IN THE

MAYOR'S COURT

OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

March Sessions, 1816, 2
City of Philadelphia. s. S.

THE Grand Inquest of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, enquiring for the city of Philadelphia, upon their oaths and affirmations respectively do present, that Frederick Eberle, Frederick Buchhalter, John P. Kracker, Charles › Gunther, Frederick Bennecker, Adam Risinger, John Seyfert, Matthias Sheuerman, Theobald Schmidt, George Wienman, Conrad Weckerle, David Schuh, John Dorneck, Michael Knorr, William Yager, Christian L. Mannhardt, Jacob Link, John Dankworth, Christian Reisch, John Schlag, John Cruse, Henry Dolinert, Christian F, Cruse, Jacob Chur, junr. Gottlieb Schwartz, F. A. Schneider, John Chur, Henry A. Maxheimer, Frederick Hockley, Frederick Fricke, John William Berg, Charles Lex, Valentine Flegler, Henry Flegler, Frederick Schwikkart, Christian Jahns, Jacob Endress, John Seifert, Matthew Scheuerman, David Scheuerman, Jacob Scheuerman, Henry Schweyer, Caspar Pickles, John Bornman, Jacob Chur, Christian G. Schmidt, JohnGeorge Dau, Jacob Eberle, John Schultz, William. Weyman, John Peter, Henry Luben, Peter Selbert, Philip Zehner, Christopher Busch, Amos Burman, Henry Miller, Philip Eberle and John Herpel, on the twentysixth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifteen, were members of the German Evangelical Lutheran congrega. tion, in and near Philadelphia. And so being severally and respectively members of the said congregation, they the said Frederick Eberle, Frederick Buchhalter, John P. Kracker, Charles Gunther, Frederick Bennecker, Adam Risinger, John Seyfert, Matthias Sheuerman, Theobald Schmidt, George Wienman, Conrad Weckerle, David Schuh, John Dorneck, Michael Knorr, William Yager, Christian L. Mannhardt, Jacob Link, John Dankworth, Christian Reisch, John Schlag, John Cruse, Henry Dolinert, Christian F. Cruse, Jacob Chur, junr. Gottlieb Schwartz, F. A. Schneider, John Chur, Henry A. Maxheimer, Frederick Hackley, Frederick Fricke, John William Berg, Charles Lex, Valentine Flegler, Henry Flegler, Frederick Schweickart, Christian Jahns, Jacob Endress, John Seyfert, Matthew Scheuerman, David Scheuerman, Jacob Scheuerman, Henry Schweyer, Caspar Pickles, John Bornman, Jacob Chur, Christian G. Schmidt, John George Dau, Jacob Eberle, John Schultz, William Weyman, John Peter, Henry Luben, Peter Selbert, Philip Zehner, Christopher Busch, Amos Burman, Henry Miller, Philip Eberle and John Herpel, unlawfully and wickedly combining, conspiring and confederating together to acquire for themselves unjust and illegal authority and power in the said congregation; and to distress, oppress and aggrieve the peaceful citizens of this commonwealth, also members of the said congregation, and to prevent them from the free, lawful and proper enjoyment of the rights and privileges thereof; afterwards to wit, on the day and year aforesaid, at the city of Philadelphia aforesaid, and within the jurisdiction of this court, unlawfully assembled and met together, and being so assembled and met together, did, then and there, unjustly und unlawfully, and oppressively, con

spire, combine, confederate and agree together to prevent, by force and arms, the use of the English language in the worship of Almighty God, among the said congregation, and for that purpose did, then and there determine, and firmly bind themselves before God, and solemnly to each other to defend with their bodies and lives, the German divine worship, and to oppose by every means, lawful and unlawful, the introduction of any other language, into the churches, and the said Frederick Eberle, Frederick Buchhalter, John P. Kracker, Charles Gunther, Frederick Bennecker, Adam Risinger, John Seyfert, Matthias Sheuerman, Theobald Schmidt, George Wienman, Conrad Weckerle, David Schuh, John Dorneck, Michael Knorr, William Ya ger, Christian L. Mannhardt, Jacob Link, John Dankworth, Christian Reisch, John Schlag, John Cruse, Henry Dolinert, Christian F. Cruse, Jacob Chur, junr. Gottlieb Schwartz, F. A. Schneider, John Chur, Henry A. Maxheimer, Frederick Hackley, Frederick Fricke, John William Berg, Charles Lex, Valentine Flegler, Henry Flegler, Frederick Schwikkart, Christian Jahns, Jacob Endress, John Seifert, Matthew Scheuerman, David Scheuerman, Jacob Scheuerman, Henry Schweyer, Caspar Pickles, John Bornman, Jacob Chur, Christian G. Schmidt, John George Dau, Jacob Eberle, John Schultz, William Weyman, John Peter, Henry Luben, Peter Selbert, Philip Zehner, Christopher Busch, Amos Burman, Henry Miller, Philip Eberle and John Herpel, and each of them, in pursuance of the said unlawful and oppres sive conspiracy, combination, confederacy and agreement so formed, and made as aforesaid, afterwards to wit, on the sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixteen, at the city of Philadelphia, aforesaid, and within the jurisdiction of this court, at an eléction, then and there held by the members of the said congregation, for certain officers of the same, to wit, for elders and wardens, did unlawfully and oppressively, and with force and violence, riotously and routously, make and raise, and cause to be made and raised a great noise, tumult, riot, and disturbance, and then and there, in further pursuance of the said unlawful and oppressive conspiracy, combination, confederacy and agreement so formed and made as aforesaid, did assault, beat and wound certain members of the said congregation, to wit: for the better carrying on the said unlawful and oppressive conspiracy, combination, confederacy and agreement into effeet and execution, to the great damage, oppression and grievance of the members of the German Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, in and near Philadelphia, aforesaid, to the evil and pernicious example of all others in the like case offending, and against the peace and dignity of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. And the grand inquest aforesaid, upon their oaths and affirmations aforesaid, do further present that the said Frederick Eberle, Frederick Buchhalter, John P. Kracker, Charles Gunther, Frederick Benecker, Adam Risinger, John Seyfert, Matthias Sheuerman, Theobald Schmidt, George Wienman, Conrad Weckerle, David Schuh, John Dorneck, Michael Knorr, William Yager, Christian L. Mannhardt, Jacob Link, John Dankworth, Christian Reisch, John Schlag, John Cruse, Henry Dolinert, Christian F. Cruse, Jacob Chur, junr. Gottlieb Schwartz, F. A. Schneider, John Chur, Henry A. Maxheimer, Frederick Hockley, Frederick Fricke, John Berg, Charles Lex, Valentine Flegler, Henry Flegler, Frederick Schwikkart, Christian Jahns, Jacob Endress, John Seifert, Matthew Scheuerman, David Scheuerman, Jacob Scheuerman, Henry Schweyer, Caspar Pickles, John Bornman, Jacob Chur, Christian G. Schmidt, John George Dau, Jacob Eberle, John Schultz, William Weyman, John Peter, Henry Luben, Peter Selbert, Philip Zehner, Christopher Busch, Amos Burman, Henry Miller, Philip Eberle and John Herpel, on the twenty-sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifteen, were members of the German Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, in and near Philadelphia, and so being 'members of the said congregation, they, the said Frederick Eberle, Frederick Buchhalter, John P. Kracker, Charles Gunther, Fre derick Bennecker, Adam Risinger, John Seyfert, Matthias Scheuerman, Theobald Schmidt, George Wienman, Conrad Weckerle, David Schuh,

John Dorneck, Michael Knorr, William Yager, Christian L. Mannhardt, Jacob Link, John Dankworth, Christian Reisch, John Schlag, John Cruse, Henry Dolinert, Christian F. Cruse, Jacob Chur, junr. Gottlieb Schwartz, F. A. Schneider, John Chur, Henry A. Maxheimer, Frederick Hockley, Frederick Fricke, John William Berg, Charles Lex, Valentine Flegler, Henry Flegler, Frederick Schwikkart, Christian Jahns, Jacob Endress, John Seifert, Matthew Scheuerman, David Scheuerman, Jacob Scheuerman, Henry Schweyer, Caspar Pickles, John Bornman, Jacob Chur, Christian G. Schmidt, John George Dau, Jacob Eberle, John Schultz, William Weyman, John Peter, Henry Luben, Peter Selbert, Philip Zehner, Christopher Busch, Amos Bur man, Henry Miller, Philip Eberle and John Herpel, unlawfully and wickedly Combining, conspiring, and confedrating together, to acquire for themselves, unjust and illegal authority and power in the said congregation, and to distress, oppress and aggrieve the peaceful citizens of this commonwealth, also members of the said congregation, and to prevent them from the free and lawful and proper enjoyment of their rights and privileges thereof, afterwards to wit: on the day and year last aforesaid, at the city of Philadelphia aforesaid, and within the jurisdiction of this court, unlawfully assembled and met together, and being so assembled and met together, to prevent by force and violence, the use of the English language, in the worship of Almighty God, among the said congregation, and for that purpose did, then and there, wickedly, unlawfully and oppressively, confederate and agree together and among themselves, and did then and there determine, and firmly bind themselves before God, and solemnly to each other, to defend with their bodies and lives, the German divine worship, and to oppose by every means, lawful and unlawful, the introduction of any other language into the churches, to the great damage, oppression and grievance of the members of the German Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, in and near Philadelphia aforesaid, to the evil and pernicious example of all others, in the like case offending, and against the peace and dignity of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

For the Attorney General.

EDWARD INGERSOLL. Note-The following names were indorsed on the bill of indictment, "Ig. noramus," by the grand jury, to wit: F. A. Gildner, Frederick Oberthuer, Charles Bartholoma, Charles Dominique, John Andrew Maurer, John Zehner, William Walter, John Mickebine, George Selbert, Melchior Wahl John Noole, Nicholas Hartzell, Elias Frey, and George Mark.

Articles of Association of the St. Michael's Society.*

ART. 1. THE Association shall be known by the style and title of the St. Michael's Society. Its objects are to promote the Christian religion, according to the doctrines of Luther, and to unite the members of the German Lutheran Congregation, by having divine service performed in the church, in the English as well as the German language.

ART. 2. The members of the society shall consist of contributing members being communicants of the German Lutheran Church, in Philadelphia, who are of good moral character, and friendly to associating the English with the German language, in the service of the church.

ART. 3. The officers of the society shall consist of a president, a secretary, and treasurer, who shall be elected annually at the stated meeting of the society in January. In the absence of the president, a president pro-tempore may be appointed.

*The society derives its name from the old church "St. Michael," be longing to the congregation

ART. 4. The stated meetings of the society shall be on the second Thurs.. day of every month; but the president may convene the society whenever he may deem it necessary.

ART. 5. Every person on becoming a member shall pledge himself to support, by every honorable means, the objects of the society, and shall suby scribe these articles.

Extract from the Works of Luther, 3d volume, page 464.

"Ir is no-wise my intention to expect the Latin language from our reli gious worship, the whole of my drift is the improvement of our youth. And was it in my power, and the Greek and Hebrew were as common with us as the Latin, and contained such excellent church music, and psalmody as the Latin does, it would be my wish to use all the four languages alternately, Sunday after Sunday, so as to sing and, read in German, Latin, Greek and Hebrew. I do not hold it with those in any way, who pin themselves to one language only, and despise all others, for I wish to raise our youth and people so, that they may become serviceable to Christ, in other and strange countries, and be able to converse with the inhabitants; otherwise we shall fall into the predicament of the Waldenses, in Bohemia, who have kept their faith so long a prisoner to their language, that they cannot converse with any one, so as to be understood, unless he first learns their language. The holy spirit did not in the beginning of christianity conduct in this way. He did not tarry at Jerusalem until the whole world should collect there to learn Hebrew, but he endowed the apostles with different tongues, to enable them to preach the gospel wherever they came. This example I would rather follow, and it is just that our youth should be exercised in different languages, not knowing what use the Lord may make of them.”

NOTICE

Philadelphia, September 19, 1815:

Mr. John Stroup..
Sir,

Viewing with regret, the change from a flourishing, to a declining situation, of the German Lutheran Congregation, and believing that the same may be revived, you are requested to attend a meeting to be held at the school house of the Congregation, in Cherry-street, on Monday evening next, the 25th inst. at 7 o'clock, to consider what method ought to be pursued to promote this object.

S. L.

MANY MEMBERS

Mr. Leib's Note to the Congregation, requesting a conference upon the Subject of English Preaching.

A meeting of a considerable number of the congregation of St. Michael's and Zion's Churches, was held last evening at the school-house, to consult on the propriety of having divine service performed in a language intelligible to them and their children, and they appointed a committee to confer with the corporation on this interesting subject. The committee desirous of conduct