USA > Indiana > Clinton County > Mulberry > Minutes thirty-third annual convention Chicago Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1903 > Part 7
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ST. JAMES', CHICAGO, has passed through many trials and discouragements, yet the work has grown and prospered, until now we have a Sunday School of nearly 300, and a membership of 43. Student L. W. Steckel has been in charge of this work throughout the year, and has been unusually diligent and faithful. The congre- gation has united with the Mission Committee in extending to him a call, and he is at this convention of Synod, an applicant for ordination. The exchange of lots which failed last year, is now consummated, and with an ordained pastor and good prospects of a permanent church home in the near future, the coming year gives promise of being marked by unusual progress at St. James' Mission.
CHURCH OF THE ATONEMENT, CHICAGO, the Rev. L. P. Pence, Missionary, has fully demonstrated that it has a legitimate field of it's own. The congregation is now agitating the lot question, and the Mission Committee has urged the matter upon them. They occupy a growing section of the city, and with the new park located near them, and the proposed extension of the "L" R. R., property
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values will certainly advance rapidly. A lot and a church home should be acquired at an early day by this mission.
CHURCH OF THE EPIPHANY, CHICAGO, is our youngest Chicago Mission. It is located in a densely populated district of the West Side, and at present worships in Bowman's Hall, 12th St. Blvd. and Ogden Ave. The Mission was in charge of Mr. J. H. Graff dur- ing the Seminary year. The first service was held Sunday afternoon1, Nov. 15th, 1903, addresses being delivered by the Rev. Dr. Gerberding, A. C. Anda and the Mission Director. The Choir of Holy Trinity Church rendered the service. We have an excellent Sunday School, and are confident of the ultimate outcome, but have found the field rather slow of development. Mr. L. J. Baker is now in charge of the work, and being experienced in developing and organizing work, he has taken hold systematically and euergetically, and we believe that the temporary organization which was made at the home of Mrs. Gates, Feb. 18th, will in the not distant future be made permanent.
THE CHURCH OF OUR BLESSEDSAVIOR, ALEXANDRIA, IND., the Rev. J. C. Dietz Missionary, owing to the decrease in the supply of natural gas which has worked to the detriment of the town, has had many discouragements, but with a number of accessions at Easter, and a revival in the business of the city, there has come new life into the work, and our missionary declares that which we have always believed, that there is a very hopeful future in store for this mission.
FIRST ENGLISH, MISHAWAKA, IND., the Rev. M. E. Boulton, Missionary, has reduced it's floating debt by $400.00, leaving it at present $340.00. It is but just to state, that through the great liber- ality of Messrs. Eberline and Miller, first in advancing and afterwards in donating, in addition to their already liberal subscriptions, the sum of $6,602.50, to state that we now have the beautiful church and com- modious parsonage, excepting the ladie's obligation for widows, free of incumbrance. Misliawaka is a prosperous manufacturing city, and with our church near to a fine and growing residence section, there is every reason to expect a healthy growth.
HOLY TRINITY, SOUTH BEND, IND., led by it's zealous and self-sacrificing missionary, the Rev. William Eckert, although facing special assessments for street, etc., has heroically assumed half of the aid given by Synod, and gives every evidence of spiritual, as well as material progress. Holy Trinity will soon be in the list of self-supporting parishes.
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ZION'S, LA FAYETTE, IND., has had an eventful year. The Director, and a majority of the Committee visited the field at the close of Synod a year ago, and unanimously agreed that the field was hope- ful, but needed a resident pastor and a more favorable location. The pastor has been secured in the person of the Rev. Elmer D. S. Boyer, a graduate of the Philadelphia Seminary, and a post-graduate student of the Chicago Seminary, who was called to the work, and, at the request of the Home Mission Committee, was ordained in the Church of the Holy Trinity, Chicago, Jan. 19th, 1904. He took immediate charge of the work and reports the membership up to June Ist, more than doubled, since he became pastor. Larger and better quarters have been secured, and a subscription of about $2,000.00 is already in hand toward a church home. Lots are in view and the fondest hopes of Synod give promise of being fully realized.
WAUKEGAN, ILL. The mission work which had been con- ducted by the students for several years, has been regularly trans- ferred to the Augustana Synod pastor, the Rev. C. J. Karl, who agreed to introduce English into his church and Sunday School work, and thus provide for these people, leaving us free to use our forces in fields which give prospect of a more rapid development. The work was transferred July Ist, 1903.
SYRACUSE, IND. The Synod's recommendation, that the Nappanee charge be divided, lias been carried into effect, and Syra- cuse and Benton have been formed into a parish, and through the efforts of the Mission Committee, a very capable pastor secured in the person of the Rev. Theo. F. Weiskotten of North Lima, Ohio, who has been in charge since May Ist. Already the evidences are mani- fest, that the work will prosper under separate pastoral oversiglit. Brother Weiskotten has taken hold of the work with tact and energy, and plans are rapidly maturing, which mean a church building in. Syracuse. With an inviting new church, and the only resident pastor, the future of our Lutheran cause in Syracuse is assured. The Benton church, too, gives promise of greater efficiency, as well as larger growth under the new arrangement.
OLNEY, ILL. As directed, the Rev. M. L. Wagner investigated this field last summer. A call was extended to lini, but owing to his receiving a call to Dayton, Ohio, it was declined. Student Jolin Knauer has been called to serve this field temporarily in connection with the Gila parish. We have a good brick church building, and a
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nucleus of loyal Lutherans, and have reason to believe that with proper pastoral oversight, this field can be developed into a prosperous parish. .
Statistical Summary
Missions
Souls
Gain
S. S.
Property
Debt
Income
Benevolence
Aid ('03-'04)
Aid asked
St. Peter's, Chicago,
435
135
23
320 ₺
5 000.# 2 350 $1061 85 $
83 40 1200 $ 150
St. Matthew's, Chicago.
250
97
S
137
2 500
200
950 00
36 00
240
240
St. James', Chicago.
308
43
16
265
S00
272 50
33 40
125
300
Atonement, Chicago.
90
33
85
201 10
14 40
300
300
Epiphany, Chicago.
70 *
10
. .
65
54
175
Our Savior,
95
13
2
78
15 000
413 40
15 00
300
300
· Alexandria, Ind.
. First Church,
98
41
8
64
10 000
340
415 00
7 05
150
150
· Mishawaka, Ind. Holy Trinity, South Bend, Ind. Zion's,
102
67
13
147
2 750
750
670 40
38 18,
200
100
La Fayette, Ind.
96
45
22
51
79 04
16 16
262
300
Syracuse-
46
29
200
Benton, Ind.
78
30
48
1 000
Olney, Il1.
* 25
2 500
150
City Missionary
125
Missions
666 592
281:1260
39 550
3 640|
4063 99
243 59 1831 2 490
* Organizations at Olney, Il1., and Epiphany, Chicago, are not yet perfected.
Some Interesting Facts and Figures
An analysis of this report will show, that we have aided during this synodical year, five missions in Chicago, and eight outside of the city ;- a total of thirteen. We now have twelve missions on our funds ;- six in Illinois and six in Indiana.
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Communicants
The General Council aided five missions in connection with the Chicago Synod during the year; three in Illinois, one in Indiana and one in Michigan. Thus it will be seen that eighteen missions have been supported on our territory during the past synodical year.
With a total of thirty-five parishes, we find that just half the synodical fields are missionary, and that with a total of but seventeen self-supporting charges, we have cared for no less than thirteen miis- sion points, -a ratio which seems fully to warrant the applying to this body the title, "The Missionary Synod".
The General Council Home Mission Work
The quickened and increased interest in Western Home Mission work is largely due to the work of the Field Secretary, the Rev. Mr. Anda, who by actual results, has demonstrated the ripeness of this territory, and the wonderful possibilites which will follow intelligent and energetic work. It behooves our Synod to show it's appreciation of the work being done, by active co-operation, so that the future may see still larger efforts and greater results. During the year, the General Council has supported St. John's and St. Luke's, Chicago, St. Paul's, Detroit, Mich., and St. John's, Anderson, Ind., and the new mission of the Redeemer in Aurora, Ill., which is as yet under the direct care of the Field Secretary, and for the present served by our City Missionary, Student F. W. Bussard. St. John's, Chicago, is now self-supporting, having so declared itself May Ist, 1903.
The subject of General Mission work occupied much of the time of the last meeting of the General Council, and the necessity of united effort for the prosecution of this great work of our Church, was made very apparent. Former plans having failed, it was resolved that a special Committee consisting of three from the General Council Board and two from each Synod, selected by the various Committees in charge of the English work in their respective Synods be formed, for the purpose of formulating a plan, to be presented to the several district Synods for consideration and action. Your Committee met and selected as it's representatives, the Mission Director, the Rev. WV. L. Hunton, and Rev. Dr. Gerberding. This Committee met in the First Church, Pittsburg, Pa., April 8th, 1904, and formulated a plan, which is herewith presented for consideration, and for such dis- position as the Synod may determine. The following is
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The Plan
I. A Home Mission Board shall be elected by the General Council and shall consist of four clergymen and three laymen. It shall be located at such place as that Body may from time to time determine.
It shall exercise the following functions:
a. It shall have supervision of the missions committed to it's care by the District Synods, and such other missions as are or may be established by it.
b. It shall make an estimate of the funds needed for it's work, and recommend to the General Council the amounts to be apportioned to the Synods.
2. The Mission Board or Committee of each Synod having charge of English Home Missions, shall be auxiliary to the General Board.
It shall be the duty of these Boards:
a. To lay before the General Council's Board or it's authorized agents the mission needs of their Synods.
b. To furnish, through an accredited representative or other- wise, the necessary data for the Board's intelligent action; so that by definite and detailed plans, new missions may be properly established, and those already in existence successfully conducted.
c. To present to their respective Synods a complete account of the General Council Board's missionary operations.
d. To recommend and urge upon their Synods such action as may be necessary to support the work of the General Council's Board, whether in the raising of apportionments, or in the spread of mission - ary intelligence.
[Signed]
L. G. ABRAHAMSON
S. P. A. LINDAHL
W. K. FRICK
D. H. GEISSINGER
G. H. GERBERDING,
A. F. SIEBERT
C. K. HUNTON
A. L. YOUNT
W. L. HUNTON
H. A. WELLER.
J. C. KUNZMANN
COMMITTEE.
Pittsburg, Pa., April 8, 1904.
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F. AUG. MILLER
G. W. SANDT
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Prospective Mission Points
Preliminary work has been done in the Roseland-Pullman- Kensington district, in the southern part of the city of Chicago, with a view to establishing a mission, with most encouraging prospects; also at Chicago Heights, Il1. These fields must be occupied, and in fact so many others are pressed upon our attention as a committee, that we can but pray for men and means to enter in and possess the territory for Christ and our beloved Lutheran church.
We appreciate the aid given the committee through individual contributions, and are glad to note that a single contributor has added $100.00 to the funds of the committee during the past year. If we could have more such financial evidence of interest, and co-oper- ation, our hands would be greatly strengthened for the prosecution of this urgent and hopeful work.
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Recommendations
I. ,We recommend appropriations to the various missions as in- dicated in the column "Aid asked'' in the Statistical Table.
2. We recommend that the interest for St. Luke's, Chicago, be paid for the coming year as per agreement, viz. $104.50, and that the sum of $125 be appropriated for City Missionary.
3. We request that Synod appropriate $2,600.00 to beat the disposal of the Mission Committee for the prosecution of our Home Mission work during the coming synodical year.
4. We urge upon the pastors the necessity of spreading mission- ary information, and holding frequent missionary services and festi- vals.
5. We recommend to our parishes the advisability of assuming the fostering of some special mission, in co-operation with the Synod's Committee.
6. Resolved: That it is the sense of this Synod, that the principle recommended by the special Committee of the General Council on uni- fication, is correct: and the Chicago Synod hereby agrees to adopt the plan, as soon as a sufficient number of Synods adopt it, or some similar plan, to make it feasible.
THE COMMITTEE.
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Annual Report of the Treasurer of the Home Mission Committee June 10, 1903, to May 28, 1904.
RECEIPTS.
Balance, cash on hand per last report $ 181 00
Rec'd from Treasurer of Synod, Rev. I. Whitman 1965 70
Rec'd from Special Fund subscriptions 209 29
Rec'd from loan of Dr. O. J. Waters
300 00
Total
$ 2655 99
EXPENDITURES.
To St. Peter's, Chicago $ 200 00
St. Matthew's, Chicago
240 00
St. James', Chicago 125 00
" St. Luke's, Chicago, for interest
104 50
Atonement, Chicago 300 00
" Epiphany, Chicago
54 05
City Missionary, May-Oct., 1903
75 00
" Holy. Trinity, South Bend, Ind.
200 00
" First Church, Mishawaka, Ind.
150 00
" Our Saviour's Church, Alexandria, Ind.
300 00
" Zion's, La Fayette, Ind.
262 00
" Current expenses, printing, postage, supplies, interest, traveling.expenses, etc. 85 36
Total Expenses .
$ 2095 91
Paid loan in full to Dr. Waters . 300 00
Total Paid out
$ 2395 91
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Balance Cash on hand.
260 08
Grand Total.
$ 2655 99
Respectfully Submitted,
C. T. A. ANDERSON, Treasurer of the Committee.
The Report was received for consideration by items. :
While item one was under consideration, the hour ar- rived for the hearing of a paper by the Rev. Wm. Eckert.
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The Rev. Wm. Eckert, of South Bend, Ind., read his paper on "The Debt which the Church owes to the World."
The discussion was opened by the Rev. M. E. Boulton.
Synod adjourned at 4:30 o'clock, led in prayer by the Rev. A. C. Anda.
Fourth Session
Phanuel Church, June 3rd, 8 a. m. The Devotions were conducted by the Rev: T. F. Weiskotten.
The roll was called.
The minutes were read and adopted.
The consideration of the Report of the Home Mission Committee was resumed. It was considered by items. The Report of the Treasurer of the Home Mission Com- mittee was referred to the Auditing Committee, and final action on the Report as a whole, deferred until the Auditing Committee should report.
Report of the Committee on Conferences
The Northern Conference of the Chicago Synod, assembled in St. John's Church, Chicago, Ill., passed the following resolutions:
I. That we ask Synod to pass a resolution requesting the pub- lication of a Sunday School Paper of the same general style as "Young Folks", which could be put into our schools at a cost, not to exceed 25 cents per copy per year."
2. That we request Synod to take such steps as may be neces- sary to secure the organization of the women of our congregations into a Synodical Society."
The Southern Conference of the Chicago Synod in convention in St. James' English Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Whitestown pastorate, resolved:
3. "To ask Synod to adopt and have published for general and free distribution in her congregations, the paper read at this con-
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ference by the Rev. I. Whitman, on the topic. "The Congregation's obligation to pay the Synodical Apportionment."
THE COMMITTEE.
The Report was received for consideration by items, and action taken as follows:
Item I. A Committee composed of the Rev. G. H. Gerberding, D. D., A. D. Crile, M. E. Haberland, L. Hogshead and W. L. Hunton was appointed to bring in a resolution relative to the prices of the publications of our General Council Publication Board.
Item 2. Be it resolved: That the Home Mission Committee formulate a plan to organize the women of our Synod into a Synodical Missionary Society, and report to Synod, at this meeting, if possible, or not later than at the next annual convention.
Item 3. Synod ordered the paper published with the minutes, and instructed the Secretary to have 4,000 extra copies issued in tract form, for general and free distribution.
The Report was adopted as a whole.
Next Convention
Invitations were received from the congregations located in the following cities: Lafayette, Ind., South Bend, Ind., and Anderson, Ind. The invitation from Holy Trinity Congregation, Lafayette, Ind. was unanimously accepted.
The time for holding the next convention was set for Wednesday following Trinity Sunday, 1905.
Report of Committee on Education
We beg leave to report as follows:
I. The aid voted to be given to Oliver O. Yung and Sylvester L. Boger has been given.
2. The aid voted to Andrew M. Sappenfield and Calvin Brewer, at the discretion of the Committee, lias been paid in full.
3. Very favorable reports have been received concerning the behavior and scholarship of each of our beneficiaries.
4. We recommend the following appropriations for the ensuing year:
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Oliver O. Yung
$ 75 00
Andrew Sappenfield.
100 00
Calvin Brewer.
100 00
Sylvester L. Boger
100 00
Total. $375 00
5. We recommend that the offering received at the service held in the interest of Education, be given to the Colburn Academy.
The urgent need of competent men to gather new congregations and supply those already existing, should be strongly impressed upon our people.
. The harvest truly is great and very ripe, but the laborers should increase. Let us tell the Church.
THE COMMITTEE.
The Report was adopted by items and as a whole.
Resolutions offered presenting a plan for apportioning congregations was referred to the Committee on Apportion- ments.
Report of the Committee on Reception of Congregations
The Committee on Reception of Congregations begs leave to present the following report.
That St. Paul's Lutheran Congregation of Richland Co., Ill., has applied for membership in this Synod.
They have presented to the Committee their constitution, as required by the constitution of Synod, and have also instructed their delegate to sign the constitution of Synod, if their request for member. ship is granted.
We, the Committee, therefore recommend that this congregation be requested to amend Article XI so as to read, that "this constitution may be amended or changed as provided for by the constitution, except Article II which Article sets forth the doctrinal position of the con- gregation," and that they be received into Synod as soon as they notify the Secretary of Synod that this change has been made as requested. THE COMMITTEE.
The Report was adopted as amended.
Synod adjourned at 11:30, led in prayer by the Rev. G. H. Gerberding, D. D.
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Fifth Session
Phanuel Church, June 3, 1904, 2 p. m.
The. Devotions were conducted by the Rev. P. J. Gerberding.
The roll was called.
The minutes of the morning session were read and adopted.
Report of the Archivarius
Several bunches of letters, documents and reports have been added to the large collection already in the hands of your keeper of the treasurer trove of Synod. .
As our Seminary library rooms are over-crowded, it has not been practicable to have our material properly arranged as yet.
Meantime all is safely housed in the home of
THE ARCHIVARIUS.
The Report was adopted as amended.
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Report of the Board of Trustees of the Colburn Academy
The nine trustees, nominated by Synod at it's last convention were duly incorporated during the year by the Secretary of the State of Indiana, and the Articles of Incorporation put on record at Indiana- polis and Lafayette, as required by the state law. Five meetings were held during the year and the following acted as the officers tempo- rarily: President, Rev. I. Whitman; Secretary, Rev. William Finck; Treasurer, Mr. Geo. Rohrabaugh. Permanent officers will be elected at the next meeting. The Rev. Elmer D. S. Boyer has been elected a member of the Board, in the place of the Rev. H. K. Lantz who removed to Pennsylvania.
The school has been in progress all the year, covering a nine month's course. The total enrollment was thirty-four, but some of the pupils attended only a portion of the time. One pupil com- pleted the course and was given a diploma of graduation. There were ten pupils in the High School department, eleven in the
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Grammar School department and thirteen in the Primary depart- ment. The year was a very successful one, and the commencement 011 May 13, was very satisfactory.
The fall term begins September fifth, with good prospects for an increased number of pupils. The instructors for the coming year are the following: Prof. G. M. Moser, Rev. P. C. Wike and Rev. Elmer D. S. Boyer. The catalogue for 1904-1905 has been printed for free distribution.
The school is not yet self-sustaining, and the Board of Trustees hopes for the co-operation of the members of Synod, and friends of Christian Education, to assist in maintaining the school until it be- comes self-supporting. The deficit is $150.00, for the past year, a part of which remains to be provided for. Our needs are three-fold. We need friends to advertize our school; we need pupils to fill our school; and we need means to maintain the school uutil it becomes self- sustaining.
During the coming year, the Board will formulate a set of rules and regulations to present at the next convention of Synod. At this time it will suffice to append the Articles of Associatiou granted us by the State.
Articles of Association of the Colburn Academy of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
In pursuance of the resolutions adopted by the Chicago Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, in Convention assembled, on the thirteenth day of June, 1903, and recorded iu the minutes for 1903, page forty-four.
We the undersigned do hereby associate ourselves together, in the corporate nanie and for the purposes and objects following, to wit:
Article 1. The corporate name of this association shall be "The Colburn Academy of the Evangelical Lutheran Church."
Article 2. This association is not organized for pecuniary profit, and there is and shall be no capital stock issued on account thereof.
Article 3. The objects of this association shall be to take, hold and acquire, erect, construct and improve real estate and property necessary for such purpose; and to organize, conduct and control a Christian Academy for educational purposes, and especially for the purpose of mental, inoral and spiritual training of pupils, male and
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female, according to the doctrinal basis of the Chicago Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. 4
Article 4. The names and places of residence of the incorpo- rating members are as follows, respectively, to wit; Rev. Isaialı Whit- man, Wallace, Indiana; Rev. William J. Finck, Anderson, Indiana; George E. Rohrabaugh, Colburn, Indiana; Rev. Polycarp C. Wike, Colburn, Indiana; Rev. William J. Seiberling, Mulberry, Indiana; Rev. Harry K. Lantz, Frankfort, Indiana; William Brewer, Pettit, Indiana; John D. Cook, Mulberry, Indiana; Obo J. Mennen, Lafayette, Indiana.
Article 5. The principal place of business af said Association shall be the town of Colburn in the county of Tippecanoe, Indiana.
Article 6. The term of existence of said Association shall be perpetual ..
Article 7. The seal of said Association shall consist of a round disc with the imprint of a Bible in the center thereof, and the words, "The Colburn Academy, 1903" in the outer circle of said disc.
Article 8. The affairs of said Association shall be conducted by nine trustees, five of whom shall be ministers of the Gospel of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and four of whom shall be laymen of said Church, and all of whom shall be members of the Chicago Synod; and said trustees shall have the right to fill vacancies arising from any cause, and the same shall be a purpetual body, and all vacancies occuring from any and all causes, being filled from time to time by the remaining members of said Board of Trustees, and in case of a tie in the selection of any trustee at any time, the result shall be de- termined by lot. A majority of said trustees in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
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