FREDERICK CHRISTIAN BAUMAN
Page 7
The first week I visited a number of our Reformed families and was met with a cordial welcome by all. They were glad with the prospect of having a regular minister among them. They had had several visits from Reformed minsters who preached a few times, and then to leave them without anything definite as to when they might be visited again, or by whom. Now they felt glad of the prospect of regular services on Sunday. For some it had been several years since they had enjoyed the privilege, and for that reason they appreciated it all the more, being in the far west, after being without a Shepherd for so long a time. This was not the case with all. A few families, and those among the most able, took only a nominal part in church work, at that time, and gradually withdrew from it altogether, (among whom were Daniel Schultz, Jacob Wolf, Casper Leffert, Mrs. Gertrude Leffert, Nicholas and Margaret, her children, Emanuel Heintzerling, Fred Haines, John Fausch, and their families), but in the course of time some of these returned, and took part in church work by attending our services now and then, but not with heart and will.
The families were about equally divided in their preference of languages, some desiring German and others English preaching. It was clearly stated in the organization of the congregation "that equal privileges should be extended to both the German and English languages," and it was specified when I came that I preach both the German and English.
My first regular service was on Sunday, April 24th, 1853, at 10 a.m., in the log school house one and one-fourth miles north of Zwingle, with a good attendance, in English. Text, Hebrews 13; 12-13. On account of rain, the German was omitted. From then onward every other Sunday, first in English at 10 a.m., and after a short recess, in German, and every alternate Sunday I preached in Lee's school house, six miles south, near which the Wagoner families lived, Ruben, Daniel, Thomas, Michael, and their mother. A class of catecumens was formed and instructed once a week during the summer, four of whom were confirmed in the fall, viz., Frederick Luchzinger, John Leffert, Elizabeth Jane Cort, and Susal Kline. On September 17th and 18th, 1853, the Rev. Daniel Kroh of Cedarville, Illinois, conducted the service of preaching, confirmation and administering the communion to twenty-eight, and baptized three children.
Besides preaching regularly every two weeks for the Harmony congregation, which was organized December 25th, 1851, I preached at different points, at Lee's school house, Four Corners (Emeline), Jackson County, and a visit to a settlement of Reformed families north of Cascade, Spring Valley, where there was Reformed material, but so few at either of the places that the outlook was not very promising to build of Reformed interests. The greatest difficulty was that they were so few and nearly all in poor circumstances, and able to do but little for the support of the gospel. By an earnest effort, the Harmony congregation raised the full amount of my salary, $75.00, for the six months which I served them, which enabled me to continue and complete my course in the Seminary in Tiffin the following winter.
On my way east from Iowa to Tiffin, I stayed three weeks with my parents in Williams County, Ohio, and returned to the Seminary and began with my class the last of October.
Through the kindness of Rev. Prof. Gerhart, of the Seminary, it was arranged with the people of the Reformed congregation at Thompson and Adams, who were without a pastor at the time, that I preach for them once in two weeks, and that they pay me what they could toward defraying my expenses in the Seminary. This arrangement was continued during my stay, and on Sundays when I had no service there I was sent to preach at other places around Tiffin, as McCutchensville, Ft. Seneca, Bascom, Lackeys, Berwick, Hyllers, Binkleys, Hessville, etc. Also received an appointment on a small salary to canvass one ward in Tiffin in the interest of the American Bible Society, and also for the Sunday School cause in the county. All this was a help toward paying my expenses, and then it gave me an opportunity of necessary and beneficial experience for my calling in the work of the ministry.
During this time I received a regular call from the consistory of the Harmony congregation, Iowa, where I had labored during the summer, to become their regular pastor, and the amount specified for my salary to be one hundred and fifty dollars a year. In short time I answered them that I accepted their call. The Seminary course closed June 24th, 1854. My license having been renewed by Classis, I was ordained by a committee appointed by Tiffin Classis, consisting of Rev. Prof. Gerhart, Prof. Ruben Good, and Rev. J. H. Good and Elder Jacob Kroh, on Sunday June 25th. Rev. J. H. Good preached the sermon in First Reformed Church, text, Romans 1: 15-16.