The Organization of the Congregation in the Early Lutheran Churches in America | Page 5

"2. The name of the second order in German is either Diacon or
Vorsteher; the former name probably more ecclesiastical, the latter
more popular.
"3. The term of office was always fixed, but the period varied in
different congregations. There was no life term, except in the ministry.
"4. The mode of selection probably varied in different churches as it
does now. I imagine that in most churches the most prominent
members met on an appointed day to hold the annual
'Kirchenrechnung,' and then quietly 'made out,' without a formal
election, who were to fill the vacancies in the consistory. Very
frequently, no doubt, retiring members nominated their own successors,
to be approved or rejected by the congregational meeting." This clear
description of German Reformed usage shows how great similarity
there was in this respect between the American Reformed descendants
of Hollanders and Germans. These Swedish and Reformed modes of
congregational organization were here fully in operation in the territory
on which our earliest German congregations were established.
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 who stood so near to the sovereign of the
colonies, by whom also the calls to the Halle Missionaries were given
them though the men were chosen at Halle; this constitution came to
the Halle Missionaries clothed with great weight of authority. It is,
therefore, right and proper, that above all others, these two
constitutions should receive our careful examination. As that of
Amsterdam is the earlier, and the original basis of the other, we will
first describe it, and then show the modifications made at London.
The Constitution of Amsterdam was originally adopted in 1597 and
bore the title "Kerkelijke Ordonnantie, for the government, in the
doctrines of the Divine Word, administration of the Sacraments and
other matters pertaining to the administration of the Church, of the
Congregation and Church at Amsterdam, which assembles in a house
and adheres to the genuine unaltered Augsburg Confession, prepared
and established by the Ministers and Deputies there, in the