American Lutheranism, Volume 1: Early History of American Lutheranism and the Tennessee Synod — John Shaqi
American Lutheranism, Volume 1: Early History of American Lutheranism and the Tennessee SynodBente, F. (Friedrich)
History
American Lutheranism, Volume 1: Early History of American Lutheranism and the Tennessee Synod
Bente, F. (Friedrich)
Lutheran Church -- Tennessee -- History; Lutheran Church -- United States -- History
10. Succored by the King of Sweden.--In 1692 the now orphaned
Lutherans in Delaware addressed themselves to Karl XI, who promised to
help them. However, four years passed before Pastor Rudman arrived with
two assistants, Bjoerk (Bioerck) and Auren, as well as with a
consignment of Bibles and other books. New life entered the Swedish
colony. In 1699 the new Trinity Church was erected at Christina, and in
1700 Gloria Dei Church in Wicaco (Philadelphia). From the very
beginning, however, a spirit of legalism, hierarchy, and of unionism
wormed its way into the promising harvest. The congregations were not
taught to govern themselves, but were ruled by provosts sent from
Sweden. In the interest of discipline, Andreas Sandel, who arrived in
1702, introduced a system of monetary penances. In his _History of the
Lutheran Church in America_ Dr. A. Graebner writes: "Whoever came to
church tipsy, was to pay 40 shillings and do public penance. Blasphemy
of the divine Word or the Sacraments carried with it a fine of 5 pounds
sterling and church penance; to sing at unseemly hours was punished by
a fine of 6 shillings; such as refused to submit to the discipline were
to be excluded from the congregation and to be refused interment at its
cemetery." (86.) Eric Unander, who returned to Sweden in 1760, employed
the same methods to keep order in the congregational meetings. A.
Rudman, after his brief pastorate among the Dutch Lutherans in New York
during 1702, returned to Philadelphia. From 1707 to his death, in 1708,
he served an Episcopal church without severing his connection with the
Swedes. His successors followed his footsteps. From 1737 to 1741 J.
Dylander preached at Gloria Dei Church in German, Swedish, and English
every Sunday, served the Germans in Germantown and Lancaster, and, in
the absence of their pastor, ministered also to the Episcopalians. The
same practise was observed by the provosts: Eric Bjoerk, who was
appointed the first provost in 1712, and returned to Sweden in 1714;
A. Sandel, who also served Episcopalian congregations and returned in
1719; A. Hesselius, who left in 1723, and in Sweden, 1725, published a
short report of the conditions prevailing in America; Peter Tranberg,
who was stationed at Raccoon and Pennsneck, N. J., from 1726 to 1740,
and at Christina till his death in 1748; J. Sandin, who arrived in 1746,
dying two years later; Israel Acrelius, who arrived in 1749, saw the
language question become acute, served Episcopalian congregations, and
returned to Sweden in 1756, where he published (1759) a description of
the conditions in New Sweden; Olaf Parlin, who arrived in 1750 and died
in 1757; Dr. C. M. Wrangel, who was provost from 1759 to 1768, assisted
in rejuvenating the Pennsylvania Synod in 1760, and began a seminary
with Peter Muhlenberg, Daniel Kuhn, and Christian Streit as students;
Nils Collin, whose activity extended from 1770 to 1831, during which
time he had eight Episcopalian assistant pastors in succession.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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