Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-12-25
RELIGIOUS INFLUENCES.
Tho Cause of God I'm KnOxvIIle-The
Workings OF Our Churches.


pally all members Of the Evangelical Lutheran |
Church A few families took up their residence |
in this city, while the principal portion formed |
or rather increased, the thon very small German
town, Wartburg, in Morgan county, whore
German Lutheran Church had been erected |
and society organized, with Rev. Mr.. Wilkens |
as pastor. Those settling in this community |
we're too few in number to build church and |
maintain pastor, and consequently were visit. |
cd once a year by Rev. Mr.. Wilkcns from |
Wartburg, who at these annual meetings, adj |
ministered the Lords Supper and baptised their |
children. For this purpose, different congrcga
tions in the city kindly rendered them the use
of their churches, for which they are still CRATE
fully remembered by the Germans.
After the close of the war, about the year
1866 or '67 Rev. Mr.. Wlkens left this country
to fill call in Pennsylvania, when this society
received occasional pastoral visits from Rev.'s
Mr.. Eggers and P. Bachman, who administered
to their spiritual wants also baptsing their
children and administering the Sacrament of
the Lords Supper They were both earnest
men, and awakened quite an interest in religious
matters among the Germans.
During theyears of 1861 69.as before stated,
quite a religious interest was manifested among
society, build church and call pastor became
very strong, and finally, through the jealous
ness of Mr., A. j. Aurin, and few others, the
| sum of 5000 was collected and church lot pur-
chased This was fair beginning, but much
had yet to be accomplished. Many had but
little confidence in the ultimate result, while but
| few trusted ia Him who never refuses help when
| sincerely asked for, and yet this help, as the
| sequel shows, came in due season.
About the first of October, 1869, Rev. John
Heckcl, of Mendoza Illinois, being on a mis-
slonary trip through Tennessee, through the
| intercession of Hon. w. a. Passavant of Pitts
burgh, Pennsylvania, was induced to stop here.
| He remained two weeks, and preached several
soul-stirring sermons, the effect of which was
that on the 18th day of October, meeting of
| the German Lutherans was held in the hall over
| Peter Kern's store, with DR.. Goetz as chairman,
and regular society was formed. A consttu-
| ton Tor church articles,) was drawn up and
signed by twenty-five members The following
gentlemen composed the first Church Board of
officers: DR.. Goetz and Charles Baum, Trus-
Elders; Ferdinand AArin, and Peter Kern,
to the pastorship, and steps were taken for the
erection ola church edifce on the lot then own
ed by the society, on Asylum street
During the week previous to the 4th Sunday
| in Advent in (Dec) 1869, Rev. John Herkel
entered his pastorate, and was received with
much joy by the yet small society. Divine
services, until the completion of their own
church, were held in the old Methodist church
In the year 1870, on the day of Pentcost lin
the month of May or June) the congregation
held their first meeting. in the basement part
of their new church, which had been neatly
great joy among the Germans and the pastor
selected the following appropriate text for his
sermon 1.-The Lord has done great things for
us, whereof we are glad" Psalms, CHI. l26,
verses
In September 1870 CIV d. ID. post Trini. }
the church was publicly dedicated to the service
of God; Prof A. j. Brown, from Blountville,
assisted the pastor, and preached two sermons
to the infant church.
At a church meeting soon after the dedication
Of the building, it was found that the sum of
81, 200. was still due on the erection of their
neat house of worship. This sum, through the
extreme benevolence of Messrs Kern, Sturm,
Lichtenwanger Aurn, sr. Aurin, jr, and
| Morilz Neubert, was then and there reduced to
| but few hundred dollars, which was finally
paid on the following year by Mr.. Lichten-
| wanger, the Treasurer OF the Church, and now
the society, though small, does not owe dollar
on her church property.
OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH.
We gave at the beginning of the article list
| of the first officers who held their positions un-
til October, 1870, when the following new board
| was elected John Lichtenwanger and Mr.
Gcnlach, Trustees; Edward Goetz and Chris
tian Sturm, Elders; f. Miller and Geo. Fuchs
Stewards with Edward Goetz as President and
John Lchtenwanger, Secretary and Treasurer
In October, 1871, by a vote of the members it
was decided to have the election of church of
fcers in the future on the second Sunday in
January, and the following officers were elected
to hold their positions until the second Sunday
in January, 1873: John Lichtenwsnger and Mr..
Gunlach, Trustees: +. Aurn and Christian
Sturm Elders; Peter Kern and l.. G. Sweick-
ert, Stewards with Peter Kern as President
aud John Lichtenwanger, Secretary and Treas
ureI ....'
A monthly church meeting is held on the
second Sabbath of every month, in which in a
pray erful manner the good of the church is con-
s;5ered. All the business of the church is also
considered and settled at these meetings.
---. SUNDAY SCHOOL. ........
a Sunday School is held every Sabbath at
o3O, and is visited by about "a scholars. Rev.
MIR. Heckel the pastor, is acting as superintend-
ns, and also personally instructs the Bible class.
1 ffr has but one other teacher to assist him, The
4 Sabbath school is not as well attended ms
it should be- which is principally caused by
many of the German children having com
meaced years ago to visit athe other Sabbath
Schools in the city and consequently felt re-
luctance in quitting their schools. Yet there
are doubtless n number of German children
who are not visiting any Sabbath School, and
the members of the church should see that they
, are brought in If you desire your church t.
( grow you must look to your Sabbath School,
, and a better field could not be opened to any
church, or to any church members, than to la
Dor with the young and rising generation. Sa-
tan is constantly throwing his snares around
! the young, and if you expect them to grow up
traiGing, you must make the church attractive
Iaot a cbo tho bidaoucnazc of N