USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Ephrata > Chronicon ephratense : a history of the community of Seventh Day Baptists at Ephrata, Lancaster County, Penn'a. > Part 5
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2[Andreas Frey]. 3[Michael Wohlfahrt]. 4[John Landes].
5 If anyone wishes to know in what straits he spent his life, let him read the 278th hymn of the "Paradisisches Wunderspiel," of which the first verse is as follows :-
" O, eternal glow ! what a burning is there among the saints upon earth, who own themselves to God until each is preserved like gold that is purged through incessant smelting in the pot. O, what a wearisome sweating ! until one attains the crown of gold."
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In this year there were yet several occurrences which deserve to be mentioned. The first is the conversion of the first Prior of the Brotherhood at Ephrata, named Israel Eckerlin, which himself has thrus described : "My father, Michael Eckerlin, was a councilman of Strasburg, which office and place he left for conscience sake, and moved to Schwarzenau, where he held to the congregation of Baptists, and stood in good repute on account of his piety. After his death, our mother, with her four sons, moved to Pennsyl- vania in the year 1725. On the ocean God visited ine with sickness, so that I made a vow, that if he would help me to my health again, I would become converted and commence a different life after we would get to land. I thereupon indeed became well again, but my promise I did not fulfill ; for when we saw land I remembered my vow, and wished I might always be on the water. As soon as we had landed, vanity again took hold of ine. But about the same time M. W., 6 a Brother of the new congregation, caine to iny mother, whose words so deeply moved ine that I afterwards said to my mother : 'This Brother's words have effected very much for me,' and determined to make a visit to them. Meanwhile I bound myself out to a master who also had a drawing to the good. Once we visited Conrad Matthew at Germantown, who advised us to leave those regions, because the people there lived in vanity, and to move up the country to Conestoga, where the people lived in great simplicity, and which was like a new Switzerland to look upon. This counsel suited us ; and in August, 1727, we moved there. For a time we adhered to the Mennonites, because their simplicity of dress pleased us ; but to their mnode of worship we never could adapt ourselves. Then we inquired about the new congregation and its Superintendent, but heard of nothing but whoredom and lewdness, which were said to pre- vail there. I said to my master, however, that I could not believe this, as I had a different impression of thein. After that we worked for Christopher Saur, who brought us to a meeting of the new congregation, at which I was strength- ened in my good resolve to such a degree, by the words of
6 [Michael Wohlfahrt].
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the Superintendent, that on Whitsuntide of the year 1728, I was incorporated in this new congregation by holy baptism, together with my master and another Brother, Jacob Gass by name." So far his narrative.
About this time, namely, in the year 1728, the power of God manifested itself palpably in the meetings, witnessing against the old Adam and his many false sanctuaries ; whereat many were offended and separated themselves from the congregation. These Separatists, like men sick with a plague, finally banded together, and set up a meeting of their own ; so that in those times there were inore apostates than there were righteous ones ; which, however, by .110 means confounded the Superintendent ; for he had reckoned on all these, and yet worse, quarrelings, when he left his beloved solitary state and waded into the sea of humanity. Since it was known that these apostates were supported by the Baptists of Germantown, M. W. felt himself moved to go into the meeting of these Baptists, and thus spoke to them : "Men and Brethren, thus saith the Lord, ye have gone mnad ; this is a city that is destroyed ! And unto you, Peter Becker, the Lord saith, why dost thou declare iny rights and hast iny covenant on thy lips, while yet thou hatest order and throwest my words behind thee !" After lie had thus done, he went his way again. This occurred in December, 1728.
It is also to be mentioned here that while, during a certain night, the Superintendent was at prayer, and was deeply moved, on behalf of the entire Christian Church, somebody knocked at the door, and asked him to come in haste to a neighbor, Peter Beller. When he came there he found the daughter of the latter about breathing her last, who desired baptisin from him. Now although the Superintendent would have had faith to baptize her in flowing water, yet her parents would not allow it ; so she was baptized in the house in a tub. Thereupon she asked to have a meeting at her house on the next Sabbath, which the Superintendent granted her ; but when the congregation assembled there at the appointed time, they found her lying in her coffin ; so the meeting was turned into a funeral. God grant her a
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blessed resurrection ! This so deeply moved the parents that they both had themselves also baptized.
At that time also the Superintendent's Ninety-nine Mysti- cal Sayings became known in print. When a learned scholar, named Gulde, saw them, he traveled to him, and asked him why he had inade 99 of them and not 100. His answer was : that as the muinber 99 was reached he was stopped in the Spirit. Then he asked him why he observed the Sabbath. The answer : That he had experienced that whenever the Sabbath camne all lıis burdens, which rested upon him during the week, were removed, which did not happen to him on Sundays. Against this he had no objections to make, and went his way edified. It was mentioned above that M. W. had borne prophetic witness against the Baptists in Germantown. He did more such work in those days. For on October 19th, 1729, he and another Brother went into a meeting of the Quakers in Philadelphia, and, after he had listened a long while to a female preacher, he finally began to speak : "My friends, I beseech you to hearken unto me, for I have a few words from the Lord to you, therefore I demand that you hear me. For I will not leave this place tintil I have delivered my message which I am sent to bring, that I may be guiltless before the Lord, and may go iny way hence again in peace." The speeches and replies are in print, but are too lengthy to reproduce here. Similarly also he bore witness in the market in Philadelphia, which also was published in English and in German.
CHAPTER VII.
THE SABBATH IS INTRODUCED IN THE CONGREGATION ;
WHEREFORE THE LATTER IS BROUGHT UNDER THE JUDG- MENT OF THE WORLD ; BESIDES MANY OTHER DISTURB- ANCES.
In the year 1728 the Superintendent published a little book on the Sabbath, which was so effective that the congre- gation now publicly adopted the Sabbath as the day for divine services. Before this the meetings had been held on Sunday, and the Sabbath celebrated in quiet. Neither in this, nor in the consequent disturbances, did the Superin- tendent have any part. Once the congregation wanted to put him under the ban for working on the Sabbath, whereupon he recognized that the matter was from God. At that time there were among the English people various families who observed the Sabbatlı, like Abel Noble, Welchs, Ritter, etc., but according to the law of the land they also had to observe Sunday. To this these new Sabbatists did not want by any means to adapt themselves ; but they held to the Law, worked six days, and rested the seventh, which occasioned a good deal of commotion in the land. For not only did the mob perpetrate many excesses against thein, but at length the civil authorities also interfered, in that they confined the Solitary in prison, and sold the horses of the householders, offering, after deducting the amount of the fine, to pay them back the balance on demand, to which they invariably received the reply that they might keep that also, since it was written, He that taketh from thee that is thine, demand it not of him again. It is worth while to record for posterity the inild conduct of the authorities towards these people, of which several instances are given. Several Brethren, when brought before the justice, who demanded a fine from them, answered thus : that they owed him nothing and still less wanted to give him anything ; if he wished to get anything he would have to take it. Others said that
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they regarded God's law more than England's law. At another time a Brother fell into the hands of a justice who had much to say about the English law.with reference to the observance of Sunday, and took up his law-book in order to prove it. The Brother said: that he should lay aside his law-book, as he was subject to a higher, namely God's law- book, so that his English law-book had no authority over him. The justice put away his book, and said he might go home, he would make him a present of his fine if he would not work on Sunday in future. The Brother replied that he would not cease to work on Sunday, and, besides, that he could not make him a present, since he did not owe him anything ; but that if he did owe him anything he would pay it, and not accept any present from him; to which the justice said nothing further.
Whoever knew the peaceful disposition of the Superin- tendent can easily imagine that this behavior of his people was a severe trial for him. To some Brethren who once asked his prayers as they were cited before the authorities, but who were dismissed again in peace, he said that God had given the heart of the authorities into his hand, and he had turned it as he pleased. This had such an effect that afterwards various ones willingly paid their fines ; and because they showed such Christian discretion, the authori- ties relaxed their strictness, and overlooked such people's offences, which is done even to the present day.
Now we will take the new congregation in hand again. The witness of God concerning the judgment against the old Adam, as it was applied by the Superintendent with much severity, was the cause of one revolt after the other among his followers. This continued until his death ; yes, some followed him with slander even after his death. No meeting was held at which some did not fall to quarreling, and mostly it was on the subject of the matrimonial estate; for he was accused of seeking to prescribe laws and rules for the same, and this was regarded as a teaching of the devil. It was mentioned above concerning the apostates that they organ- ized an own congregation, in which J. H. and D. E. 1 were
1 [John Hildebrand and Daniel Eicher].
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teachers. To these a Brother, Joel by name, went in their meeting, and spoke thus : "To you, J. H., I have a word from the Lord to say. Thus saith the Lord : Thou shalt no longer go forth and preach to others, but first thou and thy house must be converted, then thou canst go forth and con- vert otliers. If thou heed not this warning voice, the judgment of the Lord shall come upon thee because thou hast not done according to his Words. Moreover this day it shall be made manifest whether we or you are the congrega- tion of God ; for God will to-day perform a wonder and sign in me, in that if I shall fall down before your eyes as one that is dead, and ye will pray for me that I may arise again, then God hath not sent me unto you, and you are the Lord's congregation. But if I do not fall dead before your eyes, but shall go out of the door again well and hearty, then ye shall know that the Lord hath sent mne to you this day, and that you are not the Lord's congregation. Eight days ago as I was in your meeting, I said that there were wolves among you ;"-and after seizing one of them, Henry Höhn by name, by the arın, he said, "here is a wolf," and then went away with his companion.
Some of the congregation thought as much of this testi- inony, and also of that of M. W., recorded above, as if the Holy Spirit had dictated it; therefore they had thein care- fully written out. But another Brother, Amnos by name, who looked upon this as idolatry, with the sanction of the Super- intendent gained possession of these testimonies by craft and burned them, saying he would try whether they could endure the fire-test. The sensible reader will know how to take the best out of this. About the same time the Superin- tendent also made a prophetic address against a Brother wlio used to turn everything good to ridicule, whereby he kept his whole house alienated from God. The address is as follows : "Thou child of inan, I have set thee for a watch- man over the house of Israel, that, when thou hearest out of my mouth thou mayest warn them on iny behalf. If now I say to the ungodly : Thou ungodly one must die the death, and thou dost not tell him so, that the ungodly may be warned from his course, the ungodly shall die because of his
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ungodliness ; but his blood shall be demanded of thy hand. But if thou warn him to repent of his evil ways, and he refuse to repent, then he shall die because of his sin, but thou hast saved thy soul." After he had spoken these words he thought that he was done, but when he awoke the following morning, he was again impelled to speak, and said: "H. H., 2 thus saith the Lord to thee: Thou ungodly one, thou hast joined thyself to a lot of ungodly ones, to an impious woman, and hast committed adultery against the wife of thy youth. Thy sin and shame shall be uncovered before all people, and thy woes shall be like unto those of a woman in travail, etc." This address he sent to the meeting of the Separatists while the Baptists of Germantown were there, who made it known everywhere.
0
2 [Henry Höhn].
.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE TWO BAPTIST CONGREGATIONS SEPARATE ENTIRELY ; AND THE BRETHREN AT CONESTOGA GIVE THEIR BAPTISM BACK AGAIN TO THE OTHERS.
It appears that the Superintendent at that time was much beholden in his divine work to the Baptists of Germantown, which came from the fact that he had received his baptisin from then. They boasted that they had given birth to the new congregation out of the elements ; thus boasting them- selves of fleshly things. On this account we must make some allowance for the Superintendent's vehemence against them. They came in the way of that Spirit under whose dominion he stood, so that, in the hymns he made at that time, he used terrible expressions about them. Consequently, when he noticed that their power of opposition was owing to his baptismn, the resolve was finally reached to give these people their baptisni back again ; which also was done in December of the year 1728. For then Brother Amos first rebaptized the Superintendent, who then rebaptized him, another Brother, and four Sisters; so that once more the Sabbatic number seven became the foundation of rebaptismn in the congregation. This transaction not only provoked the Baptists anew, but also caused great disturbance in the congregation itself ; for some halted between two opinions, and secretly held to the Baptists, because they hankered after such a worship in which flesh and blood could be redeemed.
In the year 1729 Alexander Mack, the founder of the Baptists, with the rest of the congregation mentioned, left Friesland and came to Pennsylvania. This reverend man would have well deserved to be received with arms of love by all the pious in common, after all that he had had to suffer in Germany, especially from his own people. But he was no sooner arrived among his fellow-believers, than they filled his ears with heavy accusations against them of Cones- toga, namely, how they had separated from them, had (48)
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written them abusive letters, and had treated them very unlovingly with judgments and condemnations ; yea, and over and above all this, they had yet done a terrible thing whereby not only they, but even their dead, had been condemned and put under the ban. When he asked what this had been, the reply was, that they had all had them- selves rebaptized as separate from the Baptists. Now the good man should, at least until he had made himself thoroughly acquainted with the matter, have suspended his judgment. But prejudices so overpowered his mind, that he was not capable of passing a sound judgment, nor of counter- acting the separation. Nevertheless he made an attempt, and in October of the year 1730 undertook a visit to Falck- ner's Swamp with several of his Brethren. The Superin- tendent knew nothing of this; but made a journey thither at the same time, and held a meeting at Brother John Senseman's, to which also, quite unexpectedly, the visitors from Germantown came. Alexander Mack made an address and said: "The peace of the Lord be with you !" The Superintendent replied: "We have the same peace." Thereupon Alexander Mack asked why they had put them under the ban ; and proposed that both parties should betake themselves to prayer that God mnight reveal to them which was guilty of the separation. It would indeed have been better for them to take upon themselves both known and unknown sins than to force the divine righteousness; how- ever, judgment lay so heavily upon them that they had not the grace to do so. They accordingly fell upon their knees, and after making their complaints to God, they arose, and A. M. asked: "Where is Conrad Beissel ?" They pointed towards him and said: "There he stands." He answered: "I am a stranger to him; I do not see him; let him speak." It seeins that his eyes were holden that he could not see him. This happened several times to the Superintendent, as not less to Christ himself and other holy ones. Thereupon the Superintendent answered thus: "I am the man after whom you ask." A. M. then began asking the reasons why such things had been done. The Superintendent answered : Why they came here in so improper a manner to disturb Ę
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the meeting; they should have chosen a different time for this matter; and then spoke not a word more. Then things became lively. One Brother of Conestoga said : "A. M., I regard you as a servant of God." Peter Becker replied: "What kind of a servant do you consider him ? a servant of his righteousness?" It was remarked that all of those of Conestoga who, at that time and afterwards, became involved with the Baptists in judgment, like Jacob Weiss, Valentine Leslie, David Gemaehle, etc., afterwards themselves fell away from their calling. Aye, good M. W. had to suffer for it even on his death-bed, and would certainly have fallen into the hands of the avenger of blood, if the faithfulness of the Superintendent had not saved him, as will be described in its proper place.
With the Superintendent, however, the matter was quite different, for he had to stand up for the charge entrusted to him by God, wherein it was not by any means allowed anyone else to imitate his zeal, and to mix up his own passions with it. Those who know how the affairs stood between the two congregations, know also that a close union between thein was impossible; for they were born of diverse causes, since the one had the letter for its foundation, and the other the spirit; and while both had the same Father, they had different inothers. Here it is also to be remarked that, according to law, the standing is always inherited from the mother, so that if a king lies with a slave woman, the child must also be a slave. On the part of God indeed the seed of the new birth is always one and the same; but the great diversity among the awakened arises from their various susceptibility, by reason of which the Word of life penetrates more deeply into one than into another, on which account as great a difference of tribes and families arises under the new covenant as existed under the old, which indeed cannot be changed, and should not diminish their love. As at Schwarzenat the Separatists and others sought to enter the congregation of the Baptists without becoming subject to their ordinances, the good Alexander Mack felt constrained to write a little tract, in which he showed them that each tribe must hold to its own standard. The Superintendent
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A HISTORY OF EPHRATA.
referred to this difference in his letters to P. B. In one of them he also mentions what displeased him in them, where he writes: "I am well disposed toward you all in those matters on which the spirits can unite in God; but in those which concern your mode of divine worship I can take 110 part." (See his 17th printed epistle). It is easy to under- stand that in succeeding years this breach must have greatly pained them. And they made several attempts to mend it, but effected nothing, because they would not recognize the fault in themselves. At one time they undertook a visit to him ; but before they arrived he was impelled to go out. Then they imagined that he had run away from thein, and had no good conscience. At another time both parties met on a visit. The Superintendent saw that something would happen, and called his people aside, where they agreed to offer them peace in Christ, and to forget everything that had happened. But they would not accept this, but wanted to have inatters investigated and judgment passed upon them.
As something was said above concerning rebaptismn, on account of which the Superintendent had to endure so many accusations, the circumstances demand that a thorough report of it be made, so that it may appear in how far the congregation at Ephrata had a right to introduce such strange customs. Among those who first left the afore- mentioned Baptists and betook themselves unto the Superin- tendent's guidance, it was recognized as necessary to give a bill of divorce to their former spiritual wife, in which they had the Superintendent's example. Those who followed after then took the path they had trodden, and why should they not have the right to do so? For in the whole New Testament there is not a word to be found that rebaptism was forbidden. Is it not tyranny then to bind the conscience in matters wherein the Spirit hath set no limits? Moreover there were few under the leading of the Superintendent who were not rebaptized at least three times, according as their zeal for God demanded. That rebaptism was practiced in the time of the Apostles cannot be denied. For even if the pas- sage in AcTs XIX, 5, proves nothing, it is conceded that the most of those whom the Apostles baptized had already been
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baptized by John. As John's baptismn was not the whole, and Christ had a higher witness than he, his disciples had a right to leave him and to receive the baptism of Christ ; and thus was it also with the Superintendent. It is settled, however, that such rebaptisms could not be inade an article of faith, for the venerable Henry Kalckglässer, one of their first teachers, was left undisturbed at Ephrata until his death in his baptismn received from them. Therefore when in later times some of the new congregation went over again to the old, and several hot-heads wanted to have them rebap- tized, wise men arose among them and hindered it.
CHAPTER IX.
THE NEW CONGREGATION, IMPELLED BY HOLY ZEAL, GROWS, AND THE SWEET SAVOR OF ITS WALK AND CONVERSATION IS SPREAD ABROAD.
Let us now again turn to the new congregation and contemplate its growth in grace. First of all we are to be reminded that the Superintendent, who had before his · baptism led an angelic life hidden in God, now by baptisın had consecrated himself to the lowly humanity of Jesus Christ, in consequence of which, after the example of his Master, he gave up all his acquired possessions in order to win men, and this was the bank wherein he laid up his capital on interest. It is not easy to express what a high degree of self-denial it required, to hazard his own painfully attained sanctification, and again to wade into the ocean of humanity, there to fish for inen. Accordingly it was often remarked that he shed many tears, when wearied in his daily labors by the follies of mankind, and led to reflect on his former angelic life. It was easy to see that his own forward- ness did not lead him into this work, but that God had plunged him into these circumstances; as also he often said that he knew of a certainty that God would not let him stick ; which the result fully proved. In accordance with his promise to God his house was open day and night to everyone. Whoever was tempted, fled to him as to a city of refuge; and as soon as his threshold was reached, the blood- avenger had to abandon him. At that time it was usual that, when poor people wished to settle in this great wilderness, they applied to the congregation to build them a house, which custom continued until the cloisters at Ephrata were built. In order to be helpful to his neighbors, the Superin- tendent, together with the Solitary Brethren, after the example of our Master, Jesus Christ, betook themselves to carpentering, and refused no one who desired their assistance; in which work he himself was always foremost. As, how-
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