By Douglas Wiegner

One of the individuals who left behind a great account of the epic of leaving Europe was Christopher Wiegner. He told of the crossing to America in a diary form. This account has been preserved and in 1978 was translated by Dr. Peter Erb in a book form entitled "The Spiritual Diary of Christopher Wiegner" and published by the Society of the Descendants of the Schwenkfeldian Exiles which was printed at the Wilfrid Laurier University Press. Christopher Wiegner was born in Ober-Harperskorf, Silesia on February 24, 1712 and died in Towamencin Pennsylvania in 1745. He wrote in this diary about the Jesuit persecution which the Schwenkfelders endured and the hardship that was imposed upon them because of their religious beliefs. Schwenkfelders were forbidden to sell their goods or land, or to emigrate and they were denied Christian burial. The account tells of the crossing and the effort it took to come to Pennsylvania. Part of the Diary is in the following and tells in part what it meant to journey in 1734.

1734

June 28 On the 28th we left Rotterdam (Holland) in the evening.

July 10 ... we arrived at Helfort Schleis. the captain came to us.

July 11 On the 11th we went to sea. In the afternoon nearly all of us were sick.

July 12 ... Christopher Kriebel’s child died at night.

July 13 On the 13th it began to be better.

July 17 ... we arrived at Plymouth (England). In the afternoon we went to the town to refresh our bodies.

July 18 - 19 On the 18th and on the 19th a woman gave us some money.

July 29 On the 29th we left the harbor ...

Aug. 3 On the 3rd Hubner’s child died.

Aug. 4 On the 4th side wind. Becalmed in the evening. At night a strong contrary wind arose. Because of this we were very ill until the 5th and 6th. On the 5th we had already gone 700 English miles.

Aug. 8 - 9 ... This night Gregorious Schultz’s child died.

Aug. 11 On the 11th a contrary wind broke off the center mast.

Aug. 14 ...a French populated ship from the West Indies came. There was great concern among the members on board that it was a pirate ship since it flew no flag and turned around, after passing, and swung toward us as if to take fire...

Aug. 17 ...heavy rain and loud thunder

Aug. 18 ... a contrary west wind with rain and thunder. Schubert’s child died.

Aug. 19 - 20 ... a contrary wind so strong it threw waves over the ship up to the sail cloth. Many were very ill. I was affected as well.

Aug. 22 ... Mrs. David Schubert died. In the evening we were met by an English ship from the West Indies which caused much fear since it did not raise a flag.

Aug. 25 On the 25th still contrary winds. The waves struck 10 ells over the ship. Because I was not properly lodged, my head became fevered and my thoughts were not able to remain firm, struggle so hard as I might. It finally caused me much sorrow. I remembered how a Christian must conquer all in Christ. I called to him from the heart for strength. In the evening the dear Savior took away the struggle and gave me such peace that I thought nothing nor knew nothing except my Lamb and Savior. It was a heavy concern with me to know if it was not my calling to dedicate my life completely to chastity, poverty and voluntary discipleship and service.

Aug. 26 ... a little north wind. This day I had a stirring impulse to pray to the dear Savior to help me in the Pennsylvania trial.

Aug. 28 On the 28th Hoffman’s George died. Be calmed in the evening...

Aug. 30 Once again a ship from New England met us with herring.

Sept. 1 On the 1st the wind was still south east. I still lay sick. On the same day a very hot night. Almost everyone slept on the deck. I could not because of my sickness.

Sept. 4 On the 4th I promised the dear Savior without certain knowledge of his will that I would not marry nor purchase farm nor cattle. Be merciful unto me dear Lord Jesus. Teach me and let me not become a disgrace, for I thought it was intended for me out of your grace. Lord Jesus, let me live according to your counsel.

Sept. 5 ...becalmed. A very great heat at night ... Mrs. Reinwalt failed.

Sept. 9 ...heavy rain with thunder.

Sept. 12 ...the wind good, from the north. An English ship from Gibraltar met us. It was going to Marienland (Maryland). I got a chill again.

Sept. 13 ... A Palatine child was buried. They shot several times at a large fish. Several very large ones could be seen beside the ship. They fished. The man-eaters bit at the small fish and ripped off 2 lines....

Sept. 16 ...a good wind. Today I was so angry that I was not able to consider anything other than it had ruined me. The cause was that I wished to eat Stockfisk and my mother gave it away. My heart was greatly moved to contrition and humility. This lasted until evening when I received a friendly glance of grace and that evening I was gladdened. On the 15th a small bird came to the ship which we believed to be a land bird. it allowed itself to be captured. On the 16th they shot a big bird but it fell in the water. Before midnight they still did not find the bottom. On the 17th in the morning around 3 o’clock they found the bottom at 55 fathoms. They hung anchor. At noon the sailors saw land and found the bottom at 16 fathoms. In the afternoon at 15 fathoms. The wind still good.

Sept. 18 On the 18th we saw land and forest. The bottom was 5 fathoms...My heart greatly hungered that Jesus would be for me essential righteousness.

Sept. 19 ...we traveled into the stream. An English sip met us with whom we exchanged letters. Two more met us with horses, goats, pigs and sheep.

Sept. 20 ...a good wind. Mrs. Reinwalt died.

Sept. 21 ...we went by New Castle. There we received the first apples which were very good. In the afternoon the captain left because the sailors didn’t return. They held out a lantern on the shipstick and beat the drum. While this was going on they fought near the mast. After this the sailors beat each other frightfully.

Sept. 22 On the 22nd we arrived in Philadelphia in the morning. George Scholtz and Klem and afterward Schonfeld came to meet us there. This is a short section of Christopher Wiegner’s diary that tells about the journey of the Schwenkfelder families as they traveled to Pennsylvania. The diary was between the years of 1732 to 1739 and also gives details of the living conditions of the first years in Pennsylvania. Doctor Peter Erb also gives a commentary of the theology of Casper Schwenkfeld. He also give a response to the Christian journey of Christopher Wiegner as it was played out with the varying religious groups in this area of Europe. Dr. Erb suggest that Wiegner had a hand with helping to develop dialogues with various religious groups in Pennsylvania. In view of the great emphasis placed on Wiegner’s Moravian contacts in earlier literature it is interesting to note the religious affiliations of his many contacts after this time. An overwhelming number are radical Pietists, members of the Church of the Brethren and of the Epharatar Cloisters. In America Wiegner played an important role in organizing the ‘Associated Brethren of the Skippack’ a group of ecumenical oriented members of various Pennsylvania denominations.

The thirty four Schwenkfelder families numbering around 200 people arrived in the ship called the St. Andrew in Philadelphia in September 1734. They were helped by the Holland Mennonites financially and with their own resources they began to establish themselves. Communities were established to the north east of Philadelphia and due to the recommendations of pursuing an agricultural life they bought individual farm. Family units remained the center of the religious and community life as the group began to grow. The family members began to reprint, record and gather their religious materials and literature together and in 1753 a system of regular religious meetings were established in the homes. In 1782 the entire group was organized as ‘The Society of Schwenkfelders’ and continued as such until 1909 when they were incorporated as The Schwenkfelder Church.

After the migration of the thirty-four Schwenkfelder families and the subsequent addition of a migration of a few more families later only twenty families remained Schwenkfelders after the first twenty five years in Pennsylvania. In the organization of the Schwenkfelders as a religious group in 1762 only 10 main families were represented in its formation. Where did the Schwenkfelder descendants go?

The Schwenkfeld descendants met for religious meetings in the home and from this tradition could easily associate with surrounding Christian groups which were of kindred spirit. Assimilation with other Christian group was not contrary to the teaching of Schwenkfeld and with his teaching of the Invisible Church they could become a vital part of any Christian group. Living with the conviction of the Schwenkfeld teaching of spiritual renewal as the vital fiber of his theology they could become involved with various Christian groups but yet remember the heritage of their roots.

Leadership positions in other established Church groups was not uncommon for the Schwenkfelders. A look at these descendant’s new visible church expression shows a remarkable emphasis in the outgrowth of the Pietist Movement. The most predominate group is the Evangelical Lutheran and the other major groupings are the Evangelical Association, Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, Holiness Movement, Christian Missionary Alliance and Dutch Reform. Each of these groups during a period of their development stressed that kind of spiritual awareness or renewal that was necessary for the new Schwenkfeld families. Over time we trace many of the Schwenkfeld descendants as being members of the above mentioned groups spread all over the United States and world. The descendants are in the tens of thousands today and do maintain an established Society of the Schwenkfeld Exiles with its address in Pennsylvania.

The Established Schwenkfelder Church today is associated with the United Church of Christ but has many ties with the American Baptist Churches in Pennsylvania. However, the Church is a distinct body of believers with five churches in Pennsylvania. The General Conference of the Schwenkfelder Church has about 2600 members with five Churches located in Worcester, Lansdale, Palm, Philadelphia and Norristown, Pennsylvania. Much credit needs to go to the General Conference of the Schwenkfelder Church for the fine way they have kept alive the writings of Casper Schwenkfeld for over 450 years by printing and maintaining the works. Writings have been preserved and are available at the Schwenkfelder Library in Pennsburg, Pennsylvania for those interested in research and investigations into this little known group.

Wittenberg scholastic, Ernst Valentine Loescher, found it very conceivable that the pietist movement was greatly helped and spread by the Schwenkfelders. The above mentioned Christian groups had many leaders who had heritage linkage to the original Schwenkfelder families and through this leadership spread many of the beliefs found in stressing the importance of a Christian life style. Influenced by the leadership found in this linkage with the Schwenkfelders today we find this is where we find most of the descendent. The Schwenkfeld descendants are spread all over this land having spiritual roots deep in the vital life of the Church Universal and at times the Church Invisible.

Schwenkfelders Who are they?

Schwenkfelders Living in Europe

Schwenkfelders In the Colonies

Casper Schwenckfeld

WIEGNER More to See