"The Seminary at Fort Wayne" by Dr. W. Sihler, Professor and Member of Board of Directors, Fort Wayne Translated by Erika Bullmann Flores From: Der Lutheraner, Vol. 12, No. 14, pp. 1- At a recent Central District Conference the request was made to report in Der Lutheraner from time to time concerning conditions and needs at our teaching institutes, thus helping to maintain the loving concern of our parishes for their "foster children." We, on our part, will try to endeavor to act on this understandable and reasonable request, by first of all giving an overview of students who have entered the seminary, and pastors and school teachers who have graduated since 1846. We are not doing this to compliment ourselves in the way of the flesh for these numbers, but rather to praise God who has so richly blessed this endeavor and has guided it with fatherly love, so that during the past nine years as many as 70 graduates began to serve the church, who, as we know--speaking in a Romanist and papist manner--are not seeking the prestige of the clergy and merely concerned with the law stand in fear of the ban, or stated in good, old American, are not hirelings, slaves of the flesh or vassals of men. They are serving their parishes according to God's Word, so that they, as is the way of the flesh, are neither governed nor do they govern. Therefore, this report is to evoke amongst all our congregations, yea, even all those readers who are friends of Lutherans, to praise and thank our merciful God from the bottom of their hearts for these spiritual benefits and copious blessings. These will be poured out in abundance on our children and children's children (unless ever-increasing ingratitude, slothfulness and worldliness cause God to take from us the Gospel and the doctrine and give it to others who will bear the desired fruit--may our merciful God keep this writer from this experience), blessings compared to which the richest fulfillment of the fourth petition--according to Luther's explanation--is but naught. For how can any temporal, physical, and worldly goods touch and appease the most inner desire of the immortal soul, let alone satisfy it? For this soul of man is from God to God, that is, it is created so that alone through God and by God it will find solace and peace, life and fulfillment thereof. And furthermore, how can all the treasures of the world, all honors, well-being and wordly peace, health, a long life, children and children's children, pay for just one sin of one human being, let alone take away the guilt of sin in all human kind? God pours this spiritual, heavenly and everlasting blessing into His Gospel, through Christ, for whose public proclamation He has created the holy office of preacher which He has entrusted with the Gospel of His church to be administered in an orderly fashion. Therefore, it behooves our congregations to recognize and appreciate with thankfulness the mercy by which God has sent them shepherds and teachers after His own heart, lest in the midst of the abundance of our earthly goods, in the midst of our cunning, gaining, striving and owning, there will come a time when the Word of God will become scarce among us, and the Lord will send a hunger--not a hunger for bread or a thirst for water--but a hunger for the Lord's Word, where they will stagger from one ocean to the next and seek from night till morn for the Lord's Word, and yet they'll not find it. (Amos 8: 11-12) Following the aforementioned overview there will be a short report about internal conditions as well as external continuance as they relate to the overall attitude, the teaching methods and number of seminarians, and an address to our Synod's congregation (the increase of which has made it necessary to raise the number of our seminarians). Finally, the whole thing will conclude with a receipt of this year's donations, which were partly cash and partly goods which need to be receipted according to their cash-value. Summary of Fort Wayne Seminarians Who Entered and Ministers and Teachers Who Graduated Between October 1846 and October 1855. 1846-47 Admitted: Karl Fricke from Braunschweig Joh. G. Wolff from Wrtemberg Jakob Seidel from Franconia Andreas Zagel " " Joh. P. Kalb from Franconia Heinrich Wunder " " Mich. Johannes " " Johann Birkmann " " Paulus Heid " " Karl Strasen from Mecklenburg - Schwerin Rudolf Lange from Silesia Adolph Claus " " Anton Stecher from Westphalia 8Graduated: Joh. G. Wolff, Teacher at the parish in Fort Wayne Jakob Seidel, Pastor in Neudettelsau, Union County, CO 1847-48 Admitted: J.C. Ulrich from Hannover Joh. Pinkepank " " Andr. Fritze from Wrtemberg Nik. Volkert from Franconia Wolfgang Stubnatzy from Franconia Mich. Eirich " " Georg Kchle " " G. Volck " " Joh. Rennicke from Kurland Graduated: Joh. P. Kalb, Pastor in Lancaster, OH Karl Strasen, Pastor in Collinsville, IL Mich. Johannes, Pastor near Benton, Colecamp County, MO Joh. Birkmann, Pastor near Waterloo, Monroe County, IL Rudolph Lange, Pastor in St. Charles, MO Heinrich Wunder, Pastor in Neu Bremen near St. Louis, MO Paulus Heid, Pastor in Pomeroy, Meigs County, OH Andr. Zagel, Teacher at the parish in Indianapolis, (Called as Pastor by the Luth. Congregation near Columbus, Bartholomew County, IN) 1848-49 Admitted: Erhart Riedel from Franconia Jak. Rauschert " " Fried. Ntzel " " Jul. Koch from Prussia-Saxony Ferd. Steinbach from Weimar-Saxony Otto Eisfeldt from Hannover Rud. Klinkenberg from Pomerania Fried. Eppling from Alsace Graduated: C. Fricke, Pastor in Indianapolis And. Fritze, Pastor in Adams County, IN A.D. Stecher, Pastor in Huntington, IN Nik. Volkert, Pastor in Schaumburg, Cook County, IL Wolfgang Stubnatzy, Pastor in Cook County, IL Joh. Rennicke, Pastor in Staunton, Macoupin County, IL Fried. Ntzel, Pastor in Wittenberg, Franklin County, OH Joh. Pinkepank, Assistant Preacher and Teacher in Buffalo, NY J. Ulrich, Teacher at the parish in St. Louis 1849-50 Admitted: Gotth. Reichhart from Prussia-Saxony Wilh. Holls from Darmstadt-Hessia Joh. K„rpel from Franconia Georg Link " " Paul Beyer " " Fried. Ottmann " " Fried. Schumann " " Eh. H„ckel from Bavaria Wilh. Bergt from Kingdom of Saxony Edm. R”der from Lausitz-Prussia Wilh. Richter from Nassau Phil. Wambsganss from Rhineland-Bavaria Graduated: Georg Kchle, Pastor in Cook County, Il Otto Eisfeld, to the St. Louis Seminary Georg Volk, to the St. Louis Seminary 1850-51 Admitted: Heinrich Werfelmann from Hannover Ernst Hsemann " " Joh. Strieter from Wrtemberg Heinr. Frederking from Westphalia Karl Sallmann " " Fried. Schachameyer from Franconia Er. Kundiger " " Otto Ernst from Silesia Wilh. Sommer from Lausitz-Saxony Wilh. Kolb from Nassau Friedrich Fr”hlinger from Rhine-Prussia Rich. Riedel from Schwarzburg-Rudelstand Graduated: Johann K„ppel, Teacher at the parish near Brownstown, Jackson County, IN Wilh. Holls, Pastor in and near Centreville, St. Clair Copunty, IL Rud. Klinkenberg, pastor at White Creek, Bartholomew County, IN Fried. Steinbach, Pastor in and near Sheboygan, WI Erh. Riedel, Pastor in Dissen, Cape Girardeau County, MO Fried. Eppling, Pastor near Troy, Perry County, IN Gottha. Reichart, Pastor in and near Greenville, OH Georg Link, Pastor in Neu-Bielefeld, St. Louis County, MO Edm. R”der, Pastor in Norfolk County, Canada West Fried. Ottmann, Pastor in Neumelle, St. Charles County, MO Paul Beyer, St. Louis Seminary, now Pastor in Memphis, TN Julius Koch, Teacher in Neubremen, St. Louis County, MO 1851-52 Admitted: Heinr. Dicke from Westphalia Fried. K”stering from Hannover Wilh. Lindemann " " Theod. Jungk from Rhine-Bavaria Heinr. K”nig from the Kingdom of Saxony Heinrich Bauer from Franconia Friedrich B”hling from West-Prussia Georg Beyer from Coburg-Saxony Leonh. Daib from Wrtemberg Heinr. Jngel from Darmstadt-Hessia Anton Wagner " " Herm. Lenke from Electorate of Brandenburg Graduated: Wilh. Bergt, Pastor in Williams County, OH Reinh. Frederking, Pastor near Lasalle, Bureau County, IL Ernst Hsemann, Pastor near Pomeroy, Megs County, OH Wilh. Sommer, Pastor in and near Franklinville, Harford County, MD Heinr. Werfelmann, Pastor near Wappakonnetta, Auglaize County, OH Jakob Rauschert, Pastor in and near Mt. Clemens, MI Fried. Schumann, Pastor in Noble and DeCalb County, IN Joh. Strieter, Pastor in Independence, Cuyahoga County, OH Fried. Schachameyer, Teacher at the parish in Neu Bremen (resigned in 1855) Eh. Heckel, Pastor in Bigriver, Jefferson County, MO (At rest with the Lord in the year 1855) 1852-53 Admitted: Heinr. Gr„tzel from Prussia-Saxony Heinr. D”rmann from Westphalia Fried. Dietz from Franconia Joh. Mich. Hahn " " Wilh. Engelbert from Nassau Heinr. Jor from Darmstadt-Hessia Heinr. Horst " " " Christ. Lcke from Hannover Hasso Wedell from Prussia Peter Rasmussen from Norway Graduated: Hein. Dicke, Pastor in Frankentrost, MI Erh. Kundinger, Teacher at the parish in Detroit Otto Ernst, Teacher at the parish in St. Louis Call Sallmann, Pastor in Elkgrove, Cook County, IL Herm. Lemke, Pastor near Monroe, MI Wil. Kolb, Pastor in Sheboygan County, WI Phil wambsganss, Pastor in Adams County, IN Fried. F”hlinger, Assistant Preacher in Fort Wayne Fried. B”hling, Pastor in Pekin, IL Heinr. K”nig, Pastor in and near Napoleon, Henry County, OH Wilh. Lindemann, Assistant Preacher in Cleveland, OH Theo. Jungk, Pastor in Cape Girardeau County, MO Heinr. Bauer, Pastor in Cook County, IL 1853-54 Admitted: Karl Kirsch from Baden Georg Reisinger from Darmstadt-Hessia Georg Sch„fer from Wrtemberg Joseph Herrmann from Franconia Graduated: Fried. K”stering , Pastor in Allen County, IN Richard Riedel, Pastor in Oswego, Kendall County, IL Fried. Dietz, Pastor in Allen County, IN Heinr. Jngel, Pastor in Liverpool, Medina County, OH Michael Hahn, Pastor in Franklin County, MO Leonh. Daib, Pastor in Arcadia, Hamilton County, IN Nik. Bayer, Pastor in Sheboygan County, WI Peter Rasmussen, Pastor in and near Lisbon, IL Hasso Wedell, Teacher at the parish in Cincinnati 1854-55 Admitted: Joseph Lehner from Austria Edmund Multanowsky from Russian Poland Heinr. Eisfeller from Darmstadt-Hessia Wilh. Heinemann from Mecklenburg-Strelitz Carl Machmller from the Electorate of Brandenburg Friedr. Ruff from Prussian Saxony Gottl. Brandtstettner from Rhine-Bavaria Heinr. Nolting from Westphalia Friedr. Kameyer from Hannover Fried. Funk from the Duchy of Saxony-Meiningen Graduated: Christian Lcke, Teacher at the parish in Sheboygan, WI Anton Wagner, Pastor in Watertown, WI Wilh. Engelbert, Pastor in Holmes County, OH Heinr. Jor, Pastor in Manitowoc County, Wi Heinr. Gr„tzel, Assistant Preacher and Teacher in Logansport, IN Heinr. D”rmann, Assistant Preacher and Teacher in Eden, Erie County, NJ Heinr. Horst, past.vic., Macomb County, MI Karl Kirsch, Teacher at the parish of Pastor J„bkers 1855-56 Admitted: Edward K”hler from Hamburg. From this overview it is apparent that during the past nine years 89 students were admitted to the Fort Wayne Seminary, 72 of these are now serving as Pastors and Teachers in the four synodical districts. Though they seem to be scattered about, they are nevertheless joined by a living and lovely unity in the spirit. They maintain personal and intimate friendships with one another via regular correspondence which also includes some of their former instructors. Partly for this reason, partly for their own attitude towards their service to their parishes, we praise God through them. They prove to be faithful and diligent, not tiring and weakening under many a cross and tribulation. They tend to their congregations with irreproachable words, their spiritual armor is sound, and as the Lord's warriors they do not involve themselves with wordly concerns, but are gladly and joyfully building the walls of Jerusalem. Like those of the old covenant, they too hold the sword in one hand and the trowel in the other. The 27 students currently at the seminary--three more are expected--fall into three categories. The first are the actual seminarians. Two of these recently passed their examinations, thus there remain five. The second category are the pre-seminarians of which there are nine. They have already participated in regular seminary courses such as Symbolic Books, Catechesis, but are primarily enrolled in necessary educational courses in the German and English language, mathematics, geography, world history, singing, and violin. The third category is comprised of the so-called "preparands" of which there are now 14, their ages range from 14-17 years. They participate in courses for the pre-seminarians as well as in courses of their own. Those preparands and pre-seminarians who are endowed with the required aptitude, also receive instruction in Latin, partly because this precise, grammatical means of instruction will help with their formal education, and partly and mainly to give them the necessary skills in the Latin language to enable them to partake of the wonderful treasures our church has in the precious, spiritual, writings of its fathers and teachers. Among our pre-seminarians there are those who from the very beginning, according to their own desire, determined to become teachers. Others were advised by their instructors to opt for this profession, after these had become convinced that their students' God-given gifts were better suited for this "common purpose." Our students are housed (at present quite crowded) five to six per room, so that a seminarian is the proctor in a position of brotherly care and supervision with two pre-seminarians and three "preparands." The names of these "preparands" are (recently two of these, Samuel Kleppisch from Baltimore and Matthias M„rz from Baden transferred to the college in St. Louis): Joh. Georg Nchterlein from Franconia Georg Bernthal " " Konrad Moll " " Karl August Rittmaier " " Bruno Barthel from the Kingdom of Saxony Adam Dinkel from Wrtemberg Heinrich Gils from Hannover Ernst Rolff " " Herm. Wichmann from the Kingdom of Prussia Wilhelm Stellhorn " " " " " Ludwig Maurer from Darmstadt-Hessia Karl Ritter from Mecklenburg-Strelitz Johann Horst from Darmstadt-Hessia Heinrich Cr„mer from Hannover. Though at present we do not have any students who are so outstandingly gifted as were the late Pastors Eisfeld and Volck in the past--both of whom transferred to the seminary in St. Louis. All our students are hardworking, and in the fear of God and with prayer they use whatever God-given, mediocre gifts as they have. They are attentive in class, conscientiously learning the material, studying in their rooms, in order to prepare them for useful service to their church to the glory of God. Experience and history have taught that especially intelligent minds, if they do not espouse an attitude of humility and simpleness of heart and are not at all pressed by their own cross, are very easily led astray by their own and new ideas--which do not at all synchronize with the paradigm of the saving doctrine--all of which can lead to terrible heresy which destroys Christ's church rather than build it up. Our students' attitude and comportment towards us, their instructors, is as respectful and unassuming, at the same time candid, open and trusting, as one might expect from proper Lutheran training. Neither shall this training have anything in common with the merely "lawful-formal" doings and productions in order to force superficial obedience and obsequious fear (such preparation and training takes place in certain papist, Jesuit orders and institutions, where the instructors, clerics and priests, are merely seeking their own honors); nor shall it be like this "freedom" which is the custom in this country, which results in misuse of Christian freedom, immorality and licentiousness, and under certain circumstances even in wild, destructive, behavior. Lutheran training, that is evangelical-Christian training is such as Luther said--concisely and plainly--where the apple is close to the rod--that is the Gospel is close to the law, where the latter too is handled with an evangelical attitude and a fatherly heart, and where, according to the needs of the student, freedom and constraint are implemented in harmony. This discipline is especially concerned that in the future students will serve their Lord and His church; albeit in the latter not in a lordly, vainglorious, and pretentious manner, but rather it is expected of them to learn and blend with the various circumstances and situations in this country, though without harming the prerogative of the church's teachings and not by becoming "men's slaves." The deportment of our students to each other is in a brotherly manner, and the teaching-, admonishing-, warning-, punishing-, and consoling love is ever busy, so that the various situations and conditions naturally develop into a system of subordination, whereby the seminarians and older pre-seminarians assume the role of older brothers relative to the preparands. Following this brief overview, we now need to approach every congregation in our synod, yea, even every friend of The Lutheran, informing them of our need, imploring them to quickly come to our aid. By His own doing the Lord has recently greatly increased the number of our students, we do not have enough room. There is a need for student-rooms, right now five or six have to live and study in a medium sized room; we need a second sleeping hall, the current one--located directly under the roof of the house, which, by the way, is too low--is full. A second class room is needed as well as a dispensary. In addition, the head-master's apartment is unsuitably small--though he has not complained--he and his wife and their five children are living in two small rooms, there is no side- or storage room. A larger dining room is also urgently needed, the current one, located next to the kitchen, is so small that the students have to be served in shifts. We urgently need to build an addition, just to relieve the current situation. According to an estimate, the cost would be ca. $1200 - $1500. A local parishioner who received a small heritage already has made a donation of $100--actually his wife is the heir and she was in agreement. May this lovely example cause other Christian minded Lutherans to do likewise, so that in this matter too, we do not neglect the Lord's work. And did He not here too take the first step? For who else has send us so many talented, pious, young people who want to become workers in His vineyard. He will hear the prayer of the many upright Christians in our Synod and move the hearts of these Christian people, yea, of entire congregations to help maintain these new, mostly poor students. And who other than our true and faithful God is building and enlarging the realm of His true church with these students for future generations--as long as ingratitude will not drive away the Gospel--wherein His Word and Sacrament will be kept pure and children shall be born for him like the dew from the dawn of morn. What kind of Christendom would we have if this did not concern us, and we not quickly provide relief to the glory and praise of God and for the use of our students; in that we provide their earthly necessities, so that here too we are not found to be lazy and unproductive, but rather doing good works in the time allotted to us, heeding St. Paul's words (Gal. 6:9-10): "So let us never tire of doing good, for if we do not slacken our efforts we shall in due time reap our harvest. Therefore, as opportunity offers, let us work for the good of all, especially members of the household of faith." We especially entreat those congregations whose shepherds and teachers are former students of our institution--and we are confident that they show themselves to be faithful and hard-working--to manifest their gratitude and love towards the former guardian-teacher of their father's in Christ. We beseech our dear colleagues and brothers-in-the-faith, impressing upon their hearts our dire need, that according to their ability they personally set an example for their congregations, and also together with them pursue this good work with the proper, evangelical, ardor. We dare make to them this extraordinary suggestion: that they do not employ the method of a general special collection, but rather personally approach those of their parishioners who are willing and able to assist. May the Lord our God help us in this matter also, and further this work of ours, yea may He further this work according to His will and pleasure, for the sake of Jesus Christ, His dear son. Amen. Received For Fort Wayne Seminary, Indiana Between January 1, 1855 and January 1, 1856 Partly as Financial Contributions, Partly as Goods Valued in The Amounts of: From the congregation in Fort Wayne .......... $ 282.00 From the congregation of Pastor J„bker ....... 77.91 " " " " " Dietz ........ 42.54 " " " " " K”stering .... 20.72 " " " " " Hausmann ..... 24.00 " " " " " Wambsgauss ... 51.56 " " " " " Fritze ....... 31.35 " " " " " Streckfuss ... 78.52 " " " " " Werfelmann ... 4.15 " " " " " Stecher ...... 18.75 " " " " " Stcken ...... 20.42 " " " " " Schumann ..... 33.90 " " " " " Bergt.......... 5.00 " " " " " Bernreuther.... 4.00 " " " " " H. K”nig....... 2.75 " " " " " Schwan......... 61.00 " " " " " Reichardt...... 8.00 " " " " " Khn .......... 14.44 " " " " " Jngel ........ 23.00 " " " " " Engelbert ..... 17.00 " " " " " Seidel ........ 17.81 " " " " " Richmann ...... 9.50 " " " " " Wichmann ...... 28.44 " " " " " Kuntz ......... 4.00 " " " " " Sauer ......... 16.60 " " " " " Cl”ter ........ 4.25 " " " " " Hattst„dt ..... 5.02 " " " " " Diehlmann ..... 9.00 " " " " " Heid .......... 15.50 " " " " " Klinkenberg ... 11.74 " " " " " Somnier........ 3.00 " " " " " Auch........... 10.00 " " " " " Trautmann ..... 5.00 " " " " " R”bbelen ...... 15.00 " " " " " Bauer ......... 5.00 via Pastor Heid, from W. Sch. .................. 5.00 via Pastor Schumann............................ 1.37 from Pastor Dulitz............................. 3.00 from Pastor Friedr. Rolfing in St. Louis........ 2.25 from Pastor Lindeschmidt in Milwaukee........... 2.00 Total $ 996.37 Comparison of this amount with the amount received in the previous year--$683.99--shows an increase of about the same as our increase of expenses. We needed to dig a 53 ft. deep well, erect a wooden fence of about a quarter mile along the road, had extensive repairs on the frame house, built a new baking-oven and chimney, the basement had to be lined with bricks, and other small repairs were completed, altogether adding up to more than $300. Of the above sum, groceries in the value of $258.49 were donated. Thanks to this considerable aid and also the budgeting and house holding skills of our dear housemother, Mrs. Cr„mer, but ultimately to the Lord's blessings, it thus was possible to board our students for the entire year at a cost of only $16.50, despite the high grocery prices. In addition, the local Women's Association not only repaired the students' clothing, but made new ones for those in need, thus spending about $70 for materials. Also, the Christian women of the local congregations have lovingly provided for our students by doing their weekly laundry. In closing, a sincere thank you to all the seminary's benefactors. May they, during the coming year, receive from God's hand rich spiritual and physical blessings. Fort Wayne, January 1856.