Author Sketch

“Some there are, whose names will live, Not in the memories, but the hearts of men. Because those hearts they comforted and raised. And where they saw God’s images cast down, Lifted them up again, and blew the dust From the worn features and disfigured limbs.”

15 Sep 2019

Moral courage was a striking trait in Dr. Keller’s character. He was adequate to any emergency, requiring its exercise. He never shrunk from the performance of any work to which duty called him. He was bold and fearless in the advocacy of such measures as he thought were right, regardless of the praise or the censure of his fellow men.

8 Sep 2019

Our church in the South… sustained a severe loss in the death of another faithful watchman on the walls of Zion, who fell in the harness, in the midst of his days and of his usefulness, while pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church at Ebenezer, Ga. The early departure of Bergman filled many a heart with the most intense sorrow, and spread a deep gloom, not only upon his bereaved congregation, but upon our whole Southern Zion. His name is enshrined in the affections of the church; his memory is worthy of a place among those, who have fought the good fight of faith, and laid hold of eternal life, who have labored for the furtherance of religion, and the dissemination of the gospel.

1 Sep 2019

It is seldom that the church is called to mourn the premature death of one, so highly gifted as the subject of the present sketch. He was a young man of rare attainments and extraordinary promise. Endeared to all by his talents, his virtues and his piety, he was taken away in the morning of life, and from a scene of active and useful exertion.

25 Aug 2019

January 27th, 1854, will long be remembered in the city of Reading. It was the day when nearly the whole community crowded to the sanctuary, not to listen to the voice of the pastor of the church, but to gaze for the last time on his lifeless remains, and to pay the last tribute of respect to one who was highly esteemed in life. His voice was silent in death, but his virtues were still fresh in the remembrance of the people. All felt that a good man had been taken away, that his place could not be easily supplied.

18 Aug 2019

Among all who have occupied a prominent position in the history of the Lutheran church in this country, perhaps there is no one who is entitled to a higher rank than

11 Aug 2019

The character and ministry of this venerable man are worthy of a permanent record in the history of our earlier ministers. His life was emphatically a life of severe and constant labor. He was distinguished for his learning and piety, and after having faithfully served his day and generation, he peacefully passed away, leaving to his children and the church, the precious legacy of a good name.

4 Aug 2019

It was said… at the time of his death, that many generations must pass away, before the world could look upon his equal. From all accounts, he must have been a most extraordinary man, gifted with rare endowments of intellect, and possessed of the noblest qualities of the heart.

28 Jul 2019

“The first Lutheran minister, ordained in this country to preach the gospel.” John Nicolas Kurtz was born in Lutzelinden, in the Principality of Nassau-Weilburg, and immigrated to this country in 1745. He came to the United States as a Catechet, and for two years after his arrival, engaged in the business of teaching as well as preaching, “in consequence of the entire absence,” to use his own language, “of competent teachers and the lamentable ignorance of the youth of his parish.”

21 Jul 2019

His life was devoted to the acquisition of knowledge. The church has always associated with Dr. Lochman’s name that of Dr. Endress. They were not only contemporary, but they were nearly of the same age. They commenced their career together and pursued their studies in company. They were graduated at the University of Pennsylvania and both for a season, gave instruction. They studied theology under the direction of Drs. Helmuth and Schmidt, entered the ministry the same year, were connected with the same ecclesiastical body through life, lived on the most friendly terms, and frequently labored in common efforts to promote the welfare of the church. They were called away from earth to heaven, with only a brief interval of separation. The grave had scarcely closed upon the one, before it opened for the other. They were united in life; they were not divided in death. The church had not yet laid aside its habiliments of mourning for one beloved son, when she was called to shed tears of sorrow over the tomb of another, upon whom she leaned for support, and whose services she highly prized. Dr. Endress had only recently officiated at the funeral obsequies of his friend; now the performance of the same sad office he himself requires. The work of life must terminate! Death, with his sickle, is always ready at the appointed time!

14 Jul 2019