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 25

Author: Bernheim, G. D. (Gotthardt Dellmann), 1827-1916. 4n
Publication date: 1872
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Lutheran Book Store
Number of Pages: 564


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 25


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In the meantime our vehicles were either broken or overturned eight times on the journey.


" The State of the Lutheran Church in America at the time of my Arrival at the South.


"The Lutheran Church in America was at a very low ebb. There were only three Synods, one in New York, composed of seven ministers; one in Pennsylvania, which in point of numbers was considerably larger; and a small Synod in North Carolina." (In the North Carolina Synod there were, October 17th, 1814, the last meeting of Synod previous to Dr. Bachman's arrival, nine ordained ministers and eleven licentiates, twenty ministers in all.) "Our ministers, with very few exceptions, performed service exclusively in the German language. This was a great error, inas- much as it excluded from the Church the descend- ants of Lutherans, who had by education and association adopted the language of the country. Our doctrines were not objectionable to them, but they could not understand the language in which they were promulgated. Thus the progress of the Church was greatly retarded in consequence of the bigoted attachment of our ancestors, and es- pecially their clergy, to a foreign language. Since the introduction of the English language into our ministrations the Church has made rapid progress.


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" The State of our Church in Charleston, South Caro- lina, and in the other Southern States.


"When I arrived here the congregation wor- shiped in a small wooden church, situated in the rear of the present church; it was an antiquated building of a peculiar construction, resembling some of the old churches in the rural districts of Germany. The congregation was composed of Germans, who, during the stormy season of the Revolution, had been the strenuous advocates and defenders of the rights of their adopted country.


" The services continued for many years to be conducted in the German language. The Rev. Mr. Faber, the younger of two brothers, who were pastors of this congregation, introduced the ser- vice in the English language. After his death, there was for several years no minister of the Lu- theran Church presiding over this congregation. I have scarcely a doubt that the congregation was preserved from total annihilation through the pious zeal and devotion of the venerable Jacob Sass, who, for a long series of years, was the president of the vestry, and who was one of the purest and best men with whom it has been my privilege ever to associate.


" It does not become me to speak of my own labors in this congregation ; suffice it to say, that I feel how imperfect are the best efforts of man, and wherever there has been any success, let us ascribe all the praise and glory to God, to whom


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they legitimately belong. Men are but the instru- ments in His hands, and He, the Master, often gives the blessing whilst the servant is unworthy.


" For many years the Germans of our city formed a part of this congregation; I preached for them in the German language, at first, once a month, and for some years afterwards, occasionally in the evenings. For nearly twenty years I preached three sermons on each Sabbath. I now feel con- vinced from experience that this labor is beyond the capacity of most constitutions, especially in our debilitating climate. In the autumn of 1837, my health and strength failed me. My congrega- tion, feeling a deep interest in the preservation of my life and the restoration of my enfeebled health, unanimously requested me to remove for a season from my field of labor. I left my home and peo- ple in 1838, believing that I looked upon the land of my nativity for the last time, and that I was destined to breathe my last breath among strangers in a foreign land. I was absent eight months, during which time I wandered nearly over all Eu- rope, and was received with a sympathy, kindness, and untiring hospitality that have left deep traces of gratitude on my heart. I returned in January, 1839, with health partially restored. For a few years, until my health was re-established, this con- gregation engaged an assistant minister.


"I cannot here withhold from you the candid admission that the establishment of our Church in the South was a source of greater anxiety to my mind than even the prosperity of my own congre-


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gation. I came as a pioneer in our holy cause. For several years I held my membership with the Synod of New York. We had very few materials in the South from which the Church could be built up; no emigrants from abroad.


"There were Lutherans in Lexington and Orangeburg Districts, but they were almost desti- tute of the means of grace. There had been a church in Savannah, erected before the Revolution, that belonged to the Lutherans, but it was burnt down in 1797. This congregation contributed $500 towards rebuilding it; no congregation was, how- ever, subsequently organized, and the small build- ing was occupied as a Sunday-school by another denomination. They were visited, a congregation was organized from the materials which could be collected, and a clergyman, who had been raised up in this congregation, became their pastor. They have now a new church and a flourishing congregation. Ebenezer was also visited. The pastor there, who seemed not aware that Luther- anism had any existence in the South, had taken a license in another Church. He soon became a co-worker with us, and they have now two pastors and several churches in the neighborhood. We at length began to discuss the propriety of form- ing a Synod in our State. We had no theological school, we had but three or four pastors who were able to perform duty, and the few Lutherans that remained were either poor or in very moderate circumstances.


" On my first arrival here I became a member


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of the German Friendly Society, which was then composed of nearly one hundred members; these have all passed away, and I am now the oldest member. Of the few communicants I found in this church at my arrival, one only is now alive. The vestrymen, whose names were signed to my call, were: Jacob Sass, President; Abraham Markley, John Strohecker, Henry Horlbeck, Jacob Strobel, J. E. Schirmer, Benjamin A. Mark- ley, Jacob Eckhardt, Sr., and John Strobel. War- dens : J. M. Hoff, C. C. Philips, Adolph Beckman, and Anthony A. Pelzer. All these have gone to their account.


" Of the committee of twenty-one who, in 1815, reported on the expediency of building this church, all are dead. Of the pastors who occupied the pulpits of our city on my arrival, not one is now living. Of the managers of the Bible Society, who met me in 1815, I only am left, and of its members I am the oldest on their record. At our first cou- firmation in 1816, of sixty-four persons, who were then dedicated to God, nine ouly are now alive.


"I have given you a very brief and imperfect sketch of the days that are past in my long min- istry. Time will not permit me to enter into any details; they would fill volumes. Little now re- mains of that thread of life, which has been spun out in the midst of you. I would not wish to re- call that life, unless it could be spent in greater usefulness to you and to others, and I trust, through the niercy of that Savior who died for a fallen world, I will be prepared to resign it cheerfully


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into the hands of that God who gave it, whenever He shall see fit to call me hence. This congrega- tion was the only one of which I have had charge since my ordination. To all invitations from other sources in the Church and seats of learning-offer- ing higher pecuniary advantages-I did not hesi- tate a moment in giving a negative reply."


Such matter in Rev. Dr. Bachman's sermon, which was not strictly of a historical character, or which had been quoted in other parts of this book, in its proper chronological position, has been omitted; other historical data, brought out in the Doctor's discourse, but referring to a later period, will find their place in some of the succeeding chapters.


Section 10. The Ordination Question, and Opposition to the Licensure of Candidates for the Ministry.


The principal transactions of the North Carolina Synod during the year 1816, were certain reports and resolutions on the question of ordination, which were occasioned as follows:


In consequence of the great want of ministers, and in order to preserve harmony and uniformity with the Pennsylvania Synod, the licensure system was adopted also by the Synod of North Carolina. This system is altogether an American feature, so far as the Lutheran Church is concerned, and arose entirely on account of the great paucity and want of ministers of the gospel in this country.


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The various Lutheran congregations which had been organized in America, besought the different Synods to furnish them preachers or pastors ; but what could the Synods do towards answering these numerous and repeated calls made upon them? Few ministers came or were sent from Germany, and no university or college had as yet been established for the education of candidates for the ministry by the Lutheran Church in this country ; it was, therefore, thought expedient to license persons who could exhort and catechize, to take charge of these vacant churches, at the same time making it the duty of the ordained ministers residing in the vicinity to administer the sacra- ments as frequently as possible in those congrega- tions. These exhorters were called catechets. A course of study was prescribed for them in Latin, Greek and theology, to be studied privately or with some of the older ministers; as soon as they stood a fair examination, they were advanced in their ministerial standing and received license, to be renewed every year, to administer all the ordi- nances of the Church. They were called candi- dates, and were obliged to continue their studies, report their ministerial acts to Synod, bring a writ- ten sermon annually for examination, and, when- ever they passed a good examination on their studies, character and ministerial usefulness, were solemnly ordained to the gospel ministry. They were then called pastors, enjoying all the privileges of the older ministers. This arrangement was re- garded as an educational one, and not as having


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established different grades or orders of the min- istry.


There now arose in Lincoln County, N. C. a great opposition to this system, because the candi- dates were authorized to perform all ministerial acts without having been previously ordained; a long statement, covering more than three pages of the minutes of Synod for 1816, is devoted to this subject, from which the following extracts are made :


" Upon the adoption of the report (on the licen- sure of a number of candidates), a sad opposition manifested itself from Lincoln County, and, under the pretext that disturbances had been caused in said county by the impression that it was anti- christian for any one to administer the sacraments without ordination, it was vehemently insisted upon that the candidates be ordained." Here fol- lows a lengthy statement of the reasons why the Synod adopted and continued the licensure sys- tem, namely: that it had been a blessing to the Church, and that the Synod wished to conform also in this particular usage to the long-established practice of their brethren in Pennsylvania. The report of the Pennsylvania Synod on this subject, as found in its minutes of 1814, is also given, which report reads as follows :


"Upon motion, the ordained ministers were called upon to express their opinion on the ques- tion proposed by the (North) Carolina Ministerium, namely, ' Have candidates the right to perform the Ac- tus Ministeriales without a previous laying on of hands ?'


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Some expressed their opinions verbally, others in writing. It was unanimously-


"Resolved, That, according to the testimony of the Bible and the history of the Church, a written authority is equally as valid as the imposition of hands, that our ministerial arrangement is not in opposition to the principles of the Evangelical Lu- theran Church, and that, therefore, licensed can- didates can perform all Actus Ministeriales with a good conscience." The Secretary of the North Carolina Synod adds yet this remark to the above resolution of the Pennsylvania Synod: "At this Synod twenty-two ordained ministers and twenty- nine candidates were present, and all were agreed on this subject ; their resolutions and opinions were sent to us in writing in 1814; we should, there- fore, be uniform in practice, and one or two other- wise thinking individuals among us should yield that much from motives of love.


" All, however, was of no avail; therefore, upon motion of Rev. Shober, it was resolved to make the following alteration for one year only : that if the present candidates can pass through their this year's examination, their license be handed them publicly before the congregation, after having af- firmatively answered that they would observe all what the Bible and the Augsburg Confession re- quires of a minister, and that in the name of the Church a blessing be pronounced upon them with imposition of hands.


"The President (Rev. Mr. Storch), protested openly against this innovation; the resolution


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was, nevertheless, adopted. And, inasmuch as the President could not conscientiously perform this ceremony, he requested Rev. Shober to attend to this duty for him." A fear is also expressed in the minutes, that all this would eventually cause a division in the Church.


At the next meeting of Synod, in 1817, the sub- ject came up again, and was finally disposed of by vote, Rev. R. J. Miller being the only one who voted in the negative, namely, against the licen- sure of candidates.


From all this we can also arrive at the number of Lutheran ministers in the United States in 1814. The Pennsylvania Synod, 51 present, probably only a few absent at that meeting; the New York Synod, 7; and the North Carolina Synod, 21; Total, 79. Suppose we allow 6 absentees to the Pennsylvania Synod, then we have 85 Lutheran ministers in 1814 in this country. This number also agrees with the statement made by Rev. Dr. Hazelius, in an inaugural address.


Section 11. The Literary Institution in Tennessee for the Education of Ministers ; and the Publi- cation by authority of the North Carolina Synod of a book called " Luther."


In East Tennessee Lutheranism was spreading rapidly ; three new congregations, named Union, Hopeful and Lick Creek, were organized, and connected themselves with the Synod in 1817;


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and in this State, where a few years ago there was but one minister, the Rev. C. Z. H. Smith, there were now four laborers, namely, Revs. Philip Henkel, Jacob Zink, Adam Miller and Joseph E. Bell; the last mentioned was a good classical scholar, and was received as a catechet in 1816, in accordance with his own request, and because he could not be present at Synod that year; the next year, however, being present, he was regu- larly licensed as a candidate.


In 1817, Revs. Philip Henkel and Jos. E. Bell, commenced a classical and theological seminary on their own responsibility, at which the Synod was greatly rejoiced, for it was high time that something was done in that direction. A report on this institution, and the action of the Synod in reference to it, are here presented.


"Rev. Philip Henkel reported, that in Green County, in the State of Tennessee, a seminary, on a small scale, was established under his and Rev. Bell's supervision, in which theology, the Greek, Latin, German and English languages are taught, and in which Rev. Bell is the principal teacher. In accordance with a report, said seminary was re- ceived with joy under the counsel and aid of Synod, with the confident expectation that this small beginning, by the help of God, located in so healthy and cheap a region of country, this insti- tution, so long and earnestly desired, may prosper in such a manner, that many well-qualified minis- ters and missionaries may be educated as preachers of the glorious Gospel of Jesus in all parts of the


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world, who will be prepared to give to every man a reason of the hope that is in them. Thousands of the present and future generations will then thank both those who have been instructed in that institution, as well as those who have contributed their gifts for the support of this new enterprise, &c.


" A letter was also read to Synod from Rev. Mr. Bachman, pastor in Charleston, South Carolina, in which he expresses his joy and desire to labor in harmony with us, and greatly desires to see that a seminary for the education of ministers be established, and that his congregation would gladly contribute towards the support of the enterprise; furthermore, that the New York Ministerium, to which he belongs, would willingly aid us with missionaries, and that he regrets that, at this season of the year, he cannot be present with us.


"The reading of this letter was listened to with much rejoicing; and as the time for the meeting of Synod is now changed, we hope to have the pleasure, through Rev. Bachman, to become more intimately acquainted with the New York Minis- terium."


Arrangements were also made to take up col- lections the following May in all the congrega- tions for the support of the seminary in Tennessee.


It-is sad to relate that this institution was short- lived, because it was remotely located, and there- fore did not properly come under the influence of Synod; also, because the leading men of Synod did not take hold of it themselves. They were very willing to extend their counsel, sympathy


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and aid, when others did the work in establishing it; but that is not the proper way to build up an institution, which requires the entire wisdom and energy of all the members of Synod.


But the principal cause of the failure of this in- stitution at that time was the division which arose in the Lutheran Church in the South in 1819. After the year 1820, nothing more of importance is known of this seminary in Tennessee.


From the minutes of Synod for 1819 the infor- mation is received that $246.75 was sent from South Carolina in aid of this institution, out of which Rev. Bachman's congregation had contrib- uted $221.75.


Concerning Rev. Shober's book, familiarly en- titled, "Luther," and published by authority of Synod, the following action was taken. In 1816, on motion of Rev. Philip Henkel, it was resolved that the secretary, Rev. Shober, compile all the rules adopted by this Synod, and publish them in the English language, inasmuch as our Church is very little known among the English inhabitants.


In accordance with this resolution, the Secre- tary prepared and laid before Synod in 1817, " A manuscript compilation entitled: Comprehensive Account of the Rise and Progress of the Refor- mation of the Christian Church by Dr. Martin Luther, actually begun on the 31st day of October, A.D. 1517; together with views of his character and doctrine, extracted from his books; and how the Church, established by him, arrived and pro- gressed in North America; as also the Constitu-


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tion and Rules of that Church in North Carolina and adjoining States as existing in October, 1817."


"On motion, a committee, consisting of the Rev. R. J. Miller, Philip Henkel and Joseph E. Bell, was appointed to examine the same." A few days afterward the committee reported: "That they had examined said manuscript, and do highly approve of its contents, and recommend it to be published, believing that it will have a beneficial effect throughout our congregations, and give succinct information to other Christians what the Lutheran Church is."


"The Synod unanimously adopted said report, and directed the treasurer to have 1500 copies printed." The proceeds of the sale of this book were to be applied to the Tennessee Seminary and other synodial objects.


The contents of this book are: a history of the Reformation, a history of the Lutheran Church "transplanted to America," particularly in North Carolina and other Southern States; the Augsburg Confession; Constitution and Rules adopted by the North Carolina Synod; extracts from Luther's writings; and some concluding remarks.


The character of the book appears on some of its pages to be soundly Lutheran; on other pages compromising and unionistic. The tenth and eleventh articles of the Augsburg Confession are not passed by without a comment, in the shape of a foot-note, weakening their force, and making them agreeable to all denominations. In the "Conclusion" the following remarks occur; "I


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have attentively examined the doctrine of the Episcopalian Church, read many excellent authors of the Presbyterians, know the Methodist doctrine from their book, 'Portraiture of Methodism,' and am acquainted with the Baptist doctrine, so far as that they admit and adore Jesus the Savior. Among all those classes, who worship Jesus as a God, I see nothing of importance to prevent a cordial union; and how happy would it be if all the Churches could unite, and send deputies to a general meeting of all denominations," &c., &c.


This full account of the action of Synod in ref- erence to this book, and this full description of it, have been given for very good reasons, which are briefly as follows :


Firstly, inasmuch as the Synod authorized the secretary to write this book, had it examined by a committee, had adopted it without a dissenting voice, had it published at the expense of Synod, had it afterwards scattered in its congregations, and generally circulated, the conclusion, there- fore, is natural, that the Synod was perfectly satis- fied with its contents, that the sentiments therein expressed were the sentiments of Synod at that time, and that all its ministers were united in the faith as therein exhibited.


Secondly, inasmuch as Revs. Philip Henkel and J. E. Bell composed two-thirds of the committee to examine this book, and reported favorably, " highly approving of its contents," branding the eleventh article of the Augsburg Confession as "conciliatory" to the Roman Catholics, but no


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longer observed; that their faith and opinions in regard to those doctrines and usages were in har- mony at that time with those of Rev. Shober, its author.


Thirdly, inasmuch as Revs. David Henkel, Philip Henkel and others of the then future Tennessee Synod circulated this book by sale, up to the time of their withdrawal from the North Carolina Synod, it is but reasonable to conclude, that doc- trinal differences did not, at first, cause the divi- sion in the Church in the years 1819 and 1820.


In short, the fact is apparent that all the mem- bers of Synod, with many of their forefathers before them, both in America and in the greater part of Germany, had gradually departed from the pure faith as confessed by the Reformers.


Section 12. The Convention which was called for the purpose of organizing a General Synod.


On the 19th of October, 1817, the Synod of North Carolina convened at Pilgrim's Church, . Davidson County, N. C.


At this synodical meeting it was resolved that, owing to the prevalence of sickness during the fall season, the time when the meetings of Synod had been generally held, the Synod hereafter shall be convened on Trinity Sunday of each year. This time of meeting was "firmly fixed" (vest gesetzt). It was also resolved that the next meeting of Synod shall take place on Trinity Sunday of 1819; con-


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sequently there was no meeting of Synod held in 1818, since that year's Trinity Sunday occurred only about seven months after the last meeting of Synod; the next meeting was therefore postponed to Trinity Sunday of 1819.


This arrangement became the occasion of a threefold difficulty, namely : nineteen months with- out a meeting of Synod was too long a time to in- tervene for the welfare of the Church ; many evils might have been prevented had a meeting of Synod taken place in 1818. Too many important inter- ests were intrusted to its care, and the Synod should have heeded the warning contained in Matt. 13 : 25. Then again, the call from the Penn- sylvania Synod to consult with that body, during its session in Baltimore on Trinity Sunday of 1819, about the propriety of organizing a General Synod, presented another difficulty, conflicting with the time of the meeting of the North Carolina Synod, and occasioned no little trouble to arrange this matter properly. The third difficulty will become apparent in the next section of this book.


In compliance with the call of the Pennsylvania Synod, the North Carolina Synod was convened six weeks before the time appointed, on the second Sunday after Easter, as the following statement in the English minutes of Synod of 1819 fully ex- plains.




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