USA > Pennsylvania > Historical notes relating to the Pennsylvania Reformed Church, V. I > Part 12
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The history of the Reformed Church in Pennsylvania is not without examples of unworthy ministers who have stood up to proclaim the Gospel of Christ. Through them thousands have been lost to our Church. Unfortunately, too, it is the best who leave us-the wealthy, the edu- cated, the awakened. The ignorant, the indifferent and the unconcerned feel easy under a pastor of questionable piety or smutched reputation.
Prof. W. J. Hinke informs us that a letter written in the year 1774 by Sebas- tian Homrighausen, of Wittgenstein, to Rev. John Philip Leydich, his brother- in-law, in Pennsylvania, has recently been discovered in the Helfrich papers, and has been added to the collection of U'rsinus College.
Salem Reformed Church, Philadelphia, in which the German language is used. has occupied its present editice twenty- five years. This event was celebrated on Sunday, October 15, 1899, by anniversary
services. Rev. Prof. W. J. Hinke made an address on the history of the congre- gation. The organization of this church dates back upwards of eighty years. It is an offshoot of the Race Street (now First) Reformed Church.
We are glad to learn that Dr. Good's new work, the History of the Reformed Church in the United States, is having a ready sale. In our November mumber will appear a review of this important volume.
Benjamin Schneider, Missionary.
11IS ANCESTRY, HIS EARLY LIFE AND HIS CONVERSION.
Benjamin Schneider was of Reformed ancestry. His great-great-grandfather was Johannes Schneider, a primitive settler in Falkner Swamp, having bought a planta- tion of two hundred acres of land in Hanover township, on the 9th of Decem- ber, 1718, of John Henry Sprogell. At that time the Falkner Swamp Reformed Church was not organized, but from the time of the formation of a congregation there, by John Philip Bochum, down to the present day, the Schneiders of this branch have been members there. The line from the founder of the family to the subject of this sketch runs thus :
1. Johannes Schneider, died between December 22, 1734, and January 17, 1735. He left a widow, Sophia Schneider, and five sons.
2. Henry Schneider, born about 1727 ; married, December 19, 1751, Catharine Reinhart ; was buried October 20, 1802, aged 75 years. His widow, Catharine
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Schneider, was buried October 13, 1803, come a preacher and missionary. He was aged 73 years, 3 months, 19 days.
3. Jacob Schneider, born October 26, 1752 ; baptized December 10, 1752 ; con- firmed June 13, 1767 ; married June 6, 1780, Magdalena Gerhart ; died October 27, 1840. Magdalena (Gerhart) Schnei- der died March 30, 1835, aged 75 years, 11 months, 4 days.
4. Henry Schneider, born AAugust 26, 1781 ; married Anna Maria Nyce ; died August 2, 1872. Anna Maria (Nyce) Schneider was born February 26, 1786, and died May 27, 1844.
5. Benjamin Schneider was born in New Hanover township, January 18, 1807.
The late William IT. Schneider, brother to Benjamin Schneider, communicated to the writer these facts concerning the carly years of the future missionary :
"Brother Benjamin Jeft home when he was between four and five years old. Ile went to Pottstown to attend school. After he left Pottstown, he went to Norristown, and attended school in the old Academy. Hle boarded with Mr. William Powell, during his stay there. When about 16 years of age he taught school two winters in our old school house at the church. Then he went to Amherst College, took a regular course, and after he had graduated in college he entered the seminary at An- dover to complete his studies for the ministry. From his youth he had made up his mind to study for the ministry, and after he had been in college some time he determined to go to some foreign country as a missionary. He so wrote to father. At first father was opposed to his going, but eventually he consented. After he was licensed as a minister, he was married to Miss Abbott,'of the State of Massachusetts. Then they were sent by the Presbyterian Board of Missions to Turkey."
free from all foolish conduct ; was diligent in study, and prayed upon his knees morn- ing and evening." He lived in the jam- ily of Mrs. Nyce.
In the volume entitled Letters from Broosa, (1846) is given an account of Ben- jamin Schneider's conversion, in these words :
"It was during his connection with the Academy at Norristown that he became decidedly pions, and united with the Presbyterian church at that place. In a letter addressed to his beloved preceptor, when in the seminary at Andover, he thus speaks of his awakening and coll- version : 'Permit me to allade to a slight circumstance which, I believe, I never mentioned to you before. Perhaps you will remember that, while at Norristown. on a Sabbath afternoon, after the close of Sunday School, you had a religions con- versation with me in Mr. Hamill's piazza. My mind was then exercised on the sub- jeet of religion. But there was no defi- niteness about my feelings. I had no full, determined purpose to seek the sal- vation of my soul. That interview was blessed to me. In reflecting upon it, 1 have often thought that half hour was the awful crisis-the turning point-the pivot on which hung suspended my everlasting destiny. . . . It has often seemed to me, that if nothing had been said to me at that time, I might have been lost for- over. . . . I delight to reflect on the time I spent in Norristown. It formed a new and most important era in my life. There. I hope. I found an interest in the Sav- ionr.'"
Rev. James C. How was the principal of the academy at Norristown, and he is the person who led young Schneider to Christ.
Mr. Schneider was licensed to preach Church. He was sent out as a missionary sions. In 1842 he was transferred to the German Reformed Church, and for some years he was supported by it in the for-
The aged Mrs. Rachel Nyce, now in the in 183, and united with the Presbyterian ninety-seventh year of her age, states that Benjamin Schneider kept school at New by the American Board of Foreign Mis- Hanover Square during the Winter of 1823-'24. Hle succeeded Adam Slemmer as teacher of that ancient school. She says : "It was then his intention to be- cign tickt.
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Holland and Pennsylvania.
IV.
PAYMENT TO WIDOW BOEHM AUTHORIZED.
The synod of South Holland met, in 1751, at Leerdam, and remained in session from July 6 to 16, inclusive.
Domine Behm having died in Penu- sylvania, the sum of fourteen guilders ten stivers was upon request and on recom- mendation directed to be paid to his widow.
The full record upon the minutes is : "Is Do. Shlatter ook moedig versoekt of aand Wed: J: P: Bohm maer voor eene reis cene Ileine bijstand uit de Lievde gaaven konde toegestaan werden om dat syn E. veel onkosten gedaan had om tegens de dwaling der Hernhutters te schnyven." (The Reverend Schlatter also earnestly desired that a small contri- bution be made from the charitable col- lections to the widow of John Philip Bohm, for the reason that his Reverence had had many expenses in a journey made to resist the errors of the Moravians. )
Rev. Dr. Clement Z. Weiser's Lineage.
Although Conrad Weiser, the noted In- dian Interpreter of the Colonial era, is one of the best known characters in our Pennsylvania history, the list of his lineal descendants is not large. An effort to construct the line from the founder of the family to the late Rev. Dr. Clement %. Weiser revealed the fact that but few members of the connection have definite genealogieal information on this subject. Mrs. C. B. North, of Selinsgrove, who is a descendant, and an enthusiastic search- er for family records, kindly furnished the missing link, namely: Philip Weiser, born September 7, 1722. The line runs :
FIRST-JACOB WEISER.
"The oldest. Weiser at present on rec- ord," writes Mrs. North, "was Jacob, born about 1590, Schultheisz, (Justice of the Peace, ) of Gross Aspach, a place of note in the county of Backnang, in Wur- temberg." His son,
SECOND-JACOB WEISER,
was born about 1625, resided in the same place, and held the same office. His son,
THIRD-JOHN CONRAD WEISER,
was born about 1660; married Anna Mag- dalena L'ebele; came to America, with his family, landing at New York, in June, 1710. Their son,
FOURTH-JOHN CONRAD WEISER, THE IN- TERPRETER,
was born at Affstaett (the present spelling of the name), November 2, 1696; married "my Anna Eva," at Schoharic, Novem- ber 22, 1720; died July 13, 1760; buried near Womelsdorf, Pa. Their son,
FIFTH-PHILIP WEISER,
was born September 7, 1722; married, in 1748, Sophia -; died March 27, 1761.
SIXTH-JOHN CONRAD WEISER,
was born Angust 30, 1749; married Bar- bara ---; died February 1, 1803.
SEVENTH-REV. DANIEL. WEISER, D. D.,
was born at Selinsgrove, Pa., Jannary 13, 1799 ; married ( first) Lydia Ruth, and (second) Caroline Boyer; died at East Greenville, Pa., December 2, 1875.
EIGHTH-REV. CLEMENT Z. WEISER,
son of Daniel and Caroline ( Boyer) Weiser, was born October 20, 1830; mar- ried Louisa (. Gntelius; died, at East Greenville, Pa., March 1, ES9S.
Whitefield at Skippack and Falk- ner Swamp.
In 1740 Rev. George Whitefield, the eminent revival preacher, accompanied by his friend and financial supporter, William Seward, visited America. He preached wherever he went, and brought abont a great awakening. His diary of the journey was published, as also a record made by Mr. Seward. Mr. Seward's was published under the title : Journal of a Voyage from Savannah to Philadelphia, and from Philadelphia to England, MI, DCC. XL. By William Seward, Gent. Companion in Travel with the Reverend Mr. George Whitefield. London.
In the course of their travel, they passed through our present Montgomery county,
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and preached at AAbington, Skippack and his Name, he heard my Prayers, and Falkner Swamp. spoke Peace to my troubled Soul .-
SEWARD'S ACCOUNT.
From Seward's Journal we quote :
"Apl. 16, 1740. Preached to 5000 on Society Hill.
"Apl. 17. At Abington to 8000, and in the town to 10,000.
"April 22. Agreed with Mr. Allen for Five Thousand Acres of Land ou the Forks of Delaware, at 22007. Sterling ; the Conveyance to be made to Mr. White- field, and after that assign'd to me, as Security for my advancing the Money. Mr. Whitefield proposes to give Orders for building the Negroe School on the purchased Land before he leaves the Province.
"April 23. Whitefield preached toabout five thousand at Neshaminy.
"April 24. Rose at five, wrote my Journal, and dispatch'd several Letters for Georgia. Came to Christopher Wig- ner's Plantation in Skippack, where many Dutch People are settled, and where the famous Mr. Spangenberg resided lately .- It was surprising to see such a Multitude of People gathered together in such a Wilderness Country, Thirty Miles distant from Philadelphia .- Nothing but the mighty Power of God conld effect this. - Our Brother was exceedingly carried out in his Sermon, to press poor Sinners to como to Christ by Faith, and claim all their Priviledges, viz. not only Righteous- ness and -Peace, but Joy in the Holy Ghost: and after he had done, our dear Friend, Peter Bechler preach'd in Dutch to those who could not understand our Brother in English .- Came to Henry An- ti's Plantation in Frederick Township, Ten Miles farther in the Country, where was also a Multitude equally surprizing with that we had in the Morning, and our Brother was equally carried out to press poor Sinners to know God, and Jesus Christ whom God hath sent.
"There was much melting under both Sermons, but my Heart was too hard, which I was drawn to complain of to my dear Jesus, whose Blood, and nothing less, can soften it; and, forever Blessed be
"At Night I was drawn to sing and pray with our Brethren in the Fields.
"Brother Whitefield was very weak in Body, but the Lord Jehovah was his Strength, and did indeed magnify the same in his Weakness, for I never heard him speak more clear and powerful.
"They were Germans where we dined and supp'd, and they pray'd and sung in Dutch, as we did in English, before and after Eating .- O Heavenly Musick ! how sweet and delightful it is to a New-Born Soul :-
"April 25. Rose at Three o'Clock, and tho' our Brother Whitefield was very weak in Body, yet the Lord enabled him to ride near Fifty Miles, to preach to about Five Thousand People at Amwell, with the same Power as usual.
"May 1. Paid Mr. Allen 22004. for Five Thousand Acres of Land in the Forks of Delaware."
WHITEFIELD'S DIARY.
Whitefieldl preached in the evening at the house of Henry Antes, on Swamp creek, in Frederick township. lle re- mained there for the night. He speaks of the farm as "a Dutch Man's Planta- tion .. " Henry Antes was long before that and afterwards until his death known as a pious man. Whitefield felt that he "seemed to have drank deeply into the consolations of the Holy Spirit," and says of his home, "surely, that House was a Bethel."
We quote Whitefield's words :
"Thursday, April 24, 1740. Was hos- pitably entertained with my friends list night at Montgomery, about eight Miles from Neshamini, whither I came to make this Day's Journey the casier. Wrote some more Letters to my little Flock and Family at Savannah. Preached at Skip- pack, sixteen miles from Montgomery, where the Dutch people live. It was seemingly a very Wilderness Part of the Country ; but there were not less, I b- lieve. than 2000 Hearers. Conviction seemed to fasten at the latter End of the Sermon. Travelling and preaching in the
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HISTORICAL NOTES.
Sun again weakened me much, and made language, the principles of the protestant me very sick ; but by the Divine Assist- ance I took Horse, rode twelve Miles, and preached in the Evening to about 3000 People at a Dutch Man's Plantation, who seemed to have drank deeply into the consolations of the Holy Spirit. Ve spent the evening in a most agreeable Manner. I never saw more Simplicity : surely, that House was a Bethel. The Dutch prayed and sung in their own Lan- guage, and then God enlarged my Heart to pray in ours. Many Tears trickled down my Face, and afterwards I was in a great Agony of Soul in the Field. Do thou, O blessed Jesus, who wast in all Things tempted as we are, hearken to and answer the Petitions thou didst enable me in that Hour to put up !
Friday, April 25. Rose before Day. Sung and prayed with my own Friends and the German Brethren. Set out before Sun rising, and reached Amwell, thirty five miles from Skippack, where I had to preach at six at Night."
English Schools for the Germans in Pennsylvania.
In the MIS, correspondence of the Duke of Newcastle in the British Museum is a letter requesting contributions for the support of the schools maintained in Penn- sylvania for the purpose, mainly, of in- structing the children of the German in- habitants "in the English language, the principles of the Protestant religion, and fidelity to the British Government." Ac- companying the letter is a printed list of names of English trustees of the funds.
THE LETTER.
My Lord
After a tedious confinement of more than five weeks illness, I have the honour to wait upon Your Grace, by your own permission, to beg Your Grace's interest with his Majesty, for the continuance of the bounty of the late good King, for sup- porting the schools of the German Pro- testants in Pensilvania, and the other provinces of America. Your Grace well knows the importance of training up the Children of those people in the English
Religion, and fidelity to the British Gov- ernment. These schools in which now are educated six hundred children, must immediately drop, should the usual source of the Royal Charity fail, which was a thousand pounds to be paid in three years. I know Your Grace will want no other motive to represent this affair to his Ma- jesty, in the most effectual manner, than the natural benevolence of your own heart, and the unspeakable advantage the continuance of the Royal bounty will be, to the cause of religion and liberty, the interest of the King's Government, and the welfare of his subjects in those dis- tant colonies. I beg leave to inclose a list of the Managers of this charity, and with my warmest prayers to Almighty God for the long continuance of Your Grace's health and influence, I have the honour to be, with the highest esteem, My Lord
Your Grace's highly obliged most obedient
and most Hum. Servt.
Feb. 11th, 1762. SAMUEL CHANDLER.
THE LIST.
The Names of the Lords and Gentle- men, Entrusted with the Moneys collect- ed for the Use of the German Emigrants in Pensilvania, and other Provinces of North America.
The Right Hon. the Earl of Shaftesbury. The Right Hon. the Earl of Morton.
The Right Hon. the Earl of Findlater and Seafield.
The Right Hon. the Lord Willoughby of Parham.
Sir Luke Schaub, Bart.
Sir Joshua Van-Neck, Bart.
Dr. Avery, LL. D.
James Vernon, Esq .; Commissioner of His Majesty's Customs.
Mr. Alderman Chilty.
Mr. Alderman Fluddyer.
Robert Ferguson, Esq.
Nathaniel Price, Esq.
Dr. Thomas Birch, Secretary to the R. S. Rev. Mr. Casper Wetstein, F. R. S
Rev. Mr. David Thompson, of Amsterdam.
Dr. Samuel Chandler, Secretary to the Society, and F. R. S.
.......
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HISTORICAL NOTES.
The First Quarter Century of Falkner Swamp Reformed Church.
BY HENRY $. DOTTERER.
Read at Falkner Swamp Reformed Church, October 31, 1897.
It is an unmixed pleasure to me to be accorded this opportunity to speak to the Falkner Swamp Reformed congregation, in whose member- ship have been enrolled five generations of my ancestors.
Nearly two hundred years ago our forefathers began to find their way to the delightsome Falkner meadows. Upon the rich land of its far- reaching lowlands, beside its copious springs and along its swift streams, . they set up the primitive roof-tree. The engirdling hills were covered with the unbroken forest. The Indian still roamed at will. Wild game and wild fowl then for the first time were startled by the resounding echoes of the settler's axe.
Year after year came the colonists from the continent of Europe- from Germany, Switzerland, France and Holland, but most of all from the war-swept Palatinate, the beautiful Rhineland, the productive Wine- land. Men and women they were strong in body, broad in mind; diligent in business, upright in walk; staunch for the right; nurtured in the Chris- tian Church.
Why came they, at peril of life, across the treacherous sea, to coll- front the hazards of this untried land ? To escape the horrors of unholy, unceasing wars; to shake off the slavish service to the cruel bchests of heartless; quarrelsome princes; to flee from all-prevading taxes and gov- ernmental robberies; to seek a refuge from religious intolerance and perse- cution. Men and women of high principle they were, moved by nobk. aspirations. Fortunate was Pennsylvania to receive colonists such as these. Fortunate for us that to Pennsylvania they came to plant their homes and to erect their altars.
Two centuries have passed. You, their descendants of the sixth and seventh generation, have taken the place of the pioneers of this favored plain. Others of their posterity-thousands in number-have spread themselves broadcast over the world: for there is scarce a land or a clime which has not at some period felt the presence and the influence of a son or daughter of Falkner Swamp.
And now, in these latter days, in this our uneventful age, exempt from war and havoc, and marked by ease and peace, # there has arisen a longing to know more concerning our immigrant ancestors, their particular antecedents, and their individual lives. Moved by this desire, I sailed in November, 1895, for Europe, and spent the better part of nine months in searching the archives, and libraries and records, there, for information re-
* A few months after these words were uttered, the war between the United States and Spain broke ont. Fortunately it was of short duration.
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HISTORICAL NOTES.
garding the persons, the individuals, who migrated to these shores during the century preceding the present. I will relate somewhat of that which rewarded my quest, having reference especially to the Falkner Swamp Reformed church during its earliest years, and its pastors at that time, and something, too, as to a few of its earliest members.
As is now generally known, John Philip Bohm began at least as early as the year 1720 to conduct religious services among the carly settlers of the Reformed faith in this then new land, reading sermons and prayers and leading the singing. In 1725 at the urgent request of the most in- fluential men amongst the pastorless people, he assumed, without ordina- tion, the office of a minister of the Gospel. Upon accepting the call to the ministry he drew up a plan of Church government, under which three congregations were organized; namely, Falkner Swamp, Skippack and Whitemarsh. Falkner Swamp congregation was the first in which under this arrangement the sacrament of the Lord's Supper was celebrated. This took place on the 15th of October, 1725, when forty members were pres- ent. Bohm says, in a letter to Holland : "Dit was het eerst begin"- this was the first beginning, meaning, of his assumption of the ministry. This fixes the date of the regular organization of the Falkner Swamp Reformed Church. Let me repeat : In the year 1720, the Reformed church people began to meet for devotional services; in 1725, they adopted a system of Church government, and on the 15th of October, 1725, they held their first communion. Four years later, on the 23d day of Novem- ber, 1729, in the city of New York, by the direction of the Holland ecclesiastical authorities, Mr. Bohm was regularly ordained.
Your congregation, therefore, was fully established more than six years before George Washington was born; twenty-three years before the Cotus, whose one hundred and fiftieth anniversary we celebrate, first met; fifty years before Pennsylvania ceased to be a colony of Great Britain ; fifty-eight years before our forefathers struck the final blow, which gave to us independence and to the world the most lustrous example of a gov- ernment by the people.
Crucial 1776! In this centre of influence-in this flourishing, closely- peopled locality, the fires of liberty burned brightly on almost every hearth and heart. From the records of Falkner Swamp Reformed con- gregation have been transcribed upon the roll of heroes of the Revolution- ary war many names. A few occur upon the moment .- Antes, Bender, Bernhard, Bitting, Dotterer, Feather, Freyer, Hahn, Lachman, Lick, Palsgrove, Rouchon, Reiffschneider, Scheffey, Schmidt, Schneider, Specht, Weiss, Yost. They glow, imperishable, upon the pages of American history.
Of the three original churches organized by Bachm, yours was the first. Skippack and Whitemarsh congregations have long since disbanded,
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HISTORICAL NOTES.
dispersed, disappeared ; Falkner Swamp church still stands forth a valiant host for the cause of Christ.
Falkner Swamp was the congregation best beloved by Pastor Balm. It was the strongest in membership, and was least disturbed by internal dissensions. He could depend upon it to stand by him in all emergencies. Here were intermingled with his flock a smaller proportion of adherents of the "hurtful seets"-bane of the rigid pastor's peace-than elsewhere in his great field. He served it continuously for upwards of twenty-three years ; then, weary and aged, he gladly transferred it to the care of John Philip Leydich.
A statement of events in the first twenty-five years of the lifetime of this ancient congregation, as found in the records preserved in Holland. can be quickly given, for the gratifying reason that its annals are ahnost free from the controversies and contentions which burden the reports from the other Pennsylvania congregations.
The names of the forty persons who communed on the 15th of Orto- ber, 1725, are not found anywhere in the records extant. The earliest names occur three years later.
In July, 1728, when steps were taken to have Mr. Bohm ordained, the six officers of Falkner Swamp congregation, the six of Skippack con- gregation, and the four of Whitemarsh congregation-sixteen in all, join- ed in a presentation of the case to the classis of Amsterdam. Among the names of the Falkner Swamp consistory were : George Philip Dot- terer, Frederick Antes, and Sebastian Reiffschneider. At the same time. in connection with the request for ordination for Mr. Bahn, the order of church government adopted in 1725, was sent to the classis of Amster- dam, and by it approved.
In 1729, as before stated, Mr. Bohm was ordained in New York. Frederick Antes, an elder of the Falkner Swamp congregation, went to New York as commissioner to attend the ordination and to give the sme- tion of the congregation to certain covenants there entered into.
In September, 17:0, a letter was received at Amsterdam in opposi- tion to Pastor Behm. It was dated May 10, 17:30, and was signed by forty-four persons, who styled themselves elders and congregations of the churches at Philadelphia, Skippack, Swamp, and other neighboring places. The ground of their opposition was Pastor Bohm's alleged deficiency in education and imperfect training for the ministry. The names of these forty-four signers have up to this time not been found. Who and how many of the Falkner Swamp members were dissatisfied is therefore un- known.
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