USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > Pittsburgh > The history of the First English Evangelical Lutheran Church in Pittsburgh, 1837-1909 > Part 10
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January 3, 1887, the Council was authorized to sell and convey the church property at Seventh Avenue and Miltenberger Alley for such sum as might in their judgment seem adequate. January 10, Messrs. Thomas H. Lane and William F. Lang were ap- pointed to negotiate the sale of the church property,
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and a building committee of seven was chosen, four members of the Council and three of the congrega- tion, as follows : From the Council, the pastor, Messrs. Thomas H. Lane, William F. Lang, and J. S. Sea- man; from the congregation : Messrs. B. F. Weyman, W. Warren Wattles, and John S. Scully. Mr. Wey- man declining the appointment, Mr. George P. Black was subsequently elected a member of the committee by the Council.
January 24, an adjourned meeting of the congre- gation approved the building committee selected by the Council and adopted the plans proposed, provided the cost would not exceed $60,000.
The following preamble and resolutions, proposed by Mr. Lane, were adopted by a standing vote :
" WHEREAS, The present year is the fiftieth anniversary of the organization of this congregation, being its first Jubilee,
" Resolved, That we devoutly acknowledge the goodness of Almighty God in enabling us to signalize its occurrence by undertaking the erection of a new church edifice.
" Resolved, That in view of the blessings bestowed upon us as a congregation, in the years which have passed, we not only ' thank God and take courage,' but we do solemnly pledge ourselves to verify our gratitude to the Giver of them all by renewed and increased devotion to His Church, of which, by His grace, we are members."
The Rev. Dr. Reuben Hill occupied the pulpit June 17, and presented the interests of the Theol- ogical Seminary at Philadelphia.
Considerable difficulty was experienced in making a proper foundation for the new church. In excavat- ing, the workmen came upon a strong flow of water
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at the northeast corner at a depth of fourteen feet. To lead this away and to reinforce the foundation, a drain was constructed, and piles were driven to a depth of thirty feet along a part of the alley side and also along a section of the rear wall. This involved an additional cost of five thousand dollars.
Sunday, November 6, at 2.30 P. M., the corner stone was laid. The weather was exceptionally fine and the attendance large. The order of service was that pro- vided by the Ministerium of Pennsylvania. The hymns were numbers 291 and 11, from the Church Book. The address was delivered by the Rev. J. A. Kunkleman, D.D., Mr. Belfour laying the stone. On the Grant Street side of the stone was the inscription, "Founded 1837, built 1887"; on the Strawberry Alley side, "I. H. S." The following articles were placed in a copper box in the southeast corner of the tower : copies of the Bible, the Church Book, the Sunday School Book, the Fundamental Principles of the Gen- eral Council, the General Council Constitution for Con- gregations; Printed Minutes of the General Council, 1886; Minutes of the Pittsburgh Synod, 1887; Church papers (The Lutheran, The Workman, The Herald und Zeitschrift, and a Swedish paper) ; autographic list of the names of the pastor, officers of the Church, officers and teachers of the two Sunday Schools, officers of the Ladies' Society, members of the choir and of the building committee; printed program for the laying of the corner stone, and print of the church building on Seventh Avenue; and an historical sketch of the congregation from its organization, compiled by the pastor.
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At a special meeting of the congregation, it was decided to borrow $50,000 from the Dollar Savings Bank, until December 7, 1888, $25,000 to be drawn when the papers are executed and the balance on or before June 1, 1888, with interest at six per cent. The loan was secured by assigning the bank as col- lateral the bond and mortgage of John Caldwell for $50,000, dated December 7, 1886.
The pastor announced that it been decided to place the following inscriptions : over the entrance in the tower, "God is Our Refuge and Strength"; over the porch entrance, "Reverence My Sanctuary."
A congregational meeting held October 12 decided upon the purchase of a new organ and a committee of five was appointed to contract for one not to ex- ceed five thousand dollars in price; though if a suit- able one could not be procured for this amount, an additional $500 might be expended, which sum should include the cost of the motor. The committee con- sisted of the Rev. Mr. Belfour, and Messrs. W. B. McCompsey, B. F. Weyman, William W. Wattles, and G. W. Geissenhainer.
The Union Veteran League made inquiry concern- ing the lowest price for which the congregation would sell the old church and the amount of cash required. The price was fixed at $60,000, with $25,000 in cash, the balance in nine equal annual payments bearing five per cent. interest.
December 5, the pastor announced the offer of Mr. B. F. Weyman to present a marble baptismal font for the new church as a congregational memorial to the Rev. Charles Porterfield Krauth, D.D., LL.D .; the font to be a copy of the celebrated angel font
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carved by Thorwaldsen for the Lutheran Vor-Frue- Kirke (Church of Our Lady) of Copenhagen, Den- mark. Mr. Weyman thus fulfilled the desire of his sister, Miss Harriet K. Weyman, whose purpose to make this gift had been frustrated by her sudden and universally lamented death a few weeks before. The Council gratefully accepted the offer and on behalf of the congregation expressed their thanks for the generous proposal.
January 2, 1888, the reports showed that beside the regular Synodical interests, special collections had been taken during the year 1887 for Thiel College, $254; for the Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, $2,250; for the Swedish Church, Lawrenceville, $600; Allegheny Mission, $250; Braddock Mission, $150; Orphans' Home, $250.
At this same meeting a paper was read by Mr. C. A. Geissenhainer, which concluded as follows:
" Resolved, That, as the complete usages in the Services of the Evangelical Lutheran Church are approved by' this congregation, the Council is authorized to procure the clerical robe commonly used in the Lutheran Church, and further that its use shall be introduced at the consecration service of the new church edifice."
The resolution called forth only favorable expres- sions but a final decision was postponed for a special meeting. This was held October 3, and the resolution was adopted by ballot by a vote of 43 to 14.
The Society for Parish and Mission Work was or- ganized April 20, 1888, in the lecture room of the Seventh Avenue Church. The wide range of its activities may be seen in the following extract from the Preamble of the Constitution which was adopted :
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" The cultivation of closer acquaintance and Christian relationship among our people; the cordial introduction, welcoming and visitation of new members; the gathering of people into the Church, and of children into the Sunday Schools; paying friendly attention to visitors at our public services ; directing the attention of the pastor to persons who need his services and may be influenced for good; seconding the efforts of the officers of the Church in assisting and com- forting the poor, the sick, and those otherwise afflicted; mutual edification and encouragement by gathering and imparting information concerning the need and opportunities for church-work at home and abroad, and giving and gath- ering means for the work of missions and mercy."
This society has been most diligent in the work for which it was established. It has ever been one of the most active and efficient organizations in the congre- gation and is to-day doing splendid service in the parish and for the Church at large.
The cushions used in the pews of the old church and the benches used in the Sunday School were donated to the East Liberty Lutheran Church. The carpet was given to St. Thomas German Lutheran Church in Allegheny. The altar, baptismal font, and reading desk were given to the Lutheran Church of Philips- burg, Pa., the Rev. W. A. Passavant, pastor. The organ was sold to the Methodist Episcopal Church in Oakland for $1,000.
The building committee was later authorized to negotiate for a mortgage to be placed on the old church for the sum of $30,000.
An invitation was extended to the General Council at its meeting in Minneapolis, Minn., in the fall to hold its next session in the First Church, Pittsburgh.
The pew committee reported a general plan to
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secure the required revenue for the new church in the scale of rents for pews with annual subscriptions amounting to $1,000.
The following farewell services were arranged to be held in the old church: Communion Service on the 14th of October, the Rev. G. A. Wenzel preaching the sermon; October 21, the morning sermon by the Rev. Dr. W. A. Passavant, and the evening sermon by the Rev. J. K. Melhorn; October 28, the Rev. Reuben Hill to preach at the morning service and the pastor at the final service to be held in the evening.
November 4, 1888, was determined upon as the date of the consecration, the sermon to be preached by the Rev. Dr. Samuel Laird. Special Sunday School ser- vices were arranged for half-past two o'clock in the chapel. The Rev. J. A. Kunkleman, D.D., President of the Pittsburgh Synod, was invited to preach in the evening. The last hymn at this service was writ- ten by the pastor for the occasion, and together with a picture of the old church, was printed for distri- bution. The pastor wore the clerical robe, begin- ning with the first service in the new church. The consecration services were favored with beautiful weather and the church was crowded to its capacity.
This edifice, the second to be erected by the congre- gation, is a Gothic structure of sandstone, with a single story above the basement. The church proper has two main entrances and is in the form of a Greek cross, the nave having a depth of seventy-four feet with an equal width in the transepts, providing comfortable seating capacity for above five hundred persons. On the northeast corner there is a tower and spire one hundred and seventy feet in height. The chancel is
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well elevated, while the organ and choir space occupy the western side of the north transept. Communi- cating with the church through the south wall is the Chapel, a stone structure fifty by thirty-two feet in size, used for Sunday School and other parish pur- poses. Adjoining the Chapel at the west end is a suite of three rooms for the use of the Bible Class, the Primary School, the Ladies' Society and the Church Council, extending originally the entire width of the church in the rear of the chancel. Considering the time of its erection, the structure is quite well ar- ranged. The total cost of ground and building as originally completed and furnished, including the organ, was $150,000.
The Ladies' Sewing Society contributed $2,400, their savings for twenty years, toward the erection of a marble altar and the placing of other chancel furnishings. Mrs. Theodora W. M. de Haan made a special offering of $500 to the Church Window Fund.
The committee appointed by the congregation to secure an organ made a contract with Johnston & Co., Westfield, Mass., for an organ and motor at a cost of $5,250.00, and the same was installed in the new church before the dedication. The organ was of three manuals and pedal with thirty-two stops in all, and was, for its period, a very satisfactory instru- ment.
The first regular meeting of the Council was held in the new church November 5.
December 3 the Council extended "its hearty thanks to the members of the building committee for the faithful and highly satisfactory manner in which they have carried out their difficult and laborious
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trust in erecting and bringing to completion a church edifice that in all its parts is a joy to every member of the congregation as well as an honor to Him to whose service it has been consecrated."
The pastor, Dr. Belfour, had been untiring in his labors, and his services during the entire undertaking were invaluable and received the especial apprecia- tion of the congregation.
About this time the Society for Parish and Mission Work was given permission to use the basement of the church in setting type for the paper they proposed to issue quarterly, but the plan was soon discontinued.
Towards the close of this year the Council "re- quested the choir committee to take immediate action to improve the music in the church."
February 4, 1889,the choir committee reported that Mr. B. F. Weyman proposed that if the Church would pay $800 per annum, which amount would include the services of an organist and the repair of the organ, he would obligate himself to provide acceptable music under the supervision of the choir committee. The proposition was gratefully accepted.
April 1, the sale of the Seventh Avenue property to the Central District and Printing Telegraph Com- pany for $58,000 was reported. The purchasers as- sumed the mortgage for $30,000 held by the Dollar Savings Bank and gave their note for $28,000 payable September 1, 1889. This note could be discounted without recourse, making the net amount $57,300.
The General Council convened in the church Octo- ber 10. Some of the delegates were entertained in the families of the congregation, others were pro-
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vided for at the hotels. Messrs. J. A. Kaercher, B. F. Weyman, W. F. Lang, and the pastor were the committee in charge of all arrangements. The young men of the congregation arranged an enjoyable ex- cursion on the river for Saturday afternoon.
The marble baptismal font was placed in position and solemnly set apart for its sacred use at the ser- vice on Sunday morning, the Rev. J. Fry, D.D., preaching the sermon. The American sculptor Park, in Florence, Italy, had been commissioned by Mr. Weyman to execute the work, an exact copy of Thor- waldsen's Angel of Baptism. The pastor was re- quested to communicate to Mr. Weyman the full appreciation and heartfelt thanks of the congregation "for the valuable and costly gift, which as one of the chief adornments of the church and as a beautiful work of art will perpetuate the memory of Dr. Krauth and of the Weyman family, to both of whom the congregation owes a great debt of gratitude."
November 7, the following communication was presented to the Council :
" We, the undersigned, agree to pay annually (in quar- terly installments) the sums set opposite our names for the purpose of paying the salary of an assistant pastor for the First English Evangelical Lutheran Church in Pittsburgh. The duties of said assistant pastor to be to officiate in the First English Evangelical Lutheran Church of Pittsburgh and in St. John's Mission Church controlled by said First Church, as he may be directed by the vestry and pastor of said First Church. The salary of said assistant pastor not to exceed $1,000.00 the first year, and thereafter to be deter- mined by Council."
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ToielA Messrs. J. A. Kaercher, B. F. Tanw. and the pastor were the bouw she of all arrangements. The young ongrogut w arranged an enjoyable ex. HUN ut river For Saturday afternoon.
The werde baprimul font was placed in position wowonly Mi sport for its sacred use at the ser- You Sond morning, the Rev. J. Fry, D.D., presobing de suoi The American sculptor Park, in Florewes, I , Dass been commissioned by Mr. Woymimo to wear the work, an exact copy of Thor waldson's Axel ( Baptiem. The pastor was re- queefed to munw quicate to Mr. Weyman the full appreciation duurtfelt thanks of the congregation "for the valgaby and costly gift, which as one of the chief ador- of the church and as a beautiful work of erehacetoate tlw memory of Dr. Krauth pend of Ilo Werbowy Oomils, to both of whom the congregalass ana . diff of gratitude."
November 1. the mme communication was printed fo the (Somund
" We, the wollenwant me to phy annually (in quar- terly inal Chornan SAL wows sol opposite our names for the porpose of in the allmy of an assistant pastor for the Gell botheran Church in Pittsburgh. al pastor to be to officiate in the J. Intheran Church of Pittsburgh Clure Bela didled by the vestry and pastor of said Port Chunk The sudary of anid assistant pastor not to presed ak mwww the first wvar, and thereafter to be deter- mized by KR undi n
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B. F. Weyman,
John B. Kaercher,
Geo. P. Black,
Jas. W. Kim,
Wm. H. Black,
Geo. A. Watson,
H. W. Sellers,
J. A. Barker,
Jacob Lang, E. W. Belfour.
The Council approved the proposition and heartily commended the young men who submitted it. A committee of five was appointed to "devise a plan under which this important work can be carried out, which plan the Council would report favorably to the next congregational meeting."
December 3, the committee recommended the ap- pointment of a special committee to consider a minister suitable for the position; that the labors of the assistant pastor be devoted chiefly to St. John's Mission in building up the Sunday School, holding public services, and in pastoral visitation with a view to gathering a congregation; that he render such ser- vices in the mother Church as the Council may direct; and that he give his entire time to the duties assigned him. The report was adopted and referred to the approaching congregational meeting.
January 6, 1890, the proposition and the action recommended by the Council were approved and the Council was authorized to call an assistant pastor.
January 20 occurred the death of Dr. Arnold Lange and, with great sorrow, a memorial minute prepared by Mr. Thomas H. Lane was adopted by a rising silent vote of the Council. Dr. Lange had been re- ceived into the Church in 1841 and had served almost continuously since January 5, 1846, as a member of the Council. The resolutions speak of him as "one of the oldest, most revered and beloved members."
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The appointment by the pastor and secretary of a committee of five ladies was authorized, to be known as the chancel committee, to have charge of the chan- cel and altar furnishings.
The Rev. F. P. Bossart was called as assistant pas- tor, at a salary of $1,000 per annum. Mr. Bossart's acceptance of the call was announced March 3.
April 14, it was resolved to hold Sunday morning services in St. John's Mission, arrangements for evening services to be made as soon as deemed ex- pedient. Messrs. Wm. G. Armor, J. H. Niebaum, and Col. Sheafer were appointed a committee on the affairs of St. John's chapel. An advisory committee for St. John's Mission was also appointed, consisting of the Rev. F. P. Bossart, Charles Geissenhainer, and Sherman Massingham. It was decided that all moneys collected at the mission should be expended under the supervision of these committees for the local purposes of the mission and that reports of such expenditures should be made to the treasurer of the Church. The use of the chapel was granted the Magyars and Slavs for service once a month on Sunday afternoons.
The current expenses of the congregation required an additional $2,000, and the Council considered means of securing this amount. June 2 the pastor, Henry Balken, and George F. Kim were appointed to prepare a printed statement to be sent to every mem- ber of the congregation, requesting contributions to meet the deficiency.
July 7, 1890, Mr. Thomas H. Lane presented his final statement as treasurer of the Building Fund, showing that all claims for the building and furnish-
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ing of the church had been settled; and that the mortgages held by M. Seibert & Co., F. Bese, and Mrs. Arthurs, amounting in all to $47,000, had been satisfied. Thanks were extended to Mr. Lane for a donation and for his valuable services.
October 14, a memorial of St. John's Mission re- questing the privilege of organizing as a congrega- tion, forty-three persons having agreed to enter the organization, was received and later approved, and the following were among the conditions required : That the constitution proposed for congregations by the General Council, with needed modifications, and By-laws in harmony with the same, and submitted for formal approval of the Council, be adopted; that the pastor shall be ex officio a member of and the presi- dent of the Council; that the pastor shall be the Rev. F. P. Bossart and that he and his successors in the office shall hold their appointment from the Council of the parent Church until such time as the St. John's congregation shall become self-sustaining; that the organization shall be held to be a mission congrega- tion of the First Church until it becomes self-sustain- ing; that after such appointment of the Rev. Mr. Bossart, he shall no longer hold the office of assist- ant pastor in the parent Church; that it shall connect itself with the Pittsburgh Synod of the General Council; and that the Council of the First Church appoint a committee to be called an advisory com- mittee to act upon minor questions which may arise.
The memorial which had been prepared by the Rev. Mr. Bossart, and which was also signed by Messrs. Charles A. Geissenhainer, F. Lingenfelser, Wm. F. Shroeder, and W. F. Kaiser, included an his-
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torical sketch of the mission, which recorded the fact that the Sunday School of the parent Church had for fifteen years borne the entire expense of main- tenance.
Early the following year St. John's congregation asked consent to "erect a parsonage to cost about $5,000, the first floor to be used by the Infant School." The request was denied by the Council as liable to interfere with a future church building, and the erec- tion of an addition to the chapel was recommended, which was done.
By July, 1891, the mission announced that it pro- posed to pay one-half of the pastor's salary and one- half of the current expenses, and Dr. Belfour sub- mitted a request to the Council respecting the building of a church. It was stated that contributions amount- ing to $12,000 had already been promised, and per- mission was asked, if they could secure enough addi- tional to make the sum $20,000, to solicit further subscriptions for this purpose among the members of the First Church. The request was granted with the proviso that the mission incur no debt in carrying out its desires and that all plans, specifications, and contracts be submitted to the Council for its approval.
December 7, the committee appointed for that pur- pose reported it to be necessary that the revenues of the Church be increased by $1,000 a year.
Mr. W. G. Armor reported having received a letter from Mr. B. F. Weyman calling attention to the fact that the time for which he had agreed to be respon- sible for the music of the Church, a period of three years, would expire April 1, 1892, and that he desired to be relieved. The choir committee, together with
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Mr. W. Warren Wattles, was instructed to confer with Mr. Weyman, and to "express to him the decided ap- proval of the Council of his management of the Church music, with the hope that he will reconsider his letter of withdrawal." The committee later re- ported that Mr. Weyman would not reconsider his action. They were instructed to arrange for a choir and to report to the Council. The Committee finally secured Mr. Weyman's promise to continue his management of the choir. An annual appropriation of $2,000 was made and Mr. Weyman agreed to make himself responsible for all expenses of the choir and organist exceeding that amount.
February 1, 1892, Mr. Lane was excused from serv- ing on the advisory committee of St. John's Church and Mr. John A. Kaercher was appointed in his stead. A communication was presented from the building committee of St. John's Church with the preliminary drawings of the new church. The Council expressed itself as pleased with the general plans and promised its approval of them provided the building could be completed without debt. The whole matter was re- ferred to the advisory committee of St. John's Church with instructions to act with the committee of that Church.
April 4, Dr. Belfour through Mr. Lane presented his resignation to the Council in the following com- munication : "Dear Brethren :- I hereby offer the resignation of my office as pastor of the Church which you represent, the resignation to take effect on the first of July, 1892.
Yours truly in Christ,
EDMUND BELFOUR."
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Upon motion, the resignation was accepted.
April 26, the Council, at a special meeting, con- sidered the report presented by the Rev. Mr. Bossart concerning the proposed building of St. John's Church. Plans and bids were submitted. The lowest bid was $21,000, and it was estimated that the com- pletion of the church would require at least $25,000. The Council advised securing additional subscriptions or modifying the plans.
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