The Governor deemed the request reasonable, and sent Nicasius de Sille, Fiscal of New-Netherland, and Martin Kregier, Burgomaster, of New-Amsterdam, to this town, as a committee of inquiry, who reported in favour of the application; whereupon the request of the inhabitants was granted. The inhabitants prepared a call for the Rev. Henry Solinus, alias Henricus Selwyn, from Holland, who was approved of by the classis of Amsterdam, on the 16th of February, 1660, when the classis also gave the Rev. Mr. Solinus a dismission, wishing him a safe and prosperous journey by land and by water to his congregation in the New-Netherland. The time of the arrival of this minister is not known. He was installed in his church on the 3d of September, 1660, in the presence of the Fiscal, and Burgomaster Kregier, by the order of Governor Stuyvesant, who appears to have been at the head of the ecclesiastical, as well as the civil and military government of the colony.
On the 7th of September, 1660, a letter was written to the Rev. Mr. Polhemus, informing him of the installation of the Rev. Mr. Solinus in the Church of Brooklyn, and thanking him for his labours and attention to the Congregation. The letter was sent by a respectable person, to whom the Rev. Mr. Polhemus returned his thanks for the attention which the Church at Brooklyn had paid him, and furnished the messenger with a list of the names of the Church members, twenty-five in number.
Mr. Solinus’ salary was 600 guilders per annum, equal to $200. Three hundred guilders of which was to be paid by Brooklyn, and three hundred by Father land, (Holland). Some time after, the inhabitants of Brooklyn objected to raising their proportion of the salary; and May 25, 1662, petitioned the Governor, that Mr. Solinus should reside among them; setting forth as a reason, that if their minister resided with them more people would go to church, and they would be better able to raise the salary. Governor Stuyvesant, in order to accommodate this dispute, proposed to pay 250 guilders towards Mr. Solinus’ salary, on condition that he would preach in the Bouwery on Sunday afternoons.—This arrangement appears to have been entered into, for a short time after Mr. Solinus preached at the Bouwery half the time.
The Indians having on the 7th of June, 1663, attacked the town of Esopus, burnt the same, and destroyed many of the inhabitants, and took many prisoners; the event was communicated by Governor Stuyvesant to the church at Brooklyn, in the following manner.
“As a sorrowfull accident and wilfull masacre has been committed by the Esopus Indians, who have with deliberate design under the insidious cover of friendship, determined to destroy Esopus, which they effected or the 7th instant, killing and wounding a number of the inhabitants, and taking many prisoners, burning the new town, and desolating the place. Whereupon the congregation is directed and desired by his Excellency the Governor General to observe and keep the ensuing Wednesday as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer to the Almighty, hoping that he may avert further calamities from the New-Netherlands, and extend his fatherly protection and care to the country. And it is further ordered, that the first Wednesday in every month be observed in like manner. By order of the Director General, and Council, &c. Dated at Fort Orange, June 26, 1663.” Wednesday the 4th of July, 1663, was observed as a day of thanksgiving on account of a treaty of peace having been made with the Esopus Indians, and the release of the inhabitants who had been taken prisoners; and also for the success obtained over the British, who attempted with flying colours to take possession of all Long-Island for the King of England, which was prevented by the timely arrival of the Dutch fleet.
On the 23d of July, 1664, the Rev. Henry Solinus took leave of his congregation and sailed in the ship Beaver for Holland. After his departure, Charles Debevoise, the schoolmaster of the town, and sexton of the church, was directed to read prayers, and a sermon from an approved author, every Sabbath day in the church, for the improvement of the congregation, until another minister was called.
The first Dutch church in Brooklyn was built in the year 1666, although a minister had been settled to preach here for some years previous.—A second church was erected on the site of that built in 1666; which second church continued standing until about 1810, when a new and substantial church was erected on Joralemon-street, and the old one taken down. This old church was a very gloomy looking building, with small windows, and stood in the middle of the highway, about a mile from Brooklyn ferry. In removing it the workmen discovered the remains of a Hessian officer, who had been buried there in his uniform, during the Revolutionary war.
The Dutch congregations on this Island formed but one church, although they had different consistories.
The ministers under the Dutch government were not permitted to marry any persons without making the marriage proclamation on three succeeding Sabbaths in their churches. The same practice was observed after the Colony came under the British government. The last mentioned government however sold marriage licenses, which were granted by the Governor’s Secretary in New-York, for the sum of eight dollars each. The inhabitants generally preferred purchasing a marriage license, and thus contributed to the revenue of the Governor and Secretary.
During the ministry of the Rev. Mr. Solinus, the marriage fees were not the perquisite of the Minister, as appears by his account rendered by him to the Consistory, on the 29th of October, 1662, when he paid over to the consistory the sum of 78 guilders and 10 stivers, for fourteen marriage fees received by him.