But bef -re we })rocecd, it may be necessary to premise, that the Consistory of our Cluirch, consisting of Ministers, Elders and Deacons, have from t'le Time their Charter was granted by King VVillidm the Tiiird, which was in tlie year IC'96 without any Inteiru[)tion, on a cei-tain Day mtnlioned for tliat Piu-pose in t'le C \arier annually elected their Successors, and that the Consislory s> cliosen, as albresaid, with their Ministers have 11 linterruptedly been the sole Directors and GcAernors of the sail! (;]nirc 1 -- T!iat no Member of the said Churcli, otiier than the Consistory did ever \ote f -r any Churcli officer ; nor was tlie exclusive Authority of the Consistory were called in Question, until the late Disputes which first began hi 17C2. To proceed -- i\\*i Want (4' an English Minister had lor many years been very apparent, Gr.-at num')ers of our Congregation had actually left, and many more declared they must leave our Churcli, ami that for tlie sole Reason, of their not understanding the Dutcli Vol. hi 33

514 PAPERS RELATING TO THE CITY OF NEW- YORK.

Language, which lias of late in a great measure gone into Disuse in tliis City, and will probably in a few years become ohseletc -- Our present Ministers were convinced of the necessity [ of the measure, and M"" De Ronde, so far from disliking it, that he was much inclined to preach English himself, and had the Consistory been of opinion, that he was sufficiently skilled in the Language for a Preaclier, it is probable he would have been directed to preach in English.