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 19
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" North Carolina, Rowan County, near Abbot's Creek ; in the midst of the forests of North America, sixty-six miles from the Blue Ridge Mountains, eighteen miles from Salem ; from April 29th to June 21st, 1789.
"Our journey was a fortunate one, although it lasted twelve weeks from shore to shore. With the exception of two heavy showers in the Chan- nel, which soon passed over, we did not have a single storm upon our long journey by sea; on the contrary, the weather was as good as our friends wished for us at our departure. True, sea-sickness did often and long inconvenience us, but not in such a manner, as that we have to com- plain greatly concerning it. The want of good water and of necessary refreshments was the hard- est to bear. After the New World came to our view-a joy which cannot be described with words -the wind became very unpropitious to us. The great number of vessels that were gathered around us made the crossing along the coast very danger- ous; and here we would have been lost without hope, when we thought that we had overcome all difficulties, had not Providence miraculously saved
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us. After a few days we arrived safely over the bar-a sand-bank which incloses the ship-channel, and in which there are but three openings where a vessel can enter, but which do not permit an entrance without the aid of a pilot. Here a new and glorious prospect awaited us. Life and com- motion, a coming together and crossing of so many kinds of vessels, on all sides the loud and resounding song of the sailors, a lovely day, the view of Charleston, the islands that lay around us, the trees which had not yet shed their foliage, the negroes and their apparel, the language-in short, everything that we saw here, and particu- larly the long-wished-for termination of our jour- ney by sea-awakened within us impressions and feelings which we had never experienced before. On the same evening, November 28th, 1788, we were already brought to shore, and entered into the house of a German; but we did not remain there long. The merchant, Mr. Gabel (a native of Bremen, who had also kindly entertained our Storch, and had in various ways offered his hand to our (mission) institute, says Dr. Velthusen), heard that same evening of our arrival, sent a friend to us with reproaches, that we had passed the house of our countryman, and desired us to move into his dwelling immediately, if we wished to be regarded as his friends. He offered us sev- eral rooms, received us in a noble manner, and spoke to us very obligingly. At the same time he commanded his negroes to look upon us as their masters, so that we wanted for nothing.
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"I found an upright friend in Rev. Mr. Faber, the German minister, who treated me, during the ten weeks that we had to remain here, in such a manner, as any one could have desired under the circumstances. He besought me to conduct Divine service with him, and to preach whenever it would be agreeable to me. In this manner I preached here about five times. Upon the whole, I must acknowledge that all the Germans endeavored to make the place, which is in itself a very charm- ing one, as agreeable to us as possible, although the obligations became very costly to us; for every- thing, even the smallest article, is very dear here, so much so that I and my wife could live very well in my native city on the amount that has to be expended here for extras.
"At length the wagons, sent by our congrega- tions, came for my things, and horses for us to ride-for every person rides here-and we two began our journey of 300 North Carolina miles on horseback, which was at first very fatiguing. It was very hard for me to leave Charleston; I had many opportunities there of becoming profit- ably associated, and I found at times very noble friends, whose magnanimity astonished me. At the first moment of my stay there, I was delighted at the banishment of all ceremonies, which among us are regarded so sacredly. Besides that, we heard such dreadful reports of the people where my congregations are situated, which, however, God be praised! arose from the fact, that in
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Charleston the citizens are as badly informed as in Germany concerning this country.
"We were accompanied several miles on our journey by our friends ; our way then went through a great part of South to North Carolina. This overland journey lasted fourteen days, and was very wearisome, as may be readily supposed. Sometimes we slept at night at a plantation, where we were friendly received and kindly treated; at other times we lodged with a new settler, where seven or eight people rested in the same room be- side us, among whom, at times, were sick and dying persons, and our repose became very un- pleasant; then again we slept under a tree; and sometimes under a wagon and in the rain; nev- ertheless, we had generally very pleasant weather.
" We passed through three American towns, which, on account of the small number of houses, would scarcely be considered by us as villages. Among these was Camden, which is very hand- somely built, containing about thirty houses, and is distant about 150 miles from Charleston, where we lodged for the night with a German from Hamburg, named Schütt, whose brother lives in Charleston and is in good circumstances.
" At length we arrived in Salisbury, where Pastor Storch resides, whom I especially esteem and love as a friend, and who rendered me very important services, where we were as kindly re- ceived as we could have expected. Upon the first intelligence of our arrival, the deacons of one of the nearest of my congregations, together with
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some wealthy planters residing there, came to the town to welcome us. The people here know noth- ing of compliments, but express their opinions in a manner that indicates good thinking facul- ties. They informed us that we would not find a dwelling-house as yet prepared for us, because, upon consultation, it was thought best to wait until my arrival, so that I could myself direct the building of the same. And now the whole train moved along, increased by Pastor Storch's accom- panying us, until we came to the place appointed for me, situated on Abbot's Creek, a small stream that empties itself about twelve miles distant into the Yadkin River. A deacon of my central con- gregation took us to his home, where we remained several months, until we moved to our own plan- tation of two hundred acres of land, which we have purchased advantageously, assisted by sev- eral upright planters of this place; we were ad- vised to take this step by Pastor Nussmann, who came to meet us in Salisbury, in which advice Rev. Storch also joined.
" As soon as we arrived, the deacons out of three congregations came and visited us. A fourth con- gregation, which is now almost the largest, also placed itself under my ministry. So now I am the pastor of four churches. The people from all parts of the country brought us abundantly flour, corn, hams, sausages, dried fruit, chickens, tur- keys, geese, &c., so much so, that there has been scarcely any necessity to spend one farthing for our housekeeping up to this time."
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According to these statements, it may be seen that the Lord of the vineyard had now five laborers in the Lutheran Church in North Carolina, namely, Revs. Nussmann, Arndt, Bernhardt, Storch, and Roschen, and they were "workmen that needed not to be ashamed," for they were all talented men, and filled with the spirit of their Master; besides, they were men of the most profound learning; even Arndt had received an excellent education, although he came to this country in the capacity of a school teacher, and all had been brought up in the most refined society, and might have been an acquisition and an honor to any col- lege or university in the land; but because they were Germans, and spoke a foreign language, little was ever known of them by the general in- habitants of the State; however, they were so much the better known, and the more highly esteemed by the people among whom they lived, and for whose spiritual welfare they labored.
Section 7. . The Helmstaedt Mission Society-Letters from Revs. Nussmann, Storch, and Roschen, published in the Helmstaedt Reports, indicating the condition of the Lutheran Church in North Carolina during the years 1788 and 1789.
The Lutheran Church is at present tolerably familiar with the titles of two extensive German publications, denominated "The Halle Reports " and "The Urlsperger Reports;" however, it is not generally known that a similar work, although
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not so extensive, and therefore, perhaps, more readable, entitled "The Helmstaedt Reports," to which frequent allusion has been made, had like- wise been published for the purpose of imparting information to European readers, concerning the state of some of our Lutheran mission stations in America.
The missionary spirit in the Lutheran Church was engendered more than two centuries ago, and soon after the close of the Thirty Years' War. Various mission societies have been formed in - Europe, under a variety of appellations, but all having the same object in view, that of spreading the knowledge and benefits of the Christian reli- gion in foreign lands. The different mission fields appear to have been properly apportioned and selected by the numerous societies over all Prot- estant Europe.
Among the various fields of labor of our pious German forefathers, America was not forgotten, and the Lutheran Church in Europe was foremost in the ranks in her efforts to provide for the spir- itual welfare of her people on this continent and its adjacent islands. Not only were faithful and self-sacrificing missionaries sent, their salaries paid them by charitable donations of Christians in the Fatherland, but also churches, school-houses, and sometimes orphan asylums were both erected and supported by these munificent contributions. Books of worship and devotion, as well as of edu- cation and instruction, were sent gratuitously in great numbers to our forefathers in America.
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In point of time the Swedish Delaware-River Mission was the first enterprise of this kind; its object was the planting of the Lutheran Church systematically and firmly in America, not men- tioning the Danish Lutheran mission in Green- land, and the different missions on some of the islands along the Atlantic coast of America.
Next in order was the Ebenezer Mission in Georgia, with which we are tolerably familiar, and the extensive minute reports of its missionaries, which were sent to the parent society in Augsburg, and cover about six thousand quarto pages of printed matter, were all published by the Rev. Dr. Urlsperger, and thus originated "The Urls- perger Reports."
Then the University and Orphan House at Halle, institutions founded by the celebrated August Herrmann Francke, sent missionaries to another vacant field farther north, which claimed their attention, and the Rev. H. M. Muhlenberg, D.D. and others were sent to Pennsylvania, who like- wise transmitted the reports of their labors to the parent Mission Society, and which were all pub- lished under the title of "The Halle " or "The Pennsylvania Reports."
However, between Pennsylvania and Georgia there was a large territory still unoccupied, and, at a later period, the Professors of the Julius Charles University, in the city of Helmstaedt, Duchy of Brunswick, became interested in this field, midway between the two American missions established by Halle and Augsburg, and on this
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wise was North Carolina selected and regarded as a hopeful locality for still farther missionary opera- tions, and the Rev. John Caspar Velthusen, D.D., Professor of Theology in the above-mentioned university, with his associates, sent missionaries, upon the earnest call of Rev. Nussmann, to labor among the Germans in North Carolina. The re- ports which these missionaries sent to the parent society in Helmstaedt, were also published, and were denominated "The Helmstaedt or North Carolina Reports," which, until recently, were no longer known to exist.
From an article in one of these published re- ports, we are informed that "up to the present time (March 13th, 1788), the net proceeds of dona- tions and funds advanced upon the publication of our (their) seven advertised books of instruction, amount already to 1238 rix-dollars, 13 groschen, and 8 pfennigs." This was the beginning of a treasury for the welfare of the North Carolina mission field; in other of the reports, acknowl- edgments of additional donations, and the names of the donors occur. Dr. Velthusen goes on to state :
"For nearly a year past it appeared that we would not be able to carry out our purpose in so short a time, namely, the sending of well-qualified preach- ers to North Carolina." (Here follows what has been stated already in another section.) "Our spirits were likewise revived by the statement of several other trustworthy friends, who had been in Virginia, as well as to the borders of North
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Carolina, and who were unanimous in praising the Christian willingness of our evangelical breth- ren in the faith in that country to provide liber- ally for those preachers sent to them, so that they need want for nothing, provided they were in any way worthy of their confidence."
In the following pages of this narrative Dr. Velt- husen mentions the names and acts of kindness of several friends of the mission enterprise who re- sided in New York, Baltimore and Virginia; be- sides, the delay of the publication of several works for the benefit of the mission, occasioned by the call and removal of Prof. Klügel to Halle; the names and character of the works intended for publication ; the delay of the publication of a geo- graphical work until the reception of more recent information from Charleston ; list of donors to the mission cause in which the Professors had em- barked, &c .; the whole of which is dated and signed by them as follows:
"Helmstaedt, at the Ducal Brunswick-Lüneburg Julius-Charles University, March 13th, 1788.
"J. C. Velthusen, Professor of Theology, and Abbot.
"H. P. C. Hencke, Professor of Theology, and Abbot.
"L. Crell, Professor of Medical Science and Philosophical Mineralogy and Mining.
"G. S. Klügel, Professor of Philosophy and Mathematics.
"P. J. Bruns, Professor of the History of Phil- osophy and Literature."
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A Letter from Rev. A. Nussmann to Rev. Dr. Velthusen.
NORTH CAROLINA, MECKLENBURG COUNTY,
BUFFALO CREEK, November 12th, 1788.
HONORABLE ABBOT, MY BEST FRIEND :
The indications of Providence develop them- selves more and more visibly in this religious work, so that God's finger is made manifest here in the work for the welfare of his people. In Charleston a warm interest is taken in our affairs. Rev. Mr. Faber is an active man. Rev. Storch's sickness gave me much uneasiness and sorrow, for I love him on account of his learning, virtue, spirit and friendship, which had already commenced in Germany. All persons who see and hear him, love and honor him. But even in this respect has God helped us,-Rev. Storch is again restored ; and may God preserve his health in future, so that whether I live or die, my expectations concerning him may be realized.
A change has taken place concerning his call to the congregation in Guilford County ; Providence has directed otherwise. Storch felt at that time so feeble, that he believed himself to be unable to make the long journey on horseback, which was necessary to reach his field of labor. Besides, he would have then been one hundred miles distant from me, and in a wilderness where no messen- ger can be obtained. These difficulties were at once removed by God. A call was extended to him from three vacant congregations, Salisbury, Pine Church and Second Creek, with the written as-
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surance of a salary of £110, and in a few days after- wards £14 more from a congregation seven miles distant from Salisbury, which he will have to serve during the week-day. These congregations, through their deacons, promised to pay the freight on his things, which will be about two Spanish dol- lars for every 100 pounds, but they could not pay his traveling expenses from Baltimore to Charles- ton. It is a hard matter to take everything out of the pocket of a private man, in a country where the congregation have as yet nothing of their own.
A book printing establishment would be of the greatest benefit to religion, and which could read- ily obtain assistance here, if we only had the type. The capital necessary for such an establishment could not only be kept up, but also improved, for there is no German printing office from Georgia to Maryland, and not even a good English one in North Carolina. If we only had one, then we could suit ourselves to circumstances, and print those publications immediately, which are the most necessary ; the transportation from Germany is so slow, and the want in a new country so urgent, that one dare not wait long to meet this want.
An organ is also necessary, as it must be our chief concern to reinstate church music. In the last sixteen years I have had an oversight of several hundred square miles, partly by personal visits and partly through reliable intelligence, and I have found that in proportion to the music, which the people were able to conduct, congregations spring
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up, increase, flourish, decay, fall into ruin. An im- provement, therefore, must be made; fifty copies . of an excellent singing-book, judiciously scattered in schools and families, would soon secure its adop- tion as a school and family singing-book; after- wards it would come into general use through the country.
The 370 rix-dollars should, according to the in- tent of the donors, be a permanent investment for the benefit of religion, principally in the congre- gations from Rocky River to Salisbury. This would be satisfactory to all, and would re-establish and preserve peace and quietude. God, who has so often and visibly aided us in these matters, and brought forth great results out of small things; who has always arranged matters differently to what I had imagined, but always better than my expectations, will also help here, and through his wisdom direct everything in such a manner, so that the four phi- lanthropists, your assistants, in connection with all those upright persons who have aided the good cause, may experience joy in their work.
I am, &c.,
Your most devoted friend,
ADOLPH NUSSMANN.
Report of Rev. C. A. G. Storch, dated May 28th, 1789.
This report was sent to the Helmstaedt Mission Society, from which Dr. Velthusen makes the fol- lowing extracts.
"Rev. Storch, as well as Rev. Roschen, are both
28
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satisfied in the midst of their congregations. Rev. S. mentions, that of his three congregations, Organ Church, on Second Creek, is the strongest, and . consists of eighty-seven families. He praises the people, who treat him with love and respect, and supply him with the necessaries of life." (Here the salary, &c., is again stated, much the same as in Nussmann's report.) " His congregation is building a house for him, and have offered him a loan for the purpose of purchasing a plantation, without which one cannot succeed there. He still lives in Salisbury, where an academy has been es- tablished, in which there are some students, who receive instruction in Hebrew from him. In ad- dition to that duty, he has also established a small German school, so that the youth may accustom themselves to a purer German language. He ex- pects to confirm about fifty children next harvest season. He says that Rev. Roschen is likewise treated with love and respect; that he has four congregations, and receives from them about £100, current paper money; that he resides about eigh- teen miles from him, on the other side of a broad river; has already purchased a plantation, and is accustoming himself well to the climate and mode of living in that country."
Report of Rev. Arnold Roschen.
"In my middle congregation I have confirmed twenty-four persons; in the congregation situated towards the Yadkin River I confirmed twelve,
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and in the others I have this duty yet before me." (Here follows a lengthy description of the cus- tomary funeral ceremonies.) "Marriages are here performed in two modes; the one, according to the rules of the Church, requires to be announced three times; the other is managed as follows : The groom gets a certificate from Salisbury, rides, accompanied by his friends, with his bride to the minister, or, if there is none in the place, to the magistrate, where the marriage takes place. The first questions of the minister are, Whether he has taken his bride without her parents' knowl- edge ?- this occurs frequently-and, Whether the parents have given their consent? If any one has stolen his bride, and has a license from Salisbury, then the objections of the parents avail nothing. Upon the whole, in this free country, a son, when- ever he has arrived at his twenty-first year, and a daughter, as soon as she is eighteen years old, is no longer under the parents' control. Persons generally marry very young, because they need not be much concerned for the future. He that will work, can soon have a plantation; and poor people are not to be met here at all. A person can often meet with families that have thirteen to fourteen children, nearly all living. I myself am acquainted with a planter here, who has had a family of twenty-three children, born of one mother, and who, with the exception of two, are all living and well.
"My catechumens, whom I have instructed three days in every week for seven weeks, con-
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sist partly of married persons, some of them as old as thirty years, and young persons from six- teen to twenty years of age. Among other things, I advise them not to intermarry with persons of other nationalities, because such mixed marriages are generally unhappy, and sometimes occasion murder and homicide, and because the English in these regions belong to no religious denomina- tion, and do not permit their children to be bap- tized, nor send them to school.
"Rev. Storch and I recently passed by the court-house in Salisbury, at the moment when a man was standing in the pillory. A German called to us to stop awhile, and see how the Americans punish rogues and thieves. Upon my asking him, 'The criminal is certainly not a Ger- man?' I received the literally true reply, 'Never has a German stood in the pillory in Salisbury; nor has ever a German been hung in this place.'
"Most persons are well satisfied with their plan- tations in this country. I recently visited a member of my congregation, and inquired of him how he was getting along. To which he replied, 'Were we to complain, God would have to punish us. We have need of nothing, and possess a large surplus above our wants. We are enjoying good health, and everything is in good order on our plantations; and since we are possessed of such an abundance so soon after the war, we must cer- tainly become wealthy if God continues to give us peace.'
"So far as my situation as planter is concerned,
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I can say nothing else than that I am very fortu- nate and happy, and it would cost me a great struggle on this account, as well as that I am be- loved and respected as pastor by my congregation, to exchange my present location with any other. I pray God, that he would not separate Storch and myself, for he is now also beginning to feel satis- fied. Not long ago, when I had service in my upper congregation, I was surrounded by the elders and deacons, who besought me never to leave them. A certain Colonel declared, that he would never again be connected with the church, if I were to move away. . I can assure you that I will not abandon these congregations so easily as persons in Germany doubtless imagine. We min- isters are treated with a respect, which is shown to no other person. There is no difference in rank acknowledged here, and yet no one has ever spoken with me, who did not hold his hat in his hand. I must say the same of Storch; he is treated with such love and respect by his congre- gations, as few ministers in Germany are treated.
"At first Storch, in his hypochondria, looked upon all things in a false light; besides, his ar- rival in America was unpropitious" (that is, he was laid upon a bed of sickness soon after his arrival in North Carolina); "now he speaks differ- ently. Nussmann, who is a good and upright man, lives upon his plantation in very moderate circumstances. Arndt, formerly a catechet, now a preacher, possesses two fine plantations, is wealthy, and edifies his people by his life and
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