USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Ephrata > Chronicon ephratense : a history of the community of Seventh Day Baptists at Ephrata, Lancaster County, Penn'a. > Part 9
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A matter, the like of which one does not find in church
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histories, is worthy of special notice here. He held love- feasts with the female portion, no Brethren participating, at which the Sisters were his Diaconae, and officiated in all things. At the same time there was in the Settlement a special band of holy Matrons and Virgins who acknowledged no headship but that of Christ, and no guardianship but that of the Christian Church. The reader will learn in the sequel how this glorious state at last ended in a strange tragedy. As it would seein, God made use of him to manifest forth the wonders of eternity, and after this was accomplished he was divested of this ecclesiastical dignity, and clothed again with his former orphaned condition, in which also he ended his life, and which perhaps was better for him than if he had died as a famous saint; since his Master too, notwithstanding that he had excelled in great miracles, yet at last, hanging on the cross, naked between two murderers, had to vanquish the evil one, and then first was enabled to speak of the en- trance into paradise. Remarkable it is that neither did the gifts vouchsafed to him distort his mind, nor did his frequent contact with the other sex leave a stain upon his character, although he was not exempt from slanderous inisrepresenta- tions. Now we proceed to the order of our narration.
About this same time, namely, in the year 1736, the Bap- tists of Germantown undertook a visitation to the Settle- ment. When the Superintendent heard of this, he inade preparations to receive them. But when they did not arrive . at the appointed timne, he was invited to make a visit to Tulpehocken, where he had to tarry longer than he had anticipated. They arrived during his absence, and when they did not find him at home, they concluded that he had purposely avoided them. This was ordained by God as a test for the congregation, whether they would enter upon the mode of worship of these people and unite with them. Had they done so, the Superintendent would have been released from his vow, and would have been free to take up again his former way of life. For it was not unknown to him that some were already tired of his leading, and hungered after an easier way of serving God. Meanwhile the householders opened their doors unto the Baptist visitors
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and received them well; but they could not tarry long in the Settlement, the weight of the Spirit was too heavy upon them. Among the visitors was an old and venerable teacher, who had but recently come from Germany; his name was Naass, and when he saw the beautiful way of child-training, and the quiet life in the houses, he was so much edified thereby that he declared, that while he had lived through many awakenings in Germany, he had never seen the like of this; and that he would not rest until he had seen the inan who had instituted this awakening. In this indeed he was not successful at that time; but later he met the Superinten- dent, and had the latter not prevented it, the strong attrac- tion of love would have caused him to come over into inem- bership with the congregation, as was done by the good Kalk- glässer. When the Superintendent returned home he soon noticed that something was wrong with the divine clock- work here; for there had been spiritual adultery committed, according to the teaching of Christ "Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her," etc. This circumstance caused him on the following Sabbath to make an address on Spiritual Whoredom and Adultery, which on account of its importance is herewith reproduced, as follows :-
"I have something important to remark, partly as a warn- ing, partly as instruction; namely, about spiritual whoredom and adultery, which so beset us on our way to God. There are in the natural realin whoremongers and adulterers, who are alike in this, that both follow after their lusts, and seek to avoid the burdens of matrimonial life. They are unlike, however, in that the one shuns the bonds of matrimony, while the other breaks them. Now it cannot be denied that matrimony is an ordinance of God in the natural realın. But that whereby God still maintains his hold on this estate is the cross, through whose severity married people still can be brought right and to God. So is it also in the Christian Church. For although the gospel is glad tidings which attracts to it the free will of inan, there yet is always some- thing more behind the hill, which man at the beginning of his conversion, when he enters into the covenant with Christ, does not yet understand, namely, the cross, and the severe
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disciplinary training by which he is to be humbled and brought right. When God then brings a person to that point where the old inan of sin is to be condemned and he to be refined in the furnace of tribulation, it often happens that one transgresses the bonds of one's spiritual married estate; and as there are plenty of people who live in a liypo- critical semblance of piety even while they hate the spiritual matrimony and are unwilling to bear its burdens, (even as whoremongers and adulterers despise the outer, physical estate of matrimony,) one allows oneself to associate with such people, carries on coquetry with them, and so cools oneself off again, by which the mind has secretly sown in it deceit and suspicion against the good, of which it is difficult afterwards to be cured again.
"For man is thereby mnade spiritually reckless, so that he tries to tread under foot that which is put over him in spirit and through which he is meant to be inade better; and, as Lucifer did, so he puts himself above everything that is of God. To this end he takes opportunity also to use the instruments of the congregation, whence proceeds the Word of life, who usually are bad, insignificant and despised peo- ple; even as also the Jews made the person of Christ a ground for belittling his miracles. Such conduct brings heavy judgments witlı it, and is more wicked than physical whoredom; for the latter is judged of men, but the former is spiritual and awaits the great universal judgment to come. Such illicit courtship, however, is not made inanifest except where there is a Christian organization with matrimonial vows and birth apparatus, where children are born. From long experience one could mention several things on this subject; but this is not the time for it. We can only wish that the spirit of Phinelias might awaken again, and pierce such dammable whoremongery through the belly. It is not without significance that the Apostles had so much trouble with whoremongers and adulterers, all which belongs in this connection. As such whoremongers we designate all fortune-tellers, star-gazers, and interpreters of omens, who have not come over in their calling to the simplicity of Christ, but who, because the secrets of the starry magia are
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disclosed in them, have taken this instead of their heavenly inheritance. For this reason they are at pains to destroy the innocent child-life wherever it shines forth, and to ascribe everything to the stars. Remarkable it is that such persons always have done great injury to the kingdom of Christ. Already in Moses' time the sorcerers took pains to imitate him; and they succeeded till it came to the lice, there they came to a standstill. Consequently the Jews had a severe law according to which all soothsayers must be punished with death. When Christ came with his miracles, the Jew- ish star-gazers, the Pharisees, also came, and knew how to explain it all, and to attribute it to Beelzebub. And when the truth rose highest with the apostles the powers of sorcery also rose highest in Simon the sorcerer, who wished to overcome the mysteries of God by violence. Therefore we close with the teaching of the precious John: 'If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house.' "
At the conclusion of this address, which was held on Nov. 20th, 1736, a Brother named John Roland arose and said: "This is a hard saying." Thereupon he went away, and no longer dwelt with the congregation.
CHAPTER XVII.
AN AWAKENING TAKES PLACE IN THE CONGREGATION OF BAP- TISTS AT GERMANTOWN, THE MOST OF WHOSE MEMBERS JOIN THE AWAKENING AT EPHRATA.
Chronologically there follows now this important awaken- ing at Germantown, an account of which shall now be given, together with various other circumstances which belong to this period. A holy impulse to have a share in the great store of hymns which the awakened in Germany brought to light, induced the Solitary to make a collection of said hymns, which also was published through the celebrated high-German printing press there, under the title of Zioni- tischer Weyrauch's Hügel.1 Now it may also be that the Community, which at that time had an open door of access at Germantown, contributed something from without to this awakening. It is made clear, however, by certain facts which shall now be related, that the same was a work of the Spirit. At that time there was among the Baptists at Ger- mantown an old experienced Solitary Brother, Steplien Koch by name, who stood in good repute because of his piety, and who ended his holy walk in the Settlement. This person gives the following account of the awakening referred to.
"It is known," he says, "that the Schwarzenan Baptists at first were an awakened people, among whoin the spirit of virginity had his abode, and the way of holiness was walked. It was noticed, however, that after they became a people by covenant and thereby were joined together into an external brotherhood, the revival spirit gradually was extinguished among them, and they instead fell back upon mere external forins of divine worship as that upon which flesh and blood depended for redemption. Though these were instituted by God himself, they yet were never meant to be the end itself, as though everything were fulfilled if one ineets once every
1 The Zionitic Hill of Incense.
(95)
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week and hears something talked about, which after all 110 one intends to carry out, and then devotes the remaining days of the week to the world. For this cause God kept the worship of the Jews in constant disturbance, and often de- stroyed their temple, so that it inight not become the essen- tial thing for them.
"In this, however, they did not succeed any better than the other parties in the Christian church; for each one has inculcated a form of service peculiar to its own people, whereby it is distinguished from every other people, until so many religious hedges have come into being that it is hardly possible to count them any longer. Thus among these good people the outer forins of service, which should have helped them in their awakening, became their lord and master, and they all became bondsinen to thein. It is consequently 110. wonder that the spirit of awakening, in its virgin strictness, had to leave them, and place their ordering into the hands of that man who everywhere builds up again the church of Ada11. Wherefore among them as among other parties the claim is made: Come hither! We have the true Church; here one baptizes into the faith in Jesus, etc.
"As they have been sold into bonds under their forms of worship, so also with their water baptisin; for they recognize no one as a Brother who has not been baptized, even though he should surpass them in knowledge and experience; such an one has to be satisfied with the title of friend. They went still further in this literal and narrow inanner, and committed the teaching office mostly into the hands of married men. Thereby they brought matrimony into high favor, and finally cast off the estate of virginity, which before their baptisin they had rated so high. Young people, when they saw that the inarried state was so highly honored, lusted after it; but as long as they were unbaptized they were regarded as heathen, for according to their principles marriage is consummated only between two believers. If therefore they wished to inarry, they first had to have them- selves baptized; which at last opened a wide door for carnal presumption.
"Under such circumstances, when there were still inany
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who had witnessed the awakening at Schwarzenau, it is no wonder that the fire yet smnouldering under the ashes should have been rekindled. About this same time, however, an important Brother, Henry Traut by name, passed out of tine into eternity, on Jan. 4th, 1733. When with sorrowful heart and deeply grieved I saw him pass into eternity, it made so deep an impression on me that I continually sighed unto God whether it were not possible that in this life yet I might attain unto health of conscience. For I might do what I would, yet I always lacked that which was best, because it appeared to me that I had never in my heart been converted to God, which indeed also I experienced to be the case. Tlie deeper I searched, the more I became aware that in my deepest nature I was still lacking that true change of heart, without which the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, could not reveal itself in me. Fromn tliis I could well see that there was nothing else for me to do than to repent anew and be heartily converted unto God. Where- fore I constantly prayed to God that for Jesus Christ's sake he would graciously regard me, and cleanse me from all iny transgressions.
" For this repentance and conversion, however, I had no power within me. A long while I went about in grief and with sighing, and I was even as it is written: 'The children are come to the birth and there is no strength to bear thein.' But at length the power of Darkness so revolted within ine, that for the life of ine I had no resource left; and I now could realize in what grievous condition the deceased Brother, Henry Traut, had been when at times he had so sorely wept, for I was in like condition. But I did not feel free to tell any inan of it. To God, however, I often said: 'Must I then forever be cast off from Thee? Alas, must I now become the prey of unclean spirits! Was it in vain that so many years I have shed so many tears, and poured out unto Thee, my God,
1 His temptations were the following : He was a wooer of the Virgin [“So- phia," the heavenly Wisdom, i. e. saving faith], but because he incautionsly forsook his stronghold [celibacy], and betrothed himself to a widow, his Virgin left him, and he fell into earthly ways, until, finally, after many tears of penitence, she again took him up. See Matt. XIX : 10, II and 12.
H
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so many heart-sighings ? Have mercy upon me, or I perish, for my uncleanness is become so great that it ever hangs over my head, and my enemies rejoice over me, and say, aha ! aha ! this we gladly see ! when once he is down, he shall not rise again !' (Ps. XXXV.) And this! I had to hear continu- ally.
"But with all this I found no salvation; but it grew ever worse, so that at last I became very fearful, and thought, Now it will continue until my poor life is consumed, and what will happen after that, God knows. In this way I spent several years, and had, besides, great pain from stones in the bladder, so that I often lay two or three days in the greatest extremity, and had death ever before me, until I was again relieved from it for a time. But God finally regarded my misery, and came to my help in a wonderful manner. On the 3d of May, 1735, at Germantown, as late at night I went behind the house into the orchard, it being bright moon- light, there came to me a delightful odor, partly from the blossoms of the trees, partly from the flowers in the garden, whereat I sobbing spoke to God: 'O, my God, everything is in its order and contributes to Thy glory and honor, save I alone! For I am created and called by a holy calling to love Thee above everything, and to become a pleasant savor unto the glorifying of Thy name. Now, however, I behold the contradiction; for I not only do not love Tliee as I ought, but am also become an evil smell in Thy nostrils. Alas, unfortunate that I am! Must I then pass my days in such misery ? I gladly would love God, the highest Good, but I cannot. The world with all its glories cannot satisfy iny sad spirit, for I ever see before my eyes spiritual and bodily death.'
"While I lamented thus to God it seemed to me as though suddenly a flame of God's love struck into ine, which en- tirely illumined me inside, and I heard a voice say to me: ' Yet one thing thou lackest.' I asked, 'What is it then ?' The answer was, 'You do not know God, and never have really known him.' I said, 'Yes, that is so; but how shall I attain to it?' Then it seemed as though I were beside myself. But when I came to myself again, I felt an inex-
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pressibly pleasing love to God in my heart; and on the other hand all anxiety, with all the temptations of the unclean spirits, had vanished. Yea, it seemed as if all my trans- gressions were pardoned and sealed, and day and night there was nothing else in my heart but joy, love, and praise to God. After several days I came to my intimate Brother, the young Alexander Mack; who told ine that he was in so sorrowful a state that he believed he would soon die. Therefore lie had made his last testament, wherein he had made several wliom he mentioned to me by name his heirs. I told him how I too had made a testament that I would belong wholly to my God. He asked me how that had happened. I said that he probably had noticed that for several years already I had been in a sorrowful condition. Thereupon I recounted the whole matter to him, what had happened to mne, and how God had saved ine from all my misery in a wonderful man- ner, and that I now felt in my heart such a love to God that I could not express it. He said: 'O, if you really are such as you say, then are you happy indeed! I believe you will remain thus, and will come to quite a different estate fromn what you were before. I feel from what you say that some- thing marvelous has happened to you, and I rejoice greatly thereat.' We often liad similar conversations with each other, and it was not long before he also came to an awakened condition. As he was a ready speaker, he began to speak in the meeting so powerfully that it was a marvel to hear him, and aroused much notice in the congregation. Some were well pleased at it; but others could not compre- hend it. At that time we had a meeting for the unmarried every Sunday afternoon, where we also spoke together as narrated above. At last the spirit of revival came upon all who were assembled together, so that one often heard with astonishment how they praised God; however with many it did not last long.
"In the meantime it happened that the people in the house in which I had lived so long were no longer satisfied with mne; for the life that I now led was a witness against their life. Accordingly the afore-mentioned A. Mack re- ceived me into his house; but he lived together with another
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Brother, Henry Hæcker, in half the house, while the other half was occupied by his brother after the flesh, Valentine Mack. At this time Henry Kalckglässer, then the oldest teacher of the congregation at Germantown, who afterwards ended his course at Ephrata, came to us in the house, and said : 'I hear so much said about you among the people, Brother Stephen Koch; tell me the truth: In what condition were you ? how did you come to another condition ? and how are you now ? ' I told him first of all in what a sad state I had been; how marvelously God had brought me out of it; and that I now day and night felt such a love to God in my heart that no tongue could express it. Thereupon he answered, 'O, I know your condition very well, for I was in the same state a long while; but through the various occurrences one meets therein, I fell away from it again. Now I will learn anew to walk before God.' He rejoiced greatly that the good old way shown him at the beginning of his conversion was again revealed to him; in everything of which we had spoken he agreed with us. For we spoke yet much more concerning the celibate estate, and a life of virginity, of which he said, that all this had been revealed to him at his first conversion. Thus this old Brother was quickened again, and spake openly at the meeting concerning such things with much impressiveness, remarking also that he believed that if he had died in the condition in which he had been he would have been found to be a foolish virgin. Many of the congregation, however, took this amiss of him, and said that he had been a teacher so long already, and had baptized so many, and yet now spoke of himself thus doubtfully. But he insisted that such had been his experience.
"At another time the other teacher, Peter Becker, also came to us. During the night we spoke much together, so that in the morning he tearfully bade us farewell. He said to us, that he also would begin anew to walk before God; but this was so far reversed in him again, that he at last declared himself against us.
" Before I came to live with Brother A. Mack I saw in a vision a beautiful virgin come into our meeting, who preached wonderfully concerning sanctification and a life of virginity.
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At this I was so glad that in the morning I said to the Brethren that I had seen a most beautiful virgin come into our meeting, who liad held an extraordinary address con- cerning purity and the life of virginity; whereat they re- joiced with me. At the time when I saw this vision, V. Mack saw me go to his brother Alexander very often, and said to me: 'You come into the house so often, yet never come to see me.' I answered, 'Perhaps your house-sister [wife] would not like it.' From that time on I frequently visited them, and spoke with them of the way of holiness, when she always listened with devout attention (of her edify- ing life and blessed departure mention will be made at the proper place).
"On April 12th, 1736, therefore, I moved to Brother A. Mack, when for a time we three lived together. In the year 1737 we built a house, in a valley, a mile from Germantown, into which we inoved on October 14th of said year. There another Solitary Brother, named John Riesmann, besides a pious married couple, came to live with us. But on March 2Ist, 1738, my three Brethren, Alexander Mack, Henry Hæcker, and John Riesmann, removed to the Solitary at Ephrata, and the housefather, before mentioned, went back to his own piece of land. Thereupon another pious house- · father, Lewis Hæcker by name, came to live with me; but we did not live together any longer than until March 27th, 1739, when I also removed to the Solitary at Ephrata. Thus my first call came back to me again, and thus I found again the piece of silver I had lost, whereat I exceedingly rejoice. May God comfort all the sorrowing in Zion, and redeem Israel from the rod of the oppressor, Amen."
This tried warrior of Jesus Christ lived many years more among the Solitary in the Settlement, and finally entered upon his rest on the 7th of June, 1763.
From this small beginning there finally arose a great awakening in and about Germantown, which so many young people joined that, if persons of experience had been con- nected with it, something very useful might have been the outcome. The fame of it soon resounded through the whole land; for they held their meetings in the woods, and then
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walked through Germantown hand in hand, which attracted much attention. Besides, they had frequent meetings at night. The teachers of the Baptists themselves went astray in this movement. Some of them, like Henry Kalckglässer, Valentine Mack, John Hildebrand, supported it; while oth- ers, like P. Becker, Naass, etc, who had had a similar experi- ence in Germany, opposed it. Yes, Peter Becker often said to them: "Dear children, it is the seventh-day-spirit of Conestoga !" At length the affair came to another separa- tion, in which the Baptists a second time were made naked, and the flower of the congregation was lost. The separa- tists went together to the Settlement of the Solitary, while the rest of this awakening gradually became extinguished like a straw fire. It must be known that this Baptist re- moval to Ephrata was wholly unexpected to the Superin- tendent and the congregation. Indeed they had resolved not long before, because those of the Baptists who had gone over to them had turned out so badly, that they would not receive any more of this people: but who can withstand the counsels of God ? and who can set bounds to his Spirit? It was indeed a great marvel to the Superintendent, that those who, according to their spiritual age, could have been his fathers, now became as children unto him, and put them- selves under his leading. It appears also that these occur- rences gave him an insight into his own circumstances, whereof he knew nothing before, or wished to know nothing, because of his own self-depreciation. For I consider it un- questionable that this occurrence gave occasion to him to compose that hymn, whereof as a specimen I have given the first three verses, and in which he clearly shows that all these awakenings were in their spirit dependent on him.
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