RUTGERS COLLEGE.

T

HE Hollanders who settled in the province of New Netherland, comprising the territory between the Connecticut and Delaware Rivers, brought with them the love of religion and learning that characterized their mother country. The memory of the great universities of Leyden and Utrecht, then the most renowned institutions in the world, was a part of their peculiar treasure and glory. It never occurred to them that the care of their churches could be committed to any but men thoroughly educated not only in general knowledge, but also and especially in the constitution and doctrines adopted for the Reformed Faith by the National Synod of Dort, 1618-19.

During the entire period of the Dutch supremacy, and for more than a century after the surrender of New Netherland to the English in 1664, it was their custom to call clergymen from Holland, or to send candidates thither for education and ordination. This arrangement did not, however, supply more than one third the number of ministers needed. At one time, for example, there were only seventeen ministers for sixty churches. And, moreover, while it sometimes failed to secure good men, it was always attended with delay and expense. Several prominent ministers, therefore, hoping to effect a gradual change for the better, met in the city of New York, 1737, and drew up a plan for a yearly assembly or "Cœtus," which should be composed of delegates, lay and clerical, from every church, and which, under the permission of the Classis of Amsterdam, should have power in special cases to ordain ministers as well as to exercise limited jurisdiction over the churches represented. After a delay of nine years the Classis of Amsterdam finally gave its consent to the official organization of the Coetus; but the majority of its members, growing restive under their restricted privileges, and feeling sorely the need of a more efficient system of providing the gospel for their brethren in this New World, began to aim at the formation of an independent classis, and at founding a college or seminary for the education of candidates for the pulpit. In 1755 they boldly proceeded to cut loose from the Classis of Amsterdam by organizing an American classis, and by commissioning Rev. Theodorus Frelinghuysen, of Albany, to visit

Holland to solicit funds from those in sympathy with the American movement, for the establishment of an academy. The conservative wing of the Coetus, believing it would be impossible for the Dutch people alone to provide means for training up a learned ministry in this country, and regarding the above proceedings as radical and destructive, withdrew, and formed an opposition party under the name of "Conferentie," the Dutch equivalent for Coetus, and meaning an Assembly. The warfare between these two parties (both of which, while differing as to methods, were yet animated by the same motive, namely, the desire to secure a learned ministry) was bitter and violent in the extreme, dividing congregations and often families into hostile and abusive factions.

Mr. Frelinghuysen did not, however, sail for Holland until 1759. How far this progressive spirit and excellent divine succeeded is not known, - he died while returning on ship, or soon after reaching his home. After long and violent opposition from the Conferentie party, and the rejection of proposals from the Episcopalians on the one side to unite with King's College (which had been established in 1754), and from the Presbyterians to unite with the College of New Jersey (now at Princeton, and which had been established in 1746), the Coetus party undertook in 1769 to embody their plan for an independent institution in a tangible result. The charter was reduced to form; the name of Queen's College, as expressive of loyalty and as an antithesis to the name of King's College, was decided upon; and a board of trustees was elected.

On March 20, 1770, in the tenth year of the reign of George III., William Franklin, governor of the province of New Jersey, granted the long-desired charter. Its principal provision declared that the college was founded "for the education of youth in the learned languages, liberal and useful arts and sciences, and especially in divinity, preparing them for the ministry and other good offices." Another provision required that there should always be at least one professor or teacher grammatically to instruct the students in the knowledge of the English language, while all the minutes, rules of order, and financial transactions should be in the "same language and no other." In the outset it had been intended to exclude English entirely from the college, but the necessity of a change of purpose on this point had forced itself upon the conviction of all but the aged and hopelessly conservative. For although it was considered, as late as 1763, "a dreadful innovation" that Dominie Archibald Laidlie should be called to New York as the first pastor in the Reformed churches to preach in the English language, yet the younger generation in New York and vicinity could not at that date understand Dutch preaching; and in 1770 an enlightened regard for the situation and future growth inspired the founders to make English the leading tongue in their college. Forty trustees were appointed by the charter, including, ex officio, the governor or commander-in-chief of the colony of New Jersey, the chief-justice of the colony of New Jersey, and the attorney-general of the colony of New Jersey.

The seal was to bear the motto: Sol justitiæ et occidentem illustra.

On May 7, 1771, at a meeting of the trustees held at Hackensack, the location of the college, which was desired both at Hackensack and New Brunswick, was fixed at the latter place, because its citizens, through the influence of Dr. J. R. Hardenbergh and Hendrick Fischer, had come forward with a greater amount of subscriptions, and perhaps also because New Brunswick, being larger and situated on the line of travel between New York and Philadelphia, gave higher promise of prosperity for the institution. In October of the same year the long contending factions of the Cœtus and Conferentie were induced, mainly by the agency of Dr. John H. Livingston, to strike hands in fellowship on the basis of the organization of the Dutch Reformed churches in America into a synod and five classes independent of the mother country, and with power to license and ordain ministers. But the Conferentie party so far carried their point that the united body were not to have a theological professorship in connection with Queen's College, thus defeating the object which had been so dear to the hearts of the Cœtus party. "One or more theological professors were to be chosen from the Netherlands, upon the advice of Classis, who were to have no connection with any English academies."

And yet Queen's College, whose proposed establishment sixteen years before had been the occasion of the division, became now, by its actual establishment, the main element in the reconciliation. For the approval by the Classis of Amsterdam of the plan for the union and ecclesiastical independence of the American churches had been given upon the express condition that provision should be made for education, "as the Church of Holland could not and would not acknowledge or maintain any connection with a church which did not provide herself with an educated ministry." And Queen's College, though not brought into official relation with the theological professorship about to be founded, was nevertheless regarded as the child. of the Dutch Reformed denomination, and would, it was expected, furnish preparatory training to young men on their way to the study of divinity. "The Synod made but feeble attempts, in fact, to secure a professor of Divinity, while the trustees with remarkable energy determined to carry out their plan of a combined literary and theological institution." Negotiations to this end were interrupted by the Revolutionary war.

The precise date of the opening of the college, owing to the loss of the first bookminutes, cannot now be ascertained. "It must have been," says Mr. Bradley in his Centennial oration, "prior to 1775, and was probably as early as 1772." Dr. John H. Livingston having declined the presidency, a committee of the trustees was appointed to act as the "faculty." The members of this committee were selected on account of their learning and judgment, and it was their duty to attend the quarterly examinations and to recommend candidates to the board for academic degrees. Thus in 1782 it appears from the minutes that Rev. Mr. Foeligh and James Schureman were added to the faculty, and in 1790 Dr. Lewis Dunham

and R. C. Chapman. The actual instruction and management of the institution were for many years performed by tutors of the college and teachers of the grammar school. Since the name of Dr. Jacob Rutsen Hardenbergh, who had been exceedingly active and influential in obtaining the charter, appears as president on the diploma of Simeon DeWitt under date of October 5, 1776, it is inferred that he had been filling, possibly from the outset and certainly on some occasions, the office of president pro tempore, although he continued to discharge his duties as pastor at Raritan. And not only did this brave and self-sacrificing spirit give instruction in the languages, moral philosophy, and other branches, but in company with Rev. John Leydt he went from door to door through New Brunswick begging money for an endowment. He was a man of great energy and sound judgment, and is entitled to the praise of being the chief founder of the college. His wife was a widow of John Frelinghuysen, and grandmother of Theodore Frelinghuysen, the subsequent president. Her keen intellect, deep and fervent piety, and helpful sympathy in behalf of the young college have made her name honored and cherished among all the families of the Reformed faith. Her son, Frederick Frelinghuysen, was the first tutor in the college. He was a man of thorough scholarship, and of abilities that subsequently made him eminent as a lawyer and patriot. Another of the early tutors, and probably Mr. Frelinghuysen's successor, was Colonel John Taylor, who continued in the institution, with the exception of one or two intervals, down to 1793. Colonel Taylor, like most of those connected with the college, was devoted to the cause of American liberty. He drilled the students as a military company, and subsequently took part in the battles at Princeton, Germantown, and elsewhere. He wrote text-books in natural philosophy, and rendered efficient service to education in various ways. Under these faithful men, whose hope and courage are always deserving of grateful mention, thirteen students were graduated before 1776. Among these was Hon. Simeon DeWitt, who became Surveyor-General of the United States and afterwards of the State of New York, and by whom the present plan of laying out the lands of our Western domain was devised.

In the fall of 1776, the British troops having taken possession of New Brunswick, and burned, it is believed, the original college building, teachers and students were scattered. After a brief suspension of literary exercises the college began a new but migratory existence. In consequence of the irregularities likely to be caused by the presence of soldiers, its sessions were held now at Millstone and now at North Branch, while the Commencement of 1778 was held at New Brunswick. At this time and for some years subsequently the future of the institution was dark enough. The General Synod would only recognize it as a preparatory school, and the value of its promised care over it was much diminished by the appointment of a committee to establish a similar school at Schenectady.

In June, 1785, the trustees united with the consistories of New Brunswick and Six-Mile Run in calling Dr. J. R. Hardenbergh to be at once pastor of the two

churches and permanent president of the college. He accepted, and continued in office, greatly beloved, until his resignation, a few months before his lamented death, in 1790.

The record of events during this period is of the meagrest character. The country was painfully emerging from the prostration of the Revolutionary struggle. The currency was in a deplorable condition. The citizens of New Brunswick had suffered more than the rest of New Jersey. Their property had been devasted, their business broken up, their churches burned or dismantled, their securities depreciated. The insignificant funds of the college had been invested in bonds and mortgages, on which poor people could pay neither principal nor interest. It may well be conceived, therefore, that it cost the trustees a struggle to rebuild and equip their burnt college. This they accomplished in 1790, locating it on the present site of the Second Presbyterian Church in New Brunswick, where, according to tradition, their former building had stood.

This earliest college building of which anything is definitely known was a twostory frame white house, fronting the north, and with its gable end turned in true Dutch style toward George Street. It was without cupola or belfry, and was as plain and unpretending in its architecture as the simple taste of the day demanded. This building continued to be occupied by the grammar school and college until 1811, when it was sold to the city for a Lancastrian school, and was moved down the hill below George Street, where it still stands, on the north side of Schureman Street.

The position of president pro tempore was occupied about this time first by Rev. William Linn of the Collegiate Church in New York, and then by Rev. Dr. Ira Condict, who had followed Dr. Hardenbergh as pastor of the church in New Brunswick, and who was eminently active in performing various duties in behalf of the college. Unsuccessful attempts having been made to unite the college with the Synodical Professorship, or with the College of New Jersey, or to remove it to some other place nearer New York, it was forced, on account of financial embarrassments, to close its doors in 1795.

Although this first period of Queen's College was troublous, yet it had accomplished good work. There were graduated from it over sixty young men, of whom ten were subsequently licensed by the Dutch Reformed Church, while several others. became celebrated leaders in politics and science.

To Rev. Dr. Ira Condict belongs the credit of originating a new movement in 1807 for the revival of the college. He was a man of untiring energy, publicspirited, and always ready to make any sacrifice in order to secure a noble object. Under his leadership the General Synod agreed to establish a Theological professorship in the college, and $10,000 were subscribed toward it in a few days in New York alone. The college was reopened with Dr. Condict first as temporary and then as permanent president. A new, large, and spacious stone edifice was begun in