Sickles, Jacob,Dd

Sickles, Jacob,.D.D., a Dutch Reformed minister, was born at Tappan, N. Y., in 1772, graduated from Columbia College in 1792, and prepared for the ministry under Drs. S. Froeligh and J. H. Livingston. He was distinguished as a linguist, both in classical and modern tongues. After his licensure, in 1794, he became assistant. to Rev. Dr. Theodoric Romeyn, pastor of the Reformed Church in Schenectady. Two years subsequently he settled over the United churches of Coxsackie and Coeymans, N. Y. - In 1798 he went, by appointment of the General Synod, on a tour of missionary exploration among the settlements on the frontier of New York and on the Subsquehanna; and in 1809 made a similar tour among the churches of his denomination in Canada. He removed to the large and important Church of Kinderhook, N. Y., in 1807, of which he was pastor until 1835. Here, with a territory which now contains, five or six congregations that are offshoots of the still vigorous mother Church, he labored with untiring zeal and uniform success, until the infirmities of age compelled him to resign. About twenty annually were added to the Church during his long ministry. His most striking traits of character were "his condescension, love of evangelical truth, gravity, and mental independence." He was everywhere, and always, the minister of Christ. "His piety was paramount; his daily walk was with God; he preached, as unbelievers admitted, every hour of his life." As a preacher Dr. Sickles was argumentative, exact, ornate, and classical in style; calm, deliberate, and, impressive in delivery; pointed, terse, and practical in his applications of truth. In 1811 his ministry was blessed with a remarkable revival of religion, particularly among the young. He was active in promoting missions, temperance, and other benevolent agencies of his time. His latter years were passed in dignified retirement from duties which he could no longer perform. Towards the last his mental powers failed utterly, and he died, a patriarch among his flock, Jan. 19, 1848, having- been fifty-four years in the ministry.. He left no printed remains. See Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, s.v.; Van Zandt [Rev. B.], Memorial Sermon. (W. J. R. T.)