TheFlushing Remonstrance
350 Years Ago, the Little Town of Flushing Made a Big Difference
Flushing, 350 Years Ago
In 1645, Flushing, then called Vlissengen, was granted a charter by the Dutch West India Company and became a part of New Netherlands. It was settled largely by English families.
Just a year later, George Fox in England began “The Religious Society of Friends,” a group better known today as “Quakers.” Quakers believe that God speaks directly to people through their conscience. The first known Quaker in the United States, Richard Smith, visited Boston in 1656, but was put in jail and sent back to England. This action of the authorities caused many English Quakers to feel a call to go to the New World. Religious persecution of these zealous souls only seemed to convince Quakers of the need for their message, "that the Spirit of God, dwelling in man, is the supreme authority."
Other Quakers came, and their religious teaching found wide acceptance throughout Flushing despite continued opposition on the part of the government and heads of the Reformed Dutch Church. At that time, Peter Stuyvesant was the governor of New Netherlands. He issued an edict forbidding anyone in the colony to entertain a Quaker or to allow a Quaker meeting to be held in his or her house under penalty of a fine of fifty pounds.
The Battle Begins
A respected Flushing colonist, Henry Townsend, held a Quaker meeting in his home and was fined and banished. This prompted a protest from Flushing citizens, which is perhaps the earliest demand for freedom of religion made by American colonists to their political superiors. It is dated December 27, 1657, and is drawn up and signed by Edward Hart, the Town Clerk, Tobias Feake, the Schout (sheriff) and twenty-eight other citizens. This document, known as the Flushing Remonstrance, respectfully but firmly argues the cause of religious freedom: “Our desire is not to offend one of [God’s] little ones, in whatsoever form, name or title hee appears in, whether Presbyterian, Independent, Baptist or Quakers, but shall be glad to see anything of God in any of them desiring to doe unto all men, as wee desire all men should doe unto us, which is the true law both of church and state." It goes on to quote the original Flushing Charter, which grants Flushing the right "to have and Enjoy the Liberty of Conscience, according to the Custome and manner of Holland, without molestation or disturbance."
In response, Governor Stuyvesant put the Town Clerk and the sheriff in jail. The former was subsequently banished from the colony and the latter excused after making an abject apology. In addition, the Flushing town government was entirely swept away and the governor replaced it with his own appointed organization.
Despite continued persecution, Quakerism continued to spread throughout Long Island and the HudsonValley. Several signers of the Remonstrance later became Quakers. There is a tradition that Flushing Quakers met in a sheltered spot in the woods designated by friendly Indians during this time.
The Story of John Bowne
One of the many to become interested in the new religious message was John Bowne, whose young bride, Hannah Feake, had already become a Quaker. In 1661 John bought land and built a comfortable farmhouse. This house, little changed since he added the front part in 1680, still stands about two blocks from the meeting house on Bowne Street.
John Bowne, fully aware of the risk he incurred, invited the Friends in Flushing to hold their meetings in his home. In 1662 Stuyvesant's soldiers arrested him and he was imprisoned, tried and fined. As John Bowne refused to pay the fine or escape when the prison door was left unlocked, Governor Stuyvesant felt forced to banish him from the Colony. He sent an account of the case to Holland on the same ship with John Bowne, but told Bowne he could get off wherever he wished…. Bowne got off in Ireland, went to England, and later to Holland, where he presented his case before the Dutch West India Company. The burghers in Holland replied immediately to Governor Stuyvesant with a letter establishing religious liberty in the colony: "The consciences of men at least ought ever to remain free and unshackled."
This letter, written in 1663, ended the severe punishment of the Quakers. The English (who took possession of the colony the next year) continued for some years to impose fines and order distraints on account of Quaker objections to oaths and military service, but Friends were allowed to meet for worship where they pleased. The Friends could now hold their meetings for worship without fear of disturbance, and they met at Bowne's house twice a week for thirty years.
In 1672, George Fox, the founder of the Quaker movement, visited the Bowne House and preached under a stand of oak trees across the street. The oaks have gone but the house still stands and the site of his sermon is marked with a stone memorializing the event.
The Struggle Continues
John Bowne donated land and arranged for a burial ground on Northern Boulevard in 1676, and in 1692 Bowne and John Rodman bought three acres of land from John Ware adjoining the graveyard to be used for a meeting house site. The Meeting House was built and the first recorded meeting held in it was in 1694.
The Friends have met ever since. Many Friends were active in the Abolitionist Movement and served as conductors for the Underground Railroad.
from “The Flushing Monthly Meeting Society”
Remonstrance of the Inhabitants of the Town ofFlushing to Governor Stuyvesant,
December 27, 1657
Right Honorable
You have been pleased to send unto us a certain prohibition or command that we should not receive or entertain any of those people called Quakers because they are supposed to be, by some, seducers of the people. For our part we cannot condemn them in this case, neither can we stretch out our hands against them, for out of Christ God is a consuming fire, and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Wee desire therefore in this case not to judge least we be judged, neither to condemn least we be condemned, but rather let every man stand or fall to his own Master. Wee are bounde by the law to do good unto all men, especially to those of the household of faith. And though for the present we seem to be unsensible for the law and the Law giver, yet when death and the Law assault us, if wee have our advocate to seeke, who shall plead for us in this case of conscience betwixt God and our own souls; the powers of this world can neither attach us, neither excuse us, for if God justifye who can condemn and if God condemn there is none can justifye.
And for those jealousies and suspicions which some have of them, that they are destructive unto Magistracy and Ministerye, that cannot bee, for the Magistrate hath his sword in his hand and the Minister hath the sword in his hand, as witnesse those two great examples, which all Magistrates and Ministers are to follow, Moses and Christ, whom God raised up maintained and defended against all enemies both of flesh and spirit; and therefore that of God will stand, and that which is of man will come to nothing. And as the Lord hath taught Moses or the civil power to give an outward liberty in the state, by the law written in his heart designed for the good of all, and can truly judge who is good, who is evil, who is true and who is false, and can pass definitive sentence of life or death against that man which arises up against the fundamental law of the States General; soe he hath made his ministers a savor of life unto life and a savor of death unto death.
The law of love, peace and liberty in the states extending to Jews, Turks and Egyptians, as they are considered sons of Adam, which is the glory of the outward state of Holland, soe love, peace and liberty, extending to all in Christ Jesus, condemns hatred, war and bondage. And because our Saviour sayeth it is impossible but that offences will come, but woe unto him by whom they cometh, our desire is not to offend one of his little ones, in whatsoever form, name or title hee appears in, whether Presbyterian, Independent, Baptist or Quaker, but shall be glad to see anything of God in any of them, desiring to doe unto all men as we desire all men should doe unto us, which is the true law both of Church and State; for our Saviour sayeth this is the law and the prophets.
Therefore if any of these said persons come in love unto us, we cannot in conscience lay violent hands upon them, but give them free egresse and regresse unto our Town, and houses, as God shall persuade our consciences, for we are bounde by the law of God and man to doe good unto all men and evil to noe man. And this is according to the patent and charter of our Towne, given unto us in the name of the States General, which we are not willing to infringe, and violate, but shall houlde to our patent and shall remaine, your humble subjects, the inhabitants of Vlishing.
Written this 27th of December in the year 1657, by mee.
Edward Hart, Clericus