his death and being exposed to many persecutions, they were scattered over Germany, Denmark, Holland and Switzerland, and became very numerous, especially in the two last-named countries. In the Netherlands they were left undisturbed, but in Switzerland a great persecution arose in 1650, which induced many to flee to the Palatinate, whence in 1683 some emigrated to Pennsylvania. Others followed in 1698 and 1708, and settled mostly in or near Germantown, where they built a meeting-house in 1708.

The rest of the Swiss refugees prepared about this time for an emigration en masse by buying from William Penn, for five hundred pounds sterling, ten thousand acres of land on the Pequea Creek, then Chester, now Lancaster County. Led thither under the guidance of their Bishop, Hans Meylin, they settled in the midst of the Mingo or Conestoga, Pequea, and Shawanese Indians. After the most necessary arrangements had been made, they sent some of their number to Germany and Switzerland to bring over their relatives and friends. Some came in 1711, the greatest number in 1717, and others followed ten years later. Before 1735 there were five hundred Mennonite families in the present Lancaster County. Some settlements were also made near Skippach.

As a body the Mennonites did not belong to the poor settlers; almost all bringing some money in hand and good common sense, by which they were enabled to make a judicious selection for their future farms. Economy, industry, frugality, simplicity in dress and in their meeting-houses are to the present day the characteristics of their descendants, many of whom live on the very grounds purchased by their forefathers one hundred and forty years ago. They have become very rich. farmers and enjoy the fat of the land.

31

6. THE TUNKERS.

OF much later origin than the Mennonites are the Tunkers or German Baptists (Die Täufer), who also refuse to take an oath or to bear arms, but differ from the former in the manner in which they perform baptism, viz., by immersion or dipping (Tunken). They have no connection whatever with the Anabaptists, however, who originated in the time of the Reformation.

The founder (Urständer) of this sect was Alexander Mack, a native of Schriesheim, near Heidelberg, in the Palatinate. In 1708 he and seven others-all pietistically awakened souls, but quite uneducated, who lived in or near Schwarzenau, one of the hot-beds of fanaticism-covenanted together to study the New Testament carefully, and to be governed only by the undisputed precepts of Christ.

"On a close and diligent search of the Scriptures, and a careful examination of the authentic history of the primitive Christian Church, they arrived at the inevitable conclusion, as they hopefully believed, that the apostles and primitive Christians administered the ordinance of baptism to believing adults only, by trine-immersion. And in conformity with this custom, they now resolved to be immersed as obedient servants of their Lord and Master." (Matt. 3: 16.)32

"The question now arose: Who is the first to administer this sacred ordination? None of them as yet had been immersed. To this end, one of their number visited, in various parts of Germany, Mennonite congregations, to confer with their ministers, touching the ordinance of baptism. Many of the Mennonites admitted that this ordinance, performed by immersion, if done from pure

31 Winebrenner's History of Denominations, p. 91 and 531, et seq. 32 Winebrenner's History of Denominations. Introduction to the History of the River Brethren, p. 551.

motives and love to the Saviour, was proper, but still maintained that if administered by pouring or aspersion, it was equally valid; as no particular mode had been prescribed.'

"Mack and his consociates did not concur with the views of the Mennonites on this subject; they had determined to yield to their convictions, as the result of investigating the Scriptures and historical testimony. It was by common consent agreed, that Mack should assume the responsibility of baptizing the small number of believers. However, as he conceived himself still unbaptized, he declined to comply, in this instance, with their ardent wishes. They now resolved to fast, and in prayer and supplication to the throne of grace, to ask God for directions. As did the eleven (Acts 1: 26), they now cast lots as to which of the brethren should be the first baptizer. Lots were accordingly cast; and he upon whom it fell, baptized one of the brethren. The baptized one, now baptized him by whom he had been baptized, and the first baptizer then baptized the others. But upon whom the lot fell to baptize first, has been studiously concealed to this day. For it had been previously agreed among themselves, never to disclose the name upon whom the lot should fall." 33

However, baptized they were, early one morning, in the river Eder, near Schwarzenau, and then formed themselves into a church, choosing Alexander Mack as their minister. Their numbers soon increased in various parts of Germany, and they were joined by men of superior intelligence, as John Henry Kalkloser, of Funkenthal, Peter Becker, of Dilsheim, and others.

33 "

Sie gaben,” says Mack, “aber unter einander ihr Wort von sich, dasz es Niemand verrathen sollte, welcher der erste Täufer unter ihnen gewesen, damit Niemand Ursache nehmen möchte, sie irgend nach einem Menschen zu nennen, weilan sie solche Thorheit schon von Paulo an den Corinthern bestrafet funden."

Being driven away by persecutions, many went to Holland, and thence migrated in 1719 to America, where the first settlements were made near Germantown. The last followed in 1729,34 and thus all the "Tunker churches" of America sprang from the small church of Schwarzenau, which commenced with eight souls in 1708.

The most active and most influential man among the first settlers was Peter Becker, who in 1723 was chosen official baptizer of the church of Germantown. In succeeding years he collected the dispersed brethren in Lancaster County into a distinct society at Mühlbach (Mill Creek). Congregations were also organized under his supervision in Skippach, Falkner Swamp, Oley and Conestoga.

The Tunkers have in course of time become pretty numerous, retaining to a certain degree the simplicity of their forefathers-commonly wearing long beards, and hence called " Bartleute," and paying but little attention to education.

At an early period they lost their best educated men to the "Siebentäger." Among these was one of their teachers, G. A. Martin, who, as well as others, characterized the founders of this sect as uneducated “Erz Idioten und Ignoranten" (ignorant idiots).

Zinzendorf, however, gave them in 1742 a more honorable testimony as a people who were unenlightened, but well-meaning and seriously inclined.35

34 Im Jahr 1729 ist Alex. Mack, der Urständer der Täufer, sammt den übrigen gedachter Gemeinde, von Friesland abgesetzt, und in Pennsylvanien angekommen.

35 "Es ist eine Versammlung gottesfürchtiger, ohne Licht nach Gewissen handelnder, ernstlicher, und um deswillen liebenswurdiger Menschen. So lange sich Kinder Gottes entschlieszen können unter ihnen zu leben, und Treue an ihnen zu beweisen, so sind sie glücklich, und wir wollen dabei denken, dasz nur Christus gepredigt wird." — Büdingische Sammlungen, II., p. 815.

7. THE SIEBENTÄGER.

ONE of the most remarkable phenomena in the Pennsylvania sect-life of the last century, is the rise and for a time astonishing progress of the "Siebentäger" (the German Seventh-day Baptists, or Sabbatarians) — the Protestant monks and nuns of Ephrata in Lancaster County. Some of their wooden buildings with their small windows and narrow cells stand to the present day, a monument of bygone times. We would hardly believe that an order of Protestant Friars, adopting the most absurd and ridiculous customs, could have originated in this country; much less, that men of learning and superior intelligence could have joined such an order and submitted to the most arbitrary rules, if two members of this society (Bros. Lamech and Agrippa) in the "Chronicon Ephratense," which was printed in 1786, had not given a circumstantial, and to all appearances, faithful narrative of the doings and the times of Father Friedsam.

Father Friedsam Gottrecht (Peaceable Godright) was the assumed monastic name of John Conrad Beisel, the founder and superintendent (Vorsteher) of the Spiritual Order of the Hermits of Ephrata. He was born in 1690 in Eberbach in the Palatinate, where his father was a baker. He was a man of great natural abilities, and though of very limited education, of a very lively imagination, which often seemed to gain the ascendency over his more sober judgment. In his wanderings through Germany as a journeyman baker, he successively adopted the views of the Pietists, the Inspired and other Separatists, and resolved in 1720 to emigrate to Pennsylvania, in order to dedicate his life to God in contemplative solitude.

Having learned the weaver's trade with a Tunker, he removed in 1721 to Conestoga and settled near Mill Creek. In 1724, P. Becker visited this neighborhood,