39. Self-sacrificing Halle Emissaries.--The help which Pastor Schulz
and his laymen had requested from Halle in 1734 arrived nine years
later. Francke's hesitation with regard to questions of salary, etc.,
drew the matter out until Muhlenberg declared himself willing to accept
the call to America without further conditions. He was the instrument
whereby it pleased God to preserve the Lutheran Church in America from
complete deterioration and disintegration and from the imminent danger
of apostasy through Zinzendorf. Muhlenberg (Muehlenberg) was born at
Eimbeck, Hannover, September 6, 1711. In 1738 he graduated from
Goettingen. He spent one year teaching in the Orphan Home at Halle, and
served a congregation in Upper Lusatia from 1739 to 1741. In 1741 he
also published his only work, a defense of Pietism against B. Mentzer.
In the same year he accepted the call to the congregations in
Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, Providence, and New Hanover. September 23,
1742, he landed at Charleston, visited Bolzius and the Salzburgers in
Ebenezer, and arrived in Philadelphia, November 25, 1742. From the very
beginning Muhlenberg was successful in his opposition to Zinzendorf,
who had come to America in 1741 to convert the Indians and to merge the
pious of all churches in the _Unitas Fratrum_. Pretending to be a
Lutheran, he had wormed his way into the Lutheran congregation at
Philadelphia, assuming the title and functions of Inspector-General of
all the Lutheran churches in America. However, unmasked by Muhlenberg,
he now, January, 1743, returned to Germany in disgrace. In spite of
many other difficulties, Muhlenberg rapidly won recognition from all
the congregations. In 1745 he dedicated his first church in
Philadelphia. The _Hallesche Nachrichten_ contain vivid pictures, from
the pens of Muhlenberg and his assistants, of their untiring,
self-sacrificing, blessed, and constantly increasing missionary
activity, which at the same time served the purpose of encouraging Halle
to send additional laborers. The close of January, 1745, saw the arrival
of Peter Brunnholtz (who took charge of Philadelphia and Germantown) and
of the two catechists Nicholaus Kurtz and J. H. Schaum, who at first
served as assistants and were later on ordained as pastors. Muhlenberg
wrote to Halle: "To be brief: the church which must be planted here is
at a very critical juncture (Hier ist ecclesia plantanda in einer recht
kritischen junctura). Hence we ought to have experienced and strong men,
able to stand in the breach and to dare with patience and self-denial.
You, highly venerable fathers, know full well that I am not the man. But
I regard my dear colleague Brunnholtz as such a man, and wish that he
had two or three colaborers like himself; that would help us. God would
easily direct me to some smaller corner." (290.) In 1743 Muhlenberg sent
Tobias Wagner to the Palatines in Tulpehocken Creek, where Gerhard
Henkel had already preached, and where, in 1745, Wagner solemnized the
marriage of Muhlenberg and the daughter of J. C. Weiser. Services were
conducted at this time also in Ohly, Cohenzi, Indianfield, Chester, and
Reading (where the Lutherans and the Reformed had erected a church
together). In 1745 Muhlenberg conducted a visitation at Raritan, induced
Wolff to resign, sent them Kurtz and 1747 Schaum as temporary
supply-pastors, and finally, in 1748, induced the congregation to call
J. A. Weygand. Following the track of the Moravian Nyberg, who created
confusion wherever he went, Muhlenberg secured a foothold also at
Lancaster in 1746, at York, and Conewago, in 1747, as well as in
Monocacy and Frederick, Md. J. F. Handschuh (Handschuch), who arrived
from Halle in 1748, was put in charge of Lancaster. L. H. Schrenck and
L. Raus arrived in 1749. The former was stationed in Upper Milford and
Saccum, the latter was appointed vicar in Rheinbeck and Camp. F. Schultz
and Heintzelmann came in 1751. The latter received an appointment in
Philadelphia and married Muhlenberg's daughter. Baugher (Bager) arrived
in 1752, and Gerock the year following.--Pastors and congregations
were imbued with one and the same spirit, and considered themselves
parts of one and the same church, consisting of the "Collegium Pastorum"
on the one hand and the "United Congregations" on the other.
40. Organizing Pennsylvania Synod.--To stablish the congregations,
Muhlenberg, with five pastors and ten congregations, on August 26, 1748,
organized the Pennsylvania Synod, then generally called "The United
Congregations" or "The United Pastors." This event has been designated
by Dr. Graebner "the most important in the history of the American
Lutheran Church of the eighteenth century." From the very beginning
Muhlenberg's three original congregations were called "The United
Congregations." This name was extended also to the congregations
subsequently organized or served by Muhlenberg and his colaborers at
Germantown, Lancaster, Tulpehocken, York, etc. And pastors and
congregations being imbued, as they were, with one and the same spirit,
and considering themselves parts of one and the same church, consisting
of "The College of Pastors (Collegium Pastorum)" on the one hand and
"The United Congregations" on the other, it was but natural that they
should unite in a regular synod with regular meetings. The year 1748
was most opportune and suggestive for such an organization. Pastor
Hartwick of Rhinebeck had come to Philadelphia. Nicholas Kurtz had
arrived in order to be ordained as pastor for the congregation at
Tulpehocken. The dedication of St. Michael's Church in Philadelphia
brought other representative Lutherans to the city. The Swedes were
represented by Provost Sandin and Peter Kock (Koch), a trustee of
Gloria Dei Church, who zealously advocated synodical connection between
the Germans and Swedes. Before the public services, Pastors Brunnholtz,
Handschuh, and Hartwick met to examine Kurtz. His answers were approved
of in Halle as creditable even to candidates in Germany. On the
following day, Sunday, St. Michael's was dedicated. Provost Sandin
headed the procession from Brunnholtz's parsonage to the new church.
"Come, Holy Spirit, God and Lord," was sung. A letter from the Swedish
pastor Tranberg, regretting his absence and congratulating the
congregation in English, was then read. The address emphasized that "the
foundation of this church was laid with the intention that the
Evangelical Lutheran doctrine should be taught therein according to the
foundation of the prophets and apostles, and according to the Unaltered
Augsburg Confession and the other symbolical books." After singing
another hymn, six prayers were offered, two in Swedish by the Swedish
pastors, and four in German by Brunnholtz, Hartwick, Handschuh, and Mr.
Kock. After another hymn a child was baptized, and a sermon preached by
Handschuh. Hereupon the ministers, with a few of the congregation,
received the Lord's Supper. In the afternoon Hartwick preached the
ordination sermon. Then, the lay delegates standing in a semicircle
about the altar, Provost Sandin and the four German pastors ordained
Kurtz. Muhlenberg read the liturgical formula. On Monday, August 26 (15
Old Style), 1748, the first session of Synod was held, N. Kurtz, the
newly ordained pastor, delivering the opening sermon.
41. First Session of Synod.--According to the minutes, written by
Brunnholtz and signed by the four German pastors residing in
Pennsylvania and a number of lay delegates, the synod consisted of six
ministers (including Sandin and Hartwick) and twenty-four delegates,
exclusive of the church council of the Philadelphia congregation: four
lay delegates from Germantown, three from Providence, three from New
Hanover, two from Upper Milford, one from Saccum, three from
Tulpehocken, one from Nordkiel, six from Lancaster, and one from
Earlingtown. Peter Kock represented the Swedish laity. The congregation
at York, in a letter, regretted the absence of representatives. The
organization proceeded without the adoption of any formulated
constitution. Though not formally elected, Muhlenberg, by virtue of his
first call and commission by the authorities in Halle, was president of
the synod. When, at the second meeting of the synod, in 1749,
Brunnholtz, on motion of Muhlenberg, was elected overseer of all the
United Congregations, this was ignored by the authorities in Halle, and,
Brunnholtz's health failing, the office was soon transferred to
Muhlenberg, who exercised it for many years. At the first meeting, after
the hymn, "Du suesse Lieb', schenk' uns deine Gunst," was sung,
Muhlenberg addressed the assembly, saying, in part: This union was
desired for a long time. The effort made five years ago in the Swedish
church was frustrated by Nyberg. Unity among us is necessary. Every
member in the congregation has children. In their interest elders are
required to assist in making a good church order. For this purpose we
are here assembled, and, God willing, shall meet annually. "We
preachers, here present," Muhlenberg emphasized, "have not run of
ourselves, but have been called here and urged to go. We are bound to
render account to God and to our consciences. We maintain connection
with our fathers in Europe. We must not only care for ourselves, but
also for our descendants." In part, Muhlenberg's remarks reflected on
Stoever, Streit (Streiter, as he is called in the minutes), Andreae,
and Wagner. These ministers had not been invited to participate in the
organization of the synod, because, as a declaration put on record by
synod explains, "1. they, without reason, decry us [Muhlenberg and his
adherents] as Pietists; 2. are not sent and have neither an internal
nor an external call; 3. are unwilling to observe a uniform order of
service with us, each following the ceremonies of his country; 4. an
experience of six years had taught Muhlenberg that their object was
nothing but bread; 5. they were subject to no consistory and gave no
account of the exercise of their office." The lay delegates were
called upon to give a report concerning the efficiency of their
pastors, and their opinion concerning the new liturgy, which they
regarded as too long. Also the condition of the parochial schools was
inquired into. The conference with the laymen was adjourned Monday
afternoon, after which they dined together. The pastors then attended to
business generally regarded as belonging to them. Hartwick addressed the
elders, wishing their congregations every blessing. The Swedish provost
expressed his desire to be a member of the body. But Peter Kock having
died, no Swede attended the meeting in the following year. Seven annual
meetings were held by the United Congregations, the last at New Hanover
in 1754. Revived by Dr. Wrangel and Muhlenberg in 1760, this oldest
Lutheran synod in America exists to the present day as "The Evangelical
Lutheran Ministerium of Pennsylvania." (Graebner, 301 ff.)