USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Ephrata > Chronicon ephratense : a history of the community of Seventh Day Baptists at Ephrata, Lancaster County, Penn'a. > Part 25
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CHAPTER XXXIII.
CONCERNING THE LAST CIRCUMSTANCES CONNECTED WITH THE LIFE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT, AND HOW AT LAST HE LAID ASIDE HIS EARTHLY TABERNACLE.
A father of old, when he was about to go' home, and it went hard with him, raised his hands to God and said: "Lord, thou knowest I never let iny prisoner escape." This can justly be conceded to the Superintendent also, namely, that he kept a sacred watch over his life from the first awakening unto his end. And as he was obliged to desist from his austere way of living, when compelled by God to iningle with the flood of humanity, so it was also observed that towards the end of his life, he again withidrew himself from close fellowship with any one, and led so secluded a life that even those nearest to him could not reach up to him in spirit. All his aim was not to stand in God's way in reaching the consciences of those who were intrusted to his care. For even as the good Master himself had to stand off, in order that the Spirit might be imparted to his disciples, so the Super- intendent had to withdraw his fellowship even during his life-time, in order that his successors, weaned from himn, might learn to walk on their own feet. The most important fact to be noted of his walk through life is, that all the strange situations into which he was brought during a pil- grimage of many years, could not turn him aside from the purpose once taken, to live a life disdainful of the world and serving God; of which he thus writes in a certain letter: "I know by this that I did not forsake my calling, because all carnal and worldly-minded people are still iny enemies, just the same as at the time when I first entered upon this road." And to one of the Brethren who visited him shortly before his end, he said: "I am now again the same that I was when first exposed to the world-spirit, namely, an orphan." It surely is saying a good deal when a spiritual warrior can boast that during so long a time neither the flat-
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teries nor the malice of inen could lead him astray from liis holy calling. But because he has been accused of having been addicted too much to strong drink for several years before his end, something would be wanting if this charge were not duly met. It appears that Providence ordered that he had to help his Master carry his shame even in this; for that God had lost sight of hin so far as to permit him to again fall under the power of the things from which he had freed him- self by his first repentance, is not easily to be believed, although one might, if it were necessary, make excuses on account of his old age and great bodily infirmities. This report he made excellent use of, and bore himself in appearance in such a manner that men were confirmed in their conjectures; for shame was his outer coat which lie wore on his long life-journey so that his inner, pure white garment might be kept unspotted. But what great tempta- tions this occasioned in the Settlement cannot be described; for if God intends to humble a people, he allows contempt to be lieaped on its priests, and makes fools of its princes. And now all the Solitary revealed their real feelings to- wards him. His spiritual daughters who formerly would have gone through fire and water for him, now withdrew themselves from him; some of them who meddled too much with his frailties, had great cause to thank God that Noah's curse against Hamn did not fall upon them. All of this, how- ever, came from God, for had he died in the inidst of the churchly honors which he had formerly enjoyed, his loss would have touched the Sisterhood inost of all, for next to God, they esteemed their spiritual Father above everything. He once appeared to two of the Brethren in the form of one who is drunk, when they put him under severe discipline; but he went straight home from them, and composed a hymn about this occurrence, which soon after was printed and dis- tributed in the Settlement. This hymn shows that at the time he had full possession of liis senses. Two of the verses are as follows:
Once when I thought that I was from the illness freed,
In which for days and years I'd suffered grief, indeed ; Some travellers came to me, all weary from the road,
And gave me bitter gall, with blows a heavy load.
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Oh, God! I bring to Thee my woe and bitter pain,
Since Thou my Saviour art, to whom I ne'er in vain Did come, from early youth, for help to bear my cross, For heavenly bliss instead of pleasure's earthly dross.
Nevertheless some, especially of the domestic household, would have nothing to do with the matter, but kept their senses in Christ Jesus, and said: "The Superintendent stands directly under God's orders and is responsible only to him." Herein he can be compared with David, whom the Sanhedrim also wished to strangle; but David well knew with whom he had to deal, and said: "Against Thee, Thee only have I sinned;" and whoever of the Community reads this will remember that all who laid hold of this pre- sumed weakness of the Superintendent fell under judgment. He once came to a Brother in the likeness of one who is drunk, and took him along to another Brother, where they prepared a love-feast. After this was done, the Brother, as was customary, accompanied him to his house, where he had a very edifying conversation with him; so that the Brother perceived that his drunkenness had been a holy pretence.
It was observed of him that towards the end of his life he endeavored to remove all stones of stumbling out of the way of the Solitary. His quarrel with the Prior, which had lasted for years, he put entirely aside, and said: "I am done now, and dare not go one step further." He also took a Sister into his house, and went to the former Motlier, Maria, who also had stumbled over the rock of offence, and called her his Sister, and offered her reconciliation in Christ; but she in no wise accepted it. 1
1 Because the whole life of this Sister, even her stumbling and falling, contains much of edification, this work would be incomplete if it were not given to the kind reader. It has already been said that when the Spirit, who at that time wooed people who were to act in this strange drama, seized her, she and her elder sister fled, in tender youth, out of their father's house and placed themselves under the Superintendent's guidance, and that a small house was built for them at Mill Creek, where at that time stood the first Settlement of the Solitary after their exodus out of Egypt. When the Superintendent afterwards settled in the wilderness where Ephrata is now situated, they were the first of their sex who followed him thither, where on the banks of the Cocalico, a small house was built for thein, so that this stream formed the boundary line between the Brethren and Sisters. There the Superintendent had much fellowship with them and dined with
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He attended to his official business up to within eight days before his death, when he officiated for the last time at a love-feast, being already so weak that he said on the way to it: "I am sick, I could just lie down and die." Three days before his decease one of the oldest house-mothers, Barbara Höfly by name, who thought very much of him, and was also breathing her last, sent to him and asked for a visit, even though he were not able to speak with her, if only she might be permitted to see him. Although he was at tlie time already wrestling with death he took a Brother along
them several times during the week, for the miracle-play of eternity was before his eyes and was to be applied to them. Her elder sister, Anna, was of an austere aud imperious disposition, by means of which she exercised a severe guardianship over her ; many, therefore, thought that this Anna would become Mother in the Sisters' convent ; but here it came to pass just as with the election of David, for because the elder had the purpose to deprive the Superintendent of the locks of his hair, she fell out of favor into contempt and died in this state; while the choice fell on her younger sister, Maria.
When the Sisters' convent was erected and filled with spiritual virgins the Superintendent installed her, with special church solemnities, in return for the faithfulness she had shown towards him; and all the honor due to such an exalted office was portioned out to her. About the same time the Superintendent wrote several letters to her, which are full of unction. The following memorable words occur in one : "Because your person, during the time of severe and hard sifting and trials, risked not a little danger of loss ; and because you perseveringly helped us to endure in times of sorrow as well as joy, up to the present day, therefore I am obliged by all means to give you notice that like as the net of love then cap- tured a prize and made you partaker of such high and important processes of suffering, therewith granting unto you to be faithful until now, so the intention is now to make another catch, by which you may at once be · crowned with the captured prize and will consequently be doubly repaid for your shame and pain. And this it is to which my love and highly esteemed governess invites you as guest, namely : to the enjoyment of that heavenly harvest of joys, which only yonder will be manifested to its full extent. (See his printed epistles, page 201.) The spirit of prophecy was very strong at that time, and it appears that the heavenly Mother greatly rejoiced over this little band of people, and therefore sought again to per- form the miracle she had done at the time of Jesus Christ's humiliation. For when all the Sisters changed their names Mother Maria was excepted as being the representative of the Virgin Mary. And as then the Virgin Mary had two sons, two spiritual sons were also given to our Mother. But since her first-born, after the type of his Master, had to be crucified, it was time now to give another son to the Mother. Therefore the Spirit proceeded and said to another Brother : "Behold thy Mother !" It must be con
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and fulfilled her wish; she was buried yet before him. Another Sister, who had only lately joined and came from a foreign country, was also breathing her last at this time. She prayed to God that he might let her die with this holy man, and she also died yet before him. These are the travel- ling companions who accompanied him to eternity. At last the 6th day of July of the year 1768 caine, when he laid aside his mortal raiment. On the morning of that day he had yet been in the Sisters' house, and nobody, therefore, thought that his departure was so near; nor could the powers
fessed, however, that these two spiritual sons were a source of many sorrows to her in the future.
She conducted hier office with great authority, and during her term she saw four Priors deposed among the Brethren, who therefore felt asliamed that so weak a vessel should have more godliness than they. Some said to the Superintendent that they were sure the Mother would yet be deposed, even should it only happen in eternity. The reason why she could main- tain herself in office so long was because she knew how to profit by the mistakes of eachı Prior; for she watched everything the Prior did, and as soon as she noticed a mistake, she went to the Superintendent and said: "Oh Father, the Brethren have a child in the cradle again, and it will most likely be sacrificed to the world-spirit." When thereupon the Superin- tendent in his zeal uttered something rash. this was at once known to the Prior. Thus she had incautiously given too great confidence to the first Prior, so that he raised himself up against his spiritual Father, and so she kept up continual disagreement between the Superintendent and his Prior, to her own advantage. But at last the game took another turn. The Su- perintendent got a Prior who walked in harmony of spirit with him, and after some unsuccessful attempts to turn one against the other, she became suspicions of her spiritual Father and closed her heart against him, and also induced some of those under lier to do the same ; so that for several years her house was not open to the Superintendent as formerly. All this came from God ; for the time of her fall was near at hand, and she herself liad to pave the way for it. The fire lay smouldering under the ashes for a long time and only broke fortli on the visit to Antitum, during which she behaved so reservedly that the Superintendent at last said to her : "The worm of hell is sticking in you." Then she plotted to separate the Sister- hood entirely from the Brotherhood, and publicly declared that their Prior must be overthrown ; which was the chief cause of the succeeding unedifying land dispute in the Settlement. The Superintendent who had learned to sail with all kinds of wind, took hold of this opportunity and declared him- self publicly against the Brethren and their Prior. Whoever is anxious to know the reason for this action of his, is referred to the story of Job ; let him ask God how He could justify His entering into a compact with Satan against His faithful servant. But according to the wonderful government of our God, the right to the land in the Settlement was given into the hand
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of darkness prevail upon him to lie down on a sick bed. Mean- while a constant watch was kept, for strange happenings were expected, and that the powers of death would have a fierce struggle with him, especially since he was an old soldier, who was accustomed neither to call on men for mercy nor to yield to the powers of darkness. But at last the news came of his approaching end, whereupon all the Solitary assem- bled at his house. The Brethren stood nearest to him; behind them the Sisters, and those who were of short stature got upon benches to witness his sacrifice. In his
of an outspoken enemy of the same, who was faithfully supported in all these transactions by the Mother. Possibly she may have done all this more out of a holy zeal against the other sex than out of malice ; for Abdias writes even of her Principal, the Virgin Mary, that she cursed all males. In this wise the Mother may in a measure be excused. This man and some other antagonists took possession of his land in the Settlement, performed various acts of violence, and in general wielded such hellish power that the Superintendent, usually not in the habit of running away, forsook his house and tarried for eight days in the Sisters' prayer-hall ; during which time he published the following notice among the Solitary :
The victory comes from on high,
A strong and mighty leader nigh
Commands the battle forces.
He breaks the teeth of the evil host
That mocks his gospel truth the most,
That none by them be tempted,
To enter sinful freedom's way Where all do act just as they may :
Old Adam's things they take,
And with the stuff themselves adorn
In fashion new, quite lately born,
That scarce they can be known. A mocking laugh is the comment, And this they but deserve ;
E'en when their building shall fall down With all its false and glittering crown,
For nothing else it is,
Or was, but idle lust's display
Which with his sins in full array Did Lucifer then show.
But the opponents disregarded this accusation, as much as they could, and hung this notice up in their dwellings. At last the Brethren complained to the Superintendent of the Sisterhood, because the evil had originated in their house; the Superintendent heard their complaint, and promised an investigation. The Mother was called to appear for judgment before the older Sisters, who were innocent of this affair, in presence of the Superin-
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last trouble he clearly showed that he was anointed with the priestly spirit of Jesus Christ, for of all the adverse circumstances which had occurred during his administration in the Settlement, he declared himself to be the sole cause, and thus freed and acquitted all from every charge, and espe- cially those who accused themselves of having misunderstood him. Then he desired the Brethren to bless him, and to receive him into their fellowship, which was done, for the Prior gave him his blessing with laying on of hands, and thereafter all the Brethren gave him the kiss of peace to take
tendent. They spoke affectionately with their Mother, saying that the two societies could never be separated, because they had been formed by the Spirit, as a miracle of the times, into an inseparable unity ; and that if she were willing to again break bread with the Brethren, everything should be peaceably adjusted. But she refused, and was, therefore, dismissed from her office. After this she dwelt in a corner of the Sisters' convent, because she was long in doubt whether she should not live in a holy sepa- rateness. After a considerable time, however, she again joined the Sister- hood, and died as one of its worthiest members. That the Superintendent offered her peace which she would not accept, has already been mentioned ; and so the matter stood until the Superintendent departed this life. Then a Sister admonished her quickly to make up with him, as he would soon leave this world, but she said: "I have nothing to make up," which cer- tainly was a great loss to her; for he had hardly died when she was seized with great remorse. But she could not undo it; the man was gone with whom she ought to have made her peace. Still, she went to the coffin and touched him, when one of the Sisters called out: "It is too late now !"
After she had been divested of her official dignity, she commenced anew a rigorous life of penitence in her seclusion, and shed so many tears that her eyes were always swollen. It may well be believed that she pleased her bridegroom better, when bathed in this flood of tears, than at the time when she was the honored matron of an order of virgins ; and if, during her long pilgrimage, she got some spots on her bridal dress, she surely washed them all out by her tears of contrition. He who scattered Israel, will gather it again. May God not repent him of his gifts and calling.
In person she was small, but she had keen senses. She was a great admirer of the humble life of Jesus Christ, and when still clothed in her dignity she often wore a garment with one patch upon the other. At the same time she kept herself very distant from the other sex and was never called to account on that point, although she once delivered her faithful leader out of the hands of the recruiting officer. Besides she had fine gifts in writing letters and hymns. In her letters she usually signed herself : "Maria, God's servant ;" and her hymns are full of unction and spiritual thought. Her translation to eternity was sudden, for being missed for some time her door was broken open, and it was found that she had departed, which happened December 24th, 1784. Her age was 74 years, 3 months.
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along on his journey. Then they persuaded him to lie down on the bench, and he was heard several times to repeat the fol- lowing words: "Oli woe, oh woe! oh wonder, oh wonder!" But he did not explain himself about it, because his voice failed him; and soon after he fell asleep without a motion. Now the cry was, "My father, my father! The chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof!" Yet nobody was seen to shed tears, but all thanked God most fervently that after so long a martyrdom he had delivered his servant from the body of this death.
These are the most important events in the life and blessed death of a man who was a great wonder in this century. The first impregnation for a spiritual life he received at Heidelberg in the Palatinate, when the great weight of the Spirit was laid upon him, which was one cause of his many succeeding passions. Many awoke to a spiritual life through his labors, and many strove earnestly to follow his footsteps; but they could not keep step with him, for he had so com- pletely given hinself to God, botlı body and soul, that he passed his life in wonderful strictness, even up to his death. The reason why most of the awakenings of our times come to such sad ends is, because people rely upon themselves, and do not renounce self more than their own interest demands, so that it may truly be said: All plans of self- interest bring death. It nevertheless remains a great wonder that, after God called him from his blessed life of seclusion to bathe in the flood of humanity, in order to fish for people, he had so much faith that he could risk his salvation on God; and it is a still greater wonder, that surrounded by so many dangers in this human flood, he did not forfeit his calling. And on account of this his faithfulness did God crown him with praise and honors, and ordain him to replace on the candlestick, at the sixth period, both the priesthood of Melchizedek and the heavenly virginity. Because this could not be done in Europe, on account of the Beast's great power, God ordered it that he came over the ocean into this country, where his doctrine of the heavenly virginity and the priesthood, after some opposition, gained a firin foot- ing, and where an altar was built to the Lord in such wise
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that all awakenings not in harmony with his testimony have no other effect than to bring forth children into servitude.
Before him the wisdom of God attempted to reveal the mystery of eternal virginity in the old countries, through many precious instruments, of whom those dear inen of God, Godfried Arnold and George Gichtel and many others, may especially be mentioned. The latter's success was great, and I may well say that he had borne the light before the Superintendent; but he remained a virgin, nor did he attain to the secret nuptial couch of the Virgin Sophia, where children are born; still less did he reach the covenant house- hold of Jesus Christ, but ended his life in a holy separate- ness. It is known that he and his first co-warriors were so severely sifted through the envy of the tempter, that he, in order to prevent similar siftings, did not want to allow two to live in one town. When we consider that the Super- intendent for about fifty years stood in a visible organiza- tion in which under God's decree one rebellion after the other broke forth against the testimony of God which was entrusted to him, it must be confessed that he fought on many more battlefields against the Prince of Wrath than did the venerable Brother Gichtel of blessed memory, and that he extended the borders of the generation of the divine Mother far more than he. It must also be conceded that the venerable John Kelpius, who had settled near Germantown with a company of spiritual wooers of the hand of the Virgin, as already mentioned, did much in spirit to assist the Superintendent in his church building. The same spirit inspired the sainted Kelpius that afterwards descended on the Superintendent; but when the good Kelpius departed this life, his work fell into the hands of the tempter to be sifted, and the spiritual ship broke up, so that Selig, Conrad Mathai and some others, had to save themselves by swimming. The Superintendent's work, on the contrary, with better success passed to posterity; for eighteen years have passed since he was transferred to eternity, during which time the Order and the Community have been built up in the unity of the spirit, although with much opposition.
And if, as he maintains God promised him, a seed of his
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labors is to remain until the second advent of Jesus Christ, this does not mean that the Settlement of the Solitary shall stand so long; although they are just as well entitled to this as any congregation of Christ on earth. But we believe that it is to be understood more in a spiritual sense than literally: that wherever there is anyone in this country who has a matrix ready to conceive, there the Spirit, who in the begin- ning overshadowed the Superintendent, will also overshadow and impregnate him. All of which, however. must be taken figuratively and not literally. And because this country at last, after mnuch opposition, received this ambassador, who had been driven out of his fatherland, and granted him and his whole family complete liberty of conscience, therefore it will always be blessed and be a nursery of God, which shall bear him much fruit, for the promise given to Abraham must be fulfilled: "In thy seed shall all generations of the earth be blessed." He was small in person, well formed and pro- portioned, had a high nose, high forehead and sharp eyes, so that everybody recognized in him an earnest and profound nature. He had excellent natural gifts, so that he might have become one of the most learned inen if pains had been taken with his education. All secrets were opened to him, just as he wanted; and wherever he saw a piece of skillful work he was not satisfied until he had examined and understood it; he used to say it would be a shame for the human mind if it would be defeated in anything. He likewise was endowed with such a keen perception that he was enabled to discover with ease whatever might be hidden to others. But after he had dedicated himself wholly to the service of God these gifts were sanctified, and were used by him for the upbuilding of the temple of God in the Spirit. What he accomplished in the art of music, which he learned without any human in- struction, has already been mentioned; he composed not less than one thousand tunes for four voices, of which none inter- fered with the other.
His printed hymns number 441. The reader will see his enlightened nature from them; many of them are pro- phetic, representing the near approach of the Sabbatic church, and the gathering together of the people of God.
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Of his printed discourses there are 66; besides which you will find many of his spiritual lectures printed. He also wrote many spiritual letters, of which 73 are printed; the rest are still in manuscript, but will also be communicated to the reader, though sub conditione Jacobæa. In conclusion we will here give the inscription on his tombstone, froin which the reader inay learn both his natural and spiritual age:
"Here Rests an Offspring of the Love of God, FRIEDSAM,
a Solitary, but later become a Leader, Guardian and Teacher of the Solitary and. of the Congregation of Christ in and about Eplirata. Born at Eberbach in the Palatinate, called Conrad Beisel: Fell asleep July 6th, Anno 1768; aged ac- cording to his spiritual age 52 years, but according to his natural, 77 years and 4 months."
THE END.
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 0035521015
938.5 L18
07822812
HRATENS
BRITTLE DO NOT PHOTOCOPY
CHRONIC O 938.5 L18 C1
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