The Washington times., 1894-10-07


and to-day claims six dauchtars-the Memo
rial Church, the Church Of the Reformation.
ST. Mark 5. Zion Church. the Church OF Our
Redeemer. and the Keller Memorial She ex-
poets 70 thrive and grow stronger yet and to
see other offshoots growing up in different
parts Of the city.
Lutheranism in the District begins with the
German Concordia Church The lot on which
the Concordia Church building was erected
was set apart for the use of the Lutheran
Church by Jacob Funk, in the year 176S. Mr..
Funk was the owner of a large tract of land
lying between Rock Creek and Goose Creek
on the Potomac, in Prince Georges county
Nd. He had laid out a town which he
called Hamburg. and in this town site was To-
Gated the site he gave to the Lutherans. The
village, however, was called Funkstown for
many years. the name of Hamburg being for
gotten. The first formal organization of Con-
cordia was not until 1888.
In lS43 the first steps were taken looking to
the formation OF an English Lutheran church
1t was thought best to meet the demands of
the times so that the young people should
have a church home where the English Ian
guage was used. OF the forty signers to the
resolution asking the formation OF such an
organization but three were living at the gol-
den jubilee held last Easter time They were
+. :. Kern and John E. Scheel. of this city
and David Fowble, OF Westminster. Nd. The
first meeting place of the congregation was
odd Fellows Hall afterwards Todd's HalD,
on Pennsylvania avenue. and the first services
were held January 8. 1913 Gen. Van Ness
during this year presented the lot on which
the church now stands, but nearly a wear was
spent in raising funds. Among other means
employed memorials were sent to President
Tyler and the King of Prussia The latter
memorial was answered by letter. and in 1915
a silver communion cup, or chalice. was sent
10 the congregation by the King and Queen of
Prussia, and has been used at every COM
munion service since.
THE CHURCH DEDICATED.
June Is. 1914, the cornerstone was laid un-
der direction of the grand lodge of Masons.
Among the distinguished persons in the pro-
cession were ex-President John Quincy Adams
and Gen Van Ness. A beautiful model of the
church was carried by the Sunday-school
scholars. March Is, lS45 the first service
was held in the basement. and a collection of
SOS was put to the'credit of the opening sery-
ice. Sunday, October /, 1913. St Paurs
Church was dedicated with a debt hanging
over 1t which was not lifted for several years
Since then the church has been remodeled
several times. In 1877 the first change was
made at a cost of S1.040 The next improve
ment was made in 1881, when the outside of
the building was remodeled. as it now stands
al cost OF nearly S4.OOO. In 1888 the audi
ence-room was remodeled and a new organ
put IN The cost of this Improvement was
nearly $4,000.
During the flfty-one years of its existence
the st. PauI's Church has had five pastors. as
follows: DR.. Muller, to 1876; Rev. J. E. Graef.
1916 to 1S49; Rev. J. G. Butler. 1s49 TO 1879:
Rev. H. B. Belmer, 1873 to 1874. and Rev. IS
Domer, d. D., from 1874 to the present time
Thus two of the pastors have filed an aggre-
gate service Of forty-four of the fifty-one wears
OF the life Of the church. -Four OF the FIVE are
still living. DR.. Domer is a graduate of Wit
tenburg College. Ohio, and afterward student
at the theological seminary at Gettysburg,
He entered the ministry in 1855 at Selinsgroye.
Pa. From 1869 10 1872 he was stationed Mt
Reading, Pa, and three months after leaving
the latter place went to Shamokin. Pa. where
be remained two years. Then he came to
Washington. Highly esteemed by all who