OF THE 
 
 EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN 
 
 SYNOD OF MIAMI
 
 UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 SAN DIEGO 
 Donated in memory of 
 
 John W. Snvder 
 
 by 
 
 His Son and Daughter
 
 UH1VERSITY Of 
 CALIFORNIA 
 
 SAN DIEGO
 
 RHV. ABRAHAM RECK. 
 Born January 2, 1791. Died May 18, 1869.
 
 'C 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN 
 
 SYNOD OF MIAMI. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE SYNOD. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 LUTHERAN PUBLICATION SOCIETY.
 
 upon tljr I'ounfcattou of tl)e apoetleo auU propb 
 eto, 3?8HG Cbrtet himself faetngf tbr rljtrf corner atonr 
 Ephesians ii. 20.
 
 TABLE; OK CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 1. PRIOR TO ORGANIZATION OF MIAMI SYNOD . 7 
 
 2. DOCTRINAL BASIS 12 
 
 3. DIFFICULT WORK 23 
 
 4. DENOMINATIONAL COMITY AND CO-OPERATION 
 
 IN MORAL REFORM 29 
 
 5. SYNODICAL BOUNDARIES 32 
 
 6. PASTORAL CHARGES 34 
 
 7. PAROCHIAL TABLE 36 
 
 8. CONFERENCE DISTRICTS 41 
 
 9. SYNODICAL RELATIONS TO WITTENBERG COL- 
 
 LEGE , . 43 
 
 10. BENEFICIARY EDUCATION 47 
 
 11. RELATIONS TO GENERAL SYNOD 55 
 
 12. DELEGATES TO GENERAL SYNOD 55 
 
 13. CHURCH PROPERTY SOLD 58 
 
 14. DEATH ROLL 59 
 
 15. OUR CIVIL WAR ......... 61 
 
 (iii)
 
 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 1 6. SYNODICAL SUNDAY-SCHOOL CONVENTION . . 64 
 
 17. WOMAN'S SYNODICAL MISSIONARY SOCIETIES. 65 
 
 1 8. SYNODICAL CONVENTIONS WHERE HELD . . 67 
 
 19. HISTORY OF CONGREGATIONS 69 
 
 20. FRAGMFNTA 93 
 
 21. ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS , 08
 
 PRKKACK. 
 
 MANY things of interest are omitted in this history 
 because the Miami Synod instructed me not to ex- 
 ceed one hundred and seventy-five pages. Out of 
 the large amount of material I may have selected 
 some things that other persons would have omitted, 
 but what I have chosen to use is according to my 
 best judgment. 
 
 There is much of very great interest connected 
 with the Sunday-school Association, the Young Peo- 
 ple's Societies, the Women's Societies, and Witten- 
 berg College, but these all have special organizations 
 and their own history, consequently the notice of 
 them is very brief. 
 
 Some of the readers may suppose that the antago- 
 nism between the Ohio and Miami Synods ought to 
 be omitted at this time, when our Lutheran household 
 is coming to better understanding of each other's 
 true convictions and purposes ; but the history would 
 be very imperfect without some account of the rela- 
 tions of these Synods to each other, as they operated 
 on the same territory. And the facts as they existed 
 in the past when compared with the present more 
 (v)
 
 vi PREFACE. 
 
 fair and fraternal relations, will be encouraging to all 
 who desire the best things for our Lutheran Zion. 
 
 I wish to acknowledge the assistance given me by 
 pastors and others in obtaining facts of history, espe- 
 cially the information given me by Dr. A. J. Weddell, 
 of Norristown, Pa. 
 
 A somewhat completed history of the individual 
 congregations would be intensely interesting. Be- 
 sides what is in this book, I have sent to the Historical 
 Society much valuable matter from all the congrega- 
 gations, except a very few from which I failed to 
 obtain any specific information. Hoping the little 
 book will be useful, and that it will be charitably 
 dealt with, I now submit it to whatever disposition the 
 Synod's Committee will make of it. 
 
 A. J. IMHOFF.
 
 THK HISTORY 
 
 OF 
 
 AlIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 PRIOR TO THE ORGANIZATION OF THE MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 WHEN the State of Ohio was admitted to the Union 
 in 1803, Lutheran people, in considerable numbers, 
 were already on her southern territory. They came 
 from Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. They 
 were mostly farmers, attracted by new, rich lands. 
 The European population came at a later date, and 
 usually settled in the towns and villages. These from 
 the eastern States were at an early day chiefly in 
 Perry, Fairfield, Pickaway, Montgomery and Butlep- 
 counties. 
 
 The first missionary sent out was George Forster, 
 who came in 1805 to Fairfield county. In a short 
 time he was followed by J. Stough, who came to Co- 
 lumbiana county. These were followed by others, so 
 that in 1812 their number had increased to twelve, 
 eight of whom were in Ohio, three in Western Penn- 
 sylvania, and one in Western Virginia. Most of these 
 (7)
 
 8 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 were sent out by the Ministerium of Pennsylvania. 
 They organized a special conference in 1812, in Pas- 
 tor Weygand's parish, in Washington county, Pa. 
 These special conferences were held, at stated times, 
 until 1818, when, at a meeting in Somerset, Ohio, 
 these missionaries, by their own action, became an 
 independent body, and led the way to the final or- 
 ganization of the Joint Synod of Ohio and Adjacent 
 States, which held its first session in 1833. Its origin 
 and development was the result of Christian zeal to 
 preach the gospel to destitute Lutheran people. This 
 Ohio Synod was cordially invited to unite with the 
 General Synod, but for confessional reasons it has 
 always been an independent body, except the nine 
 years that it was in the Synodical Conference. It has 
 had a steady growth, and is actively engaged in all 
 the departments of church work. It established the 
 Theological Seminary at Columbus, Ohio, in 1833, and 
 the Capital University in 1850, and sustains three 
 other important schools in the interests of clerical and 
 pedagogic education. 
 
 In 1844, when the Miami Synod was organized, the 
 pastors of this Joint Synod occupied much of the 
 territory of Southern Ohio. Some of the more promi- 
 nent men were located as follows : C. F. Schaeffer, at 
 Lancaster ; John Wagenhals, at Lithopolis ; - 
 Albrecht, at Tarleton ; A. J. Roof, at Circleville ; 
 James Manning, at Uniontown ; C. Spielmann, at 
 Somerset ; Henry Heinecke, at Miamisburg ; A. Hen- 
 kle, at Germantown ; D. P. Rosenmiller, at Dayton ;
 
 PRIOR TO THE ORGANIZATION. 9 
 
 M. Loy, at Delaware ; Amos Bartholomew, at Zanes- 
 ville ; S. Kemmerer, at Adamsville. 
 
 The pastors on this territory who were not con- 
 nected with the Joint Synod were : of the Synod of 
 Maryland, A. J. Weddell, at Tarlton, and Ezra Keller, 
 at Springfield ; of the Synod of the West, A. Reck, at 
 Cincinnati, N. B. Little, near Tarlton, and J. Surface, 
 at Dodsonville ; of the English Synod of Ohio, John 
 Lehman, at Xenia, and George Sill, at Millville. 
 These seven pastors, belonging to three different 
 Synods, and widely scattered, had but weak churches, 
 whilst the pastors of the Joint Synod had large con- 
 gregations. 
 
 In the summer of 1 844 the English Synod of Ohio, 
 now the East Ohio Synod, met in Wooster, and the 
 question of a new Synod was agitated, but no action 
 was taken, because some were not willing, on account 
 of the extreme " new measures " prevailing in the 
 English Synod of Ohio, to affiliate with any Synod 
 that could be formed by a mere division and fixing 
 of boundary lines. They wanted an entirely new 
 organization. Consequently they rested the agitation 
 at this meeting in Wooster, and immediately pro- 
 ceeded to arrange for a convention to be held for the 
 purpose of considering the propriety of forming a new 
 Synod of Lutheran people. This convention was 
 called in Xenia, Ohio, to meet on the i6th of Octo- 
 ber, 1844. The meeting was held in the German 
 Reformed church, and, after a sermon by Prof. E. 
 Keller, was organized by appointing Rev. J. Crigler,
 
 I0 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 Chairman, and Rev. D. P. Rosenmiller, Secretary. 
 The following persons then presented their names to 
 be enrolled as Delegates to the convention : 
 
 Rev. A. Reck, Cincinnati, O., Synod of the West. 
 
 Rev. J. Crigler, Florence, Ky., Synod of the West. 
 
 Rev. J. Krack, Madison, Ind., Synod of the West. 
 
 Rev. D. P. Rosenmiller, Dayton, O., Joint Synod of 
 Ohio. 
 
 Rev. C. F. Schaeffer, Lancaster, O., Joint Synod of 
 Ohio. 
 
 Rev. E. Keller, Springfield, O., Synod of Maryland. 
 
 Rev. J. Surface, Ridgeville, O., Synod of the West. 
 
 Rev. Geo. Sill, Millville, O., English Synod of Ohio. 
 
 Rev. J. Lehman, Xenia, O., English Synod of Ohio. 
 
 Rev. H. Baker, Mount Vernon, O., English Synod 
 of Ohio. 
 
 Mr. Jeremiah Carpenter, Ridgeville O. 
 
 Mr. John Bowers, Xenia, O. 
 
 These Delegates were then led in prayer by the 
 Secretary, Rev. D. P. Rosenmiller, after which they 
 organized themselves into The Evangelical Lutheran 
 Synod of Miami by appointing a committee to draft 
 and present a Constitution. On the following day 
 the committee reported that they had examined the 
 Constitution proposed by the General Synod of our 
 Church for District Synods, arid recommended its 
 adoption with such amendments as would be required. 
 This report was accepted. The Constitution was 
 then, after careful consideration, adopted article by 
 article with the proposed amendments, after which an
 
 PRIOR TO THE ORGANIZATION. n 
 
 election was had for officers of the Synod, which re- 
 sulted in the choice of C. F. Schaeffer, President ; 
 D. P. Rosenmiller, Secretary, and J. Surface, Treas- 
 urer. 
 
 An effort was made to gather into this new Synod 
 about to be organized upon these principles all the 
 conservative men in the West. Prof. Keller in found- 
 ing Wittenberg College sought the co-operation of all 
 who would disregard non-essential differences and 
 unite to put our Church upon an influential position. 
 It was at one time hoped that not only Schaeffer and 
 Rosenmiller, of the Joint Synod, but also the Barthol- 
 omews, Greenwald, Roof, Heinecke, Henkle and some 
 others would unite in the new organization : but they 
 hesitated, and finally declined to do so. 
 
 The leaders in this movement were intelligent men, 
 looking with prophetic vision to the future of a great 
 Lutheran Church in this country. They were liberal- 
 minded men, who rose above the narrow prejudices 
 which always control extremists. They sought to 
 found a high-toned church with a dignified worship 
 and a pure Christian morality. They had no sym- 
 pathy with a dead formality which knew nothing but 
 orthodoxy, and they were not willing to affiliate with 
 an ignorant fanaticism which ignored orthodoxy and 
 reveled in a play of religious fancies and animal feel- 
 ings. They had been broadened by their experience 
 with these extremes, and were now able to appre- 
 hend the truth and lay the foundations of a com- 
 ing church upon a basis that would secure permanent
 
 12 
 
 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 results and extensive usefulness. They gathered out 
 of the extremes true orthodoxy and the measures best 
 suited to promote religious activity holy living, in- 
 telligent piety, and large, benevolent, enthusiastic work 
 in propogating the gospel of Christ, and building up 
 his kingdom. Consequently, they adopted as meas- 
 ures the prayer-meeting, the protracted meetings, the 
 Sunday-schools, the catechetical class ; and they em- 
 phasized the importance of an orderly stated worship, 
 the right administration of the ordinances, and the 
 regular preaching of the gospel in practical and doc- 
 trinal sermons carefully prepared by an educated min- 
 istry. Neither were they willing that all this should 
 rest upon the shifting sands of modern or even Amer- 
 ican religious isms, but upon a true orthodoxy ; and, 
 as Lutherans, they believed the teachings of their own 
 Church to be founded upon the infallible Word of God. 
 Hence, they made their doctrinal basis to be that in- 
 fallible Word, the Augustana and Luther's Smaller Cat- 
 echism, nothing more and nothing less. And as will 
 be shown in this history, our Synod still rests upon 
 these active measures and these sound doctrines, and 
 all attempts, so far, to remove these foundations have 
 failed. 
 
 DOCTRINAL BASIS. 
 
 The men who organized this new Synod upon the 
 territory occupied by other I Aitheran Synods were not 
 indifferent to the doctrinal position it would occupy. 
 
 When they said, in the preamble to their Constitu-
 
 DOCTRINAL BASIS. 13 
 
 tion, "We receive the Augsburg Confession and Lu- 
 ther's Smaller Catechism as writings in which the Word 
 of God are set forth in a manner substantially correct," 
 they clearly understood that they were accepting 
 teachings of the Word of God which would sufficiently 
 distinguish them from the other religious denomina- 
 tions. It was no hasty action ; for President C. F. 
 SchaefTer, in his annual report at the next meeting of 
 Synod, says : " The principles by which this body shall 
 be governed were discussed at the late meeting. We 
 agreed to discard all those invidious distinctions, the 
 operation of which was to place the different portions 
 of our Church in antagonistic attitudes ; and we firmly 
 resolved to exclude from our midst, as far as human 
 foresight and diligence could prevail, all seeds of dis- 
 union and strife. Prompted by such motives, and 
 acting, indeed, from stern necessity, which compelled 
 the adoption of strictly Lutheran and American prin- 
 ciples, we organized a Synod which shall employ its 
 energies in promoting the interests, not of any relig- 
 ious faction, but those of our venerable Lutheran 
 Church." He says further, " We were all cheered, too, 
 at our recent meeting by discovering the unanimity 
 of sentiment which existed respecting the most ap- 
 propriate modes of exhibiting Christian truth and of 
 leading men to the Saviour. As it is essential, in the 
 mighty conflict between truth and error, that our Lu- 
 theran host should be always recognized in the vast 
 army of the Lord by its own glorious banner, we 
 promptly and gladly declared our firm adherence to
 
 1 4 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 the Augsburg Confession as a successful exhibition of 
 divine truth. We acknowledged the unrivaled excel- 
 lence of Luther's Smaller Catechism, and the blessed 
 results arising from a judicious and faithful course of 
 catechetical lectures. As. the terms 'Old Measures' 
 and ' New Measures ' are, particularly in the West, so 
 unmeaning and vague as to be no longer an index of 
 the religious opinions and practices of those to whose 
 course they aie applied, we did not deem them of 
 sufficient importance to receive from our body an offi- 
 cial definition. Whilst we agreed to pronounce our 
 unqualified disapprobation, on the one hand, of all 
 that tends to substitute mere formality for enlightened 
 Christian zeal, or that confirms men in impenitence 
 and sin, and, on the other hand, of all that promotes 
 mere animal excitement or fanaticism, we were satis- 
 fied that another position, distinct from these ex- 
 tremes, might be found and successfully maintained 
 by pastors." 
 
 The founders were much exercised concerning the 
 doctrines and usages that should prevail in the 
 churches of the Synod they had established. They 
 frequently express their anxiety about these matters. 
 President D. P. Rosenmiller, in his annual report at 
 the third meeting, says : " Let us be careful to blend 
 the wisdom of the serpent with the harmlessness of 
 the dove ; avoiding cold formality on the one hand 
 and wild enthusiasm on the other, let us see to it that 
 all things be done decently and in order in all the 
 churches under our care." And again in his report
 
 DOCTRINAL BASIS. 15 
 
 to" the fourth meeting, he says : " I may venture to 
 commend to the nurturing care of my brethren the 
 doctrines and principles of our beloved church." 
 The peculiar state of the people on their field of labor 
 was the occasion for this anxiety. Of this condition 
 of the people Rev. C. F. Shaeffer says : "We find in 
 the region of country in which we reside an almost 
 heterogenious mass of materials which are, collect- 
 ively, styled the Lutheran Church. Some who bear 
 our ecclesiastical name were reared in other churches, 
 or have, previous to their union with us, not adopted 
 any clear and decided religious opinions ; others have 
 been educated in the bosom of our Church in the 
 West, but in different communities, and their views 
 and opinions are found to be variously modified. To 
 these are added many members who have removed 
 from the Eastern States, and who bring with them fixed 
 principles of action in ecclesiastical affairs, to some 
 of which they find at times nothing analogous in the 
 particular Lutheran congregation near which they re- 
 side. A large influx of members from different Ger- 
 man states and the northeastern departments of 
 France near the Rhine, has swelled our ranks during 
 the last decade. Among these a surprising diversity 
 of opinions is found, on close inspection, to prevail, 
 owing in part to the union of the Lutheran and Ger- 
 man Reformed churches in some territories, and in 
 part to the latitudinarian, to the mystic, to the hyper- 
 orthodox and to the scriptural systems of faith adopted 
 by the opposing parties of our Church in Europe."
 
 1 6 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 The effort by the major part of the members of the 
 Synod, was to harmonize this diversity, by making the 
 non-essentials of religion matters of indifference, and 
 gathering together all who were more concerned for 
 the substance of religion than for their own prejudices 
 for and against measures and insignificant distinctions. 
 They sought to speak peacefully to all, to manifest a 
 conciliatory spirit and yet maintain a firm and un- 
 compromising position in all matters of essential im- 
 portance. They felt that they had assumed obliga- 
 tions which required them to be bold yet patient, 
 humble yet zealous ; to be all things to all men, yet 
 unyielding in contending for the true faith of the gos- 
 pel of Christ. The work they had undertaken was, 
 however, difficult. Extremists would continue to 
 press their views, and a constant resistance had to be 
 made. Hence, at the sixth meeting, they 
 
 " Resolved, That we, the Miami Synod, believe that protracted 
 meetings, revivals of religion, prayer-meetings, religious confer- 
 ences and Sabbath-schools, are in accordance with the teachings 
 of the Bible, and that upon these depends in a great measure 
 the prosperity of our Lutheran Zion." 
 
 They also 
 
 Resolved, That the Synod of Miami still adheres to the sen- 
 timent which received our sanction at the last annual meeting, 
 viz: "That the Miami Synod was formed upon the basis of mu- 
 tual concession for the sake of mutual good will in reference to 
 measures. Let this always be kept in view, and let the Miami 
 Synod remain, as it has been heretofore, the olive branch held 
 up between the two ultra parties, which have so frequently 
 threatened to rend in pieces our ancient and beloved Zion."
 
 DOCTRINAL BASIS. 17 
 
 These resolutions do not in any apparent way con- 
 flict, yet the the phrase " upon these depends, in a 
 great measure," found in the latter part of the first res- 
 olution, undoubtedly called out the second, and there 
 must have been discussion, though, in all probability, 
 it was friendly; for both resolutions were adopted. 
 Ultraists and extremists have never very greatly dis- 
 turbed the practical work of this Synod. 
 
 After these first meetings, in which it was proper to 
 adjust the questions of doctrine, no further action on 
 this subject was had until at the thirteenth meeting in 
 1856, at Tarlton, Ohio, the Synod was asked by a res- 
 olution of Miami Conference, to adopt the Definite 
 Synodical Platform. The resolution was referred to a 
 committee of three, who divided and presented a 
 majority and minority report. Neither of the reports, 
 however, recommended the adoption of the platform 
 as a whole. And, after much discussion and frequent 
 voting, the majority report was so amended as to 
 read : 
 
 We reject, 
 
 1. The approval of the ceremonies of the Mass. 
 
 2. Private Confession and Absolution. 
 
 3. The denial of the divine obligation of the Christian Sab- 
 bath. 
 
 4. Baptismal Regeneration. 
 
 5. The real presence of the body and blood of the Saviour in 
 the eucharist. 
 
 We also reject the preamble, resolutions and disclaimer accom- 
 panying what is commonly called the Definite Synodical Plat- 
 form, and receive the Original Augsburg Confession, so far as it
 
 1 8 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 is consistent with the foregoing five articles of rejection, relating 
 to the Mass, Confession, Christian Sabbath, Baptismal Regenera- 
 tion and Real Presence. 
 
 This action was with undue haste, for a committee 
 appointed to publish this Confessional Basis, together 
 with the Augsburg Confession, as adopted in a re- 
 stricted sense, the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds and 
 the Constitution of the Miami Synod, reported at the 
 next annual meeting that the action of the last meet- 
 ing had made an alteration in the Confessional Basis 
 of the Synod, and this had been done in violation of 
 the Constitution, which provided that such change 
 could be made only by two-thirds of the members 
 agreeing that such change might be presented at the 
 next annual meeting for consideration and action. 
 Consequently the proceeding so far was inoperative 
 and void. The committee, however, proposed the 
 following as a Confessional Basis to be adopted at the 
 meeting one year hence : 
 
 We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament 
 are our only and infallible rule of faith and practice. 
 
 We receive the Augsburg Confession and Luther's Smaller 
 Catechism as writings in which the fundamental doctrines of the 
 Word of God are set forth in a manner substantially correct, 
 and these fundamental doctrines we hold to be : 
 
 1st. The Divine inspiration, authority and sufficiency of the 
 Holy Scriptures. 
 
 2d. The right and duty of private judgment in the interpreta- 
 tion of the Scriptures. 
 
 3d. The unity of the Godhead and the Trinity of the Persons 
 therein.
 
 DOCTRINAL BASIS. 19 
 
 4th. The total depravity of human nature in consequence of 
 the fall. 
 
 5th. The incarnation of the Son of God, His work of Atone- 
 ment for sinners of mankind and Mediatorial intercession and 
 reign. 
 
 6th. The justification of the sinner by faith alone. 
 
 7th. The work of the Holy Spirit in the regeneration and 
 sanctification of the sinner by faith alone. 
 
 8th. The Divine institution of the Christian Ministry and the 
 obligation and perpetuity of Baptism and the Lord's Supper. 
 
 gth. The immortality of the soul and the judgment of the 
 world by our Lord Jesus Christ, with the eternal blessedness of 
 the righteous and the eternal punishment of the wicked. 
 
 We further affirm that we utterly repudiate and abhor the 
 following errors, viz. : 
 
 1st. The approval of the Ceremonies of the Mass. 
 
 2d. Auricular Confession and Absolution. 
 
 3d. The denial of the divine obligation of the Christian Sab- 
 bath. 
 
 4th. Baptismal Regeneration, that is, that Baptism is neces- 
 sarily connected with or attended by an internal spiritual change 
 ex opere operate, or from the mere outward performance of the 
 act. 
 
 5th. The gross and material presence of the body and blood 
 of Christ in the Lord's Supper.* 
 
 All of which was unanimously submitted by the committee. 
 
 M. DIEHL, 
 F. W. CONRAD. 
 W. H. HARRISON, 
 A. BARTHOLOMEW, 
 N. B. LITTLE. 
 
 * It is unfortunate that these Romish errors are referred to in 
 this connection. They are not now, and never were, taught by 
 the Lutheran Church, and yet this action seems to imply that 
 they were, or might be, entertained by Lutheran people.
 
 20 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 The report was considered by items, and the Com- 
 mittee's report was received for consideration and 
 final adoption at the next annual meeting. 
 
 At the next annual meeting a motion was made to 
 strike out all pertaining to the errors that we are said 
 there to repudiate. After some discussion the mo- 
 tion to strike out was withdrawn, and the report of 
 the committee, as presented last year, was unani- 
 mously adopted as a whole. But before the Synod 
 closed, the following amendment, to be considered 
 at the next annual meeting, was offered, viz : To in- 
 sert in the place of, " We further affirm," etc., these 
 words : 
 
 AND WHEREAS, The charge has been made that the following 
 prrors are taught in the Augsburg Confession, we hereby declare 
 that such charge cannot be sustained by any fair and consistent 
 interpretation thereof, but we utterly abhor and repudiate them. 
 
 This amendment at the following annual meeting 
 was not made, but the Synod 
 
 Resolved, That we are so well satisfied with our present con- 
 fessional basis, corresponding with that of the General Synod, 
 that we deem it inexpedient to change the same by the adop- 
 tion of the amendment proposed at the last meeting of Synod. 
 
 Thus terminated this agitation concerning the doc- 
 trinal basis of the Synod, which had continued during 
 four consecutive annual meetings. And nothing 
 further was entertained on this subject until at the 
 twenty-first meeting, in 1864, the Synod was requested 
 to express a decision concerning the changing of the 
 Constitution of the General Synod, so as to read " a
 
 DOCTRINAL BASIS. 21 
 
 correct exhibition of the fundamental doctrines," 
 etc. 
 
 In answer to this request, it was recommended that 
 the change' be made. Since then there has been 
 nothing more on this matter, and the Miami Synod 
 stands, as it has from the first sought to stand, on the 
 doctrinal basis of the General Synod. 
 
 An account of the application and reception of 
 Rev. Joel Swartz as a member of this Synod is here 
 given, as it will illustrate the doctrinal position of the 
 Synod and its relation to the Joint Synod of Ohio, to 
 which reference is made in the following chapter : 
 
 In 1859 Rev. Joel Swartz applied for membership. 
 He had been deposed from the ministry by the Eng- 
 lish District of the Joint Synod of Ohio upon the fol- 
 lowing charges : 
 
 1. That both in his teaching and practice he had violated the 
 obligations he assumed as a member of this Synod. 
 
 2. That he had departed, both in teaching and practice, from 
 the doctrines of the Lutheran church. 
 
 3. That he had shown a decided preference for association 
 with sectarian errorists to that with his own brethren; and, 
 
 4. That he had attempted to pervert the congregation in Cir- 
 cleville, which he now serves under the authority of the Synod. 
 
 The application was submitted to a committee, who 
 reported that 
 
 Having heard of no charges of immorality preferred against 
 him from any source, and being fully persuaded of his Christian 
 integrity, and having at the same time received from him his 
 signature to the following, viz., " I hereby heartily acknowledge 
 my full persuasion of the truthfulness of the Doctrinal Basis of
 
 22 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Miami, adopted at its meet- 
 ing in Tippecanoe in 1858," we therefore recommend the appli- 
 cation of Bro. Swartz to the favorable consideration of the 
 Ministerium. W. H. HARRISON, 
 
 M. DlEHI., 
 
 T. DRAKE. 
 
 The report of the committee was received, and an 
 entire half day was spent in the investigation of the 
 case, after which the following action was taken : 
 
 WHEREAS, After a careful and thorough examination of the 
 grounds upon which the charges preferred against Rev. Joel 
 Swartz by the English District of the Joint Ohio Synod were 
 based, we have become fully convinced that in his teachings he 
 has merely rejected the following errors : 
 
 1. The approval of the Ceremonies of the Mass. 
 
 2. Auricular Confession and Absolution. 
 
 3. The denial of the divine obligation of the Christian Sab- 
 bath. 
 
 4. Baptismal Regeneration, that is, that Baptism is necessarily 
 connected with, or attended by, an internal spiritual change, ex 
 opere operate, or from the mere outward performance of the 
 act. 
 
 5. The gross and material presence of the body and blood of 
 Christ in the Lord's Supper. 
 
 And that holding fast to the fundamental Doctrines of the 
 Word of God, as taught in the Augsburg Confession, he has 
 done nothing more than establish Prayer Meetings, hold Pro- 
 tracted Meetings, take part in Union Meetings, and exchange 
 pulpits with other Evangelical Ministers; and, 
 
 Whereas, We are satisfied by the testimony of his congrega- 
 tion, and that of other reliable witnesses, that the Rev. Joel 
 Swartz has been proven guilty of no act derogatory to him, 
 either as a Christian man or an Evangelical Lutheran Minister; 
 and,
 
 A DIFFICULT WORK. 23 
 
 Whereas, He is prepared to subscribe the Doctrinal Basis and 
 conform his practices to those prevalent in this Synod ; therefore, 
 
 Resolved, That we regard his deposition from the ministry as 
 unjustifiable and unwarranted by the facts in the case, and hereby 
 unanimously receive him, according to his request, as a member 
 of this Synod. 
 
 If the pastors and people of the Joint Synod of 
 Ohio did hold and teach the above things enumerated 
 as errors, then all is clear ; but if they did not, then 
 very grave responsibility rests somewhere for the false 
 impression abroad among the churches, abusing the 
 minds of both the laity and the ministry. 
 
 A DIFFICULT WORK. 
 
 The Muskingum, Sciota and Miami valleys offered 
 rare agricultural and commercial advantages to enter- 
 prising pioneers ; and people came to these regions 
 not to make churches but fortunes. They came, not 
 in communities to locate as colonists and establish 
 the school or religion or peculiarities of a mother 
 country ; they came as individual adventurers, and 
 located where they saw their best opportunities. 
 They were a mixed community, collected together 
 from all parts of this and other countries. They were 
 not without early religious education, and not without 
 religious opinions. Consequently, the first great diffi- 
 culty that confronted the preachers in the new Synod 
 was in the condition of the people. They were scat- 
 tered, living at long distances from each other. In 
 their eagerness to make homes and get gain in the 
 new country, they had become worldly and exceed-
 
 24 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 ingly indifferent to religious matters, and more than 
 all, they differed in their religious opinions and preju- 
 dices, in all the ways that people ever differ on this 
 subject. Hence, for any denomination to establish a 
 successful church required the bringing together peo- 
 ple of different religious views, and harmonizing them 
 upon the fundamentals of the gospel of Christ. In 
 this difficult work there has been encouraging success 
 among the Christian denominations in this part of 
 Ohio. Many prosperous and influential churches are 
 working harmoniously, though composed of people 
 who once were supposed to differ greatly in their re- 
 ligious education. 
 
 Our fathers saw the importance of gathering in 
 this mixed population, and without hesitation they 
 preached the gospel to all, extended the hand of 
 Christian fellowship to all who would come. The re- 
 sult is that our present membership contains a large 
 number of grand Christian people whose ancestors 
 did not belong to the Lutheran Church. Our Church 
 was then misrepresented and misunderstood, now its 
 principles are better known and it bids fair to become 
 a most popular Church the Church for the masses. 
 This result has been obtained, not by sacrificing the 
 denominationalism of the Church no, not in that 
 way, for all the recorded utterances of the fathers, and 
 those who followed them, show that they conscien- 
 tiously built upon the Lutheran foundation contained 
 in distinctly" Lutheran creeds. Yet in non-essentials 
 they were themselves modified by the peculiarities of
 
 A DIFFICULT WORK. 25 
 
 the people whom they sought to so modify as to make 
 of them harmonious and consistent Lutheran church 
 members. And they rejoiced in this, that they were 
 not bound to minor details of external service and 
 methods, but only by pure doctrine and the Christian 
 ordinances rightly administered. 
 
 Our fathers felt that their special work was for the 
 scattered Lutherans who, here and there, with their 
 German Reformed cousins and married relations, 
 could be found in sufficient numbers to form the 
 nucleus of a congregation. But among these they 
 found scarcely less religious diversity than among the 
 mixed multitudes, for they came from churches dif- 
 fering greatly in opinions and practices concerning 
 Christian living, and scriptural and useful methods of 
 church work. 
 
 The most disheartening difficulty, however, was in 
 the antagonism between them and the people of the 
 Joint Synod of Ohio. The Joint Synod pastors and 
 churches were content to sustain a pure worship, to 
 have the ordinances rightly administered, the doc- 
 trines of the church faithfully preached, and the young 
 carefully instructed in these doctrines. The Miami 
 Synod pastors and churches, whilst they were equally 
 devoted to these essential things, were not satisfied 
 with the moral and religious life of the Church as 
 such. To them it seemed that a dead formality pre- 
 vented the pure Word of God from producing the per- 
 sonal devotion necessary to religious usefulness among 
 men, and final acceptance with God in the day of
 
 2 6 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 judgment. They felt that a reformation was needed, 
 and to bring this about they called the members to- 
 gether in meetings for prayer, and encouraged the 
 laity to take part with the pastor in leading the con- 
 gregation in prayer. They also held daily meetings 
 for prayers and the preaching of the word. And 
 thus by the use of measures, called revival measures, 
 they sought to increase the spirituality of the Church 
 and lead the membership to an active discharge of all 
 Christian duties, and bring about the conversion of 
 the openly wicked. 
 
 The pastors of the Miami Synod were mostly in 
 hearty sympathy with the so-called " new measures." 
 And when they entered upon their work, in their new 
 field of labor, they found, in most places, churches 
 and pastors who were in sympathy with the idea that 
 no change in the worship and work of the Church 
 was desired. They adhered to the old order, some- 
 times called "old measures," and resisted the intro- 
 duction of meetings which seemed to them unscrip- 
 tural and sometimes disorderly. But the Miami 
 Synod pastors maintained that under the old order 
 there was only cold orthodoxy and mere forms of re- 
 ligion. To them it seemed that there was religious 
 deadness, endangering the salvation of the people and 
 hindering the coming of the kingdom of God among 
 men. They urged that whilst the forms of religion 
 were properly observed, still the practical duties of 
 the self-denying Christian living were too much neg- 
 lected. They preached that true faith must work
 
 A DIFFICULT WORK. 27 
 
 active penitence, conversion and sanctification holy 
 living before God and man. They insisted that be- 
 lievers must show their faith by their works, and that 
 these works must be distinctively Christian. They 
 deemed it necessary that the believers should recog- 
 nize the working of saving grace in their inner life, 
 and thereby know themselves to have a religious ex- 
 perience accompanied by moral purity, chastity and 
 righteousness in the outer life. They held that these 
 things had not been sufficiently attained by the ob- 
 servance of only the stated worship and the ordinary 
 means of grace, and insisted that the people should 
 come together frequently for prayer, religious conver- 
 sation and the preaching of the Word, especially that 
 which inculcates the practical and experimental part 
 of our religious life. These things gave offence to 
 the pastors and people of the old churches, and 
 brought on active antagonism. The more conserva- 
 tive element, in the Miami Synod, strove to avoid 
 this, and sought to conciliate the extremists, and 
 adopt a medium course. In some places in a measure 
 they succeeded, but in many places there was much 
 agitation, leading to separation. Church was built 
 over against church, and the parties refused to recog- 
 nize each other as Christians, much less as true 
 Lutherans. All this greatly increased the difficulty of 
 the work. It weakened the organizations, and created 
 bitterness and strife among people who should have 
 been co- helpers. 
 
 It is not the province of the mere historian to dis-
 
 2 8 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 cuss the responsibility of this antagonism and these 
 divisions. It would, at any rate, be hard to fix the 
 responsibility. Good men on both sides were equally 
 sincere in contending for what they deemed the-right. 
 Civilization has, at times, made its best advances by 
 those great wars which break up old forms of tyranny 
 and oppression. So also Christianity has made its 
 most rapid strides by agitation. The Head of His 
 Church does at times suffer His people to draw the 
 sword of strife for a while, that there may be the more 
 intelligent and permanent peace afterwards. And it 
 may be that the meeting of the two parties in the 
 above-described manner was to save the Church from 
 being lost, on the one hand, in dead formality, and, 
 on the other, in mere sentimentality and wild fanati- 
 cism. It is quite manifest to-day that whilst the par- 
 ties are perhaps as unwilling to unite as they ever 
 were, they are both modified. The one is quickened 
 into greater activity, and the other has become more 
 churchly in its measures, and better acquainted with 
 and more devotedly attached to the Lutheran Church 
 as such. 
 
 At least the founders of the Miami Synod could 
 not refuse to enter the field of labor to which they 
 were brought. It was a large field, in which there were 
 great opportunities. It was an open field, although 
 many Lutheran churches had existed a long time. 
 They were under the necessity of doing their work 
 according to their conscientious convictions of what 
 was for the salvation of men and the glory of God.
 
 DENOMINATIONAL CO-OPERATION. 
 
 29 
 
 They yearned to see their beloved Lutheran Zion in 
 the forefront, among the active workers in the great 
 harvest field, and, consequently, were ready to adopt 
 the most active measures. With Christian courage, 
 trusting in the help and the divine guidance of the 
 Holy Ghost, they prosecuted the work amidst difficul- 
 ties and discouragement. 
 
 The existence of the Miami Synod was a necessity 
 growing out of the revival of religion which existed in 
 all the Protestant churches in Europe and America 
 during the early and middle part of this century. The 
 Lutheran Church participated in the revival, and her 
 people coming from revival churches in the East into 
 this country needed and demanded a ministry and a 
 worship that would meet their spiritual necessities. 
 
 DENOMINATIONAL (JOMITY AND CO-OPERATION IN MORAL 
 REFORM. 
 
 The fraternal spirit of the Miami Synod has always 
 been apparent from its teachings and practices. It 
 has cheerfully fraternized with the Christian people 
 of sister denominations'. It has always invited visit- 
 ing pastors from other churches to sit in its Sy nodical 
 sessions as advisory members, with the right to speak 
 on all matters under discussion. It has occupied the 
 pulpits of the churches of the community in which 
 its meetings were held, whenever invited to do so. 
 It has always invited the members of Evangelical 
 churches to the communion. It has encouraged co- 
 operation in all matters conducive to public morals
 
 3 o HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 and correct public sentiment. It has been the special 
 advocate of Temperance and Sabbath observance, not 
 only passing frequent resolutions, and reiterating 
 1 them, but urging the pastors to preach frequently on 
 these subjects ; and they have not only preached, but 
 have enforced discipline against those who offended 
 in these things. 
 
 The following action, taken in 1845, will clearly de- 
 fine the views which have been held and taught dur- 
 ing the entire history of this Synod, on the question 
 of Sunday observance : 
 
 Resolved, I. That as the Lord's day is an institution of di- 
 vine appointment, and is of universal and perpetual obligation, 
 and as the observance of it is essential to the highest social, 
 civil and religious interests of man, we hereby recommend to 
 ministers of the gospel in our connection, to preach on this sub- 
 ject at least one sermon annually, to point out the benefits that 
 will result from the observance, and the evils which, by the laws 
 that God has established, and that no man can evade, will fol- 
 low the violation of that sacred day. 
 
 Resolved, 2. That it be recommended to all heads of fami- 
 lies, to take their children and youth regularly and constantly 
 to the house of God on the Lord's day, and to supply themselves 
 with some one of the works published on the subject, to use 
 them in imparting to all under their care a correct knowledge 
 of the great Bible doctrines of the divine appointment, perpet- 
 ual obligation, and rich and lasting benefits of the Lord's day. 
 
 Resolved, 3. That it be recommended to all, and especially 
 to all professors of religion, to give to the observance of the 
 Lord's day, both at home and abroad, the sanction of a uniform 
 and constant example, and that we as ministers of the gospel 
 will sanction the same by our own example.
 
 DENOMINATIONAL CO-OPERATION. 31 
 
 At the Synodical meeting in 1884, the following 
 resolutions were adopted : 
 
 Resolved, That we reiterate our former utterances on Temper- 
 ance and Sabbath observance. 
 
 Resolved, That each pastor of this Synod be requested to read 
 from his pulpit or pulpits, at public service on the 1st Sunday in 
 January, 1885, the resolutions on these subjects adopted at the 
 last meeting of Synod. 
 
 The following are the resolutions referred to : 
 
 WHEREAS, Intemperance is one of the gigantic evils of this 
 day, destroying its tens of thousands, having its victims in even 
 some of our Christian families, being a devourer of joy, peace 
 and happiness in the home, community and nation, making 
 moral havoc wherever its contaminating influence reaches, 
 seeking to undermine the foundations of society, church and 
 state in short, being an indescribably blighting curse; There 
 fore, 
 
 Resolved, That we as ministers of the Gospel of the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, and lay members of the Miami Synod, do hereby 
 express our unqualified disapprobation of the use of all intoxi- 
 cating drinks as a beverage. 
 
 Resolved, That we will use all proper means, especially those 
 within the scope of ministerial functions, to abate and if pos- 
 sible destroy this monster evil of intemperance. 
 
 Resolved, That we favor legislation, political agitation, the bal- 
 lot, and every other proper and legitimate means looking to the 
 overthrow of this blighting curse. 
 
 WHEREAS, Sabbath desecration is steadily on the increase, 
 manifesting itself in almost every sphere of life, especially under 
 the defiant influence of large monopolies and the operations of 
 drinking saloons, and in many other ways; therefore, 
 
 Resolved, That we, as Christian ministers and lay delegates, 
 repeat our often-reiterated convictions that the Sabbath day is
 
 32 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 to be kept holy unto the Lord; that it is a sacred day, and 
 should be sacredly observed. 
 
 Resolved, That we will, by the grace of God, continue in the 
 future, as in the past, to keep this most important matter before 
 our people, and urge upon the parents of the children in our 
 churches to train them faithfully in this important duty. 
 
 The broad liberality of the Synod on all correct 
 methods for promoting intelligent Christianity is fully 
 expressed by the following resolution, adopted at the 
 sixth convention in Dayton, Ohio : 
 
 " Resolved, That we, as a Synod, express our deep interest in 
 the advancement of the Temperance reformation; that we have 
 full confidence in the American Bible Society, the American 
 Tract Society, the American Sunday-school Union, and feel 
 deeply anxious that their benevolent designs should be pro- 
 moted; and we commend these useful institutions to the liberal 
 patronage of our people." 
 
 The columns of the parochial table will show that 
 the people have contributed to these objects. This 
 fraternal spirit of co-operation with all Christian peo- 
 ple to promote public morals has been maintained 
 through all the years, and is still a distinguishing fea- 
 ture of the Synod, and this, too, without the sacrifice 
 of anything in its doctrinal basis. 
 
 SYNODICAL BOUNDARIES. 
 
 When the Miami Synod was organized the pastors 
 held their synodical membership by " elective affinity" 
 rather than by geographical boundaries. Conse- 
 quently the members of this Synod served churches 
 at Canton, Ohio, in and near Mt. Vernon, at Grand-
 
 SYNODICAL BOUNDARIES. 
 
 33 
 
 ville, Upper Sandusky, Bellefontaine, in Auglaize 
 county, in the Wabash Valley, and in Hardin county, 
 Missouri. And pastors removing to places very re- 
 mote did not immediately take letters, but reported 
 to this Synod. Southern Indiana, Northern Ken- 
 tucky, and Southern Ohio were regarded as the special 
 territory of this Synod until, at the organization of the 
 Olive Branch Synod, in 1848, all Southern Indiana 
 was ceded to that Synod. The English Synod had 
 become the East Ohio ; the Wittenberg and North 
 Indiana Synods were organized. These all united 
 with the General Synod, and co-operated in support- 
 ing Wittenberg College. In order that there might 
 be harmony and system in the general work, as well 
 as good understanding between the sister Synods, it 
 seemed important to have well defined boundaries. 
 And yet, as late as 1847, a committee to define a 
 boundary for the Miami Synod reported " that it was 
 very difficult to do this satisfactorily to all parties, 
 and, as the Constitution of the General Synod gave 
 no specific regulations, they recommended that the 
 whole question be indefinitely postponed." 
 
 Some of the founders were opposed to boundaries. 
 They thought the Synod should be made a protest 
 against the extremes of old and new measures, and 
 that all the pastors of Ohio and adjacent States who 
 preferred this medium course should be united in one 
 Synod. Two years later, however, in 1849, ^ was 
 resolved that the Synod of Miami be bounded on the 
 north by the National Road ; on the east by the Mus-
 
 34 
 
 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 kingum river ; on the south by the Ohio river, and on 
 the west by the State line. These boundaries were 
 adopted with the under-standing that members living 
 beyond these limits be permitted to retain their con- 
 nection with us until they find it convenient to unite 
 with another body. Because of this permission, Ur- 
 bana and all the churches directly west and south of 
 this point, as far as the State line, remained with the 
 Miami, though north of the National Road. Because 
 of the relation of Wittenbefrg College to the Synods, 
 the churches in Springfield are permitted to elect their 
 synodical connection. 
 
 PASTORAL CHARGES. 
 
 It is not proposed to give the changes which are of 
 such frequent occurrence in the charges, but it will 
 indicate the extent of the field of labor to give the 
 charges as they were arranged by the action of Synod 
 in 1852. They were made to consist of: 
 
 i st. The English Lutheran Church of Cincinnati, 
 zd. Hopeful Church, Ky. 3d. Rossville and Darr- 
 town. 4th. Millville and Fairview. 5th. The Day- 
 ton church. 6th. Liberty, New Lebanon, David's, 
 Schaeffer's and Germantown. yth. Lewisburg, Wolf 
 Creek, Prymount and Hagerstown. 8th. Greenville 
 pastorate, pth. Tippecanoe, Casstown, Bethel and 
 Stillwater. loth. Knoxville pastorate, nth. Urbana, 
 St. Paris, Zircles and Halfway House. i2th. Mt. 
 Zion pastorate. I3th. South Charleston, London, 
 ind Cedarville. i4th. Tarlton, Adelphia and Mt.
 
 PASTORAL CHARGES. '35 
 
 Union, isth. Zeigler's, Baugher's, Hamburg and 
 Mt. Zion. 1 6th. The Lancaster church. lyth. Zanes- 
 ville and Salt Creek. i8th. Logan pastorate, igth. 
 Dodsonville, Danville and Friedens. 2oth. Arn- 
 heim, Georgetown, Maysville, Ky., and Ripley. 2ist. 
 Hanging Rock pastorate. 22 d. Xenia, Beaver, Mt. 
 Zion and Union. 23d. Fairfield, Aley's, Yellow 
 Springs and Crofts. 24th. Ridgeville pastorate. 25th. 
 Piqua and Troy. 
 
 From time to time efforts have been made, with 
 varying success, to establish churches in places not 
 then occupied. Columbus and Chillicothe were vis- 
 ited in the early history of the Synod. Rev. C. 
 Reiinensnyder was at Chillicothe a short time with 
 his father, who was pastor of a German church, but 
 not in connection with a Synod. Union City, Ind., 
 was at one time a promising field. The Logan charge 
 received for several years considerable attention.
 
 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 1 
 
 I i , i 
 $?.! -3 lia |j 
 
 U 11 
 
 u J5 < u cj 
 
 Certificates. 
 
 Communi- 
 cants. 
 
 Value of 
 Church 
 Property. 
 
 Local 
 Expenses. 
 
 Sunday-Schools. 
 
 f 
 
 5 Z K 
 "o -g-a 8 
 
 J S< 
 H o ie g 
 
 Contribu- 
 tions. 
 
 1845.. 
 1846.. 
 1847.. 
 1848.. 
 1849.. 
 
 1850. . 
 1851.. 
 1852.. 
 1853 
 1854.. 
 1855.. 
 1856.. 
 1857.. 
 1858.. 
 1859 
 
 1860.. 
 
 1861. 
 1862.. 
 1863.. 
 1864. . 
 1865.. 
 1866. . 
 1867.. 
 1868.. 
 1869.. 
 1870. . 
 1871.. 
 1872.. 
 1873.. 
 1874.. 
 1875.. 
 1876.. 
 1877.. 
 1878.. 
 1879.. 
 1880. . 
 1881.. 
 1882'.. 
 1883.. 
 1884. 
 1885.. 
 1886.. 
 1887.. 
 1888.. 
 1889.. 
 1890.. 
 1891.. 
 1892.. 
 1893.. 
 
 S 2 133 
 33, 14 
 54 220 
 No Min 
 ! 48 232 
 64 37 
 48 297 
 42 248 
 55 34 
 52 313 
 48 278 
 38 183 
 42 240 
 47 384 
 5' 4 2 4 
 48; 408 
 48; 356 
 4 1 245 
 47 3'4 
 43 274 
 54 253 
 45 j 262 
 
 4 : 2 32 
 No paro 
 34 165 
 No paro 
 38 141 
 No tabl 
 35 "I 
 37 J 45 
 32- 14 
 34 136 
 No paro 
 35 135 
 37, *44 
 34 M9 
 35 "3 
 T. ab le m 
 35 2 37 
 
 39 .... 
 40 141 
 40 109 
 44 176 
 41 j 167 
 45 173 
 43 "I 
 43 156 
 46 182 
 
 43 
 
 2 t 
 
 76 
 
 utes 
 15 
 
 ! 6z 
 
 75 
 45 
 40 
 58 
 45 
 56 
 106 
 49 
 58 
 
 P 
 
 69 
 
 22 
 
 60 
 83 
 
 66 
 chia 
 
 chia 
 80 
 
 e '6 4 
 95 
 
 IOO 
 
 ,93 
 chia 
 132 
 70 
 46 
 . too 
 util 
 79 
 
 159 
 223 
 107 
 126 
 r 34 
 in 
 126 
 no 
 
 154 
 
 .... 136 
 
 155 
 
 22 17231 
 97 1664! 
 77*952 
 
 $4250 oo 
 
 10 
 
 12 
 
 96 590 
 
 
 
 .... 116 
 
 TJU 
 
 782188 
 
 
 
 T 935 
 
 
 258 
 86 
 187 
 1 66 
 177 
 136 
 M3 
 332 
 
 222 
 267 
 l83 
 
 'I \ 
 123 2361 
 
 1092379 
 60 2784 
 19212532 
 164 2724 
 101 2074 
 66 2369 
 67 
 192 3608 
 168 3634 
 
 8421 oo 
 11783 25 
 4653 
 3440 oo 
 4686 oo 
 
 3000 12 
 
 12300 oo 
 14995 oo 
 5748 oo 
 1210 34 
 3460 oo 
 15406 oo 
 20076 65 
 14355 oo 
 9395 So 
 
 7 OI 5 35 
 12037 5 
 
 9685 oo 
 8087 oo 
 11814 9 
 23166 19 
 
 23014 50 
 18018 31 
 25466 09 
 25402 19 
 
 28193 35 
 
 23109 74 
 28209 oo 
 26252 39 
 27777 05 
 27468 oo 
 30551 45 
 38194 06 
 47275 77 
 41966 44 
 
 46 
 38 
 
 37 
 
 3 2 
 34 
 33 
 40 
 
 % 
 
 34 
 
 38 
 28 
 
 37 
 3" 
 34 
 
 34 
 33 
 
 39 
 
 34 
 
 3" 
 
 37 
 <!<> 
 38 
 45 
 39 
 p 
 38 
 
 9 
 
 1767 
 
 339 2236 
 319 2166 
 313 2272 
 265 1805 
 
 286 2105 
 
 434 3002 
 430 2939 
 347 2165 
 279 1861 
 351 2770 
 332 2564 
 430 3280 
 356 2714 
 377 2875 
 
 387 33SO 
 
 39 2 3438 
 1 
 4*03513 
 408 3714 
 371 3829 
 393 3773 
 1 
 381 4227 
 349 3595 
 306 3468 
 455 4067 
 1 
 494 3821 
 
 460 3219 
 535 39oo 
 555 4M4 
 573 4313 
 624 4349 
 676 4695 
 605 4632 
 627 4656 
 617 4898 
 
 
 
 
 itab 
 Itab 
 
 Itab 
 
 ated 
 262 
 
 234 
 35 
 283 
 384 
 308 
 
 Il8 
 
 147 
 II? 
 158 
 293 
 
 , 155 
 
 le. 
 205 
 le. 
 98 
 
 200 
 
 "5 
 162 
 
 le 49 
 165 
 70 
 124 
 149 
 
 136 
 
 202 
 
 163 
 
 148 
 185 
 214 
 169 
 226 
 
 2OI 
 
 89 2552 
 95 3272 
 99 2908 
 95 3621 
 
 122 3398 
 
 99 345 
 82 3064 
 
 I573I30 
 
 84 3045 
 92 2751 
 64 2828 
 97 3103 
 
 95 3419 
 93 2925 
 
 39 3299 
 in 3059 
 
 93 2906 
 
 3315 
 85 3648 
 151 3782 
 164,4316 
 !5i 3954 
 J 6s 4157 
 187 4158 
 '5 1 4235 
 172 4369 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $964 oo 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 '.'.'. '.'.'. 
 
 $199500 oo 
 239000 oo 
 260700 oo 
 257100 oo 
 292425 oo 
 282100 oo 
 328850 oo 
 378000 oo 
 
 2340 78 
 1845 86 
 
 1764 15 
 2243 oo 
 2284 18 
 3507 41 
 353 1 " 
 3661 71 
 3944 9 
 4159 97 
 3251 54
 
 PAROCHIAL TABU:. 
 
 37 
 
 "Si 
 
 
 
 Sy nodical 
 Treasury. 
 
 Home 
 Missions. 
 
 Foreign 
 Missions. 
 
 Church 
 Extension. 
 
 Board of 
 Education. 
 
 Beneficiary ' 
 Education. 
 
 Pastors' 
 Fund. 
 
 "IS 
 
 a g 
 O 
 
 Wittenberg 
 College. 
 
 External 
 Objects. 
 
 
 $5099 
 30 51 
 29 32 
 
 32 oo 
 23 92 
 26 55 
 26 oo 
 49 15 
 49 i? 
 
 56 02 
 
 44 40 
 56 20 
 53 85 
 48 25 
 63 50 
 61 50 
 42 38 
 46 28 
 62 75 
 132 05 
 86 18 
 95 87 
 
 101 39 
 
 85 40 
 
 60 55 
 77 70 
 72 92 
 49 76 
 
 7 J 3 
 70 58 
 81 oo 
 99 4i 
 
 137 8 
 
 92 02 
 
 109 94 
 180 35 
 
 124 12 
 158 60 
 149 04 
 2O2 85 
 
 178 75 
 275 94 
 
 $1925 
 54 47 
 13 75 
 
 - 28 oo 
 
 36 87 
 
 168 93 
 
 *39 74 
 177 26 
 167 30 
 1 66 59 
 126 09 
 167 06 
 180 ii 
 5i 65 
 174 41 
 
 65 75 
 61 87 
 104 oo 
 87 30 
 
 432 00 
 
 450 08 
 568 50 
 
 290 82 
 
 1273 30 
 
 336 39 
 654 25 
 610 34 
 
 525 43 
 
 57 2 65 
 438 93 
 586 65 
 467 oo 
 
 958 03 
 
 775 oi 
 690 43 
 628 92 
 
 1387 13 
 1084 70 
 1099 oo 
 1096 38 
 923 72 
 999 80 
 
 
 
 
 $55 94 
 33 2 5 
 
 idi =;8 
 
 
 
 $72 oo 
 
 126 25 
 138 30 
 47 93 
 30 oo 
 
 $1097 50 
 622 40 
 772 79 
 818 05 
 1367 ii 
 
 I 120 IO 
 1221 50 
 
 1401 47 
 
 924 50 
 
 444 75 
 ii57 5 
 
 2IIO 87 
 
 1297 66 
 1589 40 
 4026 oo 
 
 1510 40 
 2537 00 
 
 3853 oo 
 1912 31 
 1480 47 
 93 85 
 
 99 2 41 
 643 55 
 3450 20 
 
 1959 50 
 
 5723 9 6 
 959 oo 
 1152 90 
 821 ii 
 2950 91 
 3281 87 
 1482 03 
 1567 66 
 7527 89 
 
 
 
 
 $1500 
 
 29 12 
 222 46 
 163 07 
 I 7 6 70 
 
 158 55 
 147 6 5 
 105 36 
 118 16 
 
 2OI SO 
 128 60 
 147 19 
 
 186 48 
 18 oo 
 77 oo 
 197 49 
 488 40 
 195 oo 
 337 50 
 
 176 25 
 
 937 3 1 
 
 220 25 
 344 60 
 346 45 
 203 10 
 
 4i9 35 
 318 43 
 536 60 
 
 685 60 
 
 S3 2 27 
 495 58 
 510 02 
 1325 58 
 1125 96 
 
 77i 74 
 1032 47 
 960 31 
 949 08 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 210 50 
 
 
 
 
 $738 12 
 
 
 i? 1 50 < 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 282 03 
 453 oo 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8 18 
 
 23 50 
 
 
 476 50 
 423 10 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 339 
 309 oo 
 
 
 
 279 oo 
 
 239 i s 
 
 31542 oo 
 5610 oo 
 960 oo 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 340 78 
 
 
 
 128 37 
 
 7854 53 
 
 2826 50 
 191 32 
 152 46 
 142 oo 
 
 IS" 83 
 
 1073 75 
 360 86 
 453 21 
 
 548 44 
 
 357 65 
 427 32 
 2129 41 
 883 42 
 799 72 
 1142 08 
 
 1222 41 
 2340 80 
 348l 50 
 
 
 
 575 38 
 1024 53 
 
 523 5 
 701 95 
 
 657 6 4 
 555 Si 
 
 266 oo 
 347 
 54 7 
 395 42 
 
 252 64 
 
 420 79 
 350 79 
 666 24 
 1278 57 
 r37 2 43 
 1236 53 
 1314 7 2 
 1521 32 
 1405 Si 
 
 
 
 $3640 
 
 12 OO 
 
 16 10 
 8 75 
 5 oo 
 
 17 5 
 
 16 06 
 
 21 OO 
 
 20 80 
 18 oo 
 
 22 90 
 12 10 
 
 20 33 
 28 87 
 23 52 
 119 60 
 
 133 95 
 114 64 
 171 75 
 
 
 
 
 $1132 
 
 13 12 
 
 8 oo 
 
 5 oo 
 
 18 57 
 15 60 
 40 46 
 49 75 
 
 26 oo 
 
 8 50 
 20 ii 
 14 oo 
 ioo 68 
 196 15 
 "6 53 
 95 16 
 164 24 
 154 73 
 
 230 50 
 
 9 52 
 1800 65 
 
 1759 39 
 259 87 
 ii oo 
 
 $2300 
 
 37 oo 
 25 oo 
 
 6 oo 
 
 2 00 
 
 7 oo 
 
 51 20 
 
 69 oo 
 
 28 20 
 
 39 40 
 63 45 
 53 4 1 
 45 16 
 64 83 
 91 90 
 64 57 
 56 85 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 oo 
 
 
 $7498 
 214 27 
 288 49 
 254 60 
 i? 2 3 2 
 168 56 
 

 
 38 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 PAROCHIAL TABLE. 
 
 Moral forces which have their ultimate end in the 
 conversion and salvation of men, can not be given in 
 figures. Spiritual power in the kingdom which is not 
 of this world, can not be estimated by census tables. 
 The results reach far above and beyond the measure- 
 ments by which we determine the quantity and value 
 of material things. And yet, we have no better way 
 of indicating the degree of activity and success of the 
 workers in this spiritual realm, than to show the num- 
 ber of persons and dollars engaged in the work. In 
 proportion as these are many or few, will the religious 
 consequences be thought of as great or small. It will 
 not be forgotten, however, that often apparently small 
 results have required very great labor. 
 
 The foregoing table will indicate more quickly and 
 clearly what has been done by our Synod than could 
 be set forth in many pages of verbal statement. To 
 the thoughtful reader it will show many things. It 
 gives a general view of results, and shows the difficulty 
 of systemizing a work of this kind. To attain suc- 
 cess there must be a constant adapting of plans to the 
 immediate wants and to the present conditions of 
 men and things. Consequently, the columns of the 
 tables in the annual minutes have been changed from 
 time to time, in order to give the results of the va- 
 rious objects for which the Synod was, at the time, 
 working. It may have been done, sometimes, merely 
 to meet the views of members of Synod who were 
 more interested in one object than another.
 
 PAROCHIAL TABLE. 
 
 39 
 
 Since the General Synod has required uniformity 
 there is more apparent system, but it is often at the 
 sacrifice of a true report of all the work done. The 
 table here given does not show the work of the 
 Women's Society, though that is of great importance 
 and so closely connected with the Synod that the 
 whole history cannot be given until the women write 
 the history of their own work. In this table many 
 columns are omitted which are often found in the 
 annual tables, and matters are sometimes grouped 
 together ; as, in " external objects " are included 
 General Benevolence, Bible distribution and other 
 objects. Also, all the collections taken for the 
 African Mission up to the time that it passed into the 
 control of the Board of Foreign Missions are in- 
 cluded in "external objects." The blanks do not signify 
 that nothing was done. Often much was done, and 
 there was, at the time, no column in which to report 
 it. In some of the Synod's minutes the whole 
 parochial table is omitted. It would be exceedingly 
 difficult, if at all possible, to give an accurate table 
 now. In some years the total contributions to all 
 objects averaged $7.80 per member. This table will 
 show that our Lutheran people are liberal, after all 
 that is sometimes said so disparagingly. 
 
 For many years systematic beneficence was sought 
 and urged at almost every meeting of Synod. Var- 
 ious devices and expedients for raising money were 
 proposed and tried. The plans we now have grew 
 out of fifty years of experience, and are approved be-
 
 40 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 cause nothing better has been found. The accumu- 
 lated wisdom that comes from half a century's 
 experience is an inheritance that ought not to be 
 lightly esteemed, and these coining to the work now, 
 will do well to make themselves sure that they have 
 found something better, before they abandon these 
 that are yielding good results and will yield better as 
 they are worked more vigorously. The results thus 
 far obtained will show that the efforts made were 
 abundantly rewarded. Our people have responded 
 most nobly. If they are to be known by their fruits, 
 then surely the wonderful increase of church property 
 and of annual contributions to the various objects 
 seeking aid, will cause them to be very favorably 
 known. There are perhaps no people in this country 
 doing more, in proportion to their means, for the 
 Christian cause than the Lutheran people. The fact 
 must be recognized that they are becoming wealthy, 
 but they are not yet the wealthy people. But their 
 physical and intellectual vigor, expended in ceaseless 
 industry and economy, is fast making them the 
 owners of the farms and factories of this country. 
 And with their increasing liberality the future will 
 show grand results in church work. 
 
 In connection with this parochial table it is proper 
 to note that, from time to time, different members 
 gave much time and labor to the work of systemizing 
 the work of the Synod. Among these may be men- 
 tioned especially Rev. J. C. Zimmerman, of blessed 
 memory, who made the classification of reports from
 
 CONFERENCE REPORTS. 41 
 
 the charges and the various ways of obtaining funds a 
 special study, also J. W. Kahler, Esq., who has been 
 the faithful and efficient treasurer for thirteen years. 
 Prior to his administration, the objects supported by 
 the Synod were not many, and the amount of money 
 passing through the treasury comparatively small. 
 Consequently the necessity of correct bookkeeping 
 was not so imperative, and faithful men discharged 
 the duties of the treasurer's office satisfactorily. But 
 there came a time when more system was required, 
 and the present incumbent was called to the office, 
 who gave correct and admirable system to this de- 
 partment of the work, and from his own devotion to 
 the Christian cause, has continued to labor persist- 
 ently to educate the pastors and others to the knowl- 
 edge of correct and prompt transfer of money from 
 the congregations through the Synodical Treasurer to 
 the various Boards of the Church. 
 
 CONFERENCE DISTRICTS. 
 
 That the whole territory of the Synod might be 
 reached with systematic work, it was, at the third 
 meeting, divided into five Conference districts: ist. 
 Cincinnati, 2nd. Lancaster, 3rd. Dayton, 4th. Spring- 
 field, and 5th. Wabash Conferences. The meetings 
 were not then held for the discussion of theological 
 questions, but to preach the Word and consult con- 
 cerning the places at which they might establish 
 preaching services. 
 
 At the sixth meeting, in 1849, tne Conferences
 
 42 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 were urged to hold their meetings more regularly, 
 and endeavor to discover all vacancies which existed 
 in the bounds of Synod, and report the same to the 
 Home Missionary Society, together with the names of 
 such ministers as would be willing and suitable per- 
 sons to supply them. The territory was re-districted 
 and made to consist, ist, of Cincinnati, with Revs. 
 Harrison, Surface, Guiney and Anthes. zd, Xenia, 
 Revs. Ritz, Hovvbert, Helwig, Oliver and Diehl. 3d, 
 Lancaster, Revs. Rizer, Weddell, Reck, Link and 
 Lehman. 4th, Dayton, Revs. Rosenmiller, Locker, 
 Barnett, Bittle and Kukerman. 
 
 The work assigned to these Conferences was at- 
 tended with much difficulty, and another year's ex- 
 perience showed the impracticability of so many dis- 
 tricts ; and at the next meeting, in 1850, the whole 
 territory was divided into the Eastern and Western 
 Conferences. Some years later the semi-annual 
 meetings were abandoned and the whole Synod 
 united in one Conference to be held annually. 
 Under this arrangement these meetings have steadily 
 grown in interest and importance, until at the forty- 
 ninth meeting of Synod it was reported that the Con- 
 ference was held in Vandalia, O., on the i yth of May, 
 1892, and that the attendance was unusually large, 
 all the exercises were of high order and characterized 
 by deep spirituality. 
 
 Following this report it was, on motion ordered 
 that the President appoint as a committee, Revs. C. 
 W. Sifferd, J. Borns and H. M. Lentz to report a plan
 
 RELATION TO WITTENBERG COLLEGE. 
 
 43 
 
 for the division of Synod into two Conferences. The 
 report of [this committee, in 1893, was adopted and 
 the division made accordingly. 
 
 THE SYNOD'S RELATION TO WITTENBERG COLLEGE. 
 
 Prof. Ezra Keller opened a school at Wooster, 
 Ohio, but in the summer of 1844, at a meeting of the 
 English Synod of Ohio held at that place, it was de- 
 cided to locate the contemplated college at some 
 place more central in the state. At that same meet- 
 ing the new Synod, which soon after became the 
 Miami, was first spoken of. Thus the college and 
 the Synod came to Southern Ohio about the same 
 time, and they have been mutual helpers through all 
 the years. They were years of weakness and struggle, 
 incident to the founding of enterprises undertaken for 
 the intellectual and spiritual elevation of mankind. 
 At the first meeting of the new Synod action was 
 taken approving of the establishing of the College. 
 Revs. D. P. Rosenmiller and Geo. Sill, and Messrs. 
 P. Baker and F. Gebhart were elected to represent 
 the Synod in the Board of College Directors. 
 
 The following year these representatives reported 
 that only one meeting of the Board had been held. 
 The meeting held its sessions in both Springfield and 
 Xenia, in the month of February, 1845, arj d the Col- 
 lege was located at Springfield with great unanimity. 
 They were much encouraged with the enterprise, and 
 commended it to the efficient support of the Synod, 
 and also recommended that it be brought fully to
 
 44 
 
 HISTORY Of MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 the notice of the people. In a series of resolutions 
 the location at Springfield was approved by the Synod, 
 the agents of the Board were invited into the churches 
 of the Synod, and the members of the Board were 
 required to report annually. An election was had 
 for directors for the ensuing year, which resulted in 
 the choice of Revs. D. P. Rosenmiller and Geo. Sill, 
 and Messrs. F. Gebhart and G. B. Lafong. These 
 reported at the next, the third meeting of Synod, that 
 Prof. Reynolds of Gettysburg was elected President 
 of the College, and Prof. E. Keller was re-appointed 
 to .the Theological department. A classical school 
 had been successfully conducted by Prof. E. Keller, 
 assisted by two teachers. Twelve students were pre- 
 paring for the ministry. A building 40 by 48 feet 
 and four stories high had been partly built. 
 
 At this meeting of Synod, it was urged that Prof. 
 Keller, who had been laboring without fixed compen- 
 sation, should have some specific sum fixed as his 
 salary. 
 
 It was also resolved that the term of service of 
 directors be four years, and Rev. D. P. Rosenmiller 
 and Mr. F. Gebhart were elected for four years, and 
 Rev. W. H. Harrison and Mr. J. N. Kurtz, for two 
 years. 
 
 These directors reported at the next annual meet- 
 ing, that the salary of the President was fixed at 
 $400.00 per annum, and that of Profs. Diehl and 
 Geiger at $300.00 each, and that these men would be 
 regularly installed at the next meeting of the Board.
 
 RELATION TO WITTENBERG COLLEGE. 
 
 45 
 
 It was also recommended that each pastoral charge 
 collect during the year $5 to aid in supporting the 
 President. The Synod also defined the preparatory 
 studies they would require of students before they 
 commenced the regular course in Theology. 
 
 In 1849 the list of directors was Revs. D. P. 
 Rosenmiller, G. Sill, A. J. Weddell, W. H. Harrison, 
 and Messrs. F. Gebhart, H. Kraft, J. D. Lutz and A. 
 Eppley. 
 
 Since then, vacancies in the Board have been filled 
 by electing each year, as follows : In 1850, Rev. S. 
 Ritz ; 1851, Rev. P. Rizer and Messrs. W. F. Moeller 
 and Jacob Horner ; 1852, Revs. A. Bartholomew and 
 A. Bosserman and Messrs. P. Baker and J. McRey- 
 nolds ; 1853, Rev. W. H. Harrison and Messrs. J. D. 
 Martin and T. A. Heim ; 1854, Rev. A. J. Imhoff; 
 
 1855, Rev. A. Bartholomew and Mr. J. McReynolds ; 
 
 1856, Rev. J. F. Reinmund and Dr. O. Ballard; 
 1858, Revs. A. Helwig and W. C. Barnett and Mr. D. 
 H. Knoop ; 1859, Rev. A. Kleffeker and Mr. J. Mc- 
 Reynolds; 1860, Rev. W. C. Barnett and Mr. F. 
 Rammelsburg ; 1861, Rev. W. H. Harrison and J. D. 
 Martin, Esq. ; 1862, Revs. T. Hill and G. B. Ort and 
 Mr. D. H. Knoop ; 1864, Rev. G. B. Ort and Mr. A. 
 Erkenbrecher ; i65, Rev. W. H. Harrison and J. B. 
 Martin, Esq. ; 1866, Rev. L. A. Gotwald, and Mr. D. 
 H. Knoop; 1867, Rev. J. B. Hehvig and Mr. Simon 
 Gebhart ; 1868, Revs. G. B. Ort, J. J. Welch and W. 
 C. Hauer and Mr. A. Erkenbrecher; 1869, Rev. J. 
 F. Shaffer and J. D. Martin, Esq. ; 1870, Rev. I.
 
 46 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 Magee and Mr. D. H. Knoop ; 1871, Revs. G. W. 
 Halderman and J. B. Helwig and Mr. Josiah Geb- 
 hart; 1872, Revs. G. W. Halderman and J. C. Brod- 
 fiihrer and Messrs. A. Erkenbrecher and Mr. A. Geb- 
 hart ; 1873, Revs - J- F - Shaffer and J. J. Welch and J. 
 D. Martin, Esq. ; 1874, Rev. D. Summers and A. Geb- 
 hart and Rev. W. C. Hauer ; 1875, Rev. T. T. 
 Everett and Mr. Josiah Gebhart ; 1876, Rev. G. W. 
 Halderman and Mr. A. Erkenbrecher; 1877, Revs. J. 
 F. Shaffer, E. Miller and G. W. Stalling and J. D. Mar- 
 tin, Esq. ; 1878, Rev. W. C. Barnett and Mr. A. Geb- 
 hart ; 1879, Rev. J. F. Shaffer and Mr. Josiah Gebhart ; 
 
 1880, Rev. G. M. Grau and Mr. H. J. Reinmund ; 
 
 1881, Revs. H. W. McKnight and A. J. Imhoff and 
 Mr. J. W. Kahler; 1882, Rev. A. J. Imhoff and Mr. 
 Alexander Gebhart; 1883, Revs. J. H. Barclay and 
 J. F. Shaffer and Mr. Josiah Gebhart; 1884, Revs. J. 
 M. Ruthrauff and J. H. Barclay and Mr. Geo. Smith ; 
 1885, Revs. J. W. Swick and Mr. J. W. Kahler ; 1886, 
 Rev. A. J. Imhoff and Mr. A. Gebhart; 1887, Rev. 
 J. F. Shaffer and Mr. J. Gebhart; 1888, Rev. E. K. 
 
 Bell and Louis Manss ; 1889 ; 1890, Rev. A. J. 
 
 Imhoft and Mr. A. Gebhart ; 1891, Revs. J. F. Shaffer 
 and E. E. Baker and Mr. J. Gebhart; 1892, Rev. E. 
 K. Bell and Mr. Louis Manss. 
 
 These delegates reported to Synod, annually, mat- 
 ters of the greatest importance, which cannot be given 
 in this brief history. Their place is properly in a his- 
 tory of the College. To establish the College has, 
 however, always been a part of the Synod's work, es-
 
 RELATION TO WITTENBERG COLLEGE. 
 
 47 
 
 pecially to secure its endowment. At a meeting in 
 Lancaster, in 1865, the following action, in substance, 
 was taken : 
 
 WHEREAS, The permanent and speedy endowment of Wit- 
 tenberg College is the one great work of the Lutheran Church 
 in the West; and 
 
 Whereas, We do rejoice in the success of the College agents 
 in their labors to secure the proposed sum of one hundred thou- 
 sand dollars for endowment purposes; therefore, 
 
 Resolved, That we will renew our efforts to aid them to com 
 plete the great endowment enterprise. 
 
 In 1873, at a meeting of the delegates from Ohio 
 and Indiana to the General Synod, in Canton, Ohio, 
 it was stated that the endowment had reached prac- 
 tically $85,000, and the Synods of these two states, 
 supporting the College, were asked, through these 
 delegates, to assume the remaining $15,000, so as to 
 make the entire endowment available, because some 
 of the subscription was conditioned upon the entire 
 $100,000 being raised. The delegates from this 
 Synod pledged that the interest on $4,000 should be 
 paid until the full amount be secured, or until the 
 $4,000 be raised on the territory of the Synod. This 
 action of the delegates to the General Synod at Can- 
 ton was endorsed at the next meeting of this Synod, 
 and explains what is the interest on endowment 
 found in parochial tables. . 
 
 BENEFICIARY EDUCATION. 
 
 The demand for trained ministers has been great
 
 48 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 during the entire history of this Synod, and much at- 
 tention has been given to the education of approved 
 men for the ministerial office. The constitution pro- 
 vided that a committee of three pastors and two lay- 
 men be annually appointed to transact business ap- 
 pertaining to Beneficiary Education, according to the 
 principles of the Parent Education Society of the 
 General Synod. It also provided that there be, an- 
 nually, a public meeting addressed by speakers pre- 
 viously appointed, to awaken interest and collect 
 funds for this purpose, and that the pastors be re- 
 quested to specify a certain sum which they will en- 
 deavor to collect during the ensuing year. These 
 provisions of the constitution, according to such 
 changes as have been made from time to time, have 
 been carefully observed. At almost every meeting 
 special efforts have been made to obtain money for 
 this purpose. Pastors and congregations have been 
 constantly urged to look out suitable men and solicit 
 them to make the preaching of the gospel their life 
 work. 
 
 At the second convention of the Synod an Educa- 
 tional Committee was elected by ballot and consisted 
 of Revs. Schaeffer, Keller and Reck, and Messrs. 
 Kurtz and Lafong. And the pledges of the pastors, at 
 this meeting, footed up $95.00. Until the apportion- 
 ment plan was adopted^ these pledges were always 
 taken, because the work was so important that no un- 
 certainty could be allowed. 
 
 The following persons have been supported some-
 
 BENEFICIARY EDUCATION. 
 
 49 
 
 what during their preparation for the gospel ministry : 
 J. Geiger, W. C. Barnett, A. F. Hills, J. B. Butler, P. 
 S. Harrison, S. P. Fink, T. Borns, E. R. Guiney, J. W. 
 Goodlin, G. W. Stelling. 
 
 At the eighth convention of the Synod, in 1851, the 
 allowance per year to each beneficiary was advanced 
 from $50 to $70, and the treasurer was directed to 
 put the moneys, for this object, into the hands of the 
 Faculty of Wittenberg College. It was also 
 
 Resolved, That the pastors make more effort to persuade 
 young men of talent and piety to prepare for the gospel ministry, 
 and make the utmost efforts to collect funds for their support. 
 
 The students received on the funds, in 1853, were 
 L. A. Gotwald, J. H. W. Stuckenberg and J. C. Brod- 
 fuhrer. At that time there was a surplus in the 
 treasury of $171.23. In 1854, F. W. Viehe, D. W. 
 Kissell ; in 1856, M. W. Hamma ; and in 1858, John 
 Brant, Henry Belmer, Herman Eagleman and Louis 
 Kepperling, received aid. 
 
 At the sixteenth convention, in 1856, it was ordered 
 that the treasurer of this fund report to the Synod 
 the Christian standing and educational progress of all 
 those receiving aid, and that applicants for aid be re- 
 ceived during the interim of synodical conventions, 
 and, also that they be required to give legal obliga- 
 tions for all moneys received. During the past year 
 $595.27 had been paid to aid those preparing for the 
 ministry. 
 
 In 1860, Henry Wolf and H. Daron were received
 
 5 
 
 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 on the funds. And, at this time, a certificate of seven 
 years' scholarship in Wittenberg College, secured by 
 donation from J. Zimmerman, of Kentucky, was placed 
 in the hands of the treasurer to be used in aid of 
 beneficiary students. 
 
 In 1864, there was a balance in the treasury of 
 $757.40. The Synod ordered that the Chairman of 
 the Educational Committee report annually in writ- 
 ing, and that applications for aid be made directly to 
 the committee, who should determine the amount to 
 be given each student. It was fixed at $150.00 and 
 tuition. In 1865, E. W. Souders, A. J. Hesson, A. 
 and M. Weiles, A. W. Wagnalls, J. Miller and D. 
 Rylled, and in 1868, Thomas, J. B. Miller, D. L. 
 Ryder and F. A. Matthis, were received on the funds. 
 The Synod, at this time, required that, hereafter, the 
 students receiving aid attend its meetings, and, also, 
 provided that their traveling expenses be paid. 
 
 In 1870,0. M. Grau and A. J. Crigler were re- 
 ceived on the funds. In 1871, the Synod appropri- 
 ated $175.00 per year to each student, and authorized 
 the treasurer to borrow money if necessary. In 1872 
 the Synod had but one beneficiary. The Dayton 
 church had on its own funds three, whose names are 
 not given. The Educational Committee had a small 
 balance in its treasury. 
 
 In 1873 Henry Howett, J. D. Hauer and D. M. 
 Homer were received, and the Treasurer again au- 
 thorized to borrow money if needed. 
 
 In 1874 Elias Hubler was received, and Prof. J. H.
 
 BENEFICIARY EDUCATION. 
 
 5 1 
 
 W. Stuckenberg was allowed to pay, as he might feel 
 able, the money he had received as a beneficiary, to 
 such students preparing for the ministry as he deemed 
 worthy, and take receipts in the name of the Synod. 
 
 In 1877 there was a balance in treasury of $200.69, 
 but the demand for aid was very great, and the allow- 
 ance was reduced to $125.00 per year. 
 
 In 1879, C. E. Wirick, in 1881 M. L. Walker, and 
 in 1882 William Hull, were received on the funds. 
 
 In 1883 the committee asked that $250 be appor- 
 tioned among the churches for, this cause, and in 
 1884 they requested of the Synod that aid be provided 
 for eleven young men. Five of these were from Cin- 
 cinnati. As they did not venture to ask for more 
 than $250.00 on apportionment, the problem before 
 the Synod was, How can these men be provided for? 
 The members of Synod felt that the time had come 
 to do something liberal. J. W. Kahler, realizing the 
 responsibilities of the hour, at once pledged the Cin- 
 cinnati Sunday-school for $125.00, and more if neces- 
 sary, for the five applicants from Cincinnati. Others 
 promptly responded, and $327.00 were pledged by the 
 Synod ; this, with $250.00 apportioned to the congre- 
 gations, $125.00 pledged by Cincinnati Sunday-school 
 and $300.53 balance in Treasury, made a grand total 
 of $1,002.53 with which to meet the demand. Thus 
 the call of Providence^ and the ready answer to the 
 call, gave a new and grand impetus to Beneficiary 
 Education. 
 
 In 1885 W. G. Smith, W. H. Mills, J. K. Bruchie,
 
 5 2 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 E. T. Clayton, E. E. Baker were received, and the 
 balance in the treasury was $454.36. In 1886 F. S. 
 Delo, H. B. Shank, Adolph Ridder and W. F, 
 Berger were received on the funds of the Synod. 
 C. G. Heckert was on the funds of the Dayton Sunday- 
 school, and one other was supported by the Cin- 
 cinnati Sunday-school. The Synod apportioned to 
 the congregations $400.00 for the current year. In 
 1887 Ezra Keller, Albert Becker, D. H. Rohrabaugh, 
 S. T. Himes were received. It was ordered that 
 hereafter no one^be received until he has been at 
 college one year. The Synod apportioned $700.00 for 
 the year. The receipts from all sources for the past 
 year were $1,169.48. In 1888 Geo. C. Emming, 
 Axel Henritzy, Walter Adams and Ernest Bell were 
 received. The expenses during the past year were 
 $1,172.00, and it was ordered that $700.0.0 be appor- 
 tioned for the current year. In 1889 C. W. Anshuts, 
 W. F. Barnett, E. E. Bell and T. A. Estell were received, 
 and the Dayton Sunday-school aided O. Felker, G. 
 W. Getter, H. W. Gwinner and C. G. Heckert. 
 During the past year $1,197.00 had been expended by 
 the Synod and there was a deficit of $450.76. Special 
 pledges were taken to the amount of $370.00, and the 
 apportionment raised to $800.00. In 1890 W. C. Eck- 
 ert, Victor S. Mumma, C. Rice, C. V. Steininger were 
 received. During the year $1,415.00 were expended, 
 and there was a balance in the treasury of $56.66. 
 Special pledges were taken amounting to $460.00, and 
 the apportionment continued at $800.00. In 1891 G.
 
 BENEFICIARY EDUCATION. 
 
 53 
 
 S. Murphy, W. E. Bartholomew, C. E. Derr, M. O. 
 Felker, W. L. Guard and C. E. Rice were received, and 
 the Dayton church aided seven more. The Synod 
 expended $1,000.00 and the Dayton church $450.00, 
 making a total expenditure during the year of $ i ,450.00. 
 Special pledges of $426.00 were made and the appor- 
 tionment put at 25 cents per member for the ensuing 
 year. In 1892 A. E. Ream, A. K. Mumma, G. B. 
 Weaver and Tera Miller were received. The Synod 
 expended during the year $950.00, and the Dayton 
 church $450.00. Special pledges were made to the 
 amount of $235.00, and the apportionment continued 
 at 25 cents per member in the congregations. 
 
 In the above statement only the year in which the 
 student was received on the funds of the Synod is 
 given. Some of them continued only part of a year, 
 others one, two or more years, but they all withdrew 
 as soon as they were enabled to do so. Most of them 
 have returned the money loaned them, whilst some 
 have paid back many-fold times the amount they re- 
 ceived. The legal obligation which beneficiaries are 
 required to give, are collectible only on condition 
 that they do not enter the ministry, or retire from it, 
 whilst in ordinary health, to engage in secular or other 
 professional business. (See minutes of 1870.) 
 
 No grander or more useful work has ever been 
 done by the Synod than to assist these men in their 
 preparation for the gospel ministry. These men, 
 drawn away from the lucrative vocations of secular 
 life, were induced by a sense of personal responsir
 
 54 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 bility before God and the Church, to consecrate 
 themselves to a work of sacred service. Some of the 
 grandest work done for humanity has been done by 
 those of this number whose abilities and eminent 
 labors opened to them the wider fields of usefulness. 
 
 What has been achieved by this one Synod is only 
 a part of the aggregate that has been done by all the 
 Synods of the General Synod. Truly, great things 
 have been done during the closing half of the nine- 
 teenth century, in providing for the Lutheran church 
 in this country an educated ministry. The results are 
 beginning to be manifest, and the accumulating in- 
 fluence will bring to the future blessing and power 
 that cannot now be estimated. 
 
 In this special work some of the other Lutheran 
 bodies in this country are especially active. The 
 most direct work for the speedy evangelization of the 
 world, is to educate for the ministry men of talent and 
 piety. Such men, especially because they received a 
 litttle aid from the church, are conscientiously con- 
 strained to give themselves wholly to the preaching of 
 the gospel and to continue in this work under all hin- 
 drances and discouragements. A true preacher 
 must preach. He belongs to this department of the 
 Christian work, and if he has no church and no 
 salary, he must go on mission work, if needs be, at 
 his own charges. A true Christian man, educated 
 for the ministry, is a positive working force in the 
 Church. He feels that if no pastoral charge is at 
 hand as one prepared for him by other men's labors,
 
 RELATIONS TO GENERAL SYNOD. 
 
 55 
 
 he must go into the wide field and make or prepare 
 one for himself. 
 
 RELATIONS TO GENERAL SYNOD. 
 
 The Miami Synod at its first session adopted the 
 following : 
 
 Resolved, That we now unite ourselves with the General 
 Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. 
 
 It has always regarded that body as the ecclesias- 
 tical head through which efficiency and. success has 
 been sought in all local matters, as well as in the gen- 
 eral work of the whole church. It has maintained 
 loyalty to it in all matters of doctrine and discipline. 
 It has regularly sent delegates to its meetings, and 
 these have actively participated in its proceedings 
 and faithfully reported them to this Synod. All the 
 measures adopted for the promotion of missions and 
 education in the General Synod have been supported 
 by the Miami Synod. 
 
 DELEGATES TO GENERAL SYNOD. 
 
 1845. Philadelphia Revs. D. P. Rosenmiller, C. 
 F. Schaeffer, Mr. F. Gebhart. 
 
 1848. New York Revs. D. M. Hoyt, W. H. Har- 
 rison, A. H. Myres, Dr. O. Ballard, J. D. Martin, 
 Esq., Mr. F. Gebhart. 
 
 1850. Charleston, S. C. Revs. D. P. Rosenmiller, 
 M. Diehl, Messrs. F. Gebhart, J. D. Martin, Esq. 
 
 1853. Winchester, Va. Revs. P. Rizer, M. Diehl,
 
 56 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 W. H. Harrison, Messrs. J. D. Martin, J. W. Geb- 
 hart, F. Rammelsberger. 
 
 1855. Dayton, O. Revs. M. Diehl, W. H. Har- 
 rison, A. Reck, Messrs. A. Gebhart, T. A. Heim, J. 
 D. Martin. 
 
 1857. Reading, Pa. Revs. N. B. Little, J. F. 
 Reinmund, A. Helwig, Mr F. Gebhart. 
 
 1859. Pittsburg, Pa. Revs. F. W. Conrad, W. H. 
 Harrison, W. H. Wynn, C. Stroud, Mr. F. Gebhart. 
 
 1862. Lancaster, Pa. Revs. D. Summers, A. 
 Helwig, J. Schauer, W. H. Harrison, Messrs. F. Geb- 
 hart, M. Bowman, B. F. Reinmund, S. Keller. 
 
 1864. York, Pa. Revs. W. H. Harrison, D. 
 Steck, M. Diehl, G. B. Ort, Messrs. F. Gebhart, A. 
 Erkenbrecker. 
 
 1866. Fort Wayne, Ind. Revs. W. H. Harrison, 
 M. Diehl, L. A. Gotwald, J. Swartz, Messrs. F. W. 
 Keihl, J. Gebhart, B. F. Reinmund, D. H. Bloom. 
 
 1868. Harrisburg, Pa. Revs. J. Swartz, A. J. 
 Imhoff, J. B. Helwig, and G. B. Ort, Messrs. A. Geb- 
 hart, A. Epply, D. Knoop. 
 
 1869. Washington, D. C. Revs. J. J. Welch, W. 
 C. Hauer, Mr. J. Gebhart. 
 
 1871. Dayton, O. Revs. J. B. Helwig, I. Magee, 
 A. Essick, Messrs. A. M. Spangler, J. McReynolds, 
 M. Stroffer. 
 
 1873. Canton, O. Revs. J. B. Helwig, H. R. 
 Geiger, G. W. Halderman, Messrs. H. H. Stucken- 
 berg, A. Gebhart, J. H. Keil. 
 
 1875. Baltimore, Md. Revs. J. H. W. Stucken-
 
 DELEGATES TO GENERAL SYNOD. 
 
 57 
 
 berg, J. F. Shaffer, G. W. Halderman, Messrs. J. D. 
 Martin, A. Gebhart, H. P. Snyder. 
 
 1 877. Carthage, 111. Revs. J. H. W. Stuckenberg, 
 J. F. Shaffer, G. W. Halderman, Messrs. A. Spangler, 
 A. Gebhart, H. H. Stuckenberg. 
 
 1879. Wooster, O. Revs. G. F. Stelling, J. H. W. 
 Stuckenberg, A. J. Imhoff, Messrs. A. Spangler, A. 
 Gebhart, H. J. Reinmund. 
 
 1 88 1. Altoona, Pa. Revs. S. A. Ort, J. F. Shaffer, 
 H. W. McKnight, Messrs. A. Gebhart, J. W. Kahler. 
 
 1883. Springfield, O. Revs. S. A. Ort, J. F. 
 Shaffer, J. N. Morris, Messrs. J. W. Kahler, A. Geb- 
 hart, J. McReynolds. 
 
 1885. Harrisburg, Pa. Revs. S. A. Ort, J. H. 
 Barclay, J. F. Shaffer, Messrs. A. Gebhart, J. W. 
 Kahler. 
 
 1887. Omaha, Neb. Revs. S. A. Ort, A. J. Im- 
 hoff, E. K. Bell, Messrs. A. Gebhart, J. W. Kahler, J. 
 H. Hedges. 
 
 1889. Allegheny, Pa. Revs. E. K. Bell, S. A. Ort, 
 J. F. Shaffer, C. E. Wirick, Messrs. A. W. Ulrici, J. 
 H. Hedges, A. Gebhart, J. D. Martin. 
 
 1891. Lebanon, Pa. Revs. E. E. Baker, S. A. 
 Ort, E. K. Bell and S. E. Greenawalt, Messrs. A. 
 Gebhart, Louis Manss, L. E. Miller and J. D. Martin. 
 
 1893. Canton, O. Revs. S. A. Ort, J. A. Hall, 
 E. K. Bell and J. F. Shaffer, Messrs. D. S. Royer, 
 Louis Manss, G. W. Hengst and L. E. Miller.
 
 5 8 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 CHURCH PROPERTY SOLD. 
 
 In 1876, it was ordered by the Synod that aban- 
 doned churches be sold, and the proceeds placed at 
 the disposal of the Board of Church Extension of the 
 General Synod. 
 
 The Hamilton church was sold for three thousand 
 dollars. Fourteen hundred dollars of this sum went 
 to payment of claims against the congregation. One 
 thousand dollars was refunded to a surviving trustee. 
 Six hundred dollars was transferred to the Church 
 Extension Board. 
 
 The church at Millville was sold for six hundred 
 dollars. Of this amount, four hundred dollars were 
 given towards the erection of a Lutheran church at 
 Darrtown, twenty- five dollars were donated toward 
 the purchase of a home for a poor Lutheran widow in 
 Millville ; and several sums were refunded to indi- 
 viduals who had paid toward a parsonage which was 
 afterwards disposed of. 
 
 The Klefecker church edifice, near Greenville, was 
 sold to the German Reformed denomination for six 
 hundred and fifty dollars, and amount paid to Church 
 Extension Board. 
 
 The old church at Liberty, owned by the Lutheran and 
 German Reformed congregations, was sold and the pro- 
 ceeds falling to the Lutherans put into the new church 
 which was built by the new organization of Lutherans. 
 
 The St. John's Church in Hocking County was sold 
 for seventy-five dollars, and the amount paid to the 
 Treasurer of Synod.
 
 CHURCH PROPERTY SOLD. 
 
 59 
 
 The Mt. Union church near Tarlton was sold to the 
 M. E. Church, for thirty-five dollars, and the money 
 disposed of by Synod. 
 
 An old church at Adelphi, in Ross County, went to 
 decay, but the lot remains the property of the Luth- 
 eran church. 
 
 ROLL OF MINISTERS WHO DIED WHILST IN CONNECTION 
 WITH THIS SYNOD. 
 
 Rev. D. M. Hoyt died in 1848, at Lafayette, Ind. 
 He was highly esteemed as a man of ability, and an 
 ardent advocate of the doctrines and principles of the 
 Lutheran church. 
 
 Dr. E. Keller died in 1848, at Springfield, Ohio. 
 He had transferred his membership to the Witten- 
 berg Synod, but because of his relation to Wittenberg 
 College, his death was noticed by the adoption of 
 resolutions expressive of heartfelt sorrow. 
 
 In 1851, Father Conrad Reiman, an aged and re- 
 tired Lutheran minister living at Circleville, passed 
 away in death. He had united with this Synod. 
 During this same year Rev. J. P. Daggy died. 
 
 Rev. Alexander Klefecker died February 26, 1863. 
 President Harrison in reporting his death, says : "No 
 one ever endeared himself to this Synod more than 
 Bro. Klefecker. He was a devout man. We all felt 
 this. He was in no way characterized by formality or 
 hypocrisy." 
 
 Rev. J. Surface, one of the oldest members of the 
 Synod, died 1865. Suitable resolutions were adopted.
 
 60 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 The death of Rev. W. H. Harrison, D. D., oc- 
 curred in November, 1866. Whilst in the midst of 
 his people at Cincinnati, caring for them in their 
 great distress produced by an epidemic of cholera, he 
 himself was stricken down by the disease. At the 
 meeting of Synod next after his death, the President, 
 Rev. M. Diehl, says : " Bro. Harrison will mingle 
 with us no more in these annual meetings. He has 
 been one of us so long so active, so deeply interested 
 in all our proceedings so full of sympathy with us in 
 every good work, that you could not even if you 
 would, fail to call him to mind under these circum- 
 stances. And yet I can not do otherwise than allude 
 to his departure from us." 
 
 Rev. W. M. Hunderdorse, of Hanging Rock, O, 
 died in 1867. 
 
 The President in his report in 1869, says : " On the 
 zoth of April last, our much beloved Dr. M. Diehl fell 
 asleep in Jesus, and on the i4th, his body, attended 
 by a large concourse of mourning people, was carried 
 to its burial in Springfield Cemetery. And again on 
 the 1 8th of May, our Reverend Father A. Reck, as a 
 stock with its full ear, was taken by the Master, to be 
 garnered in heaven." 
 
 Rev. John Sise, Rev. N. W. Cummins and Rev. 
 Geo. B. Ort, died in 1871. Resolutions of esteem 
 and sorrow, in reference to each of these, were passed 
 by the Synod. The President in reporting their 
 deaths to Synod says : " They passed into the 
 Heavenly Kingdom : Blessed are the dead which die
 
 OUR CIVIL WAR. 6 1 
 
 in the Lord ; Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest 
 from their labors ; and their works do follow them." 
 
 At the meeting in 1880, the Synod was called upon 
 to record the death of Rev. J. L. Gilbreath, and reso- 
 lutions of sympathy and esteem were adopted. 
 
 During the year preceding the meeting in 1881, 
 Rev. A. M. Smith and Rev. J. Hinderer departed this 
 life. The Synod recorded the bereavement by the 
 adoption of suitable resolutions. 
 
 Rev. Joseph Schmalzl died June nth, 1882. In 
 recording the event the Synod 
 
 Resolved, That we recognize in this sad dispensation of 
 Providence, the loss of an earnest and useful member. 
 
 At the same meeting, resolutions were passed in 
 reference to the death of Rev. A. D. Rowe, our first 
 children's missionary to India. One of the resolu- 
 tions reads thus : 
 
 " His noble, self-sacrificing life and zeal in the cause of mis- 
 sions, deeply impresses us with a sense of our responsibility to 
 the great cause of Missions for which he sacrificed his life." 
 
 OUR CIVIL WAR. 
 
 At the outbreak of the war in 1861, the people of 
 the Miami Synod showed themselves to be truly loyal 
 citizens of these United States. They claimed this 
 country to be their country, and its government to be 
 their government, and without hesitation, they ac- 
 cepted their civil duties and responsibilities as being 
 above all the considerations of personal life and 
 property. When they met in Synodical Convention
 
 62 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 at St. Paris, only a few days after the attack upon 
 Fort Sumter, they promptly adopted, unanimously by 
 a rising vote, the following preamble and resolutions : 
 
 WHEREAS, We are taught in the sacred Scriptures that gov- 
 ernment is an ordinance of God, and they who resist the 
 legitimate exercise of its power expose themselves to condemna- 
 tion; and, 
 
 W/iereas, We believe that the Government of the United 
 States was established under the superintending care of the 
 Sovereign of the universe, and embodies the true principles of 
 freedom, and has received the marked blessings of heaven; 
 and, 
 
 Whereas, Wicked men have, in violation of the Divine com- 
 mand " to be subject to the higher power," raised the standard 
 of insurrection against, and organized an army to overthrow it; 
 and, 
 
 IVhereas, The President of the United States has issued his 
 proclamation, calling upon the several loyal States to rally in 
 defence of the integrity of the Constitution, and the main- 
 tenance of the Union, and the preservation of our civil and 
 religious liberties; and, 
 
 Whereas, Our Lutheran forefathers, both clerical and lay, not 
 only prayed, but fought for the independence of America, and 
 took a large share in the formation of our government; there- 
 fore, unanimously, 
 
 Resolved, That we, in imitation of their patriotic example, 
 and in admiration of their valor, declare it to be a Christian as 
 well as a civil duty, to support the government in its constitu- 
 tional efforts to punish treason, and put down rebellion by all 
 the means within our power. 
 
 Resolved, That we call upon all our people, to lift up holy 
 hands in prayer to the God of battles, without personal wrath 
 against evil-doers on the one hand, and without doubting the 
 righteousness of the cause of our government on the other; that 
 He would give wisdom to the President and all his counsellors,
 
 OUR CIVIL WAR. 63 
 
 and success to the army and navy in all their efforts to save our 
 beloved country from anarchy and lawlessness. 
 
 Resolved, That we deeply sympathize with all loyal citizens 
 and Christian patriots in the rebellious portions of our country, 
 and we cordially invite their co-operation in offering united 
 supplications at a throne of grace, that God would humble us as 
 a people for our national sins, restore peace to our distracted 
 country, re-establish fraternal relations between all the States, 
 and make our land, in all time to come, the asylum of the 
 oppressed, and the permanent abode of liberty and religion. 
 
 F. W. CONRAD, 
 
 H. BORCHARD, 
 
 W. H. HARRISON. 
 
 At the next annual meeting in 1862, this is in the 
 President's report and endorsed by the Synod : "We 
 are now in the midst of a bloody, but, on our part, 
 holy war. Many of our young men, middle-aged and 
 old men, are now on the battle-field and in the camps, 
 exposed to all the ills of war, battling for the su- 
 premacy of the laws, and maintenance of the Con- 
 stitution." 
 
 Each year as the Synod met, during the progress 
 of the war, suitable sentiments and resolutions were 
 recorded, until the end, when, at the meeting in June, 
 1865, the President, G. B. Ort, says : "The past year 
 has been an eventful one in the history of our country. 
 But God has been with us, and delivered us from our 
 calamities, and restored us to peace once more. 
 Many of our fellow-citizens have fallen in battle, or 
 died from disease and exposure, and our beloved 
 Chief Magistrate has been assassinated as the cul- 
 minating act of this wicked rebellion."
 
 64 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 The Synod put on record the following as a final 
 utterance concerning the war : 
 
 WHEREAS, God has most graciously conducted our country to 
 her present happy issue out of the fearful evils in which she 
 was involved by the rebellion; and 
 
 Whereas, God has most mercifully prevented the anarchy 
 manifestly purposed by the fiendish assassination of our late 
 beloved President, Abraham Lincoln, and the most brutal and 
 murderous assault upon our Secretary of State; therefore, 
 
 Resolved, That we do now renewedly, as citizens, as Christians, 
 as a Synod, affirm our most hearty sympathy with the interests 
 of the great Union, as well as our support of its Chief Executive, 
 Andrew Johnson, in whose ability, integrity and patriotism we 
 have undivided confidence. 
 
 Unanimously adopted by a rising vote. 
 
 SYNODICAL SABBATH-SCHOOL CONVENTION. 
 
 The Sunday-school question has always received 
 careful consideration. In 1874 the Synod appointed 
 a committee to confer with the Wittenberg Synod on 
 the propriety of holding State Lutheran Sunday-school 
 Conventions. In 1875 a committee was appointed 
 to report, at the next annual meeting, on the propriety 
 of appointing a Sunday-school missionary and colpor- 
 teur. This interest, thus indicated, culminated in the 
 Synodical Sunday-school Convention. This organiza- 
 tion has been eminently successful, and has held its 
 annual meetings since 1876, and publishes its own 
 minutes, showing constantly increasing interest and 
 efficiency. 
 
 In 1884 the Committee on Sunday-schools reported 
 an unusual interest in that department of our church
 
 WOMAN'S MISSIONARY SOCIETY. 65 
 
 work. They say that the enthusiasm of the past year 
 culminated this week in one of the most interesting 
 conventions in the history of Miami Synod. They 
 recommended that at least one sermon on Sunday- 
 school work be preached during the year in each 
 congregation, setting forth the best mode of teaching, 
 and such other matter as may prove valuable to teach- 
 ers and scholars. 
 
 The Synodical Sunday-school organization is com- 
 plete in itself, and, in due time, will publish its own 
 history for the benefit of our general church work. 
 
 WOMAN'S SYNODICAL MISSIONARY SOCIETY. 
 
 The Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary 
 Society is an independent organization, and has its 
 own history. 
 
 The propriety of organizing such a society was 
 recommended by a committee at the session of the 
 General Synod in Carthage, 111., in 1877. And by 
 action of the Synod, the ladies of our Church were 
 earnestly appealed to, to act promptly in estab- 
 lishing Auxiliary Societies in their congregations. 
 The ladies of the Miami Synod responded energet- 
 ically, and at a meeting of the Synod in St. Paris, in 
 1877, they secured the appointment of a Woman's 
 Home Missionary Society Committee, to consist of one 
 minister as chairman, one layman, and three ladies. 
 The committee was appointed, and consisted of Rev. 
 E. Miller, Mr. Walter Gebhart, Mrs. Mary G. Stucken- 
 berg, Mrs. J. F. Shaffer, Miss Emma L.Parry.
 
 66 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 They proceeded at once to take preliminary steps 
 for the organization of a Synodical Society, to consist 
 of Auxiliary Societies formed in the congregations. 
 The work of organizing required much perplexing 
 labor, but the executive ability of the ladies was 
 equal to the work, and in a comparatively short time 
 Societies were organized in most of the congrega- 
 tions, and the work thoroughly systemized. Too 
 much praise can not be awarded to the patient and 
 persistent ladies who inaugurated this grand work in 
 our Synod. The woman's work is adding annually 
 thousands to our missionary operations, and when 
 their history is written it will show marvelous results.
 
 SYNODICAL CONVENTIONS. 
 
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 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
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 CONGREGATIONS AND PASTORS. 69 
 
 CONGREGATIONS AND PASTORS. 
 
 In this brief history only some things can be given 
 concerning the congregations. 
 
 Circleville. The congregation was organized about 
 1840, by Rev. N. B. Little, an eccentric man who had a 
 remarkably commanding person and was an overpow- 
 ering orator. He drew after him the people and soon 
 gathered a large membership of the prominent peo- 
 ple of the place. But his peculiarities created difficul- 
 ties, and after about two years his popularity came to 
 an end and he withdrew. The congregation was after- 
 wards served for a long time by Rev. J. A. Roof, a 
 very good and popular man, who belonged to the Joint 
 Synod. During the ministry of Rev. Joel Swartz,* 
 the congregation divided, and the members who pre- 
 ferred to use the English language in worship, after a 
 long law-suit, retained the church property and with 
 the pastor, united with the Miami Synod. During the 
 ministry of Rev. M. L. Wilhelm, the old church was 
 taken down and a new one built. The English con- 
 gregation was never very large and became involved 
 in debt and weakened in membership. It became a 
 struggling church, and from time to time has received 
 missionary aid. 
 
 The present pastor, Rev. W. R. McCutcheon, was 
 installed July 31, 1892. 
 
 The Somerset church was organized by Rev. Paul 
 Henkel in 1809. The Somerset Charge consisted of 
 
 * See an account of Rev. Swartz's reception into the Miami 
 Synod under article " Doctrinal Basis."
 
 70 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 several congregations, and was the scene of the early 
 labors of the Henkels. The congregations were large 
 and the charge an important one. In 1848 Rev. A. 
 J. Weddell, of Lancaster, was called to the pastorship 
 and the charge united with the Miami Synod. Dur- 
 ing the five years that Rev. Weddell was pastor, in 
 consequence of changes at Wittenberg, following the 
 death of Dr. Keller, and proposed changes at the 
 college in Columbus, he withdrew from the Miami 
 Synod and united with the English District of the 
 Joint Synod, and the charge followed him, and has 
 since remained in the Joint Synod. 
 
 New Reading and Zion's congregations were organ- 
 ized by Rev. Geo. Forster in 1805. St. Paul, Good 
 Hope and Lebanon congregations were organized by 
 Rev. Andrew Henkel in 1820, and the Grau by 
 Charles Henkel in 1831. The three Henkels were 
 from the Tennessee Synod. The Lutheran people 
 were from Bucks, Berks, Fayette and Lebanon coun- 
 ties, Pa. 
 
 Tarlton. This charge was organized by Rev. N. B. 
 Little, after his removal from Circleville. It is here that 
 on one occasion, under the power of his eloquence, 
 the whole congregation unconsciously rose to their 
 feet and stood spell-bound ; and, on another occasion, 
 he thought he saw the devil" opposing him, and, 
 springing forward with a chair, began striking furiously 
 the table which he mistook for the devil. 
 
 This charge was founded in the midst of a large 
 parish belonging to the Joint Synod, and the worship
 
 CONGREGATIONS AND PASTORS. 7 r 
 
 was in striking contrast with that of the other Luth- 
 eran churches of that region. It became an important 
 charge, and has enjoyed the services of some of the 
 best pastors of the Synod. The first church was a 
 small building erected by the community, but the Lu- 
 theran congregation had the preference in its use. 
 Other denominations could use it when not occupied 
 by the Lutherans. During the ministry of Rev. A. J. 
 Weddell a neat frame church was built in town, and 
 a small church on the Pickaway planes. This church 
 in town has since been exchanged for a larger and 
 more modern church, which was built by the German 
 Reformed congregation, and for some cause sold. It 
 became the property of William Ballard, Esq., and by 
 him was donated to the Lutheran congregation, he 
 taking in exchange their old property, which was not 
 of much value. This church and the Conrad church, 
 four miles north, constitute a charge, and are at pres- 
 ent without a pastor. 
 
 Lancaster. As early as 1805, Rev. George Forster 
 preached in Fairfield county. The early labors of 
 the two Stecks were in Lancaster and the surround- 
 ing country. They were followed by Rev. John 
 Wagenhals, of the Joint Synod. His congregation 
 was as old as any Protestant congregation in the town, 
 and older than the Catholic church. The present 
 Miami Synod congregation was organized in 1841 by 
 the English portion of Wagenhals' congregation and 
 Rev. John McCron became its pastor. He was suc- 
 ceeded by Rev. C. F. Schaeffer. The church was
 
 72 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 erected in 1843 at a cost of $7,000.00, and with im- 
 provements since, it has cost about $ 10,000.00. John 
 D. Martin, Esq., belonged to the board of trustees, and 
 is the only surviving member of that date. He has 
 been an efficient officer in the church through all the 
 years, and now thinks the progress of the Lutheran 
 cause in Lancaster has been greatly hindered by the 
 bitter strife, at times, among its people. This strife 
 has been on account of the two languages, of old 
 and new measures, and of Synodical relations. J. D. 
 Martin was very prominent among the founders and 
 supporters of Wittenberg College. The Beck and 
 Reinmund families have always been prominent 
 among the membership. Rev. J. F. Reinmund, D. D., 
 of blessed memory, went from this church to Witten- 
 berg College, and, after completing his course of 
 studies, became its pastor. 
 
 This has always been an important congregation, 
 and has had a long list of able pastors. The present 
 pastor is Rev. G. W. Halderman, D. D., who has had 
 a long and successful ministry in this church. He 
 became pastor first in 1870, and after serving nine 
 years, he accepted a call to another field of labor, and 
 after an absence of eight years, he was recalled in 
 1887, and has since been the efficient minister of the 
 gospel to a considerate and appreciative people. 
 
 Dumontville Charge. St. Paul's, near Dumont- 
 ville. The first church in this congregation was built 
 in 1813. It was a log house, two stories with gallery, 
 about 30 ft. square, and the work was done by the
 
 CONGREGATIONS AND PASTORS. 
 
 73 
 
 members. The second church was erected in 1864-65 
 at a cost of $2,000.00. It was built on the Baugher 
 land, and is often called the Baugher church. The 
 first pastors were Revs. Klink, Link and Wagenhals. 
 The Brandt, Baugher, Schell, Bright, Wagner and 
 Fisher families were prominent in the membership, 
 and came originally from Pennsylvania. 
 
 The Mt. Carmel congregation was organized in 
 1860 by Rev. Thomas Drake as pastor. A church 
 was erected, for which Alexander Miller gave a lot 
 and most of the timber. 
 
 Christ's Church, near Hamburg, was first under 
 the pastoral care of Rev. C. M. Klink, who conducted 
 the services in a log school-house. The first church 
 was built in 1850. The Shaffer family, of which Rev. 
 Dr. Shaffer, of Delaware, is a member, were active 
 supporters of this church. Here Dr. Shaffer attended 
 church and Sunday-school until he went to college. 
 Family connections are still living in the community 
 and belong to this church. During the ministry of 
 Rev. Harshman, a second house of worship was 
 erected. There have been frequent changes in the 
 pastorship of the charge. Rev. Elias A. Best is the 
 pastor at present. 
 
 Zanesville, under the ministry of Rev. A. Bossen- 
 mann, was in the Miami Synod, and had invited the 
 Synod to hold its eleventh convention in their church. 
 In the meantime they called Rev. Weddell, of Somer- 
 set, to the pastorship, and the congregation went 
 with him to the English District of the Joint Synod,
 
 74 
 
 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 and has remained in that connection. They, how- 
 ever, most cordially entertained the Miami Synod dur- 
 ing its meeting in their church. Rev. Weddell after- 
 wards became pastor of the College church in 
 Springfield, and united with the Wittenberg Synod. 
 From Springfield he removed to Cumberland, Md. 
 
 Cincinnati. In 1841, Rev. Abram Reck, pastor of 
 a mission church in Indianapolis, traveling on a col- 
 lecting tour among the churches, arrived in Cincinnati 
 on Saturday, and not wishing to travel on the Lord's 
 Day, spent the Sunday in the city, and was impressed 
 that he should move there and commence a mission. 
 He proposed the matter to the Synod of the West, of 
 which he was a member, and the Synod immediately 
 took action to unite with the East Ohio Synod, and 
 support the missionary in the sum of four hundred 
 dollars per year. Near the close of the year, the 8th 
 of December, Rev. Reck was on the ground and 
 found eight Lutheran members ready to organize, and 
 on the 1 9th of the same month, twenty-four signed an 
 agreement to organize. Worship was conducted in a 
 rickety place over an engine shanty, until the old hall 
 of Cincinnati College was rented. In this hall the 
 mission flourished until the fourth year, when a church 
 was purchased on Ninth Street. In 1850, the lot on 
 Elm Street was purchased, and in 1852 the present 
 church was erected under the administration of Rev. 
 W. H. Harrison. 
 
 The twenty-four charter members came principally 
 from Pennsylvania and Maryland. Prominent among
 
 CONGREGATIONS AND PASTORS. 
 
 75 
 
 these were, J. E. Jungmann, M. Straeffer, John Myers, 
 C. Woellner, F. Rammelsberg, H. Kessler, and Sam- 
 uel Startzmann. This congregation has always been 
 an important one and served by the best of pastors. 
 The development was, however, very gradual, until of 
 late years, here as elsewhere in our large cities, there 
 has been a decidedly forward movement. Dr. E. K. 
 Bell has been very efficient in his work, and most en- 
 couraging results have been attained, not only in the 
 old church but at the points in the city where pros- 
 perous missions are now established. The member- 
 ship of this church has been drawn on heavily for the 
 nuclei in which the missions started, the charter mem- 
 bers of the new organizations being mostly from the 
 old church, and yet it has sustained its numerical 
 strength, having in 1892 three hundred and fifty-nine 
 members, and in 1893 had an accession of forty- nine. 
 They contributed, during the year, nearly nineteen 
 hundred dollars to benevolent objects. They cele- 
 brated the ninth anniversary of the present pastor, 
 Dr. E. K. Bell, in October. 
 
 This congregation, though it has not, in the past, 
 been numerically large among the city churches, has 
 been regarded with much consideration by the Evan- 
 gelical churches of Cincinnati. When in 1861, the 
 Evangelical Ministerial Association of Cincinnati ap- 
 pointed a Committee to report a Union Doctrinal Basis, 
 Dr. Harrison was on the Committee and was made 
 its Secretary; and when in 1863, the Committee h'ad 
 completed their work and the entire Basis was unani-
 
 76 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 mously adopted by thirty-five ministers, members of 
 the Association, who were present, Dr. Harrison was 
 continued as Secretary of the completed organization. 
 And now in 1893, Dr. Bell has been re-elected Presi- 
 dent of the Evangelical Alliance of Cincinnati. 
 
 The Dayton C/iurch\va.s organized in 1839 by Rev. 
 Reuben Weiser. The first regular pastor was David 
 Porter Rosenmiller. The leading laymen were Fred- 
 erick Gebhart, Peter Baker, Mrs. Stintz, and Martin 
 Smith. They came from Pennsylvania. 
 
 The first house of worship was erected in 1840. 
 Bro. F. Gebhart narrated to a company of brethren, 
 in one of his visits to Wittenberg College, that whilst 
 superintending the digging of the foundation for this 
 house, his neighbors wanted to know what he in- 
 tended to build ; and when told that it would be a 
 Lutheran church, they were much surprised : and 
 some of the more curious inquired, "What is a Luth- 
 eran church?" Since then the Lutheran has not 
 been one of the unknown and unheard of churches 
 in Dayton. That house was built and dedicated, and 
 the congregation worshiping in it at once became 
 prominent and was a leading church in the community. 
 
 In 1851, Rev. D. P. Rosenmiller retired from the 
 pastorship and was succeeded by Rev. P. Rizer. The 
 first church building of 1 840 gave place to the pres- 
 ent stateby edifice, which was dedicated [an. 13, 1861, 
 under the administration of Rev. F. W. Conrad, who 
 became pastor in 1856. The Dayton church has al- 
 ways been a large and prosperous congregation. In
 
 CONGREGATIONS AND PASTORS. 
 
 77 
 
 1869 and 1870, a most remarkable religious interest 
 manifested itself in their midst. The pastor, Rev. 
 Irving Magee, in connection with his parochial report, 
 says : " The Master has vouchsafed to us a most gra- 
 cious and wonderful outpouring of his Holy Spirit ; 
 such exhibitions of Divine power and blessing as 
 neither the pastor nor his people have ever before 
 witnessed. As the result of the gracious influence, 
 two hundred and thirty- eight souls have been added 
 to the church, ranging in age from 62 to 9. In con- 
 sequence of this large accession, our church has be- 
 come over-crowded, and the Church Council has di- 
 rected a hundred more sittings to be placed in the 
 church. In addition 10 the usual collection for Ben- 
 eficiary Education, our church is at present support- 
 ing three students at Wittenberg College, and we hope 
 in the course of three months to be able to take 
 another." This supporting of their own beneficiaries 
 at College, besides contributing liberally each year to 
 the Synodical fund for the education of young men 
 for the ministry, has been continued to the present. 
 
 The Dayton church has been distinguished for lib- 
 eral giving, contributing annually to all the objects 
 supported by the Miami Synod, besides, from time to 
 time, making large donations to the various enter- 
 prises of our general church work. Some of its 
 members have given, at sundry times, thousands of 
 dollars to the building and to the endowment fund of 
 Wittenberg College. 
 
 A second church has been organized in Dayton,
 
 78 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 and will be self-sustaining from the beginning ; that 
 is, will be sustained by the Lutheran people of Day- 
 ton without the aid of the Church Boards. Rev. E. 
 E. Baker is pastor in the old church. 
 
 Boone County Charge. About the year 1805 a 
 colony of ten members came from Madison county, 
 Va., to Boone county, Ky. They immediately es- 
 tablished regular worship and continued it for eight 
 years without a pastor. One of their own number 
 each Sunday read a sermon, and they waited and 
 prayed for a pastor. In 1806 they organized the 
 Hopeful church. In the following year they built 
 a cabin church 18x18 feet, without a nail or glass. 
 In 1813 they were followed by Rev. William Car- 
 penter, their former pastor, who had served the old 
 Hebron church in Virginia twenty-six years, and 
 now for twenty years more, until his death in 1833, he 
 was the pastor of this colony in this remote region. 
 The leading members were Geo. Rouse, Ephraim 
 Tanner, John Rouse, John House, Fred. Zimmerman, 
 Michael Rouse, John Beemon, Jacob Rouse, Daniel 
 Beemon and Simon Tanner. They in time became a 
 charge of three congregations, and built churches. 
 Hopeful in 1824 built a log church 25x25, and in 1837 
 a brick church 35x50 at a cost of about $2,000.00. In 
 1854 Hebron built a church at a cost of $2,000.00, and 
 in 1855 Ebenezer built at a cost of $1,200.00. This 
 charge came into the Miami Synod at its organization 
 under the pastorship of Rev. J. Crigler. Rev. H. Max 
 Lentz is the present p:istor.
 
 CONGREGATIONS AND PASTORS. 
 
 79 
 
 Dodsonville. The Lutheran church at this place 
 was organized in 1839 by Rev. John Surface, of the 
 Synod of the West. There were about twenty charter 
 members. The leading ones were Andrew Shafer, 
 Adam Shafer, George Shafer, Daniel Shafer, Jonas 
 Shafer, John Shafer and Adam Orebaugh. These had 
 removed from Frieden's, a Lutheran congregation 
 about eight miles east of Dodsonville. The first house 
 of worship was erected in 1844, at a cost of about 
 $800.00. The second church, a brick, was erected in 
 1879, at a cost of about $3,000.00. This congregation 
 was incorporated in January, 1889. Jonas Shafer, 
 prior to his death, purchased an organ for $125.00 
 and donated it to the congregation. There is a par- 
 sonage at this place. 
 
 In 1845 tne charge was reported to Synod as con- 
 sisting of three congregations and desiring a pastor, as 
 they were at the time without one, but able to give a 
 support. In 1852 they were visited by Rev. P. Rizer, 
 of Dayton. He reported to the Synod that there 
 were four congregations, Dodsonville, Frieden's, Mt. 
 Pisgah and Brush Creek. He found about one hun- 
 dred and fifty members in the charge, and some of 
 them blessed with an abundance of this world's goods. 
 He thought nearly all had enough and to spare. It 
 seemed to him as a promising field abundantly able 
 to support a pastor. Prior to his visit the pastors had 
 been Surface, Henning, Rollinson, Klink and Daggey, 
 who had recently died in their midst. The charge 
 has been from time to time served by pastors from
 
 8o HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 this Synod. Rev. C. Stroud supplied the charge for 
 considerable time. Rev. J. Borns, who has at times 
 preached as supply when the charge was vacant, is 
 now the pastor. 
 
 Xenia Charge. -The records show that in 1842, 
 Rev. J. Lehman was the pastor at Xenia, and had 
 twenty-one members. In 1854 the charge consisted 
 of Xenia, Beaver, Union and Mt. Zion. 
 
 In 1 86 1 Rev. J. F. Shaffer became pastor. He 
 found at Xenia nineteen members, at Mt. Zion 
 twenty-seven members, at Beaver, a German Reformed 
 church, a few Lutherans, and at Bryan a few Lutheran 
 people, with a one-half interest in a church property. 
 He after some time abandoned Beaver and Bryan, and 
 concentrated his efforts on Xenia and Mt. Zion. When 
 he retired, in 1881, there were one hundred and forty 
 members in the charge, and the contributions for 
 benevolence during the year, outside of local ex- 
 penses, were $202.25. Since then there have been 
 frequent changes of pastors, and the charge sometimes 
 vacant. Xenia is the only congregation remaining in 
 the charge. Its membership is now about fifty, but 
 has been less at times in the later years. Rev. Frank 
 S. Delo is now the pastor ; he has been doing good 
 work for two years in this church, preaching as a sup- 
 ply whilst studying theology in the Seminary at Wit- 
 tenberg. 
 
 Bethel. In 1843, a number of Lutheran families 
 came from York county, Pa., to Madison township, 
 Clark county, Ohio. Revs. Link and Lehman preached
 
 CONGREGATIONS AND PASTORS. 8 1 
 
 for them occasionally, until in 1844, when they were 
 organized by Dr. Keller. The preaching was some- 
 times in the house of F. Hoke, and sometimes in a 
 meeting-house belonging to the New Light church, 
 until in 1845 they built a house of worship on the site 
 donated by M. Hurst. Among the leading members 
 were the Strayers, Ruperts, Hurshs, Kumps and 
 Dorans. They have church records complete. Rev. 
 S. Weilles was the pastor for considerable time in later 
 years. The congregation has just completed a new 
 church. Rev. George Bellinger serves this church at 
 present in connection with Rockway. 
 
 Liberty Charge. Dr. G. F. Stelling, assisted by Rev. 
 G. M. Grau, organized the church at Liberty on the loth 
 of May, 1 879. Thirty-one persons came in at the time 
 of organizing, and seventeen more united shortly after- 
 wards. There was at the time a flourishing Sunday- 
 school. There had formerly been a Lutheran church 
 at this place. A subscription was immediately circu- 
 lated for the purpose of erecting a church, and a fine 
 new church was built the following summer. Rev. 
 Grau organized a church at Farmersville on the 20th 
 of August, 1879, and also a Sunday-school. The 
 congregation repaired and fitted up an old brick 
 structure at an expense of $776.00. It was dedicated 
 on the following 7th of September. Rev. A. A. Hund- 
 ley is the pastor in this, Euphemia, Farmersville and 
 Shiloh churches. These churches are known at pres- 
 ent as the Midway charge. 
 
 St. Paris Church, In 1843 Jacob and Mary
 
 82 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 Walborn executed to D. A. Death, A. Rinaker and 
 D. Hoffman, as Trustees, a deed for a parcel of ground 
 to be used as a graveyard. In 1 844 a frame church was 
 built. In 1 846 a second organization was effected by 
 Dr. E. Keller, and Rev. A. Helwig became pastor of 
 the new organization. He continued as pastor fifteen 
 years, and after an absence of thirteen years, was re- 
 called in 1874, and remained three years, or until 
 1877. At the time of organization there were twenty- 
 five members, and the officers were Martin Walborn, 
 A. Apple, Jacob Walborn, and S. Apple. In 1861 
 Rev. A. Helwig closed his first term as pastor, there 
 were then 120 members. The frame church built in 
 1844 cost $500.00. The brick church in 1854 cost 
 $3,000.00. The second brick church, built in 1882, 
 cost $6,000.00. The people were mostly from Penn- 
 sylvania. The Sunday-school was organized 1846, 
 and for want of books, the letters of the alphabet 
 were, in some instances, printed on shingles. Of the 
 charter members, mothers Death and Thatcher are 
 still living. This and the Zerkel's church constitute 
 a charge, and Rev. E. F. Dickey is the pastor. 
 
 Zerkel church was organized by Dr. E. Keller, in 
 1846. The leading members were Abraham, Henry, 
 and Jacob Zerkel. They and others, about 15 in all, 
 came from Virginia. The first church house was built 
 in 1848, at a cost of $600.00. It has been re-con- 
 structed and improved several times since. The first 
 regular pastor was Rev. A. Helwig, who served four- 
 teen years. Soon after the building of the church,
 
 CONGREGATIONS AND PASTORS. 83 
 
 some of the members opposed night preaching, and 
 the use of candles in the church, and they withdrew 
 and built another church near by. 
 
 Vandalia Charge. From 1835 to 1840 Rev. Klapp 
 preached at Stillwater. In 1840 Rev. D. P. Rosen- 
 miller served Stillwater, in connection with Dayton, 
 until 1849. An old log church was there as early as 
 1816. It is not known how long before. The ground 
 for the church and graveyard was deeded by Emanuel 
 Coble. Revs. Mow, Hinecker and Spence were among 
 the early preachers. The Cobles, Staleys, Frybergers, 
 Catners and Clowds were the leading families and 
 were probably from Virginia. 
 
 About 1830 a frame church was built. In 1842 a 
 one-story brick church was built. In 1873 this was 
 torn down and the material taken to Spankertown. 
 The new church in its new location cost $3000.00. 
 
 Vandalia Church. In 1856 Rev. J. Schauer became 
 pastor, and a religious interest continuing for a con- 
 siderable time and becoming somewhat general, the 
 United Brethren in Vandalia offered the use of their 
 church, in which meetings were held during 1858 and 
 1859. A considerable number of persons were con- 
 verted, and a church was organized in Vandalia. 
 There were, probably, thirty members at the time, 
 among whom were the Runkles, Dodsons, Tobiases, 
 Davises, Johnsons, Wellses and others. 
 
 This charge is served at present by Rev. P. B. 
 Fasold. 
 
 The Tippe canoe City church was organized in 1826.
 
 84 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 Vandalia and Casstown were then part of the charge, 
 Rev. John Pantz was the first pastor. It is not known 
 where he was educated or to what Synod he belonged. 
 John Ritter and John Sanders were leading laymen. 
 They came from Pennsylvania. The first house of 
 worship was a log building erected in 1826, and was 
 intended for church and school purposes. Rev. A. S. 
 Link became pastor in 1839, and in 1846 the present 
 church was erected under his pastoral care. He was 
 followed by Revs. Aughe and Harris, and recalled in 
 1 86 1 and soon after died greatly lamented. The 
 membership became dispirited and were without a 
 pastor until 1863, when Rev. S. Weills was called. 
 This has been an important church, and has had the 
 services of many of our best pastors. It is now served 
 by Rev. J. H. Zinn. 
 
 The Urbana church was first organized in 1846, 
 with thirteen members, mostly from Virginia. The 
 leading laymen were J. Poffinberger, James Thompson, 
 Abraham Studebaker, J. Miller, Jacob Gardner, Wal- 
 ter E. Lochart, Shepherd Grove and Fred. Clotfelter. 
 The first pastor was Rev. A. Helwig, and the worship 
 in the English. The worship was conducted in a 
 school house, erected by J. Poffinberger, until 1851, 
 when a small brick church was built. During the 
 pastorship of Rev. Daniel Schindler a parsonage was 
 erected on part of the church lot. This church con- 
 tended with difficulties which hindered its growth, 
 until in 1861 the President of Synod reported that 
 " The congregation at Urbana is, in a manner, broken
 
 CONGREGATIONS AND PASTORS. 85 
 
 tip. They still hold the church property, worth about 
 $4,000.00, with a debt resting upon them of about 
 $800.00. Can anything be done to keep that prop- 
 erty in our possession?" The debt was afterwards 
 paid by selling the parsonage and part of the church 
 lot. The church remained vacant after the resignation 
 of Rev. J. D. Severinghaus, in 1863, until 1867, when 
 Rev. A. J. Imhoff, under the supervision of the Board 
 of Home Missions, organized the second time, with 
 twenty-five members, who were mostly from Germany 
 and understood very little English, but the worship 
 was conducted in the English alone. There were then 
 only six members of the first organization in the com- 
 munity, and they were old people, living, some of 
 them, at considerable distance from the church. In 
 1873 Rev. Imhoff retired from the pastorship, and 
 a year or two afterwards a meeting of the mem- 
 bers of this church was called for the purpose of dis- 
 banding ; but when they came together they could not 
 find it in their hearts to do so, and with tears and 
 promises they resolved to continue, and called Rev. J. 
 W. Souders as pastor. 
 
 Rev. A. J. Imhoff was recalled in 1877, and in 1885 
 and 1886 the house of worship was enlarged and im- 
 proved at an expense of $6,000.00. 
 
 The leading members in the second organization 
 were E. B. Gaumer, Elias Landis, John F. Rettberg, 
 Augustus Dernette and Louis Borger. 
 
 The present pastor is Rev. H. B. Shank. 
 
 The Troy Church. -In 1859, Rev. John Hinderer,
 
 86 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 who was educated at Wittenberg College, accepted a 
 call to a small Lutheran church in Troy. He was a 
 studious and very godly man, and continued in the 
 pastorship of this church until his death in 1880. 
 
 The leading laymen were Henry Stuck, Charles 
 Meyers, Henry, Frederick and William Raynurs, 
 John Sager, Charles and Christian Eidemiller. The 
 charter members were thirty. The church building 
 was bought from the Presbyterians in 1850, at a cost 
 of $5,000.00. The worship was in the German and 
 English languages. The church has been recently re- 
 constructed at a cost of thirteen hundred dollars 
 under the administration of Rev. S. C. Kinsinger. 
 
 The long struggling of this and some of the other 
 churches of our Synod, and their final success at the 
 last, indicates that there is a providence in their ex- 
 istence, and it seems to be true, as Bishop Macllvaine 
 said to a small congregation that proposed to disband, 
 "When God plants a vine He intends it to grow." 
 
 Harshmanville congregation, in 1886, under the 
 pastoral care of Rev. E. R. Wagner, Ph.D., was en- 
 gaged in the erection of a church which was dedicated 
 Jan. 23, 1887. It is a neat brick building, with spire, 
 stained glass windows, and inclined floor, and has a 
 seating capacity of 250. The cost of the edifice was 
 about $3,500.00. 
 
 The Rockway Church grew out of a movement in 
 1884-5, to start a Union Society. It was afterwards, 
 in 1887, organized as a Lutheran church under the 
 pastoral care of Rev. E. Lee Fleck. The house of
 
 CONGREGATIONS AND PASTORS. 87 
 
 worship was erected in 1885, and cost $4,200.00. 
 The leading members were W. H. Bitner, B. H. Ger- 
 man and L. Miller, all from Pennsylvania. The 
 present pastor is Rev. Geo. Bollinger. 
 
 St. John's English Lutheran Church of Delaware. 
 In 1885 there was a division in the Joint Ohio 
 Synod Lutheran church in Delaware, O. The osten- 
 sible occasion for the division seemed to be the Secret 
 Society question, but that was not all, for the Delaware 
 Daily Gazette of August 4th, says : " The Secret So- 
 ciety question is not the only reason for dissatisfaction ; 
 close communion and non-union of pulpit have long 
 been disapproved by the intelligent and progressive 
 portion of the congregation." The withdrawing party 
 first organized with a purpose to unite with the Gen- 
 eral Council, but that movement was not satisfactory, 
 because after they were organized and presented with 
 a constitution which seemed to them to put all power 
 in the hands of the pastor, they began to investigate 
 matters and found they had gone into a different 
 Synod, but yet very similar to the one they had left. 
 After several weeks of further consideration, on the 
 1 4th of November, they adopted the following : 
 
 Resolved, That, as a congregation, we unite with the General 
 Synod of the United States. 
 
 This necessitated reorganization, and Dr. S. A. Ort 
 was immediately telegraphed to come and preach and 
 organize a General Synod church. Dr. Ort came 
 and preached on the i5th of November, and returned
 
 88 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 again on the 22nd, accompanied by the President of 
 the Miami Synod, Dr. J. F. Shaffer. And the re- 
 organization was effected, and the following officers 
 were elected and installed : 
 
 Elders : Henry Bieber, John Lenhart, J. J. Richard 
 and Adam Cromer. Deacons : John Lasher, Jacob 
 Leibolt, Wm. Hannitch and A. Burkhart. 
 
 Trustees : Jacob Bieber, Charles Rubrecht, John 
 Steitz, Lewis Smith and Joel Rubrecht. 
 
 The little Welsh church, on Winter street, was 
 rented, and services held in it. Dr. Shaffer, by re- 
 quest, preached on the following Sunday, and after 
 the morning service, the congregation being requested 
 to remain, they proceeded, without his knowledge 
 or consent, and elected him as their pastor. They 
 presented him with a formal call, and asked 
 whether he would accept. He replied that he 
 would consider the matter and consult his family. 
 Four days later, on December 3, 1885, he sent in his 
 formal acceptance, and the following week, he, with 
 his family, moved to the city of Delaware, and com- 
 menced his ministry there on the i3th of December. 
 
 Dr. Shaffer entered upon this enterprise without any 
 promise of support from any of the Boards. They, as 
 yet, did not know of the movement. The congrega- 
 tion consisted of eighty-nine nominal members. That 
 was all he had : everything was to do. The members 
 were to be organized for practical work a lot to select 
 and purchase, a church edi-fice to erect. There was 
 a strain, but there must be no wavering under the cir-
 
 CONGREGATIONS AND PASTORS. 89 
 
 cu instances. He set about the work, made the ac- 
 quaintance of his members, organized a catechetical 
 class of thirty persons, obtained a loan of $2,000.00 
 from the Church Extension Board, and from the Home 
 Mission Board a grant of $300.00 per year for four 
 years. Providence favored, and he secured a valuable 
 and well located lot at $2,000.00. The congregation 
 were, in a short time, offered $800.00 bonus for the lot. 
 
 A building committee was appointed, and in eleven 
 months from the day of the organization of the con- 
 gregation, a house of worship was dedicated, which 
 cost about $11,000.00. 
 
 This church has had remarkable prosperity. It has 
 now a membership of two hundred and thirteen, a 
 Sunday-school of one hundred and thirty, and all the 
 departments of church work thoroughly organized. 
 
 The Third Lutheran Church in Springfield was 
 organized in 1887. Rev. E. Lee Fleck, educated at 
 Wittenberg College, became the first pastor. The 
 charter members were twenty-five, among whom were 
 Prof. Geo. H. Young, Dr. C. L. Ehrenfeld, C. L. 
 Reese, L. E. Miller, M. L. Sise and J. P. Lyday. A 
 church was immediately erected at a cost of about 
 $3,500.00, and dedicated Dec. iith, 1887. In Sep- 
 tember, 1888, Rev. E. Lee Fleck retired from the 
 pastorship, and the present pastor, Rev. L. S. Keyser, 
 was installed May 26th, 1889. The present member- 
 ship is about 135. They are well organized for all 
 the departments of church work. 
 
 The Fifth Lutheran Church in Springfield was
 
 9 o 
 
 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 organized July 5th, 1891. Rev. Frederick G. Got- 
 wald, educated at Wittenberg College, ordained by 
 Miami Synod October nth, 1891, was installed pastor, 
 March 27, 1892. The charter members were twenty- 
 one. The leading laymen were L. E. Miller, A. E. 
 Colt, J. Gerhardt, F. Danforth, H. Yonker, H. C. 
 Smith, B. Yonker, E. P. Miller, P. Gerhardt and others, 
 all Ohio men. 
 
 The first building was a dwelling house remodeled, 
 and dedicated December i4th, 1890. The second is a 
 beautiful stone building at a cost of $15,000.00. It 
 stands on the corner of East High and Greenmount 
 Avenue. This church had a small beginning, but has 
 had a rapid growth. They are now a strong people, 
 with a splendid property. 
 
 Second Lutheran church, Cincinnati, was organized 
 July ist, 1888, and Rev. J. A. Hall, D. D., became the 
 pastor. The leading members were Lewis Voight, 
 Geo. Fisher, F. H. Alms, J. H. Frey, F. Shuler, and 
 others, making in all thirty-eight charter members. 
 They were nearly all brought up in Cincinnati. They 
 erected, in 1891, a house of worship at a cost of 
 $22,000.00. 
 
 St. Paul's English Lutheran church, Cincinnati, 
 was organized October 6, 1889. The first pastor was 
 Rev. O. G. Klinger, who had been educated at Gettys- 
 burg, Pa. Stuckenberg, Cook, and twenty-seven 
 others constituted the charter members. They were 
 from the First church, on Elm street. They erected 
 a house of worship in 1892, at a cost of $10,000.00.
 
 CONGREGATIONS AND PASTORS. 
 
 9 1 
 
 This congregation grew out of a Sunday-school, organ- 
 ized in 1869, by Mr. H. H. Stuckenberg. Rev. E. R. 
 Wagner, under whose supervision the house of wor- 
 ship was erected, is the present pastor. 
 
 Columbus, Ohio, was visited from time to time dur- 
 ing the entire history of Miami Synod, with a view to 
 the organization of a General Synod church, but no 
 definite action was ever taken until in 1891, when the 
 Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran church was organized. 
 Rev. H. C. Grossman, under whose pastorate a house 
 of worship was erected, became the first pastor, but 
 was soon followed by Rev. F. L. Sigmund, who is the 
 present pastor. The charter members were twenty- 
 seven, of whom Dr. David Beaver and O. M. Runkle 
 were leaders. They dedicated a church February 7, 
 1892, which cost $4,500.00. 
 
 Trinity Lutheran church, Bellevue, Ky., was organ- 
 ized April 29th, 1892, by Rev. G. G. Clark, the first 
 pastor. The charter members were 30 ; among these 
 J. J. Troxell, E. W. Weaver and Charles P. Matti were 
 leaders. They erected, in the winter of 1892 and '93, 
 a house of worship at a cost of about $9,000.00. The 
 congregation is well organized and in a prosperous 
 condition. 
 
 St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran church, of Spring- 
 field, was on the 3oth day of May, 1888, organized on 
 the basis of the General Synod. The membership 
 consisted of 140 persons, including over fifty families. 
 
 In 1888, at the meeting in Delaware, the pastor, 
 Rev. C. W. Knuth, and the congregation, upon their
 
 9 2 
 
 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 application, were received into connection with the 
 Miami Synod. 
 
 Marietta church. The first German church in 
 Marietta was organized in 1839, under the name of 
 " Deutsche Vereinigte Evangelische Kirche." In 1 858 
 personal difficulties among the members caused a di- 
 vision. The larger portion of the membership with- 
 drawing, organized the German Evangelical Pro- 
 testant St. Luke's church, and remained independent. 
 The first Sunday in Advent, 1889, they introduced 
 English service in the evening, and soon after used 
 both languages in the catechetical class and Sunday- 
 school. The first pastor was Rev. Zobel, and was 
 probably educated in Germany, but did not belong to 
 a synod. During the first thirty-one years of the ex- 
 istence of the original church, it called and was served 
 by fifteen pastors who were either independent or be- 
 longed to different ecclesiastical organizations. This 
 first church of 1839, in later years, joined the Evan- 
 gelical Synod of North America. 
 
 The second church of 1858 is still independent, 
 though working harmoniously with their present pas- 
 tor, Rev. K. F. Thieme, who came into the Miami 
 Synod in 1892. In 1893, under the present pastor, 
 there was organized a new English-speaking organiza- 
 tion under the name of Evangelical Mission. This 
 new organization being duly organized under its own 
 constitution, with its own officers, made application 
 and was received into the Miami Synod at the recent 
 session in Urbana.
 
 FRAGMENTA. 
 
 93 
 
 No data for this history have been obtained from the 
 Casstown congregation, or from the Brookville, Os- 
 born and Newark charges. This is regretted, as there 
 are interesting facts connected with all of them. 
 
 FRAGMENTA. 
 
 Until 1863 the Synod held its sessions in April and 
 May; from that time until 1865, the meetings were in 
 June ; then four sessions were in August, and since 
 1869 they have been in October. 
 
 In the early history of the Synod evening services 
 in the churches were appointed to meet " at early 
 candle- lighting." 
 
 In 1847, the President reported, "The past winter 
 was discouraging to our ministers. The unusual in- 
 clemency of the weather and the difficulties of the 
 roads made it almost utterly impossible to convene 
 numerous audiences to attend divine worship." 
 
 For many years the Synod maintained correspond- 
 ence with other Lutheran Synods and the ecclesias- 
 tical bodies of other denominations. 
 
 There are no minutes of the 5th meeting of this 
 Synod. 
 
 At the meeting in 1849 there were ten ministers 
 present, but no officers. At the previous meeting six 
 had been dismissed to form the Olive Branch Synod. 
 Rev. J. Seiss, of Md.,was present at this meeting and 
 participated in the work of the Synod. Prof. Wm. M. 
 Reynolds by letter informed the Synod that he would 
 issue the ist number of the Evangelical Review the ist 
 of July. The enterprise was heartily approved of.
 
 94 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 In 1850 the Synod adopted a plan for increasing 
 the contributions to the various operations of the 
 church. 
 
 In 1852, after encountering a great diversity of 
 opinion, the Synod finally succeeded in adopting a 
 form for parochial reports. 
 
 In June 1855, the Synod memorialized the General 
 Synod, which met in Dayton, O., the same month, as 
 to a plan for a mission in Africa, and the General 
 Synod inaugurated the movement for such a mission. 
 
 In 1861 the Synod appointed a committee to re- 
 port on the national crisis and resolved to support the 
 government in the effort to suppress rebellion. 
 
 In 1863 a committee reported favorably of the 
 Union Doctrinal Basis of the Evangelical Ministerial 
 Association of Cincinnati. Dr. Harrison was Secretary 
 of the Association, and the doctrinal basis was de- 
 signed to show that there is a wide and substantial 
 agreement among Evangelical denominations. 
 
 In 1864 the committee on the state of religion, 
 says : " The wholesome practice of catechetical in- 
 struction preparatory to confirmation, though not 
 maintained by the majority of the pastors, continues 
 to be kept up by some." Since then catechisation 
 has become the universal custom in the churches of 
 this Synod. 
 
 In 1865 this Synod memoralized the Synods con- 
 nected with Wittenberg College of the propriety of 
 forming a Home Missionary. Union, auxiliary to the 
 Parent Society.
 
 FRAGMENT A. 
 
 95 
 
 In 1865 the delegates to the General Synod were 
 divided in reference to the action taken concerning 
 the Pennsylvania Synod, but the Miami Synod ap- 
 proved of the action of the General Synod. 
 
 In 1865 Rev. M. Officer secured from this Synod a 
 donation of one thousand dollars to aid the Mission 
 at Des Moines, Iowa, in erecting a house of worship. 
 
 This Synod has always taken a lively interest in fe- 
 male education ; at one time took an interest in the 
 Cooper Academy at Dayton, in which Prof. Victor 
 Conrad was teaching, and at another time in a propo- 
 sition to open a female seminary at Urbana, but the 
 final and best was to open the college to lady 
 students. 
 
 At the meeting in Cincinnati in 1872, Dr. Gran- 
 ville Moody of the M. E. church, being invited to a 
 seat as an advisory member, delivered an eloquent 
 eulogy on Luther and the church called by his name. 
 He referred to the conversion of John Wesley through 
 the instrumentality of a Lutheran divine, and to his 
 own personal interest in the Lutheran church because 
 of his connection with our lamented brethren, Drs. 
 Harrison and Diehl, (he was the uncle of their 
 wives). 
 
 During the winter and spring of 1876 meetings of 
 joint committees appointed by different Western 
 Synods were held to consider the establishment of a 
 church paper. But no action was taken, because the 
 Synods would not make themselves responsible finan- 
 cially in the matter. This Synod by resolution, prom-
 
 96 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 ised to encourage any individual or individuals who 
 would publish such a paper, by procuring subscribers 
 for the same. This action preceded the inaugura- 
 tion of the second Lutheran Evangelist ; the first was 
 one published at Springfield, in 1853, with Prof. V. L. 
 Conrad as editor. 
 
 At the meeting held in 1876, in a lengthy memorial 
 to railroad corporations, are found these words, 
 " Therefore, we, the members of the Miami Synod of 
 the Lutheran Church, do this day, in the name of our 
 common Master, petition the railroad officials through- 
 out the country not to run trains of cars on Sunday 
 except of actual necessity and mercy." 
 
 The Synod, at one time, considered the propriety 
 of employing a special Missionary to stimulate the 
 Sunday-school work in the congregations. 
 
 In 1846 Rev. J. B. Oliver reported the organiza- 
 tion of five congregations, and the building of three 
 churches, in the Wabash valley ; and thirteen mem- 
 bers of John's church, Hocking county, Ohio, asked the 
 Synod to receive Rev. Conrad Reiman into member- 
 ship. He had been their faithful pastor for seven 
 years. And St. Peter's church, Camden, Ind., ap- 
 plied for admission into Synod, and for aid to support 
 Rev. McReynolds as the pastor. 
 
 On the subject of divorce, the Synod in 1884 
 adopted the following : 
 
 " Resolved, That the members of this Synod be requested to 
 preach on the subject, and set forth the sacredness of the mar- 
 riage relation, and the only scriptural grounds of divorce ; and to
 
 FRAGMENTA. 
 
 97 
 
 use every honorable means to awaken public sentiment against 
 the evil." 
 
 In 1854 the Synod 
 
 Resolved, That we highly approve of the manner in which the 
 Evangelical Lutheran has been conducted. 
 
 Mr. A. Bosserman was dismissed from Synod for the 
 publication of fundamental errors in doctrine. 
 
 In 1855 Rev. J. Surface, with some laymen whom he 
 ordained, organized the so-called Salem Synod. The 
 action was declared irregular and he was suspended 
 until he would confess his error, which he did in 1858 
 and was fully restored.
 
 ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 
 
 BY REV. A. J. IMHOFF, D. D. 
 
 Fathers and Brothers of the Miami Synod: I 
 come to you with greetings on this fiftieth anni- 
 versary of our Synod. In some things no fifty years 
 of this world's history have been more remarkable 
 than the latter half of this nineteenth century. In 
 commercial, political and religious condition this 
 world is not what it was in 1844, when a'little band of 
 men founded our Synod at Xenia, Ohio. Since then 
 Christianity and western civilization have obtained a 
 permanent foot-hold in China, Japan, Hindoostan and 
 Ceylon. An unknown continent in Africa has been 
 explored and occupied by the advanced guards of 
 modern enterprise and its attendants. The gold of 
 California and of the Rocky Mountains has been 
 mined, and the cities and orange groves of the Pacific 
 coast have come into existence. Slavery in the 
 United States has been abolished by the most stupen- 
 dous war of modern times. Mormonism in Utah has 
 yielded to legislation. The liquor traffic has been as- 
 sailed by Christian sentiment. Railroads have be- 
 come a network in our Eastern States, and have their 
 (98)
 
 ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 
 
 99 
 
 trunk lines across the continent. Electricity has been 
 made to carry our messages, light our cities, propel 
 our street cars and run our machinery. 
 
 It is impossible at this hour to enumerate, much 
 less to describe, the wonderful developments of me- 
 chanical, commercial and moral enterprises of this 
 little bit of Southern Ohio territory on which our 
 Synod has operated, much less of all this vast country 
 and the world. Within the bounds of our own Synod 
 the farms, the turnpike roads, the railroads, the cities, 
 and their industries, the public schools, the colleges, 
 the churches, the asylums, have all grown to their 
 present importance. Intelligent philanthropy and 
 vast increase of wealth have put into operation a 
 thousand devices for the relief of suffering humanity. 
 Fifty years ago Cincinnati was a respectable town, 
 Dayton, Springfield and Columbus were villages. 
 Now the whole region is filled with large communities 
 and extensive industries. 
 
 It would seem to be a proper thing this evening to 
 speak of the whole Lutheran church during the past 
 fifty years ; but that is so large a field that Dr. Wolf 
 and Rev. Lenker each with a large volume, have only 
 outlined the subject. I may be allowed, however, to 
 say that the Lutheran missionary and evangelistic 
 work, carried on in all lands during the past 350 years 
 of Protestant Christianity, was never so active and vast 
 in its operations, as during these later years. 
 
 In the remarkable activity of this present century, 
 the Church has been in touch with every forward
 
 100 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 movement. It has often led in the general eager- 
 ness for large undertakings. Many things, in this 
 century, have been accomplished for the evangeliza- 
 tion of the world, that were never attempted before. 
 
 The increase in membership, in educational 
 agencies calling into requisition influence and wealth 
 for the propagation of the Church, has been truly 
 wonderful. Never did Christian sentiment dominate 
 this world as it does now. It will be admitted that 
 the Protestant Christian people have been the fore- 
 most leaders in the great enterprises promoting 
 science, government and religion. And it will be ad- 
 mitted, also, that the Lutheran people all this while 
 have been nearly one-half of these Protestants. The 
 records show that they have been equal in their activ- 
 ity to any part of this enterprising Protestant popula- 
 tion of the world. 
 
 I therefore offer for consideration this, viz. : That 
 whatever progress has been made in higher civiliza- 
 tion, Lutheran people have been among the leaders. 
 And that in any true revival of religion that has ob- 
 tained during the last half century, the Lutheran 
 Church has shared equally with any Protestant church. 
 The first part of this proposition I will not attempt to 
 discuss. I desire to call attention to the second part, 
 viz. : " That in any true revival of religion that has 
 obtained during the last half century, the Lutheran 
 Church has shared equally with any Protestant 
 church." 
 
 That there has been a revival in all the Protestant
 
 ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. IQI 
 
 churches, during this century, every intelligent Chris- 
 tian knows. 
 
 At the opening of the century Deism and bald athe- 
 ism held sway in England and France. 
 
 In this country the infidelity of England had the 
 effect to produce religious indifferentism ; so that 
 whilst absolute infidelity had not many advocates, 
 there were very many who scorned to be counted as 
 believers. Very few students, in the colleges, pro- 
 fessed religion, and professional men rarely were com- 
 muning members and active workers in any church. 
 During the first half of the century rationalism was in 
 vogue in Germany, and wrought havoc among the Lu- 
 theran people there, and in all the lands to which they 
 were emigrating. But the gates of hell did not pre- 
 vail, for God came to the aid of his Church. Many 
 gifted men were filled by the Holy Ghost, and by in- 
 telligent and persistent labor turned back the tide of 
 infidelity, and a revival of religion followed. It was felt 
 first in England and all her colonies, especially in the 
 United States. The most formidable enemy, how- 
 ever, of Christianity in moderm times, was the form 
 of infidelity known as German Rationalism. 
 
 It did its greatest harm among Lutheran people ; 
 but it was, during the middle part of this century, 
 confronted by the learning and piety of Lutheran 
 scholars and thoroughly refuted. 
 
 There is now perhaps more German Rationalism 
 in this country than in Germany. The overthrow of 
 Rationalism in Germany was followed by extensive re-
 
 102 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 vival. The dawning of revival in the Lutheran coun- 
 tries of Europe, was indicated not by camp-meetings, 
 protracted meetings and their revival methods, but by 
 enthusiastic missionary and general benevolent work. 
 That the greatly increased missionary work of the 
 Lutheran Church in Europe is the result of the re- 
 vival of this age, is manifested by the fact that much 
 of its most extensive work of Christian benevolence is 
 of recent date. As for example, the Rauhe Haus, 
 which conducts Sunday-schools, establishes orphan- 
 asylums and houses of protection for the wayward, 
 the tempted and the fallen, the prison work, the Mag- 
 delene Aid Societies in short, the Inner Missions, 
 the Foreign Missions, the Seamen's Missions, Jew- 
 ish Missions, Students' Missionary Societies, Tract 
 and Bible Societies, Gustavus Adolphus Societies, 
 Lutheran Lord's Treasuries, Deaconesses Work and 
 Educational Work, are all of recent date, and they re- 
 present a grand self-denying Christian activity. They 
 are so many varied systems of charitable and mission- 
 ary work, with centers of operation in all parts of 
 Germany and the Scandanavian countries. These 
 constantly multiplying organizations are, all of them, 
 things of our day. Many of them have been origi- 
 nated since the organization of our own Synod. And 
 all these institutions are backed up by thousands of 
 consecrated Christians and millions of money ; and 
 are pushing on the evangelization of all the home 
 countries by Inner Mission work and of the whole 
 world by Foreign Mission work.
 
 ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 
 
 103 
 
 The point I make is that all this work, though some 
 of it had its beginning in the past centuries, is evi- 
 dence of revival during the closing decades of the 
 present century. This will be illustrated by any one 
 of the Christian activities of European Lutherans. 
 Take, at random, the Norwegian Ev. Lutheran Sea- 
 man's Missionary Society. It was organized in 1864, 
 sent out its first missionary in 1865, held its first con- 
 vention the same year with 12 delegates from 7 dis- 
 tricts. In 1887, at the ninth general convention, it 
 was represented by 67 delegates from 43 districts. 
 Their missionaries in foreign lands are operating in 
 ten principal stations and a great number of sub- 
 stations. The "Brotherhood on the Sea," organized 
 by ship captains, carry their special flag from the 
 mast of more than 200 ships, telling that in their 
 vessels Almighty God is worshipped according to the 
 service of the Lutheran Church of Norway. In alK 
 their principal stations they have, in this short time of 
 twenty-nine years, fine church edifices and other 
 properties. All this work is supported by voluntary 
 contributions at home and abroad. One source of 
 support, and I name only one, is their ladies' socie- 
 ties, of which they have several hundred. Their lad- 
 ies change their needle and fancy work into money 
 by fairs and private sales. They also send boxes of 
 clothing to be distributed to seamen and their fami- 
 lies. American ladies are not the only ones who 
 indulge in missionary work. Thirty-five Women's 
 Societies are doing city mission work in the city of
 
 104 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 Christiania alone. Norway has 3,000 Women's So- 
 cieties working in the interests of Home and Foreign 
 Missions. 
 
 If it needs anything further to show that Lutheran 
 Protestants have kept fully abreast with the best evan- 
 gelizing spirit of the age, I might cite you to the 
 ninety-three Y. M. C. A's. of Denmark, and hundreds 
 of similar things, showing that there has been, and 
 there still is, a true revival of religion among the 
 Lutheran people in Europe. 
 
 But I can not spend this whole evening in an at- 
 tempt to give you an idea of what the Lutheran Church 
 has done in foreign lands since we commenced work 
 in the Miami Synod. You must read " Lutherans in 
 all Lands" if you would have any correct idea. 
 
 I want to show what has been done at home. At 
 the organization of the Miami Synod, in 1844, there 
 were in the United States 13 Synods, 633 ministers, 
 and 195,508 members; since then 45 Synods have 
 been organized, and there are now 58 Synods, 5,102 
 ministers and 1,234,762 members, more than 6^ 
 times as many. 
 
 Then there were 5 theological schools, now there 
 are 26. Then there was one college, now 32 : no 
 Young Ladies' Seminary, now 10. Then there was 
 one Academy, now 44. Then no orphan's home or 
 asylum of any kind, now 66. Then there were two 
 Lutheran periodicals published in this country, now 
 132 are published, in 9 different languages. Then 
 Lutheran books were published by two publishing
 
 ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 
 
 105 
 
 houses, now there are twenty "American Lutheran 
 Publication Houses." 
 
 Everything we had then was in its beginning and 
 weak, now these things are strong and moving on- 
 ward with accumulating momentum. 
 
 This work in the United States has not all been 
 done by the Lutheran people here at home, but they 
 have been helped by the missionary operations of the 
 father-lands, just as those consecrated people by their 
 foreign missionary work have helped in India, China, 
 Palestine, Africa, Australia, Madagascar, Greenland, 
 South America, and elsewhere all over the world. 
 
 Don 't forget my text : In any true revival of relig- 
 ion that has obtained during the last half century, the 
 Lutheran people have shared equally with any Prot- 
 estant church. The magnitude of the work done by 
 them in this and other lands is so great that to com- 
 prehend it the imagination is almost dazed. 
 
 But come nearer home, into our own Ohio. In 
 Wooster, in 1844, when our Synod was first proposed, 
 there was a very small frame structure which since 
 gave place to a substantial brick church, and that 
 again was supplanted by the present large and ele- 
 gant modern church edifice. Like things, and even 
 greater things, have been done at Ashland, Mansfield, 
 Bucyrus, Findlay, Tiffin and scores of other places in 
 northern Ohio. All over, Ohio and Indiana, where 
 our Lutheran people then worshiped in private 
 houses and school houses, they have since then 
 erected beautiful churches and dedicated them to
 
 106 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 the worship of Almighty God. Like things have been 
 done in our own southern Ohio. Then there was 
 one small church in Dayton, since then large and 
 beautiful churches. Then the Lutheran mission of 
 Cincinnati worshiped in the little church on the 
 south side of Ninth street; since then that gave 
 place to the large church on Elm street, and now 
 Cincinnati boasts of its four substantial churches 
 and its flourishing congregations. Then Springfield 
 had no church, since then it has grown to be a 
 Lutheran city with its five churches. And all over 
 our Miami Synod territory are handsome churches 
 and flourishing congregations where there was noth- 
 ing then. 
 
 Then Wittenberg College was coming into exist- 
 ence, but had nothing, not even a location. Some 
 one seems to have given it a name, however. Since 
 then it has enrolled hundreds among its alumni and 
 gathered hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of 
 property and endowment. It has made its name 
 significant and its fame world-wide. 
 
 When Christ, on one of the mountains of Galilee, 
 commissioned his Church, of whom there were more 
 than 500 present, He said, "Go ye and teach all 
 nations, disciple them, baptizing them, teaching them 
 to observe all things." " Lo ! I am with you alway, 
 even to the end of the world." And he has kept his 
 promise with our Lutheran forefathers even in the 
 wilds of Southern Ohio. 
 
 The times were still somewhat primitive when the
 
 ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 107 
 
 first Miami Synod preachers made their appointments 
 at early candle lighting, and the tallow dip lighted 
 the school house or the log church. They went to 
 their appointments on foot, because the roads were 
 too bad for a horse to go. Then the national road 
 was the wonder of this country, and the canal-boat 
 and stage-coach were great conveniences for through 
 travel, but the dense forests prevented the sun from 
 drying up the water and mud in the by-roads. The 
 macadamized roads and safe bridges had not yet 
 come to southern Ohio. The man who could lead 
 his horse around the mud-hole and mount his back 
 to swim the swollen stream, was a man fit to preach. 
 The hardship endured by some of these men is some- 
 thing wonderful. No distance was too great, no 
 roads too impassable, no weather too unfavorable for 
 them. In the heat of summer, in the cold of winter, 
 through dust or mud, under hot sun or cold snow- 
 storm, they went to their appointments. 
 
 It is fair to presume that no man would do so 
 without some incentive. What it was with these 
 men, every man must judge for himself. Men some- 
 times do work that is more noble than the motives 
 which impel them. If the enthusiastic zeal of these 
 men was created by anything else than to meet per- 
 sonal responsibility, do good to men and glorify God, 
 they are to be pitied indeed. But if they were led 
 by the Holy Ghost, then they are to be honored for 
 their work. Many of them have entered into their 
 rest, but the sowing and the planting they did is still
 
 108 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 producing a harvest of glory annually as the years 
 come and go. 
 
 The physical disadvantages were great, but the 
 fathers of the Miami Synod met even greater hinder- 
 ances in the moral and religious condition of the 
 people to whom they sought to dispense the gospel. 
 
 They came in the name of a Church not known to 
 sister denominations, a Church fearfully misrepre- 
 sented by some who thought and sought to be its ad- 
 vocates. There were conflicts within and conflicts 
 without, and scoffings from indifferent and inadvised 
 spectators. There is a chapter in the experience of 
 Lutheranism on our territory we could wish to sup- 
 press, but history will not down. The facts have 
 gone on record. They can not be suppressed. 
 
 Prior to 1820 Lutheran people and their descend- 
 ants constituted a part of the great American com- 
 munity. And although, for reasons that cannot now 
 be given, they were not especially prominent, they 
 yet were a Lutheran Church in these United States. 
 
 With the organization of the General Synod the 
 great revival of the present century began among 
 them. Lifeless inactivity gave place to the active 
 measures which were encouraged by the "special 
 conferences " recommended by the General Synod. 
 These conferences were recommended to be held 
 either on week day or Sunday, and not less than two 
 days. The chief business to be performed, was to 
 awaken and convert sinners, and to edify believers 
 by close practical preaching of the gospel. The
 
 ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 109 
 
 state of religion in the churches was to be inquired 
 into, and at least one hour spent in conversation on 
 subjects relating to pastoral experience. 
 
 These meetings, thus sanctioned by such high 
 authority, had the effect to fire the activity of all the 
 churches, and the prayer-meeting, the protracted 
 meeting, the Sunday-school, the Young Men's Chris- 
 tian Association, the Young People's Meetings, the 
 Young Women's Christian Association, the Woman's 
 Home and Foreign Missionary Societies, the Chris- 
 tian Endeavor and Luther League, with the Church 
 Social, and the Mite Society, and the Pay Supper, and 
 Missionary Tea, all came into existence, as ways in 
 which the revived church expressed its new life. 
 
 This revivification, commencing in the General 
 Synod and affecting nearly all the Lutheran Church 
 in this country, applies more especially, however, to 
 the revived activity of the General Synod, the Gen- 
 eral Council, and the United Synod South. The ac- 
 tivity of the Scandinavian and German Synods de- 
 pends largely, if not entirely, upon the revival in the 
 old country. Indeed, that large and important part 
 of our Church found in the German and Scandina- 
 vian Synods in this country, had almost no existence 
 prior to the last quarter of a century ; and the great 
 things done in that part of the Church are the result 
 of the fostering care of the fatherland churches, go- 
 ing out after and caring for their own children. 
 Consequently I am not now speaking of them. I am 
 considering the effect of the revival upon the people
 
 HO HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 whose ancestors were in this country prior to 1820. 
 I am now speaking of the people and their churches 
 who catne, more directly, from the Lutheran Church 
 of the early history of our country. 
 
 And in this synodical anniversary we should es- 
 pecially remember that our work has been largely 
 among the descendants of the membership of these 
 early churches. They came to southern Ohio shortly 
 before and about the time of the organization of our 
 Synod. They were mostly people who had been 
 under the influence of revival measures in the East- 
 ern States. At least most of their leaders had been, 
 and consequently their spiritual needs required a 
 ministry and a worship somewhat different from that 
 which had been founded by the early Lutheran immi- 
 gration to these parts. The new Synod, with its more 
 active and aggressive measures, was a necessity, 
 brought about by the great revival of religion that 
 prevailed during the early and middle parts of this 
 century, among nearly all the churches of Protestant 
 Christendom. 
 
 That this new Synod, with its active measures, 
 seemed to antagonize the old Ohio Synod, was un- 
 avoidable. That the antagonism did much mischief, 
 no one will deny. Some, in the new Synod, were 
 conservative in their views of church work and sought 
 to allay the bitter strife, but others were not. To 
 them it seemed necessary to make radical changes. 
 They could have no patience with what they deemed 
 dead churches and dead pastors, who would set
 
 ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 1 1 1 
 
 themselves to oppose every movement inaugurated 
 for the purpose of suppressing vice, such as gambling, 
 drunkenness, Sabbath desecration, profane swearing, 
 and other gross immoralities. And they were espe- 
 cially offended that these churches and pastors would 
 oppose not only all moral reform movements, but 
 also all active measures for the evangelization of 
 the irreligious masses. It seemed intolerable that 
 this opposition should be made in the name of 
 pure doctrine that they should claim to be the 
 only people who adhered to the true and pure Luth- 
 eran faith. 
 
 Some of the radical " New Measure " people seemed 
 unable to distinguish between the doctrinal preten- 
 sions and the unchristian proceedings of the opposers, 
 and began a search for heresy. They claimed, or ad- 
 mitted what they understood was chimed by others, 
 that the Lutheran doctrine was at fault. They held 
 that the old Lutherans believed that the Sacraments 
 imparted salvation, or a spiritual change "from the 
 mere outward performance of the act." That some of 
 the so-called New Lutherans did believe that this 
 false notion was entertained by some of the so-called 
 Old Lutherans is evident from the recorded proceed- 
 ings of our own Synod. This heresy-hunting was 
 continued until many of the laity and some of the 
 ministry, in the smoke of controversy, were made to 
 think that perhaps, after all, the miserable church life 
 of dead congregations was the result of unsound doc- 
 trine in the Augsburg Confession. They were made
 
 1 1 2 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 to think it, and yet they could not believe it. And 
 they were willing to give the church of their youth 
 and their love the benefit of the doubt. They sought 
 to have certainty before they could be hurried into so 
 grave a step as that of denouncing their own church. 
 Consequently, they set themselves about the work of 
 prayerfully studying these venerable doctrines in the 
 light of God's word and of history. And they soon dis- 
 covered the falsehood of setting up formality as the 
 result of the teachings of the Augsburg Confession. 
 And when they had once discovered the falsehood, 
 they vigorously denounced it as a deception, and a 
 soxil-destroying misrepresentation of the truth. And 
 thus liberated from the thraldom of the error, they re- 
 joiced greatly, because they had found the true faith 
 of Luther and Melanchthon, a faith which they could 
 heartily believe ; and they set themselves to the work 
 of propagating it with an enthusiasm they had never 
 experienced before. 
 
 The life-giving power of this faith is seen, not in 
 the cold formality of dead orthodoxy, nor yet in the 
 wild extravagance of mere sentimentality and its ac- 
 companying sensationalism, but in the true spirituality 
 of believers, and an orthodox pietism such as attended 
 the ministry of Spener, Francke, and Arndt. 
 
 We are now rejoicing in a conservative Lutheranism 
 which discards the extremes of what, in the organiza- 
 tion of our Synod, were known as "old and new meas- 
 ures ;" as orthodoxy and latitudinarianism. 
 
 Our Joint Ohio Synod brethren are no more willing
 
 ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 113 
 
 to unite with us now than they were then, but in 
 many things essential to the oneness of a great church, 
 having the same fundamental doctrines, we are cer- 
 tainly not as far apart as we were then. There is now 
 some comity and some willingness to admit that we 
 are all Lutherans. It is perhaps true that the great 
 Lutheran Church of this country is to-day not so 
 much a divided church, as it is a church of separated 
 Synods, waiting for grace and knowledge enough to 
 remove the very unimportant barriers to union. Or- 
 ganic union will probably never be effected. It may 
 never be desired. It might not contribute to the 
 greater efficiency in the general work. But it is suffi- 
 ciently evident that the germs of the Lutheran doc- 
 trine, as living and growing forces, are in these sepa- 
 rated Synods, and under the development of these 
 forces the Synods are coming to the faith and spirit 
 of the Lutheran reformers at Augsburg. Whether 
 these germs of doctrine are expressed in the Augus- 
 tana, or in the Catechism, or in all the Symbolical 
 Books, is of very little account, as these things are 
 only the scaffolding, which will be taken down when the 
 building is completed. But until the building is com- 
 pleted it would be dangerous and unwise to remove 
 the scaffolding. But because these germ doctrines 
 are the kernel of the Gospel of Christ, they them- 
 selves will always stand. The Lutheran conception 
 of Christ and the plan of salvation is the true one, 
 and the one to which the world will finally come. 
 This is evident from what the foremost thinkers and
 
 IT 4 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 scholars in the sister churches are now saying about 
 Lutheranism. 
 
 The physical difficulties and the adverse moral 
 and religious condition of the people were not the 
 only hindrances in the way of some of the early 
 preachers of this Synod. Some of them were exceed- 
 ingly embarrassed by want of suitable personal pre- 
 paration, and unfit for their work. They had edu- 
 cation, but it was not in the line of Lutheranism. 
 They had a general knowledge of Church History, but 
 they did not know their own church. They had 
 libraries, but they did not contain Lutheran literature. 
 They had been educated in the English language and 
 had read the Church literature of English-speaking 
 churches. The immense wealth of literature in their 
 own church was locked up in a language which was 
 foreign to them ; they did not know what it was, and 
 often did not know that it existed. Is it any wonder 
 that they knew so much concerning the English- 
 speaking denominations, and almost nothing of their 
 own church ? Many of them became studious men. 
 It can not be charged that they lived illiterate lives. 
 They gathered libraries and they used them. Those 
 libraries contained the choicest gems of English Puri- 
 tanism, and the ablest productions of New England 
 Calvinism, but almost nothing of Lutheranism. True, 
 the Henkels had translated the Symbolical books into 
 the English ; but with the prejudice entertained against 
 the "Old Measure " men, they were loath to purchase 
 anything translated by them. Ah ! yes, it must not
 
 ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. ng 
 
 be forgotten that about all the Lutheran literature in 
 English dress, found in our present libraries, has come 
 into existence during the last quarter of a century. 
 With the facility we now have of studying Lutheran 
 theology in our own English, it is no wonder that 
 there is a tendency to a more pronounced acceptance 
 of its teachings, because when men come to know 
 this grand old Lutheran doctrine, they rise up to call 
 it blessed. 
 
 I am profoundly thankful to participate in this \ 
 fiftieth meeting of delegates representing a strong and 
 well-organized Church, presided over by able and 
 well-supported pastors. I am thankful to have come 
 to a time when the grand work these churches are 
 doing in the great Miami valley is known and appre- 
 ciated when no one feels called upon to apologize 
 for the existence of Lutheranism, and no one is found 
 asking what is a Lutheran Church ; a time when our 
 Church is known as the Church of the Reformation 
 of the renaissance of Christianity her doctrines, for- 
 mulated by the best thinkers and most godly men of 
 four hundred years of this world's best history, are 
 believed, and they are believed to contain the true 
 sense of the word of God. And, as whatsoever 
 contains the true sense of the word of God cannot 
 change, so these doctrines cannot change. They must 
 become old, but that will not make them less true. 
 There is a true there is a one and only sense of 
 the word of God ; and whatever bold departures 
 from that true sense there may be at any time, pro-
 
 Il6 HISTORY OF MIAMI SYNOD. 
 
 ducing agitation, speculation and discussion, the end 
 of years and ages will find the people believing 
 the old doctrines. They never change, they never 
 modify, they are the one and only sense of the word 
 of God. All the wonderful in art and science and 
 human progress must leave these doctrines the same, 
 just as it must leave the nature of God and the essen- 
 tials of matter the same. The best outcome of Chris- 
 tianity will always be on the line of the fullest de- 
 velopment of the true sense of the word of God. And 
 the conviction will finally come to all careful observ- 
 ers of the progress of theological thought, that the 
 Christianity of the future will be with the people who 
 plant themselves firmly on the catholic creeds, the 
 Apostles' creed, and its development as found in the 
 Nicene and Athanasian and Augsburg and all kindred 
 creeds. And this will be because God did reveal 
 Himself to the primitive Church. It is not true that 
 He reserved the revelation of the true sense of His 
 word for this age of wonderful science and most won- 
 derfully conflicting philosophy. No such reservation 
 was made, and consequently the wisdom of this age, 
 and all the other ages, will never get beyond what was 
 revealed to the primitive Church. 
 
 This does not mean, however, that the future will 
 never develop the practical results of what was re- 
 vealed to the apostles, and martyrs, and reformers. 
 The practical results of the true sense of the word of 
 God are seen in the grand thing of Christian power 
 in our day. As the true sense of the word of God is
 
 ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 117 
 
 more fully apprehended, the watchmen on Zion's 
 walls see more and more eye to eye, and the things 
 of error, and prejudice, and bigotry, are discarded. 
 Christian people grow in knowledge and truth, and 
 come into harmony as they come into a better un- 
 derstanding of the great fundamentals of God's word ; 
 and they are able to recognize each other in their 
 oneness in Christ. The practical results will be the 
 united strength of all Christian people in the promo- 
 tion of the kingdom of God. The unity of all the 
 true believers in Christ will be the result of the cor- 
 rect apprehension of the true sense of God's word, 
 and the full development of this unity will be the tri- 
 umph of Christ.
 
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