Evening star., 1900-09-29
A UNIQUE CELEBRATION.
Schwenkfelders Hold Their 169th An
niyersary Exercises.

niversary Exercises.
A Reading Pa. special to the New York
Tribune says:
A unique celebration, whose observance
cannot be duplicated in the world, took
place today in the little Schwenkfelder
Meeting House at kraussdale. near where
Berks, Lehigh and Montgomery counties
join. The occasion was the one hundred
and sxty-sxth anniversary of the landing
of the forefathers OF the Schwenkfelders in
Philadelphia. The festival was quaint and
interesting. All the members of the society
were present. This forenoon there were re-
ligious services, and portion of the history
of the society was read. At II o'clock all
were invited to partake of luncheon con-
sisting of fresh rye bread, sweet and hand
somely printed butter and the choicest apple
butter. Nothing beyond these articles were
offered; but these were of the best. and
there was enough for all. Ii is said that
the simplicity of the food is intended to call
to mind the privation of the forefathers. In
the afternoon there were further religious
services; then the brethren shook hands
and departed. They are almost exclusively
a rural people.
Today's participants included the Rev
Edwin S. Anders, the Rev. w. S. Anders,
the Rev. g. K. Meschter. the Rev. A. N
Stubbleline, Prof. II. W. Kriebel. Julius F.
Sachse, the Rev. Jonas Y. Schultz and the
Rev o. S. Krebel.
The speedy dissolution of the Schwenk-
fielder Society has frequently been proph-
esied, but 1t continues to live on. Though
too small to engage extensively in philan-
thropic work. it has frequently sent hand
some contributions to the missionaries of
other denominations.
The Schwenkfelders are little company
but are not on that account unworthy of
attention Though of European origin, six
little congregations in PENNSYLVANIA are
their only settlements in all the world. With
history of more than three hundred years
they have hardly more than four hundred
members. Their natural increase hardly
compensates for inevitable losses, and the
admission of member from the outside
world is an event of extreme rarity. In this
happy community financial distress is al
most unknown, for If by some mischance a
brother becomes Impoverished there is an
ancient fund from which his wants are sup
Piled and if he is found worthy the oppor-
tunity is given him for another start in
life.
To those who regard rapid progress as the
only criterion of success such state of
affairs can hardly be ineligible. Here is
a religious community. wealthy and liberal.
which has never desired to become large
and powerful. Rich enough to erect fine
churches, its members assemble in plain
meeting houses. such as their fathers loved.
Closely attached to their ancient observ-
ances, they rarely, If ever, indulge in con-
troversy with outsiders. Though many of
their young people have connected them
continue to treat them kindly. In former
days they wore religious garb closely re-
sembling that of the Quakers, but this has
generally disappeared.
The history of this little sect goes back to
the days of the Protestant Reformation. Its
founder Casper Schwenkfeld Won Ossing
was born in 1880. and was therefore seven
years younger than Martin Luther. As a
Siesian nobleman he received in his youth
the training which was supposed to be suit
able to his station, but in some way he be-
came physically disabled, and afterward
devoted his attention to theology.
He was deprived of his estates. became
fugitive and died at Ulm, December TO- 1861
where he is said to have been secretly
buried in a cellar. His followers were most
ly SileSians. dwelling in villages on the
slopes of the mountains. Ordinarily they
We're farmers of the better class but among
them were always few men of higher in
telligence who secretly conducted their
congregational worship. Aided by friendly
Hollanders. forty families at last set sail
for America, where they arrived on SeDtem-
ber 90, 1884 Two days after their arrival
in Philadelphia they instituted a festival of
thanksgiving, which has ever since been
annually celebrated.
The earliest leaders of the Schwenkfelder
Society in America We're George Weiss and
Balthasar Hoffman. They We're good men.
but in no way remarkable. Christopher
Schultz was called to the pastorate in 176O
and became the actual founder and organ
iZer of the American society. He was a
man of extraordinary natural ability. For
more than eighty years the chief pastorate
in the hands of members of the
Schultz family, who We're men of great
moral excellence and force of character.