DOCTOR ROMER AND THE GERMAN METHODIST DISCIPLINE.
There are but few who know that the Methodist Discipline was translated
into German fifty-seven years ago, and I am the only man living who knows
all about it: by whom it was translated, who brought it through the
press, etc. In Asbury’s Journal we find, under date of Friday, August 30,
1810, “At Middletown, Penn. We here broke bread with Dr. Romer, a German,
who has translated our Discipline for his countrymen.” This brief record
is all. There is not a historian of our Church that names the fact so
full of historic interest. Mr. Asbury ever felt the deepest interest in
the welfare of the Germans. When I commenced traveling with him in 1803,
and went as far as Berlin, on the top of the Alleghany Mountains, the
reader will remember he sent me back to Dauphin to preach to the Germans.
The Rev. John Lednum in his recent work, “Rise of Methodism in America,”
p. 241, has fallen into an error. In speaking of Peter Albright,[15] and
the Albright Methodists, he says: “Dr. Romer of Middletown translated the
Discipline into German for their use.” This is a great mistake.
The Albrights were not regularly organized into a conference till 1807.
The same year the Methodist Discipline was translated into German. Their
whole membership at that time was only two hundred and twenty. It is not
likely they would have had the Methodist Discipline translated for that
small number. Furthermore, at their Conference of 1807 those associated
with him requested Mr. Albright to draw up some “articles of faith and
a discipline for the association, in conformity with the Scriptures.”
Would they have made any such request if they had adopted the Methodist
Discipline? Mr. Albright died six months after the conference, and
therefore was unable to comply with their request. The association
had not the name of “Albrights” until 1809, and in that year the Rev.
J. Miller drew up the articles of faith and discipline for them. Our
Discipline was translated into German two years before, but not at their
request, or for their use; they had no hand in it.
The facts are these: At the request of Bishop Asbury and the Philadelphia
Conference I had the Methodist Discipline translated into German in 1807.
I employed Dr. Romer, and aided him in the translation. We frequently
compared notes, and consulted about certain terms. I also employed the
printers and paid them, and examined all the proof-sheets, and attended
to the distribution of the books after they were printed. I made a
number of entries in my journal at that time which throw light on the
subject: “June 30, 1807, I rode to Middletown and came to Dr. Romer’s
about sundown. The doctor has now translated our form of Discipline into
the German language, which I expect soon will be published.” This was in
June, and some time was spent afterward in revising it, for it was not
until September it went into the hands of the printer, as will be seen
from the following extracts from my journal:
“September 1, I rode to Lancaster, and agreed with Henry and Benjamin
Grimler, printers, to print fifteen hundred copies of our form of
Discipline in German, then returned home to my parents in the afternoon.”
Again: “Monday, September 7, went to Lancaster, and saw the first
proof-sheets of the Discipline.” October 14 I was again in Lancaster, and
the record says, “I stopped a while with the printers; the Discipline is
about half done.” From these extracts and others I might make, it will be
seen what kind of a hand I had in publishing the first German Methodist
Discipline in the new world. The Germans had an idea that the Methodists
had no Discipline, and this was widely circulated to our injury, for it
was extensively believed. This translation corrected the error. Then
there was a prospect of a union between the Methodists and the United
Brethren, and it was well to have the Discipline in their own language,
so that they could understand our doctrines and our mode of Church
government. It was also necessary for the Germans who were connected with
our Church. The translation was an admirable one, and was very useful,
correcting the errors that had been circulated about us, and enabling
the Germans to read in their mother tongue our excellent Discipline. I
sent several hundreds of them in a box to Cincinnati, to be distributed
gratuitously among the Germans in the West; others were circulated about
Pennsylvania. Bishop Asbury had some of them. I footed the bill, and the
publication caused me some pecuniary loss. It might not have been so
if I had continued to travel in Pennsylvania; but the following spring
I commenced traveling with Bishop Asbury, and so could not well attend
to the sale of the books. I do not complain, but I rejoice that I was
permitted to do anything toward the translation of the Discipline into
German at that early day. “I cast my bread upon the waters” expecting to
“find it after many days,” and I have not been disappointed. I found it
long ago.
The reader would no doubt like to know more of the translator. I was
intimately acquainted with DR. ROMER for years, having been often at
his house, and often preached there. I was there in 1802, and in after
years. He was a physician, and resided in Middletown, Penn., ten miles
south-east of Harrisburgh, and situated near the junction of Swatara
(sweet arrow) and Susquehanna Rivers. Middletown was built upon the site
of an ancient Indian village, and derived its name from being half way
between Lancaster and Carlisle.
Dr. Romer was a native of Switzerland. He was educated for a Roman
priest, but he became so disgusted with the conduct of a corrupt
priesthood that instead of entering the sacred office he became
skeptical. He acknowledged the existence of a God, but denied the
authenticity of the Scriptures. He emigrated to this country and married
here. The doctor was awakened, not by reading the arguments of able
champions of revelation, nor by the eloquence of able ministers of the
Gospel, but by that most powerful argument in favor of Christianity, a
holy life. The great Teacher said, “Let your light so shine before men
that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in
heaven.” It was the holy life and correct deportment of a widow lady by
the name of Flanagan, who was a neighbor of Dr. Romer, which shook the
foundations of his skepticism, and the whole superstructure fell to the
ground. He had no argument against a holy life. Her example led him to
abandon his skepticism, led him to Calvary, to the cross, to the Church,
to heaven.
I was well acquainted with Mrs. Flanagan. She was a good woman, possessed
a strong mind, and was keen and shrewd. She not only lived religion
before the doctor, but was able “to give a reason for the hope that was
in her with meekness and fear.” Being convinced of the truth of the
Christian religion, he sought and found the pearl of great price, and
rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory. He joined the Methodist
Episcopal Church, whose doctrines he cordially believed, and whose
discipline he approved and loved. This was about the year 1800. He was
ever after the preachers’ friend; his house was their home, and also
one of our regular preaching places on the circuit. I made his house my
home when on the Schuylkill District in 1814. He was a man of sterling
integrity, and greatly esteemed for his many virtues. He was a profound
Latin as well as German scholar; indeed he had a superior education in
all respects; was eminent as an astronomer, and a good English scholar,
though he always retained something of the German accent.
Dr. Romer did immense service for Methodism by his translation of the
Discipline. Up to that time but little had been done by the Methodists
for the Germans; but O what wonders since! The doctor wrote an admirable
preface to the German Discipline, in which he gave a condensed view of
our history, doctrines, and discipline. All honor to the man who did
such noble service for the Germans; a work and labor of love, for he
would not take a farthing for his labor.
Dr. Romer held fast his integrity until the end, and died a few years ago
at Lewistown on the Juniata.