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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Documents concerning the recruitment of a Lutheran minister in North Carolina
No Author
1771
Volume 08, Pages 630-633

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[From Records St. Luke's Church, Salisbury, N. C.]

WHEREAS in the counties of Rowan, Orange, Mecklenburg and Tryon, situated in the province of North Carolina in America, are already settled near three thousand German protestant families, and being very fruitful in that healthy climate, are beside, vastly increasing by numbers of German protestants almost weekly arriving from Pennsylvania and other provinces of America; and having been hitherto without the means of grace, and being unable to maintain a learned and orthodox minister of their language and persuasion, whereby a great ignorance in the word of God and a melancholy dissoluteness of living has already prevailed, & will doubtless still more prevail,

In order that such an evil, which must provoke the Almighty God to anger and vengeance, may be effectually removed, near sixty German Lutheran protestant families have united themselves humbly to implore His Excellency TRYON, then Governor of the said province graciously to countenance, under the great seal of the province, that two of their members namely Christopher Layrle and Christopher Reintelmann are deputed by them humbly to beg of the protestant brethren and other friends to the Kingdom of Christ in England Holland Germany their benevolence and charity to enable them in supporting a learned and orthodox protestant minister, in order that the means of grace may be duly administered and the Kingdom of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ be likewise established and propagated among them.

His Excellency Governor Tryon has according to his known humanity countenanced their petition under the great seal of the province and referred the case to the Honorable Society for the propagation of the gospel in foreign parts, established in London; which society has likewise pioulsy countenanced under their seal this undertaking as appears by the following copies.

A copy of his Excellency's recommendation.


NORTH CAROLINA.

By His Excellency William Tryon Esquire his Majesty's Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over the said province.

To all persons whom it may concern.

Whereas sixty German families of the Lutheran Church forming

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a settlement on the second bank [creek?] in Rowan County in this Province request of me to countenance their procuring a Minister and Schoolmaster in their own Language in the manner expressed in their memorial annexed, and such their intention and proposal being certified as laudable by the Revd Mr. Drage Rector of St. Luke's Parish in the said County, as well as in Consideration of the loyal and prudent behavior of the Inhabitants of the said settlement, I do by these Presents refer to the Bishop of London and to the Society for the propagation of the Gospel in foreign Parts the Consideration of the annexed Memorial, and recommend such charitable support as by them shall be thought necessary for carrying the said laudable purposes into Execution.

Given under my hand and the great seal of the said Province at Newbern the first day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy one, and in the eleventh Year of his Majesty's reign.

Wm. TRYON [Seal]
By his Excellency's Command
I. Edwards Priv. Sec.

Copy of the pious countenance of the Honorable Society for the propagation of the gospel in foreign parts.

At a General Meeting of the Society for Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts held in Dean's Yard Westminster on Friday July 19th 1771, A Petition with a Testimonial thereunto annexed by his Excellency Governor Tryon From the German Settlers on Second Creek in Rowan County North Carolina having been laid before the Board

The Society did approve the pious & useful design therein contained, and declared that in case the proposed Subscription shall meet with success and such a sum shall be raised as shall afford a reasonable prospect of establishing a fund adequate to the permanent support of a Minister and Schoolmaster in the said settlement, They will contribute to such fund and give such encouragement thereto as corresponds with their ability and the Nature of their Institution.

D. BURTON [Seal]
By order of the Society

Abingdon Street, Westmr July 19th, 1771.

Having under God's mercy and assistance succeeded so far, their deputies namely Christopher Layrle and Christopher Rantelman

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have desired William Symondson Esq., Treasurer to the said Society for propagating the gospel in foreign parts, to receive the money which may be raised for this charitable purpose; the Revd Dr Wachsel minister of the German Lutheran congregation in little Ayliffe street Goodman's fields and the Revd Mr Burgmann minister of the German Lutheran congregation in the Savoy promise to assist them abroad with proper directions, and see that the money which may be collected be sent over and lodged with the said William Symondson Esq Treasurer to the aforesaid Society, whereof a satisfactory account will be published.1

1
By His Majesty's most gracious orders,
At Hanover
300 dollars.
And at Osnabruck
100 dollars.
2
£
s.
d.
The most Reverend and Honorable Frederick Lord Archbishop of Canterbury
5
5
0
3
Governor Tryon's subscription
5
5
0
The Honorable Miss Tryon's do
2
2
0
The Right Revd the Lord Bishop of London do
6
6
0
By an order of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts do
40
0
0
The Earl of Dartmouth do
5
5
0
The Earl of Granville do
5
5
0
Peter DeBlon do
10
6
Js. W. Spencer do
2
2
0
Philip Skene do
1
1
0
13
Received by me, John Casper Velthusen, Chaplain of His Majesty's German Chapel at St James's
Sep. 24th 1772, From Wurtemburg 75 florins which are paid to me by the Revd Mr Ziegenhaden with
7
0
6
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Sept. 27th 1772, By a public collection in German Chapel at St James's
54
18
From Hanover, besides a large quantity of Books, a letter of exchange from the Revd Dr Goetten in which the most gracious Royal Gift of 300 dollars (mentioned pag. 1) is contained,
103
14
0

This letter of 'change is assigned from Mr Ritz at Hanover to Mr Clifford & comp. at London, has been accepted in its time, & shall be payed January 20th 1773.

The next page is blank and unnumbered and the other pages torn out.—P. J. M. [Rector].


———

1 After this point the pages are numbered. Pages 4, 11 & 12 are blank, pages 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10 have been torn out.—P. J. M. [Rector].