Chicago Lutheran History: First St. Paul Congregation
In 1896, the Lutheran churches of Chicago published a history of their growth in the city beginning with First St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, now located on LaSalle and Goethe streets in Chicago. As far as I know, there is no English translation of this document, so I offer this translation to share this history with you. You can see the other parts of this translation here.
This continues the story of Pastor C. A. T. Selle’s work at First St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Part one tells how the conflict in the congregation split St. Paul’s into two groups, one Reformed and one Lutheran. This part shows what the Pastor Selle and his congregation do next.
History of The Founding and Growth of Synod of Missouri, Ohio and Other States, Chapter 1, Part 2
What should they do now? Did God want to take away the preaching of the pure Gospel from this blossoming city, which already numbered over 20,000 inhabitants? No! God himself made known to them, paying no attention to the bitterest mocking, those who had confessed to his word. He strengthened and blessed them in the difficult time of trial. Arriving in his home, Pastor Selle said again to the four men, he had recently received an inquiry whether he was ready to accept a call to Wisconsin. But he recognizes, if he now went away, it would be with the Lutheran Church in Chicago many long years. He is, therefore, ready in God to remain with them, if they promised to do what little remains in their ability. He could then, of course, no longer hold school, but be forced in the weekdays to get his living in other ways. They gladly gave the required promise and they decided the Evangelical Lutheran St. Paul’s Congregation ought continue, with God’s help, even if the number of believers should not multiply. Knowing that not they, but that majority was founding a new congregation, they now placed the little word “first” before their name. Already on the next day, the small crowd was powerfully strengthened in the confidence from the gracious assistance of God. All confirmands, 16 in number, came to that Pastor. They were to be blessed on the next Sunday; But now, on this so important day, the outlook for them for them to come to a locked church. “Truly the children were deeply overcome,” wrote the pastor in a report in the Lutheraner, “when they were informed of the discouraging situation, but amidst the tears, they gave the unanimous explanation, they wanted to stay with the Lutheran Church, whatever may come. And a dear girl spoke for the others, God is really everywhere with his believers and those who confess his word, and therefore they were ready to be confirmed in any place.”
It was a troubling week, which now followed. The apostates placed themselves in possession of the church property, and they organized themselves as a united congregation. On Tuesday evening, Pastor Selle held a meeting in which 18 new members could be included. On Friday there was another meeting, and against all expectations, the number of voters rose to 43. Despite all of the efforts of the opponents, the congregation also received permission to hold their divine services in the “court house” (Translators Note: this phrase was written in English). What a joy, what a victory for the truth, when a week after the separation, the 16 confirmands were able to make their free, joyful confession in a festival divine service for some 250 listeners!
There the Lord had, in this short time, added so much to the congregation that the pastor could now still continue his beloved school. The same, of course, was visited by only 12 children after confirmation, which came here even on terrible roads mostly from the extreme city limits. While it was true that the congregation still had peace, and it was going sweetly and properly in the same after God’s rule, but still, apart from the rage of the enemies, it did not lack various difficulties. In particular, the external conditions of the community were very oppressive, because, with only a few exceptions, the members were poor, very poor. And if also the pastor was prepared to help carry the poverty of the congregation, just like he did their shame, so it fell on the members, though often very difficult, to provide for their pastor out of their meager means. *)
Still, the congregation, through a lively zeal for God’s kingdom and works of love, revealed that she gratefully recognized how rich she had been made by the spiritual blessings of the pure doctrine of the divine word. A Lutheran songbook, published in St. Louis, was introduced for use in the divine service; they provided for the poor in all silence; the mission to the heathen and the Synodical fund were supported according to their ability by a collection. When the fallen counterparty had cruelly rejected all fair and agreeable proposals for the church property, they decided, in the trust of the rich Lord in heaven, to purchase a construction site for a church. On Indiana Street between Wells and Franklin they found an appropriate plot. But the same cost almost $600.00, so those few poor people had to bring even larger offerings. The cost for one, however, exceeded their power, if they also were to afford building even a humble church. So then, in the “Lutheraner” from 11th of July 1848, after he had described the state of emergency for the congregation, Pastor Selle asked the faithful, near and far, to support building the church.
Surely this request was not in vain, but still a whole year had passed before the ardent wish of the congregation to have their own house of God had been realized. Only on the 15th of July 1849, could the congregation, chastened in tribulation, inaugurate the very simple, little church on Indiana street with rejoicing and thanks to God. But also in this joy, a bitter cloud descended. A valued member of the congregation, who had just completed the last work on the new altar, was suddenly killed by cholera in the night before the occasion. Oh! This terrible plague, cholera, which raged in Chicago with nearly constant, violent force in the three summer months of the years 1848, 1849, and 1850, ripped a hole in the young congregation. Often the pastor had to stay day and night at the sick bed or deathbed of a beloved member and sometimes to attend as the only undertaker’s assistant at the coffin and internment. But not infrequently he longed, even in these difficult years of affliction, to give the sweet experience that the gospel, which he proclaimed, was a power of God for blessing.
Shortly before the completion of the their new church, the congregation had made the important decision to join the Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and other States; duringThe third convention of this synod (6–16 of June 1849 in Fort Wayne, Indiana) they were included in fellowship with the same.
Not a little unrest was prepared for the congregation in the first period of their existence by false prophets. Especially it was the Methodists, who sought to blind several members through a great appearance of holiness. Pastor Selle had to publicly oppose the wolves who wanted to break into his flock. But also this struggle was healthy for the congregation, because through the same the members were established all the more in God’s word and were strengthened and fortified in their faith. A public disputation was especially blessed, which Pastor Sell had with the Methodists at Dutchman’s Point (Niles). In the same, the heresy of the enthusiasts was so thoroughly refuted, that not only members of the congregation, who stood at risk of seduction, were saved from desertion, but also others came to the realization that the Lutheran Church is the church of the pure word. This disputation was detectable with an initiative, that Lutheran congregations were founded in Niles and later in Crete, even the production of the congregation Joliet was due to this.
Until the year 1851, the pastor himself had kept the school. Then the congregation numbered still but 50 voting members and the school was attended by 49 children, so some of them thought to lift the load of the pastor somewhat by calling a teacher. A young man, who wanted to enter the teaching office, was first hired to assist in the school. After passing the trial period, the congregation wanted
to extend a call to him. However, it the negotiations with him about the actual call, it became obvious that he was a stubborn and proud man. So he explained, among other things, $100.00 annual salary was not enough, he had to have $104.00; also he would not accept it: to prepare the fire in the school, because he was no fire-boy. Although he, later dropped these and other ridiculous conditions, which he had laid out, the congregation still lost confidence in him, and he was not called. He was no longer wanted even to assist, because he caused only unrest in the congregation and so the pastor took up the school again.
In June of the year 1851, Pastor Selle received a call from the congregation in Crete, IL, which he accepted with the consent of his congregation. “One, sure the main reason,” wrote Pastor Selle himself, “why I accepted another call, was that I could no longer afford my rent without creating debt, to which I have no prospect of paying off, meanwhile I truly hope, the Lord’s work in Chicago would progress under another faithful pastor, whose name was not weighed down in the eyes of the common pubic with the odium of constant fierce fighting. Before the split, I mean, my salary had been $300; The three years afterwards, it was never over $130. Of which, the rent required $50, the heat $50, and the rest went for milk and water, which had to be bought by the barrel. The so-called non-essentials were naturally very limited. But God placed on the same a wonderful blessing, that we have seven in the family, despite frequent illness for our kids and ourselves, with our near constant numerous guests, still we have never suffered genuine want, although sometimes the food was meager. But now it didn’t want to be enough anymore, and I had to recognize that as an clear sign of God when the call came from Crete.”
About the ongoing life-story of the first Lutheran Pastor in Chicago, let’s briefly share the following: After the multi-year, prosperous activity as pastor in Crete and later in Rock Island, he was chosen to be a professor at our teacher seminary, which was once in Ft. Wayne, but since 1864 finds itself in Addison, IL. He had served in this synodical office with zeal and great faithfulness for 31 years and six months. He had to retire from his office in March of 1893 because of physical infirmity. In grateful recognition of his valuable and faithful service, the synod retired him. Then he moved to Rock Island, IL, where he, now 77 years old, enjoyed quiet twilight years with his aged wife. But he is allowed to to be busy in the heavenly preaching office as much as his ability allows, because the local congregation had called him to be their associate preacher.
*)The fact is significant for the poverty in this time, that the congregation, after long deliberation, made the decision, so soon after the separation, to buy a communion chalice for 75 cents. (Note original to the manuscript)
