St. John Lutheran Church has been a landmark of faith in the area for generations.
The history of the congregation begins with the coming of Captain J. E. Pietzsch from Brenham in 1875. The Bartlett Tribune of April 14, 1916 records: "Mr. Pietzsch enjoys the distinction of being the first German in this section and it was his German friends and neighbors from Austin County that followed him here...
"His home was always open and for two years religious services were held in the Pietzsch home, the minister coming from Taylor and Waco once a month.
"In 1880, together with Captain John Bartlett, Elisha Allen, Gus Norman, Emil Albrecht and John Janke (he) erected a little building for a schoolhouse and church, on the hill north of town where now stands a modern Lutheran church and a separate building known as the German-English school."
The first three men listed, Bartlett, Allen and Norman, though not German, were among the nearest neighbors. The school was built on Bartlett's land.
From here the story is taken up by an article in the February 2, 1895 issue of a German church paper, the Lutherischer Gemeinde-Bote fur Texas (Lutheran Congregational Messenger for Texas). An English translation by the late Rev. H. C. Ziehe of Taylor:
"In 1881, when schools in this area were rare, a number of German people decided to establish a German school. They were J. E. Pietzsch, Daniel Lange, J. Janke, Emil Albrecht and Gottlieb Zschiesche. The funds for the building of the school house were raised by volunteer subscriptions; a number of neighboring Germans also participated. A number of businessmen in Taylor, the nearest town in those days, also contributed. John Bartlett gave two acres of land to be used for church purposes. The schoolhouse which was erected measured 20 feet by 24 feet."
1880 is evidently the correct year for construction of the little combination school and church house, as the present church cemetery was started behind the building that year. The first to be buried there was Mrs. Peter (Rosina Margaretha Fleischmann) Limmer. An infant son of Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Lindemann was also buried there in 1880.
The school was a public school in the same district with the Indian Creek School (later known as Kelso) which stood a few miles to the northwest in Elisha Allen's pasture.
Public school was held in the winter and spring with instruction in English, and a German language school (reading, writing, grammar) was held in summer. For this reason, the school become known as German-English School. Benches were first used for seating in the early schools, making them convenient for use for church services on Sundays when a minister was available.
The Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad was surveyed through the area in 1881 and that fall, John Bartlett and J. E. Pietzsch laid out the town of Bartlett and began a sale of lots. Rail services began over this line in September 1882 and brought a new influx of settlers. The article just quoted goes on to say, "This area experienced a considerable upswing...In the course of time, Lutheran families from Austin and Colorado counties settled here in larger numbers. Through the offices of Pastor Merz, Pastor Immnauel Glatzle was called to serve the congregation."
According to records of the Texas Synod, Pastor Glatzle began to conduct services here in November of 1883. The following month, on December 16, 1883, he organized a formal congregation, St. John Lutheran Church.
All of the congregation's written records were destroyed when the parsonage burned in 1922, but the Rev. Theodor Bogisch, in reconstructing the church records after the fire, recorded the following list of men as the organizers: Andrew Lindemann, Carl Lindemann, Gottlieb Zschiesche, Daniel Lange, F. A. W. Zschiesche and Gustav Steglich. These men, with their families as composed at the time, would have been the charter members. The congregation reported 17 members at the end of its first six months, and one baptism during that time.
The date of organization would have been lost had not a newspaper article on a church anniversary been preserved by one of the members. The Rev. Theodore R. Streng recorded in the church minutes in 1934:
"Since all the written records of the congregation were burned in the parsonage fire of 1922, little of the former history of our congregation is available in print. For the former data we are indebted to the Rev. Theo. Bogisch, who recorded them in the church book in 1926. We are also thankful for a clipping from the 'Kirchenblatt' of the year 1908 preserved by Mrs. F. F. Wolf, which gives the story of the 25th anniversary celebration of this congregation held on December 16, 1908, and which definitely states that the congregation was organized on December 16, 1883. This date had also been lost with former records, and no one seemed to know exactly the day or month of organization."
Once the congregation had been formally organized, Captain Bartlett deeded the two acres of land on which the schoolhouse and cemetery were already located to trustees D. Lange, A. G. Lindemann and Emil Albrecht, for the nominal consideration of one dollar. The deed, handwritten by Captain Bartlett, reads in part:
"This land is conveyed to the above mentioned parties and their successors as Trustees in trust for School and Church purposes, to have and to hold the same so long as it is occupied for the above mentioned purposes.
"Witness my hand this 24th day of May 1884. Jno T. Bartlett"
Pastor Glatzle also served two other congregations in other counties, and at first must have stayed with members of the congregation when preaching here, but in 1894 a parsonage was built. Again quoting the 1895 article:
"On October 28, Pastor Glatzle brought his young bride to the recently completed parsonage...
"The schoolhouse had become too small; in 1884 a 20 foot addition was made...in the course of time the interior of the rather bare place of worship was improved. The speaker's stand and the table received covers, lamps were provided, the glass and earthenware vessels used in the Sacrement were replaced with silver ones. The interior of the building was covered with smoothed boards and an organ was acquired."
The congregation soon purchased two additional parcels of land. On February 2, 1889, J. E. Pietzsch sold one acre of land to trustees A. G. Lindemann, C. Lindemann, N. Miihlhause, E. Albrecht and D. Lange for $25, and on March 29, 1893 John T. Bartlett and wife Mary sold two acres to the congregation for $250.
The following notice was published (in German) in the May 23, 1896 issue of the Lutheran Congregational Messenger for Texas:
"The Evangelical Lutheran St. John Congregation at Bartlett, Bell County, has voted to build a church: 28 feet by 69 feet and 16 feet high. Contractors are herewith kindly requested to submit plans and sketches together with descriptions and cost."
A beautiful white frame church was built on the present site. On December 16, 1896, the paper just quoted published this account of the church dedication, also translated by the Rev. Ziehe:
"An icy north wind swept across the prairie on November 8 as the St. John Congregation arranged to celebrate a long-awaited day of joy. For years the members had planned to build their little church, and now they had finally succeeded. In a stately and worthy fashion it stood there on the given day. A slender tower of fine lines, 64 feet high, rises above the 60 foot long nave of 28 feet breadth, with an extended sanctuary. Upon entering by the front door, over which there is a richly ornamented rose, one's eyes are fixed upon the sanctuary. There, along pure architectural form, the pulpit rises above the altar; both are adorned with black brocade velvet with emblems, and an arch encircles it all...truly an uplifting and festive sight...the nave is furnished with light-varnished pews, of practical and comfortable construction. To the left of the entrance is a room for mothers and infants--a practical idea, to the right is the stair-room leading to the choir loft. A soft and pleasant light is shed on all through high, Gothic windows made of colored glass. The walls have a four foot high wainscoting; above paper."
"The new bell, a gift of the young women of the congregation, bears the inscription: 'The Virgin'. The entire building and its furnishing cost the congregation $2,000. The church was built by Henry Struve, architect from Taylor. On Sunday morning the congregation assembled in the schoolhouse, where till now worship services have been conducted. The pastor of the congregation, Pastor John Doerfler, delivered a farewell address. Those present then walked in procession to the new church. At the entrance, the future pastor of the congregation, Pastor William Schumacher, led in prayer. Pastor Doerfler unlocked the door. The deacons carried the sacred vessels and set them on the altar. The men's choir then initiated the service with: 'This is the Day of the Lord.' Pastor Doerfler led in the rite of dedication assisted by three other pastors. Pastor A. H. Litterman preached the sermon. Pastor Doerfler read the history of the congregation. After the men's choir had rendered: 'The Chapel,' a child was baptized. Pastor Doerfler provided the address and conducted the Order of Confession; the celebration of Holy Communion concluded the morning service. In the afternoon Pastor W. Pfennig spoke on the value of family worship in the home, Pastor J. Mgebroff spoke on mission work."
After the church was built, the Texas Synod met here in 1897 and again in 1908. Also in 1908, the church building was renovated inside and out, and the congregation celebrated its 25th anniversary. The Bartlett Tribune of December 8, 1908 reported:
"On December 16, the 25th anniversary of the German Lutheran Church of Bartlett will be celebrated by the members of the congregation. There will be services both morning and evening and dinner served on the grounds, to which all are cordially invited."
The Rev. Theodor Bogisch, who came as a pastor in June 1916, had a profound and lasting influence on the congregation. In short order, he organized a Luther League (July 2, 1916), a Ladies' Aid Society (July 10, 1016), and a church choir (July 1916), all of which were active for many years. On November 18, 1917, he dedicated the present altar purchased as a remembrance of the 400th anniversary of the Reformation. The present baptismal font is also believed to have been acquired at this time, and is believed to have been a gift of the late W. R. Janke Sr.
In 1888, St. John had been the 37th congregation to be affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Texas, which later became the Texas District of the Iowa Synod, and in 1930, the Texas District of the American Lutheran Church. During the pastorate of the Rev. Bogisch, St. John served as headquarters for the Texas District when he served as president of the district--the euivalent of Bishop now.
The original parsonage, which had been enlarged in 1906, was destroyed by fire August 31, 1922; a new parsonage was immediately built on the same site by Karl L. Flick of Taylor, formerly of Bartlett, at a cost of $5,000.
As the German term of German-English School was a private course taught under the auspices of the congregation, and since all church services and preaching were done in German, the German course gradually came to be regarded as a part of confirmation instruction, taught by the pastor. In 1930, the Rev. R. C. Albert was called as pastor with the understanding that he would hold some services in English on a regular basis. The Rev. Albert continued to teach the German course but after he left, in 1933 the German course was dropped and replaced with a six week Vacation Bible School. Council minutes continued to be written in German until 1940. Church services continued to alternate between German and English, with German services held at least once a month, until April 12, 1942, when German services were eliminated upon recommendation of the church council. After that, all services were in English each Sunday.
The Rev. Albert is remembered not only as the first pastor of the congregation to preach in English, but also as the pastor under whose leadership the present church building was constructed.
The effort to build a larger church actually began under the Rev. Bogisch. The old church had perhaps a seating capacity of little over 150, while the active membership had grown to probably more than double that. The Bartlett Tribune of June 15, 1928 reported:
"At a quarterly meeting of the congregation of St. John Lutheran Church...it was decided to build a modern brick structure to cost about $35,000 with a seating capacity of 600. Work will probably not begin on the new building before next summer. However, one half of the required money has already been subscribed and various committees appointed are at work securing the remainder of the funds."
In the meantime, the old church received one last improvement. Texas Power and Light Co. had purchased the Bartlett electric system in 1915 and ran lines past the church from Temple to Bartlett, bringing Holland electricity in the process. However, this company was never eager to serve customers outside the city limits, even on the outskirsts of town, and it was not until 1930 that the church received electricity. On April 4, 1930, the congregation paid TP&L $350.00 for a transformer and subsequently had the church wired at a cost of $123.05. The first light bill was paid on June 3. Until this time, hanging oil lamps were used for evening services.
By May of 1931, notes from members amounted to $21,186 in pledges toward construction of a larger church. It was decided by a vote of 73 to 25 to build the present structure. On June 14, 1931, the congregation authorized the execution of 200 bonds, valued at $100 apiece, and arrangements were completed to build a new $42,500 structure. On July 15, 1931, Birch D. Easterwood of Waco, formerly of Bartlett, was employed as architect and S. B. Swigert of Waco, was employed as contractor.
Until the new church could be completed, services were held in the high school auditorium. The old church was purchased by Bennie Muehlhause, a skillful carpenter and woodworker, who used the lumber in the construction of his home, workshop and other structures at his home. His daughter, La Verne Haschke of Dallas writes:
"When the (1896-1931) St. John Lutheran Church building was to be replaced, my dad, Benjamin Muehlhause purchased and dismantled it to use the lumber to build our home one mile north of church in 1931. Dad used the colored glass church windows in the top of his woodwork shop with 12 windows facing south and 12 to the north. The remnants can still be seen, but they are falling apart. One half of the church's front door was used on the north side of our garage. The double doors on our wash house probably came from the church but I cannot identify them. As I was growing up I remember seeing window screens around that because of their arched shape must have come from the church. My sister Delora rescued four arch-shaped top parts of the colored glass church windows from a storage room in Dad's collapsing barn. She gave one to her daughter Kathy in Austin, who has it hanging on a wall in her dining room. She gave one to me that I have hanging in front of my living room window in Dallas. It gives me joy to see daily part of the church building in which I was baptized. Dad also collected a lot of square nails from the old church building and used them in a number of art objects to give to various people."
On one Sunday in particular, Mr. Muehlhause gave crosses he had fashioned from the nails to the children present for the children's sermon.
During the months of July and August 1931, W. H. Friedrich and sons did the excavation for the church basement with mules and scrapers.
The Holland Progress of September 4, 1931, the only known surviving copy of which was wisely preserved in the church cornerstone, reported:
"The cornerstone for the new St. John Lutheran Church will be laid Sunday at 10 a.m. The Rev. R. C. Albert, pastor, will have charge of the cornerstone ceremonies. The Rev. Theo Bogisch of Thorndale, who was pastor of the church for 13 years, will speak in German. His son, the Rev. S. A. Bogisch of Taylor, will speak in English. This young man was reared on the church grounds where the new church is being erected and it is very appropriate to have him take an important part in the service.
"In the cornerstone will be placed the local papers, church periodicals, the names and officers of the different church organizations, the committees working on the church building and other articles fitting for the occasion.
"The Rev. Albert is working night and day to keep matters up in connection with the building. Thirty-four pews, each 17 feet long, have been purchased. They are of golden oak finish. The heating plant will be four gas furnaces and be so arranged as to heat any part or all of the church as needed.
The altar and baptismal font were moved from the old church. The new (present) church was dedicated on Sunday, January 10, 1932.
In May 1933 the new church was the site of the Synodical Convention of the Texas district, attended by 250 pastors and laymen including Dr. C. C. Hein of Columbus, Ohio, president of the American Lutheran Church. This was the third time the Synod had met at St. John.
The congregation observed its 50th anniversary with special services on Sunday, January 7, 1934. The Rev. William Schumacher, pastor from 1896 to 1903, addressed the congregation, and the Rev. Wilson Hill was ordained at the morning service.
Now that space was made available by the new basement, the Sunday School Library was started in 1934.
The Rev. Streng, who became the pastor in 1933, undertook an ambitious project, starting a church paper, the St. John Lutheran Messenger, which continued several years and was the forerunner of the present Chi Rho newsletter. The Messenger, printed by the local paper, had as its motto, "God's Word and Luther's Doctrine Pure to All Enternity Endure." Later, in April 1947, the church council authorized purchase of a mimeograph machine, allowing newsletters and bulletins to be printed at the church.
The Ladies' Aid Society, composed mostly of the older ladies of the church, continued to conduct its meetings in German as late as 1940. Meanwhile, on April 15, 1931, the younger ladies organized the Women's Missionary Society, which held its meetings in English. A men's organization, the Brotherhood, was started June 11, 1939, and the Luther League was joined by another youth organization, the Junior Mission Band, on June 16, 1940.
The final payment on the church building was made in 1944.
The original German-English School building, a single-wall box house structure, was enlarged twice and boarded over inside and out over the years before being torn down in 1927 and replaced with a new building constructed by Ervin M. Steglich, local contractor. The new school had two rooms separated by a folding partition with a stage in the south end and an ample front porch. The school continued for 21 years in the new building. Then, on July 15, 1948, German-English Common School District No. 4-1 was annexed to the Bartlett Independent School District along with six other rural schools by action of the Bell County School Board. Petitions both for and against annexation of German-English School had been presented. In December 1950, Bartlett Superintendent D. A. Swope received a letter from L. A. Woods, State Superintendent of Public Education, advising that the German-English school building was the property of the church. The building continued in use for Vacation Bible School, the intermediate Sunday School classes, and by the Junior Mission Band for over 10 years after the school closed.
When the present church was first built, the choir sat in front, opposite the pulpit, facing the congregation, and the organ sat where the piano is now. In August 1944, a fund was set up to replacle the pump organ with a fine pipe organ, to be installed in the balcony. The congregation acquired the present organ from a Christian Science Church in San Antonio and engaged Otto Hoffman of Kyle, a master organ builder, to completely rebuild it. The 1,217-pipe organ was dedicated on August 12, 1951 and was the largest in a Lutheran Church in Texas at that time and one of the first in the state to be installed in the gallery of the church in the manner of fine European instruments. The old pump organ was sold to Goodnight Funeral Home who converted it to electricity.
Several pastors' wives have served as organists and choir directors, including Mrs. Bogisch, Mrs. Sager and Mrs. Bracher. After the new organ was installed, Mrs. Edward Goodnight, music teacher in the local schools, was employed. Mrs. Bracher was succeeded by Bob White, whose skills as an organist could have made him famous. He served to the end of 1979, and was followed by former pastor, Garland Kneten.
A significant change was initiated on January 14, 1951, when the church council recommended that Communion be observed once a month on a certain Sunday of the month. Prior to this time, Communion was offered only once a year, at the Maundy Thursday service. The common cup or chalice was used until July 12, 1953, when individual cups came into use.
Another change in worship came in October 1953, when boys began serving as acolytes. Until this time, the candles were lit by the deacons. Later, under Pastor Clarence Rose, girls as well as boys began serving as acolytes.
A number of changes were made in the sanctuary over the years. On March 16, 1952, the congregation authorized the purchase of a loud speaker system. After the new organ was installed, the choir moved to the balcony. In April 1954, it was decided to lower the pulpit by removing 16 inches from the base. Other changes were made with the passage of time. The window frames and some of the other varnished woodwork were painted. The altar, which had been freestanding, was moved against the wall and placed on a platform built to raise it above floor level, and the two angel figures were removed from the altar. The ornate pastor's chair was replaced with the two seats now in use and the ornate hymn boards, one of which had come from the old church, the other being a duplicate, were replaced with the present ones. All the benches were fitted with cushions. The metal railings and curtains in front were replaced with the present wood panel rails. The church was air conditioned and the windows were sealed shut. In the basement, partitions were built to divide the Sunday School rooms in place of curtains formerly used.
On Sunday, November 9, 1958, the congregation held its 75th anniversary celebration.
The American Lutheran Church Women came into being in 1960. The Women's Missionary Society was merged into the new group but the Ladies' Aid chose to continue as a separate organization. In February 1961 the ALCW organized an evening circle, which later took the name Martha Circle.
The Junior Mission Band disbanded sometime after 1958 and the school building fell into disuse. On November 6, 1961, the building was sold by sealed bid and subsequently moved to somewhere in the Sharp community east of Davilla.
In a special called meeting on May 24, 1964, the congregation voted to erect a new parsonage. The new brick structure was completed about mid-April 1965 by the Mutual Lumber Co. of Bartlett, and dedicated on Sunday, May 2, 1965 by the pastor, the Rev. F. L. Bracher. The old parsonage was sold and moved to town and is now the John Gilmore home, across from Red and White Grocery. The ramp was built on the church about the same time the new parsonage was built.
The Ladies' Aid disbanded in early 1968 and divided their funds between a needy family, the local nursing home and the purchase of needed items for the church kitchen. The remaining members joined the Martha Circle. Another organization, the Brotherhood, disbanded January 16, 1969.
The late Mrs. Alma Jesse Teinert, lifelong member and daughter of early members, Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Jesse, upon her death in 1974 remembered the church in her will, which provided for construction of a parish hall to be called the "W. C. and Alma Teinert Recreation Center." The new building was dedicated on Sunday, August 15, 1976.
The 50th anniversary of the dedication of the new church was observed on Sunday, January 10, 1982. The cornerstone was opened and the contents were removed and read before the congregation.
The observance of the congregation's 100th anniversary began on Easter Sunday, April 3, 1983 with the dedication of a State Historical Marker honoring the congregation, and culminated with the Centennial service on Sunday, October 30, 1983.
Through the efforts of Mrs. Flora Meissner, a county historical marker in honor of the German-English School was dedicated on Saturday, October 9, 1976. After this marker began to rust, Mrs. Lena Bartz presented money for a State Marker which was dedicated Sunday, December 11, 1988 in connection with the congregation's 105th anniversary service, at which Bishop Mark Herbener delivered the anniversary sermon.
Following the merger of the American Lutheran Church with other church bodies to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the congregation approved the new organization's church constitution in 1990. The new constitution eliminated the offices of deacon and elder and changed the name of the church council to "congregational council." After the merger, the ALCW became the WELCA (Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America).
The church choir disbanded around June 1992. The Luther League became inactive around the same time, and after a hiatus, was replaced with an informal youth group about 1995.
Bishop Herbener again preached at the 110th anniversary service on Sunday, December 5, 1993. The Rev. Ron Birk preached on All Saints Sunday in honor of congregation's 115th anniversary in 1998.
During the pastorate of the Rev. Alan Watt, two projects altered the face of the church, both inside and out. Most noticeably to the passerby, the wooden louvers in the church bell tower were replaced with white vented panels. In another project, the Teinert Recreation Center was enlarged with the addition of a new dining hall and church offices, and an elevator and restrooms for the handicapped were installed in the church in place of the nursery and former office and the basement stage was partitioned for a new nursery. The elevator, restrooms and addition to the TRC were dedicated on Sunday, April 9, 2000 in a ceremony presided over by Bishop Herbener.
A reunion of persons active in the Luther League in the 1940s and 1950s in churches throughout the state was held here on Sunday, September 9, 2001, and drew a large crowd. The sermon was delivered by R. Lynn Zimmerman, president of the Texas District Luther League from 1951 to 1953.
A huge crowd was present for the congregation's 120th anniversary on Sunday, December 14, 2003. Bishop Kevin Kanouse delivered the anniversary sermon.
Written by James R. Persky
The history of the congregation begins with the coming of Captain J. E. Pietzsch from Brenham in 1875. The Bartlett Tribune of April 14, 1916 records: "Mr. Pietzsch enjoys the distinction of being the first German in this section and it was his German friends and neighbors from Austin County that followed him here...
"His home was always open and for two years religious services were held in the Pietzsch home, the minister coming from Taylor and Waco once a month.
"In 1880, together with Captain John Bartlett, Elisha Allen, Gus Norman, Emil Albrecht and John Janke (he) erected a little building for a schoolhouse and church, on the hill north of town where now stands a modern Lutheran church and a separate building known as the German-English school."
The first three men listed, Bartlett, Allen and Norman, though not German, were among the nearest neighbors. The school was built on Bartlett's land.
From here the story is taken up by an article in the February 2, 1895 issue of a German church paper, the Lutherischer Gemeinde-Bote fur Texas (Lutheran Congregational Messenger for Texas). An English translation by the late Rev. H. C. Ziehe of Taylor:
"In 1881, when schools in this area were rare, a number of German people decided to establish a German school. They were J. E. Pietzsch, Daniel Lange, J. Janke, Emil Albrecht and Gottlieb Zschiesche. The funds for the building of the school house were raised by volunteer subscriptions; a number of neighboring Germans also participated. A number of businessmen in Taylor, the nearest town in those days, also contributed. John Bartlett gave two acres of land to be used for church purposes. The schoolhouse which was erected measured 20 feet by 24 feet."
1880 is evidently the correct year for construction of the little combination school and church house, as the present church cemetery was started behind the building that year. The first to be buried there was Mrs. Peter (Rosina Margaretha Fleischmann) Limmer. An infant son of Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Lindemann was also buried there in 1880.
The school was a public school in the same district with the Indian Creek School (later known as Kelso) which stood a few miles to the northwest in Elisha Allen's pasture.
Public school was held in the winter and spring with instruction in English, and a German language school (reading, writing, grammar) was held in summer. For this reason, the school become known as German-English School. Benches were first used for seating in the early schools, making them convenient for use for church services on Sundays when a minister was available.
The Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad was surveyed through the area in 1881 and that fall, John Bartlett and J. E. Pietzsch laid out the town of Bartlett and began a sale of lots. Rail services began over this line in September 1882 and brought a new influx of settlers. The article just quoted goes on to say, "This area experienced a considerable upswing...In the course of time, Lutheran families from Austin and Colorado counties settled here in larger numbers. Through the offices of Pastor Merz, Pastor Immnauel Glatzle was called to serve the congregation."
According to records of the Texas Synod, Pastor Glatzle began to conduct services here in November of 1883. The following month, on December 16, 1883, he organized a formal congregation, St. John Lutheran Church.
All of the congregation's written records were destroyed when the parsonage burned in 1922, but the Rev. Theodor Bogisch, in reconstructing the church records after the fire, recorded the following list of men as the organizers: Andrew Lindemann, Carl Lindemann, Gottlieb Zschiesche, Daniel Lange, F. A. W. Zschiesche and Gustav Steglich. These men, with their families as composed at the time, would have been the charter members. The congregation reported 17 members at the end of its first six months, and one baptism during that time.
The date of organization would have been lost had not a newspaper article on a church anniversary been preserved by one of the members. The Rev. Theodore R. Streng recorded in the church minutes in 1934:
"Since all the written records of the congregation were burned in the parsonage fire of 1922, little of the former history of our congregation is available in print. For the former data we are indebted to the Rev. Theo. Bogisch, who recorded them in the church book in 1926. We are also thankful for a clipping from the 'Kirchenblatt' of the year 1908 preserved by Mrs. F. F. Wolf, which gives the story of the 25th anniversary celebration of this congregation held on December 16, 1908, and which definitely states that the congregation was organized on December 16, 1883. This date had also been lost with former records, and no one seemed to know exactly the day or month of organization."
Once the congregation had been formally organized, Captain Bartlett deeded the two acres of land on which the schoolhouse and cemetery were already located to trustees D. Lange, A. G. Lindemann and Emil Albrecht, for the nominal consideration of one dollar. The deed, handwritten by Captain Bartlett, reads in part:
"This land is conveyed to the above mentioned parties and their successors as Trustees in trust for School and Church purposes, to have and to hold the same so long as it is occupied for the above mentioned purposes.
"Witness my hand this 24th day of May 1884. Jno T. Bartlett"
Pastor Glatzle also served two other congregations in other counties, and at first must have stayed with members of the congregation when preaching here, but in 1894 a parsonage was built. Again quoting the 1895 article:
"On October 28, Pastor Glatzle brought his young bride to the recently completed parsonage...
"The schoolhouse had become too small; in 1884 a 20 foot addition was made...in the course of time the interior of the rather bare place of worship was improved. The speaker's stand and the table received covers, lamps were provided, the glass and earthenware vessels used in the Sacrement were replaced with silver ones. The interior of the building was covered with smoothed boards and an organ was acquired."
The congregation soon purchased two additional parcels of land. On February 2, 1889, J. E. Pietzsch sold one acre of land to trustees A. G. Lindemann, C. Lindemann, N. Miihlhause, E. Albrecht and D. Lange for $25, and on March 29, 1893 John T. Bartlett and wife Mary sold two acres to the congregation for $250.
The following notice was published (in German) in the May 23, 1896 issue of the Lutheran Congregational Messenger for Texas:
"The Evangelical Lutheran St. John Congregation at Bartlett, Bell County, has voted to build a church: 28 feet by 69 feet and 16 feet high. Contractors are herewith kindly requested to submit plans and sketches together with descriptions and cost."
A beautiful white frame church was built on the present site. On December 16, 1896, the paper just quoted published this account of the church dedication, also translated by the Rev. Ziehe:
"An icy north wind swept across the prairie on November 8 as the St. John Congregation arranged to celebrate a long-awaited day of joy. For years the members had planned to build their little church, and now they had finally succeeded. In a stately and worthy fashion it stood there on the given day. A slender tower of fine lines, 64 feet high, rises above the 60 foot long nave of 28 feet breadth, with an extended sanctuary. Upon entering by the front door, over which there is a richly ornamented rose, one's eyes are fixed upon the sanctuary. There, along pure architectural form, the pulpit rises above the altar; both are adorned with black brocade velvet with emblems, and an arch encircles it all...truly an uplifting and festive sight...the nave is furnished with light-varnished pews, of practical and comfortable construction. To the left of the entrance is a room for mothers and infants--a practical idea, to the right is the stair-room leading to the choir loft. A soft and pleasant light is shed on all through high, Gothic windows made of colored glass. The walls have a four foot high wainscoting; above paper."
"The new bell, a gift of the young women of the congregation, bears the inscription: 'The Virgin'. The entire building and its furnishing cost the congregation $2,000. The church was built by Henry Struve, architect from Taylor. On Sunday morning the congregation assembled in the schoolhouse, where till now worship services have been conducted. The pastor of the congregation, Pastor John Doerfler, delivered a farewell address. Those present then walked in procession to the new church. At the entrance, the future pastor of the congregation, Pastor William Schumacher, led in prayer. Pastor Doerfler unlocked the door. The deacons carried the sacred vessels and set them on the altar. The men's choir then initiated the service with: 'This is the Day of the Lord.' Pastor Doerfler led in the rite of dedication assisted by three other pastors. Pastor A. H. Litterman preached the sermon. Pastor Doerfler read the history of the congregation. After the men's choir had rendered: 'The Chapel,' a child was baptized. Pastor Doerfler provided the address and conducted the Order of Confession; the celebration of Holy Communion concluded the morning service. In the afternoon Pastor W. Pfennig spoke on the value of family worship in the home, Pastor J. Mgebroff spoke on mission work."
After the church was built, the Texas Synod met here in 1897 and again in 1908. Also in 1908, the church building was renovated inside and out, and the congregation celebrated its 25th anniversary. The Bartlett Tribune of December 8, 1908 reported:
"On December 16, the 25th anniversary of the German Lutheran Church of Bartlett will be celebrated by the members of the congregation. There will be services both morning and evening and dinner served on the grounds, to which all are cordially invited."
The Rev. Theodor Bogisch, who came as a pastor in June 1916, had a profound and lasting influence on the congregation. In short order, he organized a Luther League (July 2, 1916), a Ladies' Aid Society (July 10, 1016), and a church choir (July 1916), all of which were active for many years. On November 18, 1917, he dedicated the present altar purchased as a remembrance of the 400th anniversary of the Reformation. The present baptismal font is also believed to have been acquired at this time, and is believed to have been a gift of the late W. R. Janke Sr.
In 1888, St. John had been the 37th congregation to be affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Texas, which later became the Texas District of the Iowa Synod, and in 1930, the Texas District of the American Lutheran Church. During the pastorate of the Rev. Bogisch, St. John served as headquarters for the Texas District when he served as president of the district--the euivalent of Bishop now.
The original parsonage, which had been enlarged in 1906, was destroyed by fire August 31, 1922; a new parsonage was immediately built on the same site by Karl L. Flick of Taylor, formerly of Bartlett, at a cost of $5,000.
As the German term of German-English School was a private course taught under the auspices of the congregation, and since all church services and preaching were done in German, the German course gradually came to be regarded as a part of confirmation instruction, taught by the pastor. In 1930, the Rev. R. C. Albert was called as pastor with the understanding that he would hold some services in English on a regular basis. The Rev. Albert continued to teach the German course but after he left, in 1933 the German course was dropped and replaced with a six week Vacation Bible School. Council minutes continued to be written in German until 1940. Church services continued to alternate between German and English, with German services held at least once a month, until April 12, 1942, when German services were eliminated upon recommendation of the church council. After that, all services were in English each Sunday.
The Rev. Albert is remembered not only as the first pastor of the congregation to preach in English, but also as the pastor under whose leadership the present church building was constructed.
The effort to build a larger church actually began under the Rev. Bogisch. The old church had perhaps a seating capacity of little over 150, while the active membership had grown to probably more than double that. The Bartlett Tribune of June 15, 1928 reported:
"At a quarterly meeting of the congregation of St. John Lutheran Church...it was decided to build a modern brick structure to cost about $35,000 with a seating capacity of 600. Work will probably not begin on the new building before next summer. However, one half of the required money has already been subscribed and various committees appointed are at work securing the remainder of the funds."
In the meantime, the old church received one last improvement. Texas Power and Light Co. had purchased the Bartlett electric system in 1915 and ran lines past the church from Temple to Bartlett, bringing Holland electricity in the process. However, this company was never eager to serve customers outside the city limits, even on the outskirsts of town, and it was not until 1930 that the church received electricity. On April 4, 1930, the congregation paid TP&L $350.00 for a transformer and subsequently had the church wired at a cost of $123.05. The first light bill was paid on June 3. Until this time, hanging oil lamps were used for evening services.
By May of 1931, notes from members amounted to $21,186 in pledges toward construction of a larger church. It was decided by a vote of 73 to 25 to build the present structure. On June 14, 1931, the congregation authorized the execution of 200 bonds, valued at $100 apiece, and arrangements were completed to build a new $42,500 structure. On July 15, 1931, Birch D. Easterwood of Waco, formerly of Bartlett, was employed as architect and S. B. Swigert of Waco, was employed as contractor.
Until the new church could be completed, services were held in the high school auditorium. The old church was purchased by Bennie Muehlhause, a skillful carpenter and woodworker, who used the lumber in the construction of his home, workshop and other structures at his home. His daughter, La Verne Haschke of Dallas writes:
"When the (1896-1931) St. John Lutheran Church building was to be replaced, my dad, Benjamin Muehlhause purchased and dismantled it to use the lumber to build our home one mile north of church in 1931. Dad used the colored glass church windows in the top of his woodwork shop with 12 windows facing south and 12 to the north. The remnants can still be seen, but they are falling apart. One half of the church's front door was used on the north side of our garage. The double doors on our wash house probably came from the church but I cannot identify them. As I was growing up I remember seeing window screens around that because of their arched shape must have come from the church. My sister Delora rescued four arch-shaped top parts of the colored glass church windows from a storage room in Dad's collapsing barn. She gave one to her daughter Kathy in Austin, who has it hanging on a wall in her dining room. She gave one to me that I have hanging in front of my living room window in Dallas. It gives me joy to see daily part of the church building in which I was baptized. Dad also collected a lot of square nails from the old church building and used them in a number of art objects to give to various people."
On one Sunday in particular, Mr. Muehlhause gave crosses he had fashioned from the nails to the children present for the children's sermon.
During the months of July and August 1931, W. H. Friedrich and sons did the excavation for the church basement with mules and scrapers.
The Holland Progress of September 4, 1931, the only known surviving copy of which was wisely preserved in the church cornerstone, reported:
"The cornerstone for the new St. John Lutheran Church will be laid Sunday at 10 a.m. The Rev. R. C. Albert, pastor, will have charge of the cornerstone ceremonies. The Rev. Theo Bogisch of Thorndale, who was pastor of the church for 13 years, will speak in German. His son, the Rev. S. A. Bogisch of Taylor, will speak in English. This young man was reared on the church grounds where the new church is being erected and it is very appropriate to have him take an important part in the service.
"In the cornerstone will be placed the local papers, church periodicals, the names and officers of the different church organizations, the committees working on the church building and other articles fitting for the occasion.
"The Rev. Albert is working night and day to keep matters up in connection with the building. Thirty-four pews, each 17 feet long, have been purchased. They are of golden oak finish. The heating plant will be four gas furnaces and be so arranged as to heat any part or all of the church as needed.
The altar and baptismal font were moved from the old church. The new (present) church was dedicated on Sunday, January 10, 1932.
In May 1933 the new church was the site of the Synodical Convention of the Texas district, attended by 250 pastors and laymen including Dr. C. C. Hein of Columbus, Ohio, president of the American Lutheran Church. This was the third time the Synod had met at St. John.
The congregation observed its 50th anniversary with special services on Sunday, January 7, 1934. The Rev. William Schumacher, pastor from 1896 to 1903, addressed the congregation, and the Rev. Wilson Hill was ordained at the morning service.
Now that space was made available by the new basement, the Sunday School Library was started in 1934.
The Rev. Streng, who became the pastor in 1933, undertook an ambitious project, starting a church paper, the St. John Lutheran Messenger, which continued several years and was the forerunner of the present Chi Rho newsletter. The Messenger, printed by the local paper, had as its motto, "God's Word and Luther's Doctrine Pure to All Enternity Endure." Later, in April 1947, the church council authorized purchase of a mimeograph machine, allowing newsletters and bulletins to be printed at the church.
The Ladies' Aid Society, composed mostly of the older ladies of the church, continued to conduct its meetings in German as late as 1940. Meanwhile, on April 15, 1931, the younger ladies organized the Women's Missionary Society, which held its meetings in English. A men's organization, the Brotherhood, was started June 11, 1939, and the Luther League was joined by another youth organization, the Junior Mission Band, on June 16, 1940.
The final payment on the church building was made in 1944.
The original German-English School building, a single-wall box house structure, was enlarged twice and boarded over inside and out over the years before being torn down in 1927 and replaced with a new building constructed by Ervin M. Steglich, local contractor. The new school had two rooms separated by a folding partition with a stage in the south end and an ample front porch. The school continued for 21 years in the new building. Then, on July 15, 1948, German-English Common School District No. 4-1 was annexed to the Bartlett Independent School District along with six other rural schools by action of the Bell County School Board. Petitions both for and against annexation of German-English School had been presented. In December 1950, Bartlett Superintendent D. A. Swope received a letter from L. A. Woods, State Superintendent of Public Education, advising that the German-English school building was the property of the church. The building continued in use for Vacation Bible School, the intermediate Sunday School classes, and by the Junior Mission Band for over 10 years after the school closed.
When the present church was first built, the choir sat in front, opposite the pulpit, facing the congregation, and the organ sat where the piano is now. In August 1944, a fund was set up to replacle the pump organ with a fine pipe organ, to be installed in the balcony. The congregation acquired the present organ from a Christian Science Church in San Antonio and engaged Otto Hoffman of Kyle, a master organ builder, to completely rebuild it. The 1,217-pipe organ was dedicated on August 12, 1951 and was the largest in a Lutheran Church in Texas at that time and one of the first in the state to be installed in the gallery of the church in the manner of fine European instruments. The old pump organ was sold to Goodnight Funeral Home who converted it to electricity.
Several pastors' wives have served as organists and choir directors, including Mrs. Bogisch, Mrs. Sager and Mrs. Bracher. After the new organ was installed, Mrs. Edward Goodnight, music teacher in the local schools, was employed. Mrs. Bracher was succeeded by Bob White, whose skills as an organist could have made him famous. He served to the end of 1979, and was followed by former pastor, Garland Kneten.
A significant change was initiated on January 14, 1951, when the church council recommended that Communion be observed once a month on a certain Sunday of the month. Prior to this time, Communion was offered only once a year, at the Maundy Thursday service. The common cup or chalice was used until July 12, 1953, when individual cups came into use.
Another change in worship came in October 1953, when boys began serving as acolytes. Until this time, the candles were lit by the deacons. Later, under Pastor Clarence Rose, girls as well as boys began serving as acolytes.
A number of changes were made in the sanctuary over the years. On March 16, 1952, the congregation authorized the purchase of a loud speaker system. After the new organ was installed, the choir moved to the balcony. In April 1954, it was decided to lower the pulpit by removing 16 inches from the base. Other changes were made with the passage of time. The window frames and some of the other varnished woodwork were painted. The altar, which had been freestanding, was moved against the wall and placed on a platform built to raise it above floor level, and the two angel figures were removed from the altar. The ornate pastor's chair was replaced with the two seats now in use and the ornate hymn boards, one of which had come from the old church, the other being a duplicate, were replaced with the present ones. All the benches were fitted with cushions. The metal railings and curtains in front were replaced with the present wood panel rails. The church was air conditioned and the windows were sealed shut. In the basement, partitions were built to divide the Sunday School rooms in place of curtains formerly used.
On Sunday, November 9, 1958, the congregation held its 75th anniversary celebration.
The American Lutheran Church Women came into being in 1960. The Women's Missionary Society was merged into the new group but the Ladies' Aid chose to continue as a separate organization. In February 1961 the ALCW organized an evening circle, which later took the name Martha Circle.
The Junior Mission Band disbanded sometime after 1958 and the school building fell into disuse. On November 6, 1961, the building was sold by sealed bid and subsequently moved to somewhere in the Sharp community east of Davilla.
In a special called meeting on May 24, 1964, the congregation voted to erect a new parsonage. The new brick structure was completed about mid-April 1965 by the Mutual Lumber Co. of Bartlett, and dedicated on Sunday, May 2, 1965 by the pastor, the Rev. F. L. Bracher. The old parsonage was sold and moved to town and is now the John Gilmore home, across from Red and White Grocery. The ramp was built on the church about the same time the new parsonage was built.
The Ladies' Aid disbanded in early 1968 and divided their funds between a needy family, the local nursing home and the purchase of needed items for the church kitchen. The remaining members joined the Martha Circle. Another organization, the Brotherhood, disbanded January 16, 1969.
The late Mrs. Alma Jesse Teinert, lifelong member and daughter of early members, Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Jesse, upon her death in 1974 remembered the church in her will, which provided for construction of a parish hall to be called the "W. C. and Alma Teinert Recreation Center." The new building was dedicated on Sunday, August 15, 1976.
The 50th anniversary of the dedication of the new church was observed on Sunday, January 10, 1982. The cornerstone was opened and the contents were removed and read before the congregation.
The observance of the congregation's 100th anniversary began on Easter Sunday, April 3, 1983 with the dedication of a State Historical Marker honoring the congregation, and culminated with the Centennial service on Sunday, October 30, 1983.
Through the efforts of Mrs. Flora Meissner, a county historical marker in honor of the German-English School was dedicated on Saturday, October 9, 1976. After this marker began to rust, Mrs. Lena Bartz presented money for a State Marker which was dedicated Sunday, December 11, 1988 in connection with the congregation's 105th anniversary service, at which Bishop Mark Herbener delivered the anniversary sermon.
Following the merger of the American Lutheran Church with other church bodies to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the congregation approved the new organization's church constitution in 1990. The new constitution eliminated the offices of deacon and elder and changed the name of the church council to "congregational council." After the merger, the ALCW became the WELCA (Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America).
The church choir disbanded around June 1992. The Luther League became inactive around the same time, and after a hiatus, was replaced with an informal youth group about 1995.
Bishop Herbener again preached at the 110th anniversary service on Sunday, December 5, 1993. The Rev. Ron Birk preached on All Saints Sunday in honor of congregation's 115th anniversary in 1998.
During the pastorate of the Rev. Alan Watt, two projects altered the face of the church, both inside and out. Most noticeably to the passerby, the wooden louvers in the church bell tower were replaced with white vented panels. In another project, the Teinert Recreation Center was enlarged with the addition of a new dining hall and church offices, and an elevator and restrooms for the handicapped were installed in the church in place of the nursery and former office and the basement stage was partitioned for a new nursery. The elevator, restrooms and addition to the TRC were dedicated on Sunday, April 9, 2000 in a ceremony presided over by Bishop Herbener.
A reunion of persons active in the Luther League in the 1940s and 1950s in churches throughout the state was held here on Sunday, September 9, 2001, and drew a large crowd. The sermon was delivered by R. Lynn Zimmerman, president of the Texas District Luther League from 1951 to 1953.
A huge crowd was present for the congregation's 120th anniversary on Sunday, December 14, 2003. Bishop Kevin Kanouse delivered the anniversary sermon.
Written by James R. Persky