USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Ephrata > Chronicon ephratense : a history of the community of Seventh Day Baptists at Ephrata, Lancaster County, Penn'a. > Part 23
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When we arrived there, and had welcomed each other, he said, "How do you do, Brother Obed ? How about heaven ?" Such speech continued and all was harmony, which pleased my Brother Horn so much that he afterwards remarked: "You will not bring mne away from these people again, do what you please;" which I heard with pleasure. At the close of the visit the old Father asked whether we would not like to visit the Sisters ? I said we had no time now, we expected two other Brethren who had left us at Lititz, who were to inform us where and when the meeting was to be held. "Why, do you know what," he said, "I will make thein assemble in their prayer-hall, so that you can see them all; it is also desired that you should make an address to themn;" and this it was resolved to do. After this we visited our old pastor Miller, who reverently received us, and met us with all the modesty becoming an honorable man. In the course of conversation I asked him whether he did not still owe something to the R.9 He said, "I no longer have a
9 [Reformed. ]
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drop of blood in me that is R-d." I said, "That is not what I ask." "Oh!" he said, "I understand; not only to the R-d but to all men, whatever I have and can;"' which pleased me.
Meanwhile it was some time before our two Brethren arrived, and reported how it was to be. At the same time news arrived that the old Father and the Sisters had assem- bled in their prayer-hall, and were waiting for us. Since our number of visitors was now again complete, we were all conducted thither by the old Brother Eleazar, and were shown to our seats. An inward emotion here seized ine; my spirit felt the presence of a divine majesty; the veil was · removed, in which all the nations are enveloped. I saw the pathway of the saints into the holy of holies; the spirits kissed each other in stillness, and a divine, holy, mutual, and profound unity was entered into without a word, voice, utterance, or speech, for there reigned silence for a long time as if no person were there. Sinell, taste, feeling, even seeing and hearing, all were one, just as I have seen two sınall flocks of sheep unite in which there were no rams.
At last my spirit was called back again. My eyes were full of tears when the Sisters began to sing a hymn, as well as I remember: "The streets of Zion are desolate;" which brought tears to many eyes. After this was finished, I spoke: "You sang a hymn for us, let us now also sing one for you." Then we sang the "Song of the Lilies,"10 but as it had
10 We will here communicate this song to the reader on account of its strange expressions.
I. The heavenly drama, the perfume of lilies, Awakened anew the spirit's desire ; The roses of Sharon, though low on the ground, Bring heaven to spirits for the covenant bound. The apple tree's shade bends forward in pleasure And seeks in the field of the lilies its treasure.
2. The color of lilies, their figure so fine, Aroused all the love in this bosom of mine. The roses of Sharon that bloom in the field Are kindred to me, 'neath God's holy shield. So away with your crowns and treasures so rare, With lilies so beauteous you cannot compare.
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escaped my memory, I asked Brother Horn for the words, and he told them to me; then we sang it to the end, whichi simplicity astonished the Sisters. After quiet was restored, I made a short address, although I felt no particular inclina- tion to speak. I had various impressions from the spirit of prophecy, but since our time was limited we had to accom- modate ourselves to it. Thus everything passed most pleas- antly. A fellowship was formed, and the unity of spirits concluded without a word, without conditions, without ques- tioning as to how 01 when, without care, without labor, without fear, without distrust, without consideration; in love, with love, through love, out of love, and for eternal love; and neither world nor time, neither flesh nor blood, neither friend nor foe, neither the present nor the future, neither fear nor death, neither devil nor hell can break it, for Two became One, and were One before they knew it. And thus it is with all who are truly born again; for they are children, sons and daughters of God Almighty. So far the record.
3. Oh heaven, how rich and how happy am I, For the beauty of lilies you showed to mine eye. She groweth as straight as the smoke on the plain, And love-like she clings to me, now and again. I stay with her always, because she so charms, As long as I breathe she'll rest in my arms.
4. Thine odor divine, thy heavenly form My poor sinful heart did wondrously warm. My heart how it longeth to join in the hymn That swells from the throngs of Mahanaim. Oh might I, low bowing, without any fear, Pluck off all the roses so plentiful here.
5. My life I would give it forever to thee, With heart and with soul ; yea so it should be! For thou art the lily, else nothing can clothe My poor naked form in peace to repose. If Prince I were called, I'd wish nothing more, Nor care for aught else that I wanted before.
6. Enraptured I am by this beauty of thine, I sway like one drunken and vanquished by wine. The apple tree casteth its shadow so still Where the lilies abound by God's holy will. The carpets of Solomon ever so fine Are nothing compared to these beauties of mine.
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Such are the particulars of this important union, related by the Brother himself. It must be known, however, that in spite of his banishment he still had a strong following among the Baptists, who were honest people, and began to think that he had been unjustly treated; and who, therefore, were dis- posed to stake their lives on his innocence. The most promi- nent of these were John Steiner, John Horn, Peter and Abraham Knipper, Frederick Fuhrman, George Scheitler, Peter Zug, Finck, etc. But the reception of these two Brethren brought about great changes; for, in the first place, these two visiting Brethren were seized with holy wonder when they saw that the union was inade in the spirit without any words, as they had thought that articles of agreement would be laid before thein. Afterwards the old hatred between the two Communities was again revived on this account, for the reception of Brother G. A., nullified the ban which the former Brethren had laid on him; all of which happened in the prayer-hall of the Sisters, as above mneil-
7. Melchizedek's altar, here also it stands, As master it guardeth this purest of bands ; As oft as he thinks of them in his abode The manna of Paradise falls to their lot. The strength of the lilies, like secret-kept fire, Springs forth with new force in the virginal choir.
8. Come dearest ! oh come ! and make me thine own, To rest on thy heart and have there my home. Oh give me the juice of the lilies so mild, The balsanı of love and heaven's strong child. Baal-Hamon, my vineyard, brings splendid new wine, It robbed thee of life, oh beloved of mine.
9. Let, therefore, the virgin by all be extolled As long as of crown and of scepter we're told. Although she despised the hot and the small, Through shame she high honor hath brought to them all. The little ones feed in the dale with the rose, For brides and espousal the Lamb did them choose.
Io. The flowers of Sharon are counted no dross, Because they're bethrothed to the Lamb on the cross ; And follow his footsteps through danger and chance, Drawn closer to him through the love of his name. Yet they are the virgins Christ chose for his brides,
· He made them his own and set others aside.
S
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tioned; for there the holy Mother came down from above with the oil of anointing, and healed his wounds; wherefore he was often heard to say: "Rejoice with ine, for I have found the piece which I had lost." It appears that the Superin- tendent had received, as a trust from God, a blessing for the B- Community, of which they would have become par- takers had they humbled themselves; for he was the greatest stumbling-stone which their Community ever encountered. But because they failed to endure the test, the choice fell upon another. For we must concede to this Brother the honor that he was the first among them, who arrived at a holy harmony and yet remained a Baptist. For all of this people who had joined the Community before him, sent their letters of withdrawal to their people, but Brother G. A., above spoken of, was faithful to their statutes, and neither a second baptism, nor the Sabbath, nor any of the various other ordinances of the Community, were urged upon him. Therefore it was ordained by God that Brother G. A. was to earn the blessing, which their whole Community might have had; and the Superintendent once addressed the fol- lowing impressive words to him: "You shall be blessed, and also remain blessed." When, shortly before his death, he once more visited the Superintendent, the latter said to him: "My salvation rests in your hands." All this created an extraordinary esteem for the Superintendent in this good Brother, and all the letters he wrote to him were full of special expressions of love, while the superscription some- times contained the title: Pontifex Maximus.
Some of the Baptists who saw a little further, expected that the Superintendent's bearing towards this man would subdue him sooner than all their bans; but in the Commu- nity in and around Ephrata he occasioned great excitement, especially in the households. For up to this time the priestly office had been in the hands of one of the Solitary, but now the domestic household also wished to have part in it, which brought with it such temptations, that one house- father, J. S., 11 declared on his death-bed that this Brother would be the cause of the Community's destruction. But
11 [John Senseman. ]
·
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because the Superintendent was the first to condescend to him, there was no help, everybody had to follow suit; and if any one had not done so, judgment would have come upon him, so that he would not have dared to lift up his hands towards God. All this was not unknown to the said Brother, therefore he once declared that all the good in Ephrata rested in his hands. After the visit was now concluded with blessing, the Superintendent dismissed them with letters of recommendation to the Brethren at the Bermudian. Soon after, moreover, he sent two of the oldest Brethren, Jehoiada and Lamech, to the Brethren at the Bermudian, and ex- pressed himself in the following manner, namely, that they should receive Brother G. A. as if it were himself. This was saying as much as that they should take him as their priest, which greatly troubled thein, so that they protested that their priests lived in Ephrata. A venerable house-sister was even seized with a fatal sickness on that account, of which she died; it happened to her like to the wife of the son of the priest Eli, who, when in labor, was more concerned for the glory of God, than for her own child, and said: "The glory of Israel is taken captive," (I SAM. IV, 19.) But after they had learned to submit to God's wonderful guidance they became one Community, for before this they lay under suspicion, because most of those who had moved away from the Community at Ephrata had done so for improper reasons. If you wish to build churches you must lay the foundation on the lowliness of Christ, else you build in the air.
Through this movement a door was opened for a new church-period, during which much important spiritual work was transacted. The Superintendent called the awakening at Antituin from this period on, the Eagle church, after the fourth beast in the Apocalypse; although these good people considered themselves too lowly and unworthy of such a high title; but there was another secret connected with it. The Superintendent, who, during his whole awakened condi- tion, stood in thic service of the four beasts, about this time came under the dominion of the Eagle, wherefore the renewal of the Eagle's youth showed itself so much in him that he
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was entirely pervaded by it during his old age. During his first journey from the Settlement to Antitum he carried all his ecclesiastical vestments with him, because not only the oldest Brethren from Bethany, and the house-fathers, but also the oldest Sisters of Sharon, with their Mother, were his companions. They who beheld the glory of these two flocks of lambs when they united into one at Antitum (and many who saw it must still be alive), will well remember that then their mountains leaped for joy like sheep, and their hills like lambs, at the generation of the celestial Mother, which shall at last take possession of the Kingdom, when the adulterous seed is destroyed from the earth. The Superintendent inade this whole journey on foot, except when they forced him to make use of a horse, and then he said: "In this way I cannot be edifying to anyone." In this lively spirit he was seen to travel over mountains and valleys, and no hut was too poor for him to enter with his company. And now the fire of the awakening spread over the whole region of Antitum. Many secretly stole away from their houses and ran after this wonder, for the former Brethren of Brother G. A., in order to put a stop to this awakening, sent two of their Brethren, John Mack and Staub, to all their houses to warn them against being seduced.
During the whole journey the Superintendent gave strange evidences of his humility and obedience. He never sat down in a house until the father of the house showed him a seat, which some observed and remarked: "He is more strictly led than we." But the circumstances forced him to this, for he was hired in a vineyard which already had its husband- men with whom he might easily have interfered; on which point also a law was made in the Jure Canonico: Quod unius ecclesiae unus debeat esse Sacerdos: that each church should have but one priest. When it was resolved to hold a bread- breaking, and a priest was required for it, his humility taught him to make room for Brother G. A., who, in consequence presided, though their love-feasts were at the time still held in Corinthian fashion, and not in the manner in which they were held at Ephrata. Soon after another breaking of bread
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was held, the administration of which they conferred on the Superintendent, which he promised to undertake on con- dition that they would permit him to break in the inanner in which he had been taught. To this they would not agree. They said: "It is strange that you make such a difference in such small matters;" to which he answered: "It is also strange that you, to whom I yield in all points, cannot yield to me in this one point, which my conscience demands." Then they gave him the permission, and from that time they celebrated all their love-feasts in the same way that is cus- tomary with the Brethren at Ephrata. The reason why the Superintendent took offence at their way of breaking bread was because they were of opinion that all must be equals; and, therefore, they did not wish to allow any pre- rogative or privilege to any one person among them. On this account some of them were not pleased when the Superintendent, at a large meeting, held in the house of a Brother named Joseph Greybühl, while the whole congre- gation were on their knees, consecrated this Brother by lay- ing on of hands, and thus confirmed him in his office. After the Brethren of Antitum had dismissed the Superintendent and the other visitors in peace, they went on their homeward journey. The spirit of awakening about this same time caused so intich work between Ephrata, Bermudian and Antitum that visitors were continually on the march to and fro, which nourished the inutual love. For the Superintend- enit had scarcely settled down in his seclusion again when a new visit to Antitum was prepared for, which started six weeks after the first. The Superintendent charged an- other Brother with it, and ordered some Brethren and Sisters of the Settlement and some of the oldest house-fathers to accompany him. The Superintendent himself was at An- titum three times, and this in his old age, when his task was fast approaching its end. But those at Antitum reciprocated by many a fatiguing journey to Ephrata. For at that time the fire burnt in the Philadelphian church, which each and everyone at Antitum tried to keep up, even at the risk of his earthly possessions. At this time the before-mentioned Brethren, G. A. and H., paid a new visit to the Settlement, in
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order to see the Superintendent once more, for they expected that he would soon leave his earthly tabernacle. The Super- intendent received them with open arms and held a love- feast in their honor. After this the said Brother G. A., accompanied by some of the Fathers and some Sisters from Sharon, paid a visit to Philadelphia, but his companion meanwhile remained quietly in the Settlement; and after their visit was ended in blessing they gave the last kiss of peace to the Superintendent, for they did not see him again after this. Thus they returned in peace to their home. And with this we will conclude the chapter.
CHAPTER XXXII.
CONCERNING VARIOUS STRANGE AFFAIRS WHICH OCCURRED IN THE COUNTRY ABOUT THE SAME TIME, AND IN WHICH THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS INTERESTED.
At that time an old Separatist who had been the Superin- tendent's travelling companion across the ocean, Simon König by name, joined the Community, and thus another opportunity was given the Superintendent by spiritual alms to help an unfortunate, who had failed in his calling, to rise again. The way in which the said König was brought to the Community was quite extraordinary; for he had lived seventy days without any natural food, which produced such a change in his nature that he afterwards could not live in society any more. He published in print his own account of his reception, in which he calls the Ephrata Community the mnost noble in the world, at which his Separatist Brethren took great offence; but it happened to him like the new wine which bursts the new barrels, for the Pentacostal wine had intoxicated him. It is however to be deplored that such a paradisiacal foretaste was followed by such sad consequences; for not long after this he fell under displeasure, and left the Community again, which he had extolled to the skies; and although several attempts were made to snatch him out of the fire, everything was in vain, and he passed into eternity during his alienation.
Now we come to the history of the spirits, which took their beginning in Virginia during January, 1761, and were laid at Ephrata in the following spring; but to understand it several other circumstances have to be mentioned also. There were two young married persons in the Community of Ephrata who were anxious about their eternal welfare; but because, according to the usage of those times, the wife entered upon the practice of continence without consent of her husband, he fell into great temptation, and at last sinned with a neigli- boring widow whom he had served in many ways. Because
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on this account he lost his fellowship with the Community, he took his children and the said widow with him to Vir- ginia, and left his first wife in the Community. After lie had three children by that widow, she died, and he married a person of noble birth, who had just arrived in the country, and who called herself Henrietta Wilhelmina von Höning, but who did not bring the best character with her into the country.
It happened in January, 1761, that as this third wife of the man mentioned (his name was C. B.), was slumbering, an old woman appeared to her, who, according to the descrip- tion given by her, must have been the above mentioned widow. She took hold of the arm of said third wife, and placed her on a chair, and that part of the arin which she had taken hold of was blue for several days. Then she said to her: "Don't go away, but remain here with my hus- band, I am an old woman and do not mind it; I shall go away again; you are the third and legitimate wife. And because you are good to my children, I shall reveal every- thing to you, for you will not be here much longer. Go into the kitchen about the twelfth hour; there behind the tin closet you will find money." Afterwards she and her hus- band searched the kitchen and found there £3 hidden, in paper money. After this the spirit played a strange comedy with this person for four weeks, so that she thought it would cost her her life, as she suddenly spit half a pint of blood. Every night the spirit revealed some of the money which the woman had during her lifetime purloined from her hus- band, and which was found in the places where she had hidden it. But it appears that the spirit must have been greatly under the influence of a fierce temper, for whenever it was not obeyed, it would tear the clothes froin the body of the wife; and that was a common thing. If she rode behind her husband her shoes and stockings were taken off her feet while sitting on the horse. Did she go to a neighbor, it always cost her part of her dress, which was torn; but if she remained at home, there was a continual racket all around the woman. Sometimes all the books were thrown down from the shelf, and hardly was this done when the
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tea-service followed and was broken to pieces. At length the report of these strange matters spread over the whole country, and a messenger, B. by namie, was sent from Winchester to inform himself accurately about the thing. He spent the night there; but during the night the spirit rioted in throw- ing, knocking and pounding so that the afore-namned B. commenced to curse on his couch, which so exasperated the spirit that it dragged the couch on which three persons were lying around the room, though B. resisted with mnuch force. Then the spirit took hold of his arın and tried to twist it, whereupon he cried out in fear: "Lord Jesus, what is this ?" Now the spirit fell down upon its knees before him, pushed him back with both its hands, and disappeared.
They several times heard the spirit utter the word Cone- stoga, at which place they had formerly lived; and because the wife was always seized by the arın by the spirit they in- terpreted it to be the spirit's meaning that they should go to Conestoga. In this they were not deceived, for as soon as they had resolved on this move two spirits appeared; the last stood behind the first and was quite tall and lean, which made them think it was C. B.'s first wife. Whenever the first said to his wife, "Come!" the second would stand behind and beckon with its hand that they should come, and be- haved very devoutly. After the wish of the spirit in regard to the journey was divined it plainly told them the whole affair, namely, that they were to go from Ephrata to Cone- stoga; about the twelfth hour of the night they should enter the great hall over the church, and to this place Conrad (this was the Superintendent whoin the deceased during her lifetime had highly esteemed), Nägele, her husband, and a Sister who had long ago died (most likely Anna Eicher), should also come; it and Catharine (the first wife of said C. B.) would also appear, for they had died unreconciled with each other. Then the following two hymns were to be sung: "Oh God and Lord," and "Dearest Father, I .Thy child." After this they should clasp each other's hands, but she should put her hand on them and say: "Christ is the recon- ciliation of us all; may he help you and forgive you your sins, and wash you with his blood." On this journey to
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Ephrata it was observed that as often as she tarried longer than necessary the spirit became uneasy and threw her shoes towards the door; and in Lancaster it also tore her clothes in sight of all the people in the tavern.
When they arrived at Ephrata the Superintendent was away from home on official duties, and of those present none was inclined to meddle with these things. A Brother, there- fore, was sent to him to tell him that his presence was required in the Settlement. At first he refused and said there would be a meeting next day, at which he had to be present. But the night following he received other instruc- tions and travelled home with the Brethren. He considered that these people and their important experiences had been sent to him by God, and as such accepted them. The meet- ing was held February 3d; it began at the eleventh hour of the night and lasted two hours. Besides those three persons from Virginia, eighteen from Ephrata were present, and among them those whom the deceased had especially namned; but the chief person with whom the spirit had had to do refused to be present until she was at last persuaded to it after much trouble. The meeting was commenced by reading the last chapter of JAMES, and after the first hymn had been sung, all knelt down; but when the spirit was mentioned in the prayer, strange emotion took possession of her, and she was seized by great fear, so that her husband and step-son had to support her. It was noticed at the time that her neckerchief became sprinkled with blood while they were on their knees; there were thirty drops, but where the blood came from did not become evident. This was the only extraordinary circumstance that happened at this meet- ing, for the spirit did not appear according to promise. But when the reconciliation was about to take place, the above mentioned person refused to do anything in the matter, and tried to put the management on others; but she was told that it was her duty, and that none else could do it. At last it was thought advisable that the two daughters of said C. B. (the one by his first wife, who was a inember of the Sisterhood, the other by his second wife), should perforin the act of reconciliation instead of their mothers. They clasped
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