Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1922-06-01
IIn,yalI,,jIICRANTS FOR
RELIGIONS SAKE
Founders OF Lutheran Missouri
Synod Came to America to
Gain Religious Freedom.
LEFT MATERIAL ADVANTAGES
Physicians, Civi! Officers, Artists,
Preachers and Teachers in Party
Settling in ST. Louis and
Missouri Wilds.

Three-quarters Of q century ago a
band of faithful men and women came
TO our shore to found religious coun-
try, of the Lutheran persuasion, in
America and became instrumental in
founding the Evangelical Lutheran Syn
cd OF Missouri, Ohio anu other states
This body is celebrating the seventy
fifth anniversary of its organization
during the present year. The organiza-
ton was effected at Chicago on Mon
day, April 26, 1917.
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 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
weayers 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 &C
cording to the dictates of their con-
science ana propagate their faith.
German Religious Intolerance
They were not allowed to do this III
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 GENERALIZATION 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 like Saxony,
where this was not done, the union
| tendency was the dominant tendency
| In state and church. AS a result, both
Lutherans and Reformed who still adj
| hered to their confessional principles,
| but mostly the former, had to suffer q
| great deal from the intolerant govern
ments. 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.