appeal to the members with reference to the pastor's salary. In Sandel's time, 1702, new Church Wardens and Church Councilmen were installed, which suggests that these two offices were found in the time of Fabritius, so short a time previous. If this be a correct conclusion, the question would arise, whether this arrangement was introduced by Fabritius, or was in existence from the beginning? Fabritius was sent out from Amsterdam as the first settled pastor of the Dutch Lutheran congregations in New York. If those congregations were not fully organized before he came, they were certainly organized by him, and in either case after the type of that at Amsterdam. Fabritius founded the Swedish congregation at Philadelphia, and it is very possible that he may have given it a constitution like that of New York and Amsterdam. I do not know whether the congregations in Sweden have any such arrangement as is found in the churches on the Delaware. I find the office of Church Wardens mentioned in the Kirchen-Ordnung of Charles XI. in 1686, but am not sure of the extent to which the office agrees with that in the Wicaco Church. Acrelius describes the organization of this last-named congregation in Sandel's time, p. 216. "Pastor Sandel held a parish meeting, installed new Church Wardens (Kyrkowaerdar) and Church Councilmen (Kyrkoraeder), and at the same time explained to each of these their duties. Thus, 1.) The Councilmen were to have the oversight of the preservation and improvement of the church and parsonage. 2.) That each in his turn should look after the life of the people, and if any one should conduct himself improperly, give timely notice of it to the pastor, so that with his concurrence and advice, and according to the circumstances of the persons and their deeds, they might be brought before the Church Council (Kyrkoraedet), and either admonished, placed on trial, or excluded from the congregation. The office of the Church Wardens was: 1.) To collect and pay over the Priests' salary twice a year; 2.) To take up the collections in the church, and the other church dues, as for marriages, churching of women, burials, etc.; 3.) To take care of the poor of the congregation; 4.) To keep the accounts of the church in good order and exhibit them annually on the 1st of May; 5.) To provide the pay for the sexton, etc."

This whole arrangement bears a close resemblance to that of the Dutch Lutheran Churches, and is virtually that found in the German Churches in Pennsylvania when Muehlenberg came. The Church Council consisted of the minister, the councilmen and wardens. These lay officers served for a fixed time, and were installed in their offices; but, unfortunately, it cannot be learned from this account in what manner they were chosen. The above arrangement continued in force until, in 1765, Provost Wrangel prepared a new constitution and secured a charter. In the new instrument the officers of the congregation are styled Rector, Church Wardens and Vestrymen, after the Anglican style. This constitution was wrought out by Wrangel in conference with Muehlenberg, and the mode of selection of officers is almost precisely the same as in the German Constitution of 1762: twice the number are nominated by those in office, and the election is by a majority of votes of the congregation.

The Swedish congregation at Philadelphia, as well as those at Morlatton and Merion to a less extent, undoubtedly exercised a marked influence on the German Lutheran congregations. It was well organized long before establishment of the first German Lutheran congregation in America. The pastor of the Wicaco Church from 1677 to 1693, Fabritius, was a German, and cared for such German Lutherans as settled near the city. Rudman, who succeeded him, showed his interest in the Germans by bringing Falckner into the ministry, and his successor, Sandel, united with him in this act. Rudman preached in Dutch, and may have also understood German. The first regular ministrant to the German congregation at Philadelphia was the Swede, John Eneberg, and it is probable that it was organized by him. Pastor Dylander held service for the Germans regularly in the Wicaco Church, and Muehlenberg's services were held there mainly until the erection of St. Michael's. The Swedish ministers met with the Germans in the earlier meetings of the ministerium. The relations between Provost Wrangel and Muehlenberg were of the most intimate nature; they labored together as brothers in the superintendence of the congregations under their care, and finally when Muehlenberg was working out the enduring constitution of the German Church, Wrangel wrought out that of the Swedish Church. The German Church constitution was prepared with the co-operation of Wrangel, and he attended the meeting of the congregation at which it was accepted, and made an address. From the earliest times to the completion of the final constitution, the influence of the Swedish organization was strongly felt.

2. The Reformed Churches in Pennsylvania. The Dutch Reformed congregations at Bensalem and Neshaminy in Bucks County and at Whitemarsh, Montgomery County, were the earliest Reformed Churches in Pennsylvania, and antedate all the German Lutheran congregations except that at New Hanover. These Churches were organized in 1710 by Domine Paulus Van Vlecq, and in each of them a senior and a senior elder and deacon were elected to serve for two years. The senior went out of office annually, and the junior became senior, while the newly-elected officer became the junior. The mode of election is not entirely clear. The record simply says at Bensalem: "The Church Council, both Elders and Deacons, of Sammeny and Bensalem, were installed (bevestight) by Dom. Van Vlecq May 21, 1710," the day after that given for the organization. They may have been elected the previous day. At White Marsh the record says: "The church at Wytmess was organized June 4, 1710, the same day the Church Council there was installed." The record of the Dutch Reformed Church at Six Mile Run, near New Brunswick, N. J., organized November 15, 1710, says: "The Church Council was elected Nov. 15, and after having been announced three times, was installed." At the next election it is said: "Anno 1711, Oct. 23, the Church Council was elected, and after having been three times announced without objection made, they were installed Oct. 24," on which date also the treasurer presented his account. There must have been several services on those two days, at each of which the names of those elected were published. It does not appear in what manner the choice was made. They may have been selected by those in office, and when no objection was made after publication, the consent of the congregation was supposed to be given, or they may have been chosen by vote of the congregation. I am assured by Dr. Talbot W. Chambers, of the Collegiate Church in New York, that both of these modes are and have long been usual in the Reformed Churches, and that in the old mother congregation at New York, now enlarged to be the Collegiate Church, the former mode of selection has been used ever since its establishment. These officers were named Elders (Ouderlinge) and Deacons (Diaconen), who, with the Pastor, formed the Church Council (Kerckenraet). They were not chosen for life, but in this country, as in Holland, for a fixed term, usually two years. This organization of the Dutch Reformed congregations in this country agrees, entirely with that of the Reformed Church in Holland, as described by Benthem in his "Hollaendische Kirchen und Schul Staat," except that in Holland the pastors and elders alone form the Church Council; but there the deacons are also admitted to it in feeble congregations where the number of elders was small. Another feature of the organization of the Dutch Reformed Churches is that, in important cases, all who have ever held the office of elder or deacon are called together to give counsel. The Dutch churches here named were situated near to our Lutheran people, and they were