USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Church of the brethren of the Eastern district of Pennsylvania > Part 23
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Now I return to our yearly meeting, at which the Euro- pean ban-branch continually became a topic of conversation, so that you always had to contend with these quarrels, until A. D. (Abraham Duboy) and M. F. (Michael Frantz) at last died. Then other and thinner branches came forth, with which it was still more difficult to deal, until at last they put me out. Then I thought the affair would end, but only commenced in earnest; for as quiet as ever I kept they let me have no peace. I was heartily tired of their affairs.
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Some, however, still adhered to me and could not leave me. They also were suspected and were avoided on my account, for whoever would not ban me himself had to be banned.
Now I became puzzled, for the wild European ban- branches threw such a shade, mist, darkness and gloom over the eyes of my mind that I could not see the light of the sun in the Gospel. I still lay buried under the hellish ban-doc- trine, and my conflict was very great, for I was even afraid to doubt the ban-doctrine. In Germany I should willingly have entered the highest classes of the high schools, but here I had to attend high school against my will, had to learn the language of Canaan, and to begin with A. This, indeed, appeared very strange to me, because nearly everybody who knew me considered me a great doctor of Holy Writ. . . .
(For additional information concerning the life of George Adam Martin, see "The Churches in Southern Pennsyl- vania," Chapter 9, Part I.)
B. JOHN UMSTAD.
John Horning Umstad, the founder of the Green Tree Church, was born in Philadelphia, January 1, 1802; and died April 26, 1873. When nine years old, his father moved to the Umstad farm. In 1829 he was married to Ann, daugh- ter of Daniel and Frances Brower. Daniel Brower's farm joined the Umstad farm on the east. Daniel was a Men- nonite and in the meadow of his farm the Brethren first preached in the neighborhood, perhaps before John Umstad was born. John H. and Ann Umstad had born to them four children, one son, who died in infancy, and three daughters. One daughter, Sarah, the only child to join the Brethren, died unmarried during the life of her parents. Catharine B. married Louis Detrich, who moved to Balti- more; and Frances B. married Milton I. Davis, who became the owner of the Umstad homestead.
John Umstad in his early days possessed a vivacity bor- dering on wildness. His spirit is manifested by different incidents told of him. His father owned another farm beyond the Perkiomen Creek. The barn was old and did not appeal at all favorably to John, One day it took fire
19
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and was well up in flames when John arrived on horseback. Putting the spurs to his horse he galloped at high speed round and round the barn, swinging his cap in the air and shouting : "Now, we'll have a new barn; now, we'll have a new barn!"
Young ladies were frequently in summer among the Philadelphia boarders on the Umstad farm. They were everywhere, to the extent of being a nuisance; and John likely loved fun for its own sake. There is a large island in the Schuylkill belonging to the farm, reached by a ford, some places upwards of four feet deep. The girls must go along across in the cart. In midstream John slipped out the keystaff. Our young ladies got to the rear of the cart. The picture that followed we leave to your imagination.
He was even inclined to get fun out of his sister Isabella's piety. But the Spirit of God got hold even of him, and made of him a new creature. But we are told that with him, like the rest of us, the old man with his deeds was not all put off at once. He was converted in 1831. This occurred at Coventry. He went there while in a troubled state. In speaking to the elder, "Pappy John Price," as he was called, he was invited to go along home. With characteristic openness, Bro. Umstad replied, "That is just what I expected to do." Soon after his conversion he laid aside his fashionable attire and conformed to the attire com- mon among the Brethren, so says his biographer in a history of Montgomery County, Pa. But there is reason to believe that he became especially strict along this line only after 1860.
He along with Isaac Price was elected to the ministry about 1834; and entered with his accustomed zest into the work. Isaac was inclined in preaching to give the Spirit time to move him. On one occasion, Isaac was not imme- diately moved, or perhaps he was overcome by feeling, at any rate he stood waiting. Bro. Umstad broke in: " Bro. Isaac if thee hasn't anything to say, thee had better sit down!" Whereupon Bro. Umstad got up and began to preach. After he became a member of the church, he al-
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ways used the Friends' language: no doubt he had been accustomed to it in his childhood days in Philadelphia.
He was a great man for prayer. Often when away from home, he would arise early on Sunday morning, and, like the Savior, withdraw from men, perhaps into the woods, and pray alone to his Father in secret. A tenant farmer tells that frequently in the barn or elsewhere he would find him in prayer. One night this man was awakened from his slumber by a noise outside. On going to his window he beheld under the large buttonwood tree below the house, Bro. Umstad on his knees. An amusing incident is told. Once while visiting with an earnest Brother, the latter be- gan praying aloud in his sleep. "Brother, pray!" he ex- claimed. Whereupon Bro. Umstad got out of bed, down on his knees, and began to supplicate a throne of grace.
As a preacher, Bro. Quinter says of him: "Brother Um- stad's labors in winning souls were very successful. He labored not only in the public ministry, but also much in private. He was instant in season and out of season. The cheerfulness of his Christianity, added to his natural vivac- ity, made him an agreeable companion, and when in private with his friends he seldom failed to use the opportunity of recommending Christ to them, which was often done suc- cessfully. ... In his public preaching he was warm and pointed, and his direct appeals to sinners was often very strong."
On meeting strangers his constant question was, "Do you love Jesus?" A certain unconverted man once said, "I hate to meet that man, for he always says : 'Well, Bub, do you love Jesus?'"
He was both a home missionary and a foreign missionary. He was instrumental in starting several mission points near home. He opened the work in Norristown, did the first aggressive work in the Mingo region. But in those days of the horse and wagon, he did work that may well be called foreign. We find him as far west as Iowa. While at times he went alone, he frequently followed the Gospel method of going two by two. Perhaps his chief traveling
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companion was D. P. Saylor. We give D. P. Saylor's account of one of these trips.
" MD., Nov. 14, 1855.
" Dear Brother,-By these I inform thee of our health and happiness ; and also (of) a visit of love Br. U. and myself have performed among the Brethren in Virginia and Maryland. We left my place on the morning of the 5th of September, and re- turned on the evening of the 17th of October, being out six weeks and one day. During this time we attended twelve love- feasts, ten in Virginia and two in Maryland, besides many other meetings, (perhaps forty) and traveled nearly 800 miles.
"The next day after our return, being the 18th of October, our lovefeast at Beaver Dam came off, and on the 20th at Meadow Branch in the Pipe Creek Church, which made the number fourteen for Br. Umstad.
" The Lord has remembered Zion, and the refreshing from His presence has been manifested. From a few of the churches we have heard since my return home, stating the number they have baptized since, and when I this evening added the number together, I find them to be fifty, nearly all young people. From one church, it is written, that the Lord's day after we had left, they had baptized 18, and among them only one married man ; the rest were all young people .- II young women and 6 young men. The Brethren rejoice greatly ; so do I, and no doubt the angels in heaven participate in that joy. . ..
"D. P. S."
John Umstad was away from home so much that he al- most became a stranger to his family. Once on leaving home he said to his wife of his sickly daughter: "If Sarah dies bury her." He was comfortably fixed in things tem- poral, so that hard work was not imperative upon him. His farm was generally turned over to a tenant. He believed in a free Gospel, and so always paid his own traveling expenses. While at home he was always busy. He spent much of his time at home reading. He was a great reader. He was very hospitable, had many visitors. He was fond of fishing, having built a fish pond in his meadow. His father had built a dam in the Schuylkill River, across to the island, at which he had erected a carding mill, and later a grist and saw mill. The story is told that on one occasion
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Bro. Umstad had an engagement to preach, but thought that he would have time to go fishing awhile in the morning before services. He became so absorbed that he forgot all about the preaching. Suddenly the thought of his ap- pointment struck him. On entering the church, he found a waiting congregation. Without ado he entered the pulpit and announced his text : "I go a fishing." John 21 : 3.
His style as a writer and likely as a speaker may be gath- ered from the following lines from his pen, on the death of little David Harshberger of Snake Spring Valley, Bedford Co., Pa.
" Yes, that little David is no more; he who seemed to be so lively, and so happy, and so merry, and so pleasing, is no more. Although he ran about his father's house as if all was his, and made for him, and the new mill, and father and mother, and grandmother, all, all seemed to him as his, him to serve, and him to obey. But he is gone to rest. He slept some ten minutes only in the great cold spring and never waked. The mother busy about her domestic duties could not long brook the absence of her darling boy, sends sis to seek him, but O that horrible scream! With a mother's quickened pace she hasted, drew him from his cold, cold bed, clasped him to her more than frozen heart, but oh, the spirit's gone, her little boy does not answer, and the angels shout a new arrival among their heavenly throng."-Gospel Visitor of September, 1859, p. 288 ...
He was very liberal to the poor. On one occasion a poor- woman came to his home begging. He gave her five dollars whereupon she went to the house. His wife then came to him and asked what she should give. Not saying anything about what he had done, he replied : " Mother, just give her what you think is right." He carried out to the letter the Savior's command that when one makes a feast he should not invite his rich friends but the poor who could not recom- pense him again. On a certain Thanksgiving Day, he in- vited all the poor of the neighborhood to his festive board. He became so liberal that interference was deemed neces- sary. Unprincipled people would take advantage of his goodness of heart by borrowing money and never repaying. One such once told him that he would never pay till he was
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sued. "Very well," replied Bro. Umstad, "then you will never pay." The man was afterward converted and paid the money.
He always had family worship. While still young in Christian experience, he found it necessary to build a new barn. The workmen boarded with him. So many strang- ers in the home made the cross of family worship too severe; so the first morning passed away without the family assem- bling about the home altar. Bro. Umstad was conscience- smitten. Next morning he called the men together and thus addressed them : " I have been accustomed to having family worship, but thought I would pass it by while you men were here. I am convinced that I was wrong, so we will have our worship." His family worship led to the conversion of at least two of the workmen.
While he was very popular in the Brotherhood, he was never appointed on a committee to look after church gov- ernment. On one occasion a query came up to the District Meeting from the Green Tree Church, asking what should be done with sisters who insisted on dressing after the worldly fashions. Isaac Price was puzzled. "From the Green Tree Church?" He knew of no such question be- fore a Green Tree council. All eyes were turned to John Umstad for an explanation. He sprang to his feet and pointing his finger at the fashionably attired ladies in the rear, exclaimed: "If those ladies had to dress in those clothes for Jesus' sake, they would not do it!"
But he was used on some very important committees. He was a member of the committee that brought about the re- entrance of the Far West Brethren into the Brotherhood. He was member of a committee to revise the hymnal, though the work finally devolved on James Quinter. He was also a member of the committee of 1859 that advised District Meetings as a method of efficient evangelism.
"His health began to decline a few years before his death, and the winter preceding his departure he did not preach any, being so advised by his physician. As he lived close to the meeting-house, however, he occasionally met with the church and delivered a short exhortation. He preached
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his last sermon to the people of his charge, to whom he had so long ministered, April 13, 1873, and left home on the fifteenth to visit his daughter and her family at Baltimore, where he arrived on the sixteenth but little the worse for his journey. On the following Sunday night, the twentieth, he was taken with severe pains and paralysis of the lower parts of the body. The disease ran rapidly to a crisis, and he expired on the twenty-seventh, just a week after the attack. He died at the residence of his son-in-law, Louis Detrich, in that city, in the seventy-second year of his age, and after about forty years' devoted service in the ministry.
" His remains were conveyed to his home, and on Thurs- day, May I, he was interred in the cemetery of the church he had helped to found so many years before. At his fu- neral there were in attendance nearly twenty ministers, and an immense throng of sympathizing friends and neighbors." The funeral sermon was preached by Elder Jacob Reiner, it having been agreed between them that the surviving one should preach the other's funeral.
PART V.
INDIAN CREEK GROUP.
CHAPTER I.
" GREATSWAMP."
Among the early congregations organized by the Brethren was that in the "Greatswamp." The history of this church has never been recorded, and it ceased to exist so long ago, that the congregation that now worships in this same ter- ritory did not know the former ever existed. This was the first organized congregational activity of the Brethren in this vast territory where are now located the churches of the Indian Creek Group. There is so much that is of interest, and there has been such a far-reaching influence set in operation, that this early church well deserves a careful discussion here, and her history recorded. To write this history required years of research, but the writer feels satisfied that the fruits of these labors, in the facts of a unique history recorded for the first time, will be fully ap- preciated. Here, as elsewhere, we are indebted to Rev. Morgan Edwards for some of the earliest data and facts, and quote as follows :
"Greatswamp. This society is distinguished by the above name, which is a name of a tract of land called the Greatswamp. The meeting is kept at the house of Mr. John Frick in Upper Milford Township, in the county of Bucks, about 40 miles northwest from Philadelphia. The families belonging to the society are about 20 whereof 28 persons are baptized. Thus stood things with them in 1770. Their beginning was in this manner. In the year 1733 one
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Salome Miller and Joseph Miller her brother, John Brecht and wife, Peter Longanacre and Peter Rhode were bap- tized by Mr. John Naass. In 1735 were baptized by Mr. Peter Baker and Mr. Martin Urner, one Hanse Zuk and wife, John Sleifer, and John Frick and wife; and the same time had the Lord's supper administered to them by Mr. Peter Baker. This was the period of their existence as a society; and II their number. They have existed for 35 years without any remarkable event, except that Count Zin- zendorf took away some of them in the year 1752. At first they were visited by ministers from other parts, and in- creased fast. Several of the Mennonites joined them. But since that time the increase has been inconsiderable. The first settled minister they had was Rev. Abraham Deboy."
Since his ministry covered a period so early in the his- tory of Greatswamp, a brief biographical sketch is in place here. Edwards says of him, "He was born in 1679 at Epstein in Germany. Bred a Presbyterian (Reformed). Embraced the principles of the Baptists (Brethren), in 1712. Came to America in 1728. Settled at Perkiomen; and from thence went to the Greatswamp in 1738, where he died and was buried March, 1748." This brief record forms the out- line of his life, but is incorrect as to the date of his com- ing to America, which should be 1732. See Brumbaugh, page 144. Elder Duboy, it will be noticed by this date, was born the same year in which Alexander Mack, Sr., was, and became his assistant. He joined the church in the Marien- born district, but a few years later joined the mother con- gregation at Schwarzenau, and seems to have been a min- ister of considerable prominence. He was a modest man and very pious. He was unmarried. Bro. A. H. Cassel many years ago related to the writer that Bro. Duboy had a strange presentiment of his death. On the morning of the day on which he died, he informed the family in which he lived that the time of his departure had come. He dressed in a shroud prepared for the occasion and invited the family to join him in singing, "Nun fahr ich hin mit Freuden, ins rechta Vaterland," etc., then, after a fervent prayer, he re- clined on a couch and breathed his last, as one would fall into a quiet sleep. He was 69 years of age.
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Morgan Edwards informs us: "Since that time (1748), Mr. John Frick hath preached to them; but is not ordained " (1770). He gives the following list of members: "John Frick, exhorter, and wife, Laurence Erboch and wife, An- drew Meinzinger, John Demud and wife, John Sleifer and wife, Henry Kun, Philip Goodman and wife, Philip Deal, Frederick Deal, John Redrock and wife, Egite Christian and wife, Lodowick Christian and wife, Jacob Staut and wife, Mary Christian, widow Rinker, Catherine Rinker, widow Olinger, widow Crayling, Freny Trissel."
Reference was made to the baptisms of 1733 and 1735. George Adam Martin makes reference to the baptism of 1737,-" It happened in the year 1737, that my Superintend- ent (Martin Urner), was called upon to go to the Great- swamp, in order to baptize several persons."1 As he re- ports, in the Chronicon, it was at this baptism, in 1737, that Martin suggested the reading of Matthew 18, instead of Luke 14. This suggestion was accepted, and first followed in the Greatswamp, and has been the rule of the Brother- hood ever since.
There are several distinct centers around which the his- tory of Greatswamp clusters. I am greatly indebted to J. G. Francis for information and facts found in his article, "An account of the early Brethren in the Greatswamp, as gathered from John M. Zuck, a great-grandson of Peter Zuck, one of the original members."
"The Brechts or Brights lived about the center of the Brethren settlement near Zion Hill, some four or five miles above Quakertown, on the Philadelphia and Allentown road. North of Brights, were the Sleifers; northwest, the Roth- rocks; west, the Fricks; southwest, the Zucks. The Breth- ren lived here at an early date. They were pioneers. They came here when this was virgin territory. It was then Indian land, and later became a part of the famous Walk- ing Purchase. It is only a few miles from Springtown, in the post-office of which we copied the following: 'Spring- town-Route of the Indian Walk, or Walking Purchase, September 19, 1739, led through Springtown. Here the
1 Chronicon Ephratense, pp. 243, 244.
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"GREATSWAMP."
walkers-Marshall and Yates-dined with George Wilson, the first white settler, who located here in 1728, as an In- dian trader.'" It will be seen by these dates, that John Naas preached here, baptized members, and that the church was organized and a Lovefeast held a number of years be- fore the Penns had bought this land from the Indians.
Mr. Zuck states, "this land is not swampy and never was. It is rather level, or not hilly, and the soil is good. The name Greatswamp is rather misleading. The Brethren lived in what is now Upper Milford, Richland and Springfield townships, near the intersection of the three townships, close to the Lehigh County line."
Bro. Francis's account further states as follows :
"On the north side of the Brecht farm is the old Brecht cemetery. It is east a short distance from the Philadelphia and Allentown road, just before you come to Zion Hill Lu- theran Church, along the road leading down to Shelley's Sta- tion. It would have been more correct to have called it the Bright and Rothrock cemetery, for it is right on the line between the two old farms and taken out of both, and in it the Rothrocks buried as well as the Brechts. Other fam- ilies also buried here. The little cemetery, about 40 feet wide and 60 feet long, is said to be full, but not a stone is marked, the little sandstones being scarcely visible any more. The southern part of the cemetery is surrounded by a crude wall, a wall running almost through the middle. This walled-in section was especially the Brecht cemetery. The whole cemetery is overgrown with trees. See cut. As long as the Rothrocks lived around here, they kept the ceme- tery fenced, but now it is completely neglected. The Brights have also all moved away, the nearest one lives in Springtown.
"But not all of the Brethren of the old settlement are buried here. A mile, or more, south of this cemetery, along the Philadelphia and Allentown road is the East Swamp Mennonite Church with its city of the dead. The Menno- nites have from the first been numerous here. Here lie the remains of Peter Zuck, one of the early Brethren, and also some of the Sleifers who were members. Peter has a well- preserved tombstone. On it are the words: 'Hier lieght
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begraben Peter Zuck. Er is geboren den 20den August, im Jahr 1728, und is gestorben den 13ten tag May im Jahr 1812.' His house was a preaching station. He is the second generation of Zucks in America. His father bought the old Zuck homestead in 1727, and it has continued in the family to the persent day. John M. Zug our informant, now in his eighties, being owner of a part of it. There was also preaching in a barn south of Zucks. This old barn when torn down was found to have some very sound logs. A certain rather profane fellow declared that the soundness was due to the preaching of the Brethren."
The Settlement in Sacon Township .- There seem to have been two somewhat distinct settlements in the Greatswamp Church, or possibly one earlier than the other. While we know considerable about this settlement in Sacon Township, which we are now to consider, it is difficult to fix dates, and to locate just where the members lived. Several facts, however, are well established. The membership at one time must have been quite large, and in a large and flourishing community. Some of the families of members, of which we have knowledge, were large and of more than ordi- nary prominence. Some of these families have continued through succeeding generations, down to the present.
The Old Cemetery .- So limited were all forms of records, that for a time it seemed hopeless to unravel the mysteries of this now historic setlement. The old cemetery was the only known clue, with which this history might be traced, but fortunately it turned out to be the key to the whole situa- tion, and, therefore, because of its importance, a brief de- scription of it is in place here. The first thing that strikes the visitor to this ancient God's acre is the substantial character of the wall, and the large amount of space the wall encloses. This size shows the great importance of the place, to a large community in time past. This large space in this city of the dead is probably fully occupied. There are many small stones, and plenty of evidence of many un- marked graves. There are some larger tombstones, and a few newer ones, and of more recent date, the cemetery itself being much neglected, and little cared for. Except for the
BRECHT AND ROTHROCK CEMETERY, GREAT SWAMP.
MENNONITE CEMETERY, WHERE PETER ZUG AND OTHER EARLY BRETHREN ARE BURIED.
OLD CEMETERY, NEAR HELLERTOWN.
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