USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Ephrata > Chronicon ephratense : a history of the community of Seventh Day Baptists at Ephrata, Lancaster County, Penn'a. > Part 3
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2 [Peter Becker].
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again aroused from their sleepiness. All this occurred in the year 1720, in which year also the rest of the Baptists, under their teacher, Alexander Mack, removed from Schwarzenatt to Westervain in West Friesland, whence, after having lived there for nine years, they came to their Brethren in Pennsyl- vania in the year 1729.
Meanwhile the Superintendent's year of instruction under his master came to an end ; and in order to carry out his purpose, he went, in the autumn of the year 1721, into the upper country known as Conestoga, now Lancaster County, which at that time was inhabited by but few Europeans, and there, with the aid of his traveling companion, Stuntz, erected a solitary residence at a place called Muehlbach, 3 where they lived happily for a while. A young Hollander by the name of Isaac von Bebern soon after joined them, with whom he also made a journey to Maryland, probably to visit the reinnant of Labadists, who lived there, having left Surinam on account of the climate. These had become so wealthy by their communal life in the latter country that they had owned ships on the sea, all which their descendants had after their death divided among theinselves, whereby also inany manuscripts of Labadie and Ivonis had come to their hands. Finally a fourth companion came to them in George Stiefel, at the same time that he declared himself to his Brethren that now he would observe the Sabbath and work on Sunday, which did not suit them very well. This strange mnode of life aroused much attention among the few settlers, of whoin some were continually coming and inquiring what it meant. There is still a person in the Sisters' Convent who in her childhood had gone to school to him, and had become so enamored of his angelic life that she became his steadfast follower, and has now for alinost sixty years endured all the hardships of the Solitary and of the communal life.
Before we go any further with this record it will be neces- sary to call to mind what superstitions at that time disturbed the minds of inen. There arose about that time a people in the neighborhood of Oley in Berks County, who called them- selves the Newborn, and had one Matthias Baumann as their founder. Their profession was that they could not sin any-
3[Mill Creek, in what is now Lebanon County].
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A HISTORY OF EPHRATA.
more. In a pamphlet of 35 pages, 8vo, printed in Germany, and entitled "A Call to the Unregenerate World," it sounds wonderful to liear Baumann say, on page 13 : "Men say that Christ hath taken away sin ; it is true in my case, and of those who are in the same condition in which Adam was be- fore the fall, as I am,"-where he places himself by the side of Adam before his fall. And on page 16 he makes a still bolder leap when he says : "As Adamı was before the fall, so have I become, and even firmer." But what provoked people most was what he says on page 12 : "With the body one can- not sin before God but only before men and other creatures, and these the Judge can settle," from which they drew dan- gerous conclusions. They boasted that they had only been sent by God to confound men, a work which they also dili- gently carried on during ten years, so that their disputations at market times in Philadelphia were often heard with aston- ishment, where also Baumann once offered, in order to prove that his doctrine was from God, to walk across the Delaware river.
In their journeys through Conestoga, where they here and there found acceptance, they finally also came to the Super- intendent, where Baumann commenced about the new birth. The Superintendent gave him little satisfaction, telling him to smell of his own filth, and then consider whether this be- longed to the new birth ; whereupon they called him a crafty spirit full of subtility, and departed. It was observed that from this time on they lost all power to spread their seduc- tions any further, which finally died out with their origina- tors. The Baumann4 spoken of died about the year 1727.
4This Matthias Baumann had been a poor day-laborer in the city of Lamsheim in the Palatinate. In the year 1701 he was visited with a severe illness in which he was caught up into heaven and was given revelations for mankind. When he came to himself again, he cried out for hours at a time : "O, men, be converted ! The judgment-day is at hand !" He was caught up again, and then it was told him : Men imagine that they are living in the light of day ; but they are all gone wrong and in the darkness of night. These trances occurred for 14 days, the last one continuing for 24 hours, so that it was thought he had died, and preparations were made for his funeral. When he recovered he went to the minister and told him that God had sent him back into this world to tell men that they should be converted; but the minister, who thought he was out of his mind, sought by means of a worldly book to drive these notions out of his head.
C
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He is said otherwise to have been an upright man, and not to have loved the world inordinately; but Kuehlenwein, Jotter, and other followers of his were insatiable in their love of the world.
After this excursion we will return to our main subject. The Superintendent lived very much in privacy at this time, and was held in great straightness by his inner guide ; his Brethren knew but little as to where he dwelt. Even when they were provided with means of sustenance, he had no rest in his conscience until he had sent an offering to the hermits on the Ridge. When it was his duty to provide for the table, his Brethren began to complain, and wanted better provis- ions ; to whom he replied that they had not come there to fatten the old Adam. At length Stiefel declared he could not live that way, and took his departure. It was this that broke off their mutual fellowship, so that whatever the Su- perintendent afterwards did was regarded by Stiefel with displeasure. He ended his life at Bethlehem. God grant him his mercy on the day of judgment ! Isaac von Bebern was the next one to desert. He took leave of the Superin- tendent with much love, and protested that it was not possi- ble for him to live that way. The former gave him the fol- lowing counsel to take with him : "Know that when you are successful in the world, God has forsaken you ; but when all misfortune comes upon you here, then know that God still loves you." After many years he froze both hands and feet in a shipwreck, and was put under the care of Christopher Witt in Germantown. There he remembered this farewell, and sent his last greeting to his old friend.
Stuntz finally even sold their dwelling house and so paid himself back for the traveling expenses which he had loaned him. This breach of faith against God committed by his earliest fellow-warriors, who for the belly's sake forsook the narrow way of the cross, at last brought the Superintend- ent to the resolve never again to borrow from inen on God's account. For he had from the beginning of his conversion been required to walk so rough a road, that he might readily have supposed that hardly one of his followers would remain steadfast in it; and in this skeptical frame of mind he re-
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A HISTORY OF EPHRATA.
mained for a number of years yet at Ephrata, though here he might have had a better outlook. This was the reason also why so many, who came into too close relations with him, met with misfortune, especially before he yet was connected with any outer communion. For when they beheld the rays of heavenly wisdom that shone forth from him, they fell in love with the heavenly beauty ; but as soon as they came nearer to his person, the fire as of a smelting furnace, in which he lived, seized upon them, when straightway they were offended and sought revenge. His circumstances now made it neces- sary for him to build himself another house, which he did about a mile distant from the former one, at a place called the Swedes' Spring, not knowing what God had further ordained for him. There it came to pass that Michael Wohl- fahrt, on his journey to Carolina, visited him for the first time. He was a Pietist, born at Memel on the Baltic Sea, but had grown cool in his faith, and had lost much of it on his many travels. He had come to the Superintendent while Stiefel and Stuntz were still with him, and had so fallen in love with his life that he promised to settle there with him when he should return from Carolina. Meanwhile, when in the year 1724 he came back to him, they had left him. As he laid before him his whole condition, the Superintendent received him in faith. In this inan the latter found abundant exercise for his patience, and gained much profit through him in spiritual things. Indeed he fared better with him than he had with his former companions ; for, though at times they dis- agreed, yet Michael Wohlfahrt had such high respect for him that he always confessed himself in the wrong. The next year, however, there joined them J. S., a restless spirit, with unsettled mind, who caused them much trouble. In this solitary state the Superintendent had the desired opportunity to order his life according to his conscience, for then he was not yet overcrowded with men, who delight to empty the lamp of the solitary. In his moderation and abstinence which he then practiced he must be reckoned along with the most approved fathers of the Egyptian wilderness. Fre- quently, on his visits, he did not eat anything for three days, whereat people took great offence. He has often said, that
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he did not know to what his great zeal would have brought him, if a visible communion had not been brought into being. And in this solitary state he attained to a blessedness in his communion with God which neither the world nor time can ever outweigh. Wherefore also God afterwards crowned his work with honor and praise, when he had con- strained him freely to give this blessedness, which had been gained through so great pains, unto the service of others.
Now also we arrive at the reason why God obliged him to again renounce this seraphic life, and to enter into a com- munion with others. According to this the life of a hermit is only something granted for a time, but not at all the end itself ; since no solitary person can be fruitful. Accordingly, however innocent his walk before God and inan at that time was, it was yet not right in itself ; for with all his renuncia- tions he still had not renounced himself. What was needed was a soil into which he might sow his grain of wheat to die, so that it should spring forth and bear fruit to the glory of God. It has before been mentioned how baptisin, as a trans- planting into the death of Christ, was again brought to light ; now he had become abundantly convinced on that subject, but at that time he knew neither of a congregation according to his own mind, nor of a man who would have been worthy to baptize him. Once he inade an attempt to baptize himself in the waters of Mill Creek; but his con- science was not satisfied ; nor was the transaction valid, since there were 110 witnesses present. He was to obtain it through men ; and that was difficult for him. How at last he humbled himself under the ordinance of God, and became a child of the new covenant, this shall be shown forth in the following chapter, although another excursion from the subject will be necessary, in order to trace the matter to its origin.
CHAPTER IV.
THE SUPERINTENDENT IS BAPTIZED IN THE APOSTOLIC MAN_ NER ; AND SOON AFTER FOLLOWS THE SEPARATION FROM THE BAPTISTS IN GERMANTOWN.
About the year 1722 many people in Pennsylvania were awakened from their spiritual sleep. The movement first broke out at Germantown, although before this already the Superintendent's solitary life in the wilderness of Conestoga had set the people thereabout to inquiring. In a letter to friend Griess in Manheim he confesses that this awakening had its origin in him ; for, after having first spoken of his retired and separate life, he finally says : "In those sorrow- ful times I purposed to forsake inankind, and with several others betook myself into the forests in the district of Cones- estoga ; but I continued to feel an unchanging heart-yearn- ing to enjoy once more the love of my God before I should die, which also was granted me, and indeed quite suddenly, in an instant, when a ray of light from the divine loving kindness streamed forth, and that too in no other kind of pleasure or enjoyment than that towards which my longing desire had reached fortlı; then all my misery fell to the ground. Now I thought I had triumphed, and purposed, in the quiet of the spirit, (as separate from all men,) to serve my God continually in his holy temple. But what happened ? Ere I was aware, that whole region was illumnined by that heavenly light, which in the times following spread over almost all the American provinces, and over various races and tongues of the people. At first, indeed, it tarried for a while in this same region where I dwelt, and in this wise : one heard here and there of one being awakened, and in such places where it was quite unusual, which first of all was the cause for reflection as to what kind of people those must be who lived there solitary in the wilderness (which was my -. self and another one); at the same time inquiries came to me
(21)
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from inquiring spirits, of a deeply searching kind, as to what were the cause of this quiet and solitary life. Thus it was given me to recommend the mysteries of the kingdom of God by renouncing this world," etc.
Now we must consider the movements of the Baptists at Germantown. Peter Becker, in pursuance of the Superin- tendent's counsel, with two other Brethren, undertook in the autumn of 1722, a journey to all their Brethren scattered throughout the land, which was their first church visitation in America. They traveled through the regions of Ship- pack, Falckner's Swamp, Oley, etc., and wherever they came they communicated to their Brethren how they were minded, with their approval, to begin to organize a meeting ; also that they were willing to put aside all offences and unpleas- ant feelings in order that the work might be blessed in its progress. When they came home they began to hold nieet- ings alternately at Peter Becker's and Gomorry's, until the advance of winter prevented them. Next winter, however, they resumed them, weekly, at Peter Becker's.
In August of the year 1723 a rumor was spread through the country that Christ. Libe, a famous Baptist teacher who had long been in the galleys, had arrived in Philadelphia. This moved some newly awakened persons on the Schuylkill to go forth to meet him. The whole thing, however, was a fiction. These persons were persuaded by the Baptists to go with them to their meeting, during and after which they heard so much of the Germans' awakening, that they went home very much edified. Soon after, a second visit was made to Gerinantown, by which both parties were so much edified that the Germantown Baptists promised them a visit in return, which they also inade four weeks afterwards with great blessing. These newly awakened ones were thereby stirred up still more in their love, so that at last they threw themselves at the feet of the Germantown Baptists, and begged to be received into their communion by holy baptism. This was the occasion of important proceedings among the Baptists in Germantown ; for they still had in mind the misunderstandings which had arisen between them and their Brethren at Creyfeld. Besides, they were indeed a
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branch of a congregation, but yet not a congregation that dared to presume to administer the sacraments. The worst was, that they were divided among themselves, and had only lately commenced to draw nigh to one another again. After they had seriously pondered over all these things in the spirit, they finally agreed to consent to the request. Accordingly, after the candidates for baptisin had chosen Peter Becker to be their Baptizer, they were baptized in the streamn Wis- kohikung, 1 near Germantown, 011 December 25tlı, of the year 1723. And as these were the firstlings of all baptized from among the high-Germans in America, their names shall here be recorded and given to posterity, namely : Martin Urner and his feinale house-mate [Hausschwester], Henry . Londes and his house-mate, Frederick Lang, and Jan Mayle. The evening following they held the first Love- feast ever celebrated in America, at John Gomorry's, which created a great stir among the people of that neighborhood ; Peter Becker, mentioned before, ministered at the same.
Through such a divine happening the Baptists in Pennsyl- vania became a congregation, and continued their meetings through that summer with great blessing and edification, until the following winter prevented thein. The next spring, of 1724, however, when they resumed their meetings, there was given to thein such a blessing that the whole region roundabout was moved thereby. Particularly among their youth was this movement felt, who now, to the great edifica- tion of their elders, began to walk in the fear of the Lord and to love the Brethren. And as the fame of this awakening spread abroad, there was such an increase of attendance at their meetings that there was no room to contain the majority. 2 The following summer again many among them were moved, and love-feasts were held, through which many of them were impelled to join them, and so their communion experienced a speedy increase. Under these circumstances
1[Wissahicken].
2It was remarked that the greatest force of this extraordinary awakening did not last longer than seven months ; for it commenced in May and began to decline again in the following November, when the awakening in Con- estoga took its beginning.
.
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they deemed it well to make a detailed report of this new awakening to their Brethren in Germany. Therefore they prepared in common a writing addressed to them, in which they informed them that they had become reunited in Penn- sylvania, and that hereupon a great awakening had resulted in the land, which was still daily increasing ; that of the awakened several had joined their communion, to which they had to consent, as they dared not withstand the counsels of God.
Now, after God had so inanifestly blessed their labors, they sought to work forward to meet the awakening, and resolved to undertake a general visitation to all their Brethren in the whole country. They fixed upon the twenty-third day of October, of the year 1724, as the time for starting on their visitation from Germantown. They first went to Schip- pack, thence they traveled to Falckner's Swamp, where a meeting with breaking of bread was held with great blessing, at the house of a Brother named Albertus. From there they journeyed to Oley, where a similar work was done with similar blessing. Finally they came to their newly-baptized Brethren on the Schuylkill, where they held a meeting and bread-breaking, and also baptized two persons. Here they agreed to travel up the country towards Conestoga, for they liad heard that there were several awakened persons there. But as some of them were on horseback and some on foot, they divided, and those on foot spent the following night, November 9th, with John Graff, and the riders with Jacob Weber. The following day the party united again at Rudolph Nägele's, at that time a Mennonite teacher, but afterwards a faithful follower of the Superintendent until his death. From there they visited tlie Superintendent, who at that time lived, a Solitary, with Michael Wohlfahrt. The follow- ing night, that is November 10th, they lodged with Stephen Galliond, and thence continued their journey to Henry Höhn, after they had sent two Brethren on before to announce their coming. In this fruitful wilderness there lived at that time part Mennonites, and part Separatists, among which latter the before-mentioned Baumann had spread his doctrine.
A meeting was held at Höhn's on the following day,
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A HISTORY OF EPHRATA.
November 12th, at which the Superintendent was present. At this meeting extraordinary revival-powers were inani- fested. The Baptists spoke with such power concerning baptism and the divine purpose concerning fallen inan involved therein, that after the close of the meeting five persons applied for baptism, namely, the afore-mentioned Höhn, his house-mate, John Mayer and his house-inate, and Joseph Shäfer, who were at once baptized in Apostolic-wise, by Peter Becker, in the Pequea stream. Soon a sixth one followed these, namely, Veronica, the wife of Isaac Frederick. Now the Superintendent fell into great perplexity. For, to withstand this ordinance of God seemed to him great pre- sumption ; at the same time, the calling of these people was not deemed important enough by him, for he had been the recipient of a weighty testimony from God, and feared that, if he associated with them, he might lose all the good he had reached throughi so much pain. Suddenly, however, his heart was enlightened by a bright ray from the Gospel, in whose light the whole purpose of God was revealed to himn, namely, that Christ also had permitted himself to be baptized by one who was less than himself, and had said thereof : "Thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness ;" and that, in order to make this work easier for us, God himself had thus gone before, and first sought out the field in which he would sow his grain of wheat.
Consequently, after the Sister referred to before came out of the water, he came down from his spiritual pride, humbled himself before his friend Peter Becker, and was baptized by him on the same day in Apostolic-wise, under the water. It was thus that Wisdom brought him into her net : he received the seed of his heavenly virginity at his first awakening ; but now a field was prepared for him in America into which he might sow this seed again. Now we will resume our narrative. After the baptism they spent the rest of the day in edifying conversation unto the praise of God, until eve- ing, when a love-feast was held at Höhn's, the first ever held in Conestoga since the country began to be cleansed from its heathenish inhabitants ; it was held on November 12th, 1724. 'The following day they made a visit to Isaac Frederick's
26
CHRONICON EPHRATENSE.
mill, when disagreement sprang up among them, because somne so vehemently insisted on returning home. Peter Becker and the majority, however, insisted upon holding another ineeting, which also was done, on the following Sunday, at Sigmund Landert's. But this meeting was not at all like the previous ones in power and spirit, and it was remarked that from that day on their power declined. First of all, the women began a quarrel ; and then Simon König, Michael Wohlfahrt, and others, joined together to assail the Baptists on account of their controversies across the sea. Simon König made the attack, but, as he acted very in- judiciously, the rest were ashamed of him and left him in the lurch. Consequently, the meeting passed over fruit- lessly, as did also the baptisin of Sigmund Landert and his wife, which followed ; for they baptized them in such unclean water that they ought to have had a washing after- wards. On this occasion Peter Becker made the following address to the people: "These two persons have applied to us for baptisin ; but as they are unknown to us in their walk and conversation, we make this announcement of the fact to all inen here present, especially to their neigh- bors. If you can bear favorable witness concerning their lives, it is well, and we can baptize them with the greater assurance ; but if you have any complaints to bring against thein, we will not do it." It appears from this that he required persons to have led an honorable life before he would baptize them. Whether this is Apostolic we will not stop to discuss ; baptisin contains in itself the forgiveness of all past sins.
We will now proceed to their departure. Before they left this newly planted congregation, they, especially Peter Becker and Henry Traut, conferred much with the newly baptized with reference to the organization of their house- hold, and said among the rest : "You can now arrange your affairs among yourselves to the best of your ability ; the better you do it, the better we will be pleased, since you con- stitute together a little congregation. You are in no way to be bound to us, as we are at too great a distance from you. We therefore advise you to arrange your affairs among your-
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selves, according to your daily circumstances. Neither do we recognize any pope who would rule over you, but we com- mend you to the grace of God, which must accomplish every- thing, etc." Afterwards they were very sorry for these words, and themselves regarded what they had done as unwise, becattse they had let this new congregation pass out of their hands. They thought one should not have entrusted so much to beginners, and that now they would have to tolerate everything, no matter how strangely these newly converted might act towards them. However, they were entirely inis- taken, at least as to the Superintendent, who at that time had already spent eight years in his calling, and had been well trained therein. After they had given the kiss of peace to one another, they betook themselves upon their homeward journey.
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