Ebenezer Deming

Background

William Deming was born on July 27, 1736 in Coventry, Connecticut, United States.

Career

After ministering for three years to several congregations in Hummelstown and its vicinity, he was called in 1822 to the historic St. Michael’s and Zion’s Church in Philadelphia as assistant to Frederick David Schaeffei.

After his father-in-law’s retirement in 1834 Demme was sole pastor until 1850, when William Julius Mann, who in turn was to succeed him, became his assistant. By virtue of his scholarship but still more by virtue of his personality Demme became the most influential man in the Ministerium, and his influence continued even after his own career had ended. His one independent book was Die Werke des Flavius Josephus, a revision of the German translation by J. F. Cotta and A. F. Gfrorer with variorum notes drawn from many sources, but this was less important than his editorial work on the Lutheran Liturgic und Kirchenagende. The conservative Lutheranism of his theological position did much to arrest the Methodistic tendencies of many Pennsylvania Lutherans, for beginning in 1846 he gave formal instruction in theology to candidates for the ministry.

Achievements

• Schaeffer was one of the greatest masters of sacred rhetoric that the United States has ever heard. He did much work for the American Tract Society, and was untiringly active in his efforts to reclaim criminals in the penitentiaries.

Connections

On October 7, 1828 Deming married Schaeffer’s only daughter, Mariana. Of their eleven children only five survived him.

Spouse:

Mariana Schaeffer