|
I was born April 3, 1822 at
Rothenhagen, in the parish (original: Kirchspiel)
Werther, Westphalia, Germany. At my baptism I received
the names Peter Heinrich. My parents were Johann
Heinrich Dicke and Margaretha Dicke, nee Blothenburg.
Although my parents and their children did not suffer
want, yet they had to be industrious and thrifty to make
ends meet. Therefore I soon had various tasks and work
assigned to me as a boy. When I reached the proper age,
I was sent to the school of the locality. Rationalism
was very prevalent in Westphalia at this time. The
teacher in the school was a person of low moral standard
who, in addition, neglected his duties in the most
flagrant manner. So it was
not surprising that I had learned hardly anything by my
tenth birthday. The pastor who confirmed me was a true
rationalist. At my confirmation I had very little real
knowledge of God and His Son, Jesus Christ. My parents,
especially my mother, must have had already at this time
some knowledge of God and of His Son. She often used to
admonish me, sometimes with tears. At about this time a
conversation of my parents with a neighbor made a deep
impression upon me, one which I never forgot in my whole
life. The neighbor said: “A person must do good works
and lead a virtuous life, then he will certainly be
saved.” My mother contradicted him emphatically,
whereupon the neighbor replied: “Our pastor teaches
that, and he must know; he’s a well educated man.” My
mother answered: “I still do not believe it, because our
Savior says: ‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no
one come to the Father but by me.’”
I myself was an unrestrained and high-spirited
youth at this time. Just then a wholesome change in
church and school occurred in many localities of my
homeland, for at various places witnesses of the truth
appeared. The foremost and most effective was Pastor
Volkening of Joellenbeck near Bielefold. I have
traveled about quite a bit in my lifetime, but have
never found that one man could arouse so many varied
classes of people spiritually and in such wide circles
as Pastor Volkening did. The “Awakening” was not
confined to Westphalia only, but reached into the
Kingdom of Hanover and into several small principalities
as Lipe*Detmold. My parents lived about 12-15 miles
west of Joellenbeck. Although my mother was in poor
health, they attended the preaching services of Pastor
Volkening as often as it was possible. A cousin,
Wilhelm Holtmann, my mother’s sister’s son, urged me
often to attend church with him. The first time I went
to church there was, as always an overcrowded church.
In the pews people sat close together, all aisles were
filled; not even standing room left. As it was summer
time people stood all around the church and heard the
sermon. In the crowd that day I stood under the pulpit
and could rest my back against it. The only thing I saw
of Pastor Volkening during the whole service were his
finger tips. It was the 2nd Sunday after Trinity and
Pastor Volkening preached on the Gospel for that day,
Luke 14, 16-24. It was through God’s grace that I was
quickened by that sermon. On our homeward journey my
parents and friends walked on ahead, and I alone, deep
in thought, somewhat behind them. One recurring thought
was uppermost in my mind and heart: “You must change
your way of life, or you’ll be lost forever.” I was a
few months past 17 years at the time.
From that time on I chose the companionship of
Christian friends. Sunday forenoons we usually attended
services of some truly Christian pastor in the
neighborhood. In the afternoon we attended prayer
meetings, conducted by many of our neighbors, which my
parents attended also. Since my father was able to read
well and had a very good voice he was often asked to
read the sermons and lead in prayer, which was done
kneeling. The sermons of L. Hofacker and K. Rieger were
read in these meeting. The young people in this group
agreed to memorize one Chief Part of Luther’s Small
Catechism, 7 Bible passages, and 1 or 2 hymns during the
week and recite them on the following Sunday. These
people with whom I now associated, even though they were
inclined to Pietism, were sincere Christians who loved
the Word of God and our Savior. I was living at home
with my parents at the time.
When I had reached my 20th year an
event occurred which changed the course of my life
completely. A Christian farmer in the neighborhood
asked my cousin and me to come to see him, he wished to
talk to us. This man was well acquainted with Pastor
Theodore Fliedner of Kaiserswerth on the Rhine. Pastor
Fliedner had written to him about enlisting several
young men. He wanted him to send two young men to him.
Since my cousin could not go, I decided to go to
Kaiserswerth alone.
At the Deacon’s Institute at Kaiserswerth a
number of young men were employed in the care of the
sick, working in the garden and on the farm. In the
summer medicinal plants and herbs were gathered
throughout that whole region. On assignment of Pastor
Fliedner I also had to take smaller or larger trips, so
that I got up the Rhine as far as Coblenz and down as
far as Duisburg, Crefeld, etc. Pastor Fliedner would
jokingly remark: “You are becoming a well-traveled
man.” Since on these trips I had to deal with all kinds
of people, of high and low estate, I learned somewhat
how to converse with people.
In the fall of 1843 I became homesick, longed
to be with my family friends, and home. I therefore
resigned my position in Kaiserswerth and went home to my
parents. After I had been at home for a little over a
year, a young man from the Institute, who was travelling
in the interest of the Institute, came into our region.
He looked me up, to encourage me to return to the
Institute which I agreed to do. Pastor Fliedner
received a letter from this young man and soon I
received word to come as soon as possible, which I did.
My stay in Kaiserswerth was not very long. As soon as I
had learned all that was necessary in nursing and as
surgical assistant, I was sent to Dresden in the summer
of 1845 to the newly established Diaconess Hospital and
remained there 4 ½ years. The first patient I cared for
was a student from the Lutheran Mission House; his name
was Bernreuter. For the first days he lay unconscious
with typhoid fever. Later in life we both became
brother pastors in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in
America.
During the first years at Dresden I did not
have it easy. For months on end I had no night of
uninterrupted sleep, being constantly disturbed. Later
on when I had an assistant I had the night shift every
other night for long periods. These nights were spent
in reading and proved a good preparation for my study of
theology.
The Board of Control of the Institute asked me
to be a collector for the Institute in Dresden and at
times also in Leipzig and as such I came into contact
with many people of various stations in life. Since the
so-called “Leipzig Mission House” was for most of the
years of my stay in Dresden still located in Dresden I
also became acquainted with all of the students of the
Mission House and many of them became my friends. These
contacts by God’s grace assisted me to a deeper
knowledge of Lutheran doctrine, especially in the
distinctive doctrines of the various denominations.
During all this time I kept up a close
attachment with my home and kept myself informed by
subscribing to the “Westphalisches Monatsblatt” (The
Westphalian Monthly). The letters of a Pastor
Rauschenbusch of America appeared in this paper,
describing the religious and church conditions there,
which I read with great interest. Several times he
reported on the “Old Lutherans” as he called the
Missouri Synod. In a later issue I read an appeal from
our Synod which told of the great need of the Lutheran
Church in America. This plea for preachers of the
Gospel was similar to that which is reported in Acts 16:
9 where we read of a man from Macedonia who appeared to
Paul and said: “Come over and help us.” Faithful
Christian candidates for the ministry were urged to
enter the ministry in the service of the Lutheran Church
in America and Christian young men were encouraged to
prepare themselves for the ministry and service of the
Lutheran Church in America. I read this article during
one of my night shifts. The thought came to me that
probably I could serve God and my Savior better there
than in my work at Dresden. My first hope was that it
might be possible for me with God’s help to become an
assistant to a pastor in a school.
At first I took no steps in this matter; when
the thought continued to reoccur, I decided to speak to
Dean Leuschner about it and ask him for advice. When I
had presented my ideas, he inquired thoroughly about
many things. Finally he said: “Write a short
autobiographical sketch and then write a sermon on the
words: “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His
righteousness etc. When you have completed this, bring
it to me and then we’ll see what can be done about it.”
On my way out he followed me to the steps and said: “Mr.
Dicke, just so you won’t do everything wrong, use this
as your sermon theme: ‘Seeking the Kingdom of God and
His Righteousness: 1. Why we must seek the Kingdom of
God, 2. How this is done. 3. What are the results and
fruits of the search’ (I don’t recall the 3rd
point precisely, but I think this was it).” When I had
brought both of the requested manuscripts, he read them
and said: “You seem to have a gift for story-telling”
and of my lecture he said: “You are not exactly poor in
ideas.” He told me to make a clean copy of my lecture,
memorize it, and then come and deliver it in his study.
This was done a short time later. He had his doubts if
my voice would be strong enough to be heard in a church
auditorium. He then suggested a day for me to come.
“We will go the Friedrichstaedter Church where you can
deliver the sermon from the pulpit.” I preached there
and Dean Leuschner walked about in the church with my
manuscript in his hand, listening at various points,
even under the tower. Then we went to the vestry and I
had to pray “from the heart.” He set two further
conditions: I was asked to have my sermon and
autobiographical sketch reviewed by a truly Christian
candidate; I was to have a thorough chest and throat
examination by a capable physician. When this had been
done, he sent the reports with a personal letter to
Inspector Bauer in Nurnberg, who replied quite soon that
my application to enter the Mission House there had been
accepted and that I was to come at one.
This could not be done so quickly, since I was
bound to the Diaconess Hospital by a contract for 3 more
months and also because my services were still needed.
Inspector Bauer had also suggested that I have private
tutoring while I was still in Dresden. The Hospital
Board of Control approved and Dr. Zehme, the assistant
court-preacher, was willing to instruct me while I was
still in Dresden. Before I left the hospital I received
much kindness and love. The Lutheran Mission Society (Lutherischer
Missionsverein) which had as its purpose the support of
young men who volunteered for service in the Lutheran
Church in America, offered to support me while I was a
student at the Mission House. One of the board members
at the time was the book publisher, Justus Naumann, the
grandfather of my present pastor, the Rev. William
Naumann. The Ladies Aid of the Mission Society also
assisted me generously.
Early in March, 1850, I traveled to Nurnberg
via Leipzig. The teachers and students gave me a
friendly reception. Now the work of serious and
intensive study began and I found it hard and
unaccustomed work. So I often had periods of doubt and
my spirits sank deeper and deeper, because I thought the
preparation for the ministry was a hopeless goal for me
to attain. I had already written to the Deaconess
Institution in Dresden and asked if I could be employed
there again. I soon received the reply that I should
just come back; they would be happy to have me in their
employ.
One of my instructors, Candidate and College
Instructor M. Gursching, noticed how depressed I was and
invited me to take a walk with him. He soon pried out
of me what was wrong. He was able to solve all my
problems and refute my objections, and to speak
comforting and encouraging words, so that I could with
God's help continue my studies with confidence. I
stayed in Nurnberg for one and a half years. The
instructors were very capable men and excellent in all
subjects. That was particularly true of two of them,
namely Inspector Bauer and the above mentioned College
Instructor, M. Gursching. Inspector Bauer exerted much
effort, time, and energy in the instruction in
homiletics. In addition, I often had to work out essays
on theological subjects. Both activities were of
importance and immense value to me in later life.
In 1851 war threatened to break out between
Prussia on the one side and Austria, Bavaria, etc. on
the other side. This made it probable that I would be
called up to serve as a soldier. The Mission Society in
Dresden whose protégé I was, preferred to have me
continue my studies in Fort Wayne rather than at
Nurnberg. This accounted for my rather sudden departure
from Nurnberg.
I first returned to Dresden, visited friends
there, but did not stay long. From there I went to
Leipzig, where I consulted the Director of the Mission
House and arranged with him that my friend, Missionary
Miessler and I would be permitted to travel to America
together. From Leipzig I traveled on to my home where I
enjoyed the visit with my family and friends for a short
time before hurrying on to England. On the way I
stopped off in Kaiserswerth where I was hospitably
received by Pastor Fliedner. I then continued my
journey to London via Amsterdam. I had been sent to
London to negotiate in behalf of the Society for Inner
Mission in Bavaria (Loehe and others) with a Lutheran
Pastor in London (Dr. Scholl) with regard to the sending
of missionaries for the City Mission in London. While
in London I also visited my brother, who had the same
position in the German Hospital there as I had formerly
held in Dresden. Also he had been sent there from
Kaiserswerth. Among those who proposed a Lutheran City
Mission in London were two parties, one wanting to draw
its missionaries from Nurnberg, the other preferring men
from the “Rauhe Haus” in Hamburg. The latter had gained
the upper hand and so I could no longer accomplish my
mission. At the time of my stay in London the first
World’s Fair was held in the so-called “Crystal Palace”,
which quite naturally I visited. After my two-week’s
stay in London was over, I left for Havre de Gras in
France.
Here I was to meet Missionary Miessler and Student Th.
Gotsch, who later became a pastor.
Our ship sailed on 18 September. During the
voyage we were in great danger twice. Finally we
arrived in New York on 23 October 1851. We received a
friendly reception and were lodged with the innkeeper,
Mr. F. Fliedner, the brother of Pastor Th. Fliedner.
While in New York we attended services at pastor Brohm’s
church. Here we heard our first sermon in America, and
it was also one of the best I have ever heard in my
life. After the service we called on Pastor Brohm and
were invited to have Sunday dinner with the family.
From New York we stayed together as far as
Dunkirk, N.Y. (on Lake Erie, south of Buffalo, terminus
of the Erie Canal). Missionary Miessler and I traveled
on to Detroit where we went to see Pastor Schaller. We
were given a warm welcome. I had been expected, since I
carried letters and other articles from the
father-in-law of Pastor Schaller, Mr. Volk, owner of a
vinegar distillery in Nurnberg. A brother-in-law of
Pastor Schaller, Student G. Volk, was staying with them
at the time, because Prof. Walther was on a trip to
Germany. This student Volk was a talented young man who
later on became pastor in New Orleans and died there of
yellow fever. Student Volk and I travelled to Ft. Wayne
together, arriving there on 5 November. Among the
student-body present I found a number of old
acquaintances.
In Fort Wayne I immediately got busy at my
studies. During the first months Prof. Craemer was the
only instructor, since Dr. Siehler was in St. Louis. In
the mornings nothing but theological subjects were
taught, while in the afternoon secular subjects such as
German and English language study, world history, etc.
were taken up. At the beginning of March 1852 Dr.
Siehler returned from St. Louis and from then on
participated actively in the instruction.
While I was in Ft. Wayne I also became
acquainted with my dear wife and made up my mind, if it
be God’s will, that I would some day marry her. But I
told no one of this decision at the time. Unfortunately
I could stay in Ft. Wayne only a year. When classes
began again in the fall after vacation, I had to take
the examination alone, in order to hurry to Frankenlust,
Michigan as soon as possible, where I had been called as
assistant to Pastor Ferdinand Sievers. A cholera
epidemic had broken out in the congregation there and
Pastor Sievers himself was lying seriously ill.
I arrived in Frankenlust on 16 October 1852.
I had to preach right away, since the next day was
Sunday. During the first service I was called from the
church to the bedside of a cholera victim whom died soon
after. Fortunately the cholera epidemic had reached its
end. Pastor Sievers gradually recovered, but it took
some time until he had recovered sufficiently to carry
out his pastoral duties fully. I had to budget my time
carefully since I had to teach school 5 days a week and
during the illness of Pastor Sievers also had to perform
all official acts except communion. Afterwards I had
very little to do with the exercise of pastoral care.
However, Pastor Sievers always took me along when he
made sick calls, which pleased me very much, since he
was an extraordinarily faithful shepherd. I was his
assistant for a year and learned to cherish him as a
true Christian who was a model for me in every respect.
A bond of true friendship soon united us which lasted
from then till the end of his life. To my best
recollection no unfriendly word ever passed between us.
In Frankenlust later on I usually only had to
lead in the singing in the morning service on Sundays.
But I did have to preach in the second congregation on
Sunday afternoons. In the spring of 1853 I was called
as pastor of this congregation at Amelith, but I still
remained assistant at Frankenlust and lived there also.
At the beginning of the summer of 1853 Pastor Sievers
and family moved to the mission station “Bethany” (the
mission to the Indians) and stayed there all summer.
During this time I had to serve, both congregations and
also teach school in both places.
While I was at Frankenlust I became engaged to
Anna Katrin Betzler, my dear wife. In June 1853 I
attended the synodical meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, and
joined the Missouri Synod as a member. In the late
summer I became ill with a fever. Fortunately Pastor
Sievers soon returned, because the illness was quite
serious. I did recover enough so that I could travel to
Fort Wayne to get married on 9 October 1853. Even
before I had left Frankenlust for my wedding I received
a call from St. Lorenz congregation in Frankentrost,
Saginaw County, Michigan. I would have declined the
call immediately, had I followed my natural
inclinations, but my teachers in Fort Wayne convinced me
that I had to accept the call as being in accordance to
God’s will. So when my dear wife and I came back to
Michigan, instead of setting up housekeeping in the
parsonage which my congregation in Amelith had built for
us, we had to move to Frankentrost. I would have
preferred to stay with the congregation in Amelith, but
God’s will decreed otherwise. In Frankentrost
I soon became ill again with the fever, this time
critically ill. The fever was persistent. My Physician
had a good reputation in the whole region for handling
this illness, but in my case he fought in vain for a
long time. At times the fever would let up, but as soon
as I preached again, the fever returned. The doctor had
expressed the opinion to several people that my illness
had turned into tuberculosis and that it was unlikely
that I would recover. He therefore finally forbade my
preaching entirely. I did not preach from Ascension to
the 27th Sunday after Trinity. Finally,
however, the fever let up.
The Lutheran congregation at Frankenhilf, 16
miles from Frankentrost, had extended a call to me as
soon as I had come to Frankentrost. As soon as I had
recovered, I had plenty to do in both congregations. I
had to teach school in both congregations and also
conduct services during the week. In general, I got
along quite well in both congregations. The forests in
Saginaw County at that time were still mostly “primeval”
and the clearing of land for agriculture had just
begun. The woods were made up of very large trees, for
the most part; the region was flat woodland and the
roads were at times a mass of very deep ruts. I had
some interesting experiences during my pastorate in
these Saginaw County congregations, but to tell them
here would take up too much space. Sincere friendship
and harmony existed between us brethren, the Pastors
Roebelen, Cloeter, and Sievers.
In the fall of 1856 I received a call from
three congregations in Dodge County, Wisconsin, which I
presented to my congregations. They unanimously voted
that I should decline the call. At the end of January
or beginning of February 1857 the call was extended to
me a second time. This time it was so well documented
and so urgently stated that I immediately felt in
conscience, bound to accept the call. The great
majority in my congregations said: “Pastor, if we would
have to answer to our conscience, we must say, you must
accept the call. A small minority said that although
they could not see my point of view, but if I felt bound
in conscience, they would not protest and I should go in
God’s names. A hurried move was called for, since a
wolf in sheep’s clothing had broken into the
congregations in Wisconsin. When we left our home,
almost the entire congregation accompanied us to the
edge of the village with tears. However, the parting
had to come.
Our journey took us first to Frankenmuth,
where we stopped to see Pastor Roebelen. Our farewell
was for the rest of this life. They left for Germany
soon after and did not return to America again. The
snow had melted and a hard frost had made everything
solid. The miles to Detroit with the stage was a very
uncomfortable ride. In Detroit we stopped off at Pastor
Herman Fick who made us most welcome. From Detroit our
journey took us to Milwaukee where we arrived at the end
of February and were received hospitably by the sainted
Pastor Fleischmann and brought by him to a family in his
congregation with whom we stayed over Sunday. On Monday
my dear wife with the children and my brother Herman
went ahead to Town Theresa, Dodge County. I had to stay
on account of our boxes of household goods and could
follow them on the following day. Thus my dear wife and
the children arrived in my new congregations in
Wisconsin on 1 March, while I came on the 2 March 1857.
Since it was the Lenten season, I had to start preaching
on the following days. A number of members of the
congregation expressed the wish that I might be
installed by President Fuerbringer. Since he could not
come immediately, I was not installed into office in my
congregations near Mayville until the Feast of the
Ascension.
The vacancy in the three congregations had
been a long one. I had lots of work to do, since there
were over 200 families in the three congregations and
soon another, a fourth congregation, was added to the
parish. While it is true that I had three teachers in
these congregations, yet at the time the teachers who
had received good training, were sound in doctrine, and
also led a God-pleasing life were rare indeed. Most of
them were people who had sought out the positions for
themselves. Much dissatisfaction and unpleasant
experiences occurred on their account, until it finally
became possible to get teachers who were true to their
calling, capable of teaching, and pious in their manner
of life.
In the winter of 1857 to 1858 I received two
letters from people living in Fond du Lac County who
asked me to come to visit them. They were Lutheran,
they said, and wanted to remain Lutherans. Methodist
preachers came around, but they didn’t want to have
anything to do with these. They had heard that I was a
Lutheran pastor and closest to them. Would I not please
concern myself about them?
In the week of the 2nd Sunday after Easter I
borrowed a horse and saddle and started on the 36-mile
trip to them. Since the spring break-up was in
progress, the roads were in miserable condition. Since
I didn’t know the way and was misled by wrong directions
given to me, I traveled on a roundabout route, in fact I
had to turn back on myself. After I had passed through
Fond du Lac it began to rain quite hard. My horse was
tired out and at the end of his strength, and so I had
to get down and lead it behind me. I too was almost
ready to give up. I wrapped myself in my overcoat and
kept going, even though I could hardly stay on my feet.
It was quite dark when I finally reached the home of the
people I had come to see. When I entered the room I
almost fainted and was hardly able to utter a word.
Since I had announced my coming by letter, quite a
number of people gathered there the next day and I
preached to them on the Gospel of the Good Shepherd.
God gave me the grace so that I could portray for them
Christ the Good Shepherd and describe His love.
Somewhat later a Lutheran congregation was organized
among them. These people lived about 11 miles due east
of Fond du Lac. Most of them hailed from the German
province of Hesse-Darmstadt.
After I left this group I looked up some
people who lived 6 miles south, in Town Forest and
Osceola. These folks came from various parts of
Germany, but most of them from north Germany. By God’s
grace I was also able to organize a Lutheran
congregation there. Both of the above-mentioned
congregations now belong to the Wisconsin Synod.
Somewhat later I was able to organize another Lutheran
congregation in Fond du Lac County. A young man from my
congregation moved to Town Auburn in Fond du Lac
County. He asked me to come and give him and his wife
communion and hold preaching services from time to time,
which I promised to do. When I went to the home of
these people to keep my promise, more and more people
showed up. After 4 or 5 years the number had grown to
about 25 families. Some of these people always showed a
grateful appreciation for my services.
In the upper Immanuel Congregation near
Mayville a serious controversy arose while I was still
there. In that congregation there were a number of
people who would not submit themselves at all to the
authority of God’s Word. They began gradually to
undermine Christian discipline, so that it became
necessary to oppose them earnestly. As soon as that
happened the battle was joined, which ended with the
separation of 14 families from the congregation. The
gracious God was with me, so that in the subsequent
investigations by the Missouri Synod and the Wisconsin
Synod my actions were upheld. I must, however confess
before God that in this controversy I was at times too
hotheaded and impetuous.
In the winter from 1862 to 1863 I received a
call from 2 Lutheran congregations in Shawano County,
namely St. Martini Congregation of Town Belle Plaine and
Bethlehem Congregation of Town Pella. They were still
quite young congregations in newly opened territory.
The congregation in Belle Plaine had been organized by
the sainted Pastor Ruhland of Oshkosh, while the
congregation in Pella had been founded by the sainted
pastor J. N. Beyer (of Caledonia). At the time both
congregations were being served by Pastor Beyer, who had
to travel 42 miles to Belle Plaine and 10 miles more to
Pella. At many places the roads were at times totally
impassable. Pastor Beyer managed to visit these
congregations every eight weeks. Under the
circumstances Pastor Beyer was anxious to pass the
responsibility to another truly Lutheran pastor, while
the congregations earnestly wished to be served more
often by a pastor of our Synod. Most of the members of
these congregations had moved there from my
congregations in Mayville and had often expressed the
wish to Pastor Beyer, if only they could again have
Pastor Dicke as their pastor. I had done nothing to
promote this call, even though I was personally
interested and inclined to serve in this kind of
mission-field, since that had been the purpose of my
coming to America, if possible, to serve my God and
Savior in this way. I enjoyed good health and had a
strong constitution, and I was not afraid of bad roads
and the like. I was also ready to endure poverty and
privation for my dear Savior’s sake. In these matters
my dear wife thought as I did.
In short, after I had considered everything
carefully, I accepted the call in God’s name. After I
had confirmed the children in Mayville at Pentecost and
had paid a visit to my relatives in Minnesota, my family
and I started on our way. As far as New London we
divided our family; my oldest son, Henry and I drove in
the buggy, while my wife and other children went by
train and steamer.
From New London we traveled together with Pastor Beyer
in our buggies to Belle Plaine, where we arrived on 23
June 1863. On the following Sunday I was installed by
Pastor Beyer in both congregations (26 June 1863). In
Belle Plaine the service was held in a public
schoolhouse. In Pella in the house of a farmer, August
Pankow. Since our house in Belle Plaine was not
finished when we got there, we had to live together with
a farmer in a small blockhouse for the first four
months. Soon after my arrival in Belle Plaine I went to
Shawano and Hartland.
In Hartland there were four families who came to the
services, and in Shawano about the same number. Besides
that I also served the congregation in New London
together with Pastor Beyer for a year and a half in 1863
and 1864.
The winter from 1863 to 1864 was very severe.
The snowfall was so deep that the congregation members
in Hartland were completely isolated. For several
months I could not get to them at all.
When we moved into the
new parsonage (a low log-house) in the fall of 1863, it
wasn’t nearly ready and it remained that way for two and
a half years. The ongoing Civil War was undoubtedly the
cause for this delay. My small study was fairly well
finished. The living room and a small adjoining bedroom
had floors of rough and not completely seasoned boards
laid on the ground. These later shrunk so much that the
legs of the chairs would catch in the cracks. The floor
of the kitchen was bare earth as God had created it.
The cellar was a small hole dug into the ground and
covered with boards. On this cover stood a short
ladder, which served both as cellar steps and steps to
the attic. The children had to sleep up in the attic,
not only our own, but also the children who stayed with
us during confirmation instruction. There were no
provisions made for the safety of the children. The
roof gable boards had shrunk so much that in a number of
places one could pass the hand in and out through the
gable. Often times the snow lay thick on their
bed-covers in the morning, and yet they stayed hale and
hearty. After two and a half years the house was
improved somewhat.
Not only was the housing situation poor, but
the same was true with regard to provision for our
living. In the call I had been promised a salary of
$150 in cash and various provisions in kind. The salary
and other provisions was supposed to have been pledged
by individual members. But instead of $150 the pledge
list showed only $90, and of this, already at Pastor
Beyer’s time, $12 was lost when three member left, so
that the list actually showed only $78. The promised
provisions were insufficient to start with, and even
these were not all delivered. We received very little
meat and when the elders admonished some members and
reminded them of their promise, they said: “We have none
ourselves and so we can’t give the pastor any.” A
similar situation obtained with regard to the feed for
the horse and cow. The feed that was brought did not
cover their needs by a long ways, so that I paid out
over $200 for feed in the first two and a half years.
In addition everything was very expensive
during the war. Plain blue denim for trousers was 70 to
72 cents a yard, calico 40 to 42 cents. The worst
inflationary prices had to be paid for provisions and
feed. Wheat was $2.50 a bushel, flour $12.00 a barrel,
and other prices were correspondingly high. Oats, corn,
and potatoes were usually over a dollar a bushel. Marsh
hay of very poor quality was priced at $22 a ton.
Dressed hogs were 15 to 16 cents a pound and more.
Money was barely worth 50 cents to the dollar, naturally
also that which the pastor received as salary. The war
brought extremely hard times for everyone. In Belle
Plaine every able-bodied man who was young and
physically fit enough was without exception in the
army. Wood for fuel was dragged through the deep snow
from the woods by myself and my oldest son, at that time
a lad of 9 years. I also was in danger of being drafted
by lot to serve in the army. But even though my name
was among those to be chosen by lot for the draft on two
occasions, God prevented my being drafted.
My wife had earned $260 teaching district
school. Members of the congregation had raised a large
crop of rutabagas (yellow turnips) on half shares on our
land. We received 1,200 bushels as our share, which I
took to Shawano myself after school and sold them. We
ate dry bread and saved wherever we could, and yet we
were deeply in debt.
In the fall of 1865 I received a call from two
congregations from the vicinity of Indianapolis,
Indiana. The promised support looked very good. At
first I thought I would return the call without further
ado. When I began to think about my situation, and
especially about my debts, I realized that matters could
not continue in this way. I communicated with Pastor
Beyer and asked him to come and counsel with me. He
came to see me soon and urged me not to accept the
call. We called a congregation meeting in Belle Plaine
and explained what was at stake. A new pledge list for
my support was prepared and the members showed a real
willingness to bring sacrifices in accordance with their
circumstances. They begged me earnestly not to leave
them, otherwise they would be entirely without a church
ministry. Also in Pella the members displayed a real
spirit of sacrifice for my support. Yet, even though I
would have to take on many additional burdens and
hardships and my financial support would be less than it
would have been in Indianapolis, I felt in conscience
bound to remain with my congregations.
In the spring of 1864 I began to preach also
in Town Bear Creek and served this congregation for nine
and a half years. In Town Larrabee (both towns are in
Waupaca County) I organized two congregations of which I
could transfer one to Pastor Lauritzen’s parish. When
the war had finally ended in 1865, immigration into our
region became quite lively, whereas it had almost
stopped completely during the war. A few families had
even moved out. My mission field became larger from
year to year until I was finally serving 14-16 preaching
places. In Belle Plaine I taught school, and in
addition had to conduct confirmation classes in 4
different places, preach at various places, besides all
the other additional work such a sick calls, funeral
services, weddings, etc. The work had finally gotten
too much for me, so that I began to suffer from severe
insomnia. I lived in fear that I would as a result have
to resign my ministerial office. End of October 1872
Candidate Henry Stute came to my assistance and took
charge of the congregation in Town Hartland.
In 1873 I came to the conclusion that my
mission field ought to be divided, partly because
several congregations made sufficient material progress,
so that they could with a little effort and good will
maintain their own pastors; partly also because I could
no longer supervise the whole parish in such a way that
no detriment would result. This was particularly true
of the youth work. I therefore strongly urged the
congregations in Belle Plaine, Pella, and Town Grant, as
well as in other places which were to be attached to the
above congregations as branch congregations, that they
should call their own pastors. At first no one wanted
to discuss the matter seriously. Their answer to my
urgings was “We have a pastor.” But I did not permit
them to refuse me. Instead I spoke to their consciences
and declared that I could no longer accept the
responsibility of having their children grow up as they
were. Neither could they accept the responsibility, for
their children needed much more instruction in the Word
of God than I could give them. Most of the members
realized the truth of my argument and so my plan was
adopted. As a result three calls for candidates were
sent to St. Louis. It was my intention to give up all
congregations and mission stations west of Shawano.
These congregations were the oldest, and consequently
also richer in material goods. They were therefore also
the first who could afford to provide for their own
preachers.
In the winter of 1874 I received a call from
St. Paul’s congregation in Town Washington, who wanted
to have me as their own pastor. After considering all
things carefully, I accepted the call in God’s name. It
was an important mission field to which I was
transferred by my acceptance of this call. Outside of
my own congregation in Town Washington, there were also
three brand new and promising places, which I had to
take over, namely a preaching place on White Clay Lake,
north-east of me; also preaching places in Town Gillet
and Town Howe, both in Oconto County. I was firmly
convinced that I had to take over these places myself,
if they were not to be lost for our church. There was
no other pastor in the neighborhood who could take care
of these people; in addition, no means were available to
pay another pastor, since at that time there were no
mission subsidies; with a few possible exceptions all
the settlers in this whole region were brand new
beginners. Since the congregation in Town Washington
could not build a parsonage for me, I had a small
log-house built on land that I owned there.
The congregation in Belle Plaine had followed
my suggestion to call their own pastor and gave me a
peaceful dismissal. So I moved in God’s name to Town
Washington in early summer 1874 with my family and lived
in the center of a large mission territory. In the late
summer 1874 Candidate J. Diehl came and relieved me of
several congregations and preaching places west of
Shawano. Because no candidates could be supplied for
the other two calls, I had to keep the congregations
west of Shawano in Belle Plaine, Town Richmond, and Town
Herman. In the meantime I had organized congregations
in Gillet and Town Howe. Thus the number of places to
take care of had decreased very little through the
arrival of Pastor Diehl, because in Town Gillet and Town
Howe there were two preaching places in each township.
Fortunately at that time my son-in-law, Pastor Stute,
could help me in my parish almost every Sunday
afternoon, which he did untiringly, not only here in
Town Washington but also elsewhere, especially in
Shawano.
Pastor Diehl relieved me of 4 congregations.
In the year 1876 Pastor G. Barth was called to Pella.
He also relieved me of several places. In 1879 Pastor
Ebert accepted the call to St. Martin’s Congregation of
Belle Plaine. He also assumed responsibility for a
congregation in Town Richmond and somewhat later for St.
James Congregation in Shawano. In 1881 for a short time
(barely 5 months) I had an assistant, Pastor Karl Schwan.
The two congregations in Belle Plaine could not agree on
salary and other matters. Consequently I had to keep
St. John’s congregation myself. Also here in Town
Washington I received lasting help when Candidate O.
List relieved me of Immanuel Congregation here and the
congregation in Gillet. I was still able to serve
mission congregations until I was 70 and a half years
old, namely the congregations in Town Howe and Town
Richmond. In the fall of 1892 Candidate Johannes
Huchthausen took charge of the congregation in Town Howe
and Rev. Nickel relieved me of the on in Town Richmond.
For 34 years of my life I was privileged
through God’s grace to do mission work in its real sense
and to carry on Home Mission work. During that time I
lived the life of a pioneer. Finally I had only St.
Paul’s congregation in Town Washington, where I live in
my own house since 1874. Here I served five more years
until the fall of 1897. But then I was compelled for
various reasons to resign from the active ministry.
Some of my old friends did not fully approve of my
action. But anyone who wishes to judge fairly must know
all of the reasons which prompted my action and weigh
them judiciously. If I had not been compelled to teach
school, I could have administered the holy office for
one or more years, but I could not see any proper way of
being relieved of this duty. But I could no longer
teach school because of my insomnia. There were other
reasons also, such as difficulty in making sick calls,
accompanying funerals to the grave in winter, etc.
God gave me abundant opportunity to do what I
could still do. I was able to help out Pastor Nickel in
Shawano, so that he could do mission work among the
Indians. I could also help out frequently in the Town
Washington, Immanuel congregation, where I was vacancy
pastor for almost 5 months, and afterwards during the
illness of Pastor Kolb I could assist frequently. As
long as I was still able to render such assistance I was
glad to do it, partly because it gave me the opportunity
to witness to the grace of my God and Savior, partly
because I could still show my fellow-sinners the way to
salvation. I was able to preach until I had completed
my 80th year, but then I was completely done
for. I had caught a cold and became very hoarse. I
tried to preach too soon, lost my voice entirely for a
time, and never fully recovered its full power. Now
there is no longer any need for my assistance. The good
and gracious God has until now provided me with a quiet
old age. Even though my family and I formerly lived in
poverty, yet now in my old age I can live without worry
and want. While we have no great surplus, we do not
have any lack of necessities either.
I suppose I can say that in the years of my
ministry I did not seek to feather my nest, for as often
as a congregation founded by me reached the stage that
they had enough of this world’s goods that they could
afford to pay me a decent salary, I turned it over to
another pastor, so that they could be supplied more
abundantly with God’s Word. On the other hand I assumed
responsibility for new and poor congregations, in which
for the first no money was to be gained.
I have been criticized at times and the claim
has been made that it was a serious mistake on my part
to have served new congregations at times without salary
and not to have insisted immediately that they pay their
pastor a salary. If you don’t know the circumstances,
you can’t form a right judgement. The immigrants who
settled in our region at that time were almost without
exception very poor. Since they were making their
beginning in primeval forest, they had to live for quite
some time in very limited circumstances. They were
worse off than new settlers are today, because now they
can sell their logs for good prices. Then the settlers
had to burn down their woods with considerable work, or
if they could sell some of it, it hardly compensated
them for the work involved. The present settlers on new
land can find work at fair wages almost everywhere. The
settlers then often had to leave their farms and
families all winter long in order to find work at a
great distance at generally low wages. For a long time
money was devalued and prices were inflated. Whatever
the beginners needed was usually very expensive. Some
even had to leave their families in the summer to work
as harvesters in order to earn the money to buy the most
urgent necessities.
When pastors serve mission station now they
receive support from the mission treasury, but at that
time nothing was available for such purposes. So if it
is proper to subsidize preachers at mission stations, so
that congregations in their period of poverty can hear
the Word of God without paying salary, then my actions
in preaching God’s Word to the poor without pay was not
wrong. If the congregations which receive subsidy for
their pastor’s salary from the mission treasury for a
time do not become spoiled or stingy, then I cannot be
faulted for doing the same thing. Or, if I by my
procedure committed the above-named offences, then the
whole Synod today is making the same mistake, for Synod
is doing exactly what I did.
In addition, the Methodists were very active
at that time almost everywhere and made great efforts.
They boasted continually that they preached to the
people free of charge. Consequently I either had to do
what I did, or else leave the whole field to these
sectarians. It is true that I was most anxiously
concerned, lest people see in me a person who sought not
the sheep but the wool. Because I saw with my own eyes
what poverty the new settlers endured, I did not have
the courage to speak at once about salary matters. In
this I often took the Apostle Paul as my example, but I
must admit that unlike him I did not always strike the
right balance and I must also confess that here and
there I should have urged the people sooner to help
support the holy ministry in their midst. My mistakes
and neglect had their cause in human weakness.
The land I owned helped to support and
maintain my family. Originally I had, on the advice of
Pastor Beyer, bought 40 acres of state-owned land in
Belle Plaine. Their purpose, to help in the support of
my family, was certainly accomplished. At first some of
the members helped clear some of the land. My wife and
children helped energetically in the farm work. At
times I also had a hired man, and as before said, with
the help of my family we managed to scrape a bare
subsistence off the land. Since my sons had no
inclination to study for the ministry I later on bought
more land in Belle Plaine while it was still cheap.
When I tried to sell it later on, I could not get its
value. Since I did not want to sell it at a loss, I
kept it. Then the price rose to such an extent that it
has become a substantial aid to our support in our old
age.
When I left Dodge County I had $400 in cash
which I lent to a friend and the rest invested in land.
Practically all of this money was an inheritance, the
major portion from my brother Herman who was unmarried
when he died. I wanted to save this money for my
family. On the advice of a congregation member in the
present Town Grant, Shawano County, I bought a farm
there and rented it out, so that it would bring me some
income to provide for my family. The last renters were
two brothers, who, after they had lived there a few
years, either wanted to buy it or move out. At that
time I made up my mind to sell them the farm, since I
had an opportunity to buy some good state-owned land
very cheap. The buyers of the farm, however, were not
able to pay out the purchase price immediately, so I had
to have patience with them. Because I wanted to buy the
land in Town Washington anyway I turned to my brother
Friedrich in Minnesota and asked him to lend me the
money for a while. He sent me $150. Due to the delay
in the payment for my farm the purchase of the
state-owned land was held up. In that way I got the
same amount of land for $100 cheaper, because all
state-owned land which is unsold after three years on
the market (and that was the case here) is sold for the
original price. When I wanted to repay my brother
later, he made me a present of the money, so that I have
the land on my farm in Town Washington almost for
nothing. It was not my intention at the time to live on
this land, but circumstance changed. I myself never
worked on this farm. I simply didn’t have the time.
But it was not easy to make ends meet, since I needed
quite a bit for horse and buggy, for my clothing, and
for travel expenses and pocket money. In addition the
living cost for the large family which the good Lord
gave me were not small.
My dear wife bore me 13 children. The two
eldest, Karoline and Heinrich were born in Frankentrost,
Michigan. Three, namely Marie, Pauline, and Friedrich
were born in Town Theresa, Dodge County. So we moved to
Belle Plaine with 5 children. There 5 more children
were born, namely, Hermann, Hermine, Anna, Wilhelm, and
Karl. Three further children were born to us in Town
Washington, Johannes, Juliana, and Klara. Johannes and
Juliana were twins. Of these 13 children 10 are still
alive. Herman died as a small boy, before he could
walk.
Friedrich died of an accidental gunshot
wound. He was driving our cows to the pasture and met
some of the other boys of the neighborhood on the way.
One of the boys had a pistol, which another boy took
into his hand. He thought that the pistol would not
fire, because previous attempts to shoot it had not
succeeded. When Friedrich came to this group, the boy
who had the pistol in his hand wanted to frighten
Friedrich, aimed at him and said: “I’ll shoot you
dead.” There was no misfire this time. The shot hit
our Friedrich in the chest. Because the lung was
perforated, he died of internal hemorrhages after 13
hours. He was 10 years and 4 months old when he died.
I did not happen to be at home when the accident
occurred, but was in Town Bear Creek. He was still
alive when I returned, but not long. Before his death
he prayed: “Lord Jesus, I live in Thee; Lord Jesus I die
in Thee; Lord Jesus, thine I am, living or dying! Take
me to haven. Amen." Also: “The blood of Jesus Christ,
God’s Son cleanses me from all sin” which he
applied to himself through special emphasis on the word
"me”. He was quite weak and would doze of; when he
awoke again, he would pray of his own accord such short
prayers and Bible passages as mentioned.
Our eldest daughter, Karoline, the wife of
Pastor (Karl) Stute, now also deceased, died in the fall
of 1883 in Tawas City, Michigan of malaria. Although we
had the blessed hope that all three children died in
faith and are saved, yet we did experience deep sorrow
in these three deaths, particularly in Friedrich’s
case. We could comfort ourselves with the conviction
that our dear ones had merely preceded us into heavenly
rest, into the Kingdom of Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ
and that we would follow, soon or late, just as the
Savior promised when he said: “I will come again and
receive you unto myself, that where I am, ye may be
also.” John 14:3. When it is said of all Christians
that they must through much tribulation enter into the
Kingdom of God, it is particularly true of the ministers
of Christ, on whom God must sometimes lay a special
cross. God be praised, that they are called not only to
be burden-bearers together with other Christians, but
also, if they remain faithful and steadfast, to be
partakers in the glory of heaven Rev. 1:9. Yes, God
often comforts them already here on earth, as He did
pious Job, and lets them win victory after victory.
That has been my experience by God’s grace.
I was permitted to serve the Lord my God for
45 years and 4 months in the holy ministry. It has been
my goal and purpose, when I came to America, to offer my
life in the service of missions and of the Lutheran
Church in America, to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ
to my German countrymen, so that they might become true
Christians, believe and be saved. God be praised and
glorified that He has been with me and permitted me to
achieve my goal and life purpose. In His service and
with His help I could organize 34
congregations. Several of these gave up their original
organization to unite with other larger congregations,
so that today they number 22. I was permitted to teach
school for 40 years in my Savior’s service. I was
privileged by God’s grace to show the Way of Life to a
great multitude of children both in school and in
confirmation classes. May God’s
blessing rest upon this
instruction! I thank God that He blessed the Word and
my labor, so that I may hope that through me, a poor and
unworthy sinner, something was accomplished to His glory
and the salvation of my fellow-redeemed. With full
conviction and in all sincerity I say: “Any good that’s
done in this life of mine is due entirely to Thy power
divine.” I also confess in the words of the savior: “If
ye have done all that is commanded of you, say: we are
unworthy servants.” If already he is an unworthy
servant who had done everything, how much more am I
unworthy, how much more I, who failed by far in doing
everything commanded. I neglected much that I should
have done, and much I did wrongly. Many times I should
have confessed my Savior or I should have warned men of
their sins, and didn’t do it. Oftentimes I gave offense
through my quick temper and so I must cry out, when
reviewing even the best of my labor: “God be merciful to
me, a sinner” and “all my righteousness is as a filthy
rag.” Next to the spiritual benefactions and all the
other blessings, which God has showered upon me, in my
long life, those, which I have come to enjoy in my old
age, are certainly not the least. Until now I have been
able to live quietly without suffering any want. My
health has been such that I could attend services in
God’s house almost every Sunday and my hearing stayed
good enough
that I could hear almost every word of the sermon. That
the sermon I hear is the pure Word of God, that is a
blessing so extraordinary that I cannot thank God enough
for it.
God has showered another great blessing upon
me in that the true life’s companion which he let me
find has been preserved at my side all these years, so
that we could celebrate our Golden Wedding Anniversary
some time ago.
The children are all grown and can with God’s help
provide for themselves. When I think of all this, I
must say from the bottom of my heart: “Lord I am not
worthy in the least of all the mercies and of all the
truth, which Thou has shown to Thy servant.” I can only
sigh:
| O
Father, deign Thou, I beseech Thee |
| To
listen to my earthly lays; |
| A
nobler strain in heaven shall reach Thee |
|
When I with angels sing Thy praise |
| And
learn amid their choirs to sing |
|
Loud Hallelujahs to my King. |
|
(The Lutheran Hymnal #30 v. 6) |
|
TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY! AMEN! |
|
