The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-10-30

east, as Mtgeuloklt 44llAnet0tA ett3 sAtF
DalSotas are IN the northwest
But these German emlgrants, unlike
the SWedeS. did not bring their pastors
with them. This was owing, no doubt.
20 the fact that the Lutheran church Of
Germany was woefully crippled by the
thirty years war, and was yet In no
condition to supply these emigrants
with the Cody ministers. This lack OF
pastors was made up In part by school
masters and other adventures taking
upon themselves to act as ministers.
Some OF these were good men, but some
Of them had left Germany for Ger
many's good.
This lack Of preaching was also In
part supplied by families meeting to-
gether and reading chapters out OF
Arndts True Christianity, and books
Of sermons.
But for the most part these German
people were like sheep without a shep-
herd. They became goddess and Christi
less. Their children grew up without
baptism and confirmation. Their spir-
Itual condition was deplorable. They
could not understand English, and they
had no German pastors.
The fourth settlement Of Lutherans
in this country was that of the Saltz-
burgers from Bavaria, Germany, in
1853 They first fled from their native
state to Holland to avoid the religious
persecution of the Austrians. They next
fled from Holland to England to escape
the persecution OF the HOllanders, They
were sent by the English to the New
World, where they could have religious
freedom. They named their first set
tlement Ebenezer-hlthertO the Lord
has helped US. The trials Of these faith
full people were great. They suffered
many things of many men. There Is in
some of our libraries an excellent his-
tory of these Saltzburgers.
The happily brought with them two
godly pastors, Gronan and Bolzins, the
former only living twelve years, the
latter. however, serving them for over
thirty years.
They built themselves churches, and
as early as 1858, already they built an
| orpi1anage. to which the celebrated
George Whitfield contributed, and for
which he donated the bell The de-
scendents Of these Saltzburgers are nu-
merous and form in large part the
Lutherans in the synods Of the south
now.
Thus we see that Lutherans were
among the first emigrants to this land
of liberty. They came here seeking re-
ligious liberty and homes. For the
most part they brought no pastors with
them, and they had no way Of provid-
ing any for themselves here, for they
spoke a foreign tongue.
1t was different with the English who
came here. They brought with them
pastors from England, who spoke the
English language The first schools
were in English. The Universities Of
Harvard and Yale were soon establish
ed, and there was no lack Of ministers
who could preach in the English
tongue.
The Methodists, Presbyterlans, Bap-
lists, ETC., also in this had the advant-
age. The material on which all of
these churches generally depended was
English. The Lutherans and the Re-
formed had the difficulties of foreign
languages to contend with. And besides
their adherents from foreign lands
were generally very poor. Many Of
them came to this land to get them
selves home which they could not get
in their fatherland. They were not able
for many years to educate their sons for
the dense forests of this western world
and also with savage Indians. They
had to be content with what little
preaching they could get from an occa-
sional visit OF minister OF their own
countrymen.
But in spite OF all these trials many
Of them did not lose their love for
their church. Petition after petition
went back to the fatherland for preach-
ers from among their brethren. But
the church in Germany was in poor
condition to help them, 1t was just be-
ginning to recover from the deafness
| that followed the awful thirty years
war-from 1913 to 1913. That war not
merely destroyed Germany's material
resources, but 1t also brought upon the
church, as war always does, spiritual
| decline which took years and years to
recover. At last a time Of refreshing
came from on high A great awaken
ing called the Pletistic movement under
| the leadership OF Phillip Spencer and
Herman FRANKIE. broke out. A spirit OF
missions arose with 1t, and the church
| authorities in Halle, the seat of this
awakening, began to look about for
some man to send to America, to help
their countrymen there at length, un-
der the guidance OF Providence, they
/ found the very man needed for the
place and hour. This man was Rev.
Henry Melchior Muhlenberg. He was
the product OF that Pietistic revival, a
/ man OF great natural ability and OF
great acquaintance. He was graduate
OF the University Of Halle. Could
preach in German, Dutch, Swedish,
French and English. He was also a
born leader Of men. A great organizer.
He arrived in this country in 1742. He
landed in Georgia and spent few
months with the Saltzburgers and then
proceeded to New York and Phlladel-
phIa. OF him It can be said. as 1t was
Of the Apostle Paul, he was in journey
Ings often, and in perils on land and
sea. His journey from Georgia to New
York was one Of great peril and priva-
ton. The water became so scarce that
the rats ate the corks out Of the vinegar
bottles and the men sucked their own
blood.
He found the Lutheran church In this
new world an unorganized and scat