Background
Jacob Albright was born on May 1, 1759 in Douglass Township (now Montgomery County) northwest of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, United States; the son of Johann Albrecht and his wife, German immigrants.
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Jacob Albright
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also known as
Jakob Albrecht
Education
Albright had but little education and no theological training.
Career
In 1796 he began to preach as an "exhorter. " He was particularly concerned about his fellow Germans, who were largely without pastoral care, and went about among them preaching with flaming enthusiasm, calling men to immediate repentance and conversion, and insisting on the duty of entire sanctification (sinlessness) for all believers. He traveled about through Eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia, preaching in barns, logcabins, schoolhouses, and the like. He met with opposition but made converts here and there. As most of them spoke nothing but German, there were no churches in which they could find a congenial home; so, after nearly four years, he ventured to form three classes, Methodist fashion, each with its class-leader, for such of his converts as were near enough together for this purpose. There were but twenty all told.
Two years later there were forty members and more classes, and in 1803 a council from these classes ordained him a minister. That he had but little education and no theological training was a recommendation rather than a drawback in their eyes, as they regarded all education with suspicion and spoke of theological seminaries as "preacher factories. " This was due, in large part, to what they felt to be the lethargy and lax moral standards of the Lutheran Church, which they ascribed to the rationalism with which their pastors had become imbued in German universities. Two young enthusiasts came to Albright's assistance, and in 1807 the number of converts was sufficient to admit of holding an Annual Conference, which adopted temporarily the name of "The Newly Formed Methodist Conference, " and elected Albright as its bishop. It was Methodist in doctrine and polity, but it was an entirely independent movement, which the Methodists refused to recognize on the ground that the German language would not long continue in this country. The movement, however, continued, the name being changed, first to "The so-called Albrights, " and later to "The Evangelical Association. " But this, Albright himself did not live to see, for six months after his election as bishop he died, worn out with his exertions.
Achievements
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Albright was a prominent Methodist preacher who traveled to different states and was successful in converting people to Christianity. He is also remembered as the original founder of Albright's People, named the Evangelical Association after his death. Today it is a part of the United Methodist Church.
Religion
Albright's parents were Lutherans, and he was baptized, and later confirmed, in the Lutheran Church. His religious nature was not fully awakened until, in 1790, he was afflicted by the loss of several of his children. The sermon at their funeral awoke in him a sense of sinfulness, and, after a severe inward struggle, he was converted to the Methodist faith.
Connections
When Albright was twenty he married Catharine Cope.
References
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Born
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Died
May 18, 1808 (aged 49) -
Resting place
Albright Cemetery, Kleinfeltersville, Pennsylvania, United States -
Nationality
American -
Religion
Methodist