Toward the close of this period, in 1864, a seed was planted on the
Wartburg near Mount Vernon which has grown to be a great tree.
Peter Moller, a wealthy layman, had met with a great sorrow in the death of his son. He was planning to expend a large sum for a monument in memory of this son, when Dr. Passavant, an eminent worker in behalf of invalids and orphans, called upon him, perhaps with the hope of obtaining a contribution for some of his numerous charities. To him Mr. Moller confided his purpose. It did not take long to outline the plan of a nobler memorial than the proposed shaft in Greenwood. With $30,000 a hundred acres of land were bought and a house of mercy was established which for fifty years has been a blessing not only to the orphans who have been sheltered and trained there, but also to the churches of New York that have been privileged to contribute to its support.
Its first housefather was George Carl Holls, one of the brethren of
Wichern's Rauhe Haus near Hamburg. In 1886 he was succeeded by Pastor
Gottlieb Conrad Berkemeier, who with the help of his wife, Susette
Kraeling, has brought the institution to a position of great prosperity
and usefulness.
[illustration: "The Wartburg at Mount Vernon">[
In the Nineteenth Century 1866-1900
Three factors combined to make this period eventful in our history: confessionalism, immigration and the transportation facilities that led to a Greater New York.
At the close of the Civil War we had 24 Lutheran churches on the territory now included in Greater New York. Two of these were English and the rest were German. At the close of the century the record stood: Yiddish, 1; English, 17; Scandinavian, 19; German and German-English, 60.
The tide of confessionalism which had been rising in Europe for half a century touched America in the forties and reached a high water mark during the period under review. The question of subscription to the symbols of the Book of Concord became the chief subject of discussion among our theologians.
In 1866 a number of pastors and churches, under the leadership of Pastor Steimle, severed their connection with the Ministerium for confessional reasons. They formed a new synod which adopted all the Confessions and took a firm stand in opposition to membership in secret societies.
The "Steimle" Synod, as it was usually called, disbanded in 1872, its
members going, some to the Missouri Synod, others to the Ministerium.
Their organ, the Lutherisches Kirchenblatt, was merged with the
Lutherischer Herold.