The Jersey City news., 1901-10-19
TWENTY-SEv VEN
Rev. R. Hafer Proposes to
Celebrate the Birthday
Of St. Trinitatis's
Church.
4 FAITHFUL CONGREGATION
What the Pastor Has Accom-
plished and His Aims
Among the Churches.

The Rev. r. Hafer. the indefatigable
pastor OF St. Trinitatis's Evangelical
Lutheran Church. is preparing to cele-
hrate the twenty-seventh anniversary Of
the organization of his church
On the occasion of the silver anniver-
sary two years ago the Rev. Mr. Hafer
made it am event of Importance in church
annals. He regularly celebrates the an
nixersaries on large scale. and there Is
no pastor in the city who throws more
enthusiasm into his work Of arranging
for these events. In fact he is q very
enthusiastic minister of the Gospel, and It
is doubtful if any one minister is entitled
to more credit for the work performed
in this city than he.
His congregation is composed OF prin-
ecipally German-Americans, none OF whom
is possessed of wealth. Yet 1t has con-
sfantty increased In numbers and through
the indomitable spirit of the pastor and
his aids 1t is now one of the largest ana
most influential Protestant congrega-
tions in the Hudson City section. Pastor
Hafer built the present stately edifice In
Bowers street. It cost him an immense
amount of labor and much sacrifice. He
was Obliged to so far into debt and ne
has labored indefatigably to reduce that
debt The present edifiee was built some
Twelve or fourteen years ago. the con-
gpegation having before worshipped in va
rious places. but principally in little
wooden chapel or structure near the site
of the congregations present home
The church is stately brick structure,
with one of the tallest spires of any
church edifice in that section. and in its
beifry Is the only chime Of bells in the
city. These ring out joyously only on
certain occasions. They are often rung
on the occasion of weddings.
The congregations is composed mainly
of people not possessed of wealth. but
they appear to have caught the enthusi-
asm of their pastor. Time and again they
have offered him an increase of salary,
and as often the pastor has refused TO
accent it His sole ambition appears to
be the social and spiritual welfare of MS
congregation. He seldom takes vaca-
tion, and when he does 1t is because his
arduous duties have rendered such
course imperative. A few years ago,
while struggling to reduce the church
debt. after having been granted vaca-
ton. he donned overalis and with the aid
of several enthusiastic volunteers tskilled
artisans. by the way.) did the repairs
himself and thus saved his struggling
congregation several hundred dollars,
which amount was. of course. applied to
the liauidation of the church debt. AS
Mr.. Hafer is well along In years his feat
of building scaffo1ds and climbing to the
high roof to make repairs will be regard
ed as somewhat of an achievement, and
this work was mainly done at night. The
local papers at the time published stories
of ghosts seen lowering about the roof of
ST. Trinitatis Church in the dead hours
of the night, and investigation revealed
the loving work of Pastor Hafer and his
aides. His aides were men who were
Obliged TO labor during the day in order
to support their families and they could
afford TO pay but little toward the sup
mort and expenses of the church; but they
willingly gave hours of toll in the summer
evenings in aid of the pastor and his no.
BILE work.
Pastor Hafer is also intensely patriotic.
The war between this country and Spain
had no sooner broken out than he climbed
to the belfry of his church and there
PLANTED the Stars and Stripes His
church pears the uiStlue-ioh " haN'HS
been the first to have the national en-
bfem floating from its steeple. The fact
vvas nubiicly commented upon in the local
and New York press at the time ant
many other clersymen throughout the ma
fiof, followed Pastor Hafer's example.
And among no people in all the land could
there have been found any more loyal
f1,an the German Americans who make up
Pastor Hafer's congregation. When his
churen is about TO commemorate some
<veft-say. an anniversary-by festival
Pastor FIafer throws his whole soul into
tr.e work of preparation For days, and
sometimes far into the night he Will re
mar, in his study In the church planning
and putting his plans into execution. The
results have been some of the best enter
fa;,:rnents in this city. They are always
of an elaborate character.
The twenty seventh anniversary VIII De
celebrated by festival under the au-
rn,c6.s OF the Ladies' Aid Society at Cen
tral Han ftheatre) on The evening OF No
vernber ~. ri will be somewhat OF a car
4;vaI. There will be brilliant tableaux
r.horuses. religious and patriotic songs
wjll be sung and The Last Rose of
s,.rumer,, and 1.-THE Milkmaids Supper
charming operettas, win be sung py
members of the Young Peoples Christian
Fnaaavor Society. 'Grand Motnef
Goose Party will be portrayed by thirty
4v-two members of the Sunday school N
beautffui costumes. Artistic drills WIN
also be feature.