HISTORY OF BROOKLYN. 187

Domine or minister, and Flatbush, at this time, revered her domine, Rubel, a rotund, jolly-looking man, a follower of Luther, and a Tory1 . . . At Flatlands there was also a domine, Van Zinder(en), a disciple of Calvin, and a Whig. He was, in person and principle, a perfect contrast to Mr. Rubel, being a lean and shrivelled little man, with a triangular sharp-pointed hat, and silver locks which I streamed like a meteor flowing to the troubled air,' as he whisked along with great velocity in his chaise through Flatbush. He was distinguished by a species of pulpit eloquence which might be truly said to ‘bring matters home to men's business and bosoms.’ Mr. Bache assured me that, in once descanting on the wily arts

of the devil, he likened him to my landlord, 'sneaking and skulking about to got a shot at a flock of snipes,' in shooting of which, it seems, Jacob was eminently skilful.(2)

In the minutes of the Particular Synod at New York, May 14, 1784, we find a complaint from the Consistory of Flatbush and the other churches of Kings County, concerning the unchristian conduct of both of their ministers, Van Sinderen and Rubel, and requesting to be released from them; one (Van Sinderen) being useless from advanced age, and the other (Rubel) being of notoriously bad hab-

Hist.. Flatbush, 93.) When the famous privateer boatsman, Captain Marriner, made a descent on Flatbush and captured several noted British officers, Domine Rubel gave the alarm by ringing the church bell. (See Onderdonk, Kings County, section N5, p.179.)

1 See Strong’s Flatbush for particulars.

2 See Strong’s Flatbush, which relates that he was “too much in the habit of introducing the occurrences of the week previous in hie sermons on the Sabbath, and often would allude to very trifling circum tances. On one occasion, a good elder, who had borne with the Domine in this particular till his patience was exhausted, very injudiciously, under the excitement of his feelings, rose in his mat during divine service, and interrupted Mr. Van Sinderen by saying that they had called him to preach the gospel, and not to detail to them such matters. The Domine, indignant at being stopped in his discourse , leaned over the pulpit and replied: 'You, Philip Nagle, if you can preach the gospel better than I can, come up here and try!”