Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1915-08-20
the law, although nots member Of the

The law, although niota member Of the
or Church OF England
To meet these difficulties, IL was !
deemed necessary that Mr.. Mullen &
berg should be ordained anew accord /
ing to the description prescribed by
the Swedish Lutheran Church. Re.
signing his charges In New Jersey he {
sailed from Philadelphia for London,
March End, 1772, arriving at Dover
April 10th. His stay in London was
very brief. Immediately upon his ar.
rival he waited up N the Lord BishopI
OF London. by whose chaplain, the
Rev. DR.. Hind, he was examined.
Two others were there In Londen upon
the same errand Mr. Braidfoot, OIL
Va and Mr.. White, afterwards the
venerated Bishop White of Pa.
The Bishop consented to q private
ordination end after having with Mr..
Braidfoot received deacons orders
from the Bishop OF Ely, they we're all |
three ordained as priests on the 23rd |
OF April, 1772, at the Kings Chapel, |
st. James by the Bishop of London.
% the Oath of May he sailed from
London arriving in Philadel phia the
latter part of July. Arriving among
his parishioners during the fall of
l772, sufficient time was given him to
become extensively acquainted
throughout the whole Valley, before
the opening of hostilities. After thre g
years as pastor here in Woodstock.
we find him preparing for the CREST
struggle to follow. Dunmore Coun.
ty (now Shenandoah was one of the
first to proclaim its opinions upon the
Issues OF those troublous days and
meeting was held in Woodstock on
the 10th of June, l774, thus anteda
J ing the famous Mecklinburg meeting,
which was proclaimed May s1st IT'S.
| The proceedings OF the meeting held
in Woodstock, June 10th, TIA, were
published in the Williamsburg Ca
zette, Aug. 4th, 1774, nearly one wear
prior to the meeting in Mecklinburg
County, county which has since
erected a monument and which has
yearly meetings, thus perpetual
myth. Rev. Muhlenberg was chosen
=, ! moderator of the meeting IN Wood
stock and afterwards as chairman of
the committee on Resolutions. Dur
ing 1115 he was chosen a member of
the House OF Burgesses, with Patrick
Henry, leader of the war party. He
was also appointed delegate to the
State Convention held at Williams
burg, Aug. LIST following Writing
to his brother in Trappe. Pa, under
date OF January 18th, ITS, be Bays
The times are getting troublesome
with US and begin to wear q hostile
. appearance. Independent companies
are forming in every county and pol
itics engross all conversation. l had
thrown my commission as chairman
|. on correspondence and of Magistrate
likewise, but I am again chosen chair
man, so that whether l choose or not.
l am to be politician
Il Upon his return to Woodstock he
gave notice to his scattered parishion-
, ers that he would deliver to them on
the following Sabbath, his farewell
sermon.
The appointed day came. The rude
Country church was filled to over
lowing. So great was the assem-.
olage that the quiet burial place was
. hiled. Stern, excited men had gath
D cred together, believing that some
thing would be done in behalf of this
suffering country. They waited pa.
tiently for the appearance of their
pastor. He came and assembled the
pulpit. his tall form arrayed in full
uniform, over which his gown was
thrown, a surplice of black silk, now
in the custody of Lutherans.
He preached to them OF a God,
, Savior and country, with all the
zeal and eloquence of Paul and IL ey
hung upon his fiery words with all the
Intensity of their souls. His conclu.
sion turned their thoughts upon their
sutterings and wrongs And he said
ne had lnsheathe6 the sword and
that in the language of Holy writ
there was time for all things-a
time to preach and a time to pray.
but those times had passed away and
Tia voice like trumpet blast'' that
there was time to fight and that time
had now come. The sermon finished
he pronounced the benediction and de.
liberately putting off the gown, be
stood before them girced warrior
and descending the pulpit ordered the
drums at the church do or to beat for
recruits.
This event occurred about the mid
die OF January, 1776, and from that
time until March, Col. Muhlepberp
Was busily engaged in recruiting
soldiers. After the Revolutionary
war he removed to Trappe, Pa leav
lag as heritage to his once devoted
| congregation in the old Lutheran
Church. what is now as the Mullen.
berg communion service, a colonial
chalice, plate and pitcher, which bears
upon it an engraved inscription, max.
ing it of priceless value to the present
Lutheran congregation.
1t is significant that most all OF the
personal belongings left in Wood.
stock, by Gen. Muhlenberg are in the
custody OF the Lutheran congregation. |
The Bible and Prayer Book left bv |
him, were 10 the hands of private
parties for years afterthe Revolution.
Gen. Muhleaberg never again filed the
pulpit after the close of the Reyom.
| tt,w1 H,,k H.