# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1849 02 06_S94
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

94

friends it may therefore seem most impractical to want to undertake a mission journey into the north at such a season; but you know, we thought it better that this year something be done, rather than nothing at all, in regard to visiting our scattered fellow believers.

What have I accomplished so far? Probably only this much, that I can tell you and the brethren that in Galena, of which we have already spoken so often among ourselves, no door has been opened to us by the LORD. And it was only about this that we wished to obtain certainty through my visit.

My journey to Galena was rather tedious. When I left St. Louis on Wednesday, the 7th of November, on the steamboat Falcon, I hoped to arrive there on Saturday; Sunday came, and the boat was only just passing Burlington. My whole missionary activity could therefore extend only to inquiries which I made of the ship's passengers about German settlements in these regions, and had I been fully master of the English language, I might still have borne witness of Christ here also, where I was the only German. It grieved me to the soul when on Sunday several passengers repeatedly beset me with entreaties to preach them a sermon, and, when I explained to them my inability, said they would be content if I spoke quite brokenly and could talk only a quarter of an hour. An important hint for the young men who are preparing in our two seminaries, how necessary it is for them to become so far masters of the English language as to be able to preach in it!

On Tuesday at last, after a voyage of seven days, I reached Galena. A picture which I had seen of this city on the steamboat had made me eager for the sight of it. And in truth, Galena lies extremely picturesquely. Steep hills rose on both sides of the little river into which the boat steered, leaving the Mississippi, and up the hillsides houses and churches were ranged, of which especially the Catholic church and the church of the Episcopalians, built in the Gothic style, the tip of whose spire was adorned with a cross, claimed my attention.

My first question was for the master carpenter Neefe from Altenburg, to whom you had recommended me; but to my regret I learned that he had left Galena only a few weeks before and had gone to Wisconsin. To whom should I now turn? Some Germans with whom I tried to start a conversation showed no particular desire to listen to me, but told me only this much, that a German preacher had been there for a short time, without being able to give me his name, confession, etc.

I resolved to look him up. Mr. Behrendts, for that was the name of the German preacher pointed out to me, I found just keeping school. He received me kindly and asked me to spend the night with him. Immediately after our first greeting it became evident that a "strict" Lutheran had come to a Reformed man, and there arose at once, started by my friendly, dear host himself, an open man, a disputation about the Holy Supper and several other points of difference, which, however, with all its liveliness and openness was far from personal irritation. The accounts which Mr. B., at my request, gave me of his official situation and the condition of the Germans of Galena agreed with the reports which I received on inquiring elsewhere, and convinced me that the LORD bade me keep silent at this place. Methodists and Albrechtsleute carry on their doings here, each canvassing for its own sect with all sorts of exertions. Those Lutherans and Reformed, both in the town and in the surrounding country, who care anything for church, keep to Mr. Behrendts, who moreover could not maintain himself here at all if he were not supported by the "American Home Missionary Society"; the remaining Germans, however, having been much deceived by former bad characters, are either quite indifferent to the preaching office, or total unbelievers, readers of the notorious New York "Fackel."

On the advice of Mr. B. I betook myself this morning to this place, in order to look up the missionary stationed here, Mr. Flury, formerly a pastor in Switzerland, to learn from him something about the condition of German Lutherans in the neighborhood of Dubuque. I am sorry that I did so. The wife of Pastor F. was just then dying, and this circumstance may perhaps to some extent excuse the very unfriendly reception which I received from him, and the vehemence of his utterances about our whole tendency. I therefore stayed with him only a few moments. What I learned, however, at parting from him about the Lutherans in this region could not encourage me to go farther north, and his (shall I say, mocking?) offer to make an attempt in Dubuque to gather the Lutherans adhering to him by a sermon in his church I naturally declined.

I shall now make a journey tomorrow to Davenport, where many Germans are said to live, and shall send you word again from there. God grant that I may then report more pleasing things to you.

Your faithful
Lochner.

Davenport, Iowa, Nov. 18, 1848.

Dear W.!

My journey was rather toilsome. Without being able to take any breakfast, I set out from Dubuque early in the morning at four o'clock in an open wagon with two other passengers. The cold was so severe that I and the lightly clad passenger sitting beside me had to get down after a ride of some miles and run behind the swiftly moving wagon, a circumstance which was repeated very often in the course of the day. After four hours a halt was made and breakfast was taken; then we went briskly on over hill and dale. Because of the grim cold the whole company of travelers kept as still as mice at first; but when the sun had risen somewhat higher and the mouth could be somewhat freed from its covering, a lively conversation arose, which soon turned to religious matters. My neighbor, an Irish Catholic, extolled the glory of his church and of its head, and the other traveler, an educated American, rejected all divine revelation and maintained that sin is not sin, inasmuch as the divine Being is the cause of all motion and all action. A strange traveling company, such as often comes together on journeys in America. The Irishman grew ever more vehement the less I allowed his praises to pass; the American allowed nothing at all to pass, neither praise nor refutation. I was glad when at last the conversation on this subject was broken off and turned to the glorious regions which we passed at noon and in the afternoon. What I had heard earlier about the beautiful, lovely and fruitful situation of Iowa I saw here in part with my own eyes. For the most part they were prairies over which we traveled, but not those level, tedious grass-plains such as I met with in Illinois. Gently sloping hills alternated with short plains; small clumps of woodland pleasantly broke the landscape, which often spread out far before us when we had reached a height, and several settlements, which we could then survey at a single glance, reminded me of many a region of the homeland. In general, Iowa seems to be especially suited for German settlement, and that not only on account of its fertility and its healthful situation, but also on account of the similarity of the character of its regions to many of our dear Germany. For, as I was assured, it is to be so in other parts of the state also, as here.

Night fell, and I had opportunity to observe a phenomenon such as I had never seen. The whole horizon, often the nearest hills, stood in full fire and made the night bright and light. This was the well-known prairie fire. Since we often came quite near such burning stretches, we were not wholly without danger; but all the more vividly the promise Is. 43, 2. came before my soul: "When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." The icy night wind which arose compelled me to draw my cloak closer. I sang my JESUS a good night with Scriver's beautiful hymn: "Der lieben Sonne Licht und Pracht," and then fell somewhat asleep from weariness and cold. I cannot have slumbered long. The falling of my hat, which the wind blew down