USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Ephrata > Chronicon ephratense : a history of the community of Seventh Day Baptists at Ephrata, Lancaster County, Penn'a. > Part 20
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cited, tried, and found guilty; but before they reached home, the chief bailiff imposed a fine on them, and an execution of it was sent to Gimsheim. They paid the fine, but the affair was reported to the sovereign of the country, which had the result that the chief bailiff was ordered to remit the fine against the accused. By the death of the sovereign, how- ever, which soon after took place, this was prevented. There- fore they were obliged to look to other places for liberty of conscience. They consequently went to Herrnhaag and Gelnhausen. But because they did not find what they wanted at those places, they determined to go to America.
In the year 1749 the first of thein arrived in Pennsylvania, and soon turned their steps towards the Settlement; among these were some of the Superintendent's relations. The rest of his relatives arrived some years later, all of whom were poor people. This was a hard trial for the Superin- tendent, for how was it possible for him to acknowledge again the natural relationships from which he had severed himself at his first awakening. But the Community bore such love to its Superintendent, that it paid their passage. Thus every corner in the Settlement was for the time occu- pied by the persecuted, of whom the Brethren's and Sisters' Houses gathered in many, all of whom eventually, however, joined the domestic household, except a few, who remained with the Sisters. The first arrivals, namely, four persons of the domestic household, were baptzied during October and November, 1749. In the year 1751 the leaders of said awak- ening, namely, Lohman and Kimmel, left Gimsheim, in com- pany with some others, and arrived all well in Pennsylvania; but they experienced more difficulty in getting to the Settle- ment than those who had preceded them, for they were merchants, and therefore were much beset by the Pietists, who tried to entangle them in business affairs. But after they had successfully overcome this temptation, there was not one who did not go to the Settlement. This addition of new converts caused much work in the Settlement, for they hungered so after the bread of God, which comes from heaven, that their zeal roused the inatrix of eternity so that powers of prophecy again were poured out. Hence
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several of thein, in their spiritual intoxication, attempted to hand their possessions over to the Community, which, however, were not accepted. Meanwhile they professed that they had attained the aim of their awakening, and that they had no need to look for anything else.
In December of the year 1751, six more of them were bap- tized, namely, Henry Lohman, Jeremiah Niess and Valen- tine Henry, with their wives. On the 25th of that month a love-feast was held, to which said Lolunan contributed the costs; but with Kimmel more difficulties arose, for it was conjectured that he would leave the Settlement again before being baptized. But at last, in the spring following, he and his helpmate also submitted to the rules of the new covenant, and his children afterwards followed his example. After having spent about six months in the Settlement, he moved to York county, in the neighborhood of the Bermudian, but after living there for several years, his helpmate was torn from him by death, which subjected him to severe tempta- tions, since a second marriage was neither agreeable to his mind nor permitted according to apostolic church-govern- ment. When this became known in the Settlement the Solitary Brethren opened the door of their house to him; to whom he moved and where God compensated him for the loss of his wife, so that he lived with them for thirty years as a widower, and at last departed into eternity, in 1784, at a great age. These are the chief circum- stances connected with the Gimsheim awakening, and how at last it was united with the awakening in the Settle- ment. May God grant that all of them reached the aim and end of their calling, or may yet reach it. But, to take up our narrative in proper order, all the married people of Gims- hein afterwards joined the said Kiminel and settled about the Bermudian. But because they were followed by some of the Community, of whom it was known that they avoided bearing witness to God, and could not endure its keeness, said region began to be suspected in the Settlement, so that nobody ventured to go there on a spiritual visit any more.
At that time Henry Lohman still lived in the Settlement. The Superintendent's inind was much occupied with this
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Brother, because he was a man richly endowed by God, who, therefore, could be useful in building up the kingdom of Christ in this wilderness; besides he had had much experi- ence during their awakening. On the other hand the Super- intendent saw clearly that he could not make proper use of his talents in the Settlement, because the passion of Christ's body pervaded everything there and he might come in danger of losing his acquired good. Therefore he represented to him how great a want there was of faithful laborers in the vine- yard of God, and how important it was to give himself up entirely to the service of God and his neighbors. Then he proposed to him that he also should move to the waters of Bermudian. "For," he said, "here I cannot any longer break bread with you, but when I seek you at the Bermu- dian I shall find you again and can then without difficulty break bread with you." The good Brother looked suspic- iously at this talk, and could not but suppose that a pitfall was being dug for him; but when he afterwards saw by a a certain incident that it was the will of God, he submitted to the Superintendent's counsel and moved thither, where God gave so much work into his hands that he took upon himself the care of the Community. The privileges of a Community, however, were not accorded to them until Brother George Adam Martin joined the Settlement, through Lohman's interposition, of which we will treat hereafter. He was a inan of great natural gifts, and for many years helped to keep the church in proper repair by his means, and lie never refused his help to anyone who requested it, although he frequently received poor reward for it. We will not be responsible for his deficiencies; we put them upon the Mediator; and he himself would not wish it, if he were present. He survived the Superintendent by ten years, and was gathered to his people at the Bermudian; and may God give him there a blessed and happy resurrection!
The following was handed to the writer of this by the Superintendent himself as a fruit of his church-work, that it might he inserted here. The words run thus: The year 1751 and 1752 were so productive in wheat and other fruit that people in their thoughtlessness tried, out of mere wan-
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tonness, to waste this supply; for they fattened their pigs, which in their luxury they afterwards ate, with this precious wheat, on which many poor inight have lived. Moreover distilling vessels were everywhere purchased and strong drinks distilled out of this blessed gift, which created great disorder. Thus affairs then stood in the worldly realın. But in the Settlement, especially in the Brotherhood, the Superin- tendent was greatly hindered in his spiritual work, wherefore he often complained that God was banished; he acknowledged also that he experienced essentially the same process through which Jonas passed in the belly of the whale. These were again difficult times for him; although the existing luxury in the worldly kingdom did not grieve him as much as to wit- ness that sins against the Holy Ghost were committed in the midst of the sanctuary. 1
Nevertheless he took it much to heart that the inhabitants of the country abused the gifts of God in such a manner, therefore he once wrestled with God in his prayers in this way: "Thou good God, Thou seest how shamefully the in- habitants of the country abuse Thy gifts of love. Canst Thou, O God, stand still at their doings? Thou hast means and ways sufficient to check this evil, for Thou art not hon- ored by it but dishonored! It is indeed not for me to dictate to Thee the ineans and ways, because Thou art master of Thy gifts and wishes. But may it please Tliee to see to it, that in future the inhabitants of the land may not be able so often to enjoy Thy gifts of love, because Thiou, O God, art more dishonored than honored thereby." This happened in the year 1752. For three summers thereafter, such a drought followed, that not only plants withered but the poor beasts, too, almost died of hunger. Now it always had happened that
1 After the rule of the Eckerlins in the Settlement had been overthrown, the Brethren ought to have cultivated williug obedience, because compul- sion was at an end, (although the Eckerlins never abused any of the Brethren, however strict their regime had been; though they had abused their spiritual guide). After their fall, however, the whole household went too far in the opposite direction ; for wherever there were any rules, they were considered remnants of the Eckerlin management. Therefore the Superintendent once said to the Brethren: God can judge the Eckerlins, for they came so near him; but your quarrels he cannot judge, because they are too far removed from him.
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such public distress awakened people, who placed themselves in the breach, in order to stein the evil (see II SAM. XXI); and noboby took this severe judgment more to heart than the Superintendent. It pained him most that no one sought for the causes of this severe judgment, nor repented of the sins previously committed. He several times endeavored to better matters by prayer, in which he so far succeeded that it rained, though there was no blessing in it, because the judg- inent which was lying on the land was not revoked by it. Whenever he laid the distress of the country before God in his prayers, it was always brought back to his mind how he had put it before God at the time when he strove with him about the blessings he had vouchsafed the country. This embarrassed him all the more. Therefore he warned against finding fault with God on account of benefits he had bestowed upon mankind.
About the same time God brought it about that the Breth- ren in Bethany were again reconciled with the Superintend- ent, and thus a door was opened which brought a blessing upon all church movements. They had for a long time neglected their Night Watches during this dry season, but now the Superintendent said to them: "As soon as you will begin your Night Watches again it will rain," which, indeed, it did; for during the first night heavy showers fell; but it was too late, the vegetation was already dried up. When, as men- tioned, a door had again been opened for good among the Brethren, the Prior applied to the Superintendent and told him that he and several of the Brethren intended to pay him a visit, in order to see whether anything could be done for the good of the country. This address gave into the hands of the Superintendent the key with which to open heaven again. And after the judgment which rested on the land, and to which the Brethren had contributed a great deal by their refractoriness, had been removed, the Superintendent also was permitted by God to take back what three years before he had laid before him in regard to the country.
A blessed year followed. The elements again proved favorable to the country; wet and dry alternated; everthing proffered its riches for the sustenance of man, for which the name of God must be praised. Amen.
CHAPTER XXIX.
CONTINUATION OF THE HISTORY OF THE ECKERLINS TO ITS END.
After the former Prior, together with his own brother and two other Brethren, namely Timotheus and Ephraim, had left their place in the Settlement of the Solitary, and had moved towards the wilderness, they built their lonely hut on the banks of the New River, on very fruitful soil, and called the place Mahanaiin. When they commenced to inhabit their huts it was revealed to Brother Timotheus at night, in a dream, that the Indians were about to lay their hermitage in ruins; and because they actually arrived in a few days and laid waste their corn lie revealed his dream to the Eckerlins, who answered him that if he had no faith in this way of living they would not object to his leaving them again. He, therefore, transferred his hut to them, said good night to the Solitary life, and returned to his people in Germantown, from whom he had come. The other Brother, called Ephraim, soon followed him, and ended his life at the house of a merchant of Philadelphia. These were two important proofs that a life chosen by our own will, if it appear to be ever so holy, finds no acceptance with God. Thus the three brothers alone were left, each of whom chose a special mode of making a livelihood. Jephune, the oldest, applied himself to medicine, and spent his time among the people on the border. The other, the foriner Prior, occupied himself with writing, of which we will speak liere- after. But the youngest, Jonathan, became a hunter, an employment which is unfit for a Solitary, and which was looked upon with much suspicion in the Settlement. Alto- gether they soon becaine aware of their inistake; but the Prior, under whose influence the two other brothers stood, was a venturesome fellow, and still hoped to bring the Community in the Settlement to bow down before him, as the sons of Jacob did before Joseph. We are assured that the said Jonathan shed so many tears that it was feared he
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might lose his sight, for the Superintendent loved him so dearly on account of his innocent youth that, as already mentioned, he once omitted all divine service in the Settle- ment until he had freed him from the snares of the tempter. His brother also testified of him that it would have been inn- possible for them to remain on the New River another day, such was his hunger for their inother-church. They had little or nothing to do with anything relating to divine worship, because they early fell into the fetters of free-think- ing; besides they thought meanly of the church ordinances in the Settlement, such as the Sabbath, baptism, breaking of bread, etc., for they pretended to honor God in a more important way.
After the Brethren in the Settlement became aware that the rod of the taskmaster was broken, and that they were no longer kept captive under the rule of the Eckerlins, they dropped their violent opposition to thein; so also the Ecker- lins, who had obtained all their power in the Settlement from the opposition of the Brethren-when they perceived that this had subsided, thought it a favorable opportunity to visit the Settlement; and on February 23d, 1750, the two brothers, Onesimus and Jonathan, arrived in the neighborhood of the Settlement. As soon as this became known to the Brethren they assembled in their meeting-hall, with their Superinten- dent, and sent two delegates to them to welcome thein, and offer them shelter in their convent, which these two Brethren thankfully accepted. Then both parties embraced each other in the Brethrens' meeting-hall, which was so edifying to behold that it did not pass off without tears, because the Philadelphian brotherly spirit was then revived among Brethren who for inany a year had eaten the bread of misery together.
The Eckerlins were astonished at such kind behavior on the part of the Brethren, and offered not only to live with the Brethren again, as regarded their own persons, but also to deposit all their acquired property in the treasury of the Brethren. The Superintendent answered that they intist bear patiently with us, as we had become a bad people after their departure; which gave them the more courage.
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Thereafter they attended the evening meeting of the Breth- ren, and as many house-fathers were present at the time, these, too, received them with special love and admonished them to return again to the Brethren. After this they re- solved to visit their friends here and there in the country; but because the opinion was everywhere prevalent that they were inimical to the Solitary in the Settlement, they re- quested the Superintendent to give them a travelling com- panion. He appointed one who had formerly been the best friend of the Prior, but who had separated from him on account of his rebellion. At every place to which they came the people were astonished at the sudden change, and many worked up the old lies again, namely, that the Superintendent was a sorcerer and had drawn these two brothers into the Settlement by witchcraft. And since the said Prior, during his administration, had greatly wronged the Baptists by his judgments, he now tried to make amends. This he did to Peter Becker and Gantz, near Germantown, the latter of whom was a special enemy of the Superintendent, and commonly called him an arch-heretic. But even if the good Onesimus had in some measure been guilty, this recan- tation would not have been necessary; but herein lies the reason why God cannot get any more witnesses to condemn the sins of men; for if the sin and wickedness of men come upon them they recant, and so God loses his honor by them, as happened to Traut, Tennhard and several others in our fatherland.
When they returned to the Settlement, after this visit, they prepared for their departure again. At the leave-taking the former Prior put £40 into the treasury of the Brethren, and it was supposed that he did it for conscience sake, either because they had robbed the treasury at their departure, or because he had formerly taken that sum out of it in order to bribe the Mother of the Sisters, as mentioned above; and therefore the inoney was not returned to him. After the Eckerlins had taken such an edifying farewell, they went their way back to their lonely homes. Thereupon two Brethren of the Settlement, Nathanael and Manasse, were sent after them, who were instructed to assist them in properly arranging their affairs.
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But because their journey back was delayed on account of business, the time hung too heavily for the good Prior, so he started alone and came to the Settlement April 25th, 1750, which he did with good enough intentions but without sufficient consideration; for had he arrived in company with his brothers, he would again have been appointed to an important office in the Settlement, and if afterwards several Brethren had sided with them, the balance would have been restored. But he arrived alone and did not know whether or not he had a friend in the Settlement who would venture his life for him. Though as regards the Superintend- ent's faithfulness, that was not to be doubted, for he offered to give himself into the Prior's hands, and to go with him wherever he wished, on condition that the Prior would be answerable for him, which the Prior did not venture to do. But when it now came so far that the Prior was to be a com- inon Brother again, the Superintendent was obliged to let the affair take its own course, and was not permitted to inter- fere between the schools of the Brethren. The only thing he could do was to pray and supplicate at the throne of grace for a blessed outcome. It seems, however, that a high hand impelled the Prior so that the Superintendent's inno- cence might come to light, because the country at large had the wrong impression that the Superintendent had persecuted the Prior. In this mirror all those awakened persons who have left their posts may see themselves reflected; for as long as the road leads to the cross God's presence is assured; but if you flee from the. cross God stays behind. Thus it may happen that if God's plan is not fulfilled through the awakening the whole game is wonderfully turned around; for then first the mystery of wickedness comes out of its concealment and does not stop until it has brought to light its first and last-born son; as happened to this good Brother.
For when he had returned to Bethany, and attended their Night Watches for the first time, his old habit of long preaching, by which in former times he had rendered the life of the poor Brethren so very wearisome, again awoke within him; which showed that his retirement had benefitted him little, and had not helped to bring him to himself,
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and how could that have been possible ? Did he not run away from his school ? And because he did not endure the trial, the desire to be a minister was not killed in him. The Brethren patiently listened to him 'for a while, but told him at last that this might do for novices, but they who had already walked this road for many a year were not in need of it any more; at least that it was now plainly proved, that tlie Brethren in Bethany were able to live without the addi- tion of any Eckerlins. Therefore he not only absented him- self from the devotions of the Brethren, but the tempter succeeded so far with him, that he left their convent, and at his request a house was consigned to him in the Settlement, with the assurance that he might live there according to his conscience, without being obliged to bear the common bur- dens; and that he should receive his sustenance from the Community as long as he lived.
The Superintendent, it is true, saw in the spirit that the Prior would yet have a great fall; but since he had torn himself away from the Brotherhood, he was not able to help him. Nevertheless he once visited him in company with an- other Brother at his own house. They brought the holy bread along, and solemnly promised him not to have fellowship with any Prior or other Brother to his disadvantage. In this house he fell so deeply into the power of the spirits of temp- tation that he could no longer help himself. He made visits, and at one tine was away from his house for three weeks; but on his return he found everything as he had left it. Moreover, men whose fathers he would not have thought worthy to be given a place among his shepherd dogs came to him to advise him. At last he commenced to alter his clothes, from which everybody saw his intentions; for, when- ever a Solitary intends to leave the Order, he first alters lis dress, and that is a sign that he has renounced simplicity, wherefore also he will be more readily received again by the world. After he had spent five months and six days inore here he moved away on October 2d, 1750, and went to a neighbor, Jacob Sontag; at which removal he spoke these significant words: that he would rather be burned at the stake seven times than return to live again at the Settlement. But it
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troubled him not a little that his brothers, of whom he knew that they were on the road, might arrive at the Settle- ment during his absence, according to their agreement, and be received by the Brethren to his disadvantage. Therefore he spent the whole day on the public road. Meanwhile his oldest brother, Jephune, arrived in the Settlement at mid- night and found the baker of the Community just at his work, whom he asked how his Brother was doing. He answered: "Your brother ran off for the second time." At this he began to weep and went back again to his team. At last they mnet each other on the road, when he asked them where they were going? They answered: "To Ephrata, according to our agreement." To this he replied: "If you go to Ephrata you shall have no part in mne forever." Here the reader again has proof of the power a carnal relation- ship has to turn men away from God; for had they withstood him and adhered to the agreement they had inade in the Settlement, they might have turned his mind towards better things and prevented his misfortune. But it seems the sins they had incurred were too great, therefore they were struck with blindness and could not see what tended to their peace.
After he had brought his brothers over to his side they brought their Indian wares to market and traded them for other goods and prepared for their return to the wilder- ness; but because winter was at the door the Brethren offered them shelter until the weather should be mnilder, which they modestly declined and started on their journey. However, when they came to the Alleghany Mountains they met with such masses of snow that it was with great danger that they crossed these fearful mountains and came to inhabited re- gions. Then they directed their journey towards the Ohio River, into the neighborhood of the place where the French at the time were building a fort, named Duquesne. Here they placed themselves under the protection of the Delaware Indians who showed them great friendship. At that time one of the Brethren in the Settlement wrote to the Prior that now one of three things would fall to his lot: he would either be obliged to return again to his people, or be an instrument for the conversion of these Indians, or would have to live
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