A Troubled Period: 1869-1880:
Pastor Vossler did not remain long after the dedication of the new building, having left in 1869. However, he must be given much credit for providing what appears to have been strong leadership at a crucial time in Immanuel's history. Perhaps he felt that his task had now been completed and that he should move on to new challenges elsewhere.
The next ten years were trying ones for the congregation. No less than six pastors came and went during the decade of seventies. The reasons for this frequent change of leadership appear to have been lack of growth, internal dissent, the burden of debt which had been incurred during the building program, and a general lack of understanding of the true mission of the church on the part of some of the members.
A series of letters written by Immanuel's pastors to the Lutheran Board of City Missions during these years (Immanuel was at the time receiving financial assistance from this body) gives us some hints as to what was wrong. Writing in 1871, Pastor C. J. Goessling petitions the Mission Board for a $300 supplement to his salary, which the congregation cannot provide because they have bought a bell and made other improvements to the building. In 1873 Pastor W. Hasskarl mentions that the Episcopalians are doing mission work among the young Germans, who in his words prefer the richer and larger Episcopal churches to the poorer and smaller German congregation. Already the language question and the generation gap were beginning to be a problem! He also notes that church attendance and interest in the church in general among the Germans in and around Frankford could be better. An average Sunday attendance was 60-70 persons.
In 1876 Pastor A. Volquarts lists some causes of Immanuel's problems: frequent change of pastors, financial instability, shrinking membership; yet he feels that there is much to work with. His salary is $480 and his fees for special services total no more than $30 per year, although he needs at least $700 to get by. He also petitions the Mission Board for a supplement to his salary. Prior to his departure from Immanuel in 1877 he wrote the following words in the church register (in German): "May the Lord grant to this church his special protection and give her the peace which has been lacking for so many years."
In 1877 Pastor J. Bazer notes the return of certain members who had left several years before, and feels that if the "hateful spirit which has reigned for some years in the congregation can be driven out, the scattered members can be gathered again." He reports 40 communing members.
By 1878 things were somewhat improving. Pastor J. Nicum, who later became a well-known figure in the Ministerium of New York, reports in that year an attendance of between 100-200 persons. The one disadvantage for the congregation is the distance at which some families live, he writes. He also notes that the Episcopalians, Methodists and Baptists have taken advantage of the "misfortunes which this congregation had for years past." But the thing which troubles him most is the poor stewardship of Immanuel's members:
Directly very little (about 2/5 of the receipts) is contributed by the members in a regular systematic way. Picnics and suppers are the great things they depend on. More than 10 years ago this congregation has been led into this thing I am sorry to say by the pastors themselves. And now they think there is no other way. I have for this very reason of convincing the people of the wrong of this "drinking and dancing policy" for the support of the church selected for this year as texts for my morning sermons the epistles which speak very plainly upon these subjects. Yet some few who have these matters in hand will not be persuaded of the great impropriety of these things, and manage to get them up nevertheless. But I trust that the time is not far distant when all these good people shall be able to see that such is not the gospel way of supporting churches.
Better times were ahead. Soon a new pastor was to arrive who would lead Immanuel into an era of unprecidented growth: Pastor Matthias Schimpf.
The next ten years were trying ones for the congregation. No less than six pastors came and went during the decade of seventies. The reasons for this frequent change of leadership appear to have been lack of growth, internal dissent, the burden of debt which had been incurred during the building program, and a general lack of understanding of the true mission of the church on the part of some of the members.
A series of letters written by Immanuel's pastors to the Lutheran Board of City Missions during these years (Immanuel was at the time receiving financial assistance from this body) gives us some hints as to what was wrong. Writing in 1871, Pastor C. J. Goessling petitions the Mission Board for a $300 supplement to his salary, which the congregation cannot provide because they have bought a bell and made other improvements to the building. In 1873 Pastor W. Hasskarl mentions that the Episcopalians are doing mission work among the young Germans, who in his words prefer the richer and larger Episcopal churches to the poorer and smaller German congregation. Already the language question and the generation gap were beginning to be a problem! He also notes that church attendance and interest in the church in general among the Germans in and around Frankford could be better. An average Sunday attendance was 60-70 persons.
In 1876 Pastor A. Volquarts lists some causes of Immanuel's problems: frequent change of pastors, financial instability, shrinking membership; yet he feels that there is much to work with. His salary is $480 and his fees for special services total no more than $30 per year, although he needs at least $700 to get by. He also petitions the Mission Board for a supplement to his salary. Prior to his departure from Immanuel in 1877 he wrote the following words in the church register (in German): "May the Lord grant to this church his special protection and give her the peace which has been lacking for so many years."
In 1877 Pastor J. Bazer notes the return of certain members who had left several years before, and feels that if the "hateful spirit which has reigned for some years in the congregation can be driven out, the scattered members can be gathered again." He reports 40 communing members.
By 1878 things were somewhat improving. Pastor J. Nicum, who later became a well-known figure in the Ministerium of New York, reports in that year an attendance of between 100-200 persons. The one disadvantage for the congregation is the distance at which some families live, he writes. He also notes that the Episcopalians, Methodists and Baptists have taken advantage of the "misfortunes which this congregation had for years past." But the thing which troubles him most is the poor stewardship of Immanuel's members:
Directly very little (about 2/5 of the receipts) is contributed by the members in a regular systematic way. Picnics and suppers are the great things they depend on. More than 10 years ago this congregation has been led into this thing I am sorry to say by the pastors themselves. And now they think there is no other way. I have for this very reason of convincing the people of the wrong of this "drinking and dancing policy" for the support of the church selected for this year as texts for my morning sermons the epistles which speak very plainly upon these subjects. Yet some few who have these matters in hand will not be persuaded of the great impropriety of these things, and manage to get them up nevertheless. But I trust that the time is not far distant when all these good people shall be able to see that such is not the gospel way of supporting churches.
Better times were ahead. Soon a new pastor was to arrive who would lead Immanuel into an era of unprecidented growth: Pastor Matthias Schimpf.