Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-10-20
A GOOD WORD FOR WICHITA.
DIR. Conrad in the Philadelphia Observer.

| DIR. Conrad in the Philadelphia Observer.
| The Lu.hern, Philadelphia, Observer
the organ of the Lutheran church il
America, and whose editor, DR.. Conrad
visited us short time since, contains in
! its issue of October 18th nearly three col.
umns of matter on Wichita, in as many
separate articles. One Of the articles we
reproduce elsewhere. The following We
clip from the body of long editorial
which taken together with the other arti-
Giles referred to, and in such paper of sc
wide and general circulation, cannot fail
| to interest thousands of new people in
| Wichita. The doctor goes on to say:
| On Friday evening. the 4th inst, we &C
companied Rev. w. L. Seabrook TO Wich-
| ita, Sedgwick county, Kansas, where we
| arrived on Saturday morning. after taking
| lodging in Pullman sleeping car, on the
Atchinson, Topeka g. Santa Fe railroad,
| two hundred and twelve miles. Our arri-
| val having been anticipated, we were cor
| daily welcomed by Brother Luther Gar
| Der, son Of the late Jacob CARRIER, of
| Schotland, Franklin county. Pa, under
whose escort Brother Seabrook and the
writer spent most of the day in prospect
| ing this new city, whose progress since
| 1886 is the wonder of the last decade.
After driving five hours through the Gen.
| trail part, which is five miles square. we
| were told that we had not seen the half
| of it.
| After the extraordinary rush of popula-
| tion to Wichita, and the great rise OF real
estate three years ago, both Of which were
| followed by reaction, the impression was
made that Wichita had no solid basis for
1 tle,f bod IN
back-set from which it would not soon re-
cover But what we saw and heard at
| Wichita has removed any misgivings that
we may have cherished concerning its
! future, and convinced us that it's location,
the richness of its soil, its surroundings,
| its climate railroad connections and other
| advantages, give the assurance that the
growth of Wichita was not ephemeral but
| largely natural, and that it is destined to
| have healthy, steady growth, and we
predict for it corresponding substantial
prosperity. The grounds on which we base
the opinion just expressed, the reader will
find on another page, under the heading Of
Wichita, Kan.
The character of the population drawn
the schools and colleges established, and
the number, size and style of
the churches erected by them
The Presbyterians have organized
five Congregations. the Methodists four,
the Baptists three, and the Congregation
alists, Episcopalians, Germany Reformed
and almost every other prominent prot
estant denomination, is represented by
one or more organized congregations in
this city. except the Lutheran. There is a
German congregation, served by Pastor
Berthold, made up Of Lutherans and Re-
formed, belonging formerly to the United
Church of Prussia. Besides the Luther
ans in this organization, VINO have already
become angliciSed, there are many English
Lutherans in Wichita, some of whom nave
united with other denominations, but
most of whom have not joined other
churches, but remained steadfast TO the
church of their fathers and their choice, in
hope that an English Lutheran church
would be organized, III which they would
not only a spiritual home, but also field
of usefulness, without discarding their
ecclesiastical genealogy. and losing their
Lutheran birthrght, and that OF their
children.
This hope. we are glad TO state, is about
to be realized. The board of home mis-
sions has desired to establish mission in
Wichita for several years, and several
months ago appointed Rev. Seabrook its
missionary. He arrived at his post about
two months ago and has been cordially
welcomed as a co-laborer by number of
pastors of other Protestant denominations.
who have opened their pulpits TO him and
encouraged him in his efforts to organize
the English Lutherans in this city into a
congregation, under the conviction that
the tenacity with which most Lutherans
adhere TO the faith of Luther and the
church which bears his honered name,
would render it impossible to absorb tbem
and that there is, therefore, an important
work to be done among these Lutherans.
for which Lutheran pastor and congre-
CATION are better adapted than those Of
any other Protestant denomination Bro.
Seabrook has taken the ecclesiastical cen
sus of the city, has made very favora-
BILE impression upon the religious
in general as well as upon the
Lutheraus in particular, in the hearts OF
many of whom the flame of church love
has been re-enkindled and who stand
ready to rally around him as their spirit
ual head and the pastor and bishop of
their souls, as members of an English Lu-
theran congregation Of Wichita
These facts became the matter Of an ap-
peal 20 US TO visit Wichita at this juncture
III the history which we could not resist,
and we accordingly spent Sunday. the 9Th
inst, there. Rev. David Winters, pastor
OF the First Presbyterian church. placed
his pulpit at our disposal on sunday. Il
is large edIfice Ia which audiences Of 60
or more can be seated. It was crowded
-
promiscuous audiences attended the
religious services. well as In the
afternoon at 4 o'clock, when IL was packed
with an audience Of men only. under the |
auspices of the Y. " &. A. Three effect |
i've doors OF usefulness were thus thrown !
open to US, which we could not forbear en-
.ering, and we accordingly preached three /
times 20 the largest audiences we ever sd |
dressed on one Sunday IN any church or |
city during our ministerial life. And /
lie we draw comfort from the assgr /
snce that the word sent forth shall nos re- /
turn void, we cherish the hope that IL .
may especially have proved a word IA sea- |
son 20 TIE Lutherans who attended these /
religious services. nany OF whom greeted |
Is st the close, aud induce them 10 Join /
hands. organize an English Lu;heraa con- |
yregasiou, eiec. Rer- Seabrocx as their |
pastor and IN the name OF the Lord, set /
lp the Lutheran ba1ner IN Wichita