USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > Lower Heidelberg > History of St. John's (Hain's) Reformed church in Lower Heidelberg Township, Berks County, Penna > Part 3
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Ground for Erection of the Church.
The ground for the erection of a church was given by George Hain or Hen.
George Hain, after whom the church was named, the donor of the land upon which the church was erected, died in the year 1746, as appears by an appraisement of his estate. The inven- tory was taken August 19, 1746, wherein mention is made of a certain tract of land on which the church stands, or out of which the church land was taken, which was valued and appraised at 10 pounds.
25
ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
From the inventory and will we learn that the following chil- dren survived him: John Christ, Peter, George, Adam, Freder- ick, Henry, Casper (born in 1724 and died October 2, 1762, the father of seven.children), Sibila, wife of Jacob Freymeyer; Eliza- beth, wife of William Fisher.
In the church records of the Kocherthal colony, which are printed in the magazine "Ye Old Ulster," we find the following Hain record: "Baptized in Schoharie, June 6, 1716, Johann, born February 8, child of John George and Veronica Hohn. Spon- sors, Johann Cast and Commissioner. August 18, Anna Eliza- beth, born the tenth child of Michael and Magdalena Hoenigen. Sponsor=, Johann Stahl and Elizabeth Duntzbachni."
The will of George Hen is on record in the court house in Philadelphia
From the will and from other records we have the Christian name of George Hain's wife, Veronica, but do not know her fam- ily name.
Will of George Hen.
In the name of the Holy Trinity, be it remembered that I, George Hen, of Lancaster county, yeoman, being of sound mind and memory and in good health, thanks be to God for these and all other of His mercies, and calling to mind the uncertainty of this transitory life, do make this my Last Will and Testament in name as follows: 1st. It is my will that all my just debts and funeral expenses be fully paid and satisfied. Secondly. It is my will that my beloved wife, Veronita, shall be and remain in pos- session of my whole estate as long as she remains my widow; but if she should intermarry, then she is to have her third only, ac- cording to law; and I do give and bequeath to my daughter, Anna Sibilla, one shilling sterling money of Great Britain; then I do give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth 150 acres of land situated on Bark Creek adjoining her husband's and William Fisher's land. Then I do give and devise and bequeath unto my son John Christ my tract of land lying on the other side of Runn of about 150 acres, this proviso and upon this execution only that he shall return and give back 30 acres of land which he comprised to have admeasured to him from land that was laid out and sur- veyed unto me; and if not complying with this proviso and con- dition, he, John Christ, shall no ways have the land so be- queathed unto him, but instead thereof shall have 5 shillings ster- ling money of Great Britain; the said tract of land so intended for him shall revert to my estate. Then I do give and bequeath unto my son Peter I sbilling sterling money of Great Britain. Then I do give and bequeath unto my son John George 1 shilling sterling money of Great Britain. Then I do give and bequeath unto my son John Adam that tract of land of 200 acres which I bought of Martins Moreoser; and do give, devise and bequeath
3
X
.
26
ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
unto the said John Adam 50 acres of land situated and lying by or near the church. Then I do give, devise and bequeath unto my son John Frederick that plate of tract of land near Brunnen Kiln, consisting of 188 acres. Then I do give, devise and be- queath unto my son John Henry 100 acres of land which I bought of William Allen, and 100 acres of land at the upper end of the said tract which I took up from the proprietor, both lying and situated on Dry Creek near my dwelling house. Then I do give and bequeath unto my son John Casper the plantation where I live upon on Dry Creek, contains 200 acres, altogether with the buildings and improvements therein. Then I give, devise and bequeath unto my two last named John Henry and John Casper that tract of land adjoining William Allen's by the hill, contain- ing 126 acres, to be equally used or divided between them; and I do hereby nominate and appoint my said beloved wife, Veron- ita, and Thomas Edwards, Esq., to be Executors of this my last Will and Testament; and I do hereby revoke all other and former Wills and Testaments by me made, and do declare this and no other to be my last Will and Testament.
In witness whereof I, the said George Hen, have hereunto set my hand and seal this 17th day of November in the 16th year of his Majesty's Reign, A. D. 1743.
Signed, sealed and published and declared by George Hen to be his last will.
Witness :
JOSEPH CROLL, WM. BURG, ALESSA CRELLMS.
Philadelphia. April 8, 1746.
Two witnesses appeared and swore that he was of sound mind.
HÖHN'S CHURCH RECORDS. 1745-1757.
ST. JOHN'S REFORMED, COMMONLY CALLED "HAIN'S CHURCH," HEIDELBERG TOWNSHIP, BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
THIS BOOK COST 2 SHILLINGS.
BOOK OF BAPTISMS of The congregation in Heidelberg In which are recorded the names of the children, who, according to the commandment of Christ, have been received into the congregation of the Lord (God) in the presence of Christian Sponsors, whose names, together with the names of the parents, are here recorded by the regular pastor.
May God strike their names from the Records of sin and in- seribe them in the Book of life-Amen.
Done April 26, 1746.
A correct translation made by Adam G. Lerch.
Date of Baptism
A (E)
1747, June 7. Casper, a son of George Arnolt. Sponsors, Casper Haine and wife Margarette.
A (0)
1747, Elizabeth, a daughter of John Olthousael and wife. Sponsor, John Binckley.
A
1748, Apr. 14. , a son of Jacob Alpey. Sponsors, John Weber and wife Anna Margarette.
1756, Mar. 1. , a daughter of Philip An Miller. Sponsors, Mi- chael Grauel and wife.
B
1745, John, a son of Jacob Boser and wife. Sponsor, John Hauser.
1747, John George, a son of John Binckley and wife. Spon- sors, John Roep and wife Susanna.
1748, Aug. 14. John Henry, a son of Henry Binckley.
1749, July 9. a daughter of Henry Boser and wife Anna Mag- darlena. Sponsor, Anna Margarette Dorsten, daughter of Casper Dorsten.
1751, July 14. , a daughter of Henry Bosert and wife. Sponsor, Susana Bosert, wife of Henry Bosert.
28
ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH,
Date of Baptism
1751, Sept. 13. , a daughter of Peter Braun and wife. Sponsor, Anna Elizabeth Brentz, daughter of Henry Brentz.
1753, July 22. , a son of Martin Boyer (Beyer) and wife. Spon- sor John George Neu (Ney) and wife.
1747, ...... Elizabeth, a daughter of John Peter Dreszler (Dressler) and wife. Sponsors, William Fisher and wife.
1749, Apr. 9. , a son of Jacob Doerdenhous (Derdenhous) and wife Susanna. Sponsors, Leonhard Gesell and wife Anna Catharine.
1749, Nov. 19. a daughter (together with his wife) of John Peter Dresler. Sponsor, Anna Margarette Shatten, daughter of Peter Shatten.
E
1747, John Henry, a son of John Ermentrout, born Nov. Nov. 22, 1747. Sponsor, John Henry Ermentrout.
1748, Anna Magdalena. a daughter of Frederick Ermentrout and wife. Sponsors, Jost Hetrich and wife.
1750, Feb. 18. , a son of Paul Engel and wife Margarette Eliz- abeth. Sponsor, Thomas Lanciscus and wife Eliz- abeth.
1750, Apr. 1. a son of John Ermentrout and wife Elizabeth. Sponsor, John Hain, son of Frederick Hain.
1750, Aug. 5. ,a son of John Eckert and wife Engel. Sponsor, John Dautrich.
1750, Aug. 19. a son of Frederick Ermentrout and wife Catha- rine. Sponsor, John George Ermentrout, son of Elizabeth Ermentrout.
1751, Nov. 26. , a son of Frederick Ermentrout and wife. Spon- sor, John Peter Lamm.
1754, Feb. 10. a daughter of John Eckert. Sponsor, Anna Maria Ruth, daughter of Jacob. F 1747, Magdalena, a daughter of Peter Faust and wife, born Mar. 1, 1747. Sponsors, Adam Hain and wife.
1747, June 7. Frantz, a son of William Fisher and wife. Sponsors, Frantz Krick and wife.
1747, John, a son of Christian Frantz and wife. Sponsors, John Fisher and wife.
1749, Apr. 9. a son of John Peter Faust and wife Anna Maria. Sponsors, John Henry Hain (Hen) and wife Anna Christina.
29
.
ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
Date of Baptism
1750, Mar. 11. a son of William Fisher and wife Elizabeth. Sponsors, John Frederick Hain and wife Anna Elizabeth.
1751, July 14. a daughter of John Peter Faust. Sponsor, Anna Elizabeth Faust.
1753, May 3. John George, a son of William Fisher and wife. Spon- sor, John George Reichmann. G
1746, ....... Catharine Elizabeth, a daughter of Leonard Gesell and wife. Sponsors, Tobias Bechtel and wife Catha- rine Elizabeth.
1750, June 3. , a son of Leonjard Gesell and wife Anna Catha- rine. Sponsor, John Thomas Lanciscus (gus).
1750, Dec. 9. a son of Peter Grothauser (Greathouse). Spon- sor, Henry Hain.
1752, Jan. 1. a son of Michael Grauel and wife. Sponsors, John Eckert and wife.
1754, Mar. 20. Maria Elizabeth, a daughter of Michael Grauel. Spon- sors, Anthony (Antonius) Faust and wife.
1756, Jan. 24. . , a son of Michael Grauel. Sponsors, Conrad Hart and wife.
H
1745, Dec. 14. Maria, a daughter of George Hain and wife. Sponsor, Mary Hetrick.
1746, June 1. , a son of John Christ Hain and wife Maria. Spon- sors, John George Groff and wife.
1746, .. Maria, a daughter of Joseph Hartman and wife Mar- garette. Sponsor, Maria Hetrich.
1747, July 1. John, a son of Frederick Hain and wife. Sponsor, John Ermentrout.
1747, ....... Anna Margarette, a daughter of George Hep and wife (or perhaps Hen, hence may be Hain). Spon- sors, John Mohn and wife.
1747, .. Anna Catharine, a daughter of George Pettory (Petry or Hettrick) and wife. Sponsor, Anna Catharine Gaul.
1748, Feb. 5. (Likely John), a son of Adam Hain and wife Anna Magdalena. Sponsors, John Weber and wife Anna Margarette.
1748, Apr. 26. Maria Catharine, a daughter of John George Huebler. Sponsor, John Adam Felnig.
1748, July 3. Anna Margarette, a daughter of Peter Hain and wife.
30
ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
Date of Baptism
1749, Jan. 11. .. , a son of Frederick Hain and wife Anna Eliza- beth. Sponsor, Christopher Ermentrout.
1749, Jan. 14. (Likely John), a son of Anna Christina, wife of John Henry Hain. Sponsors, John Weber and wife Anna Margarette.
1749, May 14. a son of Conrad Hart (Hatt) and wife. Spon- sors, Maria Catharine (supposed) Hart.
1750, Jan. 28. , a daughter of Adam Hain and wife Anna Mag- dalena. Sponsors Anna Maria Faust, wife of Pe- ter Faust.
1750, Apr. 15. Anna Barbara, daughter of Conrad Hepy (or Hegy) and wife. Sponsors, John Binckle (written Pinckle) and wife.
1750, July 15. a daughter of Casper Hain and wife Catharine. Sponsor, Elizabeth, wife of William Fisher.
1750, Aug. 5. , a daughter of George Hain and wife (Magdaline Elizabeth. Sponsor, Maria Elizabeth Freymeyer, daughter of Jacob Freymeier.
1750, Sept. 16. , a son of Henry Hain and wife Christina. Spon- sor, Frederick Hain.
1750, Nov. 17. a daughter of Peter Hain and wife. Sponsors, Frederick Miller and wife Susanna.
1751, Dec. 20. a daughter of Henry Hetrick (or Etrick) and wife. Sponsors, Frederick Ermentrout and wife.
1753, Dec. 25. a son of Casper Hain and wife. Sponsor, Peter Fisher, son of William and Anna Maria Kuhl, daughter of Jacob Kuhl.
1753, Dec. 16. a son of Henry Hetrick. Sponsors, William Hetrick aud wife.
1755, Sept. 28. Peter, a son of John Heckert (art) and wife Elizabeth Gertrude, born Sept. 15, 1755. Sponsor, Peter Lamm
1756, Feb. 15. a daughter of Christian (supposed Hain). Spon- sors, John Francis Frantz and Catharine Elizabeth Ostin.
1756, Feb. 15. a son of Casper Hain. Sponsors, Frederick Hain and wife.
1757, June 26. George Michael, a son of John Hartman and wife Eva Catharine, born June 5, 1755. Sponsors, Michael Busch and wife Anna Maria.
1757, June 26. Daniel, a son of Henry Hain and wife Christina, born May, 1757. Sponsors, Daniel Rieth (or Ruth) and wife.
31
ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
Date of Baptism
1757, Oct. 2. William, a son of John Heckert and wife Elizabeth Gertrude, born Sept. 19, 1757. Sponsors, William Fisher and wife Elizabeth (grandparents).
1757, Nov. 20. William, a son of George Hain and wife Elizabeth, born uct. 14, 1757. Sponsors, William Fisher and wife Elizabeth.
1757, Dec. 26. Elizabeth, a daughter of Henry Hetzel and wife Jo- hanna Christina, born Dec. 17, 1757. Sponsors, Elizabeth Schmehl and John Fisher.
K
1745, Dec. 30. , a son of Frantz Krick. Sponsor, John Krick.
1746, July 13. , a son of Adam Kintzer (or Rintzer) and wife. Sponsors, John Krick and the wife of Francis Krick.
1746, July 17. Anna Catharine, a daughter of Sebastian Kohlman. Sponsor, Anna Catharine Zerbilin (Zerbe).
1747, Maria, daughter of Frantz Krick and wife. Sponsor, Christianna Maria Fitzmeyerin.
1751, Feb. 10. a daughter of Mathias Knob and wife Anna Maria. Sponsor, Anna Margarette, wife of Jacob Risler.
1753, Mar. 18. , a daughter of Peter Knob and wife. Sponsor, Maria Elizabeth, daughter of Michael Ecert.
1757, Nov. 20. John Henry, a son of Christian Kilbach and wife Eliz- abeth, born Nov. 6, 1757. Sponsors, Henry Brensz and wife Lenah.
L
1745, Dec. 30. , a son of Jacob Lauer. Sponsor, John Krick. 1747, Jan 11. Rachel, a daughter of Casper Lerch and wife. Spon- sor, John Adam
1751, Feb. 24. a daughter of Lety and wife Anna. Spon-
sor, Rosini Miller, daughter of Frederick Miller.
1751, Aug. 4. a son of Jacob Lety and wife Anna Maria. Sponsors, John Ludwig Mohn and wife Anna udilia.
1757, Dec. 11. Appolonia, a daughter of Peter Lamm and wife Anna Margarette, born Nov. 23, 1757. Sponsors, Peter Fisher and Apolonia Heckert.
M
1746, Eva, a daughter of Casper Moser and wife. Sponsors, John Roch (or Koch) and wife.
1747, Anna Rosini, a daughter of John Martin and wife. Sponsor, Werner Weitzer (Weitzel).
1748, Aug. 14. Magdalena, a daughter of Ludwig Mohn and wife.
32
ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
Date of Baptism
1749, Sept. 3. a son of Ludwig Mohn (Mon) and wife Anna Adilia. Sponsor, John Boutz (brother-in-law).
1749, Nov. 19. a son of John Melchior (Melger) Mell and wife. Elizabeth. Sponsor, John Traut. R 1750, June 24. Maria Magdalena, adaughter of Adam Rieser and wife. Sponsors, Henry Scherer and wife.
1753, Nov. 24. a son of Michael Ruth. Sponsor, John Adam Moser and Anna Catharine Ruth.
1755, Nov. 30. Maria Magdalena, daughter of Ludwig Ritter and wife. Sponsors, John Schaner and wife. S
1746, Oct. 10. Susanna, daughter of Jacob Sentzenbach and wife. Sponsors, John Orth and wife Susanna.
1749, Nov. 19. , daughter of Peter Suemond and wife Veronica. Sponsors, Maria Elizabeth Eckert, daughter of John Eckert, and Conrad Find.
1749, Dec. 31. , a son of Peter Strohl and wife Anna Marga- rette. Sponsor, John Philip Michel, son of Ulrich Michel.
1750, Feb. 18. a son of Jacob Schub and wife Anna Lydia. Sponsors, Casper Lerch and wife Anna Margarette.
1750, July 15. John Paul, a son of Casper Stieff (or ft) and wife Anna Maria. Sponsor, Frederick Miller (Miler).
1753, May 3. , a son of John Henry Schmidt (Smith). Spon- sors, John Frantz, son of Christian Frantz, and Anna Elizabeth Fisher, daughter of Wm. Fisher.
1753, July 29. a son of John Nicholas Schaeffer and wife. Sponsor, Christian Michel.
1753 .. Christian, a son of Nicholas Schaeffer and wife Juli- anna, born July 24, 1753. Sponsor, Christian Heck (Hec).
1755, Nov. 30. a son of Frederick Swartz. Sponsor, Yost (Jost) Fox (Fuchs).
1757, Feb. 13. Jacob, a son of Peter Strohl and wife Anna Marga- rette, born Jan. 28, 1757. Sponsor, Jacob Sutz and wife Anna Maria.
1757, .......
Margarette, a daughter of Nicholas Schaeffer and wife Julianna, born Jan. 1, 1757. Sponsor, grandmother.
W
1750, Nov. 17. a son of John Weis. Sponsor, John Zinbrich (or Zinbrech). Z 1750, Dec. 26. , a son of John Zinbrech and wife. Sponsors, John Weis and wife.
1753, Dec. 16. a son of Zacharias Ziegler. Sponsors, Ulrich Michel and wife.
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4
DILLENBURG, THE BIRTHPLACE OF REV. WALDSCHMIDT.
Second Period-1757-1810.
John Waldschmidt.
John Waldschmidt was born at Dillenburg, in the county of Nassau, Germany, on August 6, 1724. Waldschmidt pursued his studies first in the Latin school and later in the University at Herborn.
While he was studying at Herborn events were taking place in Pennsylvania which prepared the way for his coming. Michael Schlatter, a Swiss minister, was sent in 1746 by the Synods of North and South Holland to organize the Reformed congregations of Pennsylvania under the jurisdiction of the Church of Holland. This commission was carried out by Schlatter, and on Sept. 29, 1747, four ministers and twenty-eight elders, representing twenty congregations, met in Philadelphia and organized there the "Coetus (or Convention) of the Reformed Churches of Pennsylvania." During his journeys, made by Schlatter in the course of the next three years, he found that there were no less than forty-six Re- formed congregations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia, which were served by only four ordained ministers. As no progress was possible under these circumstances, unless more ministers were secured, Schlatter returned to Holland to interest the Church of Holland in sending more ministers to Pennsyl- vania.
In the spring of 1751 Schlatter appeared before the two Syn- ods of Holland, which listened with great interest to his touching story regarding the needy condition of the Reformed people of Pennsylvania. His plea for six new ministers found a favorable hearing, and, in order to make the undertaking possible from a financial point of view, the Synods sent a petition to the States of Holland and West Friesland to grant an annual subvention for the work in Pennsylvania. This petition was granted in August, 1751. the States of Holland and West Friesland voting the sum of 2,000 florins (or $800) annually for a period of five years; and when this grant had expired, it was renewed at three successive occasions. It was this liberal grant of the Dutch government which made it possible for the Church of Holland to send mis- sionaries to Pennsylvania.
Accordingly Schlatter was commissioned by the Synods to visit the chief Reformed Universities in Western Germany and Switzerland, in order to secure six young men for Pennsylvania. The Universities visited by him were Herborn, Heidelberg, Zurich
34
ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
and Basle. At first a number of men volunteered, but gradually they all withdrew, so that it seemed doubtful for a while whether he would be able to succeed in his mission.
At last six young men were found in Herborn, with the co- operation of the faculty, who expressed their willingness to go to Pennsylvania. They were described by Schlatter as follows in a letter which he sent from Herborn to Holland, on February 17, 1752, namely; (1) Mr. Otterbein, quiet and pious; (2) Mr. Waldschmidt, honest and sincere; (3) Mr. Henspeter, resolute and seeking the good; (4) Mr. Stoy, intelligent and kind hearted; (5) Mr. Frankenfeld, taciturn and willing; (6) Mr. Wissler, greatly gifted and generous. At the last moment one of them, Henspeter, withdrew, having yielded to the earnest entreaties of his mother to stay with her in Nassau. One of the professors of the University, Arnoldi, called these men "the flower of the young ministers in the county of Nassau." It was, indeed, a great sacrifice for the little church of Nassau to give up five of her best men for service in a distant land.
On February 29, 1752, Schlatter started with the five men for Holland, by way of Dillenburg, where three of the men (Otter- bein, Waldschmidt and Wissler) were born. On March 9, 1752, the little company reached The Hague, Holland, where they ap- peared before the Deputies of the Synods, an Executive Commit- tee on Foreign Missions.
Messrs. Otterbein and Wissler having already been ordained in Nassau, the Deputies gave them their commissions for Pennsyl- vania on March 13. The other three candidates were examined on March 11 in the languages (Greek and Hebrew) and in theol- ogy. The examination was conducted in Latin, as they were un- able to speak Dutch. In this examination Stoy excelled; Wald- schmidt and Frankenfeld passed well. They then subscribed the Dutch Creeds, the Heidelberg Catechism and the Canons of Dort. On the 14th of March they were set apart by a solemn service for their work in Pennsylvania.
Meanwhile a letter had come in, notifying the Deputies that in the county of Berg there was another candidate, J. C. Rubel, of Wald, who was willing to go. He was accepted to fill the place of the sixth Nassau candidate, who had withdrawn. Rubel was examined by the Deputies on April 5, and, being found satisfac- tory, was ordained for service in Pennsylvania. Schlatter and his party of six ministers left Amsterdam on April 26, 1752. They arrived at New York on July 27. There the missionaries were welcomed by Rev. H. M. Muehlenberg, the Patriarch of the Lu- theran Church in Pennsylvania, who happened to be in New York at that time. Being invited to meet the new ministers, he greeted them with the words: "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves."'
35
ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
After the party had reached Pennsylvania, a special meeting of the Coetus was called on August 10-13, 1752, at Philadelphia, to assign them to their future fields of labor. They were assigned as follows: Mr. Otterbein to Lancaster, Mr. Stoy to Cocalico, Mr. Waldschmidt as Schlatter's assistant in Philadelphia, Mr. Rubel to Tulpehocken, Mr Wissler to Egypt and Heidelberg, and Mr. Frankenfeld to Frederick, Maryland. Later, however, changes became necessary, so that Waldschmidt was sent to Cocalico and Stoy to Tulpehocken, while Rubel stayed in Philadelphia. Wald- schmidt was installed in his congregations by Schlatter on October 22, 1752. According to Waldschmidt's own private records, his charge consisted at first of "Cocalico, Muddy Creek, White Oaks or Sebastian Reyer's and Seltenreich." As to the identity of these congregations it may be said that Cocalico is now Bethany Church at Ephrata (formerly one mile south of Ephrata); Muddy Creek still bears the same name and is in East Cocalico township; the original White Oaks Church was, according to the statement of Waldschmidt, at Sebastian Reyer's, which is now Zion's Church, near Brickerville, in Elizabeth township; and Selten- reich's Church is in Earl township, near New Holland. In the Coetal minutes of October, 1752, a petition was presented from the new congregation in White Oaks, while at the Coetus held at Cocalico in October, 1753, it was resolved that "the congregation at White Oaks be combined with the one at Bastian Reyer's and be served by Rev. Waldschmidt." This new congregation at White Oaks is today represented by the Jerusalem Church at Unionville in Penn township.
When Waldschmidt took charge of these congregations in 1752, their strength, as shown at the first communion services, was as follows: At Cocalico. 72 communicants; at Reyer's, 60; at Muddy Creek, 80; at Seltenreich, 70. At Muddy Creek he ex- perienced considerable difficulty, as he was opposed by an inde- pendent preacher, Frederick Casimir Mueller. At the first meet- ing of Coetus which Waldschmidt attended at Lancaster, October 18-23, 1752, he declared himself satisfied with all his congrega- tions, except Muddy Creek, where Mueller was preaching to a part of the congregation. Coetus advised him to continue preach- ing there until the Lord would remove this obstacle out of his way. He'reported also that he was receiving ten pounds salary from each of his four congregations, and that he had schoolmasters in all his congregations, except at White Oaks. At the same meeting of Coetus 500 folio Bibles, printed at Basle in 1747, and presented by the Classis of Amsterdam to the Reformed Churches, were distributed to the various ministers, of which Waldschmidt received twenty-four copies. The Basle Bible, presented in 1755 by Schlatter to the Swamp Church, is still preserved by the con- gregation. The meeting of Coetus held at Lancaster in October,
36
ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
1752, was closed with a thanksgiving sermon preached by Wald schmidt from Heb. 12:14. It was apparently the only sermon he ever preached before the Coetus.
The year 1753 was one of the mose critical in the whole his tory of the Coetus of Pennsylvania. The organization of the Re- formed Church, which had been brought about with so much pains by Schlatter, was threatened with dissolution. The congre- gations were thrown into disorder. The ministers were divided by party strife. There were two factions, one being led by Schlatter, the other by Weiss. The latter contended for Presby - terial representation, while Schlatter wished to exclude the elders, at least from some of the sessions. Fortunately peace was again restored in the following year, when Schlatter left the Coetus and bis attempted reforms were forgotten. Waldschmidt sided in this struggle with Weiss, as is evident from the fact that he was pres- ent at the meeting of Coetus held at Goshenhoppen, the home of Weiss, and at the "Rival Coetus," which met in his charge at Co- calico, October 10-12, 1753. At the latter meeting Waldschmidt reports his salary at 35 pounds from Cocalico, Seltenreich and Muddy Creek. In the same year he is also reported as having pur chased a farm of one hundred acres. On this farm his home was located, in which he resided to the end of his life.
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