LANCASTER COTJNTIT. 455 



CHAPTER XIT 



liELTGious Denominations — Early missionaries among the Concstoga and 

 other Indians — The Mennonitcs — The Friends or Quakers — The Ornish 

 or Amish — The Episcopalians: — The Presbyterians — The German Bap- 

 tists — The German Seventh Day Baptists — The Lutherans — The German 

 Reformed — The United Brethren or Moravians— The Roman Catholics — 

 The Methodist Episcopal — The New Jerusalem Church — The Evangeli- 

 cal Association or " Abrecht's Jicute" — The Reformed Mennonites — The 

 Universalists — The Secedors — The United Brethren or "Allojememe 

 Brueder" — The Church of God — The Calvanistic Baptists — The Mor- 

 mon?, &c. 



If diversity of creeds, or multiplicity of religious sects serve 

 as a standard of deep toned piety and christian bencvolerce, 

 then may the people of Lancaster county lay claim to a goodly 

 share ; for there is no spot upon earth, with so limited a popu- 

 lation and the same confined territory, that counts more de- 

 nominations, than Lancaster. But with all this diversity, there 

 are few, if any, i?'reIigious controversies, that usually charac- 

 terize bigots, among the inhabitants. Each seems to promote 

 his own and his neighbor's welfare, and therewith appears 

 content. 



In this chapter we shall attempt a succinct sketch of the seve- 

 ral religious denominations found in this county. We regret 

 it, that only a few of the .score of ministers whom we addressed 

 to furnish religious statistics, have seen proper to comply.* 



At an early period missionaries of the Swedish church visited 

 the Indians, v/ithin the present limits of Lancaster county.-— 

 The Friends also paid some attention to the Indians. As early 



*For an accurate and impartial account of the history and doctrines of 

 all the religious denominations in the United States, the reader is referred to 

 a work entitled He Pasa Ecclesia,orthe Whole Church in the United Stales; 

 every article of the work quoted has been expressly written for it by eminent 

 theological professors, ministers or distinguished lay members of each rC' 

 •-pective denomination. It is the only work extant that can be relied on as 

 being impartial and authentic. Rupp, Clyde, Williams & Co., of Ilarris- 

 "buriT, Pa., are the publishers. The work is in press. 



