documents, privately printed, 1874–9; and Hawks, and Perry, 's Documentary History of the Protestant Episcopal Church in United States, 2 vols., New York, 1862–1864.Google Scholar

^{page 84 note 1} A somewhat parallel case is that of our present missionary Churches in heathen lands. Their future historians must seek the fullest details of their history in missionary correspondence and Acts of Boards and Churches in foreign lands.

^{page 84 note 2} About five hundred volumes of important contemporary documents have been printed in England in the last generation. Hundreds of volumes of dissenting Churches have also been deposited, by request of Parliament, in Somerset House, London, for safe keeping and convenience of consultation.

^{page 84 note 3} This title first began to be popularly used about 1875, when the letters and documents were transferred to the Sage Library at New Brunswick, N. J.

^{page 84 note 4} This was probably soon after the Synod of Dort, 1619, which drew up elaborate instructions for the guidance of missionaries in the East. It is possible it may have been before that event.

^{page 85 note 1} The Church of the Netherlands did not find it expedient at this time, owing to political complications, to hold a General Synod; but the several Particular (or Provincial) Synods were connected by Deputati Synodi.

^{page 85 note 2} The Dutch East India Company existed from 1602–1795, and the West India Company from 1621–1795, when both were destroyed in connection with the French Revolution.

^{page 85 note 3} The Lutheran Churches first operated through the Danish East India Company. The successful Danish-Halle Mission at Tranquebar was begun in 1709.

^{page 85 note 4} The English East India Company was chartered in 1600. Its charter was amended in 1813, compelling it to allow missions within its domain. In 1857, after the great mutiny, the Company was dissolved, and India became a part of the Empire.

^{page 85 note 5} Transcripts of all this material, relating to the West Indies and South America, ought to be secured and kept with that relating to New York as of special interest to Americans.

^{page 87 note 1} See Fowler on “Constitutional and Legal History of New York,” in Wilson, 's Memorial Hist, of the City of New York, i., 523–538. (New York 1892–1893, 4 vols.)Google Scholar Dutch jurisprudence, founded on Roman Law, has ever been considered more humane than English jurisprudence.

^{page 88 note 1} Minutes of Synod, 1785, 135.Google Scholar

^{page 88 note 2} Ibid., 1792, 241. See also 1800, 311, 312, and Minutes Particular Syn., 1794, 450.Google Scholar

^{page 88 note 3} Vol. i, 365; ii., 1, 265. Dr. Romeyn at this time evidently had the Minutes of the Coetus 1747–53 in his possession. They were then lost sight of until 1841, when his grandsons delivered the volume to the General Synod. Minutes Syn., 1841, 493Google Scholar; 1843, 272, 276.

^{page 88 note 4} In vol. i. there are articles on the Church in the Netherlands; and in vols. ii. and iii. articles on the Church in the United States.

^{page 89 note 1} Minutes Syn., 1841, 491–3Google Scholar; 1843, 271–76.

^{page 89 note 2} There are also many Dutch records in the cities of New York and Brooklyn which ought to be translated.

^{page 90 note 1} See his elaborate report to the Legislature in vol. i. of Documents Relating to Colonial History, General Introduction. Also his address before the New York Historical Society, 1844.Google Scholar

^{page 90 note 2} The first edition consisted of four volumes, quarto. The second edition of four volumes, octavo.

^{page 90 note 3} These ecclesiastical documents and allusions should be collected and printed in connection with a General Ecclesiastical Documentary History of the State.

^{page 90 note 4} This was in April, 1841. See Minutes of Synod, 1843, 273.Google Scholar

^{page 90 note 5} Mr. Brodhead does not seem to have examined the archives of the Synod of North Holland.

^{page 91 note 1} Minutes of Synod, 10, 1841, 42.Google Scholar

^{page 91 note 2} Ibid., 1846, 167.

^{page 91 note 3} Ibid., 1843, 274; at an expense of $9, 1843, 176.

^{page 91 note 4} The letters sent from America are more numerous than those sent from Holland, as the Classis could frequently reply to several American letters by one response. The American letters would represent about sixty to sixty-five per cent, of the whole correspondence. The total number of manuscript pages of the Amsterdam Correspondence, as at present possessed, would be considerably over two thousand.

^{page 91 note 5} Minutes of Synod, 1842, 143.Google Scholar

^{page 92 note 1} Minutes of Synod, 09, 1843, 273.Google Scholar

^{page 92 note 2} Ibid., 1843, 274.

^{page 92 note 3} It seems remarkable that these loaned letters were not arranged and copied in a volume at once. Now not a few of them are lost. The originals should never have been taken away from the archives in Amsterdam. That Classis now regrets their loss.

^{page 92 note 4} Minutes of Synod, 1843, 257Google Scholar. The Classis of New York requested Dr. DeWitt to write the letter. This he did. It is dated March 9, 1844. In the following October the Classis of Amsterdam responded. See this letter in Minutes of Synod, 1845, 425, 519–522Google Scholar. It refers to the visit of Mr. Brodhead; to the modifications in their church government caused by the wars of Napoleon; it deprecates the recent secession of members from the State Church (the nucleus of the emigration to Michigan). The letter breathes a sweet evangelical spirit. The correspondence did not continue.

^{page 93 note 1} He was the only delegate sent to the Church of Holland by the Dutch Church in America during the first fifty years of the Church's complete independence. Minutes of Synod, 1846, 7, 28.Google Scholar

^{page 93 note 2} Ibid., 1847, 133, 134. He heard of the death of his son while abroad. He simply mentioned the matter one morning at the breakfast table to Dr. A. B. Van Zandt, who was with him, saying, “Tommy is dead; do not speak of it again.” He attended a meeting of the Netherlands Missionary Society, but the General Synod had adjourned before he reached the Hague. He met several prominent ministers with whom he had corresponded, and with whose evangelical conversation he was edified. He also had an interview with Rev. Mr. Prins, the Stated Clerk of the Classis. He heard of the rising spirit of emigration to America among the seceders from the Established Church, and had a short interview with one of them, Rev. Mr. Scholte of Utrecht, who was about to proceed to America. Two colonies of Hollanders expected shortly to go to Michigan.

^{page 93 note 3} Dr. DeWitt no doubt referred to this desire in his letter of March 9, 1844, to the Classis, but we have not seen it.

^{page 94 note 1} The General Synod also sent two complete (?) sets of their Minutes, bound in six volumes, to Holland, one for the Classis of Amsterdam, and one for the General Synod of Holland, and received one set of their Minutes (1816–45) in return. Minutes of General Synod, 1845, 487Google Scholar; 1847, 143, 144.

^{page 93 note 2} Volume one was issued in 1853, and volume two in 1871. Volume three was about ready for the press, when Mr. Brodhead died. This third volume would have brought the history down to 1705, covering a most important period, including the so-called Ministry Act of 1693, and the Charters of the Dutch Church; 1696, and of Trinity Church, 1697, and the important civil legislation connected with the latter, especially in 1704. This volume ought yet to be recovered, edited by a competent hand, and issued. See vol. viii., 64–128 of American Church History Series, which partly covers this period; and Dr. E. B. Coe's Address at the Bicentenary of the Charter of Reformed Dutch Church in New York, 1896.

^{page 94 note 3} Minutes of Synod, 1841, 491, 492, 493Google Scholar. The Particular Synod of New York suggested this request. Minutes of Particular Synod, 1841, 28.Google Scholar

^{page 94 note 4} Ibid., 1843, 271–7. This Circular was also published in Christian Intelligencer.

^{page 95 note 1} See list of his publications on page 241 of the Manual, 1879.Google Scholar

^{page 95 note 2} On Feb. 20, 1878, George H. Moore, Librarian of the Lenox Library, writes that he had some years before tried to obtain the Amsterdam Correspondence for the use of the Historical Society. He says it was then in the custody of Mr. Brodhead. He also refers to Mr. Murphy's use of some of the letters relating to Selyns. He adds that, no doubt, the Historical Society would be glad to print such letters as were of historical interest.

^{page 95 note 3} Printed in Manual of 1879, pp. 3–10Google Scholar. A fac-simile of this letter and a revised translation was printed by the Collegiate Church of New York in their Year-Book, 1896. Mr. Murphy also brought several other documents to light.

^{page 96 note 1} Several of these letters have been printed in recent publications.

^{page 96 note 2} Rev. Wm. Demarest was engaged by the Synod in 1857 to translate the Dutch Minutes of the Provisional Synod, from 1770–1792. This translation, before its publication, was used in the preparation of the first edition of the Manual. Dr. T. W. Chambers then translated the Minutes of the Coetus and Conference, so far as possessed, and prefixed them to Rev. Wm. Demarest's translation. The Minutes of the General Synod, already in English, from 1794–1812, were added to this volume, and the whole was printed, and is known as Volume One of Minutes of General Synod. There is considerable error in the arrangement of the material and in the editing of this volume. The Minutes of 1793 belong to those of the original Particular Synod; and its session of Oct., 1799, is entirely missed.

^{page 96 note 3} Minutes of Synod, 1866, 112, 113; 1869, 677.Google Scholar

^{page 97 note 1} Not all of it, even then. Portions of it were subsequently found by the writer, and deposited in the archives.

^{page 97 note 2} Minutes of Synod, 1871, 356Google Scholar. Dr. DeWitt was now eighty years old. He died in 1874, respected and loved by everybody. Mr. Brodhead died in 1877, aged sixty-seven. He was the son of Rev. Dr. Jacob Brodhead, who was a colleague of Dr. DeWitt. A sketch of Hon. J. Romeyn Brodhead, by Dr. Chambers, is found in Scribner's Monthly, 1877.Google Scholar

^{page 97 note 3} The history of the Archives is briefly as follows: Besides the allusions before made to them in 1785 and 1792 it was also ordered in 1800 that the minister in whose church the Synod was next to meet should be held responsible for the safe keeping of the records. In 1806 all papers and records were put in the care of the Stated Clerk. In 1815 a new lemma (or heading) was introduced in the Minutes of Synod, called “Synodical Archives.” Besides the records and papers, publications of Dutch ministers and a few other volumes, manuscript or printed, have been donated to the Archives. The references to action respecting them are as follows: Minutes of Synod, 1785, 135Google Scholar; 1792, 241; 1800, 278, 311, 312; 1806, 360; 1814, 18, 55; 1815, 51, 53; 1816, 43; 1831, 389; 1832, 23, 24, 100, 142; 1833, 163–4; 1841, 535; 1843, 272; 1845, 487, 518; 1860, 486; 1862, 215; 1863, 367; 1866, 112, 113; 1869, 677; 1871, 356; 1873, 767; 1874, 165; 1875, 369; 1876, 568–9; 1877, 748; 1878, 160; 1879, 421; 1880, 609; 1881, 812; 1882, 177; 1883, 377–8; 1884, 576; 1885, 794; 1886, 195; 1892, 574. Since 1886 Article XXIV, “Archives” in Minutes of Synod, contains the necrology of the ministry.

^{page 98 note 1} The Faculty at this time consisted of Rev. Drs. S. M. Woodbridge, John DeWitt, D. D. Demarest, and A. B. Van Zandt; the Committee of Co-operation, of Rev. Drs. T. W. Chambers, C. D. Hartranft, and E. T. Corwin. In 1878 Dr. Hartranft removed to Hartford, and Rev. Dr. Jacob Cooper was appointed in his place. Meetings were held once a month for ten years, and books, amounting to $60,000, were added to the Sage Library.

^{page 98 note 2} Minutes of General Synod, 1876, 528Google Scholar. These volumes consisted of the “Klagte,” or Complaint, against Frelinghuysen, 1725, p. 146; half a dozen pamphlets, pro and con, respecting the independence of the Church, 1761–5, by Leydt and Ritzema; a Dialogue between Considerans and Candidus, by Van Santvoord, 1726, pp. 214. Freeman's “Verdegiging” or Defence against the Church of Rartan, 1726, 18mo., p. 126, has come to light since, and has not yet been translated.

^{page 99 note 1} These students then finished their course at the Seminary. The translations, having been made by different hands, are of unequal value, and need revision.

^{page 99 note 2} This Index was made in preparation for the third edition of the Manual. Until 1896, but one copy of the Index was in existence. Dr. Chambers requested, only a couple of months before his death (1896), that a copy should be made for the Collegiate Church Library. This was done, and the copy was deposited there on the 200th anniversary of their charter.

^{page 99 note 3} We note especially Rev. Dr. Chas. W. Baird, who frequently wrote (1877–1881) for information in preparing his history of the Huguenot Emigration to America (N. Y., 1885, 2 vols.). He was anxious to see the Amsterdam Correspondence printed.

^{page 99 note 4} This was prepared at the request of Dr. Chambers. See Minutes of General Synod, 1875, 355–6Google Scholar; 1876, 551–3; 1877, 733–4. He had, about 1874, translated the Minutes of the Collegiate Church of New York, making two manuscript volumes. He loaned these to the writer, who found them very useful in the preparation of the history alluded to. On October 6, 1876, the writer began a series of articles in the Christian Intelligencer on the bibliography of the ministers and laymen of the Dutch Church. It was continued for about a year, bringing the material down to the letter G. It was continued in reference to ministers in the Manual of 1879. In 1877 Dr. Chambers writes that his Consistory consents to the use of $100 of their Library Fund toward translating letters relating to the Collegiate Church. Similar action in 1886.

^{page 100 note 1} Minutes Synod, 1878, 224, 99Google Scholar; 1879, 399, 362.

^{page 100 note 2} Several other recent explorers of these archives have noticed that there was considerable material which had not been secured in 1842.

^{page 100 note 3} Minutes Synod, 1887, 440–42.Google Scholar

^{page 101 note 1} The writer went from Amsterdam to Domburg to visit Dr. Vos, the Stated Clerk of the Classis, to explain matters more fully, and was most courteously received.

^{page 101 note 1} Minutes Synod, 1888, 685–6.Google Scholar

^{page 102 note 1} Minutes of Synod, 1887, 441.Google Scholar

^{page 102 note 2} Ibid., 1890, 196.

^{page 102 note 3} In 1889 a new edition, entirely rewritten, of Dr. Demarest's work was published under the title The Reformed Church in America: Its Origin, Development, and Characteristics. 8vo, pp. 215.

^{page 103 note 1} Minutes of Synod, 1890, 196.Google Scholar

^{page 103 note 2} In 1892 the Presbyterian Historical Society called the attention of the Synod to the necessity of collecting and preserving documents concerning the history of the Church, and asked for the appointment of a committee to co-operate with them to this end, and offered the use of their fire-proof vault for the preservation of any documents. The Synod expressed its approbation of the cause, but stated that it had a fire-proof room of its own, and offered the Society every facility for the transcript of any document desired. At the same time it appointed Revs. E. T. Corwin, A. Krickaard, J. F. Riggs, and Elders W. H. Kirk and George Lott a committee “to secure more fully and to preserve in the Gardner A. Sage Library vaults any documents of value to our own branch of the Church.”—Minutes of Synod, 1892, 574Google Scholar

^{page 104 note 1} Minutes of Synod, 1896, 499, 500.Google Scholar

^{page 105 note 1} Up to December, 1896, only about $1200 have been subscribed for this enterprise.

^{page 106 note 1} The archives of the Synod of North Holland are at Amsterdam; those of South Holland, at Rotterdam; those of the General Synod are at the Hague, but these latter would not be of much service.

^{page 106 note 1} Still better would it be if all the ecclesiastical documents relating to every denomination, of the colonial period of New York and New Jersey, could be brought together in one work, together with the civil legislation and judicial decisions on ecclesiastical cases. Some additional material in connection with the Ministry Act and its sequels would have to be sought in England. The Journal of the Governor and his Council reveals much attempted legislation on. church matters by different parties which was never enacted.