Church constitution was prepared
with the co-operation of Wrangel, and he attended the meeting of the
congregation at which it was accepted, and made an address. From the
earliest times to the completion of the final constitution, the
influence of the Swedish organization was strongly felt.

2. _The Reformed Churches in Pennsylvania._ The _Dutch Reformed_
congregations at Bensalem and Neshaminy in Bucks County and at
Whitemarsh, Montgomery County, were the earliest Reformed Churches in
Pennsylvania, and antedate all the German Lutheran congregations except
that at New Hanover. These Churches were organized in 1710 by Domine
Paulus Van Vlecq, and in each of them a senior and a senior elder and
deacon were elected to serve for two years. The senior went out of
office annually, and the junior became senior, while the newly-elected
officer became the junior. The mode of election is not entirely clear.
The record simply says at Bensalem: "The Church Council, both Elders and
Deacons, of Sammeny and Bensalem, were installed (_bevestight_) by Dom.
Van Vlecq May 21, 1710," the day after that given for the organization.
They may have been elected the previous day. At White Marsh the record
says: "The church at Wytmess was organized June 4, 1710, the same day
the Church Council there was installed." The record of the Dutch
Reformed Church at Six Mile Run, near New Brunswick, N. J., organized
November 15, 1710, says: "The Church Council was elected Nov. 15, and
after having been announced three times, was installed." At the next
election it is said: "Anno 1711, Oct. 23, the Church Council was
elected, and after having been three times announced without objection
made, they were installed Oct. 24," on which date also the treasurer
presented his account. There must have been several services on those
two days, at each of which the names of those elected were published.
It does not appear in what manner the choice was made. They may have
been selected by those in office, and when no objection was made after
publication, the consent of the congregation was supposed to be given,
or they may have been chosen by vote of the congregation. I am assured
by Dr. Talbot W. Chambers, of the Collegiate Church in New York, that
both of these modes are and have long been usual in the Reformed
Churches, and that in the old mother congregation at New York, now
enlarged to be the Collegiate Church, the former mode of selection has
been used ever sinc