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Next among the Lutherans came the Swedish colony that settled on the Delaware in 1636. It flourished for a while, but receiving no new-comers from Sweden, the colonists gradually fell into the use of the English tongue, and as there were no Lutheran clergymen who could preach in English, on losing their Swedish pastors they went to the English Episcopal Church for religious teachers, and became ultimately merged in that denomination. Nevertheless, by their charter they are still styled Swedish Lutheran churches.*

mencement of the Revolutionary war. But it, as well as other churches, suffered much from that war. Many of the German colonists took up arms in defence of their adopted country. The early wars with the Indians, also, proved very prejudicial to the Lutheran churches on the frontiers.

The rapid progress made by this Church since the Revolution, and particularly since the constitution of its General Synod in 1820, may be seen from the following succinct summary, taken from the Lutheran Almanac for 1843, and fully to be relied on. The number of Ministers and Licentiates is 423 Congregations 1,371 Communicants. 146,303

Besides one General Synod, there are nineteen District Synods, twelve of which are united with the General Synod. There are four theological seminaries, one college, and four classical schools, one orphan house, an education society, a for

The third Lutheran emigration to the United States was that of the Germans. The first settlements were in Pennsylvania, soon after the grant of that province to William Penn, in 1680, whence they spread, by degrees, not only through Pennsylvania, but also into Maryland, Virginia, the interior of New-York, and, since the Revolution, over the Western States. Em-eign missionary society, and a book esigration from Germany may be said to have fairly commenced on a large scale in 1710. Its primary cause lay in the persecution of the Protestants in the Palatinate. It has continued from that time to this day, adding tens of thousands almost every year to the population of the country. The western, northern, and southern parts of Germany, and the German parts of Swit-ty-eight new congregations organized. zerland, together with Alsace, in France, have, from first to last, sent immense multitudes to America in quest of homes.

The first emigrants brought no pastors with them, but they had pious schoolmasters who held meetings on the Sabbath, and read the Scriptures, Arndt's True Christianity, and other religious books. The Swedish ministers, too, of those early times visited the small scattered groups of faithful souls, and administered to them the ordinances of religion.

Among the first German ministers in America were the Rev. Messrs. Bolzius and Gronau, who laboured in a colony from Saltzburg, in the south of Germany. These emigrants had been driven from their native country by persecution, and had settled in Georgia. Other emigrants from Germany settled about the same time in the Carolinas, where a considerable number of Lutheran churches are to be found at this day. In 1742, the Rev. Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, an eminently learned, zealous, and successful minister, arrived, and, during a course of fifty years, was the honoured instrument of greatly promoting religion among the German population. He was one of the founders, in fact, of the Lutheran Church in America, which, by repeated arrivals of other distinguished men from Germany, had become widely extended before the com

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tablishment. During the year 1841, the Lutheran ministry received an accession of fifty-eight new members; 9022 new members were added to the churches by confirmation, and 9000 by emigration :17,776 children and adults were baptized.. Three new synods were formed in 1841, seventy-six new churches built, and eigh

These results do, indeed, call for heartfelt thanks to the Giver of all good. I know not a single circumstance more promising in regard to true religion in America, than its rapid progress among the vast German population of the United States, as exhibited in the Lutheran and German Reformed Churches. Wonderful, indeed, has been the change during the last twenty years.

The establishment of Pennsylvania College, at Gettysburg, under the auspices of the General Synod, has been a great blessing. This college, which has been liberally assisted by the Legislature of Pennsylvania, and receives $1000 a year from that state, has a president, five able professors, and about 150 students. The General Synod's theological seminary, which, also, is placed at Gettysburg, has three distinguished professors, and usually from twenty-five to thirty students. It began in 1826, with one professor, the Rev. Samuel S. Schmucker, D.D., to whom, under God, it mainly owes its existence; since which time it has educated upward of 150 young men for the ministry. The institution is most pleasantly situated, and has a well-selected library, great part of which, together with a considerable amount of funds for the founding of the seminary, was obtained in Germany through the efforts of the Rev. Benjamin Kurtz, D.D. The Lutherans have three other theological schools, one at Hartwick, in New-York,

another at Lexington, in South Carolina, as the following: First, it entirely rejects the and a third at Columbus, Ohio. Sixty-one young men were prosecuting their studies at these in 1841, and 115 more were engaged in preparatory studies at academies and colleges. These simple facts exhibit an extraordinary change in the state of this church from what it was twenty-five years ago.

authority of the fathers in ecclesiastical controversy. The Reformers relied too much upon them. Secondly, it no longer requires assent to the doctrine of the real or bodily presence of the Saviour in the Eucharist. In other words, it has renounced the doctrine of consubstantiation, and holds that of our Lord's spiritual presence, as understood by other evangelical Protest

Among its distinguished men we may mention the Rev. Messrs. Bolzius, Gronau, ants. Again, it has rejected the remnant of· H. M. Muhlenburg, Kunze, Schmidt, Kurtz, another Muhlenburg, Helmuth, Melsheimer, Lochman, Schaffer, Shober, Geissenhainer, Schmucker (father of the professor), all men of great influence in their day. Several of its living ministers, also, are men of acknowledged talents, learning, piety, and usefulness. Many of the earlier ministers were educated at Franke's Institute at Halle, which, indeed, may be regarded as the mother of the Lutheran Church throughout a large part of the Uni-malities, and their decisions are couched ted States.*

The same doctrines are held as in the evangelical Lutheran churches in the various countries of Europe, with some differences which we shall presently notice. They comprehend the following points: "The Trinity of persons in one Godhead;" "the proper and eternal divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ;" "the universal depravity of our race;" "the vicarious nature and unlimited extent of the atonement;""that men are justified gratuitously, for Christ's sake, through faith;" "the word and sacraments means of grace;" "a future judgment, and the award of eternal life and happiness to the righteous, and eternal misery to the wicked." On the subject of election, predestination, &c., they are well known to be rather Arminian than Calvinistic.

The Lutheran Church in America has a short but excellent liturgy, while her ministers are at the same time allowed a discretionary power with regard to its use. It observes a few of the chief festivals, such as Christmas, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Ascension Day, and Whitsunday. Like the Episcopal and the German Reformed churches, it administers the rite of confirmation to baptized persons after their arriving at years of discretion, and going through a course of catechetical and bibli

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private confession which it at first retained. Fourth, it has abolished the remains of Papal superstition in the abjuration of evil spirits at baptism. Fifth, it has made a more systematic adjustment of its doctrines. Sixth, it has adopted a more regular and a stricter system of church discipline. This, as respects individual churches, is essentially Presbyterian. The Synods, in their organization and powers, resemble Presbyteries, but with fewer for

more in the form of recommendations; while the General Synod is altogether advisory, and resembles the General Associations of the Congregational churches of New-England. Conferences of several neighbouring ministers, and protracted meetings, are held, with preaching, for the benefit of their congregations. And, lastly, its ministers are no longer bound to all the minute points of an extended human creed. All that is required of them is a belief in the Bible, and in the Augsburg Confession as a substantially correct expression of Bible doctrines. The American Lutheran Church thinks that a written creed should be short, comprehending, like that of the apostles, which was for a long time the only creed in the primitive churches, the doctrines necessary to salvation. So much for its doctrines, order, and discipline.*

I have only to add, that this church takes a deep and increasing interest every year in the religious and benevolent undertakings of our times. Sunday-schools and Bible-classes are very generally to be found in her congregations. She has had an Education Society, with numerous branches, since 1835, which has assisted above 100 young men in preparing for the ministry. We shall speak hereafter of her Foreign Missionary Society, founded in 1837. Finally, two valuable religious papers, one in English, and the other in German, extensively diffuse among the people intelligence relating to the progress of the Redeemer's kingdom on the earth.

* In making this statement, I have been greatly

indebted to Professor Schmucker's "Portraiture of Lutheranism," ," and his "Retrospect of Lutheranism in the United States," both published at the request of the General Synod of the Church.

CHAPTER XIII.

SMALLER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES: THE GER

MAN REFORMED CHURCH.

and accepted. During this period the seminary was removed from Carlisle to York, and from that to Mercersburg in the same state, about fifty miles from Carlisle, and THIS offshoot from the Church, bearing there it is now permanently established. the same name in Germany, is, like it, Marshall College was opened in connexPresbyterian in its government, and Cal-ion with it in 1837, and the Rev. Dr. Rauch, vinistic in its doctrinal standards. who had been president of the preparatory The "Reformed" being mingled with department of the seminary at York, was the Lutherans in the early German emi- chosen president. Under that distinguishgrations, societies of the former soon ap-ed scholar and excellent minister it soon peared, particularly in Pennsylvania, and enjoyed an enviable reputation; but in the spread, ere long, to the south and west of spring of 1840 the church was called to that province. These, though long exist- lament his premature decease. The presing apart, were at last united in 1746, by ent theological professor, Dr. Nevin, is a the Rev. Mr. Schlatter, who, having been man of distinguished abilities and deep pisent from Europe for the purpose, suc-ety. There are about twenty-five students ceeded in giving a better organization as well as more union to their churches. Their increase since has given them an important place among American Presbyterians.

of theology, and the academical classes have an attendance of from eighty to 100 youths.

The German Reformed Church seems to have experienced a crisis in 1841, that It is a singular fact, that the first mission-year having been appointed to be celebraaries to the German Reformed in Ameri- ted as a centenary jubilee for all its conca were sent out by the Classis of Am-gregations. sterdam and the Synod of North Holland, through which channel their churches continued to receive their ministerial supplies, and to which they were kept, down to the year 1792, in the same subordination as the Dutch churches in America used to Mr. Schlatter, the pioneer in this good cause, was soon followed by other men sent over by the said classis and synod.*

be.

A century having elapsed since its first organization in America, such an acknowledgment of God's mercies was deemed eminently becoming; and that the occasion might be turned to the best account, it was resolved that an effort should be made to raise sufficient funds for the endowment of the seminary and college at Mercersburg. The result must have fully realized the expectations of the church's most sanguine friends, for at a late meeting of its synod upward of 80,000 dollars were ascertained to have been subscribed, and to a large amount actually collected, while the contributions of more than half of the congregations had yet to be reported. Assurances have since been received that more than 100,000 dollars, the amount originally specified, will be obtained.

The field which this church has to occupy is very extensive. Besides the large German population in the Atlantic States, the Great West-the Valley of the Mississippi-over which German immigrants are now settling in vast numbers, cries to this and to the Lutheran Church for help; and it is hoped that in a few years a host of labourers from both will be raised up for the harvest, which is ripe for the sickle.

The dependance of the Reformed German Church in the United States on the Dutch Church in Europe was brought to a close in 1792, in consequence of the difficulty of maintaining the previous relations of America with Holland after the conquest of the latter by the French. An independent constitution was accordingly adopted, constituting a Synod, consisting of clerical and lay delegates; but it was not until 1819 that the synod was divided into classes or presbyteries, and based upon a representation of the classes by clerical and lay delegates. The church being now left to its own resources, the training of young men for the ministry was for many years intrusted to such pastors as were willing to receive students of theology into their families; still the want of proper institutions for that purpose was deeply felt. At length, in 1824, The German Reformed Synod has now the synod resolved that they would have in its connexion about 180 ministers, disa theological seminary, and this resolution tributed thus: 112 in Pennsylvania; thirtook effect the following year, by the open-ty-seven in Ohio; three in Indiana and ing of an institution at Carlisle, a pleasant Illinois; ten in Maryland; ten in Virginia town in Central Pennsylvania. Dr. Mayer and North Carolina; and three in Newwas appointed the first professor, and continued in the discharge of that office until 1839, when his resignation was tendered * Among these were Weiber, Steiner, Otterbein, Hendel, Helfenstein, Helfrich, Gebbard, Dallicker, Blumer, Faber, Becker, and Herman.

York. It is supposed to have about 600 congregations, and from 75,000 to 100,000 communicants. It may be said with truth that its congregations are rapidly increasing in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and from present indications, we hail the period

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as not far distant when, instead of being attained a good degree of organization and reckoned, as they have long been, among efficiency.

the least of the tribes of Israel, they will 2. The "EVANGELICAL ASSOCIATION." This be found occupying a place in the very denomination, also a sect of German Mevan of the sacramental host of the Lord.thodists, was founded in the year 1800. In home missionary, educational, and foreign missionary efforts, they are taking a deeper and deeper interest every year, uniting with the Congregational and New School Presbyterian churches in supporting the American Home Missionary Society, the American Education Society, and the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.

CHAPTER XIV.

SMALLER GERMAN SECTS.

THERE are some smaller bodies of German Christians in the United States, which may be classed, though not, perhaps, in all cases without qualification, among the evangelical denominations. The Moravians might have been placed here, but we have put them in a separate chapter, partly because they are Episcopal, partly because they are no longer purely German either in blood or language.

The founder was the Rev. Jacob Albright. His associates were the Rev. John Walker, George Miller, and others. With regard to doctrine and church government, there is some similarity with the Methodist Episcopal Church. This Association has at present two bishops and four annual conferences, viz., those of East and West Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Illinois. It also has churches and stations in Maryland, Virginia, New-York, Indiana, Missouri, and the Territory of Iowa. The annual conferences embrace districts, circuits, stations, and missions. There is a General Conference, which meets once in four years. This body has at present about 112 travelling, and nearly 200 local ministers. The number of places of public worship, including churches, schoolhouses, and private houses, is about 900; and the number of communicants is about 14,000.

reputation of being devoted, laborious, and useful men. Winebrenner seems to have commenced his labours among the Germans very much in the spirit and with the aim of Hans Houga in Norway.

3. The WINEBRENNARIANS, a sect of German Baptists, so called from their founder being a Mr. Winebrenner, a pious and First, then, there is a body called the zealous German, who lives at Harrisburg, "UNITED BRETHREN IN CHRIST." This is a Pennsylvania, where his followers are Methodist sect, which began to rise as chiefly found. They form several congreearly as 1770, and gradually attained an gations, and are said to be quite evangeliorganization in the year 1800. The found-cal in their doctrines, and, as a body, irreers of it were the Rev. Messrs. Otterbein, proachable in their lives. Their minisBoehm, Geeting, and other German min-ters, though not well informed, have the isters, who had once belonged to the German Reformed, the Mennonists, and the Lutherans. Their first Annual Conference was held in the year 1800. From that epoch this denomination has continued to increase among the Germans and German descendants in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, and other portions of the Union, until they have at present one General Conference (which meets once in four years), nine Annual Conferences, four bishops, six hundred ministers, of whom 250 are itinerant, and 350 are local preachers. The number of places, churches, schoolhouses, private houses, etc., where they preach, is supposed to exceed two thousand. Many of their congregations are small. The number of their members or communicants is reported to be more than 50,000.

This body, which is in all essential points the same, as it regards doctrines and modes of worship, as the Episcopal Methodist Church, has been becoming more thoroughly organized from the first. Within a few years successful efforts have been made to introduce discipline and order into their churches, and to require from the preachers regular and accurate reports of the number of communicants, etc. This looks well, and shows that this body has

4. The MENNONISTS have some churches, but the most of their little congregations meet in private houses; they probably have about 50 or 60 preachers, and perhaps some 200 small congregations. They are an amiable, and, in the main, evangelical people, yet rendered somewhat lukewarm, it is to be feared, by their worldly prosperity. They are, for the most part, descended from Mennonist immigrants from Holland and Germany. Their confession. of faith, as stated by one of their ministers, Mr. Gan, of Ryswick, in Holland, appears to be moderate orthodoxy. They reject infant baptism, but though their founder, Simon Menno, maintained that baptism should be by immersion, they do not deem it indispensable. On the contra

vate houses oftener than in church edifices. Their * The Mennonists meet for their worship in pricongregations are very small, and for a long time scarcely existed out of Pennsylvania.

I fear that their orthodoxy is less unequivocal They are opposed to the use of the words Person and general than it was sixty or eighty years ago. and Trinity, when speaking of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

ry, they sprinkle, or, rather, pour water | doctrines and polity of the body from upon the head of the candidate, after which which they seceded, their dissatisfaction follow the imposition of hands and prayer. with which arose from their preachers not They have no order of preachers, but eve- being admitted into the itineracy, and, ry one in their assembly has the liberty to consequently, having no share in the govspeak, to expound the Scriptures, to sing, ernment of the church, nor a right to reand to pray. ceive salaries, being only local preachers.

The Mennonists of Holland, as is well known, claim to be descended in the main from those Waldenses who, towards the close of the twelfth century, emigrated in great numbers to that country. If this be so, then the Mennonists in America have in their veins the blood of those wonderful survivers of long ages of persecution and oppression.

CHAPTER XV.

'SMALLER METHODIST DENOMINATIONS.

There were one or two other secessions a little later, one of which was headed by the Rev. Mr. Stillwell, in the city of NewYork, by which the Methodist Episcopal Church lost a few of its congregations, but they were not of such consequence as to call for special notice. But it sustained a far more serious loss in 1828, when a considerable number of preachers, chiefly local, and of lay members, withdrew from it at Baltimore, and in other parts of the country. As this secession has resulted in the formation of a new communion, which promises to be permanent, it calls for farther notice.

SECESSIONS of greater or less magnitude have detached themselves from time to In what was said of the Methodist Epistime, and glided off like avalanches from copal Church, the reader will have rethe Mount Zion of the Methodist Episco- marked that its constitution lodges the supal Church, not, however, so as to dimin-preme power, legislative, judicial, and exish its grandeur, or change its physiognomy; but most of them sooner or later melted away to nothing.

ecutive, in the itinerating ministers. They alone compose the Yearly and General Conferences. But, to two classes of the members, this has been felt to be oppressive. First, to the local preachers, who, although they may be ordained ministers, can have no voice in the government of the church. Nay, ministers who may have been for years in the itinerating service, the moment that, from sickness, duty to their families, insufficient support, or any

The first that occurred was that of the Rev. William Hammet, of Charleston, South Carolina, in 1785. His followers took the name of Primitive Methodists. The second was that of the Rev. James O'Kelly, in Virginia, about 1792. His followers called themselves Republican Methodists. This was by far the more serious of the two, but both soon and forever dis-other cause, they leave that service, have appeared from the scene.

thought that the laity ought to be represented in the church courts; that is, should be admitted to the Annual and General Conferences.

no longer any voice in the affairs of that In the year 1816, about 1000 of the peo-church. Next, there were laymen who ple of colour in the Methodist Episcopal Church at Philadelphia, headed by a Mr. Richard Allen, seceded from the main body. Allen was a man of considerable talent, who, from having been once a slave in one of the Southern States, besides procuring his freedom, had acquired a handsome property, and becoming a preacher in the Methodist connexion, rose to be ordained an elder. After his secession he was ordained a bishop at the first General Conference of his followers, by prayer and the imposition of hands by five local elders, of whom one was a presbyter in the Protestant Episcopal Church. What the number of ministers in this small communion may be I know not. Since the death of Allen, instead of a bishop it has two superintendents.

Another secession of coloured members took place at New-York in 1819, and it has now several congregations of people of colour in New-Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. Three years ago they had twenty-one circuits, thirtytwo preachers, and 2608 communicants. They are believed to have adhered to the

This dissatisfaction began to assume a more decided character about the year 1820. A journal having been established for the purpose of advocating what were called "equal rights," this led to the sending up of numerous petitions to the General Conference held in 1824. These being unfavourably received, much excitement and discussion followed. The party that wanted reform urged their demands with more eagerness, and, consequently, some suspensions from church privileges took place in Baltimore and elsewhere. Such was the state of matters when the General Conference met in 1828; failing in obtaining redress from which, they who' thought themselves aggrieved seceded, and formed a new body, under the title of the PROTESTANT METHODIST CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES. In taking this step they have made no change in their doctrines, nor any innovations in church polity, beyond what they had unsuccessfully peti

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