American Lutheranism | Page 9

the Presbyterians (in
Princeton), and the Methodists, notably the revivalist Whitefield. And,
evidently foreseeing the early and unavoidable debacle of Swedish
Lutheranism in Delaware, von Wrangel, at his departure for Sweden,
suffered the Episcopalians to use him as a tool to deliver the poor,
weakened, and oppressed congregations, whose leader he had been,
into the hands of the Anglicans. (392.) On his way home Wrangel
carried with him an important letter of introduction from the
Episcopalian Richard Peters to the Bishop of London, the ecclesiastical
superior of the Anglican ministers and congregations in the American
Colonies. The letter, dated August 30, 1768, reads, in part: "Now Dr.
Wrangel intends to utilize properly the general aversion [in Delaware]
to the Presbyterians in order to unite the great mass of Lutherans and
Swedes with with the Church of England, which, as you know, is but
small numerically and in humble circumstances in this province;
through union with the German Lutherans, however, we both would
become respectable. According to Dr. Smith's and my opinion this
could be effected through our Academy. In it we could establish a
theological professorship; then German and English young men could
be educated, and as their training would embrace both languages, they
could preach German as well as English at places where both nations
are mixed. That would unite us all and make us one people in life and
love. It is a happy thought. I would desire your Excellency to speak
with Dr. Wrangel, and encourage him as much as possible. In this
matter I have written to the two archbishops, asking them to consider it
carefully together with your Excellency. I am sure that now the
opportunity is good to bring this desirable affair to a happy
conclusion." (394.) In a document dated June 25, 1789, the Swedish
government served official notice on the congregations in America that
in future they could no longer expect help from Sweden, alleging that,
whereas "the purpose, the Swedish tongue," had come to an end, it was
but just that in future also the disbursements in Sweden should be
discontinued. (401.) The result was that one congregation after another
united with the Episcopalians. By 1846 the Lutheran name had
disappeared from the last charter. Thus the entire Swedish mission

territory, all of whose congregations exist to the present day, was lost to
the Lutheran Church. The chief causes of this loss were: unionism,
hierarchical paternalism, interference from Sweden, the failure to
provide for schools and for the training of suitable pastors, and the lack
of Swedish and, later, of English Lutheran literature. The report of the
Pennsylvania Ministerium of 1762 remarks: "For several generations
the Swedish schools unfortunately have been neglected in the Swedish
congregations; Dr. Wrangel, however, has organized an English school
in one of his parishes where Luther's Catechism is read in an English
translation." From the very beginning the foundations of the Lutheran
structure along the Delaware were both laid insecurely and undermined
by its builders.
SALZBURG LUTHERANS IN GEORGIA.
13. Banished by Archbishop Anton Firmian.--Like the Swedes in
Delaware, so also the Salzburg Lutherans in Georgia, as a Church, have
disappeared in the course of years. The story of their vicissitudes and
especially of their colony Ebenezer, however, has retained a peculiar
charm. On Reformation Day of 1731 the cruel Archbishop Anton,
Knight of Firmian, issued a manifesto which ordered the Evangelicals
of Salzburg, Austria, either to return to the bosom of the Catholic
Church, or to emigrate, leaving their property and their young children
behind them. Some eighteen thousand Lutherans chose banishment
rather than deny the faith that was in them. On their journey the exiles
awakened lively sympathy by singing their Exulantenlied (Hymn of the
Exiles) which Joseph Schaitberger had composed for those banished In
1685. The eleven stanzas of this hymn read in the original as follows:
"1. I bin ein armer Exulant, A so tu i mi schreiba; Ma tuet mi aus dem
Vaterland Um Gottes Wort vertreiba. 2. Das wass i wohl, Herr Jesu
Christ, Es is dir a so ganga. Itzt will i dein Nachfolger sein; Herr,
mach's nach deim Verlanga! 3. A Pilgrim bin i halt numehr, Muss reise
fremde Strossa; Das bitt i di, mein Gott und Herr, Du wirst mi nit
verlossa. 4. Den Glauba hob i frei bekennt, Des derf i mi nit schaema,
Wenn ma mi glei ein Ketzer nennt Und tuet mir's Leba nehma. 5. Ketta
und Banda wor mir en Ehr Um Jesu willa z' dulda, Und dieses macht
die Glaubenslehr Und nit mei boes Verschulda. 6. Muss i glei in das

Elend fort, Will i mi do nit wehra; So hoff i do, Gott wird mir dort Och
gute Fruend beschera. 7. Herr, wie du willt, i gib mi drein, Bei dir will i