Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-11-23
Dedicate Handsome
New Church
MORAVIAN CONGREGATION CELEBRATES
COMPLETION OF NEW STRUCTURE
AND GOLDEN JUBILEE.

history of the moravian congregation
in this city. 1t was a double celebra-
tion--the dedication of the handsome
new church building and the observ.
ance OF the fiftieth anniversary of the
organization of the church in Water.
town.
Three impressive services were held
one at 10 a. m., one at 200 p. M,
and the third at 1880. The first and
last were Of dedicatory nature. while
the afternoon service was in honor OF
the jubilee. In the morning service a
touching sermon was made by the
pastor, Rev. d. c.. Meinert, while the
dedicatory act was performed by Bis
hop Levering of Bethlehem, Pa, who
also delivered sermon at this service.
In the afternoon, Rev. Franz Zeller,
Rev. E. n. Schwartze, Rev. Karl
Mueller, Rev. Herman j. Meinert,
Rev. G. Y. Seifert, Rev. D. c.. Mein-
ert, and Rev. Theo. Kant participated
and several of the pastors delivered
appropriate sermons.
The evening service conducted in
English, was in charge of Bishop Lev
ering, Rev. D. c. Meinert and Rev.
O. E. Reichenbach. The church choir
delivered several fine selections during
these services. The offerings made
were liberal and showed the interest
and love the members have in the
work vhicl has just been completed.
The new church is constructed of
brick 4ld cut stone trimmings with
stone foundations. The style of archi-
lecture Is gothic and was built from
plans I nI7hed by F. S. Lindsay of
this ci' Il presents very imposing
and ta sppear ance and does credit
to the ,aggegatlOn, the architect, as
well a 10 the contractor, Joseph Den
ming OF Janesville.
The interior of the building is no
less attractive than the exterior; and
shows : uniformity in design of con-
struction that is pleasing to the eye.
The total seating capacity is 500 and
the dimensions 75x85 feet. The
chapel is constructed in such manner
that it can be shut off at will or used
with the main auditorium, as the
occasion demands.
The pews are arranged in crescent
shape so that all of the audience can
see the speaker. The floor declines
toward the front which brings the
altar and pulpit in clean view. An
new building are the handsome paneled
windows OF coloreo glass, containing
pictures emplematic of bible events.
These windows were the gifts of mem
bers of the congregation.
The cornerstone Of the building was
laid June II last and the building was
begun in April. The cornerstone
was furnished by j. J. Archie & Sons.
The church here was established by
few families who came from Warte-
bruch, province of Brandenburg, Prus-
sia, to Watertown in the early sos,
and in 1853 Rev. j. Kaltenbrun came
from New York to organize II families
at Ebenezer, and in 1854 congrega-
tion was organized here by the same
clergyman. A school was built in 1855
which still stands and which was also
used for church purposes. The names
of Schwartz, Kaltenbrun and Wetzel
appear as the first teachers In No
vember, 1868. it was decided to build
church and the corner stone was laid
May 5, 1864. At the dedication in
August of that year the membership
numbered so communicates and debt
of $1,000 remained to be paid. Since
that time until the present the church
has Increased in mem bershlp and pros
pered as shown by the handsome new
edifce just finished. The present
membership of the church is 222.
The cost Of of the new church aggre-
ates $15, coo, all of which with the ex-
ception of $4,000 has already been paid.
From the beginning of the church in
Watertown the following pastors have
been in charge: Rev. John Kalten-
bruu, Rev. Wuensche. Rev. Uecker,
Rev. Deterer, Rev. Jacob Hoyler, Rev.
Gustav Feurig. Bishop G. L. Reinke,
Rev. Albert Haupert, Rev. D. G.
Meinert
The members of the Moravian
church have certainly right to be
proud of their new church edifice,