Friedrich
Konrad [Conrad] Dietrich Wyneken,
An Evangelist among the Lutherans of
by J. C. W. Lindemann
1. The Missionary.
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yneken came to
This great distress moved his heart, for he had experienced for himself how wretched it is for the one who doesn’t posses God’s Word and doesn’t know the Savior Jesus, compared to how fortunate he is who through faith has attained peace with God and the forgiveness of sins and is comforted daily by the Gospel. He had tasted and experienced God’s love in Christ Jesus; it in turn had ignited love in his heart, and this fervent love for his Savior impelled him now to leave his aged mother, his brothers and sisters, a comfortable life and magnificent prospects, in order to lovingly serve the spiritually neglected German Lutherans far away.
Wyneken at that time was 28 years old — he was born on May 13, 1810 —
and, in this regard, was splendidly suited to pursue the difficult and
strenuous missionary work among the Germans of North America. God had given him
a powerful body, in which resided a vigorous and lively spirit. And he was not
only endowed with a bright mind, but also with a strong will, so that presence
of mind, a ready glance (rascher Blick), courage and determination stood
out as distinguished traits. Yet, Wyneken had learned something fitting.
Namely, after he had completed secondary school (Gymnasium) in his
hometown Verden, he had studied theology in Göttingen and
Already in Halle, he was pointed toward Jesus by Professor A.
Tholuck, but when he became a private tutor at an official’s household after
completion of his university studies, he had only advanced so very little in
the right understanding of salvation, that he, in instructing the boys
entrusted to him, first began sacred history with the Books of the
Maccabees. Only in the home of pastor
and councilor of the consistory von Hanfstengel, into which he entered a little
later on also as a private tutor, he got to know Jesus and the way of salvation
more fully. Now he turned completely
away from the world with a determination particular to him and sought in all
seriousness to follow his Savior on the narrow way. As private tutor, as
educator of an aristocratic boy with whom he traveled through a part of
How solidly Wyneken was grounded in his faith at that
time, how decidedly he confessed the same, is demonstrated very nicely by his
conduct at the examination as candidate [for the ministry] which he had to pass
not long before his departure to America.
The unbelieving councilor of the consistory M., to
whom Wyneken’s determined Christianity was well known, had selected the
doctrine about miracles, in order to test his knowledge and to embarrass him.
He introduced the examination perhaps with the following words: “As is well
known, miracles no longer occur nowadays. It only remains to be asked, if there
really were miracles in former times or not.” He then asked Wyneken: “What do you
say to that?”
Wyneken replied without further reflection: “God is a
God Who does miracles daily and I am astonished that you, sir, question this.”
Surprised by this answer, M. asked further: “But you
know, however, what Spinoza has written about this matter?”
Wyneken answered with friendly demeanor and steady
tone: “Indeed, of what concern to you and me is that which this atheistic Jew
speculates about! The Scriptures, the Scriptures, Mr. Councilor!”
The important spiritual gentleman had never heard of
such boldness, especially since the wretched candidates otherwise were wont to
sooner tremble than to contradict. He jumped up from his chair and brought
forth a number of seeming proofs which were to justify his views.
When Wyneken was allowed to speak again, he, likewise,
flared up, jumped up also and refuted eloquently, whatever the former had
advanced.
Thus the
examination turned into a disputation, to the great astonishment of the
gentlemen at the green table and of the listeners gathered in the anteroom. The
most remarkable thing, however, was that the modesty and amiability as well as
the good humor of the candidate, which became apparent throughout all his
undaunted contradicting, had won the heart of the examiner, so that he praised
him publicly and gave him the grade of first-class.
This determined confessor of simple Bible faith then
came to
It was the sincerely devout and most kind Captain
Stürje who brought our dear Wyneken across the Atlantic Ocean and who put him
ashore in
Wyneken is completely unknown in
Wyneken now wanders through the streets of
When they arrive at Häsbärt’s house, Wyneken and Wolf
explain that they are missionaries and that they have set out to seek out
German Lutherans in the West and to gather them into congregations.
H. looked at them with suspicion, for then already
there were many religious tramps, who, under the pretext of trying to help the
people, sought only money and slothful days. He asks, where they were staying.
They answer: “At Pastor Rossel’s.”
“Indeed,” says Häsbärt angrily, “he is a Methodist!”
He didn’t like Methodists, for they had deceitfully stolen many a member of his
congregation.
Wyneken says, he didn’t know that; they are strangers
in this country; if he would make allowance for having taken lodgings at the
Methodists out of ignorance.
Häsbärt likes his sincere and friendly appearance; his
heart goes out to the strangers and has them stay with him. The next Sunday,
Wolf preaches at
When Häsbärt is able to administer his duties again,
he lets the new friend leave unwillingly. But Wyneken wanted and had to leave
to begin his mission work before the start of inclement fall weather. H. says
to him: “You are not to travel to the West on your own. I am writing to the
mission committee of the Synod of Pennsylvania [executive board of the Mission
Society of the Pennsylvania Ministerium]; it shall send you as its missionary.”
He did that, and soon, Wyneken received the commission to go to
But before we accompany him on his missionary journey,
we have to ask in all fairness: How could the Lutheran Wyneken serve the
congregation in
He received no knowledge of the customary communion
practice there. As long as H. was ill, the sacrament was not administered. Thus
Wyneken saw nothing that could have offended his Lutheran conscience and that
could have indicated the true spiritual position of the congregation. In addition,
in no way had he at that time a clear understanding of the Lutheran doctrine in
every respect; he had many an erroneous idea in his head and some particular
fanaticism in his heart. His mind was then not focused so earnestly on the pure
doctrine and on uniformity of doctrine; therefore, it could easily happen that
in the intercourse with Häsbärt it escaped him where and to what extent H.
wasn’t fully Lutheran. The times were different then as today. In those days
many a one considered himself a good Lutheran, whom one could now hardly let
pass as such. In comparison to many others, yes indeed, with all pastors in
This must be said here, partly because it is
altogether true, partly because neither the man nor his conduct could be
understood properly. Only little by little, by the grace of God, has he worked
his way out of his wrong perceptions and extricated himself from his
sentiment-based Christianity of that period.
That’s why he later had great patience with the erring
ones, as long as he could assume that they were sincere; and when he decidedly
opposed the Methodists and other enthusiasts not only verbally but also in
writing, he was very reluctant to judge the person, and confess humbly I was
stuck a long time in this swindling disposition and know how hard it is to get
out from it.” (Lutherische Kirchenzeitung, Vol. VI, p. 86, column 3)
But Wyneken was an upright and honest man through and
through at that time already. He knew no pretense and hated all lies sincerely.
He was, as already said, not free of many errors in doctrine, but he held these
errors as truth, and he would have discarded them immediately, if there would
have been a brother who would have convinced him of something better.
Integrity was a dominant trait of our missionary.
Besides his speech, thought and action was sanctified by Christ’s love,
transfigured, as it were. He associated with everyone frankly, cheerfully and
amiably.
In September 1838, Wyneken began his missionary
journey. He was able to use the railroad and then the canal until
According to his commission, he then went to
“Then I rather go first to the one who is sick,”
replied Wyneken; and entered Löffler’s house.
The husband was very sick. When the wife heard that he
was a pastor, she said to him: “Well, you should have stayed in
Wyneken asks then how her then how her husband was.
She replies: “Alas, he doesn’t hear or see anything;
you can’t do anything with him anymore.”
But that doesn’t deter him to talk with the ill man.
He sits next to him, says several consolatory Scripture texts into his ear and
then also prays for him aloud.
Thus Wyneken made his appearance as a missionary!
Later after he had recovered again, Löffler
acknowledged that he had understood every word and was amply blessed.
At Löffler’s house, Wyneken asked about other German
settlers. They direct him to “old Buuck” as one who thought highly of the
church and pastors. – Wyneken sets out.
About fifteen miles from town he meets a small girl in
the bush. He stops and says [in Low German]: “My little girl, can you tell me
where father Buuck lives?” — From the eyes of the child, who at first looks at
the man with some apprehension, a ray of joy suddenly shines forth. “O, yes,”
she replies cheerfully [also in Low German], that’s my father.” The child — it
was Luise — then takes the stranger to the house and “Father Buuck” cordially
welcomes the man who wants to bring the Word of God not only to him but all neighbors
far and wide.
Wyneken never forgot the warm reception that he
received from Buuck. That was his home, as often as he came out to “dear
A small so-called Lutheran congregation existed there
then already. The same was also the case in
Wyneken wrote a letter to Pastor Häsbärt on October 1st
from
“I arrived here in Fort Wayne a week ago, have
preached here and in two neighboring settlements five times already, have
baptized and preached funeral sermons, and now the people would like to keep
me. . . . I have said to the church council of the local congregation, they
should write to the acting committee of your society; but I move on tomorrow and
will be back again in four weeks, in order to find the reply [to the letter]
here. I will gladly do the Lord’s will, and may He now guide the heart of the
committee however He will. I am satisfied with everything, as long as I know
for certain, that wherever I work, I work according to the Lord’s will.”
Wyneken started his first greater missionary journey
on October 2nd. From Fort Wayne he first went “into the western part
of the state of Ohio;” form there “northwesterly until Michigan City;” he then
turned “back again into the area of South Bend (to St. Josephs City and
Elkhart), Ind.;” from there he turned south and went “till Crawfordsville,
Montgomery Co., Ind.;” from there, he took the road “through Clinton County”
and marched “back along the Wabash to fort Wayne,” where he arrived again on
November 16th. He had met many Germans abandoned by the church, had
encouraged the formation of congregations at several places and promised help,
if it pleases God.
Three weeks before Christmas (1838), the missionary,
ablaze with love, wanted to undertake the second missionary journey, only his
horse and Mr. Rudisill’s horse, too, were lame, so that it couldn’t happen. On
January 2, 1839, he nevertheless left in order to visit the congregations near
After he had returned, he wrote on January 25th
to Pastor Friedrich Schmidt, the editor of the Luth. Kirchenzeitung:
“I believe the only way to accomplish anything
properly in the vineyard of the Lord, is exactly this, to place missionaries in
smaller circuits. The General Synod should make an appeal someday to the Lutheran
congregations. It is certainly not right that two thousand churches and
probably even more congregations cannot support more missionaries. These mere
excursions and skirmishes upon the territory of Satan, I fear, help basically
very little; we have to gain a proper firm foothold and take the land away from
the devil step by step and send advanced guards ahead of the occupied land.
Since we are lacking champions of Christ here, I am thoroughly convinced that a
proper appeal to the German brothers in
Wyneken shall
tell us something in his own words about what kind of experiences he had on his
missionary journeys. He reports in the booklet still worth reading, “Die Not
der deutschen Lutheraner in Nordamerika” [“The Distress of German
Lutherans in North America”]: “After I once was riding around during
continuous rain and storm in order to visit a settlement in the Far West of
which I had heard, I finally met a man with a rifle over his arm around noon;
he was a German. I made my calling as missionary of the Pennsylvania Synod
known to him, and that I was willing to preach in the neighborhood. The man
was very glad to hear a German Lutheran preacher after seven years; he was also
pleased with regard to his children who weren’t baptized. But when I asked him
to inform the neighbors living scattered about in the woods that they should meet
in his house, I found out that it was too wet in the bush for the hunter who
had just come out of the bush. When I insisted, he had no time, although the
next hut was hardly half an hour away; he directed me to a house on the road.
The mother with six or seven children, small and large, came to the door; the
same joy, the same request, the same answer; ‘but a hundred paces farther
should be her husband cutting wood.’ I rode there; he hardly looked up from his
work and had just as little time, and I, because I couldn’t even find anyone
who would have shown me the way, Had to pass by a settlement which didn’t have
a sermon or the sacraments for seven years! A hamburger, whom I found working
in front of his house soon after, went calmly into the house with a ‘So,’ when
he heard why I had come; he left me standing outside in the rain. In one town
on the
“Often I had to baptize twelve or more children of
different ages, often from ten to twelve years, at one time. . . . In a
settlement to which ,as the world says, I only came to by chance, I took
pleasure indeed in baptizing a mother of forty years, after her husband brought
his two children, because she implored me in tears. . . . I also baptized a
young girl of eighteen years in the same settlement, who was devout in the Lord,
but who didn’t know the importance of baptism and who never found the
opportunity for it.
“In the circuit that I served, I had two organized
congregations which pretty much took up my time; nevertheless, due to the many
requests, I couldn’t refrain from also preaching at other settlements on
weekdays. I couldn’t accept them as congregations, partly because heathen
ignorance prevailed among them which had to be overcome first, partly because I
wasn’t able to assure the particular ministry (Seelsorge) among them for
lack of time. One of these settlements consisted of a married couple who was
confirmed, but the wife could read only a little, the husband not at all;
further, of three or four unbaptized married daughters, a son of twelve years,
at least twelve younger children and grandchildren of sixteen years and under.
Not a single one of the children and grandchildren could read. Although I
preached there at least every three weeks, and also talked to them after the
sermon about the way of salvation, I nevertheless couldn’t find the time to
instruct them, and thus I had to see an entire settlement with its descendants
lapse into heathenism in front of my eyes without being able to help. At
another settlement live at least sixteen Pennsylvania German families, who were
baptized yet in
That’s how it was at that time concerning the
religious conditions of the Germans in northern
The Mission Committee of the Pennsylvania Synod
granted his request indeed, it released him from its service and permitted him
to serve the congregations in Fort Wayne as a called pastor, but it demanded
from them, “they had to permit him to visit the members of our Church scattered
in the surrounding areas from time to time, and even if they live forty or
fifty miles away.” Such a stipulation was not necessary for Wyneken; he
remained a missionary now as before; only he was now relieved of the duty to
constantly wander from place to place.
Neither a church nor a parsonage existed in
The preaching at that time was done at various places
according to if one or the other was willing to accommodate the meeting.
Naturally, Wyneken also gave instruction to his confirmands; but often they
gathered about him without having known where he was to find a place to sit
with them. His tiny room at Rudisill’s house was much too small, also unsuited
for it otherwise. He stood with the children in the rain at times and then
searched for a dry spot. Kind neighbors invited him occasionally unasked to
come into their house at times like this.
However, Father Buuck provided a house for the
missionary after some time. Today there aren’t any parsonages like this one! It
has now long disappeared; but he who is writing this has seen it; and the
fortunate occupant has repeatedly described the furnishings, which it had at
that time to him.
It was a small log cabin, perhaps eight or ten feet
wide. The cracks between the logs were plugged only with moss, and the floor,
consisting of tree trunks, was rough and uneven. There was no window, that’s
why the door had to necessarily remain open when the pastor wanted to study,
read or write.
And now the interior furnishings! A roughly
constructed bedstead with a straw mattress and some bedding on it stood in one
corner. The only table and the only chair were of similar construction. They
were sawed out of two tree trunks; the table was a higher and larger log, the
chair a smaller round one without any finishing or art. The luxury of a mirror
was out of the question. When Wyneken wanted to shave, he looked at the door,
or at the most, into a basin of clear water.
And in that house the dear man has experienced very
happy hours! But he was very seldom to be found in it, for his calling obliged
him to cross over field and woods, in order to locate the German settlements
and to bring the Gospel to the children of his people. That was an extremely
difficult and exerting task at that time, since hardly a beginning of good
roads existed; the settlers until then were only concerned with providing the
indispensable bread.
Often he traveled by night, lost his way and had to
entrust himself to his horse in order to get back to people again. That was no
hardship for him then; he suffered it gladly, because it was part of his
calling as missionary.
Once when he was on a missionary journey, he lost his
way in the woods. It got to be night; he was unable to distinguish anything and
had to resign himself to his horse. Suddenly it stops. He urges it on, but the
otherwise obedient horse doesn’t take one step forward. He is convinced that
the animal has discovered an obstacle in the road; however, he can’t discern
the nature of it. In the hope that people might live nearby, he begins to call
out loud. After several minutes he hears a door open fairly close-by and a
light appears across from him. He sees now that he is standing on the shore of
a millpond; one more step of the horse would have thrown him into the waves!
The man holding the light asks what was desired; and when Wyneken makes him
understand his situation, the man unties a boat and rows over and takes up the
lost one while the horse has to swim alongside. He remains sitting in the mill
over night; the miller shows him the way the next morning.
One time he had gone out on foot. It got dark, but he
thought he was still going in the right direction. Suddenly he is standing by a
flooded plain, but logs are lying in the water, and he, being sure of the
direction, hopes to be able to reach his destination if he jumps form log to
log. He tries it; it works for a while; but soon he is convinced that the tree
trunks are not lying on the bottom, but are floating. He doesn’t want to go
back however, although it has gotten completely dark. He now sees a very
large trunk nearby and others beyond it, which will take him to dry land again.
He dares to take the jump, and sure enough, he is standing on the large log,
but the thrust puts it in motion, and when Wyneken looks about, no other trunk
is to be reached anymore. He has no choice but to hold out until rescue
presents itself. In order not to falloff, he lies on the tree on his stomach
and lets his arms and legs hang down sideways. Being very fatigued, he falls
asleep soon and only the beginning day awakens him again. He now manages to
escape the swamp and to reach his destination.
When the settlers, who had already gotten to know him,
saw him approaching from afar, they greeted him joyfully, congregated about him,
and listened desirously to his comprehensible, heartfelt, lively sermon. Time
permitting, several hours were also dedicated to conversation, possibly in Low
German idiom. He knew how to talk brilliantly, to old and young, men and women,
about cows and pigs, about corn and potatoes, and yet always knew how to spice
up his language. He associated with the people in the most simple and jovial
manner, however always remaining the pastor.
The children, too, liked him, because he dealt with
them in a childlike manner. Once he preached at the house of old Fülling.
Wyneken stood in front of the table which had to serve as altar, turned his
back to it and ardently proclaimed God’s grace to the Fülling people and their
neighbors. A little girl climbs unnoticed by him on a chair, from the chair
onto the table, and at once embraces the neck of the preacher with her tiny
arms and snuggles up to him. The parents had certainly noticed that the child
had climbed onto the table, but had not anticipated her intention and didn’t
want to interrupt.
Wyneken sought to keep a proper black suit for church
use, but which displayed most at the time many a sign of increasing age or of
life in the bush. On his travels he wore whatever he called his own at the
moment, no matter what color it might be or what fashion it might have
originated from. During rainy weather he wore the following: the upper part of
the body was covered by a cape of green cloth or fleece and the legs were in
yellow trousers.
He had acquired these yellow trousers in the following
manner. In the neighboring small town of
Wyneken accepted the gift as a blessing from God, to
Whom he had complained of his poverty. He took the material home and had
trousers made from it. But when his vestry saw the new garment, they asked in
astonishment: “Where in the world did our pastor get the yellow trousers?” They
soon found out, but didn’t want for the Catholic drunkard to be able to boast
of having given something to their pastor. They collectively filled a wagon
with corn; one of them drove in front of the storekeeper’s house and unloaded
it there. Now he was astonished. “What are you doing?” he asked surprised. “I
didn’t buy your corn!” The other one, however, said: “Here is your money for
our pastor’s trousers! You, fellow, shall not be able to say that you have to
support our pastor!”
Wyneken recalled those times later with heartfelt joy
and called them the “best of his life.’ He was poor at that time, very poor,
since any support that he received, he gave to those that were even poorer; but
he was of satisfied and cheerful disposition. He ate whatever God bestowed him
through the poor settlers; he slept wherever they put him to bed — just as
sweetly on hay and straw as in a bed which was offered him occasionally, often
under the most peculiar circumstances.
When he came home tired and exhausted, soaked from the rain, he always
took care of his horse first before all things, repaired to his tiny room, ate
and drank whatever he found, usually it was bred and cold, black coffee, and
was thereby so content and took pleasure in his God, that he wished for nothing
else and nothing better.
The Pennsylvania Synod again sent a missionary to
And now words may also find their place here, which
Pastor Häsbärt wrote to Pastor Friedrich Schmidt in
On September 10, 1839, Wyneken himself could write to
Pastor Schmidt: “Here in
This parsonage was built much later and consisted of a
small room, which Dr. Wilhelm Sihler used later as a kitchen.
And Wyneken also gave Christian [catechetical]
instruction on Sunday afternoons, when he was at home; for he realized very
vividly that one has to particularly care for the youth, if better religious
conditions are to be provided.
One time the lads began to become dilatory and
neglectful in attending Christian instruction. He admonished publicly; he did so
privately; but it didn’t help. He inquired then where they got together and
what they were doing there. Regrettably, he heard that they played cards and
engaged in idle talk. The following Sunday when Christian instruction should
have started, he made the congregation wait a little and went to the house
where his young parishioners were meeting. Suddenly and unexpectedly he stood
among them, gave them a severe lecture, then admonished them amiably and lead
them to the church.
He also took a firm stand against sin and worldly
living in other ways. He hated dancing with all his heart, because it proceeds
from the flesh and offers opportunity for many a sin. Whenever he heard that
the young people were at a dance, he was very saddened, and he didn’t rest until
those concerned had promised him not to take part in it in the future. On the
other hand, he was not averse to permitted and proper joviality; indeed, he
liked it when things were merry and lively in his presence.
He once had a man put in jail in
He would admonish those gone astray and the perverse
ones emphatically to abandon the way of sin and to throw themselves into the
arms of Jesus Christ. He was wont to grip the hand of the person to whom he
spoke; or he would seize him by the coat button or vest button, as though he
wanted to prevent his escape; or he even stuck his finger into the buttonhole
to hold on to the one being addressed. Yet he spoke sincerely, insistently;
with his friendly eyes he looked ardently into the eyes of the person whom he
wanted to win, and pressed for a fast decision. He was a passionate as well as
a kind and pleasant minister [Seelsorger] everywhere.
At times he behaved in a way that made it seem as if
he were unfeeling and unloving, but the success usually justified his method
which he had used only to bring the person concerned to his senses – to male a
strong impression upon him.
A man came to him in
Then, however, he adds with a stirred heart: Look,
dear man, you are a creature of God; He has created you in His likeness; by the
precious blood of the Son of God you are saved; and you – whom God has so
honored and esteemed – like a swine you are casting yourself into the mire of
sin and roll around in it!”
The man grows pale, trembles and shakes, confesses his
sins and asks dismayed, whether there is still help available for him, whether
forgiveness can be hoped for. “Yes!” says Wyneken now; “sit down; you too, can
yet be helped.” He preaches to mercy of God in Christ to him, and points out to
him how he has to appropriate the same. When the man finally gets up and starts
for home, Wyneken calls after him: “I almost forgot; you can come to the Lord’s
Supper!”
At another time, Wyneken had called someone, who had
conducted himself nastily, a “dirty pig.” That vexed the man, and he threatened
publicly, that he would thrash the pastor for it. Several days later, they meet
each other on the street. “See,” said Wyneken, “it is well that I meet you;
after all, you want to give me a beating, there would be opportunity for it
now!” – “Yes, that I will,” replied the former half embarrassed, half angry;
“you have called me a “dirty pig!” “Quite right, and you certainly are it,
too!” – “What? No one can say that about me!” replied the man angrily.
Meanwhile an audience of about twenty people has gathered about both of them in
order to see where this will lead. “This we shall see,” answers Wyneken in
response to that altogether impudent defense. He turns to the bystanders and
says: “People, all of you know this man for a long time already. What do you
say? Whoever is of the opinion that he is a dirty pig, say yes!” – “Yes, yes!”
yells the entire gathering. And the man? He went away quietly. But Wyneken
rushed after him, talked friendly and encouragingly with him; soon he [Wyneken]
was delighted to be able to boast of him as a reformed man.
Wyneken possessed great presence of mind and a
remarkable, ready wit, so that he easily found the right words, almost never
got embarrassed, and was able to stop the mouth of the scoffer, too. Only a few
examples of it here.
Once he had stopped at an inn as they existed then,
sat quietly at a table and ate his simple meal. A young fop entered, and asked
him in an insolent tone: “Well, you certainly must be a parson [Pfaffe, a
contemptuous term]?” – “Yes,” replied Wyneken with quick presence of mind, “you
have to thank solely that circumstance that I don’t throw you out the door!”
A similar anecdote may find its place here also, even
though this scene has happened much later. One time when Wyneken had returned
to
Another time when he was in the same pharmacy and was
just about to leave, a man came up to him, who occasionally heard his sermons,
and said with a weighty air: “Tell me, pastor, do you actually believe what you
preach? I don’t believe it!” -- “Just
stick with that [opinion]!” replied Wyneken immediately. “And when the devil
has you by the collar and drags you into hell, just scream on and on: I don’t
believe it, I still don’t believe it!” With that, he mounted his horse and rode
away. The smarty left also, but after a few days he returned to the pharmacy
and asked for Wyneken and said: “That man has made me uneasy; I have to talk to
him.” It happened – he became a believer.
Thus dear Wyneken worked in
At the same time, he corresponded constantly with
Christian friends in his native country, mainly for the purpose of gaining more
workers for the vineyard of his Lord. In this way he succeeded to secure Mr.
Friedrich Wilhelm Husmann in
Mainly also through Wyneken’s influence, a society was
formed in
For some time, Wyneken had wished to be able to travel
over to
Pastor Schmidt wrote in his Kirchenzeitung (III,
87): “Brother Wyneken is considering to travel to
Yet completely unexpected, Wyneken wrote on April 20th
that he will not go to
However, he nevertheless received help entirely
unexpectedly, so that he could begin his journey, which had also become
necessary for him, since a painful throat ailment made all preaching nearly
impossible.
In May already, a missionary, Knape, sent by Goβner
[Johannes Evangelista Gossner] arrived, to whom he could turn over his
congregations; and in June, three other missionaries, C. F. W. Drude, G.
Bartels and G. Jensen, landed in Baltimore, of whom the latter went to
Accompanied by his wife, he now started his journey.
In October 1841, he embarked in
Having arrived in his [former] homelqnd, he naturally
sought medical help immediately for the ailment which had interrupted his
blessed effectiveness; but soon he began to work for his brothers in
First of all, he wrote to many influential persons,
describing the spiritual distress of the [American] church, and asked urgently
to think of means and ways to help the same. He desired chiefly men, who are
ready to take over arduous mission work for Christ’s sake in our country.
He then sought to reach the same goal also through
verbal lectures, presentations and requests. He sought the interest for the
American church not only in his homeland and in the neighboring provinces; no,
he undertook several long journeys, partly to discuss the remedy of the
spiritual distress with influential men, partly, to recommend the matter warmly
to societies and other associations.
Thus he hurried to Löhe [Johann K. W. Loehe] at
Neudettelsau in
Wyneken was the guest of manufacturer Volk in
“I hurried with the train leaving in the evening for
Fürth. At my arrival, the schoolroom was already packed full. At eight o’clock,
Wyneken arrived in company of the pastors of Fürth. After Pastor, at that time,
now Councilor of the Consistory, Kraussold had led several verses for singing,
Wyneken began. His animated portrayal of the state of the American church, the
concrete portrayals of the effectiveness of his mission work, the original
remarks, which partly pertained to the application and expounding of a Bible
passage, partly sketched the difference in doctrine and practice between the
orthodox church and the enthusiasts, was followed with the closest attention by
all. He especially dwelled on the activities of the Methodists. The highlight
of his portrayal constituted the description of a camp meeting. Arriving at the
well-known moment, where individuals are asked to approach the penitent bench,
Wyneken suddenly came up to those sitting or standing closest or close to him ,
seized some of them by the hand and asked them: ‘Don’t you want to be converted
too?’ I can still see how some looked at the speaker startled, some even shrank
back shyly, as though they feared that a Methodist conversion was to tale place
in earnest! – At the conclusion of his talk, where he implored for help for the
abandoned fellow believers, he pressed the then so numerous candidates[1] in
In
In April 1842, Wyneken was in Dresden, where he
succeeded in calling a “Verein zur kirchlichen Unterstützung der Deutschen
in Nordamerika” [Society for Religious Assistance of the Germans in
North America] into being, which made it its mission to eliminate the need in
America, partly, by sending persons suited to serve in schools and churches, partly,
by contributing books and money.
Later on, at the mission festival, Wyneken went again to
The Ev. Lutheran Mission Committee permitted to have people
trained for
Also in
With [Johann K. W.] Löhe’s and Raumer’s participation,
Wyneken had written a small booklet, that has now been published in printed
form by the title: Die Not der deutschen Lutheraner in Nordamerika. Ihren Glaubensgenossen ans Herz
gelegt von Fr. Wyneken. [The Distress of the German Lutherans in North America. Enjoined on Their Fellow-Believers in the
Native Country by Fr. Wyneken].
In it he outlines five points, namely: 1. how they (the German Lutherans) for
the most part do without the benefits of the church entirely; 2. what grave
foes they have in the sects and the Roman church; 3. what privations the
American church suffers internally; 4. how threatening these conditions are for
the future; and 5. what has to happen and how it is to be helped. (See Lutheraner, I,
p.31.)
The booklet, vivid and composed in Wyneken’s lively
language, aroused a great stir in the religious circles of
Löhe immediately began to prepare qualified young men,
to be able send them as missionaries to
That “Distress Call” (“Notruf”) by Wyneken had
also reached the ears of Dr. Sihler and went to his heart, and he decided
before long, to go to
And still another valuable man joined Wyneken and came
over with him in 1843. That was Mr. A[dolf Fr. Th.] Biewend, who, of course, I suppose, was not
suited in the manner of his friend to do mission work, but who, besides having
an affable gentleness and unpretentiousness, was endowed with an outstanding
knowledge, and thereby would be able to render services to the church, which
would be of the greatest value to it as soon as it began to organize itself. He
was at first pastor in
Presently we want also to mention that Löhe, in 1845,
had printed “in the name and mandate of likeminded brethren in various regions
of Germany” a “Call from the Homeland to the German Lutheran Church of
North America,” and had it sent over here. Besides his own, it bears about
950 signatures, names of men of all social positions and various vocations;
certainly a sure proof that Wyneken’s word was not in vain.
It is impossible
to say in short words how great a blessing Wyneken’s stay in
But we have not yet mentioned the greatest and
grandest benefit of his stay in
As already told, Wyneken returned to
And, indeed,
Wyneken had changed for the better during his stay in
The lively
intercourse with men like Löhe, Raumer, Graul, Trautmann and others, the more
perfect insight into the conflict of Lutherans against the Union, the news about
[Martin] Stephan’s emigration and about the condition of those deceived by him
in the far West of America and other things had opened his spiritual eyes more
fully, honed his religious conscience and increased his holy courage, to fight
against all enemies of the Lutheran Church and to do his part in helping it to
attain victory. That only the Lutheran Church possesses the complete truth,
that it is the church that has returned to the Apostolic teaching; this had
become clearer and more alive to him; therefore he wanted, more decidedly than
he had until now, procure honor for his Savior and importance for the Lutheran
doctrine for the eternal profit of his fellow redeemed and to preserve or
restore its tried ecclesiastic systems.
What he once had perceived as truth, what pierced his
soul, he now expressed freely and openly, — that asserted itself in all his
actions.
He did that first of all in his congregations. These
had been in danger of being led upon entirely wrong paths during his absence;
and he had to be thankful for the watchfulness and faithful labor of Pastor F.
W. Husmann as well as to God, that they survived as “Lutheran” congregations.‡ With
the usual dedication and new, great enthusiasm, Wyneken resumed his work among
them; but more yet than before, he strove to give them a truly Lutheran
character. Although those who wanted to belong to the congregation had to
subscribe to the Augsburg Confession previously, he now insisted upon insight
of the distinctive doctrines — chastised the errors of the Reformed and the
enthusiasts even more emphatically — he made it his business to even more
earnestly preach the mercy of God in Christ, justification without any help of
the sinner, the thankfulness of those justified in [doing] good works according
to Apostolic and Lutheran manner.
This certainly did not please some, and Wyneken, too,
had to experience that some, who previously had done well, went backwards.
Wyneken belonged, as long as he lived in Indian, to
the old “Synod of the West,” which consisted of so-called Lutheran preachers in
Soon after his return, the synod held its sessions in
a village in
Wyneken invited
the synod to hold its next conference in
Rudisill was not completely healed of his suspicion;
therefore Wyneken encouraged him to accuse him before the synod. He hoped, in
this way, to find a splendid opportunity to confess the Lutheran doctrine and
to cause the synodical gentlemen to stick their noses into the Symbolic Books,
which probably were completely unknown to most of them.
It went just as he had hoped. The result was that R.
and other congregation members realized that they, by no means, had a
clandestine Catholic, but a proper Lutheran for pastor. They followed him much
more closely now with sincere confidence.
Just at that time when Wyneken had to defend Luther’s
doctrine against his own synod, he received the first issue of the “Lutheraner,”
which has been published in
Wyneken had heard in
About the same time, he found the opportunity to
appear in yet a greater circle with a decidedly Lutheran confession. Even
before his trip to
Indeed, they
even wrote their own tract against him: “Warum bist du vom Glauben gefallen?”
[“Why Have You Abandoned the Faith?” (“Why Did You Fall from Faith?”)], in
which they most ignominiously slander not only Wyneken but also the entire
Wyneken was
thus a courageous confessor of his faith then already, which was none other
than that of Luther and of all his true disciples. He had preached this faith
in
We still have to consider one more matter before we
take leave completely from the “Missionary.” Although Wyneken, after his return
from
2. The City Pastor.
|
W |
e have gotten to know dear Wyneken chiefly as missionary until now, thus we shall try to
describe his effectiveness as pastor of two city congregations,
In December 1844, Pastor Häsbärt in
The congregation replied, it is certainly Lutheran,
and it desires only a Lutheran pastor; it is very pleased with his insistence
of adhering strictly to Lutheran doctrine and practice; he should come by all
means.
He decided to obey this call, and his congregations
consented to his departure, because they discerned this as God’s will that
“their dear Wyneken” is to go to the East. However, he promised them — and
wrote this to
In the first half of February 1845, Wyneken gave his
final sermon (Valetpredigt) [valedictory sermon]. How painful the
farewell from his congregations was for him — how very sad they were, can only
be felt by him who has known the intimate relationship which had been formed,
in mutual love, between them. Only the “our God wants it thus” could console
them.
On the back of his horse, which had carried him so
often, Wyneken began his journey to
He now rode over the Alleghenies, sold his horse on
the way, and arrived by stagecoach on March 7th in
Old Dr. Daniel Kurtz, who had formerly been pastor at
Many pious hearts met him trustingly; but there were
also people in the congregation who were distrustful — some, who feared his
Christian resoluteness — others, who did not agree with his doctrine. It soon
was clear to him that he would have to overcome many a conflict.
At first, he had to deal with the Reformed, who, until
then, were as such undisputed members of the “Lutheran” congregation.
Immediately on the first Sunday after his
installation, the Holy Supper was to be celebrated. The sexton had attended to
the preparation of the altar. How startled was Wyneken when he stepped in front
of the Communion table during confession and realized immediately that the
sacrament probably had never yet been administered in a proper, in a Lutheran,
manner there! The wine stood there in a large earthen pitcher, and, on the
plate, the hosts and bread lay next to each other. What was to be done?
He immediately called the vestry into the sacristy and
explained to them: the congregation was not at all Lutheran; he was deceived by
the call; he could not possibly distribute the Communion! The good people were
dismayed; they said: they didn’t know otherwise, only that they were good
Lutherans, -- he may proceed as a Lutheran pastor according to his best conscience.
They pleaded urgently, to administer the Holy Supper just this time in their
usual manner, because else an all too great discontent among the communicants
present was to be feared.
Wyneken, too, deemed this to be the best under the
prevailing circumstances and proceeded accordingly. However, after the sermon,
he asked the congregation to remain after the conclusion of the worship
service. And now he explained that he has not found them as a Lutheran
congregation, that it is rather unionistic, and that it would therefore be for
the best, if they would immediately release him; were he to stay, surely much
unrest and many disturbances would occur among such a mixed crowd.
But the congregation would hear nothing about him
leaving; it desired resolutely that he should stay. “Well then,” declared
Wyneken, “I will take the Lutheran and the Heidelberg Catechisms with me up to
the pulpit and read and explain both of them starting next Sunday; then each
one can see for himself on which side the
full truth of the divine Word is found!”
Wyneken carried this out. He explained, from both
catechisms, the difference between the Lutheran and Reformed doctrine; he
reproved the hitherto existing practice at the distribution of the Holy Supper
and showed from Scripture that it is impossible for the Reformed and Lutherans
to be members of one congregation, which, if it wants to act honestly and
Christian, can have only one confession.
There ensued a tremendous storm in the congregation.
The Reformed thought themselves betrayed and most of them did not even have
enough patience to listen quietly to Wyneken’s explanations; they also found
erring friends among the Lutherans, who found fault with the methods of the
new pastor and who wanted to maintain the former state of affairs. Fervent,
often bitter, discussions took place not only in the congregational meetings
but also in the streets and in the houses. Some children of Reformed parents
had become Lutheran; others had married Lutheran persons; so it happened that
daughters opposed their mothers; husbands opposed their wives. It was a time of
trial; but the truth prevailed. The Reformed members left the congregation
(on one Sunday, over eighty of them were announced from the pulpit as having
left) and built a German Reformed church in
Wyneken had to wage another battle against the phony
Lutherans in his congregation, in the city, in the General Synod.
In the part of town called “Fells Point,” a German
congregation existed, which claimed to be Evangelical Lutheran as well. Its
pastor, C. G. Weyl, a son-in-law of Father Schmucker, was a spineless
blatherskite. He was entirely fond of the “New Measures” (“Neue Massregeln”),
had hardly an idea of Lutheran doctrine and was in his practice enthusiastic,
unionistic (schwärmerisch, uniert), totally without principles. Wyneken,
as former member of the “Synod of the West,” belonged at that time to the
General Synod along with Weyl, but that did not hinder “dear brother” Weyl, to
work against him. He spread the rumor, Wyneken was an “Altlutheraner,” a
Jesuit in disguise, who even intends to deliver his congregation to the Pope,
as is evidenced by wearing a cope (Chorrock) and by making the sign of
the cross when giving the blessing. The rest, he said, will surely follow until
the congregation is entirely Catholic. He sought, verbally and in writing, to
stir up the members of
Weyl, at that time, published “Die Hirtenstimme”
[“The Shepherd’s Voice”], a paper which was to be Lutheran, which, however,
only represented the recently concocted Neumassregel-Christentum [New-Measures
Christianity] of the General Synod. For that reason alone, in all fairness, it
should have been called “Wolf’s Voice.” It acquired further justification for this
name by how it opposed the faithful witness Wyneken in the most shameless
manner.
Wyneken, at the occasion of the thirteenth biennial
meting of the General Synod, which took place on the third Thursday in May and
on the days following in 1845 in
When Wyneken appeared at the synod and heard about the
decision, he made the motion on the last day of the conference: “To send Dr.
Schmucker’s and Dr. Benj. Kurtz’s writings, also a volume of the ‘Lutheran
Observer’ and the ‘Hirtenstimme’ and other books and periodicals, in
which the doctrine and practice of the General Synod is described, to Dr.
Rudelbach, Prof. Harless and other editors/publishers in Germany of excellent
Lutheran periodicals for scrutiny and thereby proof the orthodoxy of the
General Synod to the Lutheran Church of Germany.”
The synod tabled this motion so dangerous for it. Wyneken,
however, rose again and said: he didn’t expect anything else than this and for
that reason he had formulated a second motion in advance and pocketed it. He
pulled it out of his pocket very calmly and read it. He called for: “The
General Synod should publicly disapprove and repudiate the previously mentioned
writings of Dr. Schmucker and Dr. Kurtz, as well as the ‘Lutheran Observer’
and the ‘Hirtenstimme’ as heretical and deviating from the standard of
beneficial doctrine!”
Such language had been unheard of until then at
conferences of the synod. Everyone was appalled by such a incredible demand and
did not think in the slightest to comply.
But what did wretched Weyl do? In order to assassinate
Wyneken morally among the people who were not better informed, he reported the
following in his ‘Lutherischen Hirtenstimme’: “Pastor Wyneken of
But he did not achieve the intended purpose with his
lies, not even in
In the
following year, he took the opportunity to write ion the “Lutheraner”
against Weyl’s Lutheranism, when Weyl printed the “Rules of his Congregation”
in the “Hirtenstimme,” which were full of false doctrine and false
principles. But Weyl did not intend in the least to atone for his slander and
false teaching; he, moreover, continued to spread suspicions and lies about Wyneken.
He succeeded to strengthen the enmity of the insincere ones against Wyneken, so
that some of them dared to write in newspapers that he wants to make his
congregation Roman [Catholic] again. Even Weyl let his “Hirtenstimme” be used to
spread the malicious lies; Wyneken’s church council saw itself compelled for
that reason to defend him in the “Lutheraner” (III, 32).
He remained victor also in
this battle; for, even though those of the General Synod did not cease to
slander him secretly and overtly, he, however, had the truth on his side, and
constantly more people were found, who joined him. His congregation learned to value him more
and more and placed greater confidence in him; indeed, even many non-Lutherans,
who certainly did not approve of his theological views, had to admit that
Wyneken is a real man, a sincere character, an upright soul.
We want to mention right
away here that Wyneken broke completely with the General Synod. Since it did
not want any part of right doctrine and sound religious practice, he linked up
more intimately with the “Saxons” in
He was present at the meeting of these preachers, who
gathered in September 1845 in Cleveland, O. to consider leaving the Ohio Synod
and the establishment of a new orthodox Lutheran Synod (compare, “Lutheraner,”
II p. 42).
After, in April 1847, the “Deutsche
evangelisch-lutherische
Much time and effort were required at that time to
travel to and fro between Baltimore and St. Louis; several weeks were required
for it; but surely Wyneken has seldom returned home more joyfully than at that
time, since he had found a considerable gathering of likeminded, truly united
Lutherans, and had been strengthened by their faith and by their brotherly
love. He often testified to friends that he thanks God with all his heart to
have experienced this.
His
congregation, too, had gained new enthusiasm and renewed resoluteness by
joining the Synod. After all, it now realized that its pastor, who had been
slandered and suspected so very much, did not stand alone, but had many fellow
combatants (Kampfgenossen), who endured similar experiences. It really
needed this encouragement; for new foes had already appeared against it, after
most of the fury of the battle against the Reformed and false Lutherans had
hardly passed.
The nuisance of the secret societies was then already
widespread far and well-established in
What he said against the lodges in the congregation,
what he said to individuals in his room, was distortedly reported at the lodge
meetings. For that reason, the German secret doers [Geheimtuer] opposed him for
that, mocked and maligned him. And they did not do this only secretly and in
smaller circles; no, in the open street, when they strutted along in “solemn”
procession.
He once stood in front of Bühler’s house and spoke
with several friends. Suddenly a lodge of Red Men in full array turned around
the corner and marched past in procession. All of them took off their hats and
saluted mockingly as they passed by
Wyneken, who, smiling serenely, observed this rudeness. Similar things happened
often.
Well, Wyneken has neither destroyed the lodges, nor
has he rescued all of his congregation members from them; but the victory,
however, was here also again on his side. The congregation as such recognized
the abomination of the secret societies and decided that no one, who belongs to
a lodge and who intends to remain in it, should be accepted as member. Some,
for example, H. Hn., let themselves be persuaded and left the society; others,
for example, A. Hg., moved away, in order to be left in peace. And how blessed
has Wyneken’s struggle against the lodges been for many other congregations! He
began it with zeal for God’s glory and for the welfare of his congregation; we
have only followed in his steps later on.
He defied all adversaries unafraid, and, yet, he was
usually kind, too.[2] He never lost his good humor even in the toughest battle
– he never forgot to make a distinction between the weak and the malicious
ones. He always kept in mind that the human foes were only instruments of the
devil, and that the battle was actually his. He despised the devil as much as a
righteous Christian is capable of, since he believed that Christ, his Savior,
has overcome him. Because of that, he saw nothing lost, when from all sides
adversaries stood up and behaved as though they would devour him. He could have
laughed at that, if he would not have pitied those who let themselves be
enticed by the devil!
Having now
briefly mentioned his external struggles, we have to see what he did for the
actual edification of the congregation, for its spiritual care.
Blessed Wyneken was very scrupulous about preaching.
Of course, he had written down only a few sermons completely in Baltimore as
well as in St. Louis, and, I suppose, never given one exactly as he had written
it; but he prepared himself most conscientiously for the sermon, and only his
own illness or necessary visits to the sick could prevent him from it.
Fear and anxiety about the sermon made him regularly
ill every Saturday. He lost his appetite for food or drink then; he sighed and
groaned then; he looked depressed and distressed then, he thought surely that
he was sick then, and talked so fearfully that a stranger who did not yet know
his ways, could have easily been mislead to fear a serious illness.
Until eleven, twelve o’clock at night, he sat and
wrote after he had read Luther or other “ancients.” Now the sermon was half
finished, but suddenly it is torn up and thrown into the wastepaper basket, for
— it was wrong! The work begins anew. Perhaps the concept is rejected again,
perhaps it finds favor. After midnight, the industrious man goes to bed to
sleep fitfully a few hours. On Sunday morning, he is still “sick” and does not
like to be disturbed. The sermon, the sermon presses on his conscience and
mind. How is he to get through it this time! How is he to stand before God and
the congregation!
Finally, he stands in the pulpit. He begins with a
somewhat uncertain voice; he coughs — he makes a slip of the tongue – it seems
as though he could find no words to express his thoughts; in addition, he makes
a face as though he has given up all hope of getting into full swing this time.
All of a sudden, however, powerful words drop from his mouth, for example: “All
of us are over our ears in miserliness,” or: “All of our Christianity is mere
hypocrisy, if we do not follow the example of Christ in our lives,” or: “Every
Sunday, the Pharisee and the publican come to church” and now words flow from
his mouth like a roaring stream over level plains and over jagged cliffs. Every
trace of anxiety has disappeared; his eyes shine; every muscle in his face,
every movement of his hands, his entire bearing testifies that he speaks of a
matter close to his heart, which he has experienced himself, which he wants to
preach into the hearts of his listeners, for which he wants to win all of them!
Everyone is aware of it — he is not reciting a sermon that is merely stuck in
his head — he testifies of what he has himself experienced, what God’s Word has
worked in his own heart.
He preaches the Law harshly, so that the sinner is
dismayed, trembles introspectively and asks fearfully: “What is to become of
me? I am lost!”
But then, he begins to teach about the grace of God in
Christ Jesus. He demonstrates that all men are redeemed — that even the
coarsest sinner should not despair — that the reconciled Father in Heaven can
help everyone — wants to help everyone. He describes the great love of God for
the sinners; he depicts God’s desire to save everyone who is lost, he
encourages to accept this mercy with believing hearts; he chides those who do
not dare to seize the mercy, he entreats and implores to let themselves be
reconciled with God — he does, in the best sense of the word, the work of an
Evangelical preacher. He exhibited the heavenly treasures not only from afar;
no, he brought them close; he laid them before the sinners and encourages them
to grasp them confidently and cheerfully. O, many a man, quite many a man, has
summoned up only after Wyneken’s sermon to fling himself with all his sins into
God’s merciful arms and to take comfort in the full forgiveness for the sake of
Christ’s righteousness.
The grace of God in Christ Jesus towards all men was
the gist of all sermons of blessed Wyneken. In every one of them, a sinner
could learn how he can be saved. No other work of God did he enjoy preaching
about more than justification, but he also did not forget about sanctification.
He earnestly demanded a righteous Christian conduct, family devotions, charity,
compassion for the weak, etc. But he wanted to have good works done by the
Christians only out of gratitude towards God; one never heard an utterance from
his mouth to the effect that a man has to earn [God’s] grace. He, indeed,
reproved the false teachings of the enthusiasts and papists with all sternness,
with emphatic, strong words, since they violated the article of the universal
and free grace of God.
Such sermons were very profitable and comforting for
sincere people; but not everyone wanted to hear them. The German Sportsmen (deutsche
Jäger), who had formerly attended church once a year in their dress uniform
to honor the congregation, did this only once under Wyneken and never again,
for he had taken no notice of them, he even had “thoroughly scolded” (“weidlich
gescholten”) them.
The Odd Fellows and Red Men likewise did not like to
hear him, for when they buried a “brother,” who had belonged to Wyneken’s
congregation, he did not tolerate that they flaunted their beautiful aprons and
other puppetry; he, indeed, had the impertinence to preach repentance to them
and to maintain that they can be saved only through Jesus Christ.
Otherwise
there were also great saints in the congregation, who clenched their teeth over
Wyneken’s sermons, but all poor sinners – all those who despaired of themselves
— were drawn to him and thanked God that He had sent this “Evangelist” to
When the sermon was behind him on Sunday, all illness
had disappeared. His disposition was cheerful; he was merry and happy, and
could jest delightfully with his family or close friends.
He was not in the habit of saving drafts of his
sermons at that time; they were destroyed directly. He wrote only the topic and
the main parts in a book so he could see after a year, what he had preached at
the occasion of every pericope. He did it differently at later times.
His sermons were fresh, powerful and, especially in
the time of which we now speak, blunt in every respect. He liked to speak in
“plain terms,” regardless if he said it in Low German or High German.[3]
“Instead of gaping about in the street, stick
your nose into the Catechism for
you don’t know it yet,” he could not only say this to the young, but also to
the old. But even when he grew blunt, one could never be angry with him, for
one could tell that he did not say it out of spite, but that it was in keeping
with his well-meaning nature to express himself in that manner.
The sensitive members of the General Synod could not
tolerate this bluntness in the least. At the beginning, they came to his church
in
It happened that various people came to him after the
sermon to complain about his assertions and expressions. On the 11th
Sunday after Trinity, he had preached “about the two churchgoers” and pointed
out that with the “poor sinners” always, even today, “Pharisees” come to
church; he took the latter to task thoroughly and depicted them in his way.
After the sermon, two old congregation members come and express their
misgivings about whether such Pharisees are really to be found among them.
Wyneken convinces them before long that they did not have to look for the
Pharisee far off, but in the closest proximity.
They left and did not come again soon to find fault with the sermon.
His sermons were abounding in metaphors as well.
Excellent similes were constantly at his disposal, which were to illustrate the
point he was presenting to his listeners. Thus he spoke once (it was in
Wyneken applied great diligence also to confirmation
instruction and Christenlehre [catechetical instruction]. He catechized
simply and vigorously, yet was always kind in doing so and showed an ardent
desire to bring the milk of the Gospel into the hearts of the dear children. He
used only Luther’s Small Catechism; he, however, prepared himself completely
for the explanation of it. Directed by the Synod, he wrote also wrote a “Spruchbuch” [“Book of Bible Verses”] to go
with the Catechism, which came out in print in 1849 and was later on repeatedly
republished.
On of his confirmands, Dortchen S., was nearly deaf
and, in addition, had a very weak mental capacity and memory. At the start,
Wyneken was at a loss how to begin with her; but he found the right way before
long. He had her come to his home several times every week throughout the
winter and shouted the catechism, a small bit after another, into her ears,
until she finally had grasped enough that he could confirm her in good
conscience.
His school was uppermost in his thoughts, and even if
he did not inspected it often, he attended to it most conscientiously. He saw a
great deal of the teacher, inquired about everything, sharpened his conscience,
cheered him up and gladly kept school for him when he was ill or if he wanted
to visit Washington or other places. He was always more fraternal then
paternal, even toward young teachers. In him they had a faithful friend indeed.
He was diligent and untiring in visiting the sick. At
any hour of the day, in the middle of the night, he was ready to serve them.
That he cared for many of the sick also physically will be told later on.
The most disgusting illness was no hindrance for him
to visit someone, to lift someone, to lay someone down. He was therefore a very
welcomed Seelsorger [minister]; after whose entering they yearned,
toward whom the eyes shone, toward whom the arms were held out.
However, he never gave in to the sinful habits of the
sick and did not permit them any license. In
Wyneken was just as careful as courageous at
congregation meetings. Frequently, he was exposed to vehement attacks, but they
bounced off of his composure, his presence of mind and shrewdness. He did not
move an inch; he was never at a loss for a good answer to the most unexpected
questions, accusations, or charges. He understood excellently how to force the
malicious adversary into the trap set for him, and thus reveal the antagonist’s
own shame.
Once, he had refused the Holy Supper to a man, because
he had committed adultery. The sin was not yet public; indeed, the
circumstances were such that if the sinner wanted to deny the sin, it would
hardly have been possible for Wyneken to proof the matter sufficiently.
Haughty, until now so respected P., counted on that. He attacked Wyneken in the
congregation meeting and demanded he should give the reason why he won’t give
him Communion. Wyneken replied: He, P., certainly knows this reason; it is therefore
not necessary to state it here. But the adulterer insisted in his will and
several of his friends supported his demand vehemently. Wyneken asked him, if
he knows what he had told him at registration [for Communion]. P. said: “Yes!”
Wyneken asks further, if he can deny that the matter is exactly as he has said.
To that, P. does not want to answer; he only wants to know why he can’t go to
Communion! Wyneken persists, he has indeed told him; but if P. wants that the
congregation be told, he may tell it himself.
P. blurts out: “You have said [that] I am an adulterer!” “Quite right,”
replied Wyneken, “so I have told you in private; you yourself have now blabbed
it out and have to pay the consequences. Now I have to tell the congregation
why I have said that.” Wyneken told [why]; unexpectedly witnesses were found
who knew about the offence. P. stood there in his shame, haughty and unbroken;
he left the meeting furiously, never to return.
Toward fallen
persons, who discerned their sin, Wyneken was very compassionate and kind.
Nothing annoyed him more than harsh, loveless verdicts about people who have
done wrong out of weakness, or about such who are yet lacking understanding.
He then would scold the “righteous ones” thoroughly and also rebuke the “wise
ones” who at the admission of new members would say in smugness: “He is only
missing the proper understanding!”
How very successful Wyneken was in awakening
self-sacrificing devotion for spiritual purposes in his congregation in
The overzealous Lutherans in his congregation caused
not a little trouble for Wyneken. He was very slow and careful about
introducing ceremonies even if they were very dear to him. He would rather have
them never introduced than causing anyone grief by their use. Many of his
“Lutheran” congregation members did not think so. They believed that a crucifix
and candles on the altar are indispensable for Lutheranism. They demanded those
things, they asked for their acquisition, they offered to donate them — nothing
did any good — Wyneken did not let them be placed on the altar, because there
were still people, especially old ones, who were not used to such things and
who could not stand them. Once, several brothers dared “to donate” candlesticks
and to put them “quietly on the altar, but they met with a nice reception. They
received a firm reprimand privately and publicly, and their candlesticks never
made it upon the altar. — Pastor H. also earned Wyneken’s ingratitude when he
tried to introduce the liturgical service during Wyneken’s absence. It was
never introduced as long as Wyneken was in
We have heard earlier that Wyneken was accused by
Pastor Weyl, among other things that he wanted to lead his congregation back to
the papacy. Wyneken hated the papacy from the bottom of his heart, because it
makes the state of grace uncertain for the sinner; it extols the work of man as
sufficient for the reconciliation with God; it perverts the Scriptures and robs
God of honor, etc. It is noteworthy, however, that once a Roman [Catholic]
priest actually made the attempt to convert our Wyneken. He lived near the
beautiful
Occasionally,
Wyneken had to laugh about the shameful greediness of the people. When, for
instance, after he had married a couple, the groom asked what he owed and to
Wyneken’s replay: “that is entirely up to your free will,” he only offered a
25-cent piece while he concealed at least another one between the fingers.
It annoyed him though, when God’s Word and sacred
rites were used for the attainment of worldly and temporal purposes. Among his
parishioners was an old bachelor named Wolf, who had been very rich at some
time, but he was impoverished now. He was over eighty years old. A niece of
nearly 70 years kept house, assisted by a Black woman, who spoke German very
well, the only one remaining of numerous slaves, who had been sold gradually or
who had run away.
Wholly unexpectedly, the bachelor and his niece
received the news that a rich relative had died and left them a large fortune;
they are to come to
At the beginning of the year 1850, Wyneken received a
call from Trinity Congregation in
When Wyneken had to leave finally, Pr. [Johann M. G.]
Schaller was called to be vicar, who administered the pastorate until Pr. Keyl
had been installed. Wyneken preached his farewell sermon on 1 Sam. 7:12 on
February 24, 1850, and departed for
Only this should yet be mentioned here, that he had
the pleasure in
3. The
Synodical President.
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yneken was also elected synodical president in the same year that he moved to
Following the division of the
synod into four districts, Wyneken was elected again in 1854 that is as
“general president.” Although the synod had increased very much and the
congregations in the United States and in Canada were widely scattered about,
the president had the duty to visit all parishes within three years, to inspect
congregations, pastors and schools, “if possible to preach a sermon in every
congregation,” and moreover “if practicable to appear personally without delay
when requested by any congregation of the synodical district for the removal of
arisen disagreements,” etc. In addition, he was to attend the pastors’
conferences and the meetings of district synods and if requested “to give advice and answers,” etc.
The synod required much of its general president, but Wyneken endeavored
earnestly to render these important services, and he so well to the
satisfaction of the synod that it elected him again in 1857. But the synod had
now become so large that it was not possible for one man, even in best health
and constant activity, to visit all congregations, conferences and district
synods within three years; it was therefore decided then that the specified
inspections are to take place within six years.
Since, with all his many presidential functions, it
was impossible for Wyneken to also officiate as pastor of Trinity Congregation
in St. Louis in any kind of way, especially since he had suffered much due to
illness, he left this city in 1859 and moved with his loved ones to dear Adams
County, where he spent the following winter in Pastor Jäker’s congregation for
whom he preached occasionally. In spring of 1860, he moved into a small estate
near
When the general meeting of the synod was held at
Thus dear Wyneken had administered the extremely
important office of synodical president for fourteen years.
Not only his many letter (especially the ones to the
synodical congregations) show how he viewed his office, but also, above all,
the addresses and reports which he gave and submitted at the opening of the
general synodical meetings. They are and remain winsome and a strong testimony
of the clear mind, of the sincere love, of the great seriousness and zeal, of
the thoroughly evangelical views of our dear Wyneken. Whoever does not know him
yet, should read these documents and get a true picture of him.
The blessing, which God has bestowed upon the entire
greater synod as long as he had been president, is not to be discerned at this
time, much less to be described. That
our synod has pursued the Evangelical direction, which so advantageously
distinguishes the synod now from the many other religious bodies, it owes to
him in a very considerable measure. At synods and conferences, in studies and
at congregation meetings, he had a hundredfold opportunity to caution them to
exhibit Evangelical praxis and to urge them on. How often has he appeared as
God’s witness at synodical meetings and has shown the right aim and the right
way with a few, often blunt, but always powerful and effective words! The Lord
has also put him into these numerous councils as His instrument to let the
words sound loud and clear – to clearly restore the eternal light of His Word
to the American church!
And how more often than at synods has he courageously
witnessed against sin, against greed, drinking, self-righteousness, confessed
and defended the truth, given a deathblow to legalism, displayed and praised
Evangelical liberty and helped it to victory, encouraged the disheartened, comforted
the mournful, thrown the great saints to the ground. He was able to help the
weak, the ignorant, the fallen and set them right with great — very great —
patience; he shrank from neither time nor effort, neither heat nor frost.
However, he confronted the clever, the arrogant, the self-righteous, all
willful sinners with enormous seriousness and without respect of person.
Whether someone was rich or poor, honored or despised by the world, it made no
difference to him; everybody got to hear the truth, which was at the time the
most beneficial and most needed for everybody according to Wyneken’s conviction
and according to his very acute perception.
He dealt also with the pastors and schoolteachers
likewise. He gladly acknowledged diligence, upright endeavors, successful
feeble efforts; he willingly excused whatever was lacking due to weakness, but
he earnestly reproved all false legalism in the sermons, all unscriptural (unevangelisch)
ways in the administration of the congregation or in the collecting of any
monetary contributions, etc. He was an acute and an unwelcomed president to
the pastors, who did not study diligently, who tyrannized the congregations,
who conformed to the world, etc., but to the afflicted, a comforter; to the
disheartened, a mainstay; to those assailed by temptation, a counselor. He knew
almost all pastors and teachers, who at that time belonged to the synod,
through his inspections; he had been to their homes, had gotten to know their
families; he knew their joys and sufferings, their struggles, defeats and
victories. He was welcome as a father by everyone (possibly with very few
exceptions); there was cordial, sincere joy on both sides whenever they met
with him. Truly, such a bond based on true faith and genuine love as it existed
between Wyneken and the synodals (Synodalen), existed after the time of
the Apostles only in the age of the Reformation on earth! I do not say this in
order to honor anyone unduly, not Wyneken either; I say this to the glory of
the great God, Who has given us this cherished man and Who has so richly
blessed us through him.
And, certainly, the congregations, which Wyneken has
visited as president, remember him in greatest love and esteem. Of course, he
was not welcomed at some places, because he called a spade a spade regarding
the conditions that he found and relentlessly exposed them when needed. But on
the whole, he was welcome everywhere, because those who are only little
advanced, who still lack understanding, who are doubtful, who are suspicious had
to realize before long that the man meant well, that he wanted only the true
benefit, the eternal salvation of the congregation – that he did not want to
dominate, but wanted only to serve.
It was especially the aged who felt themselves drawn
to him in brotherly love and who speak with pleasure about the “Old President,”
who spoke to them in “Low German,” who patted their shoulder, seized their hand
and told them the truth appropriately, scolded them with a smiling face and
pricked their conscience.
As long as people are alive, who have seen the “Old
President” at their congregation meetings and in their pulpits, they will say
of him: He was a deserving bondsman of the great God and a faithful servant of
his synod.
He has sincerely taken part in all battles of his
synod. He was always among the foremost in the war of the Lord according to the
nature of the gifts, which God has bestowed upon him. He has also faithfully
and courageously confessed the name of his Savior externally (nach
auβen hin) and has willingly borne the disgrace, which fell upon him
for His sake.
He traveled to
After both had returned, the dispute with the Iowans
was added to the old dispute with [Johannes A. A.] Grabau [of
As he, at times, has appeared t synodical meetings,
has dealt with the people at conferences and inspections, what he has
experienced, suffered and said there, will be best illustrated by a few
anecdotes from that time.
Fairly at the beginning of his term as president,
Wyneken inspected a congregation located far in the W est. The meeting lasted till
midnight. The people talked very passionately; it was almost tumultuous, and
Wyneken strove in vain to settle the dispute. The meeting had to be adjourned
finally without having brought about reconciliation. The president stood in the
dark vestibule while the pastor of the congregation, being the last to leave,
extinguished the candles. Wyneken then hears several fierce opponents, mostly
young men on the other side of the street, arguing vehemently about him and
talking about wanting to thrash him. Without further consideration, Wyneken
suddenly steps in front of them and says [in Low German]: “Lads, I want to tell
you something: I am not afraid of the devil, and you think that I should be
afraid of you. You really are pitiful fellows.” He preaches them a blunt severe
lecture and walks away calmly. The men look at each other bewildered; they had
gained respect for the Low German president and demonstrated that at the next
meeting by quietly submitting. One of them became a worthy member of the
congregation later.
In the year 1860 or 1861, he was in K. in order to
make an attempt to settle the dispute about confession in F. in the following
days. He paced back and forth with Pastor J. in the yard of a congregation
member, deliberating the sad occurrences in the congregation. He whittled a
piece of wood with his knife. B., a chief confession disputant, with whom was
dealt shortly before, walked after him and cried: “Pastor J. has employed the
wrong teaching about private confession!” Wyneken kept on walking calmly
without interrupting his whittling and said only: “You are lying!” B. became
even more passionate and screamed resentfully: “Pastor J. nevertheless has
taught falsely about private confession!” Wyneken repeated calmly and briefly:
“You are lying!” Proud B. became then angry and blustered: “I think you are
afraid of me for you don’t even stop!” Wyneken, resilient like a youth, turned
around quickly and said emphatically: “Listen you, I don’t fear the devil, much
less one of his scales (Schuppen)!” The just-now ever so brave B. got
scared and drew back quickly.
When the deliberation in F. were to begin, Wyneken had
such fear that his heart pounded loudly. When he was about to go to the church,
he said to Pastor J.: “Take along Luther’s booklet about confession as well as
pen and ink. I will dictate three questions to you, first of all. These I will
put before the people and the fellows shall either fetch their life on these or
devour death!”[4] After the congregation meeting had been opened, Wyneken’s fear
abated and he was the fearless champion again. He dictated the three questions
and demanded an answer to the first of them: “If Luther has taught correctly
about confession?” The opponents of private confession soon realized where that
was leading and the abovementioned B. shouted furiously: “People, the fox wants
to catch us!” But now, Wyneken read Luther’s praise of private confession and
then gave a speech penetrating heart and marrow so that all opponents rushed
out and stayed away forever. The peace had now been restored.
A pastoral conference was meeting at
An arrogant man followed him at a visitation and
yelled: “Mr. President, I am also one of those who have fought against the
union [church] in
He had much to lament about greed of the people in one
congregation. They said they had no money to raise for the poor and to
contribute for general purposes of the church; they were only able to raise
small collections and therefore had to console themselves that the Lord
acknowledged the widow’s mite. Wyneken knew them however. In order to shame
them, he said: “Well, then leave it at a cent! For all I care, give half a
cent, and if you don’t have half cents, two of you can always give a whole cent
in partnership!”
At another visitation at an old congregation, several
disputes, which had caused all sorts of mischief for some time, were to be
looked into between individual members and factions within the congregation.
The longer, the more it turned out that it was only paltry trifles over which
the brothers quarreled with each other. Wyneken told them that it was silly and
childish to fight about such things at all, but even sillier and more childish
to bring them before the president. He admonished them to bury the matters and
to get along with each other. But, alas! The people were now offended; everyone
wanted “his right” and have “the sin of the neighbor” punished. A terrible
self-righteousness manifested itself even more distinctly. Finally, Wyneken
said indignantly: “I wish, you great saints would commit a downright big sin in
order for you to learn what sin really is; in this way, however, you are
drowning in your great piety!”
At a visitation in H. C.,
He inspected the schools carefully too. He liked to
listen to the singing of the children, and if they sang a hymn to his liking,
he asked to repeat it. He did so once in the
Frequently, he had cause to be dissatisfied with
school discipline. He hated all disorder, all carelessness and thoughtlessness;
on the other hand, he loved punctuality, order and strict discipline. More so
however, he demanded compassion towards the children from the teachers. Based
on his experience, he said: “Seldom have I encountered a merciful schoolmaster!”
However, he also accused himself thereby and regretted lacking so very much in
merciful patience and uplifting love.
When the
visitation was over, he could tell the congregations and pastors the plain
truth without offending. Thus, for example, Pastor J. relates the following
about him: “When Wyneken made the first visitation to me, I was still a new
pastor. After the worship service and congregation meeting were finished, he
took me by the arm and said, ‘we want to go a little into the bush now.’ Having
arrived there, he sat on a tree trunk lying on the ground, put his hand on my
leg and said, ‘my dear J., now I am president and I’m refining you; sometime,
when you become president, you refine me.’ And then he reproached me with one
wrong and another, and gave me directions on how to do things better in such a
way that I couldn’t help to grow fonder of him with every moment.”
At another visitation, he said to a new pastor after
the service: “My dear L., I am pleased with your sermon but the ending was
dreadful! Do you know how it struck me? Just so, as if someone pours the best
feed into the trough for the pigs and then beckons them over that they should
eat. However, as soon as they come and try to sick their snout into the trough,
he hits about them with a club that they get scared and run off. You see, you
mustn’t only show the heavenly treasures to the sinners; you also have to
encourage them to lay hold of them and take them home!”
At the synod in J., much was said about contributing
for purposes of the church. Many a thing was said that sounded as though you
could and would control the giving of Christians. Wyneken spoke decisively
against it; he wanted everyone to have the freedom to give according to one’s
own discretion and closed finally with the words: “I let no one peek into my
purse!”
Instructive, encouraging, comforting and worthy of
retaining are many of his appropriate utterances of which he availed himself at
synods and conferences, at social gatherings and in private conversation, and
which flowed spontaneously and unexpectedly – entirely original – from his
heart.
He had preached a very cheerful and comforting sermon.
S. came to him afterwards and lamented how hard it is for him to simply believe
the Gospel. “Yes,” said Wyneken sighing, “it is exactly the same with me!”
“How?” replied S. “You have just now preached so very cheerfully!” “Indeed, do
you think that I believe so firmly what I have just preached?” said Wyneken and
added: “O, who, after all, could at all times believe so firmly!” Thus he was
aware of his weakness always.
Another time, he said sadly: “I may not go to
confession any more. I always promise to change for the better, but nothing
comes of it.”
Often, great fear and sorrow fell upon him.
One time, he came to A. to preach a sermon during a
period of vacancy. Teacher B. picked him up at the train station and took him
to Mr. P’s. house where the vacancy preachers had their quarters. There, they
sat on a bench in front of the house and talked about this and that. When B.
expresses certain concerns, Wyneken starts to console him superbly. When he had
done that, he said unexpectedly: “So, you console me now’ I don’t know how to
advise and help myself! Tell me at least a little saying.” B., somewhat
surprised at first at having to console the president, said to him then: “The
blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, cleans us from all sin.” And now he was
reassured again.
Associating with people, however, he let it very seldom
be known what burdened his heart; the geniality, the appropriate wit emerged
then.
Once, he and Professor C. had visited Pastor J. near
When I said good-bye to him in October 1864 in
4. The
Family Man.
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e have gotten to know Wyneken only in his official capacity as missionary, pastor
and president until now; it is time that we take a look into his home and see
what he was like as family man.
On August 31, 1841, he married maiden Marie Sophie
Wilhelmine Buuck, the second-oldest daughter of “Father Buuck,” who had first
taken him in at
God presented him with two boys at one time, Martin
and Henry, on December 15, 1844. After this event had become known, a poor man
came to his house in order to console hi, because of his great addition to the
family. “What is one to do,” he said guilelessly [in Low German], “one just has
to carry one’s cross. Dear God will surely not let you perish!” Wyneken laughed
out loud when he received this unexpected consolation. Indeed, he did not need
any such, for he considered himself to be immensely blessed and rich especially
by the birth of these children. He wrote his dear mother at that time: “Never
have I been happier than today. Never have I more richly showered with gifts
even at Christmas! Faithful God has granted me two healthy boys, and in honor
of this event, I am wasting some money: two tallow candles are burning on my
desk!”
Father Wyneken was devoted to his children with tender
love. They were his riches and his joy. He saw them as certain proof of the
fatherly mercy of his God, and he tried with great seriousness and diligence to
raise them to His glory. He hated the modern silly, syrupy way with children,
but was always friendly and kind towards them. He liked to give them joy, joked
and played with them as long as they were little. A rocking horse made by Mr.
Bosse, besides other toys, was at the service of the boys, and they increased
at least at every distribution of Christmas presents.
When at Christmas of 1848, a friend of the family had
painted and erected a “Christmas garden” with a “manger,” with the shepherds in
the field and the three Wise Men; he was pleased with it like a child. He
explained the individual figures to the little ones, told the Christmas and
Epiphany story and was happy with them like a child at Christmas. In the
afternoon when English-speaking visitors arrived and said such a representation
was “Catholic,” he laughed at them and said: “I’ll wander about the world with
this thing and let it be seen when I can preach no longer!”
Wyneken demanded obedience from his children,
especially obedience towards their mother; he did not allow any backtalk and
punished with the rod when the old Adam insisted upon acknowledgement and
consideration. When the purpose was accomplished, daddy was friendly again and
he was now the more so kind towards the punished child that it would not
possibly be estranged from his heart.
Wyneken was a devoted, loving father towards his
children at all times, as he was an exceedingly loving husband towards his wife
always. The marriage of both these people was a very happy on in more than one
respect. Often, one did not know what was prevailing foremost in their mutual
attitude, love or deep respect. Certainly, both were present in great measure,
and the matrimonial happiness, which the dear man enjoyed, contributed much to
the fact that he always remained cheerful despite the constant temptations,
great inner struggles and many outward disputes. He admitted at times that he
could not thank God enough for the helpmate whom He bestowed him. He liked to
jest with his wife; I heard him often say in a good mood: “Wife, your name is a
contradiction;” but I have never seen him either silly and trifling nor harsh
and indelicate. In the family room, he was a man of character, an example to
his lodgers and to the congregation.
He held family devotions with his loved ones every
morning. First, a hymn was sung for which a number of Raumer’s small hymnals
was available in the family room in
At the table, he prayed before and after the meal, but
he began the reading of a Scripture section only later on.
Wyneken was very plain and moderate in eating and drinking.
The carefully prepared dishes were always available in sufficient amount to
satisfy all table companions, but there were no delicacies. Water was the only
beverage year in and year out. Only after he head become synodical president
and as such had to accommodate various guests, his table was often set more
abundantly and a bottle of wine was added as well. He required the latter for
needed strengthening during the last years of his life, but he was always
content with small quantities. He was not a teetotaler, but he was very
moderate and careful in the enjoyment of alcoholic beverages. One never noticed
the slightest careless effect o wine on him, and many may still remember how
decisively he opposed frequenting pubs by pastors and teachers.
Besides his family there were boarders at the table
regularly for a time in
During meals, mostly about godly things and historic
events were talked about; common city or street new received no notice.
Hoyer was frequently present only for meals; at those
times there was that much more to be talked about, and at the table, travel
plans, mission successes, adventures, etc. were told in a happy jumble. Also
much was discussed about language, for H. eagerly studied English and always
had a thousand questions about derivation and meaning of words, as to their
similarity to good Low German.
One time at noon, Wyneken told how roughly and crudely
a preacher in
Life in Wyneken’s house was usually most pleasant and
the daily relations with him were stimulating, profitable, interesting, and
this was even more so the case when “strangers” dropped in, who almost
constantly came and went. And not only Lutherans came, but also the Reformed,
those belonging to the Episcopalian church and still others. Although visitors
of this kind knew Wyneken’s religious position and his Lutheran resoluteness
quite well, they nevertheless either wanted to see or speak with the worthy
witness of Christ one time or they came again, since his cordial amiability,
his sincere, many nature had compelled their love and deep respect. Also
people, who were still strangers to the church, visited him and none of them
went away without having heard a weighty word from him.
To the
“strangers” calling on him, who surely served the church but did not share
Wyneken’s conviction, belonged, for instance, Dr. [Philip] Schaff from
A friendly communication with Professor [Adolf F. T.]
Biewend in
In short, Wyneken’s home was a very open one, and he a
very accommodating host in it, who gladly gave of his poverty and who presented
the little he had in such a way that one gladly accepted it, one helped oneself
[to it] with pleasure and one felt entirely at home soon.
Wyneken associated with all who entered his house,
even with candid opponents, quite frankly and freely as well as very kindly.
Theological things were in no way discussed constantly, they went from one
subject to another; everyone related whatever moved him; Wyneken always
contributed most to the pleasant conversation. His journeys in Europe and
Wyneken liked to remember his time of youth. He talked
of his (at that time still living and) still ever tenderly beloved and highly
honored mother, of the great respect, which “we youngsters” had for her. He
also knew to tell many a thing in an entertaining manner of his brothers, their
studies and war service, and of his sisters, how they, for instance, had to
work in the presence of foreign officers.
Then he also knew to recount very much from his
student and candidate years. Thus, for instance, how he had preached his first
sermon. After he had committed it to memory for weeks and could recite it
almost as well backward as forward, he was to finally preach it in a small
village church. He mounts the pulpit
trembling and realizes immediately that it is impossible for him to make use of
his concept, for the church galleries reach close to the pulpit and the
peasants cannot only see into his book, no, they can take away his concept. He
begins fearfully. Now it is time for a Bible verse, when — what is this? — the
entire congregation joins in and recites the verse with him. He has never heard
that before; it takes him by surprise, but he knows where he has to continue.
He keeps on preaching until there is another verse, again the congregation
joins in, but it is not quite so disturbing any more; he finally reaches the
end successfully and from then on has the courage and enthusiasm to appear
publicly.
He also knew how to vividly recount his trip to
Still more interesting, however, were the reports
about his missionary life and his experiences in the West. He had an eye for
everything; even seemingly insignificant things were important enough for him
to notice and to remember; therefore he could now narrate interestingly and
vividly. Father Wyneken knew how to entertain his household most interestingly
about the game of the woods, about the many turkeys which were nearly crushed
under foot while riding; about the wolves which had howled after him and which
had snorted around the house in winter, or even had climbed to the roof; about
panthers which had almost snatched a youth from his congregation; about
marvelous rescues (how, for instance, a woman, who was snowed in with her
children, was close to starving to death, and how a hunter unexpectedly tossed
half a stag in front of her door); about Indians and their pig-drawing queen (Schweine
zeichnende Königin); about isolated and poor settlers, but also about
awkward and conceited ones, and about a thousand other things – but it always
was done so that it had a connection with God and the extension of the Church.
With the most heartfelt delight, he remembered the
former privations, his poverty, his traveling by day and night, being lost in
the woods, his accommodation in log cabins, etc. Genuine joy from his soul
sparkled in his eyes when he told how so many people had welcomed God’s Word
with great desire at that time; how even women had come many miles on foot
often on the worst roads in order to hear the sermon; how the people were
afraid of neither storm nor weather to meat with him. “Oh, that was a splendid
time!” he would then cry out delighted.
In all that narrating, even in all that jesting, one
always perceived that this is a very solemn man who has peace with God.
Just as Wyneken surely took to heart and practiced the
Word of God: “A bishop must be given to hospitality” (1 Tim. 3:2), he did also
with: “To do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God
is well pleased” (Heb. 13:16). Giving was a pleasure for him; he was graced
with this virtue in a special measure and he did not practice it only for some
time, but from his first appearance in
Several examples will demonstrate what he made of
giving and doing good.
When he still lived in
Once when he still had his accommodation at Mr.
Heinrich Rudisill’s, he rode up in his stocking feet; he had given his boots to
a poor man whom he met in torn shoes on the way and who had begged him for
alms.
Another time, his father-in-law had given him money to
buy a pair of boots because his were not waterproof any more. He went to do
this, but he returned home again without boots and without money. He had met
people on the way who needed the money more than he.
It is said of a very compassionate and generous person
that he gives his shirt off his back if it has to be. Wyneken has done this
literally in the following manner.
He entered a secluded house once in which several men
were busy laying out someone who had just died. Wyneken had visited the dead
person several times during his last illness. He noticed that the men were
looking for something, which they, however, could find nowhere, because it was
not here, namely a clean shirt. As soon as Wyneken realized what it was, he
said: “Wait a minute; I know where there is one.” He stepped out into the
woodshed and when he returned after a short time, he handed the people — a
fancy shirt. His coat, however, was buttoned up to the neck.
Wyneken, as long as he was a missionary, paid very
little attention to his clothing. Even his best suit was mostly threadbare,
occasionally patched. It was very annoying to the congregation that its pastor
wore such bad clothes. The yellow trousers especially, of which we told earlier
already, were repugnant for it. He, however, liked them because they were
“imperishable” and he wore them in town as well as in the country.
Everyone knew that Wyneken never kept any money in the
house, that, therefore, he would not have any to buy himself better clothes.
For that reason, Vestryman Ernst Voss collected once forty dollars for him (a
very considerable sum at that time), brought the money with great pleasure and
urged him to have a decent suit made. While Voss is still there, a poor woman
comes to Wyneken and pours out her troubles to him. She says: her husband is
laid up sick for a long time; the rent has not been paid for months; the
landlord does not want to wait any longer; they have neither money nor groceries;
she and her children are starving; in short, the need is very great. Voss
listened to that for a while, but left when he noticed that he was superfluous
at this scene.
The congregation hoped to see its pastor in new
clothes soon, but he wore the old ones now as before. The matter seems rather
strange to the one and to the other, and Voss asks him after several days if
his new clothes were not yet ready. “New clothes?” Wyneken asks in return.
“What new clothes? From where am I supposed to have money for new clothes?”
“But, replied the former, very unpleasantly surprised, didn’t I bring you forty
dollars which had been collected for that purpose? And now you don’t have any
more money?” “Yes,” Wyneken said cheerfully, “see, that is entirely natural.
Didn’t you see the poor woman who poured out her troubles to me with bitter
tears that time? I gave the money to her, because she needed it more than I.
Just see, my suit is still good enough.” Voss wants to contradict, but Wyneken
says: “Come, come, don’t make a fuss; dear God can give me double the money
again and a new pair of trousers on top, if I need it!” “Yeah, you say that,”
replied Voss somewhat disheartened. “So,” Wyneken says now, “you doubt that?
You are a fine Christian! Don’t you know what it says in the First Article: ‘I
believe that God provides me richly and daily with all that I need to support
this body and life’?” Voss is silent, but he makes a face as though he wanted
to say: God had certainly provided you, but you have given it away, now see how
you manage!
Both [of them] are going to the town together. They
have not gone far when Postmaster R. yells: “Wyneken, here is a letter for
you!” “From where?” he asks surprised and delighted, for letters then were a
rarer phenomenon than today. “From
They continue to walk and come to a store, whose
owner, who also stocks finished clothing, stands in the door. As soon as he
sees Wyneken, he says [in Low German]: “Pastor, please come in here.” Wyneken
complies with his request; Voss goes along too. “See,” the merchant says now,
“here I have trousers; they were made for a man who lives in the country; he is
a man just like you; you would do me a big favor if you would just try them on
before I send them; I would be able to say then that they fit him!”
Wyneken is a little annoyed and does not want to do
it, but when the man asks him again, he goes into a corner, tries on the
trousers and steps into the light in front of the merchant. “Well,” says he,
“how do you like these trousers? They are fine merchandise, pants just right
for a pastor!” “Yes,” says Wyneken, “something like this is not for me! As long
as I have been a pastor, I’ve never had trousers like these; I couldn’t use
them at all now.” “Well, pastor,” replies the former, the trousers are yours;
you are to keep them; they were made for you and are paid for!”
Wyneken balks at accepting the present; he goes to the
corner to put on his old, comfortable, yellow ones, but they have disappeared;
he has to go home in the new trousers.
“Now then, Voss, what do you say now?” said Wyneken to
Voss as he offered him his hand in parting. Tears stood in his eyes; he shook
the hand of his pious pastor and left.
Wyneken emptied out his wife’s kitchen cupboard and
the flour barrel often. Mostly, he had to keep to the latter, for nothing else
was available that he could give away. Because of that, his good wife of then
got embarrassed and complained about it. But he would say then: “Be of good
cheer. Dear God is infinitely rich, He will see to it that you will have
something to cook and bake again. Be undaunted! To give is more blessed than to
receive!”
Once, his wife had a new cloth coat made for him. But
since his old gray frock fitted more comfortably, he wore only it now as before
and the new coat hung unused for some time in the closet. When the next trip to
the synod was to begin, his wife wants to pack the coat, that has never been
used, into his traveling bag. She opens the closet, but it is not to be seen.
She looks for it everywhere, but it does not show itself. Finally, she asks her
husband where he left the new coat. “Well, see,” says he, “a poor fellow cane
once, a German candidate in straitened circumstances; the thing fitted him
splendidly and he went away with it overjoyed.”
It goes without saying, that often miserable frauds
exploited Wyneken’s generosity. A poor man came to him once in Baltimore who
alleged that he had been well-to-do in
After such experiences, Wyneken used to say: “It is a good
thing that I didn’t cheat him,” and gave again whatever he had at the next
opportunity.
Many similar such stories from his life can be told.
He always had an open hand and was therefore, as I said, always poor. He was
poor in
Mr. Friedrich Schmidt, the editor of the Lutherischen
Kirchenzeitung, had written a letter to him from
When both of them were visiting friend E. in B., they
teased each other about their poverty. Schmidt said: “Money is of no benefit to
you; all you do is give it away!” “And you?” replied Wyneken, “can you show me
a dollar?”
Wyneken remained poor in
Wyneken knew nothing of the so-called pleasures which
many family men, even pastors, sought outside their home and office. He even
read the [
In contrast, he liked to visit his congregation
members, especially the aged, and socialized most fraternally with them. At
times, wife and children were taken along to such family visits. He also liked
to spend a few hours in the country. He was always a welcome guest at old
Ebert’s, an honest Alsatian, as well at his married daughters, all of whom
lived close to the city on
Wyneken lived thus as a family man! As such, he did
according to the doctrine which he held publicly as pastor. At home, he was the
same God-fearing, conscientious man that he was in the pulpit and in his entire
official life.
5. The Patriarch.
|
I |
t remains only to sketch our dear Wyneken in the last years of his life. I am calling him now a
“Patriarch” intentionally, for he was a remarkable “old man” (sonderlicher
“Greis”) and it appears to me as though the latter name [Greis, old
man] does not express what I want to say sufficiently. Wyneken had become a
proper “right reverend” old man, I, therefore, call him by the name above.
Even before Wyneken had been relieved of his
presidency, he was chosen (June 12, 1864) by Trinity Congregation in
Wyneken, at that time, was frail, exhausted and nearly
despondent.
The many strenuous travels, but more so, different sad
experiences with ministers, teachers and congregations, numerous very alarming
congregational meetings and a thousand different kinds of experiences preying
on his mind, which were necessarily connected to his former superintendence,
had worn him out and had broken him spiritually.
Here, however, he recovered quickly and noticeably.
The congregation was not all too large; the majority of its members lived not
far from the church and close together, so that he could easily visit them and
associate with them; also order and peace prevailed among them. In addition,
the climate was very favorable for him; and, what made living in Cleveland
especially pleasant for him: on the East Side of the city, his nephew, Dr.
H[einrich] C[hristian] Schwan, was pastor [at Zion] since 1851. Now he could
enjoy his delightful company, he could “set down his hot pot” (“seinen heiβen
Topf hinsetzen”) by him and wander back to the
Truly, the old gentleman deserved to have some rest
and comfort as compared to his former activity. Before long, he felt at home
in
In preaching, he was still fervent and powerful, as in
earlier years. But now he had experience to serve him, as it hardly served
another. Just like a rich father of the family, he could impart old and new
things for the profit of his listeners. Every sentence which he uttered gave
the impression that it came from a tried, purified heart rich in experience.
Yet, he was careful to speak very plainly so that he surely would be understood
by everyone. At the beginning of the sermon, he was still overcome by a certain
nervousness; when he had warmed up, his words flowed freshly and joyfully from
his lips again. As it always was the case with him, it was even now: he surely
did according the the Lutheran rule: “Tread vigorously; open your mouth” (“Tritt
frisch auf; tu’s Maul auf”), but the third part, “stop soon” (“hör bald
auf”), he forgot often. He preached long, not seldom all too long, and yet
had to break it off, without having reached the end.
He still prepared himself carefully for preaching and
used the book of homilies by Johann Brenz for that purpose. He now wrote the
sermons in a book of homilies and saved them; however, I dare not maintain that
they were written out in detail, and much less, that he memorized and preached
them word for word.
He also carried out the remaining duties of his office
with great conscientiousness and care. He especially attached great importance
to the school. The sick found an untiring, ever comforting friend and helper in
him. The aged, too, attached themselves to him particularly, and they
experienced many happy hours with him in private intercourse also.
He earnestly kept up church discipline, and insisted
upon good morals in the congregation – upon commendable propriety in the
church.
When the congregation grew considerably through the
arrival of many immigrants and “Father Wyneken” could no longer carry out the
many official performances, it called an assistant pastor. The initial choice
was Mr. Heinrich Crämer, and when he was called to
The elevation of
Although Wyneken had recovered somewhat from his
ailments since coming to
But despite getting frailer from year to year, his
entire appearance was yet continually more patriarchal, constantly commanding
high esteem. His God adorned him with charming dignity, with a wonderful
sublimity, in order not to say majesty, which is usually imparted only to those
who get to be old and gray in the school of the Holy Ghost. The furrowed face
testified of great, partly very painful, experience. The blue, brightly shining
eyes proclaimed a manly seriousness as well as sincerest, most sensitive good
will; the high and wide free forehead betrayed a natural understanding and
mother wit; enthroned upon it was a sunny disposition.
And this archetypical genuine Low German face was
framed in a silvery white head and beard hair, which he usually wore somewhat
long. Especially when he stood upon the chancel, this venerable, ingenious
countenance radiated or shone as though a waft of the transfiguration was
resting upon it – as though it would carry traces of relations with the living,
majestic God. Truly, old Wyneken, in the last years of his life, was a spectacle
which could remind one most vividly of the patriarch.
And he stood like a venerable patriarch not only upon
the chancel; he also crossed the street like one. Whoever saw him daily did not
pay attention to that; but many a one who caught sight of him for the first
time, stopped, followed him with his eyes and asked astonished: “Who is the old
gentleman?” He had no inkling about this; he did not know that people regarded
him with affectionate esteem.
And what a position did he still hold in the Church!
He certainly did not occupy a Synodical office any more; but was he not still
the highly honored “Father Wyneken”? Did not even the brothers who were years
older value him as a highly inspired and well proven servant of the God of
heaven and earth? And did not hundreds of younger pastors, hundreds of
schoolteachers look up to him as one who carried the marks of the Lord Jesus
upon him? Did not many, who through his service were awakened or strengthened
in their spiritual life, call him their “spiritual father”? And was not the
reverence that he enjoyed a general one extending far across the boundaries of
the Synod?
And now his position in the family! He was not only
the son of a pastor, not only the brother and brother-in-law of six pastors,
to be sure, and the uncle and great-uncle of such, no, two of his sons and
three sons-in-law served the Lord – his Lord – in Word and Sacrament. These
servants of the Church were his children, and already brought him a group of
grandchildren. Wyneken was also in this respect a remarkably gifted father; and
thus if we consider him in his old age from any one side, we have to say: he
was a venerable patriarch!
Wyneken was a man of action; therefore, also a very
excellent adviser in difficult situations in the practical Christian life,
regardless if these concerned an individual or the whole Church. Because the
school of life had largely shaped him, he knew the best advise and help in the
practical area of Christianity. Speculation was far removed from him. Also,
he was not an actual theological author. On the whole, he has written very
little, and this little concerns practical Christianity. In Lehre und Wehre
[Teach and Defend] are only two essays by him: “An Explanation of
Pastor Loehe Besides Several Remarks Attached Thereon” (“Eine Erklärung
Herrn Pfarrer Löhes nebst einigen daran hängenden Bemerkungen”) (I, 65
ff.), and “The Methodists” (XII, 78). The Lutheraner contains more than
a dozen articles from his hand. “The Distress of the
But did not this man have any weaknesses at all? Only
laudable things have been said about him until now; how about his sinfulness,
his failings? It is necessary to speak about them too, so that it does not seem
as though we had not noticed them at all — as if they are to be concealed
purposely. Had he had write about his life, he would have written a very long
chapter about his sins and shortcomings, for he was also candid in judging
himself and he had a perception of the malice of his heart, [a perception] that
is found only by a few today. His sermons, his catecheses, his admonitions, his
consolations, his conversations testified of a deep self-knowledge. He was a
“poor sinner” everywhere who knew nothing of his own merit before God, not even
of renown before men.
Wyneken was of a melancholic-choleric temperament, and
the natural weaknesses and bad behavior of it would emerge sometimes more,
sometimes less according to circumstances. His old friend H. said of him with
good reason about twenty years ago already: “He is a chivalrous man, but he
also has chivalrous failings.” He could always flare up somewhat quickly;
appear commanding, dispute pigheadedly, and in a certain “pious” wrath make demands,
pass judgments, which not always came forth from the spirit but at times from
the flesh.
With increasing age, these failings of temperament
were more and more noticeable, to his own great regret. Saturdays, when he had
the preaching malady, he could be very “short” with people who “got in
the way,” especially the sexton, and very forcefully “dismiss” them and “send
them home.” He was now often peculiar, irritated, sullen, and that not only in
his house, not only in the relations with individuals, but also in
congregational meetings. He liked to “carp” a little about all sots of things,
about church and state, about bad windows and about church spires that had
turned out badly. He was at times “somewhat disagreeable,” and not everyone
could associate with him then.
No one understood him better than his wife. She knew
him and could be silent or talk at the right time. She knew that the bad mod
lasted only moments, and then whatever had escaped his mouth grieved him
painfully. I have never seen her hurt and sensitive, but always ready to
oblige her husband, especially when synodical and congregational worries made
him a little “testy.”
Next to her was “Nephew Heinrich” [Schwan] who could
always “rummage well” with the “old uncle.” He heard his complaints often and
then diverted his thoughts with an anecdote, with a joke; but he also had the
opportunity often to comfort him earnestly.
Whoever had known the dear old “Father” in the last
years of his life will have to say that this sketch corresponds to the truth.
Would he be able to see it himself, he would say: “All of this is regrettably
true, only it has been shortened and softened and much has been concealed
entirely!” He made no bones about being a great sinner; and , although his
weaknesses revealed themselves in word and deed, yet one has to say, that as a
rule he fought earnestly and chivalrously against his old Adam and willingly
asked God and people for forgiveness as soon as he realized his fault.
A predominant trait of this pious Father was the great,
unfeigned humility which is to be acknowledged of him the more so since he was
sooner inclined by his natural disposition to the opposite. He, in truth,
thought nothing of himself; in his eyes he was small and insignificant, not
only before God, but also before people. He knew of nothing to brag about
himself; the more so, however, of God and His mercy. He dealt with his
parishioners as with brothers and sisters; then also, as inspecting president,
he was a friend a helper, an adviser to the weakest pastor and teacher. He
liked to associate with the children and the young folk; gladly accepted advice
himself, let himself be chastised and corrected.
Proof of his heartfelt humility surely was that he,
when his frailty did not permit him any more to work as actual pastor, became
his son’s assistant. He himself moved that the congregation permit him that
position; it consented in order to calm him and to make his duties easier.
Because Wyneken knew his shortcomings, he had pity for
others. It is true, the meanness and the baseness of so many people could
incense him, but he had heartfelt compassion for the fallen sinner. He hated
nothing more than unkind judgments about others, and when he would keep quiet
otherwise in response to much perverse talk, he surely opened his mouth when
someone judged without mercy. He complained often that merciful love was
missing from the admonitions and punishments at the exercise of church
discipline. No sin was too great or too heavy for him not to think immediately
about salvation from it; no sinner was too bad, too depraved to be shown love
and kindness by Wyneken; he wanted to save, save; and he admonished and scolded
only in order to save.
In the winter, 1874 till 1875, he was especially
ailing. The terrible asthma did not allow him to find sufficient air in the low
rooms of the parsonage; and yet he could not be outside much, because he had
become very sensitive to the cold. His family realized that he would not be
able to survive another such winter.
So they sought advice and help from friends and
physicians. Finally, it was realized as the best by all that he should travel
to his dear son-in-law, Pastor J[acob] Bühler, in San Francisco, California, in
order to grow stronger , if it pleased God, in the climate there which is
generally commended as healthy, and then either return to Cleveland restored,
or, in case it would seem more suitable, to accept a call out there. The
congregation, too, approved this plan, and thus the 65-year-old man decided
then to undertake the far, tiring trip, although he was leaving with an
apprehensive heart. His son was called as professor to
Beginning of October, he left
How he fared on the journey and in
My
dear brother X!
. . . but I certainly have come several
thousand miles nearer to the heavenly empire [China] and see its pigtailed
citizens daily in the streets of this metropolis; . . . have visited them
recently in their quarter of the city. Better to leave one’s nose at home for
the smells are manifold and no odor of cologne among them. Although half
roasted pigs, wonderful kinds of sausages and all kinds of bakery hang outside,
I have not been able to decide to take a bite of anything. But the next time I
want to visit . . . one of their restaurants which are wonderfully decorated on
the outside. I visited their temple, but cannot give a description of it. . . .
MY journey was very favorable; faithful God
and Lord was very gracious; splendid weather; always got a lower berth through
the kindness of a young fellow-traveler, even though I always had the luck at
the office of having the upper berths assigned to me despite my remonstrances
of my age and the impossibility of climbing into the upper bed. The trip itself
was endlessly boring. Always the same treeless wasteland till we came into the
Cordilleras where it was interesting until Sacramento, but then everything was
dry and dried up, desert and desolate again.
The weather until then was magnificent;
always the brightest clear sunshine, often changing suddenly with unpleasant
cold hours, so that here one always has to dress as in Cleveland in winter, or
at least one always has to carry an overcoat. We now have the notorious rainy
weather for three days, to the greatest delight of the parched soil. What
effect the climate will have upon my physical health, I cannot say; until now I
am suffering from a considerably persistent cold. Otherwise, I feel better on
the whole, but I attribute it more to the wonderful idle life and the bliss to
be with my children than to the climate. However, it is still hard having to be
away from wife and home at my age. I daresay, I will not remain here. I am just
not the man anymore to be able to start over again here. I could not try the
neighboring cities until now; for I do not feel that well to risk it. Perhaps
later, if it pleases God, to take my cold and to strengthen my voice.
Everything is all right with me. He is very kind, and that just gives such
great pleasure, that He is it also in the smallest matters of life, as I had to
learn again in all segments of the journey. That one is not more thankful and
does not grow in faith and confidence, demonstrates, after all, the inscrutable
corruption of man. Or am I the only one? It is dreadful that the Lord carries
matters to the point of gaining the heart in complete childlike trust only in a
few cases. For that reason, my chosen funeral text for many years has been: O,
I miserable man, who will deliver me, etc. [Romans 7:24]
This weakness of faith presents itself
again also regarding my dear congregation, and a little more and I would have
reproached myself vehemently for having left it before another pastor has
actually been installed, even though I only did it, since it urged me at a
meeting to leave, and I never thought that Pastor N. would refuse the call. How
this is yet to be, God Knows; and if I only would firmly believe that He knows
it! . .
Well now, the Lord certainly is faithful,
He works according to His mercy and not according to our sins and follies. May
He hear my urgent prayer and grant the congregation a faithful pastor and Seelsorger.
They, too, are praying for that, this I know; what is more, the entire
Christianity prays for them; and I should just be satisfied — If I only could
do it better.
It is also like that with the filling of
the school positions. All of this troubles me very and interferes with the full
enjoyment of my happiness of being with my children and being a witness to
their blissful living together.
Your letter, my dear Brother, was the first
one that I received here; my heartfelt thanks for it; I had to wait long before
I received one from home. . . .
I
take your institution, as I do generally all institutions of the Synod, as well
as all pious Christianity, in prayer before God daily. As long as it is well
with them, it is also well with Christianity. Age always brings along many
misgivings with it, although God does not suffer from decrepitude (Alterschwäche).
Now my dear Brother, I will conclude and
look for the twins, who like the other children, give me infinite pleasure
although age makes me too stiff to romp about with them, as I would like to. .
. .
In cordial love, your F. Wyneken.
The dear man became convinced soon that in
Partly to keep him there longer, partly to see the
dear children and to accompany the ailing husband home if it should become
necessary, his brave wife traveled in the middle of winter, in February 1876,
to
Wyneken, in the meantime, had preached several times;
he did again on Judica Sunday [Fifth Sunday in Lent] (April 2nd)
and with usual thoroughness pointed out from the specified text, John 8:46-59:
From whence it is that the world cannot tolerate our Lord Jesus Christ. A
sermon that he planned to give in
On Tuesday evening, thus May 2nd, the dear
Father wrote his last letter. It was addressed to his old friend A. Einwächter
in
My
dear old devoted friend Einwächter!
I cannot mail the letter of my dear
son-in-law without sending my cordial and brotherly regards to you and all your
loved ones, as well as all my all friends as Muhly, Thiemeyer, Aichele, Treide,
and whoever of them is still living. It always warms my heart when I think of my
dear Baltimore and the many friends and brothers whom the Lord has given me
there. May He keep us through His grace in the right faith until our end, that
we meet again in Heaven before the throne of our blessed Lord and Savior. What
joy that will be!
We have gone through a sad time, however as
I hope, a time beneficial for our inner life. Bühler will have written you
about it. I did not actually gain anything for my health by my stay here. I,
personally, put up with it through God’s mercy; I know and believe that,
whatever the Lord sends, is the very best that His love can find in Heaven and
on earth. I certainly mourn for my dear congregation, for I probably will be
able to render it little service. Thank God that He gave the congregation a
very competent man in Pastor [Johann Heinrich] Niemann, Professor Walther’s
son-in-law. In a few days, if it pleases God, we will start our journey back. I
commend myself into your and the dear brothers’ earnest intercession. May
faithful God have you in His holy keeping! My dear wife and I send our kindest
regards.
In cordial brotherly love, your
F. Wyneken.
On May 3rd, “he felt fine, went out with
his wife, had a good appetite at supper, was rather happy and slept well during
the night.”
On May 4th, “early in the morning, after
six o’clock, he again felt tightness of the chest, but did not complain. He had
hot cloths put on his chest and said to his wife: ‘Here, Mama, put it here
right into the pit of the stomach.’ Pastor Bühler and his wife stood on the
staircase in order to hear if there was possibly another attack.”
Mrs. Wyneken “went to the door and said: ‘I think this
time it won’t be bad, it’s abating already.’ She looked around at the same
moment; her dear husband laid down and turned his eyes upward somewhat. She
cried out: ‘Come quickly, Papa is dying!’ When all of them were at his bed, he
arranged his head, shut his eyes tightly, breathed twice very lightly and moved
his lips” to speak. “Regretfully, one could not understand his last word; without
a doubt, it must have been the name ‘Jesus’.”
In this manner, the excellent hero has breathed out
his soul, passed away gently and blissfully. It was Thursday, May 4th,
25 minutes of 7 o’clock in the morning. The day specified for his departure put
an end to his wandering in this vale of tears; he attained his eternal rest in
celestial
The time of his life amounts to a week less than
sixty-six years.
The news about the death of the beloved Father passed
through the
The news of his death reached
Meanwhile, the persons involved in
On the following day (Cantate Sunday) [Fifth
Sun. of Easter], Prof. [C. F. W.] Walther gave a memorial sermon at
On May 15th, the corps reached
The grieving widow, in company of her son and
son-in-law, completed the long, difficult journey during the following night.
Early in the morning of May 16th, they arrived in
It was laid out in the church for a short time, so
that who so desired, could once more view the countenance of the fervently
beloved Seelsorger. The funeral service took place in the afternoon. The
large, beautiful church was jammed full with listeners; many had to turn back,
because it was not possible to find a seat. Not only Lutherans had come to pay
the last tribute to the departed, no, also the Reformed, Catholics, Methodists,
and people entirely without a church. All had known, respected, and highly
esteemed the “Old Pastor.”
The funeral sermon about Hebrews 13:7 WAS GIVEN BY
pastor Th[eodore Julius] Brohm, also a dearly beloved friend and fellow
combatant of the deceased of many years.
After completion of the sermon, Professor W[ilhelm]
F[riedrich] Lehmann gave a commemorative address in the English language, “in
which he also put a verbal sketch of the departed before the eyes of the
gathering.” He did this in the name and direction of the faculty of the
seminary at Columbus, O., which wanted to show its love and deep respect in
this excellent manner for “Father Wyneken,” who was generally esteemed in the
Ohio Synod also.
The interment itself was performed by Pastor Niemann
“amidst cordial condolences and many tears by the physical and spiritual
children of their Father who passed away in Christ.”
In the evening of May 28th (Exaudi
Sunday) [Sun. after the Ascension], Pastor C[arl Heinrich Friedrich]
Frincke finally gave a memorial address in
Remember your teachers who have spoken the word of God
to you, consider their end and follow their faith. [Hebrews 13:7]
─────────
* This biographical sketch, drawn up by the departed Director
Johann Christoph Lindemann, † [died] 1879 in Addison, appeared first in the Amerikanischer
Kalender für deutsche Lutheraner [American Calendar for German Lutherans,
the counterpart of the Lutheran Annual],
1877. He not only knew the deceased very intimately and esteemed him highly,
but he also has acquired much information from persons who were closest to him.
This portrait is reproduced here essentially unabridged, since the calendar is
completely out of print and the information imparted here is of lasting value.
[Pastor Lindemann was Pastor Wyneken’s immediate predecessor at Trinity
Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, Cleveland, O.]
[Translated
from: Lebensbilder aus der Geschichte der christlichen Kirche. [Biographical Sketches from the History
of the Christian Church.] Selected and Revised for Lutheran Readers of
North America by Eugen Adolf Wilhelm Krauβ [Krauss],
† At
that time, he also visited Mr. Friedrich Schmidt, editor of the Lutherische
Kirchenzeitung [Lutheran Church Paper]. When Schmidt learned of
Wyneken’s death in the year 1876, he wrote to a friend in B.: “I still
remember, as though it were today, when I saw Wyneken the first time, 1838 or
1839, when he first went to the West as missionary. Trusting God, he put his
hand on the plow energetically and courageously, and the Lord crowned his work.
There are not many who are as self-denying as he was.”
‡ Jensen
had become pastor in
─────────
[1] Students
who had passed their pro ministerio examination received the title candidatus
reverendi ministerii (candidate for the sacred ministry). (Lutheran
Cyclopedia, p. 131)
[2] Literally: “Unafraid, he turned a
courageous brow toward all adversaries and usually an amiable countenance too.”
[3] Literally:
He liked to speak plain “German,” regardless whether he said it in Low German
or High German.
[4] President Wyneken uses an unfamiliar idiom
here: “. . . und daran sollen sich die Kerle entweder das Leben holen oder
den Tod fressen!”
──────────────────
Letter of Acceptance of Call to Trinity
Lutheran Congregation,
Ft.
Wayne, den 5ten Oct., 64.
Gnade und Friede in Christo!
Der Ehrw[ürdigen]Ev. Luth.
Dreieinigkeitsgemeinde zu Cleveland, O. Westseite.
In Christo herzlich geliebte
Brüder!
Da meine liebe alte Gemeinde
in St. Louis es auf meine Entscheidung ankommen lieβ, ob ich bei ihr als
Pastor bleiben, oder dem neuen Beruf an
Eure Gemeinde folgen wolle und müsse, so habe ich ihr gestern geschrieben, daβ ich nach bestem Überlegen vor Gott, den Beruf nach Cleveland als einen
göttlichem anerkennen müsse, weil er mir einen meinen jetzigen Kräften
angemessenen Wirkungskreis anböte. Ich benachrichtige Euch nun, geliebte
Brüder, durch diese Zeilen, daβ ich den Beruf an Eure liebe
Gemeinde nun bestimmt hiermit annehme. Der treue gnädige liebe Gott Seiner
Kirche wolle geben, daβ diese nun hiermit
geschlossene Verbindung zwischen Euch und mir zum rechten Segen für die
Gemeinde und zur Ehre Seines heiligen und herrlichen Namens uns schlage. Betet
nun recht fleiβig, daβ ich mit reichem Segen des
göttlichen Wortes bei Euch einziehen und so lange es Ihm gefällt unter Euch
wirken möge.
In
herzlicher Liebe
u. Acht[un]g, Euer F. Wyneken.
Grace
and peace in Christ!
To
the venerable Evangelical Lutheran Trinity Congregation at
In
Christ dearly beloved brethren!
Since
my dear former congregation in St. Louis left the decision up to me, whether I
want to remain as its pastor or whether I want to or must follow the new call
to Your congregation, I wrote it yesterday, that after the best consideration
before God, I must acknowledge the call to Cleveland as a divine one, because
it offers a sphere of activity which is suited to my present abilities. I
inform You now, beloved brethren, by these lines, that I certainly accept the
call to Your dear congregation. The faithful, gracious dear Lord of His Church
grant that the relationship herewith entered into between You and me joins us
to be a true blessing for the congregation and to the honor of His holy and
glorious name. Pray now very diligently that I may enter among you with the
rich blessing of God’s Word and, as long as it pleases Him, I may work among
You. In cordial love and
esteem,
Your F. Wyneken