Gloucester County NJ Archives Church Records.....The Moravian Church at Oldmana Creek ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nj/njfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 2, 2008, 12:29 pm The Moravian Church At Oldmana Creek, Gloucester County, N. J. *By GEO. B. MACALTIONER. The early history of a religious movement is largely the personal history of those who founded it. No factor enters more largely into the establishment of any new movement than the personality of those who promote it. Especially is this true in religious work. One has but to look at the characters of John Knox, Martin Luther, Menno Simon, George Fox and John Wesley, leaders of what might be termed the more modern movements in the religious world, to see that this is undoubtedly true. The wonderful personality of these men made possible the great movements which have influenced the world from their time till now, and no doubt will still roll on with greater or less velocity as the years shall come and go. Most every leader has some peculiar mannerisms which may attract a few, and some are enveloped in a perfect cloud of mysticism which allures many, but the masses demand something more than these to fasten their affection; they want to feel that convincing influence of sincerity before they yield their obedience. Strikingly true was this the case in regards to the founder of Herrnhutism, or what is more commonly called, the Moravians. Nicholaus Ltidwig, Count von Zinzendorf and Pattendorf, was born at Dresden, May 26, 1700. His early education was cared for by his grandmother, we are told, and at the age of ten years he was sent to Halle, where he spent six years under the special care of Francke, the philanthropist. At this early age, it is said, he began to form a design to gather together a little society of believers among whom he might live and who should entirely devote themselves in exercises of devotion under his personal direction. Having become a priest, he travelled during the years of 1719 to 1721, through Holland and France, everywhere endeavoring to convert the distinguished persons whom he met to his own religious views. Upon his return to Dresden he was appointed a member of the Saxon State Council, but as political life was not to his liking he returned to his country seat in Upper Lusatia, settling at Bertholdorf. Finding a student in whom he found sentiments akin to his own, he gave him the curacy of his estate. Bertholdorf soon came to be known for this sort of piety. While residing here he accidentally met a wandering carpenter named Christian David, a member of the old sect of Moravian Brethren, who told him of the persecutions of.his brethren. The Moravians were an Evangelical Society which had its beginning in Bohemia among the followers of that noble martyr, John Huss, who was burned at the stake in 1415, originally known as the Bohemian Brethren. With the granting of the Bohemian charter, in 1609, they obtained a legal status, but afterwards were suppressed and exiled. Their growth in Hungary gained some importance, but at the peace of Westphalia, Austrian lands were excluded from religious liberty and their Polish parishes were gradually absorbed by other Protestant bodies. Still the seed remained in Bohemia, and their Bishop, Johann Amos Comenius, republished their history and confession, and endeavored to reestablish its discipline. A revival of religion in Moravia led the awakened to abandon their homes and go to Saxony for religious liberty. According to Le Long, Christian David had been in Saxony before and he induced two or three families to migrate there.- The Count received them gladly at Bertholdorf. They built their first house in the woods, in 1722, and soon a large number from Moravia and elsewhere had fixed their residence there. In a few years it became quite a village, having an Orphan house and other public buildings, so that in 1732 the inhabitants numbered 600 souls. An adjacent hill gave the colonists a name for the place, Huth des Herrns or Herrnhuth, "The guardian or protection of the Lord." They soon established the discipline of Comenius, which bound them closely with an entire dependency on their superiors. The Society was divided into separate classes, with a director over each. The Count did not permit the society to expand, as other churches do, nor did he require its members to sever their relations with the State Church. His purpose was more especially to establish an exclusive system by which it was desired to secure a membership solely of converted men and women. A great portion of their worship consisted in singing, which they highly developed, the Count having written many of their hymns. The casting of lots was practiced much among them, they making use of the same to know the will of the Lord. The Elders had the sole right of marriage, and no promise was valid without their consent. One great feature of their work was that of missions, extending all over the world. As early as 1733 they had a mission in Labrador, which continued till 1900, when they transferred it to the Danish Lutheran Church. While they had a ritual, free prayers were allowed in public worship. Every ten years a general synod was held, and every detail of their work was thoroughly gone into. In the year of 1735 the Moravians emigrated to Georgia, and five years later found them in Pennsylvania, where they built Bethlehem and Nazareth. The Count was the motive power of the whole Society, the dynamo that ran the whole machinery. At the synod held at Marienborn, Germany, near Frankfort-on-the-Main, in November, 1739, news was received of the destitute condition of the Swedish Churches on the Delaware. A band of evangelists was at once commissioned to go to Pennsylvania. The Count soon followed the brethren to America, arriving in New York December 2, 1741, and on to Philadelphia by December 10th. In the year following several companies of emigrants came to America that had formed a church government that should be observed during the long, tedious voyage at sea. These were known as the Sea Congregations, the first of which arrived in Philadelphia, June, 1742, consisting of 56 members. Among this number was one, Paul Daniel Bryzelius, who was to inaugurate the work in New Jersey. He had been schooled in the college at Upsala, in Sweden, and was ordained at Frank-ford, Pennsylvania, January 4, 1742-3, as a Presbyter by Bishop David Nitchman, according to the orders of Count Zinzendorf, just before he left for home. He was commissioned by the Count for special service in New Jersey. The Moravian Church in New Jersey found its beginning at this time, owing to the fact that the Swedish churches were pastorless and the German Lutheran Church, at Friesburg, neglected. The condition in the Swedish Churches was brought about by the government of Sweden withdrawing its financial support from the Colonial churches on the Delaware. They had expended over $100,000 in trying to establish the State Church in New Sweden, and after a century's effort found that little real progress was being made. They therefore withheld their annual appropriation. This angered many of the members, causing them to stop paying into the church treasury, and absenting themselves from the services. The priests soon found their livelihood was not assured, and several of them returned to Sweden. John Dylander, the pastor at Wicacoa, died, and as no new ministers were coming over, there remained but one Swedish minister in the country, Prevost Tranberg, at Christine. Tranberg had been the pastor at Raccoon (Swedesboro, N. J.) and Perm's Neck (St. Georges), and at a parish meeting told the brethren how poor his support had been, and if it was not improved he would be forced to leave. The conditions remained unchanged, whereupon Tranberg applied for a transfer from the Raccoon Parish, which Royal Commission was granted to him and he removed to Christine (Wilmington, Del), after having been their pastor 15 years. This left the New Jersey churches pastorless. On January 13, 1742-3, Paul Daniel Bryzelius travelled directly to Prevost Tranberg, at Christine, and proposed to supply the need for very little salary. Prevost Tranberg accorded him a hearty welcome, and gave him charge of three Swedish churches and one German Lutheran, at Friesburg, or Chohansey, which was neglected, having been built there in 1738, near the Glasshouse. The Swedish churches were at Maurice River, Raccoon and Penns Neck, Bryzelius preached his first sermon in the house of Goran Hyn, at Maurice River, with acceptance, on January 26, 1742-3. From Raccoon he received a call from 33 members, and thither moved his family. For almost a year he served the parish to the satisfaction of the majority of the people, but when Magistrar Naesman, the pastor at Wicocoa, came down on December 23, 1743, having but recently come from Sweden, he proceeded to rid the church of Bryzelius. This created an uproar, disturbing the peace, whereupon the Governor landed a number of men in jail. As this was a religious, and not a civil affair, the matter was referred to a jury of 25 men, whereupon the court advised Bryzelius, for the sake of peace, to refrain from preaching longer at Raccoon. In the interim between the rumpus and the decision of the court, the Society of Friends offered Bryzelius their house of worship which was near, which he accepted and there gathered larger congregations than ever. In 1744 Laurence T. Nyberg, with his Moravian followers, were shut out of the German church at Lancaster, Pa. The followers of Bryzelius sent to Nyberg and asked him to send them Abraham Reinecke, who came in the spring of 1745, and gathered large audiences, holding services in the house of Thomas Denny, at Raccoon. Reinecke brought with him an evangelist by the name of Sense-man. They came from Bethlehem and were met at Philadelphia by Peter Rambo, who conducted them to Raccoon. Nyberg took charge of the work in New Jersey. He was a man of great resources and enlisted the services of energetic evangelists to help him. Among the men who itinerated through New Jersey were Sven Rosen, Thomas Yarrel, an Englishman, Owen Rice, Mathew Reutz, who died at Oldmans Creek while preaching there on October 7, 1753, Joseph Powell and many others. The efforts of these men were not to proselyte, but to lead men to Christ. Of all the many preaching stations in New Jersey where services were held, but four seemed to have taken on any semblance of church formation. Maurice River, with which Bryzelius was identified in erecting, located about 3 miles from Leesburg, was dedicated December 18, 1746, in the presence of Reinecke, Rice, Rentz and Nyberg; Penns Neck was dedicated just one year later, December 18, 1747; the church at Raccoon, in March, 1748, with 24 members, and the church at Pilesgrove, as it was sometimes called. The Church at Pilesgrove, Oldmans Creek, or Woolwich, was begun in 1747, by Laurence T. Nyberg, and dedicated by Bushop Spangenberg and Pastor Nyberg, on August 31st, 1749. I have before me a communication from D. Jos. H. Muller, archiver, dated Herrnhut, Saxony, December 4, 1906, in which he informs me that among the "Spangenberg Papers" he found letters concerning his visits to New Jersey, and one especially, a 12-page manuscript, in which Brother Nyberg states that "on August 31, 1749, I accompanied Bishop Spangenberg to consecrate the new Swedish church at Pilesgrove, or Oldmans Creek, in the Jerseys." The membership at this time numbered 29, among whom were the following: George Avis, Nicholas Dahlberg and wife, Charles Dorsan, Andrew Holstein, Lawrence Holstein, Sr., and his son Lawrence, Jr., Larse Hopman, Michael Kett, Mons Kyn, Peter Lauterbach, Adam Lehberger, Saml. Lynch, Christopher Linmyer, Bate-man Lloyd, Obediah Lloyd, Alexander Mueller, John Roalin Samson a slave, Garret Van Immen and wife, John Van Immen and wife, William Van Immen and wife, Andrew Van Immen and wife, Jechoniah Wood and Jeremiah Wood. This church was destined to have the longest life of all the Moravian Churches in New Jersey. It was built on the farm of George Avis, which lay between two branches of Oldmans Creek, along the King's Highway. Tradition says that the ground to build the church on was given by George Avis, and also a large quantity of lumber. Later, when the congregation had grown, Bishop Seidel, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, bought of George Avis and his wife Jane, January 22, 1767, one and one-half acres of land on the King's Highway, for 5 £'s. The following year there was an extensive awakening among the people, and at the Synod held at Lititz, Pa. (1768), this congregation applied for recognition as an integral factor among the brethren. The petition was granted, whereupon a change in pastors took place, and Frederick Schmidt was in 1769 appointed pastor. The membership was now 120. The church prior to this time was under the control of the Mission Board. Pastor Schmidt served the church through that trying time of the Revolutionary War, from 1769 to 1783. In 1775 the parsonage was rebuilt. Pastor Schmidt's diary furnishes some very interesting facts about the war and affairs as they then existed: "On Friday, Dec 5, 1777, twenty American militiamen were quartered in the parsonage." "On Feb. 25, 1778, over 2,000 English troops passed on their way to Salem. The house was full of soldiers, polite, but carried off all the rifles and arms they could find." "Feb. 26, 1778. The garrison left for Bethlehem, having been here several months. The neighbors talk of flight. Myself and wife have determined to remain." "May 10, 1778. Many militiamen at church." "June 12, 1778. A skirmish took place near here between the English and the militiamen. One of the latter was killed." "Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, 1778. Bishop Ettwein came and visited the church." "Nov. 29, 1778. Several persons from Salem attended services. They complained that the bridges were destroyed by warfare." The membership at the close of the war was 134, with one exception the largest in its history. In 1783 the Rev. Francis Bohlen came as pastor, and in a report dated June 11, 1786, sent to the conference, he states "that the meetings are well attended by Presbyterians, Methodists and Quakers. Twenty children are in the Sabbath School, and a beginning has been made towards the erection of a new meeting house." The church had been reorganized by order of Bishop Jan Von Waterville, son-in-law of Count Zinzen-dorf, in 1785, and in the following spring the present brick edifice was begun. The old church was built of logs and was about 24 feet square, sheathed inside, with scanty furnishings. As one looks at this ancient building he will notice the striking resemblance it bears to other churches built during this same period. The church at Swedesboro was built in 1784. The Friends' Meeting House, at Woodstown, in 1785, and this structure here at Oldmans Creek in 1786, all bear the same stamp and style. From 1793 to 1798 Rev. Frederick Moehring was pastor, but the congregation began to fall off. I am informed by Dr. John W. Jordan, of the Pennsylvania Historical Society, that the cause lay largely in the fact that Moravians persisted in holding their services in the foreign tongues, and the young people thereby fell away. From 1798 to 1800 the church was without a pastor. Rev. Saml. Towle served in 1801 and 1802, and Pastor John Casper Treytag, from 1802 to 1803. This was the last settled pastor the Moravians had. In 1807 the Methodists were allowed to worship here until they were forced away, and went and built the Pilesgrove Methodist Church, a short distance away. In 1834 the Episcopalians asked for the use of the building and it was granted them, since which time they have spent much effort and money to maintain the services in this place. This Moravian Church was the last one in New Jersey, until the modern Moravians were established. One cannot leave this intensely interesting study of this once active theatre of religious work without referring to that which still remains. Where once the tread of hurrying feet was heard as they wended their anxious way to the worship of the Lord, silence now pervades the scene, and it is only broken by an occasional visitor who comes perchance to see the old landmark or read the epitaphs upon the markers of the silent city of the dead. Here in this sweet spot of earth, rich with the memories of the past, lie buried the noble men and women who stood for right and who defended our homes and gave to the nation its power to be born, and to us a home for which we feel the deepest gratitude. As we linger in the shadow of these moss covered walls, as if in hopeful fancy we might hear the echo of those wonderful words of life that fell from the lips of those ancient soldiers of the cross, there comes floating to us on the wings of the past those inspiring words of the leader and founder of these ancient soldiers, Zinzendorf, 1721: Jesus, still lead on, Till our rest be won; And although the way be cheerless, We will follow, calm and fearless; Guide us by thy hand To our Fatherland. Additional Comments: Extracted from: NOTES ON Old Gloucester County NEW JERSEY HISTORICAL RECORDS PUBLISHED BY THE NEW JERSEY SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA VOLUME I Compiled and Edited by FRANK H. STEWART HISTORIAN OF THE SOCIETY 1917 This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/njfiles/ File size: 17.9 Kb This file is located at http://files.usgwarchives.net/nj/gloucester/church/moravianoldmana.txt