USA > Ohio > Richland County > Mansfield > A history of the Wittenberg Synod of the General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1847-1916 > Part 1
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GENEALOGY COLLECTION
GEN
r L
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
3 1833 02398 8659
C. S. ERNSBERGER, D. D.
A HISTORY
OF THE
WITTENBERG SYNOD
OF THE
GENERAL SYNOD
OF THE
Evangelical Lutheran Church
1847-1916
By C. S. ERNSBERGER, D. D.
Together with A Brief Sketch of Each Congregation of the Synod Edited by the Same Author
Published by the Authority of the Synod
PRINTED FOR THE SYNOD BY THE LUTHERAN BOOK CONCERN COLUMBUS, OHIO 1917
" Thus saith Jehovah, stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls." -Jeremiah VI : 16.
" There is no Past so long as Books shall last." - Bulwer-Lytton.
1169804
DR. M. W. HAMMA
MYERS' HALL, WITTENBERG COLLEGE
HAMMA DIVINITY HALL
CONTENTS
FOREWORD
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER I. The Pioneers of Wittenberg Synod.
CHAPTER II. Organization and Constitution.
CHAPTER III. Period of Expansion.
CHAPTER IV. Educational Progress.
CHAPTER V. The Sunday-School
and Young
People.
CHAPTER VI. Missionary Growth.
CHAPTER
VII. Financial Development.
CHAPTER VIII. Church Organizations.
CHAPTER IX. Statistical Tables.
CHAPTER X. Appendices.
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3 1833 02398 8659
FOREWORD
A T the sixty-fourth convention of Wittenberg Synod, in 1910, assembled at Mansfield, Ohio, a resolution was adopted instructing its Presi- dent to appoint a Historian who shall solicit and gather material for the future publication of a History of the Synod. At the closing session, the President appointed the Rev. C. S. Ernsberger. Shortly after, through the church papers, he called for the appoint- ment by each pastor of a local Historian to assist in gathering the necessary material for such a record. Not over a half dozen of the pastors responded within the following Synodical year and but little progress was made. Another year passed while the Historian was busy with the beginnings of a new work entrusted to his hands, - that of Field Secretary of Wittenberg College, - and nothing was done. At the Convention of Synod in 1912, in Nevada, Ohio, a new impetus was given to the work by the Historian presenting a series of questions to each pastor in the Synod, calling for definite data, covering the complete sketch of each organization ; and the Synod's appropriating the sum of $100.00 for the use of the Historian in collecting and preparing the necessary material, an- swers to these questions to be forwarded to the His- torian by Jan. 1, 1913. But one-third of the pastors responded to this call. Time was extended to Jan- uary 1, 1914, with but few additional responses. An- other request was made through the church papers,
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
to which several responded. In October, 1914, Synod associated two persons with the Historian as a Committee and authorized this Committee to proceed with the editing and publishing of the history, after March 1, 1915, awaiting that time to receive historical sketches from congregations to constitute one of the closing chapters. The history is not complete, and no one can know this so well as the historian. This is due in the main to incomplete records; to lack of detail in printed reports of minutes, and sometimes incorrectness of data. Over and over again the author has gone in careful investigation and efforts to verify and then has failed in some cases to arrive at the facts. But he has done his best and hopes for charitable judgment. He wishes to gratefully acknowledge the aid extended him by members of the committee and others who have rendered kindly assistance in the preparation of sketches. May the reading of these pages inspire to greater love and loyalty to our beloved Church.
C. S. ERNSBERGER.
C. S. ERNSBERGER, E. H. DORNBLASER, J. H. CULLER, Committee.
INTRODUCTION
N O one can note the events in the settlement, extension, and growth of the Lutheran Church in this western country without a profound impression of the reality of God's guiding hand and protecting providence. God is in the midst of his church. "She shall not be moved; God shall help her and that right early." It surely was God "that brought her across the waters, that laid her founda- tions in this land", and protected her in every crisis through which she must pass. The secret of it all is doubtless to be found in the place the Lutheran Church has given to the ever and all-quickening Word. This Word has given vitality and permanency to all her movements. It has formed the bond of her con- fessional fidelity, inspired her church loyalty and maintained among her people a religious conviction and enthusiasm that has made efficient her organi- zation along all lines of Christian activity. Whether we study her history in separate sections, or over the whole field. we find a people of diverse languages, mostly foreign, widely separated, and without true knowledge of each other and often devoid of mutual sympathy, without regular worship, without a com- mon literature, or educational facilities, and lacking in every form of organization. In such a divided state, it was only natural that they should be mis- understood and misrepresented by other Churches and even become the prey of other denominations. It
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
was fortunate for our Church, however, that she had fought though not to the finish, her battles with heterodoxy and unbelief which have been unsettling the faith of other denominations, in her earlier his- tory across the seas, so that she could not be per- manently swayed from her historic beliefs and methods, and so she had the advantage in this respect over her Puritan children, denominationally. She has been taught by her own experience in the past half century, some things relative to the wisdom of sound and scriptural methods in her propaganda. She has tested the value of methods. In her polyglot charac- ter and variety and scope of her customs and usages, she finds ample suggestions for the solution of the problems of her adjustment to the demands of the age and of the countries she occupies. Firmly grounded in her symbols, she not only holds a safe position in clear and definite statements of doctrine, but also a conservative attitude toward all the changes incident to the development of church life and in- dividual conduct. She will abide by her custom of inculcating this faith in her children. Her adherence to the approved methods of catechization, and ad- vanced Christian education is no idle boast. It is her only well founded hope in meeting the taint and train- ing of godlessness in the schools of the state. She thus duly cares for her own and yet by faithful preaching of the Word, seeks to evangelize the masses of the unchurched and unsaved around her. She has, notwithstanding her polyglot character and her varied educational training, come to realize her doctrinal unity within all her divisions, and is, with astonishing rapidity, making for herself a first place among the
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
churches of Christendom. With all these facts, constantly in the foreground, it is no small task to trace the movements or sketch into the merest outline, the authentic data of any section of her history. Of the settlements of Lutherans and the growth of the Lutheran Church in the state of Ohio, many records, historical and biographical, have been made. From all of these accounts, the greater number of which are fragmentary, it is the duty of the Historian to glean if possible, such facts as are supported by the best testimony. At best, numerous imperfections and in- accuracies are to be found in all histories, and church histories are no exception.
Also in the farther west, there were congrega- tions and synods, professing the Lutheran faith, which claimed to be the true and legitimate descendants of the Reformer, - and that they held the doctrines of the Lutheran Church in their purity. To the apparent neglect of personal piety, - the fruits of the spirit, and a living faith-an undue importance was attached to the formalities of the religious life. Thus the evangelical character of the doctrines of the whole Lutheran Church was brought into question by other denominations. The English speaking portion of the Lutheran faith was brought face to face with a stern prejudice that required years to overcome. This un- fortunate disparity and disagreement had much to do in retarding the growth of the General Synod Lu- theran Church in the middle west, necessitating as it seemed to some, a sort of re-formation. Nowhere were these conditions more in evidence than on the territory of Wittenberg Synod. Still farther, among the obstacles to her planting and growth was the late-
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
ness of her beginning. Ohio had advanced in her statehood forty years and more. Agriculture, com- merce, the arts and sciences had advanced far toward perfection. The population had increased to over one and a half million. The state ranked third in the Union when the Lutheran Church began her work. For nearly a half century, cities and towns had been building and other denominations of Christian people, more politic and timely, and full of energy, had planted churches everywhere. Their congregations grew'with the population. Their people were identi- fied with every public movement and interest in the community. They planted schools with their churches and were prospering everywhere, when Lutheran peo- ple began to form settlements and organize. Nor could our people adopt altogether the wisest methods. They were for the most part a rural people. Instead therefore of occupying the centers of population and organizing in the cities, they had to be content to occupy the smaller towns and country places. As they were late coming into the field, they were tardy in occupying the cities.
No matter how well she might do her own work, or how faithfully she might use the opportunities left to her, the Lutheran Church in such a situation, must work to disadvantage in comparison with other de- nominations around her.
Her obligations were first to her own people, - to seek them out and afford to them a church home among those of her own faith. No less an obligation pressed upon her to share with other Christian churches the work of evangelizing the masses of alien and unchurched people around them. How well she
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
has met these obligations the pages of this history will, in some measure, at least, disclose. In the first chap- ter, especially, the historian has followed very closely, in continuous pages, the autobiographies of Revs. F. J. Ruth and Dr. Joshua Crouse (the latter in manu- script form), the only authentic and connected rec- ords of the events of this period.
2
CHAPTER I
The Pioneers of Wittenberg Synod
A LTHOUGH there were Lutheran families scat- tered here and there among the immigrants to Ohio, there were no distinctively Lutheran settlements known until after Ohio became a state. Nor were there any Lutheran ministers on the ground who conducted any regular religious services during the territorial period. After the territory had been organized into a state, immigration greatly increased and Lutheran communities were founded. The first were in those counties which were largely German, such as Fairfield, Pickaway, Montgomery, Stark, Co- lumbiana, Jefferson and others. Here and there, where they lived near enough, they met in private houses for worship, one of them reading a sermon and the others taking the parts of prayer and sacred song. They were accustomed to many privations. They were inured to severe toil for a livelihood and had few comforts and no conveniences. No discomforts, however, were so lamented among them, as the ab- sence of church and school. They could be cheerful and happy amid all physical necessities. The desti- tution which they felt most keenly was the want of religious worship and the instruction of their chil- dren. It was a long time that they had to wait for the Holy Sacraments for themselves and their chil- dren. They often poured out their hearts' deepest longings to the Great Head of the Church for pastors
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
to lead them in devotions and Christian service. They made application to the Synod of Pennsylvania for traveling missionaries. Their prayers and pleas were heard. The first two that were sent to Ohio, were Rev. Geo. Forster, into Fairfield County, and Rev. John Stough ( Stauch), into Columbiana County in 1805. In Montgomery County, there came nearly at the same time, Revs. Mann, Markert, and Simon, and a little later, Paul Henkel. Others followed until in 1812, there were a dozen or more, including Revs. Stough, Forster. Weygandt, Meyer, Huet, Heim, Reinhard, Leist, Steck, Simon, Henkel and Butler. These together in their first meeting on October 17. 1812, organized the first special Conference of Lu- theran Ministers in Ohio. This Conference was or- ganized at the home of pastor Weygandt in Washing- ton County, Pennsylvania, just across the state line. These special Conferences met annually until 1818 when the first Synod of Ohio was organized at Somer- set. Perry County, Ohio, September 14. This Synod, or Special Conference as it was called, was the origin and beginning of the Joint Synod of Ohio. The pe- riod prior to 1818. is, strictly speaking, the early pioneer period of Lutheranism in Ohio. Later, Rev. F. J. Ruth, as a traveling missionary commissioned by the Synod of Maryland and Virginia, came to Ohio in the autumn of 1831, on horseback, from Fredericktown. Md., landing at New Philadelphia. In his auto- biography, he says,1 "After a few days' rest in the home of a Mr. Bull, to whom I had a letter of intro- duction, I preached twice in the Court House to re-
Autobiog., pp. 16-20.
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HISTORY OF THIE WITTENBERG SYNOD
spectable and attentive audiences. While there I be- came acquainted with Dr. Samuel Stough, a son of Rev. John Stough of the Lutheran Church. The Doc- tor expressed a most earnest desire that I should visit Ashland, Ohio, and gave me a letter of introduction to his brother, who resided at that place. In due time, I visited Ashland and called on his brother Jonas Stough and was most kindly received by him and his estimable wife. In this place, I visited, in company with Mr. Stough, several Lutheran families in the village and vicinity, and preached in the evening to the people of the town."
His commission to Ohio included the towns of New Philadelphia, Mansfield, Mt. Vernon, Delaware, Columbus, Chillicothe, Circleville, and Sinking Springs, in Highland County. Leaving Ashland, whither he had turned aside at the instance of the son of Father Stough-the only missionary who had come into that region before him-he proceeded to Mans- field, stopping at the Wiler House. At Mansfield, he found three Lutheran people, Jacob Hammer and wife, and George Cocher. He found no opportunity to preach there at that time because of a Methodist Conference being in session in the village. Upon the advice of friends there, he visited the community of the Mt. Zion Church, eight miles east, and spent a night in the home of Jacob Culler, grandfather of the Revs. Drs. J. H. Culler and C. S. Ernsberger. The Lutheran people in the neighborhood of what is now the Mt. Zion congregation, at that time, desired Ger- man preaching. He therefore went on, the next day, to Mt. Vernon. He found no Lutheran families there, and thence he went to Columbus. A few families of
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD'
Lutherans there had just secured the services of a German pastor. The day following he went on to Circleville, where he met Rev. N. B. Little, just lo- cated as missionary there, and who at the meeting of the Synod of Maryland and Virginia, at Taneytown, where two years before he was licensed to preach the gospel, had prevailed upon him to come to Ohio as missionary instead of to North Carolina where he had been urged to go. After a few days' visit with Rev. Little, he proceeded to Chillicothe. He found ten persons there who were Lutheran, all German, and desired only German services. He started at once for Sinking Springs, a distance of forty miles or more. The next day he was overtaken by a severe rain storm in which, for want of shelter, and because of the great distance between houses, he received a thorough drenching, being detained over two days on the way. Arriving there, he found a small congregation of Lu- therans in the village, and another congregation about twelve miles distant, the two constituting a pastorate. They desired him to locate among them, but he was unable to meet their desire for German services. After conducting a few services in the English lan- guage, he took up his journey to Delaware where he preached several times in the village and vicinity. Having now visited all the places included in his com- mission, and having looked the field over carefully, the impression fixed itself strongly on his mind that the center or base of his missionary operations on that territory should be either in Richland or Ashland County. He accordingly set out for Mansfield, on the 30th of September, arriving the next day. It was a journey of over four hundred miles, occupying one
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
month. The evening of his arrival in Mansfield, he preached in the Presbyterian Church to a large gather- ing of people. The next day the people of the Presby- terian Church, as well as the Lutheran people, be- sought him to locate in that town, assuring him that congregations of Lutherans could be gathered in the county. His purpose, however, had been formed to visit Ashland again. On the ninth of October, 1831, he went to Ashland and preached that evening in a barn near the village, to a large congregation. He was constrained to locate there, and being entreated by the people with pledges of strong support, he yielded. From this time he began preaching regularly in Ashland and Mansfield. He organized the con- gregation of Ashland, October 23, 1831, and in the spring of 1832, he organized the congregation at Mansfield. For the first year after locating he re- ceived a salary of $75. This outline missionary journey and the first year of regular service is gleaned from his autobiography in order to afford a glimpse of the real life and labor of the pioneer missionary.
In an observation on the privations of a mission- ary's life, he says,? "I found that the condition of being constantly needy, constantly in want of means to make myself comfortable, was not the most pleaas- ant one indeed ; yet, I also found, that, even this situa- tion has its legitimate uses,-the habit of frugality,- the virtue of expending nothing unnecessarily,-was not the least." He relates how at that time when an- other pioneer missionary was visiting him, his need of clothing was so pressing in the very severe weather
2 Ruth Autobiog., p. 22.
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
that he asked of him the loan of $1.00 to help him out. The reply was that he would gladly do so, but he him- self did not have the $1.00. He said, that, with a sad heart, he left him to go out to his boarding place to feed his horse and as he walked the pavement he found a silver coin sufficient in value to meet his im- mediate need. He could not find an owner, so he accepted it as a gift from God. "He thanked God and took courage." He remained at Ashland for three years and during these years, besides regular services at Ashland, and Mansfield, he preached as frequently as possible at London, near Shelby, at Gal- ion, Plymouth, Bucyrus, Sulphur Springs, Wooster, and two country places in Wayne County. In 1834, he removed from Ashland to Bucyrus, after having preached there for over two years occasionally. The congregation at Bucyrus was organized in January, 1833. From this time on, new congregations were being organized every year in every direction, in the towns and country, and pastors settled. While he was settled at Bucyrus, Rev. Ruth met the Venerable John Stough, the first ordained missionary sent by the Eastern Synods to preach the Gospel, beyond the Allegheny Mountains. He had made his way since 1805 from Columbiana County,-where he first enter- ed Ohio,-westward this far. Of his labors, little is definitely known except that he organized the first congregations in the state. He organized the Galion congregation in 1831, and served it for several years. His ministrations were chiefly in the eastern counties of Ohio, although for 25 years, he traveled and preached here and there, gathering the few Lutherans that could be found, and fostering the individual
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
Christian life, meeting the spiritual needs of the desti- tute. He retired, living near Bucyrus, whither he came from Columbiana County in 1823, and where he died in 1845, at the age of 81. He frequently assisted the later missionaries in special services. He spent over 50 years in the ministry of the Gospel, preach- ing in five different states, more than 10,000 times, baptized over 1,500 children and confirmed as many more, officiated at nearly 500 marriages, and at- tended as many funerals.
In the early months of 1837, Joshua Crouse, a young man of 25 years, came from his childhood home in Mahoning County, with his wife, to Crawford County, Auburn Township, to make a home in this newer country. He was a gifted son of a very godly mother, who at his very birth had given him a con- secration to God to become a minister of the Gospel. He was the subject of her daily prayer. Her pious life and her known prayerfulness for him, had already begun to bear rich fruitage in a noble life. His changed environment in a new and entirely strange community, and the intense struggle for a livelihood in his forest home, with no church nor school privileges, however, had led him to think of any attempt to fit himself for the work of the minis- try, as practically beyond his reach. The death of his saintly mother about this time, brought afresh to his mind her strong desire and prayers, and quickened in his soul a sense of the neglect of his promise to her to comply with her wishes. Shortly after her de- parture the visit of a near relative and also of Rev. John Stough, at his own request, led him to renew his purpose to begin, at once, his preparation to preach.
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
REV: F. J. RUTH
1
REV. JOSHUA CROUSE, D. D.
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
A Sunday-school was started in their cabin home, the first aggressive movement that was attempted in that entire community, and which in course of time, as appears from his autobiography, developed into the organization of the Oakland (now Tiro) Congrega- tion. Near by a school house was built shortly after- ward and Joshua Crouse became the teacher. A small prayer meeting was begun at their home, and naturally enough, he became its leader. These meet- ings increased in attendance and interest until quite a little community of interested people gathered regu- larly and Rev. Ruth then living at Bucyrus was in- vited to visit the circle and preach, which he gladly did and visited them regularly thereafter. Learn- ing of young Crouse's convictions and observing his talents and aptitude, he opened up with him the subject of preparation for the active ministry. Hope revived and his courage strengthened. He at once began a course of reading under Rev. Ruth's direction, while he continued his work in the school. He became intensely interested. More and more he saw and felt more deeply his need of continuous study and thorough preparation. As he facetiously expresses it in his autobiography,3 "The Lord in kindness led me to see that a man had better tarry at Jericho until his literary beard be grown before offering himself as a candidate for the sacred office of a teacher of the peo- ple." More and more, too, as he studied, the con- viction of duty strengthened in his soul into a veritable voice of God, "Go thou and preach the Kingdom of God." He seemed compelled to make a complete
3 Crouse Autobiog., p. 96.
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
change in his life plans, which he did, though he still felt that he must support himself, making his living from the soil, as all our ministers and missionaries were compelled to do largely in those pioneer days. He continued his residence on the farm. His work also at his trade of carpentry, and teaching in the winter, while all his spare time was given, -every moment of it, - to study. A remarkable incident oc- curred during his second term of school, which showed how very providentially he was forced into the active work of preaching the Gospel. It seemed that owing to his feelings about his lack of education, up to the time of his conversations with Rev. Ruth, he had only thought of serving as an itinerant evangelist, or pas- tor's assistant, having little or no thought of the settled ministry. The incident was this, - we will let him tell it in his own modest way.
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