LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 350th Anniversary of Old Dutch
Church of Kingston, New York

WHEREAS, Religious institutions, and the many spiritual, social and
educational benefits they confer, play a vital role in the development
of the moral fabric of a responsible citizenry; and
WHEREAS, It is the tradition of this State and this Nation to pay
tribute to those institutions and individuals who have contributed to
the ethical and spiritual values of their communities; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body takes pleasure in commemorating the
350th Anniversary of Old Dutch Church of Kingston, New York; and
WHEREAS, Pastor Ken Walsh and the congregation, part of the Reformed
Church in America, have many events planned for 2009 that will not only
recognize this milestone anniversary but reflect upon Dutch colonial
history; and
WHEREAS, Celebrations began in January when Pastor Walsh performed a
Dutch service 1659-style, dressed in historic vestments; every three
months he will continue to give a liturgy from a different century until
he reaches the modern day; and
WHEREAS, In addition, the church, which was designated a National
Historic Landmark in November of 2008, will expand its museum collection
and host a special George Washington Day dinner; however, the largest
celebration will come Memorial Day weekend with a Pinkster festival for
Pentecost; the church will commission an anthem, host tours and
concerts, as well as perform a re-enactment; and
WHEREAS, The founding of Old Dutch Church in 1659 was a result of
direct solicitation to Peter Stuyvesant by early settlers of the area,
the third oldest settlement in New Netherland; the Classis of Amsterdam,
Holland, responded by sending a Dominie (Pastor); local settlers came
together immediately to organize the church; and
WHEREAS, Since its founding, meticulous preparation of baptism and
marriage records have been kept; the fine details included in these
records are a great help to historians and genealogists alike; the
church's museum houses these records and numerous artifacts; the museum
is open to the public for research, under the direction of a church
historian; and
WHEREAS, The present church structure is the third to be sited on the
same plot of land inside the Stockade Area of Kingston, New York, as
established by Peter Stuyvesant and later confirmed by the first British
governor of New York in 1664; and
WHEREAS, In 1719, a charter of incorporation was granted to the Old
Dutch Church by King George of England, confirming title to the half
acre of land on which the church and cemetery are located; and
WHEREAS, At the outset of the Revolutionary War, the Dominie at the
time used the pulpit of Old Dutch Church to zealously advocate the cause
of liberty; in 1777, the British marched on Kingston, the capital of New
York State, sacking and burning the city, including the church, in
retaliation against the spirit of independence; the first church struc-
ture, built in 1680, was restored following the Revolutionary War; and
WHEREAS, The burial ground surrounding the church has existed since
its beginning; the earliest gravestone, preserved in the museum, dates
to 1710; there are at least 71 Revolutionary War veterans interred in
the churchyard; and
WHEREAS, A later burial in the churchyard is that of Governor and
Vice-President George Clinton, whose body was transferred from the
Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C., to the Old Dutch Burial
Grounds in 1908; and

WHEREAS, In 1782, then General George Washington visited Old Dutch
Church and sent a letter acknowledging his visit; the original of this
letter has been preserved; this visit is commemorated each year by the
Washington Day Dinner, a tradition of 84 years; speakers at this annual
event have included such notables as then Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt
and Dr. Norman Vincent Peale; and
WHEREAS, Other presidents who have worshiped at Old Dutch Church over
the years were Martin Van Buren, Ulysses S. Grant, and Chester Arthur;
and
WHEREAS, For over 175 years, Old Dutch was the only church in King-
ston, ministering to the needs of people of a variety of faiths and
nationalities; throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the Old Dutch
Church spawned over 50 daughter churches throughout the Hudson River
Valley; in addition, in 1816, Old Dutch Church established the first
Sunday School in Ulster County to teach people of all races to read the
Bible; and
WHEREAS, Prior to and during the Civil War, the Dominie of the time
vigorously supported the Union cause; many men from the congregation
were enlisted in the N.Y. 120th Infantry under the command of General
George H. Sharpe, a prominent parishioner; the flags presented to this
regiment and carried into battle are displayed in the Narthex of the
present structure of Old Dutch Church; and
WHEREAS, Following the Civil War, General Sharpe presented a statue,
entitled "Patriotism", as a memorial to the 120th Infantry; the statue,
placed in the church graveyard, is unique, being the only one ever
erected by a general to his men on a plot deeded to the monument itself;
and
WHEREAS, During the Civil War, the 1832 structure of Old Dutch Church
housed a New York State Armory and field hospital; by that time, the
Sanctuary was housed in the third and present structure built in 1852, a
hundred yards from the second and just a few feet from the site of the
first; and
WHEREAS, During World War I, World War II and as recently as 9/11, Old
Dutch Church has served as a bastion of support and comfort for the
residents of Kingston and beyond; and
WHEREAS, The significant role of Old Dutch Church throughout American
history was recognized in the 20th century by visits from both Queen
Juliana and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands; and
WHEREAS, Old Dutch Church stands on the threshold of tomorrow,
prepared to meet the challenges of the coming decades while retaining
that spiritual resolve which characterizes its past; and
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to take note of
enduring religious institutions and to bring such institutions to the
attention of the people of this Empire State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 350th Anniversary of Old Dutch Church of Kingston, New
York, fully confident that this commemoration reflects the belief in
those values which enhance the dignity and purpose of life; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Old Dutch Church, Kingston, New York.