70. Unionistic from the Beginning.--Most of the Germans in North
Carolina came from Pennsylvania. In 1771 the congregation at Salisbury
(which was in existence as early as 1768, and soon thereafter erected a
church), together with the congregations in Rowan Co. and in Mecklenburg
Co., sent a delegation to England, Holland, and Germany, asking for
assistance. The result was that Pastor A. Ruessmann, who died in 1794,
and Teacher J. G. Arends (Ahrends), who soon officiated as pastor, were
sent in 1773. In 1787 Pastor Chr. E. Bernhardt arrived, followed by C.
A. G. Stork (Storch) in 1788, and A. Roschen, who returned to Germany in
1800. But it was not genuine Lutheranism which was cultivated by these
German emissaries. Many of the books coming from Helmstedt were of a
rationalistic character. Also the North Carolina Catechism
("Nordkarolingischer Katechismus . . ., entworfen von Johann Kaspar
Velthusen, Doktor und ordentlichem Lehrer der Theologie, erstem Prediger
in Helmstedt und Generalsuperintendent") savored of rationalism. The
confessional and doctrinal degeneration of the pastors in North Carolina
appears from, and is attested by, the fact that in his ordination, in
1794, R. J. Miller was pledged to the Thirty-nine Articles of the
Episcopalians. The Synod of North Carolina experienced a rapid growth,
receiving 19 congregations into membership in 1813. According to the
Report of 1815, twenty lay delegates were present at the meeting of that
year. In 1823, after the separation of the Tennessee Synod, the North
Carolina Synod reported 19 ministers with about 1,360 communicants. Its
first convention had been held in Salisbury, May 2, 1803. Besides the
lay delegates, this meeting was attended by Pastor Arends, Miller,
Stork, and Paul Henkel. From the very beginning the Articles of Synod
made no mention of the Lutheran Confessions. At the meeting of 1804 a
Reformed minister delivered the sermon. In 1810 a resolution was passed
permitting every pastor to administer communion to those of another
faith. It was furthermore resolved: "Whereas it is evident that
awakenings occur in our day by means of preaching for three consecutive
days, and whereas this is to be desired among our brethren in the faith,
it was resolved, on motion of Mr. Philip Henkel, to make a trial in all
our churches next spring." In the same year the North Carolina Synod
ordered the ordination of the Moravian G. Shober (Schober). The minutes
of 1815 record the following: "Since the church council of a newly built
Reformed church in Guilford County expressly desires that our next synod
be held in their church, it was resolved that synod shall be held in
said church on the third Sunday in October, 1816." As in the other
Lutheran bodies of that time, pulpit- and altar-fellowship, Reformed
teaching, and Methodistic enthusiasm became increasingly rampant in
Synod. In 1817 Synod declared that it would continue to bear the
Lutheran name, and became demonstrative over the Reformation
tercentenary. The same convention, however, passed a resolution with
regard to the joint hymn-book published by Schaeffer and Maund in
Baltimore, as follows: "We hereby tender the aforementioned gentlemen
our heartiest thanks, and rejoice that we are able to accede fully to
the aforementioned recommendations for its use both at church and in
private among all our congregations. At the same time we humbly
petition the God of love and unity to crown it with blessings in His
kingdom and temple. It was also resolved that the English Agenda which
Quitman had introduced in New York "be adopted as one of our symbolical
books, and as such be recommended for use." (G., 647.)
71. Shober's Jubilee Book.--In 1817 Synod also approved of, and
resolved to publish, Shober's jubilee book, "A Comprehensive Account of
the Rise and Progress of the Blessed Reformation of the Christian
Church by Doctor Martin Luther, begun on the thirty-first of October, A.
D. 1517; interspersed with views of his character and doctrine,
extracted from his book; and how the Church established by him arrived
and progressed in North America, as also the Constitution and Rules of
that Church, in North Carolina and adjoining States, as existing in
October, 1817." In the Preface, Shober gives utterance to the hope that
all Protestant churches and their individual members would, by reading
his book, be moved "to pray to God that He would awaken the spirit of
love and union in all who believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, the only
Mediator between God and men, in order to attain the happy time
prophesied, when we shall blissfully live as one flock under one
Shepherd." On page 208 ff. he says: "Why are we not all united in love
and union? Why these distances, controversies, disputes, mutual
condemnations, why these splittings of formulas? Why cannot the Church
of Christ be one flock under one Shepherd? My friends, at the proper
time the Lord will unite us all. Thank God, we see the morning star
rising; the Union approaches, in Europe through Bible-societies, in
America, too, through mission-societies, through the efforts of the rich
and poor in sending out religious tracts, through the hundred thousand
children who now learn to know their God and Savior in the
Sunday-schools. Through frequent revivals and many other signs it
becomes apparent that the earth will soon be filled with the knowledge
of the Lord. Among all classes of those who adore Jesus as God I see
nothing of importance which could prevent a cordial union; and what a
fortunate event would it be if all churches would unite and send
delegates to a general convention of all denominations and there could
settle down on Christ, the Rock, while at the same time each
denomination would be permitted to retain its peculiar ways and forms.
This would have the influence on all Christians that, wherever and
whenever they met each other, they would love one another and keep
fellowship with each other." Synod declared: This book "will give to our
fellow-Christians in other denominations a clear view of what the
Lutheran Church really is." Yet, in this jubilee-gift Shober practically
denied the Lutheran doctrines of the Lord's Supper and of Absolution,
and, as shown, enthusiastically advocated a universal union of all
Christian denominations. Previously Shober had written: "I have
carefully examined the doctrine of the Episcopal Church, have read many
excellent writers of the Presbyterians, know the doctrine of the
Methodists from their book _Portraiture of Methodism_, and am acquainted
with the doctrine of the Baptists, as far as they receive and adore
Jesus the Savior. Among all classes of those who adore Jesus as God, I
find nothing of importance which could prevent a cordial union." (647 f.
682.)