# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1852 05 25_S155
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

155

tution. Mr. Bauer, the catechist, accordingly presides over it, with a fidelity as distinguished as his ability is distinguished, there standing at his side as helper, as second director, the candidate Mr. Moritz Gürsching, appointed at the Latin school in Nuremberg, together with a whole circle of candidates and teachers living in Nuremberg. With joyful astonishment we saw how excellently the institution is furnished in every respect, and what a glorious work of God, of incalculably important and blessed significance for our German kinsmen here in America, is there sprouting and springing up; at the same time we could behold with our eyes, only with the deepest shame, the truly touching love which here, what it itself perhaps often needs sorely, joyfully sacrifices, merely in order that this dear benefit may come to its countrymen who lack spiritual care and, alas! in many cases do not yet feel the need of such care; a love which here, unseen and unregarded by the world, is not weary of bringing great sacrifices, hoping for no thanks from recipients unknown to it, and desiring no other reward than this, perhaps in eternity to find some souls who have been saved, whom it, love, by its sacrifices made it possible to be prepared for the office of the saving of souls. The cost of maintenance is naturally not inconsiderable, yet the whole institution must still answer with the disciples to the question: "Lacked ye anything?" "Nothing." Among others, circles of women in Nuremberg, Fürth, Hersbruck and other places have sent in so much made with their own hands for the outfitting of the pupils to be sent out, that in most recent times the blessing has exceeded the need and a considerable part of it could be handed over to us for poor students in the St. Louis Collegium. One sees here again that first love putting forth blossoms and fruits, of which the Apostle writes: "Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia. For though they were very poor, yet they gave abundantly in all simplicity. For to their power (I bear record) and beyond their power they were willing of themselves, praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints." (2 Cor. 8, 1—4.)

Next to the institution itself, it was, however, furthermore, first, the closer acquaintance with its directors and teachers, in particular with the catechist Mr. Bauer, that made our now longer stay in Nuremberg especially enjoyable and fruitful. Thoroughly educated in theology, equipped besides with comprehensive knowledge also in the general sciences,*) a rare connoisseur of sacred music, of liturgics, etc., Mr. Bauer, the catechist, joins to a capable gift of teaching and communicating the fullest, most self-denying devotion to his difficult calling. May God long preserve this zealous and gifted laborer of His Church and bless his restless activity exceedingly!

*) A proof of Mr. Bauer's distinguished, extensive knowledge of the German language is furnished by the "neuhochdeutsche Grammatik" published by him, in which the most important relevant results of the recent, so thorough historical German language studies, such as those of a Grimm and others, are used and made a common possession of the schools.

Not slight joy, moreover, it afforded us to become acquainted with a great company of faithful Lutheran Christians who here in Nuremberg stand in a closer connection with Mr. Bauer, the catechist, and cling to him with special love as to their fatherly friend. These, almost all of them old, active friends of the American church cause, had already earlier requested me to sketch for them one evening, in a lecture, as an eyewitness, as vivid a picture as possible of the state of our church affairs here. I did so, as well as I was able, unprepared as I was, before an attentive, sympathetic assembly, which was as large as the modest rooms of the institution together with the hall could hold. —

We had indeed already bidden Pastor Löhe farewell, in the supposition of seeing him either never again, or perhaps once in America; but when on the 18th of November we were just in the house of Mr. Volk (where a room specially arranged for us stood always ready for our reception at each return to Nuremberg), in the company of Dean Bachmann of Windsbach and several teachers from the institution there for the education of orphaned pastors' sons, we were suddenly joyfully surprised by the unexpected news of the just-occurred arrival of Pastor Löhe in Nuremberg. He had (as is now usual whenever he comes to Nuremberg) put up at the institution with Mr. Bauer, the catechist. Accompanied by Dean Bachmann, we hastened thither forthwith, and now enjoyed once more the company of Pastor Löhe on that and the following day. Among the many important matters which came up for discussion on this occasion, it was in particular the ecclesiastical distresses still existing here in America to which the main conversation finally turned. With regard to the pressing need of an enlargement of our college building here *) Pastor Löhe made to our dear Brother Wyneken the proposal to have yet another cry for help printed and issued to the brethren in the faith in Germany; he offered at the same time not only to take the cry for help also into his "Kirchliche Mittheilungen aus und über Nordamerika," but also to recommend our petition in the best way. Pastor Löhe declared that by this way the helping sympathy among the fellow-believers in Germany would probably be awakened soonest, as indeed it is altogether in our own interest to furnish him diligently with definite news of our existence and welfare here for publication in Germany. We naturally entered without delay upon the plan, and Pastor Wyneken promised to set about the drawing up of such an appeal at once †). Another subject around which our conversation now moved was the ever more perceptibly growing lack of capable school teachers, cantors and organists in our larger congregations, especially in the great cities, and the great difficulties and expense with which the calling of school-office candidates from Germany suited to our conditions here is attended. We pointed out what a considerable upswing the German school system has taken of late in the larger cities of the Union, how important it is therefore that our congregation and confessional schools in every respect satisfy the ever greater demands; we finally reminded him how few among our preachers possess musical knowledge and skills, how important it is therefore, both for the improvement of congregational singing and of the sung liturgy gradually gaining entrance more and more into the congregations, that we obtain capable song leaders and choir directors who know the old church music as men of the trade and understand how to perform it according to the measure of the available forces. Pastor Löhe agreed entirely with us in the conviction of the high importance of the matter for a wholesome development of our church conditions here. As a man of action he at once came to meet us with a plan for the erection of a school teachers' seminary in our midst, offering us at the same time every possible assistance toward the speedy realization of the plan drawn up.**)

*) The institution in St. Louis has at present three regular teachers, 22 gymnasium pupils and seven students, of whom, for lack of room, one teacher and eight pupils must live outside the institution, which not only entails, since the institution lies about two miles from the city, many a disturbing inconvenience, but also deters those parents from entrusting their children to the institution who wish that they enjoy not only instruction but also training and supervision. Four former pupils have already entered upon the occupations of life for which they had intended to prepare themselves in the College.

†) In the already mentioned letter of Pastor Löhe of the 9th of March of this year it says: "Wyneken's call is long since out. There is deep stillness. Everywhere there is dearth, which makes the chill toward the American cause appear greater still than it perhaps is. With us perhaps more will come in if our present winter (everything lies deep under the snow) turns somewhat more hopeful for a coming harvest. Single gifts are, thank God, there — and if we do not flow, yet we drip, and will not cease. Gutta cavat lapidem." (that is, Drops in the end hollow out even the stone.)

**) According to the above-mentioned letter so much has already been done that the work can come to life already this year and, with God's help, will come to life. After consideration of all circumstances the school teachers' seminary is to be removed to Saginaw in the State of Michigan.