CHAPTER XVII. DOCTOR ROMER AND THE GERMAN METHODIST DISCIPLINE.

There are but few who know that the Methodist Discipline was translated into German fifty-seven years ago, and I am the only man living who knows all about it: by whom it was translated, who brought it through the press, etc. In Asbury’s Journal we find, under date of Friday, August 30, 1810, “At Middletown, Penn. We here broke bread with Dr. Romer, a German, who has translated our Discipline for his countrymen.” This brief record is all. There is not a historian of our Church that names the fact so full of historic interest. Mr. Asbury ever felt the deepest interest in the welfare of the Germans. When I commenced traveling with him in 1803, and went as far as Berlin, on the top of the Alleghany Mountains, the reader will remember he sent me back to Dauphin to preach to the Germans. The Rev. John Lednum in his recent work, “Rise of Methodism in America,” p. 241, has fallen into an error. In speaking of Peter Albright,⁠[15] and the Albright Methodists, he says: “Dr. Romer of Middletown translated the Discipline into German for their use.” This is a great mistake.

The Albrights were not regularly organized into a conference till 1807. The same year the Methodist Discipline was translated into German. Their whole membership at that time was only two hundred and twenty. It is not likely they would have had the Methodist Discipline translated for that small number. Furthermore, at their Conference of 1807 those associated with him requested Mr. Albright to draw up some “articles of faith and a discipline for the association, in conformity with the Scriptures.” Would they have made any such request if they had adopted the Methodist Discipline? Mr. Albright died six months after the conference, and therefore was unable to comply with their request. The association had not the name of “Albrights” until 1809, and in that year the Rev. J. Miller drew up the articles of faith and discipline for them. Our Discipline was translated into German two years before, but not at their request, or for their use; they had no hand in it.

The facts are these: At the request of Bishop Asbury and the Philadelphia Conference I had the Methodist Discipline translated into German in 1807. I employed Dr. Romer, and aided him in the translation. We frequently compared notes, and consulted about certain terms. I also employed the printers and paid them, and examined all the proof-sheets, and attended to the distribution of the books after they were printed. I made a number of entries in my journal at that time which throw light on the subject: “June 30, 1807, I rode to Middletown and came to Dr. Romer’s about sundown. The doctor has now translated our form of Discipline into the German language, which I expect soon will be published.” This was in June, and some time was spent afterward in revising it, for it was not until September it went into the hands of the printer, as will be seen from the following extracts from my journal:

“September 1, I rode to Lancaster, and agreed with Henry and Benjamin Grimler, printers, to print fifteen hundred copies of our form of Discipline in German, then returned home to my parents in the afternoon.” Again: “Monday, September 7, went to Lancaster, and saw the first proof-sheets of the Discipline.” October 14 I was again in Lancaster, and the record says, “I stopped a while with the printers; the Discipline is about half done.” From these extracts and others I might make, it will be seen what kind of a hand I had in publishing the first German Methodist Discipline in the new world. The Germans had an idea that the Methodists had no Discipline, and this was widely circulated to our injury, for it was extensively believed. This translation corrected the error. Then there was a prospect of a union between the Methodists and the United Brethren, and it was well to have the Discipline in their own language, so that they could understand our doctrines and our mode of Church government. It was also necessary for the Germans who were connected with our Church. The translation was an admirable one, and was very useful, correcting the errors that had been circulated about us, and enabling the Germans to read in their mother tongue our excellent Discipline. I sent several hundreds of them in a box to Cincinnati, to be distributed gratuitously among the Germans in the West; others were circulated about Pennsylvania. Bishop Asbury had some of them. I footed the bill, and the publication caused me some pecuniary loss. It might not have been so if I had continued to travel in Pennsylvania; but the following spring I commenced traveling with Bishop Asbury, and so could not well attend to the sale of the books. I do not complain, but I rejoice that I was permitted to do anything toward the translation of the Discipline into German at that early day. “I cast my bread upon the waters” expecting to “find it after many days,” and I have not been disappointed. I found it long ago.

The reader would no doubt like to know more of the translator. I was intimately acquainted with Dr. Romer for years, having been often at his house, and often preached there. I was there in 1802, and in after years. He was a physician, and resided in Middletown, Penn., ten miles south-east of Harrisburgh, and situated near the junction of Swatara (sweet arrow) and Susquehanna Rivers. Middletown was built upon the site of an ancient Indian village, and derived its name from being half way between Lancaster and Carlisle.

Dr. Romer was a native of Switzerland. He was educated for a Roman priest, but he became so disgusted with the conduct of a corrupt priesthood that instead of entering the sacred office he became skeptical. He acknowledged the existence of a God, but denied the authenticity of the Scriptures. He emigrated to this country and married here. The doctor was awakened, not by reading the arguments of able champions of revelation, nor by the eloquence of able ministers of the Gospel, but by that most powerful argument in favor of Christianity, a holy life. The great Teacher said, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” It was the holy life and correct deportment of a widow lady by the name of Flanagan, who was a neighbor of Dr. Romer, which shook the foundations of his skepticism, and the whole superstructure fell to the ground. He had no argument against a holy life. Her example led him to abandon his skepticism, led him to Calvary, to the cross, to the Church, to heaven.

I was well acquainted with Mrs. Flanagan. She was a good woman, possessed a strong mind, and was keen and shrewd. She not only lived religion before the doctor, but was able “to give a reason for the hope that was in her with meekness and fear.” Being convinced of the truth of the Christian religion, he sought and found the pearl of great price, and rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory. He joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, whose doctrines he cordially believed, and whose discipline he approved and loved. This was about the year 1800. He was ever after the preachers’ friend; his house was their home, and also one of our regular preaching places on the circuit. I made his house my home when on the Schuylkill District in 1814. He was a man of sterling integrity, and greatly esteemed for his many virtues. He was a profound Latin as well as German scholar; indeed he had a superior education in all respects; was eminent as an astronomer, and a good English scholar, though he always retained something of the German accent.

Dr. Romer did immense service for Methodism by his translation of the Discipline. Up to that time but little had been done by the Methodists for the Germans; but O what wonders since! The doctor wrote an admirable preface to the German Discipline, in which he gave a condensed view of our history, doctrines, and discipline. All honor to the man who did such noble service for the Germans; a work and labor of love, for he would not take a farthing for his labor.

Dr. Romer held fast his integrity until the end, and died a few years ago at Lewistown on the Juniata.