The
earliest German Protestant organization in St Louis was that of the
German Evangelical Church of the Holy Ghost, which was established in
1834. Its membership embraced both the Lutheran and Reformed
denominations which continued to together for nine years. In the year
1842, however, dissensions arose on points of doctrine, and in July,
1843, the pastor of the Church of the Holy Ghost Rev GW Wall, with
Messrs Buenemann, Schmidt W Schrader, Jacob Westerman, and seventy
others who adhered to the doctrines of the Reformed denomination,
withdrew and on the 31st of July, organized the German Evangelical
Congregation St Louis. They worshiped in the Benton school house on
Sixth Street between Locust and St Street until 1845 when they
erected two churches one called the North Church, afterwards St
German Evangelical Church at Carr and Fifteenth Streets, and the
other known as South Church, afterwards St Marcus or St Mark's
Church, at the of Jackson and Soulard Streets. Both were alike in
size and design each being thirty by forty feet in dimensions and
remained the common property of congregation until 1856, when a
division was effected and two distinct churches were organized.
The
German Evangelical Congregation of St Louis in July, 1843, formed the
nucleus of the Evangelical Synod of the West which has since over the
United States. This Synod in with a few congregations in Canada is
called German Evangelical Synod of North America, being the American
Branch of the Prussian Church, it receives biennially the interest on
a fund which was subscribed some twenty years ago, the Evangelical
congregations of Prussia for benefit of their brethren in this
country. The German Protestant Orphans Home Photo
Link , formerly within city limits but now ten miles from the
court on St Charles Rock road, was organized by the German
Evangelical Synod as was also the Good Samaritan Hospital,
Twenty-fifth and O Fallon Streets.
Photo link
St Marcus: Link
Do you have any info on who is currently running St. Marcus church at 2102 Russell now? Much of it has been boarded up after multiple break ins and now noone seems to be taking care of the place for atleast 6 months. Its about to be winter and I fear the pipes will burst and this beautiful church will be ruined :(... - if you got any ideas on how to get a hold of the current manager Id love to save this beauty from destruction.
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