"he was promised reinstatement as a minister and was given friendly advice to seek appointment with the brothers in America. He went to Hamburg where he saw Pastor Fritsche, who was about to emigrate with his congregation to Australia. Krause communicated with him and he sent us a letter concerning Krause's repentant condition. Fritsche recommended that we appoint him. Along with this letter Krause sent the church in Buffalo, and other churches, a written letter of apology for his offenses. He was forgiven and his disloyalty, which began with his sudden departure from Buffalo, was forgotten. The congregation in Buffalo appointed him to their church in 1841." Return to text 34. See Correspondence to the Evangelical-Lutheran Church, page 85. Return to text 35. See "Letters in Self Defense": "The Ban of the Silesians". Also see Correspondence, pages 85 and following pages. Return to text 36. See "Letters in Self Defense", pages 115 and 116. Return to text 37. Compare the hearings with Bierosche in the 5th Synodal Letter of the Buffalo Synod, page 65 and the Letter in Self Defense, page 91. Therein is stated: "Synodal Hearings with Bierosch on June 17, 1845. Those who appeared: 1. Bierosch, 2. Carl and Fritz Fink, 4. Heckwer, 5. Carl Milbrot, 6. Dumstrei, Sr., 7. Büttner, 8 Tuch. Pastor Grabau declared to them that the Synod should be united. In Christian love the following should be discussed in order: We must be united on the doctrinal point of what and where the Christian Church is. They should present their thoughts and opinions on how the church has been false. Then, when they acknowledged that the church was right, they would know that they had sinned against it and that they had left the true church After this had been done then Pastor Grabau would gladly allow them back into the church and apologize if he had done them any injustice. They were united in their acknowledgement that they had misinterpreted in the symbolic books what the church was. A.C. Art. 7 [Augsburg Confession, Article 7]. Then they were allowed to tell their version of the Hamburg story in order to make their point that in their opinion the church had been wrong and to discuss the matter. Bierosch read a statement in which he stated that Pastor Grabau and the committee had not recognized him and the Silesians as Christian brothers because they would not agree to Pastor Grabau's opinion concerning the proper course of action with Angas.

Bierosch was summoned to prove that the church had been false and if that was the case, how the church had transgressed. Bierosch stated and it has been written: "When it dealt out injustice in the name of Christ." Because the church had not shunned injustice it was false. Then Bierosch declared: "He knew well enough that he could not win against an educated speaker, that his argument would fall short; he only wanted the matter examined and judged as to whether justice or injustice had been done and if no injustice had been done he wanted proof of whether the church was false, and with this he left the Synod with his companions." Return to text 38. This document is in print in the Correspondence to the Evangelical-Lutheran Church by E.M. Bürger. Return to text 39. In "Letters of Self Defense", page 116: "The Silesians burned the edict of excommunication in front of Grabau's church. It is a lie when it was said that they had burned the Dresden Catechism. They had not argued with Grabau about the Dresden Catechism." Return to text 40. Pastor Grabau wrote about this in his 3rd Synodal Letter, page 81: "When he was in Buffalo for a few weeks, he married a widow from Berlin. He was called to the congregation in Freistadt and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Pastor Kindermann was in 1843 his closest neighbor in Kirchhain; until 1846 he carried out his appointment as far as one could determine and as we must believe, harmlessly." Return to text 41. Page 32 in the 3rd Buffalo Synodal Letter: "Krause has been sent to Wisconsin to work for the Synod; the joint congregation was united in its approval of his being sent (1841)." In the Fall of 1850 Pastor Krause was expelled by the Buffalo Synod. See the hearings in the 3rd Synodal Letter. Return to text 42. In the History of the Evangelical-Lutheran Missouri Synod et. al. by Pastor Chr. Hochstetter, page 40: "Pastor Bürger proposed that on his way back to Germany he would go to the city of Buffalo where there was a small congregation (Silesian and some Pommeranians) which was without a minister since Pastor Krause had returned to Germany.

Since their beginning they had been caught up in opposition with Pastor Grabau. After careful examination and upon visiting with Pastor Grabau and hearing what had happened, Pastor Bürger accepted the appointment to this Lutheran congregation in Buffalo. Return to text 43. In "Letters of Self Defense", third issue, No. 15, Pastor Bürger related: "Shortly thereafter in October 1841 I came to Buffalo; I was going to travel through to Germany. I came unexpectedly upon the Silesians through my traveling companion. He had received a letter from one of those who had been excommunicated. At this time we learned what had happened. Without the slightest word of warning they asked me to become their minister. I didn't accept the position right away but said I would remain and look into their circumstance. If I could stay in good conscience, I would; if not, I would travel on early next year...When I came to Grabau and told him everything, he spoke with scorn and wouldn't discuss it with me when I asked for information...I found out what I needed to know without him: 1., that the Silesians had been a totally independent congregation separate from Grabau's congregation; 2., that they insisted that they had been unjustly banned; 3., that they could not be persuaded to accept Pastor Grabau as their minister after he had treated them so shamefully and rendered such injustice upon them; 4., that Krause, who had fecklessly abandoned them, was no longer their pastor; 5., that they professed to the true doctrine and sacraments of the church; 6., that they had the right to have a ministry and choose their own pastor." Return to text 44. After the course of two months I accepted the appointment and assumed the office on the 1st Sunday of Advent, 1841. See "Letters in Self Defense", page 121. Return to text 45 and 46. These are printed in the Correspondence to the Evangelical-Lutheran Church by E.M. Bürger, page 101. Return to text 47. The Synodal Report of the Missouri Synod and the Synodal Letter of the Buffalo Synod, as well as church pamphlets of the time are on hand. Return to text 48. Pastor Franke accepted a different appointment due to illness. Theology doctoral candidate Phil. Wambsganss was appointed his assistant. Return to text 49. The late Pastor Pinkepank is buried at the North Street Cemetery at the grave of Mr. Peter Schulze †. Return to text 50. See the 9th Synodal Letter of the Synod composed of the emigrated Prussians of the Lutheran Church, which assembled in Buffalo, N.Y. from May 28th to June 14th, 1866. Return to text

51. The Colloquium opened on November 20, 1866 and included the newly organized congregation of those who had left Pastor Grabau in May of the same year. As representatives of the Missouri Synod there were Professor C.F.W. Walther, Pastor H.C. Schwan, Dr. W. Sihler and the deputies J.C.D. Römer, J. Keil and Joh. Teiss. Participants of the Buffalo Synod were Pastor H. von Rohr, Pastor Chr. Hochstetter, Pastor P. Brand and the deputies Chr. Krull, Ernst Schorr and Hans A. Christiansen. After this colloquium twenty-five years of doctrinal dispute and years of sectarian hatred between ministers and congregations were resolved as the representatives of both Synods extended hands in brotherhood. Thus the chains were unfastened without which the union of Pastor Hochstetter's congregation and that of the Trinity Church under Pastor Ruhland could not have been possible. See The History of the Evangelical-Lutheran Missouri Synod by Chr. Hochstetter, Chapter IX. Return to text 52. The St. Andreas congregation was also represented through its pastor, P. Brand, who was one of the participants in the colloquium from the Buffalo contingent and who is currently president of the Eastern District of the Missouri Synod. It too became part of the Synod of Missouri, Ohio and other States. Return to text 53. Six Points were agreed upon: Bilateral recognition of the desired unity in faith. Bilateral renunciation of earlier disagreements. Union of the neighboring congregations in the Synod of Missouri, Ohio and other States. Bilateral examination of church and school operations. Establishment of a new Christian Church and Hierarchy. Retention of the practice of general baptism for those who have been previously baptized and initiation of personal calling to the sacrament. Return to text 54. See Footnote 23.    *The property with church, vicarage and school cost the congregation about $40,000. Return to text 55. In 1872 a two-floor schoolhouse with 4 spacious classrooms was built and soon afterwards a vicarage was constructed. The vicarage was built next to the church at 653 Michigan St. The upper classroom in the schoolhouse was designated for congregation meetings

and later the Evangelical-Lutheran Young Men's Association took over the space while the other portion of the upper floor in the schoolhouse and a frame building behind the vicarage next to the church became a teacher's residence. See the Proceedings of April 14, 1872. The upper classroom was also used by our Norwegian brothers in faith for their church services. The congregation was assembled and served for a long time by Pastor J.J. Welo. Later they were regularly visited by Pastor O. Brand of Cleveland and currently they are cared for with the Word and the Sacrament by Pastor Grevstad. Return to text 56. Pastor Johann Sieck reported in The Lutheran of February 26, 1889 the following: "Called upon by the Committee, Pastor Hanser now works as missionary in Buffalo, N.Y. Here the Trinity Evangelical-Lutheran Church has purchased a piece of land with a 120 foot front in a rapidly growing part of the city. A small church, 30 x 50 has been constructed. The front half contains the school, which on January 14th will be opened with 44 children; the church is filled with people at every church service. There is no debt owed on the building and the land. To support the missionary our congregation in Buffalo pays $200 and $200 comes from the Mission Fund." Return to text

Supplement If God so wills it, the Trinity First Evangelical-Lutheran Church will celebrate its 50th Anniversary on the twelfth Sunday after Trinity Sunday, on September 8, 1889. The St. Andreas Church and the Emmaus Church have been invited to participate in the anniversary celebration with their spiritual caregivers, Pastor Johann Sieck and Pastor A.T. Hanser. Previous pastors of the Trinity congregation have also been sent invitations with a special request that they deliver the anniversary sermons.To his great joy Pastor Senne has communicated to the congregation that all have sent replies of acceptance. The morning sermon will be given by Pastor C. Gross of Fort Wayne, Ind; the afternoon sermon will be given by Pastor Chr. Hochstetter of Wolcottsville, N.Y.; and the evening sermon will be given by Pastor Emeritus E.M. Bürger. Mr. Samuel Bindig, a candidate for confirmation at the time of the arrival of the Silesian immigrant congregation in Buffalo who is currently a member of the St. Andreas Church, and Mrs. Maria Grässer, nee Sieffert, a member of the Trinity First Evangelical-Lutheran Congregation, are the two oldest members and witnesses in that they have stayed with the congregation or its sister churches since its founding. By decision of the congregation they will be given a place of honor during the festival church services. ----- Psalm 100

This is the end of Chronicle of the Trinity First Evangelical-Lutheran Church.
Completed October 12, 2003