Barbara Heinemann Landmann - The Inspirationists Move To New York State, 1843-1855.

The Inspirationists Move To New York State, 1843-1855.

Christian Metz and the Elders became convinced of the need for another move. At length Christian Metz delivered a testimony from the Lord:

Your goal and your way shall lead toward the west to the land which still is open to you and your faith. I am with you and shall lead you over the sea. . . . Four may then prepare themselves. (Bezeugungen, 1842)

The Elders appointed a committee of four, including Christian Metz, to make the voyage to America. The committee was given full power to act for all the members and to purchase land where they deemed best.

They endured many hardships during their voyage, which lasted almost forty days. They reached the harbor of New York in late October, 1842. Their hardships did not cease once they reached land; for three months they suffered winter cold while examining tracts of land in New York State. Finally they purchased a former Seneca Indian Reservation, a tract of 5,000 acres (20 km2) near Buffalo, New York.

During the following year, the Inspirationists began their migration from Germany. Within the first four months of 1843, they laid out and settled the first village. They called it Eben-ezer--"Hitherto has the Lord helped us"--based on a testimony delivered by Christian Metz.

In less than a year, two more villages were laid out, Upper Ebenezer and Lower Ebenezer; the first village became Middle Ebenezer. Later another village, New Ebenezer, was laid out. When a group of Pennsylvania Dutch in Canada joined the Community, two villages were added in Canada: Canada Ebenezer and Kenneberg,

Each village had its own store, school, and church. In various villages there were sawmills, woolen mills, flour mills, and other branches of industry, giving employment to all according to their talents and inclinations.

The profits from all these enterprises went to the Community as a whole. In a provisional constitution and later in a permanent constitution, the Inspirationists agreed that all land and all improvements, everything with the exception of clothing and household goods, should be held in common. Their decision was supported by Scripture:

And all that believed were together, and had all things in common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men as every man had need. (Acts 2:44-45)

Their decision was also supported by testimonies delivered by Christian Metz.

Thus it was that the Inspirationists were able to pay for the voyages of members who could not otherwise afford to come to America.