eOROE U.WENNER 
 
The Lutherans 
 
 oi 
 
 New York 
 
 Their Storv^ and Their Problems 
 
 BY 
 GEORGE U. WEXXER, D.D., L.H.D. 
 
 Paitor of Chriit Church 
 
 Xew York 
 
 THE PETERSFIELD PRESS 
 
 S19 E&it XLaeteenth Street 
 
 191S 
 
-z-\Z^(c 
 
 Copyright, 1918 
 By GEORGE U. WENNER 
 
 
TO 
 
 THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 IN 
 
 THE TWENTIETH CENTURY 
 
 May you bring forth fruit and may your fruit remain 
 
Contents 
 
 Page 
 
 Apology I 
 
 Introduction 'VII 
 
 Their Story 
 
 Page 
 
 In the Seventeenth Century— 1648-1700 ., 1 
 
 In the Eighteenth Century— 1701-1750 5 
 
 In the Eighteenth Century— 1751-1800 11 
 
 In the Nineteenth Century— 1801-1838 25 
 
 In the Nineteenth Century— 1839-1865 31^ 
 
 In the Nineteenth Century— 1866-1900 41 
 
 In the Twentieth Century— 1900-1918 55 
 
 Their Problems 
 
 Page 
 
 The Problem of Sjmods 73 
 
 The Problem of Language 79 
 
 The Problem of Membership 91 
 
 The Problem of Religious Education 105 
 
 The Problem of Lapsed Lutherans 113 
 
 The Problem, of Statistics 121 
 
 Epilogue 129 
 
 Appendix — The Churches ; Deaconesses ; Former 
 Pastors; Sons of the Churches; Institutions and 
 Societies; Other Associations; Periodicals; Book' 
 stores; Bibliography^; Index, 
 
Illustrations 
 
 Page 
 Frontispiece 
 
 When New York Was Young 3 
 
 A Corner of Broad Street 5 
 
 New Amsterdam in 1640 5 
 
 In the Eighteenth Century 7 
 
 Trinity Church 9 
 
 Henry Melchior Muehlenberg 11 
 
 The Old Swamp Church 12 
 
 Frederick Muehlenberg 15 
 
 John Christopher Kunzc 16 
 
 Kunze 's Gravestone 26 
 
 Carl F. E. Stohlmann, D.D 37 
 
 Pastor Wilhelm Heinrich Berkemeier 39 
 
 The Wartburg 40 
 
 G. F. Krotel, D.D., LL.D 43 
 
 Augustus Charles Wedekind, D.D 64 
 
 Pastor J. H. Sicker 66 
 
 Charles E. Weltner, D.D 68 
 
APOLOGY 
 
Apology 
 
 Lutherail§ are not foreigners in New York. Most 
 of us it is true are new comers. But with a single 
 exception, that of the Dutch Reformed Church, 
 Lutherans were the first to plant the standard of 
 the cross on Manhattan Island. 
 
 The story of our church runs parallel with that 
 of the city. Our problems are bound up with those 
 of New York. Our neighbors ought to be better 
 acquainted with us. We ought to be better acquaint- 
 ed with them. We have common tasks, and it would 
 be well if we knew more of each other's ways and 
 aims. 
 
 New York is a cosmopolitan city. It is the gate- 
 way through which the nations are sending their 
 children into the new world. 
 
 Lutherans are a cosmopolitan church. Our pas- 
 tors minister to their flocks in fifteen languages. 
 No church has a greater obligation to ''seek the 
 peace of the city" than the Lutherans of New York. 
 No church has a deeper interest in the problems that 
 come to us with the growth and ever changing con- 
 ditions of the metropolis. 
 
 In their earlier history our churches had a checker- 
 ed career. In recent years they have made remark- 
 able progress. In Greater New York we enroll this 
 year 160 churches. The Metropolitan District num- 
 bers 260 congregations holding the Lutheran con* 
 
THE LUTHERANS OP NEW YORK 
 
 fession. But tile extraordinary conditions of a 
 rapidly expanding metropolis, with its nomadic 
 population, together with our special drawback of 
 congregations divided among various races and lan- 
 guages as well as conflicting schools of theological 
 definition, make our tasks heavy and confront us 
 with problems of grave difficulty. 
 
 On the background of a historical sketch a study 
 of some of these problems is attempted by the au- 
 thor. After spending what seemed but a span of 
 years in the pastorate on the East Side, he awoke 
 one day to find that half a century had been charged 
 to his account. While it is a distinction, there is 
 no special merit in being the senior pastor of New 
 York. As Edward Judson once said to him: ''All 
 that you have had to do was to outlive your con- 
 temporaries." 
 
 These fifty years have been eventful ones in the 
 history of our church in New York. All of this 
 period the author "has seen and part of it he was." 
 But having also known, with four exceptions all 
 the Lutheran pastors of the preceding fifty years, 
 he has come into an almost personal touch with the 
 events of a century of Lutheran history on this 
 island. He has breathed its spirit and sympathized 
 with its aspirations. 
 
 This unique experience served as a pretext for 
 putting into print some reflections that seemed fit- 
 ting at a time when our churches were celebrating 
 the quadricentennial of the Reformation and were 
 inquiring as to the place which they might take in 
 the new century upon which they were entering. 
 The manuscript was begun during the celebration, 
 
 II 
 
APOLOGY 
 
 but parochial duties intervened and frequent inter- 
 ruptions delayed the completion of the book. 
 
 Lutherans have their place in Church History. 
 Our doctrinal principles differ in certain respects 
 from those of other churches. We believe that these 
 principles are an expression of historical, evangelical 
 Christianity, worthy of being promulgated, not in a 
 spirit of arrogant denominationalism, but in a spirit 
 of toleration and catholicity. Yet few in this city, 
 outside of our own kith and kin, understand the 
 meaning of our system. We have made but little 
 progress in commending it to others or in extending 
 our denominational lines. 
 
 We do not even hold the ground that belongs to us. 
 The descendants of the Lutherans of the first two 
 centuries are not enrolled in our church books. Al- 
 though of late years we have increased a hundred- 
 fold (literally a hundredfold within the memory of 
 men still living), we are far from caring effectively 
 for our flocks. The number of lapsed Lutherans is 
 larger than that of the enrolled members of our 
 churches. In the language of our Palatine fore- 
 fathers: Doh is ehhes letz. 
 
 While therefore recent progress affords ground 
 for encouragement, it is not a time for boastfulness. 
 It is rather a time for self-examination, for an in- 
 quiry into our preparedness for new tasks and im- 
 pending opportunities. 
 
 We are living in an imperial city. What we plan 
 and what we do here in New York projects itself 
 far beyond the walls of our city. Nowhere are the 
 questions of the community more complicated and 
 the needs of the time more urgent than here. We 
 
 iir 
 
^HE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 should therefore ask ourselves whether the disjoint- 
 ed sections of our church, arrayed during the Quad- 
 ricentennial as one, for the purposes of a spectacular 
 celebration, but each exalting some particularism of 
 secondary value, adequately represent the religious 
 ideas which four centuries ago gave a new impulse 
 to the life of the world. If not, where does the 
 trouble lie? Is it a question of doctrine, of lan- 
 guage, of organization or of spirit? 
 
 The emphasis we place upon doctrine has given 
 us a reputation for exclusiveness. The author be- 
 lieves that the spirit of Lutheranism is that of 
 catholicity. He holds that, in our relations with 
 the people of this city and with other churches, we 
 ought to emphasize the essential and outstanding 
 features of the Lutheran Church rather than the 
 minute distinctions which only the trained dogma- 
 tician can comprehend. He is in sympathy with the 
 well known plea of Rupertus Meldenius, an other- 
 wise unknown Lutheran theologian of the seven- 
 teenth century (about 1623), to observe ''in essen- 
 tials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things 
 charity." 
 
 IV 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
Introduction 
 
 For the sake of non-Lutheran readers it may be 
 well, in a sketch of the story and problems of our 
 churches, to present a short statement of their prin- 
 ciples and to indicate in what respect these differ 
 from the general attitude and beliefs of other 
 churches. In doing so however the author does not 
 presume to encroach upon the field belonging to the 
 scholars of the church. He is not an expert theolo- 
 gian. What he has to say upon this subject can 
 only be taken as the opinion of a workaday pastor 
 who, in practical experience, has obtained an ac- 
 quaintance with the teachings of the church which 
 it is his privilege to serve. For a clearer under- 
 standing of disputed points the reader is referred 
 to the books of reference named in the Bibliography. 
 
 Many otherwise well-read people, while admitting 
 that Lutherans are Protestants, suspect that their 
 system is still imbued with the leaven of Romanism. 
 In their classification of churches they are disposed 
 to place us among Ritualists, Sacerdotalists and 
 Crypto-Romanists. 
 
 We do not expect to reverse at once the prefer- 
 ence of most American Protestants in favor of the 
 Reformed system. But since we have had no incon- 
 siderable share in the shaping of modern history, 
 we are confident that our principles will in due time 
 receive the consideration to which any historical de- 
 vil 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 velopment is entitled. "We would Jike to be under- 
 stood, or at least not to be misunderstood, by our 
 fellow Christians. 
 
 But our chief desire is to inspire our own young 
 people with an intelligent devotion to the faith of 
 their fathers and to persuade them of its conformity 
 with historical, believing Christianity. 
 
 What is Lutheranism? How does it differ from 
 Catholicism? How does it differ from other forms 
 of Protestantism? 
 
 The origin of Lutheranism we are accustomed to 
 assign to the sixteenth century. We associate it with 
 the nailing of the 95 theses to the church door at 
 Wittenberg, or with Luther's defence at the Diet of 
 Worms, or with the Confession of the Evangelicals 
 at Augsburg in 1530. 
 
 These events were indeed dramatic indications of 
 a great change, but they were only the culmination 
 of a process that had been going on for ages. It 
 was a re-formation of the ancient Catholic Church 
 and a return to the original principles of the Gospel. 
 
 *'The Church had become an enormous labyrinth- 
 ine structure which included all sorts of heterogen- 
 eous matters, the Gospel and holy water, the univer- 
 sal priesthood and the pope on his throne, the 
 Redeemer and Saint Anna, and called it religion. 
 Over against this vast accumulation of the ages, 
 against which many times ineffective protest had 
 been made, the Lutheran Reformation insisted on 
 reducing religion to its simplest terms, faith and the 
 word of God."* 
 
 *Harnack, Wesen des Chrlstenthums. 
 
 vni 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 The traditional conception of the Church with all 
 its apparatus and claims of authority it repudiated, 
 and in the few and simple statements of the seventh 
 article of the Augustana, it set forth its doctrine of 
 the Church : 
 
 "Also they teach, that One holy Church is to con- 
 tinue forever. The Church is the congregation of 
 saints, in which the Gospel is rightly taught and the 
 Sacraments rightly administered. And to the true 
 unity of the Church, it is enough to agree concern- 
 ing the doctrine of the Gospel and the administra- 
 tion of the Sacraments." 
 
 This was the Lutheran position as against Rome. 
 
 But properly to understand our history we must 
 also take account of another movement with which 
 our churches had to contend at the same time that 
 they were making their protest against Eome. This 
 was a more radical form of Protestantism which 
 found its expression among what are known as the 
 Reformed Churches. It had its home in Switzer- 
 land, and made its way along the Rhine to Germany, 
 France and Holland. Through John Knox it came 
 to Scotland, and subsequently superseded Lutheran- 
 ism in Holland and in England. It was from these 
 countries that the earliest colonists came to Amer- 
 ica, and thus American Christianity early received 
 the impress of the Reformed system. The few and 
 scattered Lutheran churches which were established 
 here in the early history of our country were brought 
 into contact with a form of Protestantism at vari- 
 ance with their own theological principles. The his- 
 tory of our Church in America must be studied with 
 
 IX 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 this fact in mind, otherwise many of its developments 
 will not be understood. 
 
 It would lead too far to explain the historical and 
 philosophical differences between these two forms of 
 Protestantism. A phrase first used by Julius Stahl 
 aptly describes the diiference. The Lutheran Refor- 
 mation was the "Conservative Reformation." Its 
 general principle was to maintain the historical con- 
 tinuity of the Church, rejecting only that which was 
 contrary to the word of God. The irenic character 
 of the Augsburg Confession was owing to this prin- 
 ciple. The Reformed Churches, on the other hand, 
 made a iabula rasa of history, and, ignoring even the 
 legitimate contributions of the Christian centuries, 
 professed to return to apostolical simplicity, and to 
 accept for their church-life only that which was ex- 
 plicitly prescribed by the Holy Scriptures. 
 
 Thus the Lutherans retained the churches as they 
 were, with their altars and their pictures, the Litur- 
 gy and other products of art and of history, pro- 
 vided they were not contrary to the word of God. 
 The Reformed, on the other hand, would have none 
 of these things because they were not prescribed in 
 the Bible. They worshipped in churches with bare 
 walls, and dispensed with organs and music, in the 
 interest of a return to Scriptural simplicity. 
 
 There were other differences, but these indicate 
 the general character of the two movements. 
 
 History thus placed our Church between two fires, 
 and the training she received explains in part the 
 polemical character for which she has been distin- 
 guished. Sharp theological distinctions had to be 
 
 X 
 
mTRODUCTION 
 
 made. The emphasis which she was compelled to 
 place upon distinctive doctrine as a bond of fellow- 
 ship accounts for the maintenance of standards 
 which were not required in the early history of our 
 Church when the seventh article of the Augustana 
 was presented. 
 
 Those were famous battles which were fought in 
 the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in defence 
 of the Lutheran position. Our Church had to con- 
 tend with two vigorous foes in the statement of her 
 doctrines, Rome and Reform. The antinomian and 
 synergistic controversies, Osiander, Major and Fla- 
 cius, the Philippists and the Crvpto-Calvinists are 
 names that still remind us of the theological carnage 
 of the sixteenth century. 
 
 In the seventeenth century came the reign of the 
 dogmaticians. The eighteenth century was the age 
 of Pietism and this was followed by Rationalism. 
 The scope of this Introduction does not require us 
 to explain the significance of these movements. Stu- 
 dents of Church History are familiar with them. 
 
 The revival of spiritual life at the beginning of 
 the nineteenth century brought with it also a re- 
 vival of church consciousness and a restoration of 
 the confession of the church. Both in Europe and in 
 America the attempt has been made to secure the 
 unity of the church on the basis of subscription to 
 the various Symbols included in the Book of Con- 
 cord. These Symbols, besides the Ecumenical Creeds 
 and the Augsburg Confession, are Melanchthon's 
 Apology, that is Defence of the Augsburg Confes-^ 
 sion, Luther's two Catechisms, the Smalcald Articles 
 and the Formula of Concord. The later Confessions 
 
 XI 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 supplement and explain the statements of the Augs- 
 burg Confession. As such they are valuable expon- 
 ents of Lutheran teaching. Many of our churches 
 in Europe as well as in America require of their min- 
 isters subscription to these Confessions. At the same 
 time it is also true that many churches, whose Luth- 
 eranism cannot be impugned, find in the Augsburg 
 Confession an adequate expression of their doctrinal 
 position. 
 
 According to the Confessors of Augsburg: ''For 
 the true unity of the church it is sufficient to agree 
 concerning the doctrines of the Gospel." 
 
 It would seem, therefore, to be in harmony with 
 the spirit of Lutheranism to make ''the confession of 
 the churches" rather than "the Confessions of the 
 Church" the bond of union. Underneath the Con- 
 fessions there are distinctive principles dijfferentiat- 
 ing us from the sacerdotal churches on the one hand 
 and from the Reformed churches on the other hand. 
 
 The soul of the Confessions is the confession, and 
 this soul we may recognize amid all the changes that 
 take place in the course of time and the progress 
 of thought. It reveals itself in innumerable forms, 
 in sermons and in sacred song, and above all in the 
 sanctified lives of those who confess the faith. 
 
 In conversation with an eminent teacher in one of 
 our most conservative schools, the author not long 
 ago requested a definition of Lutheranism from the 
 standpoint of the school which the Professor repre- 
 sented. Of course, it was suggested, the acceptance 
 of the Symbolical books must be presumed, sine qua 
 non. 
 
 The reply was : ' ' The Symbolical Books are valu- 
 
 xir 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 able, but their obligatory acceptance is not essential. 
 The same is true even of the Augsburg Confession. 
 Any one who accepts the teachings of Luther's Small 
 Catechism is a Lutheran. The heart of the Lutheran 
 faith may be expressed in the following words: 
 ''Man is a sinner who can be saved by grace alone." 
 In view of this statement it would seem to be a 
 legitimate inference that even in the straitest sect 
 of Lutherans in America the ultimate doctrine of 
 Lutheranism, reduced to a single word, is GRACE. 
 
 Churches, however, have their distinguishing 
 marks. In the Lutheran Church these are more dif- 
 ficult to find because of her catholic origin and spirit. 
 While forms and ceremonies are retained, they play 
 only a minor part in the expression of her churchli- 
 ness. Bishops and presbyters, robes and chasubles, 
 liturgies and orders, ''helps, governments and divers 
 kinds of tongues," in the providence of God all of 
 these things have been "set in the church." Luth- 
 erans in many lands make use of them. An inexpe- 
 rienced observer, taking note only of crucifixes and 
 candles sometimes fails to distinguish between Luth- 
 erans and Catholics. Yet none of these heirlooms 
 of our ancient family belong to the essential marks 
 of the church. Their observance or non-observance 
 has nothing to do with the substance of Lutheranism. 
 
 Lutheranism aimed at reformation and not at rev- 
 olution. Its initial purpose was to bring back the 
 Church to the common faith of Christendom. Hence 
 the Lutheran Confession is in its large outlines that 
 of universal Christendom. Nevertheless, it received 
 a distinctive trend from the problems of soteriology. 
 
 XIII 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 The ancient Church had developed the doctrines of 
 God and of Christ. A beginning, too, had been made 
 in the doctrines of sin and grace and the way of sal- 
 vation. But the development had been hindered by 
 hierarchical traditionalism and by the spirit of legal- 
 ism These were the obstacles that stood in the way. 
 The cry that went up to God from the hearts of the 
 people in the days of the Reformation was ''What 
 must I do to be saved?" This cry found a voice in 
 the experience of Luther himself. This is what drove 
 him into the monastery, and this was the underlying 
 quest of his life as a monk and as a teacher in the 
 university, through monasticism to get to heaven. It 
 was only when he had found Christ, and realized 
 that his sins had been taken away through the aton- 
 ing work of the Son of God, that he found peace. It 
 is His person and work upon which the doctrine 
 of our Church primarily rests.* 
 
 In the words of the Small Catechism, Luther still 
 teaches our children this foundation doctrine of our 
 Church : 
 
 *'I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of 
 the Father from eternity, and also true man, born 
 of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed 
 me, a lost and condemned creature, secured and de- 
 livered me from all sins, from death and from the 
 power of the devil; not with silver and gold, but 
 
 •"Luther, when he said that justification by faith was the 
 article of a standing or falling Church, stated the exact 
 truth. He meant to say, in the terms of the New Testa- 
 ment, esoecially of Paul, that God in Christ is the sole and 
 sufficient Saviour. He affirmed what was to him no ahstract 
 doctrine, but the most concrete of all realities, incarnated 
 In the person and passion of Jesus Christ, drawing from 
 Him its eternal and universal significance." — Fairbairn, 
 "The Place of Christ in Modern Theology," page 159. 
 
 XIV 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 with His holy and precious blood, and with His in- 
 nocent sufferings and death, in order that I might 
 be His, live under Him in His kingdom, and serve 
 Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and 
 blessedness. ' ' 
 
 But while we thus find in the Son of God and in 
 His atoning work the foundation of the faith of our 
 Church, many obstacles had been placed in the way 
 of securing this redemption. Legalistic conditions 
 made it impossible for the sinner to know that his 
 sins had been taken away. It was here that the 
 Lutheran Reformation pointed the way to a return 
 to the simplicity of the Gospel by its Scriptural defi- 
 nition of justification. Sola fide, by faith alone, was 
 the keynote of the Reformation. Be sure that you 
 bring back sola was Luther's admonition to his 
 friends, who went to Augsburg while he himself re- 
 mained at Coburg. 
 
 Thus justification by faith became the material 
 principle of Protestantism and a second foundation 
 stone of Lutheranism. It is true that Calvin and 
 the Reformed churches also accepted this principle, 
 but they did not begin with it. Their system was 
 based on the idea of the absoluteness of God. The 
 Lutheran system emphasizes the love of God to all 
 men; the Reformed system emphasizes predestina- 
 tion ; which, by selecting some, excludes the others. 
 As the theologians describe it, Lutheranism is 
 Christocentric, Reform is theocentric* 
 
 •Calyin. Hke Luther, read theolog-y through Augustine 
 and without his ecclesiology, but from an altogether oppo- 
 site point of view. Luther started with the anthropology 
 and advanced from below upwards; Calvin started with the 
 
 XV 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 A third principle relates to the means of grace. 
 Here we have less difficulty in discerning the line of 
 cleavage which separates us from Rome on the one 
 hand and from the rest of Protestantism on the other 
 hand. 
 
 The Lutheran Confession regards the word of God 
 as the means of grace. The Sacraments also are 
 means of grace, not ex opere operato,, but because of 
 the word. They are the visible word, or the individ- 
 ualized Gospel. Hence, it is correct to say that the 
 word, in the Lutheran system, is the means of grace. 
 This is doubtless news to many of our brethren of 
 other faiths, who think of us only as extreme sacra- 
 mentarians, and have looked upon us for centuries 
 as Crypto-Romanists. Nothing could be further from 
 the truth. It was only by an accident that the em- 
 phasis of polemical discussion in the sixteenth cen- 
 tury was laid upon the sacramental question, where 
 it never belonged. 
 
 In her doctrine of the means of grace, the Luther- 
 an Church differs toto coelo from Rome. It is not 
 the Church which, through its authority and its in- 
 stitutions, makes the means of grace effective ; but 
 it is through the means of grace that the Church is 
 created and made both a product and an instrument 
 of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 On this doctrine our church differs not only in 
 theory but also in practice from many of our Protes- 
 tant brethren. In some of their original confession- 
 
 theolog;y and moved from above downwards. Hence his 
 determinative idea was not justification by faith, but God 
 and His sovereiprnty, or the sole and aH-efficiency of His 
 craclous Trill. — Ibid., page 162. 
 
 XVI 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 al statements the Reformed churches declared that 
 the Spirit of God required no means of grace, since 
 He worked immediately and directly. They claimed 
 that the corporeal could not carry the spiritual, and 
 that the finite could not be made the bearer of the 
 infinite. Over against these hyperspiritual views our 
 Church believes that through the word and the sac- 
 raments the Holy Ghost effectively offers to the sin- 
 ner the gifts of salvation. 
 
 There are other marks of our Church, but these 
 are its main characteristics, and they suffice to indi- 
 cate our general position in relation to Christian 
 thought. 
 
 If, now, we should be called upon to define in a 
 single sentence the distinctive features of Lutheran- 
 ism, it might be done in these words of an unknown 
 writer : 
 
 *'Lutheranism is that form of Protestant Chris- 
 tianity which makes Christ the only foundation, faith 
 the only condition, and the word of God the only 
 means of salvation.'* 
 
 XVII 
 
In the Seventeenth Century 
 
 1648—1700 
 
 Under the administration of the Dutch West In- 
 dia Company the Reformed Church was established 
 in New Amsterdam in 1628. The policy of the Com- 
 pany was to maintain the Reformed religion to the 
 exclusion of all other churches. But the cosmopoli- 
 tan character of the future metropolis was evident 
 even in its earliest history. In 1643 the Jesuit mis- 
 sionary Jogues reports that besides the Calvinists, 
 Lutherans and Anabaptists were to be found in the 
 colony. In 1644 eighteen languages were spoken by 
 its inhabitants. 
 
 In 1648 the Lutheran community in the New Neth- 
 erlands appealed to the Consistory of Amsterdam 
 for a minister, but nothing was done for them. In 
 1653 the request was renewed. When the Reformed 
 ministers heard of it, they strenuously objected to 
 the admission of a Lutheran minister ; they said this 
 would open the door for all manner of sects and 
 would disturb the province in the enjoyment of its 
 religion. Their attitude was supported by Governor 
 Stuyvesant, who indeed went to great lengths in the 
 enforcement of these views ? Even the reading serv- 
 ices, which the Lutherans held among themselves in 
 anticipation oi the coming ef a minister, were for- 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 bidden, and fines and imprisonment were inflicted 
 upon those who disobeyed. 
 
 Candor compels us to admit that this was the spirit 
 of the age. The Thirty Years' War was going on 
 at this time, and in a time of war ruthless methods 
 are the vogue. 
 
 In 1657, to the joy of the Lutherans and the con- 
 sternation of the Reformed, Joannes Ernestus Gut- 
 wasser (or Goetwater, as his name is often printed) 
 arrived from Amsterdam to minister to the waiting 
 congregation. But Governor Stuyvesant had no use 
 for a Lutheran minister and Gutwasser was ordered 
 to return forthwith to the place from which he had 
 come. However, he succeeded in delaying his de- 
 parture for nearly two years. 
 
 The congregation, unmindful of Stuyvesant 's ful- 
 minations against all who taught contrary to the 
 Acts of the Synod of Dort, secured as their minister 
 in 1662 a student by the name of Abelius Zetskoorn, 
 whom the authorities soon transported to a charge 
 on the Delaware, without the violence, however, 
 shown in the case of Gutwasser. 
 
 In 1664 the island was captured by the English 
 and the Lutherans succeeded in obtaining a charter 
 with permission to call a minister and conduct serv- 
 ices in accordance with the teachings of the Augs- 
 burg Confession. But prior to 1664 or even 1648 
 there were individual Lutherans here, ** their charter 
 of salvation one Lord, one faith, one birth.'' In spite 
 of persecution, even to imprisonment, they sang 
 "The Lord's song in a strange land," and in sim- 
 plicity of faith sowed the seed from which future 
 harvests were to spring. 
 
 2 
 
IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY 
 
 The little trading station at the mouth of the 
 North River now numbered about 1,500 people. The 
 church of "The Augustane Confession" was still 
 without a pastor. For a generation they had striven 
 under great difficulties to maintain their Lutheran 
 faith. They were plain, simple people, but they had 
 refused to be cajoled or driven to a denial of their 
 convictions. Over against Stuyvesant, the most dom- 
 inant personality of the new world, they waited 
 patiently for the time when they might have their 
 own pastor and might worship God according to the 
 dictates of their own consciences. 
 
 At last, in 1669, they obtained a minister in the 
 person of Magister Jacobus Fabritius who served the 
 congregation in New York and also one in Albany. 
 The new pastor sorely tried the patience of a long- 
 suffering people. In church he manifested a dicta- 
 torial and irascible temper. At home he was con- 
 stantly quarreling with his wife. These eccentrici- 
 ties interfered somewhat with his usefulness as a 
 pastor. With increasing difficulty he administered 
 his office until 1671 when he accepted a call to con- 
 gregations on the Delaware. Here he seems to have 
 repented of his ways, for he left an honorable record 
 as a devoted pastor, and the historian is glad to for- 
 get the infelicities of his career on the North River. 
 
 His successor was Bernhardus Arensius, who came 
 with a letter of recommendation from the Consistory 
 of Amsterdam. He is described as '*a gentle per- 
 sonage and of a very agreeable behavior.*- 
 
 Those were troublous times in which he conducted 
 his ministry. The war between the Dutch and the 
 English caused a repeated change of government, 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 but for twenty years he quietly and successfully car- 
 ried on his pastoral work in New York and in Al- 
 bany. He died in 1691 and the Lutheran flock was 
 again without a shepherd. For the rest of the cen- 
 tury appeals to Amsterdam for a pastor were all in 
 vain. 
 
A CORNER OF BROAD STREET 
 
 NEW AMSTERDAM FN T640 
 
In the Eighteenth Century 
 
 1701—1750 
 
 At the beginning of the eighteenth century the 
 population of Manhattan Island had increased to 
 5,000 souls, chiefly Dutch and English. These figures 
 include about 800 negro slaves. The slave trade and 
 piracy were at this time perfectly legitimate lines of 
 business. 
 
 For ten years the Lutherans had been without a 
 minister. In 1701 they invited Andrew Rudmann to 
 become their pastor. He had been sent by the Arch- 
 bishop of Upsala as a missionary to the Swedish 
 settlements on the Delaware. Rudmann accepted 
 the call, but after a severe illness, as the climate did 
 not agree with him, he returned to Pennsylvania, 
 where in 1703 he ordained Justus Falckner to be 
 his successor in New York. 
 
 Falckner was a graduate of Halle. It was a kind 
 Providence that made him pastor of the Lutherans 
 in New York at this time. Events had happened and 
 were still happening in Europe that were destined 
 to make history in America. 
 
 Germany, paralyzed by the results of the Thirty 
 Years* War, and hopelessly divided into a multitude 
 of political fragments, had become the helpless prey 
 of the spoiler. The valley of the Rhine was ravaged 
 from Heidelberg to the Black Forest. To this day, 
 after more than two centuries, the ruins may still b« 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 traced. Upon the accession of the Catholic House 
 of Neuburg to the throne of the Palatinate the Prot- 
 estants were subjected to intolerable persecution. 
 Their churches and schools were taken from them. 
 Frequent raids were made upon the helpless border 
 lands by the armies of Louis the Fourteenth. In a 
 time of peace the Lutheran house of worship in 
 Strassburg was wrested from its owners and trans- 
 formed into a Catholic cathedral. 
 
 This devastation of the Rhine Valley caused an 
 extensive emigration by way of London to New 
 York. In the winter of 1708 Pastor Kocherthal ar- 
 rived with the first company of Palatine exiles. In 
 succeeding years many others followed, most of 
 them settling on the upper Hudson and in the Mo- 
 hawk Valley, but some of them remaining in New 
 York. 
 
 The inhuman treatment which they received dur- 
 ing the voyage, followed by hunger and disease, dec- 
 imated their ranks. Of the 3,086 persons who set 
 sail from London only 2,227 reached New York. Here 
 they were not permitted to land, but were detained 
 in tents on Governor's Island, where 250 more died 
 soon after their arrival. 
 
 One of the men thus detained was destined to take 
 a prominent place in the subsequent history of his 
 countrymen, Johann Conrad Weiser. His descend- 
 ants down to our own day have been filling high 
 places in the history of their country as ministers, 
 teachers, soldiers and statesmen. His great-grandson 
 was the Speaker of the first House of Representa- 
 tives of the United States. Another great-grandson. 
 General Peter Muhlenberg, was for a time an assist- 
 
IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 
 
IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 
 
 ant minister in Zion Church at New Germantown, 
 N. J. He accepted a call to Woodstock, Virginia, 
 where at the outbreak of the Revolution he startled 
 his congregation one Sunday by declaring that the 
 time to preach was past and the time to fight had 
 come. Throwing off his ministerial robe and stand- 
 ing before them in the uniform of an American offi- 
 cer, he appealed to them to follow him in the defence 
 of the liberties of his country. He became a distin- 
 guished officer in the army and subsequently ren- 
 dered good service in the civil administration of the 
 new republic. 
 
 A later descendant was Dr. William A. Muhlen- 
 berg, bom in Philadelphia, September 16th, 1796, the 
 venerated founder of St. Luke's Hospital in this 
 city.* 
 
 Among the Palatine immigrants stranded on Gov- 
 ernor's Island, unable to follow their sturdier com- 
 panions to the tipper part of the Hudson Valley, 
 were widows, elderly men and 80 orphans. One of 
 these orphans was Peter Zenger, who was appren- 
 ticed to William Bradford, at that time the only 
 printer in the colony. When he grew up, he became 
 the editor of The Weekly Journal, which made its 
 first appearance on November 5th, 1733. Washing- 
 ton at this time was not yet two years old. Zenger 
 was one of the earliest champions of American lib- 
 erty. His arrest and imprisonment, his heroic de- 
 
 •Dr. Muhlenberg was the rector of the Protestant Episco- 
 pal Church of the Holy Communion. He was one of the 
 best beloved ministers in New York. He died in 1877. I 
 visited him during his last illness in St. Luke's Hospital. 
 As I took my leave he threw his arms about me and as- 
 sured me that he had always been a Lutheran. He evident- 
 ly conceived of Lutheranism in broader terms than merely 
 denominational distiictlons. 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 fence and final acquittal, are among the milestones 
 of American history and are a contribution to the 
 story of New York of which Americans of German 
 descent may well be proud. 
 
 It was a large parish to which Falckner minis- 
 tered. There were no Home Mission Boards in those 
 days. The New York pastor had therefore to care 
 for many outlying stations. His diocese included 
 Hackensack, Raritan, Ramapo and Constable Hook 
 in the south, and Albany, Loonenburg and West 
 Camp in the north. After the death of Kocherthal 
 he visited regularly, not only the Dutch congrega- 
 tions of Claverack, Coxackie and Kinderhook, but 
 also such German settlements as East Camp, Rhine- 
 beck, and Schoharie. 
 
 New York itself was not neglected during these 
 missionary journeys. Readers (Vorleezers) conduct- 
 ed the service while he was away. Such notices as 
 ** There will be no church today, the minister is out 
 of town,** did not appear on his bulletin board. 
 
 The care of a parish 150 miles in length left but 
 little time for literary work, but in order that his 
 people might be informed on the subject of their 
 church's faith as distinguished from that of their 
 Calvinistic neighbors, he wrote a book on the essen- 
 tial doctrines of the Lutheran confession. It was 
 published by William Bradford, New York, 1708. 
 
 He also wrote a hymn: "Auf, ihr Christen, Christi 
 Glieder/* which after two centuries holds a place in 
 German hymnals, and the translation is to be found 
 in some of the best collections of the English lan- 
 guage. To this day, therefore, the churches of Lou- 
 
TRINITY CHURCH 
 
 Broadway and Rector Street 
 (Southwest Corner) 
 
IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 
 
 don and Berlin alike respond to Falckner's rallying 
 call: **Rise, ye children of salvation." 
 
 He must have been a pious man and a winning 
 personality. The entries in the book recording bap- 
 tisms and other ministerial acts abound in accom- 
 panying prayers for the spiritual welfare of those 
 to whom he had ministered. 
 
 For twenty years he served the churches of New 
 York and the Hudson Valley. When and where he 
 died we know not. Early in 1723 he was in New 
 York and in Hackensack. In September of the same 
 year there is a record of a baptism at Phillipsburg 
 (near Yonkers). And then no more. "He was not, 
 for God took him." 
 
 Falckner's successor, Berkenmeyer, a native of 
 Lueneburg, arrived in 1725. He brought with him 
 books for a church library and also funds for a new 
 building, contributed by friends in Germany, Den- 
 mark, and London. The *'old cattle shed" on the 
 southwest corner of Broadway and Rector Street 
 was torn down and a stone building erected which 
 was dedicated in 1729 and named Trinity church. 
 
 The parish which Berkenmeyer inherited from 
 Falckner, extending from New York to Albany, and 
 including many Dutch and German settlements on 
 both sides of the river, proved to be a larger field 
 than he could cultivate. He therefore sent to Ger- 
 many for another minister, and resigning at New 
 York, took charge of the northern and more promis- 
 ing part of the field, making his home at Loonenburg 
 (Athens), on the Hudson. For nineteen years he la- 
 bored in this field. He died in 1751. 
 
 Berkenmeyer was a scholarly man, a faithful min- 
 
 9 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 ister, and an impressive personality. He belonged 
 to a different school from that of his great contem- 
 porary, Mtihlenberg, and the rest of the Halle mis- 
 sionaries, and his correspondence with tnem fre- 
 quently savored of theological controversy. 
 
 His successor in New York was Knoll, a native of 
 Holstein, who spent eighteen years of faithful work 
 in Trinity church under trying circumstances. He 
 had to preach in Dutch to a congregation that had 
 become prevailingly German. There was a growing 
 dissatisfaction among the people. During the first 
 half of the century Dutch influence gradually de- 
 clined and German grew stronger. The ministers 
 were all of them German, although they preached 
 chiefly in Dutch, with occasional ministrations in 
 German. At last the Germans, feeling the need of 
 ampler service in their own language, took advan- 
 tage in 1750 of the presence of a peripatetic preach- 
 er and instituted the first ''split" in the Lutheran 
 church of this city by organizing Christ Church. 
 Knoll resigned soon after and removed to Loonen- 
 burg, where he again became the successor of Ber- 
 kenmeyer. 
 
 IQ 
 
HENRY MELCHIOR MUEHLENBERG 
 
 (Otto Schweizer's Heroic Stone Figure) 
 
In the Eighteenth Century 
 1751—1800 
 
 The resignation of Knoll and the difficulties of the 
 mother congregation were the occasion of calling to 
 New York the most distinguished minister the Amer- 
 ican Church has ever had. 
 
 Henry Melchior Miihlenberg came to America 
 from Halle in 1742 to minister to the congregations 
 in and near Philadelphia. The disordered condition 
 of the American churches opened a wide field for 
 his administrative ability, and for the rest of his life, 
 in addition to his pastoral activity, he accomplished 
 a great task in the planting and organization of 
 churches. He is rightly called the Patriarch of the 
 Lutheran Church in America. 
 
 In response to an urgent appeal. Miihlenberg 
 came over from Pennsylvania in 1751 and assumed 
 the pastorate of Trinity church. Although he spent 
 but a short time in 1751 and again in 1752 on the 
 ground, he was for two years pastor of the mother 
 church. His was a fruitful ministry. He succeeded 
 to a considerable extent in reconciling the warring 
 elements in the congregation, not only by his gifts 
 as a preacher and spiritual leader, but also by his 
 ability to preach in Dutch and in English as well as 
 in German. 
 
 The Episcopalians, who worshipped in the Trinity 
 Church on the opposite corner, complained of the 
 
 n 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 Btentorian tones in which he delivered his sermons. 
 
 Upon Miihlenberg's recommendation, Mr. Wey- 
 gand of Raritan, was chosen pastor of Trinity 
 Church in 1753. In the furtherance of his ministry, 
 Weygand performed some literary work. He pre- 
 pared an English translation of the Augsburg Con- 
 fession, which was printed as a supplement to a 
 quarto volume of 414 pages published by one of the 
 elders of his church, entitled ' ' The Articles of Faith 
 of the Holy Evangelical Church According to the 
 Word of God and the Augsburg Confession. A Trans- 
 lation from the Danish. New York, MDCCLIV.*' 
 
 The congregation continued to be Dutch, although 
 Weygand preached also in German and in English 
 as occasion required. For the use of his English 
 congregations he published in 1756 a translation of 
 German hymns that had appeared in England under 
 the title, "Psalmodia Germanica." 
 
 From 1750 to the time of the American Revolu- 
 tion we had two Lutheran churches in New York, 
 the German Christ church, popularly known as ' ' The 
 Old Swamp Church," on Frankfort Street, and the 
 Dutch Trinity church on Broadway and Rector 
 Street. 
 
 In the Swamp church the first preacher, Ries, re- 
 mained for a year. He was followed in quick suc- 
 cession by Rapp, Wiessner, Schaeffer, Kurz, Bager 
 and Gerock. Only the last named served long enough 
 to identify himself with local history. He was fol- 
 lowed by Frederick Miihlenberg, a son of Henry 
 Melchior, an ardent patriot, who had expressed him- 
 self so freely in regard to English rule that when 
 the British army marched into New York in 1776 
 
 19 
 
IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 
 
 he found it expedient to retire as quickly as possible 
 to Pennsylvania. Here he labored in several congre- 
 gations, as supply or as pastor, until 1779, when the 
 exigencies of the times compelled him to take an 
 active part in the political affairs of the country. 
 
 The partial reconciliation that had been brought 
 about by Miihlenberg between the Dutch and the 
 German congregations was occasionally disturbed by 
 a pamphletary w^arfare conducted by their respec- 
 tive pastors, Weygand and Gerock. 
 
 Weygand died in 1770. He was succeeded by Hau- 
 sihl (or Houseal, as he spelled his name in later 
 years), a native of Heilbronn, who had served con- 
 gregations in Maryland and in eastern Pennsylvania. 
 Tradition reports that he was a brilliant preacher of 
 distinguished appearance and of courtly manners. 
 He succeeded in maintaining a large congregation. 
 
 But a serious change was going on in the church 
 in the matter of language. In spite of the secession 
 in 1750 other Germans kept coming into the Broad- 
 way church to such an extent that they outnumbered 
 the Dutch eight to one, and finally the use of the 
 Dutch language in the Lutheran Church of New 
 York came to an end. Houseal had the distinction 
 of conducting the obsequies at the preparatory serv- 
 ice on Saturday, November 30, 1771, and at the ad- 
 ministration of the Lord's Supper on the following 
 day. 
 
 But the death of the Dutch language by no means 
 put an end to the language difficulties of our Luth- 
 eran ancestors. In the midst of the original con- 
 testants a new set of combatants had sprung up in 
 the persons of the children of both parties. These 
 
 13 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 8poke neither Dutch nor German. They understood 
 English only and demanded larger consideration of 
 their needs. 
 
 Events, however, were impending which soon gave 
 the people something else to think about and caused 
 a postponement of actual hostilities for another gen- 
 eration. 
 
 The church on Broadway was destroyed by fire in 
 1776, and was never rebuilt. The congregation wor- 
 shipped for a time in the Scotch Presbyterian Church 
 on Cedar Street. 
 
 The American Revolution broke out. On political 
 questions our ancestors differed almost as widely as 
 do their successors on sjniodical questions. Some of 
 them were for George the Third, others were for 
 George Washington. In this respect, however, they 
 were not unlike other inhabitants of New York. 
 
 Frederick Miihlenberg, the pastor of the Swamp 
 Church, was an ardent patriot. At the beginning 
 of the war, as we have seen, he fled to Pennsylvania. 
 
 During the war the services were conducted by 
 the chaplains of the Hessian troops. The Hessians 
 were good church-goers and also generous contribu- 
 tors, so that the financial condition of the congre- 
 gation at this time was greatly improved. 
 
 Houseal, the pastor of Trinity Church, was a tory, 
 and when in 1783 the American troops marched into 
 New York, he with a goodly number of his adher- 
 ents removed to Nova Scotia and founded a Luther- 
 an church in Halifax. 
 
 Both churches were now without pastors. Tribu- 
 lation must have softened the spirits of the two con- 
 tending congregations, for when Dr. Johann Chris- 
 
 H 
 
fREDERICK AUGUSTUS CONRAD MUEHLENBERG 
 Pastor of the Old Swamp Church ; subsequently member of the 
 Continental Congress ; Speaker of the Assembly of Pennsylvania ; 
 President of the Convention wnich in 1787 ratiGed the Constitution 
 of the United States ; Speaker of the first Congress of the Unile;! 
 States of America. 
 
IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 
 
 toph Kunze came to this city from Philadelphia in 
 1784, he became pastor of the reunited congrega- 
 tions, worshipping in the Swamp Church. 
 
 Before closing this chapter and taking up the ac- 
 count of Kunze *s pastorate, let us follow the steps 
 of Frederick Miihlenberg, the former pastor of the 
 Swamp Church. We recall his unceremonious flight 
 from New York. We cannot blame him. The Brit- 
 ish had threatened to hang him if they caught him. 
 
 We remember too that in Pennsylvania he was 
 called upon to take an active part in political af- 
 fairs. He was a member of the Continental Con- 
 gress, also a member of the legislature of Pennsyl- 
 vania and Speaker of the Assembly. He was Presi- 
 dent of the Convention which ratified the Constitu- 
 tion of the United States. 
 
 Thirteen years have passed since he left New 
 York. It is A. D. 1789. New York was just begin- 
 ning to recover from the disastrous years of the Rev- 
 olution during which the British troops occupied the 
 city. The population had sunk from 20,000 to 10,000 
 in 1783, but by this time had risen again to 30,000. 
 The people were getting ready to celebrate the great- 
 est event in the history of the city, the inauguration 
 of the first Pl'esident of the American Republic. 
 Preparations were made to honor the occasion with 
 all possible ceremony. Great men had gathered 
 from all parts of the country. But to the older 
 members of the Swamp Church there was doubt- 
 less no one, not even Washington himself, who 
 stood higher in their esteem and affection than 
 the representative from Pennsylvania, the Reverend 
 
 15 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 Frederick Miihlenberg. And when a few days later 
 the erstwhile German pastor of the Swamp Church 
 was elected Speaker of the first House of Represent- 
 atives of the United States of America, none knew 
 better than they that it was only a fitting tribute to 
 the character and abilities of their former pastor. 
 
 Kunze's is one of the great names on the roll of 
 our ministers. He was a scholar, a teacher, a writer, 
 and an administrator of distinction. Trained in the 
 best schools of Germany, when he arrived in Amer- 
 ica in 1770, he at once took high rank among his col- 
 leagues in Philadelphia. Besides his work as a min- 
 ister he filled the chair of Oriental and German 
 languages in the University of Pennsylvania. 
 
 In 1784 he accepted a call to New York. He did 
 this partly in the hope of establishing a Lutheran 
 professorship in Columbia College. He accepted a 
 call to the chair of Oriental languages in Columbia. 
 He was also a regent of the university. 
 
 Kunze was not only an able man, he was also a 
 man of deep piety, a qualification not altogether un- 
 desirable in a shepherd of souls. His writings indi- 
 cate that in his preaching and catechization he strove 
 not to beat the air but to win souls to a personal ex- 
 perience of salvation. 
 
 While it is doubtful whether he would find admis- 
 sion to some of the most orthodox synods of our own 
 day. he was comparatively free from the latitudina- 
 rian tendencies which had been brought over from 
 Germany during the last quarter of the century. 
 
 Along with General Steuben and other influential 
 citizens he founded the German Society, an associa- 
 
 16 
 
JOHN CHRISTOPHKR kUNZE 
 
IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 
 
 tion which is still an important agency in the chari- 
 table work of this city. 
 
 He was instrumental in 1785 in reorganizing the 
 New York Ministerium. This work was begun in 
 1775 by Frederick Miihlenberg, but had been given 
 up for a while, probably on account of the war. 
 
 As a writer he is credited in Dr. Morris* Biblio- 
 theca Lutherana with eight books of which he was 
 the author or editor, from Hymns and Poems to A 
 History of the Lutheran Church and A New Method 
 of Calculating the Great Eclipse of 1806. 
 
 These and many other things must be set to his 
 credit. For what he accomplished he deserves a 
 large place in the history of our Church in this city. 
 But with all his gifts he was unable to cope with the 
 chief problem which confronted our Church at the 
 close of the eighteenth century, that of the English 
 language. 
 
 There had been a demand for English services ever 
 since the middle of the century. The descendants 
 of the Dutch families had all become English. The 
 need of English had been met in part by the elder 
 Miihlenberg and his successors, Weygand and Hau- 
 seal, in Trinity Church, doubtless also by Frederick 
 Miihlenberg in the Swamp Church. 
 
 After the Revolution (1784) the United Congre- 
 gations certainly made some provision for English 
 although it was inadequate. In 1794 the younger peo- 
 ple petitioned for occasional services in a language 
 which they could understand. Dr. Kunze himself 
 made some attempts to handle the English, but his 
 faulty pronunciation so amused the young people 
 that he gave it up. He appointed a young man by 
 
 17 
 
THE LUTHERANS OP NEW YORK 
 
 the name of Strebeck to assist him in ministering 
 to the English members of the congregation. Stre* 
 beck at this time was a Methodist, although he had 
 been confirmed in a Lutheran Church in Baltimore. 
 Under Kunze^s influence he again joined the Luth- 
 erans. 
 
 *'A Hymn and Prayer Book for the use of such 
 Lutheran Churches as use the English language," 
 published by Kunze in 1795, and another by Stre- 
 back in 1797, show that serious efforts were made to 
 meet the wants of the English-speaking members. 
 
 Finally, on June 25th, 1797, a separate congrega- 
 tion was organized entitled The English Lutheran 
 Church in the City of New York. (This was the cor- 
 porate name, although it was subsequently known 
 as Zion Church.) Strebeck was chosen pastor. Land 
 was rented on Pearl Street opposite City Hall Place 
 and a frame church was built. 
 
 The incorporation of the church was reported to 
 the Ministerium which met at Rhinebeck. The fol- 
 lowing reply was given under date of September 1st, 
 1797: 
 
 "Upon reading a letter from New York signed by 
 Henry Heiser, Lucas Van Buskirk and L. Hartman, rep- 
 resenting that they have erected an English Lutheran 
 Church, on account of the inability of their children to 
 understand the German language: 
 
 RESOLVED, That it is never the practice In an Evan- 
 gelical Consistory to sanction any kind of schism; that 
 if the persons who signed the letter wish to continue 
 their children in the Lutheran Church connection in 
 New York, they earnestly recommend them the use of 
 the German School, and in case there is no probability 
 of any success in this particular, they herewith declare 
 that they do not look upon persons who are not yet com- 
 municants of a Lutheran Church as apostates in case 
 they Join an English Episcopal Church. 
 
 18 
 
IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 
 
 RESOLVED, 2d, That on account of an intimate con- 
 nection subsisting between the English Episcopal Church 
 and the Lutheran Church and the identity of their doc- 
 trine and near alliance of their Church discipline, this 
 Consistory will never acknowledge a new erected Luth- 
 eran Church merely English, in places where the mem- 
 bers may partake of the Services of the said Episcopal 
 Church." 
 
 From the viewpoint of the ministers in lt97, Luth- 
 eranism seems to have been a matter of language 
 rather than of religion. It was something to be re- 
 tained among German-speaking people, but could 
 not be effectively transmitted except through the 
 medium of the German language. 
 
 We have come to the last decade of the 18th cen- 
 tury. In the political world great men were finding 
 themselves and mighty principles were finding ex- 
 pression in the organization of what was destined to 
 become one of the great states of the world. Some 
 of our own men were taking a large part in the 
 making of American history. In the church they 
 were content with a more restricted outlook. Our 
 people, it is true, were of humble origin, yet some 
 of them had attained wealth and social standing. 
 The Van Buskirks, the Grims, the Beekmans, the 
 Wilmerdings and the Lorillards were men of affairs 
 and influence in the growing town of 30,000 that had 
 begun to extend northward as far as Canal Street 
 and even beyond. But we look in vain for any posi- 
 tive contribution to the life of the embryo metropo- 
 lis of the world. 
 
 Our church had lost its roots. The Rhinebeck Res- 
 olution indicates the feeble appreciation of the dis- 
 tinctive confession to which she owed her existence. 
 
 19 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 The English hymn books and liturgies of this period 
 are equally destitute of any positive confessional 
 character. 
 
 But after all, the church in New York only re- 
 flected in a small way the conditions that existed on 
 the other side of the Atlantic. In the Fatherland 
 the national life had been declining ever since the 
 Thirty Years' War. In 1806 Germany reached the 
 nadir of her political life at the battle of Jena. In 
 the church this was the period of her Babylonian 
 Captivity. Alien currents of philosophical and theo- 
 logical thought had devitalized the teaching of the 
 Gospel. The old hymns had been replaced by pious 
 reflections on subjects of religion and morality. The 
 Lutheran Liturgy had disappeared leaf by leaf until 
 little but the cover remained. With such conditions 
 in the homeland what could be expected of an iso- 
 lated church on Manhattan Island? Take it all in 
 all, it is not surprising that only two congregations 
 survived. It is a wonder that there were two. 
 
 In **01d New York'* Dr. Francis presents a vivid 
 picture of the social and religious life of this period 
 and from it we learn that the Lutherans were not 
 the only ones whose religion sat rather lightly upon 
 them. French infidelity had taken deep root in the 
 community and Paine *s Age of Reason found enthu- 
 siastic admirers. 
 
 Fifty years ago I was browsing one afternoon 
 over the books in the library of Union Theological 
 Seminary, at that time located in University Place. 
 I was all alone until Dr. Samuel Hanson Cox, the 
 father of Bishop Arthur Cleveland Coxe, came in. 
 He was then in his eighties, but vigorous in mind 
 
 20 
 
IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 
 
 and body. We easily became acquainted and I was 
 an eager listener to the story of his early ministry 
 in New York, which fell about the time of which we 
 are speaking. From him I got a picture of life in 
 New York closely corresponding with that which is 
 given in Dr. Francis' interesting story. There were 
 leaders of the church in those days who were not 
 free from the vice of drunkenness. Evangelical re- 
 ligion in all denominations had a severe conflict in 
 doctrine and in morals with the ultra liberal ten- 
 dencies of the time. 
 
 A marked defect of our church life was the inade- 
 quate supply of men for the ministry. For 140 years 
 New York Lutherans had been dependent upon Eu- 
 rope for their pastors. For 60 years more this 
 dependence was destined to continue. 
 
 Kunze had long been desirous of providing facili- 
 ties for theological education in this country. Under 
 the bequest of John Christopher Hartwig, he organ- 
 ized in 1797 a Theological Seminary. The theologi- 
 cal department was conducted in New York by him- 
 self, the collegiate department in Albany and the 
 preparatory department in Otsego County. 
 
 One of his students was Strebeck. Another, Van 
 Buskirk, a promising young man, died before he 
 could enter the work. The Mayer brothers, natives 
 of New York, became eminent pastors of English 
 Lutheran churches, Philip in Albany and Frederick 
 in Philadelphia. It was a trying time in which 
 Kunze lived, but he planted seed which still bears 
 fruit. 
 
 21 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 One event of the eighteenth century seems worthy 
 of speial mention, even when seen through the vista 
 of a hundred and fifty years, although at the time 
 it may have attracted little attention. Because of 
 the side light which it throws upon history we per- 
 mit it to interrupt for a moment the course of our 
 story. 
 
 It harks back to the refugees from the Palatinate 
 who emigrated to the west coast of Ireland at the 
 same time that their fellow countrymen under Koch- 
 erthal came to New York. Their principal settle- 
 ments were at Court-Matrix, Ballingran and other 
 places in County Limerick near the banks of the riv- 
 er Shannon. As they had no minister and understood 
 little or no English, in the course of forty years they 
 lost whatever religion they had brought with them 
 from Germany. It came to pass that John "Wesley 
 visited these villages. He found the people *' emi- 
 nent for drunkenness, cursing, swearing, and an ut- 
 ter neglect of religion.'* (Wesley's Journal, II, p. 
 429.) 
 
 Wesley's sermons reminded them of the sermons 
 they used to hear in their far-off German home, and 
 a remarkable revival occurred among them. Subse- 
 quently numbers of them followed their countrymen 
 of the preceding generation to New York and some 
 of them joined the Lutheran Church. Among the 
 names to be found on the records of our church are 
 those of Barbara Heck and Philip Embury. 
 
 Now some of our ministers, as far back as Falck- 
 ner in the beginning of the century, belonged to the 
 Halle or Francke school of Lutheranism, and the 
 spirit of our church life at this time, as may be seen 
 
 22 
 
IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 
 
 from the letters of Muhlenberg in the ''Hallesche 
 Nachrichten, " was not alien to that which the Pala- 
 tines had imbibed from John Wesley, himself a prod- 
 uct of the Pietistic movement of which Halle was 
 the fountain head. One would suppose that these 
 Palatine immigrants from the west of Ireland might 
 have found a congenial home in the Lutheran Church 
 and contributed to the spiritual life of the congre- 
 gation. But for some reason they did not. They 
 withdrew from us and helped to organize in 1766 
 the first Methodist Society in America. 
 
 The Methodists of America number seven million 
 communicants. Barbara Heck, Philip Embury and 
 other Palatine immigrants were our contribution to 
 their incipient church life in America. 
 
 23 
 
In the Nineteenth Century 
 1801—1838 
 
 The history of our churches in the nineteenth cen- 
 tury may be divided into three periods. The first 
 extends from 1801 to 1838. 
 
 At the beginning of the century there were two 
 congregations, the German-English Church on 
 Frankfort Street and the English (Zion) on Pearl 
 Street. 
 
 In 1802 two hundred members of the German 
 church who had not united with Zion in 1797 asked 
 for a separate English church. The request was de- 
 clined, but regular services in English were held in 
 the afternoon with promises of a new church as soon 
 as possible. 
 
 In 1804 Strebeck, the pastor of Zion, joined the 
 Episcopalians and subsequently became rector of St. 
 Stephen's Church. Here he was followed in the 
 course of years by a constant procession of his for- 
 mer parishioners. It will be recalled that Zion had 
 not been received into connection with the Minis- 
 terium. 
 
 In 1805 Ralph Williston was chosen pastor. In 
 1810 he also became an Episcopalian. Not long af- 
 ter, the entire congregation followed him into the 
 Episcopal fold. The resolution effecting the change 
 
 read as follows : 
 
 "Whereas, many difficulties attend the upholding of 
 
 25 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 the Lutheran religion among us, and whereas, that in- 
 asmuch as the doctrine and government of the Episcopal 
 Church is so nearly allied to the Lutheran, and also on 
 account of the present embarrassment of the finances of 
 this church, tjjerefore 
 
 "RESOLVED, That the English Lutheran Church with 
 its present form of worship and government be dissolved 
 after Tuesday, the 13 th day of March next, and that this 
 Church do from that day forward become a parish of 
 the Protestant Episcopal Church, and the present board 
 of officers of this church take every measure to carry 
 this resolve into effect."* 
 
 Kunze died in 1807. His successor, Frederick Wil- 
 liam Geissenhainer of New Hanover, Pa., took charge 
 in 1808 and remained till 1814 when the state of his 
 health compelled him to return to Pennsylvania. 
 
 He was succeeded by Frederick Christian Schaef- 
 fer of Harrisburg, a gifted man who preached equal- 
 ly well in German and in English. On the tercen- 
 tenary of the Reformation in 1817 he preached a 
 Reformation sermon in St. Paul's Episcopal Church 
 on Broadway, which attracted widespread attention. 
 A copy is preserved in the New York Public Library. 
 
 After twenty years the promise of a separate Eng- 
 lish church was fulfilled, when in 1822 a large and 
 beautiful structure was erected in Walker Street, 
 just east of Broadway, and placed at the disposal of 
 the English portion of the congregation. It was 
 called St. Matthew's Church. Schaeffer was as- 
 signed to the pastorate and Geissenhainer was re- 
 called from Pennsylvania to take charge of the 
 German part of the congregation. New trouble soon 
 
 *On "West Fifty-seventh Street, a few steps from Car- 
 negie Hall, the visitor interested in Lutheran antiquities 
 may find the stately Episcopal Church of Zion and St. Tim- 
 othy. It has a membership of 1.300. Its communion vessels 
 still bear the inscription: ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH. 
 
 26 
 
IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY 
 
 developed. The English congregation demanded 
 representation in the Church Council. This the 
 mother church declined to concede, although it is 
 claimed they had agreed to do so when the English 
 congregation was formed. The new congregation 
 was unable to maintain itself, and in 1826 the church 
 was sold for a debt of $14,000, and Pastor Schaeffer 
 resigned. The Walker Street building was bought 
 by Daniel Birdsall who resold it to the mother 
 church. The legal questions at issue in the transac- 
 tion were taken into court and decided in favor of 
 the mother church. 
 
 A son of the pastor, Frederick William Geissen- 
 hainer, Jr., was called from Pennsylvania to minis- 
 ter in St. Matthew's Church in English, so long as 
 this could be done without detriment to the German 
 congregation. This continued for three years, by 
 which time a deficit of $5,000 had accumulated. 
 
 In the meantime the congregation of Frankfort 
 Street had grown to such an extent that it decided 
 to sell the Old Swamp Church, and move into the 
 spacious building on Walker Street, where it also 
 acquired the name of the English congregation and 
 was thereafter known as St. Matthew's Church. The 
 younger Geissenhainer continued to hold English 
 services in the afternoon until 1840. The senior Geis- 
 senhainer served the German part of the congrega- 
 tion until his death in 1838. 
 
 After Pastor Schaeffer resigned in 1826 he collect- 
 ed the salvage of the English enterprises and or- 
 ganized a new English church, St. James, which he 
 served until his death in 1831. 
 
 Among the major happenings in this period were 
 
 27 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 the Burr-Hamilton duel, the launching of Fulton's 
 steamboat, the introduction of Croton water, the 
 opening of the Erie Canal, the writings of Washing- 
 ton Irving, and the organization of the American Bi- 
 ble Society and the American Tract Society. 
 
 Such tnings as social service, church extension or 
 confessional questions had not yet begun to disturb 
 the churches. Our people had all the time they want- 
 ed therefore for controversy on the undying ques- 
 tion of the relative importance of the English and 
 German languages. This, as we have seen, led to a 
 lawsuit, the sale of a church and the permanent rup- 
 ture of a historic congregation. We lost one Eng- 
 lish congregation, Zion, disbanded another, St. Mat- 
 thew's, and sent away enough English members be- 
 sides to constitute St. Stephen's Episcopal Church 
 on Chrystie Street. 
 
 Such, in brief, is the story of the Lutherans of 
 New York during the first third of the nineteenth 
 century. In the Fatherland great events were tak- 
 ing place and history was making rapid strides. The 
 war of liberation was decided by the battle of Leip- 
 zig and the defeat of Napoleon. But the hopes for 
 social and political improvement were disappointed 
 by reactionary movements and economic distress. A 
 new emigration to *'the land of unbounded possibil- 
 ities" began. In 1821-22 it amounted to 531, in 
 1834-35 it was 25,997. Among the immigrants were 
 many who in various capacities became empire 
 builders in America. But in all that related to the 
 Lutheran church New York at this time took a sub- 
 ordinate place. Philadelphia was the first city of 
 the land. The construction of railroads and th». 
 
 28 
 
IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY 
 
 opening of the Erie Canal carried the active and am- 
 bitious men far into the interior. The church life 
 of J^Tew York still flowed in sluggish currents. After 
 190 years, from 1648, when the first appeal for a 
 minister was sent to Amsterdam, to 1838, our enroll- 
 ment consisted of two congregations, the German- 
 English church of St. Matthew, and the English 
 church of St. James. 
 
In the Nineteenth Century 
 1839-1865 
 
 Immigration began to assume large proportions. 
 It did not reach its climax until the following period, 
 but it was sufficiently large to awaken attention. In 
 1839 21,028 immigrants arrived here from Germany; 
 in 1865, at the close of the Civil War, 83,424. Most 
 of these were bound for the interior, but many who 
 had only stopped to rest a while in New York de- 
 cided to make this their home. 
 
 The East Side became a little Germany and even 
 on the West Side Germans began to appear in in- 
 creasing numbers. 
 
 At the beginning of this period an event occurred, 
 unnoticed at the time, which proved to be the begin- 
 ning of a great movement, ''a cloud out of the sea, 
 as small as a man's hand." In 1839 a thousand ex- 
 iles arrived from Germany under the leadership of 
 Pastor Grabau. Most of them went to the interior, 
 some to Buffalo, others, the wealthier members, to 
 the neighborhood of Milwaukee. Ten or a dozen 
 families remained in New York with a pastor named 
 Maximilian Oertel. Their services were held in a 
 hall at the corner of Houston Street and Avenue A. 
 Doubtless none of their contemporaries ever dreamed 
 that this insignificant congregation was related to 
 one of the larger movements of church history. 
 
 Connecting links were two men whose names I 
 
 31 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 have never seen associated with the story of the 
 Lutherans of New York. One of them was Dr. Ben- 
 jamin Kurtz of Hagerstown, the other was Frederick 
 "William III, King of Prussia. The king had imposed 
 the Union upon the churches of Prussia and impris- 
 oned the pastors who refused to conform. This was 
 the king*s part in the movement. Dr. Kurtz had vis- 
 ited Berlin in 1826 in the interest of his educational 
 schemes and in one of his addresses he implanted the 
 microbe of America in the mind of a man who sub- 
 sequently became a leader of one band of these pil- 
 grims to the promised land. This was Dr. Kurtz's 
 share in the work. Both Kurtz and the king were 
 unconscious instruments in the hands of Providence. 
 
 Dr. Kurtz was for a large part of the nineteenth 
 century a distinguished leader in the General Synod. 
 He contributed to the establishment of the Theologi- 
 cal Seminary at Gettysburg and he was the founder 
 of the Missionary Institute, now the Susquehanna 
 University, at Selinsgrove. He died in 1865, His 
 grave is in the campus of the University of which he 
 was the founder. 
 
 But who were these immigrants and how did they 
 come to be exiles ? This is another story ; but it has 
 to be told, because in the providence of God it is con- 
 nected with the history of the Lutherans in New 
 York. 
 
 In the early years of the nineteenth century there 
 occurred a remarkable religious awakening in Ger- 
 many. This awakening had much to do with a re- 
 vival of Lutheranism. It had been greatly strength- 
 ened at least by the publication of the Ninety-five 
 Theses of Glaus Harms in 1817, on the occasion of 
 
 32 
 
IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY 
 
 the tercentenary of the Reformation, and it in turn 
 stimulated the Lutheran consciousness of multitudes 
 who had been carried away by the rationalistic 
 movement of the eighteenth century. The publica- 
 tion of the royal Liturgy in 1822 and the forcible 
 measures of the king in ordering a union of the 
 Lutheran and Reformed churches of the kingdom 
 called forth the staunch opposition of the Lutherans. 
 This ended in a widespread agitation which sent mul- 
 titudes of families to a land where one of the chief 
 fruits of the Lutheran Reformation, that of religious 
 liberty, could be enjoyed. 
 
 The notable thing about the entrance of a few of 
 these people into our New York life was that it in- 
 jected new ideas into the stagnant mentality of the 
 period. That the men who brought them were 
 brusque and exclusive, was of small account. When 
 Stohlmann, who had recently been called to St. Mat- 
 thew's Church, visited Pastor Oertel in his attic 
 room, his Lutheranism, with a sly allusion perhaps 
 to the stairs, was promptly challenged by the re- 
 mark: ''You climbed up some other way." 
 
 Nor did it matter that on some points the new 
 comers themselves were not agreed ? The Prussians, 
 later knowTi as ''Buffalonians," led by Grabau, had 
 a hierarchical theory of the ministerial office. The 
 Saxons, later known as *'Missourians," led by Wal- 
 ther, had the congregational theory of church gov- 
 ernment. For a score of years a titanic conflict was 
 waged between these two parties. It ended in a 
 decisive victory for ** Missouri." Today ''Buffalo" 
 numbers 49 congregations, "Missouri" 3,689. 
 
 The Houston Street party in 1839 held hierarch- 
 
 33 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 ical views. Subsequently they adopted the congre- 
 gational theory of the church and established in 
 1843 the first "Missouri" congregation in New York 
 under Pastor Brohm. After several removals the 
 congregation settled at Ninth Street and Avenue B, 
 where it still maintains its place of worship. 
 
 The chief field of the "Missourians," as their name 
 indicates, is in the West. And yet in Greater New 
 York they number 51 churches and many more in 
 the suburbs. They maintain numerous missions 
 among special classes. At Bronxville they have a 
 college. They alone of all Lutherans make a serious 
 effort to conduct parochial schools. More than any 
 other variety of Lutherans do they educate their 
 promising young men for the ministry. 
 
 But, as has already been intimated, the chief sig- 
 nificance of their entrance into New York history is 
 that thenceforth Lutherans had to give an account 
 of their Lutheranism. Whether you agreed with 
 them or not, you had to take sides and give a reason 
 for the hope that was in you. They brought about 
 that *' contiguity of conflicting opinions" which is a 
 condition of all progress. 
 
 Ten years later a different class of Grerman im- 
 migrants came to our city. The Revolution of 1848 
 had resulted unsuccessfully for the friends of polit- 
 ical freedom, and many were compelled to take ref- 
 uge in America. Some were professional men of 
 ability and high standing, whose contribution to the 
 intellectual life of our city was considerable. Others 
 were only half educated, young men who had not 
 completed their studies in the University, but, in- 
 
 34 
 
IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY 
 
 toxicated with the new ideas, had thrown themselves 
 with the enthusiasm of youth into the conflict for 
 freedom. Here they were like men without a coun- 
 try, aliens from the Fatherland, and in America in- 
 capable of comprehending a state without a church 
 and a church without a state. 
 
 Few of these found their way into the Lutheran 
 churches of New York. They were the intellectuals 
 of the German community and had outgrown the re- 
 ligion of their countrymen who still adhered to the 
 old faith. 
 
 Our churches received but little support from this 
 large and influential class. Many of them had long 
 since renounced allegiance to Jesus, and in the free 
 air of America looked upon churches as anachron- 
 isms and hearthstones of superstition. Their influ- 
 ence upon the common people and upon the social 
 life of the German community was hostile to that of 
 Christianity. The churches had to get along without 
 them, or rather, in spite of them. There were nota- 
 ble exceptions. But as a rule the **Achtundvierzig- 
 er'* did not go to church. 
 
 Still, in spite of their unchurchly views, most of 
 them were unable to shake off wholly the forms of 
 their ancestral religion. There were too many rem- 
 nants ( superstites ) of the old faith binding them to 
 ancient customs. Independent ministers with no sy- 
 nodical relations, with or without certificate of or- 
 dination, or the endorsement of organized congrega- 
 tions, unmindful of the nisi vocatus clause in the 
 Augsburg Confession, helped to maintain the forms 
 of an inherited Christianity by performing such min- 
 isterial acts as were required by the people. At one 
 
THE LUTHERANS OP NEW YORK 
 
 time these free lances were quite numerous. At 
 present no representatives survive in New York. 
 
 But there was another class of immigrants that 
 came to us from the Fatherland. They, too, sought 
 to escape from political and economical conditions 
 that had rested like an incubus upon a divided coun- 
 try for centuries. But they brought with them a 
 spirit of Christian aspiration and the ripe fruit of a 
 traditional Christian culture which became a price- 
 less contribution to our own church life. They were 
 men and women from all corners of Germany, who 
 had come under the inspiration of the religious 
 awakening to which reference has already been 
 made. They became leading workers in our congre- 
 gations and Christian enterprises. We, whose privi- 
 lege it was to minister to them, knew well that we 
 were only reaping where others far away and long 
 ago had sown. 
 
 The inability of tlie Lutheran Church to supply 
 an adequate ministry for this vast immigrant popu- 
 lation left the way open also for other Protestant 
 churches to do mission work among the lapsed mem- 
 bers of our communion. 
 
 A number of churches were established where 
 services in the beginning were held in the Ger- 
 man or Scandinavian languages. Through Sunday 
 Schools and other agencies many Lutheran children 
 were gathered into their congregations where they 
 and their children are now useful and honored mem- 
 bers of the church. A goodly number of eminent 
 ministers in various non-Lutheran Protestant church- 
 es of this city are the children or grandchildren of 
 Lutheran narents. 
 
 36 
 
CARL F. E. STOHLMANN. D.D. 
 
IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY 
 
 With this general outlook over the period, let us 
 take up the thread of our story. 
 
 On the death of the elder Geissenhainer in 1838, 
 Karl Stohlmann, a native of Schaumburg Lippe, was 
 called from Erie, Pennsylvania, to be his successor. 
 For thirty years the pastor of the Walker Street 
 Church was an important figure among the Luther- 
 ans of this city. The scope of this book will not 
 permit an adequate account of his labors. He died 
 on Sunday morning, May 3d, 1868, just as his con- 
 gregation was entering a larger house of worship at 
 the corner of Broome and Elizabeth Streets. 
 
 Dr. Geissenhainer, Jr., retired from the English 
 work of St. Matthew's Church in 1840 and organized 
 a German congregation, St. Paul's, on the west side, 
 which he served as pastor until his death in 1879 
 in the 82d year of his age. 
 
 On the East Side, Trinity was organized in 1843, 
 St. Mark's in 1847, St. Peter's in 1862, Immanuel, in 
 Yorkville, in 1863, and St. John's in Harlem in 1864. 
 On the West Side St. Luke's was established in 1850, 
 St. John's in 1855 and St. Paul's in Harlem in 1864. 
 The first Swedish congregation, Gustavus Adolphus, 
 was organized in 1865. 
 
 Within the present limits of Brooklyn six German 
 and one English churches were established during 
 this period. On the territory of each of the other 
 boroughs, Bronx, Queens and Richmond, two Ger- 
 man churches came into being. 
 
 After the Revolution of 1848 in Germany, immi- 
 gration to America increased by leaps and bounds, 
 and within the time under review New York was re- 
 
 37 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 ferred to as the fourth Grerman city in the world. 
 
 But the Germans, as we have seen, did not all go 
 to church. The existing churches, it is true, were 
 well filled, but a large proportion of the population, 
 torn from the stable environment of their homeland 
 life, and transplanted into the new conditions of a 
 crowded city, failed to respond to the claims of their 
 ancestral religion. 
 
 In our church polity there was no adequate pro- 
 vision for the needs of such an immense and ever 
 expanding population. Now and then a broad- 
 minded pastor would encourage the planting of a 
 church in some needy field, but too often the estab- 
 lishment of a new mission was looked upon as an 
 encroachment on the parochial rights of the older 
 congregation. At this point in the congregational 
 polity of our church the absence of a directing mind 
 and a unifying force was sorely felt. 
 
 The condition of immigrants at the port of New 
 York was for many years a public scandal. In 1847 
 the State of New York appointed Commissioners of 
 Immigration. Under the Act of March 3, 1891, the 
 Commissioner was appointed by the Federal Gov- 
 ernment. 
 
 Before this was done, the helpless immigrants 
 were the prey of countless vampires, chiefly in the 
 form of ** runners," agents of boarding houses and 
 transportation companies. These pirates of the land 
 exacted a heavy toll from all foreigners who ven- 
 tured to enter our city by way of the steerage. 
 
 In 1864 Robert Neumann, who had been a co- 
 laborer with Gutzlaff, a pioneer missionary in China, 
 
 38 
 
PASTOR WILHELM H. BERKEMEIER 
 
IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY 
 
 established an Immigrant Mission at Castle Garden 
 and succeeded in awakening an interest in this cause. 
 
 A few years later, in the subsequent period, the 
 churches took up the question of providing for the 
 needs of the immigrants. 
 
 The Deutsches Emigrantenhaus was incorporated 
 in 1871. Pastor Wilhelm Heinrich Berkemeier be- 
 came the first housefather. His unflagging zeal gave 
 strong support to a much-needed work of love. His 
 venerable personality was a benediction to his con- 
 temporaries. 
 
 In the course of the years eight Lutheran Immi- 
 grant Houses and Seamen's Missions have been es- 
 tablished at this port and are doing effective Chris- 
 tian work. 
 
 Toward the close of this period, in 1864, a seed 
 was planted on the Wartburg near Mount Vernon 
 which has grown to be a great tree. 
 
 Peter Moller, a wealthy layman, had met with a 
 great sorrow in the death of his son. He was plan- 
 ning to expend a large sum for a monument in mem- 
 ory of this son, when Dr. Passavant, an eminent 
 worker in behalf of invalids and orphans, called 
 upon him, perhaps with the hope of obtaining a con- 
 tribution for some of his numerous charities. To 
 him Mr. Moller confided his purpose. It did not 
 take long to outline the plan of a nobler memorial 
 than the proposed shaft in G-reenwood. With $30,000 
 a hundred acres of land were bought and a house 
 of mercy was established which for fifty years has 
 been a blessing not only to the orphans who have 
 been sheltered and trained there, but also to the 
 
 39 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 churches of New York that have been privileged to 
 contribute to its support. 
 
 Its first housefather was George Carl Holls, one 
 of the brethren of Wichem 's Rauhe Haus near Ham- 
 burg. In 1886 he was succeeded by Pastor Gottlieb 
 Conrad Berkemeier, who with the help of his wife, 
 Susette Kraeling, has brought the institution to a po- 
 sition of great prosperity and usefulness. 
 
 iO 
 
In the Nineteenth Century 
 1866—1900 
 
 Three factors combined to make this period event- 
 ful in our history : confessionalism, immigration and 
 the transportation facilities that led to a Greater 
 New York. 
 
 At the close of the Civil "War we had 24 Lutheran 
 churches on the territory now included in Greater 
 New York. Two of these were English and the rest 
 were German. At the close of the century the rec- 
 ord stood : Yiddish, 1 ; English, 17 ; Scandinavian, 19 ; 
 German and German-English, 60. 
 
 The tide of confessionalism which had been rising 
 in Europe for half a century touched America in the 
 forties and reached a high water mark during the 
 period under review. The question of subscription 
 to the symbols of the Book of Concord became the 
 chief subject of discussion among our theologians. 
 
 In 1866 a number of pastors and churches, under 
 the leadership of Pastor Steimle, severed their con- 
 nection with the Ministerium for confessional rea- 
 sons. They formed a new synod which adopted all 
 the Confessions and took a firm stand in opposition 
 to membership in secret societies. 
 
 The ''Steimle" Synod, as it was usually called, 
 disbanded in 1872, its members going, some to the 
 Jilissouri Synod, others to the Ministerium. Their 
 
 41 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 organ, the Lutherisches Kirchenblatt, was merged 
 with the Lutherischer Herold. 
 
 Pastor Steimle died in 1880. He was a devout 
 man, a rugged personality, beloved by his people 
 and esteemed by his colleagues. His congregation in 
 Brooklyn, now served by the pastors Kraeling, fa- 
 ther and son, is one of the strong churches of the 
 city. 
 
 One of the early members of the congregation, 
 whose support meant much for his pastor, was Jacob 
 Goedel. He subsequently returned to Germany and 
 spent his latter years in the city of Koeln on the 
 Rhine. 
 
 In 1888 I spent a memorable week in Koeln. The 
 history of the city antedates the Christian era. Its 
 cathedral is a fane of wonderful beauty. In the 
 Reformation Koeln joined the Lutheran forces and 
 for eighty years two of its archbishops were Luth- 
 eran pastors. The ** Consultation " of Archbishop 
 Hermann is one oi the liturgies of the Lutheran 
 Church. It played a prominent part in the construc- 
 tion of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. Ow- 
 ing to political jealousies among the Protestants, the 
 fortunes of war restored the city and the cathedral 
 to the Catholics. Until recent times Protestantism 
 was an almost negligible force in Koeln. At the 
 time of my visit the Protestant Churches were very 
 efficient in all kinds of religious and social work 
 and had an influence in the City Council out of all 
 proportion to their numbers. Inquiring into the rea- 
 son of this cnange I was told that it was largely 
 owing to the labors of a man by the name of Jacob 
 Groedel who had come to them from America and had 
 
 i^ 
 
r.OTTLOB FREDERICK KROTEL, D.D., LL.D. 
 
IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY 
 
 introduced American methods of church work into 
 Koeln. 
 
 In 1867 another synodical split took place. The 
 New York Ministerium separated from the General 
 Synod on confessional grounds and took part in the 
 organization of the General Council. Thereupon 
 most of the English-speaking members, occupying a 
 milder confessional basis, left the Ministerium, 
 formed the Synod of New York and united with the 
 General Synod.* 
 
 The lines of three synodical bodies. General Coun- 
 cil. General Synod and S}Tiodical Conference, that 
 is ''Missouri," were now distinctly drawn and for 
 the rest of the century the relations of Lutheran 
 ministers and churches were sharply defined. Min- 
 isters were kept busy in explaining the differences, 
 but it is to be feared that some of the laymen did 
 not always understand. 
 
 In 1868 members of St. James Church, who sym- 
 pathized with the attitude of the General Council 
 in favor of a stricter confessional basis, organized a 
 new English congregation. Holy Trinity, of which 
 Dr. Krotel became the first pastor. Dr. Wedekind 
 was called to St. James. Both men, pastors of Eng- 
 lish congregations, had come from Germany in their 
 early youth, were educated in American schools and 
 
 ♦The author's connection with the work in New York be- 
 gran about this time. After graduation at Yale College in 
 1865, he found employment in a New York library, and soon 
 after matriculated as a student in Union Theological Sem- 
 inary. The needs of Protestant Germans on the East Side 
 attracted him into mission work which resulted in the 
 formation of a congregation of which he took pastoral 
 charge upon his ordination by the Synod of New York, Oc- 
 tober 19th, 186S. 
 
 i3 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 were thoroughly acquainted with American institu- 
 tions. For a generation these two men, each in his 
 own sphere, on opposite sides of a high synodical 
 fence, contributed much to the growth and progress 
 of the churches in this city. 
 
 Immigration from Lutheran lands continued to in- 
 crease and reached its high water mark in this 
 period. 
 
 Prior to 1867 there were few Swedes in New York. 
 In 1870 they numbered less than 3,000. The immi- 
 grants were chiefly farmers who settled in the "West. 
 In 1883 large numbers began to come from the cities 
 of Sweden and these settled in the cities of the East. 
 In 1900 the census credited New York with 29,000 
 Swedes. In 1910, including the children, there were 
 57,464, of which 56,766 were Protestants. . 
 
 The first Swedish Lutheran church was organized 
 in 1865 by Pastor Andreen who had been sent here 
 for this purpose by the Augustana Synod. Among 
 the first trustees was Captain John Ericsson, the in- 
 ventor of the Monitor. Its first pastor was Axel 
 Waetter, a cultured minister of the Swedish Nation- 
 al Church. 
 
 At present there are fourteen Swedish Lutheran 
 churches in New York reporting a membership of 
 8,626 souls. 
 
 An Immigrant House in Manhattan, a Home for 
 the Aged and an Orphans' Home in Brooklyn, and 
 Upsala College in Kenilworth, N. J., represent the 
 institutional work of the Swedish Lutherans. 
 
 To Pastor Lauritz Larsen I am indebted for the 
 following sketch of our Norwegian churches ; 
 
 44 
 
IN" THE NINETEENTH CENTURY 
 
 "The Norwegians have always been a sea-faring peo- 
 ple and a people looking for fields of labor all over the 
 World. The real immigration begins about 1849, but 
 there were Scandinavians on Manhattan Island in the 
 Sixteenth Century. The Bronx is named after a Danish 
 farmer, Jonas Bronck. 
 
 "I believe that the first Norwegian Lutheran Church 
 In New York was organized by Lauritz Larsen, then Nor- 
 wegian Professor in Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. 
 Louis, who stopped here for a while on his way to and 
 from Norway in the early sixties. The first resident pas- 
 tor was Ole Juul, who came to New York in 1866 and 
 labored here until 1876, when he was succeeded by Pas- 
 tor Everson, who was actively engaged as pastor in New 
 York and Brooklyn from 187 3, until 1917, when failing 
 health compelled him to retire. 
 
 "At present, the Norwegian Lutheran churches of 
 Greater New York are carrying on an active and ag- 
 gressive work. Their total membership is not as large 
 as it might be. Partly because the Norwegians coming 
 here from the State Church do not at once realize the 
 importance or necessity of becoming members of local 
 congregations, but have the idea that as long as they 
 attend services, have their children baptized and con- 
 firmed, and so forth, they are members of the church. 
 The report of the membership of the churches is there- 
 fore, hardly a correct indication of the number of people 
 reached or even the strength of the Norwegian Luther- 
 ans in the Metropolis. 
 
 "The language question is one of great difficulty. Many 
 of our people live, as it were, with one foot in Norway 
 and one in America, and are thinking of returning to 
 the old country at some time or other. There is also 
 a constant influx of new people from Norway which 
 makes it imperative to have Norwegian services con- 
 stantly. On the other hand, the young people are rap- 
 idly Americanized and prefer to use the language of the 
 country, which necessitates English work, and where this 
 demand is made, the young people are, generally speak- 
 ing, quite loyal to their church, but it is no easy matter 
 to satisfy both elements and to keep the old and the 
 young together in the same church. 
 
 "The Norwegians have been very active in Inner Mis- 
 sion and Social Service work. As witness: the organi- 
 sation of the Norwegian Lutheran Deaconesses' Home 
 
 45 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 and Hospital about thirty years ago. This institution 
 has now grown to be the largest Norwegian charitable 
 institution in the country and has a splendidly equipped 
 modern hospital and an excellent Sisters' Home, which 
 together represent a value of $500,000. It is not owned 
 by a church, but is owned and controlled by a corpora- 
 tion of Norwegian Lutherans. 
 
 "The churches have directly been engaged in Inner 
 Miission work for a number of years, and now have three 
 city missionaries constantly at work. The institutions 
 conducted by this branch of the service are the Bethesda 
 Rescue Mission at Woodhull St., Brooklyn, the Day Nurs- 
 ery at 4 6th St., Brooklyn, and an extensive industrial 
 plant also in Brooklyn. Besides the Inner Mission has 
 purchased land on Staten Island and erected a cottage 
 there for a summer colony for poor children. The Nor- 
 wegians of New York have also built a modern Chil- 
 dren's Home at Dyker Heights, Brooklyn. Although this 
 is not owned by the church, but by a corporation of Nor- 
 wegians, its constitution provides that the religious in- 
 struction should be based upon Luther's Small Cate- 
 chism. The Home is now taking care of sixty children, 
 and is in charge of a Deaconess from the local mother 
 house mentioned above. A new Inner Mission Agency 
 was started two years ago when the late C. M. Eger be- 
 queathed a large sum of money for the establishment of 
 the Old People's Home in connection with Our Saviour's 
 Lutheran Church. At present it is located in his former 
 home, 112 Pulaski Street, and will, no doubt, be of great 
 importance for our church work in the future." 
 
 The statistics of the Scandinavian churches are 
 presented in part in the following table. The fig- 
 ares of the first and second lines are taken from the 
 United States Census of 1910. They include the 
 children where one or both parents are of foreign 
 descent. Those of the third line are obtained by de- 
 ducting 10 per cent, from the number of Protestants, 
 in the second line. The number of "souls," fourth 
 line, is the aggregate number of baptized persons, 
 old or young, connected with or related to the re- 
 spective congregations. 
 
 46 
 
IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY 
 
 
 Norwe- 
 
 
 
 
 
 Swedes gians 
 
 Danes 
 
 Finns 
 
 Total 
 
 1. 
 
 Population ...58,464 34,733 
 
 13,197 
 
 10,304 
 
 116,698 
 
 2. 
 
 Protestants ...56,766 33,344 
 
 11,996 
 
 10,304 
 
 112,410 
 
 3. 
 
 Lutherans ...51,090 30,010 
 
 10,797 
 
 9.274 
 
 101,171 
 
 4. 
 
 Souls 8,365 10,433 
 
 950 
 
 2,540 
 
 22,288 
 
 5. 
 
 Communicants. 3,829 2,152 
 
 422 
 
 840 
 
 7.643 
 
 6. 
 
 No. of Churches 13 12 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 31 
 
 Prior to 1871 Germans were a negligible quantity 
 in the political history of Europe. Divided into a 
 multitude of tribes, with divergent interests, for cen- 
 turies they had no political standing and were the 
 football of the nations around them. From Louis 
 XIV to the Corsican invader, except during the reign 
 of Frederick the Great, their history was one of po- 
 litical incohesion and economic poverty. 
 
 Even in New York they were looked upon as ali- 
 ens in the city which they had helped to found and 
 where in three centuries their sons had stood in the 
 forefront of the battle for freedom. The names of 
 Jacob Leisler, of the seventeenth century, Peter Zen- 
 ger of the eighteenth century, Franz Lieber and Karl 
 Schurz of the nineteenth century are indelibly in- 
 scribed among the champions of freedom in America. 
 Yet fifty years ago ''Dutch" in New York had al- 
 most the same evaluation that *' Sheeny'* and 
 ''Dago" have today. 
 
 In 1871 the divergent fragments of the German 
 people, after many futile experiments in their his- 
 tory, at last attained national unity. The Germans 
 of New York celebrated the event with a procession 
 which made a deep impression upon the city. From 
 that day forward they were no longer held below par 
 in popular estimation. This became manifest in the 
 
 47 
 
THE LUTHERANS OP NEW YOHK: 
 
 success of their efforts in the field of social and re- 
 ligious work. Thirty German churches were added 
 to the roll before the close of the century. 
 
 The completion of the Elevated Lines in 1879 and 
 the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883 changed the course of 
 history for our Lutheran congregations. For dec- 
 ades the ever-increasing hosts of immigrants had 
 been interned in unwholesome tenements on a nar- 
 row island. Now ways of escape were found. AYide 
 thoroughfares led in every direction. The churches 
 in Brooklyn and Bronx grew rapidly in numbers and 
 in strength. 
 
 It was hard for those of us who still held the fort 
 on Manhattan Island to see the congregations we 
 had gathered with painstaking effort scattering in 
 every direction, especially to lose the children and 
 the grandchildren of our faithful families. But when 
 we saw them in the comfortable homes and open 
 spaces of the suburbs, who could wish them to re- 
 turn to the hopeless atmosphere of the tenements? 
 From this time forward the churches of the sur- 
 rounding boroughs grew rapidly, largely at the ex- 
 pense, however, of the churches of Manhattan. 
 
 From 1881 to the close of the century Bronx add- 
 ed nine churches, Eichmond five, Brooklyn and 
 Queens thirty-two to the roll. Manhattan, it is true, 
 also added eleven churches, but they were all above 
 Forty-second Street, most of them far uptown. 
 
 The tenth of November, 1883, was a red letter day 
 in our calendar. It was the quadricentennial of Lu- 
 ther's birthday. The preparations for the celebra- 
 
 48 
 
IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY 
 
 tion met with a hearty response in the city. The 
 large dailies gave much space to the occasion. Dr. 
 Seiss delivered a memorable address in Steinway 
 Hall. Under the auspices of the Evangelical Alli- 
 ance a distinguished company gathered in the Acad- 
 emy of Music and heard William Taylor and Phil- 
 lips Brooks deliver orations of majestic eloquence. 
 The celebration gave a marked impulse to our 
 church work. Our congregations increased in num- 
 bers and in influence. Its chief value was in its ef- 
 fect upon the young people. Hitherto they hardly 
 comprehended the significance of their church. Its 
 services were conducted in a language which they 
 understood with difficulty. As they grew up and 
 established new homes in the suburbs where there 
 were few churches of their faith, they easily drifted 
 out of their communion. A great change came over 
 them at this time. They began to take an active 
 interest in church questions and in church extension. 
 As they followed the inevitable trend to the suburbs 
 they connected themselves with churches of their 
 faith or organized new ones and became active work- 
 ers in them. The remarkable increase of congrega- 
 tions in the entire Metropolitan District was to a 
 large extent owing to the impulse derived from the 
 quadricentennial of 1883. 
 
 When Lutherans of various churches and synods 
 were thus brought together there was one thing that 
 puzzled them. They could not understand why 
 there should be so many kinds of Lutherans and why 
 they should have so little to do with one another. 
 This feeling soon found expression in the organiza- 
 
 49 
 
THE LUTHERANS OP NEW YORK 
 
 tion of societies of men interested in the larger mis- 
 sion of the Church. 
 
 In 1883 the Martin Luther Society was organized 
 by such laymen as Arnold J. D. "Wedemeyer, Jacob 
 P. Miller, John H. Tietjen, Jacob A. Geissenhainer, 
 George P. Ockerhausen, Charles A. Schieren, John 
 H. Boschen and others, originally for the purpose 
 of preparing a suitable celebration of the Luther 
 Quadricentennial. In this effort they were success- 
 ful. In addition to their local work in the interest 
 of the celebration they secured the erection of a 
 bronze statue of Luther in Washington. 
 
 But the chief reason for the organization of the 
 Society was indicated in a letter sent to the pastors 
 and church councils of the Lutheran churches of 
 New York and vicinity which read in part as follows : 
 
 "In view of the efforts made all around us to bring 
 about a closer and more harmonious relation between 
 the various Protestant denominations, the Martin Luther 
 Society of the City of New York respectfully begs you to 
 consider whether the time has not come to make an ef- 
 fort to bring about, if not a union, at least a better un- 
 derstanding and more fraternal intercourse between the 
 Lutherans themselves. We all deplore the divisions that 
 separate us; we believe that the reasons for these divi- 
 sions are more imaginary than real, and we are per- 
 suaded that a free and frank Interchange of opinions 
 will materially help to remove whatever obstacles may 
 be in the way. 
 
 "We surely recognize the fact that our Lutheran 
 Church does not command that Influence or maintain 
 that position in this city and vicinity which its history, 
 purity of doctrine and conservative policy entitles it to; 
 and we may be sure that just so long as our divisions 
 continue, loss of membership and prestige, increasing 
 weakness, and final disaster, will be our lot. 
 
 "Brethren, in unity is strength. Earnestly desiring 
 to do what we can to bring it about, we ask the pastors 
 of our Church and their church oflBcers to take this im- 
 
 50 
 
IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY 
 
 poitant matter into consideration, and to take steps to 
 participate in a meeting in this behalf which the Martin 
 Luther Society proposes to hold on Tuesday evening, 
 January 22d, 1889, in the hall of the Academy of Medi- 
 cine, No. 12 West 31st Street, in this city." 
 
 The annual banquet of the Martin Luther Society 
 was an important function. Distinguished speakers 
 lifted high the banner of Lutheranism, and good 
 fellowship began to be cultivated among the repre- 
 o^entatives of churches and synods hitherto unac- 
 quainted with each other. Nearly all of its members 
 have passed on and the Society is only a memory 
 among a few survivors of those who shared its geni- 
 al hospitality and recall the kindly fellowship of its 
 meetings. The Martin Luther Society blazed the 
 trail for the wider path on which we are walking 
 today, and it deserves to be held in honored re- 
 membrance. 
 
 A few years later, in 1888, the younger men caught 
 the inspiration and established The Luther League. 
 The organization soon extended to other parts of 
 the State and subsequently to the entire country. It 
 has splendidly attained its objective, that of ralljdng 
 and training the young people in the support and 
 service of the church. Its official organ, The Luther 
 League Review, is published in this city under the 
 editorship of the Hon. Edward F. Eilert. Eleven 
 hundred members are enrolled in the local Leagues 
 of New York City. 
 
 The first practical attempt of the ministers to get 
 together was in the organization of ''Koinonia.'* 
 This took place in the home of the writer in 1896. 
 The society meets once a month for the purpose of 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 discussing the papers which each member in his turn 
 is required to read. Representing as it does Luth- 
 erans of all kinds, species and varieties, it serves as 
 a clearing house for the theological output of the 
 members. It has been helpful in removing some of 
 the misunderstandings that are liable to arise among 
 men of positive convictions. 
 
 On the third Sunday in Advent, 1898, Sister Emma 
 Steen, of Richmond, Indiana, the first Lutheran dea- 
 coness to engage in parish work in New York, was 
 installed in Christ Church. She had received her 
 preparation for this ministry in the motherhouse at 
 Kaiserswerth on the Rhine, and was one of the first 
 six sisters to enter the motherhouse of the General 
 Synod in Baltimore. After four years of faithful ser- 
 vice she was succeeded by Sister Regena Bowe who 
 has now for fifteen years by her devoted work illus- 
 trated the value of the female diaconate in the work 
 of our churches in New York. Deaconesses are now 
 laboring in seven of our churches. They are needed 
 in a hundred congregations. 
 
 The revival of this office is due to the genius and 
 zeal of Pastor Fliedner who established the first 
 motherhouse at Kaiserswerth on the Rhine in 1833. 
 In America there are eight motherhouses with an 
 enrollment of 378 sisters.* 
 
 ♦In 1885 the author was appointed chairman of a com- 
 mittee of the General Synod to report on the practicability 
 of establishing the office of deaconess in the parish work 
 of our American churches. In pursuit of information he 
 visited the principal Deaconess Houses of Europe. His re- 
 ports were published in the Minutes of the Synod from 
 1887 to 1897 and contributed to the introduction of the office 
 Into the Synod's scheme of church work. 
 
 52 
 
IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY 
 
 The years under review, the closing period of the 
 nineteenth century, were years of stress and storm 
 in our synodical relations. But the questions that 
 divided us did not stop the practical work of the 
 synods. Under the stimulus of a generous rivalry 
 some things were accomplished and foundations were 
 laid for still larger work in the new century. 
 
 53 
 
In the Twentieth Century ' 
 
 1900-1918 
 
 Our churches entered the twentieth century with 
 hope and cheer. With an enrollment of 94 congre- 
 gations in the greater city and an advance patrol 
 of many more in the Metropolitan District, it had 
 become an army of respectable size among the forces 
 striving for the Christian uplift of our city. 
 
 What a contrast between this picture and that of 
 our church at the beginning of the nineteenth cen- 
 tury! Then two moribund congregations were fee- 
 bly holding the fort. One of these soon surrendered, 
 "on account of the present embarrassment of 
 finances." Now a compact army had already been 
 assembled, while new races and languages were be- 
 ginning to reinforce our ranks. Even the English 
 contingent, which had so long maintained an un- 
 equal fight, was securely entrenched in four bor- 
 oughs with seventeen congregations on its roll. 
 
 At this writing, in May, 1918, we number in 
 Greater New York 160 churches with an enrollment 
 of sixty thousand communicant members. At the 
 close of the nineteenth century, in 1898, we had 90 
 churches with 43,691 communicants. The rate of 
 increase in twenty years was 35 per cent., not very 
 large but sufficiently so to awaken favorable com- 
 ment from Dr. Laidlaw, an expert observer of 
 church conditions in this city. In 1904, in an article 
 
 55 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 in ''Federation," on ''Oldest New York," he wrote 
 as follows: 
 
 "There are now over fifty Christian bodies in this 
 city, and "Oldest New York's" history shows the 
 fatuity of expecting that the heterogeneous popula- 
 tion of the present city will all worship in the same 
 way within the lifetime of its youngest religious 
 worker. Man's thoughts have not been God's 
 thoughts, nor man's ways God's ways, in the ming- 
 ling of races and religions on this island. The Luth- 
 cranism that so sorely struggled for a foothold in 
 the early days is now the second Protestant commu- 
 nion in numbers, and its recent increment through- 
 out Greater New York, contributed to by German, 
 Scandinavian, Finnish and many English Lutheran 
 churches, has exceeded that of any other Protestant 
 body." 
 
 The causes which contributed to our progress in 
 the latter part of the nineteenth century were still 
 effective. The consolidation of Greater New York, 
 bringing together into one metropolis the scattered 
 boroughs, marked the advent of a Greater Luther- 
 an Church in New York. The bridges and the sub- 
 ways, the telephone and the Catskill Aqueduct, pub- 
 lic works of unprecedented magnitude, were among 
 the material foundations of the new growth of our 
 churches. 
 
 We were beginning to reap in the second and third 
 generations the fruits of the vast immigration of 
 the nineteenth century. 
 
 A new era began for the use of the English lan- 
 guage. There had been a demand for English serv- 
 ices as early as 1750, but in the eighteenth and the 
 
 56 
 
IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY 
 
 greater part of the nineteenth centuries it had not 
 been met. Fifty years ago, with its two churches, 
 and even twenty-five years ago with four churches, 
 English was a forlorn hope. The advance began in 
 the last decade of the 19th century when twelve 
 English churches were organized. In 1900 there 
 were seventeeen English churches on the roll. Since 
 then 32 have been added, five in Bronx, fifteen in 
 Brooklyn, eleven in Queens, one in Richmond. Be- 
 sides these forty-nine churches in which the English 
 language is used exclusively, almost all of the so- 
 called foreign churches use English to a greater or 
 less extent as the needs of the people may require. 
 
 But there was a deeper reason for the growth of 
 oui church. Ever since the Luther Centennial of 
 1883 the young people of our churches had begun to 
 understand not only the denominational significance 
 of their church but also something of its inner 
 characteristics and life. In various groups, in Man- 
 hattan, Bronx and Brooklyn, they got together and 
 organized English congregations in which an intelli- 
 gent Lutheran consciousness prevailed. 
 
 The Home Mission and Church Exension Boards 
 of the General Synod recognized the importance of 
 the moment in the metropolis of America and gave 
 their effective aid. In Brooklyn and Queens the 
 work received large support from Charles A. Schier- 
 en and the Missionary Society with which he co-op- 
 erated. Sixteen churches were established through 
 the aid of this Society. Schieren was a native of 
 Germany but he early saw the importance of reach- 
 ing the people in the language which they could best 
 understand. As a citizen he was public spirited and 
 
 57 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 progressive. From 1894 to 1895 he was mayor of 
 Brooklyn. 
 
 The pastors of these incipient congregations were 
 men of vision who had been attracted to the work in 
 New York by its difficulty and its opportunity. 
 They came from different seminaries and synodical 
 associations and they had to minister to congrega- 
 tions in which all varieties of the older churches 
 were represented. But they soon learned to cooper- 
 ate with one another in measures looking to the 
 larger interests of the entire field. Team work be- 
 came possible. A stimulus was given to the work 
 such as had never before been felt in the Lutheran 
 churches of New York. 
 
 A Ministers' Association, to which all Lutheran 
 pastors of the Metropolitan District are eligible, was 
 organized in 1904. Its monthly meetings brought 
 about a mutual understanding and fostered a frater- 
 nal spirit that have been of great value in the pro- 
 motion of the general work of the church. 
 
 The synod of New York and New England, com- 
 posed of the English churches of the Now York Min- 
 isterium was organized in 1902. It found its special 
 mission in planting and rearing English missions in 
 the new sections of the greater city. It has added 
 nine English churches to the roll. 
 
 The Synod of New York, a merger of the New 
 York and New Jersey, the Hartwick and the 
 Franckean synods also devoted itself to the special 
 task of caring for the English speaking young peo- 
 ple. Under its auspices thirteen new churches have 
 been organized. To the indefatigable labors of its 
 
 58 
 
IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY 
 
 Superintendent of Missions, Dr. Carl Zinssmeister, 
 much credit is due for the success of the work. 
 
 The Synod of Missouri, although largely a Ger- 
 man body, rivals the other synods in its fostering 
 care of the English work. At least thirteen English 
 congregations in this city have been organized by 
 ** Missouri'' since the beginning of this century. 
 
 The relation of the various boroughs to the 
 growth of the church may be seen from the follow- 
 ing figures in which the number of communicants 
 in 1918 is compared with that of 1898. 
 
 Boroughs 1898 1918 Increase 
 
 Manhattan 21,611 15,928 5,683* 
 
 Bronx 2,048 5,932 3,884 
 
 Brooklyn 17,405 28,270 10,865 
 
 Queens 1,671 7,139 5,468 
 
 Richmond 956 1,948 992 
 
 43,691 59,217 15,526 
 
 The starred figures for Manhattan call attention 
 to the change of population that has taken place in 
 New York, particularly as it affects Manhattan. 
 While the total increase of population in New York 
 from 1910 to 1915 was 667,928 there was a decrease 
 in Manhattan of 193,795. 
 
 This decrease in numbers, and still more the sub- 
 stitution of Catholic and Jewish peoples to an un- 
 precedented extent for those of Protestant antece- 
 dents, produced a marked change in the membership 
 of Protestant churches. The decline in Protestant 
 membership in Manhattan from 1900 to 1910, accord- 
 ing to Dr. Laidlaw, amounted to 74,012. 
 
 It is not surprising therefore that the Lutheran 
 churches were called upon to bear their share of the 
 
 ♦Decrease. 
 
 59 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 loss. As we have seen, it amounted in two decades to 
 5,623. Most of this deficit, 4,042, is chargeable to the 
 churches south of Fourteenth Street, where Protes- 
 tants of all denominations fail to hold their own. 
 The balance, 1,837, came from other churches south 
 of Forty-second Street. 
 
 Three churches were added during the past 
 twenty years. Our Saviour (English) in 1898, Holy 
 Trinity (Slovak) in 1904 and a mission of the Mis- 
 souri Synod in 1916 in the Spuyten Duyvil neighbor- 
 hood, the most northern point thus far occupied by 
 us on Manhattan. 
 
 For three churches gained there is an offset of 
 four churches lost: Bethlehem in East Sixty-fifth 
 Street, Christ Church in West Fiftieth Street, Im- 
 manuel in East Eighty-third Street and the Danish 
 church in Yorkville. The Danish church removed 
 to Bronx while the others effected mergers with 
 sister congregations. 
 
 The present indications are that we have come 
 to a standstill on Manhattan Island and that it is 
 no longer a question of how many churches we shall 
 build, but how many we shall lose. 
 
 Our assets at present may be described as follows : 
 We have thirty congregations, twenty-six of them 
 o\\Tiing their houses of worship. The net value of 
 their property, deducting debts, is $3,160,000. The 
 average value of each church is $100,000. Besides 
 the thirty organized congregations there are seven 
 missions in which services are maintained in the fol- 
 lowing languages: Finnish, Lettish, Esthonian, Pol- 
 ish, Italian and Yiddish. 
 
 The number of communicants is 15,978. The num- 
 
 60 
 
IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY 
 
 ber of pupils in the Sunday Schools is 7,245. The 
 number of children in eight parochial schools is 669. 
 The number attending instruction in religion on 
 weekdays, including catechumens, is 1,580. 
 
 But although our churches in Manhattan are de- 
 clining in numbers while those of the other boroughs 
 are growing, Manhattan still holds the key to the 
 city. For generations it will be the community in 
 which the most serious problems of church and so- 
 ciety will have to be studied and solved. Manhattan 
 has strategical value not merely for Greater New 
 York but for every city in the land where similar 
 problems must be solved. If our churches run away 
 from such a field, we shall never gain a victory else- 
 where. If we win here, we shall be entitled to a 
 place in the legion of honor. 
 
 Four higher schools connected with the churches 
 of New York have endeared themselves to the hearts 
 of their friends and are giving promise of growing 
 usefulness. 
 
 Concordia College originated in St. Matthew's 
 Academy, in 1881. After years of struggle and sac- 
 rifice it was moved to Bronxville in 1908, where it 
 occupies a valuable property. It has 110 students. 
 
 Wagner College was called into being in 1883 
 in Rochester. It belongs to the New York Min- 
 isterium. Numerous pastors in this city are alumni 
 of Wagner College. In 1916 it was decided to move 
 the college to New York. A splendid property of 
 38 acres was purchased on Grymes Hill near Staple- 
 ton, Staten Island, and in the Fall of 1918 it wiU 
 
 61 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 take up its work within the precincts of Greater 
 New York. 
 
 Upsala College began as an academy in Brooklyn 
 in 1893. It belongs to the Swedish Augustana Sy- 
 nod. It was moved to Kenilworth, N. J., in 1898, 
 and became a college in 1904. Within ten years it 
 has contributed more than forty pastors, mission- 
 aries and teachers to the work of the church. 
 
 Hartwick Seminary is on the headwaters of the 
 Susquehanna in Otsego County. It is a product of 
 the eighteenth century and not of the twentieth. But 
 since Johann Christopher Kunze, pastor of the Old 
 Swamp Church, was one of its founders, and since 
 it still contributes pastors to the work of the church- 
 es in New York, in spite of its distance from the 
 city it must not be overlooked in our mention of 
 the schools of New York. 
 
 Under the auspices of the Inner Mission Society 
 Pastor Buermeyer has developed a much-needed 
 work among our brothers and sisters who in their 
 old age or by reason of sickness, loneliness or pov- 
 erty are not reached by the ordinary ministrations 
 of the congregation. It is known as the City Mis- 
 sion and it will doubtless receive the continued sup- 
 port of all who read carefully the 25th chapter of 
 St. Matthew. 
 
 The Hospice for Young Men is another form of 
 Inner Mission work in which a good beginning has 
 been made. 
 
 The Lutheran Society was organized in 1914. **Its 
 object is to promote the general interests of the 
 Lutheran Church by encouraging a friendly inter- 
 course among its members." At this writing, in 
 
 62 
 
IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY 
 
 1918, it numbers over four hundred members. By 
 bringing together in friendly intercourse active 
 churchmen of otherwise widely separately congre- 
 gations and synods it has contributed materially to 
 a better understanding of the aims and the tasks of 
 our entire communion. 
 
 Under its auspices the quadricentennial anniver- 
 sary of the Reformation was celebrated in this city 
 in a manner worthy of the occasion. The executive 
 secretary of the committee, Pastor O. H. Pannkoke, 
 reports as follows on the general results of the cele- 
 bration : 
 
 "Two facts are of considerable interest, such as to 
 class them as worthy of recording as a permanent ac- 
 complishment. In the first place we have had the co- 
 operation in this undertaking of every Lutheran synod 
 represented in New York, and I believe we have suc- 
 ceeded in carrying through the undertaking without vio- 
 lating the confidence placed in us by any section of the 
 Lutheran Church. 
 
 "In the second place, our Committee has injected into 
 the general Reformation influence the question of the 
 wider influence of the Reformation. Practically every 
 section of the country has taken up the discussion of the 
 religious influence of the Reformation, also of the influ- 
 ence of the Reformation on every side of life." 
 
 On the roll of Former Pastors, in the Appendix, 
 are recorded the names of men who laid the founda- 
 tions of the present congregations. Their labors 
 and their sacrifices entitle them to a place in a book 
 of remembrance. Some names are missing. We tried 
 hard to obtain them. For these lacunae we offer our 
 apologies to the historians of the next centennial. 
 In 1918 we were still struggling with the problem 
 of statistics. 
 
 Nowhere are ministers forgotten so soon as here 
 
 63 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 in New York. The congregations themselves are 
 rapidly engulphed in the ceaseless tides of human- 
 ity that sweep over the island. Now and then some 
 beloved pastor is remembered by some faithful 
 friends, but in a few years the very names of the 
 men who built the churches are forgotten. Like the 
 knights of old : 
 
 "Their swords are rust, 
 Their steeds are dust, 
 Their souls are with the saints we trust." 
 
 Before ending the story of which a faint outline 
 has here been given, we recall with affection and 
 reverence some of the men whose outstanding per- 
 sonality has not yet faded from our memory. Theii 
 labors prepared the ground for the harvests which 
 a younger generation is now permitted to reap. 
 
 Stohlmann was the connecting link with the earli- 
 er periods. He was an able preacher, a warm heart- 
 ed pastor and a conscientious man. 
 
 Geissenhainer, the pastor of St. Paul's, which he 
 organized in 1841 after having been an assistant of 
 his father in St. Matthew's since 1826, was another 
 connecting link with the past. 
 
 Held of St. John's was a pupil of Claus Harms. 
 His eloquent sermons attracted great congregations 
 to Christopher Street. 
 
 After fourteen fruitful years in St. James' Church, 
 Wedekind was called to Christopher Street in No- 
 vember, 1878, to succeed Pastor Held. Here he la- 
 bored for twelve years, edifying the church and in- 
 spiring St. John's to bcome one of our most efficient 
 congregations. Under his direction at least four 
 young men of the congregation were led into the 
 ministry. He died April 8, 1897. 
 
 64 
 
AUGUSTUS CHARLES W EDEKIND. D.D. 
 
IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY 
 
 Under a quiet exterior Krotel concealed a force- 
 ful personality. He was a born leader and took a 
 large part in the development of the General Coun- 
 cil. As editor of the Lutherischer Herold for three 
 years and of The Lutheran for many years his writ- 
 ings had a wide influence. From 1868 to 1895 he 
 was pastor of Holy Trinity Church. In 1896, in the 
 71st year of his age, he accepted a call to the newly 
 organized Church of the Advent, which he served 
 until his death on May 17th, 1907. Under the pen 
 name of Insulanus he delighted the readers of The 
 Lutheran for forty years with his reflections on 
 men and things in New York. Among his published 
 works are a Life of Melanchthon, Meditations on the 
 Beatitudes and Explanations of Luther's Catechism. 
 
 Julius Ehrhardt was an unassuming, lovable and 
 scholarly Suabian. He laid the foundations of St. 
 Paul's in Harlem, when the little wooden church 
 stood among the truck gardens. He died in 1899. 
 
 Moldenke was a descendant of Salzburg exiles 
 who settled in East Prussia in 1731. He came to us 
 from Wisconsin, organized Zion Church which was 
 subsequently merged with St. Peter's after he 
 had accepted a call to succeed Hennicke in that 
 church. He was an able preacher and a scholarly 
 writer. Under his leadership St. Peter's became a 
 strong congregation. In 1872 he contributed a se- 
 ries of articles on Die Lutheraner des Ostens to Der 
 Pilger of Reading. A reprint of these articles in 
 book form would be a valuable contribution to the 
 story of the Lutherans of New York and a fitting 
 memorial of a minister of mark and influence. 
 
 Johann Heinrich Sicker was born in Schweinfurth, 
 
 65 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 Bavaria, October 23d, 1839. He received his theo- 
 logical education at Gettysburg. His early ministry 
 was in connection with the Wisconsin Synod. In 
 1876, when Ruperti resigned at St. Matthew's, Sicker 
 was called from St. Paul, Minnesota, to become his 
 successor. For 28 years he was the pastor of St. 
 Matthew's and a leading minister of the Missouri 
 Synod. In sj^nodical matters he was an uncompro- 
 mising defender of the faith as he understood it. 
 He left the record of a singularly devoted and suc- 
 cessful ministry. At least thirty young men were 
 led into the ministry under his influence. Roesner's 
 ''Ehrendenkmal," a sketch of his life and character, 
 ought to be read by every Lutheran minister in this 
 citj^ He died in 1904. 
 
 John Jacob Young was a native of the Rhenish 
 Palatinate, born at Langenkandel, September 13th, 
 1846. He came to America in his boyhood. He 
 served in the Union army during the Civil War. 
 When the war was over he studied for the ministry 
 at Gettysburg. He served a number of congrega- 
 tions in Maryland and Indiana till 1893, when he 
 was called to the pastorate of St. John's in Chris- 
 topher Street. Here for 21 years he faithfully fol- 
 lowed his calling as a shepherd of souls. 
 
 Charles Armand Miller came to us from the South. 
 He was born in Sheperdstown, West Virginia, March 
 7, 1864. He was educated at Roanoke College and 
 after his ordination he was for a time pastor of the 
 College Church. He succeeded Dr. Krotel in Holy 
 Trinity Church in 1896 and gave twelve years of 
 devoted and successful service to this congregation. 
 His subsequent fields of labor were in Charleston, 
 
 66 
 
PASTOR J. H. SIEKER 
 
IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY 
 
 South Carolina, and in Philadelphia. He was a 
 scholarly writer, an able preacher, a sympathetic 
 pastor and a loyal friend. Among his published 
 writings were The Perfect Prayer, The Sacramental 
 Feast, The Way to the Cross and a volume of poems 
 entitled Ad Astra. 
 
 He died in the prime of his life, September 9th, 
 1917. Who that knew him will ever forget the geni- 
 al spirit of Charles Armand Miller? 
 
 It would be a congenial task to give a fuller ac- 
 count of these men and of Ruperti, Vorberg, Raeg- 
 ener, Hennicke, Waetter, Foehlinger, Koenig, Half- 
 mann, Frey, Weissel, Beyer and others whose names 
 and lives a few of the older preachers will recall. 
 Perhaps some who read this book will accept the 
 suggestion and write accounts of these pioneer 
 Avorkmen. What a Ministers ' Association they would 
 have formed if we could have gotten them together 
 into a conference to discuss the terms of agreement. 
 But that was impossible thirty years ago. 
 
 A singularly interesting career came to a close 
 just as I was concluding these memorial paragraphs. 
 Dr. Charles E. Weltner died in Brunswick, Georgia, 
 December 22d, 1917. 
 
 He was born in Wilhelmshoehe, January 28th, 
 1860, where his father commanded a company of 
 soldiers in the royal castle. In his early youth he 
 was sent to New Yor.k to meet a relative whom he 
 never found. One Sunday morning, homeless and 
 friendless, he accosted me after service at the door 
 of the ckurch. I offered him employment in mv of- 
 fice and for several years he was an efficient helper 
 in the educational and mission work of my parish. 
 
 67 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 Although he was already suffering from defective 
 eyesight, which not long afterward resulted in total 
 blindness, he expressed an ardent desire to enter the 
 ministry. Under the circumstances this seemed to 
 be impossible, but his earnest pleas overcame every 
 objection. In 1884 he entered Hartwick Seminary 
 where he was graduated with honor in 1888. Un- 
 able himself to read the text books, his friends read 
 them for him. Especially helpful to him in his stud- 
 ies were Professor Hiller and his wife, the daughter 
 of the sainted Dr. George B. Miller. 
 
 Upon the completion of his course in 1888 he was 
 ordained to the Gospel ministry and for the next 
 four years rendered faithful service as the assistant 
 of his pastor in Christ Church. Few that heard him 
 would have suspected his blindness. His remark- 
 able memory enabled him in conducting the Service 
 to use the Bible and the Liturgy as though he could 
 see. In the library he could go to the shelves and 
 place his hands upon the books that he needed. His 
 reader then supplied him with the material needed 
 for study. 
 
 In 1893 he took temporary charge of St. John's 
 Church in Christopher Street. 
 
 In the Fall of 1893 he accepted a call to St. Mat- 
 thew's Church in Augusta, Georgia. His retirement 
 in 1896 to take charge of a mission among the cot- 
 ton mill operatives of Columbia, S. C, was deeply 
 regretted not only by his congregation but by the 
 entire city. 
 
 Thus far his ministry, however useful it had been, 
 was only a preparation for the remarkable work he 
 was called upon to do in South Carolina and adjoin- 
 
 68 
 
CHARLES E. WELTNER. D. D. 
 
IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY 
 
 ing states. The mountain whites who had been 
 drawn into the cotton mill work of the South were 
 illiterate and but ill prepared for their new condi- 
 tions. 
 
 With the help of his devoted wife, a night school 
 was established. Additional schools became neces- 
 sary. The Columbia Board of Education became in- 
 terested and supplied the teachers while the mill 
 company provided for the equipment. Mrs. Weltner 
 helped the girls by creating an interest in good 
 housekeeping and in beautifying the homes and 
 their surroundings. 
 
 The movement extended to other parts of the state 
 and into adjoining states, and Dr. Weltner was 
 called upon to explain and direct it. The blind man 
 had seen a vision. The homeless youth of New York's 
 East Side became the prophet of a new era who 
 turned many to righteousness. His eyes now see the 
 King in His beauty. 
 
THEIR PROBLEMS 
 
The Problem of Synods 
 
 A synod is an assembly of delegates organized for 
 the purpose of administering the affairs of the 
 churches they represent. 
 
 Fourteen synods are represented in Greater New 
 York. Some are based on differences of doctrine. 
 A volume published in 1893, entitled "Distinctive 
 Doctrines and Usages" (See Bibliography), treats 
 of these differences. Others are due to differences 
 of language and race. 
 
 In some countries a hyperchurchly trend of the 
 national or state church is responsible for dissenting 
 movements which, left to themselves, finally take the 
 form of separatistic churches. Although these move- 
 ments temporarily persist in America there is no 
 permanent need for them in our atmosphere of free- 
 dom. Our church has room for many men of many 
 minds so long as the essentials of belief are held and 
 respected. 
 
 Finns are represented in three synods, Scandina- 
 vians in four. These nations therefore account for 
 one-half of our fourteen synods. The history of 
 the Missouri Sjmod is one of struggle, sacrifice 
 and remarkable growth. For seventy-five years 
 other Lutherans have sought fellowship with them, 
 but they decline to hold fellowship with churches 
 that are not in full accord with their doctrinal 
 position. 
 
 73 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 Each of these divisions has some historical reason 
 for its existence which cannot be ignored or lightly 
 pushed aside. For various reasons each sjTiod em- 
 phasizes some phase of church life which in its opin- 
 ion warrants a separate organization. Perhaps some 
 of the progress of the last half century may be cred- 
 ited to a wholesome rivalry between these various 
 schools of Lutheranism. 
 
 On the other hand these synodical divisions among 
 churches holding the same substance of doctrine, 
 even when they do not provoke downright hostility, 
 are an effective bar to the fraternal alliance so great- 
 ly needed in our polyglot communion. Our neigh- 
 bors, too, of other Denominations, when they try to 
 understand our meticulous divisions, are not unnat- 
 urally disposed to look upon us as a conglomerate 
 of sectarian religionists rather than as a Church or 
 even as a distinct Denomination. In lists of denom- 
 inational activities our churches figure as G. C. Luth- 
 erans, Gr. S. Lutherans, Missouri Lutherans, etc., 
 while all of us are frequently called upon to explain 
 whether we belong to the Evangelical branch of the 
 Lutherans or not. 
 
 Absorbed as we are in the local interests of our 
 individual congregations and in the questions that 
 divide us among ourselves, we seldom have an op- 
 portunity to give expression to outstanding princi- 
 ples of our church in such a way as to impress the 
 public mind with a sense of their importance. 
 
 The question therefore continually recurs, why 
 should these divisions be perpetuated among breth- 
 ren who are agreed on the essentials of Lutheran 
 teaching even though they may not have completely 
 
 74 
 
THE PROBLEM OF SYNODS 
 
 assimilated each other's minute definitions of theo- 
 logical dogmas. Laymen, more interested in prac- 
 tical results, find it hard to understand why there 
 should be so many different kinds of Lutherans. 
 Even ministers, accustomed as they are to sharp dis- 
 tinctions, sometimes deplore these divisions and won- 
 der when they can be healed. They long for the 
 time when the adherents of the Augsburg Confes- 
 sion may unite in one great body, "beautiful as Tir- 
 zah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with 
 banners." 
 
 Alluring as such a prospect may seem, it is not of 
 highest importance in a communion which from the 
 beginning emphasized the right of private judgment 
 and acquired for the world the right to think for 
 itself in matters of conscience and religion. The 
 Church of the Reformation derives its strength from 
 unity rather than from union. Theoretically at 
 least, it is a communion, a fellowship of believers. 
 Its earliest designation was not ''The Lutheran 
 Church," but ''Churches of the Augsburg Confes- 
 sion." 
 
 It is consonant therefore with our historic prin- 
 ciples to respect the gifts and calling of the existing 
 divisions in our churches without insisting upon an 
 artificial union which could contribute little to the 
 true unity of the church. There are "many mem- 
 bers, yet but one body. .. .There are differences of 
 administrations, but the same Lord." In our mutual 
 relations therefore it behooves us to recognize the 
 rights of the individual. 
 
 This, however, need not prevent our working and 
 praying for union. If it be possible, as much as 
 
 75 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 lieth in us (unless this involves synergistic heresy), 
 let us cultivate tolerance and live peaceably with all 
 men, especially with all Lutherans. 
 
 We have in this city a great field in which there 
 is work for us all. In friendly co-operation, rather 
 than in hostile competition, w^e may escape some of 
 the perils of our past history and perform with cred- 
 it the tasks with which at present we seem to be 
 struggling in vain. 
 
 The Metropolitan District includes the urban com- 
 munities within ten miles of the boundary line of 
 Greater New York. This territory of a hundred and 
 fifty square miles now holds a population of over 
 seven millions of people. Our churches in Greater 
 New York minister to a baptized membership of 
 141,642 souls. If we include in our estimates of 
 parochial responsibility, not merely enrolled mem- 
 bers, but the entire Lutheran population of the Dis- 
 trict, Russians, Poles, Slovaks, Bohemians, Hungari- 
 ans, Letts, Esthonians, Lithuanians, Dutch, Germans, 
 Swedes, Norwegians, Finns and Danes, to say noth- 
 ing of the multitudes of American birth from the 
 Hudson and Mohawk valleys, from Pennsylvania, 
 Virginia, Ohio and the West, the number of people 
 claiming to be Lutherans amounts to more than five 
 hundred thousand souls. 
 
 To minister as we should to such a constituency, 
 we need co-operation in place of competition. The 
 work of cultivating effectively such a field can never 
 be done by churches so hopelessly divided as ours. 
 
 Other churches, Protestant and Catholic, with a 
 centralized ecclesiastical organization, are able to 
 work together as one body and make plans for their 
 
 70 
 
THE PROBLEM OF SYNODS 
 
 work covering the entire Metropolitan District. We, 
 with our strong individualism, cannot vie with them. 
 In our polity we are extreme congregationalists and 
 must pay for our freedom. 
 
 But there is much that our churches have in com- 
 mon. Our flocks are not alienated from each other 
 as much as are the shepherds. The formation of local 
 groups throughout the greater city, co-operating in 
 common causes, or at least refraining from a polem- 
 ical policy, would pave the way for a better under- 
 standing of our mutual needs and opportunities for 
 service. 
 
 Three things, at least, might be done without com- 
 promising the faith or violating the spirit of our 
 church life : 
 
 1. We might meet for the purpose of forming each 
 other's acquaintance and for the discussion of prac- 
 tical questions. Perhaps none of us is quite so heret- 
 ical as the synodical divergence would lead a layman 
 to suppose. 
 
 2. We might meet for the discussion of vital ques- 
 tions of religion and morals. It is one thing to read 
 about these things in books. It is quite another 
 thing to listen to a spoken presentation warm with 
 the sympathy of a living experience. 
 
 3. We might recognize each other's spheres of in- 
 fluence and federate our forces in meeting the needs 
 of our vast community. 
 
 In the meantime we are slowly learning that the 
 aspirations and convictions that unite us are greater 
 than the things that separate us. The clearer com- 
 prehension of the principles we hold and of the work 
 we have to do, and the sense of our respo'nsibility 
 
 77 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 as one of the larger eoimnunions of the metropolis, 
 compel us more and more to emphasize not the un- 
 essential details of our theological system but rather 
 the larger truths and principles for which we stand 
 and which we hold in common. 
 
 A hundred years ago, on the tercentenary of the 
 Reformation, after a period of political humiliation 
 and economic distress in the Fatherland, the Ninety- 
 five Theses of Claus Harms sounded a call for a 
 Lutheran awakening throughout the world. The re- 
 sult of that revival is felt in the churches to this day. 
 
 The quadricentenary of the Reformation was cele- 
 brated amid the convulsions of a World War. Is it 
 too much to hope that after this war also the ground 
 may be prepared for a spiritual sowing and reaping 
 w^hen the unnecessary dissensions of sectarian con- 
 troversy will give place to fraternal co-operation in 
 the service of a common Lord and in the promotion 
 of a common faith?* 
 
 •Since the foregoing paragraphs were written an unex- 
 pected change in the outlook has taken place. Steps were 
 taken a year ago toward bringing together three of the 
 general bodies of the Church in America. Should this hope 
 be realized, it will bring into closer union a majority of the 
 churches of Greater New York. 
 
 On May 7th, 1918, at a meeting of nearly one hundred 
 Lutheran pastors, members of nearly all of the synods rep- 
 resented on this territory, there was organized a "Confer- 
 ence of the Lutheran pastors of the Metropolitan District 
 for the discussion of all questions of doctrine and practice 
 to the end of effecting unity." This, too, is a harbinger of 
 an approaching era of reconstruction and peace. 
 
 78 
 
The Problem of Language 
 
 It was a Lutheran demand in the sixteenth cen- 
 tury to preach the Gospel in the vernacular. It 
 would be un-Lutheran in the twentieth century to 
 conduct public worship in a language which the peo- 
 ple do not understand. 
 
 This lesson is written so plainly in the history of 
 our churches in America that "he may run that 
 readeth." The Swedish churches on the Delaware, 
 planted by Gustavus Adolphus for the very purpose 
 of propagating the faith in America, were all of 
 them lost to the Lutheran church because the per- 
 sistent use of the Swedish language, and the inabil- 
 ity of the pastors to preach in English, proved an 
 insuperable obstacle to the bringing up of the chil- 
 dren in the Lutheran communion. When the New 
 York Ministerium at its meeting in Rhinebeck, Sep- 
 tember 1st, 1797, resolved that it would ** never 
 acknowledge a newly-erected Lutheran Church 
 merely English in places where the members may 
 partake of the services of the Episcopal Church, it 
 halted for a century the growth of the Lutheran 
 Church in New York. 
 
 The same experience greets us in London. There 
 the Lutheran Church was established in 1669, only 
 five years later than in New York. For more than 
 two centuries it had the recognition of royalty. As 
 late as the Victorian era Prince Albert, the Queen 
 
 79 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 and the royal family, in their personal relations, 
 were connected with the Lutheran Church. To this 
 day Queen Alexandra is a communicant in the Luth- 
 eran church. There exist therefore no social bar- 
 riers to its growth. Yet not a single English Luth- 
 eran church is to be found in London. 
 
 With one exception the dozen Lutheran churches 
 of other tongues recognize no responsibility to prop- 
 agate the faith of the Augsburg Confession in the 
 language of the city in which they live. The ex- 
 ception is that of the German *' Missouri" congre- 
 gation. Here English as well as German is used in 
 the services. Here alone it would seem that ''reli- 
 gion is the chief concern." 
 
 The language problem confronted us early in our 
 local history. In the first hundred years three lan- 
 guages, Dutch, German and English, contended for 
 the mastery. In their pastoral work some ministers 
 used all three. 
 
 Dutch was the first to surrender. The children of 
 Dutch families adopted the language of their Eng- 
 lish conquerors, and when immigration from Holland 
 ceased, the use of Dutch in worship became obso- 
 lete. The last use of Dutch at a Lutheran service 
 was at the communion on the First Sunday in Ad- 
 vent in 1771. It had maintained itself for 114 years. 
 
 After the use of Dutch in worship had ceased, 
 German and English came into collision. It was a 
 fight to a finish. When it was over there was little 
 left for which to contend. When Pastor Kunze died, 
 in 1807, the congregation had declined almost to the 
 point of extinction. Many of the English-speaking 
 families had left us and we thus lost some of our 
 
 80 
 
THE PROBLEM OF LANGUAGE 
 
 leading members, people whose ancestors had for 
 five generations belonged to our communion. The 
 Germans remained, but during the lull in the tide 
 of immigration the use of German declined to such 
 an extent as to imperil the existence even of the 
 German congregation. When Kunze's successor ar- 
 rived he had difficulty in finding members of the 
 church who could speak German. Even in the Ger- 
 man congregation English had become the language 
 of every-day life. 
 
 German thrives in German soil. Elsewhere it is 
 an exotic not easily cultivated. From their earliest 
 history Germans have had the Wanderlust and have 
 sought for new homes as it pleased them. But wher- 
 ever they go they amalgamate with their surround- 
 ings. 
 
 The Franks settled in Gaul, but, excepting its Ger- 
 man name, the language retains but few indications 
 of the German ancestry of a large part of the French 
 people. 
 
 The Goths settled in Spain. Physical traits, blue 
 eyes and blonde complexion, persist in some dis- 
 tricts, but their descendants speak Spanish. 
 
 The Longobards crossed the Alps and settled in 
 Italy where their children speak Italian, although 
 Lombardy is just across the mountains, not far from 
 the early home of their immigrant ancestors. 
 
 A notable exception to this tendency of the Ger- 
 mans to amalgamate with other nations was when 
 the Anglo-Saxons invaded Britain. The island had 
 been deserted by the Romans, and the Germans re- 
 fused for centuries to ally themselves with the Brit- 
 ish inhabitants. They retained their own language 
 
 81 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 and customs with but a slight admixture of alien 
 elements.* To this day after twelve centuries they 
 prefer to call themselves Anglo-Saxons rather than 
 British. {Nomen a potiori fit.) 
 
 In the ninth and eleventh centuries the island was 
 invaded by other Germanic tribes, directly by way 
 of the North Sea or indirectly by the Channel 
 from Normandy, and so the language was developed 
 still further along English, that is Germanic lines. 
 (According to the Century Dictionary the historical 
 pronunciation of the word is eng'-glish and not ing'- 
 glish). 
 
 Low Germans, (Nether Saxons or Piatt Deutsch) 
 who have settled in New York in such large num- 
 bers, enjoy a distinct advantage over other nation- 
 alities. In the vernacular of America they discover 
 simply another dialect of their native tongue. Hence 
 they acquire the new dialect with little difficulty. 
 The simpler words and expressions of the common 
 people are almost the same as those which they used 
 on the shores of the North Sea and the Baltic. For 
 example: Wo is min Vader? Where is my father? 
 He is in the Hus. He is in the house. English and 
 German sailors from opposite shores of the North 
 Sea, using the simpler words of their respective lan- 
 
 •"PhilologicaUy, English, considered with reference to Its 
 orlg-lnal form, Anglo-Saxon, and to the grammatical fea- 
 tures which it retains of Anglo-Saxon origin, is the most 
 conspicuous member of the Low German group of the Teu- 
 tonic family, the other Low German languages being Old 
 Saxon, Old Priesic. Old Low German, and other extinct 
 forms, and the modern Dutch, Flemish, Frlesic, and Low 
 German (Piatt Deutsch). These, with High German, con- 
 stitute the 'West Germanic' branch, as Gothic and the 
 Scandinavian tongues constitute the 'East Germanic' 
 branch, of the Teutonic family. (Century Dictionary under 
 the word 'English.')" 
 
THE PROBLEM OF LANGUAGE 
 
 guages, have no trouble in making themselves under- 
 stood when they meet. 
 
 The High Germans learn English more slowly, but 
 they, too, find many points of contact, not only in 
 the words but also in the grammatical construction 
 of the language. 
 
 In the United States the descendants of Germans 
 number seventeen millions. They have made no in- 
 considerable contributions to the sum total of Ameri- 
 can civilization. For philological reasons, as we 
 have seen, no people are more ready than the Ger- 
 mans to adopt English for ev©ry-day use. None 
 amalgamate more easily with the political and social 
 life of the country of their choice. In normal times 
 we do not think of them as foreigners. 
 
 English has the right of way. Its composite char- 
 acter makes it the language for every-day use. 
 Thirty-five languages are spoken in this city, but the 
 assimilative power of English absorbs them all. The 
 Public Schodl is the effective agent in the process. 
 This is the melting pot for all diversities of speech. 
 Children dislike to be looked upon as different from 
 their companions, and so it rarely happens that the 
 language of the parents is spoken by the second gen- 
 eration of immigrant families. Their elders, even 
 when their ''speech bewrayeth" them, make strenu- 
 ous efforts to use the language of their neighbors. 
 
 Seeing, then, that Anglicization is inevitable, why 
 should we not cut the Gordian knot, and conduct 
 our ministry wholly in the English language? This 
 would greatly simplify our tasks, besides removing 
 from us the stigma of foreignism. 
 
 We are often advised to do so, especially by our 
 
 83 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 monoglot brethren. There are those who go so far 
 as to say that the use of any language other than 
 the English impairs the Americanism of the user. 
 
 Some of the languages at present used iu our 
 church services may be of negligible importance. 
 The Slovak, Magyar and Finnish for example, as 
 well as the Lettish, Esthonian and Lithuanian of the 
 Baltic Provinces, will never have more than a re- 
 stricted use in this city. The Scandinavians and 
 those whose vernacular is the Low German easily 
 substitute English for their mother tongue. Scandi- 
 navian is kindred to English, while Low German is 
 the very group of which, philologically speaking, 
 English is the most conspicuous member. Upon 
 these tongues it will not be necessary to do summary 
 execution. 
 
 It is a different matter, however, when we come to 
 High German, or, properly speaking, New High Ger- 
 man, the language of German literature since the 
 sixteenth century, of which Luther, through his ver- 
 sion of the Bible, may be called the creator. He at 
 least gave it universal currency. This is a language 
 which we could not lose if we would, and v/ould not 
 if we could. 
 
 Scholars are compelled to learn it because it is 
 the indispensable medium for scientific and philo- 
 sophical study. Formerly Latin was this medium, 
 today it is German. 
 
 Lovers of literature learn it because it is the lan- 
 guage of Goethe and Schiller, the particular stars of 
 a galaxy that for the modem world at least out- 
 shines the productions of the ancient classics. 
 
 Lutherans enshrine it in their inmost souls because 
 
 84 
 
THE PROBLEM OF LANGUAGE 
 
 it is the receptacle of treasures of meditation and 
 devotion with which their forms of worship have 
 been enriched for four hundred years. To ignore 
 Angelus Silesius, Paul Gerhardt, Albert Knapp, Phil- 
 ip Spitta and their glorious compeers, would be to 
 silence a choir that sang the praises of the Lord *'in 
 notes almost divine." 
 
 We need the literature in which the ideas of our 
 church have for centuries been expressed. Language 
 is the medium of ideas. The thirty denominations 
 that constitute the bulk of Protestantism in this 
 country derive the spirit of their church life for the 
 most part from non-Lutheran sources through the 
 medium of English literature. This is as it should 
 be. But when Lutherans no longer understand the 
 language of their fathers or the literature in which 
 the ideas of their confession have found their fullest 
 expression, they lose an indispensable condition of 
 intellectual and spiritual growth. They can never 
 understand as they should the spirit of the church 
 to which they belong. They are doomed sooner or 
 later to share the fate of the Lutherans of New York 
 of the eighteenth century. 
 
 "When we have forgotten our German we shall be 
 out of touch with the Lutherans who come to us 
 from the Fatherland. For the time being the World 
 War has put an end to German immigration, but 
 this will not last forever. Some time certainly im- 
 migration will be resumed, and as in former periods 
 will be an unfailing source of supply for the Luther- 
 an churches of New York. 
 
 In the nineteenth century the ** Americanized'* 
 Lutherans did not understand the Germans who 
 
 85 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 came over in such overwhelming numbers, and were 
 unprepared to shepherd them in Lutheran folds. The 
 work had to be done by immigrant pastors who, on 
 their part, did not understand the American life well 
 enough to accomplish the best results. For the sake 
 of the Lutherans who come to us from foreign lands 
 we cannot afford to lose touch with the historical 
 languages of their churches. 
 
 At the beginning of the nineteenth century the 
 use of German had sunk almost to zero. The min- 
 utes of the German Society had to be written in Eng- 
 lish because no one was sufficiently versed in Ger- 
 man to write them in this language. There was noth- 
 ing to interfere with the supremacy of English. Yet 
 the English Lutheran church was unable to ''propa- 
 gate the faith of the fathers in the language of the 
 children.** Down to the beginning of the twentieth 
 centurj^ the English churches were dependent for 
 their growth upon accessions from the German and 
 Scandinavian churches. They were unable to retain 
 even the families they had inherited from their 
 Dutch and German ancestors. We search in vain 
 for descendants of the New York Lutherans of the 
 eighteenth century in any of our churches. 
 
 Not until a new contribution of immigrants from 
 Lutheran lands had been made to America did our 
 church begin to rise to a position of influence. 
 
 When in the second quarter of the nineteenth cen- 
 tury the first self-sustaining English Lutheran 
 church was established, the Ockershausens and other 
 children of immigrants were the strong pillars of 
 its support. From that day to the present time not 
 a single English Lutheran church has been estab- 
 
THE PROBLEM OF LANGUAGE 
 
 lished and maintained in this city where the Schier- 
 ens, the Mollers and scores of others, immigrants or 
 the children of immigrants, were not the chief sup- 
 porters of the work. Without their effective aid the 
 English Lutherans of the nineteenth century would 
 have been swallowed up by ''the denominations that 
 are around us" as were their predecessors of the 
 eighteenth century. 
 
 Some of our Anglo-American neighbors are con- 
 cerned about our political welfare. They advise us 
 to drop the German in order that we may become 
 "Americanized." 
 
 Many of us are the children of Germans who tilled 
 the soil of America before there was a United States 
 of America. 
 
 The Germans of the Mohawk Valley won at Oris- 
 kany, according to Washington, the first battle of 
 importance in the American Revolution.* 
 
 The Germans of Pennsylvania, long a neutral col- 
 ony on account of its large English population, ob- 
 tained the right of suffrage in May, 1776, and turned 
 the scale in favor of liberty. Through their vote 
 Pennsylvania was brought by a narrow margin into 
 line with Virginia and Massachusetts which would 
 otherwise have remained separated and unable to 
 make effective resistance against the armies of King 
 George. 
 
 The Germans of Virginia followed their Lutheran 
 pastor, Peter Muhlenberg, and made memorable the 
 loyalty of American Lutherans. Steuben, the drill- 
 master of the Revolution, transformed the untrained 
 and helpless troops of Washington into an effective 
 
 87 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 force capable of meeting the seasoned soldiers of 
 Comwallis and Burgoyne. 
 
 Our German ancestors were peasants, unable to 
 write history, but they helped to make history. With- 
 out their timely aid there would not have been a 
 United States of America. Their children do not 
 need to be "Americanized." Nor have later immi- 
 grants from Germany and Scandinavia, at any pe- 
 riod of our history, shown less loyalty to American 
 ideals. 
 
 We may concede the hegemony of English in the 
 political and intellectual life of America, but in a 
 great country like America there is room for others 
 also. It is a narrow view of our civilization to make 
 ** American" synonymous with English. America is 
 not the dumping ground of the nations. It is a land 
 where the best ideals of all nations may be repro- 
 duced and find room for expansion and growth. 
 
 The German and Scandinavian churches of New 
 York are not ignorant of the importance of the Eng- 
 lish language in the maintenance of their church 
 work. (See table of Churches in the Appendix.) 
 With scarcely an exception they make all possible 
 use of English in their services. This they are com- 
 pelled to do in order to reach their children. In this 
 way, and by making generous contributions of their 
 members to the English churches, they are doing 
 their full share in the general work of church ex- 
 tension in the English language. 
 
 They send their sons into the ministry to an ex- 
 tent that has not been approached by our English 
 churches. (See Appendix under Sons of the Church.) 
 Nearly all of these are bi-lingual in their ministerial 
 
 88 
 
THE PROBLEM OF LANGUAGE 
 
 work and many of them serve exclusively English 
 churches. There is a proverb about killing the goose 
 that lays the golden egg, which we would do well to 
 bear in mind. 
 
 Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, founded by Dr. 
 Walther and the Germans of Missouri, numbers 344 
 students. Candidates for graduation must be able 
 to minister in at least two languages. In a polyglot 
 church such as ours this would seem to be a policy 
 worthy of imitation. 
 
 The fifteen languages in which we minister to 
 our people confer upon us an honorable distinction. 
 Each one represents an individuality which cannot 
 be ignored, some spiritual gift which is worth exer- 
 cising and preserving. By keeping in touch with 
 this many-sided life we enrich our own lives, obtain 
 broader conceptions of the church's mission, and fit 
 ourselves for more effective service in this most cos- 
 mopolitan city of the world. Instead of trying to 
 exterminate these languages, let us cultivate a clos- 
 er acquaintance with them and let us pray for that 
 Pentecostal spirit which will enable us to say **W9 
 do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful 
 works of God." 
 
 89 
 
The Problem of Membership 
 
 Three classes of members are recognized in our 
 churches: 1, Those who have been baptized. 2, 
 Those who have been confirmed — that is, those who 
 after the prescribed course of instruction and exam- 
 ination have been admitted to the communion. 3, 
 Communicants — that is, those who are in active fel- 
 lowship with the church in the use of the word and 
 the sacrament.* 
 
 There is a fourth class of which no note is taken 
 in our church records. It is the class of lapsed Luth- 
 erans — that is, of those who have been admitted to 
 full communion but who have slipped away and are 
 no longer in active connection with the church. 
 
 Of these we shall speak in a separate chapter. 
 
 It is sometimes charged that the Lutheran com- 
 munion does not hold clear views of the church. 
 On the one hand her confessions abound in defini- 
 tions of the church as a spiritual kingdom, as a fel- 
 lowship of believers. On the other hand her practice 
 frequently reminds our brother Protestants of the 
 Catholics, and they are disposed to look upon us as 
 Romanists, minorum gentium., ''Like a will-of-the- 
 
 *The temporal affairs of the congregation as a civic cor- 
 poration are regulated by the State and the qualifications 
 of a voting member are defined in the laws of the State. 
 This chapter deals only with the question of membership in 
 the church as a spiritual body. In general the State read- 
 ily acquiesces in the polity of the various churches so long 
 as it does not interfere with the civic rights of the indi- 
 vidual, 
 
 91 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 wisp," says Delitzsch, ''the idea of the church eludes 
 us. It seems impossible to find the safe middle 
 ground between a false externalism on the one hand 
 and a false internalism on the other hand." 
 
 The Lutheran position can only be understood 
 when we recall the situation that confronted the Re- 
 formers in the sixteenth century. They had first of 
 all to interpret the teachings of Scripture over 
 against Rome, and hence in their earlier confessions 
 they emphasized the points on which they differed 
 from the Pope. 
 
 According to Romish doctrine a man became a 
 member of the church, not by an interna virtus, but 
 solely through an external profession of faith and an 
 external use of the sacraments. The church is as vis- 
 ible and perceptible an organization as is ''the king- 
 dom of France or the republic of Venice." The 
 church is an institution rather than a communion. 
 
 For thirteen centuries, from Cyprian to Bellarmin, 
 this doctrine held almost undisputed sway. 
 
 The Reformers demonstrated the significance of 
 faith, and showed the untenableness of Rome's con- 
 ception of the church as a mere institution. Thom- 
 asius calls this a central epoch in the history of the 
 world. But at the same time the Reformers had to 
 take a stand against the hyperspiritual positions of 
 the fanatics, as well as the teachings of the Zwing- 
 lians who denied the efficacy of the means of grace. 
 The confessions, therefore, as well as the subsequent 
 writings of ]\Ielanchthon and the dogmaticians, and 
 the entire history and development of the Lutheran 
 churches must be read in the light of this two-fold 
 antagonism. 
 
 92 
 
THE PROBLEM OF MEMBERSHIP 
 
 The system which the Reformers controverted 
 must have had features acceptable to the natural 
 man or it would not have prevailed for so many 
 centuries. Hence it is not surprising when Roman- 
 ism creeps back into nominally Protestant churches. 
 It behooves us, therefore, to be on our guard and to 
 purge out the old leaven. And the opposite ten- 
 dency which undervalues the visible church, must 
 also be corrected by a Scriptural doctrine of the 
 ordinances. 
 
 The practice of our churches is a resultant mainly 
 of three forces : 
 
 ■ 1. Doctrine, defined in the Confessions, modified 
 by Melanchthon 's later writings and by the dogmati- 
 eians of the 17th century, considerably influenced 
 also by Spener and the Pietists, while not a little has 
 come to us from the Rationalistic period. 
 
 2. Tradition, from the civil and social arrange- 
 ments of the national churches from which we are 
 descended, inherited through generations of our pre- 
 decessors in this country. We follow in the old ruts, 
 and "the way we have always been doing" puts an 
 end to controversy. 
 
 3. Environment. Consciously or unconsciously 
 we are influenced by the practice of neighboring de- 
 nominations. 
 
 The object of this chapter is to ascertain the his- 
 toric principles of the Lutheran Church in regard to 
 church membership, to test their validity by Scrip- 
 tures and to apply them to present conditions. 
 
 The Church is primarily the communion of saints. 
 Thus in the Small Catechism : '*even as He (the Holy 
 Ghost) . . . sanctifies the whole Christian Church on 
 
 93 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 earth." In the Large Catechism the same thought, 
 that the Church is the product of the Holy G-host, is 
 expressed in ample terms. Rome's doctrine of the 
 Church, as essentially an external organism, was an- 
 swered in the 7th Article of the Augustana with the 
 statement that the Church is the ''congregation of 
 saints," and this Article was the object of special at- 
 tack in the Confutation. In the Apologia the Church 
 is the congregation of those who confess one Gospel, 
 have a knowledge of Christ and a Holy Spirit who 
 renews, sanctifies and governs their hearts (Mueller 
 153, 8). In the Smalcald Articles: ''Thank God, a 
 child of seven years knows what the Church is, 
 namely the holy believers and the lambs who hear 
 their Shepherd's voice." The Formula of Concord 
 has no special article on the Church, but touches the 
 question incidentally and confirms the statements of 
 the other symbols. (See Rohnert, Dogmatik, p. 505.) 
 These teachings are in harmony with New Testa- 
 ment doctrine. Jesus said: "Upon this rock will I 
 build my church," the congregation of God's chil- 
 dren, the spiritual house which in the years to come 
 **I will build." This Church was founded through 
 the outpouring of the Holy Ghost on Pentecost. 
 When the Epistles were written Ecclesia had become 
 the established term. In Acts 2, 42, we find that 
 Koinonia was one of the essential characteristics of 
 the Church. John uses the same term in his first 
 letter. This is the very truth repeated in the 7th 
 Article of the Augustana. Paul, in his letter to 
 Titus, refers to Christians as those who have believed 
 in God; Romans 8, "God's elect;" also in Colos- 
 sians 3, 1, "elect of God;" I. Peter 2, "holy nation, 
 
 94 
 
THE PROBLEM OF MEMBERSHIP 
 
 peculiar people;" I. Cor. 1, ''Sanctified in Christ 
 Jesus," etc., etc. They form a "spiritual house," I. 
 Peter, 2; ''God's building," I. Cor., 3; "body of 
 Christ" in process of edification, Eph. 4. This body 
 of Christ is an organic unity in which the Holy 
 Ghost dwells as in a temple, I. Cor., 3 ; and of which 
 Christ is the head, Eph. 1, 22. The Church is the 
 "bride of Christ," II. Cor., 11, 2; destined to be 
 "holy and without blemish," Eph., 5, 27. 
 
 The Romish doctrine of the Church began with 
 Cyprian in the third century. When the Puritans of 
 that day, the Montanists, Novatians and Donatists 
 unduly emphasized the ideal character of the 
 Church, there was justification for the answer of 
 Cyprian, emphasizing its empiric character, its actual 
 condition. When after thirteen centuries of abuse 
 of this position a Reformation occurred, it was to be 
 expected that the Reformers would first of all em- 
 phasize the ideal, the inner character of the Church. 
 
 But while this movement, w^hich Julius Stahl felic- 
 itously termed the Conservative Reformation, was 
 going on, there was also a radical Reformation 
 which repudiated the idea of a visible church. The 
 Romanists, in their confutation of the Augustana, 
 called attention to this view, and wrongfully 
 charged the Lutherans with holding it. In contro- 
 verting this position, the Romanists very properly 
 quoted the parable of the tares and the parable of 
 the net with all kinds of fishes. The Apologia re- 
 plied by showing that the 8th Article of the August- 
 ana had repudiated this position, and that bad men 
 and hypocrites were not excluded ab externa socie- 
 tate. 
 
 95 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 Thus the Romanists regard the Church as essen- 
 tially visible, the Reformed, as essentially invisible, 
 while Lutherans hold that she is both. The invisible 
 Church is contained within the visible just as the 
 soul is contained within the body. The Church is 
 not merely a congregation of believers, but also an 
 institution for the promotion of the Kingdom of 
 God. 
 
 In their controversy with Rome Lutherans held 
 that the Church did not exist merely in participa- 
 tion of external rites, but chiefly in the possession of 
 the inward life, the heavenly gifts. As yet the 
 kingdom of Christ is not revealed, and the visible 
 Church is a corpus mixtum. Thus the Apologia dis- 
 tinguishes clearly between the ecclesia proprie et 
 large dicta (church in the proper and church in the 
 wider sense of the term). 
 
 Nevertheless this Kingdom of Christ has a visible 
 existence. "We are not dreaming of a Platonic com- 
 monwealth," says the Apologia, "for it has external 
 marks, the preaching of the pure Gospel and the 
 administration of the sacraments." And this Church 
 is the "pillar and ground of the truth," for she is 
 built upon the true foundation, Christ, and upon 
 this foundation Christians are built up. 
 
 Subsequently, in his Loci, Melanchthon developed 
 still further the idea of the Church as an Institutum. 
 This may have been because of the fanatics, or it 
 may have been because of his entire disposition as a 
 teacher and pedagogue. Followed as he was in sup- 
 port of his views by the dogmaticians, the Lutheran 
 Church acquired that distinctive character which 
 
 96 
 
THE PROBLEM OF MEMBERSHIP 
 
 has marked her history as an educating and train- 
 ing force. This position is still further explained 
 from the fact that the Lutherans, unlike the Re- 
 formed, were placed in charge of nations and peo- 
 ples, and had to be responsible for their Christian 
 guidance and training. As a national church, her 
 relations to the people were different from those of 
 the Reformed, who, on the continent, existed mainly 
 in smaller communities and congregations where it 
 was comparatively easy to enforce church discipline. 
 
 In this relation the Church is not only the prod- 
 uct, but also the organ of the Holy Ghost. It is her 
 duty to nourish the life of its members (parturit et 
 alit), and to spread the blessings of the Church to 
 others. According to the Large Catechism, she is 
 the spiritual mother of the faithful. Her pedagogic 
 duty is pointed out. (See Rohnert, Dogmatik, pp. 
 508 and 487.) 
 
 This visible character of the Church is recognized 
 in the New Testament in the various commands and 
 promises given to her: the power of the keys, the 
 duty to confess before men, to serve one another in 
 love, of united intercession, of contending against 
 the kingdom of darkness. In the Epistles the pres- 
 ence of sinful men is everywhere recognized, never- 
 theless the members of the Church are termed "the 
 called" of Jesus Christ. 
 
 Lutheranism of the 16th century stood between 
 two opposite errors, Rome on the one hand with its 
 exaggerated ideas of the Church as an institution, 
 and Reform on the other hand with its one-sided no- 
 tions of the invisible church. The Lutheran Church 
 took the via media, declaring that the Church, pro- 
 
 97 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 prie, was spiritual, but that it was also an institu- 
 tion. The question for us is whether we Lutherans 
 of the twentieth century have remained on the via 
 media ov whether we have not slipped too far to the 
 right or to the left. 
 
 To find the answer one would naturally consult 
 our church formulas and constitutions. According 
 to Dr. Walther's "Pastorale," the candidate for ad- 
 mission to a " Missouri ' ' church must be a truly con- 
 verted and regenerated Christian. The General 
 Council requires that the candidate shall have been 
 admitted to the Lord's Supper and shall accept the 
 constitution. The Synod of New York requires that 
 candidates be confirmed, accept the Augsburg Con- 
 fession, lead a Christian life, obey the constitution 
 and any other regulations that may hereafter be 
 adopted. 
 
 From this it seems that "Missouri" is the only 
 body that emphasizes the interna virtus. The others 
 place the emphasis upon conformity with certain 
 outward forms and requirements. 
 
 But we cannot always judge from the printed con- 
 stitution. To bring the information up to date, and 
 to ascertain the actual usage of the churches, the 
 author obtained from forty pastors 'of this city an 
 account of their practice. Some of their replies will 
 be embodied in this chapter. 
 
 Theoretically we enter the church through bap- 
 tism. Practically, for most Lutherans, confirmation 
 is the door of admission. 
 
 This rite is a comparatively new measure among 
 us. Prior to the eighteenth century it had only a 
 limited use in the Lutheran Church, and it has at- 
 
 98 
 
THE PROBLEM OF MEMBERSHIP 
 
 tained an inordinately prominent place. Spener was 
 among the first to recognize its practical value, and 
 its beautiful ritual made a strong appeal to the pop- 
 ular imagination. It is one of the ancient ceremo- 
 nies to which we do not object if it is properly used. 
 
 Now tell us, you who make so much of confirma- 
 tion and so little of catechization, seeing that you 
 are content with six months of the latter, in adopt- 
 ing a rite which Spener and the Pietists introduced 
 into the church, have you also adopted the principles 
 which governed Spener and the Pietists in the prac- 
 tice of confirmation? Their object in catechization 
 and confirmation was conversion. ''A stranger vis- 
 ited my class one day," says Spener. ''The next 
 day he called to see me and expressed his great pleas- 
 ure with my instruction. 'But,' said he, 'this in- 
 struction is for the head. The question is how to 
 bring the head to the heart.' And these words he 
 repeated three times. I will not deny that they 
 made such an impression upon me that for the rest 
 of my days I shall not forget them." 
 
 We are not advocating extravagant ideas of con- 
 version, or requiring a religious experience from 
 children of fourteen years which in the nature of 
 the case they cannot have. But have we a right in 
 this crisis in the history of the child to overlook that 
 infinitely important experience which our dogmati- 
 cians termed regressus ad baptismum? Said Pro- 
 fessor Kaftan, in an address to a Ministers' Confer- 
 ence: "The word conversion is the appropriate 
 term for expressing the way in which a man be- 
 comes a Christian and a believer. Most Christians 
 can tell you something about how it happened that 
 
 99 
 
THE LUTHERANS OP NEW YORK 
 
 they sought a new aim and chose another path in 
 life. Even among those who have had a peaceful 
 and gradual development, there came a time when 
 they reached a conscious and decisive resolution to 
 belong no more to the world but to God. ^^Man wird 
 nicht von selhst ein Christ, man muss sick bekehren 
 um ein Christ zu werden." "We do not repudiate 
 the doctrine of baptismal regeneration as it is held 
 in the Lutheran Church. On this point we are in 
 accord with our Confessions. But before we adopt 
 without reservation the idea that baptized children 
 are regenerate, we must revise our practice in the 
 matter of baptizing infants. So long as we practice 
 the Winheltaufe and baptize indiscriminately the 
 children of people who give us no guarantee that 
 the children will be brought up in the Christian 
 faith, so long as the Church fails to recognize her 
 obligation to these baptized children and does not 
 take them under her nourishing care from the time 
 when they emerge from the family and enter into 
 the larger life of the street and the school, we have 
 no right to place such an emphasis upon baptismal 
 regeneration. It is to be feared that the Lutheran 
 doctrine of baptismal grace has in many minds been 
 supplanted by a mechanical, thaumaturgiel concep- 
 tion which differs from the Roman doctrine only in 
 being far more dangerous. Rome at least enforces 
 the claims of tthe Church recognized in baptism. We 
 baptize them and let them run. We corral a few 
 of them for a few months just before confirmation 
 and then let them run again. So does not Rome. 
 Dr. Cremer, of Greifswald, an able defender of 
 
 100 
 
THE PROBLEM OF MEMBERSHIP 
 
 the Lutheran faith, in his replj^ to Dr. Lepsius on the 
 
 subject of Baptismal Regeneration, says : 
 
 "It is sad indeed that in the use of the sacraments there 
 is generally more of superstition than of faith. This must 
 be openly confessed, for only then can conditions be im- 
 proved when faults are recognized and made known. . . 
 We may continue to baptize chiildren of Gewohnheits- 
 christen (formal Christians), but it is a question whether 
 we ought to continue to baptize the children of those 
 who have given up the faith and among whom there is 
 no guarantee of a Christian training. This means also 
 a reformation in our confirmation practice. Does con- 
 firmation mean a family party, or mark the time to 
 leave school, or has it something to do with baptism? 
 These are rocks of offense which must be cleared out 
 of the way if the Church is to be restored to health." 
 
 Among the questions proposed to the pastors were 
 the following: 
 
 1. Do you have a personal interview with each can- 
 didate prior to confirmation with the view of ascer- 
 taining his fitness for the act ? 
 
 2. Do you at that interview inquire as to the can- 
 didate's repentance, faith, conversion, new life? 
 
 3. Is the confirmation of the candidate dependent 
 upon the satisfactory result of this examination? 
 
 Among the answers were the following: ''Not in- 
 dividually." "No, except before the congregation." 
 "Not formally so." "For at least six months." 
 "Only with certain ones," etc., etc. 
 
 A goodly number of pastors speak to the candi- 
 dates "unter vier Augen" but they are the excep- 
 tions. The ordinary practice knows nothing of such 
 a course. The public examination is little more than 
 an exhibition. 
 
 In other words, we have strayed over to the Ro- 
 man side of the road. The difference between us 
 
 101 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 and the Roman priest being this: he will see them 
 again at the confessional, but those whom we con- 
 firm in this superficial way, many of them, we shall 
 never see again. Or, if perchance we should see 
 some of them, it will be at long range, the same as 
 when we first admitted them to confirmation. Im- 
 agine a doctor curing his patients in this way, get- 
 ting them together in a room and prescribing for 
 their diseases from what he sees of them in a crowd. 
 The care of souls cannot be performed in bulk, it 
 is the care of a soul. 
 
 Besides what a privilege the pastor loses, the op- 
 portunity of a lifetime, not only to explain to an in- 
 quiring heart the mysteries of our faith in the light 
 of his personal need, but also to put himself in such 
 a relation to the individual that he may become a 
 beloved Beichvater. But alas, we have to a great 
 extent lost the confessional. Instead of it we have 
 a hybrid combination of Lutheran doctrine and Re- 
 formed practice, and we distribute our absolution 
 ore roiundo over mixed congregations on Sunday 
 mornings and at the Preparatory Service. But the 
 real confession we seldom hear and a valid absolu- 
 tion therefore we cannot pronounce. The Keys have 
 indeed been committed to us, but we seem to have 
 lost them, for the door of the sheepfold hangs very 
 loose in our churches and the sheep run in and out 
 pretty much as they please. 
 
 But while some of our churches are thus leaning 
 toward Rome, there is need of caution also against 
 the opposite error. A false and exaggerated spirit- 
 uality will lead to standards of holiness which are 
 not warranted by the New Testament. Of«these LU' 
 
 103 
 
THE PROBLEM OF MEMBERSHIP 
 
 ther himself somewhere said, ''May the God of mer- 
 cy preserve me from belonging to a congregation 
 of holy people. I desire to belong to a church of 
 poor sinners who constantly need forgiveness and 
 the help of a good physician."* 
 
 Rome's position was a protest against Montanism. 
 Without question there is a great truth in Cyprian's 
 position as developed by Rome, and the Reformers, 
 particularly Melanchthon, guarded it. How often do 
 we hear in our day the declaration: ''I do not need 
 to go to church. I can be just as good a Christian 
 without." This position Lutheranism rebukes by 
 making preaching and the sacraments the pillars on 
 w-hich the church rests. Thus is conserved what was 
 best in the institutional theory of the ancient 
 church, so that in spite of her many defects both as 
 a national church and in her transplanted condition, 
 the Lutheran church will remain an important fac- 
 tor in the development of Protestant Christianity. 
 
 When our Reformed neighbors charge us with 
 Romanism, it is either because they do not under- 
 stand our theory and have overlooked the historical 
 development, or because they judge of us by the 
 Romish practice of our own ministers who have 
 
 ♦Methods of receiving candidates into active membership 
 vary Some synods, as we have seen, make no distinction 
 whatever m their statistical reports between occasional 
 communicants and actual members of the congregation 
 Admission to membership should take place by vote of the 
 congregation or at least of the Church Council. There 
 should likewise be some rite of initiation. In the case of 
 adults who come from other congregations it need not 
 and should not be a confirmation service, but it should at 
 least be a public introduction of the candidate into the 
 fellowship of the congregation with which he desires to 
 become identified. (Matthew 10, 32). 
 
 J03 
 
THE LUTHERANS OP NEW YORK 
 
 thoughtlessly slipped over too far toward the insti- 
 tutional theory. In the present condition of reli- 
 gious flux we have a mission not only in the field of 
 doctrine, but also in practical theology, on the ques- 
 tion of the Church. For w^e are still standing be- 
 tween two antagonists. Catholics on the one hand 
 attract the masses by the definiteness of their exter- 
 nal organization. Over against them we emphasize 
 the essentially spiritual nature of the Church. There 
 are Protestants on the other hand who, while placing 
 the emphasis on the inner life, ignore the importance 
 of the ordinances. They maintain public worship, it 
 is true, but do so in combination with secular enter- 
 tainment or by appealing to the intellectual or es- 
 thetic needs of the community. Others, more spirit- 
 ually minded, base their hopes on the evangelist and 
 the revival. But when the evangelist has taken his 
 leave, and the people have to listen to the same voice 
 they have heard so long before, having been thor- 
 oughly indoctrinated wnith the idea that it is not the 
 Church that makes a man a Christian, that sacra- 
 ments and ordinances are merely human devices, is 
 it any wonder that many of them ignore the church 
 altogether? 
 
 It is here that the Lutheran Church, with her cath- 
 olic spirit and her evangelical doctrine, has a mes- 
 sage for our times. Her doctrine of baptism, of 
 Christian instruction as its corrollary, of repentance, 
 faith, and the new life, of the Lord's Supper, of 
 church attendance, of the sanctification of the Lord's 
 Day, and a practical application of these doctrines 
 to the life in the care of souls, establishes a standard 
 of membership that ought to make our churches 
 sources of spiritual power. 
 
 104 
 
The Problem of Religious Education 
 
 Historically and doctrinally the Lutheran Church 
 is committed to week-day instruction in religion. 
 Historically, because in establishing the public school 
 her chief purpose was to provide instruction in re- 
 ligion; doctrinally, because from her point of view 
 life is a unit and cannot be divided into secular and 
 spiritual compartments. 
 
 American Christians are confronted with two ap- 
 parently contradictory propositions. One is that 
 there can be no true education without religion. The 
 other is that we must have a public school, open to 
 all children without regard to creed. 
 
 When our country was young, and Protestantism 
 was the prevailing type of religion, these two ideas 
 dwelt peacefully together. The founders of the Re- 
 public had no theory of education from which re- 
 ligion was divorced. But the influx of millions of 
 people of other faiths compels us to revise our meth- 
 ods and to test them by our principles, the principles 
 of a free Church within a free State. Roman Cath- 
 olics and Jews object to our traditions and charge 
 us with inconsistency. If temporarily we withstand 
 their objections, we feel that a great victory has 
 been won for religion when a psalm is read and the 
 Lord's Prayer said at the opening of the daily ses- 
 sion of school. We still have *' religion" in the pub- 
 lic school, 
 
 105 
 
THE LUTHERANS OP NEW YORK 
 
 But the problem remains. On the one hand, those 
 who doubt the propriety of introducing any reli- 
 gious instruction, however attenuated, into the pub- 
 lic school, are not satisfied with the compromise. 
 There are judicial decisions which place even the 
 reading of the Bible under the head of sectarian in- 
 struction. 
 
 On the other hand, those who believe that religion 
 has a supreme place in the education of a child, and 
 that provision should therefore be made for it in its 
 school life, realize the inadequacy of the present 
 methods. 
 
 As Herbert Spencer says: "To prepare us for 
 complete living is the function which education has 
 to discharge." Character rather than acquirement 
 is the chief aim of education. Hence we cannot ig- 
 nore the place of religion in education without doing 
 violence to the ultimate purpose of education. 
 
 The importance of the question is admitted on all 
 sides. But it remains a complex and difficult prob- 
 lem. Thus far, with all our talent for practical meas- 
 ures, we have not succeeded in reaching a solution. 
 
 In New York, in common with other churches, we 
 have the Sunday School. We do not undervalue its 
 influence and cannot dispense with its aid. But does 
 the Sunday School meet the requirement of an ade- 
 quate system of religious instruction? It is an insti- 
 tution that has endeared itself to the hearts of mil- 
 lions.. Originally intended for the waifs of an Eng- 
 lish manufacturing town, it has become among Eng- 
 lish-speaking people an important agency of religion. 
 Apart from the instruction which it gives, we could 
 not dispense with it as a field for the cultivation of 
 
 106 
 
THE PROBLEM OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 
 
 lay activity, and a practical demonstration of the 
 priesthood of all believers. Nevertheless its best 
 friends concede its limitations. From a pedagogical 
 standpoint, no one thinks of comparing it with the 
 secular school. With but half an hour a week for 
 instruction, even the best of teachers could not ex- 
 pect important results. Its chief value lies in the 
 personal influence of the teacher. But instruction in 
 religion involves more than this. 
 
 Nor does the Sunday School reach all the children. 
 Attendance is voluntary, and hence there is no guar- 
 antee that all the children of school age will obtain 
 any instruction, to say nothing of graded and sys- 
 tematic instruction, taking account of the entire 
 school life, and holding in mind the ultimate object 
 of instruction, the preparation of children for full 
 membership in the church. But this is one of the 
 first duties of the churches, to look after all their 
 children with this end in view. 
 
 As a supplement and an aid the Sunday School has 
 untold possibilities of usefulness. But all its merits 
 and advantages cannot close our eyes to the fact 
 that it does not and cannot meet the chief require- 
 ment of the Christian school, the systematic prep- 
 aration of all the children for the duties of church 
 membership. In this work the church cannot shirk 
 her responsibility. Her very existence depends 
 upon it. 
 
 Recognizing this obligation some of our churches 
 maintain the Parochial School. Thirty churches out 
 of one hundred and fifty are making a heroic effort 
 to be loyal to their ideals. The total number of pu- 
 pils is 1,612. In other words, out of 42,106 children 
 
 107 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 in attendance at Sunday School only 4 per cent, get 
 instruction in religion through the Parochial School. 
 So far as numbers show it would seem to be a fail- 
 ure. But one cannot always judge from the out- 
 ward appearance. Eight of these parochial-school 
 churches report fifty of their sons in the ministry.* 
 
 In view of such a result w^ho would dare to say 
 anything in disparagement of the Parochial School? 
 Perhaps its friends may some time see their way 
 clear to secure greater efficiency by establishing 
 three or four schools in place of the thirty, and thus 
 relieve the individual congregations of a serious tax 
 upon their resources. 
 
 Some of our churches have Saturday schools and 
 classes in religion on other week days. The total 
 number of pupils reported in these classes, including 
 the members of confirmation classes, is 5,711. Add 
 to these the 1,612 pupils of the parochial schools, 
 some of whom have already been counted in the con- 
 firmation classes, and we have at most 7,323 chil- 
 dren obtaining instruction in religion on week days, 
 17 per cent, of the number of those in attendance at 
 Sunday School. 
 
 So far as may be learned therefore from such sta- 
 tistics as are available, it follows that 83 per cent, 
 of our children receive no public instruction in re- 
 ligion except such as is given in the Sunday School 
 and in the confirmation class. 
 
 Our churches do not take kindly to the so-called 
 evangelistic methods of reaching unchurched mass- 
 
 •Some of the pastors failed to send me reports on this 
 point, but I have been credibly informed that within twelve 
 years, ten of these churches sent sixty of their sons Into 
 the ministry. 
 
 108 
 
THE PROBLEM OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 
 
 es, claiming that our methods, in particular the cate- 
 chization of the young-, are more effective. In view 
 of the figures presented above, it is open to question 
 whether our churches practice catechization in the 
 historical sense of the word. It is a question whe- 
 ther our method of imparting instruction in the cate- 
 chism for a few months preliminary to confirmation 
 does justice to the spirit and principles of the Luth- 
 eran Church? Many of our pastors sigh under the 
 yoke of a custom which promises so much and yields 
 so little. 
 
 To postpone the catechization of more than 80 per 
 cent, of the children until they are twelve or thir- 
 teen years of age, and to complete the course of prep- 
 aration for communicant membership within six 
 months, contributes but little to the upbuilding of 
 strong and healthy Lutheran churches. An exam- 
 ination of our church rolls shows that such a system 
 is a large contributor to the class of lapsed Luth- 
 erans. We get the children too late and we lose 
 them too early. 
 
 This is *'an hard saying" and may offend many. 
 But among all the problems we are considering 
 there is none to equal it in importance. Can we find 
 a solution? 
 
 Wherever the churches are prepared to utilize the 
 time in giving adequate instruction in religion, the 
 curriculum of the public school should be modified 
 to meet this need. Competent authorities see no ob- 
 jection to this, and there is a very large movement 
 which seeks to further this idea.* 
 
 •At the meeting- of the Inter-Church Conference In Car- 
 negie KaU, New York, in November, 1905, at which twenty- 
 nine Protestant Churches of America were represented, the 
 
 109 
 
THE LUTHERANS OP NEW YORK 
 
 An interdenominational committee, consisting of 
 Evangelical Protestants only, was organized in 1914 
 for the purposing of securing week-day instruction 
 in religion for the children of New York. A similar 
 committee consisting of representatives of all 
 churches, Protestant, Catholic and Jewish, was or- 
 ganized in 1915 which is giving effective study to 
 the same question. The Lutheran Minister's Asso- 
 ciation is represented on both these committees. 
 
 The Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in 
 America, representing thirty denominations and a 
 communicant membership of eighteen millions, 
 through its Commission on Christian Education is 
 
 author presented a paper on Week-day Religious Instruc- 
 tion. Its main proposition was favorably received, and the 
 foUowing resolution was adopted by the Conference: 
 
 "Resolved, that in the need of more systematic education 
 in religion, we recommend for the favorable consideration 
 of the Public School authorities of the country the pro- 
 posal to allow the children to absent themselves without 
 detriment from the public schools on Wednesday or on 
 some other afternoon of the school week for the purpose 
 of attending religious instruction in their own churches: 
 and we urge upon the churches the advisability of avail- 
 ing themselves of the opportunity so granted to give such 
 instruction in addition to that given on Sunday. 
 
 The further consideration of the subject was referred 
 to the Executive Committee. By direction of this Com- 
 mittee a report on Week-day Instruction In Religion was 
 presented at the First Meeting of the Federal Council of 
 the Churches of Christ in America, held in Philadelphia in 
 1908. After an earnest discussion, resolutions were adopt- 
 ed indicating the importance which the representatives 
 of the churches of America attached to the general ques- 
 
 At the Second Meeting of the Federal Council, held In 
 Chicago in December, 1912, the Special Committee of the 
 Federal Council presented a report recognizing the diffi- 
 culties confronting an adequate solution of the question 
 and providing for a more thorough investigation and dls- 
 cussion of the entire subject." 
 In his report for 1909 (Vol. I, page 5), the United States 
 
 Commissioner of Education, Dr. Elmer Ellsworth Brown. 
 
 refers to this subject in the following words: 
 
 "Those who would maintain that the moral life has other 
 
 roofings than that in religion, would, for the most part, 
 
 admit that it is deeply rooted in religion, and that for many 
 
 110 
 
THE PROBLEM OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 
 
 making a large contribution to the study of the 
 problem. 
 
 The Protestant Episcopal Church in its General 
 Convention and the Methodist Episcopal Church in 
 its General Conference have made provision through 
 appropriate committees for the study and promotion 
 of the subject of week-day instruction in religion. 
 
 The Jewish Community (Kehillah) is doing work 
 far exceeding anything that Christians have done in 
 the way of religious education. It has established 
 181 schools of religion, for children in attendance at 
 the public schools, in which 40,000 children are en- 
 rolled. In other forms instruction in religion is 
 given to 25,000 children. Thus out of 275,000 Jew- 
 ish children in the public schools 23.5 per cent, re- 
 ceive week-day instruction in religion. Energetic 
 efforts are made to reach the remaining 210,000. The 
 pupils have from one to four periods each week, af- 
 ter school hours, each period lasting from one to two 
 hours. The total sum annually expended by the 
 
 of our people its strongest motives are to be found in their 
 religious convictions; that many, in fact, would regard It 
 as insufficiently grounded and nourished without such re- 
 ligious convictions. The teaching of religious systems is no 
 longer under serious consideration as far as our public 
 schools are concerned. Historical and social influences have 
 drawn a definite line in this country between the public 
 schools and the churches, leaving the rights and responsi- 
 bilities of religious instruction to the latter. It would be 
 futile, even if it were desirable, to attempt to revise this 
 decision of the American people. There has been, however, 
 within the past two or three years, a widespread discus- 
 .•^ion of the proposal that arrangements be made between 
 the educational authorities and ecclesiastical organizations, 
 under which pupils should be excused from the schools for 
 one half-day in the week — Wednesday afternoon has been 
 suggested — in order that they may in that time receive 
 religious and moral instruction in their several churches 
 This proposal has been set forth in detail in a volume en- 
 titled "Religious Education and the Public School," and 
 has been under consideration by a representative committee 
 during the past two or three years." 
 
 Ill 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 Jews for week-day instruction in religion is approxi- 
 mately $1,400,000. 
 
 From "The Jewish Communal Register of New 
 York City, 1917-1918, we quote as follows: 
 
 "In the typical week day school, the number of hours 
 of instruction given to each child varies from QVz hours 
 in the lowest grade to 9 V2 hours in the seventh or high- 
 est grade The total teaching staff consists of 615 
 
 teachers, of whom about 23 per cent, are women. The 
 salary of teachers ranges from $300 to $1,200 per year. 
 The average salary is $780 annually for 22 hours' work 
 during the week." 
 
 The Jews ask for no concession of time from the 
 public school. They seem to have physical and in- 
 tellectual vigor enabling them to utilize, for the 
 study of religion, hours which Christian children re- 
 quire for rest and recreation. 
 
 Lutherans hold that it is the function of the 
 church to provide instruction in religion for its chil- 
 dren. "What are the Lutherans of New York doing 
 to maintain this thesis? Over 40,000 children of en- 
 rolled Lutheran families obtain no instruction in re- 
 ligion except that which is given in the Sunday 
 School and in the belated and abbreviated hours of 
 catechetical instruction. 
 
 A movement is now going on in this city and 
 throughout the United States aiming at a restoration 
 of religious education to the functions of the church. 
 For the sake of our children ought we not heartily to 
 cooperate with a movement which so truly repre- 
 bents the principles for which we stand? It will 
 require a considerable addition to the teaching force 
 of our churches. It will mean an expensive recon- 
 struction of our schoolrooms. It will cost money. 
 But it will be worth while. 
 
 112 
 
The Problem of Lapsed Lutherans 
 
 There are four hundred thousand lapsed Luther- 
 ans in New York, nearly three times as many as en- 
 rolled members of the churches. 
 
 A lapsed Lutheran is one who was once a mem- 
 ber, but for some reason has slipped the cable that 
 connected him with the church. He still claims to 
 be a Lutheran but he is not enrolled as a member of 
 a particular congregation. 
 
 Most lapsed Lutherans are of foreign origin. From 
 figures compiled by Dr. Laidlaw (see "Federation," 
 Vol. 6, No. 4), we obtain the number of Protestants 
 of foreign origin, enumerated according to the 
 country of birth of parents, one parent or both. The 
 number of Lutherans we obtain by subtracting from 
 the "Protestants" the estimated number of non- 
 Lutherans. Thus : 
 
 Protestants Lutherans 
 
 Norway 33,344 — 10% = 30,010 
 
 Sweden 56,766 — 10% = 51,090 
 
 Denmark 11,996 — 10% = 10,797 
 
 Finland 10,304 — 10%= 9,274 
 
 Germany 486,252 — 20% =389,002 
 
 Austria-Hungary .. 27,680 — 80% = 5,535 
 Russia* 15,000 — 20% = 12,000 
 
 507,708 
 
 *Many of the Lutherans who have come to us of late 
 113 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 That is, the estimated number of Lutherans of for- 
 eign origin, counting only the chief countries from 
 which they emigrate to America, is 507,708. 
 
 But we also have Lutherans here who are not of 
 foreign origin. Lutherans have lived in New York 
 from the beginning of its history. Its first houses 
 were built by Heinrich Christiansen, who certainly 
 had a Lutheran name. The Lutherans of the seven- 
 teenth and eighteenth centuries, it is true, left no 
 descendants to be enrolled in our church books. 
 These are to be found in goodly numbers in the Prot- 
 estant Episcopal and other churches where they oc- 
 cupy the seats of the mighty. It is too late to get 
 them back. 
 
 But in the nineteenth century we collected new 
 congregations. There are many Lutherans whose 
 grandparents at least were born in New York. Be- 
 sides, there has been a large influx from the Hudson 
 and Mohawk valleys, from Pennsylvania, Ohio, the 
 South and the West. A moderate estimate of these 
 immigrants from the country and of those who un- 
 der the grandfather clause claim to be unhyphenated 
 Americans, members or non-members of our church- 
 es, is 40,000. 
 
 Add to these the Lutherans of foreign origin and 
 we have in round numbers a Lutheran population of 
 more than 547,000 souls. 
 
 Turning now to the statistical tables in the Ap- 
 pendix we find that the number of souls reported in 
 
 years from Russia, Austro-Hungary and other countries of 
 South Eastern Europe, are the descendants of German Luth- 
 erans who in the eighteenth century accepted the invitation 
 of Katharine the Second and Marie Theresia to settle In 
 their dominions. Others are members of various races from 
 the Baltic Provinces. 
 
 114 
 
THE PROBLEM OF LAPSED LUTHERANS 
 
 our churches is 140,957. Subtract these from the 
 total Lutheran population and we have a deficit of 
 over 400,000 souls, lapsed Lutherans, the subject of 
 the present chapter. Quod erat demonstrandum. 
 "While this is a large number, it is a moderate esti- 
 mate. An addition of 20 per cent, would not be 
 excessive. 
 
 How shall we account for this deficit? 
 
 Of the Americans a large number are the children 
 of our New York churches, the product of our super- 
 ficial catechetical system. No study of the subject 
 io complete that does not take account of this seri- 
 ous defect. No cure will be effective until we have 
 learned to take better care of our children. 
 
 Native Americans from the country, members of 
 Lutheran churches in their former homes, have no 
 excuse if they do not find a Lutheran church when 
 they come to New York. In years gone by English 
 churches were scarce, but now they are to be found 
 in every part of the city. In part at least, the home 
 pastors are responsible. When their people remove 
 to New York they ought to be supplied with letters, 
 and the New York pastors should be notified. In fifty 
 years I have not received twenty-five letters from 
 my country brethren asking me to look after their 
 wandering sheep. 
 
 For the foreign Lutherans who have failed to com- 
 nect with the church, three reasons may be given : 
 
 1. Ignorance. Not ignorance in general, but ig- 
 norance in regard to church conditions in America. 
 They come from National churches where their re- 
 lation to the church does not require much personal 
 initiative. They belong to the church by virtue of 
 
 115 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 their baptism and confirmation. Their contributions 
 to its maintenance are included in the general tax 
 levy. 
 
 Arrived in New York where Church and State are 
 separate, a long time may pass before any one cares 
 for the soul of the immigrant. Our pastors are busy 
 with their routine work and seldom look after the 
 new comers, unless the new comers look after them. 
 The latter soon become reconciled to a situation 
 which accords with the inclinations of the natural 
 man. Ignorance of American church conditions ac- 
 counts for the slipping away of many of our foreign 
 brethren from the fellowship of the church. 
 
 2. Indifference. Many foreigners who come here 
 are merely indifferent to the claims of religion. 
 Others are distinctly hostile toward the church. Most 
 of the Socialistic movements of continental Europe, 
 because of the close association of Church and State, 
 fail to discriminate between their respective ideas. 
 Thy condemn the former for the sins of the latter. 
 
 3. Infidelity. A materialistic philosophy has un- 
 dermined the Christian conception of life and the 
 world, and multitudes of those who were nominally 
 connected with the church have long since repudi- 
 ated the teachings of Christianity. 
 
 It is a tremendous problem that confronts us, the 
 evangelization of four hundred thousand Lutherans. 
 If for no other reason, because of its magnitude and 
 because of its appeal to our denominational respon- 
 sibility, it is a problem worth solving. But it is a 
 challenge to our Christianity and it should stimulate 
 »s to an intense study of its possible solution. 
 
 Ministers can contribute much toward its solution. 
 
 116 
 
THE PROBLEM OF LAPSED LUTHERANS 
 
 It is true our hands are full and more than full with 
 the ordinary care of our flocks. But our office con- 
 stantly brings us into association with this large 
 outer fringe of our congregations at times when 
 their hearts are responsive to anything that we may 
 have to say. We meet them at weddings and at fu- 
 nerals. "We baptize their children and we bury their 
 dead. Once in a while some of them even come to 
 church. In spite of all their w^anderings and intel- 
 lectual idiosyncrasies they still claim to be Chris- 
 tians. And whatever their own attitude toward 
 Christianity may be, there are few who do not desire 
 CO have their children brought up in the Christian 
 faith. We have before us an open door. 
 
 The churches can do more than they are doing 
 now to win these lapsed Lutherans. Some people 
 are kept out of church through no fault of their own. 
 For example, the rented pew system, still in vogue 
 in some congregations, is an effective means of bar- 
 ring out visitors. Few care to force themselves into 
 the precincts of a private club even if it bears the 
 name of a church. 
 
 A pecuniary method of effecting friendly relations 
 is not without its merits. In this city of frequent 
 removals there are many families who have lost all 
 connection with the congregation to which they 
 claim to belong. An opportunity to contribute to 
 the church of their new neighborhood might be for 
 them a secondary means of grace. They become as 
 it were proselytes of the gate. Having taken the 
 first step, many may again enter into full communion 
 with the church. 
 
 A Lutheran church, however, does not forget the 
 
 117 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 warning of the prophet: **They have healed the 
 hurt of my daughter slightly." The evangelization 
 of this great army of lapsed Lutherans is not to be 
 accomplished by such a simple expedient as taking 
 up a collection. What most of them need is a return 
 to the faith. Somebody must guide them. 
 
 For this no societies or new ecclesiastical machin- 
 ery will be required. The force to do this work is 
 already enlisted in the communicant membership of 
 our one hundred and fifty organized congregations. 
 We have approximately 60,000 communicants. These 
 are our under-shepherds whose business it is to aid 
 the pastor in searching for *'the lost sheep of the 
 house of Israel.'* Shall we not have a concerted ef- 
 fort on the part of all the churches? 
 
 We may certainly win back again into our com- 
 munion many of whom the Good Shepherd was 
 speaking when He said: "them also I must bring 
 and they shall hear my voice, and they shall become 
 one flock, one shepherd." 
 
 To accomplish such a task, however, an orderly 
 system must be adopted. 
 
 When our Lord fed the five thousand, He first 
 commanded them to sit down by companies. "And 
 they sat down in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties. ' ' 
 These 400,000 souls may first of all be grouped in 
 families. Let us say 90,000 families. These are scat- 
 tered all over the greater city, most of them in close 
 proximity to some one of our 150 churches. To each 
 church may be given an average assignment of 600 
 families. 
 
 The average number of communicants in each of 
 our churches is nearly 400. Some churches have 
 
 118 
 
THE PROBLEM OF LAPSED LUTHERANS 
 
 less, others more. To an average company of 400 
 communicants is committed the task of evangelizing 
 600 families, not aliens or strangers, but members 
 of our own household of faith, people who in many 
 cases will heartily welcome the invitation. Some of 
 these 400 potential evangelists will beg to be ex- 
 cused. Let us make a selective draft of 300 to do 
 the work. The task required of each member of this 
 army is to visit two families. 
 
 Whatever else may be said of such a computation 
 it certainly does not present an insuperable task. It 
 can be done in one year, in one month, in one week, 
 in one day. 
 
 Without presuming to insist upon a particular 
 method of solving this problem, is it not incumbent 
 upon the Lutheran churches of New York to face it 
 with the determination to accomplish an extraordi- 
 nary work if need be in an extraordinary manner? 
 *'The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the 
 violent take it by force." 
 
 Seventy j^ears ago a great company of Christian 
 men met in the old Luther town of Wittenberg to 
 consider the needs of the Fatherland. It was the 
 year of the Revolution. It w^s a time of political 
 confusion and of desperate spiritual need. It was 
 then that Wichern, in an address of impassioned elo- 
 quence, pointed the way toward the mobilization of 
 all Christians in a campaign of spiritual service. 
 
 He was directed to prepare the program. It ap- 
 peared in 1849 under the title ''Die Innere Mission." 
 
 It was a clarion call to personal service and it met 
 with an immediate and remarkable response. The 
 
 119 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 movement marked an epoch in the history of the 
 church. 
 
 Because the Inner Mission lends itself in a pe- 
 culiar way to works of charity it is often regarded 
 as synonymous with the care of the helpless and 
 afflicted. In this use of the term we lose sight 
 of the larger meaning and scope of the work which 
 has made it one of the great religious forces of the 
 nineteenth century. It should therefore be more ac- 
 curately described as that movement of the nine- 
 teenth century which, recognizing the alienation of 
 multitudes within the church from the Christian 
 faith and life, appeals to all disciples of Christ by 
 all means to carry the Gospel to men of all classes 
 who have strayed away and to gather them into the 
 communion and confession of the church. It is a 
 mission within the church and hence bears the name 
 of Inner Mission. 
 
 Such a call comes to us at a time when we are con- 
 fronted with a problem which almost staggers the 
 imagination and when we are offered an opportunity 
 such as no other Protestant church enjoys. 
 
 120 
 
The Problem of Statistics 
 
 The word statistics, according to the Century Dic- 
 tionary, refers not merely to a collection of num- 
 bers, but it comprehends also "all those topics of 
 inquiry which interest the statesman." The dignity 
 thus given to the subject is enhanced by a secondary 
 definition which calls it "the science of human so- 
 ciety, so far as deduced from enumerations." 
 
 No branch of human activity can be studied in 
 our day without the use of statistics. Statesmen 
 and sociologists make a careful study of figures be- 
 fore they attempt to formulate laws or policies. 
 
 For church statistics we are chiefly dependent 
 upon the tables of the Synodical Minutes. The orig- 
 inal source of our information is the pastor's report 
 of his particular congregation. Unfortunately the 
 value of these tables is greatly impaired by the ab- 
 sence of a common standard of membership. 
 
 The New York Ministerium has no column for 
 ** communicant" members. There is a column for 
 ** contributing" members, but these do not necessar- 
 ily mean communicants. Among the records of Min- 
 isterial Acts, such as marriages and funerals, there 
 is also a column for "Kommuniziert." But even if 
 the Holy Communion were to be classed among Min- 
 isterial Acts, it sometimes happens that others be- 
 sides members partake of the communion. The term 
 "Kommuniziert" therefore does not convey definite 
 
 121 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 information on the subject of communicant member- 
 ship. For example, a congregation with 160 ** con- 
 tributing members" reports 770 "Kommuniziert." 
 It is hardly conceivable that out of 770 communicant 
 members only 160 are contributing members and 
 that 610 communicants are non-contributors. Other- 
 wise there would seem to be room for improvement 
 in another direction besides statistics. 
 
 The New York Ministerium also has no column 
 for ** souls," that is, for all baptized persons, includ- 
 ing children, connected with the congregation. There 
 are also many blanks, and many figures that look like 
 *' round numbers." For thirty years I have tried in 
 vain to comprehend its statistics. Hinc illae lacrymae. 
 
 The Missouri Synod has three membership rubrics : 
 souls, communicant members, voting members. When 
 however, a congregation of 900 communicants re- 
 ports only 80 voting members, one wonders whether 
 some of the 820 non-voters ought not be admitted to 
 the right of suffrage. The congregational system 
 favors democracy. It should be remembered also 
 that the laws of the State define the right to vote at 
 a church election. 
 
 The Synod of New York has three membership 
 rubrics : Communicants, Confirmed, Baptized. The 
 first includes all members who actually commune 
 within a year. The second adds to the communi- 
 cants all others who are entitled to commune even 
 if they neglect the privilege. The third adds to the 
 preceding class baptized children and all other bap- 
 tized persons in any way related to the congrega- 
 tion, provided they have not been formally excom- 
 municated. 
 
 122 
 
THE PROBLEM OF STATISTICS 
 
 The Swedish Angustana Sjmod has three rubrics : 
 Communicants, Children, Total. ''Communicants" 
 may or may not be enrolled members of the congre- 
 gation. This classification therefore is neither com- 
 prehensive nor exhaustive and may account in part 
 for the discrepancy between the number of Lutheran 
 Swedes in New York and the number enrolled in 
 the Swedish Lutheran Churches. 
 
 None of the sjmodical reports take note of "fam- 
 ilies." Pastors seldom speak of their membership in 
 terms of families. In the book of Jeremiah (31, 1) 
 we are told: ''At the same time, saith the Lord, will 
 I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they 
 shall be my people." The captions of the five parts 
 of Luther's Small Catechism proceed upon the as- 
 sumption of the family as a unit. It is true we are 
 living in an age of disrupted families, but it would 
 seem that some recognition of the family should be 
 made in the statistical tables of the Christian Church, 
 especially when in the families with which we have 
 to do, most of the individuals are baptized members 
 of the church and have not been formally excom- 
 municated. Until, therefore, we agree upon a com- 
 mon standard, our figures will be the despair of the 
 statisticians. A reformation must come. Without it 
 we shall not be able to formulate needed policies of 
 church extension. 
 
 In view of the complicated character of our mem- 
 bership it will not be an easy task to reconstruct our 
 statistical methods. But it is evident that our mis- 
 sionary and evangelistic work will be greatly fur- 
 thered when we have exact information in regard to 
 our parochial material. Our figures should include 
 
 123 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 every soul, man, woman and child, in any way re- 
 lated to our congregations, classified in such a way 
 as to show clearly in what relation they stand to 
 the church. A church that does not count its mem- 
 bers as carefully as a bank counts its dollars is in 
 danger of bankruptcy. 
 
 Church bookkeeping ought to be taught in the 
 Theological Seminary. But if the pastor himself is 
 not a good bookkeeper, almost every congregation 
 has young men or young women who are experts in 
 this art, who could render good service to the church 
 by keeping its membership rolls. 
 
 Complete records are especially necessary in our 
 great city with its constant removals and changes of 
 population. The individual is like the proverbial 
 needle in the haystack, unless we adopt a method of 
 accounting not only for each family but for each 
 individual down to the latest-bom child.* 
 
 When important records, such as synodical min- 
 utes, are printed, several copies at least should be 
 printed on durable paper and deposited in public 
 libraries where they may be consulted by the his- 
 torian. Ordinary paper is perishable. Within a few 
 years it will crumble to dust. The records might 
 as well be written on sand so far as their value for 
 future historians is concerned. 
 
 Congregational histories, pamphlets or bound vol- 
 
 *In order that I may not be as one that beateth the air, 
 I venture to suggest a method of laying the foundation of 
 records that has been helpful in my own work. I send to 
 each family a "Family Register" blank with spaces for the 
 name, birthday and place of birth of each member of the 
 family. The information thus obtained is transferred to 
 a card catalogue in which the additional relation of each 
 Individual to the church and its work is noted. In this way, 
 or by means of a loose-leaf record book, available and up- 
 to-date information can easily be kept. 
 
 124 
 
THE PROBLEM OF STATISTICS 
 
 umes, jubilee volumes and similar contributions to 
 local church history should be sent to the public 
 libraries of the city and of the denominational 
 schools. 
 
 In search of recent information the author con- 
 sulted the card index of the New York Public Lib- 
 rary. He found only nine cards relating to Luth- 
 eran churches. And yet we wonder why our church 
 is not better known in this city. 
 
 X25 
 
EPILOGUE 
 
EPILOGUE 
 
 One seldom finds an epilogue in a book nowadays. 
 Its purpose in the drama was to explain to the audi- 
 ence the meaning of the play. It does not speak well 
 for a writer if the people miss the point of his essay. 
 But it is just like a preacher to say something "in 
 conclusion" to secure, if possible, the hesitating as- 
 sent of some hearer. 
 
 We have reached the 20th century. "We are look- 
 ing back upon 270 years of history on Manhattan 
 Island. What we have done and what we have left 
 undone is recorded in the stereotyped pages of an 
 unchanging past. Our successes and our failures are 
 the chapters from which we may learn lessons for 
 the future. The gates of that future are open to 
 us now. 
 
 Where Arensius and Falckner ministered to a fee- 
 ble flock under inconceivable difficulties, there is 
 built the greatest, certainly the largest, city of the 
 world. From all the races and tongues of the earth 
 men are gathering here to solve the problems of their 
 lives. From Lutheran lands fifty myriads have al- 
 ready come and are living within our walls. Con- 
 sciously or otherwise they appeal to us, their breth- 
 ren in the faith, for that religious fellowship for 
 which every man sometimes longs. If we do not 
 
 129 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 respond, who shall interpret for them the religious 
 life and questions of the new world? 
 
 From these Lutheran lands, from Scandinavia to 
 the Balkan peninsula, from the Rhine to the Ural 
 Mountains, other myriads will come in the long years 
 that will follow the war. New history is sure to be 
 written for Europe and America. What shall be our 
 contribution to its unwritten pages? 
 
 In solving the problems that confront us we shall 
 at the same time help to solve the problems of our 
 city and of our country. The simple faith and the 
 catholic principles of our church should secure for 
 us a wide field of useful and effective service. 
 
 130 
 
APPENDIX 
 
Abbreviations 
 
 Synods— Mm., Ministerium of New York; Mo., Missouri; 
 N. Y., New York ; N. E., New York and New England ; Aug., 
 Swedish Augustana ; Nor., Norwegian ; Fin., National Church 
 of Finland; Pa., Pennsylvania; O., Ohio; D., Danish; Suo., 
 Suomi (Finnish) ; U.D., United Danish; Ap., Apostolic (Fin- 
 nish) : NN., National Church of Norway. 
 
 Languages— G., German ; E., English ; S., Swedish ; N., Nor- 
 wegian; F., Finnish; D., Danish; SI., Slovak, Bohemian and 
 Magyar; Let., Lettish; Est., Esthonian; Pol, Polish; Y., 
 Yiddish; It., Italian; Lith., Lithuanian. 
 
 Heads of Statistical- Columns — Lang., Language; Date, Date 
 of Organization ; Syn., Synodical connection of congregation 
 or pastor; Comm., Number of communicants; Souls, Number 
 of baptized persons related to the congregation ; Syn., Synod- 
 ical connection of pastor or congregation; P. S., Pupils in 
 Parochial School; S. S., Pupils in Sunday School; W. S., 
 Pupils receiving instruction in religion on weekdays; Prop., 
 Net value of real estate in terms of a thousand dollars. 
 
 Signs — * Missions ; ( ) Estimated number ; — No report or 
 nothing to report. 
 
 133 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 The Lutheran Churches 
 
 Manhattan 
 
 Name and Location Pastor Lang. Org.Syn. 
 
 1. St. Matthew. 421 W. 145th O. Sieker G. E. 1669 Mo. 
 
 2. St, James, 904 Madison Av J. B. Remensnyder.E. 1827 N. Y- 
 
 3. St. Paul, 313 W. 22nd L. Koenig G. 1841 Min. 
 
 4. Trinity, 139 Av. B O. Graesser G. 1843 Mo. 
 
 5. St. Mark, 327 Sixth St G. C. F. Haas G. 1847 Min. 
 
 6. St. Luke, 233 W. 42nd W. Koepchen G. E. 1850 Mo. 
 
 7. St. John, 81 Christopher F. E. Oberiander. . .G. E. 1855 N. Y. 
 
 8. St. Peter, 54th at Lex. Av A. B. Moldenke. . . .G. E. 1862 Min. 
 
 9. Immanuel, 88th at Lex. Av W. F. Schoenfeld. .<. . E. 1863 Mo. 
 
 10. St. John, 219 E. 119th H. C. Steup G. E. 1864 Mo. 
 
 11. St. Paul. 147 W. 123rd F.H.Bosch G. E. 1864 Min. 
 
 12. GustavusAdolphus, 151 E. 22nd. M. Stolpe S. E. 1865 Aug. 
 
 13. Holy Trinity, 1 W. 65th C.J.Smith E. 1868 N. E. 
 
 14. Christ, 406 E. 19th G. U. VVenner G. E. 1868 N. Y. 
 
 15. Epiphany, 72 E. 128th M. L. Canup E. 1880 N. E. 
 
 16. Grace, 123 W. 71st J. A. Weyl G. E. 1886 Min. 
 
 17. Trinity. 164 W. 100th E. Brennecke G. E. 1888 Min. 
 
 18. Zion, 341 E. 84th W. Popcke G. E. 1892 N. Y. 
 
 19. Harlem, 32 W. 126th '. . . .A. F. Borgendahl. .8. E. 1894 Aug. 
 
 20. Washington Heights. W. 153rd.... C. B. Rabbow G. E. 1895 Min. 
 
 21. Redeemer. 422 W. 44th F. C. G. Schumm. .E. 1895 Mo. 
 
 22. Our Saviour, 237 E. 123rd J. C. Gram N. E. 1896 Nor. 
 
 23. Atonement. Edgecombe at 140th . F. H. Knubel E. 1896 N. Y. 
 
 24. Advent. Broadway at 93rd A. Steimle E. 1897 N. E. 
 
 25. Our Saviour, Audubon at 179th.. A. S. Hardy E. 1898 N. Y. 
 
 26. Finnish, 72 E. 128th K. Makinen F. 1903 Fin. 
 
 27. Holy Trinity. 334 E. 20th L. A. Engler SI. 1904 — 
 
 28. Esthonian. 217 E. 119th C. Klemmer Est. 1904 Mo. 
 
 29. Polish. 233 W. 42nd S. Nicolaiski Pol. 1907 Mo. 
 
 30. Messiah. 10th Av. at 207th F. W. Hassenflug . . E. G. 1916 Mo. 
 
 31. Lettish. *327 Sixth St P. E. Steik Let Pa. 
 
 32. Italiari, * A. Bongarzone It. Mo. 
 
 33. Yiddish, +250 E. 101st N. Friedmann Y Mo. 
 
 84. Deaf *233 W. 42nd A. Boll E. G Mo. 
 
 134 
 
CHURCHES OF MANHATTAN 
 
 of New York 
 
 Manhattan 
 
 Comm. Souls 
 
 1 500 1.122 
 
 2 205 (331) 
 
 3 300 (375) 
 
 4 525 674 
 
 5 200 (500) 
 
 6 1.012 (2,000) 
 
 7 350 1.000 
 
 8 911 3.000 
 
 9 1.500 6.000 
 
 10 750 1.500 
 
 11 1,000 1.500 
 
 12 1,015 2,000 
 
 13 450 (800) 
 
 14 250 S17 
 
 15 400 700 
 
 16 803 1,000 
 
 17 785 2,500 
 
 IS 1,250 4.807 
 
 19 233 336 
 
 20 700 1,100 
 
 21 260 400 
 
 22 210 300 
 
 23 410 3,500 
 
 24 503 962 
 
 25 106 554 
 
 20 450 2.000 
 
 27 700 1,000 
 
 28 50 200 
 
 29 100 300 
 
 30 120 
 
 31 
 
 32 10 27 
 
 33 
 
 34 40 60 
 
 Totals 15,978 41,485 
 
 P.S. 
 
 126 
 
 92 
 
 85 
 
 115 
 
 75 
 
 55 
 
 S.S. 
 365 
 
 80 
 
 75 
 
 41 
 
 55 
 350 
 333 
 556 
 500 
 25^1 
 500 
 250 
 150 
 152 
 190 
 260 
 422 
 1,120 
 125 
 250 
 120 
 
 62 
 544 
 163 
 194 
 
 40 
 
 65 
 
 R.H. 
 40 
 12 
 40 
 34 
 55 
 
 172 
 39 
 47 
 61 
 41 
 
 130 
 37 
 12 
 
 100 
 24 
 54 
 
 112 
 
 124 
 
 21 
 
 30 
 
 22 
 
 5 
 
 250 
 22 
 24 
 25 
 40 
 
 20 
 
 Prop. 
 
 (100) 
 
 380 
 
 140 
 
 75 
 
 70 
 
 340 
 
 85 
 
 250 
 
 178 
 
 40 
 
 120 
 
 172 
 
 275 
 
 65 
 
 39 
 
 80 
 
 85 
 
 112 
 
 10 
 
 75 
 
 (20) 
 
 35 
 
 125 
 
 218 
 
 26 
 
 45 
 
 7,245 
 
 1.580 
 
 3,160 
 
 135 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 Bronx 
 
 Pastor Lang. 
 
 .T. O. Posselt G. E. 
 
 .W. T. Junge G. 
 
 .G. H. Tappert G. E. 
 
 .O. C. Mees E. G. 
 
 Name and Location 
 
 1. St. John. 1343 Fulton Av 
 
 2. St. Matthew, 376 E. 156th. . 
 
 3. St. Paul. 79G E. 156th 
 
 4. St. Peter. 4.39 E. 140th 
 
 5. St. Stephen, 1001 Union Av P. Roesener G. 
 
 6. St. Peter, 739 E. 219th F. Noeldeke G. 
 
 7. Immanuel, 1410 Vyse Av I. Tharaldsen N. 
 
 8. Bethany, 582 Teasdale PI J. Gruver E. 
 
 9. St. Luke, 1724 Adams VL Rohde G. E. 
 
 10. St. Paul, LaFontaine at 178th K. Kretzmann E. G. 
 
 11. Holy Trinity. 881 E. 167th F. Lindemann E. 
 
 12. Emmanuel, Brown PI. at 137th. .P. M. Young E. 
 
 13. Trinity, 1179 Hoe Av A. C. Kildegaard.. .D. 
 
 14. Grace, 239 E. 199th A. Koerber E. 
 
 15. Heiland, 187th & Valentine Av. . . H. von Hollen G. 
 
 16. Concordia, Oak Terrace H. Pottberg G. E. 
 
 17. Messiah, Brook A v. at 144th J. Johnson : S. 
 
 18. St. Thomas. Topping at 175th. . .A. J. Traver E. 
 
 19. Holy Comforter, 1060 Woodycrest. J. H. Dudde E. 
 
 20. St. Mark, Martha at 242nd O. H. Trinklein . . . .E. 
 
 21. St. John, Oak Terrace J. Gullans S. E. 
 
 22. Trinity, 1519 Castle Hill Av Paul G. Sander E. G. 
 
 23. Fordham, 2430 Walton Av F. H. Meyer E. G. 
 
 Org. Syn. 
 
 I860 Min. 
 1862 Min. 
 1882 Min. 
 1893 O. 
 
 1893 Mo. 
 
 1894 Min. 
 
 1895 Nor. 
 
 1896 N. Y. 
 1898 Min. 
 
 1898 Mo. 
 
 1899 Mo. 
 1901 N. Y. 
 1901 Dan. 
 
 1904 Mo. 
 
 1905 
 
 1906 Mo. 
 1906 Aug. 
 1908 N. Y. 
 
 1912 N. Y. 
 
 1913 Mo. 
 1913 Aug. 
 1913 Mo. 
 1915 O. 
 
 Brooklyn 
 
 Name and Location Pastor Lang. Org. Syn. 
 
 Evangelical. Schermerhorn St J. W, Loch G. E. 1841 Min. 
 
 S. John, Maujer St A. Beyer G. E. 1844 Mo. 
 
 St. John, New Jersey Av C.J. Lucas G. E. 1847 Min. 
 
 St. Paul, Rodney St H. C. Wasmund . . . G. E. 1853 Min. 
 
 Zion. Henry St E.G. Kraeling G. E. 1855 Min. 
 
 St. Matthew, Sixth Av. at 3rd ... G. B. Young E. 1859 N. Y. 
 
 St. Matthew, 197 N. 5th G. Sommer G. E. 1864 N. Y. 
 
 St. Peter, Bedford Av /J. J. Heischmann. . \G. E. 1864 Min. 
 
 land J. G. Blaesi.../ 
 
 Our Saviour, 632 Henry St / C. S. Everson "1 .... N. 1866 Nor. 
 
 land S. Turmo J 
 
 St. John. Milton St F. W. Oswald G. E. 1867 Min. 
 
 St. John, 283 Prospect Av F. B. Clausen G. E. 1808 Min. 
 
 136 
 
CHURCHES OF BROt^X— BROOKLYN 
 
 Bronx 
 
 Comm. Souls 
 
 1 758 1,800 
 
 2 (200) (500) 
 
 3 550 2.100 
 
 4 625 1,100 
 
 5 280 670 
 
 6 200 400 
 
 7 50 100 
 
 8 284 612 
 
 9 346 560 
 
 10 375 811 
 
 11 197 400 
 
 12 205 400 
 
 13 125 250 
 
 14 320 550 
 
 15 160 250 
 
 16 260 500 
 
 17..; 155 230 
 
 18 200 350 
 
 19 120 500 
 
 20 104 300 
 
 21 170 251 
 
 22 70 225 
 
 23 178 382 
 
 Totals 5.932 13,241 
 
 P.S. 
 50 
 
 70 
 
 S.S. 
 
 523 
 
 730 
 
 503 
 
 412 
 
 200 
 
 165 
 
 50 
 240 
 140 
 312 
 143 
 301 
 
 35 
 280 
 
 60 
 230 
 150 
 250 
 175 
 125 
 
 83 
 108 
 145 
 
 174 
 
 5.360 
 
 R.H, 
 69 
 67 
 
 103 
 64 
 
 (20) 
 35 
 (5) 
 
 (24) 
 32 
 68 
 
 (15) 
 27 
 10 
 22 
 30 
 45 
 
 (15) 
 25 
 15 
 5 
 6 
 10 
 20 
 
 732 
 
 Prop. 
 
 70 
 37 
 45 
 75 
 42 
 10 
 
 6 
 14 
 
 5 
 23 
 17 
 26 
 15 
 25 
 
 10 
 
 17 
 
 15 
 
 5 
 
 15 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 10 
 
 484 
 
 Brooklyn 
 
 Comm. Souls 
 
 1 1.000 2,500 
 
 2 900 2.500 
 
 3 700 1,005 
 
 4 1,000 1.500 
 
 6 1,200 2,000 
 
 6 250 1,200 
 
 7 600 700 
 
 8 2,200 (4,000) 
 
 9 305 650 
 
 10 1.200 2.500 
 
 11 1,000 3,000 
 
 P.S. 
 
 119 
 
 75 
 
 45 
 
 S.S. 
 
 500 
 400 
 500 
 665 
 250 
 300 
 158 
 1,391 
 
 351 
 
 475 
 800 
 
 R.H. 
 80 
 64 
 56 
 25 
 75 
 25 
 50 
 110 
 
 18 
 
 51 
 (80) 
 
 Prop. 
 
 200 
 80 
 80 
 
 150 
 
 100 
 66 
 25 
 
 100 
 
 35 
 
 75 
 60 
 
 X37 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NfiW YORK 
 
 Name and Location Pastor Lang. Org.Syn. 
 
 12. St. Mark, Bushwick Av S. Frey & P. Woy. G. E. 1868 Mo. 
 
 13. St. Luke, Washington n. De Kalb W. A. Snyder G. E. 1869 Min. 
 
 14. St. Paul, Henry n. Third PI J. Huppenbauer....G. 1872 Min. 
 
 15. Bethlehem, 3rd Av. & Pacific F. Jacobson S. 1874 Aug. 
 
 16. Immanuel, 179 S. 9th J. Holthusen G. E. 1875 Mo. 
 
 17. Wartburg, Georgia n. Fulton O. Hanser G. E. 1875 Mo. 
 
 18. Our Saviour. 193 Ninth R.Andersen D. 1878 D. 
 
 19. Seamen's,* 111 Pioneer J. Ekeland Nor. 1879 N.N. 
 
 20. St. Matthew, Canarsie T. A. Petersen G. E. 1880 Mo. 
 
 21. Emmanuel. 417 Seventh E. Roth G. E. 1884 Min. 
 
 22. Trinity, 249 Degraw G.F.Schmidt G. E. 1886 Mo. 
 
 23. St. Paul, Knickerbocker Av J. P. Riedel G. E. 1887 Mo. 
 
 24. Finnish, 529 Clinton K. Makinen F. 1887 Fin. 
 
 25. Zion, Bedford Av P. F. Jubelt G. 1887 Min. 
 
 26. Bethlehem, Marion W. Kandelhart G. E. 1888 Min. 
 
 27. St. James. 4th Av. n. 54th H. C. A. Meyer. . . .G. E. 1889 Min. 
 
 23. St. Paul, 392 McDonough J. Eastlund S. 1889 Aug. 
 
 29. St. John, 84th at 10th Av L. Happ G. 1890 Min. 
 
 30. Trinity, 4th Av. at 46th S. O. Sigmond N. 1890 Nor. 
 
 31. Finnish. 752 44th S. Ilmonen F. E. 1890 Suo. 
 
 32. Immanuel, 521 Leonard J.E.Nelson S. E. 1894 Aug. 
 
 33. Scandinavian, 150 Russell E. Risty E. N. 1894 Nor. 
 
 34. Redeemer. Lenox Road S. G. Weiskotten...E. 1894 N. E. 
 
 35. Christ, 1084 Lafayette Av C. B. Schuchard . . . E. 1895 N. E. 
 
 36. Salem, 128 Prospect Av J.J. Kildsig D. 1896 U. D. 
 
 37. St. Peter, 94 Hale Av A. Brunn E.G. 1897 Mo. 
 
 38. Zion, 1068 59th J. D. Daniclson. . . .S. 1897 Aug. 
 
 39. Calvary, 788 Herkimer O. L. Yerger E. 1898 N. Y. 
 
 40. Reformation, Barbey n. Arl'tn. . . . J. C. Fisher E. 1898 N. E. 
 
 41. St. Stephen, Newkirk Av L. D. Gable E. 1898 N. E. 
 
 42. Messiah. 129 Russell J.H.Worth E. 1899 N. L. 
 
 43. Our Saviour, 21 Covert A. R. G. Hanser. . ,E. 1901 Mo. 
 
 44. Incarnation, 4th Av. at 54th H. S. Miller E. 1901 N. E. 
 
 45. Grace, Bushwick Av C. F. Interaann. . . . E. 1902 N. E. 
 
 46. Bethesda, 22 Woodhull J. C. Herre N. E. 1902 Nor. 
 
 47. Bethlehem, 51st & 6th Av F. W. Schuermann . G. E. 1903 Mo. 
 
 48. Salem, 414 46th J.A.Anderson S. E. 1904 Aug. 
 
 49. St. Andrew, St. Nicholas Av E. 1906 N. E. 
 
 50. Good Shepherd, 4th Av. at 75th ..CD. Trexler E. 1906 N. E. 
 
 61. St. Paul, Coney Island J. F. W. Kitzraeyer . E. G. 1907 N. Y. 
 
 52. St. John, 145 Skillman Av G. Matzat Lith. 1907 Mo. 
 
 53. Ascension. 13th Av. & 51st C.P.Jensen E. 1907 N. E. 
 
 ^. Epiphany, 831 Sterling PI W. H. Stutts E. 1908 N. Y. 
 
 13a 
 
CHURCHES OF BROOKLYN 
 
 Conim, Souls 
 
 12 1.200 2,500 
 
 13 700 1.000 
 
 14 400 800 
 
 15 883 1,496 
 
 16 860 1.900 
 
 17 80 80 
 
 IS 200 (300) 
 
 19 
 
 20 180 315 
 
 21 750 1,000 
 
 22 385 729 
 
 23 650 2,000 
 
 24 240 240 
 
 25 300 500 
 
 26 700 (1,200) 
 
 27. 650 2,000 
 
 28 346 442 
 
 29 (400) (500) 
 
 30 400 5,000 
 
 31 150 300 
 
 32 175 350 
 
 33 112 175 
 
 34 400 600 
 
 35 550 1,000 
 
 38 97 400 
 
 37 603 973 
 
 33 150 400 
 
 39 97 235 
 
 40 500 1,000 
 
 41 503 3,800 ■ 
 
 42 438 900 
 
 43 450 900 
 
 44 275 400 
 
 45 425 525 
 
 46 120 300 
 
 47 180 330 
 
 48 320 2,500 
 
 49 374 1,000 
 
 50 525 1,200 
 
 51 242 850 
 
 52 73 103 
 
 53 61 100 
 
 54 150 388 
 
 P.S. 
 125 
 
 35 
 
 26 
 
 s.s. 
 
 550 
 330 
 175 
 600 
 210 
 
 40 
 
 SO 
 500 
 257 
 450 
 
 17 
 
 200 
 400 
 500 
 182 
 375 
 1,000 
 135 
 105 
 
 70 
 225 
 425 
 
 85 
 378 
 160 
 200 
 450 
 975 
 563 
 360 
 290 
 325 
 
 93 
 160 
 600 
 867 
 700 
 248 
 
 17 
 105 
 201 
 
 R.H. 
 
 67 
 30 
 (20) 
 (60) 
 80 
 
 (5) 
 
 40 
 24 
 60 
 
 60 
 
 75 
 
 (18) 
 
 (38) 
 
 100 
 
 135 
 
 105 
 
 15 
 
 (23) 
 
 45 
 
 20 
 
 39 
 
 16 
 
 (20) 
 
 (40) 
 
 41 
 
 40 
 
 74 
 
 26 
 
 20 
 
 (10) 
 
 22 
 
 36 
 
 60 
 
 36 
 
 (25) 
 
 (31 
 
 7 
 
 24 
 
 Prop. 
 
 140 
 
 125 
 
 30 
 
 121 
 
 80 
 
 5 
 18 
 30 
 16 
 61 
 28 
 (40) 
 25 
 30 
 28 
 50 
 36 
 40 
 50 
 16 
 16 
 
 6 
 70 
 25 
 10 
 19 
 10 
 15 
 30 
 35 
 85 
 30 
 20 
 45 
 40 
 
 7 
 15 
 10 
 30 
 18 
 
 5 
 
 7 
 21 
 
 X39 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 Name and Location Pastor Lang. Org.Syn. 
 
 55. Zion, 4th Av. at 63rd L. Larsen N. E. 1908 Nor. 
 
 56. St. Mark. 26 E. 5th W. Hudaff E.G. 1908 Min. 
 
 57. Advent. Av. P. & E. 12th A. F. Walz E.G. 1909 N. Y. 
 
 58. Good Shepherd. 315 Fenimore. . . G. Hagemann E. W09 Mo. 
 
 59. Saron. East New York J. Eastlund S. 1909 Aug. 
 
 GO. Bethany. 12th Av. at 60th CO. Pedersen N. E. 1912 Nor. 
 
 61. Redeemer. 991 Eastern Pky E.J.Flanders E. 1912 N. Y. 
 
 62. Mediator. Bay Pky. at 68th H. Wacker E. 1912 N. E. 
 
 63. St. John. 44th n. 8th Av J. Gullans S. 1913 Aug. 
 
 61. St. Philip, 287 Magenta A. Wuerstliti E. 1913 N. Y. 
 
 65. Mission to Deaf.* 177 S. 9th A. Boll E.G. 1913 Mo. 
 
 66. Trinity,* Coney Island G. Koenig 1913 Mo. 
 
 67. Immanuel.* 1524 Bergen W. O. Hill 1913 Mo. 
 
 68. Holy Trinity, Jefferson Av C. H. Dort E. 1914 N. Y. 
 
 69. Trinity.* Erie Basin •. . . . G. Koenig 1915 Mo. 
 
 70. Finnish, 844 42nd B. Aho F Ap. 
 
 Queens 
 
 Name and Location Pastor Lang. Org.Syn. 
 
 1. 
 
 fit. John, College Point 
 
 A. Halfmann 
 
 ..G. 
 
 
 1857 Mo. 
 
 2. 
 
 Trinity, Middle Village 
 
 D. W. Peterson.. 
 
 . G. 
 
 E. 
 
 1863 Min. 
 
 3. 
 
 St. James, Winfield 
 
 ....F.E.Tilly 
 
 ..G. 
 
 
 1867 Mo. 
 
 4. 
 
 Christ, Woodhaven 
 
 . ...H. E. Meyer 
 
 ..G. 
 
 
 1880 Min. 
 
 5. 
 
 Emanuel. Corona 
 
 . ...E. G. Holls 
 
 . G. 
 
 
 1887 Mo. 
 
 6. 
 
 Trinity, Long Island City 
 
 ....C. Merkel 
 
 . .E. 
 
 G. 
 
 1890 Mo. 
 
 7. 
 
 Salem, Long Island City 
 
 ....H.L.Wilson.... 
 
 ..S. 
 
 
 1893 Aug. 
 
 8. 
 
 St. John. Flushing 
 
 G. Kaestner 
 
 ..G. 
 
 
 1893 Mo. 
 
 9. 
 
 Immanuel. Whitestone 
 
 . ...H. C.Wolk 
 
 . E. 
 
 G. 
 
 1895 Mo. 
 
 10. 
 
 Christ, Woodside 
 
 ....H, Bunke 
 
 . .G. 
 
 
 1896 Mo. 
 
 11. 
 
 Trinity, Maspeth 
 
 . ...W. H. Pretzsch.. 
 
 . .G. 
 
 
 1899 Min. 
 
 12. 
 
 Emmaus. Ridgewood 
 
 ....T. S. Frey 
 
 ..G. 
 
 E. 
 
 1900 Mo. 
 
 13. 
 
 St. Paul, Richmond Hill 
 
 ....P. B.Frey 
 
 . .G. 
 
 
 1902 Mo. 
 
 14. 
 
 St. John, Richmond Hill 
 
 A. L. Benner 
 
 ..E. 
 
 
 1903 N. E. 
 
 15. 
 
 St. Luke, Woodhaven 
 
 E. R. Jaxheimer. 
 
 ..E. 
 
 
 1908 N. E. 
 
 16. 
 
 HolyTrinity, Hollis 
 
 . ...A. L. Dillenbeck. 
 
 . .E. 
 
 
 1908 N. Y. 
 
 17. 
 
 St. Mark, Jamaica 
 
 ....W. C. Nolte 
 
 ..G. 
 
 E. 
 
 1909 N. Y. 
 
 18. 
 
 Redeemer, Glendale 
 
 ....T. O. Kuehp 
 
 ..G. 
 
 E. 
 
 1909 Mo. 
 
 19. 
 
 Covenant, 2402 Catalpa 
 
 ....G. U. Preuss"..... 
 
 ..E. 
 
 
 1909 N. E. 
 
 20. 
 
 St. John, E. Williamsburg. . . . 
 
 0. Graesser, Jr... 
 
 ..G. 
 
 E. 
 
 1910 Mo. 
 
 140 
 
CHURCHES OF BROOKLYN — QUEENS 
 
 
 Co mm. 
 
 Souls 
 
 55 
 
 400 
 
 3,000 
 
 56 
 
 150 
 
 250 
 
 57 
 
 143 
 
 400 
 
 58 
 
 100 
 
 300 
 
 59 
 
 30 
 
 55 
 
 60 
 
 150 
 
 275 
 
 61 
 
 80 
 
 200 
 
 62 
 
 65 
 
 160 
 
 63 
 
 200 
 
 293 
 
 64 
 
 40 
 
 175 
 
 65 
 
 
 
 66 
 
 
 
 
 
 67 
 
 
 
 68 
 
 90 
 
 297 
 
 69 
 
 
 
 70 
 
 
 
 Totals... 
 
 . 27.997 
 
 67,696 
 
 P,S, 
 
 s.s. 
 
 R.H. 
 
 Prop 
 
 6.50 
 
 75 
 
 15 
 
 125 
 
 (13) 
 
 6 
 
 230 
 
 12 
 
 10 
 
 133 
 
 12 
 
 4 
 
 32 
 
 (5) 
 
 6 
 
 125 
 
 125 
 
 8 
 
 150 
 
 12 
 
 20 
 
 130 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 110 
 
 8 
 
 3 
 
 130 
 
 8 
 
 4 
 
 163 
 
 15 
 
 670 
 
 21,254 
 
 2.517 
 
 2,532 
 
 Queens 
 
 
 Co mm. 
 
 Sotils 
 
 P.S. 
 
 S.S. 
 
 R.H. 
 
 Prop 
 
 1 
 
 360 
 
 500 
 
 
 400 
 
 
 40 
 
 2 
 
 600 
 
 1.000 
 
 11 
 
 700 
 
 62 
 
 68 
 
 3 
 
 310 
 
 729 
 
 10 
 
 385 
 
 
 25 
 
 4 
 
 350 
 
 1.000 
 
 
 400 
 
 20 
 
 30 
 
 5 
 
 250 
 
 500 
 
 
 200 
 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 500 
 
 1,000 
 
 
 550 
 
 105 
 
 40 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 89 
 
 134 
 
 11 
 
 50 
 
 
 8 
 
 171 
 
 250 
 
 
 70 
 
 10 
 
 10 
 
 9 
 
 180 
 
 375 
 
 
 108 
 
 20 
 
 15 
 
 10 
 
 144 
 
 450 
 
 
 90 
 
 18 
 
 
 11 
 
 500 
 
 1.000 
 
 
 500 
 
 35 
 
 10 
 
 12 
 
 582 
 
 1.104 
 
 
 305 
 
 30 
 
 7 
 
 13 
 
 325 
 
 650 
 
 30 
 
 235 
 
 
 12 
 
 14 
 
 390 
 
 1.000 
 
 
 465 
 
 40 
 
 26 
 
 15 
 
 350 
 
 1.200 
 
 
 550 
 
 103 
 
 18 
 
 16 
 
 85 
 
 150 
 
 
 90 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 s 
 
 17 
 
 156 
 
 272 
 
 
 197 
 
 19 
 
 18 
 
 260 
 
 600 
 
 
 300 
 
 37 
 
 9 
 
 19 
 
 400 
 
 1,179 
 
 
 679 
 
 48 
 3 
 
 20 
 
 50 
 
 130 
 
 
 60 
 
 1 
 
 HX 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 Name and Location Pastor Lang. Org. Syn. 
 
 21. Good Shepherd, S. Ozone Park... C. H. Thomsen E. 1911 N. Y. 
 
 22. Christ. Rosedale G. L. Kieffer E. 1913 N. Y. 
 
 23. St. Paul. Richmond Hill C. G. Toebke E. 1914 N. E. 
 
 24. Chapel.* Bayside F. J. Muehlhaeuser.E. 1915 Mo. 
 
 25. Chapel.* Port Washington F. J. Muehlhaeuser.E. 1915 Mo. 
 
 26. St. Andrew.* Glen Morris E. 1915 N. Y. 
 
 27. Mission,* Elmhurst E. G. HoUs G Mo. 
 
 28. Grace.* Queens C Romoser E. .... Mo. 
 
 29. Gusta^^ls Adolphus, Rich. Hill S. Aug. 
 
 Richmond 
 
 Name and Location Pastor Lang. Org. Syn. 
 
 1. St. John. Port Richmond John C. Borth G. E. 1852 Mo. 
 
 2. Evangelical. Stapleton Frederic Sutter G. E. 1856 Min. 
 
 3. Zion, Port Richmond R. O. Sigmond N. 1893 Nor. 
 
 4. Our Saviour, Port Richmond S. R. Christensen. ..N. 1893 Nor. 
 
 5. St. Paul, West New Brighton Wm. Euchler G. E. 1899 Min. 
 
 G. Wasa, Port Richmond L. F. Nordstrom . . . S. 1905 Aug 
 
 7. German, Tompkinsville A. Krause G. 1907 Min. 
 
 8. Scandinavian, New Brighton J. C. Hougum N. 1908 Nor. 
 
 9. Immanuel, New Springville H. A Meyer G. E. 1911 Min. 
 
 10. St. Matthew, Dongan Hills HugoH. Burgdorf . .E. G. 1915 Mo. 
 
 142 
 
CHURCHES OF QUEENS — RICHMOND 
 
 
 Comm. 
 
 Souls p. S. 
 
 5". 5. 
 
 R.H. 
 
 Prop. 
 
 21 
 
 85 
 
 568 
 
 
 224 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 22 
 
 47 
 
 200 
 
 
 41 
 
 21 
 
 10 
 
 23 
 
 100 
 
 250 
 
 
 185 
 
 15 
 
 1 
 
 21 
 
 25 
 
 80 
 
 
 55 
 
 4 
 
 
 25 
 
 
 35 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 26 
 
 15 
 
 30 
 
 
 40 
 
 
 15 
 
 27 
 
 
 29 
 
 10 
 
 29 
 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 Totals... 
 
 . 6,634 
 
 14,415 
 
 C2 
 
 6,897 
 
 635 
 
 370 
 
 
 
 Richmond 
 
 
 
 
 
 Comm. 
 
 Souls P. S. 
 
 s.s. 
 
 R.H. 
 
 Prop. 
 
 1 
 
 400 
 
 700 
 
 
 175 
 
 35 
 
 32 
 
 2 
 
 750 
 
 2,000 
 
 
 560 
 
 (56) 
 
 95 
 
 3 
 
 160 
 
 280 
 
 
 200 
 
 (20) 
 
 12 
 
 4 
 
 175 
 
 283 
 
 
 100 
 
 30 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 116 
 
 (200) 
 
 21 
 
 70 
 
 (7) 
 
 17 
 
 6 
 
 75 
 
 (120) 
 
 
 41 
 
 (5) 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 90 
 
 (150) 
 
 16 
 
 50 
 
 (5) 
 
 
 
 8 
 
 70 
 
 (150) 
 
 
 45 
 
 (9) 
 
 7 
 
 9 
 
 58 
 54 
 
 (100) 
 (137) 
 
 
 36 
 73 
 
 75 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 10 
 
 1 
 
 Totals... 
 
 1,948 
 
 4.120 
 
 37 
 
 1.350 
 
 247 
 
 182 
 
 Recapitulation 
 
 Borough* Comm. Soula P. S. 
 
 Manhattan 15,978 41.485 669 
 
 Bronx 5,932 13,241 174 
 
 Brooklyn 27.997 67.696 670 
 
 Queens 6,334 14,415 62 
 
 Richmond 1,948 4.120 37 
 
 Total 68,494 140.597 1,612 
 
 143 
 
 S.S. 
 
 R.H. 
 
 Prop. 
 
 7,245 
 
 1.580 
 
 3.160 
 
 5,360 
 
 732 
 
 484 
 
 21.254 
 
 2,517 
 
 2,532 
 
 6,897 
 
 635 
 
 370 
 
 1.350 
 
 247 
 
 182 
 
 42,106 6.711 6.728 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 ■s^' 
 
 Deaconesses 
 
 Manhattan 
 
 Christ Church: Sister Regena Bowe, Sister Maude Hafner. 
 
 Atonement: Sister Jennie Christ. 
 
 St. Paul, Harlem: Sister Rose Dittrich. 
 
 St. John, Christopher Street: Sister Louise Moeller. 
 
 Brooklyn 
 
 St. Matthew: Sister Clara Smyre. 
 Zion, Norwegian : Sister Marie Olsen. 
 Trinity, Norwegian: Sister Ingeborg Neff. 
 
 144 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 Former Pastors 
 
 Manhattan 
 
 1. St. Matthew: (Since 1807) F. W. Geissenhainer, Sr., F. 
 
 C. Schaeffer, C. F. E. Stohlmann, George Vorberg, 
 Justus Ruperti, J. H. Sieker, Martin Walker, Otto 
 Ungemach. 
 
 2. St. James : F. C. Schaeffer, W. D. Strobel, Charles Mar- 
 
 tin, J. L. Schock, A. C. Wedekind, S. A. Ort. 
 
 3. St. Paul: F. W. Geissenhainer, Jr., C. Hennicke. 
 
 4. Trinity: Theodor Brohm, F. W. Foehlinger, F. Koenig. 
 
 5. St. Mark: A. H. M. Held, H. Raegener. 
 
 6. St. Luke : Wm. Drees, Wm. Biittner, Wm. Busse. 
 
 7. St. John : A. H. M. Held, A. C. Wedekind, J. J. Young. 
 
 8. St. Peter: C. Hennicke, E. F. Moldenke. 
 
 9. Immanuel: J. C. Renz, L. Halfmann. 
 
 10. St. John : F. T. Koerner, L. A. C. Detzer, H. W. Diede- 
 
 rich, W. F. Seeger. 
 
 11. St. Paul : Julius Ehrhart, G. H. Tappert, J. A. W. Haas. 
 
 12. Gustavus Adolphus : Axel Waetter, Johann Princell, Emil 
 
 Lindberg. 
 
 13. Holy Trinity: G. F. Krotel, C. Armand Miller. 
 
 14. Epiphany: D. H. Geissinger, F. F. Buermeyer, J. W. 
 
 Knapp, F. C. Clausen, 
 
 15. Grace: J. Miller, J. Gruepp, J. A. W. Haas. 
 
 16. Trinity: C. R. Tappert. 
 
 17. Zion : H. Hebler. 
 
 18. Washington Heights: E. A. Tappert. 
 
 19. Our ^Saviour : C. Hovde, P. A. Dietrichson, J. G. Nilson, 
 
 K. Kvarame. 
 
 20. Redeemer: W. F. Schoenfeld, W. Dallmann. 
 
 21. Advent: G. F. Krotel W. M. Horn. 
 
 22. Our Saviour: W. H. Feldmann. 
 
 23. Finnish: M. Kiyi, J. Haakana. 
 
 24. Esthonian: H. Rebane. 
 
 25. Polish: C. Mikulski, F. Sattelmeier. 
 
 Bronx 
 
 4. St. Peter: H. Richter, H. A. Steiningcr. 
 6. St. Peter: H. R^umann, O. Rappolt. 
 
 145 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 8. Bethany: J. F. W. Kitzmeyer, W. Freas. 
 
 9. St. Luke: W. Eickmann. 
 
 10. St. Paul: J. Heck, G. Bohm, O. H. Restin, W. Proehl. 
 
 12. Emmanuel: A. A. King, F. Christ. 
 
 13. Trinity: A. V. Andersen. 
 
 14. Grace: J. Schiller. 
 
 18. St. Thomas: F. J. Baum. 
 
 19. Holy Comforter: H. F. Muller. 
 22. Trinity: O. H. Trinklein. 
 
 Brooklyn 
 
 1. Evangelical: F. T. Winkelmann, Ludwig Mueller, Her- 
 mann Garlichs, Johannes Bank, Carl F. Haussmann, 
 Theo. H. Dresel. 
 
 4: St. Paul: E. H. Buehre, E. J. Schlueter, August Schmidt, 
 A. Schubert, H. Hennicke, F. T. Koerner, H. D. Wrage, 
 George F. Behringer, H. B. Strodach, Hugo W. Hoff- 
 mann. 
 
 5. Zion : F. W. T, Steimle, Chr. Hennicke. 
 
 6. St. Matthew: William Hull, Edward J. Koons, Isaac 
 
 K. Funk, A. S. Hartman, J. Ilgen Burrell, M. W. 
 Hamma, J. C. Zimmerman, J. A. Singmaster, T. T. Ev- 
 erett, W. E. Main, A. H. Studebaker. 
 
 7. St. Matthaeus : A. Schubert, H. Heifer, G. H. Vosseler. 
 9. St. Peter: A. Schubert, Philip Zapf, Robert C. Beer, 
 
 Carl Goehling. 
 10. St. John: 0. E. Kaselitz, Theo. Heischmann. 
 
 12. St. Mark: J. F. Flath, G. A. Schmidt, A. E. Frey, J. 
 
 Frey. 
 
 13. St. Luke: J. H. Baden, Wm. Ludwig, C B. Schuchard. 
 
 14. St. Paul: Robert Neumann. 
 
 16. Immanuel: F. T. Koerner. 
 
 17. Wartburg Chapel: F. W. Richmann, C A. Graeber, C. 
 
 H. Loeber, B. Herbst. 
 
 19. Norwegian Seamen's Mission: O. Asperheim, A. Mor- 
 
 tensen, C. B. Hansteen, Kristen K. Saarheim, Jakob 
 K. Bo, Tycho Castberg. 
 
 20. St. Matthew: Kuefer, Comby, Steinhauer, Wagner, 
 
 Graepp, Abele, Frey, Wuerstlin, Geist, Fritz. 
 
 22. Trinity: George Koenig, John Holthusen, Paul Linde- 
 
 mann. 
 
 23. St. Paul: H. C. Luehr, Theo. Gross. 
 
 146 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 25. Bethlehem: Theodor Heischmann. 
 
 26. Zion: E. Kraeling, J. Kirsch. 
 
 27. St. James : C F. Dies. 
 
 30. Trinity: M. H. Hegge, J. Tanner, P. R. Syrdal, O. E. 
 
 Eide. 
 
 31. Finnish: N. Korhonen. 
 
 32. Immanuel: G. Nelsenius, J. O. Cornell. 
 
 33. Scandinavian: M. C. Tufts, A. Dietrichson, J. J. Nil- 
 
 son. K. Kvamme, G. J. Breivik, T. K. Thorvilden, 
 Doeving, Risty. 
 
 35. Christ: H. S. Knabenschuh. 
 
 36. Salem: L. H. Kjaer, T. Beck, N. H. Nyrop. 
 
 37. St. Peter : Emil Isler, R. Herbst, V. Geist. 
 
 38. Zion: J. G. Danielson, J. C. Westlund, G. Anderson. 
 
 39. Calvary: H. E. Clare, W. H. Hetrick, E. T. Hoshour, 
 
 E. J. Flanders, G. Blessin. 
 
 40. Reformation: H. P. Miller. 
 
 42. Messiah : S. G. Trexler, E. A. Trabert. 
 
 43. Our Saviour: J. H. C. Fritz. 
 
 44. Incarnation: W. H. Steinbicker, G. J. Miller. 
 
 47. Bethlehem: P. Lindemann, A. Halfmann, W. Arndt. 
 
 48. Salem: J. G. Danielson, G. Nelsenius. 
 
 53. Ascension : J. H. Strenge, E. W. Schaefer, W. H. Stein- 
 bicker, E. F. Stuckert, C P. Jensen. 
 55. Zion: J. Ellertsen. 
 
 57. Advent : E. E. Hoshour. H. M. Schroeder. 
 
 58. Good Shepherd: R. Baehre. 
 52. Mediator: M. E. Walz. 
 
 34. St. Philip: Carl Zinssmeister. 
 
 Queens 
 
 2. Middle Village: Schnurrer, F. W. Ernst, T. Koerner, 
 G. A. W. Quern. 
 
 4. Woodhaven: H. S. Kuever, W. P. Krope, Th. Heisch- 
 
 mann, P. Kabis, G. A. Baetz. 
 
 5. Corona : J. H. Berkemeier, E. Brennecke, A. E. Schmitt- 
 
 henner, E. Zwinger, F. Ruge, H. Eyme, C. Boehner, 
 F. G. Wyneken. 
 
 6. Long Island City: W. Schoenfeld, Ad. Sicker. 
 
 8. Flushing: A. E. Schmitthenner, R. J. W. Mekler, J. 
 Rathke. 
 
 147 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 9. Whitestone : F. Kroencke, G. Thomas, H. F. Bunke, W. 
 Koenig, Theo. Kuhn. 
 
 10. Woodside: A. H. Winter. M. T. Rolls. 
 
 11. Maspeth: August Wuerstlin. 
 
 12. Ridgewood: Wm. Pretzsch, P. B. Frey, Arthur Brunn. 
 
 16. Woodhaven: E. J. Keuhling. 
 
 18. Jamaica: Wm. Popcke, Max Hering. 
 
 19. Glendale: John Baur. 
 
 17. Hollis: H. M. Schroeder, Carl Yettru. Stephen Traver. 
 
 21. South Ozone Park: P. J. Alberthus, J. B. Lau. 
 
 20. Catalpa Avenue : G. C. Loos, E. Trafford, J. H. Stelljes. 
 
 22. Maspeth: A. H. Meill. 
 
 24. Rosedale: W. A. Sadtler. 
 
 25. Dunton : Wm. Steinbicker. 
 
 Richmond 
 
 1. Port Richmond: F. Boehling, H. Roell, C Hennicke, 
 
 H. Goehling, M. Tirmenstein. J. E. Gottlieb, E. F. T. 
 Frincke, J. P. Schoener, H. Schroeder. 
 
 2. Stapleton: C. Hennicke. C. Goehling, R. C. Beer, E. 
 
 Hering, A. Kuehne, A. Krause. 
 
 3. Port Richmond: H. E. Rue, J. Tolefsen, O. Silseth, 
 
 O. E. Eide, V. E. Boe. 
 
 Sons of the Churches 
 
 Who Have Entered the Lutheran Ministry 
 
 Manhattan 
 
 1. St. Matthew: Otto Sieker, Adolf Sieker, Henry Sieker, 
 
 Christian Boehning, F. W. Oswald, John Timm, The- 
 ophilus Krug, Frederick Sacks, John Albohm, H. S. 
 Knabenschuh, Wegner, Wm. Schmidt, Ed. Fischer, Wm. 
 Fischer, R. Heintze. 
 
 2. St. James: Edmund Belfour. D.D. 
 
 i. Trinity: H. Birkner. F. Koenig. G. Koenig, F. T. Koer- 
 ner, A. Kirchhoefer, H. Koenig. H. Voltz, E. Nauss, 
 O. Graesser, C Hassold, A. Poppe. 
 
 148 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 5. St. Mark: J. Schultz, H. C Meyer, E. Meyer. 
 
 6. St. Luke: J. Timm, W. Krumwiede. 
 
 7. St. John : E. E. Neudewitz, F. H. Knubel, W. H. Feld- 
 
 mann, J. H. Meyer, P. M. Young. 
 
 8. St. Peter: H. Kuever, A. Stuckert, F. Hoffman, C E. 
 
 Moldenke, A. B. Moldenke. 
 
 9. Immanuel : A. Menkens, F. Loose, J. Loose, H. C Stein- 
 
 hoff, H. Pottberg, H. Zoller, J. Biehusen, H. Beck- 
 mann, E. Beckmann, P. Heckel, A. Halfmann, J. C. 
 Boschen, P. Woy, H. Hamann. 
 
 10. St. John: A. G. Steup, B. Weinlader, G. C Kaestner, 
 
 H. F. Bunke. M. L. Steup. F. J. Boehling, H. Wehren- 
 berg, P. G. Steup, R. B. Steup, H. Tietjen. 
 
 11. St. Paul: H. D. Wacker. 
 
 14. Christ: C. E. Weltner, D.D., J. H. Dudde. 
 
 21. Redeemer: R. C. Ressmeyer, W. Becker. 
 
 22. Our Saviour: H. Gudmundsen, O. Brevik. 
 
 Bronx 
 
 10. St. Paul: H. W. Siebern. 
 
 Brooklyn 
 
 3. St. John: O. Werner. 
 
 4. St. Paul: J. Koop, H. B. Krusa. 
 
 5. Zion : Goedel, A. Steimle. D.D., C Interoann, v*. Mik- 
 
 kelson, E. Kraeling, Ph.D., H. Kropp. 
 
 6. St. Matthew: J. Arnold. 
 
 7. St. Matthew: F. Bastel. 
 
 8. St. Peter: C. B. Rabbow, F. H. Bosch, F. A. Raven- 
 
 dam, B. Mehrtens. 
 10. St. John: J. H. Stelljes. 
 13. St. Luke: E. W. Hammer. 
 15. Bethlehem: F. N. Swanberg, N. Ebb, A. Ebb, O. Ebb, 
 
 B. J. Hattin, P. Froeberg, O. N. Olsen, O. Eckhardt. 
 19. Seamans: O. Amdalsrud, S. Folkestad, J. Skagen, N. 
 
 Nielsen. 
 
 22. Trinity: H. Hamann, P. Seidler, G. C. Koenig. 
 
 23. St. Paul : G. Steinert, W. C. Schrader. 
 27. St. James : H. A. Meyer, G. J. Schorling. 
 
 149 
 
THE LUTHERANS OP NEW YORK 
 
 30. Trinity: J. J. Tadum, A. Nilsen, S. O. Sande, C. Mun- 
 son, M. Brekke, N. Fedde. 
 
 34. Redeemer: C. Toebke. 
 
 35. Christ: C. H. Dort. 
 40. Reformation: P. Rudh. 
 
 Queens 
 
 2. Trinity: A. E. Schmitthenner. F. Sutter. 
 
 6. Trinity: H. H. Koppelmann, Wm. Knoke, G. Hageman. 
 
 11. Trinity: L. Hanse. 
 
 12. Emmaus: C. Werberig. 
 
 Richmond 
 
 2. Evangelical: P. E. Weber. 
 
 3. Zion: S. Saude, J. Frohlen, O. Alfsen, A. Stansland. 
 
 Institutions and Societies 
 
 Colleges 
 
 Concordia, 1881, Bronxville. Faculty: Professors Heintze, 
 Heinrichsmeyer, Feth, Stein, Schwoy and Romoser. 
 
 Wagner Memorial, 1883, Grymes Hill, Stapleton, Staten Is- 
 land. Director: Rev. A. H. Holthusen. 
 
 Upsala, 1893, Kenilworth, N. J. Director: Rev. Peter Froe- 
 berg, B.D. 
 
 Orphans* Homes 
 
 Wartburg Farm School, 1864, Mount Vernon. 
 Bethlehem, 1886, Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island. 
 Children's Home, 1915, Brooklyn, 45 Third Place. 
 
 150 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 Homes for the Aged 
 
 Wartburg, 1875, Brooklyn, 2598 Fulton Avenue. 
 Maria Louise Memorial, 1898, Mount Vernon. 
 Marien-Heim, 1898, Brooklyn, 18th Avenue at 64th Street. 
 Old People's Home (Norwegian), 112 Pulaski Street. 
 Swedish Augustana, 1907, Brooklyn, 1680 Sixtieth Street. 
 
 Deaconess Motherhouse 
 Norwegian, 1880, Brooklyn, Fourth Ave. at 46th Street. 
 
 Hospitals and Relief Work 
 
 Norwegian, 1880, Brooklyn, Fourth Ave. at 46th Street. 
 
 Lutheran, 1881, Brooklyn, East New York Ave. at Junius St. 
 
 Lutheran of Manhattan, 1911, Convent Ave. at 144th Street. 
 
 Lutheran Hospital Association: Twenty congregations of the 
 Missouri Synod are represented in this Association. 
 
 Inner Mission Society, 2040 Fifth Avenue. Missionary: Rev. 
 Ferdinand F. Buermeyer, D.D. 
 
 Inner Mission and Rescue Work, 56 Pine Street, Manhattan. 
 Rev. V. A. M. Mortensen. 
 
 Association for the Relief of Indigent Germans on Black- 
 well's Island. 
 
 German Home for Recreation of Women and Children, 1895, 
 Brooklyn, Harway Avenue, Gravesend Beach. 
 
 Immigrant and Seamen's Missions 
 
 Norwegian, 1867, Manhattan, 45 Whitehall St. Pastor Pe- 
 tersen. 
 
 Emigrant House, 1869, Manhattan, 147 West Twenty-third 
 Street. Pastor Haas. 
 
 Danish Mission, 1878, Brooklyn, 197 Ninth Street. Pastor 
 Anderson. 
 
 Norwegian Seamen, 1879, Brooklyn, 115 Pioneer St. Pastor 
 Ekeland. 
 
 Finnish Mission, 1887, Brooklyn, 197 Ninth Street. Pastor 
 Makinen. 
 
 151 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 Seamen's Mission, 1907, Hoboken, 64 Hudson Street. Pastor 
 
 Brucckner. 
 Swedish Immigrant Home, 1895, Manhattan, 5 Water Street. 
 
 Pastor Helander. 
 Immigrant Society, Inc., 1869, Manhattan, 334 East 62d Street. 
 
 Pastor Restin. 
 
 Other Associations 
 
 Lutheran Education Society of New York. For the promo- 
 tion of higher education within the Atlantic and Eastern 
 Districts of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri. 
 Pastor Karl Kretzmann, Secretary. 
 Manhattan Sunday School Institute, 1908. 15 schools. En- 
 rollment, 495 teachers. 
 English Lutheran Missionary Society of Brooklyn, 1898. Re- 
 ports establishment of* 16 churches in Brooklyn and Long 
 Island. 
 Luther League of New York City. Enrollment, 1,100 mem- 
 bers. 
 American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, 234 East 62d Street. 
 Lutheran Bureau, Inc., A National Medium for Information 
 and Service. 
 
 The Bureau grew out of the celebration of the Reforma- 
 tion Quadricentennial. Its lines of activity embrace a lec- 
 ture bureau, a news service and an information service. 
 
 In the last it offers information on the best methods of 
 doing church work, culling the best experience in the field 
 of service and placing it at the disposal of anyone desiring it. 
 In the lecture bureau and the news service it is stimu- 
 lating Lutherans to study the problems of the hour and it is 
 creating opportunities for them to be heard. 
 
 The office is located in the Bank of the Metropolis Build- 
 ing, Union Square, New York. President, George D. Bos- 
 chen; Treasurer, Theodore H. Lamprecht; Executive Sec- 
 retary, O. H. Pannkoke. 
 
 National Lutheran Commission for Soldiers' and Sailors' 
 Welfare, 437 Fifth Avenue, New York. Chairman, Rev. 
 Frederick H. Knubel, D.D. 
 
 153 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 Periodicals 
 
 Der Lutherische Herold, founded in 1852, by Henry Ludwig. 
 
 Der Sonntagsgast, founded 1872. Editor: Pastor Wenner. 
 
 The New York Lutheran, founded 1903. Editor: Pastor 
 Brunn. 
 
 Der Deutsche Lutheraner, founded 1909. Continuation of 
 Der Lutherische Herold. Editor: Pastor Berkemeier. 
 
 The Luther League Review. Editor, E. F. Eilert. 
 
 The American Lutheran. Editor: Pastor Lindemann. 
 
 Inner Missions. Inner Mission Society. 
 
 Bookstores 
 
 Lutheran Publication Society, 150 Nassau Street. 
 Ernst Kaufmann, 22 North William Street. 
 Augustana Book Concern, 132 Nassau Street. 
 
 153 
 
THE UTTITEHANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 Bil)lio;^^ra[)hy * 
 
 Morris, Rihliotlifcii I-tillicran;i. 
 
 Jacobs anrl Haas, Lullicrati Cyclopcrlia. 
 
 T>i<ifinctivc Doctrines and Usages of tlir I.titlicran Church. 
 
 Neve, Die wichtiKstrn Untcrschcidungsmerkinalr drr hithrris- 
 chcn Synodcn Anicrikas. 
 
 h'icluird, Confessional History of the Lntheran (hnrrh. 
 
 Sfhmnuk and licur.c. The Confessional Principle aiif! tlie 
 Confessions of the Lnthcran CInirch. 
 
 Koldc, Ilistorischc Einlcilung in die Syniholischc Bucchcr. 
 
 Kraulh, The Conservative Reformation. 
 
 Slahl, Die Intherische Kirchc nnd <iie Union. 
 
 Book of Concord. In (irrnian and Latin: Mueller. In Eng- 
 lish : Jacobs. 
 
 U'nllher, Ainrrikanisch-Lntherische Pastoral Thcologie. 
 
 Kohnert, Dogmatik. 
 
 Crrberdiftf/, The Way of .Salvation. 
 
 Remensnyder, The Lutheran Manual. 
 
 Ecclesiastical Records State of New York. 
 
 (Hallcschc) Nachrichten. 
 
 Colonial Documents of New York. 
 
 Brodhcad, History of New Nctherland. 
 
 O'Callaghan, Documentary History of the State r)f New York. 
 
 *Man\ of the boohs to which reference is here vunle may be 
 fimud in the I'ublir Library of Neiv )'<irk. Others are 
 obtainable in college and seminary libraries. 
 
 ir>4 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 Atctnorial X'olntuc «)f the Scnii-Ccntcnnial Antiivcrsary of 
 Hartwick Scminard, held August 21, 1860. Albany. 1807. 
 
 Lamb, History of the City of New York. 
 
 Booth, History of the City of New York. 
 
 Grccnlcaf, History of the C hurchcs of New York. 
 
 Grncbtxcr, (icsciiichtc dor Luthcrischni Kirchc iti Anirrlr:^. 
 
 IliU'hcrh', AuswaiulcruiiK dor Pfaol/or iiu 18. Jahrhntulort. 
 
 Kaiscrslautcrn, \W\i. 
 
 Jiiihitorn, In dor iicuoii Hoiinath. 
 
 A'(i/'/», Cicschichto dor Doutsohoji ini Staate New York. 
 
 CiOtxvald, The Teutonic Factor in Ainorioan History. (Liith- 
 eran Church Review, 11)02.) 
 
 iiracbncr. Half a Century of Sound I.ntlirranisin in America. 
 
 Niuut. Cicscliichte dcs New York Ministeriutns. 
 
 Lenkcr. Lutherans in All Lands, 
 
 Jacobs, A History of the ICvanKclical Lutheran Church in 
 the United States. 
 
 S( hwufkrr, B. M., The Lutheran Clnirch in New York (hir- 
 ing' the I'irst Century of its History. (Lutheran Church 
 Review, 1884-1885.) 
 
 Francis. Old New York. 
 
 D\sosis.*ay, Earliest Churches of New York. 
 
 Sachsc: Justus I-'alckncr, 
 
 Maun: 11. M. Muchlenhcrg. 
 
 h'otsrtirr: Joiiann Heiiuich Sicker. 
 
 Sf^ranuc: Annals of the American Lutheran Pulpit. 
 
 Brndixrfi : Hilder aus dei let/.ten religioesen ICrwecktmpr '" 
 Deutschland. Leipzig, 1897. 
 
 1.^5 
 
THE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORK 
 
 Schaefer: Wilhelm Loehe. (Also other lives of Loebc). 
 
 Baur: Geschichts-und Lebensbilder aus der Erneucrung des 
 religioesen Lebins in den deutschen Befreiungskriegcn. 
 
 Stevenson: Praying and Working. 
 
 (Rocholl) : Einsame Wege. 
 
 Wichern, Die innere Mission. 
 
 Ohl, The Inner Mission. 
 
 Kretzmann, Oldest Lutheran Church in America. 
 
 (Clarkson), Church of Zion and St. Timothy. 
 
 (Young), St. John's Church in Christopher Street. 
 
 Kraeling, Unser Zion (Brooklyn), 1905. 
 
 (Merkel), Dreieinigkeits-Gemeinde, Long Island City. 
 
 Kandclhart, Bethlehems-Gemeinde, Brooklyn, 1913. 
 
 Beyer, St. Johannes-Gemeinde, Brooklyn, 1894. 
 
 Borth, St. Johannes-Gemeinde, Port Richmond, 1902. 
 
 Jubilee of the Church of St. James, 1877. 
 
 Gcschichte der Kirche zu St. Markus, 1897. (Manh.) 
 
 Zum Fuenfzigjaehrigem Jubilaeum der St. Lukas Gemeinde, 
 
 1900. (Manh.) 
 Zum Goldenen Jubilaeum. (St. Peter's Church, Manhattan), 
 
 1913. 
 Gcschichtliche Skizze zum Goldenen Jubilaeum der Immanu- 
 
 elskirche zu Yorkville, 1913. 
 
 Steup, Gcschichtliche Skizze der St. Johannes-Gemeinde zu 
 Harlem, New York, 1889. 
 
 {Peterson), Zum Goldenen Jubilaeum, Dreieinigkeits-Gemein- 
 de, Middle Village, 1913. 
 
 Statistischcs Jahrbuch. (Missouri Synod). 
 Lutheran Church Year Book. 
 Brooklyn Daily Eagle Almanac. 
 Federation. New York Federation of Churches. 
 Charities Directory. Charity Organization Society. 
 
 156 
 
Index 
 
 Page 
 
 "Achtundvierziger" 35 
 
 Arensius ^^ 
 
 Athens ^^ 
 
 Baptismal Regeneration 101 
 
 Berkemeier, G. C 40 
 
 Berkemeier, W. 11 39 
 
 Berkenmeyer • • 9 
 
 Book of Concord XI) 4:1 
 
 Brolim, Pastor 34 
 
 ^'Buffalonians" 33 
 
 Catechization 109 
 
 Concordia College 61 
 
 Confirmation 98 
 
 Cox, Dr. S. H 20 
 
 Church Bookkeeping 124 
 
 Church Defined 91 
 
 Deaconesses ^2 
 
 Dutch Language 80 
 
 Ehrhardt, Julius 65 
 
 Embury, Philip 22 
 
 English Language 83 
 
 Episcopalians 25 
 
 Ericsson, Captain John 44 
 
 Fabritius 3 
 
 Falckner 5 
 
 Francis, Dr 20 
 
 Geissenhainer, Sr 26 
 
 Geissenhainer, Jr 27, 64 
 
 German Language 81 
 
 Goedel, Jacob 42 
 
 Grabau, Pastor 31 
 
 Gutwasser 3 
 
 Hartwick Seminary • 62 
 
 Hartwig 21 
 
 167 
 
ii'age 
 
 Hausihl 13 
 
 Heck, Barbara 22 
 
 Held, A. H. M 64 
 
 Hessians 14 
 
 High German 84 
 
 Holls, G. C 40 
 
 Hospice 62 
 
 Inner Mission 120 
 
 Inner Mission Society 62 
 
 Jewish Schools Ill 
 
 Jogues 1 
 
 Justification by Faith XIV, XV 
 
 Knoll 10 
 
 Kocherthal 6 
 
 Koinonia 51 
 
 Krotel 65 
 
 Kunze 16 
 
 Kurtz, Dr. B 32 
 
 Laidlaw 56 
 
 London 79 
 
 Loonenburg 9 
 
 Louis the Fourteenth 6 
 
 Lutheran Society 62 
 
 Lutheranism VIII 
 
 Luther League 51 
 
 Manhattan 61 
 
 Martin Luther Society 50 
 
 Mayer, P. and F 21 
 
 Means of Grace XVI 
 
 Meldenius, Rupertus IV 
 
 Methodists 23 
 
 Metropolitan District 76 
 
 Merger 78 
 
 Miller, C. Armand 66 
 
 Ministers' Association 58 
 
 *'Missourians*' 33 
 
 Moldenke 65 
 
 158 
 
Page 
 
 Moller, Peter 39 
 
 Muehlenberg, F ^ 12 
 
 Muehlenberg, II. M 11 
 
 Muehlenberg, P 6 
 
 Muhlenberg, W. A 7 
 
 Neumann, B 38 
 
 Norwegians 45 
 
 Oertel, Maximilian 31 
 
 Old Swamp Church 12 
 
 Palatines 6 
 
 Parochial School 107 
 
 Passavant 39 
 
 Pennsylvania Duteh 87 
 
 Person of Christ XIV 
 
 Piatt Deutsch 82 
 
 Prussia, King of 32 
 
 Psalmodia Germaniea 12 
 
 Public Library 125 
 
 Eussian Lutherans 114 
 
 Rhinebeck 18 
 
 Rudmann, A 5 
 
 Scandinavians 47 
 
 Schaeffer, F. C 26 
 
 Sehieren, Chas. A 57 
 
 Sieker, J. H 65 
 
 Steimle Sjniod 41 
 
 St. Stephen's Church 25 
 
 St. James' Church 27 
 
 St. Matthew's Church 26 
 
 Stohlmann 37, 64 
 
 Strebeck 18 
 
 Sunday School 106 
 
 Swedes 41 
 
 Trinity Church 9 
 
 TJpsala College 61 
 
 Vorleezers 8 
 
 Wagner College 61 
 
 159 
 
Page 
 
 Week-Day Instruction 110 
 
 Wedekind 64 
 
 "Weiser 6 
 
 Weltner 67 
 
 Wesley, John 23 
 
 Weygand 12 
 
 Williston 25 
 
 Winkeltauf e 100 
 
 Young, J. J 66 
 
 Zenger, Peter 7 
 
 Zion Church 18 
 
 160 
 
Printed bjr 
 , Hughes & Mangkr 
 N«w York 
 
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBR/ 
 
 This book is due on the date indica^** , 
 
 expiration of a definite period after the 
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COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 
 
 0035519878 
 
 \ 
 
 IX 
 
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