USA > Pennsylvania > The Reformed Church in Pennsylvania : part IX of A narrative and critical history, prepared at the request of the Pennsylvania-German Society > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25
SOCIETY
.
GER
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/reformedchurchin00dubb 0
GIEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 03165 9086
Gc 974.8 D85rc Dubbs, J. H. 1838-1910. The Reformed Church in Pennsylvania
VELG 57
١
THE REFORMED CHURCH IN PENNSYLVANIA.
Haitifully yours , to0 . 26 . Drebbe .
The RReformed Church
in
Pennsylvania
PART IX. OF A NARRATIVE AND CRITICAL HISTORY PREPARED AT THE REQUEST OF THE PENNSYLVANIA-GERMAN SOCIETY.
BY JOSEPH HENRY DUBBS, D.D., LL.D.
Audenried Professor in Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania ; Corresponding Member of the Ethnographic Society of France, Fellow of the Royal Historical Society of Great Britain.
SOU
PE
LANCASTER, PA. 1902
Allen County Public Library 900 Webster Street PO Box 2270 Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270
Publication Committee. JULIUS F. SACHSE. DANIEL W. NEAD, M.D. HENRY M. M. RICHARDS.
COPYRIGHTED 1902 BY THE Pennsylvania-German Society.
Illustrations by JULIUS F. SACHSE.
PRESS OF THE NEW ERA PRINTING COMPANY, LANCASTER, PA.
PREFATORY NOTE.
N the following paper the writer has touched but lightly on themes that were treated at length in ear- lier volumes of the PROCEEDINGS OF THE PENNSYLVANIA- GERMAN SOCIETY. It will, however, be observed that familiar episodes which have been necessarily excluded belong rather to the general history of the Germans in America than to that of any particular denomination. As the concluding chapters of the paper are brief, it may be explained that the writer did not understand it to be the desire of the Society that the recent history of the church should be more extensively treated.
CONTENTS.
Preliminary
I-4
CHAPTER I. THE REFORMED CHURCH IN EUROPE.
Origin of the Church-Switzerland-Zwingli-Calvin-Fred- erick of the Palatinate-Olevianus and Ursinus-Heidelberg Catechism-John à Lasco-Refugees-Pietists-Coligni-Wil- liam of Orange-The Great Elector-The Church of the Martyrs. 5-21
CHAPTER II. AMERICAN PIONEERS.
French and Hollanders-Peter Minuit-Dutch Ministers-
Swiss Linguists . 22-25
CHAPTER III. THE IMMIGRANTS.
Palatines-The Swiss-Michel and Graffenried-John Peter Purry-The Rev. Joseph Bugnion-Germans in Pennsylvania- The Huguenots . 26-46
CHAPTER IV. THE S. P. G.
Early Missionary Activity-John Frederick Haeger-John Henry Haeger-Germanna 47-61
CHAPTER V. NESHAMINY AND GERMANTOWN.
Pioneers in Pennsylvania-A Dutch Settlement-Paulus Van Vlecq-White Marsh and Germantown 62-67
CHAPTER VI. SAMUEL GULDIN.
Pietist and Pioneer-Earliest German Reformed Minister in Pennsylvania 68-77
(v)
vi
Contents.
CHAPTER VII. THE AMERICAN FOUNDERS. John Philip Boehm-George Michael Weiss 78-90
CHAPTER VIII. A PERIOD OF CONFUSION. Dorsius-Peter Miller-Rieger-The Goetschius Family .. . 91-III CHAPTER IX. THE UNITY CONFERENCES.
Henry Antes-John Bechtel-C. H. Rauch-Brandmüller- Jacob Lischy. 112-142
CHAPTER X. SCHLATTER AND HIS MISSION. St. Gall-Schlatter's Early Life-Mission to America-Exten- sive Journeys-Founding of Coetus-Two Voyages to Europe --
Charity Schools-Later Years 143-174
CHAPTER XI. EARLY YEARS OF THE COETUS, 1747-1770.
Rules of Order-Death of Boehm-Tempelman's Proclamation -Eminent Ministers-Holland Stipend . 175-201
CHAPTER XII. JOHN JOACHIM ZUBLY.
Birth and Parentage-Education-Pastor in Charleston and Savannah-Political Services 202-219
CHAPTER XIII. SOME INDEPENDENT MINISTERS.
Reasons for Independence-In the Mohawk Valley-Pennsyl- vania Independents-Theus and the Weberites-Corpus Evan- gelicum
220-225
CHAPTER XIV. THE MEN OF THE REVOLUTION.
Patriotic Ministers-Generals Herkimer and Steuben-Letter. to Washington 226-231
Contents. vii
CHAPTER XV. OTTERBEIN AND THE "UNITED MINISTERS." Early Training-Pastoral Charges-Otterbein and Lange- Conflicts in Baltimore-the "New Reformed " 232-246
CHAPTER XVI. LATER YEARS OF THE COETUS, 1770-1792.
The Last Missionaries-Franklin College-Separation from Holland 247-265
CHAPTER XVII. THE SYNOD.
Synodalordnung-Hymn-books and Liturgies-Church Ser- vices-Conflict of Languages-Union Movements-Synod of Ohio-New Measures 266-276
CHAPTER XVIII. THE FOUNDING OF INSTITUTIONS.
The Theological Seminary-Dr. Milledoler-The Free Synod -Carlisle-Dr. Lewis Mayer-Mr. Reily in Europe-The Semi- nary in York 277-294
CHAPTER XIX.
MERCERSBURG. Frederick Augustus Rauch-John Williamson Nevin-Philip Schaff-The Mercersburg Controversies 295-312
CHAPTER XX. EXPANSION. The West and South-Missions-The Widows' Fund-Publi- cations 313-324
CHAPTER XXI. THE TERCENTENARY YEAR.
The Festival of the Catechism-Henry Harbaugh-Orphan Homes-The General Synod . 325-334
viii
Contents.
CHAPTER XXII.
CONCLUSION.
Change of Title-Liturgical Controversies-The Peace Move- ment-Practical Work-The End . 335-340 Bibliography 341-380 Index 381-387
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE.
Seal of Society
I
Arms of the Holy Roman Empire
5
Zinzendorf Arms .
.
Arms of Marburg. .
8
Arms of Frederick III.
II
Early Book-Plate.
13
Olevianus
14
Ursinus
14
John à Lasco
15
Heidelberg before its Devastation
by the French (Merian 1645) . 18
Ex-libris of the Church of the
Refugees, Berlin
21
Arms of the Holy Roman Empire 22
Arms of the Palatinate
26
Pastoral Letter
. 165
Arms of Uri
30
Arms of Holland
34
" The Steel-Yard ".
46
Book-Plate of the Society for the
Propagation of the Gospel 48
Arms of Virginia.
56
Seal of Penns .
68
Specimen of Ephrata Penwork .
77
Arms of Crefeld .
78
Specimen of John Phil Boehm's
Ornamental Penmanship
82
Ephrata Symbol . .
91
View of Saal and Saron.
94
An Ornate Ephrata Initial
97
Hamilton Arms of Lancaster .
100
The Old Brother House
10I
Ornate Ephrata Initial .
104
Seal of the Unitas Fratrum
112
Title Pages of Bechtel's Cate-
chism
120
Fac-simile of the Prospectus for
the First Boarding School in
Pennsylvania
. I22
PAGE. An Old House in Germantown . 123
.
133
Fett Ampel, Such as Used by the
Early Germans in Lancaster
County . .
142
Arms of the Boehm Family .
143
Holland Escutcheon .
146
Reformed Church in Philadel-
phia. .
151
Seal of Germantown
154
Title Page of Schlatter's "Ap-
peal ".
161
Title Page of Address of Thanks 163
Schlatter's Home on Chestnut
Hill
172
Seal of the Coetus .
175
House in Which John Philip
Boehm Died
177
Arms of Mülheim
181
Arms of Great Britain .
186
A Pennsylvania German Cradle 201
Arms of Glogau
202
Conrad Beissel
209
One of the Cloister Buildings at
Ephrata
210
Arms of Amsterdam
220
Baron Steuben
. 229
Tomb of Baron Steuben
231
Franklin Arms
247
Thomas Mifflin
255
Benj. Franklin
257
Rev. G. H. E. Muhlenberg
261
Old Court House at York, Pa
278
Dickinson College
290
First Seminary at York, Pa
292
(ix)
Arms of Berne
28
Title Page of Steiner's Sermons 167
Arms of Schlatter
171
x
Autographs. - List of Plates.
PAGE.
PAGE.
High School of Reformed Church at York, Pa 293
Marshall College, Mercersburg,
About 1843
298
E. E. Higbee
311
Samuel Reed Fisher .
322
Reformed Church Built in Lan-
caster by Otterbein, Taken
down 1853
326
Old Houses in Lancaster
329
AUTOGRAPHS.
PAGE.
PAGE.
John Philip Boehm
79
Benjamin Franklin
257
Peter Lecolie
86
S. Helffenstein
270
Peter Miller .
95
H. Bibighaus 271
Conrad Weiser 96 F. Herman 282
Frederick Antes
113
Lewis Mayer 286
Henry Antes
114
F. A. Rauch 296
Michael Schlatter 157
J. W. Nevin
. 30I
J. J. Zubly
203
Philip Schaff
306
W. Otterbein
235
J. F. Berg . 308
W. Hendel
249
H. Harbaugh 327
A. Helffenstein
. 249
J. H. A. Bomberger
332
Thomas Mifflin
255
C. Z. Weiser
338
LIST OF PLATES.
FACING PAGE.
FACING PAGE.
Frontispiece, Portrait.
Ulric Zwingli .
6
A Father's Tribute ..
216
John Calvin .
9
Frederick the Pious
32
Early Theologians
40
Henricus Boll
Gualterius Dubois 85
Teaching the Catechism 120
Rev. Philip Schaff
304
Rev. Michael Schlatter
Rev. W. Otterbein · 144
Falkner Swamp Church
Church
· 308
Rev. Henry Harbaugh .
. 328
Old Parsonage
152
Tempelman's Proclamation
178
Archives at the Hague
. 200
Theologians of the Reformed
Church
264
Rev. Henry Bibighaus
271
Rev. Lewis Mayer
Rev. S. Helfenstein 280
Rev. J. W. Nevin
Ministers
of
the
Reformed
Rev. Clement Z. Weiser
. 338
-
PRELIMINARY.
C HE preparation of a paper on the early history of GER the Reformed Church in the A N. PE United States, though in many SOCIETY respects congenial to the tastes and studies of the writer, is not IN unaccompanied by peculiar difficulties. It is true that he has had some experience in this department of literary work. Many years ago, when a mere boy, it was his privilege to gather and contribute certain material to Dr. Harbaugh's books on the early history of the Reformed Church-a fact which that author very courteously acknowledged in the preface to his "Life of Schlatter." The interest thus excited has never declined, and in several publica- tions on the same general subject he has endeavored to present in historical form such additional material as has come to his hands. It might, therefore, be readily sup- posed that it would be an easy task to prepare a monograph on a theme that has necessarily become familiar ; but every
(1)
2
The Reformed Church in America.
writer will confess that in such cases the reverse is actually the case. It is felt that to tell a thrice-told tale would serve no useful purpose; and yet in a work of this kind the outlines must necessarily remain the same in each successive publication, though in the space afforded there is hardly room for the accumulation of such details as might serve to add freshness and interest. If the author understands the purpose of his appointment, it is, however, not intended that he should enter with the zeal of the specialist into certain minor branches of the subject, but rather that he should present a bird's-eye view of the founding and progress of the Reformed Church, especially in Pennsylvania. With this in mind he has not ventured to write a consecutive history-which would necessarily extend far beyond the space at his disposal-but has thought it preferable to prepare a series of historical sketches or chapters, that, taken together, might serve to convey an idea of the development of his theme. It must be understood that, though our attention is chiefly directed to the history of Pennsylvania, it is impossible to separate it mechanically from that of other states in the American Union.
Our subject, it is plain, affords abundant material. In certain of its branches there is, indeed, an embarras de richesse. The series of monographs included in the suc- cessive publications of the Pennsylvania-German Society, it need hardly be remarked, contains much matter that might be used to advantage in an elaborate history of the Reformed Church; but to relate again the story of the German migration to America-which has been so well told in earlier volumes of the present series-appears to be a superfluous task, though it is well known that the Re- formed Church bore its full share in the trials of that mo- mentous epoch.
3
Archives.
If any one should undertake to prepare a full account of the relations of the Reformed Church of this country with the church of Holland, extending through the greater part of the eighteenth century, he might well be disturbed by the abundance of the material which has recently come to light. The transcripts of historical documents made by the Rev. Dr. Lewis Mayer, and a large volume of original correspondence collected by the Rev. Dr. Henry Har- baugh, it is true, have long been in the possession of the church; and the valuable archives of the Dutch Church, · at New Brunswick, New Jersey, have always been accessi- ble ; but by the recent researches in Europe of Mr. Henry S. Dotterer, the Rev. Dr. James I. Good, the Rev. Prof. William J. Hinke, and possibly others, the amount of ma- terial for historical research has been greatly augmented. Light has been cast on obscure places and more than one hiatus has been filled. It is, however, not too much to say that years must pass before this mass of material has been fully compared and assimilated, and that plenty of work is left for the future historian. Dr. Good has published a valuable book1 in which recently-discovered facts have been utilized, and Professor Hinke and Mr. Dotterer have prepared exhaustive monographs, to all of which we shall have frequent occasion to refer. In the present paper we shall try to give due credit for new material ; but if this should at any time be neglected, we hope this general ac- knowledgment may serve in part to excuse the delin- quency.
Though the remoteness of colonial history may render it romantic, it must not be forgotten that there are more recent periods which are no less interesting and important.
1 History of the Reformed Church in the United States, 1725-1792, Reading, Pa., Daniel Miller, Publisher, 1899.
4
The Reformed Church in America.
The true significance of the tree is not to be sought in its planting, but in its flower and fruit. To confine ourselves to the formative period would be like limiting a biography to the childhood of its subject. While, therefore, we begin our task by giving some account of the European history of the Reformed Church, and enter with some minuteness into the particulars of its American planting, we shall not close without giving some [reasons why it must be regarded as holding an important place in the history of the religious and social development of Pennsylvania. It will be seen, therefore, that our work is necessarily of a general charac- ter. To others must be assigned the task of elaborating themes which will suggest themselves in the course of our relation.
The writer begs leave to return thanks to all friends who have aided him by the contribution of material, and especially to express his appreciation of the work of Mr. Julius F. Sachse, who, with high artistic taste and skill, has prepared and arranged the illustrations for this paper. He is also under special obligations to Prof. W. J. Hinke, who has kindly contributed a valuable bibliography.
CHAPTER I.
THE REFORMED CHURCH IN EUROPE.
Origin of the Church-Switzerland-Zwingli-Calvin-Frederick of the Palatinate-Olevianus and Ursinus-Heidelberg Catechism-John à Lasco-Refugees-Pietists-Coligni-William of Orange-The Great Elector-The Church of the Martyrs.
C HE Reformed Church in the United States (formerly known as the German - Reformed Church) de- rives its descent in an unbroken line from the Reformation of the six- teenth century. It repre- sents what has sometimes been termed the southern type of German Protes- ARMS OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE. tantism. "The German Reformation," says Max Goebel, " began simultaneously and independently at the opposite extremes of German life and culture-the Slavonic boundary and the foot of the Alps-and thence spread until it met at the Rhine, the center of Germanic life, where after three centuries of
(5)
6
The Reformed Church in America.
disagreement its constituent elements have in great measure become united." 2
The early history of the Reformed Church has been termed a drama in three acts. In the first of these the scene is laid in Zurich ; in the second in Geneva ; and in the third in Heidelberg. There is no single hero who im- presses his personality on the entire drama, but the con- tinuity of life and action remains unbroken. In the first act the leading character is Ulric Zwingli; in the second, John Calvin ; and in the third, Frederick the Pious, Elec- tor of the Palatinate.
The distinctive peculiarities of the Reformed Church were no doubt greatly influenced by its early environment. It was at first exclusively a Swiss church, and almost nec- essarily reproduced the characteristics of the Swiss people. Switzerland was a republic or rather a republican league -and could expect but little sympathy from the rulers of surrounding nations. When the Church was to be reformed there were no princes at hand-no civil rulers of command- ing influence-who could either maintain the existing order or mould it to suit their pleasure. It was perhaps fortunate that in their long struggle for civil liberty the Swiss had learned to assume high responsibilities, and that in the structure which they erected they did not hesitate to give to laymen positions which had elsewhere been reserved for the clergy and the princes. It was thus that the Church of Switzerland became " the free church in the free state."
The Swiss were a race of simple mountaineers who had little inclination for foreign luxury. Their tastes were not artistic, and it has been said that they were unable to appreciate "the splendor of the mass." When the fatal mer- cenary system was adopted, and their sons returned from
2 Geschichte des Christlichen Lebens, I., p. 275.
THE REFORMED CHURCH IN PENNSYLVANIA.
ULRIC ZWINGLE.
7
Zwingli.
the Italian wars, not only relating stories of the magnifi- cence of Roman worship, but revealing in their flesh in- fallible indications of the worthlessness of Roman life, the Swiss people came to consider the two elements as insep- arably connected; and instead of regarding Rome with reverence, as their fathers had done, they learned to hate it as the source of all evil. Many of them desired a reformation, but it must concern morals no less than faith, and must sweep away everything that reminded them of the wicked city. "Switzerland was revolutionized by a great popular movement."3 Like that of an Alpine glacier its motion was at first imperceptible ; but it gradually be- came more rapid until its progress could no longer be re- strained.
ULRIC ZWINGLI (1484-1531) was the most prominent man in the Reformation of German Switzerland, but he must not be regarded, in any exclusive sense, as the founder of the Reformed Church. He was rather primus inter pares than absolute director of the movement which he helped to develop. Oecolampadius, Leo Juda, Bullinger, and many local reformers, took a prominent part in the Swiss Reformation, and each in his own way left his im- press on the history of the Church.
Zwingli was a vigorous " son of the mountains"-a gen- uine incarnation of the spirit of his native land. That he was a splendid classical scholar and a powerful popular orator has never been denied. He was honest and truth- ful, and loved above all things simplicity and order in church and state. Though he termed himself a disciple of Erasmus, it was mainly through the teachings of Thomas Wyttenbach, of Basel, that he was brought to a profounder knowledge of religious truth. A humanist rather than a
3 American Cyclopedia, art. "Reformed Church."
8
The Reformed Church in America.
mystic, he seems to have taken little interest in theolog- ical controversies until they were forced upon his attention by the conditions of the times.4
His earliest writings were political and patriotic, and in these he protested with special vigor against the social evils derived from the union of the fatherland with the corrupt Italian Church. His work was therefore of a two- fold character ; and those who have given no attention to his relations to the state must fail to appreciate his influ- ence on the development of the church. It was in this twofold relation that he reorganized the Swiss churches and proclaimed certain principles of ecclesiastical govern- ment which have since become the common heritage of Protestantism. He called laymen to office, convened the earliest Protestant synods, and encouraged local self- government. He also insist- ed on Christian discipline, declaring that the purpose of the church is "to glorify God in the faith and life of His people."
Though Zwingli did not Mappen von Marburg. agree with Luther in regard to the mannerof Christ's presence in the eucharist, he always professed the profoundest reverence for the great Saxon reformer. He said : "In my opinion Luther is a noble champion of the Lord who searches the Scriptures with a degree of earnestness that has not been equaled in a thou-
4 "Neither Zwingli nor any of his (Swiss) friends had ever believed in the Roman Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation."-Goebel, I., 277.
THE REFORMED CHURCH IN PENNSYLVANIA.
JOHN CALVIN.
9
Calvin.
sand years." The two men differed in temperament, early training, and philosophical standpoint; it is therefore not surprising that, at their brief meeting in Marburg, they did not perfectly agree; but both were honest and could not do otherwise. Oswald Myconius, the friend and earliest biographer of Zwingli, says: " I am convinced that the two men did not fully understand each other. Zwingli with his rationalizing mind could not understand that from Luther's point of view there is a sacramental eating which is not physical nor carnal; Luther did not give credit to Zwingli for believing that spiritual commu- nication is real and true."
Zwingli was cut down in the prime of his manhood, be- fore he had completed the organization of the Swiss churches or elaborated a consistent theological system. He accompanied his people to the battlefield of Cappel, as his official duty required, and was mortally wounded while engaged in giving consolation to a dying soldier. There was something almost prophetic in his dying words : " What does it matter? They may kill the body but they cannot kill the soul."
The period immediately succeeding the death of Zwingli was full of gloom, but the Reformed churches of Switzer- land seem never to have lost courage. Less than three months after the death of their leader, on the 9th of Janu- ary, 1532, they held the "Great Synod of Berne," at which Capito of Strasburg secured the adoption of the celebrated article which declares that " Christ is the sub- stance of all doctrine," and that " God Himself must be held forth as He is in Christ."
JOHN CALVIN (1509-'64) was the leading character in the second act of the Swiss reformation. Farel and others had preceded him in the evangelization of the French can-
IO
The Reformed Church in America.
tons of Switzerland, and in France itself there had been a series of earnest reformers, but none of them possessed similar elements of greatness. We may decline to accept Calvin's teachings, but we cannot fail to be impressed by his imposing personality. His influence was not confined to a single nation, and no single denomination can claim him as its founder ; but from his seat in Geneva he ruled the thinking of many lands, and became the leading spirit in the organization of many national churches. Less at- tractive than Zwingli, less enthusiastic than Farel, there can be no doubt that without his organizing genius the work of his predecessors would have remained incomplete. He differed from Zwingli in many respects, but recognized these differences as minor matters; and in 1549 joined with Bullinger, the successor of Zwingli, in a common confession of faith, known as the Consensus Tigurinus, by which the German and French elements in the Reformed Church were practically united.5 Calvin's view of the eucharist found its way into all the Reformed confessions of faith. It was an elaboration and scientific presentation of the view of Zwingli, but laid more stress on a real pres- ence through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Calvin's view of predestination-which has been gener- erally known as " Calvinism "-was not a subject of dis- agreement among the earlier reformers. Luther and Zwingli occupied ground as advanced as that of Calvin, and even the Church of Rome did not venture to controvert them in the days of the greatest struggle. All of the re- formers were disciples of St. Augustine, and it was but natural that they should follow where he had led the way.
5 In the preface to his brochure on this subject Calvin says : "If Zwingli and Oecolampadius were still living, they would not change a word in our Con- sensus."-Karl Pestalozzi, p. 391.
II
Frederick III.
Calvin, however, regarded the principle of predestination as of paramount importance, and it is, therefore, most prominent in the confessions of countries like Holland and Scotland, where the influence of Calvin and his immediate disciples was most decided. On this subject, however, the Reformed confessions present no actual disagreement. " The difference is confined to minor details, and to the extent to which the Augustinian and Calvinistic principles are carried out ; in other words, the difference is theolog - ical, not religious, and logical rather than theological." 6
FREDERICK THE THIRD, Elector of the Palatinate, may be regarded as the founder of the Reformed Church of Germany, though its beginnings actually belong to an earlier period. It will be remembered that at the Diet of Augsburg in 1531, four Reformed cities of southern Ger- many presented a separate con- fession, which the Emperor re- fused to recognize. We need hardly refer to the peculiar po- sition of Philip of Hesse and to the attempt of Lambert of Avignon to organize the churches of Hesse after the Swiss model. Gradually the Reformed Church made its way, and in 1540 Melancthon on his own responsibility intro- duced certain changes into the ARMS OF FREDERICK III. tenth article of the Augsburg Confession for the purpose of rendering it acceptable to the Reformed people. This act was violently de- nounced and was one of the chief occasions for the re-
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.