Festschrift zum Fünfzig-jahrigen Jubiläum, 1868-1918
Fiftieth Anniversary Festival Book for St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church
The pastor's quarters under the church were always damp and unhealthy to live in; therefore Pastor Mueller had accepted the call of the congregation on the condition that a parsonage would be built as soon as possible. On the 1st of January, 1890, during the first assembly of the year, the decision to build a parsonage was made. George Lohrmann was given the task of constructing the building for the sum of $1900. In the summer of the year 1895, the congregation celebrated its 25th anniversary.
Why in the following years the contributions were often not enough to cover the running expenses can not be determined. Often late payments had to be made and the lazy payers had to be reprimanded. Many disagreeable situations ensued and a lot of nagging. Nevertheless the congregation decided to build a new church through voluntary contributions to a fund. Pastor Mueller and August Siegel were named to the collection committee. By the 7th of October, the sum of $350 had already been collected and Edwin Klehm was appointed to administer this dear treasure. But the situation in the congregation developed in such a way that Pastor Mueller found it necessary to tender his resignation on July 5, 1896. Even though he was asked to stay, he preferred to leave because the situation had not improved.
The congregation had once again to chose a pastor. Therefore, they invited three guest preachers: Pastor H. Schmidt from Lincoln, Illinois, was the victor in this competition. He accepted the call at a yearly salary of $550 and began his term on the 25th of May, 1897. In the following year, his salary was $600. Since several improvements in the property of the congregation were necessary, as for example an iron fence around the pastor's lot, it was decided that every member should pay a contribution of $8 and more if possible. A better financial gain began to be realized with a school festival.
The constitution of the congregation was revised again and printed yearly reports were distributed. On the 4th of July 1901, lightning struck the church tower and a little later the chimney. Were those warnings of God? Since the damage done to the steeple and the chimney could not be easily repaired, there was cause to think about the building of a new church. A thorough repair job of the old church which would have been necessary did not seem advisable. However, the building of a new church was a big task therefore one needed to proceed cautiously.
Member Portraits, page 15
| Mr. and Mrs. J. Ahrens | Mrs. Sophie Baumann | Mr. and Mrs. J. Ruesch |
A committee was to make inquiries as to how and for what price one could build. The committee was supposed to collect signatures as well. More than $6115 had been signed up for by the time the matter was again discussed and 11 members voted for the project and 25 voted against it. But on the 1st of June, 1902, a vote to build was almost unanimous. The Building Committee consisted of Sam Meyer, Chairman, Pastor Schmidt, Secretary, F. Stielow, Treasurer, C. Schnur, W. Ross, A. Siegel, George C. Klehm, J. Jarmuth and C. Guenther. This committee got together for a while each Saturday evening and a number of regular and special congregational meetings dealt with the construction matter. In the meantime, a number of members got building material.
Finally, everything had gotten so far that a contract was written on May 3, 1905. According to the plan and under the direction of the Architect named Steuben from Chicago, the building was to be constructed for the sum of $17,220. This amount was much higher and the amount to be borrowed, $7000, was much more than had been originally planned; but the commitment to the big task was strong and the project went forward. On May 10th, the last impressive church service was held in the old church in which for 35 years the congregation had been refreshed by the mercy of God and had enjoyed many blessings. On the following day, they started to demolish the old church and on the 14th of June, the first stone for the new church was laid. The building approached completion quickly and without incident and the beautiful festivity of the dedication of the church was celebrated on the 15th of May, 1903 (sic).
The building of this church and the dedication was one of the glorious periods in the history of this congregation. But as it is in the lives of individuals and in the history of the people of God: after periods of beautiful days of sunshine...
The view corresponds to the picture on page 4. This view of the church minus the small towers would be after the damage of the 1915 storm had been repaired. The picture of the church on page 1 is the way the church looked from 1904 to 1913.
.....dark clouds of thunderstorms gather. The great work of the construction of the church was hardly over and the inspiring dedication when it was realized that within some members the dwelling place of the Lord was defective. How beautiful it would have been if one could have seen in the new church: how fine and lovely it is when brothers live in harmony with one another. But jealousy and disagreement showed itself and worked against the continuing development of the congregation and deprived the pastor of joyfulness in his work with the congregation.
Even though the debts were somewhat pressing, and all kinds of ways and means had to be found to meet them, it was soon decided to install central heating in order to heat the church better than with stoves. This installation required the sum of $985, which was covered in large measure by contributions both large and small which were borrowed without interest. If only with that the inner warmth, the hot ember of brotherly love and the fire of the Holy Ghost had been ignited powerfully in the heart!
Pastor Schmidt planned yet to celebrate a beautiful festivity, the fortieth anniversary of the congregation. But it was not given to him to see his beautiful wish fulfilled, because the Lord of the church laid him on a sick and dying bed shortly before Christmas and took him home after a sickness of only three days, where he could rest from all his labors and jubilate with the saints in the Church Triumphant. He died on the 19th of December, 1907. The congregation honored him with a dignified funeral in Chicago from whence his body was taken to Lincoln, Illinois, and interred there.
The vacant congregation called Pastor A. Behrens of Chicago to serve temporarily; however, after he had held several services, he died suddenly here in the train station when going home. After him. Pastor Holz, Sr. was employed and served the congregation until the permanent calling of the new pastor.
On the 16th of February, 1908, Pastor P. Hausmann of Marietta, Ohio, was selected and assured a salary of $700 and heating material. At the same time, the widow of Pastor H. Schmidt was employed as organist at a yearly salary of $150. Pastor Hausmann started on the 3rd of May, 1908. He started immediately to hold bi-monthly services in the language of the land. Two beautiful celebrations took place during this time. On the 12th of July, 1908, the celebration of the 40th anniversary, which had been planned the year before and on the 1st of May, 1910, the inauguration of the new organ. The acquisition of the organ was close to the heart of Pastor Hausmann.
Through his intervention, the philanthropist, Mr. A. Carnegie, had been moved to contribute $800 toward the purchase of a new organ. It cost $1800. In conjunction with the dedication of the organ, the magnificent memorial window, given by Mrs. Louise Hufmeyer in memory of her parents, Nikolaus and Elisabeth Meyer, was inaugurated. Even more to the beautification of the church was the contribution of electric lights by the youth group that existed at that time. As had happened previously. Pastor Hausmann tried to get the youth to contribute certain amounts to the treasury of the congregation through the introduction of the envelope system; however, as had been the case earlier and as well as later, the desired success was missing. An extra Easter collection was introduced around this time which contributes a good amount each year to the treasury, but the youth do not show the necessary interest here as well; only a few of the young people contribute usually. On the 2nd of April, 1911, the congregation gave the pastor a salary increase of $100 and the organist $50. Further improvements consisted in the fact that in July a cement path was laid behind the parsonage to the church and the women's association decided to have the interior of the church decorated. In spite of all of these improvements. Pastor Hausmann felt moved to tender his resignation on the 17th of September, 1911. On the 12th of November, he gave his final sermon and moved to Newport, Kentucky.
Until a successor could be brought in, the congregation honored Pastor Mueller of Chicago, its earlier pastor, through temporary employment and gave him the charge of directing the services and instructing confirmands.
Intending to save some money on operating expenses, the salary was reduced $50 and fuel and telephone costs were not provided. It soon became evident that the salary was too low, and the earlier amounts were restored with one exception.
Return to Top of Page