Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1922-04-13
SYNOD RECALLS
PIONEER DAYS
Lutheran Church Body Formed
Is Years Ago by IL
Congregations.
STRUGGLES AND GROWTH
Missouri Synod Maintains Week Day
Parish School System of 1910
Schools With $4,000 Children
and 1889 Teachers.

IN the spring OF 1871, rs pastors
| and a dozen lay delegates met In Chi
cagO, then a town of 10000 inhabitants,
sQuatting on the frontier. That group
organized the Evangelical Lutheran
Synod of Missouri, Ohio and other
| states. Today, after IS years Of con-
sistent adherence to the principles of
| conservative Lutheranism. missouri"
Synod, as it has become Familiarity
| known, numbers over a million souls,
| including $500 pastors with congrega-
| lions all over the Union, in Canada,
| Brazil, Argentina and England.
The real beginning of Missouri ante
dated this historic event in Chicago
| The scene is laid in Dresden, the
| capital of Saxonia. where was located
| the parish of Pastor Martin Stephan, a
| staunch exponent Of confessional Luth-
| eranism, and an equally staunch op-
| ponent of the governmental Church
| Union of the Lutheran and Reformed
| denominations. His fearless stand for
| the Lutheranism Of Luther had won
the hearts of many like-minded men.
| It also brought him into serious con-
flict with the government, resulting in
virtual persecution. In 1886 an en-
igration was decided upon as the only
means of escape. In the Fall of 1888
this emigration was actually begun.
An Emigration Society was organ
lied, a common treasury established
and five ships for New Orleans were
chartered. There had been some talk
about settling in Australia, but Amer
lea was finally chosen. At Bremen
five sailing vessels received the Pilgrim
party, numbering approximately 100
men, women and children. One of
these ships, the Amalia, was lost at
sea. The other four, after stormy
passage, arrived at New Orleans dur
ing December, 1888, and January, 1899
Proceeding up the Mississippi these
weary pilgrims landed at ST. Louis. A
number of them remained there, but
the major portion, after but a few
months, settled 112 miles south Of ST.
Louis, In Perry County, where they
had purchased 4440 acres Of land.
Early Struggles
The first experience in their new
home was to be one of bitter disillu-
sionment, but withal, blessing in dis
guise In a strange land, confronted
with the hardShips and the difficulties
of primeval forest and frontier life,
Stephan, their near idolized leader, was
exposed as a dishonest character, and
remaining impenitent in spite of re-
monstrance and admonition, was de-
posed sand banished from the colony.
It was a time Of intense struggle, both
for physical maintenance and for
spiritual stability, from which the set
tiers emerged all the more firmly
grounded in faith.
Almost spontaneously, Pastor G.
P. w. Walther, one Of the younger
immigrant pastors, rose to lead
ership. His spiritual gifts, as we'll
as his executive genius, were of COM
handing order, meeting every emer-
gency as it arose. The German
periodical. der Lutheraner," became
the clari On of conservative and con-
structive Lutheranism, the instrument
which rallied a host Of Lutherans
scattered over the states, and lead to
the founding of the Synod of Missouri,
Ohio, and other states, at Chicago, in
1S47.
Growth
Missouri has had a marvellous
growth in the seventy-fve years Of its
existence. 1t has grown in sp1.e or
evil prophesy Of early destruction ON
account of its conservatism. And 50,
missouri very naturally rejoices on
the occasion of its seventy-fifth an
niversary. It finds pleasure in its
numerical strength. And yet, Mis-
souri, would be misunderstood, if num-
bers only were considered the cause
Of it's Joy. Jealous for the 'salva-
ton of man." missouri" has always
stood for the "glory of Cod" In this
light only is ''Missouri,' it's work and
growth, properly understo ID. And this,
the consistent attitude both for the
glory of Cod and "for the salvation
OF man" Missouri counts its chief
cause for JOY.
- Present Status
missouri at present is made up
of 25 District Synods, representing, &C.
cording to the statistics of 1920, over
million souls, more than three
thousand congregations, and more than
four thousand pulpits. 1t maintains
the only formidable Protestant, week.
day parish school system, numbering
1910 organized parish schools, at
tended by over $4,000 children. and
taught by over 1,50Q trained parish
school teachers and 489 pastors. The
Synod owns and controls IA Colleges
and Seminaries, with 81 professors, 26
assistants, and a total enrolment OF
2O42 students. There are five pri-
vately owned high schools, with AZ
teachers. and 667 enrolled students.
Home Mission work is carried on at
1854 stations. Synod maintains also
Missions among the Jews, Indians For
eign Tongue Immigrants. Deaf Mutes.
and. very extensively, among the
Negroes. Foreign Mission work is con-
Quoted in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina,
China. East India. Alsace and through
so called Free Churches in Germany,
Australia. and New Zealand.