[Transcriber's note: A very few German names appeared in the originalwith umlauts. These have been transcribed as an "e". A few spellingerrors in the original are indicated with a "[sic]". The original usesitalics to indicate most of the German and Latin in the text, and all ofthe authors' names in the bibliography. Italics are transcribed with theunderscore character at the beginning and end. Footnotes in the originalare transcribed here in a paragraph immediately below the paragraph towhich the footnote is connected. The appendix contains a table that is102 characters wide. ]

The LutheransofNew York

Their Story and Their Problems

BYGEORGE U. WENNER, D. D. , L. H. D. Pastor of Christ Church

New YorkTHE PETERSFIELD PRESS819 East Nineteenth Street1918

Copyright, 1918By GEORGE U. WENNER

TOTHE LUTHERANS OF NEW YORKINTHE TWENTIETH CENTURY_May you bring forth fruit and may your fruit remain_

Contents Apology IntroductionTheir Story In the Seventeenth Century--1648-1700 In the Eighteenth Century--1701-1750 In the Eighteenth Century--1751-1800 In the Nineteenth Century--1801-1838 In the Nineteenth Century--1839-1865 In the Nineteenth Century--1866-1900 In the Twentieth Century--1900-1918Their Problems The Problem of Synods The Problem of Language The Problem of Membership The Problem of Religious Education The Problem of Lapsed Lutherans The Problem of StatisticsEpilogueAppendix--The Churches; Deaconesses; Former Pastors; Sons of theChurches; Institutions and Societies; Other Associations; Periodicals;Book-stores; Bibliography; Index. 

Illustrations Frontispiece [Transcriber's note: a portrait of the author] When New York Was Young A Corner of Broad Street New Amsterdam in 1640 In the Eighteenth Century Trinity Church Henry Melchior Muehlenberg The Old Swamp Church Frederick Muehlenberg John Christopher Kunze Kunze's Gravestone Carl F. E. Stohlmann, D. D. Pastor Wilhelm Heinrich Berkemeier The Wartburg G. F. Krotel, D. D. , LL. D. Augustus Charles Wedekind, D. D. Pastor J. H. Sieker Charles E. Weltner, D. D. 

Apology

Lutherans are not foreigners in New York. Most of us it is true are newcomers. But with a single exception, that of the Dutch Reformed Church, Lutherans were the first to plant the standard of the cross on ManhattanIsland. 

The story of our church runs parallel with that of the city. Ourproblems are bound up with those of New York. Our neighbors ought to bebetter acquainted with us. We ought to be better acquainted with them. We have common tasks, and it would be well if we knew more of eachother's ways and aims. 

New York is a cosmopolitan city. It is the gateway through which thenations are sending their children into the new world. 

Lutherans are a cosmopolitan church. Our pastors minister to theirflocks in fifteen languages. No church has a greater obligation to "seekthe peace of the city" than the Lutherans of New York. No church has adeeper interest in the problems that come to us with the growth and everchanging conditions of the metropolis. 

In their earlier history our churches had a checkered career. In recentyears they have made remarkable progress. In Greater New York we enrollthis year 160 churches. The Metropolitan District numbers 260congregations holding the Lutheran confession. But the extraordinaryconditions of a rapidly expanding metropolis, with its nomadicpopulation, together with our special drawback of congregations dividedamong various races and languages as well as conflicting schools oftheological definition, make our tasks heavy and confront us withproblems of grave difficulty. 

On the background of a historical sketch a study of some of theseproblems is attempted by the author. After spending what seemed but aspan of years in the pastorate on the East Side, he awoke one day tofind that half a century had been charged to his account. While it is adistinction, there is no special merit in being the senior pastor of NewYork. As Edward Judson once said to him: "All that you have had to dowas to outlive your contemporaries. "

These fifty years have been eventful ones in the history of our churchin New York. All of this period the author "has seen and part of it hewas. " But having also known, with four exceptions all the Lutheranpastors of the preceding fifty years, he has come into an almostpersonal touch with the events of a century of Lutheran history on thisisland. He has breathed its spirit and sympathized with its aspirations. 

This unique experience served as a pretext for putting into print somereflections that seemed fitting at a time when our churches werecelebrating the quadricentennial of the Reformation and were inquiringas to the place which they might take in the new century upon which theywere entering. The manuscript was begun during the celebration, butparochial duties intervened and frequent interruptions delayed thecompletion of the book. 

Lutherans have their place in Church History. Our doctrinal principlesdiffer in certain respects from those of other churches. We believe thatthese principles are an expression of historical, evangelicalChristianity, worthy of being promulgated, not in a spirit of arrogantdenominationalism, but in a spirit of toleration and catholicity. Yetfew in this city, outside of our own kith and kin, understand themeaning of our system. We have made but little progress in commending itto others or in extending our denominational lines. 

We do not even hold the ground that belongs to us. The descendants ofthe Lutherans of the first two centuries are not enrolled in our churchbooks. Although of late years we have increased a hundredfold (literally a hundredfold within the memory of men still living), we are far fromcaring effectively for our flocks. The number of lapsed Lutherans islarger than that of the enrolled members of our churches. In thelanguage of our Palatine forefathers: _Doh is ebbes letz_. 

While therefore recent progress affords ground for encouragement, it isnot a time for boastfulness. It is rather a time for self-examination, for an inquiry into our preparedness for new tasks and impendingopportunities. 

We are living in an imperial city. What we plan and what we do here inNew York projects itself far beyond the walls of our city. Nowhere arethe questions of the community more complicated and the needs of thetime more urgent than here. We should therefore ask ourselves whetherthe disjointed sections of our church, arrayed during theQuadricentennial as one, for the purposes of a spectacular celebration, but each exalting some particularism of secondary value, adequatelyrepresent the religious ideas which four centuries ago gave a newimpulse to the life of the world. If not, where does the trouble lie?Is it a question of doctrine, of language, of organization or of spirit?

The emphasis we place upon doctrine has given us a reputation forexclusiveness. The author believes that the spirit of Lutheranism isthat of catholicity. He holds that, in our relations with the people ofthis city and with other churches we ought to emphasize the essentialand outstanding features of the Lutheran Church rather than the minutedistinctions which only the trained dogmatician can comprehend. He is insympathy with the well known plea of Rupertus Meldenius, an otherwiseunknown Lutheran theologian of the seventeenth century (about 1623), toobserve "in essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all thingscharity. "

Introduction

For the sake of non-Lutheran readers it may be well, in a sketch of thestory and problems of our churches, to present a short statement oftheir principles and to indicate in what respect these differ from thegeneral attitude and beliefs of other churches. In doing so however theauthor does not presume to encroach upon the field belonging to thescholars of the church. He is not an expert theologian. What he has tosay upon this subject can only be taken as the opinion of a workadaypastor who, in practical experience, has obtained an acquaintance withthe teachings of the church which it is his privilege to serve. For aclearer understanding of disputed points the reader is referred to thebooks of reference named in the Bibliography. 

Many otherwise well-read people, while admitting that Lutherans areProtestants, suspect that their system is still imbued with the leavenof Romanism. In their classification of churches they are disposed toplace us among Ritualists, Sacerdotalists and Crypto-Romanists. 

We do not expect to reverse at once the preference of most AmericanProtestants in favor of the Reformed system. But since we have had noinconsiderable share in the shaping of modern history, we are confidentthat our principles will in due time receive the consideration to whichany historical development is entitled. We would like to be understood, or at least not to be misunderstood, by our fellow Christians. 

But our chief desire is to inspire our own young people with anintelligent devotion to the faith of their fathers and to persuade themof its conformity with historical, believing Christianity. 

What is Lutheranism? How does it differ from Catholicism? How does itdiffer from other forms of Protestantism?

The origin of Lutheranism we are accustomed to assign to the sixteenthcentury. We associate it with the nailing of the 95 theses to the churchdoor at Wittenberg, or with Luther's defence at the Diet of Worms, orwith the Confession of the Evangelicals at Augsburg in 1530. 

These events were indeed dramatic indications of a great change, butthey were only the culmination of a process that had been going on forages. It was a re-formation of the ancient Catholic Church and a returnto the original principles of the Gospel. 

"The Church had become an enormous labyrinthine structure which includedall sorts of heterogeneous matters, the Gospel and holy water, theuniversal priesthood and the pope on his throne, the Redeemer and SaintAnna, and called it religion. Over against this vast accumulation of theages, against which many times ineffective protest had been made, theLutheran Reformation insisted on reducing religion to its simplestterms, faith and the word of God. "* *Harnack, Wesen des Christenthums. 

The traditional conception of the Church with all its apparatus andclaims of authority it repudiated, and in the few and simple statementsof the seventh article of the Augustana, it set forth its doctrine ofthe Church:

"Also they teach, that One holy Church is to continue forever. TheChurch is the congregation of saints, in which the Gospel is rightlytaught and the Sacraments rightly administered. And to the true unity ofthe Church, it is enough to agree concerning the doctrine of the Gospeland the administration of the Sacraments. "

This was the Lutheran position as against Rome. 

But properly to understand our history we must also take account ofanother movement with which our churches had to contend at the same timethat they were making their protest against Rome. This was a moreradical form of Protestantism which found its expression among what areknown as the Reformed Churches. It had its home in Switzerland, and madeits way along the Rhine to Germany, France and Holland. Through JohnKnox it came to Scotland, and subsequently superseded Lutheranism inHolland and in England. It was from these countries that the earliestcolonists came to America, and thus American Christianity early receivedthe impress of the Reformed system. The few and scattered Lutheranchurches which were established here in the early history of our countrywere brought into contact with a form of Protestantism at variance withtheir own theological principles. The history of our Church in Americamust be studied with this fact in mind, otherwise many of itsdevelopments will not be understood. 

It would lead too far to explain the historical and philosophicaldifferences between these two forms of Protestantism. A phrase firstused by Julius Stahl aptly describes the difference. The LutheranReformation was the "Conservative Reformation. " Its general principlewas to maintain the historical continuity of the Church, rejecting onlythat which was contrary to the word of God. The irenic character of theAugsburg Confession was owing to this principle. The Reformed Churches, on the other hand, made a _tabula rasa_ of history, and, ignoring eventhe legitimate contributions of the Christian centuries, professed toreturn to apostolical simplicity, and to accept for their church-lifeonly that which was explicitly prescribed by the Holy Scriptures. 

Thus the Lutherans retained the churches as they were, with their altarsand their pictures, the Liturgy and other products of art and ofhistory, provided they were not contrary to the word of God. TheReformed, on the other hand, would have none of these things becausethey were not prescribed in the Bible. They worshipped in churches withbare walls, and dispensed with organs and music, in the interest of areturn to Scriptural simplicity. 

There were other differences, but these indicate the general characterof the two movements. 

History thus placed our Church between two fires, and the training shereceived explains in part the polemical character for which she has beendistinguished. Sharp theological distinctions had to be made. Theemphasis which she was compelled to place upon distinctive doctrine as abond of fellowship accounts for the maintenance of standards which werenot required in the early history of our Church when the seventh articleof the Augustana was presented. 

Those were famous battles which were fought in the sixteenth andseventeenth centuries in defence of the Lutheran position. Our Churchhad to contend with two vigorous foes in the statement of her doctrines, Rome and Reform. The antinomian and synergistic controversies, Osiander, Major and Flacius, the Philippists and the Crypto-Calvinists are namesthat still remind us of the theological carnage of the sixteenthcentury. 

In the seventeenth century came the reign of the dogmaticians. Theeighteenth century was the age of Pietism and this was followed byRationalism. The scope of this Introduction does not require us toexplain the significance of these movements. Students of Church Historyare familiar with them. 

The revival of spiritual life at the beginning of the nineteenth centurybrought with it also a revival of church consciousness and a restorationof the confession of the church. Both in Europe and in America theattempt has been made to secure the unity of the church on the basis ofsubscription to the various Symbols included in the Book of Concord. These Symbols, besides the Ecumenical Creeds and the AugsburgConfession, are Melanchthon's Apology, that is Defence of the AugsburgConfession, Luther's two Catechisms, the Smalcald Articles and theFormula of Concord. The later Confessions supplement and explain thestatements of the Augsburg Confession. As such they are valuableexponents of Lutheran teaching. Many of our churches in Europe as wellas in America require of their ministers subscription to theseConfessions. At the same time it is also true that many churches, whoseLutheranism cannot be impugned, find in the Augsburg Confession anadequate expression of their doctrinal position. 

According to the Confessors of Augsburg: "For the true unity of thechurch it is sufficient to agree concerning the doctrines of theGospel. "

It would seem, therefore, to be in harmony with the spirit ofLutheranism to make "the confession of the churches" rather than "theConfessions of the Church" the bond of union. Underneath the Confessionsthere are distinctive principles differentiating us from the sacerdotalchurches on the one hand and from the Reformed churches on the otherhand. 

The soul of the Confessions is the confession, and this soul we mayrecognize amid all the changes that take place in the course of timeand the progress of thought. It reveals itself in innumerable forms, insermons and in sacred song, and above all in the sanctified lives ofthose who confess the faith. 

In conversation with an eminent teacher in one of our most conservativeschools, the author not long ago requested a definition of Lutheranismfrom the standpoint of the school which the Professor represented. Ofcourse, it was suggested, the acceptance of the Symbolical books must bepresumed, _sine qua non_. 

The reply was: "The Symbolical Books are valuable, but their obligatoryacceptance is not essential: The same is true even of the AugsburgConfession. Any one who accepts the teachings of Luther's SmallCatechism is a Lutheran. The heart of the Lutheran faith may beexpressed in the following words: "Man is a sinner who can be saved bygrace alone. "

In view of this statement it would seem to be a legitimate inferencethat even in the straitest sect of Lutherans in America the ultimatedoctrine of Lutheranism, reduced to a single word, is GRACE. 

Churches, however, have their distinguishing marks. In the LutheranChurch these are more difficult to find because of her catholic originand spirit. While forms and ceremonies are retained, they play only aminor part in the expression of her churchliness. Bishops andpresbyters, robes and chasubles, liturgies and orders, "helps, governments and divers kinds of tongues, " in the providence of God allof these things have been "set in the church. " Lutherans in many landsmake use of them. An inexperienced observer, taking note only ofcrucifixes and candles sometimes fails to distinguish between Lutheransand Catholics. Yet none of these heirlooms of our ancient family belongto the essential marks of the church. Their observance or non-observancehas nothing to do with the substance of Lutheranism. 

Lutheranism aimed at reformation and not at revolution. Its initialpurpose was to bring back the Church to the common faith of Christendom. Hence the Lutheran Confession is in its large outlines that of universalChristendom. Nevertheless, it received a distinctive trend from theproblems of soteriology. The ancient Church had developed the doctrinesof God and of Christ. A beginning, too, had been made in the doctrinesof sin and grace and the way of salvation. But the development had beenhindered by hierarchical traditionalism and by the spirit of legalism. These were the obstacles that stood in the way. The cry that went up toGod 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 experienceof Luther himself. This is what drove him into the monastery, and thiswas the underlying quest of his life as a monk and as a teacher in theuniversity, through monasticism to get to heaven. It was only when hehad found Christ, and realized that his sins had been taken away throughthe atoning work of the Son of God, that he found peace. It is Hisperson and work upon which the doctrine of our Church primarily rests. * *"Luther, when he said that justification by faith was the articleof a standing or falling Church, stated the exact truth. He meant tosay, in the terms of the New Testament, especially of Paul, that God inChrist is the sole and sufficient Saviour. He affirmed what was in himno abstract doctrine, but the most concrete of all realities, Incarnatedin the person and passion of Jesus Christ, drawing from Him its eternaland universal significance. "--Fairbairn, "The Place of Christ in ModernTheology, " page 159. 

In the words of the Small Catechism, Luther still teaches our childrenthis foundation doctrine of our Church:

"I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father frometernity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, whohas redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, secured and delivered mefrom all sins, from death and from the power of the devil; not withsilver and gold, but with His holy and precious blood, and with Hisinnocent sufferings and death, in order that I might be His, live underHim 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 thefoundation of the faith of our Church, many obstacles had been placed inthe way of securing this redemption. Legalistic conditions made itimpossible for the sinner to know that his sins had been taken away. Itwas here that the Lutheran Reformation pointed the way to a return tothe simplicity of the Gospel by its Scriptural definition ofjustification. _Sola fide_, by faith alone, was the keynote of theReformation. Be sure that you bring back _sola_ was Luther's admonitionto his friends, who went to Augsburg while he himself remained atCoburg. 

Thus justification by faith became the material principle ofProtestantism and a second foundation stone of Lutheranism. It is truethat Calvin and the Reformed churches also accepted this principle, butthey did not begin with it. Their system was based on the idea of theabsoluteness of God. The Lutheran system emphasizes the love of God toall men; the Reformed system emphasizes predestination; which, byselecting some, excludes the others. As the theologians describe it, Lutheranism is Christocentric, Reform is theocentric. * *Calvin, like Luther, read theology through Augustine and withouthis ecclesiology, but from an altogether opposite point of view. Lutherstarted with the anthropology and advanced from below upwards; Calvinstarted with the theology and moved from above downwards. Hence hisdeterminative idea was not justification by faith, but God and Hissovereignty, or the sole and all-efficiency of His gracious will. -Ibid. , page 162. 

A third principle relates to the means of grace. Here we have lessdifficulty in discerning the line of cleavage which separates us fromRome on the one hand and from the rest of Protestantism on the otherhand. 

The Lutheran Confession regards the word of God as the means of grace. The Sacraments also are means of grace, not _ex opere operato_, butbecause of the word. They are the visible word, or the individualizedGospel. Hence, it is correct to say that the word, in the Lutheransystem, is the means of grace. This is doubtless news to many of ourbrethren of other faiths, who think of us only as extremesacramentarians, and have looked upon us for centuries asCrypto-Romanists. Nothing could be further from the truth. It was onlyby an accident that the emphasis of polemical discussion in thesixteenth century was laid upon the sacramental question, where it neverbelonged. 

In her doctrine of the means of grace, the Lutheran Church differs _totocoelo_ from Rome. It is not the Church which, through its authority andits institutions, makes the means of grace effective; but it is throughthe means of grace that the Church is created and made both a productand an instrument of the Holy Ghost. 

On this doctrine our church differs not only in theory but also inpractice from many of our Protestant brethren. In some of their originalconfessional statements the Reformed churches declared that the Spiritof God required no means of grace, since He worked immediately anddirectly. They claimed that the corporeal could not carry the spiritual, and that the finite could not be made the bearer of the infinite. Overagainst these hyperspiritual views our Church believes that through theword and the sacraments the Holy Ghost effectively offers to the sinnerthe gifts of salvation. 

There are other marks of our Church, but these are its maincharacteristics, and they suffice to indicate our general position inrelation to Christian thought. 

If, now, we should be called upon to define in a single sentence thedistinctive features of Lutheranism, it might be done in these words ofan unknown writer:

"Lutheranism is that form of Protestant Christianity which makes Christthe only foundation, faith the only condition, and the word of God theonly means of salvation. "

THEIR STORY

In the Seventeenth Century1648-1700

Under the administration of the Dutch West India Company the ReformedChurch was established in New Amsterdam in 1628. The policy of theCompany was to maintain the Reformed religion to the exclusion of allother churches. But the cosmopolitan character of the future metropoliswas evident even in its earliest history. In 1643 the Jesuit missionaryJogues reports that besides the Calvinists, Lutherans and Anabaptistswere to be found in the colony. In 1644 eighteen languages were spokenby its inhabitants. 

In 1648 the Lutheran community in the New Netherlands appealed to theConsistory of Amsterdam for a minister, but nothing was done for them. In 1653 the request was renewed. When the Reformed ministers heard ofit, they strenuously objected to the admission of a Lutheran minister;they said this would open the door for all manner of sects and woulddisturb the province in the enjoyment of its religion. Their attitudewas supported by Governor Stuyvesant, who indeed went to great lengthsin the enforcement of these views? [sic] Even the reading services, which the Lutherans held among themselves in anticipation of the comingof a minister, were forbidden, and fines and imprisonment were inflictedupon those who disobeyed. 

Candor compels us to admit that this was the spirit of the age. TheThirty Years' War was going on at this time, and in a time of warruthless methods are the vogue. 

In 1657, to the joy of the Lutherans and the consternation of theReformed, Joannes Ernestus Gutwasser (or Goetwater, as his name is oftenprinted) arrived from Amsterdam to minister to the waiting congregation. But Governor Stuyvesant had no use for a Lutheran minister and Gutwasserwas ordered to return forthwith to the place from which he had come. However, he succeeded in delaying his departure for nearly two years. 

The congregation, unmindful of Stuyvesant's fulminations against allwho taught contrary to the Acts of the Synod of Dort, secured as theirminister in 1662 a student by the name of Abelius Zetskoorn, whom theauthorities soon transported to a charge on the Delaware, without theviolence, however, shown in the case of Gutwasser. 

In 1664 the island was captured by the English and the Lutheranssucceeded in obtaining a charter with permission to call a minister andconduct services in accordance with the teachings of the AugsburgConfession. But prior to 1664 or even 1648 there were individualLutherans here, "their charter of salvation one Lord, one faith, onebirth. " In spite of persecution, even to imprisonment, they sang "TheLord's song in a strange land, " and in simplicity of faith sowed theseed from which future harvests were to spring. 

[illustration: "When New York Was Young"]

The little trading station at the mouth of the North River now numberedabout 1, 500 people. The church of "The Augustane Confession" was stillwithout a pastor. For a generation they had striven under greatdifficulties to maintain their Lutheran faith. They were plain, simplepeople, but they had refused to be cajoled or driven to a denial oftheir convictions. Over against Stuyvesant, the most dominantpersonality of the new world, they waited patiently for the time whenthey might have their own pastor and might worship God according to thedictates of their own consciences. 

At last, in 1669, they obtained a minister in the person of MagisterJacobus Fabritius who served the congregation in New York and also onein Albany. The new pastor sorely tried the patience of a longsufferingpeople. In church he manifested a dictatorial and irascible temper. Athome he was constantly quarreling with his wife. These eccentricitiesinterfered somewhat with his usefulness as a pastor. With increasingdifficulty he administered his office until 1671 when he accepted a callto congregations on the Delaware. Here he seems to have repented of hisways, for he left an honorable record as a devoted pastor, and thehistorian is glad to forget the infelicities of his career on the NorthRiver. 

His successor was Bernhardus Arensius, who came with a letter ofrecommendation from the Consistory of Amsterdam. He is described as "agentle personage and of a very agreeable behavior. "

Those were troublous times in which he conducted his ministry. The warbetween the Dutch and the English caused a repeated change ofgovernment, but for twenty years he quietly and successfully carried onhis pastoral work in New York and in Albany. He died in 1691 and theLutheran flock was again without a shepherd. For the rest of the centuryappeals to Amsterdam for a pastor were all in vain. 

[illustrations: "A Corner of Broad Street" and "New Amsterdam in 1640"]

In the Eighteenth Century1701-1750

At the beginning of the eighteenth century the population of ManhattanIsland had increased to 5, 000 souls, chiefly Dutch and English. Thesefigures include about 800 negro slaves. The slave trade and piracy wereat this time perfectly legitimate lines of business. 

For ten years the Lutherans had been without a minister. In 1701 theyinvited Andrew Rudmann to become their pastor. He had been sent by theArchbishop of Upsala as a missionary to the Swedish settlements on theDelaware. Rudmann accepted the call, but after a severe illness, as theclimate did not agree with him, he returned to Pennsylvania, where in1703 he ordained Justus Falckner to be his successor in New York. 

Falckner was a graduate of Halle. It was a kind Providence that made himpastor of the Lutherans in New York at this time. Events had happenedand were still happening in Europe that were destined to make history inAmerica. 

Germany, paralyzed by the results of the Thirty Years' War, andhopelessly divided into a multitude of political fragments, had becomethe helpless prey of the spoiler. The valley of the Rhine was ravagedfrom Heidelberg to the Black Forest. To this day, after more than twocenturies, the ruins may still be traced. Upon the accession of theCatholic House of Neuburg to the throne of the Palatinate theProtestants were subjected to intolerable persecution. Their churchesand schools were taken from them. Frequent raids were made upon thehelpless border lands by the armies of Louis the Fourteenth. In a timeof peace the Lutheran house of worship in Strassburg was wrested fromits owners and transformed into a Catholic cathedral. 

This devastation of the Rhine Valley caused an extensive emigration byway of London to New York. In the winter of 1708 Pastor Kocherthalarrived with the first company of Palatine exiles. In succeeding yearsmany others followed, most of them settling on the upper Hudson and inthe Mohawk Valley, but some of them remaining in New York. 

The inhuman treatment which they received during the voyage, followed byhunger and disease, decimated their ranks. Of the 3, 086 persons who setsail from London only 2, 227 reached New York. Here they were notpermitted 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 inthe subsequent history of his countrymen, Johann Conrad Weiser. Hisdescendants down to our own day have been filling high places in thehistory of their country as ministers, teachers, soldiers and statesmen. His great-grandson was the Speaker of the first House of Representativesof the United States. Another great-grandson, General Peter Muehlenberg, was for a time an assistant minister in Zion Church at New Germantown, N. J. He accepted a call to Woodstock, Virginia, where at the outbreakof the Revolution he startled his congregation one Sunday by declaringthat the time to preach was past and the time to fight had come. Throwing off his ministerial robe and standing before them in theuniform of an American officer, he appealed to them to follow him in thedefence of the liberties of his country. He became a distinguishedofficer in the army and subsequently rendered good service in the civiladministration of the new republic. 

[illustration: "In the Eighteenth Century"]

A later descendant was Dr. William A. Muhlenberg, born in Philadelphia, September 16th, 1796, the venerated founder of St. Luke's Hospital inthis city. * *Dr. Muhlenberg was the rector of the Protestant Episcopal Churchof the Holy Communion. He was one of the best beloved ministers in NewYork. 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 andassured me that he had always been a Lutheran. He evidently conceived ofLutheranism in broader terms than merely denominational distinctions. 

Among the Palatine immigrants stranded on Governor's Island, unable tofollow their sturdier companions to the upper part of the Hudson Valley, were widows, elderly men and 80 orphans. One of these orphans was PeterZenger, who was apprenticed to William Bradford, at that time the onlyprinter in the colony. When he grew up, he became the editor of TheWeekly Journal, which made its first appearance on November 5th, 1733. Washington at this time was not yet two years old. Zenger was one of theearliest champions of American liberty. His arrest and imprisonment, hisheroic defence and final acquittal, are among the milestones of Americanhistory and are a contribution to the story of New York of whichAmericans of German descent may well be proud. 

It was a large parish to which Falckner ministered. There were no HomeMission Boards in those days. The New York pastor had therefore to carefor many outlying stations. His diocese included Hackensack, Raritan, Ramapo and Constable Hook in the south, and Albany, Loonenburg and WestCamp in the north. After the death of Kocherthal he visited regularly, not only the Dutch congregations of Claverack, Coxackie and Kinderhook, but also such German settlements as East Camp, Rhinebeck, and Schoharie. 

New York itself was not neglected during these missionary journeys. Readers (Vorleezers) conducted the service while he was away. Suchnotices 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 forliterary work, but in order that his people might be informed on thesubject of their church's faith as distinguished from that of theirCalvinistic neighbors, he wrote a book on the essential doctrines ofthe Lutheran confession. It was published by William Bradford, New York, 1708. 

He also wrote a hymn: _"Auf, ihr Christen, Christi Glieder, "_ whichafter two centuries holds a place in German hymnals, and the translationis to be found in some of the best collections of the English language. To this day, therefore, the churches of London and Berlin alike respondto Falckner's rallying call: "Rise, ye children of salvation. "

[illustration: "Trinity Church, Broadway and Rector Street, (SouthwestCorner)"]

He must have been a pious man and a winning personality. The entries inthe book recording baptisms and other ministerial acts abound inaccompanying prayers for the spiritual welfare of those to whom he hadministered. 

For twenty years he served the churches of New York and the HudsonValley. When and where he died we know not. Early in 1723 he was in NewYork and in Hackensack. In September of the same year there is a recordof a baptism at Phillipsburg (near Yonkers). And then no more. "He wasnot, for God took him. "

Falckner's successor, Berkenmeyer, a native of Lueneburg, arrived in1725. He brought with him books for a church library and also funds fora new building, contributed by friends in Germany, Denmark, and London. The "old cattle shed" on the southwest corner of Broadway and RectorStreet was torn down and a stone building erected which was dedicated in1729 and named Trinity church. 

The parish which Berkenmeyer inherited from Falckner, extending from NewYork to Albany, and including many Dutch and German settlements on bothsides of the river, proved to be a larger field than he could cultivate. He therefore sent to Germany for another minister, and resigning at NewYork, took charge of the northern and more promising part of the field, making his home at Loonenburg (Athens), on the Hudson. For nineteenyears he labored in this field. He died in 1751. 

Berkenmeyer was a scholarly man, a faithful minister, and an impressivepersonality. He belonged to a different school from that of his greatcontemporary, Muehlenberg, and the rest of the Halle missionaries, andhis correspondence with them frequently savored of theologicalcontroversy. 

His successor in New York was Knoll, a native of Holstein, who spenteighteen years of faithful work in Trinity church under tryingcircumstances. He had to preach in Dutch to a congregation that hadbecome prevailingly German. There was a growing dissatisfaction amongthe people. During the first half of the century Dutch influencegradually declined and German grew stronger. The ministers were all ofthem German, although they preached chiefly in Dutch, with occasionalministrations in German. At last the Germans, feeling the need of amplerservice in their own language, took advantage in 1750 of the presence ofa peripatetic preacher and instituted the first "split" in the Lutheranchurch of this city by organizing Christ Church. Knoll resigned soonafter and removed to Loonenburg, where he again became the successor ofBerkenmeyer. 

[illustration: "Henry Melchior Muehlenberg (Otto Schweizer's HeroicStone Figure)"]

In the Eighteenth Century1751-1800

The resignation of Knoll and the difficulties of the mother congregationwere the occasion of calling to New York the most distinguished ministerthe American Church has ever had. 

Henry Melchior Muehlenberg came to America from Halle in 1742 tominister to the congregations in and near Philadelphia. The disorderedcondition of the American churches opened a wide field for hisadministrative ability, and for the rest of his life, in addition to hispastoral activity, he accomplished a great task in the planting andorganization of churches. He is rightly called the Patriarch of theLutheran Church in America. 

In response to an urgent appeal, Muehlenberg came over from Pennsylvaniain 1751 and assumed the pastorate of Trinity church. Although he spentbut a short time in 1751 and again in 1752 on the ground, he was for twoyears pastor of the mother church. His was a fruitful ministry. Hesucceeded to a considerable extent in reconciling the warring elementsin the congregation, not only by his gifts as a preacher and spiritualleader, but also by his ability to preach in Dutch and in English aswell as in German. 

The Episcopalians, who worshipped in the Trinity Church on the oppositecorner, complained of the stentorian tones in which he delivered hissermons. 

Upon Muehlenberg's recommendation, Mr. Weygand of Raritan, was chosenpastor of Trinity Church in 1753. In the furtherance of his ministry, Weygand performed some literary work. He prepared an English translationof the Augsburg Confession, which was printed as a supplement to aquarto volume of 414 pages published by one of the elders of his church, entitled "The Articles of Faith of the Holy Evangelical Church Accordingto the Word of God and the Augsburg Confession. A Translation from theDanish. New York, MDCCLIV. "

The congregation continued to be Dutch, although Weygand preached alsoin German and in English as occasion required. For the use of hisEnglish congregations he published in 1756 a translation of Germanhymns that had appeared in England under the title, "PsalmodiaGermanica. "

From 1750 to the time of the American Revolution we had two Lutheranchurches in New York, the German Christ church, popularly known as "TheOld Swamp Church, " on Frankfort Street, and the Dutch Trinity church onBroadway and Rector Street. 

In the Swamp church the first preacher, Ries, remained for a year. Hewas followed in quick succession by Rapp, Wiessner, Schaeffer, Kurz, Bager and Gerock. Only the last named served long enough to identifyhimself with local history. He was followed by Frederick Muehlenberg, a son of Henry Melchior, an ardent patriot, who had expressed himself sofreely in regard to English rule that when the British army marched intoNew York in 1776 he found it expedient to retire as quickly as possibleto Pennsylvania. Here he labored in several congregations; as supply oras pastor, until 1779, when the exigencies of the times compelled him totake an active part in the political affairs of the country. 

[illustration: "The Old Swamp Church"]

The partial reconciliation that had been brought about by Muehlenbergbetween the Dutch and the German congregations was occasionallydisturbed by a pamphletary warfare conducted by their respectivepastors, Weygand and Gerock. 

Weygand died in 1770. He was succeeded by Hausihl (or Houseal, as hespelled his name in later years), a native of Heilbronn, who had servedcongregations in Maryland and in eastern Pennsylvania. Tradition reportsthat he was a brilliant preacher of distinguished appearance and ofcourtly manners. He succeeded in maintaining a large congregation. 

But a serious change was going on in the church in the matter oflanguage. In spite of the secession in 1750 other Germans kept cominginto the Broadway church to such an extent that they outnumbered theDutch eight to one, and finally the use of the Dutch language in theLutheran Church of New York came to an end. Houseal had the distinctionof conducting the obsequies at the preparatory service on Saturday, November 30, 1771, and at the administration of the Lord's Supper onthe following day. 

But the death of the Dutch language by no means put an end to thelanguage difficulties of our Lutheran ancestors. In the midst of theoriginal contestants a new set of combatants had sprung up in thepersons of the children of both parties. These spoke neither Dutch norGerman. They understood English only and demanded larger considerationof their needs. 

Events, however, were impending which soon gave the people somethingelse to think about and caused a postponement of actual hostilities foranother generation. 

The church on Broadway was destroyed by fire in 1776, and was neverrebuilt. The congregation worshipped for a time in the ScotchPresbyterian Church on Cedar Street. 

The American Revolution broke out. On political questions our ancestorsdiffered almost as widely as do their successors on synodical questions. Some of them were for George the Third, others were for GeorgeWashington. In this respect, however, they were not unlike otherinhabitants of New York. 

Frederick Muehlenberg, the pastor of the Swamp Church, was an ardentpatriot. At the beginning of the war, as we have seen, he fled toPennsylvania. 

During the war the services were conducted by the chaplains of theHessian troops. The Hessians were good church-goers and also generouscontributors, so that the financial condition of the congregation atthis time was greatly improved. 

Houseal, the pastor of Trinity Church, was a tory, and when in 1783 theAmerican troops marched into New York, he with a goodly number of hisadherents removed to Nova Scotia and founded a Lutheran church inHalifax. 

Both churches were now without pastors. Tribulation must have softenedthe spirits of the two contending congregations, for when Dr. JohannChristoph Kunze came to this city from Philadelphia in 1784, he becamepastor of the reunited congregations, worshipping in the Swamp Church. 

[illustration: "Frederick Augustus Conrad Muehlenberg; Pastor of the OldSwamp Church; subsequently member of the Continental Congress; Speakerof the Assembly of Pennsylvania; President of the Convention which in1787 ratified the Constitution of the United States; Speaker of thefirst Congress of the United States of America. "]

Before closing this chapter and taking up the account of Kunze'spastorate, let us follow the steps of Frederick Muehlenberg, the formerpastor of the Swamp Church. We recall his unceremonious flight from NewYork. We cannot blame him. The British had threatened to hang him ifthey caught him. 

We remember too that in Pennsylvania he was called upon to take anactive part in political affairs. He was a member of the ContinentalCongress, also a member of the legislature of Pennsylvania and Speakerof the Assembly. He was President of the Convention which ratified theConstitution of the United States. 

Thirteen years have passed since he left New York. It is A. D. 1789. NewYork was just beginning to recover from the disastrous years of theRevolution during which the British troops occupied the city. Thepopulation had sunk from 20, 000 to 10, 000 in 1783, but by this time hadrisen again to 30, 000. The people were getting ready to celebrate thegreatest event in the history of the city, the inauguration of the firstPresident of the American Republic. Preparations were made to honor theoccasion with all possible ceremony. Great men had gathered from allparts of the country. But to the older members of the Swamp Church therewas doubtless no one, not even Washington himself, who stood higher intheir esteem and affection than the representative from Pennsylvania, the Reverend Frederick Muehlenberg. And when a few days later theerstwhile German pastor of the Swamp Church was elected Speaker of thefirst House of Representatives of the United States of America, noneknew better than they that it was only a fitting tribute to thecharacter and abilities of their former pastor. 

Kunze's is one of the great names on the roll of our ministers. He wasa scholar, a teacher, a writer, and an administrator of distinction. Trained in the best schools of Germany, when he arrived in America in1770, he at once took high rank among his colleagues in Philadelphia. Besides his work as a minister he filled the chair of Oriental andGerman languages in the University of Pennsylvania. 

In 1784 he accepted a call to New York. He did this partly in the hopeof establishing a Lutheran professorship in Columbia College. Heaccepted a call to the chair of Oriental languages in Columbia. He wasalso a regent of the university. 

Kunze was not only an able man, he was also a man of deep piety, aqualification not altogether undesirable in a shepherd of souls. Hiswritings indicate that in his preaching and catechization he strove notto beat the air but to win souls to a personal experience of salvation. 

While it is doubtful whether he would find admission to some of the mostorthodox synods of our own day; he was comparatively free from thelatitudinarian tendencies which had been brought over from Germanyduring the last quarter of the century. 

Along with General Steuben and other influential citizens he founded, the German Society, an association which is still an important agencyin the charitable work of this city. 

[illustration: "John Christopher Kunze"]

He was instrumental in 1785 in reorganizing the New York Ministerium. This work was begun in 1775 by Frederick Muehlenberg, but had been givenup for a while, probably on account of the war. 

As a writer he is credited in Dr. Morris' Bibliotheca Lutherana witheight books of which he was the author or editor, from Hymns and Poemsto A History of the Lutheran Church and A New Method of Calculating theGreat Eclipse of 1806. 

These and many other things must be set to his credit. For what heaccomplished he deserves a large place in the history of our Church inthis city. But with all his gifts he was unable to cope with the chiefproblem which confronted our Church at the close of the eighteenthcentury, that of the English language. 

There had been a demand for English services ever since the middle ofthe century. The descendants of the Dutch families had all becomeEnglish. The need of English had been met in part by the elderMuehlenberg and his successors, Weygand and Hauseal, in Trinity Church, doubtless also by Frederick Muehlenberg in the Swamp Church. 

After the, Revolution (1784) the United Congregations certainly madesome provision for English although it was inadequate. In 1794 theyounger people petitioned for occasional services in a language whichthey could understand. Dr. Kunze himself made some attempts to handlethe English, but his faulty pronunciation so amused the young peoplethat he gave it up. He appointed a young man by the name of Strebeck toassist him in ministering to the English members of the congregation. Strebeck at this time was a Methodist, although he had been confirmedin a Lutheran Church in Baltimore. Under Kunze's influence he againjoined the Lutherans. 

"A Hymn and Prayer Book for the use of such Lutheran Churches as use theEnglish language, " published by Kunze in 1795, and another by Streback[sic] in 1797, show that serious efforts were made to meet the wants ofthe English-speaking members. 

Finally, on June 25th, 1797, a separate congregation was organizedentitled The English Lutheran Church in the City of New York. (This wasthe corporate name, although it was subsequently known as Zion Church. )Strebeck was chosen pastor. Land was rented on Pearl Street oppositeCity Hall Place and a frame church was built. 

The incorporation of the church was reported to the Ministerium whichmet at Rhinebeck. The following reply was given under date of September1st, 1797:

"Upon reading a letter from New York signed by Henry Heiser, Lucas VanBuskirk and L. Hartman, representing that they have erected an EnglishLutheran Church, on account of the inability of their children tounderstand the German language:

RESOLVED, That it is never the practice in an Evangelical Consistory tosanction any kind of schism; that if the persons who signed the letterwish to continue their children in the Lutheran Church connection in NewYork, they earnestly recommend them the use of the German School, and incase there is no probability of any success in this particular, theyherewith declare that they do not look upon persons who are not yetcommunicants of a Lutheran Church as apostates in case they join anEnglish Episcopal Church. 

RESOLVED, 2d, That on account of an intimate connection subsistingbetween the English Episcopal Church and the Lutheran Church and theidentity of their doctrine and near alliance of their Church discipline, this Consistory will never acknowledge a new erected Lutheran Churchmerely English, in places where the members may partake of the Servicesof the said Episcopal Church. "

From the viewpoint of the ministers in 1797, Lutheranism seems to havebeen a matter of language rather than of religion. It was something tobe retained among German-speaking people, but could not be effectivelytransmitted except through the medium of the German language. 

We have come to the last decade of the 18th century. In the politicalworld great men were finding themselves and mighty principles werefinding expression in the organization of what was destined to becomeone of the great states of the world. Some of our own men were taking alarge part in the making of American history. In the church they werecontent with a more restricted outlook. Our people, it is true, were ofhumble origin, yet some of them had attained wealth and social standing. The Van Buskirks, the Grims, the Beekmans, the Wilmerdings and theLorillards were men of affairs and influence in the growing town of30, 000 that had begun to extend northward as far as Canal Street andeven beyond. But we look in vain for any positive contribution to thelife of the embryo metropolis of the world. 

Our church had lost its roots. The Rhinebeck Resolution indicates thefeeble appreciation of the distinctive confession to which she owed herexistence. The English hymn books and liturgies of this period areequally destitute of any positive confessional character. 

But after all, the church in New York only reflected in a small way theconditions that existed on the other side of the Atlantic. In theFatherland the national life had been declining ever since the ThirtyYears' War. In 1806 Germany reached the nadir of her political life atthe battle of Jena. In the church this was the period of her BabylonianCaptivity. Alien currents of philosophical and theological thought haddevitalized the teaching of the Gospel. The old hymns had been replacedby pious reflections on subjects of religion and morality. The LutheranLiturgy had disappeared leaf by leaf until little but the coverremained. With such conditions in the homeland what could be expected ofan isolated church on Manhattan Island? Take it all in all, it is notsurprising that only two congregations survived. It is a wonder thatthere were two. 

In "Old New York" Dr. Francis presents a vivid picture of the social andreligious life of this period and from it we learn that the Lutheranswere not the only ones whose religion sat rather lightly upon them. French infidelity had taken deep root in the community and Paine's Ageof Reason found enthusiastic admirers. 

Fifty years ago I was browsing one afternoon over the books in thelibrary of Union Theological Seminary, at that time located inUniversity Place. I was all alone until Dr. Samuel Hanson Cox, thefather of Bishop Arthur Cleveland Coxe, came in. He was then in hiseighties, but vigorous in mind and body. We easily became acquainted andI 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 apicture of life in New York closely corresponding with that which isgiven in Dr. Francis' interesting story. There were leaders of thechurch in those days who were not free from the vice of drunkenness. Evangelical religion in all denominations had a severe conflict indoctrine and in morals with the ultra liberal tendencies of the time. 

A marked defect of our church life was the inadequate supply of men forthe ministry. For 140 years New York Lutherans had been dependent uponEurope for their pastors. For 60 years more this dependence was destinedto continue. 

Kunze had long been desirous of providing facilities for theologicaleducation in this country. Under the bequest of John ChristopherHartwig, he organized in 1797 a Theological Seminary. The theologicaldepartment was conducted in New York by himself, the collegiatedepartment in Albany and the preparatory department in Otsego County. 

One of his students was Strebeck. Another, Van Buskirk, a promisingyoung man, died before he could enter the work. The Mayer brothers, natives of New York, became eminent pastors of English Lutheranchurches, Philip in Albany and Frederick in Philadelphia. It was atrying time in which Kunze lived, but he planted seed which still bearsfruit. 

One event of the eighteenth century seems worthy of spcial [sic]mention, even when seen through the vista of a hundred and fifty years, although at the time it may have attracted little attention. Because ofthe side light which it throws upon history we permit it to interruptfor a moment the course of our story. 

It harks back to the refugees from the Palatinate who emigrated to thewest coast of Ireland at the same time that their fellow countrymenunder Kocherthal came to New York. Their principal settlements were atCourt-Matrix, Ballingran and other places in County Limerick near thebanks of the river Shannon. As they had no minister and understoodlittle or no English, in the course of forty years they lost whateverreligion they had brought with them from Germany. It came to pass thatJohn Wesley visited these villages. He found the people "eminent fordrunkenness, cursing, swearing, and an utter neglect of religion. "(Wesley's Journal, II, p. 429. )

Wesley's sermons reminded them of the sermons they used to hear in theirfar-off German home, and a remarkable revival occurred among them. Subsequently numbers of them followed their countrymen of the precedinggeneration 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 ofBarbara Heck and Philip Embury. 

Now some of our ministers, as far back as Falckner in the beginning ofthe century, belonged to the Halle or Francke school of Lutheranism, and the spirit of our church life at this time, as may be seen from theletters of Muehlenberg in the "Hallesche Nachrichten, " was not alien tothat which the Palatines had imbibed from John Wesley, himself a productof the Pietistic movement of which Halle was the fountain head. Onewould suppose that these Palatine immigrants from the west of Irelandmight have found a congenial home in the Lutheran Church and contributedto the spiritual life of the congregation. But for some reason they didnot. They withdrew from us and helped to organize in 1766 the firstMethodist Society in America. 

The Methodists of America number seven million communicants. BarbaraHeck, Philip Embury and other Palatine immigrants were our contributionto their incipient church life in America. 

In the Nineteenth Century1801-1838

The history of our churches in the nineteenth century may be dividedinto three periods. The first extends from 1801 to 1838. 

At the beginning of the century there were two congregations, theGerman-English Church on Frankfort Street and the English (Zion) onPearl Street. 

In 1802 two hundred members of the German church who had not united withZion in 1797 asked for a separate English church. The request wasdeclined, but regular services in English were held in the afternoonwith promises of a new church as soon as possible. 

In 1804 Strebeck, the pastor of Zion, joined the Episcopalians andsubsequently became rector of St. Stephen's Church. Here he wasfollowed in the course of years by a constant procession of his formerparishioners. It will be recalled that Zion had not been received intoconnection with the Ministerium. 

In 1805 Ralph Williston was chosen pastor. In 1810 he also became anEpiscopalian. Not long after, the entire congregation followed him intothe Episcopal fold. The resolution effecting the change read as follows:

"Whereas, many difficulties attend the upholding of the Lutheranreligion among us, and whereas, that inasmuch as the doctrine andgovernment of the Episcopal Church is so nearly allied to the Lutheran, and also on account of the present embarrassment of the finances of thischurch, therefore

"RESOLVED, That the English Lutheran Church with its present form ofworship and government be dissolved after Tuesday, the 13th day of Marchnext, and that this Church do from that day forward become a parish ofthe Protestant Episcopal Church, and the present board of officers ofthis church take every measure to carry this resolve into effect. "* *On West Fifty-seventh Street, a few steps from Carnegie Hall, thevisitor interested fn Lutheran antiquities may find the statelyEpiscopal Church of Zion and St. Timothy. It has a membership of 1, 300. Its communion vessels still bear the inscription: ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH. 

Kunze died in 1807. His successor, Frederick William Geissenhainer ofNew Hanover, Pa. , took charge in 1808 and remained till 1814 when thestate of his health compelled him to return to Pennsylvania. 

He was succeeded by Frederick Christian Schaeffer of Harrisburg, agifted man who preached equally well in German and in English. On thetercentenary of the Reformation in 1817 he preached a Reformation sermonin St. Paul's Episcopal Church on Broadway, which attracted widespreadattention. A copy is preserved in the New York Public Library. 

[illustration: "Fragment of Kunze's Gravestone discovered by the authorin 1907, in Greenwich Village, where some laborers were digging thefoundation for a new building. Kunze's ashed repose in the Lorillardvault of the churchyard of St. Mark's in the Bowery, Tenth Street andSecond Avenue. "]

After twenty years the promise of a separate English church wasfulfilled, when in 1822 a large and beautiful structure was erected inWalker Street, just east of Broadway, and placed at the disposal of theEnglish portion of the congregation. It was called St. Matthew's Church. Schaeffer was assigned to the pastorate and Geissenhainer was recalledfrom Pennsylvania to take charge of the German part of the congregation. New trouble soon developed. The English congregation demandedrepresentation in the Church Council. This the mother church declined toconcede, although it is claimed they had agreed to do so when theEnglish congregation was formed. The new congregation was unable tomaintain itself, and in 1826 the church was sold for a debt of $14, 000, and Pastor Schaeffer resigned. The Walker Street building was bought byDaniel Birdsall who resold it to the mother church. The legal questionsat issue in the transaction were taken into court and decided in favorof the mother church. 

A son of the pastor, Frederick William Geissenhainer, Jr. , was calledfrom Pennsylvania to minister in St. Matthew's Church in English, solong as this could be done without detriment to the German congregation. This continued for three years, by which time a deficit of $5, 000 hadaccumulated. 

In the meantime the congregation of Frankfort Street had grown to suchan extent that it decided to sell the Old Swamp Church, and move intothe spacious building on Walker Street, where it also acquired the nameof the English congregation and was thereafter known as St. Matthew'sChurch. The younger Geissenhainer continued to hold English services inthe afternoon until 1840. The senior Geissenhainer served the Germanpart of the congregation until his death in 1838. 

After Pastor Schaeffer resigned in 1826 he collected the salvage of theEnglish enterprises and organized a new English church, St. James, which he served until his death in 1831. 

Among the major happenings in this period were the Burr-Hamilton duel, the launching of Fulton's steamboat, the introduction of Croton water, the opening of the Erie Canal, the writings of Washington Irving, andthe organization of the American Bible Society and the American TractSociety. 

Such things as social service, church extension or confessionalquestions had not yet begun to disturb the churches. Our people had allthe time they wanted therefore for controversy on the undying questionof the relative importance of the English and German languages. This, as we have seen, led to a lawsuit, the sale of a church and thepermanent rupture of a historic congregation. We lost one Englishcongregation, Zion, disbanded another, St. Matthew's, and sent awayenough English members besides to constitute St. Stephen's EpiscopalChurch on Chrystie Street. 

Such, in brief, is the story of the Lutherans of New York during thefirst third of the nineteenth century. In the Fatherland great eventswere taking place and history was making rapid strides. The war ofliberation was decided by the battle of Leipzig and the defeat ofNapoleon. But the hopes for social and political improvement weredisappointed by reactionary movements and economic distress. A newemigration to "the land of unbounded possibilities" began. In 1821-22 itamounted to 531, in 1834-35 it was 25, 997. Among the immigrants weremany who in various capacities became empire builders in America. But inall that related to the Lutheran church New York at this time took asubordinate place. Philadelphia was the first city of the land. Theconstruction of railroads and the opening of the Erie Canal carried theactive and ambitious men far into the interior. The church life of NewYork still flowed in sluggish currents. After 190 years, from 1648, whenthe first appeal for a minister was sent to Amsterdam, to 1838, ourenrollment consisted of two congregations, the German-English church ofSt. Matthew, and the English church of St. James. 

In the Nineteenth Century1839-1865

Immigration began to assume large proportions. It did not reach itsclimax until the following period, but it was sufficiently large toawaken attention. In 1839 21, 028 immigrants arrived here from Germany;in 1865, at the close of the Civil War, 83, 424. Most of these werebound for the interior, but many who had only stopped to rest a whilein New York decided to make this their home. 

The East Side became a little Germany and even on the West Side Germansbegan to appear in increasing numbers. 

At the beginning of this period an event occurred, unnoticed at thetime, which proved to be the beginning of a great movement, "a cloud outof the sea, as small as a man's hand. " In 1839 a thousand exiles arrivedfrom Germany under the leadership of Pastor Grabau. Most of them went tothe interior, some to Buffalo, others, the wealthier members, to theneighborhood of Milwaukee. Ten or a dozen families remained in New Yorkwith a pastor named Maximilian Oertel. Their services were held in ahall at the corner of Houston Street and Avenue A. Doubtless none oftheir contemporaries ever dreamed that this insignificant congregationwas related to one of the larger movements of church history. 

Connecting links were two men whose names I have never seen associatedwith the story of the Lutherans of New York. One of them was Dr. Benjamin Kurtz of Hagerstown, the other was Frederick William III, Kingof Prussia. The king had imposed the Union upon the churches of Prussiaand imprisoned the pastors who refused to conform. This was the king'spart in the movement. Dr. Kurtz had visited Berlin in 1826 in theinterest of his educational schemes and in one of his addresses heimplanted the microbe of America in the mind of a man who subsequentlybecame a leader of one band of these pilgrims to the promised land. Thiswas Dr. Kurtz's share in the work. Both Kurtz and the king wereunconscious instruments in the hands of Providence. 

Dr. Kurtz was for a large part of the nineteenth century a distinguishedleader in the General Synod. He contributed to the establishment of theTheological Seminary at Gettysburg and he was the founder of theMissionary Institute, now the Susquehanna University, at Selinsgrove. Hedied in 1865. His grave is in the campus of the University of which hewas the founder. 

But who were these immigrants and how did they come to be exiles? Thisis another story; but it has to be told, because in the providence ofGod it is connected with the history of the Lutherans in New York. 

In the early years of the nineteenth century there occurred a remarkablereligious awakening in Germany. This awakening had much to do with arevival of Lutheranism. It had been greatly strengthened at least by thepublication of the Ninety-five Theses of Claus Harms in 1817, on theoccasion of the tercentenary of the Reformation, and it in turnstimulated the Lutheran consciousness of multitudes who had been carriedaway by the rationalistic movement of the eighteenth century. Thepublication of the royal Liturgy in 1822 and the forcible measures ofthe king in ordering a union of the Lutheran and Reformed churches ofthe kingdom called forth the staunch opposition of the Lutherans. Thisended in a widespread agitation which sent multitudes of families to aland where one of the chief fruits of the Lutheran Reformation, that ofreligious liberty, could be enjoyed. 

The notable thing about the entrance of a few of these people into ourNew York life was that it injected new ideas into the stagnant mentalityof the period. That the men who brought them were brusque and exclusive, was of small account. When Stohlmann, who had recently been called toSt. Matthew's Church, visited Pastor Oertel in his attic room, hisLutheranism, with a sly allusion perhaps to the stairs, was promptlychallenged by the remark: "You climbed up some other way. "

Nor did it matter that on some points the new comers themselves were notagreed? The Prussians, later known as "Buffalonians, " led by Grabau, hada hierarchical theory of the ministerial office. The Saxons, later knownas "Missourians, " led by Walther, had the congregational theory ofchurch government. For a score of years a titanic conflict was wagedbetween 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 hierarchical views. Subsequentlythey adopted the congregational theory of the church and established in1843 the first "Missouri" congregation in New York under Pastor Brohm. After several removals the congregation settled at Ninth Street andAvenue B, where it still maintains its place of worship. 

The chief field of the "Missourians, " as their name indicates, is in theWest. And yet in Greater New York they number 51 churches and many morein the suburbs. They maintain numerous missions among special classes. At Bronxville they have a college. They alone of all Lutherans make aserious effort to conduct parochial schools. More than any othervariety of Lutherans do they educate their promising young men for theministry. 

But, as has already been intimated, the chief significance of theirentrance into New York history is that thenceforth Lutherans had to givean 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 acondition of all progress. 

Ten years later a different class of German immigrants came to our city. The Revolution of 1848 had resulted unsuccessfully for the friends ofpolitical freedom, and many were compelled to take refuge in America. Some were professional men of ability and high standing, whosecontribution to the intellectual life of our city was considerable. Others were only half educated, young men who had not completed theirstudies in the University, but, intoxicated with the new ideas, hadthrown themselves with the enthusiasm of youth into the conflict forfreedom. Here they were like men without a country, aliens from theFatherland, and in America incapable of comprehending a state without achurch 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 thereligion of their countrymen who still adhered to the old faith. 

Our churches received but little support from this large and influentialclass. Many of them had long since renounced allegiance to Jesus, and inthe free air of America looked upon churches as anachronisms andhearthstones of superstition. Their influence upon the common people andupon the social life of the German community was hostile to that ofChristianity. The churches had to get along without them, or rather, inspite of them. There were notable exceptions. But as a rule the"Achtundvierziger" did not go to church. 

Still, in spite of their unchurchly views, most of them were unable toshake off wholly the forms of their ancestral religion. There were toomany remnants (_superstites_) of the old faith binding them to ancientcustoms. Independent ministers with no synodical relations, with orwithout certificate of ordination, or the endorsement of organizedcongregations, unmindful of the _nisi vocatus_ clause in the AugsburgConfession, helped to maintain the forms of an inherited Christianity byperforming such ministerial acts as were required by the people. At onetime these free lances were quite numerous. At present norepresentatives survive in New York. 

But there was another class of immigrants that came to us from theFatherland. They, too, sought to escape from political and economicalconditions that had rested like an incubus upon a divided country forcenturies. But they brought with them a spirit of Christian aspirationand the ripe fruit of a traditional Christian culture which became apriceless contribution to our own church life. They were men and womenfrom all corners of Germany, who had come under the inspiration of thereligious awakening to which reference has already been made. Theybecame leading workers in our congregations and Christian enterprises. We, whose privilege it was to minister to them, knew well that we wereonly reaping where others far away and long ago had sown. 

The inability of the Lutheran Church to supply an adequate ministry forthis vast immigrant population left the way open also for otherProtestant churches to do mission work among the lapsed members of ourcommunion. 

A number of churches were established where services in the beginningwere held in the German or Scandinavian languages. Through SundaySchools and other agencies many Lutheran children were gathered intotheir congregations where they and their children are now useful andhonored members of the church. A goodly number of eminent ministers invarious non-Lutheran Protestant churches of this city are the childrenor grandchildren of Lutheran parents. 

[illustration: "Carl F. E. Stohlmann, D. D. "]

With this general outlook over the period, let us take up the thread ofour story. 

On the death of the elder Geissenhainer in 1838, Karl Stohlmann, anative of Schaumburg Lippe, was called from Erie, Pennsylvania, to behis successor. For thirty years the pastor of the Walker Street Churchwas an important figure among the Lutherans of this city. The scope ofthis book will not permit an adequate account of his labors. He died onSunday morning, May 3d, 1868, just as his congregation was entering alarger house of worship at the corner of Broome and Elizabeth Streets. 

Dr. Geissenhainer, Jr. , retired from the English work of St. Matthew'sChurch in 1840 and organized a German congregation, St. Paul's, on thewest side, which he served as pastor until his death in 1879 in the 82dyear 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 inHarlem 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 Swedishcongregation, Gustavus Adolphus, was organized in 1865. 

Within the present limits of Brooklyn six German and one Englishchurches were established during this period. On the territory of eachof the other boroughs, Bronx, Queens and Richmond, two German churchescame into being. 

After the Revolution of 1848 in Germany, immigration to Americaincreased by leaps and bounds, and within the time under review New Yorkwas referred to as the fourth German city in the world. But the Germans, as we have seen, did not all go to church. The existing churches, it istrue, were well filled, but a large proportion of the population, tornfrom the stable environment of their homeland life, and transplantedinto the new conditions of a crowded city, failed to respond to theclaims of their ancestral religion. 

In our church polity there was no adequate provision for the needs ofsuch an immense and ever expanding population. Now and then abroadminded pastor would encourage the planting of a church in someneedy field, but too often the establishment of a new mission was lookedupon as an encroachment on the parochial rights of the oldercongregation. At this point in the congregational polity of our churchthe 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 apublic scandal. In 1847 the State of New York appointed Commissioners ofImmigration. Under the Act of March 3, 1891, the Commissioner wasappointed by the Federal Government. 

Before this was done, the helpless immigrants were the prey of countlessvampires, chiefly in the form of "runners, " agents of boarding housesand transportation companies. These pirates of the land exacted a heavytoll from all foreigners who ventured to enter our city by way of thesteerage. 

[illustration: "Pastor Wilhelm H. Berkemeier"]

In 1864 Robert Neumann, who had been a co-laborer with Gutzlaff, apioneer missionary in China, established an Immigrant Mission at CastleGarden and succeeded in awakening an interest in this cause. 

A few years later, in the subsequent period, the churches took up thequestion of providing for the needs of the immigrants. 

The Deutsches Emigrantenhaus was incorporated in 1871. Pastor WilhelmHeinrich Berkemeier became the first housefather. His unflagging zealgave strong support to a much-needed work of love. His venerablepersonality was a benediction to his contemporaries. 

In the course of the years eight Lutheran Immigrant Houses and Seamen'sMissions have been established at this port and are doing effectiveChristian work. 

Toward the close of this period, in 1864, a seed was planted on theWartburg near Mount Vernon which has grown to be a great tree. 

Peter Moller, a wealthy layman, had met with a great sorrow in the deathof his son. He was planning to expend a large sum for a monument inmemory of this son, when Dr. Passavant, an eminent worker in behalf ofinvalids and orphans, called upon him, perhaps with the hope ofobtaining a contribution for some of his numerous charities. To him Mr. Moller confided his purpose. It did not take long to outline the plan ofa nobler memorial than the proposed shaft in Greenwood. With $30, 000 ahundred acres of land were bought and a house of mercy was establishedwhich for fifty years has been a blessing not only to the orphans whohave been sheltered and trained there, but also to the churches of NewYork that have been privileged to contribute to its support. 

Its first housefather was George Carl Holls, one of the brethren ofWichern's Rauhe Haus near Hamburg. In 1886 he was succeeded by PastorGottlieb Conrad Berkemeier, who with the help of his wife, SusetteKraeling, has brought the institution to a position of great prosperityand usefulness. 

[illustration: "The Wartburg at Mount Vernon"]

In the Nineteenth Century1866-1900

Three factors combined to make this period eventful in our history:confessionalism, immigration and the transportation facilities that ledto a Greater New York. 

At the close of the Civil War we had 24 Lutheran churches on theterritory now included in Greater New York. Two of these were Englishand the rest were German. At the close of the century the record stood:Yiddish, 1; English, 17; Scandinavian, 19; German and German-English, 60. 

The tide of confessionalism which had been rising in Europe for half acentury touched America in the forties and reached a high water markduring the period under review. The question of subscription to thesymbols of the Book of Concord became the chief subject of discussionamong our theologians. 

In 1866 a number of pastors and churches, under the leadership of PastorSteimle, severed their connection with the Ministerium for confessionalreasons. They formed a new synod which adopted all the Confessions andtook a firm stand in opposition to membership in secret societies. 

The "Steimle" Synod, as it was usually called, disbanded in 1872, itsmembers going, some to the Missouri Synod, others to the Ministerium. Their organ, the Lutherisches Kirchenblatt, was merged with theLutherischer Herold. 

Pastor Steimle died in 1880. He was a devout man, a rugged personality, beloved by his people and esteemed by his colleagues. His congregationin Brooklyn, now served by the pastors Kraeling, father and son, is oneof the strong churches of the city. 

One of the early members of the congregation, whose support meant muchfor his pastor, was Jacob Goedel. He subsequently returned to Germanyand 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 cityantedates the Christian era. Its cathedral is a fane of wonderfulbeauty. In the Reformation Koeln joined the Lutheran forces and foreighty years two of its archbishops were Lutheran pastors. The"Consultation" of Archbishop Hermann is one of the liturgies of theLutheran Church. It played a prominent part in the construction of theAnglican Book of Common Prayer. Owing to political jealousies among theProtestants, the fortunes of war restored the city and the cathedral tothe Catholics. Until recent times Protestantism was an almost negligibleforce in Koeln. At the time of my visit the Protestant Churches werevery efficient in all kinds of religious and social work and had aninfluence in the City Council out of all proportion to their numbers. Inquiring into the reason of this change I was told that it was largelyowing to the labors of a man by the name of Jacob Goedel who had come tothem from America and had introduced American methods of church workinto Koeln. 

[illustration: "Gottlob Frederick Krotel, D. D. , LL. D. "]

In 1867 another synodical split took place. The New York Ministeriumseparated from the General Synod on confessional grounds and took partin the organization of the General Council. Thereupon most of theEnglish-speaking members, occupying a milder confessional basis, leftthe Ministerium, formed the Synod of New York and united with theGeneral Synod. * *The author's connection with the work in New York began about thistime. After graduation at Yale College in 1865, he found employment in aNew York library, and soon after matriculated as a student in UnionTheological Seminary. The needs of Protestant Germans on the East Sideattracted him into mission work which resulted in the formation of acongregation of which he took pastoral charge upon his ordination by theSynod of New York, October 19th, 1868. 

The lines of three synodical bodies, General Council. [sic] GeneralSynod and Synodical Conference, that is "Missouri, " were now distinctlydrawn and for the rest of the century the relations of Lutheranministers and churches were sharply defined. Ministers were kept busyin explaining the differences, but it is to be feared that some of thelaymen did not always understand. 

In 1868 members of St. James Church, who sympathized with the attitudeof the General Council in favor of a stricter confessional basis, organized a new English congregation, Holy Trinity, of which Dr. Krotelbecame the first pastor. Dr. Wedekind was called to St. James. Both men, pastors of English congregations, had come from Germany in their earlyyouth, were educated in American schools and were thoroughly acquaintedwith American institutions. For a generation these two men, each in hisown sphere, on opposite sides of a high synodical fence, contributedmuch to the growth and progress of the churches in this city. 

Immigration from Lutheran lands continued to increase and reached itshigh water mark in this period. 

Prior to 1867 there were few Swedes in New York. In 1870 they numberedless than 3, 000. The immigrants were chiefly farmers who settled in theWest. In 1883 large numbers began to come from the cities of Sweden andthese settled in the cities of the East. In 1900 the census creditedNew York with 29, 000 Swedes. In 1910, including the children, there were57, 464, of which 56, 766 were Protestants. 

The first Swedish Lutheran church was organized in 1865 by PastorAndreen who had been sent here for this purpose by the Augustana Synod. Among the first trustees was Captain John Ericsson, the inventor ofthe Monitor. Its first pastor was Axel Waetter, a cultured minister ofthe Swedish National Church. 

At present there are fourteen Swedish Lutheran churches in New Yorkreporting 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. , representthe institutional work of the Swedish Lutherans. 

To Pastor Lauritz Larsen I am indebted for the following sketch of ourNorwegian churches:

"The Norwegians have always been a sea-faring people and a peoplelooking for fields of labor all over the World. The real immigrationbegins about 1849, but there were Scandinavians on Manhattan Island inthe Sixteenth Century. The Bronx is named after a Danish farmer, JonasBronck. 

"I believe that the first Norwegian Lutheran Church in New York wasorganized by Lauritz Larsen, then Norwegian Professor in Theology atConcordia Seminary, St. Louis, who stopped here for a while on his wayto and from Norway in the early sixties. The first resident pastor wasOle Juul, who came to New York in 1866 and labored here until 1876, when he was succeeded by Pastor Everson, who was actively engaged aspastor in New York and Brooklyn from 1873, until 1917, when failinghealth compelled him to retire. 

"At present, the Norwegian Lutheran churches of Greater New York arecarrying on an active and aggressive work. Their total membership is notas large as it might be. Partly because the Norwegians coming here fromthe State Church do not at once realize the importance or necessity ofbecoming members of local congregations, but have the idea that as longas they attend services, have their children baptized and confirmed, andso forth, they are members of the church. The report of the membershipof the churches is therefore, hardly a correct indication of the numberof people reached or even the strength of the Norwegian Lutherans in theMetropolis. 

"The language question is one of great difficulty. Many of our peoplelive, as it were, with one foot in Norway and one in America; and arethinking of returning to the old country at some time or other. There isalso a constant influx of new people from Norway which makes itimperative to have Norwegian services constantly. On the other hand, theyoung people are rapidly Americanized and prefer to use the language ofthe country, which necessitates English work, and where this demand ismade, the young people are, generally speaking, quite loyal to theirchurch, but it is no easy matter to satisfy both elements and to keepthe old and the young together in the same church. 

"The Norwegians have been very active in Inner Mission and SocialService work. As witness: the organization of the Norwegian LutheranDeaconesses' Home and Hospital about thirty years ago. This institutionhas now grown to be the largest Norwegian charitable institution in thecountry and has a splendidly equipped modern hospital and an excellentSisters' Home, which together represent a value of $500, 000. It is notowned by a church, but is owned and controlled by a corporation ofNorwegian Lutherans. 

"The churches have directly been engaged in Inner Mission work for anumber of years, and now have three city missionaries constantly atwork. The institutions conducted by this branch of the service are theBethesda Rescue Mission at Woodhull St. , Brooklyn, the Day Nursery at46th St. , Brooklyn, and an extensive industrial plant also in Brooklyn. Besides the Inner Mission has purchased land on Staten Island anderected a cottage there for a summer colony for poor children. TheNorwegians of New York have also built a modern Children's Home atDyker Heights, Brooklyn. Although this is not owned by the church, butby a corporation of Norwegians, its constitution provides that thereligious instruction should be based upon Luther's Small Catechism. TheHome is now taking care of sixty children, and is in charge of aDeaconess from the local mother house mentioned above. A new InnerMission Agency was started two years ago when the late C. M. Egerbequeathed a large sum of money for the establishment of the OldPeople's Home in connection with Our Saviour's Lutheran Church. Atpresent 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 inthe following table. The figures of the first and second lines aretaken from the United States Census of 1910. They include the childrenwhere one or both parents are of foreign descent. Those of the thirdline are obtained by deducting 10 per cent. From the number ofProtestants, in the second line. The number of "souls, " fourth line, isthe aggregate number of baptized persons, old or young, connected withor related to the respective congregations. 

 Swedes Norwegians Danes Finns Total 1. Population 53, 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 politicalhistory of Europe. Divided into a multitude of tribes, with divergentinterests, for centuries they had no political standing and were thefootball of the nations around them. From Louis XIV to the Corsicaninvader, except during the reign of Frederick the Great, their historywas one of political incohesion and economic poverty. 

Even in New York they were looked upon as aliens in the city which theyhad helped to found and where in three centuries their sons had stood inthe forefront of the battle for freedom. The names of Jacob Leisler, ofthe seventeenth century, Peter Zenger of the eighteenth century, FranzLieber and Karl Schurz of the nineteenth century are indelibly inscribedamong the champions of freedom in America. Yet fifty years ago "Dutch"in New York had almost the same evaluation that "Sheeny" and "Dago" havetoday. 

In 1871 the divergent fragments of the German people, after many futileexperiments in their history, at last attained national unity. TheGermans of New York celebrated the event with a procession which made adeep impression upon the city. From that day forward they were no longerheld below par in popular estimation. This became manifest in thesuccess of their efforts in the field of social and religious work. Thirty German churches were added to the roll before the close of thecentury. 

The completion of the Elevated Lines in 1879 and the Brooklyn Bridge in1883 changed the course of history for our Lutheran congregations. Fordecades the ever-increasing hosts of immigrants had been interned inunwholesome tenements on a narrow island. Now ways of escape were found. Wide thoroughfares led in every direction. The churches in Brooklyn andBronx grew rapidly in numbers and in strength. 

It was hard for those of us who still held the fort on Manhattan Islandto see the congregations we had gathered with painstaking effortscattering in every direction, especially to lose the children and thegrandchildren of our faithful families. But when we saw them in thecomfortable homes and open spaces of the suburbs, who could wish them toreturn to the hopeless atmosphere of the tenements? From this timeforward the churches of the surrounding boroughs grew rapidly, largelyat the expense, however, of the churches of Manhattan. 

From 1881 to the close of the century Bronx added nine churches, Richmond five, Brooklyn and Queens thirty-two to the roll. Manhattan, itis true, also added eleven churches, but they were all aboveForty-second Street, most of them far uptown. 

The tenth of November, 1883, was a red letter day in our calendar. Itwas the quadricentennial of Luther's birthday. The preparations for thecelebration met with a hearty response in the city. The large dailiesgave much space to the occasion. Dr. Seiss delivered a memorable addressin Steinway Hall. Under the auspices of the Evangelical Alliance adistinguished company gathered in the Academy of Music and heard WilliamTaylor and Phillips Brooks deliver orations of majestic eloquence. 

The celebration gave a marked impulse to our church work. Ourcongregations increased in numbers and in influence. Its chief value wasin its efeet [sic] upon the young people. Hitherto they hardlycomprehended the significance of their church. Its services wereconducted in a language which they understood with difficulty. As theygrew up and established new homes in the suburbs where there were fewchurches of their faith, they easily drifted out of their communion. Agreat change came over them at this time. They began to take an activeinterest in church questions and in church extension. As they followedthe inevitable trend to the suburbs they connected themselves withchurches of their faith or organized new ones and became active workersin them. The remarkable increase of congregations in the entireMetropolitan District was to a large extent owing to the impulse derivedfrom the quadricentennial of 1883. 

When Lutherans of various churches and synods were thus brought togetherthere was one thing that puzzled them. They could not understand whythere should be so many kinds of Lutherans and why they should have solittle to do with one another. This feeling soon found expression in theorganization of societies of men interested in the larger mission of theChurch. 

In 1883 the Martin Luther Society was organized by such laymen as ArnoldJ. D. Wedemeyer, Jacob F. 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 suitablecelebration of the Luther Quadricentennial. In this effort they weresuccessful. In addition to their local work in the interest of thecelebration they secured the erection of a bronze statue of Luther inWashington. 

But the chief reason for the organization of the Society was indicatedin a letter sent to the pastors and church councils of the Lutheranchurches 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 andmore harmonious relation between the various Protestant denominations, the Martin Luther Society of the City of New York respectfully begs youto consider whether the time has not come to make an effort to bringabout, if not a union, at least a better understanding and morefraternal intercourse between the Lutherans themselves. We all deplorethe divisions that separate us; we believe that the reasons for thesedivisions are more imaginary than real, and we are persuaded that a freeand frank interchange of opinions will materially help to removewhatever obstacles may be in the way. 

"We surely recognize the fact that our Lutheran Church does not commandthat influence or maintain that position in this city and vicinity whichits history, purity of doctrine and conservative policy entitles it to;and we may be sure that just so long as our divisions continue, loss ofmembership and prestige, increasing weakness, and final disaster, willbe our lot. 

"Brethren, in unity is strength. Earnestly desiring to do what we can tobring it about, we ask the pastors of our Church and their churchofficers to take this important matter into consideration, and to takesteps to participate in a meeting in this behalf which the Martin LutherSociety proposes to hold on Tuesday evening, January 22d, 1889, in thehall of the Academy of Medicine, No. 12 West 31st Street, in this city. "

The annual banquet of the Martin Luther Society was an importantfunction. Distinguished speakers lifted high the banner of Lutheranism, and good fellowship began to be cultivated among the representatives ofchurches and synods hitherto unacquainted with each other. Nearly all ofits members have passed on and the Society is only a memory among a fewsurvivors of those who shared its genial hospitality and recall thekindly fellowship of its meetings. The Martin Luther Society blazed thetrail for the wider path on which we are walking today, and it deservesto be held in honored remembrance. 

A few years later, in 1888, the younger men caught the inspiration andestablished The Luther League. The organization soon extended to otherparts of the State and subsequently to the entire country. It hassplendidly attained its objective, that of rallying and training theyoung people in the support and service of the church. Its officialorgan, The Luther League Review, is published in this city under theeditorship of the Hon. Edward F. Eilert. Eleven hundred members areenrolled in the local Leagues of New York City. 

The first practical attempt of the ministers to get together was in theorganization of "Koinonia. " This took place in the home of the writer in1896. The society meets once a month for the purpose of discussing thepapers which each member in his turn is required to read. Representingas it does Lutherans of all kinds, species and varieties, it serves as aclearing house for the theological output of the members. It has beenhelpful in removing some of the misunderstandings that are liable toarise among men of positive convictions. 

On the third Sunday in Advent, 1898, Sister Emma Steen, of Richmond, Indiana, the first Lutheran deaconess to engage in parish work in NewYork, was installed in Christ Church. She had received her preparationfor this ministry in the motherhouse at Kaiserswerth on the Rhine, andwas one of the first six sisters to enter the motherhouse of the GeneralSynod in Baltimore. After four years of faithful service she wassucceeded by Sister Regena Bowe who has now for fifteen years by herdevoted work illustrated the value of the female diaconate in the workof our churches in New York. Deaconeses are now laboring in seven ofour churches. They are needed in a hundred congregations. 

The revival of this office is due to the genius and zeal of PastorFliedner who established the first motherhouse at Kaiserswerth on theRhine in 1833. In America there are eight motherhouses with anenrollment of 378 sisters. * *In 1885 the author was appointed chairman of a committee of theGeneral Synod to report on the practicability of establishing the officeof deaconess in the parish work of our American churches. In pursuit ofinformation he visited the principal Deaconess Houses of Europe. Hisreports were published in the Minutes of the Synod from 1887 to 1897 andcontributed to the introduction of the office into the Synod's scheme ofchurch work. 

The years under review, the closing period of the nineteenth century, were years of stress and storm in our synodical relations. But thequestions that divided us did not stop the practical work of the synods. Under the stimulus of a generous rivalry some things were accomplishedand foundations were laid for still larger work in the new century. 

In the Twentieth Century1900-1918

Our churches entered the twentieth century with hope and cheer. With anenrollment of 94 congregations in the greater city and an advance patrolof many more in the Metropolitan District, it had become an army ofrespectable size among the forces striving for the Christian uplift ofour city. 

What a contrast between this picture and that of our church at thebeginning of the nineteenth century! Then two moribund congregationswere feebly holding the fort. One of these soon surrendered, "on accountof the present embarrassment of finances. " Now a compact army hadalready been assembled, while new races and languages were beginning toreinforce our ranks. Even the English contingent, which had so longmaintained an unequal fight, was securely entrenched in four boroughswith seventeen congregations on its roll. 

At this writing, in May, 1918, we number in Greater New York 160churches with an enrollment of sixty thousand communicant members. Atthe close of the nineteenth century, in 1898, we had 90 churches with43, 691 communicants. The rate of increase in twenty years was 35 percent. , not very large but sufficiently so to awaken favorable commentfrom Dr. Laidlaw, an expert observer of church conditions in this city. In 1904, in an article in "Federation, " on "Oldest New York, " he wroteas follows:

"There are now over fifty Christian bodies in this city, and "OldestNew York's" history shows the fatuity of expecting that theheterogeneous population of the present city will all worship in thesame way within the lifetime of its youngest religious worker. Man'sthoughts have not been God's thoughts, nor man's ways God's ways, in themingling of races and religions on this island. The Lutheranism that sosorely struggled for a foothold in the early days is now the secondProtestant communion in numbers, and its recent increment throughoutGreater New York, contributed to by German, Scandinavian, Finnish andmany English Lutheran churches, has exceeded that of any otherProtestant body. "

The causes which contributed to our progress in the latter part of thenineteenth century were still effective. The consolidation of GreaterNew York, bringing together into one metropolis the scattered boroughs, marked the advent of a Greater Lutheran Church in New York. The bridgesand the subways, the telephone and the Catskill Aqueduct, public worksof unprecedented magnitude, were among the material foundations of thenew growth of our churches. 

We were beginning to reap in the second and third generations the fruitsof the vast immigration of the nineteenth century. 

A new era began for the use of the English language. There had been ademand for English services as early as 1750, but in the eighteenth andthe greater part of the nineteenth centuries it had not been met. Fiftyyears ago, with its two churches, and even twenty-five years ago withfour churches, English was a forlorn hope. The advance began in the lastdecade of the 19th century when twelve English churches were organized. In 1900 there were seventeeen English churches on the roll. Since then32 have been added, five in Bronx, fifteen in Brooklyn, eleven inQueens, one in Richmond. Besides these forty-nine churches in which theEnglish language is used exclusively, almost all of the so-calledforeign churches use English to a greater or less extent as the needs ofthe people may require. 

But there was a deeper reason for the growth of our church. Ever sincethe Luther Centennial of 1883 the young people of our churches had begunto understand not only the denominational significance of their churchbut also something of its inner characteristics and life. In variousgroups, in Manhattan, Bronx and Brooklyn, they got together andorganized English congregations in which an intelligent Lutheranconsciousness prevailed. 

The Home Mission and Church Exension Boards of the General Synodrecognized the importance of the moment in the metropolis of America andgave their effective aid. In Brooklyn and Queens the work received largesupport from Charles A. Schieren and the Missionary Society with whichhe co-operated. Sixteen churches were established through the aid ofthis Society. Schieren was a native of Germany but he early saw theimportance of reaching the people in the language which they could bestunderstand. As a citizen he was public spirited and progressive. From1894 to 1895 he was mayor of Brooklyn. 

The pastors of these incipient congregations were men of vision who hadbeen attracted to the work in New York by its difficulty and itsopportunity. They came from different seminaries and synodicalassociations and they had to minister to congregations in which allvarieties of the older churches were represented. But they soon learnedto cooperate with one another in measures looking to the largerinterests of the entire field. Team work became possible. A stimulus wasgiven to the work such as had never before been felt in the Lutheranchurches of New York. 

A Ministers' Association, to which all Lutheran pastors of theMetropolitan District, are eligible, was organized in 1904. Its monthlymeetings brought about a mutual understanding and fostered a fraternalspirit that have been of great value in the promotion of the generalwork of the church. 

The synod of New York and New England, composed of the English churchesof the New York Ministerium was organized in 1902. It found its specialmission in planting and rearing English missions in the new sections ofthe 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, theHartwick and the Franckean synods also devoted itself to the specialtask of caring for the English speaking young people. Under its auspicesthirteen new churches have been organized. To the indefatigable laborsof its Superintendent of Missions, Dr. Carl Zinssmeister, much credit isdue for the success of the work. 

The Synod of Missouri, although largely a German body, rivals the othersynods in its fostering care of the English work. At least thirteenEnglish 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 beseen from the following figures in which the number of communicants in1918 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 *Decrease

The starred figures for Manhattan call attention to the change ofpopulation that has taken place in New York, particularly as it affectsManhattan. While the total increase of population in New York from 1910to 1915 was 667, 928 there was a decrease in Manhattan of 193, 795. 

This decrease in numbers, and still more the substitution of Catholicand Jewish peoples to an unprecedented extent for those of Protestantantecedents, produced a marked change in the membership of Protestantchurches. The decline in Protestant membership in Manhattan from 1900 to1910, according to Dr. Laidlaw, amounted to 74, 012. 

It is not surprising therefore that the Lutheran churches were calledupon to bear their share of the loss. As we have seen, it amounted intwo decades to 5, 623 [sic]. Most of this deficit, 4, 042, is chargeableto the churches south of Fourteenth Street, where Protestants of alldenominations fail to hold their own. The balance, 1, 837, came fromother 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 theMissouri Synod in 1916 in the Spuyten Duyvil neighborhood, the mostnorthern 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 FiftiethStreet, Immanuel in East Eighty-third Street and the Danish church inYorkville. The Danish church removed to Bronx while the others effectedmergers with sister congregations. 

The present indications are that we have come to a standstill onManhattan Island and that it is no longer a question of how manychurches we shall build, but how many we shall lose. 

Our assets at present may be described as follows: We have thirtycongregations, twenty-six of them owning their houses of worship. Thenet value of their property, deducting debts, is $3, 160, 000. The averagevalue of each church is $100, 000. Besides the thirty organizedcongregations there are seven missions in which services are maintainedin the following languages: Finnish, Lettish, Esthonian, Polish, Italianand Yiddish. 

The number of communicants is 15, 978. The number of pupils in the SundaySchools is 7, 245. The number of children in eight parochial schools is669. The number attending instruction in religion on weekdays, includingcatechumens, is 1, 580. 

But although our churches in Manhattan are declining in numbers whilethose of the other boroughs are growing, Manhattan still holds the keyto the city. For generations it will be the community in which the mostserious problems of church and society will have to be studied andsolved. Manhattan has strategical value not merely for Greater New Yorkbut 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 avictory else where. If we win here, we shall be entitled to a place inthe legion of honor. 

Four higher schools connected with the churches of New York haveendeared themselves to the hearts of their friends and are givingpromise of growing usefulness. 

Concordia College originated in St. Matthew's Academy, in 1881. Afteryears of struggle and sacrifice 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 tothe New York Ministerium. Numerous pastors in this city are alumni ofWagner College. In 1916 it was decided to move the college to New York. A splendid property of 38 acres was purchased on Grymes Hill nearStapleton, Staten Island, and in the Fall of 1918 it will take up itswork within the precincts of Greater New York. 

Upsala College began as an academy in Brooklyn in 1893. It belongs tothe Swedish Augustana Synod. It was moved to Kenilworth, N. J. , in 1898, and became a college in 1904. Within ten years it has contributed morethan forty pastors, missionaries and teachers to the work of the church. 

Hartwick Seminary is on the headwaters of the Susquehanna in OtsegoCounty. It is a product of the eighteenth century and not of thetwentieth. But since Johann Christopher Kunze, pastor of the Old SwampChurch, was one of its founders, and since it still contributes pastorsto the work of the churches in New York, in spite of its distance fromthe city it must not be overlooked in our mention of the schools of NewYork. 

Under the auspices of the Inner Mission Society Pastor Buermeyer hasdeveloped a much-needed work among our brothers and sisters who in theirold age or by reason of sickness, loneliness or poverty are not reachedby the ordinary ministrations of the congregation. It is known its theCity Mission and it will doubtless receive the continued support of allwho read carefully the 25th chapter of St. Matthew. 

The Hospice for Young Men is another form of Inner Mission work in whicha good beginning has been made. 

The Lutheran Society was organized in 1914. "Its object is to promotethe general interests of the Lutheran Church by encouraging a friendlyintercourse among its members. " At this writing, in 1918, it numbersover four hundred members. By bringing together in friendly intercourseactive churchmen of otherwise widely separately congregations and synodsit has contributed materially to a better understanding of the aims andthe tasks of our entire communion. 

Under its auspices the quadricentennial anniversary of the Reformationwas celebrated in this city in a manner worthy of the occasion. Theexecutive secretary of the committee, Pastor O. H. Pannkoke, reports asfollows on the general results of the celebration:

"Two facts are of considerable interest, such as to class them as worthyof recording as a permanent accomplishment. In the first place we havehad the cooperation in this undertaking of every Lutheran synodrepresented in New York, and I believe we have succeeded in carryingthrough the undertaking without violating the confidence placed in us byany section of the Lutheran Church. 

"In the second place, our Committee has injected into the generalReformation influence the question of the wider influence of theReformation. Practically every section of the country has taken up thediscussion of the religious influence of the Reformation, also of theinfluence of the Reformation on every side of life. "

On the roll of Former Pastors, in the Appendix, are recorded the namesof men who laid the foundations of the present congregations. Theirlabors and their sacrifices entitle them to a place in a book ofremembrance. Some names are missing. We tried hard to obtain them. Forthese lacunae we offer our apologies to the historians of the nextcentennial. In 1918 we were still struggling with the problem ofstatistics. 

Nowhere are ministers forgotten so soon as here in New York. Thecongregations themselves are rapidly engulphed in the ceaseless tidesof humanity that sweep over the island. Now and then some belovedpastor is remembered by some faithful friends, but in a few years thevery names of the men who built the churches are forgotten. Like theknights 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, werecall with affection and reverence some of the men whose outstandingpersonality has not yet faded from our memory. Their labors prepared theground for the harvests which a younger generation is now permitted toreap. 

Stohlmann was the connecting link with the earlier periods. He was anable preacher, a warm hearted pastor and a conscientious man. 

Geissenhainer, the pastor of St. Paul's, which he organized in 1841after having been an assistant of his father in St. Matthew's since1826, was another connecting link with the past. 

Held of St. John's was a pupil of Claus Harms. His eloquent sermonsattracted great congregations to Christopher Street. 

After fourteen fruitful years in St. James' Church, Wedekind was calledto Christopher Street in November, 1878, to succeed Pastor Held. Here helabored for twelve years, edifying the church and inspiring St. John'sto bcome one of our most efficient congregations. Under his direction atleast four young men of the congregation were led into the ministry. Hedied April 8, 1897. 

[illustration: "Augustus Charles Wedekind, D. D. "]

Under a quiet exterior Krotel concealed a forceful personality. He was aborn leader and took a large part in the development of the GeneralCouncil. As editor of the Lutherischer Herold for three years and of TheLutheran for many years his writings had a wide influence. From 1868 to1895 he was pastor of Holy Trinity Church. In 1896, in the 71st year ofhis 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 ofInsulanus he delighted the readers of The Lutheran for forty years withhis reflections on men and things in New York. Among his published worksare a Life of Melanchthon, Meditations on the Beatitudes andExplanations of Luther's Catechism. 

Julius Ehrhardt was an unassuming, lovable and scholarly Suabian. Helaid the foundations of St. Paul's in Harlem, when the little woodenchurch stood among the truck gardens. He died in 1899. 

Moldenke was a descendant of Salzburg exiles who settled in East Prussiain 1731. He came to us from Wisconsin, organized Zion Church which wassubsequently merged with St. Peter's after he had accepted a call tosucceed Hennicke in that church. He was an able preacher and a scholarlywriter. Under his leadership St. Peter's became a strong congregation. In 1872 he contributed a series of articles on _Die Lutheraner desOstens_ to Der Pilger of Reading. A reprint of these articles in bookform would be a valuable contribution to the story of the Lutherans ofNew York and a fitting memorial of a minister of mark and influence. 

Johann Heinrich Sieker was born in Schweinfurth, Bavaria, October 23d, 1839. He received his theological education at Gettysburg. His earlyministry was in connection with the Wisconsin Synod. In 1876, whenRuperti resigned at St. Matthew's, Sieker was called from St. Paul, Minnesota, to become his successor. For 28 years he was the pastor ofSt. Matthew's and a leading minister of the Missouri Synod. Insynodical matters he was an uncompromising defender of the faith as heunderstood it. He left the record of a singularly devoted and successfulministry. At least thirty young men were led into the ministry under hisinfluence. Roesner's "Ehrendenkmal, " a sketch of his life and character, ought to be read by every Lutheran minister in this city. He died in1904. 

John Jacob Young was a native of the Rhenish Palatinate, born atLangenkandel, September 13th, 1846. He came to America in his boyhood. He served in the Union army during the Civil War. When the war was overhe studied for the ministry at Gettysburg. He served a number ofcongregations in Maryland and Indiana till 1893, when he was called tothe pastorate of St. John's in Christopher Street. Here for 21 years hefaithfully followed his calling as a shepherd of souls. 

Charles Armand Miller came to us from the South. He was born inSheperdstown, West Virginia, March 7, 1864. He was educated at RoanokeCollege and after his ordination he was for a time pastor of the CollegeChurch. He succeeded Dr. Krotel in Holy Trinity Church in 1896 and gavetwelve years of devoted and successful service to this congregation. Hissubsequent fields of labor were in Charleston, South Carolina, and inPhiladelphia. He was a scholarly writer, an able preacher, a sympatheticpastor and a loyal friend. Among his published writings were The PerfectPrayer, The Sacramental Feast, The Way to the Cross and a volume ofpoems entitled Ad Astra. 

[illustration: "Pastor J. H. Sieker"]

He died in the prime of his life, September 9th, 1917. Who that knew himwill ever forget the genial spirit of Charles Armand Miller?

It would be a congenial task to give a fuller account of these men andof Ruperti, Vorberg, Raegener, Hennicke, Waetter, Foehlinger, Koenig, Halfmann, Frey, Weissel, Beyer and others whose names and lives a few ofthe older preachers will recall. Perhaps some who read this book willaccept the suggestion and write accounts of these pioneer workmen. Whata Ministers' Association they would have formed if we could have gottenthem together into a conference to discuss the terms of agreement. Butthat was impossible thirty years ago. 

A singularly interesting career came to a close just as I was concludingthese memorial paragraphs. Dr. Charles E. Weltner died in Brunswick, Georgia, December 22d, 1917. 

He was born in Wilhelmshoehe, January 28th, 1860, where his fathercommanded a company of soldiers in the royal castle. In his early youthhe was sent to New York to meet a relative whom he never found. OneSunday morning, homeless and friendless, he accosted me after service atthe door of the church. I offered him employment in my office and forseveral years he was an efficient helper in the educational and missionwork of my parish. Although he was already suffering from defectiveeyesight, which not long afterward resulted in total blindness, heexpressed an ardent desire to enter the ministry. Under thecircumstances this seemed to be impossible, but his earnest pleasovercame every objection. In 1884 he entered Hartwick Seminary where hewas graduated with honor in 1888. Unable himself to read the text books, his friends read them for him. Especially helpful to him in his studieswere 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 Gospelministry and for the next four years rendered faithful service as theassistant of his pastor in Christ Church. Few that heard him would havesuspected his blindness. His remarkable memory enabled him in conductingthe Service to use the Bible and the Liturgy as though he could see. Inthe library he could go to the shelves and place his hands upon thebooks that he needed. His reader then supplied him with the materialneeded for study. 

In 1893 he took temporary charge of St. John's Church in ChristopherStreet. 

In the Fall of 1893 he accepted a call to St. Matthew's Church inAugusta, Georgia. His retirement in 1896 to take charge of a missionamong the cotton mill operatives of Columbia, S. C. , was deeplyregretted not only by his congregation but by the entire city. 

Thus far his ministry, however useful it had been, was only apreparation for the remarkable work he was called upon to do in SouthCarolina and adjoining states. The mountain whites who had been drawninto the cotton mill work of the South were illiterate and but illprepared for their new conditions. 

[illustration: "Charles E. Weltner, D. D. "]

With the help of his devoted wife, a night school was established. Additional schools became necessary. The Columbia Board of Educationbecame interested and supplied the teachers while the mill companyprovided for the equipment. Mrs. Weltner helped the girls by creating aninterest in good housekeeping and in beautifying the homes and theirsurroundings. 

The movement extended to other parts of the state and into adjoiningstates, and Dr. Weltner was called upon to explain and direct it. Theblind man had seen a vision. The homeless youth of New York's East Sidebecame the prophet of a new era who turned many to righteousness. Hiseyes now see the King in His beauty. 

THEIR PROBLEMS

The Problem of Synods

A synod is an assembly of delegates organized for the purpose ofadministering the affairs of the churches they represent. 

Fourteen synods are represented in Greater New York. Some are based ondifferences of doctrine. A volume published in 1893, entitled"Distinctive Doctrines and Usages" (See Bibliography), treats of thesedifferences. Others are due to differences of language and race. 

In some countries a hyperchurchly trend of the national or state churchis responsible for dissenting movements which, left to themselves, finally take the form of separatistic churches. Although these movementstemporarily persist in America there is no permanent need for them inour atmosphere of freedom. Our church has room for many men of manyminds so long as the essentials of belief are held and respected. 

Finns are represented in three synods, Scandinavians in four. Thesenations therefore account for one-half of our fourteen synods. Thehistory of the Missouri Synod is one of struggle, sacrifice andremarkable growth. For seventy-five years other Lutherans have soughtfellowship with them, but they decline to hold fellowship with churchesthat are not in full accord with their doctrinal position. 

Each of these divisions has some historical reason for its existencewhich cannot be ignored or lightly pushed aside. For various reasonseach synod emphasizes some phase of church life which in its opinionwarrants a separate organization. Perhaps some of the progress of thelast half century may be credited to a wholesome rivalry between thesevarious schools of Lutheranism. 

On the other hand these synodical divisions among churches holding thesame substance of doctrine, even when they do not provoke downrighthostility, are an effective bar to the fraternal alliance so greatlyneeded in our polyglot communion. Our neighbors, too, of otherDenominations, when they try to understand our meticulous divisions, arenot unnaturally disposed to look upon us as a conglomerate of sectarianreligionists rather than as a Church or even as a distinct Denomination. In lists of denominational activities our churches figure as G. C. Lutherans, G. S. Lutherans, Missouri Lutherans, etc. , while all of usare frequently called upon to explain whether we belong to theEvangelical branch of the Lutherans or not. 

Absorbed as we are in the local interests of our individualcongregations and in the questions that divide us among ourselves, weseldom have an opportunity to give expression to outstanding principlesof our church in such a way as to impress the public mind with a senseof their importance. 

The question therefore continually recurs, why should these divisions beperpetuated among brethren who are agreed on the essentials of Lutheranteaching even though they may not have completely assimilated eachother's minute definitions of theological dogmas. Laymen, moreinterested in practical results, find it hard to understand why thereshould be so many different kinds of Lutherans. Even ministers, accustomed as they are to sharp distinctions, sometimes deplore thesedivisions and wonder when they can be healed. They long for the timewhen the adherents of the Augsburg Confession may unite in one greatbody, "beautiful as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an armywith banners. "

Alluring as such a prospect may seem, it is not of highest importance ina communion which from the beginning emphasized the right of privatejudgment and acquired for the world the right to think for itself inmatters of conscience and religion. The Church of the Reformationderives its strength from unity rather than from union. Theoretically atleast, it is a communion, a fellowship of believers. Its earliestdesignation was not "The Lutheran Church, " but "Churches of the AugsburgConfession. "

It is consonant therefore with our historic principles to respect thegifts and calling of the existing divisions in our churches withoutinsisting upon an artificial union which could contribute little to thetrue unity of the church. There are "many members, yet but one body.... There are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. " In ourmutual relations therefore it behooves us to recognize the rights of theindividual. 

This, however, need not prevent our working and praying for union. If itbe possible, as much as lieth in us (unless this involves synergisticheresy), 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. Infriendly co-operation, rather than in hostile competition, we may escapesome of the perils of our past history and perform with credit the taskswith which at present we seem to be struggling in vain. 

The Metropolitan District includes the urban communities within tenmiles of the boundary line of Greater New York. This territory of ahundred and fifty square miles now holds a population of over sevenmillions of people. Our churches in Greater New York minister to abaptized membership of 141, 642 souls. If we include in our estimates ofparochial responsibility, not merely enrolled members, but the entireLutheran population of the District, Russians, Poles, Slovaks, Bohemians, Hungarians, Letts, Esthonians, Lithuanians, Dutch, Germans, Swedes, Norwegians, Finns and Danes, to say nothing of the multitudes ofAmerican birth from the Hudson and Mohawk valleys, from Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio and the West, the number of people claiming to beLutherans amounts to more than five hundred thousand souls. 

To minister as we should to such a constituency, we need co-operation inplace of competition. The work of cultivating effectively such a fieldcan never be done by churches so hopelessly divided as ours. 

Other churches, Protestant and Catholic, with a centralizedecclesiastical organization, are able to work together as one body andmake plans for their work covering the entire Metropolitan District. We, with our strong individualism, cannot vie with them. In our polity weare extreme congregationalists and must pay for our freedom. 

But there is much that our churches have in common. Our flocks are notalienated from each other as much as are the shepherds. The formation oflocal groups throughout the greater city, co-operating in common causes, or at least refraining from a polemical policy, would pave the way for abetter understanding of our mutual needs and opportunities for service. 

Three things, at least, might be done without compromising the faith orviolating the spirit of our church life:

1. We might meet for the purpose of forming each other's acquaintanceand for the discussion of practical questions. Perhaps none of us isquite so heretical as the synodical divergence would lead a layman tosuppose. 

2. We might meet for the discussion of vital questions of religion andmorals. It is one thing to read about these things in books. It is quiteanother thing to listen to a spoken presentation warm with the sympathyof a living experience. 

3. We might recognize each other's spheres of influence and federate ourforces in meeting the needs of our vast community. 

In the meantime we are slowly learning that the aspirations andconvictions that unite us are greater than the things that separate us. The clearer comprehension of the principles we hold and of the work wehave to do, and the sense of our responsibility as one of the largercommunions of the metropolis, compel us more and more to emphasize notthe unessential details of our theological system but rather the largertruths and principles for which we stand and which we hold in common. 

A hundred years ago, on the tercentenary of the Reformation, after aperiod of political humiliation and economic distress in the Fatherland, the Ninety-five Theses of Claus Harms sounded a call for a Lutheranawakening throughout the world. The result of that revival is felt inthe churches to this day. 

The quadricentenary of the Reformation was celebrated amid theconvulsions of a World War. Is it too much to hope that after this waralso the ground may be prepared for a spiritual sowing and reaping whenthe unnecessary dissensions of sectarian controversy will give place tofraternal co-operation in the service of a common Lord and in thepromotion of a common faith?* *Since the foregoing paragraphs were written an unexpected changein the outlook has taken place. Steps were taken a year ago towardbringing together three of the general bodies of the Church in America. Should this hope be realized, it will bring into closer union a majorityof the churches of Greater New York. On May 7th, 1918, at a meeting of nearly one hundred Lutheranpastors, members of nearly all of the synods represented on thisterritory, there was organized a "Conference of the Lutheran pastors ofthe Metropolitan District for the discussion of all questions ofdoctrine and practice to the end of effecting unity. " This, too, is aharbinger of an approaching era of reconstruction and peace. 

The Problem of Language

It was a Lutheran demand in the sixteenth century to preach the Gospelin the vernacular. It would be un-Lutheran in the twentieth century toconduct public worship in a language which the people do not understand. 

This lesson is written so plainly in the history of our churches inAmerica that "he may run that readeth. " The Swedish churches on theDelaware, planted by Gustavus Adolphus for the very purpose ofpropagating the faith in America, were all of them lost to the Lutheranchurch because the persistent use of the Swedish language, and theinability of the pastors to preach in English, proved an insuperableobstacle to the bringing up of the children in the Lutheran communion. When the New York Ministerium at its meeting in Rhinebeck, September1st, 1797, resolved that it would "never acknowledge a newly-erectedLutheran Church merely English in places where the members may partakeof the services of the Episcopal Church, it halted for a century thegrowth of the Lutheran Church in New York. [Tr. Note: no close quotationmarks in original. ]

The same experience greets us in London. There the Lutheran Church wasestablished in 1669, only five years later than in New York. For morethan two centuries it had the recognition of royalty. As late as theVictorian era Prince Albert, the Queen and the royal family, in theirpersonal relations, were connected with the Lutheran Church. To this dayQueen Alexandra is a communicant in the Lutheran church. There existtherefore no social barriers to its growth. Yet not a single EnglishLutheran church is to be found in London. 

With one exception the dozen Lutheran churches of other tonguesrecognize no responsibility to propagate the faith of the AugsburgConfession in the language of the city in which they live. The exceptionis that of the German "Missouri" congregation. Here English as well asGerman is used in the services. Here alone it would seem that "religionis the chief concern. "

The language problem confronted us early in our local history. In thefirst hundred years three languages, Dutch, German and English, contended for the mastery. In their pastoral work some ministers usedall three. 

Dutch was the first to surrender. The children of Dutch families adoptedthe language of their English conquerors, and when immigration fromHolland ceased, the use of Dutch in worship became obsolete. The lastuse of Dutch at a Lutheran service was at the communion on the FirstSunday in Advent in 1771. It had maintained itself for 114 years. 

After the use of Dutch in worship had ceased, German and English cameinto collision. It was a fight to a finish. When it was over there waslittle left for which to contend. When Pastor Kunze died, in 1807, thecongregation had declined almost to the point of extinction. Many of theEnglish-speaking families had left us and we thus lost some of ourleading members, people whose ancestors had for five generationsbelonged to our communion. The Germans remained, but during the lull inthe tide of immigration the use of German declined to such an extent asto imperil the existence even of the German congregation. When Kunze'ssuccessor arrived he had difficulty in finding members of the church whocould speak German. Even in the German congregation English had becomethe language of every-day life. 

German thrives in German soil. Elsewhere it is an exotic not easilycultivated. From their earliest history Germans have had the_Wanderlust_ and have sought for new homes as it pleased them. Butwherever they go they amalgamate with their surroundings. 

The Franks settled in Gaul, but, excepting its German name, the languageretains but few indications of the German ancestry of a large part ofthe French people. 

The Goths settled in Spain. Physical traits, blue eyes and blondecomplexion, persist in some districts, but their descendants speakSpanish. 

The Longobards crossed the Alps and settled in Italy where theirchildren 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 Germans to amalgamate withother nations was when the Anglo-Saxons invaded Britain. The island hadbeen deserted by the Romans, and the Germans refused for centuries toally themselves with the British inhabitants. They retained their ownlanguage and customs with but a slight admixture of alien elements. * Tothis day after twelve centuries they prefer to call themselvesAnglo-Saxons rather than British. (_Nomen a potiori fit. _) *"Philologically, English, considered with reference to itsoriginal form, Anglo-Saxon, and to the grammatical features which itretains of Anglo-Saxon origin, is the most conspicuous member of theLow German group of the Teutonic family, the other Low German languagesbeing Old Saxon, Old Friesic, Old Low German, and other extinct forms, and the modern Dutch, Flemish, Friesic, and Low German (Platt Deutsch). These, with High German, constitute the 'West Germanic' branch, asGothic and the Scandinavian tongues constitute the 'East Germanic'branch, of the Teutonic family. (Century Dictionary under the word'English. ')"

In the ninth and eleventh centuries the island was invaded by otherGermanic tribes, directly by way of the North Sea or indirectly by theChannel from Normandy, and so the language was developed still furtheralong English, that is Germanic lines. (According to the CenturyDictionary the historical pronunciation of the word is eng'-glish andnot ing'glish). 

Low Germans, (Nether Saxons or Platt Deutsch) who have settled in NewYork in such large numbers, enjoy a distinct advantage over othernationalities. In the vernacular of America they discover simply anotherdialect of their native tongue. Hence they acquire the new dialect withlittle difficulty. The simpler words and expressions of the commonpeople are almost the same as those which they used on the shores of theNorth Sea and the Baltic. For example: _Wo is min Vader?_ Where is myfather? _He is in the Hus. _ He is in the house. English and Germansailors from opposite shores of the North Sea, using the simpler wordsof their respective languages, have no trouble in making themselvesunderstood when they meet. 

The High Germans learn English more slowly, but they, too, find manypoints of contact, not only in the words but also in the grammaticalconstruction of the language. 

In the United States the descendants of Germans number seventeenmillions. They have made no inconsiderable contributions to the sumtotal of American civilization. For philological reasons, as we haveseen, no people are more ready than the Germans to adopt English forevery-day use. None amalgamate more easily with the political and sociallife of the country of their choice. In normal times we do not think ofthem as foreigners. 

English has the right of way. Its composite character makes it thelanguage for every-day use. Thirty-five languages are spoken in thiscity, but the assimilative power of English absorbs them all. The PublicSchool is the effective agent in the process. This is the melting potfor all diversities of speech. Children dislike to be looked upon asdifferent from their companions, and so it rarely happens that thelanguage of the parents is spoken by the second generation of immigrantfamilies. Their elders, even when their "speech bewrayeth" them, makestrenuous efforts to use the language of their neighbors. 

Seeing, then, that Anglicization is inevitable, why should we not cutthe Gordian knot, and conduct our ministry wholly in the Englishlanguage? This would greatly simplify our tasks, besides removing fromus the stigma of foreignism. 

We are often advised to do so, especially by our monoglot brethren. There are those who go so far as to say that the use of any languageother than the English impairs the Americanism of the user. 

Some of the languages at present used in our church services may be ofnegligible importance. The Slovak, Magyar and Finnish for example, aswell as the Lettish, Esthonian and Lithuanian of the Baltic Provinces, will never have more than a restricted use in this city. TheScandinavians and those whose vernacular is the Low German easilysubstitute English for their mother tongue. Scandinavian is kindred toEnglish, while Low German is the very group of which, philologicallyspeaking, English is the most conspicuous member. Upon these tongues itwill not be necessary to do summary execution. 

It is a different matter, however, when we come to High German, or, properly speaking, New High German, the language of German literaturesince the sixteenth century, of which Luther, through his version of theBible, may be called the creator. He at least gave it universalcurrency. This is a language which we could not lose if we would, andwould not if we could. 

Scholars are compelled to learn it because it is the indispensablemedium for scientific and philosophical study. Formerly Latin was thismedium, today it is German. 

Lovers of literature learn it because it is the language of Goethe andSchiller, the particular stars of a galaxy that for the modern world atleast outshines the productions of the ancient classics. Lutheransenshrine it in their inmost souls because it is the receptacle oftreasures of meditation and devotion with which their forms of worshiphave been enriched for four hundred years. To ignore Angelus Silesius, Paul Gerhardt, Albert Knapp, Philip Spitta and their glorious compeers, would be to silence a choir that sang the praises of the Lord "in notesalmost divine. "

We need the literature in which the ideas of our church have forcenturies been expressed. Language is the medium of ideas. The thirtydenominations that constitute the bulk of Protestantism in this countryderive the spirit of their church life for the most part fromnon-Lutheran sources through the medium of English literature. This isas it should be. But when Lutherans no longer understand the language oftheir fathers or the literature in which the ideas of their confessionhave found their fullest expression, they lose an indispensablecondition of intellectual and spiritual growth. They can neverunderstand 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 ofNew York of the eighteenth century. 

When we have forgotten our German we shall be out of touch with theLutherans who come to us from the Fatherland. For the time being theWorld War has put an end to German immigration, but this will not lastforever. Some time certainly immigration will be resumed, and as informer periods will be an unfailing source of supply for the Lutheranchurches of New York. 

In the nineteenth century the "Americanized" Lutherans did notunderstand the Germans who came over in such overwhelming numbers, andwere unprepared to shepherd them in Lutheran folds. The work had to bedone by immigrant pastors who, on their part, did not understand theAmerican life well enough to accomplish the best results. For the sakeof the Lutherans who come to us from foreign lands we cannot afford tolose touch with the historical languages of their churches. 

At the beginning of the nineteenth century the use of German had sunkalmost to zero. The minutes of the German Society had to be written inEnglish because no one was sufficiently versed in German to write themin this language. There was nothing to interfere with the supremacy ofEnglish. Yet the English Lutheran church was unable to "propagate thefaith of the fathers in the language of the children. " Down to thebeginning of the twentieth century, the English churches were dependentfor their growth upon accessions from the German and Scandinavianchurches. They were unable to retain even the families they hadinherited from their Dutch and German ancestors. We search in vain fordescendants of the New York Lutherans of the eighteenth century in anyof our churches. 

Not until a new contribution of immigrants from Lutheran lands had beenmade to America did our church begin to rise to a position of influence. 

When in the second quarter of the nineteenth century the firstself-sustaining English Lutheran church was established, theOckershausens and other children of immigrants were the strong pillarsof its support. From that day to the present time not a single EnglishLutheran church has been established and maintained in this city wherethe Schierens, the Mollers and scores of others, immigrants or thechildren of immigrants, were not the chief supporters of the work. Without their effective aid the English Lutherans of the nineteenthcentury would have been swallowed up by "the denominations that arearound us" as were their predecessors of the eighteenth century. 

Some of our Anglo-American neighbors are concerned about our politicalwelfare. 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 Americabefore there was a United States of America. 

The Germans of the Mohawk Valley won at Oriskany, according toWashington, the first battle of importance in the American Revolution. *[Tr. Note: original has no footnote to go with this asterisk]

The Germans of Pennsylvania, long a neutral colony on account of itslarge English population, obtained the right of suffrage in May, 1776, and turned the scale in favor of liberty. Through their votePennsylvania was brought by a narrow margin into line with Virginia andMassachusetts which would otherwise have remained separated and unableto make effective resistance against the armies of King George. 

The Germans of Virginia followed their Lutheran pastor, PeterMuehlenberg, and made memorable the loyalty of American Lutherans. Steuben, the drillmaster of the Revolution, transformed the untrainedand helpless troops of Washington into an effective force capable ofmeeting the seasoned soldiers of Cornwallis and Burgoyne. 

Our German ancestors were peasants, unable to write history, but theyhelped to make history. Without their timely aid there would not havebeen a United States of America. Their children do not need to be"Americanized. " Nor have later immigrants from Germany and Scandinavia, at any period of our history, shown less loyalty to American ideals. 

We may concede the hegemony of English in the political and intellectuallife of America, but in a great country like America there is room forothers also. It is a narrow view of our civilization to make "American"synonymous with English. America is not the dumping ground of thenations. It is a land where the best ideals of all nations may bereproduced and find room for expansion and growth. 

The German and Scandinavian churches of New York are not ignorant of theimportance of the English language in the maintenance of their churchwork. (See table of Churches in the Appendix. ) With scarcely anexception they make all possible use of English in their services. Thisthey are compelled to do in order to reach their children. In this way, and by making generous contributions of their members to the Englishchurches, they are doing their full share in the general work of churchextension in the English language. 

They send their sons into the ministry to an extent that has not beenapproached by our English churches. (See Appendix under Sons of theChurch. ) Nearly all of these are bi-lingual in their ministerial workand many of them serve exclusively English churches. There is a proverbabout killing the goose that lays the golden egg, which we would do wellto bear in mind. 

Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, founded by Dr. Walther and the Germansof Missouri, numbers 344 students. Candidates for graduation must beable to minister in at least two languages. In a polyglot church such asours this would seem to be a policy worthy of imitation. 

The fifteen languages in which we minister to our people confer upon usan honorable distinction. Each one represents an individuality whichcannot be ignored, some spiritual gift which is worth exercising andpreserving. By keeping in touch with this many-sided life we enrich ourown lives, obtain broader conceptions of the church's mission, and fitourselves for more effective service in this most cosmopolitan city ofthe world. Instead of trying to exterminate these languages, let uscultivate a closer acquaintance with them and let us pray for thatpentecostal spirit which will enable us to say "we do hear them speak inour tongues the wonderful works of God. "

The Problem of Membership

Three classes of members are recognized in our churches: 1, Those whohave been baptized. 2, Those who have been confirmed-that is, those whoafter the prescribed course of instruction and examination have beenadmitted to the communion. 3, Communicants-that is, those who are inactive fellowship with the church in the use of the word and thesacrament. * *The temporal affairs of the congregation as a civic corporationare regulated by the State and the qualifications of a voting member aredefined in the laws of the State. This chapter deals only with thequestion of membership in the church as a spiritual body. In generalthe State readily acquiesces in the polity of the various churches solong as it does not interfere with the civic rights of the individual. 

There is a fourth class of which no note is taken in our church records. It is the class of lapsed Lutherans-that is, of those who have beenadmitted to full communion but who have slipped away and are no longerin active connection with the church. 

Of these we shall speak in a separate chapter. 

It is sometimes charged that the Lutheran communion does not hold clearviews of the church. On the one hand her confessions abound indefinitions of the church as a spiritual kingdom, as a fellowship ofbelievers. On the other hand her practice frequently reminds our brotherProtestants of the Catholics, and they are disposed to look upon us asRomanists, _minorum gentium_. "Like a will-of-the-wisp, " says Delitzsch, "the idea of the church eludes us. It seems impossible to find the safemiddle ground between a false externalism on the one hand and a falseinternalism on the other hand. "

The Lutheran position can only be understood when we recall thesituation that confronted the Reformers in the sixteenth century. Theyhad first of all to interpret the teachings of Scripture over againstRome, and hence in their earlier confessions they emphasized the pointson which they differed from the Pope. 

According to Romish doctrine a man became a member of the church, notby an _interna virtus, _ but solely through an external profession offaith and an external use of the sacraments. The church is as visibleand perceptible an organization as is "the kingdom of France or therepublic of Venice. " The church is an institution rather than acommunion. 

For thirteen centuries, from Cyprian to Bellarmin, this doctrine heldalmost undisputed sway. 

The Reformers demonstrated the significance of faith, and showed theuntenableness of Rome's conception of the church as a mere institution. Thomasius calls this a central epoch in the history of the world. But atthe same time the Reformers had to take a stand against thehyperspiritual positions of the fanatics, as well as the teachings ofthe Zwinglians who denied the efficacy of the means of grace. Theconfessions, therefore, as well as the subsequent writings ofMelanchthon and the dogmaticians, and the entire history and developmentof the Lutheran churches must be read in the light of this two-foldantagonism. 

The system which the Reformers controverted must have had featuresacceptable to the natural man or it would not have prevailed for somany centuries. Hence it is not surprising when Romanism creeps backinto nominally Protestant churches. It behooves us, therefore, to be onour guard and to purge out the old leaven. And the opposite tendencywhich undervalues the visible church, must also be corrected by aScriptural 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'slater writings and by the dogmaticians of the 17th century, considerablyinfluenced also by Spener and the Pietists, while not a little has cometo us from the Rationalistic period. 

2. Tradition, from the civil and social arrangements of the nationalchurches from which we are descended, inherited through generations ofour predecessors in this country. We follow in the old ruts, and "theway we have always been doing" puts an end to controversy. 

3. Environment. Consciously or unconsciously we are influenced by thepractice of neighboring denominations. 

The object of this chapter is to ascertain the historic principles ofthe Lutheran Church in regard to church membership, to test theirvalidity by Scriptures and to apply them to present conditions. 

The Church is primarily the communion of saints. Thus in the SmallCatechism: "even as He (the Holy Ghost) ... Sanctifies the wholeChristian Church on earth. " In the Large Catechism the same thought, that the Church is the product of the Holy Ghost, is expressed in ampleterms. Rome's doctrine of the Church, as essentially an externalorganism, was answered in the 7th Article of the Augustana with thestatement that the Church is the "congregation of saints, " and thisArticle was the object of special attack in the Confutation. In theApologia the Church is the congregation of those who confess one Gospel, have a knowledge of Christ and a Holy Spirit who renews, sanctifies andgoverns their hearts (Mueller 153, 8). In the Smalcald Articles: "ThankGod, a child of seven years knows what the Church is, namely the holybelievers and the lambs who hear their Shepherd's voice. " The Formula ofConcord has no special article on the Church, but touches the questionincidentally and confirms the statements of the other symbols. (SeeRohnert, Dogmatik, p. 505. )

These teachings are in harmony with New Testament doctrine. Jesus said:"Upon this rock will I build my church, " the congregation of God'schildren, the spiritual house which in the years to come "I will build. "This Church was founded through the outpouring of the Holy Ghost onPentecost. When the Epistles were written Ecclesia had become theestablished term. In Acts 2, 42, we find that Koinonia was one of theessential characteristics of the Church. John uses the same term in hisfirst letter. This is the very truth repeated in the 7th Article of theAugustana. Paul, in his letter to Titus, refers to Christians as thosewho have believed in God; Romans 8, "God's elect;" also in Colossians 3, 1, "elect of God;" I. Peter 2, "holy nation, peculiar people;" I. Cor. 1, "Sanctified in Christ Jesus, " etc. , etc. They form a "spiritualhouse, " I. Peter, 2; "God's building, " I. Cor, 3; "body of Christ" inprocess of edification, Eph. 4. This body of Christ is an organic unityin which the Holy Ghost dwells as in a temple, I. Cor. , 3 ; and of whichChrist 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 thirdcentury. When the Puritans of that day, the Montanists, Novatians andDonatists unduly emphasized the ideal character of the Church, there wasjustification for the answer of Cyprian, emphasizing its empiriccharacter, its actual condition. When after thirteen centuries of abuseof this position a Reformation occurred, it was to be expected that theReformers would first of all emphasize the ideal, the inner character ofthe Church. 

But while this movement, which Julius Stahl felicitously termed theConservative Reformation, was going on, there was also a radicalReformation which repudiated the idea of a visible church. TheRomanists, in their confutation of the Augustana, called attention tothis view, and wrongfully charged the Lutherans with holding it. Incontroverting this position, the Romanists very properly quoted theparable of the tares and the parable of the net with all kinds offishes. The Apologia replied by showing that the 8th Article of theAugustana had repudiated this position, and that bad men and hypocriteswere not excluded _ab externa societate_. 

Thus the Romanists regard the Church as essentially visible, theReformed, as essentially invisible, while Lutherans hold that she isboth. The invisible Church is contained within the visible just as thesoul is contained within the body. The Church is not merely acongregation of believers, but also an institution for the promotion ofthe Kingdom of God. 

In their controversy with Rome Lutherans held that the Church did notexist merely in participation of external rites, but chiefly in thepossession of the inward life, the heavenly gifts. As yet the kingdom ofChrist is not revealed, and the visible Church is a _corpus mixtum_. Thus the Apologia distinguishes clearly between the _ecclesia proprie etlarge dicta_ (church in the proper and church in the wider sense of theterm). 

Nevertheless this Kingdom of Christ has a visible existence. "We are notdreaming of a Platonic commonwealth, " says the Apologia, "for it hasexternal marks, the preaching of the pure Gospel and the administrationof the sacraments. " And this Church is the "pillar and ground of thetruth, " for she is built upon the true foundation, Christ, and upon thisfoundation Christians are built up. 

Subsequently, in his Loci, Melanchthon developed still further the ideaof the Church as an _institutum_. This may have been because of thefanatics, or it may have been because of his entire disposition as ateacher and pedagogue. Followed as he was in support of his views by thedogmaticians, the Lutheran Church acquired that distinctive characterwhich has marked her history as an educating and training force. Thisposition is still further explained from the fact that the Lutherans, unlike the Reformed, were placed in charge of nations and peoples, andhad to be responsible for their Christian guidance and training. As anational church, her relations to the people were different from thoseof the Reformed, who, on the continent, existed mainly in smallercommunities and congregations where it was comparatively easy to enforcechurch discipline. 

In this relation the Church is not only the product, but also the organof 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 toothers. According to the Large Catechism, she is the spiritual motherof 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 Testamentin the various commands and promises given to her: the power of thekeys, the duty to confess before men, to serve one another in love, ofunited intercession, of contending against the kingdom of darkness. Inthe Epistles the presence of sinful men is everywhere recognized, nevertheless the members of the Church are termed "the called" of JesusChrist. 

Lutheranism of the 16th century stood between two opposite errors, Romeon the one hand with its exaggerated ideas of the Church as aninstitution, and Reform on the other hand with its one-sided notions ofthe invisible church. The Lutheran Church took the _via media_, declaring that the Church, _proprie_, was spiritual, but that it wasalso an institution. The question for us is whether we Lutherans of thetwentieth century have remained on the _via media_ or whether we havenot slipped too far to the right or to the left. 

To find the answer one would naturally consult our church formulas andconstitutions. According to Dr. Walther's "Pastorale, " the candidate foradmission to a "Missouri" church must be a truly converted andregenerated Christian. The General Council requires that the candidateshall have been admitted to the Lord's Supper and shall accept theconstitution. The Synod of New York requires that candidates beconfirmed, accept the Augsburg Confession, lead a Christian life, obeythe constitution and any other regulations that may hereafter beadopted. 

From this it seems that "Missouri" is the only body that emphasizes the_interna virtus_. The others place the emphasis upon conformity withcertain outward forms and requirements. 

But we cannot always judge from the printed constitution. To bring theinformation up to date, and to ascertain the actual usage of thechurches, the author obtained from forty pastors of this city an accountof their practice. Some of their replies will be embodied in thischapter. 

Theoretically we enter the church through baptism. Practically, for mostLutherans, confirmation is the door of admission. 

This rite is a comparatively new measure among us. Prior to theeighteenth century it had only a limited use in the Lutheran Church, andit has attained an inordinately prominent place. Spener was among thefirst to recognize its practical value, and its beautiful ritual made astrong appeal to the popular imagination. It is one of the ancientceremonies to which we do not object if it is properly used. 

Now tell us, you who make so much of confirmation and so little ofcatechization, seeing that you are content with six months of thelatter, in adopting a rite which Spener and the Pietists introduced intothe church, have you also adopted the principles which governed Spenerand the Pietists in the practice of confirmation? Their object incatechization and confirmation was conversion. "A stranger visited myclass one day, " says Spener. "The next day he called to see me andexpressed his great pleasure with my instruction. 'But, ' said he, 'thisinstruction is for the head. The question is how to bring the head tothe heart. ' And these words he repeated three times. I will not denythat they made such an impression upon me that for the rest of my daysI shall not forget them. "

We are not advocating extravagant ideas of conversion, or requiring areligious experience from children of fourteen years which in the natureof the case they cannot have. But have we a right in this crisis in thehistory of the child to overlook that infinitely important experiencewhich our dogmaticians termed _regressus ad baptismum?_ Said ProfessorKaftan, in an address to a Ministers' Conference: "The word conversionis the appropriate term for expressing the way in which a man becomes aChristian and a believer. Most Christians can tell you something abouthow it happened that they sought a new aim and chose another path inlife. Even among those who have had a peaceful and gradual development, there came a time when they reached a conscious and decisive resolutionto belong no more to the world but to God. _"Man wird nicht von selbstein Christ, man muss sich bekehren um ein Christ zu werden. "_ We do notrepudiate the doctrine of baptismal regeneration as it is held in theLutheran Church. On this point we are in accord with our Confessions. But before we adopt without reservation the idea that baptized childrenare regenerate, we must revise our practice in the matter of baptizinginfants. So long as we practice the _Winkeltaufe_ and baptizeindiscriminately the children of people who give us no guarantee thatthe children will be brought up in the Christian faith, so long as theChurch fails to recognize her obligation to these baptized children anddoes not take them under her nourishing care from the time when theyemerge from the family and enter into the larger life of the street andthe school, we have no right to place such an emphasis upon baptismalregeneration. It is to be feared that the Lutheran doctrine of baptismalgrace has in many minds been supplanted by a mechanical, thaumaturgielconception which differs from the Roman doctrine only in being far moredangerous. Rome at least enforces the claims of tthe [sic] Churchrecognized in baptism. We baptize them and let them run. We corral a fewof them for a few months just before confirmation and then let them runagain. So does not Rome. " [tr. Note: original has no close quotation markfor Kaftan quotation]

Dr. Cremer, of Greifswald, an able defender of the Lutheran faith, inhis reply to Dr. Lepsius on the subject of Baptismal Regeneration, says:

"It is sad indeed that in the use of the sacraments there is generallymore of superstition than of faith. This must be openly confessed, foronly then can conditions be improved when faults are recognized and madeknown. . . . We may continue to baptize chiildren [sic] of_Gewohnheitschristen_ (formal Christians), but it is a question whetherwe ought to continue to baptize the children of those who have given upthe faith and among whom there is no guarantee of a Christian training. This means also a reformation in our confirmation practice. Doesconfirmation mean a family party, or mark the time to leave school, orhas it something to do with baptism? These are rocks of offense whichmust be cleared out of the way if the Church is to be restored tohealth. "

Among the questions proposed to the pastors were the following:

1. Do you have a personal interview with each candidate prior toconfirmation with the view of ascertaining his fitness for the act?

2. Do you at that interview inquire as to the candidate's repentance, faith, conversion, new life?

3. Is the confirmation of the candidate dependent upon the satisfactoryresult of this examination?

Among the answers were the following: "Not, individually. " "No, exceptbefore the congregation. " "Not formally so. " "For at least six months. ""Only with certain ones, " etc. , etc. 

A goodly number of pastors speak to the candidates _"unter vier Augen, "_but they are the exceptions. The ordinary practice knows nothing of sucha course. The public examination is little more than an exhibition. 

In other words, we have strayed over to the Roman side of the road. Thedifference between us and the Roman priest being this: he will see themagain at the confessional, but those whom we confirm in this superficialway, many of them, we shall never see again. Or, if perchance we shouldsee some of them, it will be at long range, the same as when we firstadmitted them to confirmation. Imagine a doctor curing his patients inthis way, getting them together in a room and prescribing for theirdiseases from what he sees of them in a crowd. The care of souls cannotbe performed in bulk, it is the care of _a_ soul. 

Besides what a privilege the pastor loses, the opportunity of alifeline, not only to explain to an inquiring heart the mysteries of ourfaith in the light of his personal need, but also to put himself in sucha relation to the individual that he may become a beloved _Beichvater_. But alas, we have to a great extent lost the confessional. Instead of itwe have a hybrid combination of Lutheran doctrine and Reformed practice, and we distribute our absolution _ore rotundo_ over mixed congregationson Sunday mornings and at the Preparatory Service. But the realconfession we seldom hear and a valid absolution therefore we cannotpronounce. The Keys have indeed been committed to us, but we seem tohave lost them, for the door of the sheepfold hangs very loose in ourchurches and the sheep run in and out pretty much as they please. 

But while some of our churches are thus leaning toward Rome, there isneed of caution also against the opposite error. A false and exaggeratedspirituality will lead to standards of holiness which are not warrantedby the New Testament. Of these Luther himself somewhere said, "May theGod of mercy preserve me from belonging to a congregation of holypeople. I desire to belong to a church of poor sinners who constantlyneed forgiveness and the help of a good physician. "* *Methods of receiving candidates into active membership vary. Somesynods, as we have seen, make no distinction whatever in theirstatistical reports between occasional communicants and actual membersof the congregation. Admission to membership should take place by voteof the congregation or at least of the Church Council. There shouldlikewise be some rite of initiation. In the case of adults who come fromother congregations it need not and should not be a confirmationservice, but it should at least be a public introduction of thecandidate into the fellowship of the congregation with which he desiresto become identified. (Matthew 10, 32). 

Rome's position was a protest against Montanism. Without question thereis a great truth in Cyprian's position as developed by Rome, and theReformers, particularly Melanchthon, guarded it. How often do we hear inour day the declaration: "I do not need to go to church. I can be justas good a Christian without. " This position Lutheranism rebukes bymaking preaching and the sacraments the pillars on which the churchrests. Thus is conserved what was best in the institutional theory ofthe ancient church, so that in spite of her many defects both as anational church and in her transplanted condition, the Lutheran churchwill remain an important factor in the development of ProtestantChristianity. 

When our Reformed neighbors charge us with Romanism, it is eitherbecause they do not understand our theory and have overlooked thehistorical development, or because they judge of us by the Romishpractice of our own ministers who have thoughtlessly slipped over toofar toward the institutional theory. In the present condition ofreligious flux we have a mission not only in the field of doctrine, butalso in practical theology, on the question of the Church. For we arestill standing between two antagonists. Catholics on the one handattract the masses by the definiteness of their external organization. Over against them we emphasize the essentially spiritual nature of theChurch. There are Protestants on the other hand who, while placing theemphasis on the inner life, ignore the importance of the ordinances. They maintain public worship, it is true, but do so in combination withsecular entertainment or by appealing to the intellectual or estheticneeds of the community. Others, more spiritually minded, base theirhopes on the evangelist and the revival. But when the evangelist hastaken his leave, and the people have to listen to the same voice theyhave heard so long before, having been thoroughly indoctrinated with theidea that it is not the Church that makes a man a Christian, thatsacraments and ordinances are merely human devices, is it any wonderthat many of them ignore the church altogether?

It is here that the Lutheran Church, with her catholic spirit and herevangelical doctrine, has a message for our times. Her doctrine ofbaptism, of Christian instruction as its corrollary, of repentance, faith, and the new life, of the Lord's Supper, of church attendance, ofthe sanctification of the Lord's Day, and a practical application ofthese doctrines to the life in the care of souls, establishes a standardof membership that ought to make our churches sources of spiritualpower. 

The Problem of Religious Education

Historically and doctrinally the Lutheran Church is committed toweek-day instruction in religion. Historically, because in establishingthe public school her chief purpose was to provide instruction inreligion; doctrinally, because from her point of view life is a unit andcannot be divided into secular and spiritual compartments. 

American Christians are confronted with two apparently contradictorypropositions. One is that there can be no true education withoutreligion. The other is that we must have a public school, open to allchildren without regard to creed. 

When our country was young, and Protestantism was the prevailing type ofreligion, these two ideas dwelt peacefully together. The founders of theRepublic had no theory of education from which religion was divorced. But the influx of millions of people of other faiths compels us torevise our methods and to test them by our principles, the principles ofa free Church within a free State. Roman Catholics and Jews object toour traditions and charge us with inconsistency. If temporarily wewithstand their objections, we feel that a great victory has been wonfor religion when a psalm is read and the Lord's Prayer said at theopening of the daily session of school. We still have "religion" in thepublie school. 

But the problem remains. On the one hand, those who doubt the proprietyof introducing any religious instruction, however attenuated, into thepublic school, are not satisfied with the compromise. There are judicialdecisions which place even the reading of the Bible under the head ofsectarian instruction. 

On the other hand, those who believe that religion has a supreme placein the education of a child, and that provision should therefore be madefor it in its school life, realize the inadequacy of the presentmethods. 

As Herbert Spencer says: "To prepare us for complete living is thefunction which education has to discharge. " Character rather thanacquirement is the chief aim of education. Hence we cannot ignore theplace of religion in education without doing violence to the ultimatepurpose of education. 

The importance of the question is admitted on all sides. But it remainsa complex and difficult problem. Thus far, with all our talent forpractical measures, 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. Butdoes the Sunday School meet the requirement of an adequate system ofreligious instruction? It is an institution that has endeared itself tothe hearts of millions. Originally intended for the waifs of an Englishmanufacturing town, it has become among English-speaking people animportant agency of religion. Apart from the instruction which it gives, we could not dispense with it as a field for the cultivation of layactivity, and a practical demonstration of the priesthood of allbelievers. Nevertheless its best friends concede its limitations. From apedagogical standpoint, no one thinks of comparing it with the secularschool. With but half an hour a week for instruction, even the best ofteachers could not expect important results. Its chief value lies in thepersonal influence of the teacher. But instruction in religion involvesmore than this. 

Nor does the Sunday School reach all the children. Attendance isvoluntary, and hence there is no guarantee that all the children ofschool age will obtain any instruction, to say nothing of graded andsystematic instruction, taking account of the entire school life, andholding in mind the ultimate object of instruction, the preparation ofchildren for full membership in the church. But this is one of the firstduties of the churches, to look after all their children with this endin view. 

As a supplement and an aid the Sunday School has untold possibilities ofusefulness. But all its merits and advantages cannot close our eyes tothe fact that it does not and cannot meet the chief requirement of theChristian school, the systematic preparation of all the children for theduties of church membership. In this work the church cannot shirk herresponsibility. Her very existence depends upon it. 

Recognizing this obligation some of our churches maintain the ParochialSchool. Thirty churches out of one hundred and fifty are making a heroiceffort to be loyal to their ideals. The total number of pupils is 1, 612. In other words, out of 42, 106 children in attendance at Sunday Schoolonly 4 per cent. Get instruction in religion through the ParochialSchool. So far as numbers show it would seem to be a failure. But onecannot always judge from the outward appearance. Eight of theseparochial-school churches report fifty of their sons in the ministry. * *Some of the pastors failed to send me reports on this point, but Ihave been credibly informed that within twelve years, ten of thesechurches sent sixty of their sons into the ministry. 

In view of such a result who would dare to say anything in disparagementof the Parochial School? Perhaps its friends may some time see their wayclear to secure greater efficiency by establishing three or four schoolsin place of the thirty, and thus relieve the individual congregations ofa serious tax upon their resources. 

Some of our churches have Saturday schools and classes in religion onother week days. The total number of pupils reported in these classes, including the members of confirmation classes, is 5, 711. Add to thesethe 1, 612 pupils of the parochial schools, some of whom have alreadybeen counted in the confirmation classes, and we have at most 7, 323children obtaining instruction in religion on week days, 17 per cent. Ofthe number of those in attendance at Sunday School. 

So far as may be learned therefore from such statistics as areavailable, it follows that 83 per cent. Of our children receive nopublic instruction in religion except such as is given in the SundaySchool and in the confirmation class. 

Our churches do not take kindly to the so-called evangelistic methods ofreaching unchurched masses, claiming that our methods, in particular thecatechization of the young, are more effective. In view of the figurespresented above, it is open to question whether our churches practicecatechization in the historical sense of the word. It is a questionwhether our method of imparting instruction in the catechism for a fewmonths preliminary to confirmation does justice to the spirit andprinciples of the Lutheran Church? Many of our pastors sigh under theyoke of a custom which promises so much and yields so little. 

To postpone the catechization of more than 80 per cent. Of the childrenuntil they are twelve or thirteen years of age, and to complete thecourse of preparation for communicant membership within six months, contributes but little to the upbuilding of strong and healthy Lutheranchurches. An examination of our church rolls shows that such a system isa large contributor to the class of lapsed Lutherans. We get thechildren too late and we lose them too early. 

This is "an hard saying" and may offend many. But among all the problemswe are considering there is none to equal it in importance. Can we finda solution?

Wherever the churches are prepared to utilize the time in givingadequate instruction in religion, the curriculum of the public schoolshould be modified to meet this need. Competent authorities see noobjection to this, and there is a very large movement which seeks tofurther this idea. * *At the meeting of the Inter-Church Conference In Carnegie Hall, New York, in November, 1905, at which twentynine Protestant Churches ofAmerica were represented the author presented a paper on Week-dayReligious Instruction. Its main propositlon was favorably received, andthe following resolution was adopted by the Conference: "Resolved, that in the need of more systematic education inreligion, we recommend for the favorable consideration of the PublicSchool authorities of the country the proposal to allow the children toabsent themselves without detriment from the public schools on Wednesdayor on some other afternoon of the school week for the purpose ofattending religious instruction in their own churches; and we urge uponthe churches the advisability of availing themselves of the opportunityso granted to give such instruction in addition to that given on Sunday. "The further consideration of the subject was referred to theExecutive Committee. By direction of this Committee a report on Week-dayInstruction in Religion was presented at the First Meeting of theFederal Council of the Churches of Christ In America, held inPhiladelphia in 1905. After an earnest discussion, resolutions wereadopted indicating the importance which the representatives of thechurches of America attached to the general question. At the Second Meeting of the Federal Council, held in Chicago inDecember, 1912, the Special Committee of the Federal Council presented areport recognizing the difficulties confronting an adequate solution ofthe question and providing for a more thorough investigation anddiscussion of the entire subject. " In his report for 1909 (Vol. I, page 5), the United StatesCommissioner of Education, Dr. Elmer Ellsworth Brown, refers to thissubject in the following words: "Those who would maintain that the moral life has other rootingsthan that in religion, would, for the most part, admit that it is deeplyrooted in religion, and that for many of our people its strongestmotives are to be found in their religious convictions; that many, infact, would regard it as insufficiently grounded and nourished withoutsuch religious convictions. The teaching of religious systems is nolonger under serious consideration as far as our public schools areconcerned. Historical and social influences have drawn a definite linein this country between the public schools and the churches, leaving therights and responsibilities of religious instruction to the latter. Itwould be futile, even if it were desirable, to attempt to revise thisdecision of the American people. There has been, however, within thepast two or three years, a widespread discussion of the proposal thatarrangements be made between the educational authorities andecclesiastical organizations, under which pupils should be excused fromthe schools for one half-day in the week-Wednesday afternoon has beenuggested-in order that they may in that time receive religious and moralinstruction in their several churches. This proposal has been set forthin detail in a volume entitled "Religious Education and the PublicSchool, " and has been under consideration by a representative committeeduring, the past two or three years. "

An interdenominational committee, consisting of Evangelical Protestantsonly, was organized in 1914 for the purposing of securing week-dayinstruction in religion for the children of New York. A similarcommittee consisting of representatives of all churches, Protestant, Catholic and Jewish, was organized in 1915 which is giving effectivestudy to the same question. The Lutheran Minister's Association isrepresented on both these committees. 

The Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America, representingthirty denominations and a communicant membership of eighteen millions, through its Commission on Christian Education is making a largecontribution to the study of the problem. 

The Protestant Episcopal Church in its General Convention and theMethodist Episcopal Church in its General Conference have made provisionthrough appropriate committees for the study and promotion of thesubject of week-day instruction in religion. 

The Jewish Community (Kehillah) is doing work far exceeding anythingthat Christians have done in the way of religious education. It hasestablished 181 schools of religion, for children in attendance at thepublic schools, in which 40, 000 children are enrolled. In other formsinstruction in religion is given to 25, 000 children. Thus out of 275, 000Jewish children in the public schools 23. 5 per cent. Receive week-dayinstruction in religion. Energetic efforts are made to reach theremaining 210, 000. The pupils have from one to four periods each week, after school hours, each period lasting from one to two hours. The totalsum annually expended by the Jews for week-day instruction in religionis approximately $1, 400, 000. 

From "The Jewish Communal Register of New York City, 1917-1918, [tr. Note: no close quote for title in original] we quote as follows:

"In the typical week day school, the number of hours of instructiongiven to each child varies from 6 1/2 hours in the lowest grade to 91/2 hours in the seventh or highest grade. . . . The total teachingstaff 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 averagesalary is $780 annually for 22 hours' work during the week. "

The Jews ask for no concession of time from the public school. They seemto have physical and intellectual vigor enabling them to utilize, forthe study of religion, hours which Christian children require for restand recreation. 

Lutherans hold that it is the function of the church to provideinstruction in religion for its children. What are the Lutherans of NewYork doing to maintain this thesis? Over 40, 000 children of enrolledLutheran families obtain no instruction in religion except that which isgiven in the Sunday School and in the belated and abbreviated hours ofcatechetical instruction. 

A movement is now going on in this city and throughout the United Statesaiming at a restoration of religious education to the functions of thechurch. For the sake of our children ought we not heartily to cooperatewith a movement which so truly represents the principles for which westand? It will require a considerable addition to the teaching force ofour churches. It will mean an expensive reconstruction of ourschoolrooms. It will cost money. But it will be worth while. 

The Problem of Lapsed Lutherans

There are four hundred thousand lapsed Lutherans in New York, nearlythree times as many as enrolled members of the churches. 

A lapsed Lutheran is one who was once a member, but for some reason hasslipped the cable that connected him with the church. He still claims tobe a Lutheran but he is not enrolled as a member of a particularcongregation. 

Most lapsed Lutherans are of foreign origin. From figures compiled byDr. Laidlaw (see "Federation, " Vol. 6, No. 4), we obtain the number ofProtestants of foreign origin, enumerated according to the country ofbirth of parents, one parent or both. The number of Lutherans we obtainby subtracting from the "Protestants" the estimated number ofnon-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 years fromRussia, Austro-Hungary and other countries of South Eastern Europe, arethe descendants of German Lutherans who in the eighteenth centuryaccepted the invitation of Katharine the Second and Marie Theresia tosettle in their dominions. Others are members of various races from theBaltic Provlnces. 

That is, the estimated number of Lutherans of foreign origin, countingonly the chief countries from which they emigrate to America, is507, 708. 

But we also have Lutherans here who are not of foreign origin. Lutheranshave lived in New York from the beginning of its history. Its firsthouses were built by Heinrich Christiansen, who certainly had a Lutheranname. The Lutherans of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, it istrue, left no descendants to be enrolled in our church books. These areto be found in goodly numbers in the Protestant Episcopal and otherchurches where they occupy the seats of the mighty. It is too late toget them back. 

But in the nineteenth century we collected new congregations. There aremany Lutherans whose grandparents at least were born in New York. Besides, there has been a large influx from the Hudson and Mohawkvalleys, from Pennsylvania, Ohio, the South and the West. A moderateestimate of these immigrants from the country and of those who under thegrandfather clause claim to be unhyphenated Americans, members ornon-members of our churches, is 40, 000. 

Add to these the Lutherans of foreign origin and we have in roundnumbers a Lutheran population of more than 547, 000 souls. 

Turning now to the statistical tables in the Appendix we find that thenumber of souls reported in our churches is 140, 957. Subtract these fromthe total Lutheran population and we have a deficit of over 400, 000souls, lapsed Lutherans, the subject of the present chapter. _Quod eratdemonstrandum_. While this is a large number, it is a moderate estimate. 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 Yorkchurches, the product of our superficial catechetical system. No studyof the subject is complete that does not take account of this seriousdefect. No cure will be effective until we have learned to take bettercare of our children. 

Native Americans from the country, members of Lutheran churches in theirformer homes, have no excuse if they do not find a Lutheran church whenthey 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 atleast, the home pastors are responsible. When their people remove to NewYork they ought to be supplied with letters, and the New York pastorsshould be notified. In fifty years I have not received twenty-fiveletters from my country brethren asking me to look after their wanderingsheep. 

For the foreign Lutherans who have failed to comnect with the church, three reasons may be given: 1. Ignorance. Not ignorance in general, butignorance in regard to church conditions in America. They come fromNational churches where their relation to the church does not requiremuch personal initiative. They belong to the church by virtue of theirbaptism and confirmation. Their contributions to its maintenance areincluded in the general tax levy. 

Arrived in New York where Church and State are separate, a long time maypass before any one cares for the soul of the immigrant. Our pastors arebusy with their routine work and seldom look after the new comers, unless the new comers look after them. The latter soon become reconciledto a situation which accords with the inclinations of the natural man. Ignorance of American church conditions accounts for the slipping awayof many of our foreign brethren from the fellowship of the church. 

2. Indifference. Many foreigners who come here are merely indifferent tothe claims of religion. Others are distinctly hostile toward the church. Most of the Socialistic movements of continental Europe, because of theclose association of Church and State, fail to discriminate betweentheir respective ideas. Thy condemn the former for the sins of thelatter. 

3. Infidelity. A materialistic philosophy has undermined the Christianconception of life and the world, and multitudes of those who werenominally connected with the church have long since repudiated theteachings of Christianity. 

It is a tremendous problem that confronts us, the evangelization of fourhundred thousand Lutherans. If for no other reason, because of itsmagnitude and because of its appeal to our denominationalresponsibility, it is a problem worth solving. But it is a challenge toour Christianity and it should stimulate us to an intense study of itspossible solution. 

Ministers can contribute much toward its solution. It is true our handsare full and more than full with the ordinary care of our flocks. Butour office constantly brings us into association with this large outerfringe of our congregations at times when their hearts are responsive toanything that we may have to say. We meet them at weddings and atfunerals. We baptize their children and we bury their dead. Once in awhile some of them even come to church. In spite of all their wanderingsand intellectual idiosyncrasies they still claim to be Christians. Andwhatever their own attitude toward Christianity may be, there are fewwho do not desire to have their children brought up in the Christianfaith. We have before us an open door. 

The churches can do more than they are doing now to win these lapsedLutherans. Some people are kept out of church through no fault of theirown. For example, the rented pew system, still in vogue in somecongregations, is an effective means of barring out visitors. Few careto force themselves into the precincts of a private club even if itbears the name of a church. 

A pecuniary method of effecting friendly relations is not without itsmerits. In this city of frequent removals there are many families whohave lost all connection with the congregation to which they claim tobelong. An opportunity to contribute to the church of their newneighborhood might be for them a secondary means of grace. They becomeas it were proselytes of the gate. Having taken the first step, many mayagain enter into full communion with the church. 

A Lutheran church, however, does not forget the warning of the prophet:"They have healed the hurt of my daughter slightly. " The evangelizationof this great army of lapsed Lutherans is not to be accomplished by sucha simple expedient as taking up a collection. What most of them need isa return to the faith. Somebody must guide them. 

For this no societies or new ecclesiastical machinery will be required. The force to do this work is already enlisted in the communicantmembership of our one hundred and fifty organized congregations. We haveapproximately 60, 000 communicants. These are our under-shepherds whosebusiness it is to aid the pastor in searching for "the lost sheep of thehouse of Israel. " Shall we not have a concerted effort on the part ofall the churches?

We may certainly win back again into our communion many of whom the GoodShepherd was speaking when He said: "them also I must bring and theyshall 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 downby 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 say90, 000 families. These are scattered all over the greater city, most ofthem in close proximity to some one of our 150 churches. To each churchmay be given an average assignment of 600 families. 

The average number of communicants in each of our churches is nearly400. Some churches have less, others more. To an average company of 400communicants is committed the task of evangelizing 600 families, notaliens or strangers, but members of our own household of faith, peoplewho in many eases will heartily welcome the invitation. Some of these400 potential evangelists will beg to be excused. Let us make aselective draft of 300 to do the work. The task required of each memberof this army is to visit two families. 

Whatever else may be said of such a computation it certainly does notpresent 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 thisproblem, is it not incumbent upon the Lutheran churches of New York toface it with the determination to accomplish an extraordinary work ifneed be in an extraordinary manner? "The kingdom of heaven sufferethviolence and the violent take it by force. "

Seventy years ago a great company of Christian men met in the old Luthertown of Wittenberg to consider the needs of the Fatherland. It was theyear of the Revolution. It was a time of political confusion and ofdesperate spiritual need. It was then that Wichern, in an address ofimpassioned eloquence, pointed the way toward the mobilization of allChristians in a campaign of spiritual service. 

He was directed to prepare the program. It appeared in 1849 under thetitle "Die Innere Mission. "

It was a clarion call to personal service and it met with an immediateand remarkable response. The movement marked an epoch in the history ofthe church. 

Because the Inner Mission lends itself in a peculiar way to works ofcharity it is often regarded as synonymous with the care of the helplessand afflicted. In this use of the term we lose sight of the largermeaning and scope of the work which has made it one of the greatreligious forces of the nineteenth century. It should therefore be moreaccurately described as that movement of the nineteenth century which, recognizing the alienation of multitudes within the church from theChristian faith and life appeals [sic] to all disciples of Christ byall means to carry the Gospel to men of all classes who have strayedaway 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 InnerMission. 

Such a call comes to us at a time when we are confronted with a problemwhich almost staggers the imagination and when we are offered anopportunity such as no other Protestant church enjoys. 

The Problem of Statistics

The word statistics, according to the Century Dictionary, refers notmerely to a collection of numbers, but it comprehends also "all thosetopics of inquiry which interest the statesman. " The dignity thus givento the subject is enhanced by a secondary definition which calls it "thescience of human society, so far as deduced from enumerations. "

No branch of human activity can be studied in our day without the use ofstatistics. Statesmen and sociologists make a careful study of figuresbefore they attempt to formulate laws or policies. 

For church statistics we are chiefly dependent upon the tables of theSynodical Minutes. The original source of our information is thepastor's report of his particular congregation. Unfortunately the valueof these tables is greatly impaired by the absence of a common standardof membership. 

The New York Ministerium has no column for "communicant" members. Thereis a column for "contributing" members, but these do not necessarilymean communicants. Among the records of Ministerial Acts, such asmarriages and funerals, there is also a column for "Kommuniziert. " Buteven if the Holy Communion were to be classed among Ministerial Acts, itsometimes happens that others besides members partake of the communion. The term "Kommuniziert" therefore does not convey definite informationon the subject of communicant membership. For example, a congregationwith 160 "contributing members" reports 770 "Kommuniziert. " It is hardlyconceivable that out of 770 communicant members only 160 arecontributing members and that 610 communicants are non-contributors. Otherwise there would seem to be room for improvement in anotherdirection besides statistics. 

The New York Ministerium also has no column for "souls, " that is, forall baptized persons, including children, connected with thecongregation. There are also many blanks, and many figures that looklike "round numbers. " For thirty years I have tried in vain tocomprehend its statistics. _Hinc illae lacrymae_. 

The Missouri Synod has three membership rubrics: souls, communicantmembers, voting members. When however, a congregation of 900communicants reports only 80 voting members, one wonders whether some ofthe 820 non-voters ought not be admitted to the right of suffrage. Thecongregational system favors democracy. It should be remembered alsothat the laws of the State define the right to vote at a churchelection. 

The Synod of New York has three membership rubrics: Communicants, Confirmed, Baptized. The first includes all members who actually communewithin a year. The second adds to the communicants all others who areentitled to commune even if they neglect the privilege. The third addsto the preceding class baptized children and all other baptized personsin any way related to the congregation, provided they have not beenformally excommunicated. 

The Swedish Augustana Synod has three rubrics: Communicants, Children, Total. "Communicants" may or may not be enrolled members of thecongregation. This classification therefore is neither comprehensive norexhaustive and may account in part, for the discrepancy between thenumber of Lutheran Swedes in New York and the number enrolled in theSwedish Lutheran Churches. 

None of the synodical reports take note of "families. " Pastors seldomspeak 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 theGod of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. " Thecaptions of the five parts of Luther's Small Catechism proceed upon theassumption of the family as a unit. It is true we are living in an ageof disrupted families, but it would seem that some recognition of thefamily should be made in the statistical tables of the Christian Church, especially when in the families with which we have to do, most of theindividuals are baptized members of the church and have not beenformally excommunicated. Until, therefore, we agree upon a commonstandard, our figures will be the despair of the statisticians. Areformation must come. Without it, we shall not be able to formulateneeded policies of church extension. 

In view of the complicated character of our membership it will not be aneasy task to reconstruct our statistical methods. But it is evident thatour missionary and evangelistic work will be greatly furthered when wehave exact information in regard to our parochial material. Our figuresshould include every soul, man, woman and child, in any way related toour congregations, classified in such a way as to show clearly in whatrelation they stand to the church. A church that does not count itsmembers as carefully as a bank counts its dollars is in danger ofbankruptcy. 

Church bookkeeping ought to be taught in the Theological Seminary. Butif the pastor himself is not a good bookkeeper, almost everycongregation has young men or young women who are experts in this art, who could render good service to the church by keeping its membershiprolls. 

Complete records are especially necessary in our great city with itsconstant removals and changes of population. The individual is like theproverbial needle in the haystack, unless we adopt a method ofaccounting not only for each family but for each individual down to thelatest-born child. * *In order that I may not be as one that beateth the air, I ventureto suggest a method of laying the foundation of records that has beenhelpful in my own work. I send to each family a "Family Register" blankwith spaces for the name, birthday and place of birth of each member ofthe family. The information thus obtained is transferred to a cardcatalogue in which the additional relation of each individual to thechurch and its work is noted. In this way, or by means of a loose-leafrecord book, available and up-to-date information can easily be kept. 

When important records, such as synodical minutes, are printed, severalcopies at least should be printed on durable paper and deposited inpublic libraries where they may be consulted by the historian. Ordinarypaper is perishable. Within a few years it will crumble to dust. Therecords might as well be written on sand so far as their value forfuture historians is concerned. 

Congregational histories, pamphlets or bound volumes, jubilee volumesand similar contributions to local church history should be sent to thepubllic libraries of the city and of the denominational schools. 

In search of recent information the author consulted the card index ofthe New York Public Library. He found only nine cards relating toLutheran churches. And yet we wonder why our church is not better knownin this city. 

EPILOGUE

One seldom finds an epilogue in a book nowadays. Its purpose in thedrama was to explain to the audience the meaning of the play. It doesnot 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" tosecure, if possible, the hesitating assent of some hearer. 

We have reached the 20th century. We are looking back upon 270 years ofhistory on Manhattun Island. What we have done and what we have leftundone is recorded in the stereotyped pages of an unchanging past. Oursuccesses and our failures are the chapters from which we may learnlessons for the future. The gates of that future are open to us now. 

Where Arensius and Falckner ministered to a feeble flock underinconceivable difficulties, there is built the greatest, certainly thelargest, city of the world. From all the races and tongues of the earthmen are gathering here to solve the problems of their lives. FromLutheran lands fifty myriads have already come and are living within ourwalls. Consciously or otherwise they appeal to us, their brethren in thefaith, for that religious fellowship for which every man sometimeslongs. If we do not respond, who shall interpret for them the religiouslife 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 thelong years that will follow the war. New history is sure to be writtenfor Europe and America. What shall be our contribution to its unwrittenpages?

In solving the problems that confront us we shall at the same time helpto solve the problems of our city and of our country. The simple faithand the catholic principles of our church should secure far us a widefield of useful and effective service. 

APPENDIX

Abbreviations

Synods - Min. , 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(Finnish); NN. , National Church of Norway. 

Languages - G. , German; E. , English; S. , Swedish; N. , Norwegian; F. , Finnish; D. , Danish; Sl. , Slovak, Bohemian and Magyar; Let. , Lettish;Est. , Esthonian; Pol. , Polish; Y, Yiddish; It. , Italian; Lith. , Lithuanian. 

Heads of Statistical Columns - Lang. , Language; Date, Date ofOrganization; Syn. , Synodical connection of congregation or pastor;Comm. , Number of communicants; Souls, Number of baptized persons relatedto the congregation; Syn. , Synodical connection of pastor orcongregation; P. S. , Pupils in Parochial School; S. S. , Pupils in SundaySchool; W. S. , Pupils receiving instruction in religion on weekdays [tr. Note: in the table, this column is headed "R. H. "]; Prop. , Net value ofreal estate in terms of a thousand dollars. 

Signs - * Missions; ( ) Estimated number; -- No report or nothing toreport. 

The Lutheran Churches of New YorkManhattan Name and Location Pastor Lang. Org. Syn. Comm. Souls P. S. S. S. R. H. Prop. 

 1. St. Matthew, 421 W. 145th....... 0. Sieker ........ G. E. 1669 Mo. 500 1, 122 126 365 40 (100) 2. St. James, 904 Madison Av....... J. B. Remensnyder. E. 1827 N. Y. 205 (331) ... 80 12 380 3. St. Paul, 313 W. 22nd........... L. Koenig......... G. 1841 Min. 300 (375) ... 75 40 140 4. Trinity, 139 Av. B.............. O. Graesser....... G. 1843 Mo. 525 674 33 41 34 75 5. St. Mark, 327 Sixth St.......... G. C. F. Haas..... G. 1847 Min. 200 (500) ... 55 55 70 6. St. Luke, 233 W. 42nd........... W. Koepchen....... G. E. 1850 Mo. 1, 012 (2, 000) ... 350 172 340 7. St. John, 81 Christopher........ F. E. Oberlander.. G. E. 1855 N. Y. 350 1, 000 ... 333 39 85 8. St. Peter, 54th at Lex. Av...... A. B. Moldenke.... G. E. 1862 Min. 911 3, 000 92 556 47 250 9. Immanuel, 88th at Lex. Av....... W. F. Schoenfeld.. G. E. 1863 Mo. 1, 500 6, 000 85 500 6l 178 10. St. John, 219 E. 119th.......... H. C. Steup....... G. E. 1864 Mo. 750 1, 500 115 254 41 40 11. St. Paul, 147 W. 123rd.......... F. H. Bosch....... G. E. 1864 Min. 1, 000 1, 500 75 500 130 120 12. Gustavus Adolphus, 151 E. 22nd.. M. Stolpe......... S. E. 1865 Aug. 1, 015 2, 000 ... 250 37 172 13. Holy Trinity, 1 W. 65th......... C. J. Smith....... E. 1868 N. E. 450 (800) ... 150 12 275 14. Christ, 400 E. 19th............. G. U. Wenner...... G. E. 1868 N. Y. 250 817 ... 152 100 65 15. Epiphany, 72 E. 128th........... M. L. Canup....... E. 1880 N. E. 400 700 ... 190 24 39 16. Grace, 123 W. 71st.............. J. A. Weyl........ G. E. 1886 Min. 803 1, 000 ... 260 54 80 17. Trinity, 164 W. 100th........... E. Brennecke...... G. E. 1888 Min. 785 2, 500 ... 422 112 85 18. Zion, 341 E. 84th............... W. Popcke......... G. E. 1892 N. Y. 1, 250 4, 807 ... 1, 120 124 112 19. Harlem, 32 W. 126th............. A. F. Borgendahl.. S. E. 1894 Aug. 233 336 ... 125 21 10 20. Washington Heights, W. 153rd.... C. B. Rabbow...... G. E. 1895 Min. 700 1, 100 55 250 30 75 21. Redeemer, 422 W. 44th........... F. C. G. Schumm... E. 1895 Mo. 260 400 ... 120 22 (20) 22. Our Saviour, 237 E. 123rd....... J. C. Gram........ N. E. 1896 Nor. 210 300 ... 62 5 35 23. Atonement, Edgecombe at 140th... F. H. Knubel...... E. 1896 N. Y. 410 3, 500 ... 544 250 125 24. Advent, Broadway at 93rd........ A. Steimle........ E. 1897 N. E. 503 962 88 163 22 218 25. Our Saviour, Audubon at 179th... A. S. Hardy....... E. 1898 N. Y. 106 554 ... 194 24 26 26. Finnish, 72 E. 128th............. K. Maekinen....... F. 1903 Fin. 450 2, 000 ... 40 25 ... 27. Holy Trinity, 334 E. 20th....... L. A. Engler...... Sl. 1904 - 700 1, 000 ... ... 40 45 28. Esthonian, 217 E. 119th......... C. Klemmer........ Est. 1904 Mo. 50 200 ... ... ... ... 29. Polish, 233 W. 42nd............. S. Nicolaiski..... Pol. 1907 Mo. 100 300 ... ... ... ... 30. Messiah, 10th Av. At 207th...... F. W. Hassenflug.. E. G. 1916 Mo. ... 120 ... 65 7 ... 31. Lettish, * 327 Sixth St.......... P. E. Steik....... Let. .... Pa. ... ... ... ... ... ... 32. Italian, * ...................... A. Bongarzone..... It. .... Mo. 10 27 ... 9 ... ... 33. Yiddish, * 250 E. 101st.......... N. Friedmann...... Y. .... Mo. ... ... ... ... ... ... 34. Deaf, * 233 W. 42nd.............. A. Boll........... E. G. .... Mo. 40 60 ... 20 ... ... Totals..... 15, 978 41, 485 669 7, 245 1, 580 3, 160

Bronx Name and Location Pastor Lang. Org. Syn. Comm. Souls P. S. S. S. R. H. Prop. 

 1. St. John, 1343 Fulton Av........ T. O. Posselt. ... G. E. 1860 Min. 758 1, 800 50 523 69 70 2. St. Matthew, 376 E. 156th....... W. T. Junge....... G. 1862 Min. (200) (500) 46 730 67 37 3. St. Paul, 796 E. 156th.......... G. H. Tappert..... G. E. 1882 Min. 550 2, 100 ... 503 103 45 4. St. Peter, 439 E. 140th......... 0. C. Mees........ E. G. 1893 0. 625 1, 100 ... 412 64 75 5. St. Stephen, 1001 Union Av...... P. Roesener....... G. 1893 Mo. 280 670 70 200 (20) 42 6. St. Peter, 739 E. 219th......... F. Noeldeke....... G. 1894 Min. 200 400 ... 165 35 10 7. Immanuel, 1410 Vyse Av.......... I. Tharaldsen..... N. 1895 Nor. 50 100 ... 50 (5) 6 8. Bethany, 582 Teasdale Pl........ J. Gruver......... E. 1896 N. Y. 284 612 ... 240 (24) 14 9. St. Luke, 1724 Adams............ W. Rohde.......... G. E. 1898 Min. 346 560 ... 140 32 5 10. St. Paul, LaFontaine at 178th... K. Kretzmann...... E. G. 1898 Mo. 375 811 ... 312 68 20 11. Holy Trinity, 881 E. 167th...... F. Lindemann...... E. 1899 Mo. 197 400 ... 143 (15) 17 12. Emmanuel, Brown Pl. At 137th.... P. M. Young....... E. 1901 N. Y. 205 400 ... 301 27 26 13. Trinity, 1179 Hoe Av............ A. C. Kildegaard.. D. 1901 Dan. 125 250 ... 35 10 15 14. Grace, 239 E. 199th............. A. Koerber........ E. 1904 Mo. 320 550 ... 280 22 25 15. Heiland, 187th & Valentine Av... H. Von Hollen..... G. 1905 - 160 250 ... 60 30 ... 16. Concordia, Oak Terrace.......... H. Pottberg....... G. E. 1906 Mo. 260 500 ... 230 45 10 17. Messiah, Brook Av. At 144th..... J. Johnson........ S. 1906 Aug. 155 230 ... 150 (15) 17 18. St. Thomas, Topping at 175th.... A. J. Traver...... E. 1908 N. Y. 200 350 8 250 25 15 19. Holy Comforter, 1060 Woodycrest. J. H. Dudde....... E. 1912 N. Y. 120 500 ... 175 15 5 20. St. Mark, Martha at 242nd....... O. H. Trinklein .. E. 1913 Mo. 104 300 ... 125 5 15 21. St. John, Oak Terrace........... J. Gullans........ S. E. 1913 Aug. 170 251 ... 83 6 2 22. Trinity, 1519 Castle Hill Av.... Paul G. Sander.... E. G. 1913 Mo. 70 225 ... 108 10 3 23. Fordham, 2430 Walton Av......... F. H. Meyer....... E. G. 1915 0. 178 382 ... 145 20 10 Totals..... 5, 932 13, 241 174 5, 360 732 484

Brooklyn Name and Location Pastor Lang. Org. Syn. Comm. Souls P. S. S. S. R. H. Prop. 

 1. Evangelical, Schermerhorn St.... J. W. Loch........ G. E. 1841 Min. 1, 000 2, 500 ... 500 80 200 2. S. John, Maujer St.............. A. Beyer.......... G. E. 1844 Mo. 900 2, 500 119 400 64 80 3. St. John, New Jersey Av......... C. J. Lucas....... G. E. 1847 Min. 700 1, 005 ... 500 56 80 4. St. Paul, Rodney St............. H. C. Wasmund..... G. E. 1853 Min. 1, 000 1, 500 ... 665 25 150 5. Zion, Henry St.................. E. G. Kraeling.... G. E. 1855 Min. 1, 200 2, 000 75 250 75 100 6. St. Matthew, Sixth Av. At 3rd .. G. B. Young....... E. 1859 N. Y. 250 1, 200 ... 300 25 66 7. St. Matthew, 197 N. 5th......... G. Sommer......... G. E. 1864 N. Y. 600 700 26 158 50 25 8. St. Peter, Bedford Av........... J. J. Heischmann.. G. E. 1864 Min. 2, 200 (4, 000) 20 1, 391 110 100 and J. G. Blaesi 9. Our Saviour, 632 Henry St....... C. S. Everson..... N. 1866 Nor. 305 650 ... 351 18 35 and S. Turmo 10. St. John, Milton St............. F. W. Oswald...... G. E. 1867 Min. 1, 200 2, 500 ... 475 51 75 11. St. John, 283 Prospect Av....... F. B. Clausen..... G. E. 1868 Min. 1, 000 3, 000 45 800 (80) 50 12. St. Mark, Bushwick Av........... S. Frey & P. Woy.. G. E. 1868 Mo. 1, 200 2, 500 125 550 67 140 13. St. Luke, Washington n. De Kalb. W. A. Snyder...... G. E. 1869 Min. 700 1, 000 ... 330 30 125 14. St. Paul, Henry n. Third Pl..... J. Huppenbauer.... G. 1872 Min. 400 800 ... 175 (20) 30 15. Bethlehem, 3rd Av. & Pacific ... F. Jacobson ...... S. 1874 Aug. 883 1, 496 42 600 (60) 121 16. Immanuel, 179 S. 9th............ J. Holthusen...... G. E. 1875 Mo. 860 1, 900 50 210 80 80 17. Wartburg, Georgia n. Fulton..... O. Hanser......... G. E. 1875 Mo. 80 80 ... ... ... 5 18. Our Saviour, 193 Ninth ......... R. Andersen ...... D. 1878 D. 200 (300) ... 40 (5) 18 19. Seamen's, * 111 Pioneer ......... J. Ekeland........ Nor. 1879 N. N. ... ... ... ... ... 30 20. St. Matthew, Canarsie........... T. A. Petersen.... G. E. 1880 Mo. 180 315 ... 80 30 16 21. Emmanuel, 417 Seventh........... E. Roth........... G. E. 1884 Min. 750 1, 000 ... 500 40 61 22. Trinity, 249 Degraw............. G. F. Schmidt..... G. E. 1886 Mo. 385 729 ... 257 24 28 23. St. Paul, Knickerbocker Av...... J. P. Riedel...... G. E. 1887 Mo. 650 2, 000 ... 450 60 (40) 24. Finnish, 529 Clinton............ K. Maekinen....... F. 1887 Fin. 240 240 ... ... ... 25 25. Zion, Bedford Av................ P. F. Jubelt...... G. 1887 Min. 300 500 ... 200 ... 30 26. Bethlehem, Marion............... W. Kandelhart .... G. E. 1888 Min. 700 (1, 200) 60 400 60 28 27. St. James, 4th Av. N. 54th...... H. C. A. Meyer.... G. E. 1889 Min. 650 2, 000 ... 500 75 50 28. St. Paul, 392 McDonough......... J. Eastlund....... S. 1889 Aug. 346 442 ... 182 (18) 36 29. St. John, 84th at 16th Av....... L. Happ........... G. 1890 Min. (400) (500) ... 375 (38) 40 30. Trinity, 4th Av. At 46th........ S. O. Sigmond..... N. 1890 Nor. 400 5, 000 ... 1, 000 100 50 31. Finnish, 752 44th............... S. Ilmonen........ F. E. 1890 Suo. 150 300 ... 135 135 16 32. Immanuel, 521 Leonard .......... J. E. Nelson ..... S. E. 1894 Aug. 175 350 35 105 105 16 33. Scandinavian, 150 Russell....... E. Risty.......... E. N. 1894 Nor. 112 175 ... 70 15 6 34. Redeemer, Lenox Road............ S. G. Weiskotten.. E. 1894 N. E. 400 600 ... 225 (23) 70 35. Christ, 1084 Lafayette Av....... C. B. Schuchard... E. 1895 N. E. 550 1, 000 ... 425 45 25 36. Salem, 128 Prospect Av.......... J. J. Kildsig..... D. 1896 U. D. 97 400 26 85 20 10 37. St. Peter, 94 Hale Av........... A. Brunn.......... E. G. 1897 Mo. 503 973 ... 378 39 19 38. Zion, 1068 59th................. J. D. Danielson... S. 1897 Aug. 150 400 ... 160 16 10 39. Calvary, 788 Herkimer........... 0. L. Yerger ..... E. 1898 N. Y. 97 235 ... 200 (20) 15 40. Reformation, Barbey n. Arl'tn... J. C. Fisher...... E. 1898 N. E. 500 1, 000 ... 450 (40) 30 41. St. Stephen, Newkirk Av......... L. D. Gable ...... E. 1898 N. E. 503 3, 800 ... 975 41 35 42. Messiah, 129 Russell ........... J. H. Worth ...... E. 1899 N. E. 438 900 ... 563 40 25 43. Our Saviour, 21 Covert ......... A. R. G. Hanser... E. 1901 Mo. 450 900 ... 360 74 20 44. Incarnation, 4th Av. At 54th.... H. S. Miller ..... E. 1901 N. E. 275 400 ... 290 26 20 45. Grace, Bushwick Av.............. C. F. Intemann.... E. 1902 N. E. 425 525 ... 325 20 45 46. Bethesda, 22 Woodhull........... J. C. Herre....... N. E. 1902 Nor. 120 300 ... 93 (10) 40 47. Bethlehem, 51st & 6th Av........ F. W. Schuermann.. G. E. 1903 Mo. 180 330 ... 160 22 7 48. Salem, 414 46th................. J. A. Anderson ... S. E. 1904 Aug. 320 2, 500 ... 500 36 15 49. St. Andrew, St. Nicholas Av..... .................. E. 1906 N. E. 374 1, 000 ... 867 60 10 50. Good Shepherd, 4th Av. At 75th.. C. D. Trexler..... E. 1906 N. E. 525 1, 200 ... 700 36 30 51. St. Paul, Coney Island.......... J. F. W. Kitzmeyer E. G. 1907 N. Y. 242 850 ... 248 (25) 18 52. St. John, 145 Skillman Av....... G. Matzat......... Lith. 1907 Mo. 73 103 17 17 (5) 5 53. Ascension, 13th Av. & 51st...... C. P. Jensen...... E. 1907 N. E. 61 100 ... 105 7 7 54. Epiphany, 831 Sterling Pl....... W. H. Stutts...... E. 1908 N. Y. 150 388 ... 201 24 21 55. Zion, 4th Av. At 63rd........... L. Larsen......... N. E. 1908 Nor. 400 3, 000 ... 650 75 15 56. St. Mark, 26 E. 5th............. W. Hudaff......... E. G. 1908 Min. 150 250 ... 125 (13) 6 57. Advent, Av. P. & E. 12th........ A. F. Walz........ E. G. 1909 N. Y. 143 400 ... 230 12 10 58. Good Shepherd, 315 Fenimore..... G. Hagemann....... E. 1909 Mo. 100 300 ... 133 12 4 59. Saron, East New York............ J. Eastlund ...... S. 1909 Aug. 30 55 ... 32 (5) 6 60. Bethany, 12th Av. At 60th....... C. O. Pedersen.... N. E. 1912 Nor. 150 275 ... 125 125 8 61. Redeemer, 991 Eastern Pky....... E. J. Flanders.... E. 1912 N. Y. 80 200 ... 150 12 20 62. Mediator, Bay Pky. At 68th...... H. Wacker......... E. 1912 N. E. 65 160 ... 130 7 7 63. St. John, 44th n. 8th Av........ J. Gullans........ S. 1913 Aug. 200 298 ... 110 8 3 64. St. Philip, 287 Magenta......... A. Wuerstlin...... E. 1913 N. Y. 40 175 ... 130 8 4 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. 90 297 ... 163 15 ... 69. Trinity, * Erie Basin............ G. Koenig......... ... 1915 Mo. ... ... ... ... ... ... 70. Finnish, 844 42nd............... E. Aho............ F. .... Ap. ... ... ... ... ... ... Totals..... 27, 997 67, 696 670 21, 254 2, 517 2, 532

Queens Name and Location Pastor Lang. Org. Syn. Comm. Souls P. S. S. S. R. H. Prop. 

 1. St. John, College Point......... A. Halfmann....... G. 1857 Mo. 360 500 ... 400 ... 40 2. Trinity, Middle Village ........ D. W. Peterson.... G. E. 1863 Min. 600 1, 000 11 700 62 68 3. St. James, Winfield............. F. E. Tilly....... G. 1867 Mo. 310 729 10 385 ... 25 4. Christ, Woodhaven............... H. E. Meyer....... G. 1880 Min. 350 1, 000 ... 400 20 30 5. Emanuel, Corona ................ E. G. Holls....... G. 1887 Mo. 250 500 ... 200 ... 3 6. Trinity, Long Island City....... C. Merkel......... E. G. 1890 Mo. 500 1, 000 ... 550 105 40 7. Salem, Long Island City ........ H. L. Wilson...... S. 1893 Aug. 89 134 11 50 ... 6 8. St. John, Flushing ............. G. Kaestner....... G. 1893 Mo. 171 250 ... 70 10 10 9. Immanuel, Whitestone............ H. C. Wolk........ E. G. 1895 Mo. 180 375 ... 108 20 15 10. Christ, Woodside................ H. Bunke.......... G. 1896 Mo. 144 450 ... 90 18 ... 11. Trinity, Maspeth................ W. H. Pretzsch.... G. 1899 Min. 500 1, 000 ... 500 35 10 12. Emmaus, Ridgewood............... T. S. Frey........ G. E. 1900 Mo. 582 1, 104 ... 305 30 7 13. St. Paul, Richmond Hill......... P. B. Frey........ G. 1902 Mo. 325 650 30 235 ... 12 14. St. John. Richmond Hill......... A. L. Benner ..... E. 1903 N. E. 390 1, 000 ... 465 40 26 15. St. Luke, Woodhaven............. E. R. Jaxheimer... E. 1908 N. E. 350 1, 200 ... 550 103 18 16. Holy Trinity, Hollis............ A. L. Dillenbeck.. E. 1908 N. Y. 85 150 ... 96 6 6 17. St. Mark, Jamaica .............. W. C. Nolte....... G. E. 1909 N. Y. 156 272 ... 197 19 8 18. Redeemer, Glendale.............. T. O. Kuehn....... G. E. 1909 Mo. 260 600 ... 300 37 9 19. Covenant, 2402 Catalpa ......... G. U. Preuss...... E. 1909 N. E. 400 1, 179 ... 679 48 ... 20. St. John, E. Williamsburg....... 0. Graesser, Jr... G. E. 1910 Mo. 50 130 ... 60 3 1 21. Good Shepherd, S. Ozone Park.... C. H. Thomsen..... E. 1911 N. Y. 85 568 ... 224 9 10 22. Christ, Rosedale................ G. L. Kieffer..... E. 1913 N. Y. 47 200 ... 41 21 10 23. St. Paul, Richmond Hill......... C. G. Toebke...... E. 1914 N. E. 100 250 ... 185 15 1 24. Chapel, * Bayside................ F. J. Muehlhaeuser E. 1915 Mo. 25 80 ... 55 4 ... 25. Chapel, * Port Washington........ F. J. Muehlhaeuser E. 1915 Mo. ... 35 ... ... ... ... 26. St. Andrew, * Glen Morris........ .................. E. 1915 N. Y. 15 30 ... 40 ... 15 27. Mission, * Elmhurst.............. E. G. Holls....... G. .... Mo. ... ... ... ... ... ... 28. Grace, * Queens.................. C. Romoser........ E. .... Mo. ... ... ... ... ... ... 29. Gustavus Adolphus, Rich. Hill... .................. S. .... Aug. 10 29 ... 12 ... ... Totals..... 6, 634 14, 415 62 6, 897 635 370

Richmond Name and Location Pastor Lang. Org. Syn. Comm. Souls P. S. S. S. R. H. Prop. 

 1. St. John, Port Richmond......... John C. Borth..... G. E. 1852 Mo. 400 700 ... 175 35 32 2. Evangelical, Stapleton.......... Frederic Sutter... G. E. 1856 Min. 750 2, 000 ... 560 (56) 95 3. Zion, Port Richmond............. R. O. Sigmond..... N. 1893 Nor. 160 280 ... 200 (20) 12 4. Our Saviour, Port Richmond...... S. R. Christensen. N. 1893 Nor. 175 283 ... 100 30 5 5. St. Paul, West New Brighton..... Wm. Euchler....... G. E. 1899 Min. 116 (200) 21 70 (7) 17 6. Wasa, Port Richmond............. L. F. Nordstrom... S. 1905 Aug. 75 (120) ... 41 (5) 7 7. German, Tompkinsville........... A. Krause......... G. 1907 Min. 90 (150) 16 50 (5) ... 8. Scandinavian, New Brighton ..... J. C. Hougum...... N. 1908 Nor. 70 (150) ... 45 (9) 7 9. Immanuel, New Springville....... H. A Meyer........ G. E. 1911 Min. 58 (100) ... 36 75 6 10. St. Matthew, Dongan Hills....... Hugo H. Burgdorf.. E. G. 1915 Mo. 54 (137) ... 73 5 1 Totals..... 1, 948 4, 120 37 1, 350 247 182

Recapitulation Boroughs Comm. Souls P. S. S. S. R. H. Prop. 

 Manhattan...... 15, 978 41, 485 669 7, 245 1, 580 3, 160 Bronx........... 5, 932 13, 241 174 5, 360 732 484 Brooklyn....... 27, 997 67, 696 670 21, 254 2, 517 2, 532 Queens ......... 6, 334 14, 415 62 6, 897 635 370 Richmond....... 1, 948 4, 120 37 1, 350 247 182 Total.......... 58, 494 140, 597 1, 612 42, 106 5, 711 6, 728

Deaconesses

ManhattanChrist Church: Sister Regena Bowe, Sister Maude Hafner. Atonement: Sister Jennie Christ. St. Paul, Harlem: Sister Rose Dittrich. St. John, Christopher Street: Sister Louise Moeller. 

BrooklynSt. Matthew: Sister Clara Smyre. Zion, Norwegian: Sister Marie Olsen. Trinity, Norwegian: Sister Ingeborg Neff. 

Former Pastors [tr. Note: the numbers in this section correlate to thenumbers of the congregations in the statistical section, but are notconsecutive in the original]

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 Martin, 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. Buettner, 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. Diederich, 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. Kvamme. 

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. Steininger. 

6. St. Peter: H. Reumann, O. Rappolt. 

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, Hermann 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. Hoffmann. 

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. Everett, W. E. Main, A. H. Studebaker. 

7. St. Matthaeus: A. Schubert, H. Helfer, G. H. Vosseler. 

9. St. Peter: A. Schubert, Philip Zapf, Robert C. Beer, Carl Goehling. 

10. St. John: O. 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. Mortensen, 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 Lindemann. 

23. St. Paul: H. C. Luehr, Theo. Gross. 

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. Nilson, 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. Steinbicker, 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. 

54. 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. Heischmann, P. Kabis, G. A. Baetz. 

5. Corona: J. H. Berkemeier, E. Brennecke, A. E. Schmitthenner, E. Zwinger, F. Ruge, H. Eyme, C. Boehner, F. G. Wyneken. 

6. Long Island City: W. Schoenfeld, Ad. Sieker. 

8. Flushing: A. E. Schmitthenner, R. J. W. Mekler, J, Rathke. 

9. Whitestone: F. Kroencke, G. Thomas, H. F. Bunke, W. Koenig, Theo. Kuhn. 

10. Woodside: A. H. Winter, M. T. Holls. 

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. Meili. 

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 ChurchesWho Have Entered the Lutheran Ministry [tr. Note: the numbers in thissection correlate to the numbers of the congregations in the statisticalsection, but are not consecutive in the original]

Manhattan

1. St. Matthew: Otto Sieker, Adolf Sieker, Henry Sieker, ChristianBoehning, F. W. Oswald, John Timm, Theophilus Krug, Frederick Sacks, John Albohm, H. S. Knabenschuh, Wegner, Wm. Schmidt, Ed. Fischer, Wm. Fischer, R. Heintze. 

2. St. James: Edmund Belfour, D. D. 

4. Trinity: H. Birkner, F. Koenig, G. Koenig, F. T. Koerner, A. Kirchhoefer, H. Koenig, H. Voltz, E. Nauss, O. Graesser, C. Hassold, A. Poppe. 

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. Feldmann, 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. Steinhoff, H. Pottberg, H. Zoller, J. Biehusen, H. Beckmann, 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. Wehrenberg, 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. Intemann, O. Mikkelson, 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. Ravendam, 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. 

30. Trinity: J. J. Tadum, A. Nilsen, S. O. Sande, C. Munson, 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. Hause. 

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 Island. Director:Rev. A. H. Holthusen. 

Upsala, 1893, Kenilworth, N. J. Director: Rev. Peter Froeberg, B. D. 

Orphans' Homes

Wartburg Farm School, 1864, Mount Vernon. 

Bethlehem, 1886, Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island. 

Children's Home, 1915, Brooklyn, 45 Third Place. 

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 MissouriSynod 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 Blackwell's Island. 

German Home for Recreation of Women and Children, 1895, Brooklyn, HarwayAvenue, Gravesend Beach. 

Immigrant and Seamen's Missions

Norwegian, 1867, Manhattan, 45 Whitehall St. Pastor Petersen. 

Emigrant House, 1869, Manhattan, 147 West Twenty-third Street. PastorHaas. 

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 Maekinen. 

Seamen's Mission, 1907, Hoboken, 64 Hudson Street. Pastor Brueckner. 

Swedish Immigrant Home, 1895, Manhattan, 5 Water Street. PastorHelander. 

Immigrant Society, Inc. , 1869, Manhattan, 234 East 62d Street. PastorRestin. 

Other Associations

Lutheran Education Society of New York. For the promotion of highereducation within the Atlantic and Eastern Districts of the EvangelicalLutheran Synod of Missouri. Pastor Karl Kretzmann, Secretary. 

Manhattan Sunday School Institute, 1908. 15 schools. Enrollment, 495teachers. 

English Lutheran Missionary Society of Brooklyn, 1898. Reportsestablishment of 16 churches in Brooklyn and Long Island. 

Luther League of New York City. Enrollment, 1, 100 members. 

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 ReformationQuadricentennial. Its lines of activity embrace a lecture bureau, a newsservice and an information service. 

In the last it offers information on the best methods of doing churchwork, culling the best experience in the field of service and placing itat the disposal of anyone desiring it. 

In the lecture bureau and the news service it is stimulating Lutheransto study the problems of the hour and it is creating opportunities forthem to be heard. 

The office is located in the Bank of the Metropolis Building, UnionSquare, New York. President, George D. Boschen; Treasurer, Theodore H. Lamprecht; Executive Secretary, O. H. Pannkoke. 

National Lutheran Commission for Soldiers' and Sailors' Welfare, 437Fifth Avenue, New York. Chairman, Rev. Frederick H. Knubel, D. D. 

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 LutherischeHerold. 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. 

Bibliography * *_Many of the books to which reference is here made may be found inthe Public Library of New York. Others are obtainable in college andseminary libraries_. 

_Morris_, Bibliotheca Lutherana. 

_Jacobs and Haas_, Lutheran Cyclopedia. 

Distinctive Doctrines and Usages of the Lutheran Church. 

_Neve_, Die wichtigsten Unterscheidungsmerkmale der lutherischen SynodenAmerikas. 

_Richard_, Confessional History of the Lutheran Church. 

_Schmauk_ and _Benze_, The Confessional Principle and the Confessions ofthe Lutheran Church. 

_Kolde_, Historische Einleitung in die Symbolische Buecher. 

_Krauth_, The Conservative Reformation. 

_Stahl_, Die lutherische Kirche und die Union. 

Book of Concord. In German and Latin: _Mueller_. In English: _Jacobs_. 

_Walther_, Amerikanisch-Lutherische Pastoral Theologie. 

_Rohnert_, Dogmatik. 

_Gerberding_, The Way of Salvation. 

_Remensnyder_, The Lutheran Manual. 

Ecclesiastical Records State of New York. 

(Hallesche) Nachrichten. 

Colonial Documents of New York. 

Brodhead, History of New Netherland. 

O'Callaghan, Documentary History of the State of New York. 

Memorial Volume of the Semi-Centennial Anniversary of Hartwick Seminard, [sic] held August 21, 1866. Albany, 1867. 

_Lamb_, History of the City of New York. 

_Booth_, History of the City of New York. 

_Greenleaf_, History of the Churches of New York. 

_Graebner_, Geschichte der Lutherischen Kirche in America. 

_Haeberle_, Auswanderung der Pfaelzer im 18. Jahrhundert. Kaiserslautern, 1909. 

_Eichhorn_, In der neuen Heimath. 

_Kapp_, Geschichte der Deutschen im Staate New York. 

_Gotwald_, The Teutonic Factor in American History. (Lutheran ChurchReview, 1902. )

_Graebner_, Half a Century of Sound Lutheranism in America. 

_Nicum_, Geschichte des New York Ministeriums. 

_Lenker_, Lutherans in All Lands. 

_Jacobs_, A History of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the UnitedStates. 

_Schmucker, B. M. _, The Lutheran Church in New York during the FirstCentury of its History. (Lutheran Church Review, 1884-1885. )

_Francis_, Old New York. 

_Disosway_, Earliest Churches of New York. 

_Sachse_: Justus Falckner. 

_Mann_: H. M. Muehlenberg. 

_Roesener_: Johann Heinrich Sieker. 

_Sprague_: Annals of the American Lutheran Pulpit. 

_Bendixen_: Bilder aus der letzten religioesen Erweckung inDeutschland. Leipzig, 1897. 

_Schaefer_: Wilhelm Loehe. (Also other lives of Loehe). 

_Baur_: Geschichts-und Lebensbilder aus der Erneuerung desreligioesen Lebins in den deutschen Befreiungskriegen. 

_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. 

_Kandelhart_, 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. 

Geschichte der Kirche zu St. Markus, 1897. (Manh. )

Zum Fuenfzigjaehrigem Jubilaeum der St. Lukas Gemeinde, 1900. (Manh. )

Zum Goldenen Jubilaeum. (St. Peter's Church, Manhattan), 1912. 

Geschichtliche Skizze zum Goldenen Jubilaeum der Immanuelskirche zuYorkville, 1913. 

_Steup_, Geschichtliche Skizze der St. Johannes-Gemeinde zu Harlem, NewYork, 1889. 

(_Peterson_), Zum Goldenen Jubilaeum, Dreieinigkeits-Gemeinde, MiddleVillage, 1913. 

Statistisches Jahrbuch. (Missouri Synod). 

Lutheran Church Year Book. 

Brooklyn Daily Eagle Almanac. 

Federation. New York Federation of Churches. 

Charities Directory. Charity Organization Society. 

Index

"Achtundvierziger" ..... 35Arensius ............... 39Athens ................. 99Baptismal Regeneration.. 101Berkemeier, G. C........ 40Berkemeier, W. H........ 39Berkenmeyer............. 9Book of Concord......... XI, 41Brohm, Pastor........... 34"Buffalonians".......... 33Catechization .......... 109Concordia College....... 61Confirmation............ 98Cox, Dr. S. H........... 20Church Bookkeeping...... 124Church Defined.......... 94Deaconesses............. 52Dutch Language.......... 80Ehrhardt, Julius........ 65Embury, Philip.......... 22English Language........ 83Episcopalians........... 25Ericsson, Captain John.. 44Fabritius............... 3Falckner................ 5Francis, Dr............. 20Geissenhainer, Sr....... 26Geissenhainer, Jr....... 27, 64German Language......... 81Goedel, Jacob........... 42Grabau, Pastor.......... 31Gutwasser............... 3Hartwick Seminary....... 62Hartwig................. 21Hausihl................. 13Heck, Barbara........... 22Held, A. H. M........... 64Hessians................ 14High German............. 84Holls, G. C............. 40Hospice................. 62Inner Mission........... 120Inner Mission Society... 62Jewish Schools.......... 111Jogues.................. 1Justification by Faith.. XIV, XVKnoll................... 10Kocherthal.............. 6Koinonia................ 51Krotel.................. 65Kunze................... 16Kurtz, Dr. B............ 32Laidlaw................. 56London.................. 79Loonenburg.............. 9Louis the Fourteenth.... 6Lutheran Society........ 62Lutheranism............. VIIILuther League........... 51Manhattan............... 61Martin Luther Society... 50Mayer, P. And F......... 21Means of Grace.......... XVIMeldenius, Rupertus..... IVMethodists.............. 23Metropolitan District... 76Merger.................. 78Miller, C. Armand....... 66Ministers' Association.. 58"Missourians"........... 33Moldenke................ 65Moller, Peter........... 39Muehlenberg, F.......... 12Muehlenberg, H. M....... 11Muehlenberg, P.......... 6Muhlenberg, W. A........ 7Neumann, R.............. 38Norwegians.............. 45Oertel, Maximilian...... 31Old Swamp Church........ 12Palatines............... 6Parochial School........ 107Passavant............... 39Pennsylvania Dutch...... 87Person of Christ........ XIVPlatt Deutsch........... 82Prussia, King of........ 32Psalmodia Germanica..... 12Public Library.......... 125Russian Lutherans....... 114Rhinebeck............... 18Rudmann, A.............. 5Scandinavians........... 47Schaeffer, F. C......... 26Schieren, Chas. A....... 57Sieker, J. H............ 65Steimle Synod........... 41St. Stephen's Church.... 25St. James' Church....... 27St. Matthew's Church.... 26Stohlmann............... 37, 64Strebeck................ 18Sunday School........... 106Swedes.................. 41Trinity Church.......... 9Upsala College.......... 61Vorleezers.............. 8Wagner College.......... 61Week-Day Instruction.... 110Wedekind................ 64Weiser.................. 6Weltner................. 67Wesley, John............ 23Weygand................. 12Williston............... 25Winkeltaufe............. 100Young, J. J............. 66Zenger, Peter........... 7Zion Church............. 18

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