The NRC of Clifton, New Jersey (4)

1909-1920: Rev. Cornelius Densel (1872-1933)

Less than a year after Rev. Prins’s death, Rev. Cornelius Densel, a 37-year-old pastor of Hugenot descent, accepted the pastoral call of the Passaic, New Jersey NRC. A. Bel has provided the following biographical notes summarizing Rev. Densel’s life in the Netherlands:

Cornelius Densel was born in Leiden on February 26, 1872. His parents were Cornelius Densel, a blacksmith, and Elizabeth Vergunst. He married the nineteen-year-old Geertruida Benjamina Witzand in Leiden on June 11, 1890. The marriage certificate indicates that he practiced the barber’s trade at that time.

Shortly after his marriage Densel was powerfully converted to God. Subsequent to this he was exercised with the calling to the ministry for a long time. He sought to circumvent this by deciding to escape to Indonesia. He was apprehended by the Lord, however, as he looked for a ship in Rotterdam. Consequently, he turned to the consistory of the Free Reformed Congregation (Vrije Gereformeerde Gemeente) of Leiden in order to be examined concerning his state of grace and calling. This examination occurred on June 13, 1895 and lasted three-and-one-half hours, after which he was to deliver a trial sermon as well. Even though it was short — only ten minutes — it proved to be satisfactory: Densel was admitted as an exhorter. He received theological instruction from Rev. E.C. Gravemeijer in Utrecht.

In 1899 he was called by an independent congregation in Lemmer. He preached his inaugural sermon on February 16 of that same year after having been installed by Rev. P. van der Heijden, who in 1896 had departed from Lemmer to Enkhuizen.

On July 21, 1901, Rev. Densel was installed by Rev. G. Van Reenen as pastor of the Free Reformed Congregation of Vlaardingen. He succeeded Rev. A. Verhey who had become an emeritus minister on August 1, 1898.

During Rev. Densel’s stay the membership of the congregation of Vlaardingen expanded greatly. The increase of the number of seats in the church building in 1902 proved to be only a makeshift solution. In 1904 a new church was built which did service for more than seventy years. In 1976 a new building was dedicated for the third time at “Westnieuwland.”

In September 1909, Rev. Densel accepted the call from the Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Passaic.... After having preached his

farewell sermon in Vlaardingen on November 28, Rev. Densel was installed already on December 15, 1909 by Rev. N.H. Beversluis of Paterson. His place in Vlaardingen was taken on April 17, 1910, by Rev. P. van der Heijden.1

In Not Consumed, Martin Dekker adds some detail as to what transpired in the Passaic congregation during Rev. Densel’s ministry:

Shortly after his arrival in the congregation, it became evident that the existing parsonage was not sufficient for the pastor and his large family. So the consistory appointed a committee to seek for new living quarters, with the condition that it was not to exceed $6,000. Soon they were able to purchase the house located up the hill from the church at 131 Park Place. This house later served as the parsonage for Rev. J. van Zweden and exhorter Mr. James Wielhouwer.

Rev. Densel was a gifted speaker with a clear voice and a precise manner of delivery. During the winter months, he preached on Wednesday evenings. Many came and soon the congregation began to grow again. (A considerable number had withdrawn membership following the trial in Rev. Prins’ time.)

It was becoming obvious to the consistory, that with continual growth, the existing church building would be too small and something would have to be done towards enlarging the structure. A count taken January 1911 showed the congregation had grown to 93 families made up of 69 male professing members, 81 female professing members, 109 male baptized members and 88 female baptized members.

The need for additional seating in the church was discussed. Since the members paid for their seats there was little room left for visitors. At a congregational meeting, it was decided to obtain plans of church buildings with the thought of erecting a new church edifice, if possible.

In 1912, a Mr. A. van der Horst was introduced by Rev. Densel to the consistory. He was a theological student in the Reformed Church in the Netherlands and was given permission to speak in the United States in our denomination.

At about the same time that Student van der Horst arrived in this country, a group of persons in the little community of West Sayville, Long Island contacted Rev. Densel and the Passaic consistory about organizing their own congregation. Rev. Densel and Elder Jan Roos (Rose) met in the home of a Mr. Bolijn in West Sayville. Student van der Horst was also present along with those men wishing to organize. Under Rev. Densel’s leadership, this new congregation was formed with office bearers being chosen. Rev. Densel was chosen to be their moderator. A church building and parsonage were erected soon after on a piece of land which they had purchased. A call was sent to Candidate van der Horst, which he accepted. He was ordained and installed by Rev. Densel in December, 1912. Rev. van der Horst remained their pastor for only a short time and then left our denomination to become a minister in a Methodist church in California.

The task of serving the West Sayville congregation as moderator fell to Rev. Densel. This congregation, being about eighty to eighty-five miles from Passaic, was difficult to reach as it was necessary to pass through New York City. Therefore, an automobile was purchased for Rev. Densel to aid his visiting the sick, both in his own congregation and as moderator of West Sayville.

With the growth of the Passaic congregation, a certain need in the worship services was becoming more evident. A “voorzinger” was still leading the congregation in singing. While this sufficed with a relatively small number of people, the quality of singing left something to be desired where there were several hundred attendants.

Two female members presented themselves to the consistory with the request that there should be more order in the singing. For the welfare of the congregation, they recommended the purchase of an organ. The consistory and pastor agreed and a committee was chosen to look into this further. They were able to purchase a two manual pipe organ for $950.00.

In 1915, to coincide with the building of the piece on the back of the church for the organ, the front entry was enclosed. Furthermore, a balcony was built inside the church building. Consequently, many more seats were added to the church. This work was done, for the most part, by members of the congregation. It was completed at an appropriate time, because in 1916, the congregation reached its greatest number. There were 132 households; 100 male professing members; 123 female professing members; 148 baptized male members; and 133 baptized female members.

In June, 1918 a terrible influenza epidemic broke out in this area causing many deaths. The Passaic Board of Health issued a regulation that all public buildings including churches must be closed until further notice from the Board of Health. The consistory complied. However, the epidemic seemed to subside very quickly so that the church services were again resumed after being cancelled for only two Sundays.

Until this time, the congregation had received many blessings. The financial status of the church was much improved, owing in part to the large increase in membership. They still had the pure, unadulterated preaching of God’s Word on Sundays and during the week. Above all, the Word was blessed at times to the hearts of sinners, through which the Lord gave signs and tokens that He was in their midst.

But the wise man Solomon said, “In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.” While this is experienced many times personally, it was now to become the experience of the congregation.

To refrain from saying more than that which is necessary, the following quotation, taken from The Brief Historical Survey by Rev. J. Van Zweden and Rev. G. Kersten, will suffice. On November 12, 1920, Rev. Cornelius Densel’s pastorate was terminated in a sad manner. “The reasons for it we will pass over in silence. What a difficult time of anxiety and struggle was experienced by the congregation and especially by the consistory! That fearful storm threatened to tear the congregation asunder and to destroy it but the almighty, gracious, and faithful King of the Church held the reins in His hand and watched over it. Many sighs and prayers were uttered at that time and the Lord proved to be the One who hears and answers the prayers of the needy who have the welfare of Zion at heart. At the time of this great trial, the congregation and consistory could truly say that He who keeps a watchful eye over His Zion, fulfilled the promise, ‘I am with you until the end of the world, yea, the gates of hell shall not prevail against My Church.’”2

Subsequent to his pastorate in Passaic, Densel organized an independent congregation. He died in 1933, after having trained his son Benjamin for the ministry. Rev. B. Densel succeeded his father until 1964, when he accepted a call to Grand Rapids to pastor our present Covell NRC which was then independent.

1Predikanten en Oefenaars: Biografisch Woordenboek van de Kleine Kerkgeschiedenis, Deel 1, pp. 61-62.

2Pp. 25-27.

Unity

If ever we intend to take one step towards any agreement or unity, it must be by fixing this principle in the minds of all men — that it is of no advantage to any man whatever church or way in Christian religion he be of, unless he personally believe the promises, and live in obedience unto all the precepts of Christ; and that for him who doth so, it is a trampling of the whole Gospel under foot to say that his salvation could be endangered by his not being of this or that church or way, especially considering how much of the world hath immixed itself into all the known ways that are in it. Were this once well fixed on the minds of men, and did they practically believe that men shall not be dealt withal at the last day by gross, as of this or that party or church, but that every individual must stand upon his own bottom, live by his own faith, or perish for want of it.... we should quickly find their keenness in promoting and contending for their several parties taken off.

— Dr. John Owen

Dr. J.R. Beeke and Rev. J. den Hoed are continuing a series of articles on the histories of individual Netherlands Reformed Congregations.

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