The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-08-30
PEDALS AND PEDALS
Miss Anna Lamcken's BIZ
cycle Trip Punctures
Her Prospects as
0rganist.
REV. Mr.. SAINT HAS SCRUPLEs
Serious Trouble in Zion Evangel-
ical Lutheran Church
Seventeen Resigna-
tions.
REV. MR.. SAINT HAS scRUPLEs

section of Jersey City, as a result of the
pastor, the Rev. William Sanft, listening
to gossip about certain of his parishioners
and condemning them on the strength OF
it, without making a personal investiga-
tion. Other designations are likely to fol-
low. Among those who have left the
church are some who have been its CHIEF
support, and who have been the most ac-
tive in promoting its interests ever since
its foundation
The object of Mr.. Sanft's attack is Miss
Anna Lamcken, of No. 81 Old Bergen
Road, and the alleged provocation, a
bicycle trip to Lake Hopatcong with four
friends. Miss Lameken is an enthusiastic
cyclist With number of other young
people of the church She was in the habit
of taking long runs into the country.
Shortly before the Fourth of July it was
planned to get up a small party to go to
Lake Hopatcong. Those who decided to
go were Miss Lamcken. Miss Ida Kratkie,
Carl Mahnken and August Gehben, all
members of Zion Church, and George
True, of Newark, who was known to all
the rest of the party and who was to act
as guide as he spends his summers at the
lake and makes frequent trips back ana
1OrIn on MS WHEEL. 4Ii0 yOuAS PSOPAS
started from the home of Miss Lamcken,
whose mother saw them off, on the morn
ing of July 3. They reached Lake Hopat-
cong that evening and remained there
over the Fourth returning home by
train Monday evening. This was in ac-
cord with the plan which they had made
before starting, and which met with the
approval of the parents of the young lad
les. While at the lake the party stopped
at the Llewellen House.
A week ago fast Tuesday the Rev. Mr..
Sanft called on Miss Lamcken. The con-
sistory of the church was to meet that
night and Miss Lancken was expecting
to be called as organist of the church. AS
she supposed the pastor called in rela-
ton to the position, she saw him in the
presence of her mother and her elder Sis
ter. They all noted that the minister
looked more solemn and acted less cor
daily than usual as he entered the house,
but not one of the three suspected for an
instant what was in store for them.
Mr.. Sanft had not been many minutes
in the house before he broached the mat
ter on which he had called. After an
awkward pause he addressed himself to
Miss Anna Lamcken and told her that on
account of the bicycle trip he would never
give his consent to her obtaining the call
as organist of the church.
These remarks came as bombshell to
the three women. For moment they
were too dazed to do anything. When
they had recovered from the first shock
they betrayed their emotion in varying
ways. Miss Anna, the subject of the at
face in her hands sobbed as if her heart
would break; her sister rose to her fun
height and replied to the dominic in words
which left him powerless to reply. Mrs.
Lamcken acted. Springing to the door
she opened it with a bang and pointing
to the street ordered the Rev: Mr.. sanft
to leave her house at once and never put
foot inside of it again. There was deter
mination in her tone and the minister
left.
Mrs. Lamcken had been a member of
the Zion Church ever since it was or
ganized, twenty-four years ago. Her hus-
4 was one of its founders. The children,
4 who have all reached manhood and
womanhood, had been brought up in the
The family is well known and respected
throughout the Greenville section. When
the pastor had left the house, Mrs.
TO the members of the consistory the cir
cumstances attending his visit. The re-
suit was that at the meeting in the even
ing the Rev. Mr.. Sanft was called upon
Lamcken. He replied that he made no
EcCuSdllOu nlIQSelI ana Sa1Q TndI Wlat
complained of was common rumor.
Miss Lamcken was to have succeeded
as organist Mrs; Sanft,. who resigned
some time ago. She would probably have
been elected by the Consistory as a vim
dcation, but the opportunity did not oc-
cur, as early in the meeting Mrs. Sanft
withdrew her resignation.
The day after the pastors visit Mrs
Lamcken and her daughters sent in their
resignation as members Of the congrega-
tion. Outside of the immediate family
the persons most interested in the mat
ter was Mr.. Gehben. As soon as he
heard of the occurrence he went to the
point blank question, do you think we
did wrong in going to Lake 1opatcong
fs ana siayng nInser tneTe d tgo He says
Miss Kratkie and Mr. Mahnken, the
brcb e 9f Il fhs bIy party from Zion
They were all members Of the Choral
Union and were prominently identified
The absence of the four young people and
their elders from service the following
Sunday caused comment. Their friends
investigated and the result was over ten
more designations, despite the efforts of
the Lamckens to prevent others from
leaving on their account. The members
In body unless the wrong done Miss
Lamcken, who has been the instructor
and moving spirit In the Union for the
Of them have already left the church
There is another story in the back
ground For twenty-four years, the Rev.
Mr.. Burkhardt. was pastor of Zion
Church. He had one daughter. Freda by
name. She and Miss Anna Lamcken
were of about the same age They were
fast friends. Both were talented musi-
clans, and between them they managed
the musical affairs Of the church Miss
Burkhardt took the position or organist,
TO (which there is a.sached a small sal
ary, while Miss ncken formed
. choral union and 4 4 the voices Of its
members. About ear ago. Miss Burk-
hardt married the Rev Mr.. Sanft. Short
1y after the wedding the old minister
died. In November last the congrega-
tion of Zion Church, which had always
held the daughter of their old pastor in
high regard, and who were favorably inn
pressed with the young man she had
taken for a husband, called the Rev. Mr..
sanft to take charge of the church: While
Mrs. Sanft was In mourning for her IA
ther, Miss Lamcken took her place at the
organ. After that Mrs. Sanft frequently
asked her to play for her when she was
indisposed, and she did so. Finally, it is
alleged, Mrs. Sanft ceased to play at all
at the mo- ning services. leaving it for
Miss Lancken to do. She also expected
her to be ready at all times to play at
Sunday-school and the evening service
when She requested.
he requests were SO freqilcnt that Miss
Lamcken decided that she was being inn