In 1680 the first church building was begun in Bergen, the total cost
so far as it is possible to get at the figures, was two thousand
six hundred and twelve guilders. It was an octagonal stone building
with the roof sloping to a point and surmounted with a vane bearing
a rooster. The windows were placed very high. In the summer of 1683
the first bell was placed in the high pointed roof, probably a gift
from some of the members. The bricks in the windows and arch over the
door were brought from Holland. Over the door was a stone with this
inscription: "Kirk Gebouwt in Het yaer 1680." Domine Taylor gives an
interesting description of the interior of the "little church" as it
is often called in the account books. "The bell-ringer stood in the
center of the church. Pews were placed around the walls and occupied
only by the men; the women sat in chairs. The pulpit was high and
reached by stairs; below and in front of the pulpit was a little pew
with a book-board in front of it for the use of the Voorleezer, who had
a long rod with a slit in the end which he reached up to the minister,
who inserted in the slit notices to be read." The collections were in
wampum for many years, and it was one of the duties of the deacons to
sell the wampum to the heads of families, who each distributed it among
the members of his family and they deposited it in the collection bags.
These bags were of black velvet attached to a long pole. At the bottom
of each bag was a small bell to arouse the people at collection time.
The bags were hung on hooks in a suitable box beside the pulpit near
the deacons' seat; at the proper time the deacons each with bag in hand
presented themselves before the pulpit, received their charge from the
minister and then went among the congregation and made the collections.
The bags were spoken of as "the bell." This custom continued until
1800.