The morning call., 1894-06-25
THE PILLAR SET.
St. Markus KirChe Laws
It's Cornerstone.
And Pastor Fuendeiing Draws an His
teric Parallel to Jacobs Pillar
in the Wilderness.

"Und der Stein den ich auirichte zu
einem Wall soil Elm Gstteshaus werden 20
exclai med cid Jacob innumerable years
ago after he had spent q cold. dresr night
with his head upon a pillow of stone, and
had seen q ladder reaching up TO heaven
and angels ascending and descending
upon il. He had taken the stone and set
it M for pillar and poured oil upon it.
1t was heneeforth to be the cornerstone of
Gods church.
So Pastor Fuendeling, yesterday, in the
raw, foggy wind of O'Farrell and Frank
lin streets. applied his gavel and said the
cOnsecrating words over the cornerstone
of the Germans new Lutheran church.
Pastor Fuendeling differed from his patri-
arcnal predecessor in this regard: Jacob
was alone in the wilderness when he did
his deed; Pastor Fuendeling was IN the
presence of multitude of fellow men and
women IN the center Of great city. The
electric-cars going by confused the sound
OF his voice, and the only ladder visible
ascending skyward was the tall derrick
placed TO lower the stone into position.
The occasion was the laying of the cor
nerstone Of the new St Marks Church,
which is in course of erection on O'Far-
rell street, near Cough, by the Oldest Ger
man Lutheran congregation in the city.
Ibe weather was uDpropiti0us for the
ceremony, but al least 800 people gathered
on and about the platform, undeteTTed by
considerations OF comfort.
Pastor j. Muehling, Assistant Pastor
Gehrcke and the Rev. II. j. Hack of San
Diego conducted the exercises. They teok
their positions on the raised platform,
gathered about the copper box that was to
contain the records. coins and newspapers
that usually find place in structural cor
Of - ~
Won der Mehden's band 10 start the music
Of Jerusalem, du Hochgebsute Stadt,"
and then bowed their heads in prayer
under the leadership of Rev. Mr.. Fue nd
cling.
The reading from the Bible was a re-
sumo Of the first histories precedent for
church erection, the famous story of Jacob
and the ladder which the patriach saw
reaching up to heaven as he slept upon his
pillow OF stones and awoke with voice If
God speaking 10 him. Said Pastor Fuen-
deliDg subsequently in his Fest Rede"
alter oiDg the words of Jacob:
All nations have the custom Of erecting
memorial stones on places which are con-
sidered worthy Of recollection. Egypt
has its pyramids, Asia has scattered all
through the tracks of its history pillars
which call the travellers attention, Ger
many has everywhere public pillars or
"MaIsteinen" from which political and re-
the populace. Iu the words of Schiller:
IND wob das heiIigste der Bande,
Die Iieb IN Vaterland.
so Jacob out on the desert plain after
his days and hours of discoura cement
erected d stone TO the memory Of God, the
only one who mad helped him In his time
of trouble and suffering
The free gospel, unmixed with any
human thoughts. but greeted and uph cid
by true science-in hoe signo vinees."
When the pastor had finished speaking
the relics and records and other Things
consigned 10 the metal box were, at tue
call of the secretary. placed in their posi-
tion. The box was sealed. the word was
spoken and TO The passionate and sacred
musie OF the "Pilgrim's Chorus" and the
Song TO the Evening Star" the founda-
ton stone was lowered to its niche. On
its surface was carved the inscription, "St.
Markus kirche. 1894" Rev. FuendeliDg
piled the gavel, and the ceremony was
closed with prayer aud song.
One of the documents sealed into the
copper casket contained history of the
congregation. 1t dated back TO 1859 and
covered loo pages OF ci seiy written manu-
script. Part Of its story was to the effect
that the present numerical status of
the church is about 200 families, and that
the ediice which was being erected would
cost. with lot, when completed, $4,000.