USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > New Hanover > The Lutheran Church in New Hanover, (Falckner swamp) Montgomery County, Penna. Part XXII. of a narrative and critical prepared at the request of the Pennsylvania-German society > Part 7
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January 7, 1733, he became pastor at Wicaco.1 Un- fortunately he quarreled with a member of his church council. Unable to substantiate grave charges, he was fined heavily. He could not remain, although a parson- age had been erected for him. He then removed to Mo- latton (Douglassville). Soon he commenced the building of the church, which, both according to Rev. Heilman and
1 Cf. Acrelius, pp. 269, original ed.
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the Halle Reports was the second edifice. From this time on until his return to Europe, 1745, this seems to have been his residence: perhaps it would be better to say his headquarters. During parts of 1738 and 1739, if not dur- ing the entire two years, " he wandered about in the prov- inces of Carolina and Georgia seeking employment as a teacher and preacher among the English, and also among the negroes, but showing himself everywhere unfit and inefficient."
He then returned to Molatton, where he had built a church, 1736-37. Matters did not improve, not only from lack of adaptability on his part, but also because of the strenuous efforts of the Moravians to secure the con- trol of the congregation, 1742-43. In these efforts they well-nigh succeeded.
If the statement of Rev. Clay,1 one of his successors at Wicaco, were to be accepted, he was put out of the minis- try. But this is certainly a mistake. He was simply dis- missed from the pastorate of the church at Wicaco (Gloria Dei), but not deposed from the ministry. The Halle Report's summing up of the man's characteristics, although not charging that he was dismissed from the ministry, would not prepossess any one greatly in his favor.
It is there stated that he was not without consider- able ability as a preacher. "But he was involved in difficulty by bringing unsupported charges against a mem- ber of his church council, a man greatly esteemed. For this he was fined £500, and was compelled to leave the congregation." After that we are told, that " he travelled [roved] through Pennsylvania and the South, in Perrys-
1 This statement is made by Rev. J. C. Clay, who after the death of Rev. Nicholas Colin, carried Gloria Dei (Wicaco) Church over into the Episcopal fold. Cf. Justus Falckner, Pietist and Missionary, pp. 62.
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burg and Pohachocolas-appeared also among the Eng- lish, but proved himself unreliable in every instance," and yet we find him in charge at Molatton.
Possibly a hot temper, such as was shown when he slapped the young Moravian preacher in the face, would explain all. This would show why he did not seem to get along well with the people, and why he was involved in quarrels with his own officers.
7. N. SCHMIDT OR JOHN GEO. SCHMIDT.
There is no doubt whatever as to the fact that, about the time of the arrival of Rev. H. M. Mühlenberg, a man by the name of Schmidt was accepted as the pastor of this church. But there is serious doubt as to the identity and the first name of the man. Rev. Muhlenberg states that prior to his arrival a certain Mr. Schmidt was elected as pastor. He is also referred to in the Halle Reports. With all this in view we still doubt exceedingly whether there ever was a man by the name of Schmidt officiating as a Lutheran minister in this church, or even in this section, whose first name began with N .- whether that was meant for Nathan, Nicholas or Nathanael. The only way we can explain the matter would be on the as- sumption that either the man himself or some one else meant to write M. for Magister and instead put the letter N. We often find M. Mühlenberg, M. Kurtz, M. Schulze and others.
But it will not be taken amiss if we point out the fact that the statements of the Halle Reports are confusing. First of all they say that this man began to play the rôle of a pastor as early as 1736. They locate him both at
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New Hanover and at the (Oley) Hill Church. It is probable that he served both. But the name J. M. Schmidt appears as pastor there, 1780-82. Now while it is not absolutely impossible that this should be one and the same man it is altogether unlikely, especially if we remember that this man, viz., J. M. Schmidt, removed to Virginia and died there about 1800. It is an absolute certainty that he is not identical with J. A. Schmidt of New York, against whom the congregations were warned in 1796. A synod would hardly warn its congregations against a man about ninety years old. Besides these there was a John George Schmidt, who resided in this section about 1736-45, who claimed to be a Lutheran minister, receiving pay as such. And while it may not be possible to prove that this is the man, it is absolutely certain that if this is not the case there must have been four men named Schmidt, regarded as Lutheran ministers of whom the church has very little definite knowledge.
We insert the statement of the Halle Reports, together with some facts really known. The statement seems to rest upon a report made by Rev. Mühlenberg. It says that he was a quack dentist-that he set up as a pastor as early as 1736.
But here is a promissory note, which may possibly throw more light on the subject than all the traditions can.
BERN TOWNSHIP IN LANCASTER COUNTY, May 5, 1739.
We, the undersigned, promise to pay to John George Schmidt, minister of the Lutheran Church in the township of Colebrook- dale, County of Philadelphia, the sum of eight pounds-four pounds on or before November 16, 1739, and the other four pounds the 16 day of May, 1740.
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Witness our hands, in the township of Colebrookdale, in the County of Philadelphia, May 5, 1739.
MATTHIAS SMITH,
CONRATH SCHARFF, JOHN KEPPLINGER, JOHN ADOLPH HEINRICH.
In July, 1741, this same man-he again signs his name John George Schmidt-wrote an "order " to George Boone, Esq., making the amount payable to him. Now these things show several facts very clearly: (1), That the man claimed to be pastor of a Lutheran congregation in Colebrookdale Township. This was unquestionably the Oley Hill Church, now St. Joseph's in Pike Township. In their declaration placed in the cornerstone at the time of the building of their last church, all the officers, with the pastors of the two congregations, declare that this church of the Oley Hills, was considered as belonging to Cole- brookdale. It is therefore evidently the church which this man was then serving. (2) It also shows with absolute certainty that the man serving the Oley Hill Church at that time was called John Geo. Schmidt. (3) It shows equally clearly that if this John Geo. Schmidt was not the one who figured as pastor of New Hanover, there must have been two men named Schmidt, posing as Lutheran pastors in that section, at the same time. Whither the man went, or what became of him, we cannot say. But we are free to say that this man called N. or M. Schmidt referred to a number of times by the Halle Reports as having been pastor at New Hanover and at the Oley Hills, cannot on any reasonable supposition be taken to be the same man that served at Peaked Mountain and Charlotteville be- tween forty and fifty years later, and he cannot possibly
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THE OLD PARSONAGE AT THE TRAPPE. THE HOME OF THE MUHLENBERG FAMILY.
BUILT 1745 ; REMODELED 1837.
FROM A SKETCH MADE IN 1857.
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be the man who plagued the churches in New York State from fifty to sixty years later.
8. REV. H. M. MÜHLENBERG, D.D.
It may perhaps seem remarkable that Mühlenberg is already the eighth and possibly the tenth or eleventh pastor to serve this congre- gation during the first forty-five or fifty years of its existence. There were nearly as many changes in the next fifty years.
Biographies, some quite full and others very meagre, can be found in Jensen's " American Lutheran Biogra- phies," in Schierenbeck's " Sketches " in German; one in the " English Lutheran Almanac" of 1851; another in the " German Almanac " of 1861; in Dr. Mann's " Life and Times of Mühlenberg; " in "The Descendants of H. M. Mühlenberg," in the Proceedings of the Pennsylvania- German Society, 1899; in the Pennsylvania-German, Vol. I., No. 3; and in a "Life of Mühlenberg," by Dr. Frick, of Milwaukee. We simply give a brief outline of facts and events connected with the man's very busy life.
He was a son of Nicholas Melchior Mühlenberg and Anna Mary (Kleinschmidt). He was born September 6, 17II, at Eimbeck, Hanover, Germany. From the age of seven until twelve he attended school continuously. His studies were now interrupted by the necessity of helping to support the family because of the death of his father. At twenty-one he resumed his studies. He was employed as an assistant teacher at Zellerfeld and then entered upon his theological studies in the new University of Goettingen, upon a scholarship, provided by his native place, Eimbeck.
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Then, 1738, he went to the University at Halle. In 1739, having been called as pastor and inspector of the Orphan's Home at Grosshennersdorf, near Herrnhut, he was ordained.
September 6, 1741, he received a call from the congre- gations at Philadelphia, Trappe and New Hanover, Pa., through Dr. A. H. Francke, to whom the congregations had sent an earnest appeal that he should secure a pastor for them. He accepted, laid down his office and departed for America on December 9, 1741. He reached Lon-
don via Holland, April 7, 1742. He tarried here, and finally set out for his distant home on June 19. After landing at Charleston, he proceeded to Ebenezer, Georgia, reaching it September 21. Not finding a ship upon his re- turn, October 20, he again stopped at Charleston, teaching and preaching. Having found an opportunity to sail for Philadelphia, November 12, he landed on the twenty-fifth.
He at once made arrangements to go to New Han- over, and preach there on the following Sunday. He afterward went to Trappe. On December 27 he was re- ceived by the congregations. A few months thereafter Germantown united with the three already mentioned. For two years and a half he served them alone. In 1745 Rev. Brunnholtz and Messrs. Schaum and Kurtz, cate- chists, came to his aid. Rev. Brunnholtz took more direct charge of the town churches, Philadelphia and German- town, while Mühlenberg settled at the Trappe, serving it and New Hanover and exercising a general supervision over the outlying territory.
April 30, 1745, he married Anna Mary, daughter of Conrad Weiser the interpreter. He remained at the Trappe until 1761 when for a time he transferred his resi- dence to Philadelphia. But after a stay of some years,
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he returned to his former home, where he spent the re- mainder of his days. Besides serving his own congrega- tions, he cared for Oley Hills, Moselem, Allemaengel, Tulpehocken and various other points throughout eastern Pennsylvania. He aided the various congregations in securing regular pastors viz., Wagner, Kurtz, Schaum, Schumacher, Lehman and others throughout eastern Penn- sylvania. He also preached the first sermon in Trinity, Reading, and dedicated its church.
In 1748 the first Lutheran Synod, now the Evangelical Lutheran Ministerium of Pennsylvania was organized in large measure through his agency. He was frequently elected its president and generally acted as its superinten- dent. Towards the close of life he was made its senior and held the office for life.
This is the description of the man as given by a certain writer:
In stature of medium size, somewhat thickset, robust, rather stooped, countenance friendly and engaging, voice penetrating and a melodious tenor, memory retentive, wit ripe and inexhaustible, a good linguist, acquainted with chemistry, anatomy and medicine. Played skillfully on the organ, the harp, the guitar and the violin, and sang delightfully.
The University of Pennsylvania conferred the degree of D.D., upon him in 1784. It would be utterly impossible to recount all his labors and journeyings in behalf of the church in this brief biography. He died about midnight, October 7, 1787. He was buried at the Trappe, im- mediately north of the old church. Three sons perpet- uated his name, John Peter Gabriel, prominent as a gen- eral in the Revolutionary War, buried close to his father; Frederic Augustus Conrad, a preacher, then a member
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of Congress and speaker of the body, and Gotthilf Henry Ernestus, for many years pastor of Trinity, Lancaster, Pa., and almost equally eminent with his father.
That his firm trust in his Saviour had not forsaken him in his last hour is made manifest by the fact that with his dying breath he repeated the last verse of Gerhardt's immortal " Befiehl du deine Wege "-" Commit thou all thy griefs." We give it as quoted by Dr. J. W. Richards, his grandson.
Mach End, O Herr, mach Ende
An aller unserer Noth, Stärk unsere Fuess' und Haende Und lass, bis in den Tod, Uns Allzeit deiner Pflege
Und Treu' empfohlen seyn,
So gehen unsere Wege Gewiss zum Himmel ein.
9. REV. PETER BRUNNHOLTZ.
Rev. Peter Brunnholtz was the first assistant pastor, or rather the coordinate pastor of H. M. Müh- lenberg. They were both called by the United Congregations of Philadelphia, Trappe, New Han- over and Germantown to serve as their pastors, and upon the same terms and conditions to minister to them and any congregations adjoining. For several years they did minister to them jointly, alternating very frequently in their services. But it was soon found that Mühlenberg, being strong and robust, while Brunnholtz was rather feeble and not physically strong, it would be
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better for the former to look after the two country churches, while the latter devoted himself mainly to the town con- gregations, although they still frequently exchanged pul- pits. They also accompanied each other in the trips to out- lying fields, to Molatton, Oley Hills, Schwarzwald, etc.1
He was born in Nübül, in the principality of Glück- burg, Duchy of Schleswig. "He was a candidate of Theology at the time when Mühlenberg" so earnestly pleaded for an assistant. He was selected with the ap- proval of all who knew him and of those who were ac- quainted with the state of things in Pennsylvania. He was well grounded in theology. He had acquitted him- self well in preaching and in the care for souls, also in serv- ing as a catechist on the estates of a Christian nobleman, Hartman von Gensau of Farrenstadt, who was officially connected with the Halle institution. After prayerful consideration he accepted the call offered him by Dr. Francke for America. He was ordained by the Stollber- gist Consistorium at Wernigerode, April 12, 1744. He then continued his journey from Hanover to Hamburg and England. November 29, 1744, he sailed from Gravesend. After a stormy passage he arrived at Phila- delphia January 26, 1745. Mühlenberg received him with great joy. They always remained fast friends. He was of a weak constitution and labored in Pennsylvania only thirteen years. He died July 5, 1758. He had been confined to his bed three months. He was interred in the church at Philadelphia. As the Swedish provost pleaded illness, and as both Mühlenberg and Handschuh were too sad to undertake it, Wm. Kurtz, then a theologi- cal student, " delivered a parentation " on Phil. II., 12,
" In this sketch we follow the outline of Rev. J. W. Richards, D.D., in the "Lutheran Almanac" of 1851.
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13. Rev. Mühlenberg then "thanked the English por- tion (of those attending the funeral) in that language for the respect shown to the dead, and re-conducted, accord- ing to custom, the funeral procession to the house of mourning." The funeral procession was " composed of several professors of the academy, of the ministers of all the churches and sects in the city, about fifteen in number, and of a large concourse of citizens from town and coun- try." He " bequeathed his library to the church, and all his money remaining after debts and legacies are paid, to be applied to building a room at the church in which the library is to be kept." " He left no children, having lived in celibacy."
IO. REV. J. NICHOLAS KURTZ, D.D.
A brief sketch of this man's life is found in the " Lu- theran Almanac " of 1851, and rather extensive ones in Jensen and Schierenbeck.
Rev. J. N. Kurtz, D.D., was the first Lutheran minis- ter ordained by a synod in America. He came to Amer- ica with Rev. Brunnholtz. But he was simply a catechist and teacher. He was descended from an old Protestant family traced back as far as 1599.
He was born in Luetzenlinden, Principality of Nassau, near Frankfort on the Mayne. He received his early education in the gymnasium of his native place, in charge of his father. At the age of fifteen he was sent to the high school at Geissen, where he spent seven years. He also spent six months at the University of Halle. In 1744 he was appointed a missionary to America. He landed at Philadelphia, January 15, 1745, accompanied by Rev. Brunnholtz and J. H. Schaum, also a candidate. He spent two years at New Hanover, preaching on Sun-
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days and teaching school during the week. All this time he was a mere catechist.
December 1746, he removed to Tulpehocken, and took charge of Christ, Northkill, Heidelberg (St. Daniel's), Atolheo (Rehrersburg) and other points. August 25, 1748, he was ordained at the first convention of synod. The following year he also became pastor of Reed's Church, and later he preached also at Schaefferstown and possibly at other points. In 1765 he made a visitation of the churches throughout New York and New Jersey. Dur- ing 1762 he removed to Germantown, which was distracted very much. After restoring order there, he returned to Tulpehocken.
In 1770 he took charge of York and a number of con- gregations connected with it, exercising a general super- vision over the churches of that section. In later years he was assisted by his son-in-law, Rev. Jacob Goering, who also became his successor. He was the secretary of synod for several years, and in later years its president. May 28, 1788, he was unanimously elected senior-a life office, the successor of Mühlenberg.
December 7, 1745, he married Anna Elizabeth Seidel. They had eight sons and three daughters. The youngest son, John Daniel, was for many years the pastor of the Lutheran church at Baltimore, and a man of great influ- ence. One of the daughters was the wife of Rev. Jacob Goering, known as the great preacher. Rev. J. N. Kurtz, D.D., took up his residence at Baltimore in 1792, and died there, May 12, 1794.
Dr. Benjamin Kurtz, at one time editor of the Lutheran Observer, and very prominent in the General Synod, was a grandson.
Rev. J. N. Kurtz took great delight in church music and
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gave instruction in singing to his congregations. Schier- enbeck declares him to have been the most learned and practical preacher of his day. He was a very fine Latin scholar. He also served as organist and secretary of the congregations, as well as being their pastor.
In the dark days of 1777 he collected clothing and other necessaries for the soldiers. During the stay of Congress at York, he entertained Bishop White, then chaplain of Congress, the Spanish Embassador, then the French Em- bassador, and finally, the member of congress from South Carolina.
II. REV. JOHN ALBERT WEYGANDT.
The information concerning this man is rather meagre. It is derived almost entirely from the Halle Reports and Schierenbeck's sketch, which however seems to be entirely derived from that source. He was a native of Hanau. He had studied at Halle. He was employed by a party of emigrating Palatines at Frankfurt as their pastor. They sailed in the ship " Hampshire," Capt. Cheesman, from Rotterdam via Falmouth, reaching Phil- adelphia, Sept. 7, 1748. Many of them not being able to pay their passage, were sold to service, and so the congregation was scattered. Weygandt found himself without employment. He was cordially received by the Lutheran pastors. Rev. Muhlenberg took him to his house and employed him in instructing his catechu- mens at New Hanover. There being congregations at Redingtown, and other points of the Raritan district needing spiritual supervision, he was sent thither where he was visited the following year by Mühlenberg. Through the agency of Mühlenberg he now received a formal call from them to be their pastor. They have
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had a great deal of trouble with a certain Magister Wolf, one of "the irregular pastors," whom they had employed for life. Weygandt's call was therefore made a merely temporary one to continue only " so long as he should live and teach in accordance with the pure doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets and all our Symbolical Books." But the call was not placed in his hands, inasmuch as he was not ordained. It was locked up in the Church Chest by the elders of the congregation. He was furnished a copy. In 1750 he was in attendance upon synod and preached before it. In accordance with the resolution of synod, he was ordained at Raritan in the fall of that year by Revs. Brunnholtz, Hartwick, Handschuh, Schaum and J. Nicholas Kurtz. At the same time the new church there was dedicated. In 175 1 he met Mühlenberg at Hackensack, N. J., and also in New York, where he supplied the latter's place for six weeks. Having received a call from those congregations he became pastor in New York and Hack- insack, 1753. As late as 1760 we find him in attendance upon synod and preaching there. It was he that recom- mended Rev. D. Schumacher to Pennsylvania. He had the usual experiences of ministers-difficulties in his congre- gation in New York. But he had become an invalid, and in 1767 he resigned as pastor in New York. He preached English, German and Dutch. From all this it is made manifest that J. Albert Weygand was Rev. Mühlenberg's assistant at New Hanover in a very limited sense and but a very short time.
12. REV. FREDERIC SCHULZE.
Rev. Frederic Schulze was born at Koenigsberg, the capital of the Province of Prussia, a strongly fortified city. After completing his preparatory studies, he entered the
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university at Halle, and then was for a time actively en- gaged in the Orphan's Home there.
Having agreed to enter the service of the church in America, in company with Rev. Heintzelman, he set out from Halle, via London, in July, 1751. But it was deemed necessary that they should be ordained before leaving Germany, so that they might be empowered to perform necessary ministerial acts. Therefore they jour- neyed via Wernigerode. They were examined, and July II they were ordained by the consistorium. They con- tinued their journey via Magdeburg, Stendal, Saltzwedel and reached Hamburg, August 4. On the eleventh they again entered ship and reached London, September 2. After a short time spent with Dr. Ziegenhagen, they again took ship at Gravesend, October 17, and after "a brief voyage of eight weeks reached Philadelphia."
Here they were at once put to work by the senior pas- tors. Heintzelman was to assist Brunnholtz by teaching the school, and also by supplying his pulpit at Philadel- phia, as well as Germantown. Rev. Schulze settled at New Hanover, taking charge of the school and preaching there as well as in other congregations served by Mühlen- berg. The following year he also took charge of Gosh- enhoppen and preached there every two weeks. He also supplied Mühlenberg's entire field during the latter's ab- sence in New York, 1752. By agreement with the synod at its meeting in September, he removed to New Gosh- enhoppen, and the next year took charge of Indianfield also.
But now he disappears from view. In 1759 neither his name nor that of these congregations is mentioned in the minutes and as early as 1762 they were served by Rev. Jacob Roth.
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From documents in the archives at Halle we learn that, not long after his arrival in this country, he purchased a farm, and likewise engaged in the practice of medicine, which he had studied. Dr. Francke also acknowledged that he had his doubts about the propriety of sending the man.
In 1772 his name again appears as the pastor of the congregation at Lunenberg, Nova Scotia. Here he laid down his office in 1782. Nothing further that is reliable is known of him. A statement in the Evangelical Review, Vol. XV., p. 173, without however giving any definite authority, declares that he died in 1809.
13. REV. JOHN HELFRECHT SCHAUM.
In company with J. N. Kurtz and Rev. Peter Brunn- holtz, Mr. Schaum came to America, via Hamburg and London. They set out July 1, 1744, reached London, November 29, and arrived at Philadelphia, January 26, 1745. His birthplace was Geissen, Germany. His father was the schoolmaster at Muenchholzhausen. J. H. Schaum was trained at Halle and completed his studies at the university there. He was a personal friend of Dr. A. H. Francke.
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