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Columbia ^nititm'tp 
 
 THE LIBRARIES 
 
 Bequest of 
 Frederic Bancroft 
 
 1860-1945 
 
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 Columbus, £)l)io 
 
 Hutljeran IBoofe Concern 
 
 1905 
 
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ORDER OF THB PUBLICATION BOARD OF THE EVAN- 
 GELICAL LUTHERAN JOINT SYNOD OF 
 OHIO AND OTHER STATES 
 
a>etitcatton 
 
 To 
 My Wife Mary, 
 
 WHO HAS SHARED MY JOYS AND SORROWS FOR 
 MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY, AND 
 
 To 
 
 My Children, Luther, Mary, 
 Henry, Ada and Carl, 
 
 IN THE HOPE THAT THEY, WHOSE LIVES HAVE 
 
 BEEN SO INTIMATELY ASSOCIATED WITH 
 
 MINE, WILL HAVE A LOVING 
 
 INTEREST IN THE STORY OF 
 
 MY HUMBLE LIFE, AND 
 
 To 
 The Memory of 
 
 MY DEPARTED SON AND DAUGHTER, MATTHIAS 
 
 AND ALICE, WHO ARE NOT DEAD, BUT 
 
 SLEEPING IN GREEN LAWN, 
 
 THIS BOOK IS dedicated 
 
^torp of £Pp Hife 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 YIELDING with reluctance to frequent solicitations, 
 I have endeavored to write the story of my Ufe, 
 which is herewith offered to the pubHc. 
 
 My refusal hitherto to undertake such a work was 
 based on the conviction that my life was not of suf- 
 ficient importance to merit or even justify the under- 
 taking, which, except to the friends whose love mag- 
 nifies my work, might seem an effort to lift into emi- 
 nence a life of service, whose fidelity and devotion is 
 not greater than that of many brethren with whom it 
 was my pleasure to labor together. I was well aware, 
 moreover, that autobiographies, even when the subject 
 is worthy of the distinction thus accorded, are diffi- 
 cult to write with profit to the reader. More than 
 ordinary grace is requisite to be perfectly impartial 
 where self is concerned. When men are urged to write 
 their own biography with a view of getting a complete 
 insight into the secret workings of their souls and the 
 hidden motives of their actions, the result is usually 
 disappointing. Even a thoroughly honest man, though 
 he will conscientiously misrepresent nothing, will, if 
 
^tttatt 
 
 he is a man of good judgment, prefer not unnecessarily 
 to incriminate himself before the public, where no 
 opportunity would be afforded for a fair trial, and 
 where there is little prospect of eliciting the interest 
 to make it fair. It, therefore, always seemed to me 
 both right and wise to resist the appeals made to me 
 to write the story of my life. 
 
 Now when there are manifold indications of 
 Providence that my life's work is done, I yield to the 
 solicitations of my friends and offer this book to the 
 public. Some would account for this by assuming 
 that my faculties are faiHng. As respects my memory 
 they are right, and as memory is the faculty upon 
 which all reminiscences must depend, it would seem 
 that now especially I should refrain from telling my 
 story. As against this I can truthfully say that some 
 things are as clear and distinct in my memory as they 
 can be in the human mind, and that in the goodness 
 of God still sufficient judgment is left me, in my dis- 
 eased and suffering condition, to know what is distinct 
 in my remembrance and what is hazy and unreliable, 
 and therefore to refrain from saying what I am not 
 sure of being the truth, or to say it with such modifica- 
 tions as will guard against misleading the reader. On 
 the other hand, I recognize that some things in the 
 
Ptetace 
 
 history of the Church in the Ohio Synod in which I 
 was concerned, may be told with advantage to many, 
 not because of myself, who was concerned in them, 
 but of the events in which I was concerned. 
 
 Columbus, Ohio, March 17, 1905. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 Childhood 7 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 Printer 38 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 Student 64 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 Pastor 94 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Synod 192 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 Home 235 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 Editor 281 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 Professor 320 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 Author 391 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Emeritus 407 
 
 5 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 CHILDHOOD. 
 
 MY father was an immigrant from Germany, who 
 came to America in 1817. He was poor, and 
 by an unhappy arrangement which was made in 
 those days for poor emigrants, he was sold into ser- 
 vitude, and suffered much before his passage was 
 paid and he was released to seek his fortune as best 
 he could in a strange land. As he had learned the 
 trade of cabinet maker, he soon found work in Har- 
 risburg. Pa., whither Providence directed his steps. 
 There he met and married my mother, Christina 
 Reaver, and set up his humble home. Both were 
 poor, and their home was lowly in the extreme; but 
 from all indications and reports they were contented 
 with their meager means. So far as I can remember 
 all moved smoothly in their household, and father and 
 mother, and children with which God blessed the mar- 
 riage, all lived peacefully together. 
 
 But there was an element foreboding no good in 
 the marriage. My father was a Roman Catholic from 
 Baden; my mother was a Lutheran from Wuerttem- 
 
fetotp of 9^v mat 
 
 berg. In that which is of the highest import for the 
 wedding of soul with soul and for the education of 
 children in accordance with the will of Him who 
 gives them for His purposes and for His glory, they 
 were not united. My father was an honorable man 
 and always respected righteousness ; my mother was a 
 pious woman w^ho loved the Saviour. They did not 
 clash, because my mother, in her comforting apprehen- 
 sion of justification by faith alone, loved righteousness 
 even more ardenth than my father, and therefore 
 always agreed with him in his determinations to do 
 right at every cost. There was thus a superficial har- 
 mony without a fundamental agreement. Nothing un- 
 common is thus presented in the life of my parents. 
 Every day shows us the same situation, in which there 
 is agreement in appearance notwithstanding the disa- 
 greement in principles. In my estimation there was 
 much lacking for the right education in my father's 
 house, not because of a lack of good will, but because 
 of unfavorable conditions. My father's Romanism 
 was not pronounced and never led to family feuds. 
 So far as my knowledge extends he never was a com- 
 municant in the Roman Church after his arrival in this 
 country, and never even attended its services, although 
 he made a profession of the Lutheran faith only a short 
 
 8 
 
Mot^ 0f 9^V ^itt 
 
 time before his death. The rehgious training in the 
 household was left to my mother, without much help 
 but with no interference on his part. 
 
 This was for her a heavy task. Seven children 
 were born within a period of about fifteen years, means 
 were wanting to secure help in the growing cares and 
 labors of the household, sickness sapped her strength, 
 and her duties were performed with difficulty. Poor 
 mother, she did what she could. With the deep Luth- 
 eran piety characteristic of her Suabian home across 
 the sea, she suffered patiently and labored lovingly to 
 keep the wolf from the door and to lead the children 
 to the Saviour and through Him to the Father in 
 heaven who loves us all and cares for us all. It was 
 thus that all the children with one exception were 
 brought to Holy Baptism and planted into Christ. The 
 one exception was that of an older brother, whom the 
 minister requested to administer the sacrament de- 
 clined to baptize because he had become an Anabaptist 
 and was planning to establish a new Baptist sect. My 
 brother was thus left unbaptized until he was old 
 enough to be confirmed in the Lutheran Church of 
 which he has been a life-long member. Only her first 
 child became old enough during my mother's life-time 
 to receive the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Body and 
 
 9 
 
&m^ 0t sipp %itt 
 
 Blood, and no inconveniences were shunned to accom- 
 plish her purpose of having my sister at the age of 
 fourteen confirmed as a member of the Evangelical 
 Lutheran Church. Under many disadvantages my 
 good mother trained her family for Christ and the 
 Church and in all respects led the way by her own 
 devotion to the Saviour, adorning the doctrine which 
 she taught by the life which she led. 
 
 Of the seven children born to my parents I was 
 the fourth. Their stay in Harrisburg, where they had 
 established their humble home, was not of long dura- 
 tion. Rapid strides toward securing a competence 
 were not usual in those days, when what is now re- 
 garded as necessary for comfortable living was 
 esteemed to be wealth. Nor was my father gifted with 
 the talents to make the best use of the conditions 
 which formed his environment. He was not only 
 modest, but exceedingly timid in asserting his rights 
 and claiming his just dues, doing much of his work 
 on credit and afraid to approach the creditor when the 
 time for redeeming promises had come, and thus his 
 business did not prosper. It was a daily question of 
 daily bread although enough was due for his work to 
 secure it. 
 
 How it came about I do not know, but it came 
 10 
 
fetors ot ^^ %itt 
 
 about that a few years after the establishment of my 
 father's home in Harrisburg he was induced to remove 
 to a lonely place on the Blue Mountains, where the 
 nearest neighbor was a mile away. Eastward was the 
 solitary abode of a recluse, whose name was Casper 
 Wick. Southward, at the foot of the mountain, lived 
 a family by the name of Navinger, whose tender inter- 
 est I often experienced, and whose kindness we all 
 appreciated. Westward I remember only a family 
 who took little interest in us as new-comers and with 
 whom we never had any particular dealings. North- 
 ward there seem to have been settlements of some 
 importance, for from that source the medical attend- 
 ance of our household in its isolated condition came. 
 Our family was pretty well secluded from the outside 
 world. 
 
 There, on the 17th of March, 1828, I was born. 
 It was on the Blue Mountains in the County of Cum- 
 berland, Pa. The place is said to be visible from the 
 capitol at Harrisburg, and I have often from that 
 position viewed the house which was pointed out to me 
 as the place of my birth. Since my sixth year I have 
 never visited the old home, not because when I became 
 older all interest in the home of my childhood was 
 
 lost, but because, though efforts were made to reach it, 
 
 11 
 
fetorp oC ^v ^itt 
 
 it always proved to me practically inaccessible. My 
 recollections of the mountain farm are mostly of hard- 
 ships endured on the stony fields in summer and among 
 the snow drifts in winter. But my childhood was not 
 without its enjoyments. There was ample opportunity 
 to build play-houses of the stones and branches which 
 lay around in profusion, and to exercise our childish 
 skill in the manufacture of utensils and ornaments 
 out of the clay that was always ready to be had in the 
 summer time and to pile the snow into varied shapes 
 to gratify our artistic cravings. There was an abund- 
 ance of whortleberries and chestnuts to lure the chil- 
 dren down the mountain sides, and slips and foot- 
 bruises and snake frights enough to furnish excitement. 
 Once in a long while there was the novelty and delight 
 of a visit to neighbors, especially to the family living 
 at the foot of the mountains. This always made for 
 us a grand holiday, on the remembrance of which we 
 feasted for many a month. Once or twice a year my 
 father went to Harrisburg, fourteen miles away by the 
 wagon road, although little more than half that dis- 
 tance as the crow flies. This, too, was a notable event 
 in our lives because of the wonders which he had to 
 tell of the town and its busy life, and because of the 
 toys which he would bring and the sight of which 
 
 12 
 
^tot^ Pi ^^ %itt 
 
 filled us with amazement. As my father had no money 
 to squander these gifts were usually inexpensive, but 
 to us children they were great and precious beyond 
 our little power of language to tell. Once he brought 
 a toy that even astonished my mother for its beauty 
 and ingenuity, and which had cost the sum of ten 
 cents. I remember how I sought a hiding place when 
 my father pulled the string and a cock leaped from 
 the box. It was amazing. Some will no doubt smile 
 at the simple joys of the poor, but it is only an illus- 
 tration of the truth which all close observers of life 
 have recognized that, so far as money can contribute 
 to human happiness at all, large sums are not neces- 
 sary. I\Iy observations, in a long life that afforded 
 ample opportunities for seeing and judging, confirm 
 the conviction formed by searching the Scriptures, 
 that wealth never brings contentment and is attended 
 by sorrows and griefs rather than comfort and enjoy- 
 ment. I have often seen that a dime can contribute to 
 human happiness what a million never can. 
 
 So far as I can remember, my parents never went 
 to church during our residence at the rpountain home, 
 and I never saw a church until my sixth year, when 
 the family moved away from the place of my birth. 
 
 But that does not mean that religion was banished 
 
 13 
 
fetors oe 99v Jiitt 
 
 from our home. It was not ignored, though its cul- 
 tivation was not favored by the circumstances. My 
 mother taught us children the way of righteousness 
 according to the ability which God had given her, and 
 showed us the way to heaven according to all the light 
 which she possessed. We were all impressed with our 
 accountability to our Maker for all our words and 
 ways, and prayers were taught us, and the duty of 
 saying them daily when we retired for the night was 
 carefully enforced. In consequence of such conscien- 
 tious concern for our spiritual welfare as Christians 
 who by baptism had put on Christ, we were a God- 
 fearing family. In my recollections of the early days 
 in my mountain home some pangs of conscience on 
 account of childish wrong-doing present themselves, 
 which indicate that my mother had not failed to instil 
 into my soul a horror of sin and a desire to escape 
 its condemnations. That is not all that should be taught 
 children, but the little of revealed truth that was given 
 me continued to exert its power in my after life and 
 prepared me for the fuller instruction which in the 
 good providence of God I then obtained. What I re- 
 ceived from my good mother, who had only the ele- 
 mentary education of a parochial school among the 
 
 vine-clad hills of Wuerttemberg, protected me against 
 
 14 
 
^totv ot 9^^ ilite 
 
 the virulent assaults of Deists and Atheists to which I 
 was subjected in later times. As I remember these 
 things the thought compels expression, that many an 
 evil would be averted if mothers would, according to 
 the grace that is given them and the ability thus in 
 them, impress the truth of the gospel, though much 
 might be lacking in its completeness. My mother was 
 no theologian, and for her office of motherhood she 
 had no need to be ; but she was a Christian woman who 
 sincerely regarded the Church as well as the temporal 
 welfare of her children. She was not learned, but I 
 owe more to her for my Christian character and con- 
 scientious devotion to duty than to all the schools 
 which I have attended and to all the books which I 
 have read since she entered into the rest v/hich remains 
 for the people of God. Oh! that Christian mothers 
 would more adequately realize the high position and 
 gracious opportunity which God has given them in the 
 kingdom of grace! It would be a potent protection 
 against many a fad about women's rights and a benefi- 
 cent factor in securing the performance of women's 
 duties. My mother never had the opportunity to array 
 herself in gorgeous dress and sparkling jewels and 
 appear as a queen in the splendors of society, though 
 she was worthy of the highest honors that society can 
 
 15 
 
fetotp Dt 9^^ JLitt 
 
 give, but she had the opportunity of training her chil- 
 dren in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and 
 she embraced it. All honor to her memory ; she did 
 what she could, and I, after a long experience of the 
 world's ways, must testify that she could do much and 
 conscientiously did it. At least in my family let her 
 memory be honored ! 
 
 In 1834, when I was in my sixth year, our sojourn 
 on the mountain ceased. The family's residence there 
 of seven or eight years was not unprosperous. Much 
 was idyllic in that mountain home, but much was real 
 hardship and self-denial. I do not think that my father 
 and mother ever fully enjoyed the delights of that 
 mountain home, and of course, we children were not 
 capable of comparing it with other homes and passing 
 a judgment as regards their worth. Nor were we 
 children asked in this regard. It was really not a 
 question of taste, but of subsistence. My parents de- 
 cided that it would be better, now that some little 
 pecuniary means had by strict economy been saved, to 
 move to another place. There was a village, half way 
 between Harrisburg and Carlisle, which attracted my 
 father's attentioii. It was on the line of traffic between 
 Philadelphia and Pittsburg. The name of the village 
 was Hogestown. Its location indicated that it would 
 
 16 
 
&tot^ Dt 9$v ^itt 
 
 be a place of some activity and business. There my 
 father determined to locate. He had saved something 
 more than a hundred dollars from his labors on the 
 mountain, and thought that it would be a good invest- 
 ment to buy a little house in Hogestown. He accord- 
 ingly bought it. The house was a tumble-down affair, 
 though the lot on which it stood was not objectionable. 
 The place suited the family and we removed to the new 
 home. Though I remember almost nothing of the re- 
 moval, I remember almost everything of the place and 
 its surroundings. It was a desolate hamlet, but my 
 father thought that he could make a living there. The 
 stage-coach, which was the means of business commu- 
 nication between Philadelphia and Pittsburg and all 
 intervening towns and villages, passed through it with 
 its passengers, and large six-horse teams hauling mer- 
 chandise passed through every day. It was thus on a 
 small scale a busy place, although the contribution 
 v\^hich it furnished to the business was very small. 
 There my father, with the little savings that were 
 made from the farm on the mountains, purchased a log 
 house. It was the first and only homestead that he 
 ever owned. 
 
 In the Hogestown home my school education, such 
 as it was, began. Schools were then established by 
 
 2 17 
 
&mv ot 9Bi^ JLitt 
 
 private enterprise and maintained by individual sub- 
 scription. Hogestown and vicinity had a sufficient 
 population to invite teachers, and every year for several 
 months, at least, an opportunity was afforded the chil- 
 dren to obtain an elementary education. When there 
 was no school in the village, sometimes country dis- 
 tricts offered the desired benefit to the town children, 
 which some gladly embraced notwithstanding the in- 
 conveniences. It was to such a country school, two 
 miles away, that I was sent to learn the English alpha- 
 bet and form some acquaintance with English words. 
 This was attended with a difficulty that placed me at a 
 disadvantage. The two miles walk to school in the 
 morning, and home again in the evening was not the 
 trouble. Though I was but six years old the daily trip 
 was an enjoyment. There were other children who 
 went there from the village and our journeys were full 
 of fun and sometimes presented incidents which ren- 
 dered them full of adventure. Many a time we had 
 the pleasure which comes of heroic achievement when 
 we killed a snake, and especially when we came off 
 conquerors over a swarm of bumble-bees, whose honey 
 we were determined to have at every cost. Our victory 
 was as sweet as the honey which was our immediate 
 
 reward, and the numerous stings infficted by the in- 
 
 18 
 
fetot^ of ^v ^itt 
 
 sects in the defence of their nests and their hoards 
 counted for nothing in our exultation. It was an ex- 
 ample of the follies and attending cruelties which we 
 later found illustrated in a thousand forms, indicating 
 the vanity of human glory and human pleasures. But 
 it was not the journey and its incidents that caused 
 me trouble. The language spoken at home was Ger- 
 man, and all the English I knew was a phrase which 
 my father repeated on various occasions, but the mean- 
 ing of which was not clear to me. So I had to learn 
 not only the letters and how to combine them into syl- 
 lables and words, but had the task also of finding out 
 what the words meant. As far as I remember the 
 mortifications to which I was subjected on this account 
 were borne without much detriment to my standing 
 among my associates, and as I had some aptitude for 
 learning language, the difficulty was soon overcome 
 and my progress was satisfactory to all concerned. It 
 required but a few months to render me equal to my 
 schoolmates in the knowledge imparted, and my little 
 knowledge of the German gave me a point in excess 
 of the demands made on pupils. 
 
 While it seems to me of little profit to detail the 
 experiences of my life in those early days, there are 
 
 two observations which I think worthy of mention. 
 
 19 
 
fbtotv ot ^j> %iit 
 
 The circumstances appeared to require that not only 
 both sexes, but children of widely different ages should 
 be together in the same school. Even at the early age 
 when I first attended school, I saw and heard things 
 which never occurred in the innocence of our home 
 life and which I looked upon with astonishment if not 
 with horror. Our teacher was not indifferent about the 
 morals of his pupils, and much occurred between the 
 older boys and girls that he probably would not have 
 endured for a moment if he had known it. But he 
 did not know it and had little chance of knowing it. 
 While children of both sexes may be profitably placed 
 in the same school, the co-education of older pupils 
 is always a menace to morals. My observation in early 
 years has made me an opponent of co-education on this 
 ground, while the opposition became fixed in later 
 years by a better insight into the ways of God in the 
 government of the world and the difference in callings 
 assigned to the sexes, and the consequent difference to 
 be observed in their education as to matter and manner. 
 This remark, too, I deem it best not to suppress, that 
 people are very unwise who suppose that children do 
 not notice words and actions which pertain to matters 
 beyond their years. When their moral instincts are 
 affected they may not understand the import of what 
 
 20 
 
fetors ot ^v t^iit 
 
 they hear and see, but they will notice it and under- 
 stand it later, and not so easily forget it. 
 
 For the first time I received at Hogestown some 
 public religious instruction. There was no church 
 there of any denomination, but there were Christian 
 people there and congregations with churches in the 
 vicinity. Mechanicsburg was but three miles distant, 
 where several denominations had houses of worship. 
 Not quite as far away was a Presbyterian church at 
 Silver Spring, and a Lutheran church existed near 
 Kingston. To the latter our family occasionally went 
 for worship, and there my oldest sister was confirmed 
 when she reached the age of fourteen. As it was fully 
 three miles to this church I could receive little benefit 
 from my instruction that was given there. Neither 
 was ministering to the religious wants of the children 
 any part of the purpose for which the subscription 
 schools to which I had access were established. But 
 several active Presbyterians, with the co-operation of 
 members of some other churches conducted a Sunday 
 School in our village. This, in addition to my mother's 
 teaching, supplied some of the most urgent needs of 
 my soul. In after years I often felt the lack of a more 
 thorough knowledge of Biblical history and especially 
 of a better knowledge of the way of salvation, such as 
 
 21 
 
fetot^ ot st^p mtt 
 
 is g-iven in Luther's Small Catechism. This little book 
 was not among my mother's very limited store of re- 
 ligious treasures, or if it was contained among the 
 appendices to her old Bible, she never used it to impart 
 instruction and I never knew it ; and of course, such 
 a book could have no place in our village Sunday 
 School. Indeed, little could be expected there for the 
 enlightenment of the understanding, and little was 
 done. Notwithstanding this I have grateful recollec- 
 tions of the school, and profited by what it furnished. 
 Encouragement was given to the memorizing of 
 Scripture passages and church hymns, and I committed 
 many to memory and have retained a goodly number 
 to this day. The selection of texts and hymns v/as 
 left to the children and therefore was not always the 
 best, and no effort was made to explain or impress 
 the meaning. So little did I then understand of these 
 things that I once asked my father if I should not add 
 to the prayers which mother had taught me, and the 
 'T lay me down to sleep," which had been added from 
 another source, a stanza or two from Pope's "Univer- 
 sal Prayer," of whose heathenism I had not even a 
 suspicion. But God is merciful and blesses us above 
 all we can ask or think, and I learned some things in 
 
 the Sunday School whose import dawned upon me 
 
 22 
 
hUtv ot S9^ %itt 
 
 when I grew older, and exerted a beneficial influence 
 when mother was gone and I needed it most. No 
 doubt this influence was largely dependent on the foun- 
 dation which she laid in my soul and the constant care 
 which she exercised to have me walk in the ways oi 
 the Lord. My conduct, I am glad to note, was gen- 
 erally satisfactory to her and was frequently com- 
 mended. One instance that brought this to my knowl- 
 edge is inerasably fixed in my memory. She asked 
 me one day to do something which w^as very distaste- 
 ful to me. Instead of immediately obeying I used an 
 insolent expression which I had learned from my asso- 
 ciates. She looked at me with an expression of pain, 
 simply saying, "And this from you, who had always 
 been my good boy." She then quit her work and sat 
 down and wept. Did it break her heart? If she had 
 known the grief which I endured on account of it, 
 she would surely have forgotten her own in pity for 
 mine. After seventy years its remembrance is still a 
 pang, while she for nearly that time has had fulness 
 of joy in her heavenly home, where our meeting shall 
 carry w4th it no pangs of earth. Evil communications 
 were beginning to corrupt the good manners which 
 she had instilled, and the wonders of God's grace 
 
 never seem to me greater than when I view my early 
 
 23 
 
fetotp of 9$v ^itt 
 
 life after our Father in Heaven had taken her to the 
 mansions of bHss, and left me without her guidance 
 in the perils which beset me. 
 
 The disease which was gradually destroying my 
 mother's vitality increased and my father with her 
 concurrence concluded to return to Harrisburg, where 
 her brother and his family were living and might be a 
 comfort to her in her protracted sickness. After 
 months of suffering, which was endured with patience 
 and in the blessed hope of glory through the Saviour 
 of sinners, she departed this life of sorrow to enter 
 into the joys of our Lord. Dr. Sprecher, who is still 
 living as I write, and who was then pastor of the 
 Lutheran church, was called to minister to her, but 
 only when it was apparent that she was dying. I was 
 sent to call him, and he came without much delay. 
 How it was all brought about was never clear to me. 
 I was a stranger in the town and merely a child, but 
 somehow I found the residence of the Lutheran pastor. 
 Our family were strangers in the city, but somehow 
 he found the house in which my mother was dying. 
 It all seems to me the more inexplicable because I re- 
 member that it was with sobs that I tried to make my 
 errand known to the lady who answered the knock at 
 
 the door, and the pastor himself did not appear to ask 
 
 24 
 
fetots ot 9?? %iit 
 
 any questions. At any rate the object of my mission 
 was accomplished, and God supplied what was lacking 
 in the messenger's words to make his message clear. 
 Mother died and was buried in the churchyard belong- 
 ing to Zion Lutheran Congregation. Dr. Sprecher 
 officiated. The services were comforting, and mother's 
 body was laid away to await the resurrection of the 
 just, when it should share the blessedness of the puri- 
 fied spirit. 
 
 My father was left with four children. We were 
 seven ; but an older sister and a younger brother died 
 on the mountain and the youngest of the family was 
 taken away at Hogestown. His secular affairs were 
 not prosperous. The expenses entailed by the sickness 
 and death of my mother left him nothing for the sup- 
 port of his children. My sister, then almost fifteen, 
 was needed at home to keep house ; an older brother, 
 about eleven, secured a situation in which he could 
 support himself. I was then about nine years old, and 
 my father with the three children endeavored to keep 
 house. It was housekeeping under many difficulties. 
 The income from my father's work was small, and the 
 management of receipts and expenditures was not the 
 wisest. Poverty pinched us and comforts were few. 
 
 My father paid but little attention to the wants of the 
 
 25 
 
^m^ ot 9$^ %iU 
 
 household, but so far as this was concerned made me 
 a kind of partner in his business, in which I was re- 
 quired to render such assistance as my strength per- 
 mitted, and access was given me to all the proceeds. 
 In this way I could, after a fashion, provide for the 
 necessaries of life ; but as I had thus in some measure 
 the support of the family without the management of 
 the business under my care, we did not get along well. 
 I could use the money I thought necessary for our live- 
 lihood, but sometimes when business bills were due 
 there was no money on hand. It was a loose and hap- 
 hazard life that could not bring prosperity and make 
 us even comfortable. In respect to our religious and 
 moral training nothing of any moment was done, or 
 could under such circumstances be expected. To rem- 
 edy the evil my father married again, as it was in 
 every way best that he should. 
 
 Our new mother was a well-disposed woman of a 
 good Lutheran family, though herself little interested 
 in church work or in matters of religion. As is usual 
 in such cases, we children did not take kindly to the 
 new mistress of the house. My sister soon left us to 
 make her home with her uncle. There then remained 
 but two of us under the parental roof, and all of us 
 w^ent our way without much collision. In truth, there 
 
 26 
 
fetorp ot ^v ^itt 
 
 was little occasion for conflict and contention. My 
 father went about his business as usual, and we two 
 boys went to school, so that my stepmother had little 
 to interfere with her management of the house. Nor 
 was she at all disposed to tyrannize over us. She was 
 reasonable in her demands and not unkind in her 
 treatment of us. What was wanting in our household 
 was the Word of God, and that means much. Indeed, 
 that means everything; for not only the joyful hope 
 of heaven depends upon it, but the subduing of the 
 selfishness that produces jarring and jangling, and the 
 inculcation of love that produces gentleness and pa- 
 tience depends upon it as well. 
 
 When my father returned to Harrisburg he estab- 
 lished a meat market. Facilities for this were afforded 
 by my uncle, who was a butcher and had a well estab- 
 lished trade in meat. Father might have prospered 
 fairly well in this business if he had not been exces- 
 sively timid in making collections. But as I in my 
 ninth year became virtually his financial secretary, 
 success was hardly possible. So diffident and timor- 
 ous was he that when at the time of political troubles 
 at Harrisburg, generally called the buckshot war, he 
 furnished meat for the state troops to the amount of 
 more than two hundred dollars, he could not be per- 
 
 27 
 
fetorp of m ^itt 
 
 suaded to go to the bank and get the money when the 
 proper papers with check were sent him. How it came 
 about that upon my presentation of the paper the 
 money was paid to me, a child eleven years old, is still 
 a mystery to me. But many similar cases of later 
 years have taught me that God has ways which are 
 not known to bankers, and that He keeps His prom- 
 ises even if He must work miracles still, though the 
 time demanding miracles for the establishment of His 
 Church and the attestation of His heavenly truth is 
 past. 
 
 My life during this period had many hardships. 
 It never was one of ease, and when I came to under- 
 stand what that means, I never desired that it should 
 be. It seems to me now, when I review those early 
 days, that my father never knew the limits of endur- 
 ance in childhood and youth, and that without the 
 least thought of cruelty he expected of a child what 
 could be rendered only by a man. I do not think he 
 was peculiar in this. On the contrary, I am of the 
 opinion that it is rather the common lot. Indeed, I 
 am not sure that I was perfectly free from it in the 
 early treatment of my own children or that even now 
 I adequately distinguish between laziness and inability, 
 not only in children but in older people. No doubt 
 
 2S 
 
mntv nt 9^v ^itt 
 
 many a wrong is done by requiring of a child what 
 only a man can do, and of a man with small endow- 
 ment, what only a man of larger powers could accom- 
 plish. As it seems to me now my father was mistaken 
 in his estimate of human capability and endurance in 
 childhood and youth, and that in consequence he often 
 did me unintentional wrong. I remember no instance 
 in which he persisted in wrong doing when the appeal 
 was made to his conscience and the matter was set in 
 its proper light. But the fact remains the same that 
 he sometimes required of me what I could not with 
 all my effort accomplish, and sometimes by my efforts 
 I did accomplish only with injury to myself. An in- 
 stance in illustration may be mentioned. When we 
 were in pecuniary straits he required me, at scarcely 
 twelve years of age, to haul bricks from the kiln. I 
 endured the hardship of catching them and loading 
 them in the cart as they were pitched from the higher 
 layers in the kiln, though this was far beyond the 
 power of any ordinary boy of my age. And as driv- 
 ing a cart was not a part of my education at the time, 
 it was no wonder that, with a horse incapable of doing 
 the work as I was myself, an accident on a steep ap- 
 proach to the canal to be crossed to reach the city from 
 
 the brickyard, crippled the horse by a fall down the em- 
 
 29 
 
fetorp ot 9^p Jiitt 
 
 bankment and drove me home and to bed in despair, 
 without looking after the animal that had tumbled 
 down or reporting the calamity at home. My father 
 did not even rebuke me when he found me in bed after 
 discovering the calamity which had befallen us. But 
 the loss into which the expected profit was converted, 
 increased his financial troubles. 
 
 In the straits to which my father was put to make 
 ends meet, he resolved upon a venture which I remem- 
 ber with little pleasure and much regret. There was 
 a German tavern in the southern part of Harrisburg 
 which had become vacant and which he concluded to 
 rent. To that place he brought his second wife and 
 there she began her government of the house. My 
 sister had left us and we two children still attended 
 school, while my father still went to market with his 
 meat. But among the boarders and roomers there 
 were persons who were not suitable associates for 
 Christian people and there were sometimes gatherings 
 and performances which even then seemed to me of 
 questionable propriety. A few of those who made 
 their home with us were pronounced and foulmouthed 
 infidels, who in their cups sometimes uttered blas- 
 phemies shocking even to worldlings of the more 
 
 decent sort. It was a bad school for one who had 
 
 30 
 
fetors Dt ^^ %iU 
 
 still maintained the reputation of a good boy. But I 
 was not an apt pupil. Opportunities were ample for 
 learning wickedness in a variety of forms, but I con- 
 tracted no bad habits and came out of the fiery trial 
 w^ithout a blemish upon my good name, if one shameful 
 occurrence at a dinner, where wine flowed freely and 
 where I was sinned against rather than sinning, is not 
 to be set down as an exception. I do not doubt that 
 the good principles wdiich my mother had instilled, 
 in consequence of which my attitude towards all un- 
 godliness induced my companions to call me the 
 preacher, here also by the goodness of God protected 
 me from the ruin that was imminent. 
 
 The venture at the hotel was not a financial suc- 
 cess. Perhaps, too, the kind of life which was inci- 
 dent to the business, at least as it was conducted in 
 this case, was not entirely congenial to my parents. 
 At any rate they decided, after a few years' trial, to 
 abandon it. Neither did the meat business provide 
 sufficiently for our needs. The result of a family con- 
 sultation accordingly was to return to Hogestown, 
 where my father still owned the small property which 
 he had bought when we left the mountain farm, and 
 vv^here there seemed to be a favorable market for meat 
 
 31 
 
fetor? ot ^v ^itt 
 
 as well as for cabinet ware. To Hogestown therefore 
 we returned. 
 
 I was then about twelve years old. My schooling 
 was not neglected, and such opportunities as were 
 afforded my father readily embraced to further my 
 education. But as before, he utilized such gifts and 
 powers as I possessed to help in the support of the 
 family. This again subjected me to hardships. One 
 case may be mentioned as an example. A farmer in 
 the neighborhood resolved to build a new house. To 
 save money he determined to make the brick on his 
 own farm. As I had a little experience in that line it 
 was not difficult for my father to secure me a position 
 as ofT-bearer, whose duty it is to carry the bricks and 
 lay them in proper position to dry as fast as the 
 moulder prepares them. The work is not very hard 
 to a man accustomed to it. It was very hard for me. 
 The first days subjected me to an ordeal that was ter- 
 rible. The pain in my back was such that I would 
 pronounce it intolerable if I had not suffered it and 
 lived. Of course, my parents could not realize the tor- 
 tures which I endured, and I went on with the work, 
 and did not die. I have passed through many a trial 
 since and continued to live and praise God for His 
 
 great deliverance. Time trains and tames. 
 
 32 
 
fetorp ot 9$^ %iU 
 
 After a while the work was done without much 
 difficulty and with no complaints. But still the wants 
 of my father's house were not adequately supplied. 
 
 About this time some ill wind blew to our house a 
 German wanderer who had some money but had no 
 home. How it came about I do not know, but he be- 
 came a partner in my father's business and a boarder 
 at our table. I remember very little about him except 
 that I was sent to the store nearly every day to get a 
 quart of rum, and that his face had a purple hue which 
 seemed to me unnatural. How he and my father sep- 
 arated and what ever became of him I do not know. 
 But his sottish influence in the household was only 
 evil continually. 
 
 It is not edifying to trace the history of a family 
 in which the Word of God does not reign, and least 
 of all to report its transgressions and shortcomings. 
 But ours had not consciously renounced the Saviour, 
 and God had not forsaken it. My father, though orig- 
 inally a Romanist, died according to all accessible tes- 
 timony, in the full assurance of faith in the forgiveness 
 of sins through the Redeemer's blood; and my step- 
 mother in after years, so far as man could see, con- 
 fided in the truth which the Lutheran Church teaches, 
 
 and in it found her comfort. 
 3 33 
 
fetors of 9^v fiitt 
 
 The family life at Hogestown at this period is not 
 a pleasant recollection and my continuance with it was 
 of short duration. One evening during my father's 
 absence there were visitors at our house whose conduct 
 constrained me to utter a protest. Perhaps I was in 
 the wrong, for with a tender conscience there was 
 strong passion associated in my soul. My motlier 
 struck me for what seemed to her an impudent inter- 
 ference. It was the only time that she ever inflicted 
 corporal punishment upon me. It was the last time 
 that she had an opportunity. Upon my father's return 
 it was decided that the peace of the family required 
 my removal. Measures were at once taken to execute 
 the decree. A place was found for me to learn the 
 printer's trade in the establishment of Baab & Hum- 
 mel, at Harrisburg, and thither I was transferred. 
 This was in the autumn of 1841, in the fourteenth year 
 of my age. 
 
 The terms of my apprenticeship were not made 
 known to me. Judging from my father's business 
 methods, or rather lack of method as hitherto known 
 to me, and from subsequent experiences, there were no 
 definite terms, but only the understanding that I was 
 to be provided with board and clothing while I was 
 learning the trade, without any limit of time. Of 
 
 34 
 
fetot^ of 9$v ^itt 
 
 course, I was not consulted except so far as my will- 
 ingness to become a printer was concerned. This want 
 of a definite contract might under the circumstances 
 have wrought much injury to me. But God cared for 
 me and all went well, though some difficulties which 
 might easily have been avoided had later to be over- 
 come. 
 
 My departure from home was not with much sor- 
 row or regret. It was not a home of happy experi- 
 ences from which I was torn away unwillingly. As 
 I remember the parting, it was rather an occurrence in 
 the ordinary course of nature, about v/hich no ado 
 was to be made. It was thought best that I should 
 leave, and I concurred. We therefore parted in peace. 
 But we parted ! My parents committed the care for 
 me to others, and thenceforth, so far as appearances 
 indicate, their consciences did not impel them to exer- 
 cise any further care. As all went well under the pro- 
 vision made, this was not unreasonable. If it had 
 gone ill with me, they no doubt, to the extent of their 
 limited ability, would have supplied my needs. But 
 God rules and it did not go ill with me. They put me 
 under the care of strangers, and they were right in as- 
 suming that, so long as no reports were made to the 
 
 contrary, these strangers were exercising the proper 
 
 35 
 
fetorp ot 9$v ^itt 
 
 care for my welfare. In their conditions they thought 
 that they did what they could. But we parted without 
 securing the tie which should have bound us together 
 notwithstanding the parting. 
 
 But it was no small thing to me that before I was 
 fourteen years old I should be thrown upon my own 
 poor resources. Since then I lived among strangers 
 and had no home in the proper sense until after many 
 years of labor and endurance I established a home of 
 my own by my marriage to a wife who has shared my 
 fortune until this day. My parents were poor and 
 unable to help me, and even when I was sick they 
 could not offer me the tender nursing of a home. From 
 the time that I was brought to Harrisburg as a print- 
 er's apprentice, they never were able to give me a dol- 
 lar to support or comfort me, as indeed the conditions 
 were never such as to impose on them any such bur- 
 den. My parting from the family at Hogestown was 
 for this world final. 
 
 I thus entered upon a new career. A new field 
 was opened to me, and its cultivation was essentially 
 left to my own resources and my own judgment. 
 Strangers had taken the place of parents, but they had 
 not the feeling of responsibility which attaches to fath- 
 ers and mothers, and could not, with all their kindness 
 
&t0t^ DC 9pp JLitt 
 
 of disposition, feel like these. I came among them not 
 as a child to be trained, but as an apprentice to be help- 
 ful in business. Yet I fared well. God, who cares 
 even for His wayward children, provided for me. 
 He has done so until this hour, and will do so until 
 the end. Of this His precious Word assures me: 
 Blessed be His holy name ! 
 
 $7 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 PRINTER, 
 
 OF my occupation in the printing business there is 
 comparatively Httle to be recorded in this nar- 
 rative. While I was apprenticed to it and worked 
 in it for about six years, from 1841 to 1847, ^^^ ^^ 
 then presents itself as my temporal calling, it was 
 really but a part of the education which I was to re- 
 ceive to fit me for my life's proper vocation. 
 
 My father's choice of a profession for me was not 
 unwise. In many respects I was better fitted for that 
 than for any other calling. Though not yet fourteen 
 years old, I had learned something. My education was 
 desultory, as under these circumstances it could not 
 be otherwise. But I ahvays had a good record in all 
 my classes at school, and was usually graded above 
 my years. That according to my teachers' reports I 
 always excelled in mathematics, for which I have never 
 in my consciousness discovered any special aptitude 
 and certainly no particular taste, may reflect some dis- 
 credit upon the judgment of my teachers; but the fact 
 
 that I stood high in the class which studied the intri- 
 
 38 
 
&tot^ Dt 9^V ^itt 
 
 cacies of "Mensuration," as sciences now known by 
 other names were then called, is evidence that I dis- 
 played some talent in a field which I never had the 
 inducement further to cultivate. But other acquire- 
 m.ents were of more importance for the career upon 
 which I had entered. And these I possessed to the full 
 extent of my years, notwithstanding the drawbacks 
 to which I was subjected. My sports on land and 
 water never to my recollection led to a failure in my 
 classes at school, though my regularity in attendance 
 was almost entirely dependent on my own will. On 
 the whole, I think I was not an unpromising candidate 
 for initiation into "the art preservative of all arts." 
 
 The printing house of Baab & Hummel was Ger- 
 man. This placed me at a disadvantage in the start, 
 but only temporarily. The German was my mother 
 tongue, but I had gone far toward forgetting it when 
 I entered the printing office. All the schools which I 
 had attended were English, and the language spoken 
 by the children soon exerted its influence in the home. 
 It was not long until we spoke the language of the 
 school and of our school companions, even in our con- 
 versation with our parents. Their language was Ger- 
 man, and for a year or more after our removal to 
 
 Hogestown, my parents spoke German in the family 
 
 39 
 
fetot^ ot ^v ^itt 
 
 and the children spoke EngHsh. But the German be- 
 came gradually less as the parents accustomed them- 
 selves to the language spoken by the children. As I 
 had never attended a German school and since my 
 seventh year had but little occasion to use such knowl- 
 edge of my mother tongue as I possessed, I was not 
 expert in German when I became an apprentice in a 
 German printing establishment. But the proprietors 
 did not think this an insuperable difficulty and I was 
 not dismayed. I had no reason to be, because the lan- 
 guage of intercourse in the whole establishment was 
 English, and even the member of the firm who was 
 editor of the weekly paper, the publication of which 
 was part of its business, was not a master of German. 
 I could not read the language, but it required only a 
 short time to learn it, and my deficiency in this respect 
 never proved an obstacle to my success. 
 
 The work which I had to do, aside from the 
 duties of messenger boy, paper carrier, and various 
 occupations to which any who are not otherwise en- 
 gaged may be appointed for the occasion, was in the 
 first week of a tiresome sort. There were in the office 
 numerous boxes of "pi." This is a term which print- 
 ers use to designate the piles of type which have fallen 
 into disorder. My first assignment of work was to 
 
 40 
 
&tot^ ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 set up this "pi." Of course, the order did not mean 
 that I should put these tumbled and jumbled types 
 together so as to make sense, but only that they should 
 be set up so that each letter could be distinguished 
 and put in its proper place for subsequent use. This 
 kept me employed for a month or more, and enabled 
 me to acquire some knowledge of German letters 
 while it saved some money to the proprietors. This 
 tiresome work of setting up ''pi" was accomplished 
 with becoming patience, and elicited the commendation 
 of my employers, who appreciated my endurance 
 though the money value of my work was small. But 
 I was not long in learning the business and making 
 myself useful. I found favor with my employers, and 
 retained it through all the years of my connection with 
 them. 
 
 My home during the first half of my apprentice- 
 ship was with the senior member of the firm, Mr. 
 Baab, a good natured gentleman who gave little atten- 
 tion to religion and never went to church, but was 
 deeply interested in politics, and once in a while joined 
 some of the base sort of the citizens in a protracted 
 spree, though ordinarily he was an upright, sober man, 
 who enjoyed the respect of the community and kept no 
 company with the class of people to whose low level 
 
 41 
 
&tot^ ot 9^v fiitz 
 
 he sank in his occasional revels. His wife was a de- 
 voted member of the Lutheran Church, who attended 
 to her household duties with kindness and bore with 
 quiet patience the sorrow occasioned by her husband's 
 aberrations. They had one child, well behaved and 
 cheerful, but if anything was done to bring her up in 
 the nurture and admonition of the Lord it did not be- 
 come apparent. 
 
 But what was of more account to me was the pres- 
 ence of other persons who were boarding in the family. 
 There were three of these, all of them employed in 
 the printing house which I had entered. One of them, 
 though a man of fair education and a good workman, 
 had low tastes and little character, and may be passed 
 by with no further mention. But the other two ex- 
 erted no little influence upon me, though it was mostly 
 indirect. One, J. M. Beck, was a German of fine edu- 
 cation, a free-thinker, but a man of moral integrity. 
 The other, M. Osman, was a man of less culture and 
 of lower moral ideas, but equally ambitious in the pur- 
 suit of science and literature. Both were in many 
 ways worthy of imitation, and without their instruc- 
 tion I learned from their example. As I was not their 
 direct pupil, I could not be a direct burden to them, 
 
 4? 
 
fetors 0t ^V ^itt 
 
 even if gradually they took some interest in my pro- 
 gress. 
 
 In the first weeks of my sojourn in the house of 
 Mr. Baab I spent dreary evenings after the day's work. 
 Perhaps if my mother had been living yet I would 
 have run away to my humble home or died of home- 
 sickness, but the home attractions were no longer so 
 great as to draw me with such might, and there was 
 nothing for me but to sit in the desolation until relief 
 came or my heart would break. I had not forgotten 
 my prayers, but I had wandered away so far that God 
 did not seem near and help did not appear within my 
 reach. No, I was not an infidel, but I was a mere 
 child, whose religious education had for five years and 
 more been sadly neglected. Beck and Osman sat at 
 their books and rarely spoke. I sat with them, and had 
 to sit alone in silence that they might not be disturbed. 
 Sometimes I went out for a while, but there was no 
 acquaintance in the neighborhood with whom I could 
 associate or find any enjoyment. So I sat with the 
 students who usually pored over their books until after 
 midnight, sometimes opening a volume which lay on 
 the table before me, sometimes arising and going out 
 into the darkness for a while, sometimes recalling the 
 
 past and indulging in dreams, then retiring at 8 or 9 
 
 43 
 
fetot? ot 9^v ^ite 
 
 o'clock, when all efforts to drive away the gloom of 
 the long evening proved a failure. But this distress- 
 ing condition could not be enduring. Casually look- 
 ing into the books induced me to read a little here and 
 there. Gradually my interest was elicited. It was not 
 many months until I heartily joined the two students 
 whose example was every night before me. My love 
 of learning was awakened and grew to abnormal pro- 
 portions, so that in course of time I surpassed my elder 
 friends in eagerness and diligence. Fortunately for 
 me there was a collection of good books ready to my 
 hand. Mr. Osman had a library that was quite respec- 
 table both for size and quality, to which I had unre- 
 stricted access, and Mr. Beck was always a buyer of 
 the best books. Little opportunity was afforded me 
 to read trashy publications, as I had no money where- 
 with to purchase them, even if I had had the inclina- 
 tion. I was thus induced by circumstances to acquaint 
 myself with good literature, and wasted but little time 
 upon worthless books. Religion was not well repre- 
 sented in the library of my friends, who had little inter- 
 est in revealed truth, and what there was of this sort 
 was mainly skeptical and naturalistic, if not aggres- 
 sively "Anti-Christian." I am glad to say that such 
 books as Paine's "Age of Reason" had no perceptible 
 
 44 
 
fetot^ ot m ^itt 
 
 influence on my thinking or conduct. They were not 
 to my taste. History and travel attracted me most, 
 and after the habit of reading beyond the midnight 
 hours had been formed, poetry and philosophy became 
 favorite subjects. With Shakespeare and Milton I 
 formed an early acquaintance, and the best produc- 
 tions of the English poets and a few also of the Ger- 
 man delighted me. Though I loved to puzzle over 
 Locke's Essay and skim over Gibbon's Rome, the reli- 
 gious tendencies of such books affected me little, and 
 that my inclinations were never adverse to the Chris- 
 tian training which my mother had given me was man- 
 ifested by my partiality for such poems as Young's 
 ''Night Thoughts" and Pollock's ''Course of Time," 
 alongside of "Paradise Lost." Three years of omniv- 
 orous reading extended pretty nearly over the whole 
 range of English literature except natural science, the 
 poets, mataphysicians and literary critics seeming to 
 me better interpreters of nature than the dry and tedi- 
 ous scientists. 
 
 About the third year of my apprenticeship I was 
 by a mere accident led to change my habit of spending 
 my evenings with my books, only one evening a week 
 being reserved for social enjoyment. My home had 
 been transferred to the family of Mr. Hummel, the 
 
 45 
 
&mv ot 9^^ %itt 
 
 junior partner in the printing firm. Both Mr. Hum- 
 mel and his estimable wife were members of the Luth- 
 eran Church and both were earnest Christians, who 
 heartily engaged in the work of the church. He was 
 the devoted superintendent of the Sunday School and 
 she was a helpmeet for him in training their children 
 according to the Word of the Lord. I think that they 
 had daily family worship, though I was not honored 
 with an invitation to attend it. There Vv^as no boarder 
 beside myself in the family. Of course, I felt some- 
 what lonesome in my new relation, having been taken 
 away from my student friends and their books. But 
 Mr. Hummel also had a little library, and I was thus 
 not deprived of all reading matter. I could have con- 
 tinued my practice of daily study when the day's work 
 was done and the darkness came. But circumstances 
 changed my plans, if plans can be spoken of at all in 
 my life of perfect freedom after working hours. A 
 theacrical company established itself for the winter in 
 Harrisburg and a young friend of mine secured the 
 contract of printing the daily programmes for distri- 
 bution among the audience. For this work payment 
 was made in tickets of admission and I was offered a 
 ticket each evening for doing the press work; as this 
 was not a burdensome task I accepted the offer. Ac- 
 
 46 
 
htotv ot ^v ^itt 
 
 cordingly most of my evenings were spent at the the- 
 atre. The perilous proceeding did not trouble my con- 
 science then and the epicurean principle which I re- 
 member to have avowed, in reply to a warning given 
 me by Mr. Hummel, makes it plain to me now that I 
 was entering upon the road to ruin. But my good 
 name was not forfeited by the error. The company 
 produced plays of the better class, a goodly number of 
 Shakesperian dramas being among them. My knowl- 
 edge of English dramatic literature was thus materi- 
 ally increased, and the bad venture was not without 
 its intellectual compensation. But it was perilous, and 
 it has served to settle my judgment adverse to the 
 theatre for all time. Not only the vicious environ- 
 ments of the playhouse and the temptations to which 
 the play-goer is exposed ; not only the immoral sug- 
 gestions of many a sentence and scene ; but much more 
 the hardening effect upon the heart of stirring the 
 emotions by fictitious events, are the grounds of my 
 aversion. When strong feelings which naturally act 
 upon the will, are aroused without affording the oppor- 
 tunity to exert volitional power in corresponding activ- 
 ity in real life, the effect is always bad; and when the 
 exposure to such fictitious excitement becomes habit- 
 ual, it results in an unnatural sundering of the will 
 
 47 
 
fetors ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 from the motive powers, and the feehngs exhaust 
 themselves without appropriate action in the life. No 
 doubt many a poor soul has thus become a flabby senti- 
 mentalist with an abundance of feeling, but altogether 
 devoid of fruit in the realities of life. 
 
 I cannot say that I entirely escaped the evil con- 
 sequences of my evil conduct. Indeed, they have pre- 
 sented themselves as thorns in my experience ever 
 since, and \varnings which I have had frequent occa- 
 sion to give in this regard, were those of a burnt child 
 that shuns the fire. But God's goodness, which never 
 failed me in all my wanderings, saved me from becom- 
 ing a moral wreck. I have learned something since 
 then, not only of the abounding grace of our blessed 
 Saviour towards our sinful race, but of the wonderful 
 ways of His providence. But these ways are past find- 
 ing out, and at last the soul that comes to Him finds 
 all difficulties solved in the assurance that His mercy 
 endureth forever. How it came about is not clear to 
 me, unless the influence of my mother's teaching, in 
 connection with the covenant of grace into which my 
 baptism had introduced me, may seem a sufficient ex- 
 planation, but on my return to my room after the the- 
 atrical performance, I did not immediately retire, but 
 spent some time in meditation and prayer before I laid 
 
 48 
 
fetotg of a^p %itt 
 
 my body down to sleep. As I had free access to the 
 house at any hour, I could go and come as I pleased. 
 The family was not disturbed by my late entrance, and 
 never was I met by rebukes or expostulations. The 
 only time that Mr. Hummel, or anyone else, spoke to 
 me about my late hours, was that which I have men- 
 tioned, and that was while I was at work in the office. 
 There was no dissipation on my part. I never drank 
 intoxicating liquors and never joined gay company in 
 carousals after the play. In that respect my life was 
 clean and my character was not impeached. But my 
 soul was not at rest. I therefore v/ent home when the 
 drama closed, and knelt at my bedside in prayer before 
 I went to bed, and usually slept well. 
 
 The theatrical performances came to an end when 
 the winter v/as over, and I was constrained to find 
 other ways of spending my evenings. My interest in 
 books had not departed, and I was as eager as ever to 
 learn. But I was no longer among free-thinkers who 
 were my companions at Baab's, the wants of my soul 
 became more prominent in my thoughts. I had been 
 called the preacher in my boyhood among my play- 
 mates, and that which led to such a title then was no 
 doubt still apparent in my character. My thoughts 
 
 were more directed to religious subjects and I visited 
 4 49 
 
mow ot 9$v ^itz 
 
 churches. Of course 1 had no denominational prefer- 
 ences except such as were unconsciously imbedded in 
 my early training and were naturally determined by 
 my environment. Where the preaching commended 
 itself to my literary tastes, I was most inclined to go. 
 What I needed most I did not understand, but I felt 
 that something was needed. I attended Sunday-School, 
 and as my mother's faith was Lutheran and Mr. Hum- 
 mel was superintendent of the school conducted by the 
 Lutheran Church, all proper motives tended to direct 
 me there, especially as my sister was a member of the 
 congregation at Harrisburg and I had become an ad- 
 mirer of the pastor's eloquence and the choir's music. 
 My companions now were mostly Christians, and all 
 my inclinations were to seek the peace which my wan- 
 derings in the domain of literature had not brought me. 
 About that time a wave of wild excitement about 
 the coming of Christ swept over the land and great 
 revivals were instituted in the churches. So strong 
 was the pressure in this direction that Rev. C. W. 
 Schaefifer, who was pastor of the Lutheran congre- 
 gation at Harrisburg, also introduced the new measure 
 and set a revival in motion. What it professed to offer 
 was what I wanted, and with many others I presented 
 myself at the "anxious bench." But what was offered 
 
 50 
 
fetotp 0t a^g %itt 
 
 there was not what I needed. The revival "workers" 
 whispered into my ears, as I knelt in silence before the 
 altar, some things which were meant for my encour- 
 agement, but which only left me unmoved because of 
 their failure to reach my conscience. As I remember 
 it there was nothing to show me my utter damnable- 
 ness by nature, or the abounding grace of God to de- 
 liver from the impending damnation. Pastor Schaeffer 
 himself never came to me as I silently suffered my 
 need, without enlightenment as to its meaning and 
 without an effort to meet my want. I endured this 
 revival process for several nights without relief from 
 a burden for which it seemed to have made no pro- 
 vision, when God gave me courage to speak to Pastor 
 Schaeffer about my condition and my need, and to tell 
 him that in my case at least the method pursued in the 
 "revival" could effect nothing, making bold to say that 
 I expected at least good sense instead of the nonsense 
 to which I was treated by the officious workers. To 
 my surprise the pastor declared that he was of the 
 same opinion, and that he proposed, as a better way, 
 to gather a class for instruction in revealed truth, 
 which he urged me to join. The class was formed, a 
 large number, among whom I was glad to be regis- 
 tered, joined it, and the revival gave place to a large 
 
 61 
 
fetot^ of 9^? JLitt 
 
 class of catechumens, with which I was duly confirmed 
 and admitted to holy communion. 
 
 It is an ungracious task to criticise a pastor to 
 whom I owe so much, but it would be overlooking a 
 matter of some importance in my life if I did not men- 
 tion the fact, that when I was confirmed I had no 
 knowledge of Luther's Catechism, or of any catechism. 
 That seems very strange. Certainly it is unusual in 
 the Lutheran Church, except where the Lutheran is 
 lost under Reformism of the Methodist type and only 
 the name is retained. Rev. Schaefifer did not belong 
 to that sort of people. Rather he was more strongly 
 attc-ched to that which is distinctively Lutheran than 
 was liked by many in the congregations. But it was 
 a frenzied time, and our good pastor was in a trouble 
 somewhat like that which fell upon Melanchthon and 
 his colleagues when the fanatics came to Witten- 
 berg and Luther was away. I do not know whether 
 the like had ever occurred before, but our class of 
 catechumens was instructed without the Catechism, 
 which I had not seen and which years afterward be- 
 came dear to me. But we were not confirmed without 
 instruction in Christian truth. The pastor required 
 each of us to have a Bible, at each lecture assigned 
 certain passages which he requested us to commit to 
 
 52 
 
fetot^ 0t ^v %iU 
 
 memory, and at the following meeting explained and 
 applied these texts. There was no catechization, not 
 only in the sense that there was no catechism, but also 
 in the sense that there was no questioning and an- 
 swering. We sat in silence while he expounded to us 
 the Scriptures. The method was not good, but the 
 work was done well, and we learned the essentials of 
 the way of salvation. I had thus come into possession 
 not only of some truth that my soul needed, but also 
 of a Bible of my own and a habit of using it, and of 
 a pastor who cared for my spiritual welfare. God had 
 done great things for me and I was glad. 
 
 Thenceforward my interests were in the Church 
 and its work. Not only was I a regular attendant at 
 the service morning and evening on the Lord's Day 
 and at Sunday-School, but at all the meetings during 
 the week which were designed for instruction and 
 edification. Whenever an opportunity afforded, I 
 consulted the pastor about my reading, my spiritual 
 wants, and my educational pursuits. He always man- 
 ifested a lively interest in me, gave me advice, and 
 furnished me with books to promote my growth in 
 knowledge and in grace. On one occasion, which is 
 ever memorable to me, he spoke to me about a matter 
 which then seemed to me not to concern him at all and 
 
 53 
 
fetorp ot Q?p JLitt 
 
 of which I thought he had no knowledge. I had 
 joined a secret society. As far as I remember, I had 
 done this only with good intent, as is no doubt the 
 case with many who are enticed into the lodges which 
 exert such a power in our land and form such a for- 
 midable hindrance to the Church and its gracious 
 work. In some way not known to me, he became 
 aware of this fact. In the meeting of our lodge it 
 was mentioned that he was the only minister in Har- 
 risburg who was not connected with a secret society, 
 and that efforts had been made in vain to secure him 
 for our order. This made little impression on me, 
 then, as I looked upon it merely as a matter of taste 
 or policy in the pursuit of benevolent purposes. But 
 it did make an impression upon me when he questioned 
 me about my connection with the order, and in an 
 injured tone informed me that I should have consulted 
 him before taking such a step. He was right — as 
 I see it now, beyond all question he was right. But 
 that was all he said, and I did not then see that his 
 claim had any ground or I deserved any rebuke. If 
 he had shown me why I did wrong, I think that I was 
 in a condition to ponder his reasons and follow the 
 right. He might have induced me to leave the so- 
 ciety in which I expected to exercise benevolence and 
 
 54 
 
&tot^ ot ^v J^itt 
 
 directed me to the Church, which is called to exercise 
 this in Jesus' name, and thus gives glory to our Saviour, 
 while by His grace it accomplishes more even in the 
 promotion of man's welfare. But this was not done, 
 I remained a member of the temporal secret society 
 without further rebuke; and Pastor Schaeflfer's testi- 
 mony was not then heard against the Lodgery that 
 menaced the Church even more than the Methodistic 
 revivalism, against which he failed to stand and testify 
 and fight the good fight. 
 
 My pastor did not, on account of my being a 
 secretist, treat me any otherwise than before. He 
 continued to favor me and as far as I now can remem- 
 ber, I continued by my conduct to merit his favor as 
 much as ever. Whether or not he knew of my desire 
 to become a minister of the Gospel, his course always 
 appeared to harmonize with my purpose in this regard. 
 On the occasion of a commencement at Gettysburg, he 
 even arranged for my attendance and provided for 
 my entertainment, though he never suggested any 
 plan to me by which I could study for the ministry. 
 
 I am not sure that I had any plans of my own 
 in this respect. But with or without a plan I labored 
 steadily toward the goal that lay beyond the profession 
 of a printer. Every opportunity that presented itself 
 
 55 
 
fetors oe 9^v ^itt 
 
 for advancing my education was eagerly embraced. 
 Books continued to be my delight, but without losing 
 sight of Christ and the Church. Something like a 
 definite aim was gradually evolved, and my reading 
 and studying were directed towards a preparation for 
 college and the theological seminary. My first need 
 seemed to me now a knowledge of Latin and Greek, 
 which hitherto had not come within the range of my 
 eager pursuit of learning. As an opportunity was 
 given me in the last year of my apprenticeship to earn 
 some money by extra work in the printing office, I 
 made arrangement with the principal of the Harris- 
 burg Academy to take some studies under him in con- 
 nection with my daily work. He was a kindly man 
 that took a fatherly interest in me. The plan agreed 
 upon worked well, notwithstanding the hardship to 
 which it subjected both of us. Lessons were assigned 
 me which I was to prepare after working hours at 
 night and recite before working hours in the morning. 
 He was always ready in the winter even before the 
 day dawned, to hear my recitations, and I was punct- 
 ual in presenting myself in due time, so that I could 
 return for breakfast at the usual hour and be ready 
 for duty with the rest of the workmen. So far as I 
 could see my ambitious efforts to succeed in my studies 
 
 66 
 
^tot^ ot ^^ %itz 
 
 were satisfactory to the principal, Mr. Graham, and 
 I am sure that all was satisfactory to me. The ar- 
 rangement made was meant to be merely temporary, 
 the design being to pursue a regular course as soon 
 as conditions should become favorable. My purpose 
 was to invest my earnings, after my apprenticeship, 
 to the accomplishment of this end. 
 
 My employers favored me and there was no lack 
 of work at good wages. I could come and go pretty 
 much at will. My governing purpose was to study. 
 I accordingly attended the regular classes at the Aca- 
 demy, and good Mr. Graham was released from the 
 burden of hearing recitations before breakfast. As 
 for myself, I hardly realized that it was a hardship, so 
 intent was I upon the work. My most distinct remem- 
 brance of these regular recitations is that of the Latin 
 Class. The teacher was the rector of the Episcopal 
 Church at Harrisburg. He was a fat man, and our 
 recitations were in the first periods after the noonday 
 meal. He sometimes nodded a little, as even Homer 
 is reported as having occasionally done. When my 
 turn came to translate Caesar he was sometimes 
 startled from the little doze which he endeavored in 
 vain to resist. My translation was a persistent effort 
 to put idiomatic Latin into English words, so that the 
 
 ^7 
 
&totv ot 9^^ JLite 
 
 thought of the Latin writer would appear in its own 
 idiom, notwithstanding the difference of language used 
 to express the thought. The construction was of 
 course a curiosity in English, and it was no doubt 
 sufficiently odd to arouse any ordinary sleeper. The 
 good rector could not find it in his heart to reprove 
 me for my attempt to talk Latin in English, nor to 
 forbid the repetition of what to a less competent edu- 
 cator might have looked like levity. He only required 
 me to repeat the sense of the passage in as good Eng- 
 lish as I could command. With the Greek I had more 
 trouble, probably because from the start the erroneous 
 notion had taken possession of my mind that it was a 
 much more difficult language. It perplexed me to the 
 point of despair, though I was not accustomed to be 
 frightened from any purpose by ordinary difficulties. 
 I persevered,- but told my friend, Daniel Worley, who 
 was attending college and with whom I was later to 
 be associated in Church work^ of my arduous labor that 
 seemed so unsatisfactory. To him the work had be- 
 come easy, and although he was not in a situation to 
 give me much direct assistance in my lessons, he greatly 
 encouraged me by referring to his own experience, and 
 my own success in mastering other difficulties which 
 
 were even more formiidable. No doubt the circumr 
 
 58 
 
fetors of 9^V ^itt 
 
 stances contributed not a little to my lack of cheer in 
 my Greek studies. My desire was to be regular in 
 the class preparing for college, but I was deficient in 
 that language. The principal advised me to study 
 Greek privately in the hope of overtaking my class by 
 the opening of next term, promising to help me, and 
 assuring me that with proper application on my part 
 this would be accomplished. The need of hard work 
 was apparent if my plan was to meet with success. It 
 may be that I expected too much, and that on this ac- 
 count I magnified the difficulties and was not much 
 pleased vv^ith the results. Mr. Graham always seemed 
 satisfied with my work when I regularly presented my- 
 self for recitations, or rather examinations, but never 
 informed me whether I was reaching my goal or not. 
 He was evidently preparing me for a surprise. I per- 
 severed, Greek became easier, and I read page after 
 page beyond the ordinary lessons because I liked it. 
 The term closed, and when I with some diffidence in- 
 quired whether the object of my ambition had been 
 reached, the kind-hearted principal smiled and in- 
 formed me that I had passed that class long ago, and 
 was ready for examination with the class a year be- 
 yond it. I do not remember for which class in college 
 the Academy at Harrisburg under Prof. Graham was 
 
 59 
 
fbtotv of ^v ^itt 
 
 preparing pupils, but I was manifestly nearing my 
 goal of entering the class when another event under 
 the Providence of God changed the current; I was not 
 to go to Gettysburg. 
 
 When I was brought to the printing office at Har- 
 risburg in my fourteenth year I was a lad of good 
 physical condition and generally robust health. I had 
 endured hardships, but had no organic disease, and was 
 ready to endure more. But Harrisburg was not a 
 healthy place and malarial affections were frequent. I 
 had been subject to fever before, and was not exempt 
 from it when I became a printer. In the summer it 
 w^as nothing uncommon for me, when chills ran over 
 me, to leave my work and seek refuge under covers 
 while the ague shook the bed and the subsequent fever 
 shook my brains. But this was a matter so common 
 that it was not thought worthy of any special consider- 
 ation. Another trouble was more serious. In some 
 way I became a victim of a most painful disease called 
 inflammatory rheumatism. I think that none but those 
 who have experienced it can know the pain which it 
 inflicts. Probably my clothing was not sufficient for 
 my trip as paper carrier about the city in all sorts of 
 weather, especially as underwear was unknown to me 
 until after years and an overcoat seemed to me a lux- 
 
 60 
 
bm^ nt 2p^ %tit 
 
 ury. My employers were not unkind, and would no 
 doubt have supplied me with everything necessary for 
 my health and even comfort, if I had made known to 
 them what I needed. 
 
 But I was too modest, not too proud, to make 
 known my needs. As I look back upon it now it seems 
 to me that I was as little aware of what I needed as 
 were my employers. Whatever may have been the 
 cause, I suffered from a severe attack of inflamma- 
 tory rheumatism while living at Baab's and another 
 while living at Hummel's. In both cases the family 
 was kind to me, but in both cases the ordinary help 
 was not sufficient to give me the needed attention in my 
 utter helplessness. I suffered intensely for several 
 weeks each time, but each time lived through the agony, 
 so that after an ordeal of intense suffering without 
 sufficient nursing, I could go on with my work. But 
 after another interval of several years came the third 
 attack. This was after my apprenticeship had ended 
 and I was preparing for college, though depending up- 
 on my work to pay expenses. This time the disease, 
 which seems to have become deeply rooted in my 
 racked body, lingered long. Physicians were baffled 
 in their effort to master it. I was so far restored that 
 I returned to work, but always with the result that my 
 
fetorp of 99v ^itt 
 
 pains increased and the work had to be abandoned. 
 Finally I was informed by medical men, several of 
 whom had been consulted in connection with my 
 regular physicians, that there was no hope of recover- 
 ing as long as I continued my work in the printing 
 office, and that I must abandon this entirely. 
 
 Thus my occupation was gone, and what should I 
 do now ? I still had a little m.oney which I had saved 
 amid trying circumstances. The abandonment of my 
 profession as printer did not imply the abandonment 
 of my hopes of becoming a minister. On the contrary, 
 another profession seemed inevitable. My choice had 
 been made. But how attain my end when the pecu- 
 niary means were wanting? It was a discouraging 
 situation, but I did not lose heart and hope. Though 
 my health was broken, it still seemed to me possible 
 to do some work as compositor and at the same time 
 pursue my studies, which now had a definite aim. 
 
 One day in the autumn of 1847, Mr. BaalD came 
 to me with a letter from the United Brethren Publish- 
 ing House, then located at Circleville, Ohio, inquiring 
 whether he could not recommend a man to print the 
 German semi-monthly paper, which was issued there. 
 It was an easy position, requiring a little more than 
 half a man's time to do the work assigned, and the 
 
 62 
 
&totp ot 9$v fiitt 
 
 wages, six dollars per week, was fair, considering the 
 small amount of labor demanded. Messrs. Baab & 
 Hummel both thought that the place was exactly suited 
 to my wants and urged me to accept it. As I desired to 
 divide my time between work and study, and if possible 
 to meet my necessary expenses and still lay aside part 
 of my wages, so that I might after a few years com- 
 plete my studies at some institution of learning, I 
 agreed to go. On the third day after the offer and 
 the consultations about its acceptance, I was on my 
 way to Ohio, which was to become my permanent 
 home. I left Harrisburg as a printer, and had the 
 business of printing in view when I started upon my 
 westward journey, but it was virtually bidding farewell 
 to my vocation as printer. 
 
 63 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 STUDENT. 
 
 HOW I became a student at our Theological Semi- 
 nary at Columbus, is one of the many instances 
 in my life illustrating God's wonderful providence over 
 His children. 
 
 The story begins with my westward journey in the 
 autumn of 1847, although I did not then even know of 
 the existence of such a seminary, and it could not enter 
 my mind to go to Ohio for that purpose. So far as 
 I had thoughts of entering an institution with a view 
 to the ministry, only Gettysburg lay in my horizon. 
 Becoming a minister was definite in my purpose, but 
 only that. The resolve to pursue my calling at Circle- 
 ville as printer was only subsidiary to this governing 
 purpose. Only so far had my journey to Ohio any 
 connection with that which was now the chief object 
 of my life. I went west to take charge of the mechan- 
 ical department of a German religious paper published 
 by the United Brethren. In this I had no interest 
 but that of making an honest living and promoting 
 
 my desire to enter the ministry of the Gospel in the 
 
 64 
 
M. LoY AS A Student. 
 
&totjg of a^« JLitt 
 
 Evaneglical Lutheran Church, in which I was Baptized 
 and confirmed and in which I had so far found my 
 spiritual nourishment. 
 
 In my hasty preparation for a journey that was 
 then thought very long, I had not forgotten to take 
 with me some letters of introduction and recommen- 
 dation, which might prove serviceable to me in my 
 advent among strangers. Two of these proved of 
 importance to me beyond the mere business matter 
 of receiving a welcome at the publishing house where 
 I was employed. One was a general recommendation 
 to any Lutheran pastor whom I might meet, the other 
 was a cordial introduction to Mr. Jos. Geiger, Attorney- 
 at-Law in Circleville. Everything having been ar- 
 ranged to my satisfaction, I started off with a cheerful 
 heart, not dreaming that it was my final adieu to my 
 native state. 
 
 The journey was not without incident. The 
 
 Cumberland Valley Railroad had been built as far as 
 
 Chambersburg, and so far it was easy traveling. But 
 
 the passengers to Pittsburg were more numerous than 
 
 the stage-coaches from that point would accommodate, 
 
 and I could not secure a seat to continue my journey 
 
 on the same day. It was Wednesday, and I learned 
 
 that there were services on that evening in the Lutheran 
 6 96 
 
&totp ot ^v ^itt 
 
 Church. That at once appealed to me as the right 
 place to spend the evening. The attraction was all 
 the greater when I was informed that Dr. Sprecher was 
 pastor of the congregation. He had buried my dear 
 mother and I had not forgotten him. His address 
 was edifying and I did not regret that my journey 
 was delayed, as it gave me a delightful opportunity 
 to hear him preach. But when I presented myself 
 again at the stage office and was told that my turn for 
 an inside passage would not come until the third day, 
 I was discouraged and concluded that it would be 
 wisQT to take an outside seat, which was offered me 
 at once, than to wait several days more for better 
 accommodations and in the meantime spend the little 
 money which I had in store. Accordingly I took an 
 outside seat on an over-crowded coach and went on 
 my way. It was not comfortable when rain came, 
 though it was a little consolation to know that I had 
 a better seat beside the driver than some others who 
 had to content themselves with a less tolerable place on 
 the top of the coach. When we reached the moun- 
 tains sleet came and discomforts increased. The driver 
 was a rough looking man whose speech corresponded 
 with his looks and whose profanity, when occasionally 
 a horse slipped or the coach slid on the icy road along 
 
 6Q 
 
&mv ot 9^» %itt 
 
 the mountain declivities, made me tremble ; but he was 
 a man of gentle heart for all that and showed me 
 nothing but kindness. My frail frame and pale face, 
 the result of the sickness from which I had not yet 
 fully recovered, no doubt rendered me a pitiful sight 
 in the rough weather without sufficient wraps to defy 
 the storm ; and with some ungentle expressions he took 
 off some of his best protection against the sleet and 
 snow that pelted us in the pitiless blasts, and wrapped 
 me up, assuring me that he was used to hardships 
 whilst I would be killed before the morning came by 
 the unmerciful tempest. At the next relay the outside 
 passengers were given an opportunity to warm them- 
 selves and partially dry their clothing at a fire blazing 
 on the hearth of the hostelry, and when notice was 
 given that the coach was ready to start again, I ex- 
 perienced another instance of human sympathy. One 
 of the inside passengers, a large, robust man, who 
 had been noticing me in my sorry plight, approached 
 me and with an air of authority forbade me to proceed 
 on an outside seat in such a condition and in such 
 weather, and upon my assuring him that I was entitled 
 to no other, he declared that I should go where he 
 placed me, and if anybody undertook to molest me he 
 
 would do it at his peril. He then carried me to the 
 
 67 
 
fetarp of 9^v Jiitt 
 
 coach, put me in one of the best inside seats, and no 
 one resented the usurpation. If any one was wronged 
 by the proceeding it was not with my will, and no 
 one disturbed me or reproached me during the journey. 
 At Pittsburg, which I reached without any serious 
 results from the exposure and jolting in crossing the 
 mountains, I took a boat for Zanesville down the Ohio 
 and up the Muskingum River, as there was then a line 
 of boats running between these two places. This part 
 of the trip was a delight to me. It was in marked 
 contrast with the discomforts experienced on the way 
 to the smoky city, of which I had heard much in my 
 boyhood, but in which I was not in a mood to take 
 much interest when I arrived there. The boat was 
 comfortable and the scenery along the banks was 
 beautiful. There was nothing to mar the pleasure 
 of the river voyage. Not even the scraping of the boat 
 in the shallow places disturbed me. But a remark by 
 the pilot, with whom I often conversed when the hours 
 grew long, made it clear to me why the line between 
 Pittsburg and Zanesville was abandoned. Looking 
 forward on the Muskingum and perceiving but a nar- 
 row channel along the banks of sand, I asked him how 
 he would pass such a barrier; he replied that the only 
 rational way was to put on more steam and shut his 
 
btm ot 9^v ilfte 
 
 eyes. It is the way of many a human project. Our 
 boat scraped through and we arrived at Zanesville 
 without disaster. The journey from there to Circle- 
 ville was more adventuresome. It had to be made by 
 stage-coach and the roads were bad. Ohio was then 
 comparatively a new state and in many respects was 
 still in a primitive condition. The national road was 
 indeed in progress and passed through Zanesville. 
 But its course was towards Columbus, whither I was 
 not going and never thought of going. Even the 
 national pike was not inviting to travelers, but "the 
 other roads were almost impassable. Still the coach 
 had other passengers booked for Lancaster besides 
 myself, and started out as usual on its regular trip. 
 With the help of the travelers, who not only walked 
 much of the way, but volunteered their services to 
 prevent upsetting of the coach on the hill-sides and 
 swamping in the mud of low places, we reached our 
 destination in safety, though the way was long and 
 the work was hard. The difficulty was not so great 
 to reach Circleville on the following day, although I 
 learned to appreciate the saying which was common 
 in those days, that travel by coach meant paying the 
 price and walking all the way, with special good for- 
 tune if one was not required to carry a rail to help 
 
&t0t^ ot 9^? Efte 
 
 the coach in swampy emergencies. I learned more of 
 such travel later, when I undertook the prolongation 
 of my journey to Columbus, but was well content 
 when the coach drew up in good condition at the hotel 
 in Circleville, which, so far as I then knew, was the 
 end of my journey. 
 
 After a little refreshment and rest I was now 
 ready for business. Everything was satisfactory at 
 the United Brethren printing establishment, though it 
 seemed to me that a little surprise was manifested at 
 the appearance there of a mere boy to do the expected 
 work. Mr. Geiger, to whom I had a letter of intro- 
 duction from his father, lived across the street from 
 the hotel, and I made no delay in paying him a visit 
 and presenting the letter. He immediately showed 
 an interest in me, and when in our conversation I 
 mentioned Rev. Schaeffer's letter, he proposed at once 
 to accompany me to the house of Rev. J. Roof, who 
 was pastor of the Lutheran congregation at Circleville. 
 We there talked further of my purpose and the result 
 was the proposal of Rev. Roof that I should at once 
 go to Columbus and enter the Theological Seminary 
 of the Ev. Lutheran Synod of Ohio. I had never 
 heard of such a Seminary and of such a Synod, but 
 
 that presented no difficulty to my mind. The difficulty 
 
 70 
 
fetot? of S©g %iU 
 
 was rather that I had assumed an obligation to the 
 printing house at Circleville, and that I had no money 
 to support myself at Columbus, as my trip had well- 
 nigh exhausted my savings. But my new friends 
 persisted in their opinion that the obstacles in my way 
 were not insurmountable. Past. Roof at once proposed 
 to provide for my support at the Seminary, and both 
 he and Mr. Geiger agreed that a way could be found 
 by which I could be honorably released from my con- 
 tract with the United Brethren. At the close of our 
 protracted conference, Mr. Geiger insisted that instead 
 of returning to the hotel, as was my intention, I should 
 accompany him to his house and make that my home 
 during my stay at Circleville. He at once sent for my 
 baggage and had it taken to the comfortable room 
 which he assigned to me. I was bewildered by all this 
 kindness to, a stranger, especially as I was cordially 
 welcomed and treated as a member of the family by 
 Mrs. Geiger, than whom I have rarely met a more 
 intelligent and genial body. The weeks spent in that 
 hospitable home were among the pleasantest of my life, 
 and my heart never ceased to be grateful to my new 
 friends. 
 
 It did not prove as difficult to make arrangements 
 
 for going to Columbus as I had apprehended. The 
 
 71 
 
fetor? ot ^v %iit 
 
 managers of the publishing house were not only rea- 
 sonable, but even generous. They had a just claim 
 upon my services. It was easy to see how my failure 
 to do the work for which I had been employed would 
 embarrass them. The paper must be issued, and I 
 owed it to them as they owed it to their subscribers to 
 issue it. We agreed that I should be freed from all 
 further obligations if I would print two numbers, 
 which would allow them a month's time to secure an- 
 other printer, the paper being a semi-monthly. We 
 further agreed that I should do this work at my con- 
 venience, without waiting until the second issue was 
 due. The editor of the paper furnished the copy as 
 fast as I needed it; and in two weeks my work was 
 done, my purse was replenished by the $24 for four 
 weeks' labor according to the original contract, and 
 I was ready for the Seminary. Meantime Past. Roof 
 had made all the necessary preparations for my recep- 
 tion at Columbus. 
 
 I could have gone on the day after my work was 
 done, but the coach was not ready. Heavy rains had 
 soaked the roads and swollen the streams, and when I 
 with several others appeared at the office, the manager 
 of the stage line informed us that it would be impossible 
 
 to send out a coach that day. We waited until the next 
 
 72 
 
fetotp ot a^p %itt 
 
 morning, but were again told that the horses could 
 not drag the heavy coach through the deep mud and 
 that the streams could not be crossed. This was re- 
 peated several days, when some who had engaged pas- 
 sage to Columbus became uneasy. One morning, long 
 before the dawn appeared, when we presented ourselves 
 as usual at the office, two lawyers protested that longer 
 delay would be unendurable, that on the following day 
 they had business in court which must be attended to, 
 and that some way must be devised to take them to 
 Columbus. My business was not as urgent as theirs, 
 but I was as eager to go as any of them and helped 
 all I could to bring pressure to bear on the manager 
 of the coach line. He was a man to be reasoned with. 
 He appreciated the perplexing situation of those upon 
 whom the necessity lay of being in Columbus on the 
 morrow. But he saw no practicable way of affording 
 relief. He assured us that daily inspections were made 
 of the route, and that as soon as it could be done with- 
 out imminent danger, a coach would be started to Col- 
 umbus. The anxious attorneys insisted that they must 
 go and that heroic measures should be adopted when 
 necessity demands it. The outcome of the earnest 
 consultation was that if a driver could be found who 
 
 would undertake the daring journey and the passen- 
 
 73 
 
fetot^ oe Q$v ^itt 
 
 gers would assume all risks of their lives and their 
 belongings, he would send out a coach. One of the 
 drivers present, who averred that he had gone through 
 many a troublesome trip and who knew little of fear, 
 agreed to go, provided that a pilot should be sent ahead 
 to select the path and the route; and the passengers 
 agreed to assume all risks so far as it concerned them- 
 selves. It was expressly agreed that if at any point 
 on the way the pilot should decide that the coach can 
 go no further, the passengers must themselves provide 
 a way to go on or to get back. It was not a wise 
 agreement, but the voice of the attorney who had large 
 interests at stake prevailed, and we all consented. So 
 we started off about day-break on the venturesome trip. 
 I am diffident about saying much of our adven- 
 tures because, as conditions now are, some of them will 
 hardly seem probable. It was a perilous journey. 
 Ever and anon the pilot on horse-back would come back 
 to the coach and inform the driver that he must leave 
 the roadway which was washed by overflowing streams, 
 if he was still resolved to go on. Fences were laid 
 down and we went on. Once he reported that the 
 bridge across a creek which we must pass was a foot 
 or more under water, and that we must stop or risk our 
 lives in the current. We went on without missing the 
 
 74 
 
fetot? ot ^v ^itt 
 
 overflowed bridge, and reached the other side in safety. 
 At another time he reported that a bridge was entirely 
 washed away and that there was no possibiHty of 
 further advance unless a way were devised to effect a 
 crossing. Under the driver's direction we built an 
 emergency bridge and crossed it without mishap. At 
 another place he reported that a mere rivulet had be- 
 come too deep for horses and coach, and that it would 
 endanger the lives of all the passengers to attempt a 
 crossing. A council, was held and in the desperate 
 mood which possessed all of us, we voted that the 
 driver should plunge into the current in the endeavor 
 to reach the other side. — He failed. — The coach 
 stuck fast in the middle of the stream and no effort 
 could move it. But as the bed of the rivulet was 
 narrow, the leading horses were with their front feet 
 on the other side, while the coach was mired in the 
 middle. The only proper thing to do now was to climb 
 out and over the horses, which we all did and thus 
 escaped, while the coach, relieved of its load, was pulled 
 through without damage. With much labor we finally 
 reached Columbus after night-fall, weary, but un- 
 harmed. 
 
 During the few weeks of my sojourn at Circle- 
 ville I had made some pleasant acquaintances besides 
 
 75 
 
fetors ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 the good friends who received me so cordially, and I 
 left with some regret to go again among strangers. 
 But it has always been my happy lot to find good peo- 
 ple in the world that lieth in wickedness. Pastor Roof 
 had prepared the way for me in Columbus, and 1 was 
 at once welcomed at the Seminary as a brother, not 
 treated as a stranger, and I soon felt myself at home 
 in the new conditions and surroundings. 
 
 Rev. C. Spielmann, who had charge of the board- 
 ing house, received me kindly, and he and his good 
 wife, who was one of the most motherly of women, 
 did all that was possible for my comfort, so that it was 
 not long until I was enjoying the balmy sleep that 
 tired nature needs for its restoration. The morning 
 found me rested and ready for work. But everything 
 was unusual around me and I had to adapt myself to 
 circumstances that were strange to me, though I was 
 not treated as a stranger. 
 
 Rev. Spielmann, the head of the family in which 
 
 the boarders of the Seminary belonged, was a man 
 
 whose one passion was love for Christ and the Church 
 
 which He had purchased with His own blood, and 
 
 which He had constituted His Body, and for the Ev. 
 
 Lutheran Church in particular with its pure word and 
 
 sacrament as the only adequate representation of that 
 
 76 
 
Rf-V. C". Si'ir.i.MAX 
 
&tot? 0t m 2t(te 
 
 Body among the visible churches. He had been one 
 of the first students of the Columbus Seminary, and 
 in his poverty was inured to hardships. His zeal in 
 the work of the ministry had well nigh consumed him, 
 and although yet a young man was already an invalid. 
 But as long as he was able to do anything to promote 
 the interests of the Church, he refused to rest from his 
 labors, and still continued, as he did throughout a 
 long life, to do what he could. He was now, besides 
 being house-father to the Seminary, the chief Editor 
 of the Lutheran Standard, an English semi-monthly 
 journal which the Ohio Synod was publishing under 
 many difficulties. To his influence I am indebted for 
 much of the good which afterwards inspired me in the 
 work of the Church, and for many years I had the 
 pleasure of counting him one of my closest friends and 
 of working together with him in the service of the 
 dear Master who is our Saviour. He left us only a 
 few years ago, and as I write I anticipate the joy of 
 meeting him in our heavenly home not many days 
 
 hence. 
 
 In the morning I was introduced to Prof. W. F. 
 Lehmann, who was at that time the only teacher in the 
 Seminary. He, too, received me kindly, but with less 
 demonstrativeness than his older co-worker in the 
 
 77 
 
fetot^ ot 9^v Jiitt 
 
 cause to which they were equally devoted. He, too, 
 had received his theological education at the Seminary 
 of which he was now the head, and had been a fel- 
 low student with Rev. Spielmann. They had en- 
 dured hardness together as students, had labored 
 in the ministry, and remained fast friends during 
 all their lives. Prof. Lehmann was then barely 
 twenty-six years of age, but during the short period 
 of his service before my becoming a student under 
 him had already given proof of his fitness for the 
 place to which he had been called. He had not had 
 the advantages of a thoi''ough college training, but his 
 attainments in many of the branches usually taught at 
 colleges were superior to those of many a graduate, 
 and his intellectual power was extraordinary. He had 
 not the magnetism of Rev. Spielmann, but I soon 
 learned to appreciate his gifts and untiring devotion to 
 his work, and found in him, while a student and ever 
 after, a constant friend, whose conscientiousness atoned 
 for his apparent coldness. 
 
 In a few days I learned how provision was made 
 for the support of theological students who lacked 
 means of their own. I was called before a Synodical 
 committee for an examination, and as this proved sat- 
 isfactory was received as a beneficiary. That meant 
 
 78 
 
m'^^^^:: ^' ^"V'5^.A:^r^:^^^^str;^/<^/p 
 
 '^^>^;%^;>fff-' ; 
 
 Pkof. W. F. Lehmaxx. 
 
&tot^ oe 9^v ^itt 
 
 that the Synod would provide for my board and furn- 
 ish me a room, while for all the rest I must look to my 
 own resources. At the end of each term it was re- 
 quired that a note should be given by the beneficiary 
 for the amount expended, said note made payable 
 without interest whenever he felt able to refund the 
 money. The terms seemed to me perfectly fair, and 
 so they seem to me still. I presume that I was as 
 sensitive in regard to the needless imposition of bur- 
 dens as the average student, but the debt never bur- 
 dened me, although it admonished me to indulge in no 
 luxuries which would require the use of money that 
 was much needed in a work whose benefits I held in 
 grateful remembrance. My salary was small when I 
 entered the ministry, but it required only economy 
 which is desirable under any circumstances to refund 
 in a few years all that was received. The plan adopted 
 in that day of small things was excellent, and with 
 a few modifications looking to a better certification of 
 the applicant's worthiness would still be better, in my 
 estimation, than any which has been adopted since. 
 With my small savings, amounting now to little more 
 than the wages which I received for my work at Cir- 
 cleville, my financial prospects were not brilliant, but 
 I returned to my room in good spirits. What I had 
 
 79 
 
fetot^ 0t 9^^ Jiitt 
 
 long desired was now realized. I was a regular stu- 
 dent in a Theological Seminary. 
 
 There was as little grandeur in my new environ- 
 ment as there was in the magnitude of my purse. I 
 had a little preparation for this in the contrast between 
 the Lutheran Church in Circleville and that at Har- 
 risburg, and I was not offended or in any way dissat- 
 isfied or disheartened. The Ohio Synod, if not still 
 in its infancy, being nearly thirty years of age, had 
 only recently learned to walk and go forward without 
 its Pennsylvania mother. It had worked hard and 
 struggled bravely, small and poor as it was, and had 
 reached its present stage through tribulations. It was 
 barely twelve years old when it established the Sem- 
 inary at Canton, and this consisted only in appointing 
 Rev. Wm, Schmidt, who was pastor at that place, to 
 prepare several young men for the ministry. A year 
 later he was transferred to Columbus with his little 
 company of students. When he died at an early age, 
 the Synod had grown somewhat stronger and at- 
 tempted larger things. Two professors of theology 
 were appointed, but dissensions arose between them, 
 and they had to abandon the work. A less sturdy 
 body of Christians might have been discouraged and 
 abandoned it with them. The Synod did not abandon 
 
 80 
 
m O 
 
 HI J 
 
 u 
 
 <? ^ ^ 
 
u 
 
&t0tp ot 9^p %iit 
 
 it, but went forward in the name of the Lord, and did 
 not fail. The blow to the Seminary was severe, in- 
 volving the congregation which had been gathered in 
 Columbus and making further support of the institu- 
 tion difficult. Synod was forced to begin again on a 
 smaller scale. When I entered the Seminary it had 
 but the one professor who had but recently taken up 
 the work, and of him more was expected than any 
 man could adequately render. But Prof. Lehmann was 
 a man of rugged and great power of physical endur- 
 ance as well as of stalwart faith and indomitable will, 
 and the work was in good progress when I came. He 
 had reorganized the congregational work, forming two 
 congregations, one German, the other English, of both 
 of which he was pastor; and also the seminary work, 
 forming a preparatory school after the manner of an 
 academy, and a school for the study of theology after 
 the manner of a seminary, of both of which he was 
 teacher. It was a herculean task for which no man 
 was sufficient, but he did what he could and his work 
 was not in vain in the Lord. The work gradually 
 grew, help was supplied as means increased, and the 
 institution became one of power and influence in the 
 land. 
 
 The Seminary had a fine piece of property in the 
 6 81 
 
fetot^ Dt ^v ^itt 
 
 southern portion of the city, consisting of ten acres of 
 land extending from High street westward to the 
 Scioto river. On this the Synod had erected a two- 
 story brick house which served as a residence for the 
 professor and the necessary class room, and a larger 
 three-story building which was comparatively new as 
 a home for the house-father and a boarding house 
 for the students. In the rear of the latter was a frame 
 structure where the "Lutheran Standard" was printed. 
 Everything was plain and unpretentious, but it was 
 adapted to the simple wants of the institution, and all 
 were contented and thankful to be so well housed. 
 
 In connection with the theological branches, 
 which I pursued with eager assiduity, I continued the 
 study of Latin and Greek, later adding also the He- 
 brew. There were but one or two others who were 
 far enough advanced to form with me a class in Livy 
 and Homer, while the class reading the Greek New 
 Testament contained a few more. As there were only 
 eight or ten of us in all, and some of these only in the 
 preparatory department without designing to study 
 theology, the classes were necessarily small. This en- 
 abled the over-burdened teacher to give more attention 
 to the wants of each individual during the recitations, 
 
&mv ot 9$v ^itt 
 
 although it imposed the necessity of making these less 
 frequent. 
 
 I made satisfactory progress in the study of lan- 
 guages, to which my work in the preparatory course 
 was limited, so that when I left the Seminary I could 
 read the easier theological Latin without much need 
 of mental translation, and had a good foundation for 
 the study of the Scriptures in the original tongues 
 for all the practical purposes of a pastor. To a critical 
 scholarship in philology, as it is requisite for learned 
 exegesis, I never attained, as circumstances always 
 directed my studies into a different channel. 
 
 But I had come to Columbus for the purpose of 
 preparing for the ministry, and as I had acquired suf- 
 ficient knowledge of languages to meet all the demands 
 of the Seminary, my main strength was devoted to 
 theology, of which I knew but little. That a system 
 different from that in vogue at Gettysburg, whither I 
 had intended to go as soon as my means would permit, 
 was taught here, did not at all trouble me. I was too 
 ignorant of doctrinal differences to make any account 
 of this, and when in the progress of my study I became 
 aware of dividing lines between churches of different 
 denominations and of disagreements and distinctions 
 even among those calling themselves Lutherans, my 
 
fetors ot 99v llitt 
 
 choice was already made. I knew Christianity only 
 as I learned it in the Lutheran Church, and the Luth- 
 eran theology as it was taught in the Seminary was 
 built on the foundation which had been laid in my 
 soul and accorded with the faith by which I lived my 
 Christian life, so that I had no difficulties in this re- 
 spect. What was taught in the Catechism of Luther 
 and in the Augsburg Confession, with which I now 
 became acquainted, seemed to me in exact accordance 
 with what is taught in the Scriptures, the inspiration 
 and infallible authority of which I never doubted. 
 Thus as I grew in the knowledge of the Bible and of 
 the Lutheran Confession, I grew also in my admira- 
 tion of the great Church of the Reformation and 
 waxed stronger in the faith which that Church con- 
 fesses. Notwithstanding that I had come from a con- 
 gregation of the General Synod, which was not in the 
 best repute among Ohioans, my Lutheran faith and 
 firmness were never called in question. The history 
 of the Church made it plain to me that the kingdom 
 which Christ established on earth and which is founded 
 upon the truth to which He bears witness, cannot be 
 maintained by human wisdom or might, but lives and 
 flourishes only by the power of its King, and that its 
 subjects are loyal and render effectual service in main- 
 
 84 
 
&tDt^ Dt ^V ^itt 
 
 taining and spreading that kingdom only when they 
 strictly adhere to that truth and become witnesses both 
 of its heavenly authority and saving power. And this 
 other thing became plain to me also, that the Reforma- 
 tion was the work of this King of saints and the Luth- 
 eran Church is the result of that work. In accordance 
 with this it seemed to me that complete fidelity to the 
 Lord required strict fidelity to the Lutheran Church. 
 Of course, not everything pertaining to this subject 
 was then perfectly clear in my mind, but my Lutheran 
 convictions were growing in strength. 
 
 To this my intercourse with Rev. Spielmann per- 
 haps contributed as much as the instruction of Prof. 
 Lehmann. I think both were then more pronounced in 
 their Lutheranism than was usual in the Ohio Synod, 
 but by no means in antagonism to the prevailing senti- 
 ment. They were leaders and were therefore in ad- 
 vance of the flock. But Pastor Spielmann, who was 
 much more a man of feeling and therefore less reticent 
 than our teacher, who never became enthusiastic and 
 had not the gift of inspiring others with enthusiasm, 
 was the leading spirit among us boys. He loved the 
 Church of the Reformation with a love so intense that 
 it would find expression always and everywhere, if 
 the least opportunity was offered. 
 
 85 
 
fetotp Dt ^v ^itt 
 
 At that time the work of the Saxon Lutherans 
 who formed the Synod of Missouri had already begun, 
 and the "Lutheraner" was read with avidity by Bro. 
 Spielmann and regularly given to me for perusal. I 
 read it eagerly, and rejoiced in the testimony which it 
 gave to the truth which the Reformation had restored 
 to the Church and in the zeal which it displayed in the 
 defence of that truth. It was a good work which the 
 Missourians took in hand, and it did not require much 
 Lutheran life to subject a person to the stimulating 
 power of their fervent zeal and stirring appeals. 
 
 As far as I can remember there was not the re- 
 motest danger that the publications of the Lutherans 
 of Missouri, and Bro. Spielmann's sympathy with their 
 earnest self-denying labors, would work any injury to 
 our Seminary and its aims and interests, notwithstand- 
 ing that the men at the head of the Lutheran move- 
 ment in the west were not partial to the Ohio Synod, 
 from which a few of those who joined it had seceded. 
 At that time there was great need for strenuous efforts 
 to revive in Lutheran hearts a consciousness of their 
 rich heritage, and so far as these efforts met with any 
 success in our vSeminary it inured entirely to the ben- 
 efit of the Ohio Synod, which never had a more loyal 
 and devoted member than Rev. Spielmann, and among 
 
fetors ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 the students probably I was more powerfully influenced 
 than the others, and I labored in the Ohio Synod with 
 a heart sincerely devoted to its welfare and its work 
 all my life. 
 
 The antecedents of all of us were such as to sug- 
 gest the need of such a tonic to brace us against the 
 strong winds of liberalism and fanaticism and union- 
 ism that were blowing over the land, or to stir us up 
 amid the indifferentism which was destroying all earn- 
 est faith and life. Of my fellow students two were 
 from Germany and had little knowledge of the 
 Church's condition and wants in this land of sects; 
 one had studied law and like the other two, whose ex- 
 perience had all been gathered in state churches, had 
 great confidence in the power of government by eccle- 
 siastical authority; one was from Switzerland, who 
 with all his piety needed a better appreciation of pure 
 doctrine ; the other two were from Ohio congregations 
 and had not had more opportunity than myself to know 
 the history of the Lutheran Church and to realize its 
 high calling in this land of the free. In every respect 
 the literature of the "old Lutherans" circulated among 
 us was a benefit to the Seminary. It v/as an effective 
 agency to counteract the evil tendencies of the time 
 to make the great Church of the Reformation merely 
 
 87 
 
fetors ot 9^v ILiU 
 
 an insignificant sect among the other denominations 
 of this country. Prof. Lehmann never fully sympa- 
 thized with the exclusiveness of the Lutheranism re- 
 cently imported from Germany, and he had some 
 reason for this, because it made too little account of 
 the past history of the Church in America and of ex- 
 isting conditions in consequence of that history ; but I 
 think he was glad of the assistance which it rendered 
 him in impressing on our minds the preciousness of 
 the doctrines which he taught. 
 
 During my stay at the Seminary I confined myself 
 closely to my studies, going out but little and restrict- 
 ing my social life almost exclusively to those connected 
 with the Seminary. Occasionally I visited families 
 connected with our small congregation in the city, 
 especially those of Messrs. Lewis and John Heyl, who 
 always treated me kindly. As I was a lover of music, 
 I met with the choir of the church once a week, and 
 occasionally Prof. Lehmann honored me by calling at 
 my room to play duetts on the flute, an instrument of 
 which we were both fond, though he was much the 
 better player. Now and then I was the guest of a 
 family in the country, where I sometimes spent sev- 
 eral days with great delight and equal benefit. The 
 company of ladies was not sought. It was much en- 
 
 88 
 
&tot? ot 9^v f^itt 
 
 joyed when it came in my way, but I did not crave it, 
 thinking then as I think now that students can do their 
 work better without much indulgence in such pleas- 
 ures. 
 
 To meet my necessary expenses after my little 
 stock of money was exhausted I fell back upon my 
 trade. The "Standard" was printed in a small build- 
 ing in the rear of the boarding house, and the printers 
 usually had work for me when I applied. In former 
 years I had learned how to engage in work and study 
 at the same time. I never allowed my labor in the 
 printing office to interfere with my work in the Sem- 
 inary, but earned my money while my fellow students 
 played or slept. This was not conducive to my health, 
 as it had not been in my earlier experiences at Harris- 
 burg, but I had no other means of putting money into 
 my empty purse. So far as I can recollect I received, 
 during my whole Seminary course, only two dollars 
 that I did not earn by my own labor. These were given 
 me by Pastor Roof, at whose instance I had come to 
 Columbus, at whose house I always found a hospita- 
 ble home when I chose to visit Circleville, who dur- 
 ing my whole course took a kindly interest in my 
 welfare, and to whom I never ceased to be grateful. 
 It was always a source of regret to me that he, after 
 
&torp ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 I began my work in the ministry, interpreted my disa- 
 greement with him in some matters of Church practice 
 as sheer ingratitude. But I had no reason to complain 
 since I had the power to supply my needs by God's 
 blessing through my own labor. When our own print- 
 ing office could not give me enough work, as during 
 vacations, the State Journal printing house in the city 
 was always ready to employ me, and it was something 
 of a temptation to me that, at the close of my studies 
 at the Seminary, a position was offered me as printer 
 with wages much in excess of the salary which I was 
 to receive as minister of the gospel. But God gave 
 me grace to adhere to my purpose, notwithstanding 
 the great difficulties which by His inscrutable provi- 
 dence sometimes came in the way of its execution. 
 
 My health was not robust when I entered the Sem- 
 inary, and it was not better when I left it. Nearly 
 during my whole course I suffered from nervous head- 
 ache. A renewed attack of inflammatory rheuma- 
 tism with its intense pain kept me confined for the 
 usual term of several weeks in almost perfect helpless- 
 ness while I was at the Seminary. But I was not dis- 
 mayed. After the disease had run its course, I con- 
 tinued my studies, notwithstanding the hindrance 
 caused by my infirmity. But in the last term a more 
 
 90 
 
&t0t» ot 9^ %iU 
 
 serious impediment was interposed. One morning 
 upon arising, without knowing the cause, I found it 
 difficult to speak, and when later I attempted to play 
 the flute, I failed to produce a sound. Closer investi- 
 gation showed that my left eye would not close, that 
 my face was drawn awry, and that the muscles of the 
 whole left side of the face refused to perform their 
 functions. After several days of worry over what I 
 thought was an unusually severe cold, I consulted a 
 physician. He pronounced it facial paralysis and in- 
 formed me that a cure, if possible at all, would be a 
 slow process. The process was so slow that there was 
 ample reason for disheartenment. Other physicians 
 were consulted, six or eight in all, and none gave me 
 much encouragement, one insisting that it must affect 
 my brain and make further progress in intellectual 
 pursuits impossible, and another warning me that a 
 complete paralysis of my left side would probably 
 follow in the near future. Only one of them, the well 
 known Dr. Smith, gave me any hope. It was a trying 
 time, and little comfort was to be found anywhere, but 
 in the goodness of God, who had thus far blessed me 
 above all I could ask or think. I had no pain, but my 
 studies were continued only with difficulty under cir- 
 cumstances so distressing. Dr. Smith persevered, but 
 
 91 
 
&tor^ oC S?p ILitt 
 
 without much apparent success. My friends extended 
 their sympathy and did for my comfort what lay in 
 their power, but my hopes seemed blasted on the eve 
 of their fulfilment. It was not easy for others to advise 
 or for me to decide what to do. Prof. Lehmann told 
 me that if I did not recover it was manifestly the Lord's 
 will that I should serve Him in some other way than 
 by preaching the gospel, and assured me that He who 
 doeth all things well would provide for me, whatever 
 betide. It was all true, and I beheved it all, but the 
 comfort seemed to me cold. There was nothing for me 
 to do but to go on with the work in hand as well as 
 I could and await further developments. One day 
 Dr. Smith appeared in an unusually happy mood after 
 examining me. There were slight twitchings in the 
 paralyzed muscles of my face responding to the treat- 
 ment with strychnine, and this gave him hope of ulti- 
 mate success. He then informed me that there was 
 but one more remedy known to him, that he had re- 
 solved to try this yet, and that if this failed he would 
 abandon the case as hopeless. Now he was confident 
 that help was at hand. The strychnine treatment was 
 continued with new energy, the improvement was daily 
 noticeable, and in a few weeks I was able to close my 
 eye and move my lip. I could again articulate dis- 
 
 92 
 
fetotg Ot 9^V ^ife 
 
 tinctly, and in a month or two it was evident to all 
 concerned that my affliction would be no bar to my 
 entering the ministry. Praising God I took courage, 
 and when the time fixed for the examination of can- 
 didates came I was ready. That my course at the 
 Seminary was so short was not my doing. The author- 
 ities no doubt placed me on the list because there was 
 a scarcity of ministers and I was thought qualified for 
 the work. 
 
 According to information received afterwards I 
 had been selected for the Somerset charge, which was 
 one of the most important vacancies in the Synod, and 
 in which both Rev. Spielmann and Prof. Lehmann had 
 been pastors, but that my conduct on a certain occasion 
 had changed the purpose of those making the nomin- 
 ations. That was not creditable to me. But I was en- 
 tirely innocent in the matter, as others acted on the 
 presumption that I had a knowledge of certain facts 
 of which I was entirely ignorant. But I never had 
 reason to regret that I was called to Delaware, even if 
 it were true that under other circumstances I would 
 have been proposed for another charge. The two con- 
 gregations forming the Delaware charge elected me 
 as their pastor, and thither in the name of the Lord I 
 went as minister of the gospel. 
 
 93 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 PASTOR. 
 
 WHEN I bade adieu to the Seminary I was not 
 yet fully aware of the things that were before 
 me; but I started off on a rather rough day in the 
 stage-coach to assume the pastorate at Delaware. 
 Probably if I had known beforehand all that this meant, 
 I would not have gone in a mood so cheerful. Neither 
 the solemn import of the pastoral office in general, with 
 its arduous work and fearful responsibilities, nor the 
 peculiar demands of the charge accepted at Delaware, 
 were adequately appreciated. I use the word probably, 
 because it would not be just to myself if I had made 
 the impression that I entered upon the great office 
 with a boyish levity that had little regard for the in- 
 finite import of the work undertaken. I had some 
 sense of this and did not rush recklessly into the office ; 
 but that sense deepened and became more terrifying 
 as I grew older, and my special charge became better 
 known. 
 
 I had just reached the twenty-first year of my age 
 
 when I began my work at Delaware, in March, 1849. 
 
 94 
 
&tDt» ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 Physically I was not in a condition to endure much 
 hardness, an emaciated, pale faced youth, looking so 
 frail, as I was afterwards told, that when the subject 
 of sending a delegate to Synod, which met a few 
 months later, was discussed among the members, the 
 fear that I would die on the way was a factor to be 
 reckoned with. I could not impress the congregation 
 as a man inured to hard labor and ready for emer- 
 gencies. But I was zealously affected in the good 
 cause in which I was engaged, the congregation was 
 satisfied, and gradually gave me their confidence, 
 and God in His goodness blessed my labors, notwith- 
 standing all their human imperfections, and crowned 
 them with success. My weak body was more than 
 counterbalanced by the strength which the Lord 
 whom I served had given my soul, and the Gospel 
 which I preached exerted its power unto salvation. 
 People said that my preaching was eloquent and there- 
 fore effective ; but eloquence is a virtue, and those who 
 speak because they believe, and set forth the eternal 
 truth in a tone and manner making it plain to all hear- 
 ers that they are ready to die for it, are always eloquent, 
 though they have only the little learning and command 
 of language which I possessed, or even less. 
 
 The condition of the charge which I accepted was 
 95 
 
fetot^ ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 not inspiring, unless it be assumed, as may be done 
 without trifling with logic, that the greater the need 
 of zealous work the greater the inspiration to an 
 earnest soul to exert all its powers for its performance. 
 My predecessors in the congregation at Delaware 
 were not impressed with the necessity of maintaining 
 the principles of the Ev. Lutheran Church with the 
 strictness which in the palmy days of the Reformation 
 led to the separation of the Zwinglians and the Calvin- 
 ists from the Lutheran Church. Our congregation and 
 that of the German Reformed occupied the same build- 
 ing, using it for worship on alternate Sundays. It was 
 said that in earlier days one pastor for both was 
 thought sufficient, and that promiscuous communion 
 troubled no one's conscience. Liberalism and what was 
 called brotherly love extended even so far that Re- 
 formed ministers prepared the children of both denomi- 
 nations for confirmation, using the catechisms of both 
 for instruction, and making only this difference that 
 afterwards the Lutheran catechumens were confirmed 
 by a Lutheran pastor who was invited to officiate for 
 the occasion. As one good turn deserves another, the 
 Lutheran pastor was expected to render the Reformed 
 party the same service. Matters were not quite so 
 
 bad when I took charge at Delaware. According to 
 
 96 
 
The Rev. M. Loy as Pastor at Delaware, Ohio. 
 
fetotp ot 9p^ %itt 
 
 my remembrance it would even have been impossible 
 for me to accept the call pledging me to treat the Re- 
 formed as if they were Lutherans, and no such obli- 
 gation was imposed upon me. The Reformed congre- 
 gation had its own pastor, and I was simply called to 
 be pastor of the Lutheran congregation which wor- 
 shiped in the same church building. 
 
 There was a small congregation at Middletown, 
 now Prospect, which was part of the parish to which 
 I was called. As that was dependent for its minis- 
 trations upon Delaware, the conditions there were the 
 same. If any distinction must be made it was even 
 more decidedly unionistic than the mother congrega- 
 tion. There also the Reformed and the Lutheran 
 united in building a church, and when the Reformed 
 had a pastor at Delaware, he preached also at Prospect. 
 
 That the congregations were neither large nor 
 wealthy is manifest from the provision made for my 
 support. No fixed salary was promised, but a sub- 
 scription was started and I was to receive the amount 
 collected, which would aggregate $250. Delaware 
 raising $170 and Prospect $80. 
 
 The question of money had never much engaged 
 
 my thoughts, except so far as it was necessary to meet 
 
 my necessary expenses, and I thought I could live on 
 7 97 
 
fetot^ ot 9dv ^itt 
 
 the sum indicated, and even on less if an emergency 
 came. Subsequent developments showed how import- 
 ant my unselfishness, at least in this respect, was for 
 the work which I had taken in hand. 
 
 My sincere purpose and corresponding effort was 
 to preach the Gospel in its purity as well as I knew 
 how, and to declare the whole counsel of God as plainly 
 as I could, without much fear of men and without much 
 conscious endeavor to gain their favor. But 1 am 
 writing now of events that lie half a century behina 
 me, and the picture may receive some coloring and 
 some shading from present mental conditions. But to 
 the best of my recollection my sincere desire was to set 
 forth the truth of God and to move the people to ac- 
 cept it and manifest this acceptance by a life of holiness 
 to their Redeemer's praise. That I did not conceal the 
 distinctive doctrines of the Lutheran Church, but rather 
 gave prominence to them and sometimes, as occasion 
 offered, in polemical opposition to errors set against 
 them, was under the circumstances unavoidable. In 
 my pastoral visits also the condition of the congrega- 
 tion and the superior claims of the Lutheran as the 
 mother Church of Protestantism was a favorite topic 
 of conversation. Little by little a better appreciation 
 of our rich possessions as Ev. Lutherans was thus in- 
 
&tot^ DC ^jV %itt 
 
 stilled, and our people stood less shamefaced and less 
 wavering amid the wind and waves of fanaticism which 
 swept over our town of Delaware, where the Metho- 
 dists had located their Wesleyan University and which 
 was so much under the sway of Methodism that people 
 talked about changing its name to Wesley ville. Some 
 of the more sanguine of that denomination even were 
 bold to prophesy that not many years hence the only 
 churches of the town would be Methodist. When 
 members of my congregation told me of these things 
 my answer could hardly be other than that ''the Word 
 of God they shall let stand and not a thank have for 
 it." My people became more firm and bold, and I was 
 not dismayed but rather stirred up to exert all the 
 power that God gave me to proclaim and defend His 
 truth, against which the gates of hell, I well knew, 
 should not prevail. By the grace of God my people 
 grew stronger, and I grew stronger with them. And 
 the congregation prospered as never before. 
 
 At the start the weakness manifested was mostly 
 my ov/n. When we had gained a little standing in 
 the town I was overrun with Unionistic petitions to join 
 in various enterprises of the churches and enlist my 
 congregation in their promotion. Not willing to for- 
 feit the little prestige which we had gained, I warded 
 
 99 
 
fetors of 9^v JMt 
 
 off the solicitations by various pleas, chief among 
 which was that our congregation was German and that 
 this would not permit an active co-operation with 
 English congregations. If there is anything v/hich I 
 am now ashamed of, as I look back upon these trying 
 times, it is this temporizing with sects against which 
 I was bound to contend. But it was only for a little 
 while that the flesh gained ascendency by resorts to 
 the sophistry of human reason. The sectarians, under 
 the promptings of a false conception of Christian love, 
 insisted in their efforts to enlist me in their unionistic 
 projects until I was compelled and by the grace of God 
 was enabled to stand unequivocally by my colors and 
 declare my inability with a good conscience to comply 
 with their request. Then I had peace and, while wild 
 fanatics condemned me and my people, I gained in the 
 respect of the more intelligent part of the community 
 and in the confidence of my congregation. 
 
 But it was not the Delaware public to which I was 
 called to minister. Its estimate of me, important as 
 it was in regard to my moral worth, was a secondary 
 matter in regard to my Church work. With a position 
 that I was compelled to take in regard to the relation of 
 my congregation to others, I could not expect the sym- 
 pathy ""of Christians who professed a different faith, 
 
 100 
 
fetotg 0f ^v ^itt 
 
 especially since then as now the prevailing sentiment 
 was against emphasizing distinctive doctrines and 
 favorable to fraternal fellowship without reference to 
 denominational differences. It is a well nigh hopeless 
 task in our time to convince members of a sect that 
 divisions in the Church are sin, and that persistence in 
 the maintenance of separate church organizations, 
 without insisting on their distinctive doctrines as a jus- 
 tification in conscience of the division so rendered nec- 
 essary by fidelity to the truth revealed in the Holy 
 Scriptures, is a confession of guilt. It ought to be plain 
 to any sane mind that a difference which justified the 
 organization of the separate church must forbid church 
 fellowship with those from whom the separation took 
 place. If it is possible with a good conscience to re- 
 main in fellowship with the church to which we belong 
 it is a violation of the divine command to start a new 
 church ; if it is impossible and thus a scriptural ground 
 of separation exists, that which makes it necessary to 
 renounce the former fellowship must remain a barrier 
 in the way of fellowship after as well as before the 
 separation. I was a Lutheran. Christianity as I knew 
 it, and as I know it now, is Lutheran. My maternal 
 training, my Christian experiences, and my theological 
 
 education, were all Lutheran. I had indeed learned 
 
 101 
 
fetor? of 9^v ^itt 
 
 something of other clenoniinations of Christians. My 
 habit when I was a printer at Harrisburg was, at one 
 period, to attend any church that suited my fancy. I 
 visited camp meetings and was a spectator at many a 
 so-called revival. I had no prejudices that hindered 
 the effect of any legitimate appeal to my conscience. 
 My ignorance of denominational diilerences was a 
 protection against that. But I was sincere when at my 
 confirmation I vowed allegiance to the Ev. Lutheran 
 Church. My theological education did not teach me to 
 ignore other churches. I learned somicthing more about 
 them and I was not induced to depreciate the good 
 that is in them. But I learned something more also 
 about the Lutheran Church and was heartily in accord 
 with what I learned. I was now called to be a Lu- 
 theran pastor, and as a Lutheran 1 meant to be honest. 
 Other denoniinations, while at least the better people 
 among them appreciated this feature in my character, 
 did not like its necessary consequences in my conduct. 
 Some incidents, although they did not all occur in the 
 earliest years of my ministry, may be related to show 
 the difficulties under which I labored, but at the same 
 time to impress the wisdom of strict adherence to the 
 Lutheran Confession in building up Lutheran congre^ 
 gations. 
 
 102 
 
&totv of ^V ^itt 
 
 The spirit and method of my ministry was noised 
 abroad, and especially the Methodists, who largely 
 controlled the sentiment of the community, took um- 
 brage at my honest work. Three mJles south of Dela- 
 ware there was a Methodist congregation at a small 
 village called Stratford. One day a lady of my con- 
 gregation who lived there came to my house with the 
 information, that the preacher there had made a savage 
 attack upon the Lutheran Church with the view of 
 creating a prejudice against me and my congregation. 
 A goodly number of our members lived in that vicinity 
 and these he desired to win. The lady was a staunch 
 and intelligent Lutheran, and had taken notes. These 
 she gave me with the request to do what I could to 
 counteract the prejudicial influence that had been ex- 
 erted. I declared my readiness to preach at Stratford 
 in reply to the attack made upon us, and requested her 
 to have an appointment made at some appropriate place 
 for the purpose. A few days later a delegation came 
 from Stratford asking my consent to deliver my reply 
 in the same church in which the attack was made and on 
 my remarking that it hardly seemed possible to secure 
 the Methodist Church for such a purpose, and that it 
 would be of doubtful propriety to use it on such an 
 occasion if it could be obtained, the answer was given 
 
 103 
 
&tor^ oC 9$v ^ite 
 
 that the church in question, though occupied by the 
 Methodists, was built by the community with the ex- 
 press understanding that it should be open to all de- 
 nominations, and that they would claim it as a right 
 that I should be permitted to preach there. I con- 
 sented to leave the whole matter to them, and an 
 appointment was made for me in the church. I 
 promptly appeared at the appointed time and preached 
 my sermon to an audience which crowded the house. 
 Of course my purpose was to answer the charges made 
 against the Lutheran Church and against me, as the 
 pastor at Delaware. In the days of my youth I was 
 perhaps more enthusiastic than was meet, but as 1 re- 
 member the circumstances I confined myself to the sub- 
 ject without any personal incriminations, except so far 
 as persons were identified with the charges which I 
 endeavored to refute. At the close of my sermon the 
 pastor of the Methodist congregation at Stratford, who 
 made the attack which I came to repulse, arose and 
 politely asked me if I would grant him the privilege 
 of saying a few words. In a kindly tone I replied that 
 the discourse just delivered was my third for that day, 
 and that my strength was so far exhausted that I 
 could not undertake to speak much more, but that if 
 
 what he desired to say would not compel me to answer, 
 
 104 
 
S)t0r^ ot 9$v ^itt 
 
 I had no objection. He then said that he only wished 
 to make the statement that he had not made the charges 
 which I refuted, but that he would reply to my sermon 
 at a time which he would announce later. I said noth- 
 ing more, but proceeded to dismiss the congregation 
 when an excited gentleman, who, as I afterwards 
 learned was a member of no church, rushed forward 
 and begged me to hold the audience, as he and a num- 
 ber of others present had heard the charges made and 
 wished immediately to convict him of making them. 
 I saw no propriety in turning the congregation into a 
 court, and thinking his denial equal to a renunciation 
 I believed my object to have been accomplished. The 
 preacher never delivered his reply, but soon after left 
 the place, and the Lutheran Church gained some pres- 
 tige by the assault and its outcome. 
 
 On another occasion a man who was not connected 
 with any church came to me inquiring if I could furn- 
 ish him with a Lutheran Catechism. Entering into 
 conversation with him I found that a Methodist 
 preacher, whose services he had been in the habit of 
 attending, had ridiculed our Catechism, and had espe- 
 cially referred to some doctrines alleged to be con- 
 tained in it which he thought it improbable that an 
 intelHgent people would maintain. He wanted to be 
 
 105 
 
fetot^ of 9^v ^itt 
 
 satisfied about it, and hence desired to possess the Cat- 
 echism. I gave him the precious httle book, explain- 
 ing the points to which reference had been made, 
 urged him to study the Catechism, and when conven- 
 ient to call again. In a week or two he returned and 
 stated some difficulties that he had found, but showed 
 himself an honest seeker for the truth. He found it, 
 and became a consistent member of our congregation. 
 Numerous incidents occurred which rendered 
 other ministers besides the pastor of the German Re- 
 formed congregation unfriendly towards me. The at- 
 tacks made upon us by others had the effect of calling 
 attention to our work, and at our public services there 
 was usually a goodly number who were members of 
 other denominations. Proselyting was no part of my 
 purpose. It is a sin of which I was never guilty. I 
 wish others had respected the rights of other congre- 
 gations and their pastors as I endeavored to do. Some- 
 times strenuous efforts were made, especially during 
 so-called revival seasons, to entice weaker members 
 of my congregation into other churches. They were 
 visited for this purpose, and the means employed to 
 turn their hearts away from us were not always hon- 
 orable. As I was impressed with the importance of 
 pastoral visits, I usually appeared in the families in 
 
 106 
 
&tot^ Dt ^P %iU 
 
 time to counteract the insidious schemes of sectarian 
 prowlers. The answer which I generally received, 
 when I endeavored by appealing to the Scriptures to 
 reach the consciences of these so-called "good men" 
 engaged in bad work, was that their "field is the 
 world." I was given to understand that my little 
 parish was included in their big field, and that there- 
 fore my remonstrance was groundless. I do not won- 
 der that some of my brethren advocated the making 
 of reprisals. Feeling is often stronger than faith, and 
 I had about as much difficulty with my people in this 
 respect as I had with our adversaries. The tide was 
 in our favor, and I would no doubt have temporarily 
 gained by pursuing the policy of our opponents. But 
 I was intent upon building up the kingdom of Christ, 
 whose adequate representation in the world I believed 
 the Lutheran Church to be, and had faith enough to 
 be assured that no wrong-doing could further that 
 kingdom. I determined, therefore, to the best of my 
 ability, to do the work assigned me and not to m.eddle 
 with other people's business. In consequence, the plea 
 that in self-defence I must go on proselyting expedi- 
 tions was always resisted. But when people came to 
 me seeking light, it was a different matter. I had no 
 right to refuse the labor of love which I was requested 
 
 107 
 
^tot^ of 9^^ %itt 
 
 to render, and my study was open to all, as well as the 
 church in which I preached. In this way there was 
 in the course of several years a goodly number of ac- 
 cessions from other denominations to our congregation, 
 mostly from the Reformed, the Methodist, and the 
 Presbyterian churches, though here and there one even 
 from the Romish church came to us. How the work 
 was done a few examples may illustrate. I, of course, 
 take such as are best impressed upon my memory, with- 
 out regard to the order of time : 
 
 A man of the Baptistic persuasion came frequently 
 to hear me preach, but when the announcement was 
 made that a catechetical class would be formed and 
 that all who desired instruction in the plan of salva- 
 tion were requested to attend, he shook his head, and 
 subsequently expressed his aversion to what he called 
 ''head religion." The class was formed and a respect- 
 able number assembled for instruction. He shook his 
 head again, and doubted whereunto this would grow. 
 He was a man of middle age, and when it was sug- 
 gested that he should once attend the catechization, he 
 declared that he was not a boy wdio could be expected 
 to go to school. Well, he might go once, and see how 
 the school was conducted, and might then judge for 
 himself. He came one day as a mere spectator, and 
 
 108 
 
fe)totg ot ^^ %iU 
 
 heard the instruction, and learned something. His 
 raiUng against the Lutheran system became more mod- 
 erate. He came again and listened attentively, and 
 concluded that he had misjudged us. Then he had 
 himself enrolled among the catechumens, rejoiced in 
 the great salvation which the gospel teaches, was con- 
 firmed, and remained a faithful member of the Luth- 
 eran Church until his death many years after. 
 
 An intelligent lady of the Presbyterian congrega- 
 tion having heard me preach on the gospel for the 
 Sunday after Easter, John 20, 19-31, called upon me 
 next day and expressed a desire to learn something 
 more on the topic of my sermon. She said that the 
 doctrine of absolution which I had set forth was new 
 to her, but that it was full of consolation, and that if 
 it were true she desired to be sure of it, and wanted 
 more light. Of course, I could not refuse to help her. 
 What I had preached was simply the doctrine taught 
 in our Catechism of the redemption effected by our 
 Saviour of all men, of the provision made for distrib- 
 uting the great salvation in Christ through the word 
 of the gospel to all who are willing to hear it, and by 
 hearing it receive power from on high to believe it, 
 and thus to have it, without the deeds of the law, by 
 grace alone. She thought it was too good to be true, 
 
 100 
 
fetai'^ of 9!^v ^itt 
 
 but, notwithstanding' the doubt suggested by the self- 
 righteousness of reason, confessed that it is what the 
 Bible distinctly teaches. Asking me to lend her some 
 books for further study she went her way rejoicing. 
 One of these was Luther on the Sacraments, which I 
 feared was meat too strong for her condition, but it 
 was the best I had to help her in the line of her in- 
 quiries. When she came again she assured me that 
 that was the very book she needed to remove any 
 lingering doubts. Every visit to me appeared to in- 
 crease her interest in the Lutheran Church and its 
 history and doctrines and work, until one day she told 
 me that she was no longer a Presbyterian in her faith, 
 but in every respect, so^ far as she knew, a Lutheran, 
 and that she felt it to be a duty to her Saviour to make 
 this known, and to join us in the work of our congre- 
 gation, asking me what she should now do to attain 
 this end. As cases of a similar kind had occurred be- 
 fore, I was required to reflect upon the proper course 
 to pursue when members of other churches applied for 
 m.embership in ours. In the little library which was 
 in my possession there was not much to guide me. 
 But the Bible and the knowledge of truth and right- 
 eousness which I had attained, and the earnest purpose 
 to do right and have a conscience void of offence to- 
 
 110 
 
fetors of fit?^ %iU 
 
 ward God and man, were sufficient guide. If the 
 hedge-priests who desired to steal sheep from my 
 flock had pursued an honest Christian course, my in- 
 dignation would not have been aroused against them, 
 as it sometimes was when I caught them in their un- 
 godly tricks. It was an easy lesson to learn, if it was 
 not so easy to practice, that what I wished others 
 would do to me I ought to do to them. My decision 
 was that our public services must be open to all, 
 whether they were of our faith or another faith or no 
 faith at all; that the pastor's personal application of 
 the Word in absolution and ministration of grace in 
 the sacraments must be limited to those who fulfill the 
 conditions of membership in his congregation; and 
 that the pastor has all the rights and duties of the 
 Christian priesthood in his private intercourse with 
 people, his public office in no way interfering with 
 private obligations. Accordingly I uniformly avoided 
 visiting for religious purposes any families belonging 
 to other churches, and persistently refused to do this 
 even when invited, unless it was clear that their pastor 
 desired it, or at least made no objection when they de- 
 sired it. Meantime my house was always open when 
 any person visited to consult me, whatever might be 
 the nature of the subject. The lady in question had 
 
 Ul 
 
fetors oe 9^v ^itt 
 
 come often and I had no reason to send her away. But 
 now, when she desired to become a member of our 
 congregation, I thought it right that she should go to 
 her pastor and tell him what she had done and what 
 she proposed to do. Her pastor did not like me, and 
 I knew that he would not speak kindly of me and of 
 my labor on her behalf. I had before had a case of 
 the same kind in which he was concerned. A young 
 man of his congregation applied for membership in 
 ours, and I sent him to his pastor with the remark that 
 he must not sneak away from him like an evil doer 
 with a bad conscience, but that he should deal frankly 
 with him and give him all desired opportunity to exer- 
 cise his office. This man afterwards reported to me 
 that his pastor rebuked him for having dealings with 
 such a bigot as he declared me to be, and then tried 
 to convince him that we Lutherans teach false doc- 
 trines, making a savage attack especially upon our doc- 
 trine of the Lord's Supper. He had gone to him three 
 times, and each time he had become more firm in his 
 convictions that between his pastor and us it was a 
 controversy of human reason and feeling against the 
 Bible, so that he finally left with the declaration that 
 he would not return for any further useless disputa- 
 tions, but that he was now fully resolved to unite with 
 
 112 
 
fetorg oe a?? %itt 
 
 the Lutheran Church, of which in due time he became 
 an active and valued member. Remembering this, I 
 was putting the lady to a severe test when I sent her 
 to this pastor; but I had no doubt that she was well 
 qualified to bear it and had no fear of the result. 
 
 I think that in a clear conception of the plan of 
 salvation she was his superior, and when she came to 
 tell me the result of the interview with him I was not 
 surprised that she was unshaken in her faith, had 
 cheerfully renounced her connection with the Presby- 
 terian church, and was ready for all that should yet 
 be required for communion in our Lutheran congre- 
 gation, of which she remained a steadfast member 
 whose faith and love won the esteem of all. 
 
 Our procedure was not the same in all the cases 
 of applicants for membership who were in connection 
 with other denominations. Of course, we could not 
 receive them merely on their presentation of dismis- 
 sals or certificates of membership. Such papers were 
 valued only as assurances that the persons concerned 
 were of good moral character and that their reception 
 would not interfere with the laudable efforts of others 
 to exercise scriptural Church discipline. An interview 
 with such persons usually indicated what course should 
 be pursued. Sometimes it was plain that the best way 
 
 113 
 
fetat^ ot 9$v Hiit 
 
 was to induce them to join the regular catechetical 
 class ; sometimes they were instructed in private and 
 publicly confirmed when sufficiently advanced in the 
 knowledge of the revealed truth; sometimes, when 
 they already had such knowledge in a general way and 
 needed only instruction in the points of difference be- 
 tween their church and the Lutheran, they were re- 
 ceived upon their public declaration that they believed 
 the doctrines of Holy Scripture as set forth in our 
 Catechism and the Augsburg Confession, renounced 
 all errors of churches teaching otherwise, and desired 
 henceforth to be known as Lutherans. In some in- 
 stances applicants at first thought the terms were hard ; 
 but as I desired to build up a Christian congregation 
 of the Lutheran faith, believing this to be the pure 
 faith of the Bible, not a society of nominal Christians 
 without Christian unity, I insisted on the conditions, 
 and usually with such success that they were recog- 
 nized as indispensable under existing circumstances 
 even by those who for a while hesitated. 
 
 It was a trying position into which the Master 
 placed me as His minister. The location of the Meth- 
 odist university at Delaware made it a center of Meth- 
 odist influence. I was but a stripling of 21 years of 
 
 age when I came there in 1849, ^"^ was, as my nar- 
 
 114 
 
fetot? 0t 9?^ %itt 
 
 rative has shown, by no means a scholar capable of 
 coping with learned professors. But for some reason 
 I became a man of mark who was shot at from various 
 quarters. I suppose that this was because I had a set- 
 tled faith and meant to maintain it as pastor of the 
 Lutheran congregation. Probably this was something 
 unusual among Protestants in that community, as I 
 am sure that it is something unusual in many a com- 
 munity now. But whatever may have been the reason, 
 I was on the way of becoming the leader of a "sect 
 everywhere spoken against." In public and in private 
 I was assailed. This was always on religious or eccle- 
 siastical grounds, never, so far as I learned, with at- 
 tacks on my moral character. The professors always, 
 so far as I had intercourse with them, treated me cour- 
 teously and even cordially; the pastors were never 
 rude in my presence ; but I rarely met them except in 
 the line of duty, and then it sometimes seemed that 
 they were at least not generous in dealing with me. 
 Lay members of other churches were at times not as 
 polite as courtesy required, but in such cases the reason 
 ordinarily was that they became unduly excited at my 
 bold utterances in defense of the faith that was in me, 
 for which, if I rightly remember my spiritual condi- 
 tion, I was then ready to die at any moment. The 
 
 115 
 
&tot? ot aps %iu 
 
 controversies which I had with individuals served to 
 strengthen my convictions. I became more and more 
 impressed with the necessity of preaching the Word, 
 in season and out of season, that the truth in Jesus 
 might prevail and souls that were dying might be 
 saved. The prevalent ignorance and irreverence with 
 regard to the Bible horrified me. For instance, on one 
 occasion I quoted a passage of Scripture to prove our 
 doctrine in regard to Baptism, and received the re- 
 sponse that that is a Lutheran lie, which the spirit in 
 the hearts of truly converted Christians rejects ; on 
 another, speaking of the Lord's Supper and referring 
 to an annotated Bible lying on the table, I was met 
 with the remark that the text teaches the doctrine 
 which I preach and confess, but the notes teach the 
 contrary, which must be right ; on another, in which 
 case it was a Methodist professor with whom I was 
 conversing, I received as a reply to the words of the 
 Holy Ghost which I quoted word for word with the 
 appended question, "why do you not accept the Word 
 of God as it stands," the cold blooded answer, ''because 
 it does not accord with my experience." Such things 
 startled me, but they could not otherwise than 
 strengthen me in my purpose to stand by the Bible. 
 These constant conflicts with people of other confes- 
 
 116 
 
&tor^ of m ^itt 
 
 sions drove me to continuous study and made of me 
 a more devoted student than ever, much as I had been 
 devoted to study years before. The situation in which 
 I was placed would have driven even a less enthusiastic 
 inquirer to his books, and this not at all with the pur- 
 pose of finding how reason answers reason in questions 
 of religion, but how God's revelation recorded in the 
 Bible answers reason darkened by sin. The hardness 
 to which I was subjected was under God's merciful 
 providence a blessing to me, and what was designed 
 as a punishment proved a benefit to me and my con- 
 gregation, which was struggling for existence under 
 inauspicious circumstances. The opposition aroused 
 against us helped both me and my people. 
 
 It would be understood without mentioning it that 
 my chief concern was about my own congregation. 
 The troubles that others gave me were of material 
 importance only so far as they affected my work as its 
 pastor. The conditions were such as to encourage 
 opponents in the expectation of creating disaffection 
 and dissension among us, but on the whole my people 
 stood by me with all the firmness that I could hope. 
 
 The congregation, then numbering about 80 com- 
 municant members, vv^as composed mostly of Pennsyl- 
 vania Germans, the foreign German element being 
 
 J17 
 
fbtotv ot 9^j^ mte 
 
 comparatively small. The older members had pre- 
 served the traditions and sentiments of their former 
 home, where the Lutherans and German Reformed 
 usually built their churches jointly, worshiped together, 
 frequently intermarried, and made so little distinction 
 between them that they generally spoke of them as the 
 "Lutheran side" and the ''Reformed side" of the same 
 church. That was the situation at Delaware. The 
 two sides had chosen what seemed to me a very in- 
 appropriate site in the outskirts of the town near the 
 Olentangy River, and had built a house of worship 
 which was a reproduction, on a small scale, of the barn- 
 like structures called churches in Pennsylvania. It 
 had no gallery ; it was probably thought sufficiently 
 capacious for the congregation without that. But its 
 pulpit was just as lofty as if the gallery had been 
 there, so that when, in the winter preceding my call, 
 I ascended the pulpit for the first time I became dizzy 
 and my nose bled, which was perhaps not astonishing 
 in view of my enfeebled condition as a "pale faced 
 boy." In this building I preached every two weeks, 
 the alternate Sunday being used by the "Reformed 
 side." The regular services were German, but even 
 before I came there the need of English teaching and 
 preaching had been recognized, and my predecessor 
 
 118 
 
&torp ot 9pp JLitt 
 
 had occasionally preached in English. When I came 
 it was stipulated that there should be regular English 
 preaching, and the arrangement was made that this 
 should take place every Sunday when the church be- 
 longed to our side, though the German should always 
 have precedence. Accordingly on alternate Sundays, 
 I preached twice^ once in each language, the German 
 always having the place of honor. On the alternate 
 Sundays we had no rights and I had no duties in the 
 church. It was agreed that every alternate Lord's 
 Day I should preach at Prospect or, as it was then 
 called, at Middletown. 
 
 All these matters having been satisfactorily 
 settled, I went to work. To the best of my ability 
 Sunday after Sunday I preached the Gospel of the 
 grace of God in Christ. As my faith was that which 
 is confessed by the Lutheran Church, I preached the 
 way of salvation according to the Scriptures, and I 
 think now that I did it without much fear of enemies 
 or endeavor to win friends, but with the purpose of 
 making known the counsel of God to our salvation. 
 This made it necessary that I should not ignore, but 
 distinctly preach, the distinctive doctrines of the Lu- 
 theran Church. How could I, being a believer myself 
 and thinking daily of the account which I must soon 
 
 11? 
 
fetorp ot ^v ^itt 
 
 render to the Master, do otherwise ? As I write now, 
 more than fifty years after, when I have learned more 
 and experienced more, I wonder how any Lutheran 
 minister can do otherwise, as these distinctive doc- 
 trines are vital in the plan of salvation which God in 
 His infinite mercy has revealed in the Scriptures. 
 But some doubted, and some even took offense. The 
 consequent condition seems now like a dream to me. 
 When it was shown what difference there is between 
 us and the Reformed parties, whether Zwinglian or 
 Calvinistic, and what our practice must be in regard 
 to these parties, in regard to which the German Re- 
 formed would make no exception, there were whis- 
 perings around, there was outspoqken denunciation, 
 there was a storm. My poor person became the object 
 of many a caustic criticism. But these were mostly 
 on the ''Reformed side." The Lutherans rather liked 
 my zeal, and in most cases, I succeeded in quieting 
 them. But the Reformed did not belong to my charge, 
 and only when one part of the family belonged to my 
 congregation could I embrace the opportunity to in- 
 terview them in private, and then my efforts to pla- 
 cate them were not always successful. Their pastor 
 was not at all in harmony with my work. He was 
 
 zealous rather in the direction of revivalism after the 
 
 120 
 
fetors Pt W^ %iU 
 
 Methodist fashion. His people were not generally in 
 sympathy with him in that respect, and though he 
 railed against us and especially against me, whom he 
 designated, on account of my youth, by an uncompli- 
 mentary name, he had little success in the war which 
 he waged against me. He was soon compelled to 
 leave. His successor was a man who minded his own 
 business, in his own easy-going way, and made us no 
 trouble. The ugly epithets which were flung at me 
 never even ruffled me to any crippling extent, much 
 less could they induce me to violate my conscience by 
 changing my course. A remark made by a friend in 
 Cleveland; who had gone through a similar experience 
 as pastor there, who was always cheerful, and whom 
 I asked hov/ he maintained his cheerfulness under the 
 persecutions he was enduring, said that every time a 
 handful of mud was flung at him, he ran to the Lord 
 and received new grace, and prayed for his enemies 
 who knew not what they did, and went on with his 
 work smiling. This man of God belonged to the Mis- 
 souri Synod, v/ith which ours was not on good terms ; 
 but I had not imbibed any prejudice against the body 
 to v/hich he belonged, and our similar conflicts ren- 
 dered us sympathetic, while his superior theological 
 equipment and larger experience made him a most 
 
 J21 
 
fetors of 9?^ JLitt 
 
 valued friend. Dear Dr. Schwan, even the fierce pre- 
 destinarian controversy which came a quarter of 
 a century later, could not sever the ties of friendship, 
 based on a common faith and mutual sympathy in the 
 suffering entailed by its confession. Even in my 
 latest affliction, which seems to have ended the direct 
 work of my calling in any official capacity, he did not 
 forget me, though he, the older man by a good many 
 years, had for some years before retired and been 
 honored by the well-deserved continuance of his salary 
 by the Synod which he served so long and so well. 
 But this is simply by the way. God gave me the grace 
 of a quiet conscience, and I was not discouraged even 
 when unkindly disposed persons did their worst. En- 
 couragement came too from unexpected sources. As 
 an instance, I may mention the circumstance that one 
 day, when the Reformed party was wildest in its op- 
 position to me and my work, a farmer, who was a 
 prominent member in my congregation, stopped me 
 as I was riding by on my pastoral visits, and asked 
 me if I knew that my opponents had resolved to starve 
 me out and thus get rid of me by compulsory measures. 
 I had not heard of the scheme, but told him that, as I 
 was an unmarried man and did not need much to keep 
 me alive, the scheme did not seem to me dangerous. 
 
 122 
 
&t0t^ Of 9?» JLift 
 
 He then said, in a serious tone, that he had a good 
 farm and a well-suppHed table, and that if the time 
 ever came when I should be in want of bread, his 
 home would always be open to me, and I should come 
 and live with him without the least fear that the addi- 
 tion of one more to his family would at all embarrass 
 him. As the wife of this man belonged to the "Re- 
 formed side," who soon moved over to the ''Lutheran 
 side," I saw how little ground there was of harboring 
 any littleness of faith in regard to my subsistence. I 
 was not starved out, and God gave me grace to fear 
 nothing of the kind. In the contest the Reformed 
 party kept constantly losing and the Lutheran gaining 
 ground. 
 
 At a business meeting of my congregation in this 
 time of unpleasant relations, I called attention to the 
 dilapidated condition of the fence around our church 
 lot, which was on the corner of the street, and sug- 
 gested the need of repairing it. The proposition was 
 opposed from an unexpected quarter, as well as from 
 a source whence I had counted on opposition. One 
 of the richest men in the congregation, who usually 
 took a prominent part in all its meetings, but who had 
 the reputation of being also one of the stingiest, made 
 a speech against it. He argued that the improvement 
 
 123 
 
&t0r^ ot ^v ^itt 
 
 would cost a sum beyond our ability, possibly as much 
 as seventy-five dollars; that the ''Reformed side" had 
 taken no action in the matter and probably in its pres- 
 ent mood would do nothing; and that if we undertook 
 such a weighty enterprise we were in danger of de- 
 stroying our work in Delaware. He was known to be 
 in sympathy with our opponents without being in open 
 hostility to me and my preaching and practice. Some 
 of the Lutheran members became impatient and de- 
 clared that they were ashamed of the tumble-down 
 condition of our property; that they were abundantly 
 able to keep it looking decent, even if the Reformed 
 were unwilling to pay their share ; and that they were 
 tired of being hammered by the Reformed party and 
 of carrying the burden of two congregations when 
 their duty and interests were only in one. Then my 
 time had com.e. I showed why it would be difficult 
 under existing conditions to raise seventy-five dollars 
 for the proposed improvement, when the other party 
 would invest nothing, but claim half the property; 
 and if we could not, hampered and hindered as we 
 were, collect the small sum mentioned, we cer- 
 tainly could raise several thousand to secure a church 
 for ourselves and be free from the dictation and an- 
 noyance and injustice of others. 
 
 124 
 
St. Mark's Ev. Luth. Church, Delaware, Ohio. 
 
fetori? Pt ^v ^itt 
 
 The spark kindled; instead of agreeing to build 
 the fence, it was resolved to separate and secure a 
 property of our own. Negotiations began by offering 
 to buy the Reformed share in the church which we 
 occupied or to sell ours. The oft'er was rejected. We 
 next proposed to accept a specified sum for our share 
 in the property or to pay the same sum for the Re- 
 formed share. This offer too was rejected. We 
 proposed to have the matter arbitrated, and agreed to 
 abide by any reasonable decision. Again the offer 
 was rejected. We were nonplussed. We saw no 
 remedy but an appeal to the courts. The process there 
 is slow, and one of our members concluded to hasten 
 matters by purchasing a lot which was thought well 
 located for a new church. Our people could not await 
 the dilatory decision of the courts, but determined to 
 accept the lot which had been bought and proceed to 
 build, determining rather to leave all that had been 
 invested in the old building than continue in a part- 
 nership that had become so painful. When our plans 
 were prepared, our contracts were let, and our church 
 was under construction. The Reformed, seeing that 
 we meant business, made us an offer that was easily 
 accepted. The suit at law was withdrawn and we 
 could breathe more freely. Our church, built of lime- 
 
 125 
 
&totv of Q^v ^itt 
 
 stone, was in those days thought a beautiful structure, 
 and our joy was according to the joy of harvest, when 
 on Christmas Day 1853, we could dedicate it to the 
 service of the Triune God. It is the same church in 
 which the congregation still worships, though some 
 material improvements have been made since then. I 
 now had better facilities to do my work and the con- 
 gregation prospered. 
 
 The difficulties which I encountered at the start 
 v^ere gradually overcome, and there were few in the 
 congregation, when we entered the new church, who 
 expressed dissatisfaction with our strict Lutheran 
 practice. Perhaps that was the severest trial of our 
 faith which came when one of the most prominent and 
 most generally esteemed members of the faculty of 
 Wesleyan University presented himself for communion 
 at our altar^ and I declined to administer it to him. 
 The matter is sometimes talked about even to this day, 
 when Lutheranism is put on trial in Delaware; but 
 now, after fifty years of study and prayer and exper- 
 ience, I have no word of repentance to express. To 
 all whom it may concern, I have only the assurance 
 to give that, under the same circumstances, I would 
 now do the same thing, as I now think my action the 
 extreme of charity in a case of trial. I never for a 
 
 126 
 
fetot? oe 9dV fLitt 
 
 moment supposed, as some of our people were inclined 
 to think, that the occurrence originated in a scheme to 
 try my mettle with a view of breaking down my in- 
 fluence, either by raising hostility against me if I proved 
 consistent, or by showing my faith to be an unloving 
 and illiberal sham, if a severe test should drive me 
 into an act which would be inconsistent with my per- 
 sonal profession and my ministerial teaching. He was 
 too good a man to engage in any such unworthy trick- 
 ery, and I still think that any such opinions of the man 
 do him a great wrong. His error was that into which 
 any unionist may fall without the least impeachment 
 of his sincerity. He no doubt desired simply to mani- 
 fest his sympathy with us in our Christian work, and 
 I appreciated that. But I knew him to be a Methodist 
 by profession, and had no reason to think that the 
 sermon which he had heard was sufficient to convince 
 him of his Methodist errors, or that his desire to com- 
 mune with us was sufficient evidence of his conversion. 
 Looking at the occurrence now, after so many years, I 
 magnify the grace of God which led me to so charitable 
 a solution of the problem that was so suddenly sprung 
 upon me. I simply asked him if he was prepared to 
 accept the words with which I administered the body of 
 Christ to the communicants as the very truth of God, 
 
 127 
 
&tot^ of 9^p %iU 
 
 and he declared that he was not. That was the very 
 least that I, as the minister of the Lord could ask, and 
 upon his refusal to accept the very words of the Master, 
 there was nothing left for me, but to pass him by. 
 Thanks be to God that in the fiery trial He gave me 
 grace to be faithful. On the following day I wrote 
 to the professor explaining the matter more fully, as 
 I could not when the event occurred. He sent me a 
 courteous reply in which he expressed his dissent from 
 my views, but complimented me upon my having the 
 courage of my convictions. Of course the sad affair 
 was much talked about throughout the town and 
 vicinity. Denunciations of my course were abundant, 
 occasional defences were uttered, and a great deal 
 of free advertising was given me and my congregation. 
 I felt that the crisis had come, and that if my con- 
 gregation would stand by me now the victory was as- 
 sured. No disturbance appeared in our congregational 
 life ; all went on as usual, and God made all things work 
 for our good. 
 
 Not long after this trial the professor in question 
 invited me to his house to meet a number of ministers 
 for a social gathering on a certain evening. My 
 thoughts were, of course, that my church practice in 
 general and my conduct in the case which had created 
 
 128 
 
&t0t? ot a^8 JLitt 
 
 the town talk in particular would be the subject of com- 
 ment and critcism; but as my invitation to the meet- 
 ing impressed me as the result of a disposition to be 
 fair and not to condemn me without a hearing, I went. 
 All the clergy of the town were present except the 
 Romish priest, who probably was not invited. We had 
 a social talk, which was not unpleasant; we had tea 
 and cake, which was pleasant; and as it was growing 
 late I felt easier and concluded that my suspicions with 
 reference to the object in view were unfounded. Prob- 
 ably in regard to my person they were. But when the 
 time for adjournment came our host arose and stated 
 that he had a special object in view when he invited 
 us to his house ; that he had noticed a lack of fraternal 
 intercourse among the pastors and people of the differ- 
 ent churches in Delaware ; that he felt the want of such 
 fellowship among Christians, though they were of 
 different denominations ; and that he hoped some way 
 could be found by which a more cordial relation could 
 be effected among us through Christian association. 
 The sentiment was received with approbation, and 
 different ways were suggested by which the object 
 could be attained. The concurrent opinion seemed to 
 settle upon the plan of having union meetings in turn, 
 in the various churches, for prayer and the interchange 
 9 129 
 
fetors DC 9$v ^itt 
 
 of thought and feeHng. As this was in conflict with 
 my convictions of right and duty, I modestly made a 
 statement to this effect and proposed to withdraw, so 
 as not to disturb tlic harmony which prevailed among 
 them. But some insisted that I should give a reason 
 for such a withdrawal. Recognizing the propriety of 
 this, I frankly stated that I, as a Lutheran pastor, was 
 not in harmony with the sentiment prevalent among 
 them as regards the relations of different churches to 
 each other, that I was called to a work for the right 
 conduct of which I must render account, and that 
 others were not responsible for it and I could not be 
 faithful if I permitted others to interfere, especially 
 as in some important respects they held different be- 
 liefs ; and that I had in my own charge as much work 
 and responsibility as I felt able to carry, and could 
 not with a good conscience assume any of theirs ; that, 
 in short, it was my settled conviction, the unhappy 
 division into different churches being upon us and the 
 remedy for the evil manifestly not lying in a vain 
 attempt to ignore existing conditions, that it would be 
 best for all of us, if each would strive to fulfill his 
 calling in the place assigned him, without meddling 
 with other men's matters. My confession was deliv- 
 ered in a tone of kindness, and when I sat down I felt 
 
 130 
 
fetors ot aps %itt 
 
 that I had discharged a duty, whatever the conse- 
 quences might be. There was silence for a few mo- 
 ments, but it seemed long and even ominous. This 
 was broken by Dr. Thomson, the President of the Uni- 
 versity, who rarely had much to say unless the occa- 
 sion demanded it, and who was known in the commu- 
 nity as a man who was bent upon minding his own 
 business and urging others to mind theirs. As such a 
 man I had learned to esteem him. But the remem- 
 brance of the recent event, which I feared was the ulti- 
 mate ground of our gathering, caused a little flutter in 
 my soul. Such an antagonist it would have been an 
 ordeal to meet, although now, after fifty years more of 
 experience in the ways of God, I do not doubt that 
 grace would have been given me to bear it without 
 damage to the cause of truth. But his address was in 
 substance commendatory of my position, declaring that 
 in principle I was right, and that all sound philosophy 
 and true religion were on my side. Of course this 
 secured me against any assaults which might have been 
 brooding and the consultation about means of getting 
 us together took a new turn. It was finally resolved 
 to appoint a committee, of whom I should be one, to 
 consult about the matter and report at another meet- 
 ing that was agreed upon. The committee met and 
 
 131 
 
fetotp ot app mtt 
 
 reported. So far as I was concerned, that was the end 
 of it. But there was another meeting after that. I 
 think our report was virtually the conclusion of the 
 whole matter, and I would so have considered it, had 
 not a casual occurrence rendered this dubious. One 
 day the Methodist presiding elder of the Delaware 
 District in a rather jovial mood accosted me on the 
 street with the remark, "Well, Brother Loy, you were 
 not at our United States Prayer Meeting last night?" 
 Upon my professing ignorance of such a meeting and 
 innocence of all implications with it and its kind, he 
 declared that I was right and that the very devil was 
 behind such movements. So far as I was implicated 
 in the matter there were no further results. 
 
 All my intercourse with people with other churches 
 only tended to confirm me in my conviction, that the 
 Lutheran Church is right in its confession and prac- 
 tice, and that pastors and people of other denomina- 
 tions are lacking in that assurance and peace which 
 the Lutheran Church proclaims and conveys, and gives 
 to them that believe. 
 
 Every second Sunday, when the Reformed occu- 
 pied our church at Delaware, my call required me to 
 preach at what was then called Middletown, thirteen 
 rniles distant. The conditions there were similar to 
 
 132 
 
&totp ot 99v ^itt 
 
 those at Delaware. Some members of the Lutheran 
 Church had come there from Pennsylvania, chief 
 among whom was the family of Chr. Cast, who laid 
 out the village of Middletown, and one of whose sons 
 subsequently became an efficient minister of the Luth- 
 eran Church and died as pastor of the Middletown 
 charge. Mr. Cast was a man of more than ordinary 
 energy. With the help of his brother and a few other 
 Lutherans he had succeeded in having regular services 
 conducted by the pastor at Delaware. In laying out 
 the town he had also reserved one of the best lots for 
 a church, and before I came there the frame of a 
 building for that purpose had already been erected, 
 although for some reason, probably from lack of funds, 
 the building had been abandoned. I preached in a lit- 
 tle school house, and my first effort was made under 
 difficulties. The service was German, and I had writ- 
 ten out my sermon with the intention of reading it, 
 which I unwisely thought would be tolerated in a be- 
 ginner. The school house was crowded up to the lit- 
 tle table where I scarcely had room to stand. If I had 
 laid my manuscript on the table, which seemed to me 
 unusually low, the people sitting close by could have 
 read it, but I could have accomplished the feat only by 
 
 bending over it or sitting down. Of course I was em- 
 
 133 
 
&tot^ ot 9^v JLite 
 
 barrasscd. In my perplexity, I determined to do what 
 I could without the manuscript. When I was ready 
 to open the service, I found that there was no Bible at 
 hand. No doubt the people thought that I would 
 furnish all the books that would be needed. This, too, 
 was embarrassing. Rev. P. Gast, who was at the time 
 visiting his parents, was present and I requested him 
 to conduct the worship while I endeavored to collect 
 my thoughts for the sermon. This helped me a little, 
 though his presence tended to increase my confusion. 
 When the messenger who had been sent for the Bible 
 returned wtih only the New Testament, I was dis- 
 mayed. I had chosen a free text, and that was in the 
 Old Testament. In my flurry I could not repeat it 
 from memory and could think of nothing better to do 
 in my extremity than to select another text and trust 
 in God for the result of my effort. I had had some 
 experience in extemporaneous speaking at the Sem- 
 inary, and the necessity seemed laid upon me of using 
 such gift as I possessed. God did not forsake me. I 
 preached, the people appeared to be satisfied, and Pas- 
 tor Gast allayed my fears by assuring me that my ser- 
 mon was not a rambling mass of confusion. And I 
 learned something that was worth learning. 
 
 There were at Middletown also a few families be- 
 134 
 
mtm ot wv ^itt 
 
 longing to the German Reformed Church, and these 
 had joined with the Lutherans in the project of erect- 
 ing a house of worship on the lot donated for the pur- 
 pose without denominational restrictions. The Re- 
 formed pastor at Delaware used his alternate Sundays 
 to serve these people, and in this regard they were as 
 well supplied as the Lutherans. When, after I had 
 preached there for a while, the school house was seen 
 to be entirely too small and the thought of finishing the 
 building which had been begun was revived, the 
 trouble with the Reformed began and became as ex- 
 citing as it was at Delaware. They had put some 
 money into the building, and insisted that they must 
 have equal rights in it, if it were finished. Evidently 
 it was the same case as had so often occurred, that the 
 Lutherans were expected to furnish the funds, and the 
 Reformed must be entitled to an equal share of the 
 benefit. In the present case my contention, that each 
 church should have its own home and not allow itself 
 to be hampered in its judgments and desires by co- 
 partnership with others, whose wishes and purposes 
 would naturally be different, had much opposition to 
 overcome. The principal members of our congrega- 
 tion had come from Pennsylvania and were accus- 
 tomed to union with the Reformed. Indeed, some of 
 
 135 
 
fetotp ot 9$v 2L«e 
 
 both churches had come from the same place and had 
 worshiped together in the same building. Moreover, 
 some of the chief members of both parties were in- 
 termarried and in consequence households were 
 divided. My predecessors, too, had never lifted their 
 voices against the union, if they had not directly fos- 
 tered it. The most active and the most influential 
 members of my congregation were married to members 
 of the Reformed Church. This made my situation 
 difficult. 
 
 But Bro. C. Cast, who had donated the lot, and 
 who was by far the strongest man in the settlement, 
 of sturdy sense and stalwart Lutheran convictions, 
 stood by me and helped me much. His wife was Re- 
 formed, but all his children were Lutherans. His 
 brother's wife was Reformed, but his children were 
 also Lutherans. His sister, who was a Lutheran, was 
 also married to a member of the Reformed Church, 
 who was not in harmony with me and my work, but 
 who was not a man of great force in the community. 
 The conditions were in my favor. In the progress of 
 my work the wives of the brothers Cast united with our 
 congregation, the children of the families were mem- 
 bers, and we had with us not only the larger number, 
 
 136 
 
fetors ot ^v ^itt 
 
 but also the more intelligent and the more active peo- 
 ple of the two churches. 
 
 This is not saying that all moved along without 
 friction and with even pace. Our people were union- 
 ists by habit, and unionism is generally not overcome 
 without a struggle. It came to the surface in the early 
 stages of my work even in a more threatening form 
 than it had appeared in Delaware. On the day of our 
 preparatory service for the second communion which I 
 administered during my pastorate in the congregation, 
 a leading member thought it his duty to remind me 
 that at the former communion I had not invited mem- 
 bers in good standing of other denominations to par- 
 take of the Holy Supper with us. I replied that it was 
 not an oversight on my part, but that the omission 
 was intentional, because I thought the practice wrong 
 and I could not adopt it. He replied that our consti- 
 tution required it and the congregation expected me to 
 conform to the custom. I had not noticed such an 
 article in the constitution, else it would have been 
 brought up for consideration before, and now I could 
 see no better course than to call a meeting of the vot- 
 ing members at once and have the matter settled be- 
 fore administering the sacrament. I then told the 
 brethren my trouble, assuring them that I had no dis- 
 
 137 
 
&tDtp Of 9$V 3LiU 
 
 position to override their rules and take the govern- 
 ment into my own hands, but that I must be faithful to 
 Christ and the Church as bound by His Word, and 
 could not obey a rule inviting to promiscuous com- 
 munion, since this would conflict with our confession, 
 break down our scriptural discipline, and accord to 
 members of other denominations what we cannot ac- 
 cord our own, thus in a false liberalism and feigned 
 charity discriminating in favor of sectarians against 
 our own church. The subject was too large and too 
 important to be fully presented and discussed in the 
 short time then at our disposal, but it was plain that 
 some action was necessary, as I could not act as pastor 
 under a rule that burdened my conscience. Two ways 
 were open to remove the difficulty: Either I should 
 be released from the call which I had accepted, or from 
 the requirement which was oppressive and deprived 
 me of all desire to continue my work. The congrega- 
 tion was astonished at the turn matters had taken when 
 all seemed prosperous, and was in no mood even to 
 think of dismissing me so summarily. With a una- 
 nimity that was cheering to me the stumbling block 
 was removed, so that I could conduct my office with- 
 out unionistic interferences. Occasionally it became 
 apparent that the leaven had not been wholly purged 
 
 138 
 
fetor? ot ^v %itt 
 
 out. Unionism always dies hard, and even when it is 
 eradicated in individuals by the power of divine truth, 
 it still continues to work in the community and to in- 
 fect our people. It is one of the travesties of liberty 
 and love that will never cease to afflict Christians. 
 
 The church building in Prospect was completed 
 and our services were held there. This was a great 
 improvement upon our former cramped facilities. We 
 could now look forward to a better organization of our 
 forces. But the Reformed claimed one-half of our 
 property, since they had collected some money in 
 Pennsylvania and had contributed something them- 
 selves towards the building. The whole cost of the 
 frame building which we occupied at present rates of 
 estimate was very small, and the proportion which the 
 Reformed contingent had furnished was even ridicu- 
 lously small. But they, few as they were and little 
 as they had contributed, insisted on their claim. Thus 
 we were forbidden the use of the building on alternate 
 Sundays, which belonged to the ''Reformed side." 
 This crippled us without doing them any good, except 
 so far as the reservation of every two weeks for their 
 service was concerned. Their urgency of an unjust 
 claim helped me. Those who were not fully convinced 
 by my pleas for liberty to build up the Lutheran 
 
 139 
 
feitotp ot 9?p %itt 
 
 Church according to its own principles and hfe, were 
 convinced that wq should not yield to claims which con- 
 flicted with natural rights. And so the war at Pros- 
 pect was but an extension and continuance of the war 
 at Delaware. The question of property rights was 
 nearly the same, and although I was thirteen miles 
 away and could not exert the same personal influence 
 on many of the members as I had the opportunity of 
 doing at Delaware, where I lived, the sense of right 
 was a power among my people ; and the foe could not 
 even prevail against that, much less against the power 
 of truth, on which the kingdom of our Lord is estab- 
 lished. The work grew in Prospect and the more it 
 grew^ and the more my suggestion that it should in due 
 time become an independent parish found acceptance, 
 the more the Lutherans felt hampered by their unhappy 
 league with the Reformed, which gave us the use of the 
 church only half the time. The storm became more 
 and more threatening. 
 
 One Sunday morning, as I rode into the village 
 to do my work, one of the members of my congregation, 
 who was the son of the original founder of the town 
 and a solid defender of our cause, met me with a broad 
 smile and told me that he had good news to impart. I 
 am not aware that I ever gave cause to suspect that I 
 
 140 
 
)iM C.n :;. 11. rKi,^r,.v i, L 
 
mn^ ot ^^ %iU 
 
 would be glad if I were free from all property encum- 
 brances, so that we could do our work of faith without 
 such entanglements. But no doubt our people sur- 
 mised my thoughts and feelings. Bro. Gast was right 
 in presuming that which he had to communicate was 
 good news to me. He informed me that on the pre- 
 ceding night our church had burned down, and that we 
 were now free to do our own work in our own way, 
 without having others to meddle with our business. I 
 rejoiced with him, and thought with him that the seem- 
 ing loss was all gain. He proposed to buy the property 
 now with the building in ruins, and secure all our 
 rights, as a congregation, without involving us in any 
 suits at law, as he meant to assume all responsibility. 
 This was accordingly done, and we were free to begin 
 anew. By this time my people had lost all longing for 
 joint ownership of church property with another de- 
 nomination, and preparations were at once made to 
 build a church of our own. A lot was secured, and in 
 a few months we had a neat brick house of worship 
 which we could arrange to suit ourselves and use as 
 frequently as our growing work required. 
 
 There were other denominations represented in 
 Prospect besides the Lutheran and Reformed, and not 
 a little jealousy existed. The Methodists had the 
 
 141 
 
fe»totp of 9^v mat 
 
 largest number of members, but they were divided, the 
 Episcopal and the Protestant Methodists each having 
 a church of its own and interfering much with each 
 other's work by their separate protracted meetings. 
 Sometimes the one, sometimes the other would be in 
 the lead, as the "conversions" reported were largely 
 from each other. Once at a big revival the entire 
 membership of the "Radicals" was said to have been 
 "converted" ; at any rate their church was closed. The 
 Baptists also had a considerable following, and their 
 minister was a bold, aggressive leader. The wild 
 methods of these sects did not commend themselves 
 strongly to the judgments and hearts of our Lutheran 
 people, and all their jealous proselyting failed to 
 make much impression on them or in any serious way 
 to injure our work. To the principal members of my 
 flock the fanatical proceeding of these sects was pos- 
 itively repulsive. 
 
 Though I had little to do with these other churches 
 or their preachers, not only because their condition and 
 work did not come within the scope of my vocation, 
 but also because my duties, whenever I visited the vil- 
 lage, fully occupied my time, a circumstance occurred 
 which brought me into undeserved prominence among 
 them. One Sunday, when I preached on the subject 
 
 142 
 
fetot^ ot ^v ^itt 
 
 of Baptism, the ever-busy Baptist preacher, in accor- 
 dance with the reputation which he had for bold 
 aggressiveness, asked permission to say a few words. 
 I had heard that he had challenged two ministers of the 
 place to a debate on the subject of that sacrament, and 
 that both had declined to meet him, in consequence of 
 which he was elated to heroic daring. It seemed to me 
 prudent, under restrictions necessary to prevent dis- 
 turbance, to grant him the privilege. Agreeing to the 
 conditions stated, he asked me where a Word of God 
 which I had used was to be found in the Scriptures. 
 Happily I could turn without any delay to chapter and 
 verse, which I did, reading it in its context with 
 emphasis, but without comment. He then asked me 
 if I would meet him in debate on the whole subject of 
 Baptism, to which I answered unhesitatingly. Yes. 
 All was then quiet and the services were closed as 
 usual. 
 
 But it was not so quiet when the people were once 
 outside of the church. They were not slow in express- 
 ing their opinion, in which the incident at the close was 
 more conspicuous than the sermon. The community, 
 which was well represented at our service, including a 
 fair sprinkling of Baptists, was generally in my favor, 
 and what was more to me, my congregation was unani- 
 
 143 
 
fetot^ Ot 9^v mtt 
 
 mous in approval of my sermon and my conduct in 
 dealing with the pugnacious Baptist minister. 
 
 It is questionable whether public debates on relig- 
 ious subjects are conducive to the interests of Christ's 
 Kingdom. There is usually so much of carnal thought 
 and prejudice and sentiment associated with them, that 
 the profit which might otherwise result is overborne 
 by the incidental evils. But the conditions were such 
 in this case that refusal to meet my antagonist would 
 be productive of damage to the cause in which I was 
 engaged, and as I think of it now I still approve my 
 decision, the more so as I saw a good opportunity to 
 bear testimony to a great truth which the members of 
 some denominations had probably never heard. Ar- 
 rangements were accordingly made for the debate. It 
 was my desire that it should be held in the Baptist 
 Church, which was the largest in the village. The 
 other matters were easily agreed on. The discussion 
 should last three days, with two sessions of three hours 
 each day. The speakers to alternate every half hour. 
 The topics decided on were the nature, the subjects, and 
 the mode of Baptism, to each of which one day was 
 to be devoted, six addresses of half an hour's length 
 being allotted to each of the speakers. A moderator 
 
 for each of the parties was chosen with a chief moder- 
 
 144 
 
^ 
 
 'wiF 
 
 m^mm^^^:' 
 
 u 
 
btot^ ot 9^v 3Litt 
 
 ator, who should preside. It was well arranged and 
 no difficulties of a formal kind occurred. As far as 
 I was concerned the moderating was all satisfactory, 
 and the only thing that ruffled me proceeded from our 
 own quarters. Whether wisely or unwisely under such 
 circumstances, we had appointed a meeting for worship 
 on an evening during the debate, and I requested a good 
 brother, who was a zealous Lutheran, to preach the 
 sermon. He was a good preacher, and although I 
 knew that he was eccentric, I thought his decided 
 Lutheranism would serve our cause. Knowing him 
 and knowing his failing, I admonished him, in view of 
 the prevailing excitement and the need of a restful and 
 soothing Gospel sermon after a day spent in contro- 
 versy, that his discourse should be brief and free from 
 all polemics, that we might have an evening of peace 
 and prayer under the benediction of our present Lord. 
 He preached a sermon which under some cicumstances 
 would have been pronounced good, but whose inap- 
 propriateness at such a time and place rendered it a 
 painful performance. After I waited long, and as 
 patiently as the unhappy situation permitted, for the 
 close, he announced his second part. The large au- 
 dience was weary and becoming more and more restless, 
 as the ordinary length of. a sermon had already been 
 10 14S 
 
fetDtp ot 9?^ mtt 
 
 exceeded. What I then did was not a very polite 
 thing, as I was well aware, but it was the best that 
 occurred to me in my distress. As I occupied a seat 
 near the pulpit stairs I quietly shifted my position to 
 a higher seat on the pulpit, which probably would have 
 attracted little attention, and made a sign to him that 
 it was growing late. He took offense at my action, at 
 once closed the Bible and, remarking that he had "re- 
 ceived notice to quit," left the service in my hands. I 
 said nothing, but closed in the usual form, and the 
 congregation was dismissed as if nothing unusual had 
 happened. Next morning my eccentric friend left for 
 his home before breakfast, and without bidding me 
 good-bye. So far as I know, however, he never 
 allowed his discomfiture to banish me from the circle 
 of his friends ; for on occasions of trouble afterwards 
 he appealed to me for advice. I cannot refrain from 
 remarking, in recording the incident, that advice in 
 such cases is usually fruitless when a person is in- 
 capable of discrimination. My friend was unsuccess- 
 ful as a minister, and finally abandoned the calling. 
 
 I was disturbed by the untoward event, but so far 
 as reports came to my ears the unhappy incident, so 
 far as it made any impression, worked only in my favor. 
 
 The debate went on without any reference to the in- 
 
 146 
 
feitor^ ot ^v ^itt 
 
 terlude, which was so painful to me. Of course I made 
 no allusion to it, much as it depressed me. God in His 
 infinite mercy gave me grace to ignore the circum- 
 stances which might have proved injurious to the cause 
 which I advocated. Even my physical infirmity, which 
 frequently came upon me and which came with increas- 
 ing force under the excitement which the disputation 
 caused, was never mentioned, except in the closing 
 address, when it seemed necessary as an apology, not 
 for the doctrine for which I contended, but for the 
 feebleness on my part in the contention. 
 
 The event was a notable one in the history of Pros- 
 pect at the time, small as its influence may have been in 
 the subsequent life of the community. It is now, half 
 a century later, almost forgotten. But little good as 
 generally results from public debates on religious 
 subjects, it helped me in my work. My adversary was 
 strong only in matters of indifference ; in the essential 
 matters of the divine purpose in the institution of holy 
 Baptism he was pitifully weak. The community saw 
 his inability to appreciate the teaching of Scripture 
 regarding the import and purpose of the holy sacra- 
 ment, and his written presentation which took little 
 account of the words of our Lord and His apostles in 
 this regard, and which was wholly inadequate to meet 
 
 147 
 
fetot^ ot 9$v ^itt 
 
 my presentation of the Lutheran doctrine, put him at 
 a disadvantage from the start, and he could not recover 
 from this when we came to the points where his Bap- 
 tistic theories made it possible to appeal with some hope 
 of success to the natural mind. At any rate our work 
 went on without the least disturbance, while our Bap- 
 tistic friend became less aggressive and soon after 
 abandoned the field. Whether the Baptist congrega- 
 tion still exists in Prospect I do not know, but I do 
 know that the Lutheran Church still flourishes there 
 and, with its new and larger building, is a power in 
 the community. 
 
 My first year as pastor at Delaware confined me 
 to that congregation for service every two weeks. The 
 alternate Sunday was thus free, though it was fully 
 understood that I should devote it to the congregation 
 at Prospect to the extent of preaching there every 
 second Sunday. Before the first year of my ministry 
 was ended a delegation came to me from Norton, nine 
 miles north of Delaware, requesting me to preach there. 
 The brethren presenting the petition informed me that 
 there were some Lutherans there who desired the means 
 of grace, and that they desired me to come and admin- 
 ister them. To urge their suit they assured me that 
 former Lutheran pastors at Delaware had performed 
 
 148 
 
&tnr^ Bt ^v mu 
 
 ministerial functions there ; that Rev. Pope and Rev. 
 Kline before him had officiated there ; and that there 
 were Lutherans there who were hungering for the 
 bread of life. I was won by the appeal, and agreed 
 to come, appointing a time to meet the Lutherans 
 at a given place. I came and met them. They re- 
 ported that for some years past the Lutheran minister 
 at Delaware had preached there; that no organization 
 had been formed ; but that the people had paid him for 
 his services and all denominations united in contribut- 
 ing for the purpose. I told them that my interest was 
 in the Lutheran Church; and that all my labors could 
 only tend to build up the kingdom of God as repre- 
 sented by the Lutheran Reformation with its glorious 
 Confession, and that probably my advent in such a field 
 would result in dissensions. The little experience 
 which I had gathered in my ministry thus far induced 
 me to think that candor required such a statement, 
 that there might be no misunderstandings and that no 
 false hopes might be engendered. One meeting was 
 at the house of Mr. John Coleman, who was a sturdy 
 old Pennsylvanian, whose Lutheranism had become 
 sounder and deeper through the influence of his de- 
 vout Swabian wife, who remembered the catechism 
 which she had been taught and the pious life of 
 
 U9 
 
fetot^ ot ^v llitt 
 
 her old German home. To the doubt which I ex- 
 pressed whether my coming would not result only 
 in contentions among neighbors without any real 
 good for the Church, this family especially made 
 replies which rebuked my littleness of faith and en- 
 couraged me to make an appointment for public 
 worship at the school-house, where all such religious 
 services had been held in the past. I came at the 
 appointed hour and preached a sermon with which 
 no fault was found. The trouble came after the ser- 
 mon. The same conviction which induced me to make 
 a confession at the preliminary meeting at a private 
 house, induced me to make a similar statement at this 
 public meeting. The wisdom of this may be debatable ; 
 but now, after more than half a century of experience 
 of my own and of observation of the experience of 
 others, I still maintain the same ground, though I 
 have since learned much and thought much on the 
 subject I honestly confessed my purpose to organize 
 those who were of the Lutheran faith into a congre- 
 gation that would confess this faith, and in this spirit 
 to continue my work. Accordingly I made an appoint- 
 ment for another service, coupled with the special in- 
 vitation that all Lutherans should meet me in consul- 
 tation after the services. Then the war began. Right 
 
 150 
 
&mv ot a?^ %itt 
 
 and left, after the benediction was pronounced, the ex- 
 cited multitude assailed me. Even now as I think of it, 
 the wonders of God's grace crowd on me in stupendous 
 majesty. From all sides, sectarians, led by the Re- 
 formed, who were accustomed to have equal rights with 
 the Lutherans, stormed against me. I do not remem- 
 ber all that they threatened me with, while I made my 
 impeded progress from the school-house to my horse, 
 which finally bore me away from the unruly crowd. At 
 the appointed time I came again, and preached the 
 Gospel of God's grace to sinful men. Again the school- 
 house was crowded, but the zeal of our opponents 
 had spent its main force, and we were permitted to 
 have a consultation without much disturbance. About 
 half a dozen Lutheran families were ready to organize 
 a Lutheran congregation, while a few more of mixed 
 families, and another few who had become indifferent, 
 presented a prospect of future increase. I continued 
 my appointments for service every second Sunday 
 afternoon, and although the opposition was strong and 
 often bitter, the interest in our work grew. A good 
 Lutheran constitution was adopted, although some of 
 our own people hesitated about forming so exclusive an 
 organization, until their scruples, which were found to 
 be of a pecuniary sort, were removed. They were con- 
 
 151 
 
fetor? ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 cerned about my support,, and at a meeting declared 
 that, with the loss of the contributions from members 
 of other denominations and casual donations from citi- 
 zens of no religious profession, they could promise 
 me no respectable salary. Fortunately I was in a 
 condition to meet that emergency. The $250 sub- 
 scribed for my support had met my wants until now. 
 My purpose to do the Lord's work had thus far suffered 
 no interference by any lack of necessaries. Probably 
 my income was more than that, but I cared only that 
 daily bread was furnished to an honest workman, and 
 I never had trouble on that account. My salary was 
 sufficient for my needs, and I was content. Therefore 
 when my friends at Norton presented the money 
 matter as an impediment in the way of success, God 
 in His goodness made me ready to remove it. I 
 declared that I had never asked a salary, and that this 
 therefore had nothing to do with the question before 
 us. But as the matter of salary was so prominently 
 brought forward, I inquired how much had been paid 
 by the promiscuous multitude that had been accustomed 
 to contribute for the support of ministers before my 
 time, and was informed that in the best case it 
 amounted to forty dollars. I requested that a sub- 
 scription should be circulated, but assured them that 
 
 m 
 
u 
 
fetors ot 9^^ %iU 
 
 this had nothing to do with our work so far as I was 
 concerned, as God had so far provided for me that 
 I could be satisfied with anything or nothing from 
 them under existing circumstances. They circulated 
 the subscription, and at the next meeting, when they 
 reported that double the amount which had ever been 
 raised before was subscribed, I proposed that a little 
 church should be built for our little congregation, 
 and that the amount subscribed for my salary should 
 be devoted to that object. They were surprised at the 
 offer, but agreed to accept it and went to work with 
 a will. In a comparatively short time a modest house 
 of worship was built and dedicated, and we worshiped 
 the Lord in our own home according to our own faith, 
 and the grace of God was upon us. The opposition 
 to our work continued, and not long aftervv^ards the 
 Reformed also built a church close by ours. But our 
 congregation, small as it was, was established on the 
 foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ 
 Himself being the chief corner stone, and we had 
 nothing to fear. I think too that most of the members, 
 like myself, feared nothing. Evil reports were circu- 
 lated about me, but so far as I could ascertain they 
 never harmed my good reputation or my good work. 
 
 m 
 
S)tot^ of 9?^ %iU 
 
 We had come to stay and never quitted the field, and 
 God blessed us and our work of faith and labor of love. 
 There was thus an addition to the parish com- 
 mitted to my charge. One Sunday was devoted to Del- 
 aware, the second Sunday was divided between Pros- 
 pect and Norton. But the congregations grew, and the 
 needs became greater and the work more laborious. 
 The principal congregation at Delaware became larger, 
 and as I lived there, its increasing wants especially 
 impressed me and often troubled me. I was willing to 
 do what I could to supply these wants, preaching twice 
 on the Sundays devoted to the home congregation and 
 often three times, with at least one meeting for Bible 
 study every week, often two, on Wednesday and Fri- 
 day evenings, besides the catechetical and Sunday 
 School work. There was a little band of young peo- 
 ple, especially young men, that was eager to learn, and 
 God gave me grace to be just as eager to teach. But 
 what troubled me most was the necessity of being 
 absent from the Delaware congregation every second 
 Sunday, which seemed to me no longer necessary after 
 we had entered our new church. The congregations 
 had grown to such an extent that the salary question 
 seemed to me no obstacle to the improvement, which 
 the welfare of the whole charge required. I therefore 
 
 154 
 
fetDt^ Dt ^V mtt 
 
 proposed a division of the charge, so that Prospect and 
 Norton would form an independent parish with a pas- 
 tor of its own, and my work should be confined to the 
 congregation at Delaware. After much reflection and 
 consultation and agitation of the subject, the plan was 
 adopted, and Rev. P. Gast was called to take charge 
 of our two filial churches, while I was left in charge 
 of the miOther congregation. So after about nine years 
 of labor in the vv^hole parish I parted in sadness from 
 a devoted people who had always treated me kindly, 
 but with the firm conviction that their new pastor 
 would give them tender care while I would be free 
 to do more for Delaware. 
 
 It needs scarcely to be mentioned that we now 
 provided for divine service every Sunday, and our 
 situation was such that at least two services v/ith 
 preaching were necessary. When I took charge of the 
 congregation there had been no regular, but only occa- 
 sional English preaching. The congregation had, 
 however, becom.e convinced that more account must 
 be made of EngHsh ministrations, and it was stipulated 
 in my call that I must regularly preach English in 
 addition to the main German service in the morning. 
 I had faithfully observed this rule. The worship in 
 the forenoon was always German, and English services 
 
 15S 
 
&tot^ ot 9?^ JLitt 
 
 could be held at any time that I thought best, provided 
 only that there should be no interference with the prin- 
 cipal morning worship in German. It was a difficult 
 problem that was thus presented for solution. Various 
 ways were tried. For a while I preached English 
 after the German service, but while this was satis- 
 factory to the Germans, who were free to return to 
 their homes when their morning service was closed, 
 it did not suit those who understood both languages, 
 who were desirous of hearing both sermons but com- 
 plained of weariness at so long a session. An evening 
 service in English was tried, but some members who 
 lived in the country and preferred an English sermon, 
 complained that it subjected them to an unnecessary 
 disadvantage. Finally we settled upon the afternoon, 
 and this became the permanent arrangement. Our 
 order for the Lord's Day accordingly was to have 
 Sunday School and German worship in the forenoon 
 and English services at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. 
 Regularly we had meetings for Bible study on Wed- 
 nesday evening and at some seasons also on Friday 
 evening, besides the customary instruction of catechu- 
 mens. 
 
 My earnest endeavor was to build up a well-indoc- 
 trinated and God-fearing Lutheran congregation. For 
 
 156 
 
&tDt» Of 9$V ^itt 
 
 this I prayed and for this God gave me a mind to 
 work. In my youthful zeal, I no doubt made mis- 
 takes, but they were just as likely to lie in demanding 
 too much of myself as in requiring too much of my 
 people, and the Lord, whom I sought faithfully to 
 serve, directed all for good. 
 
 As I well knew that all the power for saving and 
 sanctifying souls comes from God, and that He exer- 
 cises this power through His Word, my preaching 
 aimed to set this forth in all its heavenly truth and 
 beauty, that God's will and God's work might be done. 
 I was thus protected from the beginning against the 
 vice of serving up on Sundays my everyday reflections 
 on current events, or ventilating my opinions on sec- 
 ular subjects, instead of preaching the gospel. It may 
 be that in my effort to make the way of salvation plain 
 to my congregation I gave so much prominence to the 
 doctrine that some hearers might have been led to 
 overlook the importance of a holy life. I know how 
 much all preachers must learn, and continue to learn 
 all their lives, in the sacred art of rightly dividing the 
 word of truth. But the danger lies rather in the oppo- 
 site direction, that of preaching law unto repentance 
 until people are driven to despair, or unto holiness 
 until they fall into a fond conceit of their own right- 
 
 157 
 
&torp ot ^v ^itt 
 
 coiisncss, and in both cases fail to embrace Christ as 
 their Saviour from sin and death and damnation. So 
 far as I have any regrets now it is not with regard 
 to what I preached, but rather in regard to the man- 
 ner. And yet this, too, contributed to my success, so 
 far as human element can rightfully be taken into ac- 
 count at all in estimating a minister's success. While 
 the very atmosphere in Delaware was charged with the 
 religion of feeling, and the whole environment urged 
 upon me the great need of preaching Christ as deliv- 
 ered for our offenses and raised again for our justifi- 
 cation, that men might through the power of the gos- 
 pel believe in Him and find peace in believing, there 
 was something in my manner that was attractive even 
 to those who probably would have been wearied, if 
 not offended, by the simple presentation and exposition 
 of the truth in Jesus. By temperament and partly by^ 
 education also I was a man of feeling, and sentimen- 
 talism was a besetting danger. Even in doctrinal ser- 
 mons, in the midst of an argument or an explanation, 
 my feelings would at times become so enlisted in the 
 subject as to result in outbursts which would no doubt 
 have astonished some judicial minds, intent on follow- 
 ing the thread of the discourse, had not the whole 
 been warm and fervent. This, with occasional scraps 
 
 lis 
 
^tm ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 of poetry and antique phrases which forced themselves 
 upon my memory in my rapid flow of speech, no doubt 
 lent it a spice and flavor that people liked. My ser- 
 mons were, after the first month or two, always deliv- 
 ered without manuscript. At the Seminary I had not 
 learned to memorize them, and I never succeeded 
 when I afterwards tried to learn the art. Several 
 times I read them, as some are accustomed to do, but 
 I never liked the method and know that the people 
 generally do not like it; I am sure, too, that it is the 
 least effective way of securing attention and impress- 
 ing a subject. Certainly a better way is to teach stu- 
 dents to write their sermons and memorize them. 
 When they are early trained to this the committing to 
 memory soon becomes so easy that it is the work of 
 but a few hours, and the preacher has all the advantage 
 of a carefully worded sermon and unhampered deliv- 
 ery. For me the best preparation was to write out the 
 sermon, as if it were to be read to the audience, then 
 to preach it without any further use of manuscript. 
 A preacher who never writes his sermons, at least the 
 first year, never becomes skillful in the use of language, 
 and is pretty sure to fall into ruts and a slavish use 
 of pet phrases and wearisome repetitions. I accus- 
 tomed myself to do some writing every week, and 
 
 U9 
 
fetotp ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 studied to write with simplicity and clearness, avoid- 
 ing unusual words, complicated constructions, and all 
 ornament that contributed nothing to clearness in con- 
 veying the thought. 
 
 When we entered our new church the opportunity 
 was embraced to arrange our service more in accord- 
 ance with the spirit and usage of the Lutheran Churcfi. 
 The clerical gown w^as thenceforth worn, the liturgy 
 was used more fully, and our whole worship was ren- 
 dered more solemn and more beautiful. These im- 
 provements were made without much trouble. 
 
 The weakest part of my work was in my estima- 
 tion of catechization. This was not owing to any 
 lack in my appreciation of the time-honored custom 
 and of its great importance as a means of building up 
 a solid congregation, nor any lack of willingness to 
 perform the necessary labor. On the contrary, I deeply 
 felt the need of diligent and patient instruction of the 
 young to accomplish the end so ardently desired, and 
 the need seemed to me intensified in such an environ- 
 ment. But I had received little instruction in the 
 theory or in the practice of catechizing, and had no 
 experience that could be helpful. I was not long in 
 finding out the truth of the oft repeated saying, that 
 
 it is much more difficult to prepare and conduct a good 
 
 160 
 
§)t0r^ Dt Sip^ JLttt 
 
 catechization than to prepare and deliver a good ser- 
 mon. I think with a sigh of my first efforts. No 
 doubt if I had had the benefit of being myself prepared 
 for confirmation by a good catechist, I would not have 
 felt so utterly incompetent. But it was not too late 
 yet to learn, and I persevered and learned. It was 
 much in my favor that those who came to hear my 
 instructions, as a few besides the class occasionally did, 
 knew as little about good catechizing as I did myself. 
 Consequently no fault was found with this part of my 
 work, but not a little was said in commendation of it. 
 This was owing to the fervent appeals, which were 
 frequently interspersed in the extended explanations, 
 while only at larger intervals a question was asked. 
 What was the greatest fault of my work in this de- 
 partment was thus made a subject of compliment. But 
 by the help of private interviews with the less gifted 
 of the class, my catechumens were brought to a sav- 
 ing knowledge of the truth, notwithstanding the faults 
 in my method of teaching. This improved as I grew 
 older and gathered experience, but with the original 
 fault in my training to hamper me I never, even in my 
 most optimistic mood, could claim to have reached my 
 ideal of a good catechist. However, I strenuously 
 
 labored to that end, and that helped me ; and God in 
 11 lei 
 
fetorp 0f 9^v JUitt 
 
 this respect also did for me and through me more 
 than I was able to ask or think, and therefore my cat- 
 echetical work was by no means a failure. 
 
 The work of public teaching was diligently fol- 
 lowed up by pastoral visits to families and individuals, 
 as occasion required and opportunities presented. I 
 was early impressed with the importance of system, and 
 order in the work to be done. My forenoons were uni- 
 formly spent in the study, unless I was especially called 
 away; my afternoons were just as uniformly devoted 
 to outdoor work, the evenings being left free for mis- 
 cellaneous reading, social intercourse, or urgent calls. 
 The preparation of sermons for Sunday of necessity 
 held the first place in my morning thoughts, but I usu- 
 ally had some other work in hand to which an hour 
 or two could be devoted every day. This enabled me 
 to study many a subject and many a book beyond what 
 was requisite for immediate use in my sermons. For the 
 afternoons there always was outdoor work in plenty. 
 Probably a pastor who does not find enough to occupy 
 his whole time, even though his charge be small, has 
 never rightly understood the magnitude of the minis- 
 terial calling and work, and should diligently inquire 
 if what is the matter is not his lack of zeal or his lazi- 
 ness. There are sick to visit, there are troubled souls 
 
 162 
 
&totv nt ^v ^itt 
 
 to comfort, there are careless members to admonish, 
 there are dissensions to be healed, there are family 
 troubles to be settled, there are individual doubts and 
 difficulties to be solved, — there is scarcely an end to 
 the cases in which a true pastor may serve the Lord 
 and the Church by caring for individual souls. The 
 pastor is usually himself to blame if such private 
 affairs of individuals, though they may be a menace 
 to their salvation, are not confided to him. People will 
 confide nothing of importance to a pastor who shows 
 no pastoral interest in the sheep of his fold, and who 
 will just as likely as not m^ake the revelation of an 
 individual soul the subject of gossip. 
 
 My visitations of the sick and suffering were 
 always a source of anxiety. In some cases they were 
 as delightful as in others they v/ere excruciating. It 
 hardly seems proper to speak of pleasure when the 
 results of sin are manifested in sickness and approach- 
 ing death. But grace is mJghtier than sin, and where 
 this abounds grace doth much more abound. The life 
 in Christ is greater than the death in Adam, and the 
 victory over sin and death in the believer's soul is a 
 joy to behold. Often was I edified more by a visit to 
 a Christian's sick-bed than I could have been by a 
 sea-mon setting forth the truth which I saw illustrated 
 
 1^ 
 
fetorp ot 9^n ^itt 
 
 in the patient and peaceful sufferin^e^ of a child of 
 God ; and few things in my life were more effective 
 to quicken the consciousness of my own unworthiness 
 than the hearty thanks which were sometimes given me 
 by such meek heirs of heaven for my poor ministra- 
 tions. No doubt they realized the heavenly power of 
 the message which I brought them, without noticing 
 the earthly weakness of the messenger whom God 
 chose for the purpose. But not all sick-beds and death- 
 beds were so edifying. Some were painful, more than 
 I can tell. Not that the erring opinion had entered 
 my mind and had been harbored there, that all Chris- 
 tians physically die an easy death, while unbelievers 
 always depart this life with terrible struggles, so that 
 this could be a criterion by which it could be determ- 
 ined whether one dies in the Lord or not. The work 
 of the Holy Spirit is not to be judged by any such ex- 
 ternal tests. Christian souls ordinarily have peace in 
 believing, however much of bodily pain it may please 
 the Lord to let them suffer before they take their 
 flight to the happy land where pain is known no more. 
 But the pastor's visiting of the sick is not limited to 
 those whose daily spiritual nourishment is the gospel 
 of the grace of God in Christ and who always strive 
 
 to maintain a conscience void of oflfence toward God 
 
 164 
 
&tor^ ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 and man. He is sometimes called to the dying who do 
 not know the Lord, and the mere fact that they are 
 not of his own congregation cannot close his heart 
 against their cry of distress, though he must scrupu- 
 lously guard against interference with the rights and 
 duties of other ministers. And in our own congrega- 
 tions there are members who do not use the opportu- 
 nities which God gives them of knowing the truth and 
 being made free by it from the bonds of iniquity. It 
 is sorrowful work which a pastor must do, when he 
 comes to the chamber of sickness and death and finds 
 a communicant member of his church, now awakened 
 to a conscienciousness of his sin, inconsolable in view 
 of the terrors of death and the judgment, and this all 
 the more because the forms of godliness were usually 
 observed while the proffered grace was rejected. The 
 pastor must not despair of the Holy Spirit's power yet 
 to save the soul that is despairing, but what anxiety 
 and pain must in some such cases be endured by a 
 faithful pastor only those who have experienced it can 
 know. And not less painful are those instances in 
 which not even approaching death serves to arouse a 
 sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin and the urgent 
 need of the Saviour who alone is mighty to save. 
 Cases like this always troubled me the more be- 
 
 165 
 
&totp oe 9$^ %itt 
 
 cause of the difficulties usually associated with the 
 proper treatment. It is manifest at once that on such 
 patients the law has not yet done its proper work, and 
 that the grace of the gospel could, notwithstanding all 
 professions that sound right and seem right, never 
 have been rightly understood and rightly received. A 
 person who claims to be ready for death and the judg- 
 ment because there is no blemish upon his life lacks 
 something essential. I never experienced much diffi- 
 culty in finding out in such cases what were the evils 
 to which Satan was resorting to keep the soul away 
 from Christ. Generally a brief exploration according 
 to the Ten Commandments sufficed to lay bare the 
 fundamental mistake. As an example I will mention 
 the case of an old lady, who assured me that she was 
 weary of the world and ready to die. Upon asking her 
 if she was conscious of being a poor sinner, who could 
 be saved only by grace, and if she trusted in Jesus as 
 the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the 
 world, she replied that that was what she had been 
 taught from her youth, and so she had always believed. 
 But she had not been exemplary in her duties as a 
 member of the congregation, although I knew nothing 
 against her moral life, and this led me to some further 
 questioning. I ran through the Commandments, in- 
 
 166 
 
fetot? of 9?g %iU 
 
 quiring if she had obeyed each of them. She became 
 offended at what must have seemed to her an inquisi- 
 torial process, and when I finally asked her whether 
 she had obeyed all these Commandments, she became 
 angry, and declared that until now no one had ever 
 dared to charge her with the transgression of the Law 
 of the Lord. Of course I persisted, and I hope that 
 the lady died in the faith that she was a poor sinner 
 saved by grace. I mention the incident to emphasize 
 the difficulty which I felt in dealing with such cases. 
 I wanted to be alone with the individual concerned, 
 because under such conditions it is natural that some- 
 times oft'ence would be taken at the stern application 
 of the law, and some of the Vv^itnesses would be incapa- 
 ble of understanding the need of what seemed to them 
 unfeeling harshness, especially when the suffering 
 from disease appeared to inflict punishment enough. I 
 desired, and I am not of a different mind now, that the 
 pastor should have the opportunity to be alone with 
 the sick when he thinks it necessary, and always found 
 this a great advantage in dealing with souls committed 
 to my charge. The self-righteous person may at first 
 be offended at a trenchant and seemingly unsympa- 
 thetic insistance upon the law of righteousness, but by 
 the grace of God the result will ordinarily be the per- 
 
 167 
 
fetorp ot ^v ^itt 
 
 ception that the choice must be made between our own 
 rightousness, which is all an illusion, and the righteous- 
 ness of Christ, which is real and perfect and which 
 is offered in the gospel without money and price, to 
 be apprehended by faith alone. The cases mentioned 
 cause trouble enough without the complications caused 
 by curious visitors. Ordinarily these may be welcomed 
 in the sick room, but the preacher should unquestion- 
 ably have the same privilege as the physician to require 
 privacy when he deems it needful. 
 
 Of course my pastoral visits were not only to 
 the sick. Some were caused by troubles of which 
 probably none knew but myself; some were designed 
 to support the weak; some were meant to express my 
 appreciation of good work done ; some were prompted 
 by the fear that individuals or families were becom- 
 ing negligent of the one thing needful, or were in 
 danger of going astray: all had the purpose of pro- 
 moting godliness in heart and home, and of strength- 
 ening the Church by invigorating the spiritual life 
 of its members. 
 
 It was in pursuance of the same purpose that 
 I sought to instill a love for the old customs of our 
 Church in regard to preparation for communion. 
 Private confession and absolution seemed to me the 
 
 168 
 
fetotg of 9p» %itt 
 
 wisest provision for enabling the pastor to exercise 
 his office in the care of souls and the people to de- 
 rive the full benefit of his ministrations. There is a 
 special comfort for the soul in the application of the 
 gospel to the individual. While of course each be- 
 liever can appropriate a public proclam.ation of remis- 
 sion of sins, the Church evidently designed, when 
 she declared that private absolution should not be 
 abandoned, to furnish a safe-guard against the dan- 
 ger besetting the hearer of losing the blessing by 
 inattention to the precious announcement, or by re- 
 ferring it to others instead of appropriating it to 
 himself, which cannot be so easily done when the 
 pastor absolves each individual separately. But in 
 the circumstances at Delaware I thought the best 
 attainable v/ould be a more careful and more efficient 
 use of the existing custom of registering all appli- 
 cants for communion. I accordingly urged and in 
 course of time insisted that all names of persons 
 desiring to commune be given me prior to confession 
 and absolution, and that, so far as practicable, each 
 one should do this in person. Next I requested and 
 pleaded that such application for communion be 
 made by each person in such a way that if any one 
 desired a private interview with me pertaining to the 
 
 169 
 
fetotp ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 spiritual life or if I desired it, an opportunity should 
 be given. To this end I appointed, before each com 
 munion, certain hours during which this could be 
 done at my home, and, for those who might find 
 this too great an inconvenience, one hour at the 
 church immediately preceding the confessional ser- 
 vice. All legalistic measures and influences were 
 avoided. My purpose was fully stated and explained, 
 and each member could make his or her own choice, 
 and was never treated as more or less worthy because 
 of the choice made. About half the communicants 
 availed themselves of the opportunity to meet me in 
 my study, and the rest did not object to come one 
 by one into the vestry room of the church while the 
 others waited. Though the doors were left open, a 
 few necessary words could thus still be spoken with- 
 out being heard by others. My aim was to encour- 
 age unburdening of hearts, to the pastor, with a view 
 of furnishing the help needed, without subjecting the 
 persons concerned to the tortures of gossip and 
 heartless criticism. In this way a great deal was 
 accomplished towards promoting the spiritual life of 
 the congregation, and there were many who appre- 
 ciated the work and fostered it. Of course a pastor 
 who cannot sacredly keep secrets thus imparted to 
 
 170 
 
fetPt? ot ^^ mu 
 
 him, can never make such method a success; but has 
 such a gossiping pastor really the necessary qualifica- 
 tions for the holy office? 
 
 It was the same line of thought and feeling that 
 led me to institute a better discipline in the congre- 
 gation. I was not so ignorant as to suppose that 
 error in doctrine and life could not exist in an organ- 
 ized body of true Christians; but I was learned 
 enough to know that it ought not to exist in a Chris- 
 tian, least of all in a Lutheran congregation in which 
 Christianity appears in its purest form. False doc- 
 trine and unholy life have no rights among God's 
 redeemed people. So I thought then, and so I think 
 now, after fifty years of study and experience have 
 clarified and confirmed my convictions. The Church 
 is holy in its invisible reality, and this holiness should 
 be manifest, as far as possible, in the visible organ- 
 ization of that holy Church in the assemblies of 
 Christians. I know the divine command that we 
 must avoid those who teach false doctrine and that 
 we must reject heretics after the first and second ad- 
 monition, and I know that we must refuse to fellow- 
 ship persons who impenitently continue to live in sin 
 against the Commandments of Him who is alone Lord 
 in the Church. Sin must be put away from us, that we 
 
 171 
 
fetorp ot 9$v ^itt 
 
 may be a holy people. I know that the flesh continues 
 to lust against the Spirit, and that if we say we are 
 without sin we deceive ourselves. But sin must be put 
 away. The individual renounces it when he becomes a 
 Christian, and the Church renounces it when it organ- 
 izes as a communion of saints. If the individual will 
 not put it away by repentance, but claims the right 
 to live in it as the world generally does, the Church 
 must put that individual away with his sin, denying 
 such right, and refusing to be partaker of the sin 
 and to incur God's judgment upon it. On these prin- 
 ciples we acted, and the result was that we were pro- 
 tected against the canker of many an error and the 
 leaven of many an ungodliness, which were either 
 nipped in the bud to the everlasting welfare of those 
 immediately concerned, or excluded from the Church 
 and thus rendered powerless to spread the infection. 
 This greatly increased my labor, but the profiting was 
 manifest. The subject of Church discipline had evi- 
 dently received little attention in our Synod at that 
 time; for in cases of dif^culty I could get but little 
 assistance from brethren in the ministry. Some ad- 
 vice that was given me would now seem preposter- 
 ous. 
 
 Much of my work was necessarily directed to 
 172 
 
^totv ot ^^n %iit 
 
 the prevention of conduct and participation in cus- 
 toms which, though not sinful in themselves, I re- 
 garded as menaces to the spiritual life, partly by offer- 
 ing hindrances to growth in grace, partly by tending 
 to excesses and habits which naturally lead the heart 
 away from Christ. As in course of time my congre- 
 gation, in its leading elements, was in full accord 
 with its pastor, we were often charged with undue 
 rigor, insomuch that some of the less earnest mem- 
 bers were prone to remark that when they wanted a 
 "good time," they must go to another place, as what 
 they wanted was a sin in Delaware. Just for such 
 persons our practice was a great blessing, notwith- 
 standing their misinterpretation of its import; and 
 I am not ashamed now, as I was not then, that a 
 member of my congregation was reported to have 
 said that he could not go to a certain ball because, 
 if he did, the pastor would be at his house next day 
 and he could not be prepared to look him in the 
 face. But my visits to those who went to theatrical 
 performances and circus shows, to card-parties and 
 club-frolics, to saloons and races, and similar ques- 
 tionable resorts, were far from being unduly rigor- 
 ous. They v/ere purely pastoral. So far from being 
 disciplinary, they were designed to prevent the neces- 
 
 173 
 
fetocp ot 9^v Jiitt 
 
 sity of Church discipHne in the strict sense. I was 
 too much impressed with the goodness of God in res- 
 cuing me as a brand from the burning to think of 
 deaHng damnation around upon erring people who 
 were presumably better than myself. But just because 
 I felt the need of kindly warning, if the case were 
 my own, I sought in Christian love to warn others, 
 though it should cost me something. I find comfort 
 now in the belief that many a soul was rescued from 
 the wiles of the devil by being warned in time. Also, 
 not all would hear the loving word of the Lord and 
 some went on in their self-chosen way of the flesh. 
 Of course then discipline was exercised, and when 
 they would not submit to the Master's ways, they 
 were lost to us. God may have found them later. I 
 do not know. 
 
 Perhaps an example will best illustrate our pro- 
 cedure. A member of the congregation who had 
 afforded me a great deal of pleasure by his diligent 
 participation in our week-day Bible studies, as well 
 as by his diligent attendance upon the means of grace 
 on Sundays, came one day to consult me on a matter 
 that deeply affected him. He informed me that he 
 had been a Pietist in his German home in Wuerttem- 
 berg, but that only since he Hved at Delaware had 
 
 174 
 
&t0t^ ot 9?? %itt 
 
 he understood the doctrine of justification by faith 
 in the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the 
 world and experienced the peace and joy which faith 
 in Christ alone can bring. He had for several years 
 maintained himself and family as a day-laborer, and 
 was happy in his home with his daily bread. But 
 in his fatherland he had learned the trade of a baker, 
 and now a good opportunity was offered to pursue 
 that calling with a prospect of bettering his condition. 
 So far there was nothing for m,e to say but to express 
 my approval of his diligence and his devotion to the 
 truth in Jesus. But that was not the purpose of his 
 visit. He told me that he came to ask m^y advice in 
 a matter that perplexed him. 
 
 When he made known to his friends his inten- 
 tion to establish a bakery, a number of them desired 
 that he should sell beer, as other bakers and grocers 
 often did, and thus not only add something to his 
 income, but also enable his friends to enjoy a glass 
 of the beverage in unobjectionable surroundings. He 
 emphasized especially that some brethren of our own 
 congregation desired this, as they would be glad to 
 have a place to go for this purpose without being 
 brought into bad company. He Vv^as not sure that 
 it would be right to give his consent and desired to 
 
 176 
 
&tpr» oe 9^v ^itt 
 
 consult me about it. He knew our position in regard 
 to the saloon business, and was fully in accord with 
 us in our endeavor to protect our congregation from 
 its influence for evil. In reply to my reference to 
 the manifest dangers connected with it, he assured me 
 that he had no thought of keeping a saloon in the 
 ordinary sense, that he designed to sell no other than 
 malt liquors, and to keep these only for the accom- 
 modation of such as were regular patrons of his 
 bakery. I showed him that his scheme was imprac- 
 ticable, because if beer were sold at all in a public 
 place the discrimination which he proposed could not 
 be made without giving offence to some and thus 
 hindering the success of his bakery, and that little by 
 little concessions would have to be made to custo- 
 mers until he would be running a saloon like those 
 already existing, to which there was no need for add- 
 ing another. I warned him, too, that his Christian 
 character would surely suffer if he carried out his pro- 
 ject, because temptations to wrong-doing would mul- 
 tiply, and no man can be safe if he needlessly walks 
 in perilous places. He thanked me, and I think went 
 on his way with the sincere intention to abandon the 
 project. Later he came again. He then informed 
 me that he had been on a visit to some friends and 
 
 176 
 
fetotp ot S$v ^itt 
 
 had there met the pastor of their congregation; that 
 the project which he had talked over with me had 
 become the topic of conversation ; that the opinion of 
 all was favorable to the plan which he had proposed, 
 the pastor especially laying stress on the fact that 
 the saloon business was mostly in the hands of 
 ungodly men, and there was special need for such a 
 resort as he had projected; and that the circum- 
 stance had revived in his mind the idea of putting his 
 plan into practice. I tried again to convince him that 
 I was right, notwithstanding the contrary opinion of 
 other Christian people, but this time apparently with 
 less success. He did not tell me what he would do, 
 I still trusted that he would do right. But he began 
 to dispense malt liquors to his customers. As was 
 my custom, I visited him and his place of business, 
 as I did others, and nothing indicated that he was 
 not the same devoted Christian that he had always 
 been. He was regular in his attendance upon the 
 means of grace and his life was without reproach. 
 He was a good baker, a good man, had chosen a 
 good location, and his business prospered. But one 
 day, when I visited him and he was quite at leisure, 
 he made a revelation that startled me. He told me 
 that what I had warned him of had come true; that 
 12 177 
 
fetoti? of 9^p Jiitt 
 
 he had begun with dispensing beer to his friends, 
 but could not with any propriety refuse it to their 
 friends; that the number of these friends and friends' 
 friends kept constantly increasing; that some of these 
 friends wanted something stronger than beer, and 
 that the reason for furnishing the latter seemed to 
 require the furnishing of the former; and that thus 
 the saloon business had become dominant in his bak- 
 ery. I do not think that I felt any elation at the 
 confessed fulfilment of my prophecy, and I am sure 
 that I manifested none in my remarks on the situa- 
 tion. It was depressing. But not only this was 
 reported. He continued by telling me that he was not 
 happy; that this family worship had been disturbed 
 so often, that it was finally abandoned; that his poor 
 wife was deprived of her daily solace in the Word 
 of the Lord, which they were accustomed to read 
 together and of the thanksgivings and petitions which 
 they formerly enjoyed before laying their bodies 
 down to sleep; that their children were no longer 
 instructed in the precious catechism, but ran wild 
 like heathens; and that the peace of God had de- 
 parted from his house. It was a painful interview, 
 and it was doubly so when, upon my assurance that 
 the grace of God is sufficient to remedy the distress- 
 
 178 
 
fetor? ot 9^v fiitt 
 
 ing condition, if he would only turn from the error 
 of his ways and flee for refuge to the hope set before 
 him in Christ, he replied that it was too late. When 
 I appealed to him to let the money involved in the 
 matter go whither it would, and save his own soul 
 though he should come penniless out of the fire, he 
 still maintained that the entanglement was too great: 
 he could not extricate himself: it was too late. He 
 became very rich in the things of this world, and 
 alas! became very poor in the treasures of heaven, 
 so that we were forced to refuse any further Chris- 
 tian fellowship with him, because he would no longer 
 submit to the Master's Word, which had given him 
 so much comfort and strength in his better days. 
 
 What became of the poor man afterwards I do 
 not know. But who would say that our practice was 
 wrong because we seemed in this case to fail? In 
 other cases we succeeded : and even when, as in the 
 instance mentioned, we seemed to fail, our efforts were 
 not wholly in vain. Maybe that truth and righteous- 
 ness prevailed at last in this erring soul. At any rate 
 the only possibility lies in the grace which is oft'ered 
 by the gospel. If the power of God fails, nothing can 
 help the poor soul : it is too late. 
 
 Our treatment of saloonists was not such as fan- 
 
 m 
 
fetot» oC 99V JLitt 
 
 atical prohibitionists would commend. We never pro- 
 nounced the drinking of a glass of beer or wine a sin. 
 How could we in the Lord's name condemn what the 
 Lord has not condemned ? But adhering strictly to the 
 Scriptures, in this as in many other respects, we treated 
 drunkenness not only as an evil to the individual and 
 to society in the present world, but as ruinous to the 
 soul, and refused to tolerate it in the congregation. 
 But just on this account we were careful to watch and 
 to warn against Satan's wiles, and sought to discourage 
 the visiting and especially the keeping of resorts that 
 presented temptations to excess. We therefore pre- 
 ferred to have no saloon keepers in our congregation, 
 and all my experiences confirmed me in the position 
 which we had taken. There were not wanting appli- 
 cations for membership on the part of such persons, 
 but their occupation was always a barrier to their 
 reception. This was not because my people regarded 
 such business as an absolute disqualification for mem- 
 bership in the Christian Church. I think that we had 
 all become of one mind in the truth of the Gospel, 
 and that I fully represented the prevailing sentiment 
 in my pastoral work. We desired to avoid stumbling 
 blocks and to shut out temptations. 
 
 In one instance we yielded. A saloon-keeper 
 
 180 
 
fetors DC ^v ^itz 
 
 applied. He seemed to be well-grounded in his faith ; 
 there was no fault to be found with his life ; he had a 
 family in good repute for Christian training and de- 
 portment. I conferred with him time and again. He 
 declared himself in heart}^ accord with our position in 
 doctrine and practice, agreed to all requirements that 
 I made, such as closing his place without reservations 
 on Sunday, refusing to sell or give any liquors to known 
 drunkards, or persons who already showed that they 
 had been drinking, or to minors, or to those whose 
 families were known to need for bread every dime that 
 was spent for liquor. My aim was to induce him to 
 quit the business, though I did not believe and there- 
 fore could not show that such business is in its nature 
 and therefore of necessity sinful. Our negotiations 
 had continued for about eighteen months, when the 
 man told me that he yearned for holy communion; 
 that he saw no way of supporting his growing family, 
 if he quitted the business into which he believed him- 
 self providentially led; and that if we refused still 
 to admit him to communion^ for which he ardently 
 longed, he would try to get along without the Church, 
 and we might look to the final judgment for our share 
 in the work and its consequences. We finally received 
 him, and that was about the end of his holiness. He 
 
 181 
 
fetorp ot ^v ^itt 
 
 had attained his purpose of getting the sanction of the 
 congregation, but if he had all this time been playing 
 the arrant hypocrite he failed after all; for though 
 we were a year and six months in admitting him, we 
 were only about four weeks in getting rid of him 
 again. 
 
 It is because of instances like this that I declared 
 my position to be confirmed by my experience. Con- 
 gregations get along better without saloon-keepers as 
 members than with them, and I am sure that earnest 
 pastors are spared much anxiety and labor where such 
 people are not committed to their charge. The fact 
 that a good shepherd always rejoices in the oppor- 
 tunity to care for souls, whatever labor it may cost 
 him, does not change my conviction that in cases of 
 doubt it' is always better to do the work needed before 
 receiving applicants than afterwards, when their rights 
 in the congregation give them an influence among 
 the membership that may prove ruinous. 
 
 This is especially the case with regard to secret 
 societies, from the baleful influence of which scarcely 
 a Christian congregation in the land is exempt. Fifty 
 years ago it vvas comparatively a new thing to refuse 
 them admittance into the congregation. But soon 
 after we were freed from entanglements with the Re- 
 
 182 
 
&tor^ ot 99v ^itt 
 
 formed by the consecration of our own church build- 
 ing, we decHned to accept applicants of such affiliation, 
 unless they would renounce the brotherhood of nature 
 and self-interest in favor of the brotherhood in Christ 
 by grace alone. There were some secretists in the 
 congregation. I preached against the natural religion 
 of the lodges that our people might see the relation in 
 which Masonry, Odd Fellowship, and kindred asso- 
 ciations stand to revelation in Christ and the great 
 salvation which the Scriptures proclaim through Him, 
 and private opportunities were embraced to show lodge 
 men how lodgery conflicts with Christianity. 
 
 But the decision came before I was quite ready. 
 A member of our congregation who had been a Mason 
 was so thoroughly convinced of the impossibility of 
 his being a true Christian while he continued to be a 
 member of the Masonic Lodge, that he renounced all 
 :onnection with lodgery, and at a congregational 
 meeting without having consulted me on the subject, 
 introduced a resolution closing our doors against the 
 whole system of secret societyism as an enemy to the 
 truth in Jesus. I thought the movement premature, 
 because I had not yet done all that was possible to 
 enlighten my people, and especially to convince our 
 secretists of their error. But I could not oppose it, 
 
 183 
 
fetorp 0t 9^^ %ite 
 
 because it was precisely what I purposed to do a little 
 later. The resolution was adopted with little difficulty, 
 and all communion with secretists and all reception of 
 secret society members ceased. The congregation 
 had no further trouble with the subject. But of course 
 the pastor had. The secretists of the congregation 
 were forced to a decision. I knew that in such a case 
 there was no hurry. The members of lodges were 
 not pressed to decide before they were ready. They 
 could not be admitted to the Holy Supper; that was 
 settled. But our interest in their welfare did not 
 cease on that account. I still tried to remove the 
 obstacle to their communing with us. As long as they 
 were willing to hear me, I was willing to convince 
 them of their error and win them to the truth revealed 
 in Holy Scripture. And my labor was not in vain in 
 the Lord. Of the seven lodge men who were in the 
 congregation four left the lodge, while three pre- 
 ferred to leave the Church, though their families re- 
 mained with us and they attended our services as 
 before. I still regard it as a sad mistake in the treat- 
 ment of the unhappy lodge question, which nearly 
 every pastor is still called to face, when a secretist is 
 admitted to the Holy Supper, while the pastor is labor- 
 ing to convince him of the sin in which he is living. If 
 
 184 
 
fetot^ ot 9^v %itz 
 
 earnest work is done such treatment can hardly be 
 desired by either of the parties concerned, and my 
 conviction abides that concessions seemingly made in 
 charity only render the right solution of the compli- 
 cated problem more difficult and in some cases work 
 ruin. 
 
 A not unimportant part of my plan for pastoral 
 work was close attention to the attendance at worship 
 and communion. Although the congregation gradually 
 became large, I did not find it difficult to notice the 
 absence at worship of such members as were ordinarily 
 regular attendants^ or of the continued absence of such 
 as were irregular. Such absence was always made the 
 subject of inquiry, partly because if the absentees were 
 sick or otherwise disabled they might be regarded as 
 brethren who needed the consolations of the Gospel, 
 partly because if they were not sick or disabled 
 they needed the pastor's attention on the ground 
 of negligence. In either case they were to be 
 visited as soon as possible. In this way many 
 an error and many a devious course was pre- 
 vented by dealing with it in its beginnings and 
 removing the canker before it had taken root. In 
 regard to communion I kept an accurate list, alphabeti- 
 cally arranged, by which I could see at a glance if a 
 
 ISS 
 
fetors ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 member had communed in the course of a year, and 
 how often. If there were any who had not appeared 
 at the Lord's Supper in the course of a year, it was 
 my rule to visit them and talk the subject over with 
 them. It was not an easy task, because any urgency 
 to partake of the sacrament was felt to be of doubtful 
 expediency, inasmuch as it might lead to participation 
 in a formal way only to escape reproach. But I 
 deemed it necessary to rebuke the neglect of so great 
 a privilege and, while laying no stress on the moral 
 obligation, which might lead to mere legal obedience, 
 urged the need of the grace which the sacrament com- 
 municates for the preservation and growth of the 
 spiritual life, and the assurance of salvation. In some 
 cases my work was successful ; in some cases it failed ; 
 and the persons under treatment who, notwithstanding 
 the repeated visits during the year and repeated in- 
 struction and pleading, were delinquents still at the 
 end of the second year, were then reported to the 
 Church. For this purpose among others a regular 
 meeting was held at the beginning of each year, and 
 because of the work regularly done it was called the 
 meeting for "house-cleaning." It was expected that 
 every case of unsuccessful efforts on my part to induce 
 such as became indifferent to avail themselves of the 
 
 186 
 
&t0t^ Dt 9^V ^itt 
 
 means of grace, when this had been continued for two 
 years, should be reported at this meeting and the 
 persons concerned be cited to appear. If they refused 
 to appear or declared their intention to have no further 
 connection with our congregation, they were noted as 
 self-excluded, and their names were stricken from the 
 roll. Such cases were not numerous. The rule was 
 rather that due diligence in doing pastoral work re- 
 sulted in winning back the careless to a better use of 
 their privileges. 
 
 Such pastoral care, combined with the discipline 
 practiced in flagrant sins, not only by the grace of God 
 rescued many a soul from the snares of the devil, but 
 served also to protect us against the growth of an un- 
 sympathetic element, which might prove a menace to 
 our work, and a blemish on our good name. 
 
 I had labored in Delaware about twelve years 
 before the establishment of a parochial school, which 
 I deemed necessary for the right fulfillment of our 
 mission, and for which I ardently longed, was under- 
 taken. The difficulties in our way were in this respect 
 not greater than they usually are in congregations that 
 have grown comparatively old without it, though I 
 am firmly convinced that they were greater than most 
 of our ministers would encounter now, if they would 
 
 187 
 
fetotp ot 9^v Jiiit 
 
 enter upon the work in the name of the Lord with the 
 firm conviction of its necessity for the future welfare 
 of the Church in general and of the Lutheran Church 
 in particular. My congregation was not rich, but we 
 always had money enough to do what I could convince 
 them to be the Lord's will, in whose name alone 
 I felt myself authorized to ask for money. I never 
 feared that there would not be a sufficient number of 
 people to support the school if I succeeded in showing 
 them that the Master desires it, even if some in the 
 congregation doubted, and some few would rather not 
 be convinced. That was not my chief trouble. The 
 greatest difficulty was one that happily does not stand 
 in the way of our progress now. It was the lack of 
 teachers. I have in many cases recommended to 
 pastors that they should themselves teach until better 
 arrangements could be made. Such a recommendation 
 I never made when the circumstances were such as 
 those existing in my Delaware charge. The organi- 
 zation of our work was such as fully to occupy my time 
 and task my strength; and when by the blessing of 
 God we had prospered so far that an occasional hour 
 might have been spared without direct damage to our 
 cause, I did not dare to harbor the thought of teaching 
 a school, which would have required for its success 
 
 188 
 
The Rev. M. Loy as Pastor at Delaware, Ohio. 
 
fetw^^ ot 9^v Jtrte 
 
 tenfold more than such an occasional hour, while even 
 this could be spared only with doubting mind. Add 
 to this my feeling of incompetency to organize and 
 efficiently to conduct such a school as was needed and 
 I wanted, undertaking the work myself seemed to me 
 out of the question. But to get a good teacher was 
 the difficulty with which I had to wrestle. Getting the 
 children and getting the money did not trouble me 
 much. But getting the teacher did. I did not think 
 it right to have one of the few who were then in the 
 Ohio Synod called away from the places where they 
 were doing a good work, seeing hov; hard it would be 
 to supply his place. I read and heard of teachers seek- 
 ing employment, but I was not willing, after all my 
 toil to build up a good Lutheran congregation, to 
 assume any risks with that class of people. My only 
 hope was to get a teacher from the Missourians, with 
 whom I was on good terms and who promised to help 
 us when they could, but they rightly claimed that their 
 first duty was to their own congregations, and that we 
 m.ust wait until their own most urgent needs were 
 supplied. We waited long in vain. Finally help came 
 from another source. A son of my dear friend. Rev. 
 C. Spielmann, declared himself willing to undertake the 
 work. We called Mr. J. H. Spielmann, a young man, 
 
 189 
 
btntp of 9pp Jiite 
 
 who had graduated at our college, and he came. He 
 was of the same mind with his devoted father and 
 myself, and we labored together in complete harmony 
 and to our mutual delight. The school, notwithstand- 
 ing our imperfect accommodations in the basement of 
 the Church, prospered and grew until we had 80 pupils, 
 and a second teacher became a crying need. The 
 second teacher could not be found, and Bro. Spielmann, 
 who had never intended to devote his life to teaching 
 a parochial school, was called away. Then new 
 troubles came. From lack of sufficient teaching force, 
 the school was losing ground, and when our first 
 teacher left us we could never regain it. Before I left 
 Delaware we had two other teachers, one of whom 
 lacked intellectual ability to cope with the requirements, 
 the other of whom, a convert from the Romish 
 Church, had not the moral equipment for the place. 
 The school was debilitated when I left the congregation 
 and I was not astonished to hear that it afterwards 
 died for lack of a good teacher. 
 
 Unexpectedly, after nearly sixteen years of work 
 as pastor, the call came to me to accept a professorship 
 in Capital University. As this was to a chair in the- 
 ology, as well as in the academic department, and the 
 need especially in the theological department of the 
 
 190 
 
&t0t» Of 9^? %iU 
 
 University was pressing, my objections and those of 
 my congregation were overcome, and in March, 1865, 
 I removed to Columbus and took charge of the work 
 assigned me there. 
 
 But before continuing the story of my labor in 
 this field as professor, in which the rest of a long life 
 was to be spent, some events which belong to a period 
 of my pastorate at Delaware should be narrated. 
 How it came about that I was chosen for such an 
 important place will be better understood when 
 some account is given of my work beyond the 
 limits of my own parish and aside from this. Before 
 I entered my professorship I had become president 
 of our Joint Synod of Ohio, which necessarily implies 
 that I had used such gifts as I possessed to promote 
 our synodical interests. I had also become editor 
 of our English periodical, the Lutheran Standard. 
 Moreover I had established a home, and had the 
 manifold experiences of a husband and father. 
 These things require some notice in a story of 
 my life, and to these attention will be given in subse- 
 quent chapters, before giving an account of my work 
 as professor in Capital University. 
 
 191 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 SYNOD. 
 
 WHEN I entered the ministry, no one called to 
 the office in a congregation of the Ohio Synod 
 thought that all righteousness in this regard was ful- 
 filled when the call was accepted. I do not think 
 that the pioneers of our Synod consciously entertained 
 the human opinion, that a minister is really such only 
 when he receives ordination at the hands of other 
 ministers, who were in like manner ordained before 
 him. They had no explicitly Romish views, but they 
 had imbibed Romanizing traditions without suspicion 
 of their Romish trend. They were Lutherans of 
 simple evangelical faith, and if they erred it was not 
 because they had a spirit different from that of the 
 Lutheran Church of old, but because their intellectual 
 insight was defective. ]\Iy acquaintance with the old 
 fathers of our Synod only led me to respect their 
 humble devotion to the truth revealed in Holy Scrip- 
 ture, and even when I suffered most at their hands, 
 I never could join in with those who scoffed at their 
 
 ignorant Pietism as some Missourians, though by no 
 
 192 
 
fetorp ot 9^v f^itt 
 
 means all of them, did. I had learned much from the 
 Missourian publications, but by that merciful Provi- 
 dence which was to me so manifest in all my poor 
 life, I was blessed with the acquaintance of men, such 
 as Wyneken and Schwan, who knew something of 
 men and of the gospel, and therefore could distin- 
 guish when the flesh seemed to domineer over the 
 spirit. Even such men as Dr. Sihler, who was 
 thought to be one of the most violent opponents of 
 our Ohio Synod, were not of the class who recklessly 
 condemned us. One night, at a meeting of the Mis- 
 sourians which I attended, this champion of Missouri- 
 anism, with whom I had before had interviews, at- 
 tacked our Synod with the violence for which he was 
 noted in his assaults on what he regarded as error 
 in doctrine or practice. I repHed as well as I could 
 in defence of our Synod. But he seemed to take no 
 note of my defence, and I ceased to answer him. We 
 had retired, and I went to sleep during his tirade. 
 Next morning, while I took an early walk towards 
 the park before breakfast, he followed me and, over- 
 taking me, at once accosted me with the question, 
 why I had so abruptly broken off the conversation 
 of the previous night. He was an elderly man and 
 I was a mere stripling, but I knew the superior claims 
 X3 193 
 
fetorp of 9^v ^itt 
 
 of truth and right over age, and honestly repHed 
 that I saw the futility of reasoning against inveterate 
 prejudice, and therefore had nothing more to say. 
 Instead of getting angry, as some of his brethren 
 might have done, he immediately expressed his fear 
 that his zeal was carnal and begged me to pardon 
 his inconsiderate extravagance. We generally got 
 along well after that, and I always felt that, in any 
 question requiring evangelical judgment, he was a 
 better man to consult than Dr. Walther who, with 
 all his eminent learning, was more legalistically in- 
 clined and therefore, except in matters of erudition, 
 a less desirable counsellor. But there were fanatics 
 among the Missourians, especially among the younger 
 pastors, and it is no wonder that our older men, who 
 had suffered many a hardship in the service of the 
 Church, and had grown gray in the service, were not 
 disposed to accept kindly the reckless damnation of 
 their work which was sometimes dealt around, or to 
 seat themselves humbly at the feet of men who were 
 adepts at finding fault, but were not apt to teach. It 
 thus came about that there was equal prejudice on 
 both sides. My zeal, which was not in all cases ac- 
 cording to knowledge and which was not wholly free 
 from influences of the flesh, soon gained for me the 
 
 194 
 
fetors ot ^v ^itz 
 
 reputation of being a Missourian, which rendered my 
 position more difficult. My youth, my but partial 
 mastery of the profound theology of the Church, 
 and the prejudice against my alleged Missourianism, 
 made it far less easy to carry a point in Synod than 
 it was in my congregation. I do not think that I 
 ever deported myself with the superciliousness of one 
 who thinks that he knows it all, or gave utterance 
 to my conviction with the air of an upstart re- 
 former. My shrinking nature and the native tim- 
 idity which I never fully overcame, though pushed 
 by duty into many a conflict, would in itself have for- 
 bidden such a thought, even if I had not had the 
 good sense and the grace which protect an upright 
 soul against such unwisdom. What I said and did I 
 strove to do modestly and quietly, and it was not 
 often that the flow of feeling and consequent rush of 
 words, which it was a hard task for me to overcome 
 even in the pulpit, led me into a gush of oratory so 
 inappropriate in a deliberative assembly. 
 
 It would not be perfectly candid if I did not 
 confess that there were some among the fathers of 
 our Synod for whom I had as little respect as I had 
 for some of the boys among the Missourians, and 
 that I was sometimes provoked to utterances which, 
 
 196 
 
fetot^ ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 under other circumstances, would be pronounced un- 
 seemly. 
 
 While I regarded most of the men who at that 
 day, besides the comparatively younger Pastor Spiel- 
 mann and Prof. Lehmann, were leaders in our Synod, 
 as sincerely devoted to the truth as the Lutheran 
 Church confesses it, I could not find it in my heart 
 to approve the course which some of them were 
 taking. While I was laboring hard, under privations 
 that would otherwise have been unnecessary, to build 
 up a soundly Lutheran congregation, it was trying 
 to accept rebukes from men who were at ease in Zion, 
 and whose congregations were dying from inanition 
 v/hile they frittered away their precious time in pro- 
 moting secret-societyism or practicing allotria that 
 brought them money. If I sometimes used a word 
 in reply which seemed harsh, who would blame me 
 in such a case? At the very first meeting of Synod 
 which I attended a minister who was looked up to as 
 one of the wisest and most distinguished of our old 
 pioneers, preached the principal serm.on. He showed 
 what the Word of God requires of us in regard to 
 the practice of love, how the Church has failed in 
 executing the Master's will, and how the secret or- 
 ganizations of our land had been impelled to take up 
 
 196 
 
fetar? of 9^p %iU 
 
 the work, which the Church had failed to perform. 
 He was a Mason, and I was a Lutheran. Of course 
 I was indignant, though it was only a few years since 
 I had been a secretist myself. If the case occurred 
 now, since I have studied more and prayed more and 
 experienced more, I would not have become a mem- 
 ber of the Ohio Synod without a renunciation of the 
 Deistic foundation of that sermon and of the man 
 who preached it, unless he repented of the sin and 
 made all possible reparation of the evil resulting. I 
 said nothing in public, which I now see to be a fault. 
 In private I spoke of it, but little was said by others 
 and nothing was done. He was an authority in Synod, 
 and publicly nobody said anything, and so the matter 
 was passed over in silence. When in the discharge of 
 a duty entrusted to me by Synod I later met this man 
 in a town of western Ohio, where the Masons were 
 having a celebration and he was to m.ake a speech; 
 and upon his cordial invitation to attend the public 
 meeting, I turned away Vv^ith the remark that I must 
 be about the Master's business, I think my treatmient 
 of him was gentle, and he had no reason to take 
 offense or speak of me as a saucy boy. There were 
 some others who regarded me with suspicion, if not 
 with positive dislike. They had gotten into ruts out 
 
 197 
 
&tor? ot 9pp JLitt 
 
 of which it was humanly impossible to pry them, and 
 least of all was I qualified for the task. Every in- 
 centive was given me to study the apostolic admoni- 
 tion, *'Let no man despise thy youth," but I had not 
 the equipment necessary to wage a successful war 
 against traditions that were venerable with age, and 
 were defended by men who had become venerable 
 in their observance. Had it not been for such men 
 as Pastor Spielmann and Prof. Lehmann, my posi- 
 tion in the Ohio Synod would probably have be- 
 come untenable. But I did what I could, and my 
 success in my own congregation, under God's con- 
 tinual blessing and my unwearied application to 
 study, gave me ever new courage to testify of the 
 great grace bestowed upon the Lutheran Church as 
 the great Church of the Reformation, and to resist 
 all unionistic movements tending to reduce her to a 
 pitiful sect among other sects of the land. When I 
 accordingly argued, in opposition to the so-called liber- 
 ality of the old pioneers, that if we had nothing 
 special to contend for in the Lutheran Church for 
 conscience sake, we could save men and money by 
 abandoning our Lutheran organization and joining our 
 forces with other Christians who cared nothing for 
 creed, but still professed to care for Christianity, the 
 
 198 
 
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 {I'.Mr^.r, 
 
 Facsimilie of the LicexXse Issued to A[. Loy, Trinity Sunday, 1849, at 
 
 Lewtsburg, Ohio. Renewed Until Trinity Sunday, 1851, 
 
 at New Bremen, Ohio. Renewed Until Trinity 
 
 Sunday, 185-2, at Canton, Ohio. 
 
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 Facsimile of a License Issued in 1818. 
 
&totp ot 9^v fUtt 
 
 effect was horrifying. Even my nearest friends 
 thought me an extremist, and begged that allowance 
 should be made for my youth and inexperience. I 
 was not expelled, probably because there was too 
 much liberality for that, and too much sturdy Luth- 
 eran good sense to discriminate against Lutheranism 
 in the practice of unionism. And the leaven worked. 
 When in March, 1849, I accepted the call to be- 
 come pastor of the Delaware charge, and in the fol- 
 lowing Trinity week appeared as an applicant for 
 admission to Synod at the meeting of the Western 
 District of the Ohio Synod at Lewisburg, Ohio, I 
 was not yet sufficiently versed in biblical lore or 
 Lutheran theology to be offended at my treatment. 
 With a number of others I was examined as to my 
 fitness for the ministry. The examination was satis- 
 factory to the committee, and I was, with the others, 
 recommended, not to ordination, but to licensure for 
 one year. This was not designed to express any 
 doubt as to our qualification for the office, or to cur- 
 tail the rights of the congregations. It was simply 
 in accordance with a custom, the wide import of 
 which had probably never been carefully considered. 
 Manifestly it was meant to safeguard our congrega- 
 tions against strolling preachers and clerical tramps, 
 
 199 
 
fetorp Dt 9^v Hiitt 
 
 who abounded in those times, and who have still not 
 perished from the earth. 
 
 At the second synodical meeting which I attended 
 a sort of biblical defence of the license system was 
 presented, showing that objections had been raised 
 against it. Its justification was sought in the wis- 
 dom and care commanded in the appointment of min- 
 isters, while the most important question, namely, to 
 whom the power of such appointment belongs, was 
 overlooked. I do not think that my work suffered 
 materially from Synod's error in this regard; for 
 whatever limitations of a pastor's power may theoret- 
 ically lie in such a system, and whatever disparage- 
 ment of the person called to the ministry may be 
 involved in its application, it would not become effect- 
 ive so long as no clash came with congregational 
 rights. It may be that some had lost respect for me 
 because I was only a candidate, as some regarded me 
 less because of my youth; but such subordinate mat- 
 ters are usually of little consequence when a man has 
 a cause to maintain which asserts its inherent power. 
 I went on with my work as the pastor of the con- 
 gregation which had called me, and was never 
 troubled by the thought that, on some dark day, 
 Synod might revoke my license and declare my con- 
 
 200 
 
fetor? of 95s ^itt 
 
 gregations vacant. I suppose that the fathers in our 
 Synod never contemplated the case, which might have 
 occurred with me as the principal actor in the drama, 
 of a candidate rendered obnoxious by his Lutheran- 
 ism and of a Lutheran congregation deprived of its 
 faithful pastor by opponents who had no love for 
 consistent Lutheranism. If my brethren had refused 
 to renew my license in 1850, after my first year of 
 hard work and hard fighting, I do not know what 
 would have resulted. I think that there were then 
 still some men in the congregation who would not 
 have pined away in grief if I had been deposed. A 
 few of these might have taken the necessary steps to 
 counteract the recommendation which was given me, 
 if they had only known how to do it ; and there were 
 a few of the prominent men in Synod who would not 
 have been disinclined to heed the cries of these fev/. 
 Our work was not then so well established that I 
 could offer, as I did later when threats were made to 
 appeal a matter of discipline to Synod, not only to 
 direct the malcontents in the proper course to be 
 pursued, but to assist them in preparing the necessary 
 papers. This was done not in a scoffing spirit, but 
 with the sincere purpose of giving opponents every 
 reasonable opportunity of being heard. My offer 
 
 201 
 
&totp ot 99? JLitt 
 
 was never accepted, and thus the double trouble was 
 spared me of formulating a complaint against my- 
 self and defending myself against it. Probably I 
 would have continued to perform the duties to which 
 I had been called in the Delaware charge, even if my 
 license had not been renewed. The call was valid, 
 and I could recognize no authority to invalidate a 
 call which I knew to be divine; and if Synod was 
 ready to admit that my ministerial functions v/ere 
 valid for three years without ordination, according to 
 its own admission they would continue to be valid for 
 years to come. It was a pitiful business, that absurd 
 license system, and it soon died without much contro- 
 versy as a practice inconsistent with accepted prin- 
 ciples. 
 
 Of a piece with the license system was the dis- 
 tinction between the Synod and the Ministerium. To 
 the latter all the more important questions pertaining 
 to doctrine and discipline and the ministry were re- 
 ferred as to a higher court, in which only ordained 
 ministers had a seat and vote, and from which ac- 
 cordingly all who were merely licensed candidates, as 
 well as all the lay delegates, were excluded. It was 
 therefore only after I had been pastor three years 
 
 that I had access to the sessions of the Ministerium. 
 
 202 
 
&mv ac ip? %iu 
 
 I do not remember that this was regarded or felt as a 
 humiliation. It certainly was not so intended by those 
 who adopted the constitution, or rather who retained 
 the arrangement to which the founders of our Synod 
 had previously been accustomed. But it was wrong 
 in principle and operated injuriously in practice. 
 Synod had in 1848 adopted the symbolical books of 
 the Evangelical Lutheran Church as its confession, 
 and therefore stood pledged to maintain and defend 
 the faith thus confessed. In this it was sincere, and 
 it had no intention to adopt or retain usages known 
 to be in conflict with its profession. As soon as it be- 
 came apparent that the system of licensure violated 
 rights which belong to the Christian congregation, it 
 was abandoned. The Ministerium question was not 
 so easily settled. It had become venerable, and the 
 fathers, some of whom had become jealous of the in- 
 fluence of the younger men, were loth to let it go. 
 They did not claim that the common people had no 
 right to a voice in questions of doctrine and of con- 
 science, nor even that ministers are amendable only 
 to ministers, and that the laity would be usurpers of 
 authority which does not belong to them if they pre- 
 sumed to sit in judgment on the clergy, whether in 
 
 203 
 
&tot^ ot ^^ mtt 
 
 regard to the reception of applicants or the discipline 
 of members. 
 
 Remarks were made which implied such theories, 
 but they were not distinctly formulated. The fact is 
 that the subject was not clear, and the Ministerium 
 was defended rather from veneration for an old cus- 
 tom than from conscious adherence to a false prin- 
 ciple. Under such conditions it is not strange that 
 the doctrine of Church and Ministry became a burn- 
 ing question among us. But it was the practical side 
 that hastened the abandonment of the traditional 
 arrangement. When a session of the Ministerium 
 was called, it was expected that the lay-delegates and 
 candidates should consider themselves dismissed and 
 should leave the church, as was required of all mem- 
 bers of the congregation. It was always painful 
 when one or the other, not understanding the situa- 
 tion, retained his seat. In some cases It was deemed 
 necessary to request such innocent intruders to take 
 their departure. Sometimes oflfence was taken at 
 such apparent rudeness in the practice of privacy, and 
 occasionally remarks of no kindly sort were made 
 about secret meetings of m.en v/ho professed opposi- 
 tion to all secretism. Now and then too there were 
 
 mutterings importing that old men who were sent as 
 
 204 
 
(iH!flMTlo\^;-.;':Hi.;i\. 
 
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 k 
 
 d 
 
 l^\\csiMiLE OF Ordination Certificate Issued to Rev. M. Loy at Dayton, 
 Ohio, Trinity Sunday, 1852. 
 
&tm ^t s@g %iu 
 
 delegates to Synod did not feel good over the invita- 
 tion to leave when important matters of the Church 
 were to be considered only by ordained ministers. 
 The opponents of such special organization of the 
 ministry, as distinguished from the synodical body, 
 had the great advantage of having the sentiment of 
 the lay-delegates on their side. This made it a neces- 
 sary requirement of prudence, as well as of Christian 
 faith and charity, to guard carefully against evils, 
 which might easily result from the advocacy of peo- 
 ple's rights. There was danger, on the one hand, of 
 goading the people to a wild resistance of a tyranny 
 exercised over them by denying them their divinely 
 authenticated rights, and, on the other hand, of 
 appearing to the opposition as mere mountebanks, 
 who preyed upon the ignorance and credulity of the 
 people. In either case the cause of right would have 
 suffered. I do not think that any of the opponents 
 of the "Ministerium" were revolutionary. For myself, 
 I had endured the candidacy, and gone on with my 
 work at Delaware as if nothing had happened at 
 Synod. And I went on with my share of the work 
 at Synod as if no difference had been made between 
 candidates and pastors. As far as I can remember 
 not the least effect was produced upon my sense of 
 
 2f05 
 
fetorp ot 9$v ^itt 
 
 duty and my zeal for the work in which I was en- 
 gaged, by my ordination and my admission into the 
 Ministerium. I was a minister before, and nothing 
 was added, either in the objective reality or in the 
 subjective consciousness, to the duties and obliga- 
 tions of my call as pastor of the Delaware parish. 
 Such power as I had was exerted against the wrong 
 to the Church which was involved in the **Minister- 
 ium" business, but it was always, so far as I can 
 remember, with due respect to established custom and 
 the veneration which our pioneers had for a custom 
 which had no root in the Lutheran Church. Once, 
 when it was proposed to make me President of the 
 Western District, I peremptorily refused the office 
 because I could not comply with the constitution 
 requiring the calling of ministerial sessions. I de- 
 clared that I could not and would not issue such a 
 call, and that ended it. When an amendment to the 
 constitution, promising to strike out the clauses 
 which referred the most important work of synod to 
 the "Ministerium" and thus denied to the laity some 
 precious rights of Christians, was under discussion, 
 I was confident of the support of the lay-delegates in 
 the final vote, even though the majority of ministers 
 should be against my contention. My teacher, Pro- 
 
 206 
 
&tot^ of ^v ^itt 
 
 fessor Lehmann, who usually stood as mediator be- 
 tween the adherents of old customs and the new 
 Lutheran life which had come into our synod, occu- 
 pied the chair. He thought that he saw trouble com- 
 ing, and concluded that it would be best to relegate 
 the whole matter to the Ministerium. He accordingly 
 so decided. Manifestly the decision was wrong, and 
 I appealed, as I had a right to do, to synod for a 
 righteous decision. He was a man of expedients, 
 and refused to entertain the appeal, alleging that 
 synod had no jurisdiction in a matter belonging to 
 the Ministerium. Such proceedings could not fail to 
 excite some feeling. With two other pastors I had, 
 a few years before, when the constitution of synod 
 was under revision and our effort to expunge the 
 provisions for a Ministerium had failed in our Dis- 
 trict, put a protest on record, in which our position 
 was clearly defined and the declaration was distinctly 
 made, that we could not consider ourselves bound by 
 the objectionable paragraphs. Our warfare was open 
 and candid, and no one had any ground to think our 
 action revolutionary. It would not be so considered 
 now, and it was not. We submitted to the defeat and 
 worked on, fully convinced that right would win in 
 the end, as it did; and my cordial relation to my 
 
 207 
 
&tot^ Dt 9^^ mtt 
 
 teacher, who probably in the stress was not conscious 
 of the full import of his stratagem, was not dissolved. 
 
 During these protracted troubles, complicated by 
 secret society discussions, a few ministers left the 
 Synod; and some Missourians who little understood 
 the situation and were unjust, and part of whom were 
 manifestly fanatics, kept nagging at our work and 
 our workmen, thus embarrassing the efforts of those 
 who were laboring for greater consistency in Synod's 
 practice. Some of the older men, whom my convic- 
 tions compelled me to oppose, showed themselves 
 better Christians under the unjust imputations and 
 violent assaults of conceited Missourians than did 
 their assailants, and it must be confessed that the 
 inconsiderate and uncharitable acts of somie of these 
 men did much to hinder the more rapid progress of 
 the truth promulgated in the publications of their 
 leaders. 
 
 The controversy on the Church and its Ministry, 
 of which the question concerning licensure and the 
 ministerium was a part, gradually became heated, and 
 for a time threatened the very existence of our synod. 
 No doubt its importance was better appreciated among 
 us, and became more exciting because of these condi- 
 tions and this application, thus enlisting the force of 
 
 208 
 
fetot^ oC 9^V ^itt 
 
 habit, and the reverence for time-honored usage, and 
 the feeHngs engendered by violent assaults from with- 
 out, in the theological war. This was by no means 
 a mere war of words. It pertained to a subject in 
 which interests of the whole Church of Christ were 
 involved, and upon which in my estimation the very 
 right of the Church of the Reformation to exist in the 
 world was dependent. I write this long after the war, 
 when all the influence of party feeling had passed 
 away, as my mature judgment in a case that gave me 
 much concern. It may be that the struggle would 
 never have convulsed our Synod as it did, had it not 
 been for the influences exerted from without. But that 
 is a useless speculation. It might have been that the 
 Ohio Synod, even after it had accepted the Confessions 
 of the Lutheran Church, had gone on in its old ruts and 
 been a unionistic corporation unto this day. I do not 
 know and cannot, as is the case in the General Synod, 
 tell what might have been. What I know is that God 
 in His good providence led our fathers to accept the 
 great Confession of the Reformation as their Confes- 
 sion. What instrumentalities our Lord employed to 
 bring the word of truth to the hearts of our fathers, 
 I do not know. What I do know is that it was done 
 and that God did it, whatever the instrumentalities 
 14 209 
 
fetot^ of 9^V fCitt 
 
 may have been by which He accomplished it. The 
 fact was that the synod had declared itself as an Evan- 
 gelical Lutheran body accepting the Confessions of 
 the Evangelical Lutheran Church as its own con- 
 fession. So far the way was clear, if all that this 
 involved was not clear to all the members of Synod. 
 I was theologically educated under Professor 
 Lehmann, whose learning was sometimes at fault and 
 whose theological dicta were not always indisputa- 
 ble. Perhaps in some respects my reading had led me 
 beyond his scope, as with all his powerful intellect 
 he was not disposed to extend his studies beyond the 
 immediate requirements of his calling. In partial 
 justification of his habit it may be said that his duties 
 as prefossor and pastor left him little time for study. 
 But the time was one that tried men's souls. My stu- 
 dies led me into a conviction which he did not share. 
 He was not a man to antagonize another member of 
 synod with a perfectly clear declaration of war. We 
 never so met each other with clanging shield and 
 steel. He had studied theology, and was Lutheran 
 in his faith and thinking, and was content to be 
 Lutheran in his faith and thinking, and was content 
 to be Lutheran if others were not, ever ready to con- 
 fess his Lutheran faith, whatever others might choose 
 
 210 
 
&t0t^ OC 9^V ^itt 
 
 to confess or deny. I do not think that it would have 
 worried him if I had leaned towards General Synod- 
 ism as might from my antecedenets have been ex- 
 pected. He did not, and that settled it. He would 
 not have been my enemy on that account. I leaned 
 toward Missourianism, as did our mutual friend Rev. 
 Spielmann. He did not, but never dreamed of being 
 an enemy of either on that account. Thus I grew to 
 be an opponent of my teacher on many a point, with- 
 out disturbing our friendly relations. He always 
 regarded these differences as lying within the limits 
 of our Lutheran Confession and not involving a 
 breach of our fraternal relations. He had great re- 
 sponsibilities resting upon him, and whilst he was 
 heroic in expedients to prevent clashing, he was 
 extremely cautious in choosing his course, and often 
 moved so slowly that it seemed to many that he did 
 not move at all. In the estimation of many members 
 of synod he was therefore of the old regime, and 
 sacrificed his power of leadership to the interests of 
 peace. I had had no part in getting the Ohio Synod 
 into the hierarchical and yet unionistic rut which was 
 in its weakness, and had no motive in feelings of 
 reverence for established customs to sacrifice the 
 Lutheran convictions which had become a power in 
 
 211 
 
fetot^ ot 9^v mtt 
 
 my soul. I was not a conservative in that limited 
 sense, but became more and more, as I studied more 
 and thought more and prayed more, a conservative in 
 regard to the old Lutheran faith and practice. I 
 therefore did not move as slowly as my teacher in 
 the endeavor to bring about a better state of things 
 in the Ohio Synod, which would at the same time be 
 in better accord with the confessional position already 
 assumed. We always came together at last, but my 
 teacher and friend, who did much towards keeping 
 me within proper bounds, was not of a mind to take 
 the initiative, and was therefore not always in the 
 lead when Synod made a move forward. 
 
 The Synodical work to which reference has thus 
 far been made pertained to the Western District, to 
 which my congregation belonged and of which I 
 was a member. It may be necessary to explain, that 
 the Ohio Synod is divided into different Districts, and 
 that each of these has the decision in regard to the 
 reception of members, who thus become members of 
 the Joint Synod. To this are referred all subjects 
 pertaining to the interests of all, and in this all the 
 members have a voice. Accordingly it was in the Joint 
 Synod that the doctrinal questions troubling the Dis- 
 
 212 
 
fetot^ ot m ^^tt 
 
 tricts had to be settled. And there my chief work was 
 
 done. 
 
 Soon after my acceptance of the pastorate at 
 Delaware the project of enlarging our educational 
 work, by establishing a college in connection with our 
 Seminary, was assuming material form. We needed 
 it and all approved it. Even the big notions that were 
 embodying themselves in the project did not strike 
 me as absurd. I was too much of a big-hearted boy 
 for that. My imagination, which was never grand 
 or glowing, although I som.etimes indulged myself in 
 writing rhymes, led me to hope great things in the 
 not wholly illusory ways suggested. The object in 
 view commended itself to my judgment as it did to 
 the judgment of older and more experienced men, and 
 Capital University cam.e into the world with banners 
 and trumpet. Even Professor Lehmann, who never 
 allowed himself to be carried away by enthusiasm, 
 was warm in his welcome of the improvement in our 
 educational facilities, though as usual his wise coun- 
 sel was for moderation and caution, which was by 
 no means needless. The conception was too big for 
 the conditions: the plan of the structure was out of 
 proportion to the grounds on which it was to be 
 erected. I did not see that, and others did not see 
 
 213 
 
fbtotv ot 9^v ^iit 
 
 it. My old teacher saw it and doubted, but was moved 
 on by the stream. Unquestionably Providence had 
 opened the way for our Ohio Synod to do a glorious 
 work in the cause of education for the Lutheran 
 Church. Unhappily the main feature was too often 
 left in the back-ground, that God had opened a way 
 for promoting Christian education in the interest of 
 the truth restored in the Lutheran Reformation. I 
 am confident that none of the leaders in the movement 
 had the remotest thought of harboring or promoting 
 the idea of regenerating mankind by the light of 
 science and philosophy and literature. I was not one 
 of the leaders, but I think that I understood them, and 
 believe that my suspicion of such underlying motives 
 would wrong even the less earnest advocates of the 
 principles for which the Ohio Synod had taken its 
 stand. All that can justly be said is that a part of 
 the zeal displayed was without knowledge. The 
 leading men wanted a Christian College devoted to 
 the interests of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and 
 in this I was heartily in accord with them. They 
 looked around for the proper man to organize and 
 conduct the new institution, and as they were always 
 too modest to assume that such a man could be found 
 among themselves, they were constrained to look 
 
 214 
 
&t0t? Of ^v "^itt 
 
 beyond the bounds of our own synod. There was no 
 one in the West of sufficient culture, who was in har- 
 mony with us, to think of finding the right man 
 there. By necessity their attention was turned to the 
 East, and there all eyes were directed to Dr. Rey- 
 nolds of Gettysburg. He had been professor there in 
 the chief college of the General Synod, and had years 
 of experience in the work of teaching. He had 
 attained some eminence as a writer, and had a wide 
 reputation for learning. His connection with the 
 General Synod was no obstacle; for without any 
 thought of coming to Columbus, he had begun a war- 
 fare against the lax system of doctrine and practice 
 which prevailed in his own ecclesiastical household. 
 To carry on this contest he had established the ''Evan- 
 gelical Review," which was published at his home in 
 Gettysburg, and which subjected him to much adverse 
 criticism. This Review had been read among us, and 
 caused much delight by the fact that such a thor- 
 oughly equipped witness had come forward in de- 
 fense of the truth for which we were contending. He 
 seemed to be the man for the place which we de- 
 sired to fill. He was called, and he came. He was 
 installed as President, the school was opened in a 
 
 building on Town Street, his brother-in-law, Pro- 
 
 215 
 
&tot? ot ^v fiitt 
 
 fessor Essick, who was represented as in full har- 
 mony with him, was called as Professor of Latin, a 
 young man of good parts who had the promise of 
 becoming a first-class teacher of mathematics, but 
 who died before his mark was made, was added to 
 the faculty, and later my old Harrisburg friend, Daniel 
 Worley, was called to take the place of the departed 
 Professor of Mathematics. The school was thus suf- 
 ficiently equipped, and the building near Goodale Park 
 was soon ready to receive it. The President was 
 inaugurated and the new building was dedicated with 
 much effort to enlist popular favor. One of the most 
 eminent men of the country, who was far from being 
 a Lutheran and probably had never heard of such a 
 thing as Lutheranism in our land, made an English 
 speech, which had little to do with our purpose, and 
 Dr. Stohlmann of New York, delivered an address 
 to engage the Germans in our cause. The whole busi- 
 ness seemed to me a failure, especially as I was dis- 
 couraged by the President's lack of skill in managing 
 the public functions. But so far as I remember I said 
 nothing. 
 
 The work went on prosperously for a while, but a 
 new trouble had been introduced into our Synod. Dr. 
 
 Reynolds had grown up in a different atmosphere and 
 
 216 
 
&tot» ot aps %itt 
 
 with other suroundings. He was a Lutheran of the 
 kind still found among the more conservative men of 
 the General Synod, but he had a different spirit from 
 that which pervaded our people. This prevented com- 
 plete cordiality from the start ; and as move after move 
 was made that was not to our liking, doubts soon arose 
 whereunto this would grow. Too much stress was 
 laid on winning the favor of citizens who cared noth- 
 ing for the Lutheran Church, but who were interested 
 in general education and whose influence it was de- 
 sired to utilize in behalf of the school. This as well 
 as the inability of the faculty, with the exception of 
 Prof. Lehmann, who held the chair of German, to 
 converse readily in the German language, led the Pres- 
 ident and Prof. Essick to move almost exclusively 
 among English speaking people, especially as their 
 families were English and could otherwise have little 
 enjoyment of social life. Moreover, both from incli- 
 nation and policy, they were desirous of bringing the 
 Ohio Synod into the General Synod, and as at that 
 time there was a strong movement elsewhere in that 
 direction and influences were brought to bear upon us 
 by the Ministerium of Pennsylvania, with which we 
 had correspondence on the subject of a Liturgy, they 
 
 had good opportunity to make known their desire. 
 
 217 
 
fetor? ot Q^s %iU 
 
 Even in the congregational affairs they managed to 
 make some innovations to which some did not take 
 kindly, if for no other reason than they did not want 
 to follow what was called the fashion. 
 
 Little by little the men from the East who had 
 been called to organize and manage the new college, 
 lost their influence, and before the University was 
 fairly started in the fine building on North High Street, 
 in which, too, not a little of the useful had been sac- 
 rificed to architectural display, a rupture was immi- 
 nent. The portion of our Synod that, like myself, re- 
 garded the interests of the Church as paramount, used 
 all fair means to protect these interests against any 
 encroachments, even if these came from sources pro- 
 fessedly operative in the honored cause of education, 
 on the life and work of the Lutheran organization. 
 Our leader was Prof. Lehmann, who was never ag- 
 gressive, never disposed to take the initiative in any 
 progressive movement, but always conservative and 
 always alert. It was largely owing to his wise caution 
 that our Seminary property was safe-guarded against 
 any failure that might attach to our University project, 
 and it is still a wonder to me that he ever consented 
 to an organization of the institution under the man- 
 agement of a board composed largely of persons who 
 
 218 
 
fetot» of 9p» %itt 
 
 did not even profess to have any interest in the Luth- 
 eran Church, which our Synod designed it to serve. 
 But somehow the mistake was made. Men who did 
 not understand us or our conditions were called to con- 
 duct the institution, and a directorate was appointed, 
 many of whom did not understand them or us. And 
 trouble came. Ostensibly it was the language ques- 
 tion, really it was the Lutheran question that brought 
 it about. 
 
 With the inception of the University movement 
 and the beginning of the work I had no responsible 
 connection. I was then only a candidate, and therefore 
 not in a position to have a voice in it. But I was con- 
 sulted in the matter and heartily approved the project. 
 In my frequent visits to friends in Columbus, nearness 
 to whom I regarded as one of my chief advantages, 
 we often talked about it. My heart was fully enlisted 
 in the undertaking. My acceptance of the agency to 
 secure money for the endowment of the Presidency 
 and the German profesorship, evinces my profound 
 interest in the work. It was no small sacrifice to leave 
 a work in Delaware which was dear to my heart, and 
 this just at a time when its success was about to be 
 crowned by the building of a church that we could 
 call our own, and to travel from congregation to con- 
 
 219 
 
fetor? 0t 9^v ^itt 
 
 gregation, preaching everywhere and soHciting funds 
 for a work which only the intelhgent could appreciate. 
 But I was unmarried, and therefore could leave home 
 more easily, than men of family, and a man whom I 
 could trust was ready to act as my vicar in the con- 
 gregation during my absence. So I started off in the 
 summer of 1853, leaving my work at home in the care 
 of Rev. P. Eirich. I think I may truly say that I en- 
 tered upon my new mission in faith and hope and 
 charity. No doubt an older and more experienced 
 man could better have carried out my plan. I desired 
 to do some good among the people as well as to secure 
 some money for our general work, and I therefore 
 always preached the Word and only afterwards solic- 
 ited subscriptions. My work also gave me large oppor- 
 tunities in conversation with our pastors to suggest the 
 thoughts and feelings which actuated me and which 
 might be helpful to them. For six months I continued 
 this work, and it was not in vain in the Lord. A com- 
 paratively large sum was subscribed, and I think some 
 good v/as done in addition to these subscriptions. 
 As I look back upon it now, the mistakes which I made 
 were more in the accounts which I published of my 
 rambles among the congregations than of my work 
 there. I was sometimes impressed with the humor of 
 
 220 
 
fetot? of 9p^ %iU 
 
 situations rather than with their unchurchly features, 
 
 and wrote in a mood of gayety rather than of sadness, 
 
 and of course, opinions differed about the propriety of 
 
 some of my observations. After six months of toil 
 
 and not infrequently of bodily suffering, I returned to 
 
 my charge, which had been well cared for by Rev. 
 
 Eirich, without regrets for the temporary absence. I 
 
 had accomplished as much for the improvement of our 
 
 finances as the conditions warranted, and I think that 
 
 my half-year's intercourse with our people helped a 
 
 little to support the claims of our Lutheran Church 
 
 upon their loyalty and beneficence, and continued to 
 
 bear fruit in after years, while the experience which I 
 
 gathered was probably more than compensation for 
 
 my loss in suspending my daily intercourse with 
 
 books. 
 
 Meantime the agitation in Synod about the spirit 
 
 and management of our college continued, and became 
 
 increasingly serious. The members of our English 
 
 District grew loud in their complaints that equal rights 
 
 were not accorded them with the Germans. There was 
 
 not even a semblance of reason for this, as even more 
 
 than their share of representation was given them in 
 
 the boards. But the English District was compara- 
 
 tivelv small, and there were three German Districts, 
 
 221 
 
fetot? of 9?s %iU 
 
 at least two of which were larger than the English, 
 and their aggregate membership was such as to leave 
 the English District in a small minority, notwithstand- 
 ing the care taken to give them as large a represen- 
 tation as fairness to the other Districts admitted. But 
 it was not the language question in itself that formed 
 the subject of contention. There were many pastors 
 of mixed congregations in the German Districts, who, 
 like myself, were rather to be classed with the EngHsh 
 District than the German, if mere facility in the use of 
 either language were considered, and many of the 
 delegates sent to our German Districts always spoke 
 in English. That was really not the subject of con- 
 tention, but only an incident. I would regard it as an 
 injustice to Dr. Reynolds and his friends, if it were 
 maintained that he proposed to make our Univer- 
 sity, including the Seminary, entirely English. I 
 would not say that even of Prof. Essick, who was a 
 member of the English, while President Reynolds be- 
 longed to the Western District. It was a curious 
 alignment of forces when the crisis came. Those who 
 were intent upon maintaining our confessional posi- 
 tion and had no sympathy with any movement looking 
 to a union with the General Synod, or anything tend- 
 ing that way, even though they were not a unit in the 
 
 222 
 
&tot^ of 9^^ JLitt 
 
 questions of church practice otherwise occupying the 
 attention of Synod, were generally regarded as oppo- 
 nents of the Reynolds management; the more liberal 
 element that was inclined to unionism, was the party 
 supporting him. As the latter party was mainly in 
 the English District, and as the work of Dr. Reynolds 
 and his friends was usually done through the medium 
 of the English language and his labors were mainly 
 directed to gain favor among the English people and 
 solicit the interest of English Synods, while in the insti- 
 tution itself his influence was principally directed 
 toward the advancement of English interests, it natur- 
 ally came to pass that the opposing parties were called 
 the German and the English. The English District 
 took up the matter and brought its complaint before 
 Joint Synod. It was a complaint without substance. 
 No overt action or wrong-doing was indicated, and no 
 charge with specifications was made. But some of the 
 English brethren were dissatisfied and became disaf- 
 fected. I could see no cause for this save their failure 
 to get others to see things as they saw them and feel 
 about the course of events as they felt. Their griev- 
 ance really v/as, that they were in a hopeless minority. 
 Synod tried to appease them, but failed, as in the na- 
 ture of things it must fail. There was no help for the 
 
 223 
 
fetot^ ot 99? mu 
 
 fact that the disaffected party was a small minority. 
 Dr. Reynolds and Prof. Essick resigned. That relieved 
 them of the trouble, but it only rendered their special 
 adherents more determined in their hostility to the 
 action of Joint Synod. Finally the latter body, at its 
 meeting in 1854, resolved to send a committee to the 
 next meeting of the English District to reason with 
 the brethren there and endeavor to pacify them. All 
 indications were that love's labor would be lost. Rum- 
 ors had already been circulated in that District that 
 our institutions were on the road to ruin, that the per- 
 sons managing them and engaged as teachers were 
 incompetent, and that any further effort to maintain 
 them would be useless. A spirit of revolt had shown 
 itself in a wild protest against the action of Synod at 
 this session pertaining to the existing difficulties, in 
 which it was stated as a grievance that the party rep- 
 resented by Dr. Reynolds were not admitted to promi- 
 nent places in our institutions, and as another that 
 Joint Synod had shown no disposition to annul its 
 resolutions regarding secret societies. It looked very 
 much as if the opposition would be appeased only by 
 the surrender on our part. Nevertheless Synod, in 
 the exercise of Christian charity, resolved, in order to 
 prevent a rupture, to leave nothing undone that could 
 
 224 
 
fetors ot 9p^ %iU 
 
 be done without a sacrifice of Christian principle. The 
 committee was appointed, and Prof. Lehmann and my- 
 self were chosen for the unpleasant work. My old 
 teacher had come to be a standing member of all com- 
 mittees entrusted with difficult and disagreeable work, 
 and I was fast becoming a standing second. Perhaps in 
 one respect it was unwise to select him in this case, as 
 he, with his usual alertness, had been the main force in 
 safe-guarding our work against liberalistic and union- 
 istic encroachments, although, with his usual caution, 
 he had probably never led any movement in opposition 
 to the Reynolds regime ; and when the latter had failed 
 and a new arrangement was made, he, as the Seminary 
 Professor before the establishment of our College and 
 the chief member of the remaining Faculty after the 
 resignation of the new regime, was chiefly blamed for 
 the change. He was a persecuted man, and the charges 
 of incompetency, hurled right and left, were concen- 
 trated upon him. Nothing could better display the 
 noble character of this devoted man than his consist- 
 ently quiet conduct under such trials. Perhaps he saw 
 that under the circumstances it would have been wiser 
 to select another man for the difficult work, but he did 
 not demur. My condition was such that there w^ no 
 reason why I should be a person to whom the English 
 15 32§" 
 
&t0t^ ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 District would object. I was born in America, spoke 
 English even in preference to German, and was con- 
 firmed in a church belonging to the General Synod. 
 In some of the troubles then agitating the Ohio Synod, 
 I was not in harmony with Prof. Lehmann. There 
 was no reason apparent to me why I should decline to 
 serve on the committee, as in the questions involved 
 we were of one mind. The English District met at 
 Wooster in 1855, only about six months after our ap- 
 pointment. We were there, but the antipathy, perhaps 
 it would be in exact accord with truth to say the bit- 
 terness, against our Synod had reached such an ex- 
 treme that we could not even get a hearing. We ac- 
 complished nothing, because we were not even allowed 
 to speak. Only a few members remained loyal to the 
 Ohio Synod and dissented from the revolutionary pro- 
 ceedings, when, in pursuance of its plan, the District 
 resolved to go over to the General Synod and have 
 nothing more to do with us. The impression I received 
 has always seemed to me well summarized in my col- 
 league's remark, when I referred to his well-worn 
 school trousers as hardly respectable for such an occa- 
 sion, that he had brought with him a better pair, but 
 thought these good enough for such a crowd. 
 
 Our College, ■ crippled by these unhappy occur- 
 226 
 
&t0t^ ot 95? %iU 
 
 rences, was in a precarious condition. Our income was 
 not sufficient to warrant the calling of other men to fill 
 the vacancies at a sufficient salary to insure a liveli- 
 hood, and arrangements had to be made to tide over 
 the period of distress. As Prof. Lehmann and Prof. 
 Worley, who still remained of the old Faculty, were 
 willing to go on with the work, with little regard to 
 salary, and Brother Spielmann reluctantly consented 
 to accept the Presidency in the interim, I offered to 
 assist for a while in the teaching of such subjects as 
 I thought I had sufficiently mastered. The Univer- 
 sity had given me the honorary title of A. M. and I 
 had done enough literary work to feel assured that, 
 though it was a time when any blundering would be 
 severely criticised, I could render some acceptable ser- 
 vice in the trying period, until better and more perma- 
 nent arangements could be made. Thus in addition 
 to my work at Delaware I agreed to spend a few days 
 each week at our school, teaching rhetoric and other 
 English branches, and continuing the burdensome labor 
 for about a year. Thus amid great difficulties of vari- 
 ous sorts the institution was kept afloat on a troubled 
 sea, and in His own good time our Lord, who was 
 always with us and in whom we trusted, commanded 
 
 the angry waves to be still. 
 
 227 
 
fetors Dt ^v E(te 
 
 But Synod's time of trouble was not past when 
 our University had been saved from the wreck which 
 threatened it. I was a member of the Board when the 
 rupture came, and continued to be a member until 
 I was called to a professorship and entered upon my 
 work at Columbus in 1865, and I know how our souls 
 were tried as only members of the Board could know 
 it. Matters were in bad shape every way. Not only 
 had enemies endeavored to excite prejudice against 
 us in the city as narrow-minded foreigners and bigoted 
 Lutherans, but our finances were in almost inextri- 
 cable confusion. Our former President, who never had 
 more money than he needed to carry on the work, 
 had some unbusiness-like understanding with the 
 Treasurer, the result of which was such that, after 
 the President was gone, the accounts could not be 
 satisfactorily explained. No reflection was cast upon 
 the honesty of either, but the matter was embarrass- 
 ing. The Seminary had some endowment funds, but 
 somehow these had become so tied up that they were 
 practically useless. Notwithstanding Prof. Lehmann's 
 great caution even in financial affairs, that part of 
 our work was loosely conducted, and I am not quite 
 sure that even now, with all our sad experiences, our 
 monies are fully secured in a way that would satisfy 
 
fetotp ot 9^v %itt 
 
 cautious business men. I may say in passing that my 
 reflections as well as my experience have led me to 
 the conviction, that hoarding money is an evil, and that 
 Christians, whether as individuals or corporations, 
 should live in the daily exercise of their faith that God 
 will provide, and thus be led each day to pray earn- 
 estly for their daily bread. I was therefore opposed 
 not only to secret societies, which in the best case only 
 seem to usurp God's prerogative of providing for His 
 people without regard to His own revealed plan of 
 faith in Christ as embracing all things necessary for 
 time and eternity, but to all efforts and societies, secret 
 or open, that virtually constitute a hum.an usurpation 
 of divine Providence. So I still think, and the more 
 my knowledge extends and my experience enlarges, 
 the more damnable, from a Christian point of view, 
 seem to me the human schemes, always originating in 
 the flesh, to provide for man's v/elfare otherwise than 
 God, who alone knows v/hat is needed, has provided. 
 I think that no sentimental appeals or arguments of 
 human wisdom, which in its carnal root is always and 
 necessarily opposed to the wisdom of God, can ever 
 change these convictions as long as I remain a child 
 of God which, trusting in the grace of Christ which 
 has saved me with a great salvation, shall be for 
 
 229 
 
fetot? ot 9$v fiitt 
 
 ever. Many a heartburn and many a nonplussed de- 
 liberation, and many a sleepless night would have been 
 spared our burdened Board of Directors, if the money 
 which was contributed by our people could have been 
 used, in the time of its trouble, for the support of its 
 work, as the contributors designed that it should be. 
 In my poverty I had subscribed and with much self- 
 denial had paid money towards the endowment of the 
 presidency: how could I fail to feel, when in our 
 dire distress one-fifth of that sum would have provided 
 the necessaries of life, at least for a week, to our pro- 
 fessors, and we dared not touch it. Prof. Lehmann 
 was inured to hardships and never complained; in- 
 deed he had least reason to complain, as he had a large 
 congregation which was well able to support him. 
 Bro. Spielmann knew how to make five dollars go a 
 great way, and he had Hved before he was made 
 President, and could live still, though he got little; 
 but Prof. Worley and the two others who were em- 
 ployed as teachers had no income but that which the 
 University supplied. But God always helped us. Our 
 worry was great, but it was needless. Looking back 
 upon it now, it seems to me that we cared too much 
 and trusted too little and that we worried too much 
 
 and prayed too little. But the care of the institution 
 
 230 
 
&t0t» DC ^V ^itt 
 
 was laid upon us, and as God ordinarily works through 
 human means, we could not as Christian men abandon 
 the work under the plea that it was God's work and 
 He could manage it. We were His servants and saw 
 the need of doing what we could, and saw also the 
 unfaithfulness implied in any such thought as that of 
 running away when the conflict came. That would 
 have meant a disgraceful surrender to the foe. We 
 therefore labored on under many embarrassments and 
 discouragements, and even in the darkest days refused 
 to entertain the thought of failure. The idea of doing 
 great things gradually faded from the minds of those 
 who had entertained it, and the purpose to do the 
 Lord's will, though it should be through evil report, 
 continually waxed stronger ; and the Board gradually 
 became reconciled to the day of small things, which 
 naturally as well in the court of reason as in that of 
 faith, should have been in the beginning, was now 
 upon us. The beautiful bubble blown by human wis- 
 dom had burst, but the will of the Lord remained 
 the same, and His disciples had the grace to follow 
 it through the valley of humiliation, which was the 
 way of ultimate success. 
 
 It was a hard road for us to travel, but I never 
 
 regretted the sacrifice which it cost to make Capital 
 
 231 
 
fetorp ot 9^v fiitt 
 
 University what it is now, and what I am sure God 
 designed to make it. My prayer now is that God will 
 move the hearts of my brethren in the present genera- 
 tion to go on in the same course of contention for 
 His truth, as confessed in the great Reformation, that 
 our sacrifices may not prove to have been in vain. 
 By the secession of our English District we were 
 rid of the party which was not in harmony with the 
 spirit of the Lutheran Church. Outwardly we suffered 
 much by the apostasy, but inwardly we gained much 
 more than we had lost. But not all the opponents 
 of the more consistent Lutheranism which had come 
 into our Synod were jmembers of that District. A 
 liberalistic element still existed among us. Even the 
 Mason, Rev. A. Henkel, notwithstanding our warfare 
 against Masonic Deism and humanitarianism that 
 recognized no need of grace for the exercise of true 
 charity, continued to be a protesting member of our 
 Synod. Some of the pioneers who were still with us, 
 and among whom he was recognized as a leader, 
 sympathized with him and took his part. A member 
 of the faculty of our University, my old friend who 
 had helped me to get a start in the comprehension of 
 the Greek language and who had been called to the 
 chair of Mathematics, but had not gone with Dr. 
 
 232 
 
mot^ 0f ^v ^itt 
 
 Reynolds when the crash came, became the leader of 
 the opposition. He was a man to whom I was warmly- 
 attached as a personal friend in my youth, and whose 
 genial disposition always attracted me. He was an 
 old and congenial friend, from whom all my natural 
 inclinations forbade me to part. But he went wrong, 
 and I could not go with him. While he always pro- 
 fessed to be of one mind with us in our opposition 
 to secret societies, he became the special advocate of 
 Pastor Henkel in his warfare against the Synod. 
 
 When the English District turned its back upon 
 us and went over to the Unionistic General Synod, 
 we still had a comparatively large number of congre- 
 gations that were predominantly English, and the 
 question of forming a new English District was soon 
 agitated and decided in the affirmative. In 1857 a 
 new English District was organized. It was soon 
 apparent that our opponents flocked together there 
 under the leadership of Prof. Worley, who was a good 
 teacher of Mathematics, and had all the shrewdness 
 that would have made a good lawyer, but who had no 
 deep understanding of the righteousness which is by 
 faith of Jesus Christ and of the liberty which this 
 brings. Nearly all the pioneers, although they were 
 predominantly German, entered the new District. It 
 
 233 
 
fetot^ Df 9$v ^itt 
 
 was from the start a place of refuge for the dis- 
 affected of our Synod. 
 
 Of course new troubles came, and it need hardly 
 be stated that I was involved in their toils. The con- 
 flict about the Church and ministry, which had not 
 been forgotten in the contention about other matters, 
 but rather contributed to the alignment of our forces 
 and to its sharpness, continued with little abatement, 
 though ever approaching nearer a satisfactory solu- 
 tion of the problem before us. The positions of influ- 
 ence were held by men who were not favorable to 
 my contention, as our German organ was edited by 
 the conservative Prof. Lehmann and the English by 
 the radical Prof. Worley. But before I was called to 
 Columbus, without any aspirations or machinations of 
 mine, I had become President of the Joint Synod in 
 i860 and continued in that oflice from year to year, 
 and had become editor of the Standard in 1864. This 
 afforded me no little advantage in the promotion of 
 the cause to which I was devoted. However another 
 part of my story should be told before I proceed 
 further in this line. 
 
 234 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 HOME. 
 
 THERE was no other choice for me, when I took 
 charge as a young man at Delaware, but to 
 live as a boarder among strangers. My income was 
 not sufficient to justify even the thought of taking a 
 room at one of the hotels, and I had no desire to 
 do this even if I had been supplied with means. It 
 may be a debatable question whether an unmarried 
 pastor should seek a home in a family belonging to 
 his congregation. It was not with me, and my ex- 
 perience did not change my opinion. In the first three 
 months I found comfortable accommodations with a 
 family at the edge of town, but afterwards accepted 
 the offer of a well-to-do farmer to give me a furnished 
 room with boarding at rates so reasonable that I 
 could save a portion of my little salary for the pur- 
 chase of books. It was three miles from town, but 
 I was a good walker and did not lay much stress on 
 the inconvenience. The front room on the lower floor 
 was given me, where I could be alone with my God 
 and my books, and which was easy of access to people 
 
 235 
 
fbtot^ nt 9^v ^itt 
 
 who desired to see me. The farmer had but one child 
 and she was married and lived in an adjoining house, 
 so that there were no children to disturb me. I loved 
 the country and was delighted with my situation. 
 
 Of course there were some draw-backs. The 
 walk to town was no hardship to me. That much daily 
 exercise was desirable on sanitary grounds. But the 
 members of my congregation did not all live in town, 
 and when the homes which I thought it needful to 
 visit were miles away in an opposite direction, it was 
 not so easy to reach them. Moreover, what was no 
 trouble to me was a trouble to many of my parish- 
 ioners. I was too far away when they desired to con- 
 sult m.e; it was too difficult to call me when they 
 wanted me, as the telephone was not then known. 
 Every two weeks I had the other part of my charge 
 to visit, and sometimes also pastoral duties made visits 
 there necessary in the interval. For such work I was 
 compelled to hire a horse. This made my place of 
 residence an unquestionable inconvenience. Part of 
 this difficulty was overcome by my purchase of a 
 horse. Since my boyhood's misfortune in hauling 
 bricks at Harrisburg, I had no inclination to have any- 
 thing further to do with horses. But the necessity 
 was laid upon me of getting to the church at Prospect, 
 
 236 
 
^mv pt ^^ Hilt 
 
 and later to that near Norton, and I knew of no way 
 but that of hiring a horse and riding thither. Mine 
 were kindly people, if their kindness did not take the 
 form of providing for my transportation, and I never 
 heard of their laughing at my riding or impeding my 
 work by their ridicule. I did not know much about 
 horseback riding, but I could learn. No doubt I was 
 shamefully timorous in my first efforts. I still remem- 
 ber how, when I was to ride between a noisy threshing 
 machine and a river embankment and my horse shied, 
 I appealed to one of the threshers to lead my horse 
 past the machine, and received the answer that I 
 should go on and the horse would not be such a fool 
 as to plunge to his death in the river. My little learn- 
 ing in zoology had never reached that far. I sup- 
 posed that my horse, frightened by the clatter of the 
 machine, would be fool enough to plunge with his 
 rider over the embankment. I used my whip, and the 
 horse passed by in perfect safety. It was my stupidity, 
 not that of the horse, which made me so cowardly. 
 But I could learn, and never was coward enough to 
 shrink from duty when I was sure that the obstacles, 
 real or imaginery, were in the path where duty led. 
 I needed a horse and I purchased one to supply the 
 need. A member of the Prospect congregation had a 
 
 287 
 
fetors oe 9^v fiitt 
 
 colt that he could spare, and as he was aware of my 
 need proposed to sell it to me at a price that all who 
 knew anything of the matter considered very low. As 
 he was not in immediate need of the money, he offered 
 to wait for it until I should find it convenient to pay. 
 My host, whose charges for lodging and boarding were 
 already merely nominal, offered to board the horse 
 without additional charge. I purchased it, and so was 
 better equipped for my work. 
 
 It was a peculiar animal that I had bought. She 
 was of good stock, and the young people had used her 
 for racing purposes. She was three years old and full 
 of life, but gentle of disposition. I brought her home 
 and used her, and according to agreement made with 
 my host, attended to her wants. This too I had to 
 learn, but the instruction of an old farmer was ade- 
 quate to the enlightenment of my ignorance. It re- 
 quired much experience to manage such a spirited 
 beast, but I persevered and became an expert in horse- 
 manship who had no reason to be ashamed among the 
 masters. My ten years' experience with "Bonny" con- 
 vinced me that I had one of the best horses in the 
 country, and that I could compete with any rider of 
 horses that reared and kicked and plunged, but that 
 
 288 
 
fetors ot 9^^ JLitt 
 
 were withal kindly. Bonny never hurt me, though 
 she was generally pronounced vicious and unsafe. 
 
 But my possession of a horse did not make it 
 easier for my people to consult me at my country 
 home. The matter came to a crisis when I was 
 attacked by a serious form of dysentery. The physi- 
 cian pronounced my case critical. The people with 
 whom I boarded had the impression that my disease 
 was contagious, and although the good lady of the 
 house furnished me with all that was necessary, she 
 as well as her husband avoided all intercourse with 
 me that they thought unnecessary. My physician 
 thought that I was not receiving due attention and so 
 reported to a member of my congregation. I suppose 
 the stubbornness of the disease, which persistently 
 refused to yield to his treatment, led him to such a 
 course. Certainly I did not receive such nursing as 
 is given at hospitals, and probably if I had had better 
 care my system would have responded better to his 
 medicines. But there was no hospital at Delaware, 
 and flux is often difficult to overcome. It is a dis- 
 ease, moreover, which in those days not only induced 
 people as much as possible to shun contact with the 
 patient, but also induced modest and shrinkingly sen- 
 sitive patients to shun company. As I still had 
 
 239 
 
&tor^ ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 strength enough, when my room was supplied with 
 all that was needed and everything made easy of 
 access, to help myself, I was glad to be left most of 
 the time alone. My room was kept in a reasonably 
 sanitary condition, and I was content. But as the 
 physician deemed more attention requisite the officers 
 of the congregation took measures to secure it, and 
 one evening two brethren came to wait upon me. It 
 was more of an embarrassment than a comfort to 
 me, and they became convinced that I was right in 
 not desiring their constant presence, seeing that they 
 could do nothing to relieve me, that in an emer- 
 gency the people of the house would respond to my 
 call, and that if matters became worse and the need 
 really came, I could have them notified. The need, 
 as I conceived it, did not come, though the disease 
 continued to harass me for five or six weeks, with 
 intervals of improvement and relapse, and for many 
 weeks more in the emaciated debilitation which re- 
 sulted. I had faced the prospect of death before and 
 was not frightened. God had always dealt with me in 
 superabundant mercy, and it seemed to me then, and it 
 seems to me now in even more exalted form, that He 
 meant to deal with me graciously beyond all I could 
 ask or think. By His grace I was as little afraid of 
 
 240 
 
&tDt? Of 9^^ JLitt 
 
 work as I v/as of death, and I accordingly went to 
 work when physicians, many of whom know so deplor- 
 ably little of God's government of the universe in 
 which they live, pronounced it death to undertake it. 
 Once, at a somewhat later period, when I was pros- 
 trated by an acute attack of stomach trouble and suf- 
 fered intense pain, I told my physician on Saturday 
 that it was my purpose to preach on the morrow, he 
 not only sought to dissuade me from such an irra- 
 tional dream, but finally warned me that in his delib- 
 erate judgment to-morrow would end my life if I per- 
 sisted in my folly. I persisted in what seemed to me 
 wisdom, preached to my congi egation, did some good 
 and felt good over it, and got well. Once, still later, 
 when in 1853 I was acting as agent for Capital Uni- 
 versity, my appointments were made at a place where 
 one of our pioneers and one of my school-mates had 
 adjoining charges, and both lived in the same town, 
 I took sick of a fever after preaching in my school- 
 mate's charge. On my sick-bed at his house I heard 
 that the older pastor had uttered his complaint that 
 we young men had banded together and that my 
 professed inability to fill the appointment in his con- 
 gregation, which was next in order, confirmed his sus- 
 picion that we cared nothing for the fathers but desired 
 16 241 
 
fetotp ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 and designed to crowd them out. I cancelled my post- 
 ponement of the appointment, sent information to the 
 pastor that I would be there, arose from my bed of 
 sickness, and preached and returned to my bed. I 
 did not die, as physicians might have predicted, and 
 the only evil result experienced was the fear that in 
 my fever I may have said something that was not in 
 exact accord with my text. As far as I can remember 
 my long conflict with dysentery caused the largest 
 interruption of my work during the whole time of 
 my ministry. But as far as it was physically possi- 
 ble, I even then continued my labors at intervals, 
 once even attending and preaching at a funeral in 
 that time of sickness, though missing five Sundays of 
 regular service. That funeral might have ended in 
 the funeral of the preacher, but it did not. I seemed 
 a candidate for death when I first entered the pulpit 
 at Delaware, and my congregation was not surprised 
 when I appeared again on the pulpit with a sicklier 
 look than I had worn during the years past. My peo- 
 ple had become accustomed to my bodily weakness, 
 and had learned to appreciate the power of will that 
 went far towards concealing it. 
 
 The inconvenience of my living in the country, 
 
 delightful as this was to me, and conducive to study 
 
 242 
 
fetor? ot 9^? %itt 
 
 for the benefit of my people as it was, thus became 
 more manifest. Taking a wife and estabHshing a 
 home of my own in town would have been a natural 
 suggestion. A dear friend of mine, who also became 
 a minister of the gospel, often discussed this subject 
 with me. He was determined to marry as soon as he 
 saw any prospects of supporting a family, however 
 humbly, and maintained that a minister of the gospel 
 could do his work better in every way if he is a mar- 
 ried man. I could not deny that in many respects 
 he was right, but influenced by my passion for books 
 and the advantages of privacy for the pursuit of stu- 
 dies, as well as by some consideration of pastoral pru- 
 dence, I was long in doubt. 
 
 An opportunity offered to secure a boarding place 
 in town. This dispelled my doubt. After living two 
 years in the country, it seemed a little difficult to 
 adapt myself to the limitations imposed by city life, 
 but it had its compensations, and I was soon at home 
 again in my new quarters. I had a good room with 
 a pleasant Christian family, and all the privileges 
 that I desired, and as there was a stable on the lot 
 for my "Bonny," I thought myself well fixed again. 
 
 And so I undoubtedly was. My income had in- 
 creased sufficiently to meet the additional expense. I 
 
 243 
 
ibtotv Ot 9B^ %itt 
 
 was near the church, which was a great convenience, 
 especially for meetings in the evening, was in the 
 center of the congregation and thus of easier access 
 to all the members, and could save some valuable 
 tim^e in making pastoral visits. I do not reckon the 
 social features of town life as a great advantage. The 
 greater freedom and quiet of the country was better 
 both for health and for study. For society outside 
 of the church I cared nothing, finding all that I needed 
 and all that I desired, so far as the gratification of 
 social instincts was concerned, in connection with my 
 pastoral work. I did not seek relaxation in places of 
 amusement, not only because they were little to my 
 taste, but also because they seemed to me mostly 
 improper resorts for a pastor, who had indeed the 
 same liberty as any other Christian, but who must, 
 because of the greater influence of his example, feel 
 bound to use it with greater circumspection. Occa- 
 sionally I heard a public lecture or a concert, but 
 always was careful not to go where my example 
 might mislead the unwary. Shows of all sorts I 
 avoided, and was never enticed into sanctioning them 
 by the vain pretense that they were in the service of 
 the church or of charity. Busy as I was among my 
 own people and such as desired to join them, to others 
 
 244 
 
&t0t^ Of 9?^ %itt 
 
 I probably appeared to be living the life of a recluse. 
 My pleasant study and my books were dearer to me 
 than street-corner discussions and drawing-room gos- 
 sip. 
 
 But after several years of life in this pleasant 
 room and pleasant town in the house of a family that 
 was congenial and never failed in efforts to give me 
 a pleasant home, thoughts of establishing a home of 
 my own became more and more urgent. At first it 
 was a mere suggestion that I could ''better myself," 
 and gradually my old opinion that a pastor could do 
 better work in celibacy was undetermined. My expe- 
 rience had not disproved it. But nature asserted itself, 
 and I resolved to marry a wife and set up a home of 
 my own. My hostess, to whom it was necessary to 
 reveal my thought, because it affected her arrange- 
 ments in the household, encouraged my thought. I 
 was now 25 years old, and it was not too early to 
 marry. I was not in any way entangled in previous 
 alliances. In that respect I was perfectly a free man 
 when I came to Delaware and remained perfectly 
 free until the time when the resolution was formed to 
 seek a wife. I was not unsocial in my nature, and 
 was never averse to association with ladies. As a 
 mere boy I had formed friends among them at Harri^- 
 
 m 
 
fetorp ot ^v ^itt 
 
 burg; and many evidences were given me that my 
 company was always acceptable. More than that, to 
 my great surprise a number of incidents showed that 
 I was a favorite in the social circle in which I moved. 
 At a social gathering one of the most intelligent and 
 witty of the company answered yes to the question 
 whether she would marry me, and one of the company 
 who was somewhat versed in law declared that we 
 were wedded. Neither she nor I was ready for such 
 a verdict, and we all resented it. But it was she, a 
 worthy and witty lady, who kept up a correspondence 
 with me even until I became pastor at Delaware. 
 Then it ceased, because I had no intention to marry; 
 and I had no blame. During my student life at Co- 
 lumbus I was often in the company of ladies, though 
 I am not aware that I sought it beyond the require- 
 ments of duty to my church and its work and asso- 
 ciations. But sexes seek companionship, and events 
 occurred in such association which were not free from 
 the influence of sex. A daughter of one of my bene- 
 factors, at whose house I was always welcome and 
 where I often visited in my vacations, and where I 
 received many a comfort during the weary days of 
 my paralysis, was especially intent on supplying my 
 wants, and once intimated that she would be glad to 
 
 246 
 
&totv of a^^ JLitt 
 
 share my fortunes for all time, and, when I pointed 
 to my condition, she declared that she could wait. I 
 was not in a condition to encourage any hopes, but 
 her kindness to the invalid student continued una- 
 bated. 
 
 Upon a visit to Harrisburg in 1852, when I 
 preached to the congregation in which I was confirmed 
 and received some flattering commendations, the 
 younger sister of a lady whom I had formerly met 
 and admired, but even more attractive in person and 
 wit, was in some way brought much into my com- 
 pany, which I am sure that I enjoyed as much as 
 she. But I had no thought of securing a wife, and 
 never left on her such an impression. On many an 
 occasion, at Synods and other gatherings, I noticed 
 that especial care was taken to bring me into com- 
 pany with girls of a marriageable age. I think that 
 I always deported myself as a Christian gentleman, 
 but never subjected myself to the charge of unfaith- 
 fulness to any lady, though it is possible that I some- 
 times violated the rules of an etiquette that I did not 
 understand. When the conviction settled itself upon 
 my mind that I should take the serious step of marry- 
 ing a wife, I was therefore free from all trammels, 
 and could make my choice without any fears of vio- 
 
 247 
 
fetot^ Dt 9^v ^itt 
 
 lating previous engagements. During the years of 
 my life as pastor at Delaware I had not, so far as I 
 knew, given any one either inside or outside the pale 
 of the church, the least intimation that I desired a 
 wife, least of all that this or that particular person 
 was desired. There were young ladies of my con- 
 gregation, and a few others with whom I became 
 casually acquainted, who may have thought of such 
 a thing as marriage and made me a conspicuous per- 
 son in such thoughts, but I was not aware of it, if 
 such was the fact. I moved without embarrassment 
 in families where there were eligible daughters, and 
 I conversed with them freely as catechumens and 
 communicants, but never otherwise than as pastor, or 
 at most as friend, unless occasional walks with them, 
 as with their parents, were to be regarded as excep- 
 tions. I did sometimes like to take strolls through the 
 lanes and woods of the country homes of my parish- 
 ioners, and to take walks in the evening time to the 
 sulphur springs in the college campus at Delaware 
 and enjoy fresh draughts of the sparkling water; and 
 it would be as untrue as it would be unnatural to say 
 that these strolls and walks were less pleasant because 
 there were ladies in the company, or because ladies 
 
 alone, especially young ladies alone, which w^as of rare 
 
 248 
 
&t0t^ oe ^^ mu 
 
 occurrence and never otherwise than accidental, 
 formed the company. To the best of my knowledge 
 I had never given any girl the least cause to suspect 
 that I desired to win her for my wife. 
 
 This is not meant as a declaration that I had 
 never thought of such a thing. I did sometimes 
 think of it, and when I seriously thought of taking a 
 wife my mind was not a perfect blank as regards eli- 
 gible persons. I was in love with nobody ; I had been 
 drawn into no entangling alliances, I had consciously 
 done nothing that could reasonably lead to painful 
 disappointments: I was entirely untrammeled in 
 making a choice, and had a large circle of acquaint- 
 ances from which to make it. 
 
 The large number of friends that I had made, 
 among whom there were many young ladies well 
 qualified for wifehood, might seem to have rendered 
 such a choice difficult. It did not. There was in my 
 first class of catechumens a girl whom I had parti- 
 cularly admired for her unassuming piety and modest 
 ways, as well as for her aptness to learn. She was 
 beautiful withal, though a maiden of only 14 summers. 
 I had not forgotten her in the years that had inter- 
 vened. She was still a regular communicant in my 
 congregation, and as such I had frequent occasion to 
 
 249 
 
feitorp Dt 9^v ^itt 
 
 meet her as I met other members of the church. Her 
 parents were among the best and most influential of 
 these, and their children were an honor to their par- 
 ents, all of them heartily devoted to our work. As 
 they lived on a farm five miles away from town and 
 I had thought of establishing a branch congregation 
 in that neighborhood, and to this end occasionally 
 preached in a union church near by, I visited their 
 home oftener than most other families. I am not 
 aware that these visits occasioned much remark. 
 There were other families which I frequently visited 
 in Vv^hich there were marriageable daughters, to one 
 or two of which the exigencies of my work led me 
 more frequently than to the farm-house mentioned; 
 and now and then gossip suggested reasons other than 
 official duty or convenience for performing it, but my 
 reasons were so apparent that to my knowledge em- 
 barrassing rumors never became current. I still con- 
 gratulated myself that my work was never injured from 
 such a source. I tried to be courteous in all my deal- 
 ings with the ladies of my congregation, married or 
 single, but always kept in mind that I was their pas- 
 tor, and studiously avoided everything that might 
 induce them to forget it. I think now that those who 
 interested themselves most in matters of this kind 
 
 250 
 
&t0ts ot ^v ^itt 
 
 fancied, that, if I had any matrimonial project in 
 mind, which was not apparent, its aim was the elder 
 sister of the girl of my choice. With her I was 
 sometimes, though very rarely, left alone in the par- 
 lor, but so far as I can remember, this never occur- 
 red with the younger girl who became my wife. She 
 could speak to me as her pastor, but the thought of 
 meeting me alone in her home was evidently abhor- 
 rent to her shy and shrinking nature, neither was it her 
 place, as a younger member of the family, to entertain 
 visitors at the house. 
 
 When my resolution was taken and I looked around 
 for a suitable wife, my heart turned to that country 
 girl, who from the first had impressed me so favorably. 
 I was not deterred by the fear of troubles arising in 
 the congregation on account of marrying one of its 
 members. I had heard and read about such dangers, 
 but they influenced me little. I was confident that a 
 pastor who faithfully performs his duty and exercises 
 due discretion, has little to fear from such a source. 
 Accordingly I determined to see the coy maiden alone, 
 if possible, and have a heart to heart talk with her. 
 I found this by no means easy, because my visits to 
 the family had never been designed for her alone and 
 I was never left alone with her. Indeed, it greatly 
 
 251 
 
fetors ot m ULitz 
 
 taxed my ingenuity to secure a private interview with 
 her without reveaHng my purpose, and probably my 
 scheming made this purpose as palpable as if I had 
 blurted out my business. Finally I did succeed, by 
 some maneuvering, to separate her from the rest of 
 the company in an evening stroll, and we wandered 
 through the fields and woods homeward alone. It was 
 embarrassing to her, but it was my opportunity. I told 
 her of my purpose to devote my life to the work of the 
 ministry, whatever hardships it might bring; that I 
 desired to do what our Lord would require and go 
 whither He sent me; that I was lonely; v/ould she 
 share my destiny, though it were in poverty and low- 
 liness all our days ; would she go with me even if it 
 pleased my dear Lord to send me far away from home 
 and friends as a missionary to a benighted land ? She 
 did not, as might have been expected, talk about the 
 suddenness of the proposal and ask time to consider. 
 She simply leaned her head on my breast and answered 
 Yes. 
 
 She was not eighteen yet, and there was no hurry 
 for the marriage. We talked the matter over and 
 agreed, her father and mother consenting, that she 
 should attend the Ladies' Seminary at Granville yet 
 
 for a while. Our engagement was not much noised 
 
 252 
 
fetot? of a^g %iu 
 
 about, and was probably known to few ; and my work 
 went on as usual, care being taken on my part to do 
 nothing that would give occasion for gossip, from 
 which I always shrank. Quietly we went our way at- 
 tending to our duties, but not forgetting to make nec- 
 essary arrangements for the wedding. This took place 
 publicly in our church on Christmas, 1853. My wife 
 and I partook of the Holy Supper after the marriage 
 ceremony, and then went home. There were no in- 
 vited guests and there was no marriage feast. After 
 a wedding trip of a week or two we w^nt as boarders 
 to my old quarters, I pursuing my accustomed duties 
 and my v/ife, who was not in her accustomed surround- 
 ings, trying to find something to do and adapt herself 
 to her new position. 
 
 She did not like the boarding arrangement. It 
 evidently did not lie in her conception of a wife that 
 she should be a mere ornament in the house, and espe- 
 cially not in a house of which she was not mistress. 
 I think that if her parents had not lived so near to 
 Delaware and had not been members of my congrega- 
 tion, she would have pined away with homesickness. 
 As it was she could meet her people on Sundays at 
 church, and was of easy access to them at any time, 
 as my Bonny and my buggy were always at her ser- 
 
 253 
 
fetot^ ot 9^^ JLitt 
 
 vice, if she would undertake, when I could not go, to 
 drive a horse that would kick and caper and plunge 
 rather than let any other driver pass. She visited her 
 old home often and at last revealed to me that she was 
 not happy in her present quarters, but desired a home 
 of her own. She was right. A pastor that is married 
 has no business to be boarding, except in cases of 
 emergency. It is rightly presumed that his marriage 
 means, both for him and his wife, that he will establish 
 a home of his own. I accordingly rented four rooms 
 in a house which a member of my congregation had 
 built for a family residence, but whose wife had died 
 before it was ready for occupancy. Although he was 
 resolved to keep his little family together and still 
 occupy the house, which had four rooms on one side 
 of the hall and five rooms on the other, he concluded 
 that he could now easily spare the one side of the 
 building, and I was glad to get it. Her parents gave 
 my wife sufficient dowry to furnish these rooms com- 
 fortably, and so we moved into our own hired house 
 and set up housekeeping for ourselves. 
 
 We were nicely settled now. But we used the 
 hall in common, and the proprietor's children some- 
 times were an annoyance, and his housekeeper's share 
 of the work to keep clean the part which we used in 
 
 254 
 
^totn Dt ^v mtt 
 
 common was not always done to the satisfaction of my 
 wife, who was scrupulous and exacting in regard to 
 cleanliness. Then our side of the house had no kitchen, 
 which in her estimation was a great desideratum. In 
 August of 1855, more than a year and a half after our 
 marriage, God in His goodness gave us a child. We 
 were happy in the gift, and as soon as possible devoted 
 him to the Lord with the name of Luther. Then more 
 than ever the wife and mother longed for a home that 
 she could rightfuly call her own and in the manage- 
 ment of which no one beside ourselves should have any 
 rights or any authority. Our landlord had been fair 
 and generous, and I experienced no trouble but such 
 as a poor man must expect in a world of trouble. But 
 Mary argued that a cottage of two rooms under our 
 own control would be better than a lordly mansion 
 under the control of others. She had no high aspira- 
 tions, did not wish to be some great one in the town, 
 but did wish to be mistress in the management of her 
 own house. That was reasonable, and I would not 
 have been the Christian husband and father that I 
 always sought and prayed to be, if I had not assented 
 to its reasonableness. But some things were plain to 
 my eyes which were evidently not plain to her. She 
 wished me to buy a little house of our own, however 
 
 255 
 
&tot^ Dt 9^v ^itt 
 
 lowly it might be. It was a good idea, but I had no 
 money and had no prospect, at an income which had 
 indeed been growing and had reached about $500 per 
 annum, to being able to spare a dollar from necessary 
 expenses. But reason has little power against will, and 
 I finally yielded to the solicitations of a wife whose 
 every reasonable wish I endeavored to gratify, but also 
 to the advice of friends, who argued that the only way 
 in which poor people could ever acquire property was 
 to make debts. 
 
 There was a little frame house a square from 
 where we lived, which was badly out of repair and 
 which the owner was anxious to sell. The price was 
 very low and the terms exceedingly favorable. The 
 owner offered to sell it to me for $800 and accept a 
 payment of $100 per annum. I bought it and fixed it 
 up at a cost of about $200. It made a modest little home 
 of which we could well be proud. So neatly and taste- 
 fully did we succeed in arranging the yard around the 
 cottage that one of our neighbors, an attorney, who 
 was also an amateur gardener, complimented me with 
 the remark that I had increased the value of property 
 on our whole square by 50 per cent. I soon learned 
 the art of gardening and delighted in it. We worked 
 
 together in the cottage and garden, and in our humble 
 
 256 
 
&tDt? Of apg JLitt 
 
 way made a beautiful home, which in right and reason 
 was a joy to us. But the property had to be paid for, 
 and I had to learn a hard lesson of economy. Neces- 
 sity compelled me to save in ways which were some- 
 times not in accord with my dear Mary's tastes and 
 wishes. I do not think that she had counted the cost 
 as I had done. Perhaps if she had, she would not have 
 been so persistent in her effort to secure a home of our 
 own. Perhaps if I had to do it over again I would 
 resist all importunities in that direction, though it is 
 largely, perhaps entirely owing to those hardships of 
 long ago that we have a comfortable home of our own 
 now in our old age. My income steadily increased a 
 little, but before the whole debt was paid our family 
 also increased, God giving us another boy, Matthias, 
 in 1857, ^^^ ^ gi^lj Mary, in i860. Moreover, after 
 we had been in our own house about two years my 
 charge had become large enough to be divided, so that 
 my whole time could be devoted to the home congrega- 
 tion, which limited my support to Delaware. For a 
 year or two this reduced my income, although even 
 in this respect the additional labor expended resulted 
 in gain. The debt, trifling as it might seem to a man 
 even of moderate means in these times, weighed heavily 
 
 upon me. I had just sufficient income to support my 
 17 257 
 
fetotp ot ^v ^itt 
 
 family, and of this I had to reserve enough to pay the 
 annual installment with the interest on the debt. To 
 do this was a trying task, and when I had to withhold 
 what my wife needed and pleaded for, I do not wonder 
 that my conduct seemed almost cruel, while I am quite 
 sure it was a cruel burden for me to bear. The grace 
 of God, which never failed me in any trouble, still 
 enabled me to go on in the performance of my minis- 
 terial duties, and all went well in the congregation. 
 And that is not all. By the same goodness of our 
 Heavenly Father which sustained me in my work as 
 pastor, we passed safely through the troubles which 
 beset us in our efforts, wise or othervv^ise, to secure a 
 home of our own. Poverty pinched us, but we main- 
 tained our respectability and paid our debt. The mort- 
 gage was cancelled and we were free, and that even 
 some time before the last payment was due. 
 
 We were now in a position to enjoy more of the 
 comforts of life. With our modest wants we thought 
 that we could now live quite comfortably on six hun- 
 dred a year. I was inured to poverty, and Mary, my 
 wife, and now mother of three children, though she 
 had been raised in a family that knew little of want, 
 never aspired to luxurious living and now fully agreed 
 that such a sum would supply all reasonable require- 
 
 258 
 
^m^ ot apg %ut 
 
 ments. We were happy in our freedom from debt and 
 our prospect of an ample income — happier, I think, 
 than any millionaire, or even than those who, though 
 not millionaires, thought at least two thousand a year 
 needed for a family like mine. 
 
 But one day our 'family physician, who was a 
 Methodist, but often attended our services, alleging 
 that he desired in this way to get even with me with- 
 out sending me a bill for his services, suggested to me 
 an exchange of property that surprised me, and even 
 excited me. He was noted as a frequent dealer in real 
 estate, though that was not his profession. He was 
 wealthy, and seemed to find amusement in buying and 
 selling and exchanging property, sometimes making 
 large gains, but sometimes, as he was a man of senti- 
 ment, incurring losses of which he was not entirely 
 ignorant when the bargian was made. He had a house 
 and lot which was only a square from our church, and 
 which he thought an ideal place for the pastor's res- 
 idence. It was a desirable location in the town, of 
 ready access to our church, and, as he thought, per- 
 fectly suited to a pastor like me. Aside from the flat- 
 tery of me and of my prospects, I could not but agree 
 with his representations. It was a larger house and 
 a larger lot that he offered me in exchange for our 
 
 259 
 
fetot^ (}t ^v ^itt 
 
 pretty little home. It was in a more desirable part of 
 the town, a little more than a block from the much 
 frequented sulphur spring in the college campus. The 
 location was more desirable, the house was more com- 
 modious, the lot was larger and the soil was better 
 than where we lived. In short, it was a potent allure- 
 ment. At first I only laughed at his proposition, but 
 as he proceeded I revealed to him my financial condi- 
 tion and reasoned against any thought of my accept- 
 ance. I think he liked me and desired to help me. His 
 offer was so favorable and his terms so easy that I 
 concluded to think about it. My wife and I talked it 
 over. Our family was growing and a room or two 
 more would be a great convenience. Especially was 
 a better study felt as a want — felt all the more now 
 as the house ofi'ered contained a room that could not 
 have been better located and arranged if it had been 
 designed for the purpose. The exchange was effected, 
 some improvements, mainly in the yard and garden, 
 were made to adapt the home more fully to our tastes, 
 and we flattered ourselves that we now had as beauti- 
 ful and convenient a pastoral residence as our little 
 city could show. The shrubbery and the flowers grew 
 luxuriously and became the admiration of the neigh- 
 borhood and of all who passed our premises, and as 
 
 200- 
 
hmv ot m ^itt 
 
 ours was a corner lot, fronting on one of the principal 
 streets on which also our church stood, they were 
 many. We could sometimes, as we sat on one or the 
 other of the porticos, one facing each street, overhear 
 their expressions of admiration, and were proud, Mary 
 and I, of our sweet hom.e. My vegetable garden was 
 also a delight, at least to me. I had gradually learned 
 something of the art of gardening, and had the delight 
 in it which is the main secret of success. 
 
 My pastoral work, which the enticements of my 
 home could as little induce me to neglect as the as- 
 saults of opponents, went bravely on, undisturbed by 
 my home recreations in hours of needful rest. After 
 our family worship in the morning, I usually indulged 
 in a delightful walk about the grounds, admiring the 
 beauty of the flowers and the growth of edibles in the 
 vegetable garden; and then, praising our dear Lord 
 for His blessing, in the goodness of His providence 
 supplying our temporal wants as well as of His grace 
 giving peace to our souls in the rich provision made 
 for our salvation when time shall be no more, retired 
 to my library and to my duties. My congregation 
 prospered, and I had but little difficulty to meet my 
 payments when they became due, as we had learned 
 how to save our money, and to get along quite well 
 
 261 
 
fetors ot 99^ JLitt 
 
 without much indulgence in luxuries. God prospered 
 us in a way that seemed marvelous, and when I was 
 called away from Delaware all debts were paid and I 
 had every inducement to stay. 
 
 But we were not in heaven yet, and sin and its 
 consequences had not ceased to trouble us, as it had 
 not ceased to trouble our congregation and our Synod. 
 Our Lord kept reminding us of this. We had three 
 children when we removed to our new home, and these 
 were a great care, because in the divine economy a 
 great responsibility attaches to the divine gift. I would 
 not have been worthy of my high office as ambassador 
 of the Lord if I had not recognized this. My children, 
 like all other children, were born in sin, and on me and 
 my wife, as on all other parents, was imposed the duty 
 of nursing them for Him and bringing them up in the 
 nurture and admonition of the Lord. Perhaps I did 
 not then understand as fully as now the import of this 
 revealed will of God for the government of the world 
 and of our sinful race. But I knew it to be the will of 
 God as revealed to us in His Word. That was enough 
 for a Christian, and with all my increased knowledge 
 since those days, I have never found any reason for 
 going beyond, or even wishing to go beyond the Chris- 
 tain prayer, "Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth." 
 
 262 
 
fetot? o£ 9p» %iU 
 
 I sought no higher dignity or prerogative than that of 
 being a child of God, and knew no more glorious office 
 than that of doing our Father's will by the power of 
 the Holy Ghost through the redemption which is in 
 Christ Jesus our Lord. In this spirit I conducted our 
 family worship morning and evening, day after day, 
 and in this spirit, as soon as our oldest child was capa- 
 ble of learning what God had done for him in the re- 
 demption, and on the basis of this had done for him 
 in Holy Baptism, I appointed regular hours of instruc- 
 tion on this subject and earnestly sought to teach what 
 children of God should learn. My wife, who had 
 much more opportunity than I, as mothers always have, 
 pursued the same course. Our children were thus 
 trained to serve the Lord, and although we suffered 
 many a disappointment in their conduct and their 
 career, they all became Christians of decidedly Luth- 
 eran convictions, and are such to this day. 
 
 In the first year of our removal to our new home 
 in i860, I was unexpectedly elected to the presidency 
 of our Joint Synod. Though I had not aspired to 
 such an office, and it was quite unusual to confer it 
 on one so young, it was an additional incentive to re- 
 joice in the unmerited prosperity which God had be- 
 stowed upon me. It was an indication that I had not 
 
 263 
 
fetotp Dt ^v ^itt 
 
 labored in vain in Synod, as my services in my con- 
 gregation at home proved that I was not contending 
 for an impracticable Lutheranism. But at that same 
 Synod at which I was elected to this high position in 
 the thirty-second year of my age, I had a relapse of 
 my old disease, which had thus far ceased to trouble 
 me during my whole residence in Delaware, unless 
 my frequent suffering from lumbago must be regarded 
 as its continuous manifestation. At Synod my pain 
 became so intense that I was advised to return home 
 several days before the time of adjournment. And I 
 started none too early; for by the time I reached my 
 home, accompanied by the delegate from my congre- 
 gation, I had become entirely helpless. It was an at- 
 tack of inflammatory rheumatism, more severe than 
 any which I had experienced since the one which had 
 necessitated my abandonment of the printing business 
 at Harrisburg. I suffered much for several weeks, 
 but my time had not yet come to die, and I recovered 
 my usual frail health and was absent but two Sundays 
 from my pulpit. I speak of my frail health, because, 
 owing to stomach troubles and nervous headaches, I 
 often debated the question whether it was right to go 
 on with my pastoral work under difficulties seemingly 
 so insurmountable and so incapacitating. More than 
 
 264 
 
^tot? ot 9^? %iU 
 
 once did I speak to my wife about applying for an 
 easier charge in the country, preferably among the 
 hills, where I could find better air and lead more of 
 an outdoor life. Probably these were only moods of 
 discontent, as they come to all, and whims that were 
 dictated by my love of gardening. At any rate the 
 Lord of the Church did not transfer me to such a 
 place, and my wife, who had no such aches and pains 
 and never could realize how much they troubled me, 
 never encouraged my whimsies. But she had her 
 share of suffering too, only it was of a different kind. 
 Ailments which are the common lot and from which 
 she had escaped in youth, when they are most likely 
 to occur, made their belated assaults upon her now, 
 and toothache, about which my experience had 
 brought me no knowledge, kept reminding her that 
 there are other pains to be endured besides the travails 
 of childbirth, and this without the compensating joy 
 that a man is born into the world. Our delightful 
 new home was not beyond the realms of trouble. 
 
 There in 1863 our second daughter, Alice, was 
 born, and there, nineteen months after, she died. It 
 was the fourth time that God in His infinite goodness 
 had visited our humble home with the gift of a child; 
 it was the first time in His infinite goodness that He 
 
 265 
 
fetorp of Q^p Jiite 
 
 came to take away again the precious gift. She was 
 a beautiful child, lovely in her little life, and when 
 she took sick and the physicians told us that by all 
 indications she would die, the thought was one of 
 anguish. Again and again we laid our earnest en- 
 treaties before our Father in heaven that, if it might 
 be. He could spare the dear child, and prayed for 
 greater strength to say in absolute submission, Thy 
 will be done. I knew and sincerely believed that He 
 doeth all things well. I suffered, but did not murmur 
 nor complain, or indulge any stupid thought that 
 God was not dealing with us in the highest wisdom 
 and mercy. But that ever}'thing which our poor 
 human wisdom could suggest in our sorrow might be 
 done, I called another physician who had some repu- 
 tation for skill, and who belonged to a different 
 school of medicine. He came immediately, examined 
 the patient, and declared that there was still some hope 
 of recovery, and he would do what he could to effect 
 it. This seemed strange to me, for I could see through 
 my tears, that Alice was dying. After the doctor left 
 we arranged the child's little bed, and I sat down be- 
 side her. My wife, who neglected nothing in the 
 depth of her sorrow, was trying through her blind- 
 ing tears to look after some necessary appliances. 
 
 266 
 
&tot? oe ^v %itt 
 
 In a short time, as I saw that death was approach- 
 ing rapidly, I called her and told her that if she de- 
 sired to see our darling once more before death came, 
 she must come to the bedside now. It did not shock 
 her; she seemed to be preparing, and was now pre- 
 pared for it. I think that in the past few days, and 
 especially on this last we two, my wife and I, were 
 closer to God and conversed more with Him than 
 ever. She replied that she could bear it better if she 
 were not present when the spirit of our little Alice 
 took its flight. A few minutes later our dear daughter 
 quietly and peacefully fell asleep. All was over, and 
 all was well. God gave me strength to bear it, and 
 Mary, though she wept much, was ready for it. The 
 children were yet too young to know what death 
 meant, and only saw that their little sister moved no 
 more and that a great sorrow had come upon us. 
 It was a sad home now, but the God of all consolation 
 was with us, and all was well. We laid our little 
 child's body away in the burying ground, in the faith 
 of a glorious resurrection, and mourned our loss, but 
 not as those who have no hope. And as we continue 
 our pilgrimage on this side of the river which divides 
 the earthly from the heavenly land, we keep glancing 
 
 267 
 
fetotp Dt 9^v ittte 
 
 at the farther shore, and think that it is more green 
 and more flowery because Alice is there. 
 
 Our Lord does not mean that His disciples' 
 suffering should interrupt the work in which He has 
 employed them. I think that I had some compre- 
 hension, no doubt inadequate, of His grand economy. 
 But as we, Mary and I, walked up and down this 
 riv.er, we could not forget our loss, and much less 
 forget that our dear Lord has redeemed us and made 
 us heirs of a home in the happy land where sorrows 
 never come and where our Alice is happy forever. 
 So even this could not interfere with the work which 
 I was called to do in Delaware, but rather served to 
 sanctify the workman and thus render it more in- 
 tense. 
 
 A year before we moved to Columbus my labors 
 were increased by my acceptance of the editorship, 
 and virtually of the proprietorship of the Lutheran 
 Standard. As this implied not only the editing, but 
 the whole business management of the periodical, in- 
 cluding the mailing of the paper, my family was 
 greatly concerned in the enterprise. But I reserve 
 the story of this for the next chapter. 
 
 We left our beautiful and in all respects satis- 
 factory home in Delaware in the Spring of 1865. In 
 
 268 
 
^totv ot ^v ^itt 
 
 Columbus I was not only to teach in the University, 
 but to act as housefather of the whole school. A 
 suite of rooms had been reserved for this purpose, 
 and they were reasonably adequate. They were satis- 
 factory all around. We went there, and my teaching 
 and my management of the house were generally ap- 
 proved, nothwithstanding occasional doubts. My wife 
 was not only satisfied with her new quarters, but 
 opposed any suggestion of change. She liked the sur- 
 roundings, and to this day she maintains that they 
 were delightful beyond all former or future arrange- 
 ments made for our family comfort. She always was 
 youthful in spirit and enjoyed the youthful sports of 
 the students and their occasional company, which was 
 regular because of the work of folding and mailing 
 the paper which I continued to edit. But my experi- 
 ence was different. With my classes to attend to and 
 my editorial work on the Standard, I had plenty to do, 
 and when to this was added the preaching almost 
 every Sunday, and after a while every Sunday, it was 
 a burdensome task-; and when it is considered that 
 the original stipulation was that I must be house- 
 father and attend to the whole discipline of the Col- 
 lege and Seminary, it is no wonder that I felt over- 
 burdened. Some men could no doubt do it all, after 
 
fetotp Dt ^v ^itt 
 
 a certain fashion, but the fashion was not in accord 
 with my conscience, and I declared my inabiUty to 
 do it all in a way that would promote our cause. 
 The Board, after several years of experience agreed 
 with me, and consented to relieve me of the house- 
 fathership. I accordingly, without the cordial appro- 
 bation of my wife, after looking around for a long 
 while and long debating of the subject, purchased the 
 ground which our home now occupies and built the 
 house in which we still live. 
 
 I had disposed of my property in Delaware to 
 the physician from whom I had purchased it, at an 
 advance of $500, so that I had a good start when I 
 came to Columbus. As my assets were mainly in 
 government bonds, which were then paying a liberal 
 interest, and my salary was $800 in Columbus, with 
 apartments in the college free of rent, I felt able to 
 buy a modest home in Columbus, this time without 
 the urging of my wife. My capital was not large, but 
 I could feel safe in buying the two lots on which my 
 house now stands and building the modest home in 
 which I am now writing. The house was so placed 
 that in case the emergency should arise one of the 
 lots could be sold again. But it did not arise. The 
 payments were regularly made, and as my salary was 
 
 270 
 
&tot^ ot 9$v ^itt 
 
 later increased, we have for many years been living 
 without debt and without want. 
 
 Since we live in Columbus our home has been 
 blessed with three more children: Harry, born in 
 1865; Ada Willey, born in 1870; and Carl, born in 
 1875. We are seven, although our family living in 
 this our old, but still dear old home has dwindled 
 down to three, Mary and I and our daughter Ada. 
 We have exerted ourselves in our simple way to make 
 the place beautiful, and have no desire for one more 
 costly or grand, hoping to live here until it pleases 
 our Father to take us to our blissful and everlasting 
 home in heaven, whither our dear Saviour, who pur- 
 chased us with His blood, has gone to prepare a 
 place for us. 
 
 It was my ardent wish that all our boys should 
 become preachers of the precious gospel of the grace 
 of God in Christ. My wife concurred in my wish, 
 and to this end their training was directed. I knew 
 the hardships of the ministry quite well — knew them 
 much better than most of those who use them as an 
 argument to induce young men to renounce the rising 
 thought of joining its struggling ranks. And I knew 
 something, though not so much, of the hardships of 
 those who are struggling for gold and for the glory 
 
 271 
 
fytotv ot ^v ^itt 
 
 of the world. My deliberate judgment, whenever my 
 reflections turned to the subject, was uniformly in 
 favor of the ministry. Of course my principal argu- 
 ment was always that the glorious harvest is plente- 
 ous and the laborers are few; and it seemed to me 
 the acme of perverted logic when professed Christians 
 reasoned against entering the ministerial profession 
 because money could not be made in leading souls 
 to Christ and in Him to everlasting happiness. It wjas 
 reasoning which might well arouse indignation in a 
 soul that had, by experience and otherwise, learned 
 a little of the comparative worth of the temporal and 
 the eternal. But even in the light of such reason as 
 the world could afford the argument appeared to me 
 wholly on the side of the Gospel ministry. I was 
 poor and had sometimes to deny myself as a needless 
 luxury some things which a common laborer could 
 afford, but I was quite sure that I had some enjoy- 
 ments, and that of a higher and nobler sort, which a 
 millionaire could not reach and the man ambitious for 
 fame could never attain. I know a good deal more 
 now of the wild chase of fools after happiness on the 
 rough roads of wealth and fame and pleasure, and 
 my conviction has only been intensified, that even in 
 the light of sound reason the ministry is a desirable 
 
 272 
 
fetors of ^v fLitt 
 
 field for young men. I do not mean that unsanctified 
 talent should rush to the opening for its exercise. 
 On the contrary, T would warn adventurers of that 
 kind that their scheme must end in failure. They have 
 not the conditions of success in a kingdom which is 
 not of this world, and they have no adequate idea of 
 what success in this realm means. The conditions are 
 such that they must fail, and the want of money to 
 carry on their work is misery. The ministry as a 
 scheme for carnal speculation has always been a fail- 
 ure, and in the nature of the conditions must be a 
 failure, even if occasional temporary triumphs are re- 
 ported. But a true Christian minister cannot fail. 
 He may suffer temporary defeats and sometimes be 
 disappointed in his hopes, but he never fails. The 
 Master whom he serves sees to that. If the work is 
 done according to the Lord's directions, even seeming 
 failure is a real success. And the believing Christian 
 knows it, and is comforted, though he does not see 
 how his Lord is going to bring a triumph out of the 
 seeming defeat. And if the loaf of bread on hand 
 is small for a hungry family that is large, he knows 
 the power of his Master, who is Lord of heaven and 
 earth, and does not despair, but cheerfully hungers 
 for a day or two until the wisdom and mercy of the 
 
 18 273 
 
Motii ot 9$v %iit 
 
 Master supplies the want. Take it all in all, it was 
 and is still my deliberate judgment that there is no 
 happier calling, with all its hardships and privations, 
 than that of the Christian ministry. I can therefore 
 never admit that my desire that all my boys should be 
 ministers of the gospel was unwise. No doubt my 
 judgment was at fault in many things, but it was not 
 in this. 
 
 In this conviction my boys, whom I desired in any 
 case to bring up in the nurture and admonition of the 
 Lord, that they might serve Him in any calling to 
 which He might assign them, were sent to school, 
 and all of them in due time entered the college, in 
 which I was professor. They did not meet my expec- 
 tations. Probably I had expected too much, and my 
 oldest boy, before he was graduated, desired a mer- 
 cantile career. Our second son, referring to the hard- 
 ships of the ministry and pointing to my own life as 
 an example, desired to study law. Our third boy con- 
 tinued his studies until he had graduated in the col- 
 lege and entered the Theological Seminary, but finally 
 concluded that the ministry was adapted neither to 
 his taste nor his talent, and entered upon a business 
 pursuit. Our fourth boy, before he was graduated in 
 
 college, followed in the same course. I think that the 
 
 274 
 
fetot^ ot 9^^ %itt 
 
 success of his brothers in other vocations had much 
 influence upon his decision to quit his studies and de- 
 vote himself to business pursuits, and thus relieve me 
 of his support and make his own living. Our oldest 
 son entered a m.ercantile business, which fluctuated 
 much, but always secured him a livelihood. As he is 
 a skillful musician and never lost his interest in the 
 church, he gave much time and money to our Church 
 in Columbus, and is now the efficient organist of 
 Grace congregation, to which he gives much attention 
 without compensation, though more than once offers 
 have been made him with a good salary in other 
 churches. Our second son abandoned his studies af 
 Capital University before graduation and entered a 
 law office for the study of jurisprudence. He was ad- 
 mitted to the bar as an attorney-at-law, where he 
 was building up a. lucrative practice, though all the 
 while an active member of the English Lutheran con- 
 gregation, of which he was a worthy and more than 
 ordinarily laborious and appreciated officer when he 
 died in 1885, at the age of twenfy-eight years. Our 
 third son remained in college until his graduation, 
 afterwards entered the Theological Seminary, but 
 finally drifted into the mercantile business with his 
 eldest brother, and is still successfully pursuing it at 
 
 275 
 
fetot? ot 9^v mtt 
 
 Dayton, Ohio. Our youngest son before graduation 
 followed in the same line of business and also settled 
 with his wife in Dayton, where both, the elder still 
 unmarried, are members of the English Lutheran 
 Church in connection with the Ohio Synod. It was a 
 disappointment that none of them could be induced 
 to enter the ministry, yet it is a comfort to know that 
 they are still faithful workers in the Church. It was 
 a little soothing in this disappointment that our eldest 
 daughter married a minister, who is now President of 
 Capital University, and I indulge the hope that of their 
 family of seven, three of whom are boys, one or the 
 other may enter the ministry. 
 
 Death came to our home a second time in Sep- 
 tember, 1885, when our second son was taken from us. 
 He had been visiting friends who were sick of ty- 
 phoid fever and one of whom had died. Their suf- 
 ferings affected him much, and were a subject of ser- 
 ious remark. He was depressed and complained of 
 headache. Fever set in and he became delirious. In 
 his lucid intervals he told us that the sickness would 
 end in death, spoke calmly about it, joined heartily 
 in our prayers, but persisted in his conviction that he 
 would die. To me it did not seem so, and I regarded 
 his impression as one of the illusions of his disease. 
 
 276 
 
fetor? oC 9?? %itt 
 
 The physician whom he had himself called and who 
 was not our regular family doctor, did not seem to 
 entertain such fears. But the sickness was serious 
 enough to call in others for consultation, and one of 
 these, while he expressed himself cautiously, mani- 
 festly designed to give us no encouragement. But he 
 improved, and one evening when the weather was 
 misty and disagreeable he insisted, as he had been 
 able to move about the house for several days, that 
 he must go to his office and attend to some duties, as 
 one of his clients would otherwise suffer for lack of 
 his attorney's attention. He went in spite of all our 
 remonstrances. As I think of it now I cannot cen- 
 sure him, for I think that he was acting in accord- 
 ance with the principles which I had always sought to 
 instil into my children and my congregations, that so 
 long as any strength is left for the performance of 
 duty, we should do it, and leave the consequences 
 to Him who ordained the duty. Knowing the conse- 
 quences now, I still think that I would do the same 
 thing : for death might have ensued even if he had not 
 gone. He thought he could save his client from suf- 
 fering wrong, and went. He came home exhausted 
 and suffered a relapse. Next day he was worse, and 
 
 continually grew worse until the end came. We ap- 
 
 277 
 
fetot? ot ^v ^itt 
 
 plied all human agencies within our knowledge, and 
 did what we could to insure all possible comfort in 
 life and to avert death, but he grew worse. The 
 periods in which I could speak to him about the grace 
 of God in Christ and in which he could join with me 
 in prayer became less. He lapsed into unconscious- 
 ness, and for hours and days we could have no con- 
 verse with him. Did his soul, which seemed to be 
 wholly absent from us, have joyous converse all the 
 while with his Redeemer from sin and death? I do 
 not know, men cannot know what intercourse there 
 is between the Savior and the saved when all inter- 
 course between the sick and sorrowing around the 
 sick-bed has ceased ; but I do know that the believing 
 soul, even though it become what we with our earthly 
 limitations call unconscious, is safe in the arms of 
 our Redeemer, and suffers no separation from him 
 because there are no longer any signs of conscious 
 communion with loved ones on earth. It was hard 
 for me to believe that my dear boy was dying, and I 
 regularly went to my work at school and did. as well 
 as I could, my duty there, as my boy did when he 
 Vv-ent to his office on that drizzling night which, 
 humanly speaking, brought on the relapse. But in 
 the morning of September ii, 1885, when I went to 
 
 278 
 
motv PC 9§V mtt 
 
 the sick-room, the conviction was forced upon me 
 that my son was right: the sickness was unto death. 
 I enquired of the man whom we had employed as 
 night-nurse, how my boy was getting along, and his 
 reply was very encouraging. He said that the patient 
 had a good night and was evidently better. I 
 approached the bed and saw that his condition was 
 evidently worse. I conducted our morning worship, 
 in which our sick boy could take no apparent part, 
 and prepared myself as well as a crushing sorrow 
 permitted. When the physician came I told him how 
 my hopes were darkened by the condition in the morn- 
 ing, and expressed my fear that my dear boy would 
 leave us for the eternal world on that day. He still 
 thought that there was room for hope, but agreed that 
 I was right in deciding to stay at home that day. An- 
 other consultation of physicians was held, and nothing 
 could be done. Our dear boy died that afternoon. My 
 heart was unutterably sad, but by the grace of God 
 I was able to say that all is well. Indeed, it seemed 
 to me, as I thought of sin and grace, and the purpose 
 of God in the government of the world and the great 
 salvation prepared for all in this earthly state of 
 probation, that I could preach the sermon at the burial 
 of my son better than I ever could officiate at a funeral 
 
 279 
 
&tor^ ot ^v ^itt 
 
 before. But my wife was almost inconsolable. He 
 was devoted to his mother as few sons of his age are 
 ordinarily found to be, and his cheery greeting when 
 he came home to his meals and his affectionate atten- 
 tion to her every want, it was hard for her to miss. 
 But neither did she mourn as one who had no hope, 
 and we buried the lifeless body of our promising boy, 
 so young, so loving, so useful in the world, in the 
 happy assurance that he is living still; and we have 
 never ceased to think of him as one of us, not dead, 
 but sleeping. We afterwards brought the remains of 
 our little Alice also to Green Lawn, and there the tvv^o 
 whom God took lie side by side awaiting the glorious 
 resurrection on the last day, when we shall meet 
 again in the body. My wife still goes out often to 
 lay flov/ers on their graves. I have less inclination to 
 go where their bodies lie, but more to visit them where 
 they live. Our children are seven. It will not be very 
 long until, by the unspeakable grace of our Lord, we 
 shall all be together again in heaven. 
 
 280 
 
LI'TIICRAIi KTAVDARII. 
 
 m 
 
 Facsimile of the First Nu.muer of -Lutheran 
 Standard," Edited by Dr. E. Green- 
 
 WALD at New PHH.ADELrHIA, 
 
 Ohio, Sept. 21, 1842. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 EDITOR. 
 
 DURING my whole career as a minister of the 
 gospel I have been a frequent contributor to 
 the periodical press. I began this when I took charge 
 of the congregation at Delaware, and have continued 
 my labors in that field until the present day for now 
 fifty-six years. My contributions to our Lutheran 
 Standard had been many during my ministry at Dela- 
 ware, and occasional articles had been furnished for 
 three other periodicals, one of them a Quarterly Re- 
 view. It was therefore not surprising that Synod, 
 in looking about for a new editor of the Standard, 
 thought of me. In 1864 I was unanimously elected 
 to the place, and under existing circumstances I con- 
 sidered it my duty to accept the call. As the presi- 
 dency of Synod had several years before been added 
 to my work as pastor, this acceptance of still another 
 vocation was a grave matter, for it involved a great 
 deal more than the editorial management of the paper, 
 which in itself was not a small addition to my burdens. 
 The Lutheran Standard had had a precarious ex- 
 281 
 
fetot^ Dt ^^ %itt 
 
 istence for more than a score of years. Begun in 1842 
 in New Philadelphia under the editorship of Rev. E, 
 Greenwald, who was then pastor in that place, it was 
 after two years removed to Zanesville and edited for 
 not quite a year by Rev. S. A. Mealy, who then 
 removed to another charge and left the journal heavily 
 in debt, with creditors clamoring for their money. A 
 committee, consisting of Pastors Spielmann and Leh- 
 mann, was sent to Zanesville to settle up the accounts 
 and provide for issuing the six numbers yet required 
 to complete the third volume. They succeeded in 
 quieting creditors and resolved, in order to gain more 
 time, to publish a number only every two weeks, in- 
 stead of weekly as heretofore. The missing numbers 
 were issued, collections were made, some new sub- 
 scribers were obtained, and it was thought possible to 
 continue the paper as a bi-weekly. Pastor Spielmann 
 was appointed editor, the office was moved to Somer- 
 set, where Pastor Lehmann attended to the proof- 
 reading and office work, but when, in 1847, ^^^ latter 
 removed to Columbus as Professor in the Seminary, 
 Pastor Spielmann already residing there, the publica- 
 tion office was also transferred to Columbus, where it 
 was of longer continuance. In 1848 Pastor Spielmann 
 resigned the editorship on account of failing health, 
 
 282 
 
fetors oC ^JV ^itt 
 
 and the Standard was edited by a committee until 1851, 
 when Rev. E. Greenwald, who had become pastor of 
 our EngHsh congregation in Cohimbus, took charge 
 of it and remained its editor until his removal from 
 the city in 1854. Then Professor Worley was ap- 
 pointed to the place, and in 1859 synod gave the whole 
 management of the paper into his hands, the business 
 affairs and correspondence having during all this 
 time, until 1857, remained in the hands of Pastor 
 Spielmann, after which time this part was attended 
 to by Rev. J. A. Schulze until the whole was com- 
 mitted to Professor Worley. 
 
 Accordingly what was expected of me was to 
 take the entire property and make out of it what I 
 could. That property consisted of a mailing list and 
 an account book. The press had long since been sold, 
 and for years it had been found more convenient to 
 have the printing done in other establishments than 
 to maintain one of our own. What I assumed was 
 thus the publication every two weeks of a periodical, 
 with all that pertains to such an undertaking, includ- 
 ing the management of the business and the mailing 
 as well as the editorship. 
 
 It was a large contract that I had assumed. The 
 Standard to all appearance was for a second time near- 
 
 283 
 
fetors ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 ing its end. The subscription list had dwindled down 
 so much that the prospect of making the paper self- 
 supporting was gloomy. It had lost some of its best 
 friends, and I could not reasonably expect that within 
 a short period enough zeal would be displayed in 
 gathering new subscribers to dispel the gloom. And 
 yet in full view of the situation, my conviction that the 
 work which the Lord had given our Ohio Synod to do 
 would suffer if we permitted the Standard to die, 
 constrained me to make the effort. It should not die 
 if strength were given me to do the work necessary 
 to keep it alive. I saw, too, where improvements 
 could be made that would render the paper more ac- 
 ceptable. Neither the editorial nor the mechanical 
 work on it was satisfactory. I was myself displeased 
 with it, and although I still made some contributions 
 to its columns, I was impelled to send to other papers 
 such articles as I thought most needful. This I did 
 partly because Professor Worley's notions about 
 church government were opposed to what he called 
 the Missourianism which I advocated, and partly 
 because it was plain to me that my advocacy of con- 
 sistent Lutheranism in doctrine and practice would be 
 more effective in periodicals more widely read and of 
 
 larger influence than our deteriorated Standard. If 
 
 284 
 
f he liiientii gitodarcl 
 
 Facsimile of First Number of "Lutheran Standard" 
 
 Edited by Prof. M. Loy, at Delaware. Ohio. 
 
 April 15, 1864. 
 
&tor^ ot ^^ %itt 
 
 the present crisis could be safely passed, the hope of 
 better days seemed to me no idle dream. Surely 
 God's power is not curbed by the distress which cries 
 to Him for help. 
 
 So I consulted a printer at Delaware and made a 
 contract for the publication which was, I thought, 
 quite fair and favorable. There was at Stratford a 
 paper mill whose proprietors lived in Delaware, and 
 I succeeded there also in getting reasonable terms. 
 The copy was furnished, the proof was read, and the 
 first issue under my care, dated April, 1864, was 
 printed, and the whole edition delivered at my house. 
 I paid the bill according to contract, and the pile of 
 papers was my property. Brother Schulze, who had 
 become an expert in the mailing business, and who was 
 anxious that I should not become discouraged in my 
 first experience of getting the papers to their destina- 
 tion through the mail, had come up from Columbus 
 to help me to prepare the wrappers, fold the papers, 
 write the addresses, get the paste ready, put it on 
 only where it belongs, and whatsoever pertains to the 
 mystery of mailing without machinery. My whole 
 family bravely attacked the printed pile and by mid- 
 night we had the work done, and in the morning 
 
 hauled the packages to the post-office. One number 
 
 285 
 
feitor^ of 9$v ^itt 
 
 was thus issued without mishap and without losing 
 heart. 
 
 I looked the paper over with a feeling of com- 
 placency bordering on pride. It was an improvement 
 in paper, in type, in presswork and I thought also in 
 contents. My predecessor with whom I was not in 
 harmony on the ''church and ministry" question and 
 some practical matters involved in it, gave me a hearty 
 recommendation in his valedictory, showing how at 
 least in our Ohio Synod, men could oppose each other 
 without becoming personal enemies. Among other 
 things he said : "Let us all do better in future to 
 give the Standard a more original and direct churchly 
 tone. Our people complain of their ministers because 
 they do not show the interest they ought by contribut- 
 ing to its support their own original articles. The 
 truth is, they have had and have now too much reason 
 to complain in this regard. Brethren, do not let it 
 be so any longer. Up and to work while the day 
 lasts, lest the night of dissolution come over our 
 beloved Standard, when it will be too late to work in 
 its favor and support.'' ''In conclusion we will only 
 yet ask the hearty co-operation and encouragement of 
 all, ministers and laymen, to our successor and the 
 paper." In my own introductory editorial I deemed 
 
 286 
 
fetorp ot 9^^ %itt 
 
 it well to speak with that frankness which it was my 
 purpose to observe throughout my editorial career. 
 
 Even in regard to the condition of our paper, I 
 designed to conceal nothing. I copy an extract from 
 a lengthy salutatory talk: ''We are no stranger to 
 this audience ; at any rate after having been a not infre- 
 quent contributor to the paper for fifteen years, we 
 do not feel like a stranger; so we shall try to be at 
 ease, although the editorial chair in general, and this 
 editorial chair in particular, is no easy chair, as our 
 predecessor — whom peace and prosperity attend in 
 his new home — can testify. If we are asked how we 
 came to be in so unpromising a position as that of 
 editor of the Standard, we have simply to answer that 
 we could not help it. Providence does not call men 
 to sit in counsel with Him. Our Lord disposes of His 
 willing servants according to His own purposes, and 
 that is about all we know of the disposition made." 
 "But why should there have been any hesitation or re- 
 luctance about it? Our readers have sufficient data 
 from which to draw a satisfactory answer to this 
 question for themselves. And yet this is the proper 
 place to give an answer. The cares and perplexities 
 connected with the editing of a paper are sufficiently 
 
 great to induce men to be sometimes slow in accepting 
 
 287 
 
mm ot 9$V IBLiit 
 
 an editorship, even when they are relieved from all 
 
 other labors and are offered salaries which are by no 
 
 means uninviting. We always supposed that we had 
 
 enough to do in our own congregation, which by the 
 
 blessing of God has become comparatively large, and, 
 
 considering the enfeebled state of our health, we think 
 
 so still. These duties we have to perform as before, 
 
 all that are made incumbent upon us by the acceptance 
 
 of the paper being additional. And it is not only the 
 
 editorship that we are called to assume ; our reluctance 
 
 would not have been so great if this had been all. 
 
 There is the whole management of the business, with 
 
 the drudgery of mailing and bookkeeping thrown in. 
 
 It is shocking, you will say; why not hire somebody 
 
 to attend to these extra labors, which ought never to 
 
 be imposed on the editor? Dear reader, we would let 
 
 you into a secret here, were the cat not already out of 
 
 the bag; there is positively no money to hire anybody 
 
 else with. But why not rather reduce the editor's 
 
 salary in order to relieve him of work so tedious and 
 
 tasteless ? Dear, unsophisticated reader, the editor has 
 
 no salary." 
 
 In regard to the doctrinal position of the paper 
 
 this was said: "We shall endeavor to be faithful to 
 
 our motto, 'Speaking the truth in love.' This truth we 
 
 288 
 
&tDt^ Ot 9^V HMt 
 
 find in the Holy Scriptures, which are our rule of 
 faith and practice; and the truth of Holy Scripture 
 we find confessed, without admixture of error, in the 
 symbols of our Church. Fidelity to the Bible implies, 
 as we see it, fidelity to our Confessions : men do not 
 speak the truth when their speech is contrary to either, 
 because both contain the same truth. We know of no 
 Lutheranism, properly so called, but the Evangelical 
 Lutheranism of the Augsburg Confession, and shall 
 always strive to prove our title to the Lutheran name 
 by maintaining the scriptural truth of that august 
 symbol. This truth we shall endeavor to speak in love, 
 which, of course, does not mean that we shall not 
 speak it at all. We shall endeavor to speak it always, 
 whether men will hear or forbear; but we shall strive 
 to speak it kindly, with the purpose to benefit others, 
 even though it should be necessary sometimes to give 
 pain in order to effect this purpose." 
 
 I think that the first number issued under my 
 management did something towards convincing the 
 constituency of the Standard that it could yet be made 
 an efficient helper in the great work which was com- 
 mitted to the Ohio Synod. The paper was commended 
 and won new friends, and the editor was encouraged 
 
 by many tokens of good will. When the second num- 
 19 289 
 
fetors of 9$v fiitt 
 
 ber was issued and delivered, money enough had come 
 in to pay the bills promptly, and no worry came from 
 that source. I had made preparations for mailing, and 
 when the paper came the whole family joined forces, 
 and by dint of perseverance and with some bungling 
 we got the edition ready in due time for the drayman 
 and the post office. In course of time we learned the 
 business, and the work became easier, especially as, 
 when mailing day came, my children sometimes 
 brought in playmates to help them, and occasionally a 
 friend dropped in to help us. So after a while that 
 part of the burden became lighter, and as subscription 
 monies kept coming in every week, there was no occa- 
 sion for business embarrassments. 
 
 Of course, the editorial management was of 
 greater importance and laid upon me a responsibility 
 of higher moment. I think that I recognized this to 
 the fullest extent, and felt it even more deeply than 
 my most anxious friends. It may therefore seem unac- 
 countable that this worried me but little. That, how- 
 ever, is the fact. If any one should infer from this 
 that I had a fond conceit of myself, and was supported 
 by a presumption which is blind to the power of other 
 people, his inference is utterly false. Such folly may 
 
 sustain a braggart for a while, but sooner or later he 
 
 290 
 
fetot^ of 9$v ^itt 
 
 must succumb to superior forces, and usually it is very 
 soon. I knew something of our limitations and weak- 
 nesses, and had good reason to suspect that these were 
 greater than I knew. I was aware also that there 
 were multitudes of people whose endowments and at- 
 tainments were greater than mine, and some of these I 
 had become acquainted with and appreciated. Against 
 some of these I would have to contend in my editorial 
 career, and I was not stupid enough to imagine that 
 the way to win a battle is to underestimate the enemy's 
 power. I had looked over the field, considered the 
 difficulties, and can sum up all by saying that I had 
 faith in God and accepted His call. 
 
 When a man undertakes such a public work he 
 must be prepared for censure as well as for praise, 
 for war as well as for peace. It seemed to me inevit- 
 able, that if I would unwaveringly pursue my purpose 
 to do God's will by making the Standard an unflinch- 
 ing witness of His truth as the Lutheran Church con- 
 fesses it, not everybody would welcome it as a dear 
 friend, but that some would antagonize it. The 
 thought of making the paper a financial success at all 
 hazards and at every sacrifice conducive to this end, 
 never haunted me. What I wanted was to make it a 
 
 faithful servant of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. 
 
 291 
 
fetot^ of 9^v fiite 
 
 If it could not live with such a mission, it might die 
 for aught I cared. So number after number was pre- 
 pared and sent forth in the cheering belief that another 
 little contribution was made towards spreading the 
 light of the Reformation among the people and thus 
 glorifying God, whom I was intent on serving and 
 whom I wanted the paper to serve. Therefore the edit- 
 ing, and any attacks made upon me for the truth which 
 I published, worried me little. I did what I could to 
 perpetuate and propagate the blessed gospel of the 
 grace of God in Christ, as the Lutheran Church had 
 been confessing it for more than three hundred years 
 and thus been bringing salvation to milHons of souls, 
 and if the paper, under the good providence of God, 
 could not be sustained under my management, He 
 could relieve me of the work and choose a better in- 
 strument to compass His ends. I tried to do the Mas- 
 ter's will, and was content that He should provide and 
 care for His servants. Some ready writers who were 
 of the same mind as myself were secured, and the paper 
 became more and more influential; and when I took 
 it with me to Columbus, a year after, it had not only 
 paid all the expenses of its one year's sojourn in Del- 
 aware, but had increased both in circulation and repu- 
 
 292 
 
&tot? oc app %itt 
 
 tation. The dark cloud had moved away, and the out- 
 look was brightening. 
 
 In Columbus it was again the mechanical part of 
 my work, not the editorship proper, that harrassed me. 
 New arrangements had to be made for continuing the 
 publication. A contract was made, but it was less 
 favorable than had been secured at Delaware, and the 
 work was inferior. The proof furnished was bad, 
 sometimes intolerably bad, and after all our proofread- 
 ing and trouble the typographical errors which re- 
 mained in the printed copies were many and often in- 
 excusable in any respectable printing house. This did 
 worry me. My time was so fully occupied that I could 
 not go to the office every day to look after the fore- 
 man's business. The office was a mile away and my 
 hours were precious ; and yet if I did not constantly 
 look after the printers every issue gave me new annoy- 
 ance. It was a great trial to my patience, and this 
 trial I had to endure for months before I, an old 
 printer, succeeded in getting something like order into 
 the business of the proprietor, who evidently knew 
 nothing about printing. This for a long while was a 
 greater trouble than raising money to pay the good 
 price for his bad work. Indeed, in the publication of 
 
 the paper for the first months it would not have been 
 
 293 
 
&tor? ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 unfair if he had allowed me as much for my skilled 
 labor in his office as he charged me for his unskilled 
 work, so that at our monthly settlement we could have 
 called it even. But neither of us lost his temper, and 
 after a while things went better. The mailing I could 
 not have left in charge of such an office, even if the 
 income had been sufficient to cover the additional ex- 
 pense. So I had that drudgery on my hands as be- 
 fore. But it was easier now. During my first years at 
 Columbus we lived in the University building, the dis- 
 cipline of the house having been placed in my charge. 
 There were always some zmong the students who were 
 ready to assist me in any work they could do, and when 
 publication day cam.e and the papers were delivered at 
 my room, some were even delighted to come over and 
 help us. It was usually a pleasant house party, which 
 became to my wife and children a matter of desire 
 rather than of dread. Even the cutting and address- 
 ing of wrappers, which was done before mailing day, 
 was taken off my hands by some of the ''boys," who 
 did this gladly because it gave them the first chance to 
 be of the party on packing night. 
 
 The course which I pursued as editor, and which 
 with my faith and convictions could not be otherwise, 
 led me into many controversies. The reason for this 
 
 294 
 
&tot» of 99V ^itt 
 
 is not that I had any special delight in polemics. I 
 love peace and quiet, and would rather suffer wrong 
 than fight. But what God had entrusted to my keep- 
 ing I could not surrender without losing His favor and 
 my peace. My editorship extended over a period of 
 more than a quarter of a century, and often required 
 me to say what I knew must be displeasing to men of 
 other minds. I could not have been faithful to the 
 Lord and His Church if I had not been willing to 
 defend the truth when assaults were made upon it. 
 The grace of God always protected me from the weak- 
 ness of letting my natural love of peace overcome the 
 love of His cause. He had taught me to contend earn- 
 estly for the faith, and sustained me in the purpose 
 which He had given me to do His will. It was the 
 truth, for the maintenance and defense of which the 
 Standard was set, that provoked controversy. It was 
 clear to me that if the paper was properly to fulfill its 
 mission it must do something more than to furnish 
 church news, or even to supply its readers with brief 
 items of light religious reading, with which an idle 
 hour might be whiled away and which might in a cer- 
 tain sense be called edifying. Even my idea of edifi- 
 cation would not permit me to adopt such an editorial 
 
 management. Without a knowledge of the truth re- 
 
 295 
 
fetorp ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 vealed in Holy Scripture and an intelligent apprecia- 
 tion of at least its principal doctrines there can be no 
 solid and lasting edification, readily as it may be admit- 
 ted that a sort of sentimental piety might be instilled in 
 souls ignorant of the way of salvation and a wild and 
 thoughtless activity might be produced through an ex- 
 cited ''zeal without knowledge." I had ample opportu- 
 nity, during my long abode in a Methodist town, to ob- 
 serve how such a religious training works, and I had 
 read enough to know whither it leads when reduced to 
 a system. I was not unaware that the popular taste was 
 against me, that the people generally did not like long 
 articles, and that especially articles designed to instruct 
 in doctrine and that are called heavy because they re- 
 quire attention and reflection to be profitable, were 
 disliked. My opinion was and is now that a journal 
 which caters only to such tastes may make money, 
 but will not build character. Light reading will not 
 make grave readers. Accordingly I did not limit con- 
 tributors, some of whom I knew to be excellent teach- 
 ers, to a column or two when they consented to write 
 articles for instruction on subjects of importance to 
 the Church. Many articles were thus published that 
 are of permanent value and that, if they were left un- 
 read by many subscribers, exerted an educating influ- 
 
 296 
 
&tot^ ot 9^v %itt 
 
 ence on those who did read them; and of such there 
 were more than the advocates of scraps suspected. 
 My desire was to have at least one so-called heavy 
 article in each issue, and my editorials were frequently 
 of this class. Meantime I did not overlook the wants 
 of those who were not inclined to read lengthy essays, 
 but endeavored to furnish sufficient variety to meet 
 all reasonable expectations. 
 
 It was, of course, the long doctrinal article which 
 provoked controversy, and mostly it was the editorials. 
 I cannot admit that it was the manner of presenting the 
 truth rather than the matter which gave the provoca- 
 tion. There were sometimes instances of wrong-doing 
 which, having become public, demanded public rebuke 
 of the person or persons; but these personal matters 
 were rarely the subject of anything more than a short 
 notice, and it was an exceptional case if such a matter 
 even led to a dispute requiring extended treatment. 
 Between us and the General Synod there were funda- 
 mental differences, and when we exposed and refuted 
 the errors which were there taught and tolerated, the 
 papers of that body were usually not silent ; and usu- 
 ally, if they said anything that seemed to challenge a 
 reply and to be worthy of it, the Standard did not keep 
 silence either. It was not unexpected that I was some- 
 
 297 
 
^m^ ot Qp^ %itt 
 
 times charged with forgetting our motto of "speaking 
 the truth in love." I was not conscious of any per- 
 sonal bitterness, though I waxed warm when I saw 
 men wearing a Lutheran mask while endeavoring to 
 undermine the Lutheran Church, which we with 
 prayer and labor were trying in the Lord's name to 
 build up. I would be ashamed nov/ if I had seemed 
 indifferent in the struggle. Sometimes I used severe 
 language, because 1 meant what I said, and did not 
 wish that it should seem otherwise. I rebuked them 
 sharply, and must most emphatically deny that this is 
 inconsistent with the love which the Holy Spirit gives 
 and the Bible requires. I am glad that our dear Lord 
 enabled me to contribute my mite towards protecting 
 our people against the insidious leaven of unionistic 
 General Synodism, and even of helping to bring that 
 body more nearly in accord with the name which it 
 bears, although it is still far from being what it claims 
 to be and of right ought to be. 
 
 It was a grief to me that we had to engage in con- 
 troversy with the General Council also, soon after its 
 organization, notwithstanding that its very purpose 
 seemed to be the advancement of the divine truth 
 which was so dear to us and for which we were so 
 
 earnestly contending. I had for years known and 
 
 298 
 
&tot^ of ap^ %iU 
 
 admired some of its leaders, and at the Reading Con- 
 vention I had become acquainted with some others 
 with whose fervent Lutheran spirit I felt the deepest 
 sympathy and whose ability I fully recognized. If 
 the flesh had been permitted to decide I would have 
 said nothing when the long-protracted war began. 
 But I could not be faithful and still permit wrong to 
 triumph without resistance. In the closing number of 
 the Standard for 1867 I said : "The times are growing 
 more and more earnest, and the dem.ands made upon 
 the public journalist are becoming proportionally 
 greater. Our beloved Church is passing through 
 trials, and can conquer only by severe conflict with 
 the hosts that are arrayed against her. The devil and 
 the world are fierce in their opposition to her progress. 
 Foes slander her, and many who are her friends mis- 
 understand her and often unwittingly injure her. The 
 popular sentimental piety of the country cannot break 
 her earnest appeal to the Divine Word, as against 
 human reason and human feeling, and in spite of all 
 her ardent love she must pass in its estimation as cold 
 and hard and exclusive. And within her own borders 
 there are bickerings and dissensions. All these things 
 give us reason to feel our inability all the more deeply, 
 
 whilst much that is transpiring in the field which is 
 
 299 
 
fetorp of 9^v ^itt 
 
 assigned for cultivation more immediately to us, tends 
 to discourage, and the thousand annoyances to which 
 editors are heirs keep the virtue of patience under con- 
 stant discipline. Shall we lay down our pen and take 
 our ease ? We have other thoughts. Our ability is of 
 God, and when we are sorely tried He is a very pres- 
 ent help." In that same issue the action of the first 
 meeting of the General Council was reported, in ref- 
 erence to which I said: "We will not quote the re- 
 marks reported as having been made against our 
 Synod, nor those which were uttered in her defence. 
 There were things said that were as irrelevent as they 
 were unkind. But we let that pass, and give the re- 
 sult of the deliberations upon the paper handed in 
 by our committee." Then, after laying before our 
 readers the four resolutions constituting the action in 
 reply to the Ohio Synod's questions, I continued: 
 "We will not conceal the depressing effect which the 
 reading of these resolutions, in connection with the 
 reported debates on the subject, has had upon our 
 mind. To say the truth we have no respect for the 
 formality which on the plea of order shirks questions 
 of conscience. To give an account of their faith and 
 oflfer a reason for the hope that is in them is men's 
 right, which no constitutions have any business to in- 
 
 300 
 
&t0r? of 9^v ^itt 
 
 fringe and which, we are persuaded, the constitution 
 of the Council was never meant to Hmit. It would 
 be sad if this body had so tied its hands that it could 
 give an utterance on life-questions in the Church only 
 when one of the synods belonging to it presents them 
 in due form. It is a little uncomfortable to observe 
 the implied censure of us, as mere outsiders, for pre- 
 suming to ask questions, the answer to which was 
 desired for the purpose of clearing the way that we 
 might not remain outsiders. Still, such a mistake 
 shall not be allowed to estrange us. We still hope 
 that the day is approaching when we shall be able to 
 unite. Nor do we resign this hope because of the 
 grief which we feel on account of the Council's con- 
 duct with reference to our English District. It would 
 have been generous, even if members of the Council 
 did not think justice demanded it, if the delegation 
 of a District sending representatives to unite with the 
 Council in defiance of the action of the body of which 
 it formed a part, had been respectfully requested to 
 wait until its relation to the Joint Synod had been 
 clearly ascertained and the conflict into which it has 
 seen fit to enter with that body had been settled. The 
 Joint Synod cannot take it kindly that the Council saw 
 fit to receive a small portion of our Synod in spite 
 
 301 
 
fetors ot 99v ^itt 
 
 o( the declaration of the whole body that we could not 
 at present unite." "The answer which the Council 
 gave to the Iowa Synod, to which answer our Synod 
 is referred, is so unsatisfactory that the lowaans re- 
 fused to connect themselves with the Council, and 
 the Synod of Wisconsin dissented from it. Upon this, 
 in connection with an editorial in the Lutheran and 
 Missionary, which will surprise many in the General 
 Council as it did us, and for which, we trust, the 
 Council would not like to be held responsible, we shall 
 have something more to say in a future number." 
 Thus the long controversy with the General Council 
 began. 
 
 I have made these extracts from the Standard 
 of that time to show that it was in sorrow, not in 
 anger, that I engaged in the controversy. The griev- 
 ance was one of the gravest import. I did not im- 
 pugn the motives of the persons whose action was 
 reproved. God is judge of human hearts, and in that 
 respect He has not only not committed the judgment 
 to us, but has forbidden us to usurp it. But wrong 
 was done, and if the people who did it thought they 
 were doing right, that error did not change the open 
 fact. And it was a wrong which menaced our Synod's 
 life. We had struggled for years, amid many diffi- 
 
 302 
 
&tDt^ ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 culties, to awaken in our people a consciousness of 
 our precious inheritance as the great Church of the 
 Reformation, and God had blessed our labors with 
 much success. The errors and misunderstandings and 
 doubts which had existed among us had been largely 
 overcome. Lutherans were beginning to feel that their 
 Church, poor and much despised in the land, was 
 something to glory in rather than to be ashamed of, 
 and that her mission was to lead the Protestant host, 
 not to ape the sects and barter away her solid gold 
 for their gaudy tinsel. It was laudable that the Ohio 
 Synod was ready to unite with others in the East 
 who were enlisted in the same cause, so soon as this 
 could be done without sacrificing what it had by per- 
 severing labor and patient suffering attained. Ohio 
 did its part towards eft'ecting a general union of Lu- 
 theran forces. But when the time came for organiz- 
 ing them in the General Council, assurances could not 
 be given us that that body would carry out the prin- 
 ciples professed, but thought it best to shirk our 
 questions and act as if it had been presumptuous on 
 our part to ask them. And more than this. One of 
 our Districts had some men in it who were not fully 
 in harmony with our Synod's forward movement on 
 
 the path of confessional Lutheranism and consistent 
 
 303 
 
&tpr^ ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 practice. These men had a shrewd leader, and in con- 
 sequence there had for several years past been trouble 
 with that District, which refused to comply with reso- 
 lutions of Synod. When the Council was organized 
 the disaffected party secured a majority and carried 
 the District independently into that body. Our Synod 
 declared that it could not join the Council as long as 
 it refused to give a Lutheran answer to questions 
 which we regarded as vital. The District paid no at- 
 tention to this, resolved to escape any further trouble 
 with us by taking refuge in the Council, and was there 
 received with open arms. Looking at the affair now, 
 after an interval of nearly forty years, my judgment 
 remains the same as then, that war was inevitable. 
 I wrote as one who felt the wrong done, with pro- 
 found regret that the Council did not take the posi- 
 tion upon which all true Lutherans could have united, 
 but wrote without malice. My contention was for 
 truth and righteousness, and if the Standard for years 
 showed fight, it was because it was set for the defense 
 of the Gospel which the Lutheran Church is com- 
 missioned to uphold in its purity for the eternal wel- 
 fare of men. As long as I remained editor, the grace 
 of God sustaining me, there was no prospect that the 
 
 fight would end, unless our opponents would lay down 
 
 304 
 
fet0t» Of 9$v fiitt 
 
 their arms and permit us to do our Lord's work in 
 peace. 
 
 These controversies, which some, ignorant of the 
 Master's ways and of the militant character of His 
 Church on earth, thought needless or even harmful, 
 were as important for the progress of our cause as 
 the doctrinal articles designed for direct instruction. 
 A goodly part of the opposition to my teaching on 
 the subject of the Church and the Ministry in the 
 earlier days was owing in large part to a misunder- 
 standing of the whole subject, and especially of the 
 contention of those of us in our Synod who were 
 styled Missourians. It was not to be wondered at 
 that men who supposed us to mean, when we insisted 
 that the Church is essentially invisible, that nothing 
 visible, not even the bodies of believing men, be- 
 longed to the essence of the Church, were inclined 
 to doubt; or that, when we declared the Lutheran 
 to be the only Church in which the Gospel is preached 
 in its purity and the sacraments are administered in 
 accordance with the pure Gospel, they, imagining that 
 this unchurched all other Christians, were moved to 
 deny it. Our warfare against the General Synod and 
 General Council, which both in part occupied the same 
 
 territory with the Ohio Synod and which both did us 
 20 305 
 
fetotp ot 9^v fiitt 
 
 damage in substantially the same way, served to clear 
 up some important points in our contention and to 
 draw our people more closely together. Our skirm- 
 ishes with Missouri, whose fanatical corporals an- 
 noyed us less as their leaders saw what had been 
 accomplished among us, were gradually ceasing and 
 peace and fraternal relations were established, so that 
 we could labor together with them in our effort to 
 build up a pure and faithful Evangelical Lutheran 
 Church in the land. My conduct of the Standard of 
 course occasionally lost us a friend, as there were 
 still some among us who were unwilling to abandon 
 their unionistic sentiments, and would rather leave us 
 than bear the reproach in the community of being less 
 liberal and loving than their neighbors. On the other 
 hand many friends were gained by the consistent 
 course which I pursued in adhering firmly to the 
 Confessions of our Church and laboring strenuously 
 to make her rich treasures of truth and love better 
 known among the people. 
 
 The Standard became so welcome a visitor in 
 many families and exerted an influence so manifestly 
 beneficial to the Church, that after a few years friends 
 began to agitate the project of issuing it weekly in- 
 stead of semi-monthly. To this I was not disinclined. 
 
 306 
 
fetors ot 9^v J^itt 
 
 As matters stood in the Church the need of such an 
 improvement was apparent. The paper was now pay- 
 ing the expense of its pubHcation. But whether it 
 could be sustained if the expenses were more than 
 doubled, thus making an increase in the subscription 
 price necessary, was a serious question. Besides, I 
 was kept busy with the work already in hand, and 
 doubted about my ability to continue it, if so much 
 additional labor were required of me. But I did not 
 discourage my friends who were exerting themselves 
 to bring about so desirable a move for the advance- 
 ment of our holy cause. I rather encouraged it by 
 indicating how it could be done. But it was a diffi- 
 cult task and was talked about for years before it 
 was consummated. Finally, in 1872, at the meeting 
 of our English District, which felt the need all the 
 more because our work was antagonized by the party 
 which left our Synod and became a District of the 
 Council, unanimously resolved to push this enterprise 
 with all its power and to work strenuously for its 
 accomplishment. The conditions necessary to insure 
 success were carefully considered, and a committee of 
 energetic men was appointed to do the work requisite 
 for their fulfillment, and, in case they succeeded, the 
 Standard was in 1873 to be issued weekly. In the 
 
 307 
 
fetotp of 9^^ %iU 
 
 last number preceding that date I said editorially: 
 "Probably none can fully realize the difficulties con- 
 nected with such an undertaking but those who have 
 gathered some experience in such matters. Having 
 had charge of the Standard for nine years we could 
 not fully share the sanguine expectations which some 
 of our brethren entertained, glad as we would be to 
 see their hopes realized. Some of the difficulties in 
 the way were set forth during the discussions, but 
 still it was resolved to make the effort. The com- 
 mittee has been at work and has labored faithfully. 
 But the time was short, the Church hastens slowly in 
 such enterprises, and we have received no definite in- 
 structions from the brethren upon whom the responsi- 
 bility was placed by Synod. What now? When we 
 assumed the management of the Standard the days 
 were dark, and we undertook the task as a work of 
 faith and labor of love. God's blessing has been upon 
 us and the paper has prospered. It is perhaps no 
 more than fair that we should venture something 
 again and give our readers the benefit of the paper's 
 prosperity. If a change was to be made, it was 
 necessary to begin making arrangements for it before 
 now. We assumed the responsibility and have made 
 contracts for the improvement of the paper, desiring 
 
&totv ot 9^V ^itt 
 
 to meet the wishes of the brethren, as far as that is 
 possible, and hoping to be sustained in our undertake 
 ing. What we propose to do now is this. The next 
 number of the Standard will be issued in a form 
 about one-third larger than the present and in an 
 improved dress. As this will give us much more room, 
 we expect to furnish more matter of a practical char- 
 acter and pay more regard to family reading, not over- 
 looking the wants of children, while the confessional 
 character of the paper will remain unchanged. In 
 our devotion to the Evangelical Lutheran Church with 
 her glorious Confessions we desire only to abound 
 more and more. But how about the weekly? Well, 
 for that we are not ready just now. By enlarging the 
 paper and thus increasing the expenses by one-third, 
 we have a prospect of doing all our work for nothing 
 and paying several hundred dollars a year for the 
 privilege, taking the present income as a basis." I 
 think that this was fully as much as my brethren 
 could expect of me. But in the same article I made 
 the offer to publish the enlarged paper weekly after 
 the fourth issue for the coming year, if enough sub- 
 scribers would be secured, at double the present price 
 of one dollar per annum, to meet even approximately 
 the expenses of publication, or in some other way 
 
 30d 
 
fetotp ot ^v fiiU 
 
 to protect me against assuming obligations beyond 
 my means. The issue of January, 1873, fulfilled my 
 promise and pleased the subscribers. My friends re- 
 joiced at the forward movement and rallied bravely 
 to give it support. They worked so hard and did so 
 well, that I would have felt ashamed to shrink from 
 doing what I could to compass what they so ardently 
 wished. I looked over my financial situation and con- 
 cluded that, without sacrificing my home, which I 
 did not think it right to do, I could obligate myself 
 for all losses in a year's trial of the weekly publica- 
 tion. So after February the Standard^ to the great 
 joy of its devoted friends, appeared every week. It 
 continued to gain friends, and at the year's end there 
 was no deficit; and I had nothing to pay for the 
 privilege of doing the arduous work which its man- 
 agement imposed upon me. It continued to flourish 
 year after year, and remains a weekly until this day, 
 still continuing its good work of testifying to the 
 truth which the Lutheran Church confesses and teach- 
 ing the people to observe all things which our blessed 
 Lord has commanded. During the more than a 
 quarter of a century's work as editor of the Standard 
 I labored much and suffered much; but I have the 
 joyful assurance that my labor was not in vain in 
 
 310 
 
&tot? ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 the Lord, and am thankful for the grace which made 
 me the humble instrument for so many years to dis- 
 pense His blessings among the people. 
 
 Overburdened as I was with work after the 
 Standard had become a weekly, circumstances in 1881 
 impelled me to undertake additional editorial labors. 
 With the Missourians we had long been at peace, and 
 our relations had become so cordial that we had united 
 with them in forming the Synodical Conference. It 
 had always been a favorite idea of mine that the Luth- 
 eran Church in this country should, so far as this could 
 be done on the basis of her confession, join her forces 
 and all parts work together for the spread and defence 
 of the precious truth of the Reformation, and espec- 
 ially that different organizations professing the same 
 faith should cease to place obstacles in each other's 
 way by occupying the same territory and pursuing 
 special synodical interests at the expense of the 
 Church's welfare as a whole. According to the will 
 of God churches of the same faith must treat each 
 other as brethren and help each other, and causing 
 division and working against each other is sin. Whilst 
 I knew quite well that the external union of churches 
 into large organizations is not commanded, I regarded 
 it as a requirement of Christian wisdom and love to 
 
 311 
 
&tor^ of 9$v ^itt 
 
 form such unions in order to avoid interferences with 
 each other's work and to make the best possible use 
 of the various gifts and opportunities for the common 
 good. I was therefore sincere in my desire to have our 
 Synod unite with other Lutheran Synods in the Gen- 
 eral Council, and regretted that the position taken by 
 that body rendered this impossible without sacrific- 
 ing all that could make the union desirable. Any 
 scheme of expediency, however wise it may seem, is 
 merely human folly when it is set up against the 
 wisdom of God. Therefore I contended against the 
 Council when it declined to act in accordance with the 
 good Confession which it formally adopted. It was 
 the same principle that actuated me in my efforts to- 
 wards securing a union with other Synods which, 
 like our own, could not unite with the Council, and 
 I was therefore glad when the Synodical Conference 
 was organized, as I was sorry that, from my point 
 of view, the Council had been a failure. But after 
 six or eight years of harmonious co-operation in that 
 body, troubles came. The elements united in the 
 Conference were not in every respect congenial, but 
 they were one in the same Lutheran faith and thus 
 harmonious in all that is requisite for true unity in 
 the Church. Some of our ministers did not like 
 
 312 
 
fetotp ot 9p^ JLitt 
 
 the supercilious ways of some of the Missourians, 
 and were not as cordial as might be wished even with 
 some of the Missourian leaders. The Wisconsin and 
 Minnesota men were even less enthusiastic in their ad- 
 miration of Missourians, and occasionally something 
 akin to antipathy was shown towards some of them, 
 who sometimes conducted themselves as if they were 
 not averse to being regarded as the princes of the 
 court and the others their retinue. Notwithstanding 
 these undesirable manifestations the synods were 
 growing together nicely, and there was no serious 
 jarring or jangling in prosecuting the work in which 
 all were heartily engaged. The trouble that came was 
 of a doctrinal sort. Even before the formation of 
 our Conference, some views of predestination had been 
 published by Missourian pastors which had a Calvin- 
 istic taint. But this was not in their official organs. 
 What these had published was acceptable to all of 
 us. But in 1877 Dr. Walther began to advocate a 
 theory which excited doubt and suspicion. On most 
 of us what was published in the minutes of the Mis- 
 souri Synod made little impression. It was a con- 
 fused discussion of a difficult subject, and little notice 
 was taken of it until it was made the subject of in- 
 quiries among the Missourians themselves. Prof. 
 
 313 
 
&totp of 9^^ JLitt 
 
 Schmidt, of the Norwegian Synod, finally made public 
 his scruples about the doctrine of Dr. Walther and 
 showed its inconsistency with that of the Lutheran 
 Church. Instead of revoking his error, Dr. Walther 
 defended it. He was not accustomed to any dissent 
 from his teaching among his own people, and was 
 never inclined to yield a point when any of them 
 ventured publicly to express a doubt, which as a rule 
 was done, if done at all, in the way of a humble request 
 for further light. So the predestinarian controversy 
 began, and our Ohio Synod became entangled in it 
 because of our connection with the Synodical Confer- 
 ence in which it had sprung up, and which must ulti- 
 mately accept or reject the new doctrine. From the 
 beginning my sympathies were entirely with Prof. 
 Schmidt, who defended the doctrine which the Lu- 
 theran Church had been unanimous in teaching for 
 three hundred years ; but it seemed to me that Dr. 
 Walther had rather become confused in his exposi- 
 tions, and that when the matter should be cleared up 
 he would correct his extravagant expressions and 
 accept the uniform teachings of the old dogmaticians, 
 from which he still quoted largely, as was his wont. 
 The printed Minutes by which the conflagration was 
 started, show two irreconcilable lines of thought, and 
 
 314 
 
fetor? ot 9p? %itt 
 
 I was loth to think that the Calvinistic Hne was de- 
 signed to be dominant, and that the purpose was to 
 introduce a mild form of Calvinism. But as the con- 
 troversy continued I could not close my eyes to the 
 fact, as it became more and more apparent, that Dr. 
 Walther maintained a theory that was essentially Cal- 
 vinistic. This was expressed in the Standard, and be- 
 fore the subject cam.e before the Synodical Conference 
 the Missourians, under Dr. Walther's leadership, had 
 adopted a plan by which all who were convinced that 
 the new theory was a species of Calvinism should be 
 denied a seat in that body. As they had a large 
 majority in it, the Ohio Synod, seeing it to be useless 
 under such circumstances to make any effort to secure 
 the trium_ph of Anticalvinism in a body from which 
 any one attacking Walther's Calvinism was excluded, 
 declared its withdrawal. 
 
 What was to be done now in regard to the Mis- 
 sourian innovation? Our interest in the upbuilding 
 of the Lutheran Church with its pure faith would 
 have impelled us to take sides against the Calvinistic 
 movement, which had the prestige of a powerful or- 
 ganization with a skillful leader in its favor, even 
 if we had not had the additional incentive of having 
 been connected with it and having been wrongfully 
 
 315 
 
&tDt^ ot 99? mtt 
 
 deprived of our right to exert in the Conference such 
 influence as we possessed. Our Synod as in duty 
 bound unhesitatingly took its stand against the inno- 
 vation ; and if we were forbidden to testify in the Con- 
 ference, Missouri could not forbid us to testify in pub- 
 lic. We must do what lay in our power to protect our 
 Synod against the error, as well as help to preserve 
 the Lutheran Church in this land from the poison of 
 Calvinism. So an additional controversy was forced 
 upon us. As editor of the Standard I was expected 
 to do my share, and to the extent of my ability I strove 
 to meet the just expectations. But the subject was 
 complicated and required much space. The question 
 became a burning one, and extended discussions be- 
 came necessary. Though the Standard had been 
 much enlarged and was issued weekly, it could not, 
 with justice to all readers, afford space enough to pub- 
 lish all that our writers thought it necessary to say. 
 There was no larger periodical that we could use for 
 the purpose. 
 
 As I viewed the situation, necessity was thus laid 
 upon us to provide facilities for the publication of 
 more elaborate theological discussions. Others as well 
 as myself had felt the need of such a journal before 
 this new controversy was sprung upon us, and now it 
 
 816 
 
Sitotj nt ^v ^itt 
 
 appeared indispensable. To wait until synod could 
 deliberate on the subject and start such a new pub- 
 lication seemed inadvisable. Officially I had no more 
 call to undertake it than others who felt the need of 
 it, but as I was managing the paper in which most 
 of the articles of our synodical brethren appeared, 
 our German paper being smaller and issued only semi- 
 monthly, I was by many expected in some way to 
 provide for the emergency, and as I felt the necessity 
 as much as any of them, I reflected much on ways and 
 means to supply the lack. My conclusion was to pub- 
 lish, at my own risk, a bi-monthly periodical of 64 
 pages, and accordingly the Columbus Theological 
 Magazine appeared in 188 1. So little was this thought 
 a needless venture that when Synod met it not only 
 accepted it as its own organ, but resolved to publish 
 a similar periodical in German, so that those capable 
 of using both languages could have a theological jour- 
 nal of 64 pages each month, the two being published 
 alternately. We were thus well equipped for the 
 war without divesting our papers designed for the peo- 
 ple generally of their popular character. How vigor- 
 ously this war was carried on is evinced by the fact, 
 that the Missourian German theological journal was 
 much enlarged and a similar periodical in the English 
 
 317 
 
fetots of 9?? %itt 
 
 language was started, but proved a failure. My ven- 
 ture upon the Magazine, although it was begun with- 
 out the preliminary work considered necessary to ob- 
 tain subscribers, subjected me to little, if any, financial 
 loss, as with the help of my family, proceeding as 
 we had done when we took charge of the Standard in 
 its poverty and distress, I managed the business and 
 did the drudgery work myself. Both periodicals did 
 good service to the Church, and are doing good ser- 
 vice until this day, although neither of them has the 
 circulation they ought to have or has been pecuniarily 
 profitable, as both of them might be if more interest 
 were shown in their prosperity by those whom they 
 are designed to serve. 
 
 My editorial labors were always performed in con- 
 nection with the work of my calling proper, and thus 
 occupied a second place in the line of my official duties, 
 but they formed a large portion of my toils and trou- 
 bles. When I was gradually relieved of portions of 
 the work and finally, when age with its infirmities 
 was creeping upon me and the burden was becoming 
 unsupportable, of all editorial duties, I felt Hke a gen- 
 tleman of leisure, with nothing but my double profes- 
 sorship to engage my attention. But as I look back 
 over my long editorial career with its toil and travail, 
 
 318 
 
fetotg of 95s ^itt 
 
 its hardships and harassments, but also its pleasures 
 and triumphs, my first thought is not one of com- 
 plaint that my lot was so hard, but of thankfulness to 
 God for the wide opportunity which He gave me to 
 serve Him in the great Church of the Reformation, 
 and the grace with which He sustained me and blessed 
 the work which He enabled me to perform. 
 
 I did not cease to use my pen in the service of the 
 Church when my editorial responsibility ceased. I 
 use it still, and still in the cause to which I desired 
 my life to be wholly consecrated. To this day I have 
 continued to be a not infrequent contributor to the 
 columns and pages of our periodicals, both English 
 and German, and even now, though old and infirm 
 and enfeebled by sickness, I have the satisfaction of 
 knowing that my brethren still welcome the articles 
 which God gives me grace and strength to write. I 
 have much reason to think that my editorial work was 
 not the least of the contributions I was enabled to 
 make towards the maintenance of the pure faith which 
 the Evangelical Lutheran Church confesses. 
 
 319 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 PROFESSOR. 
 
 NO doubt it must to many have seemed a rash 
 act on my part to accept an office so high and 
 so responsible as that of a theological professorship 
 in Capital University. Taking such positions and the 
 men who fill them in our Church in Europe as the 
 standard of measurement, my abilities were manifestly 
 inadequate, and if I had fancied myself in possession 
 of the necessary qualifications for it, I could only have 
 made myself ridiculous. But the application of such 
 a standard under existing conditions was out of the 
 question. We had neither a great University, nor 
 great men, and had to adapt ourselves to the day of 
 small things, and were thankful for the great blessings 
 which God bestowed upon us in and through our small 
 institution. The one professor of Theology, who was 
 overburdened with work in our Seminary, was not a 
 great man as the world counts greatness, but he was 
 doing a good work which, in the sight of God and of 
 His children, was truly great. My brethren did not 
 
 make themselves ridiculous when they called me to 
 
 320 
 
||j|lj|!:,,,:V;V' ^*-^^-^Mm^,A{ 
 
&tDtp nt a^s %iU 
 
 his assistance, and I did not subject myself to any just 
 ridicule when I considered and finally accepted the 
 call. We had, in the years of counsel and consulta- 
 tion preceding my election, more than once thought 
 of calling some man of eminence from a German Uni- 
 versity, and always agreed that the plan was not feas- 
 ible. Although for a while I favored it, for I was not 
 entirely unaffected by the dreams of great things which 
 so often supplied motives for deeds that were done in 
 the early days of our University, I afterwards saw 
 how injudicious such a course would be in our situa- 
 tion, and am glad that wiser counsels prevailed. I do 
 not remember that in all our consultations, frequently 
 as it was reiterated that we must strive to find the 
 right man among ourselves, my name was ever men- 
 tioned for the place. The fact that I was unanimously 
 chosen at the meeting of Joint Synod in 1864 indi- 
 cates that my name was probably mentioned more 
 than once when I was not present, but so far as I can 
 recollect I received no intimation of it until I was 
 nominated and elected at Synod. Whatever opinion I 
 may have had of my gifts and attainments, I could not, 
 as a servant of the Lord, treat the call lightly, but had 
 finally to concur in the judgment of Prof. Lehmann 
 
 that though we would not, he and I, constitute a bril- 
 21 321 
 
&tor^ of ^^ %iU 
 
 liant Faculty, we could, with the Lord's blessing upon 
 faithful effort, do the necessary work. I accepted the 
 call and in March, 1865, began my labors in Columbus 
 as professor. 
 
 There were other things besides the question of 
 qualification, which I was content to let the brethren 
 who knew me long and well decide, that made my 
 new position difficult. With Prof. Lehmann, whose 
 junior colleague I became in the Seminary, I had not 
 always agreed in our long controversy on the Church 
 and Ministry and some practical questions growing 
 out of it. I was regarded as a pronounced Missourian ; 
 he had been looked upon as leaning towards Grabau- 
 ianism on the subjects in dispute. The fact probably 
 is that he was influenced but little by Pastor Grabau's 
 hierarchical contention and in some points was not at 
 all in harmony with him, but that he did dislike Mis- 
 souri, and in his conversation was disposed to defend 
 practices which had been long observed in the Ohio 
 Synod, but which Missourians justly assailed as incon- 
 sistent with confessional Lutheranism. This made 
 him seem on Grabau's side in his conflict with Mis- 
 souri. It could therefore not appear strange if some 
 had doubts v/hether the two professors, who had often 
 
 stood in opposing ranks on the floor of Synod, could 
 
 322 
 
fetorp of 9^v ^itt 
 
 get along with each other in the Seminary. I had no 
 reason to share these doubts, or to allow them to inter- 
 fere with my purpose and effort. Notwithstanding 
 our tilts we had always been good friends. I never 
 ceased to cherish the feelings toward him which are 
 due from a former pupil towards his teacher, and so 
 far as I was aware he always gave me due credit for 
 the uprightness of my intentions and the purity of my 
 zeal for the Lord's work. Moreover, the controversy 
 within our Synod was nearing a satisfactory close. 
 Theses had already been adopted which, if they did 
 not set forth the truth as lucidly as seemed to me de- 
 sirable, still declared that truth, showing that in the 
 great principles involved we were a unit, and the dan- 
 ger of a rupture was past. Notwithstanding my col- 
 league's antipathy to Missouri, and especially to some 
 rude and inconsiderate Missourian methods, the diffi- 
 culty of our getting along harmoniously together, both 
 of us being intent on serving the Lord, did not seem 
 to me great. 
 
 There was another obstacle that appeared to me 
 more formidable. How should I manage to make full 
 proof of my professorship under conditions so unfa- 
 vorable for exerting all my powers in its behalf ? Had 
 I been free to devote my whole time and energy to 
 
 323 
 
&tDt^ oe 9©^ JLitt 
 
 the work, such a question would have Httle relevancy. 
 But I had the Standard on my hands, had the presi- 
 dency of Joint Synod to administer, had the house- 
 fathership of the institution to attend to, and my share 
 of the general synodical work in committees thrown 
 in for good measure. No other provision could at once 
 be made for the editorship which had just come to me 
 a year before, and the paper was far yet from having 
 reached a sound financial basis ; and the housefather- 
 ship was for the time an important item in my call as 
 Professor. Declining further to bear the burdens 
 which Synod had previously laid upon me would have 
 been equivalent to refusing to accept the new call, 
 which implied that I should resign my charge of a 
 congregation and give my entire time and strength 
 to synodical work, retaining all that I had hitherto, 
 but substituting the professorship for the pastorate. 
 These conditions caused me much more anxiety than 
 any fears that Professor Lehmann and I would find it 
 impossible to live together and work together in peace. 
 And yet I accepted the call and went to work with a 
 determination by the grace of God to quit myself as 
 a workman who, considering all the circumstances 
 that hampered me, needeth not be ashamed. 
 
 But I hardly had a fair chance in the beginning 
 324 
 
fetor? ot 9?? %itt 
 
 of my proper professional career to remove any doubts 
 that might be lingering in the minds of brethren, 
 whether my appointment would not prove a mistake. 
 While my resolution was fixed, that the other work 
 which it behooved me to do should not unnecessarily 
 interfere v^^ith my duties as Professor, which I v/ould 
 not but regard as my chief vocation, and while I strove 
 so to arrange my work that all would be done in due 
 order at the proper time, so that clashing interferences 
 would not be necessary, there were some duties incum- 
 bent on me as housefather which could not be thus 
 regulated, though certain hours could be definitely 
 appointed when students might freely consult me, 
 emergencies which seemed to justify calling me, or 
 calling upon me, at other hours than those appointed 
 were so frequent and sometimes so urgent, that no rule 
 of order could protect me against the trespass on time 
 otherwise allotted. As the time set apart for prepara- 
 tion was thus sometimes greatly infringed upon, I 
 could not do full justice to the preparatory work in 
 my study, which might not much embarrass an experi- 
 enced teacher, but which could not fail to cause anxiety 
 and mar the teaching in a beginner. And there was 
 another circumstance that worked against me. Whilst 
 I was rusty in all branches, even those which were 
 
 325 
 
btot^ oi 9^v ^itt 
 
 assigned me in college, and could not without devoting 
 the proper time to preparation for it enter the class 
 room with any assurance, the first branch that I was 
 required to teach in the Seminary was one about which 
 I knew little, and for which I never had a liking. It 
 was a trying situation. A man who knows how to 
 study, and who applies himself with diligence to his 
 task can, of course, keep in advance of his students, 
 and may conceal from them the unfortunate fact that 
 he is not master of his subject. The circumstances 
 under which, all things being considered, this is the 
 best that can be done, it may be permitted ; and much 
 must be tolerated in a beginner, who will do things 
 better when by experience he becomes more able. I 
 moved along with the class, notwithstanding my lack 
 of enthusiasm for the subject, and when I had my 
 second class in Isagogics, which is the distasteful 
 branch referred to, I not only got along better, but by 
 disregarding what I thought useless in the text book 
 formerly employed and substituting an outline of the 
 contents of the Biblical books by way of introduction 
 to their study, I think it made the subject much more 
 interesting and its study much more profitable. But 
 my first year put me to a hard trial, and it is a signal 
 manifestation of the goodness of God that my hard 
 
 326 
 
htotv of ^v ^itt 
 
 work was not pronounced a failure and my friends 
 were not discouraged, as probably would have been 
 the case if my wrestling with Isagogics had consti- 
 tuted the sum of my labors. 
 
 It would not be correct, if I stated it as my recol- 
 lection that the initial year of m.y professorship was 
 one of positive unhappiness. At least part of the 
 worry which I experienced was expected and I was 
 prepared for it ; and some of my labors were satisfac- 
 tory to me, and I think to all concerned. Probably 
 the most of my disturbing experiences were such as 
 are incident to all efforts in an untried field, and the 
 humiliations were mostly a consequence not of indica- 
 tions that my work was not appreciated by others, 
 but of my consciousness that it fell far short of my 
 ideal and aim, and was thus subject to severe criticism 
 by my own judgment. 
 
 I kept in close communication with my Lord, and 
 my soul was at peace, notwithstanding the felt imper- 
 fection of my labors. I was not unhappy. Never for 
 a moment did I entertain the idea of retiring from the 
 field because of the heat and burden of the day. My 
 thought was that I must do better, and by the grace of 
 God would do better, and my trust and endeavors were 
 not put to shame. But it was a severe probation, ren- 
 
 327 
 
fetotg ot 9^^ %iU 
 
 dered all the more severe because I did not enjoy 
 robust health and because the order and discipline of 
 the school was far from satisfactory. While only the 
 order of the house, not the general supervision of the 
 school, was placed under my care, the one necessarily 
 affected the other. Since the time of the Reynolds 
 regime there had been a lack of punctuality all around. 
 This worked injuriously, as it always must, though 
 some good men fail to see it. And this troubled me. 
 Boys would not easily be led to recognize the evil of 
 that which some of the teachers practiced, although 
 their logic was evidently at fault when they argued 
 that what was excusable in the teacher, could not be 
 wrong in the pupil. In some instances, too, I would 
 not admit that a teacher's absence, when the time for 
 recitation had arrived, was excusable. To look after 
 that was not my business, but as I had a proper inter- 
 est in the prosperity of our institution, it certainly con- 
 cerned me, and in so far concerned me more than 
 others, as I was the housefather and Had to see to it 
 that our students learned to observe order. It required 
 all the wisdom of which I was capable to do my duty 
 towards the boys without seeming to be a busybody 
 about other men's matters. Prof. Lehmann, who was 
 President and whose duty it was to see that the classes 
 
 328 
 
fetor? 0t Spg %IU 
 
 were properly and promptly attended to, was by reason 
 of his other avocations not only unable to perform 
 this function of his office, but unable to be punctual 
 himself in the class-room. He was pastor of a large 
 congregation, and frequently pastoral duties detained 
 him many minutes beyond the time for his lectures, 
 sometimes even for an hour or more, so that the stu- 
 dents were never sure when they would be called to 
 recite. His hours were when he rang his bell ; that is 
 about all that was certain. One or two of the other 
 teachers had accustomed themselves to consult their 
 own convenience more than was meet, as regards this 
 point, and scarcely placed punctuality in the category 
 of a teacher's virtues. Years passed before we suc- 
 ceeded in ridding ourselves of an evil that reflected 
 so little credit on our school. But things became grad- 
 ually better, and I carried my burdens with better 
 cheer. 
 
 Meantime our synodical work was improving in 
 other directions. The conflicts on the Church and 
 Ministry question had wellnigh ceased, and brethren 
 had generally laid aside the distrust which some enter- 
 tained during the heat of the strife. Our relations as 
 members of the Faculty were all that could be desired. 
 Prof. Lehmann still differed with me in regard to some 
 
 329 
 
fetors oe 9^v ^itt 
 
 persons and things, but our intercourse with each 
 other was fraternally cordial. So far as was appar- 
 ent, he was the only one of the teachers who dissented 
 from some of my views on synodical questions, and 
 he rarely objected to recommendations which I thought 
 it necessary to make as President of Synod. The only 
 real trouble that remained was the strangely disloyal 
 attitude of the majority of our English District to- 
 wards the Joint Synod in its stubborn refusal to co- 
 operate with us on the secret society question, notwith- 
 standing its repeated declaration that we were right 
 in opposing lodgery and that they were as sincere as 
 we in their opposition to the evil. Even the Missou- 
 rians, who had found so much fault with us, often not 
 without reason, but sometimes seemingly from habit, 
 saw that we conscientiously endeavored to establish 
 purely Lutheran congregations and were faithful in 
 our adherence to the Lutheran confessions in doctrine 
 and practice and spoke more kindly of us, so that even 
 my colleague in the Seminary became more concilia- 
 tory. 
 
 When the rupture took place in the General Synod 
 and the Ministerium of Pennsylvania issued its call 
 for a. convention of Lutheran Synods accepting our 
 Confessions, with the view of forming a new general 
 
 330 
 
&tot^ Dt 9^V ^itt 
 
 organization of a more decidedly Lutheran character, 
 our Synod cheerfully accepted the invitation to co-op- 
 erate, and Prof. Lehmann and I, who were in full 
 accord with the object, were delegated to attend the 
 Convention at Reading in December of 1866. I went 
 there with the sincere desire to assist, to the full ex- 
 tent of my power, in accomplishing the end. My hopes 
 were not as sanguine as those of some of the Pennsyl- 
 vanians, who had gone out of the General Synod in 
 despair of ever making that a soundly Lutheran body. 
 Our controversies had convinced me that to this end 
 something more was needed than the leaders in the 
 new movement had hitherto contended for in their 
 former connection, and I did not harbor the delusion 
 that the deliberations of a few days would remove all 
 differences between us. 
 
 But circumstances were favorable to a calm dis- 
 cussion of vital questions regarding the unity of the 
 Church, and getting together and ultimately growing 
 together, by participation in the same life with its 
 divine power, did not seem to me impossible. As I 
 was honored with the appointment, which I accepted 
 with trembling, to preach the opening sermon, I had 
 a good opportunity to say, at the very outset, what in 
 mv judgment the situation required, and I said it as 
 
 331 
 
&tot^ of ^v ^itt 
 
 plainly and as frankly as if I had been addressing 
 our own Synod ; which always gave me credit for 
 meaning what I say and not leaving in doubt what 
 I mean. The sermon was well received; not a com- 
 plaint was made that its note was too high ; the 
 speeches and actions of the Convention were pitched 
 in the same key, and all was harmonious. Even those 
 few who dissented, when it was resolved to organize 
 the new union of synods, did not object to the basis, 
 but thought that further conferences should be held 
 before organizing the General Council. So far all 
 was well, and to me the outlook was even more 
 hopeful when the Convention adjourned than when it 
 was opened. 
 
 The days at Reading are among the delightful 
 memories of my life. I had the joy of meeting there 
 some of the ablest men in the Lutheran Church and 
 hearing them express a love for the Church as it 
 burned in my own soul and uttering it in words of 
 eloquence which I could not command. In the dis- 
 cussions at the Convention and in the conversations 
 at our lodgings there was uniformly the same mani- 
 festation not only of intellectual power, but also of 
 ardent devotion to Christ and His Church. The im- 
 pression which I received was such that it would 
 
 332 
 
Storg 0t ^v ^itt 
 
 have seemed strange, if I had found it in my heart 
 to say that I could not join these men in their stren- 
 uous efforts to secure a fitting place in our favored 
 land for the glorious Church of the Reformation. It 
 was a pleasant experience, though the results v^ere 
 not such as I had hoped. There was an insurmount- 
 able obstacle which had not yet appeared in the trans- 
 actions at Reading, but the existence of which was 
 no doubt suspected, if not certainly known, by the 
 few who maintained that the time had not yet come 
 for a regular organization, but that further prepara- 
 tions should be m.ade for it in free conferences. Con- 
 fessing in words, and following up that confession by 
 corresponding acts, are two distinct things. That is 
 what caused the trouble. 
 
 If my purpose in life had been shaped by the 
 desires of the flesh, my trip to Reading might have 
 resulted in changing my whole subsequent career. 
 My colleague and I had agreed to make a little ex- 
 cursion, after the Convention, to visit his relations in 
 Philadelphia and vicinity. This becoming known, I 
 was requested by two of the pastors in that city to 
 preach there on the following Sunday, to which I 
 reluctantly consented. Another pastor apologized to 
 me for not inviting me to perform the same service 
 
 333 
 
&tor? 0f ^)? JLitt 
 
 in his church, as arrangements previously made pre- 
 cluded this courtesy. Evidently views of such mat- 
 ters in the East were different from those prevailing 
 among us, and I was constrained to reply that not 
 the least apology was due, but that I rather regarded 
 it as a favor to be relieved of the necessity of making 
 an apology for declining, to which he answered that 
 such opportunities to preach in influential churches 
 sometimes led to results very beneficial for the visit- 
 ing preachers. From all I could gather I concluded 
 that my Philadelphia friends designed to honor me 
 by their invitations, and even incidentally do me a 
 not unimportant favor by laying on me the task of pre- 
 paring and preaching sermons among strangers, in- 
 stead of permitting me to enjoy a few days of leisure 
 and of pleasure in visiting friends. On Sunday morn- 
 ing I occupied Dr. Krotel's pulpit in St. Mark's 
 Church, and all the indications were that I preached 
 acceptably. The pastor, who himself conducted the 
 services at the altar, made a few remarks, giving the 
 congregation some information about me and compli- 
 menting me and my sermon more than was merited, 
 but all in good taste and without any gushing flatteries 
 that would make a modest man hide his face in shame. 
 Dr. Krotel was about to remove to New York, and 
 
 334 
 
^mv ot m ^itz 
 
 was looking about for a successor. The subject was 
 broached to me on that occasion and in letters after- 
 wards. He frankly informed me that he desired me 
 to become his successor, not only in his congregation, 
 but also in the Philadelphia Seminary. An official 
 letter also came to me from the congregation, inquir- 
 ing about the prospects of my entertaining a call. If 
 money or social standing or honors had been my aim, 
 the opportunity might have been seized with avidity. 
 As it was, I could not otherwise than think that the 
 place assigned me here in Columbus is the one in 
 which I can do most good for the cause to which 
 my life has been devoted, and I could give no encour- 
 agement to any movements looking to my transfer 
 to another field. No doubt it was also in some way 
 owing to acquaintance formed in my Reading jour- 
 ney that another congregation, in a different Eastern 
 city, communicated with me in regard to its vacant 
 pastorate, and was answered in the same way. I 
 was becoming accustomed to the work of my profes- 
 sorship, had won the confidence of my brethren, was 
 supplied with all the necessaries of life, and enjoyed 
 the blessing of God in all my various labors: why 
 should I yield to any solicitations to enter another 
 field, unless my Lord should give me clear indications 
 
 335 
 
&tor^ ot 9$v ^itt 
 
 that He, who had given me grace to be His willing 
 servant, wanted me elsewhere. 
 
 Our Synod sent a committee to the meeting of 
 representatives of the various Synods which organ- 
 ized the General Council in the following year. This 
 committee was instructed to submit certain questions, 
 answers to which were considered necessary in order 
 to decide whether we could unite with the new body 
 or not. These formed the famous ''four points," 
 which have been a subject of controversy ever since. 
 There were among the leaders of the Pennsylvanians 
 some men who vv'ere known to be advocates of the 
 doctine called Chiliasm, and at least one of them was 
 distinguished as a leading writer in the party en- 
 deavoring to disseminate that error in different Chris- 
 tian denominations. The Council formally accepted 
 the Augsburg Confession, in which those who put it 
 forth as the declaration of their faith say, that "They 
 condemn others also who now scatter Jewish opinions 
 that before the resurrection of the dead the godly shall 
 occupy the kingdom, of the world, the wicked being 
 everywhere suppressed." What we desired to know 
 of the Council was whether it joined with us in the 
 condemnation of this false doctrine. It might have 
 seemed unnecessary and, as the Council had unre- 
 
O tj 
 
 Eh E 
 
 U 
 
fetot^ oC 9^v ^itt 
 
 servedly adopted the Augsburg Confession as its own, 
 even offensive to ask such a question, as the asking 
 manifestly implied some doubt about the matter; but 
 the circumstances were such as not only to warrant, but 
 to require a definite declaration on the point. The 
 same was the case with regard to the two questions 
 embracing the subject of unionism with other churches, 
 that of exchange of pulpits by our pastors with pas- 
 tors of churches of a different confession and that 
 of promiscuous communion, or of admitting members 
 of other churches to the Lord's Supper in our con- 
 gregations. As in the acceptance of our Confession 
 the Council rejected the errors which conflict with the 
 truth thus confessed, this might have seemed sufficient 
 to guarantee the Council's agreement with us in the 
 rejection of all unionistic practices. But we knew 
 what most of the synods now represented in that body 
 had heretofore been doing in this respect, notwith- 
 standing their professed adoption of our Lutheran 
 Confession as their standard, and therefore could not, 
 without sinful indifference respecting a matter of 
 serious import, assume that now all would be so 
 changed that no practice offensive to us and injurious 
 to our work would be sanctioned. Indeed, if it was 
 
 the purpose of the Council henceforth to adopt a prac- 
 22 337 
 
&tot^ of 9^^ %itt 
 
 tice in consistency with its confession, what we desired 
 of it was as needful for its own sake as for ours, 
 because those who had been pursuing a different 
 course would have had a right to know what was to be 
 expected, as we had the duty of ascertaining, if we 
 could with a good conscience share the responsibility 
 of what it proposed to do in a matter of such grave 
 importance. The answer given us was ample proof 
 that our caution was none too great. The Council 
 was not prepared to give a response that could satisfy 
 a synod which had fought its way through hostile 
 crowds of indifferentists and liberalists and unionists 
 to a position of confessional Lutheranism without re- 
 servations, and with such sincerity of profession as 
 carried with it the conviction that our practice must 
 needs be in harmony with it. The Council could not 
 be brought to accept as heartily the negative as the 
 positive declaration of our Confession, and we were 
 therefore not agreed and could not walk together. 
 
 To me this subject was often embarrassing, as 
 my position was such, not only as a theological pro- 
 fessor, but also as President of our Synod and editor 
 of our English paper, that to keep silent would have 
 been neglecting duty. It was not that the subject itself 
 was perplexing. To understand it did not appear to 
 
 338 
 
btotv ot 9^» %itt 
 
 me very difficult. If Christ is our Saviour, those who 
 teach that He is not are false teachers whom we must 
 avoid; whether in the eyes of the community they are 
 otherwise good men or bad men, has nothing to do 
 with the question. If the doctrines which the Lu- 
 theran Church confesses are the very truth of the 
 gospel, the doctrines of other churches which are con- 
 fessedly in opposition to hers must be false, and so 
 far subversive of the gospel ; and therefore with the 
 same faith and fervor with which the former are up- 
 held the latter must be opposed. If the Lutheran 
 Church confesses the very truth of God, which has been 
 graciously revealed for the enlightenment and salva- 
 tion of all men, the Roman and the Reformed Churches 
 which fight against any portion of that truth, are so 
 far fighting against God, and must not in any man- 
 ner be supported or encouraged in that fight, and can- 
 not be without sin. If we Lutherans are in conscience 
 bound to teach our children the precious gospel truth 
 contained in our Catechism, and to make their accept- 
 ance of that truth the condition of their reception to 
 Holy Communion in our churches, we are doubly 
 bound not to admit members of other churches, who 
 by such membership have been upholding contrary 
 doctrines, so long as they refuse to fulfill the con- 
 
 339 
 
fetot? ot flpp %itt 
 
 ditions of communion from which our own people 
 cannot be dispensed. The subject itself is plain, and 
 becomes intricate and tangled only by the introduc- 
 tion of irrevelant matter, with which sophistical union- 
 ists are apt to muddle it and mislead the unwary. 
 But circumstances rendered it a delicate subject. I 
 could not conceal from myself the fact, that there 
 was a fault in professing a truth to be an article of 
 our Lutheran faith and at the same time refusing 
 to treat it as such in dealing. with members of other 
 denominations who deny that truth. It would be re- 
 garded as uncharitable, or even unjust to affirm that, 
 so far as it is possible to judge from the data given, 
 the article confessed must in such a case be considered 
 a mere human opinion, which need not be maintained 
 as against those who hold a contrary opinion ; or that 
 the truth in regard to the point at issue is not part 
 of the clear revelation of God's will, to which Holy 
 Scripture bears testimony by divine inspiration. The 
 appearance unquestionably is that professed Lutherans 
 by their unionistic action practically declare, that while 
 they hold the Lutheran Confession to be true, they 
 will not deny that opposite doctrines may be true also. 
 The result would thus be that in their opinion either 
 the distinctive doctrines of the Lutheran Church must 
 
 340 
 
&t0te ot a^e %iu 
 
 be classed with human opinions which have no clear 
 warrant in God's Word, or that this Word is not of 
 such absolute authority that such doctrines could be 
 rightfully maintained when a multitude of men, whose 
 Christian character is not denied, refuse to accept 
 them. There were abler men in the General Council 
 than the Ohio Synod possessed, and these were men 
 whose earnest purpose to serve the Lord none of us 
 disputed. But their unionistic position was wrong, 
 and we had to oppose it, even though some of them 
 should complain that we treated them harshly. We 
 had to speak of their practices as inconsistent with 
 their profession, and of their Lutheranism as so far 
 lacking in soundness and thoroughness; and thus to 
 let them explain and defend their position as best they 
 could without admitting their inconsistency in the face 
 of the manifest discrepancy between their profession 
 and their practice. To this day they have not been 
 able to do this to the satisfaction of Lutherans who 
 sincerely and unreservedly accept the articles of the 
 Confession as the adequate expression of their own 
 faith founded on the authority of God's revelation of 
 His truth, which we are in conscience bound to hold 
 fast, in no case and under no circumstances and on no 
 ground to surrender. It is a great pity that the Coun- 
 
 341 
 
&totv DC 9^V ^itt 
 
 cil permitted the truth to be obscured by considerations 
 of courtesy, and error to be upheld by such arguments 
 as that there are Christians in other churches as well 
 as in the Lutheran, which we never denied, but which 
 has nothing to do with the question in controversy. 
 That which our Lord has made obligatory on His 
 ministers in the administration of the means of grace 
 is not to judge the hearts of the people, which is 
 His own prerogative, but to see that they confess 
 Him and His Word. The Council was undermining 
 its foundation when it virtually contended that visible 
 churches are not to be judged by their confession, but 
 by the hearts of their members, and made concessions 
 to erring churches which placed them on an equality 
 with the Church of the pure gospel and sacrament; 
 and it was deceiving itself when it represented our 
 contention as involving the fanatical claim of sinless 
 perfection in the lives of church members. We asked 
 neither the refusal to recognize other denominations 
 as churches nor their members as Christians: some 
 of them undoubtedly are, and some, their confession 
 being judged by the Word of God as the infallible 
 rule of faith and life, are not, because the only foun- 
 dation upon which Christians stand and can stand is 
 openly renounced : but that was not at all the point in 
 
 342 
 
&tor^ ot ^v ^itt 
 
 controversy, and dragging in such irrelevancies was 
 no indication that the one great desire of our oppo- 
 nents was to secure a victory for the truth. Nor was 
 it correct to charge that we demanded of them at 
 once to rid themselves of the leaven of unionism, which 
 we had been laboring for m.any years to purge out 
 of our own synod, without even now being entirely 
 free from its influence. We never made such a de- 
 mand, and with our convictions could not make it. 
 But what we did ask, and had a right to expect, was 
 that the Council should take a firm Lutheran position 
 in doctrine and practice, and accordingly declare itself 
 I'n opposition to exchange of pulpits with ministers of 
 other denominations and to communion at the sacra- 
 mental altar with members of other churches, because 
 that which makes them other churches are the false 
 doctrines which separate them from us and which our 
 Confession condemns. I tried to be faithful to Christ 
 in the struggle for truth and right, and my only regret 
 now is, that the Council persisted in its unjustifiable 
 course and thus defeated its professed purpose and 
 failed to realize the hopes of the most decided and 
 zealous Lutherans in the land. The Council, though 
 it has spoken many good words for confessional Lu- 
 theranism, still occupies the same indefensible position 
 
 343 
 
fetotp ot 9?p %iU 
 
 in regard to Lutheran practice, and our contention 
 remains the same. We are divided on a vital matter. 
 The subject of secret societies, which forms the 
 fourth in the questions laid by our Joint Synod be- 
 fore the General Council, was perhaps as perplexing 
 to that body as the other three, and no answer was 
 ready. Probably most of its members had opinions 
 on the subject, but they were not prepared to express 
 them just then and there; for it was very likely that 
 these opinions would clash. It would be worldly 
 wise to say nothing. Some of its members were re- 
 ported to be themselves members of secret fraternities ; 
 some of their congregations swarmed with them; a 
 number no doubt had read and seen and heard enough 
 of them and their doings, and thought enough about 
 them, to take a stand in opposition to their principles 
 and proceedings. Policy would dictate silence in cir- 
 cumstances so precarious and so embarrassing, and 
 the Council declared that it was not ready for a de- 
 liverance defining its position on the question which 
 manifestly threatened trouble. The four points, which 
 especially challenged consideration preparatory to the 
 formation of a Lutheran union of Synods on a sound 
 and permanent basis, were thus evaded, and the eva- 
 sion closed the door against us and others who stood 
 
 344 
 
fetotp ot 9pp JLitt 
 
 with us in contending for confessional Lutheranism 
 with corresponding Lutheran practice, which should 
 show by acts that we mean what we declare in words. 
 Thirty-eight years have passed since then, but I still 
 think as I did then, that the Council, by its policy of 
 evasion and silence, instead of open and frank con- 
 fession, and the discussion and controversy and sift- 
 ing to which this would have led, made the mistake 
 which incapacitated it to become the stronghold of Lu- 
 theranism which it might have been in this country. 
 To us the lodge question brought more immediate 
 trouble than the Council's action on the other three 
 points. Our reorganized English District was not in 
 full harmony with the Joint Synod on that subject. 
 When the majority of our former English District 
 had voted, at Wooster in 1855, to withdraw from us 
 and unite with the General Synod, another English 
 District, after an interval of a few years, was formed. 
 The Joint Synod gave its consent to this because our 
 English work plainly required it. But besides the 
 few pastors and congregations that really needed it, 
 there were some in other Districts who were disposed 
 to join it without needing it. A few of our ministers 
 sympathized with Pastor Henkel, who was a Mason 
 and who made us some trouble on account of our anti- 
 
 345 
 
fetotp of 9^v ^itt 
 
 lodge resolutions. He and his friends went with the 
 English members, and the new English District be- 
 came the rallying ground for disaffected members of 
 our Synod. We had tried to deal charitably and kindly 
 with the District, but when we thought that all would 
 yet be well, one or the other would start an opposition 
 again, whenever our trumpet gave forth a clear sound 
 against lodgery. The discipline required and prom- 
 ised against manifest offenders had not yet been ad- 
 ministered by the English District, and when the 
 Council was organized a majority had been secured, 
 and the District, in spite of the Joint Synod's action 
 and without its permission, went into the Council, 
 where it was cordially received and of which it was 
 thenceforth a part. Whether the members thought 
 that they could belong to our Synod and to the Coun- 
 cil at the same time, though these two bodies could 
 not agree, I do not know. Some remarks and actions 
 indicated that this was thought to be possible. At any 
 rate the District did not formally withdraw from our 
 Synod, and the trouble with it was therefore not 
 ended when it became a District of the Council. As 
 President of the Joint Synod I still had some unpleas- 
 ant duties to perform towards it and regarding it, 
 and I performed them. To our Joint Synod the case 
 
 346 
 
&tot^ ot 9^v Hiit 
 
 was clear, and at its meeting in 1868 it took the action 
 necessary to effect a final decision. When the English 
 District met at Lima in the following year, 1869, 
 matters w^ere brought to a crisis. 
 
 I thought it my duty to attend that meeting, not 
 only as President of Joint Synod, but, after consulta- 
 tions with my friends, with a view of transferring my 
 membership from the Western to the English District. 
 It seemed to me a duty to help the brethren in that 
 District who were still loyal to our cause, but who 
 were unable to effect anything against the disaffected 
 party, who had more skillful and less scrupulous 
 leaders. I had nothing to conceal : my intention was 
 to become a member of the English District. Ac- 
 cording to our regulation and custom I had a perfect 
 right to take part in the proceedings at its meetings 
 without such a transfer of my membership to that 
 body. Our rule was that the members of any Dis- 
 trict, being thus members of Joint Synod, should have 
 voice and vote at the meetings of any other District, 
 although it was obligatory upon them to attend the 
 meetings only of the District to which they especially 
 belonged. My right to take part in the proceedings 
 at Lima could therefore not be disputed with any 
 
 appearance of loyalty to Synod. I had rights also as 
 
 847 
 
&tot^ Dt 9^^ ILitt 
 
 President of Joint Synod, whose interests I was called 
 to maintain and against which the dominant party in 
 the English District was waging a war of rebellion. 
 My convictions and sentiments were well known, and 
 my purpose to attend the meeting at Lima in the in- 
 terest of Joint Synod was also made known. The 
 President of the District, who was more of a poli- 
 tician than a theologian, and who had been a strenu- 
 ous advocate of hierarchial notions in the Church and 
 Ministry controversy, with a special repugnance 
 against everything that savored of Missouri, was en- 
 raged when he heard of my purpose, and used all 
 his shrewdness to be ready for a battle. A repre- 
 sentative of the Council in the person of Dr. Passa- 
 vant, an honored and influential man, was also on 
 hand. After the opening services the President dis- 
 charged his explosives in lieu of the usual presidential 
 report. It was a curious affair. To call it an angry, 
 furious declaration of war would not fairly character- 
 ize it. It rather assumed that the war was madly 
 raging and now the commander, in wild excitement, 
 shouted a fierce harangue, exhorting his henchmen 
 to "strike till the last armed foe expired." The ex- 
 plosion was horrible and the whole scene was one of 
 amazement, in which, while nobody was hurt, nobody 
 
 348 
 
fetDt^ OC 9^V ^itt 
 
 could think of anything to say or do. When matters 
 had quieted a httle I arose and courteously addressed 
 the chair, but the President curtly informed me that 
 I had no business there and could claim no right. I 
 managed to secure an appeal from his despotic action, 
 but a majority sustained the President. Even those 
 who were yet in sympathy with the Joint Synod ap- 
 peared nonplussed by the high hand with which the 
 enraged warrior in the chair carried out his ugly will, 
 and his friends, even if they saw or felt how right- 
 eousness was being trodden under foot, had not the 
 heart, in such a moment of storm and stress, to ven- 
 ture any remark or motion that might arouse still 
 more the doughty President's ire. Little could be done 
 by private suggestion to friends, as to the truth and 
 the right and the demands of law and order, as long 
 as the only right and law recognized by the chair 
 was the chairman's will. 
 
 Accordingly, Bro. Baughman declared to Synod 
 his purpose to withdraw, and requested all those who 
 desired to remain in the Joint Synod to go with him, 
 with a view to reorganize the English District in har- 
 mony with Joint Synod's position. A goodly number, 
 though it was a minority of the body, at once arose 
 and left the meeting. They assembled in another 
 
 349 
 
fetors oe 9^^ JLitt 
 
 locality, elected officers, and were duly recognized 
 as the English District of the Joint Synod, while the 
 turbulent party remained in the General Council. To 
 this it would of necessity have come at last, and Bro. 
 Baughman's movement was by no means premature, 
 as free speech was at an end in the Council District. 
 The President even had the effrontery to say that I 
 could be received into that body only on condition 
 of pledging myself to co-operate with the majority 
 in its rebellious warfare against our Ohio Synod. Of 
 course I connected myself with our District, as did 
 also the candidates who had come from our Sem- 
 inary. Relieved now of the turbulent and trouble- 
 some element, our English District grew and pros- 
 pered, and with God's blessing upon it has been, 
 during all these many years since, earnestly engaged 
 in building up the Church in full accord with Joint 
 Synod, in peace and with great success. 
 
 It was difficult for me to give a clear account of 
 the struggle at that stormy meeting without saying 
 some painful things, which may have appeared unduly 
 severe in regard to persons. I find it difficult to do 
 so now, when it would not be natural to suppose that 
 passion rather than deliberate judgment guides my 
 pen. No amount of special pleading and whitewash- 
 
 350 
 
&t0t» o£ 9?» %itt 
 
 ing can ever annul the fact that gross wrong was 
 done by the Council District, wholly aside from the 
 main point of fidelity to the Lutheran Church, and 
 by those who aided the erring party in their warfare 
 against us. I sometimes spoke and wrote with warmth, 
 because my heart was in harmony with my judgment, 
 and I could not do otherwise without calling forth the 
 rebuke of my own conscience. 
 
 That I could not speak approvingly of the part 
 which Dr. Passavant played in the hostilities, goes 
 without saying. I honored him for the good works 
 which he had done, but did not honor him for sup- 
 porting men that were making us trouble by their 
 wrong-doing; and if I, from the standpoint of the 
 troublous faction, had no business in Lima, what busi- 
 ness could he have there? The Council probably 
 never realized the extent of the wrong done us by 
 espousing the cause of that disloyal English District, 
 and still fails to see how much that wrong contributed 
 to the difficulty of finding a way to work peacefully 
 side by side, while the more important barrier of 
 consistent Lutheran practice keeps us separate from 
 each other. 
 
 While we were trying in vain to unite the Lu- 
 theran synods in the General Council, our relations to 
 
 351 
 
fetotp oe 9$V ^itt 
 
 other confessional synods, which like ourselves, could 
 not unite with that body because of its denial in prac- 
 tice of what it professed in theory, became more 
 friendly and, at least in some instances, more fraternal. 
 Notably was this the case as regards the Missouri 
 Synod. For myself, I never had much difficulty to 
 get along peaceably with its members. No doubt 
 this was owing to the fact that, from the beginning 
 of my ministry, I in the main accepted their doctrine 
 and practice as coincident with our Confessions, and 
 therefore was often in agreement with them when 
 this implied disagreement with some of the brethren 
 in our own Synod. For some of these it was not so 
 easy to forget old feuds, the remembrance of which 
 tended to awaken distrust even when intercourse with 
 them seemed cordial. But when agreement in the 
 controverted doctrines had been reached, the other 
 barriers were gradually torn away, and having the 
 same objects in view the relations became continually 
 more kindly and confiding. In a conference held be- 
 tween us and them, at which Dr. Walther was pres- 
 ent, it became evident that there was nothing in the 
 way of working together, occupying the same con- 
 fessional ground and having the same objection to 
 
 the attitude assumed by the General Council in the 
 
 352 
 
Capital University. 
 
 "I. Front Entrance. 
 
 2. The Boarding Hall. 
 
 Recitation Hall. 
 Christ Church. 
 
fetors ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 four points. My desire was still to unite the Lutheran 
 Church in this country so far as possible, believing 
 that more could be done for its prosperity by united 
 than by separate effort, and that duty requires the 
 prevention, so far as this may be, of interferences 
 with each other's work. There were some others be- 
 sides the Missouri Synod with whom we were agreed. 
 The Norwegians did not join the Council, the Wis- 
 consinians withdrew from it when they saw that 
 sound principles of the Lutheran practice would not 
 be accepted by that body. There were many who 
 were of the same mind with us, and I did what I 
 could to bring them together. The charge made by 
 men of the Council at the time, that while I was 
 favoring measures to make our union with that body 
 possible, I had already drawn up plans for another 
 general body in opposition to it, was utterly without 
 foundation. Evidently the charge was trumped up 
 to reflect upon my sincerity and honesty of purpose. 
 I never was guilty of such ungodly ways. I was 
 sincerely desirous of strengthening our glorious cause 
 by effecting a union with the Council until I saw 
 that the object in view could not be attained by such 
 an alliance; and when this became apparent, I was 
 just as sincere and open in my efforts to attain it by 
 23 353 
 
fetorp DC 9^5 mtt 
 
 union with other synods that, Hke our own, could 
 not find their account in the General Council. Nego- 
 tiations along this line were successful, and in 1872 
 the Synodical Conference was organized on a sound 
 Lutheran basis and with principles that assured a 
 consistent Lutheran practice. This was not only the 
 largest of all the synodical bodies bearing the Luth- 
 eran name, but also the most thoroughly Lutheran 
 in word and work. The Ohio Synod heartily joined 
 in its formation, and I rejoiced in the attainment of 
 a purpose which, in my sight, contained the promise 
 of unspeakable blessings. 
 
 For years I was not disappointed in my expecta- 
 tions. We worked together with unanimity of pur- 
 pose, and being one in our faith and our aim there 
 was little collision in devising means for its attain- 
 ment, and in the execution of our plans. Sometimes 
 vestiges of feelings engendered by past conflicts 
 cropped out, but the discussions were frank, and there 
 was no need to withhold the expression of honest 
 conviction. Yet all the while there was something 
 which had a depressing effect on a large portion of 
 the membership. The Missouri Synod dominated the 
 Conference. It was numerically the strongest of the 
 synods united in it, and it was the strongest in intel- 
 
 354 
 
fetors of 9^v ^itt 
 
 lectual power and theological learning. Aside from 
 the one master mind which dominated the Missouri 
 Synod, this would not have been the case. Other 
 synods had men of ability that rendered them the 
 equals of the Missourians, with the exception of Dr. 
 Walther, who towered above them all. As he was a 
 man sincerely devoted to the Lord and to the Evan- 
 gelical Lutheran Church, I was glad that we had him 
 among us, and was thankful that God had given us 
 so powerful an advocate of a cause so dear to my 
 heart. 
 
 But the good thing had its drawbacks. The Mis- 
 sourians were conscious of their superiority, and some 
 were manifestly proud of it. Among them were not 
 lacking weak brethren who manifested this in ways 
 bordering on insolence, as though they v;ould say, 
 We are the people, but who are you? That was not 
 the spirit of Dr. Walther and of the chief men among 
 them. But even Dr. Walther was not wholly free 
 from contributing to the depression. I do not think 
 that he was of an arrogant and domineering dispo- 
 sition, but his experience was such that his demeanor 
 not unseldom assumed that appearance. He was ac- 
 customed to have his doctrinal statements accepted 
 as indisputably correct and his judgment assented to 
 
 355 
 
&totv oC ^v ^itt 
 
 as decisive and final. He could brook no public con- 
 tradiction when he had spoken. He had become a 
 dictator by habit, without claiming to be this or to 
 have any authority for it. This had the effect of 
 inducing men to be silent when they should have 
 spoken, preferring not to express their dissent when 
 this might be followed by unpleasant situations. Once 
 an important subject of discussion was left in such 
 a form that I was uneasy, and some others were evi- 
 dently not satisfied. We secured the appointment of 
 a committee, composed of one delegate from each of 
 the synods represented, to draw up a paper which 
 should clearly state what we desired and obviate the 
 ambiguity to which objection was raised. The com- 
 mittee met and performed its task with perfect unan- 
 imity. When we reported. Dr. Walther, who was act- 
 ing as moderator, took the paper, glanced over it, and 
 laid it aside with the remark that it did not express 
 what he contended for and did not furnish what 
 was wanted. Nobody said anything, and the paper 
 was not submitted to the Conference. On another 
 occasion I was constrained to oppose a position which 
 he took in support of a thesis that he presented. In 
 my judgment the thesis was all right, but the argu- 
 ment used to establish it seemed to me to involve a 
 
 356 
 
&t0tg ot 9?? %itt 
 
 principle which I regarded as erroneous and which 
 might prove dangerous in theory and practice. I 
 could not maintain peace of mind without stating my 
 objections. Modestly I ventured to speak against his 
 position, most sincerely prefacing my remarks with the 
 statement, that one thinks twice or thrice before openly 
 expressing dissent from a man like my friend, Dr. 
 Walther, but that with all his gifts he is not infallible, 
 and we owe it to our God and our Church to speak in 
 defense of the truth as we see it, even though it be 
 against a man whom we all delight to honor. My 
 introduction produced such a sensation that my speech 
 hardly received the desired attention. To my aston- 
 ishment Dr. Walther was seriously offended at my 
 remarking, as an excuse for what might seem pre- 
 sumption on my part, the fact that he was not infallible. 
 He took it as an insinuation that he nursed the delu- 
 sion of his own infallibility. He declined to take any 
 further part in the discussion of the topic, and finally 
 withdrew the part of his paper which had been the 
 object of my attack, while the thesis itself was adopted. 
 But for several sessions a pall hung over our deliber- 
 ations, which was removed only after mutual friends 
 arranged for a private meeting between us, that ex- 
 planations might be made and misunderstandings re- 
 
 357 
 
fetor? ot ^v %itt 
 
 moved. With such difficulties to contend with, our 
 work went on less joyously than our unity of faith 
 and purpose would have warranted, though it went 
 on prosperously notv^ithstanding these drawbacks. 
 Some of our people were certainly less eager to take 
 part in the discussions and transactions of the Confer- 
 ence, and less zealous in carrying out its plans, than 
 they would have been in other circumstances. They 
 did not feel as fully at home there as they did at 
 the conventions of our own synod, where no one was 
 afraid to say vv'hat he thought and felt. 
 
 To these untoward conditions it was at least In 
 part attributable that I had sometimes to encounter 
 opposition in our own Synod when I advocated plans 
 engaging the attention of Conference. This was 
 notably the case with regard to State Synods, and 
 especially a general Theological Seminary. I could 
 not abandon the conviction that by dividing our synods 
 according to state lines, so that all the members of 
 our different synods within the boundaries of any 
 given state would belong to the same District of the 
 Conference, many of the dangers threatening our pre- 
 sent organizations would be eliminated, and that much 
 more could be accomplished for the cause of Luther- 
 nism in our land ; and with this was associated in my 
 
 358 
 
&tDt^ ot ^v ^itt 
 
 mind the importance of sustaining a common Semi- 
 nary for all the State Synods, as a means of welding 
 all together by a common interest and educating all 
 our ministers in the same school under the influence 
 and guidance of the same teachers. This would re- 
 quire changes in our whole organization and in all 
 arrangements for conducting our work, and it certainly 
 was the part of wisdom to give the subject thorough 
 consideration before taking decisive action, and to 
 m_ove slowly in the execution of the plan. This was 
 my sincere wish, and my contention never was that we 
 should make a dash towards the goal and do our 
 thinking afterwards. But I did hope that a consum- 
 mation which in my estimation promised so much for 
 the advancement of our beloved Church could in 
 due time be secured, and did desire that it should be 
 kept in view, and accordingly that nothing should be 
 done that would array our synod definitely against the 
 whole plan. There were some among us who did not 
 entertain this hope, and had no desire that it should ever 
 be accomplished. In fact, there were some who could 
 not feel at home among the Missourians, and who 
 abhorred the thought of putting our institutions in 
 any position which would give them share in the con- 
 trol of our work. They were in no doubt that the 
 
 359 
 
fetot^ oe 9^v ^itt 
 
 Missouri Synod, as well as the other Synods in our 
 Synodical Conference, were soundly and sincerely Lu- 
 therans and in that respect were well satisfied to co- 
 operate with it in all church work. But they did not 
 like the Missouri spirit, and as this dominated the Con- 
 ference they would not labor joyously together with 
 its members in the meetings of Conference, as they 
 could with the brethren of our synod in our synodical 
 meetings, though in both the purpose was the same. 
 While they were heartily agreed in all that gave the 
 Synodical Conference its distinctive character as a 
 Lutheran body, they were not happy under the in- 
 fluence of some incidental traits that were specifically 
 Missourian. As from the beginning of my ministry 
 I was in sympathy with the cause which Missouri 
 advocated and in the furtherance of which so much 
 zeal and self-sacrifice was manifested, I did not feel 
 this pressure as much as some others, who alleged that 
 they could not breathe freely in the Missourian 
 atmosphere. Perhaps I was treated more considerately 
 than some others ; perhaps I had myself unconsciously 
 imbibed something of the objectionable Missourian 
 spirit : at any rate I was not unhappy in my associa- 
 tion with them, although I did not fail to see that 
 opposition to Dr. Walther could accomplish nothing 
 
 360 
 
^mv Dt 9^V ^itt 
 
 and was rarely attempted, and that the uneasiness of 
 some brethren did not spring wholly from merely 
 imaginary conditions. 
 
 The period in our history in which these debates 
 took place was fraught with troubles. We had re- 
 moved our institution of learning to its present site, 
 and were pressed by the debts incurred in the erec- 
 tion of our new buildings; our teaching force was 
 inadequate ; the teachers that we had were not promptly 
 paid ; and the new plans in connection with the Synod- 
 ical Conference, together with the opposition which 
 developed, had unsettled our affairs. Perhaps the 
 darkest days had come when our Joint Synod met in 
 June, 1878. It was to me, especially, a memorable 
 meeting. I had just recovered from a severe attack 
 of pneumonia, from which for a while my physician 
 entertained little hope of my recovery. Prudence dic- 
 tated that I should remain at home. But I felt that 
 I must go to Wheeling, whatever the consequences 
 might be, though my death-like appearance rendered 
 me an object of fright and alarm to my friends. God 
 in His goodness sustained me, and I was able to attend 
 all the sessions of Synod and take some part in its 
 proceedings. I prepared my report as President, the 
 tone of which was hopeful, though the times were 
 
 361 
 
&t0t» Of Qps %itt 
 
 troublous. The Vice-President, Prof. Lehmann, had 
 the kindness to preside, to preach the opening sermon, 
 and assume all other duties that belonged to the pre- 
 siding officer. Upon my declining under any condi- 
 tions to accept the presidency again, he was elected 
 to the office. After serving consecutively for eighteen 
 years as President it was a great relief to me to have 
 this burden removed, as it was a great relief, two 
 years before, to have the Synod take back the busi- 
 ness management of the Standard, though I was con- 
 tinued as its editor. My strength increased day by 
 day during the Synod, and I was able to take an 
 active part in the discussions, not excepting those per- 
 taining to the proposed State Synods and United Semi- 
 nary. It was no doubt fortunate that no definite steps 
 were taken towards the accompHshment of plans which 
 I favored, but I was glad to have an opportunity of 
 showing that, whatever hopes we may entertain of 
 betterments in the future, we must not allow them to 
 interfere with the work that God has given us to do 
 in the present. Evidently our Synod was not ready 
 for anything more than the appointment of a committee 
 to confer with a similar committee of the Missouri 
 Synod in relation to the subject. 
 
 About this time I received a call to the English 
 
 362 
 
fetcrg of ^v ^itt 
 
 professorship of theology m the Seminary of the Mis- 
 souri Synod at St. Louis. If I had been standing idle 
 in the market place, waiting for the Master to assign 
 me a place to work, I could have accepted the position 
 without hesitation. But I had an abundance of work 
 where I was, my labors were duly appreciated, I 
 enjoyed the confidence of my brethren, and my place 
 here, with the various avocations connected with it, 
 seemed to me more difficult to supply than the com- 
 paratively easy professorship at St. Louis. Therefore, 
 after giving the subject the attention and consider- 
 ation which its importance required and seeking coun- 
 sel of others, I deemed it the path of duty to decline 
 the call. Unhappily many of those who did not like 
 Missourian ways interpreted this call as an unfriendly 
 act towards our Synod, alleging that it v/as designed 
 to injure us and our work, seeing that Missouri must 
 have known that taking away one of our Professors 
 would cripple us. Although the suspicion was not 
 charitable, the fact was capable of such a reading, and 
 it increased the dislike. What a leading man of the 
 Missourians urged upon me as an argument for my 
 acceptance was probably more powerful in effecting the 
 choice, that the conditions were such in that Synod, 
 that the admixture of something more of our spirit 
 
 363 
 
feitotg of app ^itt 
 
 and manner would be a blessing to them and a benefit 
 to us all. 
 
 When Synod met again, in 1880, changes had 
 taken place that suggested other thoughts than those 
 of laying and executing plans for effective co-operation 
 with Missouri. The predestination war had broken 
 out in the Synodical Conference, and although we had 
 not yet taken active part in it, its dark cloud already 
 hung over our Synod. Our President, Prof. Lehmann, 
 was sick and could not be present : indeed it was, 
 humanly speaking, evident that he would never be with 
 us again at our synodical meetings. He sent us a 
 fraternal message, warning us, and entreating us to 
 spend no further time upon the question of a United 
 Seminary and kindred projects, but to devote our 
 entire strength to the fostering of our institutions, 
 although he had said nothing about the Calvinizing 
 error into which Dr. Walther had fallen. But the 
 Vice-President, Prof. Schuette, who took the chair 
 and presented a report in the President's stead, referred 
 to it and pointed out the necessity, on our part, of 
 discussing the subject and declaring our position. My 
 own convictions in regard to the desirability of joining 
 forces with Missouri in educational work had been 
 
 364 
 
&t0r^ ot ^v ^itt 
 
 greatly modified by observing the predestinarian inno- 
 vations. 
 
 As Prof. Lehmann could not further serve as Presi- 
 dent, the choice at the election again fell on me. I 
 thought that I had served as long in that capacity 
 as could justly be asked of me, in view of the 
 burden that I was already carrying in the service of 
 the Synod, and declined to accept the office. Efforts 
 to elect another failed, and the scene became so painful 
 to me, that I was finally constrained to yield, and did 
 so with the determination never again to offer such 
 strenuous opposition to the wishes of my brethren 
 and to such pleadings for my poor services. For 
 twelve years more, until the presidency was made a 
 salaried office demanding all the incumbent's time, the 
 election regularly came to me, and I made no resist- 
 ance, but continued to discharge its duties as if I 
 wanted the position. 
 
 When the work of Synod began, the old topic 
 which had engaged so much of our attention and been 
 the subject of so much debate, came up again, not- 
 withstanding the changed conditions and the counsel 
 of our dying former President. The committee, ap- 
 pointed two years before, had prepared an elaborate 
 report on the plan and management of our future 
 
 365 
 
fetotg ot ^v ^itt 
 
 Seminary work. Prof. Lehmann was one of that com- 
 mittee, but he had not signed the document so that it 
 was presented by Prof. Frank and myself as the 
 other two members. I was no longer inclined to urge 
 the matter as formerly, as Missouri's Calvinistic aber- 
 rations had thoroughly chilled my zeal in the cause 
 of the Synodical Conference and induced me to con- 
 centrate my thought and labor and influence upon our 
 own special field and the provisions made for its 
 cultivation. But the subject was discussed at con- 
 siderable length and much was said in maintenance 
 of the plan proposed, notwithstanding the new ob- 
 stacles cast in our way by the new departure of Mis- 
 souri in the direction of Calvinism. The final deci- 
 sion was that at this time we are not prepared to 
 engage in the establishment of a joint Seminary with 
 another Synod. If I remember rightly, this decision 
 was unanimous; and all were thus enabled, with one 
 accord, to push forward our own special work and 
 provide properly for our own institutions and enter- 
 prises, which was done with energy and success. 
 
 A few months later our loved and trusted Prof. 
 Lehmann was not, for God took him. In his death 
 I think the Church sustained a greater loss than it 
 knew, although that loss was deeply felt throughout 
 
 366 
 
&mv ot 9^V ^itt 
 
 the Ohio Synod. He was a man of sterhng worth, 
 the firmness of whose faith and soundness of whose 
 judgment rendered him a tower of strength in the 
 Ohio Synod. He was too busy a man from his youth 
 up to have amassed great learning, and too cautiously 
 slow to be progressively enterprising, but when good 
 plans for the advancement of the cause of the Lutheran 
 Church were proposed and he became convinced of 
 their correctness and feasibility, there was no man 
 among us more willing to labor and suffer, if need be, 
 in their execution. This process of conviction was 
 never rapid, but when the result was once reached it 
 was permanent and unflinching. He was therefore not 
 a leader in the march of progress, but rather a modera- 
 tor and guide, pointing to paths of safety, and warn- 
 ing against pitfalls. It was my lot often to differ 
 with him, but was always glad to consult his judg- 
 ment and weigh his reasons, knowing that his cautious 
 eye would be likely to detect a flaw or difficulty that 
 my eagerness to press onward might overlook. And 
 never did our differences disturb our cordially fra- 
 ternal relations. Usually I had the satisfaction of 
 standing shoulder to shoulder with him in the battles 
 as well as in the labors in which our dear Ohio Synod 
 
 was engaged. When we buried him I could as readily 
 
 367 
 
&tor^ ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 have taken my place among the chief mourners as to 
 occupy that of a preacher at the funeral. He was a 
 man of rugged health, and we did not think, neither 
 he nor I, that I, who was always sickly and frail, 
 would be called to officiate at his burial. Just a few 
 weeks before his fatal illness we stood together at 
 the east gate of the college, where we often met and 
 talked over matters of mutual interest, when I re- 
 marked that he, though the older man, from all indi- 
 cations to human eyes, promised long to outlive me, 
 who am always ailing, to which he assented, laying 
 stress on the uncertainty of the evidence afforded by hu- 
 man appearances. Before the year was past we saw how 
 little reliance is to be placed on such indications, see- 
 ing our times are in God's hands, and in the midst 
 of life we are in death. Nearly twenty-five years have 
 passed since then, and I, not freed from ailments yet, 
 am still waiting for the coming of the Lord to take 
 me home — waiting with an increased sense of lone- 
 liness in my pilgrimage since my old friend and col- 
 league in the Seminary is gone. 
 
 Prof. Lehmann's death laid new responsibilities 
 upon me. Provisionally, at least, I must take his place. 
 So far as the Seminary was concerned, this was no 
 hardship, except so far as the care for a supply of the 
 
 368 
 
fetot^ of 9dV "SAtt 
 
 immediate VN^ants of the classes was concerned. To 
 compensate for this care, it left me at the head of the 
 Seminary, and gave me the choice among the branches 
 taught, so that I could henceforth devote myself to 
 systematic theology, which was always my preference. 
 But he had been President of the University, and by 
 his departure that important position was also left 
 vacant. It seemed all around to be regarded as a mat- 
 ter of course that, during the interim at least, I must 
 take the reins. I did so without a murmur. The neces- 
 sity was evidently upon me. When the Board met I 
 was duly elected to the office. I declined to accept it, 
 believing that more was resting upon me already than 
 a man is ordinarily expected to carry. The Board 
 insisted, and adjourned. Manifestly the duties of the 
 presidency must be performed, and I continued to per- 
 form them as well as I could. Time passed on, and 
 the Board was apparently satisfied with the perform- 
 ance, as well without my acceptance of the call as it 
 would have been if I had accepted it. It would ap- 
 point nobody else, and I had to serve. Finally I thought 
 it best, for the sake of order and appearance, to accept 
 the name as well as the work, and thus for about ten 
 years I added the presidency of Capital University to 
 my other labors and honors. 
 24 g69 
 
fetotp ot a^^ ILitt 
 
 Meantime the crisis came in the Synodical Con- 
 ference. The predestination controversy was raging 
 with ever increasing ardor, and all were pressed to 
 take sides on the burning question. I was editor, and 
 of course, had to speak out. Not that I was disposed 
 rashly to put myself forward. It was long before I 
 admitted what seemed to lie so plainly before the eyes 
 of all who were willing to see. For a long while I 
 thought that there must be some mistake about it. 
 Antecedently it looked improbable to me that such a 
 man as Dr. Walther, with all his wide learning and 
 profound devotion to Lutheran doctrine, would at last 
 be caught in the snare of Calvinism. The confusion 
 apparent in the first presentation of Missourian pre- 
 destinarianism nourished this thought, and for months 
 I entertained the hope that the mystery would yet be 
 cleared up and Missouri would yet retrieve its hon- 
 ored Lutheran character. But I was disappointed. 
 The Missourians defended their error, and it became 
 ever more evident that their offensive statements were 
 not slips of their tongues and pens, but were the ex- 
 pression of false doctrines which had entered their 
 souls. As soon as I was convinced that they incul- 
 cated Calvinistic opinions, I did not hesitate to say so ; 
 and I accordingly was one of the first among us to 
 
 370 
 
fetotp oe S^p JLitt 
 
 incur their displeasure. The announcement was made 
 that Missourians would not sit in conference with any 
 who pronounced their doctrine Calvinistic, and that 
 settled the matter for them as regards their future 
 relations to opponents. 
 
 In those days our fraternal intercourse with each 
 other had already become so intimate that we united 
 in the meetings of our local conference. Such a meet- 
 ing of one of our conferences was to be held at Upper 
 Sandusky, and the Missourians in that District, sup- 
 posing it possible that I might attend, as the town was 
 not far from Columbus, notified the pastor of the 
 place, a member of our Synod, that if I came they 
 could not take part, as I had committed the offence 
 which by Missouri's decree made it unlawful for them 
 to sit in conference with me. Our pastor informed me 
 of this, and in reply to his question I informed him 
 that I was coming. I came, and they came ; and as I 
 was the guest of our pastor, in whose house the con- 
 ference was to convene, I kept my seat when they 
 came, having no thought that courtesy or charity 
 would require me to withdraw, and I was quite sure 
 that faith and conscience made no such requirement. 
 In greeting them personally I tried to be as cordial as 
 ever, and we sat and conversed for a while as usual. 
 
 371 
 
fetot^ ot ^v ^itt 
 
 But as the time for a formal opening arrived, the Mis- 
 sourians showed signs of uneasiness. The conversa- 
 tion flagged. They were perplexed. Finally one of 
 the boldest among them spoke out what troubled them 
 — there was a man present who had declared the doc- 
 trine of Missouri to be Calvinistic, and they could not 
 sit in Conference with him. As Conference had not 
 yet formally organized, and I had no scruples of con- 
 science in looking at the matter and talking it over 
 with them, I saw no reason why I should retire, and 
 was aware of nothing that would forbid them to retire, 
 if they felt like it. So I kept my seat and made such 
 remarks as the circumstances suggested. It was an 
 amusing situation. The conference became lively, as 
 the subject was interesting to us all ; but it was a con- 
 ference under conditions which, according to the con- 
 tention of our opponents, rendered a conference im- 
 possible. Of course, nothing tending to peace re- 
 sulted ; but this became plain to me, that the Missouri- 
 ans present had not yet digested the new doctrine and 
 therefore came upon difficulties which they saw no 
 way to surmount. As an example I mention that when 
 the question was asked, whether an elect person is 
 necessitated to accept the grace unto salvation when it 
 is offered, the chief speaker of the Missourians an- 
 
 372 
 
fetot^ ot ^v ^itt 
 
 swered in the affirmative, while the President of his 
 District looked at him and sadly shook his head, but 
 said nothing. 
 
 The calamitous affair was brought to a decision 
 at an extra session of our Synod held at Wheeling in 
 1 88 1. The war became so violent that a further co- 
 operation with the Synodical Conference was out of 
 the question. Some of our men had become exceed- 
 ingly obnoxious to the Alissourians, and I was one of 
 them ; for I had not only opposed the Calvinistic inno- 
 vation in the paper v/hich I was editing, but had 
 started a theological bi-monthly magazine with the 
 express purpose of combating the false doctrine. 
 Some of these objectionable men of ours had been 
 chosen to represent the Ohio Synod at the coming 
 meeting of the Synodical Conference, and it might 
 seem as if the proper thing for our Synod to do would 
 be to insist that these delegates should go, and en- 
 deavor to maintain the purity of the faith in the gen- 
 eral body to which we belonged. That appears right 
 and reasonable, but it overlooks an essential feature 
 in the existing conditions. Missouri had openly de- 
 clared that such delegates would not be received, and 
 Missouri had the power to enforce its declaration. 
 Aside from all other advantages it had a large majority 
 
 m 
 
&totv ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 of votes in the Conference, and could refuse a seat in 
 the Convention to whomever it pleased. Our Synod 
 would have exercised a constitutional right, if it had 
 sent its delegates there, notwithstanding the Missou- 
 rian attitude towards them ; but they would have been 
 powerless even to get a hearing before the convention. 
 Our Synod could have withdrawn the delegates 
 chosen and selected others on whom the ban of Mis- 
 souri did not lie, as there were many among us who 
 had not yet pronounced the Missouri doctrine a species 
 of Calvinism; but the Ohio Synod was never minded 
 to have others dictate to us who should be chosen to 
 represent us, and the delegates chosen, of whom I was 
 one, were not minded, without an indignant protest, to 
 be rejected by their own brethren at others' tyrannical 
 bidding. Both on account of Missouri's doctrine and 
 conduct it had become evident to our Synod, that our 
 peaceful co-operation with the Synodical Conference 
 was at an end. The Joint Synod therefore defined its 
 position in regard to the doctrine of predestination, 
 continuing to teach what it had always taught, and 
 what the Lutheran Church had with practical unanim- 
 ity been teaching for centuries, and declaring against 
 the new departure of Missouri which, up to the time 
 of its Calvinistic innovation, had also taught the same 
 
 374 
 
&tot? ot Q^v ^itt 
 
 doctrine which our old teachers had so clearly set 
 forth and so vigorously and triumphantly defended 
 against the Calvinists. It then formally withdrew 
 from the Conference, and contended earnestly for the 
 old faith, carrying on a strenuous controversy with its 
 former allies. It has stood firmly in its well-fortified 
 position until this day, and the war against Missourian 
 Calvinism is not yet ended. 
 
 A small number of our ministers, mostly such as 
 had come into our Synod from the Missourians and 
 who had the Missourian habit of following Dr. Wal- 
 ther, declined to accept our position and withdrew 
 from us to cast in their lot with the Synodical Con- 
 ference. It is a remarkable fact that the men who 
 had been called from the Missouri Synod to congrega- 
 tions of our Synod during the time of our fraternal 
 relations and consequently of pastoral interchanges, 
 were all inclined to go with Missouri when the conflict 
 came, concluding a priori that Dr. Walther must be 
 right, though no conclusive proof could be furnished 
 that he had not erred in fact on the subject in contro- 
 versy. In my conversations in private with some of 
 the most intelligent of these men the outcome usually 
 was that they agreed with me as regards the substance 
 of the doctrine, but assumed that I misunderstood the 
 
 37$ 
 
&tm ot ^v iiiitt 
 
 Missourian contention, although none of them could 
 render me the service of showing wherein I misunder- 
 stood them or of explaining what the words which I 
 quoted could mean other than they said and I under- 
 stood them to say. 
 
 The predestinarian controversy with its conse- 
 quences exercised a potent influence in the subsequent 
 development of our Synod. Those who had come to 
 us from Missouri in times of peace returned thither 
 when the war began, and a few Ohioans went with 
 them. So far as I can recollect, not one of the former 
 remained with us and took up arms against the erring 
 body to which they had formerly owed allegiance. 
 That was a loss which we could not prevent. Even 
 the man who had been called from Missouri to a pro- 
 fessorship in our college and who seemed loyally de- 
 voted to our work and our interests, showed some 
 restlessness when our attacks on Missouri became 
 severe. Prof. Frank had even been unwisely advanced 
 to a chair in our Seminary, though he had scarcely 
 been acclimated among us. In one of the last inter- 
 views I had with him I was convinced, that in all posi- 
 tive statements he was in substantial harmony with 
 us, but that in our negation of the Missourian con- 
 tentions he did not join us so heartily. He was called 
 
 37a 
 
fetors DC ^v ^itt 
 
 to a pastorate in the Missouri Synod, and I think was 
 glad to get away from a position that was not pleas- 
 ant to him, and we had no reason to do anything that 
 would make the change difficult. So in the new align- 
 ment we even lost one of our Professors. But on the 
 other side our gain was great. A goodly number of 
 Missourians, among whom were several of the ablest 
 men among them, lifted up their voices like a trumpet 
 against the Calvinizing innovation, and failing to effect 
 any change for the better in the Synodical Conference, 
 which was dominated by the master mind that intro- 
 duced the error, left their former association and 
 joined forces with us. Our cause prospered and our 
 strength increased. Proper provision was made to 
 supply the new demands made upon us by our grow- 
 ing field and widening opportunities. We were thor- 
 oughly united in purpose and aim, and in devising 
 plans and executing them there were no discordant 
 elements to retard the work. Better provision was 
 made for cultivating our constantly widening mission- 
 ary field; a Practical Seminary for the more rapid 
 preparation of men to occupy the field was established ; 
 our School Teachers' Seminary was put into a more 
 effective condition; our publication business was en- 
 larged; due attention was given to institutions of 
 
 377 
 
fetors ot 9^5 mu 
 
 mercy for the care of the needy and suffering ; in every 
 way our Synod was inspired with new zeal and energy 
 to do the Lord's work, now that we were confined to 
 our own resources and felt the whole weight of the 
 responsibility resting upon us to develop them accord- 
 ing to the ability that God had given us. It was a 
 privilege and a delight to be permitted to labor in the 
 great cause of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in 
 the Ohio Synod now that she had reached a deeper 
 consciousness of her precious heritage, and all were 
 of one heart and one soul in this appreciation, and 
 therefore had a mind to work with their might. The 
 building up of the Church on the sure foundation 
 which had been reached has been a pleasure, and God's 
 blessing has given it success. 
 
 Among those who came to us from Missouri was 
 Prof. F. W. Stellhorn, whose great gifts have been 
 unvariedly devoted to the work of the Synod as the- 
 ological professor since 1881. Though he was not the 
 immediate successor of our lamented Prof. Lehmann, 
 who died in 1880, he more than filled the place left 
 vacant among us, his manysidedness and his willing- 
 ness to help in every field of endeavor rendering him 
 an invaluable acquisition. To me it has been a con- 
 stant pleasure, in the more than twenty years during 
 
 378 
 
&tot» ot 2^^ %iU 
 
 which we labored side by side, to observe his readi- 
 ness to take hold wherever help was needed, and the 
 skill with which his helping hand would push the work 
 along, without a murmur about the hardship or the 
 least complaint of weariness. He is still at work, and 
 I have become old and worn by sickness ; but it is still 
 a joy to me that he is with us and that we can occa- 
 sionally talk together of the things that God has done 
 and is still doing for us, and of the things He desires 
 us to do for the glory of His great name. With him 
 at the head of a devoted and faithful Faculty, our 
 Seminary was never more efficient. 
 
 In 1890 I had been twenty-five years Professor 
 in our Seminary, and I experienced a slight dis- 
 appointment when March came, in which month I 
 began my work in the year 1865. One of my col- 
 leagues in the College had been kindly remembered 
 by his friends of the Faculty and by the Board on his 
 twenty-fifth anniversary, and I expected at least con- 
 gratulations from my brethren when I had com- 
 pleted a quarter of a century's labor in our College 
 and Seminary. Commencement day came and passed, 
 and still nothing was said or done. I therefore con- 
 cluded that my surmise was incorrect, and that my 
 
 379 
 
mox^ ot ^v %itz 
 
 friends were not aware of the date of my anniversary. 
 So the matter passed out of my mind. 
 
 In the fall of that year our Joint Synod met in 
 Columbus, and on Sunday morning an appointment 
 was made for the afternoon which seemed to me to 
 be worded somewhat peculiarly, but suggested noth- 
 ing more to me than an afternoon service. As the 
 work of Synod always wearied me, I concluded not to 
 attend the services in the afternoon. After our noon- 
 day meal my guests and I seated ourselves on the 
 lawn, as the v/eather was warm., and engaged in 
 conversation. While sitting there, enjoying the balmy 
 air and the social converse, several good friends joined 
 the company ; and as I thought that they, like myself, 
 had decided to absent themselves from church and 
 spend the afternoon w^ith me, I welcomed them and 
 proceeded to arrange seats for their comfort. But 
 they stopped my proceedings and informed me that 
 they had made other arrangements, and desired me to 
 accompany them in the carriage waiting at the gate. 
 Putting on my coat, w^hich I had laid off, I went with 
 them and was driven to church, which was beautifully 
 decorated, and crowded to overflowing. It seemed 
 strange to me that elaborate preparations should have 
 been made for the celebration of some high festival 
 
 380 
 
&mv ot a^g %itt 
 
 and I, who was President of the Synod, should know 
 nothing about it; and it was not until I was with 
 unaccustomed ceremony conducted to a conspicuous 
 seat of honor, that it began to dawn on me that I 
 was meant to play a prominent part in the celebration. 
 Naturally it revived the thought of the twenty-fifth 
 anniversary of my professorship, which with a little 
 disappointment I had thought to be overlooked, but 
 which in my brightest dreams I had never supposed 
 capable of leading to pomp and ceremony like this. 
 But it was all designed, as a few moments after my 
 entrance was made quite plain, in recognition of my 
 services in the Lord's work, and in praise of Him 
 who called me and employed m.e and blessed m.e 
 in these services and through them blessed our Synod. 
 The surprise was perfect. Not even the few unusual 
 movements I observed in the days preceding the fes- 
 tival aroused the least suspicion that anything was 
 going on that especially concerned me. Accordingly 
 I was absolutely unprepared for any active part that 
 I may have been expected to take in the program, 
 and probably the words which I was able to sum- 
 mon for the expression of my feelings did me poor 
 service amid the honors which kind friends were 
 
 laying on me in such profusion. But any words would 
 
 381 
 
fetPtp ot 9$v ^itt 
 
 have been inadequate, and perhaps my spontaneous 
 utterances showed what w^as in my heart better than 
 studied speech could have done. I was gratified that 
 the address delivered gave all the glory to God, 
 and contained no fulsome adulation of the servant 
 through whose instrumentality He wrought. The 
 principle maintained throughout was that honor should 
 be given to whom honor is due, but to God all the 
 glory. I was not indifferent to my brethren's kindly 
 recognition of my services, nor did I pretend to be; 
 on the contrary, I appreciated it highly, and was 
 cheered by it, and thanked God and took courage. But 
 I think I bore my honors meekly. It was one of 
 the great events in my life, which led, so far as the 
 effect became apparent to me in my consciousness, to 
 no overweening conceit of myself or of my importance 
 in the work of our Church. But it did impres? on my 
 heart the goodness of God in giving such a joy to 
 poor sinners like me, who are honored when He 
 employs them in His service at all, and whose sin so 
 often blemishes the service, and the kindness of my 
 fellow-laborers, who, notwithstanding the faults and 
 shortcomings of their companion in labor and tribu- 
 lation, are ready to cheer him by recognizing the sin- 
 cerity of his efforts to promote the cause of the gospel 
 
 382 
 
&tots of 9^? %iU 
 
 and the blessing with which the Lord has crowned 
 these efforts. 
 
 The joy that was given me on that notable day 
 was not confined to the few hours devoted to the grand 
 celebration. Besides the service of song and the edi- 
 fying sermons, munificent gifts from Synod, Board, 
 Faculty and students were presented, those from the 
 students of College and Seminary not being least in 
 my appreciation. Among these gifts there was a purse 
 of money large enough to pay the expenses of a more 
 extensive trip than I had ever been able to make, and 
 a four months' vacation to afford the time for it. I 
 was made a rich man that day, as I counted riches; 
 for time and money was given me to travel to my 
 heart's content. Accordingly, when the spring-time 
 came my wife and I flitted away, westward-ho! as 
 free as the birds of the air, visiting some friends in 
 Chicago, to begin with, and taking a look at the 
 sights, in that windy city; then to Kansas City; then 
 to Denver; and then to Manitou and Pike's Peak and 
 the Garden of the Gods. Our first long stay was at 
 Manitou, where wonders of the world are piled to- 
 gether in stupendous fashion, and where the longer we 
 stayed the greater nature's attractions became. But 
 we had not gone there to stay, so we broke away and 
 
 383 
 
fetorp of 9?p Jiitt 
 
 crossed the Rocky Mountains, and exulted in the amaz- 
 ing peaks and canons in our rapid transit to Salt Lake 
 and the Mormon City, seeing and hearing there all 
 we wanted to see and hear, although spending only 
 four days there of the week which I supposed it would 
 require to satisfy our curiosity. Then the long trip 
 through desert and over mountains to San Francisco, 
 where a week was quite enough to satisfy us. Then 
 along the Shasta route with its marvelous scenery 
 and feats of engineering to Portland and Tacoma, 
 spending more than a month at the latter city with 
 daily trips about the Sound, to neighboring towns 
 and cities. Then, as the month had been rolling rap- 
 idly by, to Spokane and, over the Rockies again 
 homeward, to St. Paul; then to Chicago, making but 
 short stops along the route, to Columbus, where we 
 are stopping still. My time was nearly up, and my 
 purse was running low, and it was highly proper to 
 think of going to work again. All was well at home, 
 and I was refreshed by the long journey and rest from 
 my usual occupation, so that I was in excellent con- 
 dition to resume my duties with new energy and zeal, 
 the cheer which had been given me in my public 
 celebration being a constant additional incentive to 
 work with all my strength. 
 
 384 
 
&t0t^ Of 9?^ JLitt 
 
 The Synod in which my whole active life has 
 been spent not only on this anniversary occasion dealt 
 kindly with me, but has always treated me generously. 
 It has been several times mentioned that my health, 
 from the time when I entered the ministry, has never 
 been good, though I was rarely unable to attend to my 
 duties. Once, when it was no doubt apparent that 
 for weeks and even months I was doing this with 
 great difficulty, though I made no complaint and asked 
 no relief, the Board of our Institutions passed the 
 singular resolution, that I should absent myself from 
 Columbus for three months, going where I pleased, but 
 promising, whithersoever I might go, not to preach 
 during that period. I understood the import of the 
 banishment from home and the one restriction that wab 
 placed on my liberty of action. No doubt my friends 
 feared that I would break down if complete rest were 
 not secured, and saw that if I remained in the city, 
 I could not escape all work, even if I suspended 
 all my recitations, and that if I sought rest and recrea- 
 tion among my ministerial brethren, they would be 
 sure to ask me to preach at least on Sundays, and that 
 I would be sure to do it, if there were strength enough 
 left to ascend the pulpit. So I complied with the reso- 
 lution, roamed about the land, mostly in Washington, 
 
 25 385 
 
fetors Dt 9^V ^itt 
 
 Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York, taking life 
 easy, and coming home weighing 156 pounds, the high- 
 est that I had ever attained. When I reached my 70th 
 birthday in 1898, a banquet was prepared in my honor 
 with the same secrecy that had characterized my jubilee 
 anniversary, a secrecy that was observed even to the 
 extent of taking me in charge when I was on the way 
 to my class-room. It was in all respects a delightful 
 surprise, and the birthday celebration was surpassed 
 only by the larger and more richly decorated festival 
 commemorating my quarter of a century's service as 
 Professor, while in generous appreciation of my work 
 and in my delight, especially now that I had grown 
 old, in my brethren's expression of such appreciation, 
 it was not surpassed. On many occasions before and 
 since my friends, including the students, kindly remem- 
 bered the recurrence of my birthday, and beautified it 
 with music and flowers. 
 
 Many as had been the celebrations in commemo- 
 ration of events in my life, I had never had any 
 share in originating them, and nearly always were 
 they complete surprises. But when the fiftieth anni- 
 versary of cur marriage was approaching in 1903, I 
 did, for this once, as I had not done when the fiftieth 
 anniversary of my ministry occurred in 1899, seriously 
 
fetors of 9^v ^itt 
 
 think of preparing a wedding feast at our home and 
 of inviting a number of guests to celebrate the golden 
 wedding with us. I called a family council on the 
 subject, and the decision was virtually unanimous 
 against it. The ground of this was not a disinclina- 
 tion to engage in such commemorations, but the con- 
 viction that such a golden wedding could not be cele- 
 brated without having some wedding presents brought, 
 notwithstanding all that could be done to effect their 
 omission, and that if we did succeed in eliminating 
 them, the feeling would exist in some of the guests 
 that some presents would have been eminently proper, 
 and that we, my wife and I, would be disappointed 
 after all when our wishes were respected and the cus- 
 tomary gifts were omitted. So I abandoned the pro- 
 ject and confined the celebration to our own immediate 
 family, as had been customary with us on less notable 
 occasions. But even then my friends would not re- 
 frain from manifesting their kindly interest in me, 
 but gathered a goodly sum of gold and sent it to me 
 with flowers, so that it was a golden wedding indeed, 
 and all our anxiety and seeming success to keep away 
 the gold was a pleasant failure. The kindness was 
 deeply appreciated all the same, and plenty of use 
 
 could be found for the beautiful gold coins. And one 
 
 387 
 
fetors ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 instance more of my brethren's unvarying kindness to 
 me must be mentioned, as the crowning manifestation 
 of their generous concern for my welfare. When the 
 affliction came that disabled me quite, leaving little 
 hope that I could ever be of much or of any further 
 service, the Synod resolved that my salary should con- 
 tinue just as if I were performing the usual duties of 
 my professorship, thus relieving me of all cares re- 
 specting my own and m.y family's daily bread, which 
 God has always bountifully supplied, and which He 
 continues to supply just as bountifully now, when the 
 ordinary conditions of the supply, through the labor 
 connected with our calling, it is no longer in my power 
 to fulfill. Thanks be to God, who is so good to me 
 and has put it into the hearts of my brethren to be 
 so good to me ! 
 
 Rejoicing in the gracious promises of God, and 
 encouraged by the visible manifestations of His favor, 
 by which I was so often sustained in my weakness, I 
 endeavored to give myself wholly to the work of my 
 calling. But while this implied diligence in all the 
 duties of my professorship, it did not in my judgment, 
 at least not in the circumstances in vv^hich my voca- 
 tion placed me, exclude my participation in the other 
 needs and enterprises of Synod looking to the same 
 
 388 
 
fetot^ ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 end. My duties as President of Synod and as editor, 
 and my co-operation with others on various synodical 
 committees, were not regarded as conflicting with my 
 fidehty as Professor, as the work of all was done to 
 promote the same general cause. I could never think 
 that those were in the right who, in the situation of 
 our Synod, vv^ith its lack of men and money for need- 
 ful undertakings, declined to accept any additional 
 tasks, on the plea that their proper office gave them 
 enough to do ; and I did not feel good over it, when 
 my entreaty for help in our emxergency was met by 
 the seemingly unconcerned remark, that it would make 
 an addition to the work that was already enough. As 
 I looked at our pressing needs, love should prompt all 
 to lay hold and give a lift when the hands were lack- 
 ing to push along an important undertaking, not that 
 any one's proper duties should be neglected or slighted, 
 but that the labor of love should be done in addition. 
 When a man works eight or ten hours a day in his 
 calling, he may no doubt rightfully claim that he is 
 doing all that should be required of him; but when 
 difficulties arise and embarrassments come and disaster 
 or defeat threatens, he may work twelve or fifteen 
 hours until the calamity be overpast. Why not, if 
 
 in the depth of his soul he sees the need of it to 
 
 8Sd 
 
fetorp ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 promote a cause that is dear to him as the apple of 
 his eye? Actuated by such thoughts, I found time 
 to use voice and pen in large measure for the further- 
 ance of the cause in which I was enlisted for life, 
 preaching and making addresses with frequency, writ- 
 ing articles, and even publishing books, without neg- 
 lecting, so far as I knew, any duties of my proper 
 office, or rendering my ministrations unsatisfactory to 
 those who called me or those who heard me in the 
 lecture room. Very likely I could have done better 
 work as Professor, if I could have devoted my whole 
 v/orking time and strength to the one task of teaching, 
 but the circumstances in which I was called to labor 
 were not such as to make this practicable; and as I 
 look back now upon the manifold employment of my 
 energies, I have no regrets on that account ; and I am 
 quite sure that God has crowned my life and work 
 with His blessing, as He has crowned it with His 
 goodness. 
 
 890 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 AUTHOR. 
 
 WRITING books was never part of the duties 
 laid upon me by my vocation. I was, indeed, 
 made a Doctor of Divinity, and felt encouraged by the 
 .honorary degree, especially as it was conferred with- 
 out any solicitations known to me, by a college of high 
 repute in whose interest I was not laboring ; but I had 
 written books before this honor came to me and, as 
 the title is now understood, it conferred no rights and 
 no duties that I did not before possess. Authorship 
 was merely one of my labors of love as much as any 
 other work done without express obligation and with- 
 out special compensation. 
 
 It may imply a high estimate of one's own abili- 
 ties to be induced to write and publish books. Cer- 
 tainly a man who is convinced that he has nothing of 
 any value to communicate will not be likely, unless 
 some unworthy motive impels him, to undertake the 
 task of writing and the worry of publishing them. 
 But it does not follow that authors become such only 
 
 by over-estimating their own acquirements and pow- 
 
 391 
 
fetotp Dt ^v ^itt 
 
 ers. Circumstances often lead modest men to author- 
 ship, and the instances are not rare in which Christians 
 have so underrated their abihties, that friends had a 
 difficult task in hand when they undertook to constrain 
 them to render service with the pen. In many in- 
 stances the sin of omission, when one has the power 
 to give the public what it needs, and from professed 
 motives of modesty refuses to do it, is manifest. Per- 
 haps this is as frequent as the sin of commission in 
 the matter of writing books. I am sure that I did not 
 rush into authorship blindly. It was always in pur- 
 suance of the same purpose which actuated me in the 
 rest of my work, and without interference with my 
 proper calling. 
 
 My first book had a peculiar history. It is the 
 earliest of my published writings, but in publication 
 it is not my first book at all. The first intimation that 
 I had of its existence as a printed volume was when, 
 at a meeting of our Joint Synod, a beautiful book in 
 morocco binding and gilt edges, was handed me with 
 congratulations. On its side it bore, in letters of gold, 
 the inscription: "Presented to Rev. Prof. M. Loy, 
 D. D., on the 25th anniversary of his editorship, 1890." 
 Following the title page is a dedicatory address to 
 me, which offers the requisite explanation in regard 
 
 392 
 
^totv ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 to the contents. It says : "By authority and in the 
 name of the Publication Board of the Joint Synod of 
 Ohio, the undersigned committee would hereby dedi- 
 cate this volume to you as a jubilee gift. You have 
 been favored by the Head of the Church with the 
 grace of serving Him as a teacher of His truth faith- 
 fully, for twenty-five years. The Lord's blessing has 
 rested abundantly on 3^our work as a professor at Cap- 
 ital University and editor of the Lutheran Standard 
 and other publications. Especially would the Publica- 
 tion Board acknowledge the services you have ren- 
 dered the Lutheran Church by your articles on the 
 subject of Christian Prayer, found in the volumes of 
 the Standard. These have been collected, to be pre- 
 served and put into the hands of the Church anew as 
 a precious treasure. It is hereby presented to you as 
 a token of esteem and gratitude, and may the Lord 
 reward your work." 
 
 The collected articles, which form a neat octavo 
 volume and made a beautiful and highly appreciated 
 jubilee gift, in kindly recognition of twenty-five years 
 of service as editor, were written long before, most 
 of them, indeed, before my editorial career began. It 
 was my custom, when I was pastor at Delaware, to 
 spend the first half of the day in my study, attending 
 
 393 
 
fetors ot 9^^ Eite 
 
 to out-door work in the afternoons, so far as this was 
 under my control. This enabled me to do some read- 
 ing and thinking and writing beyond the immediate 
 requirements of my public ministrations. Sometimes 
 I departed from the custom of using the lessons of the 
 Church Year and preached a series of sermons on free 
 texts, as I thought the wants of my congregation re- 
 quired. Thus at one time I tried to make our people 
 better acquainted with the Church by explaining the 
 Augsburg Confession article by article, selecting the 
 texts to suit the subject thus previously given to my 
 hand. I remembered that it was not unusual in our 
 Church to preach sermons on the Catechism, and I saw 
 the need of such a practice. At one time, when I had 
 chosen the Lord's Prayer for a series of sermons, the 
 thought occurred to me that such an exposition as I 
 designed to give might be beneficial to others, as well 
 as to the members of my own congregation, and that 
 if my sermons were carefully prepared they might 
 later be printed. I accordingly wrote out the dis- 
 courses in full, though I delivered them without the 
 manuscript. When the series was completed I was so 
 well satisfied with the work that I suggested my plan 
 of publishing it to my first pastor. Dr. C. W. Schaeffer, 
 who approved it and encouraged me to go on, although, 
 
 394 
 
fetot? of 9^? %iU 
 
 as I did not send him the manuscript, he could pass 
 no judgment on the contents. But for various reasons 
 I did not execute my plan, lack of money being per- 
 haps as large a factor in the account as lack of am- 
 bition to become an author at so early a stage of my 
 life. But the discourses were preserved in my desk, 
 and later, when I had become editor of our paper and 
 I was pressed for time to write the articles needed, I 
 found it very convenient to draw on some of my earlier 
 work. Thus in the course of years the sermons became 
 articles for the Standard, and my friends collected 
 them and made this nice book and beautiful present of 
 them. In publication it is one of my more recent 
 works, in authorship it was my first. 
 
 The earliest book that bears my name on the title 
 page is the small Life of Luther published by Rev. J. 
 A. Schulze, in 1869. But I was only the translator, 
 the author. Rev. H. Fick, having written it in German. 
 I liked the little volume and expected to do the Church 
 good service by giving it to the readers of the Stand- 
 ard in English. It was accordingly published in that 
 paper, and afterwards issued in book form by Bro. 
 Schulze, who held the copy-right. So far as I know it 
 is still in the book market, and it is worthy of retain- 
 ing its place. About the same period I also translated 
 
 395 
 
&tot» of 99V ^itt 
 
 for him Dietrich's Catechism into English and edited 
 a translation of Luther's House-Postil, both of which 
 he published. He was as eager as myself to furnish 
 good Lutheran literature for English readers, and his 
 zeal and sacrifice in this direction are worthy of all 
 commendation. 
 
 I still remember with delight the summer vaca- 
 tion of 1868, the spare time of which was spent in 
 writing my little book on "The Doctrine of Justifica- 
 tion." The theme was one of which I never grew 
 weary. It was a pleasure to me to preach and to write 
 on the subject, and frequently as I did this I never 
 had the feeling that it was becoming threadbare, or 
 that people were becoming weary of it. I do not be- 
 lieve that they were. All my experience confirmed 
 my conviction, that the people who regularly go to 
 church like to hear the Gospel, and that attentive read- 
 ers of church papers like to read articles showing 
 the way of salvation. I therefore had no fears that 
 justification by faith is too trite and hackneyed a sub- 
 ject to interest readers of books, and that writing on 
 it would be labor in vain. I was sure that further 
 study of it and meditation on it would be profitable 
 to those who were willing to read, and I was confident 
 that some good could be done by writing my book, 
 
 396 
 
fetorg oC 9^V ^itt 
 
 especially as I wanted the material for the Standard. 
 So in the long vacation, when I was free from my 
 usual class work, I formed my plan and proceeded 
 to develop it, and the longer I wrote the more the sub- 
 ject delighted me. It was a labor of love throughout, 
 edifying to myself, as my heart brooded over the un- 
 searchable riches of Christ and rejoiced in the pros- 
 pect of communicating to others some of the blessed- 
 ness which I felt in contemplating the wonders of 
 divine grace. The book was published in due time, 
 and I was not disappointed in my belief that it would 
 find readers. The first edition was sold out in a few 
 years, and so scarce did the volume become that I 
 had some difficulty, when later I desired to refer to 
 it, to secure a copy for myself. After being long out 
 of print, a second edition was published by the Luth- 
 eran Book Concern in 1882. It has since been con- 
 tributing its modest share towards making the great 
 truth of which it treats more clear and more dear to 
 Christian people. 
 
 Earlier in the writing, but a year later in the pub- 
 lication, was my "Essay on the Ministerial Office: an 
 Exposition of the Scriptural Doctrine as Taught in 
 the Evangelical Lutheran Church." It v/as the only 
 book I ever published at my own risk, or in which I 
 
 397 
 
fetot^ of 9$v ^itt 
 
 had any pecuniary interest. My part in the other 
 volumes bearing my name consisted merely in furn- 
 ishing the manuscript, while the whole business of 
 publishing was committed to other hands. "The 
 Essay" bears the imprint of Schulze & Gassman, Co- 
 lumbus, Ohio, 1870, but in this case they were only 
 the printers for the author, who was pecuniarily as 
 well as otherwise responsible for the publication. I 
 never pursued authorship as a business ; it was always 
 incidental to the work in which I was engaged and 
 made tributary to that. I therefore never held a copy- 
 right to any of my books, and never asked or desired 
 any share in the profits that might accrue. My inter- 
 est in the Book Concern which I helped to establish, 
 was wholly in the service which it could render the 
 Church, and if any profits should arise from the pub- 
 lication of my books, which in every case had an 
 object higher than that of making money, it seemed 
 to me right and proper that these should be applied 
 to the furtherance of the sacred and beneficial cause 
 in which the Church is engaged, and which I as a 
 servant of the Church was glad to promote. But in 
 regard to the book on the Ministerial Office circum- 
 stances induced me to pursue a different course. The 
 matter of which it treats was largely in controversy 
 
 398 
 
&t0tg ot 9$v ^itt 
 
 in our Synod when the work was written, and that 
 controversy was not yet entirely settled when the 
 volume was published, although the bitterness of the 
 struggle was past. I desired to be alone held respon- 
 sible for the doctrine taught and for its dissemina- 
 tion in our Synod. It was therefore published at my 
 own charges, and without fear that the venture would 
 plunge me into bankruptcy. The book had paid its 
 own expenses when I gave the remaining copies over 
 to the Book Concern, and I made no further inquiries 
 about them. Years ago I was informed that the edi- 
 tion was entirely sold out, and that it was desired to 
 publish a nevv^ edition. I was willing that this should 
 be done, but did not urge it, and a new edition has 
 not been published. The volume, which is no longer 
 in the market, was in substance a republication of a 
 series of articles prepared while I was pastor at Del- 
 aware, during the time when the question of the 
 Church and Ministry was the burning one in our 
 Synod. These articles were published in the Evangel- 
 ical Review, which was then the only periodical in 
 the Lutheran Church of this country devoted to theo- 
 logical studies and discussions. I was then an occa- 
 sional contributor to this theological quarterly, and the 
 interest I felt in the controversy which was raging 
 
Motv ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 within our own bounds and in its outcome, rendered this 
 a theme on which I was glad to make pubHc my con- 
 victions and my reasons for entertaining them. The 
 subject was still one of general interest among us 
 after my removal to Columbus, and the same zeal 
 which inspired me to write the essay moved me later 
 to publish it in book form. The preface closes with 
 these words : 'The author would not pretend indiffer- 
 ence to the success of the volume here offered to the 
 Christian public. The truth which it sets forth, what- 
 ever may be the imperfections of the manner in which 
 it is exhibited, he regards as of first importance in the 
 development of a true Church life and of a proper 
 activity in the Christian work ; and he commits the 
 book to the public with the earnest desire, that it may 
 contribute something towards elucidating that truth 
 and rendering it a power in human hearts." I have 
 reason to believe that it was not without influence in 
 our Church's victory over hierarchical tendencies, es- 
 pecially in our own Synod. 
 
 The large volume of Sermons on the Gospels, 
 published in 1888, was in part at least, as in the case 
 of my other books, a further utilization of materials 
 which had already served the purpose for which they 
 Vv^ere written. An extract from the preface will tell 
 
 400 
 
&totv ot ^v ^itt 
 
 the reader what I desire to say about the book. "For 
 years the want of a collection of sermons in the Eng- 
 lish language, similar to the Postils in extensive use 
 for edification in our German churches, has been 
 deeply felt, and the writer has been repeatedly re- 
 quested to contribute something towards supplying 
 that want. Believing that in a matter of this kind the 
 judgment of others should not be disregarded, he has 
 at last yielded to these solicitations and furnished the 
 manuscript of the sermons forming this volume. For 
 offering them to the public the Board of Publication 
 of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Ohio is respon- 
 sible. The author's reluctance and hesitancy in ren- 
 dering this service was due in part to other causes than 
 those of questionings and misgivings relative to his 
 ability to meet the want, grave as such considerations 
 are. He has had special reasons for tardy compliance. 
 Leading a busy life and burdened with manifold offi- 
 cial duties, he has during the last twenty-five years 
 rarely been able to write out the sermons which he 
 preached. The manuscript on hand, from which to 
 make selections, was therefore not ample, and only a 
 short time since was he so far relieved from other 
 labors as to afford him an opportunity to supply what 
 seemed to him necessary. Moreover, it is many years 
 26 401 
 
fetotg ot ^v ^itt 
 
 since he was pastor of a congregation and had that 
 daily converse with the people which is so effective in 
 suggesting and shaping sermons for the times. Under 
 such circumstances he feared that it might even seem 
 presumptuous in one, whose principal calling for a 
 long period has not been that of a pastor, to undertake 
 such a task. But there is something to be said by way 
 of apology. Prior to his call to educational work the 
 writer was for sixteen years engaged in the active 
 duties of the ministry, and the Lord blessed his labor. 
 To this he may add, that although for nearly a quarter 
 of a century his work has been in another sphere than 
 that of the pastorate, he has never ceased to be a 
 preacher of the everlasting gospel. During not a few 
 of those years there was scarcely a Sunday on which 
 he did not occupy the pulpit, while frequently on other 
 days he had occasion to preach Christ to the people. 
 Perhaps these considerations will serve to shield him 
 from the charge of presuming too much when, in his 
 earnest desire to serve the Master to the full extent 
 of his ability, he consents to the publication of these 
 sermons." I was not mistaken in my judgment as to 
 the need of such a work, and was never accused of' 
 presumptuousness in my consenting to assist in sup- 
 
 402 
 
^tot^ ot fi^g %itt 
 
 plying it. The book has rendered good service and 
 is rendering it still. 
 
 In two other instances I was not in so favorable 
 a condition to comply with the wishes of our Publica- 
 tion Board, though I was in complete agreement with 
 my brethren in regard to the Church's need of the 
 books which they desired me to write. I could not 
 command the necessary time for the work, strong as 
 my inclinations were to undertake it. One of these 
 books has since been prepared by other parties, and 
 the want has accordingly been supplied; the other 
 is still needed, but it is probably now too late for me 
 to think of doing the work, much as I still wish it 
 were done. 
 
 If I remem.ber rightly the volume on the "Chris- 
 tian Church," pubHshed in 1896, is the only one of 
 my books which was not written at the solicitation of 
 others, or did not result from work done independently 
 of the publication. This book was written with a 
 view of issuing it to the public as a complete volume, 
 the contents of which had not been before published 
 in a different form. The fact of writing it while I 
 was urged to write on other subjects, the importance 
 of which I fully recognized, indicates how profoundly 
 I felt the need of treating the subject chosen. The 
 
 403 
 
fetot? of S^p ILite 
 
 preface frankly states the attitude of my mind. 
 ^'Simply because the writer thought that he could ren- 
 der some service to the Church which he loves did he 
 undertake to write and does he now presume to publish 
 this book. The subject is one which he believes that 
 it would be profitable for all Christian people to under- 
 stand, and he has therefore, in setting it forth, endeav- 
 ored to meet the wants not only of the ministry, but 
 of all who are concerned about the work and welfare 
 of the Holy Christian Church, the Communion of 
 Saints. Whether he thought rightly, and whether his 
 endeavors have been successful, must needs be sub- 
 mitted to the judgment of the reader." My con- 
 victions relative to the importance of the subject pre- 
 sented and the need of understanding it, both for 
 theological and practical purposes, have remained the 
 same, and I am therefore still glad that the book was 
 written and published, and that it is still offered by 
 our Book Concern to all who desire to buy it and read 
 it. Much evil results from the erroneous views pre- 
 valent on the subject, many of which are essentially 
 Romish, though entertained and propagated by 
 churches and parties that make a special boast of their 
 stern Protestantism and utter freedom from all taint 
 of popery. So great is the ignorance, or so superficial 
 
 404 
 
fbtm ot 9^v mtt 
 
 the opinions, in vogue on the subject among some 
 Christians that the fundamental error of Rome in re- 
 gard to the Church is accepted as the rule by which 
 all churches are judged, notwithstanding their appar- 
 ently sincere condemnation of Romanism as an Anti- 
 Christian usurpation. Observation of current thought 
 and methods has convinced the writer that other prin- 
 ciples than those which won the victories of early 
 Christianity and of original Protestantism have crept 
 into the Church, and have darkened counsel in regard 
 to her nature and design and power and duty. They 
 have even become influential enough to disqualify 
 many a Christian for forming a sound judgment re- 
 specting her doctrine and her practice, and to render 
 many a teacher an unsafe guide. Error is always 
 perilous, and those who tell us to give earnest heed to 
 the work and never mind the contentions about creed, 
 are not the men whose advice commends them to the 
 confidence of thoughtful children of God, or mani- 
 fests any qualification for leadership in the war which 
 the kingdom of Christ is waging against the kingdom 
 of darkness, with all its lying wonders and deceiv- 
 ableness of unrighteousness." It was a sincere labor 
 of love that I engaged in when I wrote my book on 
 the Church, and all my reward was in the service 
 
 405 
 
gs»tot^ ot ^v ^itt 
 
 which I designed to render and think I did render 
 my brethren in Christ. 
 
 It is needless, in this review of my work as author, 
 to mention the numerous pamphlets bearing my name. 
 Some of them are carefully prepared essays of con- 
 siderable length, but none of them, so far as I remem- 
 ber, was originally written for separate publication. 
 Mostly they are articles from periodicals which friends 
 thought it desirable to have reprinted for wider cir- 
 culation. My share in such publication usually con- 
 sisted only in giving my consent that it should be 
 done. Ever since I became a member of the Synod 
 I have also been a member of various committees 
 appointed to compile and edit the books needed for 
 the services of the Church, and thus had part in the 
 preparation of the Hymn Books, Liturgies and Cate- 
 chisms in use among us, both in German and Eng- 
 lish. While my work in this respect added little to 
 my authorship, it did, like much of my literary labor 
 in preparing reports for Synod, and meeting similar 
 demands upon my time, contribute not a little towards 
 making mine the busy life that it was. With voice 
 and pen, with heart and hand, I strove to be diligent 
 in the good Master's business, who saved me with 
 so great a salvation and deigned to use me now to 
 spread His praise abroad. 
 
 m 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 EMERITUS. 
 
 TOWARDS the end of May, 1902, I returned from 
 my class work in an agony of pain, that made 
 it a marvel how I could reach my home without 
 assistance. A physician was called, to whom I de- 
 scribed as well as I could the pangs in my breast, 
 extending up into the throat and out into the left 
 shoulder. He feared it was angina pectoris, and pre- 
 scribed for this somewhat rare disease, but called 
 another physician in consultation, and afterwards a 
 third, the decision being in each case the same. Day 
 after day and night after night, for months, the pangs 
 continued, sometimes as many as ten paroxysms in a 
 day, and threatening death, but each passing away 
 and an interval of comparative ease intervening, save 
 for anxiety about the next. This time of suffering 
 was a time of nearness to God, who is a very present 
 help in trouble. I knew, and know, that my Re- 
 deemer lives, and though nature shrinks from dying, 
 I had nothing to fear and feared nothing in regard 
 
 to the future world, but rather thought with glad- 
 
 407 
 
&t0t^ 0t a^p JLitt 
 
 ness of the Father's house with its many mansions, 
 whither my Savior had gone to prepare a place also 
 for me. It was only the pain that was dreadful, and 
 that would be no more when this earthly life, bearing 
 the consequences of sin and the seeds of death, should 
 cease. I saw the Lord's goodness, which during my 
 whole life was shown me beyond all I could think, 
 even in my distressed condition, weaning me from all 
 things earthy and presenting the wonderful salvation 
 of sinners through the blood of the Lamb as blissful 
 reality beyond all compare. It was a great blessing 
 that my mind remained unclouded, and that I could 
 read and meditate, in the intervals of freedom from 
 heart-pangs, as well as my eyes and heart were ever 
 capable of doing; and when seasons of despondency 
 came, as they often did, they never shook my faith 
 in the truth revealed in the gospel or my own assur- 
 ance of salvation through the boundless grace of God 
 in Christ. As time wore on the pangs became less 
 frequent, and now I have had none of those dreadful 
 paroxysms for more than a year, though still required 
 to avoid all physicial exertion and mental excite- 
 ment and take my medicines regularly, lest the dis- 
 ease break out anew. So I am now enjoying com- 
 parative ease and comfort, Synod having made me 
 
 408 
 
fetors oC 9^v ^itt 
 
 Professor emeritus with all the rights and emoluments 
 of my office as before my disablement, with the large 
 liberty of doing what and as I think best. 
 
 Of course I try to do something still, however 
 little it may now be, in the cause to which my life 
 has been devoted. Age is having its effect upon me 
 as well as disease, but my senses are all sound, and 
 my intellect is still active, so that I at least try to con- 
 tribute the mite my condition permits to the work of 
 the Church I love. I am aware that this contribution 
 is not of large importance, but I have learned that 
 every little is a help, and that many littles may aggre- 
 gate much. Accordingly, while heeding the medical ad- 
 monition to refrain from any great exertion, physical or 
 mental, I use my pen and voice with prudent care, but 
 still so that occasionally an article for one or the other 
 of our periodicals, and in some instances a talk to the 
 students, has resulted. It could not be reasonable to put 
 such a strict construction on the admonition of my 
 physician as to make it equivalent to a prohibition 
 of all action in body or mind. I cannot sleep all the 
 time, nor can I sit or lie still all the time. I have 
 written a goodly number of papers both in English 
 and in German during this period of enforced inac- 
 tivity as professor emeritus, and I flatter myself that 
 
 409 
 
&totg Dt ^v ^itt 
 
 some good has been done by their pubHcation, without 
 any manifest harm to myself. In using my voice I 
 have been less successful. That organ has suffered 
 severely, and its weakness renders speaking with suf- 
 ficient force to be distinctly heard in public too much 
 of a strain upon me to be safe. I have therefore 
 made no attempt to preach, and the lectures which I 
 had planned last autumn were abandoned after the 
 six or eight which completed the first series. My 
 experience was such that I have not since had the 
 courage to undertake the second course, which had 
 been projected. For needful physical exercise in the 
 open air my situation affords me ample opportunity. 
 When I became able to go out a block or two from 
 my house, I took little walks around the square, and 
 my wife accompanied me when I ventured farther 
 away. Once or tv/ice I consented to take rides on 
 the motor lines. But all these plans proved disappoint- 
 ments, no doubt largely owing to the timidity which 
 disease and doctors had inspired. My rheumatic ail- 
 ment subjected me to pains in riding and my strength 
 failed in walking. I was therefore uncomfortable 
 when I ventured a little distance from home. When 
 the spring came the remedy was found. My old love 
 of gardening returned with renewed energy, and my 
 
 410 
 
fetotp oe ^v ^itt 
 
 dear home furnished the opportunity to gratify it. My 
 garden is my delight. All the physical exercise of 
 which I am capable can be taken there with pleasure, 
 and the conditions are such that I can move about 
 or rest at will, working or stopping work as judgment 
 dictates. My decision therefore is to stay at home, 
 where the goodness of God has supplied me with all 
 that is requisite, without subjecting me to unnecessary 
 pains and discomforts in the quest of health. I am 
 thus using the discretionary power which was given 
 me in regard to work, and have no plans for the 
 future, except the general one of continuing to serve 
 God as I shall be able in the little time yet allotted 
 me. 
 
 In these days of ample leisure it is natural that my 
 thoughts should often revert to scenes and experiences 
 of the past, and this will, at least in part, account 
 for writing this story of my life in which I am here 
 engaged, and which I probably never could have been 
 induced to undertake while health and strength lasted 
 for more important work. I look back now, as a sin- 
 ner saved by grace, over a busy life which brought 
 me into frequent conflicts not only with men whose 
 whole view of God and man was fundamentally dif- 
 ferent from mine, and who were enemies of the cross 
 
 411 
 
&tDtp ot a^p jLUt 
 
 of Christ, through which alone human souls could 
 or can be rescued from the impending doom, but also 
 with men who like myself professed to be Christians, 
 but between whom and me there were confessional 
 differences. At least some of these were not of a 
 character that would necessitate the belief that they 
 would prevent our ever meeting together |in our 
 Father's house to praise eternally that grace which has, 
 in the Lamb of God, prepared equal salvation for all 
 poor sinners. In the broader and intenser light that 
 has come to me through many years of study and 
 experience, all solemnized now by the near prospect 
 of death and after death the judgment, would not my 
 position and course be different, if I had my life to 
 live over again ? My answer must be an emphatic No ! 
 I think I would and could do some things better, but 
 that I loved the Ev. Lutheran Church and spent my 
 strength in her service — for this I have no regrets. 
 The same faith that sustained me and cheered me in 
 the labors and battles and sufferings of a long life, 
 animates me still as the end approaches and the even- 
 ing time brings the promised light. 
 
 I was always sensitive about the oft-repeated 
 charge, that the Lutheran faith, when it exerted its 
 native power in the soul and produced its proper results 
 
 412 
 
fetorp oe 9^v ^itt 
 
 in the thinking and practice of men, rendered them 
 self-conceited and bigoted, unloving and exclusive. 
 Such reproaches grieved me, not because I recog- 
 nized some bitter truth in the charge, but because 
 they not only betrayed an ignorance that disqualified 
 the accuser for any judgment in the matter, but in- 
 volved a wanton assault upon the personal character 
 of the accused. It was painful to me, when I was 
 conscious of desiring to maintain the truth for the 
 glory of our Lord and for the good of the souls 
 that He bought with a price, to have my motives 
 impeached and my honest purpose of love represented 
 as the outgrowth of selfishness and malice. Such 
 slanderous imputations it is difficult to bear without 
 resentment, and all the more so when the wanton 
 accusers cannot justly be regarded as willful enemies 
 of Christ and His Church, but may, notwithstanding 
 the grievous sin and gross wrong which they commit 
 yet be Christians who, on account of their ignorance 
 and the wantonness of their flesh, are carried to lengths 
 of hostility towards others which their better self, if 
 it had a chance, would undoubtedly condemn. They 
 are wrongs which must be borne, and the grace of God 
 is sufficient also for such endurance; but these people 
 are hard to handle, because under the blinding power 
 
 413 
 
fetors Dt a^^ %itt 
 
 of the flesh they impute to us the sin which obscures 
 their own vision. When HberaHsts and indifferentists 
 and unionists insist that our whole Lutheran conten- 
 tion is the outcome of an ungodly overestimation of 
 our own intellectual powers, and of a carnal hatred 
 of others which leaves no room for Christian charity 
 towards them, a wall of separation of another sort is 
 erected between us and them, which, superadded to 
 their false doctrine forming the original trouble, 
 makes it peculiarly difficult to get along with them. 
 I tried to have all patience with the erring, but when 
 opponents pronounced me a bad man because I insisted 
 on the truth which our Church confesses, and declared 
 that there could be no Christian love in my heart as 
 long as I persisted in such Lutheran faith and prac- 
 tice, it required more than ordinary care not to say 
 some unduly severe things in applying the law to 
 such presumptuous judging of our hearts. 
 
 Many of the controversies in which it v/as my lot 
 to engage, notably those with the General Synod and 
 the General Council, centered in differences in regard 
 to the doctrine of the Church and the right appre- 
 ciation of the Church of the Reformation. In these 
 cases we all bore the Lutheran name, but the differ- 
 ence was not the less great on that account. It is still 
 
 414 
 
btotv ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 a wonder to me, how our contention could be thought 
 so trivial by intelligent men and be treated by some 
 of them as a mere manifestation of bad temper and 
 an outbreak of personal piques. I entertain the same 
 convictions to-day as I did then, and regret that the 
 General Synod and General Council has not yet learned 
 to appreciate our Ohio position, but continue in a 
 course that makes the continuance of the warfare 
 against them a work of faith that we are not at liberty 
 to relinquish. There were some points which I con- 
 sidered essential not only for the prosperity, but even 
 for the very existence of the Lutheran Church, and 
 my regret is not that I contended earnestly for them 
 as I do still, but that our opponents, whether ignor- 
 antly or otherwise, mystified and obscured them by 
 the introduction of irrelevant topics, and thus pre- 
 vented the proper appreciation of the questions at 
 issue. What made me a Christian made me a Lu- 
 theran, and what made me a Lutheran made me a 
 determined foe of all liberalism and unionism that, 
 whether consciously and intentionally or not, operates 
 to the undermining of the Lutheran Church, to the 
 shameful disparagement of the great Reformation, and 
 ultimately to the attempted overthrow of the Chris- 
 
 415 
 
fetorp ot a^p %itt 
 
 tian Church against which the gates of Hell shall 
 not prevail. 
 
 The Church was and is an article of my faith, 
 and this placed me in unavoidable opposition to all 
 human devices and schemes for building up churches 
 on human foundations and by human means, and to 
 substituting human opinions for the Word of God, 
 thus supplanting by human merit the one foundation 
 which God has laid and which seems so inadequate 
 in the eyes of human wisdom. Men who had a repu- 
 tation for ability and piety would persist in trying to 
 shame me and silence me by referring to the acknowl- 
 edged fact, that there are Christians in other churches 
 as well as in the Lutheran, and that it does not beseem 
 Lutherans of proper Christian humility and modesty 
 to claim so much, for their church to the disparage- 
 ment of others, especially as such claim implies that 
 these others are not Christian churches at all, and 
 that their members cannot be recognized as Christians. 
 The argument is specious and well calculated to drive 
 modest Lutherans from the field, as it certainly would 
 if they had no faith. I am glad that the Lord who 
 redeemed me and called me by the gospel to the 
 glorious inheritance of God's children gave me this 
 
 grace also, that I would not be frightened and could 
 
 416 
 
fetor? ot 9^v fiitt 
 
 bear some contumely in a cause so precious. The 
 thought was not entertained for a moment that I was 
 the equal of my opponents in learning or holiness, 
 much less their superior. God had done much for me, 
 and I was not at all minded, in an ungrateful mock- 
 humility, to deny or disparage His gifts, as though 
 they became worthless by their bestowal upon an un- 
 worthy subject. But I had the grace to see that this 
 was not the question in dispute. If the question had 
 been whether the members of other churches or of 
 other synods in our church were bigger or better men 
 than we of the Ohio Synod, I am sure that I would 
 not have entered the arena for a fight about it. 
 We recognized mental and moral and spiritual power 
 wherever we saw it, as we recognized physical bulk 
 and weight, but the one had no more to do with the 
 question in controversy than the other. Intellectual 
 superiority may have some influence in estimating the 
 value of theories, but cannot determine the facts which 
 lie in view of all men; and the little weight which 
 may attach to expert authority in matters of human 
 thought has no bearing on questions of divine reve- 
 lation, which are decided only by divine authority. 
 That "Christ died to save sinners" may be disputed 
 by men of marvelous mental power, and has been 
 27 417 
 
&tor^ ot ^v l^itt 
 
 denied by some whose learning and logic are acknowl- 
 edged all over the world: is it expected of me, who 
 believe it and rest all my hopes in life and death and 
 immortality upon it, that I shall be humble enough, 
 recognizing the superior ability of these men, in def- 
 erence to them to renounce my happy faith and die 
 like a dog? The matter is too plain to reason about, 
 notwithstanding that Christian men of learning vir- 
 tually accept the absurd fancy and confront us Lu- 
 therans with arguments based upon it. I not only 
 did not possess the humility to renounce the truth of 
 the gospel in deference to the superior ability of such 
 antagonists, but did have the faith to despise such 
 godless travesties of humility, and to warn able men 
 who professed to be Christians against the wiles of 
 the devil, who meant them no good when he led 
 them into such wretched sophistry. No doubt my ex- 
 pressions sometimes seemed harsh; how could it be 
 otherwise ? The confession of the truth is of necessity 
 the condemnation of the opposite falsehood, and in 
 proportion as that truth is appreciated as divine and 
 loved as of heavenly import, will the opposing false- 
 hood be hated as a Satanic lie that imports a male- 
 diction. I never contended that other denominations 
 
 are not churches, or that' members of other churches 
 
 418 
 
fetotp ot ^v ^itt 
 
 are not Christians. That was never the subject in con- 
 troversy when the fight was against unionism in our 
 Synod, or when the war was waged against the Gen- 
 eral Synod and the General Council, or when the con- 
 flict was against other denominations generally. My 
 contention was that the truth of the gospel confessed 
 by the Ev. Lutheran Church is the very truth of God, 
 which the faith wrought by the Holy Spirit through 
 the means of grace embraces for its comfort and 
 peace in view of sin and death, and that Lutheran 
 believers are bound, in fidelity to the Lord and His 
 gospel, to maintain that truth on divine authority, to 
 build their congregations on that basis, and to con- 
 tend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. 
 This constituted my offence. 
 
 And this is my contention still. The Holy Chris- 
 tian Church is the Communion of Saints, the one con- 
 gregation of believers in Christ, who is alone the Sa- 
 viour of the world. This article of the Apostles' Creed 
 is part of my faith. I believe in the Holy Christian 
 Church as I believe in the Holy Ghost. In this some 
 of those with whom I came into conflict were evidently 
 not agreed with me. When they charged me and the 
 Ohio Synod with denying that there is any other but 
 
 the Lutheran Church, they built their charges on their 
 
 419 
 
&tot^ ot ^v ^iit 
 
 own errors, and made their inferences from their own 
 fancies. We never said such things as they imputed 
 to us. They did not venture to allege that we said 
 them, but only inferred that we must have meant them, 
 though they knew quite well that we were always^ 
 careful to say what we meant as plainly as possible. 
 We did say that the Lutheran is the Church of the 
 pure Word and Sacrament, and that every article of 
 her Confession is the truth which God's Word teaches 
 on that subject, so that the rejection of such article 
 of our Lutheran faith is a rejection of the truth written 
 in the Bible for our learning. If some professing 
 Christians will not join us in this Confession, we 
 deplore that fact, but the truth remains the same, and 
 our faith clings to it all the same. If some of them 
 think that we have erred and that they have found a 
 better doctrine and established it on better grounds, 
 and therefore deem it necessary to put forth a different 
 confession and build up congregations on another basis, 
 we deplore this still more, as it makes divisions among 
 us, which God's Word has forbidden, and lays on us 
 the obligation to "mark them which cause divisions 
 and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have 
 learned, and avoid them." Rom. i6, 17. But the 
 truth and our faith still remain the same; no thought- 
 
 420 
 
&t0t^ Of S^v ^itt 
 
 ful man, least of all a thoughtful believer, would 
 presume that the misconduct of such professing Chris- 
 tians could change these verities or the believing 
 heart's hold on them. Such people have used a liberty 
 which the Creator has allowed them, and for the 
 use of which He holds them responsible, and we have 
 nothing further to do with the matter. They have 
 established a Church in separation from ours, be- 
 cause they could not accept our confession of faith 
 and abide in our fellowship. Theirs is a church also, 
 but not the Lutheran. It is a different Church, and 
 the difference is that they have renounced some por- 
 tions of the truth witnessed in our Confession, and 
 declared their adherence to some human errors which 
 they have set forth as divine truth. They form a 
 Church, but an erring Church, as distinguished from 
 the Lutheran Church with its pure Confession, and 
 thus the Church of the pure Word and Sacrament. 
 Not the least intimation is ever given among us that 
 on that account we deny that they are Christians. 
 That is an entirely different matter. God knoweth 
 them that are His, and He alone knows them. Only 
 He can prove the heart and the reins and knoweth 
 what is in man. It is arrogance to presume to judge 
 the heart. Never have we presumed to say that the 
 
 421 
 
fetocp oC fil^p JLitt 
 
 Lutheran is the only visible Christian Church and 
 that all true Christians are found within her visible 
 organization. She is the one visible Church of the 
 pure evangelical confession, and we who hold her 
 faith hold also that others err so far as they depart 
 from the truth which she confesses and are thus 
 erring churches. 
 
 Of course the Lutheran is not the one holy Chris- 
 tian Church in which we in our Creed profess to 
 believe. No visible organization is that. The one 
 Church of Christ is the aggregate of all believers — 
 not of all churches and sects, but of all believers. 
 Her test of membership is faith, not a certain form 
 of government, not the cultus, not the discipline, 
 not even the confession, but only the faith, which 
 embraces Christ and with Him, forgiveness of sins, life, 
 and salvation. To apply that test is God's prerogative, 
 not ours. Whether he calls himself a Lutheran or 
 a Wesleyan or a Calvinist or a Romanist, whoever is 
 a believer is a member, and only whoever is a be- 
 liever. Calling himself a Lutheran will not secure the 
 eternal inheritance of the saints, if one is not a be- 
 liever; calling himself a member of the Roman Cath- 
 olic Church will not deprive him of that inheritance, 
 if he is a believer. Believers are God's saints, and 
 
 432 
 
jbtorp ot 9^v IBLitt 
 
 they form the communion of saints, the one Church, 
 of Girist. That there is such a Church we beUeve, 
 and we are sure of it only because we believe the 
 Word with its precious promises regarding the effi- 
 cacy of God's means to gather and maintain such 
 a congregation of believers. How then could there 
 be any justice, to say nothing of charity, in charging 
 us with the sin of denying that members of other de- 
 nominations are Christians, or of pronouncing damna- 
 tion on them because they will not profess to be Lu- 
 therans? It is a flagrant wrong that is done us by 
 such damning charges, and it is surely none the less 
 flagrant when those who deal out such anathemas 
 claim to be special apostles of love and vital piety. 
 We have suffered much under such outrageous rail- 
 ings, but it has not shaken our faith in the existence 
 of one holy Christian Church, to which all believers 
 belong, whatever may otherwise be their short- 
 comings, knowing that sinners are justified by faith, 
 not by the deeds of the law. Sustained by faith we 
 have gone on with our labor of love, which was de- 
 signed for the good of those who cursed us as well 
 as for all others who would hear us, that we might help 
 a little towards rescuing people from the abominable 
 tyranny of popery with its delusions about the king- 
 
 423 
 
fetot^ ot ^v mat 
 
 dom of God, which is not of this world, as if it 
 were an external organization with visible tests of 
 membership and external titles to the inheritance of 
 saints, substituting the human figment of righteous- 
 ness by works for the righteousness of God by faith. 
 And of course I went on with my work as a Lutheran 
 believer, working with my might in the interest of the 
 Lutheran Church, notwithstanding that many, some 
 professed friends and some open foes, persisted in rep- 
 resenting this as a manifestation of lovelessness and 
 bigotry, and of hostility to Christianity whenever and 
 wherever it failed to bear the Lutheran name. 
 
 The one Church of Christ existed before Luther's 
 day and the work of mercy which was effected through 
 his instrumentality. It did not seem so, when we read 
 of the horrible conditions prevailing in the papacy, 
 and under its despotic sway it does not seem so now. 
 But the gates of hell had not prevailed against the 
 Church of Christ. It existed notwithstanding all the 
 abominations of the Antichrist. There v/ere Chris- 
 tian people yet under his despotic sway. And when 
 Luther presented the gospel in its purity and brought 
 its comfort to the hearts of Christ's suffering people, 
 his assault upon the papal abominations were vigorous 
 
 in proportion to the love which he had to the truth 
 
 424 
 
fetotg of ^n %iU 
 
 and to the people whom it was designated to set free. 
 Did he hate the Christian believers, who then as now 
 and always constituted the one Church of the living 
 -God, the ground and pillar of the truth when he made 
 his terrible assaults upon the papacy? When those 
 who accepted the gospel gathered around the glorious 
 Augsburg Confession and became known as the Evan- 
 gelical Church in contra-distinction to the Church of 
 Rome, which refused to accept the truth and declined 
 to have the Lord reign over it by His Word, preferring 
 the pope and his decretals, the situation was plain to 
 all who are willing to see. It could not be the Lu- 
 theran Church and the Papal Church, with equal 
 claims and mutual recognition as sister churches, the 
 two together forming co-ordinate and co-equal 
 branches recognized by our Lord as constituting His 
 one Holy Church. The Pope whom Lutherans re- 
 jected could not have equal authority with the Eternal 
 Son, our Saviour, whose exclusive headship they ac- 
 cepted and joyfully confessed. And when some who 
 cut loose from popery followed sundry fanatical vaga- 
 ries of their own and, guided by the wisdom of this 
 world, were not willing to confess some important 
 articles of the Lutheran faith as declared at Augs- 
 burg, but drew up a confession and organized a 
 
 425 
 
fetors ot a?p mu 
 
 Church of their own, the Lutheran Church could not 
 stultify itself and nullify its divinely authenticated 
 claims by recognizing^ the three Churches, the Lu- 
 theran and the Roman and the Reformed, as three 
 divisions existing by equal divine authority, and to- 
 gether constituting the one kingdom of Christ. What 
 the Lutheran Church could do, she did. She held fast 
 to the ancient creed of Christendom, still believing in 
 one Christian Church, which is the congregation of 
 all believers, wherever they may be found, but abiding 
 in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, contending 
 earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, 
 and avoiding those who cause divisions and offenses, 
 contrary to the doctrine which she had learned from 
 the Scriptures. And that is what she does now. If 
 any one falsely concludes that because she recognizes 
 a visible Church wherever the divinely appointed means 
 of divine grace are employed, and this because she 
 believes the promise of God that the means shall effect 
 that whereunto they are sent, though she cannot 
 unerringly know in which individuals the designed 
 effect has been produced, she must logically abandon 
 her love of the truth revealed in the gospel for man's 
 salvation, and adopt some other test of membership 
 and fellowship than this truth which she confessed, 
 
 426 
 
&tot? of 9^v fiitz 
 
 devising some other basis than that of her good con- 
 fession, he draws a wild conclusion, which the Lu- 
 theran Church not only cannot accept, but which in 
 her eyes is as wicked as it is wild. The Roman 
 Catholic organization, notwithstanding all its danger- 
 ous errors and usurpations, is still a Church, and has 
 some Christians in it ; but to ask of us that we should 
 on that account hold fellowship with it, notwithstand- 
 ing its Anti-Christian doctrines and practices, and 
 thus give our sanction to its abominations and make 
 ourselves partakers of its sins, is to ask that we 
 should withhold from our gracious Lord the glory 
 which belongs to Him and imperil our own souls, and 
 the souls of millions whom error can only harm, but 
 whom the truth may save. 
 
 For my life of service in the Lutheran Church, 
 in steadfast devotion to her good confession, I have 
 therefore no apology to make. Nor have T any re- 
 grets that I was unwilling to make concessions to 
 opponents of our Lutheran position, though this was 
 often imputed to mere carnal stubbornness. Oppo- 
 nents who decry it as narrowness of heart and shallow- 
 ness of brain to make so much of the particular Lu- 
 theran Church, with its small minority in the mass 
 of professing Christians, and apparently so little of 
 
 427 
 
fetors ot 9^^ JLitt 
 
 the Universal Church of the Redeemer, embracing all 
 
 Christendom, do not know the Lutheran Church nor 
 
 the men who devote themselves so heartily to its work 
 
 and welfare. If they did, being honest, they would 
 
 see the utter fallacy and uncharitableness of the 
 
 thoughts which underlie their censures. 
 
 Our interest is first and foremost in Christ's 
 
 kingdom of truth and salvation, which is not of this 
 
 world. Let no one think that we are indifferent to 
 
 what is done to advance this kingdom and promote 
 
 its gracious ends by Christians who bear some other 
 
 than the Lutheran name. If Christ is honored and 
 
 souls are saved, our end is attained, and we rejoice in 
 
 the blessed achievement, as we knov/ that the angels 
 
 in heaven rejoice. When a perishing soul is snatched 
 
 from the jaws of everlasting death, how could we, 
 
 who know what such a deliverance means, otherwise 
 
 than rejoice, though the mighty work of divine grace 
 
 were done in the Romish or Reformed Church, or even 
 
 the Salvation Army? But I, who am gladdened by 
 
 the Lord's work of mercy, am not on that account a 
 
 Romanist or a Methodist or a Salvation Armyist. On 
 
 the contrary, my very love for the kingdom of Christ 
 
 and devotion to its aims and purposes makes me an 
 
 ardent Lutheran. For all the real good that is done 
 
 428 
 
fetors of ^v ^itt 
 
 for the rescue of the souls of men from the eternal 
 doom, is done by the grace of our Lord through the 
 means of His appointment ; and all that we can hope 
 to accomplish in His service must be through loyalty 
 to His Word and fidelity to His means, as against 
 human errors and human contrivances. That means 
 that we can work effectually in the cause of the king- 
 dom which is not of this world only when we adhere 
 strictly, as does the Lutheran Church, to the great 
 King's orders and promises. It is His Kingdom, and 
 saving souls is His work ; and to accomplish His sav- 
 ing purpose we must not only do His bidding, but 
 abide strictly by the means through which He is 
 pleased to execute His saving will. His Word must 
 rule and do the work. A departure from that Word 
 is not only so far forth disloyalty to the King, but a 
 step towards defeating His purpose by substituting im- 
 potent human wisdom and device for the Gospel, which 
 is a pov/er of God unto salvation. Whether the pro- 
 fessed co-workers with God call themselves Luther- 
 ans or not, is not essential in the matter ; but whether 
 or not they continue in the Lord's Words and employ 
 His means for the accomplishment of His ends, and 
 thus are really co-workers with God, this is essential. 
 
 So far as churches teach false doctrine, departing 
 
 429 
 
fetor? at 9?? JLitt 
 
 to that extent from the wisdom and way of the Lord, 
 who alone can save and who saves alone in His ap- 
 pointed way, so far they defeat the very end at which 
 they profess to aim. Not the truth which they confess is 
 the obnoxious element in their separate organizations, 
 nor the distinctive name other than Lutheran which 
 they assume. The truth unites, error divides. Our 
 warfare is against their errors, by reason of which they 
 have caused divisions and offences contrary to the 
 Apostles' doctrine and fellowship. If, by reason of 
 the truth which they have retained, souls by the mercy 
 of God are still saved among them, that is something 
 we can rejoice in and thank God for ; but it cannot 
 make good their deviation from the pure Gospel, which 
 the Lutheran Church confesses, or raise their human 
 opinions and schemes to equal power and authority 
 with the divine Word, which is quick and powerful, 
 and which alone is able to save our souls. Erring 
 Churches deceive themselves when they imagine that 
 any saving work which the grace of God effects among 
 them is due to their distinctive character. If a soul 
 is saved, so as by fire, in the Romish Church, it is not by 
 Romanism, which does what it can to hinder the opera- 
 tion of divine truth through the gospel still remaining in 
 
 that corrupt organinzation. And so it is with all other 
 
 430 
 
fetors oe ^v ^ite 
 
 churches. To the degree in which the Reformed par- 
 ties adopted human errors and maintained them 
 against the divine truth which the Lutherans con- 
 fessed at Augsburg, insisting upon them even to the 
 extent of causing division, and organizing a separate 
 church with a different confession, they are impotent 
 for the purposes of our Lord in the estabhshment of 
 His kingdom. 
 
 And when now we of the Ohio Synod are roundly 
 reproached as scandalously narrow, because of our 
 alleged exclusive devotion to the Lutheran Church and 
 our supposed disparagement of all others, even to the 
 ignoring of the one Church of Christ, what shall we 
 say? It is difficult to bear with patience the wrongs 
 inflicted by those who, while they make special pro- 
 fessions of Christian charity above all sincere Luther- 
 ans, ought to know better, and in many cases prob- 
 ably do know better. In my protracted controversies 
 on this and kindred subjects I have endeavored to 
 bear patiently and speak the truth in love, though I 
 knew the very utterance of the truth would prove 
 offensive. Can a Christian silently submit to wrong 
 and do nothing to defend the Lord's cause in which 
 he is called to engage? I had not so learned Christ, 
 
 and there was war. But it is an astounding thingthat 
 
 431 
 
fetors ot 9$v ^itt 
 
 Christians should allow themselves to become so mud- 
 dled and tangled in their natural antipathy to conten- 
 tion for the faith that they maintain propositions 
 which, in other matters, they would at once pronounce 
 ridiculous. 
 
 Is it so hard to see, that when men contend earn- 
 estly in the Lutheran Church for the faith once deliv- 
 ered to the saints, their contention avails, and is de- 
 signed to avail, for the kingdom which is not of this 
 world, for the Universal Church of Christ? Is it too 
 complex an affair for ordinary minds to compre- 
 hend, that when we put forth all our strength 
 to maintain and perpetuate the full truth of the 
 gospel set forth in the Confession of the Lutheran 
 Church, we are doing this in the service of Christ 
 and of the whole congregation of believers in 
 all lands and in all time? And is the thought too 
 profound or too intricate for common people, that 
 when, to preserve the purity of the faith, all opposing 
 error is rejected, and it is the error found in other de- 
 nominations that is attacked, not the points on which 
 we are agreed, and which could never have led to a 
 separation and to form a barrier between us? The 
 case is as plain as that of a refusal to drink with peo- 
 ple who persist in putting poison in their water. Our 
 
 432 
 
^Utv t>t ^V 3Lttt 
 
 warning is against the poison, not the water ; and yet 
 against the poisoned water, and the party that serves 
 it, even though it be admitted that some who drink it 
 may escape the deadly effects of the poison. My cahn 
 review of my Hfe suggests no regrets as regards my 
 principles and consequent course of action in this 
 respect. As regards other churches, whether of the 
 Romanist or Greek or Reformed type, I was always 
 ready to admit that, from their point of view, they 
 had a case worthy of consideration when they con- 
 tended that they are right and our glorious Confes- 
 sion is wrong. That is a matter which our theologi- 
 ans, always ready to give a reason for the hope that 
 is in them, have discussed at great length and with 
 great fulness ever since the days of the Reformation, 
 and are always willing still to discuss with any sincere 
 inquirer after the truth, who may have any doubts or 
 difficulties about the Lutheran Confession. If any 
 such person ask a hearing he is entitled to it, and 
 never fails to get it. But ill-natured and ill-mannered 
 assaults on the Christian character of Lutherans who, 
 ever ready to teach and defend the truth which is 
 precious to them, as the very truth of God, have a full 
 assurance of faith arid speak with assurance because 
 
 they believe, have no claims upon the riieek iridiil- 
 *28 433 
 
fetorp ot ^v 3lite 
 
 gence of those whom they wantonly wrong. And it 
 is a different matter when bodies professing to be 
 Lutherans and thus claiming to hold and contend for 
 the same glorious heritage of the Reformation with 
 us, assail our position and demand less exclusiveness 
 and greater alleged liberality in the interest of fra- 
 ternization with sects. If the General Synod or the 
 General Council declared that they are not sure about 
 the complete gospel truth witnessed before all the 
 world in the great Reformatory Confession of Augs- 
 burg, our attitude toward them would be different ; 
 as it is, they seem to be of one mind with us, while 
 their unionistic predilections induce them to make 
 concessions which, in their import and consequences, 
 conflict with the fundamental claims of the Lutheran 
 Church. 
 
 The Ohio Synod worked and fought its way to 
 a position in which, being in possession of the rich 
 treasures of the gospel and a true child of the Refor- 
 mation, it would yield nothing of her heritage. In 
 that position I have shared her toils and troubles and 
 wars and victories. That is her position now, and it 
 is mine still. Neither menaces nor blandishments 
 should lead us to make concessions to any sect or 
 
 party that would deprive us of our jewels or depre- 
 
 434 
 
fetoti? oe flpp JLitt 
 
 ciate their eternal value. In things temporal, how- 
 ever great may be their worth for the little while they 
 endure, compromises may be made and portions may 
 be sacrificed when a greater good is gained than has 
 thus been lost; in matters of opinion a policy which 
 seems to us the wiser and better may be yielded in 
 deference to the judgment of others who cannot see 
 things as we see them when peace and harmony can 
 be secured by such deed of self-denying charity; but 
 in matters of faith God's Word must stand as the only 
 authority, and we can stand only by standing on it as 
 the rock that remains firm when heaven and earth 
 shall pass away. The truth of the gospel is not given 
 us to barter away, but to keep for the benefit of our 
 own souls and of all Christendom. No right is given 
 to any man to make concessions in this regard, whether 
 they be demanded under threats of disaster or en- 
 treated by the pleadings of love. Let the disaster 
 come, which fidelity to the gospel may occasion ; they 
 are blessings in disguise ; let the alleged love which 
 lures us away from the Lord be accursed ; it is Satanic, 
 even if those employing it are well-meaning dupes, 
 rather than deceivers. The history of the Church con- 
 firms and illustrates the teachings of the Bible, that 
 
 yielding little by little leads to yielding more and more, 
 
 435 
 
&tot^ of 9^v ^itt 
 
 until all is in danger ; and the tempter is never satis- 
 fied until all is lost. It seems but a small concession 
 that we are asked to make when an article of our 
 confession is represented as a stumbling block to many 
 Christians which ought therefore in charity to be re- 
 moved, but surrendering that article would only lead 
 to the surrender of another on the same ground, and 
 that is the beginning of the end ; the authority of the 
 inspired Word of our Lord is gradually undermined. 
 There is not an article in our creed that is not an 
 ofifence to somebody ; there is scarcely an article that 
 is not a stumbling block to some who still profess to 
 be Christians. It is impossible to find a place to stop, 
 when the concessions once begin. And the reason is 
 manifest ; the principle is wrong, and displaces a prin- 
 ciple that is right. The one is human, the other is 
 divine; the human opinion and sentiment is substi- 
 tuted as a rule and guide for the Word of God and 
 the faith that accepts it as absolute authority. 
 
 There is nothing to prevent the Lutheran Church 
 in this land from running the course of the New Eng- 
 land Congregational churches now existing as an 
 effete form under the Unitarian name, if once the 
 false principle is admitted. The downward course 
 
 could be regulated only by individual notions and 
 
 436 
 
&tar|J ot 9^v ^itt 
 
 tastes. Nothing seems to my mind more conducive 
 to Satan's malicious purposes than the argument, so 
 much urged nowadays, that the inteUigence of the 
 world is turned against Christianity and that the 
 Church must conciliate it and make concessions to it, 
 if it desires to save itself from utter ruin. There is 
 no plainer symptom of approaching death than this 
 very desire to escape it by surrendering all that sus- 
 tains life. And so the requirements of science and 
 philosophy are met by stripping Christianity of all its 
 supernatural power and glory, and setting out the 
 pitiful cadaver as one of the great religions of the 
 world. So far has this wretched betrayal of the 
 Church into the hands of its enemies been carried, 
 that it will soon be as much of a disgrace to claim, 
 that the Christian is the only true religion and Christ 
 is the only Saviour of the world lying in wickedness, 
 as to claim that the Evangelical Lutheran is the one 
 Church that confesses the Gospel in its purity and, 
 holding fast the precious heritage of the Reformation, 
 has nothing to surrender. As for me, I have endeav- 
 ored to serve the Lord faithfully in a busy life de- 
 voted to the interests of that Church and thus of all 
 Christendom, and at the close of my career I stand 
 
 by the grace of God where I stood ever since I knew 
 
 437 
 
fbtotv ot 9?? ilite 
 
 the Saviour. And my appeal to my brethren is still 
 the same : "Be faithful to the Lord who bought you 
 with His blood, and to the Church which abides by 
 His Word through evil and through good report. 
 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in 
 the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of 
 God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of 
 the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, 
 but against principalities, against powers, against the 
 rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual 
 wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you 
 the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to with- 
 stand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." 
 Eph. 6, 10-13. 
 
 I think that I may truthfully say that, on the 
 whole, I am closing my career in the ministry as I 
 began, just fifty-six years ago, with faith in Christ 
 and in His Church, believing that the Saviour of the 
 world has established a kingdom of believers on earth 
 against which the gates of Hell shall not prevail, and 
 that when the visible organization of that Church had 
 corrupted its way under the Anti-Christian abomina- 
 tions of popery, God, who never forsakes His people, 
 restored a true visible Church through the great 
 
 Lutheran Reformation. That is the Lutheran Church 
 
 438 
 
fetot^ oC 99v ^itt 
 
 with its pure Word and Sacrament and its noble 
 Evangelical Confession, which all Christians should 
 have embraced then, and all Christians should embrace 
 now, that there might be no divisions among us in the 
 visible company of confessing Christians as there are 
 none in the one invisible body of believers, which is 
 the body of Christ, the Lamb's Bride. In this true 
 visible Church, the Evangelical Lutheran, I have lived 
 and labored and suffered and rejoiced until now, when 
 little strength is left to labor, but my faith and love 
 and hope remain the same. 
 
 The prospect seems less bright since the Ohio 
 Synod has been deserted by its powerful ally of Mis- 
 souri. Our dear Lutheran Church is suffering greatly 
 by the strenuous effort to introduce into her pure faith 
 the Calvinistic element that would corrupt it and dis- 
 prove her claims. But our Ohio Synod has not ac- 
 cepted the innovation, and our contention remains the 
 same. Neither has the Lutheran Church accepted it, 
 and in nothing have we shown the sincerity of our 
 devotion to the Church of the Augsburg Confession 
 more distinctly than in our separating from a body of 
 men to whom we owe so much and who were so dear 
 to us, rather than fellowship error and thus depart 
 
 from a principle which we held in common and which 
 
 439 
 
motv ot a?^ %iu 
 
 both regarded essential. But the defection of a pow- 
 erful corporation does not change the truth for which 
 we contended and still contend ; and the final victory 
 is not dependent upon the number of men who con- 
 fess it, or upon men at all, but upon the mercy and 
 power of God, who has guaranteed it by His gracious 
 promises. And these promises we believe, and take 
 courage. 
 
 So far as I see, writing now on the eve of the 77th 
 anniversary of my birthday, my life's work is done. 
 Maybe our dear Lord may enable m.e to render some 
 little service yet before He calls me home from this 
 land of pilgrimage, but my thoughts are directed to 
 the mansions above. He will provide for the cause 
 in which He was pleased to use my life, and I have 
 no fear in regard to its ultimate success. And I have 
 no fears, poor sinner that I am, in regard to my eternal 
 future; for I have a Mighty Saviour who has pre- 
 pared a place for me, even for me, in His blissful 
 mansions. Trusting in the merits of His blood that 
 was shed for me, I have peace in believing. Thanks 
 be to God for His unspeakable gift ; and "surely good- 
 ness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my 
 life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for- 
 ever." 
 
 440 
 
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