History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 65

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts, Peck & Richards
Number of Pages: 1418

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Tobias and George Frederick Beckel, broth- ers, from Turkheim, in Rhenish Bavaria, emi- grated to Pennsylvania in the fall of 1736, and settled, the former in Heidelberg town- ship, south of the Tulpehocken Creek, and the latter on the Schuylkill, within the limits of Bern township. They and some of their neighbors, -such as Frederick Gerhard and John Meyer,-were subsequently attendants on Zinzendorf's preaching in Tulpehocken; and, being deeply impressed thereby, they requested him to supply them with a minister of the gos- pel. In December,2 1742, Zinzendorf bade them farewell. As they had been educated in the doctrines of the Reformed Church, they were commended to Jacob Lischey's spiritual care. Lischey preached in Heidelberg at stated times till September, 1743. Anthony Wagner

succeeded him in January, 1744, having resided at first with Tobias Beckel. Meanwhile, George Frederick Beckel removed from the Schuylkill into the limits of what is now North Heidel- berg township, and there, on land which was donated by his brother Tobias, a building, com- prising a church and parsonage, was erected for the Moravians in the summer of 1744. On the 4th of November following, the building was dedicated to its legitimate uses during the opening sessions of a Synod at which Henry Antes presided.

The first Moravian congregation in the rural districts of the province was organized on April 9, 1745, in Heidelberg township, by Bishop Augustus G. Spangenberg. Its members were Tobias Beckel and Christiana his wife; G. F. Beckel and Ann Elizabeth his wife; Stephen Brecht and Elizabeth his wife; John Fischer, Sr., and Sybilla his wife; John Fischer, Jr., and Ann M. his wife; Frederick Gerhard and Barbara his wife; Nicholas Glas and Ann Mary his wife; Jacob Graeter and Barbara his wife; John Keller, widower ; John Mayer and Margaret his wife; George Minier, wid- ower; John Zerbe and Elizabeth his wife.

At the date of this register, Daniel Neubert and Elizabeth his wife occupied the parsonage in Heidelberg.3

"Heidelberg was one of the rural districts in which the Brethren [Moravians] labored in the Gospel with marked success. Zinzendorf preached here frequently. In the spring of 1742 he recommended Gottlieb Bütt- ner, of Bethlehem, and the settlers accepted him as their minister. They then built him a church. Philip Meurer succeeded him in the autumn of that year. After the Lutheran Church was organized there, in 1743, the Brethren lost influence. They were then regarded with distrust, and afterwards dis- pleasure; and finally, in January, 1747, they were deprived of their building in which they worshipped. Meurer was then recalled to Bethlehem." +

Bishop Augustus G. Spangenberg, during his sojourn among the Sch wenckfelders of Skippack,

1 Rupp's "History Berks County," pp. 429-430.

2 This may have been September.

& From "Transactions of the Moravian Historical So- ciety " [1858-76], p. 406, and see pages from 356 to 371 for a number of the members of the church at Bethlehem, February, 1748, who had gone thither from Oley, Heidel- berg and Tulpehocken.

4 Reichner, in " Transactions of Moravian Historical So- ciety," in note on origin of Indian name Tulpehocken.

366

HISTORY. OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

in the year 1737, visited the German settlements of Oley, and preached at Jonathan Herrbein's and at Abraham Bartolet's. Andrew Aschenbach was, however, the Moravian pioneer in this in- land district of the province.

Immediately upon his arrival in Pennsyl- vania, in October, 1740, he made Oley the cen- tral point of his Gospel ministry, in which he labored for upwards of two years with untiring industry, with persuasive eloquence and remark- able success. He was assisted for a time by Anna Nitschmann and Johanna Sophia Molther. During his residence in Oley, the so-called Synod of Pennsylvania convened at John de Turck's farm-house in the month of February, 1742; then three Mohegans, attached to the Moravian Mission at Shecomeco, were admitted to church fellowship by the rite of baptism. At the same time steps were taken towards organ- izing the attendants on his ministry into a religious society; and the erection of a place of worship was recommended. A log church was accordingly completed before the expiration of the year. Zinzendorf was deeply interested in the prosperity of this domestic mission, and devoted much of his time and personal attention to its concerns. Nevertheless, in consequence of disagreement between the pastor and his people, which engendered partisanship, and the appear- ance of new claimants at this time for spiritual sway in Oley, the Moravians lost influence, and eventually, in 1765, withdrew altogether from the field.

The succession in the ministry between Eschenbach's recall, towards the close of 1742, and the date of the following register was thus: Henry Antes and Jacob Kohn, in 1743; Abra- ham M. Meinung, in 1744; John W. Michler, from 1745 to 1748; Richard Utley, in 1749 and 1750; John C. Francke, in 1751; John W. Michler, in 1752; and John Schneider, in 1753.

The Moravians, during their settlement in Oley, erected two dwellings on land donated to them by John de Turck. The first was com- pletcd and occupied early in 1745; the second was completed in 1748, and thereupon occupied upwards of three years by a flourishing board- ing-school, into which were incorporated the

Moravian schools of Germantown and Frederick townships.1

MEMBERS OF MORAVIAN CHURCH IN OLEY, APRIL, 1753.

Brethren.

John G. Boerstler (born 1677 in Turkheim on der Hartz. Immigrated in 1732. United with Moravians in 1748. . Died May, 1789).

Jacob Boerstler (born 1700 in Upper Palatinate. United with Moravians in 1747).

Just. Buetting (born 1713 in Frantzheim. Immi- grated 1723. United with Moravians in 1743).

Frederick Leinbach (born 1703 in Hochstadt, Ba- varia, circle of Upper Franconia. Immigrated with his parents, John and Elizabeth Leinbach, in. 1723. United with Moravians in 1742).

Henry Leinbach (born 1705 in Hochstadt, brother of above. United with Moravians in 1753).

John Leinbach (born 1712 in Hochstadt, brother of above. Immigrated in 1718).

John Henry Neukirck (born 1708 at Hahn, near Dusseldorf. Immigrated in 1738).

John Schneider.

Sisters.

Catharine Boerstler, maiden-name Luck, from Savoy.

Catharine Boerstler, maiden-name Peter, from Soel- ingen.

Elizabeth Leinbach, maiden-name Frey, from Skippack.

Johanna Leinbach, maiden-name Herrmann, from Conestoga.

Catharine Leinbach, maiden-name Riehm, from Muddy Creek.

Gertrude Neukirk, maiden-name Hartmann, from Palatinate

Elizabeth Schneider.

On July 31, 1750, a beginning was made to dissolve the Moravian School in Frederick township, by transferring pupils to other schools. In the last week of August, 1750, the following were transferred to Oley: David Beck (Berlin) ; Alvin and John Bibighausen (Muddy Creek, Lancaster County); Geo. M. Graaf (Lancaster); Abram Haller (Lancaster County); Israel Horsfield (Long Island) ; Isaac, Jonathan and Peter Jones (Montgomery County, New Prov- idence township); Frederick Klemm (Philadel- phia); Michael Kraemer (Lancaster); Abram Leinbach (Oley, son of John and Catharine); Isaac Noble (New York); John Riehm (Lan-

1 From Trans. of Moravian Historical Society. 1858-76, p. 399, and see Oley township as to Moravian School.

367

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.

caster County); Peter Vetter (Oley, son of Jac. and Magdalene) ; John Walton, John Weber (Lancaster County).

ROMAN CATHOLICS .- The early settlers of the county were entirely Protestants. They composed the different denominations till about 1740. Then the Roman Catholics appear. Their number was very small compared with the number in the Protestant denominations. The Protestants were mostly driven here by re- ligious persecution, which was caused by the Roman religion ; and feeling the terrors and sufferings of this persecution, it was natural for them to discourage this religion from obtaining a foothold in their midst. This accounts for the strength of the one class and the weakness of the other.

In 1741 the Roman Catholics had a congre- gation and meeting-house in "Gnadenhutten " (which included Washington township) and in Maxatawny. It is not known what member- ship they had. Some years afterward it would seem that their number had grown so as to awaken public concern. The matter was forced upon the attention of the justices of the county, who, being Protestants, imbibed the feeling of insecurity entertained by the surrounding com- munity. The excitement incident to the "French and Indian War " was sufficient to arouse their jealousy and suspicion.

It was believed that the Roman Catholics manifested sympathy for the French 1 in their cruel warfare against the colonies. The justices 2 therefore addressed a letter to the Governor of the province, from Heidelberg, on July 23, 1885, which was as follows :

" As all onr Protestant inhabitants are very uneasy at the behavior of the Roman Catholics, who are very numerous in this County, some of whom show great joy at the bad news lately come from the army. We have thought it our duty to inform Your Honour of our dangerous situation, and to beg Your Honour to enable us by some legal authority to disarm or other- wise to disable the Papists from doing any injury to other people who are not of their vile principles. We know that the people of the Roman Catholic Church

are bound by their principles to be the worst subjects and worst of neighbours, and we have reason to fear just at this time that the Roman Catholics in Cussa- hoppen, where they have a magnificent Chapel, and lately have had large processions, have bad designs, for in the neighborhood of that Chapel it is reported and generally believed that thirty Indians are now lurking, well armed with guns and swords or cutlasses. The Priest at Reading, as well as at Cussahoppen, last Sunday gave notice to their people that they could not come to them again in less than nine weeks, whereas they constantly preach once in four weeks to their congregations ; whereupon some imagine they've gone to consult with our enemies at Du Quesne. It is a great unhappiness at this time to the other people of this Province that the Papists should keep arms in their houses, against which the Protestants are not prepared, who, therefore, are subject to a massacre whenever the Papists are ready. We pray that Your Honour would direct us in this important business by the return of the bearer, whom we have sent express to Your Honour." 8

This letter was read before the Executive Council on the 15th of August, 1755, and the following proceedings will indicate the action taken upon it:

"The Governor acquainted the Council that Mr. Weiser, in conjunction with the Justices of the County of Berks, had presented to him a representation set- ting forth an increase of Roman Catholics in their County, and particularly in the neighbourhood of the Town of Reading, and the apprehensions the peo- ple were under of some danger that might arise in this time of war, and praying that the same might be taken into consideration in order to prevent any ill consequences; that he had laid the same before the House, who had, on the 8th instant, sent him their answer in the following verbal message, namely,- 'The House have this afternoon examined Conrad Weiser, and some of our Members have had an oppor- tunity of speaking with another of the Justices of Berks County, who signed the letter, representing the state of the Roman Catholics in that neighborhoood, from which and what further inquiry we have made, we apprehend there is very little foundation for that representation. Nevertheless, if the Governor upon further information should find any assistance of ours necessary, we shall always be willing to contri- bute what lies in our Power for the public tranquil- lity, and in the mean time we request to do therein what he shall think necessary and right, consistent with the Charters and Laws of this Province and the safety of the People.'" 4

1The French government was under the influence of the Romish Church.

2 Henry Harry, James Read, William Bird, Jonas Seely and Conrad Weiser.

36 Col. Rec., 503.

46 Col. Rec., 533-534.

368

HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

In 1757 the Roman Catholics of the province were enumerated, with a total result number- ing thirteen hundred and sixty-five-six hun- dred and ninety-two men and six hundred and seventy-three women.

The report1 for all the counties in the prov- ince was as follows :

Men.

Women.

In Berks County

108

Philadelphia

194

209

Northampton.

Bucks

Chester.

Lancaster.

130

121

Cumberland

York

100

692

673

In Berks County they were as follows : Under Rev. Theo. Schneider, sixty two men and fifty-five women ; under Rev. Ferdinand Far- mer, forty-six men and forty-two women (of which there were eight Irish people-five men and three women).

All these were over twelve years of age and had received the Holy Sacrament.

The number in the county (two hundred and five) was rather small to have occasioned any excitement. The people were not in one place ; they were scattered in three localities.

At Reading they had an association, if not a church, soon after the town was laid out; and this association they maintained, notwithstand- ing the smallness of their number and the op- position of the Lutheran and Reformed people, who comprised the great majority of the in- habitants.

About 1790 (probably some years earlier) they succeeded in establishing a church at Read- ing. In 1846 they dedicated a fine, commo- dious structure and called it "St. Peter's."

The families of this denomination at Read- ing, before 1820, were-

Allgaier, Clay, Eichhorn, Eckenrode, Felix, Fricker, Greth, Gans, Hartman, Klingelberger, Kemp, Keffer, Lambert, O'Conner, O'Dier, Repplier, Ritner, Schna- bel, Schwartz, Seyfert, Shenfelder, Sigfried, Smith, Wetzell and Windbigler.

AMISH .- The Amish denomination is a

branch of the Mennonites. It was never in a flourishing condition in the county. The mem- bers were not ambitious to have a church until 1881, when they erected a building in Lancas- ter County, near the Berks County line, several miles west of Morgantown. Religions services were always conducted at private houses. The first bishop of the denomination in this vicinity (comprising Berks, Chester and Lancaster Coun- ties) was Jacob Mast, who settled here in 1750, when a boy about twelve years old, and began to exhort and preach abont 1765. He contin- ued in active and faithful service for many years. The second bishop was Peter Plank, who moved from Oley and settled in Caernar- von. He was regarded as an able minister, and preached the gospel with great earnestness and success. And the third is John P. Mast, who has now officiated as a faithful and devoted minister in this denomination for over thirty years. His father, Daniel Mast, was a minister for fifty years-from 1830 till 1883.

The Conestoga Church has a membership numbering ninety persons. Only eleven fami- lies of this denomination are now living in this county.

At one time there were three other congrega- tions in the county-one in Cumru, another in Maiden-creek and the third in Bern township (called Northkill). The latter was the oldest in this State. The latest service iu Maiden- creek was in 1874, at the dwelling of Mrs. Plank.

OTHER DENOMINATIONS. -- The Episco- palians, or members of the Established Church of England, were in two sections of the county before 1740 ; one was in the southeastern part, in Amity township, at Molatton (Douglassville) and the other in the southern part, in Caernar- von township (near Morgantown), and in each locality they caused a church to be erected. They were amongst the first inhabitants of Reading. They had regular preaching there for a time, during ten years before the Revolution. The officiating minister was Rev. Alexander Murray. But they did not establish a church till 1826.

The Presbyterians began to collect a society in Reading about 1810, and from that time

13 Pa. Arch., 144.

369

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.

onward they increased in religious activity till they erected a church iu 1824. In this time they were earnest in instituting a general Sun- day-school.

The Baptists, Methodists and Universalists followed. These denominations were instituted at Reading, and being confined almost entirely to Reading, the historical narrative relating to them and their churches will be included in the chapter on the churches of Reading.

The history of the numerous churches in the several sections of the county will be narrated in the townships where they are situated.

I endeavored to collect statistics on the strength and growth of the several denomina- tions in the county, but I was not able to ob- tain them, on account of the peculiar arrange- ment of territory, different from our political division, for which general reports were made.

RELIGIOUS EXCITEMENT - HEIDELBERG MEETING .- In 1829 a religious excitement was caused by the agitation of questions relat- ing to Sunday-schools, Sunday mails, etc. It awakened considerable feeling throughout the county ; and the people, especially in and about Heidelberg and Exeter, expressed a decided op- position.

Pursuant to public notice, a numerous and respectable meeting of citizens was held at the house of George Gernand, in Heidelberg town- ship, Berks County, on Thursday, May 21, 1829, to deliberate and consult upon the causes and tendency of the religious excitement which then prevailed in the county. Joseph Hain was chosen president; Henry Bennetsch and John Gerhart, vice-presidents ; John Sohl, Jr., and Daniel Wenrich, secretaries. A com- mittee of five (John Shitz, Jacob Zeitzinger, Henry Shoner, Martin Texter and John Hain) was appointed to report resolutions for the con- sideration of the meeting. They reported an address and resolutions, which were unani- mously adopted. They apprehended that the existing religious excitement was not calculated to promote the interests of genuine rational piety, but tended eventually, if not arrested in its progress, to abridge the civil and religious liberties of the people. The excitement was caused by the extraordinary conduct of certain

ecclesiastical professors, who appeared to have undertaken a crusade for spreading religious opinions and advancing church establishments. They alarmed the weak-minded and youthful part of the community with unusual and vehe- ment denunciations of divine wrath, and thus obtained an influence over minds, not by rational conviction, which was destined to elevate the clergy to a degree of authority inconsistent with the people's welfare and with the spirit of free institutions. After condemning the clergy as ambitious, and the different societies as unneces- sary, and the attempted prohibition of trans- porting mail on Sunday as fanaticism, and en- deavors to procure legislation in religious matters as infringements on the rights of con- science, etc., resolutions were adopted re- garding Sunday-school Unions, Bible Societies, etc., as unnecessary ; religious zeal as false pre- tense and enthusiasm ; Holy Scriptures as set- ting forth plainly the religious and moral duties, which consisted in visiting the sick, feed- ing the hungry, clothing the naked, honoring parents and showing charity for all, and that no amount of mortification or prayer could jus- tify omission of any of them ; Sabbath, as a day of worship and temporal repose, was not calcu- lated to prohibit innocent recreations ; the dif- ferent societies, etc., as not worthy their sup- port, being disposed to elevate clergy over the people; disseminators of such principles as hypocrites ; beggars in broadcloth as impostors, too lazy to earn their bread by the sweat of their brow ; and expressing readiness to reward up- right, unassuming ministers for their services ; but, if no such could be found, to carry on simple service themselves. They also approved of the proceedings at Cocalico Meeting, in Lancaster County, March 19, 1829, and ordered their own proceedings to be published in all papers friendly to the cause of the people.1

These proceedings were severely criticised by a "Christian Freeman," in an article published in the magazine of the German Reformed Church.2

EXETER MEETING .--- The following pro-

1 B. & S. Journal, June, 1829.

" See Rupp's " Hist'y of Berks County," pp. 275 to 289.

370

HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ceedings are presented in this connection to show the feeling in Exeter township, and the sentiments of the community as expressed at a public meeting held shortly after the Heidel- berg meeting. They are given in full as they were published in the Berks and Schuylkill Journal, 11th of July, 1829, having been pre- pared expressly for publication. The subscrib- ers include the prominent and influential citi- zens of Exeter and adjoining townships.

" MEETING OF FREEMEN IN EXETER TOWNSHIP.

" A large and respectable meeting of the Freemen of Exeter township, Berks County, was held on the 27th of June, 1829, pursuant to public notice, at the house of John Mellon, inn-keeper, at which John Guldin was chosen president; William Reiter and Abraham Brumbach, vice-presidents; and Daniel Esterly and Jacob Brumbach, secretaries.

"The following-named persons were chosen a com- mittee to draft a suitable address and resolutions : William Reiter, Jacob Maurer, Daniel Ritter, C. F. Egelman and Daniel Guldin. The committee having retired for a short time, returned and presented the following address and resolutions, which were unani- mously adopted :

"'FELLOW CITIZENS: In the course of human events various vicissitudes will take place, some for the better, others for the worse. These changes are not unfrequently brought about by a part of our own citizens. Yes, by those who profess to promote the interest and happiness of their fellow-beings among whom they dwell, or over whom they preside as pro- tectors. But how often are these resolutions or changes effected with any other view than that of self-aggrandizement ? We are not without precedent on precedent, instance on instance. When was it that America groaned under the oppression of her mother-country ? . It was when Britain professed an anxious solicitude for our welfare. But our fathers were not even then insensible of the pouderous bur- then, and the duration of that oppression ; being in- spired by a love of country and liberty, they looked forward with a pitying eye; their bowels moved with compassion towards us, and most wistfully desired that we should not inhale the air of bondage; they made every laudable, though mighty effort, to evade the impending thraldom ; they sacrificed all, save conscience and honor, to secure and promote our native rights. And, fellow-citizens, why should we not perpetuate the same to our children and chil- dren's children? Shall we remain passive on the present occasion ? Shall the inheritance bequeathed us hy our fathers be neglected? Shall our children be denied the liberties we enjoy ? Let us watch with a jealous care, be vigilant "in season and out of season," to shield our rights from encroachments.

The present is a crisis unparalleled in the annals of America; such vigorous exertions were never made in the United States to connect church and State. What are some of those doing who assume to them- selves the name "Spiritual," claiming the prerogative of dictating to others in religious matters, framing tradictions, and to inforce which, powerful attempts are made to gain the sanction of the civil and national power. As soon as the civil power interferes, more or less, so soon will church and state be united. How many are the attempts made, on several occasions, to incorporate Synods, Theological Seminaries, Sunday- school unions, &c.

"' At the close of the second century, no sooner had the number of the faithful increased, than the priests discovered that an advantage would result from forming a closer union of their interests and designs ; they adopted provincial Synods ; their delib- erations were assisted by the advice of a few dis- tinguished presbyters, and moderated by a listening multitude. Their decrees were styled sermons, con- fession of faith and church discipline, which regulated every important controversy of faith. These institu- tions were very well suited to the private ambition and public interest of the clergy. That in a very short time they were received in the whole Roman empire. A correspondence was established between these synods or councils, which mutually communicated and approved their respective proceedings, and the church immediately assumed the form, and acquired the strength of a great federative republic,-church and state were united! bloodshed and carnage macu- lated the hands of the pious priests aud priest-ridden !

"' We are fearful, if we let the "monster," " Union of Sabbath-schools," &c., stalk our country, that our government will be placed into the hands of those who have been trained in these " disciplined armies." "In ten years," says one of the Board, " or certainly in twenty, the political power of our country would be in the hands of men whose characters have been formed under the influence of Sabbath-schools" (see second Report of the American Sunday-school Union, page 93). This is a candid confession of one who is an active member of the Board, a correspondent of the Sunday-school Union. These are not surmises, they are facts on record.

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History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 65

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846 Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts, Peck & Richards Number of Pages: 1418

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts, Peck & Richards
Number of Pages: 1418