USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Church of the brethren of the Eastern district of Pennsylvania > Part 16
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Smouse left Amwell in shame, in the fall of this same year. At a special council January 5, 1884, Amos Haines
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was called to the ministry-J. Z. Gottwals and J. P. Hetric, elders present.
And still there were troubles. The District Meeting of 1884 was asked to send a committee to settle them. The committee appointed was C. Bucher, J. Z. Gottwals and Samuel Harley. Ten charges were presented to the com- mittee. Among them were the following: Some absenting themselves from public worship, validity of changing time of church meetings, validity of ordination of J. D. Hoppock, irregularity of the election of a brother to the ministry, the opening of the church to an expelled minister, and reporting his meeting in The Evangelist. The first and last were not commended; the others, not sustained. Other grievances the committee refused to consider, because they had already been before a committee from Annual Meeting. This com- mittee also decided that the Bethel branch was an organized church, and advised that a line be struck between it and the Amwell congregation. This committee rendered its deci- sion August 26, 1884.
Amos Haines was advanced April 26, 1885. June 13 of this same year, the missionary cause was brought before the church and received approval. The matter was referred to the ministers, J. D. Hoppock and Amos Haines. During the first year $28.12 were collected.
September 8, 1885, Elders Christian Bucher and Samuel Harley, by request, met with the church. This meeting was for the purpose of adjusting a general difficulty, which had its origin in the trial and resignation of Elder I. Poulson. The friends of Poulson, with few exceptions, absented them- selves from public worship, after having been repeatedly visited and admonished to attend. A motion to have Poul- son come back to Amwell and preach occasionally was lost. As it seemed impossible to accomplish anything, the matter was dropped with a recommendation from the elders that the members try to effect a reconciliation among themselves.
Brother Haines feeling it his duty to prosecute his studies relative to the ministry asked December 30, 1885, to be re- lieved of his duty as speaker. He was retained till April I next. March 13, 1886, the Amwell Church changed from
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SAND BROOK CHURCH.
double to single mode of feet-washing. At the same time it was decided to have Brother Haines exchange pulpits with Joel K. Reiner, of Philadelphia, once a month. The Am- well house was repaired in 1887 at a cost of $140.75.
On January 21, 1890, a committee sent by the District Meeting to ascertain wherein lay the cause of lack of har- mony in the Jersey Church met at Amwell. The committee was S. R. Zug, C. Bucher, and F. P. Cassel. Nothing seems to have been accomplished.
Juniata College takes up the Jersey Problem. August 10, 1892, Lambert M. Hyde, Clinton B. Wilson, and Henry Van Dolah were elected deacons. "Amidst a most excellent feeling of sympathy and Christian fellowship, the meeting closed with earnest prayer for the newly elected officers and for the congregation, by brethren John D. Hoppock and Amos H. Haines. May God own and bless the work." So writes Bro. W. J. Swigart, of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
September 10, 1892, the church certificate of F. F. Hol- sopple, a graduate of Juniata College, was presented, Brother Holsopple was a son-in-law of Elder James Quinter. On June 8, 1895, an election for a minister was held, and the choice fell on Ira C. Holsopple, brother of the pastor, who for a time had been residing in Jersey. He was in- stalled into the sacred office August 19, by Elder J. D. Hop- pock, Elder W. J. Swigart, and Amos Haines.
Brother Frank Holsopple having accepted a call to the pastorate of the church at Parkerford, Pa., it was decided September 7, 1895, to call Bro. William Howe to Amwell. He was received into the church December 7. Brother Holsopple had labored in a judicious manner to bring about proper fellowship between Amwell and Sand Brook; but he and Elder H. E. Light, who had charge at Sand Brook, failed to understand each other.
There was still considerable indebtedness on the parson- age, and June 13, 1896, a mortgage of $1,046.80 was placed on it. Brother Howe was very conscientious, strict in his living, and laid great emphasis on Bible study. He soon began to find more favor at Sand Brook than at Amwell. September 6, 1896, it was decided not to keep him another
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year. He was called by Sand Brook, which about this time had united with the Bethel congregation.
October 30, 1896, the Amwell Church decided to call in Bro. J. C. Reiff, as a prospective candidate to hold an extra meeting. Brother Reiff was from the Green Tree Church, was attending Juniata College, and while there was elected by the Huntingdon Church to the ministry. He was called to the Amwell pastorate December 19.
To show how Amwell stood in the customs of the brother- hood, a lady, in 1897, being very sick and realizing that her end was near at hand, and feeling a deep interest in our church and Sunday School work, desired to give to the church her organ, to be used in the Sunday School service. The gift was not accepted.
Brother Reiff, though small in stature, at once started to straighten things out in Jersey. In the spring of 1897, Elder Charles W. Moore was informed that because of alleged charges against him certain members of Amwell, prominently the Haines family, would not recognize him as a brother. Brother Moore followed the course outlined in Matt. 18, through the three stages. November 16, 1897, Elder C. G. Lint, of Meyersdale, Pa., presiding, after due notice had been given to all members to attend, this trouble was considered. No charges were brought against Brother Moore, though proper notice and opportunity were given. Brother Reiff submitted the following letter which was accepted by a vote of seventeen to eight. It was decided to have it printed for convenience in sending it out.
" LETTER. "SAND BROOK, New Jersey, " Nov. . .. . 1897.
" Dear
" In council on November 16th, the Amwell German Baptist Church finally decided, on condition of his future good conduct, henceforth to recognize Elder C. W. Moore as an elder in good standing, and with whom the church shall, on above condition, be in full fellowship, and not only with him, but also with every member of the body known as the Union Church of New Jersey, now under his care.
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"In order that we, the Amwell Church, may know of a surety upon whom we may, in the future, depend for sympathy, co-operation, and support in all the various workings of the church-to the extent only that they shall be in harmony with the spirit of the Gospel-we ask you to certify by letter, to L. M. Hyde, of Sand Brook, New Jersey, either your willingness or unwillingness, in the future, to be one among us-one in Christian fellowship, one who, by the grace of God, shall en- deavor to do all in your power to live and work harmoniously, peacefully, and Scripturally, for the glory of God and of Christ in the world.
" If we do not hear from you by letter or otherwise, before Jan. 1, 1898, we will take your silence to mean that you do not desire longer to be with us, and we will drop your name from the church register, to be replaced at any time thereafter, in regular order, at the joint pleasure of yourself and the Amwell Church.
"To be a member of the Amwell Church, from this time on, shall mean to try to live and act as though our past relations with the Sand Brook and Bethel churches had been only pleasant.
"The Amwell Church will welcome with open hearts and arms all present and past members, who shall be willing to remain or to come in the way herein indicated.
"This letter cannot nullify any matter other than the one considered at the council herein specified.
" A copy of this letter shall be sent to every active or inactive member now living, as they are known to the church.
"Only to promote His cause and His glory.
" The Amwell German Baptist Church. "L. M. HYDE, Clerk."
Thus were the long ostracised "Mooreites " vindicated. Those unwilling to accept Brother Moore as designated in the letter, sent to the Progressive pastor of Philadelphia to come up and organize them into a congregation. Thus the old church of Amwell lost about one half of her member- ship; among them her secretary, treasurer, and a trustee. But Amwell and Sand Brook began to walk together. It was unanimously decided, March 5, 1898, that the Amwell
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and Sand Brook worship at Amwell Sunday mornings and at Sand Brook Sunday evenings.
March 20, 1899, Brother Reiff resigned as pastor at Am- well, left New Jersey, and joined himself to the 'Dowey- ites " of Chicago. The Amwell Church now turned to the Annual Meeting Committee to Eastern Pennsylvania.
CHAPTER III.
BETHEL CHURCH.
The District Meeting Committee of 1884-C. Bucher, S. Harley, and J. Z. Gottwals-decided that Bethel was a sep- arate congregation from Amwell, and advised a line being struck between the two. Bethel had been first recognized by District Meeting as a separate organization in the spring of this year, with Robeson Hyde as her delegate.
In 1885 Israel Poulson returned to New Jersey and took up his abode within Bethel limits. It was soon suggested that Brother Poulson relieve Brother Hyde in preaching one half of the Sundays. The church refused to vote on this matter hastily. Herewith is given the action of a commit- tee which met with the Bethel Church in 1886.
The committee's report follows :
"We convened in council October 2, 1886, at the Bethel church, New Jersey, to labor with the church on the propriety of Brother Israel Poulson preaching there for them, according to the advice of the elders of our late District Meeting.
" Having heard all pro and con, we came to the conclusion that Brother Poulson should be a co-laborer with Brother Hop- pock and Brother Hyde, working together to build up the church, providing he lifts his membership at Upper Dublin and presents it to this church, helping to work and labor for union in all church affairs, attend council meetings, as it becometh a co-laborer ; and then the members promise to attend all meet- ings, no matter who holds them, if otherwise possible."
" WILLIAM HERTZLER ISAAC KULP.
"P. S .- By the consent of the church the elders present wrote the above proposition, which was almost unanimously accepted.
"I. K., Secretary."
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Brother Poulson secured his letter from the Upper Dublin Church, and it was accepted by Bethel. For some cause, however, Bethel seems to have lost interest in the District Meeting, for after this she did not send a delegate until 1892, when C. W. Moore represented her conjointly with Sand Brook. He continued to represent her each year, excepting 1893, till she united with the Sand Brook congregation. A very undesirable condition of affairs existed in the church about 1888. William Hertz- ler and Samuel Zug were present in council November 9 of this year. They came as a result of a petition to Dis- trict Mission Board for help. A special hour for private prayer " for a better state of things in the church" was decided upon for November 21. On this date Elders Sam- uel Zug and Frank Cassel met with the church, when the congregation decided that they were willing to labor for the upbuilding of the church and for the general order of the Brotherhood. The brethren felt themselves in shape to commune, and decided to do so. In the spring of 1891 A. S. Chamberlain, who had previously been clerk, was the means of a Progressive meeting in the neighborhood. A committee of Brethren was appointed to visit him and " kindly admonish him to do so no more." It was decided at the same time to get Brother C. W. Moore to preach every other Sunday if practicable for him to do so. Here we begin to see the coming together of the Bethel and Sand Brook churches. This tendency was furthered by a council held here April 26, 1892, with the Annual Meeting Com- mittee, when it was "Resolved that this church, though keeping its separate organization, is willing to work in union and harmony with the Sand Brook Church and the Brother- hood at large." Elder S. R. Zug, then of the Annual Meet- ing Committee, was prominent in the councils of the church at this time.
From 1893 to 1895 Elder H. E. Light looked after the work at Bethel. He worked up interest in missionary con- tributions. In 1894 C. W. Moore was chosen to represent Bethel at both District and Annual Meetings. No lovefeast was held at Bethel in the spring of 1895, out of deference to
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the one at Sand Brook. In the council of March 28, 1896, C. W. Moore was chairman. How Bethel now honors the man, when less than twenty years before she refused to recognize Bro. Daniel Good as a minister only because he was a companion to him!
We are not now surprised to read the following minute: "This is to certify that at the regular fall council, 1896, Bethel Church agreed to unite or consolidate with the Sand Brook Church, to be known as the Union Church, holding services, councils, and communions alternately between the two churches. Elder S. R. Zug being present and in the chair." During this time Bro. William Howe was preach- ing at Sand Brook.
According to the list 134 persons were received into the Bethel Church from its beginning till it united with the Sand Brook Church. Not counting officials there were 58 mem- bers at the time of their union. The two Poulsons preached here. Robeson Hyde looked after matters, though not or- dained, when councils were first held. Amos Chamberlain was clerk and Sunday School superintendent. He was suc- ceeded as clerk by J. T. Gary in 1880, and as Sunday School superintendent by Ephraim Gary in 1891. Other prominent names in the work here are H. H. Anderson, Servis Trim- mer, Sidney L. Bush, John Heller, Joseph Trimmer, Israel P. Trimmer, Lambart B. Hann, A. Gary, and Sisters Edith and Caroline Gary.
Sand Brook Recognized and Independent .- At a council, November 11, 1882, in the Sand Brook Church, the " report of the Annual Meeting" was read by Elder John P. Moore, which was satisfactory to all present; and it was urged by Elder John P. Moore that all work with the Annual Meeting and with the order of the Brethren.
From now on the Sand Brook Church kept in close touch with the District Meeting, never failing to send a delegate. C. W. Moore represented her every year till and after the union with Bethel. Sand Brook now begins to fall in line with all church activities. Elder H. E. Light looked after her interests in connection with those of Bethel. Solicitors for the Mission fund were appointed in the spring of 1894.
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Councils from 1894-1896 were held in the home of Israel Poulson. First delegate to Annual Meeting was sent in 1894. Jennie F. Green was appointed Messenger corre- spondent in March, 1896.
The Annual Meeting Committee to eastern Pennsylvania now advised the Sand Brook and Bethel churches to unite. The Sand Brook Church in special council May 5, 1896, agreed to this advice. Bethel accepted it later.
About the time of the union, an incident in connection with the work at Sand Brook took place which should not be overlooked. A young girl, a second Syrian maiden, attended services at Sand Brook. After the meeting she came to Brother Moore and inquired why he did not, inas- much as he was holding services in other school-houses, come to the one on the west side of Sergeantsville. Brother Moore was strongly drawn to hold a series of meetings in this school-house. Though dissuaded by many, he went ahead. As a result of his efforts eleven were added to the church. The influence of these meetings continued to work for a long time afterward.
During this period of sixteen years-from 1880 to 1896 -Sand Brook received into fellowship sixteen persons. Her membership at the time of union was thirty-one.
CHAPTER IV.
UNION CHURCH.
Both the Sand Brook and Bethel congregations met in council at the Sand Brook house September 19, 1896, and "unanimously agreed to be known and recognized as the Union Church of New Jersey." At this council there were present Elder S. R. Zug, member of the committee to east- ern Pennsylvania, Elder H. E. Light, member of the Dis- trict Mission Board, and Elder J. D. Hoppock, as adjoining elder.
The elders of eastern Pennsylvania, at District Meeting in 1896, appointed S. R. Zug and H. E. Light to effect, if possible, an ordination for the proposed Union Church of New Jersey. At the above mentioned council, it was unan- imously agreed to ordain C. W. Moore, which ordination was effected " according to the rules of the general Brother- hood." O. R. Fauss was elected clerk and John Q. Adams treasurer of the new organization. About this time Brother Wm. Howe was called in as pastor.
The new congregation called for the District Meeting of 1897. The call was honored. The District Meeting of 1897 was held at Sand Brook, May 12-13. In 1896 the plan of the Home for the Homeless was adopted. The love- feasts were to alternate between the two houses. Single mode of feet-washing adopted March 20, 1897.
Besides the officers there were at the time of union, Sep- tember, 1896, in the Bethel branch 58 members; and in the Sand Brook 31 members; there were also five officers, two ministers, and three deacons; making a total of 94 members. By July 1, 1899, twenty-one persons had been received into the Union Church, one disowned, making a membership of 114.
RECENT HISTORY.
In a letter dated September 24, 1913, Bro. M. B. Miller thus sums up the recent history of the Brethren in New Jersey.
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"In the nineties (last century) J. C. Reiff of Huntingdon, Pa., took charge of the work in Jersey. Reiff was a strong factor in driving off what are now the Progressives. He lives now in California, having a secular calling, and is connected with some holiness movement. He resigned as pastor of the Jersey churches, March 20, 1899.
"In council, the churches called Tobias Myers to preach for them indefinitely; and at this council, April 5, 1902, he was chosen to represent at District Meeting.
"July 26, 1902, the churches, through the General Mission Board, called Bro. Hiram Forney of Goshen, Ind., to the pas- torate. He did not take charge till November, 1902. In the fall of 1904, Brother Forney resigned and left the work.
"During the pastorate of Brother Forney, Elder Charles W. Moore died, June 16, 1903. Brother Moore was next to the last of the old Jersey preachers who had gone through those turbulent times of the Jersey church's history. He was the last of the Moores in the Sand Brook church. He was generally beloved, preached many funerals, and married many.
"Elder Robinson Hyde, who died in 1901, went with the Progressives, about the time the Progressives organized in Jersey, which was about the last of the nineties.
"Elder John D. Hoppock died in 1906. He was the last of the Jersey elders. He was of a genial disposition, of sterling integrity, and used good common sense and wisdom during those trying times through which the church went.
" Seth Myers took charge of the Jersey churches in the spring of 1905, and continued in his work till the fore part of 1907, when he left.
"During Brother Myers' stay, Henry T. Horne was elected to the ministry. He was a nephew of Elder Charles W. Moore. Brother Horne was a member of the Sand Brook church, but was elected by both churches in joint council. He was the only resident minister in Jersey after Myers left, till about July I, 1907, when Jacob F. Graybill took charge of the work. He stayed till August, 1909. Myers and Graybill were sent by the Mission Board of Eastern Pennsylvania.
" Monroe B. Miller came into the Jersey churches April I, 1910, as a volunteer minister in the second degree. Brethren Horne and Miller worked together side by side, with Elder James Shisler as elder in charge. This kept up till the division of the District of Eastern Pennsylvania, shortly after which
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Elder Shisler resigned. His resignation was accepted Sep- tember II, 19II.
" J. Kurtz Miller was then chosen elder in charge. November 5, 19II, H. T. Horne and M. B. Miller were ordained to the full ministry. May 25, 1912, at a special meeting, the Amwell and Sand Brook churches in joint council almost unanimously decided to unite, forming one congregation, the same to be called by the mother name-Amwell Church of New Jersey. Elder H. T. Horne was made resident elder in charge-J. Kurtz Miller retaining general oversight.
"March 29, 1913, in special council assembled, the Mission Board of S. E. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and E. New York proposed to the church that M. B. Miller take charge as pastor, and that he be supported conjointly by the Amwell church and the District Mission Board. The church accepted the proposal. This is our position today, with J. Kurtz Miller, President of the District Mission Board, as general overseer.
" By the grace of God we have a rather live Prayer-meeting and Ladies' Aid Society ; but our people take so little interest in Sunday School and preaching service. A new voice or some- thing entertaining brings people. Oh, for more power to reach the hearts of these lukewarm Christians!"
" The Brethren's Sunday School in New Jersey, near Croton, Hunterdon County, was organized in May, 1873, with Elder R. Hyde, superintendent, and at present (1876) shows an average attendance of about thirty scholars and ten visitors, making a total average of forty, besides teachers and officers. We take thirty copies of the " Children's Paper," and six of our scholars. have come into the fold within the present year.
"R. S. CHAMBERLAIN."1.
1 " Brethren's Almanac " of 1876.
CHAPTER V.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
A. JOHN NAAS.
John Naas was perhaps the ablest preacher of the early church of the Brethren. Libe and Martin might be placed in his class; Naas was born in 1669 or 1670, at Norten, a town of Westphalia, twelve miles north of Emden. "He was among the first fruits of the Brethren in Creyfelt, and on account of his disinterested piety and great natural en- dowments, he was soon called to the ministry, in which he manifested so much zeal that his fielld of labor at Creyfelt appeared too small for his ardent desire to extend the knowledge of the newly discovered truth. Hence he made several very successful tours through the adjoining prov- inces as a traveling missionary, in which he suffered many privations, and once narrowly escaped being pressed into the army of the King of Prussia."
Troubles with Christian Libe at Creyfelt caused him to desist from preaching for a number of years. He is re- ported, but erroneously, to have come to America with the second colony of Brethren in 1729. He arrived in 1733. See Brumbaugh's "History of the Brethren," pp. 108-124, for a lengthy letter which he wrote to his son in Switzer- land. He went almost immediately to Amwell, N. J., where he founded an active church, and which remains " his monu- ment " unto this day.
Abraham Cassel, from whom we quoted above, says fur- ther of him: "It is said by one of his contemporaries that knew him well, that he was unequalled as a preacher-being a German Whitefield or a Boanerges. Several of his hymns which are still in use by the Brethren also speak well of him as a poet or hymnologist. He is further represented as being very mild and charitable, almost to a fault, insomuch
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
that he occasionally differed with the Brethren in the admin- istration of judgment to offending members. He died ripe in years and full of faith, on the 12th of May, 1741; and is buried amidst many of his spiritual children in the Breth- ren's graveyard at Amwell." It should here be added that his remains do not repose in the Brethren graveyard near the Amwell meetinghouse.
He had two daughters and at least one son. One daughter was married to Bro. Wilhelmus Graw, in Creyfelt, who never came to America. The other was married to a Hannes Landis, who afterwards joined the Seventh Day Baptists and went to Ephrata. He was not long satisfied here, however, was again reconciled to the Brethren and became a member of the Conestoga congregation. The son remained in Switzerland at least for a time after the father came to America, to whom the father wrote the long and interesting letter concerning his voyage across the deep.
John Naas may also be regarded as the founder of the Great Swamp Church, in Upper Milford, Bucks Co., Pa., as he was the first to preach there and was present at the organization in 1735. During his short life in America, of eight years, from 1733 to 1741, he frequently appears in the work of the church. He was visited by George Adam Martin. In 1736 he accompanied some of the Germantown Brethren on a tour to Ephrata, where for a time he had a daughter living. His attitude toward this work is not so easy of explanation. The "Chronicon " says that he was greatly enamoured of the way of life of the Settlement. Again he is said to have opposed, with Peter Becker, Beis- sel's "awakening" in Germantown in 1738. He was also still living when Beissel was so hospitably received at Am- well, but does not figure in the visit. Some years later Beissel in his extravagant way refers to the Widow Naas in terms of great Christian love.
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