194 HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.

Bushwick, in 1811; and Mr. Beattie, in 1809, to New Utrecht: while Domine Schoonmaker remained at Flatbush, continuing the Dutch service alternately among the six towns ; but on the day that he preached at Bushwick, Dr. Bassett supplied Gravesend, which place, as to amount of service, remained precisely the same.

The new pastor of the Brooklyn church, John Barent Johnson, was a native of this town, where he was born, March 3, 1769, his father, Barent Johnson, being a prosperous farmer, of Dutch descent, and his mother, Maria, the daughter of Captain John Guest, of New Brunswick, who commanded a vessel which sailed between New York and Antigua. Having lost both parents before his ninth year, he was brought up by a cousin, who was also his father's executor. In his seventeenth year, while at school in Flatbush, he became acquainted with the Rev. Dr. John H. Livingston, who was spending the summer there. Discovering in him more than ordinary talents, the Doctor encouraged him to undertake a course of liberal studies, offering him, at the same time, a residence in his own family and the superintendence of his education. The offer, thus kindly made, was gratefully accepted by young Johnson, who was shortly prepared to enter college. In 1788 he matriculated at Columbia College, and in the same year became a communicant in the Reformed Dutch Church. After his graduation he pursued a course of theological studies with his old friend, Dr. Livingston; was licensed by the Classis of New York, April 21, 1795 ; and preached his first sermon on the succeeding Sabbath, in that city, for the Rev. Dr. Kuypers. On the 5th of June, 1796, Mr. Johnson was ordained to the work of the ministry, and settled as colleague pastor with Mr. Bassett (who preached the ordination sermon) over the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Albany. In 1802 he was called to the Reformed Dutch Church of Schenectady, and also to that in Brooklyn. Deciding in favor of the latter, he preached his farewell sermon to the Albany church on the 26th of September, 1802, and on the 24th of the ensuing October was duly installed over his new charge at Brooklyn.1 “Among other marked features of this sermon

1 On this occasion the Rev. Dr. Linn presided, assisted by the Rev. Mr. Schoonmaker, in the afternoon Mr.Johnson preached from 2d Timothy, iv. 2.