USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Ephrata > Chronicon ephratense : a history of the community of Seventh Day Baptists at Ephrata, Lancaster County, Penn'a. > Part 10
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Before I lay aside this matter, however, I will here inen- tion for hallowed remembrance the names of all those who in this awakening came to the congregation at Ephrata, from among whom arose some of the most trusty Solitary ones. The married ones were Henry Kalckglässer, Valen- tine Mack, John Hildebrand, Lewis Hæcker, Pettikofer, the widow Gorgas, and their children; to the Solitary belonged Henry Hæcker, Alexander Mack, Jolın Riesmann, Christian
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Eckstein, Elizabetlı Eckstein, Martha Kinsing, Miriam Gorgas.
The printing of the above-mentioned hymn-book now went forward. But towards the end there happened a matter which caused a great stir in the land, and which shall now be cominunicated. The printer Saur had already in Ger- many become acquainted with the Superintendent during the awakening there. He considered him indeed to be a God-fearing man; but when Providence placed him at the head of a great awakening in Conestoga, the good man held him in suspicion of seeking to become a pope, to which there came yet a secret dislike for the Superintendent because the latter received his wife, who had separated from him, under his leading, and even made her sub-superintendent of the Sisters' House. At that time opinions concerning the St- perintendent varied in the country. The greater and coarser part of the people regarded him as a great wizard, whereto certain things that had happened gave an appearance of plausibility. As has been mentioned above, the spirit under · whose guidance he was, at times made him invisible, con- cerning which the following is yet to be mentioned in pass- ing. A justice of the peace sent a constable after him with a warrant; he took an assistant with him, named Martin Graff. As they caine towards the house, they saw him go in with a pitcher of water. They followed him, and while one stationed himself at the door, the other searched the house from top to bottom; but no Superintendent was to be found. As they departed, however, and were quite a distance fromn the house, they saw him come out again.
His Brethren, however, who were daily with him, and may have seen mnich of this kind of thing, fell into the opposite extreme, and like the Jews concerning John, thought whether he might not be Christ. Even Brother Prior Onesimus said that such thoughts often came to himn. Of all this the printer was aware. Wherefore when in printing the hymn- book lie came upon the hymn: 2 "Since the pillar of cloud
2The fact that the printer took such violent offence at this hymn, as did also not a few others, merits closer examination. In a congregation in which the way of holiness is pursued, the stone of stumbling and rock of
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dissolveth," etc., he wanted to force out of the 37th verse a meaning as if the Superintendent intended himself thereby. He accordingly took the corrector to task about it, who how- ever, asked him, whether he then believed only in one Christ ? This so outraged him that he wrote a sharp letter to the Superintendent, in which he reproached him for his spir- itual pride. The Superintendent, who in such things never remained anyone's debtor, sent back to him a short reply to the following intent : "Answer not a fool according to his folly, etc." "As vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart." (PROV. XXV, 20.) This aroused the good man to a fiery heat, and he resolved to avenge himself for this affront. Therefore he published a document against the Superintendent in which he told under how strange a conjunction of the stars the Superintendent was, and how each planet manifested in him its own character-
offence is set up. Whoso goes beyond him becomes Anti-Christ, and whoso comes under him is crushed and ground to dust ; to such an object of contention did God ordain him among his people, nor did it cease with the close of his life. For, when the glories of paradise were revealed in him prophetically, everybody ran after him ; but when it became known · what was behind this, the cross of Christ, many took so great offence thereat that they tried every means to overthrow him, although they never accomplished anything. For he himself had experienced such opposition in his own private inner life far more powerfully, so that he said at times that there was no harder work under the sun than to serve God, for do what one please it was never right, and that he wondered what would happen if his fellow-laborers were tried as sorely as he. His followers, however, were not aware of these circumstances, and by their mistaken zeal made the life of this witness of God so bitter, that judgment finally overtook them, and then, so long as there was a possibility of saving, he had to step into the breach, and redeem that which he had never robbed.
Accordingly it is no wonder that there were so many strange happenings at the Settlement during his superintendency, which will yet be mentioned. Certain it is that he spent liis life in such a fervor that but few of his fol- lowers were able to keep up with him. Since, therefore, he was a saviour of his people, whose transgressions were bound upon his back, no one need be surprised that he permitted something of his difficult priesthood to enter into this hymn, though he was constrained for reason's sake to rep- resent it in so flowery and ambiguous a wise that one could not know of whom he spoke. The printer, however, had him in suspicion before already, and hence was all the more able to kindle such a fire. One can surely conclude, then, that a congregation which has not produced Anti- Christ is not a congregation of Christ.
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istics: from Mars he had his great severity, from Jupiter his friendliness, from Venus that the female sex ran after him, Mercury had taught him the art of a comedian, etc. He even found in his name, Conradus Beusselus, the numbers of the Beast, 666. By this occurrence the good understand- ing between the printer and the Community at Ephrata was interrupted for many years, and was not restored until the printer's wife, who had hitherto lived at Ephrata, went back to him again. From that time on until his death, he lived on good terms with the Superintendent and all the Solitary in the Settlement, and won for himself an everlasting re- membrance among them by inany deeds of love. May the Lord grant him to enjoy the fruits of this good seed in the resurrection of the righteous !
Before I close this chapter it is yet to be remarked that about this same time the first Moravian Brethren arrived in Pennsylvania, viz: Spangenberg and Nitschmann, whom three Solitary Brethren soon visited at Shippack, in a family by the name of Wügner. At first sight there was felt by both parties a magnetic attraction between their spirits; for both were yet in their first love. Therefore also they re- solved to journey with the afore-mentioned Solitary Brethren and to pay a visit to the Settlement; which also was done with great blessing. On their return, the Brethren accom- panied them part of the way, formed a circle, and after having praised God in a hymn, they embraced and com- mended one another to God. It has been reported concern- ing them that in St. Thomas, whither they went from Ephrata, they baptized the blacks whom they converted there, by baptizing them under the water, according to the Ephrata manner; which I give as reported. It is to be de- sired that this good feeling and confidence inight not so soon have been lost on both sides, as much offence might thus have been avoided in succeeding times. All these things happened about the year 1739.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE BROTHERS' CONVENT, NAMED ZION, IS BUILT.
In Chap. XIV we mentioned how the first meeting-house in the Settlement, named Kedar, fell into the hands of the Sisters, and was constituted a convent; and how a house- father of means had a chapel for them added to it. At that time the Brethren still dwelt scattered here and there in the Settlement, while each one was allowed a small possession in land, because it was not considered right to constrain any- one to self-denial against his will. Among the Brethren there were four who lived together in a house, viz: Brother Onesimus, who afterwards became Prior, Brother Jotham, his brother according to the flesh, Brother Nehemiah and Brother Jabez; these because of their superior excellence were regarded as the choicest of the Brethren. Their house was built half against the hill, and therefore was called the Hill House. Moreover they were well furnished for the en- tertainment of guests, had cleared a goodly tract of land, and established a right pleasant settlement, where they thought to maintain themselves even though all else should go to nothing; but these were mere men's thoughts. With them the Superintendent was on confidential terins; all love- feasts in the Settlement were held in their house; and all guests were harbored there; on which account the rest of the Brethren harbored ill-will against them. But what would be the final outcome no one knew at that time; God had hidden it from their eyes, otherwise none would have gone into the net.
As now so many wooers of the Virgin continually an- nounced themselves at the Settlement, the Superintendent was at a loss what should be done with these numerous young people, and whether it were not better to teach them to renounce their self-will in convents under spiritual author- ity, than to let them raise up their own altars of self hood in corners; in this matter a certain occurrence brought him to
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a decision. At that time a very rich young Swiss had him- self received in the Settlement, Benedict Yuchly1 by name, from Kilchery-turnen in the district of Berne. Inflamned by the love of God lie resolved to devote his fortune to the erec- tion of a convent; which was accepted as coming by divine direction, and his proposition granted. There was in the Settlement a pleasant elevation from which one had a beau- tiful view of the fertile valley and the mountains lying oppo- site; of this height the Brethren in the Hill House at that time held possession. When now it came to the selection of a site, the most held that the valley along the Cocalico creek was the most desirable, on account of the water; the Su- perintendent, however, went up the hill until he came within
1This Benedict Yuchily, after having lived in this new convent several years, became very much disgusted with this narrowly circumscribed life, and sought some good excuse again to become free. As he still had large possessions in Switzerland, he asked permission to go and get this fortune, promising to hand it over to the Community. In reality, however, his in- tention was again to take up his residence in his native land, though at first only as an immigrant settler. This request was granted in a brotherly council, and his traveling expenses advanced ont of the treasury, in return for which he made the Brethren his heirs in his will, if he should die on the journey. But who can understand the wonderful ways of God ; for, in his covenant with God sealed in the water, he had pledged himself not to love his life nnto deatlı, which could not be broken. Therefore, as long as there still was some good to be found in him, and that his transgressions might not multiply, the judgment overtook him even before he had arrived outside the boundaries of God's people, and severed the thread of his life in Philadelphia, just as he was ready to go on board the ship.
If this had been the only one in the Settlement who shortened his life by his heedlessness, one might perhaps regard it as a mere coincidence. But since there were probably more than twenty, of both sexes in the Set- tlement, who similarly paid the penalty with their lives, it must be ac- knowledged that the hand of Providence was concerned therein, for they would after all have gained no more than to make their offence against the Lord greater.
Thereupon two Brethren were sent to Philadelphia. But they canie too late for his funeral, and therefore were going to disinter his remains and bring them here to his Brethren, which however caused a great tumult of the people, and caused thiem to be ill thought of after their return home. This deceased Brother's memory will be hallowed so long as the Settlement of the Solitary remains inhabited ; for although he departed out of time as one prematurely born, yet he left his Brethren so much by his will, that they bought a mill therewith, which for this long while has furnished the bread for the entire Settlement.
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the limits of the property of the Brethren of the Hill House, and there was the site chosen. By this the spirit of wonders indicated at the very beginning that the Brotherhood would at first build its structure on the heights of reason, and thus. soar aloft, until at length by a great storm they would be cast down into the valley; all which was afterwards fulfilled in minutest detail. But the good Brethren of the Hill House were moved to sensitiveness by this, for they realized that this convent would be at their expense. This hill was called Zion, and from it the society afterwards went by the naine of the Zionitic Brotherhood, which name clung to. them in all their doings. At this time, too, the naine Ephrata was given to the Settlement by the Superintendent, of which he said, that here his Rachel, for whom he had served so- many years, was buried, after she had borne to him Benoni, the child of anguish; whereby he pointed to the history of the patriarch Jacob.
Work on this great house went forward rapidly. Its frame was erected in May, 1738, and in the following October the first Bretliren moved into it; they were, with a few excep- tions, all novices, and had but little experience in the spiritual life. Soon after they moved in there were certain happenings from which one could infer that this house would be a source of inany sorrows for its inmates; for each one brought with him his inflammable passions, while the divine fount by which all acerbity is softened, had not yet been opened in them; besides this, the older Brethren had not yet put their interest in this house. The house was not entirely finished nor fully occupied until five years after this.
The Superintendent spoke mnuch with the older Brethren concerning this new institution, how it demanded a man who would be its sole head, without whom the institution would not be able to be maintained. But when he noticed that his words did not make any impression on them, he made use of a trick, and pretended that he would place the two Brethren Nehemiah and Jabez in authority at Zion; which when the Eckerlins heard, they regarded it as an in- sult that Brethren who were younger than they in their call- ing should be preferred before them. Therefore the youngest
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among them, Jotham by name, went off, and moved to Zion · with the two Brethren named; but his elder brother, Onesi- in11s, who was intended for the office, at that time yet held back. As now the Brethren in Zion were obliged to accept this authority, they came into great temptations, and thought their freedom was lost forever; for although they were very earnest, they had not yet learned that obedience by which the Son of God overcame the evil one; nor was it any wonder, because their superiors also lacked the same. Consequently their natural characteristics came into collision, so that often, if the Superintendent had not come into the breach, the name of God would have been brought into dishonor among them. Now it became apparent what the Superintendent had intended when he said that the house demanded a man; there was no one of dignity enough among thein to be chosen. For notwithstanding that the same Brother used every effort to bring the house into subjection, in which also he in a measure succeeded, it yet was only a government of selfishness; wherefore also it broke up again the following year, 1740.
Thus at length the hermit Order in the Settlement was converted, amid many temptations, to a conventual life. Our predecessors of both sexes followed this angelic life in the forests of Conestoga for ten years before Ephrata was built, and it was spread abroad in different parts of the land. And that God first practices his saints in a separate and soli- tary life ere he hires them for his vineyard, is shown by the example of John the Baptist, as well as by that of Moses in the wilderness where he tended sheep for forty years. The Superintendent was able to adapt himself pretty well to these peculiar conditions, though it cost him a thousand tears to renounce his angelic way of life and again to plunge into the ocean of humanity; for he clearly saw that the hermit. life, however innocent it be, could yet contribute nothing to the fruitfulness of the house of God, because, as he says in his discourses, no hermit enters the kingdom of God. Therefore when afterwards every spring the cry arose that the Brethren in Zion would go forth into the wilderness, it did not move him, since he foresaw that the sons of
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Ephraim, who clad in armor were bearing the bow, would yet fall away in the time of battle, which the Eckerlins ven- tured to do when they wanted to revive the hermit-life on New River, where the storm of the Almighty Lord then overthrew their structure, erected in selfishness, so that several lost their lives, and others fell away and afterwards multiplied in the flesh.
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With the other Solitary ones, however, it was different; for their longing was always after solitariness, so that, when the Superintendent installed the first Mother over the Sisters, their house was so violently moved that several ran away; yet they came back again after the storm had passed. So hard it is to learn to fight orderly under command. The Brethren had so thoroughly prepared everything for their solitary life that, when they brought their household furni- ture together to Zion, it was a matter of astonishment how they were furnished in every detail. That God must have specially blessed this Order is known to those who at that time visited the Solitary saints in their huts; yes, even long after their departure one could notice something attractive in said huts. O, how many fiery trials these warriors might have avoided, if it had been permitted them to end their lives in this angelic existence! But since its course was run, the Order will probably not again be restored to its former estate; the light has risen higher, wherefore also we wished to speak their eulogy at its funeral. Remarkable it is that the holy fathers in the desert made their disciples first learn obedience in convents, and afterwards sent them into the desert for higher schooling; here it was turned around, they went from solitude to convent life. And although then already everyone was convinced that this was the leading of God, there nevertheless were some who even thus early ran off the track, among whom Peter Gehr was one of the first, whose biography, since it was a remarkable one, we will add liere. 2
2 He was born at Seckenheim near Heidelberg in the Palatinate, and was brought to his conversion early in life under the Superintendent's ministry in Pennsylvania. And as his walk shone forth with special brilliance he was also employed by the latter to baptize others ; but as it happened that
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the Superintendent rebaptized several of those baptized by him, this young warrior came to harbor suspicions against his spiritual leader, which at length resulted in a root of bitterness. Soon after his conversion he be- came intimate with a young Sister, Rebecca by name, who had been conse- crated to God, and married her in presence of the congregation ; which indeed was imputed to him as a mistaken act ; but as he led an angelic life with her he began to exalt his estate above that of the Solitary Brethren, because he was able to do more than they did. Finally the Solitary Sisters took his helpmate up in their Convent, wherefore he gave her a bill of divorce, and as mentioned above, betook himself to the Brethren in Zion whom, however, he also soon left again. On January 9th, 1740, he made another attempt to live with the Brethren in Zion, when the Superintendent with much love offered him in spirit the hand of fellowship. Notwithstand- ing this, his temptations overcame him, so that he soon went away again, which happened in October of the year mentioned.
Since he was not capable of living in subjection to a spiritual Order, on account of his strong spirit of selfhood, he spent the remainder of the time in separatism. There he outwardly led a quiet and retiring life, though within himself he may have been very much exercised, as one who had missed God's purpose, in trying to bring God's testimony under his feet, a testimony which so marvellously makes a fool of one. Certain it is that on his death-bed he ordered a whole ream of paper, which he had written full, to be torn up and thrown into the water; wherein, perchance, his counsels and plans against the simplicity of God may have been contained. In this state he lived about twenty years without expressing any accusations against the community which he had left, although he associated with those who were dissatisfied with God's leading in the organization, which also caused him severe trials at his departure into eternity.
Finally he came to die ; whereupon, instead of passing away in peace, stern justice delivered him over to the powers of darkness, who delayed his end so that for twenty-four hours he was dying and lying in the midst of the severest temptations. The relatives noticed that heavy stones of offence lay at the bottom of this, and therefore asked him whether he were reconciled with his former Brethren. This hit the mark ; for at his request a messenger quickly had to go and bring three of his former inost intimate Brethren. They found him in a state of struggling with despair, like another Spira, and this was his constant lamentation : "I am fallen among murderers !" The presence of his Brethren, however, gave him more con- fidence, and he expressed to them his condition in the following wise: "You are my Brethren ! Unto you will I live, and unto you will I die, and you shall also bury me." Thereupon he reverted to the Sisterhood, and as he was made aware that these still held him in some favor, his desire was that the Brethren should hasten home, and in fellowship with these Sisters should bow their knees in their chapel in prayer to God on his behalf. Meanwhile the door opened, and there entered one of his fellow- separatists, who greeted him in a friendly way, but which, as was remarked with astonishment, renewed lis temptations, wherefore he turned his back to him, and faced the wall. May God preserve his saints from falling into
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folly ! For persons who are joined together against the Divine counsels, and thereby have embittered the life of the laborers in the vineyard, will have a heavy responsibility to answer for in eternity.
The Brother's condition was not yet relieved, however, for there still lay a heavy weight upon him in reference to the Superintendent, from whose authority, under which he should have wrought out his salvation, he had withdrawn himself in willful manner. At last he drew to himself a Brother who he knew availed much with the Superin tendent, and whispered in his ear that he should take his cordial greeting to the Superintendent. That settled it. The brotherly balsam flowed forth and entered his soul, especi- ally when the Brother mentioned laid his hands upon him and blessed him; whereupon, to the amazement of all who were gathered about him, most of whom were of the Lutheran church, he was relieved of all his temptations, and entered upon a divine peacefulness. Soon after the departure of the Brethren he died, as we hope, happily. This threw into great terror all those who had cast under foot the testimony of God, forasmuch as such a person even, who had lived so irreproachable a life, at last, at the end of his life, again had to subject himself humbly under that very cause above which he had impiously tried to set himself. But the Solitary at the Set- tlement took fresh courage therefrom, so that next day they hastened to dress the deceased in the garb of their Order, and thus at the same time raised over him the standard of victory, as a sign that by the grace of God they had snatched his prey from the hellish blood-avenger ; whereat surely all the saints in heaven and on earth will rejoice. The tragedy aroused much commotion in that region. Some said to the deceased: "Poor Gehr! must you now again be that against which during life you strove so earnestly ?" Others declared that it was wonderful that so strict an orga- nization existed among the Solitary at Ephrata. But no one ventured to deny that the hand of God was in the affair ; for everyone well knew that all these changes had wrought themselves out in him freely, and that no one had persuaded him. He was committed to the earth among the Soli- tary at Ephrata, where may God grant him his portion in the first resurrec- tion ! I have purposely gone into details in this narrative. The reader will notice therefrom that God has his eye specially upon the footsteps of such persons as have once come to his hand. Had this warrior gone over into eternity in his unreconciled condition, how hard would it have been to redeem him out of the same, because his freedom of will would have been gone. It appears, however, that in the days of his innocence he had wrought much good, whereby God had become his debtor to stand faith- fully by him in the time of need; which also the good God did, whose name be praised !
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