Author Sketch

“Dr. Lochman, so widely and favorably known in the Lutheran church, was born in the city of Philadelphia, December 2, 1773. His parents had immigrated into this country at an early period and, although in humble circumstances, were distinguished for their probity and piety. Their son George, when yet a boy, seemed to promise much, and awakened high expectations. He developed, in his childhood, a remarkable fondness for reading. Whilst his companions were engaged with their sports, he was interested in his books, over whose pages he poured with fixed attention and the greatest delight. He also comprehended and retained what he read. At school he soon gave proof of more than ordinary mental capacity. His perception was quick, his memory retentive, and his intellect susceptible of great improvement. His rapid progress in study attracted the attention of his teachers, who rejoiced in the success of their pupil. In his youth he was deeply exercised upon the subject of religion. His convictions were very pungent, and he passed through severe internal struggles, and various mutations, before he experienced the quickening power of the Divine Spirit, and was brought to see the mercy of God, and to own and love his Savior. During his attendance upon the catechetical instruction of the church, he won the heart of his pastor, and the promptness with which he answered the questions, excited the hope that he might be inclined to the work of the ministry. The opportunity of directing the young man’s thoughts to the subject, and of urging its importance upon his attention, was not disregarded by Dr. Helmuth.

7 Jul 2019

The transition from Dr. Helmuth to his intimate friend and colleague is very natural. Dr. Schmidt would, perhaps, have never abandoned the country of his birth, had it not been for his fond devotion to the friend of his youth, animae dimidium suce, separation from whom seemed so painful and almost insupportable. Such instances of friendship are rare, and yet how beautiful, how honorable to humanity! A well tried friend, one of kindred spirit and congenial tastes, cannot be too highly valued.

30 Jun 2019

The memory of those who have been eminently useful in the church of God, should be cherished, and their virtues transmitted to posterity. They are worthy of grateful remembrance and respectful imitation. Their services should be embalmed for future generations. The language found in the burial service of the Church of England, is exceedingly beautiful, and has often been much admired:

23 Jun 2019

Dr. Eli Huber was born Jan. 14, 1884, in Pinegrove, Schuylkill Co., Pa., and belonged to that class of people known as Pennsylvania Germans, who are the descendants of the emigrants who came to this country at an early period from the southern part of Germany. Jacob and Sarah Huber are the names of his parents. His father’s ancestors are reported to have come from Switzerland. Both parents possessed good natural abilities though deprived by force of circumstances and the times of a good education. His father used to say laughingly, that he completed the usual course of that day — from the alphabet to the Psalter — in three months. But though themselves deprived of the advantages of even a good common school education, they valued it all the more highly, and used all diligence and practiced self-denial even to secure better opportunities for their children.

21 Feb 2019

Rev. Charles Philip Krauth, Sr., D.D. The older Dr. Krauth was born in Montgomery county, Pa., May 7, 1797. His father was a native of Germany, and came to this country as a young man, in the capacity of a school teacher and a church organist. His mother was a Pennsylvanian. They lived in New York, Pennsylvania, and in Baltimore, Md., also for many years in Virginia, highly respected and enjoying the confideLce of their neighbors. Of his early life comparatively little is known in consequence of his singular and habitual reticence with regard to himself. He seems to have been from, a youth of an enquiring turn of mind and fond of books. He early evinced a decided taste for linguistic studies, and, in the prosecution of the Latin, Greek, and French, won for himself high credit. Having selected medicine as his profession, he commenced its study when about eighteen years of age, under the direction of Dr. Selden, of Norfolk, Va., and subsequently attended a course of lectures in the University of Maryland. But his funds having become exhausted, he visited Frederick, Md., with the view of procuring pecuniary aid from an uncle, the organist of the Lutheran church, or of negotiating a loan for the completion of his medical studies. During a visit to Rev. D. F. Schaeffer, of Frederick, his mind was led to the conclusion that the ministry was the work to which God had called him. He very soon commenced his theological studies under the instructions of Rev. Dr. Schaeffer, and, at every step of his progress, was the more strongly convinced that he was acting in accordance with the Divine will.

20 Feb 2019

Rev. George Henry Gerberding. The subject of this sketch was born in Pittsburg, Pa., Aug. 21, 1847. His father, J. G. H. Gerberding, was born in Germany, but came to this country in his sixteenth year. His mother was a native of the United States. Her maiden name was Josephine Lustenberger. Her parents came from Switzerland.

19 Feb 2019

Rev. Prof. A. Spaeth, D.D. The land of Brentz and Jacob Andreae has been represented in our seminary from its very inception in the person of the eminent professor of Hebrew. The incumbent of the chair of New Testament Exegesis, the Rev. Dr. Adolph Spaeth, is also a native of the kingdom of Wuertemberg, having been born in the town of Esslingen, on the 29th of October, 1839. A very thorough course of classical training prepared him for the study of theology at the University of Tuebingen, where he was graduated in 1861.

18 Feb 2019

Rev. Prof. Frederick William Stellhorn was born October 2, 1841, at Bruening-horstedt, a small village of the former Kingdom of Hanover, Germany. His parents were poor, but universally respected peasants, well acquainted with the doctrines of the Lutheran Church and deeply attached to them. At the age of about six years the boy was sent to the parochial school of his native village, where, besides religion in the form of Catechism, Bible history, and the inestimable hymns of the German Lutheran Church, reading, writing, and a beginning in arithmetic formed the only subjects of instruction; but in his thirst for knowledge he devoured all the books he could get hold of. The historical portions of the Bible he knew by heart at a very early age.

16 Feb 2019

Charles Frederick Schaeffer was born in Germantown, Pa., September 3rd, 1807. His father, Frederick David Schaeffer, born November 16th, 1760, died January 27th, 1836, was then Pastor of St. Michael’s Church, and remained there until 1812, when, at the close of a pastorate of 22 years, he removed to St. Michael’s and Zion’s, Philadelphia. It was within this venerable mother Church that the youth of the departed was spent. His first training for his life work was received in the Christian family of the devoted pastor, a school which has ever trained many noble men and women for blessed work in life and reward in heaven. His father was a man of great devoutness of spirit, who spent much time daily in prayer, a pietist of the nobler kind, after the manner of Spener and Muhlenberg; unreservedly devoted to the pure doctrine of the Church’s Confessions, and intensely earnest in all personal and pastoral duty. His mother, Rosina, daughter of Lewis Bosenmiller, of York, (born November 30th, 1764, died November 27th, 1835), aunt of Rev. David P. Rosemiller, was a woman of very superior mental power, who relieved her husband of all domestic cares, and was the faithful mother of noble sons, in whose training for Christ and His Church she had no small part.

15 Feb 2019

Rev. Prof. John Sander, A. M., is the son of J. M. Sander, and Sophia Sander, nee Aderhold. He is the oldest of twelve children, five of whom departed this life in childhood. His father Jacob Michael Sander, is a native of Ulmet, Rhine Bavaria, Germany, and came to this country as a poor young man in 1846. During the winter of 1846-47, he walked from New York city to Williamsport. Pa., a distance of nearly three hundred miles. He was a stone mason by trade, at which he worked for several years and then bought a farm. In October, 1849, he married Miss Sophia Aderhold, of Hepburn Township, Lycoming Co., Pa. They soon after moved on the farm, which was then nearly all covered with brush, wood and stone, and many were the predictions by those of less faith and energy, that Mr. Sander would starve on his farm. But both Mr. and Mrs. Sander are still living in good health on that farm and their neighbors do not think at all that they have any need of starving.

14 Feb 2019