George Washington Flowers Memorial Collection DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ESTABLISHED BY THE FAMILY OF COLONEL FLOWERS HISTORICAL SKETCH OF ST. JOHN'S EVANGELICAL Lutheran Church CONCORD, N. C. Delivered at the HOME COMING SERVICE AUGUST 29TH. AND 30TH., 1925 By REV. CHARLES E. RIDENHOUR Published by the Congregation Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2014 https://archive.org/details/historicalsketch01ride ST. JOHN'S LUTHERAN CHURCH 2 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF ST. JOHN'S CHURCH, CABARRUS. Yve are met this evening to review and recall a history long .n the making. The subject names and limits the paper. Nothing less than a volume, and historian, can do credit to the long and noble record of Sc. John's Church, of Cabarrus County. The re- cords show this congregation to have been in exist- ence for about 175 years. There's much that would be of interest in her early life, that passed with her organizers, unknown and never to be known. The first thing that concerns us, is her birth place and people. The exact date of organization is unknown. The arrival of German Emigrants from Penn. in 1745 or there about, tells us who the people were. That a people came from Penn. into the Pied- mont section about this time is a matter long ago settled. Why this people came to America is known. They came for religious freedom. It may be begging the question some-what, to conclude thus, but it looks reasonable for them to have organized for worship in th.'s wilderness of freedom. Those who came into this and other sections are known to have settled along creeks and water cour- ses. While living near these water courses, their churches are to be found close by them. The first church erected was about 1 1-2 miles North East of Mt. Pleasant. It was a rude and crude building, made of unhewed pine logs, without windows, floor and chimney. It was called "Dutch Buffalo Creek Church." The name no doubt was suggested by the creek which bears the same name, and along whose banks many of her members lived. This church was owned jointly by Lutherans and German Reformed, all of whom worsh'pped here. We have no records of this church having a regular pastor. It was not only used for worship but for teaching their youth. The school teacher conduct- 3 ed services for them, by reading sermons. He buried tnexr aeaci and in cases baptized. Jrreaching was doubtless limited to a minister passing tnrough. neie we iind a graveyard. Doubtless graves can be seen there now. Ihey were very marked a iew years ago. m la94, or more than a hundred years after their making, a momument was erected upon th-s spot by St. jonns congregation, to honor and perpetuate her memory. How long this congregation held services here we do not Know, but we nna them relocating and re- building. The second church was erected about 1-2 mile East of the present location, on the land now owned by Mr. Harry Cline. When it was erected the records do not show, but the name "Dutch Buffalo Creek Church" still clung to it, and it still belonged to Lutherans and German Reformed. This building was made of unhewed pine logs but was larger than the first. In 1771 we find a change taking place. It be- came Lutheran. A peaceful separation between Lutherans and German Reformed took place at this time. The change of ownership caused the change in name, hence it became St. John's, which it holds to- day. Again a grave yard is left to witness and per- petuate her memory. The land upon which this build- ing stood and in which the grave yard occupied, is known today as the "church piece." A factor of no little importance and has had no little effect upon the church through this period, was the Revolutionary war. But new life is begin- ning to manifest itself. A new location and building is now before it. We find the third church located in the midst of the present cemetery. This is about 1772. It too was made of logs, but was' larger and better. It was built largely at the expense of one of her members, cap- tain John Paul Barringer. He was the only member 4 of the building committee, and Daniei Jarretc was Mie contractor. Tne congregation erected an enclos- ed pew in it, exclusively xor captain Barrmger and his family, as a mark of appreciat-on. Up to this time the congregation had not had a icgular pastor. No pastor was to be found m the Laroiinas and Penn. It only remained for them to send to Germany. So in 1772 Christopner Layrle from St. Johns and Christopher Rinteiman of Organ Church Rowan, were sent as a delegation to Ger- many for pastors and teachers. They sailed from Lnaiies.cn, S. C. to London, thence to Hanover Ger- amny. There they secured Rev. Adolphus Nussman and Gottifried Arndt. This delegation was given 90 lbs. which was delayed for more than ten years, but was eventually received wh.'ch amounted to $1500. They arrived in N. C. in 1773. Pastor Nussman and teacher Arndt remained in Salisbury and at Organ for a year. But in 1774 he became St. John's first regular pastor. St. John's had no parsonage so pas- tor Nussman located on the farm now owned by Prof, and John B. McAllister, entering this land in his name. Here he remained for 20 years as pastor of this congregation. Worthy of note, the teacher who came with Ppstor Nussman after two years teaching became a regular ordained preacher and remained at Organ for mere than ten years. Dur'ng this time three generous members, Messrs. Jacob Fegert, Marx Hans and Jacob Thieme, paid 50 shillings for 100 acres of government land and entered it in trust for "Dutch Buffalo Creek Meeting House," hence we have the church farm. The church was already located upon it. This grant was made Oct. 22, 1782. The war ended, the church began to show new life, and on the 6th day of Nov. 1784 a resolution was passed "for the purpose of rebuilding St. John's." The old church was torn away and the fourth one placed upon the same spot. This was a larger and 5 better church than any of the former ones. This was a frame structure and was erected at a cost 172 1-2 lbs. Tnis building was painted red, and became known as the '"Old Red Meeting House." The elevated pew of Captain Barringer was placed in this one. It was dedicated on the 4th of July 1785. It re- mained for about sixty years and gave way to the fifth building — the present one. Thus was a bricK building, erected in 1845. The brick were made to tne East of the church. Only the walls of the church of 1»45 remain, but it was used tor 43 years without change. In 1888 it was com- pletely revised with.n, making it modern and church- ly. It was rededicated Feb. 10, 1889. It has been re- vised and remodeled within of late and remains churchly. Thus we have seen the buildings and locations changing through this long period of time, and equally as interesting have been the changes of pas- tors and peoples. Time wUl not permit of more than naming the long list of good, and faithful pastors who have served this church in its long his- tory: 1 — Rev. Adolphus Nussman. 2— Rev. C. A. G. Storch. 3 — Rev. Adam N. Markerd. 4— Rev. C. A. G. Storch. 5 — Rev. Daniel Scherer. C — Rev. Henry* Graeber. 7 — Rev. John D. Schenck. 8— Rev. G. D. Bernheim, D. D. 9— Rev. J. B. Anthony. 10 — Rev. L. C. Groseclose. 11— Rev. D. M. Henkel, D. D. 12— Rev. R. W. Petrea. 13_R ev . S. L. Keller. 14_R ev . Peter Miller. 15_Fev. J. O. Wertz. 16— Rev. S. D. Steffey. 6 17— Rev. T. C. Parker. 18— Rev. W. H. Hiller. 19— Rev. V. Y. Boozer, D. D. 20— Rev. J. J. Long, D. D. 21— Rev. C. R. Pless. 22— Rev. Geo. H. Cox, D. D. 23— Rev. Roy T. Troutman. 24— Rev. L. D. Miller. Thus has God's blessings been given to this peo- ple through this honored and esteemed succession of holy u.en. But she has not only received of God thiough men, but she has given of men to God. Her name ranks among the first in sons given into the ministry. Again for time and brevity we only name those who have gone into the ministry from St. John's: 1 — Rev. Jacob W. Barrier. 2 — Rev. D. M. Llackweider. 3 — Rev. Paul Barringer, Reformed Minister. 4 — Kev. C. P. Fisher. 5— Rev. V. C. Ridenhour. 6— Rev. E. L. Ritchie. 7 — Rev. M. L. Ridenhour. 8_Rev. J. B. Moose, Ph. D. 9— Rev. G. O. Ritchie. 10— Rev. B. E. Petrea. 11— Rev. H. S. Petrea. 12— Rev. C. E. Ridenhour. 13 — Rev. B. A. Barringer. Strange to say that the records leave us very little information about the Sunday School. That Sunday Scnooi was held is revealed. But due to the large territory the congregation covered, the Sun- day School was held in the different sections of the congregation, in the church and at private homes. While the records reveal little about the Sunday School, there's no doubt but that it was the begin- ning of the organized churches in later years. St. John's today is the Mother Church in this 7 section of the State. Through the visions and un- stinted services of her pastors sne is ail the more honored, through the cnurches which sprang from her membership. Seven churches in this section sprang from her membership. It was back in 1806 St. John's saw the organization of Bethel church, Stanly County. Nearly all of whom had been mem- bers of St. John's. Again in 1837 St. Stevens church was organ-zed, nearly all of the charter members, being members of St. John's. In 1868 we find Mt. Herman and Holy Trinity of Mt. Pleasant organiz- ing, both of which are offsprings of St. John's. Mt. Olive was organized in 1878 directly from St. John's membership. And shortly after Mt. Olive's organiza- tion came prosperity. And lastly came the organiza- tion of the New Cold Water in 1881. Not only d:d she give of her members to prosecute and further this work but we are told financial assistance was given to all of them. Her influence toward the development of the church and her institutions at large are very mark- ed. On the 30th. of Dec. 1867 we find them taking a collection for the Southern Theo. ' Seminary which amounted to $170 00. She p-ave cf h°r m^ans for the building of St. Marks, Charlotte. The records show that the first Lutheran church of R'chmond, Va. received financial assistance from St. John's. Also assistance was given in Stanner, Nebraska, Imman- uel. The Records show the North Carolina College and Mount jArroena Seminary of Mt. Pleasant, to have been given financial aid. And since these re- cords were complied, there's no way doubtless of stating the amounts and causes for which it was given. St. John's has always been a bel'ver in educa- tion, ^om her first date of organization we find the school in connection with the church. This ex- amp] 0 remains and holds good to this day. She has been a growing church. Five times she 8 was rebuilt, and in each instance the records show her size as being increased. Her membersh p from beginning: until today must be in the thousands. Her present cemetery contains the dust of about four thousand, most of whom were members and many who have passed that held membership here, have been buried elsewhere. We note with particular in- terest that 77 persons were confirmed in St. John's at the Spring Communion by pastor Storch who was too weak to stand but sat in the altar and gave to them and the congregation his parting blessings. Also 80 percons were confirmed in the year 1858, her membership continued to grow and today is numbered among the strongest in the rural sections. St. John's connection with Lutheranism in the State is a vital one. The first English Lutheran min- ister ordained in North Carolina took place in St. John's on the 20th of May, 1794, the Rev. Robert Johnson Miller. It has the honor of entertaining the first Ecclesiastical meeting ever held by Lutherans in N. C. about 1803, plthouq-h she d^d not become an integral part of the Synod until 1806. And has many times since had this honor. As sons and daughters of the noble and honor- able history making church, a church with ^ over o-rowingr vision, dedicated to the Service of Almiehty God and His Christ. May we make her a hVmg and history ir» spiring church, by commemorating and perpetuating her memorv and deeds. May her sons and daughters continue dedicating their lives and tjPTfviVo j-n this p*r*eat work, until that great Horn" Comincr Day — when her thousands whose sonls h^vp boon fp<\ the R^ead of Life within he** wpIIs shall awclcfi out of <=lepn ar>d ioin in, in the blessings God has provided for his people. Date Due 1 1 Form 335— 40M— 6-39— S M CL ^04 Z99y v.l Nos. 1-18 372436 -rohlftt.q ..... _ - .... - x- - i CALL NUMBER Vol. /si . C— \ Date (for periodical) Copy No. No a, 1-18