256 REFORMED (DUTCH) CHURCH IN AMERICA to great delay and expense. Then arose the noted coetus and conferentie controversy. The coetus was a body formed in 1747, which pos- sessed no ecclesiastical, but only advisory pow- ers. From this sprang the coetus party, who proposed that this assembly should be changed into a regular classis, that an educational in- stitution should be established, and that the church should thus boldly undertake to supply herself with a ministry. This was opposed by the conferentie, who zealously advocated a continuance of the state of dependence on Holland. . At last, through the agency of the Rev. John H. Livingston, D. D., the breach was healed, and in 1771 an independent church or- ganization was effected. A convention of min- isters and elders met in New York in October of that year, by which three objects were se- cured: 1, the internal arrangement and gov- ernment of the churches, embracing the or- ganization of superior church judicatories and measures for the establishment of a professor- ship of theology; 2, healing of dissensions; 3, correspondence with the church in Holland. The acts of the convention were soon followed by the approbation, good wishes, and prayers of the classis of Amsterdam. The church in Holland made it an express condition of the independence of the church in America that she should at once initiate measures for the training of a learned ministry. The classis of Amsterdam was therefore petitioned to send over a professor of theology, but instead of this they recommended the appointment of Dr. Livingston. On account of the breaking out of the revolutionary war, his appointment was delayed till 1784. During the war the congregations in New York were scattered, the houses of worship desecrated, and of the four pastors, three never returned to their field of labor. The church now completed her or- ganization by the formation of a general synod, which at first met triennially, but after 1812 annually. A constitution, compiled by Drs. Livingston and Romoyn from the acts of the synod of Dort, and adapted to the church in this country, was adopted. In 1770, through efforts of the coetus party, a charter had been obtained for a college, to be called Queen's, which was established at New Brunswick, N. J. A chief object of this college was, as its charter declares, to prepare young men for the minis- try of the Reformed Dutch church, and it was required that its president should be a member of that church. From fear of awakening old prejudices, the professorship of theology was kept separate from the college till 1810, when Dr. Livingston removed to New Brunswick, and in addition to his professorship held th* office of president of Queen's college. In 1825 the college, whose exercises had for some years been suspended, was revived under the name of Rutgers, and a new covenant was framed between the synod and board of trustees. (See NEW BRUNSWICK, and RUTGERS COLLEGE.) Members of the Dutch church cooperated in 1793 with many from other churches in form- ing the New York missionary society. Min- isters were also sent on missionary tours to Kentucky and Canada, and some churches were established, but by reason of distance and in- herent weakness they were soon lost. The efforts at extension were afterward mainly di- rected to western New York, and about the year 1830, when the present board of domes- tic missions was organized, a number of im- portant posts were occupied. In 1836 mis- sions to the western states were commenced. At present there are 76 churches in the west- ern states, of which a large number are com- posed of emigrants from Holland. There ar8 no churches in New England, and none south of Philadelphia. Five sixths of the churches are in the states of New York and New Jersey. Two thirds of all the churches in the connec- tion have been organized within the past 50 years, and during that time the ministry has increased more than^ fourfold. In 1817 the general synod cooperated with the Associate Reformed and Presbyterian churches in the formation of the united foreign missionary so- ciety, which in 1826 was merged in the Amer- ican board of commissioners for foreign mis- sions. In 1832 the synod made An arrange- ment with the American board, under which in 1836 a band of missionaries went forth from the Dutch church destined for the Dutch East Indies. Stations were begun on the island of Borneo, and soon a part of the band was sent to establish a mission at Amoy in China. On account of a diminution of the numbers of the missionaries and a lack of reinforcements, the stations in Borneo were after a few years abandoned. The missionaries at Amoy have been eminently successful. In southern India are several churches forming the classis of Ar- cot, which at first were ministered to by five sons of the Rev. Dr. John Scudder. The ar- rangement with the American board contin- ued in force till 1857, when an amicable sepa- ration was effected, and the missions of Amoy and Arcot were transferred to the Reformed Dutch church. In 1859 missionaries were sent to Japan, where they have done an admirable work, especially in education. Mission work is also to a limited extent conducted among the Indian tribes in the far west. Besides the boards of domestic and foreign missions, the general synod established a board of Sabbath school union, which has since been abolished ; a board of education for the aid of pious indi- gent young men in preparing for the ministry; a board of publication, which aims to spread a sound religious literature ; a relief fund for the aid of disabled ministers and the families of deceased ones ; and a f nnd for church exten- sion. In 1822 the Rev. Solomon Froeligh, D. D., of Hackensack and Schraalenburgh, N. J., and a few other ministers, seceded with their congregations from the Dutch church, on the alleged ground of a prevailing laxness in doc- trine and discipline, and organized the " True
