Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-02-21
VERY MICH LIKE ACRANK.
A Peculiar Acknowledgement Of
Funds for the Gospel.
A German Minister Returns I'm His
Own Queer Way Thanks to Those
Who Assisted Him In Rock Island.
Laushablc Epistle.

About two months ago well appear
ing stranger came to Rock Island and
at once made known his mission as that
Of raising funds for the spread Of the
gospel among his native people in the
northwest. He gave his name as Rev.
Theodore A. Schnitger. a German Luth.
eran minister, and he made known his
object 80 plainly and SO pathetcallY too,
that he met with generous response and
accumulated considerable funds. Al
most every minister of the gospel in
Rock Island contributed, as did many
of our professional men, manufactur-
ers and merchants. Very few peo-
gle who aided him have perhaps
thought of him since his departure. but
the other day Mr.. j. J. Reimers, of the
Rock leland Lumber company, received
through the mail inclosed in large en-
velope. letter bearing the postmark of
Buffalo, N. Y, and the address of which
completely covered the entire envelope.
the prefix appearing in large letters
Hons, etc. Mr.. Reimers opened the
letter and at the top was written in q
fairly good hand. "Postoff1ce and Head
quarters, De Peren. Brown county. Wis
consin, near Green Bay" and the address
which is extracted as follows:
To the most beloved and highly esteemed Ameri-
can, English, Scotch, Welsh, Irish, French. Bel
gian, fnssian; oireassian, russian, .AustIo-
Hungarian, Bohemian Moravian, Galician, Ty-
rol'au, italian, Lyaniardiau, Mexicaniau, Bra
zilianian, Sonteneerian, Bulgarian, Greek>onian,
Albanasian, Serbian, Circss-ian, Poliishiau
Cossackian, slosackian, Calmuckian, Arme-
MAN. HISTORIAN, Persian, Arabian, Asiatician
Colored Africanian, Austra ianian Icelandian,
Laplandian, Finnlandian, Indianian, Scandina-
Wan, Holiandian, Swiizerlandtan ana Ger nan
American United States citizens:
Bretheren and friends, and all more or
less. as the case may be. doctors, profes-
sorus des Celles. arts of trade aud CON-
merce in and manufacturing of. ETC.. and
engineering, mining aud shipping, rails
road reviewing and railroading, invent
Ing and patentiDg. building and contract
ing, architectery, stone. diamond and
cloth cutting, agriculture and horticulture,
photographing and lithographing. en-
craving. printing and editing, millinery
and embroidery, book binding and sta,
tionerV, merchant tailoring. cloak and
dress making, butchering and meat Dress
ing. cooking and baking, brewing and
distiliing. dentistry and surgery. medi.
cine and healing-or attorneys-explain>
ing, unfolding and defending religious
liberty law and order, capital and bank
ing, bonds and stocks, investments and
securities, real estate and insurance etc =,
of materialistic. Hebrew and Christian,
beDevolence and philanthropy. of faith,
hope. love charity and temperance in all
things. as st. Paul says, etc.
Then follows special mention of
many of our business men hire
and also in Davenport, whom be
says aided him. and which he addresses
as their excellencies" and dear breth-
rem in Christ" and he further refers to
pastoral letters which he says he has ad>
dressed to all the ministers respectively
of the several Christian branches, per-
suasions and denominations of the church
of God and Mount Zion. the house OF
David and the New Jerusalem, FIT Hope,
aud the New Covenant at Rock Island, In
care of their excellences, the Revs. Drs.
and Bishops Sweet. Medium, Marquis,
Cue, Hass.eQuist. Leland, Platte and
Meunick. at Rock Island. and Little, of
Christs' First Presbyterian church of Mt,
Zion. Davenport.
Then follow q number of command
ments and recommendation S, in which he
refers to other letters he has written 10
Rock Island. and in which he suggests
that our national congress-"the princes
of our peopie"-enact laws for better oh.
servance Of the Sabbath, for army and
navy chaplains, and in conclusion he
says:
And now may the good Lord, our
heavenly Father, continue to bless,
strengthen and abundsntly prosper you
and all yours with your beloved families
and friends, is the prayer of yours truly,
in the bands and liberty of the gospel
THEODORE AUGUST SCHNITzLER.
Presbyterian ordained, pastor Evsngel>
list and missionary voyager. among our
German emigrants at the Green Bay,
Lake Superior and the northwestern