COXGUKGATIOXSI. (A. J. S.)
German Methodists. See United Brethren.
German Reformed Church in, America.
Tlie (ierman Reformed Church is the historical con- tinuation in America of the Reformed branch of the
1 Protestant Reformation of Germany. The great movement of the IGth century in the bosom of the Ro- man Catholic Church was at first known as simply the Reformation, or Reformed Church, the term He- formed being used in a general sense as designating the whole religious movement in its opposition to the errors and corruptions of Rome. Two distinct tenden- cies, embracing theology and practical life, -were, how- ever, at work from the beginning. The one received its type and character primarily from the genius, faith, and spirit of Martin Luther, and prevailed chief- ly among the northern states of the German nation. The other is not thus related to the peculiar spirit of one man. Its character was wrought out rather by a succession of ministers and theologians in Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, and the German provinces bordering on the Rhine, among whom are prominent Zwingle, Bullinger, Calvin, Melancthon, Olevianus, LTrsinus, and others of the same type of faith. Lu- theran theology reached its full development in the Form of Concord, 1580 ; Reformed theology in the Pa- latinate Catechism, 15G3, so called from the German province in which the Catechism originated ; called also tiie lleklelberfj Catechism, from the University of Heidelberg, in which Ursinus and Olevianus, the au- thors of the work, were professors of theology.
Palatinate was tlie name formerly borne by two provinces of Germany, distinguished as Upper and Lower, and situated along the river Rhine. Tiie first (Obcrpfalz) bordered on Bohemia and Bavaria ; the other (Unterpfalz) was situated on both sides of the Rhine, touching on difl^erent sides Mayence, Wiirtem- berg, Baden, Alsace, and Lorraine. The Palatinate did not yield to the power of the RGformation move- ment until 154G,when it embraced the Lutlicran faith. It was moulded, however, rather liy the gentle spirit of Melancthon than bj' the stern spirit of Luther. Un- der Frederick III, surnamed the Pious, who acceded to power in 1559, these German provinces passed over from the Lutheran to the Reformed faith. The theo- logical controversies which preceded and accompanied this transition gave rise to the formation of a cate- chism, the design of which was to reconcile opposing Lutheran and Reformed elements on a now basis. The principle and the scope of this new confession is Reformed, not Lutheran ; but, resting on the Apos- tles' Creed as its animating and form-giving principle, it rises above extreme antagonisms, and aims at re- solving into one consistent whcde the divergent tend- encies of faith characterizing the two oriirinal branch- es of Protestantism. The adoption of this catechism by a sj'uod of the Palatinate, convened for the purpose Jan. 19, 15G3, was followed b}' the preparation of an order of worship answerable to it, and by a complete religious and educational organization of the two prov- inces ; the great design of Frederick III being to estab- lish and perpetuate the Reformed faith in this German electorate. Thus arose the Reformed Church of Ger- many, or the German Reformed Church, in distinction from the Reformed Church of Switzerland, of France, Holland, Scotland, and other states and countries.
Religious persecution at home, civil oppression and confusion, and the gratuitous offer of land in Pennsyl- vania by William Penn, led to the emigration of a large nimiber of Palatines to America in the beginning of the last century. From 3'car to year their num- bers increased. To these Averc added hundreds and thousands coming from other states of Europe, hold- ing the Reformed faith. They settled in New York, along the Hudson, in New Jersey, Marj-land, Virginia, and even extended into the Carolinas ; but the great- er number located in Pennsylvania, east of the Sus- (piehanna. The first minister was the Rev. George Michael AA'eiss, who, assisted on his way by the Classis of Amsterdam, emigrated from the Palatinate in com- pany with about 400 Palatines in the year 1727. They settled along the Skippach, Montgomery County, Pa.
GERMAN REF. CH. IN AMERICA 825 GERMAN REF. CH. IN AMERICA
Here a congregation was organized, and a wooden ciiiirch immediately built. This, so far as known, was the first German Reformed Church in America.
Until the year 1747 the religious condition of these people was very sad. They had no ministers; no Church organization ; no school-teachers ; no books, excepting a few Bibles, Catechisms, Liturgies, and Hvmn-books, which they brought with them from the fatherland; and no pecuniar^' resources, for the ma- jority were extremely poor. Besides, thej^ were sep- arated by national customs and by language from the large English population of the country-. So helpless and destitute, yet anxious to enjoy the means of grace, they were exposed to the danger of being misled into all sorts of errors by irresponsible teachers. But they were distinguished for morality, industry, and thrift. In the course of time they began to accumulate prop- erty, and acquire a reputation for honesty and intcg- ritj'. W'itii this came respect, influence, and general prosperity.
Yet this chaotic state of the Reformed Church grew worse rather than better. Emigration continued. This, added to the natural increase of population, ex- tended the religious destitution, and multiplied their moral and spiritual dangers ; for from the first settle- ment of Palatines in America, throughout this entire period, there were at no time more tiian three or four ordained ministers of the Reformed Confession among them.