Isaac Contant

Services for the late Rev. Isaac Contant, retired pastor of the Reformed Congregation of Lodi and dean of teh Protestant clergy of the Passaic district, who died Tuesday afternoon at his home in Prospect Street, will be held tomorrow afternoon from the Contant home and the Reformed Congregation. Pallbearers will be consistorymen and a few intimate friends. The death of the Rev. Contant, who was 86 yrs old, is being mourned by many people of this borough. All of the pastor's children, except one daughter who resides in Holland, were present at his bedside when he died.
The Rev. Dirk de Beer, pastor of the Prospect Street Christian Reformed Church, will be in charge of the services, assisted by the Rev. Charles Spoelhof, pastor of the Liberty Street Christian Reformed Church of Lodi, and Jacob Meyers, a student at Bloomfield Theological Seminary. Mr. Meyers is a young man of teh Rev. Mr. Contant's congregation, who was tutored by thepastor before he entered the seminary.
The aged pastor of the Reformed Congregation was stricken shortly after his eighty-sixth birtday, January 5, 1929 Previous to that time he complained of not feeling well, but was not confined to his room. An attack of the influenza, combined with infirmaties, hastened his death. During the early part of last week hope was held out for his recovery, as he seemed to rally. Since Friday night he became unconscious, but his remarkable vitality kept him alive.
The Rev. Mr. Contant was born in Kadzand, The Netherlands on Jan 5, 1843. He attended public school there. After his graduation he became associated with his father and brother Peter in the former's machine shop, and during spare hours studied English, French and mathematics. He alsway had a desire to enter the ministry and was privately tutored. In 1868 he entered the preparatory school in Doetichem, following with a course at the Theological Seminary at Kampen, where he graduated in July 1874. His first charge was Brielle, Holland, from Oct 18, 1874, until 1879. His other pastorates were Loosdrecht 1879-1882, Alkmaar 1882-1893, and Biezelinge, 1893-1896, when he received a call in the Liberty Street Christian Reformed Church in Lodi, where he served three years. The Reformed Congregation was then organized, with the Rev. Mr. Contant as its pastor. This church he served for 25 years. About 6 yrs ago he suffered a paralytic stroke and had to discontinue preaching. The congregation will be 30 yrs old this summer.
The Rev. Mr. Contant and Mrs. Contant (who was Martha van Ry) celebrated the 53rd anniversary of their marriage on Jun 16, 1928. Of their 11 children, 9 survive: an unknown person and Isabella Contant of Lodi, Marinus, Arie, John M. and Mrs. Henry Gerritsen of Hackensack, Mrs. Peter de Jonge in Holland, Peter M. in Hasbrouck Heights, and Cornelius B. of Rochelle Park. There are 15 grandchildren.
The Rev. Contant had many friends among the Holland residents of Lodi. He was especially beloved by the members of his congregation whom he ministered for 27 yrs. While he was in Holland, he published a religious weekly "The Gideon" which was widely circulated at that time. It has since suspended publication.¹