The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1922-04-25
SYNOD RECALLS
PIONEER DAYS


In ~ Spring Of 1871. - rasiorz
and doren lay delegates met In chi.
caso. then town OF 10000 Inhabitants,
squatiinx on The frontier. That group
organized the Evangelical Lutheran
Synod Of Missouri. Ohio and other
states Today. after rs years Of con-
sisrent adherence TO the principles Of
conservative I.ufheranism. sMissouri''
Synod. as II has become famiiiarly
known. numbers over a million souls.
including 900 pastors with congrcga-
tlons 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 saxonla. where was located
the parish OF Pastor Martin stephan.
staunch exponent OF confessional Luth-
eranlsm. and an equally sfaunch op-
ponent Of the governmental Church
Union Of the Lutheran and Reformed
denominations. HIS fearless stand for
the Lutheranism q Luther had won
the hearts Of many lIke-nlinded men,
Il also brought him into serious con-
fllct with the government. resulting In
virtual persecution In 1896 an eu1-
isratlon was decided upon as the only
means Of escape. In the Fan OF 1888
this emigration was actually begun. F
An Emigration Society was organ
ixed. n 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
1--WE sailing vessels received the Pilgrim
party. numbering approximately 750
men, women and children. One OF
these ships. the Amalia. was lost az
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 few
months. settled lie niles south Of ST.
Louis. In Perry County, where they
had purchased 4.440 acres Of land.
Early Struggles
The first experience In their new
home was to be one OF bitter dlsillu-
but wlthal. blessing in dis
guIse. In a strange land. confronted
with the hardshlps and the difficulties
Of primeval forest and frontier life.
stephan. their near idoliEed leader. was
exposed as a dishonest character. and
impenitent In spite OF re-
and admouition. was de-
posed and banished from the colony.
Z. was 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 C.
r. w. walther. ose OF the younger
pastors. rose TO lead
ershIp. His spiritual gifts. as well
rs his executive genius were OF CON-
order. meeting every emer-
rency as 1t arose. The German
periodical. "Der Lutheraner." became
the clarion Of conservative and con-
structlve 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
IS47.
Growth
@Nissouri'' has had a marvellous
growth in the seventy-fve years Of Its
existence. II has grown In spite OF
vii prophesy OF early destruction on
account of its conservatism. And so.
Missouri very naturally rejoices on
ne occasion Of Its seventy-hfth an
,lversary. II finds pleasure In It's
numerical strength And yet. Mis-
,ouri- would be misunderstood. II num-
,ers only were considered the cause
II its Joy. Jealous for Inc saliva
ion 81 man. Missouri has always
,.ood for the "gicry OF Cod In this
!xht only is Missouri" its work and
rrowth. properly understc ID And this.
he consistent attitude both for the
rsc-y Of God" and -for the salvation
u man. Missouri counts It's chief
cause for joy
Present Status
Missouri at present Is made up
Il IS District Synods. representing. ac-
.orilnr 10 the statistics OF 1870. over
, million souls. more than three
thousand congregations. and more than
'our thousand pulpits 1t maintains
he only formidable Protestant. week.
sav parish school system. numbering
$40 Organized parish schools. at
tended by over 1000 children. and
taught By over 1.1oo trained parish
school teachers and 4s9 pastors The
Synod owns and controls II Colleges
md SeuiHar!es. with 81 professors. %
, ,s<fstsnts. and q total enrolment Of
|, o4a students. There are FIVE pFi-
vately owned high schools. with AZ
teachers. and c67 enrolled students
Home Mission work Is carried 3n It
:sc4 stations. Synod maintains also
Missions among the Jews Indians. For
e.en Tongue Immigrants. Deaf Aufes.
md very extensively. among the