The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-11-20
FOUNDING OF LUTHERANISM
IN THE DUTCH FORK
(By "A. H Kohn)

In this Quadricentennial year 1t IS
highly fitting that we take backward
look. With satisfaction we reflect
upon the work Of Luther and thank
God that he gave Professionalism to the
world In America we cannot boast
OF four hundred years of Lutheran ef-
forts: we can, however. say that when
there we're Lutherans in America over
two hundred years ago, there were
lutheran ministers also. 1t is one OF
these pioneers that we wish to see
through the vista of changeful CEN
tury.
Rev Frederick Joseph Wallern was
horn in the Kingdom of Saxony April
G. 1859 Of his life in the Fatherland
we know nothing save that he was
educated for the ministry at the Uni
verstiy of Goettingen.
There was a sweeping tide of mi
grafton to America from 1886 TO
1888. Realizing that his countrymen
were a sheep without a shepherd IN the
new country he resolved to follow
them and minister to their spiritual
needs His first charge was the OLD
St. Johns Church near Broad River
In order to make his flock feel at
home he modelled his church after
their old church home in Germany
Under the gable were these words IN
an oval form; Der st. Johannes
EyaugeIiische Luterische Kirke." The
wear of his arrival in this country is
not known, but it must have been
alb ut the close Of the Revolution as
be was recorded as member OF the
CORPUS Evangelicorum,' a religious
/, organization composed Of Lutheran
and German Reformed ministers ana
Isymen in 171S. For thirty Or more
wears he served a number of churches
in Newberry and Lexington districts,
among them we're Bethlehem {then
called Marpole), st. Parl's and Bethel
In 1890 Pastor Wallern was married
to Mary Ursula Stairly who was a
]adv of means They settled on the
land that came to her as a part OF
her dowry. For thost days and times
thew were considered quite well-to-oo
; They left no heirs.
The religious conditions in the
German settlements Of South caro-
! lima at the close of the Revolutionary
War were far from ideal. The settle
ments were far apart; the roads
were mere bride paths and travel was
, slow. There were Lutheran settle
ments with churches in Amelia Town
sl,irs Orar geburg County, at Sandy
prr IN SAKE Gotha Township ana
in the Dutch Fork. There We're other
! settlero ents and churches but they
were rot included in the act OF incor-
noration by the Legislature OF Souta
Carolina in 1877. fSee Bernheim'
German Settlements of the Carolinas.)
The largest number oil Germans was
% he souna in the lower part OF
%ewserry County and the Fork be-
1ween the BROAD and Saluda Rivers Ia
Lexington county. In these settle
rants there were two or three Ger
man Lutheran pastors and one Or two
German Reformed.
Contempcraneous with Pastor Wall
ern we find the following Lutheran
ministers: Reverends Frederick Au-
John George Bamberg. Frederick Au-
gust rTallberg, NJ Carl Binnicher; Ger
! man Reformed ministers, Reverends
christian Theus, Carl Frederick Froe-
Itch (the blind preacher of the Dutch
Fork) These ministers together with
fourteen laymen orgt lied the Corpus
Fyangelicorum in Zion Lutheran
Church. Lexington District, August s.
1887. The purpose of this orsanlza-
tion was the supervision of all the
German Protestant Churches in the
State of South Carolina. All the con-
creations of the two denominations
wnra connected with this ecclesiastical
body except ST. Johns Lutheran
Church. Charleston 5, c. The body
was known as Unio Ecclesiastical OF
the German Protestant churches in
the State of South Carolina. The foi-
lowing ministers signed the Constita-