# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1880 11 15_S173
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

173

was naturally, first of all, to become acquainted with our whole field. And the Lord has helped us abundantly in this, precisely through timely calls that he let come to us: he called us to the south, to the east, and to the north.

First Rev. P. Bühler went out, chiefly because he is known in more or less many places by the people; but also so that I might become better acquainted with our congregation and with San Francisco. He went first to the southeast, into the San Joaquin Valley, from which both the first urgent request had come and where also some members of our congregation have relatives and acquaintances. He traveled through the whole region there, sought out all the Germans, and invited them to worship for the following Sunday. He found good reception everywhere, and a numerous audience appeared for worship in Hill's Ferry; the people rejoiced with all their hearts to hear God's Word once again. From there he traveled to Banta's, 74 miles from our city. Here too he found many an acquaintance; indeed, he often met acquaintances from house to house. He drove with a farmer from one place to another, invited everyone to church, and an equally large audience gathered and heard with great joy the divine preaching of Christ Jesus. His third mission stop was Livermore, 47 miles from here, where things went just as well, where God's Word found the same joyful reception. The fourth place he visited was the beautifully situated little town of Napa — but as splendid as it is in earthly beauty, here for the first time the soil seemed to be harder ground for God's Word than in the other places. Still, God's Word did find some reception there! From here Rev. P. Bühler wanted to travel on to the not-far-distant St. Helena, but was prevented by sudden illness. For here in California it takes only a short stretch of road, and one goes from the autumnal, pleasant climate of Wisconsin or Illinois, and again after a short distance finds oneself in the delightful climate of the south, depending on whether the sea air touches the place or not. Rev. P. Bühler will give you a full report himself of the particulars, the special reception, and the people's attitude toward God's Word at each of these places.

After Rev. P. Bühler had now returned and had worked with great blessing in the places named, so that it was quite beyond doubt that in this region of California there is a great field for the Lord of the harvest, I now set out to visit another region. From Biggs' Station, about 175 miles from San Francisco, situated in the north of the state, a heartfelt letter of request had reached us — the plea of a truly Christian heart, as warm and beautiful as one could ever wish for — asking that someone come up there once with the glad tidings. Since my route there took me through Sacramento, I made my first stop here and stayed over Sunday. For in this city there is in fact a congregation that was founded years ago by Rev. P. Bühler. For when, in the year '61, repairs were being made to the church in San Francisco, Rev. P. Bühler went to Sacramento and preached there for six weeks. The result was that a congregation soon came into being. But because it could not obtain a pastor from our Synod, it took the first one who offered himself as a good Lutheran preacher. For just as richly as this beautiful land is blessed in earthly things, so too has it always been overrun by wandering preachers. So this congregation has, since its founding, already had several such self-appointed preachers. My intention was, if he should wish it, to relieve the dear old gentleman (he did not want to say his age at all, but he must be close to 80 years old) who presently serves as pastor there, of one sermon. I therefore visited him together with a dear college friend (Mr. Edwin Meese). We were received most kindly; he greeted me at once, after I had been introduced to him, as a dear brother, was extremely glad of such a visit, and we conversed about church and doctrine for several hours. I was, however, not invited to preach, though in the following days I became acquainted with many members of the congregation and instructed them all about our mission work, just as I had also made the old pastor acquainted with it, whom I visited a few more times. The people took a lively interest in it, and several asked me to preach on Sunday after all. They also wanted to go to the pastor and tell him he should permit me to preach; but since it was now too late, and he had probably already finished his own sermon, it could no longer be arranged. On Sunday I then became acquainted with the whole church council, and they urgently invited me to come again sometime, but asked that they be told beforehand, so that they could first arrange it with their pastor that I should preach. My visit at least had the good effect that this congregation, in which I came to know dear people, now knows about our mission work and has been filled with interest for it.

From Sacramento I then went on to Bigg's Station. When I got off there, I heard that the people whom my visit concerned lived another 10 miles farther on. After I had wandered about for half an hour with my heavy travel bag — for besides clothing and a surplice, etc., we always carry along a number of hymnals — and made inquiries, I found a farmer who was willing to take me out there. At furious speed the two little Spanish "ponies" tore along with the light spring-wagon, whose seat formed an inclined plane of about 13½ degrees, carrying me and my companion off with them. I did not know at all what to hold onto — the stovepipe, or the seat, or the travel bag — everything shook so much that I often thought that in the next moment two people would be lying on the ground: my driver and I. I had no time at all to pay attention to the beautiful wheat fields, which are found in the greatest number and finest splendor in this part of our country. Indeed, this whole region is a wheat field, a great wheat valley between the high mountains. A thousand acres make a modest farm! Twice eighty acres is a chicken yard! But at last we did arrive safely. The good folk had already gone to bed; for here the farmers go to bed with the sun and the chickens, but then also get up — which would hardly suit specialists in sleep — at 3 o'clock, ahead of the sun and the chickens. Now, to what sort of people had I come? To such dear, good people that my heart laughed and leapt within me to talk with them; indeed, if I wanted to see souls hungry for grace, here they were! They are two families who formerly belonged to the congregation of our district president, in a word, true Christians! At the home of the family with whom I lodged, I had to tell stories until past 11 o'clock. When it was finally time for bed, the wife quite unexpectedly brought out two of our hymnals and said, "Now then, Pastor, please be so good as to sing a hymn with us and pray with us too." We then sang the beautiful evening hymn, "The sun has now gone down," as heartily as we could. The oldest child, an 11-year-old boy whom they had taught themselves, joined in as well. His three other siblings had long since been in a sweet, sound sleep. But behold, when they heard this music at such an unusual hour, one little head quickly popped up — and then another — and then another — and they smiled and listened. When we had finished singing and had prayed, bright tears stood in our eyes. Then we went to bed. The next morning, as we were at breakfast, the oldest girl, a child of 8, suddenly brought me the hymnal and wanted to tell me I should sing again, which then also happened. That same morning a man came driving up who, as he said, had heard that I intended to stay over Sunday and preach, and he offered to drive me around to all the Germans to invite them to the service. And that he did. But since most of the people live on the other side of Biggs, the service had to be held here in a schoolhouse. Twenty listeners came (for there are not very many Germans there, and besides the harvest was then in full swing), and they all went home again with great joy. But of my dear people, for whose sake I had actually made the trip, strangely no one appeared, although each of the two families had wanted to have a child baptized. Yet that same day I received a letter from them in which they not only expressed their deep regret at not being able to come, but also reported that both children (one was already somewhat ill when I was with them) had become seriously ill, and that they therefore could not cover the long way of at least 15 miles with them. I therefore went to them the following day, held a service for them, and baptized both children.

(Conclusion to follow.)

Dear "Lutheraner"!

In number 21 you began with an instructive "Conversation between Peter and Heinrich about Christian parish schools." But you may tell Heinrich that in his speech he boasts too much of the freedom of this country. For as far as schooling is concerned, freedom of conscience is in some places no longer respected but suppressed. No prince, but other people, want to force us to send our children to such schools where their souls are in very great danger of being led astray. Several Christians have been punished for this reason, because they would not entrust their children to these schools. And the writer of this letter has not only been witness to this, but has himself also been fined $36.00 plus costs, though he has appealed to a higher court.
G. Rademacher, Pastor.

Church Chronicle.

I. America.

In Galveston, Texas, there is also a "Lutheran" congregation. But alas, we cannot rejoice over it, since, according to what is sometimes reported about this congregation, things there must look quite sad. Thus, for example, the Texas Post of Oct. 24 reports: "The Lutheran church will, next Saturday, under the direction of the ladies of the congregation, present a theatrical...