USA > South Carolina > History of the German settlements and of the Lutheran church in North and South Carolina : from the earliest period of the colonization of the Dutch, German, and Swiss settlers to the close of the first half of the present century > Part 18
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Acted and unanimously resolved and confirmed by the Directory, August 8th, 1788; which we, who have been present at this Church meeting, confirm with our seals and subscription of our names.
NAMES OF MINISTERS AND THEIR SEALS.
FRIEDERICH DASER, A.M., President pro tem. [L.s.] CHRISTIAN THEUS.
[L.s.]
J. G. BAMBERG. [L.S.]
FRIEDERICH AUGUST WALLBERG. [L.s.]
CARL FRIEDERICH FROELICH. [L.S.]
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NAMES AND SEALS OF THE DEPUTIES.
PHILIP BERGHOCH. [L.s. ]
JOHANN GEORGE KOELLER. [L.S.]
PETER MICHLER. [L.S.]
JOHANNES GARTMANN. [L.s.]
GEORGE GORTMANN.
[L.S.]
JACOB BUCHMANN.
[L.s.]
LEONHARD B. BUCH.
[L.s.]
JOHANNES SCHWAIGART.
[L.S.]
JOHN JACOB STIEFEL.
[L.s.]
JOHANN PHILIP ZAUERWEIN.
[L.s.]
MATTHIAS SEN.
[L.S.]
CHRISTOPHER SCHLAGEL.
[L.S.]
HEINRICH KOCH.
[L.S.]
JOHANN BALTHASER MARK.
[L.S.]
Proceedings of the Corpus Evangelicum in South Carolina.
On the 13th of November, 1787, the undersigned ministers assembled themselves in Zion's Church, on Twelve-mile Creek, after due notice had been given, and united themselves from that day into a ministerial society. The constitution proposed by Rev. Mr. Wallberg was laid before the meet- ing and adopted, and Frederick Daser was chosen Senior of the ministry, and appointed the second Sunday of January, 1788, as the day on which they would again meet at the same place, to take into consideration the various petitions signed by different German Protestant congregations, and further to regulate the affairs of their society. In confirmation whereof the ministers signed their names.
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Friederich Daser, Christian Theus, John George Bamberg, M. Carl Binnicher, Friederich August Wallberg, Friederich Joseph Wallern, Carl Fried- erich Froelich.
Actum, January 8th, 1788 .- The undersigned ministers assembled as members of the Minis- terium in Zion's Church, on Twelve-mile Creek. Fred. Aug. Wallberg was unanimously elected Secretary, and all the Evangelical Lutheran min- isters were sworn on the Symbolical Books. The subscription of the petition for incorporation of the different congregations was laid before the Ministerium. Bethel Church and the new congre- gation of St. Martin's wished to have more time for consideration of the subject.
Resolved, That the President should inform the members by a circular of the time of our next session.
Signed by Revs. Daser, Wallberg, Bamberg, Froelich, and Theus.
Actum, January 9th, 1788 .- Rev. Messrs. Wall- berg and Bamberg moved that the subscriptions of Bethel Church and of the new St. Martin's Church should be added to the subscriptions of the other churches, and laid before the General Assembly of this State, which motion was approved and accepted by Rev. Senior Daser.
As it had been mentioned the preceding day that Mr. Bamberg had for some time performed ecclesiastical duties, and had received a call as minister from several congregations, and as it was
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known to the Ministerium that he had studied theology but had never been ordained, and as he had petitioned for an examination and ordination, it was
Resolved, That the Rev. President and Secretary examine Mr. Bamberg this day; and he, the said Bamberg, being approved of in said examination, was this day ordained in Zion's Church, in the presence of a numerous audience and his church officers.
FREDH. AUG. WALLBERG, Secretary.
Actum, Sandy Run, August 12th, 1788 .- Revs. Messrs. Senior Daser, Theus, Bamberg, and Wall- berg assembled in Salem Church at Sandy Run, with the deputies of the respective congregations. It was
Resolved, That Bethlehem Church should hence- forth be known under the name of " The German Reformed Church at Fust's Ford."
The act of incorporation passed by the General Assembly of this State was read; and the Church regulations or discipline proposed by President Daser was likewise read and adopted in its nine- teen articles, signed and sealed.
Resolved, To hold the next session in Zion's Church, January 14th, 1789.
Actum, January 19th, 1789 .- Revs. President Daser, Theus, Bamberg, Wallern, and Secretary Wallberg met in Zion's Church.
After prayer and sermon, the conference was
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opened. The Church regulations, as adopted, signed, and sealed, were read once more without opposition.
Next session is to be held in Salem Church, Sandy Run, on the second Wednesday in the month of August. Pastor Wallern was appointed to preach on said occasion.
Rev. Senior Daser was again unanimously chosen President, and Wallberg, Secretary. George Hook was appointed President of the lay members of the Directory.
Notice of the Translator .- The records of the suc- ceeding sessions of the Directory are partly torn, and partly so badly written that it is impossible to arrange them in any kind of order.
The Directory seems to have met as late as the year 1794; at least, so far the records go which I have seen.
Signed, ERNEST L. HAZELIUS, Principal of the Theological Seminary, Lexington, S. C.
The seven German ministers of the Gospel who formed this Corpus Evangelicum were located as follows:
Rev. Frederick Daser, A.M., at St. Matthew's Church, Orangeburg District, South Carolina. He was a Lutheran minister.
Rev. Christian Theus, on the west side of the Congaree River, eight miles below Columbia, South Carolina. He was a German Reformed minister.
Rev. John George Bamberg labored until 1798 in
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Lexington District, South Carolina, and was pas- tor of Zion's Church, as the records of that church indicate, when he resigned and located himself in Barnwell District, South Carolina, where he re- mained to the close of his life. He was a Lutheran minister, and died during the year 1800.
Rev. Frederick August Wallberg labored among the churches in Lexington District before Bam- berg's time of service, probably about the time the Corpus Evangelicum was organized. He was a Lutheran minister, and is supposed to have lived in the Fork of the Saluda and Broad Rivers to the close of his life.
Rev. Carl Friederich Froelich, according to J. C. Hope's statement, was a German Reformed min- ister, but where he lived and labored is not known.
Rev. Frederick Joseph Wallern was the pastor of the churches in Newberry District, South Caro- lina. He was a Lutheran minister, and died about the year 1816.
Rev. M. Carl Binnicher, according to J. C. Hope's statement, was a Lutheran minister, but where he labored is not positively known. It is presumed, however, that he was the pastor of the Hard Labor Creek congregation, Abbeville District, South Carolina, and probably also served the church on Slippery Creek, Ninety-six District.
From the constitution and proceedings of this Corpus Evangelicum we learn many interesting facts, namely :
1. That the Lutheran ministers in South Caro- lina at that time held the Symbolical Books of the
IN NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA. 305
Lutheran Church in very high esteem, the records say : "All the Evangelical Lutheran ministers were sworn upon the Symbolical Books;" that is, they were sworn to teach and preach its doctrines.
2. They were likewise churchly in conducting public worship, &c., as is manifested by their ob- servance of all the festivals of the Lutheran Church, catechetical instruction, confirmation, and opposi- tion to the inroads made upon the Church by the surrounding sects.
3. They still adhered to the ancient custom of wearing the gown, both in "public and private," in the discharge of all the duties of the ministerial office.
4. They were very strict in the enforcement of discipline, both among the ministers and lay mem- bers; and made provision for the support of the poor in their midst.
5. Parochial schools likewise claimed the atten- tion of this body; and the keeping of church rec- ords was made the duty both of the pastor and sec- retary of each congregation.
Section 5. The act of incorporation of the fifteen Ger- man churches in the interior of South Carolina.
No. 1414. AN ACT FOR INCORPORATING DIVERS RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES THEREIN NAMED.
Whereas, by the constitution of this State, passed the nineteenth day of March, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight, it is declared that all denominations of Christian Protestants in this
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State shall enjoy equal religious and civil privi- leges; and that whenever fifteen or more male persons, not under twenty-one years of age, pro- fessing the Christian Protestant religion, agree to unite themselves in a society for the purpose of religious worship, they shall (on complying with the terms thereinafter mentioned), be constituted a church, and be esteemed and regarded in law, as of the established religion of this State, and on petition to the legislature shall be entitled to be incorporated and to equal privileges; and that every society of Christians so formed shall give themselves a name or denomination by which they shall be called or known in law.
And whereas, the name of "Hopewell," in the Long Cane settlement, in the county of Abbeville and State aforesaid; and the Presbyterian congre- gation or society of Christian Protestants of "Indian Town," in Georgetown District; and also the several congregations and societies of Christian Protestants, styling themselves by the general appellation of "The Ecclesiastical Union of the several German Protestant congregations in the back part of the State of South Carolina ;" and by the particular names of :
" The Frederician Church, on Cattel's Creek ;"
" The German Calvinistic Church of St. John, on the Four- hole ;"'
"The German Lutheran Church of St. Matthew, in Amelia Township ;"
" The German Lutheran Church of Salem, on Sandy Run ;"
" The German Lutheran Church of Mt. Zion, on Twelve-mile Creek ;"
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-
" The German Lutheran Church of Bethel, on High Hill Creek ;"'
" The German Lutheran Church of St. Peter, on Eighteen- mile Creek ;"
" The German Lutheran Church of St. Martin ;"
" The German Lutheran Church of Bethlehem, on Forest's (Fust's) Ford ;"
" The German Protestant Church of Bethany, on Green Creek ;"
" The German Protestant Church of Appii Forum, Cedar Creek ;"'
" The German Protestant Church dedicated to Queen Charlotte, on Slippery Creek ;"
"The German Lutheran Church of St. George, on Hard Labor Creek ;"'
"The German Lutheran Church of St. Jacob, on Wateree Creek ;"
"The German Protestant Church of St. George, on Indian Field Swamp;"
have petitioned the legislature of this State, pray- ing to be incorporated, and setting forth that they have severally complied with the terms required by the constitution as preparatory thereunto, and the allegations in the said petitious appearing to be true.
I. Be it therefore enacted, by the honorable, the Senate and the House of Representatives, now met and sitting in General Assembly, and by the au- thority of the same, That the several and respec- tive societies hereinbefore mentioned, and the sev- eral persons who now are, or shall hereafter become members of the said societies, respectively, and their successors, officers, and members of each of the said societies, shall be, and they are hereby declared, respectively, to be a body corporate, in law, in deed, and in name, by the respective names
.
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and styles of: (Here follows a repetition of the names of all the churches above-mentioned.) And by their said respective names shall, severally, have perpetual succession of officers and members, and a common seal, with power to change, alter, break, and make new the same, as often as they, the said corporations, shall severally judge expe- dient; and each and every of the said corporations respectively are hereby vested with all the powers, privileges, and advantages which are specified and expressed in "the Act for incorporating divers religious societies therein named," passed the twenty-sixth day of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-four.
II. And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, That this act shall be deemed and taken as a public act, and notice shall be taken thereof in all courts of justice and elsewhere in this State; and the same may be given in evidence on the trial of any issue or cause, without being specially pleaded.
In the Senate, Friday, the twenty-ninth of Feb- ruary, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight, and in the twelfth year of the independence of the United States of America.
JOHN LLOYD, President of the Senate. JOHN JULIUS PRINGLE, Speaker of the House of Representatives,
1. The question now arises : Were there any other German churches in South Carolina besides these
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fifteen, incorporated by the above act of the legis- lature, and the Lutheran Church in Charleston ?
With the single exception of the German Re- formed St. John's Church on the Congaree River, of which Rev. Theus was the pastor at one time, there is no knowledge of any other German Church in the State at that time; but why it was not incorporated, or what had become of it, is not known. It has now long since ceased to exist.
2. Of these fifteen German Churches nine were Lutheran; seven of these Lutheran Churches are in existence at the present day, the other two are, St. Martin's, of which no record can be found in any of the minutes of Lutheran synods; and St. George's Church on Hard Labor Creek, Abbeville District, which had already ceased to exist in 1811, according to the missionary report of Rev. R. J. Miller.
3. The other six churches are: (a.) The Freder- ician Church on Cattel's Creek, which was located in Orangeburg District. According to Drs. Jamie- son's and Shecut's statement in the Appendix of Ramsay's History of South Carolina, this church was erected in 1778, and named after Andrew Frederick, "who was its principal founder;" it is called by them a Presbyterian Church, but this is an error; it was doubtless a German Reformed Church. It has long since ceased to exist.
(b.) The German Calvinistic Church of St. John, on the Fourhole Creek, was also located in. Orange- burg District, which has likewise ceased to exist. There are four Lutheran Churches now in that
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part of Orangeburg County : St. Matthew's, Mt. Lebanon, Pine Grove, and Trinity, which have, doubtless, absorbed the principal part of the de- scendants of these two German Reformed Churches, whilst others have connected themselves with other denominations.
(c.) The German Protestant Church of Bethany on Green Creek cannot be located by the writer, nor are any traces of it to be found at the present time; if, as is supposed, it was located in Newberry District, its material must have been absorbed by the Lutheran Church or other denominations.
(d.) The German Protestant Church of Appii Forum, on Cedar Creek, was located in Richland District, near the Fairfield line. Its history has already been given. The congregation and its house of worship are long since no more, and the material has been absorbed in the Methodist Church.
(e.) The German Protestant Church, dedicated to Queen Charlotte, on Slippery Creek, Ninety-six District, had its location either in Abbeville or Edgefield District, which comprise part of the territory of what was then known as Ninety-six District. This church has likewise long since passed out of existence.
(f.) The German Protestant Church of St. George, on Indian Field Swamp, was located in Barnwell District, fifty miles from Charleston, is known no more under that name. There are two Lutheran Churches in that vicinity at the present time.
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IN NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA.
4. If these fifteen German Churches comprised the entire German element in the interior of South Carolina in the year 1788, then, as a matter of course, all other Lutheran Churches, not mentioned in this act of incorporation, must have been organ- ized at a subsequent period. This fact will enable any future writer on the subject to unravel their history the more readily.
Section 6. Arrival of Revs. Bernhardt, Storch and Roschen in North Carolina, A.D. 1787 and 1788.
In the year 1787 Rev, Nussmann's heart was gladdened in being permitted to welcome another laborer into the mission field of the Lutheran Church in North Carolina. This was the Rev. Christian Eberhard Bernhardt, a native of Stutt- gard, in the kingdom of Würtemberg. He was ordained in his native country, and came to Amer- ica in the year 1786. He landed at Savannah, and then proceeded to Ebenezer, Georgia, where he . remained twelve months. In 1787 he went to Rowan County, N. C., and labored among the churches there one year, doubtless in that part of the county east of the Yadkin River, now known as Davidson County. In 1788 he took charge of the congregations in Stokes and Forsythe Counties, which had been organized and frequently visited by Rev. Nussmann; here Rev. Bernhardt was married, but the records do not mention the name of his wife. One year later he removed to Guil- ford County, where he remained to the close of
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the year 1800, when he accepted the call to be- come the pastor of Zion's and several other Lu- theran churches in Lexington District, S. C. This account has been furnished by his daughter-in- law, the widow of the late Rev. David Bernhardt.
In September, 1788, Rev. Nussmann, the faith- ful pioneer and father of the Lutheran Church in North Carolina, was permitted to grasp the hand of another brother in the ministry, who was sent to his assistance by the Helmstaedt Mission Society, namely : the Rev. Carl August Gottlieb Storch, whose early history is best described by himself in his manuscript journal, an extract of which has been translated and published in the Evangelical Review, vol. viii, pp. 398-404. However, we will let Rev. Storch speak for himself, simply giving his remarks an English translation.
"I, Carl August Gottlieb Storch, was born in Helmstaedt, Duchy of Brunswick, June 16th, 1764; my father's name was George Friederich Storch, a native of the city of Danneberg and mer- chant in Helmstaedt : my mother's name was Von Asseburg. In the year 1779 I was confirmed by Rev. Abbot* Velthusen, after which I went three years to the high school of Helmstaedt, when I was declared by the Director, Professor Winde- burg, fitted to enter the University, and in the year 1782, I became a student of the University of IIelmstaedt. IHaving devoted myself three years to theological sciences, I was recommended in
The word " Abbot" is the title of an office.
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1785 by Rev. Abbot Velthusen to the tutorship of a young nobleman, Von Hodenberg, who resided with Major Von Scheither in Gisthorn, where I remained only one year, because the young noble- man, Von Hodenberg, was elected to the position of page in Hanover; whereupon I became the teacher of Mr. Friese's children, a merchant of Fresenhede, near Bremen. Having remained there two years, I received the call and order from Rev. Abbot Velthusen to go as a pastor to North Carolina, whereupon I was examined and ordained to the ministry, and journeyed in May, 1788, from Germany, and arrived in America about the end of June of the same year. God be praised that he has thus far wonderfully and paternally led me, and safely preserved me in the midst of dangers. I selected my first residence in Salisbury, and commenced to board with Lewis Beard on the 8th of November, 1788."
On another page of his journal, Rev. Storch makes the following record : " April 16th, 1788. I left Fresenhede and journeyed to North Caro- lina, in North America. The cause of my making this distant and dangerous journey was as follows : Rev. Adolph Nussmann, who was sent as a min- ister from Germany to North Carolina in the year 1773, and who is still living, greatly desired Rev. Abbot Velthusen to send him several assistant ministers, when Rev. Velthusen selected and per- suaded me to undertake this journey. Upon the ducal consent and command I was examined by the five Helmstaedt professors, and ordained as a
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minister for North Carolina by Abbot Velthusen. All the expenses of my journey were paid, and, upon request, I received the written assurance from my ruler of the land, that, if I should return after a few years, I should still receive my promo- tion. Under those circumstances, and in reliance upon God, I went to sea on the 4th of May, 1788, and arrived safely in America, landing in Balti- more on the 27th of June of the same year. The whole journey lasted seven weeks and five days. In Baltimore I met with a kind and friendly re- ception, and after having enjoyed a delightful stay of six weeks in that city, I journeyed by water to Charleston in six days. In Charleston I remained fourteen days, purchased a horse for eleven pounds sterling, and rode to Rev. Nussmann's residence, making a circuit of about 300 English miles, and arrived there at the beginning of the month of September, 1788. Rev. Nussmann serves a con- gregation at Buffalo Creek. After having re- cruited myself, we made arrangements with the congregations that desired to have me as their pastor. Three congregations elected and called me, namely : the one in Salisbury, where I first took up my residence; the second, named Organ Church, on Second Creek, ten miles from Salis- bury; and the third, Pine Church, which, how- ever, I had to resign, and now only serve two con- gregations, Salisbury and Organ Church, which have promised me in writing £80 North Carolina currency, paper money ; the funeral sermons and marriages are paid extra, usually with one dollar.
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I commenced my ministry on the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity, and at Salisbury the Sunday following. On the 7th of January, 1789, I com- menced to preach in the Irish settlement once every month, for which I am promised £13 or £14 North Carolina currency."
The high esteem in which Rev. Storch was held in his native country can best be seen from the account given by Rev. Dr. Velthusen, in one of the Helmstaedt Reports, of the ordination and subsequent departure of Rev. Storch to North Carolina. Dr. Velthusen says :
"On the 12th day of March, 1788, the candi- date, Carl August Gottlieb Storch, was ordained, under the highest ducal patronage, to the gospel ministry as an assistant preacher for North Caro- lina. The ordination address has been published under the title, 'Address and Prayer at the Con- secration of Mr. Carl A. G. Storch as an Evan- gelical Assistant Preacher for North Carolina, &c. One and a half sheets, to be had at the book-store of our publications.'
" He has been sent away with the most gracious assurances and best wishes of his Fatherland, that should he, in the lapse of several years, have good occasion to return to the same, after having faith- fully discharged his official duties among our brethren in the faith in that country, he may find an open situation as teacher in his Fatherland.
"He was born in Helmstaedt, and was educated under our immediate auspices. During the years which he spent as tutor, we received repeated as-
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surances of his capacity and fidelity as a teacher from those who had opportunity to observe him daily, and had also heard him preach, where he is still held in gracious remembrance. In addi- tion to that, at an appointed examination, con- ducted in the strictest manner, we have found him well prepared and fitted for his office, and the public evidences of his capacity for preaching and catechizing which he has rendered have given cause of universal satisfaction. The family in which he last served as tutor were very unwilling to part with him; and after having taken his de- parture from us on his way to America, he re- turned to this friendly family, in order that he might be in the vicinity of Bremen, and await the sailing of the vessel which is to take him to Baltimore. It will now wholly depend on the affectionate reception which our brethren in the faith in America, and the citizens generally, espe- cially in North Carolina, will bestow upon him, in what manner we shall hereafter aid them in their necessary church affairs."
A few months after the arrival of Rev. Storch came the Rev. Arnold Roschen, who was likewise sent to North Carolina by the Helmstaedt Mission Society. He was a native of the city of Bremen, educated by the Rev. Pastor Nicolai, of that city- that is, as is supposed, under his auspices; and, on the eve of his departure to America, married a lady of Bremen, doubtless with the view that he might become permanently settled, and be con- tented in his new home.
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All these facts are gathered from the Helm- staedt Reports, in which there is found also a published letter, which Rev. Roschen wrote to his friend and preceptor, Rev. Nicolai, giving him an account of his journey to America, kind and hospitable reception at Charleston, and safe ar- rival in his field of labor in that part of Rowan County, now known as Davidson County. Rev. Roschen writes as follows:
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