The sixth church book commences with the following preface : *' In this book is noted from the existing notes the receipt and expenditure of each outgoing deacon, since the year of our Lord, A. D. 1697. Being intended to note said accounts uprightly, as per contents of the notes in this book, as much as will be possible according to truth, but as it is very dangerous for a good pilot to arrive safely in a strange harbor without falling on a bar or rock, principally in dark weather, I request accordingly very earnestly

342 HISTORY OF THE

and in a friendly manner, from the kind reader, to please to take in good part if any obscure notes might come in my way as according- to our opinion, we find some somewhat obscure ; it is; however, my intention, with the help of God, according to the best of my knowledge to close the following accounts according to truth and to make a beginning firstly outgoing deacon as follows :

1697, the 30th October, Jan Ecker received in his deaconship for£S5 Is.

1699, the 6th of August, Jan Ecker having finished his time, as appears by his delivered notice of his service as deacon, shows his receipt of the communion money to be £54 16. Further I find a notice dated 25d August, 1702, in which Jan Ecker acknowledges when he was deacon to remain of his receipts above the expenditure up to £149 in money. By which it would appear as said above. The receipt at two periods of the deaconship by said Jan Ecker has been and will amount to £288 17 0.