Susquehanna University - Lanthorn Yearbook (Selinsgrove, PA)

Page 26 text:

was signed, among others, by Revs. J. G. Morris, C. P. Krauth, W. A Passavant, Benj. Sadtler, Chas. F. Schaeffer, S. C. Wedekind, Jacob Fry and Reuben Hill. For the need voiced by such men, he had a help in his plan of the Missionary Institute. A few months later he makes explicit statement of his desire and purpose — to take up sensible and pious men, partially educated, possessing aptness to teach and willing and anxious to labor in the ministry, and after judicious training for a year or two, sending them forth to tell the simple story of the Cross to our desti- tute churches, and preach repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus. Our mark is a Missionary In- stitute something like that established at Basle. For the special benefit of this description of men we have long prayed to God and pleaded with our brethren that some provision should be made. At the meeting of the Maryland Synod, in 1856, a report was read by Dr. Kurtz on the subject of establishing a Missionary Institute for the education of lay men of decided talents and adequate mental discipline for the Gospel ministry. The institution is designed for the theological training of pious, strong-minded lay men, who are somewhat advanced in life, and men of families. The report was adopted and the following committee was appointed to carry it into effect: Dr. Kurtz, Rev. J. McCron, Rev. G. Deihl, Rev. F. R. Anspach, Rev. J. G. Butler, Dr. W. M. Kemp, Mr. Wm. Bridges, Mr. C. W. Humrichouse, Mr. J. Ream and Mr. W. C. Wisong. The first meeting of this committee was held on Dec. 15, 1856, in Baltimore, when it was resolved to locate the institution in Baltimore Co., Md. Statutes for the government were also adopted. The design is thus stated: This Institution shall be established and carried forward for the education of pious and sound- minded men (irrespective of age or domestic ties ) for the office of the holy ministry in the Evangelical Lutheran Church. After stating the subjects of theological study it was also added that, provision may also be made by the managers for instruction in the various branches of an acadimical and scientific course. No formal appeal was yet made to the church, but the first donation, afterward followed by other gifts from the same source, was of $10 from Mrs. S. E. Winter, widow oi Rev. John Winter, a Lutheran minister. In Feb. 1857, an appeal and a statement were made to the church, in which Dr. Kurtz asserted his deep faith in his work and his assurance of support from the people: To them we look and to their Christian sympathy we appeal. They have heart to feel and throb in union with ours ; they also have money to consecrate to the cause of God and the furtherance of his Kingdom, and from the lessons taught us in our Lutheran Zion by more than forty years ' experience, we believe they will come to our aid and pour out their gifts with a freeness and richness, which, under God, will insure success. — 24 —

Page 25 text:

History of Susquehanna University. T HE Rev. E. W. HuTTER, D. D., in a Eulogy on the Life and Character of Rev. Benj. Kurtz, D. D., states that the original suggestion of the Missionary Institute came from a school established by Dr. Bogue, at Gosport, England, in 1789. This school, with but few facilities, but with wise devotion, had been eminently successful in training men for home and foreign Gospel work. Dr. Kurtz had already been prominent and most useful in advancing the interests of the American Lutheran church. He was identified with the formation of the General Synod, with the founding of the Seminary at Gettysburg, for which he secured $12,000 in Europe, together with thousands of books, and was instrumental in establishing on a firm basis the Lutheran Observer. Now, as his life work is nearly done, his heart is moved by the great need of more ministers to take up and sustain the work of the Lutheran church — to meet this need was his purpose in urging the establishment of this school. During the years 1854, ' 55 and ' 56, Dr. Kurtz continually used the Editorial columns of the Lutheran Observer, of which he was Editor, to press on the Lutheran people the need and advantage of a Missionary Institute. He says, No Christian denomination in our land is suffering so much for the want of ministers of the Gospel as the Lutheran. We need plainly and moderately educated men as well as showy and profoundly learned men, and there are neighborhoods and churches to which the former are better adapted, and in which they can do more good than the latter. If the policy which we have again and again proposed, and have been advocating on every suitable occasion during the last quarter of a century, had been pursued — namely, that of searching for and sending out pious and sensible lay men as preachers, after a brief course of preparatory read- ing, our church would at this time be vastly larger, and present a much more encouraging aspect. Under date of May 18, 1855, he calls attention, with stirring comments, to an appeal sent out into the church to the pastors for more ministers. This plan to secure one young man from each respective pastorate,

Page 27 text:

At the second meeting of the Board, on Jan. 6, 1857, the resolution to locate in Baltimore Co., Md., was rescinded, and Dr. Kurtz was elected Superintendent and Professor of Theology. At this earl} ' stage in the development of this institution Dr. T. Stork said of it: Scores of men, whose talents and piety would other- wise be comparatively lost to the church, might through the instrumentality of such an institution be brought into the active duties of the ministry. Concerning the opposition of some to the plan and to the qualification of the students, Dr. Kurtz said: They will be well acquainted with the Bible and church history, able sermonizers, and living, self-denying, serious and common sense preachers and industrious and faithful pastors. If any one choose to stigmatize such men as ' half educated, ' ' half fledged, ' ' quacks ' etc., let him gratify his peculiar and amiable penchant. At the meeting of the East Pennsylvania Synod at Lancaster in 1857 it was resolved, that we would urge on the consciences of many who have arrived at a more advanced age to devote themselves to this work, the preparation for the ministry. At the meeting of the Maryland Synod in 1857, the Board was severed from relation to the Synod, owing to the proposed location outside the bounds of that Synod; the Board was also made self perpetuating. A number of places urged their claims and presented inducements for the location, but at a meeting of the Board, May 3, 1858, in consideration of the fact that Selinsgrove, Pa., made offer of $15,012, this place was decided upon as the location. At a meeting held at Selinsgrove from May 12 to 14, 1S58, the Board by changes and additions was constituted as follows: Dr. B. Kurtz, Rev. G. Diehl, Rev. F. R. Anspach, Rev. J. G. Butler, Dr. W. M. Kemp, Mr. Wm. Bridges, Mr. J. Ream, Col. A. C. Simpson, Mr. John App, Mr. Geo. Schnure, Rev. H. Zeigler, Rev. S. Domer, Rev. P. Born, Rev. C. C. Culler, Rev. C. G. Erlenmyer, Rev. J. G. Anspach, Rev. D. H. Focht, Col. W. F. Wagenseller, Mr. C. A. Moyer, Mr. Leonard App, Mr. H. Ritter, Mr. B. Schoch and Mr. L. R. Hummel. Arrangements were at once made to open the Classical school in the brick building at the rear of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran church ; this, with the use of the lecture room, was tendered to the Board by the congregation. The officers of the Board were: President, Dr. B. Kurtz; Vice Presidents, Rev. S. Domer and Rev. H. Zeigler ; Recording Secretary, Col. A. C. Simpson ; Corresponding Secretary, Rev. H. Zeigler ; Treasurer, Mr. Jas. K. Davis. An annoucement was made that the institution, so located, was ready to receive applications for admission. The Classical Department, under the management of Prof. Theo. Weaver, later assisted by Prof. Wm. Noetling, — 25 —