Before the time that Director Kieft brought the unnecessary war upon
the country, his principal aim and endeavors were to provide well for
himself and to leave a great name after him, but without any expense to
himself or the Company, for this never did anything remarkable for the
country by which it was improved. Thus he considered the erection of
a church a very necessary public work, the more so as it was in
contemplation to build one at that time at Renselaers-Wyck. With this
view he communicated with the churchwardens--of which body he himself
was one--and they willingly agreed to and seconded the project. The
place where it should stand was then debated. The Director contended
that it should be placed in the fort, and there it was erected in spite
of the others, and, indeed, as suitably as a fifth wheel of a wagon; for
besides that the fort is small and lies upon a point of land which must
be very valuable in case of an increase of population, the church ought
to be owned by the congregation at whose cost it was built. It also
intercepts and turns off the southeast wind from the grist-mill which
stands close by, for which reason there is frequently in summer a want
of bread from its inability to grind, though not from this cause alone.
The mill is neglected and, in consequence of having had a leaky roof
most of the time, has become considerably rotten, so that it cannot now
go with more than two arms, and it has been so for nearly five years.
But to return to the church--from which the grist-mill has somewhat
diverted us--the Director then resolved to build a church, and at the
place where it suited him; but he was in want of money and was at a
loss how to obtain it. It happened about this time that the minister,
Everardus Bogardus, gave his step-daughter in marriage; and the occasion
of the wedding the Director considered a good opportunity for his
purpose. So after the fourth or fifth round of drinking, he set
about the business, and he himself showing a liberal example let the
wedding-guests subscribe what they were willing to give towards the
church. All then with light heads subscribed largely, competing with one
another; and although some well repented it when they recovered their
senses, they were nevertheless compelled to pay--nothing could avail to
prevent it. The church was then, contrary to every one's wish, placed
in the fort. The honor and ownership of that work must be judged of from
the inscription