The Golden Anniversary Jubilee

St. John's Lutheran Church

Neillsville, Wisconsin--September 6, 1936

History of the St. John’s Lutheran Congregation

Neillsville, Wisconsin

 Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

“I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth.”

Romans 1:16

A unique plan was followed in establishing a Lutheran congregation in Neillsville. Looking at its foundation we behold a precious stone upon which the congregation is built up, namely the subject of Christian education - a Christian Day School.  This wise choice was made by the first called minister and has always proved itself a real strength of the congregation.  It was on January 10, 1886, that a little flock of six families received the Rev. Ad Hoyer of Princeton, Wisconsin, into its midst to administer the means of grace. The Christians readily followed the plan suggested to engage a student to teach school and conduct services.  Mr. H. H. Ebert of the Theological Seminary at Milwaukee was the first student to serve.  Rev. H. H. Ebert, now pastor of Saron Lutheran Church of Milwaukee, writes in a letter regarding our Golden Jubilee Celebration, “I am willing to come on the occasion mentioned and preach the English Jubilee sermon on Sunday, September 6^th. – I was sent by the faculty in the middle part of January, 1886, but Rev. Hoyer must have preached in Neillsville once or twice before that date.  Mr. H. North received me at the depot and on the way to his home introduced me to Mr. B. Dangers.  With Norths I had my quarters till I left in mid-April.  On Sunday I preached my first sermon and opened the Christian Day School on Monday morning. The entire curriculum of the Public School was adopted in the Church School and also the text books used.  For religious training and German the text books of our Synod were used.  Services were conducted regularly every Sunday afternoon in the local Presbyterian Church and school held in a small office on a side street in the heart of the city.  Mrs. A. Radke will surely be able to point out the location where church and office stood.  Between 18 and 20 pupils were enrolled the first day and when I left, the enrollment had passed the 30 mark.  On Saturday forenoon the Bible Class was attended by pupils of the 8^th and 9^th grades.  Miss Clara Dangers, who later became the wife of Rev. Eppling, played the organ in the divine service.  Before I left a larger room for our Day School was secured across the River. – On account of a stubborn sore throat which I had contracted the previous winter while I was helping Rev. Bergholz, Sen. with his eight charges near Wausau, I was compelled to leave. The faculty advised me to take an Ocean trip to Europe as a remedy.”

Thereupon the Seminary Board commissioned Mr. F. J. Eppling, Jr., to take charge of the little struggling flock.  The records note that he delivered his first sermon on April 20, 1886.  The next months are characterized by a growing feeling among the local Christians to unite into a congregation.  An appeal for organization purposes was sent to Prof. August Graebner of the Theological Seminary at Milwaukee.  He came on September 6, 1886, conducted divine services with the celebration of Holy Communion, and organized a Lutheran congregation.  The document of organization, containing less than fifty words, shows that the Christians sought and found a congregation in which God’s Word and Luther’s doctrine pure should alone have full sway.  This document was signed by the following persons: H. Meyer, H. W. Meyer, H. A. North, C. F. Schultz, R. Knoop, Ad Radke, H. Blum, Aug. Wesenberg, Ad Modersohn, F. Glascow, H. Miller, H. Saupe, E. Lustig, Wm. Rabenow, H. Klann, F. Karstens, John Karstens.  On Nov. 10, 1886, these men, with Fr. Knoop, S. Reinicke, Carl Kuhlmann and C. Schultz, chose for their newly organized congregation the name: St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Congregation.  For that meeting H. Meyer was elected Chairman and Fr. Knoop as Secretary.  The following members were elected as officers of the congregation: the first trustees were H. Meyer, H. Miller and Fr. Knoop; the first Deacons were H. Meyer, president, C. E. Schutz, secretary, and H. A. North, treasurer.  The minutes of this meeting also record that August Ketel and Simon Reinike were elected members on the first school board.  In looking over the minutes of the past fifty years we find that the congregation adhered closely to the above date for its annual meetings. All of the charter members within the congregation have already gone to their eternal rest.  The last one was Helmuth Blum, who departed this life on September 18, 1935.  The widows of two of the charter members are still living in our midst, namely Mrs. Adolph Radke and Mrs. Ernst Lustig.   These old people bear witness how God-fearing members can soon grow into large numbers, giving proof of God’s promise: “Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them,” and “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

Steps were now taken to call the first resident pastor.  The special meeting took place on Dec. 5, 1886.  Two candidates were placed on the list, Pastor J. Hartwig, of Juneau, Wis., and Pastor F. Eppling, Sr. of Van Dyne, Wis.  The latter was called, but he declined on account of his age. The pioneer work in the new field demanded the strength and courage of a young laborer.  The 9^th of January, 1887, saw the congregation again assembled in the fear of the Lord for the purpose of extending a call.  The minutes of that meeting state, “The honorable Wisconsin Synod again proposed the Rev. J. Hartwig of Juneau and the congregation exercised its rights by placing its temporary leader, Student F. Eppling, also on the list.”  The result was that the student was called into the Holy Ministry.  Upon the urgent advice of the theological faculty, Mr. F. Eppling accepted the call as a divine one and assumed the office as pastor of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church.  The ordination and installation services were held on the Festival of Easter, 1887.  The officiating minister was the father of the newly called pastor.  “Great joy prevailed when the little band of thirty-five members had this zealous man, Pastor F. Eppling, Jr., as their leader to guide them in building God’s kingdom.”  This thought was expressed by Henry Bieneck, the now oldest living voting member, nearly fifty years.

Rev. F. EPPLING, Jr.

1886-1890

With the new enthusiasm preparations were made to acquire property for church and school.  Within a short time the committee of B. Dangers, H. A. North, and Simon Reinicke found a suitable property, which was purchased for $250.00.  It was located in the so-called “Hewett Block,” now 5^th and Oak Street.  The building committee for a new church consisted of the following members: B. Dangers, H. A. North, H. Miller, and Rev. F. Eppling, Jr.

It is also worthy of note that the congregation from its very beginning has shown a lively interest in the work of the Synod, which is the Lord’s own work.  In the quarterly meeting of May 8, 1887, the congregation decided to place its application for membership into the hand of the General President of the Wisconsin Synod, the Pastor Johannes Bading of Milwaukee.  By a unanimous vote the traveling expenses of the pastor and delegate were to be paid out of the treasury.  Synod convened from June 16-22 and St. John’s Lutheran Congregation of Neillsville was accepted into membership.

A few days before, on June 12, 1887, the cornerstone was laid for the new church.  Prof. A. Ernst and Prof. Hantz, both of Watertown, preached the German and English sermons, respectively, while the resident pastor performed the ceremony.  The chronicles of the congregation enumerate the following articles that were placed in the Cornerstone: “Bible, Luther’s Catechism, School Journal, Geimeindeblatt, the Germania, the Milwaukee Sentinel, the Local Times, the local German Paper, a history of the congregation with the Constitution of the Wisconsin Synod.” – Already on October 9, 1887, the Church, erected at a cost of $3,390.00, was dedicated to the service of the Triune God.  In the morning of the memorable day the congregation once more gathered at the Presbyterian Church, which, up to this time, had been used as their house of worship.  It must have been a grand spectacle!  The joyous gathering coming down the slope from the little mount on which the Presbyterian Church stood, moving directly southward in procession, advancing toward the nearby new church.  Pastor F. Eppling opened the doors of the church in the name of the Triune God and conducted the assembly into the new house of worship.  Two dedicational services were held in which Pastor F. Eppling, Sr. of Van Dyne, Wis., and Pastor Max Hensel of Platteville preached the German sermons.  The resident pastor delivered an English address.  Pastor L. Thom of Marshfield and Pastor Denninger of Maple Works were also present at the celebration.  The male choir of Marshfield, Pastor L. Thom director, beautified the services with appropriate selections.

DEDICATED OCTOBER 9, 1887

It surely must have been depressing to the congregation when Pastor F. Eppling presented a call on March 23, 1890, which he had received from another congregation.  After weeks of reluctance, the congregation submitted and gave him an honorable release.

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