247 ANDOVER-HARVARD LIBRARY AH 5GBV 4 JUSTUS FALCKNER HARVARD DEPOSITORY BRITTLE BOOK RETAIN BOOK COPY DEVOUT PIETIST IN GERMANY HERMIT ON THE WISSAMICKON MISSIONARY ON THE HUDSON LA SACHSE HIERONYMUS. ANDOVER HARVARD THEOLOGICAL LIBRARY COMPLIMENTS OF JULIUS F. SACHSE, 4428 PINE STREET. PHILADELPHIA. HIERONYMUS ERHARVARD EOLOGICAL LIBRARY THOS. V. F. 01 Lutique 93844 } 1 • 1 FALCKNER. 4 ! JUSTUS FALCKNER Dystic and Scholar DEVOUT PIETIST IN GERMANY HERMIT ON THE WISSAHICKON MISSIONARY ON THE HUDSON A Bi-Centennial Memorial OF THE FIRST REGULAR ORDINATION OF AN ORTHODOX PASTOR IN AMERICA, DONE NOVEMBER 24, 1703, AT GLORIA DEI, THE SWEDISH LUTHERAN CHURCH AT WICACO, PHILADELPHIA Compiled from Original Documents, Letters and Records at Home and Abroad BY Julius Friedrich Sachse, Litt. D. Member American Philosophical Society-Historical Society of Pennsylvania-Pennsyl- vania-German Society-American Historical Association-XIII International Congress of Orientalists, etc., etc. Philadelphia: PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR MDCCCCIII OF THIS LETTER PRESS EDITION FIVE HUNDRED COPIES HAVE BEEN PRINTED No. February, 1903. 2-2. COPYRIGHT 1903 BY JULIUS F. SACHSE. All rights reserved. PRESS OF THE NEW ERA PRINTING COMPANY LANCASTER, PA. 943 Luth,85 F179 S252 Ju ΤΟ Muhlenberg College, THE INSTITUTION BEARING THE NAMe and PerpeTUATING THE FAITH OF Benry Melchior Mublenberg THE PATRIARCH OF THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA, WHO CHERISHed, Revived AND PROPOGATED THE SEED CAST INTO THE VIRGIN SOIL OF PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW YORK BY Dominie Justus Falckner WHO WAS THE FIRST LUtheran MiniSTER ORDAINED IN NORTH AMERICA THIS Memorial is respectfully Dedicated iii Soll Dea Gloria T 1 பி Song De PROLOGUE. D F all the interesting char- acters, prominent in the early history of the settlement of Pennsylvania, none are more so than the company of Ger- man Pietists, Mystics and The- osophists, who, in the year 1694 settled on the shores of the romantic Wissahickon, a tribu- tary to the Schuylkill, and now within the corporate bounds of the City of Philadelphia. The stories of Magister Kelpius, Johan Selig, Daniel Falck- ner, the heroic Köster, and their associates have served as a theme for many writers. The subject has been exhaustively treated by Rev. T. E. Schmauk, D.D., in his new "History of the Lutheran Church in Pennsylvania" as well as by the present writer in his "German Pietists." No incident, however, in the life or history of this Mystic Community surpasses the story of Justus Falckner, the younger brother of Daniel Falckner. How he came here with his brother upon his return to America, and at first withdrew from the world and lived as a recluse or hermit in a sheltered dell on the Wissahickon, passing his time in (1) P Prologue. prayer, study and silent contemplation. Thence urged by the appeals of the Hollandish Lutherans in the valley of the Hudson who were in dire straits, and the persuasion of the Swedish pastors on the Delaware, finally consented to be ordained by them to the ministry, according to the Swedish Lutheran ritual, in the venerable landmark on the Delaware, "Gloria Dei," after which he at once assumed charge of the scattered Lutherans in the adjoining Colonies, and remained a faithful shepherd amongst them until called to join the church triumphant. 2 The present year marks the two hundredth anniversary of this ordination, and it is but meet and right that some special notice be taken of this episode, and that the story of this noble missionary should be more widely known how he labored for twenty years in his extended field, reaching from Manhattan to.Albany, and East New Jersey to Long Island, until at last he succumbed a martyr to his zeal and duty. Upon this account the writer presents this sketch as a Bi-Centennial Memorial to that devout pioneer. The foun- dation of this story is my chapter on Justus Falckner in the "German Pietists." Much new and additional material of greatest importance, however, is presented in the present publication material gathered at home and abroad at a great cost of time and labor. The finding of the letters from the Swedish pastors and the diploma of ordination signed at the Old Swedish Church, November 24, 1703, now published for the first time, however, amply repaid the writer for his outlay. - This memorial is issued in the hope that the history of this devout pioneer may be further investigated and studied, and that the name of Domine Justus Falckner, the German Pietist of the Halle School, hermit and theos- Prologue. 3 ophist on the Wissahickon, and devout pastor and mis- sionary in New York, may be enrolled in its propèr place in the historic annals of our state and country. " Acknowledgments are due to the College van Ouder- lingen der Evang. Luthersche Gemeente te Amsterdam, specially to Pastor Van Wijk, Jr., Captain A. F. P. Car- tens and Herr G. D. Martens of that corporation, also to Rev. J. H. Sieker, pastor of St. Matthew's Ev. Luth- eran Church in New York, who is direct successor in office to the subject of our sketch, to Rev. Henry Eyster Jacobs, D.D., for assistance in the Latin translations, to the Right Reverend Archbishop of Sweden, at Upsala, for the verification of the diploma of ordination, to the offi- cials of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania for cour- tesies extended to the writer, and to William C. Lane, Esq., librarian of Harvard University, for title page of Zenger pamphlet and Swedish pastoral. Prologue CHAPTER I. JUSTUS FALCkner. - Genealogy Arms- Earliest Record-Halle Uni- versity Thomasius and Francke-Student at Halle -Composes Hymns, "Rise Ye Children of Salvation," "If Our All on Him We Venture." - Candidat Theo- logia - Leaves Halle, Journeys to Dutchy of Schles- wig-Dominie Mühlen CONTENTS. ---- CHAPTER II. DANIEL FALCKNER. Returns to Europe - Aug. Her. Francke, Leader of German Pietists on Wissahickon. Falckner's Report -German Pietists in Pennsylvania and Virginia. - Philadelphian Society. - Reception at Halle-Citizen and Pilgrim in Pennsylvania-Answers Questions - Abstracts Published- Political Nature of Visit-Re- ports to Benj. Furley. - Frankfort Company Appoint Him to Supersede Pastorius — At Rotterdam-Lubeck Return to America ――― • · CHAPTER III. ON THE WISSAHICKON. Arrival of Daniel and Justus Falckner - Bailiff and Burgess Justus Retires to Hermit's Cabin - Sends Missive to Dom: Muhlen. in Scheswig. - Returns to Active Life, Attorney for Penn and Furley — Before Land Commissioners Spleen of Pastorius - Purity - of Character —> ――― CHAPTER IV. FALCKNER'S MISSIVE FROM GERMANTOWN. — Condition of the Church in America - As a Her- mit-Indians - Innumerable Sects- Quakers-Evan- I-3 13-23 24-31 32-37 (5) 6 Contents. ――――― gelic, Lutheran and Reformed Churches - Swedes and Their Church - Germans Attend Swedish Church- Pastor Rudman Delivers German Address "Satur- nine Stingy Quaker Spirit"— Appeal for an Organ for Gloria Dei-Quotes Luther - Asks for Intercession with Sweden's King. Colophon ――― ― ―――― CHAPTER V. CAUSES LEADING TO THE ORDINATION AT WICACOA. - Justus Falckner's Interest in Swedish Church Dom. Rudman Called to New York, Assumes Lutheran Charges. Taken Sick with Yellow Fever - Returns to Philadelphia-Sends Call to Justus Falckner Rudman and Biörck Remove Falckner's Scruples- Interesting Correspondence - Call Extended from New York, Biörck's Missive-Acceptance of the Call CHAPTER VI. ―――― - • • THE ORDINATION AT GLoria Dei. A Venerable Landmark - Solemn Occasion - His- toric Importance, November 24, 1703 - Procession — Candidate Invocation- Rudman as Vice Bishop- Questions and Answers, Apostolic Succession - Sign- ing of the Ordination Diploma ―― • CHAPTER VII. DOMINIE FALCKNER IN NEW YORK. Arrives in New York-Accepts the Charge- Re- ports to Amsterdam Sends Copy of Ordination Di- ploma, Finding of this Document, Fascimile - An Im- portant Historic Document-Latin Invocation in Church Book, Troublesome Times - His Extended Charges - Calls Church Meeting - Appeals for Financial Help Description of Church - First Report to Amsterdam Needs of the Congregation. CHAPTER VIII. Copy of the Report to the Amsterdam Consistory. 38-48 ――――― 49-59 60-71 72-80 81-84 1 h CHAPTER IX. A RARE BRADFORD IMPRINT. Lutheran vs. Calvinist, A Rare Book - Justus Falck- ner's Fundamental Instructions - Compendium Doc- trinæ Anti-Calvinianum - Facsimile of First Original Lutheran Hymn printed in America - Falckner's Ex- tended Charges, New York to Albany, New Jersey to Long Island - Kocherthal Biorck's Account of Justus Falckner's Ministrations. CHAPTER X. ― DOMINIE FALCKER'S CHURCH RECORDS. Records of Old Trinity Church - How Rescued Commenced by Dom. Rudman, Table of Contents - Facsimile Baptismal Register - Invocations -Com- municants Indian Baptism - Exorcism of Satan- Baptism of Negro Slave - Rev. John Sharpe - Dom. Falckner's Marriage, Facsimile of Entry-Letter of Thanks to Amsterdam, Last Entry and Death of Dom- inie Justus Falckner - Widow and Children - His Character - Documentary Evidence - - Contents. - ―― ―――――――― Dom. Falckner's Experience with Van Dieren, Hes- selius' Advice to Falckner-Berkenmeyer's pamphlet - Title Falckner Admonishes his People Against Van Dieren Sybrand's Offer - Johann Michael Schütz Contradictory Missive- Van Dieren's Attempts to Preach, Ejected from Pulpit-Description of Church Account of Services Trials of the Pastor Tailor and Preacher-Van Dieren and his Actions, Alleged Ordination by Pastor Gerard Henckel-Opposition of Swedish Pastors. - · CHAPTER XI. THE VAN DIEREN CONTROVERSY. - · 7 85-94 95-115 116-131 CHAPTER XII. PASTORAL TO THE HACKENSACK CONGREGATION. 132-138 1 1 I Falckner arms Tutors of Justus Falckner Magister Kelpius. Typical Hermit's Cabin. Falckner Swamp Lutheran Church Gloria Dei (old Swedes) Wicacoa, exterior 66 66 66 66 interior, organ loft tomb of Dom. Rudman interior, chancel ancient Swedish carvings 66 66 66 66 66 64 66 66 66 ་་ 66 Dominie Eric Tobias Biörck New York, street scene in 1704 66 66 66 66 66 Old Dutch Stadt Huys . Trinity Lutheran Church, 1729 Certificate of ordination Old Lutheran Church at Amsterdam Swedish Churches on the Delaware, Cranehook Church of 1638 Christina Penn's Neck. Racoon. 66 66 66 LIST OF PLATES. 66 66 66 66 The Valley of Schoharie... 66 66 • • frontispiece facing page 16 66 66 24 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 ::: 66 66 66 66 66 66 "L 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 39 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 32 36 44 48 52 60 64 56 72 96 79 74-75 82 106 112 120 136 128 (9) Falckner. Halle Lubeck William Penn Rostock. Pastorius Schleswig Amsterdam Printer's Guild New York (1686). New York Colony Holland. Sweden • • ARMS. • Sprogel, John H.. Falckner, Justus Falckner, Daniel AUTOGRAPHS. • • • Biörck, Rev. E. T. Gerhartt, Henkell • Furly, Benjamin . Kelpius, Johannes Falckner, Justus and Daniel. Rudman, And.. • ILLUSTRATIONS. . TITLE PAGES AND FACSIMILES. Hymn, "Auf ihr Christen " Weyrauch's Hugel. Curieuse Nachricht, 1702 · PAGE. . · . Continuatio, 1704 Missive to Muhlen. Colophon to Missive. Rudman's entry in churchbook. • Rudman's letter to Falckner. 13 Rudman's reply to Falckner. 14 Biörck to Falckner. 23 Notice to Amsterdam. 24 Certificate of Ordination 33 Falckner's first entry. 36 Falckner's official signature. 38 Grondlycke Onderricht, title Original hymn . . 81 84 Quassaik Church 92 Dissertatio Gradualis, title Falckner's Entry. 115 131 Baptismal Record 132 Section of Map, 1704 . Section of Map, 1740 Communicant Record 14 New York Paper Money 14 Marriage Entry 25 Getrouwe Wachter Stem 30 30 35 Headpiece, History 50 57 134 · 19 20 28 Halle Student Halle University. Halle Lecture Room Rostock, View of. Headpiece, Literature Halle, View of . . Falckner Colophon Headpiece, Mysticism Minuet's Monument 29 Headpiece, Dawn. . 40 Gloria Dei, A. D. 1800 47 Headpiece, X. P.. 51 Seal of Solomon. • · • · • EMBELLISHMENTS. • • PAGE. 53 · 56 58 73 74-75 76 77 88 Sq 91 93 97 99 · · • 100 IOI 103 105 107 117 13 16 15 17 22 24 26 31 32 37 £ 1 to 5 38 48 49 49 (10) • Tailpiece, Light and Time. Headpiece, Faith Halle Symbol Portrait, Rev. Collin Headpiece, pilgrims Labor and hope Seal of New York Seal of New York Congregation 78 Headpiece. · · • Gloria Dei, A. D. 1700 Headpiece, Dutch Headpiece, Labor ⋅ Illustrations. . PAGE. • • 59 Falckner Seal 60 Headpiece, Manuscript 60 Ephrata pilgrim 71 Albany Seal. 72 Portrait Wm. Vesey 72 Headpiece, Controversy 77 Vignette • So Book plate London Society 81 Tailpiece, finis. 85 EXCRESTOR · II PAGE. 94 95 95 102 108 116 116 • 132 135 138 1 F ܫܐ The Falckner Arms from Seal of Justus Falckner. F USTUS FALCKNER, born November 22, 1672, was the fourth son of Rev. Daniel Falck- ner, the Lutheran pastor at Langen-Reinsdorf (former- ly known as Langen-Rhens- dorf and Langeramsdorf), near Crimmitschau, parish of Zwickau, situated in that part of Saxony formerly known as the Markgravate of Meissen, and was a scion His ancestors on both sides of an old Lutheran family. had been ordained Lutheran ministers. بع His grandfather, Christian Falckner (d. November 5, 1658), as well as his son Daniel Falckner (d. April 7, 1764) father of the subject of our sketch, were both pastors of Langen-Reinsdorf. The latter left four children, viz: Paul Christian, born February 2, 1662; Daniel, born No- vember 25, 1666; a third child of whom the writer has found no record, and Justus, the subject of our sketch.¹ 1 For the history of Daniel Falckner-vide Dr. Schmauk's "Lutheran Church in Pennsylvania, 1638-1800," and Sachse's "German Pietists, 1694-1708." (13) 14 Dominie Justus Falckner. All the sons were educated with the same object in view, and were eventually ordained to the holy ministry. He was the younger brother of Daniel Falckner, a leader among the German Pietists, who came to America in John Henry Sprogell. 1694 with Kelpius and Köster, and accompanied him upon his return to Pennsylvania in the year 1700, and together with Johann Jauert, Arnold Storch, Johann Heinrich and Ludovic Christian Sprögel, and others, reinforced the com- munity of German Pietists who had established themselves on the roman- tic banks of the Wissahickon a short distance from Germantown. The earliest official record of Jus- tus Falckner known to the present writer, excepting the entry of his birth, is that recorded in the oldest register of the venerable university at Halle a. S. Germany, which bears the following title and date, viz: 66 ARMS OF HALLE. talogus derer Studiosorum, so auf hiesiger FRIED- RICHS, Universität, immatriculiret worden. Nach Ord- nung des Alphabet's Eingerichtet. De Anno MDCXCIII." The first entry upon the sixth page reads: "FALCKNER, Justy, Langeramsdorf, Miss." "P. R. Thomasius, 1693, 20 Jan." ་་ Justus Falckner Student at Halle. 15 2 The above entry shows that Justus Falckner was one of the students at Leipzig who followed Thomasius to Halle after the latter's expulsion from that city. Die alte Waage am Markt THE UNIVERSITY AT HALLE, A.D. 1698. Just how long the student remained at the university at Halle is not known to the writer. There is ample evi- 2 Thomasius was one of the most distinguished German philosophers of his time; born at Leipsic'in 1665, he studied at Frankfort on the Oder, and returning to Leipsic in 1679 delivered philosophical lectures there. His freedom of thinking, however, raised him many enemies, and he was finally obliged to leave the country. He went to Halle in 1690, where he took an active interest in establishing the university, and three years later became a professor and afterwards, head of the university. Thomasius was the first in Germany to exert his influence to procure the abolition of torture, of trials for witchcraft, and of restraints upon freedom of thought. It was under the tutelage of this great man that Justus Falckner studied and graduated. 16 Dominie Justus Falckner. dence, however, during his sojourn there that he was in close touch with the celebrated German Pietist, August Herman Francke, under whom he studied the oriental Academicus Hallensis. A STUDENT AT THE HALLE UNIVERSITY, 1698-1700. languages at the university, and who was then one of the recognized religious leaders in Europe. August Herman Francke, German Pietist, theologian and philanthro- pist, was born at Lübeck, March 23, 1663. Embracing the pietistical teachings of Spener, he began to lecture on the practical interpretation of 4 1703-MEMORIAL OF DOM. JUSTUS FALCKNER-1903. CHRISTIAN THOMASIUS. AUGUST HERMAN FRANCKE. TUTORS OF JUSTUS FALCKNER WHILE A STUDENT OF HALLE. 17 Within the Aula. 242 BRISTIAN 9- DIMEN 12 Turinn. A H HOME HERRERA THE AULA OF THE OLD UNIVERSITY, 1698, FROM AN OLD COPPERPLATE. 18 Dominie Justus Falckner. The devout and spiritual trend of mind of the young theological student is best shown by several of his hymns, incorporated at the time by Francke in his revised hymn- book: "Geistreiches Gesang Buch" Halle 1697. The most noted of these hymns is the one commencing with the line: Auf ihr Christen, Christi glieder." This is found on page 430 of the original edition. This hymn is a stirring, vigorous composition of eleven stanzas of six lines each. It was set to the melody "Meine Hoff- nung stehet veste," and was well calculated to raise the religious fervor of the worshippers. Upon a manuscript copy of this hymn, Falckner notes two references to the scriptures as his theme, or the foun- dation of its composition, viz. : 66 66 Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might" (Eph. vi. 10). "For whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world, and is the vic- tory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 John v. · 4). Originally the hymn was designated, "An encourage- ment to conflict in the Christian warfare," it was retained by Freylinghausen in the make-up of his Gesang Buch of 1704, but in subsequent editions it was relegated to the the Bible, and met with so much success that he was attacked on all sides, and the celebrated Thomasius, then residing at Leipsic, undertook his de- fence. Successively driven from Leipsic and Erfurth, he went to Halle as professor of the new university, at first, of the Oriental languages, and afterwards of theology. Francke was personally interested in the band of German Pietists who settled on the Wissahickon under Kelpius, 1694-1708. The old Trappe Church in Pennsylvania was named in his honor, “Die Augustus Kirche,” by Rev. Henry Melchior Mühlenberg, who was sent to these shores in 1742 by the son, Rev. Gotthilf August Francke. As an Hymnist. bet, Fleisches Ruth und Sicher beit, und den Sünden sich ergie bet, der hat wenig luft zum Streit; den die Nacht, Catans Macht, bat ihn in den Schiaf gebracht. 395. Mel. Meine Hoff nung stehet ic. ut, the Christen, Christi Glieder! die ihr noch hangt an dem Haupt; auf! 7. Aber wen die Weisheitleh wacht auf!ermannt euch wie ret, was die Freyheit fur ein Theil, deſſen Herk zu GDnfid fehret, seinem allerhöchſie Heil, sucht allein ohne Schein Chrift freyer Knecht zu seyn. 8. Denn bergnügt auch moht das Leben, so der Freyheitman: geln muß? Wer sich GOtt nicht gang ergeben, hat nur Müh Angst und Verdruß; der, der friegt recht vergnügt, wer fan Leben selbst besiegt. 9. Drum auf! laßt uns über: winden in dem Blute JEsu Christ, und an unsre Stirne binden sein Wort,so ein Zeugni ist, das uns deckt und erweckt, und nach Gottes Liebe schmeckt. 10. Unser Leben sey verborgen mit Christo in GOtt allein, auf daß wir an jenen Morgen mit ihm offenbar auch seyn, da das Leid dieser Zeit werden wird zu lauter Freud. der, eh ihr werdet hingeraubt. Satan beut an den Streit Christo und der Christenheit. 2. Auf! folgt Chrifto, eurem Helbe, trauet feinem starcken Arm, liegt der Satan gleich zu Felde mit dem gangen Höllen Schwarm: find doch der noch vielmehr, die da stets sind uni uns her. 3. Nur aufChristi Blut geva get mit Geber und Wachsam: keit, dieses machet unverjaget, und recht tapfre Krieges-Leut; Christi Blut gibt uns Muth wieber alle Teufels-Brut. 4. Chrifti HeeresCreuses-Fah- ne, so da weiß und roth ge prengt,ist schon auf dem Sieges Plane uns zum Trosie ausge: bangt; wer hier kriegt, nie er liegt, sondern unterm Creuge fiegt. 5. Diefen Sieg hat auch em. pfunden vieler Heilgen starcker Muth, da sie haben überwunde frölich durch des Lames Blut. Bolten wir dann alhier auch nicht streiten mit Begier. 6. Wer die Selaverey hur lie FACSIMILE OF HYMN IN THE ZIONITISCHER WEYRAUCHS HÜGEL. 11. Da GOtt seinen treuen Knechten geben wird den Einas den-Lohn, und die Hütten der Gerechten stimmen an den Sie ges-Thon; da fürwahr Gob tes Schaar ihn wird leben immerdar. 19 20 Dominie Justus Falckner. Anhang or appendix. Thus in the edition of 1731 it be- came hymn No. 634, p. 769. From the very outset the hymn came into extended use in both Europe and America. It became a favorite hymn with the so-called separatists, or dissenters from the orthodox church, and was incorporated into their hymn- books; a prominent instance being the Davidsche Psalter Spiel der Kinder Zions, Berlenburg, 1718. This was the ZIONITISCHER Heyrauchs Bügel Myrrhen Berg, Worinnen allerley liebliches und wohl riechens des nach Apotheker Kunst zu berelictes Nauch Werd zu finden. Bestehend Oder: In allerley Liebes-Würckungen der in GOTL geheiligten Seelen, welche sich in vieler und mancherley geißlichen und lieblichen Liedern aus gebildet. Als darinnen Der legte Ruff zu dem Abendmahl des groß fen GOttes auf unterschiedliche Weise trefflich aus gedrucketuk; Zum Dienst Der in dem Abend - Ländiſchen Welt, Theil als bey dem Untergang der Sonnen erweckten Kirche GOttes, und zu ihrer Ermunterung auf die Mitternachtige Zukunfft des Bräutigams ans Licht gegeben. EC 0350 03E043EO OBEO BEQUES, Germaniors. Gedruckt bey Chriſtoph Sauer. TITLE PAGE OF FIRST BOOK PRINTED WITH GERMAN TYPE IN AMERICA. first distinct hymnal published for the use of the Separatists. In America it was incorporated in the celebrated Zio- nitischer Weyrauchs Hügel, of the Ephrata Community (Sauer, 1738, hymn 395, page 444); also in der Kleine Davidische Psalterspiel der kinder Zions (Sauer, hymn 38, page 41), and a number of other early American hymn- books. It is also to be found in the Manuscript Hymnal of the Zionitic Brotherhood, which is known as the Para- As an Hymnist. diesische Nachts Tropffen, 1734 (hymn 11, p. 6).* This hymn, after a lapse of two centuries, is still used by nearly all the Protestant denominations in Germany, and is re- tained in their hymnology in America as well, the latest in- stance being its retention by the Lutheran Church of the United States in their new German Kirchen Buch, wherein it is hymn 331. Especial attention is called to it in Stip's Unverfälschter Liedersegen (Berlin, 1851). Julian, in his Dictionary of Hymnology, mentions the following translations into the English language: "Rise, ye children of Salvation" (omitting stanza four) in Mrs. Bevans' "Songs of Eternal Life," 1858, page 10. Three centos have come into use, the translations of stanzas, one, three and nine, in Dr. Pagenstecher's collection, 1864; - of stanzas one, five, nine and eleven in the English Presbyterian psalms and hymns, 1867; and the Temple Hymn-Book, 1867; and stanzas one, five and eleven in Laudes Domini, New York, 1884. Another one of his hymns is 66 If our all on Him we Venture," a translation of stanzas three, as stanza two of hymn No. 1064 in the supplement of 1808 to the Moravian Hymn- Book of 1801. Another celebrated hymn attributed to Justus Falckner is: O Herr der Herrlichkeit O Glantz der Seligkeit, Du Licht vom Lichte, 21 Der Müden süsser Saft, Des grossen Vater's Kraft, Sein Angesichte. •Collection of Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 'Cento, a composition formed by verses or passages from different authors disposed in a new order. 22 Dominie Justus Falckner. AND VARNVS ROSTOCHIVM FLUVIVS. CONTEMPORARY VIEW OF THE OLD UNIVERSITY TOWN OF ROSTOCK. At Lübeck and Rostock. 23 This hymn was also printed in the Weyrauchs Hügel (No. 475, p. 540) and Sauer's Psalterspiel (No. 361). It is not known to a certainty how long the academic term of young Falckner lasted at Halle. When he left that institution he was what was known as a Candidat Theologia or a candidate for holy orders. It appears that, after he left Halle, he went to Lübeck and Rostock. The former city was the birthplace of his friend and tutor, Aug. H. Francke, the lat- ter a university town, whose great seat of learning up to a few years before was presided over by the renown Dr. Heinrich Müller (Muhlen). Both of these cities had for some years been centers of pietistic activity. Whether Justus Falckner studied or spent any time at the university at Rostock has not been determined. From a document found in the library there, it is shown that he spent some time in the Duchy of Schleswig, and was aided and befriended by a son and namesake of the noted pie- tistic theologian Dominie Heinrich Müller (Muhlen) men- tioned by Gotfried Arnold in his Kirchen and Ketzer geschichte, and who was also a church dignitary and had succeeded his father in the office as superintendent. Thence young Falckner went to the adjoining Duchy of Holstein, where he evidently for a time taught school or acted as a private tutor. § Wappen von Lübec. -THE MERO HEAT CHAPTER II. DANCE DANIEL FALCKNER. T¹ T was about this time, either late in 1698 or early in 1699, that his elder brother Daniel re- turned to his native land as an emissary from Am- erica. From documents lately discovered in the archives of the Halle or- phanage we find that the elder Francke was vir- tually one of the chief factors in the settling of the colony of German Pietists on the Wissahickon, and the introduction of Ger- man pietism in America, which eventually proved so pow- erful a factor in upholding the orthodox Lutheran faith in the Province of Pennsylvania, and we might say shaping the destiny of a large part of our community. ARMS OF PENN. CORSA (24) R ! I # 1 1 " 1 1703-MEMORIAL OF DOM. JUSTUS FALCKNER-1903. J. F. SACHSE, PHOTO. JOHANNES KELPIUS. MAGISTER OF THE GERMAN PIETISTS ON THE WISSAHICKON. FROM THE ORIGINAL CANVASS BY DR. CHRISTOPHER WITT, NOW IN THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA. 25 In view of this greatly improved condition of the relig- ious situation in Pennsylvania, which, early in 1698, was strengthened still more by the arrival of Rev. Thomas Clayton, the first minister of the Church of England who came to the Province, it was concluded by the leaders of the German Pietists on the Wissahickon, partly at the sug- gestion of the Swedish pastors, to send an emissary from among their number to Europe to make public the true state and spiritual condition of the Germans who had emi- grated to Pennsylvania; set forth the labors of the Pietis- tical brethren among their countrymen in America, and solicit aid and additional recruits, so that the perfect num- ber of forty could be kept intact, and at the same time 6 Daniel Falckner. Janiel Falexner could extend their usefulness in educating and ministering to their neglected countrymen in Pennsylvania and Vir- ginia. Another important scheme then under consideration was the migration of the members of "the Philadelphian Society" in a body from England and the continent to settle in Pennsylvania, and there found a colony where their peculiar teachings should be their only law. Con- siderable correspondence had taken place upon the subject, and it was thought by Kelpius and others that the time had arrived for a consummation of the scheme. It was therefore desirable that a thoroughly competent person "For a full explanation of this theory, vide "German Pietists," pp. 37-42. 'Philadelphischen Societät, vide "German Pietists," p. 16. 26 Dominie Justus Falckner. all in Machsen Gegen Mittag A CONTEMPORARY VIEW OF THE OLD UNIVERSITY TOWN OF HALLE ON THE SAALE. Orphanage at Halle. 27 should be sent on the mission at that time. For this im- portant service Daniel Falckner was selected. He was a man of strong character and practical piety, as well as the executive head of the community, and, in addition to his religious duties, took considerable interest in secular affairs. Daniel Falckner, pursuant to the above arrangement, re- turned to Europe, as before stated, toward the close of the year 1698 or early in the spring of 1699. After a sho sojourn in Holland, he went to Germany to visit his old associates. Upon his arrival in Saxony, he found that time had wrought many changes in the condition of his former companions- some had been banished, others lived in obscurity, while the former leader of the local Pietistical movement, August Herman Francke, now posed as professor of Oriental languages at the newly established University of Halle, pastor of the suburb Glaucha, and superintendent of an orphanage of his own projection. Upon his arrival at Halle, Daniel Falckner was cordially received by the elder Francke, and installed at the orphan- age, and requested to render an account of his stewardship, and give authentic information of the affairs, both civil and religious, in far-off Pennsylvania. For this purpose Francke presented a number of ques- tions in writing, which Daniel Falckner answered in ex- tenso, his replies covering about 197 folio pages, to which he signs himself as "Citizen and Pilgrim in Pennsylvania in Northern America." 8 8 The bicentennial of the Halle (Frederick-Wittenberg) University was celebrated with great éclat, August 2, 3, 5, 1894, the Emperor of Germany being represented upon the occasion by Prince Albrecht of Prussia. The present writer attended as a delegate from the Old Augustus (Trappe) Church. For a full description of this Jubilee, see] The Lutheran, Phila- delphia, September 6, 1894. 28 Dominie Justus Falckner. Both of these interesting documents are still preserved in the archives of the Glaucha institution, and are now be- ing copied verbatum for the writer's use. An abstract of this report was published in Germany in 1702 under the following title: Curious account of Pennsylvania, in Northern-America which at solicitation of good friends regarding 103 questions submitted, and at his departure from Germany to above Curieufe Nachricht Don PENSYLVANIA in Morden-America Welche/ Auf Begehren guter Freunde/ Uber vorgelegte 103. Fras gen/ bet seiner Abreiß aus Teuschs land nach obigem Lande Anno 1700. ertheilet/und nun Anno 1702 in den Druck gegeben worden. Don Daniel Falknern/Profeffore, Burgern und Pilgrim allda. Franckfurt und Leipzig/ Zu finden bey Andreas Otto/Buchhändlern. Im Jabr. Chrifli 1702. FACSIMILE TITLE OF FALCKNER'S DESCRIPTION OF PENNSYLVANIA, 1702. 29 A Curious Account. Country Anno 1700 are answered, and Now Anno 1702, are given in print by Daniel Falckner, Professor, Citizen and pilgrim there. CONTINUATIO Der Beschreibung der Landſchafft PENSYLVANIÆ An denen End:Gränzen AMERICÆ. Uber vorige des Herrn Pastorii Relationes. In sich haltend: Die Situation, und Fruchtbarkeit des Erdbodens. Die Schiffreiche und andere Flüffe. Die Anzahl derer bißhero gebauten Städte. Die jeltjame Creaturen an Thieren/ Bögeln und Fischen. Die Mineralien und Ebelgesteine Deren eingebohrnen wil den Völcker Sprachen/ Religion und Gebrauche. Und Die ersten Chriftlichen Pflanger und Undaner dieses Landes. Beschrieben von GABRIEL THOMAS 15. Jährigen Inwohner dieses Landes. Welchem Tra@dtlein noch bengefüget find: Des Hu. DANIEL FALCKNERS Burgers und Pilgrims in Penfylvania 193. Beautwortungen uff vorgelegte Fragen von guten Freunden. Franckfurt und Leipzig/ Zu finden bey Andreas Otto/ Buchhändlern. 30 Dominie Justus Falckner. A somewhat extended abstract was issued two years later (1704) by the same publishers, under following title: Daniel Falckner's visit to Europe also partook somewhat of a political nature, which was destined to work radical changes in the civil affairs of the German township of Pennsylvania. His reports to Benjamin Furly at Rotterdam, and to the leaders of the Frankfort Company, at Amsterdam, Lübeck, Frankfort, but confirmed the unsatisfactory rumors, and dissatisfaction as to Pastorius' management of their property in Pennsylvania. This resulted in Daniel Falckner and Johann Jauert, a commercial traveller, son of Balthasar Jauert,' a leading Bergamen Huch pietist of Lübeck and member of the Frankfort Company, being summoned to Frankfort-on-the-Main early in the year 1700, and a power of attorney given them, together with Magister Johannes Kelpius, to take charge of their property and affairs in Pennsylvania. This document was dated January 24, 1700, and was signed by all of the surviving members or their assigns. From Frankfort, Daniel went to Rotterdam and in April Johannes Kelpius Franfihanus The correct spelling of this name is Jauert, not Jawert as usually spelled. Departs for America. 31 of the same year a power of attorney of like import was given to him and his brother Justus, who had decided to accompany his brother to Pennsylvania, on a mission hav- ing for its chief object the spreading of the Gospel in the "Land of Darkness" (Abend-land). A few weeks later we find the two brothers at the old Hansastadt of Lübeck in conference with the elder Jauert, and Balthasar Jaspar Könneken, a learned scholar, pietist and astronomer, who had taken an active personal interest in the German settlement of Pennsylvania, from the time of the arrival of the first pioneers in 1683, and among whose effects we find the earliest reports from the German town- ship. He also wanted to join the colony of German Pietists on the Wissahickon, but was dissuaded on account of his advanced age. Finally, toward the middle of May, quite a little party of Pietists had assembled at Lübeck and set sail by way of England. The white cliffs of Albion's shores were lost to view on the 25th of May and the capes of the Dela- ware were sighted early in August, after a passage of about ten weeks. Der Mitkampffende/Witleydens de/ und Micboffende an dem Leibe JEfu/ eingepflangte Mitknecht erwartend meis nes Ergirtens und Hims mels. Rönigs in sehnlichem Verlangen Daniel Faldner/Burger und Pilgrim in Penfylvanien in Norden America. DANIEL FALCKNER'S COLOPHON. SIGHLY A LMOST immedi- ately after the return of Daniel Falck- ner to the German town- ship of Pennsylvania, bringing his brother Justus and a number of Theosophists and Piet- ists, a change took place in the civic government of the German borough. In the fall of the same year (1700), Daniel Falckner was elected bailiff, his brother Justus a burgess, Johann Jauert, recorder, and Daniel Geissler, crier of the GERMA CHAPTER III. ON THE WISSAHICKON. MOPOIN 1691 Seal Mof German Town Pa .1691. court. At a court held at Germantown, 7th day of 9 mo., 1700, Justus Falckner appears to have sat as one of the judges. The cares and worriments of judicial office, together with the strife and bickerings of the infant community, were not congenial to our young Pietist, and all was so (32) 1 PHOTO BY J. F. SACHSE 1703-MEMORIAL OF DOM. JUSTUS FALCKNER-1903. ON TYPICAL HERMIT'S CABIN. FORMERLY ON THE BANKS OF THE COCALICO, LANCASTER CO., PENNA. f As a Hermit. 33 different from the ideal life he expected to find here in the virgin forests of Pennsylvania, that before many weeks passed we find him retiring from the world, its allurements and ambitions, and installed in an humble log cabin, beside a spring of clear water, on the banks of the Wissahickon, passing his time as a hermit, communing with his God in silent contemplation of nature, and continuing his theosophi- cal studies under the tutelage of Magisters Kelpius and Selig, the former secretary of the great Spener. In addition to his esoteric and theosophical studies, dur- ing his year of retirement as a recluse, Justus Falckner made good his promise to Senior Heinrich Muhlen, of Schleswig, to advise him as to the condition of the church in America. Just how many mis- sives he sent is not known. The first one, however, dated German- town in the American province of Pennsylvania, otherwise New Sweden, the 1st of August, 1701, was printed in Germany. A single copy of this heretofore un- known contribution to the his- tory of our province was found some years ago in the library of the University at Rostock, where it was bound up with a number of other tracts. This missive is not alone valuable as it sets forth the religious condition of the Germans within the province at the begin- ning of the eighteenth century, but it also contains a plea for an organ for the Swedish Church in Philadelphia. That this appeal was not in vain is shown from records still extant, and which make mention, as early as 1703, of 66 Jonas the Organist." At the end of his year of self-im- Wappen von Rostod. 34 Dominie Justus Falckner. posed seclusion, we again find some record of Justus Falckner in public affairs. That there was evidently some understanding and inter- course between William Penn and the Falckner brothers during the former's second visit to the province, is shown by several entries in Minute-book G of the Board of Prop- erty of the Province of Pennsylvania, where, in a dispute about some land, the Proprietary steps in and issues an order in favor of Daniel Falckner.10 The next entry in the same book, made 12th of 11th Month, 1701, shows that Penn's interest in Falckner continued during the former's stay in the Province. One of Penn's last official acts prior to his departure was the letter quoted in these Proceedings before the Land Commission : "James "Prepare a Wart' for 4,000 acres for Benjamin Furly, out of which 3 Wart's for 500 acres Each for Falkner and Brother and Dorthy and Brother and Sister, which recom- mend to the Commiss'rs of Propriety if not done before I goe. 25th 8ber., 1701. "Will m Penn." According to the old minute-book "G," before quoted, he appears as joint-attorney with his brother for Benjamin Furly of Rotterdam, and was so acknowledged by William Penn during his second visit to the Province (1699–1701). In a subsequent entry, on the 19th of 11th month, 1701, Daniel and Justus Falckner appear as attorneys for the Frankfort Land Company, and produce a patent for some city property. Upon the 18th of the 12th month, 1701, both brothers again figure before the Land Commissioners in the interests of Benjamin Furly. At different times 10 Pennsylvania Archives, Second Series, vol. xix., p. 219. 1 } As an Attorney. 35 after the above entry they continue to press the claims of their principals. On 5th of 2d month, 1703, Daniel and Justus went before the land commissioners, and produced a return of a warrant for fifty acres of Liberty Lands surveyed to Ben- jamin Furly. They also pressed a claim for a High Street lot of 132-foot front. On the 30th of the 6th month, 1703, Justus Falckner appears alone before the Commissioners, and as attorney of Furly produces a "return of 1000 acres in Chest'r County, said to be in Pursuance of our Warr't dat. 16, 12 Mo., 1701, and the Same Land appearing to be an Encroachm❜t upon the Welch Tract within their Settlements, and already granted to David Lloyd and Is. Norris, the same Mass & Justus & Daniel Falckner S." And worthy F J HEADING OF LETTER FROM FURLY TO FALCKNER BROTHERS. is Rejected and disapproved of, and thereupon "Tis Ordered that the Same be Certifyed by Indorsement On the said Return under Ye Comm'rs hands, which is ac- cordingly Done." It is evident from the above official minute that the loss to Furly of this parcel of land was not through any fault of the Falckner brothers, as has been frequently stated by Pastorius. The charge by the latter that they sold the above land for their own use and benefit is also hereby shown to be without any foundation. The above entry is the last notice of Justus Falckner 36 Dominie Justus Falckner. upon the official records of Pennsylvania. This attempt to recover the land for its rightful owner was evidently the beginning of the differences with Daniel Lloyd and Isaac Norris, which ended five years later in the Sprögel con- spiracy and the dispossession of Daniel Falckner. That Justus Falckner, dur- ing his sojourn in Pennsyl- vania, was a man without re- proach and one with exem- plary piety, may be judged from his subsequent career and the fact that his name is not even mentioned by the splenetic Pastorius, who so persistently villified the elder brother." Just what part Justus bore in the organiza- tion of the Lutheran con- gregation at Falckner's Swamp (New Hannover, Mont- gomery County, Penna.), the first High German Lutheran ARMS OF PASTORIUS. "The following memorandum was found among the Frankfort papers at the Pennsylvania Historical Society. It is in the handwriting of Pas- torius and it shows how vindictive the deposed steward of the Company was toward his successor. It is needless to say here that these charges have been shown to be far from the truth, vide Dr. Schmauk's "History of the Lutheran Church, 1638-1800," and Sachse's "German Pietists." "In the aforesd year 1700 at the end of the 6th Month (August) Daniel Falckner and Johannes Jawart being arrived here, began along with Johan- nes Kelpius to administer the Company's affairs, to whom the sª Pastorius Delivered up the land, house, barn, stable, corn in and above ground, cattle, household goods utensils &c and besides in arrears of Rents & other Debts due to the Company, about 230£ hoping they would do Business with better success, than he signified to the partners in Germany, that he was able or capable to do himself. But soon after Johannes Kelpius noti- fied me he would not act as attorney for the sd Company, calling himself Civilites Mortus. Whereupon Daniel Falkner plaid the sot, making Bone- 圖 ​1 1 0 I I 1 1 1703-MEMORIAL OF DOM. JUSTUS FALCKNER-1903. AL THE FALCKENER SWAMP (NEW HANOVER) CHURCH. CONGREGATION ORGANIZED BY DANIEL FALCKNER ABOUT 1702. . 1 · 1 1 His Activity. 37 congregation organized in America, or how often he was wont to visit the congregation or minister to his fellow coun- trymen, cannot be told to a certainty; although we have no direct record of the facts, he without doubt actively sec- onded his brother in organizing and ministering to the German settlers on the Manatawney tract; nor can his so- journ among the Mystics on the Wissahickon be traced in detail. His intercourse, however, with Kelpius, Selig, and the Swedish pastors, Rudman, Biörck, Sandel and Auren, is known to have been frequent and intimate. fires of the Company's Flax in open street, giving a piece of eight to one Boy to show him in his drunken Fit a house in Philad", and to another a Bit to light him his pipe &c. In so much that his Fellow Attorney Johan- nes Jawert affixed an advertisement on the Meeting house at Germantown, that no one should pay any Rent or other Debt due to the Company unto the s Falckner.-Yea and the then Bailiff and Burgesses of the German- town Corporation acquainted the sd Company of the sd Administration of this their attorney, in a letter, which (as they afterwards did hear) Mis- carried." ww CRS MONUMENT ERECTED BY PETER MINUET ON THE SHORES OF THE DELAWARE A. D. 1638. Re CHAPTER IV. FALCKNER'S MISSIVE FROM GERMANTOWN. חופים טושים BILOR MAD Eu Am MUTTA OTTO OTHER Can antagoni AND AND TROUTD MPORTAN Una fommo FOTER TOTOR CARTOND CONTAINS The domina TORRID AUG WIKA TOT A "IMPRINT of a MISSIVE | TO Tit: Lord D. Henr. Muhlen, From Germanton in the AMERICAN Province of Penn- sylvania,otherwise | New Sweden, the First of August, in the Year of our salvation One thousand, seven hundred and one | CONCERNING the 1 condition of the CHURCHES | in AMERICA. MDCCII." Brown PIS JUCHINNAL CERITAN Wa E will now present a trans- lation of Justus Falck- ner's unique missive to Germany, concerning the religious condi- tion of Pennsylvania in the year 1701.12 Wappen von Schleswig. "SHALOM. "RIGHT REVEREND, MOST LEARNED, ESPECIALLY HONORED, LORD GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT. "In sending to Your Magnificence the present missive 12 A photo-mechanical facsimile of this unique book can be seen at the rooms of the Pennsylvania Historical Society; there is also a copy in the library of the writer. A copy of the original German version is printed in Rev. George J. Fritschel's "Geschichte der Lutherischen Kirche in Amerika."-Gütersloh, 1896. R 8 (38) Eremite in the Desert. from such a distant part of the world, I am moved there- unto partly by the recollection of the high favor and civility which you extended toward me while I was in Schleswig with you, prior to my departure from Holstein to America, as you also were kindly disposed, by virtue of your episcopal and priestly office, to extend your great ecclesiastical bene- diction, and thereby to further my proposed journey to a blessed purpose; upon the other part, I am obliged thereto by the express commands which you enjoined upon me at sundry times, that I should correspond with you as much as possible concerning the condition of the church in America; (de statu Ecclesiæ in America). This honored command emanating from the love of God, I will comply with for the good of his church, and give satisfaction so far as I may : therefore I will make a beginning herewith. Indeed I must declare that since the time when I was there [in Schleswig] I have now, God be thanked, arrived safely here. This was during the past year at the beginning of August, after we had sailed from England on May 25. Since my arrival here, I have for many material reasons, lived entirely alone in a small block-house, which I had built for me, as an eremite in the desert (in Deserto). Hav- ing had but slight intercourse with the people, much less travelled hither and thither, and having [merely] gathered information from one and the other, so I do not know the particulars of the status here in every respect. "But now, after having schooled myself a little in the solitude, I begin as if from a mirror (tanquam ex speculo) to take cognizance of one fact and the other. I have gone more among the people, and subsequently have resolved to give up the solitude I have thus far maintained, and, accord- ing to my humble powers, to strive at least with good inten- tion publicly to assist in doing and effecting good in this 39 40 Dominie Justus Falckner. Abdruck Lines Schreibens An Tit. Herrn D.Henr.Muhlen/ Aus Germanton / in der Ameri- canischen Province Penfylvania, fonst No. va Suecia, den erſten Augufti, in: Jahr unsers Heyls eintausend siebenhundert und eins, Den Zustand der Kirchen in America betreffen M DCC IL TITLE-PAGE OF FALCKNER'S MISSIVE TO GERMANY, 1701. From only known copy in the Rostock University Library. Opinion of the Quakers. spiritual and corporeal wilderness. So far as I am able to draw conclusions concerning the condition of the churches in these parts, and indeed particularly in this Province, it is still pretty bad. The Aborigines or Indians, from lack of sufficient good instruction, remain in their blindness and barbarity, and moreover are angered at the bad living of the Christians, especially at the system of trading which is driven with them, and they only learn vices which they did not have formerly, such as drunkenness, stealing &c. The local Christian minority, however, is divided into almost innumerable sects, which pre-eminently may be called sects and hordes, as Quakers, Anabaptists, Naturalists, Ration- alists, Independents, Sabbatarians and many others, espe cially secret insinuating sects, whom one does not know what to make of, but who, nevertheless, are all united in these beautiful principles, if it please the Gods (si Dis placet): Do away with all good order, and live for your- self as it pleases you! The Quakers are the most numer- ous, because the Governor favors this sect, and one might be inclined to call this country a dissecting-room of the Quakers; for no matter how our theologians labored to dissect this carcase and discover its interiors, they could not do it so well as the Quakers here in this country are now doing themselves. It would easily make a whole tractate were I only to set forth how they, by transgress- ing their own principles, shew in plain daylight the kind of spirit that moves them, when they virtually scoff at the foundation of such principles, and become Ishmaels of all well regulated church-institutions. Hic Rhodus, hic sal- When I learn that my letters come safely into the hands of Your Magnificence, I will at another time report specialora. The Protestant Church, however, is here divided into three confessions and nations. According to tant. 4I 42 Dominie Justus Falckner. the confession, the local Protestants, as they are compre- hended under this name in the European Roman Empire, are either of the Evangelical Lutheran, or of the Presby- terian and Calvinistic Church. And as the Protestant Church is here also divided into three nations, so there are here an English Protestant Church and a Swedish Protestant Lutheran Church; and also persons of the Ger- man nation of the Evangelical Lutheran and Reformed churches. About these more at another time. "Now I will only speak somewhat of the Evangelical Church of the Swedish nation, and touch upon the German Evangelical Lutherans. "The Swedes have two church congregations: one at Philadelphia, the capital of this country, and another several miles therefrom on a river called Christina. They have also two devout, learned and conscientious preachers, among whom I know in specie the Reverend Magister Rudman. He, with his colleagues, endeavours to instil the true fear and knowledge of God into his hearers, who pre- viously, from a lack of good instruction and church disci- pline, had become rather unruly. The outward worship of God is held in the Swedish language, and partly according to the Swedish liturgy, so far as church ceremonies are concerned. "The Germans, however, I have spoken of not without cause as merely several Evangelical Lutheran Germans, and not the German Evangelical Lutheran Church: those who are destitute of altar and priest forsooth roam about in this desert (scilicet qui ard Sacerdoteque destituti, vagantur hoc in deserto:) a deplorable condition indeed. Moreover there is here a large number of Germans who, however, have partly crawled in among the different sects who use the English tongue, which is first learned by all who come Recomendations. 43 here. A number are Quakers and Anabaptists; a portion are Free-thinkers and assimilate with no one. They also allow their children to grow up in the same manner. In short there are Germans here, and perhaps the majority, who despise God's Word and all outward good order; who blaspheme the sacraments, and frightfully and publicly give scandal, (for the spirit of errors and sects has here erected for itself an asylum: Spiritus enim errorum et Sectarum Asylum sibi hic constituit); and herein is the great blame and cause of the lack of establishment of an outward and visible church assembly. Then while in the Theologia naturali omnibus hominibus connata there is as it were, the first Thesis: religiosum quendam cultum obser- vato, so it happens that when these people come here and find no better outward divine service, they rather select one than none at all although they are already Libertini; for even Libertinism is not without its outward forms, whereby it is constituted a special religion without being one. "Now I recommend to Your Magnificence, as an intelli- gent (cordaten) German Evangelical theologian, for your mature consideration and reflection for God and His church's sake, on account of the wretched condition of the German Evangelical communities, whether with assistance perhaps from some exalted hand, some establishment of an Evangelical church assembly could be made in America, since the Germans are now increasing rapidly. For as most of the Germans are adducendi et reducendi, so must the means be expected to come from others; or I will say the decoy (Lock-Pfeiffe) wherewith which the birds are to be allured cannot and must not be expected to come from the birds, but must be made by or for such as want to entice them here. "Both myself and my brother, who is sojourning here, 44 Dominie Justus Falckner. keep ourselves to the Swedish church, although we under- stand little or nothing of their language. We have also been the means of influencing divers Germans by our ex- ample, so that they now and then come to the assemblies, even though they do not know the language. Still they are gradually being redeemed from barbarism, and becom- ing accustomed to an orderly outward service. "Above all one of the Swedish pastors, Magister Rud- man, has offered, regardless of the difficulty to assume the German dialect (dialectum). For nothing less than the love of God's honor he has offered to go to this trouble and now and then to deliver a German address in the Swedish church, until the Germans can have a church of their own, together with the necessary establishment. Accordingly the Germans who still love the evangelical truth, and a proper outward church order, much prefer to attend (in- teresse) the Swedish churches here until they can also have their divine worship in their own language as a people. The means are hereby offered in a measure to spread the Gospel truth in these wilds, whereby many of their brethren and fellow-countrymen may be brought from wrong to right, from darkness to light, and from the whirlpool of sectaries to the peace and quiet of the true church. Where- fore such Swedish Evangelical churches, for my humble part, have best and heartfelt wishes, and I seek also and pray Your Magnificence to kindly recommend, as occasion offers, such churches with their ministers, to His Illustrious Serene Highness and Her Highness his spouse, who is a royal Swedish Princess, and also to contrive that your interest may be earnestly brought to the notice of his Serene Majesty of Sweden. "I will here take occasion to mention that many others besides myself, who know the ways of this land, maintain H 1 I 1 1 1703-MEMORIAL OF DOM. JUSTUS FALCKNER-1903. GLORIA DEI (OLD SWEDES), WICACOA, A. D. 1903. AFTER ETCHING BY LUDWIG E. FABER. Pleads for an Organ. that music would contribute much towards a good Christian service. It would not only attract and civilize the wild Indian, but it would do much good in spreading the Gospel truths among the sects and others by attracting them. In- strumental music is especially serviceable here. Thus a well-sounding organ would perhaps prove of great profit, to say nothing of the fact that the Indians would come run- ning from far and near to listen to such unknown melody, and upon that account might become willing to accept our language and teaching, and remain with people who had such agreeable things; for they are said to come ever so far to listen to one who plays even upon a reed-pipe (rohr- pfeiffe): such an extraordinary love have they for any melodious and ringing sound. Now as the melancholy, Saturnine stingy Quaker spirit has abolished (relegiret) all such music, it would indeed be a novelty here, and tend to attract many of the young people away from the Quakers and sects to attend services where such music was found, even against the wishes of their parents. This would afford a good opportunity to show them the truth and their error. "If such an organ-instrument (Orgel-werck) were placed in the Swedish church, (for the Germans as yet have no church, and the Swedish church is of a high build and resonant structure) it would prove of great service to this church. As the majority of the Swedes are young people, and mostly live scattered in the forest, far from the churches, and as we by nature are all inclined to good, and above all to what may serve our souls, such as the Word of God which is dead and gone, so are especially the youth; and it is so with the Swedish youth now under consideration. When they have performed heavy labor for the whole week, as is customary here, they would sooner rest on a 45 46 Dominie Justus Falckner. Sunday, and seek some pleasure, rather than perhaps go several miles to listen to a sermon. But if there were such music there, they would consider church-going as a recre- ation for their senses. "Thus does Luther of blessed memory in one place highly recommend the use of the organ and sacred music for this very reason, that it is serviceable, and induces young and simple and, says he foolish folk, to listen unto and receive God's Word. It would also prove an agree- able thing for God, angels and men; if in this solitude and wilderness, which as it were struggles under so many Secula, the Lord of Hosts, with whom there is fulness of joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for ever- more, would be praised and honored with cymbal and organ, as he hath commanded. And it may be assumed that even a small organ-instrument and music in this place would be acceptable to God, and prove far more useful than many hundreds in Europe, where there is already a superfluity of such things; and the more common they are, the more they are misused. "If now Your Magnificence were kindly to intercede with his Serene Highness and Her Highness his Consort, and also with such other exalted personages with whom you are held in high esteem, and present to them the bene- fit to be hoped for; I doubt not, but that something could be effected. There are in Europe masters enough who build such instruments, and a fine one can be secured for 300 or 400 thalers. Then if an experienced organist and musician could be found, and a curious one who would undertake so far a journey, he would be very welcome here. In case this could not be, if we only had an organ, some one or other might be found here who had knowl- edge thereof. Colophon to Missive. 17. drey oder vierhundert Thaler haben;könte man auch einen erfahrnen Organiffen und Muficum finden der curieux, und so eine weite Reise thun wolte/der wür de hier sehr angenehm seyn/wärees aber nicht/ und man hätte nur eine Orgel/so möchte sich etwa noch ein oder der andere hier finden/ der Wissenschafft da von hätte. Schließlichen wenn Eu. Magnificent vielgeneigt antworten wolten/ so glaube wird die beste addreffe der Brieffe an den Schwedischen Re- fident in Londen fen/ wohin auch dieser gegenwärti ge Brieff addreffiret worden /oder vielleicht wissen Sie selber schon bessere Gelegenheit. Nun ich schliesse und empfehle Eu. Magnificent Deft Schuß und der Gnade GOttes zu allen Wohler gehen / und verharre Euer Magnificence Germanton in ber Americanischen Province Penlylvania, ſonſt no- vaSuecia,deni. Augufti im Jahr unsers HeylsEintausend sieben- Huädert und eins. 50 Gebet und Diensten verbundenfier 47 Juſtus Falckner, (0) COLOPHON OF JUSTUS FALCKNER'S MISSIVE TO GERMANY. 48 Dominie Justus Falckner. "Finally if Your Magnificence would be highly disposed to answer, I believe the best address for the letter would be in care of the Swedish Resident in London, through whom also the present letter is addressed. Or perhaps you are aware of some better opportunity. "In conclusion I now commend YOUR MAGNIFI- CENCE to the protection and grace of God to all pros- perity, and remain "to YOUR MAGNIFICENCE "GERMANTON in the American Province of Pennsylvania, otherwise New Sweden, the 1st. of August in the year of our Salvation one thousand seven hundred and one. "For Prayer and service "most devoted, "JUSTUS FALCKNER." NAKUMUL PARTLY PUBBONS GLORIA DEI A CENTURY LATER. 1703-MEMORIAL OF DOM. JUSTUS FALCKNER-1903. J. F. SACHSE, PHOTO. GLORIA DEI, A. D. 1903. INTERIOR LOOKING WEST-SHOWING ORGAN GALLERY. 1 } : CHAPTER V. CAUSES WHICH LED TO THE ORDINATION AT WICACOA. JR ROM the missive sent to Dom. Muhlen it is shown how close the intimacy was be- tween the Swedish pastors and Justus Falckner, our candidate for holy orders, and of the interest he took in the Swedish Lutheran ser- vices held at Gloria Dei. The cir- cumstances which brought about the ordination of Justus Falckner at Wicacoa are as follows: CN אי Andreas Rudman, the Swedish pastor at Wicacoa, had received repeated calls for help from the distressed and op- pressed Lutherans, who had been without any clergyman to minister to their wants for some length of time. Conse. quently, after the arrival of Rev. Andreas Sandel, March 10, 170 Magister Rudman gave their forlorn condition his earnest consideration, and finding their case as bad as had been represented concluded personally to take (49) 50 Dominie Justus Falckner. charge of the extended mission on the Hudson and the ad- joining territory. In pursuance to this resolve he, on July 5, 1702, installed Sandel as pastor of Wicacoa, and on the 19th of the same month he preached his valedictory sermon. At the con- clusion of the sermon he embraced the opportunity of mak- ing public Auren's Sabbatarian doctrine and implored his parishioners to be upon their guard and remain true to the Lutheran faith according to the unaltered Augsburg Con- fession. A confessional service and the Eucharist closed the impressive occasion. Early on the next day, July 20th, Rudman started for New York, accompanied by Mr. Thomas, a schoolmaster Овид Киджак at Christ Church, who was in deacon's orders and intended to sail for England to receive ordination. A number of Swedes, led by pastor Sandel, Matz Keen, Peter Rambo and Eric Keen, also accompanied them part of the way. Rudman, upon his arrival in New York, at once com- menced to gather up and organize the Lutherans (German, Dutch and Swedish), who were scattered over so large a territory, which, in addition to the embryo city and the val- ley of the Hudson, included parts of Long Island and East Jersey. After Rudman was well established in his new field of labor, he sent to Pennsylvania for his wife and young family, and all went well until the summer of the follow- ing year, when the yellow fever broke out in the citadel and town. In the latter part of August Dominie Rudman and his family were prostrated by the terrible scourge, $ IS Rudman's Entry. Joom е to in der leads gepasseert, getüggen wy verordineers to met onfe eggene Meatwe Jork ut 12 узга Ba Being Friger DOMINIE RUDMAN'S AUTOGRAPH AND ENTRY IN THE NEW YORK CHURCH REGISTER. es 52 Dominie Justus Falckner. and upon the death of his second son, Anders, he wrote to Philadelphia for aid, stating that both he and his daughter were stricken with the disorder.13 In response to this urgent appeal, Revs. Biörck and Sandel at once made arrangements to go to his assistance ; but so slow were the imperfect means of communication at that time, it was not until September 13th when a start was made from Philadelphia to relieve the stricken pastor. The party arrived in New York on the afternoon of the 16th, where they found Dominie Rudman recovering, but his daughter still severely ill.¹ Dominie Rudman never entirely recovered from this attack, and being of a frail constitution he realized, after another year's trial, that on account of the rigor of the climate he could not continue in charge during another winter. In this extremity, not wishing to leave the field uncovered, he bethought himself of the Falckner brothers, and finding that Daniel had married and was occupied with the civic affairs of the German township, he wrote the younger brother a Latin letter of which the following extract is translated. "NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 21, 1703. "But only listen, I beg of you: for I am going to give you some unexpected news, for you to seriously and prayer- fully ponder. "I have decided to leave this province, to dispose of my affairs in Pennsylvania for some time, and to revisit 13 Sandel's Diary. 14 Sandel in his diary, notes: "Sept. 17, 1702, we went looking about the town that day and saw the English Church and also the Dutch [Re- formed?] both of them edifices of beauty. Sept. 20. "To-day we went calling on all who profess the Lutheran creed; there are very few here." P 1703-MEMORIAL OF DOM. JUSTUS FALCKNER-1903. THIS MARBLE COVERS THE REMAINS OF THE REVREND ANDREW RUDMAN BEING SENT HITHER FROM SWEDEN. HE FIRST FOUNDED & BUILT THIS CHURCH. WAS A CONSTANT FAITHFUL PREACHER IN TH ENGLISH, SWEDE'S DUTCH CHURCHES ELEVEN YEARS IN THIS COUNTREY WHERE HE ADVANCD TRUE PIETY, BY SOUND DOCTRINE & GOOD EXAMPLE R HE DIED SEP JJJJ08. AGED 40 YEARS. GLORIA DEI A. D., 1903. TOMB OF REV. ANDREAS RUDMAN IN FRONT OF CHANCEL. - 53 Receives Letter. C Hec-Eboraci Cd. 24 Sght. 1703. Brich von oson Mr. Andreas Rudman mich geſchziell Sed Extract auß seinen u audin Tu, nova maudita moppectata tibi dicam, ut ea ferib et. in pietate perperdas oro grafog. Animus eft Provinciam hanc relinquendi, & tempus afligbad res meds Ledufylvanicas Disponendi et. Sveciam reviden= overlandi cui felte circum circa oculos overfanti cui officullas comitterent nullus mihi Te aptior obvenit. per à Deo co- astavit vocem ex Eli, unde hoce stude nisi quod Deus imitate fuoribus. Te vocare. audivi omnes consentient, & leedo animo. (z. Gevantum exifles majores pufillum vocem gate of Abullicofum & reliqbom, hic alia res eft, innocuae ordes Dispersal, paucce morizerce, obedientes, fitientes & famelice (& Ex utero videtis volaty ze enim bona cum confcientia condo tuum conscientia Bondo tuum defodies (5. The Signatus ef Zatris Ergo paternce adhortationi. Si evadere potero. Jacro ordini facro ordini ponos Svecos Ministros initiabert ets DOM. RUDMAN S LETTER TO FALCKNER. 54 Dominie Justus Falckner. Sweden. What! you ask; are you going to desert your little flock? "Wherefore, as I look around, no one has occurred to me as a more suitable person to whom I can safely com- mit my sheep than yourself. Only weigh the following reasons: "(1) The call will be plainly divine. Samuel, when called of God, thought "Shall I ask Eli" whence is this? Whence can it be, unless God has imitated the voice of Eli! So, be assured, God is calling you through me. So far as I have heard from the people, all agree, and that to, with great delight. "(2) In Europe, you could have obtained greater and more lucrative churches; but I know that you have been averse to this on account of the abandoned life of cour- tiers and others. Here matters are very different; guile less scattered sheep, few, docile, obedient-thirsty and famished. "" '(3) You seem to have been called from the womb. Will you bury your talent with a good conscience? "(4) You have dignified me with the name of ‘Father,' receive, therefore, the exhortation of a father. If I can persuade the Ministerium, you will be initiated (sacro or- dini) into the ministry by our Swedish ministers. "If you decline, I will be compelled to leave my sheep without a successor and this will be hard and difficult." Justus Falckner for a time hesitated about accepting the call, as he entertained some doubts as to the regularity of such ordination. Unfortunately we have not the reply to the above letter. However, in a subsequent Latin letter Rudman seems to have set his doubts at rest and removed all scruples from the mind of the German Pietist on the Wissahickon. 1 Dominie Abelius. 55 In his letter, dated October 4, 1703, Dominie Rudman writes: "Episcopal authority for consecrating churches, ordain- ing, etc., has been granted me unreservedly by the bishop, especially with reference to a contingency such as this. This was done previously in Pennsylvania among the Swedes by Rev. Laurentius Lock, who ordaind Avelius "4 there, etc. Besides you know that in Holland, Lutherans have no bishop, and are, therefore, inducted into the min- istry by the vote of the presbyters. You should have no doubt whatever, therefore, concerning the fact of which I assure you, that, if you prefer to be subject to his protec- tion and promotion, the Bishop of Sweden, as I certainly know will transmit his confirmation." 13 Falckner's answer to this letter was evidently his consent to receive the Swedish ordination and take charge of Rud- man's flock in New York under certain conditions. 18 Dom. Lars, Carlson Lock (Lockenius) came to America in time of Gov. Printz, about 1648, d. 1688. He served the congregation at Chris- tina and Tinicum for about forty years. 14 From the above note it would appear that there was a Lutheran ordi- nation in Pennsylvania before that of Justus Falckner. There is, how- ever, no record of any such ceremony having ever taken place. The only mention of an ordination on the Delaware by another presbyter is this allu- sion in Dom. Rudman's letter, which the latter evidently learned from hearsay. Dom. Lock died twelve years before Rudman's arrival in Amer- ica. The person to whom the allusion refers, Avelius, was a Dutch student by the name of Abelius Zetskoorn, also written Selskoorn, who came to this country and for a time performed divine service at Sandhook. He went to Manhattan with a recommendation to the Lutheran Congregation at that place. Governor General Stuyvesant, to get rid of him, sent him to Dom- inie Lars Lochenius on the Delaware, where it appears that he taught school, took upon himself to baptize children, and on Whitsuntide 1663 was permitted to preach a sermon at Tinicum. Shortly afterwards he re- turned to New York, where he appears to have ministered to the Dutch Lutherans and appears in the records as Dominie Abelius. Dom. Berken- meyer in his list of Lutheran pastors of Manhattan mentions him as Goet- water's successor. 56 Dominie Justus Falckner. Extract and emummandern Brieft von gesagten H. MM. Rardman an mich geſchrieben von Rin Jotcol d. 14th Octob). 1403. Ductoritas Episcopalis, Templa confecrandi, ordinandi etc. pleng ore ab Episcopo mihi eft conceffa in jusmodi præfertim casu: Id factum Locke qui love: lium ordinavit by etc. Propterea nosti Lutheranos in Hollandia Episcopo Carere, of in. confenfu Presbyteronml mitiari Sacris nullus proinde Schu-. Confirmatio game fista Cioroit ea Co faciam de re Svecia fidère, hud certo certus fcio, transfignus eft promotion: de hid DOM. RUDMAN'S REPLY TO FALCKNER. 0 1 k 1703-MEMORIAL OF DOM. JUSTUS FALCKNER-1903. Er Tob Bjorck aptagon 1728 60 ähret Hel. Nr. 9.10.11 PHOTOGRAPHED FROM THE ORIGINAL CANVAS IN SWEDEN. Wid Christina Ferensel 17 h Fil Fahlan ihr 1714. Then 5 i ordningen Kyrchon och Frost vid Fuhlus. REV. ERIC TOBIAS BIÖRCK. ONE OF THE OFFICIATING MINISTERS AT ORDINATION OF JUSTUS FALCKNER. 1 I Admonition from Dominie Biörck. 57 The church council at New York, under date of Octo- ber 27, 1703, wrote him to come to New York and preach a trial sermon. This was followed three days later by a formal call from the congregation to serve them as pastor. Justus Falckner acknowledged both letters under date of November 3, 1703, accepting the call, but refused to come on and preach a trial sermon. As the congregation did not insist upon the trial sermon, Dominie Rudman forth- with made arrangements to sever his connection with his New York charge and returned to Philadelphia to complete his arrangements for the proposed ordination at Gloria Dei at Wicacoa. In the meantime, while Justus Falckner was preparing himself for his new position, he received the following letter from Magister Biörck, the Swedish pastor at Holy Trinity Church (Wilmington). It was dated Christiana, Nov. 19, 1703: "Since the Omniscient has known best how to direct Ericus Tob. Biörk your resistance and departure to a good end, and to the welfare of many, as is now apparent, by permitting you, indeed, to come hither to this American desert, not to carry away the talent entrusted to you, but, rather, to multiply it, that the Father of the household may receive his own with profit, for which a desert place very frequently offers the richest [reward], and, thus, you have unawares, as it were fallen into that, which you had previously escaped; your departure to this province was your mission, and call- ing from God. You sought a hiding-place; but He from whom no one can hide is now seeking to call thee thence. Come forth then to the light and profit of the public. For - 1 58 Dominie Justus Falckner. in au emen Brieft von N. FrEricus Bijörck einem mich geschrieben. Von Christina d. 19 Nov. 14oz. Extract auß Schwediſchen in bokum die ille, nooit optimé tuam resistentiam et abitum, ut fendo quidem tibi (defertum hoxe Americand adive now to ad deferen= Bum fibi talentu tibi concreditum, fed potius ad multiplicandum illud no Pater familias summo cum Lucro fuum recipiat, cui rei locus defertus Ditiffimam saepius præbet maam, et fic in istud quod anter effugeras im prudens quasi jam mcidifti; Tuus, abitus tua in hang Provintiam à deo fuit misfic el vocatio; Avgefivisti latebras, fed exinde te nunc evocare "Gyærit ille"; quem nemo latere potest; procede ergo nunc in publicam fucem et utilitatem, nulla i res deo/ gratior est quam vitam suam ad Commune commodum animarum conferred, chmille & tantummodo sibi prodeffe cupit non folum non quificat multo minus multipplicat, falentum Stultitia graves. Non nascimur, nobis dJaliis, maxime. In des Led potius fhib berta cum mutils fervo Defoort, pœnas fandem, ut ille, daturus in cujus calfuram, magis f te hic neceffariam, quam alias in Latria tua? pialt mentem DOM. BIÖRCK'S LETTER TO FALCKNER. Admonition from Dominie Biörck. 59 nothing will be more pleasing to God, than for you to de- vote your life to the common good, particularly of souls; Since one who desires to profit only himself, not only does not double, much less multiply his talent, but who rather, with the useless servant, digs under the earth, will, at last, like him, pay a heavy penalty for his folly. We have been born not for ourselves, but for others, especially for God and his Church, and for which your services are needed here, more than they could have been elsewhere in your native land, you have been brought hither without thought or intention on your part." Digger de 10 db H & ÔC VÍNY MASKINELÊ flig CHAPTER VI. THE ORDINATION AT GLORIA DEI. 4031 va EDNESDAY, November 24, 1703, marks the date of the most noteworthy re- ligious service ever held within the consecrated walls of the old Swedish Lutheran Church, Gloria Dei, at Wicacoa in Phila- delphia.15 Of the many solemn and festive oc- casions which have taken place within these ven- erable walls, both under its original Evangelical Lutheran tutelage or the modern Protestant Episcopal régime, not a single one has attained 15 The question is frequently asked, when and what brought about the transfer of the Swedish Churches on the Delaware, from the Lutheran to the Protestant Episcopal fold? The change was gradual, and one of -- (60) I 1703-MEMORIAL OF DOM. JUSTUS FALCKNER-1903. PHOTO BY J. F. SACHSE TOMBS OF THE LUTHERAN PASTORS RUDMAN, 905 GLORIA DEI, A. D. 1903. SHOWING INTERIOR WITH CHANCEL. DYLANDER AND PARLIN ARE IN THE AISLE. 39 1 Transfer of Gloria Dei. successive steps in which the language question, Swedish and English, was the chief factor. 61 The Swedish Lutheran Church, according to the unaltered Augs- burg Confession, was established on the shores of the South or Delaware river as early as 1638. The colonists as an old document informs us "influenced by a desire to preserve among themselves and their posterity, those principles of religion in which they had been instructed in their native land, erected churches at various points for the public ministration of God's word." For one hundred and twenty-nine years these churches maintained themselves without any local charters or civil interference. During Pro- vost Wrangel's pastorate it was, however, found that under the laws of the province, they could not receive or hold any legacies or pious bequests. To overcome this defect, Wrangel applied to Thomas and Richard Penn, then the Proprietaries for a charter, which was granted September 25, 1765, under the name of the Rector, Church Wardens and Vestrymen of the Swedish Lutheran Churches of Wicaco, Kingsessing and upper Merion, then the standard formulæ for a church charter. Twenty years later Rev. Dr. Collin had the charter amended, that whereas, the Swedish language is almost extinct, the vestry shall in future have the right to elect ministers to supply said churches provided always, that the said Rector and other Ministers shall be in the Ministry of the Lutheran or Protestant Episcopal Churches and hold their faith in the doctrine of the same. This change was made necessary as there was at that time no English Lutheran clergymen within the State, and the services for some time had been held partly or wholly in English. In 1818 the charter was again amended, giving the vestry power to sell some of its landed posessions. In all of these amendments thus far it is emphatically stated that any and all ministers shall be in the ministry of the Lutheran or Protestant Episcopal Churches. Dr. Collin lived until 1831, having been pastor of Gloria Dei for some 45 years. Dr. Collin during his long ministry of almost half a century, was always a consistent Lutheran, although at the English services he was forced to permit the use of the book of Common Prayer in his churches, as there were then no Lutheran Liturgical books in the English language, still he never considered his congregations other than orthodox Lutheran. All of his assistants subsequent to the revolu- tion owed fealty to the Episcopal Church, and although the question was frequently agitated among these assistants how to carry the churches over bodily into the Episcopal fold, their plans were always frustrated by the ven- erable Swedish shepherd. After the decease of the old Lutheran patriarch in October, 1831, however, upon the very next Sunday there was an entire 62 Dominie Justus Falckner. the historical, romantic or religious importance of the one we are now about to describe. It is true that it was only the ordination of an humble Saxon student, a German Pietist of the Halle school, as a missionary pastor to labor in another province, among people of a still different nationality and tongue, according to the Swedish ritual, by clergymen owing fealty to the Archbishop at Upsala. We have here upon this solemn occasion a union of three races, viz., German, Swede and Hollander, all combined in a single object, to furnish a regularly ordained pastor as missionary among the scattered Lutherans in the provinces of New York and East Jersey, a territory in which the Calvinist almost reigned supreme. The historic importance of this occasion will become even more apparent when we recall the fact that this was the first regular ordination of an orthodox clergyman in Penn- sylvania, if not in the western world of which we have any authentic record. While the names and services are long forgotten of the many godly men, Lutheran and Protestant Episcopal, who during the past two centuries have so faithfully served within the bounds of this venerable religious landmark on conformity to the doctrine and worship of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and old Gloria Dei became lost to the Lutherans for time to come. In 1846 the charter was again amended, when the word Lutheran was finally stricken out of the charter. Dr. Colin's assistants were Rev. Joseph Clarkson, 1787-92, who was the first minister to be ordained by Bishop White in the Protestant Episcopal Church in America, and was ordained for the express purpose of serving the Swedish Lutheran churches on the Delaware; Rev. Slaytor Clay, 1792-1821; Rev. Joseph Turner; Rev. John C. Clay; Rev. James Wilt- bank, 1816-20; Rev. M. B. Roche; Rev. Chas. M. Dupuy, 1822–28; Rev. Pierce Connelly, 1828-31. 63 Ordination. the banks of the Delaware, the name, history and story of this humble German Pietist, Justus Falckner, the first of the many saintly men to come to this Province from the Halle institutions, is still kept in bright remembrance, and the story of his life and labors furnishes one of the bright- est pages in the religious history of New York and Penn- sylvania, which are now the two greatest commonwealths in the American union. It was a solemn ceremony which was enacted upon that bleak November day within the bare walls of the Swedish church on the banks of the Delaware. The sacred struc- ture, as yet bare and unfinished, lacked both tower and side projections. The interior, with its rough walls and exposed roof, earthen floors and hard benches, well matched the unadorned altar within the recess in the east, separated by a rude railing from the body of the church and its primitive surroundings. Upon this occasion no pealing organ, with a multitude of stops and pedals, vestured choir, or elaborate music made melody for the service. No long procession of robed clergy, with mitred bishop surrounded by acolytes and led by the cross-bearer, were present to add dignity to the scene and impress the beholder with awe. The ceremony of ordination, although simple and devoid of all pomp and glitter, was none the less solemn and im- pressive. This was greatly due to a number of the Theo- sophical Brethren from the ridge, under the leadership of Magister Johannes Kelpius, who had come down from the Wissahickon to give éclat to the elevation of one of their number as presbyter in the Lutheran Church. The Theosophical Brotherhood, partly clad in the habit of the German University student, others in the rough pilgrim garb of unbleached homespun, occupied the front 64 Dominie Justus Falckner. benches, while the rear of the church was filled with a number of Swedes and a sprinkling of English Churchmen and Dissenters. It is said that even a few Quakers and Indians were attracted to the church, and enhanced the picturesqueness of the scene. The service was opened with a voluntary on the little organ 16 in the gallery by Jonas the organist," supple- mented with instrumental music by the Mystics on the viol, hautboy,18 trumpets (Posaunen) and kettle-drums (Pauken).¹9 After this they intoned the Anthem : Veni Creator Spiritus. While this was being sung, a little procession of six per- sons entered the church by the west portal. First came 16 This is the earliest reference to a church organ in any Protestant church in America. It is not known to a certainty just where or when they obtained it. If it had been sent over from Sweden in response to the appeal of Justus Falckner in his missive to Dom. Muhlen that fact would undoubtedly have appeared upon the records. There is a strong probability that this instrument was brought over by Kelpius and his party in 1694, and that it was originally set up in the tabernacle on the Wissahickon. The present writer has seen a letter by Kelpius in which reference is made to an organ, but all trace of this paper now seems to be lost. There is also an account that Dr. Witt and others of the community built an organ at Germantown or Wissahickon at an early day. Among the musical instruments brought over by the Brotherhood was a virginal (a keyed instrument, something like a pianoforte). This afterwards re- verted to the widow of Magister Zimmerman, and appears in the inventory of her effects. The first church organ introduced into Christ Church, Philadelphia, was obtained in 1728 from Ludovic Christian Sprögell, who was one of the survivors of the Brotherhood on the Wissahickon. "The earliest mention of Jonas the organist is in Sandel's diary, under date July 20, 1702, as one of the number that accompanied Pastor Rudman part of the way on his journey to New York. 18 Hautboy, a wind instrument, somewhat like a flute or clarionette. 19 Vide Kelpius Diary, Selig, Sendschreiben and Pennsylvania Maga- zine, Vol. XI, page 434. 1 T 1 1 J. F. SACHSE, PHOTO. 1703-MEMORIAL OF DOM. JUSTUS FALCKNER-1903. ma Det Fol han la som mond mortet wani Hogden. drar feer ett Hort lins/och Offort them som boo imorto tou de fin del llactio R GLORIA DEI. ANCIENT SWEDISH CARVINGS IN FRONT OF ORGAN LOFT. INSCRIPTION ON TABLET. THE PEOPLE THAT WALKED IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT: UPON THEM THAT DWELL IN THE LAND OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, HATH THE LIGHT SHINED. GLORY BE TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST. CAMER ? + 65 two churchwardens, then the candidate for ordination, with Rev. Andreas Sandel as sponsor 15 by his side; lastly, Revs. Erick Biörck and Andreas Rudman, the latter as suffragan or vice-bishop.20 As the little procession reached the chancel rail, the two wardens (Eldeste) stood on either side of the railing, while the suffragan and the two pastors entered within the chan- cel and ranged themselves in front and at either side of the altar, upon which were placed a crucifix and lighted tapers. The suffragan was robed in a girdled surplice, with chas- uble and stole, while the two assistants wore the black clerical robe 23 (Schwarze Taler). The candidate, wearing the collegiate gown of the German University, knelt before the rail, upon which a chasuble 23 (chor hemd) had been previously placed. The anthem being ended, the suffragan, standing in front of the altar facing the congregation, opened the services proper with an invitation to prayer. Then turning to the east, while all kneeled, he repeated the following invocation. ["Almighty and everlasting God; the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who himself has commanded us that we shall pray for laborers in thy harvest, we pray thy un- searchable mercy that thou wouldst send us right-minded teachers, and give thy holy and wholesome Word into their hearts and mouths, so that they without error may both correctly teach and perfectly execute all thy com- A Solemn Procession. 16 Sandel also acted as secretary of the Consistorium on this occasion. 20 Vide "Hallesche Nachrichten," new ed., pp. 441, 478; also W. C. Berkenmeyer vs. Van Dieren, J. Peter Zenger, New York, 1728. 21 This garment was not strictly a chasuble, but a white lace garment similar to the Roman surplice. 22 Similar to the one still worn by the Lutheran clergy. 23 Also known as a "Mess-hemd," a short white garment worn over the black robe when officiating at the altar. 66 Dominie Justus Falckner. mandments, in order that we being taught, exhorted, com- forted and strengthened by thy holy Word, may do that which is pleasing unto thee and useful to us. "Grant us, O Lord, thy Holy Spirit, that thy Word may always remain among us; that it may increase and bear fruit, and that thy servant may with befitting courage preach thy Word, so that thy holy Christian Church may be edified thereby, and may serve thee in steadfast faith, and forever continue in the knowledge of thee. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."] The suffragan then arose and turned to the congrega- tion, after which Rev. Sandel, acting as consistorial secre- tary, advanced to the chancel rail and read out the name of the candidate and the charge to which he was called. The suffragan, then addressing the kneeling candidate, said: "Inasmuch as you, Justus Falckner, are called to the Holy office of the Ministry, and in order that you with us, and we with you, may rightly understand the sacredness of this calling, then let us hear the promise and the exhortation of the Word of God." At this point, Rev. Biörck stepped forward and read out the following parts of Scripture: Matt. xxviii, 18-20; St. John ii, 15-17, xx, 21-23; Matt. x, 32-33; 2 Cor. v, 17-20; Jeremiah xv, 19; Matt. v, 13-16; 1 Tim. iv, 7-8, 12-14, 16; 2 Tim. ii, 15-16, 22-25; 1 Peter v, 2-4. 24 When this reading was concluded, Vice-Bishop Rudman advanced and said: "May God give you grace that you may faithfully guard these sayings in your heart. May they be a guide for your conversation, and remind you of your responsibility. May it increase your watchfulness, uphold your zeal, and now and forever consecrate you to the service of Heaven. 24 Literally, congregation. I 67 Induction into the Holy Office. "The Church of Jesus Christ expects of you that, being sensible of the weight of the ministerial office, you your- self shall consider the important duties which this office lays upon your shoulders. The Church of Jesus Christ expects of you that, in believing prayers in the name of Jesus Christ, you implore God for grace and power worthily to exercise it. The Church of Jesus Christ expects of you that you fight a good and faithful fight, lay hold of eternal life and make a good confession. Confess therefore your faith before God and this congregation." Sandel, as secretary, now advanced and slowly read the Apostolic Creed, each word being carefully repeated by the candidate before the next following one was uttered by the secretary. When this important feature of the ritual was concluded the suffragan said: "May the Lord God grant unto you grace to stand fast in this faith to the end, and to strengthen those who are your brethren in the faith." 25 Advancing to the kneeling candidate, the suffragan asked the following questions: "Do you, Justus Falckner, declare yourself willing to undertake this holy ministerial office in the name of the holy Trinity ?" To which the candidate answered a clear "Yes." "Will you solemnly promise that this office shall be worthily and rightly administered in all its parts, to the glory of God and the salvation of souls?" Again the same clear response, "Yes." "Will you always continue in the pure Word of God, flee all false and heretical teaching, preach Jesus Christ according to the Word of God, and administer the Holy Sacraments according to his institution?" 25 The original states that the confession was spelled out letter for letter, word for word. 68 Dominie Justus Falckner. Response, "I will." "Will you so regulate your life that it may be an ex- ample to the faithful, and shall scandalize no one?" The kneeling man again answered in the affirmative. The suffragan continuing, said: "You acknowledge therefore your obligations. You have declared it to be your purpose to fulfill them. Con- firm it now with your oath of office." The obligation was then administered upon the Holy Evangels by the acting secretary. 26 After which the suffragan continued: May the Almighty God strengthen you and help you to keep all this, and according to the power given to me in God's stead by the Church, I hereby confer upon you the ministerial dignity in the name of God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen.” 66 The candidate here again kneeled, while the Brother- hood intoned, to the soft strains of instrumental music, the hymn: "Veni Sancto Spirit, Reple tuorum corda fidelium." During the singing of this hymn, the suffragan, assisted by the two clergymen, invested the candidate with the chasuble and stole. When this ceremony was completed and the hymn sung, the suffragan repeated the Lord's Prayer, while he imparted the Apostolic succession" by the laying on of hands. He then returned to the altar, and said, "Let us pray." Then, turning once more to the east he read the following invocation : "O everlasting merciful God; dear heavenly Father, who through thy beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, hast 26 Text of obligation is missing. 27 This was according to the Swedish ritual. 69 said unto us, the harvest is plenteous but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that He send forth laborers into His harvest, and who by these words hast made us understand that we cannot procure right-minded and faithful teachers except only of thy merciful hand: we pray thee therefore of our whole heart that thou wouldst mercifully look upon this thy servant who is now ordained to thy service and to the holy office of thy Ministry, and give him thy Holy Spirit, so that he may go forth under watching and be strengthened by thy Word, and be able to stand fast in the fight for thy king- dom, and to execute thy work, teach and reprove men with all humility and learning; in order that thy Holy Gospel may continue among us pure and unadulterated, and bear for us the fruit of salvation and of eternal life. Through thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." Here the suffragan, turning to the kneeling postulant, said: "Bow down your heart to God and receive the benediction." After this was given the impressive liturgy was at an end. The Theosophists then intoned the 115th Psalm: "Non Nobis Dominie," during which the little procession reformed and as the last verse was sung slowly left the church, and the solemn and impressive ceremonial which marked the first regular ordination of a Protestant clergy- man in America was at an end. Invocation. The reader may ask: Did the newly ordained pastor keep his sacred ordination vows? This the sequel of our sketch will show. It may, however, be permitted here to say without anticipation that no more active, disinterested or pious clergyman ever labored among the Germans and Dutch during the trying colonial period than this same Justus Falckner. 70 Dominie Justus Falckner. 66 After the ordination services were over, a diploma, such as was used in the Swedish Lutheran Church at that day, was filled out in due form, and laid upon the altar before which the ordination had taken place, and there was signed and sealed by the three officiating clergymen, after which it was handed to the newly ordained presbyter. It ended thus: 'They, indeed, who have been legitimately called to this holy office, can enjoy a tranquil conscience, and re- member their call not without peculiar consolation, and by it, as a shield, protect themselves against all the darts of adversities. In their number the most eminent and most excellent Master Justus Falckner, is to be reckoned, who being in due form,and order inducted into Holy orders by prayer and the laying on of hands, this 24th day of November was set apart for the Ministry of the Church, we pray God to deign to add success to the office and daily to increase to the new Minister the gifts that have been bestowed, to the glory of His name, the welfare of the Church and his servants profit. "Given on the day of his inauguration in the year 1703 at Wicaco in Pennsylvania" ANDREW RUdman, formerly pastor at Wicaco, afterwards of the Lutheran Church in New York, and now about returning to his native land; ERICK BIÖRCK, Pastor of the church at Christiana; ANDREW SANDEL, Pastor of the Lutheran Church at Wicacoa in Pennsylvania. P As Dominie. 71 Thus the new dominie was sent out to minister in the adjoining Provinces; and to the Orthodox Lutheran Church in Pennsylvania is due to the honor of having ordained and sent out the first man, a native of Saxony, for domestic missions in the western world; who was to labor, not alone among those of his own kith and kin, but among people who used a European tongue foreign to his own. K S. Collin PORTRAIT OF REV. NICHOLAS COLLIN, D.D., THE LAST OF THE LONG LINE OF SWEDISH MINISTERS WHO SERVED ON THE DELAWARE. CHAPTER VII. DOMINIE FALCKNER IN NEW YORK. OMINIE FALCK- D NER at once made preparations to enter upon his new field of labor. He arrived in New York city on Thursday, the second of December, or just eight days after his ordination. After preaching on the third and fourth Sundays in Advent, he was accepted as their regular pastor by the oldest Lutheran con- gregation in America. Immediately upon his acceptance of the charge Dominie Falckner deposited his diploma of ordination among the archives of the church. Unfortunately, this, together with other documents of the colonial period deposited within the church, are now miss- ing, and have evidently long since been lost or destroyed. Arbeite unb hoffe (72) 4 1703-MEMORIAL OF DOM. JUSTUS FALCKNER-1903. STREET SCENE IN NEW YORK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE XVIII CENTURY. (CORNER OF PRESENT BROAD STREET AND EXCHANGE PLACE.) In New York. 73 Possibly no document has been so diligently and per- sistently sought for by historians and investigators than this diploma, as its historical value to the Lutheran and Protestant Episcopal Church can hardly be overestimated. The search, however, seemed hopeless, although reports were repeatedly made, notably by a western writer, that the coveted document had been seen and in one instance se- cured. Upon investigation, however, these stories proved delusive. During the past summer, however, it was the good for- tune of the writer to examine a number of papers, sent to Holland by the New York Congregation, among which was a copy of this very document in Justus Falckner's own handwriting together with the correspondence which led to his acceptance of the charge, also a minute account of the affairs as they were during his pastorate. Do6. ordinations diploma ist nach einer gedrückten Formaich upfal Sacri Ministern Stator at Confervator, Deus ipfe, primus Paradifo munere Lungebatur etc. ms DOM. FALCKNER'S NOTICE TO AMSTERDAM CONSISTORY. One of the first official acts performed by Dominie Falck- ner after his arrival in New York, was to send a report and copy of his ordination to the Lutheran Consistory at Am- sterdam, under whose patronage the church in New York was established and to whom they looked for assistance and encouragement. While in Holland during the past summer, the writer, in conversation with Rev. J. Nicum, D.D., learned that in the archive room of the old Lutheran church in Am- sterdam there were bundles of old papers and reports, un- classified, nor even their contents known. Acting upon this 74 Dominie Justus Falckner. hint another visit was paid to that northern Venice, and by good fortune access was obtained to the archives of the church. In wading through a mass of papers, a bundle of old, yellow, time-stained folio sheets were found-they were in the handwriting of Justus Falckner - the first was a copy of his ordination, the second copies of the letters of Rud- man and Biörck before quoted. There were also reports from the congregation and other letters. By courtesy of the clergy of the church, notably Rev. Dr. P. van Wijk, Jr., and Captain A. F. P. Carstens, of the corporation, photographic copies were obtained of the most important papers and certified written copies of the others. A facsimile of Justus Falckner's copy of the original or- dination is now for the first time presented to the American reader. The writer will also state that this has since been certified to as correct and authentic by the highest Lutheran Episcopal authorities of Sweden. The first record made by him in the Kercken-Boeck, or church register, shortly after his arrival sets forth the facts of his call in Dutch, with a short prayer in classical Latin. Anno Christi-1703. ten 2' December, ben Ick Justus Falckner, gebooren in Sassen in Germania tot Langen- Reinsdorff onder het Ampt Zwickau, van Philadelphia hier in Newyorck nae voorgaende Beroepinge, aenge komen, en hebbe den derden Advents Sondagh twee Praedicatien in de Lutherische Kercke allhier gehouden; Diesglycken oock den vierten Advents Sondagh: Daerop ben ick van het Consistorium der Christelycken Protestantischen Luther- ischen Gemeene, tot haer ordentlycke Pastor en Leraer aengenomen wordten! [In the name of Jesus. In the year of Christ, 1703, on the second of December, I Justus Falckner, born in Saxony, 13 i, 1703-MEMORIAL OF DOM. JUSTUS FALCKNER-1903. Sacri Ministerii Stator & Conservator, DEUS, primus Ipse, in Paradiso con- cionandi munere functus est, primosque parentes a personato deceptos diabolo, ad spem salutis, promisso mulieris semine, erexit, quod serpentis caput contriturum esset. Nec dubium est, quin Adamus liberos suos instituerit, quomodo fiduciam in promisso semine reponere deberent. Ante & post diluvium instauratae ecclesiae lumina justitiaeque praecones exstitere, Noa Abraham, aliique sancti DEI viri; & post latam legem, jam inde a Mose, ad correctionis tempus, fuere Sacerdotes & Levitae, qui populo DEI doctrina & vita praelucerent. Quoniam vero neg- ligentius hoc suum officium saepenumero executi sunt sacerdotes Levitici, placuit DEO, non tantum illorum mores vitamque degenerem per Prophetas arguere, sed etiam, quo propius ecclesiae tempora a partu virginis & nativitate promissi seminis abessent, eo clarius, vaticiniorum copia ac varietate, proponere reparandi generis humani mysterium. In Novo Foedere, ordinatione etiam sua distinxit DEUS Doctores ab Auditoribus, insigniterque hunc Ordinem adversus diaboli & mundi malitiam tutatus est. Johannes Baptista, jussu DEI, Concionatoris munus auspica- tus est; cui, suo praecursori, CHRISTUS ipse successit, qui aqua baptismatis tinctus, ad id munus publice inauguratus est. CHRISTUM autem cum oporteret passione & morte generis humani redimere salutem, atque in coelos ascendere, simul ac docendi munus Suum in terris susceperat, duodecim Apostolos vocavit, eosque Sua Sacra edocuit, addito mandato, ut exirent docturi omnes gentes. His suppares septuaginta Discipulos misit, ut Verbum DEI Civitatibus Judaicis annuntiarent. CHRISTI in coelum assumti partes explevit promissus Paracletus, SPIRI- TUS SANCTUS. Hinc Paulus in oratione ad Presbyteros Ephesinos ait, eos gregis dominici inspectores a Spiritu Sancto constitutos esse. Ex quo docemur, neminem sibi ipsi, sine divina vocatione, honorem (sacerdotii) sumere debere. Nam ministri ecclesiae sunt DEI legati; ast, nemo sibi sumit partes Legati, absque Legantis auctoritate. Sunt Oeconomi mys. teriorum DEI; ab hero itaque domus constituendi sunt dispensatores bonorum Domini. Culpandi proinde sunt, qui nec missionem, nec ecclesiae, & quorum interest, adprobationem expectantes, suo ausu & privato arbitrio ecclesiasticum munus capessunt, aut id per vim occupant, aut pretio emunt aut cognationis vel affinitatis, sive conciliatae, sive adhuc conciliandae, beneficio, vel fraudibus, vel emendicatis suffragiis, vel quibuscunque aliis pravis artibus, sese ingerunt ipsi, aut ingeri patiuntur per alios. De Succes soce talium ordini affinitatis, sive conciliatae, sive adhuc conciliandae. beneficio. vel fraudibus, vel emendicatis suffragiis, vel quibuscunque aliis pravis artibus, sese ingerunt ipsi, aut ingeri patiuntur per alios. De successu talium, ordini huic sacro, hoc modo, sese ingerentium, notum est, quod passim sermonibus celebratur; qualis vocatio, talis successus. Avi verò legitime ad Jomon hoc munus vocati funt, franguilla frui confcientia et vocasionis fuce, non fine fingulari confolatione, clypeo = recordart eag tanguam contendus est Lexeximi hum tela. rite facris ord, Justus Falckner, qui preces et manuum impositionem mitiatus Fiqh Novemb: hujus anni & Ecclefice Ministerium defignatus eft. Deum F. Opt: chap: Hogamus heelit file a ceffum officio andere, & bona a se novo Ministro data indies magis falutem nec non prostrilium magis emolumentum fur gloriam Ecclefia. Je die Anno /17/03 in Wicaco in Pennsylvanial Dab. yeso mang. And. man olim Laff: ad Wicaco, poffed Eectie Luth. De in America) nunc accinctus itineri ad patriam Ericus Tob. Biork Past. Eectic ad Chrisrea Andreas Sandel Laft: &die Luthi ad Wicaco in Penfÿlvania In he d 7034 xenial/o "The official Certificate of Ordination of Dom. Justus Falckner, the first minister regularly ordained in America, duly executed at Gloria Dei, Wicaco, Philadelphia, on November 24th, 1703, in accordance with the regular form of the Lutheran Church of Sweden, and signed by the three Lutheran pastors on the Delaware, of whom And. Rudman had been authorized by the Archbishop of Sweden to act as vice-bishop and perform the ceremony of Ordination." } I * " 1 His Invocation. Germany, at Langen-Reinsdorff, in the district of Zwickau, came to Philadelphia, thence to New York, after previous invitation. On the third Sunday after advent I delivered two sermons in the Lutheran Church here. I did the same on the fourth Sunday after Advent. Thereupon I was re- ceived by the Consistorium of the Christian Protestant Lu- theran Congregation as their regular pastor and teacher.] Then follows the invocation: 75 "Deus Ter Optimus Maximo qui intrusit me hanc in messem, adsit speciali sua gratia mihi operario abjecto et ad- modum infirmo, sine qua pereundum mihi est sub mole ten- tationum, quae me saepius obrunt. In Te, Domine, speravi, non sinas me confundi! Redde me ad vocationem meam aptum; non cucurri, sed misisti, intrusisti; interim quic- quid in me inscio corrupta admiscuerit natura remitte; da veniam humiliter deprecanti, per Dominum nostrum, imo meum Jesum Christum. Amen." [God, the Father of all mercy, and Lord of great maj- esty, who has sent me into this harvest, be with me, thy lowly and ever-feeble laborer, with thy special grace, without which I should perish under the burden of tempta- tion which often overcomes me with its might. In thee, O Lord, have I trusted; let me not be confounded. Strengthen me in my calling. I did not seek it, but thou hast sent me, yea, placed me in the office. Meanwhile wouldst thou grant remission for whatsoever, without my knowledge, a corrupt nature has introduced within me, and forgive and pardon me upon my humble supplication, through our Lord, yea, my Jesus Christ. Amen.] A facsimile of this interesting entry is also reproduced; it was photographed from the original by the present writer. The time when Pastor Falckner arrived in New York was 76 Dominie Justus Falckner. In Nomine Jesu! nae ANNO CHRISTI 1703. den 24 Decemy. ben Jik Justug Falckner, gebooren in Saffen in Germania tot Langen-Reins Jorff onder het Ampt Zwickau, van Phila= delphia hier in Newyork voorgaende. Beroepinge, aenge Romen, en hebbe den derden Hevents - Sondagh twee Pradication in de Lutherische Berike allhier gehouden; diesgelycken oock den vierdten Advents Sondagh: Jaerop ben ick van het Confiftorium der Christelyken Protestantischen Lutherischen Gemeene, tot haer offentlycke Paftor en Ceraer aengenomen wordten. Deus Ter Optimus Maxing goi intrufit me have in meffem Eufit Speciali Sua gratia, mihi operario abjecto et admodum infirmo, Sine två perennoush mihi eft, fub mole tentationum, qua me Jeepin's obruunt. In Te Domine fperavi, non finas confundi! redde me. ad vocationem meam aftum ; non cucurri; fed mififti, intrusisti: interim quicquid to me & mifers, corripita admifenerit natura, remit de, da veniam humiliter deprecauti per Dominum nostrum imo menm Jesun me FAC-SIMILE OF JUSTUS FALCKNER'S FIRST ENTRY IN THE CHURCH REGISTER AT NEW YORK. far from being a propitious one, as the settlers were in con- stant fear of attack by both sea and land.28 The Hudson Valley from one end to the other was men- aced by the enemy. All residents were forced to be con- stantly prepared to defend their life and property by water as well as land. Two members of the church council, Church Warden (Eldeste) Jan Hendrick and Vestryman (Vorsteher) Pieter "This was during the war of the Spanish succession, in which England was engaged against France. Official Signature. van Woglom, with whom the new pastor made his home, were military officers. The former was a major of infan- try, a highly respected man, who well appreciated the seri- ous aspect of the general situation. In addition to the above, Church Warden Andreas van Justus Falckner Falckner Saxo-German pit. Ecela Orthodox. Lutheran. Belgic. Nov- Eboraci in America Paftor. OFFICIAL SIGNATURE OF DOMINIE FALCKNER. Boskerk; Vorsteher and Overseer (kirch-meister) Laur van Boskerk; the sacristans Hanns La Grangie and Joh. Viet, with Samuel Beekman, reader and sexton, all were liable to military duty when the occasion required their services. At the other end of his ex- tended territory, church af- fairs were, if anything, at a still lower ebb. Pastor Falck- ner, upon his first visit to Al- bany, found the congregation there virtually disbanded. A small and dilapidated house was called by courtesy a church, and the membership scattered without officers or SEAL OF NEW YORK, A.D. 1703. organization. It was not until June, 1705, that he suc- ceeded in effecting a permanent organization. As for any regular stipend in either place, none was in prospect. Church finances were at so low an ebb that bare promises were not even made looking towards the pastor's sustenance. A reliable account that has come down to our 11-but 1007 BOR MERICA ETCHINA DIEV ΛΟΝ SIG 8 SH EDONON DROIT 77 78 Dominie Justus Falckner. time informs us that the situation for a time was even worse in New York than elsewhere. Dominie Falckner must indeed have been a courageous man as well as a pious one to enter upon this extended field, which he eventually enlarged by serving all the Ger- mans along the Hudson and in East Jersey, from the Hackensack in Bergen County to the valley of the Raritan, without any prospect of remuneration. Another fact to be taken into consideration, and one that proves more than anything else how earnest, faithful and diligent he was, is that he came here an entire stranger, among people whose tongue was somewhat different from his own, and in the face of the direct opposition of the resident Reformed clergy and laity, who were then numerically in the majority, and received their sustenance from the Amsterdam Classis. MẠNH TAN One of the first things done by our pious evangelist was to issue a call for a meeting at the house of his landlord, of the "Protestant Christian Congregation" adhering to the unaltered Augsburg Confes- YORK CONGREGATION sion," to take into consideration OFFICIAL OF THE NEW USED BY RUDMAN - SIGIL FALCKNER. WENDA SEAL TCCL the dire necessities of the church. At this meeting, after some desul- tory discussion, it was resolved to send out circular letters asking for assistance. These letters were signed by Falck- ner and the church officers. Four were sent to the Swedish Lutheran brethren in the South.30 A fifth cir- AND 29 Christliche Protestantischen Gemeinde, der ungeänderten Augsburg- ischen Confession zugethan. 30 On the Delaware River, viz., at Wicaco, Christiana and Penn's Neck and Racoon in New Jersey. A · 1 13 • 1703-MEMORIAL OF DOM. JUSTUS FALCKNER-1903. Lady TRINITY EV. LUTHERAN CHURCH, 1729-1784. (AFTER RUDE SKETCH MADE 1740.) FORMERLY S. W. CORNER BROADWAY AND RECTOR STREETS. DEDICATED JUNE 29, 1729, BY REVS. DANIEL FALCKNER AND BERKENMEYER. 1 1 1 Appeals for Aid. 79 cular was addressed personally to Magister Rudman, ask- ing his intercession in their behalf with the Germans and English in Pennsylvania. Still later a similar circular, with special reference to the ruinous condition of the church, was sent to the Dutch Lutherans on the Island of St. Thomas in the West Indies. Subsequently a sum of money was received in response to this last appeal, but unfortunately with the proviso that it was to be used only towards building a new church.31 Here a new complication arose: the money was badly needed for congregational purposes, and so was a new church building, but during the prevailing financial strin- gency there was no way of supplementing the amount received so as to make it available. In this dilemma another congregational meeting was convened by Dominie Falckner at the house of Reader Beekman, where it was resolved that the old building should be made tenantable with moneys to be collected by 31 The first Lutheran church in New York was built outside of the Cit- adel about where Bowling Green now is. When New York came once more into the possession of the Dutch, this building was razed for military reasons, in lieu of which a lot was given the congregation at what is now the S. W. Cor. Broadway and Rector Street extending back to the North River. The first church upon this site served the congregation until 1729, when a new building was erected, mainly by the efforts of Daniel Falckner. A rude drawing of this church has been found by the writer from which the picture on the opposite page was drawn. July 6, 1784, the congregation having substituted the German for the Dutch tongue, united with the German Lutheran Church, known as the Swamp congregation, and assumed the name "The Corporation of the United German Lutheran Churches of New York," the services were trans- ferred to the church at Frankfort and William Streets. About 1826 the united congregation moved to Walker Street near Broadway. By a special act of the legislature, passed March 29, 1866, the name was changed to "The German Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Mat- thew." A spacious church was secured at the N. E. Cor. of Broome and Elizabeth Streets, where the congregation now worship so. 80 Dominie Justus Falckner. the church-wardens, while the St. Thomas funds were to remain intact and be kept as the nucleus of a building fund for a future church.32 In an old report to the Amsterdam Consistory we find the following graphic description of the Lutheran church as Dominie Justus Falckner found it. "The church we fear will be demolished by the first heavy storm, it is more like unto a cattle shed than a house of God, only two windows are in the building, one is back of the pulpit, and the other directly opposite. As the church is not paved, but merely floored with loose boards, some long, others short, one cannot pass through it with- out stumbling." Such was the humble sanctuary as the young Dominie found it; however, he was far from being discouraged, and in 1705 the following report was sent to the Consistory at Amsterdam: 33 32 The second church was not built until some years after Justus Falck- ner's death, and then only by the personal efforts of his brother Daniel Vide page 79, supra. 33 Vide Chapter XI. 201702 GLORIA DEI, A. D. 1700. CHAPTER VIII. REPORT TO AMSTERDAM. τα NEW YORK, gb 10, 1705. E, the Pastor, Elders and Deacons of the Evangeli- cal Protestant Congregation still at- tached to the unaltered Augsburg Confession at New York and sur- rounding places, wish mercy and blessing in and through Christ to the very Reverend, God devoted, very respectable, highly learned and very provident Lords, the Lords Pastors, Elders and Deacons, and all worthy mem- bers of the highly commendable Consistory of the Evan- gelical Protestant Church attached to the unaltered Augs- burg Confession, at Amsterdam. X xxx EW! X Very Reverend, Much favored Lords, and, in Christ our common Saviour, Dear brethren: We should deserve the name of uncivil and ungrateful people if we did not often refresh ourselves with the mem- ory of your zeal and care for the true Evangelical Prot- estant Church in this country and did not arduously apply ourselves to inculcate the same in our children and descend- (81) 82 Dominie Justus Falckner. ants, that you and your sainted Lords Predecessors' mem- ory may remain in blessing with us in this new world. It is you, conjointly with your respective forefathers, who, by the grace of God, have largely contributed in times past. by sending us godfearing learned and faithful Shepherds to gather a flock into that Sheepfold over which you also were appointed Shepherds by the Arch-shepherd Christ Jesus. You are those faithful Stewards in the Kingdom of Christ who, by supplying Laborers, have promoted God's Husbandry in this wilderness. All sheep who by this means have been saved from error and perdition in this wilderness will call you blessed. The wheat which through your succor and care has been gath- ered into the barns of our heavenly Father, shall in the day of the everlasting and infinite life not leave you hungry. Isaiah 95 13. Blessed and consecrated hands which are helpful in sowing good seed, whilst otherwise weeds and thorns grow up, injuring the good soil and making neglect- ful servants suffer for their Indolence, with soreness and wounding of hands which were unwilling to be instru- mental in nurturing those plants of the Heavenly Father. And because we firmly believe that you still bear a hearty affection towards our little Christian Congregation, we, in all due Respect, will on this good occasion give you briefly to understand the situation and condition of our said Congregation. It is well known to you respectively that, since the death of the sainted Mr. Bernhardus Arentius, we have been many years without Pastor. Hence it is that our Congre- gation has become dispersed, the young people and many of the older ones have gone over to the so-called Reformed Sect, until, three years ago, at our request, a Swedish min- ister, Mr. Andreas Rudmann from Pennsylvania, came over but remained with us only a little over a year on 1703-MEMORIAL OF DOM. JUSTUS FALCKNER-1903. Hun FROM AN OLD PRINT FURNISHED BY THE COLLEGE VAN OUDERLINGEN. T May AUMID THE OLD EV. LUTHERAN CHURCH IN SPUI STREET, AMSTERDAM. AS IT WAS 1700-1720. 1 I 83 Reports to Amsterdam. account of the opportunity calling him elsewhere. He did, however, not leave us until by his zeal he had per- suaded another person, who had already been living for some years in this country, to have himself at our formal request and call appointed as our present regular Pastor. He is by birth a German, from Saxony, where he studied Theology, and was, according to Christian custom and habit of our Evangelical Church, ordained to the holy Office by the Swedish Lutheran Ministerium of Pennsyl- vania, on the 24th of November 1703. He has been with us now for nearly two years, and fills his office in such a manner that neither we nor anyone else has anything to remark on his life and work. Our congregation here is very small, because its mem- bers are dispersed far and near throughout the country; the majority of them are poor and many, especially the young people, ignorant on account of the lack of Bibles, Catechisms, Psalm and Hymn books, and it would be of great service here to have a pamphlet in which, by means of short questions and answers, the difference between the Lutheran and the so-called Reformed opinions were ex- posed, every point thus concluding, “Therefore the Luth- eran opinion is the better one." Notwithstanding the smallness of the salary (our present Pastor is satisfied with it) it is hard and difficult to bring it together. Our church-building also is very much out of repair and will not long be suitable for the holy service, so that we may decide to build a small new church if God will move more such good hearts as our Lutheran fellow- believers at St. Thomas in the West-Indies have proved to be who sent us, as a beginning, three hundred pieces of eight some months ago. We are the only Dutch Lutheran Congregation in America that is yet all right, and it would be a thousand 84 Dominie Justus Falckner. pities and unwarrantable, if it can be helped, to let this single little spark be extinguished by those owls who hate the light, especially since we enjoy, through the high laud- able English government, every kind of Protection and good-will, and because there is hope that this our congre- gation, if supported only a little at first, will in this Coun- try rejuvinate itself as an Eagle and be an asylum to many wandering and erring souls. - We do not doubt but you will take to heart our sad con- dition the sad condition of a congregation which Christ has bought with his own blood — and as a loving foster- mother not deny us the breasts of your love, care and com- fort. We do not pray that your abundance may serve our wants, but the wants of a portion of the Body of Christ who in the day of judgment will to you also say, "as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me." We do not speak for ourselves and our private interests, but for the Church of Christ; we cannot but obtain a hearing from such eminent sustainers of the same as we know you respectively to be, and in firm con- fidence hold all of you as such. Thus we commend the same to the Grace, Love and Mercy of the great God and our Saviour J. C.; assuring you that with all due respect and true sincerity of heart we sign and remain Very Reverend and Much favored Lords, Your very devoted Servants, Friends and Brethren, (Signed) JUSTUS FALCKNER, Past. Loci, 66 P. BRUYNS, -- 66 66 66 JOHANNIS LAGRANSIE, JOHANN VIELT, JOHAN MICHAEL SCHÜTZ, PIETER WOGLOM. This Joh. Mich. Schütz was the father-in-law of Van Dieren. 66 34 RAISI CHAPTER IX. A RARE BRADFORD IMPRINT. T HE Reformed Church in New York was in far better finan- cial condition and at first it seems strange that no assistance was prof- fered or vouchsafed by them to the Lutherans. At this time there was considerable friction in the colony between the Dutch Lutheran and Reformed congregations. The estrangement was partly caused by the orthodoxy of the Lutheran pastor and his close adherence to the unaltered Augsburg Confession.35 Discussions were indulged in, not only by the rival pastors, but by the individual members as well, and heated arguments often resulted. To place his people in a position the better to uphold their faith and controvert the arguments of the Reformed, Dominie Falckner prepared a little book in the colloquial style of the period, in which he attempted to fortify his 35 Vide footnote, page 78. (85) 86 Dominie Justus Falckner. readers by quotations from the Scriptures against what he designated "Calvinistic errors." This book, printed by William Bradford, was in the low Dutch language, and was the first Orthodox Lutheran text-book published in America. Falckner was the second Lutheran clergyman to avail himself of the Bradford press; his predecessor having been Heinrich Bernhard Köster, in 1695.36 The title of this work reads as follows: "Fundamental Instruction | upon | certain chief | promi- nent articles of the | Veritable, undefiled, Beatifical | Chris- tian Doctrine, | founded upon the basis of the Apostles and Prophets of which | Jesus Christus | is the corner-stone, | expounded in plain, but edifying | Questions and Answers. By | Justus Falckner, Saxo | Germanus, Minister of the Christian | Protestant so-called Lutheran | Congregation at N. York and Albany. | Printed in New York by W. Brad- fordt, 1708. A fac-simile of this title page is reproduced upon a fol- lowing page. The original is in the collection of the Pennsylvania Historical Society. In the preface, which is also in Dutch, the compiler commits himself absolutely to the symbolism of the Luth- eran Church, the confession of the fathers; "which con- fession," he continues, "and faith by the grace of God, and the conviction of His Word and Spirit, lives also in me, and shall remain there until my blissful end." He further states that it is to be distinctly understood that the contents of this book are to be taken in strict con- formity with the teachings, confession and faith of the Lutheran Church, to which his parents and grandparents 36 Vide Dr. Schmauk's "Lutheran Church in Pennsylvania," 1638- 1800, and Sachse's "German Pietists." 87 Publishes Text-book. belonged. He continues: "Both my grandfathers, paternal and maternal, as well as my father, were found worthy by the grace of God to serve in the holy priesthood of his aggressive church." The body of the book consists, as before stated, of a series of questions and answers. The last two pages are taken up with hymns. The first, of three stanzas of ten lines each, is a Dutch translation of Luther's hymn, "Wir glauben all an einem Gott." This is followed by a hymn to be sung before the sermon, which has four stanzas of four lines each. The last one is a hymn of two stanzas of twelve lines each. These are evidently of his own com- position and without doubt are the first original hymns published in the Western Hemisphere.37 The whole book is remarkable for its orthodoxy, and it attracted the attention of leading divines in Germany. The celebrated Löscher, in his "Continuations" for 1726, designates this text-book as a Compendium Doctrinæ Anti- Calvinianum. It certainly is greatly to the credit of Dominie Falckner, with his widespread field of labor, that he should have found time to compile the above book. How earnestly he felt for the charges under his care is shown by the fact that he invited his elder brother Daniel to leave Pennsyl- vania and take charge of the scattered German and Dutch congregations in East Jersey. Although the chief centers of his activity were Albany and New York, we find this untiring missionary establish- ing preaching stations at various widely distant points in the Hudson Valley. Geographically speaking, his charge was divided into two parts: one south, the other north of 37 No traces of these hymns are to be found in the older Lutheran hym- nals accessible to the writer. 88 Dominie Justus Falckner. GRONDLYCKE ONDERRICHT Sekere Voorname Hoofd-ftucken, der Waren, Loutern, Saligmakendon, Chriſtelycken Leere, VAN Gegronder op den Grondt van de Apo- felen en Propheten, daer Jefus Chriftus de HOECK-STEEN. 1 S. Angewefen in eenvoudige, dog ftigtlycke Vragen en Antwoorden, Door JUSTUS FALCKNER, Saxe- Germanus, Minifter der Chriftclycken Proteftantfen Genaemten Lutherſchen Gemeente te N Tork en Alban.en &c. Pfal. 119. v. 104. (God) » Woort maecks my Klocek daeror hate sck alle valſche Wegen. Gedruckt ve Nieuw-York by W. Bradfordt; 1708 TITLE OF FIRST LUTHERAN TEXT-BOOK PRINTED IN AMERICA. ORIGINAL IN HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA. 1 As an American Hymnist. 9. Weer Jelu Chalk, Che Codes Lam Gy zyn berfaemt in üben Rarm: Beed Dan in 't midden van ons, Herr, En geeft ear andacht tot un Leer. 3. Beyl'ge Beelt, ong in waerheyd leydt s ms dienaers mondt en tong berepot: Laet 't wosobt Door D'oojen 't herr ingarmy En help ons doen na umi bermaen, 4. Beer; on Godt boben al bermarch An die erfoenen g'openbart; Ty bidden hert lyck t'famen, Merhoort doch ders onfe beed'! Amen Her Cer Coot dgn trouts met g'nard verleen En fchick dyn hegl'gen Geet met eens Die ons de waerheydt leere; Ca geeft bertandt. hert, da, Heer Got Dat ons u Woordt niet ze een spot, Maer gantfch tot bekere. God, uw g'hard' daer aen Drwys, Dat hem wel fchick tot awen pigs, At onfe Born en faren; at hind'ren mach, dat felbe penbt; at boord'ren mach, ar gerff behend's Le tandlen ume raten. 2. Ca fuur ons wel Weer by den tysis y weten niet hoe feet fubgt Baffeeren onfe Dagen. Curbt, geloof, brees, brede fietsen en frouig Leer ons uto Geeft, die dag nieuwbou Dat wil y niet af dagen. De hoed altydt voos ballthe left, De boofe mer l. cock troumfert wir Dat fp ons met berblinde: De deel upt fyn Farmhertigheyds, Loan ons part boor de aligheyns Ba help met gan FAC-SIMILE OF THE FIRST ORIGINAL HYMN PRINTED IN AMERICA. 89 90 Dominie Justus Falckner. the Highlands of the Hudson. Falckner was wont to serve the former in the summer season, and the latter during the winter months. During the summer, in addition to his city charge, he served the congregations at Hackensack, Rari- tan, Remmerspack, Piscataway, and Elizabethtown in East New Jersey. His activity extended along the whole valley of the Hud- son from New York to Albany and included Loonenburg (Athens), Klickenberg, Four Mile Point, Coxsackie, Kin- derhook, Calverack and Phillipsborough. Wherever Dutch or German Lutherans settled there Dominie Falckner was found plying his sacred calling. To the above must be added the German congregations founded after the large immigration had set in during the early years of Queen Anne's reign, which were served in their native tongue by the zealous evangelist. This latter duty became especially onerous during the absence of the German Pastor, Rev. Josua Kocherthal, and his subsequent death in 1719, when the German Lutheran congregations at Quassaik, Rosenthal, Schawanggunk, Langen Rack, Newtown, Tarbush, Queensbury, Rhine- beck and Schoharie were all visited by Falckner at more or less regular intervals. Among the papers relating to the Palatines, published in vol. iii. of the “Documentary History of New York," is found the following notice: "Litra B. In the Books by our Church, Fol. 28, is to be found that our then minister Justus Falkenier has baptized Ao 1710 Ye 19th April in the house of one of the Trustees, of which Time he has continued to serve the People there every year without any Profit of the Glebe." That these stations were not merely small hamlets or 38 On Quassaik Creek in Ulster County. 38 16 The Old Quassaick Church. T - 2gu entry Magn میا ہے Иде Hellous!.. THE OLD QUASSAICK CHURCH.-From Rev. H. E. Jacob's "German Emigration, 1709-1740." 92 Dominie Justus Falckner. isolated farm-houses, is shown by the entries in his register, as he frequently upon the same occasion baptized five, six, eight, nine or ten children. A personal account of his ministrations has fortunately been preserved to us in Biörck's Dissertatio Gradualis, before mentioned, pub- lished in Sweden, 1731. Biörck there states: "The care of these churches [the Dutch Lutheran Churches in New York] was therefore [after the illness of Dominie Rudman] committed to SIGILL: CIVITAT ANCIENT ARMS OF NEW YORK. Magister Justus Falckner, a German, and the planting of them brought forth, after some time, so plentiful a harvest that seven churches successively ordained in the same way might be enumerated, as Falckner intimates in a letter to Magister Sandel, dated New York, September 28, 1715. "In the Jerseys, there I visit three small Lutheran con- gregations" living a great distance one from the other, all 35 These congregations were in Bergen County along the Hudson, and evidently do not include those on the Raritan, which were ministered to by his brother Daniel. Serves Seven Churches. these three consist of about one hundred communicants, the most poor people and poor settlers. "In the Province of New York I serve four small Lu- theran congregations, & all these four consist in all of about one hundred constant communicants, besides strangers going & coming in the city of N. York, so that in all I have seven congregations, whom to serve I must yearly travel about twelve hundred English miles." בשם יהורה DISSERTATIO GRADUALIS, DU PLANTATIONE ECCLESIÆ SVECANE IN AMERICA, QUAM, Suffragante Ampl. Senatu Philofoph. Regio Upfal. Albengo, PRESIDE, VIRO Amplisfimo atque Celeberrimo MAG. ANDREA RÓNVALL/ Eth. & Polit. Prof. Reg. & Ord. In Audit. Guft. Maj. d. 14 Jun. An. MDCCXXXI. Examinandam modefle fiflit TOBIAS E BIÖRCK. AMERICANO-DALEKARLUS. UPSALIA Literis WERNERIANIS. 93 Biörck then adds, "Thus these men were punctual enough in meeting, although scattered far and wide. Moreover: "Mr. Kocherthal resideth as yet for the most time in one place on Hudson's River, but visiteth two places on the other side of the river, where particular Lutheran con- gregations meet. He has been as yet but once with those Lutheran Palatines that live in the Mohacks' country. "We have brought forward these things so much out 94 Dominie Justus Falckner. of our way, in order to make it clear that the splendor of the Gospel had already shone in such various places of America." To reach these widely separated stations was a serious question. No regular conveyances existed; the only means of intercourse was either by canoe on the water courses or on horseback through the almost trackless forest, unpro- tected from the elements and exposed to the dangers from wild beasts and a treacherous savage. Still, even these dangers failed to deter this pioneer missionary from his path of duty. Great as was this widespread field of his ministrations, we have records that he, in addition, found time to extend his labors and spread the Gospel among the negro slaves in the colony, as well as the Indians who still remained in the vicinity. Dit is het Zegel Cope van Do Falckner SEAL OF DOMINIE JUSTUS FALCKNER (ENLARGED). W CHAPTER X. FALCKNER'S CHURCH RECORDS. T 'HE old church records and registers of the vener- able Trinity Lutheran Church (now St. Matthew's at the cor- ner of Broome and Elizabeth Streets) give us the best insight into the untiring energy and piety of Justus Falckner. It is indeed fortunate that these records have been pre- served to the present genera- tion. They were saved from destruction during the great conflagration in 1776 by the heroism of the pastor, who rescued them from the burning parsonage at the peril of his life; after which they were securely placed in the cellar of the new church, and were forgotten until found by chance a few years ago; and now by the courtesy of the Reverend John Henry Sieker, the pastor of the church, they have been placed at the disposal of the present writer. Dominie Falckner evidently considered the Church Book of the New York congregation as his official register, and (95) 96 Dominie Justus Falckner. copied his ministerial acts upon its pages, irrespective of where they were administered. This interesting relic had been procured some time previous to the arrival of Dominie Falckner, as is shown by a memorandum or two in pastor Rudman's handwriting. No effort seems to have been made by the latter to keep a separate record of his ministerial acts in New York, and they were without doubt entered upon the records of the Wicacoa church, which was his official station. It was consequently left to Justus Falckner to open the church register of the Trinity Lutheran congregation in New York. This book is the oldest systematic Lutheran record in America, and is in the unmistakable handwriting of the pastor. On the first page it states that "this is the Church Regis- ter (Kercken-Boeck) of the Christian Apostolic Protestant Lutheran Congregation, according to the unaltered Con- fession of Augsburg, in New York, and the other thereto belonging places in America." Then follows a brief list of contents: "An inventory of books and papers belonging to the Church, folio 3. "Baptismal Record (Doop Register), folio 79a. "Register of such persons as partook for the first time with our Chris- tian Apostolic Protestant Lutheran Congregation of the Holy Sacrament, folio 876. "Register of such as have been dismissed by the congregation, folio 109. "Register of such as were married by the pastors of said congregation, folio 145. "Burial Register, folio 185. "Register of Church Officers, folio 316. "Justus Falckner, Saxo-Germano nf. Eccla. Orthodox Lutheran Belvic Nov-Eboraci in America, Pastor." To the historian the most interesting item on the above page is the reference to an inventory of church papers, then (1704) in possession of the corporation. They consisted 98 1703-MEMORIAL OF DOM. JUSTUS FALCKNER-1903. 0.11 STREET SCENE IN NEW YORK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE XVIII CENTURY. STADT HOUSE OF NEW AMSTERDAM, BUILT 1642. 97 Church Book. KERCKEN-BOECK. 2. de Chriſtelnike Apostoliche Protestantische Lutherische Primeente te deduen Is onveranderte Confesie Sun Augsburg en behoorende whoof van dit Boeck Faventarium van de Boeken こ ​behoorendes. in in papieren, PHOTOGRAPHED FROM THE ORIGINAL. aan de 98 Dominie Justus Falckner. of several bundles or packages of documents, and were labelled "Church papers," Packet I., II., etc., respectively. These documents have long since disappeared; the only record of them which has came down to us being Falck- ner's inventory in the Kercken-Boeck. Among the itemized list, Packet No. II. would be of exceeding interest if it were still in existence, as it con- tained among other documents, the following: Item No. 5.-The congregational call of Justus Falckner. 6.- Rudmann's letter to Falckner, and Falck- ner's reply and acceptance. 8.- A personal report from Falckner to Rud- mann. 66 66 66 9. The engrossed Diploma of ordination granted to Justus Falckner, and signed by the three Swedish pastors on the Delaware. These documents were deposited by Justus Falckner with the congregation upon his acceptance of the charge. A fac-simile of this diploma was given in a previous chapter. The body of the book is divided, as the table of contents indicates, into six divisions. Reference has already been made to Dominie Falckner's first entry and votum. The first ministerial act recorded was a baptism admin- istered in the barn of Cornelius van Boskerk at Hacken- sack in East Jersey, on Monday, February 27, 1704. Upon this occasion were baptized three children after a full morning service. On April 17, following, which was Easter Monday, Falckner baptized a daughter of Pieter A. van Boskerk in the church at New York. These four baptisms were entered upon the register at the same time in the Low Dutch language, with the following votum: Baptismal Record. 99 "O Lord! Lord, let this child, together with the three above written Hackensack Children, be and remain en- grossed upon the book of life, through Jesus Christ. Amen." Almost every one of Falckner's entries closes with a short prayer or votum for the future welfare of the person 18 Door Register. Voor de Christelyke Proteftantifche Lutherische Gerecove mo. Newyork, Nova Cafarta, Albania in andere dierto, be m Anno Chrifti 1704. Anno de 10 1704 M. 27. Februanin hebb ich gedoopt tot Hackinfack m Nova Cafarea nae gehondene voormittags Pradicatie in be Schner van Cornelis van Boschkerik, nae volgende drie kinderen (1 Durch Soon van Mattheus Corneliussen en fyner #uys vrom Trintie geboorn I geboorn op track infack. (z Laurens jonge geliggen waren Albert Saborifki en fyn Auys vrouw Magdalena Soon van Laurens van Boschkerck en fyner H. Vrow Henrichie getuygen 3 Alida jonge dogter waren Martin Meyer, en van Rudolph Berg 4 en Catharina fyner H. vrons getmygen waren de cholder felve en een chichael Anno 1704 M. 17 Aprilis op de tweede Paefchen dagh gedoopt monse kerike tot Newyork Antje jonge Gogter van Pieter vas Boschkerck en fyner Hnys Uronn Trintje geboorn Stapels. Howk M. 26. Decemb. 1703. Gehrygen waren Heere "Major de Bruyn en Gertje de Huys vrouw van Bernt Chriftiaen= ~ Heere, Heere laet dit kint met de Goven op Con en Margareta Jarfer. FACSIMILE OF EARLIEST BAPTISMAL RECORD. mentioned; showing the deep interest this devout shepherd took in the spiritual welfare of his flock, irrespective of their nationality or social position. Dutch, English, Ger- man, Negro and Indian all lost their individuality with this 100 Dominie Justus Falckner. pious evangelist, whose only aim and object it was to ex- tend the Church of Christ in the wilds of America, accord- ing to the precepts of the Augsburg Confession. The following short prayers follow the respective bap- tisms during the first year of his ministration: 20 28 Jin 20 the 32 UAW 18 C 19 19 HOODW 2 Broad KEBANYA 28 way SECTION OF OLD MAP SHOWING LOCATION OF TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH DURING DOM. JUSTUS FALCKNER'S TIME: NO. 19, CHURCH AND PARSONAGE; NO. 28, LOT WHERE TRINITY P. E. CHURCH WAS BUILT. "O God, let this child be and remain a child of salvation through Christ. Amen." "Lord, let this child also remain forever within thy everlasting grace and favor, through Christ. Amen." "O God, let this child be included and remain in thy eternal favor, through Christ." "O Lord, we commend this child unto thee, for both Baptizes English Children. temporal and eternal welfare, through Christ. O my God, may this child be and remain a member of thy kingdom of grace and glory, through Christ. Amen." The baptism of children of English parents was usually recorded in the English language. 13 t's 32 4847786 66 اذ W mumblei Oprema PODE 108 BROAD Benga Street Funda 0-0 + 14 $2 R. Hi. 2 * D * Nassau BEATS SAN WAY BA BU * IOI BB BARN & LOWRY TE SECTION OF MAP OF 1740 SHOWING LOCATION OF TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH DEDICATED BY DOM. DANIEL FALCKNER, JUNE 29, 1729. 13, LUTHERAN CHURCH. 12, TRINITY P. E. CHURCH. Baptized d. 10 Octobr, 1704 in ye House of Mr. Wil- liam Chambers, Richard, son of Mr. William Chambers en his wife Sarah, born d. 10 ditto. "Bless, O Lord, this child also with everlasting happi- ness, through Christ Jesus. Amen. "Anno 1707, the 1, Juni [literal transcript], being Whitsunday, baptized, in our Lutheran Church at Al- 102 Dominie Justus Falckner. bany," Elizabeth, young daughter of Lieutenant Richard Brewer & Catherine his wife, born the II of March of this year. Godfather was Lieut: Henry Holland, God mother Madam Elisabeth Weems and Mrs. Margareta Kollnis. "Grant, O Lord, that this Childt never cast away the RISC LUTH EMEINDE SEAL OF ALBANY CHURCH. ALBAN grace which thou has Schworn, yea given by the Covenant of Baptism trough Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." Among the many interesting items in the baptismal register is the following: In the year 1705 were baptized a daughter of Are of Guinea, a negro, and his wife Jora, both Christian mem- bers of the congregation. Falckner concludes with this votum: "Lord, merciful God, who lookest not upon the person, but from whom different creatures that fear thee and do right find favor, let this child be clothed in the white robe 40 The first Lutheran Church in Albany, fronted on Pearl Street, be- tween Howard and Beaver, long since known as Centre Market. First Communicants. 103 of innocence and righteousness, and so remain through the grace of Christ, the Saviour of all mankind. Amen." One of the most impressive incidents during Dominie Falckner's pastorate in New York occurred on Easter Sun- day, 1708. It was a clear, bright April day with the har- bingers of spring singing in the air, and the warm sun calling all vegetation once more to put on its garb of ver- ANNO CHRISTI 1704 Syn ter exxtermael tot het Hooghheylige Sacrament Des Lichuens en Bloedts Jefe Chrifti in onfe Christelycke Protestantse Gemeente toegelaten. wordter nacvolgende Perfonen. In New york Catharina Vielts Mr. Johan Vielts Huys Drow . Charles Beeckman 13 Elsje La Grancie 73 In Albanien 4. Maria Johan Evertfer Anys vrow. Laet & Heere Jefu Chrifte Sefe Personen. ware levendige Liotmaten hen i fbeylig Lichaem fyn en blyven amen! RECORD OF FIRST COMMUNICANTS. dure; indeed a typical Paschal day, when all nature seemed to rejoice. The church was decorated with budding boughs and spring flowers. The Paschal candles burned brightly on either side of the crucifix upon the altar, all indicative of he glorious resurrection to be celebrated. It was, however, a gala day in the church independent 104 Dominie Justus Falckner. of its being one of the most joyous festivals. The full order of morning service (Haupt-gottesdeinst) was com- pleted, to the reading of the last collect, when a baptism somewhat out of the ordinary course was administered. The candidate was a Carolina Indian, who was a slave held by Peter Woglam. When the former first expressed a wish to become a Christian, it became a question whether if he were admitted to the Church he could still be held in bondage and treated as a slave. The master naturally objected, in the fear that he might lose his servant. The Indian, however, settled the question by stating that he was willing to remain in servitude in this world, provided he was assured that he would be free and equal in the skies beyond. Dominie Falckner, when he heard of the circumstances, examined the Indian, found him sincere, and concluded to accept him, and instructed him in the catechism and the tenets of the faith. Upon the Sunday in question, after the holy Eucharist had been celebrated, the Indian slave, after having been duly prepared, was called up before the altar and publicly catechised in presence of the congregation by the pastor and wardens. He was then asked by Dominie Falckner whether he solemnly promised before the omnipotent Lord and this Christian congregation that he would, after he was received into the Church, continue to serve his worldly master and mistress as faithfully and truly as if he were yet in his benighted state. Upon the Indian giving his solemn promise that he would, Dominie Falckner proceeded to baptize him, after he had driven out the spirit of evil with the ancient exor- cism according to the Lutheran ritual: "Darum, du ver- maledeyter Teufel, erkenne dein urtheil, etc." Stipend. 6° (No.1062 Τ His Indented Bill of Fifty Shil- lings, due from the Colony of New-York, to the Pofsefsor there- of ſhall be in value equal to Money, & fhall be accordingly accepted by the Treaſurer of this Colony, for the time being, in all publick Payments, and for any Fund at any time in the Treafury. Dated, New-York, the ift of November, 1709. by order of the Lieut. Governor, council & General Afsembly of the faid Colony, Fifty Shillings, at half a farthing per diem Int. R. Zurting RWalter oh: Jansen Jezeythin SPECIMEN OF MONEY IN WHICH DOMINIE FALCKNER'S STIPEND WAS PAID. 105 106 Dominie Justus Falckner. The name given to the new convert was "Thomas Christian." The ceremony closed with the invocation by the Dominie: "That the Lord would henceforth cause this unbelieving Thomas to become a believing Christian." The morning service closed with the benediction. History is silent as to the fate of this poor Indian slave who thus voluntarily embraced the Christian faith. Pre- sumably he continued to serve his master and mistress, ac- cording to his solemn promise, with the same fidelity as before. Whether his bonds were ever relaxed, or whether his subsequent treatment was worse we do not know. A somewhat similar ceremony was performed at Albany four years after the above. The convert in this instance was a negro slave. The entry in the old register reads: "Anno 1712, January 27, baptized at Loonenburg in Albany, Pieter Christian, a Negro and slave of Jan van Loons of Loonenburg, about thirty years of age. He has promised among other things that he will hereafter, as well as he has done before, faithfully serve his master and mis- tress as servant. "Grant, O God, that this black and hard Negro-heart be and remain a Christian heart, and he may be numbered among those who are clothed with white raiment before the throne of the Lamb, through the merits of the Lamb of God who bore the sins of the world. Amen." Under date of February 28, 1710, Dominie Falckner records the baptism of Louisa Abigail, daughter of Pastor Josua Kocherthal and his wife Sibylla Charlotta. Among the many curious entries in the baptismal record, the following is interesting as it illustrates the orthodoxy of the Dominie. It appears that during his absence two members of his church called upon the English Episcopal minister, Rev. John Sharpe, to baptize their children. I I I 1703-MEMORIAL OF DOM. JUSTUS FALCKNER-1903. C H. KAIN, ESQ., PHOTO. t SWEDISH CHURCHES ON THE DELAWARE. ROCKS SHOW SITE OF FORT BUILT BY MINUET 1638. THE CHURCH STOOD WITHIN THE ENCLOSURE (WILMINGTON). MONUMENT ON SITE OF CRANEHOOK CHURCH, 1667-1699, ON BANKS OF DELAWARE, NEW EDEN PARK. Marriage. 107 This fact evidently pained him deeply, as will be seen from the appended votum: 41 42 "Nov. 30, 1712. During my absence Mr. John Sharpe baptized the young daughter of Christian Streit, "2 named, Maria Magdalena, born in New York, etc. "December 28, 1712. Also baptized by Mr. Sharpe, the young daughter of Johann Phillip Tays, named Chris- tine Elizabeth, born in New York, etc. ANNO CHRISTI, 17 17. to Anno Onno 1717, den 26. nei Theeft nr. William Veley, Com: Streagh rius en Englische van Sr. Excellence Robert Hunter, toen Gouverneur van deele provintie Rogate my Justus Falchney predicant van de Protestantse Lutherische Gemeen myn Hry in little aweens - Street in N. Jorch copuleert en inde Lichtffaat pigezegend met do terbare Jonge Sointer Gerritar Hardick, geboren in de provintie van Jorth in de County. Fih tauke uniel, Heere Jefu, ghy Zeegend my dan! Amen. by camilla: FAC-SIMILE OF DOMINIE FALKNER'S ENTRY OF HIS MARRIAGE. "Lord, Lord God! Merciful, gracious and forbearing, of great mercy and consideration, which thou showest unto us in a thousand ways by forgiving us our offences, tres- "The Rev. John Sharpe, a clergyman of character and ability, was one of the early clergy upon the rolls of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. His chief station under the society was in East Jersey. Prior to this he appears to have been stationed in Maryland, probably under orders of the Bishop of London. (Nichols to Stubs - Perry's Historical Collections, vol. iv., pp. 54, 349). But little is known of this clergyman. Upon the rolls of the venerable society he is entered as having been sent out in 1704, after which his career, so far as the society goes, seems to be a blank, for immediately after his name and date is entered "resigned." According to the above entry by Dominie Falckner, he was still performing religious rites as late as 1712. Another account names him as a chaplain at New York. The diary of Rev. Sharpe is now in the collection of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 42 Christian Streit, a grandson of this man was ordained to the Lutheran ministry together with Muhlenberg's two younger sons, at Reading, Oc- tober 25, 1770. See Hallische Nach., new ed., 633. 108 Dominie Justus Falckner. passes and sin, let not one of the above standing names be blotted out from thy book [on account of having been bap- tized by a minister of a different faith], but let them be therein written and remain there through Jesus Christ, thy beloved Son. Amen." 43 In the marriage record the following personal announce- ment is perhaps the most interesting: Under date May 26, 1717. "On Rogate Sunday did Will. Vesry. Reverend William Vesey, commissary and preacher of the English Church in New York, on a license of his Excel- lency Robert Hunter, at the time Governor of this Province, 43 Heere, Heere Gott, Barmhertig ende Genadig ende Lanckmaedig ende van groote Genade ende Trouwe, di Ghy bewyst in duysent leeden ende vergeeft misdaad, oventreedinge ende Soude, laat doch niet een van de boven staande naamen uyt u Boek uytgedelgt woordten, maar laat se daarin geschreewen syn en blyven door Jesum Christum, uwen lieven Soon. Amen. 1 Children. 109 Me, Justus Falkner, pastor of the Protestant Lutheran con- gregation, in my house in little Queen street in New York, marry and consecrate in the bonds of holy matrimony with the honorable virgin, Gerritge Hardick, born in the Prov- ince of New York, County Albany. "I leave you not, you bless me then. Amen." Three children blessed this union: Anna Catherina, born in New York, July 17, 1718; baptized in the church on July 20; and Sara Justa, born at Loonenburg, May 5, 1720; baptized May 8; married Niclas van Hoesan, December 22, 1738; Benedictus, a son, born April, 1723; baptized at Calverack, April 11th. In June, 1717, a letter of thanks was sent to the Amster- dam Consistory for aid and assistance rendered the strug- gling congregations in the valley of the Hudson. The original document, signed by Dominie Justus Falckner, and sealed with his coat of arms, is still preserved in the archives of the old Lutheran Church at Amsterdam. Fol- lowing is a verbatim translation: NEW YORK, JUNE 12, Aº 1717. Respective Very Reverend, Reverend, God Devoted, Highly and Very learned, Highly and Very Respectable, Highly and Very honored Lords and Brethren in Christ. When one of our Brethren, by the name of Johan Michael Schütze, was in Holland on his own business last year, he, from the zeal and Christian affection towards our true Religion of which he is possessed, prayed your assis- tance for a new church here in New York. And you, being filled with and rich in that true charity the nature and character of which is tireless, have, in com- pliance with his said prayer, presented him with One hun- dred Dutch Guilders. We herewith render you, in duty I10 Dominie Justus Falckner. bound, our heartfelt thanks for this beneficence and others received from you, with the assurance that we shall take all possible care to deport and show ourselves good Stewarts of your charity. And that we shall not cease heartily to wish and pray that our Emanuel may be a Shield and great Reward unto you and his congregation under you; craving that we ever may have the honor to call ourselves, to sign and to be Respective, Very Reverend, Reverend, etc., Your grateful, sincere and faithful Brethren, (Signed) 66 Address to 66 66 66 66 JUSTUS FALCKNER, Past. Eccle. etc. PIETER WOGLOM, BAEREN VAN HOOREN, PIETER VAN LOPPERSE, JOHANNIS LOGRANSIE, CHAREL BECKMAN. the Reverend Highly laudable Consistorium and Church Council of the unaltered Confession of Augsburg in Amsterdam, at Amsterdam. In the performance of the arduous duties called for by his widely extended field of labor, the Dominie had but little time for rest or the enjoyment of home life. Forced as he was to be away from wife and babes for weeks and months at a time, his lot was by no means a sinecure, and to make matters worse, so beloved was he that the people, wherever he happened to be, were loth to see him depart for his next station, and would exact promises for a speedy return. In their attempt to secure his services, the various con- gregations even went further, and provided glebe houses I } Visited by Dominie Sandel. that should be ready at all times for the pastor and his family. This was the case at Loonenburg (Athens) or at a place called Klinkenbergh. He also lived for a time at Calverack, and other outlying points, such as Prewen- haeck. III That notwithstanding his arduous duties, Dominie Falck- ner still remained in touch with his clerical brethren on the Delaware is shown by correspondence with them, and by entries in the Diary of Pastor Andreas Sandel. The last one reads: "July 9, 1718. I sent same day by mail a packet to New York, enclosed to Pastor Falkner, to be forwarded by the first vessel bound for England." This letter has reference to Pastor Sandel's journey to Sweden. In addition to Dominie Falckner's arduous and exacting duties incident to his widely separated charges and scat- tered congregations, a factor arose towards the close of his administration, which caused him much concern. This was nothing less than the attempt of one Johann Bernhard Van Dieren, a tailor by trade in New York, to usurp the place as pastor in some of the congregations under Dominie Falckner's charge. Van Dieren claimed to have been sent to New York as a pastor by Rev. Boehme, court preacher at St. James, London, but had no proof of his claim. It was not known heretofore that Dom. Falckner was in any manner involved in this controversy. The finding of his correspondence by the present writer throws consider- able light upon this episode in our early religious history. It appears that Dominie Falckner wrote to the Swedish pastors on the Delaware for advice in this matter, a trans- lation of Dominie Andreas Hesselius', the Swedish provost in America, Latin opinion is here presented: 44 "Translation by Rev. H. E. Jacobs, D.D. 112 Dominie Justus Falckner. "As to Bernhard Von Dieren I have been able to dis- cover nothing except his singular zeal (would that it had been more wisely directed) for serving the church which he canvassed with such earnestness and such cares and troubles. I only dread that much injury may result; for if he be unfortunately transferred to administer affairs for which he has not been fitted, he must neglect both his order (?) and their duties, and corrupt those of others. If, as he professes, he be actually a Lutheran, I wish, that, being mindful of Luther's doctrine, he would acquiesce in his words Await the One who calls thee; meanwhile, be secure. If He (?) need thee, He will call thee. No one is enriched by the word, unless one who, without his wish, is called to teach.' How in every way this declar- ation of Luther is harmonious with the practice of the an- cient and purer church, the words of the Emperor Leo will stand. The minister of the word of God ought to be so free from ambition that he is to be sought for as one who has to be constrained; being asked for he retires, and being invited he shrinks back. Let the necessity of mak- ing an excuse be his own recommendation. Only he, is worthy of the ministry who is ordained unwillingly. "Such is the opinion of "ANDREW HESSELIUS, Pastor at "Christiana and Provost of the • • "Swedish Churches in Pennsylvania." In a letter to Dominie Justus Falckner, dated 1721, on the day of St. James the Apostle. A partial account of Dom. Falckner's part in this con- troversy will be found in the final chapter of this memorial. Dominie Justus Falckner's married life proved of short duration. We know but little of his movements, except FROM A DRAWING MADE IN 1840. 1703-MEMORIAL OF DOM. JUSTUS FALCKNER-1903. SWEDISH CHURCHES ON THE DELAWARE. HOLY TRINITY (OLD SWEDES), WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, ERECTED 1698. 首 ​ His Death. 113 what can be gleaned from his official entries, which show that he continued to cover the whole territory of eastern New York, Long Island and Staten Island. The last entry found in his private diary, and copied into the old church register by Pastor Knoll, shows that he was at Phillipsburg early in September, 1723: "Sept. 4, 1723. Baptized at Phillipsburg" at the upper mill, in the house of David Sturm, Johann Peter, born in the middle of June; ibidem, Father Pieter Hentz, mother Maria, Witness Johann Birger." After this his history becomes a blank, the only docu- mentary notice being a memorandum made by Pastor Knoll in the records of the Lutheran church at Newburgh: "Pastor Justus Falcknenier, deceased. Anno, 1723." According to the above record, which is no doubt correct, Justus Falckner died at the early age of 51 years, after having faithfully served the various congregations under his charge for twenty years. What were the circumstances of his sudden end cannot be told. Whether he died alone among strangers, or amidst his young family, is an unanswerable question. Not even his burial place is known, nor whether he was buried with the rites of the church in consecrated ground, or in some unknown corner. However, should any record be found to shed some light 45 Philipsburgh or Philipsborough was a manor granted to Frederick Philipse by royal charter in 1693. The lands continued in possession of the family until 1779, when they were confiscated by the state of New York. The manor included the present city of Yonkers and extended some dis- tance above. Its boundaries, as defined in the charter, were as follows: "All that tract of land upon the main, bounded to the north by a rivu- let called by the Indians, Meccackassin, so running southward to Nepper- han, from thence to the kill Shorackkapock and to Paparinnomo, which is the southernmost bounds, then to go across the country, eastward by that which is commonly known by the name of Bronx's river." 114 Dominie Justus Falckner. upon the last hours of this devout shepherd in the fold of Christ, it will no doubt show that he died in the full per- formance of his duty, true to his ordination vows. As to his family, it is known that after the father's death the widow with her three young children took up her abode at Loonenburg, where the latter grew up in the Lutheran Church, and were confirmed and married ac- cording to its ritual. One of the last official acts recorded by Dominie Berken- meyer, prior to his death in 1744, was a baptism of a second son of one of his church officers - Benedictus Falckner, a grandson of his immediate predecessor. Justus Falckner is represented by all accounts as a lovely, winning character, a man of excellent gifts, good educa- tion, fine mind, devout, of decided Lutheran opinions, active and of great endurance. In fact, he was an ideal pastor, who entered into his office with the full knowledge that without God's grace nothing could be accomplished. As has been shown, his field of labor extended along the Hudson as far north as Albany and landward to Long Island and Raritan in New Jersey. His services, nominally confined to the Dutch and Ger- mans of the Lutheran faith, were extended to all, irrespec- tive of creed or color, as is proved by the mention of bap- tisms of both negroes and Indians from the earliest days of his ministry. Nothing could show the devout and sincere mind of Justus Falckner in bolder relief than the entries of his official acts in the church register, a votum being added in every case. From the documentary evidence come to light of late, and which forms the basis of the majority of these pages, it is shown how the influence of the Pietists of Provincial 1 Greatest Monument. 115 Pennsylvania spread beyond the bounds of that Province and extended over New York and the Jerseys. No matter what the immediate causes may have been that induced the Falckner brothers to leave their original home in America, how the factor time is apt to set all matters right is evi- denced in the history of the elder Falckner and the contro- version of the Pastorius slanders. To the devout and pious Justus Falckner, who first came to the western world as a Pietist and mystical Theosophist, with the avowed intention there to prepare himself for the coming of the Redeemer, history will ever point as one of the most devout and sincere missionaries and brightest characters in early German-American history. Although for years almost forgotten by the present gen- erations that now compose the congregations formerly served by him, their very existence at the present day, after the lapse of two centuries, and the fact of their still adher- ing to the Lutheran faith as based upon the unaltered Augsburg Confession, are his best monuments. They are living memorials, far greater than either shafts of granite or tablets of bronze made by the hands of man. As a fitting close to this sketch may be quoted the con- clusion of the ritual formerly used by the Theosophical Brotherhood of which at one time he was a member- "MAY GOD GRANT HIM A BLESSED RESURRECTION." CHAPTER XI. THE VAN DIEREN CONTROVERSY. T 'HAT Dominie Justus Falckner had more or less trouble in his ex- tended field of labor, is an indisputable fact. It has, however, not been known heretofore that Falckner was in any man- ner concerned in what is known as the Van Dieren Controversy. From an extended frag- mentary report, found among the loose papers in the archives of the old Lutheran church in Amsterdam, we obtain a clear insight into how this controversy arose, together with Dominie Falckner's action in the premises. We learn how a journeyman tailor married the daughter of one of the officers of the New York church, and then set himself up as a preacher. We also learn much of the history of the New York congregation. Unfortunately the last page of this report, bearing date and signature, is miss- (116) A Rare Pamphlet. Willem Chriftoffel Berkenmeyers Bedienaars des Heyligen Euangeliums van de Nederduytfche Geineente TE Nieuw-York, Albame en daar ontrent, Infgelyks der Parochye der Palatynen by Quaffayk, DE ONVERANDERDE A. C. TOEGEDAAN, GETROUWE HERDER- en WACHTER STEM Aan de Hoog- en Neder-Duitſche Lutheriaanen in defe Geweften, eenstemmig te zyn vertoont met twee Brieven en andere Redenen Lutherſcher Theologanten & AANGAANDE 't Van Dierenfche Beroep, EN De Henkelsche Beveftiging. 117 $50 $555555555&65554664665564 $$$$$$$$ Te Nieuw-York, by J.Peter Zenger, A. C. MDCCXXVIII. FAC-SIMILE OF BERKENMEYER'S PAMPHLET. ONLY KNOWN COPY IN HAR- VARD UNIVERSITY LIBRARY. 118 Dominie Justus Falckner. ing. It is, however, undoubtedly in the handwriting of Pastor Berkenmeyer, who was Falckner's immediate suc- cessor, and it was his first report to the Amsterdam Con- sistory upon his arrival in New York, September 22, 1725. There appears a date, 1721, in pencil upon the first page. This is correct, so far as it refers to the Latin letter of Dominie Andreas Hesselius to Dominie Justus Falckner which is appended to the report. This report with the local matter left out formed the basis for Berkenmeyer's controversial pamphlet printed by Zenger in 1728, the title page of which we reproduce on the opposite page. William Christopher Berkenmeyers | Minister of the Holy Evangels to the | Low Dutch congregation | at | New York, Albany and parts adjacent | as well as the Parish of Palatines at Quassayk | Addicted to the Unaltered A[ugsburg] C[onfession] | Faithful pastoral and guardian Call to the High and Low Dutch Lutherans | in these wilds to be of one accord, demonstrated | by two letters and other fundemantals of Lutheran Theologians | Con- cerning the Van Dieren Vocation | and | The Henkel Ordi- nation | At New York by J. Peter Zenger, A. C. 1728.| The writer is indebted to Pastor Van Wijk, Jr., of the Amsterdam clergy for a verbatim copy of this interesting document, which gives us so many new and interesting historical facts concerning our early religious history. TRANSLATION. IR IGHT Reverend, most learned, as also Most Noble and Illustrious Sirs, particularly our Most Kind and esteemed Patrons! I regard it as my duty, not only to express my thanks in particular to you, Right Reverend, Most Noble and most Story of Van Dieren. 119 learned Sirs, for the favors which you extended to me dur- ing my sojourn in Amsterdam and after my departure, in the positive assurance that God will extend his blessing to each and all of you, but also to advise you of what passes here, and give you an accurate account how I found the condition of this congregation upon my arrival. The contentions within the congregation and the letter resulting therefrom were caused by the following con- ditions: There is a member of our congregation in the city one Johann Michael Schütz, a tailor, who gave his daughter unto a man who left the needle and assumed the pastoral office, over which there had been many a dispute even during the lifetime of Dominie Justus Falckner, who as he felt his end approaching admonished the wardens and vestrymen to seek their refuge with the Right Worshipful Consistory at Amsterdam. The only obstacle in their way, however, was the heavy expense, which it was impossible for them to assume. In this dilemma Johannes Sybrand, who was a seafaring man, volunteered, as he then stood prepared to go to England, to assume the personal expenses of the Dominie, and to go over to Holland to procure [a pastor] from thence, pro- vided that they would supply him with a collection-book. Now as they imagined that they were not risking or were responsible for more than the charges on the Dominie's baggage, the majority, together with the most respectable members, accepted the offer with great pleasure. However, the before-mentioned Schütz would not con- sent to anything, as he would gladly have seen a different course taken in regard to his son-in-law, who was then at Schohari. Albeit he did not permit himself to say or do anything until an answer was received from your Right 120 Dominie Justus Falckner. Worshipful Consistory, stating that, without any previous consent or authority of the congregations concerned, one would hardly consent to come over; furthermore that nearly all here had lost all courage. These facts Schütz made use of, and not only induced one of the Kerkenmeister, Andreas Van Buskerke (who was one of the signers of the call procuratum to Amsterdam) together with the latter's brother and son, who live in the country, to sign the contradictory missive, but also induced Johann Jacob Bos and Michael Peper to do the same. Now if we except Johann Michael Schütz as the author and his son J. H. Schütz, all the remaining signers to the missive are either persons who have already severed themselves from our holy religion, as Godfried Heyns and Johann David Köning, or such as only join in our commun- ion as strangers, like Fridiricus Boolt and Uldrig Zimmer- dünger; or such as are scattered about the country far and near, like Joh. Jacob Huttrot, Joh. C. Müller, and A. Beem, who has since returned to Newburg. Others are not even known here by name. Further, of all the rest or at least not a single one of them (excepting the three Van Bos- kerkes and Joh. Michael Schütz, who formerly served as a deacon, and once upon a time, about the year 1713, took upon himself to collect money in Amsterdam, whereof he delivered fifteen Pounds to the church after a lapse of three years), ever gave a single penny toward the church during their whole lifetime. Yea, it even came to pass, after a brother of the Van Boskerkes, who hailed from Hackensack, had extended a call thence to this Van Dieren and permitted him occasion- ally to preach in their dwelling houses, that he preached once in our church, but only with the consent, forcibly obtained, from both the p. t. deacons Lagrannie and 1703-MEMORIAL OF DOM. JUSTUS FALCKNER-1903. COURTESY OF WM, Z. FLITCRAFT, ESQ. King's Road SWEDISH CHURCHES ON THE DELAWARE. ST. GEORGE'S PENN'S NECK, N. J., ORGANIZED 1714. Appeal to Amsterdam. Beekmann. Upon the next occasion, however, these offi- cers took possession of the pulpit (priester Stuhl) and barred the way to the chancel. They even threatened to commit murder and force our houses and church, if this were not opened unto them. Their aim however was merely to obtain possession of the strong box of the Church. Consequently the statement, as made in their missive, that Johann Van Dieren was called unanimously and by general consent, is fictitious. The rest of the congregation as a dernier ressort have resolved, in case the Right Reverend Consistory at Am- sterdam would not favor them, to extend a call to the brother of the sainted Falckner, although his own brother would not counsel them to do this before they took up with Van Dieren. 121 And now about the ungodly missive, they knew noth- ing at all of it, until they were informed by a good friend, who knew about the correspondence of the Consis- tory, that Schütz lied to them when stating that the mis- sive had not been sent, and that he regretted that the letter had fallen into such loyal hands. Otherwise the missive would have been his, even if it had cost him fifty pounds. The whole congregation accordingly consists of from ten to twelve households, which upon the male or female side are of the reformed faith. Of the remaining number who reside in the town, many for several years have failed to adhere to our church, as they either objected to the preacher or had some other absurd reason. Others again were angered at the bad condition of our church, and be- came of a different mind. And of all these, thus far but a single household hath returned. Now as I arrived here, both friends and enemies - if I 122 Dominie Justus Falckner. may so call them - became disheartened; the former, as they were greatly weakened, by the defection of the Van Buskerkes, who were the wealthiest among the congrega- tion; the latter, because they realized that their scheme had virtually turned out Archilochian. In the meantime it was resolved to say nothing about that missive, if the opposite party made no demand for it. In fact no one here demanded either to see or read the letter. The Church Council thereupon convened a meeting, together with all the above-named members of our con- gregation, whereat I had no sooner presented my letters than Andreas Van Buskerken arose and extended his hand to me. In this he was followed by all present, Joh. Michael Schütze being the last one. The answering of the letters from the Right Rev. Con- sistory was consigned to me, and it was afterwards resolved to send the answers in their present form. If your Right Reverend and Most Noble Society will permit, I will now describe the several conditions of my Congregation. As before stated in numbers our Congre- gation is but few, and several among them live over two German miles from the town. The Church hath no income except that of the purse with the bell (Klingel Beutel). The monies sent from St. Thomas over fifteen years ago were, as I learn, put out at interest, which goes toward the pastor's salary, and if this is not sufficient, the deficiency is collected and supplied ostiantim [collected from door to door]. Further there are no accidentia, such as mar- riages or funeral sermons, as these hardly occur once in many years. The church, which we fear will be demolished by the first heavy storm, is more like unto a cattle shed than a house of God: only two windows are in the building, one A Dilapidated Church. 123 behind the pulpit and the other directly opposite. As the church is not paved, but merely floored with loose boards- some long, others short — one cannot pass through it with- out stumbling. The preparations for divine worship are so bad, that I doubt whether greater confusion exists in any heathen temple. The people are not capable of singing a hymn properly, and upon several occasions they have stuck in the middle of a hymn, and I have had to go thus to the altar or ascend the pulpit, although I permit the precentor to sing whatever he likes, and what they have been accustomed to sing. And now if the seventy-three-year-old one dies, they will have no one in the congregation who is capable of acting as reader. The £17.10s promised me in the contract, I have just re- ceived, as I am preparing to start for Albany. For the time that I have served here they give me nothing. The same sum was promised me on the part of the Albanians, but to facilitate their communion they have also gotten rid of their promise, although they said they would give it to me, as I offered to repay the 41 Holland florins and 57 English shill- ings advanced to me by Joh. Sybrand. This, however, they would not permit, as I had used the money to purchase a cloak and necessary household furniture. Accordingly I did not want to take this sum from them, nor press for any salary for the short time, though I think that I shall receive my bodily food and sustenance from them, and with this I suppose I shall have to content myself. God grant that his blessing may rest upon my efforts to build up this congregation, and may it be a joy unto me, even if not fully in time, yet in eternity. I further pray that your Right Worshipful Consistory 124 Dominie Justus Falckner. will aid and assist me with good advice and material help, as they perceive that it is for God's glory and the mainte- nance of Evangelical truth in these lands. I have found here a folio Bible, also a church liturgy, which I take with me to Albany, for I surmise that, as there is no public church there, neither shall I find any of these books there. I trust that I shall not commit any wrong if I take my books along, or rather the local church books, and distribute them, just as I have done with those given me by the Rt. Worshipful Consistory of Amsterdam, to- gether with those bought at Hamburg with the collection money. Otherwise there is a universal complaint about the scarcity of hymn-books, catechisms and Bibles. Nearly all the last-named that we have here are those sent by the Rt. Worshipful Consistory of Amsterdam and contain the name of the Rt. Rev. J. Wesling. They know little of catechisms; Bibles are found with the older families; but the new families have to borrow one from another. About Joh. J. Van Dieren I cannot report much that is creditable. That he not only wrought as a tailor in Eng- land, but also here in New York, and that the spirit of fanaticism had already manifested itself in him in England, is attested by Mr. Schleydorn who knew him there. Here he was no less under this influence, and not only acted as being in the church, but at divers times cried out aloud in his workshop in the basement, and claimed to be holding a conversation with God. He made the woman, in whose house he lived, believe that he wanted to marry her daugh- ter, but that God would not give his consent. The name of Jesus the crucified served him for many purposes. In his complimentary greeting to me he made use of the name no less than ten times, as also the word "Christ." Ignorance of Van Dieren. 125 Thereby every man, like unto David, will recognize how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. Thus do I find in a letter written by him March 7, 1721, to one in Schohari whom he thanks for his kind greeting, but complains that he was so cold during the past winter. In this letter he makes use of the name of Jesus seven times, twice of Jesus Christ, and once where he calls him our heavenly prince. As to the cold he experienced, this he says was a suffer- ing for the sake of Jesus' name. He, however, consoles himself with the example set by Jesus, the warm love of Jesus and the great glory of heaven. The beginning is thus: "As it is only expressed in Holy Writ: 'Jesus to greet you, the Holy Spirit as a kiss."" He closes with these words: "I greet you with the kiss of the love of Jesus, and greet me therewith, that we may all be brethren and sisters in Christ Jesus, who do not live according to the flesh, but according to the Holy Spirit. This greeting from me, with the kiss of Jesus Christ. The love of God be with them all. Amen." That at this time he was still tailoring is shown by a foot- note, wherein he writes: "This winter I have still earned pretty well." The sainted Falckner characterizes him thus (in Litteris ad eundem exaratis): "In him we find great craftiness in place of Christian prudence; great obstinacy in place of humble joyfulness. To prove this I will not give myself any trouble." So much I learn from the correspondence of that sainted man, that this praedicam applied to him is true: that he is an arch-ignoramus, who neither knows how to write Ger- 126 Dominie Justus Falckner. man nor to spell correctly, even though he defends him- self with the statement that the apostles of the Lord were fishermen and uneducated persons. As he was asked if he understood Latin, he took the proffered book and said: "God be thanked, this I understand, the beautiful Latin." When he attempted a syncretical signature, taking that of Dominie Falckner as an example, he wrote thus: "Johann Bernhard van Dieren paster Ecclie Jesu Christi et Luthera." - The above letter is from his correspondence with the congregation in Schohari which had waited so long for a pastor from England, who, although ordained in London by the Rev. Consistorial Privy Counsellor Mentzer, im- mediately afterwards, ab crimine dicto soldo, had to run away, and later committed suicide by hanging in Holstein. Thereby he appears to have paved his way to the min- istry. Thus I find two letters from Schohari in the year 1721, dated May 21 and 26- Herein they report to Dom. Falckner that they are informed that a High Ger- man pastor for them has arrived in New York. Further that he has already delivered a sermon there, which pleased them well. From the above it is surmised that he [Van Dieren] was the conscripient, and notwithstanding that three signatures appear to each letter, they do not ap- pear to conform or to be by the same hands. They further state that when he was asked who had sent him to them, the reply was that it was Dom. Boehme in England. They also had heard that he was a tailor, but they did not mind this, provided Dominie Falckner would examine and ordain him. The most remarkable thing about this matter is that Dominie Falckner should have taken any personal interest in furthering this matter. I also find two Latin letters dated July 3, 1721-one from Opposition of Swedish Pastors. Jonas Lidman Praepositus Wicacoa, in Philadelphia; the other from Andr. Hesselius pastor at Christiana, also in Pennsylvania, by which it is shown that the said Falck- ner interested himself for Van Dieren, so that he might be ordained by the three Swedish pastors. The latter sent a prolix and solid letter in contrarium, from which I enclose an extract which treats particularly of Van Dieren's application. 46 Upon the failure of this scheme, he went to a Palatine preacher in Pennsylvania“ (if this be true) from whom it is claimed that he obtained an attestatum Ordinationis; but no one has thus far been able to get a sight of it.48 Further, after his return he continued to importune Dominie Falckner to ordain him. In the meantime he settled in Schohari, while boasting of his ordination. In presence of Dominie Falckner, when asked why he had concealed this from him, he replied: "The Devil had blinded him, and he had shed bloody tears, regretting that he had lied to him." As soon as he had established himself there, he began to break the bread in the Holy Communion, and in his sermon even ordered such as objected to this to leave the church. Accordingly, some fifty-two members of the congrega- gation wrote to Dominie Falckner, and as the latter called him to account, he answered with a deal of absurd talk, in which he said: 127 "I adhere to the words of Christ, and all those who do otherwise than Christ commanded shall stand in judgment either here or hereafter." 46 Vide, pp. 111-112, supra. 47 For a full and authentic account of Rev. Gerhard Henkell and Van Dieren's actions in Pennsylvania, see Rev. T. E. Schmauk's "History of the Lutheran Church in Pennsylvania, 1638–1880." 48 Vide, p. 134. 128 Dominie Justus Falckner. Dominie Hesselius was not alone in giving this person a bad pronosticon. Another one of his friends, after de- fending him for his bread-breaking and speaking of him with great praise, let this sentence slip into a letter dated Feby. 20, 1723: "If his heart is as his mouth speaketh, so it stands well with him. If it is falsehood then I hope that it will not last long, and he must come to shame and ruin." Alas! the congregation at Schohari is now totally scat- tered and he had to leave there some years ago; the church as well as the parsonage there has become a spoil for the Reformed of that locality. The few who still remain keep to the Reformed. In the year 1723 the Lutherans on the Hudson River had in mind to call this J. B. Van Dieren. The plan was, however, abandoned after a consultation with Dominie Falckner. Now as he found that he could meet with no success here in New York, he went to the Reformed at Tappan and offered to preach the Gospel of Christ unto them, as Christ had commanded. Whereupon they took him to Dominie Anthonides on Long Island, to discover whether he was of the Evangelical Lutheran or Reformed faith. As thus far I have not received any account of this act from the mouth of Dominie Anthonides, I will not repeat the current rumors, though I learn them from trustworthy men."9 In the meantime, as he was not able in a single instance ad interim to intrude himself here, he moved to Hacken- sack, as he travels around wherever there may happen to 49 It is strange that in all of this controversy about an ordination for Van Dieren no mention is made upon the Reformed side officers of Peter Tesschenmaeker, a young licensed bachelor of divinity-ordained in New York, 1679-Thirty years later Anthonides and Du Bois refused to be a party to a similar ordination. Vide "A Manual of the Reformed Church in America," by Rev. E. T. Corwin, D.D., New York, 1902, p. 52. . 1703-MEMORIAL OF DOM. JUSTUS FALCKNER-1903. THE VALLEY OF SCHOHARIE. ፡ Appeal to Consistory. be a church without a pastor, whether Evangelical, Luth- eran or Reformed. I may mention that his father-in-law looked at me trust- ingly and asked, as I delivered my first sermon, that I would permit him to fill my pulpit and preach in the after- noons and when I happened to be in Albany. It is reported that since my arrival he still preaches in one of the Van Buskerkes' houses. Although the Van Bus- kerkes themselves come to hear my preaching, they ex- cuse themselves by saying that he was invited there prior to my coming. But neither he [Van Buskerke] nor his household came to me to join in our communion, when the whole congregation partook of the Communion eight days ago. 129 Accordingly I beseech your Right Worshipful and Most Honorable Reverences, with all proper respect, that you will kindly consider and take to heart the pitiful condition of my congregation; and even if I am to suffer poverty, for which I shall have the sympathy of all friends both exalted and lowly, I trust they will come to my aid, so that the Ev. Lutheran Church here shall not succumb, which with- out assistance is unavoidable, unless God should perform a miracle. Further, I beg of you for advice as to how I shall con- duct myself toward Van Dieren, particularly if he attempts as a wolf to break in among my sheep. Lastly, I think to repeat my own and the church coun- cil's objection against Johann Sybrand's demands and pre- tentions. I trust that your Right Worshipful Consistory will give its decision accordingly. This man shows a thoroughly wicked heart. He professes to be a consistent Lutheran. Now it has come to light that he has no religion, as during his whole lifetime he has never once partaken of 130 Dominie Justus Falckner. our communion, and now he even proclaims publickly that God's Word is preached by others just as well. Notwithstanding his enormous bill for provisions in Am- sterdam and England, as true as God lives I have had to suffer and have almost died, as this Captain Serley will himself testify. During the voyage there was no surplus of anything except brandy and whiskey, wherewith during the whole voyage he treated the ship's crew, as he now sets forth upon my account. The bills, of which I send you the originals, will plainly show you his character, and even these were only gotten from him after much trouble. At first he refused to let any one see either of the invoices or present his bill until a reso- lution was passed that he should again be sent out, and what he was to receive for his trouble. Thereupon he demanded £4 monthly as pay, and seven Holland florins weekly as spending money. Eventually he presented this bill after he had changed the values to the Holland standard, although in our findings he ac- counted for the collection funds in German money. The counter charges were made up from my journal according to the time and of what we approved, and I truly believe that even here he was too greatly favored. Al- though I depend entirely upon your Right Worshipful Consistory that all wrong will be redressed, we shall ac- count ourselves very beholden to your reverences if you will trouble yourselves with this matter. Lastly, I must remind your Right Worshipful and Most Reverend sirs, as our people appear so tardy about com- mencing the building, whether it would not be policy for the Right Worshipful Consistory to inform us if we have any funds on deposit in Holland, or if we should look elsewhere for aid. We will then send a plan of the pro- Abrupt Close of Missive. posed building, and will promise to bring it to completion according thereto. I trust that your Right Worshipful and Most Reverend sirs will hereby see the honesty of my intentions, which are not intended for my own, but for the glory of the church, and that I be not mistaken in my appeal whereby the richest blessings of God. 131 [Here the missive comes to an abrupt close, as the last page is missing.] The following pastoral explains itself. It was sent to the Hackensack congregation, upon Berkenmeyer's complaint that they had accepted Van Dieren as a pastor. This letter is of great importance, as it affords a positive proof of Dominie Rudman's appointment as Vice Bishop for Penn- sylvania, under the signature of all the resident Swedish clergy on the Delaware. ONCORDIA RESPARVA CRESCUN ESCUTCHEON OF HOLLAND. LG CHAPTER XII. THE SWEDISH PASTORAL TO HACKENSACK, N. J. 51 Honoured Vestry-Men of the Congregation at Hakinsack, dearly beloved Friends.50 We the Swedes Ministers in this Colony, have got your Letter, in the which you are pleased, dearly beloved Friends, to propose to us your Complaints against John Bernhard Van Dieren, whom ye have taken to be your Teacher, asking for our Coun- sel in this Matter. For the 1st ye are pleased to inform us, That he omits all the Christian Ceremonies of our Evangelical Church, ARMS OF SWEDEN. 50 Pages 70 to 91 of the Berkenmeyer pamphlet reprint Verbatim et literatim. This copy was obtained through the courtesy of William C. Lane, Esq., Librarian of Harvard College Library. 51 Wicaco (Gloria Dei, Philadelphia), Christiana (Trinity, Wilmington, Delaware), Pennsneck (St. George's, Salem County, N. J.), Racoon (Swedesboro). (132) Statement of Swedish Pastors. 133 introducing new ones, as breaking the Bread at the Ad- ministration of the Holy Sacrament, confessing that never himself has taken it otherways, neither will alter his Mind, about this Matter, for the Time to Come. And by such his doings, several Persons are departed from this World. without taking the Sacrament, for this oneley Reason. For the 2d. That John Bernhard Van Dieren has made very absurd Church Constitutions, in the wich he proposes what he will have his Hearers do, forgeting his own Duty towards the Congregation; and being Blas- phemious in those oppose against his Absurdities. Never- theless himself transgresses his own Laws. For the 3d. He has saught for to make some Differ- ences in Mr. Berckenmeyers Congregation at Albany, and he for all is a Minister of Christ lawfully called, ordained and sent. And for such his doings he is of the Vestry ex- cluded from serving your Church any longer, except he will come before us Swedes Ministers and answer to these Complaints. But he replys, That we are his Enemies, and so not willing to come, using other Means to get into the Church by Help of a Widow, and Constituting a new Vestry, which upon these Occasions may sute him. For the 4th. We understand, that he gos about to other Congregations, not uniting but destroying them. For the 5th. Ye have sent us an Extract of the Lutheran Consistorium at Amsterdam, and their Judgment about this The Swedish Lutheran Church in Lower Penn's Neck, Salem Co., N. J., was built on ground given by Jean Jaquett, January 8, 1715. The build- ing of the church was immediately commenced, but not completed until March 31, 1717. It was of logs twenty-four feet square and weather- boarded. This was replaced in 1808 by the present substantial brick church, as the original one had fallen into decay. The church was trans- ferred into the Protestant Episcopal fold by Rev. John Wade in 1789 when the first Vestry was chosen. 134 Dominie Justus Falckner. John Bernard Van Dieren, how unfit a Person he is for serving the Church of God. These, as we perceive, are the Contents of your Letter. And verily we cannot but pity your Condition. For the 1st. Ye did do very Ill, dearly beloved Friends, in taking up with such a pretended Minister; because if ordained, it is not done lawfully. He was with us about his Ordination, but we denied it him, for two Reasons. First, that we had not such Authority, that we could ordain Ministers. Mr. Rudman indeed did ordain Mr. Falckner, the late Minister of the Lutheran Congregation at New- York; but he was made a Suffragane, or a Vice-Bishop by the Arch-Bishop of Sweedland. For the second. That we thought him not qualified for that Sacred Function. Seeing now that he could not get Ordination by us, he gos up to Mr. Hinckler,52 living about Manatanien,53 and by him, some how was ordained gerhartt Henkoll is likely enough. But yet when Mr. Lidman once was with Mr. Hinckler, and among other things did ask him about Van Dieren his Ordination, he protested then, That Van Dieren was never ordained by him. However Mr. Lidman has no Witness, but will take his Oath before any Magistrate, that he heard Mr. Hinckler say such a Thing. In the mean Time do ye think, dearly beloved Friends, that Mr. Hinckler (God knows what he hath to shew for his Ordination of Ministers) could ordain him alone, and we four Swedes Ministers, sent hither by Royal and Epis- 52 Rev. Gerhard Henkell, vide Schmauk, "Lutheran Church in Penn- sylvania, 1638-1800," pp. 144 et seq. 53 Maxatawny. Reasons for Refusal. 135 copal Power, by the Consent of two Kingdoms, and farthermore recommended by the Venerable Society for Propagating the Gospel in foreign Parts, could not? And if he will say, That this was done in Case of Necessity, we deny that too; because we have Vessels yearly and RANSMARINIS SIGHIVMS PARTIBVS NV ELIO IN SOCIETATIS The Gift of the Society for propagating the Gospell in Foreigh parts 1704 DE DONOR BOOK PLATE OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL. monthly going for Europe, whether he could come, get necessary Learning, be lawfully called, examined, ordained and sent; and not get his Ordination by a single Minister, contrary to the Scripture, and likewise the Canons and 1 136 Dominie Justus Falckner. 54 Ecclesiastical Constitutions of the Church. Mr. Hesselius, our late Præpositus did write a Letter to Mr. Falckner aforenamed, in the which he proposes the Reasons, why this Van Dieren could not be ordained by us, and we be- lieve, is yet in being, and therefore desire it may be trans- lated into your Dutch Tongue, and read in your Congre- gations, that ye may see whatsoever his Proceedings have been. He says farther, that we are his Enemies. And we truely declare, that we hate not his Person, but his Deeds, being no more Enemies to him than the Apostle St. Peter was to Simon, when he gave him a good Coun- sel, perswading him to better Behaviours. Being a Tay- lor, we perswaded him to keep to his Trade, and leave the sacred Office to more fit Persons, or get himself through lawful Means. But he would take his own way. And ye now, dearly beloved Friends, see the Issue of it. We also disown him to be a Minister of Christ, and likewise to be our Brother in the sacred function in order to our Evan- gelical Church. For the 2d. As leaving out the Ceremonies and Holy Prayers used so long Time, and with so great Edification in the Church of God, and making new ones, we highly dislike. Belonging his breaking the Bread at the Holy Sacrament, it is in it self an indifferent thing, if the Church had so constituted it we might as well break the Bread, as use Wafers; but a single Minister and a single Congrega- tion ought not to take upon themselves to alter the Cere- monies and make new ones. For the 3d. That he is so busie to go about to other People and make Differences in Mr. Berkenmeyers Con- gregation, is a great Sin. But he that is unjust in one thing, is also in others. We hope for all they will for the future beware of such Ministers. 53 Vide pp. 111, 112 supra. } I 1703-MEMORIAL OF DOM. JUSTUS FALCKNER-1903. PHOTO. FURNISHED BY REV. J Y. BURK. SWEDISH CHURCHES ON THE DELAWARE. RACOON CHURCH, SWEDESBORO, GLOUCESTER COUNTY, N. J. ORGANIZED 1698. Reasons for Refusal. 137 For the 4th. Ye have done very well, Dearly beloved Friends in excluding him from the Service of your Church, and better ye will do, if ye hear him no more, since he is like to destroy your Congregation. Neither take up with such Men, till they can shew necessary Testimonies from some Consistory in Europe, of their Lawful Ordination and likewise a good Conversation. For the 5th. We are of the same Mind with the Ven- erable Consistory at Amsterdam. And so, Dearly beloved Friends, we hope ye will take our Answer in good Part, and send a copy of it, or the Original to Mr. Berkenmeyers Congregation at New-York and Albany, to be read there. Not that we have got any Authority more than other Ministers. But we have a Prec- edent in Ecclesiastical History. That if any Church did forsake the Truth, or commit Disorders in any kind, other Churches did sometime take upon them (as the Case did move) to warn, advise, reprove it, and so declare against its Proceedings, as prejudicial not onely to the Wellfare of that Church, but to the common Interest of Truth and Peace; but this was not in Way of Commanding Author- ity, but of fraternal sollicitude. So did the Roman Church interpose in reclaiming the Church of Corinth from its Disorders and Seditions. So did St. Cyprian and St. Denys of Alexandria meddle in the Affairs of the Roman Church, exhorting Novation and his Adherents to return to the Peace of their Church. If any Dissention or Frac- tion did arise, other Churches, upon Notice thereof, should yeld their Aid to quensh and suppress it, countenancing the Peacable, checking and disavowing the Fractious. So did St. Cyprian help to discountenance the Novation Schism. Thus we all Christians should assist one another in the common Defence of Truth, Piety and Peace, when 138 Dominie Justus Falckner. they are assaulted in the Propagation of the Faith and Enlargement of the Church, which is to contend together for the Faith of the Gospel, to be good Soldiers of Christ, warring the good Warfare, striving for the Faith once delivered to the Saints. So we commit You and the whole Congregation to Gods fatherly Care, remaining, Dearly beloved Friends Your constant true Well-Wishers and Brethren Philadelphia the 31st Day of October, 1727. JONAS LIDMAN, Pastour & Provost at Wicacoe. SAMUEL HESSELIUS, Minister of the Gospel at Christiana. J PETRUS TRANBERG, Minister at Racoon, ANDREAS WINDRUFWA, Minister at Pennsneck. 20 Va Abelius, Dom., 55. Amsterdam, report to, 81. Anthonides, Rev., 128. Arentius Bernhardus, 82. Avelius, Dom., see Abelius. Beekman, Samuel, 77, 79. Beem, A., 120. Berkenmeyer, Pamphlet printed by Zenger, 1728, 116–118. Biörck, Rev. Eric, 52, 70; account of Falckner's Ministrations, 92, 93. Birger, Johan, 113. Boehme, Rev. Anton, 11I. Boolt, Fridiricus, 120. Bos, Joh. Jacob, 120. Boskerk (Buskerke), Andreas Van, 77, 120. Cornelius Van, 98. Laur Van, 77. Pieter, A., 98. INDEX. Bradford, William, prints book, 86. Brewer, Catherine, 102. Elizabeth, 102. Lieut. Richard, 102. Bruyns, P., 84. Chambers, Richard, 101. Sarah, 101. William, 101. Christian, Thomas, 106. Pieter, 106. Christina Swedish Church, 132–133. Churches in Philadelphia, 42. Clarkson, Rev. Joseph, 62. Clay, Rev. J. C., 62. Rev. Slaytor, 62. Clayton, Rev. Thomas, 25, 33. Collin, Rev. Nicholas, 62; portrait, 71. Falckner, Anna Catharina, 109. Benedictus, 109. Christian, 13. Rev. Daniel, Sr., 13. Daniel, birth, 13; Pietist, 14; visits Europe, 24; autograph, 25; selected for mission, 27; citizen and pilgrim, ib.; curious account, 28; continu- ation 1704, 29; returns to America, 31; colophon, ib.; on the Wissahickon, 31; as bailiff of Germantown, 32; attorney for Furly, 34, 35; slandered by Pastorius, 36-37; attends Swedish Church, 43; call to New York, 121. Justus, genealogy, 13; official record, 14; matriculates, 15; as a hymnist, 18; Auf ihr Chris- ten, 19; celebrated hymns by, 22; at Lubeck, 23; appointed attorney, 30; arrives in America, 31; on the Wissa- hickon, 32; Burgess at Ger- mantown, 32; becomes her- mit, 33; writes to Dom. Muhlen, 33; return to the world, 34; attorney for Fur- ly, 34-35; missive to Europe, 38; hermit, 39; attends Gloria Dei, 43; pleads for organ, 45; 139 Index. answers it-Rudman's reply, | Hesselius, Dom., 127. 55-56; called to New York, 57; Biörck's letter, 58-59; ordination of Gloria Dei, 60- 71; in New York, 72; notifies Amsterdam Consistory, 73; ordination certificate, 74; first entry, 76; official signature, 77; serves country churches, 78; appeal for funds, 78; signs report, 84; publishes text-book, 86; title, 88; hymn from, 89; activity of, 90; seal, 94; church records, 95; bap- tizes at Hackensack, 98-99; record, ib.; list of communi- cants, 103; baptizes Indian slave, 104; Negro slave, 106; marries Gerritge Hardick, 108; reports to Amsterdam, 109; trouble with Van Dieren, III; death of, 113; character and attributes, 114; opinion of Van Dieren, 125. Paul Christian, 13. Sarah Justa, 109. 140 Francke, Rev. Aug. Herman, 16, 24; receives Daniel Falckner, 27. Frankfort Company appoints Kel- pius and Falckner, 30. Friedrich's University, 14; view, 15; interior, 17; bi-centennial, 27. Furly, Benjamin, autograph, 30. letter from Rudman, 52-54; Andrew, letter by, 111-12. Rev. Samuel, 138. Heyns, Godfried, 120. Hoesan, Niclas Van, 109. Holland, Lieut. Henry, 102. Huttrot, Joh. Jacob, 120. Hackensack extends call, 120. Henkell, Rev. Gerhart, 134. Hentz, Pieter, 113. Jauert, Balthasar, 30. (Jawert) Johann, 14, 30. recorder of Germantown, 22. Jawert, vide Jauert. Jonas the organist, 33. Julian quoted, 21. Kallnis, Mrs. Margareta, 102. Keen, Eric, 50. Matz (Matthew), 50. Kelpius, Johannes, 14, 25, 30, 33, 63. Knoll, Pastor, notes death, 113. Kocherthal, Rev. Josua, 90, 93, 106. Louisa Abigail, 106. Sibella Charlotta, 106. König, Joh. David, 120. Könneken, Balthasar Jasper, 31. Köster, H. B., 14. La Grangie (Lagransie), Johannes Hans, 77-84. Lidman, Rev. Jonas, 127, 138. Lloyd, David, 35. Lock, Rev. Lars, 55. Loons, Jan Van, 106. Löscher, quoted, 87. Geissler, Daniel, 32. Gloria Dei, mention of, 42; ordina- Lutheran church, location of, 100-1. tion at, 60. Guinea, Are of, 102. Falckner's Albany, 102. Condition of in New York, 120- I. Muhlen, Dom. Heinrich, 23. Missive, 10, 38, 48. Müller, Dom. Heinrich, vide Muh- Serley, Capt., 129. len. Joh. C., 120. Nicum, Rev. J., 73. Norris, Isaac, 35. Index. Paper money, 1709, 105. Pastorius, Francis Daniel, charges fraud, 35; arms, 36; slanders Falck- ner, 36-37. Penn, William, appoints Falckner brothers attorney, 34, 35. Pennsneck, Swedish Ch., 132-3. Peper, Michael, 120. Philadelphian Society, 25. Pietists on Wissahickon, 24, 25, 31. Sybrand, Joh., 119, 123, 129. Racoon Swedish Ch., 132-133. Rev. A., 42; offers to preach in German, 44; goes to New York, 49; autograph, 50; entry in register, 51; yellow fever, 52; letter to Falckner, 53; as vice-Bishop, 60-71, 79, 82; entry in church book, 97, 98. Sharpe, Rev. John, 106–107. Sprögel, John Henry, autograph, 14. Ludovic, 14. Streit, Christian, 107. Schütz, J. H., 120. Joh. Michael, 84, 109, 120. Sects in Pennsylvania, 42, 43. Selig, Johann, 33. Selskoorn, see Abelius. Maria Magdalena, 107. St. Thomas, funds from, 79. Storch, Arnold, 14. Sturm, David, 113. J. Pieter, 113. on Delaware Swedish Churches transferred to Episcopal fold, 60- 62; Trinity, Wilmington, St. George's, Pennsneck, Racoon, Swedesboro, 132-133. Rambo, Peter, 50. Reformed Church in New York, 85. Thomas, Rev. Mr., 50. Rudman, Anders, 52. Tays, Christine Elizabeth, 107. Johann Philip, 107. Thomasius, Christian, 14, 15. Tranberg, Rev. Petrus, 138. 141 Weems, Elizabeth, 102. Sandel, Rev. Andrew, 49, 52, 70, 92. Wesling, Rev. J., 124. Rev. Andreas, 111. Saturnine Quaker spirit, 45. Schleydorn, 124. Van Dieren, J. Bernhard, 111; con- troversy, 116-131; Swedish pas- toral against, 132-138. Veit, 77; (Veilt), Joh., 84. Vesey, Rev. Wm., 108. Weyrauch's Hügel, quoted, 20, 23. Windrufwa, Rev. Andreas, 138. Woglom, Pieter van, 77, 84. Woglam, Peter, 104. Zetskoorn, see Abelius. Zimmerdünger,Uldrig, 120. 1 1 X=502X 194 Ance AUG 1 7 1964 SACHSE, Julius Friedrich Justus Falckner 3 2044 052 725 744 943 Luth.85 F179 S252 ju