A GENERAL HISTORY OF THE GERMAN SEVENTH-DAY BAPTISTS.
THE Reformation in Germany and Holland was productive of great and glorious effects, although it was not complete. Errors in doctrine, nearly or quite as incongruous with Scripture as those abandoned, were retained; ceremonies, nearly equal in absurdity to those prohibited, were still celebrated; and persecutions, exhibiting more similarity to the practices of Papacy than to the meekness and quietude of pure Christianity, were still prosecuted. The Reformation required to be reformed, and of this many pious and holy men were aware. At length, in 1694, a violent controversy arose in nearly all the Protestant churches of those two countries, in consequence of the attempts which were being made to promote a practical and vital religion. At this time the pious Spencer was ecclesiastical superintendent of the court of Saxony. He was likewise at the head of the party distinguished for its advocacy of reformatory measures. However, neither his dignified and important station, nor the fact that the tenets of his followers were predicated upon scripture according to its literal interpretation, could preserve them from falling under the odium of heresy, and incurring the effects of a virulent opposition. Their doctrines were examined by the ecclesiastical dignitaries, who, instead of instituting a comparison between them and Holy Writ, sought to discover whether or not they were conformable to the tenets deemed orthodox by the Consistory of Wittenberg. The decision was in the negative; hence they were suppressed in their public lectures and ministrations. This prohibition, while it shut up churches, and hushed the eloquence of public lecturers, savored of persecution, and consequently excited a spirit of in-quiry in the minds of the multitude. In such cases as this, reverend divines would consult their own interest by bestowing greater attention upon the study of human nature. Persecution agitates the public mind, excites the sympathy of some, the curiosity of all, and promulgates the very sentiments it is endeavoring to restrain. Besides, persecutors are not omniscient, conventicles will be held, and to their other charms that of secrecy is then added. In the year 1708, Alexander Mack, of Schriesheim, and seven others in Schwartzenau, Germany, met together regularly, to examine, in a careful and impartial manner, the doctrines of the New Testament, in order to ascertain what obligations it imposes upon professing Christians. These inquiries terminated in the formation of the society now called the Dunkers, or First-day German Baptists. Persecution, while it scattered them, likewise led to the dissemination of their doctrines; some were driven to Crefelt, in the Duchy of Cleves, and the mother church voluntarily removed to Sevastervin, in Friesland, whence its members emigrated to America in 1719, and dispersed to different parts of Pennsylvania. In 1723 they formed a church at Germantown, under the pastoral care of Peter Becker. The rapid growth of this church has rarely been excelled, and it received continual accessions of new members from the banks of the Wissahickon, and from Lancaster County. In this County, another community was soon after established by Conrad Beissel, a native of Germany. He was a man of eminent piety and ability, much given to metaphysical speculations, and distinguished for his love of solitude. Being determined to seek out the true obligations of the word of God, independent of all pre-conceived opinions and traditional observances, he was soon led to perceive that the sentiments of the Dunkers were erroneous so far as they related to the day designed to be hallowed as the Sabbath. It appeared evident to him "that the seventh day was the command of the Lord God, and that day being established and sanctified by the Great Jehovah, for ever, and no change, nor authority for change, ever having been announced to man, by any power sufficient to set aside the solemn decree of the Almighty, he felt it to be his duty to contend for the observance of that day." These opinions he maintained, not only in many eloquent discourses, but, about the year 1725, he published a short treatise which entered into a full and very able discussion of this point. The publication of this tract formed, in more ways than one, an epoch in the community, and created so much stir and excitement among the Society at Mill Creek, that Beissel quietly retired from the settlement, and took up his abode in a small cell on the banks of the Cocalico, which had been occupied previously by one Elimelech, an anchorite. Here, retired from all the world, he sought, by prayer, fasting and meditation, to converse with superior intelligences, and to perfect himself in holy knowledge. But the community that had opposed his fervent and spiritual teachings when present, found his absence a great deprivation, and although many inquiries were made, it was a long time before the place of his retirement became known. By this time many members of the society at Mill Creek had become convinced of the truth of his proposition relative to the Sabbath, who now removed and settled around him in solitary cottages. They rested from secular labors and celebrated the public services of religion upon the original Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, which has ever since been observed by their descendants. In 1728 they resolved themselves into an ecclesiastical body, and a monastic society was instituted in 1732, for the accommodation of which suitable buildings were erected. Other buildings were likewise erected by the community, and all together constituted the irregular, yet lovely village of Ephrata. Both men and women were admitted into the convent, and both appear to have been singularly attached to the monastic state. They wore the habit of the Capuchins, or White Friars, which consisted of a shirt, trousers and vest, with a long white gown and cowl, of wollen web in Winter, and linen in the Summer. That of the sisters differed only in the substitution of skirts for trousers, and some slight peculiarities in the form of the cap. All who entered the cloister received monastic names. Their first Prior was Onesimus, (Israel Eckerlin,) who was succeeded by Peter Miller, surnamed Jabez. Beissel, whose monastic name was Friedsam, received the title of Father—spiritual father—and subsequently that of Gottrecht, implying together, Peaceable Godright, from the brethren of the community. "In the year 1740 there were thirty-six single brethren in the cloister, and thirty-five sisters; and at one time the society, including the members living in the neighborhood, amounted to near three hundred." The government and arrangement of this little community were perfectly republican, and all the members stood upon the most fraternal equality and freedom. They were bound by no vows, neither had they any written covenant. The New Testament was their confession of faith, their code of laws, and their rule of discipline. Such property as accumulated with the society, by donation and from the labor of the single brethren and sisters, was held as common stock, but none were obliged to devote their personal property to this purpose or to resign any of their temporal possessions. A considerable income was derived from the farm, which, with the proceeds of the grist-mill, paper-mill, oil-mill, fulling-mill, and the industry of the brethren and sisters, sufficed to support the society in a comfortable manner. The principles of this society appear to have been superficially understood and partially represented by most writers upon the subject, although there is nothing about them mysterious or intricate.114"They receive the Bible as the only rule of faith, covenant, and code of laws for church government. They do not admit the least license with the letter and spirit of the Scripture, especially with the New Testament, do not allow one tittle to be added or rejected in the administration of the ordinances, but practice them precisely as they are instituted and made an example by Jesus Christ in his word.
"They believe in the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the trinity of the Godhead; having unfurled this distinctive banner on the first page of a hymn book which they had printed for the society as early as 1739; viz., 'There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood; and these three agree in one.'
"They believe that salvation is of grace, and not of works; and they rely solely on the merits and atonement of Christ. They believe, also, that that atonement is sufficient for every creature; that Christ died for all who will call upon his name, and offer fruits meet for repentance; and that all who come to Christ are drawn of the Father. "They contend for the observance of the original Sabbath, believing that it requires an authority equal to that of the great Institutor to change any of his decrees. They maintain, that as he blessed and sanctified that day for ever, which has never been abrogated in his word, nor any scripture to be found to warrant that construction; it is still as binding as it was when it was reiterated amid the thunders of mount Sinai. To alter so positive and hallowed a commandment of the Almighty, they consider would require an explicit edict from the great Jehovah. It was not foretold by any of the prophets, that with the new dispensation there would be any change in the Sabbath or any of the commandments. Christ, who declared himself the Lord of the Sabbath, observed the seventh day, and made it the day for his special ministrations; nor did he authorize any change. The apostles have not assumed to do away the original Sabbath, or give any command to substitute the first for the seventh day.
"They hold to apostolic baptism—and administer trine immersion, with the laying on of hands and prayer while the recipient yet remains kneeling in the water.
"They celebrate the Lord's supper at night, washing, at the same time, each other's feet, agreeably to his command and example. This is attended to in the evening after the close of the Sabbath—the Sabbath terminating at sunset of the seventh day; thus making the supper an imitation of that instituted by Christ, and resembling also the meeting of the apostles on the first day to break bread, which has produced much confusion in some minds in regard to the proper day to be observed."
(To be Continued)