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

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 year of Christ 1597." The congregation dates from about 1588, and built its first church in 1632, before which time it worshiped in a house arranged for