Reformation Day
Posted by tom | Oct 31, 2007As I woke up to A Mighty Fortress is our God on cyberhymnal this morning, I took some time to reflect upon my family's faith development and where I stand in relationship to it. As I've shared with some of you before, the Grosch family had been responsible for collecting the Groschen, but as a result of the reformation of faith led by John Hus, beginning in 1457, they choose the narrow path of the Unitas Fratum (i.e., the Unity of the Brethren).
In 1743, Valentine and Barbara (Sandman) Grosh left the turmoil of the region on the Loyal Judith to settle with the Moravian Colony in Lititz, PA. Valentine (who was taken into the Moravian Congregation along with his wife Barbara at Warwick during a Synod held there Nov. 20 to 23, 1749) hosted a gathering of the United Brethren (later referred to as the United Brethren in Christ but not to be confused with the Brethren in Christ) led by one of his sons, Christopher Grosh* . . . which eventually became Ranck's United Methodist Church.
In addition to the Ranck family, the Long's Barn meetings were attended by the family of Valentine Grosh, a Moravian who may also have come to America when the Rancks did. Family acquaintance led to the marriage in 1769 of John Michael's daughter Mary to Valentine's son Christopher. For several years this young couple lived at Lititz but shortly they moved to a part of John Michael's farm near New Holland, when he divided it between his two sons Samuel and Valentine and his daughter Mary.
In the home of Christopher and Mary Grosh religious services were held for twenty-seven years in a large room prepared for that purpose on the second floor. The first occasion was a preaching service conducted there in 1802 by Christian Newcomer, the famed itinerant preacher from Maryland, who had been born in Bareville, Pennsylvania. Christopher Grosh himself is listed as a preacher among the United Brethren people from 1789 until his death in 1829. The services were continues in the same place for fifteen more years when at Christopher Grosh's death the farm passed on to the daughter Elizabeth and her husband Daniel Weidman. After forty-two years of worship in this Christian home, the congregation in 1844 was determined to build a church and Ranck's Church was born. -- From a Brief History of the Ranck Family. Note: The second paragraph is included in the Ranck & Swope Genealogy.
Our family comes from the line of Christopher's brother Philip (b. 1732 in Eichloch, d. 24 Feb. 1812). Philip, as his brother Christopher, married a member of the Ranck family (Anna Margaret Ranck, b. 1740, d. 24 Feb. 1818), prominent in the French Protestant Church. I assume Philip remained connected with Moravianism as his son Samuel filled various offices in the Moravian Church. [Note: Another Samuel Grosh was a prominent carriage manufacturer of Lititz, Pa]. But our branch, coming from Philip's son George, left the Moravian community in Lititz to join relatives in Maryland and then to take root in Marietta with John Jacob Grosh (Note: John Jacob's quite a figure, see Marietta history. He's the son of John Grosh, and grandson of Valentine). At some point our branch of the family became Presbyterian for several generations, which included lay and ordained leadership in PA and New York. I was raised at Donegal Presbyterian Church, Mount Joy, PA. For those interested in revivalism check out what is recorded in the Ranck family history, below is a picture of the location of Christopher Grosh's first sermon.
Here's the cyberhymnal story story linking A Mighty Fortress is our God to a significant moment in Moravian history:
In 1720 a remarkable revival began in a town in Moravia. Jesuits opposed it, and the meetings were prohibited. Those who still assembled were seized and imprisoned in stables and cellars. At David Nitschmann’s house, where a hundred and fifty persons gathered, the police broke in and seized the books. Not dismayed, the congregation struck up the stanzas of Luther’s hymn,“And though this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us; We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us.”
Twenty heads of families were for this sent to jail, including Nitschmann, who was treated with special severity. He finally escaped, fled to the Moravians at Herrnhut, became a bishop, and afterwards joined the Wesleys in 1735 in their expedition to Savannah, Georgia. -- Sankey, p. 106. Note: For more Moravian history go to Unitas Fratum's website.
Praise God for his faithfulness to the People of God through the generations! Pray that our family would continue to love God above all else and live lives which are a blessing to our neighbor and that piece of creation which we've been given gifts to bless.
*Christopher Grosh was born 12 January 1748 in Eichloch, Rheinhessen, Germany. On 16 March 1769, he married Anna Maria Ranck (born 25 December 1750 in Lancaster County, Pa. and died 4 January 1837). Their children were: Barbara Grosh who married Christian Hawk; Mary Grosh, 1777-1853; Catharine Grosh, 1780-l857; Margaret Grosh who married Mr. Dundore; Susanna Grosh who married Mr. Weidman; Elizabeth Grosh; Philip Grosh; David Grosh, 1776-1849; and John Grosh. Christopher Grosh died 16 April 1829 in East Earl Township Lancaster County, Pa.
[Update 5/19/2008. This is looking like something which has grown too large for one post . . . and there is more to add. Revisions will be made as time allows]
[Update 10/19/2011]
Some material drawn from The Ranks of the Rancks (on-line edition, 10/19/2011), Ranck Family Heritage Society, Inc., http://Ranck.org.
