The 13 churches which comprised what came to be known as "Classis Hackensack," were originally part of the RCA (Dutch Reformed Church) of New Jersey, but had seceded from that denomination in 1822, forming themselves into the "True Reformed Protestant Dutch Church." Many of the Afscheiding immigrants settled in the East near their arrival point (Ellis Island) and found spiritual refuge in these congregations rather than those of the RCA. The basis of Classis Hackensack's secession was not unlike that of 1857--the desire to maintain Reformed distinctiveness. Having joined with the CRC group in 1890, this group of churches maintained its own identity by keeping its own classical structure, continuing to worship in the English language, and using a collection of hymns in addition to the Psalter. In 1908 all but 3 of these congregations left the CRCNA because of incompatibilities felt by the CRC with the the classis' use of hymns and toleration of lodge membership.

Classis Hackensack of the CRCNA exists still to this day, though it is fair to say that it has completely lost any distinctiveness owing to its origin; but the maintenance of two classes in the same region of the northeast U.S. (Hackensack and Hudson) has sometimes been viewed as an anomaly. Some attempts have been made to re-draw the boundaries of these two classes to make them geographically distinct, with mixed success. It is an passing interest to note that the Banner magazine, the English language weekly of the CRCNA which was very instrumental in its Americanization, was originally published by Classis Hackensack (as the Banner of Truth).