# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1911_S199
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

13th Delegate Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States, 1911. 199

Walther Jubilee at the Coliseum.

On Sunday, May 14, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the Walther
celebration took place in memory of the hundredth birthday of our
unforgettable Dr. C. F. W. Walther. The Coliseum could not hold the
crowd. Great throngs of celebrants had come from Chicago,
Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Cleveland, and many other
cities, especially from Illinois and Missouri, and not only did many
have to stand, but thousands could not even gain admittance at all,
and among these were, unfortunately, even some visitors from out of
town. The assembly is estimated at around 20,000. It was an
uplifting celebration, the kind one can perhaps enjoy only once in a
lifetime. One can, after all, often see great crowds of people and
hear great choirs elsewhere too, but what was unique about this
celebration was that those gathered here, in one spirit and one faith,
were Lutherans. The two festival speakers were Professors F. Bente
and W. Dau of our Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, whose addresses
appear in today's issue of this paper. Prof. D. H. G. Stub appeared as
representative of the sister Norwegian Synod, and Prof. J. Schaller
as representative of the General Synod of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and
Michigan, both of whom brought greetings and blessings to the
assembly. A mass choir, consisting of a student choir of 200 voices, a
mixed choir of 600 voices, and a children's choir of 3,000 voices,
performed various choral pieces and songs, among which we
especially note: "Die Himmel rühmen des Ewigen Ehre" [*The Heavens
Declare the Glory of the Eternal One*], "Unfold, Ye Portals
Everlasting," and "Abide With Me." Such a mass choir makes a
magnificent impression. What will it be like in that other world, when
"of a hundred thousand tongues and voices, yet many more," when
"choirs without number make the hall of joy resound"? The Luther
hymn "Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott" ["A Mighty Fortress Is Our
God"], sung by the whole great assembly, likewise thundered
mightily through the hall. At the close, the assembly, led by the
newly elected President, Mr. P. Pfotenhauer, recited the Creed and
prayed the Lord's Prayer together. A collection was taken up which
came to the sum of $2,772.00 and is designated to form the base
capital for a Walther Fund, from which congregations may borrow
interest-free loans for the building of new churches.

At the Synod's request we also give the addresses delivered at
the Walther celebration, so far as their wording could be obtained:

Prof. F. Bente's Address.

Highly honored, dearly beloved fellow believers!

To God alone the glory! That goes without saying, always and
everywhere, among Christians. It is not at odds with this when we
remember the men through whom God has done great things for us.
Does not, after all,