HISTORY OF BROOKLYN. 183

Freeman was born at Gilhius, Holland; received a call to Schenectady, to which charge he was ordained by the Classis of Linge, March 16,1700. He first officiated at Schenectady, July 28th of that year, learned the Mohawk language, and made many Indian converts. On the 25th of August, 1705, be married Magretia Van Schaick of New York, who died January 18th, 1738 , leaving him a handsome fortune. In 1721 he published a volume ofsermons in Dutch, entitled “The Balances of God’s Grace,” which was printed in Amsterdam, and another entitled “Do Spiegel der Selkennis” (or Mirror of Self-knowledge), being a collection, in the Dutch language, of ancient moral and philosophical maxims, which was subsequently translated by General Jeremiah Johnson, and which is described as displaying a great amount of learning and research. In 1735 he purchased seven acres of land at Flatbush, and built a house, which is still standing, although altered; and died in the year 1741. His only child, Anna Margaretta, mar-Freeman was born at Gilhius, Holland; received a call to Schenectady, to which charge he was ordained by the Classis of Linge, March 16,1700. He first officiated at Schenectady, July 28th of that year, learned the Mohawk language, and made many Indian converts. On the 25th of August, 1705, be married Magretia Van Schaick of New York, who died January 18th, 1738 , leaving him a handsome fortune. In 1721 he published a volume ofsermons in Dutch, entitled “The Balances of God’s Grace,” which was printed in Amsterdam, and another entitled “Do Spiegel der Selkennis” (or Mirror of Self-knowledge), being a collection, in the Dutch language, of ancient moral and philosophical maxims, which was subsequently translated by General Jeremiah Johnson, and which is described as displaying a great amount of learning and research. In 1735 he purchased seven acres of land at Flatbush, and built a house, which is still standing, although altered; and died in the year 1741. His only child, Anna Margaretta, mar-

to those of the mother country; and the “Conferentie party,” as they were called, that all ministers should be ordained by, or under the authority of, the Classis at Amsterdam. This unhappy controversy continued until 1772; and so alienated and embittered were the opposing parties, that many would not worship together with, or even speak to, those of the other party. “Sometimes” (says Strong, Hist. Flatbush) “they would not turn out when they met on the road. On one occasion, it is said that two of these redoubtable opponents, belonging to Flatbush, meeting in their wagons, and both refusing to give the road, they each deliberately took out their pipes and began to smoke! How long they continued at this very pacific employment is not stated, nor is it said whether the difficulty between them wag lost sight of by the cloud ofsmoke obscuring their vision, or whether their pipes were ever turned into the calumet of peace.”