USA > Pennsylvania > Philadelphia County > Germantown > The settlement of Germantown, Pennsylvania, and the beginning of German emigration to North America > Part 12
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Mennonite Confession of Faith.
AN APPENDIX TO THE
CONFESSION of FAITH
Of the Chriftians, called,
MENNONISTS: GIVING
A fhort and full Account of them; becaufe of the Immagination of the Newnefs of our Religion, the Weapon and Revenge- lefs Christendom, and. its being.
Published Formerly in the Low-Dutch, and tranflated out of the fame into High-Dutch, and out of that into the English Language, 1725.
PHILADELPHIA: Printed by Andrew Bradford, in the Year 1727.
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The Settlement of Germantown.
the harmless Christians in the Netherlands known by the name of the Mennonites " was printed in Amsterdam, 1712, in English, " at the desire of some of our Fellow believers in Pensylvania " and was reprinted in Philadelphia by Andrew Bradford in 1727.118
Martin Kolb, one of the writers of this letter, a grandson of Peter Schumacher, was born in the village of Wolfs- heim, in the Palatinate, in 1680 and came with his brothers Johannes and Jacob to Pennsylvania in the spring of 1707. He married May 19, 1709, Magdalena, daughter of Isaac Van Sintern and she may claim the distinction of having been the first genealogist in the province. Isaac Van Sintern, a great grandson of Jan de Voss, a Burgo- master at Handschooten, in Flanders, about 1550, was born September 4, 1662, and married in Amsterdam Cornelia Claassen, of Hamburg. He came with four daughters to Pennsylvania after 1687, died August 23, 1737, and was buried at Skippack. Magdalena Kolb, about 1770, when a very old woman, prepared a record of about five hundred of the descendants in Pennsylvania, which was sent to Holland and incorporated in the De Voss genealogy.
On the 10th of February, 1702-3, Arnold Van Vos- sen delivered to Jan Neuss on behalf of the Menno- nites a deed for three square perches of land for a church. On it a log house was built, possibly at that time and certainly not later than 1708. The quantity of land was later increased, since in 1714, Sept. 5th, Van Vossen conveyed thirty-five perches to Hendrick Sellen and Jan Neuss " for a place to erect a meeting house for the use and service of the said Men-
118 A copy of each edition is in my library.
An Old Landmark.
WIG APRIL" 1859.
175
1.
Mennonite Meeting House in Germantown. From a sketch made in 1859.
? $
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The Settlement of Germantown.
nonites (alias Menisten) and for a place to bury their dead.'
Neuss died before Dec. 8, 1724, on which day Sellen executed a declaration of trust.
The members, May 23, 1708, were Wynant Bowman, Ann Bowman, Cornelius Claassen, Peter Conrad, Gertrude Conrad, Johannes Conrad, Civilia Conrad, Jacob God- schalk and his wife, Johannes Gorgas, Margaret Huberts, Conrad Johnson and wife, Harmen Kasdorp and wife, Martin Kolb and wife, Heinrich Kassel and wife, Johannes Krey, Helena Krey, Paul Klumpges, Johannes Kolb, Jacob Kolb, Barbara Kolb, Arnold Kuster, Elizabeth Kuster, Hermannus Kuster, Peter Keyser, Catharine Kasselberg, Jan Lensen, Jan Neuss, Hans Neuss, William Rittenhouse and wife, Altien Rebenstock, Mary Sellen, Hendrick Sellen, Hermen Tuyner, (?), Mary Tuynen, Margaret Tyson, Altien Tyson, Christopher Timmerman, Civilia Van Vossen, Arnold Van Vossen, Isaac Jacobs Van Bebber, Jacob Isaacs Van Bebber, Isaac Van Sintern and wife, Sarah Van Sintern.119
119 Morgan Edwards' Materials towards a History of the American Bap- tists. Vol. I., p. 96.
CHAPTER IX.
PETER CORNELIUS PLOCKHOY, OF ZIERIK ZEE. HIs COMMUNAL PLANS AND SETTLEMENT ON THE HOORN KILL.
Vignette from Plockhoy's Kort en klaar Ontwerp.
E now approach the most heroic figure and the most pathetic series of incidents in connection with the early history of German- town. It is the story of one " Who died in the broken battle, who lies with swordless hand,
In the realm that the foe hath conquered, on the edge of a stranger land."
Robert Owen and Charles Fourier of recent years have elaborated theories of a com- munal life, which have attracted wide attention and dis- cussion, and in this country led Hawthorne, Thoreau, Emerson and their companions to make the experiment at Brook Farm. This experiment, at least, had the result of leading to the production of the Blithedale Romance and other interesting literature of permanent value. The fore-
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The Settlement of Germantown.
runner of Owen, in the suggestion of these views of life, was acknowledged by him to have been the Quaker, Robert Bellers, who in 1696 published a book in London advo- cating the erection of a college of labor wherein should be taught trades and housekeeping, and where the rich would get a profit, the poor a living, and the young would be properly instructed. Karl Marx praises this book as marking an epoch in the history of political economy. But as there were brave men before Agamemnon, and a book of Jasher before that of Jeremiah, so was there a pre- cursor to Bellers, Owen and Fourier.
Peter Cornelius Plockhoy came of a Mennonite family, living at Zierik Zee, and was deeply impressed with the strong religious sentiment of the age and of the sect to which he belonged. He regarded the Christian church as a great universal union of brethren, common to all lands and to all ages, under the one head of Christ, and he says of himself that he was grieved to see the dissen- sions among the many sects into which this brotherhood was divided. He thought over a means by which he could help to break down the walls of separation, and concluded that the man who could do the most to accomplish this ob- ject was Cromwell, the Protector of England. Thereupon he abandoned for a time his family and went to London. Cromwell, in whose character was blended the capacity for military affairs and statecraft, with strong religious impulses and tendencies, gave him a hearing and permitted him to explain his views at length. The result was that he prepared two letters to the Protector. The first of them was dated June 24, 1658.' It urged upon Cromwell to see to it that he, who by his 'achievements had been saved from Anti-Christ, should not again fall into the hands of the little Anti-Christs. The little Anti-Christs were those
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Letters to Cromwell.
sects which differ among themselves and exclude others, and the preachers of these sects. The church of Christ indicates something broad and universal. God and Christ alone are its masters. The government ought to prevent that any man should undertake to rule over another in matters of conscience. All are upon an equality in mat- ters of religion. The government ought not to lend its authority to sects which, contrary to the Holy Scriptures, have established forms and formulas in the shape of con- fessions of faith, by which they bind fast the wills of man- kind. No, there is one church for all. In the church differences of opinion can be permitted, but brotherhood and unity possess them all. For this common Christian church the Lord Protector ought to provide. He must cause it to be brought about that in each city, and in each county, there shall be a common Christian place of meeting, and that a great hall shall be built where the meeting shall be held, and the Holy Scriptures be read for all, and after the reading each shall have an opportunity to express briefly his opinion concerning it. The sitting places in such a hall could be arranged in the form of an amphi- theatre, and with rising steps. Freedom of speech must be preserved for each. Then all sects would accustom them- selves to come into one temple. Once more, there would be unity. The light would be opened in the midst of the darkness. Forbearing love would again: be the custom. Freedom of conscience would be the rule.
This first letter was soon after followed by. a. second. The theme of a common Christian church is again, set out. The result in consequence must be a separation of church and state. It is true the government must see to it that in the great hall, as they come together, everything should be done in an orderly manner, and that they who
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The Settlement of Germantown.
ple into one hous-hold government, or little common- wealth, wherein every one may keep his Propriety, and be employed in some work or other, as he shall be fit, with- out being oppressed. Being the way not only to rid those and other Nations from idle, evil and disorderly persons, but also from all such that have sought and found out many inventions to live upon the labor of others. Where- unto is also annexed an invitation to this society or little Commonwealth, Psalm : Blessed is he that considereth the poor, the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble, the Lord shall preserve him and keep him alive, and he shall be blessed upon the earth. By Peter Cornelius van Zu- rick-zee, London, 1659. Printed for R. C. at the sign of the Black Spread Eagle at the West End of Pauls' Church Yard." 120
The object of the plan is to increase the happiness of the poor. There must be no more oppression of others. The common life must again rest upon uprightness, upon love and upon brotherly union. No yoke shall be longer borne. There must be freedom from all idle and wrong doing per- sons, but above all from those who have sharpened their wits and found the means "to live from the labor of others." To accomplish this the plan provides for groups of col- lective house-keeping and labor combinations of working men who are willing to enter upon a common method of life. Two principles lie at the foundation. The first is the doctrine of equality. Men must abandon all ideas of greatness and desire for superior rank, and follow the ex- ample of Christ who came not to be served, but to serve, and who upon the question of his disciples, as to which
120 I have never seen either of these pamphlets and have translated them from the Dutch of Mr. H. P. G. Quack's admirable paper on Plock- hoy's Sociale plannen, Amsterdam, 1892.
THE SETTLEMENT OF GERMANTOWN.
William Penn
Dear Brother. my Line falantes youk with your Year ferons If (aahot pak this Oportunal & having underfloor that you were upon Ile voyage for pon Alvania Defire you kindly that if my filler to throw fraper, who - went with me for water to bring your from there Allornies viz:)Henderik felles, Reynier Balken, sloant an Covering in philav.
Ancts living in Germantown's
Fouls have need of of go? Afratane in the Pan with father threepers Deputies that When the fame may be brought to a quick En & although father Is freepens is one of 1 5000 access purchefers, yet half notre from pena. of his families one peny, But only Confuse & Ripsallesfy
(hat Country) for 408 In for mallon. to Inquire ones into . This is only (which halk been paft in go! absente in
Matters when you come lo Germent., for it Volk not infouras If purchefers here of 5000 auers of ans, because as halk Htc P. they have to this Day not Per one peny of thise- Indreft hotlinely to Gut fork pretend to have flie mony Celothem in fort Gay qu' Rolling & that of people who are at present in geld flate, sidre broughty Yakrops Under god letperfil, further f underfland Rat Kerül- typman uses for his tervis to you, our Magistrates at Meurs, which magifrales efers their Servire le you again 0 to it would bewell, that you Dis kindly Defire them that Way would leave out of the high Sutik proclamation. which is yearly publifed IMDoughout of County of Meurs & at y Court house at frevel, that if justert foulshan no thesting yoon perally, & in tale you finde freedom to Defire PP. magifilate at Meurs, that they May pelilie Pur Ring Aviliand as under whose name Chff protomates is given for(R ) to leave out y word quackert, fie grand Leberly bf forinfience, & if they Should Put optaine o tome from he fais King, What then you would be Con graines for thetruth, fand to Request our Ring william for the Canulling of Ie proclamation Concerning the quecken, "? anhweb to this " next frat greatly oblige the- Especialy if you would write to the in the Dutch or- Herman lingue, 00 almayghly preferve you & yo? wife, In foule slovy Jony feld have firme though, lo
to Come to you, but by heavy burden of & Fils eren st I can hardly merica las al's that I want bodyly tup. acity lo fleck Lanot & fax trees, as allo hon te under lakk formeting Els fame go? Lov: fraubring to My measure of gospel light within
Tranfelates FAG U.f. g.V: Haken
Math.v: Biffer
LETTER OF H. J. VAN AAKEN, TRANSLATED BY MATTHIAS VAN BEBBER AND IN HIS AUTOGRAPH.
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Communal Life.
of them would be the first after his death, answered that he should be the first among them who became the servant of them all. It is therefore necessary to be careful to make the work of all equal and thus lighten the labor of the poor. Moreover, man must take heed of what the clergymen so often have in their mouths, in order to make the deaths of men so much the more serviceable to them- selves. .. They say they care only for the soul. As though they can love the soul which they see not, and at the same time show not the least compassion for the body which they see very well. No. As well for the body of each as the soul must we be considerate, making such an order in the community that all who now scarcely have bread shall have their wants satisfied and appeased. If inequality were banished, then would the mischief which arises from the difference between the rich and poor, disappear. Jealousy, superfluity, lying, and deception shall disappear from among those "who maintain equality."
The other essential idea is to bring into practice the principle of association. "Neither doth anyone stand simply by himself alone." Fourier expressed the same idea in almost the identical words at the beginning of the present century. Plockhoy's view was as follows : When- ever a hundred families live separately, there are neces- sary at least a hundred women to do the household work. Unite them and let the hundred dwell together, and then the household work can be entirely done by twenty-five women, and the other seventy-five, if they are capable, can work for the community. When a hundred people live apart every day, there is a necessity for a hundred fires to prepare the mid-day meal. If they be brought together, then the great fires of four or five ovens are ample for the purpose. The objective point of the as-
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The Settlement of Germantown.
sociation is thus a saving. But this is only a negative gain. A positive benefit of working together is a com- plete development of the work or knowledge, and thus a greater result from the work. While generally in the world, he says, it is to the profit of the individual to keep his capacity and skill away from the rest, when he enters into association, he brings his knowledge and skill into the community, and devotes it to the common good. " This is the only way to find out the height, depth, length and breadth of all the affairs of the world." In order, now, to start the foundation of such a community, and Fourier says the same thing, it is necessary that some capable people should advance capital enough to buy a piece of land upon which the establishment of the community can be based. After the land has been secured, four sorts of people are necessary to unite themselves in the common household, to wit : those who understand the cultivation of the soil, merchants and tradesmen, sailors and fishermen, and finally masters in arts and trades. Tradespeople come well first, learned and scientific people last. Also, in the beginning, it is better that the majority should be un- married. For the living and working together of all these people and for their union into one working group, he suggests certain rules. And first with respect to owner- ship. The time of work for all the people is fixed at ten hours a day except upon the Sabbath. They, however, who are hired servants of the community may work twelve hours upon working days while they, themselves, are members of it. Each may work in that occupation or that labor which suits him. It shall not be entirely forbidden to prepare those things which, in the view of the com- munity, are superfluous, so long as the world remains at- tached to them. In all hand work the effort shall be made
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Communal Life.
to secure the best masters, and they, like the others, shall work ten hours a day and lead the rest. All are bound to work. An exception can only be made in the case of those rich people who, while not belonging to the associ- ation, may desire to live there by paying for their rooms, board and clothes. Should these of their own will do any work for the community, then are they an example for all the rich " time-loosers " in this world. Those who belong to the association shall not be bound to make their goods common. There is thus not a communality of goods. Each may keep his own property. Still is it something exceptional, whenever anyone freely pours gold into the funds or capital of the community. Those who bring in lands or ground for the common work shall in the first place be secured in the holding of their title. They give up the use of it without rent and permit that the land be cultivated by the association. Unless they otherwise de- termine and make over the land after their death to the community, the children or relatives shall inherit it. Each receives his share in the gains of the community. In case there are no profits nothing shall be taken. So that it be well understood that those who come into the community do so not for the sake of gain. Gain is, however, more likely to be made in such an association, since the expense of living there is less than in the outside world. The liv- ing is simple and sober. Finery in dress is forbidden. The price of necessaries is less because the community buys at wholesale. Besides, the community has its own cattle, its own vegetables and fruits, catches its own fish and brews its own drink.
In order to secure the benefit of the community, and to do its work, it is necessary to have two great houses, one of them in or near the city, especially for merchants and
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The Settlement of Germantown.
shop-keepers, the other in the country near a river, arranged for the farmers, the seamen and sailors, the tradesmen and the learned. The house in the city shall be large enough for twenty or thirty people to live together. It shall pos- sess stores and different compartments for merchandise, or cloth, woolen and linen goods, worsteds, clothes, shoes and all useful things. The articles produced by the work of the community can be sold at a moderate and cheap price to the public, at a less price than others, for the reason that the cost of production, as has been said, is less. The profit upon the goods shall belong to the community. The house in the city is thus mainly an office and bazaar. Business and industry are the chief features of this house. With care shall it be seen that the young people who are intended for salesmen shall attend to those things for which they are designed. In the same house dwell also the phys- icians, surgeons and apothecaries who must be in the city. These last can as well practice without as within the com- munity and thus add to the profits, but they must always be ready to serve the poor without charge. Also there must be in the house in the city single persons at all times to get the clothes and other things ready daily, and to per- form the daily service.
The house in the country shall be built close by a river so that there may be the opportunity to bring many goods there by water. It were best to surround the house with a ditch crossed by a drawbridge, so that it may be safer from thieves and rovers. The water of the river offers an opportunity for catching fish. Near this house a court or garden is laid out, and further away stretch fields and meadows. Here the cultivation of the land and the raising of cattle are the principal occupations, for commerce and trade have at their foundation agriculture and cattle raising.
4
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The Town House and Country House.
For trade have the people of the community need of clothes, woolen and worsted goods, linen, &c. But to prepare the goods they need flax and sheep. There must be then those who understand the art, further those who- can make the land fruitful, gardeners and cultivators who can make all sorts of trees, vines, roots, herbs and flowers grow. They belong in the house in the country. Further must be found there masons, carpenters, smiths, and also ship-builders who can make ships and boats, to sail to Holland, Flanders, France and other lands and countries, manned with their own people from the community. If such a ship makes a bad trip, nobody blames the sailor. The families of the ship people, while the men are at sea, receive from the community all that they need. Finally in the house in the country are men skilled in all the arts and sciences, mathematics, masters in navigation, and in conclusion, teachers and their pupils.
The two houses shall be so arranged and constructed that the people there, besides their private rooms, shall find common chambers or halls. While for each man and his wife are kept a room and closet, there shall be a large hall for all those affairs which they are prepared to undertake in an orderly manner, a kitchen where all the food is made ready, a good cellar to keep provisions and drink, a hall where all eat together, a room for the children, a large room for scholars, a room for the sick, a room for the doctors and surgeons and for the preparation and preser- vation of drugs and medicines, a room for a library, space for maps and instruments relating to the arts and sciences, and finally a large room for the strangers, who intend some time to remain with the community and who either will do work for it or pay the expense of their maintenance. Each house shall make up its account for the half or whole
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The Settlement of Germantown.
year. Whatever then is found beyond what is necessary for support and furtherance shall be divided among all the men, women, youths and maidens, so that each may have enough to give to the poor, or to entertain his friends who may come to see him.
Concerning the householding arrangements and manner of living there are some directions to which attention must be given. The chief thought, however, is that in the midst of the union there is freedom. In this house, he says, each one may do his own work. The freedom within the circle of the community is recognized in all things, for example in the clothing. It is true all luxury is forbidden, but should any one desire stuff for clothing of a finer sort than that of the others, he may have it by paying so much out of his own money. No uniform, cloister like life is directed, only the recognition of com- munity appears clearly at every point. Unity character- izes the observance of meal time. The whole brother- hood and sisterhood sit down together, women and men, youths and maidens meeting each other, sitting at the dish in the order of Joseph's brethren, the women right opposite the men, the sons next to their father, the daughters next to their mother, while the young people by turns serve the table. Ceremonies and compliments are not to be taken in thought by those sitting opposite to each other, since each one is assured of the good will and friendliness of the rest.
In the matter of choosing a wife, entire freedom is per- mitted. The man, however, does not need to take his wife from the community. If he finds a virtuous spouse outside of this circle, he can go to live with her, or bring her into the community. In the instruction and education of the children the idea of the common life is kept stead-
189
The Teaching of the Children.
fastly in view. All receive the same instructions, all, whether their parents be rich or poor, must learn a trade, and rather one modest trade that can keep them from want than two or three different trades. This concerns" especially the children of the poor. With respect to these it is especially ordered that they be not drilled to slavish work. Also the children of the rich people who do not belong to the association, but still go to its school, shall be required to exercise themselves three hours a day at a trade, so that they, should they meet with misfortune in life, may be able to secure a livelihood. And the maid- ens, in addition to the care of the house-keeping and the going about with and looking after the children, shall learn some work, capable of supporting them, so that they, should they later leave the community or be married, may be in a situation to maintain themselves. The children shall not be instructed in any forms of religion prepared by men, but in the Holy Scriptures, besides in the nat- ural sciences, arts and languages. The utmost care shall be taken that their understandings be not corrupted before they have the use of speech. They are required in spirit- ual matters to believe no man, since they have the spirit of God, and like the prophets and apostles work wonders. For our belief, says Plockhoy, ought not to depend upon the words of men, but upon the might of the wonderful works of God. So doing shall there no germs of sects, factions or divisions be laid in their hearts.
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