Minutes of Annual Meeting, 1841

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e U'ic '.'CI', uut.'iulkbcit 3£iti'n f)ci'
unter uns g$raud;lict) unit, vcr;
fammetten ficb. tic alrcn ©ruber
nud) bicfed 3abr roiebev t<en Oft
unb 2Befr, rem Subcn unb -Nor*
ben, in idljrtidw SStfaimrttuflg* unb jtvar
bep ©rtfer Sffiillnmi SOcfller in Werner*
fet (Seugtnr tyennfnfoania, mo om 28.
unb 29gf?en9Jla» 3<. £>. 1841. fclgenbt
•jJunftc uorgelegt, unb in ernfttidje Sra'di
guitg gfRommen rcorben finb :

1. 06 es redit unb erfaubt wart nap)
htm foangetio ftfbSDcitgtieber, 2otterie*B*t*

re! tufciyfen? ' . ,

Stngefetjenr ba§ atSdne «rt sen epic!
urn ©eifinn, n>o6eij anberc notbroenbig
ferlteren miiffen* es u nr c d) t unb gdnjlict)
uncrlaubt fen fur eineu ©ruber.

2. Ob bie ©ruber bft#$uj}iMi&«n fl«
nan nadi beni Gtytngetiuiti i^v.x 1

SCngefebsn, naeb, fanner Unterttbung unb
lleberlegiing, bafj bas ftufroafdien, tvie eS
bis bieb> ben ten ©rubern gcubt njorben
i<l, bem aBevt gemaf, feu* unb bafj bie lie*
bungj fo weit itnr bis ji|t baben Icrncn fen*
nen," tuf feine Xkife »abef[crt voerben ton?

3. Ob bie ©ruber em 9icd;t baben,
ftreunbe, bie nidrt 9Ritgtieb« finb, mit uns
sum ?Cbenbmal)l bes£Srrn nieberuijni \\
laffen, vrenw 9iaum ba iff ?

Mngefcben, baf„ intern roir ben recbten
linterfd)ieb madien pifeben bem Slbeni*
niabt unb ber ©cmeinfdwft tes Seibes unb
©lutes ^Sfu 6l)#i, man ntcbte einju*
voentcn baben f ennte, ftmmbe jum Slbepb*
maid mmtaffen, roenrt 9iaum rorbanben i|r.

4. Ob es fdiicflid) fet; fur Sebrer, beubeS
beutfd? unb englifd) ju reben in SBerfftmm*
lungen, roenn nur einige roemge englifcbc
9)lM$ri«bcr, unb bie 9)vehrbeit ber (Semens
be beutfd) finb?

Sfrwefeben, bag es red)t unb unfrewicbr

1 ifr, bas eoangelium jit nerfiinbigen alien

SMfern fo »W roir eermoaen, bod) fo, baf;

. in folcbem $att nid)t ju mete 3eit mit bem

engrtfdxn aufgenommen roerben fottte.

5. 06 ein ©ruber ubereinftimmenb mit
bem e»angetium bie SBobltbat bes ©efe*
fees fur unixrmogenbe ©djutbner in %m
fprud) nebmen bitrfe ?

9(ngefet)en, baf; es $d!(e gebm mag, ino
bie SBerroicftung in Scbutbeii unb bie %oU
gen bacon fcineSroegg bem eeangetium ge*
m&% finb, unb roo bie ©emcinbe fotdje nictjf
uls ©ruber batten {ennte, — unb baf, es

8 it n
from time immemorial,
old Brethren iissembleal.heni-
selves this year again from
Ea«t As West, & from NortH
andiSonth in yearly meeting
With Brother William Miller in Somek-
BSt count) , Pennsylvania, where on the
.'Hili of May A. D. 1841. the fol-
:ts v, ere presented, and taken
into serious consideration :

1. Whether it would be right and al-
io according to the Gospel for mem-
■ buy lotter; -tickets ?

Considered, that as a species of gamb-
ling for gain's sake, whereby others must
necessarily lose, it is wrong and not al-
lowable at ail for a brother.

2. Whether the Brethren practise feet-
washing strictly according to the Gospel !-

Considered, after much conversation <fc

reflection, that feetwashing as practised
hitherto by the Brethren is accordi
the word, and that the mode, as far as ho
could learn until now. could in no wise
oved.

3. Whether the Brethren have aright
to admit friends, who arc not members,
to sit down with us at the Lord's supper,

e is room !
Considered, that, making a proper
tinctton betv, een the supperand the cran-
mimiiJn of the body and blood of Jesus.
Christ, there could be no objection to
admit friends to the supper, when there
is room.

4. Whether it is proper fur teachers
to speak both german and english in mee-
tings, when there are only a few english
members, the majority of the church be-
ing german ?

Considered, that it is right and ourdib
ty, to preach the Go3pel to every nation
as far as we are able, yet so. that insuch
a case not too much time ought to be ta-
ken up in english.

5. Whether a brother, consistently
with the Gospel, can take the ben-

the law for insolvent debtors?

Considered, that there may be cases.
where the invoiviug at first and the con-
sequences thereupon are not at all com-
patible with the Gospel, and where thti
church could, not hold such as brethren,

J

gdile ge6cn mag, wc ein SBrubcr burd) Uns
gliicf in fotd)e llmfrdnbe fcmmeit fnnn,
unb reerni cr aufriditig rodte in feincr Gr*
r'ldrung, fo mod)te felbft ber Sfnfprud) fur
bie 2BoljttI;af. bes @efe§eS ;u entfdjulbigtn
fenn. 3n alien fo(d)M fallen bat inbeffen
bie ©emeinbe bie ©adje ju untcrfucben/ unb
nadj SSefinben ju urtheilen, unb roenn bie
©emeinbe feine Durd)fid)t hat, rote in ans
bem fatten 2£e!tefre »en anbevn ©emeins
ben ju ipiilfe ju rufen.

6. 06 0Rita,Ueb« ocr ben Stall) ber ®;t
meinbe ge6rad)t unb geridjtet roerben fens
net: fiir ein 23erond)en, auf ausmdrttges
3eugni§ aflein?

%na.tftl)tn, baf, reenn ein ©erucftt (@es
fdjren) w'oanben iff, b.ijj ein "-Sruber uncrs
bcnt(id) roanbbjj obet ein QScrbredjen began*
<\cn {jtAtt d tie ^fiid)t iji bee ©emeinbe,
alid)e 33ruber an ben Ovt ju fenben, n>o
bflji ©erud)t feinen Urfprung genemmen
hat, itm bie 2ad)e ju unterfud)en. -23cnn
nid;ts gefunben wirb, bast bee 95efd)ulbig*
unti ©runb gibt, unb bai> SOtttglieb leugnet
fDkl)e nacfy einer gtnauen llnterfud)ung, fo
fonnte man rueiter nidjtu titun. gctlte ins
beffen einiget 2Serbad)t in ben SONtgliebem
«roecft roerben burd? bag allgemeinc 33es
traaen be« Qiefcbulbigteii, fo mag bie @cs
meinbe foldhem SQJirglieD ratben, nid)t jum
£ffd) bes.fpSrrn btnmjunahen, bis bie @a*
die aufgefiart ifi jum "Sergnugen ber @vs
meinbe. Sf&er ein ?Jcitglieb gdnjfid) d'usjus
fdydejjcn auf ausrodrtiges Seugnife allcm,
fcurbe nid)t fur rccrjt unb billig angefeben
nad) txm (£t>angclium.
*7. Ob es DJtitgliebet'n erlaubt roerben
mag, -^atentsiKedito ;u criangen unb juoers
i'aufen fttrihre eigene (Jrfinbungen ?

'.'Ingefehcn, baf; es nid)t ratbfarn ifr fur
SlJlitglieber, patent * Dtedire aufjunetymen
unb ju wrfaufen.

8. Ob ein Seller bas Kedrt hat, bai
93rob ber ©emcinfdr/aft «i 6red>en einer
fVanf en ^Serfon, bie nidjt Sftittjlieb ber ©es
,meinbe iff ?

2Cngefe!)en, baft ein Secret feine Soils
mad)t bat in .6em Gyana/:iium, fo!d)e$ (ui
t;;un, fonbern ban cr eine foKbe ecele auf
tr,? Sr6armen ©Ortes in Cijrifro JSfUf.u.
auf bie ijebingungen unb SSer(;eiffungert
tieS Sjiangelium'g meifen follte.

9. Ob ein Ciener ('Jjcfud.'bruber) 3c«gs
nig geben mag ju bemy n»ao ein Setyrerges
rebet l^at, rodljrenb ein obejt meljrerc Seljrer
gegcnrodvtig finb, bie md)t geretcr beben,

, ilni jitmiXtbcn ann'erbern'.'

— and that tSiere may be cases, where T-
brotlier by misfortune may be brought to
such extremity, and if he were honest in
his declaration, his application for the
benefit of the law mig;!it even be excusa-
ble ; In all such cases however the church
lias to investigate the matter, and judge ^*
accordingly, and if the church is at a
loss, to call in; as in other cases, the as- .
sistaoce of elders from other churches. '

6. Whether members may be brought ,
before the council of the church, and be
judged for a crime, only on testimony
fiom without, i. e. from persons, that are .
not members of the church .;?

Considered, that when there is some
report abroad of a brother walking disor-
derly, or having committed a crime, it is
the duty bf the church, to send somebre- '
thren to the place, where the report has
originated, to investigate the matter If
nothing be found establishing the charge,
and the member denying the same after
a close examination, nothing more can
be done. If there should however some
suspicion be created in the members by
the general conduct of the accused, thj
church may advise such a member not lo
approach the Lord's table, until the mat-
ter is cleared up to the satisfaction of the
church. But to disown entirely a mem-
ber on testimony only from without, was
not considered right and just according-
to the Gospel.

7. Whether members may be permit-
ted to obtain and sell patent-rights for
their own inventions!

Considered, that it is not adviscable
for members to take out and sell patent-
rights.

P. Whether a teacher has a right to
break the bread of communion to a sick
person, that is not a member of the
church ■

Considered, tha.ta teacherhas not any
authority in the Gospel to do so, but that
he should direct such a soul to the mercy
of God in Christ Jesus, and to the terms
and promises of the Gospel.

& Whether a deacon (visiting brother)
may give testimony to what a teacher has
said, while there is one or more teachers
present, that have not spoken, ;u:
him to speak •

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5(.ngcfeben, bag cr incite, roenn ba;u
mtfgeforbert.

10. £56 eirt 5Racbfelger 3£fu poiirifd)eit
SSerfammtungen 6et>roobnen biirfe? l

Stngefebm, bag ea gar nid)t gejiemenb
* «fi fur Srtiber, bic ber SS3eIt abgefagt ba*
ben. '

11. 06 el cinem Siitglieb bcr Slni/t
G> 1) r i ft i anfrdnbig fee, al8 ©efdmorner
(3ur»mann) ju bicnen in ben ©ecicljteit
tmferes Sanbes?

2(ng,e|ehen, bag e§ am Oeffrn rodre, gar
nid)t ju bicnen, fel6(r in burgcrtidien, feis
ncsroegS aber in pcinlicbcn (QEriminafs)
fallen. '

12. 5Bftg ju tfjun ift mit cinem 33ruber
ober 9)citg(ieb, bag in cine anberc ©emeinbe
jiebt, o()ne einSeugnig »on feinerSQttrgu'eb*
Kbaft mitjubringen* unb \>&, roenn ibm ein
foists abgeforbert roirb, baburd) fid; belei*
bigtfiif)(t?

Stngefeljen, bag, rote offers! r-or bicfem enf*
fdjicben roorben, cs erforberlid) ill furSJiits
gticber, bie von ciner ©emcinbe in bie antes
re jicben, cin Scugnig ober Certificat mit«
:ubringen, roie fie franben in bcr ©emcinbe,
I'on roannen fie famen, unb bag fie nicbt
belcibigt fii!)(cn foilten, roenn barnad) ge«
■ fragt roirb. (gcilten fie fid) fortrodhrcnb
rocigern, cin Scugnig fid? ju r-erfdjaffen, fo
bdtte bie ©emeinbe, in roctcfye fie gejogen
finb, ba» 9ted)t, fid) ibrcs' granbes ju ear*
fid)crn, ebe fte fold;e uoUig file SWitglieber
nufnimmr.

IS. Ob cin Q3rubcr ober Stfiifglicb liber*
einfrimmenb mit bent (Jr-angebo geridjret
rocrben tonne, c!;ne cin SSerhor ju I;aben
»or bcr ©emeinbe, mit bem SKedjr fid) feU

ber ju »ertl)eibigen ? _. :

Stngefefyen, bag fein 93ruber fur irgenb
fine Q3efd)ulbigung for ben fliatb. ber"@cs
meinbe gebr«d)t roerben fottte, obne bag t&
' iimi t'ori;cr angefagt roorben ift, unb obne
bie Ijreflbeit ju l;aben, Oenm 2>erI;or bcr 3<u*
gen gegenrodrtig ju fenn, roie aud) fid) fcU
ber ju pertbeibigen nad) bem Sr-angelio.

14. 2Begcn bem ©ebraud) ftarfer @e*
trdnfe rourbe esS angefeben, bag es cin gros
fccS Ucbet ift, roeldje's ju Safier unb gSerkcs
d)cn, jur iBcrftorung beg ^riebene unb SScrs

Considered, that he may if re

q -jested.

may

10. Whether a follower of Jesus
attend political meetings i

Considered, that it h not becoming at
all for brethren, who have renounced th3
world.

11. Whether it is becoming for a
member of the church of Christ to act as
juror in the courts of our country.?

Considered, that it would be best not
to serve at all even in civil - , but by no
means in criminal cases.

12. What is to be done with a brother
or member, who removes into another
church, without bringing a certificate of
membership along, and who being asked
for it, is offended by the request?

Considered, that, as it has been deci-
ded often heretofore, it is requisite for
members, that remove from one church
into another, to bring a testimony or cer-
tificate along of their standing in the
church, from whence they came, and
that they ought not be offended at being
asked for the same. Should they refuse
still to procure a certificate, the church
to which they came, would have a right,
to ascertain their standing, before recei-
ving them to full membership.

13. Whether a brother or member

could be judged consistently with the

Gospel, without having a hearing beforf

the church with privilege to defend him-

elf?

/ell
C

Considered, tliat no brother ought to
be brought before the council of the
church for any accusation, without hav-
ing previous information thereof, & with-
out having the privilege of being present
at the hearing of the witnesses, and also
of defending himself according to Gospel.

niogcne!, unb 511m 9Serberben 1'eibcS unb
in Seele fiihrt, unb bag ©tieber ber @e*
meinbe (Sbrifri won bem (Mraud) bar-on
iH'frcbcii fclltcn atiogenoiimien aBSWebijin.

14. Concerning the use of ardent spir-
its it was considered, that it is a great
evil, leading to vice and crime, to do
struction of peace and property, and ti>
the ruin of body and soul, and that mem-
ber^ of the church of Christ ought to re-
frain from the use of it except as medi-
cine.

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1-1 J

15. Sic ndtfjfie jjdf)rlid}e Serfammluno.
fcetreffenb, fo rear Slnfprucfji gemad^t root*
ben. ror biefem ton ber gvoataras®emeinbe
in biefem <2uut, unD biefe§ 3ahr »eii ber
9Jfot>iccon»©cmeiribe in Chic, unb son bcr
<Pfeiff.rMs@«meinfce in jKarntanb/ unb —
mil fcin ?fnfpruf!i tiefesmat son SroatAs
ra gemacrjt raurbe, — fo fcfcbfofen bit iBrii*
ber, in jabrliitcr iBerfammlung fidi ju wr«
, fammeln, geliebt e? ®Dtt, ndcbftes 3d)r,
duf^ftngfteri Is 10. piit unferrt Snibern
nn bcr ^feifftjef in Warnlanb, jur 2>««
quernlntfeit ber ofitii!;en ©emeinben, mit
ber?i(>fiibr> uns aufs fblgenbe Sohr, menu
fie ihren Mnfprucb roieberhoten, mit unfern
83iubern in Ohio ju oerfammeln.
• llnterfir-riebm oon

JDanici (Berber*

3Dav>i& Pfautv

£ bftfrian Jiang,

Daniel 21rnol5,

(Seorg ^oorff

21t>riU>am 5?anf,

jtobanneo ^art/

3ob«nneo prcie,

JDaniel Keidjcr?/

^cinrid? ^urtj.

lu. In regard to the next yearly mi'i--
ting, application having been made here-
tofore from Swatara-church in this state,
and this year from Mohiccon- church in
Ohio, and from Pipecreek-church in Ma-
ryland,— no application being made this
year from Swatara. — the Brethren con-
cluded to meet, God Willing, in annual
meeting next year on Pentecost 164:2.
with our Brethren at Pipecreek in Mary-
land, in accommodation of the Eastern
churches, with the intention of meeting
the year following, if the application is
repeated, with our Brethren in Ohio.

Signed by

Daniel Gekber,
David Pfoutz,
Christian Long.
Daniel Arnold,
George Hoke,
Abraham Yakut,

John Hart,
John Price,
Daniel Reichard,
Henry Kurtz.

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