The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-29
LUTHER'S BATTLE HYMN.
Impressive Services in Celebration Of
the Reformation.

/ man Volunteers Present in Uniform.
Rev. W. Q. schaeffer's Second Ami
veasary as Pastor-How the Volun-
tarv System ofeContributions Works.
/ The Collections Larger Than They
Have Been Before in Years He
/ Speaks Of Lutheran Doctrines and
/ Faith.
Reformation Sunday was celebrated at
/ the Lutheran church yesterday, it be-
/ ing the 337th anniversary of that eventful
| period.
The members of the church turned out
en- masse, and the congregation was per-
haps the largest the church has seen in
| some years. The choir carried out its ex-
cellent programme as published, and the
music was one Of the specially admired
features of the service. The Gesang
Verein Frohsinn was highly complimented
on its excellent singing of Luther's bat
tie hymn, Elm Feste Berg list Unser
Gott," which was rendered in the German
tongue. The German Volunteers attended
the service in full uniform. They were in
command of Capt. Henry Kolshorn and
were accompanied by 5Iaj Edward Ka-
row.
In the beginning of his sermon Rev. W.
c. Shaeffer referred to his work with the
church during the last two years, as the
day closed his second years work with
this congregation. While not without its
trials and crosses, he said, it was in many
respects the most satisfactory period in
his ministry. 1t was with profound graf
itude, he said, that he recognized Gods
guidance and blessing in this service, and
he thanked the congregation for it's de-
votion and liberality to the church and
its answering loyalty to and support of
the pastor. Without it's active co-opera-
ton, he said, no such success could have
| been obtained.
Within these two years, he said, the
church had added POI toits membership and
steadily grown, and its spiritual develop
| ment had been very satisfactory. He re-
ferred with great pleasure to the financial
exhibit for the last year ending with Sept.
/ 80 Previous to that time the church was
supported from pew rents and Sunday
collections. A year ago the voluntary
| system of contributions was introduced
! with most gratifying results. While in the
six years preceding the introduction Of
! this system the average annual contribu-
lions amounted to only S2,709. under the
new system the church received $4,000. 46
/ for the year ending Sept 80, or 81, 295 more
than the average under the old system.
/ and $l,093 more than the largest income
| during any previous year
The current expenses of the church for
| the last year, he said, including all objects
| were about $500, so that under the new
| system there was a surplus of more than
oh -
! surplus the Easter offering the receipts
! were over $500 more than the current ex-
| penses of the church. This surplus to-
! gether with the collection of delinquent
! pew rents, and some rents on buildings in
| the rear of the church has enabled the
congregation to pay of s., $50 of its indebt-
! edness and to pay 800 for other objects.
The pastor appealed to the congregation
that inasmuch as this system Of weekly
| contributions had proven so successful,
! they should all stand together and make
it in the coming year a still greater sue
cess. In addition TO the regular expenses
$3.50 was raised for repairs to the church,
contributed by the Ladies Guild and by
members of the congregation.
For his text Rev. Mr.. Sehaeffer took
Psalm Xviii, Il and 10, walk about Zion
| tell the towers thereof; mark We well her
bulwarks, that We may tell it to the gen
GRAFTON following" He said that the
EuuICn udu met on the otllQ anniversary
/ of the reformation, to celebrate the his
tory and achievement of it's organization
He spoke of the profit of such annual ser
vices in which the doctrines, practices
and work of the church were reviewed
and he called the congregation to lool
with him to the strong towers Of doctrine
and the mighty bulwarks of the faith oil
the church, that in rehearsing them they
might inform the rising generation Of
their strength and glory.
THE Lutheran church." he said. holds
much doctrine in common with all ortho-
dox Christians, but has distinctive views
of doctrine and characteristics OF relig
ious life which distinguish her from 9th
ers. If she has not, she has no right tc
exist as a church A church to be jus
tilted for being must stand for truths
so important that the want of its COMES
sion would leave the world poorer ir
knowledge than in light Therefore, the
Evangelical Lutheran church must show
her right to be. She is emphatically the
church of the Augsburg confession, the
grandest of all protestant confessions, {
confession that has existed for more thar
$50 years, without even suggestion of Z
change or amendment, confession will
53,0o0.OOO adherents, and according L
which the gospel is preached in more
than ninety languages in every land II
the world"
He briefly traced out the distinctly,
doctrines and characteristics of the La
theran church, and referred to the fae
that when the first brick Lutheran churcl
was built here sixty years ago on thu
ground where the Lutherans now wor
ship there were only 5000 Lutheran com
municants in the United States, Will
now there are more than 100000. r,
closed with an appeal to the congregation
to stand by the church of their father
and to defend and support and love IL
He referred also to the presence Of tn,
German Volunteers and what it signlhe,
with regard to the work of the church II
the past.
Last night Rev. Mr.. Schaeffer preache,
the anniversary sermon to the ladies o
the Women's Home and Foreign Mis-
sionary Society. His sermon was one q
the women and the subject "Consecrate,
Womanhood." He spoke Of consecratinj
time and money and service TO God an,
Of the necessity OF ministering to the sor
rowing, the afflicted and the needy. an,
Of the work of extending the gosne
among all classes and nations
Thousands OF cases Of rheumatism hay
= been cured by Hoods sarsaparilla. This (
al.