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 23
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"March 31st. To-day I was introduced to sev- eral members of the church, when I was informed that they had a minister, who had lived and preached nine years among them, named John Henry Graff, a native of Saxony, in Germany, and who labored there ever since the death of Rev. Mr. Bamberg. Graff was ordained by the Rev. Mr. Wallern to the ministry of the Gospel. For two years the members of St. Bartholomew's Church had not employed Graff any longer as their pastor, and in St. Nicholas Church his time expires in three weeks. I found that the minister and people were opposed to each other, and upon inquiry as to the cause of this division, I was in- formed that Mr. Graff could not speak the English language so as to be understood, and that his
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sermons were three and four hours long; that he had no energy and life in his discourse; that he spoke too low to be heard distinctly; in short, that they would engage him no longer as their pastor. Mr. Shobert desired me to go and see him, which I had intended to do.
" April 1st. I visited Mr. Graff, and stayed sev- eral hours with him. I found him at home, ex- pecting to see me, from the report of some of his neighbors that a strange minister was come to visit him and the congregations. He received me in a friendly manner, and I found him well informed in religion and the Scriptures. He told me of the dislike which his congregations had against him, which he said proceeded from the family in which his daughter had married, who was then a widow, and now they were maliciously affected towards him. He showed me his letter of ordination, signed by Rev. Mr. Wallern and church-wardens, dated September, 1800. He works at his trade, being a shoemaker, to support his family.
" April 2d. I went to St. Bartholomew's Church, which is in sight of their minister's house, and preached in the German and English languages to a small but attentive congregation, one of whom, Mr. Copel, asked me to baptize a child for him on my return next Tuesday. I was surprised, and told him I did not wish to do it, as they had a minister; to which he replied, that Graff was no longer their minister, as he had not been engaged in that church these two years, and that if I would
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not baptize his child, Mr. Graff should not do it. The next day I crossed the Big Saltketcher at Rivers' Ford, nearly three-quarters of a mile wide, and very deep, and arrived at Mr. Jacob Hardee's, one of the wardens of St. Nicholas Church. He has a mill, and by that means most of the people were informed that divine service would be per- formed the next day.
"Sunday, April 4th. I went to St. Nicholas and preached to a serious congregation; the people were very attentive, both to the German and Eng- lish discourses. After service I published, as I had promised, that the Lord's Supper would be administered on Easter Sunday by their minister, but not one offered to give in their names, and wished that I should administer it to them on that day; to which I replied that it was impossible, as I had two appointments to fill, one at Sandy Run next Sunday, and at my own church on Easter Day. They then begged me to visit them again, and administer the sacraments, as Mr. Graff was not worthy to administer any sacrament. I told them that, if possible, I would pay them another visit in the fall, and would make my appointments by letter before I came. On Monday I preached again at St. Nicholas, to a tolerably full congrega- tion, part of the members having been prevented from attending on account of the session of Barn- well court, which commenced this day. The people complained that whilst Mr. Graff lived among them, no other minister would come to be their pastor.
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" Tuesday, April 6th. After having crossed Broxton's Ford in a canoe, and swimming my horse, I arrived yesterday at my old lodging-place, Mr. Shobert's. I went to-day to St. Bartholomew's Church, where I met Mr. Graff, who promised to preach in English after my discourse. He in- formed me that a neighbor of his baptized children without license or authority, and that the people employed him in preference to Mr. Graff's attend- ing upon this duty. After my discourse Mr. Graff preached in the German instead of the English language, although it was contrary to his promise and the people's expressed desire. After service I baptized Mr. Copel's child, rather than suffer it to be baptized by an improper person. Here I took my leave of this people, exhorting them to reconciliation and unity with their minister. They answered that this could not be, but that they were now as lost sheep without a shepherd; that they went to hear the word of God among the Methodists and Baptists, but would not join them, as they wished to keep to the religion of their fathers. They hoped that some good minister would soon be their pastor, and begged me to state their condition before the Lutheran Synod, and that they would appoint me or some other minister to visit them again.
" April 7th. I went to Mr. Moss with the hope of filling my appointment at the Edisto Methodist Meeting-house, when I was informed that they objected to me, on account of my being a Lutheran minister. The next day I went to Sandy Run, in
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accordance with my promise, where I met Revs. Dreher and Henkel. We preached to a numerous assembly; and on Sunday friend Dreher and I administered the Lord's Supper to many commu- nicants in the presence of a large assembly. I arrived at home, thanks to God, safe and well, and found my family in good health, although my horse could scarcely carry me home."
Rev. Jacob Scherer's missionary tour was made within the State of Ohio, where a great number of families, who had emigrated from North Caro- lina, were then residing, and for whose spiritual welfare the Synod of North Carolina was much concerned.
Rev. Scherer accompanied Rev. Miller into Virginia, who then made a second tour through that State, in 1813, as far down the Shenandoah Valley as Winchester, and whose lengthy report is published in the minutes of that year. In Pen- dleton County, Revs. Scherer and Miller separated from each other, each one taking his journey as prescribed by Synod.
Rev. Scherer writes: "On the 4th of June I parted from Rev. Miller, and taking Mr. Gobel with me, we journeyed westwardly towards the State of Ohio, passing through Tiger's Valley, a region of great spiritual darkness. Proselyting is carried on extensively here, and some of the Ger- mans have united themselves with the Baptists and Methodists, but very few heathens have become Christians.
" From Clarksburg we went to Marietta, where
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we crossed the Ohio River, and passing New Lan caster we came to Dayton on the 17th of June. On this route I baptized seven children and one adult.
" On the following Sunday I preached twice among the Germans, who are mostly from North Carolina, and intend building a church, desiring to have a preacher from that State." (The first English Lutheran Church of Dayton, Ohio, was organized and established at a subsequent period by a minister from North Carolina, the Rev. D. P. Rosenmiller, so the writer was informed on his visit to that city in 1868.) "From here I visited my uncle, Christian Scherer, in which neighbor- hood I preached four days, from the 24th to the 27th, to large congregations; baptized five chil- dren. The spiritual condition of Ohio is dark; people of all denominations are intermixed, and although they have many preachers among them, there appears to be a want of such, who have sound doctrine and are of good repute.
"On the 29th of June we left the State of Ohio, and proceeded on our homeward journey, and ar- rived on the 7th of July in Powell's Valley, where I preached and baptized seventeen children. The people complained with tears of their desolate situation, urgently beseeching us to send them a minister. There are many families here from North Carolina, and several congregations could be formed; the people are willing to build houses of worship. We promised them that they should be visited, and their children instructed and con-
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firmed. On the 9th I preached in Grassy Valley, and the next day arrived at Rev. Smith's, who ac- companied me from the 13th to the 19th, for here Mr. Gobel left me. In one place twenty-five chil- dren requested to be instructed and confirmed, and other persons subscribed their names to form a congregation.
"On the 20th I formed another congregation in the Fork of the Holstein, and eleven young people desired to be instructed. On the 21st I preached in Rossler's Church; the congregation with joy placed itself under our Synod, and nine persons requested to be confirmed. The next day I preached in Buler's Church, where a Mr. Zink officiates, who said that he had been once in Penn- sylvania, when Rev. Mr. Helmuth and Smith had given him license, but that it had long since ex- pired, and still he persuaded the people that he had a right to act as a minister.
"Sunday, the 25th, I preached in a new church on the Middle Fork of the Holstein, in Washing- ton County, Virginia, where a small congregation was formed; thirteen persons gave in their names for instruction; the Rev. Mr. Flohr promised to instruct them. On the North Fork of the Hol- stein there is another desolate congregation, which had never yet been visited. Here I found an ig- norant man preaching and baptizing without the least ceremony; he takes up the children, pours water on them, and says nothing, and yet the poor ignorant people know no better, but acknowledge him as a minister.
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"On the 28th I arrived at Rev. Mr. Flohr's, by whose loving and brotherly treatment, condescend- ing and spiritual conversation, I was exceedingly comforted-I was delighted. From here I jour- neyed homewards, having traveled in all 1617 miles, preached 50 times, baptized 72 children and one adult, and in connection with Brother Miller, and partly alone, 13 congregations were formed, consisting of 1175 members, and 215 persons re- quested to be instructed in the doctrines of Christ."
Section 5. Emigration from North Carolina to several new States and Territories.
At what time the exodus from North Carolina to other States and Territories commenced can- not now be precisely stated. Before the Revolu- tionary War, very few English and German settlers had crossed the Alleghany Mountains from any portion of the Atlantic slope, and during the prog- ress of the war, as a matter of course, emigration to the West was impossible. Now allowing the inhabitants of the United States several years' time to recover from the effects of the war, and the dangers of travel through sparsely settled coun- tries and among hostile Indian tribes gradually subsiding, this westward emigration scarcely com- menced until the beginning of the present cen- tury, and most probably not until after the pur- chase of the Western territory by the United States from the government of France, under Na-
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poleon I, in 1803, usually called "The Louisiana Purchase."
Thousands of German families, as well as Ameri- can citizens, induced by the flattering reports of the fertility of the lands in the West, and the ad- vantageous offers made to settlers to secure for themselves a home almost "without money and without price," sold their paternal possessions in North Carolina, and migrated to Tennessee, Ken- tucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and other States and Territories. The Synod of North Carolina, feeling concerned for the spiritual welfare of its former children, and hearing their continued call for the bread of life, sent missionaries to these settlers to visit them, who, themselves becoming enamored with the flattering advantages and pros- pects of these "new countries," likewise soon be- came classed among the new settlers. In this man- ner were Lutheran congregations formed in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, composed almost entirely of North Carolinians; and whilst this was a decided advantage to the West, it was, on the other hand, a fearful drain upon the strength of the Lutheran Church in "the old North State."
In many instances the German Lutheran settlers in the West became so scattered, that it was found impracticable to continue their connection with the Church of their fathers, and thus were they ab- sorbed by other denominations, and lost to the Lutheran Church. Concerning all this, a recent correspondent to " The Lutheran and Missionary " expresses himself as follows: "Instead of (the Lu-
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theran Church in North Carolina) being strength- ened by immigration into it, it has suffered greatly by emigration from it. For forty (and more) years large numbers of Lutherans have each year gone westward. They and their descendants are found in nearly all the Western States. Some of these have been gathered into congregations in their new homes; but the great majority have been lost, not only to the Church in North Carolina, but to the Lutheran Church. Some congregations, once large and flourishing, have been almost destroyed by it. A very large proportion of the young men of the Church of the State have gone entirely be- yond her reach. She has not only been weakened by these losses, but discouraged."
In South Carolina the Lutheran Church also lost heavily in the number of her membership by emigration to other States, but not at this early period of her history. Numbers moved away at a later date, and formed colonies in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Texas, many of whom are still true to the Church of their fathers, whilst others again have connected them- selves with other denominations.
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Section 6. Additional Extracts from the Minutes of the North Carolina Synod from 1811 to 1815, exhibiting the Rapid Increase of its Influence, the Extension of its Borders, and its Great Want of Ministers.
The meeting of Synod of 1811 was not well at- tended, hence very little business was transacted. A special meeting of Synod was therefore held in April, 1812, at which time the Synod numbered twelve ministers, including the licentiates; nine congregations in Tennessee, under the pastoral care of Rev. C. Z. H. Smith, connected themselves with the Synod at this meeting; the names of these churches were, Zion's and Roller's, in Sullivan County; Brownsboro and (name not mentioned), in Washington County ; Patterson, Sinking Spring and Cove Creek, in Green County; Lonax and Thomas, in Knox and Blount Counties. "A pe- tition from South Carolina, signed by 18 Reformed and 13 Lutherans, was read, praying that Synod should ordain William Hauk as a German Re- formed minister, but this Synod, after due con- sideration, concluded that they could not consist- ently do anything in the matter."
The parochial reports, ranging from two to twenty-four years, and which had never been handed in before, sum up as follows: 26 congre- gations, 2071 confirmations, 100 adult baptisms ; infant baptisms and communicants were not re- ported; besides these are the reports of only five
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of the ministers whose congregations were all lo- cated in North Carolina.
"It was resolved that Sunday-schools should be publicly recommended from the pulpit in all our congregations."
A written plan, embracing ten articles, was presented to Synod for the purpose " of establish- ing schools for our poor children," to be supported by voluntary donations from the members of the Church; in which schools the German and English languages were to be taught. It was also unani- mously declared, that Luther's Smaller Catechism " must remain the foundation of instruction;" also the catechisms printed by Ambrose Henkel & Co., were recommended for general adoption.
" A fervent wish being expressed to enter into a nearer and more cordial connection with the brethren professing our faith in Pennsylvania, a letter of the year 1807, addressed to our Minis- terium from the Ministerium of Pennsylvania, was read. We felt sorry that, because in said and the succeeding year no full Synod had been assem- bled, the same was mislaid, and the receipt thereof never acknowledged, nor has the letter been an- swered. Revs. Storch and Shober were hereupon appointed in the name of this Synod to answer the said letter, and to send them, at the same time, a copy of the principal transactions of this and the last Synod, together with the most memorable matter of Rev. Miller's missionary tour."
Rev. Mr. Storch was commissioned to prepare a liturgy, and lay the same before the next Synod.
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On the 18th October, 1812, the regular session of Synod was held. President, Rev. R. J. Miller, and Rev. G. Shober, Secretary. Rev. Jacob Sherer was ordained at this meeting. A letter from Rev. J. G. Schmucker, of York, Pa., was read, acknowl- edging the receipt of the friendly letter from the North Carolina Synod, by the Ministerium of Pennsylvania, and informing the Synod that their President, Rev. Mr. Helmuth, was requested to reply to the same.
The following condensed missionary report of Rev. Philip Henkel is inserted in the minutes : "I served as missionary preacher from the 11th of May to the 7th of August; traveled 1534 miles, preached 50 times, baptized 115 children and 4 adults, and administered the Lord's Supper 4 times, in all to 45 communicants. I found in the States of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, many deserted congregations, and they everywhere pray that preachers be sent them."
Two new congregations, organized by Rev. Shober, named Hopewell and Bethlehem, were received in connection with the Synod; so also was the Sandy Run congregation in South Caro- lina, under the pastoral care of Rev. Godfrey Dreher.
The Synod of 1813 convened in Pilgrim's Church, Davidson County, N. C., in October; it was well attended by ministers and lay delegates, and the minutes contain fifty-two pages of closely printed matter, made up principally of sermons and the missionary journals of Revs. Miller and
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Scherer. Rev. Storch was elected President, and Rev. Shober, Secretary. Revs. David Henkel, J. P. Schmucker, and Daniel Moser, were licensed to the ministry. Four congregations in Shenan- doah and Rockingham Counties, Virginia, named Hoxbiehl, Solomon's, Rider's and Paul's Churches, were received in connection with the Synod.
" Rev. Scherer also gave information that fifteen congregations, which he had visited last summer, and of which some were newly formed by Rev. Miller and himself, desired to be admitted to our association, and to be placed under the care of our ministry; and they were, with thanks to our gra- cious Lord, accepted, which resolution was, how- ever, accompanied with this deep sigh: O! had we more faithful servants of the Lord! In these fifteen congregations there are 1323 souls desirous to be waited on with the word, and out of that number 241 have given in their names, requesting to be catechized and confirmed." Whereupon it was resolved to petition the Moravian Church for one or more ministers to labor in connection with the Synod, to supply the " want of able laborers in the vineyard of the Lord, entrusted to the Synod."
On the 16th of October, 1814, the Synod con- vened at Organ Church, Rowan County, N. C. At this meeting there were eighteen ministers present, twelve of whom were licentiates. The officers of the preceding year were re-elected. It was resolved that, inasmuch as the Pennsylvania Synod had concluded to publish a liturgy, no fur- ther steps be taken to prepare one by this Synod,
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hoping to be united with that Synod in the intro- duction of its liturgy in our congregations.
The congregations in Tennessee having lost their minister, Rev. Mr. Smith, by death, during the past year, Rev. Philip Henkel consented to become their pastor.
A difficulty arose with catechet Michael Mackin, who insisted that prayer would not be answered unless performed in a kneeling posture, and who introduced that position in prayer in the congre- gations where he exhorted ; he being absent from Synod, Rev. Storch was appointed to examine him, and if still unwilling to conform to the established rules of the Church, to withhold his license from him.
A circular from the Lutheran congregation in Charleston, S. C., was presented, earnestly be- seeching the Synod to send them a minister capa- ble of preaching in the German and English lan- guages. The Synod regretted that none could be found among them to labor in this hopeful field, and resolved to send that congregation a friendly letter, with the promise that if deemed necessary, it should be visited the following spring.
The following congregations were received in connection with the Synod: St. Michael's and Paul's (Rall's), Lexington District, S. C. One congregation in Newberry District, S. C., of which Michael and Peter Rickard, Andrew Wecker, and Martin Kinard, were elders; and Coldwater Church, in Cabarrus County, N. C.
In accordance with a written communication
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from brother John Dreher, of South Carolina, and upon his desire, it was-
" Resolved, That negro slaves be instructed in our holy religion, and be received into our Church as members; and that congregations should make proper arrangements in their houses of worship to give the slaves also the opportunity to hear the Gospel. It was also-
" Resolved, That all our ministers unite them- selves to labor against the pernicious influence and consequences of dancing, and seek to prevent it in every possible way.
" Resolved, That a special conference be held on the third Sunday after Easter, in St. Michael's Church, Lexington District, S. C."
An appendix to the minutes contains the cor- respondence as ordered by Synod at its last meet- ing, between the Synod's committee, Revs. Storch and Shober, and Bishop Van Vleck, of the Mora- vian Church, on the subject of obtaining a supply of ministers from that Church. And although the Bishop's letter was a very friendly one, yet he re- gretted exceedingly, that at that time, no minister of their Church could be spared.
October 15th, 1815, the Synod convened in the Lutheran Church in Lincolnton, N. C., but on ac- count of sickness, few ministers were present.
Resolved, That no minister has a right to leave his congregations and labor in another field when- ever he deems it advisable, without informing the elders and deacons of his intention some time be-
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forehand, and the matter be brought before Synod for final decision.
A congregation at McCobbin's Creek, Mecklen- burg County, N. C., was received in connection with Synod. Quite a number of petitions from three congregations in Fairfield County, Ohio, from Washington County, Indiana, then still a territory, from Sevier County, Tennessee, were presented, petitioning Synod for ministers of the gospel, but which could only be partially or occa- sionally supplied with the means of grace by a visiting minister.
Two congregations in Iredell County, N. C., named New Pearth (now St. Michael's) and Christ Churches, were taken into connection with the Synod. The other transactions of this meeting of Synod are of no special interest.
Section 7. Origin and History of several new Congre- gations established in North and South Carolina.
From the extracts of the minutes of the North Carolina Synod, as given in the preceding section, it may be readily perceived that the Synod was not only a necessity to the Lutheran Church in the two Carolinas, but also to the same Church in other States; its influence extended itself into Virginia and Tennessee, and even into other and more distant States. Congregations placed them- selves under its care in such numbers as to distress the members of Synod to know how to make pro- vision for the spiritual wants of all these churches.
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Not only hundreds, but thousands were added to the number of its communing membership in an almost incredibly short period of time. In addi- tion to that, a number of new congregations were organized in its immediate territory, likewise claiming the attention and care of Synod.
God certainly gave the Synod a large field to occupy, and that was the time when it should have taken immediate steps to establish a classical and theological school for the education of young men to the ministry ; and it would have been well, if some of the older and more educated ministers had abandoned their congregations, if necessary, but particularly their private interests, such as farming, &c., had conscientiously taken this matter in hand themselves, and would have gone at once as professors into the lecture-room. At first a log hut might have been built for this purpose in al- most any locality; this would have sufficed for a beginning, until a more convenient and stately edifice could have been erected, and at a place where it might have been made more successful. True, a few years later, an effort was made in Tennessee to establish such an institution, but it, of necessity, became a failure, as shall be shown hereafter, for want of proper encouragement and good management.
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