The Organization of the Congregation in the Early Lutheran Churches in AmericaSchmucker, B. M. (Beale Melanchthon)
History
The Organization of the Congregation in the Early Lutheran Churches in America
Schmucker, B. M. (Beale Melanchthon)
Lutheran Church -- United States -- History
3. _The Lutheran Congregations at Amsterdam and London._ The
constitution of the Lutheran Church at Amsterdam is the most important
and influential original source of Lutheran congregational organizations
in America. It is the model from which the constitution of the Dutch
Lutheran Churches in New York and New Jersey are directly derived. It is
the original source of the constitution of the Savoy Church in London,
which claims to be a simple translation of it, with some modifications.
The Amsterdam constitution was, therefore, the immediate basis of the
congregations in New York City, Albany, Loonenburg, Hackensack, on the
Raritan, and of other congregations in New York founded by Falckner,
Berkenmeyer and Knoll. The London constitution was the on which the
congregations founded by Kocherthal at East and West Camp, Rhinebeck,
Newburg, Schoharie, and those which grew out of them all along the
Hudson and Mohawk rested, modified by the influence of the previously
existing organizations, based on the Amsterdam constitution. So that is
may be said that the Amsterdam constitution, with the modifications made
at London, is the source of organization for all the older congregations
in New York and upper New Jersey. In Pennsylvania, if my surmise that
the Swedish Wicaco Church received its constitution through Fabritius
from New York be correct, the Amsterdam constitution underlies the
Swedish organization, the influence of which on the German churches we
have described. The London book was in the hands of Muehlenberg and the
other German pastors in Penna., given to them by Ziegenhagen in London.
Muehlenberg became acquainted with the Dutch Lutheran constitution,
based on that of Amsterdam, in 1745, at the Raritan, and in 1750-1752 at
New York and Hackensack, where for two summers he was pastor of
congregations in which it prevailed. His estimate of it was very
favorable; he says: "These Pastors (of the Dutch Church in New York)
introduced a constitution, which they have prepared after the model of
that of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Amsterdam, and it was
subscribed by them, as well as by the Elders and Deacons, and hitherto
the Agende of Amsterdam has been used, all which were very well suited
to the circumstances in America, and served to edification." The
influence of these two constitutions, of Amsterdam and London, on those
by whom the gradual completion of the work of organization in Penna. was
made was very prominent. The London Constitution was the basis of that
furnished by Ziegenhagen, Urlsperger and Francke to the Salzburgers, who
settled in Georgia, and exerted an important influence on later
congregations in that State and in the Carolinas. Having had the
continuous approbation and commendation of Boehme and Ziegenhagen, court
preachers at London, by whom, to so large an extent, the German
immigration to this country was directed and counselled in religious
matters, to whom nearly all correspondence was primarily directed, and
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