Alexander Mack, Jr. 1712-1803 Germantown, PA-Brethren Bishop-Biography
I am not related to this Mack line but thought it might be of interest to Mack family members who are unaware of their heritage.
Alexander Mack, Jr.,January 25, 1712-March 20, 1803
Miller, D. L. and Royer, Galen B.,Some Who Led, "Alexander Mack, Jr.", Elgin, IL: Brethren Publishing House, 1912, 23-25.
Born in Schwarzenau, Germany.Oldest of three sons of Alexander Mack, the founder of the Church of the Brethren in Schwarzenau, and his wife, Anna Margaretha.The son had good educational advantages and made us of the,At sixteen he united with the Church of the Brethren and became at once a very active, zealous member.The next year his father’s family moved to Germantown, Pa., and "Sander",-as he preferred out of humility to sign his name because to him his full name was too dignified,--learned the weaver’s trade. He was successful and widely known for the stockings, caps and skirts he manufactured.He lived exceedingly simple, had few wants to supply, and saved as much as possible, with the hope some day, as he wrote his brother, he could "eat my own bread, yet, under the blessings of God".This he accomplished to a fair degree, for he closed life owning thirty acres of land near Germantown and twenty-three acres of woodland not far away.
On January 1, 1749, he was married to Elizabeth Nice, daughter of William Nice.To them were born two sons and six daughters, and from this family numerous descendants have arisen.
Physically Mack was strong, and retained his forces well to the close of life.One day, when eighty-two years old, he walked ten miles.
But greatest interest centers in his religious career.
Upon arrival of the family in Philadelphia, young Mack at once became a spirited exhorter on Sunday afternoons to the unmarried people of the congregation.But in 1736, after the death of his father, he was greatly depressed, concluded he would die, and made disposition of his property by a will.At this critical time one Stephen Koch took an interest in him, and soon the strange doctrines of this man were reflected in Mack’s utterances.The year following he joined Koch and another in establishing a small monastery on Wissahickon.This should not be confused with the large, historic one still remaining as a landmark in the vicinity;for the one established by these three soon was forsaken and on March 21, 1738, with others Mack joined the Ephrata society.Here he manifested many phases of spiritual unrest and outbursts of enthusiasm,.He was known as Brother Timotheus.But all did not go well, even within the walls supposed to have shut out so much of the world and the devil.For about this time a rivalry grew up between Beissel, the superintendent, and Eckerlin, the prior, who sought to become superintendent.Mack sided in with Eckerlin and became a close associate.The tension grew so intense that in 1744 Eckerlin, with three others, Mack being one of them, started on a long journey, hoping absence would help to relieve the situation.They visited Amwell, N.J., Barnegat, by the sea, New London, where they had largely-attended meetings, and on to New York, where they were arrested on the supposition that they were Jesuits.They were liberated through a friend.Upon their final return to Ephrata they found the trouble no less.Eckerlin, disheartened, traveled "towards the setting sun four hundred miles".
If Mack went along with Eckerlin he soon returned, for in 1748 record shows that he had lived long enough in Germantown to win the confidence of the people, even after his waywardness and restlessness, for he was appointed in joint oversight with Christoph Saur over the Germantown congregation.The appointment was "on trial", so the record runs;five years after by laying on of hands these men, on June 10, 1753, were ordained bishops.
Mack made an unusually good bishop.He served the church in that capacity over fifty years.Though quiet, reserved, guarding well against sinful innovations, he was still tender to the erring and had a warm heart for the penitent. He would salute an applicant for membership before baptism, calling him brother.In greatest reluctance after over a year of prayerful exhortation and labor he would "set back" from the bread and wine and salutation and erring brother who would not heed his pleadings.
He was not a powerful preacher, but his pen ministry was perhaps much larger than that of any other member of the early church.Many of his letters are preserved and reflect the ideals and spirit of the day.He was an author of prominence, defending well the doctrines of the Brethren in a number of able treatises.In addition he was among the best of poets (1) and hymn writers of the early church.Being exceedingly thoughtful for the poor, he never missed an opportunity of helping the needy everywhere.
He seemed to realize his end was near.He rarely visited the members of his own family in his own town during his declining years.But one Sunday, in the latter part of 1802, he went home after church with his daughter,Hannah Weaver, and before departing gave her a slip of paper which proved to be the epitaph for his tomb.He had placed the year, and left the month and day to be supplied, and missed by a few months.His body lies with those early leaders in the cemetery at Germantown.
ALEXANDER MACK’S LAST BIRTHDAY HYMN1802
(translated from the German)
1802, January 28.
Before the mountains were made
And the world was created,
God loved the gated of Zion,
Just as now and forevermore.
And out of pure loving
he has written us in the book of life
Whoever signs his name thereto,
Will remain in blessed state.
The poor pilgrim whom the mercy of God has sustained unto his 90th year has written this yet with his own hand.
Sander Mack
(1)See "The Religious Poetry of Alexander Mack, Jr.", by Heckman.1912Brethren Publishing Elgin House, Elgin, Illinois.
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Re: Alexander Mack, Jr. 1712-1803 Germantown, PA-Brethren Bishop-Biography
Diana Hudson 9/05/07