The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-02-24
TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF
GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH
CONTINUED from Page ~

CONTINUED from Page IL
During the winter OF 1909-10 Rev.
A. N. Warner, a retired Lutheran
minister. and member of the Sus
quehanna Synod in Pennsylvania, who
then resided at st. Petersburg, came
to Lakeland and preached once
month. Rev. Schaetfer preached
shortly after the meeting OF the
Synod; Rev. J. H. Wilson, ~. D.,
the third Sunday in February, 1910;
Rev. H. y. Matthias the fifth Sunday
in May; Rev. M. J .Epting, ID. D.,
the third Sunday in August. In
July, 1910. Rev. Matthias accepted a
call as pastor. He entered upon his
duties on the first Of October and
continued in Office until the first Of
November, 1912, e period Of two years
and one month.
| Van HusS' opera house was The
place OF worship from February, 1909,
until July, 1912. On the 25th Of De-
cember. 1909. lots Nos. IL end Is in
block No. rs of Pierce's subdivision
of Munn's survey OF the town OF Lake
land were purchased for the sum Of
$4,000. Lot No. IL is still the prop,
erty of the church, and is the site
of the church and parsonage; No.
10 was sold to D. b. Dickson March
16, 1911 for $1,000 and is now
| owned by Mr.. Gus Daniel.
| The sale OF lot No. 10 placed thu
congregation out OF debt on lot No
| r.. so that the congregation was now
in q position to undertake the build
ing of a church edifice. A building
committee was selected. consisting O.
| Messrs. Van Huss, Ottinger and Pea
cock. It was decided to build a bricl
church, and to make the brick ,o
sand and cement on the church lot
end this work was prosecuted at in
tervals during the summer OF 1911
The A. G. l.. passenger station wal
built at this time and when 1t wa,
completed several thousand red bricl
ordered for that building remained
unused. These were purchased by tn
building committee, and form the ex
terror Of the walls Of the church.
4 On the 4th of October, 1911, tn
ground was broken for the founda
ton. The brick masons were pai'
for their services, but, with this ex
ception and other work involving
comparatively small expenditures, al
the labor Of brick making, building
and leveling was contributed gratis
Mr.. Peacock was the architect an,
Mr.. 0ttinger superintendent the worl
of construction, giving large shar
!. OF his time and attention to this i'm
{ portant service for more than year
i Individual members worked for day
and weeks, and 1t was the spirit o
service, cooperation and devotion
:, that made the building of this churc'
(: possible. Owing to the death of MI
: Peacock and the resignation Of Mr.
Ottinger, the congregation, on tn
18th OF June. 1912, elected three ne,
new members of the building commit
i tee, F. o. Gercken r. F. Lincberge
and W, X. Holler, and instructe
q the committee to proceed with tn
8 work, which was accordingly done
The first service In the new churc
was held on the 14th of July. 1912
The Synod and Ministerium OF Geor
G gia and Adjacent States held its 53r
= annual convention here Oct. 90 I
!. Nov. ., 1912, and on Thursday, Oct
] 81 1.-THE ss5th anniversary of the RI
: formation) at $3.50 p. M. the corner
! Istone Of this church was formal
: placed in position in the presence {
q the Synod, the members of TIL
!. church and large assemblage of eli
. liens. At this service Rev. W. {
Sehaeffer Jr. presided and Rev. Rol
: ert l.. Patterson, secretary Of til
. Board of Home Missions. delivere
q the address.
Z The cost of the building up to Thu
date was 5000. OF this amount Ii
: sum of $1,000 wa& given by the Boar
4 of Home Missions and $500 by II
I Synod of Georgia. The members
\ the church contributed $4.276 in la
] or. material and money, of which 81
{ was from the Ladies Aid Societ,
4 The balance. s17S4, was obtaint
I from private individuals and misce
I laneous sources. This would be
I very inadequate measure of the vail
! Of this building. however. Shortly a
! ter its completion a local contract,
! OF experience and Judgment WI
! ssked to make an estimate Of i
= cost and stated that be would n