USA > Pennsylvania > The Reformed Church in Pennsylvania : part IX of A narrative and critical history, prepared at the request of the Pennsylvania-German Society > Part 14
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" Schlatter 45 00 0
Remainder of last year
14 00 0
Rev. Leydich Falkner Swamp
35 15 0
Lischy Yorktown
37 13 6
" Otterbeim Lancaster. IS 00 0
Stoy Tulpehocken 36 18 o
175 Dr. Good says the last donation was ordered to be given to the Rev. Mr. Nevelling, an invalid minister, as late as 1793.
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The Stipend.
£. s. D.
Rev. Frankenfeld Fredericktown, Md 36 00 0
" Waldschmid Cocalico 36 10 0
" Du Bois Northampton, etc. 21 5 0
Tempelman Swatara, etc IO 5 0
Steiner
Germantown
36 00 0
" Bartholomacus
Dorstius
5 80
Travelling Expenses of the Elders 15 4 0
Penna. Currency 417 15 6
MINISTERS.
1759. CHARGES. AMOUNT RECEIVED.
£. s. D.
Rev. Weiss Goshenhoppen 30 00 0
" Rieger Schaeffer's church 30 00 0
" Leydich Falkner Swamp 30 00 0
Otterbeim Tulpehocken
37 10 0.
Stoy Lancaster.
30 00 0
Waldschmid Cocalico, etc 30 00 0
Du Bois Northampton, etc 20 00 0
" Alsentz.
30 00 0
" Tempelman, emeritus 10 00 0
Pro alendo Bartholomaeus.
25 00 0
Rev. Rubel Philadelphia 15 00 0 To Widows:
Widow of Dorstius I 7 0
" Munz176 7 7 0
To Schoolmasters :
At Lancaster. 8 00 0
" Kreutz Creek. 3 00 0
" Conewago I IO O
" Readingtown 3 00 0
" Goshenhoppen I IO O
176 Rev. Christopher Muntz was sent to America in 1754, but died on the voyage.
19 2 0
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£. s. D.
At Falkner Swamp. 2 00 0
" Tulpehocken 4 00 0
Expenses to Coetus
14 00 0
Total distributed 339 9 0
Remaining in the hands of Rev. Leydich 56 5 7
Total received.
395 14 7
That the Reformed Church in the United States is deeply indebted to the Church of Holland is gratefully acknowl- edged. For disinterested kindness to a foreign people, and for patient continuance in well-doing, the benevolence of the Dutch churches has hardly been equalled in the history of the world. To this benevolence the Reformed Church in Pennsylvania owes its organization, and it would be ungrateful to forget the aid so freely extended in the dark and trying hours of its early history.
To this acknowledgment we may perhaps be permitted to add the confession that the relations with Holland did not in all respects fulfill the object of their institution. The use of the Dutch language-or in an emergency, Latin-was required in all correspondence, and the American ministers complained that their letters were not understood. "It is hard to choose," said one of the later secretaries, " be- tween a language which you have forgotten and another which you have never properly learned." Business was necessarily transacted at too great a distance ; and years sometimes elapsed before the American churches could ob- tain a final decision on an important question. It is strange that during all these years after Schlatter's mission, the Dutch synods never sent one of their own number to America to learn the necessities of the churches by personal observation. It was a noble act to send German ministers
THE REFORMED CHURCH IN PENNSYLVANIA.
PESSYLVANICE
92 (VI)
98
CLISL EL
75
ARCHIVES AT THE HAGUE, HOLLAND. (COURTESY OF PROF. HINKE.)
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Benevolence.
to America ; but the Hollanders did not always know their antecedents and were occasionally deceived. More than once the Coetus pointed out that it would be safer and less expensive to use the funds for the establishment of a liter- ary and theological institution in America in which minis- ters might be trained for service in the local field ; but for such a plan the Hollanders manifested no sympathy. The annual stipend-so long as it was used to increase deficient salaries-was not in every respect a blessing. As it was primarily intended for Pennsylvania the pastors in New Jersey complained that they were excluded. The people exaggerated the amounts which their pastors received in this way, and became careless with regard to the raising of salaries. It might have caused trouble and privation, but we think it would have been better if, after fifteen or twenty years, the Holland stipend had been devoted to some other purpose of general benevolence, and the Reformed Church of Pennsylvania left to its unaided resources for the support of its ministry.
A PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN CRADLE
CHAPTER XII.
JOHN JOACHIM ZUBLY.
Birth and Parentage-Education-Pastor in Charleston and Savannah- Political Services.
R. ZUBLY was in the eighteenth century re- garded as by far the most eminent Reformed minister in America. Though he was never a member of Coetus, his prominence in Church and State induces us to give a somewhat elaborate account of his remarkable career.
Mappen bon Blogau. John Joachim Zubly was born in St. Gall, Switzerland, August 27, 1724. His father and grandfather-both named David-were weavers ; but it must be understood that they were men of influence and social position. The family had been settled in St. Gall since, at least, the time of the Reformation, Felix Zublin, the second of that name, having acquired the right of citizenship in 1543.177 The family name, it may be re-
177 For the above facts and other interesting material the writer is indebted to Professor Hinke, who transcribed them from Scherer's Stemmatologia San- gallensis and other manuscript works in the library of St. Gall.
(202 )
203
David Zubly.
marked, was generally written Zublin or Züblin, though it appears in many different forms.
In 1732 the City Council of St. Gall anthorized David Zubly, the younger, to publish a weekly paper, generally known as Der Bericht. The censorship was, however, extremely strict, and in 1734 he was actually forbidden to publish foreign news, and ordered to insert nothing but what belonged to strictly local matters. The excuse given by the council was that they feared to offend the Catholics, with whom they tried to live on good terms.
In 1736, David Zubly, Junior, emigrated to America, to which country a number of his relatives had¿previously removed. An account of the voyage is still"extant in a
6
pamphlet published in 1738 by Hans Wernhard Trach- sler.178 In it the writer states that on the 9th of September, 1736, he left Elgg, a town in the canton of Zurich, and when he came to Rotterdam he met Mr. Zubly, of St. Gall, the Rev. Mr. Zuberbühler, of Troguen, Mr. Tobler (later the father-in-law of J. J. Zubly) and many others from Switz- erland. "These formed a colony of 250 persons. They engaged passage for 5 louis d'ors for each adult. The voyage lasted 12 weeks and 3 days. They suffered very much, as they had no beds and were compelled to sleep on
178 Kurtz verfasste Reiss Beschreibung eines neulich aus der in West Indien gelegenen Landschaft Carolina in sein Vaterland zurückgekommenen Lands- angehörigen," Zurich, 1738, pp. 8.
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the floor." Most of the colony settled in South Carolina and Georgia.
It was long believed that John Joachim had accompanied his parents to America, but it is now known that he was left in St. Gall, in charge of his grandfather, David Zubly, Senior, with whom a sufficient sum of money was de- posited to pay the expenses of the lad's education. Unfor- tunately the grandfather failed in business two years later, so that this money was lost, and young Joachim was left without resources. Friends, however, came to the rescue, and he was well educated under the direction of " the two professors of the city." What additional advantages he enjoyed we have been unable to learn; but it is known that he visited Tübingen, and the family tradition relates that he studied at Halle. He was very precocious and certainly made the most of his opportunities. In 1743 his father, writing from Purrysburg, South Carolina, appealed to the City Council of St. Gall to secure a dispensation for his son, so that he might be ordained under age, and also pleading for some pecuniary aid in meeting the expenses of the voyage to America. It appears that an appropria- tion was made for the latter purpose, but the ministers of the city absolutely refused to depart from their usual order in conferring the rite of ordination. The candidate then applied to the church of Chur (Coire), in which city he was ordained late in 1743, or early in 1744, being less than twenty years old.
Many years ago the present writer purchased at a book- sale in Boston a volume which turned out to be Zubly's album. It is a marvellous collection of autographs, con- taining the vota of nearly one hundred friends, most of whom were eminent in church or state, in Europe or America. From this volume alone it is almost possible
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Zubly's Journeys.
to follow him on his journey to America, and even to cor- rect some dates in the biography preserved at St. Gall.
It appears that Zubly left Switzerland early in the spring of 1744 and after journeying leisurely down the Rhine arrived in England in May. In London he was cordially received. J. T. Burckard wrote in his album, May 13th, and in August we have the inscriptions of F. M. Ziegenhagen, J. R. Pittius, Samuel H. Albing and others whose names are well known in the history of Ger- man emigration. There is a word of greeting from Peter Brunnholtz who was then in London but subsequently be- came a prominent Lutheran minister in America. It is evident that these men took a profound interest in the mission and work of the " boy preacher."
Arriving in America in the autumn of 1744, young Zubly remained for some time in his father's house at Purrysburg, serving as an evangelist thoughout South Carolina and Georgia. He was a fine preacher, and his personal excellence rendered him very popular. On the Ioth of November, 1746, he was married to Anna Tobler, 179 a daughter of John Tobler, a native of Rehetobel, a vil- lage near St. Gall. For several years they lived in Frederica, but soon removed to Orangeburg, S. C., where for some time Zubly supplied a Lutheran church. He also organized " The German Calvinistic church of St. John " and other Reformed congregations.180 About the same time he began to preach at Charleston. He lived at a place called Wandoneck-the neck of the river Wando- about three miles from the town. Here he labored until about 1760 when he removed to Savannah. His congre-
179 They had five children-two sons and three daughters. In the main line the family is believed to be now extinct.
180 Bernheim, p. 226 ; Strobels's " Saltzburgers," p. 119.
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gation at Charleston was composed of Reformed, Luther- ans and Roman Catholics. 181
It may not have been easy to serve a congregation composed of such mixed materials, but Zubly was well qualified for the work. He was an advanced pietist and cared little for doctrine or denominational distinctions. That he preached regularly in three languages-German, English and French-is very remarkable, but the fact is beyond dispute.
George Whitefield had but recently established his orphanage at Bethesda, near Savannah, and naturally be- came Zubly's patron and friend. In his album he calls him ex intimo corde, his " son in the Lord."
Zubly was never a settled pastor in Pennsylvania,182 but he kept in close touch with the north. In 1749 Lischy recommended him for the pastorate of the church in Lan- caster. As he was fond of writing for the press, Saur became his publisher, and the latter took every opportunity of praising him.
In 1753 Zubly visited the north in behalf of White- field's orphanage, and was enthusiastically received. In New York the people are said to have offered to build him a church if he would but remain with them; and Samuel Hazard wrote in his album : "Come over to New York and help us!" In Philadelphia, Mühlenberg, Schlatter and other ministers expressed their appreciation of his work. He visited the principal Reformed churches in Pennsylvania, but also delivered a somewhat pointed ad- dress to the brethren in Ephrata.
181 Bernheim, p. 179.
182 Mittelberger, in his "Reise nach Pennsylvania " (1750-54) mentioned Zubly as one of six Reformed ministers at that time officiating in the prov- ince, but it is evident that he was a visitor and not a regular pastor.
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Correspondence.
Of course, during this visit Zubly's acquaintance was greatly extended, and after his return to the South he wrote a number of letters, of which three were until re- cently in possession of the writer. We translate them on account of their general interest, though it is to be re- gretted that the third letter-which is historically most im- portant-is in a very imperfect condition, and fails us at the very point which is most interesting and suggestive : 183
I.
(To Conrad Weiser.)
WANDONECK, April 11, 1754.
Very Dear Friend,
At our meeting I experienced for you a sincere affection which has not diminished by my absence; so that I now take up my pen to write to you in the hope of enjoying the pleasure of receiving a reply, which I hope will be more extended than my letter.
Through the grace of God I and my dear ones have safely arrived at home, and inasmuch as God gave me grace to offer here and there a testimony of the mercy of God in Christ, I silently await a blessing. It is my Mas- ter's business ; He will keep His eye upon it without my care ; and I therefore quietly expect his benediction. The greatest advantage of my journey I discover in the certain conviction of my own insignificance. ·
Enclosed is a reply to Bro. Jaebez which I beg you to deliver.
On this occasion I beg you to inform me without delay
I. What are the chief ordinances (human ordinances, I mean) of the community at Ephrata ; and whether it is true
183 The second letter has appeared in the American Church History series, vol. 8, p. 299.
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that they call their Superintendent the Holiest of the Holy?
2. Whether they practice monastic discipline, what is the nature of the punishment, and by whom it is ordered?
3. Whether they repeat baptism and how it is admin- istered. That the candidates are naked is probably a calumny.
I pray for the dear people of Tulpehocken that they may enjoy the sweet and blessed knowledge of Jesus our Re- deemer. Without Christ all is nothing.
I have received a proposition to give to the press the discourse which I delivered at Ephrata ; but as it has long since been forgotten, I can only hope that it may be im- pressed on the hearts of those who heard it to their eternal welfare.
I greet my dear friends and all the Lord's people, and remain
Your sincere friend, J. JOACHIM ZÜBLIN. 2.
(To Conrad Beissel.)
To FRIEDSAM IN EPHRATA: Grace and every blessing in the knowledge of ourselves and of our eternal Mediator and High Priest !
I have been considerably exercised in mind as to whether I should answer your recent letter or not-partly because I have enough to do with my own miseries and many in- firmities ; partly because I can readily conclude from the spirit which reveals itself in your letter, that any repre- sentation from me would be lightly regarded-and inas- much as you consider yourself much more highly exalted than I am (if you are further advanced in grace than I you merely excel a weak infant) you will probably not
A
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Letter to Conrad Beissel.
consider yourself obliged to receive an exhortation from me.
Inasmuch, however, as you intimate how exalted is the order, or perhaps responsibility, into which you regard yourself as having been placed by God, I will tell you honestly how you appear to me. May the lamb whose eyes are like flames of fire reveal in thee and me all the
CONRAD BEISSEL.
heights and depths of our hearts ! " Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." I counsel thee that, as a poor sinner, worthy of hell, thou shouldest go to the Lord Jesus and buy of him " gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich ; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame
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of thy nakedness do not appear [before angels and men] ; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see." It is indeed pleasant to a proud nature to print, to say, or to hear : "Thou art certainly an exalted man ; thou art far advanced in sanctification." When to this is added the proud self-deception that a man imagines himself a priest for the atonement of others, he grows giddy in spiritual conceit and becomes boastful beyond measure.
Oh, that the Lord Jesus would either bring you down
THE
SAAL.
ONE OF THE CLOISTER BUILDINGS AT EPHRATA.
gently from your deceptive exaltation, or else cast you down by His divine power, so that personally you may sweetly experience the abundant riches of His grace, and that when you are weighed in the balance of the sanctuary you may not be found wanting !
"For man is worth no more, I fear, Than what he doth to God appear."
I believe that in this letter I have proved myself thy faithful friend ; but will leave it with God, in the hope that He may bless it so that thou mayest become sober.
J. JOACHIM ZÜBLIN.
JANUARY 9, 1755.
2II
Correspondence.
3. ( To Rev. J. Heintzelman, Philadelphia.)
WANDONECK, July 1, 1755.
Dear Brother in our Chief Shepherd, Christ !
Your acceptable letter of May 29 was received last week. Part of its contents were very agreeable, but another part was of such a nature that I have little peace of mind. You may readily conceive that I refer to the important proposition which at the suggestion of your father-in-law was also addressed to me by Saur. I am sincerely obliged to you for your fraternal confidence, and will give you my present judgment with equal freedom.
(Defect in the Manuscript.)
I confess beyond all things that the matter appears to me exceedingly important. If I conferred with flesh and blood the answer would be in the negative; but may the Lord preserve me so that I may never oppose His will, for He has convinced me that we can never be happy unless we follow him with all our hearts. I appreciate the diffi- culties which you note and many others. No one knows my incapacity more thoroughly than myself. If the Lord should leave me alone for a moment it would appear to all men.
The proposition concerning the acceptance of a congre- gation in Raritan is out of the question, for, in the first place, I cannot speak a single drop of Dutch, and am much less able to serve a Hollandish congregation. Be- sides, the vocantes can and dare engage no one who is un- willing to submit to them. All would therefore depend on the nature of the instructions.
Mr. Saur has not given me a very favorable idea of the Trustees. In this matter I look to God alone.
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(Another defect.)
He further suggested that inasmuch as Sch- (Schlatter) desired a letter addressed to himself (for my legitimation in my church) I should undertake a journey to Coetus, when we might orally discuss the matter, and consider the affair in all its details ; which proposition I submit to the providence of God, whether anything may come of it or not. I fear, however, these things will not be agreeable to Mr. Schlatter, for I have not for a long time received a reply from him. May the Lord rule the whole affair ac- cording to His will and for the welfare of many souls, and prepare me, His unworthy servant, for all that may be be- fore me. "Do what thou wilt with me, etc."
The letter to Mr. Rabenhorst I have delivered. I saw him personally this spring. Quantum mutatus ab illo ! He is now one of the four secular judges of the commu- nity. O, my dear brother, how important it is that we should watch and pray without ceasing ! By how many enemies are we constantly surrounded, within and without ! All this is a constant source of care to a faithful steward. I am still far from reaching the goal. I know what I ought to be, I begin to feel its necessity, but unfaithfulness still clings to my nature.
I am not without hope that the Lord has begun to en- liven the dry bones in my congregation. O, that they might live ! How painful it would be to leave my congre- gation at this time when I am just beginning to enjoy affection and blessing. But not my will be done !
I commend your reverence and all the brethren to the unchangeable grace of our Redeemer. Pray for me that I may know and fulfil the good and acceptable will of God ! Your humblest fellow-servant,
J. JOACHIM ZÜBLIN.
213
Literary Labors.
It seems a pity that so much of the third letter is lost. What was the plan which Saur proposed? Was it a move- ment for the appointment of Zubly as Schlatter's successor in the superintendence of the Charity Schools? Or, was it proposed to establish a literary institution and place Zubly at its head? At present none can tell.
It is pleasant to mention an instance of Zubly's generosity. The Rev. J. F. Handschuh-Lutheran pastor at German- town-relates that, in 1755, when his family was suffering for the necessaries of life, he was surprised to receive from Charleston a gift of four barrels of rice, which were sent by Zubly. The latter also sent him a gold-piece in a letter. 184
Zubly' s reputation was now fully established. He was fond of literature and had published a number of books and pamphlets. A devotional book, issued in 1756- entitled " The Real Christian's Hope in Death "-was probably the earliest volume in the English language in America by a German Reformed minister. It must have been extensively circulated, for it appeared in several editions.185
In 1770 Princeton College conferred upon Zubly the de- gree of Doctor of Divinity, and on this occasion he pre- pared a Latin thesis. That he was highly esteemed is cer- tain. The Reverend H. M. Mühlenberg, who visited him in 1774, says in his " Journal ":
" October 28 : According to invitation I and my family dined with Rev. Dr. Zubly, and I spent the afternoon very pleasantly with him in his library and study. He is an experienced, influential, learned, prudent and very indus- trious man of a sanguine temperament. He has a larger
184 " Hallesche Nachr.," new ed., II., pp. 182 and 224.
185 Dr. Good gives a list of 14 publications by Dr. Zubly. Some of the titles are, however, taken from Saur's paper, and of some pamphlets there is no ex- tant copy.
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THE Real Christians HOPE IN
DEATH; OR An Account of the edi- fying Behaviour of feveral Perfons of Piety in their laft Moments,
With a Preface recommendatory by the Rev. Mr. CLARKE, Rector of St. PHILIPS CHARLESTOWN,
Collected and publifhed BY
J. J. ZUBLI.
Minifter of the Gofpel in SOUTH-CAROLINA.
Bchold the.Upright, for the End of that Man is Peace. Pfalms. 37, 37.
GERMANTOWN.
Printed by CHRISTOPHER SOWER M DCC LVI.
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Congress.
collection of fine books than I have seen elsewhere in America. The external appearance of his library is not surpassed by the most superior in Germany."
In Savannah peculiar circumstances made Zubly a civil as well as a religious leader. He took a profound interest in the political questions of the day, and was active among the " Sons of Liberty." In his published writings he de- nounced the measures of the British ministry in unmis- takable language. Discussing the suggestions made in England to arm the slaves in order to enforce obedience to British rule, he wrote to the Earl of Dartmouth as fol- lows : " Proposals publicly made by ministerial writers rela- tive to American domestics have laid the southern provinces under the necessity of arming themselves. A proposal to put it in the power of domestics to cut the throats of their masters can only serve to cover the proposers and abettors with everlasting infamy. The Americans have been called a rope of sand ; but blood and sand will make a firm cementation, and enough American blood has al- ready been shed to cement them together into a three-fold cord not easily to be broken."
Zubly's election to membership in the Continental Con- gress is thus recorded : 186
" July, 1775. Provincial Congress of Georgia, John Houston, Archibald Bullock, Rev. Dr. Zubly, Noble W. Jones and Lyman Hall were duly elected to represent Georgia in the Continental Congress. Dr. Zubly said he was greatly surprised and could not accept the honor without the consent of his congregation. Messrs. Noble W. Jones and John Houston were appointed a committee to interview the members of Dr. Zubly's church, and to request their permission that he absent himself from his
186 Jones's " History of Georgia," Vol. I., pp. 188-189.
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charge for a season in order that he might perform the im- portant duties devolved upon him by this congress. Four days afterwards those gentleman reported that they had conferred with the congregation and the members ex- pressed a willingness to spare their minister for a time for a good of the common cause. Dr. Zubly, thereupon, de- clared his acceptance of the appointment, and thanked the Congress for this mark of honor and confidence." "Dr. Zubly was selected to prepare a petition to the King upon the present unhappy situation of affairs, and was also ap- pointed chairman of a committee to address a letter to the president of the Continental Congress acquainting him fully with the proceedings of this Congress. He was also made chairman to frame an address to be presented by Congress to Governor Wright."
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