FROM THE LIBRARY OF
REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON, D. D
BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO
THE LIBRARY OF
PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
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Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2012 with funding from
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http://archive.org/details/hisgermanbOOfalk
APR 22 1932
ot tbe
(Jerman ^Baptist UBretbren
Cburcb
(Reprinted from PENNSYLVANIA-GERMAN SOCIETY ANNUAL, 1900)
GEORGE N. FALKENSTEIN
Pastor Brethren Church, Germantown, Pennsylvania
LANCASTER, PA.
THE NEW ERA PRINTING COMPANY
1 901
DEDICATED
To the memory of our Spiritual Ancestors with the hope
that their self-sacrificing devotion may be a constant inspi-
ration unto us who have entered into their labors,
By the Author.
PREFACE.
♦fP^ISTORY has always been a most attractive field to
■I*/ me for study and investigation. The most impor-
tant and helpful phase must ever be the Philosophy of
History. When I became pastor of the Mother Church at
Germantown, eight years ago, I had as fair a knowledge
of the History of the Brethren as could be gained from our
scanty records. I never dreamed of the wealth of his-
torical data that, lying hidden and buried, awaits the faith-
ful investigator. As soon as I was fairly settled in my
charge and began to breathe the historic associations of my
surroundings, I entered with enthusiasm upon the study of
the History of the Brethren Church. I was distressed to
find the facts of our history so scattered and that practically
the sources were utterly inaccessible to our people. Many
visitors came to look upon the old scenes and were in-
variably interested in my recitals of the History of the
place. I was pressed for years by friends to publish my
information and investigations. But not having the means
nor time to prepare for publication, I purposed to accum-
mulate the facts. I however wrote some and delivered a
number of historical addresses from time to time. I dif-
fused largely the knowledge I had gained in this way,
and had many inquiries by letter, asking many questions
and through my extended correspondence much of my in-
formation found its way into print. The result was a his-
torical awakening all around and an increased demand
that I write our history. When I could not, others entered
into my labors.
(v)
vi Preface.
When the request to write came from the Executive
Committee of the Pennsylvania-German Society, I could
no longer refuse. The sketch herewith was published in
the Society's annual volume of 1900. It here appears as
a refrint at the earnest request of many friends. These
friends have been a constant encouragement to me in my
labors, and I herewith express my sincere thanks.
I must also thank Mr. Julius F. Sachse for the work of
illustrating, so successfully done.
No one is more conscious than I of the imperfection
of this sketch, because of incompleteness in working out
historical details. I have, however, faithfully labored to
have this account as free from error as possible, and I
sincerely believe that the careful reader will recognize this
fact. This account was written in the midst of many
exacting duties and I wish to acknowledge the assistance
of my faithful wife in the preparation of the manuscript
for publication.
With the sincere hope and prayer that it may do some
good, I now commit this little volume.
G. N. Falkenstein.
1901.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
1. Brethren Church (Frontispiece)
2. Brethren Church and Parsonage 17
3. Title-page Alexander Mack's book 18
4. Morris House, Germantown 24
5. Interior Brethren Church 24
6. The Old Market Square, Germantown 25
7. Seal of Germantown, 1691 28
8. An Ancient Germantown Grist Mill 31
9. An Old Germantown Landmark 38
10. Map Showing Baptistry 40
11. The Baptistry on the Wissahickon 41
12. Main Street, Germantown 43
13. The Old Shumacher House 51
14. Alleged Portrait of Beissel 54
15. On Market Square 62
16. Relics of Brethren Church 63
17. Heidelberg, Germany, 65
18. Grave Stone Alexander Mack 69
19. Old Pine Cottage . 72
20. Relics of Brethren Church 72
21. The Old "Monastery" 73
22. The "Wyck" House 80
23. Title of Hymn 82
24. Baptismal Certificate 89
25. The Livezey House 104
26. "Woll-rad" 105
27. " Faden-haspel " 106
28. Spinning Wheel 107
29. An Old Copper Plate 108
30. Brethren Church and Parsonage 113
31. New and Old Brethren Church 113
32. Parsonage, built 1756 114
33. Ancient Seals on Deeds 120
34. Signatures, Declaration of Trust 128
35. Signature Alexander Mack 137
36. House of Johannes Mack 134
37. In the Cemetery, Germantown 137
(vii)
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE.
INTRODUCTION 9
CHAPTER I. The Origin of the Brethren. The Name.
Story of the Reformation. German Pietism 11-16
CHAPTER II. The Organization of the Brethren. Schwartz-
enau. Practice of Primitive Christians Persecution and Pov-
erty 17-24
CHAPTER III. The First Emigration to America. A Period
of Persecution. Alexander Mack, an Evangelist. Seeking
Religious Freedom. Religious Differences 25-30
CHAPTER IV. Gathering the "First Fruits" in America.
December 25, 1723. The roll. The Love-feast 31-37
CHAPTER V. Growth of the Congregation. Celebrating his
Birthday. Immediate Results. Religious Activity. A Mes-
sage to the Home Land , 38-42
CHAPTER VI. Missionary Enterprise in the Brethren
Church. A Missionary Tour to Frontier Points. Coventry
Brethren. Conestoga. Return to Germantown. Lessons and
Results. The Home a Sanctuary 43-50
CHAPTER VII. The Second Emigration. Dark Days and Trials
of Fire. Conrad Beissel. His Wanderings. An Apprentice.
Befriended. His Ingratitude. His New and Strange Doc-
trines 51-61
CHAPTER VIII. Alexander Mack. Birth. Occupation. Mar-
riage. Life-work. His Character. His Death and Resting-
place. His Seal Discovered 62-71
CHAPTER IX. The Reaction. Elder Peter Becker. His Stead-
fastness. Alexander Mack, Jr. Koch's Visions 72-79
CHAPTER X. Early Congregations. Germantown. Great
Swamp. Abraham Duboy. Coventry. Oley. Cocalico.
Conestoga. Whiteoakland. Great Swartaro. Little Swar-
taro. Northkill. Codorus. Little Conewago. Conewago.
Bermudian. Stony Creek 80-103
(ix)
x Contents.
CHAPTER XI. Industrial Life. Home Industry. A Type. A
Bee-hive of Industry 104-112
CHAPTER XII. The Mother Church at Germantown. The
Unwritten History. History of the Present Location. Un-
truthful Accounts. Original Deeds Quoted. Unique Docu-
ments. Deed of Trust. The Old Folks' Home. The Old
Church. The Weaver Log-house. The Select School. The
Cemetery. Alexander Mack, Jr. Baptismal Records. Mack
Family 113-140
APPENDIX. 141-152
PART A. Faith 'and Practice 141-148
PART B. Church Government 148-150
PART C. Statistics i5°-i5i
PART D. Educational Interests 151
PART E. Missionary Fields and Foreign Work .... 151
INTRODUCTION.
♦fFN our complex modern life,
it is a wonder if we can stop
for a moment and look back upon
the simplicity of long ago. Sur-
rounded by luxurious extrava-
gance, we cannot realize the
narrow limits of life and the con-
stant self-sacrificing circumstances
of our common ancestry. To-day,
as we look at this great Commonwealth of ours, some men
are impressed with its magnificent proportions and are
charmed with its gilded dome. Some there are who look
upon it merely as so much political machinery with immense
possibilities for the advancement of personal ends. But it is
more than a political spider web — more than a social com-
pact or civil alliance with repellent national prejudices. It
has a history. It is no longer an English settlement on the
Delaware — it is no longer Penn's province. It is more than
the dying cadence of strains of martial music — more than
a relic of colonial days.
It is a building with foundations and superstructure.
The builders were building in the century that is past. In
(9)
io The German Baptist Brethren.
times of political upheaval and civil strife — and in times
when the storms that try men's souls were raging, the
building has given evidence of endurance and extraordi-
nary strength. The members of the Pennsylvania-Ger-
man Society have assigned to themselves the pleasant
duty of telling to the world the history of the German in-
fluence in the foundation and development of this build-
ing, so remarkable for security, strength and beauty.
We have cleared away much of the rubbish. We have
examined the marks and inscriptions on the walls, and the
interpretation of them has been an astonishment. There
have been discoveries as real as those in the Babylonian
excavations. The foundation stones tell the story of the
integrity, industry, devotion and the virtues of faith and
hope and love of our German ancestors.
We honor ourselves in the study of the measure of in-
fluence of the religion of our fathers, whose love for the
home was more perfect because of love to God, and whose
faith in life was more constant because of faith in Him.
When we understand better the -far-reaching influence of
that pious devotion, we shall grow in appreciation of the
rich legacy of our inheritance.
Thanking you for the recognition, that the Brethren
church has been a factor in Pennsylvania history, I trust
that a historical sketch of this people will show that they
have also contributed elements of strength to our beloved
Commonwealth.
CHAPTER I.
The Origin of the Brethren.
N account of frequent confusion, it is well to
notice the name in passing. The name first
selected was "The Brethren," and this has
always remained the choice above all others,
but to distinguish us from other denomina-
tions and to give recognition to our origin, the legal cor-
porate title is " The German Baptist Brethren." If the
reader desires, however, to be intelligent upon the subject,
it is necessary to remember that there are several localisms
and terms of contempt which came into more or less promi-
nence in the early history of the denomination. Thus the
words " Dunker" and " Tunker," and their plurals, come
from dunken or tunken, meaning to dip, or immerse.
These, of German origin, are of frequent occurrence
and correct enough ; Dunker, being smoother than Tunker,
is preferred. Die Dunker is familiar to many. " Ger-
man Baptist" is legally sanctioned and is much used,
Baptist being derived from the Greek verb bafitizo, to
immerse. The word " Dunkard," or " Dunkards," is
used by two classes of persons. The first, those who are
12 The German Baptist Brethren.
either too ignorant to know or do not care for the laws
of language ; and, secondly, by those who do know and
want to use it with its true meaning of contempt. Accord-
ing to the laws of language the word " Dunkard " is a
hybrid, and, therefore, should not be used by anyone who
desires good English. The root is derived from the Ger-
man, dunken, and the suffix, ard, is from the French and
always carries with it the idea of contempt, in such words
as blackard, drunkard, laggard, etc. The word " Dunk-
ard," therefore, should be used only by the ignorant and
the malicious. There are other names, localisms of earlier
times, not used now.
For the origin of the Brethren church, we must go back
to the German Fatherland, the place of so many scenes of
religious devotion and conflict. For, as a religious coun-
try, Germany stands unique, and in the summing up of
its religious interests and activities, is without parallel in
the annals of history — the length of time of its religious
history, its extreme and diversified character of doctrine,
its orthodoxy and heterodoxy, its mysticism, rationalism
and materialism, its bitterness of ecclesiastical antagonism,
at times, its blind following of dogma, and, at other times,
its activity in a sincere and pious and intelligent devotion
to Christianity. These things will always mark Germany
as a vast and most fruitful field for the student of church
history. In this land, the home of the Reformation, and
in the midst of this history and these surroundings, was
born the Brethren church.
It is to be sincerely hoped that the day is not far distant
when some earnest German student and investigator will
give us a complete and intelligent history of the times and
conditions and circumstances that contributed to the birth
and development of the new denomination, but a few facts
Story of the Reformation. 13
and dates must suffice as a proper introduction to that part
of the history assigned to the present writer.
The story of the Reformation is a marvelous one. The
intense activity and wonderful progress of the reform in-
fluences stirred to the very utmost the antagonism of the
Catholic church. To counteract the influences of the
Reformation and to stop its rapid progress throughout
northern Europe, the Catholic church concentrated its en-
tire energy to the development and spread of Jesuitism.
" Its object is not to lead souls to a life-giving communion
with their Saviour, but only to secure obedience to the
Church and to increase the adherents to the Papacy." It
seems sad to contemplate what a great change had been
brought about in a hundred years from the time of the
Reformation. The organized power of the church had
been brought into requisition. Is it too strong a picture
to quote the words of Baur : " A century after the Refor-
mation, and even earlier, Germany presented a mournful
spectacle. Jesuitism pressed like an incubus on the na-
tional mind, and even when Luther's teaching still pre-
vailed, it was forgotten that the Christian calling consists
of sincere faith, and of a life which originates therein.
Even in the Protestant church faith was in danger of be-
coming a mere intellectual assent ; pure doctrine had as-
sumed the form of law ; there was a zeal in the defense
of it with which zeal for a life of love did not keep
pace." The existence of such extreme conditions must
soon produce a reaction of far-reaching and permanent
results. We do not have to wait long for the change.
Out of the darkness two powerful voices were heard.
In due time all Germany listens to their earnest exhorta-
tions. The first of these was Johann Arndt (b. 1555 ; d.
162 1), the pious author of True Christianity (Wahres
14 The German Baptist Brethren.
Christenthum), popular still, after a lapse of 300 years.
The second was Jacob Boehme (b. 1575 ; d. 1624), a
dreamer and noted mystic writer, and perhaps the father
of the mystic philosophy of the 17th century. There was
profound interest taken in the writings of these two men,
and the results produced were as diversified as the doctrines
they advocated. There began a new era of agitation and
spiritual unrest and the ecclesiastical power was ready to
punish all who dared to express their convictions at vari-
ance with the doctrines of
£errn 3i)l)<inn Krnbrf/ any ot the three established
2** corral, ««*«~™« w m<*t™t churches. While there was
<5(iintlld)«(5JifTrfi(i)e23ii*fC rniJ rihinlistir form slit v
25om^Oi)rcit COld' ntuallstlc formality,
ftffcifpti
there was some active piety,
and there was also some wild
fciifomfrsufif/ kiquricsK ■* wi ub« w* eswbe religious excess by those
unbroal)tfm^laub«n/au(t)bft!i^m£rtxnunl>SSanNl ° , .
a*.*. .,i*StJ/&^.*. who used religion as a cloak
kn.M.<iii.iiM for their maliciousness. In
mil crtKUJluCm «m*<ttcta m» Ma «rfMwo)b _ , , .
oubeinft5<uf*ttij(iKiiSinifitun9Wii388.ata«m the midst of this restless con-
<8uflai/ 2)«dt9« ««&»• ^w«* OanuKK.
•?♦»•
9«r«bie?.&4rtUift/ fusion' in the latter half of
» .,. <1BM£" **"* ,— «*-.— the 17th century, there came
Unbwnrxfont*rn9tfflifhrn/ wmrtttlfl bkukii raft ' ->
"^SMgKEJ^^ upon the scene of action
many sincere and devoted
men and great leaders of
thought. They were Pietists in principle, in the better
sense, and had much to do in moulding the thought
and doctrine of their generation and the succeeding
century.
After all discussion fro and con, it must be admitted that
Philip Jacob Spener (b. 1635; d. 1705) was the father
of "Pietism," in its better sense. Though he remained
in communion and fellowship with the Lutheran church,
his energies were devoted to the promulgation of the best
German Pietism, 15
thoughts and conceptions of "Pietism." Another leader
that has enriched the world by his practical piety and be-
nevolence was August Hermann Francke (b. 1663 ; d.
1727), the father and founder of the famous Halle Institu-
tions— the Halle Orphanage, educational institutions and
publishing house. As an estimate of these two men, I can
do no better than quote the clear and concise statement of
a German scholar and historian : " The Pietism of Spener
and Francke was a religion of the heart, a faith which was
to make a new creature. It sought entrance into the heart
to cleanse it by repentance, and to create in it a new life of
faith ; it sought entrance into the houses, to turn them into
sanctuaries, into schools to transfer the doctrines of the
catechism from the head to the heart, and into the abodes
of poverty to offer the consolations of the Gospel." * Such
was Pietism in its best sense, in the church, but unappre-
ciated by cold and unyielding orthodoxy. It was driven
out of the church. Leaders of thought were by no means
agreed as to faith and doctrine. All had their following.
To the above might be added the names of Jeremias Fel-
binger (b. 1616; d. ); Gottfried Arnold (b. 1666; d.
17 14) ; Ernst Christoph Hochmann von Hochenau (b. 1670 ;
d. 1721); and many others, each one earnest, and no doubt
a firm believer in the doctrine he advocated ; sharing the
love of their friends and followers, and the hate of their
enemies ; and each one contributing his share towards the
breaking up of the stony and unfruitful fields of orthodoxy.
Many sincere men felt that corruption and error existed in
all three of the established churches — Catholic, Lutheran
and Reformed — and that such corruption can be cleansed
and error corrected, only by infusion of piety and spiritual
life — a life of faith and practical benevolence. They
1 William Baur, Religious Life in Germany.
1 6 The German Baftist Brethren.
hoped to succeed by a kind of destructive method, but
failed to gauge the strength of the ecclesiastical power.
It required brave men to stand up and say that the
church needed to be reformed, and the greater the bold-
ness of the declaration, the more the church resented such
declarations. There was antagonism, dismissal, retaliation
and bitter strife. Such were some of the conditions from
within. And some who escaped from the ritualism and the
oppression of ecclesiastical power, went wild in the other
extreme, and declared against all organization and all
ordinances. There were lawless men, and so Pietism was
regarded as a strange aggregation of all religions and ir-
religion. Persecution was rife. Civil and ecclesiastical
powers combined to mete out just and unjust punishment
to the guilty and the innocent. Many sincere and earnest
souls suffered untold hardships and punishment and torture.
Many turned away into rationalism and unbelief. But there
were braver souls than all these, in whose hearts burned the
unquenchable desire for deeper spiritual life. They had
sought in vain in the church, and turned away with other
Pietists only to find themselves still unsatisfied and uncom-
forted. They saw the whole field of chaos, strife and con-
fusion, but they had hope in their hearts and they saw the
dawn of the coming day. They bravely faced their per-
secutors, turned to the Bible for comfort and in earnest
prayer to the Lord for guidance. Among these were those
in whose history we are especially interested. — Earnest
Seekers After the Truth.
BRETHREN CHURCH AND PARSONAGE, GERMANTOWN.
stituted.
CHAPTER II.
The Organization of the Brethren.
N noticing this organization, it would be im-
possible for me to give a better description
than that given us by eye-witnesses, mostly by
Alexander Mack, Sen., the first minister and
organizer of the Brethren church as now con-
This account was originally published as a Pre-
face to a small edition of Alexander Mack's Exposition
and Defense of New Testament Doctrine. This exposi-
tion was first circulated (probably in manuscript) in July,
1713 ; a German edition was printed in America in 1774 ;
an English edition followed in 1810; and an English and
German edition in i860. Strange to say the book has
been out of print for many years, and copies of the earlier
editions are now very rare. I quote from the edition of
1810:
81 It pleased God in the beginning of the last century to
cause his saving grace to be experienced, and the voice of
his mercy to be heard by many, stirring them up to repen-
tance, and awakening them from the sleep and death of
(i7)
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The German Baptist Brethren,
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Schwartzenau, 19
sin to seek salvation and permanent rest in Jesus, who,
viewing at the same time the general defection and depar-
ture from the genuine principles of Christianity? and feel-
ing their minds devoutly pressed, and inclined to bear a
testimony to the truth ; and for this purpose private meet-
ings were established, for the edification and building up
of the newly awakened souls ; this laudable undertaking,
which however soon powerfully opposed by the jealous
and embittered ecclesiastics, influencing the earthly power
and commencing a series of persecution in various places,
namely : in Switzerland, in Wurtemberg, in the Palatinate
and at Hesse Cassel, where they were cast out as exiles ;
but the Lord provided for them a place of rest, or security,
in Wittgenstein, under the protection of a prince, eminent
for his moderation, where also the awakening power of
God had previously found its way to the hearts of some
honorable females of his court ; there at a place called
Schwartzenau, in the vicinity of Berlenberg, liberty of
conscience was graciously afforded them. Wittgenstein,
though a rough and barren country, by becoming the place
of refuge to the awakened, who now very generally re-
sorted to Schwartzenau, became in the course of a few
years a place of considerable repute, though otherwise
little thought of.
" Of the number that collected here, there were few of
different opinions, habits and manners ; they were all de-
nominated Pietists, but they considered each other as breth-
ren ; here circumstances very soon occurred which led to
conclude that the salutatory counsel of our Lord, Matthew
18, ' if thy brother trespass against thee, go and tell him his
fault between thee and him alone, etc.,' is not acceptable, or
practicable, where a fraternity is unorganized by obedience
to the truths of the gospel ; here also some turned back
20 The German Baptist Brethren,
again to the religion from whence they came out, being
offended at the discipline of the cross ; others fostered a spirit
of libertinism, more to be dreaded in its consequences than
their former depravity ; there were some, however, who,
notwithstanding this state of perturbation, were sincerely
desirous of finding the footsteps of the primitive Christians
and following and imitating the example of Jesus Christ;
and apprehend and appreciate the testimony and commands
of the head of the Church ; being fully convinced of the
necessity of faith and obedience, in order to the obtaining
salvation ; their solicitude paved the way to the discovery
of the ordinance of baptism, which they considered as the
door to that union and organization which they earnestly
desired. The subject of baptism underwent various dis-
cussions among the Pietists and spoken of in such manner
as to grieve the hearts of lovers of truth.
"Till in the year 1708, eight persons entered into a
covenant with each other, by the help of God, to endeavor
to attain to the answer of a good conscience by rendering
obedience to all the commands of the Lord Jesus and fol-
low him as their good shepherd and leader through good
and evil report. Those eight persons, of whom five were
brethren, and three sisters (the names of the Brethren
were as follows : George Graby and Lucas Fetter, of
Hesse Cassel ; Alexander Mack, of Schreisheim, in the
Palatinate ; Andrew Bony, of Basle, in Switzerland, and
John Kipping, from Wurtemberg ; and the names of the
sisters were Johanna Bony, Anna Margaretta Mack and
Johanna Kipping), covenanted with each other as brethren
and sisters under the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, to
dwell together in the unity of faith, as a society ; by con-
sulting history, they found that the primitive Christians in
the first and second centuries uniformly were according to
Practice of Primitive Christians. 21
the command of Christ planted into the likeness of his
death by a baptism in water by a three-fold immersion ;
not resting their faith however upon the authority of his-
tory, they searched the scriptures of the New Testament,
and finding explicit testimony to that import, they became
desirous of practicing a means so strongly recommended
by the example of our Lord, and emphatically enjoined
by his written precept, believing that it became them thus
to fulfill all righteousness.
" But who should now administer the ordinance to them
was a difficulty not soon got over. One of their number,
who labored among them in the Word, visited the soci-
eties in different parts of Germany to collect the opinion
of the awakened generally upon the subject of baptism ;
the greater number acknowledged that immersion was the
mode practiced by the Apostles and primitive Christians,
but still endeavoring to satisfy themselves that a handful
of water by pouring would answer the same end, provided
it was administered to proper subjects only.
1 'The consciences of the before-mentioned could, how-
ever, find no satisfaction in these ; they therefore desired
him who was their minister to baptize them by immersion,
according to the example and practice of the first and best
Christians and all primitive believers. He felt a diffidence
to comply with their request on account of his not being
baptized himself; he desired, therefore, first to be bap-
tized before he could conscientiously baptize any of them.
They betook themselves to fasting and prayer, in order to
obtain help and direction in this case from Him who is the
restorer of paths to dwell in, for they were all desirous to
be baptized. In this dilemma a testimony of Scripture
revived in their minds : ' Where two or three are gathered
together in My Name, there am I in the midst.' Where-
22 The German Baptist Brethren.
fore, with an unshaken confidence in the precious promise
of God, they cast lots which of the four brethren should
baptize him who was so anxiously desirous of being bap-
tized ; they pledged their word at the same time that it
should remain a secret upon whom the lot fell, that no one
might take occasion to call the society by the name of any
man, as was the case with the Corinthian church, which
was sharply reproved by the apostle.
11 The crisis for the camp to move forward was now ar-
rived ; they were now made willing in the day of the
Lord's power. Accordingly, they went out in the morn-
ing to a stream called the Aeder, and there he upon whom
the lot had fallen baptized the brother who had discovered
so great anxiety to submit to that ordinance ; this being
done, he was now acknowledged as duly qualified. He
baptized him first by whom he had been baptized, and the
remaining three brethren and three sisters. Thus were
these eight, at an early hour in the morning, baptized in
the water by a triune immersion ; and after they came up
out of the water and had changed their clothes, they were
filled with joy, and by the grace of God this expression
was revived in their minds with peculiar energy : ' Be ye
fruitful and multiply.' This is recorded to have occurred
in the before-mentioned year, without reference to month
or day.
" After this evidence of their love to God, by obeying
his command, they were powerfully strengthened and en-
couraged to bear testimony for the truth in their public
meetings, to which the Lord added His blessing, and
believers were more and more obedient, so that in the short
space of seven years their society became numerous, not
only at Schwartzenau, but also at divers places in the Palat-
inate. A society was likewise formed at Marienborn, to
Persecution and Poverty. 23
which the awakened from the Palatinate attached them-
selves, for in endeavoring to form a society for themselves,
they were persecuted and banished. And even at Marien-
born their external privileges were soon blasted, for as the
light diffused itself the truth spread, and their numbers
increased ; it excited alarm and envy ; persecution arose ;
they were driven out as exiles, and under the direction of
providence found an asylum at Crefeldt, under the juris-
diction of the King of Prussia.
" Within this short space of time, it pleased God to
awaken many laborers among them, and send them into
His vineyard, whose names and places of abode are as fol-
lows : John H. Kalkloser from Frankenthal ; Christian
Libe and Abraham Dubois from Epstein ; John Nass and
others from the North ; Peter Becker from Dilsheim ; John
H. Traut and his brothers ; Henry Holtzappel and Stephen
Koch ; George B. Gantz from Umstadt, and Michael Eck-
erlin from Strassburg ; the greater number of whom re-
sorted to Crefeldt ; some few, however, attached themselves
to the society at Schwartzenau. But as they found favor
with God and man, so enemies of the truth were found,
and persecutions, because of the word, were instituted in
divers places ; here then were those who took joyfully
upon them the spoiling of their goods ; others experienced
bonds and imprisonments for years, some also for shorter
periods ; one of their number was confined on board of the
gallies, and coupled at the galling bar with execrable mis-
creants ; from these distresses they in time were all con-
scientiously delivered, their lives being given unto them
for a prey.
" The persecutions which they suffered, the poverty, trib-
ulation and imprisonment that they experienced, only made
them the more joyful, and they became prepared for new
24
The German Baptist Brethren
dispensations of trial ; their graces were tried by being
arraigned before another tribunal, men of learning and
abilities proved them with hard questions, with a view to
sap their steadfastness with questions to the number of
forty, which the reader will find proposed, with their solu-
tions towards the sequel of this treatise.
" About that time it was deemed expedient to issue this
for the instruction of the uninformed, in which every im-
partial and unprejudiced reader will find sufficient matter
connected with this Preface to justify the occasion of this
production."
Y,"
THE MORRIS HOUSE, GERMANTOWN.
3 O
> n:
_ ^
s g
THE OLD MARKET SQUARE IN GERMANTOWN.
CHAPTER III.
The First Emigration to America.
Persecution.
-A Period of
HAT childlike faith and unfaltering trust !
Such pious devotion was the seed of a
church. What self-forgetfulness ! It
was early in the morning, in 1708 ; this
is all we know. The day and the month
are studiously avoided. They covenanted not to reveal the
name of the one who baptized the leader, and they kept
their vow ; we shall never know on whom the lot fell. They
had travelled over Germany to collect the opinion of the
awakened upon the subject of baptism, they had diligently
searched history for Apostolic and primitive Christian prac-
tice, they prayerfully studied the New Testament ; there
was but one conclusion. The crisis came and the camp
moved forward. They knew the consequences but they
faltered not. Alexander Mack was not the " founder" of
the Brethren church as some say, but, being an evangelist
of note, he was the natural leader and was chosen as the
first minister. Blessing and prosperity followed the new
(25)
26 The German Baptist Brethren.
congregation, and converts were added in such numbers
as to arouse the spirit of envy in the established churches ;
opposition and persecution were at once instituted. The
twenty-one years of the church's existence in Germany
were eventful years. We know the struggle, but history
is silent on many things we should like to know. The
Schwartzenau congregation flourished and in seven years
the society was numerous. There was a congregation es-
tablished at Marienborn, to which the awakened from the
Palatinate attached themselves. These members were all
driven out as exiles, but found a refuge or asylum at Cre-
feld, under the jurisdiction of the King of Prussia, whence
also came the congregation from Epstein. Notwithstand-
ing fines and imprisonments, cast out of their homes, and
driven from province to province, they increased in num-
bers constantly. They found temporary refuge in Prussia,
Holland and Switzerland, but there was no promise of an
abiding place anywhere. Their persecutors pressed them
hard everywhere. Finally their hearts almost sank within
them. Regretfully, they turned their eyes away from the
beloved " Faderland " and looked wistfully, hopefully, to
the land of promise in the New World. Brave souls those,
who, in those days, could face the horrors of an ocean
voyage, in unseaworthy, comfortless, death-breeding old
hulks. But there was hope beyond, as an anchor to their
souls. Did they not count the cost, nor measure the sacri-
fice? They could not realize all, but they trusted Him
whom they followed, and for His sake they were willing to
endure all things. The uncivilized Indian was to be pre-
ferred to the enemies at home, inhospitable shores to a land
of persecution ; they would find some new friends for those
they left behind, and at great sacrifice, they would have
other homes for those of their childhood. The enjoyment
Seeking Freedom.
27
of religious liberty, in the " province of peace," would pay
for all they leave behind, and all they should endure, and
the darkness of the hour of the sacrifice of all things,
proved to be just preceding the dawn of the day of their
salvation.
And so was thrust out from a nation this people, and we
have the unique example in history of the emigration of an
entire religious denomination ; but we shall see how their
literature, their religious activity, their pious devotion and
spiritual influence have enriched Pennsylvania history.
Seeking Religious Freedom and Liberty of
Conscience.
Crefeld was destined to furn-
ish the first company of faithful
for the voyage of faith. Here
there had been many trials and
scenes of persecution and many
were now ready to do anything
or go anywhere, so there was
but the assurance of religious
freedom and liberty of con-
science. To these people the
endearments of home remained
* only as a sad memory — they
were all exiles and pilgrims among strangers and enemies.
The story of this journey and voyage to America, so mo-
mentous in its results, is briefly told. The company consis-
ted of about twenty families, it is said, and organized with
Peter Becker as their leader. He was a minister at Crefeld
and is known as a man gifted in prayer with earnestness
and fervency, and as a sweet singer, but not noted as a
preacher. They came in the year 17 19 ; that is almost all
28
The German Baptist Brethren.
we know. The voyage is said to have been a stormy one,
which is likely true. Landing at Philadelphia, the pro-
cession moved to Germantown, the place that was to be so
inseparably connected with their future history. It would
be exceedingly interesting to know the names of all of
those that composed this company, but we must be satisfied
with the names of those that sat at the love-feast and com-
munion service, four years later.
The principal settlement was made in Germantown, while
small settlements were made at distant points — some scat-
tering to Skippack, Falckner's Swamp and Oley. There
were new experiences awaiting these hardy pioneers, as
they marched forth into the primeval forests. The reliance
upon God, taught them in the school of bitter persecution,
no doubt served as their
support and comfort in
many a new trial and
dark hour. They were
face to face with a series
of struggles. They were
struggling to conquer
the forest wilds, to
make them fruitful fields.
They were struggling to
establish homes. They
were struggling to adapt
themselves to new and
strange conditions and
circumstances in life. And, above all, they were struggling
to adjust religious differences and prejudices that marred
their fellowship and prevented their united effort in Chris-
tian work. But Germantown was from the first the leading
settlement and was destined to become the great center of
Religious Differences. 29
religious influence and activity for the next century and a
half. It is readily understood, therefore, why German-
town and its great religious activities should receive special
consideration, since the history of Germantown for the first
one hundred years is really the history of the church.
Here were the ablest ministers and the most gifted hymn-
writers — from here came the Bibles and hymn-books and
the greatest missionary enterprise.
It is sometimes sad to record the facts of history, and it
may seem sad to some to record this fact of religious dif-
ferences among the first Brethren in America, and the con-
sequent first three years of spiritual drought. Historians
have seized the opportunity of speaking of " jealousies and
bickerings " among themselves, without stopping to con-
sider reasons or results. In considering the religious con-
dition at this time, it is necessary to make a careful inquiry
into the cause or causes, in order that we may understand
future results. To the careful student and the impartial
investigator, it is gratifying to know that differences in
views produced discord among them, or at least lack of
full fellowship. It only proves that the real spirit of the
Brethren church was at variance with the mystic influences
and all kindred forms of error which some had absorbed
in Germany. Crefeld was a general asylum for the per-
secuted and among the refugees all shades of belief ob-
tained. Some of the Brethren did not wholly escape the
influence of the disciples of Boehme. There was pro-
longed trouble in the Crefeld congregation. The members
discussed their differences while crossing the ocean, and the
agitation was kept up after they came here, and in fact, con-
tinued until some left the communion of the church. These
things hindered the work for three years, and saddened
many hearts, but the worst is yet to be told in the years to
3o
The German Baptist Brethren.
come. There were earnest souls praying for relief from
this spiritual famine, and the Lord soon answered in re-
freshing showers of spiritual awakening, and we are about
to record a most important event in the religious history of
Pennsylvania.
AN ANCIENT GERMANTOWN GRIST Mil,!,.
CHAPTER IV.
Gathering the First Fruits in America.
OR several years after their arrival there
was no religious effort made by them, but in
the fall of 1722 several of the Germantown
brethren — Becker, Gommere, Gantz and the
Trauts — visited the scattered Brethren. In
the fall of the following year there was an occurrence
which finally bridged over their separation and brought
them to organize themselves into a church. This event
was the application of six " persons on the Schuylkill "
for baptism. These " persons on the Schuylkill" lived
thirty-five miles up the river, and comprised Martin Urner
and his wife and four neighbors. This organization of
the Germantown church and baptism of these first six con-
verts took place on the 25th day of December, 1723. *
The Chronicon Efhratense gives the following ac-
count: " In August of the year 1723 a rumor was spread
through the country that Christ. Libe, a famous Baptist
teacher who had long been in the galleys, had arrived in
Philadelphia. This moved some newly awakened persons
1 See Urner Family, p. 9 ; Isaac N. Urner, U,.D , Philadelphia, 1893.
(31)
32 The German Baptist Brethren.
on the Schuylkill to go forth to meet him. The whole
thing, however, was a fiction. These persons were per-
suaded by the Baptist (Brethren) to go with them to their
meeting, during and after which they heard so much of the
Germans' awakening that they went home very much edi-
fied. Soon after a second visit was made to Germantown,
by which both parties were so much edified that the Ger-
man Baptists (Brethren) promised them a visit in return,
which they made four weeks afterwards with great bless-
ing. The newly awakened ones were thereby stirred up
still more, so that they begged to be received into their
communion by holy baptism. This was the occasion of
important proceedings among the Brethren in German-
town, for they still had in mind the misunderstandings
which had arisen between them and their brethren at Cre-
feld. Besides, they were indeed a branch of a congrega-
tion, but yet not a congregation that dared to presume to
administer the sacraments. The worst was that they were
divided among themselves and had only lately commenced
to draw nigh to one another again. After they had seriously
pondered over all these things in the spirit they finally
agreed to consent to the request. Accordingly, after the
candidates for baptism had chosen Peter Becker as their
baptizer, they were baptized in the stream Wiskohikung
(Wissahickon), near Germantown, on December 25th, of
the year 1723. And as these were the firstlings of all
baptized among the high Germans in America, their names
shall be here recorded and given to posterity, namely :
Martin Urner and his female housemate, Henry Landis
and his housemate, Frederick Lang and Jane Mayle. The
evening following they held the first love-feast ever cele-
brated in America at John Gommere's, which created a
great stir among the people of that neighborhood, Peter
Becker, mentioned before, ministering at the same.
December 25, 1723. 33
" Through such a Divine happening the Baptists (Breth-
ren) in Pennsylvania became a congregation."
The importance of this event justifies these quotations
and extended consideration. To Julius F. Sachse belongs
the credit of working out many an interesting fact of the
early history of the Brethren and I desire to quote in
this connection his interesting descriptive sketch of the
events of this memorable day of Organized Beginnings in
America. It is taken from his excellent volume, issued
lately, entitled German Sectarians in Pennsylvania (Phila-
delphia, 1899).
" Returning once more to our story, it was on the
morning of Wednesday, December 25, 1723 (Christmas
Day), that a number of German settlers who had located
within the bounds of the German township, wended their
way towards the humble weaver's shop where Conrad
Beissel had served his apprenticeship, at the extreme end
of the borough limits in what was known as Van Bebbers-
town. History has unfortunately failed to preserve for
posterity the exact location of Becker's humble abode.
This, however, is but of secondary importance. We know
that it was in Van Bebber's township, on the North Wales
road. Tradition strongly points to the vicinity of the pres-
ent church, where the earliest meetings were held. How-
ever, be this as it may, upon the day in question the solemn
scenes which took place on the Eder, in Germany, fifteen
years before were to be repeated here in the western world
and the foundation laid for a new Christian denomination.
The seed sown in Germany was to be transplanted into
our virgin land, where it was destined to take root and
flourish far beyond any expectation of the devout band on
either the Eder or the Wissahickon.
" It was a typical winter's day, the air crisp and cold,
34 The Ger?nan Baptist Brethren.
the sky clear, the ground hard and frozen, with a thin
covering of snow. Many were the sad memories of the
Fatherland that came into the minds of these pilgrims in a
far-off land, as they plodded over the frozen ground ;
separated, as it were, from both kin and church, they
thought of the joyous Christmas at home.
11 The day was a well-chosen one for their object — the
fervent desire to organize a church home for themselves,
to found a new Christian sect in the New World. The
series of devotional meetings held by Peter Becker and his
helpers was about to become the grain of seed which was
to bring forth a mighty tree with wide-spreading root and
branches. Their aim was to form a Gemeinde or com-
mune of their own — to give them the benefit of religious
instruction, and at the same time emancipate them from
what Falkner calls ' the melancholy, saturnine Quaker
spirit ' which then prevailed in the province.
" It was well-nigh noon when the party assembled and
devotional exercises were commenced. After these were
over it was found that there were present seventeen per-
sons who had been baptized in Europe, viz. : Peter Becker,
Johann Heinrich Traut, Jeremias Traut, Balser Traut,
Heinrich Holzappel, Johannes Gumre, Stephan Koch,
Jacob Koch, Johannes Hildebrand, Daniel Ritter, George
Balzer Gansz, Johannes Preisz, Johannes Kampfer, Mag-
dalena Traut, Anna Gumre, Maria Hildebrand, and
Johanna Gansz. These persons proceeded formally to or-
ganize themselves into a congregation, and constituted
Peter Becker their elder.
" Six postulants now presented themselves and asked to
be baptized as by Scripture ordained, and then received
into fellowship, viz. : Martin Urner, his wife, Catherina
Urner ; Heinrich Landes and his wife ; Friedrich Lang
The First Fruits. 35
and Jan (Johannes) Mayle. Thus they became'the first
Anabaptists among the high Germans in America. In the
church records this band of converts is always referred to
as the * First Fruits.' The immersion took place the
same day. After a noonday meal had been served the
party went in solemn procession down the old Indian trail,
which led from the North Wales road to a ford on the
Wissahickon, and thence beyond the ridge towards the
Schuylkill. This trail, which long since has become a
public highway, was known north of the township line
successively as Morgan's and Trullinger's'lane, now Car-
penter Street. South of the dividing line the trail was
successively known as Gorgas, Milner's, Garseed's and
Kitchen's lane. The course of the creek at this point
makes a sharp turn and here comes
nearest to Germantown. The dis-
tance from Bebberstown, or the
upper part of Germantown, to the
Wissahickon is but a short one.
The distance traversed by the party
was about one and one-half miles ;
it was a short journey for the sturdy
Germans of that day. The objec-
tive point of the party was a level
bank, or strip of land on the estate arms of canton uri.
of Johannes Gumre, adjacent to
the creek, where easy access could be had to the flowing
water. The ravine of the Wissahickon is a rugged one,
with towering rocks upon either bank, making the shore
inaccessible, except in a few places.
"The strip of land in question is about two hundred
yards north of Kitchen's lane. There recession of the
rocky ravine forms a space large enough to accommodate
36 The German Baptist Brethren.
quite a respectable number of people. While the rocks
are covered with evergreens, the alluvial soil on the bank
has fostered the growth of the catalpa and other deciduous
trees. In former days, at the time of the scene we are
now describing, when the country was as yet covered with
a fine forest growth, a rivulet broke over the rocky wall in
the background and formed a picturesque waterfall as it
leaped from rock to crag in its wild flight down to the bot-
tom of the ravine.
" When the party reached the banks of the Wissahickon
the afternoon was already well advanced, so little time was
lost. After a fervent invocation to the Throne of Grace
and the reading of a passage from Luke xiv, the newly
constituted elder entered the water through the thin ice,
leading by the hand the first candidate. This was Martin
Urner, a native of Alsace, who had been brought up in
the Reformed faith, and who, together with his two broth-
ers, for a short time had been members of the Hermits on
the Ridge.
"The scene was a solemn one. The small procession
on their way to the creek was reinforced by some of the
Hermits from the heights on the other side of the stream,
and some others who were attracted out of curiosity, so that
by the time the party arrived at the banks of the frozen
stream the company was quite a goodly one — witnesses
who were to assist by their presence at what was to be the
founding of a new Christian denomination in America.
" Clear above the sound of the rushing waters and the
rustle of leafless branches rose the solemn German invoca-
tion and the singing of the baptismal hymn composed by
Alexander Mack, * Ueberschlag die Kost, Spricht Jesu
Christ, wann du den Grund wilt legen.' ■ Numerous as
," Count the cost, says Jesus Christ, when the foundations thou wouldst lay."
The Perfected Congregation, 37
had been the mystic rites and occult incantations held on
the rugged ravine and valley of this stream since the gentle
Kelpius and his band settled there thirty years before, none
were more fervent or brought so great and lasting results
as this solemn rite upon the narrow strip of rock-bound
land on the shore of the Wissahickon. There stood the
administrator deep in the cold water ; before him knelt the
rugged Alsatian ; thrice was he immersed under the ice
flood. As he arose the last time the Segenspruch was
pronounced and Martin Urner once more entered the mate-
rial world to become a factor in the religious development
of his adopted country. His wife, Catharina Reist, was
the next candidate, followed by the other four persons, the
same scenes being repeated in each case.
" Long before the solemn rite was ended the winter sun
was well down over the Schuylkill hills and the sky cov-
ered with leaden clouds. The party now proceeded to the
house of Johannes Gumre where dry clothing was provided.
In the evening a love-feast was held, the rite of foot-washing
was observed, at which the newly constituted elder officiated
as a token of his humility. This was followed by the
breaking of the bread and the administration of the Holy
Communion, and was partaken of by the seventeen constit-
uents and the six newly baptized converts, making twenty-
three members in all.
" Thus was perfected the organization of the first ' Con-
gregation of the Brethren in America.' "
AN OU> GERMANTOWN LANDMARK.
CHAPTER V.
Growth of the Congregation. — Celebrating His
Birthday.
HAT a scene for a master's hand this re-
production of "The Last Supper," and
we may well wish that it might have been
placed upon canvas ! But what we have
is enough, and we are devoutly grateful.
The spiritual blessings which we enjoy as the fruits of their
labors would indeed in itself be enough. Let us be thank-
ful for each fact of additional interest. It was Christmas
Day. What an appropriate day for the memorial observ-
ance of the Ordinances, which He commanded. To that
memorable day which should be dear to the heart of every
Christian, is now added a three-fold interest for every
member of the Brethren church in America, viz., The
First Organization, The First Baptism, The First Love-
feast and Communion Service. There were twenty-three
persons for the twenty-three years of the new century, sur-
(38)
Immediate Results. 39
rounding the Lord's table. What a gathering from two
continents, and various tongues and nations ; and the ag-
gregate number of miles this entire company travelled in
fleeing persecution and coming to the truth and this blessed
fellowship, was more than sixty thousand miles. Not only
the number of persons that were there, but their names, are
recorded, and what history they have made. Of the origi-
nal eight at Schwartzenau, not one of them sat at this table.
The Lord in His providence has dealt kindly and leads us
gently on. Not only have we the day and date, and the
facts of the day, and the number of persons, and the names
of the persons ; but Mr. Julius F. Sachse gives us the
reasonable assurance of the identification of the spot where
these important events transpired. If so, there is added in-
terest, as the present writer not only walked in their footsteps
over the historic route from Germantown and stood on the
banks of the baptismal pool in the beautiful Wissahickon,
but also stood within the walls where they were seated
around the table of the Lord. These ruined walls are all
that is left of the once comfortable home of John Gumre.
Before me rolls the Wissahickon, famous in story and song,
while on the hills above are towering forest trees, standing
like sentinels, the guardians of these hallowed scenes. As
I stand in the midst of these reflections, and as I look upon
the rugged grandeur around me and into the historic past,
there is such a flood of inexpressible thought that I stand
in silence and look up in mute adoration.
Immediate Results.
It is not difficult to understand that there were immedi-
ate results from these wonderful events which we have just
cited, as well as remote and far-reaching. The immediate
results were of a two-fold character — internal and external.
4°
The German Baptist Brethren.
t o
Religious Activity. 41
The effect upon the membership was very marked. It
was a visible demonstration of the Lord answering the ear-
nest prayers of the faithful ones. Such great blessings
brought new life and hope to the congregation — indeed
they had not been a congregation before. The desire that
all might enjoy such blessings of fellowship as they en-
joyed, was intensified. The truth must now be spread.
Missionary enterprise was commenced. It has already
been noted above that these memorable Christmas-day
scenes " created a great stir among the people of the
neighborhood. " Here then were inside and outside re-
sults, incentives, opportunities. Steps were at once taken
to improve these favorable opportunities, but the " winter
proved to be an exceedingly hard and stormy one, and the
meetings were discontinued until spring. They were re-
sumed early in May, and continued with great success.
Efforts were also made to reach and influence the youth
and to educate them in matters spiritually. Many were
attracted to the services and * taught to walk in the fear
of the Lord and to love the Brethren.' As the fame of
this awakening spread abroad there was such an increase
of attendance that no room could be found large enough
to accommodate the worshippers ; so, whenever the weather
permitted, the assembly was held in the open air." 1
There was, however, another immediate result. Such
present blessings and such bright prospects for the future
was not to be shared alone by those here in America.
What glad news this will be to send across the ocean and
what joy it will bring to the dear brethren and sisters in the
far-away German Fatherland. They shall know of it soon
that they may share in the joy of this good news and, per-
haps, be induced to come to America and share in this
promising work.
1 Account of German Baptist Brethren in German Sectarians.
42 The German Baptist Brethren.
A Message to the Home Land.
The Chronicon Efhratense gives the following interest-
ing account of this message : " Under these circumstances
they deemed it well to make a detailed report of this new
awakening to their Brethren in Germany. Therefore they
prepared in common a writing addressed to them, in which
they informed them that they had become reunited in Penn-
sylvania, and that hereupon a great awakening had re-
sulted in the land, which was still daily increasing ; that
of the awakened several had joined their communion, to
which they had to consent, as they dared not withstand
the counsels of God." It would be interesting to know that
message in full, to have the exact words and know the real
heartthrobs that pulsated through them, but we shall prob-
ably never know more than we know now. The above
quotation, no doubt, gives us a fair conception of the scope
of the letter, and we furthermore know the effect this and
other reports had upon the Brethren in Germany. We
shall notice later the history of the original Schwartzenau
congregation. Two Continents are now interested in
the struggles in this new and, to them, unknown world.
Other messages go from time to time to the Home Land.
The earnest prayers from both sides of the great ocean
strengthen the hearts of the brave leaders, as they go forth,
over the hills and down the valleys, through the forests and
across the rivers, bearing the message of the " Man of Gal-
lilee " — for he said, " Go ye therefore, and teach all na-
tions, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost : Teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded you : and, lo, I am
with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." 1
1 Matt. 28 : 19-20.
SCENE ON MAIN STREET, GERMANTOWN.
CHAPTER VI
Missionary Enterprise in The Brethren Church. — A
Missionary Tour to Frontier Points.
HE year 1724 was destined to be scarcely less
eventful and important than the previous
year. No one who is a careful student can
dwell upon the events of this year without
feeling that they were of the utmost impor-
tance to the German pioneer settlers and far-reaching in
their influence and permanent results. It was deemed
advisable that all the scattered settlements of Brethren
should be visited at once and brought under organized
spiritual influences. For this purpose a missionary party
was organized, with Peter Becker as the leader. It was
the first of a series, but this — the most remarkable mission-
ary tour to the frontier in all Pennsylvania colonial his-
tory— is absolutely without parallel. Leaving industry
and loved ones behind, these pioneer preachers of the gos-
pel, with true German devotion to the cause they loved,
marched forth, seven horsemen and seven footmen. It
was a worthy representation of the importance of the cause
they'sought to establish, as well as a worthy representation
(43)
44 The German Baftist Brethren.
of the work accomplished in their continued devotion.
What a mission was theirs, pushing out to the frontier
lines to battle with callous indifference and skepticism or
mysticism and materialism among their fellow-countrymen.
And so October 23, 1724, was a memorable day for the
Germantown settlement, and what an impressive scene it
must have been to behold the gathering of the company of
cavalry and infantry, and then behold the company as it
slowly moved out of the settlement, northward, over the
old Indian trail. The scattered settlers have gathered in
little groups here and there to discuss the journey and mis-
sion of their neighbors and friends, and with deep interest
watched them until they vanished over the slopes of the
distant hills.
From the description of " The German Baptist Breth-
ren " I quote the following i1 " The first stop was made in
the beautiful Skippack valley, where a number of Germans
had settled. Here several meetings were held with much
success ; thence they went northward, crossed the Perkio-
men and continued on through Providence to Falckner's
Swamp, where a halt was made at the house of one Al-
bertus, who, it appears, was in communion with the party.
Here revival meetings were held, which closed with a
Liebesmahl in the evening, followed by the breaking of
bread ; thence they journeyed to Oley, in Berks county,
near Douglassville, where similar work was done with the
same results. From Oley the party went southward and
crossed the Schuylkill, going direct to the house of Martin
Urner, one of the * First Fruits,' who, since his baptism,
had permanently settled in Coventry, Chester county, im-
mediately opposite the present town of Pottstown.
" On the next day, Saturday, November 7, 1724, * * *
1 German Sectarians.
Coventry Brethren. 45
a meeting was held in Urner's house, at which Elder
Becker presided. Two candidates were baptized in the
Schuylkill, and the ceremony was followed by the usual
love-feast and bread-breaking in the evening.
" Upon this occasion was organized the Coventry Breth-
ren Church, of which Martin Urner was made preacher.
The following nine persons were the constituent members :
Martin Urner, his wife, Catherine Reist Urner ; Daniel
Eicher and wife, Henrich Landes and wife, Peter Hoffly,
Owen Longanacre and Andrew Sell.
" From Coventry the revivalists journeyed towards the
Conestoga country, as the western part of Chester county
was then known. Upon leaving Urner's the party divided,
the mounted men keeping to the road and passing the
night of Monday, November 9th, at the house of Jacob
Weber, who then lived in the Conestoga valley, evidently
near the present Weberstown, in Leacock township. Those
on foot took a shorter route, probably over the Welsh
mountain, and stopped at the house of Johannes Graff.
This was in Earl township, at what is now known as
Graffsdale, at the lower end of Earl township. The origi-
nal tract of 1,419 acres was situated on Graff's run, a
branch of the Muhlbach (Mill creek). Johannes Graff
was the earliest and wealthiest settler in the vicinity. The
foundation-stones of the cabin which he built in 17 18 are
yet to be seen upon the property of a lineal descendant.
"The footmen passed the night under the hospitable
roof of Johannes Graff, and on the next day journeyed to
the house of Hans Rudolph Nagele, a Mennonite preacher,
where both horse and footmen again united.
" The night was passed at the house of Stephen Gal-
liond. Early upon the next day, Wednesday, November
nth, the party retraced their steps and journeyed towards
46 The German Baptist Brethren,
the valley of the Pequea to bring about an awakening
among the Mennonites who had settled there, many of
whom had become followers of the seductive Bauman and
his noxious * Newborn ' teaching. A large gathering was
held at the house of Heinrich Hohn on Thursday, No-
vember 1 2th, at which Beissel was present.
" At this meeting, according to the old records, extra-
ordinary revival powers were manifested. The evangelists
spoke with such force concerning apostolic baptism and the
Divine purpose concerning fallen man involved therein,
that after the close of the meeting five persons felt con-
vinced and applied for baptism. These candidates were
Heinrich Hohn and his wife, at whose house the revival
was held ; Johann Mayer and wife and Joseph Schaffer.
The party at once proceeded to the Pequea, and the ordi-
nance was administered to them by Peter Becker. Before
the rite was concluded, another person, Veronica Fried-
richs, the wife of a local miller, presented herself as a can-
didate and was accepted. During this service on the banks
of the placid Pequea, much fervent spirit manifested itself
among all present, and no one was more impressed than
Conrad Beissel. He had felt for some time past that longer
to withstand the ordinance of God was presumption. To
overcome this craving and ease his conscience, Beissel,
some time previous to this pilgrimage, attempted to baptize
himself. This questionable act, however, failed to con-
vince him, and the uncertainty of its efficacy left him in a
very unenviable state of mind. Yet he considered his old
master" and the others present so far beneath him in every
respect that it would be too great a humiliation for his
proud spirit to receive baptism at their hands.
" The stepping forth of Veronica Friedrichs, the fervent
prayers and pious ejaculations, all tended to increase the
Baptism of Beissel. 47
excitement of Beissel ; well may it be assumed that it
reached a fever heat, and that his mental conflict was a
fearful one. He, too, longed to enter the water and be
plunged beneath the flood, and through it again enter the
material world cleansed from all taint and sin. While he
felt himself called to fulfill a mission to preach the Gospel
himself, yet his pride forbade him to humble himself, as
he considered, to bow to his old master and receive the
rite at his hands.
" While Veronica was being baptized the excitement
rose still higher. Suddenly, in the very midst of the solemn
rite, Beissel remembered how it was recorded in Scripture
that even Christ had humbled himself to be baptized by so
lowly a person as John. The scene on the banks of the
Pequea upon that November day was certainly an impres-
sive one ; religious enthusiasm was wrought to a high pitch
and reached its culmination when Conrad Beissel an-
nounced his intention to be baptized in * apostolicwise,'
and importuned Peter Becker to administer the rite. No
preparations were made, but as Veronica Friedrichs was
led up the slippery bank, Beissel humbly entered the freez-
ing water and knelt before the elder, who after a short
invocation immersed the candidate thrice, face forward,
under the cold flood."
After the conclusion of this baptismal service, all retired
to the house of Heinrich Hohn, where was held a Love-
feast and Communion service in the evening. There were
several more meetings held in the neighborhood and Sig-
mund Landert and his wife were baptized. On the 14th
of November, the Germantown missionaries started on their
homeward journey. To bring out important lessons may
be regarded as sufficient reason for devoting much space
to a description of these events. We are much indebted
48 The German Baptist Brethren.
to the Chronicon for dates and facts of these early years
that brought such important results.
Lessons and Results.
It is desirable to comment briefly on a few lessons and
important results while these scenes are fresh in mind.
For, it may readily be seen, there are considerations far
beyond their local setting. Here are characteristics that
have made history. Elements of strength and principles
of action, adopted in Germany, are here reestablished,
and have directed the progress of the church ever since.
Alexander Mack was an evangelist of note before he
organized the Brethren church, and there are many evi-
dences of the missionary activities of the church while yet
in Germany. This tour, after the organization in America,
was the first step in that missionary enterprise which has
been such an important factor in the life of the Brethren
church. As an immediate result, one church was organ-
ized and the foundation laid for another one, both of these
becoming prosperous and important in a few years. In
this house-to-house visitation there was social converse
and personal instruction regarding spiritual things ; and we
shall never know out of how many homes was driven the
spirit of indifference and materialism by the erection of the
altar of prayer. Let us emphasize that thought in this
connection. If there is any one thing in which the Breth-
ren church has distinctly stood above other things it is the
exaltation of the home and family life.
But this evangelistic tour did not simply demonstrate the
missionary enterprise in which the Brethren church was
born ; nor was the organizing of one or two congregations
the only result. The seed of the gospel was sown in many
homes along the way. The awakened interest in religious
The Domestic Sanctuary \ 49
matters was wide-spread, and many a German home re-
ceived a blessing. The Germantown congregation received
much encouragement and inspiration from the success of this
work. But there is one more thing to be added to these
results, though it mars the brightness of our picture. As
already noted above, Conrad Beissel was one of the bap-
tized converts in the Conestoga. He soon fomented a
schism that in a few years brought sadness to many hearts
and homes and lives.
The Home a Sanctuary.
It has already been noted that the preaching services
were held in private homes, the homes of the members.
There is no higher type of the Christian home than was
found among these early German settlers. Here, indeed,
there was earnest Christian devotion ; here was the family
altar ; here was the Bible and the hymn-book, the constant
source of instruction and blessing ; and here, also, there
was careful religious training of the children. But the
typical home of which I am speaking is not yet complete.
This home was a sanctuary. Here gathered parents and
children, old and young, for the public preaching service.
No other power on earth can equal in far-reaching influence
this combination of the home and the church. We need
not wonder, therefore, that it is stated in the old records
concerning the first awakening or revival, that " it was
especially among the young." This was no doubt a rather
" primitive " way, but it suited the times and the circum-
stances, was eminently successful, and crowned thousands
of homes with the richest blessings the gospel can give.
I am not speaking of an isolated circumstance, but of a
universal condition and the halo of glory of these home-
sanctuary scenes has brightened and blessed the lives of
5o
The German Baptist Brethren,
thousands and thousands of Pennsylvania-Germans. There
were homes in which such a sanctuary existed for two and
three generations, and grace and blessing is the heritage of
the family unto this day. For forty-seven years there was
not a church or meeting-house among the Brethren. The
first one was built at Germantown in 1770, and there were
but few for the next ten or twenty years. There are in exist-
ence to-day many old Pennsylvania homesteads, homes of
the " old families," that were built with special reference
to the sanctuary altar, and the accommodation of the
" meetings." We shall know fully about the " first meet-
ing-house " a little later.
THE OI.D SHUMACHER HOUSE, GERMANTOWN.
CHAPTER VII.
The Second Emigration.
N a few years a great change was effected in
America. By the close of 1724 there were
three congregations organized : German-
town, Coventry and Conestoga. The latter
was organized soon after the visit from Ger-
mantown, and Conrad Beissel was selected as the preacher.
Many converts having been made, and the general condi-
tions of things being encouraging to the new settlers, many
favorable reports were sent to the members still in Ger-
many or different parts of Europe. It will be remembered
that the first emigration came from the Crefeld congrega-
tion. It is necessary now to trace the history of the orig-
inal Schwartzenau congregation during the sojourn in
Europe. For twelve years this congregation enjoyed a fair
degree of liberty and unbroken prosperity, at Schwartz-
enau, in the province of Witgenstein. But in the year
1720 a great change came. Upon the death of the mild
and friendly count who ruled this province the entire body
of Brethren was driven out of the hitherto friendly terri-
(50
52 The German Baptist Brethren.
tory. Thus while the members left Crefeld for America,
in 1 7 19, the members of the mother congregation were
refugees from their home in Schwartzenau, the following
year. They found a temporary rest and home at Seruster-
vin or Westervain, in West Friesland. It was at this place
that they received the news of the promising mission fields
among the Germans in Pennsylvania. They decided to
cast their lot with their friends and brethren in the New
World, the land of religious liberty. They sailed from
Rotterdam, in July, on the good ship Allen, James Craigie,
master, and qualified at Philadelphia, September 15,
1729. l And now we enter upon a new era in the history
of the Brethren in Pennsylvania.
Dark Days and Trials of Fire.
We are in the midst of years that are full of history.
There are dark days that are full of new and strange and
sad experiences. We cannot study all of these things in
detail, but we must be satisfied with a rapid sketch, a kind
of panoramic view of the principal facts and results. As
has already been stated, in treating of the religious condi-
tion at the time of settlement in this country, some members
had not entirely escaped the influence of mysticism at Cre-
feld and other places, and they brought some of it to this
country. For a time it prevented their fellowship, but was
finally swallowed up for a time at least, in the general in-
terest of the revival services. But the spirit of mysticism
was only waiting for a favorable opportunity for its de-
velopment, through the leadership of some one. This op-
portunity was seized by Conrad Beissel, the new convert
1 Pennsylvania Archives, Second Series, Vol. XVII., p. 18. See also Mor-
gan Edward's History 0/ the Baptists in Pennsylvania, Part IV., p. 66, con-
cerning persecution in Germany.
Conrad Beissel. 53
and preacher of the Conestoga congregation. He was a
strange character, living a life of dreamy solitude in the
Conestoga country. He was a poor, uneducated man, with
a strange history in Europe. His most marked character-
istic seems to have been his wonderful capacity to absorb
all new and strange beliefs wherever found — whether the
extreme and sweeping grounds of Pietism, or the ethereal
conceptions of the Rosicrusian Mystics, or the solitary
meditations of the Hermits on the Wissahickon, or the new
doctrine of the Kiethian Quakers on French creek. He
seemed to have had the unique experience, too, of coming
in contact with more strange doctrines than any one else,
and so his own beliefs passed through many evolutions
from time to time.
Conrad Beissel.
It is not my purpose to write a life of this man and to
give a full account of his work, but it is manifestly neces-
sary to give some facts and details that are needful for a
proper understanding of the historical connection with
the Brethren church. Conrad Beissel was born in April,
1690, at Eberbach, in the Palatinate. His father was a
dissolute journeyman baker, who died two months before
the child was born. The orphan boy received the name of
Johann Conrad Beissel. He had a devout mother, but she
died when he was only seven years of age, and it seemed
as if his last blessing had gone. He grew up in a state of
the most abject poverty until old enough to learn a trade,
when he was apprenticed by the local authorities to a master
baker. To his previous life of poverty and wretchedness
was now added that of unrestrained frivolity, assisting his
master in fiddling at dances. After serving his apprentice-
ship he started out as a journeyman baker traveling from
54
The German Baptist Brethren.
place to place. He was for a time at Strasburg where he
was first introduced into Inspirationist and Pietistic circles.
It was here that he came into fellowship and association
with Michael Eckerlin whose
four sons played such an im-
portant part in the Ephrata
community years after. From
Strasburg he journeyed to
Mannheim where he remained
for a time, but was compelled
to leave on account of trouble
with his master's wife whom
he called Jezebel. His next
stop was Heidelberg where he
had varied experiences. "Here
he experienced an enlighten-
ment of the Spirit." He at-
tended revival meetings and
devoted himself to his business
in which he was successful.
He now again turned to mystic
circles and joined the local Ros-
icrucian chapter. When this become known, he was expell-
ed from the town and this unfortunate experience seems to
have made an end of his business as a baker. He wan-
dered about, almost starving, finding some employment at
wool-spinning and other means of livelihood. " He so-
journed for a short time among the Tunkers at Schwart-
zenau." After much wretchedness and tribulation and per-
secution, he resolved to leave the Fatherland for the wilds
of the New World and join Kelpius on the Wissahickon.
In spite of the protests of his friends, he prepared to carry
his project into effect ; crossing the ocean, he arrived at
ALLEGED PORTRAIT OF CONRAD
BEISSEI,.
Beissel as an Apprentice. 55
Germantown sometime in the fall of 1720. Among his
companions across the ocean were George Steifel, Jacob
Stuntz, and Simon Koenig. On reaching Germantown,
great was his surprise and sore his disappointment to learn
that Kelpius was dead some years, the chapter of Perfec-
tion broken up and its members scattered far and wide.
There was a remnant of the community left who lived the
solitary lives of hermits and among these was Conrad Mat-
thai whom Beissel consulted as to what he should do.
Matthai gave him good advice by telling him to remain at
Germantown and learn the weaver's trade or art and Beis-
sel determined to follow such advice for the time being.
He indentured himself to Peter Becker who was a master-
weaver of Germantown, for the term of one year, but left
before the time had elapsed. It will be remembered from
the preceding pages that when the first Brethren congre-
gation in America was organized, December 25, 1723,
Peter Becker became the Elder, as he had heretofore been
the leader. As an apprentice he became a member of the
family of Peter Becker and it will thus be seen that for the
space of almost one year he was the companion and asso-
ciate of the leading man of the Brethren and from this time
on dates his historical connection with the church. He
gradually yielded to the acceptance of the doctrine of the
church, until impressions received from other sources di-
rected him into other channels of faith. These two men
were greatly grieved as they beheld the spiritual indiffer-
ence of their countrymen. Various historians of the times
describe the condition of the Germans as most lamentable,
amounting even to unbelief, assigning various reasons for
such condition. The Chronicon states that the cause for
such indifference to spiritual things is : " The great free-
dom of this land was one cause of their being thus sold
56 The German Baptist Brethren.
under the spirit of this world, through which all godly in-
fluence has been lost, and each one depended upon him-
self." The foregoing biographical facts of Beissel were
mainly taken from German Sectarians, by Julius F.
Sachse, that excellent work on the Ephrata monastic com-
munity. I quote from the same, page 53, in order to locate
Beissel and the place of his future operations upon leaving
Germantown : " Determined to carry out his original pur-
pose, Beissel, at the expiration or breaking of his inden-
ture, in the fall of 172 1, in company with his former com-
panion, Stuntz, journeyed to the Conestoga valley ; and
there, in a secluded spot, in the primitive forest beside a
spring of water, the two wanderers built themselves a log
cabin. This was on the banks of the Miihlbach (Mill
creek), a branch of the Conestoga. The branch rises in
the Welsh mountain in the eastern part of Lancaster
county, and, after an intricate course, empties into that
river at the dividing line of Pequea and West Lampeter
townships.
"The exact situation of this historic spot can, after the
lapse of a century and three-quarters, be given to a cer-
tainty, thanks to some old surveys, maps and records,
which have been found and located after a long and patient
search extending over years of time. The site of Beissel's
original cabin in Lancaster is upon the grounds of Miss
Marianna Gibbons, about half a mile north of the Bird-
in-Hand Station on the Pennsylvania railroad, and agrees
with the old record, which states that it was eight miles
from the junction of the Miihlbach with the Conestoga."
It was in this hut on the Miihlbach, where Beissel laid
the foundation for his Monastic Commune ; but many
changes were yet to be brought about and many impres-
sions to be made on his mind to become foundation stones
The Hut on the Muhlbach. 57
in his future system. From here he soon visited the Laba-
dists on the Bohemia Manor and their communal life made
deep and lasting impressions upon his mind. He found
much to interest him and much that he afterwards used in
his own community. About the same time he visited also
the Sabbatarians at Providence and Newtown in Chester
county. It was not long until the Sabbath was duly ob-
served in the log cabin by Beissel and his companions,
which now were Isaac Van Bebber and George Steifel in
addition to Stuntz.
For a time all was quiet and peaceful in the hut on the
Muhlbach, but dissension soon arose and dark clouds of
trouble threatened the heretofore contented group. When
the dissensions arose, Steifel was the first to leave. For
some time he lived a solitary recluse life, when he became
acquainted with the Moravians and moved to Bethlehem,
where he died a few years later.1
The severe life was too much for Van Bebber and he
soon left with impaired health. Beissel seems to have re-
gretted his leaving and the following account of the part-
ing is recorded in the Chronicon: " He took leave of the
Superintendent (Beissel) with much love, and protested
that it was not possible for him to live in that way. The
former gave him the following counsel to take with him :
■ Know that when you are successful in the world, God
has forsaken you ; but when all misfortune comes upon
you here, then know that God still loves you.' After
many years he froze both hands and feet in a shipwreck
and was put under the care of Christopher Witt in Ger-
mantown. There he remembered this farewell, and sent
his last greeting to his old friend."
Misfortunes seem to come now to Beissel in rapid suc-
1 See Moravians' Records.
58 The German Baptist Brethren.
cession. Soon after losing these two companions he was
away from the cabin for a time. During this temporary
absence, Stuntz sold the hut and kept the money as part
payment for loans he had made to Beissel. Although he
was now homeless and without companions and probably
without any means whatever, he was not despairing. He
shouldered his axe, penetrated deeper into the forest and
before the close of the summer of 1723, he had erected
for himself a log cabin about one mile from the former
place. This cabin was located beside a beautiful spring
and it was here that he was joined by Michael Wohlfarth
and the two became life-long friends. It was the follow-
ing year, 1724, when the thrilling scene was enacted,
already recited in preceding pages, and Conrad Beissel
received baptism at the hands of Elder Peter Becker.
And now for a few years he is in fellowship with the
Brethren church, and, having learned something of the
past history of the man, we shall better understand his
career during these eventful years.
After the departure of the missionaries from German-
town, who had created such a stir, Beissel was selected as
the leader and the new congregation of twelve members
was formally organized. Scarcely was this accomplished
when he began to present his doctrines regarding the Sab-
bath and defended certain Jewish laws in abstaining from
meats, such as pork, etc. Agitation and discussion upon
these topics soon produced lack of harmony and restless-
ness which laid the foundations for dissension and confu-
sion. The confusion seemed about complete, when, soon
after, he presented his mystic speculations which produced
so marked an effect that, while some thought him inspired,
the others thought him crazy. There were a number of
converts, however, and among those baptized by Beissel,
BeisseVs Ingratitude. 59
was his friend and companion, Wohlfarth. Communica-
tion between the Sabbatarians on French creek and Beis-
sel and his adherents, became more and more frequent,
and he presented his Sabbatarian views more positively
and most bitterly antagonized those who differed on doc-
trine. This bitterness against the Brethren was carried by
those who went to proselyte to all the settlements and
finally reached Germantown ; and when Elder Peter
Becker and some others came on a visit to the Conestoga,
Beissel attacked him most bitterly in public in his sermon.
Thus was the breach constantly widened, and the Cone-
stoga congregation itself was divided into two parts : those
who adhered with Beissel to the Sabbath and those who
adhered to the Lord's Day or Sunday. The leader of the
latter was Johannes Hildebrand, who had moved to the
Conestoga from the mother congregation at Germantown.
It was very evident that matters could not go on at this
rate and it seemed almost out of the question to restore
harmony and reach a peaceful settlement. Beissel made a
special effort to reach and influence the various Brethren
settlements and that he succeeded will be noted further on
in the history. These circumstances bring us to the latter
part of the year 1728, and I desire to quote in this connec-
tion a paragraph from German Sectarians, page 138.
" The Germantown Baptists now reproached Beissel for his
ingratitude toward them, as it was at their hands that he had
received baptism. This, instead of rallying him, only
tended to increase his vehemence against his former friends.
At the same time he was forced to acknowledge the truth
of their argument. How to overcome this dilemma was a
serious question. At last, however, a way was found out
of the difficulty, which was worked to their own satisfac-
tion. This was the novel proposition to renounce the
Becker baptism and return it to the old congregation, and
60 The German Baptist Brethren.
then to have such of the Beisselianer as had been immersed
by Becker rebaptized. This strange scene was enacted
toward the close of December, evidently in the Miihlbach
or the Conestoga. Upon the appointed day a general
meeting of the Sabbatarians was held, during which three
brothers and four sisters were selected for the chief cere-
mony. It had been decided that it was proper for the Sab-
batical number to be the foundation of the rebaptized con-
gregation. The number seven and the two sexes were
therefore chosen. According to the teachings of the Rosi-
crucians the number seven represents the union of the
square and the triad, and is considered the divine number,
in the same sense in which forty is the perfect numeral.
Jan Meyle and Beissel were the first to enter the icy water ;
special hymns were sung, and after an invocation, in which
both men renounced their former baptism, Meyle immersed
Beissel thrice backwards, and immediately afterwards re-
peated the operation thrice forwards, thus baptizing the
candidate. Beissel then repeated the same ceremony upon
Meyle and the others in turn. This act completed the
separation between the Germantown and Conestoga Bap-
tists." This babyish act of Beissel in his desire to " return "
his former baptism, has received no end of ridicule, but if
we can overlook his self-righteousness and self-exaltation
and his ambition to lead, the poor man is to be pitied rather
than laughed at. This was the condition of things when
Alexander Mack with the larger part of the Schwartzenau
congregation arrived in the following year, 1729. Several
attempts were made at reconciliation, but without success.
The Rosicrucian was now more than a mystic ; he was
partly a Jew and a strict Sabbatarian, on which latter doc-
trine the separation partly came about. But not this alone,
nor was this all of his system. He was a Labadist, and
had already advocated celibacy and a communal life. One
Sabbatarianism. 61
of his special missions now was to invade the sanctity of
the home, separate husband from wife and wife from hus-
band and parents from children. To many a home, for
peace and happiness, he gave sorrow and separation and
many of the victims were filled with remorse and regret.
Thus was the separation complete. By the very nature of
the case, the system of doctrine and the character of the
leader and defender of that doctrine, complete separation
was an absolute necessity. Some historians and others
have regarded and classed these people as a branch of the
Brethren church. This seems strange to anyone who has
studied the system of doctrine of these people. That the
German Sabbatarians or Seventh Day Baptists under Beis-
sel were a schism or split in the first place from the Breth-
ren church is unquestioned ; but his Monastic Community
is no more a branch of the Brethren church from which he
separated than the Lutheran church is a branch of the
Catholic church. There could be nothing more foreign in
doctrine or more opposite in practical working. While the
Master said: " Go ye into all the world, and preach the
gospel to every creature," 1 Beissel sought to confine his gos-
pel behind cloister walls. The system was inherently selfish
and was destined to die with the brain that conceived it.
It was a system whose very foundations were so fallacious
in character as to bring about its own destruction and an-
nihilation. But owing to the peculiar conditions and cir-
cumstances of those early times, the system flourished for
a number of years, and its adherents fairly worshipped its
author. Long since, however, has the stern hand of des-
tiny laid low the actors, and while time has silenced the
turmoil and the turbulence, and has gently stilled the sobs
of broken homes and soothed the heart-aches, let us cover
over these scenes of the past with the mantle of charity.
I Mark 16 : 15.
HOUSE FORMERLY AT N. E. COR. OE MAIN ST. AND MARKET SQUARE.
CHAPTER VIII.
Alexander Mack, the Patriarch.
E have already traced, in the preceding
chapters, the Origin and Organization
of the Brethren church in Germany.
Then tracing the First Emigration, fol-
lowed the church in America in its organ-
ization, in its growth and development, and in its vicissi-
tudes for a period of ten years. In the last chapter, reference
was made to the original congregation of Schwartzenau in
its wanderings in Europe and the emigration to America in
1729. Upon his arrival, Alexander Mack again became
the leading spirit of the church, as he had been in the
beginning, in the capacity of the ' 'leader and first minister"
at the time of organization in 1708. Some so-called histor-
ians speak of him as the " founder " of the Brethren church,
but in no sense is he either the founder or the foundation.
He was only one of eight to organize the work, but because
of his previous experience and activity as a minister and
evangelist, he naturally became the leading spirit.
As to foundation, we accept the words of the Apostle
(62)
THE GERMAN BAPTIST BRETHREN.
RELICS OF THE BRETHREN CHURCH AT GERMANTOWN,
ANCIENT CANDLE-STICKS
PARCHMENT DEEDS
COLLECTION BASKETS
POOR BOX
COOKING UTENSILS
COFFEE URN
ROTS AND BUCKETS
SKIMMER
J. F. SACHSE, PHOTO.
Alexander Mack. 63
Paul, I Corinthians, 3: 11: "For other foundation can
no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." It
may be well to recall Alexander Mack's recital of the cove-
nant of the eight : " Under these circumstances some felt
themselves drawn powerfully to seek the footsteps of the
primitive Christians, and desired earnestly to receive in
faith the ordained testimonies of Jesus Christ according to
their true value. At the same time they were internally
and strongly impressed with the necessity of the obedi-
ence of faith to a soul that desires to be saved. * * *
M Finally, in the year 1708, eight persons consented to-
gether, to enter into a covenant of a good conscience with
God, to take up all the commandments of Jesus Christ as
an easy yoke, and thus to follow the Lord Jesus, their
good and faithful shepherd, in joy and sorrow, as his true
sheep, even unto a blessed end."
This is a clear statement of those who, having come
from different beliefs, accepted Christ and His gospel as
fundamental principles. There is no other creed or con-
fession to-day, but the Brethren still accept the New Tes-
tament as their rule of faith and practice.
Birth. — Because of the importance of his ministry and
leadership for twenty-seven years, it will be of interest to
relate briefly such biographical facts as have come down to
us. It may be said, however, that we know but little about
Alexander Mack. He was born in 1679 at Schriesheim,
about midway between Mannheim and Heidelberg, in the
Electorate of Palatia or the Palatinate, now forming a part
of the grand duchy of Baden, in southern Germany. Of
his parents we have little positive information. From what
his biographers say of him, we know that his parents were
respectable, wealthy and religious.
Inasmuch as "After the Reformation Heidelberg was
64 The German Baptist Brethren.
long the headquarters of German Calvinism and gave its
name to a famous Calvinistic catechism," it is altogether
likely that Alexander Mack received careful instruction in
the Heidelberg catechism, since he was born and raised
only a few miles from that city. Elder James Quinter
writes ' in 1867 : " Although we know but little of his ances-
tors, it appears he descended from a very respectable and
wealthy family. He was a Presbyterian (Reformed), and
educated in the Calvinistic faith. Of his literary acquire-
ments we know nothing but what we can gather from his
writings, and from these it does not appear that he had a
classical education."
Occupation. — It seems that in early life he was a miller
and operated his milling interests. Morgan Edwards, writ-
ing 2 in 1770, says: "He had a handsome patrimony at
Schriesheim, with a profitable mill and vineyard thereon,
but spent all in raising and maintaining his church at
Schwarzenau."
Marriage. — In the year 1700, at the age of twenty-one,
he was married to Anna Margaretha Klingin, a native of
the same place and about his own age. To this union were
born five children, three sons and two daughters.
Life-work. — His life-work began at an early age.
He was only twenty-nine years of age when the church
was organized and he was chosen the first minister, but he
had been active already for a number of years before this
time. Being dissatisfied with the religious system in which
he had been brought up, he directed his prayerful atten-
tion to the scriptures in searching for " the old paths," for
he was anxious to ascertain the mind of the Lord as therein
revealed. This soon brought persecution and in a few
1 Memoir of Alexander Mack, Sen., Brethren 's Encyclopedia.
2 Materials toward A History of the American Baptists, Vol. I., Part IV.
Alexander Mack.
6s
66 The German Baptist Brethren.
years he was an exile from his splendid estate at Schries-
heim. He took his wife and little ones, and with many
others found refuge at Schwarzenau under the mild rule
of Count Henry. Here he found many active Pietists and
among them Ernest Christoph Hochmann von Hochenau
who was an active evangelist and with whom Mack trav-
eled much, for they held much in common. There is no
doubt but that Hochmann's Confession of Faith encouraged
and confirmed Mack considerably in his own growing con-
victions ; but Hochmann seemed to lack the courage of
his convictions and his work ultimately came to naught and
he died in sorrowful poverty. The work organized here
in 1708, as has already been noticed, continued for twelve
years, or until 1720 ; when upon the death of the mild and
friendly Count, they were driven to Holland. But the
year 1720 is emphasized for sadness in addition to perse-
cution and exile. From Quintets Memoir, I quote as fol-
lows : " But he had domestic afflictions to endure, as well
as those arising from persecution. In 1720, twenty years
after they were united in the bonds of matrimony, and
twelve years after they were united to Christ by a living
faith and gospel obedience, his companion was taken from
him by death. She is said to have been a meek Christian
and virtuous wife. She found in death, what she and her
husband had sought in vain for on earth, a calm retreat
from the storm of persecution. Within one week of the
death of his wife, his oldest daughter, then about six years
old, also died. It is said that the child was uncommonly fond
of its mother. And out of regard perhaps to the fond-
ness which existed between the mother and child, as well
as out of regard to the circumstances of persecution under
which the father and child were placed, the Lord in His
wisdom and goodness may have taken the little daughter
Mack in America. 67
to the quiet home of the mother where it could enjoy her
fond caresses, rather than leave it where it must endure
the hardships and troubles of persecution in common with
its father. Thus in about one week, in addition to the
troubles consequent upon the great persecution which was
then raging, he had to bear the loss of a kind and Chris-
tian wife and a dear little daughter.
" After seeking unsuccessfully for a retreat from perse-
cution in his native country, he with his three sons, and a
number of his brethren, emigrated to America in 1729, and
settled as a poor man, poor in this world's goods but rich
in faith, on a small lot of ground near Germantown, in the
vicinity of Philadelphia."
His company consisted of about thirty families and so
large an addition to their numbers greatly stimulated the
Brethren in Pennsylvania. But the heart of this devoted
man was saddened when he found the sad condition of
things among his brethren, the result of the Beissel seces-
sion. His life was full of heroism, however, and his true
courage and moral bravery failed him not now. He went
resolutely to work, once more, to win the last great battle
of his life. Perhaps he little realized that it was to be the
last great struggle. After several vain attempts to recon-
cile Beissel, all efforts were concentrated to bring harmony
out of the confusion and chaos, and once more organize
his forces for united Christian work. The result of the
efforts is perhaps best indicated by pointing to the fact
that a number of churches were organized in the course
of a few years. The following is at least a partial list of
the churches and the dates of their organization : The Oley
Church, in 1732; the Great Swamp Church, in 1733;
Amwell Church, New Jersey, in 1733 ; the Cocalico
Church, in 1735 ; the White Oakland, in 1736; the Cono-
68 The German Baptist Brethren.
wango, in 1738 ; and others soon afterwards. But he saw
only a part of the fruits of his latter labors. His life was
too intense, too full of sacrifice and service, to last long ;
and at the early age of fifty-six, on February 19, 1735, he
peacefully passed away. He had sacrificed all, he lived
a hero, he died a martyr. He lived not long, but so well.
Morgan Edwards exclaimed of him : " He was a man of
real Piety."
Though he probably was not classically educated, his
writings have lived for two hundred years. He was per-
haps not an eloquent preacher, but his consistent life and
consecrated devotion wonderfully impressed the truth he
professed. He was truly loved and deeply mourned by
those who followed his leadership. His death at this time
was a very serious loss, coming as it did so soon after the
confusion of Beissel secession ; and it would certainly have
proven fatal if his followers had builded on the person-
ality of their leader. But he was so anxious about the truth
that he had carefully eliminated his own personality. Per-
haps the truth of this statement is best illustrated by the
following incident. Some time before his death, he said
to his family, " Now when I am gone, don't mark my
grave, or they might sometime want to erect a monument
over my grave." The family was grieved to think that
his grave should be lost sight of, and so they protested
against an unmarked grave. It is said he then yielded to
the wishes of his loved ones and gave them privilege to
place his initials on a small stone slab. This incident
seems well established as a fact ; it is at any rate entirely
consistent with the man's life and character, and the unpre-
tentious blue-stone, scarce two feet in height, has been a
silent witness for more than a century and a half, to multi-
tudes of his followers.
Death of Alexander Mack.
" His Christian character appears to have been that of
a primitive follower of Christ. Humility, zeal, self-denial,
and charity were conspicuous among the graces that
adorned his character. The high estimation in which he
was held by his brethren is seen in the circumstance that
he was chosen by them to be their minister. He was the
first minister in the little Christian community organized
at Schwartzenau in 1708, and labored zealously and suc-
cessfully to enlarge the borders of their Zion. Of his
private character as a Christian father we may infer favor-
ably from the circumstances that all his sons became pious
and were united to the church before they had completed
their seventeenth year. And what seems somewhat re-
markable, they all made a public confession of religion in
the seventeenth year of their age."1
The graveyard connected with the
Brethren church was not opened
until near the close of the century,
so when Alexander Mack died in
1735, there was but one in the
neighborhood, called the Upper
Burying Ground of Germantown,
and here with loving hands his
body was laid away, to rest for one
hundred and fifty-nine years. This
place has long since been but little
used and many removals have taken place within recent
years. Because of the growing neglect of the place, it
was very desirable that his remains should be removed to
the well-kept cemetery of his own brethren and laid in
the midst of his descendants, now consisting of six gen-
erations buried here. A proposition of removal was pre-
1 Quinter's Memoir.
7o
The German Baptist Brethren
THE FIRST MINISTER !•
ANDORCAhlZfR OF THE
|CHURCH OF 'THE BRETHREN.'
IN THE YEAR 1*08
BORN AT SCKRlESHEim. ' <
GERMANY. I&/9.
CAME TO CERMANTOWM
1729. DIED |735 . v
■^REMOVED FROM V
OE'S'^URYINC CRpWND^
' 'tfj
sented to some of the descendants and they quickly con-
sented, scarcely one of them knowing of his place of
burial. The removal took place on November 13, 1894,
at which time brief funeral services were held in the
historic meeting-house, conducted by the author of this
sketch, assisted by Rev. T. T.
Myers, of Philadelphia. On this
occasion descendants of the fifth,
sixth, seventh and eighth genera-
tions were present to the number
of twenty-five. During these
long years, there stood over his
grave a small slab of Pennsyl-
vania blue-stone marble, with the
following inscription : Hier Ru-
hen I die gebeine | A. M. | gebor-
en 1679. I gestorben 1735. | Alt
56 Yahr. This slab was retained as a foot-stone, and for a
head-stone there was erected a plain white marble slab
about five feet in height, with the following inscription :
Alexander Mack, Sr. | the first minister | and organizer
of the I Church of "The Brethren" | in the year 1708. |
Born at Schriesheim, | Germany, 1679. I Came to Ger-
mantown | 1729, died 1735. | Removed from | Axe's Bury-
ing Ground, | 1894. l Thus his remains now rest in the
midst of his own people, and beside those of his son and
successor, Alexander Mack, Jr. He has to-day a numer-
ous descent, some account of which is given in the appen-
dix to this sketch.
It would be interesting to have a list of the baptisms per-
formed by Alexander Mack, but aside from the seven of
See illustrations.
Seal of the Brethren.
7i
the original members that he baptized, there are no records
of his work in this line.
His Seal.
Some years ago a few descendants made some investi-
gation for the purpose of recovering the seal of Alexander
Mack, but without success and it is now feared that it will
never be found. Such a seal indicates the prominence of
his family. What the character of this seal was, in its
symbolic representation, was probably unknown for nearly
a century. While the seal is probably lost, we know its
character from an impression that was recently discovered.
The Brethren church of Germantown has an interesting
collection of old parchment deeds. While we were examin-
ing these documents from
their historic interest, Mr.
Julius F. Sachse dis-
covered the impress of
Mack's seal accompany-
ing an official signature.
The impression is in red
sealing-wax and is in
perfect condition. The il-
lustration herewith shows
that the seal consisted of
several symbols, each of
which had a religious sig-
nificance. The entire combination constitutes a remarkable
index to the character of its owner. In the center is the
cross, which means sacrifice ; the heart means devotion,
and placed on the cross, further means sacrificed in devo-
tion ; the branches of the vine, mean fruit-bearing. Thus
the seal reads : a devoted, fruit-bearing, sacrificed life.
How significantly true this is of the life of Alexander Mack !
THE OIJ) PINE COTTAGE, GERMANTOWN.
CHAPTER IX.
The Reaction.
HE history of the Brethren church for the first
twenty-seven years, viz., 1708-1735, has been
given with a good deal of detail, since this
period is the most important historically in the
present treatment. The scope of this sketch
will not admit of the same fullness in treatment from
this time on, but it is necessary to notice some important
events and changes. The death of Alexander Mack in
1735 proved to be a very serious loss. That the work
received somewhat of a stunning blow for the time being,
and that some of the workers were thrown into confusion,
is very evident and is not to be wondered at, when the cir-
cumstances are carefully considered. There are a number
of distinct elements that enter into this consideration, each
one of which is, indeed, important. We may name as
fruitful subjects for consideration, such elements as the
work, the workers, the discouragements, the conditions of
the times, and others might be added to the list.
(72)
33 L'
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Elder Peter Becker. 73
1. The work was in many respects a new one under
these circumstances and presented many difficulties and
unsolved problems. Much energy was needed to push the
work, and such an important event as the loss of a leader
would easily affect its progress.
2. The workers were from different communities, the
subjects of different educational influences, and trained
under the influence of very varied religious impressions.
They felt the need of the harmonizing influence of a com-
mon training. They needed a leader who was able to
command their love and respect, which would constitute a
bond of common union in times of little differences. In
Mack they had such a leader, and they keenly felt the loss
when he died.
3. Many were the discouragements. The views and
doctrines of the early Germans were very varied and di-
vergent. All shades of belief were accepted and pre-
vailed. Agitation was rife. Beissel led a powerful influ-
ence in opposition, strengthened by the recruits from all
sources.
4. There seemed to have been at this time a period of
religious excitement, the natural extreme of the previous
indifference that existed a decade or two before. It was
also the result of the great agitation in religious doctrine,
and the marked antagonism and opposition of some of the
workers.
Then, too, it must be remembered that it was not an easy
matter to change back again to the leadership of Becker.
This is no discredit to Elder Peter Becker, who had been
such an efficient support of the work from 1723 until 1729,
at which time Mack took full charge of the work. While
Becker was not a noted preacher, he was a sweet singer
and gifted with more than ordinary power in prayer ; he
74 The German Baptist Brethren.
was a conscientious and devoted worker ; he was quiet and
conservative in time of crisis ; and he must ever be re-
garded as a judicious and faithful leader for six years
previous to Mack's coming to America, as well as twelve
years after his death. It will be remembered that in de-
scribing the organization of the church in America, the life
of Peter Becker is intimately interwoven with all the his-
tory of that event, and space therefore forbids a separate
treatment of his life. Further reference will also be made
to him and the importance of his work.
In some respects, the time of Mack's death seemed most
unfortunate. A great crisis was approaching among the
Germans in Pennsylvania. Beissel was especially active
and aggressive, and while he had confined himself to the
Brethren settlements in various places, he now branched
out and began to proselyte among the Lutherans and Re-
formed in the Tulpehocken aud other places. It was in
1735 that Rev. Peter Miller and Conrad Weiser and other
prominent Germans accepted Beissel's doctrine, and re-
moved to Ephrata. Beissel now seemed to put forth every
effort possible to destroy the Brethren congregations. He
organized large parties, sometimes as many as twelve in a
party, to visit the settlements of Pennsylvania and New
Jersey. He laid claim to following the Brethren's doctrine
in the observance of all the commandments of the New
Testament and everywhere threatened the church. He
found in after years that his work was too aggressive, for
he had many converts he could not hold, and many he did
not want, for he could not assimilate and use them to his
own ends. This at least partly explains the reason why so
many prominent persons, who became converts of Beissel,
remained at Ephrata only long enough to find out the man
and the character of his work.
Alexander Mack, the Younger. 75
It is not strange, therefore, that there should be a serious
reaction when Mack died, owing to the time and condi-
tions in which he died. The newly organized churches
(organized in the years immediately preceding his death)
indicated the prosperity and progress of the cause for
which he stood. But the organizations were too new to
endure much of a strain. They needed time to grow, as
well as time to crystallize the doctrine and concentrate their
strength. There was not time enough to do all of this.
As may be expected, the most serious effect was at Ger-
mantown ; because here were those who knew him best
and loved him most, and therefore most deeply mourned
the loss of his personal presence. These had come with
him in 1729 and had never known any other leadership
and ministry than his. Among these were Alexander
Mack, Jr., then a young man of 23 years of age, very ac-
tive in the church, but disheartened when his father died
whom he dearly loved. He became somewhat despondent
and believed that he too would soon die. There were others
who became indifferent and were ready to drift with cir-
cumstances. Under these distressing conditions, there
comes upon the scene a new and strange character. He
was not a stranger, however, but an old friend and be-
liever, who now turns into a strange history. He was a
believer already in Germany, and according to the old
record, he was a minister at Crefeld before 1715. He
came to Germantown in 17 19, in the first emigration, and
sat at the first Love-feast table on December 25, 1723. In
some way or other a great change came over the man.
He early leaned to Beissel, and yet Beissel was unfriendly
to him, because he and Henry Traut visited Stuntz who
had been excommunicated by Beissel. He was especially
intimate with Traut, who was at one time a professed be-
76 The German Baptist Brethren.
liever in the teaching of the Hermits of the Ridge, and
had taken the vow of celibacy, but afterwards married a
widow. This man was Stephen Koch. He states that
the immediate cause of his spiritual unrest was the death
of Traut, January 4, 1733. His troubles multiplied. He
had been seized with the spirit of mysticism. He was
strong under the conviction that he should take the vow of
celibacy, and yet he was betrothed to a widow. In addi-
tion he states that he was a great sufferer from physical
ailment, so that he at times lay for days in the greatest ex-
tremity.
Under these circumstances, Koch began to have ecstatic
visions, which he related from time to time, and some of
which were published, first in Germany and also by Chris-
topher Saur, of Germantown,1 "Apparitions of Spirits,"
1st edition, 1744; 2d edition, 1748. The nature of these
apparitions may best be given by an example, as related
in his own words: "On the third of May, 1735, at Ger-
mantown, as late at night I went behind the house into the
orchard, it being bright moonlight, there came to me a de-
lightful odor, partly from the blossoms of the trees, partly
from the flowers in the garden, whereat I sobbing spoke
to God : ' O, my God, everything is in its order and con-
tributes to Thy glory and honor, save I alone ! For I am
created and called by a holy calling to love Thee above
everything and to become a pleasant savor unto the glori-
fying of Thy name. Now, however, I behold the contra-
diction, for I not only do not love Thee as I ought, but am
also become an evil smell in Thy nostrils. Alas, unfor-
tunate that I am ! Must I then pass my days in such mis-
1 See list of publications on Sower Chart, by Chas. G. Sower, Verschiedene
alte und neuere Geschichten von Erscheinungen der Geister, ist Ed., 1744 ; 2d
Ed., 1748.
Visions of Stephen Koch. 77
ery? I gladly would love God, the highest good, but I
cannot. The world with all its glories cannot satisfy my
sad spirit, for I ever see before my eyes spiritual and bod-
ily death.'
"While I thus lamented to God, it seemed to me as
though suddenly a flame of God's love struck into me,
which entirely illumined me within, and I heard a voice
say to me : ' Yet one thing thou lackest.' I asked, * What
is it then?' The answer was, * Thou dost not know God
and never hast really known him.' I said, * Yes, that is
so, but how shall I attain to it? ' Then it seemed as though
I were beside myself. But when I came to myself again,
I felt an inexpressibly pleasing love to God in my heart,
and on the other hand all anxiety, with all the temptations
of the unclean spirits, had vanished. Yea, it seemed as
if all my transgressions were pardoned and sealed, and
day and night there was nothing else in my heart but joy,
love and praise to God."
These visions continued from time to time for several
years, and Koch freely related them and sought every op-
portunity to promulgate his strange doctrines. In this work
he had plenty of help from Ephrata, as frequent visits were
made from there to Germantown. He now determined to
live a secluded solitary life, and retired to the quiet of
Wissahickon. He greatly influenced with his visions the
young Alexander Mack, still grieving over the death of
his father; also Henry Kalckglasser and others. He
readily induced Mack to retire with him to the Wissahickon.
There was much agitation, and Koch made converts until
the congregation was more or less divided. Receiving all
possible encouragement, Koch now commenced to hold
public meetings of his own, which meetings were fre-
quently addressed by Peter Miller and others from Ephrata.
78
The German Baptist Brethren,
The crisis was finally reached, and Koch and his adher-
ents marched out of Germantown, most of them never to
return. They journeyed to Ephrata, there to bury them-
selves in seclusion behind monastic walls. A few, when
they realized their disappointment, repented and returned ;
others there were who died in the sadness and solitude of
their disappointment. Perhaps most of this exodus took
place March 27, 1739. It was a sad day for Germantown ;
THE OLD " MONASTERY " ON THE WISSAHICKON.
many valuable members had been lost, and some of the best
families were represented. There was probably only one
thing that maintained Germantown under these circum-
stances, and that was the faithful devotion of Elder Peter
Becker and those who stood with him.
The following names are given as composing the exodus
of 1739 : Stephen Koch ; Heinrich Kalckglaser, and wife ;
Valentine Mack, and wife Maria (Hilderbrand) ; Louis
Exodus to E-phrata*
79
Hocker, his wife Margretha, and daughter Maria ; Johan-
nes Hilderbrand, andjwife ; Johannes Pettikoffer, and wife
Anna Elizabeth ; the widow Gorgas and her children.
Among the single persons who joined the celibates at
Ephrata, besides Koch, were Alexander Mack, Johannes
Reismann, Christian^Eckstein, Heinrich Hocker, Martha
Kinsing, Miriam Gorgas and Elizabeth Eckstein.
The chapter that follows indicates the condition of
things, thirty years later, among the Brethren congrega-
tions in Pennsylvania. Alexander Mack's return will be
considered in the chapterLon Germantown.
THE "WYCK " HOUSE GERMANTOWN.
CHAPTER X.
Early Congregations.
T has already been noted that the Brethren, on
coming to America, were scattered into dis-
tant parts of the country, settling in the vari-
ous places that offered conditions best suited
to their tastes. In due time these scattered
settlements became congregations which at an early day
well covered the entire eastern part of Pennsylvania.
These congregations, at first small and struggling, in due
time had many accessions to their numbers, until many
families were represented in the membership, wherever
these congregations were located. Hundreds of German
families were thus enrolled before the close of the cen-
tury, and tens of thousands of Pennsylvania-German de-
scendants find that their ancestors were enrolled as mem-
bers of the Brethren church, in the early German settle-
ments of eastern Pennsylvania. For lists of members of
these early congregations, we are largely indebted to
Morgan Edwards, that thoughtful and far-seeing historian,
(80)
Beggar stown . 8 1
who gathered so much valuable information in his Ma-
terials towards a History of the American Baptists. In
some cases the lists of membership he gives are practically
the only ones in existence. I freely quote from him in
the materials for this chapter. See as above named, Vol.
i, Part IV.1 He wrote in the year 1770.
Beggarstown. — Germantown.2
"This takes its distinction from a little village of the
above name, in the township of Germantown, eight miles
northwest from the city. The meeting house is of stone,
thirty feet square, erected this year, on a lot of eighty
rods, the gift of one Peter Shilbert. On the same lot
stands their old building erected by one John Pettikoffer
for his dwelling house in 1731. The families belonging
to this congregation are about thirty ; whereof fifty-seven
persons are baptized and in the communion of the church.
This was their state in 1770. For their beginning we
have no further back to look than December 25, 1723.
"The membership in 1770 was as follows : Alexander
Mack, minister, with his wife and daughter, Christopher
Sower, exhorter, with his wife and son, Margaret Boyer,
deaconess, George Shriber and wife, Henry Slingluff and
two daughters, Philip Weaver and wife, Richard Roob,
Michael Keyser, Peter Keyser and wife, Peter Lybert
and wife, John Slingluff and wife, Henry Slingluff,
Anthony Snyder and wife, Jacob Bowman and wife, Jus-
tus Fox and wife, John Kime, Conrad Good, Conrad
Stamm and wife, Hannah Stamm, Mary Baker, Sarah
1The copy I had access to was kindly loaned by its present owner, Chas.
M. Benson, Germantown. The book was once the property of Henry Sharp-
nack.
2 See chapter on Germantown.
82
The German Baptist Brethren,
Abraham Duboy. 83
Baker, Susannah Baker, Eve Fith, Elizabeth Boyer, Mary
Bossert, Margaret Herszback, Magdalen Mellinger, Eliza-
beth Roob, Christian de Lashet and wife, William Spyra
and wife, Nathaniel Shryber, Katharine Shryber, Henry
Sharpnack and wife, Mary Nyse, Rudolph Harly and
wife, Mary Fend, Sybelia Ent.
11 Greatswamp.
" This society is distinguished by the above name, which
is a name of a tract of land called the Greatswamp. The
meeting is kept at the house of Mr. John Frick in Upper-
milford township, in the county of Bucks, about 40 miles
northwest from Philadelphia. The families belonging to
the society are about 20 whereof 28 persons are baptized.
Thus stood things with them in 1770. Their beginning
was in this manner. In the year 1733 one Salome Miller
and Joseph Miller her brother, John Brech and wife, Peter
Longanacre and Peter Rhode were baptized by Mr. John
Naass. In 1735 were baptized by Mr. Peter Baker and
Mr. Martin Urner, one Hanse Zuk and wife, John Sleifer,
and John Frick and wife ; and the same time had the Lord's
supper administered to them by Mr. Peter Baker. This
was the period of their existence as a society; and 11 their
number. They have existed for 35 years without any
remarkable event, except that count Zeinzendorf took
away some of them in the year 1752. At first they were
visited by ministers from other parts, and increased fast.
Several of the Mennonites joined them. But since that
time the increase has been inconsiderable. The first settled
minister they had was
"Rev. Abraham Duboy.
" He was born in 1679 at Epstein in Germany. Bred a
Presbyterian. Embraced the principles of the Baptists in
84 The Germci7i Baptist Brethren,
1712. Came to America in 1728. Settled at Perkiomen ;
and from thence went to the Greatswamp in 1738, where
he died and was buried March, 1748. Since that time Mr.
John Frick hath preached to them ; but is not ordained."
It seems that Duboy was a minister already in Germany
and was a man of considerable prominence. He joined
the church in the Marienborn district, but a few years later
joined the mother congregation at Swartzenau and became
an assistant to Alexander Mack. He was a modest, pious
and devoted man. He was unmarried. A. H. Cassel,
the antiquarian, relates of him that he had a strange pre-
sentiment of his death. On the morning of the day on
which he died he informed the family where he lived that
the time of his departure had come. He dressed in a
shroud and invited the family to join him in singing " Nun
fahr ich hin mit Freud en, ins rechte Vaterland" etc., then,
after a fervent prayer, he reclined on a couch and breathed
his last, as one would fall into a quiet sleep.
The following is the list of members as given by Morgan
Edwards : John Frick, exhorter, and wife, Laurence Er-
boch and wife, Andrew Meinzinger, John Demud and wife,
John Sleifer and wife, Henry Kun, Philip Goodman and
wife, Philip Deal, Frederick Deal, John Redroch and wife,
Egite Christian and wife, Lodowick Christian and wife,
Jacob Staut and wife, Mary Christian, widow Rinker,
Catherine Rinker, widow dinger, widow Crayling, Freny
Trissel.
Coventry.
This was the second congregation organized. It had a
large number of accessions from time to time and has main-
tained a continuous existence until the present time. It
has furnished many members for colonization in different
parts of the country. The church has had an efficient
The Coventry Church. 85
ministry. Its first members were " The First Fruits of the
Church in America," as already noted in the organization
of Germantown. Because of its early importance, it will
be of interest to give some detail of its history, at least its
earlier history.
Professor I. N. Urner, as an introduction to his history
of the Urner Family ', writes a sketch of the history of
the Coventry church, from which I quote as follows : " As
the Urners were the founders of the Coventry Brethren
church, and its preachers and bishops for the first eighty-
seven years of its existence, a sketch of its history seems
the proper introduction to the genealogy of the Urner
family.
" The Coventry church took its name from the township
in which it is located, and the township is supposed to have
received its name through Samuel Nutt, an early settler
and iron-master, who came from Coventry, in Warwick-
shire, in England. The township first took the name
Coventry in the year 1724, the same year in which the
church was organized. * * * At its formation, the town-
ship of Coventry comprised not only the land along the
Schuylkill River, now North Coventry, .East Coventry,
South Coventry, but all of the upper part of Chester
County, and even a part of the present county of Lan-
caster."
The organization of this congregation on November 7,
1724, has already been noted in Chapter VI., and its con-
stituent members named at the same time.
" While it had many accessions, its growth in number
was retarded by heavy colonizations from the Church.
The members were mostly farmers, and while the land was
good, the lands in other localities were better. Some
moved to what was then called the Conecocheague, now
86 The German Baptist Brethren.
embraced in Franklin and Perr}T counties, in Pennsylvania,
and Washington County, Maryland ; some to the Shenan-
doah Valley, in Virginia ; and some to Carroll and Fred-
erick counties, in Maryland, where the Urners, the Wolfes,
and the Crumbachers are still found."
The Coventry Church was in charge of Elder Peter
Becker of Germantown, from the time of its organization
until 1729. The first resident minister was Martin Urner,
who was ordained to the Eldership by Alexander Mack,
Sr., in 1729, at which time he took upon himself the care
of the church. The following account is given of this
Martin Urner, Sr., in Urner Family: "Martin Urner,
the founder of the Coventry Brethren church, and its first
bishop, was born in Alsace, then a province of France, in
the year 1695. The family had been driven by religious
persecution out of the Canton of Uri, Switzerland, whence
the name Urner, and took refuge in Alsace. About 1708,
Ulrich Urner, with his three sons — Jacob, Hans and Martin
— emigrated to Pennsylvania, and is said to have settled
for awhile at Roxborough, near Philadelphia. In 171 2
the name of Martin Urner appears among the settlers of
Lancaster county. In 1718 he bought a tract of four hun-
dred and fifty acres of land of the Penns, in what is now
called Coventry township, Chester county, Pennsylvania,
on the Schuylkill river, immediately opposite the present
town of Pottstown. On this property, now called Bell-
wood, he and his descendants lived long years afterwards,
and on part of the land the Coventry Brethren church and
the Coventry Brethren graveyard are located. He died
in 1755, and was buried in the Coventry Brethren grave-
yard."
Thus it will be seen Martin Urner was born in 1695 ;
came to America in 1708 ; was baptized in 1723 ; was or-
dained in 1729, and died in 1755.
Coventry Brethren. 87
Morgan Edwards gives the following view of the church
in 1770: "This takes its distinction from the township
where most of the members reside, in the county of Ches-
ter, 37 miles from Philadelphia. Coventry is on the banks
of the Schuylkill, opposite to Potsgrove. These people
have no public place of worship, but hold their meetings
in a kind of rotation at five private houses. The present
minister is Mr. Martin Urner, who has to his assistance Mr.
Peter Reinhart. The families belonging to them are about
22, whereof 40 persons are baptized. This was their state
in 1770."
While they had no meeting-house in 1770, they probably
built their first house in 1772, two years after Germantown
had been built. The Martin Urner referred to in the account
of Morgan Edwards, is the second Martin Urner, nephew
of the first. He was a son of Jacob Urner and was born
in 1725, one mile northeast of the present town of Potts-
town, in New Hanover township, then in Philadelphia
county, Pennsylvania, but now in Montgomery county. He
joined the church at an early age, and was a very active
and prominent preacher in his day. After the death of
his uncle in 3755, he was ordained elder or bishop of the
Coventry church in 1756, and was in charge of the con-
gregation until his death in 1799. The church flourished
under his ministry. This second Martin Urner was an in-
timate friend of the second Alexander Mack of German-
town.
"List of Preachers of the Coventry Brethren Church
from 1724 to 1893," according to I. N. Urner:
Born.
Died.
Martin Urner, Sr.,
1695
1775
Martin Urner, Jr.,
1725
1799
Jonas Urner,
1772
1813
88 The German Baptist Brethren.
Born. Died.
Casper Ingles,
Peter Rinhart,
1733
1806
Martin Rinhart,
1757
1820
Abraham Rinhart,
1770
1842
George Price,
*753
1823
John Price, Sr.,
1782
1850
John Price, Jr.,
1810
1879
Jacob Harley,
1786
1842
John Harley,
1812
David Keim,
1802
Peter Hollobush,
1805
1872
Jacob Conner,
1834
Isaac Urner Brower,
1844
Jesse P. Hetric,
1844
John Y. Eisenburg,
1840
List of members in 1770, of the Coventry Brethren
church :
Martin Urner, minister, and wife, Peter Reinhart, ex-
horter, Owen Reinhart, Henry Dasker and wife, Nicholos
Harwick and wife, Abraham Grub and wife, Christian
Monsieur, Barbara Miller, Barbara Welty, Frederick
Reinhart and wife, Barbara Urner, Elizabeth Ingles,
Catherine Grumbacker, Catharine Boch, John Eiker, Jacob
Pfauts and wife, Abraham Boch, Andrew Woolf, Easther
Switser, Wendle Danfelsner, Henry Bear and wife, Jacob
Sweitser and wife, Maud Reinhart, Jacob Light and wife,
Philip Waggoner and wife, Eliz. Holderman, Anthony Ber-
nard and daughter, John Light and wife.
Oley.
44 This society takes its distinction from the township
where most of the people reside, in the county of Berks,
fifty-four miles northwest from Philadelphia. The present
THE GERMAN BAPTIST BRETHREN,
S3r/r
DUNKER BAPTISMAL CERTIFICATE.
JOHANNES REYER BORN HUG. 9, 1800; BAPTIZED SEPT., 1825.
ENGRAVED BY C F. EGELMAN. ORIGINAL IN SACHSE COLLECTION.
Cocalico, 89
preachers are Mess. Martin Gaby and Jacob Joder, but not
ordained. The families belonging to the place are about
twelve, whereof twenty persons are baptized. This is their
present state. They had their beginning about 1732, when
one Ritters, Shilbert, Blanth and others, did unite for com-
munion of saints, having Peter Baker to their assistance.
Since this time they have no ordained minister, but are
visited by Rev. George Kleine. This church is much re-
duced by reason of removals of families to other parts, par-
ticularly to Conecocheague in 1743."
It will be noticed that here, as elsewhere, Peter Becker, of
Germantown, was active in organizing the work, and that
the Oley church, like Coventry and, in fact, all the early
congregations, lost heavily by colonizations to other parts.
Thus all the congregations furnished their quota towards
making up the advance guard that gradually carried the
influence of the church into every new territory in the
opening up of the Great West. For many years they were
visited by Elder George Kleine, of the Tulpehocken, so
active and helpful in many places. While Martin Gaby
was not ordained in 1770, he was ordained some years later.
The membership in 1770 was as follows : Martin Gaby,
exhorter, and wife ; John Joder, exhorter, and wife ; Con-
rad Price and wife, David Price and wife, David Kinsey
and wife, Jacob Baker and wife, Christian Kinsey and
wife, Peter Kleine, Liss Ellis, Margaret Harpine, Catha-
rine Plank, Daniel Kleine and wife.
Cocalico. — Conestoga.
" This society is distinguished by the above name which
is the name of a little river near to which the people re-
side, in Cocalico township and county of Lancaster, 60
miles w n w from Philadelphia. The minister is Rev.
90 The German Baptist Brethren.
Jacob Sonday, who has Mr. John Landis to his assistance.
Mr. Sonday was born in Germany in 1700, came to this
country in 1735, was ordained in 1763, at which time he
took on him the oversight of the church. He married
Mary Landis by whom he has one son. The families be-
longing to the society are about 53 whereof 86 persons are
baptized. This is their present state. They originated
about the year 1735, when the following persons separated
from the church of Ephrata and became a distinct society
viz. : Michael Pffauts, Rant Woolf, John Frantz, Emick
Reyer, George Reyer, John Landis, Samuel Good, Henry
Sneider, Philip Rouland and others, having Rev. Peter
Baker to their assistance. The first minister they had was
Rev. Michael Frantz, a native of Switzerland. He was
ordained in 1734, and the next year took on him the over-
sight of the church. He died in 1748 and was buried at
Cocalico. After his death Rev. Michael Pffautz and
others preached to them until their present minister was
ordained."
The above account is concerning the Conestoga congre-
gation. It will be remembered that there was a great
missionary tour undertaken from Germantown, in the fall
of 1724, led by Elder Peter Becker. See Chapter VI. for
full description. Upon this occasion there were a number
baptized in the Conestoga country, and a church was orga-
nized on November 12, 1724, with Conrad Beissel as min-
ister. He soon preached his strange doctrines, and in
1728 left the Conestoga church and took many members
with him to form his new organization, which ultimately
he located as the Ephrata Monastic Community. The
Germantown Brethren took care of the remnant for some
time, until about the year 1735, when they were organized
according to the above account. Elder Michael Frantz
White Oakland. 91
was their first minister and leader. He was born in Switz-
erland in 1687; came to America in the year 1727, and
settled on the Conestoga. He proved a giant of strength
to the little congregation, and in a few years of his min-
istry it prospered greatly and there were several hundred
accessions. He was an energetic and efficient workman.
His ministry was not long, for he died in 1747 or 1748;
but he left the work in a well-organized condition, and he
was succeeded in the Eldership by Michael Pfautz, whose
ministry was equally efficient and successful. He was
born in Germany in 1709, and came to America in 1727.
Having been ordained by Elder Frantz just a few weeks
before his death, Elder Pfautz remained in charge of the
congregation for more than twenty years, during which
time large numbers were added to the Church by baptism.
He died in 1769, and was succeeded by Elder Jacob Son-
tag ; but it seems that Elder Christian Longenecker of the
Whiteoakland Church, was in charge of the congregation.
In 1770, the membership was as follows : Rev. Jacob
Sonday and wife, John Landis, exhorter, and wife, Peter
Eychelberger and wife, Michael Frantz and wife, Henry
Mohler and wife, Peter Reyer and wife, Tobias Millar and
wife, Christopher Becker and wife, Elizabeth Lessley,
Catharine Harlacher, Ann Mohler, Magdalene Millinger,
Daniel Ballinger and wife, John Rosh and wife, Daniel
Reyer and wife, John Reyer and wife, Martin Meyer and
wife, Jermiah Woolf and wife, George Schwarts and wife,
Jacob Landis and wife, David Landis, Christopher Wes-
tenberger and wife, Jacob Sponhauer and wife, Christopher
Widder and wife, Jacob Knodel and wife, Salome Har-
lacher, Barbara Frantz, Catherine Reyer, Margaret Lan-
dis, Barbara Steiner, Barbara Schob, Henry Schneider
and wife, Daniel Hollinger and wife, Christopher Reyer
92 The Germa?i Baptist Brethren.
and wife, John Meyer and wife, Samuel Good and wife,
Eva Sychrift, Jermiah Woolf, Jr., and wife, Jonas Joner
and wife, Jacob Heller and wife, Mrs. Histant, Mrs. Moser,
Mrs. Behr, Christopher Haas and wife, Jacob Harnley and
wife, Magdalene Landis, Mary Frantz, Magdalene Bel-
lenger, Mary Koch, Barbara Koch, Henry Schneider, Jr.,
and wife, Susannah Landis, Catherine Landis.
The Conestoga church had an able, aggressive and
efficient ministry, and before the close of the century, there
were probably five hundred baptized members, the work
of those years. Many of these members, scattered by
colonization, far and wide, laid the foundation for many
new congregations in this and other States.
Whiteoakland. — White Oak Church.
" This society is distinguished as above from a tract of
land so called, in the parish of Warwick, Lancaster county,
75 miles west by north from Philadelphia, and two miles
from Lititz. They hold their meetings at private houses.
The minister is Rev. Christian Longanacre, who was born
November n, 1732, in Raffo township. Ordained May
15, 1769, at which time he took on him the care of the
church. He married Margaret Geib by whom he had six
children. The families belonging to the society are about
39, whereof 65 persons are baptized. This is their present
state. They began in this manner. About the year 1729
one George Reyer, John Langanacre and others came
from Germany and settled in this neighborhood. After
them came several more from other places who in the year
1736 united together and had the Lord's Supper adminis-
tered to them by Rev. Michael Pffautz. He was their
first minister but lived at Cocalico. He married Catherine
Schluch by whom he had four children. Was ordained
Big Szvatara. 93
in the year 1735. Died May 21, 1769, leaving behind
him a good character."
The list of members in 1770 was as follows : Rev. Chris-
tian Langanacre and wife, John Zug and wife, Christian
Zug and wife, John Langanacre and wife, John Pffautz
and wife, Henry Kuensing, Jacob Kuensing and wife,
Christian Krabiel and wife, Jacob Zug and wife, widow
Huber, Catherine Bitner, Elizabeth Reir, Abraham Flohry
and wife, Conrad Gingle, George Mohler and wife, Eliza-
beth Huft, Martin Schuh and wife, Henry Giebel and wife,
Barbara Eby and four daughters, Henry Eter and wife,
Elizabeth Langanacre, Henry Langanacre and wife, Ul-
rick Langanacre, John Hackman and wife, Henry Stholer
and wife, John Lautermilch and wife, George Kleine and
wife, Catherine Gish, John Frantz and wife, Ann Huber,
Fronica , Catherine Reyer, Salome Borgart, Mrs.
Kratzer, Conrad Hausser and wife, and George Stohler
and wife, Jacob Hershy and wife, Andrew Eby and wife.
Greatswartaro. — Big Swatara Church.
" This church is so distinguished from a river near to
which the people dwell ; and sometimes by the name of
Eastconewago which is another river that runs through the
neighborhood. The meeting is held chiefly at private
houses in the township of Mount Joy, county of Lancaster,
20 miles from Lancaster and 86 miles west by north from
Philadelphia. Their preachers are Messrs. George Miller
and Adam Hammaker, but not ordained. The families
belonging to the congregation are about twenty, whereof
39 persons are baptized. This is their present state.
They began in this manner. In the year 1752 the said
George Miller embraced the principles of the Baptists, and
soon after, his wife. Others moved hither from White-
94 The German Baptist Brethren.
Oakland, and in the year 1756 united into a society, hav-
ing Rev. Michael Pfautz to their assistance. He con-
tinued to visit them while he lived ; and after him, others.
They purpose soon to ordain Mr. Miller to be their min-
ister."
The 39 members in 1770 were as follows: George
Miller, exhorter, and wife and daughter, Adam Ham-
macker, exhorter, and wife and daughter, Peter Eritzstone
and wife, Philip Roemer and wife, John Buck and wife,
John Eter and wife, Jacob Metsegar and wife, Henry
Thomas and wife, Christopher Branser and wife, Mar-
garet Thomas, Philip Reicker and wife, Peter Bersh and
wife, Henry Stohner and wife, Wendel Merich and wife,
Frederick Hess and wife, Jacob Eter and wife, George
Balshbach and wife, George Henry and wife, Barbara
Henry, Freny Cass.
Little Swatara Church.
" This church also takes its distinction from a river of
the above name, in the township of Tulpehocken and
county of Berks, twenty-five miles from Reading and
eighty-one miles northwest from Philadelphia. Some of
the people live in Bether township, in Lancaster county.
They hold their worship in private houses. Their preacher
is Mr. Peter Heckman, but is not ordained. The families
belonging to the society are about nineteen, whereof forty-
five persons are baptized. This is their present state.
Their beginning was in this manner: About year 1745
one George Besher settled in this neighborhood, and one
Michael Frantz, Peter Heckman, John Frantz and others.
These were baptized by Rev. George Kleine, and in 1757
coalesced into a church, having the said Kleine to their
assistance. He has ministered the Lord's supper to them
NorthkilL 95
ever since, but they purpose soon to ordain Mr. Peter
Heckman."
The members were as follows : Peter Heckman, minis-
ter, and wife, Jacob Heckman and wife, Michael Frantz
and wife, Nicholas Gerst and wife, Jacob Moyer and wife,
George Beasher, David Marge and wife, Simon Menich
and wife, John Frantz and wife, Christian Frantz and wife,
Rose Shnables, Jacob Smith and wife, Liss Kentzel, Adam
Henrich, Mrs. Cyder, Philip Zeigler and wife, Jacob Bren-
eisen and wife, David Kleine and wife, widow Benedict,
Elizabeth Benedict, Sophy Kish, Leonard Sebalt and wife,
John Grove, Jacob Baker and wife, Jacob Deal and wife,
Hans Stohler and wife, Jacob Beshor and wife.
NORTHKILL.
This is an illustration of how each scattered settlement
became an organization, wherever there were a few mem-
bers to form a nucleus. It shows too how some relatively
small congregations maintained their existence under very
unfavorable conditions. Because of an unfavorable fron-
tier position and colonization to other parts, Northkill made
very slow progress for many years. We know little of its
early struggles except what Morgan Edwards records. I
might take his facts and dress them up in other language,
as others have done, but I have preferred in this case, as in
the case of the other congregations, to use his own language,
which is often interestingly quaint. In this region of the
Tulpehocken, there is by that name to-day a strong and
flourishing congregation and has been for many years.
" This little society is distinguished as above from a
small river called Northkill, in the townships of Tulpe-
hocken and Bern, county of Berks, 15 miles from Reading,
and 71 miles northwest by west from Philadelphia. The
g6 The German Baptist Brethren.
minister is Rev. George Kleine. He was born at Zwein-
brecken in Germany, October 9, 1715. Came to America
in 1738. Was baptized in 1739 by Mr. Naas of Amwell
in the Jersey. Ordained in 1757 by Revs. Michael Pfautz
and Martin Urner. He married Dorothy Repman by
whom he has seven children. The families belonging to
them are seven, whereof 11 persons are baptized and in
fellowship. This is their present state. They began to
be a church about the year 1748 when one John Stump
and sister, Frederick and wife, with a few more, had the
Lord's supper administered to them by the Rev. Michael
Pfautz. About two years after, their present minister
settled among them. The society was reduced to its now
low estate, by the removal of families to other parts."
The members were as follows : Rev. George Kleine,
minister and wife, Valentine Lang, Elizabeth Reiler, Eliza-
beth Stump, Sarah Solenberger, John Stohner and wife,
Mary Stohner, Susanna Mackley, Elizabeth Brandel.
Codorus.
It has already been noticed in connection with the his-
tory of different congregations in Lancaster county and
other sections in the eastern part of the State that there
was much colonization at an early day. This migration
and colonization was first to the southern counties of Penn-
sylvania and then into various counties in Maryland and
Virginia and even south as far as North Carolina. It was
not until after the Revolutionary War that western emi-
gration was open to any extent. The Brethren at an early
day crossed the Susquehanna, entered what is now York
county, and occupied hundreds of its fertile acres. The
strong congregations within the county to-day attest their
prosperity for one hundred and sixty years.
Little Conewago. 97
The following account is given of early settlements that
"became permanent: " This society is distinguished as
above from a river that is called Codorus, in a town-
ship of the same name in the county of York, 11 miles
from the town of York, and 99 miles west by south from
Philadelphia. The preacher is Mr. Henry Neff, but he is
not ordained. The families belonging to the place are
about twenty whereof thirty-five are baptized and members
of the church. This is their present state. They began
to be a church about the year 1758 when one Rudy Yunt,
Peter Brilharth, John Brilharth and others, united for com-
munion of saints, having Rev. Jacob Tanner to their as-
sistance. This Tanner left them to go to Monocasy ;
since, they have been supplied from other places. Mr.
Neff will soon be ordained."
The membership in 1770 was as follows : Henry Neff,
exhorter, and wife, Jacob Tilman and wife and daughter,
Jacob Spitler and wife and two daughters, Peter Brilharth
and wife, Jacob Neiswanger and wife, Ann Neiswanger,
Catherine Beightley, Elizabeth Leip, George Beary and
wife, John Harold and wife, Rudy Yundt and wife, Wil-
liam Spitler and wife, Christian Eby and wife, Wendel
Baker and wife, Michael Berkey and wife, George Ettor
and son, Mathias Sitler and wife, Susanna Weltner.
Little Conewago.
" This society is so distinguished from a branch of the
river Conewago near to which the people made their set-
tlements, in the township of Hanover and county of York,
20 miles from the town of York and 107 miles west by
south from Philadelphia. The preachers are Messrs.
Jacob Moyer and James Henrick, but are not ordained.
The families belonging to the place are about 40, whereof
98 The German Baptist Brethren.
52 persons are baptized. Their beginning was in 1738
when one Eldrick, Dierdorff, Bigler, Gripe, Studsman
and others united into a church, having Rev. Daniel
Leatherman to their assistance. He left them and went
to Monocasy ; after him they had Rev. Nicholas Martin
who also quitted them to go to Conecocheague ; of both
which we shall speak when we come to the Baptists in
Maryland. Their successors are the present ministers,
before mentioned." It seems the volume promised on
Maryland was never issued ; at any rate I have no
knowledge of such volume being in existence.1 Many
members went to the Conecocheague and to Monocasy,
from the various congregations in Pennsylvania ; and
among them were prominent and efficient ministers, but
we know little of their work in the early days. The scores
of congregations of the present day, however, attest the
faithful devotion of these pioneers and the success of the
migration to the " Southland."
The membership of the Little Conewago congregation
in 1770 was as follows : Jacob Moyer, exhorter, and wife,
James Henrick, exhorter, and wife, Hans Adam Sneider
and wife, Barbara Sneider, George Wine and wife, John
Geiny, Daniel Woods and wife, Henry Geiny and wife,
Joseph Moyer and wife, Nicholas Housteter and wife,
Christian Housteter, Rudy Brown and wife, Dobis Brother
and wife, Jacob Miller and wife, Michael Koutz and wife,
Mrs. Powser, Mrs. Moyer, Stephen Peter, wife and
daughter, Maud Powser, George Peter, Henry Tanner
and wife, Michael Tanner and wife, John Moyer and wife,
Jacob Souder and wife, Henry Hoeff and wife, Hesther
1 1 am informed by J. F. Sachse that the volume on Maryland was written,
but not published, and in MS. form it burned in the late fire of the Baptist
Publication Society.
Conewago. 99
Weise, Christian Etor, John Peter Weaver, Barbara Bear,
John Swarts and wife, Liss Bearing, Great Hymen.
Conewago.
"This society also takes its distinction from a river of
the above name near to which the people reside, in the
township of Reading, county of York, 14 miles from the
town of York and 101 miles west from Philadelphia.
Their preacher is Mr. George Brown, who is not ordained.
The families are about 45, whereof 77 persons are baptized.
Their beginning, as a society, was in the year 1741 when
John Neagly, Adam Sower, Jacob Sweigard, Peter Nei-
per, Joseph Larzcho, etc., did unite for communion of
saints, having to their assistance Rev. George Adam Mar-
tin, of whom more hereafter. Next to him were Rev.
Daniel Leatherman and Nicholas Martin, of whom we
shall speak when we come to Maryland."
The following were the members in 1770: George
Brown, exhorter, and wife, Peter Werds, John Heiner and
wife, Peter Fox and wife, Anthony Dierdorff and wife,
John Dierdorff and wife, Nicholas Moyer and wife, Manass
Bruch and wife, Michael Basserman and wife, David
Erhard and wife, Ann Mummard, Daniel Baker and wife,
Abraham Stauffer and wife, Henry Dierdorff and wife,
John Burckholter and wife, Christian Fray, Andrew Trim-
mer and wife, Ustace Reinfel and wife, Samuel Arnold,
Peter Dierdorff and wife, Barnet Achenbach and wife,
Mary Latzcho, Catherine Studyker, John Neagley and
wife, Michael Brissel and wife, Velte Brissel and wife,
Mathias Bouser and wife, and daughter, Laurence Bake-
ner and wife, Nicholas Bakener, Philip Snell and wife,
Nicholas Bakener, Jr., and wife, Adam Sower and wife,
and two daughters, Adam Dick and wife, Marilis Baker,
IOO The German Baptist Brethren.
Henry Brissel and wife, David Brissel and wife, Sarah
Brissel, Henry Rudibush and wife, George Waggoner and
wife, Jacob Miller, Mrs. Martsh, Rudolph Brown, George
Reeson and wife.
Bermudian.
"This society also is distinguished by the above name
of a little river, in the township of Warrington and county
of York, 15 miles from the town of York and 102 miles
west by north from Philadelphia. Most of these people
observe the seventh day of the week for sabbath, and are
to be considered as the offspring of Ephrata church.
Their preacher is Mr. Henry Lowman, who is not ordained.
The families are about 40, whereof 58 persons are bap-
tized. They began to be a church in 1758 when Philip
Gebel, Peter Beissel, Henry Lowman and others united
for communion of saints, having Rev. Conrad Beissel to
their assistance. Afterwards Rev. mess. Peter Miller and
George Adam Martin and others officiated among them."
It will thus be seen that the Bermudian congregation was
in the first place under the control of Beissel influence.
After the death of Beissel, and Peter Miller ceased to visit
the place, and Martin removed to Stony Creek, in Bedford,
the congregation passed under the influence of the Breth-
ren and has so remained until the present day.
The following is a list of members in 1770 : Henry Low-
man, exhorter, and wife, Frederick Reuter, wife and daugh-
ter, Daniel Fahnstick and wife, Peter Henry, wife and
mother, Dietrick Fahnstick and wife, Paul Traub and wife,
Sebastian Shalles and wife, John Cook, wife and son,
Peter Bender and wife, Melchoir Webber and wife, John
Bence, wife and daughter and four sons, Frick, John
Lehn and wife, John Messerbach and wife, John Miller,
wife and two sons, George Reiss, George Neiss and wife,
Stony Creek. 101
Benjamin Gebel and wife, Philip Gebel, Peter Beussel,
wife and son and daughter, Philip Beussel and wife, Bel-
zar Smith and wife, Adam Weyley and wife, Mrs. Dorothy,
Stauffer, Elizabeth Foltz.
Stony Creek.
" This is also denominated from a little river of the above
name, in the township Bruederthal (alias Brotherstown) in
the county of Bedford, 30 miles from Bedford and 245
miles west by north from Philadelphia. The minister is
Rev. George Adam Martin, of whom mention has been
made before. He was born near Landstuhl in Germany
in the year 17 15. Was bred a Presbyterian. Embraced
the principles of the Baptists in 1737, and was ordained by
Peter Baker in 1739. Afterwards he resided at Little
Conewago, where some misunderstanding arose between
him and the people and occasioned him to remove to An-
titum. In the year 1762 he adopted the sentiments of the
seventh-day Baptists, and preached at Bermudian. From
thence he went to Stony Creek this year. He married one
of the Knippers and has many children. The families be-
longing to the place are 12, whereof 17 persons are bap-
tized and may be considered as the constituents of the
church, viz. : Rev. George Adam Martin and wife, Henry
Roth and wife and daughter, Henry Roth, jun., and wife,
George Newmoyer, Philip Oswald and wife and daughter,
Abraham Gebel and wife, Philip Kimmel and wife, Mr.
Widdebarger and wife. This church also is the offspring
of Ephrata (for the most part) ; the seventh-day sabbath is
kept."
From the above account of Martin, it will be noticed
that he had a rather checkered experience in roving about
from place to place. He is said to have been a man of
102 The German Baptist Brethren.
good education. He was a man of excellent ability and at
one time of great promise, but he was unsettled in his con-
viction that his work amounted to little, considering his
prominence and ability. He ended his days at Stony
Creek, and this congregation soon after passed to the con-
trol of the Brethren, and there are to-day many congrega-
tions in Bedford and Somerset counties.
"Thus we see that there are in this province fifteen
churches of Tunker baptists, to which appertain eight or-
dained ministers, elders or bishops, and thirteen exhorters
or probationers, and four meeting houses ; the reason of
their having no more places of worship is, that they choose
rather to meet from house to house in imitation of the
primitive Christians. We see also that their families are
about four hundred and nineteen, which contain about two
thousand and ninety-five souls allowing five to the family,
whereof seven hundred and sixty-three persons are bap-
tized and in communion."
It must be noted that the above account of statistics in-
cludes the Ephrata congregation with one hundred and
thirty-five members. It may be stated in passing that
Beissel is already dead and the Monastic community has
commenced to decline, but it is not necessary in this con-
nection to describe Ephrata, because it forms no part of
the Brethren congregations of 1770. In compiling this
chapter on early congregations, I have largely used the
materials and accounts of Rev. Morgan Edwards. In
many important facts, we are almost entirely dependent
upon him, and I desire to give full recognition to the value
of his writings and descriptions of the early congregations
of the Brethren. Because of the frontier conditions, the
records of the scattered congregations are singularly in-
complete. I have here presented in this chapter a compre-
Morgan Edwards. 103
hensive view of the church in the province of Pennsylvania,
a few years before the breaking out of the Revolutionary
War. I cannot in this connection give account of the
church in New Jersey and Maryland and farther south.
I have now described the organization and establishment
of the Brethren church, and have to some extent traced
its history for half a century. I have indicated, somewhat,
the onward steps of conquest and progress across the
frontier lines in the days of Penn's province. I hope it
may be of interest to present some proofs that these people
contributed elements of strength that were laid deep in the
foundation of the commonwealth. In the opening of new
territory, after the close of the Revolutionary War, the
Brethren church presented her full share of her sturdy
sons and daughters to organize the new industrial life and
lay the foundations of the great commonwealths of the
Middle West ; and long before Ohio, Indiana and Illinois
had reached the development of Statehood the Brethren
church was well established there, and to-day 80,000 of
her communicants are citizens of other commonwealths
than Pennsylvania.
■ - ^fesiTili i liT^If *> y
r Jr f:-^? ^ >^ rftS-i/.
syls?^
CHAPTER XL
Industrial Life.
HAVE been considering the history of the re-
ligious activities of the Brethren church, both
as to their origin in Germany and a part of
their onward progress in America. In this
consideration I have confined myself to the
religious life, and its relation to the religious life and spirit-
ual activity in the growth and development of the province
into a great State. But our great commonwealth is not a
religious institution ; its great arteries of trade and com-
merce and industry, throbbing and pulsating with such
tremendous
energy.
indicate the most intense industrial
activity everywhere to its remotest bounds. As citizens,
what has been their relation and influence in the social,,
civil and material interests in commonwealth buildings?
The social characteristics have ever been a marked fea-
ture in the life of this people. In their religious wor-
ship from house to house, their hospitality was ever large
enough to invite the entire assembly. Indeed, hospitality
is part of their religion, and they feed the multitude as the
Master did of old, and hospitality is the basis of their
(104)
~1 =
Industrial Life.
105
charity to the poor, and the needy. They have been a posi-
tive factor in laying the social foundations of domestic hap-
piness. Mutual helpfulness and hospitality builds a great
social bulwark, a defence against poverty and wretched-
ness. Their simplicity of life is a fundamental principle
in their faith, and was at once one of the most effectual
means to self-support ; and their simplicity and habits of
economy have ever been a sure foundation for material
advancement and a serviceable competency. True to their
WOIX-RAD OR ZWIRN-RAD.
faith and doctrines, the Brethren must ever be kind friends
and good neighbors, and suffer wrong if need be from
their neighbors and associates that they may gain them or
retain them as friends, rather than redress the wrong by
process of law and so make them their enemies. But
106 The German Baptist Brethren.
aside from their religious, social and civil characteristics,
the Brethren led an intensely active industrial life. In
the rural districts they were first of all engaged in agri-
cultural pursuits, and a majority of the members of the
FADEN-HASPEL-
Brethren church of to-day are still largely interested in the
various departments of agricultural industries.
In the township of Germantown and other parts of Phila-
delphia county adjacent to the settlement of Philadelphia,
the Brethren were early engaged in a variety of industries,
and helped to lay the foundations of many important
manufacturing industries for which Philadelphia became
noted from time to time. It is interesting to look over the
old deeds and study the long and varied list of occupations,
indicating the industrial activity. Elder Peter Becker was
a master weaver, and early contributed his share toward
making Germantown what it has been for almost two cen-
turies, a center for weaving and knitting industries. With
each succeeding generation, the mills have become larger,
Industrial Life.
107
the looms and machinery more perfect, and the business
more complex and extensive. Alexander Mack, Jr.,
followed in the same line of work, besides his very exten-
sive work in the church ; and for his day and times, he
had a large manufacturing establishment, with a variety of
UPRIGHT SPINNING WHEEI,.
products ranging from knitting stockings to weaving blank-
ets. The Saurs became printers, bookbinders and book
publishers, and the family has continued in the publishing
business for a century and a half. The Leiberts were
printers and publishers for several generations, and pub-
io8
The German Baftist Brethren,
lished some of the earliest hymn-books the Brethren had.
Some of the Schreibers were bookbinders.
Additional reference will be made to literary and pub-
lishing interests in the sketch on Germantown, in the
"ENGRAVED COPPER PIRATE of dirck keyser."
chapter that follows. The Keysers were tanners, and for
several generations had an important business. There were
tailors and twiners and shoemakers and many others.
Industrial Home Life. 109
Then there were masons, and there were carpenters, and
there were plasterers, and other like occupations. These
suggestions which I have made indicate the life of the
Brethren in an industrial sense, both in the rural districts
and also in and around Germantown and Philadelphia.
To be sure there were also merchants and dealers of various
kinds, as circumstances demanded the development of such
business. But before leaving this industrial life, I must
say that it was not always exclusively agriculture in the
country or rural district. There were many instances
where there was a combination of country and town, or of
farming and manufacturing, a combination of industries.
I can best illustrate by describing an actual example to
indicate this type of industrial life and activity.
In order to make the illustration understood, it is neces-
sary to give some detail of the history of this actual
family. It is necessary to refer to different epochs, in
order to show the development of the family as well as
the industry, or I should rather say the industries. I will
say, however, that the family when complete, consisted of
father and mother, and seven sturdy sons and six daugh-
ters ; and there seemed to be nothing especially unlucky
about the number thirteen in this case. Early in life, the
family lived on a small place and life was begun without
means. In the summer time the father tilled the few acres,
with such help as his growing children could give him ;
besides he assisted his neighbors at busy times. In winter
time he made shoes for his neighbors and friends, going
from house to house, and remaining at each home long
enough to meet the demands of the family. Meanwhile
in these early years, spinning and weaving was also com-
menced. The family was taught that self-help was the
first step towards self-support. The house on the little
no The German Baptist Brethren.
homestead was not very spacious, and was entirely with-
out plaster upstairs. The older children were girls, and
had now grown well towards womanhood, and we shall
notice how they found a way to plaster the second story
of the home. The father had given the land for a new
church close by, and when the church was completed it
was found that there was considerable mortar left. The
young ladies proposed that if the father would secure the
mortar, they would see to it that the upstairs would get
plastered. He secured the mortar and they did the plas-
tering. These are a few indications of the earlier family
life. The scene has changed, and years have passed.
The father has years ago been elected a minister in the
Brethren church, and has devoted much time to study and
self-improvement in order to meet the demands of circum-
stances. He has commenced the study of medicine, under
the direction of two able physicians in the nearby county-
seat. He has also commenced to settle estates, write
agreements, wills, deeds, and other legal papers. The
family has moved some miles away from their former home
on a farm of two hundred and thirty acres. Here there was
new life and increased activity. Agriculture was carried on
on a much larger scale. There was plenty of opportunity
for ambitious robust young women to make themselves
useful, as well as to make some money. I take pleasure in
quoting here from the words of one of the girls who took
part in these activities : " The place was the scene of active
busy life. The girls were toiling in the fields day after
day during the summer months. Corn had to be planted
with hoes ; the grain was cut with sickles. The women
made their hand and received as much per day as the men,
— fifty cents during harvest for cutting grain with sickles,
twenty-five cents for corn-planting and hay-making, except
Industrial Home Life, 1 1 1
the men received fifty cents per day for mowing with the
scythe." She further says: "When the summer work
was over, the girls found plenty of work in the house at
the spinning-wheels. In our family, three spinning-wheels
were kept running from about four weeks before Christ-
mas until about the middle of March. These were kept
going from four o'clock in the morning until nine in the
evening." It may be noted in passing that five or six girls
could keep the wheels going by relieving each other from
time to time. Here is an argument in favor of the wheel.
These girls went " wheeling" early, and what robust girls
they became ! But let us continue the study of the indus-
trial life. She continues : " There were three looms kept
running also, one of which was usually run by one of the
girls." It should be noted that the father, soon after com-
ing to the large farm, made ample provision for the large
family as well as the increasing manufacturing plant and
industrial establishment. He built a large addition to the
farmhouse, and in this addition there was a room, about
40 feet long by 30 feet wide, which was for the accommo-
dation of the looms and other machinery. By removing
the looms, this room became an assembly room with ample
accommodation for preaching services several times a year.
Her story grows in interest as she proceeds. She says :
"We manufactured flannels, towels, coverlets, etc." "In
the basement, underneath the big room, mother did the
coloring of the yarns, etc. There was the walled-in kettle
to color blue. This kettle was used exclusively to color
blue — while other kettles were used for various other
colors. Everybody made his own yarn in those days.
Then the people brought it to the shops and had it manu-
factured into goods."
This description of one who took part is brief, but it
112 The German Baptist Brethren.
gives us a vivid picture of the busy scenes around the
family hearthstone. Such energy and activity and en-
terprise of long ago, would even do credit to a present-day
family with modern opportunities and better advantages.
But I have omitted a part of the industry. Nearby was a
milling plant, run by water power, where plaster of Paris
was ground, as well as flax-seed. After the oil was pressed
out by crude machinery, the oil-meal was sold to the neigh-
bors for feed for the cattle. This milling plant was later
turned into a carding and weaving establishment and, later
still, into a grist and flour mill. All in all this family was
a marvel of industrial activity ; and yet it is a true example
of a true type, of which there were many constituents.
The Brethren church has been singularly blessed with
many such intelligent, energetic, industrious families. The
father, who was the head and soul of all this industry, must
have been a busy man ; and yet this was the least impor-
tant as a factor in his busy life. As a physician, he had
a large practice, and that for many years. He was emi-
nently successful as a practitioner. In drawing up legal
papers and transacting legal business, his work was never
called into question by any lawyer or judge. As a min-
ister, he traveled far and wide, and preached much. He
was for many years a Bishop. As deacon and minister
and Bishop, he served the Brethren church for forty-nine
years. I hope this chapter, though brief in its scope, may
to some extent illustrate the industrial life of the early
members of the Brethren church, and that it may prove
of interest to its readers.
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BRETHREN CHURCH AND PARSONAGE, GERMANTOWN.
CHAPTER XII
The Mother Church at Germantown.
^jCSBfcfr T seems to me eminently proper that even in
8H this short sketch of the " History of the
Brethren Church," there should be one chap-
ter especially devoted to the Mother Congre-
gation at Germantown. The name of Ger-
mantown has a universal charm and interest to all those
who have any knowledge of or taste for the historical
accounts of the settlement of Pennsylvania. Many his-
torians have delighted themselves, in the true spirit of
investigation, to make extensive research in order to con-
firm the important facts of the settlement of Germantown,
and present the many interesting phases of its more than
two hundred years of history. Others have contented
themselves with garbling from the general legendary ac-
counts of common folk-lore, or have joined the general
squabble of arguing on controverted points of minor im-
portance. Dr. Oswald Seidensticker, who died a few
years ago, has written most interestingly on his profound
investigations of early German life in America. Mr.
(113)
ii4
The German Baptist Brethren,
^ & kj
History of the Brethren. 115
Julius F. Sachse, in his German Pietists and other his-
toric studies, has written in a most interesting manner of dif-
ferent phases of Germantown history. By far the most
learned and exhaustive treatise on the Settlement of
Germantown ever written, was that by Hon. Samuel W.
Pennypacker as published in the Pennsylvania- German
Society's Annual of 1898. The Judge has spent years in
the most profound research of all historical matter of
many countries and languages, that would throw any light
on the beginning of German emigration and the settle-
ment of Germantown in 1683. As the history of this old
town is interesting, so also is the history of the mother
congregation that has been in existence here for one hun-
dred and seventy-seven years. There is a large amount
of historical matter bearing on the Germantown church,
directly or indirectly ; but it has become much scattered
years ago by careless or unfaithful custodians, and much
of it being now in the hands of private individuals, it is
difficult to collect and confirm the necessary facts for a
much-needed reliable account.
There is still a wealth of good material, and of sufficient
magnitude, to make a large volume of history ; but he who
will write the "History of the Brethren Church of Ger-
mantown," to be worthy of his subject, must be diligent
and energetic in his researches, and must be withal a
thoughtful and painstaking student. There is considerable
material lying on the surface, as is always the case, that
passes current as history, and yet is entirely worthless to
the reliable historian until confirmed by careful study and
research. It would seem that in this respect Germantown
has been singularly unfortunate in its experience of being
at the mercy of the unscrupulous historian.
In the scope of this chapter I cannot devote any space
n6 The German Baptist Brethren,
in useless arguments in trying to settle controverted points ;
but I shall confine myself largely to the presentation of the
two following lines of thought :
i . I shall present some studies in original research, which
may correct some misstatements of would-be historians ;
and,
2. I shall aim to record some important facts and events,
that are unrecorded at present, or else too briefly recorded
to be intelligent. I regret very much that I cannot devote
a liberal space to biographies of the prominent men that
have made the history of the Germantown church what it
is — so full of earnest Christian devotion and noble deeds
in the spirit of self-sacrifice.
History of the Present Location of the
Congregation.
It will be manifestly of interest to know something of
the history of the ground where the congregation is at
present located, and when and how possession was secured.
But it is necessary to give the facts in regard to this matter,
for the additional reason that there have been some false
and misleading statements made regarding the history.
These statements are copied again and again, apparently
without any attempt being made to know the facts, when
>x*
K?Sf*» fftv*n*f*t
the records of the office of the Recorder of Deeds are at
all times accessible to all who care to investigate. The
usual reference is made that Johannes Pettikoffer received
the ground as a gift, from one Peter Schilbert ; and
Leasehold of the Brethren. 117
then some add that Schilbert had much difficulty in
gaining possession of the land again, when Pettikoffer
went to Ephrata, as he did in 1739. Now all this is sheer
nonsense, and is the absolute creation of somebody's fancy.
The evidence of ownership will be presented in each case
in regular order. It will be sufficient for the present study
to begin with the ownership of Peter Shoemaker. I have
before me the original parchment papers,1 consisting of the
lease for one year, and the deed issued the next day, which
indicates the transfer from Shoemaker to Pettikoffer. This
lease is a strip of real parchment thirty and a half inches
long and four and a half inches wide. The deed is twenty-
three and a half inches long and eleven and a half inches
wide. I quote from the deed as follows: "THIS IN-
DENTURE made the fourth day of August In the year of
our Lord One-thousand seven-hundred and thirty-one BE-
TWEEN Peter Shoemaker of Germantown in the county
of Philadelphia in the province of Pensilvania, Turner, &
Margret his wife of the one part And Johane Pettenkoven
[Johannes Pettikoffer] of Germantown aforesd Stocking-
knitter of the other part WITNESSETH that thesd Peter
Shoemaker & Margret his wife for & in consideration of
the sum of five Pounds & five shillings lawful money of
Pensilvania to them in hand paid by thesd Johanes Petten-
koven The receipt whereof they do hereby acknowledge
& thereof do fully acquit & forever discharge thesd Johanes
Pettenkoven his heirs & assigns by these presents HAVE
Granted Bargained Sold Aliened Enfeoffed Released &
Confirmed And by these present DO Grant Bargain Sell
Alien Enfeoff Release & Confirm unto thesd Johanes Pet-
tenkoven (In his actual possession now being by Vertue of
one Indenture of Bargain & Sale to him thereof made by
1 The property of the Brethren church.
n8 The German Baptist Brethren.
them thesd Peter Shoemaker & Margret his wife for one
whole year bearing Date the day before the date hereof &
by force of the Statute made for transfering uses into pos-
session) And to his heirs & assigns A CERTAIN Piece
parcel of Land Situate lying & being in the Adjacent side-
land of thesd Germantovvn Beginning at a stone by the
North East Side of the high way leading from thesd Ger-
mantovvn to North Wales being also a Corner of Johanes
Mock's land thence by the Same & other land North East
forty perches to a post set for a Corner thence North West
two perches Eight foot & three inches to a post set for a
Corner thence by thesd Peter Shoemaker his land South
West forty Perches to a stone set for a Corner by thesd
highway & by thesd Highway South fifteen degrees East
two perches Eight foot & five inches to the place of Be-
gining Containing a Half acre & twenty perches of land
TOGETHER with all & singular the buildings Woods
Underwoods Meadows Ways Waters Watercouses fishings
fowlings hawkings huntings Rights Liberties priveledges
Improvements Hereditaments & appurtenances whatsoever
thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining And the
Reversions & Remainders Rents Isues & profits thereof
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD thesd Piece or parcel of
Land Hereditaments & premises hereby granted & Re-
leased or Mentioned so to be with their appurtenances unto
thesd Johanes Pettenkoven his heirs and assigns TO the
only proper use & behoof of him thesd Johanes Petten-
koven his heirs & assigns forever."
Then follows the usual condition of the " yearly rent
of a half-penny " ; the usual "warrant"; and after that
the declaration of rightful ownership, to show the right
to transfer. I have quoted about one-third, so much indi-
Leasehold of the Brethren, 119
cates the usual amount of specific detail and legal wordi-
ness.
Signed by
Witnessed by
Henry Pastorius.
On the reverse side of the deed, is the receipt in which
Shoemaker acknowledges having received of Pettikoffer the
full amount of five pounds and five shillings as the purchase
money mentioned within. It will be seen by the claim of
this deed, that Pettikoffer paid a fair price for his half acre,
considering that it was nearly half a mile out of the settle-
ment of Germantown as it then was, and that altogether
the settlement had not more than twenty houses. He paid
at the rate of ten pounds, or fifty dollars, per acre, en-
tirely unimproved. These original papers should be suf-
ficient testimony to prove that Johannes Pettikoffer did,
on August 4, 1 73 1, acquire title to his half acre from Peter
Shoemaker. But to the unscrupulous historian, it does
not make much difference whether he says Peter Schilbert
or Peter Shoemaker.
This strip of ground now described as forty rods long
and two rods and eight feet wide is the north half of the
present church property, or the part on which the church
buildings are located. The year preceding, or 1730,
Peter Shoemaker sold to Johannes Mack, located immedi-
120 The German Baptist Brethren.
ately to the south of this, a strip twenty-one perches long
and four perches wide, also a half acre, at two pounds and
ten shillings. A part of this strip now forms the south
-itA'.
& 4Uk+XV*f ATUtji
half of the church property, or the part on which the par-
sonage is located. It will be noticed by the foregoing
that Mack paid just half as much for his half acre, as
Pettikoffer did for his half.
The deed is signed as follows :
er-
Witnesses
John Gorgas,
his
Henery X Fridrick,
mark
Richard Robb.
On the twenty-second day of August, 1739, Johannes
Pettikoffer and Ann Elizabeth, his wife, sold the half acre,
THE GERMAN BAPTIST BRETHREN.
J, F. SACHSE, PHILA,
ANCIENT SEALS ON DEEDS
AND DOCUMENTS OF THE QERHANTOWN CHURCH.
Leasehold of the Brethren, 121
together with the house he had built upon it, to Johannes
Mack and Andreas Bonney, for the sum of sixty-five
pounds, each of the two holding a half interest. This
house was built in 1732, and because of its importance in
later years, we shall give some description of its interest-
ing history and notice it hereafter as the * * Pettikoff er
House." It will be noticed, that whereas he had paid for
the ground five pounds and five shillings, he now receives
on his sale sixty-five pounds, thus valuing his improve-
ments at fifty-nine pounds and fifteen shillings.
It thus appears that there is no documentary evidence to
sustain the old fable that Pettikoffer received the lot as a
gift and then begged the money to build the house.
Because of the importance of several statements, I quote
at some length from the following deed : " THIS INDEN-
TURE made the twentyeth day of July in the year of our
Lord one-thousand seven hundred and forty-two BE-
TWEEN John Mack of Germantown and the county of
Philadelphia, Stocking-weaver, and Margrett his wife of
the one part and Peter Shilbert of Germantown aforesaid
yeoman of the other part WHEREAS an Indenture made
the twenty-second day of August one-thousand seven-hun-
dred thirty-nine between Johannes Petenkoven of German-
town aforesaid stocking-knitter and Ann Elizabeth his wife
of the one part and the said John Mack and one Andreas
Bonney of the other part the said Johannes Petenkoven
and Ann Elizabeth his wife for the consideration therein
mentioned did grant release and confirm unto the said John
Mack and Andreas Bonney A CERTAIN messuage or
tenement and piece or parcel of land thereunto belonging
situate in the adjacent Side Land of Germantown aforesaid
containing by Computation half an Acre and twenty
perches of Land to hold the one full equal and undivided
122 The German Baftist Brethren.
moiety thereof unto the said John Mack his heirs and
Assigns forever and to hold the other full equal and un-
divided moiety thereof unto the said Andreas Bonney his
heirs and assigns forever Under the yearly Rent of one
half penny lawful money of Pennsylvania payable to Peter
Shoemaker his heirs and assigns As in and by the said
recited Indenture Relation thereunto had appears AND
WHEREAS the said Andreas Bonney did make his last
will and Testament in writing bearing Date on or about
the sixth Day of October one-thousand seven-hundred
forty-one and therein and thereby devised in these words
or to the Effect following viz. : * And I leave unto the said
John Mack and to his heirs forever the house and lot
whereon I now dwell (being the same Messuage) for the
consideration of twenty-nine pounds ten shillings money of
Pennsylvania with full power to keep or sell the same at
his pleasure and if the same John Mack should sell the
same house and lot to any person or persons I give him
full power and authority to sign seal and deliver deed or
deeds of sale to the purchaser for the same according to law '
as in and by the same last will and Testament duly proved
and entered in the Register General's Office at Philadel-
phia Relation thereuntohad appears NOW THIS IN-
DENTURE WITNESSETH that the said John Mack
and Margrett his wife for and in consideration of the sum
of seventy-three pounds lawful money of Pennsylvania to
them in hand paid by the said Peter Shilbert HAVE
granted bargained sold released and confirmed and by
these presents do grant bargain sell release and confirm
Leasehold of the Brethren, 123
unto the said Peter Shilbert and to his
heirs and Assigns, etc."
This deed also declares the sale of a small triangle that
is required to give a half interest in the well of water on
the south side. The deed is signed by John Mack and his
wife, and Richard Robb is the witness to the transaction.
There are several points of interest in regard to valua-
tion and occupancy that might be noted in this connection.
While Pettikoffer had paid five pounds and five shillings
for the half acre lot without improvements, he sold the
same lot with the house he had built for the sum of sixty-
five pounds in 1739. It will be noticed that Bonney willed
his half to Mack in 1741, twenty-nine pounds and ten
shillings, or at the rate of fifty-nine pounds for the entire
property, which was just fifteen shillings less than the dif-
ference between Pettikoffer's buying and selling price, or
the value of the house alone. It will be noticed further
that Mack sold to Shilbert for the consideration of seventy-
three pounds, which was a considerable advance, but which
included a half interest in the well. This deed is inter-
esting in the next place because it tells us who occupied
the house after Pettikoffer left it in 1739. It seems that
when Pettikoffer sold and moved to Ephrata, Bonney took
possession of the newly acquired premises in which he had
half interest, or at any rate we find him in possession
October 6, 1741, when he made his will, for he says,
" the house and lot whereon I now dwell (being the same
messuage)." Thus, instead of Shilbert being the origi-
nal owner and giving this lot to Pettikoffer, as some ac-
counts say, the ownership, as we have clearly proved,
runs as follows : Peter Shoemaker, Johannes Pettikoffer,
John Mack and Andrew Bonney, John Mack, Peter Shil-
bert; and all these changes in the eleven years from 1731
to 1742.
124 The German Baptist Brethren.
It seems to have been the intention of Peter Shilbert to
present this half acre to the Brethren congregation, but he
died with the property legally in his possession. After
some years of delay, this was finally accomplished, as
will be seen by the quotation that follows. This deed was
issued on the eleventh day of August, 1760. After trac-
ing the ownership from Shoemaker to Shilbert, and giv-
ing a description of the half acre, and also of two small
triangles, the deed continues with the following recital :
" AND WHEREAS The said Peter Shilbert dying (in ef-
fect) Intestate Possessed of the said Messuage and three
pieces of Land & premises (He having Made only a Nun-
cupative Will) The Right of the inheritance of his Said
Possessions Depending Legally unto Johanna Hoech the
wife of Bastian Hoech which Johanna being the only Issue
and Heir of Abraham Shilbert who was the Brother and
Heir at Law of the Said Peter Shilbert AND the said Bas-
tian Hoech and Johanna his wife in and by a Certain Deed
Roll or writing under their Hands and Seals bearing date
the Twenty sixth day of August Ao : Di : 1746 did for the
consideration therein Mentioned (among other lands of
which the said Peter Shilbert died Possessed of) grant and
Convey the said Messuage and three pieces of Land (by
the name of the little place and House near Germantown)
unto the said Theobold Endt and Hennery Slingloff in ffee
NOW THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH That the
said Theobald Endt and Henery Slingloff For and in Con-
sideration of the sum of Ten Pound Lawfull money of
Pennsylvania to them in hand paid by the said Alexan-
der Mack Christopher Sower Peter Libert and George
Schriber the Receipt whereof is hereby Acknowledged
HAVE granted bargained Sol Released and Confirmed
and by these presents DO grant bargain sell Release and
Leasehold of the Brethren. 125
Confirm unto the said Alexander Mack Christopher Sower
Peter Libert and George Schriber and to their Heirs and
assigns the said Messuage and above described three peices
or parcels of Land thereunto belonging, etc." The deed
closes with usual provision for paying the yearly half penny
rent and the proper Warrant, and Theobald Endt and
Henry Slingloff dispose of the property which they had
held for the term of fourteen years.
It is not difficult to see now what was the intention, when
it is noted that the four men to whom the property was
deeded, were four of the principal men of the Brethren
congregation. These four men were simply four trustees,
to hold the property " in trust " ; and on the day following,
they published a Declaration of Trust. In the opening
part of this Declaration, Alexander Mack, Christopher
Sower, Peter Libert and George Schriber, formally ac-
knowledge having received the property from Theobald
Endt and Henry Slingloff ; and then the important docu-
ment continues as follows: "NOW KNOW YE that
the said Alexander Mack, Christopher Sower, Peter Lib-
ert and George Schriber do hereby acknowledge and de-
clare that the said Messuage or Tenement and three peices
of Land or ground was so as aforesaid granted unto them
in Trust nevertheless by the direction and at the appoint-
ment of the persons who are members of the Religious
Society or Community of the people called Dutch (Ger-
man) Baptists and belonging to the Meeting of that Peo-
ple in or near Germantown aforsd To the intent only that
they the said Alexander Mack, Christopher Sower, Peter
Libert and George Schriber and such or so many of them
as Shall be and continue in Unity and Religious Fellow-
ship with the Said People and remain members of said
Meeting whereunto they do now belong Shall stand and
126 The Gcr?na?i Baptist Brethren.
be Seized of the said Messuage or Tenement three peices
or parcels of Land or ground & premises So Conveyed to
them as before recited To the use and intents hereinafter
Mentioned and declared and under the Conditions & Re-
strictions hereinafter limited & Restricted and to no other
use or purpose whatsoever, That is to say, One Room in
the said Messuage to be made use of for a Meeting place
of the said People living at or near Germantovvn aforsaid
and for such other as the said Community may think proper
to admit thereto The which Room May be improved or
enlarged for the better convenience of the said Meeting at
the discretion of the said Community in such Manner as
they may think Meet AND one Room and kitchen of the
sade Messuage to be made use of for a dwelling place for
some Widow woman of the Said Society or Community
to live in Rent free and that the said Society or Commu-
nity Shall & do keep the said Messuage or Tenement
& peices or parcels of Land or ground in repair from
time to time Towards the Charge of which they are
to have the use Rents Issues & Profits which may ac-
crue or arise yearly from the remaining part of the prem-
ises PROVIDED always nevertheless that if it should
so happen that a Regular Society & Community of the
said People Should cease to be kept up at & near German-
town and that they should decline ;holding up their Said
Meeting That then and in such case it Shall & may be
Lawfull for the said Alexander Mack Christopher Sower
Peter Libert and George Schriber or the Survivors or Sur-
vivor of them in the said Trust To sell and Dispose of the
said Messuage or Tenement three pieces or parcels of
Land or ground & premises and to make & execute a ffee
Simple Deed of Conveyance for the Same to the purchaser
And the money arising by Such Sale to Distribute (chiefly
Leasehold of the Brethren. 127
or mostly) to & amongst the Poor belonging to the said
Society in or near Germantown aforsd (not exempting the
poor of other Societies from Some part thereof) and to be as-
sisted in Making the said Distribution by & with the ad-
vice & consent of the Elders & other Discreet persons of
the Same Society holding Community and keeping a regu-
lar Meeting at the next or nearest place to Germantown
aforsaid To which Meeting the accounts of such Distribu-
tion Shall be made & Submitted PROVIDED also that
neither the said Alexander Mack Christopher Sower Peter
Libert & George Schriber nor any of them Nor any person
or persons Succeeding them in this Trust Who Shall be
declared by the Members of the Said Society for the time
being to be our of unity or Church fellowship with them
Shall be capable to execute this Trust or stand seized
thereof to the uses aforsaid Nor have any Right or Interest
in the premises or any part thereof whilest they or any of
them Shall So remain BUT that in all such cases as also
when any of them or others Succeeding them in the Trust
aforsaid Shall happen to Depart this life Then it Shall &
may be Lawfull to and for the said Members as often as
occasion Shall require to make choice of others to Mannage
the said Trust and to execute the Same instead of those or
Such as Shall so fall away and be out of unity with the
said People called Dutch (German) Baptists or depart this
life, etc." The Declaration further contains the provision
that the said Trustees shall assign their Trust to other
Trustees whenever asked to do so by the congregation ;
and also contains the acknowledgment that they act simply
as Trustees and in no other capacity whatsoever.
The Pettikoffer house is getting interesting in its history.
By the above quotation it is clearly set forth that one room
of the Pettikoffer house was duly set apart and devoted
128
The German Baptist Brethren,
Old Folks' Home, 129
by the congregation of the Brethren for religious worship ;
and we know from many proofs that they so continued to
worship in the said house until July 8, 1770, when their
new meeting-house was dedicated, or for a period of ten
years. It is altogether likely, however, that during the
period of holding services from house to house, meetings
were frequently held in the Pettikoffer house, as well as
others in the immediate vicinity. For we do know that
prior to the year 1760, a number of members had settled
in the neighborhood.
The Old Folks' Home.
While the said Declaration of Trust tells us of the reg-
ular and permanent meeting-place, it also tells in a very
interesting manner how one room and the kitchen were set
apart for some widow to dwell " rent free " ; thus showing
how early the Brethren thought of making special provis-
ion and providing a home for the " widows and fatherless."
I know of no instance where any other denomination made
a similar public provision for its widowed poor, at so early
a date. The history of this Home is interesting. While
it is probably true that in a few years the congregation so
increased that perhaps the entire house was needed for
purposes of worship, we do know that when the new stone
meeting-house was dedicated in 1770, the Pettikoffer house
was set apart anew for the comfort of the widows, and it
remained such a home until 1861, or a period of 101 years
from the time it was first set apart. There are many peo-
ple living to-day who remember the place well as the
" Widows' Home." I am indebted to Charles M. Benson,
of Germantown, and also Rachel Douglass Wise, of
Philadelphia, for facts that enable me to describe the Pet-
tikoffer house as it appeared fifty years ago. The main
130 The German Baptist Brethren.
part of the house was about twenty feet long by sixteen
feet wide, built of logs, with frame gables, and shingle
roof. The house fronted south, with gables east and
west. The spaces between the logs were chinked and plas-
tered, and the entire house whitewashed. It had a good
cellar, with an outside trapdoor, which was located be-
tween the pavement and the outside door leading into the
east room. There were four windows and one outside
door. There were two windows in the west gable towards
y£tyS 4**J*»~>
y**/h*
&
the street, one upstairs and one downstairs. Then there
were two additional windows in the west room, one on the
north and one on the south side. There were two rooms
upstairs and two rooms downstairs. At the east end of the
east room, there was a large fireplace which was in con-
stant use from 1852 until the time the house was taken
down in December, 1861, so my informer tells me. The
meeting-room was the west one, well lighted with three
windows. The ceilings were of good height. The house
was still in good condition in 1861, when it was torn
down, after such an interesting history of one hundred and
thirty years.
Immediately to the rear of the above-described house
there stood many years ago a good-sized frame building,
whose history I have not been able to unravel. Many
suggestions have been made of its probable history, but I
have been unable to confirm anything so that I can safely
regard it as history. I hope the future may yet reveal the
purpose of this ancient structure.
Brethren *s Sanctuary \ 131
The Old Church.
N this same half acre that we have been con-
sidering, or the northern half of the church
grounds, are located the church buildings,
consisting of the old, which was built, as stated
before, in the year 1770, and the new, built in
1896-1897. It is interesting to note the completeness of
this old building, considering the time at which it was
built. Not only was it complete in its appointment, but it
was substantially built, as may be noted from the fact that
it is still standing and from the additional fact that it is
still doing good service and in most excellent state of
preservation. It is thirty feet square, built of stone ; the
walls are eighteen inches thick. There was a large well-
appointed basement, under the entire building, of good
height, where there was a large fireplace for cooking and
making the necessary preparation for lovefeast occasions.
In the corner, near the fireplace, is a large flat stone built
into the wall. This stone was hollowed out trough-like, and
on it the waste water was poured to drain out of the build-
ing. The floor in the audience-room is characteristic and
interesting. It is yellow pine, very hard and full of pitch.
The boards were carefully selected, almost every board
has a heart in it, consequently there are no sap boards, and
there has been no decay in all these years. But there is
another reason why the floor boards are neither decayed
nor worm-eaten. The floor rests on a bed of mortar, which
is supported by a layer of split oak lath. The distinguish-
ing mark of the hand-made nails (long narrow heads),
is visible in every board. About twenty-five years ago,
the audience-room was remodeled, the windows were
arched, the ceiling was raised and new seats put in.
132 The German Baptist Brethren.
Formerly the ceiling was about eight feet high, plastered
and whitewashed ; and a heavy wooden girder, supported
by two posts, was visible. There was a large loft, very
roomy and well-lighted, supplied by four windows, two in
either gable. It seems to have been built and arranged
for some special purpose, perhaps largely unknown at this
time. There was an outside entrance to this loft, making
access easy, and without disturbing in any way, or enter-
ing, the audience-room. Many years ago, this front gable
was rough-cast, covering up all traces of this loft-door and
windows, and all knowledge of them seems to have been
lost until three years ago when we restored this front.
Upon removing the rough-cast, there were the distinct out-
lines of the door and windows visible. At this time I made
the following measurements : The door was four feet,
three inches wide and six feet, six inches high, a very large
door, if it was a single door. The windows were three
feet, two inches wide and four feet, six inches high. This
loft seems to have been extensively used for storing the un-
bound sheets of publications that required months to run
through the press. It is said that Christopher Sower so
occupied the place, with his third edition of the Bible, in
1777, and that the unbound sheets were confiscated by the
British soldiers, and used for gun-wads and for bedding their
cavalry horses. The old meeting-house is still in constant
use — being open on Sunday, for the Sunday-school ser-
vices, and on Thursday evenings, for the prayer-meeting.
The council and business meetings are also held here.
The south half of the church grounds needs to have a
brief account in this connection. The church came into
possession of this portion many years after acquiring title
to the north half. It was noted in the early part of this
chapter that this part was purchased from Peter Shoe-
Johannes Mack. 133
maker in 1730 by Johannes Mack. On the twenty-ninth
day of August, 1751, Johannes Mack and Margaretha,
his wife, sold the same to Christopher Sower, and we are
informed that the place consisted of " two Messuages or
Tenements and seventy-eight perches of ground." On
the twenty- fourth day of September, 1753, Christopher
oiAj&iouA
Sower and Catharina, his wife, sold the same to Philip
Weaver, for the sum of sixty pounds. On the eighteenth
day of March, 1796, John Weaver, Philip Weaver and
Susanna Keyser, three children and heirs of the above
Philip Weaver, deeded the property to Abraham Keyser,
for the sum of four hundred pounds ; and on the following
day, the said Abraham Keyser deeded the same, for the
same amount, to Philip Weaver, one of the sons and heirs
^j^ ^
IPrt^^+t"
of the first above mentioned Philip Weaver. On the
fourth day of April, 1804, Philip Weaver and his wife,
Ann, sold the same to the Trustees of the Brethren con-
gregation, for the consideration of four hundred and thirty
pounds. On it was located the present parsonage, which
the first Philip Weaver erected as his dwelling in 1756.
J34
The German Baptist Brethren.
The Weaver Log-House.
IMMEDIATELY to the rear of the parsonage
there stood for many years an ancient-looking
house, which was frequently known as the
" Weaver Log-house," and which he had oc-
cupied before building his spacious stone
house. But by whom it was built and when, is now an open
question, for the deed of 175 1 informs us there were then two
houses. This log-house was an interesting old house, at
any rate, and stood until January, 187 1. It was built of
logs, as intimated, and was covered with tile. The roof
was high and very steep, and presented a very striking
appearance. The building was about eighteen or twenty
feet square, and had but one room upstairs, and one room
down. There were no windows upstairs. There were
two windows down, and there was one door. In the west
part of the room there was a large bakeoven, with the
opening from the outside. There were a large chimney
and fireplace. In its latter years, this house did service
only as a summer kitchen, but it was still in fair condition
when it was removed, after serving at least five genera-
tions of the Weaver family.
A Select School.
HE parsonage just referred to is now one hun-
dred and forty-four years old, and has been
the property of the congregation for ninety-
six years ; and yet, strange to say, it was
never occupied by the pastor or minister, until
the present pastor occupied it seven years ago. Its history
as a parsonage is therefore short and not very important, and
yet memorable to a few people. Your humble servant will
§ » o
c ^
Co
A Select School. 135
look back with interest, and remember the cozy old stone
house as the place where he wrote this sketch and where
he prepared more than seven hundred and fifty sermons.
The family can well look back to the place where seven
enjoyable years were spent. To two people the place will
be doubly interesting — two little people, five and two years
old, Alexander Mack and Esther Eva. Some day they
may be much interested in the fact that they were born in
the old parsonage at Germantown. But the place has
history and plenty of it ; and many an aged person sitting
in silent meditation in the closing years of their lives, and
reviewing the years of their childhood, will remember with
pleasure the school days spent in this old house. This
school opened more than seventy-five years ago, continued
for many years, and was presided over by a sweet-faced
woman, a member of the congregation. The schoolroom
was about fifteen by twenty-five feet, and had at times
seventy scholars. The teacher was Susanna Douglass,
and in addition to the regular school curriculum she taught
sewing, knitting and fancy work. Her daughter, Rachel
Douglass Wise, is still living in Philadelphia, at the age of
eighty-eight years. Upon a certain occasion, the mother
went to visit her sisters in Virginia, going by boat, as the
only means of travel, and remained six weeks. During
this time the daughter, Rachel, then fifteen years of age,
taught the school. She used to rise at four o'clock in the
morning to set the copy-books. Many, in their latter days,
are delighted to see their schoolroom once more. This
schoolroom is now occupied by the pastor's study and the
dining-room.
These are a few short chapters of the unwritten history
of the Germantown church, and there are others to be
written.
136 The German Baptist Brethren.
The Cemetery.
HE cemetery is a very interesting place. So
far as grave-stones indicate, the first burial
took place in 1797. Nearly all the old fami-
lies of Germantown are represented, and in
some cases many of the same family and sev-
eral generations. In a few cases five and six generations
are buried. Among the ministers buried here are the fol-
lowing : Alexander Mack, Sr., Alexander Mack, Jr., Peter
Leibert, Peter Keyser, Christian Van Laushett, John Van
Laushett, Jacob Spanogle, Christian Custer, John W. Price,
Amos Cowell and others.
Among other noted persons buried here may be named
Miss Harriet Livermore, in an unmarked grave ; the woman
who prayed in our National Congress in 1832, the " Evan-
gelist," "The Guest" of Whittier's Snow Bound, the
"Pilgrim Wanderer" in the Holy Land and in Egypt,
the " Watcher" on Mt. Sinai in the immediate expectation
of the coming of Christ. After she had wandered all over
the world, her tired body was laid to rest in this beautiful
God's acre, in the midst of these historic surroundings.
The cemetery is still much used as a burial place, and
is an ideal little spot. Everything pertaining to it receives
constant attention and care, and everything is in good con-
dition.
Alexander Mack, Jr.
HAVE briefly traced some outlines of the
history of the Brethren congregation at Ger-
mantown, and have spoken of a few of the
now historic surroundings. It is perhaps about
as much as should be said in a sketch of this
character. When a history of this congregation is written in
C 2
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List of Baftisms. 137
full, much space needs to be devoted to Alexander Mack,
Jr., and I think I cannot close this part without a few state-
ments. It will be remembered that in the Koch excitement
and exodus in 1739, he went to Ephrata. In the course of
a few years, however, he returned to Germantown and was
destined to become his father's eminent successor. He
was probably elected to the ministry in 1748 ; and in 1749
he was ordained Bishop of the Germantown congregation.
It is strange that the work of this man is so little known.
He was a man of great energy and far-reaching influence.
He was the most eminent man, beyond doubt, that the
Brethren church has ever had in America, considering the
times and circumstances of his eventful life. He was an
able man as a preacher and counselor in church work. He
was well known and greatly beloved all over the church.
He was a gifted hymn-writer, and wrote much in defense
of the church doctrines. For more than half a century, he
served the church ably and faithfully. His work in organ-
izing congregations and ordaining elders was very exten-
sive. His life was a great blessing to many and was full
of good deeds. He died at the ripe age of 91 years, 1 month
and 20 days.
Some of the baptisms performed by Alexander Mack,
Jr., at Germantown, after the year 1766 :
1766. — May 15, Margretta Hartzbach.
" October 3, Nathaniel Schrieber.
u October 17, Henry Schlingluft, Jr., Catharine
Schlingluft, Dorothea Fox.
138 The German Baptist Brethren.
1767. — July 12, Charles Lang.
44 August 7, Anna B. Van Lashett and Elizabeth Schling-
luff.
44 August 16, Jacob Bauman and Maria Barbara, his
wife.
11 October 2, Conrad Good, William Spira and Maria
Spira.
1768. — March 27, Christina Schlungluff, Jr.
" September 25, Hannah Stamm.
1769. — May 14, Sarah Baker.
44 July 27> Christopher Saur, Jr.
44 September 3, Michael Keyser, Sarah^JV^ack and
. Susanna Baker.
44 /October 5, Peter Keyser and Hannah, his wife, Henry
Sharpnack and Sarah, his wife, John Schlingluff,
Conrad Stamm, Maria Fendt, Elizabeth Raab.
1770. — September 2, John Weber, William Leibert, Dirock
Keyser and Rachel, his wife.
44 September 30, Julius Roberly and Appolonia, his wife.
1 77 1. — May 19, Thomas Langstroth and Catherine, his wife,
Hannah Mack, Hannah Stier.
44 September 8, John Kaempfer.
44 November 10, Rudolph Harley and Barbara, his wife,
John Harley and Margaretta, his wife, Ulrick Stouf-
fer and Hannah, his wife.
1772. — April 19, Michael Corbit, Garehart Clemens and
Gertrude, his wife, Jacob Landis and Maria, his wife.
1773. — January 4, John Prisz.
44 January 20, Phillipina Vernon.
1774. — March 27, Edmund Langstroth.
44 May 12, Edward Bright and Elizabeth, his wife, Eliza-
beth Painter, Ruth Silence.
" July 3, Cornelius Neisz, William Heisler, David
Meredith, Jacob Raab, George Duke, John Leibert,
Anna Leibert, Susanna Hinckle, Hannah Knorr,
Lydia Keyser, Catherine Bauman.
List of Baptisms. 139
1774. — October 16, William Prisz and Susanna Knorr.
Here occurs a break in the records for the period of
nine years.
1783. — October 20, Susanna Weaver, John Weaver's wife,
and Catherine Keyser, Michael Keyser's wife.
1785. — March 6, Emanuel Fox and his wife, Margarett, Jacob
Zigler and Lydia Kulp. I very much regret that
I cannot present a complete list of his baptisms,
but it has been impossible to confirm a part of the
list. There is no complete record extant.
The following is a partial list of baptisms by Christopher
Sower :
1748. — November 3, Elizabeth Weiss, Catherine Buchmarin,
Susanna Miller.
1749. — April 2, Jacob Ganz.
1755. — May 18, Andrew Menichinger.
1758. — March 26, Uly Rinder and wife.
1 78 1. — July 15, George Becker and his wife, Catherine,
Nancy Becker, their daughter, Catherine, daughter
of Frederick Stamm.
1783. — November 6, Adam Weber.
1784. — June 10, Martin Urner and wife, Barbara Baugh.
When Christopher was dead and Alexander Mack was past
seventy-two years of age, the second Martin Urner baptized
some at Germantown, and the following is perhaps a complete
Jist:
1784. — August 15, Derick Keyser and his wife, Elizabeth,
and Susanna Weaver, Philip Weaver's daughter.
1785. — September 25, Nicholas Oliver, Benjamin Lehman,
and Peter Keyser, Jr.
1786. — September 14, Henry Rinker, William Keyser and
his wife, Barbara, Elizabeth Lehman and Mary
Heisler.
1788. — September 4, Charles Hubbs and his wife, Mary,
Catherine Clemens and Hannah, the daughter of
Derick Keyser.
140
The German Baptist Brethren,
Mack Family.1
1st Gen.
Date of Birth.
Place.
Date of Marriage.
Date of Death
Remarks.
Alexander
1679 Germany
1700
Germany
1735
<(
«<
1720
Anna Margaretha
Klingen.
2d Gen.
John Valentine
«(
(?) 173"
America
1755
•
<c
( ? ) i73i
11
8-II-1758
Maria Hildebrand
Mack.
John
<t
11
Sneider.
Alexander
1-28-1712
««
1- 1-1749
««
3-20-1803
Ordained, 1749.
Edwards.
9-25-x725
1- 1-1749
5- 6-1811
Elizabeth Nice ^
Mack.
3d Gen.
William
10-31-1741
11
10-13-1772
10-13-1772
(<
Blacksmith.
Agnes Gantz
Mack.
Anna Maria
10-29-1752
M
6- 6-1769
6- 6-1769
<(
4- 5-1770
Death in child-
birth.
Husband.
3 Sarah Marg.
12-23-1753
((
2- 2-1776
11
9- 8-1799
Baptized, 9-3-1769.
2-I7-I753
2- 2-1776
1-23-1822
Husband, Jacob
Zigler.
4 Hannah
9-10-1755
II
8-27-1775
<«
4- 6-1816
Baptized, 5-19-
1771.
Husband, Adam
1-20-1756
8-27-1775
8-30-1815
Weaver^
Alexander
1-18-1758
it
11
3-26-1760
Ljdia
1- 4-1761
it
1779
1779
7-I5-I788
<t
12-14-1785
Baptized, 3-6-1785.
Husband, Dielman
Kulp.
Husband, John
Lentz, Baker.
7 Elizabeth
5- 2-1763
((
"
5-29-1770
Died of smallpox.
8 Anna Marg.
7-31-1765
(I
8-22-1784
ii
5 -29-1838
Baptized, 3-6-1785.
1764
8-22-1784
3" 2-1833
Baptized, 3-6-1785.
Husband, Eman-
uel Fox.
1 Three generations of Alexander Mack's family, the third being Alexander Mack, Jr.'s, children.
^2*-uJL
APPENDIX.
HE brief sketch of the history of the Brethren
church having been presented, it will be of
interest to present a few subjects in the form
of an Appendix, such as the main points in
church doctrine, government, statistics, edu-
cational interests, missionary fields, etc.
Part A. Faith and Practice.
Elder D. L. Miller, editor of The Gospel Messenger >
the principal church paper, has compiled a twelve-page
pamphlet on "The Brethren," descriptive of "Faith and
Practice," etc. This pamphlet is issued as tract No. 42,
by the " General Missionary and Tract Committee," Elgin,
111. I make the following abstracts :
Introduction.
" The Brethren are a large body of Christians, whose faith and
practice are not generally known outside of their immediate
localities. The errors in the books that attempt to describe the
Brethren, as they call themselves, have been both numerous and
lamentable. Starting with Buck's ' Theological Works ' and
ending with the ponderous encyclopedias and standard diction-
(14 )
142 The German Baptist Brethren.
aries, error after error is found, and the faith and practice of the
church have been greatly misrepresented. The statements that
the Brethren are celibates, that they discourage marriage, that
they do not marry outside of their own fraternity, that they keep
the seventh day sabbath, that they live in communities, and other
similar errors, set forth in the books, always have been without
foundation. These misstatements, to be found in nearly all the
standard works, show a lack of care, in obtaining correct infor-
mation, that is far from commendable.
u Faith and Practice.
n The Brethren hold the Bible to be the inspired and infallible
Word of God, and accept the New Testament as their rule of
faith and practice. In the subtleties of speculative theology the
church takes but little interest. She is chiefly concerned in giv-
ing willing and cheerful obedience to the plain, simple com-
mandments of Christ Jesus. The Brethren are, in every respect,
evangelical in their faith. They believe in the Trinity, in the
divinity of Christ and of the Holy Spirit, and in future rewards
and punishments. Faith, repentance and baptism are held to be
conditions of salvation. These three constitute true evangelical
conversion, and upon them rests the promise of the forgiveness
of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost.
" Baptism.
11 Baptism is administered by trine immersion. After being
instructed in the principles of the Gospel, and having faithfully
promised to observe the same, the applicant is taken down into
the water, and, kneeling, reaffirms his faith in Christ and prom-
ises to live faithful until death. He is then baptized for the re-
mission of his sins, into the name of the Father, and of the Son
and of the Holy Ghost, the administrator immersing the appli-
cant face forward at the mention of each name in the Trinity.
The administrator then lays his hands on the head of the kneel-
ing candidate and offers a brief prayer on behalf of the one
baptized, and he rises to be greeted as a brother, with the right
Trine Immersion, 143
hand of fellowship and the kiss of love, to walk in newness of
life.
"The Brethren follow closely the practice of the apostolic
church, and admit none into fellowship until they have been
baptized. In the language of Peter to the Pentecostians they
tell all believers to c repent, and be baptized in the name
of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall re-
ceive the gift of the Holy Ghost.' Acts 2 : 38. Holding that
baptism is only for believers, and those who have repented, they
oppose infant baptism. Infants can neither believe nor repent,
hence they are not proper subjects for baptism. Christ having
sufficiently atoned for them, all children who die before coming
to a knowledge of good and evil will be saved.
11 In defense of trine immersion they hold that the great com-
mission, given by Christ, and recorded in Matt. 28:19, Revised
Version, 4 Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost,' teaches a three-fold action. As
there are three persons in the Trinity, each one of the Divine
Three is honored in this form of baptism. As the three Persons
constitute one God, and a belief in each of these one faith, so
the three dippings constitute one baptism. In favor of their
practice they have the testimony of all Greek scholars, who have
examined the subject, the practice of the entire Greek church,
and reliable history. These all show that trine immersion was
the almost universal mode of baptism for centuries succeed-
ing the apostolic age. Changes were gradually made from trine
immersion to sprinkling, but the church that made the change,
the Roman Catholic, still retains the three actions in applying
water to the candidate. Nearly all the Protestant churches that
practice sprinkling retain the same form, thus testifying to the
truth that the commission teaches a three-fold action in baptism.
Their baptism is accepted as valid by all religious denominations
of any note whatever.
144 The German Baptist Brethren.
" LOVEFEAST AND COMMUNION.
11 The Agape, or Feast of Love.
" The evening before his death, our Blessed Master, after hav-
ing washed his disciples' feet, ate a supper with them and insti-
tuted, in connection with this sacred meal, the communion — the
bread and cup. The apostles, led by the Holy Spirit, followed
the example of their Great Leader and introduced the agape into
the apostolic church. This feast of love, of which all the Chris-
tians partook, was a full meal, was eaten in the evening, and is
called by the apostle Paul the Lord's Supper. The communion
of the bread and wine was given in connection with this meal.
The lovefeast was kept up in the primitive church for four cen-
turies, but as the church grew in numbers and wealth, it lost its
first love and spirit of fraternity, and the feasts of love were dis-
continued. The Brethren, in their reformatory movement in
1708 restored these lovefeasts, and in this particular still follow
the example of Christ and the practice of the apostles and primi-
tive Christians, and keep the feast of love. A full meal is pre-
pared and placed upon tables, used for that purpose, in the
church, and all the members partake of the supper.
" Feet-washing.
11 Before eating supper, the religious rite of washing feet is
observed. Their authority for this practice is found in John 13 ;
1— 1 7. * He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments;
and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth
water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and
to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. * * *
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also
ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an ex-
ample, that ye should do as I have done to you.' The Brethren
do not stand alone in the practice of this rite. The Greek
church, with ninety million communicants, has adhered to feet-
washing, as she claims, ever since the days of the apostles, and
the patriarch of Jerusalem engages in feet-washing to-day near
the spot where Jesus himself gave the example and the precept.
The Communion. 145
*' In their practice of the ordinance of feet-washing at love-
feast occasions the Brethren follow very closely the example of
the Master. Water is poured into a basin, a brother girds him-
self with a towel and washes and wipes his brother's bared feet,
and in turn has his feet washed. The rite is in this way performed
over the entire congregation. The sisters wash the sisters' feet
and all the proprieties of the sexes are most rigidly observed. By
this ordinance the Gospel principle of humility is set forth and
by its observance all are placed on a common level. The
rich and poor stand alike together in the great Brotherhood es-
tablished by Christ.
iiThe Supper.
" After observing the ceremony of feet- washing, a blessing is
asked upon the simple meal spread on the tables, and it is eaten
with solemnity. It is held to be typical of the great supper at
the end of the world, when Christ Himself will be master of
ceremonies. The important lesson is taught that we are all
children of one common family, members of one common
brotherhood, having one common purpose in view, and the bond
of fraternity and loving fellowship is shown by eating together
this sacred meal as did Christ and His disciples and as did the
primitive Christians. At the conclusion of the meal thanks are
returned and then, as the members are seated around the table, the
right hand of fellowship and the kiss of charity are given. The
salutation of the kiss of love in worship and in customary greet-
ings, as enjoined by the apostles, is never observed between the
sexes.
iiThe Communion.
" The Communion is then administered. This consists in
partaking of the bread and wine in commemoration of the suf-
ferings and death of our adorable Redeemer. In the Lord's
Supper we are pointed forward to the evening of the world, to
the great reunion of the saints. In the communion we are
pointed back to the cross. The emblems are passed from hand
to hand by the brethren, while the officiating minister breaks the
146 The German Baptist Brethren,
bread and passes the cup to the sisters. After this a season of
earnest devotion follows, and then a hymn is sung and the services
are closed for the evening. Love-feasts are held in each congre-
gation usually once or twice each year, but as the members visit
from congregation to congregation, during the love-feast season,
they engage many times in this service during the year.
"Other Principles of Faith and Practice. Non-confor-
mity Principles.
81 Plainness,
88 The Brethren claim to be, and are in many respects, a
peculiar people. Plain dressing is taught and required, and a
general uniformity is observed, but this is regarded as a means
to an end. They believe that the New Testament teaches
plainness in attire, 1 Tim. 2:9, 10; 1 Pet. 3: 3, and that by a
general uniformity of habit, marked enough to distinguish the
church from the world, Gospel plainness may be made a living
fact instead of a dead letter, as it has become in many other
churches whose discipline strongly insists on plain dressing.
11 Non-litigant.
88 The Brethren are not allowed to go to law with one of their
own number, nor with others, without first asking the counsel of
the church, and it is rare indeed for a brother to be engaged in a
lawsuit. Among themselves differences are adjusted personally,
or by the church, in accordance with the Christian law of tres-
pass given by the Master. Matt. 18 : 15-20.
''''Non-resisting and Non-swearing.
"The Fraternity is strictly non-resistant, as well as non-liti-
gant. It is held that Christ is 4the Prince of Peace,' that His
Word is 8 The Gospel of Peace,' hence His servants can not
go to war and fight. * For the weapons of our warfare are
not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of
strongholds.' 2 Cor. 10:4. They take no active part in pol-
itics, and 'swear not at all.' If called upon to testify in
The Anointing. 147
the courts, they simply affirm, without raising the hand or kiss-
ing the Bible. In this they literally obey the command of Christ
who said, ' Swear not at all. But let your communication be,
Yea, yea ; Nay, nay : for whatsoever is more than these cometh
of evil.' Matt. 5:34-37.
u Secretism.
u No brother may become a member of any secret or oath-
bound society, the Brethren holding that the Gospel of Jesus
Christ is fully sufficient for all the wants of humanity. All the
converts who are identified with such orders are required to
sever their connection with them before they can be adopted
into the family of the Brotherhood.
" Marriage.
11 The Brethren hold that the marriage bond can only be dis-
solved by death. Divorce and remarriage are practically un-
known among the membership. It is held by some that those
who have been divorced for a violation of the sanctity of the
marriage vow and remarried before conversion, might be received
into church fellowship while their former companions were liv-
ing, but the rule has been against even this much leniency, and
they hold, with Paul, that the woman which hath a husband is
bound by law to her husband so long as he liveth : but if the
husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
Rom. 7 : 2.
" The Anointing.
"They, in compliance with the instruction of the apostle
James, 5 : 14, 15, anoint the sick with oil. This rite is admin-
istered only by the request of the sick. The elders are called
and the sick member is raised to a sitting posture. After the offi-
ciating elder applies the oil to the head three times, two elders
then lay their hands on the head of the sick, and offer a prayer
for the anointed one."
148 The German Baptist Brethren.
Temperance.
The positions of the Brethren church on the subject of
liquor and tobacco — on her temperance principles — are in-
dicated by the following brief, but clear, statement :
" On the question of temperance and prohibition the Brethren
have, for more than a century, given no uncertain testimony.
They are one of the oldest temperance organizations in the
United States. More than one hundred years ago a decision was
passed, forbidding any of the members to engage in the manu-
facture or sale of intoxicants. They forbid the use of all alco-
holic or malt liquors as a beverage, in public or private. They
request the members not even to have dealings with saloon
keepers. They discourage the use of tobacco, and the rule is
that no brother can be installed in office who uses tobacco without
making a promise to quit it. All applicants for baptism, who
are addicted to the tobacco habit, are advised to abstain from its
use before they are received into church fellowship."
Part B. Church Government.
On the subject of Church Organization and Church
Government, I quote the following from Eld. D. L. Miller,
on " Church Government."
''^Church Government.
" The Brethren have a republican form of church government.
Each congregation is independent in the management of its local
affairs, such as the election of deacons, ministers, elders, or
bishops, and in matters of local church discipline ; but is subject
to the entire Brotherhood through District and General Confer-
ences. A number of congregations, usually in the same State,
conveniently located, are formed into a District, and these hold
annual conferences, to which each congregation sends two dele-
gates, either lay-members, deacons, or ministers. Questions,
local to the District, are discussed and settled by the District
Conference, but those of a general character are sent to the
Church Government, 149
General Conference, or Annual Meeting, as it is commonly
called. This is also a delegated body. The Districts each elect
one delegate, who must be an elder, to serve on the Standing
Committee, and each congregation, with a membership of two
hundred or less, may elect one delegate. Congregations with a
larger membership may send two delegates. The delegates
may be selected from the laity or the church officials ; the
Standing Committee and delegates form the official body of the
Conference. Any member present may take part in the discus-
sion of questions, but the voting is confined to the delegates, two-
thirds of the votes cast being required for a decision.
11 The General Conference is also a great annual reunion for
the Brethren. They come together from all parts of the
Brotherhood, and it is not unusual for thousands of them to as-
semble at the place of meeting.
" The decisions of the Conference are to be adhered to by all
the members of the church. An examination of the book of
Minutes of the Annual Meeting shows that questions referring
to church doctrine rarely come before the Conference, proving
that there has been a firm adherence to the principles of the
Gospel, as originally adopted by the church. But the applica-
tion of those principles, in special cases, and the best means to
carry them into effect, have been subjects of frequent discussion
and decision by the Conference. The tendency of the Confer-
ence and the annual reunions is to unify the Brethren in all their
church work, and it is a fact that there is rarely found so large
a body of religious people so closely united on the doctrines and
principles to which they hold.
" Elders, ministers and deacons are elected by the church from
among her members, such as she may deem qualified for the
important work to which they are called. Each member, with-
out reference to sex, has a right to cast a vote. Ministers, after
giving full proof of their faithfulness and ability, are advanced
to the i second degree' of the ministry. They are then author-
ized to baptize, solemnize marriage, and make and fill appoint-
ment for preaching the Word. Elders, or bishops, who pre-
150 The German Baptist Brethren.
side over the congregations, are chosen from the ministers in the
second degree. No salaries are paid, but poor ministers, and
those who are sent out as missionaries, are properly supported."
Part C. Statistics.
The Brethren church has about 100,000 communicants
— of this number Pennsylvania has nearly 20,000. There
are 6,000 members east of the Susquehanna. While the
entire church emigrated to Pennsylvania, on being driven
out of Germany, this State always has had a larger
membership than any other. The rest of the membership
is widely scattered. There are a few small congregations
in New Jersey, a good membership in parts of Maryland,
Virginia and West Virginia. These are the principal set-
tlements on the Atlantic Coast. There are no congrega-
tions in New England, as may be expected from the dif-
ference of language in the first place. There is a mission
in Brooklyn, N. Y. There are a few organized churches
in North and South Carolina, and one in Georgia, and a
few in Florida. Because of the position of the church on
the question of slavery, there was little work in the South.
As is well known, the Brethren took an advance position
against slavery at a very early day. In 1797 the church
in Conference action abolished and prohibited slavery, and
if members still persisted in the unholy business, they were
expelled. This action was taken sixty-six years before
the nation abolished slavery. Of late years the work has
been spreading south somewhat. Leaving the Atlantic
Coast, we find the strongest States in membership to be the
following : Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas
and Nebraska. All the other States and Territories
throughout the Great West and Central portions, are repre-
sented in the membership. Reference to the mission fields
will indicate the membership in foreign countries.
Statistics. 151
The church has about 2,500 ministers in all departments
of her work. There are about 850 organized congrega-
tions, with about 1,100 church buildings.
Part D. Educational Interests.
I cannot in this connection trace the history and de-
velopment of the educational system as it exists to-day in
the Brethren church. It will be sufficient for the present
purpose to name the principal institutions, to show the ex-
tent and distribution of the work in the several States. The
following is a list of the institutions in existence to-day,
arranged chiefly in the order of their establishment :
I.
Juniata College,
Huntingdon,
Pa.
2.
Mt. Morris College,
Mt. Morris,
111.
3-
Lordsburg College,
Lordsburg,
Cal.
4-
McPherson College,
McPherson,
Kan.
5-
Manchester College,
North Manchester,
Ind.
6.
Bridgewater College,
Bridgewater,
Va.
7-
Fruitdale College,
Fruitdale,
Ala.
8.
Smithville Collegiate Institute,
Smithville,
Ohio,
9-
Maryland Collegiate Institute,
Union Bridge,
Md.
10.
Elizabethtown College,
Elizabethtown,
Pa.
In addition to these, there are several private institutes
and normal schools.
Part E. Missionary Fields and Foreign Work.
The General Missionary and Tract Committee controls
all the extensive publishing interests of the Church, located
at Elgin, 111., and the income of the said interests is de-
voted by the committee to Missionary Work at Home and
in Foreign Fields. The following list will indicate the
fields in foreign countries, as conducted for the Church :
152
The German Baptist Brethren.
Denmark, Sweden, France, Switzerland, Philadelphia and
Smyrna in Asia Minor, and India. All of these coun-
tries and places have organized churches. There are at
present six missionaries in India, and four more are to
sail this month. There is a large Orphanage maintained
in connection with the work in India, and this year the
Church has sent to that large field, $20,000 for the famine
sufferers.
The General Mission Board carries on work in many
fields at home. The publishing house, controlled by the
Missionary Committee, publishes the Gospel Messenger
(the principal organ of the Church), the Sunday-school
literature, various books and many tracts.
INDEX.
^PPENDIX 141
Arndt, Johann 13
Arnold, Gottfried 15
gECKER, Peter 23
leader 27
Becker, Peter, Missionary Tour . . 43
leader 73
Bermudian Church, History of . . 100
Members, in 1770 100
Beissel, Conrad,<baptized by Elder
Peter Becker 47
His History and Wanderings 53-56
At Conestoga 56
The Foundations of Monastic
Commune 56
His Companions leave 58
Fellowship in the Brethren
Church 58
The Congregation divided ... 59
Re-baptism and Separation . . 60
Character of his Doctrine ... 61
Boehme, Jacob 14
Bony, Andrew 20
Bony, Johanna 20
Brethren, Name 11, 12
Origin 12
Organization 17
The Baptism 20, 21, 22
First Members 20
Emigration to America .... 25
Persecution 26
Settlement 28
Gathering the First Fruits ... 31
Baptism and L,ove Feast . . . 31-38
Results 39
Missionary Tours 43
Second Emigration 51
Germantown Brethren 113
Industry 104
Faith and Practice 141
Statistics 150
I
QATH0I4C Church 13, 15
Codorus Church, History of . . 96
Members, in 1770 97
Conestoga Church, History of . 89-90
Members, in 1770 91
Conewago Church, little, History
of 97
Members, in 1770 98
Conewago Church 99
Members, in 1770 99
Coventry Church, History of. . 84-86
Members, in 1770 , 88
Ministers of 87
Crefeld 72
J)UBOIS, Abraham 23
life of 83
Dunker, see Brethren.
£CKERUN, Michael 23
Edwards, Morgan, Account of
Brethren Congregations, in 1770 . 102
Exodus from Germantown .... 78
pA^CKNER'S Swamp 28
Felbinger, Jeremias 15
Fetter, I,ucaa 20
Francke, August. Hermann .... 15
QANTZ, George B 23
Germany 12
Germantown 28, 29
Church, in 1770 81
Members 81
The Mother Church 113
History of the present location. 116
The Old Folks' Home 129
The Old Church 131
The Weaver I^og House . . . . 134
Select School 134
The Cemetery 136
Alexander Mack, Jr 136
Mack Family 140
53
i54
Index.
Graby, George 20
Greatswamp, in 1770 83
JJOCHMAN, Ernst Christoph . . 15
Holtzappel, Henry 23
INDUSTRIAL Ufe 104
Industries 106, 107
Introduction 9
gALKLOSER, J. H 23
Kipping, John 20
Johanna 20
Koch, Stephen 23, 75
His Visions 76
Goes to Ephrata 78
I ANDIS, Henry 32
Lang, Frederick 32
Libe, Christ 23
Luther 13
Lutheran 15
]J ACK, Alexander, Sr., History
of Brethren 17
Baptized 20
Leader 25
His Leadership in America . . 62
Birth, 63; Occupation, 64;
Marriage, 64 ; Life-work, 64 ;
His Character, 69 ; Removal,
69 ; His grave, 70 ; His Seal . 71
The Loss of the Churches ... 74
Mack, Anna Margaretta 20
Mack, Alexander, Jr 136
Mack Family 140
Maylc, Jane 32
Jam 60
J^ASS, John 23
OCCUPATIONS 106, 107
Oley, History of 28, 88
Members, in 1770 89
pALATINATE 19
Pietism, Best Sense 15
Pietists, History of 14, 16
REFORMED, Reformation. . . 13, 15
Reaction 72
3CHWARTZENAU - . . 19
- Skippack 28
Spener, Philip Jacob 14
Stony^Creek Church, History of . 101
Members, in 1770 101
Swatara,'Big, History of 93
Members, in 1770 94
Swatara, Little, History of ... . 94
Members, in 1770 95
T;ROUT, J. H 23
Tulpehocken,(Northkill), His-
tory of 95
Members, in 1770 96
JJRNER, Martin 32
^yHITE OAK Church, History of 92
Members, in 1770 93
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