Rev. Hermann Wilhelm Fiegenbaum

Experience of William Fiegenbaum

I was in my tenth year when my parents concluded to emigrate to America. While we remained at the tavern in Bremen, I found an old Hymn-Book, in which I read the following lines:

"He who seeks for earthly treasures
Can not my disciple be."

This so affected my heart that I wept aloud, and showed the lines to my father, and told him we were not Christ's disciples, for we were seeking earthly treasures. I was, however, comforted by my parents when they told me that the hymn was not the word of God, but man's composition.

In my school years, from twelve to sixteen, I often thought if all these people, who call themselves Christians, are so, then the Bible can not be true. The time of my catechetical instruction was very sinful part of my life; yet my conscience waked up as I received the holy sacrament, and condemned me for having taken it unworthily, and I went home with a load of sin upon my heart. Still I had a desire to partake of this holy sacrament worthily.

There was a report of some German Methodists in Ohio who were said to have fallen from the faith. Finally, a number of German Methodists came to Missouri; but the preachers were hated and persecuted, and, in many places, deprived of the privilege of preaching. Yet my parents opened their house and allowed them to preach in it. After this I went to St. Louis, and one evening went to the Methodist church. The sermon awakened me to a sense of my lost condition. The word was "quick and powerful, and sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing to the dividing asunder of joints and marrow, and was a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." My heart was very affected, and I at once resolved to join the Methodist Church. Now a voice, as from my heavenly Father, came to me, to repent, return, and be converted; and to this was added the exhortation of my brother and sister. This induced me, on the next Sabbath, to go to the church again. After the sermon there was prayer meeting; but my heart remained cold and indifferent. While penitents were kneeling around the altar, I was induced by curiosity to go up close and see who it was that cried so earnestly for the pardon of his sins. It was my brother, who had previously been a violent persecutor of the children of God. He lay there pleading for mercy, while the pious were offering up prayers for his salvation. I was at once convicted of sin, and sought to meet with the children of God. I spent fourteen days seeking for pardon; others prayed with me; but though thus seeking I could not find.

On the following Sabbath I went again. This was a day of the Lord to my soul. The preacher, Rev. C. Jost, took for his text, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." After the sermon it was asked how it was with me, and I was told that I must seek earnestly by faith; for the "kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." This I experienced, indeed, when I lay down in the evening to sleep, and offered up my soul to God, that he might seal it with the spirit of promise to the day of redemption. The joy that I found in a union with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is not to be fully expressed by human tongue. It was now my earnest desire to live near to the Lord, and to follow after holiness, without which no one shall see the Lord.

I had frequent impressions that I should preach, even previous to my conversion, and these impressions increased ten-fold afterward. The responsibility of the ministerial office for some time deterred me; yet my eyes were opened to see how all men had corrupted their way before the Lord, and I had an abiding impression on my mind of the wonderful love of God, which he manifested to the human family. I was often so affected that I went to others, and told them of their danger in neglecting their salvation. My heart was at the same time filled with joy and sorrow – the former from a view of God's goodness, the latter from the view of man's lost condition.

The impression that I should preach grew so strong that I told some of my friends of it; and they exhorted me not to resist this impression. At first I felt a great struggle within, yet I was convinced that it was my duty to call sinners to repentance. I finally resolved to devote myself wholly to the service of the Lord. Now my soul was satisfied, and the Lord strengthened me in knowledge and in his grace and love to him. Soon after, I received license to preach. At my first efforts the Lord strengthened and blessed me. I commenced my labors in March, 1848, in the name of God. Since then I have seen many come from darkness to light. May the Lord keep us all faithful, and bring us at last to praise him before his throne!

The German Methodist Episcopal Church

by Rev. Wm. Schwind

HIGHLAND¹

It was in the year 1836 when some of the leading minds in the Methodist Episcopal church in the United States deemed it practicable to establish a domestic mission among the Germans. The movement, though slow at first in forming congregations, met with ultimate success and was carried on by the church with much zeal and activity. From Ohio and Pennsylvania where it began it spread westward.

As early as 1845, the Rev. Wm. Hemminghaus, a German Methodist preacher, went from Mascoutah, St. Clair county, to Highland, to preach to the Germans then residing there. He was one of the early pioneer preachers among the Germans in Illinois, and died at Beardstown while yet young.

He was succeeded in 1846 by Rev. Chas. Koeneke, and the first society was organized in that year. Some of the first members were, Michael Molet, John Zimmermann, Philip Gruen, J. Miller and C. Kluge. As it soon appeared necessary to have a house for worship, a deliberative meeting of the society was held on the 14th of December, 1846, which decided that a church should be built; but owing to circumstances it was not accomplished until a few years later.

Rev. Charles Koeneke was succeeded by Rev. Louis Kunz in 1847. Rev. Wm. Fiegenbaum² followed in 1848. In the fall of the same year the building of a church was commenced and carried on until it was under roof. Its completion was delayed till the following spring. It was dedicated on the 26th of June, 1849, by Rev. Henry Koeneke, presiding elder. The church is 40 by 30 feet, two stories high, with steeple and bell. The lower story was built of rough stone; the upper story was built in partnership with the American Methodist, which relation is still sustained. Its value is about $2,000. It is still used for public worship and is of interest to many yet living who often went to Highland at those times to attend quarterly meetings which always were of great interest. Some of the first members were, F. Kandert, J. Kirsher, Gallus Rutz, Henry Becker, J. Kaeser, Charles Grundenberg, and C. Britt. The mission at that time already embraced a large territory and many appointments. It included Edwardsville, Fosterburg, Staunton, Looking Glass Prairie, Beaver Creek, Blackjack, Smooth Prairie, Silver Creek, Ridge Prairie, The Bluffs, Moro and Upper Alton. The membership in the whole field of labor numbered 67 at the time the church was dedicated. Rev. Wm. Fiegenbaum was in charge of the mission with two assistant preachers.³ They were Rev. J. Keck and Rev. Herman Koch, who is now President of Central Wesleyan College, Warrenton, Mo. The latter taught school at Highland, besides preaching regularly at several appointments.

Great and exhausting were the labors of those early pioneer preachers, but they felt themselves equal to almost any emergency. With heroic devotion to their work and self-denying determination, they shared the hardships and difficulties of the early German settlers. They were on horseback almost every day, seeking the lost sheep of the house of Israel, preaching in log cabins, school houses, and where ever they could get any hearers, many or few, to teach them the way of righteousness, expecting very little compensation but what the great Shepherd might please to give them at the great day. And their labors were not in vain. Many persons became converted and rejoiced in the experience of a new life.

When in the year 1849 the Cholera broke out, eight to ten persons died almost every day at Highland. Rev. Wm. Fiegenbaum was stopped on his rounds for fear he would spread the disease. But then he went to nurse the sick and dying, often day and night, for two months, administering faithfully to their bodily and spiritual wants. After that he resumed his labors and was eminently successful in building up the societies in Madison county. Several years later a new church was built at Beaver Creek, where a society still exits. Most of the above mentioned appointments are still places for public worship; they are either formed into separate organizations or connected with other charges.

The early history of Highland church is of more special interest, as it was the nucleus from which sprung most other societies in the county. Of its later history I have little knowledge. Its present membership is 70. It carries on two Sabbath-schools of about 100 scholars, 16 officers and teachers.

In March 1847, Brother Wilhelm Fiegenbaum came to Brunswick, Mo. as its first missionary, to seek out the Germans and preach the gospel to them. The first worship service was held in a cow shed.⁴

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Wilhelm Fiegenbaum, who at age 82 as a superannuated member of the St. Louis German Conference spends his evening years in Edwardsville, Ill. communicates in a few lines the following about his effectiveness in the area of our conference: "The Chariton Mission, later the Brunswick and Carrolton Mission, was begun in March 1847. Glasgow, Brunswick, Carrolton, as well as German settlements in the area, were visited. In 18 months about 65 people joined the church and in Brunswick and the area around Carrolton churches were built by the 'young candidate' of the name of Father Köneke. From September 1854 to September 1856, I was active as the presiding elder of the Missouri District, which stretched from Jefferson City through Kansas and a corner of Nebraska along both sides of the Missouri River. In 1875, I was sent to Oregon, Mo., where I served for one year."

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