Looking Back . . .
The
history of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church goes back through many
generations. Although the congregation considers its founding date
as 1849, when it called its first resident pastor, Rev. Johann Adam
Ernst of the Missouri Synod, its roots go back to the 1830’s.
Early Congregations . . .
The town of Eden’s earliest congregation
containing Lutherans was formed shortly after 1830. This was
twenty-two years after Eden’s first settler, traveling with a team
of oxen along the lake shore and up Eighteen Mile Creek and its
South Branch, arrived at Eden Valley. In 1808 the valley was
surrounded on all sides by wild timberland, some of the giants of
this forest measuring as much as seven feet in diameter. By 1822 the
settlers’ axes had cleared the land for farms. Small hamlets were to
be found at Eden Center (now Eden Village), Eden Valley (now spanned
by the lofty U.S. Route 62 bridge), and Clarksburg. Eight years
later many of the settlers’ log cabins had been replaced by frame
houses, and farms were now well established.
Beginning about 1830 immigrants from Alsace
(France) and Germany, perhaps attracted by the countryside’s
promising farm land, found their way to Eden and began to settle in
the eastern section of the town. They were a tiny part of the two
major waves of German immigrants to come to America in the 19th
century, the second major German immigration occurring about 1848.
These immigrants came to the United States to escape the religious
bondage many of their congregations were experiencing. Others came
to escape political persecution because of their faith.
Soon after the immigrant families settled in
Eden, many of them gathered together as a congregation, meeting in
private homes and schools whenever they could. Though 1836 is the
date most commonly used for the erection of their church in East
Eden, land records show that after their “burial ground” was
acquired, Balthasar Zittel deeded a lot to the congregation for a
church structure and school in May 1840. Property for a parsonage
was not secured until 1872.
The Missouri Synod officially came into
being in 1847. It is the
date of August 1849 that our present congregation recognizes as its
founding date when the existing congregation had called its first
resident pastor, Pastor Johann Adam Ernst. Adam Ernst, a cobbler’s
apprentice from Germany, had come to America in 1842 at the age of
27 and was trained as a Lutheran parochial schoolteacher. He was a
charter member of the Missouri Synod and was instrumental in its
organization.
When Pastor Ernst came to Eden, it was a
period of prosperity and what some historians called a “golden age
of agriculture” in New York State. One farm after another lined
Eden’s fertile valley and the old Indian trail, now known as Gowanda
State Road. The center of the East Eden German Protestant population
had begun to shift westward, moving onto the richer, more productive
farms of the valley. These people were thankful to be well out of
the strife and disturbances that had taken place in Europe in 1848.
Here in Eden they had found religious freedom, freedom to form their
own congregations and determine their synodical affiliations.
One of the notable figures in the history of
the Eastern District, Missouri Synod, Pastor Ernst was known as a
man of “vigorous action.” When the Eastern District, Missouri Synod,
was founded in 1854 there were only ten Missouri Synod pastors in
the East. Pastor Ernst was one of these.
The first thirty-eight years in the history
of Eden’s Lutheran congregations had been filled with troubles.
Families and friends had been alienated from one another because of
disagreements within their congregations. Congregations had divided
and separated. Eden had become one of the battlegrounds for
doctrinal disputes between synods. Pastors had left one synod for
another and painful legal action had stripped the united Missourians
of a place of worship. It could only be hoped that time would fade
the memories of strife, hard feelings, and bitterness. These years
belonged to the past. It was now time to plan for the future.
Meeting on June 3, 1878 at District
Schoolhouse Number 7, located on Sisson Highway not far from the
site of the present St. Paul’s Church, the founders of the St.
Paul’s congregation attacked their current problems with
determination and their plans for the future with optimism and
vigor. It was decided at this time to name themselves “St. Paul’s
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Eden, NY.”
At their second meeting, on June 16, 1878
the founding fathers decided to build a church. The trustees were
empowered to buy as much land as necessary for the church, school,
parsonage, and cemetery. The site agreed upon for the church
property was on the southwest corner of Sisson Highway and North
Boston Road. The land was secured from the Jacob Hickman farm. The
school was the first structure completed.
In February lots for the cemetery were laid
out in the following pattern, according to the church minutes: “one
row for older people, one row for young people, and one row for
children.” Although some older graves were moved to St. Paul’s from
other cemeteries, the first burial in the new cemetery was Mary
Bley, who died in 1879 at the age of 17.
A roomy two-story frame parsonage, large
enough to accommodate a pastor, his family, and the occasional
visitor was built. Construction work on the church, which was
attached to and in front of the school building, was well underway
by early spring 1879. On
May 4, 1879 the dedication services were held with much jubilation.
Gathering at the church on this festive Sunday, the men, women and
children of the congregation filed into their new freshly painted
white frame church edifice. They entered through the doorway beneath
the centered bell tower, which was topped by a high pointed steeple.
Once inside, according to the custom of the day, the ladies were
seated on the left side of the nave, facing the altar; the men sat
on the right. The children did not sit with their parents, but were
required to sit in the front pews.
Until World War I, the German language had
been used almost exclusively in church at St. Paul’s. However,
recognizing that the younger generations would increasingly have
more and more difficulty, as the years passed, understanding the
liturgy and sermons in German, Pastor Wehrs (1901-1905) had
introduced for the first time at St. Paul’s a regular English
service. This was held once a month, in the evening, and was
intended especially for the young people of the congregation. After
1915 use of the German language in the parochial school was
discontinued, and all subjects, including catechism, were taught in
English. The Sunday school, established during the war years in
1917, was an English Sunday school.
In 1916 use of the English language was
introduced in the regular Sunday services. By 1924 there was only
one German service a month. In 1929 the congregation resolved to
introduce the full English form of service, and finally in January
1940 the last service in German was held.
The postwar years of World War I brought to
St. Paul’s various building improvements. These years also brought
an optimistic outlook on the future and new plans for growth. On
January 7, 1930 the congregation unanimously resolved to build a new
church, and on April 1, 1930 the architect’s plans were approved and
accepted.
On July 27, 1930 the cornerstone of the new
St. Paul’s church was laid. By January 1931 construction on the
building was well enough advanced so that services could be held in
the basement of the new church. The last service in the old frame
was held January 18. The new church was dedicated on April 12, 1931.
In its history, St. Paul's has been
served by seventeen Pastors, starting with Rev. J. Adam Ernst, who
was Pastor from 1849 until 1857. The longest Pastorate was
that of Rev. Louis D. Zimmerman, serving from 1915 to 1950 and then
Rev. Fred C. Jacobi, serving from 1971 to 2004. Currently serving as
Pastor is the Rev. Thomas S. Lutz.
Looking Ahead . . .
St.
Paul’s congregation continues to carry on its ministry to the Lord,
Jesus Christ. The care of the building and the well-kept grounds are
a testimony of the concern of all its members.
Many
of the younger generations and newer families are not aware of the
struggles that our congregation had to go through. It is our hope
that this history will serve to remind us of our rich heritage.
Although there were disputes and doctrinal disagreements in the
past, there is nothing of which we should be ashamed. It is an
inspiring history. The conflicts in our early period did not bring
total despair. Instead they produced strength and character. Despite
the many obstacles that were in its path, the congregation survived
where many others might have dissolved or disappeared from the
scene. It always seemed as if there was a core of faithful men and
women who were ready to build and rebuild.
The
long history of St. Paul’s is not the product and planning of men.
But, it is God’s history - His guiding of our congregation and His
working in our individual lives.
Understanding the past will bring us a great blessing as we look to
the future. The same Lord who led us through all these years will
guide, direct and strengthen us, so that more and more we become a
congregation that reflects His love for us.
Many
chapters of our history are behind us. God willing, there will be
many more chapters to come. The important chapter for us is the one
in which we are now involved. May we continue to show the same
vision and courage as the long line of members who preceded us. We,
too, have a glorious Gospel to share with those in our generation.
We have a legacy to give to those who will follow in our steps.