USA > Pennsylvania > The German Pietists of provincial Pennsylvania : 1694-1708 > Part 14
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3, 14, where it should have been interpeted : I Schall be, what I shall be, viz :- Man) as we through Faith in Him who was God and is made Man. But Jesus having past this firy ordeal, He received the Almightiness from his Father, whereof he made no bragging Ostentation, as Rob- bers make of their Pray, but humbled himself unto the death even the death of the Cross, styling himself at this side of the Grave only the son of Man (or mankind, the Greek word denoting both the Sexes) though He was the son of God : Wherefore God also by the Ressurection from the Dead powerfully declared him to be his Son (Rom. I, 4 ; Psal. 2. Act.) exalting him above all, Lord over all worlds, visible & invisible, this & that which is to come (Eph. 1, 2 ; Phil. 2, 6-11).
" To these four I will add two more out of the Scripture, passing by the rest (Heb. 11, 38). This first is David, that man after God's own Heart, who was 10 years in the Wil- derness & exercised in continual Sufferings & Sorrows (as his Psalms bear witness) before He was installed in the Kingdom, to which He was chosen & annointed so many years before. The second is that great Apostle of the Gen- tiles Paul, who abided seven years in the Deserts of Arabia (Gal. 1, 17, & at the antient Church Records bear witness), before he went out for the Conversion of the Gentiles. I could produce a whole Cloud of such chosen Vessels out of the antient Records of the first Christians, who beeing pre- pared in the Wild's some for 10, some for 20, some for 40 years, after their coming forth converted whole Cities, wrought signs & Miracles, was to their Diciples as living Oracles, as the mouth of God through whom he fed & guided them, but having exceeded the limits of a letter allready, I must stop the Vein which so liberally would diffuse it self; I hope what hath been said manifested to
" The Third State." 189
the full, that God hath prepared alwais his most eminent Instruments in the Wilderness.
"When we consider now with a serious introversion of our minds those Three states of the Wild's, we shall find That there is no entring into the first Wild's without a going out of Spiritual Egypt; and so consequently no entring into the second without passing the first ; And so on, 110 entring into the Third without passing the second state.
"We shall find in the next place, that like as there is a long Strugling & Groaning under the Egyptian Burdens before the delivery from the same ensueth, So there is a long contest between the first & second Birth in their Wil- derness-Station before the Second is set at perfect Liberty & made ready to enter & possess Caanan : But how long the Parallelism of the second & third state may run to- gether, & where the Borders of each ineet together or if there be any Borders at all, I'll leave to higher graduated Souls than mine is to enquire ; by it to speak my mind : me thinks the Childhood & Manhood may both well consist with the second state, & one may arrive to the manhood in Christ without ever entering the Third Station, this being only for some chosen Vessels for a peculiar administration which requires also peculiar & extraordinary Qualifications & Endowments, which they are to acquire & make trial of in this Third Station before they appear & show themselves to the Israel of God. So that every one that is to enter the Third must of necessity be acquainted with the second & first. But not every one that hath entered the Second & after he is even with the first inust also enter the Third Station.
" By the consideration of the Third State we shall find what a wighty thing it is to appear & to show oneself to
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The Pietists of Provincial Pennsylvania.
the Israel of God, as immediately called chosen & sent by the Lord. Such a being made, as Paul saith (I Cor. 4, 9) a Spectacle to the World & to Angels & to Men. And what good reason Moses had to resist so hard when he was sent, whom God having heard the crey & Prayers of his People, did force as it were & thrust or cast forth (see Matt. II, 38) where it should have been rendered thurst or
forth instead of sent forth). And what a great presump- tion it is, on the other Hand, to go forth without being thius duly prepared beforehand. For though such may have inspirations, Revelations, Motions & the like Extraordinary Favours ; yea, may have arrived at the very Manhood in Christ (which truly is a high attainment), yet they will effect & build nothing, but only (if they do any thing at all) destroy, as we see in the instances of Moses & Elias, before they had been in that Wild's. Yea, there is no small Danger of loosing themselves & to bruise & grind that good seed, which was not designed for Meat but for increase, not for to be sent forth but to be kept in an honest & Good Heart. (Luc. - -
-). Such are indeed with Child, they are in pain, but (as the common Translation saith, Esa. 26, 28, and as the common experience witt- nesseth to be so) they bring forth as it were but Winde, they make no deliverance in the earth, neither do the In- habitants of the World fall; Whereas if they was duly prepared & had stood the firey ordeal it would fare with them, not as with the common, but as the Translation the first Christians made use of hath it: Through thy Tears Lord we have conceived & have been in Pain of Birth, & have brought forth the Spirit of Salvation, which Salva- tion we have wrough on Earth ; we shall not fall, but all that dwell on Earth shall fall.
"I had many Considerations more to add, as also what
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" The Wilderness-Time."
the Wilderness it self is in each of these States, having spoken only of some of the Inhabitants thereof & of some of their Qualities & Circumstances, & this rather under a veil &, as it were, but glancing at the Marrow & Substance. Nor have I counted the number of the Wilderness-Time, but touched only the root thereof, which is 40 Sin-Days for the New Birth & 42 Moons or Nights for the Old (which last I have not so much as mentioned). Neither have I measured from the Red-Sea of the Old Birth to the Jordan of the New, and a hundred such things more. But my beloved & esteemed Friend ! this was to write a Volume & not a Letter, And I begin allmost to fear that I have ven- tured too much upon your Patience this first time, not con- sidering also the wall between us. Oh! that we may behold our Beloved alwais, standing behind our Wall, look- ing forth att the Window, shewing himself thorow the Lat- tesse, saying Rise up my Love, my fair one & come away (Cant. 29, 10). To whose Love-embraces leaving you, I remain,
" Your sincere, though unworthy Friend,
"J. K.
" ROCKSBORROW, 1706, d. 25, Maji.
" For Hesther Pallmer, "in Long-Island in Flushing."
When the bright warm weather returned Kelpius again rallied, and Midsummer eve (1706) found him once more at the Tabernacle in his beloved solitude in the forest.
That his physical improvement was only of a temporary nature is shown by his next poem, " A Comfortable and Incouraging Song, made intentionally for two lonesome Widows," where he adds, by way of explanation, "By occasion of a great cold which seized me in July, 1706."
Consumption had fastened its clutches upon the frail
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The Pietists of Provincial Pennsylvania.
form of the Transylvanian Theosophist, and after lingering for almost two years longer, he succumbed, having labored for fourteen years in the Community in the wilds of the New World; as a late writer 220 aptly states, "working, preaching, prophesying, and, we almnost may say, ruling by the right of moral and mental preeminence."
The exact date of his death is unknown. All that we know to a certainty is the mention of the fact in Jawert's petition to the Provincial Council held March 1, 1708 | 9, where the words occur : "Johannes Kelpius now deceased."
220 F. H. Williams, in "The New World," June, 1894.
THE HERMITS ON THE RIDGE,
JEHOVA ERHAPS one of the ALTARIA strangest facts in con- nection with this pe- culiar Community on TUA Y the Wissahickon is that no complete list of the men- bership is known. Diligent NON OMNIBUS search among the official HIRUNDO 84 records in both Europe and INVENIT · DELICIA EPHRATENSES America failed to bring to light any additional infor- A SEAL OF THE EPHRATA COMMUNITY. mation as to who composed the original Chapter. The old shipping-lists of Rotterdam could not be found ; and, if not destroyed, are supposed to be stored at either The Hague or Flushing.
Another curious fact is that all communications with Europe ceased soon after the death of Kelpius (except possi- bly the official communications that passed between Falk- ner and the Frankfort Company), and, on the other hand, the emigrants seem to have been forgotten by most of their former associates ; the exception being the inquiry sent from
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The Prietists of Povincial Pennsylvania.
Halle and mentioned by Mühlenberg in his reports for the year 1769.221
All trace has long since been lost of the astronomical and philosophical apparatus, brought over at various times and used by the Mystical Brethren in their studies and speculations ; the only possible exception being the Horo- logium Achaz, mentioned in a previous chapter.223 As to their books, at least such as were of a theological character, we are more fortunate. After the disbanding of the Com- munity and the departure of Daniel Falkner from the Province, the bulk of the books, consisting of a number of folios, quartos and octavos, mostly bound in parchinent, came into the possession of Jolin Henry Sprogel, and later into that of his brother, Ludovic Christian Sprogel, who kept them until the year 1728, when he gave such as were theological and orthodox to the Rector 224 and Vestry of Christ Church in Philadelphia. After the completion of the tower they were placed in one of the lower rooms, where they still remain.
Here these musty tomes, in Latin, Greek, Hebrew and German, representing the profoundest religious thought of the XVI and XVII Centuries, have found a resting-place for the last century and a half forgotten by all. The few of late years who must now and then have noticed a vol- umne or two but little imagined whence they came, and wondered at the import of the book-plate, which vouchsafed the information that they were the gift of one Sprogel : " Ex dono LUDOVICI CHRISTIANI SPROGELL, ad Bibliothecam Ecclesia Anglicane, in Philadelphia, Die Decembris 24, 1728."
221 Original ed., p. 1265.
223 Page 114.
224 Rev. Archibald Cummings.
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A Rare Collection of Books.
The writer in his youth frequently heard the legend that all the books and MSS. of the Mystics had been given to Christ Church, as the intercourse between the founders of both organizations in the earliest days was of an intimate nature.
Fortunate, indeed, was the day when it was found that the legend was a true one, and that a large number of these old tomes were yet in existence and in a good state of preser- vation, though yellowed by age and covered with dust. They had escaped alike the search for cartridge-paper by bothı Patriot and British foraging parties during the Revolution,225 and the fate of being discarded as worthless and sold during the several alterations to the church.
Another interesting legend in connection with this be- quest is that the books were given to the corporation as a nucleus for a free library. If this be true it would ante- date Franklin's efforts in the same direction by fully three years.
The first of these books opened by the writer was a quarto, and bore the above-quoted legend, " Ex dono," etc., on the inside cover, while the title read : " Gasparis Scioppir || Caesarii & Regii Conselearii-Astrologia Ecclesiastica | Ex officina Sangeorgiana | Anno M.DC. XXXIV:226
Among this rare and valuable collection were the fol- lowing :
Homiliarum in Evangelia que diebus festis tam Jesu Christi quam aliquorum sanctorum ejus, pro concione proponuntur et explicantur. Authore Rodolpho Gualthero. ( Leyden, 1585, 2 vols., fol. ).
Homilies of Lanuza, translated from Spanish into Latin. (Cologne, 1686, 3 vols., fol.).
225 So scarce was paper for cartridge-making during the Revolution that almost all the books in the Ephrata Cloister were confiscated and used for military purposes. Many of the Sauer Bibles were so used.
226 The Ecclesiastical Astrology of Gaspar Sciopo, Imperial and Royal Councillor.
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The Pietists of Provincial Pennsylvania.
Walton's Polyglott. ( London, 1657, 6 vols., fol.).
Lexicon Heptaglotton ; Hebraicum, Chaldaicum, Syriacum, Samari- tanum, AEthiopicum, Arabicum, et Persicum. Authore Edmundo Cas- tello. (London, 1686, 2 vols., fol.)
Greek and Latin Lexicon of Sec. xvi. (No date.)
Osiander's Latin Bible. ( Tübingen, 1590 ?- 1592, 3 vols., fol.)
Examinis Concilii Tridentini, per Mart. Chemnicium scripti, Opus integrum. (Geneva, 16.11, fol.)
Erasmus' Parallel Greek and Latin New Testament. (1518, 2 vols. in one, fol.)
Huet's Origen. ( Cologne, 16S5, fol. )
Conciliorum Quatuor Generalium : Niceni, Constantinopolitani, Ephe- sini et Calcedonensis : Que divus Gregorius magnus tangs quatuor Evan- gelia colit ac veneratur. (Cologne, 1530, 2 vols., folio. )
In Mosis Genesim plenissimi Commentarii. Wolfgango Musculo Dusano autore. ( Basle, 1554, fol.)
Quatuor Unum : hoc est, Concordia Evangelica. Auctore Guidone de Perpiniano Episcopo. (Cologne, 1631, fol.)
Johannes Seelig succeeded Kelpius as Magister, but for a short time only. He soon renounced the honor, and, donning his pilgrim garb once more, retired to a hermit cell or cabin, where he spent his days in teaching and study- ing, while he supported himself by cultivating his garden, and, when the opportunity offered, working at his trade of bookbinder.
Doctor Christopher Witt and Daniel Geissler also left the Tabernacle in the forest and took up their abode in Ger- mantown, where the former for many years practiced as a physician.
After Seelig's retirement, Conrad Matthai became the leading spirit of the Theosophists who still remained at or about the Tabernacle ; a Community in the original sense no longer, but merely a number of devout ascetics who lived in retirement on the banks of the romantic Wissa- hickon under his leadership. Even this reduced number became less and less as the years rolled by, and settlers continued to encroach on their favorite solitude.
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" The Separatists."
According to the Chronicon Ephratense, "after their leader (Kelpius) died the tenipter found occasion to scatter tliem, as those who had been most zealous against marrying now betook themselves to women again, which brouglit inuch shame on the solitary state that the few who still hield to it dared not open their mouths for shame."> 227
Notwithstanding the radical clianges which were contin- ually taking place in the vicinity, incident to the growing population, some show of an organization was kept up for many years, without, however, making any claim to com- munal life. Such as remained upon the original tract lived as did Conrad Matthai, in small houses or cabins, after the manner of the hermits of old, or the Separatists of later days. It was by the latter name that they afterwards became known.
This remnant on "the Ridge" became a nucleus or rally- ing-point for the many religious enthusiasts, visionaries and separatists who, during the first half of last century, flocked to the Province noted for liberty of conscience; to whom 111ust be added such of the older settlers as were "awaken- ed," or felt inspired to withdraw from the world and its allurements, and live henceforth a life of seclusion.
About a decade after Kelpius' death, quite an emigration of religious separatists set in from Europe. Some of these pilgrims, such as the Mennonites and Schwartzenauer Dunkers or Baptists, came over in a body, and forthwith opened communications with the remnant on the Ridge, some of their number even adopting the solitary mode of life. Several of these new acquisitions remained steadfast and ended their days as recluses; Andreas Bone and Hermann Drost being prominent examples.
227 Chron. Eph., original ed., p. 12 ; trans., p. 152.
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The Pietists of Provincial Pennsylvania.
In the autumn of the year following this emigration (1720), a number of men arrived in Germantown with the avowed intention of devoting the rest of their lives to religious study in the wilds of the New World far away from civilized habitations. The names of Johann Conrad Beissel, the Eckerling brothers, Michael Wohlfarth,228 Simon König, Johann George Stiefel, Jacob Stuntz and Isaac Van Bebber 229 are all prominent in the movement which revived Esoteric Theosophy and Rosicrucian Mysti- cism in Pennsylvania.
The most trustworthy information we have regarding the subsequent career of the survivors of the original Com- munity who remained in the vicinity of Germantown is to be found among the Moravian records at Herrnhut and Bethlehem.
From these old musty documents we learn that George Böhnish, the first Moravian evangelist, who labored in Pennsylvania from 1734 to 1737, was a frequent visitor among the recluses in the vicinity of Germantown. The
228 Michael Wohlfarth (Michael Welfare). This remarkable man had been an active Pietist in Germany, and occupied later so prominent a position in the Ephrata Community, wherein he was known as Brother "Agonius." He was born in the fortress of Memel, on the Baltic Sea, in the year 1687. Just when he came to America is not known, nor is it known how long he sojourned among the Hermits on the Wissahickon.
He was an active exhorter and evangelist, and first came prominently into public notice by exhiorting the Quakers from the old court-house steps at Second and Market Streets, as well as in their meeting-houses.
He became one of the staunchest supporters of Conrad Beissel. Wohl- fartlı was also a hymnologist of no mean order, and a number of his hymns are found in the Ephrata hymnn-books. He died May 1, 1741. His remains rest in the old "God's Acre" at Eplirata, where his tomb formerly bore this epitaph :-
" Hier ruhet der Gottselige Kamfer AGONIUS, Starb Anno 1741. " Seines alters 54 Jahre 4 Monate 28 Tage."
No trace whatever is to be found of this grave at the present day.
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Count Zinzendorf.
Rev. August Spangenberg, upon his first visit to Pennsyl- vania in 1736 for the purpose of ascertaining the religious condition of its German population, sought out the survi- vors of the Theosophical emigrants who almost half a cen- tury before had located on the banks of the Wissahickon. His visits to Seelig and Matthai during his stay in the Province were frequent, and the intercourse between them, it is stated, was cordial and edifying to all parties.
From Spangenberg's report to Herrnhut it appears that the survivors were then living as "Separatists." In a sub- sequent letter he gives us an insight into their daily life and austere habits ; he there states that they slept on hard beds, using neither feathers, after the manner of the Ger- mans, nor straw. Their garb was of a coarse homespun material. They would neither barter, trade, nor engage in any occupation for profit or gain.
In another communication Spangenberg, referring to the above, states that "where individuals had a true desire for their salvation and for the cause of Christ, he knew of 110 fairer land than Pennsylvania. " 229
When, five years later, Count Ludwig Zinzendorf landed upon these shores,230 his earliest movements were directed towards the forks of the Lehigh, by way of Germantown ; and it was during this journey that the Count inade the acquaintance of the surviving Separatists of the Kelpius Community.
That friendly relations were established between Zinzen- dorf and Matthai at the outset is shown from the fact that the latter's name was conspicuous on the call issued for the first Pennsylvania Synod, December 26, 1741.
229 Leben Spangenbergs, Barby, 1794, p. 135.
230 Arrived at New York, December 2, 1741 ; Philadelphia, December Ioth.
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The Pietists of Provincial Pennsylvania.
It was at this meeting, which was held at the house of Theobaldt Endt in Germantown, on New Year's day, 1742 (January 12, 1742, N. S.), that the first attempt was made in America, since the unsuccessful efforts of Johannes Kel- pius, toward an evangelical alliance and unification of the German Protestants. At this meeting Conrad Matthai was prominent and active, and championed the cause of such as were adverse to being circumscribed by denominational bounds.
A contemporaneous account of this meeting states that certain remarks made by Count Zinzendorf were construed as reflecting against the Mennonites and Schwenkfelders, who were not represented at the Synod. This caused Matthai to resent what he thought was an unwarranted reflection by Zinzendorf, and raised considerable discussion, resulting in a series of resolutions being adopted.
Before the adjournment of the meeting a set of resolu- tions was agreed to, it is said at the instance of Matthai. The paper was signed by the representatives of nine different religious interests.
The next trustworthy notice of the later period of the old Community is recorded by Fresenius (vol. iii, page 221), who there states : "Towards the end of this month [Decein- ber, 1742] came Brother Ludwig [Count Ludwig Zinzen- dorf ] again towards Philadelphia ; he had secured a Lodg- ment at Rocksbury, two hours from Philadelphia, where he expected to hold a Conference. According to the testi- mony of his own followers [Unitas Fratum] the object was to gather in [to their fold] the remaining Solitary.231 But with two they were not able to accomplish anything." 232
231 The survivors of the old Community on the Wissahickon.
The two Separatists here alluded to were undoubtedly Seelig and Matthai.
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THE OLD MONASTERY ON THE WISSAHICKON.
BUILT BY THE ZIONITIC BROTHERHOOD, A. D., 1737.
DEDICATED OCT. 14, 173-CHRONICON EPHRETENSE, P. 84.
THE PIETISTS OF PROVINCIAL PENNSYLVANIA.
The Monastery on the Wissahickon. 201
Turing once more to the Moravian records, we find that one of the last official acts of Count Zinzendorf, prior to lis departure from America on January 7, 1743, was to hold a deliberative meeting with the Separatists who re- mained on the banks of the Wissahickon, at which he had a long and earnest interview with Conrad Matthai.
In a future chapter it will be shown how upon Conrad Matthai's advice Beissel journeyed to the wilds of Cones- toga. The same was the case with the Eckerling brothers 111 1727. It was upon the advice of the old recluse that Israel Eckerling left the vicinity of Germantown for the Conestoga country, whither he was soon followed by his widowed mother and her three remaining sons, all destined to become important factors in the history of the settlement on the Cocalico.
When finally Conrad Matthai was left alinost alone 011 the old Community tract, an unbroken forest no longer, events transpired which led to a renewal of the spirit of mysticism in Pennsylvania, and subsequently took shape in a new Community, " Das Lager der Einsamen," the Camp of the Solitary, known in history as Ephrata, a settlement on the banks of the Cocalico in Lancaster County, and which eventually became the most successful Theosophical community of which we have any record.
A branch of this new society for a time flourished in Germantown and vicinity. For the purposes of the new community a massive stone building was erected in 1738 on the Wissahickon, a short distance above the spot where the original Tabernacle was located.
This structure, about which there were formerly so many gruesome tales and vague traditions current among the superstitious residents of the vicinity, is still standing, and although it is now serving the prosaic uses of a farmhouse, it is still known as "the Monastery."
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The Pietists of Provincial Pennsylvania.
All vestiges of the original "Hermits of the Ridge" have long since passed away. A portion of their domain is now included within the bounds of Fairmount Park, the largest natural pleasure ground in the world.
The straggling town of Philadelphia, as it was at the landing of Kelpius and his fellow-mystics, has extended in all directions, until it now joins and includes the whole of the German Township within its corporate limits. Palatial residences cover a part of the ground once cultivated by these Esoteric students. Over the very spot where rest the remains of some of this Theosophical Community is now reared a Christian church, with pealing organ and white- robed choristers, a fitting monument to their virtue and piety.
Great have been the changes wrought by time during the last two centuries. The metropolis of Pennsylvania is indeed 110 longer a churchless city. Hundreds of churches, with their tens of thousands of communicants, are now found within its corporate bounds.
In approaching the great metropolis from the sea, one of the first landmarks to greet the eye of the mariner as he nears the end of his journey is the old Swedish church at Wicacoa ; and as the city proper is approached, the symme- trical spire of Christ Church becomes a prominent feature.
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