Chapter 6: Of the Obligations of the Congregation to its Preachers,

Elders and Deacons. Chapter 7. Rules for those who receive alms from the congregation.

In the articles on which the Preachers of the Augsburg Confession in Amsterdam are called, and by which they are to be governed in their whole office and ministrations, adopted in 1607, not only are all the statements of doctrine given in the constitution repeated, but there is this additional provision: "They shall, with good judgment and reasonable prudence, exclude from the use of the Sacraments and of the Ministrations of our Church, Papists, Anabaptists, Schwenkfelder, Calvinists, New Manicheans or Flacianer, and all others, who not only do not hold our doctrine, but also are an occasion of offence, and lead away the simple and weak."

This Amsterdam constitution is one of the most carefully prepared, well digested instruments of the kind ever produced, very full in all needed provisions for the adminstration [tr. note: sic] of the affairs of the congregation, and pervaded by a devout spirit; sound in the faith and watchful of the life of Pastors, Officers and members. It well deserves the prominent place it holds among the sources of Lutheran organization in the New World.

_The London Constitution._--St. Mary's Church in the Savoy, was organized in 1692 by the members of the older Hamburg church who lived west of Temple Bar, and received from King William an old Jesuit chapel, which stood on the ground which had belonged to the Duke of Savoy, which was reconstructed in 1694; a new church was erected in the same place in 1768. Its first pastor was M. Irenaeus Crusius, in whose time the constitution was adopted, in 1695. The preface says: "We, the present Pastor and Deputy Vorsteher, have taken the Kirchenordnung used by our brethren in Holland, have caused it to be translated into German, and, except for urgent reasons, have altered nothing therein, in order that our unity might the more clearly appear." The translation is made from the edition of 1682, and Benthem's translation agrees so nearly with it, that the one must have been used by the other; Benthem's preface is dated 1697, the London is dated 1695, and seems to be the earlier.

It is divided into two parts, the first containing the Kirchenordnung covers the ground of the Amsterdam book; the second contains the Order of Service which is not found in that of Amsterdam, where the Antwerp Agenda took its place. The part containing the Kirchenordung is all to which the preface refers when it is said that it was taken almost exactly from the Amsterdam book. It also is divided into two parts, the first of which contains the same eight chapters already described in the Amsterdam book, the ninth in the edition of 1597 having been omitted in 1682. These chapters agree almost verbally with the Amsterdam book. The statements of doctrine are exactly the same, and I have noticed throughout this part no material change, except that the duties of the Amsterdam comforter of the sick are assigned to the pastor. The Second Part differs materially from that of the Amsterdam Book, the chief differences being that there is but one order of congregational officers, Vorsteher, to whom all the duties of both elders and deacons are assigned; there is no comforter of the sick, but only a sexton; the contributing members take part in the election of the pastor as well as in that of Vorsteher; and there is no Consistory, but simply a meeting of the Vorsteher, in which not only does the pastor not preside, but his presence is not mentioned. In so far as these and other minor changes allow, the very words of the Amsterdam book are used. The contents of this part are: Chapter I. Of the Calling and office of Preachers and Deputy Church Vorsteher. Twelve Vorsteher are to be elected by the contributing members, who in important matters shall confer with the Preacher, take counsel from him and from the congregation in case of need, otherwise they shall refrain from molesting each other, except for good cause. The Vorsteher shall meet once a month, and absent members are fined; they each preside in turn for one month. In cases of importance the whole contributing membership are called in, and not alone those who have held office as at Amsterdam. Apart from these changes the provisions are the same as for the Consistory at Amsterdam; questions of doctrine being decided by the pastor alone, as at Amsterdam. Chapter II. Of the Call, Office, Salary and Dismissal of Preachers. Except that the nomination and election of the preacher is made by the whole contributing membership, and that controversies concerning questions of doctrine are to be determined, when they threaten the peace or unity of the congregation, by the decision of one or three German Universities of the Lutheran faith, instead of by the Synod, as in Holland, this article is taken bodily from the Amsterdam book. Chapter III. Of the Call and Office of the Deputy Church Vorsteher. Six Vorsteher are elected annually by the contributing members, without previous nomination, to serve for two years, and at the election when the names of those receiving most votes are announced, an opportunity is given for objection to any of them to be made, and if any be seriously objected to, a new vote shall be taken in those cases. The provision for installation is omitted, so that in all probability there was no imposition of hands. Otherwise, this chapter is taken bodily from that concerning deputy elders at Amsterdam, with the mere substitution of the word Vorsteher. Chapter IV. Of Provision for the Poor. The Vorsteher shall appoint two of their number, every two months, to take charge of the offerings, collections, legacies, etc., for the poor. The offerings for the poor on Sunday were placed in a separate vessel provided in the church. With some slight variations the whole work of the deacons at Amsterdam is here renewed, except that it is assigned to two of the Vorsteher, in turn, for two months. Chapter V. Of the Sexton. That portion of this chapter which refers to Koster and Knapp at Amsterdam is retained, and that concerning the Ziekentrooster omitted. Chapter VI and VII are as at Amsterdam.

We here close the examination of the organization of Lutheran congregations existing in this country when Muehlenberg came, of the influences by which it had been produced, and of the European Lutheran constitutions which then and afterwards formed the basis on which it rested. We go on to describe the gradual formation, under Muehlenberg and the Halle Missionaries, of the constitution, afterwards accepted generally by the American congregations.

HENRY MELCHIOR MUEHLENBERG.

In 1742 H. M. Muehlenberg arrived in Pennsylvania, where he not only ministered to several congregations, but soon became virtual superintendent of all the congregations. He brought the troubled affairs of his own pastorate into order. He gradually guided and was guided to a complete organization of his congregations. He prepared and introduced the well ordered constitutions by which their affairs have been regulated ever since, and which now forms the Order of Government throughout the body of older congregations. His labors and counsels were sought for, in ever-widening districts, until his oversight extended from the middle of New York to Georgia. He gathered the pastors and representatives of the congregations together and formed the United Evangelical Lutheran Ministry, of which union he became Senior; and he prepared the Order of Worship used throughout the churches. Whether authority from the Fathers at Halle and London at the beginning formally charged him with the oversight of the churches, I do not know; but the common consent of all concerned, and their urgent demand of such labor from him, actually made him Senior of the Ministry and Superintendent of the Churches, as well as missionary in chief to the scattered Lutherans in this land. He was called of God to this high office, and the call came through the churches, formally perhaps, certainly really.

And he was admirably fitted for this great work by natural talents and character, by liberal culture with severe formative trials in the attainment of it, and also by the peculiar circumstances and influences which surrounded him before coming to America.

His large mental powers, his force and energy of purpose, his self-forgetfulness and power of endurance, his consuming zeal and devotion of his whole faculties to his work, his tender sympathy and ardent love of souls, together with his admirable judgment and prudence, made him a born ruler of men.

There is one characteristic of the Patriarch of the Lutheran Church in America which is of such importance to his own times and which, after a century has passed, continues to have so great significance, that it claims attention; it is his fidelity to the confessions of the Lutheran Church. The foundations of the organization of that church here were firmly placed upon those confessions in their entirety and in their true meaning. The relation of Muehlenberg to the confessions was in his own lifetime openly questioned by some of his co-laborers in Pennsylvania, like Stoever and Wagner, who affirmed that the Halle Pietists were not sound Lutherans; the same hue and cry was raised in New York by Berkenmeyer and Sommer, who were representatives here of the orthodoxy, which in Germany contended against Pietism; other good men, like Gerock and Bager, who had not been sent from Halle, sympathized with this feeling, and finally, with some encouragement from Gerock, Lucas Raus, in whom personal enmity toward Muehlenberg had been rankling for years, brought direct charges of want of fidelity to the confessions against him before the ministerium and offered to support them with evidence in writing. There have been those in these later years, who having themselves departed from the old confessions of our church, have affirmed that Muehlenberg had allowed himself the same liberty, and that he and his coadjutors had not themselves maintained, nor required of ministers and congregations an absolute, unconditional and complete acceptance of the confessions. The charges of his contemporaries were based on their general impression concerning the Halle school of pietism, and were entirely unsustained by any evidence furnished by Muehlenberg. The falsity of the charges, by whomsoever made, will be shown by the facts that in the ordination of ministers, in the reception of congregations into the union, and in the constitutions which they prepared for congregations, they required acknowledgement of the confessions and adherence to them in the most absolute terms. If we take Kurtz's ordination as a test, the evidence concerning which is full, we find among the questions to which he must furnish a satisfactory written answer, this one: "Ob unsere Evan. Luth. Lehre die allein gerecht-und seligmachende, und wo sie in Gottes Wortgegruendet sey?" Is our Evangelical Lutheran doctrine the only justifying and saving doctrine, and on what proofs of Holy Scripture does it rest? To this his answer is: "Ja und amen ist dieses solches, solches beweise ich, etc." "Yea and amen is it such, and I prove it thus, etc." In the revers which he was required to subscribe before ordination were contained the conditions on which he received and could exercise his office, and among them these two: "III. To teach nothing else, publicly or privately, in my congregation, except what accords with the Word of God and the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and to this end diligently study the same. IV. To introduce no other ceremonies in public worship and the administration of the sacraments than those which have been introduced by the collegio pastorum of the united congregations, and to make use of no other formulary than that which they appoint for me." The declaration of the Tulpehocken Church, when it applied for reception, is given in full in Halle Records, new edition, pp. 139-141, and shows the conditions on which congregations were received, because the paper had been prepared for that purpose and exhibits "the steadfast adherence of the united ministers to the confession and doctrine of the unaltered Augsburg confession, which had here been attacked by false brethren, by fanatical sects, by epicureans and by divers others, in which assaults they had not only themselves continued steadfast, but had held firm the Evangelical Lutheran Church members, and had gathered them and increased their number, be it said to the glory of God, who had stood by them." The doctrinal foundation on which Muhlenberg [tr. note: sic] placed the congregations in their constitutions may be seen in that of the Augustus Church, 1750, hereinafter given. In 1762 it was deemed better to limit the congregational obligation to the Augsburg Confession; I have no doubt that it was done because an acquaintance with the whole symbols could scarcely then be expected of the congregation, while they continued to demand an obligation to the whole symbols of the ministers. As to the doctrinal basis in the constitution of the ministerium, nothing was formally established, there was no written constitution until after the separation of the missions in this country from the patronage and government of the Old World after the independence of the States, in 1781.

But the charges made by Lucas Raus afforded Muehlenberg occasion to make his position very clear. These charges were referred to the Swedish pastors Provost Wrangel and Borell, to whom the written evidence was to be submitted, all of which they sent to Muehlenberg so as to enable him to make his answer. That answer shows that under what he deemed unjust assault and provocation, he was capable of vigorous indignation. The charge seems to have been sustained by nothing else than the statement that Halle Pietists were not orthodox Lutherans; and secondly, that Muehlenberg alleged that the Lutheran Church had some imperfections. Beside this charge of heterodoxy was another of life and conduct unworthy a Christian, which, from the proof, seems to have consisted in not estimating the complainer sufficiently highly and not treating him as he thought he deserved. But the wounded vanity of Raus had at least the good results that it caused to be written the statement in which Muehlenberg, with indignation repels the outrageous charge. From this statement, preserved with the other papers in the case in the Archives at Halle, and copied for the new edition of the Halle Reports, I quote this passage: "Ich biethe dem Satan und seinen dienstbaren Luegen-Geistern Trutz um etwas auf mich zu beweisen, das wider der Lehre der Apostel und Propheten und unserer Symbolischen Buecher streiten sollte. Ich habe oft und vielmals gesagt und geschrieben das ich an unsere Evangelische Lehre, nach dem Grunde der Apostel und Propheten und unserer Symbolischen Buecher, keinen Irrthum, Fehler oder Mangel faende." "I defy Satan, and all the lying spirits who serve him, to prove against me anything in conflict with the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets and of our Symbolical Books. I have often and again said and written that I have found in our Evangelical doctrine, founded on the Apostles and Prophets, and set forth in our Symbolical Books, neither error, fault or anything wanting." If these words are not clear enough and strong enough to answer any charge of confessional disloyalty, it would be difficult to say how it could be done.

I must avoid any entrance into the personal life of Muehlenberg, but there were influences exerted on him by his surroundings which trained and fitted him for his great life-work as the organizer of the Lutheran Church in America, to which I must allude.

Until his twenty-second year he lived at Eimbeck, formerly a free city, but then in the Grubenhagen Principality of the Duchy of Brunswick-Lueneburg. The church at Eimbeck had been reformed and set in order by Nicholas Amsdorf, but long before Muehlenberg's time, it had come under the jurisdiction of the Lueneburg KO. The edition issued by Frederick Duke of Br. Luen., in 1643, being in force during Muehlenberg's youth. Afterward at Goettingen, though the city had its own Ordnung, originally prefaced and sent by Luther, its worship was substantially that of the Calenberg Principality of Br.-Luen. So that until his twenty-eighth year he lived where the Government and Worship of the church were ordered under the directions of the two branches of the great family of KOO of Brunswick-Lueneburg. In the preparation of these books such men as Luther, Melancthen, Bugenhagen, Amsdorf, Corvinus, Chemnitz, Andreae and John Arndt took part. They are of the noblest and purest type of Lutheran Ordnungen, and we can well discern the effect of attendance on services of worship so ordered upon Muehlenberg when he came to prepare the Liturgy for the churches here.

When he came to Halle he entered within the domain of the Margravate of Brandenburg. Within the territory of this Margravate were found the most extraordinary arrangements in church affairs which existed in any part of the Lutheran Church in Germany. In the Duchies of Cleve, Julich and Berg, the Presbyterians or Reformed from the Netherlands, welcomed as refugees, had secured a full, self-governing, Presbyterial system in the congregation, classis and synod. Under its influence the Lutheran Church had largely adopted the same system. The Lutheran KO in force in Muehlenberg's time says: "Each Congregation shall have its own Elders and Vorsteher, who with the Pastors of the place constitute a Presbytery or Consistory. There were to be four or six Elders, one half elected each year by the Presbytery. Those going out of office could nominate their successors."

The duties of the elders were: with the pastors, to have oversight of the spiritual concerns of ministers and congregations, to visit from house to house, to attend the Synod, to report transgressors to the pastor, to admonish them, to exclude the recusant from spiritual privileges, in short, to exercise discipline in connection with the pastor. Their whole spiritual office was ordered after the manner of Calvin at Geneva, and of the Refugee Presbyterian Congregations.

In each congregation were deacons in charge of the alms, appointed by the government, or, like the elders, by the Presbytery or Consistory. The whole care of gathering, keeping and distributing all alms was given to them.

The Classis, which met once or twice a year, was composed of all the ministers of the district, with one elder from each congregation, with schoolmasters and kuesters as found good. Above the Classis was the Synod, which met annually, composed of pastors and elders. A general Synod of representatives, four pastors and two elders, from the Synod of each province united the whole. We cannot but think that Muehlenberg's familiarity with these arrangements in Mark Brandenburg was a part of the training which influenced him in the organization of the church here. And in Halle itself, Spener had earnestly advocated the advantages of such arrangements. He fervently desired and commended the above peculiar provisions, so unfamiliar to the Lutheran Church generally in Germany.

CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY OF ST. MICHAEL'S CHURCH, PHILA.

When Muehlenberg came to Philadelphia in December, 1742, he presented his credentials and was accepted as pastor, in behalf of the congregation assembled in the Swedish Church, by the three elders and four vorsteher.

The first change made by Muehlenberg and Brunnholtz was in 1746, partly for the purpose of legally securing the property. The deed of the property, and the responsibility for debts incurred in erection of the church, were in the name of four vorstehers. Under the law, trustees could hold church property in trust, and twelve trustees were appointed, to whom all these things were transferred. These trustees were named by Brunnholtz and Muhlenberg, [tr. note: sic] the pastors being of the number. There was no limit of time established, but a vacancy made by death or removal was filled by election by the remaining trustees. But these persons are afterward called elders. For legal purposes they were trustees, and the property held by them as such. But they were a body of elders, not elected by the congregation, but chosen by the pastors at first, and self-perpetuating. They selected the vorsteher and presented their names to the congregation to afford opportunity for objection. If not objected to they were installed. These trustees, including the pastors, with the vorsteher, elected by themselves, constituted the church council. As at the time of the reformation, recourse was had to the princes as rulers, so here in the beginning it was thought wisest and safest to vest the government of the congregation in a few set over them by authority. Under this arrangement, the administration of affairs went on from 1746 until steps were taken to prepare a new constitution, in 1762.

An address to the congregation in 1757, presents a survey of the whole course of procedure. Brunnholtz says: "1. On the XII. Sun. p. Trin., 1746, twelve men were publicly announced by me from the pulpit as elders. 2. In connection with these men, I chose four men as vorsteher, one-half to go out each year, as has since then been the custom. 3. These elders and vorsteher, when assembled under the direction of the pastor, were called the church council, because in their meetings they took counsel together and made decisions. Thus was laid the foundation of our administration for the future erection of the church."

The trustees or elders were not installed. The vorsteher were installed publicly. The record of Zion's Church gives fully the questions asked in 1757.

An account of the installation of the Vorsteher is given in the record, which, as it is the earliest we have found, may well be described. The two new men came forward, and Brunnholtz said: "The men chosen by us from four proposed stand here before you, against whom it is to be hoped that you have no objection to make, as you did not appear (at the annual meeting, when the names were announced). They are John Kuhn and C. R. Uhl. Dear Brethren J. K. and C. R. U., I will ask you the following questions, to which you will assent by saying 'yes.' 1. Is with reference to purity of life and setting a good example. 2. Will you strive to aid in advancing the welfare of the congregation in all things internal and external? 3. Will you live in peace with the two other Vorsteher? 4. Will you keep strict account of all monies received and keep them safely in the chest? 5,6. Concerning keeping order in church and caring for payment of salaries. Then answer by saying 'yes' and giving me your hand. And you, members of the congregation, will you love and honor them, stand by them in all that is good, etc.; then answer 'yes.' You, J. K. and C. R. U., are hereby declared and confirmed as Vorsteher. And you, beloved brethren," naming them, "who go out of office, receive my hearty thanks and those of the congregation."

This preliminary arrangement is merely described in the record of the church council. It was not prepared in form as a written constitution, indeed a moderately full account of it is not given until 1757, though the duties of the Vorsteher are described in 1746. Then there was no written constitution at Philadelphia until 1762, so far as any known evidence shows.

I am strongly inclined to believe that this arrangement at Philadelphia was made chiefly by Brunnholtz, who, since June, 1745, had sole charge of the congregation there. Muehlenberg was, of course, a pastor there also, but in the division of labor, the actual care of the congregation was committed to Brunnholtz. That Muehlenberg was consulted and gave his consent is to be supposed, but that he gave way to the desires and plans of his associate is natural. At the Trappe, where Muehlenberg lived and had charge, he introduced an arrangement which was different from that at Philadelphia, and which may naturally be supposed to represent his views, as the other did those of Brunnholtz. As it is the earliest written document having at all the nature of a congregational constitution which has come down to us from the Halle men, an account of it may well deserve a place.

CONSTITUTION OF THE TRAPPE CONGREGATION, 1750.

"In the year of our Lord 1750, May 27, in the Evangelical Lutheran Church called Augustus Church, in Providence township, Philadelphia County, the following persons" (twelve names given) "were elected as church council, by the whole congregation, at a free election, by a majority of votes, under certain conditions for life. The before-named elected elders and church councilmen hereby promise, before the most Holy God and the Christian congregation, by their own signature, by the help of God, faithfully to observe and execute the following Articles and Duties, to the best of their ability, so long as they remain in office, to wit:

"1. They shall strive, as they hope for their soul's salvation, that the Evangelical doctrine, according to the foundation of the apostles and prophets and our symbolical books, be ever more fully apprehended by their own souls, and that it may be adorned by their godly conversation, to the end that they not only rule well their own households but also be examples to the whole congregation. Should, however, which may God avert, any one of them fall away from the pure Evangelical doctrine and organization, and unite with some sect or with none, or fall into open sin against the Ten Commandments of God, then the pastor and other church councilmen shall admonish him, as prescribed in Matt. 18, and should the admonition be of no avail, he shall be removed from office, and shall have no right in the church, school, or their property, until he heartily repents and amends.

"2. They shall keep all deeds of church and school property and all accounts of church and school building funds and of all collections and alms in a chest procured for that purpose, that they may be preserved for posterity. The chest shall have two locks and two keys, one to be kept by the minister and the other by the church councilmen.

"3. They shall watch carefully that in the Augustus Church and school, the Evangelical doctrine, according to the foundation of the apostles and prophets and our symbolical books, be perpetuated to our descendants. And to the end that this aforesaid doctrine and organization (Oeconomic) may be maintained, beside believing prayer, it is their duty to strive to continue in unity and intimate friendship with our spiritual fathers and patrons, and their true successors in London and Halle, as also with the other united congregations in this country, and their lawful pastors, and to make known any failure or decay in this respect.

"4. Should the Augustus Church be remembered by their last testaments by devout members with money or lands, or receive them in any other manner, then two church councilmen shall be elected, to whom such church property shall be entrusted." (Directions for investment and administration follow.) "But these moneys shall not be used for any other purpose than for the preservation and perpetuation of the true service of God, according to our evangelical doctrine and organization.

"5. The regular pastor and the church councilmen shall take care that no strange preacher outside of our communion, let him bear what name he will, shall preach or administer the sacraments in our Augustus church or school-house, that the congregation may not be thrown into strife. Whosoever will preach, or minister in any way, in our church must either have been sent by our fathers and benefactors in Europe, or be in connection with our united congregations and ministers, and have been examined to see that he holds the true Evangelical doctrine and leads a Christian life, for this church has been established and consecrated for this doctrine and for no other.

"6. On the day after New Year, in every year, the accounts of the collections and alms shall be presented in the presence of the church councilmen, and at the same time an inquiry shall be made as to how much or little of the minister's salary has been collected. The members shall also be reminded that they also should attend and learn how the accounts of the congregation stand.

"7. As often as necessary the pastor shall, through the vorsteher, call the church councilmen together, or himself invite them at a public service, to the end that together they may consider, consult and decide when there is need to build or to repair, to resolve or to execute.

"8. No one of the church councilmen shall have authority to do anything which requires a decision by all, but what is needful to be done shall be considered and decided by all in common. But if members are unable to be present through sickness or other causes, or if those present are not of one mind, the majority shall decide.

"9. When the church council (Kirchen Collegium) meets, the pastor shall begin with prayer to God, and then he shall present the matters to be considered. He himself shall have two votes, and he shall take diligent care that all things be done in an honorable, Christian and orderly way, for God loves order and hates disorder.

"10. Whoever would be and remain a regular member in our Christian church should strive to be at peace with all men, according to Christ's teachings, and rather endure wrong than to contend for trifles, and when any of us are subjected to so great wrong that he cannot bear it, the Christian magistracy is appointed to protect the good and to punish the wrong doers. But when brothers, members of one congregation, dispute about every little matter, and hasten to bring it before the magistrates, an occasion of offence is given, as Paul says in I Cor. 6: 1-8. If, therefore, the members of our congregation have any disagreement with each other, they should appear before the church council and be directed and reconciled in a Christian manner, if the matter may thus be adjusted. If, however, any will not do this, but is disposed rather to quarrel and judge, and will not yield when it is reasonable, and stubbornly persists in his own wrong-headed way, he should be excluded from the congregation until he confesses his wrong and amends.

"11. The week before the Lord's Supper is administered the church council should meet, when necessary, to settle any strife.

"12. When the Annual Great Church Convention is held (meeting of the ministerium), two of the church councilmen must, without fail, be sent as delegates, in the name of the congregation, to consult and advance the common welfare. But as these two men will have expenses, such expenses should be repaid out of the common treasury, if they request it, for the laborer is worthy at least of his food, even though he desire no reward.

"13. When letters in common are to be sent to our reverend fathers and benefactors in Europe, or to other congregations, or our members desire testimonials for naturalization, the church councilman should not hesitate to sign them.

"14. If any man has aught against a church councilman, and hesitates about speaking to him of it, in love he may report it discreetly to the pastor, who will speak to him of it kindly. And so when any man has aught against the pastor, he may tell it to such councilman as has most fully his confidence.

"15. If any matter of great importance is transacted by the church council, it shall be reported to the fathers in Europe, and if on all sides it is thought best, it shall be recorded in the church record, and be transmitted for the benefit of our descendants.

"16. No meeting of the church council shall or can be held without the regular pastor, much less shall any resolution go in force without his signature.

"If the church councilmen observe all these regulations, continue steadfast in the pure doctrine of the faith and lead holy lives as children of God; if they rule well their own houses and families and serve as examples to the flock: to the best of their ability, by the grace of God, do their part that the holy gospel be perpetuated to our latest posterity, Satan and the world may indeed make sport of them, but God will be their shield and their great reward here on earth and hereafter forever. All that they have done to His honor, though they have only given a cup of water in His name, the Lord will acknowledge at the last day, before the multitude of many thousand angels and elect ones, and will say that it was done to Him. But should they use this office unfaithfully, and prove an occasion of offense to the congregation, which may God in mercy prevent, they will bring double condemnation on themselves. To the above duties, in general and in particular, we obligate and pledge ourselves by our signature with our own hand. Done at Providence, July 8, 1750." (Signed by all the councilmen before witnesses.)

There is no mention made of Vorsteher, except incidentally in Section 7, which is the more astonishing, as the annual settlement of accounts, in the same book, in the handwriting of Muehlenberg, both before and after the adoption of this constitution, mention the settlement as made by the pastor, elders and Vorsteher. There are also entries in 1760 and 1761, of the election, _per plurima vota,_ of Vorsteher and of elders, probably to fill vacancies made by death. These Vorsteher were elected annually and this constitution makes the elders serve for life. The above document is followed by a carefully prepared constitution and rules for the parochial school. We see that Muehlenberg avoided the chief mistake of Brunnholtz in that he did not make the elders appointees of the pastor, but gave their election to the whole congregation.

The constitution of 1746, in St. Michael's, Philadelphia, proved even more unsatisfactory as the congregation increased in size. The interests at stake grew constantly larger, and the powers entrusted to the elders could scarcely be so exercised that dissatisfaction should not arise. The Elders elected the Pastor, they filled all vacancies in their own number, they selected the Deacons, they decided all questions of the purchase of property, and the incurrence of debt, and in all these matters the congregation had no control. It was an almost inevitable result that the pastor and schoolmasters should try to keep in friendly relations to the elders, and thus they arrayed against themselves all who were dissatisfied. Brunnholtz had died, 1757, and Heintzelman had preceded him in 1756, and the elders had elected Handschuh as pastor, who, though a devout and earnest man, had the most sickly pietism of any of the Halle men, and was the weakest of all the Philadelphia pastors, before or since; he was subject to very great prejudices and strongly inclined to build up an ecclesiola of his own type within the congregation. The resistance, estrangement and animosity toward the existing arrangements, grew gradually to be so great that the peace and unity of the congregation were threatened to such an extent that vigorous measures must be taken. The congregation demanded a fuller control of its own affairs, Handschuh and his elders sternly resisted the demand, and were convinced that the world would fall if the whole congregation were allowed to usurp the control which could only be wisely exercised by a few selectmen. The peril and strife grew so great, that after a long struggle it became an unavoidable necessity that Muehlenberg should be recalled to his office as chief pastor, and a new constitution prepared and adopted. Dr. Mann has presented, in chapter xxii. of his life of Muehlenberg, a most admirable account of the whole movement which resulted in the presentation of the new constitution; of the difficulties which preceded and made necessary its preparation, as well as of those which attended its introduction into the congregation, to which the reader is referred. The two chief objections to the constitution of 1746 were that the pastor and elders were not elected by the people and thus became a close corporation, self-perpetuating and not subject to control by the congregation, and secondly, that property could be bought and sold and debt incurred, for which the congregation was responsible, without their having any voice in the matter. These evils must be remedied in the new constitution.

The new constitution was prepared by Muehlenberg in consultation, of course, with Handschuh and the elders, and pre-eminently with the Swedish Provost Wrangel. Months were spent in its preparation. The local difficulties and wants received the most careful consideration and some few of its provisions were temporary, and made in view of the previous arrangements. Thus the old elders were retained for life as trustees, but after their death the elders who took their place were to be duly elected by the congregation, and in the revision after the incorporation the name of trustee was removed. But Muehlenberg rose above the present necessities and conditions of the local congregation, and designed this constitution to be, as it became, the one which should be the general constitution for all the united congregations of the Ministerium. He had a full apprehension of the importance of the work in which he was engaged, and devoted to it his wisest judgment, and the results of his own experience and varied observations in the working of congregational constitutions. He also recognized the character of the civil government of the land and strove to bring the congregational government into harmony with it. He succeeded in gradually allaying the diversities and animosities at Philadelphia, and after the completion of the constitution, it was accepted by the congregation and publicly subscribed, first by himself, then by Handschuh and the elders, then, within a short time, by five hundred heads of families. Thus the foundation was laid on which the permanent prosperity of St. Michael's congregation rested, and on which it still peacefully rests. This constitution, with the removal of the temporary provisions at Philadelphia, was at once accepted by the congregations at Providence and New Hanover; in Lancaster, during a visit of Muehlenberg, soon after Gerock left, in 1769, at York under Kurtz, in 1781, and earlier or later, by most of the prominent congregations connected with the Ministerium, at least in its chief provisions.

_Constitution of St. Michael's Church, Philadelphia, 1762._

We, the subscribers, the lawfully called Pastors, Trustees, Elders, Vorsteher and communicant members of the Ger. Ev. Luth. Congregation of St. Michael's Church, acknowledge and bind ourselves to the following Church and School Constitution.