USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Church of the brethren of the Eastern district of Pennsylvania > Part 14
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"Upper Dublin Church was continued under the charge of H. E Light, Brother B. F. Kittinger being the resident min- ister ; meetings were held every Sunday. Of late also a Sunday School was organized. The meetings are still increasing in num- bers. Two councils and two lovefeasts were held during the year. Also one protracted meeting. Two were added to the church by baptism. The prospects for reviving the church is encouraging, and by proper and judicious training this church might again be revived to its former strength and spirituality." -D. M. Minutes, p. 121.
From 1895 to 1900 we find Elder S. R. Zug in the chair. The church had made an appeal to the General Mission Board of which Brother Zug was a member. It must have been a special satisfaction to him to look after the interests of this congregation for in the Upper Dublin Church he preached his first English sermon. This was November 25, 1867. It gives satisfaction to the writer to read in the minutes of the congregation during this time, August 27, 1898, " J. G. Francis read scripture." His paternal grand- father had preached in this house more than fifty years in a way that had caused some to marvel, and had not caused him to find favor in the eyes of some; and his materral grandfather had had the oversight of this congregation for a number of years, during the trying period when it was falling from its early strength to the time it began to look for a modern pastorate. Upper Dublin has a peculiarly warm place in the heart of the writer of these lines.
In 1900 we find Elder Jesse Ziegler in the chair, and in 1901 Elder A. L. Grater. January 25, 1902, the Annual Meeting Committee appointed Jesse Ziegler elder in charge and he continued until 1913, when he was succeeded by Elder M. C. Swigart, of Germantown.
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UPPER DUBLIN CHURCH.
The Pastorate.
Israel Poulson is called pastor in the minutes, but he was hardly what we would now designate a pastor. He came to Upper Dublin in 1881, and returned to New Jersey in 1885. Bro. Poulson seemed to do good work at Upper Dublin notwithstanding his reverses in New Jersey. He baptized eight persons during his sojourn.
The first pastor properly so-called was Bro. B. F. Kit- tinger. He was received by letter, April 15, 1894. While he was not an efficient organizer, he was a good singer and a good man, one beloved. He remained here a number of years, likely till 1906, when he moved to Germantown. He had an interesting family of children, some of whom joined the church here.
August 25, 1906, it was decided to call Bro. S. F. Myers as pastor at a salary of $300. He was retained year after year till 1911, when Bro. J. M. Booz, the present incum- bent, was called. Bro. Myers still lives in the congregation. An Endowment Fund of $200 toward the support of the pastor was created March 28, 1909.
The Membership.
We have not learned the names of the original members at Upper Dublin. There are a few families who have been towers of strength-Slingluffs, the Ellises, and the Reiffs, including Sister Brunner and Sister Kratz. Sister Kratz's husband though not a member was very liberal toward the church, supplying a parsonage free for a number of years. Of late years Bro. John S. Schreiber and wife have been pillars. When we enter the city of the dead we find among others the following names-Smith, Reiff, Gamble, Sling- luff, McCool, Jones, Sperry, Fry, Thomas, Spencer, Allen, Haycock, Collom, etc.
Up until 1875, one hundred and fifty persons had been members at Upper Dublin. From 1875 to 1900, twenty- eight were baptized and seven were received by letter, the largest ingathering being in the early part of 1880, when eleven were baptized by J. Z. Gottwals. Since 1900, twenty-
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three at least have been received by baptism and letter. Thus the total number of persons who have been within the fold at Upper Dublin are more than two hundred. Mem- bership at present twenty-six.
Church Auxiliaries.
The date of the organization of the Sunday School at Upper Dublin has not been exactly ascertained, but there was a Sunday School here in the days of Poulson. Perhaps Harry Walton was superintendent at that time. Other superintendents since have been Bros. Roman, Kittinger, Schreiber, Myers and Booz. A Sunday School library was authorized, January 25, 1902. The present enrollment is seventy-five. In the Home Department there are about twenty, and about a dozen on the Cradle Roll. The second teacher training class has graduated. The class of last year numbered six. Sister Amanda Kratz is the teacher.
Prayer-meeting is now held every two weeks in the church on Wednesday evening. This is now the first time that a prayer-meeting has been authorized.
It was decided, February 25, 1911, to make an effort to organize a Sisters' Aid Society. Sister Anna Brunner was the instigator of the movement. The society was organized August 26, 1911, with the following officers : President, Sis- ter Brunner; Vice-President, Sister W. H. Brooks; Secre- tary, Sister Shoemaker; Assistant Secretary, Mrs. Gamble; Treasurer, Sister Schreiber. There are twenty-six mem- bers in the Aid Society, but not all are members of the church.
A Missionary Committee was appointed August 31, 1912. An Auditing Committee was authorized in February, 1909.
The Report of the Annual Meeting Committee will likely be of interest. It was submitted a few years ago, perhaps in 1904.
"We, the Committee sent by Annual Meeting, submit to the Upper Dublin congregation the following Report :
" Ist. That all the members of the Official Board work in harmony with the decision of General Conference as to the
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UPPER DUBLIN CHURCH.
order of dress and self-denial and to use every endeavor to mould sentiment in favor of Conference decision and non-con- formity and to fully instruct applicants for membership in the above.
"2d. We further decide to appoint five or more brethren and sisters to supplement the work of the Official Board to work for the order privately and from house to house.
"Committee John S. Schreiber, Helen Scheiber, Anna M. Brunner, Richard Royan, Harvey Godshall.
" Signed: L. T. HOLSINGER, P. S. MILLER, D. HAYS."
Some important Resolutions were adopted at a Meeting of the Committee in Norristown, September 22, 1900. We give them at this place.
" (1) Resolved that lines to be established shall not disturb the present church relationship, in present families of respective churches, nor their children who wish to connect themselves with the church.
" (2) Recommended that the Stony Creek R. R. be the line between Mingo and Upper Dublin.
" (3) Recommended that the line between Upper Dublin and Germantown be the Philadelphia city limits.
" (4) It was moved, seconded and passed that we recommend that Norristown be organized into a separate congregation and to include the borough of Norristown.
" (5) Likewise that Royersford mission be organized into a separate congregation, limits Royersford and Spring City."
The Upper Dublin Church was presented, August 31, 1912, with a beautiful communion pitcher by Bro. and Sister Ellis and family of Norristown, in memory of their de- parted daughter, Anna Myrtle.
Some improvements have been made to the church prop- erty. There has been a general renovation of the church inside and out with the coming of new life. A porch has been built at the front door. Tables were procured for the backs of the benches for love-feasts, in 1894. A heater was authorized placed in the church, August 13, 1901.
There is considerable sentiment in favor of locating the 12
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THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.
house of worship in the town of Ambler. The present house is a mile or more out in the country with scarcely any members living in the neighborhood. There was agitation in 1912 favorable to buying the Methodist Church in Am- bler, but it was finally decided not to buy ; but this does not mean that sentiment favorable to locating in town has in any measure diminished. With a church such as we have been considering, located in a favorable place in Ambler, with her present able, cultured young pastor, the Brethren of the Upper Dublin congregation have a bright outlook, and we expect them to achieve grand success for the Master in their allotted sphere.
Overseers of this Congregation :
I. John W. Price, 1840.
2. John H. Umstad.
3. Jacob Reiner.
4. John U. Slingluff.
5. Israel Poulson, 1881-1885.
6. Jacob Z. Gottwals, 1886-1888.
7. Jacob Connor, 1889-1891.
8. George Bucher, 1891-1893.
9. H. E. Light, 1893-1895.
IO. S. R. Zug, 1895-1900.
II. Jesse Ziegler, 1900-190I.
12. A. L. Grater, 1901-1902.
13. Jesse Ziegler, 1902-1913.
14. M. C. Swigart, 1913 -.
PART III.
THE CHURCH IN, NEW JERSEY
INTRODUCTION.
The history of the Church of the Brethren in New Jersey begins with 1733. In the fall of this year John Naas with four other heads of families, viz., Anthony Dierdorf, Jacob More, Rudolph Harley, and John Peter Laushe, crossed the Delaware River into what is now Hunterdon County, and settled at Amwell, thirty-eight miles northeast of Philadel- phia. The heartless bigotry of Christian Libe at Creyfelt, Germany, had for a time made John Naas inactive in the Gospel ministry ; but Alexander Mack had gotten him into working trim again before going to Jersey. The mission- ary zeal which had characterized him in Germany again took hold of him at Amwell. Says Abraham Cassel : "Dur- ing his life time this church was the spiritual birthplace of more Brethren than perhaps any other in the Union."
The growing work there demanded more preachers. We find John Bechleshammer a seasoned preacher already in 1738, or only five years after the Brethren went to Jersey. He likely was elected a year or two after that event. George Klein was baptized at Amwell in 1739. He was there elected as an assistant in the ministry, perhaps shortly after
the death of John Naas, who died in 1741. Klein moved to Northkill in Berks Co., Pa., in 1750, to look after the little flock at that place. Likely shortly after this date Gideon Rouser was called to help in preaching, for Morgan Edwards informs us that Elder Bechleshammer had one Gideon Rouser for his assistant. In 1790 Edwards gives us to understand that up to that date no elder had been ordained in Jersey to take Bechleshammer's place. In 1790
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THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.
the Amwell preachers, not elders, were William Housel and Abraham Laushe.
So up to 1790, so far as we can learn, the ministers in Jersey were : John Naas, born in 1669 or 1670; died May 12, 1741; elected to ministry at Creyfelt, Germany. John Bechleshammer, elected between 1733 and 1738. George Klein, born October 9, 1715; baptized in 1739; ordained at Northkill in 1757. Gideon Rouser .-. William Housel, born in Newwitt, Germany, 1728. Abraham Laushe, born at Creyfelt, Germany, in 1732.
There is in the "Chronicon Ephratense " a narrative of great interest in connection with the colonial life of the Jer- sey church. We give it herewith.
"In Dec., 1738, Beissel with many of the solitary made a considerable visit to the Baptists at Amwell, in Jersey. These people, from the time of their first awakening, had a great love for the work of the Lord in the Settlement; whereupon this visit opened the door for the breaking of bread together, which otherwise, because they were united with a congregation of Baptists in Germantown, would not have been looked upon with approval. When the Superintendent returned home, he called together a church council, and announced with what love they had been received in those regions by the children of God. At the same time, he announced how concerned he was for those poor people, and that they would have to be helped out with a Brother from Ephrata.
" These good people in Amwell specially availed themselves of this open Philadelphian church door, and made many a visit of more than a hundred Eng. miles to the Settlement, and built themselves up in the unity of the Spirit on the death of Jesus Christ. Thereby the Superintendent was induced to undertake another visit, on which he was accompanied only by Solitary Brethren. As many of the Baptists there stood in judgment against the work of God in the Settlement, some feared that the two parties might get into each other's wool, whereby the gen- eral edification might be hindered. Yea, some sought to bring the visitors to the then Baptist teacher, Bechtelsheimer (Bech- leshammer) by name, in hope that then matters might occur over which they might gloat; but they were disappointed in this hope. The Superintendent, who bore in his heart the seal of the redemption of the whole world, started on his visit, and
THE CHURCH IN NEW JERSEY-INTRODUCTION. 165
was received with all affection by the teacher referred to and his helpmate. They sat down with him and listened to him for more than an hour, during which there flowed from him in a flood all that the Spirit gave him. And as everybody thought the visitors might now be dismissed in peace, these good people first showed forth their particular love by treating them to a rich collation. . .. So likewise the whole organization helped the visitors across the water again at its own expense. This is mentioned here with the intent that, if any of these dear people should still be living and should read this, they may know that their faithfulness shown towards the work of God has been held in hallowed remembrance.
" Meantime some among them longed that there might be established among them a household, such as they had seen at the Settlement, for they had well-brought-up young people, and hoped that something useful might be accomplished among them. It would indeed have been easy to introduce the form among them, but to fill this effigy with the Spirit was not a human work. At that time there was among the Brethren at the Settlement one by the name of Elimelech, one of the Ecker- lins, whom the stars had formed for a priest and redeemer of the bodily life, so that while other Brethren spent their time in hard labor, he sought his own pastures and imposed his priest- hood upon people.
" Beissel ordained Elimelech to be teacher at Amwell, and publicly consecrated him with the laying on of hands. From this the latter thought he would be the successor of the former, as he was now his ' right hand.' On his departure Beissel wrote him a letter which contained the following admonition: 'Con- tinue steadfast in prayer and with watchfulness of spirit for the flock of Christ, that thou mayest rightly divide the Word of Truth which hath been sown in you.'
" This letter he took with him to Amwell, where he showed it to everyone as his credentials which he had received from the Superintendent. His people indeed sought to sustain him in his office, but when they noticed it was an imitated affair and not inborn, they lost courage, so that when he wanted to institute midnight meetings, like those in the Settlement, and invited their daughters to the same, they feared that offenses might arise, and dismissed him; whereupon he returned to the Settlement again in disgrace. Thereupon several families in Amwell left, and removed to the Settlement, namely, Dietrich Fahnstick,
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Conrad Boldhauser, John Mohr, Bernard Gitter, etc., which added several Solitary ones to the Sister's House, though none of them remained steadfast save one, Armella by name, who ended her course among them."-" Chronicon," pp. 122-125.
In 1790 the Brethren in Jersey were yet so German that Morgan Edwards had difficulty in conversing with them. He tells us a little about their manner of worship. The communion " was administered at no set time; but as often as a brother finds himself disposed to give the feast of char- ity, then the church is invited to meet at his house ( for they have no meeting-house) and when feetwashing is over, and the right hand of fellowship and kiss of charity given, the Lord's Supper is administered, with the usual elements and singing of hymns." While there are things that Edwards evidently did not understand, yet from the above it can be gathered that the kiss between feetwashing and the com- munion is as old as 1790 at least.
The early Jersey church was very active in missionary work. Already in 1733, John Naas crossed over to Great Swamp, Upper Milford, in Bucks Co., Pa., preached to inquiring souls there, baptized six, thus laying the founda- tion for the church which was organized two years later, and which became a strong Colonial congregation. The interest taken by the Jersey Brethren in the work in Penn- sylvania is shown by George Klein moving to Northkill, Berks Co., in 1750, to look after the flock there. Although Elder Michael Pfautz had administered the Lord's Supper to a few members in Northkill in 1748, yet George Klein is really the founder of the congregation. Klein went out from Northkill into the Little Swatara region, baptized a number, and organized the Little Swatara Church in 1757. So Northkill (now Maiden Creek) may be regarded as a child of Amwell; and Little Swatara as either her child or grandchild, whichever you please.
P. H. Beaver, of Montandon, Pa., in the " Almanac " of 1872, p. 16, says : "Our great-grandfather, Wendel Becker, now Baker, immigrated from Palz, Germany, in the year 1749, to America, and anterior to the Revolutionary War, removed to Buffalo Valley, from the church at Amwell, in
THE CHURCH IN NEW JERSEY-INTRODUCTION. 167
New Jersey. ... He was, therefore, the first, and for a time, the only member of the Brethren in Buffalo Valley." So here is another child of Amwell. Time fails us to tell of more. There are indications that the Jersey church thinks that she has brought forth so many worthy children that she is now old enough to lie down and die.
CHAPTER I.
AMWELL CHURCH.
When Morgan Edwards visited the Brethren in New Jersey in 1790, there were twenty-eight families of mem- bers with a total baptized membership of forty-six. His "syllabus" of the church there, February 2, 1790, is as follows :
Churches of Tunkers in Jersey I
Members
46
Families
28
Souls (allowing five to a family)
140
Ministers, ordained
0
Ministers, licentiate
2
The two unordained ministers of Amwell in 1790 were William Housel and Abraham Laushe, the latter being a son- in-law of Elder John Bechleshammer, the second and last elder of the church prior to 1790. Bro. Abraham Cassel states in a letter that both of these ministers were ordained : what his proof is I do not know.
In 1790 the German language was still spoken among the Brethren, or at least among the descendants of Bechlesham- mer, for they could neither speak nor understand English. A great change, however, in the matter of language took place in the next two decades. In 1811 Israel Poulson gave land for a meeting-house. It is likely that at this date already he was elder of the church, for he acted in that capacity for a long, long time. He was unable to speak German, and, being possessed of great influence, he likely swung the church into the use of the English language. By the time of his death, the German had vanished from among the Brethren of Jersey.
A secular historian of New Jersey states that a church house was supposed to have been built about a mile north- east of Headquarters, Delaware Township, as early as 1750.
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AMWELL CHURCH, N. J.
OLD AMWELL CEMETERY, N. J.
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AMWELL CHURCH.
This is likely a mistake, as Morgan Edwards states in 1790 that the Brethren in Jersey had no meeting-house, the meet- ings evidently being held in the private houses. By 18II the Brethren had decided to build a meeting-house. In this year, May 27, as before stated, Israel Poulson, Sr., trans- ferred to the trustees of the Brethren, Gideon Moore, Sam- uel Faus and Henry Laushe, a tract of land in Amwell township 21/40 of an acre, for the purpose of building thereon a meeting-house. So the first meeting-house of the Brethren in New Jersey, a frame one, was built in 18II, on the same ground on which the present house stands.
April 13, 1839, the church " agreed to take a lot of Gid- eon Moore for a burying-place." This lot, the present cemetery, is a short distance south of the church. The old, original burial place of the first Brethren in Jersey is at some distance from the present church. The Amwell Church, the present one also frame, was rebuilt in 1856, at a cost of $1,600. The church property in 1880 was valued at $3,500. June 16, 1893, a committee of nine was appointed to procure a parsonage for the Amwell Church. October IO of the same year it was decided to build a parsonage, and the committee of nine was constituted a building com- mittee. The parsonage in Sergeantsville was the result. J. R. Laushe, Isaac Haines, and Henry Van Dolah were elected trustees, October 31, 1893, who were forthwith in- structed to take upon themselves a name of incorporation.
Up until 1849 there was but one congregation of Brethren in New Jersey-the Amwell Church. We have stated that Wm. Housel and Abraham Laushe were the ministers in 1790, and that Israel Poulson, Sr., likely was already before 18II. Bro. Abr. Cassel states that numerous of Abr. Laushe's descendants were in the ministry. In 1835 the Amwell Church began to keep a record of her church coun- cils. We quote :
" At a meeting of the German Baptist Church which is in Amwell township, N. J., held on the IIth of August, 1835, at their meeting-house, for the purpose of transacting business relative to the peace and good order of said church, it was
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resolved that there be a record made and kept of all important business transacted relative to said church affairs.
" Israel Poulson, Elder, Gideon Moore,
Jacob Waggoner, S Deacons, Abraham Laushe, Clerk."
In the days of Israel Poulson it was the custom to call all ministers elders. If there were more ministers in the Am- well Church in 1835 than Israel Poulson, this church paper, an important one, does not show it. In 1790 a definite dis- crimination is made in the degrees of the ministry; when Israel Poulson died in 1856 no such discrimination existed. From this we may form an opinion of his housekeeping. It is thought that Henry Laushe was a minister before Israel Poulson : his son Isaac Laushe certainly was. The son Isaac was unsteady in his walk. He moved to Syracuse, Ohio, where he was killed in a sleigh by being struck by a railroad engine.
Then following, on October 10, 1835, Edmund Dalrymple was elected as an "additional elder." The duties of the office as stated by the minutes of the council of that date were "administering church ordinances, baptism, marriage ceremony, etc." Dalrymple was not much of a preacher, but a good man and eloquent in prayer. He died August 31, 1847. His death paved the way for division in the Am- well Church. John P. Moore had been elected a deacon in 1840 in place of his father, Gideon Moore, deceased. John was elected an "elder," April 13, 1844. When Dalrymple died in 1847, it was stated that an election would be held for some one to take his place. Israel Poulson, Jr., was elected "elder " April 8, 1848. Inasmuch as he was elected to take the place of Dalrymple his seat was above John P. Moore. This gives us another glimpse into the housekeeping of the older Poulson. Here lay the cause of the division which took place the next year.
But let us look for a moment at the other recorded events of note before 1849. We have seen the officials of the church in 1835: Israel Poulson, elder; Gideon Moore and Jacob Waggoner, deacons; and Abraham Laushe, clerk. It
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AMWELL CHURCH.
was resolved apparently at this same meeting "That Gideon Moore, Henry Laushe, and Asa Moore be the trustees." As we have seen, in 1839 it was agreed to take a lot of Gideon Moore for a "burying place "; and it was agreed at the fall council of the same year that Israel Poulson build a stone wall around it. Agreeable to the majority, Henry Laushe was appointed clerk, April 13, 1839. The election of John P. Moore to the deaconship and later to the ministry we have noted. April II, 1845, Cyrus Van Dolah was ap- pointed clerk. And April 8, 1848, comes the election of Israel Poulson, Jr., as an elder in place of Dalrymple, de- ceased. Then follows this minute :
"October 10, 1848. Our elder, John P. Moore, having brought confusion into the church and being a disorderly member and not willing to yield to the requirements of the church, they have thought proper to disown him as a member and to have no church fellowship with him." We need not pass judgment on this action, for we have the judgment of an Annual Meeting Committee more than thirty years later.
April 7, 1849, William Waggoner was elected an "elder " and Enoch Hoffman a deacon. Waggoner likely took the place of Moore, deposed. At the same council "there was a piece of writing brought before the church, and was read by Henry Laushe, containing the following :
"'We, the undersigned, as men and women that feel our- selves accountable before our Heavenly Father, after serious consideration in relation to matters and things concerning the Church in New Jersey to which we once belonged, feel that under the present state of things we cannot feel reconciled at this time, therefore we wish our names taken off until such times as reconciliation can be made. We conclude that you are aware of the reasons.
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