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.

In the year 1762 a Petition signed by 265 Persons belonging to the Congregation, whereof 123 were Members in Communion, being mostly Heads of Families, was presented to the Consistory by some of the most respectable Members of the Church, praying the Consistory to call a Minister to preacli in English in exact Conformity to the Doctrine of the Dutch Churclies in Holland, and to the same Rules with Respect to Discipline ; the Consistory were of opinion, that the Prayer of the Petition ouglit to be granted, but as the Calling a Minister, was always in our Congregation deemed a Matter of Great moment, the ruling Consistory had usually made it a Practice to consult what we call the Grand Consistory, which is composed of all those who have at any Time before been Elders or Deacons in our Church, they have indeed no Authority, but their Opinion is of Weight, and what is done by their Advice is ever deemed as having had the most mature Deliberation ; this Body met, approved of, and advised the Calling of an English Minister with only five dissenting Voices -- The sole Objection to the Calling of an English Minister that then remained was, how he should be supported, the Estates and Revenues of the Church being bound for the maintenance of the Ministers preaching in Dutch, & many being of Opinion that it would be unjust to appropriate any Part of the Revenue to the Support of an English Minister, the Consistory then resolved on such Call, provided the Petitioners could raise his Maintenance by private Subscription, and that the Minister so to be called, should not have any other Security for his Salary than the said Subscription List -- A Subscription was accordingly set on Foot, and subscribed by two hundred and forty Persons, whereof one hundred & thirty were Male Members in Communion -- The sum subscribed