The German sectarians of Pennsylvania : a critical and legendary history of the Ephrata Cloister and the Dunkers . he ordi-nance was administered to them by Peter Becker. Beforethe rite was concluded, another person, Veronica Fried- I02 German Sectarians of Pennsylvania. richs, the wife of a local miller, presented herself as a can-didate and was accepted. During this service on the banksof the placid Peqiiea, much fervent spirit manifested itselfamong all present, and no one was more impressed thanConrad Beissel. He had felt for some time past that longerto withstand the ordinance of God was
The German sectarians of Pennsylvania : a critical and legendary history of the Ephrata Cloister and the Dunkers . he ordi-nance was administered to them by Peter Becker. Beforethe rite was concluded, another person, Veronica Fried- I02 German Sectarians of Pennsylvania. richs, the wife of a local miller, presented herself as a can-didate and was accepted. During this service on the banksof the placid Peqiiea, much fervent spirit manifested itselfamong all present, and no one was more impressed thanConrad Beissel. He had felt for some time past that longerto withstand the ordinance of God was presumption. Toovercome this craving and ease his conscience, Beissel,some time previous to this pilgrimage, attempted to baptisehimself. This questionable act, however, failed to convincehim, and the imcertainty of its efficacy left him in a veryunenviable state of mind. Yet he considered his old masterand the others present so far beneath him in every respect,that it would be too great a humiliation for his proud spiritto receive baptism at their hands. The stepping forth of Veronica Friedrichs, the fervent. Thk Oldest known Repkesbntation of a Christian Baptism. prayers and pious ejaculations, all tended to increase theexcitement of Beissel; well may it be assumed that itreached a fever heat, and that his mental conflict was afearful one. He, too, longed to enter the water and be Original in crypt of St. Liicina in Cometerium of Callistiis, datingfrom the third century. Immersion of Beissel. 103 plunged beneath the flood, and through it again enter thematerial world cleansed from all taint and sin. While hefelt himself called to fulfill a mission to preach the Gospelamong his fellow-men, yet his pride forbade him to humblehimself, as he considered, to bow to his old master andreceive the rite at his hands. While Veronica was being baptized the excitement rosestill higher. Suddenly, in the very midst of the solemnrite, Beissel remembered how it was recorded in Scripturethat e
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Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectpennsylvaniadutch
