USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster and York Counties > Part 30
USA > Pennsylvania > York County > History of Lancaster and York Counties > Part 30
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them, he brought with him, from Europe, a number of New Church works, for gratuitous distribution, and for sale. Reichenbach, on examining the doctrines, embra- ced and avowed them openly. He afterwards published several works on the doctrines of the New Church. One entitled Agathon, published in English and German, which was favorably received.
From the efforts of Von Buelow, who afterwards re-
the same acts, which were his temptations, the last of which was the passion of the cro s, he united, in his Humanity, Divine. Truth to Divine Good, or Divine Wisdom to Divine Love, and so returned into his Divinity in which he was from eternity, together with, and in, his Glorified humanity ; whence he for- ever keeps the infernal powers in subjection to himself: And that all who believe in him, with the understanding, from the heart, and live accordingly, will be saved.
IIJ. That the Sacred Scripture, or Word of GOD, is Divine Truth Itself; containing a Spiritual Sense heretofore un- known, whence it is divinely inspired and holy in every syl- lable; as well as a Literal Sense, which is the basis of its Spiritual Sense, and in which Divine Truth is in its fulness, its sanctity, and its power : thus that it is accommodated to the apprehension both of angels and men : That the spiritual and natural senses ar: united, by correspondences, like soul and body, every natural expression and image answering to, and including, a spiritual and divine idea: And thus that the Word is the medium of communication with heaven, and of conjunction with the Lord.
IV. That the government of the Lord's Divine Love and Wisdom is the Divine Providence; which is universal, exer- cised according to certain fixed laws of Order, and extending to the minutest particulars of the life of all men, both of the good and of the evil: That in all its operations it has respect to what is infinite and eternal, and makes no account of things transitory but as they are subservient to eternal ends; thus, that it mainly consists, with man, in the connection of things tem- poral with things eternal; for that the continual aim of the Lord, by his Divine Providence, is to join man to himself and
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turned to Europe, there arose a small band of brothers about the year 1788, who hold the peculiar views of baron Swedenborg; among the first, besides count Buelow and Reichenbach, in this county, who were receivers of the doctrines of the New Jerusalem Church, were Fran- cis Bailey and family, Mr. Eckstein, Jacob Carpenter, the intimate friend of Buelow, Frederick Damish, a Saxon, a teacher of music. There still exists in this county, a respect-
himself to man, that he may be able to give him the felicities of eternal life : And that the laws of permission are also laws of the Divine Providence; since evil cannot be prevented without destroying the nature of man as an accountable agent ; and because, also, it cannot be removed unless it be known, and cannot be known unless it appear: Thus, that no evil is permitted but to prevent a greater; and all is overruled, by the Lord's Divine Providence, for the greatest possible good.
V. That man is not life, but is only a recipient of life from the Lord, who, as he is Love Itself and Wisdom Itself, is also Life Itself; which life is communicated by influx to all in the spiritual world, whether belonging to heaven or to hell, and to all in the natural world; but is received differently by every one, according to his quality and consequent state of re- ception.
VI. That man, during his abode in the world, is, as to his spirit, in the midst between heaven and hell, acted upon by influences from both, and thus is kept in a state of spiritual equilibrium between good and evil; in consequence of which he enjoys free-will, or freedom of choice, in spiritual things as well as in natural, and possesses the capacity of either turning himself to the Lord and his kingdom, or turning him- self away from the Lord, and connecting himself with the kingdom of darkness: And that, unless man had such free- dom of choice, the Word would be of no use, the Church would be a mere name, man would possess nothing by virtue of which he could be conjoined to the Lord, and the cause of evil would be chargeable on God himself.
VII. That man at this day is born into evil of all kinds, or with tendencies towards it: That, therefore, in order to his
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able number of receivers and embracers of the New Church doctrines. In point of intellect and activity, unsurpassed by the same number, who, though few, did, unaided by other religious denominations, purchase a lot of ground in Lancaster city, and erected a neat New Jerusalem temple, in 1837, in which stated meetings for religious exercises are held. The exercises are conducted by a lay member elected for that purpose. The sacraments are
entering the kingdom of heaven, he must be regenerated or created anew ; which great work is effected in a progressive manner, by the Lord alone, by charity and faith as mediums, during man's co-operation : That as all men are redeemed, all are capable of being regenerated, and consequently saved, every one according to his state: And that the regenerate man is in communion with the angels of heaven, and the un- regenerate with the spirits of hell: But that no one is con- demned for hereditary evil, any further than as he makes it his own by actual life ; whence all who die in infancy are saved, special means being provided by the Lord in the other life for that purpose.
VIII. That Repentance is the first beginning of the Church in man ; and that it consists in a man's examining himself, both in regard to his deeds and his intentions, in knowing and acknowledging his sins, confessing them before the Lord, sup- plicating him for aid, and beginning a new life: That to this end, all evils, whether of affection, of thought, or of life, are to be abhorred and shunned as sins against God, and because they proceed from infernal spirits, who in the aggregate are called the Devil and Satan ; and that good affections, good thoughts, and good actions, are to be cherished and performed, because they are of God and from God: That these things are to be done by man as of himself; nevertheless, under the ac- knowledgment and belief, that it is from the Lord, operating in him and by him : That so far as man shuns evils as sins, so far they are removed, remitted, or forgiven ; so far also he does good, not from himself, but from the Lord; and in the same degree he loves truth, has faith, and is a spiritual man: And that the Decalogue teaches what evils are sins.
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administered by a regularly ordained minister, who visits the congregation as often as the wants of the church demand.
From and after the year 1785, Lancaster county began to improve rapidly; towns in various parts of the county were laid out. Samuel Wright laid out the town of Co- lumbia in 1787, and in a few years afterwards others were laid out. Agriculture and commerce prospered .-
IX. That Charity, Faith, and Good Works, are unitedly ne- cessary to man's salvation ; since charity, without faith, is not spiritual, but natural ; and faith, without charity, is not living, but dead; and both charity and faith, without good works, are merely mental and perishable things, because without use or fixedness: And that nothing of faith, of charity, or of good works, is of man ; but that all is of the Lord, and all the merit is his alone.
X. That Baptism and the Holy Supper are sacraments of divine institution, and are to be permanently observed ; Bap- tism being an external medium of introduction into the Church, and a sign representative of man's purification and regenera- tion ; and the Holy Supper being an external medium, to those who receive it worthily, of introduction, as to spirit, into heaven, and of conjunction with the Lord; of which also it is a sign and seal.
XI. That immediately after death, which is only a putting off of the material body, never to be resumed, man rises again in a spiritual or substantial body, in which he continues to live to ยท eternity ; in heaven, if his ruling affections, and thence his life, have been good ; and in hell, if his ruling affections, and thence his life, have been evil.
XII. That Now is the time of the Second Advent of the - Lord, which is a Coming, not in Person, but in the power and glory of his Holy Word: That it is attended, like his first Coming, with the restoration to order of all things in the spiri- tual world, where the wonderful divine operation, commonly expected under the name of the Last Judgment, has in conse- quence been performed ; and with the preparing of the way for a New Church on the earth,-the first Christian Church
37
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All was tranquility till 1794, when the Whiskey insurrec- tion took place in the western part of Pennsylvania ; many in this county began to fear that the stability of our government was not immovable, but their apprehensions: were removed before the expiration of that year. From that period down to the present, there is little of special interest in the history of the county that is not common to the adjacent and even more distant counties of the state, except that Lancaster city was the capital of the state from December 1799, till 1812, when the seat of government was removed to Harrisburg. The law for locating the seat of government at the latter place, was approved 21st February, 1810 ; and the offices were re- moved from Lancaster 12th October, 1812. The com- missioners for that purpose were Robert Harris, George Hoyer, George Ziegler.
During the late war of 1812, '13, '14, no county in the state was more ready to meet the exigencies of the times than the militia and volunteers of Lancaster county .- Companies were raised, and prepared to confront the haughty invaders of our country, and effectually to curb the proud Britons in their headlong course against our common country.
Lancaster county, though of limited territory, has all
having spiritually come to its end or consummation, through evils of life and errors of doctrine, as foretold by the Lord in the Gospels: And that this New or Second Christian Church, which will be the Crown of all Churches, and will stand for ever, is what was representatively seen by John, when he beheld the holy city, New Jerusalem, descending from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
The writings of Swedenborg, in German, English and French, and other New Church publications, can be had at their Book Depository, kept by F. J. KRAMPH, merchant tailor, Lancaster, Pa.
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the elements, natural, physical, moral and intellectual, if these are properly cultivated, to secure to itself a niche of distinction in the Keystone State.
NOTES .- The winter of 1784, was considered one of the hardest winters for forty years. The same year there was a high flood of the Susquehanna.
Travelling in 1784. This year Frederick Schaeffer establish- ed a travelling accommodation stage, which occupied three days in returning to and from Philadelphia.
In 1792 the turnpike from Lancaster to Philadelphia, 62 miles in length, was commenced, and finished in 1794-cost $465,000; at about $7,516 per mile.
Population of Lancaster county in 1790. Free white male persons of 16 years and upwards, including heads of families, 9,713 ; free white males under 16 years, 8,070; free white females, including heads of families, 17,471; all other free persons, 545; slaves, 348-total 30.179.
Members of Assembly from Lancaster county :- 1789, James Clemson, John Hopkins, Henry Dering, James Cunningham, Jacob Erb, John Miller. 1790, James Cunningham, William Webb, Abraham Carpenter, Jacob Erb, John Breckbill.
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CHAPTER XI.
EDUCATION :- Preliminary remarks; Importance of general education ---
Views of the colonists-Mennonites' views of education-Scotch-Irish- settlers, made at first little preparation, &c. till 1798-First schools in the town of Lancaster-Lutheran and German Reformed churches have- schools under their auspices-Rev. M. Schlatter indefatigable in his efforts to establish schools-Extract from Coetuale proceedings of 1760-Trustees and managers of public schools-Germans patriotic, modest and unas -. suming, &c .- Ludwig Hacker establishes a Sabbath school at Ephrata- German classical school at Ephrata-Academy at Epbrata-Academy at Litiz-Select Academy at Lancaster-Franklin college, &c .- Private schools and acadamies in various sections of the county -- An act for the education of children in the borough of Lancaster-The Mechanics' So- ciety -Classical Academy ; Lancaster County Academy; Classical Acad- emies in the county-Seminaries; Common Schools; Sabbath Schools, Lyceums, &c.
THE permanency of all Republics, depends upon the en- lightenment of the people. As education is therefore encour- aged or neglected, so will their foundations be sure and stable, or locse and unsettled ; and it is difficult to say, whether in their moral relations or political privileges, this truth is most self-evident. The certainty, stability and perpetuity of a re- publican government, with all its vast machinery of offices and officers, such as the efficient administration of the government by the Executive, the judicious and wholesome exercise of its powers by the Legislature, the prompt and energetic adminis- tration of justice by faithful Judges, and above all, the just de- termination of the rights of parties by impartial Jurors, must depend alone upon the people. There is no other foundation upon which the structure can rest. This constitutes its chief excellence, its greatest strength.
In a government then such as ours, based as it is upon ac- knowledged democratic principles, in the theory and practice of which, it is admitted that the people are the source of all power, making and unmaking at stated intervals all their func- tionaries, from the Chief magistrate of the nation, down to the
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humblest officer created by a Borough charter, the necessity of having that same people educated, will not for a moment be questioned. For, as they are enlightened or unenlightened, so will their government be elevated in character, or depressed in a corresponding degree. Called upon as they are, to the frequent exercise of the elective franchise, and thus necessarily to judge of men and measures, their course of action must be determined, either by each man's own personal examination into the character of the one, and a careful investigation into the propriety or expediency of the other, or else it must be suggested and fixed by the advice and opinions of others. And what a prolific source of abuse is this. It is seldom indeed that such advice is honest, for the most part it is the gratuitous offering of interested men. How shall those whose minds are obscured by the clouds of ignorance, be capable of discrimina- ting between the correctness and incorrectness of questions of public policy? How shall they judge between the patriot and the ambitous, self-aggrandizing demagogue ? Are they competent to arrive at a proper decision of the various compli- cated questions, necessarily arising for their determination, and by a reference to which, their choice is to be regulated in the selection of officers and representatives ? Let the people be educated, and thus each individual will be rightly impressed with the important truth, that his own interests are identified with those of the State. For no government is so free as that which is upheld by the affections of the people, and no com- munity so happy as that in which the youth, by proper educa- tion, are disciplined to the exercise of all those moral virtues that ennoble human nature.
So thought and so acted, almost all of the early settlers of nearly every state in the Union. Although Colonists it is true, and perhaps entertaining not even the most remote idea of a separate existence, at any period of time, as a nation, they were in their Colonial government, if not essentially, at least partially Democratic. Returning by a popular vote, their own Representatives, and-with the exception of their Governors- the greater part of all their prominent officers, they felt the necessity of so enlightening this first great power, that at a very early day, schools and institutions of learning were estab- lished and founded by voluntary contributions among them .-
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Such is the history of the Puritans of New England, the Roman Catholics of Maryland, the Quakers of Pennsylvania and the Huguenots of the Carolinas. True, their first efforts in this respect were feeble. The country was new, and surrounded as the inhabitants were by savage foes, the first elements of education which the children obtained, were communicated by the parents themselves, in the midst of dangers and unexam- pled hardships. By degrees however, as the different settle- ments increased in number and strength, schools were establish- ed for the instruction of the children, in the ordinary branch- es of the education of the country from whence the parents had emigrated ; and as in time, wealth began to flow in upon the Colonists, schools, academies and colleges came to be endow- ed cither by individual liberality or Legislative munificence .- Truly the good seed sown thus early by the settlers, has yielded abundantly, "some thirty, some sixty and some an hundred fold."
In general terms and fewer words, we have thus described the progressive history of the education of almost every com- munity in the United States. In some parts we admit, the ad- vance has been accelerated more perhaps by the comparative extent of the information of the first emigrants and the dimin- ished number of obstacles encountered by them in subduing the country, than from any other cause. Under ordinary cir- cumstances, this might therefore suffice for the object to which the present chapter is devoted ; but as it is intended to pre- sent to the reader, a detailed account of all matters of sufficient importance and worthy of being embodied in a work of this kind, it is our duty as a faithful historian, to enter into details.
As has been already shewn in a former part of this work,* the first settlement of any extent in Lancaster county, was made by the German Mennonites in 1709 and '10 in the neigh- borhood of Willow-street, in Lampeter and Conestoga town- ships. They were-as their descendants still are-a highly moral and religious people. Holding Peace-principles, and taking very little if any part in the affairs of government, they taught their young men, that the first great duty of life, was for each man to mind his own business. Practising upon this maxim, they encouraged industry by their own examples, and
* Page 74 antea.
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discouraged ambition by a representation of the evils neces- sarily following in its train. Devoting themselves and their families to religion, they labored and were happy. Spurning alike the honors and emoluments of office, they kept on in the even tenor of their way, rejoicing. Why then should they spend much time in Literary pursuits? They were farmers, why waste time precious to them, in the acquisition of that which when obtained, to a people of such simple habits of life and so unassuming, could be of no present or conceiv- able advantage ? Thus reasoned the father, so argued the sons, and as a consequence, learning was-with the exception of so much as barely enabled them to read the Bible and the Psalm- book, to write a little in the German and master the three first rules in Arithmetic -- not only neglected but absolutely dis- couraged by them. Although there has been a vast improve- ment in the Society for the better in this respect; and notwith- standing many of its members possess superior abilities and attainments, still the same opinions are entertained by the Society at large ; and while almost every other sect has made its efforts towards the establishment of Academies, Colleges, and Theological Seminaries, they have been content to walk in the ways of their fathers, and to hear "the word of life" expounded, by men of as simple tastes and habits as them- selves. Let no man here reproach them with hostility to learning for learning's sake, for such a reproach will be as unjust as it is undeserved. They oppose its extension among their youth, beyond what we have already stated, simply because in their estimation, it begets a state of life inconsist- ent with their profession of religion. Of them it may be truly said, they worship God, not only in the "beauty " but also in the simplicity of " of holiness."
In the year 1717* a settlement was commenced on the banks of the Octorara Creek, by a party of what are now known as "the Scotch-Irish." They had many difficulties to encounter, for besides being destitute of any large amount of this world's goods, they had the misfortune of settling upon a soil by no means so fertile or so kind as that secured by their more for- tunate fellow emigrants-the German Mennonites. From ne- cessity and poverty, they made but little progress in the estab-
*Page 117 antea.
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lishment of schools for the education of their youth; and at no time until about the year 1798, was there any effort made to support a classical and mathematical school among them .- Their progress however in this respect, on a comparison, will be found to be but little behind even the boasted efforts of the colony at Plymouth. They and their descendants have always been justly regarded as among the most intelligent people of Lancaster county.
The Borough, now the city of Lancaster, as we have seent was originally founded in 1730. The first lot holders were Quakers and English Protestants ; but before any settled plan, other than the ordinary schools supported by voluntary sub- scription could be adopted by them for the education of youth, German Protestants from the upper and lower Palatinates, holding the doctrines of the Lutheran and German Reformed Churches, with all their attachments-strong and powerful as they are-emigrated to this flourishing and prosperous town. Entering at once upon the business of life as Tradesmen and Mechanics they labored with all the indomitable perseverance of the Saxon character, until by an increase of numbers from additional emigrations and the accumulation of a little wealth, they were enabled to build a Lutheran and also a German Reformed church for the accommodation of themselves and those holding the doctrines of these respective churches. The first great duty with these people, was the erection and dedi- cation of Houses of Worship to Almighty God. The next, was to supply them with those who should minister to their spiritual wants in holy things; and the third but co-equal duty with the latter, was to secure the services of a competent School-mas- ter, to instruct their children in the elements of a good German education.
At no part of this History better than the present, can it with greater propriety be observed, that almost co-existent with the establishment of the first Lutheran churches in Ger- many and of the Reformed churches in Switzerland and Hol- land, there sprang up a custom among their members peculiar to themselves. Each congregation was regarded as a spiritual municipal corporation, and among other duties performed by those having its controul or government, in order that "the
+ Page 249 antea.
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word might not perish for lack of knowledge among the people," they employed a competent teacher, to instruct the youth of both sexes, without any regard whatever to the wealth or standing of the parents in society. Generally each church was supplied with an organ-indeed this instrument was re- garded as indispensable to the proper worship of the Almighty, and the person employed to perform upon it during divine service, was required to unite with his skill and knowledge as a musician, the profession of a School-teacher. He usually received a stated salary, and was furnished with proper accom- dations for his school, himself and family at the common cost of the congregation. In return for this, and in addition to his duty as an organist-as has been shewn-he was required to teach the children of the congregation upon such terms as the vestry might from time to time determine. The sum thus fixed, was paid to him by the parents of such of the children, as were able to afford it, while the children of those who were in indigent circumstances, were taught the same branches without charge and in consideration of the salary paid by the congregation. This mode of educating their own poor, by a system so simple, was regarded as a religious duty. It was so taught from generation to generation, through successive years ; and when the two churches we have referred to, were founded in Lancaster, the Lutheran A. D. 1734 and the German Re- formed A. D. 1736, it was not forgotten.
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