USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > Lower Heidelberg > History of St. John's (Hain's) Reformed church in Lower Heidelberg Township, Berks County, Penna > Part 4
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In the year 1754 Waldschmidt gave up Muddy Creek, prob- ably through the successful opposition of Mueller, who was still preaching there. His last communion was celebrated by him at Muddy Creek on June 22, 1754. To compensate him for this loss a new church was built in West Cocalico township, at Michael Amweg's, where he administered the first communion May 18, 1755. This is the present Swamp Church. But even in this new church Waldschmidt was not permitted to preach for any length of time, for he records the last communion service there on Octo- 5, 1755.
In 1756 Rev. William Stoy left Tulpebocken to go to Phila- delphia. Hence Waldschmidt was asked as the nearest minister to preach at Tulpehocken, and at the same time to supply Read- ing. Revs. Rieger and Otterbein were appointed to install him in his new congregation on July 6, 1756. At Reading Wald schmidt held the first communion on October 31, 1756, and in the two Tulpehocken congregations in November of the same year. At the end of this year (1756) he gave up Seltenreich, which was transferred to Rieger, perhaps with the view of devoting himself more fully to his new congregations. But he served them only for two years, when Otterbein became their pastor. In 1757 Wald- schmidt began to serve Cacusi (now Hain's Church in Berks county), where he administered the first communion on May 15,
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ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
1757 When Rev. Tempelman became blind and was thus dis- abled from further service, Waldschmidt preached in his congre- tions for about a year. At Donegal he celebrated the first com- munion on April 6, 1760, in the Gruben Church, near Lebanon, (now extinct) on May 15, 1760, and at Quitopahilla (now Hill Church, near Annville,) on May 18, 1760. In May, 1760, the statistics of Waldschmidt were as follows: 50 baptisms for the year 1759 and 15 catechumens, and at Cocalico 120 members In October, 1760, Rev. Leydich reported to Coetus about Wald schmidt's ministry : "His churches were satisfied with his preach - ing, but wished he might be more diligent in house visitation and more careful in his conduct." We cannot tell whether this criti- cism was justified, or whether it must be put down as captious fault finding, in which some people indulge so eagerly. When in the next year Rev. Stoy acted as Visitor of the Churches, he re- ported that Cocalico and White Oaks were "tolerably well satis- fied with Rev. Waldschmidt." The personality of the visitor had evidently much to do with the judgment.
The year 1762 was remarkable in the ministry of Wald- schmidt, because in it he gave up all his original congregations, whose pastor he had become in 1752. Thus be celebrated his last communion at Reyer's on September 19, 1762; at White Oaks on October 24, 1762, and at Cocalico on October 24, 1762. He was then pastor of Cacusi only and of Reading, where he preached oc casionally between 1762-1765.
In 1765 he began to serve several new congregations, first Ep- ler's Church in Berue township, Berks county, where he celebrated the first communion, March 17, 1765. In September of the same year he also took the old Berne Church for about two years, and finally he became once more the pastor of the church at Michael Amweg's, or the Swamp Church, in West Cocalico township, cel - ebrating at the last place the first communion on April 14, 1765. Thus he had again with Cacusi four congregations. In January, 1767, he began to preach in a new congregation, at Allegheny, in Brecknock township, Berks county. These five congregations were more than he could well take care of, hence he dropped Berne in 1766, and Cacusi complained in 1771 of being neglected by him. As a result he resigned Cacusi, which was joined to the Reading charge The remaining three congregations, Epler, Al- legheny and Swamp (called Little Cocalico in the Coetus Min- utes), remained faithful to him to the end of his life.
In 1757 Waldschmidt began to serve Cacusi (now St. John's, Hain's, R formed Church) where he administered the first com- munion on May 15, 1757.
May 4, 1760, at Cacusy, the holy communion was held, 60 persons.
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ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
October 17, 1760, at Cacusy, the holy communion was held, 50 persons ; informirte and confirmed 4 boys and 3 girls.
November 30, 1760, holy communion at Cacusy at Hahn's, 50 persons.
(Pennsylvania Archives, Series 6, rol. 6, page 269.)
Holy communion held at Cacusy March 15, 1761, 48 persons. Holy communion held at Cacusy April 4, 1762, 65 persons. Holy communion held at Cacusy April 3, 1763, 50 persons. The following persons communed for the first time : Frantz, son of William Fisher; Wilhelm, son of Ulrich Michael ; Jo- hannes, son of Adam Hain ; Peter, son of Nicholas Zoller, and Anna Maria, daughter of Adam Hain.
Holy communion at Cacusy June 10, 1764, 60 persons.
Holy communion at Cacusy April 7, 1765, Easter Sunday, at which I preached, and confirmed the following persons : Peter Ruth's son Henrich, Fried Hehn's 2 sons John and Frederick, Heinrich Hehn's 2 sons Johann and Frederick, Wilham Fisher's son Frederick, Ludwig Mohn's son Johann and daughter Mar gretha, Adam Hehn's daughter Elizabeth, Anthony Faust's daughters Maria Elizabeth and Susanna Margretha. 70 persons.
Communion, September 8, 1765, 90 persons.
Communion, March 30, 1766, 59 persons, the following for the first time : Johann Heinrich, Wilhelm Carl and Tobias, all three sons of Heinrich Schuckert ; Marx Hahn, son of Peter Hahn ; Jo- hann, son of Michael Mell; Frantz, son of Peter Ruthe; Anna Elizabeth, daughter of Heinrich Schuckert ; Susanna, daughter of Peter Klopp ; Magdalena, daughter of Peter Ruth ; Maria Eva, daughter of Martin Leyer ; Elizabeth, daughter of Peter Brann; Maria Barbara, daughter of Adam Fellsbaum. 70 persons.
(To the above belongs Magdalena Barbara Weyman.)
The holy communion in the New Church, October 26, 1766. 75 persons.
On Whitsuntide, June 7, 1767, 120 communed, of whom 15 were new or young persons.
October 18, 1767, 110 persons communed.
Waldschmidt reports in the Coetus of Pennsylvania record of 1766 : Baptized in his congregations on the Cacusy and at Beru and in the neighborhood, 30 children ; received as members, 23 ; 55 children in the schools.
Cocalico and Cacusi consist of 50 families. Do. Waldschmidt received, from 1763 to 1764, 13 members. Most of the time 40 children attend school. From 1764 to 1765 the families remained the same, but 38 members were received from some distant fami lies. The schools are very nearly the same. In the two years 65 children were baptized. The reason why he was not at the Coetus of 1764 was the heavy rains and the great floods.
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HOME OF REV. JOHN WALDSCHMIDT, VINE MONT. PA.
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ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
After 1771 Waldschmidt retired almost completely from the meetings of the Coetus. He had never been prominent in its of- ficial labors. He had only once been its secretary, in 1758, but he had never taken a prominent part in its deliberations. After 1771 he never made a statistical report about his ministerial labors, except once in 1785, when he was present and gave the statistics, most likely orally, to the secretary. After 1773 he was never present at the meetings of the Coetus, except twice, in 1782 and 1785, when they were held near his home in Reading. But in his congregations he remained active almost to the very last. The last communion service recorded in his records took place in Allegheny Church on October 23, 1785. The last baptism was performed by him on September 12, 1786. He died two days Jater.
One of his sons entered the following statement regarding his father's death into the record :
God the Almighty called our dear father out of this world to Himself into a blissful eternity, on the fourteenth of September, 1786, between nine and ten o'clock in the forenoon. On the fif- teenth of September, in the afternoon at two o'clock, his remains were committed to the grave. The Rev. Mr. Boas preached the funeral sermon from Psalm 73 : 23-24. God grant that we all be united with him. Amen."
The tombstone was erected October 6, 1787. It cost 7.12 shillings.
A circumstance in connection with his tombstone happened about six years later, which was thought very singular, and which is not only traditionally remembered in our neighborhood, but we find a record of it in the church book. On a Sunday, June 2, 1793, while a large congregation was assembled in the church, listening to the Word of God, and when the winds were quiet, the tombstone of Rev. Waldschmidt suddenly broke off at the top and fell flat upon the tomb. Many saw it and all heard it fall. The wonder in connection with this event was vastly increased in the minds of the people by the fact that Mrs. Waldschmidt, who was demented long before and had not spoken a word for years, began to speak again with others on that same day.
The tombstone has a German inscription, of which the follow- ing is a literal translation :
"God alone be glory ! Here rests in God the Reverend
Johannes Waldschmidt.
Born August 6, 1724. Ordained for the Ministry 1752. [Here is the break] Died September 14, 1786. Age 62 years 5 weeks 4 days."
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ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
JOHN WALDSCHMIDT AND CHILDREN.
John Waldschmidt was born at Dillenburg, August 6, 1724. Died at Swamp, Lancaster county, September 14, 1786.
Buried at Swamp Church, September 15, 1786.
Ordained for the ministry, March. 14, 1752.
Installed pastor of the Cocalico charge, October 22, 1752.
Married : Maria Elisabeth, daughter of Christian Grub, mar- ried by Rev. William Otterbein, May 14, 1754. She was born March 17, 1733 ; died July 12, 1803.
Children.
1. John Christian, born March 23, 1755 ; baptized March 29, 1755.
2. Susanna Elisabeth, born April 26, 1756 ; baptized May 8, 1756.
3. Anna Christina, born July 14, 1759 ; baptized Aug. 1, 1759.
4. Catharine Margaret, born January 10, 1762 ; baptized January 21, 1762.
5. John, born February 12, 1765; baptized March 20, 1765.
6. Anna Maria, born April 3, 1767 ; baptized May 10, 1767.
7. William Jacob, born June 30, 1769; baptized Aug. 25, 1769.
The Erection of the Second Church, 1766.
During this second period the congregation built a new, substan- tial church, which as to size and manner of construction must at that early time have been a great undertaking. It was built of limestone walls three feet thick, 40 feet wide (north and south) and 50 feet long (east and west), and 30 feet high to the square, or roof plates. From the square to the ridge of the roof was 20 feet, making the total height 50 feet. The east end was surmounted by a tower 17 feet high, on which was a weather vane, in the form and shape of a rooster, cut out or cast of tin and lead. This figure was bor- rowed from Holland. The ceiling was in form of two segments meeting in the centre of the width of the building on the inside. It was supported or held in place by heavy hewn timbers nearly 40 feet long, placed at from center to center, resting on the wall plates and supported by being bolted and keyed to a heavy beam running the entire length, on which a king truss of unusually heavy timber is constructed, itself supported by queen trusses for supporting the roof timbers and roof. The whole of the space on the inside, 34x44 feet, walls and ceiling, was neatly plastered and finished with a white coat in a workmanlike manner. The door frames were made out of red sandstone, as well as the doorsills, the frames, two centre parts and semicircle top pieces meeting keystone in centre over top of door. On the part of the frame above the base pieces a heavy moulding was cut, touching the walls at sides and meeting at keystone The face of the frame was
CHURCH BUILT 1766
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ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
embellished by having a line of transverse beading cut or raised near inside edge of the frame, the whole showing exquisite work- manship. The east and west sides had each four windows-two as first story and two as second story. The south or front side had two windows for the first story and three as to second story windows, while the north side had only two first story and two second story windows. Over the door at the main entrance front- ing south a red sandstone at least 2x3 feet and not less than 4 to 6 inches in thickness, the face thereof finely dressed and finished, was placed containing an inscription of Roman letters cut in the face of the stone, as follows:
FACE OF THE STONE.
The face of the stone was painted with a good white color, and the cut letters were painted black.
THE INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH.
The inside walls had a finish of good plaster, neat and white. The floor was brick pavement. There were galleries on three sides. The fronts of the galleries were laid out in nine panels, three on each side, on which were carved in most exquisite work- manship and skill scenes taken from the Bible, beginning with the fall of man in the garden of Eden and ending with the re- demption. The columns on which the gallery was supported were of the doric architecture. The pulpit was the wine glass, resting on a single column overshadowing the altar, all enclosed by the chancel, thus uniting the Word and Sacrament, a true expression of this liberty loving church. In many of the churches of this period you will find the pulpit and altar separated, which was never the case in this church, nor were the pews made so that they would hide the persons sitting in them. They had no doors to them, as to say that this is the place where there are no se- crets. The church was heated by a large stove, in which cord wood could be burned. The height of the church was 30 feet on the inside.
The posts or columns at the main entrance were like that of the temple-Jachin was on the right and Boaz on the left-the true temple idea, thus uniting the state by the arch, the strongest tie in masonry, with the Keystone, the sign of the state of Penn- sylvania.
John Christ Ammann.
Pastor Ammann, who served the Hain's Church from 1789 to 1792, during the absence of Pastor Boos, appears by the records to have been a man of some scholarly attainments. So far no definite record of his birth or education for the ministry has been obtained. He was at the time quite likely a young man, and has preached in a number of churches in this section, in all probabil- 4
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ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
ity becoming the successsor of Pastor Waldschmidt in the Swamp and other churches.
The records of baptisms show that the congregation flourished during his pastorate, and that peace and harmony prevailed; that upon the return of Rev. Boos he, by the appearance of the records, yielded and surrendered the pastorate without any pro- test in the same manner and form as he entered upon said pas- torate.
No record of his residence or death is extant, known at this time by us.
Waldschmidt served from fall of 1757 to spring of 1771.
Boos from 1771 to 1789.
John Christ Ammann from 1789 to 1792.
Boos from 1792 to 1810.
Rev. John W. Boos.
Before the Reformed Coetus met in 1771, a new minister had arrived from Holland, Rev John William Boos. (The original form of his family name is no doubt. Boas.) He was born at Ot- terberg in the Palatinate in 1739. He appeared before the Syn- odical Deputies on May 2, 1768. Then he studied for several years at the University of Utrecht. The news of his intended coming had preceded him, and as many Reformed congregations were vacant, he was eagerly awaited by Coetus and people. But when he came, they were greatly disappointed, because he had no letter of recommendation from the Fathers in Holland. The rea- son was, according to the minutes of the Synodical Deputies, his inability to pass the required examinations. But the congrega- tion at Reading was so anxious to secure the services of a minis- ter that they did not wait for the action of Coetus, but asked Rev. Boos immediately lo become their pastor, to which he read- ily assented. Soon afterwards a committee of the Coetus ap- peared in Reading, consisting of Gross, Hendel, Bucher and Gob- recht. They advised the congregation to dismiss Boos, because- he had not been sent by the Holland Synods. But all their pleas were in vain. The people presented their need so urgently that the committee finally allowed Boos to stay with them. This ac- tion was confirmed by Coetus in 1771, after the people had given Boos a regular call. This permission, however, did not imply the reception of Mr. Boos into Coetus.
The report laid before Coetus at this time concerning his con- duct and preaching was very favorable. He himself presented the following parochial report: 80 families, 38 baptisms, 40 con- firmed, 75 pounds salary and 86 scholars in the parochial school,
In the year 1772 Boos was allowed to serve Cacusi or Heidel- berg (now St. John's Hain's Reformed Church). He preached for them every third Sunday. His people in Reading objected at
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ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
first to this arrangement, but Coetus decided "that as long as this congregation had love and affection for him, he should serve it." The congregation at Reading petitioned Coetus again at this meeting to allow Boos to preach another year and receive him as a member of Coetus. The congregation received the fol- lowing reply :
"That the Rev. Coetus by virtue of the last letter from the Fathers concerning Mr. Boos could not care for him, much less admit him into the Coetus without further and more favorable news from the Rev. Fathers in regard to him. But Mr. Boos shall be left to them, in order to perform the duties relating to their divine service as long as no complaint come against him, and Mr. Boos succeeds in edifying them."
In 1777 Coetus met for the third time at Reading, on April 28 and 29. In the Coetal letter of that year the officers of Coetus- report "the prosperous condition of the church at Reading." Writing of Mr. Boos they said :
"By the assistance of the Most High and by extraordinary zeal and diligence in all parts of his excellent ministry among them he has brought the congregation to such order that it is second to none of the congregations in America. Mr. Boos is at present a learned and brave warrior of Jesus Christ, and of a blameless walk in life. Not only liked by the whole congrega- tion at Reading, but likewise all the members of Coetus treat him with special esteem and friendship. Therefore we all beg of the Rev. Fathers to kindly accept Mr. Boos, since it would be to the disadvantage of the Church in this country to refuse such a wor- thy and sincere servant of Jesus Christ."
The answer of the Fathers in Holland was not favorable to this earnest and eloquent request, and hence the congregation was again left to itself and its minister, leaving no record in the Coe- tus minutes.
During the period 1789 to 1792 he had gone to Europe, in all probability to be regularly ordained and be admitted to Coetus.
The several reports in preceding years lead towards such pro- ceedings.
While he was not ordained, no records appear that he ever did anything that could be construed, to be antagonistic of the Reformed faith as taught by the Heidelberg Catechism, neither in any way interfered with the labors of the regulary ordained pastors of the neighboring Reformed churches and congregatione, but confined himself strictly to serving the congregations of those churches who had called for him. From reminiscences we have that he, Mr. Boos, was a well educated man, and in his catechis- ing of the youth of this congregation he insisted on a thorough knowledge of the tenets of the Heidelberg Catechism, always im-
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ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
pressing at his services the solemnity, especially of the Sacra- ments. He was while in the prime of his life regarded as a fluent speaker, and always at the close of his sermons made a brief sum- mary for the special benefit of his audience. He was very fer- vent in his prayers and supplications before the throne of grace, noted for his zealous pleadings to have his petitions answered. An anecdote of a particular service which he held during the lat- ter part of his ministry at Hain's church serves as a proof of pas- tor Boos being on certain occasions regarded more than a common preacher, at least by some people. It happened that during the summer of that time there was a great drought, so much so that the ground was parched and vegetation appeared scorched.
Pastor Boos had regular services at Hain's. He referred to the drought in his sermon, and at the close in a prayer of unu- sual fervor and supplication pleaded that God would answer the petitions of his people by letting rain fall in such abundance as to moisten the parched ground and save the life of vegetation, and thereby prevent famine and desolation in the land. After the services the people returned to their homes, and about the time all had arrived at their destinations, a heavy rain gathered, so much so that the stream known as Spring Creek (Brunnekill) overflowed its banks and carried away fences and other obstacles in its path. An Englishman, who being a manufacturer was lo- cated about 12 miles northwest from the church, had attended the services, and suffered considerable damage through the flood- ing of Spring Creek. His neighbors, after the waters had receded to its normal flow, gladly for the sake of having such a good rain, proceeded to restore the fences and put things in good order. The manufacturer, however, appeared to be averse to restore his fences or make any effort to repair any of the damage he had suf- fered through the rain. Upon being asked by his neighbors if he would not rebuild his fence, he gave the following answer: "Bat nix; Boos widder bet, geets widder all weg" ("It is no use; Boos again prays, it will go away again.")
The following story is related of Rev. Boos, which illustrates how quick-witted he was: At Fasig's hotel in Reading (now Berks County House), in the early part of the nineteenth century on his way to market (Rev. Boos resided at the southeast corner of Ninth and Penn streets), he was called upon to marry a run- away couple in the hotel. Prompt action was required, as the father of the bride was in pursuit of the couple. Parson Boos told the couple to stand up, and he was just beginning the cere- mony, when the father entered the room. By an act of strategy he foiled him. Just as the father entered, Rev. Boos said "Amen," and told him he was too late, the ceremony being over. The father seeing himself defeated, turned around and left the room, and then Mr. Boos married the young people.
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ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
It appears that the congregation met with unusual prosperity during this second period of its existence.
The encroachments of the different sects which during the first period had attempted to lead the people from the tenets of their faith and teaching of the Heidelberg Catechism had utterly failed, and had dwindled next to obscurity as far as it related to this Church, and the members became united as of one mind under an independent form of administration and liberty for which they were longing before they and their descendants had set foot on the American soil. This spirit shows itself plainly through all this period by having as its pastor Rev. Boos, who was not prop- erly ordained for a period of nearly 40 years, but who appears to have been a man that conscienciously attended to his duties as far as it related to the service rendered this congregation.
Towards the close of his ministry at this congregation Pastor Boos was quite feeble, so that his mind became clouded and his discourses were somewhat rambling and disconnected. By his long and faithful pastorate he became endeared to the congrega- tion, and in his declining years, when he was no longer able to serve them, was loath to discharge him or elect another pastor in his stead. An example of his unselfish devotion to the Church in general, regardless of being not ordained and repeatedly turned down by the Classis of Amsterdam and not admitted into the Coetus, nothing appears of record done by him which reflects on his character or otherwise is a blemish on the Reformed doc- trine. On the contrary, his irreproachable manhood and charac- ter is shown when approached by Spangenberg, who was for a time under his tutorship but emphatically declined to ordain him as a minister of the gospel.
When Mr. Boos withdrew from Reading at the end of the year 1781, he continued to serve Cacusi, now St. John's Hain's Reformed Church. In the church record of that congregation he entered 589 baptisms from October 23, 1771, to August 17, 1789. From January, 1784, to November, 1788, he also served the Bern Church in Bern township, Berks county, Pennsylvania. He evi- dently returned to Reading in the spring of 1784, for on April 16, 1784, he purchased the property at the southwest corner of Ninth and Penn streets from Jacob Bower, a prominent Reformed mem- ber, for 450 pounds Pennsylvania money. It was lot No. 176 in the origieal plan of the town, and was 60 feet on Penn street by 270 feet on South Ninth street. Here Mr. Boos evidently resided until his death in 1814. The title of this property was traced back to the Penns. Mr. Nicholas Dick, grandfather of Mr. Amos L. Dick, of Reading, one of the oldest members of the First Re- formed Church, was married to a sister of Rev. J. W. Boos, and resided next door to him. On November 9, 1822, the adminis- trator of Rev. Boos sold the above property, together with three other properties, to Dr. James B. Cherington for $2,600.
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