USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Church of the Brethren of the Western District of Pennsylvania > Part 2
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" It was much in their favor as a body of believers to be able, as they were, to protest against formal religion and not to go to the other extreme of utter disorganization.
" They believed that Jesus had given them a creed and had likewise given them the necessary ordinances to keep the body of believers steadfast for him. Abandoning all prec- edents among denominations, studying zealously to know the right, living in an atmosphere that was heavy with religious agitation, surrounded by men of all faiths, and carving out of the confusion and turmoil of a turbulent age the simple faith and practice so precious to their followers, they proved, by their actions, that they were men of no mean training, and that they were possessed by a courage and heroism that mounts almost to the sublime " (" History of the Brethren," by Brumbaugh, pp. 29 to 34).
" The Schwarzenau congregation flourished from the be- ginning. Its missionary spirit led to the founding of a second congregation in the Marienborn district. After their perse- cution in Marienborn this new congregation found refuge in Creyfelt, under the King of Prussia, in 1715, where they en-
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joyed freedom of conscience, for a time, at least. A third congregation was established at Epstein, and many members were living in Switzerland of whom we have no record." Members were scattered throughout many parts of the Pala- tinate. Attempts to organize the scattered members resulted in persecution. During the seven years of prosperity, re- ferred to above, the Lord called into his church a number of laborers who had been distinguished in other parts of his vine- yard. Among them are named: John Henry Kalkloeser, of Frankenthal ; Christian Leib and Abraham Duboy, of Epstein ; John Nasz and others, from Norten; and Peter Becker, of Dilsheim. There were also added John Henry Traut and his brethren, Henry Holtzapfel and Stephen Koch. From the data at hand we infer that John Henry Traut had been the leader of a church, or at least a class of brethren in the community, since we are told that he and his brethren were added to the Schwarzenau church. The most of these located at Creyfelt, but John Henry Kalkloeser, Abraham Duboy, George Balser Gantz, of Umstatt, and Michael Eckerlin, of Strausburg, set- tled at Schwarzenau.
At Marienborn John Naas was the elder in charge. At Epstein Christian Leib was the elder, assisted by Abraham Duboy. These congregations soon withdrew to Creyfelt, where John Naas was the senior elder and Christian Leib was second. Here, too, Peter Becker, who was, so far as we can learn, baptized at Epstein by Elder Leib, ministered to the con- gregation. Peter Becker was not an ordained elder in Europe. He was, however, a man of great fervency in prayer, and the leader of the singing in the congregation. He was not a good speaker, and led a very quiet life, drawing many to him in love and sympathy. He organized the first emigration of members to America, and landed with a goodly number at Germantown in 1719. The Germantown members were, therefore, at the first a branch of the Creyfelt congregation.
In the meantime persecution of the church in Schwar- zenau was raging with increasing fierceness. A number of the members had first fled to Creyfelt, and then to Holland. From
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Holland fifty-nine families, comprising 126 souls, emigrated to America. They crossed the ocean on the ship Allen, com- manded by James Craige, of Rotterdam, sailing from the Isle of Wight July 7, 1729. They had a boisterous voyage, last- ing seventy-one days, but landed safely at Philadelphia on the 15th day of September.
Finally, in 1733, John Naas removed to America. After that Christian Leib was in full charge at Creyfelt. The con- gregation dwindled away and finally went to ruin. This was the last organized activity in Europe until the mission work in Denmark and Sweden was undertaken.
For the above facts, due credit is given to Brumbaugh and Holsinger.
CHAPTER II.
The Beginning of the Brethren in America.
The first emigrants from the mother church in Germany arrived in America in the autumn of 1719. Their number included about twenty families. Previous to this time the Brethren at Creyfelt had their share of internal trouble and dissensions. On board the ship they revived their discussions, which resulted in such bitter contentions that some of the families were totally estranged from each other before they landed.
" Nevertheless, they still maintained Christian charity, which always characterized God's true followers-a childish simplicity, a forgiving disposition, and faithfulness to the truth as it is in Christ Jesus. Their fidelity to their religion is proven by an incident that occurred during the voyage. A furious storm arose, which threatened the destruction of the vessel. The sails were lowered, and much of the merchandise was thrown overboard, all to no avail. Meanwhile the brethren were in their quarters, in the hold of the ship, unitedly pleading with their heavenly Father, who needeth but to speak the word, " Peace be still," and the winds and the waves must obey his will. The captain, in his despair, or more likely directed by Providence, went to the humble department of the de- voted Tunkers, and, behold, they were praying and singing, as unconcerned as though the sea were quiet. He did not re- buke them for their indifference to their fate, as Peter did our Savior, but was impressed with their pious devotion and serene calmness, and he himself caught the inspiration of hope. He immediately returned to his post, and encouraged his crew, declaring that Almighty God would not suffer a ship to perish with such pious people on board. With this assurance, all
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worked together, the storm soon abated, the sea calmed, and the voyage was completed.
" This voyage was made on a large Flemish vessel, from Friesland, with a number of other passengers, and ended at Philadelphia in the autumn of 1719. Immediately upon reach- ing shore they scattered abroad, seeking homes for themselves and their families. Some remained at Philadelphia, some went to Germantown, the others to Skippack, Oley and Conestoga. Peter Becker settled near Germantown, on a twenty-acre farm, where he remained twenty-seven years. He had been the leader of the first company of emigrants, and was destined to lead them in other ways. He was a minister of the Gospel, but did not preach publicly for several years. No doubt he had plenty to do at home, in the new country, as he was by trade a weaver.
" The first three years of their existence in this country is entirely lost to the history of the church. Yet, no doubt, like some of the sand rivers of Kansas and Nebraska, the cur- rent continued to flow onward. Such a life of inactivity was very unsatisfactory to Brother Becker, especially, and, we are told, also to Brethren John Gomery, Balser Gantz and Henry Traut. Brother Becker was much enthused by an appren- tice whom he took into his employ, and into his family, as well. He was a recent refugee from Germany, by the name of Conrad Beissel. He was a religious enthusiast, although he did not belong to Becker's church at that time. They kept a continued religious conversation, day and night, interspersed with numerous seasons of worship. In the latter, the above- mentioned brethren, Gomery, Gantz and Traut, frequently joined them. Beissel greatly increased their religious en- thusiasm by relating his experiences in the persecutions in the Fatherland. He told them all about the sufferings of their brethren and friends across the deep waters, until their zeal had been wrought up to a high pitch.
" They held frequent meetings to devise some plan by which those of like precious faith in the community might be brought together for public worship and reconciliation. In this
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Beissel encouraged them, and recommended that Peter Becker should take one or two of the brethren with him, and make a house-to-house canvass of all the families who had been mem- bers of the church in Germany, and more especially of those residing within meeting distance of each other. They felt as- sured that if they could get the members together but for one single occasion, to mingle their voices in the worship of God in song and prayer, all differences would melt away as the fogs disperse before the rays of the sun.
"Finally the mission was agreed upon, and all the pre- paratory arrangements completed, and in the autumn of the year A. D. 1722 their long-prayed-for effort was put into execution. Peter Becker, John Gomery, and George Balser Gantz were commissioned to perform this visit of love in the interest of peace and union between brethren. This is recorded as having been the first home mission work performed in Amer- ica by any religious people. They traversed the regions of Skippack, Falcomer's Swamp, Oley and other places. They met the brethren and sisters at their homes, prayed and wor- shiped with them, and fully explained the nature and intent of their mission, extending on their part the olive branch of for- giveness and complete reconciliation unconditionally. Meet- ings for public worship were held in many places, attended with a general revival of brotherly affection. The mission- aries themselves were also greatly blessed, and determined to make an effort of the same nature in their own neighborhood. A time was agreed upon, and an appointment was made at the house of Peter Becker. This was the first public worship and preaching service they had held in that community, since their arrival in the New World. The following Sunday they met at Brother Gomery's. Services were continued, alternate- ly between the two places, until winter set in, when the services were discontinued on account of the want of suitable accom- modations to entertain the people.
"The next year, as soon as fair weather had settled, the work was again taken up with renewed vigor, and continued thenceforth, but the meetings were held at Becker's only, per-
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haps because he had the most convenient house for the pur- pose.
"In August of this same year quite a sensation was cre- ated in the neighborhood, by the report that Christian Leib had arrived from Germany. As it was known that he was an able minister, and had been persecuted, and had been com- pelled to serve as a galley slave for several years, it may well be imagined what an interest would be awakened by such a report. There was also quite an awakening among the breth- ren along the Schuylkill River about this time, where the Hermits of the Ridge had been holding meetings. The Schuyl- kill brethren, hearing of Brother Leib's coming, went to Phil- adelphia to meet him, but they were disappointed, as the report was false. The Germantown brethren then persuaded this committee of the brethren, who had been sent to meet Brother Leib, to tarry with them several days, and attend their services. They readily accepted the invitation, and appeared to greatly enjoy the meetings, as well as the associations of their breth- ren. The pleasure of association was mutual, but the visitors were especially entertained and edified by the reports of the persecution and trials of the churches and members in Ger- many, as related to them and read from letters received by the Germantown people. They must have been well pleased, for they repeated their visit a short time afterwards, and se- cured promise of ministerial service from Brother Becker and others, which was fulfilled the following month.
" These good men had come full of hope and expectation to meet their persecuted brother from the Fatherland, and to hear from his lips the tales of his sufferings, and to have him tell the sweet story of the cross in their mother tongue in the strange country whither they had strayed. In this they were disappointed, but they did find other brethren of like feelings, with whom they could tarry a while and worship. They could say with Joseph of old, 'The originator of the false report of the coming of Brother Leib meant it for ill to ward us, but the Lord has turned it into a blessing.' And how their hearts must have throbbed with emotion of pure
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gratitude as they joined in the worship at the family altar of Elder Peter Becker, and sang in familiar melody their own sweet song of thanksgiving :
"Grosz ist unsers Gottes Guete; Seine Treu taeglich net Ruehret mein Gemuethe; Sende Herr, den Geist von oben, Dasz jetz und, Herz und Mund, Deane Guete loben."
Translation :
" Great is the goodness of our God; His faithfulness dearly renewed Incites my admiration; Lord, send the Spirit from above,
That, now and ever, heart and tongue May sing Thy loving-kindness."
" While enjoying this unexpected feast of good things, they could all the better realize what it is to be children of one Father, and ' how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.'
" This first mission of love was greatly blessed, and sev- eral persons were brought under conviction and demanded to be baptized. But they felt themselves too unworthy to perform this solemn rite without being specially commissioned thereunto. It appears that the church in Europe had not been fully organized, or Brother Becker did not fully appreciate his privileges, or perhaps he was unnecessarily timid. We are also told that their late estrangements still haunted them, and insinuated that they had better first heal themselves, or remove the beams from their own eyes, before they would undertake to help others into a better life. While they re- garded themselves as constituting a branch of the church at Creyfelt, they felt the need of better organization, in order that they might exercise in all the ordinances of the house of the Lord. And this very serious dilemma was the occasion of completely unifying them and fully establishing them for their work. They took the matter into prayerful consideration, re- newed their own baptismal vows, and reiterated their forgive-
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ness of each other's faults and trespasses, and plighted their faith in God and their love for each other.
" Peter Becker was authorized to perform the service of baptism, he being the choice of the applicants. So, after all the preliminary services had been attended to, they resorted to the Wissahickon Creek, early in the morning of December 25, 1723, where the six converts referred to were baptized. Their names were Martin Urner and wife, Henry Landis and wife, Fredrick Long, and John Maylie. They were the first persons baptized by the Tunker Brethren in America.
" The same day, December 25, 1723, they organized them- selves into a congregation, and in the evening of the same day a love feast was held at the house of John Gomery. Twenty- three persons participated in the communion services. They were: Peter Becker, Henry Traut, Jeremiah Traut, Balser Traut, Henry Holtzapfel, John Gomery, Stephen Koch, Jacob Koch, John Hildebrand, Daniel Ritter, George Balser Gantz, John Preisz, Joseph Kaempfer, Magdalena Traut, Anna Gomery, Maria Hildebrand, and Joanna Gantz, and the six who had been baptized in the morning, making in all twenty- three persons, seventeen brethren and six sisters. Thus we have the first organization of the Tunker church, the first baptism administered, and the first communion celebrated in America, all on the same day, and that on the natal day of our Redeemer, in the seventeen hundred and twenty-third year of his own dispensation " (Holsinger, pages 123 to 128).
" Who can lift the veil and record this hour's holy serv- ice? What thoughts, what emotions, what religious experi- ences, what covenanted pledges, what rejoicings, moved lips and hearts and head! To God only is known the ecstasy of that communion. 'Ye know not now, but ye shall know here- after.' Blessed beginning of the church in America! May her latter days be like her first!
" The congregation was now organized. The Spirit of the Master was upon them. The next autumn the congre- gation decided to undertake a general visitation to all their brethren in the whole country. October 23, 1724, they started.
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Their first visit was to Brother John Jacob Preisz on the Indian Creek. Thence they traveled to Falckner's Swamp and held services at the house of a Brother Albertus, where a meeting was held with breaking of bread; so also at Oley, and then at the Schuylkill (Coventry). Here, on November 8, they also held a love feast, no doubt at the house of Martin Urner. At this place two persons were baptized. These two were Peter Heffley and Owen Longacre. Andrew Sell had been baptized at Germantown. There were thus nine members at Coventry.
" This was the end of their contemplated missionary tour. At Coventry, however, news was received that in the Cones- toga country were a number of awakened souls. The breth- ren decided to continue their journey to the Conestoga. The party divided for the night. Those who were afoot spent the night at John Graff's and the riders at Jacob Weber's. On the 10th they united at Rudolph Nagele's, who was at this time a Mennonite. From Nagele's they went to visit Conrad Beissel and Michael Wolfahrt, who at that time were living a solitary or hermit life. On the night of the 10th they lodged with Stephen Gallionde. The next day they pushed on to Henry Höhn's .. On the 12th a meeting was held at this man's house. Beissel was present. The revival spirit was powerfully man- ifested. The theme of the brethren was baptism, the hope of fallen man.
" At the close of the meeting five precious souls asked for baptism-Henry Höhn and wife, John Mayer and wife, and Joseph Shafer. They were baptized in the apostolic manner by Peter Becker in Pequa Creek. This ceremony was so im- pressive, that a sixth, Veronica, wife of Isaac Frederick, was also baptized. And now a strange event must be recorded ! Conrad Beissel saw all this. He knew it was his duty to be baptized. But he had such an exalted opinion of his own re- ligious experiences in his hermit life that he could not submit to baptism at the hands of Peter Becker, whom he regarded as inferior to himself in religious thought. In this perplexity he suddenly remembered that Jesus had submitted to John,
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' to fulfill all righteousness.' Consequently after Sister Fred- erick came up out of the water, 'Beissel came down from his spiritual pride, humbled himself before his friend, Peter Becker, and was by him baptized on the same day in apostolic- wise, under the water.'
" That evening a love feast was held at Brother Höhn's house. This was November 12, 1724. The following Sunday a meeting was held at Sigmund Landert's house, and Landert and his wife were baptized. This is the beginning of the church in Lancaster County. Since the distance was so great, the Germantown members advised these to select a preacher and form a separate congregation. Conrad Beissel was chosen. Then the kiss of peace was given and the brethren returned to Germantown.
" From 1722 to 1732 the meetings were held in the homes of the members-generally at Becker's, Gomery's, Gantz's, Traut's or Kalklesser's " (Brumbaugh, pp. 160 to 165).
" Quite a revival followed the organization for a year or more. Their services were so largely attended that they found it difficult to provide accommodations for all the people. The meetings were also full of interest, and followed with good results. Many of the young people, and especially their own children, were converted, which was very encouraging to parents, as well as to the ministers. Nor was the revival con- fined to this one neighborhood, but it spread over the entire colony. They also held frequent love feasts, which were something so much out of the regular order of religious services that they attracted much attention, and created deep interest and investigation of religious subjects and study of the Scriptures. All this research would invariably result favorably to the Tunker cause. It always does. In this case it was the occasion of numerous accessions to the congrega- tion organized, and of establishing others in the adjacent com- munities. And still more, the inspiration was sent abroad in numerous letters, and a special epistle was prepared in the name of the church in America to the church in Germany,
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giving a full account of the glorious work the Lord was per- forming among them following their reconciliation.
" After several years of activity, the interest abated in the country. Meanwhile the inspiration was working up among individual members in the mother church in Schwar- zenau " ( Holsinger, pp. 128, 129).
As stated in Chapter I, the persecutions of the brethren in Germany became so severe, that in the year 1729 a second party of them decided to emigrate to Pennsylvania, where they could worship God as they felt the Holy Scriptures taught. They landed at Philadelphia, after a rough voyage, lasting seventy-one days, on September 15, 1729. "The following persons were among the number: Alexander Mack and his three sons, John, Valentine and Alexander; Hans Gunde, Andrew Bony, John Naas, Antony Deardorff, Jacob More, Rudolph Harley, Johan Peter von Laushe, Jacob Bossert, Jacob, Henry, and Christopher Kalkgloesser, Johannes Kip- ping, Wilhelmus Knepper, Jacob and Matthias Schneider, John Pettikoffer, Hans and George Koch, Reinhart Hammer, with their wives and others.
" This increase in membership, and especially to their number of Alexander Mack and other founders of the church, wonderfully encouraged the church in America. This in- spiration became contagious, and resulted in the organization of several new congregations. Among them were: Oley, in 1732; Great Swamp, 1733; Amwell, New Jersey, 1733; Co- calico, 1735; White Oak, 1736; Little Conowago, 1738 and Biw Conowago, 1741 " ( Holsinger, p. 134).
" When Mack came in 1729, the number of members was so increased that it was difficult to find a house large enough for the meetings.
" In 1732 Christopher Saur, the printer, erected where No. 4653 Germantown Avenue now is, a commodious house, 60x60 feet.
" The second story of the house was constructed with partitions hinged to the joist, so that when necessity required they could be swung open and a large audience room was
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secured. Here the Brethren worshiped until 1760, when the second Christopher Saur was an elder of the church. His in- creasing family and increasing business demanded all the room in the house, and obliged the brethren to arrange for another place of meeting."
" Among the Brethren was one named John Pettikoffer. He is said to have been a poor man. Brother Peter Schilbert gave him a half acre of ground upon which to erect a house. Pettikoffer begged the money for the erection of a house on this ground, which was nearly two miles above what was then Germantown and about eight miles from Philadelphia. Be- cause of this begging, historians say the town was named Beggarstown. In 1739 Pettikoffer and his wife removed to Ephrata, where his wife died in 1748, and where he died September 11, 1769. It was a long time before Peter Schilbert could gain possession of the ground he had given to Pettikof- fer. But it finally was his, and by deed dated August 12, 1760, Peter Schilbert donated to Christopher Sower, Alex- ander Mack, Peter Leibert, and George Schreiber, the Petti- koffer house, and eighty rods of ground for a burial place, in trust for the German Baptist Brethren's Church of German- town forever.
"The house was remodeled, the partitions removed, and here the Brethren worshiped until 1770, when the increased membership required a larger house. At the rear of the Pettikoffer house a substantial stone meetinghouse was begun and completed in the same year, and was dedicated before July 1. For the erection of this house the members themselves gave the entire amount. The building is of stone and is still standing. It is about thirty-two feet square, with an attic in which were stored the requisites for the love feasts. This attic was reached by a stairway on the outside, long since re- moved. But the stone work still betrays the location of the large square door through which it was entered. About 1880 Sister Lehman and a few others had the meetinghouse re- modeled. The old attic was removed, the exterior plastered, and new appointments provided throughout. On May 16,
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1897, a fine addition to the meetinghouse was dedicated. This addition was the gift of Jacob Z. Davis, a direct descend- ant of Alexander Mack. The dedicatory exercises on this occasion were conducted by Elder George N. Falkenstein, who was at that time pastor, and the dedicatory sermon was preached by Dr. Martin Grove Brumbaugh, from Psalms 122: 1-9.
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