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HISTORYOF BETHANY ORPHANS' HOME
.
WOMELSDORF, PA.
ILLUSTRATED
GIEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02918 9427
Gc 974.802 W84y Yundt, Thomas M. A history of Bethany Orphans' Home of the Reformed Church
Penn
CHRIST BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREN.
A HISTORY
OF
BETHANY ORPHANS' HOME
OF THE
REFORMED CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES.
LOCATED AT WOMELSDORF, PA.
BY REV. THOMAS M. YUNDT.
REVISED AND ENLARGED BY REV. WILSON F. MORE.
PHILADELPHIA : PUBLICATION BOARD OF THE REFORMED CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES.
Allen County Public Library 900 Webster Street PO Box 2270 Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270
DEDICATION.
To the memory of those faithful servants of the Lord who, having labored in this good work without remuneration while upon earth, have now gone to their eternal reward, this little volume is affection- ately dedicated.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
I. Introductory Chapter on Orphans' Homes 11
II. Beginning of Bethany Orphans' Home 17
III. The Home at No. 702 Morris Street, Southwark, Philadelphia . 28
VI. Removal to Bridesburg-Death of Mrs. Bæhringer, Death of Mr. Boehringer. 34
V. The Home at Bridesburg-Rev. John Gantenbein, Superintendent-Securing a Charter-Rev. D. Y. Heisler Elected Superintendent-Rev. B. Baus- man President of the Board of Managers. 46
VI. Purchase of New Property and Removal to Womels- dorf 53
VII. Dedication of Home at Womelsdorf-Historical Ad- dress of Rev. C. Z. Weiser 59
VIII. Resignation of Rev. D. Y. Heisler-Rev. D. B. Al- bright Superintendent for Seventeen Years and Five Months 66
IX. Burning of the Home-Erection of a New Building 76
X. The Resignation of Superintendent Albright-Elec- tion and Installation of Rev. T. M. Yundt as His Successor-Early Years of the New Administra- tion 82
XI. The First Period of Expansion-Santee Hall-Visit of Postmaster-General Wanamaker 88 XII. The Second Period of Expansion-Frick Cottage. . 93
XIII. The Third Period of Expansion-The New School- house 97
XIV. The Resignation of Superintendent Yundt-Elec- tion and Installation of Rev. W. F. More as His Successor 100
6
Contents.
PAGE
XV. The Present Administration-Improvement. 104
XVI. The Home as It Now Is-Routine of Daily Ser- vices and Work 108
XVII. The Bethany Schools.
117
XVIII. Dr. Bausman's 1906 Christmas Letter 122
XIX. In Memoriam 124
XX. In Memoriam : Thomas K. Yundt 144
XXI. List of Names of Former and Present Inmates ..
155
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
Christ Blessing Little Children
. Frontispiece.
Rev. Emanuel Bæhringer
18
House No. 702 Morris Street, Philadelphia
29
Bridesburg Home 36
Rev. John Gantenbein 47
Rev. D. Y. Heisler
51
Original Home at Womelsdorf
56
Rev. D. B. Albright
66 69 75
Main Building
80
Supt. Yundt.
82
Cemetery Lot.
Laundry
Santee Hall. .
Carpenter Shop
Frick Cottage.
Boys Building Retaining Wall
97 98
Rev. W. F. More.
102
New Cottage
105
Farmer
107
Boys at Barn.
107
Interior of Chapel
109
Bed Room, Frick Cottage.
112
Girls' Bedroom
115
Girls' Sewing Room
120
Boys Sawing Wood
120
Girls Scouring Tins
120
Boys Hauling Bricks
120
Boys Prying Stones
120
The Bean Pickers
120
Girls Sewing. 120
Rev. B. Bausman, D. D. 122
Crowd Around Frick Cottage 138
Boys at Work, Carpenter Shop 140
Board of Managers 142
Board of Lady Managers
143
Crowd on Anniversary, 1904
166
Old Farm Building
New Barn
87 88 90 93 94
New School House.
PREFACE TO THE REVISED AND ENLARGED EDITION.
A HISTORY of Bethany Orphans' Home, at Wom- elsdorf, Pa., was published by order of the Board of Managers, in 1888. Considering the fact that most of the early records of the institution were destroyed when the home was burned, in 1882, that history is as complete as it could well be made. But eighteen years have gone by since the first edition was published, and in that time many things have been done and experienced at Bethany which may be of interest and value to the Church, especially to that portion of it which helps in the work of caring for the orphans. At the suggestion of the venerable president of the Board of Managers, the present superintendent has carefully revised the first edition, has patiently searched the official minutes and other sources of in- formation and has arranged the material thus gathered into chapters, which bring the history of the institution up to date.
Thanks to my predecessor in office, the material for this later history is rather abundant, but owing to the necessity of keeping the work in just proportion and within reasonable limits, it was necessary to pass by much of interest and to take only that which seemed
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Preface.
of permanent importance and essential to the con- nected story.
In the search of the records, and especially in the clerical work of preparing the manuscript, I have re- ceived much valuable assistance from one of the or- phans, Effie R. Berkenstock, of which grateful ac- knowledgment is hereby made.
WOMELSDORF, PA. May, 1907
W. F. M.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY.
"FEED my lambs," was the command which the Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd, gave to the Apostle Peter in the last days of His life upon earth. The Master wanted the little ones to be cared for, and this also, as His other work, was entrusted to His dis- ciples, His followers through all time.
It is an important, a responsible trust, given to adults, to jealously care for those who are young, pliable, subject to good and to evil in- fluences.
The question of the proper training of children and youth is one that interests not only Christians, but should concern statesmen, especially Christian states- men. The words of Thomas Carlyle on this subject come home to such with force: "Here lies for you an inestimable loan; take all heed thereof, in all carefulness employ it; with high recompense, or else with heavy pen- alty will it one day be required back."
Where children are blessed with good parents, the question of the proper place for their training is a simple one. There is no blessing that can come to a child that can at all be compared with the possession of good, Christian parents. The prayers, instructions and example of a pious mother and the influence of an up- right father can not be equalled by any or all the other
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History of Bethany Orphans' Home.
forces combined in the training and proper develop- ment of a child.
But it is a sad fact that not all children are thus blessed. What shall be done with those who by death are deprived of their parents, or, what may even be worse, are cursed with bad father or mother, or both? The name of these is legion. The children of the crim- inal class, however, or of the indolent poor are by no means the only ones whose circumstances arouse our compassion and justly call for our assistance. There is a large class who have prior claims even to these. They are the children who, in their infant years, were watched over by pious mothers, who were consecrated to God in holy baptism, whose early lives were prom- ising of sweet dispositions, of upright characters, of useful lives, if developed under proper influences. The mother of such, deprived of support by the death of a husband, is reduced to the necessity of working from morning till night for the support of herself and per- haps one or two of her children, but cannot care for a larger family. The children then, bereft of a father by death, and of the care of a mother by the stern neces- sities of life, or perchance also by death, are given to the followers of Christ as a precious and special charge.
But "Am I my brother's keeper?" Yes, I am, for in keeping him I protect myself, and fulfill the com- mand of God. To the Church, this is a question of obedience, of love to the Master; to the State, it is a question of dollars and cents, of security to life and property. For, dimes spent in the proper training of children save dollars required for the apprehension,
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History of Bethany Orphans' Home.
conviction, restraining and reforming of criminals, if they can be reformed.
The state, the city, the community, as well as the Church, are concerned in this question, for it is one of no mean proportions. Without being able to give exact statistics, there are in the Orphans' Homes, In- fant Asylums and Reform Schools in the United States about 60,000 boys and girls. Nor does this represent the whole number of those who are dependent upon the charity of their fellowmen for support. For in it is not included that large army upon the streets and in the miserable homes made wretched by the drunken- ness and other vices of unnatural parents. Without being able to care for all the children that should be cared for, there are over one hundred more institutions in our land devoted to this work than there are colleges and universities combined. There are not less than 5,000 officers and teachers actively engaged in this service. The money permanently invested for these institutions represents many millions of dollars, while the contributions to their immediate support amount to hundreds of thousands every year.
The method of caring for and training children in institutions is frequently the target for severe criticism, and that, too, by persons who are interested in the general question, but whose enthusiasm seems at times to befog their judgment. Without doubt, the best place for a child is in its own home, with a Christian father and mother, and the next best place is in another private family, at the head of which are Christian par- ents. Certain societies are at present actively en-
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History of Bethany Orphans' Home.
gaged in caring for children by placing them into pri- vate homes (as most institutions also do on certain conditions). They are doing a good work. May God bless them richly in their labors, for there is work enough for all who are interested in this question. If the "family plan," as it is sometimes called, could be ideally carried out, it would no doubt be the better of the two; but as society is constituted at present, and until a sufficient number of Christian families can be found who, aside from pecuniary motives, will interest themselves in and adopt this large army of dependent children, Institutions or Homes are indispensable to the proper training of the rising generation. The comparative merits of the two systems were thoroughly discussed years ago in Germany, when Pastor Bræm started his "Society for the Education of Indigent Children," at Neukirchen, and the conclusion arrived at then was: "The two systems need not necessarily be antagonistic, but can, in friendly co-operation, con- tinue side by side, like two allies, waging war with the common enemy." Both systems have defects, no doubt, but to us the plan of "farming out" children for a stipulated sum appears to be radically wrong. The temptation is great to make money by the trans- action, and evil results follow.
Much might be said upon the subject of caring for this class of children. The societies and institutions do a great amount of good to the state and the church by their labors, but in studying this question as others, we should not be satisfied with merely a consideration of a remedy for the evil. "An ounce of prevention is
15
History of Bethany Orphans' Home.
better than a pound of cure." How to take care of these children is only one side of the question, or rather one phase of it. The true physician will not be satisfied, as a rule, with the external diagnosis of a case. He will study his patient, and, if possible, learn all about his history, and the effect his former life and even the habits of his ancestors may have produced upon his constitution. So in regard to this question. To be sure, we cannot prevent children from becoming orphans (no more can you at times prevent fever,) and that, too, the children of most estimable parents. To take care of such, is a work of love. There is, however, a large proportion of children in our orphans' homes, for whom there naturally should have been better things in store. To take care of these, is also a work of love, but in such cases, if the prevention had been applied, the cure would not have been called for. A large number of the children in our Orphans' Homes are brought there as a result of intemperance. In studying the history of the inmates of these institutions, it will be found that in many cases the parents were at one time in most promising circumstances, but on account of the gradually increasing power of strong drink exercised over them, were cut off from the fulfil- ment of all life's hopes and possibilities. The chil- dren, innocent themselves, robbed of their father's care by a drunkard's disgraceful death, and pining for the nurture impossible to be given by a broken- hearted, discouraged mother, call out in their help- lessness against this unnatural position, and appeal to the church and state for help. To-day, in answer
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History of Bethany Orphans' Home.
to this call, thousands of Christian men and women are contributing not only of their means, but also of their life's best energies, to reclaim the offspring of these fallen ones, and fit them for the duties of sober, industrious citizenship.
Much has been accomplished by systematic work for this class of unfortunates. The cry for help strikes a responsive chord in the hearts of philanthropists. Orphans' homes and aid societies are working for the same end, the best interests of a portion of society which, according to human observation, has least in its favor. This is a work worthy of the serious at- tention, the prayers and support of all those who have the good of the church and the state at heart.
CHAPTER II.
THE BEGINNING OF BETHANY ORPHANS' HOME.
I N 1863 there lived in Philadelphia a German minis- ter of the Reformed Church in the United States, Rev. Emanuel Bohringer, who, during the earlier years of our civil war, labored as a missionary in Richmond and Norfolk, Virginia. He experienced many of the trials and hardships incident to life in the South at this time, and among other things, says, that for nineteen months he did not receive a single letter or paper from the North. Finally, however, he worked his way northward through the lines, and, already as he passed through Baltimore, calling upon his co-laborer in the ministry, the Rev. J. Kuelling, who recently died, he expressed the hope that he might be able to do something in the North to re- lieve and shelter some of the many children who were made orphans by the war. Shortly after arriving in Philadelphia, in November, 1862, he took charge of a German Sunday-school paper, called the Læmmer- hirte (Shepherd of the Lambs), to whose columns he had frequently contributed. In this paper, in the February number of 1863, Pastor Bæhringer published an article about the jubilee which the Church had cele- brated in the month of January of the same year, in commemoration of the three hundredth anniversary
2
17
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History of Bethany Orphans' Home.
of the Heidelberg Catechism. In that article he stated the object for which the jubilee was held, and then added: "It would also be fitting if in this year the foundation for the establishing of a Christian orphans' home could be laid. * * We announce ourselves ready to receive small contributions from children, small and large contributions from adults, and to
REV. EMANUEL BEHRINGER,
FOUNDER OF THE HOME AND SUPERINTENDENT FOR ONE YEAR.
hand them over to the authorities of the Church in order that the establishing of an orphans' home may be speedily advanced." Pastor Bohringer had not forgotten the good intention of helping the orphans which he had expressed some months previously in Baltimore. He was now, as editor and publisher of a paper, in a position to formulate his plans, to make
19
History of Bethany Orphans' Home.
them known to the Church, and to ask for the neces- sary assistance. However, he did not enter upon this important work without asking the advice of a number of ministers and laymen of the Church. It appears that he made a journey through the country and un- folded his plans to the people, who received him cor- dially and encouraged him in his good purpose. The first response to his appeal for money was received in March, from Buffalo, N. Y. The amount was $1.50, and the name of the contributor was Jacob Planz. This young man, now deceased, was himself an orphan, and in his youth had many hard struggles with poverty, as Dr. Kniest, now of Philadelphia, but formerly the pastor of Jacob Planz, in Buffalo, related in his address at the twenty-fourth anniversary of the Home. He had not forgotten his own early years of hardship, and when an appeal was made to the Church for help to relieve orphans in distress, he was the first to respond.
In this month, March, 1863, Pastor Bæhringer, in company with Rev. John Gantenbein, visited Rev. Wm. A. Helffrich, at Fogelsville, Lehigh county, Pa., and remained with him over night. While there, the question of establishing an orphans' home was thor- oughly discussed. It was Pastor Bæhringer's inten- tion to begin the work in a humble way, with four or five children, and he thought he could make a beginning if he had about three hundred dollars. The two brethren, Revs. John Gantenbein and Wm. A. Helffrich, each made himself responsible for one hun- dred dollars for this object. Pastor Bohringer re-
20
History of Bethany Orphans' Home.
joiced greatly on account of this encouragement and said, "now a beginning is made indeed."
At this time there was no Synodical Board on orphans' homes, and as it was considered desirable to have some representative body, under whose over- sight this work should be carried forward, and to whom the officers of the institution would be respon- sible, the brethren naturally cast about at this same meeting for men suitable for the position. Rev. John Kessler, D.D., of Allentown, was unanimously selected as one, then followed the informal election of Rev. John Gantenbein, of Kreidersville, Pa .; Rev. John Kuelling, of Baltimore, Md., and others.
During the months of July and August, 1863, strong efforts were made and the preparatory work done to put the idea of starting a Home into actual operation. It was about this time, too, that it was decided to call the institution the "Orphans' Home of the Shepherd of the Lambs." This title was selected because in the paper called by that name the matter of starting an orphans' home in the Reformed Church was first suc- cessfully agitated, and because the title pointed to that great Friend of the children, the true Shepherd of the lambs, who said: "Suffer little children, and for- bid them not, to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." The Læmmerhirte, which at this time had a circulation of about 9,000, was made the special organ of this work.
In the August number, 1863, there appeared a "Plan for establishing an Orphans' Home," the main features of which are as follows:
"The inmates of the Home shall constitute a family.
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History of Bethany Orphans' Home.
"All persons connected with the Home shall as- semble every morning and evening for family worship. The Heidelberg Catechism, the Reformed hymn-book and the liturgy shall be used. On Sunday regular services shall be held in the Home, except on occasions when the whole family attends divine worship in a neighboring church. As soon as circumstances war- rant, a chapel shall be erected and a congregation formed. The children shall not be confirmed before they are fourteen years old, and then only after having attended a thorough course of instruction and given evidence of a truly Christian character.
"The family conversation shall be conducted in the German language; at the same time enough English shall be taught to make the children equally convers- ant in that language.
"A school shall be conducted in connection with the Home, in which all the elementary branches shall be taught; provision shall also be made for those who show special aptitude in study that they may receive special instruction in the higher branches.
"One hour or more shall be devoted each day to industrial education. If there is a farm in connection with the institution, the larger boys shall in turn be engaged in garden and farm work.
"The girls shall be instructed in household duties, such as sewing, knitting, patching, crocheting, wash- ing, ironing, etc. Of the money realized by the chil- dren in industrial employment, one-half shall be given to the Home, the other half shall be saved for the children, and they shall receive it after their confirma-
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History of Bethany Orphans' Home.
tion. This provision is made in order to encourage them in their work.
"The discipline of the Home shall be founded on Christian love; at the same time the words of Holy Writ shall be remembered that 'whom the Lord lov- eth, He chasteneth.' The Superintendent shall have authority to correct and discipline misbehaved chil- dren, and can also empower the teachers and other overseers to do the same.
"There shall be a committee or board of managers of the Orphans' Home. It shall consist of ministers and laymen of the Reformed Church.
"The Superintendent of the Home shall be a min- ister of the Reformed Church.
"The institution shall be located in a retired part of the city of Philadelphia.
"Due attention shall be paid to the cleanliness, health and physical development of the children. Children from six to thirteen years of age shall have the preference in being admitted to the Home; how- ever, in special cases, they may be admitted under six years.
"The preference for the admission of children shall be in the following order:
"(a) Orphan children of Reformed ministers.
"(b) Orphan children of members of the Reformed Church.
"(c) Children of soldiers who were killed in the war.
"However, this order need not be followed exclu- sively, but he shall receive aid who deserves it.
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History of Bethany Orphans' Home.
"The name of the institution shall be: 'The Orphans' Home of the Shepherd of the Lambs.'"'
The first committee who had in charge this Home consisted of Rev. John Simon Kessler, D.D., of Allen- town; Rev. John Gantenbein, of Kreidersville, North- ampton county; Rev. John Kuelling, of Baltimore, Md., and Rev. Emanuel Bohringer. Of these, Rev. Gantenbein is still living.
When the founding of the Home was first discussed, those whose advice was sought in the matter, and who encouraged the undertaking (there were some who did not encourage it), were of different opinions as to the method of starting. Some thought the most im- portant thing to be done, and before the institution could be put into actual working order, would be to collect from twenty-five to fifty thousand dollars, in order that the future support of the Home could be measurably guaranteed. This was not in accordance with Pastor Bæhringer's idea and plan. He saw that it was impracticable, that it would be impossible to get the people interested enough, by mere talk, to con- tribute such a sum of money to a new enterprise. He felt sure, however, that should he, with no money, or at least with very little in the treasury, receive chil- dren into his own home, it would be an evidence to the people and to the Church of his earnestness in the cause, and also that the desired support for enlarging the work would be forthcoming. He himself was quite poor, but having laid his hand to the plow, he would not turn back. The way, indeed, at first seemed dark to him, but he sought light and direction from Him in whose name he undertook this work. In answer to
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History of Bethany Orphans' Home.
the question, "Who was to show us the way?" he says, "For the Christian, the answer to this question was not hard to find. Christ is also in this the way. We look into His Gospel, and there we find the parable of the mustard seed. It teaches us the way, from the smaller to the greater; it shows us the importance of placing hope upon small beginnings in the kingdom of God; it encourages our soul when it becomes faint- hearted, and shows us the large plant which, under the sunlight and dew of heaven, comes forth from the mustard seed; it enlightens our spirit and under- standing when it is helpless, and when there are no large means at hand, gives us small and insignificant ones to prompt us to carry on undertakings in the kingdom and in the name of our Heavenly Father." The lives and examples of other men, engaged in simi- lar work, were an inspiration to Pastor Bæhringer at this time, notably the life and work of Gustav Werner, in Southern Germany, who, in the course of twenty years, founded twenty-four institutions for orphans widows and unfortunates.
There were also other men, true disciples of Christ, faithful members of the Church, whose advice en- couraged Pastor Bæhringer, and whose plans concern- ing this institution accorded with his own. Some of these men were engaged in business, had started poor in life, had accumulated money, treading the way from the smaller to the larger, or the way of the mustard seed, a goodly share of whose wealth was to be used for the glory of God and the advancement of His King- dom. Upon the help and advice of these Rev. Bæhr-
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