The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-12-08
REV. PETER HERBRUCK.
His Fiftieth Anniversary as Pastor of the
German Reformed Church.

Last Sunday Rev. Peter Herbruck cell
ebrated the tiftleth anniversary of the
day when he took charge, as pastor, of
the German Reformed Church in this
city. Such an event is of such rare Oc-
curTence that it is worthy of being hon
Ored, so that the day was occupied in a
special service, commemorative of the
occasion. The church was gracefully
festOOned with evergreen, and the pull
pit and surroundings decked with flow
ers. From the pulpit was suspended,
in front, an oil portrait of Rev. Her
bruck, and on the north wall was the
inScript ion, in letters of evergreen,
S3l-AnniYersaTy-1S
In the morning Rev. Herbruck ad-
dressed his congregation, giving a brief,
biographical sketch of his life, which is
worthy of being repeated. Rev. Her
bruck was born in GrOssteinhausen,
near Zweibruecken, Bavaria, in 1913,
and until he was eighteen years old re-
sided with his parents, studying all the
| while, with view of preparing himself
for the ministry. With this object in
view he decided to go to America, and
in August, 1881, stepped from vessel in
| Philadelphia, with a determination to
pursue his chosen calling in this new
country. He was without means,
and sold his best suit of
started on foot for the west
In Berks county, Pa, he was taken
in by kindly-dispOsed farmer and for
| several months taught school there.
| He then pushed on to Wheeling, w. Va.
| From there he went to New Lisbon, 0.
Here he remained but short time and
| then came to Canton. 1t was now the
month of April, 1882. When he reached
| Canton he saw no friendly face and
| mot with no nDpOnranAuonDt Ha
walked westward through the then
small village, and when he reached the
| West Tuscarawas street bridge over the
west creek, felt so discouraged that he
| sat down beneath tree and relieved
his dependency with tears. While
thus occupied, a farmer driving by,
stopped, and when he learned the
cause of his grief, persuaded him to re-
| turn to town. For time he thought
he would go still further west, but he
at last returned to Canton. Here he
met Rev. Faust, pastor of the German
| Reformed church, which then had a
membership of sixteen. Rev. Faust en-
| gagged the youth to assist him in teach
ing. Some months later Rev. Faust
died and Mr.. HeTbruck was called upon
to take his place. This he did, and has
remained faithful to his charge for
| nigh unto half century. After Rev.
Herbruck concluded, Rev. DR.. Ruetnick,
of Cleveland, delivered an able sermon
| from the parable of the ten virgins.
The text was selected for the OCCASION
and DR.. Ruetnickdrew number OfcOm-
parsons, relative to the faithful per-
fOrmance of his mission by Rev. Her
bruck. At the close of the sermon, Mr..
Charles HerZer, in behalf of the
WOmen's Aid Society of the church,
presented Rev. Herbruck with a beauti-
full set of silver service.
On account of Rev. Herbruck's long
service in the Lord, number of minis
teTs of the other city churches thought
it fitting for them to pay their respects
to the oldest pastor in the city. Accord
ingly, Rev. Kuhns, of the English Luth-
eran Church, as President of the Minis
terial Association of Canton, conducted
the exercises in the afternoon. He made
some appropriate remarks and was fol-
lowed by Rev. LOunsbury, of the Baptist
Church, Rev. Platter, of the Presbyterian
Church, Rev. YOunt, of the Evangelical
| Church, and Rev. Osborne, of the First
Methodist Church. Rev. Emil HeTbruck
of Akron, son of Rev. Peter Herbruck
responded in behalf of his father. lie
said he thought his fathers success was
not due to any superior talent or educa
tiOnal advantages, but rather to a hum
bic faith in the Lord; i'll this he Wa.
aided by a strong, vigorous constitution
On only six occasions i'll his long pastor
ate was he prevented from keeping en-
gagements by sickness.
In the evening Rev. Keller, of Ran
dOlph, Ohio, preached in German. The
church was crowded at each Of the
three services,
| Since his connection with the church
Rev. Herbruck has sOlemniZed nearly
three thousand marriages, OfIiciated al
| abOUt az many funerals and haDtiSnC
over three thousand persons. The mem
bership of the church has increased
from sixteen to six hundred under hi
care, and the English Trinity Reform
Church is an offspring of the German
Church. Rev. HeTbruck enters upon hi
fiftieth year with mental and bodily
vigOr equal to many younger preachers
and bids fair to continue so for many
years to come.