USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > A history of the Goshenhoppen Reformed charge, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania (1727-1819) > Part 19
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 (link on the Part 1 page).
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 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35
It was while pastor at Falkner Swamp that Mr. Pomp wrote a book, by which he is best known. It was a refu- tation of the teachings of the Universalists, as contained in the book of Paul Siegvolck, entitled " Das Ewige Evan- gelium," which had been published in German by Saur, the Germantown printer, in 1768. Pomp's book, while not a profound treatise, was a creditable performance.
248
History of the Goshenhoppen Charge
Translated into English the title reads: " Brief Examina- tion of the Doctrine of the Eternal Gospel, by which it is clearly shown that the Restoration of all things is vainly
Ruragefaßte .
Prüfungen
der Lebre Des
Ewigen Evangeliums:
Momit
Deutlich gegeiget wird,
Daf man die Mieterbringung aller Dinge in der heiligen Schrift. vergeblich fuchet.
Huf Begehren vieler Freunde zum Drud befördert
bon R. Domp, V. D. M.
Philadelpia, Bebrudt ben Bentich thillet, 1774.
sought in Scripture. At the request of many friends pub- lished by N. Pomp, V.D.M., Philadelphia, printed by Henry Miller, 1774," 12mo, preface 12 pp., and text 200 pp.
CHAPTER XIV.
MINISTRY OF REV. JOHN THEOBALD FABER, JR., 1791-1807.
J N 1791 the wish of the Goshenhoppen people was gratified to have their former pastor's son with them as the successor of his father.
John Theobald Faber, Jr., was born in the parsonage of New Goshenhoppen, in Upper Hanover township, as the oldest child of his parents. His father himself entered the record of his birth into the New Goshenhoppen book: "On September 24, 1771, a son was born to me, Pastor Faber, named Johannes Theobald. Witness was Daniel Gross, minister at Saucon and Springfield."
As a boy he enjoyed the advantages of the parochial school of the New Goshenhoppen congregation and the additional instruction of his father.
When fifteen years of age he headed a class of 61 cate- chumens at New Goshenhoppen, who were confirmed by his father on April 9, 1787.
He pursued his classical studies under the Rev. Frederick Valentin Melsheimer, pastor of the Lutheran congregation at Hanover, York County. He studied theology with
249
250
History of the Goshenhoppen Charge
Rev. Dr. William Hendel, Sr., from 1782-1794, pastor at Lancaster, Pa. As his course of special study covered only three years it was at most incomplete and hurried.
He was licensed probably sometime in the year 1791, for his baptisms begin in the spring of 1792.
At the meeting of Coetus, held May 6 to 7, 1792, at Philadelphia, "the congregations of Old and New Gosh- enhoppen presented a call for Mr. John Faber, and asked that he be examined and ordained. The Reverend Coetus resolved that he be examined on the following day by Do. Hendel, Helffrich and Pomp."
On the following day the minutes report :
In accordance with the resolution of the first session, Mr. John Faber was examined by Dos. Hendel, Pomp, Helffrich and Blumer. The committee made a report in reference to the examination of Mr. Faber, and stated that he had not given such satisfactory an- swers to the dogmatical questions proposed as they had expected from him; still, out of regard to the Goshenhoppen congregations and his widowed mother, the examination was approved and, by a majority of votes, he was recognized as qualified for the ministry, and it was resolved that Dos. Helffrich, Blumer, Pomp and Del- licker ordain him as soon as possible.
The ordination of the young candidate took place at Goshenhoppen on June 23, 1792, as appears from the fol- lowing letter of Mr. Delliker, addressed to young Faber.217
LETTER OF DELLIKER TO FABER, JR., MAY 12, 1792. My dear Faber :
I congratulate you from the bottom of my heart, on the success- ful issue of your examination. The Lord sustain you continually. The request, deo volente, I will endeavor to comply with and preach the sermon on the day of your ordination. I have received 217 Weiser, Monograph, p. 83.
251
John Theobald Faber, Jr.
no letter from Synod, but have at hand one addressed to Pastor Helffrich. We will speak more definitely, when I shall have the pleasure to be with you on the day before the 23rd of June.
I am, Reverend Sir, in sincere friendship,
Our highest regards to you all.
Falkner Swamp,
May 12th, 1792.
Your humble servant FRED. DELLIKER.
Dr. Weiser has preserved a traditional account of his introductory sermon from one who heard it, which may well be repeated :
In his introductory (sermon) he did not fail to call attention to the peculiar solemn position in which he found himself placed. The death of his beloved father occuring, as it were in the very spot on which he was then speaking; his mouldering remains lying under his very feet; his youth and hasty preparation to become his sire's successor; the questionable propriety of becoming a prophet in his own country-on all these points the young pastor delicately touched with much trembling and many tears. One who heard it all says : " When he exclaimed. 'Who is sufficient for these things ?' all became strangly affected, and many wept."
In the spring of 1792 young Mr. Faber began his pas- toral work in his three congregations. Indeed he seems to have been so eager for his work that he officiated as a minister even before he was ordained, baptizing several children at Old Goshenhoppen in May, 1792. During the first few years he kept the various church records fairly well. Thus at New Goshenhoppen he entered 59 bap- tisms from the summer of 1792 to September, 1795, at Old Goshenhoppen he entered 24 baptisms from May, 1792, to April, 1795, and at Great Swamp 33 baptisms from the summer of 1792 till September, 1796. But after the latter date his records were entirely neglected, no en- tries of any sort being made after June 1, 1797. It may
252
History of the Goshenhoppen Charge
of course be that he kept private records in which he re- corded his ministerial acts, but judging from the incom- plete and careless entries actually made in the records, that is hardly to be expected.
Fortunately the lack of information regarding his pas- torate is partly supplied by the account books of the Old Goshenhoppen and Great Swamp congregations, from which the following interesting entries are taken.
In the Old Goshenhoppen account book (opened in 1772) we find that on July 19, 1791, the congregation paid to the schoolmaster, Mr. Jung, 15 shillings. On June 15, 1792, there were paid to Mr. Faber, Jr., 15 shil- lings; to Mr. Peter Hollebusch for expenses to go to the Coetus 7s. 6d; to the schoolmaster Jung for the year 1791, £2. 5s. On December 5, 1793, Mr. Faber signed his first receipt for salary from the congregation, amounting to £24. 8s. IId. This was probably one third of the whole amount he received from the charge. Later on his salary increased. Beginning with the year 1803, Old Goshen- hoppen paid its pastor £33. 6s, 8d. From at least 1804 to 1807 Nicolaus Weinel was the schoolmaster of the con- gregation, who was paid £6 for playing the organ and leading the singing. The account book makes us ac- quainted with three of the early schoolmasters of Old Goshenhoppen, Henrich Hemsing, from at least 1772 to 1782. Then there was probably a change. Payments to the schoolmasters are noted from 1785 to 1789, but no name is mentioned. In July, 1791, schoolmaster Jung is mentioned. How long he served cannot be made out. From 1804 to at least April 1, 1807, Nicolaus Weinel served in that capacity.
From the Great Swamp account book (begun in 1759,
253
Great Swamp Account Book
but poorly kept, with many years, e.g., 1770 to 1793, en- tirely wanting), we have culled some items of interest :
On August 5, 1794, the following payments were en- tered into the record :
Paid to Mr. Hendel
I
paid as rent to Mrs. Levy for Mr. Pomp
I5
-
paid to Mr. Jost Wiand to fetch Mr. Faber from Lancaster
12 -
paid to go to Coetus
8 -
paid to Mr. Hendel " ditto 15 3
9
Mrs. Levy as rent for Mr. Pomp
15
-
-
Mr. Philip Eberhard to go to the Coetus in Phila. [1792] II -
On March 19, 1796, we find :
£ s. d.
Paid to Mr. Faber, minister, on account of his salary .. 12.
7. 6.
paid to the administrator of the late Mr. Faber for
salary still due him 24. II. 4.
Received on March 15. 1796, from Philip Eberhard,
Jacob Schmid, Johannes Jung and Philip Mumbauer, deacons and elders at this time, the sum of 100 dol- lars to secure a patent for the pastor's land [glebe] at Goshenhoppen.
DAVID SPINNER.
On November 16, 1797, the following items deserve notice :
£ s.
d.
Paid for 15 bushels of lime for the schoolhouse
15.
-
paid for the masons
18. -
paid for 12 pounds of nails
15. -
paid for glass
2.
16.
IO.
paid for 100 shingles for the parsonage
3. 15.
-
paid for 205 feet of boards for the same
17.
paid for puddy -
4.
6.
paid for a ten plated stove
6.
-
paid to ride to Synod 3. 15.
paid for grass for use of Mr. Faber
-
IO.
-
£
S.
d. IO1/2
-
ride to the Coetus
5
254
History of the Goshenhoppen Charge
paid for springhouse at parsonage -
10. - paid for pump at parsonage 3. o. On August 9, 1804, £2.14.3. were paid for repairs to the schoolhouse.
Paid for a bake-oven in the parsonage 1. 6. 2. On May 23, 1805, £6.2.10. were paid for repairs to the parsonage.
From 1797 to 1804 John Jung signed receipts for re- pairs to the schoolhouse. He is probably identical with the schoolmaster Jung mentioned in 1791 in the Old Gosh- enhoppen book.
In 1801 the four united congregations of Northampton, Jordan, Union and Egypt extended a call to Mr. Faber to become their pastor, but he declined it.218
Faber attended the meetings of Synod faithfully, except in 1803 and 1806. In the former year he was sick. In 1807 he was secretary, in 1808 president of Synod.
A letter of Rev. Jacob Senn, pastor at Tohickon and Indianfield, to Mr. Faber, referring to his sickness, is pre- served in the archives of the Reformed Seminary at Lan- caster. It is interesting enough to be inserted here :219
LETTER OF REV. JACOB SENN TO REV. JOHN T. FABER, JR. ROCKHILL, February 22, 1803.
Dear Friend and Brother!
I received your letter and heard with pleasure that you are again improving. I entertain the hope, that (God willing) you will soon regain your former health and strength, and thus be able to attend again to your ministry, which is no doubt much to be desired both by yourself and your congregations.
I have also had sickness in my family for a long time. My wife has been unwell for almost two years and sometimes I have had
218 Minutes of the Synod of 1801, Session I, § 2.
219 This letter also was placed at the disposal of the writer by Prof. Geo. W. Richards, D.D., of the Lancaster Seminary.
255
Letter of Senn to Faber
little hope for her recovery, but now (thank God) she is better again.
As regards your request, I am willing and ready to serve you, but I cannot do it at the time set by you. I can never take away a Sunday (as you no doubt know yourself) without first informing the congregation and that cannot be done before three weeks. Three weeks from yesterday I am, therefore, ready to serve you, if that is agreeable to you. You may therefore announce it, if agreeable, that I shall conduct services for you on March 13th.
With a friendly greeting to yourself and wife, I remain,
(Address )
Your Friend and Servant
Rev. Mr. J. T. Faber, JACOB SENN.
New Goshenhoppen.
In 1807 Mr. Faber accepted a call from the New Hol- land charge, Lancaster County, where he remained pastor till 1819, when he returned to Goshenhoppen.
CHAPTER XV.
MINISTRY OF REV. ALBERT HELFFENSTEIN, 1808-18II.
CHOOLMASTER Nicolaus Weinel of Old Goshenhoppen introduces us to the next min- ister. In the Old Goshenhoppen account book he made an entry which fixes the exact time when the new pastorate began :
On June 19, 1808, the young Rev. Mr. Helfenstein delivered his first introductory sermon here in Old Goshenhoppen. On Sun- day before he made the beginning at New Goshenhoppen.
Albert Helffenstein was the fifth son of the well-known Reformed preacher of Germantown, John Conrad Al- bertus Helffenstein, and of his wife, Catharine Kircher, a native of Philadelphia.220 He was born in Germantown, March 13, 1788. He was baptized and confirmed in his father's church.
He received his theological education from Rev. Dr. Christian Ludwig Becker, from 1795 to 1806 pastor at Lancaster, and from 1807 to 1818 pastor at Baltimore. Dr. Becker was a fine scholar and pulpit orator and well qualified to prepare young men for the ministry. Nine-
220 They were married on February 11, 1773, at Philadelphia. Their marriage is recorded in the old record book of the First Reformed Church at Philadelphia, see Pennsylvania Archives, 2d Series, Vol. VIII, p. 678.
256
257
Albert Helffenstein
teen students received their theological instruction from him during the last sixteen years of his life (1800- 1816).221
After completing his theological training Helffenstein appeared before Synod, which met at his native place, May 15, 1808. At that time " a call was received from Goshenhoppen and Great Swamp for Mr. Albert Helffen- stein."
Similar calls were received at the same time for other candidates. It was then resolved "that the candidates Messrs. Runkel, Jr., Gloninger, Schaffner, Becker and Helffenstein be examined this evening. The committee of examination consists of Messrs. Helffrich, Wack, Hoff- meier and Senn."222
On the next day the committee " who were appointed to examine the several candidates last evening, reported, that the young gentlemen sustained a perfectly satisfactory ex- amination. It was resolved, that these young men be ordained this evening. Messrs. Faber, Geistweidt and Hoffmeier were appointed the committee of ordination."
Helffenstein entered upon his work at Goshenhoppen immediately after the meeting of Synod, preaching on June 12, 1808, his installation sermon at New Goshen- hoppen, as the record of schoolmaster Weinel, already quoted, proves. On June 21 he had his first funeral at New Goshenhoppen. But his ministry was of short dura- tion. On May II, 18II, he entered his last baptism at New Goshenhoppen.
The record of his pastoral work at Goshenhoppen is not complete. He only entered 70 baptisms, 22 funerals and
221 Good, History of the Reformed Church in the United States in the Nineteenth Century, New York, 1911, p. 13 f.
222 Minutes of the Synod of 1808, Session I, §§ 3, 7; Session III, § 2.
I8
258
History of the Goshenhoppen Charge
12 weddings into the records. There are no weddings recorded by him at Great Swamp and even the other en- tries are incomplete, most of them stopping in 1809.
His ministry seems to have extended till October, ISII, for on October 27, 1811, he signed a receipt for salary for four months from the Great Swamp congregation. His salary was apparently one hundred dollars from each con- gregation. In July, 1809, 1810 and 1811, he signed re- ceipts for $100 each from the Great Swamp congregation.
Dr. Weiser reports223 that like Mr. Pomp he resided at first with a widow Levy at New Goshenhoppen, later with Mr. Pannebecker, until the new parsonage was completed.
Being a city boy and more accustomed to the English language than the German, he felt ill at ease among the German farmers at Goshenhoppen. He, therefore, ac- cepted in 1811 a call to Carlisle, where he stayed till 1819. Then he was pastor at Baltimore from 1819 to 1835. After that he left the Reformed Church, removed to Ohio and entered the Protestant Episcopal Church. In 1851 he applied to Lebanon Classis to be received back to the church of his fathers. His request was granted with cer- tain conditions which he fulfilled. At the same meeting of Classis he presented a call from the Elizabethtown charge in Lancaster County, which Classis confirmed. He labored in this field till 1853, when he retired from the ministry. In 1859 he removed to Shamokin, where he resided with his nephew, Chas. P. Helffenstein. There he died January 30, 1869.224
223 Weiser, Monograph, p. 89.
224 For a sketch of Albert Helffenstein's life see Heisler, Fathers, Vol. IV, pp. 67-70.
SOCIET
SE
CHAPTER XVI.
MINISTRY OF REV. FREDERICK WILLIAM VAN DER SLOOT, JR., 1812-1818.
FTER Mr. Helffenstein had left Goshenhop- pen in October, 1811, the congregations were without a pastor for more than a year. In November, 1812, they succeeded in se- curing a new pastor. He himself has left a statement in the New Goshenhoppen rec- ord which fixes the time of his arrival. "On November 12, 1812, I entered upon my ministry, but funerals did not occur till 1813." This new pastor was Frederick William Van der Sloot, Jr., son of the former pastor.
Frederick William Van der Sloot, Jr., was born No- vember 15, 1773, at Dessau, in the Duchy of Anhalt, Ger- many.225 The following is a translation of the baptismal entry in the church record at Dessau :
To Mr. Philipp Wilhelm Friedrich Van Der Sloot, appointed conrector of the Latin school of this place and to his wife, née Schultz, a young son was born, Friedrich Wilhelm, early at one o'clock, Monday morning, the 15th of November 1773, and was baptized in the house on the same day.
225 For the history of Mr. Von der Sloot, Jr., see History and Genealogy of the Von der Sloot Family, pp. 18-23.
259
260
History of the Goshenhoppen Charge
He studied in the University of Leipzig, and, after completing his studies, emigrated to America in the year 1801. He landed at Charleston, S. C., whence he con- tinued his journey to Philadelphia. From there he made his way in a "market wagon " to Northampton County, Pa., where he found his father ministering to seven or eight congregations.
In 1802 young Van der Sloot appeared before the Synod of the Reformed Church, which met from May 16 to 18, 1802, at Philadelphia. On Monday, May 17,
a communication was received from the congregations in Allen, Moretown, Lehigh and Hanover townships, asking Synod to hold a tentamen with young Mr. Van der Sloot, and to place him in a position to serve them as their pastor. Resolved, that a committee of five be appointed to hold a tentamen with him. The following persons constituted the committee : Messrs. Hendel, Wagner, Wack, Sen., Runkel and Wack, Jr.
On Tuesday morning, May 18,
the committee consisting of Messrs. Hendel, Wagner, Wack, Sen., and Wack, Jr., reported that they held a tentamen with Mr. Van Der Sloot, and found his qualifications such that he can with pro- priety be licensed as a candidate for the ministry. Resolved that Mr. Van Der Sloot be licensed.226
Later on in the same session we read that,
to Mr. Van Der Sloot, in connection with his tentamen, was as- signed the duty of preparing a sermon on Rom. 8: 1.
At the meeting of Synod, held May 8 to 10, 1803, at Lebanon,
application was made this morning by the congregations of Mr. Van Der Sloot for his ordination. The subject was again taken into consideration this afternoon. It was resolved that Mr. Van
226 Minutes of the Synod of 1802, Session I, § 5; Session III, §§ 1, 6.
26I
Frederick Wm. Van Der Sloot, Jr.
Der Sloot be ordained. Messrs. Helffrich, Pomp, and Hoffmeier were appointed a committee to ordain him in his congregations on the second Wednesday after Whitsuntide ;227 (June 8, 1803).
In May, 1811, Mr. Van der Sloot informed Synod
that he had left the congregations he had heretofore served, and accepted a call from the congregation at Germantown. The call was confirmed by Synod.228
Shortly after entering upon his ministry in Northampton County Mr. Van der Sloot had been married, on Novem- ber II, 1802, to Catharine Pauli, daughter of the Rev. Philip Reinhold Pauli, of Reading, Pa. The marriage ceremony was performed by the Rev. Dr. Wm. Hendel, Jr., then pastor at Tulpehocken.
Mr. Van der Sloot remained only a short time in Ger- mantown. As we have learned from his own entry in the New Goshenhoppen record, he came to Goshenhoppen in November, 1812.
The record of his ministry at Goshenhoppen is very in- complete. Even his baptisms were not fully recorded. At New Goshenhoppen are 21 baptisms by him from Jan- uary 24, 1813, to August, 1818; at Old Goshenhoppen he recorded 20 baptisms from February 28, 1813, to Decem- ber, 1817, and at Great Swamp 19 baptisms were entered into the record by him from May 22, 1814, to November 22, 1818. The records of his funerals are entirely want- ing, five lonely burials at New Goshenhoppen excepted.
While pastor at Goshenhoppen Mr. Van der Sloot also supplied the Reformed congregation at the Trappe, Mont- gomery County.
Dr. Weiser draws this interesting picture of him as pas- tor at Goshenhoppen :
227 Minutes of the Synod of 1803, Session II, § 9.
228 Minutes of the Synod of 1811, Session III, § 15.
262
History of the Goshenhoppen Charge
His large, burly form, his stentorian voice, his peculiar power to sing, pray and preach, his natural abilities and pulpit aptitude, his jovial nature, funded with wit and anecdote, his affable and friendly mien-all these bold features of the man are still to be freshly traced in the minds of his old parishioners, and are likely to per- petuate his portrait life-sized to another generation.229
As now a full century has passed since the beginning of Mr. Van der Sloot's pastorate at Goshenhoppen, it is hardly probable that the recollection of his jovial person- ality and short labors is still so vividly retained by the present generation.
His ministry at Goshenhoppen came to a close in No- vember, 1818. From entries in the Old Goshenhoppen account it appears that his annual salary from that congre- gation was $200, the other two congregations contributing probably an equal sum.
In December, 1818, we find him in Philadelphia. As nothing has appeared thus far in English regarding his activity in Philadelphia, it may be well to insert here a brief sketch of his labors there, based upon a recent inves- tigation of the writer.
In the summer of 1818, English church services were introduced into the old Reformed church at Philadelphia. The German element of the congregation, which had for years fought against their introduction, felt so much ag- grieved that they left their church and formed an inde- pendent congregation. In July, 1818, they rented the "Old Commissioners Hall " on Third Street below Green and asked a Lutheran minister, Rev. Karl R. Demme, to preach for them. On August 26, ISIS, they elected the first consistory, consisting of four elders, four deacons and five trustees. On September 1, 1818, they sent a petition 229 Weiser, Monograph, p. 91.
263
Van Der Sloot in Philadelphia
to Synod, which met September 8 at Carlisle, asking that their action be confirmed and they be allowed to organize a German congregation. Their petition was readily granted and a committee was appointed to install the con- sistory. 230 This took place on September 20, 1818. On November 9, 1818, an election for pastor took place, as a result of which Frederick William Van der Sloot was elected. He hesitated at first to accept it, but after his salary had been fixed at 1,200 dollars, he accepted on December 2. On January 1, 1819, he delivered his intro- ductory sermon, in Zion's Lutheran Church to a large audience, preaching from the text Ezekiel 3: 17, "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel."
Under the leadership of the new pastor steps were at once taken for the building of a church. On February 15, 1819, the congregation resolved to build a church 50 feet wide and 67 to 70 feet long. On March 27 the con- gregation was incorporated. In April a schoolhouse was bought on Rose Alley, the present Bodine Street.
The cornerstone of the new church was laid with special services on May 9, 1819. At this time the church was named "Salem Church," which is still its name. A spe- cial feature of the celebration were a series of hymns which the pastor had written and for which the schoolmaster, Jacob Bibighaus, had composed the music. The church was dedicated October 24, 1819, with a still more elabo- rate celebration, for which the pastor had again composed the hymns and the schoolmaster had written the music. The following verses may be quoted as a sample of pastor Van der Sloot's German poetry :
230 Minutes of the Synod of 1818, p. 14, §§ 10, 11.
264
History of the Goshenhoppen Charge
Ist's wirklich ?- Nicht ein süsser Traum ?
Dass hier, aus diesem öden Raum- Zu Menschen Glück und Gottes Lob- So schnell sich dieses Haus erhob?
Chorus:
Nein! Nicht ein Traum. Der Gott, der uns're Väter
In früh'rer Zeit berieth, der ist auch später-
Noch unser Gott. In seinem Arm gestützet,
Umschliesst er uns; er ist ihm nicht verkürzet:
Umschliesst er uns mit himmlischen Erbarmen-
Beseelet uns mit Muth in Seinen Armen.
Another verse refers to the name of the new church:
Durch Christum war der Herr euch nah, Auf! Singet laut Hallelujah ! Zieht jubelnd in eu'r Salem ein: Der mit euch war, wird mit euch sein.
But although the congregation had now a beautiful property and a new home, their joy was by no means un- mixed, for there was also a large debt on the property. But the members did not lose courage. Several commit- tees were at once appointed. One to collect among the members of the congregation. Another committee went to Baltimore where they succeeded in raising $208. Then they wrote letters to the different congregations of the Synod, asking them to take up a collection for them. To satisfy the most urgent creditors a mortgage of $5,000 was taken upon the property on July 23, 1821. In No- vember of the following year they asked the legislature of the state for permission to start, in accordance with a then prevailing custom, a lottery to pay off their debt. But their petition was apparently not granted.
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.