Plate 32

The first Lutheran Church organized in the State, was founded in St. Louis, in 1839. Since that time, several churches of this order have been organized, and all seem to be in a flourishing condition. The German Evangelical Lutheran Church, of the unaltered Augsberg confession, commenced the establishment of a congregation in St. Louis about twenty-eight years ago. It may be regarded at the present time as one congregation, with the following places of worship:

The large and substantial brick edifice, corner of Eighth and Lafayette Streets; (see Plate 25)

The new and elegant brick church building, at Sixteenth and Morgan Streets ; (see Plate 43)

The comfortable brick structure, on Miami Street, near Jefferson Avenue ; (see plate 32)

The house of worship, at Fifteenth and Warren Streets ; (see Plate 49)

These churches number in all about 1,200 members, of the "Congregation." In each house of worship, preaching is sustained regularly, and large and interesting Sabbath Schools are kept up.

In connection with the church on Miami Street, there is a theological seminary, called Concordia College (see plate 32), with a large number of students.

Pictorial St. Louis

[Concordia Seminary] Is the chief educational institution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church west of the Alleghanies. It is located on Jefferson Avenue, and, with buildings attached, covers the whole southern half of the long block between Jefferson Avenue and Clara Street, south from Miami Street. The main building is a spacious three-story brick, without any pretension to architectural beauty, though it is situated on high ground, is roomy, and well adapted to its purpose. The total number of students is now eighty. It was chartered by the Legislature of Missouri, under the name of" Concordia College," by an act approved February 23, 1853. It had been established three years before, and was, by the Act of incorporation, granted university powers. Connected with it, and also under the control of the Missouri Synod, is a practical department, located at Springfield, Illinois, where last year were engaged three professors and eighty-two students. The course of instruction there is preparatory to each of the learned professions, theology, law, or medicine, and besides the classical course, embraces ancient and modern history, mathematics, and physics. The synod has, also, a teachers' normal school at Addison, Du Page Country, Illinois.

Belonging to the same synod is a gymnasium at Fort Wayne, Indiana. This institution is, as the German signification of its name would indicate, a higher preparatory school for the seminary here. Students intending to enter the theological seminary in St. Louis pursue a preparatory course occupying six years at the gymnasium at Fort Wayne.

Concordia Theological Seminary is termed in the church nomenclature the "Theoretical Department." The course embraces all the sciences, with lectures every day, in German, English, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and Sanskrit.

Pictorial St. Louis

The faculty [of Concordia Seminary] consists of Prof. C. F. W. Walther, president ; Prof. G. Schaller, Prof. M. Gunther, Prof. F. A. Schmidt, Prof. A. Cramer.

Pictorial St. Louis

The printing establishment is a roomy and imposing red brick structure, lately erected, on the corner of Miami Street and Indiana Avenue, near to and in full sight of the university. Besides theological publications, several periodicals are issued from the publishing house. Mr. M. C. Barthel is the agent of the synod in charge.

Pictorial St. Louis