USA > Ohio > History of the Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Ohio and other states from the earliest beginnings to 1919 > Part 5
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The Fourth Synodical Meeting was held again in good old Somerset, Ohio in September of 1821. Twenty-three pastors and laymen were present. Pastor Keifer of the Reformed church of Somerset was accorded a place in the convention as an "advisory brother." In this meeting the
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GATHERING AND ORGANIZING THE FORCES.
name Schmucker comes into some prominence. For many years even until the present time this name has been connected with the extension of our church. Like Peter Mühlenberg and the Henkels the Schmucker family seems to have caught the heroic and aggressive spirit of the beautiful Shenandoah valley. J. P. Schmucker was commissioned at Somerset to visit all congregations having no pastors and make orderly arrangements with them for services.
The Fifth General Conference convened at Greens- burg, Pa., 1822. Twenty-eight members were present. Three pastors from the Pennsylvania Synod were present and were accorded voice and vote in the meeting. Two Reformed pastors were recognized as "advisory brethren." At this meeting Synod was divided into three con- ference districts, these were West Pennsylvania, East Ohio, east of the Muskingum, West Ohio, west of the Muskingum. In each district a pastor was to visit the congregations and report to Synod annually. This office was the forerunner of the three modern offices of District President, Visitator and Mission- ary Superintendent. Steck, Sr., Reinhart and Steck, Jr., were appointed for the three districts. This appar- ently good arrangement was not kept up, no doubt because of a lack of time and opportunity.
The Sixth Meeting at Circleville, 1823. In an address appended to the minutes of this year the spiritual destitu- tion on the frontier is graphically described and an appeal made to the congregations to help as much as possible : "Many would indeed be satisfied if they received but the crumbs of the spiritual blessings which you enjoy. They would be satisfied if an Evangelical teacher would visit them once or twice a year and bring them the Word and the Sacraments. In this direction we have made the .
Das Allinisterium des Westlichen Districts der Evangelish- Lutherischen Synode von Ohio n. a. St. fourfundet hiermit :
Lass auf der M ynode, gehalten in Lewisburg 49. this' . Cum Frivilligt12 1849
af geferger Proting fue hechting auchet sau. Das Amt eines Licensiten Kandidaten innoshall unseres Humedal Mistress
Em medi & s & d'aunis avsluttet In predigen laufen. a gulan aplin. und alle auina ministraates a
$1 jornada en unseres Synede geheugen Gemeinden? in Delaware ins Hungryand edi in solchen. richie i'm dies a Ministrasm und dessen Beamten angewiesen worden Jai aber, ohne Conchimigung dieses Abnisterims und dessen Beamten, aves den quende Gemeinden talassea, noch in son undan Gemeinde Umts Geschichte trachten. Faitessich fach sich das ellini- Icham das Recht vor. diesen E Laubnis -Schein jedes Jahr zu eineuran oder zuzucch su nehmen ."
Bur Bonkundigung dieses ist iam dieser ver den Beamten undaradinde un mit Son a Unserial Siegel verschont. & dummes Form ausgestellt nades.
Je y schaden in cum Ministerium, den.
tam. Junius d. 08.1849 O. Spielmann, Prass. C. Mordorf .. Sec'r.
syd A. Theyson, It. Delaware, O), Sadevás
LICENSE CERTIFICATE.
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GATHERING AND ORGANIZING THE FORCES.
most of our weak forces. Each year we have sent out a traveling preacher for several months. This has helped some."
"One cannot read the reports of these men and not be moved. They tell of how those on the frontier rejoice when an Evangelical pastor visits them; with what love they receive him and with what eagerness and devotion they come from far and near to hear the Gospel. But not enough has been done for these our famishing brethren. They have petitioned repeatedly. Brethen! this is the voice of famishing souls calling to you. We pastors can- not do it all, we must have your help. You who have re- ceived so many blessings will you not contribute more liberally to this blessed work?"
Indeed this appeal is not unlike those going forth from our mission boards today. The same destitution, the same slowness of heart and hand confronts us still, but we must labor on and on and on.
The Seventh Meeting of the General Conference was held in Canton beginning Trinity Sunday 1824. At this meeting Kaemmerer, David Schuh and Jonas Mechling were ordained. Attached to the minutes of that year is a report by David Schuh of one of his missionary tours. We give part of it in a free translation.
"In accordance with the resolution of Synod at Circle- ville 1823 that I should visit the Sandusky region as often as circumstances would allow I would report as fol- lows: I started Tues. May II, 1823, and rode all day over a very swampy road to Christian Schneider's. On the 12th I preached here to a small but attentive audience in both the German and English languages. On the 13th I preached at John Braun's. On the 14th I baptized two children at Jacob Ziegler's and rode on to Buepen's and stopping with Schulz was very kindly received. Arranged
72 HISTORY OF THE EV. LUTH. JOINT SYNOD OF OHIO.
for a service Sunday the 16th. On that day I preached to a very large and attentive audience, among whom were 12 families of Germans. Baptized 5 children that day. On the 17th stopped at Jacob Schneider's and baptized one child; rode on through Sandusky and stopped with John Gohn near Pipetown and arranged for church services the following day. On the 18th preached to a small gathering, about 6 German families and some English, using both lan- guages. There I baptized 9 children. Continuing my journey after the services I came to Upper Sandusky (an Indian town). Between this place and Negrotown I was overtaken by a heavy storm and had to remain over night at Cheffie's tavern. On the 19th I went on preaching and baptizing." On the 24th we find Schuh back in Mansfield his place of residence. On this journey he preached 18 times, baptized 29 children and traveled 169 miles. This pioneer work in this section was certainly not in vain. Here we find today some of our largest and most pros- perous congregations. The swampy roads have disap- peared and the 169 miles could be covered in less than a day with the doughty Ford, but sin and salvation have not changed since that day. The need of the Gospel is as great today as it was then. And salvation is still by faith in Christ Jesus.
The Eighth Convention assembled in Lancaster, O., Trinity, 1825. Eleven pastors and candidates were present and ten absent. Seven lay delegates were present. Not a very well attended meeting but most of the absent mem- bers sent in satisfactory excuses.
, Pastor Reymann of the Pennsylvania Synod and Pas- tor Ambrosius Henkel of the Tennessee Synod were granted voice and vote in the deliberations of the conven- tion.
Compliments were also exchanged with the Reformed
.
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GATHERING AND ORGANIZING THE FORCES.
(Church) Synod through Pastor Weiss of that body. A liberal spirit prevailed among the brethren in that day; a spirit which sometimes threatened to involve them in unionism but which usually did not extend beyond the bounds of common courtesy and Christian charity.
The minutes report that David Henkel of the Ten- nessee Synod placed several theological questions before Synod. These were discussed in the ministerial meeting and answered, but as many of the older heads were absent the answers should first be sent to them and then for-
ZION'S, NORTH CANTON, O.
warded to pastor Henkel. What the questions were we have no means of determining but judging from the ability and bent of the doughty David Henkel we may surmise that the questions involved some difficulties. In the fol- lowing year Synod resolved that it could not answer these questions since it is not our purpose at our meetings to discuss theological questions but to consider the general welfare of the Church. This did not betoken indiffer- ence to doctrine but it was then like it is now at Joint
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HISTORY OF THE EV. LUTH. JOINT SYNOD OF OHIO.
Synod, there was little or no time for the discussion of these matters. A committee was appointed to devise a plan whereby a library could be placed at the disposal of young men desiring to study for the ministry. A good move but owing to the scattered condition of the Synod the project could not be carried out.
The Ninth Meeting was held in New Philadelphia, Trinity week, 1826. Thirteen pastors, five candidates and eleven delegates were present. In the past year the Synod sustained a great loss in the death of Paul Henkel, a father in Israel. A Methodist pastor, Plimpton, preached at one of the evening services. Wagenhals and Schweitzerbarth were ordained, and Fast was licensed.
List of the Congregations Served By Pastors of the Ohio Synod in 1826.
This is the first list we find giving anything like a complete table of the congregations and preaching points served by the early fathers of our Synod. We wish the list were complete, but as usual, some of the brethren failed to send in their reports. Even a hundred years do not obliterate the traces of this bit of pastoral negligence. In several instances we can supply the missing data in the brother's report of a century ago but in some instances this is impossible. Some of the names of places and con- gregations we have changed to the modern spelling so that the reader of today may recognize thern, for example, "Brosch Criek" to Brush Creek; and frankly, with some of them we are "stuck," we don't know what they were or what they are, so we give them just as they are in the records. The indulgent reader may find a clue to their meaning. You may be living in the territory of one of those old assembling points and may know the old name
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GATHERING AND ORGANIZING THE FORCES.
and spelling from tradition. Here then is our most ancient, geographical, synodical parish register :
Senior Steck (7 Cong.), Greensburg, Brush Creek. Zehners, Herolds, Manor, Ritsch and Youngstown in Westmoreland Co., Pa.
Pastor Weygandt (6 Cong.), Jacobs, in Fayette Co., Pa., Bethlehem, Pigeon Creek, Stechers (now Ginger Hill) and Washington in Washington Co., also Werners (now Zions in Brentwood), Allegheny Co., Pa.
Pastor Huet (7 Cong.), Bethlehems, Zions, Liberty and Christs in Trumbull, and Good Hope, Israels and Koenigreichs in Columbiana Co., O.
Pastor Leist (6 Cong.), Tarlton, Adelphi, Kinnickin- nick, Zions, Circleville in Pickaway and Clear Creek in Fairfield Co., O.
Pastor Weyer (7 Cong.), Jerusalems, Henricks, Pauls, Israels, Salems, Bethlehems, and Union in Stark Co., O.
Pastor Steck, Jr. (6 Cong.), Lancaster, Salems near Glicks, Zions, Blum, Zieglers, Clear Creek, Friesners in Fairfield Co., O.
Pastor A. Henkel (7 Cong.) (1827) Germantown, Schaeffers and St. Peters in Montgomery Co., Clear Creek in Warren Co. and Lewisburg and Alexandria in Preble Co., O.
Pastor C. Henkel (6 Cong.) (1827), Somerset, Zions, New Reading, Hope and Schmidts in Perry Co. and Union in Muskingum Co., O.
Pastor D. Schuh, (6 Cong.), Mansfield, Speaths, Clear Fork, Black Fork and Uniontown in Richland Co. and Jeromeville in Wayne Co., O.
Pastor Kaemmerer (5 Cong.), Peace, Hope, Fork and Zions in Muskingum Co. and Jerusalems in Morgan Co., Ohio.
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HISTORY OF THE EV. LUTH. JOINT SYNOD OF OHIO.
Pastor Mechling (8 Cong.), Kintigo, Henkes, Jacobs, Schwobs, Hoffmans, Salems, Brandts and Donegals in Westmoreland Co., Pa.
Pastor Schweitzerbarth (4 Cong.), Zelienople and Harmony, Buechles, Butler and Bernhards in Butler Co., Pa.
Pastor Wagenhals (9 Cong.), Centerville, Hursches in Columbiana Co., Schabers, New Romly in Harrison Co., Zelwicks, Bauers in Tuscarawas Co. and Sandyville, Waynesburg and Shearers in Stark Co., O.
Cand. Melsheimer (4 Cong.), Paintville, Philipps, Sugar Creek and Davids in Stark and Wayne Co., O.
Cand. J. Manning (5 Cong.), Clairsville, in Belmont Co., Yellow Creek, New Salem and Annapolis (County not given) and New Philadelphia in Tuscarawas Co., O.
Cand. J. J. Fast (5 Cong.), Zions, Jacobs, and Johns in Stark Co., Thorndyke in Portage Co. and Emmanuels in Wayne Co., O.
Parishes Without Pastors :
Morgan Co., O.
Coshocton Co., O.
Crawford Co., O .- Schneider, Bucyrus, Benders, Hammonds.
Seneca Co., O .- Wolf-Creek and Tiffin, Lower San- dusky, etc.
Mercer Co., Pa .- Herbsts, Wolf Creek and Creeks.
Fayette Co., Pa .- Indian Creek.
Highland Co., O .- Brush Creek, New Market and Rocky Fork.
This list, while incomplete, places the pioneer character of the work of the heralds of the Gospel in that early day clearly before us. It is "creek" and "fork" and "wolf" and "Indian" all along the frontier line. Not a single point
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GATHERING AND ORGANIZING THE FORCES.
touched by those sturdy pioneer preachers had reached the proportions of a city, not even of towns most of them. Usually the preaching place, let us call it the sanctuary, was out in the woods in a log church or cabin. In the woods ! because the cleared ground was needed for wheat, corn and potatoes. The seed of eternal life could be sown in the forest as well as in the open, but the cereals and vegetables could not.
Many of these congregations and their places of wor- ship have ceased to be. Some have been neglected, some have been absorbed, some have died a natural death, others have been forced to the wall, and some have continued to this very hour and even now bear every indication of strong, healthy growth. These surviving monuments of the pioneer days have likely been well located and well served. Much depends upon both factors.
How changed are the conditions of our mission work today in the territory covered by the fathers! Instead of going to the woods we now must go to the market-place, to the slums and to the fashionable suburbs of our large cities. Instead of communing with nature as we go we must listen to the hum of machinery and the dissonant noise of the rabble. In that olden day nature sometimes threatened the messenger with her solitude; today the rush and din of modern life threatens to drown the voice of the preacher in the streets and even in the pulpit. Yes, changed indeed are the times, but the message for the world remains the same, and the commission to the messenger is still: Go! preach My Gospel. Go!
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HISTORY OF THE EV. LUTH. JOINT SYNOD OF OHIO.
Statistics of the Lutheran Church in the United States, 1825.
This table will perhaps be as interesting as the parish lists of the previous page.
Synods.
Pastors.
Licensed
Candidates.
Communi-
cants.
Cong. Sup-
plied.
Parish
Schools.
Pennsylvania
58
20
26,884
235
225
New York
21
6
2,258
31
North Carolina
7
3
1,147
27
Ohio
14
7
5,229
51
Maryland and Virginia.
22
3
5,696
75
25
South Carolina
10
1,296
24
132
39
42,510
392
301
These figures, of course, are only approximately cor- rect, but they give us an idea of the size and distribution of the Lutheran forces in that early day. The number of parish schools, especially in the Ministerium of Pennsyl- vania at that time, is rather remarkable. Almost as many schools as congregations! There was more occasion and more heart for the parish schools in those days than in our own.
The Tenth Meeting was held in Columbus, O., 1827. Ten pastors, three candidates and eight delegates were pres- ent. Ten pastors and one candidate were absent. At this meeting A. Henkel and Steck, Jr., were commissioned to translate excerpts from Luther's Catechism into English and submit their work to Synod at its next meeting.
The question of slavery was beginning to agitate the nation considerably already in those days. And like politi- cal matters in our day it came also to the church for con-
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GATHERING AND ORGANIZING THE FORCES.
sideration and help. Colonization societies were formed for the taking of the slaves out of our country and colon- izing them in Liberia, West Africa. One of these organ- izations, the Ohio Society, appealed to Synod for aid in this effort to solve the slavery question. Synod resolved : "to approve of the noble efforts of this Society and to, sup- port the same as much as possible but that Synod did not deem it wise to obligate her members to collect monies for this purpose ; but to leave the matter to the good judgment of each individual. This action to be conveyed to the so- ciety in writing."
Indiana is heard from for the first time at this con- vention. A. Henkel and Heinecke are commissioned to each spend a month as traveling preachers in that State and each shall receive $15.00 for his services. It is re- markable how those pioneers kept their eyes open and their feet ready for new mission fields. They did not sit down within the confines of a little circle and be quite satisfied that the world beyond did not need them. Stauch's com- mission read "als weiter west," and his brethren in the min- istry seemed to catch the spirit.
The Eleventh Meeting was held in Canfield, Trumbull Co., O., Trinity week, 1828. A very important matter came before this meeting. In October of the previous year an English special conference was held in Zanesville which, among other matters, discussed the founding of a theologi- cal seminary. The brethren present were: C. Henkel, D. Schuh, S. Kaemmerer, J. Wagenhals, and J. Manning. They resolved to lay the matter before Synod. The result of Synod's deliberations was that a committee consisting of A. Henkel, Leist, and Heinecke was to lay a plan before Synod at its next convention.
A young man who was destined to become an impor- tant factor in the success of the contemplated seminary
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HISTORY OF THE EV. LUTH. JOINT SYNOD OF OHIO.
presented himself at this meeting-William Schmidt. He came with the best of testimonials from the University of Halle. We shall hear more of this fine young man later.
"The Evangelical Lutheran Intelligencer," edited by Dr. Schaeffer in Frederick, Md., was warmly recommended to the congregations as a church paper.
A Sunday-school Plan.
The careful reader will perhaps be surprised at the excellent Sunday-school plan which the Synod of the year 1828 recommended for announcement from the pulpit by every pastor. It seems to contain every element of a good school and we have not been able to improve on it very much during all these intervening years. It shows us that the fathers after all had a rather good grip on fundamen- tals. We give the plan: "The pastor with the advice of the church council shall appoint a capable person to act as superintendent, and as many male and female teachers as conditions require. (Boys and girls may come to the same school, although lady teachers should instruct the girls).
When these arrangements have been made the time and place for beginning the school should be determined, and where at all possible, the pastor, and at least some members of the church council as well as the parents of the children should be present to lend the work as much gravity and importance as possible.
The pupils should be separated into classes of 8 to 10 members. And here age should not be the determining factor, but the ability and progress of the pupil. Each class · should retain its own teacher and it shall not be permitted the teacher to leave his own class and take up another with- out the consent of the superintendent and the other teach- ers.
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GATHERING AND ORGANIZING THE FORCES.
The school should be held in the church, school house or some suitable building and, where possible, every Sun- day ; it should begin at a definite time and continue at least two hours.
The superintendent and teachers should see to it that Christian order, so necessary to the instruction and edifica- tion of the pupils, be maintained.
The duties of the superintendent are, among others, the following: To open and close the school with singing and prayer, or at least to see that this is done ..
He shall keep a record of the names of all pupils, giv- ing time of entry and withdrawal and all other data of importance.
The teachers, male and female, should not remain away from school except for good reasons, and should they be prevented from coming, they shall make it their duty to have a capable person take their place, or at least notify the superintendent. The teachers shall make it their special duty to see that their pupils learn to spell, commit to mem- ory and get hold of the fundamentals of our precious re- ligion."
Sunday-school workers! how is that? Not very much doctoring needed on that plan. There is just about one thing that we need to do with the plan and that is to put it into practice, which, happy to state, we are generally trying to do.
The Twelfth Meeting of Synod was held in Lancaster, Trinity week, 1829. A rather poorly attended meeting, only 13 clerical and 8 lay delegates present, nevertheless very important matters were considered. Pastor Stirewald of the Tennessee Synod was present and granted voice and vote in the assembly. The seminary committee reported that they were convinced such an institution was very nec-
6
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HISTORY OF THE EV. LUTH. JOINT SYNOD OF OHIO.
essary. "But [and this is usually the case], we do not have the means at the present time to establish such an institution; the committee would therefore consider it best that we continue to provide for our young men as hereto- fore until the hand of the Lord opens other channels for us." This report was adopted by Synod. We are glad to assure the reader that the hand of the Lord soon opened a way for the establishment of the seminary.
Steps were taken at this meeting to found a monthly magazine under the title of "Die Evangelisch Lutherische Stimme vom Westen." The price was to be $1.00 per year. Pastor Steck, Jr., was elected to attend the meeting of the West Pennsylvania Synod. At this meeting the death of Antonius Weyer of Canton was announced. A very fitting tribute to the memory of this departed brother was appended to the minutes. We quote from it the fol- lowing: "In his demise the Church has lost a useful mem- ber and a valuable workman. The loss will be more keenly felt since the harvest is great and the laborers are still so few. He departed this life March 30, aged 68 years, 6 months and 20 days. He was licensed to preach May 28, 1812, at Carlisle by the Synod of Pennsylvania. In 1813 he came to Canton and served the parish there until his death. Peace be to his ashes. May the seed which he has sown bear fruit even after he is gone. We trust he rests from the labors of his pilgrimage with Him who promised : 'Where I am there shall my servant be also'."
CHAPTER III.
1830-1846.
THE SEMINARY, LANGUAGE DIFFICULTIES, NEW MEASUREISM, ETC.
The Thirteenth Session was held at Zanesville, Trinity Week, 1830.
This was a memorable convention-it did things. The Synod seemed "to expect great things of God and to at- tempt great things for God."
The following ministers were introduced by the Presi- dent to Synod: Pastor Herbst, delegate from the Lutheran General Synod; Pastors Reichert, William Schultz and Brown from the Synod of West Pennsylvania; Pastor Stirewalt, Synod of Tennessee; Cand. Edward Schults, Synod of East Pennsylvania.
A committee noting that the Tennessee Synod had taken steps to celebrate the 25th of June of that year, 1830, as the three hundredth anniversary of the Augsburg Con- fession, recommended "that all ministers belonging to this Synod encourage their respective congregations to cele- brate the 25th of June as a day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God, and that, on that day, the Augsburg Con- fession of Faith be publicly read.
A letter from Rev. E. T. Hazelius, D. D., President of the Synod of New York, was read, in which he ex- tended a friendly invitation to send our young men who wish to apply themselves to the study of Divinity to Hart- wick Seminary, New York. This letter seemed to bring
(83)
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HISTORY OF THE EV. LUTH. JOINT SYNOD OF OHIO.
the seminary matter home to the fathers. This was the hand of the Lord pointing to a seminary in the West, even though the call was eastward. Synod rose to the occasion in the report of its seminary committee. It seemed to rise on the wings of faith. Hear it speak: "It is the special desire of the Church in the West to have an institution for the education of our ministry, within her own borders, where her interests concentrate, and from whence as from a fountain head the doctrines of the Augsburg Confession of Faith might be promulgated literally, purely and un- adulteratedly, and the mild and tolerant spirit of our dis- cipline shed abroad its benign influence, and where the characteristics of Lutheranism, which neither malice nor art can destroy, nor time efface, might be preserved.
The establishment of an institution would not require as great a sum of money as might at a superficial view be supposed. And when we contemplate the wonderful work wrought by Francke in Germany, who with $4.40 laid the foundation of the Orphan Asylum at Halle in which the Hand of Providence was so manifestly evident, which precedent should encourage us without wavering to rely upon that God with whom all things are possible and who in His holy Word said: 'My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness'."
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