THE FIRST CHURCH IN BROOKLYN

Jasper DANKERS and Peter SLUYTER, when they visited America
late in the seventeenth century, speak of crossing the ferry 
from Manhattan to Long Island, and of going "up the hill, along 
open roads, and a little wood, through the first village Breuckelen, 
which had a small ugly church standing in the middle of the road." 
This was the first church of Brooklyn, built in 1666, and 
located on what would be now Fulton Street, near Lawrence. 
The church society still exists in the First Reformed Church 
on Seventh Avenue. 

	There is a tradition that this first church was built on the 
walls of a crude stone fort erected to protect the inhabitants 
from the attacks of the savages. The church began with a 
membership of 27, and they gave their dominie a salary of 
300 guilders, payable in corn 

	Dominie POLHEMUS preached his first sermon in Breuckelen 
on Sunday, April 6, 1656. He preached out-of-doors until 
invited to go :nto the house of Joris DIRCKSEN. Breuckelen 
appears to have become dissatisfied with the dominie; for, 
when a bill of 150 guilders was presented to them, they refused 
to pay it. Their protest included a declaration that they had 
never called POLHEMUS, had never accepted him as minister, 
that he had intruded himself on them against their will, and 
"voluntarily preached in the open streets, under the blue sky;
when, to avoid offence, the house of Joris DIRCKSEN was temporarily 
offered him here in Breuckelen."  Governor STUYVESANT did not grant
the plea made, and the town was told that it would be obliged to 
pay for the minister's services. The people were told they might pay
in produce,--maize, peas, wheat, anything that they chose to present.

	In the mean time the good Mr. POLHEMUS was in actual need, 
complaining that his family in Flatbush were suffering greatly, 
that their house was unfinished, that they were obliged to sleep 
on the cold floor, and that they had not sufficient clothing to wear. 
After much pleading with the governor and council, he was able to 
secure a part of his salary, three years due, and was finally succeeded 
in Breuckelen by a resident minister, Henricus SELYNS, who was 
formally installed as the dominie of the First Reformed Protestant 
Church of Breuckelen. This first installation in the town was held 
September 7, 1660. Dominie SELYNS said, "I found in Breuckelen one 
Elder, two deacons, twenty four church-members, 31 householders, and 
131 persons."

THE PIERREPONT MANSION ON THE HEIGHTS.
WASHINGTON'S SIGNAL STATION DURING THE SIEGE OF BROOKLYN
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