USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > The old Trappe Church, 1743-1893 : a memorial of the sesqui-centennial services of Augustus Evangelical Lutheran Church, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania > Part 13
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18
In St. Michael's church, Philadelphia, on August 14, 1748, he organ- ized the first Lutheran synod of America with four German and two Swedish pastors in attendance, the congregations being also represented by twenty-four lay delegates in addition to the entire church council of St. Michael's church. In the years that followed as additional pastors were from time to time secured and congregations multiplying, he made frequent missionary tours to the various Lutheran congregations in East- ern Pennsylvania, to those in New York and Rhinebeck on the Hudson, Hackensack and the other New Jersey congregations on the Raritan, and Frederick, Md. On February 1, 1751, a pressing call came to him from the congregation in New York, but the claims of his own congrega- tions only permitted of a provisional acceptance for a specified time. Leaving his family at Trappe as a pledge of his return, he spent three months and eight days (May 17th to August 26th) in New York and Hackensack in 1751, and about the same length of time the following year (May 9th to August 3d.) Four days before leaving on his second visit he procured a passport and safe-conduct from Governor James Ham- ilton, permitting him to pass unmolested through the province and recommending him to the kind consideration of the authorities in other provinces. Probably the experience of his first visit convinced him that such a document was necessary or at least advanta- geous. It is interesting to observe that Muhlenberg, loyal to his adopted country as he was to his Church, on September 24, 1754, in company with Rev. J. C. Hartwig, proceeded to the Supreme Court at Philadelphia, and taking the required oath became a natur- alized subject of Great Britain.94 For nine weeks, in 1758, Muh-
(94) The restrictions limiting the admission of foreigners to citizenship are of interest. 1. The privilege of becoming a naturalized subject was not accorded to any outside the Church. 2. It was extended only to such Church members as were in regular and good standing. 3. Roman Catholics aud Jews were excluded. This appears from the preface to the list of naturalized subjects in the Penna. Arch. 2d Ser. Vol. II, p. 295, which we quote : " Foreigners having inhabited and resided for
Henry Melchior Muhlenberg. 123
lenberg was engaged in missionary work in the Raritan congregations in New Jersey, and again visited this field the succeeding year for a period of fifteen weeks (June 11th to September 27th). He was once more oc- cupied in missionary and pastoral labors in the Raritan field for four months in the Winter and Spring of 1759-60. In October of the suc- ceeding year, yielding to most urgent solicitations, he accepted a call as first pastor to Philadelphia, where the peace of both the congregation and pastor Handschuh, who had long and varied experiences in church strifes in different places, was very much disturbed by internal dissension, Hand- schuh being still retained as second pastor. On October 29, 1761, Muh- lenberg moved with his family to Philadelphia, infused new life into the congregation and after a time succeeded in reconciling the contending par- ties. He had greatly deplored that his absorbing, overwhelming pastoral duties and long and frequent absences from home made the neglect of his family and of the education of his sons unavoidable, and now that the opportunity presented itself, he sent his three sons to Halle in the Spring of 1763 to be educated and prepared for the min- istry. In 1766-7, to accommodate the rapid increase of the con- gregation under his aggressive work, Zion's church was erected, at that time the largest church in North America. After the death of his colleague Handschuh October 9, 1764, he was assisted in the pas- toral care of the two congregations from 1765 by Rev. Chr. E. Schultze, and in 1770, after the latter's removal to Tulpehocken, by Revs. J. C. Kunze and his youngest son, Henry Ernst Muhlenberg. Even with the more exacting duties of the city charge resting upon him, he still made frequent visits in the capacity of superintendent to many distant congregations, and continued to exercise a general supervision over the entire field. In the Fall of 1774, as the Ebenezer congregation was in- volved in serious difficulty and the two pastors there at variance with each other, having obtained a passport and safe-conduct from Governor John Penn, Muhlenberg, in company with his wife and one daughter, visited the distracted congregation, restored harmony, thoroughly revised
the space of seven years and upwards in his Majesty's Colonies in America, and not having been ab- sent out of some of the said colonies for a longer space than two weeks, and having produced to the said Court certificates of their having taken the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in some Protestant or Reformed congregation in this province within three months before the said Court, took and sub- scribed the oaths." The certificates of Muhlenberg and Hartwig showed that they had taken the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper on September 15, 1754. The names of naturalized Quakers to whom these conditions were not applied are given in separate lists. In the formula of the oath of allegi- ance, required of all immigrants upon their arrival, the following section (Penn. Arch. 2d Ser. Vol. XVII, p. 3) is inserted for the benefit of Roman Catholics: "I, A. B , do solemnly & sincerely Promise & Declare that I will be true & Faithful to King George, the Second, and do solemnly sincerely and truly Profess Testify and Declare, that I do from my heart abhor detest & renounce as impious & heretical that wicked Doctrine & Position that Princes Excommunicated or deprived by the Pope or any authority of the See of Rome, may be deposed or murthered by their subjects or any other, whatlate State or Potentate hath or ought to have any power soever."
124
The Old Trappe Church.
the church constitution, secured the rights of the congregation to its prop- erty and returned to Philadelphia March 6th of the following year.
In July, 1776, owing to impaired hearing and increasing debility, as well as to the prevailing political disturbances, after a pastorate of fifteen years at Philadelphia, Muhlenberg left the congregation in charge of his colleagues and retired with his family to Trappe, where he spent the re- mainder of his days. He still at times preached at Philadelphia and as- sumed partial charge of the congregations at Trappe and New Hanover. In 1777-8, while the clouds of war were hovering over Trappe, he suffered much annoyance, considerable damage to his private property, and was exposed to danger, but remained firm at his post and by his faith and courage stayed the wavering congregation through those dark days. In April, 1779, he formally resigned the Philadelphia congregation, and as he was being more and more disabled by physical infirmities gradually discontinued officiating at public services and preached his last sermon in Augustus church at Trappe, September 26, 1784. His general weakness, loss of hearing, failing eyesight, aggravated by various painful disorders, plainly told that the shadows of death were deepening fast, but the vigor and clearness of his mind remained unimpaired to the end. He gently breathed his last October 7, 1787. He was buried Wednesday, October roth, in the presence of a great throng of people. The large marble slab over his grave in the shadow of the Old Church eloquently proclaims that he needs no monument to perpetuate his memory. The Lutheran Church in this country is his enduring monument. His son-in-law, Dr. Kunze, did not deem it too high praise to say that he was the Luther of America. Like Luther, he was a many-sided, ever-growing, adaptable man, and like him, a man of the people. It would be too much to say that he was a brilliant preacher, but he was original, practical, natural, direct, always impressive, not without eloquence, and in addition to his own vigorous and lucid German, had a ready command of English, Dutch, Bohemian, Swedish, French and Latin, at times preaching on the same day to three or four different audiences in as many different languages. It was his aim to rightly divide the word of truth, and never shun from declaring the whole counsel of God. His great fidelity as a pastor is strikingly exhib- ited in the numerous " examples " which he minutely reported to Halle. He never forgot his calling, always under all circumstances realizing that he was an ambassador for Christ, and praying men to be reconciled to God, instant in season, out of season, reproving, rebuking, exhorting with all long suffering and doctrine. As an organizer and a leader of execu- tive ability, he was without an equal. He placed the congregations on a solid doctrinal and constitutional basis, and welded them firmly together by synodical organization. His organizing faculty displayed itself
125
Henry Melchior Muhlenberg.
everywhere, in his ability to bring harmony and order out of the most discordant and conflicting elements, in the systematic, methodical way in which he outlined his sermons, conducted his correspondence, made his official reports, and kept his diary and financial accounts, and even in his handwriting. His solid learning evoked the wonder of his contem- poraries, who knew what little time his incessant labors and journeys left him for study. Dr. Kuntze, his most learned contemporary, declared " that his comprehensive erudition surpassed what he expected to find.'' 95 He was not a profound and great scholar but he might have been. Resist- ing the temptation, not without a struggle doubtless, to devote himself to scientific and theological research and literary work, he was convinced that the overwhelming need of pastoral work made it his duty to give himself up unreservedly to the practical care of all the churches, and to this conviction he inflexibly adhered. That was a spirit of rare devotion to Christ, from which every trace of selfish pride had been eliminated. With his saddle as his only study for many years, he had nevertheless "more accurately mastered the ancient languages (Latin, Greek and Hebrew) than had many a scholar, was an adept in theology, mental philosophy and medical science."96 It was a well-merited distinction when, on May 27, 1784, he received the title of Doctor of Divinity from the University of Pennsylvania. Helmuth, who proposed his name to the trustees for the honor, testifies to Muhlenberg's humility in this comment, " The old father will no doubt smile at my freak, since I know how little he cares for the honor of the world." Muhlenberg earnestly requested his friends to ignore the title.
The great pressure of pastoral and missionary labors resting upon him, gave him no time to figure as an author. A controversial tract in defense of Pietism, 1741, a sermon called forth by the Stamp Act, 1776, and the preface to the German hymn-book 1786, exhaust the list of his pub- lications. His Halle Reports, though not written from a literary stand- point, nevertheless reveal a distinct literary talent and " as instructive ex- amples in pastoral theology are as valuable for their suggestions as any theoretical treatise on the subject."97 In his friendship he was cordial, sincere and frank, never hesitating in the spirit of meekness and love to point out a fault, and never simulating what he did not feel. No wonder that his friendship was so highly prized ! His influence as a man ex- tended far beyond racial or denominational lines. He was held in highest esteem by leaders of other communions, with many of whom he was on terms of intimate friendship. His appointment as a trustee of the cor- poration for the relief of Widows and Children of the Episcopal Church
(95) Dr. Mann's Life and Times of H. M. M., p. 528. (96) Ibid. p. 528. (97) Dr. Jacobs' Hist. of the Luth. Ch. in the U. S., p. 228.
I26
The Old Trappe Church.
is also proof of the estimation in which he was held beyond the Lutheran circle. Whilst always eminently loyal to the faith as confessed in the Lutheran symbolical books, he was tolerant of views that differed from his own. To his own conviction of right and duty he was always true, never compromising with error at the expense of truth. His open coun- tenance and ample forehead reveal intelligence, kindliness not unmixed with humor, sound judgment, refinement and resolution. Not only nature but grace, by which he was what he was, might stand up and say to all the world this was a man, nay, more, a great man, and still more a good man. The Lutheran Church in America is honored by the memory of him who is its Patriarch.
REV. PETER BRUNNHOLTZ.
He was a native of Nübül, a village of Glücksberg in the Danish province of Schleswig. Having received preliminary training in his native schools, mastering both Danish and Swedish, he pursued his theological studies at the university of Halle, at the same time teaching in the Or- phanage at that place. For a time he served also as catechist on the estates of a nobleman, Hartmann. von Gensau of Farrenstädt, who was deeply interested in the education of the young, and officially connected with the Halle institutions. On February 29, 1744, he accepted a call from Prof. Dr. G. A. Francke to become second pastor of the congregations in the province of Pennsylvania, preached a farewell ser- mon in a public hall at Farrenstädt on Oculi Sunday, March 8th, from Acts 20 : 21, 25, 32, took leave of his friends and professors at Halle on April 6th, and proceeded to Wernigerode. Here, on Friday, April roth, he sustained a highly creditable examination under Superintendent Samuel Lau, and the Counselor of the Consistorium, Ziegler, in the presence of the reigning court and the Count of Schwartzau, giving evidence of the fine attainments he had made in theological science, and the diligence with which he had studied the Word of God. Two days later, on the second Sunday after Easter, he was ordained in the Castle church by Superin- tendent Lau, three other pastors assisting at the service. In May he took sorrowful leave of his father, brothers, and only sister, at Nübül, and journeyed to Hamburg. Here he welcomed as his companions for the voyage the two catechists, J. H. Schaum and J. N. Kurtz, and having obtained his passport, signed by the king of Denmark, in answer to Count Stolberg's direct request, and similar papers for the catechists, he took ship for England and after a stormy voyage of three weeks reached Lon- don on the 20th of July. After a detention of nine weeks in the harbor
127
Peter Brunnholtz.
at Gravesend, the three companions finally set sail on November 29th, and after a tempestuous voyage arrived safely at Philadelphia on January 26, 1745. The prayers which had been offered every Sunday in the con- gregations for their safe arrival, were thus graciously answered, and the three assistants were accordingly received with every demonstration of delight. A courier was immediately dispatched to Muhlenberg at Trappe, who hastened to Philadelphia, and on the following evening welcomed his co-laborers with the deepest joy. They held a short service of praise in the home of one of the deacons where they met, singing the hymn, " Praise the Lord, O my soul," (Lobe den Herrn, O meine Seele), and uniting in prayer. Of such vital importance for the work in Pennsyl- vania was the arrival of these assistants regarded, that the anniversary of the event was held as a memorial day for a number of years. Brunnholtz was at once introduced to the various congregations, at Philadelphia on January 31st, at Germantown on February 5th, at Providence on the 7th, and at New Hanover on the 9th. Kurtz was stationed at New Hanover as catechist and Schaum at Philadelphia. After serving the congrega- tions for five months jointly with Muhlenberg, Brunnholtz who by reason of physical weakness was unable to endure the rough exposure of travel- ing to the country congregations in all kinds of weather, " over unmade roads, fording the stream, through heat and cold, rain and snow," re- signed the country congregations by mutual agreement to Muhlenberg, and retained charge of the congregations at Philadelphia and German- town. From the very beginning, in addition to his other duties as pas- tor, he devoted himself assiduously to the instruction of the young, opened a school in the limited quarters of his own house at great personal incon- venience, and made his Kinderlehre one of the most conspicuous and successful features of his pastoral labors. In 1746 he prepared the out- lines of a constitution for St. Michael's Church, but proving more and more unsatisfactory as the congregation grew in numbers it gave place in 1762 (five years after Brunnholtz's death) to a carefully arranged con- stitution, the work of Muhlenberg, assisted by Handschuh and the Swedish Provost Wrangel. The dedication of St. Michael's church (be- gun in 1743 and carried to completion during Brunnholtz's pastorate) took place on August 14, 1748, in connection with the synodical session at which Brunnholtz served as secretary. Two years later the new organ, built in Heilbronn, was also consecrated. In 1751 Brunnholtz was re- lieved of the charge in Germantown by Rev. J. Frederick Handschuh. But even after this division of labor he was not destined long to endure the severe strain still resting upon him. He was always in feeble health, frequently prostrated by sickness for weeks at a time when his recovery was repeatedly despaired of, and after a short but most laborious and
128
The Old Trappe Church.
faithful ministry of twelve and a half years, he fell asleep on July 5, 1757, while Handschuh, bowed down with grief, was ministering to him at his bedside. 98
As the Swedish Provost Parlin, who had been invited to deliver the discourse at the funeral, which was held on the 7th, was unable to attend by reason of sickness, and as Muhlenberg and Handschuh were too grief- stricken to attempt to speak, the young candidate for the ministry, Wil- liam Kurtz, preached the sermon from Phil. 2: 12, 13. The professors of the Philadelphia Academy, all the pastors of the city numbering about fifteen, together with a great multitude of citizens and members of his congregation, gathered at the funeral to render a last tribute of love to their departed pastor, friend and colleague.
Brunnholtz had never married. His library he bequeathed to St. Michael's church on condition that the congregation should be regularly served by a pastor sent from Halle, who in conjuntion with one of the members should have it in charge. It unfortunately was seriously dam- aged by a great fire that broke out on December 26, 1794, in Zion's church where it was kept at the time. Some of the volumes that were rescued are now in the Theological Seminary at Mt. Airy. " As a preacher Brunnholtz was simple, instructive, practical, experimental, and sometimes deeply solemn and pungent. He had no taste for controversy, and never went out of his way to attack those who differed from him, while yet he never hesitated for the fear of giving offence to bring out what he be- lieved to be the full meaning of the text. He was fond of quoting from the writings of Luther in proof of his own positions.''99 Muhlenberg had the highest opinion of his " beloved colleague " Brunnholtz, and in his reports to Halle frequently testified to his zeal, his pastoral fidelity, his lovable disposition, his mental gifts and rare unselfishness, traits which have conspired to render him a conspicuous figure in the early history of the Church in America and to endear him to all Lutherans.
(98) The only obituary Brunnholtz received appeared in Christ. Saur's Pennsylvania Berichte, July 7, 1757 : " Rev. Peter Brunnholtz, pastor in Philadelphia, died day before yesterday early in the morning, and was buried to-day." In the Trappe church record of burials, Muhlenberg made the following entry : "Early on the 5th of July about 4 o'clock Pastor Brunnholtz died in Phila- delphia and was buried on July 7th.
(99) Sprague's Annals, Vol. IX, p. 18.
129
John Christopher Hartwick.
REV. JOHN CHRISTOPHER HARTWICK, (HARTWIG), SUBSTITUTE.
He was born in the province of Thüringen, Germany, on Jan. 6, 1714. After completing his university studies and filling a short engagement in 1739 under Dr. Callenberg in missionary work among the Jews, he accepted a call sent by Dr. Wagner of Hamburg, through Dr. Kräuter, pastor of the German Trinity Church in London, to become pastor of the Palatine congregations at Camp and Rhinebeck in the province of New York, and was regularly ordained by Dr. Kräuter on November 24, 1745, assisted by Rev. Pythius, pastor of the Savoy congregation in London, and the Swedish pastor Borg. He reached New York early in the following year and entered upon the pastoral duties of his congregations on the Hudson.100 In 1747, without, however, resigning his own congregations, he took charge of Brunnholtz's work during the latter's sickness. He was one of the ministers present at the organization of the synod in Philadelphia on August 14, 1748. On his way back to his congregations he endeavored to reconcile the dissentient elements in the Dutch Lutheran church in New York, but without success. In September, 1750, he resigned the charge of his congregations to Lucas Rauss for six months, and visited Pennsylvania, preaching at Tulpehocken, Indianfield and
at times in Philadelphia. From 1751-59 he was engaged at vari- ous places in New York with little satisfaction to himself and less to the people he served. It was on the occasion of one of his visits to Muhlenberg at Trappe, September 17-20, 1761, that he agreed to serve as Muhlenberg's substitute' for a trial period of six months, after the latter had accepted his call to Philadelphia. In April of the following year he left Trappe, took charge of the congregation at Frederick, Md., where he he consecrated a newly built church. He next appears at the head of a few discontented members of St. Michael's in Philadelphia, holding services in the Reformed church. He explained his strange procedure in his first sermon by saying : " He only invited those to attend who were standing idle in the market place and for whom there was no room in St. Michael's." Muhlenberg and Handschuh, who held a private consultation concerning Hartwick's erratic conduct, concluded to take no public notice of his course. After the third Sunday, when the Reformed refused to accord him the privilege of their church any longer, he applied to Dr. William Smith for the use of the Philadelphia Academy, but was informed that the building would not be given to disorganizers. After this he filled very short engagements at Frederick, Md., Winchester, Pa., Boston,
(100) The oft repeated statement that Hartwick came to this country as chaplain to a German regiment in the first French War seems to be unfounded. See Hall. Nach. I, p. 184.
130
The Old Trappe Church.
Mass , and other places, and in 1782, moved to Albany, New York, where, with some intermission, he remained until his death.
On July 16, 1796, he visited Hon. J. R. Livingstone, one of his few intimate friends, and, though apparently in perfect health at the time, on the following morning, July 17th, in his eighty-third year, he sud- denly expired. The statement that he had a presentiment that his death would occur at this time, and that when he visited his friend Hon. Living- stone he announced that he had come to die in his house, seems to be without foundation.101 His uncongenial temperament and striking eccen- tricities made him many enemies. During his first pastorate in New York he was bitterly persecuted by Rev. Wm. Berkemeier, who forwarded com- plaints against him to Dr. Kräuter and in four circulated pamphlets denounced him as a Moravian. The charges against him, however, could not be established, and Hartwick was fully vindicated. One of his eccentricities was his great aversion to the female sex, and the fact that he had never married probably added to his instability, but in spite of his numerous idiosyncracies, he possessed many noble traits which Muhlenberg did not fail to recognize. That he was sincerely de- voted to the spread of Christ's kingdom may be inferred from the be- quest of his large estate of land, thirty-six square miles in Otsego County, New York,-ceded to him originally by the Mohawk Indians, with whom he stood in friendly relations, and in part subsequently confirmed by the government,-for the establishment of a missionary institution chiefly in behalf of the Indians, an object to which it was never devoted. After the greater part of the estate had been appropriated and misapplied by fraudulent agents and a few unscrupulous executors, the remaining re- sources of the estate were applied to the building of a seminary in 1813, in Hartwick township, Otsego County, named in his honor, Hartwick Seminary.
REV. JACOB VAN BUSKERK, (BUSKIRK), SUBSTITUTE.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.