A wonder of grace, or, Thirty-three years in the ministry, being a short sketch of the life and labors of Rev. H. A. Dietterich

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REV. H. A. DIETTERICH.

Introduction

TO THE READERS '.

I have often thought it might be the means of accomplishing at least some good, to publish a short sketch of my Experience-Life and labors, in the ministry. Not in a boasting spirit — for I have nothing "whereof to boast" — but as a "wonder of grace." I have frequently been greatly encouraged, while reading the history of others, and I hope this little volume may be the means of inspiring new courage and infusing new zeal into the heart of the tempted and tried Christian and even influence sinners, to "seek the God of all grace." I only regret, that I neglected to keep a diary, and therefore am unable, to give dates, number of conversions, and many incidents, of interest. ' .

But, as it is, I have done the best I could, under the circumstances, and praying God's blessing upon this little book, and its readers, I send it forth in his name.

Truly yours,

H. A. DlETTERICH,

Pastor Salona Charge Ev. Lutheran Church, Salona, Clinton Co., Pa.

Novembe?' ist, 1891.

Chapter I. A Wonder Of Grace

BIRTH, PARENTAGE, AND THE GREAT MISTAKE OF MY LIFE.

"Then will I tell, to sinners round, What a dear Savior I have found."

I feel, that the salvation of God has been so great, in my case — and has done so much for me — that I should make it known to others, and record it, where it may be read by them. "When this poor lisping stammering tongue lies silent in the grave," and therefore this feeble effort to do so, in this little book, which shall contain a short sketch, of my history, and of God's wonderful dealings with me. I w r as born in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, April 21st, 1838. My father's name was Henry Dietterich and mother's name Mary Catharine. Her maiden name was Freas. I received the name of Henry Alonzo. My father was a farmer, a man of great industry and in comfortable circumstances. I had five brothers and six sisters. A family of twelve of whom I was the youngest. We all lived to arrive to years of maturity, and were all married and settled down in life, but myself and youngest sister, before the family circle was broken by death. Father, mother and all my brothers and sisters save one brother, are now (1891) gone to

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their long homes, And I have this confidence, that most of them, but \fear not all, are in "Our Father's house, in which there are many mansions." Mother died in 1866, aged seventy-one years. Her last words spoken to my sister shortly before she breathed her last were, "I have finished the work given me to do." Words similar to those of our blessed Savior, and of the great Apostle Paul in their last moments. Father died in 1868, aged seventy-four years. I was with him during all the time of his sickness and he frequently spoke to me very encouragingly of his hope for the future, even to the last. One sister, said to me when I saw her last on her death bed, "We will meet again, in Heaven." The last words of another to her weeping husband were, "O don't weep, for it is a comfort for me to die." Thus they are but gone before. My brother Hiram A. Dietterich studied for the ministry in the Presbyterian Church. He graduated at the Easton College and spent a year at the Princeton Theological Seminary, but his health became so poor, that he was obliged to relinguish his studies lingered a few years and died, July 25th, 1855 aged 32 years, 11 months and 3 days. He was the first one to die in the family. Brother John F., graduated at Selin's Grove in 1866 and is in the ministry of the Lutheran Church. My parents being Lutherans, I was baptised in infancy by Rev. Isaiah Ball, their pastor at that time. I was raised on

WONDER OF GRACE.

the farm until fifteen years of age when father apprenticed me to the trade of plastering, brick laying and stone masoning to Mr. Adarn Kester at eight dollars per month. At the expiration of the first year Mr. Kester went West, and I returned to father on the farm. This spring 1854 a snow, two feet deep, fell on the 14th day of April, killing all the spring birds, which had already come from the South, March having been so spring like that the farmers had their oats sowed. I remained on the farm with father until after harvest, when he again hired me to the trade with Mr. James Wright, of Light street, Columbia Co., at $16.00 per month. I worked with him until I took sick with bilious fever which was followed by fever and ague and finished my work for the season. I again returned to father and remained with him, working on the farm, and at the trade alternately, until eighteen years of age. Here, at eighteen I made the great mistake of my life. Father said to me, "Now you are eighteen, if you wish to remain at home with me until you are twenty-one, I will do thus and so for you." "Or if you wish to go for yourself, you are at liberty to do so. Or, if you desire to go to school and take a collegiate course, I will advance you the money, as I did to Hiram." O ! how many times I have regretted that I did not accept the last offer. But I was thoughtless and wild, and my brother having offered me a clerkship in his store at Evansville,

Columbia Co., Pa., I thought that would be the place for me, and I hired myself to him for one year for one hundred dollars, and I was with him the full year. O ! if I had but gone to college, instead, and fitted myself for the duties of life to which I was afterwards called by God, how much better it had been.

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Chapter II

MARRIAGE, CONVERSIONS AND ENTERING UPON THE GREAT WORK OF THE MINISTRY.

I went to my brother in the store in March 1856, and while in the store I formed the acquaintance of Miss Tamar M. Evans, daughter of Mr. George and Rebecca Evans, of Evansville, Columbia Co., Pa., to whom I was married on the fourth day of April 1857, and she has shared most faithfully the sorrows, afflictions and disappointments, as well as the blessings, comforts and pleasures of life with me, up to the present time. Nobly have we stood together. Up to this time, I had been a respectable, though a wild boy. I was exceedingly fond of sport and frequented the dance, the play and other places of amusement. I was the leader among my associates in what we thought innocent sport. But after my marriage I left off all these things, settled down, spent my evenings at home, followed my trade and desired to become a man. It was this, that saved me, and while I would not advise marriage so early in life, yet to me it was a blessing. I had become rather wicked, was getting worse, becoming addicted to evil habits, and was on the broad road to ruin. I had no educational advantages, but the winter

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school of which we had but three months annually. And these I could not attend regularly as we had a long distance to go, so I could not go while small and when older I was frequently obliged to stay at home to assist in threshing grain, hauling lime &c. I attended as regularly as I could, until eighteen years of age when my school days were ended. When about thirteen years of age I came forward as a seeker of religion one night, in company with four of my sisters, at a meeting, conducted by the Baptists, in the Fowlersville School House. But father being opposed to it, he prevented me trom going forward again. I think this was a great mistake on the part of father. Had he permitted me to continue until converted, and then at the age of eighteen made me the offer of going to school, I no doubt would have felt differently, would have accepted the offer and qualified myself for the great work of the ministry. But the result was, I became more impenitent, than ever, ceased to give the subject of religion a serious thought, discarded the Bible and all religious books and papers, never read them, and even doubted the Divine authority of the Bible and the reality of religion. I would warn parents do not stand in the way of your children in coming to Christ, lest you should become chargeable with their blood and their final destruction. When I was about seventeen years of age father and mother both became converted at a meeting in the Baptist Church, conduc-

WONDER OF GRACE. II

ted by Rev. E. A. Sharrets, of the Lutheran Church. Up to this time my parents had been members of the old church, but it was a mere name and profession. They attended the sacraments, but that was all. Of the new birth or regeneration they knew nothing experimentally, and but little of prayer. Up to the spring I was fourteen years of age father never had worship with his family. This spring my eldest brother who resided in Bloomsburg and was a member of the Lutheran Church there moved on the farm to farm for father and occupied part of the same house with father. My brother held worship with his family. So father thought he must try it too. But pray he could not. So he purchased a family prayer book with scripture lessons and prayer, for every morning and evening and now he would have worship with his family also. But it did not go very well. He was getting up in years, his eyes were getting dim and at night he could scarcely see to read. That was before coal oil lamps were in use, so we had only the tallow candle. And while on our knees praying he would be obliged to lay down his book, and quit praying until he would top the candle, then take up the book and finish reading his prayer. This would some times be necessary two or three times while reading one prayer, and made it very inconvenient. Finally he arranged to have one of my sisters to sit near by and top the light for him while he prayed. But it did not go very well. This he continued up to the above meeting when one night the pastor called on him at the meeting, to lead in prayer. He attempted it, but it would not go, as he did not have his prayer book with him and was not accustomed to praying without it. So his prayer was very short. He then arose came to the altar of prayer and knelt there as a penitent with others of his neighbors, and mother was soon kneeling by his side. He was out several evenings when he found peace by believing in Jesus and arose a new man. Mother was also happily converted to God. Father never afterwards used his prayer book at worship and could pray around the family altar, or at the meeting whenever asked to do so without it. And then there was some spirit in his prayers whether the candle was toped or not, and he remained a praying man to the time of his death. I often saw him read the prayer book, but never at worship afterwards. I would not condemn the reading of such books, and they may be useful. But to depend on them is a mistake. I believe with the poet, that

"Prayer is the soul's sincere desire, Utter'd or unexpressed The motion of a hidden fire That trembles in the breast."

Again

"The Christian's heart his prayer indites, He speaks as prompted from within, The Spirit, his petition writes, And Christ receives, and gives it in."

God says, "Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it," Paul lxxxi. 10.

Father now frequently plead with me, with weeping eyes, to give my heart to Jesus, but I was then entirely unconcerned. He earnestly entreated me not to do as he had done, put off this most important work, to old age, which should be attended to in the days of our youth. He said, "O it is so hard for me now, in my old days, to do the work I should have done years ago." He never could rest satisfied, until I became converted. Perhaps what addeJ to his anxiety, was the thought, that he had once stood in my way. Parents, take warning, or fearful may be the consequence.

After we were married, I made my home with my father-in-law, until October when we took up house keeping. My wife's parents enjoyed religion and were members of the Evangelical Association. Their house was a a house of prayer," and a home for the preachers. Here I was brought more immediately, under religious influences, and became acquainted with their ministers on the circuit, Father John Young, long since gone to rest, and Rev. J. Clair. In the winter after we took up house keeping, we attended a protracted meeting at the Ebenezer Church of the Evangelical Association, conducted by the above named ministers.

At this meeting on Saturday evening myself and wife presented ourselves at the altar of prayer i

as penitents with several others. My wife was sincere, but I was not. Sabbath morning we went to the prayer meeting as they had no preaching. At this prayer meeting I became very much offended at the manner in which the meeting was conducted. They shouted, claped their hands, leaped and ran back and forth through the church, and had what they called a good meeting. I was always opposed to such boisterous meetings. So much excitement ! I was so much offened that I would not go forward again. The news spread rapidly that we were at the altar and many were greatly rejoiced over it. When we returned to our home after the prayer meeting we found my father-in-law there. He had heard of it and came out to help us along. In the evening my lather passed our house on his way to church with a two horse sled load of people, something I never knew him to do before. All going to lend us a helping hand by their prayers, but only to be disappointed. We went to meeting and as we stood on the door step before entering church, my wife said to me, "Are you going iorward to-night." I said, no. She then said, "Then I won't if you don't." I replied, then see that you don't and we entered the church. Preaching over, the pastor came to me and said, "Haint you coming forward to-night." I replied, no Sir, and he left. In a few moments my wife arose and went forward. I was so offended that I took mv overcoat and hat, and went home. Soon as services were over my wife inquired for me, but I was gone. Father then told her he saw me go out, and he supposed I had gone home.

She at once thought oi the remark at the door, and knew there was something wrong. When she came home she found me in bed, and in a bad humor. I refused to let her come to bed, until she promised me with an oath never to go forward again, unless I did so. She promised me and all was right, so far as I was concerned. On Tuesday evening I again asked her to go to church, but she said she did not wish to go, unless she dare come forward. But I desired to see whether she would keep her promise made to me or not, so I insisted on going. But she said, u The preacher will come to me and what shall I say to him." Tell him I won't let you come. She then consented, and we went 'to church. After the sermon, Rev. Clair came to me and asked whether I was coming forward, and I said, no Sir. He then went to my wile, and she told him I would not let her come out. He then came to me again, and we had it pretty lively for a time. I then told him, as he was a single man he might coax her out, and then him and her for it, I would have nothing more to do with her. But if he left us alone we would get along very pleasantly together. He then wanted to come out to our house next day and have a talk with me. But I forbade him the house, and so he said he would not come, and he did not. O surely, I was under the lead of "the roaring lion," or I could not have been so cruel. What a mercy that God did not cut me down as a "cumberer of the ground," yet I was spared. As I said, I was not sincere, nor was I under conviction. A few days alter the above events the Lutherans commenced a meeting in the church of which my parents were members. Their pastor, at that time, though he invited penitents to the altar, was opposed to all manner of excitement or noise. This I thought would be the place for me. At this meeting without any serious impressions, I came forward to the altar of prayer in company with my wife and a number of my old associates. I at once began to pray most earnestly, and soon became deeply convicted. The great deep of my heart was broken up, and I felt as did the Psalmist when he said, "The pains of death and hell got hold upon me." Yes I felt of all men most miserable and "mourned like a dove and chattered like a swallow." Sinners should not wait, for feeling in coming to Christ, but from a sense of duty "seek the Lord," and if they do so, God will give the feeling heart, the sin-sick soul and the contrite spirit. So I found it. I prayed earnestly m my way home, and continued to do so until two o'clock in the morning, earnestly crying to God for mercy and salvrtion, for "there was neither sleep to mine eyes, nor slumber to mine eyelids." That evening already on my way home from

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church I felt, "Woe is me if I preach not the gospel," and I told my wife 1 must preach. But she said, "You cannot preach." I said, I believe I can, if they will let me, but I fear they will not — because I am not educated for the ministry. I never got rid of that feeling, "go preach," until I entered upon the active work of the ministry, and I yet believe the call to the ministry, should come from above, and that it is Divine. In the morning, when I awoke, all conviction had left me. I had no feeling, all was dark to me, and my heart was hard as stone. I was forward six evenings at the Lutheran meeting, when I felt that the meeting was not conducted to suit me, and I must go to the place where I had before opposed. A meeting now began in the Evansville Evangelical Church, of which my wife's parents were members. It was conducted by Revs. Young and Clair. So on Sabbath morning we attended preaching in the Lutheran Church at 10 o'clock, after which we proceeded to the home of her parents. Here we both went to church in the evening and both came forward again, in company with several others. Now the meeting could not be too noisy for me. I felt that I must cry mightily to God to save me, or I must be lost. Here on the third night my wife was happily converted, and the fourth evening conviction again returned to me. The great deep of my heart was again broken up, and on the fifth night I found peace by believing in Jesus. My

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darkness was turned into day, and my mourning into joy. "O happy day when Jesus washed my sins away," and I was enabled to "arise and shine, my light having come and the glory of the Lord being risen upon me." I shall never forget the hour or place where I first felt my sins forgiven. I had a hard struggle, being at the altar eleven evenings, and doing but little duricig the day, but read and pray. The fault was my own. Had I trusted in Jesus, he would have saved me sooner, for he is a present, willing and all sufficient Savior. But perhaps I needed a severe struggle, because I had been so wicked. I think some times ministers make a mistake in conducting their meetings. While we should carefully avoid all extreme excitement and every thing like wild fire and fanaticism, we should not be too fearful of a little excitement, and noise, or loud praying, and earnest crying unto God, on the part of penitents. No wonder the sinner should become alarmed and excited when he sees and feels his lost and ruined condition out of Christ, and should he like blind Bartimeous cry loudly, "Thou son of David have mercy on me." I will not, like the Pharisees, tell him to "hold his peace," because Christ did not, but granted him his prayer, though offered in a loud, excited boisterous manner. And if saints should rejoice and shout aloud at the sinner's conversion no marvel, for "There is joy in the presence of the

Angels in Heaven over the conversion of one sinner," Luke xv. 10.

This was the trouble at the above mentioned Lutheran meeting, or I had never been anything but a Lutheran. But here, when we would become a little interested and earnest in our prayers, and cries to God for salvation, then he would stop us and make us sit up on the seat, while he would read us a great long psalm, or talk to us until all would quit praying, and then tell us now to kneel down again. No, penitents do not want to be interrupted in that way, two or three times in an evening as we were at that meeting. Hence we were obliged, if earnest, to go elsewhere or gi^e up seeking. And I doubt if there was one true conversion at his meeting, though there were twelve of us at the altar at one time. Even at that late date, father would have helped me to means to prepare for the Lutheran ministry, which he would not do in any other church, and the consequence is I have been crippled all my days, for want of preparation for the work. We both united with the Evangelical Association in Evansville March, 1858. I then supposed all churches were alike, and having found peace there we united there. I at once began to read the long neglected Bible daily, erected the family altar and shaped my matters as much as possible for the ministry, though I said nothing about it to any one. I superintended the Sabbath school in the

Knob school house where I had gone to school when a boy, and where I received all my schooling. We had a large and interesting school. But now I had a new difficulty to contend with, as my father was so much dissatisfied at my not uniting with the Lutheran Church, of which he was a member, that he would not speak to me, and said he would disinherit me. But I continued to visit him as before and soon after entering the ministry he became fully reconciled, and his threat to disinherit me, he never carried out, but was a lather to me as before, and would do as much for me, and thought as much of me as any of his children up to the time of his death. And he frequently visited me on my different charges. This, the first summer after uniting with the church, \ worked at my trade until after harvest, when I was again employed in my brother's store, in Evansville. I continued to superintend the Sabbath School, and to study, much as possible, to the last week in September, when on Tuesday morning I stated my case to Rev. E. B. Wilson, pastor in charge of the Columbia Circuit and residing in Evansville, in the parsonage I, as a mechanic had helped to build. I told him I felt called to the ministry, and intended to try it in the spring, and desired him to tell me what books to get, as I wanted to study all I could, and desired him to give me such instructions as he thought best. All the books I had were a small Bible, and Bible

Dictionary. He said I should study well the books I had, as I could get no better, but I must enter upon the work at once, and assist him on the circuit, as the junior preacher, a young man, had become discouraged, left the field, went home, and he must have assistance. He had written to the Elder for help, but he would countermand his letter at once. I told him I could not preach, but must first study and prepare myself for the work as best I could. He urged and insisted I must now begin. I promised to report to him, in the evening, what I would do, and we parted. About sundown I started for his house again to report, but met him and Sister Wilson coming up street. He said, "good evening — and, well what have you concluded to do ? " I replied, " I will go along." He was greatly rejoiced, and praised God that I had concluded to do so. I informed my brother that evening of the arrangements I had made, and he said, " I think it will not go very well." But I went home, informed my wife, and gave myself up to the work. But O, how little prepared for.it, and how little did I know of its great importance and responsibility. On Thursday evening myself and wife went to Evansville to hear Brother Wilson preach. I took my seat, as usual, among the members, but when Brother Wilson came in he took me by the arm, and said I must go with him into the pulpit. I declined, but he insisted, and finally I consented to accompany him, and did so. After the sermon I announced a hymn, and made the closing prayer. This was my first time in the pulpit, and I did not feel at home there. When I entered the pulpit it occasioned considerable surprise in the congregation, as none knew that I had the least idea of preaching, but the minister, my wife, my brother, and my wife's parents. But now it was out, u Sure enough, Alonzo 'is going to preach," — and this formed the subject of conversation for some time in the neighborhood.

On Friday I accompanied Brother Wilson to his appointments. We went to the Whitmire school-house, where he preached in the evening. I again closed the meeting with hymn and prayer. On Saturday we proceeded to White Hall, and stopped with Brother David Cox over night. Brother Wilson preached in the church Sunday morning at 10 o'clock ; he insisted on me preaching, but I positively refused to do so. I closed the meeting as usual, but could not take up courage to exhort as he desired me to do.

Alter dinner we proceeded to the house of Brother Mench, about three miles from Jersey Town. For years a regular appointment for preaching was kept in this house, and here, at half-past two in the afternoon, the last Sabbath of the month, September 26, 1858, I made my first attempt at preaching, from Acts, ninth chapter and the latter part of the fourth verse, " Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ? " As to the merits or demerits of the sermon, I cannot say ; but I remember I was very much scared. And there were a a few young people present who were in the habit of talking and laughing during the service, which annoyed me very much, as I supposed they were talking about and laughing at me. I afterwards learned that a " Son oi Belial " (one of the boys) present, had cut the ears off of poor puss, as she lay asleep, while I preached, which occasioned the sport. It is evident that neither the boy nor cat were interested in my sermon. But the boy was the worst of the two, as the cat did no harm, and occasioned no disturbance, while the boy did both. After preaching, Brother Wilson informed the congregation that they had listened to my first sermon and followed by exhortation. There was also a minister of the Reformed church present. I do not know his name, nor do I know that I ever met him since, who came to me after the congregation was dismissed and spoke very kindly and encouragingly to me, for which I was very thankful. In the evening Wilson preached in the church in Jersey Town.

On Monday we proceeded to Mordensville, where we stopped with William Hutchison, who was married to my oldest sister, both long since dead. Their only son is now a minister in the Presbyterian church in the west. Wilson preached here in the school house in the evening. Again he insisted on me preaching, but I positivelv refused, but closed the meeting with exhortation, hymn and prayer. After meeting I told Brother Wilson, I would never refuse to preach again, as I felt condemned for having done so that evening, and I never did refuse again. On Tuesday we returned home. Thus ended my first trip as a preacher. When we came home the friends inquired of Brother Wilson as to how the new preacher got along, and his reply was, " O, very well ; he preached once for me." "And what success did he have in preaching ? " " Very good ; only he was very much scared," was the reply. During the following week I purchased a colt of my father-in-law for eighty-five dollars, borrowed a saddle, bridle and saddle pockets of Brother Wilson, and a few books, which constituted my outfit. On Saturday afternoon I started on horseback, and alone, for my appointments in the northern part of the circuit, some twenty miles distant, to me a strange country and strange roads. I was to stop over night with Brother William Karschner. Wilson said I must preach three times on Sabbath, but as the appointments are distant, one sermon will do for all of them, consequently I prepared but one sermon, as best I could, for the trip.