Mancius, George Wilhelmus

Mancius, George Wilhelmus one of the prominent ministers of the Reformed Church in America, and a sturdy opposer of the movements for securing its independence of the Church in Holland. He was settled in Bergen County, N. J., at Schraalenbergh and Paramus (1730-32), and at Kingston, N. Y. (1732-56 or '59). He possessed much ability and learning, but it was alleged that "consciences slumbered" under his orthodox preaching. His friends, however, claim that his manuscript sermons show him to have been "a faithful, learned, industrious, and zealous preacher of the Gospel, one who did not fear to declare the whole counsel of God; and that it was, on the other hand, his opposition to an illiterate ministry and to heresy, his independence in reproving vice, and his general zeal and fidelity which induced certain of his enemies to misrepresent him." He left 420 members in full communion of his Church. He died Sept. 6,1762. See Corwin's Manual of the Reformed Church, p. 150. (W. J. R. T.)