Chicago Lutheran History: First Immanuel Lutheran Church
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. Follow me to get updates about the rest of this work.
In the last installment, we finished the story of First St. Paul Lutheran Church. According to the congregation’s website, Pastor Heinrich Wunder served there from 1851 until 1913 when he died. His ministry led to several new congregations in Chicago. The first of those churches was Immanuel Congregation.
The Evangelical-Lutheran Immanuel Congregation
The stream of immigration out of Germany to the west of America, namely to Chicago, became even larger after the year 1848, and soon St. Paul’s congregation had many members living far from the church, who grew in number more and more. Some had a four, five, even more mile trek to church and school. This grievance had to be remedied, and it happened in this way, that on the 19th of March 1854, the evangelical lutheran Immanuel Congregation was organized on the west side. It was only about 10 members, who came together as a congregation trusting in God and right away they bought a plot on 12th street, near Blue Island Ave, and on the same they erected a church building, which also had to serve as a school and parsonage.
The Lutheraner (Issue 11, page 32) wrote about the dedication of this church, as well as about simultaneous introduction of the first pastor of this second Lutheran congregation, Pastor Georg Schick, “We just received the good news, that on the 13th Sunday after Trinity, the 10th of September, they dedicated the new Immanuel Congregation at Chicago and at this opportunity Pastor Georg Schick was solemnly installed at his Immanuel Congregation by his colleagues Pastor Wunder with the assistance of Pastor Brauer under the direction of the District President, Pastor Schieferdeckers. May the Lord also crown the double work of two right-believing preachers of the gospel
with double blessing. With double blessing, too, and they may both be able to speak again and again with the prophets, “Here is Immanuel!” (Isaiah 8:10).
On the 31st of December 1854, Cantor Theodor Bünger, a man who became a blessing for the school and congregation through his self-denying and sacrificial work. was called to the church school from New Orleans, LA. Old members of the congregation, with great respect, and former students, with tender love and gratitude for the riches and plan of God, remember an always active and eager Kantor Bünger. Soon, the congregation had two schools which were attended by 190 children. Mr. Theodor Zacharias was called as a second teacher, and Mr. F. Schachamener was called after his departure.
In the year 1854, the congregation numbered only 35 voting members; Because only those who wanted to confess the teachings of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and to lead a divinely changed life could be included in the congregation, so some kept themselves away from the congregation who would have probably joined.
After two years in office, in the year 1856, Pastor Georg Schick followed a call as the co-rector at Concordia High School at St. Louis, MO. When this institution was relocated to Fort Wayne, IN in the year 1861, the now rector Schick went with it to Fort Wayne, where he still teaches today as the senior teacher of the teacher’s college with the blessing of the local Concordia College. Pastor J. A. F. W. Müller from Manchester, MO, was called as the successor to Pastor Schick, and he was installed into his office on the 15th Sunday after Trinity, 1856, by Pastor F. A. Brauer with the assistance of Pastor Chr. H. Löber. United in the intimate unity of the Spirit and connected by cordial brotherly love, both Chicago pastors, Pastor Wunder and Pastor Müller, advised the execution of the constantly growing work and mission field in regular weekly gatherings. These meetings were the beginning of the pastoral conference of Chicago and the surrounding area which now numbers over 40 members.
To get help for the pastors, Candidate W. Heinemann was called as associate pastor, and on the 18th Sunday after Trinity, 1857, he was ordained by Pastor Wunder with the assistance of Pastor Müller and Pastor Ahners. But then Pastor Heinemann soon followed another call, so Candidate Gotthilf Simon Löber became his successor. On the 13th Sunday after Trinity, 1858, he was ordained and installed by Pastors Müller and Wunder. When Pastor Löber took a call to the Congregation in Niles, Cook county, IL in 1860, Candidate Hermann Früchtenicht was called as associate pastor and ordained and installed by both of the above named pastors. Later, the Pastors Ricther (1865–66) and Barth (1869) were associate pastors.
In the year 1863, Pastor Müller followed a call to Pittsburg, PA. The Immanuel Congregation then called Pastor J. P. Bener as their pastor, then at the congregation in Altenburg, Perry Co, MO, and the same was installed into his new field of work on the 4th Sunday after Trinity 1863 by Pastor Wunder with the assistance of Pastor G. Löbers.
Pastor Bener, inspired by a tireless zeal for missions, had contributed much to it, that is, Lutheran school branches, which were just becoming the beginning of new congregations, were founded in other districts of Chicago. Just like what has been done by Pastor Wunder on the Northside, so the original work of expansion has been done by Pastor Bener on the West side in the early years.
More and more it became clear that the choice of the church property near 12th Street was an unfortunate one, because the Catholics had erected a large, tremendous church right next to it. Not rarely did it happen, that the pastor had to stop in the middle of his sermon, as the Romans celebrated with timpani and trumpets, and some still live who strongly agreed:
“Lord, keep us steadfast in your word
And curb the murder of the Pope and the Turks.”
After singing through the song, he could usually continue with the sermon. To find the desired peace, they moved with the church to Taylor and Brown streets. There the congregation grew in a short time, and she showed lively zeal, filled by the love of God and his work and inspired by the zeal of their pastor. From that time on, there would be too many things to report, what will be remembered by the older members, such as: the attempt to found a university under the Candidate Philol. Asbrand, (1869–1871), the founding of a brass choir, the purchase of steel bells and so on.
Mission was diligently driven, and wherever a handful of Lutherans met, there a school was started immediately. One day, Pastor Bener went along Archer Road and he noticed there a number of German children playing.
“Here” he thought, “a school should be started — but how?” There he noticed an establishment with a display: “For rent.” Without hesitating long, this establishment was rented, and the same window was cleaned. The pastor bought boards for $3, and he build the school tables and benches together. Premises and equipment were now there, but from where should the teacher come? As the pastor wracked his brains about this that evening, there was a knock, and a man entered, who urgently asked the pastor for help. He had already sought work for many days, but he could find nothing. He was from Pomerania and a school teacher. The pastor checked the man, finding him to be a confessional Lutheran. On the next morning he guided him into the school which was set up the day before and installed the teacher with the words, “Stay here and teach our children!” In the evening, he delivered the teacher records and reported, “I have three children coming!” The pastor, “That is a good beginning. Keep going!” The next evening, the pastor asked, “How many children were there today?” The teacher, “Five!” The pastor, “See! It’s getting better. Keep going.” And hold on! Soon the room was too small and had to be expanded. When this first teacher of the branch school followed a call to Pittsburg, PA, Teacher Brase stepped into his place. This school has become the actual beginning of the later, very large Trinity congregation. In addition to this school on Archer Road, the Immanuel Congregation had still other mission schools, thusly in September 1863 one was opened on Mark street between Union and Halsted street at which teacher Christian Weigele taught. In September 1869, another mission school was opened at the so-called “Lime Kiln,” the corner of Hinman and Paulina streets, at which Teacher W. Ganske taught. How blessed this school proved to be, demonstrates the course of the history of the Lutheran congregations in Chicago.
In the year 1867, on the 15th of May, the Western District gathered in the Church of Immanuel Congregation. The Honorable General President , Prof. C. F. W. Walther, presided. The third thesis out of professor Walther’s Book was discussed: “The Evangelical Lutheran Church, The True Visible Church of God On Earth.” On the 20th of December 1867, Pastor A. Wagner of the Immanuel Congregation was called as the second pastor and was installed into his office by Pastor H. Wunder with the assistance of Pastors B. Bener, F. Döderlein and J. Grosße.
In the year 1870 Pastor P. Bener was repeatedly called to the congregation in Pittsburg, PA. Since he believed he had to follow the call, so the congregation dismissed him peacefully on Easter 1871, even though it was hard to be separated from their dearly loved pastor. His successor was Pastor Chr. Körner, who, however, was active here only a short time and then Pastor R. Lange, Pastor in Defiance, Ohio, followed in the office. The same was installed by Pastor Wunder on the 8th of December 1872. The congregation suffered a bitter loss, when their faithful, meritorious teacher, Cantor Th. Bünger blessedly slept in the Lord on the 18th of June 1876– the first Sunday after Trinity. For 20 years, he had been in this congregation as teacher, cantor, and organist in services. “The teacher will shine like the glow of the heavens.”
On October 3rd, 1874, the congregation consecrated a three-story school building made out of brick, which stood behind the church, the largest Lutheran school house in Chicago at the time.
Pastor R. Lang followed a call in November 1878 as the English professor of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis.*) Pastor L. Hölter, from Quincy, IL, was called as his successor, and he was installed on the third Sunday of Advent 1878 by Pastor A. Wagner. On the 4th of June, 1879, The Illinois District held its 4th convention in the Immanuel church building. The honorable president, Pastor H. Wunder presided as the chair. The doctrinal presentation was based on theses which discussed the certainty of the state of grace.
Then it turned out all the more that the church and school on Taylor and Brown Streets lay almost completely outside of the center of the community and most of the members of the now large congregation lived far west of the church building. So the congregation decided to abandon the old church and school on Taylor street and to erect a new church and parsonage on Ashland boulevard and 12th Street and a school on Marshfield Avenue behind the church. The congregation then carried out this plan with God’s help and on the 4th of November 1888, it solemnly consecrated their new church, built out of brick, adorned with a mighty tower, well equipt with majestic bells and magnificent organ. On this great day of joy for the congregation, the
festival sermons were done by the Pastors H. Wunder, A. Wagner and J. L. Osterhus. On the Sunday after that was a subsequent celebration of the consecration, on which occasion, an English festival sermon was held by Prof W. Müller from Milwaukee in the evening service in addition to the German sermons of Pastors Hölter and Seidel. On the 3rd of March 1889, a large school building that was also equipped with all modern facilities was solemnly handed over to its ministry. Pastor P. Bener of Brooklyn, New York, did the opening speech.
In the place of the elderly Pastor Jacob Seidel, who served at the side of his son-in-law, Pastor Hölter, for many years, Candidate Eduard Hölter was ordained and installed on the second Sunday after Trinity, 1896, by his father with the assistance of President Succop and of the visitor Lochner.
The congregation repeatedly had housed the Illinois District of the Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and other States in their church, namely in the year 1889 from the 16th until the 22nd of May. The Synod presented theses about Bible reading in the Christian family as the doctrinal discussion Likewise, in the year 1895, from the 5th until the 11th of June, it was about God’s will for the behavior of a Christian towards his brother.
The current situation of the Immanuel Congregation is: 360 voting members and 1950 communicant members, 1 school, 6 teachers, 560 school children.
Currently, H. G. Hattstäd, R. H. Böcher, H. F. L. Reimer, C. C. H. Suhr, A. H. J. Abraham, and G. Bartelt work as teachers in the six school classes.
*)He was in this office until his blessed end, highly respected in the whole Synod because of his thorough scholarship. He died on the 2nd of October 1892 in Chicago while he was on vacation.
