Early History of the Reformed Church

E ARL Y HI S T O RY O F T HE REFORMED CHU RCH IN P E N N YL V AN IA S . E BY D ANIEL MILL R . WIT H INT ROD U C T ION BY HIN D D . W . K . PROF J E, READIN G PA ’ 1 ’ E 23 NORTHSIXT HSTR ET . 229 56 OP R GHT 1 90 6 C Y I , , BYD ANIEL MILLER. RE E P F A C . To the author of this v olu me the early history of the Re formed Church in Pennsylvania has been the e n e e are subj ect of pl asant study for a lo g time. Th r many facts conn ected W ith this history Which are no t o nl e e e e c cu t d y int ns ly int r sting, but also al la e to prompt u e fu T he s to mor lly appreciate our religious h eritage . history is prese nted in plain lang uage and in a fo r m h be e e e w ich may r adily und rstood . It is oft n said that many writers assum e too much intelligence on the part the e e e e to e the co n of av rag r ad r, and fail giv all facts n t e ec ed With a subj ect . We have sought to pres nt all the e e e e e e the sali nt facts r lat d to a subj ct, v n at risk of e e e e e e e e r p ating som stat m nts, so as to mak matt rs asily understood . We hop e the reader Will fi nd as much pleasure in reading this book as the author enjoyed in preparing i t e e e e e . , although it involv d a vast d al of tim and r s arch In the preparation of this vol ume the author derived much aid fr om the recently published proceedings of the e m n e e e e Co tus, and a y unpublish d r ports and l tt rs h r e bearing on t e ea ly history of our Church . For acc ss h h I o d He t e e . G o . to latter e is indebted to Dr . Jam s Pr f e v u J . e . W is also und r obligations to o . Hink for al n able information upo ce rtain points . N RO O N I T D U C T I . T he history of th e Refor m ed Chu rch i n the U ni ted States has long As ear as the ear 1 8 1 7 a ttee was be en a subj ect of study . ly y commi appointed by Synod to p r ep are a histor ical sk etch of the or igin and growth e t Rev a He e Rev th e . tt e . of Synod This commi , consis ing of Willi m nd l, . R a ar r . ex a h J He r Hofi meier and ev. a S e t e ar ve ohn n y C sp W ck, , min d chi s ate the r t e r e r at a a ter b ut of Synod, loc d in Fi s R fo m d Chu ch L nc s , found nothing th at threw light upon th e subj ect of their s earch . Finally o ne of Rev D r e r e e e t a h th e ttee t . e e r t e h ad commi , no doub H nd l , m mb d h in his e a et th e t a a e w t r e o ut to be th e poss ssion bookl in Du ch l ngu g , hich u n d M e a ter r e a r 1 ar Rev . a t t t te a 7 51 . Ou th e di y of ich l Schl , p in d Ams d m in b as is of this r epor t of M r . Schl atter a short sk etch of si x and a h alf p ages was re are w 3 000 e were r te . p p d , of hich cop i s p in d ter t fi rst atte t wr t th e t r o ur r it Af his mp of i ing his o y of Chu ch , is tere t to te t at th e fi rst ar er ea w t th e t r in s ing no h l g book, d ling i h his o y of o ur r was e Ger a in 1 846 e wr tte b th e Chu ch, publish d in m ny , b ing i n y fi rst r e r t e e e te b th e O 1 838 Rev I . G p of sso of h ology l c d y hio Synod in , . B ett er D . D . who r et r e to Ger a 1 84 1 . It a v u n , , u n d m ny in is olume of 1 54 a e e t t e T he H Ger a e r e r the U te p g s, n i l d igh m n R fo m d Chu ch in ni d ” tate N rt er a r its r t to the Pre e t e S s of o h Am ic f om Fi s Founding s n Tim . e 1 846. Schl iz , Am re ex te ve t r th e ear er wr tte a t the a o nsi his o y of ly p iod , i n bou s me e Re D r e Ma er was rt te e er t b v . w a v e . im y . L is y , unfo un ly n publish d e ewe et was ve to t r a t e b th e w r D r R n d imp us gi n his o ic l s udi s y o ks of . ” Har a e e a e Rev. Mi ae atter and T h b ugh, sp ci lly his Lif of ch l Schl e ” Father s of th e Refor m ed Church . But it was not till 1 88 5 that o ur r h ad th e fi rst e te a t its t r In t at ear Re Chu ch conn c d ccoun of his o y . h y v . e h H e ex e e a Ma D r . J os p . D d t H t r a the ! ubbs publish his c ll n is o ic l nu l of ” ef r e r th e U te tate w h e ar e al l t at R o m d Chu ch in ni d S s, in hich summ iz d h was th en known of th e history of o ur Church . Twelve years l ater anoth er ad vance was m ade by th e important dis ' var the d o cu xnents re at to our r H a w co y of , l ing Chu ch , in oll nd, hich modi ned to a l arge ex tent o ur knowledge of th e earlies t p eriod of our history and m e e us to r e tr t erta art a t et er T r e co p ll d cons uc c in p s l og h , his con R tr t was ar e arri e out b ev D r . J I. G t r w e s uc ion l g ly c d y . ood, h ough hos e er and ea th e H a e t h a ma a e I n gy z l oll nd docum n s d b een de cc ssibl e . n ” 1 89 D G mblished Ear 7 r . ood f ly Fath ers of the Refor m ed Church and INTRODU C TION . V ” H t r cal Ha the e r e r w were we is o i ndbook of R fo m d Chu ch , hich follo d two year s l ater by his still more important work History of th e Reformed r th e U te tate 1 72 5—1 7 Chu ch in ni d S s, Oth er historians h ave since followed in th e new avenues op ened by the rece t ver e and ave ete an d e a rate o u r t r t r n disco i s, h compl d l bo d his o y h ough er ra o r r e e ve re r e e tat e Rev D r . num ous monog phs comp h nsi p s n ions, lik . ’ Dubbs attractive and d elightful book T he Refor m ed Chu rch in P enn ” va a a a ter 1 902 . syl ni , L nc s , But th e n ew e t ave b ea e e ex a te n or th e docum n s h y no m ns b n h us d, is w e e o ur a r ete T he re e t v l e r ve th e kno l dg of loc l histo y compl .

Load more