USA > Ohio > History of the Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Ohio and other states from the earliest beginnings to 1919 > Part 3
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NOTE. - The foregoing history may be considered as a true transcript of a German document found among my father's papers sometime after his death, and translated by me, Dr. Samuel Staugh. S. S. as found all through the transcript is my own comment. S. S.
(What follows was written by Rev. M. M. Gilbreth) .
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LAST MOMENTS OF REV. JOHN STAUCH.
"It was about sunset one summer day, when a few relatives and neighbors assembled in the home of this man of God in Crawford County, Ohio, and while they sat in perfect silence around the bed of an expiring saint, his dark, restless eye was attentively watching the clouds op- posite the window, as they softly moved towards the sink- ing sun to dip their edges in his golden beams before he sank. The wind was blowing gently, and the waving of the shrubbery in the yard gave him an occasional glimpse of the vale beyond, through the blue curtain of the distant hills. Whether it was the warm light reflecting on his face, or the glow of the heart suffering, it is not certainly known, but his solemn features were never seen more radiantly lighted up, than at that moment. It is whispered: "He is dying," and it proved to be the closing sun of a life well filled with uncommon usefulness and protracted with mar- velous vigor, under the pressure of heavy toil by day and by night, in boisterous rains and rigorous cold seasons, to the age of eighty-three and one-half years. The anxiety of all was, how will this man of God, so devoted in life appear in death? Will he so leave the world that it will be a joy to contemplate his departure and will his faith and Christian fortitude kindle ours? The presence of death extorts no groans in complaint from his Christian resigna- tion. His large athletic frame is shaken to and fro like a sinking ship. But the signs of speedy dissolution were at hand. He may be considered to have considered Him who was led as a lamb to the slaughter and learned obedience from the things He suffered. He did not tremble at the swelling of Jordan when he beheld it with his eyes. Nay, an eternal God was his refuge and underneath were His everlasting arms. His mind was serene and cloudless
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while the sun of his life was gradually sinking down and his spirit was preparing for its upward flight. The last words he uttered to mortals were: "I have lived long enough." He was afterward heard communing with him- self and God. At length, calmly and in peace with himself and all mankind, in the still evening when the moon and the stars look so sweetly down on the dying saint, not a sound was heard, except the low moaning of the wind without, a deep effort for respiration within, attended by a rattling in the throat of the dying man, the messenger came and gave his release, and he peacefully fell asleep. He was ready to be offered up. He had fought a good fight, he had finished his course and kept the faith. Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his. This is a meagre sketch of the life and death of one who being dead yet speaketh and liveth in the hearts of many.
His life is rich with lessons of instruction. His char- acter and works deserve to live in all future ages and gen- erations. He was the first Lutheran minister to pitch his tents in the howling wilderness of the Mississippi Valley surrounded by ravenous wolves and panthers and still more ferocious savages. His memory has been too little cher- ished among us, and instead of outstripping his zeal and fidelity we have too often come short of his bright example. May we profit by the life of Father Stauch, and be more and more efficient in doing good, seeing our facilities are increasing daily and already our institutions exert a power- ful influence, not only in the Lutheran church but in the great nation in which we live. O that we might be co- workers in spreading the truth and triumph of the Cross, and ushering in the long prayed for time, when the king- doms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen."
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"I have finished writing this transcript, this 16th day of April, A. D. 1878, here at the town of Waterloo, Indiana, and will mail it by the 22nd inst., direct to Rev. D. C. A. Hay, Gettysburg, Pa." S. S.
William Foerster.
After Stauch comes Foerster. There is some con- fusion concerning the given name of this pioneer. In the record of the Ministerium of Pa. he is called William, in Ohio however, George. Likely William was his correct Christian name. He came to Ohio as an ordained minister from Shenandoah, Virginia, settling in Fairfield Co. in 1806. Fairfield at that time embraced also parts of Perry and other adjoining counties.
Foerster was of German stock educated in the Orphanage at Halle. We may indeed say that the con- secrated spirit of Spener and Francke was much in evidence in the early years of our church both east and west of the Alleghenies. This was the spirit of missionary zeal and effort, may it never depart from our midst.
In 1806, New Reading and Zion's of near Thornville were organized. New Reading is perhaps the oldest reli- gious organization in the county. In 1812 the church at Somerset was established. The first building was, of course, erected of logs with a gallery; and what would be unusual in that day in the western woods, it had a pipe organ built by one of the members. In this church in 1818 the Joint Synod held its first convention. In 1807 Pastor Foerster brought his family of fifteen children from Virginia settling them on a tract of 1,920 acres north of Lancaster where Thornville now stands. Families like these contributed mightily to the establishment of the church and the state in the almost boundless West.
And yet vast as was Foerster's field of labor he could
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brook no encroachment by neighboring pastors. In 1813 the Ministerium had to settle a dispute between Foerster and Leist as to who should serve Ziegler's church. The Ministerium finally determined that Foerster should give up the church and Leist should take charge. This was, no doubt, hard for Foerster to do. We are told that when asked as to the extent of his field he arose and with out- stretched arms dramatically exclaimed : "The entire North West Territory is my field." In 1815 the activities of this zealous missionary were cut short by his rather untimely death due in a large measure to his having been thrown with his horse from a bridge. His body rests in the Foster cemetery not far from Zion's church near Thornville, Ohio.
The Henkels.
Another name, widely known for a long time in the earlier history of our church, was that of Henkel. From New Market, Va., and beyond up to Columbus, O. the name of Henkel was a household word among the early Lutheran settlers. Paul Henkel, the father of five sons who entered the Lutheran ministry, was born at the forks of the Yadkin in Rowan Co., N. C., Dec. 15, 1754. Desirous of entering the ministry he placed himself under the instruction of Rev. Krug of Fredericktown, Md. He seems to have applied himself to his work and was ordained by the Ministerium of Pa. June 6, 1792. He made New Market, Va., headquarters for a rather extensive itinerary :
Andrew Henkel, a son, gives us a good description ot this aggressive missionary : "My father was a large man, within half an inch of six feet in height, well developed, with a keen black eye, as erect as an Indian; somewhat inclined to corpulency, and yet athletic and rapid in his movements. Though his health was not always good, yet
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he was almost constantly employed either in reading, writing, preaching or traveling; and when necessary he did not hesitate to labor with his hands. He had no desire for this world's goods beyond what was wanting for daily use; whatever savored of ostentation was foreign to his nature. His manner of living was frugal, and his dress plain, and yet in performing the services of the sanctuary, he uniformly wore a gown of rich black silk. He had great equanimity and serenity of temper; and his friendships were sincere and constant, and his friends numerous. In the social circle he always rendered himself agreeable, and often communicated important instruction by means of some pertinent, and sometimes humorous anecdote.
"As a preacher, he possessed much more than ordinary power. In the commencement of his discourse he was slow and somewhat blundering, but, as his subject opened before him, he would become animated and eloquent, with a full flow of appropriate thought and glowing language. His illustrations were lucid and forceful, simple and natural. He assisted in training a goodly number of young men for the ministry some of whom have occupied responsible stations with great fidelity and usefulness. He died on Nov. 17, 1825, after nearly completing his seventy-first year." His body rests in the church yard at New Market, Va. On the 20th of Nov. 1776 he was married to Elizabeth Negley. They were blessed with nine children - six sons and three daughters. The eldest son became a physician and the other five, Lutheran ministers, their names are Andrew, Charles, David, Philip and Ambrose.
Here is just a leaf from the journal of Paul Henkel as he makes his first missionary journey to the State of Ohio. The date is Sunday, Aug. 17, 1806: "This morning we leave the household of friend Roth. He himself goes
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REV. PAUL HENKEL AND WIFE.
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with us to service. His wife very much lamented her fate that she could not go with us. Within the first three miles all who had promised to go along, besides others, joined us. Our company is composed of seven persons who are going along to service. We must ride through a forest a distance of 13 miles. It is half past ten by the time we arrive at the place. Upon our arrival we find all the Germans assembled as well as many English. Here we again meet our friend Rausch. As this place has just been newly settled, and as it has as yet mostly small houses there is none large enough for the services. The wind blows very strongly or we would use the forest for this purpose. Nevertheless we secured a frame inn, into which as many gathered as could. Yesterday I was the first German preacher at Brush Creek (Highland Co., Ohio) and so here today, in this place. The first sermon was for the Germans, during which all were quiet and very attentive. Certainly several must have been touched by it. I baptized eight children. After this followed an English sermon. But what shall I say to this assembly? Several of them are even drunk, and the others look very dissolute. What more could I wish than that the sermon would fall as heavily upon them as it was difficult for me to preach. But I do my duty. They are not all drunk. In fact it goes better than was expected, but what the fruits thereof may be, the Lord only knows. I installed two men as trustees of the congregation, Andreas Schafer who is from the . congregation at Hagerstown and Philip Wilkin from Shenandoah Co., Virginia."
Here is a short domestic extract from his journal of Aug. 25, of the same year : "We obtained a bed too, but we found the hungry bedfellows so numerous that in the middle of the night we were driven out, but made our escape to a hay stable. We took some clothing and covers
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with us in which many of them stuck. We were unable to kill all of them. But we had this advantage that by as many as we killed, by so many was the number of them noticeably decreased, which was not the case in the house." On the following day this is the significant entry: "We now ride away from this 'Fleaburg' into the wilderness." And a little later in the day this is the observation: "We are now fifteen miles from Chillicothe."
Pastor Henkel has the distinction of helping to found two synods, that of North Carolina in 1803 and the Ohio Synod in 1818. Somewhat vacillating in his earlier minis- try with reference to the Augsburg Confession he later however became firmly settled in its teachings. He pub- lished a treatise on Christian Baptism and the Lord's Sup- per. In 1810 he gave to the church a German hymn book of 246 hymns, and in 1816 an English book of hymns. Many of the hymns both German and English were com- posed by himself. He also published a German and a little later an English catechism. He found time to issue a little work in German called Zeitvertreib (Pastime)-a satirical rebuke to fanaticism and superstition, vice and folly.
Rev. Charles Henkel, his son, was licensed as a catechist at Somerset in 1818. His first charge was Point Pleasant, Va. In a few years he came to Ohio and took charge of congregations about Columbus. In 1827 he re- moved to Somerset where he served a parish of nine con- gregations. Here he died of tuberculosis in 1841 at the early age of 43 years and lies buried in the cemetery of that place.
David and Philip Henkel became the leading spirits in the formation of the Tennessee Synod. These men stood for sound Lutheran doctrine and finally founded the synod upon this basis. Even to this day there is a feeling of fel- lowship between this mountain synod and our own. The
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publishing house which the Henkels established as early as 1805 at New Market, Va., once enjoyed the distinction of publishing more English Lutheran literature than any other publishing house in the world.
John Reinhard.
Reinhard occupies a rather unique position among the pioneers. He was not only one of the first pastors but was one of the first of the Lutheran settlers of Ohio to send out a call for pastors. He not only sent forth a Macedonian cry but in his life and work became also an answer to the appeal.
In his early years he belonged to what was probably the first duly organized Lutheran church in the State of Ohio, that of Good Hope at Bowling Green, Jefferson Co. As a member of this congregation Reinhard wrote the ap- peal to the Mother Synod which brought the Lutheran heralds into the State. The document which he sent on behalf of Good Hope was noteworthy for three reasons: It was the first petition sent to the Ministerium of Pa. (the Mother Synod) from the State of Ohio. It was the first Lutheran call extended from the State; and it brought John Stauch as the official missionary and representative of the Ministerium into the State of Ohio.
Young Reinhard soon became Stauch's catechist in the community in which he resided and so well did he do his work that Stauch urged him to prepare for the Gospel ministry, at the same time promising him such assistance as he would be able to give him on his missionary jour- neys. In answer to this appeal Reinhard says: "At first I resisted, but after prayerful meditation and serious reflec- tion, especially on the case of the servant with the pounds in St. Luke 19, which caused me much anxiety and uneasi- ness of mind, I consented to devote myself to the ministry
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until the Church could be supplied with better qualified laborers." "Better qualified laborers" never replaced the modest brother. He says : "In 1812 I accompanied Rev. John Stauch to the Synod which met at Carlisle, Pa., still hoping that I would not be received." But he was received along with Huet, Leist and Schaeffer.
Reinhard began his work in Jefferson Co., O., from which point he undertook a number of extensive missionary journeys westward through Ohio. In 1819 he forged west- ward almost to Ft. Wayne, Ind. In telling of this trip he relates how he traveled for some distance with an Indian who like himself was journeying horseback. He says : "We had a hearty conversation, however he could not talk nor understand German nor I the Indian language. Still by signs, motions and laughs we spent the time most jocosely."
Here is a letter which father Reinhard sent to the Standard when he was 80 years of age :
Nov. 12, 1856.
Esteemed Friend and Brother in Christ:
Here are three dollars, one for myself, one from my wife and one from both of us for some miser no matter where he may be for there are plenty of them. But it is not always covet- ousness that prevents men from supporting the institutions of our church, for the good people frequently do not reflect upon and consider these things sufficiently, else they would surely pull out their dollars and send them in.
A word to all the brethren in the faith! If you but knew in what poverty, troubles, trials and labors we began to lay the foundations of the church in this region 51 years ago! But you cannot conceive how it was then. Here we were in the midst of the vast and lonely forests, surrounded with trees and an im- penetrable thicket, and all kinds of game. 'The wild beasts often devoured a large part of our crops. Dear brethren, you can now more easily obtain twenty dollars than we could one at that time. Come brethren don't hesitate with your dollar-a-piece; nay, run
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it up to two, three, four and five. This you can easily do if you but will. Remember he that soweth with a sparing hand shall reap sparingly. Come and gladden the heart of a pioneer eighty years old, and let me enjoy the pleasure of reading in the Standard that our church is out of debt. If you wish to publish this you may do so, or alter it wherever you see proper. I would like to write more but I am scarcely able to write at all.
Fraternal salutations to yourself and the faculty, Your old friend,
JOHN REINHARD.
This father in Israel lived to be 89 years of age. There was an octet of Lutheran octogenarians at Bowling Green, all first settlers and all belonged to "Good Hope." Besides Reinhard there were Martin Esterday who reached the age of 84, George Esterday, 87, Belthaser Kolb, 90, Andrew Alt, 82, Frederick Klechner, 100, David Ridenour, 80, John Reider, 80. Surely with these eight pioneers the words of the Psalmist were fulfilled, "With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."
G. Henry Weygandt.
Out in Washington Co., Pa., stands an old log house (unless recently torn down) that may properly be des- ignated as the first Lutheran theological seminary of the West. It is the old Weygandt (now generally spelled, Wyant) homestead. Descendants of the first Weygandt family tell us that in this cabin John Stauch instructed Henry Weygandt for the Lutheran ministry. The cabin is not far from the old church where the fathers met for conference in 1812. When Stauch would come to that neighborhood on his preaching tours he would tarry at Weygandt's just long enough to give young Henry a few simple lessons in the art of winning souls for Christ. The instruction was necessarily limited and fragmentary but from that log house went forth a man whose heart and lips were anointed with Pentecostal power and whose feet
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were shod with the preparation of the Gospel. Henry Weygandt stands forth as one of the most zealous and untiring laborers in the early years of our Synod.
He was born in Northumberland Co., Pa., May 2, 1779. In early youth he came with his parents to Washington Co., Pa. Having been baptized in infancy he was instructed in youth and confirmed by Stauch. If we interpret Stauch's autobiography correctly it was the confirming of young Weygandt that assured Pastor Stauch that his ministry was not in vain, which assurance he needed just then as doubts had arisen in his mind. It seemed like a kind of apostolic succession uniting the lives and labors of these two pioneers.
Weygandt was licensed as a catechist by the Ministe- rium of Pa. in 1810 and ordained in 1815. We are told that the written sermon which he handed to the officials of the Ministerium for criticism was "simple but had much in it for the heart."
For about 20 years pastor Weygandt served his home parish and adjoining outposts. In 1812 he built his own log parsonage and married a wife. We would state parenthetically that the gavel used by the chair at the sessions of Joint Synod is made from the seasoned oak of the old Weygandt parsonage under whose hospitable roof the brethren of the first Lutheran conference west of the Alleghenies assembled October 17, 1812. The Weygandt home was blessed with 13 children, 8 of them surviving their parents.
In 1829 the family moved to Wayne Co., O., settling in Doylestown, where pastor Weygandt served until the end of his days in 1847. In Ohio as well as in Pennsylvania he served an extensive field and served it well. He led many souls to Christ. We cherish the memory of his name.
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Jacob Leist.
The name of Jacob Leist occurs frequently during a long period of years in our synodical history. From 1812 to 1871 we find evidences of the activity of this father.
Of his birth and early antecedents we know but little. The first authentic trace we have of him is when he was received into the Ministerium of Pennsylvania in 1812. He came to Ohio in the same year and became pastor in a field comprising Fairfield, Pickaway and Ross Counties. Wm. Foerster who had preceded Leist to central Ohio be- came somewhat disturbed when Leist came near his also quite extensive parish. The difficulties of encroachment which for a time threatened trouble between these two shepherds were finally adjusted. Leist remained at his post and Foerster served principally in Perry County until the time of his death.
*In 1818 pastor Leist was given the distinction of serv- ing as superintendent of what we may call the first insti- tution of learning in the Ohio Synod. Tarlton in Pickaway County was likely the location of this academy. Canton, O., is not to be robbed of the distinction of being the seat of our first seminary in 1830 but twelve years before, the above mentioned academy was opened with Jacob Leist as superintendent and David Schuh as an instructor. And this was not a private school but established by Synod in 1818.
The venerable Samuel Kaemmerer together with two others whose names have not been handed down constituted the student body. Father Kaemmerer says of this academy that it was the first institution of learning in the Lutheran church in Ohio. The institution, however, did not long survive. At the end of the first year it closed its doors.
* See Lutheran Standard of 1915, p. 458.
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"Why?" We do not know. But it was an effort and in the right direction. The idea and purpose finally came to fruition in Capital University at Columbus, a generation later.
After the closing of the school Kaemmerer continued to study privately with pastor Leist and became an honored worker in the Church.
Father Leist came to the end of his long journey in 1871. At the time of his death and for some years previous he stood in connection with the District Synod of Ohio, a body connected with the General Council. His name also we hold in grateful remembrance.
Henry Huet.
The Huet descendants will be just as much interested in the history of their ancestors as are those of Stauch, Weygandt and all the other pioneers. Even at the risk of unduly lengthening this chapter we must also give a brief sketch of this worthy and faithful father - Henry Huet.
Like Weygandt he was confirmed and at least partially instructed for the Lutheran ministry by Stauch the indefat- igable missionary. With Reinhard he was licensed by the Ministerium of Pa. in 1812. His field was northwestern Pa. and northeastern Ohio. He literally "lived in the saddle" serving as high as 14 congregations at one time. Of course under these conditions it would be impossible to undertake extensive missionary journeys beyond the bounds of such a large parish. In the field of father Huet there was also a Good Hope congregation which seemed to be the center of his activities. It was situated near North Lima, O., and was founded about 1806. This is however not the oldest congregation in that part of the state. St. Luke's near Petersburg, O., now served by pastor M. L.
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Eich, was founded in 1804. This congregation was also served at one time by pastor Huet.
This servant entered into his rest Feb. 16, 1855 at the age of 87 years. In the cemetery of Bethlehem church south of Youngstown repose the remains of father Huet and his faithful wife.
We should like to inscribe for the present and future generations brief sketches of all of our early pioneers but in several cases at least we do not have the necessary data at hand. Some, whose activities have not been noted on the preceding pages, will find place in the history on sub- sequent pages, usually in a memorial tribute following the date of their death.
It would carry us entirely beyond the dimensions and purpose of this book to give place to all the biographies and autobiographies of the men who have helped to make the Joint Synod. We must give some space to the organiza- tions and institutions which they established. There was indeed a time when we had only men and no institutions, but the works of the fathers have followed them so that now we have not only men but also institutions and we must find room for a consideration of both.
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