Bethlehem
Diary
July 11, 1742
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Wednesday, June 30/July 11 [O.S./N.S.]. Mr. Stephan Benezet, who had spent several days visiting us and had been present for the weddings of his two above-mentioned daughters yesterday, left again for Philadelphia this morning. On the other hand at 8 o'clock Holstein and Bernhard Steinbach from Falkner's Swamp and Joseph Müller from the Great Swamp arrived here for a visit. This afternoon a reading meeting was held. The [minutes of the] fourth Pennsylvania Synod were read and various comments made in connection with them. Bro. Ludwig gave his views at length regarding the state of religion in general throughout Pennsylvania and most explicitly in connection with the section on the lot and regarding the lot itself and the charges made against us concerning it. During the meeting Bro. Henrich Antes arrived from Friedrichstown for a visit. Bro. Zander conducted the Singstunde. Note: Bro. Ludwig [Zinzendorf], after having asked the gathering for a definition of religion in general throughout Pennsylvania, gave his own view of it in the following broad terms. This religion consists of placing little or no emphasis on the main point but rather of selecting one of a hundred nonessentials and making it the main point. The Quakers differ from others by addressing everyone "thou." The Lutherans by not having the encheirisin at the Communion [i. e. the placing of the elements in the hands of those who partake], like the Reformed. The Reformed had nothing else to advance than that they were not Lutherans and that they had been born and reared in their faith. The Baptists by their immersing in baptism, and so forth.
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