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 2
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(22) "54 schuh lang bei 39 schuh breit," from a letter by Brunnholtz. The German "schuh," "ein længenmass," is the old term for 12 in. or a foot, long measure, and is still in vogue in Pennsyl- vania, and some parts of Germany.
(23) Halle Reports, p. 12.
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ished, and in April the masons commenced work on the church. On the second day of May the corner-stone was laid with solemn service in the presence of an immense gathering. The seats which had been rudely constructed of the lumber brought there for the church, accommo- dated only a part of the vast number present. After singing Paul Ger- hardt's hymn, " Commit thy ways and all that grieves thy heart to God," Muhlenberg preached a sermon in German, based on the text Zech. 14 : 7, " But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night : but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light." He then delivered an address in English, as the English speaking portion of the community was present in large numbers. At this service the church received the name of Augustus, not in honor of any imaginary St. Augustus, but in honor of Hermann Augustus Francke, the founder of the Halle Institutions, whose son Gotthelf Augustus Francke, was espec- ially influential in securing Muhlenberg's acceptance of the call.
So rapidly had the work advanced24 that on August 3Ist the roof was finished, and on September 12th the congregation left the barn and worshiped for the first time within the bare walls of the new church. From the very beginning Muhlenberg gave one-third of his time to Trappe, spending a week at a time in each of his three charges, holding services on Sunday, and " compelled by stern necessity to do the work of a school-master during the week."
A special service was held on Whit-Monday when the Lord's Supper was administered, six adults and two youths confirmed and two children baptized. For two years he preached at Trappe, New Hanover, Phila- delphia, and other places,25 traveling back and forth, often exposed to danger,26 working single-handed and alone, but, though he performed gigantic tasks, it was overwhelming. He entreated the fathers to send him co-laborers, and at last he received assurance of help. Peter Brunn- holtz arrived at Philadelphia January 26, 1745, and divided the work with
(24) A well authenticated tradition informs us that during the harvest season, when the crops had to be gathered, the women wheeled the mortar and tended the masons, so that the work should not be retarded.
(25) The subordinate congregations (Filial) connected with Trappe. " Because many of the weak and aged members cannot travel so far," Muhlenberg writes, "and the little children cannot be brought over such distances to be baptized in church, I therefore have an occasional service dur- ing the week somewhere along the Schippach (Towamencin) and also on the other side of the Schuylkill (Pikestown), for it is often a very troublesome thing for the people to have to ford the river. (Halle Reports, Dr. Schaeffer, p. 170.)
(26)"In this country there are several streams which sometimes rise suddenly very high, and then again abate. There are no bridges over them, so that they have to be crossed on horseback or in a canoe. In traveling from Philadelphia to the churches in the country I am obliged to cross three streams (the Wissahickon, Perkiomen and Schippach,) and in winter this is often dangerous." (Halle Reports, p. 22.)
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Muhlenberg, alternating from one charge to the other, making bi-weekly changes.
Brunnholtz first preached at Trappe, February 7, 1745. The Church Record contains the following entry : "On the Sunday after Epiphany, 1745, I, Peter Brunnholtz, being regularly ordained and called by the Rev. Court Chaplain Ziegenhagen, in London, and duly commissioned as second pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran congregations in Philadel- phia, Germantown,27 New Providence and New Hanover, and colleague of the very Rev. H. M. Muhlenberg, preached my introductory sermon in this Providence congregation, upon the Gospel lesson for the day," (Math. 8: 1-13. The centurion at Capernaum).28 This arrangement, however, only continued five months, for in June, 1745, the charge was divided, owing to Brunnholtz's delicate constitution, he serving the con- gregations at Philadelphia and Germantown, and Muhlenberg those in the country.
On April 22d, of this year, Muhlenberg was married to Anna Maria Weiser,29 daughter of the celebrated Indian agent and interpreter, Colonel Conrad Weiser,30 at Tulpehocken, by Rev. Tobias Wagner, Brunnholtz and Schaum being present as witnesses, and in June moved from Phila- delphia to Trappe and commenced the building of a house.
MUHLENBERG'S HOUSE.
The lot adjoining the church property, containing thirty-three acres, on which he built his house with the assistance of his father-in-law
(27) Muhlenberg preached here soon after his arrival as opportunity offered during the week. It was at once regularly added to the charge.
(28) The title page of the oldest church record, begun in 1730 by Stoever, was written by Brunn- holtz. He also made the first entry in Muhlenberg's minute book, giving an account of the money contributed and expended in building the church.
(29) Born June 24, 1727, and died August 23, 1802, surviving her husband fifteen years. In the ac- count of his marriage, sent to Halle, Muhlenberg states that he had always intended to remain un- married. But after being accosted in the city by some officious match-makers with, "Sir, you must stay in this country and be with us, I know a good espouse for you. Hereor there is an opportunity for you, etc.," and hearing some rude settler in the country say bluntly : " The pastor must become my son," and realizing too that he was being hampered in his labors, " as the devil went to work in an infamous way to befoul him and his work," he at length prayed the Lord to give him a pious wife, deeming sincere piety the chief requisite. The Lord regarded his prayers and granted him a young woman who was " pure in heart, pious, unpretentious, meek and active." (Halle Reports, p. 177.)
(30) John Conrad Weiser, Jr., born November 2, 1696, at Afstett, in thedukedom of Würtemberg, Germany ; came as a child with his father to this country, lived for months at a time with the In- dians and learned their language, customs and character. Settled at Tulpehocken in 1729, became interpreter and government agent in treaties with the Indians; sent from Pennsylvania and Vir- ginia on long and dangerous missions to the various Indian tribes, reaching as far as Canada, and attaining great celebrity. Full accounts of his mission and work are contained in the " Records and Archives," published by the State of Pennsylvania. In 1754 he was appointed a trustee of the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge among the Germans of Pennsylvania ; became col- onel of the provincial militia, October 17, 1755 ; accompanied Count Zinzendorf and various mis- sionaries into the wilderness, and was instrumental in starting the Herrnhuter mission among the Indians He died at Heidelberg, July 13, 1760.
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during the Summer of 1745, he had purchased some years before, indi- cating that he had intended making Trappe his headquarters from the very beginning. As he said, it was a heavy undertaking, as he was in debt for the land, and the congregation unable to build a parsonage, owing to the debt already upon the church. The cost of the house, for which he contracted a debt, was two hundred pounds current money. The house is still standing, a short distance northeast of the church, though it was remodeled in 1851. In this house eight of his eleven children first saw the light of day.
CONSECRATION OF THE CHURCH.
It had been decided at the first service held in the church not to consecrate it until it was fully completed in all its parts, and this having now been accomplished after a lapse of two years, the delay occasioned by the difficulty of securing the necessary funds for the work, Muhlen- berg, on October 6, 1745, the Sunday after Michaelis, consecrated the new church with solemn ceremony, assisted by Peter Brunnholtz, Tobias Wagner and Lawrence T. Nyberg (Newberg), the catechists John Helfrich Schaum and John Nic. Kurtz being also present. On this occasion the dedicatory stone was placed in the wall of the church, bear- ing the following Latin inscription :
SUB REMIGIO CHRISTIHAS ÆDES SOCIETATI AUGUSTANA CONFESS DEDITA DEDICATAS EX IPSO FUNDAMENTO EXSTRUXIT HENRICUS MELCHIOR MULENBERG UNA CUM CENSORIBUS. I . N . CROSMANOF. MARSTELERO. A · HEILMANO.I. MULLERO. H. HASIO. ET. G . KEBNERO.
A. D. MDCCXLIII:
" Under the auspices of Christ, Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, together with his Coun- cil, I. N. Crosman, F. Marsteler, A. Heilman, I. Mueller, H. Haas and G. Kebner, erected from the very foundation this temple dedicated by the Society holding the Augs- burg Confession. A. D. 1743."
An interesting feature of this service was the baptism of three negroes, slaves of Mr. Pawling, a church warden of St. James' Episcopal Church, Perkiomen, now Evansburg, who stated that " Dutch baptism was good enough for blacks." After public examination in the fundamental doc- trines of the Church, having been duly instructed and prepared for the
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rite by Muhlenberg, they were baptized and named John, Jacob and Thomas. Brunnholtz, Wagner and Newberg acted as sponsors.31
PASTORAL LABORS AND TRIALS.
During these years Muhlenberg exercised a general supervision over all the congregations in the province, endeavoring to preach to each of his country congregations at least once in six weeks. In the Summer season he preached regularly at New Hanover, and at 'Trappe every two weeks, in German in the morning and English in the afternoon, as "there were rather more English than German inhabitants," and held service as cir- cumstances permitted at the various outposts (Filial Gemeinden), beyond the Schippach ('Towamencin), across the Schuylkill (Zion's), in the Oley mountains (a few miles from New Hanover), at Saccum, Upper Milford, the Forks (Easton), and other places as they were added from time to time. He was assisted at these various points by John Nic. Kurtz, John H. Schaum, L. H. Schrenk and others, especially during the periods of more extended absence in New York and at Raritan and Cohansey in New Jersey.
Muhlenberg experienced many hardships in attending to the pastoral duties of this immense parochial district. "During the winter months," he says, " one must be glad, if the general duties in the churches and at the outposts can be attended to. Frequently the roads, the rivers, the storms, the cold, the snow, the weather, are such that one would not like to drive his dog out of the house. Yet the pastor must go his round. God in His mercy often saved me in most imminent danger, and pre- served my poor bones when horse and rider fell." 32
Not the least of the trials he had to endure was his contact with the godlessness prevailing in so many places, as he was frequently called to duty at many promiscuous gatherings, when men did not hesitate to in- dulge in the most shocking oaths, blasphemies and scoffings at ministers and religion in general.
At the marriage of a daughter of one of his members to a Reformed neighbor, people gathered in large numbers, with and without invitation,
(31) The fact of the baptism of these slaves reveals the sympathy which Muhlenberg, on many occasions showed for the colored race, (Life and Times of H. M. M., p. 289,) and Mr. Pawling's re- mark may be regarded as an illustration of the well-known prejudice in certain Episcopalian circles against the reception of negroes into the Church. (See Hist. Collections relating to the Amer. Colon. Churches, vol. 2, p. 184.) There were negro members of the Church continuously for many years after Muhlenberg's time. The two last, still well remembered by old members of the Church, were " der schwartze Sambo," who, according to the records, acted as sexton for a time, and Hans Haddens, who, for a ,number of years, sang bass profundissimo, as a member of the choir, but subsequently turned out to be a consummate scoundrel.
(32) Dr. Mann's Life and Times of H. M. M., p. 202.
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and forthwith, as was frequently the case, a scene of ribaldry, dancing, drinking and profanity ensued. Muhlenberg, who officiated, and Brunn- holtz, who was also present, together with some members of the Church, were placed in a room by themselves. There they improved the occasion with profitable intercourse, and spiritual hymns, whilst in the adjoining room they danced around the altar of Baal. Muhlenberg and Brunn- holtz were sickened at their levity and godlessness, and after admonish- ing them several times in vain, went home. Muhlenberg afterwards said he would rather be confined in a reeking dungeon than be in such com- pany.
SYNODICAL MEETINGS AT TRAPPE.
On June 17th and 18th, 1750, the third meeting of the Synod was held at Trappe with sixty-five33 delegates in attendance. From Muhlen- berg's house they moved in procession to the church. Brunnholtz made the preparatory exhortation, and Handschuh preached the sermon, but being in great weakness at the time, his voice was so faint that many afterward complained to Muhlenberg they could not understand him.
After the Communion was celebrated Muhlenberg briefly addressed the general audience in German on the "Footprints of God during the past eight years," and then delivered a Latin address to the clerical brethren. The number of people gathered together on this occasion was so great that the window sash were removed and temporary screens of green branches placed around the Church, so that many who could not get into the building might still enjoy the service with comfort.
Ten years later, October 19th and 20th, the eighth synodical session
(33) I. Pastors-Muhlenberg, Brunnholtz, Handschuh, Kurtz and Schaum.
II. Catechists-Weygand and Schrenk.
III. Conrad Weiser and Mr. Rauss as friends.
IV. Church councilmen and vorsteher-Philadelphia, 7 delegates, 3 visitors, total 10; (Muhlen- berg gives 8), Germantown 5 (Muhlenberg 6), Brunnholtz, pastor ; Lancaster 1 (came without cre- dentials of his own accord, the congregation, in which there was dissension at the time, refusing to send a delegate), Handschuh, pastor; York 2, Schaum, pastor ; Tulpehocken 3 (Muhlenberg 4), Kurtz, pastor; Raritan, N. J., 5 (Muhlenberg 6), (three of whom came to protest against Weygand's ordination,) served by Weygand, ordained the following December ; Saccum (Saucon) 1, Upper Mil- ford 1, Forks (Easton) 2, served by Schrenk, ordained at Trappe, November 5, 1762; Perkasie 2, (Muhlenberg omits), without a pastor, but by the action of Synod, united with Goshenhoppen and Indianfield to form a charge ; Goshenhoppen 4, served the following year by Rauss, ordained No- vember 5, 1752 ; Cohansey, N. J., 2, without a pastor, thereafter to be served temporarily by the schoolmaster, who was examined during the afternoon and furnished with credentials; Providence (Trappe) 12, New Hanover 4 (Muhlenberg 6), Muhlenberg, pastor ; Macungie 2, without a pastor, to be served by Schrenk as circumstances permitted, total 65. See minutes of Synod, by Handschuh, Hall, Nach. I, p. 471. Muhlenberg's account, Hall. Nach. I, p. 507, gives a total of 69, in which number delegates of Tohicon (2) and the Swedish English Congregation (1) (Molatton, Berks Co.) are in- cluded, cf. Hall. Nach. I, p. 221. The difference of the two reports may be accounted for by the fact that Muhlenberg's is dated the 17th, whilst Handschuh records the attendance on the 18th. The Swedish Provost, Israel Acrelius, who arrived at Philadelphia from Sweden, November 6, 1749, promised to attend the session, but could not come.
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convened once more at Trappe. The Rev. Provost C. M. Wrangel, D.D., was present at this session and preached in the afternoon of the second day from Acts 24 : 24-5, taking as his theme "The unhappy exertions made by wilful sinners to weaken in their souls the gracious operation of the Holy Spirit." It was at this meeting that Muhlenberg received the honorary title of Senior34 of the Ministerium. From its organization to his death he attended twenty-three meetings of the Synod, over which for a number of years he had presided.
PERFECTED ORGANIZATION.
One of the Patriarch's gifts was his organizing faculty. Though he found Vorsteher and Elders35 in the congregation, when he came, yet the organization which was thereby indicated was most crude and rudimen- tary. This division of officers he retained, and with a master hand soon guided the congregation into a well-developed organization. But it was not until 1750 that he prepared a constitution for the more perfect gov- ernment of the congregation, which on July 8th wasadopted and signed by twelve elders who had been elected on May 24th, under certain conditions for life, and four vorsteher who were elected for one year. This is the earli- est written document having at all the nature of a congregational constitu- tion which has come down to us from the Halle men.36 If there was nothing else this alone would be sufficient to confute the groundless charges brought against Muhlenberg by Lucas Rauss. It requires that the elders and vorsteher conform their lives to the Evangelical doctrine, upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets and according to the symbolical books, see that the same be perpetuated in church and school to their descendants, and guard the pulpit against strange preachers outside of their communion.37 It provided also that the accounts of the congregation be submitted and examined the day after New Year, when inquiry was also to be made as to the payment of the pastor's salary. The
(34) This title, which unfortunately has been suffered to fall into disuse, though never formally abrogated, was last borne by Rev. William Bates of Lancaster, who died August 17, 1867.
(35) This provision of Elders and Vorsteher was derived from the Swedish Lutheran Church on the Delaware, the Swedish Lutheran Church in New York and New Jersey, and ultimately from the German Lutheran Church in London, and the Dutch Lutheran Church in Amsterdam, the latter being the most important and influential source. See Dr. Schmucker's Organizat. of congre- gat., pp. 5, 12.
(36) Dr. Schmucker's Organizat. of the cong., p. 28.
(37) This was especially meant to keep out the miserable " vagabonds," and does not necessarily indicate a rigid exclusivism. Whilst Muhlenberg was decidedly opposed to indiscriminately per- mitting any one to enter his pulpit, he did, however, on distinct occasions, grant such privilege, so that it might appear that he used " more freedom in practical interdenominational relations than appears compatible with his strict Lutheran convictions." (See Dr. Mann's Life and Times of H. M. M., p. 392.)
.
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minister himself had two votes, and no meeting could be held without him, much less any resolution enforced without his signature.38
CHURCH SERVICE.
A uniform liturgy Muhlenberg regarded as in the highest degree neces- sary, fully appreciating the importance of a proper responsive participa- tion on the part of the congregation. At first his method of conducting service was very simple. "The sermon itself," he says, " occupies an hour or three-quarters of an hour. Afterward I catechise the whole congregation upon the subject of the sermon."39 Appropriate hymns were selected and sung from the Marburg hymn-book, and selections occasion- ally made from the revised edition of the Halle hymn-book.40 The prayers and other forms used he had collated from various sources, and for the English services, which he continued to hold regularly, he doubt- lessly used parts of the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer with which he had been long familiar.41 But this proved unsatisfactory and insufficient, and with the co-operation of Brunnholtz and Handschuh, at a conference at Trappe, April 28, 1748, he prepared a uniform and well-digested lit- urgy42 on the basis of the liturgy of the Savoy congregation in London, which was adopted by synod in August of the same year, and introduced into the congregations without serious opposition. 43
(38) For a complete translation of this constitution, see Dr. Schmucker's Organizat. of Cong., p. 28. (39) Halle Reports, p. 170.
(40) The revised edition was published by J. A. Freylinghausen in 1741, with an introduction by Gotth. Aug. Francke. The first official Lutheran hymn-book, published in America, containing 706 hymns, chiefly selected by Muhlenberg, and 19 prayers " on all the days of the week and other circumstances," by Helmuth, appeared in 1786, with an introduction from Muhlenberg's pen, published at Germantown by Leibert & Billmeyer. In the same year the official liturgy (Kirchen- agende) was published, printed by Steiner in Philadelphia.
(41) Dr. Mann's Life and Times of H. M. M., p. 268. Stoever's Memoirs of Muhlenberg, p. 47.
(42) The following is a brief outline : Chap. 1. I. Hymn, " Now, the Holy Ghost we pray." The entire hymn, or several verses, or a verse of the hymn "Come, Holy Ghost Lord God." II. Confes- sion of sins-The Kyrie. III. Hymn, " All glory be to God on high." IV. Pastor: The Lord be with you. Cong .: And with thy spirit-Collect for the day from the Marburg hymn-book-Epistle lesson. V. Hymn from the Marburg hymn-book. VI. Gospel lesson-The minister shall then offer in prayer the hymn of faith, " In one God we all believe." The Gospel lesson and prayer may be omitted if children are to be baptized, VII. Hymn, "Dearest Jesus we are here," or "Lord Jesus Christ be present now," entire or in part. VIII. Sermon, not to be more than three-quarters of an hour or an hour in length. The general prayer. Nothing else shall here be used except the litany as a change. Special petitions for the sick, etc., may then be added. Lord's Prayer. Benediction, after which one verse of a hymn shall be sung. Chap. 2. Order for baptism. Chap. 3. Order for proclamation and marriage. Chap. 4. Order for preparatory service and Lord's Supper. Chap. 5. Order for burials. (See Hall. Nach. [, p. 211). This liturgy was never printed, so that each pastor of the ministerium was obliged to make his own copy. Two of these, one by Jacob Van Buskirk, 1763, and the other by Peter Muhlenberg, 1769, were rescued and preserved by Dr. J. W. Richards, a grandson of Muhl- enberg. It formed the basis of the liturgy (Kirchenagende) published by order of the synod in 1786.
(43) The elders at synod reported the general satisfaction with which the new order was received, with the slight objection that it was rather too long, especially for the cold winter months. (They did not have then the luxury of a stove in the church). In view of this objection synod abbreviated the services somewhat. The real opposition came from disaffected ministers like Stoever and Wagner.
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The want of catechisms was also felt. "It would seem," he said, " as if a catechism was as necessary for us as is our daily bread, for the children ought to be well grounded in catechetical doctrines, and to do so the adoption and uniform use of the most suitable terms for expressing such doctrines is important. If one pastor and teacher adopts his own plan, and another uses the Wittenberg catechism, a third that of Giessen, a fourth the Holstein catechism, confusion would be sure to follow."44
He found, in fact, over fifty varieties of catechisms and hymn-books throughout the congregations, brought over from Germany, where almost every city had its own peculiar forms, all claiming to be Lutheran, so that one uniform catechism was eminently necessary.
As Dr. Ziegenhagen did not furnish such a desired catechism as he had promised, Muhlenberg and Brunnholtz had Luther's small cate- chism published in German by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia in 1749, which soon came into general use.
THE CHURCH DISCIPLINE
which Muhlenberg introduced and enforced, exercised the most salutary influence upon the congregation, a matter in which the Church has un- fortunately retrograded. A week before the Lord's Supper was celebrated, the members of the congregation were required to meet the pastor at the church or school house, when inquiries were made into their spiritual con- dition and their relations to their neighbors, and warning or comfort given as the circumstances demanded. After the sermon, during prepar- atory service, the congregation gathered around the altar in a semi-circle. Any who had given public offense were required to come forward, when with affectionate exhortation they were reminded of their sins, and en- couraged to repentance. All were then asked if they would forgive their brethren who had erred, which was generally done " with heartfelt tears." The rest were admonished not to deem themselves better than these sin- ners, but to think of their own sins, and watch over their own hearts. After confession was made kneeling, absolution was pronounced, and warning given to the impenitent. If any still harbored ill-will they would meet in the parsonage, forgive each other and be reconciled.
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