The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-10-11
CORNER STONE FOR A MODEST
ENGLISH LUTHERAN
CHURCH.
PIONEER OF THE NORTHWEST.
FROM SMALL BEGINNING THE So
Getty HAS GROWN TO PROS
PERITY.
FATHER MATTHEW'S BIRTHDAY.
The Anniversary Observed at the
ST. Charles Church-News of
minneapolis.

Under low and threatening clouds the
cornerstone to the new edif1ce of ST.
johns English Lutheran congregation
was laid yesterday afternoon at Chi
cago avenue and Seventeenth street.
Although the weather was Of an in
clement character, nearly the entire
congregation attended the services,
which lasted an hour and half.
After the reading of the responses by
pastor and congregation, and reading
of the lesson, the stone was laid by
Rev. Alfred Ramsey, pastor of the
church. Enclosed in the stone were
laid the articles of faith of the Luther
an church, historical address by Rev
G. H. Trobeck, first pastor, and copies
of different Lutheran church organs,
and the plans and specifications of the
present structure.
The corner stone address was then
delivered by Prof. E. G. Lund, Of the
United Church seminary.
The speaker called attention to the
important part the laying Of the corner
stone played in the history of st.
Johns church. Aside from the mater
ial act it was the laying of something
more permanent. The time would
come, he said, when the present stone,
and the edifice that was about to be
built, would be known to man no more.
1t would crumble away in the course OF
time and cease to exist. But the souls
that had been cared for within it's walls
would be insured permanency that
far outlived the existence of stone.
This church, he said, builds on Jesus
Chist, with the gospel as the corner
stone. The speaker spoke Of the mod
ern enemies of the church, which he
considered more dangerous than those
which had assailed it in it's infancy.
But he had perfect confidence that
the creed which had withstood the as
saults of time would also outlive them.
All is not built within the narrow walls
of reason, he said, but upon the faith
that EXTENDS from eternity to eternity.
The true faith should be the real cor
ner stone of the church, and upon it
the church would live.
The exercises closed with the sing
ing of a hymn, the words to which
were written by Rev Ramsey, and
highly appropriate to the occasion.
St Johns Lutheran chuhch, of Min
neapolis, is the oldest Lutheran church
in the Northwest, and was organized
in the spring of 1883, the first sermon
being preached Sunday, March IL, Of
that year 1t has been the immediate
means of extending the work Of
the Lutheran church in the English
language through the western part of
this country and most of the leading
cities now have congregations. of that
creed organized, and where believers
in it may be accommodated in it's fol-
lowing Rev. G. F. Traebert was the
first pastor of ST. Johns, and served
until 1892. The edifice in which serV-
ices have been held up to this time
was bought from the Swedish Luth-
eran congregation, at the time it eX-
tended it's work and moved from Thir-
teenth avenue south and WaShinsc--l
to it's present church. st. Johns con-
gregation acquired the property at
Eighth avenue south and Fifth street,
and to there the building was moved
and improved so as to accommodate
the needs of the new congregation.
After Rev Traebert left. the cOngrega-
ton was served by Rev Kruss for
year and a half, and afterwards by
Prof Lund until April, 1896, when Rev.
Ramsey assumed the paStorate. Mr..
RamseyS work has been of a most
efficient character, which the new eX
tension of the congregation shows.
Work on the new building was COM
menced three weeks ago 1t is eX
pected that it will be completed by
Christmas, and that services may be
held there at that time. When COM
pleted it will be valued at $4,000. Pro-
visions have been made so that if
needed the building may be extended
so as to accommodate a larger con-
gregation 1t is the intention that the
building that at present is being, fin
ished will ultimately only serve as
chapel while the main building will
represent valuation of $4,000.