140 HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.

over, had, by his life and conversation, demeaned himself as a godly and pious man—a character which he never forfeited.”1

On the 7th, a letter was forwarded, " by a respectable person," to the Rev. Mr. Polhemus, informing him of Mr. Selyns' installation in the church at Breuckelen, and thanking him in courteous terms for his labors and attention to the congregation. This attention was appropriately acknowledged by the venerable pastor, who, on the 12th, sent to the new incumbent a list of church-members residing within this vicinity, numbering in all twenty-seven persons,

1 On this occasion the Rev. Henry Selyns addressed the church as follows:

“I have appeared before you and the Consistory, according to the usages and ordinances of our Church, and now surrender to you my letter of call of the Honorable Classis of Amsterdam, together with the approbation of the Honorable the Directors of the Chamber of Amsterdam, also my classical and church attestations, which, with ray call, appertain to your church.” (Brooklyn Church Records.)

The above-mentioned “Letter of Call” is as follows:

“Whereas, it is indispensably required that the honor of God and the salvation of men be promoted to the best of our abilities, and that for this end religious meetings should be instituted and encouraged by the pare preaching of God's word, the lawful administration of the sacraments, the public invocation of the name of God and whatsoever else belongs to a dutiful worship; and whereas, the situation of Breuckelen, in New Netherland, requires that a duly qualified person, as a lawfully ordained minister, should be sent there, who can there execute the ministerial functions in every particular in conformity with the Church government and the word of God, and in unison with the laudable usages of the Reformed Churches in this country, and who is able to maintain and defend these: Therefore it is that we, ministers of the word of God, and elders of the Church of Christ, belonging to the Classis of Amsterdam, after the invocation of the name of God, and in His fear, and with the approbation of the Noble Directors of the West India Company, and after a careful examination in the, principal doctrines of the Reformed Christian Church, and after we had received satisfactory evidence of a pious life, and talents requisite for the gospel ministry, and after he had signed the Netherlandish Confession, the Christian Catechism, and the Canons of the National Synod, have, with the laying on of hands, ordained the reverend, pious, pradent, and learned minister, Henricus Selyns, to preach, both on land and water, and in all the neighborhood, but principally in that place (Breuckelen), the holy and only saving doctrine of the word of God in its purity; to administer the sacraments, as instituted by Christ, with propriety; publicly to lead the prayers of the congregation, to keep them (with the aid of his Consistory) in good order and discipline, all in conformity with the word of God, and the Canons of the Netherlandish Church, and the Christian Catechism: requesting all our brethren to acknowledge him as a lawful brother and ordained minister of the gospel of Christ ; to honor him for the sake of his ministry; and to assist him, whenever it is in their power; so that he may labor unmolested (i.e., by worldly cares, etc.), and cheerfully, in glorifying God's name, and in the conversion and salvation of souls.

“May the Almighty God, who has called this minister to the service of His Church, enrich him more and more with all talents, and with the blessings of the Holy Ghost; 80 that Ills labors may be crowned with abundant success, to the glory of His name