CHURCHES BETWEEN THE MOUNTAINS
A HISTORY OF THE
LUTHERAN CONGREGATIONS IN
PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
by
REV. D. H. FOCHT, A.M.
CHAPTER VIII
GENIUS OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH IN PERRY COUNTY
HAVING given a sketch of the history of each
congregation as well as of the chief features of the life of Rev. Father Heim,
we would yet add an outline of the genius and spirit of the Lutheran Church in
Perry County as a whole.
In 1840, twenty-two years ago, there were in the county eight regularly
organized Lutheran congregations,--now (June, 1862) there are twenty-five and
eight preaching stations; then one pastor supplied the whole territory in the
county with preaching,--now six ministers occupy the field and all have more
labor than they can well perform; then about 650 communicants were reported at
Synod,--now about 1800 are reported. As some members are, however, during
the year, prevented from coming to the Lord's table on account of age, sickness
and other causes, we may put down the number of members, in Perry County, entitled
to full communion , at 2200, who are distributed among the six different charges
in about the following proportion:
Blain charge, . . . 450
Loysville ", . . . 450
Bloomfield ", . . . 600
Petersburg ", . . . 275
Liverpool ", in Perry County, 275
Millerstown ", . . . 150
The whole number of members at this time entitled to communion, 2200.
Besides those who are entitled to communion, we also count our baptized children, and youth, who are not yet admitted to the Lord's Supper, as members of the Church. Counting two of these to every communicant member, we have at this time in Perry County a Lutheran population of 6600. This estimate, we are sure, is rather too low than too high.*
*For the information of the members and all who may desire knowledge on the subject, we will subjoin the following estimate of the Lutheran population in the world: Sweden, 3,000,000; Norway, 1,500,000; Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Jutland and Greenland, 2,000,000; France, 500,000; Protestant Germany, 25,000,000; Prussia, 5,000,000; Austria, Hungary, Bohemia and Moravia, 1,500,000; Poland and Russia, 2,500,000; United States, 1,600,000; West India Islands, 100,000; Brazil, 100,000; South American States, 50,000; New South Wales, 5,000; Nova Scotia and the Canadas, 10,000; Holland, 600,000; England, 40,000; Italy, 500; Turkey in Europe, 15,000; Hindoostan, 10,000. --Total, 43,530,500.
In 1840, all the congregations worshipped in so-called union-churches, that is,
in churches erected and owned conjointly with other denominations; but now the
Lutherans alone own twelve or fifteen in the county. The members and
pastors have long since painfully realized the disadvantages and frequent sad
effects arising from such misnamed unions, and are therefore unanimously opposed
to them wherever they can be prevented. They are convinced, by past
experience, that it is best for all to erect nor more such churches, and that
then, when each denomination has its own house of worship, there will be more
cordial union among them, and each will be more useful, not being continually
entangled in the affairs of another.
In 1840, all the preaching was in the German language; but at present two-thirds
of the congregations require German no more at all, and the remaining one-third
only one-half or occasionally. From present indications we are led to
believe that before many years not a Lutheran congregation will need preaching
in the German language. It is ten or twelve years since this language has
ceased to be taught in our common-schools, and as the aged pass away, and the
youth who know only the English take their place, the use of the German language
must necessarily and before long be among the things that were.
All the congregations take a deep and active interest in the various benevolent
operations of the Church. The cause of beneficiary education, of Home and
Foreign Missions, of Temperance, also of the Bible an Tract Societies, and all
other causes that tend to extend the Redeemer's kingdom, receive their cordial
cooperation and material aid.
Every congregation has its Sunday-school in successful operation, and the cause
of education in general receives encouragement and active support from all the
churches. Of late years, especially, have education and intelligence made
rapid progress, and we are happy to believe that on these points the Lutheran
population of Perry County will, on the whole, bear a favorable comparison with
any other community in this part of the State. To verify this, we need but
recur to a few facts. About six years ago, the late Col. John Tressler,
prompted by a laudable desire to promote education, erected at his own expense
at Loysville a spacious and convenient edifice, where an Academy of the first
order was opened and has since been deservedly well patronized. This
excellent institution has done and is now doing a good work in that
community. Besides this Academy, five or six other high schools, in
different parts of the county, are largely patronized by the members, whose
children received at these institutions of learning a liberal education.
The following members of the Church in the county have graduated with honor at
Pennsylvania College, Gettyburg: J. Andrew Tressler, Josiah R. Tizel, John
M. Rice, David L. Tressler, Rudolphus J. Heim, David Elliot, John W. Tressler
and John Kistler, pursued a pretty full course at the same College, and J. T. L.
Sahm, Lemuel O. Foose and D. L. McKenzie are there now. The following,
from this county, have entered the ministry of the Lutheran Church: Revs.
David Smith, John W. Tressler, John M. Rice, John Kistler and Michael G. Earhart,
all of whom are now laboring successfully in the vineyard of the Lord, and the
following are now prosecuting their theological studies with a view to the
ministry: J. R. Williams and A. T. Kistler at the Theological Seminary at
Gettysburg, and John G. Breininger in the theological department of the
Missionary Institute at Selinsgrove, Pa. This representation speaks well;
but we sincerely hope that it is only the beginning of a glorious educational
career in the Church of this county. With the introduction of preaching in
the English language, ten or fifteen years ago, a new era on the subject of
education commenced. Of late years the members have evinced an unusual
degree of interest in this noble cause, and we may cherish the pleasing hope
that they will illustrate in Perry County the well-known fact, that the Lutheran
Church is an educating and educated Church. Her admirable systems of
catechetical instruction plays no small part in advancing education. The
members in this county, especially the English-speaking portion of them, are a
reading people, and secure and study the literature of their own Church, to
which they are sincerely attached; they are active, intelligent, and go forward
in every good cause; they receive the Lutheran Observer as their weekly adviser
in general Church intelligence; and most of them have possessed themselves of a
good family library of choice religious and miscellaneous literature. The
prospects are certainly fair of soon seeing an ample harvest spring from this
field of cultivated mind.
Each Lutheran congregation in the county has a weekly prayer-meeting, conducted
by the pastor, or in his absence by a member of the Church-Council. These
religious meetings for mutual edification are generally well attended by the
members, and we think there are few, if any, of the male members who would not
lead in prayer at these meetings when requested to do so. During these
exercises, in addition to the singing of hymns and the offering of prayer, a
portion of God's word is read, which the pastor, if present, expounds.
Most of them have also daily family-worship, conducted by the head of the
household; and if any neglect this Christian duty, they are by the Church
considered as remiss and subject to admonition and reproof by the
Church-Council. Parents are expected and required to teach their children
the doctrines of our holy religion as set forth in the Catechism.
Each pastor is expected, as often as possible, to meet the youth of his charge
for instruction in the Catechism. This duty is, perhaps, nowhere more
faithfully and thoroughly performed than by the Lutheran pastors in Perry
County. The results of this kind of pastoral labor are often most
cheering. If properly conducted catechization is a blessed means of doing
good, and in the very nature of the case there can never be found a substitute
for it. The Catechism is not only committed by the catechumens, but the
pastor explains, illustrates, and by practical remarks applies and enforces the
truths so committed. Considerable time is also devoted to the singing of
appropriate hymns and the offering up of prayer to God. These exercises
are usually continued for many weeks, and at last daily. During this time
it almost invariably occurs that some or perhaps all of the catechumens are by
the truth awakened to a realizing sense of their sins and lost condition, and of
their need of a personal and saving interest in the merits of the blood of Jesus
Christ. Here, then, is what may be called a revival. If the
religious interest thus commenced extends to others, as is often the case, then
the pastor holds what may be called a protracted meeting. The
members are exhorted to give themselves to a special prayer in their families
and closets, more frequent meetings for social prayer are held, at which the
awakened persons are expected to attend for instruction and direction. The
pastor visits the families in the community where the meeting is held and in
progress, prays with them and admonishes the careless of their duty and warns
the impenitent of their danger. During each day an anxious meeting is
held--or, if you prefer the expression, there is catechization,--when the pastor
instructs or advises the awakened souls. Such meetings are held in the
church if the number of the awakened is large; if their number is small, then
the pastor visits them in their families or gives them the needed instruction in
the catechetical class, if they are catechumens. The preaching will of
course be adapted to the occasion. The great object will be to humble the
sinner by showing him what he is and to what he is exposed; to point him to the
only refuge, to teach him that the only condition on which he can be saved is
the exercise of repentance toward God and faith in Lord Jesus Christ, and to
urge him to accept of the proffered salvation now. Those, then, who have
been so instructed, who have intelligent views of the plan of salvation, and who
give satisfactory evidence of having been born again by the Holy Ghost, are
admitted to full communion by the solemn rite of confirmation. During such
protracted meetings no unnecessary noise or any kind of confusion and disorder
are encouraged or tolerated. Our pastors and members know that religion is
not wild fanaticism on the one hand, nor dead formalism on the other.
Hence they preach with all earnestness, the absolute necessity of a change of
such a change. Protracted meetings, so conducted, have in this county been
blessed with the most cheering and glorious results. May the Lord multiply
them, and fill the earth with His glory!
In their public worship, the congregations observe a Scriptural simplicity,
studiously avoiding everything that would divert attention from the Cross of
Christ. For the sake of uniformity in worship, and as a guide in the
administration of he ordinances of God's house, the Liturgy of the General Synod
is used on sacramental occasions, and on no other. The pastor have
hitherto followed the example of Father Heim, decking themselves, not with
gowns, but raiment becoming ministers of the Gospel and the house of God and
anxiously seeking, not to attract attention to themselves, but to direct all
attention to the blessed Gospel of the adorable Son of God. So may they
continue to do!
All the congregations in the county have adopted the Formula of the General
Synod, appended to the Lutheran Hymn-Book, as their rule for government and
discipline, or a constitution in full harmony therewith.
As to their doctrinal position, the Catechism is the guide in the impartation of
family and catechetical instruction. In addition to this, the pastors and
congregations unanimously believe with the General Synod and the Synod of
Central Pennsylvania: "1. That the Scriptures of the Old and
New Testaments are the Word of God, and the only infallible rule of faith and
practice. 2. That the following fundamental doctrines of the Word of
God are correctly taught in the doctrinal articles of the Augsburg Confession,
viz., The existence of one God,--the Trinity of the Godhead,--the Deity of our
Lord Jesus Christ,--the universal depravity of man,--the Savior's vicarious
sufferings and death,--the justification of the sinner by faith in the Son of
God,--the necessity of the Holy Spirit to regenerate and sanctify the soul,--the
one Holy Catholic (or universal) Church,--the divine institution of the
Ministry, and of the sacraments of Baptism, and the Lord's Supper,--the
necessity of repentance and good works,--the return of Christ to judge the world
in righteousness,--the resurrection of the dead,--the everlasting blessedness of
the righteous, and the eternal punishment of the wicked."
The above is a brief summary of the doctrines every one must cordially believe
that would be a member of the Church. It is a good, a Scriptural
confession. And whilst Lutherans glory in their inheritance, and would not
part with it, they are at the same time ever disposed to fraternize and
co-operate with all other evangelical denominations in the promotion and
advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom among men.
