Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-12-22
RELIGIOUS INFLUENCES.
The Cause of Ged i'm AnoXViiie-Ahs
Workings of Our Churches. e.fr

Church. A few families took up their residence
in this city, while the principal portion formed,
or rather increased, the then very small German
town, Wartburg, in Morgan county, where a
German Lutheran Church had been erected
and a society organized, with Rev. Mr.. .Wilkens
as pastor Those settling in this community
were too few in number to build church and
maintain pastor, and consequently were visit
ed once a year by Rev. Mr.. Wilkens from
Wartburg, who, at these annual meetings, ad-
ministered the Lord Supper and baptised their
children. For this purpose, different congrega-
tons in the city kindly rendered them the use
of their churches, for which they are still CRATE
fully remembered by the Germans. 2 z > Il
After the close of the war, about the year
1866 or '67, Rev Mr.. Wilkens left this country
to FIJI IA 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 baptising 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 the years of1S67- $500. as before stated,
quite religious interest was, manifested among
the Germans, and the desire to form regular
society, build church and call a 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
Heckel, of MENDOZA Illinois, being on mis-
slonary trip through Tennessee, through the
intercesson of Hon. w. A Passayant, 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.
ton Tor church articles,) was drawn up and
signed by twenty 1.-TWO members. The following
gentlemen composed the first Church Board Of
officers: DR.. Goetz and Charles Baum, Trus-
tees; j. A. Aurin, ST.. and Stephen G. Fuchs,
Elders; Ferdinand Aurin, and Peter Kern,
Stewards. Rev. j. Heckel was at once called
to the pastorship, and steps were taken for the
erection of church edi6ce on the lot then OWL
ed by the society, on Asylum street. CT9E p
During the week previous to the 4th Sunday
in Advent in (Dec.) 1869, Rev. John Heckel
entered his pastorate, and was received with
services, until the completion of their own
church, were held in the old Methodist church
and Hampden Sidney Academy. M
In the year 1870, on the day of Penticost Tin
the month of May or June) the congregation
held their first meeting IN the basement part
of their new church, which had been neatly
fitted up for a school room. This was day of
great Joy among the Germans and the pastor
selected the following appropriate text for his
sermon: 1.-THE Lord has done great things for
~ &C j
verse 8. .>-l
In September, 1870, CIV d. d. 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
in English. This, also, was great day of JOY
to the infant church.
At church meeting soon after the dedication
of the building, it was found that the sum of
81, 200. was still due on tho erection of their
neat house of worship. This sum, through the
extreme benevolence of Messrs. Kern, Sturm,
Lichtenwanger, Aurin, 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-
waDger, the Treasurer of the Church, and now
the society, though small, does not owe dollar
on her church property. sa .r.a-E f-raa.
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 Lchtenwanger and Mr..
Gunlach, Trustees; Edward Goetz and Chris
tan Sturm, Elders; +. Miller and Geo., Fuchs,
Stewards; with Edward Goetz as Presidentand
John Lichtenwanger, Secretary and Treasurer.
In October 1871, by 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 Licbtenwanger and Mr..
NIL nh ~ Nhrset
Sturm, Elders; Peter Kern and L. g. Sweick
ert, Stewards; with Peter Kern as President
and John Lichtenwanger, Secretary and Treas
urer.
A monthly church meeting is held on the
second Sabbath of every month"; in which in a
prayerful manner the good of the church is con-
sidered. All the business of the church is also
considered and settled at these meetings.
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
4 Sunday School is held every Sabbath at
$3.50, and is visited by about 81 scholars. Rev.
Mr. Heckel, the pastor, is acting as superintend
ent, and also personally instructs the Bible class.
He has but one other teacher to assist him. The
Sabbath school is not as we'll attended as
it should be, which is principally caused by
many of the German children having COM
menced years ago to visit the other Sabbath
Schools IN the city and consequently felt o re-
luctance in quitting their schools. Yet there
are doubtless q 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 to
grow you must look to your Sabbath School
and 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
in the church you must give them religious
training, you must make the church attractive
to them, and show them the hideousness of sin
and its final consequence. There is nothing
| that has a more hallowed influence on the
youthful mind than properly conducted Sab
bath School Then, Germans, go to work and
build up yours.
THE PRESENT CONDITION & pm
The church at the time of its organization. as
before stated, counted % members: it now has
l18 parishioners and 70 COMMITMENTS, They
have contributed more to the support of the
gospel the building Of the church, and like
purposes in the past three years. perhaps, than
any other society of no larger number, in the
State. The pastor is a faithful laborer and be.
sides his regular morning and evening services