Document: Ordinance|Director General and Council against practicing any religion other than the Reformed

[Text is continued in  NYC-RNA_V1_032, 033.  Presented complete here for continuity.  NAHC]

The Director General and Council have credibly been informed, that not only conventicles and meetings are held here and there in this Province, but that also unqualified persons presume in such meetings to act as teachers in interpreting and expounding God's holy Word without ecclesiastical or temporal authority. This is contrary to the general political and ecclesiastical rules of our Fatherland and besides such gatherings lead to troubles, heresies and schisms. Therefore to prevent this the Director General and Council strictly forbid all such public or private conventicles and meetings, except the usual and authorized ones, where Gods reformed and ordained Word is preached and taught in a meeting for the reformed divine service conform to the Synod of Dort and followed here as well as in the Fatherland and other reformed churches of Europe, under a fine of 100 pounds Flemish to be paid by all, who in such public or private meetings, except the usual authorized gatherings, on Sunday or other days presume to exercise without due qualification the duties of a preacher, reader or precentor and each man or woman, married or unmarried, who are found at such a meeting, shall pay a fine of 25 pounds Flemish.* The Director General and Council do not however hereby intend to force the consciences, to the prejudice of formerly given patents, or to forbid the preaching of Gods holy Word, the family prayers and divine service in the family, but only all public and private conventicles and gatherings, be they in public or private houses, except the already mentioned usual and authorized reformed divine service. In order that this order may be the better observed and nobody plead ignorance thereof the Director General and Council direct and charge their Fiscal and the inferior Magistrates and Schouts, to publish it everywhere in this Province and prosecute the transgressors, whereas we have so decreed it for the honor of God, the advancement of the Reformed service and the quiet, unity and welfare of the country in general.

Thus done etc., February 1, 1656.

*One pound Flemish equal to 6 fl. or $2.40.