Transcript Slide 1

CHURCH HISTORY II
Lesson 18
German Pietism
“The World begins to feel a Warmth from the
Fire of God, which thus flames in the heart of
Germany, beginning to extend into many
Regions; the whole world will ere long be
sensible of it.” – Cotton Mather
Agenda
1.
Identity and Definitions
2.
Historical Overview
3.
Lessons we can learn
Identity and
Definitions
Who were the Pietists?
German
ministers and laymen
who rose up in protest
against the deadness and emptiness
of 17th century
Lutheran Orthodoxy
to embrace a more
vital,
experiential,
personal
and morally earnest
Christianity.
German Puritans?
Not really.
Similar to Puritanism in emphasis on
moral earnestness and experiential religion, but
more quietistic,
more mystical,
more missions-minded,
less Calvinistic,
less theologically precise and
less interested in the polity and
ceremonies of the state church.
What’s in a name?


“Pietist” = from Latin pietas, Greek eusebeia
Probably taken from the title of Spener’s
book, Pia Desideria, or perhaps from the
name of his societies collegia pietatis.

Given by Orthodox opponents as a term of
mockery

Pietists generally did not use the term of
themselves out of humility
Modern Attitudes



“Pietism is still generally associated with antiintellectualism, hyper-individualism, and holygroup separatism; untouched by the Reformation,
it lived off the ‘Eroticism of medieval mysticism’
and the ‘Pharisaic irresponsibility’ of medieval
monasticism.” ~ Albert Ritschl
“Better with the Church in hell than with pietists,
of higher or lower type – in a heaven which does
not exist.” – Karl Barth
“A pietist is a man who studies the word of God
and, taking it for his rule of faith and conduct,
leads an exemplary life.” – a 1st gen. pietist
Where are they today?


Not a denomination, but a spiritual reform
movement
Gave birth to new denominations
– Moravians
– Church of the Brethren

Significantly shaped future ones
– Wesleyan / Methodist

Had a lasting reforming impact on existing ones
– Lutherans
– Mennonites
Are you a Pietist?

No! Pietism properly refers to Lutherans

Yes! Pietism in a broader sense can also
from the late 17th to mid 18th centuries
sympathetic to the ideas of Spener and
Francke.
refer to any tradition that emphasizes
personal religious experience and calls itself
“evangelical”.
“Pietistic” Movements
We’re not looking for a “model” church, but streaks of divine life and
1650
1550
1750
revival wherever 1600
we can find it, interwoven
as it will 1700
always be with
Evangelical
many flaws no matter where we look.
England &
Puritanism (1555-1700)
Awakening
America
(1735-1744)
God has not seen fit to pour the full, unmixed glory of true Christianity
into any one vessel, but has allowed different aspects of true
Second
Reformation
Holland Christianity to be grasped, Dutch
emphasized
and
worked out(1600-1750)
in a variety of
ways by different groups over the course of church history.
Germany &
German Pietism
We are Christians first, Protestant second and Reformed third. With
Scandinavia
(1670-1760)
Protestant
varying degrees
of healthy criticism and measured carefulness, we can
and should draw encouragement and help from all over the Christian
Catholic
spectrum
wherever
Christ has been loved,Jansenism
the fruits of Christian graces
France
(1640-1713)
increased, the Bible and prayer held in high
esteem, and a missionary
zeal present; for there, surely the Holy Spirit has been at work in that
Quietism
Spain & part of God’s vineyard, and who are we to despise
it?
(1681-1697)
Italy
Protestant
Lutheran
Reformed
Anglican
Pietists
Orthodox
Separating
Pietists
Lutheran
Pietists
Moderate
Pietists
Anabaptist
Radical
Pietists
Church of
the Brethren
Moravians
Other small
splinter groups
Historical
Overview
Historical Overview
1.
2.
Dead Orthodoxy (1580-1700)
1670
Spener’s Reforms (1670-1705)
1690
1680
1700
3.
Francke & U. of Halle (1687-1727)
4.
Mack & the Brethren (1708-1729)
1710
1720
1730
5.
Zinzendorf & the Moravians (1722-1760)
1740
1750
1760
Dead Orthodoxy
Slide 1/3
Condition of Theology

Luther held almost infallible

Symbolic books (Augsburg Confession, Formula of Concord)

Spiritual authority and power vested permanently in the
church’s offices without regard to how a minister lives.

doctrines,
but also
in other
matters, that Divine
Opus
operatum
view
of sacraments


“A de-Vaticanized
Catholicism”
“The symbolical books
are, not only in facts and
truth which was delivered to the Church, and
which is in all points binding.”
Theology was thought too high
for the
common people
- Univ.
of Wittenberg
Any talk of the Holy Spirit was treated as fanaticism
Dead Orthodoxy
Slide 2/3
Condition of the Clergy

Clergy were
subservient
to understanding
territorial princes
“[Most ministers]
have no
of
true Christianity and are worldly, carnal, selfserving and arrogant.”
 Seminaries taught polemics and Aristotelian
- Spener
to the utter neglect of biblical exegesis
logic,

Much of the clergy was unconverted and morally
bankrupt

Sermons were dry polemics in the language of the
academy
Dead Orthodoxy
Slide 3/3
Condition of the Laity

Rigid class distinctions

Rampant drunkenness

Morally licentious

Widespread belief in witchcraft, astrology, alchemy

Mandatory but inattentive church attendance
Historical Overview
1.
Dead Orthodoxy (1580-1700)
1670
1680
2.
3.
4.
5.
Spener’s Reforms (1670-1705)
Francke & U. of Halle (1687-1727)
Mack & the Brethren (1708-1729)
Zinzendorf & the Moravians (1722-1760)
1690
1700
1710
1720
1730
1740
1750
1760
Spener’s Reforms
Slide 1/5
Philipp Jakob Spener (1635-1705)

–
–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–
–

–
–

Shaping Influences
Johann Arndt
The Puritans (Bayly, Baxter)
Univ. of Strasbourg
Travel in Reformed areas
Jean Labadie
Pastor in Frankfort (1666-1686)
Church reforms
Extensive correspondence with the nobility
Founding of Collegia Pietatis (1670)
Pia Desideria (1675)
Spiritual Priesthood (1677)
Court Chaplain in Dresden (1686-1691)
Adiaphoristic controversy
Met August Hermann Francke
Superintendent in Berlin (1691-1705)
Spener’s Reforms
Slide 2/5
Collegia Pietatis

1669 – suggests lay meetings from the pulpit

1670-1682 – Holds meetings in his home
–
–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–
–
Met twice a week
Men and women in separate groups
“…acted
like a medicine
which
was
Read
and discussed
the Bible with
equal
participation for all
more dangerous
than the disease it
Sacraments
were forbidden
was up
supposed
to cure.”
Sprung
all over Germany
- Spener
1682-1684 – Spener becomes disillusioned
Groups had become a church within a church
Groups became hyper-critical of the established church
Groups become separationist, one emigrates to Pennsylvania
Spener had to write in support of the unique role of ministers
Eventually gave up on the whole idea
Spener’s Reforms
Slide 3/5
Pia Desideria
1675 – Spener is asked to write the preface for a new edition of
Johann Arndt’s True Christianity

A set of practical, concrete proposals for reforming the seminaries,
churches and Christian homes to facilitate the development of “an
earnest, inner godliness.”


Soon published by itself as Pia Desideria, or “Pious Wishes”

Ignited extensive discussion on his proposals throughout Germany

Divided into three parts:
–
–
–
A Conspectus of Corrupt Conditions
The Possibility of Better Conditions
Proposals to Correct Conditions in the Church
Spener’s Reforms
Slide 4/5
Pia Desideria
Possibility of Better Conditions

Rom. 11 – conversion of Israel

Rev. 18-19 – fall of Papal Rome

Biblical perfectionism
–
–
“we are not forbidden to seek perfection, but we are urged on toward
it… we are under obligation to achieve some degree of perfection.”
“We do not understand the perfection which we demand of the church
in such a way that not a single hypocrite is any longer to be found in
it… but that the church should be free of manifest offenses, that
nobody who is afflicted with such failings should be allowed to remain
in the church without fitting reproof and ultimately exclusion, and that
the true members of the church should be richly filled with many fruits
of their faith.”
Spener’s Reforms
Slide 5/5



“They must becomePia
accustomed
Desiderianot to lose sight of any
"While
we should
indicate
to
and
heretics]
opportunity
in to
which
theyConditions
can[unbelievers
renderin their
neighbor
a
Proposals
Correct
the Church
that
we of
take
no and
pleasure
in to
their
orthey
falsemust
belief
service
yet
while
performing
it
"Students
oflove,
theology
ought
lay unbelief
this foundation,
that or
"The
divine
means
of
Word
sacrament
are
concerned
with
practice
and
propagation
of these,
but
rather
arethey
diligently
search
their
hearts
tothey
discover
whether
theymust
are
during
their
early
years
ofand
study
realize
that
Recover
the Spiritual
Priesthood
the
inner
Hence
it
not
that who
we
hear
the Word
vigorously
opposed
tois
them,
yet
inmotives.”
other
things
acting
in
true
or
out
of
other
–
More
extensive
use
oflove
theand
Word
die
untoman.
the
world
live
asenough
individuals
arewhich
to

Universal
Bible
ownership
andwe
daily
reading
with
our
outward
ear,to
but
we
must let
it penetratethat
to our
pertain
to
human
life
should
demonstrate
we heart,
become
examples
the
flock."

Consecutive reading instead of lectionary
so
that
we may
hear
the
Holy
speak there,regard
that is,them
with
consider
these
people
to be/Spirit
ourstudy
neighbors…

Lay assemblies
for mutual
edification
Bible
vibrant
emotion
comfort
feel
theoffer
sealing
of the
as Christian
our
brothers
according
to the
right
of common
creation
“Every
isand
bound
not only
to
himself
andSpirit
whatand
he
–
Use
of
personal
accountability
partners
theand
power
the
Word."
theof
divine
love that isgood
extended
all." etc, but also
has,
his
prayer,
thanksgiving,
works,toalms,
industriously
to study
in the
Put
a major pastoral
emphasis
onWord
love of the Lord, with the grace
is given
him to teach
others,
especially
those
under his
– that
Preach
the indispensible
necessity
of love
and the danger
of self-love
– own
Be root,
gracious
thoseexhort,
with whom
we disagree
totoward
chastise,
convert,
and edify them, to
observe their life, pray for all, and insofar as possible be
Rethink the role of seminaries
concerned
about their salvation.”
–
Teach the necessity of godliness and emulate it in the professors
–
–
Include courses in pastoral theology and practice into curricula
Have the students read also from the mystics, such as Tauler, Theologia
Germanica and Arndt
Historical Overview
1.
Dead Orthodoxy (1580-1700)
1670
1680
2.
3.
Spener’s Reforms (1670-1705)
Francke & U. of Halle (1687-1727)
1690
1700
1710
4.
5.
Mack & the Brethren (1708-1729)
Zinzendorf & the Moravians (1722-1760)
1720
1730
1740
1750
1760
Francke & U. of Halle (1687-1727)
Slide 1/4

August
Hermann
(1663-1727)
“Our mission
as professors
is toFrancke
make students
more learned and not more pious.”
Promising Hebrew student
-A seminary professor at Leipzig
1684 – Entered University of Leipzig

1686 – Founded Collegium Philobiblicum for Masters

1687 – Penitential struggle & conversion

1690 – Collegium banned, Francke driven out of Leipzig

1691 – Invited by Spener to teach at the new University of Halle

1691-1727 - Life’s ministry at Halle

–
–
–
Pastor of the town of Glaucha
Chair of Biblical Languages & Theology at Univ. of Halle
Founder of many charities and institutions
Francke & U. of Halle (1687-1727)
Slide 2/4
Theological Distinctives


“I believe that the outward church of Christ, including all its
gifts and sacraments, because of the breaking in and laying
“God gives
and works
his light,
kindness,
Holy
Necessity
of penitential
struggle
/ dated
conversion
experience
waste by
Antichrist right
after
the death
of the
apostles,
Spirit, life, etc. only through similarly illumined,
went up/ into
heaven
and lies concealed in the Spirit and in
Strictness
severity
of discipline
kind, living,
spiritual
people. The Holy Spirit will
I am thus
quite dance
certain that for fourteen hundred
– truth.
of theater,
notCondemnation
grace anyone
through the Devil, but will
– years
Highly
restrictive
music
in any form
now
thereofhas
existed
no gathered church nor any
rather
work
like
through
like.”
– sacrament…
Scriptural Rules
Living is today a purely spiritual thing.
theforchurch

Do not speak much






–

Avoid trifling jests and anecdotes
Avoid speaking of yourself
Avoid unnecessary mirth
Engage in no unprofitable use of time
Do not read trifling, useless books
Renewed Donatism
Efficacy of Word and sacrament depends on the instrument (minister)
Invisibility / non-institutionalism of the Church
Francke & U. of Halle (1687-1727)
Slide 3/4
Halle Foundation

Began with an offering of $2.80 in a collection box, Easter 1695

Founded a constellation of institutions
Free boarding school
Classical school for paying children
“A splendid
capital with which something of
Real-school / vocational school *
importance
can be
founded; I will begin a
Teacher’s
clinic
school forOrphanage
the poor* with it”
Hospital
Drug store
Chemical laboratory
Home for unmarried women
Home for widows
Homeless shelter
Book-bindery
Printing shop
Bible Institute *
Laundry
Farm
Beer brewery

3,200 people sheltered, educated or employed by the Institutions during Francke’s lifetime

Francke never asked for money, but depended solely on prayer
Francke & U. of Halle (1687-1727)
Slide 4/4
International Influence

Sent Bibles, tracts and hymnbooks to Swedish prisoners in Siberia

Heavy influence in Scandinavia

Danish-Halle Mission (1706-1845)
–
–
King Friedrich IV of Denmark
Ziegenbalg & Plutschau to India, 1706

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–
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Taught Tamil, Portuguese; conferences with the Brahmans; opened schools;
translated the Bible into Tamil; wrote a Tamil dictionary; established a seminary;
began custom of sending regular missionary reports
Ziegenbalg left behind 355 converts
60 missionaries sent in the 18th century
Produced internationally important church leaders
Muhlenberg -> Lutheranism in America
Zinzendorf -> Moravians world-wide
Other Notable Pietists
Slide 1/1
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–
Moderate Pietists:
John Albert Bengel
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
–
Johann Freylinghausen & Gerhard Tersteegen


–
Gottfried Arnold
Impartial History of the Church and of Heretics
Eberhard Gruber

–
Prolific hymn-writers
Radical Pietists:

–
Father of Textual Criticism
Forerunner of German rationalism
“Inspirationists”  Amana Colonies
Friedrich Oetinger

Nature mysticism
Pietism in Decline
Slide 1/1

Mid-Late 1700s – Lutheran Pietism as an
identifiable movement disintegrates:
–
Halle slides into harsh legalism
–
Danish-Halle mission withers
–
Radical pietism discredits the whole movement
–
Rationalism begins to overtake the seminaries
and puts an end to both Orthodoxy and
Pietism at the same time.
Historical Overview
1.
Dead Orthodoxy (1580-1700)
1670
1680
2.
Spener’s Reforms (1670-1705)
3.
Francke & U. of Halle (1687-1727)
1690
1700
1710
4.
5.
Mack & the Brethren (1708-1729)
Zinzendorf & the Moravians (1722-1760)
1720
1730
1740
1750
1760
Mack & the Brethren (1708-1729)
Slide 1/4
Ernst Christoph Hochmann (1670-1721)

Vocal in biting criticism of the Lutheran Church

1693 - Expelled from Halle

1697 - Radicalized by contact with Gottfried Arnold

1700-1711 – Wonders around Germany for 12 years railing against the Church; often
whipped and imprisoned

1702 - Writes confession of faith in Castle Detmold
–
–
–
–
–
Believer’s baptism by trine immersion
Love feast / feet washing / holy kiss
Pacifism
Perfectionism
Universalism

Took refuge in Schwarzenau where he befriended Alexander Mack

Though never one of the Brethren, his confession provided the Brethren with their
theology
Mack & the Brethren (1708-1729)
Slide 2/4
Alexander Mack (1679-1735)

Heavily influenced by Gottfried Arnold’s History and Hochmann’s
theological and ecclesiastical ideas

Concluded that separation was necessary in order to practice biblical
church discipline

Schwarzenau, 1708 – Baptizes seven followers in the river Eder by Trine
immersion

Founds the Church of the Brethren
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–
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Also called German Baptists, New Baptists or Dunkers
No creeds but the Bible
No traditions but what Jesus and the apostles did
Love feasts, foot washing, trine immersion
For a short time also practiced community of goods and celibacy
Establishes four centers: Schwarzenau, Marienborn, Epstein and Creyfelt
Mack & the Brethren (1708-1729)
Slide 3/4
Emmigration to America

1715 – Marienborn and Epstein congregations driven by
persecution to Creyfelt

Marriage scandal at Creyfelt

1719 – Peter Becker leads group to Germantown, PA.

Creyfelt church disintegrates

1729 – Schwarzenau group emmigrates to Germantown, PA and
Mack assumes leadership in America

In several waves, 100% of Brethren left Europe for America
Mack & the Brethren (1708-1729)
Slide 4/4
The Brethren in America

Settlements in Pennsylvania and New Jersey

Johann Conrad Beissel
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–
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–
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–
–
–

–
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Leader of the Conestoga area church
Withdrew from Brethren as not pure enough
Rebaptized his congregation once again
Adopted a 7th day Sabbath observance
Formed the famous Ephrata celibate community
Splits in the 19th and 20th centuries over opposition to:
Musical instruments
Sunday schools
Foreign missions
Revivalism
Telephones
Automobiles
Currently 8 functioning denominations descended from Mack’s group
Most prominent is the moderate Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches
Grace College and Seminary in Winona Lake, IN
Historical Overview
1.
Dead Orthodoxy (1580-1700)
1670
1680
2.
Spener’s Reforms (1670-1705)
3.
Francke & U. of Halle (1687-1727)
1690
1700
1710
4.
5.
Mack & the Brethren (1708-1729)
Zinzendorf & the Moravians (1722-1760)
1720
1730
1740
1750
1760
Zinzendorf & the Moravians (1722-1760)
Slide 1/4
Count Nicholas Lewis von
Zinzendorf (1700-1760): Childhood

Aristocratic family

Raised by his godly grandmother Catherine von Gersdorf in a castle

“If it were possible that there should be another God
than Christ, I would rather be damned with Christ
than happy
another.”
Spener
was hiswith
godfather
in baptism

Began
seeking
God passion
at 4 years
“I have
but one
– old
‘tis He, ‘tis only He.”

Heart ablaze by age 6:
–
–
–
–
Spent hours in prayer daily
Soldiers incident
Preached sermons to his friends
Cast love letters to Jesus out of his castle window
Zinzendorf & the Moravians (1722-1760)
Slide 1/4
Zinzendorf: Education

Sent to the classical school in Halle under Francke at age 10

Bullied for being too religious

At age 14, founded the Sacred Order of the Mustard Seed
–
–
–
Love all men
Be true to Christ
Bring the gospel to the heathen
Founded six more societies while in his teens


–
–
–
–
Sent to Wittenberg to be made more worldly
Held prayer meetings, Bible study meeting
All night prayer vigils
Founded more societies
Chosen by the faculty as mediator between Wittenberg and Halle
Tour of Europe

–
Profoundly impacted by sight of painting of Christ in a Dusseldorf gallery

Testing at uncle’s house

Marriage

Purchased Berthelsdorf from grandmother
Zinzendorf & the Moravians (1722-1760)
Slide 1/4
Christian David

Conversion from Catholicism

Taken in by the Pietists

Returned to Moravia preaching everywhere

Stirred up hidden remnants of the old Bohemian Brethren
(Hussites)

Persecution drives Christian David to ask Zinzendorf for asylum at
Berthelsdorf

1722 – takes a dozen Hussites to Berthelsdorf and founds
community of Herrnhut on a barren hilltop above the town
Zinzendorf & the Moravians (1722-1760)
Slide 1/4
Herrnhut under Christian David (1722-1727)

At first, the Herrnhutters are excited and joyful

Successive immigrations makes Herrnhut a patchwork quilt
of discontents of every stripe

Division, envy, strife develops

An fiery leader turns Herrnhut against Zinzendorf and the
Berthelsdorf church
–
–
–
–
Zinzendorf called “the Beast”
Entire Protestant church is “Babylon”
Herrnhut and Berthelsdorf preachers rail against each other
Christian David rebuilds his house outside the Herrnhut
compound
Zinzendorf & the Moravians (1722-1760)
Slide 1/4
Zinzendorf Intervenes

–
May 1727 - Zinzendorf steps in and lays down the law
Theological disputes forbidden
–
All who sincerely seek holiness and love Jesus are to be
accepted
–
Both communities repent and ask forgiveness

–
–
August 1727 - Joint communion service
Spiritual joy fills all who are present at once
Herrnhutters covenant to forever be a group known for their
love
Zinzendorf & the Moravians (1722-1760)
Slide 1/4
Herrnhut under Zinzendorf (1727-1736)
Government

Discovered and implemented Unitas Fratrum ancient Order
of Discipline

12 elders, 4 super-elders, 1 chief elder chosen by lot

Everyone given an office / assigned duty

A list of converted people was maintained; others expelled

Engagement allowed only in the presence of the elders and
decided by lot
Zinzendorf & the Moravians (1722-1760)
Slide 1/4
Herrnhut under Zinzendorf (1727-1736)
Community

Established a school

All inhabitants divided into “choirs” by age, gender & marital
status that lived in common buildings

School-age children taken from their parents and raised
communally in a separate building

Women wore simple dress with color-coded ribbons

Strict schedule:
–
–
–
16 hours work
5 hours sleep
3 hours for meals and worship meetings
Zinzendorf & the Moravians (1722-1760)
Slide 1/4
Herrnhut under Zinzendorf (1727-1736)
Worship

Prayer & song meetings three times daily

Composed hymns impromptu during meetings
–
Zinzendorf himself wrote 2,000 hymns
Practiced foot washing, love feasts, kiss of peace and
casting of lots

Assigned prayer rotations for unceasing 24-hour prayer

–
Continued unbroken for 100 years
Zinzendorf & the Moravians (1722-1760)
Slide 1/4
Moravian Missions

–
–

Zinzendorf’s state visit to Copenhagen (1731)
Two eskimos from the failed Danish Greenland missino
Anthony the slave from the Caribbean
18 missionaries in first 25 years – more than all other Protestants in 200 years
“musttobe
a man(1732)
who felt within him an irresistible
–A missionary
Dober / Nitschmann
St. Thomas
–call; a
Stach
/ Boemish
Greenlandthe lusts of the world, who burned
man
who toloathed
–
Spangenberg to Georgia
to Christ,
who
wasIndians
approved
–with love
David Zeisberger
to the
American
(1734) by all his Brethren, and
–whose
Georg
Schmidt
to thewith
Hottentots
S. Africa
face
shone
the oflight
of a Divine joy.”
–
Others to mostly uncivilized peoples around the world

Campaigned against slavery, cruelty; built schools, translated the Bible, taught people
to read, organized churches that emphasized holy living

Forbidden to work where other Christian groups were working

–
–
–
In the first 130 years:
100,000 members
41 missions
1,199 missionaries
Zinzendorf & the Moravians (1722-1760)
Slide 1/4
Later Years

–
–
–
1737 – Zinzendorf consecrated as bishop
“Warrior Band”
1743-1750 – “Sifting time”
The recognition
Moravian Motto:
1750 – Given authorized
by the government as “Evangelical
Moravian Unity of the Brethren”


1736-1750 – Exile in Marienborn
"In essentials, unity;
Moravians in America
in nonessentials, liberty;
–
1740 – Spangenberg founds Bethlehem, PA
and in all things, charity"
–
Worked extensively throughout the colonies
–
–
–
Extensive Indian missions
Established four major settlements, one in Salem, NC
Do not grow much because of compound mentality

Impact on Wesley and the Evangelical Awakening

Today they have 825,000 members mostly in Germany, America and
Tanzania and are still active in missionary work