The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1922-09-08
IMMIGRANTS FOR
RELIGIONS SAKE
Founders OF Lutheran Missouri
Synod Came to America 10
Gain Religious Freedom.
LEFT MATERIAL ADVANTAGES
Physicians, Civil Officers, Artists,
Preachers and Teachers in Party
Settling in ST. Louis and
Missouri Wilds.

Three-quarters of a century ago a
and of faithful men and women came
to our shore to found a religious coun-
try, of the Lutheran persuasion. in
America and became instrumental in
founding the Evangelical Lutheran Syn
Cd of Missouri, Ohio and other states.
This body is celebrating the seventy
fifth anniversary Of its organization
during the present year. The organiza-
ton was effected al Chicago on Mon
day, April %, 1S47.
The causes back of this emigration
must be understood from conditions
prevailing in the homeland of these
emigrants 1t was not, as usual, the
pressure of unfavorable economic con-
ditions in overpopulated Germany that
induced them to leave the fatherland
and seek q new home and better living
conditions in America. The emigrants
who ten years after their landing in
st. Louis took the lead in organizing
the Missouri Synod, did not come to
America as beggars. Many quilted
their homeland at considerable sacri-
fee of material advantages. Their
party consisted not only Of Saxon
weavers and stocking makers, but
there were among them merchants,
men Of the medical profession, jurists,
officers of the civil government, paint
ers, etc. These people could hope for
very little material advantages in the
new country in which they came to
settle. Their reason for coming to
America was an entirely IDEAL or
spiritual, one They were looking for
home for their religious convictions.
where they could, without hindrance
from the government, worship God ac-
cording to the dictates Of their con-
science ana propagate their faith.
German Religious intolerance
They were not allowed to do this In
their home country. Already long be-
fore the emigration scheme was ma
tured among their leaders they had
suffered considerable because of their
religious convictions. They hailed from
parts Of Germany in which, owing to
the ravages of pietism and rational
ism, Lutheran confessional fidelity had
become rare thing. In 1917 the then
Prussian king, Frederick III, issued
union-edict by which the amalgama-
ton of the two parts of the Protestant
Church, the Lutheran and the Reform
ed, was to be effected. Prior to that
time these two parties had existed as
separate bodies, maintaining their
separate confession, churches and re-
ligious activities. The edict of Fred
erick III. was unquestionably part of
the Prussian governments scheme for
the Capitalization Of power. 1t wrought
a good deal Of havoc throughout Ger
many, where church and state were
not separate as in the United States.
Most of the other German countries
initiated the policy of the Prussian
king and issued similar union-edicts.
But even in countries Ike Saxony,
where this was not done, the union
tendency was the dominant tender Y
in state and church. As a result. both
Lutherans and Reformed who still ad-
hered to their confessional principles.
but mostly the former, had to suffer q
great deal from the intolerant govern
mentse Permission for organizing
Free Church. Independent Of state CON
troll, could not be obtained, although
many attempts TO get such a permits
sion were made.