SALEM CHURCH.
The Evangelical Association located a mission in Atchison in 1882, with Rev. C. Brandt as the first missionary. A number of German families were gathered and signified their willingness to effect a church organization. Accordingly, a hall was rented at 614 Commercial street and services held. In 1884 the organization numbered forty-seven members, and the Kansas conference of the Evangelical Association at its annual session in 1884 decided to build a church at this time. Rev. Daniel R. Zellner was appointed pastor, and Rev. John Wuerth, presiding elder of the Holton district. During the pastorate of Rev. D. R. Zellner in 1884 the church was built at 522 Atchison street, and dedicated by Rev. John Wuerth, presiding elder, as the Salem church of the Evangelical Association, and service has continued uninterruptedly ever since. Following are the ministers who served consecutively as pastors: Rev. C. Brandt, D. R. Zellner, C. Brant, second pastorate; C. F. Erffmeyer, Samuel Mueller, Jacob Schmidle, John Wuerth, C. F. Iwig, Peter Scheumann, D. R. Zellner, third pastorate; Charles Linge, F. F. Erffmeyer, D. R. Zellner, fourth pastorate. L. M. Nanninga, J. M. Fricker, Samuel Breithaupt, present pastor (1916).
The following served as presiding elders during the past thirty-four years: John Wuerth, Henry Mattill, J. F. Schreiber, Albert Brunner, C. F. Erffmeyer, W. F. Wothensen and C. F. Iwig. The Evangelical Association was organized as a denomination in 1800, with Jacob Allbright as its founder.
Originally, the language used was German, but in the past half century the German language was rapidly superseded by the English language. At this time there are very few congregations in the denomination that worship in the German language exclusively. The services in the Evangelical church in this city for the past few years are conducted in English.
This society maintains a well organized Sunday school, with weekly sessions every Sunday at 10 o’clock a. m. G. W. Bradley is superintendent; a Young People’s Alliance, E. B. Breithaupt, president, and a Woman’s Missionary Society, Mrs. Samuel Breithaupt, president. This organization maintains free pews and extends an invitation to strangers when in the city to worship with them.