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LITERARY ACTIVITY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 GERMAN Baptist Brethren 
 
 IN THE 
 
 EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 
 
 By 
 
 JOHN S. FLORY. Ph. D. 
 
 Profaaor of Sngltsh Lantjuage and Literature in BrtJgetvater College , formerly 
 Assistant in English Literature in the Universify of Virginia. 
 
 Thi* Disaertatioa has been accepted by the Faculty of the University o{ 
 Virginia as satisfying the requirements in original research for 
 the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. 
 
 ELGIN. ILUNOIS 
 BRETHf^N PUBLISHING HOUSE 
 1908 
 
Copyright, 1908. 
 
 BRETHREN PUBLISHING HOUSE. 
 Elgin, Illinois. 
 
 / 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 The closing years of the nineteenth and the opening 
 of the twentieth centuries witnessed the birth of a deep 
 and widespread interest in the early history of the 
 Germans who came to Pennsylvania in the first days 
 of that great Commonwealth. The subject has grown 
 in interest, as the records of the past brought to light 
 the doings of these sturdy, conscientious, pious sons 
 of the Fatherland, until today every new phase of the 
 subject is anxiously waited for and warmly welcomed 
 by all who take an interest in our beginnings in our 
 country. Pennsylvania Dutch, once used as a term 
 of ridicule, has become a topic of the most absorbing 
 interest to all who are inclined to look into the history 
 of the past. 
 
 To no class of people are these records of the past 
 more intensely interesting than to The Brethren, 
 (Dunkers), for in William Penn's New Colony they 
 found a resting place and began their religious activi- 
 ties in America which have continued with some meas- 
 ure of success until this day. Driven from their homes 
 in the ungracious Vaterland by the persecutions of the 
 established church, they found rest and liberty of con- 
 science in the New World. Strange it is that no sooner 
 had the Luther Reformers thrown off the yoke of 
 Rome than they entered upon a vigorous persecution 
 of all who did not give full assent to their views. And 
 so the Brethren, who had never accepted Romanism 
 
iv 
 
 Introduction 
 
 fell under the ban. They were unwilling to accept the 
 filtered product of the Reformation, preferring to go 
 to the undefiled fountain head of God's Word, and as 
 a result were bitterly and cruelly persecuted and driven 
 from their homes by the reformers. 
 
 Our Author has laid the church and the reading 
 public generally under many obligations by his pains- 
 taking, careful and conscientious research in order to 
 bring to light the literary activities of our people in 
 the eighteenth century. Not for years has it fallen 
 to my lot to read a book that has afforded so much in- 
 terest and genuine pleasure as has this work. Some 
 books we read from a sense of duty, others because 
 they were written by our friends and others still be- 
 cause of their real merit and because of the rich value 
 of their contents. In the latter class this work will 
 find a commanding position. It will become an au- 
 thority on the subject so ably treated. 
 
 The Author promises the result of a continuation 
 of his researches in a succeeding volume covering the 
 literary activities of The Brethren for the nineteenth 
 century. Judging from what he has already accom- 
 plished we may anticipate a further valuable addition 
 to our literature. 
 
 It is sad to reflect that after the destruction of 
 Saur's great printing plant at Germantown, during the 
 Revolutionary war, for more than half a century The 
 Brethren gave but a half-hearted support to educa- 
 tional and literary efforts. This may have been the 
 resultant swing from the scholastic ecclesiasticism 
 from which the fathers suffered so much in Germany, 
 and it went so far that they came to look upon higher 
 
Introduction 
 
 V 
 
 education as a snare of the devil to entrap the humble 
 followers of Christ and to lead them into pride and 
 worldlyism. Be this as it may it was not until the 
 close of the first half of the last century that the print- 
 ing press became active among us again and higher 
 education began to assume significance. The last quar- 
 ter of the century witnessed a revival of literary and 
 educational activity among The Brethren rarely sur- 
 passed among any people. Through this fruitful field 
 our Author will take us in his next volume, and the 
 hope is expressed that he may be able to finish the 
 work at an early date. D. L. Miller. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 In the ensuing pages I have tried to tell the story 
 of the literary activity of the Dunkers during the first 
 period of their history. As such a work has never 
 been undertaken before, I have necessarily been at the 
 disadvantage of having to find my way in regard 
 to many things, and of planning the work without a 
 precedent or guide. If I have given undue prominence 
 to any part of the history or have regarded any part 
 as of too slight importance, the defect may be attrib- 
 uted to error of judgment and lack of experience. 
 
 I have not aimed at an exhaustive treatment so much 
 as at a straightforward, unadorned narrative that will 
 give as nearly as possible a correct idea of the posi- 
 tion our people occupied in the eighteenth century, 
 and of the value and import of their literary work. 
 If I have succeeded in reconstructing the period to 
 any extent, and in bringing into due prominence the 
 significance of the great achievements in our early his- 
 tory, and by this means of awakening a deeper interest 
 and pride in ourselves as a people, my purpose has 
 been accomplished. I should trust, however, that I 
 have also contributed something to the fund of our 
 information in regard to our history as a denomina- 
 tion. Yet this has been only incidental. My chief 
 aim has been to set forth in a deserving light our ac- 
 complishments during the eighteenth century as pro- 
 ducers and disseminators of literary work. 
 
 I presume it is natural that the student of litera- 
 
viii 
 
 Preface 
 
 ture should in time be led to a consideration of the 
 literature of his church. At least it has been so in 
 this case. I had thought for some years that there 
 must be some interesting literary work connected with 
 the early experiences of the Brethren, but I had no 
 idea of the wealth of material to be found until I un- 
 dertook the investigation of it some four years ago. 
 
 Through the agency of the library of the University 
 of Virginia, with which institution I was at that time 
 connected, the archives of the Virginia State Library 
 at Richmond and of the Library of Congress at Wash- 
 ington were opened to me. From both of these, as 
 well as from the University library, I received valuable 
 aid. 
 
 The chief depositories of our early literature, how- 
 ever, are in Philadelphia. Besides several very valu- 
 able private collections, two large public collections 
 are housed here. They are in the libraries of the His- 
 torical Society of Pennsylvania and of the German 
 Society of Pennsylvania respectively. To both of 
 them I was granted free access and found a wealth 
 of material that was far beyond my expectations at 
 first. 
 
 The nucleus of the Historical Society's collection is 
 a part of the famous collection of Abraham H. Cas- 
 sel, the noted antiquary of the Brethren church. His 
 fine collection has unfortunately been broken up and 
 scattered. The choice part of it undoubtedly is in the ar- 
 chives of the Historical Society. A very important part 
 is in the library of Juniata College, another part is at 
 Mt. Morris College, and a smaller part at Bridge- 
 water College. 
 
Preface 
 
 ix 
 
 When I began this work my intention was to write 
 in one volume a literary history of the Brethren church 
 to the present day. The abundance of material in 
 the early part, however, caused me to modify this plan 
 to the extent of treating it in two distinct periods, and 
 in two separate works. The first is now completed 
 and is herewith offered to the public. 
 
 In the course of my investigations I have collected 
 a considerable mass of material on the latter period al- 
 so. It is my intention to continue the narrative and ( D. 
 V.) in another volume to bring it down to the present 
 time. To any friends who may have contributed facts 
 pertaining to the later history I now make this state- 
 ment and general acknowledgment of their services. 
 When the volume is issued suitable credits will be 
 given. 
 
 Closing the first period with the end of the eight- 
 eenth century divides our history into two nearly equal 
 parts. But the chief reason for choosing this date for 
 the division is the fact that it marks the end of a dis- 
 tinct period of our history. With the close of the 
 Leibert press, three years before the end of the cen- 
 tury, the leadership of the Bunkers as producers and 
 disseminators of literature came to an end. And the 
 death of Alexander Mack.Jr., in 1803, marks the pas- 
 sage of that first group of great men who lent lustre 
 to the early history of the church, and who produced 
 the first important body of our church literature. 
 
 The conditions prevailing at the beginning of the 
 next century were very different from those that had 
 preceded, and these changed conrlitions will mark the 
 beginning of the further treatment. 
 
X 
 
 Preface 
 
 In preparing this work I have gone to original 
 sources wherever possible. I have, however, availed 
 myself of whatever has been written on the subject. 
 I have read the several histories of the Brethren 
 church, by Brumbaugh, by Falkenstein, and by Hol- 
 singer. Where I have received special information 
 I have endeavored to give credit. Matters of undis- 
 puted history, however, I have used without acknowl- 
 edgment to any one. I may have on occasion used 
 almost the exact words of one or another writer un- 
 consciously. I have not been studious to avoid doing 
 so. 
 
 In the first chapter I have quoted three times at 
 length. I have done this on purpose to allow the 
 great authorities to speak in their own words on the 
 three important topics there discussed : the original 
 principles of the church, the organization of the 
 church, and the doctrines of the church. These three 
 authorities are Ernest Christopher Hochmann, Alex- 
 ander Mack, Jr., and Elder D. L. Miller. 
 
 Julius F. Sachse's German Sectarians of Pennsyl- 
 vania contains much valuable information about the 
 Sower Bibles. I have consulted it freely and am under 
 obligations to it for many important facts. Seiden- 
 sticker's Geschichtsblatter has also been useful in the 
 preparation of this chapter. 
 
 This last named work has likewise been helpful in 
 the study of the Sower newspaper. The works them- 
 selves have been the chief source of information, how- 
 ever, in regard to all the periodicals. The newspapers, 
 so far as preserved, are at the Historical Society ; the 
 magazines and the almanacs at both the Historical 
 
Preface 
 
 xi 
 
 Society and the Germain Society (incomplete). I 
 studied them at both places. 
 
 The biographical material in chapter V has been 
 collected from a great variety of sources. Among the 
 most important I may mention, Seidensticker's Ge- 
 schichtsbldtter, Goebel's Geschichte dcs Christlichen 
 Lebens, Appleton's Cyclopedia of American Biogra- 
 phy, the Chronicon Ephratense, and the several church 
 histories. 
 
 Where the selections of the different authors used 
 have been secured I have indicated in each case. With 
 the exception of one of the letters of Christopher 
 Sower, Sr., I take the responsibility of the translation 
 upon myself. In the prose I have aimed at a literal 
 reproduction of the thought without embellishment or 
 ornament. In the poetry I have thought well to give 
 some variety. The form of the poem in some instances 
 seemed to be an integral part of the poetry; in such 
 cases I have preserved the poetic form, at some ex- 
 pense naturally of poetic quality and of literalness. 
 In other instances I have aimed only to reproduce 
 the thought. 
 
 Other works that I have found useful in the prepara- 
 tion of the following pages are Thomas's History of 
 Printing in America, Seidensticker's The First Cen- 
 tury of German Printing in America, The Interna- 
 tional Cyclopedia, Jameson's Dictionary of United 
 States History, Riipp's History of the Religions De- 
 nominations in the United States. Many other works 
 have been consulted, and as far as they have contrib- 
 uted to this volume, credit has been given in the body 
 of the text. 
 
xii 
 
 Preface 
 
 The appendix is of course taken largely from Dr. 
 Seidensticker's work. I have succeeded, however, 
 in adding a considerable number to the works he re- 
 cords. For these additions I am under obligations 
 chiefly to Rev. A. Stapleton of Wrightsville, Pennsyl- 
 vania, and to The Pennsylvania German. 
 
 I have yet the pleasant duty of acknowledging the 
 personal helpfulness of several friends. To Dr. Charles 
 W. Kent of the University of Virginia, I am under 
 obligations for helpful suggestions and constant en- 
 couragement. From the very inception of the work 
 to the present his interest in it and his inspiring en- 
 couragement have had much to do with bringing it 
 to completion. Eld. D. L. Miller of Mount Morris, 
 Illinois, has likewise given words of encouragement 
 and direction that have made the work easier. He 
 has also done me the kindness to read my manuscript 
 and has oflfered valuable suggestions. His interest is 
 further shown by his willingness to supply an intro- 
 duction to my imperfect work. 
 
 My thanks are also due Mr. John S. Patton and 
 Miss Anna Seeley Tuttle, of the University of Vir- 
 ginia library, who have spared no pains in procuring 
 for me the use of any books or documents in their 
 power. To Dr. John W. Jordan of the Historical So- 
 ciety's library in Philadelphia and to Miss L. Hert- 
 zog of the German Society, I am likewise under ob- 
 ligations for repeated kindnesses and aid. 
 
 Bridgewater College, Jno. S. Flory. 
 
 January, ipo8. 
 
/ 
 
 Literary Activity of the German Baptist 
 Brethren in the Eighteenth Century 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 Genesis of the German Baptist Brethren Church. 
 
 In order that the ensuing history may be intelligible, 
 it is necessary to state briefly the main facts in regard 
 to the people whose work is here to receive considera- 
 tion. It will be of interest to know where, when, and 
 how the German Baptists, or Dunkers, came into be- 
 ing, and the peculiarities of their faith and practice. 
 A history of them as a people is of course not at- 
 tempted here, but such facts as are necessary to un- 
 derstand their literary work, and the significance of 
 it, must be recorded. 
 
 To find the origin of this religious body it is nec- 
 essary to go back to Germany in the early years of the 
 eighteenth century. This was a time of great social 
 and spiritual unrest. The Protestant Reformation was 
 advancing to its logical result. On all sides there was 
 dissatisfaction with the existing ecclesiastical condi- 
 tion. Discussion was rife. The Reformation had ac- 
 complished wonders in eradicating heresies, and ele- 
 vating the social, moral, and intellectual condition of 
 the people. Yet the established Protestant churches 
 (Lutheran and Reformed) had become intolerant, and 
 
 1 
 
\ 
 
 Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 permitted practices that many of the most advanced 
 thinkers of the time could not reconcile with the Bible 
 teaching. These latter, however, were hopelessly split 
 up among themselves, so that there was no end of be- 
 liefs and of interpretations of the inspired Word. 
 
 As to the Catholic church. Protestantism had com- 
 pletely broken its power in northern Europe and had 
 eradicated many vile and evil practices. It had dis- 
 pelled the fog of superstition and ignorance which for 
 centuries had brooded over the minds of the people 
 like a night hag, and had brought them into a day of 
 comparative freedom and light. The masses had ad- 
 vanced in intelligence, until even the poorer classes 
 were manifesting an intelligent interest in the problems 
 of Christianity. Thought was, however, terribly con- 
 fused ; almost everybody was interested in religion and 
 took a hand in discussing it, yet comparatively few 
 would have been able to give a clear, concise state- 
 ment of what they believed, or why they believed as 
 they did. 
 
 Amidst this confusion and wilderness of conflicting 
 opinions, one belief held in common by many of the 
 dissenters tended to draw them together into one body. 
 This was the thought that religion is for the individ- 
 ual, and that it ought to manifest itself in the outward 
 life. While admitting what had been accomplished 
 by the Reformation, they could not be satisfied with 
 present achievements, but looked for a fuller realiza- 
 tion of the principles of Protestantism in the individ- 
 ual. They felt that vital Christianity had reached the 
 church only in the mass, and that the rich fruits of 
 
 2 
 
Genesis of the Brethren Church 
 
 spirituality, which must be sought largely in the indi- 
 vidual, the church had not yet reahzed. Consequently 
 they plead for greater personal purity and humility, 
 and taught that rehgion is essentially a matter of the 
 heart. Although in details they varied considerably, 
 they held this one tenet in common, and collectively 
 were known as Pietists. 
 
 With these people the early German Baptists, or 
 Taufers, as they are constantly called in the early rec- 
 ords, had much in common. These latter were one of 
 the later sects to arise, and some of their leaders were 
 on the most intimate terms of friendship with such 
 leaders of Pietism as Ernst Christoph Hochmann 
 von Hochenau, August Hermann Francke, Gottfried 
 Arnold and others. At times the Brethren, or German 
 Baptists, fraternized with the Pietists, but were never 
 of them and were entirely free from any of those ex- 
 cesses to which some of the latter at times gave way. 
 None of the leaders of the German Baptists had ever 
 been Pietists, although they held more in common with 
 them than with any of the other dissenting sects of the 
 time, as the Schvvenkfelders, the Mennonites, the Mys- 
 tics and the like. 
 
 All of these sects, by their determination to live out 
 the teachings of the New Testament as they under- 
 stood them, brought down upon their defenseless 
 heads the full wrath of both Church and State. The 
 three state churches — Catholic, Reformed and Lu- 
 theran — denied the right of any of the dissenting sects 
 to exist in the German Empire. Consequently every 
 means at their command was used to free the land 
 
 3 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 from these heretics and heresies. The sufiferings they 
 endured were terrible. They gave their hves by the 
 thousands for the religion they loved. Deaths at the 
 stake, by drowning or strangulation were almost daily 
 occurrences. The awful story of suffering endured by 
 these innocent people for conscience' sake makes one of 
 the darkest pages in modern history. 
 
 But even the bloody hand of persecution could not 
 silence these heroic men. Imprisonments, scourgings 
 and threats of death did not quench their ardor. They 
 went about the country, preaching, protesting against 
 unjust interference with natural rights on the part of 
 church and state, and everywhere exhorting sinners 
 to repentance. One of the greatest of these was Ernst 
 Christoph Hochmann, who represented the best ele- 
 ment of Pietism. He exercised great influence upon 
 Alexander Mack, who was to become the first leader 
 of the German Baptist Brethren. They traveled to- 
 gether over many parts of Germany, holding evangel- 
 istic meetings, song and prayer services, in which they 
 strove to give the Word of God in all its purity to 
 the people. Both were powerful preachers, men of 
 wealth and culture, whose powers had been developed 
 and matured by good education and varied experi- 
 ences. They were in perfect accord and sympathy. 
 They preached the same doctrine — the principles 
 which afterwards Mack at least practiced. Hochmann 
 had been bred a Lutheran and Mack a Reformed, or 
 Presbyterian, but both had ceased to be in accord with 
 their mother churches and strove for a fuller life of 
 the spirit. 
 
 4 
 
Genesis of the Brethren Church 
 
 In 1702, Hochmann was imprisoned in the castle at 
 Detmold by Count zur Lippe-Detmold for over-free 
 statements about the state churches. As a condition to 
 regaining his hberty he wrote out his confession of 
 faith, which may be taken as a statement of the prin- 
 ciples held in common by himself and Mack. This 
 document, next to the Bible, was the most important 
 influence that led to the organization of the German 
 Baptist or Dunker church. Because of its importance 
 and direct bearing upon our early history, I have 
 translated the article entire, and will here insert it for 
 the benefit of the reader.^ 
 
 Copy of a Pietistic Confession of Faith. 
 
 After it had been announced to me yesterday 
 evening that his Gracious Lordship had assented 
 to my dismissal, on condition that I beforehand 
 would give a short confession of my faith, I have 
 herewith prepared such (an article) very briefly 
 as follows: 
 
 1. I believe one eternal, only, allpowerful, every- 
 where-present God, as he has revealed himself in 
 the Old Testament as the God of Abraham, Isaac, 
 and Jacob; in the New Volume, however, as the 
 Father, Son and Spirit, Matt. 28, v. 19, and I do not 
 find it in my soul necessary to dispute or criticise 
 much about it: but I regard it better to submit 
 one's self humbly to this eternal Godly Being in the 
 Father, Son, and Spirit and to experience his inner 
 workings, as the Father reveals the Son inwardly 
 and the Son again the Father, and this through 
 the powerful operations of the Holy Ghost, with- 
 
 ' From a copy In the library of the Pennsylvania Historical 
 Society. 
 
 s 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 out which nothing can be known in divine things, 
 and this is also alone the eternal life, that one should 
 know aright this one God as Christ says, John 
 xvii. 3, and that I may explain myself briefly in 
 regard to this, I profess to the ancient Ausselic 
 Creed, Credo in Deum, etc. 
 
 2. In regard to baptism, I believe that Christ 
 instituted it alone for the grown up and not for 
 the little children, because one can not find in the 
 entire holy Scripture one iota of an express com- 
 mand about it ; for arguments and good opinions 
 will not be sufficient on these points, but there 
 must be express commands spoken by God or 
 Christ, as there is an express command about the 
 circumcision of Israelitish children. 
 
 3. In regard to the Lord's Supper, I believe that 
 it was instituted only for the chosen disciples of 
 Christ, who, by renunciation of all worldly things, 
 follow Christ Jesus in deed and truth ; and that 
 the covenant of God will be much reviled and his 
 anger inflamed over the whole community, if the 
 godless children of the world are admitted to the 
 love feast of the Lord, as is done alas! at the pres- 
 ent time. 
 
 4. Concerning the full coming of the Spirit, I 
 believe that, although I have been conceived and 
 born of sinful seed, I may still be sanctified through 
 Jesus Christ, not only justly but also completely, 
 so that no more sin shall remain in me when I 
 shall have come to full stature in Christ. But I 
 do not yet boast that I have attained perfection, 
 but I acknowledge with Paul that I will try to at- 
 tain it with all earnestness and zeal and will conse- 
 crate myself to God and the Lamb for his complete 
 service; but that one can become perfect is to be 
 proven from the Holy Scripture on all pages: I 
 cite however this time only this one very significant 
 
 6 
 
Genesis of the Brethren Church 
 
 proverb, Heb. vii. 25, according to the Piscator 
 version. He can therefore also make perfectly 
 blessed those who come to God through him, who 
 is ever living to intercede for them. It is surely 
 not enough that a great redemption should be 
 made for me through Christ, but this redemption 
 from sin, death, devil and hell must be made with- 
 in the soul by the son of the living God and his 
 precious mediatorial office, so that not only the 
 prophetic and high-priestly but also that which is 
 kingly must powerfully manifest itself in the soul, 
 even to the attainment of the perfect likeness of 
 God, and Christ must take within us a spiritual 
 form, and if this does not take place actively in 
 the soul through Christ during life, one can not 
 attain to the contemplation of God after death, for 
 without sanctification no one will see God ; for 
 whoever has this hope — to attain to the contempla- 
 tion of God — he must purify himself, as he also is 
 pure. 1 John iii. 3. 
 
 5. Concerning the office of the Spirit I believe 
 that Christ, who is the head of the church, alone 
 can appoint teachers and preachers and give them 
 the qualifications therefor ; and no being except 
 the Christ, risen above all heavens and fulfilling 
 everything, has appointed some apostles, some how- 
 ever, evangelists, some prophets, some pastors and 
 teachers, so that the saints may be preparecl for 
 the work of the ministry. Ephesians iv. 10, 11, 
 Acts XX. 28, state expressly that the Holy Ghost 
 (N. B. and not man) had appointed them bishops 
 to pasture the congregation of God, which he had 
 purchased with his own blood. 
 
 6. Concerning authority I believe that there is 
 in the kingdom of nature a divine order, to which 
 I also gladly submit in all civil matters according 
 to the teaching of Paul, Rom. xiii. 1, 7. On the 
 
 7 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 other hand, however, to those that strive against 
 God's Word and my conscience, or the freedom of 
 Christ, I grant no power ; for it is said : We ought 
 to obey God, etc., Acts v. 29, and if anything should 
 be charged against God and my conscience I 
 should rather sufifer unjust force, than act con- 
 trary to this and I pray that God may not reckon 
 it against those magistrates, but may convert them ; 
 but this I declare further, that the essential polit- 
 ical power is in no sense a Christ; for the Turk at 
 Constantinople and the Pope at Rome are true 
 magistrates in the realm of nature, but they are 
 not for this reason Christians ; for where a magis- 
 trate shall receive from me the very venerable title 
 of Christian, I must perceive in him that he has the 
 spirit of Christ, or else I say with Saint Paul, Rom. 
 viii. 9, who has not the spirit of Christ is not his 
 and therefore not a Christian power ; but I consider 
 and regard them as heathen powers, which how- 
 ever will soon have reached their time, because I 
 have been infallibly convinced out of God's Word 
 that the glorious Christ sitting at the Father's 
 right hand will soon break in and thrust all the 
 heathen powers from their seats, and according to 
 the prophecy of Holy Mary will raise the lowly, 
 for the scepter of Christ will destroy and break 
 to pieces all other animal kingdoms, Dan, ii. 44. 
 Indeed the Lamb will overthrow the beast and its 
 horns, as is stated distinctly in Apoc. xvii. 14. These 
 will strive with the Lamb and the Lamb will over- 
 throw them, for he is the Lord of all lords and the 
 King of all kings, and with the called and chosen 
 and the believers ; and because the kingdom of 
 Christ is now so near at hand, I confess that I, as 
 a spiritual statistician, have learned from God's 
 Word to reflect more upon the rising sun of 
 justice than upon the high powers of the world 
 
 8 
 
Genesis of the Brethren Church 
 
 soon to depart ; for that will last into the eternity 
 of eternities, but these will soon have reached their 
 limit by the great impending judgments of God. 
 
 7. Finally, what pertains to the redemption of 
 damned men, I do not see how this is the place to 
 carry it out, because it requires a very detailed de- 
 duction if it is to be distinctly and clearly under- 
 stood ; only this will I add briefly, that as in Adam 
 all men have fallen, so also must all men be born 
 again through the other Adam, Jesus Christ ; if 
 this were not so it would necessarily follow that 
 Christ were not powerful enough to restore the 
 human race which was lost through Adam and in 
 this connection the chapter to the Romans can be 
 read and from this may be seen how the restora- 
 tion in the mediatorship of Christ has been much 
 stronger and more mighty than the fall of sin in 
 Adam. 1 Cor. xv. 22 states explicitly: As in Adam 
 all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive; 
 but, as has been said, this matter can not possibly 
 be carried out in accordance with its importance, 
 but it requires a word-of-mouth deliverance, if all 
 the objections and doubts pertaining to it are to be 
 explained from God's Word ; and because these are 
 the most important points which are at the present 
 day questions of controversy, I have desired to draw 
 them up briefly herewith, and have to hand them 
 over to a high magistrate of the land with the added 
 hearty wish that God the Almighty may power- 
 fully light them up with his light from above; and 
 since I perhaps may have no opportunity to ap- 
 pear before the high authority of this land ; I there- 
 fore give herewith my due, humble thanks to God 
 the Almighty and also to my most gracious master 
 for everything good which I have enjoyed during 
 my stay here. May God who is rich in mercy re- 
 ward everything good done me, in time and eterni- 
 
 9 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 ty; and may he soon allow the earnest pleadings 
 and prayers for the master of this house, for his 
 wife and the whole household to be fulfilled, so 
 that every curse may be turned away and that on 
 the other hand the spiritual blessings of God may 
 be revealed therein. And although I may not be 
 present in this land or house any more after this, 
 I shall not leave off continuing my heartfelt 
 prayers to God the Father of spirits of all flesh 
 for the soul of the most beloved Frederick Adolph, 
 and as long as I live I remain the most humble 
 intercessor for the Count's whole house. 
 
 E. C. H. v. H. 
 
 In the Castle Detmold in the 
 Month of November, 1702. 
 
 This confession of Hochmann's deserves considera- 
 tion for several reasons. It will be observed that it 
 was written six years before the organization of the 
 German Baptist Church in 1708. There is no doubt 
 that it represented the views held by Mack as fully 
 as it does those of its author. In all essentials of 
 doctrine they were perfectly agreed. Only in one in- 
 stance is there evidence of a divergence of views, and 
 this arose rather from expediency than from principle. 
 In regard to the ordinance of baptism, Mack declared 
 openly and unreservedly for immersion; Hochmann 
 would have been satisfied with pouring. Both required 
 the three-fold act. Hochmann's preference for pour- 
 ing was as a matter of expediency, to avoid a fixed 
 form, for it was because of formalism that he had been 
 so long and so mercilessly persecuted. He later wrote, 
 " I have no objection if any man for the sake of con- 
 
 10 
 
Genesis of the Brethren Church 
 
 science wants to be completely immersed." In meth- 
 ods of work these two men frequently disagreed, and 
 it was this, as we shall see, that separated them when 
 the church of the Brethren was organized. 
 
 To indicate further the importance of this tract and 
 its influence in the early history of the church, let us 
 step forward eleven years from its composition. This 
 was in 1713, five years after the organization at 
 Schwarzenau. The infant church was prospering: 
 the pious and holy Hves of the first members were 
 attracting others into the fold. Among these was a 
 large number of Pietists and Separatists who desired 
 to be admitted into church fellowship without being 
 required to observe the ordinances of the church. 
 Mack at once set about to prepare a manual of the 
 principles and usages of the church, which he entitled, 
 " A Brief and simple Exposition of the Outward but 
 still Sacred Rites and Ordinances of the House of 
 God." 
 
 This little book has been exceedingly popular all 
 through the two hundred years of the church's history, 
 and has been extensively circulated and read. Chris- 
 topher Sower printed it in 1774, an English edition 
 was printed in Philadelphia in 1810, and recently, in 
 1888, the Brethren Publishing House, now at Elgin, 
 Illinois, brought out a large edition. Many persons 
 who read this will have copies of this last edition and 
 will doubtless take interest in tracing the parallels be- 
 tween Mack's work and the Confession of Hochmann, 
 as given above. Mack's Rites and Ordinances is sim- 
 ply giving expression in another way and with con- 
 
 11 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 siderable expansion and elaboration to what Hoch- 
 mann had expressed in outHne. Not that it is in any 
 sense a repetition of the other, however, as I take it; 
 except in so far as men holding similar views must 
 necessarily reflect each other in giving expression to 
 them. The similarity was, without doubt, unnoticed 
 by the writer. 
 
 What invests Hochmann's Confession with especial 
 interest is the fact of its priority. It is, in point of 
 time, the first work in existence to express in concise 
 form the leading facts of the Dunker faith. The prob- 
 ability that Hochmann, late in life, was baptized by 
 Alexander Mack and thus became a member of the 
 Brethren church adds an additional feature of interest. 
 If this is so, the Confession may be regarded as the 
 first piece of literary work of this fraternity. 
 
 The evidence in regard to Hochmann's membership 
 is not quite conclusive, however. It is known that he 
 worshiped with the Brethren on numerous occasions. 
 As he lived in Schwarzenau from before the organiza- 
 tion of the church in 1708 till his death in 1721, he 
 was in constant association with the members of the 
 Schwarzenau congregation. The evidence in regard 
 to his membership is as follows : 
 
 1. He was in full accord with the doctrines and be- 
 liefs of the church. 
 
 2. He was currently reported to have been baptized 
 at Schwarzenau by Alexander Mack. 
 
 3. He worshiped frequently with the Brethren at 
 Schwarzenau. 
 
 12 
 
Genesis of the Brethren Church 
 
 4. Goebel says of him that he " upheld the hand of 
 brotherly love with the Taufers." 
 
 5. He preached on a certain occasion at one of the 
 meetings of the German Baptists in Switzerland, when 
 Alexander Mack was present. 
 
 6. Alexander Mack, Jr.,^ late in life, in making a 
 list of important people that he had known, names 
 " Brother Hochmann von Hochenau." In this list 
 Mack does not call any one " Brother " who was not 
 a member of the German Baptist church, unless Hoch- 
 mann be the exception ; and the list includes about two 
 hundred names. 
 
 7. Dr. M. G. Brumbaugh, in his History of the 
 Brethren, includes his name in a list of 255 persons 
 who joined the church in Europe. 
 
 Whether he was a member of the church of the 
 Brethren or not we may never know positively ; the 
 probabilities are that he was. He was not of the lead- 
 ers, however, and if he joined it was late in life, when 
 his years of activity and greatest usefulness had been 
 largely spent. At all events his thinking has left a 
 deep impress upon our history, and his association 
 with Alexander Mack was an important factor in the 
 genesis of the church. 
 
 The frequent heart to heart talks by these two godly 
 men about the religious condition of the time, their 
 prolonged conferences in regard to the ordinances and 
 how they should be observed, and their studious 
 searching of the Scriptures after God's will in all 
 th ings as therein revealed, — these things gave the first 
 
 ' Brumbaugh's History of the Brethren, page 25. 
 
 13 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 draft, so to speak, of the religious principles to be taken 
 as a standard by the new congregation. 
 
 The religious position of both these stalwart men, 
 however, was unsatisfactory. They could not find fel- 
 lowship in any of the established churches, and to re- 
 main simply Separatists was to be deprived of the ordi- 
 nances of God's house and of the means of spiritual 
 growth afforded thereby. Hochmann's mystical tenden- 
 cies enabled him to halt here, but Mack's greater reso- 
 luteness would not let him be satisfied with anything 
 short of an organization in which he could practice the 
 rites and ordinances of the New Testament as he under- 
 stood them. And this brings me now to the interesting 
 story of the organization of the German Baptist 
 Brethren, or Dunker church. 
 
 This memorable event took place in the year 1708. 
 After prolonged searching of the Scriptures and many 
 pray t-' 5. eight pious souls covenanted together to or- 
 ganize themselves into a body for the purpose of observ- 
 ing the ordinances of God's house. Their natural lead- 
 er was Alexander Mack, who had been a noted evangel- 
 ist before this, and who was chosen as the first min- 
 ister of the new organization. As their study and re- 
 search had convinced them that trine immersion was 
 the baptism taught in the New Testament, their first 
 duty was the administration of this rite, which they 
 desired their leader to perform. This he declined to 
 do as he had not been immersed himself. He therefore 
 required to be immersed before administering the rite 
 to others. Accordingly they betook themselves to fast- 
 ing and prayer for divine guidance, after which they 
 
 14 
 
Genesis of the Brethren Church 
 
 cast lots to determine which of the other four men 
 should administer this rite to him. This done, the 
 company of eight silently wended their way down to 
 the river Eder, that winds its meandering course 
 through the little village of Schwarzenau. Here on 
 the green bank, early in the morning, prayers were 
 made, and then he upon whom the lot had fallen led 
 the pious Mack into the water and immersed him three 
 times face forward; after which he in turn admin- 
 istered the same rite to each of the remaining seven. 
 Thus was organized the German Baptist Brethren 
 church, by the ordinance of baptism as practiced in the 
 time of the apostles. 
 
 The eight persons forming this organization were 
 Alexander Mack of Schriesheim, in the Palatinate; 
 George Grebi, from Hesse Cassel ; Lucas Vetter, from 
 Hessenland; Andreas Bone of Basle, in Switzerland; 
 Johannes Kipping of Bariet, in Wurtemburg; Anna 
 Margaretha Mack, (wife of Alexander Mack) ; Jo- 
 hanna Nothigerin Bonisin, (wife of Andreas Bone); 
 and Johanna Kippinger. These are the original forms 
 of the names. For the convenience of all I give the 
 names also in the Anglicised form. 
 
 Alexander Mack. George Greby. 
 
 Anna Margarite Mack. Luke Vetter. 
 
 Joanna Noetinger Bony. John Kipping. 
 
 Andrew Bony. Joanna Kipping. 
 
 These were not a group of religious enthusiasts, 
 nor were they led to take this step without careful and 
 prayerful consideration. Every inch of the ground 
 they occupied they had carefully fortified by the testi- 
 
 15 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 mony of history and of the Inspired Word. In no 
 sense were they extremists, unless it was in the ex- 
 treme heroism of their action and aim — that of re- 
 estabHshing the apostolic mode of worship after a 
 lapse of a thousand years. 
 
 Fortunately we have an account of this most inter- 
 esting transaction from the pen of one who received 
 his material at first hand. Five years after this mem- 
 orable beginning, Alexander Mack had occasion to 
 put in written form, as we have seen, the principles 
 of the doctrine he had espoused. This little book, 
 " The Rites and Ordinances," after its first appearance 
 in Schwarzenau in 1713, was not reissued either in 
 Europe or America until Christopher Sower brought 
 out his German edition of 1774. To this edition Alex- 
 ander Mack, Jr., prefaced an account of the organi- 
 zation as he had received it from his father. The 
 English edition that appeared in Philadelphia in 1810 
 was a rather free translation of the Sower print. I 
 quote from the German edition of 1774.^ 
 
 It pleased the good and merciful God near the be- 
 ginning of the present century to prosper his saving 
 grace, which has appeared to all men, by many warn- 
 ing voices calling them to repent ; and he thereby 
 awaked many from the death and sleep of sin, who, 
 looking about them for a righteous observance of 
 Christianity, as it is in Christ, were compelled to see 
 with sorrowful eyes its great decay in almost every 
 place. 
 
 Under these conditions they uttered many faithful 
 
 ' Copy In the Bridge-water College library. 
 
 16 
 
Genesis of the Brethren Church 
 
 testimonies of the truth, and established here and there 
 private meetings in addition to the common church 
 organizations, in which the newly-awaked souls sought 
 instruction. As a result of this, however, the envious 
 priesthood embittered the hearts of the rulers, so that 
 persecutions were begun at different places, namely in 
 Switzerland, in Wurtemburg, in the Palatinate, and at 
 other places. To these persecuted exiles the Lord 
 now pointed out a place of refuge, or a little village, 
 in Wittgenstein where, at that time a mildly disposed 
 count was ruling, and where several awakened count- 
 esses also dwelled. 
 
 There was liberty of conscience granted at Schwar- 
 zenau, which is scarcely an hour's journey from Berle- 
 burg. From this cause, although Wittgenstein is a 
 poor and rough country, yet many of the various kinds 
 of people came together at Schwarzenau, and this 
 place, which formerly had been but little regarded, was 
 now suddenly changed into an entirely different es- 
 tate, so that in a few years it became a place celebrated 
 far and wide. However, those who came together 
 there because of the persecutions, although they were 
 distinguished by different opinions, and also different 
 in manners and customs, yet they were at first all 
 called Pietists, and among themselves they called each 
 other Brethren. 
 
 But very soon it appeared that the words of Christ, 
 Matthew 18, where he says : " But if thy brother tres- 
 pass correct him between thyself and him alone," etc., 
 could not be reduced to a proper Christian practice, be- 
 cause there was no established Christian community. 
 
 17 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 Therefore some went back again to the reUgious de- 
 nominations from which they had come, because they 
 could not subject themselves to a stricter Christian dis- 
 cipline. To many the spirit of liberty seemed entirely 
 too great, and appeared to be more dangerous even 
 than the religious organizations which they had left. 
 
 Then some felt themselves powerfully drawn to 
 search out the footsteps of the early Christians, and de- 
 sired heartily to receive in faith the testimonies com- 
 manded by Jesus Christ according to their true worth. 
 At the same time it was revealed to them strongly 
 from within how important the obedience of faith is 
 to a soul that desires to be saved. And this revelation 
 led them at once to the mystery of water baptism, 
 which appeared to them as a door into the church, the 
 thing for which they were so earnestly seeking. In 
 regard to baptism, however, this was spoken of among 
 the Pietists in very different ways, and this fact very 
 many times brought grief to the souls of those that 
 loved the truth. 
 
 This state of things continued until the year 1708, 
 when eight persons agreed with one another to enter 
 into a covenant of a good conscience with God, in 
 order to take up all the commandments of Jesus Christ 
 as an easy yoke, and thus to follow the Lord Jesus, 
 their good and faithful shepherd, in joy and sorrow, 
 as his true sheep, to a blessed end. 
 
 These eight persons were as follows ; namely, five 
 brethren and three sisters. The five brethren were 
 George Grebi, of Hesse Cassel, the first ; Lucas Vet- 
 ter, likewise of Hessia, the second ; the third was Alex- 
 
 18 
 
Genesis of the Brethren Church 
 
 ander Mack, from the Palatinate of Schreisheim, be- 
 tween Mannheim and Heidelberg; the fourth was 
 Andreas Bony, of Basle, in Switzerland ; the fifth, John 
 Kipping, of Bareit, in Wurtemburg. The three sis- 
 ters were Joanna Noethiger, or Bony, the first ; Anna 
 Margaretha Mack, the second ; and Joanna Kipping, 
 the third. These eight persons bound themselves to- 
 gether as brethren and sisters unto the covenant of the 
 cross of Jesus Christ as a church of Christian be- 
 lievers. And when they had found in authentic his- 
 tories that the early Christians, in the first and second 
 centuries, had been planted into the death of the cruci- 
 fied Christ by a three-fold immersion into the watery 
 bath of holy baptism, according to the command of 
 Christ, they then sought industriously in the New Tes- 
 tament, and found everything in it perfectly harmo- 
 nizing with this early practice. Thereupon they were 
 possessed of a longing desire to use this means prac- 
 ticed and commanded by Christ himself, believing that 
 according to his righteous command, it became them to 
 fulfill all righteousness. 
 
 And now the question arose as to who should ad- 
 minister the rite externally unto them. One of their 
 number, who was a leader in expounding the Word in 
 their meetings, had visited in sincere love different 
 congregations of those who believed in immersion 
 (Taufs-gesinnten) in various parts of Germany, the 
 most of whom admitted that immersion in water was 
 indeed right, when employed out of love to Christ ; 
 but they would also eagerly maintain that the pouring 
 
 19 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 of a handful of cold water could likewise be sufficient, 
 provided that everything else were all right. 
 
 Such teaching, however, gave no satisfaction to their 
 consciences. Therefore they requested of him who 
 was their leader in expounding the Word, to be im- 
 mersed on their faith, according to the example of 
 the earliest and best Christians. But he, regarding 
 himself as one who had not been baptized, requested 
 to be baptized first by one of them, before he should 
 administer the rite to another. Therefore they decided 
 to unite in fasting and prayer, in order to obtain from 
 Christ himself, the founder of his holy ordinances, 
 safe direction in this matter, for he (who had been 
 requested to baptize the others) wished to be baptized 
 by the church of Christ, and the others had the same 
 desire. 
 
 In this difficulty they were strengthened by the 
 words of Christ, who had so truthfully said : " Where 
 two or three are gathered together in my name, there 
 am I in the midst of them." With such confidence in 
 the precious and sure promises of God, they cast lots, 
 amidst fasting and prayer, to determine which of the 
 four brethren should baptize the brother who so earn- 
 estly desired to be baptized by the church of Christ. 
 They pledged their word to one another, however, 
 that no one should ever reveal who had been the first 
 among them to administer the rite, so that no one 
 should ever take occasion to call them by the name of 
 any man, because they had already found such foolish- 
 ness reproved by Paul (in his writings) to the Corin- 
 thians. 
 
 20 
 
Genesis of the Brethren Church 
 
 As they were now prepared, the solitary eight went 
 out in the loneliness of the morning to the stream 
 called the Eder, and the brother upon whom the lot had 
 fallen, baptized first the brother who wished to be bap- 
 tized by the church of Christ. When he was baptized, 
 he baptized him by whom he had been baptized, and 
 the remaining three brethren and sisters. Thus were 
 the eight all baptized at an early hour of the morning. 
 
 After they had all come up out of the water and 
 had changed their garments, they were at the same 
 time moved inwardly with great joyfulness, and by 
 grace were deeply impressed with these significant 
 words : " Be ye fruitful and multiply." This took 
 place in the year above mentioned, 1708. But of the 
 month of the year, or the day of the month or week, 
 they have left us no indication. 
 
 After this the above mentioned eight persons were 
 more and more powerfully strengthened in their obedi- 
 ence to the faith they had adopted, and they were en- 
 couraged in their meetings to bear testimony publicly 
 to the truth. Whereupon the Lord granted them his 
 special grace, so that still more became obedient to 
 the faith. Thus within the space of seven years, name- 
 ly by the year 1715, not only was there a large church 
 at Schwarzenau, but also here and there in the Pal- 
 atinate were found lovers of the truth. This was es- 
 pecially the case at Maricnborn, where a church had 
 assembled ; for when a body of members in the Pala- 
 tinate wished to organize, they were persecuted ; then 
 they would go to Marienborn. When the church there 
 became large, it was also persecuted. Then those who 
 
 21 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 had been persecuted collected at Creyfelt, under the 
 king of Prussia ; here they found freedom. 
 
 Within these seven years it pleased God to awaken 
 many laborers among them and send them into his vine- 
 yard, among whom were John Henry Kalkloser of 
 Frankenthal, Christian Libe and Abraham Duboy of 
 Ebstein, John Naas and others of the North, Peter 
 Becker of Dilsheim, and to these associated themselves 
 also John Henry Traut and his brothers, Henry Holt- 
 zapple and Stephen Koch. The most of these came in 
 these seven years to Creyfelt. John Henry Kalkloser, 
 however, and Abraham Duboy came to Schwarzenau, 
 whither also came George Balser Gantz of Umstadt, 
 and Michael Eckerling of Strasburg. 
 
 But as they found favor with God and men on the 
 one hand, so on the other they found enemies of the 
 truth, and persecutions arose here and there because 
 of the Word. There were some who joyfully suffered 
 being robbed of their goods, others had to endure 
 bonds and prisons, some indeed for only a few weeks, 
 but others for an indefinite number of years. Chris- 
 tian Libe was chained on board the galley for a num- 
 ber of years among the evildoers, and was compelled 
 to work the oars. But by God's providence, they have 
 all been delivered from these difficulties with a clear 
 conscience. 
 
 This is enough of the record to give us a clear un- 
 derstanding of this very important transaction. The 
 rest tells of the growth of the church and of the perse- 
 cutions that followed. Heroic men and women they 
 were that formed this first nucleus of the organiza- 
 
 22 
 
Genesis of the Brethren Church 
 
 tion — ^men and women who were willing to stake their 
 all on what they believed to be right. They were not 
 acting from caprice or following an impulse of ex- 
 citement when they took this all-important step ; nei- 
 ther had they led sinful lives and were suddenly con- 
 verted. They had all been members of churches before 
 1708, and were driven to this act by quickened con- 
 sciences because they could find no organization that 
 taught and practiced the divine ordinances as given in 
 the New Testament. Mack, Greby, Bony, and Vetter 
 had been members of the Reformed church ; Kipping 
 was a Lutheran. Following the principles of Erasmus 
 in the days of Luther, they had sought to correct the 
 abuses from within the church, but at length gave up 
 the eflfort as impossible. So the only thing left them 
 was to form a new organization based upon the prin- 
 ciples of the New Testament as careful study and di- 
 vine guidance had interpreted them to them. This they 
 proceeded to do in the manner that we have seen. 
 
 After the organization the church was wonderfully 
 blessed of God. The membership increased rapidly, 
 and branch congregations were established at various 
 places. In a few years there were organized churches, 
 in addition to the mother church at Schwarzenau, in 
 Marienborn, Epstein, Creyfelt, Surestervain, and in 
 several parts of Switzerland and Holland. It is not 
 possible to follow those congregations in detail, how- 
 ever, as persecutions constantly drove the members 
 from one place to another, so that the same persons 
 are frequently found in several congregations near the 
 same time. 
 
 23 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 At times whole congregations were driven out and 
 went almost bodily to a new location. This was the 
 case in 1715 when the church at Marienborn fled for 
 protection to Creyfelt. Again in 1720 the Schwar- 
 zenau congregation found life intolerable in their orig- 
 inal church home and the whole body of members 
 escaped into West Friesland. Generally, however, the 
 persecutions in the new position were no less severe 
 than those from which they had fled. In 1714 certain 
 members of a Reformed congregation near Creyfelt 
 became dissatisfied with the practices of the church as 
 regards the mode of baptism, and also as to the va- 
 lidity of infant baptism. As a result they applied to the 
 Taufers at Creyfelt for membership and were received 
 into the church by trine immersion. This led to great 
 confusion. The synods of the state churches made 
 loud protestations. The civil government took the 
 matter in hand and summoned the six persons before 
 the court to answer for their actions. The judge was 
 a Catholic, and the six persons were condemned and 
 thrown into prison at Diisseldorf. They were sen- 
 tenced to hard labor, and for four long years they 
 suflfered all kinds of privations and hardships for con- 
 science' sake. This is but one of the numerous in- 
 stances that might be cited of the persecution and un- 
 just treatment they constantly endured. 
 
 That these persecutions were in no sense de- 
 served, but sprang from prejudice and spiritual blind- 
 ness is attested by a state document of the time. The 
 governor of the Schwarzenau district in 1720, in 
 preparing his official report to the Imperial Treasurer 
 
 24 
 
Genesis of the Brethren Church 
 
 took occasion to observe that " for a while pious peo- 
 ple have been Hving here, of whom we never heard 
 anything evil. They kept themselves very quiet and re- 
 tired and no man ever made any complaint of them. 
 Lately forty families of them, about 200 persons, have 
 moved out of the country."^ 
 
 It will be observed that this was written the very 
 year in which the church fled from Schwarzenau to 
 West Friesland. This shows how prejudice controlled 
 the actions even of generous minded rulers and al- 
 lowed persecutions to be inflicted on innocent people 
 with whom they found no fault and whose conduct 
 was above reproach. 
 
 The number of members in Europe will never be 
 known. That they were numerous is certain. The 
 largest list yet made contains only two hundred and 
 fifty-five names f but it is evident that this is but a 
 fraction of the whole number. 
 
 To live out consistently in Germany the principles 
 of the German Baptists during the first half of the 
 eighteenth century was nearly if not altogether impos- 
 sible. The persecution that the members had to endure 
 operated in one or the other of two directions : it 
 either drove them out of Europe or persecuted them 
 back into their former ways, or, it may be added, into 
 infidelity. 
 
 Amidst their hardships it is not remarkable that 
 they looked with longing eyes towards America; and 
 it was here that they first found that spiritual freedom 
 
 » Ooebel's Oeschlchtp des Chrlstllchen Lebens. 
 'Brumbaugh's History of the Brethren. 
 
 2o 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 which their souls so much longed for. The first group 
 came in 1719. They were a part of the Creyfelt con- 
 gregation, consisting of about twenty families. Peter 
 Becker was their leader. He was a minister in Ger- 
 many and became the first elder among the Brethren 
 in the New World. He was not a great preacher but 
 was a man of deep piety, and a gifted singer. 
 
 The voyage is said to have been a stormy one, but 
 definite information in regard to it is almost entirely 
 wanting. They landed at Philadelphia and then moved 
 on to Germantown, a place with which they, as a peo- 
 ple, have been inseparably connected from that time 
 to the present. Here the first congregation in Amer- 
 ica was organized. Here was erected the first church 
 building among the Brethren in the New World. ^ It 
 is still used as a Brethren church and is in good re- 
 pair. Here was the first great printing establishment 
 (the Sower press), and the first centre of missionary 
 and Hterary activity among them. This was the first 
 centre, and from here they moved out to form other 
 settlements. Very soon some of them had located in 
 the Skippack valley, at Falckner's Swamp, and at 
 Oley. 
 
 Ten years after this first group had established 
 themselves in Pennsylvania, the original Schwarzenau 
 congregation, which had fled to West Friesland in 
 1720 to escape persecution, decided to cast their lot 
 with their brethren in the New World. This was the 
 mother church, and Alexander Mack had been their 
 pastor and leader all the while. As we have seen, the 
 
 »Bunt in 1770. 
 
 26 
 
Genesis of the Brethren Church 
 
 entire congregation fled with him from Schwarzenau 
 to Friesland. Now in their last elifort to find spiritual 
 freedom their ranks still remained unbroken. The 
 entire congregation came, consisting of fifty-nine fam- 
 ilies, one hundred and twenty-six souls in all. 
 
 They sailed from Rotterdam July 7, 1729, in the 
 ship Allen, under the command of James Craigie. 
 They touched at Cowes, and after a stormy voyage 
 of seventy-one days landed at Philadelphia, Sept. 15. 
 Here they took the oath of allegiance to King George 
 II. and became British subjects. 
 
 Mack and his company were received at German- 
 town with great rejoicing. The church there was 
 strengthened and encouraged as never before. The 
 newcomers found at last a home of rest from their 
 wanderings and persecutions, and were happy in the 
 associations of their brethren. Bishop Mack at once 
 assumed the leadership and direction of the church at 
 Germantown, over which he presided with great wis- 
 dom and skill until his death in 1735. 
 
 After the emigration of the Schwarzenau congrega- 
 tion from West Friesland to Germantown in 1729, the 
 chief centre of the German Baptists in Europe was at 
 Creyfelt. Here Elder John Naas had been the leader 
 and had built up a strong church but now Elder Chris- 
 tian Libe was in charge. The members were continu- 
 ally harassed by persecutions and oppressions, so that 
 the church did not increase. In fact ever since the de- 
 parture of that first group for America in 1719, under 
 Peter Becker, their strength had gradually declined. 
 
 In 1733 Elder Naas with a small group of members 
 27 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 also came to America. He was the last really strong 
 leader in Europe, and after his departure the work 
 there gradually dwindled away. Christian Libe, the 
 only elder now remaining in Europe, was not cast in 
 the heroic mold. He found the persecutions greater 
 than he could endure. He lost interest in the work of 
 the church, gave up the struggle to live a godly life, 
 and became a wine merchant. The members gradu- 
 ally fell away or died so that in twenty-five years after 
 the church had been established, organized efifort in 
 Europe was at an end. 
 
 Thanks be to God, however, in the meantime it had 
 been firmly planted on American soil. The German- 
 town congregation was organized in 1723 on Christ- 
 mas day. The year following, two other congrega- 
 tions were established ; one at Coventry in September, 
 and another on the Conestoga in November. Peter 
 Becker, the elder in charge at Germantown, was the 
 first minister to both. In 1729 the White Oak congrega- 
 tion was organized in Lancaster county. In 1732 
 Peter Becker preached at Oley, baptized several mem- 
 bers and organized them into a congregation. The 
 next year Elder John Naas organized a church at Am- 
 well in New Jersey and another at Great Swamp, in 
 Bucks county, Pennsylvania. 
 
 So within fourteen years from the arrival of the first 
 company under Peter Becker, the Brethren church 
 had been firmly established in several counties of 
 Pennsylvania and in New Jersey. From these centres 
 it has spread west and south until churches have been 
 established in most of the states of the Union. 
 
 28 
 
Genesis of the Brethren Church 
 
 It is not the purpose of this sketch to trace these 
 people further than to their establishment in the United 
 States. How this was done we have now seen. I 
 cannot close this chapter, however, without a state- 
 ment of the principles of the church whose literary 
 work we are now to investigate. 
 
 The German Baptist Brethren hold a unique place in 
 history. They are Protestants in the fullest sense of 
 the term. As the Protestants were originally those 
 that protested against the oppression and corruptions 
 of the Catholic church, in the sixteenth century, and 
 separated themselves from their communion, so the 
 German Baptists were those who protested against the 
 oppression, errors, and lack of spirituality in the es- 
 tablished Protestant churches of the early eighteenth 
 century. As they could not reconcile the intolerance 
 of the churches with the spirit of Christ, or many of 
 her practices with the teachings of Christ, they were 
 consequently without a church home. 
 
 On the other hand they could not go full lengths 
 with the Pietists, or Quakers, as they were later called 
 in England, and make Christianity wholly a matter of 
 the spirit. So far as the spirituality of worship is con- 
 cerned ihey were at one with the Pietists, but they felt 
 that this in itself was not sufficient. Their study of 
 the Bible had taught them that the ordinances of the 
 New Testament were given for the followers of Christ 
 to observe. And they felt it incumbent upon them as 
 humble followers of the Master to obey him implicitly 
 in all things. 
 
 So the only course left for them was to organize 
 29 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 a church in which piety and spirituaHty might have 
 free course, and yet in which they could practice all 
 the rites and ordinances taught in the New Testament. 
 These then were the two cardinal principles that led 
 to the organization of the Brethren church : spirituality 
 in worship and the observance of all the ordinances of 
 the New Testament. 
 
 They refused to form a creed, lest they should omit 
 something essential, a fact for which they were once 
 commended by Benjamin Franklin. But they adopted 
 the New Testament as their creed, and try to follow 
 its teachings in all things. They interpret the Scrip- 
 tures literally, except where a figurative interpretation 
 is obviously intended. While exercising charity to- 
 wards all and antagonizing none, they believe that the 
 Bible means just what it says, and that it is the duty 
 of Christian people to obey its teachings in word as 
 well as in spirit. They practice the literal form of the 
 different ordinances at the same time that they seek 
 to obtain the spiritual blessing from their observance. 
 
 Elder D. L. Miller, editor of The Gospel Messen- 
 ger and author of some half-dozen books of travel 
 and experience in Bible lands, has written a tract set- 
 ting forth the principles and doctrines of the church 
 in a concise form. From this I will make some ex- 
 tracts which, I am sure, will be welcome to the reader, 
 and will form a fitting conclusion to this chapter. 
 
 Faith and Practice. 
 
 The Brethren hold the Bible to be the inspired and 
 infallible Word of God, and accept the New Testa- 
 
 30 
 
Genesis of the Brethren Church 
 
 ment as their rule of faith and practice. In the sub- 
 tleties of speculative theology the church takes but lit- 
 tle interest. She is chiefly concerned in giving willing 
 and cheerful obedience to the plain, simple command- 
 ments of Christ Jesus. The Brethren are, in every re- 
 spect, evangelical in their faith. They believe in the 
 Trinity, in the divinity of Christ and of the Holy 
 Spirit, and in future rewards and punishments. Faith, 
 repentance and baptism are held to be conditions of 
 salvation. These three constitute evangelical conver- 
 sion, and upon them rests the promise of the forgive- 
 ness of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 Baptism. 
 
 Baptism is administered by trine immersion. After 
 being instructed in the principles of the Gospel, and 
 having faithfully promised to observe the same, the ap- 
 plicant is taken down into the water, and, kneeling, 
 reaffirms his faith in Christ and promises to live faith- 
 ful until death. He is then baptized for the remission 
 of his sins, into the name of the Father, and of the 
 Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; the administrator im- 
 mersing the applicant face forward at the mention of 
 each name in the Trinity. The administrator then lays 
 his hands on the head of the kneeling candidate and 
 offers a brief prayer in behalf of the one baptized, and 
 he arises to be greeted as a brother, with the right 
 hand of fellowship and the kiss of love, to walk in 
 newness of life. 
 
 The Brethren follow closely the practice of the apos- 
 tolic church, and admit none into fellowship until 
 
 31 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 they have been baptized. In the language of Peter 
 to the Pentccostians they tell all believers to " repent, 
 and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the 
 remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the 
 Holy Ghost." Acts 2: 38. Holding that baptism is 
 only for believers, and those who have repented, they 
 oppose infant baptism. Infants can neither believe 
 nor repent, hence they are not proper subjects for bap- 
 tism. Christ having sufficiently atoned for them, all 
 children who die before coming to a knowledge of 
 good and evil will be saved. 
 
 In defense of trine immersion they hold that the 
 great commission, given by Christ, and recorded in 
 Matt. 28 : 19, Revised Version, " Baptizing them into 
 the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
 Holy Ghost," teaches a threefold action. As there 
 are three persons in the Trinity, each one of the Divine 
 Three is honored in this form of baptism. As the three 
 Persons constitute one God, and a belief in each of 
 these one faith, so the three dippings constitute one 
 baptism. In favor of their practice they have the 
 testimony of all Greek scholars, who have examined 
 the subject, the practice of the entire Greek church, 
 and reliable history. These all show that trine im- 
 mersion was the almost universal mode of baptism for 
 centuries succeeding the apostolic age. Changes were 
 gradually made from trine immersion to sprinkling, 
 but the church that made the change, the Roman Cath- 
 olic, still retains the three actions in applying water to 
 the candidate. Nearly all the Protestant churches that 
 practice sprinkling retain the same form, thus testify- 
 
 32 
 
Genesis of the Brethren Church 
 
 ing to the truth that the commission teaches a three- 
 fold action in baptism. Their baptism is accepted as 
 valid by all religious denominations of any note what- 
 ever. 
 
 The Agape, or Feast of Love. 
 
 The evening before his death, our Blessed Master, 
 after having washed his disciples' feet, ate a supper 
 with them and instituted, in connection with this sacred 
 meal, the Communion, — the bread and cup. The apos- 
 tles, led by the Holy Spirit, followed the example of 
 their Great Leader and introduced the agape into the 
 apostolic church. This feast of love, of which all the 
 Christians partook, was a full meal, was eaten in the 
 evening, and is called by the apostle Paul the Lord's 
 Supper. The Communion of the bread and wine was 
 given in connection with this meal. The love-feast 
 was kept up in the primitive church for four centuries, 
 but as the church grew in numbers and wealth, it lost 
 its first love and spirit of fraternity, and the feasts 
 of love were discontinued. The Brethren, in their re- 
 formatory movement in 1708 restored these love-feasts, 
 and in this particular still follow the example of 
 Christ and the practice of the apostles and primitive 
 Christians, and keep the feast of love. A full meal 
 is prepared and placed upon the table, used for that 
 purpose, in the church, and all the members partake 
 of the supper. 
 
 Feet-Washing. 
 
 Before eating supper, the religious rite of washing 
 feet is observed. Their authority for this practice is 
 
 33 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 found in John 13: 1-17, "He riseth from supper, and 
 laid aside his garments ; and took a towel and girded 
 himself. After that he poureth water into a basin, 
 and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them 
 with the towel wherewith he was girded. ... If 
 I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet ; 
 ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have 
 given you an example, that ye should do as I have 
 done to you." The Brethren do not stand alone in the 
 practice of this rite. The Greek church, with ninety 
 million communicants, has adhered to feet-washing, 
 as she claims, ever since the days of the apostles, and 
 the patriarch of Jerusalem engages in feet-washing to- 
 day near the spot where Jesus himself gave the ex- 
 ample and the precept. 
 
 In their practice of the ordinance of feet-washing 
 at love-feast occasions the Brethren follow very closely 
 the example of the Master. Water is poured into a 
 basin, a brother girds himself with a towel and washes 
 and wipes his brother's bared feet, and in turn has his 
 feet washed. The rite is in this way performed over 
 the entire congregation. The sisters wash the sisters' 
 feet and all the proprieties of the sexes are most rigid- 
 ly observed. By this ordinance the gospel principle 
 of humility is set forth and by its observance all are 
 placed on a common level. The rich and poor stand 
 alike together in the great Brotherhood established by 
 Christ. 
 
 The Supper. 
 
 After observing the ceremony of feet-washing, a 
 blessing is asked upon the simple meal soread on the 
 
 34 
 
Genesis of the Brethren Church 
 
 tables, and it is eaten with solemnity. It is held to be 
 typical of the great supper at the end of the world, 
 when Christ himself will be master of ceremonies. The 
 important lesson is taught that we are all children of 
 one common family, members of one common brother- 
 hood, having one common purpose in view, and the 
 bond of fraternity and loving fellowship is shown 
 by eating together this sacred meal as did Christ and 
 his disciples and as did the primitive Christians. At 
 the conclusion of the meal thanks are returned and 
 then as the members are seated around the table, the 
 right hand of fellowship and the kiss of charity are 
 given. The salutation of the kiss of love in worship 
 and in customary greetings, as enjoined by the apos- 
 tles, is never observed between the sexes. 
 
 The Communion. 
 
 The Communion is then administered. This con- 
 sists in partaking of the bread and wine in commem- 
 oration of the sufferings and death of our adorable Re- 
 deemer. In the Lord's Supper we are pointed for- 
 ward to the evening of the world, to the great reunion 
 of the saints. In the Communion we are pointed back 
 to the cross. The emblems are passed from hand to 
 hand by the brethren, while the officiating minister 
 breaks the bread and passes the cup to the sisters. 
 After this a season of earnest devotion follows, and 
 then a hymn is sung and the services are closed for 
 the evening. Love-feasts are held in each congrega- 
 tion usually once or twice each year, but as the mem- 
 
 35 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 bers visit from congregation to congregation, during 
 the love-feast season, they engage many times in this 
 service during the year. 
 
 36 
 
CHAPTER IL 
 
 CHRISTOPHER SOWER ESTABLISHES A PRINTING PRESS 
 AT GERMANTOWN. 
 
 The secluded region of the Conestoga \'alley, in 
 the depths of the Pennsylvania forests, was, in the 
 early years of the eighteenth century, well on the 
 frontier of American civilization. Here in the spring 
 of 1726 came a modest German immigrant to start life 
 on the wilds of the American frontier. He was ac- 
 companied by his wife and five-year-old son, and 
 sought to establish a home in one of the fertile val- 
 leys under the dominion of the mild and peace-loving 
 Penn. He was scarcely more than an adventurer, 
 having before tried two or three occupations with in- 
 diflFerent success. Now he was going to turn his at- 
 tention to farming in the valley of the Conestoga. 
 
 Accordingly he bought of one, Simon Konig, a lit- 
 tle farm of fifty acres, lying in a long strip on both 
 sides of Mill Creek, in what is now Leacock township 
 in Lancaster county. Here he built for his habitation 
 an humble dwelling, and began the life of a frontiers- 
 man. Naturally there were many hardships and priva- 
 tions to endure. But he soon settled into the routine 
 of agricultural pursuits with every prospect of end- 
 ing his days as an humble tiller of the soil. Little would 
 any one have thought at this time that this unpreten- 
 tious small farmer should come to be a leader in shap- 
 
 37 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 ing the political and religious thought of his day; yet 
 such was the unsuspected blessing that Providence had 
 in store for him. This obscure person was no other 
 than Christopher Sower, who became the first German 
 printer in America, " and through his press wielded 
 an influence among the Sectarians in the Province 
 greater than that of any other person or organiza- 
 tion." 
 
 To Christopher Sower belongs the honor of having 
 transplanted German culture and German printing 
 into the New World. In book-making he was the first 
 to use German type, and he edited and printed the 
 first German newspaper in America. Andrew Brad- 
 ford and Benjamin Franklin each did German print- 
 ing in Philadelphia a few years before Sower set up 
 his press in Germantown, but they used the Roman 
 type and never reached a large constituency. Sower 
 threw himself body and soul into his enterprise, and 
 issued books, pamphlets, newspapers, magazines, al- 
 manacs in great profusion. Not only was his press a 
 prolific one, but the output was governed b}- an al- 
 most faultless judgment as to what was best for the 
 German inhabitants of the New World. He was 
 actuated by the high purpose of providing the most 
 useful reading matter for his fellow countrymen in 
 their new environments. He undertook projects for 
 their good that seemed doomed to certain falure, yet 
 by ,his indomitable energy and perseverance n^ere car- 
 ried to successful issues. 
 
 He was a man far in advance of his tirre. While 
 boldly and fearlessly upholding the religious princi- 
 
 38 
 
Christopher Sower's Printing Press 
 
 pies that he had espoused, he had the happy faculty 
 of winning the confidence and admiration of the Ger- 
 man immigrants everywhere, regardless of sect or 
 creed. His interests and sympathies went out to all 
 the new and trying conditions that beset his country- 
 men in their new environment. In his publications he 
 sought to give such instruction in religion, politics, 
 social and economic life as would lead to the greatest 
 domestic happiness and the best citizenship. He far 
 transcended the boundaries of sect or party, and 
 soon found himself the acknowledged champion of 
 whatever was best politically, socially, morally, reli- 
 giously, for his countrymen. 
 
 In the complex web of what we call American civili- 
 zation it is impossible to trace the different lines of 
 influence that have gone out from the life and labors 
 of this great and good man. In a thousand ways that 
 we know not of his eflforts modified and improved the 
 conditions of his time, of which we today are enjoying 
 the happy fruits. He shunned publicity, choosing 
 rather to live in quiet and work in peace. Yet his 
 silent influence started many a rill that has come down 
 to us as a mighty flood of blessing, mingling benefi- 
 cently with the higher elements of our American civili- 
 zation. In the religious, political, educational, social 
 and public life of his day he was a prominent figure, 
 moving in easy familiarity and on equal footing with 
 the leading statesmen and educators of his time. There 
 was scarcely an important phase of life in his day that 
 he did not touch, and to use Johnson's words in regard 
 to Goldsmith, " Whatever he touched he adorned." 
 
 39 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 The career of this great man is full of interest and 
 instruction, and in some parts seems more like fiction 
 than fact. But as the present work is in no sense a 
 biography, many of the most interesting events of 
 his life must be passed over in silence, or referred 
 to only incidentally, as they are related to his career 
 as publisher. Dr. M. G. Brumbaugh has announced 
 a forthcoming work on " The Life and Labors of the 
 two Christopher Sowers," which will doubtless set 
 forth his many-sided greatness in a deserving light. 
 It is not the intention or desire of the present writer 
 to infringe upon this field, but to confine himself to 
 the restricted limits of his own line of investigation. 
 
 In this chapter I desire to tell the story of the erec- 
 tion and establishment of the Sower press, and ex- 
 plain, as far as possible, the mysteries and difficulties 
 connected with doing this. In order to present this 
 important transaction with even approximate clear- 
 ness, it will be necessary to relate the leading facts in 
 the early life of Christopher Sower, and see what man- 
 ner of man it was that afterwards became such a pow- 
 er among the German inhabitants of the New World. 
 
 Christopher Sower was born at Laasphe, in Witt- 
 genstein, in the province of Westphalia, Germany, in 
 1693. This was a time of great social and religious 
 unrest. The formalism and want of spirituality in 
 the state churches was roundly denounced by many 
 awakened souls who longed and worked for a fuller 
 spiritual life. Against these, on the other hand, the 
 bloody hand of persecution was raised. Church and 
 state joined in unholy alliance to crush out opposition 
 
 40 
 
Christopher Sower's Printing Press 
 
 to the established order of things. Yet despite this 
 fact, men on fire with holy zeal went everywhere pro- 
 claiming Christ, and denouncing the frigid ritualism 
 with which their spirits were oppressed. 
 
 In this atmosphere of discussion and persecution, 
 the early years of Sower were spent. He was early at- 
 tracted to the Dissenters, and had warm friends 
 among the Dunkers. At the time the Dunker Church 
 was organized, in 1708, Christopher Sower was fifteen 
 years of age, and it is probable that he knew personally 
 all of the eight original members. At any rate he was 
 on intimate terms a little later with such leaders as 
 Alexander Mack, Peter Becker and others. When he 
 joined the church is a matter not yet definitely set- 
 tled. 
 
 As to his educational opportunities and attainments, 
 there has been a good deal of conjecture and some 
 wild guessing, but not much is known. He has been 
 credited with a university education and with gradua- 
 tion from a medical college. But such statements un- 
 supported by evidence, of course count for little ; and 
 the fact that the evidence has not been produced is a 
 pretty clear indication that it does not exist. Sower's 
 attainments in later life were such as to lend a shade 
 of probability to these conjectures, but these attain- 
 ments are better accounted for on other grounds. 
 
 From all that can be learned Christopher Sower 
 sprang from humble parentage. He doubtless received 
 such education as the schools of his native town pro- 
 vided. That he was well drilled in the rudiments of 
 language and science is beyond question. But that he 
 
 41 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 acquired more than the rudiments in early life is high- 
 ly improbable. Nowhere have I found in his writings 
 the marks of scholarship. He was distinctly a self- 
 made man. His approach to any subject is that of a 
 practical man of affairs and not that of a scholar. 
 
 In early life he learned the trade of tailor, and it 
 was doubtless this that he relied upon for a liveli- 
 hood when he came to this country in the autumn of 
 1724. He settled in Germantown and in all probability 
 pursued his trade. In this way he passed the follow- 
 ing two winters and the intervening summer. He 
 lived in such humble obscurity as was naturally the 
 lot of a German immigrant without means or influen- 
 tial friends. The details of this period are unknown, 
 but it is altogether probable that during the long win- 
 ter evenings he was cultivating some of the various 
 accomplishments for which he afterwards became fa- 
 mous. Of these more hereafter. 
 
 His tailoring establishment in Germantown did not 
 prove a success. So he decided to turn farmer. His 
 practical wisdom taught him that the best farming 
 land is found in the river valleys. Consequently in 
 the spring of 1726 he gathered together his scanty 
 belongings and with his family pushed westward into 
 the Conestoga valley as we have seen. The place 
 where he located is pointed out today in Lancaster 
 county. Here he came in contact with the Ephrata 
 community, with whose adherents he had friendly in- 
 tercourse, but he found little sympathy with many of 
 their practices. As a farmer he prospered. The next 
 .^l ^ear after his arrival he hired to work on his farm, 
 
 42 
 
Christopher Sower's Printing Press 
 
 Israel Eckerling. who afterwards became a leader at 
 Ephrata. 
 
 A statement by this man Eckerling in the Chronicon 
 Ephratense makes it highly probable that Sower joined 
 the Dunker church about this time. After speaking 
 of his arrival in the Conestoga valley and the religious 
 sects that he found there, Eckerling continues : " After 
 that I worked for Christopher Sower, who brought 
 me to a meeting of the new congregation, at which 
 I was strengthened in my good resolve to such a de- 
 gree by the words of the Superintendent, that on 
 Whitsuntide of the year 1728, I was incorporated in 
 the new congregation by holy baptism, together with 
 my master and another brother, Jacob Gass by name." 
 The context makes it clear beyond question that the 
 new congregation here referred to was that of the 
 Dunkers, which had been organized some three years 
 before and over vv'hich Conrad Beissel now presided. 
 The only uncertainty about the matter is the bare pos- 
 sibility that Eckerling might have meant by the words 
 " my master " some one other than Sower. But 
 then the question comes, whom else could he have 
 meant? This point the reader will have to settle for 
 himself. 
 
 If this may be accepted as sufficient evidence that 
 Sower at this time received baptism at the hands of 
 Beissel, it clears up a much-controverted point. In 
 1728 Whitsuntide fell on the 9th of June, which, con- 
 sidering the evidence sufficient, we may henceforth 
 regard as the anniversary of Sower's admission into 
 the church. It was in December of this same year 
 
 43 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 (1728) that Beissel withdrew from the Dunkers and 
 set up for himself.^ As Sower had been received about 
 six months before this, while Beissel was still a regu- 
 lar minister in the Dunker church and in charge of the 
 Conestoga congregation, it follows that Sower's ad- 
 mission was in every way regular and legal. After the 
 division Eckerling and Gass became disciples of Beis- 
 sel, but Sower remained loyal to the principles he had 
 accepted, and after a few 'years removed from the 
 neighborhood of these misguided and visionary her- 
 mits. 
 
 Meanwhile there was great religious activity in the 
 Conestoga valley. The followers of Beissel, or Sab- 
 batarians, began a religious crusade with fiery zeal. 
 Revival meetings were frequent and enthusiastic. 
 Proselyting went on actively ; not without many hin- 
 drances, however. Nor were the hindrances from with- 
 out more determined, frequently, than those from with- 
 in. The solitary brethren could not determine among 
 themselves what they really believed. Long and heat- 
 ed were the discussions among them on such contro- 
 verted points as original sin, the judgments of God, 
 or final doom. These discussions were sometimes very 
 exciting and caused great trouble. There is one in- 
 stance on record in which one of the disputants was 
 so affected by a controversy in which he participated 
 that he died soon after from the effects of it. 
 
 No wonder a man of Sower's practical sense held 
 
 ' For an account of this separation and the relation of the 
 Ephrata Society to the Dunkers see extended note at the end 
 of this chapter. 
 
 44 
 
Christopher Sower's Printing Press 
 
 aloof from such enthusiasts. While he refrained 
 from taking any part in these bitter discussions, yet 
 the unrest and excitement they engendered were not 
 without their sorrowful influence upon him. In the 
 summer of 1730 a scandal gained currency which in- 
 culpated Beissel and two young ladies who had moved 
 to the neighborhood of his dwelling for instruction 
 and spiritual consolation. This plunged the community 
 into still greater excitement. Beissel and the girls 
 were honorably acquitted, but the case had so in- 
 censed Beissel that he forthwith wrote and published 
 a little tract which he entitled. Die Ehe das Zuch- 
 thaus iieischlicher Menschen (Marriage the Peni- 
 tentiary of Carnal Man). As an immediate result of 
 the excitement and of the issue of this pamphlet two 
 married women of the neighborhood left their hus- 
 bands and went into retirement. One of these was 
 Maria Christina, wife of Christopher Sower, who, 
 tradition says, had been baptized by Beissel in 1726, 
 soon after the arrival of the Sowers in the valley of 
 the Conestoga. Now further influenced by the teach- 
 ings of the mystic, she deserted home, husband and 
 child, to follow the fortunes and vagaries of the en- 
 thusiast. 
 
 The winter of 1730-1731 must have been a long 
 and dreary one for Christopher Sower. His little 
 cabin on the bank of Mill Creek, once the abode of 
 happiness and comfort, seemed peculiarly barren and 
 desolate to him as he sat by the fire in the long win- 
 ter evenings with his nine-year-old son by his side 
 and thought of the wife and mother only a little way 
 
 45 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 off, held under a spell of mystic influence with 
 which he could feel no sympathy. And when he re- 
 membered the strife and contention which had iilled 
 the neighborhood almost since his arrival, surpassing 
 in fierceness at times the cold blasts of December that 
 swept down the Miihlbach, carrying the icy chill into 
 the midst of his home and heaping up the snow in 
 great drifts about his doorway ; or when the angry 
 howl of the wolf rang out on the night air, a fit em- 
 blem of the fierce passions of his neighbors, his 
 heart almost sank within him. With these discour- 
 agements we are not surprised that when spring again 
 returned he disposed of his farm and returned with 
 his son to Germantown, whence he had come five 
 years before. 
 
 The next seven years are an important part of his 
 history, being the period of preparation, so to speak, 
 for his renowned career as editor and publisher. 
 Having already changed his occupation several times, 
 it was perhaps not difficult for him to do so again. 
 But it seems he was not in a hurry to settle upon a 
 new line of work. With powers of mind now well 
 matured and religious convictions fully settled, he 
 cast about for a time, testing his powers and inclina- 
 tions before selecting a vocation. That he tried a 
 number of things in the years following his return to 
 Germantown there is abundant evidence. 
 
 He learned the carpenter's trade. Soon, too, he was 
 described as a skilled wheelwright and cabinet-maker. 
 And it was not long until he added to these accom- 
 plishments that of clock-making. In this last he be- 
 
 46 
 
Christopher Sower's Printing Press 
 
 came very proficient. He manufactured timepieces of 
 various designs and sizes. For a time this seems to 
 have been his principal occupation, as the sign over 
 his door bore the inscription, " Christoph Saur, Uhr- 
 macher." 
 
 The art of clock-making he learned from Dr. Chris- 
 topher Witt, with whom he lived for a time after his 
 return from the Conestoga country. Dr. Witt is cred- 
 ited with having built the first tower clock in this 
 country, the curious timepiece at Ephrata, bearing the 
 legend: " C. W. 1735." The Doctor was also some- 
 thing of a philosopher, with decided mystical tenden- 
 cies. He gave instruction in physics, medicine and the 
 occult sciences. He was a very learned man for his 
 time and country, and his influence on Sower was very 
 pronounced, and in the main beneficial. 
 
 Under his tuition Sower began the study of the 
 plants about Germantown. This proved to be won- 
 derfully fascinating to him. He became skilled as a 
 botanist, but his study of plants was not that of a 
 scientist. He cared less for scientific distinctions and 
 classifications than for medicinal properties. This lat- 
 ter led him far afield. He did original work here for 
 which he has never received credit. Naturally, along 
 with his study of plants and their medical properties, 
 he was led to the compounding of vegetable remedies, 
 for which he later became famous. His medicines met 
 with such universal favor and the demand for them 
 was so pronounced that he continued to manufacture 
 them until late in life. Even after he had become 
 known in two hemispheres as a great publisher and 
 
 47 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 book-maker, he still kept a small room in his printing 
 establishment in Germantown where these remedies 
 might be procured. 
 
 From the fact that he manufactured medicines and 
 sometimes performed simple surgical operations, such 
 as letting blood, it has been thought by some that he 
 was a doctor of medicine and that he at times practiced 
 his profession. It has even been printed in books that 
 he studied medicine at Halle in Germany. There is 
 no evidence, however, to show that he ever studied 
 medicine anywhere as such. His study of botany and 
 natural history, at first under the direction of Dr. 
 Witt, later independently, led him to acquire all the 
 medical knowledge he ever possessed. 
 
 Sower was one of those persons who develop slow- 
 ly and do not attain the full maturity of their powers 
 until late in life. As we have seen, his accomplish- 
 ments were due largely to his own private study and 
 work. He was emphatically a self-made man. A 
 statement in the Acta Historico-Ecclesiastica, quoted 
 by Professor Seidensticker,^ evidences the many-sided- 
 ness of his mechanical skill, and confirms the belief 
 that his accomplishments were the result of his own 
 private study. From the Professor's account I trans- 
 late as follows : 
 
 " He (Sower) is a very ingenious man, a separa- 
 tist, who has learned thirty trades without a teacher. 
 For he came to America as a tailor and now he is a 
 printer, an apothecary, a surgeon, a botanist, a man- 
 ufacturer of clocks and watches, a cabinet-maker, a 
 
 ^ Geschichtsblatter, 2 Band. 
 
 48 
 
Christopher Sower's Printing Press 
 
 book-binder, the writer of a newspaper who himself 
 manufactured the entire equipment of his printing es- 
 tablishment, a drawer of wire and lead, a manufactur- 
 er of paper, etc., etc." 
 
 Soon after his return from the Miihlbach valley, 
 Sower leased a piece of ground in Germantown and 
 built a small house upon it. The tract contained six 
 acres and fronted on what is now Germantown Ave- 
 nue. The house he erected was two stories high and 
 stood back some distance from the street, with the 
 gable towards the street. In this building he estab- 
 lished his printing press in 1738, and for a dozen years 
 after this it served him both as a dwelling and a print- 
 ing establishment. 
 
 When Christopher Sower first conceived the idea of 
 establishing a German printing press in America is not 
 known. It is not improbable, however, that the pos- 
 sibility of such a thing came to him before he left the 
 Miihlbach valley in 1731. During his residence in the 
 neighborhood of Ephrata the Zionitic Brotherhood 
 had brought out two hymn books, which Benjamin 
 Franklin had printed for them in Philadelphia. The 
 relations between Franklin and the Brotherhood had, 
 however, not been cordial, owing chiefly, it would 
 seem, to his contempt for the " Dutch," as he called 
 the Germans. 
 
 When Franklin announced his intention to publish 
 Die Philadelphische Zcitung on June 11 of the next 
 year (1732), the need of such an establishment was, 
 in all probability, still more forcibly suggested to 
 Sower. It was clear to his mind, as future develop- 
 
 49 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 ments will show, that a German newspaper controlled 
 by a man who hated everything German as cordially 
 as Franklin seemed to do was not calculated to ad- 
 vance what he regarded to be the best interests of his 
 countrymen. There is evidence that from this time he 
 began to plan and work to the end of establishing a 
 press of his own. 
 
 In passing it should be observed in regard to Frank- 
 lin's paper that it was the first newspaper in America 
 printed in the German language. But it was not print- 
 ed with German letters. Franklin had no German type 
 until more than ten years after this, receiving the first 
 from Christopher Sower soon after he had finished 
 printing his Bible in 1743. The Philadelphische 
 Zeitung was printed in Roman characters, and pur- 
 ported to be a translation of Franklin's English paper, 
 the Pennsylvania Gazette. It was issued on Saturdays 
 and seems to have been a weekly. Franklin's purpose 
 at first, however, was to issue it only every two weeks, 
 as his announcement shows. After stating that the 
 Gazette will appear on the following Monday, he 
 adds, " And on the Saturday following will be pub- 
 lished Philadelphische Zeitung, or Newpaper in High- 
 German, which will continue to be published on Sat- 
 urdays once a fortnight." 
 
 Franklin's paper does not seem to have been a suc- 
 cess. It never became popular among the German 
 settlers nor did it ever reach a large circulation. That 
 there was room for a German newspaper in the colo- 
 nies, however, is shown by the enthusiastic reception ac- 
 corded Sower's venture along this line a few years 
 
 50 
 
Christopher Sower's Printing Press 
 
 later. It is not known how long the paper was con- 
 tinued. It is safe to say, however, that it was prompt- 
 ly driven from the field after the appearance of Sow- 
 er's Geschicht-Schreiher, if, indeed, it endured so 
 long. 
 
 As to the feasibility of setting up a German print- 
 ing establishment in the colonies. Sower does not 
 seem to have hesitated long. It is known that soon 
 after the time of which we are writing he was in cor- 
 respondence with some of the German clergy in En- 
 gland, and that overtures were made to them in regard 
 to a printing press. Nothing came of this, however. 
 
 About the same time Sower was carrying on a cor- 
 respondence with the authorities of the Halle Insti- 
 tution in Germany. Under date of June 15, 1735, he 
 wrote a letter to Rev. Gotthilf August Francke, re- 
 questing that a press and type be purchased for him 
 and sent to America. Payment was to be made in 
 future, presumably from the proceeds of the printing 
 business. The press was not shipped, however, be- 
 cause of a doubt, as Francke expressed it, " whether 
 any service would be rendered by a printing-press in 
 the West Indies." 
 
 What further efforts were made by Christopher 
 Sower in the succeeding months to provide himself 
 with a printer's outfit, we have no way of knowing. 
 We may be sure of this, however, that he was in- 
 tensely in earnest about the matter, and would leave no 
 stone unturned that would help him to the attainment 
 of his coveted prize. 
 
 With the determination worthy of a great cause he 
 51 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 persevered in his efforts until the spring of 1738, 
 when we find him in possession of his highly prized 
 press. In a letter dated at Germantown, November 
 17 of the same year, he expressed his gratitude that 
 his long-felt wish had finally been gratified. " But 
 where," he exclaims, *' can I find words to praise the 
 good God? I am greatly indebted to him. My all be 
 at his service and for the glorification of his name. 
 This was in weakness my desire and longing for the 
 many benefits, which have come to me during my so- 
 journ here as well as during my whole life. For these 
 reasons I have desired to establish in this land a Ger- 
 man printing'-press, which N. bought for me and for- 
 warded to this place. 
 
 The person here referred to as N. has been thought 
 to be Jacob Gass, a member of the Ephrata commu- 
 nity, whose acquaintance Sower had made during his 
 residence in the Conestoga valley. There is no his- 
 torical evidence, however, to prove that this is so, and 
 how Sower came by his press remains to this day an 
 impenetrable mystery. 
 
 There are various interesting legends connected 
 with this part of our narrative, and even these may 
 help us to arrive at some degree of truth. 
 
 One account states that the outfit, consisting of press 
 and a small collection of type, was purchased in Ger- 
 many. If this is true, Sower must have had friends 
 who donated the purchase price, of which we know 
 nothing, or the press was a gift. 
 
 •Geistllche Fama, No. 25. 
 
 52 
 
Christopher Sower's Printing Press 
 
 Abram H. Cassel is of the opinion that Sower's 
 press was the one on which the famous Berleburg 
 Bibles were printed about 1726. He says the Brethren 
 and others who were bringing out this Bible secured 
 a larger press when the work was partially finished, 
 and that the old press was sent to the Brethren in 
 America and became the property of Christopher 
 Sower. 
 
 Another story, which is probably only a different 
 version of the preceding, has it that the Brethren in 
 Germany soon after their organization in 1708, pro- 
 cured a small printing press on which they printed 
 some of the works of Alexander Mack, Hoffman, 
 Gruber and others. Later, the story goes, when per- 
 secutions scattered the Brethren, this press was sent 
 to those who had come to America and was put in the 
 possession of Christopher Sower because no one else 
 had room for it.* 
 
 There is a tradition, also, that seems to have been 
 current from the time the press was first set up, that 
 it was of domestic construction, the work of the print- 
 er himself, and that only the type had been imported. 
 It is highly probable that there is an element of truth 
 in this tradition. When we remember Sower's eager- 
 ness in the matter, the difficulties in the way of his 
 achieving his object, and above all, the unusual me- 
 chanical ingenuity of the man, there is certainly no 
 inherent improbability in the story. On the other 
 hand, it is rather what should naturally be expected. 
 This belief is also in accordance with the statement 
 
 ' See Gospel Messenger for December 8, 1906. 
 
 53 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 enumerating Sower's accomplishments, quoted in the 
 early part of this chapter, and is further made proba- 
 ble by the certainty that he afterwards invented many 
 appliances as the business developed. 
 
 Since these stories are all alike unsupported by evi- 
 dence, we shall have to relegate them all to the limbo 
 of fable and, as to the question whence Sower pro- 
 cured his printing-press, simply confess that we don't 
 know. It is most reasonable to suppose, however, 
 that he secured a press from some source to start with, 
 and afterwards improved it by useful inventions as oc- 
 casion demanded. However acquired, the press was at 
 any rate at length set up. And now began a career 
 which, for business integrity, loyalty to principle, and 
 devotion to a high ideal has few parallels in the his- 
 tory of American printing. 
 
 This first issue from this mysterious press, which 
 was to become so famous, was a broadside and bore 
 the following title : 
 
 Eine Ernstliche Ennahnnng, An Junge und Alte: 
 Zu einer Ungeheuchclten Priifung Ihres Hertzens 
 und Zustandes. Kiirtslich aus Engeland nach Ameri- 
 ca gesandt, und wegen seiner Wichtigkeit Aus dent 
 Englischen ins Deutsche treuliche ilhersetzt; Von 
 einem Liehhaher der IVahrheit. 
 
 (Translation) An earnest admonition to young and 
 old, to a sincere testing of their hearts and conditions. 
 Recently sent from England to America, and, because 
 of its importance, faithfully translated from English 
 into German, by a lover of truth. 
 
 This firstling of the German press in America was 
 54 
 
Christopher Sower's Printing Press 
 
 printed on only one side ; the reverse was blank. The 
 typography and press work were good, showing that 
 it was not done by a novice. Who aided Sower in this 
 piece of work is unknown. It is a curious fact that in 
 the publisher's imprint on this first issue of his press 
 Sower's name appears spelled with an e, Sauer. Up 
 to this time and usually afterwards he spelled his name 
 simply " Saur." 
 
 Because of its historical significance this " first 
 page printed in America in German type " has become 
 quite a relic. Only three^ copies are known to exist. 
 It was dated " den 3ten Monath des Jahres 1738," 
 (the third^ month of the year 1738), and fixes the time 
 when the Sower press began its operations. 
 
 Another important publication of this first year was 
 the almanac. Continuing his letter of November 17, 
 partly quoted above, he writes : " Now I could find no 
 more suitable means (vehiculum) to make this (the 
 establishment of his German printing-press) known 
 throughout the land than to issue an almanac, the 
 title of which I send herewith, together with a copy 
 of a translation from the English." 
 
 This translation was, without doubt, the Ernstliche 
 ErmahnuHg, his first imprint. 
 
 This letter fixes the antecedent date of issue of the 
 first number of the almanac which afterwards be- 
 
 • In the library of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 
 and in the private collections of Judge Pennypacker and 
 Rev. A. Stapleton. 
 
 »It must be remembered that in 1738 the year began on 
 March 25, so that the third month would correspond with 
 the latter part of May and the early part of June. It ia 
 probable that the Sower press began work about June, 1738. 
 
 55 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 came very popular. IIovv soon after November 17 
 the almanac appeared we now have no way of know- 
 ing; in all probability, however, it was issued before 
 the end of the calendar year, which at that time was 
 the 25th of March. The title of the forthcoming publi- 
 cation was announced in the above-mentioned letter 
 for the first time, and, fully stated, runs as follows : 
 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Americanische Calender. Auf 
 das Jahr nach der Gnadcn-reichen Geburth unseres 
 Herrn und Heylandes Jesu Christi i/Sp. In sick halt- 
 eyide: Die Wochen-Tage ; Den Tag des Monaths; 
 Tage welche bemerkt werden; Des Monds Auf-und 
 Untergang; Des Monds Zeichen und Grad: Voll-und 
 Neu-Ltcht; erst und letzt Viertel: Aspecten der 
 Planeten sanit der IVitterung; Der y Sternen Auf- 
 gang, Sud-Platz und Untergang; Der Sonen Auf- 
 und Untergang; Nebst einem Bericht, ivohcr viele im 
 Calender vorkommende Dinge herstammen; Erkl'd- 
 rung der Zeichen, Aderlasz-T'dffiein, Anzcigung der 
 Finsterni'isse, Courten, Faren u. s. zv. Eingerichtet vor 
 die Sonnen-Hohe von Pennsylvanien ; Jedoch an denen 
 angreuzenden Landen ohne merklichen Unterschied zii 
 gebrauchen. Zum ersten mahl heratisgegeben. Ger- 
 manton, Gedruckt und su finden bey Christoph Saur, 
 wie auch zu haben bey Joh. Wister in Philadelphia. 
 
 I have reproduced this long title in full for several 
 reasons. It is an example of the extreme fullness of 
 titles generally in the eighteenth century. It shows too 
 how fully Sower had matured his own plans before he 
 undertook to issue the almanac. Especially does it 
 make clear the purpose of the publisher, to bring to- 
 
 56 
 
Christopher Sower's Printing Press 
 
 gether in this work a variety of useful information that 
 would be practically helpful to those into whose hands 
 it might come. 
 
 A translation of the title follows. The High Ger- 
 man American Calendar, for the year since the birth 
 of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, 1739. Containing 
 the days of the week, the days of the month, notable 
 days ; the rise and setting of the moon, the phases of 
 the moon and its elevation, full and new moon, first 
 and last quarter ; the aspects of the planets, together 
 with the temperature ; the rise of the seven stars, their 
 south point and setting; the rise and setting of the 
 sun, together with a statement showing whence many 
 things appearing in the calendar are derived ; an ex- 
 planation of the signs, the cause of darkness, etc. Cal- 
 culated for the latitude of Pennsylvania, but can be 
 used in neighboring sections without material change. 
 First issue. Germantown, printed and for sale by 
 Christopher Sower ; also to be had from John Wister 
 in Philadelphia. 
 
 Under this title the Sower almanacs were published 
 for forty years. The style and size were also un- 
 changed ; and the same woodcut on the front page, 
 representing a landing scene, characterizes the whole 
 series. So important is this almanac in the history 
 of early German publications that a more extended ac- 
 count of it is reserved for another chapter. 
 
 Two other sheets at least came from the Sower 
 press in this first year of its operation : " Friihling ist 
 herbci gekommen u. s. w./' and " Mein Hciland der 
 dn bist mir, u. s. w.," both of which were discovered 
 
 57 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 in 1904 by Rev. A. Stapleton of Wrightsville, Penn- 
 sylvania. 
 
 The rest of this chapter will be taken up with an ac- 
 count of the first book issued from the Sower press, 
 together with the strange incidents connected with it. 
 
 This book was the curious W eyrauchs-H ii gel, a 
 large hymn book prepared by the Ephrata community. 
 It was a duodecimo volume of 791 pages in all and 
 contained 692 hymns. The full title page follows. 
 
 Zionitischer \V eyrauchs-H il gel oder: Myrrhen Berg, 
 IVorinncn allcrley lieblichcs und wohl reichendes nach 
 Apothekcr-Kiinst zii hereitetes Rauch-lVerck zu Men. 
 Bestehcnd In allcrley Licbes-Wiirckugen der in Gott 
 geheiligten Seelen, welche sich in vielen und mancher- 
 ley geistUchcn und liehlichcn Licdern aus gebildct. 
 Als darinnen der letzte Ruff zu dent Abendmahl des 
 grossen Goftcs auf unterschiedliche Weise trcfHich aus 
 gedruckt ist; Zum Dienst Der in dent Abend-L'dndi- 
 schcn Welt-Theil als bey dent Untergang der Sonnen 
 erzvccken Kirche Gottes, und in ihrer Ermunterung 
 auf die Mittcrnachtige Zukunfft des Br'dutigams ans 
 Licht gcgcbcn, Germantown: Gedruckt hey Chris- 
 toph Saur, 1/39. 
 
 (Translation) Zionitic Hill of Incense or Mountain 
 of Myrrh, wherein are to be found all sorts of lovely 
 and sweet-smelling odors, prepared according to the 
 apothecary's art. Consisting of all sorts of Love- 
 operations in divinely sanctified souls, which has ex- 
 pressed itself in many and various spiritual and lovely 
 Hymns. Also therein the last call to the supper of the 
 great God is, in various ways, most admirably ex- 
 
 58 
 
Christopher Sower's Printing Press 
 
 pressed, for the service of those who, in this benighted 
 part of the world, at the setting of the sun, awatcen 
 God's kingdom ; and for their encouragement it is 
 given to the hght on the midnight appearance of the 
 Bridegroom. Germantown : Printed by Christopher 
 Sower, 1739. 
 
 This fantastic title gives expression to the mysticism 
 that permeated the Zionitic Brotherhood. It is in per- 
 fect keeping with their vagaries and the want of real- 
 ity in so much of their life and conduct. 
 
 This was the first large piece of work undertaken by 
 Sower. The almanac, as we have seen, came at the 
 end of the year, and besides the three fugitive pieces 
 to which reference has been made, nothing is known 
 to have come from the press this year. 
 
 The W cyrauchs-Hiigel was undertaken in the early 
 part of the year 1738, soon after the installation of 
 the press. Since the work was being done for the 
 cloisterites, as many of them as had had any experience 
 in a printing office were glad to lend their assistance 
 and so help to pay for the job. These were Rev. Peter 
 Miller, Samuel Eckerling and Michael Wohlfare. 
 Peter Miller, who was an experienced printer, was 
 made a sort of general supervisor and proof-reader. 
 Eckerling and Wohlfare set most of the type and acted 
 as an advisory board. Israel Eckerling seems also to 
 have been connected with the work, probably in oper- 
 ating the press or man of odd jobs. 
 
 Three months after the press had been set up, work 
 on the Weyranchs-Hiigel was progressing nicely. Ex- 
 perienced workmen had been found to set the type, ar- 
 
 59 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 range the forms, correct the proofs, and so forth. It 
 would even seem that Sower had already begun to 
 manufacture his own ink, but of this we cannot be 
 quite sure. In June the first sheets were struck oflf, 
 and great must have been the joy, both of the printer 
 and his associates, when they spread out to dry the 
 first pages of the first book to be printed in America 
 in German type. 
 
 Just here a difficulty arose, however. The small 
 supply of paper on hand was soon used up, and when 
 the printer went to lay in a new supply, none was to 
 be had. This made an awkward situation, but a care- 
 ful investigation proved to Sower that there was no 
 paper on the market. 
 
 After all the difficulties of procuring the press, type 
 and other supplies had been overcome, this " corner " 
 in the paper market presented an unexpected obstacle. 
 But Benjamin Franklin, it was soon learned, had a 
 monopoly on the whole stock of paper in the province, 
 and he refused to let Sower have any except for cash 
 and at his own price. 
 
 Now, Christopher Sower, whose resources had al- 
 ready been taxed to the uttermost, could not produce 
 the cash for the paper needed to print an edition of a 
 large book, and that at an exorbitant price. Finally 
 the difficulty was overcome by Conrad Weiser, one of 
 the wealthiest members of the Ephrata Brotherhood, 
 going to Philadelphia in person to see Franklin, and 
 pledging his personal credit for the amount of the 
 paper bill. This was at the beginning of July. The 
 
 60 
 
Christopher Sower's Printing Press 
 
 paper was now delivered and work on the book was 
 resumed. 
 
 Franklin's account books show that between July 9 
 and September 8, 1738, Conrad Weiser bought of 
 him in behalf of the Ephrata community 157 reams of 
 paper, for which he paid 93 pounds, 8 shillings, and 
 6 pence. 
 
 This conduct on the part of Franklin is not so much 
 to be wondered at when we remember that he had al- 
 ready printed three hymn-books for the Ephrataites, 
 and when the contract for this fourth book was given 
 to Sower, Franklin looked upon him as a rival, whose 
 invasion of his province he would not suffer with im- 
 punity. 
 
 After this hitch with Franklin, work on the hymn- 
 book went forward steadily, but not without many 
 hindrances and annoyances. The Rev. Peter Miller 
 proved to be an exacting supervisor. He seems to have 
 prided himself on his superior knowledge of the print- 
 ing business and to have displayed this knowledge on 
 every convenient occasion to the detriment of the in- 
 experienced printer. A letter dated at Germantown, 
 November 20, 1738, and printed in the Geistliche 
 Fama, describes the situation thus : 
 
 " Sower's newly established printing press is be- 
 coming very troublesome to him, and he must pay 
 more dearly for his experience in this venture than 
 in anything he has so far undertaken. He must print 
 for the Seven-dayers {i. e., those who keep the seventh 
 day of the week holy) a large hymn-book. They are 
 
 61 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 exacting and particular enough about it, as one hears ; 
 therefore it makes him much trouble." 
 
 But these were not the greatest of his trials. As the 
 proofs of the hymns were struck ofif during the prog- 
 ress of the work, his conscience several times troubled 
 him in regard to the tone of some of the hymns, which 
 he regarded as savoring of idolatry. He called the 
 attention of Miller and his associates to the question- 
 able statements, which they explained in a manner in- 
 nocent enough. As the work was theirs and he pre- 
 sumed they ought to know what was intended, he was 
 glad to accept their interpretation. 
 
 When the 400th hymn was put in type, however, and 
 his attention was called to it by the proof-reader, he 
 protested strongly against admitting it into the col- 
 lection ; for it seemed to him " to be a fulsome and al- 
 most idolatrous glorification of Conrad Beissel." He 
 wrote Beissel in regard to it, urging him to omit the ob- 
 jectionable hymn and giving his reasons in full for so 
 doing. Beissel replied with haughty insolence but 
 ignored the particular objections that Sower had 
 urged. To this insolent letter Sower replied with a 
 volley of sarcasm. Thus on both sides the contest 
 waxed warm, and the feelings engendered grew ex- 
 ceedingly bitter. The controversy was unfortunate 
 and ended in an estrangement that lasted several years. 
 It is just to add that the relations of these two men in 
 later life were altogether cordial. This was true es- 
 pecially after 1744, the year in which Sower's wife 
 broke through the mystic veil that had so long be- 
 clouded her vision and held her from home and fam- 
 
 62 
 
Christopher Sower's Printing Press 
 
 ily, and returned once more to her own. Both men 
 were doubtless sorry for their part in the dispute, and 
 now charitably cast the mantle of forgiveness over 
 their unfortunate difference. 
 
 The controversy just referred to does not seem to 
 have materially interfered with the progress of the 
 book, as it was finished early in the next year (1739), 
 about twelve months from the time it was begun. It 
 was issued in an almost incredibly short time, when 
 we take all the circumstances into consideration, and is 
 highly creditable to the printer and those associated 
 with him in its production. 
 
 The preface is dated Ephrata, the 14th day of the 
 4th month, 1739, which fixes approximately the date 
 at which the work was completed. " This book," says 
 Prof. Seidensticker, " contains 654 hymns in 33 divi- 
 sions, each inscribed with a heading as fantastic as the 
 general title. After page 744 follows an appendix of 
 38 hymns with a separate title." 
 
 The book contains nearly all the hymns in the 
 three Franklin prints, which all together numbered 
 one hundred and forty-nine, together with some new 
 ones composed by Beissel and his associates especial- 
 ly for this collection. Most of the hymns, however, 
 were obtained elsewhere, mainly from the Kleine 
 Davidische Psalterspiel der Kinder Zions, a collection 
 of hymns first published in Germany and later several 
 times in this country by Sower. To these were added 
 some popular German airs, doubtless because the tunes 
 were familiar and the songs were general favorites. 
 
 The issue of the Weyrauchs-Hiigel was an impor- 
 63 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 tant event in the history of German printing in Amer- 
 ica in general, and of German Baptist printing in par- 
 ticular. While Andrew Bradford and Benjamin 
 Franklin had heen printing German books and periodi- 
 cals in Philadelphia for some ten years, they had, as 
 we have seen, no German type, and all their publica- 
 tions were issued in Roman characters. This first 
 volume of the Sower press is therefore the first en- 
 tirely German book produced in the new world. 
 
 As regards German Baptist printing, it may be said 
 that with the issue of this book Sower's Rubicon was 
 crossed. Sorely taxed as he had been, in resources and 
 in patience, during this first year, he gradually got 
 more squarely on his feet, as he mastered the details 
 of his business, and felt more and more at home in his 
 new calling. It was not many years until his press was 
 one of the most active in the country, and as an editor 
 he was soon recognized as a power in directing public 
 opinion. 
 
 To the establishment of this press the Dunker church 
 owes in large measure the first period of its greatness. 
 By what conscientious principles Christopher Sower 
 was actuated in his public work will appear more fully 
 in the course of this narrative. As the leader of his 
 countrymen in their new environment, and as the de- 
 fender of their rights, he will always hold an honored 
 place in the esteem of posterity. While he did not pub- 
 lish a " church paper " or pose as a religious leader, 
 he carried the principles of Christianity into everything 
 he did, and thus found himself the acknowledged lead- 
 er of a much larger following than the particular 
 
 64 
 
Christopher Sower's Printing Press 
 
 religious body with whicli he affiliated. Broad-minded, 
 liberty-lovint;-, conscientious, he stood for the highest 
 interests of his fellows as Christians and as men, and 
 thus made himself the leader of the German popula- 
 tion of the new world independent of sect or creed. 
 
 Note. — The history of the people variously known as 
 Sabbatarians, Ephrataites, Solitary Hermits, Mystics, 
 Zionitic Brotherhood, Hermits of the Cocalico, etc., to 
 whom reference is repeatedly made in these pages, needs 
 a few words of explanation. They have generally been 
 identified with the German Baptists and their peculiari- 
 ties and extravagances attributed to them. For the sake 
 of historical accuracy, therefore, a word of explanation 
 as to the relationship of the two bodies is essential. It 
 should be noted that the Ephrata Society never was a 
 part of the Dunker or German Baptist church, but was 
 an offshoot from it. It was the result of the first division 
 after the organization of the church, and occurred in 1728. 
 The leader of the movement was Conrad Beissel, who 
 came to America in 1720. He settled at Germantown. 
 As he was poor he apprenticed himself to Elder Peter 
 Becker to learn the weaver's trade. He remained with 
 him about a year. In 1724 he received baptism at the 
 hands of Elder Becker. Almost immediately he was put 
 to the ministry and began to preach. It was not long 
 until he began to utter strange doctrines. He denounced 
 marriages and advocated the celibate state as the only 
 one in which full Christian character could be attained. 
 He also accepted the seventh day as the Sabbath. In 
 1728 he published a defense of his views. The Brethren, 
 or Dunkers, with whom he was still in partial fellowship, 
 remonstrated with him, but to no avail. Finally in De- 
 cember of this year he openly renounced all relationship 
 with the Dunkers and organized an independent body. 
 One of his followers, Jan Meyle by name, at his request 
 
 65 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 baptized him in the Conestoga creek. Then he in turn 
 rebaptized all who were willing to accept his doctrine. 
 In this way he "washed his hands" of having any further 
 part or parcel with the Brethren. Now began those 
 strange practices that have so often and so erroneously 
 been attributed to the German Baptists. He organized a 
 monastic system. This provided for three classes of in- 
 mates, spiritual virgins, solitary brethren, and household 
 members; this last being provid^ed for those who had 
 previously married and now wished to join the society. 
 For several years the growth of the organization was not 
 rapid. In 1733 the first building was erected. It stood 
 on the bank of the Cocalico creek, at what is now 
 Ephrata. It was for the spiritual virgins. It was a small 
 building and was later replaced by Saron, the women's 
 house. Bethesda was the home of the solitary brethren. 
 The Saal was the house of worship. Other buildings 
 were added later. The organization was governed by a 
 superintendent, with the aid of a prior, a prioress, and 
 other officers. The members wore monastic garbs and 
 the men submitted to the tonsure. The government was 
 communistic. All worked part of the day at least, and 
 the proceeds from whatever source went into the com- 
 mon treasury. As early as 1745 the Society had its own 
 printing press, which, next after the Sower press in Ger- 
 mantovvn, became the most influential German press in 
 colonial America. Music, embroidery, designing, engross- 
 ing, hymn-writing, book-binding and the like were some 
 of the more artistic occupations that engaged their atten- 
 tion. The Society flourished during the lifetime of 
 Beissel. After his death in 1768 it began to decline, and 
 in the course of the following century completely passed 
 away. The old buildings are almost all that remains 
 to tell the story of the quaint, devout, but sadly 
 misguided mystics that once inhabited here. Celibacy, 
 the observance of the seventh day as the Sabbath, the 
 communistic system of government, the monastic sys- 
 
 66 
 
Christopher Sower's Printing Press 
 
 tern of life and the monastic garb, together with a gen- 
 eral air of mysticism that enveloped all their thought 
 and actions, were the most distinct traits of this strange 
 organization. With none of these did the Dunker church 
 ever have any part or parcel. During the whole history 
 of the Ephrata Society there was no affiliation whatever 
 between the two bodies. On the other hand Ephrata 
 became a city of refuge for any who from any cause be- 
 came dissatisfied within the ranks of the German Bap- 
 tists. Why two bodies so entirely distinct should have 
 been so generally confused in the minds of the public, 
 and for so long a time, is not very clear. 
 
 67 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 The Sower Bibles. 
 
 First Edition. 
 After the Weyranchs-Hiigel was completed and the 
 Pensylvanische Geschict-Schreiher had been securely 
 established, Christopher Sower undertook a work that, 
 of itself, would have made his press famous and have 
 clothed his name with everlasting honor. This monu- 
 mental work was his printing of the Bible in German 
 characters. 
 
 The greatness of this undertaking we, of the present 
 day, cannot fully understand or appreciate. The diffi- 
 culties that arose in the process of the work, and the 
 continual opposition and annoyance to which the ven- 
 turesome printer was subjected were trying in the ex- 
 treme. To a person less sturdy and determined than 
 Sower they would have been insurmountable. The 
 heroic manner in which he overcame every obstacle and 
 carried his worthy enterprise to a successful issue is 
 one of the triumphs of the printing business. 
 
 As soon as Sower had established himself as a print- 
 er in Germantown and had begun his career as a pub- 
 lic servant, he supplied himself with a stock of Bibles 
 and Testaments, which he dispensed to his countrymen. 
 These comprised several editions, the most important 
 of which were those printed at Halle and at Berle- 
 burg. The Halle Bibles were, for the most part, of 
 
 68 
 
The Sower Bibles 
 
 small size and in fine print ; and some of them not very 
 expensive. Many of these were distributed by Sower, 
 " gratis to the poor and needy, and for money to such 
 as were able to pay the price," as he himself states in 
 his prospectus. 
 
 These Bibles were objected to, however, by some of 
 the sterner sort in the different dissenting sects, be- 
 cause of vague doubts as to their authenticity. Printed 
 as they were at the Francke Institution, the strong- 
 hold of Lutheran Pietism, they could not easily be dis- 
 associated in the minds of the Separatists from va- 
 rious European experiences that still rankled in their 
 hearts. The only other low-priced Bibles in German 
 sold at this time in America were those printed at 
 Amsterdam, but I have not found any evidence that 
 Sower handled any of them. 
 
 The Berleburg Bible was liked exceedingly by all the 
 nonorthodox sects, including the German Baptists. 
 This famous edition was completed in 1726 after being 
 in press some five or six years. It was issued by the 
 dissenting bodies in Germany who distrusted the edi- 
 tions brought out under the influence of the estabUshed 
 churches. Alexander Mack and perhaps some of the 
 other early Dunkers contributed liberally to the under- 
 taking. It was printed in large type and bound in 
 four large folio volumes. It generally sold for about 
 twenty-five dollars, and by Sower, according to his 
 price-list, for four pounds, fifteen shillings. 
 
 This was the only German Bible on sale in America 
 that was entirely to the liking of all the dissenting 
 denominations. Besides enjoying their complete con- 
 
 69 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 fidence as to its contents, it had also the advantage of 
 being printed in large type; and considering the scar- 
 city of spectacles in those days, especially among the 
 poorer classes, it was almost the only Bible that many 
 of the older persons were able to read. The high price, 
 however, made it inaccessible to the greater part of the 
 German immigrants. 
 
 This was the situation that confronted Sower soon 
 after he had established his press in Germantown, and 
 caused him to consider seriously the advisability, or 
 rather, I should say, the possibility of producing an 
 American edition of God's Word. Clearly another edi- 
 tion was needed : one that should combine the various 
 excellences of the several editions already referred to 
 — cheapness, large print, and above all, freedom from 
 questionable matter. 
 
 Just how early the thought of publishing such a 
 Bible first presented itself to Sower, we have at this 
 time no way of knowing. At any rate, early in 1740 
 the plan had taken definite shape in his mind. In the 
 early part of this year he published a broadside, an- 
 nouncing his purpose to print the entire Bible in Ger- 
 man characters, and giving a prospectus of the work. 
 The sheet was 9 1-2 by 7 1-2 inches, the size of a 
 leaf to be used in his proposed work. The reverse 
 showed a specimen of the type that was to be used. 
 
 This prospectus sets forth the purpose and plan of 
 the printer fully, and I have reproduced it entire.^ 
 
 " It is to some extent known that at different times 
 
 ' From copy In the library of the Pennsylvania Historical 
 Society. 
 
 70 
 
The Sower Bibles 
 
 Bibles, New Testaments, etc., etc., have been sent to 
 the pubHsher at Germantown, some of which went to 
 the needy without pay, others were sold, and the 
 money given to the poor. This we have done so far 
 as it would reach ; but in the meantime we have seen 
 that it did not go far, because many would have been 
 glad to pay for Bibles and Testaments, if they were 
 only to be had. Although at different times some 
 were brought over from Germany, so high a price was 
 often set upon them, that many were frightened away 
 or were not able to pay the price. 
 
 " We have also taken notice that people from Ger- 
 many arrive here in the greatest poverty, and are still 
 coming, who have not even a Bible, and are not able 
 to get one. Many come first as servants to English 
 people, who either have no Bible themselves nor read 
 one, and on the contrary have nothing but their work 
 to talk about, to say nothing of what is still worse. 
 When then such persons settle down at a distance, 
 their beginning is usually nothing but work, and what- 
 ever else corrupt nature brings with it. The children 
 are likewise brought up in this manner. And as in 
 Germany, the institution of churches and schools are 
 not wanting to bring the letters into the minds of 
 young and old (although the true fear of God and the 
 Christian virtues are little touched upon), and as now 
 also the Bible is printed in the language of the Turks ; 
 yet the circumstances of this country are bringing 
 about such a state of affairs, that ( to speak generally) 
 the ignorance of the letters seems to increase with 
 many as time goes on. 
 
 71 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 " Now as we believe we have the ability to meet 
 this need in part, we are anxious to contribute our 
 share to it. 
 
 " Since, however, such an edition of the Bible will 
 require a greater expenditure than we are able to lay 
 out, it has seemed necessary to invite advance sub- 
 scriptions, or to speak plainly, that every one who may 
 desire a Bible shall send in his name and pay half a 
 crown, which is necessary first, that we may know how 
 many we may hope to print. And secondly, that we 
 may have some assistance towards the publication, be- 
 cause the paper for one Bible alone will cost seven 
 shillings and six pence. And thirdly, since it will be 
 necessary for us to borrow something towards the pub- 
 lication, that we may know how we may be released 
 again. And lastly, because this country is still so new, 
 we have as yet no precedent before us. 
 
 " As regards size, we are willing that it shall be a 
 large quarto, that is, in length and breadth like this 
 sheet, and of such type as the present, which we be- 
 lieve will be legible to old people as well as young. 
 The thickness of the book will be about a hand high. 
 We are willing to use good paper in it. 
 
 " We are not willing to add any explanations or in- 
 terpretations, because we hope that every one who 
 reads the Holy Writ with an upright heart will, under 
 the leading and fear of God, learn to realize his misery 
 and ruined condition. When he realizes this he will 
 long for the true Redeemer, and when he shall learn 
 to know his Redeemer and see how He will release 
 him from his misery, he will love Him ; and because he 
 
 72 
 
The Sower Bibles 
 
 loves Him, he will keep His Word. Yes, if he keeps 
 His Word, the Father will love iiim and will come to 
 him and make His home with him. And then when 
 Divinity dwells in him the Holy Ghost will be the best 
 expounder of His Words, which Moses, the proph- 
 ets, Christ, along with apostles and evangelists have 
 spoken and written. This will be the truest (rich- 
 tigste) interpretation. 
 
 " As regards the price, of this we can say nothing 
 definite. First, because we do not know yet how many 
 we shall print, as a small edition will make the book 
 more costly, while many will make each come cheaper. 
 Secondly, because divers good friends of truth and 
 lovers of divine teaching, out of love to God and 
 their needy neighbors, have already contributed some- 
 thing and still others have offered to do so ; partly 
 that the Bible may be issued at a low price, partly that 
 the economical or stingy may have no excuse and the 
 poor may not be burdened. After more such benefac- 
 tors are found, and we are enabled to act, the price will 
 be fixed. However, this much we can say, that un- 
 bound none will cost more than fourteen shillings, 
 which it is hoped no one will consider dear, when he 
 remembers that printing paper in this country is at 
 least four times as expensive as in Germany." 
 
 Who these " good friends of truth and lovers of di- 
 vine teaching " were that were willing to encourage 
 the enterprise with their means as well as their words, 
 we have now no way of knowing. We may be sure, 
 however, that they were some of the early Brethren or 
 Dunkers. It would be exceedingly interesting to know 
 
 73 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 the names of all who encouraged this great enterprise 
 in any way, but with the exception of the daring print- 
 er, we do not know a single person who bore any part 
 of the responsibilities of the undertaking. Besides 
 the Brethren, it may be that some of the Ephrataites 
 lent financial aid, as it is known that many of them 
 were kindly disposed towards Sower, and when the 
 work of printing actually began, he employed several 
 of them on the work. It is probable, too, that adher- 
 ents to other dissenting bodies, such as the Mennon- 
 ites and the Schwenkfelders, may have aided to the 
 extent at least of sending in advance subscriptions. 
 
 It is certain that no aid or encouragement was to be 
 expected from the so-called orthodox Protestants, the 
 Lutherans and Reformed, as their ministers were 
 agents for the Halle and Amsterdam Bibles and ar- 
 rayed themselves from the beginning against Sower 
 and his enterprise. Their opposition grew exceeding- 
 ly bitter and their misrepresentations of Sower and 
 his purpose were mercilessly unjust. This was only 
 one, however, of the hindrances and annoyances which 
 came up in the course of getting the Bible in print. 
 Of these we shall speak more fully a little later. 
 
 This opposition seems all the more remarkable from 
 the fact that Sower had taken the precaution to assure 
 the public that he was unwilling to make any com- 
 ments or place any interpretations on the text of the 
 Holy Writ. His sole desire was to get the pure text 
 of God's Word in the hands of the people, trusting to 
 the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit to lead 
 men into the ways of right and truth. 
 
 74 
 
The Sower Bibles 
 
 After the broadside was issued, some eighteen 
 months passed during which sufficient advance sub- 
 scriptions and possibly a few donations came in, so 
 that Sower felt justified in carrying his plan into ef- 
 fect. He inserted in his almanac for 1742 an an- 
 nouncement that the proposed Bible would be printed, 
 and otherwise called attention to the nature of his 
 undertaking. 
 
 By March of the next year he had sufficiently ma- 
 tured his plans to publish the following announce- 
 ment in English in the two leading Philadelphia pa- 
 pers, The Pennsylvania Gazette, edited and owned by 
 Franklin, and Andrew Bradford's Weekly Mercury. 
 It appeared in the Gazette for March 31, 1742, and 
 on the following day in the Mercury. 
 
 " Whereas Numbers of the Dutch People of the 
 Province, especially of the New Comers, are through 
 mere Poverty unable to furnish themselves with Bi- 
 bles in their own language, at the advanced Price 
 that those which are brought from Germany are 
 usually sold at here : Therefore Christopher Sauer of 
 Germantown proposes to print a High-Dutch Bible 
 in large Quarto, and in a Character that may easily 
 be read even by old Eyes. And several well-meaning 
 people having promised to contribute something to- 
 wards the Encouragement of the Work in General, 
 that the Books may be afforded cheaper to real poor 
 Persons whether servants or others ; Notice is hereby 
 given, that the said Work (God willing) will be be- 
 gun about the end of this Instant April ; and that 
 some Judgment may be made of the quantity neces- 
 
 75 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 sary to be printed, all persons who are inclined to en- 
 courage the work, or to have one or more of the said 
 Bibles, may subscribe before that time with the above- 
 said Christopher Sauer in Germantown, or with Ben- 
 jamin Franklin in Philadelphia. 2 s. and 6 d. is to 
 be paid down towards each Bible (for which receipts 
 will be given) and the Remainder on Delivery of the 
 Books, which, 'tis expected, will be in about a Twelve- 
 month. If no Charitable Contributions towards it are 
 received, the Price of each Bible will not exceed 14 
 shillings, and it shall be as much less as those Con- 
 tributions will enable the Printer to afford ; of which 
 Contributions a fair Account shall be given the Pub- 
 lick." 
 
 Germantown, March 26, 1742. 
 
 The notice in the Weekly Mercury was just like the 
 above with the exception that Andrew Bradford's 
 name was inserted in the place of Benjamin Frank- 
 lin's. By these advertisements, it will be observed. 
 Sower constituted both Franklin and Bradford as 
 agents for his forthcoming Bible. Now that he had 
 fully committed himself to bring out the Bible, let us 
 see what the venturesome printer was up against. 
 
 In the first place, as we have seen, Christopher 
 Sower did not have the capital necessary to finance 
 an enterprise such as the present one. He had asked 
 for advance subscriptions, it is true, and had received 
 some, but the down payment was small and all that 
 he could have received from this source would have 
 gone only a short way towards carrying through an 
 
 76 
 
The Sower Bibles 
 
 enterprise like the one in hand. He had also the 
 l)romise of donations, but by his own words, they 
 were only promises and only several of them. Cer- 
 tainly from the financial point of view, the under- 
 taking scorned to be attended with great risk. 
 
 By training, too, Sower was far from being an ex- 
 perienced printer. He had been farmer, tailor, clock 
 maker, mechanic, and all will concede that he was 
 more than ordinarily ingenious, but it is impossible 
 that he could have been skilled in the various details 
 of the printer's art. It was only a few years since he 
 had set up his printing press. He had printed one 
 large book and several others, and had established a 
 monthly newspaper, and did a general jobbing-ofiice 
 business. But in the higher branches of the art, such 
 as proof-reading and designing, he had made but lit- 
 tle progress, and in managing his business on as large 
 a scale as the present undertaking would require he 
 had had no experience. 
 
 Again he was not equipped to perform a piece of 
 work like the present. To issue a large edition of a 
 quarto Bible was a stupendous undertaking in those 
 days. The little shop in Germantown was but poorly 
 equipped for such an enterprise. To carry it through 
 successfully, tons of paper were required, font upon 
 font of additional type was needed, and above all 
 skilled workmen were indispensable. Under the cir- 
 cumstances none of these seemed obtainable, and to a 
 spirit less resolute than Sower these difficulties would 
 have seemed insurmountable. How clearly he saw his 
 way in all this we have no means of knowing. He prob- 
 
 77 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 ably penetrated the gloom with an insight of which we 
 can now form little estimate, or, may he have simply 
 trusted his enterprise to the guidance of an All-wise 
 Providence, relying upon the belief that such a worthy 
 cause would not be allowed to fail? 
 
 It would seem that the necessary type was procured 
 from a type foundry in Germany. Just how it was se- 
 cured, however, does not seem to be known. 
 
 As to the paper, Sower's experience with Franklin 
 while he was printing the IVeyrauchs-Hiigel had 
 taught him a lesson. He had experienced the disagree- 
 able effects of a corner in the paper market, in the 
 midst of an important piece of work. Resolved not 
 to be taken a second time in the same snare, he for- 
 tified himself on this score by establishing a paper- 
 mill of his own. Who may have aided him in this 
 or have furnished means towards it, if any one, we 
 at the present time do not know. Most of the paper 
 used in the Bibles was undoubtedly made in Sower's 
 mill. Linen rags were solicited for this purpose and 
 were made up into an excellent quality of book paper. 
 The fact that a few leaves in several copies of the 
 Bible have been found to contain the Ephrata water 
 mark, shows that a little of the paper must have been 
 made at the Ephrata mills. But there is no reason to 
 believe that more than a very small portion of it came 
 from there. 
 
 The ink with which the Bible was printed was also 
 manufactured by Sower. It was made chiefly of 
 linseed oil and soot. These were boiled together in 
 a large kettle until the mixture reached a certain con- 
 
 78 
 
The Sower Bibles 
 
 sistency, being stirred all the time. The quality was 
 determined largely by the color and fineness of the 
 soot, which, in turn, was determined by the fuel used. 
 This made an excellent quality of ink, far superior to 
 that made at Ephrata and used in the cloister publica- 
 tions, which have been so highly and deservedly 
 praised. 
 
 The Ephrata ink was made of copperas and gum 
 arable in equal quantities with a double portion of gall 
 nuts, all dissolved in a sufficient quantity of rain water 
 to give it the proper thickness. To this a little vine- 
 gar was sometimes added. This ink produced beauti- 
 ful work but was lacking in enduring qualities. Long 
 standing impaired it and exposure to the light faded 
 it. Some of the finest ornamental work produced at 
 the cloister has been practically lost by the ink's fad- 
 ing. Sower's Bibles, on the other hand, are as clear 
 and distinct today as they were the day they came from 
 the press. His ink enjoyed for a long time the dis- 
 tinction of being the best printer's ink manufactured 
 in America. 
 
 So it was that the material equipment for bringing 
 out the Bible was provided very largely by Sower's 
 own ingenuity. But one element was yet lacking, 
 without which the whole plan was still doomed to 
 failure. This was skilled labor to do the work of 
 typesetting, proof-reading, designing title pages, and 
 so forth. All records are peculiarly silent as to these 
 matters. History has not preserved a name, except 
 that of the printer, in connection with this all-impor- 
 tant work. His resourcefulness here, as in many an- 
 
 79 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 other trying situation, triumphed again over Ihe diffi- 
 culty and secured the needed help. Whom he secured, 
 or by what means, we shall perhaps never know. That 
 the work was done promptly and accurately, however, 
 the results fully demonstrate. The Bible is singularly 
 free from errors of any kind, and that the type and 
 proof work were done by skilled workmen there can 
 be no doubt. 
 
 In the absence of any documentary evidence, cer- 
 tain conditions existing at the time may throw some 
 light on the situation. It is known that several of 
 Sower's personal friends of many years' standing, who 
 had had experience in Europe as printers and proof- 
 readers, were now living in the neighborhood of Ger- 
 mantown. One of these was Jacob Gass, who, it is 
 supposed, procured the printing press for Sower some 
 four years before this. As we have seen, he was bap- 
 tized at the same time with Sower and they had long 
 been close friends. Gass was now living at Ephrata 
 but was in constant communication with the German- 
 town printer. He had been a practical printer in Eu- 
 rope, and there is scarcely a doubt that in this time of 
 need Sower secured his aid. There was also John 
 Hildebrand, a highly educated man, who had learned 
 the trade of typesetting in Germany. For several 
 years he had lived as a neighbor to Christopher Sower 
 in Germantown. Being members of the same church, 
 they had worshiped together. Although at this time 
 he had gone over to the monastics and was living at 
 Ephrata, there is evidence that while Sower's Bible 
 was being printed he was in Germantown. The natu- 
 
 80 
 
The Sower Bibles 
 
 ral presumption is that he was assisting in the work. 
 The presumption is all the stronger from the fact that 
 Hildebrand did not get on well with Beissel ajid his 
 life at Ephrata was not happy. Israel Eckerling, also, 
 who had worked on Sower's farm in the Miihlbach 
 valley, knew something of printing-office work, hav- 
 ing been employed in this capacity for a short time 
 before coming to this country. He, too, had joined 
 the Monastic Brotherhood, but was probably glad 
 for the opportunity to render a service to his old mas- 
 ter. Besides these there was Peter Miller, one of the 
 leaders of the Ephrata movement, who had performed 
 an important part in the publication of Sower's first 
 book, the IVeyrauchs-Hiigel. Tradition has it that he 
 was again employed by Sower in the production of the 
 Bible, and we can well believe that the tradition is true. 
 
 Whom else the printer may have secured on the 
 work it is now impossible to tell. There were still 
 others at Ephrata that could have given useful aid. 
 The probabilities in favor of those I have mentioned 
 amount almost to proof. 
 
 One other consideration confronted Sower of rather 
 an alarming kind. His proposition to print the Bible 
 was made in violation of an act of the British Parlia- 
 ment. By this Act the privilege of printing the Bible 
 in England and the British possessions was vested in 
 certain institutions, such as the Universities of Oxford 
 and Cambridge. Had any prosecution been instituted 
 against Sower, he would doubtless have been fined or 
 imprisoned, or both, and his property confiscated. 
 Fortunately, on this score, he was unmolested. 
 
 81 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 When we consider all these difficulties that con- 
 fronted Sower at the very beginning of his enterprise, 
 and the resolute manner in which he set about to over- 
 come them one after another, we must admire him all 
 the more; for his every act is prompted by his unself- 
 ish devotion to the interests of his fellow-men. With- 
 out sufficient equipment or experience, without hope of 
 financial returns, with the prospect of punishment and 
 confiscation of property, he was willing to undertake 
 a work of the greatest difficulty, because he was con- 
 vinced that it would redound to tlie good of his fel- 
 low-men. A life of such devotion deserves to be held 
 up as a model to the youth of America for all time. 
 Because he worked in quiet and shunned notoriety, 
 he has never been brought under the searchlight of 
 public notice ; yet his life is an inspiration, and the 
 facts of it deserve to be preserved, to which it is hoped 
 the present work may make some contribution. 
 
 The motive that dominated Sower's life, and the 
 spirit with which he worked, was expressed by the 
 motto that decorated the walls of his little shop. It 
 was printed in the largest ornamental type that Sower 
 possessed, and read as follows : 
 
 " Zur ehre Gottes und des Nachsten Bestes." 
 (To the honor of God and his neighbor's good). 
 
 With this as the motto of the first German printing 
 establishment in America, we are not surprised that 
 it has been abundantly blessed of Heaven and has 
 
 82 
 
The Sower Bibles 
 
 developed into a mighty factor of our new-world 
 civilization. 
 
 Press work on the Bible began in April, 1742. The 
 work now progressed steadily, and by the time the 
 first snow fell in the following autumn half of the text 
 was in print. The whole process was extremely labo- 
 rious. The type was of course set by hand. Only four 
 pages could be printed at a time, and this on a lever 
 press. All the appliances and fixtures were primitive 
 and crude, and most of them home-made. There were 
 none of the conveniences that nowadays would be re- 
 garded as indispensable to a well-equipped printing- 
 office. The men that did the work, whoever they may 
 have been, were doubtless inspired by the motto of 
 the little establishment and wrought for " the glory of 
 God and the good of mankind." 
 
 With all their care, however, many mishaps oc- 
 curred. Sometimes typographical errors were discov- 
 ered after the sheets were printed. These errors would 
 then be corrected and other sheets run off to take their 
 place. Sometimes the forms would get crooked and / 
 the sheets printed from them would have to be thrown 
 out. Occasionally a sheet was faulty or got into the 
 press in the wrong position. At first, too, until the 
 pressman acquired some skill in managing the lever, 
 the impressions were frequently too heavy and some- 
 times too light, so that the sheets could not be used. 
 Scrupulous care was exercised by the printer that no 
 sheet, in any way imperfect, should be used. So in one 
 v/ay or another no less than fifty sheets of the paper, 
 
 83 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 on the average, were spoiled to every ream — or about 
 one sheet out of every ten. 
 
 But this was one of the slightest of Sower's troubles. 
 Scarcely had the work been begun in good earnest, 
 with a prospect that it would succeed, when the pas- 
 tors of the orthodox churches began to stigmatize 
 Sower and oppose his work. They accused him of cor- 
 rupting the text of the Bible and interpolating dogmas 
 of his own. They openly denounced the forthcoming 
 Bible from the pulpit, and warned their parishioners 
 to have nothing to do with it or with the Arch-Sepa- 
 ratist who was laying this trap to ensnare their souls. 
 It should be observed that these charges were made 
 by the regularly ordained ministers of the Lutheran 
 and Reformed churches, and before they had seen a 
 word of the new Bible or knew what it would be like. 
 
 This opposition was increased in November of the 
 same year (1742), by the arrival of Heinrich Melchoir 
 IMiihlenberg, who was sent out by the Halle Institu- 
 tion to take the oversight of the Lutheran congrega- 
 tions in the provinces. Now it must also be remem- 
 bered that Pastor JMiihlenberg had been constituted 
 the agent for the Halle Bibles in America, and came 
 prepared to furnish them at small cost. He threw 
 the whole weight of his influence against Sower and 
 his Bible from the very beginning, denouncing him 
 from the pulpit and in his private correspondence. 
 
 Sower, as was natural, corrected these false reports 
 from time to time, in his paper and almanac. The 
 spirit of his chastisement may be gathered from the fol- 
 lowing: "Divers Brothers, named Neidhard (Grudg- 
 
 84 
 
The Sower Bibles 
 
 er) have put themselves to great pains to belittle 
 the Bible wliich we still have in press. They say that 
 it is falsified, and that we have not confined ourselves 
 to Luther's translation, that it will not be bound, and 
 what else was not told ? All of which is too contempt- 
 ible to deserve an answer. If any one is interested in 
 the matter, let him have patience till August, then he 
 will see with his own eyes that this is not so. 
 
 " God reward them much good for the defamation."^ 
 When the Bible was almost completed, a new an- 
 noyance arose, by several parties coming forward and 
 offering to take subscriptions for a Wittenberg edition 
 of the Bible for twelve shillings, a lower price than 
 Sower's advertised rate. In his paper for June 16, 
 1743, Sower shows by enumerating the various items 
 of expense connected with putting a German edition 
 on the American market that the thing proposed is 
 absolutely impossible, " unless," as he naively adds, 
 " the printer, binder, factor, custom officers, etc., do- 
 nate their charges." " But," he goes on in the same 
 ironical tone, " whoever still thinks such a thing pos- 
 sible can apply to George Wahnseidel, (lunatic) who 
 will order one for twelve shillings. The order will 
 be taken free of charge. If nothing comes from it 
 nothing will be lost. It is to be wished that they could 
 be furnished still cheaper, so that God's Word would 
 become abundant in the hands and hearts of all men. 
 Our own Bible, soon to be issued, in an ordinary bind- 
 
 ' Geschicht-Schreiber for June 16, 1743. 
 
 85 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 ing with clasps, will cost eighteen shillings. For the 
 poor and needy there is no price." 
 
 The presswork of Sower's great task was finished 
 early in July, 1743. A month later some of the copies 
 were stitched and glued and in the hands of sub- 
 scribers. We can well believe that the printer felt a 
 great load lifted from his shoulders when the last 
 printed sheets were taken from the press. A local 
 legend, which may well be true, relates that when the 
 work was at length finished late on a summer night, 
 the printer collected his workmen about him in the lit- 
 tle shop, and crossing his arms on his breast and lift- 
 ing his eyes towards heaven, exclaimed, " Dank Gott 
 es ist vollbracht." (Thank God it is finished.) 
 
 The work was not only speedily performed, but the 
 quality was in every way all that had been claimed 
 for it. Christopher Sower had conscientiously lived up 
 to his printed statements in regard to the work in 
 every detail. He saw to it that his mill should turn 
 out paper every whit as good as that of his prospectus 
 and other sample sheets that he had given to the pub- 
 lic. He surrounded himself with skilled workmen, 
 we do not know with what trouble and expense, so as 
 to give to his patrons and the public a Bible, not 
 only free from technical errors, but also in keeping 
 with the best skill in book-making of his day. 
 
 When we consider the scanty and crude equipment 
 with which this monumental work was produced, we 
 are astonished that such accuracy and perfection could 
 have been achieved. There are very few errors of any 
 kind. Indeed, as Sower states in his preface, more 
 
 86 
 
The Sower Bibles 
 
 than a hundred errors in the thirty-fourth Halle edi- 
 tion, which was used as a basis, were corrected. One 
 of the most glaring misprints is on the title page, 
 where, by the omission of an a, Parallelen appears as 
 " Parllelen." The typographical error was not noticed 
 until the whole edition was printed, and was left un- 
 corrected. This was so probably because the title 
 page had been produced with considerable expense 
 and effort, and the error was such as could not possibly 
 lead to misunderstanding. 
 
 The title page was printed in two colors, red and 
 black, and was probably the first attempt at a rubri- 
 cated title in this country. It ran as follows : 
 
 BIBLIO, 
 Das ist: 
 Die 
 
 HEILIGE SCHRIFT 
 Altes und Neues 
 Testaments, 
 Nach der Deutschen Uebersetzung 
 D. Martin Luthers, 
 Mit jedes Capitels kurtzen Summarien, auch 
 beygefiigten vielen und richtigen Parllelen; 
 
 Nebst einem Anhang 
 Des dritten und vierten Buchs Esra und des 
 dritten Buchs der Maccabaer. 
 
 Germantovvn : 
 Gedruckt bey Christoph Saur, 1743. 
 
 The first, fourth, sixth, eighth, eleventh and four- 
 teenth lines of the title were printed in red, the rest 
 in black ink. The first line is in plain capitals, all the 
 rest in ornamental letters of different size and design. 
 
 87 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 The title was skillfully designed and corres];»onds 
 favorably with that of the best German editions of the 
 t"me. Who the artist was we shall probably never 
 know, not impossibly the printer himself. The art 
 work throughout shows the same care and taste. The 
 ornamental head pieces at the beginning of Genesis 
 and Matthew, and also the preface, consisting of 
 an artistic blending of stars and flowers, are highly 
 appropriate. So are also the seraphs' heads on the 
 unfilled pages at the end of the Old and New Testa- 
 ment. A large ornamental capital stands at the begin- 
 ning of each book of the Bible, and a smaller capita) 
 at the beginning of each chapter. AU this shows that 
 Christopher Sower was not satisfied to have his Bible 
 merely correct, but that he was determined to have it 
 in every sense complete, in its artistic make-up, as well 
 as in scholarly accuracy and mechanical perfection. 
 
 The large octavo leaves were trimmed to the di- 
 mensions of 8 by 10 inches, the size of the forms or 
 type pages being 8 3-4 by 6 1-4 inches, with double 
 columns. The Bible contained 1282 printed pages, ex- 
 clusive of the reverse of the title page of the Old Tes- 
 tament, which was left blank. They were distributed 
 as follows: Title, 1 page; Vorrede (Preface) 1 page; 
 Verzeichnisz aller Biicher Des Alten und Neuen Tes- 
 taments (Index to all the books of the Old and New 
 Testament) 1 page. This index gives the number of 
 chapters in each book and the page on which each book 
 begins. This is followed by the text, in the following 
 groups: Books of the Old Testament, pp. 1-589; The 
 Prophets, pp. 590-805 ; Books called the Apocrypha, pp. 
 
 88 
 
The Sower Bibles 
 
 806-949; Supplement or addition, pp. 949-995; Title 
 page to New Testament, 1 page; Index to the Books 
 of the New Testament, 1 page ; Books of the New Tes- 
 tament, pp. 2)-Z77. Following this was the register of 
 epistles and chapters to be read on Sundays and special 
 feast days, 3 pages ; and Kurtzer Begriff or a Brief 
 Compend of the various editions of the Bible hitherto 
 published, 4 pages. 
 
 There are several things in the above outline that 
 need a few words of explanation. It will be noticed 
 that there were nearly two hundred pages of apocry- 
 phal matter that is not found in the ordinary Protes- 
 tant's Bible of today. This matter has always been 
 accepted by Catholic theologians, however, as a part of 
 the Inspired Word. When Luther translated the Bible 
 he rendered the entire Catholic version into German. 
 In his American edition Sower used Luther's text 
 throughout, except in the third and fourth books of 
 Ezra and the third of Maccabees. These were printed 
 according to the Berleburg text. 
 
 While there were numerous verbal differences in 
 the rendition of the two texts, there was nothing of 
 real importance in the third of Ezra or the third of 
 Maccabees. In the fourth of Ezra, however, there is 
 a radical departure from Luther's translation. When 
 the dissenting bodies brought out their Bible at Berle- 
 burg in Westphalia, in 1726, they printed the fourth 
 of Ezra according to the four ancient manuscripts in 
 Syriac, Armenian, Arabic, and Ethiopic, all of which 
 agree, but differ from the Latin^ in containing a dis- 
 sertation on heaven and hell after the thirty-fifth verse 
 
 89 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 of the seventh chapter. This matter, comprising seventy 
 verses, treats of the degrees of punishment and glori- 
 fication. It was not in Luther's translation, because 
 the Catholics, not finding it in the Latin, persistently 
 refused to admit it into any of their translations. The 
 fact that Luther's Bible lacked this matter was one of 
 the chief objections urged against it by the Dissenters 
 before Sower undertook to issue an American edi- 
 tion. As these seventy verses were found in four 
 out of five ancient manuscript translations of the orig- 
 inal Greek, which was lost, to exclude it looked to 
 them like omitting a part of God's Word. 
 
 That the Dissenters' position was justified by the 
 facts is clear. Time has also shown that they displayed 
 the evidence of wise judgment and sound scholarship 
 in the matter, and were not warped by prejudice and 
 sectarian bias. Almost a century and a half later, in 
 1875, a Latin manuscript of the ninth century was 
 found at Amiens containing the disputed matter. 
 It was at once published, and has since been included 
 in all versions of the apocrypha, both Protestant and 
 Catholic. 
 
 What is now admitted by every one without opposi- 
 tion, raised a storm of indignation, however, in 1743. 
 The pastors of the Lutheran and Reformed churches 
 seized upon this as a means of vilifying Sower and de- 
 nouncing his Bible. To such an extent were men swayed 
 by their passions in the eighteenth century that these 
 clergymen actually assailed the character of the honest 
 printer for publishing this apocalypse of an apocrypha, 
 which none of them believed to be a part of the In- 
 
 90 
 
The Sower Bibles 
 
 spired Word. Sower Iiad indicated tlic irrelevance of 
 these three books by printing them in smaller type. 
 
 But this was only one of their points of attack. The 
 appendix known as Kurtzer Begriff or Brief Com- 
 pend, also raised their ire. Now, the purpose of this 
 summary was to compare the variant renderings of a 
 number of the most important translations of the Bi- 
 ble. Certainly this looks like a matter sufficiently inno- 
 cent in itself, and to the unprejudiced must have been 
 a feature of interest and value, but it was violently at- 
 tacked by the orthodox clergy as a means used by the 
 printer to disseminate denominational views. To those 
 who may look into this Compend today the opposition 
 of these pastors will seem strangely violent and un- 
 reasonable, as there is nothing of a sectarian nature in 
 it at all. 
 
 When Christopher Sower finished the presswork on 
 his Bible in July of 1743, he probably looked upon his 
 task as well-nigh finished. It soon occurred to him, 
 however, that he would have to glue the Bibles for his 
 patrons, who could then have them bound according to 
 their own notion. Accordingly he inserted in the Au- 
 gust (1743) number of his paper this announcement: 
 " The Bible printed in Germantown is now ready ; and 
 because not every book-binder has the facility for 
 gluing, we will glue them ourselves, so that no inexpe- 
 rienced person need undertake it ; and when this is 
 done and they are dry, which will probably be at the 
 end of this month, then every one can have them." 
 He also repeated the statement published before, that 
 if any one desired his Bible without the third and 
 
 91 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 fourth books of Ezra and the third book of Maccabees, 
 he need only to send the pubhsher word to this eifect 
 and his copy would be prepared for binding without it. 
 The same statement appHed also to the Brief Com- 
 pend. Since opposition had been made to these, the 
 printer had no desire to inflict either of them upon 
 any one against his will. 
 
 As time went on it became more and more apparent 
 to Sower that he would be called on not only to glue 
 the sheets, but also to bind most of the copies of his 
 Bible. So he set about to make arrangements by 
 which he could accommodate his patrons. By the first 
 of November of the same year he was able to an- 
 nounce in the Gcschicht-Schreiher the following ar- 
 rangements : " The printer makes known, because he 
 sees that there are very few who desire unbound 
 Bibles, that he cannot have so many bound as in this 
 short time are demanded of him, although he would 
 like to see every one accommodated. Those who do 
 not live far from Ephrata can procure their Bibles 
 there bound or unbound, in exchange for their re- 
 ceipts and payment of the balance. Such as have not 
 subscribed can also find them there, and order them 
 bound as they wish to have them, or get them already 
 bound from Samuel Eckerling." The announcement 
 states further that H. Rieger, Doct. Med., has been 
 constituted an agent for the Bibles in Lancaster, and 
 that he will be supplied with bound copies from Ephra- 
 ta. It also states that arrangements are being made 
 to put bound copies on sale in New York at the first 
 opportunity. 
 
 92 
 
The Sower Bibles 
 
 It seems that Samuel Eckerling was not able to sup- 
 ply all the demands made upon him at Ephrata and 
 Lancaster, so that on I'"ebruary 16, 1744, Sower print- 
 ed in his paper this notice : " Because they at Ephrata 
 cannot bind as many Bibles as are desired of Mr. 
 Rieg;er at Lancaster, so we make known that bound 
 volumes will immediately be sent thither from here." 
 The appearance of tliis notice two months later would 
 seem to indicate that the demand was at length sup- 
 plied : " At Mr. Jacob Frederick Reiger's, in the new 
 city of Lancaster, are now to be had Bibles in different 
 bindings and at different prices." This was printed in 
 Sower's paper for April 16, 1744, and probably marks 
 the first time at which the supply was equal to the de- 
 mand for the Bible since its issue. 
 
 In the fall of 1741, as we have seen, Sower in- 
 serted in his almanac for the next year, a call for ad- 
 vance subscriptions and donations to his proposed Bi- 
 bles, promising at the same time to give to the public 
 a true account of all that should be received. In 
 his almanac for 1744, he refers to his former statement 
 and says, " To make this promise good, we announce 
 that H — ch H — 1 has contributed for the poor seven 
 shillings. From Germany a Christian soul, led by a 
 high hand, ordered a donation to aid the printing of 
 the Bible, but as the same made hardly any impression, 
 we added to it according to our means, and lowered 
 the price from fourteen shillings to twelve shillings, 
 at which price it remains unbound. This we have 
 done according to our means. J. A. R. paid before- 
 
 93 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 hand for seven copies to give to seven poor German 
 servants in his service, which is a good example." 
 
 As the distribution of the Bibles went on and the 
 people had time and opportunity to examine the work 
 thoroughly and judge of its contents, they became 
 more and more pleased with the scrupulous fidelity 
 with which Sower had fulfilled his promise. The Bible 
 was a faithful transcript of Luther's text, as had been 
 advertised. The fact that in every respect it proved 
 to be fully up to its advertised claims, and in some 
 ways even surpassed what was claimed for it (the 
 typography was certainly superior to any reasonable 
 expectation, and the price was lower than the adver- 
 tised rate), made it at once very popular, so that 
 the demand for nearly the entire first year was great- 
 er than the supply. 
 
 This success only increased the opposition of the 
 orthodox clergy, however, who never seemed to miss 
 an opportunity to vent their spleen on the harmless 
 printer and his harmless Bible. Sower paid no atten- 
 tion to these assaults on his own character, but cor- 
 rected from time to time misstatements in regard to 
 his book. Miihlenberg, in one of his letters to the 
 homeland, accuses Sower for having abused him in one 
 of his corrections, " and," he adds, " for no other 
 reason than that on my conscience I have warned 
 my congregation when they thought to buy his 
 newly printed Bibles to beware and see if he had not 
 interpolated opinions of his own." This was written 
 in the spring of 1745. after Sower's Bible had been on 
 the market for more than a year and a half. It 
 
 94 
 
The Sower Bibles 
 
 would seem tliat if Pastor IMiihlenberg's conscience 
 troubled him in regard to Sower's Bible he might have 
 procured a copy and set himself right before this. 
 
 But the bitterest and most violent opposition came 
 from Casper Ludwig Schnorr, the Reformed minister 
 at Lancaster. Located as he was in the very center of 
 the German population of Pennsylvania, his vehemence 
 caused no little annoyance to the printer, and doubtless 
 interfered with his sales to some extent. As late as 
 March 15, 1745, in his report to the Amsterdam 
 Classis, he speaks of Sower and his Bible and says, 
 " Upon all occasions I preach against it, and caution 
 my hearers not to purchase it." He continued his 
 senseless opposition long after the Bibles became pret- 
 ty generally distributed, iterating charges the most un- 
 reasonable and unjust, without seeming to think it 
 necessary for the sake of his own reputation, either to 
 square his statements with the facts, now in the hands 
 of the people, or to withdraw them. 
 
 This annoyance finally led Christopher Sower to 
 administer a rebuke a little sharper than was his wont. 
 " It is no secret," he writes in his newspaper, " that 
 many Germans, unknown to themselves, have been 
 compelled for a long time in America to listen to and 
 be served by certain ministers. Now we are neither 
 an enemy nor a hater of any one, for the more wretch- 
 ed a creature is, the more pity and commiseration we 
 owe it. About a year ago we received reliable infor- 
 mation from Germany, that others of this kind, who 
 were driven from their native place for immorality, 
 meant to seek service in this country. We owe the 
 
 95 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 duty unto God and to all men now to publish this 
 warning ; for by vicious teachers the ignorant are made 
 worse and are angered and are led into wranglings 
 and disputes, more than they are benefitted. This is 
 especially so with the young and lightminded hearers, 
 who look more at the life and actions of the minister 
 than to the truths that he preaches unto them. 
 
 " Soon after this came Casper Schnorr, who acted 
 as if he were all right. So is any one, be he the great- 
 est sinner in Europe or here, if he repent of his wicked 
 ways. Then the latter shall not be remembered by 
 God and all his children in eternity, just as when a 
 righteous man turns from the unrighteousness which 
 he has done, this shall not be remembered. 
 
 " The dear man, however, instead of improving him- 
 self, thought to revenge himself upon Sower, but com- 
 menced at the wrong end. He preached at Dulpe- 
 hocken and other places that the Germantown Bible 
 is false, that one should beware of it (as many of his 
 hearers affirm). Now if the dear man had abused 
 Sower in every manner, and painted him with the 
 great black tail of Satan, Sower would never have an- 
 swered a word in his own justification. But now 
 as he had proclaimed the Bible as false and has pub- 
 lished it, he will have to answer unto God. May He 
 be merciful and tender unto him, when he repents of 
 his other sins and vices, and entreats God for mercy, 
 and receives it. Then it will be an easy matter for 
 him to recall publickly what he has thus far pro- 
 claimed." 
 
 As soon as the first rush of filling advance orders 
 96 
 
The Sower Bibles 
 
 for the Bible was over, but while the steady demand 
 was still greater than the supply, Christopher Sower 
 took occasion to remember his old friend, Dr. Ehren- 
 fried Luther at Frankfort on the Main, in a substantial 
 way. It will be remembered that it was from Dr. 
 Luther that Sower received the type used in printing 
 his Bible. As a sort of thank offering for the suc- 
 cessful completion of his great task. Sower sent a 
 dozen copies of his work to Dr. Luther, to be distrib- 
 uted as the latter saw fit. 
 
 These Bibles had a remarkable history. They were 
 shipped by the brig. Queen of Hungary, which sailed 
 from Philadelphia, December 5, 1743. Off the Cape of 
 St. Malo the vessel fell into the hands of French and 
 Spanish pirates, who appropriated the cargo, including 
 the Sower Bibles. In the disposal of the booty later 
 on, it is said, the case of Bibles was sold for four 
 Rix dollars. 
 
 A year or such a matter elapsed before Dr. Luther 
 was able to find any trace of the lost books. At length 
 he located the man who had bought them, and after 
 a few exchanges of letters, they were finally sent to 
 their destination, as clean and fresh, it is said, as 
 when they were packed. 
 
 Great was the joy of the Frankfort type-founder, 
 if we are to believe the current tradition, when he saw 
 the excellence of the work that had been produced 
 with his type. He composed a Latin dedication, a copy 
 of which he attached to each Bible. These are said to 
 have varied slightly according to the rank of the per- 
 sons for whom the different copies were intended. 
 
 97 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 Following is a rather free translation of the inscrip- 
 tion in the copy donated by Dr. Luther to the city 
 library of Frankfort. 
 
 " This holy Book, never having appeared before in 
 the West Indies either in English or Dutch or any 
 other language, but recently published without any 
 model in the German language for the first time, and 
 that by the help of God with type from his own foun- 
 dry, H. E. Luther, J. U. D. and C. W. A. and Coun- 
 sellor of Wurtemburg, dedicates it to the magnificent 
 city library as a gift. Frankfort on the Main, the first 
 of June, 1744." 
 
 Dr. Luther took great pride in distributing these 
 Bibles to distinguished persons of his acquaintance. 
 He presented one to the Counsellor of Miinchenhausen 
 in Hanover. By him it was bequeathed to the widow 
 duchess of Brunswick, Elizabeth Sophia Marie, " as 
 an ornament to her collection of Bibles." Another 
 copy was given to the imperial high-counsellor Her- 
 man Karl Keyserling, who had lived at Luther's house 
 during the election of emperor held in Frankfort in 
 1745. 
 
 According to a memorandum^ said to have been 
 found in one of these Bibles, it seems that Dr. Luther 
 at one time intended to give them to the different 
 royal libraries of northern Europe. After keeping one 
 for his own collection, he designated as recipients for 
 the rest, the libraries of St. Petersburg, Stockholm, 
 Copenhagen, Berlin, Hanover, Dresden, Gotha, Wei- 
 
 » Sachse — German Sectarians of Pennsylvania, vol. 2. 
 
 98 
 
The Sower B'bles 
 
 mar, Brunswick, Casscl, and Stuttgart. That tliis pur- 
 pose was never fully carried out is evident from what 
 has been said above. 
 
 At all events they were distributed with care, and 
 were highly appreciated, not only by Dr. Luther, but 
 also by the crowned heads of Europe. 
 
 It is not known where these Bibles were bound. The 
 binding is different from any known to have been done 
 in America at that time. It is highly artistic as well 
 as durable. There were no facilities either at German- 
 town or at Ephrata to produce such decorative tooling 
 and embellishing as these Bibles show. It is probable 
 that the books were sent to Dr. Luther in the stitched 
 and glued state, and that he, in the fulness of his ad- 
 miration, had them beautifully bound as presents to 
 his royal and noble friends. 
 
 The first edition of the Sower Bible met with 
 steady sales and gradually silenced the opposition made 
 to it. The large edition of 1200 copies, which was un- 
 usual for the time, supplied the demand, however, for 
 almost a score of years. In January, 1746, when the 
 Bible had been on sale nearly two years and a half, 
 about one-fourth of the edition, or nearly 300 copies, 
 had been sold. Christopher Sower the Second planned 
 for a second edition in 1762, four years after the 
 death of his father, and almost immediately, it w^ould 
 seem, after the first edition had been exhausted. 
 
 In the busy life of Christopher Sower this publica- 
 tion of the Bible was but an event. Yet amidst the 
 long list of his various achievements, this Bible stands 
 preeminent as the great monument of his life and work. 
 
 99 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 Projected in the second year of his career as publisher, 
 it was brought forth under many difficuUies and great 
 opposition, was placed on the market amidst the gross- 
 est misrepresentation and the fiercest prejudicial antag- 
 onism, and was still supplying the demand when the 
 publisher had been in his grave several years. Thus in 
 one way or another it touched almost the entire active 
 period of his life. The Bible represents the spirit in 
 which he wrought — the spirit of devotion to the wel- 
 fare of others. As the years go by the copies of 
 Sower's Bible that still exist become all the while more 
 and more prized — a type of the unselfish life of the 
 publisher. 
 
 Second edition. 
 
 The second edition of the Sower Bible does not 
 call for extended notice. It should be observed in the 
 beginning, however, that this second edition was the 
 work of a dififerent man from the first. The first 
 Christopher Sower died September 25, 1758. The 
 second edition of the Bible, which appeared in 1763, 
 was therefore the work of the second Christopher, the 
 heir and successor to the founder of the Germantown 
 printing establishment. 
 
 In Der Hoch-DeutscJi Americanische Calender for 
 1763, Christopher Sower the Second first gave public 
 notice of his intention to issue a second edition of the 
 Bible. His statement ran thus : 
 
 " As the Bibles printed nineteen years ago in Ger- 
 mantown are now sold, and no more are to be had, we 
 have decided that our part of the world is not to be 
 
 100 
 
The Sower Bibles 
 
 without this excellent book, and we have already pro- 
 vided oursclf with a quantity of j^ood paper and have 
 made a beginning with a new edition of such a quarto 
 Bible as the former one. We are also resolved to 
 make it according to the best of our ability, and the 
 verv liest in every part, and to eradicate as much as 
 possible all mistakes that crept into the former edi- 
 tion ; also to add an appendix, so that these Bibles shall 
 in no way be inferior to any of similar size coming 
 from Europe. In paper and binding they will be far 
 better. As this is a great undertaking and we cannot 
 secure workmen just as we would like, so the lovers 
 of this Book of Books will have to exercise a little pa- 
 tience until the close of this year 1763, as none need be 
 expected any sooner." 
 
 This Bible came from the press near the end of 
 the year 1763, and was in every respect almost an ex- 
 act counterpart of the former edition. The Kurtzer 
 Begriff, which had been a source of opposition to the 
 former edition, was nevertheless retained. In size, 
 quality of paper and typography, this second edition 
 was scarcely to be told from its predecessor. The 
 books were substantially bound in leather, with edges 
 stained. In binding some of them were provided with 
 clasps. 
 
 While in general appearance the two editions are 
 strikingly similar, there are, nevertheless, numerous 
 details in which they differ. 
 
 A very noticeable one is found on the title page: 
 that of the second edition is not rubricated. In all 
 other respects, in design, arrangement and typography, 
 
 101 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 they seem to be identical. Of course the word paralle- 
 len, which had been accidentally printed without the 
 second a in the former edition, was corrected. 
 
 This is not designated on the title page as a second 
 edition, except in so far as the date indicates it. In the 
 preface, however, the editor designates it as such and 
 indicates in what respects it will be like its predeces- 
 sor. 
 
 The index on the reverse of the preface page is un- 
 changed from the former edition. 
 
 The first page of the text has at the top an orna- 
 mental head piece, not very different from that of the 
 first edition. 
 
 From here to the end of the Old Testament, the 
 paging of the two editions is exactly the same; both 
 end near the middle of page 949. The Third and 
 Fourth Books of Ezra and the Third Book of Mac- 
 cabees are, in each edition, printed in finer type. This 
 type too, seems to have been identical in the two edi- 
 tions, as it ends near the same place on page 995. 
 The face of a cherub is inserted in the unfilled space. 
 
 The title page of the New Testament is arranged 
 as follows : 
 
 Das Neue 
 Testament 
 Unsers 
 Herrn und Heylandes 
 Jesu Christi, 
 Verteutscht 
 von 
 
 Dr. Martin Luther 
 mit 
 
 Jedes Capitels Kurtzen 
 102 
 
The Sower Bibles 
 
 Sumarien, 
 Auch beygefiigten viclen richtigen 
 Parallelen. 
 
 Germantown: 
 Gedruckt und zii finden bey Christoph Saur, 1763. 
 
 This is a beautiful piece of work, both in design and 
 execution. The capitals in the first, second, fourth, 
 fifth, eighth and fourteenth lines and those in Sower's 
 name are ornamental. Other capitals are plain. 
 
 Page 2 contains a table of contents of the books 
 of the New Testament. 
 
 Page 3 has an ornamental head piece differing 
 slightly from the one at the beginning of the Old 
 Testament. Both are about an inch and a quarter 
 wide and extend across the page. They are made up 
 of four more or less distinct rows of ornaments. 
 
 The text of the New Testament ends near the mid- 
 dle of page 277. An ornamental piece (face of a 
 cherub, but differing slightly from the one at the end 
 of the Old Testament) fills up the page. 
 
 The next three pages are occupied with a register 
 of epistles and gospels, etc., practically unchanged 
 from the former edition. 
 
 The Kurtzer Begriff fills the last four pages of the 
 book. 
 
 The facilities for doing all kinds of work in the 
 Germantown Driickerei had been very much increased 
 since the first venture in Bible printing was made. The 
 mechanical skill and ingenuity of the first Christopher 
 Sower have already been spoken of. A man who 
 
 103 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 could learn thirty trades without a teacher would not 
 be long about a crude printing office in a frontier town 
 without finding many things upon which to exercise 
 his inventive skill. This was true in the experience 
 of Christopher Sower the first. It is certain that he 
 invented many appliances and conveniences to ease and 
 facilitate the work of his office, but as he refused or 
 neglected to protect his inventions by patent, others re- 
 ceived the reward of his labor. In the quarter of a 
 century since its founding, the Sower printing estab- 
 lishment had grown to be a well-equipped institution, 
 with modern presses, book-bindery, ink factory, paper 
 mill, and the latest conveniences of that day. Refer- 
 ring to this time, Isaiah Thomas in his History of 
 Printing in America says, " Christopher Sower, Jr., 
 was by far the most extensive book manufacturer then 
 (1763), and for many years afterwards, in the British 
 American colonies." 
 
 These were the changed conditions under which the 
 second edition of the Bible was brought out. 
 
 In the preface Sower called attention to the fact that 
 at the appearance of this second edition of the Bible 
 in German, its publication in any other European 
 tongue had not yet been undertaken in the western 
 hemisphere. 
 
 The printing was done in less than a year. As a 
 well-equipped bindery was now a part of the establish- 
 ment, the whole edition was soon bound and ready for 
 delivery. 
 
 The copies of this edition are more numerous than 
 those of either the first or the third. 
 
 104 
 
The Sower Bibles 
 
 Third Edition. 
 
 When the second Christopher Sower undertook to 
 issue a third edition of the Bible he could still say, in 
 his preface, " There appears now for the third time on 
 the American continent the Holy Writ, called the Bi- 
 ble, in open print in the High German language, to the 
 honor of the German nation ; since no other nation 
 is able to show that the Bible has yet been printed 
 in its language in this part of the world." 
 
 The fact here referred to seems strange in the light 
 of the circumstances. It is known that there was a 
 great dearth of Bibles at this time in the colonies. 
 This was true more particularly of Bibles printed in 
 English than in German. Of the latter great numbers 
 of different European editions had been distributed 
 through various agencies, as we have seen. Besides 
 these, two large editions of the domestic product had 
 been sold. It is interesting to note what an active in- 
 terest the Sowers took in supplying this demand for 
 the Inspired Word. 
 
 Of course it is understood that these two editions 
 to which we refer were Family Bibles, the large 
 quartos whose thickness was about a hand high, as 
 the first Sower had described them. Now in addition 
 to these the two Christopher Sowers up to and includ- 
 ing 1776 printed no less than nine diflFerent editions 
 of parts of the Sacred Writings. IMost of these were 
 editions of the New Testament in handy duodecimo 
 volumes of between 500 and 600 pages. 
 
 The first of these appeared in 1745, two years after 
 105 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 the first edition of the Hausbieble. It consisted of 
 fifteen hundred copies, and was exhausted in less than 
 ten years. Other editions of the New Testament ap- 
 peared in 1755, 1761, 1763, 1766, 1769, 1775. It does 
 not seem to be known how many copies of these dif¥er- 
 ent editions were printed ; but it would appear that the 
 demand for these handy volumes increased with time 
 and that the succeeding editions sold off more rapidly 
 than those which preceded them. Estimating the six 
 editions after 1745 at an average of one thousand copies 
 each, (it is not probable they were fewer than this) 
 we have a round number of some seventy-five thou- 
 sand copies of the New Testament from the Sower 
 press alone that were distributed by the time the third 
 edition of the Bible was ready for distribution. 
 
 Besides these the second Christopher Sower issued 
 in 1773 an edition of the Psalms of David, and three 
 years later a child's Bible (Die Kinder Bieble). This 
 latter was a 12mo volume of 487 pages. Add these 
 two editions and the first two issues of the Bible to the 
 different editions of the New Testament, and it would 
 seem that the number of copies of the Bible or parts 
 of it issued and distributed by the Sower press up to 
 1776 must be considerably over one hundred thousand. 
 So in supplying the demand for the Sacred Writings 
 in the German tongue, the Sower press played a very 
 important part. 
 
 All the while this domestic product was being put 
 forth, there were constant importations from Ger- 
 many, which were dispensed through various agencies. 
 Probably the greater part of this foreign production, 
 
 106 
 
The Sower Bibles 
 
 however, was distributed through the clergy of the 
 orthodox churches. 
 
 I'^or the supply of English Bibles the conditions were 
 not so favorable. No publisher in America had yet 
 undertaken its publication, and six years more passed 
 before such an attempt was made. The first English 
 edition of the Bible, therefore, to be produced in 
 America appeared in 1782. While no English Bibles 
 were produced in this country up to this time, it does 
 not seem that they were even imported in very great 
 numbers. In 1777 there was such a dearth of English 
 Bibles that Congress ordered 20,000 copies to be im- 
 ported. I have been unable to ascertain whether this 
 order was ever carried out or not. 
 
 Such was the situation at the beginning of 1776, 
 when Christopher Sower the Second made known his 
 purpose to print a third edition of the Hausbieble. 
 Work was begun early in the year and by autumn the 
 large edition had been printed and the sheets spread 
 out in the loft to dry. 
 
 But these were troublous times, and business did not 
 move in the Sower printing office with its usual alacri- 
 ty. Before the prcsswork on the Bible was finished, 
 it would seem that Christopher Sower retired from 
 active management of his business. The tumult of 
 war was now to be heard on every hand, and business 
 was in large measure paralyzed. 
 
 During the winter of 1776-7 and the ensuing spring, 
 some of the sheets were arranged and bound, and the 
 volumes delivered to subscribers. But when the Brit- 
 ish troops came into Germantown in the next summer 
 
 107 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 most of the unbound sheets were still in the loft. They 
 were ruthlessly seized by the soldiery and wasted. 
 Some were strewn under their horses for bedding, 
 others were thrown upon bonfires, while still others 
 were converted into cartridges, says Isaiah Thomas, 
 " and thus used not for the salvation of men's souls, 
 but for the destruction of their bodies." The Sower es- 
 tablishment was practically broken up, the estate was 
 confiscated and the stock afterward sold. 
 
 After the worst was over Christopher Sower col- 
 lected a few sets of sheets that had survived the wreck 
 and bound them. It is said that he gave one of these 
 to each of his children, and there may have been a few 
 others. 
 
 It is impossible to tell how many of this edition were 
 bound and got into circulation. It is not probable that 
 the number exceeded a few hundred. If there were 
 more than this they must have been consigned to 
 other parties for distribution, but there is no evidence 
 that this was done, neither is it likely. 
 
 In size, appearance and workmanship, the third edi- 
 tion differs little from the former two. As in those, 
 a good quality of rag paper was used, the product of 
 Sower's own mill. The ink was of the same excellent 
 quality as that for the other two editions, of which 
 an account has already been given. The binding of 
 all the copies we have seen or heard of was in strong 
 leather with brass clasps, plain and durable. 
 
 The type used in this edition was also manufactured 
 bv the printer. This distinction has, I believe, been 
 claimed for that employed in each of the former edi- 
 
 108 
 
The Sower Bibles 
 
 tions. but there is no good reason to think that the 
 Sowers cast any type before 1770. It is known, on the 
 other hand, that in 1773 they were using type of their 
 own make. 
 
 That employed in the third edition is certainly as 
 good as that in either of the others, if not superior. 
 The impression is sliarp and distinct and the lines 
 clear-cut and even. The type was new — not so new, 
 however, as to bear the marks of newness, yet on the 
 other hand without any indications of wear. Undoubt- 
 edly within the three or four years since the Sowers be- 
 gan the manufacture of type, they had equipped their 
 establishment anew, to a very large extent, from their 
 own foundry. 
 
 The title page differs slightly from that of the for- 
 mer editions, and like the second edition was not rubri- 
 cated. The same styles of letters were used, but all 
 were printed in black. Of course the ortliographical 
 error in the tenth line of the first edition was corrected, 
 and there were a few changes in the punctuation. At 
 the end of the eighth line the comma of the first edition 
 was supplanted by a semicolon, and the semicolon after 
 the tenth line was displaced by a colon. Two lines 
 were changed. By the addition of two words the third 
 line was made to read. 
 
 Die ganze Gottliche. 
 
 Likewise, three words inserted into the last line made 
 it read as follows : 
 
 Gednickt und cu finden bey Christoph Saur I7j6. 
 Dritte AiiHage (third edition) is inserted between two 
 
 109 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 lines extending across the page, which take the place 
 of the ornamental division mark between the thirteenth 
 and fourteenth lines of the title. Besides these changes 
 in the title page and a new preface, the matter pre- 
 ceding the text was not different from that of the first 
 edition. 
 
 It is worthy of note that the type used in printing 
 the Third and Fourth Books of Ezra and the Third of 
 Maccabees is a little finer than that used in the first 
 and second editions. This matter fills nearly forty- 
 seven pages in the first two editions but in the third 
 only a little more than forty-three. This type, fresh 
 from the new Sower foundry, produced excellent 
 work, but varied to this extent from that that it dis- 
 placed. 
 
 The New Testament title page differs considerably, 
 too, from the former editions. It reads like this: 
 
 Das Neue 
 Testament 
 unsers 
 Herrn und Heylandes 
 Jesu Christi, 
 nach der Deutschen Uebersetzung 
 Dr. Martin Luthers, 
 mit kurzem 
 Inhalt eines jeden Capitels, 
 und volstandiger 
 Anweisung gleicher Schrift-Stellen. 
 Wie auch 
 aller Sonn-und Fest-tagigen 
 Evangelien und Epistelen. 
 Dritte Auflage. 
 Germantown, 
 Gedruckt und zu finden bey Christoph Saur, 1776. 
 110 
 
The Sower Bibles 
 
 Only tlie capitals in the second, fifth, and seventh 
 lines arc ornamented ; all the rest are plain. 
 
 At the end of the volume, the appendix known as the 
 Kurtzer Begriff was omitted. New ornamental designs 
 were also placed at the end of the Old and New Testa- 
 ments. The edges were stained with a dappled red. 
 
 The price seems to have been raised somewhat, if 
 the autograph in a copy in the Bridgewatcr College 
 library is to be trusted. This states that the volume 
 was purchased January 22, 1781, for one pound and 
 fifteen shillings. 
 
 This edition, it has been claimed, is the most rare 
 and valuable of the three. Says Miss Nancy V. Mc- 
 Celland, writing in the Philadelphia Press for May 29, 
 1898: 
 
 " Contrary to all bibliological precedents, this 
 (third) edition is more valuable than the first. The ex- 
 planation lies in the warfare that aroused the patriotic 
 people in the United Colonies at that time. When 
 Germantown became the centre of disturbance the 
 third edition of the Saur Bible played an important 
 military part. It was torn up with a ruthless hand 
 and used as gun-wadding to help along a righteous 
 cause. !Many an unfortunate Hessian hireling went to 
 kingdom come with the aid of a piece of the third 
 edition. 
 
 " So few of the books were left intact that they are 
 rarities to be prized when possessed." 
 
 This statement is controverted, however, by Dr. 
 John \\'right in Earl\ Bibles of America, where he 
 says, " The first edition of the Sower Bible — that of 
 
 111 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 1743 — is a scarce book, and commands a high price. 
 A copy offered at the Brinly sale a few years ago 
 brought $350. This is the highest price ever paid for 
 a Sower Bible. This was written in 1894. 
 
 The truth of the matter seems to be this : There are 
 almost certainly fewer of the third edition in existence 
 than of the first. In this respect the third edition is ex- 
 ceedingly rare. But the difficulties under which the 
 first edition was brought out give it an historical im- 
 portance that the later issues can never attain. 
 
 1 For this quotation from Wright's work I am indebted to 
 Elder D. L. Miller. 
 
 112 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE SOWER PERIODICALS. 
 
 I. Dcr IIoch-DcHtsch Pcnsyh'anischc Geschicht- 
 Schrcibcr. 
 
 The periodicals issued by the Sower press were two in 
 number, a newspaper and a magazine. I will include 
 in this chapter also a study of the Sower almanac 
 which was published annually for about forty years. 
 These were all printed in German and were the pi- 
 oneers in their respective fields in this country. In 
 time they were contemporaneous with the famous peri- 
 odicals published by Franklin. Sower's almanac was 
 not very difYerent in scope and principle from its 
 famous cousin, Poor Richard. And the magazine, 
 which was religious in its character, was the first of 
 its kind to be produced in this country in any tongue. 
 Franklin had started in Philadelphia a German news- 
 paper several years before Sower set up his press at 
 Germantown. But Franklin had no German type, as 
 we have seen, and the few issues of his paper that 
 were printed appeared in English or Roman type. So 
 Sower's paper, which was printed in German type, 
 was the first wholly German newspaper produced in 
 America. 
 
 The first issue of this publication appeared on the 20th 
 of August, 1739. and, as the small beginning of a great 
 enterprise, it will always hold an important place in 
 
 113 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 the history of our country. It was a small sheet 13 
 inches long and 9 inches wide, and contained four 
 pages with double columns. Its title may be trans- 
 lated, as The High-German Pennsylvania Recorder of 
 Events. Only one copy^ of this first issue is known to 
 exist. Since it has never been translated to my knowl- 
 edge, and because of its rarity and importance, I have 
 reproduced the greater part of it, which cannot help 
 being exceedingly interesting to the reader. 
 
 Der 
 Hoch-Deutsch 
 Pensylvanische 
 Geschicht-Schreiber, 
 Oder: 
 Sammlung 
 
 Wichtiger Nachrichten, aus dem Natur-und Kirchen-Reich. 
 
 Erstes Stuck August 20, 1739. 
 
 Geneighter Leser. 
 (Kind Reader) 
 
 Among other idols which the coarse and subtle 
 world of so-called Christians serve, not the least is 
 the impertinence, the curiosity and inordinate desire 
 to see, to hear, and to know very often something new ; 
 also to talk about it. To make a sacrifice now to this 
 spirit of Athena with the issue of this collection of 
 news we are not at all willing, still less to display our- 
 self, or to seek fame and profit ; but because we have 
 formerly promised to make known the useful and im- 
 portant facts and occurrences, and also because impor- 
 
 ' In the Cassel collection now in possession of Dr. M. Q. 
 Brumbaugh, by whose kind permission I am enabled to pre- 
 sent the following selections to the readers of this book. 
 
 114 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 tant facts, wlien they come to the ears and eyes of men, 
 often make deeper impressions and cause deeper re- 
 flection than things which daily occur ; so we will 
 make a beginning here with such signs of the time as 
 have recently and certainly taken place in this and 
 other parts of the world, in the hoj^e that they will 
 produce, not without their own proper advantage, 
 something of interest and alarm (auffschauens ) 
 among those who read them. We may also perhaps 
 later make some observations and propound some use- 
 ful questions of the time for those earnestly disposed 
 to reflection, or also perhaps give some correct an- 
 swers to these, to be given out in the same budget. 
 Farewell, reader, and use this as you should. 
 
 For several years we have heard that the Persians 
 and the Turks were engaged in a great w-ar ; scarcely 
 had the Persians made peace with the Turks when 
 they were in actual war with the great Mogul ; and the 
 Roman Emperor had scarcely secured a cessation of 
 arms with the king of France w-hen he went, together 
 with jMoscow (Russia), against the Turks. At first 
 the Muscovites were victorious against the Turks ; 
 but soon the leaf turned, and the Turks were vic- 
 torious ; however, they still stood opposed to each 
 other on the field. But what the Emperor and the 
 Turks have been doing this year, of this we have had 
 up to this time but little news ; nevertheless the king- 
 dom has mustered eighty thousand men, who are to 
 march against Hungary. The queen of the Musco- 
 vites had promised to aid the Roman Emperor with her 
 people, because he began war with the Turks on her 
 behalf : the troops were brought together at IMoscow 
 and equipped. But when the Swedes saw this, that the 
 Muscovites were moving their forces out of the coun- 
 try against the Turks, they wished to recover their 
 land which the Muscovites had taken away from them 
 because Sweden was weak. Then Moscow did not 
 
 115 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 wish to spare the promised troops, but wished to help 
 the Emperor with money ; but because the Emperor 
 thought himself too weak against the Turks without 
 help, he sent word to the Czarina that if she did not 
 send him troops, he would have to make peace with 
 the Turks ; for he was tired of this grievous war. 
 What was Moscow to do now? If the Emperor 
 should make peace, then on the one hand the Turks 
 would have their entire power, and on the other hand 
 the Swedes would recover their land. So in the begin- 
 ning of January she sent the Emperor fifty thousand 
 men. 
 
 This is a little more than half of the old-world news 
 in this issue. The rest is in a similar vein and has 
 no particular interest. This is followed by 
 
 Copia der Procleniation unsers Governeurs. 
 
 This proclamation is made to the people of Pennsyl- 
 vania by his Majesty, the King of England, in regard 
 to British commerce in the new world, and sets forth 
 his reasons for declaring war against Spain. It re- 
 cites the indignities and insults to which English mer- 
 chants have repeatedly been subjected in the West 
 Indies and on the Spanish Main. It also reproaches 
 the King of Spain for negligence in protecting the 
 rights of Englishmen in these waters according to the 
 stipulations of existing treaties between the two coun- 
 tries. It is further charged that the Spanish King has 
 neglected to pay an indemnity in gold, which had been 
 agreed upon as a compensation for British losses in 
 Spanish waters. 
 
 In consideration of these various grievances his Brit- 
 ish Majesty concludes his proclamation as follows: 
 
 116 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 So we have finally decided to vindicate the honor 
 of our crown, and, as a compensation to our unjustly 
 treated subjects, to order that reprisals shall be made 
 (else the people will avenge themselves) on the crown 
 and subjects of Spain. We hereby give you full power 
 to take prizes, and we give to each one whom you 
 consider qualified the commission and permission to 
 treat them in return as they have treated us ; that war 
 vessels, also private or pirate vessels, be fitted out to 
 rob, overpower, capture, plunder and confiscate the 
 ships and the goods upon them, which belong to the 
 King of Spain or his vassals and subjects, or to any 
 inhabitant of his country, boundary or estate : how- 
 ever, with this stipulation, that before such an one may 
 go forth he shall give assurance that he will conduct 
 himself as is necessary on such occasions. And in 
 the commission you shall mention, and write down all 
 points, and instruct each one in regard to it, and show 
 him what is necessary in such cases ; and in order to 
 do so let this be your authority. Fare well. 
 
 By his ]\Iajesty's command. 
 
 Hollis Newcastle. 
 
 The governor then adds on his own behalf : For this 
 reason let each and every subject of his Majesty under 
 my government be upon his guard, so that all the evil 
 and injury that the Spanish have in mind may be pre- 
 vented ; because they will w^ish to avenge themselves 
 against such treatment as that with which your majes- 
 ty has been under the necessity of using to secure the 
 rights of himself and his subjects. Accordingly, every 
 one, in w-hatever condition he may be, has permission 
 to injure and annoy the Spaniards in any way he can. 
 I am happy to publish and make known his Majesty's 
 order. Furthermore it is his royal ]\Iajesty's wish and 
 pleasure to make known to me by the Duke of New- 
 castle, one of his ^Majesty's most distinguished secre- 
 
 117 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 taries of state, that no ammunition or equipment for 
 war or provisions of any kind whatever, shall be fur- 
 nished to the Spaniards, under severe punishment and 
 his royal Majesty's highest displeasure. Wherefore, 
 let every magistrate, officer and all others hold them- 
 selves in readiness and use all possible industry to 
 prevent anything of the kind. 
 
 Given under my hand and 
 the great seal of the province of 
 Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, the 20th 
 of August, 1739, and in the 13th 
 year of his Majesty's reign. 
 
 George Thomas. 
 
 God Save the King. 
 
 If one should in these days 
 
 Say to the children of men 
 
 That they by their actions, 
 
 Since they thus conduct themselves, 
 
 Were not true Christians 
 
 And did not know the truth; 
 
 They would plague him 
 
 And clutch him by the throat, 
 
 Perhaps even beat him to death, 
 
 Make themselves glow like sickles, 
 
 Go forth in their wantonness 
 
 And still be good Christians. 
 
 Germaiiton. 
 
 The following news has been received from Fred- 
 erick township in Falckner's Swamp. On the 12th of 
 August, after nine o'clock in the evening, an Irishman 
 came to the door of a man by the name of Buebner 
 and asked to stay all night. The man of the house 
 called a neighbor who could speak English, and be- 
 cause they suspected no good of the man, they directed 
 him to an inn nearby. He soon came back, however, 
 and said he could not find the house, and urged that 
 
 118 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 they keep him over night, which they consented to do. 
 The housewife took his horse, and as slic was leading 
 it to the ticlci, some one struck licr, so that she fell 
 down as if dead. Then he threw her over the fence 
 and cast a large block of wood on her, thinking she 
 was dead because she lay so still. The other murderer, 
 who was in the house, first struck down tlie feeble old 
 neighbor with an instrument of death, which was made 
 of iron in the form of a large knife, especially for the 
 purpose of breaking into houses and beating people 
 to death. The hilt was as large as a small fist, and it 
 likewise struck the master of the house also, who was 
 so terribly treated that his head and entire body were 
 full of holes, bruises and blood. His mother, who was 
 in the upper part of the house, is said to have cried 
 out, as did also the man, murder! murder! so that a 
 neighbor's child a half mile away heard them and 
 called its father. He came running with another man 
 who was in his house, and they on their way answered 
 those who were crying for help. 
 
 The murderers were frightened by these loud cries 
 and made their escape on their horses. In their haste 
 they left behind their knives of murder and robbery 
 already mentioned, which the neighbors found after 
 they had come upon the people in their blood and 
 wounds. The knives were taken to the justice, who 
 has ordered the murderers to be pursued. Up to this 
 time, however, nothing has been heard of them. 
 
 On the 21st of last July, an Englishman by the name 
 of John Ward living near Anchocas, went out to shoot 
 game. He noticed something stir in a thicket and 
 saw the white breast of a man but thought it was the 
 hind part of a deer. He fired and shot his neighbor, 
 James Scherrein, dead upon the spot. 
 
 A piece of gold has been found in the street, which, 
 without doubt, some one has lost. Whoever can de- 
 
 119 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 scribe the correct distinguishing symbol in which it 
 was wrapped, and what was with it, can liave it again 
 without cost from the pubHsher. 
 
 A man's coat has been found in the street between 
 Philadelphia and Germantown. Whoever can give a 
 correct description of it can have it again without cost 
 from Christopher Sower. 
 
 It will be observed that the news was crisp and tersely 
 expressed. The editor sought to give as much infor- 
 mation as possible in a few words. The paper con- 
 tained nine separate articles or items, and for the most 
 part they were crowded together in such a way as to 
 take as little space as possible. For instance, the edi- 
 tor's address to the reader was followed by an account 
 of the European wars. This was probably intended 
 as the leading article in the paper, yet it was crowded 
 against the preceding without a title or any other in- 
 dication of its nature or importance, (as above). 
 
 While this was an expedient to save space, as I take 
 it, the little sheet was not made up without reference 
 to the artistic. This is shown in the display and ar- 
 rangement of the heading. In the governor's procla- 
 mation also, there is a palpable effort at artistic ef- 
 fect. Two large ornamental capitals are introduced 
 here, one at the introduction and the other at the be- 
 ginning of the proclamation proper. Other small 
 capitals here contribute to the same result. 
 
 The admission of a bit of verse likewise may not 
 have been without due consideration for its artistic 
 effect. The general appearance of the paper through- 
 out is characterized by neatness and good taste. 
 
 120 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 In regard to tlic verses I should stale that the trans- 
 lation is literal and is intended to convey the sense of 
 the original and preserve the line, without aiming to 
 be in any sense poetical. In the original the lines 
 rhyme in tersets: the first three rhyine together, like- 
 wise the second three; the seventh, eiglith, and ninth 
 repeat the rhyme of the first three, and the last three 
 repeat that of the fourth, fifth and sixth. The mass- 
 ing of thought throughout the stanza also produces a 
 splendid climactic effect. 
 
 The last part of the paper, beginning with the ac- 
 count of the murder at Falckner's Swamp, is set in 
 smaller type than the rest. The items are crowded 
 together too without any break of any kind between 
 them except the line which separates the last two 
 items, the advertisements, from the rest of the paper. 
 It would seem that the publisher had rather more news 
 for the first issue of his paper than the little sheet 
 could contain. 
 
 In this enterprise of launching a German newspaper 
 in the American wilderness. Sower was prompted sole- 
 ly by a desire to be helpful to his countrymen. He was 
 far from being willing to issue a newspaper in the or- 
 dinary sense of the word. He had little sympathy with 
 the journalistic dogma later enunciated by Horace 
 Greeley, that " the people want the news, not facts." 
 Whatever they might want, he felt that as the collector 
 and editor of news, it was his duty to give to the public 
 only that which was true. His moral character strove 
 against lending a hand to the spreading of unreliable 
 
 121 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 news, or furnishing reading matter for mere pas- 
 time. 
 
 A fuller statement of his policy than he had yet 
 given out appeared in the first issue of the almanac, 
 which was published in the autumn of the same year. 
 " To those." he says, " who have frequently inquired, 
 and in the future may still inquire, whether German 
 newspapers are not soon to be had, to these we hereby 
 make known that we are not at all disposed to waste our 
 precious time in collecting every week something that 
 is of no use, much less to write lies, as the common 
 custom of the world is." 
 
 This statement is followed by his prospectus in 
 which he outlines definitely his policy and plans as 
 follows : " It is hereby made known that in future 
 we intend to publish a collection of useful and im- 
 portant news and happenings, partly of a secular na- 
 ture, whatever is to be learned at this time of wars and 
 rumors of wars, from Europe as well as from other 
 parts of the world, so far as true and reliable accounts 
 can be obtained; also true and trustworthy religious 
 news, as much as we think useful. . . . But we 
 are not willing to bind ourselves absolutely to a fixed 
 time when the paper shall be published. However 
 it will probably appear four times a year ; as, on the 
 16th of November, the 16th of February, the 16th of 
 i\Iay, and the 16th of August, and the first issue now 
 appears as an evidence." 
 
 Truly, great things from small beginnings grow. 
 The timid editor would not be bound for any fixed 
 number of issues of his paper, nor would he be re- 
 
 122 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 stricted to a definite time of publication. In starting 
 his infant enterprise he doubtless felt a responsibility 
 and an uncertainty which it is impossible for us today 
 fully to appreciate. The little (lerinantown newspaper 
 which would " probably " appear every three months 
 and " probably " about the middle of the month was 
 the small beginning of that mighty factor in pres- 
 ent-day American life — the German-American press. 
 
 But Sower had less reason to fear for the success 
 of his enterprise than he suspected. He had planned 
 better than he knew. His proposition to publish news 
 of important events of the day in the German lan- 
 guage and in German type met with so much en- 
 couragement that the Hoch-Dcutsch Gcschicht-Schrci- 
 her could afterwards appear monthly. Although pro- 
 jected as a quarterly, the paper appeared monthly from 
 the beginning. 
 
 The price of subscription was three shillings (40 
 cents) the year. At first the subscribers had the privi- 
 lege of having advertisements inserted free. In the 
 second year of its history the paper was enlarged. 
 Four years later (1745) the name was changed to 
 Hoch-Deutsche Pensylvanische Berichte oder Samm- 
 luitg wichtiger Nachrichten aus dem Natur-und Kir- 
 chenreich. The reason for the change from " Geschi- 
 cht-Schreiber " (recorder of facts) to "Berichte" 
 (reports) was explained in the January number of the 
 next year. " We had hoped," wrote the editor, " to 
 publish only real happenings, things that took place in 
 the world of nature and in the church : but we could 
 not do it. For this reason we dropped the title " Ges- 
 
 123 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 chicht-Schreiber " some time ago and added instead 
 " Berichte," for it has been found later at times that 
 one or another o"f the items of news did not take place 
 but was only reported or imagined." 
 
 During this same year (1746) " Hoch-Deutsch " 
 was dropped from the title, and henceforth the paper 
 purported only to be a disseminator of news, since 
 facts could not always be obtained. 
 
 In 1749 the Pensyh'anische Berichte, as the paper 
 was now called, began to appear twice a month, the 
 regular issue on the 16th and an extra on the 1st. The 
 extra was not numbered and does not seem to have 
 been issued every month. The paper had now run 
 for ten years as a monthly and had become exceeding- 
 ly popular. Its circulation had increased until 1751, 
 when it reached four thousand. The next year (1752) 
 the paper was increased in size from a quarto to a 
 folio, and now appeared regularly twice a month. 
 
 In 1762 the name of the paper was changed the 
 third time. The Second Christopher Sower, into 
 whose hands the business had passed on the death of 
 his father in 1758, was frequently troubled by the un- 
 reliable character of his news, much as his father had 
 been before him. He made his position of editor and 
 his consequent relation to his constituents a matter of 
 conscientious regard. In spite of all his care news 
 would sometimes appear in the paper which later 
 turned out to be without foundation. He believed it 
 to be due his readers, therefore, to prepare them be- 
 forehand for the appearance of the unavoidable errors, 
 and not avow any absolute credulity in his news. In 
 
 124 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 this respect he was even more scrupulous, as we see, 
 than Ills father hatl hcen ; and to free his conscience 
 of any senihlance of deception, he changed the title 
 of his paper so as to read as follows: Gcrtnantoivner 
 Zcitung odcr Saiinnhing icahrscliciiilichcr Nachrichten 
 aus dem Xatur-uiid Kirchcnrcich, wic audi auf das 
 gemeine Beste angcschenc nutzlichc Untcrrichte und 
 Anmcrkungen. (Gerniantown Newspaper or a Col- 
 lection of prohable secular and religious news, also In- 
 structions and Remarks considered useful for the com- 
 mon good). 
 
 This title the paper kept during the rest of its ex- 
 istence. The form and size, too, remained unchanged. 
 In 1775, however, it began to appear weekly, and 
 during the rest of its career it played the role of a 
 weekly journal. 
 
 Throughout the entire history of the paper the origi- 
 nal price of three shillings a year remained unchanged, 
 notwithstanding the fact that the reader now received 
 fifty-two papers instead of the original twelve, and that 
 each of these was about three times as large as the 
 original monthly sheet. How this could be done was 
 explained by the publisher in a very original way and 
 on grounds that would scarcely be justified by the 
 managers of newspaper enterprises of our day. He 
 explained that the increased cost was covered by the 
 enlarged number of advertisements received, and that 
 an honest man must not allow himself to be paid 
 double. 
 
 How he managed the advertisement is shown by a 
 communication to the public of May 1, 1755, in which 
 
 125 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 he says : " Whoever sends in an advertisement for 
 his own profit, or a personal advertisement, (not very 
 large) shall pay five shillings. If the thing for which 
 he advertises is obtained after the first insertion, two 
 shillings will be returned, if after the second insertion 
 one shilling will be returned." 
 
 With all Sower's enterprise and excellent business 
 methods, there was one class of persons with whom the 
 dealings of both father and son were not of a strictly 
 business nature. These were the delinquents on their 
 mailing list. Towards them they were too kind to be 
 just even to themselves, and their leniency was not al- 
 ways rewarded in the best manner. From time to 
 time they took occasion to admonish these black sheep 
 seriously, but always with such overflowing kindness 
 that it took away the sting of reproach and made the 
 reproof ineffective. The Berichte for April, 1759, 
 contains a good example of their manner in such cases. 
 " He who owes for three years and more and besides 
 has no reputation, must not take it amiss if he receives 
 a little notice." This, as will be seen from the date, 
 was said by the second Christopher. 
 
 That he was pursuing the policy of his illustrious 
 father, however, will be made clear by the following: 
 When Gotthard Armbruster, formerly an apprentice 
 to Sower, together with his brother Anton established 
 a paper in Philadelphia, Sower called attention to the 
 fact in his paper of May 16, 1748, in a friendly man- 
 ner and added : " Sower only requests the dishonest, 
 who have never yet paid him, that they do not treat 
 this man so." 
 
 126 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 In 1776 Christopher Sower tlic Second, who had 
 been solo owner of the puhlishinej plant since 1758 
 and had developed it immensely, associated witli liim- 
 self in the business his oldest son, Christopher the 
 Third. Tlie issue of the paper for July 3rd of tliis year 
 came out in the firm name of " Christoph Saur und 
 Sohn." It contained the following interesting an- 
 nouncement relative to the adoption by Congress on 
 July 2nd, of the resolution which led two days later 
 to the Declaration of Independence. " Yesterday the 
 Continental Congress declared the United Colonies 
 to be free, independent states." 
 
 Soon after this the father (Christopher the Second) 
 seems to have withdrawn from the active manage- 
 ment of the business and to have entrusted it to the 
 hands of his son. For nearly a year after this the pub- 
 Hcations of the house bear the imprint of " Christoph 
 Saur der Jiingere." The father's patriotism and his 
 unflinching principles of non-resistance made the un- 
 settled conditions of the time peculiarly trying to him, 
 and he was doubtless glad to entrust his business to 
 younger hands. 
 
 The following year the business was carried on 
 under the name of " Christoph Saur der Jiingere und 
 Peter Saur." The brothers, however, had fallen on an 
 unpropitious time. The march of hostile armies and 
 the ravages of war were present on every hand. A 
 feeling of uncertainty had taken possession of the peo- 
 ple. No one knew what the morrow would bring 
 forth. To quiet the public in regard to their business 
 the brothers found it expedient to publish early in 
 
 127 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 1777 this assurance: "The newspaper will be issued 
 every week by Christopher Sower, Junior, and Peter 
 Sower." 
 
 A little later they found it necessary to move their 
 establishment from Germantown to Philadelphia. In 
 the edition of the paper for March 19, 1777, they gave 
 notice that they had moved to a house adjoining the 
 Quaker meetinghouse, and would continue the busi- 
 ness there. (The Quaker meetinghouse was at the 
 corner of Second and Market Streets). 
 
 This is the last issue of the Gcrmantaitner Zeitting of 
 which I have been able to find any trace, and there is 
 no particular reason for supposing that any were 
 issued after this. A large part of the original printing 
 plant at Germantown had already been destroyed or 
 confiscated by the British troops, and the young men 
 now in actual charge of the remnant of the business 
 had turned loyalist and soon after started a paper in 
 support of the British. This we shall notice separate- 
 ly in its proper place. 
 
 Thus the first German newspaper in America had a 
 continuous existence of nearly forty years, and was 
 edited successively by three generations of Christopher 
 Sowers. Its influence in its day we can not now es- 
 timate or fully appreciate. The number of subscribers 
 for the time was, as we have seen, considerable, reach- 
 ing at the end of a dozen years a total of four thou- 
 sand. Several years later the publisher complained 
 that the number of copies to be printed made it diffi- 
 cult to issue the paper on time. Teamsters who had 
 undertaken to distribute them along the country roads 
 
 128 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 complained about the great number of papers to be 
 delivered. Tlireo hundred and thirty were distributed 
 along the Conestoga road alone. And the circulation 
 was by no means restricted to Pennsylvania. It had 
 followed the tide of German emigrants down into the 
 valleys of Maryland and Virginia, and had even pene- 
 trated as far south as the Carolinas and Georgia. 
 There was perhaps not a German settlement of any 
 consequence in this country to which one or more 
 copies did not find their way. 
 
 To show the influence that Sower exercised over the 
 Gemian immigrants, chiefly through the agency of 
 his paper, I may refer to an incident of the French 
 and Indian War. 
 
 At the time this strife broke out, the German popu- 
 lation of Pennsylvania had become quite numerous, 
 and some of the leading English settlers of the prov- 
 ince began to fear them and pretended to suspect their 
 loyalty. It was even whispered that they meditated an 
 alliance with the French, and were willing to abet the 
 Indians in their savage attacks upon frontier settle- 
 ments. How completely these suspicions falsified them 
 has been abundantly proven by history. Through the 
 entire struggle leading up to the Revolution and 
 culminating in the independence of the colonies there 
 was perhaps no class of people in America who stood 
 more staunchly for their rights as citizens or were 
 more loyal to the principles of liberty than the Ger- 
 mans. 
 
 Because of this suspicion and the rapidity with 
 which the Germans were coming to this country, an 
 
 129 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 effort was made to restrict their rights and privileges. 
 Sower came to their rescue in 1755 with a stirring 
 pamphlet in which he exhorted them to stand by their 
 rights as freemen. As the Germans trusted him 
 completely as their leader and looked to him for guid- 
 ance, the scheme failed. 
 
 The extent of his influence at this time is shown by 
 the fact that a society was organized in Philadelphia 
 for the express purpose of counteracting his influence. 
 It was called " The Society for Propagating Christian 
 Knowledge among the Germans in Pennsylvania." 
 Benjamin Franklin, Conrad Weiser, and Dr. Wm. 
 Smith were among the prime movers in it. Having 
 failed to betray the Germans into a forfeiture of their 
 rights, this society now sought to win their confidence 
 and rule them by moral suasion as Sower was doing. 
 Accordingly it established a number of free schools 
 among the German settlers in different parts of the 
 province. 
 
 In 1755 the Board of Trustees of the Society decided 
 to bring the war still closer, and meet Sower on his 
 own ground. They resolved to set up a German press, 
 and print a newspaper, an almanac and other popular 
 works. To encourage this undertaking Franklin of- 
 fered to sell to the Society his German printing out- 
 fit at considerably less than its real value. The pur- 
 chase was effected, and the Rev. H. M. Miihlenberg, 
 Sower's old antagonist, was offered the editorship. He 
 saw reasons to decline, however, and another Lutheran 
 pastor. Rev. J. F. Handshuh was put in charge. 
 
 But the project did not succeed. The paper and 
 130 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 almanac could not supplant those issued by Sower. 
 The paper was known as the PUihuiclphia Zcitung, 
 etc. It ran to the latter part of 1757 when it failed, 
 leaving Sower once inure in undisputed possession of 
 the field. 
 
 No complete file of the Sower papers is in existence. 
 But thanks to the industry and the thoughtful appre- 
 ciation of Abraham H. Cassel of Harleysville, Penn- 
 sylvania, the distinguished antiquary of the Dunker 
 church, portions of the file have been preserved. These 
 are from April 16, 1743, to November 1, 1751, and 
 from January 16, 1754, to December 18, 1761. These 
 are now the property of the Historical Society of 
 Pennsylvania and are preserved in the Society's library 
 in Philadelphia, where I had the pleasure of examining 
 them. 
 
 The paper referred to above, which the Sower broth- 
 ers started in support of the British cause, was known 
 as Der Pennsyh'anische Stoats Courier, oder einlau- 
 fende IVochcntliche Nachrichtcn. 
 
 It was promised that " This paper will be issued 
 every week by Christopher Sower, Jr., and Peter 
 Sower in Second Street." It began to appear at once 
 after the occupation of Philadelphia by Howe's army 
 in the latter part of September, 1777. It circulated 
 chiefly among the Hessian troops, who formed a con- 
 siderable portion of the invading army. The Germans, 
 as a rule, remained loyal to the American cause. The 
 paper ran until the next summer, when it came to an 
 abrupt close by the evacuation of Philadelphia by the 
 British troops, June 18, 1778. The editors left Phila- 
 
 131 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 delphia with the British army, remaining true to their 
 allegiance to the King. 
 
 After the Revolution, Christopher (the 3rd) settled 
 at St. Johns, New Brunswick, where he founded and 
 published The Royal Gazette and later became Deputy 
 Postmaster General of Nova Scotia. Peter accom- 
 panied his brother to New Brunswick, but later studied 
 medicine, and practiced his profession in the British 
 West Indies, where he also held a position under ths 
 Government. 
 
 //. Der Hoch-Deutsch Americanische Calender. 
 
 One of the early works to appear from the Sower 
 press was an almanac with the above title. As this 
 was a calendar for 1739, it must have appeared late in 
 the preceding year. In a letter written from German- 
 town, November 17, 1738, Sower first gave notice of 
 his intention to issue an almanac. Sometime between 
 this date, therefore, and the end of the calendar year, 
 which in 1738 was on March 24, marks the appearance 
 of the first issue. 
 
 There were probably several considerations that 
 led the printer to his determination to issue an alma- 
 nac. He intimates in the letter referred to above that he 
 intended it as an advertising medium. He states that 
 he knew of no more suitable vehicle for making 
 known, throughout the length and breadth of the land, 
 the fact that he had established a German printing- 
 press at Germantown, than an almanac, and he men- 
 tions at the same time the title under which it shall ap- 
 pear. 
 
 132 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 It has been thought also that he was influenced in 
 this matter largely by the solicitations of his friends 
 and neighbors ; and this may have had its bearing. It 
 is apparent, however, that he was influenced more by 
 his desire to reach the people than by any claims that 
 they made upon him. 
 
 One thing that doubtless operated with weight in 
 his decision was the unsettled condition of the calendar 
 at that time. So chaotic had this become that it was 
 almost impossible to tell with certainty, not only the 
 days of the month, but even the days of the week. 
 Numerous instances are on record of the non-ob- 
 servance of the Sabbath among the most devout Chris- 
 tians, because they did not know when Sunday came. 
 
 A case is mentioned of a very pious lady who was a 
 member of the German Reformed church. She was 
 always at her place in the religious services and took 
 a leading part in the various lines of church work. 
 But one Sunday she was missed from the service, and 
 one of her friends went to investigate the cause. 
 To her great surprise she found her pious friend 
 busily engaged at the wash tub. And what must have 
 been the good woman's astonishment and mortifica- 
 tion when told it was Sunday? 
 
 An experience of Rev. Mr. Rittenhouse of that day 
 is also to the point. As he emerged from a piece of 
 woodland one Sunday morning on his way to church, 
 he was surprised to see some of his parishioners busily 
 engaged in hauling hay. He rode up to remonstrate 
 with them and reprove them for their want of piety, 
 
 133 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 and was further surprised to learn that they did not 
 know it was the Sabbath.^ 
 
 This confusion of dates, moreover, was not confined 
 to the more ignorant classes in the rural districts. In 
 the towns and cities also, and among all classes of 
 people, errors were constantly committed. When a 
 provincial council, to consist of many of the leading 
 citizens of Pennsylvania, was called at Philadelphia in 
 1734, the time of meeting, as understood by the dif- 
 ferent members, varied as much as ten. days. Some of 
 the members arrived a week before the appointed date 
 and a few of them not until several days after it was 
 past. 
 
 Since Christopher Sower's chief purpose in life was 
 to be helpful to his fellow-men, we are not surprised 
 that he determined early in his career as publisher to 
 lend his aid in clearing up this confusion and in bring- 
 ing some sort of system into the calendar. And of 
 all his many publications, it may be questioned wheth- 
 er any had greater direct practical bearing upon the 
 everyday affairs of the people than this simple almanac. 
 
 The first issue contained 24 quarto pages, 8x7^ 
 inches and was without covers. Besides a calendar 
 for each month, it contained the phases of the sun 
 and moon, the aspects of the planets, the principal con- 
 stellations, together with the brightest stars, and other 
 information of the nature usually found in almanacs 
 nowadays. Those for the next several years differed 
 little from this one. 
 
 * Pennsylvania Magazine, Vol. 8. 
 
 134 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 Rut in 1743 the almanac was (.'iilari^cd to 32 pages, 
 and was provided with an cnibloniatical engraved plate 
 for a cover. The design of this cnt contained a flying 
 angel witli a wand in one hand and a scroll in the 
 other. The angel conies in a storni that rages over 
 a city, while at the same time away oflf in the distance 
 the rainbow of promise descends in its graceful curve 
 to the earth. A fisherboy is just landing from a 
 billowy ocean with his catch, while tw-o men stand on 
 the landing engaged in an intimate discussion. A dog 
 standing by is the only creature that seems to be en- 
 tirely composed. A large sailing vessel floating the 
 English flag rides gracefully at anchor near the shore. 
 
 The scroll contained a legend engraved in it, which 
 was changed from time to time. " Krieg und Kriegs- 
 Geschrey." " Kummerliche Zeiten," and " HofFnung 
 bessere Zeiten." were some of the forms it took. The 
 whole design is highly emblematical, and is an inter- 
 esting study. The interpretation, however, will de- 
 pend to a certain extent upon the individuality of each 
 student. 
 
 This plate was used throughout the series. It was 
 touched up and slightly changed several times, but its 
 leading features were left unaltered. In the later form 
 a sinking sun was added, which in the earlier forms, 
 had been hidden by the storm-clouds. 
 
 An interesting fact may be mentioned here in con- 
 nection with the later history of this plate. When 
 the Sower printing establishment was broken up dur- 
 ing the Revolutionary war and the effects sold, Colonel 
 Bull of the English army appropriated this plate as a 
 
 135 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 part of his share of the booty. He later bartered it 
 away to John Dunlap, a printer of Philadelphia, who 
 in turn disposed of it to Peter Lcibert, a minister of 
 the Dunker church. Leibert bought most of the con- 
 fiscated Sower establishment at the sale, with which 
 he began a publishing business after the close of the 
 war. He printed an almanac from this plate in 1784 
 and the following years. Later the plate passed into 
 the hands of his son-in-law, Michael Billmeyer, by 
 whom it was used as late as 1835. 
 
 From 1743 to 1748 the almanac contained 32 pages. 
 From 1748 to 1750, 36 pages. These extra four 
 pages were filled chiefly with medical advice. The 
 1750 issue contained 40 pages, and the medical infor- 
 mation was accordingly increased. This was so high- 
 ly prized by the poor country people that the next year 
 the publisher added eight pages more. This size (48 
 pages including the covers) was unchanged during the 
 rest of its career. 
 
 In 1748 the almanac was printed in colors. Edi- 
 tions printed in Germany in this style had been im- 
 ported in great numbers for several years, and to 
 hold his trade Sower had to meet this competition. 
 He explains in his advertisement of this colored edi- 
 tion that he brought it out in compliance with many 
 urgent requests for such an almanac. Necessarily it 
 had to be sold higher than the regular edition, and this 
 caused dissatisfaction. 
 
 The next year he printed two editions also. The 
 plain one he sold for nine pence, the former price, and 
 the colored one for a shilling. But this made extra 
 
 136 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 work and trouble and was not satisfactory in the end. 
 So the next year he printed only tlie plain edition, and 
 sold it at the original price. This he continued to 
 do until 1753, when he printed another colored edi- 
 tion, the last one he issued. 
 
 In 1751, while working on the almanac for the next 
 year, he received information that the British parlia- 
 ment was about to pass an act to correct the calendar 
 and change the beginning of the year. He therefore 
 delayed publication until a copy of the act could reach 
 y\merica. Before this the year had begun on March 
 25, instead of January 1, as at present. In the mean- 
 time the calendar had fallen eleven days behind true 
 solar time. 
 
 Altiiough the act had been signed by the King on 
 Wednesday, May 22, it had not yet reached this country 
 by the 1st of October, and Sower lamented that nothing 
 could be done at the almanac, while he was kept in 
 suspense for the arrival of the Act to know what 
 changes were to be made. As the end of the year 
 came nearer, he did not trust to put of? the printing 
 any longer, so he proceeded to press with his matter 
 and had scarcely finished running ofif the edition when 
 the act arrived. It was too late for insertion in the 
 almanac, so he printed it in a double number of his 
 paper for October 16 of the same year. 
 
 The Act provided for the dropping of eleven days 
 after September the 2nd, numbering the 3rd, the 14th, 
 and so on, giving September 19 days instead of 30, 
 and making the year consist of only 354 days instead 
 of 365. 
 
 137 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 These changes had been ordered by Pope Gregory 
 in the latter part of the 16th century, but the Protes- 
 tant nations had been slow to accept them, as savoring 
 of popery. Even at that late date many persons in 
 England and America preferred not to use the cor- 
 rections, and so maintain their independence of the 
 Pope. We see, however, that Sower was eager to 
 take advantage of them and give them to the people, 
 as he saw how they would simplify the calendar and 
 bring the seasons and the solar year into uniformity. 
 
 Of course these corrections were not understood by 
 the people generally. If they had understood the na- 
 ture of them they would probably have resented their 
 use, as an attempt to meddle with an institution in 
 which they had complete confidence. But as they did 
 not understand them they accepted the changes without 
 question, assuming that the man who could make the 
 weather could also drop eleven days from the year 
 with impunity. 
 
 The people generally had complete confidence in the 
 almanac, or weather book as they called it. They 
 looked upon it as infalHble, and planned their work 
 according to its predictions. There are many stories 
 illustrative of this. I may choose one related by 
 Abram H. Cassel several years ago in an article 
 printed in the Pennsylvania Magazine of History and 
 Biography, Vol. VI. 
 
 A man by the name of Walker from above Sumney- 
 town had business in Philadelphia. He consulted 
 Sower's almanac and found that it promised fair 
 weather. He therefore loaded his wagon and started. 
 
 138 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 When he liad gotten well on the way it began to rain. 
 It raineil harder and harder until finally he and his 
 load of produce were thoroughly drenched. He be- 
 came very angry, and lost faith in the weather book 
 and the man that made it. In this mood he approached 
 Germantown. He stopped in front of the printing 
 office, called Sower out and gave him a severe repri- 
 mand. After hearing him through patiently Sower 
 replied kindly. " O friend, friend, be not so angry, 
 for although it was I that made the almanac, the Lord 
 God made the weather." The man caught something 
 of the kindly spirit of the editor and went away better 
 satisfied. 
 
 On another occasion, it is said, a man had occa- 
 sion to make a journey of some distance in the fall of 
 the year. Consulting his almanac, he found that it 
 promised fair weather. So he started without his 
 overcoat. After a while it turned cold and rainy. 
 He too lost his temper, accused Sower of printing lies 
 and stopped to give him a tongue lashing. Having 
 heard his tirade, Sower said to him : " Well, friend, 
 as you were so disappointed, I will give you a piece of 
 good advice gratuitously, and if you follow it you will 
 not have occasion to blame me so soon again. It is 
 this. Always take your overcoat along when you 
 leave home by fair weather — when it is foul you may 
 do as you like. By following this advice you will never 
 be disappointed, and will have no occasion to blame 
 me hereafter." 
 
 Because of these and other misunderstandings. 
 Sower explained in a later number the purpose and 
 
 139 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 use of an almanac. He explained the precaution he 
 had taken to be accurate, but showed at the same time 
 that it was impossible to make an almanac that would 
 be free from inaccuracies. 
 
 In order that I may make as clear as possible the 
 nature of these almanacs, I will describe the con- 
 tents of one chosen at random. Let it be the one for 
 1760. This was issued about two years after the death 
 of the first Sower. The first 18 pages are occupied 
 with the calendar for each month, the sun and moon 
 phases, and so forth. Then follow 26 pages of read- 
 ing matter, covering a broad range of subjects and 
 containing a great variety of interest. 
 
 This part opens with a brief statement in regard to 
 the eclipses for the year. Then follows an account 
 of the courts and court days for Pennsylvania, New 
 York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Marj-land. The 
 information in regard to each is detailed and specific. 
 It fills about six pages. The next eleven pages are 
 taken up with an Abstract of an instructive Dialogue 
 between Lord Rich and Mr. Poor. It purports to be 
 a translation from the English, and has for its ob- 
 ject to show that " neither riches nor poverty, but 
 godliness makes people happy." The discussion is 
 carried forward under twelve chief points. This is 
 followed by a " Receipt for making various sorts of 
 wine " : cherry wine, blackberry wine. Next is " A 
 short account of the uses of cotton." Then comes 
 " Various good receipts for horses," which is fol- 
 lowed by still other " Receipts for people who are well, 
 so as to stay well." All this fills some five pages. 
 
 14a 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 The last article, about four pages in length, is an es- 
 say on " War and Peace." 
 
 Tlic almanac for 1761 contains an article on General 
 Wolfe, the hero of the French and Indian War, to- 
 getlicr with a portrait. The article is translated from 
 a London magazine. This number of the almanac, 
 although it was the largest yet issued, was so much 
 in demand that the edition was soon exhausted, and 
 Sower advertised in several newspapers requesting 
 that if any store-keeper or peddler had more on hand 
 than he had prospect of selling, he would thank him 
 to return them and get his money back. 
 
 The practical information the editor was bringing 
 together in the almanac from year to year, made each 
 succeeding issue more popular than its predecessor. 
 In 1762 he began the " Krautcrbuch." a description 
 of the virtues and properties of the most celebrated 
 herbs and roots. In indicating his purpose in this 
 work, he suggests, " If one will only keep these 
 almanacs together, he will eventually have a little 
 herb book at a small cost." 
 
 The work was carefully planned. It was intended 
 to be simple and practical and at the same time 
 thorough-going. He began in regular order a de- 
 scription of the medicinal plants, giving their German, 
 English and Latin names. He explains their char- 
 acteristics and medical properties, with specific direc- 
 tions as to their uses and the way to prepare them for 
 the diflferent diseases. He avoids technical terms, but 
 explains everything in such simple, concrete language 
 that the most ignorant can understand it. 
 
 141 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 This matter formed an important installment of 
 each almanac from 1762 to 1777, when it was com- 
 pleted. It was now furnished with an index, referring 
 to the number of the almanac in which each plant was 
 treated. Those who had acted upon the editor's sug- 
 gestion and had kept their almanacs together, now 
 had a little herb book of positive worth. 
 
 As an example of his method in this work, I have 
 selected a plant that is at the same time well known 
 to everybody and briefly treated by the "author. This 
 will give a fair idea of his usual method of treatment. 
 
 Sassafras, Eng. Sassafras, Lat. Sassafras, 
 
 " The root of the sassafras tree is very useful, and the 
 bark of the root is, for its medical properties, one of 
 the most extensively used herbs that grow. It has 
 the virtue of being able to dry up all the fluids of the 
 system, to purify the blood, to sweeten the profuse 
 saline humors, and drive them of¥ through the skin 
 and perspiration, and especially to purge the Gallo- 
 mania or French Pox from the blood. 
 
 " From this root almost all sorts of remedies may be 
 prepared. If a good, sweat-producing decoction of 
 herbs is desired, take sarsaparilla root, pounded pock- 
 wood, China root, bark of sassafras root, one and one- 
 fourth ounces each ; Hungarian antimony one ounce ; 
 rosin two ounces ; fennel seed and cinnamon each a 
 quarter ounce. Cut and pound all together, put into 
 an earthen, tin, or glass vessel, pour a gallon or more 
 of spring or rain water on it, cover up the vessel and 
 let it boil for several hours ; then draw off and give it 
 
 142 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 warm to the patient to drink, one or one and a half 
 cups each niorninj; and evoninf^f. 
 
 " This drink w ill drive olT all the acrid salty humors 
 throus^h the persi^iration and stools. It improves the 
 blood, serves to dry up and heal sores of long standing, 
 and replaces them with good, sound flesh, and it pro- 
 motes the regular circulation of the blood." 
 
 In 176v3 another series was begun. This the author 
 called Revised History of England. Some eight or 
 nine pages of each issue were given to it. The his- 
 tory was given in rather copious outline to the Refor- 
 mation, then in greater fullness to the reign of William 
 and Mary. It was the author's purpose to go more 
 and more into details as he approached the present. 
 But the destruction of his establishment in 1777 
 brought the series to an abrupt close, and left the 
 history unfinished. It, too, had been exceedingly pop- 
 ular with the readers of the almanac. 
 
 Other ways of helping and instructing the people 
 were also found. Simple business transactions were 
 explained and commented upon. At one time the edi- 
 tor gave examples of promissory notes, and showed 
 how to sign them and endorse them. He also showed 
 how a joint note should be drawn and signed. Ex- 
 amples of receipts were likewise given and their pur- 
 f>ose explained. 
 
 In another number deeds, contracts and so forth 
 were treated. Illustrative examples of the different 
 kinds of deeds were given. Bonds of apprenticeship, 
 and arbitration bonds were explained and illustrated. 
 Wills were treated likewise. 
 
 143 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 In still another issue there were specimen pages of 
 the letters of the alphabet, both capitals and small let- 
 ters, which were intended as a copy from which chil- 
 dren and others might learn to write. 
 
 Thus in almost every conceivable way Sower exerted 
 himself to fill his almanac from year to year with a 
 fund of useful information that should be helpful to 
 his less fortunate brothers. 
 
 He did not lose sight, however, of the artistic. In 
 general plan and make-up, the exercise of good taste 
 is everywhere to be observed. Illustrations are fre- 
 quently inserted, which was something unusual for 
 that day. The issue for 1762 contained two illustra- 
 tions, a sketch, or general view of the city of Montreal 
 in Canada, and a portrait of Charles Frederick III., 
 King of Prussia. 
 
 The Sower almanacs had an unprecedented sale. 
 They were so popular that all competitors were driven 
 from the field. They were sold throughout the Ger- 
 man colonies and as far south as the Carolinas and 
 Georgia. Almost every year the edition was enlarged, 
 and yet the editor frequently failed to have enough 
 to supply the demand. We have seen the condition in 
 1761, and how he endeavored to call in any copies that 
 were not finding ready sale. Situations similar to this 
 seem to have occurred frequently. 
 
 Because of the wonderful vogue of Sower's almanac 
 we should not infer that it was without competitors. 
 Franklin published a German almanac as early as 
 1748, but soon discontinued it, as there was no de- 
 mand for it. Armbruster brought out one, too, about the 
 
 144 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 same time, but soon withdrew it for tlic same reason. 
 Ileinricli Miller bej^an a similar publication in 1762, 
 with but little better success. In 1771 the Ephrata 
 Brotherhood began to issue a German almanac, and 
 in 1775 Francis Baily began a similar enterprise. None 
 of them succeeded to any appreciable extent, however, 
 until after the Revolution, when German almanacs 
 became numerous. 
 
 ///. Geistliches Magazien. 
 
 If the Sower newspaper and almanacs have their 
 peculiar interest and appear to us as being unusual 
 for their day, the Sower magazine is certainly no less 
 so. The first two were the work of the first Sower, 
 projected and established by him, and later enlarged 
 and developed by his son. The magazine is the work 
 of the younger man, and was brought into being only 
 some five or six years after his illustrious father had 
 been in his grave. 
 
 In the way of originality this third venture was no 
 less characteristic than the first two had been. Even 
 more distinctly than they, the magazine was a pioneer. 
 The newspaper and the almanac were the first in their 
 respective fields in German type. The magazine was 
 more than this : it was one of the first magazines of 
 any kind to appear in the American Colonies. 
 
 It is a singular fact that the first periodical of this 
 kind in the English Colonies of the New World should 
 be out and out German. The German immigrants con- 
 stituted but a comparatively small proportion of our 
 scattered population at the close of the French and 
 
 145 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 Indian War. Most of them, moreover, were exceed- 
 ingly poor, and many of them had been almost entire- 
 ly without educational opportunities. They were pre- 
 vailingly of the peasant class, and so straitened were 
 the circumstances of some of them that they were 
 compelled to sell themselves into servitude for a period 
 of time to pay for their transportation. 
 
 This, however, is the clientele for whom the first 
 magazine in the New World was projected. Certainly 
 the prospect was not very auspicious. Yet there was 
 something in the conditions and in the attendant cir- 
 cumstances that led the noble-hearted editor to under- 
 take the project. 
 
 He saw his fellow-countrymen in a new environ- 
 ment, in a situation in which they would be led to 
 think especially of their material surroundings. They 
 were largely an agricultural people, so circumstanced 
 that they had literally to hew their farms out of a 
 veritable wilderness. Their houses had to be erected 
 " from the stump," and almost every article of house- 
 hold furniture and implement for the farm was the 
 product of their own unskilled hands. Life was ter- 
 ribly grim and earnest to them, and there was danger 
 that the spiritual side of their nature would be wholly 
 dwarfed. 
 
 Sower saw this condition. His heart had often been 
 moved, he tells us, when he observed the ignorance 
 and carelessness of the people generally in regard 
 to religious matters ; and he thought this condition of 
 things prevailed, either because the people had no de- 
 sire to receive religious instruction or had no oppor- 
 
 146 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 tiinity for ddiiig; so. He complains tliat wlu-n people 
 listen to an inslriiclive discourse or sermon, the mind 
 is often so ill-prepared to receive what is heard that 
 the message is forgotten l)elore the person reaches 
 home. 
 
 Religious books, too, he observes, are very scarce 
 among the people if not entirely wanting. Either the 
 people are very poor, or they spend their money for 
 other things than religious books. Even if one occa- 
 sionally buys a book of this kind, it is a long time be- 
 fore he reads many pages of it; he generally lays it 
 aside before he has read it half through. 
 
 The observance of these things had often saddened 
 the good man's heart, and he had considered how he 
 could remedy the unfortunate situation. It occurred 
 to him that if some brief religious publication, terse 
 and to the point, were put into the hands of the peo- 
 ple without cost, perhaps many of them would take 
 time enough to read half a page carefully, and in do- 
 ing so, would probably be impressed so that they would 
 think of it further. They might also become really 
 interested in it, and in that case, they would read it 
 through at another time and would probably receive 
 more good than from the former reading. If then at 
 a later time another such religious tract should come 
 into their hands, they would repeat these operations. 
 
 This was the line of reasoning by which Sower ar- 
 rived at the conclusion that he would publish a maga- 
 zine. We see that his purpose was wholly charitable. 
 At his own individual cost he would produce a publi- 
 cation that should contain wholesome moral and re- 
 
 147 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 ligious instruction and distribute it gratuitously among 
 the people, with the hope that it might arrest some 
 one's attention and lead him to think upon his ways. 
 
 Just when he arrived at this conclusion, we have no 
 way of knowing, but he assures us that when he sent 
 forth the first issue this had been his determination 
 for a considerable time ; and he naively adds : " but as 
 every good undertaking under heaven now and then 
 has its hindrances, so has it happened also in this case, 
 and it has been prevented from time to time." 
 
 Finally an event occurred of which we have definite 
 knowledge that seems to have transformed this pious 
 purpose into action, and incidentally it fixes for us the 
 approximate date of the first issue. Continuing in his 
 preface he says : " As I had now completed the great 
 work of printing the Bible so fortunately, and under 
 peculiarly favorable circumstances, it seemed to me 
 that it was my highest obligation, in recognition of 
 God's favor, not to put off this good intention any 
 further ; especially when I remembered that the origi- 
 nal purpose of estabhshing this printing-press was for 
 the honor of God and the good of mankind ; and that 
 God has brought me into the world and has allowed 
 me to live, like all other' men, for no other purpose 
 than that I would seek his honor and try to serve my 
 neighbor in every possible way. So I am now mak- 
 ing a beginning by issuing such a little magazine as I 
 have spoken of." 
 
 It is known that the edition of the Bible here refer- 
 red to came from Sower's press late in the year 1763. 
 As the whole edition seems to have been printed and 
 
 148 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 bound with considerable disiiatch, it is aUogetiier prob- 
 able that some time duriiif^ the followins^ year wit- 
 nessed the appearance of the mas^azine. 
 
 So the Gcistliclics Magazine was a sort of thank- 
 offering for the success with which Sower had been 
 enabled to bring forth the second edition of the Bible. 
 
 In order that his purpose might not be misunder- 
 stood, and to free himself from suspicion of seeking 
 gain from the enterprise, he assures the public that the 
 magazines are to be given away and his sole object in 
 issuing the little journal is the good of his fellow-men. 
 
 Although the magazine was a voluntary contribution 
 to the public, growing out of philanthropic motives, 
 yet the publisher refused to be bound to any definite 
 time of issue, but w-arned his readers that he would 
 " proceed with it as the materials come to hand and as 
 the time and circumstances permit." This policy seems 
 to have been adhered to. It does not appear that there 
 was a fixed time of issue, or that the successive num- 
 bers appeared at regular intervals. 
 
 He is careful also to assure the public that he ex- 
 pects no honor from the enterprise. As an evidence 
 of this he assures them that he shall not use the jour- 
 nal to market his own wares, but that he will " busy 
 himself in making instructive extracts from all sorts 
 of writings both ancient and modern, and from the 
 English as well as from the German, such as shall be 
 useful and edifying to all men." He does not forget 
 to add in parenthesis, however, that in case he should 
 deem some of his own composition better suited to his 
 purpose than the writings of others, he would not hes- 
 
 149 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 itate to accord to himself the same privileges granted 
 to others. 
 
 He invites his readers to send in contributions for 
 the magazine, in keeping with his purpose as he has 
 defined it. He warns them, however, that all matter 
 must be strictly in accordance with the Word of God. 
 
 Such is the plan and policy of the magazine as ex- 
 plained in the preface to the first issue. In summariz- 
 ing his policy the publisher observes reflectively : 
 " Truth always carries with it the preserving power 
 of salt, and when it comes in contact with a wound of 
 sin, it irritates it, but it also heals him who uses it 
 aright. The work now in hand is a magazine in which 
 all sorts of things are to be found : admonitions, cor- 
 rections, edifying epistles, biographical sketches of 
 persons divinely blessed, instructive occurrences, and 
 whatever else can avail for the honor of God and the 
 service of mankind." 
 
 With this high purpose as his goal, the indefatigable 
 editor set about to accomplish it by means of a very 
 modest little journal. After the first issue the copies 
 of the magazine consisted of eight duodecimo pages 
 each, without covers. The first number was twice as 
 large. It comprised, besides the title page and its re- 
 verse, a Vorrede or address to the kind reader, which 
 serves as an introduction to the whole series. This 
 fills four pages. The last ten pages are given to the 
 usual magazine matter. 
 
 The title runs thus : Ein Geistliches Magazien, 
 Oder: Aus dem Schatsen der Schrifftgelehrten sum 
 Himmelreich gelehrt, dargereichtes Altes und Neues. 
 
 150 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 (Translation) A Religious Magazine, or Old and 
 New Things brought forth from the Treasures of 
 Theologians learned in Heavenly Wisdom. 
 
 In all sixty-four numbers wore printed in two series, 
 ruiming from about 1764 to 1772. These series will be 
 considered separately. The first contains fifty num- 
 bers, and they are undated, so there is no way to fix 
 with positive certainty the time of their appearance. 
 The whole series is, however, mmibered and paged 
 consecutively, and they are of uniform size and ap- 
 pearance. The pages are usually printed in double 
 columns, although this is not without exception. Gen- 
 erally the pages are completely filled, and not infre- 
 quently finer type is used at the close so as to complete 
 the last article. 
 
 We have seen lliat it was the purpose of the editor 
 to fill his pages witli gleanings from the moral treatises 
 of great writers, ancient and modern, and in this way 
 to give his readers the best that had been written. It 
 may be interesting to know some of the works from 
 which he drew. The first to be brought under contri- 
 bution was William Law's " Earnest Call to a 
 Thoughtful and Holy Life." Selections from this work 
 fill the first four numbers. Numbers eight to thirteen 
 are made up of stories and selections from " The Life 
 of John Engelbright." Several numbers are filled from 
 the " Geistliche Kama." Number thirty-three contains 
 " A copy of a writing, which Schoolmaster Christopher 
 Dock had written out of Love to his Scholars who 
 were still living, for their Edification and advice." 
 Numbers thirty-one and thirty-two contain discourses, 
 
 151 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 prayers and observations of the Rev. Andrew Rivet, 
 translated instructions in regard to bringing up chil- 
 dren. Numerous examples of pious children and so 
 forth are taken from a " Child's Book " by Jacob 
 Janneyways. Numbers thirty-four and thirty-six are 
 made up of poems by the second Alexander Mack. 
 Number 34 contains two poems, one on the "Correct 
 Practice of Internal and External Worship," and the 
 other on " Real and Imagined Freedom." Number 
 36 consists of 55 eight-line stanzas on " Admonition 
 against Suicide, and the Importance of Life." Other 
 numbers contain expositions of scriptural passages, as 
 for example Number 6. The first part of Number 5 
 is of the same nature and purports to be a contribution 
 by Johannes Einfaltig (John Simpleton). This num- 
 ber concludes with a poem entitled " Of The Love of 
 Christ." The poem consists of eleven stanzas of ten 
 lines each, rhyming in couplets, except the first four 
 lines which rhyme alternately. In all these poems the 
 poetic structure is observed. Not so, however, with 
 Number 17. This issue, like Number 5, contains both 
 prose and poetry. The first six pages of this number 
 are given to a poem of 57 stanzas on " Instructive 
 Nocturnal Prayers or an Earnest Consideration of 
 Eternity." The singular thing about this is, that the 
 stanzas are not printed as poetry, but as prose verses. 
 The stanzas contain seven lines each, and the poetry 
 seems to be of a high order. The prose article on 
 the last two pages of this number is entitled " After- 
 thought," and furnishes one of the few instances of 
 pages printed solid, without division into columns. 
 
 152 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 This is i)rol)ably enough to give a sufficiently clear 
 idea of the general inake-uj) and ap[x;arance of the first 
 volume of these interesting publications. To show 
 tlieir tone and spirit I may quote one of the short 
 stories from the Kinder-Bucli of Jacob Janneyways, 
 found in Number 28. 
 
 Tabitha Alder, a pious daughter of a clergyman in 
 England, on being taken ill at the age of betv^reen seven 
 and eight years, was asked what she thought would 
 become of her if she should die. Her answer was 
 that she greatly feared tiiat she would be lost, because 
 she was fearful that she did not love God. When 
 questioned further as to how she knew that she did 
 not love God, she answered : " What have I done for 
 God since I have been born? Those who love God 
 keep his commands, but I have not kept any of them." 
 
 She was asked if she would not like to love God. 
 She replied, " Yes, from the bottom of my heart, if I 
 only could." She was told to pray to God for a heart 
 to love him ; but she said she feared it was too late. 
 She was greatly grieved, however, because she could 
 not love God. 
 
 One of her friends who saw her in this sad condi- 
 tion and fasted and prayed to God for her, asked her 
 afterwards how she was. She replied to him with 
 great joy, saying she now praised the Lord that she 
 could love the Lord Jesus heartily, and she felt that 
 she did love him. " O," she said, " I love him very 
 much ! Praised be God for the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 Yes, I shall soon be with Jesus ; he is my husband and 
 
 153 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 I am his bride ; I have given myself up to him, and he 
 has given himself to me ; I will live with him forever." 
 
 Of course one short extract can go only a short way 
 in reflecting the varied interest found in the magazine. 
 The range of appeal in its pages is broad, going out to 
 all classes of people. The spirit of the articles is pre- 
 vailingly kind. The editor seeks rather to win his read- 
 ers to the ways of right than to drive them. The char- 
 itable spirit that conceived and carried forward the 
 worthy enterprise is everywhere oresent in its pages. 
 
 The number of copies printed at each issue of the 
 magazine we have no way of knowing. But as they 
 were printed for gratuitous distribution and were sent 
 to the subscribers of Sower's paper, the number was 
 probably determined largely by the size of that sub- 
 scription list. A dozen years before the appearance 
 of the magazine, the newspaper had a circulation of 
 four thousand copies. What the number was in 1764 
 we are nowhere told, but it was probably somewhat 
 larger. It is probable, therefore, that the number sent 
 out at each issue of the magazine was something like 
 five thousand. 
 
 Whether this estimate be correct or not, it is certain 
 that within the century and a half, nearly, since they 
 appeared the copies of this first volume have become 
 exceedingly scarce and valuable. The Pennsylvania 
 Historical Society has a complete set of them, as does 
 also Dr. M. G. Brumbaugh of Philadelphia, and the 
 Pennsylvania State Library at Harrisburg. The libra- 
 ry of the German Society, Philadelphia, has the first 
 
 154 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 37 nmiil)crs hound tot;otlicr in a neat volume, and other 
 sets more or less complete arc to be found. 
 
 Rare and valuable as are these copies of the first 
 volume of the magazine, they are after all relatively 
 common when compared with the second volume. 
 That a second volume ever existed does not seem to 
 have been known by any of the authorities on the sub- 
 ject. Seidensticker, Hildeburn, Evans, Sabin — none of 
 them make mention of a second volume ; and it has like- 
 wise escaped the notice of later writers, such as Brum- 
 baugh and Sachse. Oddly enough, however, Evans re- 
 marks, " No. 12 contains a poem by Alexander Mack, 
 printed with the first German types in America, which 
 were made in Germantown." Sachse iterates this state- 
 ment. How Evans got this information, if he does not 
 even know of the existence of a second volume, is hard 
 to explain. 
 
 Volume II contains only fourteen numbers, though 
 by an evident oversight of the printer, the issue fol- 
 lowing number 13 is numbered 15. That this is an 
 error is showm by the paging, which is continuous. The 
 pages of this volume run from 1 to 160. Nearly half 
 of the issues of this second series are double numbers, 
 as is shown by the fact that fourteen numbers fill 160 
 pages. The regular numbers contain only eight pages. 
 
 In general appearance the second volume is like the 
 first. The title page is the same except that the word 
 " Geistliches " is printed in slightly smaller type and 
 with an unornamented " G." The woodcut ornament 
 near the bottom of the page is replaced by the words 
 " Zweiter Theil " between two lines extending across 
 
 155 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 the page. Unlike the first volume, the second bears a 
 date, 1770. This is of course the year when the series 
 began. It probably extended over some two years. 
 The size of the pages and their general appearance 
 are the same as the first volume. 
 
 The contents, too, are in no characteristic way dif- 
 ferent from those of the first series. One number, 
 however, deserves a little separate notice. This is 
 number twelve. We have seen that two numbers of 
 the first volume were filled with poems by Alexander 
 Mack, Jr. Number 12 of the second volume was like- 
 wise filled from his pen. This number is made up of a 
 poem entitled Reim-gedicht vor die Liebe Jugend. The 
 poem contains one hundred stanzas, but is printed as 
 prose in double columns. Each stanza thus forms a 
 sort of verse and is printed like a paragraph. A pe- 
 culiarity appears in the numbering. On the first four 
 pages the numbers are placed in the middle of the 
 columns, on the last four pages they stand at the up- 
 per right corner of each paragraph. A note at the end 
 of the number says, " Printed with the first type that 
 has ever been cast in America." Mr. Norman D. 
 Gray of the Pennsylvania State Library, in speaking 
 of this type, writes : " It is of a plain good face and 
 Pica size, or perhaps a trifle larger, and gives No. 12 
 quite an air of distinction amongst its fellows."^ 
 
 Only one copy of this second volume is known to 
 exist. This is now the property of the Pennsylvania 
 
 ' In a recent letter to the author. I am under obligations 
 to Mr. Gray for much of the information here given In regard 
 to the second volume. 
 
 156 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 State Library at Harrisburg. It was purchased several 
 years ago at the sale <if Judge Samuel W. Penny- 
 packer's library in Philadelphia. Judge Pennypacker 
 had also a copy of the first volume. The State Library 
 secured the two volumes, the only complete set in ex- 
 istence, so far as known. 
 
 The fourteenth number of the second volume (num- 
 bered 15) is the last issue of which there is any rec- 
 ord and there is no particular reason for thinking that 
 any were issued after this. It seems probable, al- 
 though there is no direct evidence to prove it, that 
 these later numbers succeeded each other at somewhat 
 greater intervals than the earlier ones had done. It 
 is likely, therefore, that this last number came from the 
 press sometime in the year 1772, some eight years 
 after the magazine had been started. Whether the 
 printer became tired of the enterprise, or looked upon 
 it as a failure, or for some other reason brought the 
 series to a close we have no way of knowing. 
 
 The Geistlichcs Magacien is an honor to American 
 journalism, and especially to the Brethren church. 
 Through it the Dunkers became the first exponents of 
 religious truth in the new world through the agency 
 of the printing-press. While the magazine was in no 
 sense sectarian^ it maintained a high standard of mor- 
 ality and Christian living, and so fixed an ideal for the 
 religious journalism that was to follow. 
 
 Reorganisation of the Sower Printing Business. 
 
 Six years after the famous Sower printing establish- 
 ment had come to an untimely close, an enterprise was 
 
 167 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 started in Philadelphia, which may be regarded as a 
 reorganization of the Sower press. Following the 
 peace treaties of 1783, the wreck of the original Ger- 
 mantown plant, which had been confiscated, was put 
 upon the market and the most of what was still usable 
 was bought by Peter Leibert and his son-in-law, 
 Michael Billmeyer. With this equipment they opened 
 a printing house in Germantown in 1784 and under- 
 took to resuscitate the Sower periodicals and in other 
 ways to follow in the steps of their predecessors. 
 Leibert was a minister in the German Baptist church, 
 and Billmeyer was a Lutheran ; so long as Leibert re- 
 mained at the head of the enterprise the business nat- 
 urally forms a part of the present history. 
 
 Near the end of this year (1784) they issued " Der 
 Hoch-Deutsch Amcricanische Calender" for the next 
 year. It was a quarto and contained forty pages. It 
 resembled in every respect those printed by the Sow- 
 ers. While they retained the name, form and make- 
 up of the original, they began them as a new series. 
 This issue was marked " Zum Erstenmal heransgege- 
 ben." The almanacs were published each year in this 
 same form to the end of the time with which our his- 
 tory is concerned. 
 
 The next year Die Germantauner Zeitung again 
 made its appearance. It was now a folio sheet 16 x 
 9 1-2 inches and the price was raised to five shillings. 
 The first issue contained the announcement that " This 
 paper will be issued every fourteen days on Tuesday 
 afternoon." The first number of this new series bears 
 
 158 
 
The Sower Periodicals 
 
 date (if February 8, 1785. It appeared fortnightly 
 
 until July 20, 1790, when it became a weekly. 
 
 It was a poinilar and influential journal from the 
 beginninj; of its new career, its former prestige hav- 
 ing much to do doubtless with brini^ing it into speedy 
 favor. The Pennsylvania Legislature selected it as the 
 medium of making public its proceedings, a favor 
 which Mclchior Stciner, the publisher of the Gcmein- 
 >;iV/r/.i,v Philadclphischc Correspondent, complained of 
 on the ground that Leibert and Billmeyer had not sup- 
 ported the cause of the Republic during the Revolu- 
 tion. How long it existed has not been ascertained. 
 It had a wide circulation, being sold by agents in Phil- 
 adelphia, Middletown, York, Hanover, Lebanon, 
 Litsz, Reading, Kutztown, Eraans, Allentown, Easton, 
 New Gcrmantown, N. J., Albany and New York. In 
 the latter city it had a hundred and sixty subscribers.^ 
 
 The partnership of Leibert and Billmeyer was dis- 
 solved in August, 1787. Billmeyer continued the busi- 
 ness at the old stand, while Leibert began an in- 
 dependent career on his own behalf. In the allotment 
 the periodicals fell to Billmeyer and for this reason 
 pass with the separation beyond the sphere of the pres- 
 ent history. 
 
 Leibert remained in Germantown, where he opened 
 a new printing ofifice and book-bindery the next year. 
 Here he gave his entire time to book-making and job 
 work. The fact that he did not enter the field of 
 journalism is probably due to the terms of agreement 
 
 ' Seiilensticker's First Century of German Printing In 
 America. 
 
 159 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 on which the former partnership had been dissolved. 
 I have found pubHcations bearing his imprint as late 
 as 1797, but since he did not publish a periodical his 
 later career does not form a part of this history. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 Writers of the Eighteenth Century. 
 
 We have seen something of the work of the cele- 
 brated Sower press and of tlie stalwart and godly men 
 who established and conducted it. By means of this 
 press Germantown became not only the religious but 
 also the literary center of the Dunkers in America dur- 
 ing the period we are treating. About this center 
 were gathered many men in the early days of the 
 church. Under the stimulating influence of the Sow- 
 ers a distinct literary atmosphere grew up in the little 
 rustic village, and not a few of the Brethren assem- 
 bled here gave expression in literary form to one or 
 another of the problems or questions of the day that 
 engaged their attention. 
 
 Many of them were men of culture and scholarship. 
 That any of them, however, were finished scholars or 
 graduates from any of the leading universities of the 
 time, as has been too positively insisted upon, may 
 well be doubted. They were earnest, thoughtful, 
 practical men, who had to face stern facts and harsh 
 realities, and to them life was a very intense and 
 serious matter. When they wrote they wrote because 
 they had something to say ; and the bulk of their writ- 
 ing is characterized by an earnest, sincere, rugged 
 directness that gives it positive aim, and directs it to 
 some definite mark. 
 
 161 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 I should not like to leave the impression, however, 
 that their work is devoid of literary merit. It is a 
 distinct merit that it has definite direction given it, 
 and that it reaches a determined object. Of the finer 
 literary graces and the higher qualities of style much 
 of it is entirely wanting, if one may trust his judg- 
 ment of a foreign language. Often the themes are 
 less literary than practical in their nature, and less 
 effort is expended in saying things beautifully than in 
 saying them forcibly. 
 
 It is scarcely possible for us to appreciate today the 
 full significance of this early literary work among the 
 Brethren. The first two Christopher Sowers were 
 probably the most powerful men in the early days of 
 the Dunker church, and it was by means of their 
 printing-press that they gained and exercised this 
 power. They stood fearlessly in defense of any 
 cause they espoused, and were ever ready to take up 
 any cause that looked to the improvement of the con- 
 dition of their fellow-countrymen. In return for this 
 disinterested service they enjoyed their almost univer- 
 sal confidence and esteem. 
 
 They advocated the principles of the Dunker faith 
 and made them known and respected. Their ex- 
 emplary lives proved their sincerity in what they did 
 and attracted the favorable consideration of thought- 
 ful people. The Sower press was one of the most in- 
 fluential in America in that day, and had the efTect of 
 bringing the Brethren church into the very forefront 
 of public attention. The church pursued a liberal and 
 aggressive policy. Relatively it acquired a power and 
 
 162 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 prestige in the land that it lost after tlic Revolution- 
 ary war and wliicli it has probahly not regained to 
 this day. 
 
 This was a prosperous period of tlic churcli. It 
 numbered among its members men of iniluence and 
 power. Some of them were gifted speakers, others 
 were fluent, if not brUHant writers, and not a few of 
 them both spoke and wrote with decided force and 
 considerable ease. 
 
 Those who contributed in any important way to the 
 Hterary work of the period will now be considered. 
 Along with biographical and historical matter, which 
 will be given as briefly as possible, illustrative extracts 
 will in most instances be inserted, as seems expedient. 
 These will serve to introduce us to the subject matter 
 treated by these early fathers of the church, and at the 
 same time give us some idea of their power as writers 
 and of their literary style. 
 
 Alexander Mack, Sr. 
 
 At the head of the religious movement that resulted 
 in the organization of the Dunker church stands 
 Alexander Mack. And a fearless, resolute man he 
 was. In the midst of conflicting opinions and violent 
 religious discussions he stood resolute and calm. At 
 a time when others hesitated and wavered, when 
 strong men were swept ofi their feet by the billows 
 of doubt and persecution and uncertainty, he re- 
 mained a very monument of strength. He seems to 
 have seen more clearly than most of the men of his 
 time through the confusion and turmoil that obscured 
 
 163 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 the vision of so many of his contemporaries. Of all 
 the great leaders that those troublous times brought 
 forth none perceived more clearly than he the line of 
 cleavage between truth and falsehood, and none 
 followed the path of duty more consistently. 
 
 Alexander Mack was born at Schreisheim in the 
 Palatinate, Upper Germany, in 1679. He seems to 
 have descended from an influential and wealthy fam- 
 ily, although but little is known of his ancestry. He 
 inherited valuable property in his native village, con- 
 sisting of a mill, several fine vineyards, and a hand- 
 some patrimony besides. 
 
 His parents were pious people, as appears from the 
 fact that they brought him up in the Calvinistic faith, 
 and that he was early a communicant of the Reformed 
 church. His education too seems to have been carefully 
 directed. And it would appear from his writings and 
 what we know of his power in the use of language 
 that he had received a good, thorough course of 
 training. He is also known to have been a man of 
 studious habits all his life. His literary work re- 
 veals a power of grasp and shows a mental poise that 
 indicates a well-balanced and symmetrical nature. 
 
 As a young man he was deeply moved by the re- 
 ligious unrest of his time. He studied the Bible care- 
 fully in the light of the various religious creeds that 
 clamored for his allegiance. His reverential study of 
 God's Word led him to see the situation as it was, and 
 made it impossible for him to harmonize the religious 
 practices of his day with the divine teaching. Con- 
 sequently he came to be without a church home. For 
 
 164 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 some time he was merely a Separatist. During this 
 time lie afliiiatcd with ihe Pietists. 
 
 Rut this (lid not satisfy the longings of his soul. He 
 felt that the teachings of the New Testament could 
 not be fully lived out in this state. His understand- 
 ing of the Scriptures demanded an organization in 
 which he could practice the rites and ordinances of 
 God's Word. As there was no organization in which 
 they were practiced according to his understanding 
 of them, but one course lay open before him. That 
 was to organize a body whose principles and methods 
 of observing the Christian rites should be in strict 
 accord with apostolic teaching in all respects. How 
 he proceeded to do this we have seen in a former 
 chapter. 
 
 During the period of his separation he did con- 
 siderable evangelistic work. He traveled up and 
 down the Rhine valley, proclaiming the truth of 
 God's Word as he understood it, and exhorted men 
 everywhere to repent. How unsatisfactory his po- 
 sition at this time must have been is seen when we 
 reflect that at the same time he was urging others to 
 forsake their sins and square their lives by the gospel 
 plan, he felt that this could only be done within the 
 pales of God's visible church ; yet nowhere did the 
 church practice the ordinances of God's house as years 
 of study and investigation and prayer had revealed 
 them to him. Doubtless this evangelistic experience 
 had much to do with maturing his religious convic- 
 tions and bringing about the state that made a new 
 organization indispensable. 
 
 165 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 At the age of twenty-one he married Anna Mar- 
 garetha CHng, an estimable young lady of his native 
 village. The marriage was a fortunate one and 
 brought such happiness as those troublous times would 
 allow. She was a faithful companion, encouraging 
 and supporting her husband through the many vicis- 
 situdes of his life. She was one of the first eight at 
 Schwarzenau, and followed her husband and this 
 first band of Brethren from one place of refuge to 
 another, until they found a safe asylum in the new 
 world. As the organizer of the Brethren church and 
 as the leader and pastor of this first congregation we 
 admire the courage of Alexander Mack and revere 
 his memory. But how much of the strength and 
 fortitude to carry forward this important work he re- 
 ceived from the encouragement of a faithful and lov- 
 ing companion we shall never know. 
 
 After the organization of the church in 1708 he 
 gave his entire time and attention to caring for his 
 little flock and to disseminating the doctrines of the 
 New Testament as he understood and practiced them. 
 This cost him his patrimony and handsome estate at 
 Schreisheim. Fines, prosecutions, ransoms from im- 
 prisonment soon consumed the valuable mill and fine 
 vineyards. Driven from place to place with his little 
 band, by the stern hand of unrighteous law, although 
 poor in this world's goods, he was yet rich in love to 
 God and m the power of his truth. He sacrificed his 
 worldly possessions willingly, if by so doing he could 
 gain greater riches in Christ. 
 
 After many hardships and persecutions he came to 
 166 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 America in 172*' and settled at Germantown. He was 
 accompanied by his wife and three sons and the en- 
 tire congregation which he had shcplicrded so faith- 
 fully since its organization, twenty-one years before. 
 His two little girls had been released from this world 
 of care by the loving heather some years before. 
 
 In the peaceable land of Penn he found at last what 
 he had been seeking for so many years in Germany in 
 vain — a quiet retreat from persecution where he 
 could worship God according to the dictates of his 
 conscience unhindered and unmolested. His arrival 
 in Pennsylvania caused great rejoicing among the 
 Brethren there. His presence infused new life into 
 them, and the work of the church was wonderfully 
 revived. 
 
 He at once assumed the oversight of the church 
 and devoted his energies to establishing the doctrine 
 he loved in its new invironment. In this he was ably 
 seconded by Eld. Peter Becker. From this time on 
 the work of the church was aggressively carried for- 
 ward and in a short time various congregations were 
 established in the surrounding counties. He re- 
 mained in charge of tlie Germantown congregation 
 until his death in 1735. 
 
 Under his direction the church flourished. His un- 
 tiring efforts had resulted in building up a strong 
 membership and organizing them into a working 
 body. His wise counsel had guided the infant church 
 through the critical years of its existence, and it may 
 be said that at his death he left it thoroughly es- 
 tablished in the new world. 
 
 167 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 Elder Mack was a man of pleasing personality. He 
 was possessed of a noble, manly bearing, the reflex 
 of a pure life and high ideals. A quiet, sympathetic 
 disposition made him easy of approach and enabled 
 the least member in his congregation to feel easy in 
 his presence. He ruled by love, never by fear. 
 
 His intellectual powers were strong and active. He 
 was a close and accurate thinker. His opinions were 
 formed after a careful examination of all the ev- 
 idence, and when once formed, were not lightly 
 changed. 
 
 He was thoroughly versed in the Bible. Of him it 
 might be said as of the poet Milton, that he practically 
 knew the Bible by heart. Not that he, like Milton, 
 had committed it to memory, but that he had mastered 
 its contents and knew its teachings even to minute 
 details. 
 
 He was also well read in historical subjects, 
 especially church history. In his earnest desire to 
 know the practices of the early church he made a 
 careful study of her institutions and usages. By com- 
 paring these with the teachings of the apostles, he 
 found that the New Testament teachings were cor- 
 roborated by the practices of the early church, and 
 felt doubly sure of the correctness of his views. 
 
 Eld. James Quinter summarizes his character as 
 follows :^ " His Christian character seems to have 
 been that of a primitive follower of Christ. Humility, 
 zeal, self-denial and charity were conspicuous among 
 
 'Memoir af Alexander Mack. 
 
 168 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 the graces that adorned his character. Tlie high 
 estimation in which he was lield by his brethren is 
 seen in the circumstance tliat he was chosen by them 
 to be their minister. He was the first minister in the 
 Httle Christian community organized at Schwarzenau 
 in 1708, and labored zealously and successfully to en- 
 large the borders of their Zion. Of his private char- 
 acter as a Christian father, we may infer favorably 
 from the circumstance that all his sons became pious, 
 and were united to the church before they had com- 
 pleted their seventeenth year. And, what seems 
 somewhat remarkable, they all made a public con- 
 fession of religion in the seventeenth year of their 
 age. 
 
 Alexander Mack is the author of two printed 
 works. Rites and Ordinances of the House of God, 
 and Ground-Searching Questions. Both appeared at 
 Schwarzenau in 1713, and were probably written the 
 same year. 
 
 The former is a concise statement of the principles 
 of the Dunker faith. It was prepared to define the 
 position of the church at a time when distinctions 
 were not sharply drawn, or were obscured by the haze 
 of mysticism that enveloped everything. 
 
 The discussion is' carried on by means of a dialogue 
 between a father and son. The son constantly 
 directs the conversation to those subjects and con- 
 ditions with which the infant church had to contend, 
 and the father explains them at considerable length 
 and with great clearness. In the adoption of this 
 
 169 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 method and also in the management of the dialogue 
 Mack shows decided skill. 
 
 His treatment of the various topics is terse and to 
 the point. There is no needless discussion of ir- 
 relevancies. The author is perfectly at ease with any 
 phase of the discussion that comes up and shows that 
 he has carefully thought through the whole subject 
 before. A Scriptural quotation that may be needed 
 for proof or illustration is always at hand ; likewise 
 the facts of history, when occasion requires them, 
 can be marshaled with telling effect. 
 
 Some of the subjects discussed are Water Baptism, 
 The Lord's Supper, Excommunication, Love, Faith, 
 ]\Iatrimony, Taking Oaths, Outward Worship, The 
 Excuse of Unbelievers, Adultery, Everlasting Tor- 
 ment, The Reward of Believers, Paternal Advice. To 
 make clear the position of the church on these and 
 other subjects was the purpose of the book. 
 
 A selection from the book itself will serve to give 
 a better idea of the work than any description of it.^ 
 
 Of Faith. 
 
 Son. — But I have heard it asserted that all sects ap- 
 peal to Scripture, and hence one could not maintain 
 his faith by Scripture. 
 
 Father. — Whosoever says this_, that because all 
 sects appeal to Scripture, therefore a true believer 
 must not do the same, such must necessarily be a 
 miserably ignorant person ; for it is to a believer a 
 strong support of faith to know that all sects acknowl- 
 edge the Holy Scripture as divine, and appeal to it, 
 
 'From the English edition of 1888. 
 
 170 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 though they do not believe in it (scripturally) ; for 
 there is a f^rcat dilTerenee iKHwecn ajipeaHnf; to the 
 Seriptures and heHevini^ on tlieni. Tliis we can per- 
 ceive by the words of the Lord Jesus when he said to 
 the Jews, " I'"or had ye beUeved Moses, yc would have 
 believed me: for he wrote of nic." John 5: 46. The 
 Jews, it is true, all appealed to Moses, but in his vvrit- 
 in.q;s tliey did not believe. 
 
 Thus all sects appeal not only to Scripture, but to 
 Jesus himself ; but as they believe in Jesus, so they be- 
 lieve in the Scripture. Can a true believer, then, be 
 so stujiid or blind as to think or say, " Because all sects 
 appeal to a crucified Savior, therefore I may not ap 
 peal to him " ? That would please the devil very much. 
 
 But, no ! true believers have learned of their Lord 
 and Master more and better Avisdom ; for when the 
 devil in his temptation of the Lord Jesus appealed to 
 the Scriptures, Jesus answered in faith, and appealed 
 thereunto. Matt. 4: 6, 7. For though the devil and 
 all false spirits appeal to the Scripture, still they believe 
 it not. Thou wilt discover that these very men, who 
 want to mislead a believer by saying that all sects ap- 
 peal to the Scripture, yet will always api:)eal to that 
 authority themselves. 
 
 Hence the believing children of God look only to 
 their heavenly Father, and believe and follow him in 
 his revealed Word, because they are assured in be- 
 lieving that God and his express Word are altogether 
 one, otherwise a believer would have to omit much 
 if he would not do in faith what the wicked and in- 
 fidels do in their unbelief. 
 
 He would not be allowed to pray, to sing, to labor, eat 
 and sleep, and the like, because to the wicked it is all 
 sin and abomination before God. But unto believers, 
 and those that are pure, all things are pure, while unto 
 unbelievers nothing is pure. Titus 1 : LS. Therefore 
 learn well to distinguish in all things according to the 
 
 in 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 Scripture, that thou mayest not get into confusion, as 
 it is the case, alas ! with many souls at this time, who 
 are greatly confused when they see the ungodly wicked 
 performing acts of worship, such as praying, singing, 
 holding meetings, baptizing, going to sacrament, and 
 the like. 
 
 Then unenlightened reason may think, " If the 
 wicked do this, then it is of no account, and I will 
 omit it altogether," and thus such people are confound- 
 ed so much that at last they know no more what to 
 think or believe. Thus they will be led to make or 
 invent a way which the Scripture did not teach, and 
 to imagine when on this way that they have risen high- 
 er than the apostles, and hence receive no counsel 
 any more from the apostolic writings. Already have 
 I known and heard in my time of many such persons, 
 but have also noticed that the end of their way has 
 produced a deep ruin ; for soon, very soon, they fell 
 so low that at last they believed nothing at all, but fell 
 back to the world and to the broad road. May God, 
 in mercy, preserve all simple believers in Christ, that 
 they may not desire to mount so high, but to con- 
 descend to those of low estate and humble mind! 
 Rom. 12: 16. 
 
 And Paul says to his son Timothy, " From a child 
 thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able 
 to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which 
 is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspira- 
 tion of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, 
 for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that 
 the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished 
 unto all good works." 2 Tim. 3: 15-17. 
 
 Son. — Can or may we believe in all things the testi- 
 mony of the Holy Scripture, and is a believer bound 
 to believe and obey that Scripture, or does the spirit 
 of God lead him other ways sometimes, of which the 
 external letter of the Scripture knows nothing? 
 
 172 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 Father. — It is not necessary to tell a believer that he 
 shall and nnist believe and obey the Scriptures ; for 
 no man can be a believer without tlie Holy Ghost, 
 who is to brinj:^ forth faith. Now the Scrijilure is 
 only an external testimony of those thinj^'s which have 
 been taught and commanded by the Holy Ghost in 
 former times, and by whom also were pronounced the 
 promises and threatenings. If therefore a person, 
 being truly sorry and repentant of his sins, through 
 grace obtains the Holy Spirit from God, the Father of 
 all spirits, it is the same spirit of faith that worked 
 many hundred years ago in Peter, Paul and John. 
 And though the Holy Spirit was given to the apostles 
 in a greater measure, for the spread of the Gospel, yet 
 he is the same Holy Spirit in all believers. Now, what- 
 soever Paul, Peter and John have written, ordained 
 jnd commanded, all believers were then agreed to, as 
 far as they were sound in the faith. 
 
 Now, since there is but one God and but one Spirit, 
 this same one Holy Spirit can will nothing else but 
 what his will was many hundred years ago, namely, 
 our sanctification. And, again, what the Holy Spirit 
 has ordained for believers to observe, that is external- 
 ly written and recorded, and with this agree all be- 
 lievers, because the Holy Spirit teaches us inwardly 
 just the same as the Scripture teaches outwardly. 
 
 But whenever men come upon the Scriptures with 
 their own wisdom and carnal minds, they have not 
 within themselves the spirit of faith ; hence they cannot 
 believe the external testimony of the Scriptures, nor 
 exercise the obedience of faith. And, indeed, it is 
 not written for them ; the commandments contained 
 therein do not concern them. Even as if a king gave 
 his subjects written laws, with great promises to those 
 who should obey them and also great threats against 
 those who should not observe them. Now there might 
 other men, who are not that king's subjects, read those 
 
 173 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 laws and talk about them a great deal ; but since they 
 are not, nor wish to become, subjects, they do not re- 
 gard his threats or believe his promises or bow them- 
 selves under his laws, statutes and commandments. 
 
 Just so it is with the Holy Scriptures of the New 
 Testament. Whosoever reads it may see what Jesus, 
 the King of kings, has promised to all men who truly 
 repent, believe in him, and are willing to follow him 
 obediently in all his commandments. They can like- 
 wise see and read in Holy Writ what the Lord Jesus 
 has threatened to all impenitent sinners, who will not 
 repent and who will not believe his Gospel, nor are 
 they willing that Jesus with his commandments, which 
 he has left to us in writing, through his Spirit, should 
 reign over them. 
 
 A man may read, indeed, outwardly the Scriptures ; 
 he may talk and write about them, but if he has not 
 the spirit of faith in him he will concern himself but 
 little about their commandments, nor be terrified by 
 the threats contained therein. The reason is plain — 
 his inward ears are not yet opened. 
 
 Therefore the Lord Jesus said unto the people who 
 heard him preach : " He that hath ears to hear, let 
 him hear." Matt. 11 : 15; 13: 43. And in the Revela- 
 tion of St. John the Spirit of God calleth upon all and 
 each of the seven churches : " He that hath an ear, let 
 him hear what the Spirit sayeth unto the churches," 
 etc. Rev. 2 : 7. 
 
 Thus, when a person reads externally the Holy 
 Scripture, and is a believer, whose inward ears are 
 opened, he hears what the Lord Jesus enjoins in his 
 doctrine; he hears what the apostles require in their 
 writings, and by this inward hearing he is urged on 
 to observe a true obedience also outwardly ; he reads 
 externally the Scripture in faith, and hears the internal 
 word of life, which gives him power and strength to 
 follow Jesus. But where faith is wanting, a man may 
 
 174 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 indeed outwardly hear and read, and say, " It is a dead 
 letter which I cannot obey, because I am not internally 
 convinced of wliat is outwardly written." But he 
 knows not that lie is wanting in faith and the true love 
 of God. John 14: 15. 
 
 Of the External and Internal Word. 
 
 Son. — But I have been told by many that Christians 
 
 stood in the New Covenant, and had the Law of God 
 written in their hearts, and consequently it was not 
 necessary for them to obey and follow the external 
 Scripture. 
 
 Father. — I am glad that thou hast started this ques- 
 tion. Now attend well to the pure mind of God, and 
 thou wilt easily see that such sayings contain some 
 truth, which, however, is very much mixed with lies ; 
 for when the Lord God formerly manifested to his 
 people his Law by Moses, he wrote it upon two tables 
 of stone and gave them to Moses, who was to put them 
 in the Ark of the Covenant. Dent. 10: 1, 5 ; Heb. 9: 4. 
 They were to make a copy of the laws and place them 
 upon the posts of their houses. Deut. 6 : 6, 9. It is 
 said " that the words of the commandments should be 
 in their hearts ; of which they should talk to their chil- 
 dren, bind them for a sign upon their hands, and write 
 them upon the posts of their houses and gates." 
 
 That external copy now was to be nothing else, 
 much less anything to the contrary, but a faithful 
 transcript of that which God himself had written on 
 the tables of stone, and which were laid up in the 
 Holy of Holies, hidden within the Ark of the Cove- 
 nant, so that the external and internal laws were of 
 the same import. Now, what the Ark of the Covenant 
 was in the Holy of Holies, in which the tables of the 
 Law were kept, that is now in the New Covenant, 
 every believer's heart, in which also most surely will 
 be found the tables of the Law of God, with the law 
 
 175 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 written on their hearts, not by the hand of man, but 
 by the Holy Ghost. 
 
 And this law, which is internally written by the 
 Spirit of God, is altogether one and the same with that 
 externally written in the New Testament, which has 
 proceeded entirely from the internal, and is an express 
 image of that internal living word of God. But where 
 a person proudly says that the law of God is in his 
 heart, while he still opposes the commandments, stat- 
 utes and laws which the Son of God and his apostles 
 have instituted, and whereof the Scriptures externally 
 testify, then we may safely believe that such a person 
 is yet carnal, and that the law, which he says is in his 
 heart, has been written there by the spirit of error and 
 falsehood. 
 
 Again, herein is a clear token of the Law of God 
 and of the law of the deceiving spirit. For all in 
 whose hearts the Law of God is written are united in 
 the one faith, in the one baptism and in the one 
 Spirit, according to Jesus Christ; for it is the perfect 
 will of the true Law-giver that his own should all be 
 one, even as the Father and the Son are one. John 
 17: 21. But the law, which the spirit of error, by his 
 false gospel, writes in the hearts, is of such a kind 
 that it is, in the first place, quite uncertain concerning 
 divine testimonies. Psa. 5 : 10. In the second place, 
 it separates men from the commandments and ordi- 
 nances of God, and divides them into a multitude of 
 different confessions and opinions. 
 
 I have observed this in many who said they were 
 a free people; they needed not subject themselves to 
 the Scripture of the New Testament in the letter ; for 
 the Law of God was written in their hearts. But 
 likewise have I seen and known that not two of them 
 were agreed concerning the beginning of a Christian 
 life, or the principles of the doctrine of Christ accord- 
 ing to Scripture, but that as many as were the men 
 
 176 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 that had such a haiig:hty disposition, so many were the 
 laws which they had ; and I was often led to think 
 what a curious spirit that must be who would write 
 such (lifTcront laws into the hearts of men. 
 
 Of this tlie Lord God conifilaincd already tliroue^h 
 the prophet Jeremiah, tliat the people of Israel were 
 led astray by false prophets, forsook the only Law of 
 God and the only altar of the Lord, and in their false 
 liberty made for themselves other gods and altars, ac- 
 cx)r(linj^ to their own notions. Jer. 11 : 13. The same 
 is the case with people in our times, who boast of 
 great liberty without obeying the divine counsel and 
 commandments according to Lloly Scripture. Truly 
 it may be said. " As many men, as many spirits, and 
 as many laws." 
 
 But however great the spiritual pretensions are, it 
 still continues to be Babylon, confusion and discord. 
 Yet such builders will not desist from their intentions, 
 though they see themselves that the Lord has confused 
 their language. Yea. they see how so many learned 
 and wise people have built in this manner, contrary 
 to the order of the Lord Jesus and have been brought 
 to shame and have become fools ; still new builders 
 begin again and again to prosecute this building of 
 confusion. Things become more and more confused 
 and abominable, and if they shall not soon cease, there 
 will be at last " men of corrupt minds, reprobate con- 
 cerning the faith. But they sliall proceed no further: 
 for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs 
 also was." 2 Tim. 3 : 8, 9. 
 
 Now here you may see and know of the true and 
 false law, how both may be written into the hearts of 
 men. The false law will be written by the spirit of 
 error into the hearts of the unbelievino^; the true law 
 of life is written by the holy spirit of truth into the 
 children of the New Covenant, in the true believers, 
 and is altogether one and consistent with what Christ 
 
 177 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 externally commanded, and with what the apostles 
 have written. 
 
 Mack's other work is Ground-Searching Ques- 
 tions, Proposed by Eberhard Ludiuig Gruber to the 
 New Baptists of Witgenstein, to be answered each 
 separately: Also a brief and plain Reply to the same, 
 formerly given out in manuscript by a member of the 
 church in Witgenstein. 
 
 This consists of thirty-nine queries propounded by 
 Gruber and sent to the church for answer. The 
 questions seem to have been prepared with care and 
 were submitted in a kindly spirit, as is shown by the 
 following request : 
 
 " Beloved in God, Friends and Fellow-pilgrims : 
 " There are many who have hitherto desired to 
 have a more direct account and report of your new 
 baptism and church, since that which has been said, 
 or even written here and there on the subject, 
 has left them still in much uncertainty. In order now 
 to obtain your opinion more fully and authentically, 
 and to be relieved from all further doubt on this sub- 
 ject, we have come to the conclusion to propound to 
 you the present frank and simply-stated questions, 
 upon which we expect your plain and candid answers 
 as early as possible." 
 
 To this request Mack replied as follows: 
 "Dear Friends: Since you ask in love our opinion, 
 and since also the Apostle Peter teaches believers, 
 1 Peter 3 : 15, to ' be ready always to give an answer to 
 every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is 
 
 178 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 in you,' wo wmiKl not avoid giving you in love and 
 candor, and willi assurance of faith according to our 
 simplicity, very brief answers to these proposed ques- 
 tions, and to leave liieni to your examination before 
 God." 
 
 In this work, as in the Plain Vie-w, the author treats 
 his topics in a very brief and condensed manner. The 
 answers are sufficiently full and comprehensive, how- 
 ever, and are always clear. The style is direct and 
 simple and almost severely terse. 
 
 In reply to the query, whether an all-wise God did 
 not permit the ceremony of baptism to be put entirely 
 away, so that in its place a new dispensation of the 
 Spirit might be established for his people, in accord- 
 ance with all the prophetic promises,^ Mack an- 
 swered in the following words : 
 
 " We are of the opinion and believe as the apostle 
 says, Heb. 7:12, 'The priesthood being changed, 
 there is made of necessity a change also of the law.' 
 As long as the Levitical priesthood was standing, so 
 long no one was permitted to abolish the Law of cir- 
 cumcision without incurring severe punishment, and 
 the displeasure of God. But when Christ was come, 
 he. as the eternal High-Priest and Son of God, in- 
 troduced a law of life, and the first, because of its 
 weakness and inability to produce perfection, was 
 abolished. Christ having obtained eternal redemption 
 for us. revealed the way to the Holy of Holies, gave 
 none but laws of life, and established his will or 
 testament by his blood, so that we believe and confess, 
 
 ' Query 6. 
 
 179 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 should an angel from heaven come, and intend to re- 
 veal another or better gospel, that even such an angel 
 must be accursed, according to the testimony of Paul, 
 Gal. 1 :8. Hence we believe that the doctrine of Jesus, 
 the Crucified, is to be observed, until he himself shall 
 come again, in flaming fire, and take vengeance on 
 them that have not been obedient to his Gospel, in 
 accordance with the testimony of Paul, 2 Thess. 
 1 : 7, 8. Therefore the doctrine of Jesus is justly to be 
 observed by the believers in our days, but to the un- 
 believers nothing seems to be commanded." 
 
 It will be observed that this query savors of the 
 very essence of mysticism or pietism. 
 
 The belief that Christianity could consist entirely 
 of the spirit, without reference to external forms and 
 ceremonies, was very common and was held by a 
 great many persons in Mack's day. It is a deceptive 
 doctrine and one of the most popular errors that the 
 early church had to contend with. 
 
 Mack states the position of the church on the ques- 
 tion, which is of course also his own view, in no un- 
 certain language. The fact that he thus early and 
 clearly defined the position of the church on this point 
 may have had much to do with the fidelity and 
 consistency with which the church has always clung 
 to the literal form of observing all the external or- 
 dinances. 
 
 It may not be amiss in our day to have our attention 
 called anew to this same deception. There is an easy 
 way of disposing of the positive commands of Christ 
 by placing them in the realm of allegory and ex- 
 
 180 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 plaiiiiiij^ them siini)ly as types and illustrations. How 
 prevalent ihc habit of doiiicf this is, most of us know. 
 And what the Christian church has lost by letting go 
 of the plain, simple commands of Christ and substitut- 
 ing some " easier way" no one can estimate. 
 
 On this point, however, the Brethren church stands 
 just where it did in 1708. Wc still hold, and we be- 
 lieve that experience as well as history proves it, that 
 the fullest Christian character can be attained only by 
 literal obedience to God's Word. The spiritual bless- 
 ing that comes from obedience is a rich reward for 
 following the Master literally in all things. 
 
 Mack's answer to Gruber's 22nd query raised a 
 storm of protest. The query was, " Whether the ex- 
 ternal ban (excommunication) is an essential part of 
 the constitution of the church of Christ, since he him- 
 self did not enforce and exercise it even upon the 
 very wicked Judas." 
 
 Here is the answer. 
 
 " The ban is an essential and necessary thing in the 
 church of Christ, as long as it is at war in this wicked 
 world with wolves and evil spirits. No church of 
 Christ could exist without it. The devil with his 
 leaven of wickedness would soon destroy all that is 
 good. True believers, while they were steadfast in 
 the faith, never could refuse the salutary restraints 
 appointed in the Gospel. They have always viewed 
 them as divine means of grace, appointed by the great 
 love and provident care of God. and used them as a 
 strong tower and wall round about the church of the 
 Lord. 
 
 181 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 " With respect to Judas, we say that Christ has 
 executed the ban sufficiently upon him, giving him 
 over to Satan, for he hanged himself. But that he 
 was not excommunicated before he committed the 
 outward act, is not against excommunication, but 
 rather in its favor. This was the mind of God at all 
 times, as we perceive in Adam, who may have had 
 some intercourse with the tempter previously (to his 
 fall), but he was not driven out of Paradise until he 
 had actually eaten of the forbidden fruit. So Judas 
 may have entertained traitorous thoughts long before 
 he carried them out; but the long-suffering of Jesus 
 had borne with him, and patiently tried to bring him 
 to repentance, until the evil obtained the supremacy 
 and became manifest in the deed ; then he was suf- 
 ficiently excommunicated by Christ, and we think the 
 ban was fully executed upon him." 
 
 From these citations it will be observed that Alex- 
 ander Mack was not wanting in directness and sim- 
 plicity of speech. His terseness, almost laconic brev- 
 ity, attests the practical nature of the man. His work 
 is not remarkable for its literary merit, but it is not 
 for this that it was produced. Mack can scarcely be 
 called a fluent writer, and it is probable that he was 
 not a great orator. He has a mastery over language 
 that enables him to use it with telling effect, but he 
 wields it as an artisan rather than as an artist. Never- 
 theless, his two little books are priceless gems. 
 Every member of the church ought to read them care- 
 fully. Through them the unique position of the 
 
 182 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 Dunker church anionic tlie various denominations was 
 first pubUshed to tlic world. 
 
 Cliristophcr Soiver, Sr. 
 
 We have already called attention to the leading 
 facts in the life of this great man. Born in central 
 Germany in the latter years of the seventeenth century, 
 lie early felt the intluciice of that mighty wave of re- 
 ligious sentiment that was sweei)ing over the country. 
 At Schwarzcnau. at Berleberg. at Creyfclt and at 
 other places he came in contact with the Dunkers and 
 other dissenting bodies, among whom he formed 
 many friendships that lasted through life. 
 
 Of his ancestors nothing is known. They were 
 doubtless of that sturdy middle class that forms the 
 substantial basis of every nation. This is consistent 
 with Kapp's statement that Sower " learned the man- 
 ufacture of spectacles in his native city." In early 
 life he learned at least one other trade, that of tailor- 
 ing. It was upon this that he depended for support 
 when he first came to America. 
 
 His boyhood home surrounded him with good in- 
 fluences. If " the child is father of the man," he was 
 early instructed in the principles of right and taught 
 to respect God's Word — probably at a pious mother's 
 knee. 
 
 His education was by no means neglected. But 
 where he studied or to what extent we know nothing. 
 It is natural to think of him as attending the schools 
 of his native town, and taking rank with the best 
 
 183 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 scholars. At all events he acquired a real thirst for 
 knowledge, which made him a student all his days. 
 
 At the age of thirty-one he came to America, a 
 married man, with wife, and child three years old. 
 The little family settled in Germantown. This was 
 in 1724. A year and a half later found them in Lan- 
 caster county, in possession of a farm on Mill Creek. 
 Here they came in contact with Beissel and the Sab- 
 batarians, and Sower's life was saddened by the de- 
 fection of his wife who, under the influence of their 
 mystical teaching, left her husband and child to lead 
 a life of seclusion. Years later she returned to her 
 home and was fully reconciled to her husband and 
 assumed her position in the home as wife and mother. 
 
 Saddened by the action of his wife, Sower returned 
 to Germantown in 1731. Here he placed his son, now 
 a boy of ten years, in school, and he himself plied 
 several of those trades for which he was later cele- 
 brated. He was in turn optician, clockmaker, 
 apothecary, skilled mechanic — or rather, it may be, 
 several or all of these at the same time. 
 
 In 1738 he began the printing business and hence- 
 forth to the end of his life, twenty years later, he was 
 a leading figure in the public life of Pennsylvania. 
 The enterprise he established was an honor, not only 
 to himself, but to the land of his adoption and the 
 church of his choice. For high principle, undaunted 
 perseverance and disinterested service, the record of 
 these twenty years is almost without a parallel in the 
 public life of our countrv'. 
 
 In some respects the first Christopher Sower is the 
 184 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 most striking figure in the early history of the 
 Bretlircn church. It was he who liad the courage to 
 underlake tlie seemingly iinpossiblc, and yet by in- 
 domitable energy and pluck carry it to a successful 
 issue. He it was who made a church literature pos- 
 sible witliin the first half century of the church's 
 history. To the establishment of his printing-press, 
 and to his encouragement and fostering care of the 
 literary resources of the church we owe, in large 
 measure, the first period of our literary history. 
 
 The educational influence he exerted upon his 
 generation was very marked. His newspaper, al- 
 manac, and other publications became real dispensers 
 of intelligence to the German population of the New 
 World. As we have seen, his influence among them 
 was very great. Hence the interest he took in in- 
 structing them and directing their attention to the 
 things pertaining to their highest good, was met by a 
 hearty response in action and appreciation on their 
 part. 
 
 By creating the German newspaper he called into 
 existence an instrument that he wielded with remark- 
 able power and success for twenty years. Not only 
 was this a disseminator of knowledge and culture, but 
 it had the effect of cultivating a taste for reading on 
 the part of the masses, and bringing about a condition 
 in which the cultivation of literature as such, became, 
 to some extent, possible. 
 
 To his newspaper and almanac he gave some of the 
 best efforts of his life. No task was small to him. As 
 collector of news for his paper, he was guided bv a 
 
 185 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 conscientious consideration of what was best for his 
 readers. He strove to make his almanac a store of 
 useful information and wise counsel. Journalism, in 
 his view, carried with it weighty responsibilities. 
 Power to direct public opinion was a power not be 
 carelessly used or abused, but to be exercised as a 
 trust, involving high moral obligations. 
 
 The constant practice of writing incident to his 
 printing business, and especially in connection with 
 his periodicals, developed for Sower an easy and 
 graceful style. He wrote without apparent ef¥ort, 
 and seemingly from an abundant store of information. 
 His natural resources were great, and his constant 
 intercourse with cultured men, as well as his study of 
 the important questions of the day, kept his store well 
 replenished. 
 
 He wrote or spoke on most of the public issues of 
 the day, and generally with telling ef¥ect. He wielded 
 the editorial pen with positive power, and many a 
 public evil or private vice was checked by his timely 
 correction and its advocates put to confusion by the 
 stinging blows of his well-directed criticism. 
 - In 1739 Sower printed the Weyrauchs-Hiigel, as 
 we have seen. In the course of the work a difference 
 arose between the publisher and Conrad Beissel, the 
 leader of the Brotherhood, in regard to some of the 
 hymns. The difference led to a protracted cor- 
 respondence which was carried on with vigor and 
 point on both sides. After the matter had been 
 adjusted, although a complete reconciliation was not 
 effected until several years later, Sower published Ein 
 
 186 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 ahgendthigtcr Bcriclit: odcr zum off tern bcgehrte Ant- 
 7i'ort dcnen daniach fragcndcn dargclcgt; In sich 
 haltendc: Z'i.i<cy Bricffc und dcrrcn Ursach. (An 
 elicited statement, or an oft-desired answer given to 
 those making inquiry; containing two Letters and the 
 Causes that jiroduced them.) 
 
 Following is one of the two letters translated by 
 Hon. Samuel W. Pennypacker of Philadelphia, who 
 owns the only copy of this rare work now known to 
 exist. This excellent translation was printed some 
 years ago in the Pennsylvania Magazine, vol. 12, but 
 it is not generally accessible to readers. It is through 
 the kind permission of Judge Pennypacker that it is 
 here reproduced. Its rarity, together with the excel- 
 lence of the translation, and the interesting circum- 
 stance that gave rise to the letter, all conspire to give 
 it a unique and commanding interest. 
 
 Christopher Sower to Conrad Beissel. 
 
 I have until within the last few days been in hopes 
 that that work which I did, and caused to be done, 
 upon the h} mn-book would redound to the honor of 
 God, to whom I am under the greatest obligations for 
 all that he has done for me and all creatures, and will 
 still do through time and eternity, and I remain bound 
 to him even though I shall see no good day more. It 
 is his way that when we dismiss all which is not from 
 him he fills us with that which more concerns him. 
 The result is that we love all that is from him, and 
 have a hatred and horror of all that does not please 
 him. In the beginning much remains concealed, 
 while we are in the shoes of children as the saying is, 
 which in years of youth and manhood become as clear 
 
 187 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 as day. I have therefore with patience overlooked 
 some h\mns, whicli I had rather sacrificed to Vulcan 
 by throwing' them into the fire. I thought something 
 might be given to the first alphabet scholars as it were 
 according to their ability and which they could grasp 
 and that it would not be wise to break down the first 
 rounds of the ladder. I have willingly let go what 
 the amateur poet through vanity and sentiment has 
 brought together, especially since Brother Peter INIil- 
 ler said to me : " The worst soldiers are always put 
 in the front rank." Taking this view of it I had noth- 
 ing more to say. Afterwards so much of wood, 
 straw, stubble and trash came that it went pretty hard 
 with me. It was ver\' deeply impressed upon me that 
 each work should be a birth to appear in eternity, not 
 in the lightness of the mercurial pictures drawn by 
 men, but to stand in the clean way. However I re- 
 mained in hope that something better would come in 
 the future. A still greater mercy befell me, to wit: 
 In the beginning of the 16th Rubric or division there 
 was placed a silly h}'mn which, on first reading 
 through it, I considered to be among the stupid 
 amateur poetry and I wished that something better 
 could be put in its place. In the 29th verse it runs : 
 
 " Dcr dock trcigct deinc Last 
 Und dabci hat ivcnig Rast." 
 
 There I stopped and read the remainder over again, 
 but while I was attending to some other business, it 
 was printed. I was not at ease about it. I regarded 
 it as among those great errors of which today the 
 world is full and wished that it might still remain 
 among those rejected. I thought if it should come, 
 either here or in Germany or anywhere else, before 
 the eyes of an enlightened spirit who has found and 
 delights in God and his Savior as the true rest, he 
 might be deceived by such miserable stuff after such 
 
 188 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 a magnificently brilliant title-page and I should be 
 ashamed because of my negligence. I might perhaps 
 be able to find excuses that would answer before men, 
 but in my breast would burn a fire that would be 
 (luenched by no excuses. I thereupon asked Hrother 
 Samuel whether he did not think a great mistake had 
 there occurred in writing, since unskillful poets are 
 often compelled for the sake of their rhyme to use 
 words which destroy the sense. He said to me, " No, 
 I shall let it stand just as it is." I consented to do it 
 then because it suddenly occurred to me, that in the 
 pine forests the industrious ant gathers together 
 straw, wood, earth, shells, and resin, from the pines 
 which they carry underneath into the hill and that 
 this is called " JVciliraitch." This pacified mc to some 
 extent because it accorded with the title. Still I could 
 not reconcile the word " Zionitisch" with it, because 
 upon Mount Zion no such collection can be found as 
 I have described. There God is praised in silence. 
 There are there only two hymns. The one is the 
 song of Moses running, briefly, like this, " Lord, thou 
 and no other hast delivered us from all of our enemies 
 and dost protect us and lead us through outer dan- 
 ger." Exodus, 15th. There is no quarreling more, 
 no time, no change of day and night. It therefore 
 occurred to me that you must have a wonderful idea 
 of Zion since you could fix its nature but know noth- 
 ing of and have not experienced real and actual death. 
 The second song is short. It is the song of the Lamb 
 which is strangled. It runs thus: "All is fulfilled. 
 There is nothing more to do. Now praise we our 
 God in silence." 
 
 But you said in the meeting when I was there that 
 every verse was suitable for Mount Zion. That is 
 easily said if a rnan has a well smoothed tongue. You 
 will find out otherwise however. Meanwhile I re- 
 gretted my lost time over the books and that my hope 
 
 189 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 which had something honorable for its object should 
 have so entirely failed. I spoke with Brother SamueU 
 once more about it in what way it was to be under- 
 stood. He answered me that I should not blame them 
 for being Catholic, which I from my heart wished to 
 be true since in the Community of Christ there are no 
 others. For instance we believe in the mediation of 
 holy ones and truly of those who are afterward in 
 life. This caused me no scruple because it is my daily 
 exercise notwithstanding I am still not holy. What 
 then will the holy do ? But when he asked me whether 
 I believed only in the one Christ I would have been 
 shocked into a cold fever if true quiet had not pre- 
 vented. I then read the whole hymn over again once 
 more and saw the man who was intended and it gave 
 great sorrow. But I remembered how far the human 
 race depart from God and that man is inclined to 
 idolatry and easily moved to make images and to 
 honor himself while the tendency to depart from the 
 true way (found only in the ground of the spirit and 
 in the abandonment of all creature things) is born in 
 him. He is therefore easily led to act with sects, par- 
 ties, and like divisions, and one believes and receives 
 from another that which is pleasant without real ex- 
 perience of what will be the outcome. It may be 
 therefore that it ought not to be taken amiss in the 
 writer of the hymn, since as the eyes are so do they 
 see. Still I have no real peace about this affair. I 
 determined then to write to you and ask } ou whether 
 you had not seen or read this piece or had not con- 
 sidered what a dreadful production it is ; to say that 
 without serious difficulty it can still be taken out and 
 in its place something to the honor of God, or for the 
 good of weak souls, can be put in where the two pages 
 are cut out which I will do at my own expense ; and 
 to ask you whether on the other hand it was done 
 
 ' Samuel EcUerling. 
 
 190 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 according to your wish and inclination. If so, I would 
 remind you tliat the good Moses could not go into 
 Canaan because he honored not the Lord when he 
 said "must we fetcli you water?" See what an af- 
 flicted burden-bearer and once true knight Moses was 
 and where is such a Moses? Herod may well have 
 made such an unusually good address to the people 
 that it caused them to say, " That is the voice of God 
 and not of man." The angel struck not the unwitting 
 people because they were inclined to idolatry but him 
 who accepted the Godly honor. Already you suffer 
 yourself to be called " Father."^ Oh, would there 
 were a single one who comprehended Christ and 
 respected and carried out the commands of him who 
 absolutely forbid that you let any one call you master 
 and should call any man " Father " upon this earth ! 
 The misery is already great enough, as you yourself 
 said to me significantly. You are the greatest God 
 in the community. \\'hen you sat still everything fell 
 back. You had once for some time given up the meet- 
 mg- and everything fell away. Your dearest brethren 
 hastened to the world. Even Brother N.* had made 
 a wagon in which to ride to the city. There were 
 other instances which you told me. And did you not 
 the other day in the meeting significantly and at great 
 length speak of this idolatry and how they went 
 whoring after you as is indeed the case. And now 
 will they with full throats call and sing: 
 
 " Sehet, sehet, sehet an! 
 Sehet, sehet an den tnann! 
 Der von Gott erhdet ist 
 Der ist unser Herr und Christ." 
 
 ' Beissel's cloister name was Father Friedsam. 
 'In February, 1732, but was later prevailed upon to return 
 and take charge again. 
 
 ' Supposed to be Jacob Gass. 
 
 191 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 If Brother Samuel had not said to me concerning 
 it that the h\ mn had a double meaning and one might 
 take it as he chose, I should have considered the last 
 as referring to Christ and looked upon the " God 
 without rest " as a compulsion of the verse. Are there 
 not already molten calves enough? Is not the door 
 of Babel great enough that they should build another 
 little door through which they call loudly, " See here 
 is Christ " in order to entice souls to themselves ? Do 
 not misunderstand me. I value highly the favor of 
 returning to you. But I fear God will play his own 
 part in it and leave the beautiful vessel empty lest 
 otherwise upright souls might suffer an injur}' which 
 certainly would cause no single child of God pleasure. 
 IMuch more were it to be wished from the innermost 
 heart that all the might of the stars were entirely lost 
 and that Christ were indeed the ruler in you and the 
 whole community. This would give me great joy to 
 look upon through my whole life long. There is 
 nothing more to say except that, with the permission 
 of Brother Michael, I should like, if I might, to take 
 out this one hymn and put another in its place be- 
 cause it concerns the honor of God. It is easy to see 
 that I have no earthly concern in it and that the in- 
 fluence of no man's interest has anything to do with 
 it. There are still as many as a hundred hymns with 
 which you can feed the senses that they die not. I 
 am sure that a thousand pounds would not persuade 
 me to print such a one, for the reason that it leads the 
 easy way to idolatry. If it were my paper it would 
 have been already burned. But my suggestion was 
 met by the brethren only with scornful and mocking 
 words, and at last they said, " Now we will pack up 
 the paper." I thought " they still have better right to 
 it than the Hussars." With such disposition of the 
 matter for my own part I can be at peace. God will 
 
 192 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 fiiul a way lo protect his honor. As to the rest, I love 
 tl'^'^' ^^I'll- Christoph Satir. 
 
 About the middle of the 18th century some poli- 
 ticians of Pennsylvania became alarmed, or professed 
 to become alarmed, at the rapid increase of the Ger- 
 man population of the province. They seemed to fear 
 tliat the Germans would eventually become the dom- 
 inatiny power in the (government and would arrogate 
 the reins of authority to themselves. They were ac- 
 cused of a want of loyalty, and slanderous reports 
 charged them with being on the point of forming an 
 alliance with the Indians. 
 
 Under the shelter of such rumors an effort was 
 made to bring about legislative enactment that 
 should curtail the free suffrage of the Germans. 
 Sower called attention several times in his different 
 publications to the "wire-pulling" tactics that were 
 being employed towards the Germans, and warned the 
 latter to be on their guard. He at the same time 
 showed how untrue the circulated reports had been, 
 and called attention to the quiet and peaceable dis- 
 position of the Germans as a people. 
 
 This did not, how^cver. stop the machinations of his 
 political adversaries, and in 1755 Sower wrote and 
 published a little tract entitled : Eiue cii dieser Zeit 
 hochst iiothlge JFarnuug unci Erinnerung an die freye 
 Ein-ivohuer der Proving Pensylvanien von Einem, 
 dciu die IVohlfahrt des Landes angelegen und darauf 
 bcdacht ist. (A Warning and Remonstrance of the 
 greatest Necessity at this Time to the free Inhabitants 
 
 193 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 of the Province of Pennsylvania by one to whom the 
 Welfare of this Country is important and therefore 
 considered.) 
 
 Friends, Brethren and Fellow Countrymen:^ 
 
 I have long been a sad and anxious observer of the 
 public undertakings here in the land, and have noticed 
 with astonishment the constant accumulation of auto- 
 cratic power and the open assaults that have been 
 made against our well-established rights. I have also 
 noted the audacity and shamelessness with which the 
 sons or minions of this disgusting superiority have 
 made their slavish doctrine known to the world. . . . 
 
 It is indeed a very important matter that we know 
 our enemies rightly and are able to tell who are such. 
 They are readily recognized by their practices, by their 
 theories and their association together. If you know a 
 party of people, who surpass all others in the art of 
 lying, you may undoubtedly place them in the ranks 
 of these our enemies. For if they invent a falsehood 
 in the morning and bravely defend it during the day, 
 in the afternoon they will repeat it as truth, and will 
 finally come to believe it themselves as a precious 
 truth and will swear by it. Certainly very little ac- 
 count is to be taken of what they say or what they 
 do, what they sanction or what they repeat, since one 
 has as much truth in it as the other. There is no lie 
 ever so impudent and foolish, or story ever so ridicu- 
 lous, but these people, for the sake of their own tem- 
 porary exaltation, will quickly publish it among their 
 hangers-on, with the greatest assurance that it is 
 true. In short, they have lost all credit, confidence 
 and reputation among the fair-minded element of the 
 country people. 
 
 ' From a copy in the library of tiie Historical Society of 
 Pennsylvania. 
 
 194 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 Their tlicorics arc so faiitaslic and absuril in a free 
 govcriinuMit, tliat to si)cak hriclly they arc sini[)Iy dis- 
 Rustini;. Thr fine things in llu-ir books arc scattered 
 hither and thither nntil their resources in disseniinat- 
 inj;" them are exiiausted. l''or this reason, I tiiou<;iit it 
 necessary to colk-et tliesc and set them before your 
 eyes, so that the impartial people will not need to trust 
 simply to my word, but that they may read and under- 
 stand it for themselves, and that the lovers of freedom 
 and universal power may be able to decide whether 
 these people can in any wise be re.cfarded as friends 
 and protectors of the country and of the principles of 
 riq;ht ; also wdiether they do not make themselves liars 
 when they apply to themselves such excellent titles 
 as Keeper, Guanlian, Protector of our freedom, be- 
 cause they manifestly show that they are traitors to 
 this country, who desire to overthrow and pervert the 
 honored rights and principles of this province. 
 Shameless enough are they to apply abusive nick- 
 names frequently to those who seek to support free- 
 dom and the advantages of the country, and desire 
 nothing else than the true w-elfare and happiness of 
 this province. 
 
 First, we see this from their letters which they have 
 written to England under the title, State Letters, or 
 Brief Compend of the Condition of the Province of 
 Pennsylvania, wdiich contains one of their leading 
 doctrines. There they wrote, " The newly-acquired 
 lands thrive best under a government that is adminis- 
 tered as the people generally would like to have it." 
 Therefore, the mass of the people should first be given 
 this desirable freedom, and no burdens should be laid 
 upon them, so that they will become industrious 
 and will settle in such lands. " But as soon as the 
 country people become rich, and fairly get to becom- 
 ing weakhy," and have reached the proper goal for 
 the public welfare, " Then it should be considered how 
 
 195 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 a restraint can be put upon them to hold them back, 
 and to take enough from them that their power may 
 not become too great." In other words, this is to say 
 that it was right and just that the Crown and our first 
 Proprietor promised freedom and privileges to the 
 first settlers in this province, and gave it to them in 
 writing, in their separate characters, in order to in- 
 duce our ancestors to exchange the blessings of their 
 fatherland for the misery and terror of a far distant 
 wilderness. And if they have also paid dearly for 
 this their liberty, as an inheritance for themselves and 
 their posterity, and these their descendants have also 
 acquired something for themselves and have now be- 
 come numerous, it is therefore now high time that we 
 take away their freedom again, which they have paid 
 for so dearly, in a manner which is called " Checks to 
 the Power of the People." That is, we must put a 
 restraint upon the people and take away from the 
 power which they have. By this means the subject 
 will be made disloyal, so that they will disregard their 
 allegiance which they have sworn to the king, and 
 their promises will not be regarded hereafter because 
 those are not kept that had been promised to them. 
 
 Secondly, the patrons of our liberty, as they call 
 themselves, have another crafty design, namely, that 
 the Germans shall hereafter no longer have the liberty 
 to vote in the elections for the Assembly, (who, how- 
 ever, according to their own statement, make up half 
 the population of the country) until they have ac- 
 quired sufficient understanding of our condition ; that 
 is, until they learn to become so pliant that they allow 
 themselves to be directed, bent and led, just as their 
 leaders desire ; until they think like they think, and do 
 as they are haughtily commanded to do, no matter 
 about their welfare or their desires, or how important 
 their possessions may be, or however securely their 
 loyal purpose and allegiance may be bound to the true 
 
 196 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 interests of the couiitrv. In this way half of the in- 
 habitants will he forccnl to hind tlK-msclvcs toj^cthcr 
 by laws against their goveriiineiil and aj^ainst the 
 basis and quality of the kind of freedom that is dis- 
 pensed by this English arrangement, hut it will be 
 against their desire that they liave to take any part 
 ui this, either .willingly or unwillingly. These guar- 
 dians of our liberty say, " It is absurd and inconceiva- 
 ble to observe that a horde of ignorant, proud, head- 
 strong, boorish German peasants should have the right 
 and permission to cast their votes at an election for 
 assemblymen," as it is stated in their writings called 
 State Letters, page 40. 
 
 Thirdly, they have this design, that they will do 
 away w'ith the laudable cu.stom which has existed up 
 to this time, namely, that one can and is permitted to 
 cast his folded ballot for assemblymen, sheriff, cor- 
 oner and assessor, which right is one of the most ex- 
 cellent and essential marks of freedom. Instead of 
 this a poor honest man is now to be required to cast 
 his vote (if he has one) publicly and orally, which is 
 against his mind and conscience, because he knows 
 that it is contrary to the best interests of the country. 
 By their self-will they have assumed the power to 
 rule the elections, and to punish and oppress those who 
 attempt to vote in the election contrary to their arbi- 
 trary arrangements. 
 
 Fourthly, they propose that the sheriff and the cor- 
 oner, upon the faithful discharge of whose offices very 
 much depends, shall no longer be elected by the people 
 of the country, unless they themselves have nominated 
 them. By this means a partisan or packed jury can 
 always be brought together, from such as depend upon 
 them, so that they can always destroy the liberty of 
 their subjects whenever they wish. 
 
 Fifthly, they desire to give to the Governor power 
 that he can continue the Assembly as long as it pleases 
 
 197 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 him, and may also dissolve them at pleasure ; so that 
 if they do not act according to his will, he can make 
 them sit at the wrong time until they become tired ; 
 so that they finally will have to consent to what he 
 wishes, or to what pleases the Proprietor, as may be 
 read in their State Letters on the 71st page. 
 
 Sixthly, that your assemblymen shall not have the 
 right to hear the complaints of the people and to re- 
 lieve their burdens, no matter how terribly and bar- 
 barously they may be oppressed. Yes, they are not 
 even to have the power to punish the most insolent en- 
 croachment upon their own and the people's rights. 
 
 Seventhly, that a general law be passed establishing 
 a militia force, the officers of which the Governor 
 alone shall appoint, which provision they regard as 
 being absolutely necessary. This is not to protect the 
 province against the invasion of a foreign enemy, 
 as becomes clear when we consider the behavior of the 
 regular troops ; but it is that your rights and priv- 
 ileges shall be given up and transferred into the hands 
 of your domestic enemies, and you be made subject to 
 the designs of ambitious people, who desire to make a 
 large number of new relations, new hangers-on, and 
 subordinates in the government, who will be entirely 
 subject to their will and influence, as may be read in 
 State Letters, 16th page. 
 
 The agents of tyranny have now become too mad 
 and foolish to acknowledge and establish these prin- 
 ciples and maxims which they have in view, along 
 with many others which are too disagreeable to re- 
 late or to bring forward publicly either in their writ- 
 ings or in their daily discourses 
 
 Liberty, my worthy countrymen, is our natural 
 right. A right which, it is to be hoped, the God of 
 nature and virtue ofifers you, and will also support 
 you that you may be able to secure and retain it. 
 Your rulers have received power to protect you and 
 
 198 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 not to oppress you. Your government is so arranged, 
 that half of the privilege of making ordinances and 
 laws has fallen to you. And you have hy nature and hy 
 the fundamental law of pr()i)rietorshii) the entire con- 
 trol of your purses and whatever else you possess. 
 You alone are the great counterpoise and have the 
 lH)wer to persuade the other part of the government 
 and to cause that it remain in its proper bounds. If 
 it transcends its proper limits, it is your fault, and you 
 are the ones, who can command your assemblymen 
 (as is your duty and privilege) to bring the agents 
 
 of oppression to account and i)unish them 
 
 I-'inally, whether you be English, German. Dutch 
 or Swedish, whether you be Episcopal, Presbyterian, 
 Quaker or of any other religious denomination, you 
 are by virtue of your living here and by the laws of the 
 land free people and not slaves. You have the right to 
 all the liberty of a person of English birth, and you 
 have your portion in the fundamental laws of the land. 
 You are men, men of intelligence ; let me once more 
 exhort you that you will need all of your good under- 
 standing to arouse yourselves and maintain your lib- 
 erty. It all lies with you ; you are able to protect 
 yourselves against this present public calamity ; you 
 are the source whence the improvement of the present 
 condition is to be hoped for and expected. Further- 
 more, we dare not expect the maintenance of our 
 rights and liberty from such people, who hold their 
 offices, their reputations, their power, their success 
 and their wealth from those very ones who are mak- 
 ing every effort to destroy these rights and liberties. 
 For the people of this stripe would much rather see 
 your liberties fall to the ground and would gladly 
 be the instruments by which your rights are entirely 
 destroyed. 
 
 199 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 Peter Becker. 
 
 Among the great leaders of the Brethren in Europe 
 and America in the early days of the church no one 
 is more distinctive in some respects than Peter Becker 
 (Baker). He was a singularly sweet-spirited man, 
 and although not specially aggressive as a leader, he 
 was a wise counselor and saw clearly through the 
 fog of mysticism that beclouded the minds of so many 
 men of his generation. 
 
 He was a native of Dillsheim, and early came under 
 the influence of the " awakened." Indeed the centres 
 of religious influence seemed to have a charm for 
 him. In 1714 he accepted immersion at the hands of 
 the Brethren and became a member of the Creyfelt 
 congregation. He was then twenty-seven years of 
 age. A little later he was elected to the ministry. In 
 this capacity he was associated with Elder John Naas, 
 Elder Christian Libe, Stephen Koch and others. 
 
 Of the terrible persecutions waged against the 
 Brethren in these early days I have already written. 
 Upon the sensitive nature of Peter Becker they 
 seemed to fall with unusual force. After some five 
 years of almost untold suffering in mind, body and 
 spirit, he organized a small body of members and 
 sailed for America. This was in 1719. So it was to 
 his leadership that we owe the transplanting of the first 
 colony of Bunkers from Germany to the new world. 
 
 It is said that the party consisted of twenty families, 
 and the voyage is said to have been stormy and 
 fraught with hardships, which may well be true. The 
 party landed at Germantown, attracted thither doubt- 
 
 200 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 less by former settlers from llie I'atlierland, and l)y 
 the mild government of the peaee-loving Penn. 
 
 By trade Becker was a master weaver. To this 
 trade he apphed himself on his arrival to this country. 
 In course of time he accjuired a ])iece of land — 
 twenty-three acres — in Germantown. The cultivation 
 of this and the management of his looms are the secu- 
 lar pursuits to which he gave his attention. 
 
 Although he was the organizer and the acknowl- 
 edged leader of the little company that crossed the 
 ocean with him, it does not appear that he made any 
 effort to organize the members into a congregation 
 until they had been here more than four years. This 
 may seem strange to us. But we can not now lift 
 the veil and see all of the influences that conspired at 
 that time to crush the good man's heart. 
 
 There had been bitter experiences in Germany ; not 
 only persecutions by the secular and ecclesiastical 
 governments, but also misunderstandings, strifes, ex- 
 communications in the little company of Taufers 
 themselves. The hearts of many were saddened and 
 others were deterred from entering the fold. With 
 these sad experiences rankling in their minds the little 
 company found themselves in a new and strange 
 world. They were as a handful of pilgrims among 
 utter strangers. 
 
 What could they do in establishing a new system of 
 worship in a new and wild country? Their first care 
 was to provide daily bread for themselves and their 
 families. They were without friends or definite pros- 
 pects. Moreover, their hearts were crushed. 
 
 201 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 But this was not all. Peter Becker was not an or- 
 dained elder, and at this time there was no second 
 degree of the ministry. Becker, therefore, had no 
 legal right to organize and conduct church work, ex- 
 cept under the direction of a superior officer. This 
 he did not have, as there was at that time no ordained 
 elder in America. 
 
 When the organization was at length effected, he 
 became elder by choice of the congregation. If this 
 was an illegal procedure, it at least had the exigencies 
 of the circumstances in justification. 
 
 From December the 25th, 1723, when the German- 
 town church, the first in America, was organized, to 
 the arrival of Alexander Mack in September, 1729, 
 Peter Becker was at the head of the church in this 
 country. He upheld faithfully the doctrines and ordi- 
 nances as they had been taught and practiced from 
 the beginning. When Elder Mack arrived and be- 
 came a member of the Germantown congregation, 
 Peter Becker very considerately and humbly resigned 
 the leadership to the great founder, and placed him- 
 self at his disposal to help in the work in any way 
 that he might direct. This act shows the beautiful 
 spirit of the man probably as well as any. He shunned 
 public position and popular applause. After the death 
 of Mack, in 1735, to his death in 1758, circumstances 
 again brought Becker to the front and he conducted 
 the affairs of the little body of worshipers with con- 
 scientious care and fidelity. 
 
 About ten years before his death he broke up his 
 home in Germantown and moved out into what is 
 
 202 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 now Montjjomcry county, Pennsylvania, to a place on 
 tlie Skippack Creek, not far from 1 larleysviile, and 
 made Iiis home with liis dauj^'hter, Mary 1 larley. 
 
 Althougli he was a tliorouf^lily p'ood man, Peter 
 Becker was not a great leader or a prcat orp^anizer. 
 Neither was he a .q;reat preacher. Yet his pious, podly 
 life was a jiowerful sermon to all who knew him. lie 
 sulTered much for the cause of Christ. He labored 
 lonj:^ and faithfully for his Master. His influence in 
 establishing' the church in this cotuitry was very great. 
 
 Elder Becker is said to have been an inspiration in 
 any religious service he attended, from the hearty in- 
 terest he took in the service. lie was somewhat 
 skilled as a nnisician, and generally led the singing at 
 the Germantown meetings. 
 
 His nature was fervid and devout. And his even 
 temper under the most exasperating circumstances is 
 a matter of historical record. He was universally 
 loved and esteemed. 
 
 He was not a literary man, and therefore has but 
 slight claim upon this history. Letters and an occa- 
 sional hymn were the extent of his literary labors. 
 One of the latter was printed by Samuel Sower in 
 Baltimore in 1797. It appeared in an appendix to 
 this his second edition of Das Kleinie Daindische 
 Psaltersptcl dcs Kinder Zions, a very popular hymn- 
 book of the time. 
 
 The following translation^ will give a fair idea of 
 its form and contents. 
 
 ' From a copy in the library of tiie German Society of 
 Pennsylvania. Text kindly furnished by Miss L. Hertzog, the 
 librarian. 
 
 203 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 1. Thou, poor pilgrim, wander'st here 
 
 In this vale of gloom. 
 Seeking, longing ever more 
 
 For that joyous home; 
 Yet many friends oppose thee here 
 So that now thou weepest sore, — ■ 
 Patience. 
 
 2. Go thou forth, on faith rely. 
 
 Be only undismayed; 
 Cling to thy God, his love apply 
 
 If thee the world upbraid; 
 This course through life will lead thee safe, 
 Though under it thy flesh shall chafe, — 
 Patience. 
 
 3. If upon the narrow way 
 
 Thou suffer scoffings here, 
 Just go on in the path of right, 
 
 But shun the broad way's snare; 
 Though men may look at thee askance 
 And thou must often grieve perchance, — 
 Patience. 
 
 4. Believe me true the time will be 
 
 All this shall pass away; 
 Contests and strifes shall finally 
 
 Pass from the mind away 
 Of him who here in faith contends 
 And all his enemies overcomes, — 
 Patience. 
 
 5. Truly wonderful's the strife 
 
 We engage in day by day. 
 Yet many perils we ne'er see 
 
 That lie along our way; 
 Constant watchfulness we need 
 With prayer and efforts to succeed, — 
 Patience. 
 
 204 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 6. Lead's! tliiiii ilic strife against tlie llcsh 
 
 Ami tliiiikcst tli<m Iiast won, 
 Before thou know, it lnoaks its leash — 
 
 Again thou'rt overcome. 
 Therefore watch, entreat and pray 
 And at thy post remain alway, — 
 Patience. 
 
 7. If at times thy faith is weak 
 
 And thou art full of care, 
 Be not by this dismayed, but seek 
 
 Thy God's help everywhere. 
 When no other help is found, 
 God will compass thee around, — 
 Patience. 
 
 8. Thy God leads thee most wondrously 
 
 In this bleak desert wide. 
 That he may bring to light of day 
 
 What in thy heart doth hide, 
 That how thou maycst understand 
 Thyself to God to recommend, — 
 Patience. 
 
 9. And if the way seem still so hard 
 
 Before thy thoughtful mind. 
 Look to thy Savior trust his word, 
 
 And vict'ry thou wilt find. 
 He chose the way of sorrow free 
 And died upon the bloody tree, — 
 Patience. 
 
 10. Patient was the love of Christ 
 
 Throughout his blessed life; 
 This in sincerity he showed 
 
 In every hostile strife. 
 As patient as a lamb was He 
 That died upon the sacred tree, — 
 Patience. 
 
 205 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 11. In this mirror thou may'st see 
 
 Thyself, thy form, thy face, 
 But think how small thou still must be; 
 
 Forget thou never this: 
 Thy Savior's likeness thou shoulds't gain, 
 And suffer gladly every pain, — 
 Patience. 
 
 12. In this view thou comest short, 
 
 Thou my poor, poor soul; 
 Therefore must thou still resort 
 
 Within this gloomy vale. 
 Oft dost thou thyself survey 
 To find thyself in sorrow's way, — 
 Patience. 
 
 13. And when thou seem'st deserted quite 
 
 And thy poor heart hast proved. 
 Then thou bewailest thy poor plight. 
 
 To pain and anguish moved. 
 Help in thyself thou canst not get. 
 Submit then gently to thy lot, — 
 Patience. 
 
 14. Ah, precious soul, take courage new. 
 
 All this shall have an end; 
 The cross's load will grace renew; , 
 
 Soon blissful rest thou'lt find. 
 The sorrow of this fleeting time 
 Is worthy of the joy divine, — ■ 
 Patience. 
 
 Michael Frantz. 
 
 Michael Frantz was one of the strong men in the 
 early days of the Brethren church. He was a native 
 of Switzerland, having been born near the little city 
 of Basle in 1687. As a young man he felt some of 
 
 206 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 thf religious unrest that was sweeping over northern 
 Iun\)pe in tlie early years of the eighteenth century. 
 
 He came to America at the age of forty, and settled 
 in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, not far from 
 F.phrata. This was in September, 1727. Here he 
 came in contact with the r)relliren and was soon at- 
 tracted to their doctrine and mode of worshiji. Con- 
 rad Beisscl was the leader among them at this time in 
 Lancaster county, and some of his mystical utterances 
 had no special attraction for Frantz. And when 
 Beissel withdrew from the congregation the next year 
 Frantz was disappointed and seemed to lose interest. 
 
 He occasionally went to hear Beissel preach, how- 
 ever, as he also did the Brethren. Finally in 1734, 
 just seven years after his arrival in Pennsylvania, he 
 was baptized by Elder Peter Becker into the Dunker 
 church. The same day the Conestoga church was 
 organized as a separate congregation, and, as there 
 was no resident minister, he was put in charge as 
 their leader, " with a commission to exhort," which 
 means, that he was chosen as minister of the new or- 
 ganization (probably only on trial) on the same day 
 of his baptism. So w'ell did he approve himself in 
 this capacity that the next year he was ordained to 
 the eldership and put in full charge of the congrega- 
 tion. 
 
 He was a man of considerable natural power and 
 great earnestness of character. He gave much of his 
 time to the ministry. Under his care the Conestoga 
 church prospered. From a membership of about 
 twenty, when the congregation was organized, he 
 
 207 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 built it up to two hundred in less than fourteen years. 
 Being already past middle life when he entered the 
 church, he seems to have been anxious to do all he 
 could for the Master while time and opportunity were 
 still allotted to him. 
 
 Elder Frantz died in December, 1748. He was 
 buried in an old graveyard on the Cocalico creek near 
 his home, and near the place where he had done such 
 valiant service in the cause of Christ. His epitaph 
 speaks of his having been " well tried by affliction." 
 
 He was a fluent writer, and in his busy life found 
 time to write occasional religious poems and a few 
 prose articles. Twenty-two years after his death 
 Christopher Sower brought out a small volume, con- 
 taining some of each. The work is entitled 
 
 Einfaltige 
 Lehr-Betraehtungen, 
 und Kiirtzgefasztes, 
 Glauhcns-B ckdntinsz 
 des Gottseligen Lebens, 
 Michael Frantzen. 
 
 (Simple Observations on Teaching and a concise 
 Confession of Faith of the pious Teacher, Michael 
 Frantz.) 
 
 That Elder Frantz was a very spiritual minded man 
 is evidenced by his address to the congregation on the 
 subject, Of inner Communion with God. This is one 
 of the short prose articles appearing in the volume 
 brought out by Sower in 1770. 
 
 The communion of the faithful is with the Father 
 208 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1. Tliis is the 
 fellowship of the Father with his children, who have 
 inherited from their heavenly leather the celestial 
 herila.qe and estate, which they fall heir to through 
 Jesns Christ, if they also die with hiin. They return 
 to the Father again everything that they have re- 
 ceived from him, antl retain nolhin<^ for themselves, 
 but are as those who have nothing and still have 
 everything within. 2 Cor. 6. Since the Father has 
 given them everything through Jesus Christ, therefore 
 they iiave everything if they are poor in spirit. For 
 all good gifts come from above, from the Father of 
 Lights, which they as his children of light received 
 from him ; and tlirough the good gifts from above 
 they also bring to the Father, through the Holy 
 Ghost, spiritual fruits. He gives them spiritual water 
 from above, and this becomes in them a well of water, 
 springing up into everlasting life. John 4. 
 
 This is the true fountain of living faith, which 
 comes through the Holy Ghost, and, springing up, 
 flows forth into eternal life. This is then a river of 
 love coming down from above and returning thither 
 again. Wherever this flood of love comes, there are 
 those who are striving up stream to drink of it at 
 its source. For love out of a pure heart and of a good 
 conscience and of sincere faith, 1 Tim. 1, and also 
 for a broken heart overflowing with emotion, they 
 receive kindness and consolation ; and in kindness they 
 exercise love and sympathy through the divine glory 
 of righteousness, which they manifest towards their 
 former nature. Thus they receive again in return 
 kindness for such kindness, love for love, sympathy 
 for sympathy. John 1. This is communion with the 
 Father and his Son Jesus Christ, because the Father 
 has given to them the divine nature and the complete, 
 holy, virtuous life of Jesus. Because he has given 
 them everything, they give back to him again every- 
 
 209 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 thing in love, yes, even their whole hearts. Then he 
 
 comes and knocks at the door of their hearts and they 
 open to him, and he will sup with them and they with 
 him. O what a precious feast of love and communion 
 do such true, faithful ones have, united with the dear 
 cross-bearing Jesus, and being also in communion 
 with Jesus through love, and in the mortification of 
 the old nature, and in arising with Christ and ascend- 
 ing with him to heaven, where Jesus Christ now is, 
 sitting at the right hand of God ! 
 
 The prose occupies the latter half of the little vol- 
 ume. The first part is taken up with a series of poems 
 under the general title, Spiegel iind Priifer seine 
 selbsf. (Mirror and Examiner of one's self.) 
 
 The poetry is not arranged in stanzas, but in verses 
 rather, something like our Authorized Bible. There 
 are 507 of these verses, in twenty-three different 
 groups, each with its own title, making them in a 
 manner separate poems. Some of the separate titles 
 are, On Water Baptism, On Feetwashing, On Break- 
 ing of Bread, On the Groundwork and Bond of 
 Faith, On the Resurrection of the Dead. 
 
 The eleventh in order is On the Bringing tip of 
 Children, which will be found of interest. 
 
 On Bringing Up Children.^ 
 
 241. Married people who are in the Lord, learn 
 to punish your children ; restrain their naughty ways, 
 and bring them up in the Lord. 
 
 242. Fathers should not scold, should not do any- 
 
 > These extracts are taken from a copy of the work In the 
 library of the German Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
 210 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 thing in anp;cr and hatred ; whoever takes the rod or 
 switch in his hand in an^cr is Satan's instrument. 
 
 _'4.>. The rod sliould not bo spared while children 
 arc voung- ; witli the most loving stroke should the evil 
 spirit be driven out. 
 
 244. He who loves and esteems his child, will 
 punish it and lead it away from the sinful crowd into 
 the fold of Christ, to be in the fear of God, to his own 
 praise. 
 
 245. Children should be obedient, should attend 
 carefully their father and mother. This is the first 
 command and advice that is accompanied by divine 
 promise. 
 
 246. There is also a lack in the world, that pa- 
 rents love property and money ; your children wish 
 to own land and have never yet known God. 
 
 247. He who comes before his children with laugh- 
 ing and acting foolishly and tells of vice and lust in 
 the world, he will lead his children into the world. 
 
 248. The earthly-minded father takes his sleep 
 and then rises early with his children to go forth into 
 the world to seek houses, lands, cattle and gold. 
 
 249. He says, " There is a fine piece of land, I 
 will bring a claim upon it lest some poor man possess 
 it, who shall no longer be permitted to own land." 
 
 250. Or, if he does not actually do the thing as I 
 have described at some time, he is at any rate think- 
 ing about it and talking about it, both when he lies 
 down and when he rises up. 
 
 251. ^lany a one does this and many similar 
 things, and has his whole heart in it ; and he acknowl- 
 edges before this that he is but poorly prepared to 
 pray. 
 
 252. He says, " It makes no difference if prayers 
 are neglected and remain unsaid from time to time, 
 if only the heart is in proper condition." 
 
 253. A heart that is in proper condition prays and 
 
 211 
 
* 
 
 Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 praises Jesus Christ at morn, at evening and at mid- 
 night, and always with true devotion. 
 
 254. The daily sacrifices of the Old Testament had 
 to be offered in the morning and in the evening at a 
 fixed hour: This teaches us very clearly that we 
 should not neglect prayer. 
 
 255. Daniel fell upon his knees in prayer, and 
 found it no trouble to do so three times a day ; for 
 which faithfulness in prayer he was cast into the den 
 of lions. 
 
 256. David also was very anxious to praise God 
 three times in a day, and at midnight he also arose to 
 praise God with heart and voice. 
 
 257. He who does not cling to a false ideal will 
 praise God with heart and voice, in spirit and in 
 truth, as Christ, the Son of God, has taught us. 
 
 258. Christ and the prophets, as well as the apos- 
 tles on all occasions, have both early and late ex- 
 horted us to prayer most earnestly, by precept and by 
 example. 
 
 259. One should pray and entreat and praise God, 
 he should meditate God's Word and discourse upon it 
 with his children at home, when he comes in and when 
 he goes out. 
 
 260. When he lies down and when he rises up he 
 should also teach his children to love the Lord, to fear 
 God, and to keep his holy precepts. 
 
 261. You, dear children, learn well to fear the 
 Lord, as people should, cling to the dear Lord, know 
 God and keep him ever before your eyes. 
 
 262. Make for yourselves plenty of pastime, act 
 out your fine comedies before God by reading, 
 writing, singing joyfully, out of a heart full of love 
 to God. 
 
 263. Avoid the companionship of evil men, ab- 
 stain wholly from the pleasures of youth, from laugh- 
 
 212 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 ing, jestiiii; and buffoonery, and from sins of many 
 other kinds. 
 
 264. If (iion you arc truly obedient, you will have 
 joy in Jesus, but if your joy is in i)ro])crly and wealth, 
 then are ye children of this world. 
 
 265. Now you can choose what you will, but 
 choose Jesus rather than pold, ho is a treasure that 
 will remain forever, his spirit animates the children 
 of God. 
 
 266. Ye children, be ye born anew, commit your- 
 selves to Jesus and be true, then ye will also have the 
 rights of citizenship, because you are citizens and not 
 slaves. 
 
 267. O ye children, all come here, come to Jesus, 
 who is our Lord ; give not your youth to the world, 
 give yourselves to Jesus, your hero. 
 
 268. How excellent is the yoke of virtue! How 
 noble he who in tender youth takes it upon himself, 
 follows Jesus, and cares for no jesting or offence. 
 
 John Naas. 
 
 John Naas has already been mentioned among the 
 strong leaders of the church in Germany. Besides 
 Alexander Mack there was probably no one who ex- 
 erted a larger or better influence for the church than 
 he. He was an intimate friend of the founder and 
 enjoyed his complete confidence and esteem. 
 
 He was descended from a good Westphalian fam- 
 ily, from whom he inherited that native grace and 
 refinement that comes from generations of culture. 
 His educational opportunities were good for his day, 
 and were doubtless well employed. He impresses us 
 everywhere as a man of true culture and sound schol- 
 arship. 
 
 213 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 His beautiful nature and well-trained mind were 
 also housed in a fine physical organism. He was 
 possessed of unusual manly beauty. 
 
 Dr. M. G. Brumbaugh has this interesting account 
 of an incident in his life.^ 
 
 John Naas was a man of commanding figure. In 
 the year 1715, accompanied by Brother Jacob Preisz, 
 he traveled through the country from Creyfelt to Mar- 
 ienborn and Epstein, proclaiming the Gospel of our 
 Lord. At this time Creyfelt was under the control of 
 the Iving of Prussia. The Iving's recruiting officers 
 were canvassing the country to secure recruits for 
 the Prussian army. Every one of sturdy appearance 
 was compelled to enter the service. The King was 
 especially anxious to secure tall, strong men for his 
 own body or life guard. 
 
 John Naas was just such a man. He was a head 
 taller than any other person in the community, and 
 was possessed of a stout athletic constitution, com- 
 bined with such grace and nobleness of demeanor 
 as almost to strike a stranger with awe. Preisz, on 
 the other hand, was a small, feeble man. 
 
 One day they met the King's recruiting officers, 
 whereupon Naas was seized and urged to enlist. He 
 refused. They tortured him to compel him to sub- 
 mit. These tortures consisted of pinching, thumb- 
 screwing, etc. But he steadfastly refused. They 
 then hung him up with a heavy cord by his left thumb 
 and right great toe, in which painful and ignominious 
 position they meant to leave him suspended until he 
 should yield to their demands. 
 
 This did not cause him to consent, and, fearing that 
 they would kill him if they longer continued their 
 
 1 History of the Brethren, p. 103. 
 
 214 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 barbarous torture, they cut Iiini down and dragged 
 him l)v force into tlic i)resence of tiie Iving. 
 
 Tiiey explained to the King what they had done and 
 told tlie King iiow resohilely and stubhoridy he with- 
 stood their elYorts to cnhst him. The King eyed 
 I'".Kler Naas closely and said, "Why, yes! We would 
 much hke to have him. Tell me why you refuse to 
 enlist." 
 
 " Because," answered the noble Christian, " I can- 
 not, as I have long ago enlisted in the noblest and 
 best army ; and I cannot became a traitor to my King." 
 
 "And who is your captain?" asked the King. 
 
 " My Captain," answered he, " is the great Prince 
 Immanuel, our Lord Jesus Christ. I have espoused 
 his cause, and cannot and will not forsake him." 
 
 " Neither will I then ask you to do so," answered 
 the noble ruler, handing him a gold coin as a reward 
 for his fidelity. The King then released him. 
 
 Naas was born at Xorten, not far from Cassel. He 
 joined the church at Marienborn about 1713, being 
 then about forty-two years of age. He was soon put 
 to the ministry and in a short time rose to the leader- 
 ship of the congregation. 
 
 Because of persecutions, the Marienborn chr.rch fled 
 to Creyfelt in 1715. Naas accompanied them and was 
 soon after made their elder. In this capacity and dur- 
 ing the few following years he did his greatest work. 
 He was possessed of a strong and winning personality 
 that greatly endeared him to the little flock under his 
 care. 
 
 Trouble arose, however, in the little congregation. 
 Christian Libe, Naas's colleague in the eldership, in- 
 sisted on a rigid enforcement of discipline in ecclesias- 
 
 215 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 tical matters, and succeeded in expelling certain mem- 
 bers from tlie church, flis arbitrary action brought 
 about division in the church and filled many hearts 
 with sorrow. Naas was very much opposed to the 
 methods employed by his colleague and withdrew 
 from the neighborhood. This was in 1717. From this 
 time until he came to America in 1733, he was not 
 active in Christian work. His heart had been grieved 
 almost past recovery. 
 
 On his arrival in Germantown he was warmly 
 greeted by Alexander Mack, Peter Becker and others. 
 After a short sojourn among the Brethren here he 
 went to Amwell, New Jersey, where he settled and 
 built up a flourishing church. 
 
 So once more his splendid powers were brought 
 into the active service of the church. He preached 
 the Word with power and greatly endeared himself 
 to his people. For eight years he labored at this point, 
 and then, having passed his allotted three-score and 
 ten, he was called home. He died in 1741. 
 
 He did a good work, and his finely developed pow- 
 ers were sincerely dedicated to the service of his Mas- 
 ter. His great heart never forgot the sad mistake at 
 Creyfelt, however, which saddened all the remainder 
 of his life. And what the church lost in the loss of 
 his ministerial services for more than fifteen years, 
 we shall never be able to estimate. 
 
 Elder Naas may be called a brilliant man. He had 
 perfect command of his faculties and was able to use 
 them with great power. If he had aspired to author- 
 ship he would certainly have gained an audience. As 
 
 216 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 it was, the sphere of his labors was ahnost limited to 
 those who heard him speak or otherwise eame within 
 the raiij;e of his iiilluence. 
 
 All occasional hymn remains to c^ive us an insis^lit 
 into his mind antl heart. Two of these were ])rinte(I 
 by Samuel Sower in the same volume from which the 
 hymn by Peter Becker above was taken — Dtis Klcinc 
 Dcnndische Psaltcrspicl. A literal unmetrical trans- 
 lation of one of them follows. 
 
 1 
 
 Savior of my soul. 
 
 Grant that I may choose 
 
 Thee and thy cross in this life, 
 
 And surrender myself wholly to Thee. 
 
 Grant tliat I may choose this, 
 
 Savior of my soul. 
 
 2 
 
 Then by this means shall I 
 
 Be rightly led to the light; 
 
 For Thy entire blessed life 
 
 Led through many crosses, ways of sorrow; 
 
 By this means I shall come 
 
 Also to the true light. 
 
 3 
 
 Extend to me Thy hand; 
 
 I am not in condition 
 
 To follow Thee rightly, O Jesus, 
 
 Without the ointment of Thy soul; 
 
 Therefore extend Thy hand 
 
 To him who is not able to come. 
 
 4 
 
 O Lord Jesus Christ, 
 
 How is it that Thy light, 
 
 In these dark times, is removed 
 
 217 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 So far away and is not at my side? 
 Only give me Thy light, 
 
 0 Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 5 
 
 1 am very much encompassed 
 By the spirit of the world, 
 Which knows how to disguise itself 
 Very skillfully, as an angel of light. 
 Rescue me, Thy child, 
 
 From this base mob. 
 
 6 
 
 O Jesus, look within, 
 
 That Thy spirit alone 
 
 May now rule my entire life. 
 
 Glad to go with Thee into death, 
 
 Because the time is passing 
 
 And nothing shall endure. 
 
 7 
 
 Jesus, Thou, the Word, 
 
 Remainest forever and ever; 
 
 By Thee all things have been created 
 
 That heaven and earth embrace. 
 
 All things will pass away; 
 
 Thou alone remainest secure. 
 
 8 
 
 Ah, grant me grace 
 
 That I in Thy path may go, 
 
 With a lengthening of my own, 
 
 And in Thee alone may triumph. 
 
 Send me Thy favor. 
 
 That it may prosper me. 
 
 9 
 
 Oh, I am ashamed 
 When I think of Thee, 
 How thou hast striven for me 
 
 218 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 And hast overcome the world, the devil, and death. 
 I must be ashamed 
 When I think of Thee. 
 
 10 
 
 Since I am often as indiflferent 
 As a wild animal in the forest, 
 I go in the crowds of the world 
 
 And have not my journey directed toward heaven. 
 This then makes me sad 
 As often as I think of it. 
 
 11 
 
 Jesus, I entreat Tlicc, 
 
 Come another time, 
 
 Slu)w to mc in spirit Thy wounds, 
 
 Then shall I receive my former happiness. 
 
 Only come again, 
 
 Jesus, I pray Thee. 
 
 12 
 
 Ah, put me in haste 
 
 By Thy arrows of love. 
 
 Let me be wounded again in heart 
 
 So that I feel sharply the pain 
 
 Of Thy arrow of love. 
 
 Cause me again to hasten. 
 
 13 
 
 O Lord Jesus Christ, 
 
 It is scarcely any wonder 
 
 That so many souls become doubtful 
 
 And come to the conclusion that, 
 
 As Thou Thyself hast said, 
 
 " My Lord cometh not yet." 
 
 14 
 
 When Tliou keepest silent 
 Things go as they wish; 
 
 219 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 So that men in their own willfulness 
 Can perform anything in the flesh. 
 Because Tliou art silent 
 Things go as they wish. 
 
 15 
 
 God, give Thy law 
 
 To Thy Son, who is 
 
 Also a King upon the earth; 
 
 That soon there may be destrayed 
 
 All of Satan's wiles 
 
 Through Thy righteous law. 
 
 16 
 
 Jesus, only call 
 
 From the foreign yoke 
 
 Many souls that honor Thee. 
 
 Lord, that Thou wouldst convert them 
 
 So that they would yet come 
 
 Out from the foreign yoke. 
 
 17 
 
 Lord, Thou hast the power. 
 Vindicate Thy honor. 
 Most precious King, Jesus Christ, 
 It has indeed cost Thy blood; 
 Therefore, vindicate Thine honor, 
 Lord, it lies in Thee. 
 
 John Hildchrand. 
 
 It is not easy for us of today to understand the 
 extent to which the spirit of mysticism had taken hold 
 of all classes of religious people in the early 18th cen- 
 tury. The works of Spener, Hochmann, Boehm and 
 others were extensively read, and the influence of their 
 teaching was felt far and wide. The belief that Chris- 
 
 220 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 tianity was merely a matter of the spirit seemed to 
 have an unusual fascination for the pcojilc of that day. 
 
 Many of our early Ijretliren and sisters were by no 
 means free from tlie contap^ion, some unfortunately be- 
 inix alTected to the extent of .qoinq' out of the church. 
 The first division in the church of really alarming pro- 
 portions, the withdrawal of Conrad lleissel and his ad- 
 herents in 1728. was caused by this. Many who re- 
 tained their allegiance to the faith they had espoused 
 were nevertheless influenced by this belief and their 
 peace of mind disturbed because of it. 
 
 It took the sturdiest and strongest men in the 
 early days of the Brethren church to stand out 
 boldly against it. Such men were the first Alexander 
 Mack, the two Christopher Sowers, Peter Becker, 
 John Naas, Michael Frantz, and others. Even such 
 great leaders and preachers as Abraham Duboy, 
 Alexander Mack the second, Stephen Koch, Andrew 
 Frey, and many less noted than these, were so shaken 
 in their beliefs by this deceptive doctrine of the spirit 
 that they were many years in adjusting themselves to 
 a rational, consistent basis of Christian faith and prac- 
 tice, if, indeed, some of them ever reached this state 
 at all. 
 
 Of this latter class was John Hildebrand. He was 
 a man of quiet and unassuming disposition, and led 
 a peaceable life. Yet the conflicting religious beliefs 
 of his day disturbed him to the end of his life. His 
 discontented spirit never reached a sure abiding place 
 in this world. At one time a member of the Brethren 
 church, later a discontented follower of Beissel, then 
 
 221 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 back to Germantown again and on friendly terms with 
 the Brethren, but whether a member of tlie church is 
 uncertain, his last days were spent unhappily at 
 Ephrata, where he seems to have been neglected and 
 unappreciated. 
 
 Hildebrand was born in Germany in 1679. He 
 joined the church in Europe, and was among the first 
 of the Brethren to come to America. His life was 
 spent quietly at Germantown and Ephrata. He was 
 a preacher of some note, and Alexander Mack's sec- 
 ond son, Valentine Mack, was married to his daughter. 
 
 Although for many years a member of the Ephrata 
 community he never became closely identified with it. 
 Many of the practices he did not approve of and this 
 led to repeated controversies with the superintendent 
 Beissel. In 1741 he drew up a protest against the 
 practice of applying the title of Father to Beissel. 
 Thus he incurred the latter's disfavor, and the result 
 was that he was never advanced or entrusted with im- 
 portant responsibilities at Ephrata. 
 
 He attended several of the synods called by Count 
 Zinzendorf and took an active part in the deliberations. 
 He was a delegate from Ephrata. He later disap- 
 proved of the methods pursued by the Count, and 
 withdrew from the synod, refusing to have anything 
 further to do with the movement. He felt that Zin- 
 zendorf was trying to entrap the various Protestant 
 denominations into an alliance that would cost them 
 their independence as religious bodies. He therefore 
 turned against him and took part in the pamphlet war- 
 fare that was being waged against the Count. 
 
 222 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 To this cau>o lie contril)iilc(l at least four separate 
 inihlications in one year (1743). The first is entitled 
 " Jrolili^ri^riindctcs Bcdcukcn dcr christliclicii Cciiic- 
 inc ill uiid bey Ephnita fon dent ll'c}^ dcs llcilijiuiig." 
 This was followed hy the otlier three apparently in 
 this order: Mistisclics tiitd Kirchlichcs Zcugniisc dcr 
 Brildcrschaft in Zion; Schriftmiisziges Zcugniisz von 
 dent Hiinnilisclicii iind Juiii^friiiiliclien Gcbahrtmgs- 
 zverk; Ein Schrciben dcr hcrrnhutischen Gcmcine aus 
 Hirer Confcrcnz an Mistr Johann Hildcbrand in Eph- 
 rata. The first three are directed against Zinzendorf 
 and his scheme. The last is directed against the Mora- 
 vians as a church. 
 
 In all of these works Hildebrand shows himself an 
 adept in the use of argument. Not that he is always 
 logical or consistent, but he is always earnest and sin- 
 cere, and has the faculty of grouping his arguments 
 in a way to make them strong. He seems to us need- 
 lessly violent at times, and if he is not always as care- 
 ful as he might be in the choice of his words, we may 
 be able to make some allowance on the score of ear- 
 nestness. All four of these books were printed by 
 Christopher Sower, with whom Hildebrand seems al- 
 ways to have been on excellent terms. 
 
 A few paragraphs from the second of the works 
 mentioned above will give some idea of Hildebrand's 
 manner, and at the same time show his high ideal as 
 regards the Christian ministry. 
 
 It has already been stated that the Levitical priest- 
 hood was not able to remit sins ; for this reason Christ 
 appeared and instituted an entirely different order of 
 
 223 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 priesthood in the church, not after the order of Aaron 
 but after that of Melchizedek. This new priestly 
 order in the church of the new covenant, under the 
 leadership of the high priest Jesus Christ, is to be 
 conducted by such as he himself has chosen and has 
 qualified for the ofiice by many kinds of sorrows. 
 Since I am aware that this important point is not 
 well understood, it shall be discussed a little at length. 
 
 This office may on no account be administered by 
 any mere man, because the government of man does 
 not belong in the church ; but it is an office of service 
 which arises out of the mysterious world. Much more 
 does it demand a person who has been prepared for 
 it by the test of great endurance. Because he attracts 
 the attention of the devil by the very nature of his 
 work, he must be a very different person, in a certain 
 respect, from what he appears outwardly, if the devil 
 does not find him. It must not be necessary for him 
 to draw his spiritual nourishment and support from 
 his office ; but he must already before this, during his 
 whole life, have become God's own so completely that 
 he is able to spend his time in the quiet present of 
 eternity before God; just as Christ for the sake of the 
 love of God and of his neighbors, came down in the 
 Hkeness of man to become the means of salvation to 
 them. 
 
 The greatest urgency must drive him to this office ; 
 it must be the greatest burden of his heart to admin- 
 ister it successfully, so that when the time of assurance 
 comes he can lay it down at the feet of God, raise his 
 hands in innocence and say, " Lord, thou knowest 
 that I am not deserted." Indeed by his faithfulness 
 he must have closed the mouth of justice so that it 
 may become his friend and, in case of need, his advo- 
 cate. In short, he must have lost his soul and found 
 it again, so that he could lay it down as an anathema 
 for his brethren. 
 
 224 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 1 1 il(U'I)ranil U>ok up his alxnlo at l'".phrata in 1739. 
 About 1745, possibly a little earlier, a priiitinf^-])rcss 
 was set up there, and one of the first works to be is- 
 sued from the m w press was an Englisli translation of 
 a tract by lliltlebrand aj^ainst the views of niarriatje 
 as held by tlie Moravians. Ciiristopher Sower had 
 printed this work in German a few years before. In 
 speaking- of this event, the writers of the Chronicon 
 Ephratcitsc make this curious remark: "Soon after 
 this a printing-press was set up in tlie community and 
 the same writing was there printed, by order of the 
 prior, in the English language. Because he had done 
 this of his own accord, however, and soon after left 
 the community, all his acts were disaninillcd and the 
 English print also committed to the flames." 
 
 The prior referred to here was Israel Eckerling, who 
 left Ephrata in disrepute in September, 1745. It ap- 
 pears from this remark that Hildebrand and his little 
 book were made the innocent objects of the vengeance 
 incited by an unpopular prior. 
 
 In 1747 Sower brought out another volume of 159 
 pages entitled, Enie riiffeude Wdchter-stimme an alle 
 Seelcn die iiach Gott und scincm Reich hungerend 
 sind. Oder enie Vorstellnng, zvie der arme Mensch 
 iin gdttlichen Leben erstorhen und im 4 elementisclien 
 Leben anfgeivacht. Aiis Erfahrung geschrieben Von 
 eiuein nach Gott tind seniem Reich sehnenden Herzen. 
 This is the longest of Hildebrand's works. 
 
 John Hildebrand was a ready writer, and in 1764 
 there was issued from the Sower press another small 
 volume from his pen. It was entitled, Ein Gesprdch 
 
 225 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 swischen cinem Jiingling und eincm Alten von dent 
 Nutzcn der gottsceligcn Gcmeinschafftcn.^ (A con- 
 versation between a youth and an Old Man concerning 
 the Need of Rehgious Societies.) 
 
 The last topic of the conversation will be found of 
 interest. 
 
 Youth. — I am very well satisfied with your answers, 
 but I have one more question. Can a member of the 
 church who is still living give no more aid at all to a 
 disembodied soul after death ? Granted that in the 
 case of many a soul, the death struggle with eternal 
 death is so hard that the poor soul in its departure 
 from the body could not fully break through the gate 
 of death, since its faith in and surrender to the Re- 
 deemer was still too weak to bind it in confidence 
 securely to him, although it remained bound to him 
 in hope as if by a weak thread of faith ; can these souls, 
 then, which have been united together in spirit in this 
 bodily life, no longer be useful, by hearty intercession, 
 to departed souls? 
 
 The old man answers. — Yes, certainly, these souls, 
 which have been united in spirit here and retain a 
 good confidence and a hearty interest in one another, 
 can still be useful to a departed soul by means of 
 hearty intercession, whereby it can be strengthened in 
 the thread of faith, by which it still attached itself to 
 its Redeemer on its departure, and by this means at- 
 tach itself the more securely by the entreaty of others 
 for it. It is very certain that in many a soul true, real 
 faith is still too weak to trust itself completely to Him 
 alone in this mortal combat, because it formerly had 
 so many other supports ; and it had not yet become 
 accustomed to do without all these props and to rely 
 
 ' Copy In the library of the Historical Society of Pena- 
 sylvania. 
 
 226 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 upon II ill! alone invisible, in ihc spirit, and to embrace 
 liim alono in faith as its Redeemer and remain cHnt^- 
 in<j to him. In the contest of death all the additional 
 supports will fall away, and the Redeemer has not 
 yet received the soul so fully that throuj^h his power 
 it can break throus^h death and conquer it. In this 
 way such souls, even after death, can still be useful to 
 those souls with which they have been united in life, 
 by heartily entreating for them that God and their 
 Redeemer may have mercy upon them and come to 
 their aid, to strenirthen their faith, so that they may 
 continue to clintj', in hope, to their Redeemer. This 
 entreaty will then be an alms to help to steady its 
 spirit, longing for redemption, and bring it to redemp- 
 tion. By so doing it may the sooner obtain power in 
 faith to subdue the will into complete submission and 
 confidence in the Redeemer. In this way, by His 
 power, it can break through death and receive re- 
 demption from the bonds of death. Without such 
 hearty supplication, a l)are external admission into the 
 church is not sufficient to break the bonds of eternal 
 death, which still holds captive such souls. This the 
 powerful Mediator, Jesus Christ alone, must perform 
 in the souls of those who accept him in faith and cling 
 securely to him. He alone has the key of hell and 
 death ; he alone has the power to go into the house of 
 death, to bind the strong enemy, to draw his weapons 
 and take unto himself the devil's prey, that is, the 
 poor imprisoned souls that have surrendered them- 
 selves to him by submitting their wills to his will, in- 
 stead of waiting for their redemption through divine 
 mercy. As regards this no one can give any aid ex- 
 cept through sincere entreaty, which, as has been said, 
 unites with the longing of the soul and penetrates into 
 God himself. Then the promise will also be realized in 
 its fulfillment: " Where two or three are met together 
 in my name, there am I in the midst of them; and 
 
 227 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 what they ask, I will give them," IMatt. 18: 19, 20. 
 " What they pray for shall be given them of my 
 father." By such persistent supplication the soul may 
 receive additional strength in its longing, and its cour- 
 age may be increased to hold on the more securely, and 
 to continue doing so until it is ransomed. What is re- 
 quired further for the purification of such a soul will 
 be performed in the habitation to which it is removed, 
 as has been said already. This message was specially 
 impressed upon my heart, and laid upon my under- 
 standing by the spirit, by which I have also been 
 urged to write and give it to the public as a testimony 
 of the truth from me, a poor unworthy worm. 
 The 16th of August, 1754. 
 
 John Hildebrand. 
 
 Stephen Koch. 
 
 The mystical tendency so strongly felt in the life of 
 Hildebrand was even more pronounced in that of 
 Stephen Koch. (Cook). This latter was a brilliant 
 man, but he lacked the bed-rock stability of character 
 that was almost a necessity in his day to keep a man 
 steadfastly on his feet. At times he exhibited unusual 
 ardor and enthusiasm in his religious work, at other 
 times he became sulky and depressed, and seemed to 
 lose all interest. 
 
 In Germany he was a member of the Creyfelt con- 
 gregation. As early as 1714 he was already in the 
 ministry actively engaged in proclaiming the Word 
 of Truth. John Naas was the elder in charge at Crey- 
 felt, and he seems to have exerted a wholesome in- 
 fluence upon Koch. He kept his zeal warm and his 
 enthusiasm aglow. Under the encouragement and di- 
 
 228 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 rection of I'.ldcr Naas, Koch traveled extensively over 
 the KliiiK- country doinj; cvauij^chstic work. lie was an 
 attractive and forceful speaker, and his efforts were 
 blessed with success. 
 
 When Peter Becker orpmizcd the first company of 
 Dunkers to come to America in 1719, Stephen Koch 
 was one of the number. The inactivity of these Breth- 
 ren, however, durinj^ the first years of their stay here 
 was disastrous to his zeal. He was present at the 
 organization of the first congregation, at Germantown, 
 and became a member of this congregation. He also 
 attended the first love-feast held in America, on Christ- 
 mas evening, 1723. 
 
 But he had lost his pristine ardor. Koch was a 
 man who needed the steadying and directing power of 
 a stronger character. So long as he was under the 
 influence of John Naas he received the stimulus and 
 direction that his nature required. But since coming 
 to America he had found no one who could supply 
 this deficiency in .his character. He fraternized with 
 the Brethren still, but showed little interest in the work 
 of the church, or little enthusiasm for the cause. 
 
 In the summer of 1726 he, in company with Peter 
 Becker, Henry Traut and others from Germantown, 
 visited some of the Brethren living in the more re- 
 mote sections of Pennsylvania. Among others they 
 visited the Conestoga congregation, presided over by 
 Conrad Beissel. Thus brought together, Koch and 
 Beissel soon discovered in each other kindred spirits. 
 The spirit of mysticism had already taken hold of both. 
 
 Although their relations were at first not entirely 
 229 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 cordial, owing to a slight disagreement in regard to 
 some church work, yet Beissel had a charm for Koch 
 and exercised an influence over him that the latter 
 could not resist. 
 
 Koch now spent much of his time in the Conestoga 
 region, where the spirit of mysticism was growing 
 more pronounced all the time. When Beissel withdrew 
 from the Dunkers in 1728 and set up for himself, 
 Koch was very much interested in all the proceedings, 
 but still remained with the Germantown church. 
 
 He was not at peace, however. Soon after this he 
 began to have strange dreams and visions. He made 
 these known to some of the younger members of the 
 Germantown congregation. They caught the con- 
 tagion, and soon the mother church was in great ex- 
 citement. This continued until 1739, when a con- 
 siderable portion of the first church in America mi- 
 grated to Ephrata and took up the life of the Sab- 
 batarian hermits. Stephen Koch, who was the real 
 cause of this separation, was one of the number and 
 the rest of his days were spent in the cloister on the 
 Cocalico. 
 
 He seems never to have found real happiness or 
 contentment. At times he became despondent and re- 
 proached himself as the vilest of sinners. He ques- 
 tioned the sincerity of his conversion, and despaired 
 of attaining to the state of spiritual perfection for 
 which he longed. He died at Ephrata July 7, 1763, 
 after having been in the Christian ministry for about 
 fifty years. 
 
 Christopher Sower, in 1744, printed a volume of 
 230 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 " Sinuiry old and ncn' Stories of the /lf>f>caraiice of 
 GJiosts, and something about the Condition of the 
 Soul after Death. Togcfhcr i^'ith several such Stories 
 of Persons leho are still living." Among these were 
 two of Stephen Koch's visions. The popularity of 
 these stories is attested by the fact that other editions 
 of the book were called for in 1748, 1755, and 1792. 
 A copy of the 1755 edition is in the library of the 
 German Society, Philadelphia, and it is from this that 
 I quote. 
 
 We came into a land whose beauty and loveliness 
 no man can describe. Yes, I was very much surprised 
 at all that I saw and heard there. For at a distance, I 
 heard the sound of innumerable voices, and all kinds 
 of musical instruments blended in such harmony that 
 it sounded very lovely to me. These words I heard: 
 " He is the only one ; to him alone belongs the glory." 
 After this I was brought to a beautiful city, whose 
 streets were of pure gold. Here I saw immense 
 throngs of people, all clothed in white. I gazed at 
 them all in wonder. It seemed to me that they were 
 all hovering in the air and praising God. Yes, they 
 were wafting up and down, and were continually 
 praising and glorifying him who lives forever and 
 ever. Wondering at wliat I saw and heard, I thought 
 to myself, " Oh, this is the eternal rising and sinking 
 in the bottomless sea of God's love. Oh, how calm ! 
 Oh, how good ! " 
 
 Now he took me and carried me upon a beautiful, 
 high mountain and said, " This is Alount Zion, the 
 castle of David." Then I looked about me as far as 
 I could see, and beheld a beautiful, level valley, with 
 an innumerable crowd of people, all clothed in white, 
 wafting up and down and praising the eternal, good 
 
 231 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 God in an inexpressible manner, and in such sweet 
 melody as no man can describe. I was in great joy 
 at all that I heard and saw. After I had seen and 
 heard this for a time he took me back to the city al- 
 ready mentioned, and when I looked up I saw the 
 vault of heaven wondrously bright and shining. Al- 
 together it was beautiful beyond compare, indescrib- 
 ably glorious, and unspeakably bright. 
 
 Since I recognized no one among all these people, 
 I sighed, " Oh, God, if I could only see some one that 
 I know I " Then some one came floating, as it were, 
 towards me, and spake to me in a very friendly man- 
 ner. "Ah, whence comest thou in thy old body and 
 thy old garments?" I was afraid and replied, "This 
 person has brought me here." He asked me if I knew 
 him. I said, " No." He said, " I am Hochmann, who 
 died at Schwarzenau. Behold now, here is the peace- 
 ful kingdom of Zion and the blessed company of re- 
 deemed souls, of whom thou hast heard me speak 
 before this when I was still with you. Here is the 
 earth, which Jesus said the meek shall possess. This 
 is dififerent from the old world, for the souls that fol- 
 low the Lord Jesus through distress and sorrow 
 patiently to the end, enter this blessed place of rest." 
 After these words he seemed to be flying away from 
 me. But I was in very deep thought. I heard a sigh 
 and wished that I could see some one else whom I had 
 known in life. 
 
 Then again I saw a person come flying towards me. 
 She spoke to me in a friendly manner and said: 
 " Stephen, how comest thou here in thy old garments 
 and thy old body?" I replied, "This person has 
 brought me here." She asked me if I knew her. I 
 said, " No." She said, " I am Benzin " (an aged 
 widow) "who formerly lived among you." (She 
 died in Germantown.) " Thou seest now, I am in 
 this place of blissful rest, of which I have so often 
 
 232 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 talked witli thee. In those days I often felt a little of 
 this place, when my soul sank into God ; but it never 
 lasted louj^, and I became distracted again; and in re- 
 newed restlessness I had to seek for rest again, until 
 I entered into this place of rest and peace; yes, a place 
 of everlasting blessedness, where there is no more 
 change or fear of change. To (iod, who is worthy of 
 all love and praise, be glory forever! " 
 
 Then she was lifted up from me and ascended up 
 towards the beautiful vault of heaven until I could no 
 longer see her. Hut as long as 1 could hear her voice, 
 I heard unspeakable words in praise of God. 
 
 Andrew Frey. 
 
 Of the early life of Andrew l'"rey nothing is defi- 
 nitely known. We cannot be certain when he joined 
 the church or when he came to this country. In 1728 
 the Falckner's Swamp congregation was organized 
 and Andrew Frey was put in charge as elder. This 
 is the first positive information we have about him. 
 
 This, it will be remembered, was during the same 
 year that Beissel left the church, and already the re- 
 lations between him and the recognized leaders of the 
 church were severely strained. Frey stood steadfastly 
 with the Germantown, Coventry and other congrega- 
 tions against the innovations that were being intro- 
 duced by Beissel. 
 
 As a loyal and representative member of the Bun- 
 ker church Frey was sent as a delegate to the Zinzen- 
 dorf synods. He took a leading part in the delibera- 
 tions, and was esteemed by the representatives of the 
 various denominations for his fairness and liberal- 
 mindedness. Finally, when trustees for this new order 
 
 233 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 of mysticism were to be chosen, Frey was one of the 
 three elected. 
 
 The mystical temlency of his thouglit now became 
 more marked. And the man wlio had stood out 
 resolutely against the mysticism of the Cocalico region 
 as promulgated by Bcisscl now gave way before the 
 blandishments of Zinzendorf. The Count of course 
 knew the value of such a man as Frey to the Moravian 
 cause, and doubtless used all his persuasive powers 
 to bring about his conversion. The result was that 
 Frey left the church and joined the Moravians. 
 
 Not long after this the Count sailed for Europe in 
 the interest of his schemes, and Frey with others 
 accompanied him. 
 
 He was not with them long, however, until his eyes 
 were opened to some things that he had not known be- 
 fore. He soon found many things in their practices to 
 criticise. He became discontented, dissatisfied, and fi- 
 nally disgusted. Once his confidence was lost and his 
 resentment aroused, he could oppose his new religious 
 creed as vigorously as he had formerly advocated it. 
 
 He spoke out freely his opposition. This brought 
 on repeated controversies with the Count and others 
 of his adherents. Some of these were exceedingly bit- 
 ter. Finally Frey withdrew from those with whom he 
 found himself no longer in accord and sailed for 
 America. 
 
 He returned to those from whom he had gone out 
 and, having made proper acknowledgments, was 
 again received into fellowship. 
 
 He never was quite able to forget the mistreatment 
 234 
 
Writers of llic Eighteenth Century 
 
 ho had received at tlie hand^ of llie Moravians, as it 
 seemed to him. After his reliini lie wrote a hook, 
 in which lie i;ave to llie puhHc his experiences and 
 oliservatioiis. It is one of the most vigorous pieces 
 of writint,' tliat 1 liave met with in our early church 
 Htcrature. 
 
 The book is entitled, 
 
 Andreas Freyen 
 seine 
 Declaration, 
 
 odcr: 
 Erkllining, 
 Auf welclie ll'cise tind zvie er 
 untcr die sogcnantc 
 Hcrrnhiitcr Genieine Gc- 
 koinen; 
 
 Und u'arnni cr zviedcr davon abgegan^s^en 
 Nebst dcr Bezveg-Ursache, zvarum ers publiciert. 
 Germantoivn gcdruckt bev Christoph Saur, 
 
 ir.i8. ' 
 
 (Andrew Frcy's Declaration, or Explanation as to 
 how and in what manner he became a member of the 
 Moravian Church, and why he left it again. Togeth- 
 er with the particular Reason why he publishes it. 
 Germantown, printed by Christopher Sower, 1748.) 
 
 Vxfty found many things to criticise the Moravians 
 for. I have made several extracts from his book, 
 not for the purpose of calling attention to the nature 
 of his quarrel, which can fortunately, however, do no 
 harm at this late day, but to illustrate his method as 
 a thinker and writer.^ 
 
 ' From a copy in the library of the Historical Society of 
 Pennsylvania. 
 
 335 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 Once all the brethren and sisters who had come 
 from Pennsylvania held a love-feast. Then the Count 
 (Zinzcndorf) told each one what he thought of him. 
 When he came to me he said, " Brother Andrew has 
 indeed a bright countenance," but he took note of me 
 that I had something that disturbed me on my mind 
 so that I was not always contented. This was so. 
 For I was compelled to see and hear many things 
 that made me sad. Meanwhile I did as well as I could, 
 but this was only tolerable, till the spring of 1746. 
 Then the Count together with his family and the most 
 eminent members of the pilgrim church went to Hol- 
 land to attend the synod. From there they went to 
 England and were gone about a half year before they 
 returned. In May was the birthday of the Count. 
 They wrote about this from Holland to those at 
 Marienbom, and ordered that on this day the ducal 
 palace should be illuminated. This was done in the 
 following manner. 
 
 They brought great wagonloads of green bushes 
 and decorated the hall of the palace (which is called 
 Bethlehem, and is one hundred feet long and forty 
 feet wide) so that it was completely green within, 
 and hung there brazen lamps in it, each with seven 
 lights. There were also four columns erected in the 
 hall, which were hung full of lights, arranged in 
 waves or coils like a serpent or snail. Letters of the 
 alphabet two feet long or longer were made of wood, 
 and were arranged so as to spell the name Ludwig 
 von Zinzcndorf. These were covered with gold and 
 placed upon the wall, and were hung full of lights. 
 The couches upon which the people sat were covered 
 with fine linen and were artistically decorated with 
 silk ribbons. There was a table, made in keeping 
 with the letters of the name in whose honor the feast 
 was celebrated. A cake was baked as large as could 
 be baked in a bake-oven. As many holes were made 
 
 236 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 in this cake as the person whose birtli it celebrated 
 was years old. A caiullo was placed in each hole and 
 one in the middle. Witlunit, in the yard, many dec- 
 orations were made of leaves nntl tlowers. Here aj;ain 
 the name of the C'onnt was hung uj) and filled with 
 lif^^hts. Altof^ether lights had been provided by the 
 thonsands, and it was so arranged that they were all 
 lighted at one time, without and within the hall, 
 luirthermore all the windows on the front side of the 
 palace were filled with lights, so that the palace looked 
 in the darkness like pure fire. Songs of praise were 
 composetl in honor of the Count, filled with such ex- 
 clamations of joy that I never could have believed that 
 there are people who would accept such honor and 
 exaltation from men, as were given at this feast and 
 have often been given since. These were sung by 
 several thousand persons, accompanied by music sup- 
 plied by a whole host of musicians, something like 
 what might have been expected at the court of a 
 heathen king. Of such things at least I have several 
 times heard but have never seen, and they will never 
 be seen by persons who obey Christ and crucify their 
 flesh together with their lusts and desires. Such 
 feasts of revelry were held after this eight times a 
 year, as follows : in honor of the Count, in honor of 
 the Countess, in honor of the Count's son, in honor 
 of each of the three young countesses ; also in honor 
 of Anna Nitschman, and of John of Wattenville, the 
 Count's son-in-law. This was to nearly all people a 
 new aflfair, for other persons came also and looked 
 on this lust of the eye, this carousing, this vain show, 
 this wasteful prodigality. As such it was commonly 
 reported at Frankfort and other neighboring places. 
 It soon became a great scandal and object of ridicule, 
 for it did not at all harmonize with the teaching of 
 Christ when he said, " Let your light so shine before 
 men that they may see }Our good works and may 
 
 237 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 glorify your Father who is in heaven." It seemed at 
 this time, as if a spirit of intoxication or abandonment 
 had been poured out over the community. Young 
 folks began to be light-minded and giddy beyond 
 measure, as was shown by their laughing and jesting 
 and naughty jumping about. One young man threw 
 another to the ground ; then they wrestled to hold 
 each other down until they had so exhausted them- 
 selves that they could no longer get their breath. And 
 what was still worse, — but this is too bad to tell 
 . . . . I said, " Such foolish lightmindedness I 
 have never seen in all my days at any guardroom 
 among the soldiers." 
 
 This is one of the fruits of their celebrated church 
 discipline ; yes, one of the fruits of the perfectly natu- 
 ral and free manner of life, from which all piety has 
 been removed, of which they have spoken so often in 
 their public meetings, saying they would not stop un- 
 til they had rooted every vestige of sanctimoniousness 
 out of the church, root and branch. They would have 
 an entirely natural manner of living. 
 
 Want of simplicity was, however, by no means 
 Frey's only charge. He likewise accused the Mora- 
 vians of insincerity and of being foolishly conceited 
 as regards their religious condition. A few para- 
 graphs of this will be in place. 
 
 The Count once said here in Pennsylvania, that the 
 apostle Paul had complained that he had no one who 
 was exactly of his mind except Timothy. He, how- 
 ever, could say that he had at least twenty-four breth- 
 ren who were completely of one opinion with him. 
 Who knows how many there are now ! He also set 
 his church far above the early Christians. I once 
 heard one of his workmen say, " Papa is such a man 
 that I do not know whether there has ever been an- 
 
 238 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 othor such a duc in the world before him." If the 
 niKistlo i'aul slioiild, however, come into the church, 
 he would lool< at them with astonislnnent in compari- 
 son witli tlie cluirch of his time. 
 
 I was once talkinp^ with a great scholar named 
 Lieberkiihn al)out King David, and remarked what a 
 hero of faith he had been. He laughed and said, 
 " David may have been a pious man according to the 
 law and may have had many fine things in his head, 
 l)ut he had notliing in his heart. A humble brother 
 who goes to the Lord's supper would be far above 
 Davicl." When all the brethren agree in their drunken 
 delirium, then it is easy to imagine that it does not 
 cost them much to exalt their afifairs and recollections 
 above the things of the Bible, in their drunkenness. 
 Because I regarded your action according to my un- 
 derstanding before the action of mad men, it is no 
 wonder that they consider me as a fantasy. 
 
 I knew a brother who in early life had an awaken- 
 ing, and for a long time acknowledged it as such un- 
 der the correcting hand of mercy. When he would 
 occasionally make a mistake, either in word or deed, 
 he would feel himself accused by the sentinel of chas- 
 tising grace. When the workmen then asked him as 
 to the condition of his heart, he made known to them 
 his condition. He said he was often in prayer to the 
 Lord. On this account he felt a sense of chiding and 
 uneasiness in his mind. His workmen gave him this 
 advice, that he should not admit any thoughts about 
 anything, no matter what. This poor man followed 
 the advice of his laborers and in a short time came 
 into such a false state of freedom and security, that 
 he appeared as wanton and saucy as if he were crazy. 
 He went about saying that the Bible was a book of 
 pietism, and that he had plagued himself long enough 
 with it. If he only would never have to see it again, 
 he would be as happy as the seraphim. 
 
 239 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 In summarizing he makes some vigorous state- 
 ments. 
 
 I think that all that I have related up to this time 
 is sufficient ground for me to say that this is the most 
 godless sect that has appeared upon the earth since 
 the time of the apostles. This statement Joseph Mul- 
 ler received from me with very great disfavor, and 
 reported it again to those who had sent him to me 
 from time to time, in order to learn how I was dis- 
 posed towards them. He was the most suitable for 
 this office because he had been my steward. 
 
 I had now learned to know the church sufficiently 
 well. Its beautiful mantle of the sufiferings of Christ 
 was too narrow and too short to cover this beautiful 
 child, because the conspicuous stature of the Lamb 
 had been lost, and besides the dragon mouth had been 
 opened wide against God, to the slander of his name 
 and of his charge (namely the hearts of true believ- 
 ers) and those that already dwell in heaven. For 
 Christ says, " lie who despises you, despises me, and 
 he who despises me, despises him that sent me." 
 
 Some time after the book was printed a rumor got 
 abroad that Frey had repented of his having written 
 it. He promptly assured the public, however, that this 
 was not so. In the issue of Sower's newspaper for 
 April 20, 1750, he wrote: 
 
 Ah me ! When I was very ill, so that all present 
 thought I should soon die, I experienced a feeling of 
 joy in my heart that I had steadfastly refused any 
 
 recantation against this religious fraud 
 
 And I say in truth before the Lord that it has never 
 come into my mind to recall what I have written. 
 
 240 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 Alexander Mack, Jr. 
 The second Alexander Mack was the youngest son of 
 the organizer of the Brethren church, and was a 
 worthy namesake of his illustrious father. Into his 
 hands came much of the responsihility of carrying for- 
 ward the work his father had started. And hecausc 
 of the fidelity with which he conducted it, his name 
 deserves to be recorded along with that of his great 
 ancestor. 
 
 He was born at Schwarzenau in 1712, less than 
 four years after the church had been organized. Thus 
 from infancy he was brought up, as it were, in the 
 church. When the Schwarzenau congregation had to 
 flee the country in 1720, because of persecution, he, as 
 an eight-year-old boy. accompanied his parents into 
 West Friesland. In this country and in Holland the 
 exiles remain nine years. Persecutions continued, how- 
 ever, to drive them from place to place. During this 
 period he joined the church. According to Elder James 
 Ouinter^ he was baptized in his seventeenth year. 
 This being so, 1728 is the year that marks the be- 
 ginning of his Christian life. The church at this time 
 was sojourning in Holland. So it is not true that 
 Alexander ATack, Jr., joined the church in German- 
 town, as the statements have usually had it. 
 
 When the original Schwarzenau congregation, in 
 order to rid themselves of the continual old-world 
 persecutions, decided in 1729 to try their fortune in 
 the American wilderness. Alexander Mack the second 
 
 ' Memoir of Alexander Mack. 
 
 241 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 was one of the number who came. For the next six 
 years his father was at the head of the church in this 
 country and was presiding elder of the Germantown 
 congregation. During all this time young Mack was 
 very closely associated with his father, and enjoyed 
 the unusual advantages of his conversation and wise 
 counsel. 
 
 The death of his father in 1735 cast a deep gloom 
 over the young man. His spirit became restless. The 
 mystical intluences with which he had been surrounded 
 all his life were beginning to exercise their power 
 over him. The prudent counsel of his father was now 
 wanting. 
 
 Stephen Koch was at this time in the flood-tide of 
 his ecstatic dreams and visions. He told some of 
 them to Alexander Mack. This only increased his 
 spiritual unrest. He and Koch became intimate 
 friends. This friendship brought Mack into close 
 association with Henry Hoecker, John Riesmann and 
 others strongly tainted with mysticism. By their in- 
 tercourse with one another they simply confirmed each 
 other in their common vagaries and religious excesses. 
 
 In 1737 these four enthusiasts, with perhaps another 
 or two, erected a small house about a mile from Ger- 
 mantown, where they established themselves as her- 
 mits. Here they gave themselves to prayer, fasting 
 and meditation. Koch continued to have his ecstatic 
 visions, and the rest were in close mental and spiritual 
 affinity with him. This was of course a decisive step 
 in the direction of Ephrata, and we are not surprised 
 
 242 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 tliat ill the spring of the next year most of tlie com- 
 pany joined the mystic Hrt)therh<K)(l on the hanks of 
 the Cocahco. 
 
 But these were clays of turmoil at I'.plirata. The" 
 solitary Hretliren were ciuarrelint,' and I)ickering 
 among themselves. Heissel was still at the head of 
 affairs, but Israel Eckerling was trying to oust him 
 and secure the reins of government in his own hands. 
 The controversy waxed bitter, and spread until nearly 
 all the cloisteritcs were arrayed on one side or the 
 other. Mack took the side of Eckerling. 
 
 It w-ould not seem that this was a state of aflfairs 
 well suited to promote religious contemplation or the 
 growth of spirituality. Yet these were the avowed ob- 
 jects of the comnnmity. It is not to be presumed 
 that Mack found here the religious consolation that 
 his soul craved. He was restless and discontented. 
 He participated in the religious extravagancies by 
 which he was surrounded to the full, but this indi- 
 cates, I think, rather his unsettled condition than any 
 real interest in what he did. His soul had lost its 
 anchor and he had not yet found a sure footing. 
 
 In 1744 the controversy had become so bitter that 
 Eckerling decided to leave Ephrata foi a time, hoping 
 that by so doing a reaction might set m in his favor 
 during his absence. Accompanied by Alexander Mack 
 and one or two others he started eastward, passing 
 through Amwell, New Jersey, to Brunswick on the 
 Atlantic. Here they took boat for Rhode Island. 
 Thence they passed through Connecticut to New 
 York ; from there back to Ephrata. 
 
 243 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 They were gone several months, and preached at 
 every place they stopped. They were generally re- 
 ceived with kindness and hospitably treated, although 
 on several occasions they were taken for Spanish 
 friars and came near being thrown into prison. This 
 was the case in New York. They escaped prosecution 
 only by the chance that the magistrate, before whom 
 they were brought on a charge of disturbing the peace, 
 happened to know one of the party and so discharged 
 them. 
 
 A short time after their return to Ephrata the old 
 feud broke out again with redoubled ardor, and Beis- 
 sel succeeded in having an act of banishment passed 
 upon Eckerling. This brought matters to a crisis, 
 and Eckerling decided to leave Ephrata forever. He 
 plunged into the frontier forests and traveled to the 
 southwest four hundred miles. Here on the banks of 
 the Great Kanawha in West Virginia he built a cabin 
 and made his abode. 
 
 These facts would perhaps not call for record here 
 were it not for the fact that in this wild exploit he 
 was again accompanied by Alexander Mack. Ecker- 
 ling's brother Samuel was also of the party. They 
 left Ephrata in September, 1745. They lived in the 
 forest a number of years. The fate of the Eckerlings 
 is not certain. It has generally been thought that 
 they were murdered by the Indians during the French 
 and Indian War. Another account has it that they 
 were captured by the French in this war and carried 
 off to Canada, whence they were later transported to 
 France. No matter. They are chiefly of interest 
 
 244 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 to us here as cxanipKs of the religious excesses to 
 which so many people of their time gave way. 
 
 Alexander Mack does not sceni to have remained 
 with the company very long. His frontier experiences 
 soon hrought him to his senses. How long he re- 
 mained in the forest we have no way of knowing. 
 But in 1748 he was hack in Germantown again, a 
 mcmher of the Brethren church, and enjoying the 
 full confidence of tlie congregation. This is shown 
 by the fact that on the 7th of June in this year he was 
 elected to the Christian ministry and given the over- 
 sight of the congregation. Christopher Sower, Jr., 
 was elected at the same time and associated with him 
 in this office. Such weighty responsibilities would 
 not have been entrusted to anyone who had not given 
 evidence of his trustworthiness. So it is probable that 
 his stay with the Eckerlings in the Great Kanawha 
 Valley was of very short duration. 
 
 After some eight years of religious excesses that are 
 almost unusual for their extravagance, young !Mack 
 once more came to himself, and his storm-tossed soul 
 found peace and comfort in the religion of his father. 
 He again came to his own and his own received him 
 gladly. Now began a life of usefulness to the church 
 and to the cause of Christ that compares favorably 
 with those of the greatest leaders in the early years 
 of our history. 
 
 Shortly after being called to the ministry he mar- 
 ried. Thus an additional steadying and supporting 
 power came into his life. His wife was Elizabeth 
 Nice. She had also been at Ephrata for a short time, 
 
 245 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 but seems to have left in disgust. The marriage was 
 celebrated on New Year's day, 1749. Christopher 
 Sower, who was now Mack's colaborer in the German- 
 town church, performed the ceremony. 
 
 Under the direction of these two talented young 
 ministers the church at Germantown flourished. In 
 addition to the regular preaching service, there was 
 an afternoon meeting for the young people. Out of 
 this developed the Sunday school. These meetings 
 from which it developed were conducted by the Breth- 
 ren at Germantown fully forty years before Robert 
 Raikes organized the first Sabbath school in England. 
 
 So successful was the work of Mack and Sower that 
 on June 10, 1753, they were both ordained to the 
 eldership. They were close personal friends, and 
 were deeply interested in the work of the church. They 
 planned their work together, and each gave a good 
 proportion of his time to advancing the borders of 
 Zion. 
 
 Mack was a man of fine physique, not very large 
 but well proportioned and athletic. He was a vigor- 
 ous, active man, both physically and mentally. He 
 lived more than ninety years ; and at the age of eighty- 
 two, is said to have walked ten miles in one day. 
 
 By trade he was a weaver. He was also interested 
 in some of the factories connected with the Sower 
 printing establishment. About 1770 the second Chris- 
 topher Sower added to his equipment a type foundry. 
 Alexander Mack may have had a financial interest 
 in this. At least he was so elated at the success at- 
 tained in casting type that he composed a poem of a 
 
 246 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 hundred stanzas in commemoration of the event. 
 
 It was entitled Reim-Ccdicht fur die Licbc Jui^cnd. 
 The celebration of youlii in this poem may indicate 
 that the young sons of C'hristopher Sower were also 
 interested in the enterprise. The poem was i)ublished 
 in the Gcistliclics Magacicn, Vol. II, No. 12. At the 
 close this statement appears: Gcdruckt init dcr 
 crstcn Schrift die jciiials in America gei^osscn ivor- 
 den. ( Printed with the first type ever cast in Amer- 
 ica.) This statement ought to settle forever the con- 
 troverted question as to when the Sowers began to 
 make their own type. 
 
 Alexander Mack was a fluent writer. He wrote 
 extensively in both prose and verse. He is the most 
 distinctly literary man in the Dunker church before 
 the Revolution. The pen was his natural medium of 
 expression. He carried on an extensive correspond- 
 ence, and many of his letters are still in existence. 
 They breathe a noble, charitable spirit that reveals at 
 once the godly life and the manly character of the man 
 who wrote them. 
 
 Passing by the letters and the more fugitive pieces, 
 I can now only speak of the more important of his 
 literary works. About 1760 there appeared from the 
 Sower press a work from his pen entitled: Eine An- 
 viutliige Erinnening zu einer Christlichcn Betrachtung 
 von dcr Wtindcrharen Allgegcmvart des Alkcissenden 
 Gottcs. This tract on " A kind Admonition to a Chris- 
 tian Consideration of the wonderful Omnipresence of 
 the Omniscient God " contained seven octavo pages. 
 It bears Sower's imprint but no date. It may, there- 
 
 247 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 fore, have appeared a little later than the assigned 
 date. 
 
 He made several contributions to Sower's Gcist- 
 liches Magasien. Numbers 34 and 36 are filled with 
 poems from his pen. The latter number contains a 
 single poem of 440 lines divided into eight-line stan- 
 zas. It is entitled, Warnung vor Selbst-Mord, und 
 Wichtigkeit dcr Lchens-Frist. An imperfect transla- 
 tion of some of the stanzas follows.^ 
 
 The waters in the sea 
 Can nowhere be confined; 
 They run and ebb and flow 
 The abysmal depths to find. 
 The currents hasten forth, 
 Press to their destined goal, 
 Just as the Lord directs 
 They obey his every word. 
 
 The spring and harvest time, 
 The summer and the winter 
 And the elemental strife 
 Still follow the poor sinner. 
 Oh! Oh! the brief, brief time 
 Grows shorter day by day. 
 Drives us into the grave 
 And into eternity. 
 
 We are hurled out of time, 
 Like lively water jets, 
 Into the eternal sea. 
 Where we must ever be. 
 O sinner, only think, 
 Fall down before your God 
 
 » From copy in the library of the German Society of Penn- 
 sylvania. 
 
 248 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 In faith and penitence 
 While yet time is allowed. 
 
 The llowcrs of many kinds, 
 Tile plants of dale and lield, 
 The withered herb and grass, 
 The foliage from the wood — 
 These all at once proclaim 
 Of the eternal past 
 And of the too short time 
 For an important choice. 
 
 He whom God's counsels please, 
 Who loves God's holy ways. 
 Will in life's pilgrimage 
 Be trained in many ways. 
 God's covenant of grace 
 Brings copiously again, 
 In every separate hour, 
 Life's misery and pain. 
 
 He who lays hold on God 
 In faith and bonds of love, 
 O'ercomes his every trial 
 With blessings from above. 
 The death of saintly men 
 Is worth our note, whereby 
 They enter into rest 
 To God's eternal joy. 
 
 When now a child of man, 
 In this brief course of life, 
 Bethinks himself to whom 
 His service he will give, 
 To God or the Enemy; 
 Then numbered are the days 
 Appointed by his Friend 
 For this important choice. 
 
 249 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 Likewise he who serves 
 The Fiend with every power 
 And fails to reconcile 
 Himself in time to God; 
 Of him God wants repentance 
 And gives him time thereto, 
 That he may yet do penance 
 Before he's lost for aye. 
 
 But he who penance does 
 And struggles with his sin, 
 Him God himself makes strong 
 That he may finally win, 
 Shows him the honored crown 
 And so draws out the time 
 That he in contest dire 
 This jewel bright may win. 
 
 Therefore we should regard 
 Time highly to be prized; 
 Ah, that which God provides 
 Should never be despised. 
 Who can unto himself 
 A single week procure? 
 My friend, accept in love 
 What God provides for you. 
 
 Ah, many a year has passed 
 And many a day has flown, 
 And yet your mind and heart 
 True happiness has not known. 
 Say, " I have basely sought. 
 And yet 'tis worthy of note 
 That God still grants me time 
 To bring forth better fruit." 
 
 Who would with his own hand 
 Cut short the fleeting time. 
 And hurl himself with shame 
 250 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 Into clcriial ruin. 
 
 While tin- trusty hand (if God 
 
 Is still strctclu'd (Mit to him 
 
 And the span of life 
 
 Is graciously extended? 
 
 True, often does the i)rospect 
 Seem ilark in this poor world; 
 But he who gave new life 
 In the house of mourning, 
 He, by his hand, which holds 
 And bears and moves all things, 
 Can also lightly change 
 Our every condition. 
 
 How often does it happen. 
 He who complains at even 
 And cannot understand 
 The Misery which grieves him, 
 Soon finds himself recovered, 
 Feels joy and happiness 
 In the early morning hour 
 Come back into his breast? 
 
 If 'tis not always thus 
 Can here not long avail; 
 The saddest prophet said, 
 " Need must devour need. 
 Day drives away the night, 
 Night drives away the day." 
 So is it with our trouble. 
 And that which makes us sad. 
 
 He who has learned to mourn 
 Shall truest joys embrace, 
 Which always shield us from 
 The pitch and sulphurous lake. 
 O royal blest today! 
 O noble time of grief! 
 
 251 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 Prophet of eternity, 
 
 Joys untarnished follow thee. 
 
 Who would so foolish be 
 As not to trust his God, 
 But build upon the empty void 
 Of his worst enemy, 
 Who'll hurl into perdition 
 This old deluded world 
 And hold his opposition 
 In bonds of slavery? 
 
 Therefore take courage new 
 Ye grief-beriddcn souls; 
 Through blood of Christ proclaim 
 A victory you attain. 
 May you as conquerors stand. 
 Give God alone the praise, 
 Obey his holy Word 
 And seek the fatherland. 
 
 Ten years after the destruction of the Sower print- 
 ing-press, two works from the pen of Alexander Mack 
 were printed at Ephrata. Anhang zum widerlcgten 
 unedertanfer, or Appendix to the Refttted Anabap- 
 tists, was a small work and probably appeared early 
 in the year 1788. As if dissatisfied with his effort 
 Mack set about more resolutely and prepared his 
 now famous defense of the principles and ordinances 
 of the church, which he entitled Apologia, or Scrip- 
 tural Ansivers to certain Truths, etc. 
 
 This work was published at the expense of the 
 church, as the imprint states, from which fact we 
 may infer that it was fully endorsed by that body as 
 a sound exposition of her principles. It is undoubted- 
 
 252 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 ly the ;il)li'st dofoiiso of the doclriiu's of tlio church 
 that appcarcxl before the bej^imiing of the nineteenth 
 century. Tlic vohiine contains seventy-one large 
 octavo pages, I)eautifully iiriiUcd. The argument is 
 carried on by means of a conversation between a fa- 
 ther and son, a common expedient among the early 
 writers of tlie church. 
 
 A paragraph can give a very imperfect idea of its 
 style or its masterly argument, but this is all I can 
 quote here. It will give some idea at least of the au- 
 thor's power to strip a subject of all sophistry and 
 strike right at the heart of the matter.* 
 
 That the dear friend has taken great pains to estab- 
 lish his pet doctrine of infant baptism upon several 
 precepts in the holy Bible is easy to be seen in his 
 whole discourse, I admit, and has awaked in me, as 
 was natural, a holy reverence for the sacred Word of 
 the Lord our God. Meanwhile the lovers of Jesus 
 honor the straiglit and narrow way upon which the 
 Master himself has traveled. The laws of their God 
 are dear and precious to them, because they know that 
 the Lord himself has established them forever, Psa. 
 119: 152. When shrewd people wish to found other 
 practices and rites upon the Bible, they will find no 
 place where they can erect them. If they search with 
 their acute intellects through the evidences of the 
 Bible, they can find no trace of such teaching in it. If 
 one wishes to read something on the subject of infant 
 baptism, he is compelled to open the work of some 
 shrew'd man. If he closes this and turns to the Bible 
 he finds nothing there ; and when someone half quotes 
 a Bible passage, by which he hopes to give his idea 
 
 ' From a copy in the library of the Historical Society of 
 Pennsylvania. 
 
 253 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 an appearance of probability, the anabaptists open 
 their Bibles and together they find just the opposite of 
 the meaning which was sought to be wrested from it. 
 It appears very unreasonable then to a lover of truth, 
 that anyone should thus misconstrue God's Word. If 
 a so-called anabaptist should say, the baptism of Christ 
 avails nothing at all, they woukl think, good God have 
 mercy on him and his teachings that he may be con- 
 verted so that he may be delivered. 
 
 During the same year in which the two last named 
 works were issued at Ephrata, Peter Leibert at Ger- 
 mantown printed a little volume of poetry by several 
 authors, one of whom* was Alexander Mack. The 
 work was entitled, Eiliche Licbliche und erbauliche 
 Liedcr: Von dcr Hcniiclikeit und Ehrc Christi. Von 
 dcr Starken und Machtigcn Liche Christi. German- 
 town Gedruckt bey Peter Leibert, 1788. 
 
 Following is one of the poems by Mack rendered 
 almost literally. Of course it loses immeasurably in 
 the translation. 
 
 Closing Song} 
 
 Jesus Christ, God's holy Son, 
 
 To thee be praise and honor given! 
 
 Thou who sitt'st upon the throne 
 Round which myriad angels hover, 
 
 Whose holy guard by thousands told 
 
 Are multiplied ten thousand fold. 
 
 Holy Lord, bless thou the church 
 Which has prospered through thy blood; 
 
 Consecrate us to thy Word 
 Since for us thyself hast died; 
 
 > Volume in library of Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
 254 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 Thou liast us so much esteemed, 
 Thou'st numbered us witli the redeemed. 
 
 Lord, heed thou the call and station 
 
 Of thy lambs, thy members true; 
 Learn to know them truly, fully, 
 
 And collect them soon anew; 
 By the power of tliy will 
 Strengthen them with knightly skill. 
 
 Lord, raise thou thy holy brow 
 
 Give to us thy blessed peace 
 May the light of thy dear eye 
 
 Shine forever in our midst. 
 Lead thy lambkins Iiy thy side. 
 Be their constant shield and guide. 
 
 Peter Leibert printed an edition of Der Kleine 
 Kcmpis in 1795. This was a popular book, having 
 been issued several times before this by the Sower 
 press. Leibert's edition differed from its predecessors, 
 however, in that it contained a collection of poems at 
 the end. The volume contains 180 pages, the last 35 
 of which are given to the poems. Among them are 
 at least two by Alexander Mack. The substance of 
 one of them follows.^ 
 
 1. A soul that loves the Lord its God, finds sorrow in 
 this world: and what it loves aside from Christ, brings 
 misery and woe. Therefore Jesus calls to you, " Come, in 
 me is joy and peace." 
 
 2. " I have overcome the world," Jesus says consolingly; 
 " have put in chains your strongest foe by the glory of my 
 might." Therefore calls he ever and ever, " Precious souls, 
 come unto me." 
 
 ' Copy in the library of Bridgewater College. 
 
 255 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 3. Wealth and riches, let them lie, wheresoe'er they 
 chance to be; seek thou only joys eternal, where worldly 
 pleasures are no more. My advice brings wealth in God, 
 likewise, too, the devil's scorn. 
 
 4. True, the world says, " Jesus' teaching is not so to be 
 construed, that one is under obligation in all things to fol- 
 low," — In poverty especially, this would be too won- 
 derful. 
 
 5. But Christ Jesus knows his own, he is near akin to 
 them; where they seem entirely lost, is he apt to appear 
 to them, like the good and faithful shepherd to his lambs 
 that went astray. 
 
 6. All the words of his wise counsel seem to them like 
 sugar' sweet; their delight, their greatest joy's in the steps 
 of his blest feet. He's their shepherd, they are his, despite 
 what men may counsel them. 
 
 7. To repeat the words of Christ, in his steps to follow 
 free, Jesus' words to trust alway, to the world brings bold 
 offense. But the mind toward heaven bent brings heaven- 
 ly joy and content. 
 
 8. The lambs of Christ kiss eagerly the feet of their 
 shepherd Lord, precious all his teachings are, and sweet 
 as honey his Word. The spirit and Word of Christ are 
 ever their freedom and law. 
 
 9. All the flowers that scent the air, according to the 
 law of God, give them pleasure abundantly, because they 
 nourish them. They need no other source of strength 
 than Jesus' spirit and power. 
 
 10. What pertains to Jesus' love reeks of his precious 
 blood; what awakes a desire for virtue makes the sad 
 heart gay. What disturbs the realm of Satan is honored 
 evermore. 
 
 A very interesting letter of Alexander Mack's was 
 printed by Samuel Sower in Baltimore in 1799. The 
 letter is not personal but was intended for general 
 circulation among the churches. It treats of the time 
 
 256 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 for tlio ()l)scrvancc of tin- rite of fcct-wasliiiif,' at the 
 lovo-foast. It was written late in life, ami is the well- 
 seasoned advice of an afjed veteran of the Cross upon 
 a topic then somewhat controverted. The letter 
 hreathes a heautilnl spirit of forbearance and long- 
 sutTering" and charity. 
 
 The first part of the letter enumerates the evidences 
 from the various New Testament writers as to the 
 time for observance. The latter part is taken up with 
 the fatherly counsel of the old patriarch of the church 
 as to the best way of trcatin<^ controverted ques- 
 tions. His advice is so good that it is well worth re- 
 peating.* 
 
 It is generally true, when a man takes it into his 
 mind to do something, and determines to do it, that he 
 does not care to have it said, that he disputes with 
 great wisdom about the shell of a question but misses 
 the kernel entirely. Therefore, dear brethren, let us 
 all be wise, especially in the consideration of feet- 
 washing. Let us observe how men should be disposed 
 towards great things : in love and peace and humility 
 they should submit to one another. For Christ has 
 indeed not given any special command when this rite 
 shall be observed, before or after the supper ; but he 
 has commanded that we shall observe it. and also love 
 each other. Christ did not say, that by washing of 
 feet or by breaking of bread his disciples should be 
 recognized, but he said, " By this shall every man 
 know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one for 
 another." 
 
 ' The letter was printed In a volume containing Felblnger's 
 Christliches ?Tand-Buchlein and Alexander Mack's Rites and 
 Ordinances and Ground-Searching Questions. Copy In the 
 library of Bridgewater College. 
 
 257 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 0 how Satan might justly mock us if we should 
 pass the time in quarreling with one another, when 
 the ordinance of feet-washing should be observed^ 
 Love would be destroyed, yes, even the ordinances of 
 God's house would be reduced to nothingness, and 
 peace would be lost. This would be exceedingly pleas- 
 ing to Satan, and the teachings of Jesus would become 
 a mockery to mankind. Therefore it is of the greatest 
 importance that we remain in love and peace, and pray 
 the dear God for a constant increase of wisdom ; for 
 I can in truth say this from experience, that at first 
 we washed feet after the meal and after the breaking 
 of bread, and did it in all blessedness and growing 
 love ; later we examined the Word more closely, and 
 then in blessedness washed feet after the meal and be- 
 fore the breaking of bread. After this, when the 
 grace of the New Testament was given to us still more 
 fully, and a brother came among us who understood 
 Greek and explained to us in order that Jesus had 
 washed feet before the meal, we acted upon our 
 greater light and have ever since observed this rite 
 before the supper is eaten. 
 
 Now no brother will blame us for not beginning 
 again to restrict ourselves ; but so long as no one can 
 give us better reasons for our practice, no one will 
 censure us for performing the rite as we understand it. 
 
 1 will also say this, that if I should come into an 
 assemblage of the Brethren who wished to break 
 bread, and the leaders of the congregation did not un- 
 derstand the ordinance otherwise than that the feet 
 should be washed after the meal. I would observe the 
 ordinance with them in love and peace. Afterwards, 
 however, I would explain it to them according to the 
 Scriptures, but would wait in love and have patience 
 with them until they should likewise see it so ; for I 
 am sure, that when we look at the matter altogether 
 impartially, and continue in love and peace, we shall 
 
 258 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 be able to sec and tiiulerstand lliat it is just as I have 
 shown above: naincly, that when llic meal was j)re- 
 parod Jesus arose and washed his diseijiles' feet, then 
 sat down and ate; and durinj^ the eatiiif^ he revealed 
 the betrayer, who then went out. After this Jesus 
 first instituted the ordinance of breakin-,' bread, and 
 so the Scriptures show one after another; l)oth the 
 types of the pious fathers before the Law and also 
 everything under the Law hannonizes therewith. 
 
 A person can stand before God and man with a per- 
 fectly clear conscience, although he may think that the 
 ordinance of feet-washing sliould be observed imme- 
 diately after the meal. 1 did not venture to maintain 
 such a thing, in vicw^ of the sensible meaning of the 
 Scriptures, even though one might do it with difficulty. 
 If the two evangelists, l\L-itthcw and Mark, are com- 
 pared, they are found to write the same thing. First, 
 Matthew 26 : 26 says, " But as they were eating, Jesus 
 took bread, gave thanks and broke it." So wrote also 
 the evangelist ALirk, Chap. 14: 22, "And while they 
 were eating, Jesus took bread and gave thanks and 
 said, ' Take, eat, this is my body.' " Now we see here 
 very clearly that between the eating of the paschal 
 lamb and the breaking of bread nothing at all took 
 place. 
 
 If the feet-washing had taken place between these 
 two events, they would certainly also have written 
 about it ; but because it took place before the meal they 
 have not mentioned it but have left it out. John, how- 
 ever, has described the fect-washing and has, on the 
 other hand, omitted the institution of the breaking of 
 bread. The Scriptures require spiritual eyes, mind, 
 and understanding for their interpretation, otherwise 
 people will get from the sacred \\'ord only misery and 
 distraction, if they endeavor, without true enlighten- 
 ment, to construe the language literally at one place, 
 and at another place do just the reverse. 
 
 259 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren. 
 
 Therefore, dear brethren, let us watch and be pru- 
 dent ; and above all things, let us maintain charity as 
 one guards the apple of his eye. For the spirit of 
 wisdom points out in the first epistle of John, Chap. 
 2: 10, that he who loves his brother remains in the 
 light, and there is no offense in him. Likewise also 
 the good God, who is pure, impartial love, he is will- 
 ing and able to restore, time and again, what may be 
 wanting in our knowledge of this or that. Now I 
 close, and pray all the Brethren once more to have 
 forbearance, and consider all such questions in love 
 aiul with a quiet spirit ; I am then your humble 
 brother, Alexander Mack. 
 
 Clirtsiophcr SoTVcr, Jr. 
 
 Reference has already been made to Christopher 
 Sower the Second in connection with the Sower pub- 
 lishing interests. We have seen that as a publisher 
 his career was conspicuous and eminently successful, 
 and that his plant at Germantown was the most com- 
 plete and influential German printing establishment 
 in colonial America. 
 
 His nature was too large, however, to be limited to 
 one kind df interest. He was not only a very success- 
 ful business man, but his public spirit led him into 
 various kinds of public enterprises. The cause of 
 education found in him a powerful patron. He was 
 also interested in securing good roads, paving streets, 
 and providing asylums for the indigent and afflicted. 
 Moreover he was elder of a church and pastor of the 
 Germantown congregation. He touched life at many 
 points, and always in a way to leave it the better for 
 the contact. 
 
 260 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 Sower was horn in 1721, on tho 26th of September, 
 in the littk- town of Laasphc in Wittgenstein, whence 
 his fatlicr niij^rated to this country tlirec years later. 
 After si)eiulint;; two winters in ( ierniantown, we have 
 seen him accompany his fatlier and mother to the 
 Miihlbach valley in the sprint^ of 1726. And five years 
 later we have seen him return with his father to 
 Germantown. 
 
 Little Sower was now in his tenth year, and he 
 must go to school. There were several good German 
 schools in Germantown, and his father chose for him 
 the one kept by the somewhat whimsical pedagogue, 
 Christopher Dock. Dock was a man of original 
 ideas. He was also an honest, sincere soul, and his 
 pious manner of life would be a wholesome example 
 for any boy. He was also a man of splendid intel- 
 ligence and good scholastic attainments. 
 
 In this school Sower laid the foundation for broad 
 culture and sound scholarship. He imbibed a genuine 
 love for knowledge, which made him a student all his 
 life. He absorbed the best culture that the best Ger- 
 man schools of Pennsylvania could provide. But he 
 did not stop with this. He also made himself master 
 of English. He became a good English scholar, and 
 after awhile his father placed the English department 
 of the publishing work into his hands. 
 
 As a youth Sower attended the services of the 
 Brethren church in Germantown. Here at the age of 
 fifteen his tender heart was touched by the finger of 
 God's love and he gave himself to the Master. He 
 was baptized on the 24th of February, 1737. He at 
 
 261 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 once became zealous in the work of the church. In 
 1747, having now grown to manhood, he was elected 
 to the deacon's office. A year later he was elected to 
 the ministry, and together with Alexander Mack, Jr., 
 was placed in charge of the Germantown congrega- 
 tion. In 1753 he was ordained to the eldership. 
 
 Now began a career of renowned service for the 
 church of the German Baptists. In the ministry Sow- 
 er soon showed himself to be a power. His well- 
 trained mind, his equable disposition and his heart 
 filled with love for all mankind soon left their impress 
 upon those who came to hear him. He was an in- 
 teresting and forcible speaker, and was possessed of a 
 natural grace and dignity of bearing that made him a 
 conspicuous figure in any assembly. He stood out 
 boldly for the principles of the Dunker faith and 
 wherever he went he made these principles understood 
 and respected. 
 
 He was a conspicuous figure in the councils of 
 the church. He often attended the Annual Confer- 
 ences and took an active interest in shaping the poli- 
 cies of the church. He was repeatedly appointed on 
 important committees to settle difficulties, ordain eld- 
 ers, and the like. 
 
 The church at that time pursued a liberal policy and 
 carried on an aggressive work. The missionary spirit 
 was active ; new churches were established, and old 
 ones built up. In all this work Elder Sower was a 
 controlling and guiding figure. He was in his day the 
 most prominent and influential member of the church, 
 
 262 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 and his immense popularity was wielded for her honor 
 and supi)ort. 
 
 On the death of liis father in 1758, he succeeded to 
 the ownership and control of all his paternal posses- 
 sions. At this time the Sower press was the most in- 
 fluential German press in America. The son, how- 
 ever, carried forward and developed and enlarj^ed the 
 splendid plant which his father had so nobly built up. 
 He enlarged the scope of the work along all lines; but 
 especially by greatly increasing the capacity of the 
 paper mills and by adding a type foundry. 
 
 We have seen that it was he who issued the second 
 and the third edition of the quarto Bible, continued 
 and improved his father's newspaper and almanac, 
 and founded a magazine. This last, the first of its 
 kind in America, will always stand as a monument to 
 his liberality and generous devotion to the welfare of 
 others. God had blessed him in the world and he felt 
 moved to do something in recognition of divine favor. 
 He chose to do this by printing a religious magazine 
 and distributing it gratuitously to his countrymen. He 
 felt that the highest duty a man owes to his fellows 
 is to set the right before them and urge them to accept 
 it. He hoped his magazine might come into the hands 
 of persons whose attention it would arrest, and turn 
 them to a consideration and acceptance of what is 
 right and true. 
 
 He was a hearty advocate of education. He be- 
 lieved that the success of the church depended upon 
 an intelligent membership, just as the success of a 
 state depends upon an intelligent citizenship. When 
 
 263 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 a move was made in 1759 by the Germans of Pennsyl- 
 vania to provide better facilities for the education of 
 their youth than they had yet enjoyed, Elder Sower 
 took a hearty interest in the matter and helped to 
 carry it to a successful issue. He was one of the so- 
 licitors appointed to raise funds to establish the school, 
 and succeeded in raising a sum equivalent to some- 
 thing like three thousand dollars of our currency. Of 
 this sum he himself contributed more than one third. 
 
 The enterprise succeeded, and the result was, the 
 Germantown Academy came into being. The school 
 soon took rank as one of the best in the country, and 
 today, after a lapse of one hundred and fifty years, is 
 still in a flourishing condition. Elder Sower served 
 for a number of years on the Board of Trustees for 
 the Academy, and was for some six years president of 
 the Board. Here his sons were educated ; and his 
 labors, his prayers and his means bestowed upon the 
 institution, have gone on blessing the lives of others 
 all down through the succeeding generations. 
 
 His aggressive views were shared by the church of 
 that time very generally. If they had not been how 
 could Sower have maintained his immense popular- 
 ity? He was the most influential man in the church 
 in his day, and seems to have enjoyed the complete 
 confidence and esteem, not only of the members of his 
 own church in Germantown, but of the members every- 
 where. He was the greatest man the church produced 
 in the eighteenth century. He was justly regarded as 
 the fullest representative of her principles and doc- 
 
 264 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 trincs, wliicli lir heralded with ihmi and voice, and what 
 was still heiter, lived out in his own life. 
 
 During the Revolution, Sower was very outspoken 
 against the war. lie helieved, in common with the 
 general belief of the church, that all war is wrong, 
 and contrary to the teaching of Christ. Therefore he 
 opposed the war with all of his vast intluence. Natu- 
 rally this brought tlifficulties upon him. 
 
 On the 13th of June, 1777, the Pennsylvania gov- 
 ernment passed an ordinance requiring all citizens to 
 revoke their allegiance to the King of England and 
 transfer it by oath to the State of Pennsylvania. This 
 Sower could not do because his religion forbade it. 
 Upon him as well as upon all the Dunkers this worked 
 a great hardship. \'arious expedients were found, 
 however, to evade the ordinance and still remain true 
 to their religion. 
 
 One of these was emigration. This statute started 
 a tide of German emigrants towards the Shenandoah 
 \'alley, in Virginia. The Myerses, the Wines, the 
 Garbers, the Florys, the Clines, the Wamplers, the 
 Millers, were among the first to come. Some of these 
 first stopped in Maryland for a short time and later 
 follow-ed up the Valley. Most of them settled in what 
 is now the southern end of Shenandoah, Rockingham, 
 and the northern end of Augusta counties. From here 
 they have scattered in all directions, but descendants 
 of these first families are still numerous in the imme- 
 diate neighborhoods where they first settled, and they 
 are generally among the most enterprising and sub- 
 stantial citizens in their neighborhoods. It is said that 
 
 265 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 there arc more Dunkcrs in Rockingham county, Vir- 
 ginia, than in any other one county in the United States. 
 And the statement seems to be justified by statistics. 
 Dr. J. W. Wayland,^ who recently collected statistics 
 on this point with great care, puts the number at 2,391, 
 almost half of the five thousand Dunkers in the Shen- 
 andoah Valley. 
 
 These people left Pennsylvania, not because they 
 were enemies of the Pennsylvania government, nor of 
 any other government (the peace principles of their 
 religion and their quiet, peaceable lives show them to 
 have been the truest supporters of good government), 
 but they left because they could not comply with the 
 provision that required them to take an oath. They 
 taught, " Swear not at all." as their Bibles taught them, 
 and rather than do so they would leave their homes 
 and seek a dwelling-place in a strange land. 
 
 Exactly these same conditions confronted Chris- 
 topher Sower. He was a lover of good government 
 and order, but he would suffer anything rather than 
 forsake his religion. He soon got into the clutches 
 of the minions of the law, and some of the barbarous 
 treatment he endured at their hands I will allow him to 
 tell in his own words. Several years after this, when 
 the war was over, he wrote out the terrible experiences 
 he had suffered, the manuscript of which is still pre- 
 served by his descendants. It has been printed several 
 times in German and English.^ 
 
 He writes that on the 24th of May, 1778, he was in 
 
 ' In the German Element in the Shenandoah Valley, p. 129. 
 "1 translate from Seidensticker's Geschichtsblatter, p. 161. 
 
 266 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 his Iioiisi' in Gemiantown at k-ii o'clock in the even- 
 ing, " when a body of solcUcrs from McLean's com- 
 pany," he continnes, " surrounded luy house and took 
 me out of hed. It was a dark niglit. They led me 
 through a cornheld. and because I could not travel 
 as fast as they wished, they repeatedly stuck me in the 
 back with their bayonets until we came to Bastian 
 Miller's barn. Here they kept me until the next 
 morning. Now they stripped me naked to the skin, 
 gave me an old shirt and trousers so badly torn that I 
 could scarcely cover my shame, cut off my hair and 
 beard and painted me with red and black oil colors. 
 Thus they led me along barefooted and bareheaded on 
 a warm, sunshiny day, until a friend of mine, seeing 
 me in this condition, asked the soldiers whether they 
 would take the shoes from me if he would give me a 
 pair. The officer promised that they would not. So 
 he took his shoes from his feet and his hat from his 
 head and gave them to me. But after we had gone 
 six miles a soldier came and demanded my shoes, took 
 them off of me and gave me in exchange his old ones, 
 which hurt my feet very much. On the 26th at nine 
 o'clock I arrived at the camp and was brought before 
 the provost." 
 
 He was now accused of being an oppressor of the 
 righteous and a spy. At this juncture, however. Gen- 
 eral Muhlenberg, who had long known and admired 
 him, sent him word to appeal to General Washington. 
 He did so and promptly received a discharge. 
 
 Two months after this he was arrested a second 
 time, because he had not complied with a proclamation 
 
 267 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 of which he had never heard. All of his property was 
 taken except the clothes upon his back and his spec- 
 tacles. He asked permission to keep some medicines 
 that he himself had prepared, but was refused. 
 
 His vast possessions were taken possession of by 
 the Government. His personal property, consisting 
 of his printing establishment and supplies of merchan- 
 dise, books, furniture, paper, etc., were sold. His real 
 estate, comprising houses, farms, paper mills, type 
 foundry and the like were also confiscated and sold, 
 although there was a law forbidding the sale of con- 
 fiscated real estate until the youngest son had arrived 
 at the age of twenty-one. 
 
 It is evident that this outrageous treatment was 
 perpetrated by his enemies very much more in order to 
 get possession of his wealth than to vindicate the law, 
 which was violated at almost every stage of the nefa- 
 rious transaction. The general government had no 
 hand in this wicked persecution : it was conducted by 
 the small military power of the neighborhood who saw 
 in Sower a rich object of plunder. Had he sought to 
 do so, he might have recovered his property after the 
 war, but, true to his religion, " when reviled, he re- 
 viled not again." " Strange that it should befall him, 
 the sage, the philosopher, and above all the defender of 
 the supremacy of love and sympathy for all men, to 
 endure the whole weight of a wicked, malevolent per- 
 secution, as though he were a convict proven guilty 
 of crime." 
 
 Thus almost in a day Sower was reduced from 
 affluence to abject poverty. His friends contrib- 
 
 268 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 uted to his support, and he Hvod on williout hittemess, 
 without complaint, still trustinf^ in the Lord, who 
 docth all tliini^s well. 
 
 He continued to serve the churcli in various ca- 
 pacities. His sermons were always ai)preclate(l and 
 hstened to with marked attention. As a pastor he 
 was remarkahly successful. His large-hearted nature 
 enal)led him to enter sympathetically into all conditions 
 of life. 
 
 He was appointed hy the Annual Conference of 1780 
 to visit the various churches of Pennsylvania. This 
 general visit seems to have heen intended to strengthen 
 the churches, hold elections for ministers and deacons, 
 and ordain elders. He also attended several com- 
 munion services and preached a number of times. The 
 fact that he was selected by the Conference for this 
 important work shows that he was still the able leader, 
 the wise counselor, that he had been for so many years 
 before. 
 
 It is said that two weeks before his death he walked 
 to Skippack, a distance of twelve miles, to preach at 
 the Dunker meeting, and after the service returned in 
 the same apostolic manner to his home. 
 
 He died August 26, 1784, surrounded by members 
 of his family. Elder Martin Urner conducted the 
 funeral services, and paid a glowing tribute to his 
 memory. 
 
 Thus passed away one of the greatest men ever 
 identified with the church of the German Baptist 
 Brethren. 
 
 A few selections from his numerous works must 
 269 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 suffice to close this sketch. Tlie following story 
 from the Almanac for 1773 is characteristic, and will 
 give some idea of his fluent, graphic style. 
 
 A True and Remarkable Story} 
 
 Of all the many vices that degrade human nature, 
 none is so detestable as ingratitude. The ancient phi- 
 losophers regarded this as the very essence of wicked- 
 ness. The man who showed himself unthankful for a 
 neighborly kindness they looked upon as a monster. 
 The rational creature that can forget its benefactor, 
 they looked upon as a contemptible reproach. How- 
 ever despicable ingratitude may be, there is after all 
 no vice more common than this. Whoever thinks 
 back will be able to see that those to whom he has 
 shown the most favors have often returned him evil 
 for good, dissimulation for frankness, and hatred for 
 love. 
 
 I have always looked upon gratitude rs the soul of 
 virtue. And the man who is warmed with it, let him 
 be of whatever station in life he may, is an honor to 
 human nature and an honor to blessed immortality. 
 
 In Appian and other authors we read of the grati- 
 tude of lions and other animals toward their benefac- 
 tors ; and every story of this kind fills my heart with 
 love and veneration for these noble children of eternal 
 wisdom. But the recollection of the following story — 
 the humble, sensible expression of thankfulness — fills 
 my soul with great admiration. 
 
 In the reign of Queen Anne there was no courtier 
 to whom so much honor and respect were shown, or 
 who was elevated to higher offices and responsibilities, 
 than the noble Buttler, the Duke of Ormond. Her 
 Majesty even appointed him finally to the vicegerency 
 
 ' From copy in library of the Historical Society of Pennsyl- 
 vania. 
 
 270 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 of Ireland. As liis Giaco was passing over from 
 Chester to Dublin through the dangerous channel, he 
 was struck by a terrible storm, which drove them upon 
 the rocks at Anglesia. llis (Irace and oidy a few of 
 his comi)any saved their lives with the greatest diffi- 
 culty by swimming. The part of the island where they 
 reached shore was cold, unfruitful and uninhabited. 
 When they had traveled several miles through a waste 
 region, the first house to which they came was the 
 little hut of a poor preacher. It consisted of a kitchen 
 and a sleeping room, both of which were poorly fur- 
 nished. The minister, wdien he saw his wet, cold 
 guests and knew that they were people of high rank, 
 received them very kindly, had a great fire built to dry 
 their wet clothes, and set before them the best pro- 
 visions that he had in the house. His frugal and yet 
 becoming entertainment pleased the Duke very much. 
 He was greatly surprised when he perceived in his 
 host so much solid contentment and unfeigned happi- 
 ness. He asked the clergyman how high his yearly 
 income ran. " Five pounds," answered Joseph (for 
 this was the minister's name), "but I have an indus- 
 trious wife, and we have two cows and sell their milk 
 and butter, which almost keeps us. So we save the 
 five pounds to buy our clothes with and to help in 
 bringing up our children." When Ormond took his 
 departure he promised that he would remember his 
 host, and his secretary gave Joseph an address where 
 he could find his guests if he should ever come to 
 Dublin. 
 
 The minister waited a long time to see whether any 
 account was going to be taken of his kindness, but in 
 vain. Finally, being encouraged by his wife, he de- 
 cided to seek his fortune, and journeyed to the capital 
 of Ireland. When he reached this place he sought out 
 the bishop to get permission to preach the next Sun- 
 day morning in the cathedral, where the viceroy and 
 
 271 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 the members of parliament were accustomed to attend. 
 As he was a scholarly and eloquent man, his request 
 was gladly granted. When he had gone up into the 
 chancel, he chose the following very appropriate text 
 from the first book of Moses. 40: 23, " But the chief 
 cupbearer thought not of Joseph, but forgot him." 
 (In the English language a cupbearer is called a But- 
 ler, and this was the name also of the viceroy.) 
 
 The minister now portrayed the vice of ingratitude 
 in the blackest colors, and showed what kind of an in- 
 fluence the mode of life among the people of high 
 stations in the world had upon their dispositions ; 
 namely that it puts them in a condition that they forget 
 all the human kindnesses which have been shown them 
 by those who dwell in the deep valley of contempt. 
 When he had finished with this criminal forgetfulness 
 against their benefactors, he observed that such things 
 scarcely ever come about from evil intentions, but 
 usually from those numerous affairs of state with 
 which people in official positions are laudably encum- 
 bered. He insisted, however, that their hearts are 
 poisoned by the bewitching flattery of the insinuating 
 parasites of the court, who are always trying to divert 
 the heart of their master from the laudable exercise 
 of benevolence, justice and mercy, and to turn it to 
 cruelty, dissipation and debauchery. And when he 
 at length came to the application, he made use of the 
 following imagery as a conclusion. 
 
 "And now, my respected hearers, let each one of us 
 turn our thoughts inward and ask ourselves the ques- 
 tion, ' Have I not at some time received a kindness 
 from some one in a station of life far inferior to my 
 own, to whom bountiful heaven had not given so many 
 temporal gifts as to me, but to whom it had given more 
 important blessings, namely, an open and generous 
 heart? And have I forgotten this generosity? Have 
 I also neglected to reward it tenfold? Have I not ac 
 
 272 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 some time in my life been placed face to face with the 
 merciless elements of this world, when it seemed as 
 if they had all combined to brinf^ about my destruc- 
 tion? Have I ever seen my comrades swallowed up 
 in the depths of the sea, while I and a very few others 
 came sale to land? And has it ever happened that a 
 poor but contented man took me and my unfortunate 
 comrades, on such an occasion, into his house, where 
 his cheerful wife quickly kindled a fire and, with un- 
 dissembled simplicity, prepared a meal of common but 
 wholesome food to refresh our weakening- and ex- 
 hausted spirits, and to quicken our feeble limbs, stiff 
 with cold, which were now again safe from the dan- 
 gers of a stormy sea? 
 
 Ormond was very attentive to the sermon, and when 
 he searched his heart, he found himself guilty of crim- 
 inal neglect on several points that were very similar 
 to the ones set forth in the representation. The con- 
 viction that this was so became still stronger when he 
 recollected the figure before him and the circum- 
 stances that had been rehearsed, and was convinced 
 that this was his charitable and generous host of An- 
 glesia, whom he had uncharitably forgotten. He 
 turned to his secretary and said, " Is not this our genu- 
 ine Joseph?" " May it please your E.xcellence, I be- 
 lieve it is he," was the reply. " Invite him to take 
 dinner with me," returned the vicegerent. 
 
 When Joseph came into the presence of the Duke, 
 he told him with seemly modesty, which is becoming 
 to a noble spirit, that he was the poor preacher of 
 Anglesia whose welcome guest the Duke had once 
 been, that this seemed to be the one opportunity of his 
 life to advance his fortune, and that he had come to 
 remind His Excellency of his promise to provide for 
 him. " You are a worthy, honorable man," said the 
 Duke, and ordered at once that search should be made 
 for an unoccupied pastorate. Only one was found 
 
 273 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 empty, this one with a yearly income of three hundred 
 pounds sterhng. Then said the Duke, " No one is so 
 worthy of it as our beneficent host," and he advanced 
 him at once from five pounds to three liundred pounds 
 a year. 
 
 But alas, of how short duration is all human pros- 
 perity ! How quickly does all temporal fortune pass 
 away ! How little dependence can be put in princes 
 and the children of men ! When George the First 
 ascended the throne Ormond was deprived of all his 
 offices and had to flee for his life, and all of his pos- 
 sessions reverted to the crown. For a time he was 
 supported by the bounty of his friends, but this after 
 a time ceased ; and he, who at one time had had every- 
 thing at his command and had directed everything as 
 generalissimo of England, was reduced to a forlorn 
 fugitive, and subjected to the most terrible fears, want, 
 oppression, poverty and contempt. But how his heart 
 rejoiced when he learned that aid came to him from 
 an unexpected source, namely, from his one-time host 
 and benefactor, Joseph. This grateful man, when he 
 heard how wretched the Duke had become, felt him- 
 self obliged to relieve the want of his great and good 
 patron out of his own income, for it was to him that 
 he owed all of his present prosperity. He then turned 
 to his dear wife and said : " My Beloved, have you 
 heard of the great poverty and deep misery of our 
 worthy benefactor, who has raised us to our present 
 state of prosperity ? You know that we can live as 
 well on a hundred pounds a year as on a thousand, 
 how would it be for us to give him two hundred 
 pounds a year as long as he lives ? For I hear that all 
 his friends have forgotten him and that there is dan- 
 ger of his starving from hunger and want." Joseph's 
 wife agreed with him at once, and immediately one 
 year's salary was sent to the Duke. The Duke was 
 very much moved by this second act of kindness and 
 
 274 
 
Writers of the Elighteenth Century 
 
 wrote a circumstantial account of the transactions be- 
 tween himself and Joseph, to a nobleman at court who 
 had still remained his true friend. Because of this as- 
 sistance rendered, Joseph was afterwards elevated to 
 anotlier livinj^ that l)rou<^ht in a yearly revenue of five 
 luuulred pounds. lUit before he could enter ui)on his 
 new charj^e the brave Duke died in his exiled state 
 and the generous-hearted Joseph could no long^er pro- 
 vide for him. He had gone into the eternal kingdom, 
 where the oppressor and the oppressed meet each 
 other ; and his soul had spread its wings in the region 
 where riches and wealth are looked upon as contempti- 
 ble trifles, where titles and dignities are trampled un- 
 der foot with contempt and where virtue is exalted 
 and honored. 
 
 Because of the fame of the Krautcrhuch, or series 
 of articles on botany, that ran in the Almanac for 
 eighteen years and won tmiversal favor, I feel that a 
 specimen from its pages is due the reader. I have 
 selected his treatment of one of the commonest of all 
 herbs, cofifee. 
 
 Coffee. Engl. Coffee. Lat. Coffeae. 
 
 If cofiFee in its raw state is boiled in water, it will 
 impart to the water an unpleasant taste. But if the 
 grains are first roasted, then pulverized, and this pow- 
 der boiled in water, it will give off an oily, alkaline 
 fume which infuses a pleasant odor to the water. This 
 liquid will then possess the virtues and peculiar prop- 
 erties of the plant, and, if drunk in moderation, will 
 serve to arouse and invigorate the animal spirits ; will 
 relieve costiveness, scatter the humors, increase the 
 circulation of the blood, free the chest from phlegm, 
 open the ureters, and in short make the whole body 
 nimble and the mind active. 
 
 275 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 Coffee may be drunk at any time of the day. Who- 
 ever has a weak stomach, however, will find that it 
 will agree with him best at or immediately after, meal- 
 time, as it aids digestion and prevents llatulency and 
 belching. Those who use it as a preventive of chloro- 
 sis and dropsy, also as a protection against cough and 
 asthma, had better use it sparingly in the morning, 
 but can drink it freely before or immediately after 
 eating. 
 
 This drink, whether many persons regard it or not, 
 has many other excellent effects in various conditions 
 and weaknesses of human life. First those who are 
 annoyed with accumulations of mucous in the head, 
 with weak memory, headache, giddiness, drowsiness, 
 all such would experience good results from coffee if 
 they would take a drink every morning an hour before 
 breakfast, or immediately after the morning and even- 
 ing meal ; provided only that they continue to do so 
 for a considerable length of time. 
 
 This drink is also good for drunkenness, which will 
 be cured by it if it is not already too far gone. For 
 this purpose the coffee must be made weak, however, 
 otherwise it will warm the blood too much. Because 
 strong coffee does this, public coffee-houses were pro- 
 hibited in England for a long time. It was seen that 
 those who came together to enjoy this temperance 
 drink contrived and perpetrated much secret mischief. 
 At the same time, however, every one was permitted 
 to frequent the wine cellars. 
 
 Scholars and students who have to read, write or 
 study at night, may drink this liquid with excellent 
 results immediately after the evening meal, or instead 
 of it, and thereby prevent sleepiness. By it the mind 
 is quickened and the digestion of the stomach is well 
 performed. 
 
 If the eyes are held over a cup of hot coffee and the 
 vapor is allowed to bathe them, they will become clear 
 
 276 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 and bright. It will drive away inflammation, pain, or 
 tumors, and will prevent those sties that sometimes 
 appear between the hairs of tlic eyelids. 
 
 Hoarseness, eoii^lis and asthma, which are caused 
 by cold drinks and dampness, can be ])reventcd by the 
 use of colTee, which may be enjoyed after the meals. 
 
 Those who are disposed to lung trouble, or are al- 
 ready affected by it, can use cofFee-milk with profit, 
 which may be prepared in the following manner: 
 Take fresh cow's milk, boil it, put a c|uarter or three- 
 eighths of an ounce of ground coffee into it, and 
 sweeten to taste ; allow it to boil a little longer, then 
 draw it otT and it is ready for use. Give it to the sick 
 to drink mornings and evenings, and let it be good 
 and warm, unless he has high fever. By the use of 
 this coflfee-milk not only many who were already af- 
 flicted with consumption have been cured, but also 
 others have been cured of gout or like disease, or at 
 least were greatly relieved, after they had been afflicted 
 for a long time. 
 
 The drinking of coffee serves those well who are 
 afflicted with palpitation of the heart and are in danger 
 of dropsy of the heart, because it opens the veins and 
 arteries of the breast and drives off the phlegm 
 through the renal ducts. Besides it is very healthful 
 to the stomach if taken immediately after meals, or 
 drunk sparingly at other times. It aids digestion, and 
 so helps to prevent heaviness, sour stomach, heart- 
 burn, gripe and the like. On the other hand it sweet- 
 ens and changes the gastric properties, stimulates the 
 appetite, strengthens the nerves, checks the rising 
 phlegm, and prevents bloating. 
 
 If made weak it has excellent power to quench 
 thirst, and to cool the heated, raging blood. 
 
 In cases of protracted illness that was brought on 
 by a poor stomach, this wholesome drink will soon 
 bring the sick to their feet again. Also those who find 
 
 277 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 themselves inclined to dropsy can keep themselves free 
 from it by using coffee, provided they drink it strong. 
 
 Spare persons, who have a choleric, melancholic 
 temperament, and likewise hot, raging blood and a 
 fiery, restless, wakeful spirit, must avoid this drink. 
 They might easily bring their blood to the point of 
 ebullition, and could even drive out the spirit of san- 
 ity, so that the whole body might fall into a state of 
 folly and imbecility. If, however, the leanness 
 (Magrigkeit) is not caused by sharp, heated blood, 
 but by a weak stomach, coffee may be drunk with 
 good results. 
 
 Christopher sometimes wrote poetry also, and in 
 this form of composition was scarcely less skilled than 
 in prose. Four years after his death Peter Leibert 
 issued a booklet of verse containing poems by Chris- 
 topher Sower, Alexander Mack and others. It was 
 entitled Etliche Liebliche und erbauliche Lieder, &c., 
 a copy of which is in the library of the Historical 
 Society of Pennsylvania. From this copy I have made 
 the following imperfect translation of a poem by 
 Sower, preserving the original form. 
 
 1. Christians here themselves must plant 
 
 In the cross's narrow way; 
 They must suffer, toil, lament. 
 
 Rising to the heavenly day; 
 Who with Jesus hopes to be 
 Must gain him through the bloody tree; 
 
 Those who win the laurels there 
 
 Here a crown of thorns must wear. 
 
 2. Here with tears they reap and sow 
 
 And of sorrows have their share, 
 Who before God's throne will go 
 And the radiant garment wear 
 
 278 
 
1 
 
 Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 Receive the crown of pearls, and sec 
 Thcnisolvcs fritiniplied victoriously. 
 Those whom here affliction tries 
 Can ilwcU with God above the skies. 
 
 3. Weepinp, sigliinp, sobbing, praying, 
 
 Smooths for us the way to God, 
 Entreating Him in each gainsaying 
 
 Comforts us in every need; 
 Ne'er doth comfort liim despise 
 Who in liope on God relics; 
 
 Who in faith to Him doth look, 
 
 Truly builds upon the rock. 
 
 4. Ever roamed T here and there. 
 
 Of experience deep in need; 
 Now I trust the shepherd-care 
 
 Of my Guide, his mercy plead; 
 His compassion guideth me 
 Neath the cross so wondrously 
 
 That on Him I can rely 
 
 When distress is raging high. 
 
 5. Love like this is past all measure 
 
 Which to me He has revealed; 
 
 0 my soul, fail not to treasure 
 What to thee He has unsealed; 
 
 Thou to Him dost patience owe 
 
 In His footsteps still to go, 
 And in love to please Him well, 
 All through life His praises tell. 
 
 6. To be true, I vowed sincerely 
 
 Yet my vow have kept but ill, 
 Thou hast waited daily, yearly, 
 With all clemency, until 
 
 1 have grown disconsolate. 
 And of my self-will satiate. 
 
 Now to Thee my heart I give 
 To follow in Thy ways and live. 
 
 279 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 7. Selfishness, thou fiend forbid, 
 
 Mak'st for me so much annoy; 
 Were I only from thee rid, 
 
 I might always feel the joy 
 Of the powerful love of Jesus, 
 Which His spirit's impulse, gives us: 
 
 We His heavenly love to see, 
 
 He to praise Himself in me. 
 
 8. Prove me, Lord, Thyself convince 
 
 Of my status day by day, 
 Incline my heart to innocence. 
 
 Help me Thy precepts to obey. 
 Oh, let sorrows twining me 
 Bind me closer unto Thee, 
 
 So that I from that great day 
 
 May wear the victor's crown alway. 
 
 9. Today is given us yet to strive 
 
 And to contend with knightly skill; 
 Tomorrow we'll divide the prize. 
 
 Seeking our mission to fulfill. 
 Whate'er is true we undertake, 
 But we completely abrogate 
 
 That which is known as worldly lust 
 
 That leads us God's love to distrust. 
 
 10. Sixty years have now passed by 
 
 Of my life's infirmities; 
 Like an arrow shot on high, 
 
 So depart life's vanities; 
 Yet these often us detain. 
 And our rashness thus restrain; 
 
 Afterwards too late 'tis grieved 
 
 That we by them have been deceived. 
 
 11. Oh, how grief my heart doth harrow. 
 
 How I wail the loss and waste. 
 When I see what worldly sorrow 
 Often fills my aching breast, 
 
 280 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 And so sore deludes my heart 
 Tlint all love doth therefrom depart; 
 
 Also the work I should perform 
 
 Doth oftentimes remain undone. 
 
 12. I'luler many storms perplexing, 
 
 In temptations oft renewed, 
 God still gave me His protection 
 
 And has always by me stood. 
 Oh, His love is boundless, free. 
 Lord, my Savior, bless Thou me. 
 
 Except for Him I must have failed 
 
 In the trials which me assailed. 
 
 13. Glory to my soul, and praise! 
 
 Hail to God, His patience see, 
 Which in many wondrous ways 
 
 Has shown to me His clemency. 
 
 Let His goodness lead me on, 
 Trusting in His love divine; 
 
 Let His grace not from me wend 
 
 Until I reach my destined end. 
 
 Peter Leibcrt. 
 
 Peter Leibert has already been mentioned as the man 
 who bought most of the Sower printing equipment 
 when it was confiscated and sold in 1778. After the 
 treaty of peace, he in connection with his son-in-law, 
 Michael Billmeyer, opened a new printing office in 
 Germantown in 1784, as we have seen. 
 
 Since this establishment was equipped almost ex- 
 clusively from the Sower plant, and was conducted on 
 the same lines as the former business, it may be re- 
 garded as a continuation of the Sower press. 
 
 Peter Leibert was born in 1727, and was brought up 
 281 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 in the Sower printing office. He entered as an appren- 
 tice in early life, and at its dissolution he was one of 
 its most useful and most trusted employees. 
 
 He was on intimate terms with the great leaders in 
 the Germantown church, Christopher Sower and Alex- 
 ander Mack. His wife was Mary Nice, a sister of the 
 wife of Alexander Mack. 
 
 He was a minister in the Brethren church and did 
 some acceptable preaching. He was a man of in- 
 fluence and was highly respected in the community 
 where he lived. 
 
 As editor and publisher he wrote considerably. 
 For several years he conducted the resuscitated Sower 
 newspaper and almanac, and a comparison of these 
 with the earlier issues shows that he kept up both to 
 a good standard. 
 
 In 1787 Leibert and Billmeyer dissolved partner- 
 ship, and the next year Leibert began a general pub- 
 lishing business on his own account. In 1791 he 
 associated his son in the business with him. But 
 after this year the father's name alone appears in the 
 imprints. 
 
 To Peter Leibert belongs the honor of having print- 
 ed the first Dunker hymn-book. It was issued in 
 1791, and was printed in English. It was entitled, 
 " The Cliristian's Duty," etc. It contained three hun- 
 dred and twenty duodecimo pages. The hymns were 
 collected from various sources and authors. 
 
 Leibert continued the printing business until 1797. 
 In 1796 he brought out an edition of Bunyan's famous 
 work under the title, Eincs Christen Reise Nach der 
 
 282 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 Selii^en Ezvigkcit, welchc unterschiedlichen artigcn 
 SiunbiUlcrndcn i^mccv Zustand einer biiscfcrtii^cit tiiui 
 Cottsuchenden Scclc z'orstcllt, etc. This work is one 
 of the very last to be issued from a Dunker press in 
 the 18th century. 
 
 Except for a short interruption during the Revo- 
 hition the Dunkers had been the leading German pub- 
 lishers in this country for nearly sixty years. After 
 this their publishing interests, as also their literary 
 activity, were rather sporadic until the latter half of 
 the 19th century. 
 
 A few paragraphs from this last named work,^ tell- 
 ing of Runyan's conversion and power as a preacher, 
 may not be unwelcome. 
 
 We have found, after diligent searching among bio- 
 graphical records, that without doubt in the second 
 year of r>un}an's married life a visible change had 
 taken place in him. The pleasures of youth were, 
 however, deeply rooted. Dancing was very difficult 
 for him to give up ; and when he abandoned it he 
 found great amusement in ringing bells. This he car- 
 ried on as long as he could, disregarding the inner 
 lashings of conscience, until he began to fear that the 
 bell might fall down upon his head, or even the whole 
 tower might come down and crush him. 
 
 An association of people, who called themselves the 
 Ranters, arose in England about the time that Bun- 
 yan's conversion began to be noticeable. They claimed 
 that they were perfect, and had no more need of law 
 but could now do whatever they wished. And they 
 roamed about very confidently in pursuit of their im- 
 
 * From a biographical sketch appended to the volume. Copy 
 In the library of Bridgewater College. 
 
 283 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 pure desires and lusts. Through their dissolute influ- 
 ence one of Bunyan's friends became a downright 
 atheist. As there seemed to be some distinguished 
 authors among these people, this very man brought it 
 about that Bun^an formed the habit of reading the 
 Bible. He brought the Scriptures to him, and the re- 
 sult was that Bunyan ventured to read some of the 
 passages. Since he was not able to judge such writ- 
 ings thoroughly, he turned to God in prayer and prayed 
 in the following words : 
 
 " O Lord, I am a fpolish man, and am not able to 
 distinguish between truth and falsehood. Lord, do not 
 abandon me to my own blindness. Help me to accept 
 this teaching or to cast it away. If it is of God, do not 
 permit me to despise it ; if it is of the devil, guard me 
 that I do not accept it. Lord, I lay my soul in regard 
 to this matter wholly at thy feet, and I humbly beseech 
 thee, do not allow me to be led astray." 
 
 This prayer was graciously heard, and grace 
 awaked in him a great disgust for this impious doc- 
 trine, and brought about a complete separation from 
 all such companionships. The Bible, however, now 
 became much more precious to him, and it was as if 
 he were learning for the first time to read with his 
 own eyes. 
 
 In the year 1655 he was baptized, and was received 
 as a member into the church at Bedford. This was in 
 his 26th year, and his faith became all the while 
 stronger and better known. After he had lived hap- 
 pily in the church for five or six years, and had been 
 tried by many and severe temptations, he was finally, 
 with fasting and praying and laying on of hands, or- 
 dained to preach the Gospel. He was now 32 years 
 old. 
 
 His preaching had indeed a small beginning, but 
 divine favor did not leave itself unwitnessed, and the 
 concourse of people soon became large. This soon 
 
 284 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 created n sensation, aroused envy and ill-will, hut se- 
 cured hiui many followers. Once when a young' stu- 
 dent from tlie iniivorsity of Camhridg-c was ridintj 
 past a mcetini;housc and met a great concourse of 
 people, he asked wdiat it meant, and was told that John 
 lUmyan w'as going to iireach there. He dismounted 
 and gave a hoy some money to take care of his horse 
 and said, " I will hear too what the tinker has to talk 
 about." He then went in and heard the sermon, and 
 was so much pleased that after this he would hear 
 scarcely any one except the tinker. This student, who 
 was not of the best sort, was seized by the spirit of 
 grace and very nnieh changed, so that he also after- 
 wards became a celebrated preacher. 
 
 At this time the church was at peace. Its meetings 
 were blessed and the membership increased very nnich. 
 It was in the first part of the reign of Charles II, when 
 liberty of conscience was publicly proclaimed. 
 
 Those who feared God now made use of the time, 
 for they with David could say, " Great are the works 
 of the Lord, and wdioever regards them, shall have 
 nothing but joy therein." Bunyan's conversion was 
 also a special work of the Lord. The children of God 
 rejoiced in him, who had been sent to them, as it were, 
 from the dead. Many came from a distance to see 
 and hear him. Many were, indeed, like the Athenians, 
 moved by nothing else than to say or to hear some- 
 thing new. But because the Lord himself acknowl- 
 edged the work of the office which He had placed 
 upon his servant, wonderful things often took place, 
 for the spirit of God had free course in the life of 
 Bunyan. For this reason he often had to speak words 
 that had not been previously meditated or thought 
 upon. And these produced a greater efifect than all 
 others, as he himself felt and willingly showed, so that 
 God alone should be given all the honor. 
 
 285 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 Other IVritcrs. 
 
 In tills presentation of eighteenth century writers of 
 the church it is not my purpose to be critically ex- 
 haustive. There are, however, several other names 
 that must be mentioned, although briefly. 
 
 One of these is George Adam Martin. In some 
 respects Martin was a unique figure. Like many of 
 his contemporaries, he was violently shaken and tem- 
 pest-tossed by the conflicting religious views with 
 which he found himself surrounded. He was of a 
 restless disposition and was never long satisfied with 
 anything. 
 
 He was a native of Germany and came to this 
 country as a mere boy. He possessed an unusually 
 brilliant intellect and a pious heart. At an early age 
 he professed religion and became a member of the Re- 
 formed church. Later he heard the Brethren preach 
 and at the age of twent\-one was received into the 
 Brethren church by baptism. This was in 1737. He 
 was soon after advanced to the ministry, and in 1739 
 was ordained to the eldership. 
 
 He became a strong preacher and a restless worker 
 in the cause of Christ. Not infrequently, however, he 
 found himself at variance with his brethren and with 
 the established usages of the church. He opposed 
 close communion, and in other things refused to sub- 
 mit fully to the recognized practices of the denomi- 
 nation. Heated controversies sometimes took place 
 at the Annual Conferences which he attended, in re- 
 gard to methods of church work and church polity. 
 
 286 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 Finally lu- foiiiul himself so nuu-li out of harmony 
 with tlu- I'.rotliron that he hrokc witli thtMii, accepted 
 the Sahhatarian views, and hecame a follower of 
 Beisscl. This t)ccurred in 1762. In his new church 
 I'.onie he was as little contented, however, as ho had 
 been before. Yet he spent the remainder of his life in 
 fellowsiiip with the Ephrata hermits. 
 
 Tic was a thient speaker and a ready writer. Be- 
 sides some biographical matter, wdiich may be worth 
 editing:, he wrote the Christlichc Bibliothck, a book of 
 distinct literary merit. 
 
 Of a very different disposition was Jacob Donner. 
 He was a stern, strong advocate of the principles of 
 the church, and something of a missionary. About 
 the middle of the eighteenth century he moved west 
 of the Susquehanna, into what is now York county, 
 Pennsylvania. Here he began to preach and in 1758, 
 he organized his converts into a church. He was an 
 ordained elder, and presided over this congregation 
 for some time. 
 
 Later he acquired a handsome estate on the banks 
 of the Monocacy creek in what is now Frederick 
 county, Maryland. Here he lived pleasantly and gave 
 much of his time to the work of the church. He 
 traveled extensively in the manner of his day, every- 
 where preaching the Word of God with power. 
 
 He was a man richly endowed by nature. He had 
 something of the typical pioneer about him. God 
 prospered him in the good things of this world ; and 
 besides preaching with great ability, he was also 
 something of a poet. He wrote hymns and probably 
 
 287 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 other poetry. He lived to be an old man, and was one 
 of the pillars of the church in his day. 
 
 There were many other great men in the ranks of 
 the Dunkcrs during the period we are treating, but they 
 have no claim upon this history, because they are not 
 identified with authorship. They did a noble work in 
 other fields. Many of them preached with great 
 power and gave their labors freely for the cause they 
 loved. Their lives are unwritten, their works are un- 
 recorded, it may be, but the results of their labors 
 still live. Of this class were such men as George 
 Klein, Daniel Letterman, Michael Pfautz, the two 
 IMartin Urners, the Prices, and others. 
 
 I shall mention but one other name, that of Chris- 
 topher Sower the third. He was the oldest son of the 
 second Christopher, the influential elder of the Breth- 
 ren church. Reference has already been made to him 
 in connection with the Sower press. He was born in 
 1754, became a member of the Dunker church at the 
 age of sixteen, married at the age of twenty-one, was 
 associated with his father in the printing business 
 about the same time, and in connection with his brother 
 Peter began a printing business on his own behalf at 
 the age of twenty-two. 
 
 During the Revolution he took sides with the Eng- 
 lish, as we have seen, and during the winter of 1777- 
 78 issued a paper in Philadelphia in support of the 
 royal cause. This was the Pennsylvanische Staats 
 Courier. It ran some seven or eight months. 
 
 He left Philadelphia with the British army in the 
 summer of 1778. The next year he went to St. John's, 
 
 288 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 New IWunswick, whore lu- fouiKkd and edited the 
 Royal C'aci-ttc. Later lie lived in luij,daiKl for several 
 years, and was made the King's printer. Ahout 1785 
 he moved to Nova Scotia where he had been appointed 
 Assistant Postmaster General. He later moved to 
 Baltimore, Maryland, where he died in 1799, at the 
 age of forty-five. 
 
 Sower had heen married at the beginning of the Rev- 
 olution to a Miss Knorr. He left a family of children, 
 the oldest son of whom was called after the family 
 name, Christopher, making the fourth of this name in 
 the direct line of descent. 
 
 Christopher Sower had been well educated, and was 
 a writer of considerable power. In the course of his 
 varied editorial labors he had occasion to write a good 
 deal. Had his efforts been better directed he might 
 have accomplished more than he did. 
 
 The literary record of the Brethren during tlie eight- 
 eenth century is one in every way worthy of them, and 
 is an honor to the church. Their work deserves to be 
 better known among us, and to this end, it needs to be 
 put in a form that we, as a church, and the world at 
 large, can the better understand and appreciate it. To 
 contribute something to this end is the chief purpose 
 of the present work. 
 
 289 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 To complete our impression of the work under con- 
 sideration with a comprehensive view, I have thought 
 it well to collect in a compendious form all the work 
 produced, either written or printed, by the German 
 Baptists in the eighteenth century. 
 
 A. — WORK PRODUCED IN EUROPE. 
 1713. 
 
 Kurtzc und ciiifdltige Vorstcllung dcr dusserii, aber 
 dock liciligcii Rcchtcn und Ordnungen dcs Houses 
 Gottcs, 7'orgcstcllt in cinem Gcsprdch unter Vatcr und 
 Sohn. Von Alexander Mack. 
 
 Printed at Schwarzenau, Germany. 
 
 Grundforschcndc Fragcn, wclche denen neuen 
 Tdufcni in H'ittgcnstcinisclicn, insonderheit zu heant- 
 zvorten vorgelegt war en, sammt beygefiigten kurzen 
 und cinfaltigen Antxvorten auf dieselben, vormals 
 schriftlicli hcrausgegeben von einem Aufrichtigen 
 Mitglied der Gemeinc zu Wittgenstein. 
 
 This is the title under which this work was repro- 
 duced later in this country. The original title, if dif- 
 ferent from this, has not been preserved. The writer 
 of the answers to these questions (Aufrichtigen Mit- 
 glied) was of course Alezander Mack. Printed at the 
 same time and place with the above. 
 
 291 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren. 
 
 1726 
 
 Die Heilige Bihel. 
 
 This was the famous edition of the Holy Writ issued 
 by the Separatists at Berleberg, in Germany, and 
 therefore known as the Berleberg Bible. Alexander 
 Mack and others of the early Brethren were interested 
 in the enterprise and contributed liberally to it. This 
 is the reason for including it here. 
 
 B. — ISSUES OF THE SOWER PRESS, 
 WITH NOTES. 
 
 In former chapters I have treated those works 
 of the Sower press that are best known, the Bibles and 
 the periodicals, including the almanacs. There are, 
 however, a great many other things in the history of 
 this great establishment that are fully as interesting 
 and as important, in their way, as those we have con- 
 sidered. I shall, therefore, bring together all the 
 issues of the press so far as discovered up to this time, 
 under the years in which they appeared, and note any 
 interesting facts in connection with them that may 
 have come under my notice. I shall not generally re- 
 produce the full titles, many of which are ver>' long, as 
 several instances already cited will show. In using 
 abbreviated forms, however, I trust I shall be suffi- 
 ciently clear at all times, so that the works can be iden- 
 tified without the possibility of error. 
 
 1738. 
 
 Eine Ernstliche Ermahnung an Jiinge und Alte. 
 Der Hoch-Deiitsch Americanische Calender. 
 292 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 These two publications have been considered at 
 length in a previous chapter. 
 Fri'ihlin^ ist herbci gckommen. 
 Mcin Ilcilaitd dcr du hist mir. 
 
 These are the beginning lines of two popular Ger- 
 man songs. The fact that Sower had j)ublishcd these 
 songs was forgotten and was not rediscovered until the 
 summer of 1''04, when the Rev. A. Stapleton of 
 W'rightsville, Pa., found copies of them in a heap of 
 rul)hish in one of the out-of-the-way places of his 
 native state. 
 
 1739 
 
 Zionitischcr Weyrauchs-Hiigel. 
 
 E'ui ab^cn'6tliii:i;tcr BcricJit. 
 
 This is the little book that Christopher Sower 
 printed by way of setting himself right before the 
 public for his part in the dispute with Conrad Beissel 
 while he was printing the Weyrauchs-Hiigel. I have 
 quoted, in the last chapter, one of the letters from it. 
 
 Ein ABC und Bitchstabierbuch. 
 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Americanische Calender. 
 
 This second issue of the almanac contains the 
 announcement of Sower's paper, Der Hoch-Deutsch 
 Pcnsylvanische Gcschicht-Schrciber, the first number 
 of which was distributed with the almanac. 
 
 Dcr Hoch-Dcutsch Pcnsylvanische Gcschicht- 
 Schrciber. 
 
 This first issue bears date of August 20. After this 
 so long as the paper remained a monthly, it was issued 
 on the 16th of each month. 
 
 293 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 1740 
 
 Die Gefahr bey unhckchrten Predigern, vorgestellt 
 in einer Sermon iiber Marcus am VI. v. ^4. Bey Gil- 
 bert Tennent. 
 
 Gewissenhaftc Vorstellung vom Mangel rechter 
 Kinder-Ziicht, 
 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Americanische Calender. 
 
 There were two editions of the almanac for this year. 
 Some were printed in two colors, black and red ; others 
 are in black only. 
 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Pensylvanische Geschicht- 
 Schrcibcr. 
 
 Georg IV eitHelds Predigten. 
 
 This was a translation from an English edition of 
 Whitfield's sermons which Franklin had published 
 earlier in the same year. 
 
 Extracts from the Lows of William Penn. 
 
 This is the first English work issued from the Sower 
 press of which I have found trace. The printer does 
 not seem to have succeeded as well in English as in 
 German, and there is no evidence that the experiment 
 was repeated for nearly ten years. 
 
 1741 
 
 Bekanntmachung. 
 
 This was Sower's prospectus of his quarto Bible, 
 which appeared two years later. It is put here on 
 the authority of Dr. Seidensticker. Stapleton would 
 assign it to the preceding year. It is undated. 
 
 Einfcltige JVarnungs-und JVdchter-Stimme an die 
 
 294 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 gerufcHC Scclcn dicscr Zcit. I' on Joluinn .Idam 
 G ruber. 
 
 Die Griindc und Ursachcti dcr Christliclicn U'icdcr- 
 geburth, Oder die Neiie Geburth durch Christum. 
 
 nine Betrnclihtitg dcs Lasters dcr Trunkenlicit. 
 Tliis Consideration of the Crime of Drunkenness 
 ami well meant Warning against Immoderate Drink- 
 ing is one of the first publications to appear in this 
 country against the use of intoxicants. When it is 
 recalled that this was half a century before there 
 was any real organized eflort against intemperance, 
 the fact of this publication becomes significant. In 
 1741 drunkenness was very common in the colonies, 
 and unforttmatcly the vice was not frowned upon with 
 the disfavor with which we regard it today. It was 
 no discredit for a man to get drunk after dinner, nor 
 was it looked upon as very bad for a clergyman to own 
 a stillhouse and himself indulge to excess. The Dun- 
 ker church has always stood flat-footed against every 
 form of intemperance. Sower wrote and spoke 
 against it repeatedly. The issue of this book seems to 
 mark the beginning of his crusade against the evil. 
 It is a small volume of only fifty-five pages. 
 
 Der Hoch-Dcutsch Anicricanische Calender. 
 
 Der Hoch-Deiitsch Pensylvanische Geschicht- 
 Schreiber. 
 
 \7A2 
 
 Ausbund. Das ist: Etliche scliouc Christliche Licdcr 
 Wie sie in dem Gefdngniis cu Bassau i)i dent Schlos:: 
 von den Sclm<eit::er-Bri\dern und 7'on anderen rccht- 
 gldubigen Christen liin und her gedichtet warden. 
 
 295 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 This was a large song book especially popular among 
 the Mennonites. It was first printed in Europe as 
 early as 1583, and was extensively used for two hun- 
 dred and fifty or three hundred years. The Sowers 
 printed two editions of it after this one, in 1751 and 
 1767, and their successors, Leibert and Billmeyer, 
 another in 1785. Many of the songs give biograph- 
 ical details of martyred Christians. 
 
 Bckanntmachiing. By Henry Antes. 
 
 Ein Zeugniss eines Betriiben. By J. A. Gruber. 
 
 Hirten-Liedcr von Bethlehem. 
 
 A hymn book of 138 duodecimo pages, containing 
 369 hymns. It was printed by Sower for Count Zin- 
 zendorf soon after his arrival in this country. 
 
 Das Klcine ABC in der Schide Christi. 
 
 Vorschlag sur Errichtung einer Deutschen Schide. 
 
 Wahrer Bericht. 
 
 Zeugnisz der Briiderschaft in Zion. 
 Eine Schrift-Geniassen Zeugnisz. 
 Der Hoch-Deiitsch Amerieanische Calender. 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Pensylvanische Geschicht- 
 Schreiber. 
 
 1743. 
 
 Biblia, Das ist: Die Heilige Schrift Altes nnd Neues 
 Testaments. 
 
 This was the famous first edition of the Sower Bible 
 of which I have given a detailed account in a previous 
 chapter. 
 
 Eines Geringen Bericht. By John Adam Gruber. 
 Samuel Gilldins Gewcsencn Prcdigers in den Drey 
 Haupt-Kirchen zii Bern in der Schwcitz. 
 
 296 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 Wohlgcgrundctcs Bcdcnkcn tier Christlicltcn Gem- 
 eine in uiid hex liplirata ]'on dciu lVc([ dcs Ilcili- 
 SUiii^. r>y John IliKlcbraiul. 
 
 Mistisches und Kirchlichcs Zcui^nnsz dcr Briidcr- 
 schaft in Zion. By John Hiklebrand. 
 
 Sclirifftiiiacii^cs Zrui^iiiisc von don Himmlischen 
 und Juni:;fraiiliclu'n Gcbiihrungs-Wcrk. By John Hil- 
 debrand. 
 
 All three of these works were part of the warfare 
 against Zinzcndorf, as we have seen. 
 
 Glanbens-Bckcnntnisz. By Ernest Christopher Hoch- 
 niann of Ilochenaii. 
 
 This will be recognized as Hochmann's Confession 
 of Faith, quoted in the first chapter of this work. 
 Printed first in Germany in 1702, it now appeared for 
 the first time in America. It was much read by the 
 early Dunkcrs, and it has been conjectured that they 
 may have thought at times of publishing it as their 
 creed. Mr. J. F. Sachsc has published in his German 
 Sectarians of Pcnnsyh'ania a curious Fnglish trans- 
 lation of it, a very free rendering, which he supposes 
 may have been prepared for this purpose. In fact it 
 has been called the Dunker creed, but this is clearly an 
 error, as it was never published or accepted by the 
 denomination as such. The only creed the Dunkers 
 ever adopted is the New Testament. 
 
 Jacob Lischys Reformirten Prcdigers Declaration 
 seines Sinnes. 
 
 Der Neuc Charter. 
 
 A translation from the English original of the char- 
 297 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 ter of Pennsylvania, and given away to all the sub- 
 scribers of Sower's paper. 
 Dcr Balsam von Giliad. 
 
 Ein Kurtccr Bcricht von den Ursachen, warum die 
 Gcnicinschaft in Ephrata sich viit dem. Grafen 
 Zinzcndorf nnd seine Leuten eingclasscn. 
 
 Ein Schreihcn der herrnhutischcn Gemeine aus 
 ihrer Confcrcnc an Meister Johann Hildebrand in 
 Ephrata. 
 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Pensylvanische Geschicht- 
 Schreiber. 
 
 1744. 
 
 Anhaui; odcr Appendix zu dem Charter von Ver- 
 ordnungen. 
 
 Hans Engclbrechts Gdttliche Offenbahrungen 
 sammt einer Erzdhlting seines wunderbahrcn Lebens. 
 
 Ein Spiegel der Tauffe niit Geist, mit Wasser, nnd 
 mit Blut. By Henry Funk. 
 
 Der kleine Catechismus D. Martin Lnthers. 
 
 This edition was edited and annotated by Count 
 Zinzendorf and the preface was also supplied by him. 
 
 Das Kleine Davidische Psalterspiel der Kinder 
 Zions. 
 
 This is the hymn book generally used by the Bun- 
 kers until they issued one for themselves in 1791. 
 
 Der Frommcn Lotterie, odcr Geistliches Schats- 
 kdstlein. By Gerhard Tersteegen. 
 
 " A collection of 381 tickets on which pious lines of 
 Tersteegen and Scripture passages were printed, en- 
 closed in a neat leather case or wooden box. Good 
 
 298 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 pious souls would tind (.'ujos iiu-nt .ukI i iiiricilioii in 
 drawini;' tlu-so cards, thus luruin}^ even play into a 
 nicans of s])iritu;d comfort."' 
 
 'Plio set in the llridgowater College lihrary arc in a 
 strong;- case and well preserved. ICach card has two 
 (juotations. a passage of Scripture at the top and four 
 lines of verse from Terstccgen on tlie lower half of 
 the face. To show what they are like, I take at ran- 
 dom numher 101, which may he rendered as follows: 
 
 I'^or the tlesii lusteth against the Spirit, and the 
 Spirit against the llesh : and these are contrary the 
 one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that 
 ye (according to the fle.sh) would. — Gal. 5: 17. 
 
 Not to Yield. 
 
 To feel sin and still avoid it, 
 
 Is the way to happiness ; 
 
 To do wrong and suffer wrong, 
 Makes the greatest difference. 
 
 Tractat^en von dcr Gcrinin^schatzuni::; und Nichtig- 
 keit unscrcs naturlicJioi und acitliclicii Lcbciis. 
 
 Verschicdcnc altc und ncucrc Geschichtcn von 
 Erscheinungcn der Geistcr. 
 
 These ghost stories were popular, as is shown by 
 the fact that editions were called for in 1744, 1748, 
 1755, 1792. 
 
 Dcr Hoch-Dcntsch Amcricanischc Calender. 
 Dcr Hoch-Dciitsch Pensylvanische Gcschicht- 
 Schrcibcr. 
 
 * Seldensticker. 
 
 299 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 1745. 
 
 Eine Beschreibung der wahren Kirche, was und wo 
 sie scy. 
 
 Freymiithige und unparthcyischc Gcdankcn von 
 der Religion. 
 
 Das Ncuc Testament unseres Hcrren und Hcylande 
 Jesu Christ i. 
 
 This was the first edition of the Sower Testaments. 
 It was a 12mo. of 592 pages, with rubricated title. 
 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Americanischc Calender. 
 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Pensylvanische Geschicht- 
 Schreiher. 
 
 1746. 
 
 Die merkzuiirdige Geschichte oder Bekehrung von 
 Jacob Friedrich Dusz, ein Backer in WUrtemberg. 
 
 Kurser Aussug, 2^1, Unterricht von der Ein- 
 sammliing. 
 
 Der Psalter des Konigs und Propheten Davids. 
 Die umgezvendete Bibel. 
 
 Unterricht von der Einsammlung des Willens der 
 Seelen. 
 
 Vom Cometen. 
 
 Leichenpredigt. By J. J. Zubly. 
 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Americanischc Calender. 
 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Pensylvanische Berichte. 
 
 The change from " Geschicht-Schreiber " to " Be- 
 richte " in the name of the paper was made in October 
 of the previous year. 
 
 300 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 1747. 
 
 Fill Ccriit>:;cr Schciii dcs I'crachtctcn Lichllcins der 
 ll'alirltcit. die in C'lirislo ist. 
 
 nine nitJcndc W'achtcrstimnic an allc Scclcn die 
 nach Ciott und scincni Reich liuni^crnd sind. By John 
 Iliklcbrand. 
 
 Ein Ernstlichcr RutJ in Christlichcr Licbc an allcs 
 Volk. Ry Benjamin Ilohnc. 
 
 Klarc und Gcwissc Wahrhcit. 
 
 Noch vichr Zeugniissc dcr Wahrhcit. 
 
 These last two are tracts advocating the principles 
 of peace on religious grounds. Christopher Sower 
 was opposed to war and strife of every kind. 
 
 Gcislichcs Bhwicn-Gartlcin Innigcr Scclcn. By 
 Tersteegen. 
 
 This was the first American edition of this work, 
 which had been printed four times in Germany before. 
 
 Gli'tckliche Genilgsamkcit dcr Stillcn in Lande. By 
 Gerhard Tersteegen. 
 
 Einc Tcutsch und Englische Grammatic. 
 
 Brudcrliches Schrcibcn. 
 
 Lovignics vcrborgnes Lebcn niit Christo. 
 
 Eine Lcich-Predig. 
 
 Der Hoch-Dcutsch Americanischc Calender. 
 Pensyh'anische Bcrichtc. 
 
 With the June number of the year before " Der 
 Hoch-Dcutsch " had been dropped from the title of 
 Sower's newspaper, leaving it as above. 
 
 1748. 
 
 Eine Kurtzc Beschreibung ciner langen Reise aus 
 Babylon nach Bethel. 
 
 301 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 ErchciiiiDii^oi dcr Gcistcr. 
 First edition in 1744. 
 
 Frell, Gcorg, von Chur in Graubilndncr Land. Von 
 dem wahren, eicigen Fricdsamcn Reiche Christi. 
 
 Andreas Freyen seine Declaration. 
 
 Eine GriindlicJte Anzi'cisung cu cincm Hciligen 
 Lcben zu gelangen. 
 
 Bin Griindliches Zeugniisc gegen das kilrtzlich 
 hcrausgcgcbcne Biichlein, gcnandt Plain Truth. 
 
 " Plain Truth " was written and printed by Benjamin 
 Franklin. It proposed a plan of united action and 
 urged the people to take up arms in defense of their 
 country. Sower printed this reply in a tract of 24 
 octavo pages and distributed the edition gratuitously. 
 It is a strong plea for peace, maintaining that God 
 will keep his peonle without requiring them to fight 
 with carnal weapons. 
 
 Kiirtzcr und crbaidichcr Auszug. By Christian 
 Hohburg. 
 
 Kurtze Besclircibung dcs Lcbcns und Todtcs von 
 Jacob Schniicdlcin aus WollJiauscn. 
 
 Eine Kurtze Vermittclungs-Schrift. 
 
 Jacob Lischys Reformirtcn Prcdi \te Dec- 
 
 laration seines Si>ines an sci)ie Reforuiirte Religions- 
 Genossen in Pennsylvanicn. 
 
 Ein Mystischer das ist ein vor dcr alten Xatur und 
 Vernunfft und Eigcnhcit verborgener Seelen Spiegel. 
 
 Dcr Sigenische Catechismus. 
 
 Warnungs-Schrciben ivider die Lcichtsinnigkeit. By 
 Geret. Tersteegen. 
 
 302 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 Vcrschicdcnc Christlichc Wahrhcitcn. und Kiirtze 
 Bcinichtuiii^ iibcr das kiirtclich hcrausgcgebene 
 Biiclilciii. Cciuiitdt I.aittcrc W'alirlicit. 
 
 Tliis is another attack on " Plain Truth," and was 
 pi von away. 
 
 Ein Christ bcsuchct oft und gcnic die Zions-Kinder 
 iiah iDid feme. 
 
 Kiiitce J'ertlic id ig loii^. 
 
 Nocli inelir Zcug)iisse dcr ll'ahrheit. 
 
 Sceleuspiebel. 
 
 Der Hoch-Dcittsch Amcricanischc Calender. 
 Pcnsylvanischc Berichte. 
 
 1749. 
 
 Thomas a Kempis. Vicr Biicher von der Nach- 
 folgcr Christ i. 
 
 Thomas a Kempis. The Christian Pattern, or the 
 Imitation of Jesus Christ. 
 
 This as the title shows was printed in English, and 
 is the first English work of which I have found trace 
 issued by the Sower press, except " Extracts from the 
 Laws of William Penn," printed in 1740. It seems 
 that about 1740 Christopher Sower, Jr., assumed the 
 oversight of the book binding department, and as he 
 was a good English scholar this broadening of the 
 business was in all probabilit}- due to his influence. 
 
 Lischy, Jacob. V. D. M. Prediger der Reformirten 
 Gemienden i'lber die Susquehanna in Pennsylvanien. 
 
 Treuherzigc und Eiiifaltige Anzveisung, zvie sich 
 solche Gutwillige Seel en zu verhalten haben. 
 
 303 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 Sie hckchrcn sich aber nicht rech. By J. J. Zubly. 
 Habcrmans Gcbet Buchlein. 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Americanische Calender. 
 Pensylvanische Berichte. 
 
 1750. 
 
 Gdttliche Liches-Andacht mit einer Anweisung 
 iind Uiiterricht. 
 Dcr Kleine Kempis. 
 
 Schule der Weishcit in Rcimcn odcr Hochteutsches 
 ABC vor Schiller und Meistcr in Israel. 
 
 The Archbishop of Cainbray's Dissertation on 
 Pure Love. By Fenelon. 
 
 Anleitnng zur Englischen Sprache. 
 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Americanische Calender. 
 
 Pensylvanische Berichte. 
 
 1751. 
 
 Ausbund. 
 
 This contains more songs than the edition of 1742. 
 
 Eine Niitzliche Anweisung Oder Beyhiilfe vor die 
 Teutschen um Englisch zu lernen. 
 
 Tersteegens Der Frommen Lotterie. 
 
 Evangeliches Zeugnusz vein Elend und Erlosung 
 der Menschen. By J. J. Zubly 
 
 Einige Gcdichte und Lieder. 
 
 Von der Menschen Erloesung. 
 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Americanische Calender. 
 
 Pensylvanische Berichte. 
 
 In the imprints of this year the printer sometimes 
 spells his name Saur and at other times Saner. It is 
 
 304 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 not known whether tliis was l)y desij^n or hy cliancc. 
 If by design the reason for the variation is not known. 
 
 1752. 
 
 EvaugeJisches Zcuguusz von dcr falschcn Fleisches- 
 Rcligion in alien Sectcn dcr Christenhcit. 
 
 Gcistrcichc Liedcr. 
 
 The first Reformed liynin book ])rinted in America. 
 
 Bckantnusz cincs Christen. By Thomas Imbroich. 
 
 This is the supplement that was added to the Aus- 
 bnnd pnbhshed in 1751. 
 
 Der Kleinc Catechismus des scl. Dr. Martin 
 Luther s. 
 
 Unpartheyischc Gedanckcn in Rcimen bey Ein- 
 weihung einer Evangelischen Kirche in Germanton. 
 By H. M. Muhlenberg-. 
 
 It will be observed that this is the Lutheran clergy- 
 man who so mercilessly and unreasonably denounced 
 Sower's Bible some nine years before this. 
 
 IViichtcr-Stimm auz dem verzuiisteten Sion. By J. 
 Conrad Steiner. 
 
 Heidelbergcr Catechismus. 
 
 Ausbund. 
 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Americanische Calender. 
 Pensylvanische Berichte. 
 
 1753. 
 
 Die Kleine geistliche Harfe. 
 A Mennonite hymn book. 
 Die Neue Acte. 
 
 Neii-vermehrt-nnd voUstiindiges Gesang-Buch. 
 Das Mennonisten Liedcrbuch. 
 
 305 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 Dcr Wunderbahrcr Bussfcrtigc Scclcnsorgcr. 
 Dcr Ictztc JVille des hochfiirstlichcn Printzen 
 Dictcriclis von Anhalt Dessau. 
 
 Dcr Hoch-Deutsch Am eric anische Calender. 
 Pcnsylvanische Bcrichte. 
 
 The fatal Consequences of the unscriptural Doc- 
 trine of Predestination and Reprobation. 
 
 The Description and Use of the Globes, celestial 
 and terrestrial. By T. Grew. 
 
 The Everlasting Gospel, commanded to be preached 
 by Jesus Christ, Judge of the Living and the Dead. 
 By Paul Siegvolck. 
 
 1754. 
 
 Ein Gesprdch czvisclien eincm Jiingling und einem 
 Alten. By John Hildebrand. 
 
 Der Wundcrbarc buscfertige Bcichtvater und Seel- 
 Sorgcr Herr M. Aaron. 
 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Americanische Calender. 
 
 Pcnsylvanische Bcrichte. 
 
 Christian Education. 
 
 The Pennsylvania Town and Countrymen's Al- 
 manac for 1755. 
 
 These last two publications, in English, bear the im- 
 print of Christopher Sower, Jr. These almanacs were 
 printed for some five or six years and must not be 
 confused with the Sower German almanacs with 
 which they had little in common. 
 
 1755 
 
 Ein Settler und dock kein Bettler. 
 
 306 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 /. Bunians Pili^rims-odcr Christen Rcisc. 
 Das ait II rliDW opfcr. By J. lUiiiyaii. 
 Rcisc aus Babylon iiacli Bethel. By Stephen Crisp. 
 Trcithcrtcige Eiiiiiicniiii^ uiul Waniuni^. By Henry 
 KcMiipcr. 
 
 Das Kiiulcr-BiicliU'iii in den Briider-G'eiiiciiieii. 
 Das Xcnc Testament. 
 
 This was the second edition printed by Sower and 
 contained a preface written by liiin. 
 
 H'dchst nothigc Warnung uiid Eriiineruiig an die 
 frcye Eiiiwohner der Proi'infc Pcnsylvanicn. By Ch. 
 Saur. 
 
 The appeal to the Germans to assert and guard 
 their rights as freemen against schemes to deprive 
 them of these rights, which I have translated in a 
 former chapter. 
 
 Das Lcben Gottcs in der Scelc des Menschen. By 
 H. Skougal. 
 
 Gcschichtcn von Erscheinungen der Geister. 
 
 Heidelbcrger Catechismns. 
 
 Der Hoch-Dcutsch Ainericanische Calender. 
 
 Pensylvanische Berichte. 
 
 1756 
 
 Einc Erinnening an die Englische Nation, dasz 
 ein jcder die re elite Zcit -ji'ahrnehmen soil. By 
 Thomas Chamberlain. 
 
 Die Gottliche Beschiitzung ist der Menschen 
 ge^i'isseste Hiilfe iind Beschirmiing. By Jonathan 
 Dickinson. 
 
 Eine Erzehlung von den Triibsalen und der Wunder- 
 307 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 hahren Befreyimg so geschehcn an William Flemming 
 und desscn Weib Elisabeth. 
 
 Dcs Elirzi'iirdigoi Lchrcrs David Imries, Predi- 
 gers in St. Miingo in Schottland. By D. Imrie. 
 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Anicricanischc Calender. 
 
 Pensylvanischc Berichte. 
 
 The Uncertainty of a Death-bed Repentance. By 
 Fenelon. 
 
 The Real Christian's Hope in Death. By J. J. Zubly. 
 
 The Nature and Design of Christianity. 
 
 A Pattern of Christian Education Agreeable to the 
 Precepts and Practices of our Blessed Lord. 
 
 These last two bear the imprint of Christ. Sower, 
 Jr. 
 
 1757. 
 
 Der Inhalt von den verschiedenen Conferentzen, 
 welche einige Freunde in Philadelphia mit Etlichen 
 Indianern gehaltcn, U. S. IV., in den Monathen July 
 und November 17^6. 
 
 Der Inhalt von den verschiedenen Conferentzen U. 
 S. W., in dem Monath Jidy und August 17 S7- 
 
 Some Gospel Treasures, or the Holiest of all Un- 
 veiling. By John Everard, D. D. 
 
 Eine N eutzliche Anweisung. 
 
 Marburger Gesangbuch. 
 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Americanische Calender. 
 
 Pensylvanischc Berichte. 
 
 1758. 
 
 Ein Spiegel der Eheleute. 
 
 Some observations upon a late Piece entitled, The 
 Detection detected. By A. Gellatly. 
 
 308 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 Per Ilocli-Dcutscit Amcricanischc Calender. 
 PcHsyhaiiischc Bcriclitc. 
 
 1759. 
 
 Christlichc Morgcn-imd Abcud-Gebdter. 
 Marbitrger Gesaiig-Biicli. 
 
 This was the first Luthcrn hymn book printed in 
 America. It was a 16mo vohmie of 155 pages and 
 was divided into twelve parts. 
 
 Der Hoch-Dcutsch Amcricanischc Calender. 
 
 Pensylvanische Berichtc. 
 
 Observations on the Inslaving, Importing and Pur- 
 chasing of Negroes. By Anthony Benezet. 
 
 The issue of this pamphlet is part of the warfare 
 waged by the Sowers against the institution of slavery. 
 They wrote and spoke against it whenever 
 occasion presented itself. Because of their great 
 influence they succeeded pretty efifectually in deter- 
 ring the Germans from taking any hand in the nefa- 
 rious traffic. Shortly before the Revolution Sower 
 could still write, " Up to the present this godless traf- 
 fic could find no safe footing in Pennsylvania, because 
 of the abhorrence the Germans still have for it.'" 
 
 Thus a hundred }ears before slavery was abolished, 
 the leading members in the Dunker church were stout- 
 ly opposing the institution as nefarious and godless. 
 This lias always been the position of the church on 
 this question. 
 
 The JVay to the Sabbath of Rest. By Thomas 
 Bromley. 
 
 The Journeys of the Children of Israel. By 
 Thomas Bromley. 
 
 309 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 A Treatise of Extraordinary Dispensations under 
 the JezL'ish and Gospel Administrations. By Thomas 
 Bromley. 
 
 A Discourse on Mistakes concerning Religion, 
 Enthusiasm, etc. By Thomas Hartley. 
 
 1760 
 
 Evangelien und Epistclcn aiif alle Sonntage wie 
 aiich auf die hohen Feste. 
 
 Das Klcine Davidische Psalterspiel. 
 
 Eine Aiimuthige Erinncrung zii einer Christlichen 
 Betrachtung. By Alexander Mack. 
 
 Der Psalter des Konigs und Prophctcn Davids. 
 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Aiiiericanische Calender. 
 
 Pensylvanische Berichtc. 
 
 Observations on the Inslaving, Importing and Pur- 
 chasing of Negroes. By A. Benezet. Second edition. 
 
 Certain agreements and concessions made. . . . for 
 erecting and establishing a School House and School 
 in Gcrmantown. 
 
 These agreements resulted in establishing the Gcr- 
 mantown Academy, which was opened in September 
 of the next year. Christopher Sower was one of the 
 leading promoters of the enterprise and served for a 
 number of years on the Board of Trustees of the 
 Academy. The school maintained an English and a 
 German department and is still in a flourishing con- 
 dition. This was the first educational enterprise in 
 which the Dunkers took a direct interest of which 
 there is any record. 
 
 Christ's Spirit a Christian's Strength. By W. Dell. 
 310 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 The Stumbling Stone, xvhcrcin the University is Re- 
 proved. Hy W. Ddl. 
 
 The Uncertainty of a Death Bed Repentance. By 
 Fenelon. 
 
 1761. 
 
 Das Lchen und heroischc Thaten dcs Kdnigs t'on 
 Preusaen, Fricdrichs des III. 
 
 Die Naturalisation-Form derjenigcn, welche ohne 
 Bid mit dcm Quiikcr-attest natiiralisirt wcrdcn. 
 
 Das Neue Testament. 
 
 Dcr IIoch-DcHtsch Americanischc Calender. 
 
 In this nuinbcr of the ahnanac was beg'im the 
 " Kriiuterbuch" or lessons in botany, which were con- 
 tinued for eighteen \ ears. 
 
 Pensylvanische Berichtc. 
 
 Habe-rmans Grosses Gebct Buck. 
 
 HabermcHis Kleines Gebet Buck. 
 
 Dreierlei Deutsclien und Englischen ABC Biicher. 
 
 1762. 
 
 Habcrmans Kleines Christlich Gebiitbuch. 
 Nczv-Eingerichtctes Gesang-Buch. 
 A hymn book for the Schwenkfelders containing 760 
 12mo pages. 
 
 Beyhiilffe vor die Teutschcn um Englisch cu lernen. 
 
 Der Psalter des Konigs und Propheten Davids. 
 
 Marburger Gesang-Buch. 
 
 Dcr Hoch-Dcutsch Anicricanische Calender. 
 
 Gennantatmer Zeitung, Oder; Saunnlung IVahr- 
 scheiiilichcr Nachrichtcn aus dcm K atur-nnd Kir- 
 chenreich. 
 
 311 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 The second Christopher Sower was troubled much 
 as his father had been before him by the fact that tlie 
 news printed in his paper did not always turn out to 
 be true. In order to free himself from this load, he 
 removed during this year the word IVichtig (impor- 
 tant) from the title and inserted W ahrscheinlich 
 (probable) in its place. 
 
 1763. 
 
 Biblia, 
 
 The second edition of the quarto Bible. 
 Dcr Kleine Darmstddtische Catechismus Herrn D. 
 Martin Luthers. 
 
 Neu-vermehrt iind vollstangigcs Gesang-Buch. 
 Das Neue Testament. 
 
 Die heilbringcnde Menschwerdung und der herr- 
 liche Sieg Jesu Christi ilber den Tenfel und Tod 
 By W. Otterbein. 
 
 Die Wandlcnde Seel. By J. P. Schabalie. 
 
 Schabalie was a Mennonite preacher. His " Wander- 
 ing Soul " has been a very popular book. The great 
 Biblical events are told by the characters who figured 
 prominently in them. For instance Noah tells of his 
 narrow escape from the flood, how the animals be- 
 haved in the ark, and how he cared for the specimens 
 of plants entrusted to his keeping. 
 
 Zeugnisz der JVahrheit. 
 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Americanische Calender. 
 
 Gerniantauner Zeitung. 
 
 The Dreadful Visitation, in a short Account of the 
 Progress and Effects of the Plague. By D. Defoe. 
 
 312 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 A Short, luisy and Comprehensive Method of Pray- 
 er. I?y J. Kclpius. 
 
 1764. 
 
 Die alhnachlige Errettungs-IIand Gottes aus den 
 wilden M ceres H'ellen. 
 
 Christliche Morgen und Abend Gchiiter, 
 Das Kleine Davidische Psaltcrspiel. 
 Die Regeln der Teutschen Gesellschafft in Phil' 
 adelphia. 
 
 Das Anhangen an Gott. By Tersteegen. 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Americanische Calender. 
 Germantaimer Zeitung. 
 
 Ein Geistliches Magacien, Oder: Aus den Schdtzen 
 der Schrifftgelchrtcn snvi Himmelreich gelehrt, dar- 
 gercichtcs Altes und Neues. 
 
 An account of this magazine was given in a former 
 chapter. 
 
 Aninerkungen iiber Ein noch nie erhdrt und gesehen 
 U'linder-Thier in Pennsylvanien, genannt Streit-und 
 Straus2-Vogel. 
 
 Einc cu diescr Zeit Hochst nothige Warming an die 
 freye Eimvohncr der Provinz Pennsylvanien. 
 
 A political tract against a scheme to restrict the free 
 suffrage of the Germans. 
 
 Protestation gegcn die Bestelhing Herrn Benjamin 
 Franklins ctt einem Agcnten fiir diese Provinz. 
 
 By the influence of the Germans Franklin had been 
 defeated in the election for Assemblyman in the fall of 
 1764. It was then proposed to send him to London as 
 
 313 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 the agent of Pennsylvania. This pamphlet expresses 
 the German opposition to this plan. 
 
 Anmcrkungen iiher einc nciiliclic Protestation gegcn 
 die Bestelluiig Hrn. Benjamin Franklins. 
 
 Franklin's reply to the above. 
 
 1765. 
 
 Des Gottscligcn iind Hochcrlenchtctcn Lchrers, 
 Hrn. Johann Arnds. 
 
 Die Erste Frucht der Tentschcn Gcsellschaft. 
 
 Wertheste Landcs-Leute, sonderlich in Philadel- 
 phia, Bucks tmd Bercks County. By Christopher 
 Sower. 
 
 A political address by Christopher Sower on the two 
 leading questions of the day. These were first the 
 proposition to change the government of Pennsylvania 
 by removing the proprietary government and making 
 it a royal colony; and second the repeal of the Stamj) 
 Act. Sower disapproved of a change of government, 
 but favored calling a convention to petition the King 
 for a repeal of the Stamp Act. 
 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Ainericanische Calender. 
 
 Germantauner Zeitung. 
 
 Antwort auf Herrn Franklins Anmerkmigen. 
 Ein Geistliches Magasien. 
 
 1766. 
 
 Die Regeln der Teutschen Gcsellschaft in Philadel- 
 phia. 
 
 Das Neue Testament. 
 
 Der Hoch-Deiitsch Ainericanische Calender. 
 314 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 Germantauncr Zcitung, 
 F.iii Gcistliclics Magacien. 
 
 1767. 
 
 .■lusbiiiidt. 
 
 Kiirtcc Uiitcmrisuiii^ vor Klcine Kinder. 
 Confession, odcr Bckcnntnisz Eines Christen. 
 Bcricht von den Briidern in der ScJnvcitz. 
 Dcr Hoch-Dcutsch Amcricanischc Calender. 
 Gennantauncr Zeiti{)ig. 
 Ein Gcistliclics Magacien. 
 
 1768. 
 
 Die JVandlende Sccl. By J. P. Schabalie. 
 
 Dcr Psalter dcs Konigs und Propheten Davids. 
 
 Das I'oii Jcsii Christo, dcm Richtcr dcr Lcbendigcn 
 und Todten, aller Creatur zn prcdigcn bcfohlcne 
 Ezvige Evangelinm von der diirch Ihn erfundenen 
 Eti'igen Eriosung. By George Paul Siegvolck. 
 
 Ein Mcrkwi'irdigen Trauin. 
 
 Dcr H och-Dcutsch Americanische Calender. 
 
 Germantauncr Zcitung. 
 
 Ein Gcistliclics Magacien. 
 
 1769. 
 
 Gcistliclics Blumen-GHrtlein Inniger Scelen. 
 Das Nciie Testament. 
 
 Das von Jesu Christo, dcm Richtcr dcr Lebendigen 
 und Todten. By George Paul Siegvolck. 
 Dcr Hoch-Dcutsch Americanische Calender. 
 Germantauncr Zcitung. 
 Ein Geistliches Magazien. 
 
 315 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 The Sentiments and Plans of the Warren AssociO' 
 Hon. 
 
 \77Q 
 
 Nachrichtcrs: Oder Niit cliches und aufrichtiges 
 Rosz-Artzney-Biichlein. By J. Deigendesch. 
 
 Eine Einfaltige und griindlich ahgcfasate Schul- 
 Ordnung. By Christopher Dock. 
 
 Christopher Dock had been Christopher Sower's old 
 schoolmaster. This interesting little book on ped- 
 agogy was written as early as 1750. But the diffident 
 old pedagogue refused to allow it to be printed during 
 his lifetime. He was prevailed upon, however, to 
 submit the manuscript to the care of his esteemed 
 pupil, on the condition that it should not be printed 
 until after his death. In this year two editions were 
 printed, containing a preface of six octavo pages sup- 
 plied by Sower's pen. 
 
 Einfaltige Lchr-Betrachtnngen und Knrtsgefasz- 
 tes Glaiihcns-Bekanntnisz des gottseligen Lehrers 
 Michael Frantzen. By Michael Frantz. 
 
 Frantz was a minister in the Dunker church in the 
 Conestoga region. His book, partly in prose and 
 partly in verse, has been described and in part quoted 
 in a previous chapter. 
 
 Die Paradisische Aire der Jungfr'dulichen Keusch- 
 heit. By Samuel Lucius. 
 
 Vollstandiges Marburger Gesang-Buch. 
 
 Der Hoch-Dcutsch Americanische Calender. 
 
 Germantauncr Zeitnng. 
 
 Ein Geistliches Magazien. 
 
 316 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 1771. 
 
 Naclirichtcrs: Oder Xiitclichcs uiid aiifrichtiges 
 Rosc-.lrtcucy Biiclilciii. By John Dcigciulcsch. 
 Die ll'andlcnde Seel. By John IMiilip Schabalie. 
 Der ll'e}^ der Gottselii^keit. 
 Dcr Hoch-Dcutsch Amcricanische Calender. 
 Gennantciuner Zeituug. 
 Ein G cist I idles Magasien. 
 
 1772. 
 
 Ncti-rernielirt-und z'ollstlindiges Gesang-Buch. 
 Eine nutzliche Amveisung oder Beyhiilffe vor 
 Deutsche inn E)iglisch j/( Icrnen. 
 Neujahrs Gescheiik. 
 
 Der Hoch-Dcutsch Americanische Calender. 
 Die Gcrmantauncr Zeitung. 
 Ein Geistliches Magacien. 
 
 1773. 
 
 Der Kleine Kempis. 
 
 Geistliches Blumen-Giirtlein Inniger Seelen. By 
 Tersteegen. 
 Der Psalter Davids. 
 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Amcricanische Calender. 
 Die Gcrmantauncr Zeitung. 
 
 \77A. 
 
 Der Geschwinde Rechner. By Daniel Penning. 
 
 Griindforschcnde Fragen, zvelche denen nenen 
 Taufern Ini W itt genstciiiischcn , insonderheit zn bcant- 
 u'orten vorghelegt waren. By Eberhard Ludwig 
 Gruber. 
 
 The New Baptists of Wittgenstein were of course 
 317 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 the Dunkers. Guber's ground-searching Questions 
 were addressed to the newly organized congregation 
 in 1713 and were replied to by Alexander Mack in the 
 same year. 
 
 Kurtzc nnd cinfdltigc VorstcUung dcr diisscrn, aber 
 dock heiligcn Rechten nnd Ordmingcn dcs Houses 
 Gottes. By Alexander Mack. 
 
 This is Mack's famous work usually known as the 
 Rites and Ordinances, from which I have quoted in a 
 former chapter. It was to this edition printed by 
 Sower that Alexander Mack the second prefaced a 
 brief history of the organization of the church at 
 Schwarzenau in 1708, from which I have quoted in 
 the first chapter of this work. This historical matter 
 is of great value and gives unusual importance to this 
 edition. 
 
 Nachdriickliche Busa-Stimme und Warnungs- 
 Posaune vom Himmel an allc hoszhaften Siinder auf 
 Erden. 
 
 Vollstdbdiges Marburgcr Gcsangbuch. 
 
 Dcr Hoch-Dcutsch Amcricanische Calender. 
 
 Die Gcrmantauncr Zeitnng. 
 
 The Ready Reckoner. By Daniel Penning. 
 
 1775. 
 
 Hoch-Dcutsches Lutherisches ABC und Namen- 
 Bitchlein. 
 
 For children who are beginning to learn. 
 Das Neiie Testament. 
 
 Dcr Hoch-Dcutsch Amcricanische Calender. 
 Die Gcrmantauncr Zeitnng. 
 
 318 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 1776. 
 
 Diblia. 
 
 The third edition of tlie famous Sower Hibles. 
 CItristlicIic Morgcii-itiid /ibciid-Gchatcr. By J. 
 I laliorniann. 
 
 This Die Kinder Bibel was a small 24mo volume 
 of 487 pages. 
 
 Der I locli-Dciitscli Anicricanischc Calender. 
 Die Geniiantaiiner Zcittmg. 
 
 This year the paper was issued in tlie name of 
 Christoph Saur und Sohn. 
 
 Dos Alte Zcugnis und die Gnind-Satze des Volkcs 
 so man Qniiker ncnnct .... gcdruckt bey 
 Cliristoph Saur, dent Jiiiiger)i. 
 
 This Christopher Sower, Jr., was the third of the 
 name and the oldest son of the second Christopher, 
 the well-known bishop of the Dunker church. 
 
 Apologie Oder I'ertheidigungs-Schrift der zvahren 
 Christlichcn Gottesgelahrthcit. By Robert Barclay. 
 
 Der Tod Abels. By Solomon Geszner. 
 
 This and the preceding bear the imprint of Chris- 
 toph Saur, dem Jilngern. 
 
 1777. 
 
 Das Kleine Davidische Psalterspiel. 
 
 VoUstdndiges Marbiirger Gesangbuch. 
 
 An die Deutschen in Amcrika. By A. Emmerich. 
 
 Emmerich was a Hessian. His pamphlet was a pas- 
 sionate appeal to the Germans in America to remain 
 loyal to England. 
 
 Der Kleine Catechismus. 
 
 319 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 Dcr Hocli-Dciitsch Aincricanische Calender. 
 
 Die Geniiantauncr Zeitiing. 
 
 Weg uiid Wcrkc Gottcs in der Bekehriing. 
 
 Treuhersige Warnung eines Brndcrs in Christo. 
 
 Die Ucbiing der Gcgenzvart Gottcs. 
 
 The last three are assigned to this year on the 
 authority of Rev. A. Stapleton, although they are un- 
 dated and the year of their publication has not been 
 positively determined. 
 
 Gespriich Zwischen eine Pilger und Burger auf 
 Ihre Reise nach der Eivigkeit. 
 
 Proclamation. Eine durch Seine Excellenz, Sir 
 William Hozve . . . heraiisgegebene Proclamation. 
 
 Der Pennsylvanische Stoats Courier. 
 
 A good deal of uncertainty surrounds the work of 
 the Sower press during this year. The management 
 of the business was changed once if not twice. The 
 first two books mentioned above in this year bear 
 the imprint of Christoph Saur, Germantown. The 
 third and fourth in the list have in the Germantown 
 imprint the names of Christoph Saur und Peter Saiir. 
 The last two in this Hst were printed in Philadelphia 
 by Christ. Saur, Jr., und Peter Saur. The printing 
 plant was moved from Germantown to Philadelphia 
 in the early part of this year. The number of the 
 Germantauner Zeitimg dated March 19, 1777, states 
 that the editor has moved to a house adjoining the 
 Quaker meetinghouse in Philadelphia and will there 
 continue his business. The two men now in charge 
 of the Sower press are two of the sons of the second 
 Christopher, the third generation of the Sowers, 
 
 320 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 Christoplior the third and IVtor. The titles of the 
 puhlication of tliis year show the cliaiifj^ed pohtical 
 coniploxion of the Sower press. The first two ("hris- 
 topher Sowers had been staunch supporters of colonial 
 ri^-hts and stoutly ojiposed lMi<:;'lish encroachments. 
 The third generation cast in their lot witli the loyalist3 
 and exerted themselves for the royal cause. 
 
 1778. 
 
 Einige Gcdichtc unci Licdcr. By Johann Christoph 
 Kunze. 
 
 Der Pcnnsylvanischc Staats-Couricr. 
 
 These were printed in Philadelphia and the imprint 
 reads Christoph unci Peter Saur. When the British 
 army left Philadelphia in June of this year Christopher 
 (3rd) and Peter Sower went with it, and tlie Sower 
 printing- establishment ceased to exist. It is not prob- 
 able that more than a small portion of the original 
 Gennantown plant was moved to Philadelphia. The 
 establishment was seized by the British in 1777, on 
 the ground that Christopher Sower (the Second) was 
 a rebel. The large and valuable property was confis- 
 cated and sold, and what escaped in this way was 
 ruthlessly destroyed. 
 
 C. — ISSUES OF THE LEIBERT PRESS. 
 
 1784. 
 
 Six years after the destruction of the Sower pub- 
 lishing house Peter Leibert and IMichael Billmeyer set 
 up a German press in Germantown. As their outfit 
 consisted largely of the confiscated stock of the Sower 
 
 321 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 establishment, we may consider it as a sort of con- 
 tinuation of that plant. The following publications 
 for the year 1784 have been discovered. 
 
 Ein Brief, Weiland von Peter Bliiscr an seinen 
 Frcund Michael Billmcycr. 
 
 Dcr Klcine Catcchismus. 
 
 Das Lutherische iind Reformirte ABC nnd Nanicn- 
 biichlcin. 
 
 Dcr Psalter dcs Konigs iind Prophetcn Daz'ids. 
 
 Der Hoch-Deiitsch Americanische Calender. Auf 
 Das Jahr i/8j. Zum Erstcnmal herausgcgeben. 
 
 This was a resuscitation of the Sower almanacs, 
 which it resembled in every respect, but was numbered 
 as a new series. 
 
 1785. 
 
 Ausbund. 
 
 Ein All f sat s oder Vertheidigung von Christian 
 Funk. 
 
 Der Hoch-Deiitsch Americanische Calender. 
 Die Germantauner Zcitung. 
 
 February 8 of this year the Sower newspaper was 
 brought into being again. It was now increased in 
 size and the price was raised, as was shown in a for- 
 mer chapter. 
 
 1786. 
 
 Catcchismns odcr Kiircer UntcrricJit Christlicher 
 Lehre. 
 
 For the German Reformed. 
 
 Der Kleine Catechismiis dcs set. Dr. M. Luther. 
 Erbanliche Licdcr-Sauunhing. 
 A Lutheran hymn book. 
 
 322 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 Kurzc Amiachtcn ciiicr Cottsnchcnden Scclc. 
 Tai^chiii li iter General Assembly dcr Republic Penn- 
 sylvanien (1786-1787), 
 
 Dcr Hoch-Dcutscli Amerieanischc Calender. 
 Die Gcrniaiitaiiiier Zcituiii^. 
 
 In Aufjust of 1786 Leibert ami liillincvcr dissolved 
 partnership. Billineyer continued the business at the 
 old stand, while Leibert set up independently in an- 
 other part of the town. 
 
 1788. 
 
 Geistlliche Morgcn-und Abend gebdter. By Job. Ha- 
 bermann. 
 
 Dcr Kleinc Keinpis. 
 
 Lieblichc mid erbauliche Liedcr. 
 
 The works of this year and for several years fol- 
 lowing bear in the Gerniantown imprint only the name 
 of Peter Leibert. 
 
 1790. 
 
 Habcrmanns Christlichc Morgen-tind Abendgebcter. 
 Hoch-Dentsches Luthcrischcs ABC und A'avioi- 
 Biichlein. 
 
 1791. 
 
 Terstcegcns Gcistigcs Blumengdrtlcin inninger 
 Seclcn. 
 
 The Christian's Duty, exhibited in a Series of 
 Hy]nns. 
 
 This was the first Dunker hymn book, of which I 
 have already spoken. It consisted of 320 12mo pages. 
 
 The works of tliis year bear the imprint of " Peter 
 Leibert und Sohn." 
 
 323 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 1792. 
 
 Eiue niitsliche Amvcisung oder Beyhiilfe vor die 
 Teiitschcn um Englisch cii lernen. 
 
 Ziiblins Evangelischcs Zcngniss. 
 
 This year the imprint reads simply Peter Leibert 
 again and remains so. 
 
 1793. 
 
 Gerhard Tersteegcns Lcbcnsbeschrcibung. 
 Des scligen Gerhard Terstccgens hintcrlaszene Er- 
 kldrung seines Siiiiics. 
 
 Tobias Hirtes Dcr Frcund in der Noth. 
 
 1794. 
 
 Dr. J oh. Habcrnianns von Eger Christlich Gebdt- 
 Bneh. 
 
 Schabalies Die Wandlende Seel. 
 
 1795. 
 
 Habermanns Christliche Morgen-und Abend-Gebe- 
 ter. 
 
 Der Kleine Kempis. 
 
 1796. 
 
 Eincs Christen Reise nach der Seligen Ewigkeit. By 
 John Bunyan. 
 
 Kurtse Beschreibeng von den Leben nnd Sterben 
 von Joh. Bunyan. 
 
 Gedanken iiber die Rechtmdssigkeit der Kriege. 
 
 The New England Primer. 
 
 1797. 
 
 High German ABC Book. 
 
 The foregoing is the most complete list of the Sower 
 324 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 publications that lias xct hcrii made. It is believed 
 that it contains all that arc at this time known to ex- 
 ist. That still others may be brou<jht to li{?ht in future 
 is very probable. Reckoning as above, by years, and 
 counting' the periodicals for each year as one, the is- 
 sues of the Sower press proper here catalogued num- 
 ber 335. If those of Leibcrt are added the whole 
 number becomes 372. 
 
 The range covered by these works too is somewhat 
 extensive. The greater part of the entire output are 
 religious or moral treatises. The three editions of the 
 quarto Bible are of course the most famous. Besides 
 these were no less than seven editions of the New Tes- 
 tament in addition to several issues of the Psalms, and 
 a Children's Bible. 
 
 The Sower press also supplied most of the religious 
 sects of the time with hymn books. It will be recalled 
 that the first book printed in America in German type 
 was the famous JVeyraiicIis-Hiigcl, printed by Sower 
 for the Zionitic Brotherhood at Ephrata. With this 
 as a beginning, during the following years the Sower 
 press printed hymn books for the Dunkers, the Luther- 
 ans, the Reformed, the ]\Iennonites, the Schwenk- 
 felders. the Ephrataitcs and the Moravians. Of some 
 of these several editions were printed, and a popular 
 collection known as Das Klcine DavidiscJie Psalter- 
 spicl, which was undenominational, was issued no less 
 than four times by this press. 
 
 Catechisms for the Lutherans, the Reformed and 
 the Moravians were also issued several times. As 
 early as 1740 George Whitfield's sermons were printed 
 
 325 
 
Literary Activity of the Brethren 
 
 from an Enj2;lish edition. William Law's Grounds and 
 Reasons for Christian Baptism appeared only a year 
 later. In 1743 Sower printed Hochmann's Confes- 
 sion of Faith, and during the same year three of the 
 mystical works of John Hildebrand, one of the lead- 
 ers of Ephrata. This is sufficient to give some idea of 
 the wealth of this kind of literature put out by the 
 Sower press from the first. 
 
 While it was a leading purpose of the Sowers to 
 supply the German population in America with such 
 reading matter as would direct their minds towards 
 the right kind of religious and moral ideals, they by no 
 means restricted themselves to this. They kept in 
 view also the practical. The first Christopher Sower 
 wrote and spoke extensively on the political issues of 
 his day. He used his newspaper as a means of keep- 
 ing before his fellow countrymen their rights as citi- 
 zens of the province. His editorials were apt to be 
 directed against abuses, or practices and principles 
 that he regarded as harmful. In 1765 he delivered 
 an address on the political issues of the day that at- 
 tracted considerable public attention. 
 
 The almanacs, too, contain a great deal of useful 
 information of a practical sort. In this respect they 
 were not an unworthy competitor of Franklin's Poor 
 Richard series. 
 
 Educational books, also, were by no means want- 
 ing. In 1751 an English-German Grammar was is- 
 sued, especially as an aid for the Germans to learn 
 English. This was a 12mo volume of 287 pages. Two 
 editions of this work were printed later, in 1762 and 
 
 326 
 
Writers of the Eighteenth Century 
 
 1772. In 1770 tin- st-cond Sower issued two editions 
 of Cliristopher Dock's " Sclnil-Ordiiuni^ " or Pcdagoj;y. 
 This is one of tlio earliest specimens of pedagofjics 
 proiUiced in this country. In 1775 he printed a High 
 (iernian A H C Hook for Cliildren who are beginning 
 to learn. 
 
 The same year with Dock's Pedagogy appeared a 
 horse-doctor kK)k, " Rosz-Artzncy-Buchlcin," a small- 
 sized volume of over two hundred pages. In 1743 Sower 
 printed the charter of Pennsylvania in a large quarto 
 pamphlet of 55 pages and gave the copies away to all 
 the subscribers of his paper. 
 
 It is also interesting to note that one of the first 
 magazines in this country was Sower's " Geistlichc 
 Magazicn," published from 1764 to 1772. 
 
 Pure literature also was not wanting. The very 
 year in which the Sower press was set up is charac- 
 terized by the publication of at least two popular Ger- 
 man ballads. In 1755 the first Christopher issued 
 Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. This was before an 
 English edition of this famous work had appeared on 
 the American continent. 
 
 [The End.] 
 
INDEX 
 
 Acailomy, Oormantown 2G4 
 
 Agiipc 3:t 
 
 Almanac 5G, 132 
 
 Contents of specimen number 140 
 
 Description and history of 132 
 
 Krauterbuch 141. 275, 31 1 
 
 Last Issue 137 
 
 Popularity of 144 
 
 People's confidence In 138 
 
 Revised History of England 143 
 
 Amwell, Now Jersey, first Dunker church organized by 
 
 John Naas. In 1733 28 
 
 Andreas Frcyen seine declaration, etc. By Andrew Frey. ..235 
 
 Apologia, or Scriptural Answers 252 
 
 Appendix 291-327 
 
 Appendix to Refuted Anabaptists, 252 
 
 Arnold, Gottfried, Pietist leader 3 
 
 Baptism 15, 18, 31 
 
 of first members In River Eder 14, 15, 18 
 
 of Alexander Mack. Who performed? 20 
 
 of Ernst Christoph Hochmann von Hochenau, 12 
 
 Alexander Mack's view of, 10 
 
 Hochmann's view of 10 
 
 Becker, Peter 200-206 
 
 First leader of Dunkcrs in America 26, 28, 167 
 
 Literary labors of 203 
 
 Hymn 204 
 
 Belssel, Conrad, elder of Conestoga church 43, 229 
 
 Withdrawal from church 44, 65, 221 
 
 Dispute with Christopher Sower about hymns in 
 
 Weyrauchs-Hiigel 62, 193-197 
 
 Bibles, Berleberg 53, 68, 69, 112, 292 
 
 Halle 68, 84 
 
 Wittenberg 85 
 
 Sower, Account of the printing of 88 
 
 Description of, 88 
 
 Difficulties attending the printing of, 76-82 
 
 First edition of 99 
 
 Honor to German nation 105 
 
 Ink used in, 78, 108 
 
 829 
 
Index 
 
 Opposition to 84, 90 
 
 Paper used in, 78, 108 
 
 Presented to Dr. Luther, 97 
 
 Price of 85 
 
 Rarity and value of 100, 111 
 
 Second edition of 100 
 
 Type used in 78, 97, 98, 108, 109 
 
 Third edition of 105 
 
 Tliird edition of compared witli other two, 108 
 
 Title page of 87, 102, 109, 110 
 
 Billmeyer, Michael 158, 321 
 
 Bony, Andrew 23 
 
 Baptized in River Eder 15 
 
 Bony, Joanna, baptized in River Eder, 15 
 
 Bradford, Andrew 38 
 
 Brethren, 17 
 
 Number in Europe 25, 27 
 
 Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress 327 
 
 Cassell, Abraham H 53, 131 
 
 Christliche Bibliothek. By George Adam Martin 287 
 
 Christopher Sower's Printing Press 37-67 
 
 Chronicon Epliratense 43, 225 
 
 Communion, The, 35 
 
 Copia der Proclemation unsers Governeurs 116 
 
 Corner in paper 60 
 
 Das Kleine Davidische Psalterspiel, 325 
 
 Declaration of Independence, 127 
 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Pennsylvanisclie Geschicht-Schreiber, 
 
 113-120 
 
 First German newspaper in America 113 
 
 History and description of 132, 134 
 
 Der Hoch-Deutsch Pennsylvanlsche Geschicht-Schreiber, .113 
 
 Translation of 114-120 
 
 Sower's object in printing 121 
 
 Sower's plans and policy 122 
 
 Der Kinder Bieble, 106 
 
 Der Kleine Kempis 255 
 
 Der Pennsylvanische Staats Courier 131, 288, 320, 321 
 
 Destruction of Sower printing establishment, 107, 108, 128, 321 
 
 Die Ehe des Zuchthaus fleischlicher Menschen 45 
 
 Die Germantauner Zeitung, 125, 128, 158, 322 
 
 Proceedings of Pennsylvania State Legislature 159 
 
 Die Philadelphische Zeitung 49, 50, 131 
 
 Dock, Christopher 261 
 
 Books 327 
 
 Donner, Jacob 287 
 
 330 
 
Index 
 
 Duboy, Abrnhnm 22 
 
 Dunkers 1 
 
 Church orKiiiilzoJ <1 
 
 First literary work of 12 
 
 In Amorlca 200, 265 
 
 In Germany 183 
 
 I'nlMUo position first published 183 
 
 Kokorllns. Israel, leailer at Kphraln 43 
 
 l.eft Kphratn 225, 243, 244 
 
 EcUerliiifT. Michael, 22 
 
 KlnlaUlge, etc. By Michael Frantz 208 
 
 Ephrata Community, History of 65-67 
 
 ErnstUcho Ermahnung 55 
 
 Europe, Work produced In 290 
 
 Faith and Practice of church 30 
 
 Feast of Love 33 
 
 Feet-washing 30 
 
 First Gorman type made in America 156 
 
 Francko, August Herman, Pietist leader 3 
 
 Franklin. Benjamin, 38, 49, 113, 130 
 
 Franklin's corner in paper 60 
 
 Frantz, Michael, History of 206-213 
 
 Confession of Faith, etc. 208 
 
 Frey, Andrew, History of 233-240 
 
 Gass, Jacob 43, 52 
 
 Gantz, George Balser, 22 
 
 Gazette, The Royal, 132, 289 
 
 Geistliches Magazeln 145-157 
 
 A thank-offering 149 
 
 Character of contents 151 
 
 Circulation 154 
 
 First German magazine in America 145 
 
 Honor to American journalism 157 
 
 Value of existing copies 154, 155 
 
 Genesis of the Brethren church 1-36 
 
 German Baptists, Origin of 1 
 
 Called Pietists 3 
 
 Not Pietists 17 
 
 Emigration to America 26 
 
 End of organization in Europs, 28 
 
 First members, 15 
 
 First leader, Alexander Mack 4 
 
 Growth of church in Europe 21, 23 
 
 Growth of church in America, 28 
 
 Membership In Europe 25, 37 
 
 Persecution In Germany 4, 17, 22, 24 
 
 331 
 
Index 
 
 Principles of church 29-38 
 
 German newspaper, First in America 38 
 
 Germantown Academy 310 
 
 Germantown church, first in America 26 
 
 Organized, 28, 202 
 
 Germantown, location of Sower printing establishment, . . 26 
 Religious and literary center of Dunkers in America, .161 
 
 Germantauner Zeitung 125, 128, 158, 159, 322, 323 
 
 Geschicht-Schreiber \ 51 
 
 Greby, George 23 
 
 Baptized in River Eder 15 
 
 Ground-Searching Questions. By Alexander Mack, 169, 178-182 
 
 Gruber's Queries 178, 181 
 
 Hildebrand, John, History of 220-228 
 
 Writings of 225 
 
 Hochmann, Ernst Christoph von Hochenau, Pietist leader, 3 
 
 Church membership 12 
 
 Confession of Faith 5 
 
 Imprisonment at Detmold 5 
 
 Relations with Alexander Mack 4 
 
 View of baptism 10 
 
 Hoch-Deutsch Pennsylvanische Berichte 123 
 
 Inlc, used in Sower Bibles 78 
 
 Ephrata 79 
 
 Inner Communion with God. By Michael Frantz 208 
 
 Introduction Ill 
 
 Issues of the Leibert press 321-324 
 
 Kalkloser, John Henry 22 
 
 Kipping, John 15, 18, 23 
 
 Baptized in River Eder 15 
 
 Joanna, baptized in River Eder 15 
 
 Koch, Stephen, 22 
 
 History of 228-233 
 
 Klein, George 288 
 
 Krauterbuch, 141, 275, 311 
 
 Kurtzer Begriff 91 
 
 Laws of William Penn, extracts from, 294 
 
 Leibert and Billmeyer 159, 323 
 
 Peter, 136, 158, 281-285, 323, 324 
 
 Press, Issues of 321-324 
 
 Letter from Christopher Sower to Conrad Beissel 187-193 
 
 Letterman, Daniel 288 
 
 Libe, Christian 22, 27, 28 
 
 Luther, Dr. Ehrenfried 97, 98, 99 
 
 Mack, Alexander, Sr 163-183 
 
 332 
 
Index 
 
 Author of Oroiind-SoarclilnR Questions 169 
 
 Author of Kites nnd Orillimnces 169 
 
 Baptlzei! In Ulver Kder 16 
 
 Cume to America, 26, 167 
 
 EvaiiKellst 4, 14, 155 
 
 First minister 4, 14, 166, 167 
 
 Hardships aiul persoeutlons 166 
 
 I-eailer of mother church In Europe, 14, 26. 163, 166, 169 
 
 He formed 4 
 
 Religious experiences 164, 165 
 
 Summary of character 168 
 
 Mack, Alexander, Jr 241-260 
 
 Account of organization of church 18, 19 
 
 Poems of 254 
 
 Mack, Anna Margarita, baptized In River Eder 15 
 
 Martin, George Adam 286 
 
 Missionary spirit of the early church, 262 
 
 Miihlenberg, Helnrich Melcholr 84, 94 
 
 Agent for Halle Bibles 84 
 
 Naas, John 22, 27, 28 
 
 History of 213-220 
 
 Incidents In the life of 214 
 
 New Testament, printed by Sower 105, 106 
 
 Of Inner Communion with God. By Michael Frantz 208 
 
 On the Bringing up of Children. By Michael Frantz 210 
 
 Paper, Corner in, 60 
 
 Used in Sower Bible 78 
 
 Pennsylvanlsche Berlchte 124 
 
 Circulation of 154 
 
 Pennsylvanlsche Staats Courier 288, 320, 321 
 
 Persecution on account of religion 3 
 
 Pfautz, Michael 288 
 
 Pietists 3 
 
 Persecution in the German Empire 4, 17 
 
 Plain Truth 302 
 
 Plain View 179 
 
 Preface vll 
 
 Prices, The 288 
 
 Psalms of David 106 
 
 Philadelphische Zeitung 49, 50 
 
 Relm-Gedicht fiir die Llebe Jugend. By Alexander Mack, 
 
 Jr 247 
 
 Reformed, congregation received at Creyfelt 24 
 
 Rites and Ordinances. By Alexander Mack 11, 169-177 
 
 Compare with Hochmann's Confession of Faith, . . . . , 11 
 
 333 
 
Index 
 
 English edition 16 
 
 German edition 16 
 
 Reissued 16 
 
 Selections from 170-177 
 
 Royal Gazette 132, 289 
 
 Sabbatarians 44, 65, 230 
 
 Saur, Christopher der Jungere 127, 245, 260-281 
 
 Saur, Christopher der Jiingere und Peter Saur 127 
 
 Reverses of fortune 127 
 
 Schnorr, Casper Ludwig 95, 96 
 
 Schwarzenau, first Dunker church organized 21, 166 
 
 Congregation emigrated to America 27 
 
 Sower Bibles 68-112 
 
 Sower, Christopher, Sr 38, 39, 183-206 
 
 Arrived in America 37, 184 
 
 as an advertiser, 125 
 
 as a creditor 126 
 
 as an editor 121, 122, 185-199 
 
 as a farmer 42 
 
 Baptism 43 
 
 Career 40 
 
 Early life and education 40, 41, 183 
 
 Domestic troubles 45, 184 
 
 First German printer in America 38, 184 
 
 Influence of 130, 162, 184, 185, 193 
 
 on public issues 186, 193-199 
 
 Seidensticker's comments upon 48 
 
 Various occupations 37, 38, 42, 43, 46, 47, 183, 184 
 
 Maria Christina, wife of Christopher Sower, Sr., 45 
 
 left her husband 46, 184 
 
 Sower, Christopher the Second 100 
 
 Sower, Christopher the Third 127, 288, 299 
 
 Sower Press 38 
 
 Established 39 
 
 Began operations, 65 
 
 Complete and influential 104, 260, 263 
 
 First English work from 298-303 
 
 First Issue from 64 
 
 Issues of with notes, 292-321 
 
 Last issues from 321 
 
 Purchase of, 51-54 
 
 Sower printing establishment destroyed, ...107, 108, 128, 321 
 
 Sower printing establishment reorganized, 157 
 
 Sower, Samuel 256 
 
 Sower type foundry 246 
 
 334 
 
Index 
 
 Sowor's trnct of warning to Germans 193-199 
 
 Sowor's warfare against slavery 309 
 
 State churches In the German Empire 3 
 
 Stnto Letters or Brief Compend 195 
 
 Sunihiy school, The first 246 
 
 Smulry old and new stories of the appearance of ghosts, 
 
 etc 231 
 
 Supper. The 157 
 
 Taufers 3, 201 
 
 Traut, John Henry 22 
 
 The Communion 35 
 
 The Christian's Duty 282 
 
 The Royal Gazette 132, 289 
 
 'i'he Society for Propagatinp Christian Knowledge, etc., ..130 
 
 The Sower nibles 68-112 
 
 The Sower Periodicals 113-160 
 
 The Supper 34 
 
 Type for Sower Bible 78 
 
 Third edition 108 
 
 I'mstad 22 
 
 I'rner, Martin 288 
 
 Vettcr, Luke 15, 18, 23 
 
 Baptized in River Eder 15 
 
 Weyreuchs-Hiigel, account of 58-65, 186 
 
 Witt, Dr. Christopher 47 
 
 Wittgenstein, a place of refuge 17 
 
 Work produced in Europe 290 
 
 Writers of the eighteenth century 161-327 
 
 Zeitung, Germantauner 125, 322, 323 
 
 Circulation of 128 
 
 Last issue of 128 
 
 Publication of proceedings of Pennsylvania State 
 
 Legislature 159 
 
 Zeitung, Philadelphia 131 
 
 Zeitung, Philadelphlsche 49, 50 
 
 385 
 
Date Due 
 
 MY26'5( 
 
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