St. Paul's Lutheran Church

A Glimpse Back to 1865…

  On July 30, 1865, a group of men met at the home of Friederich Boock to discuss the organization of a congregation, so that the word of God might be heard in a church of the Augsburg Confession.  On August 17^th they incorporated “The Evangelical Lutheran Reformed St. Paul’s Congregation of New Ulm, Minnesota.

  1865 was a time of great uncertainty and anxiety, yet with great hope for the future.  The 920 people in the community built 40 new homes and added a flourmill, brewery, newspaper, and farm store to the settlement.  The grasshopper plague was slowly coming to an end.  People were looking forward with the construction of a new school in German Park and the formation of the 1^st National Bank.  Plans were being drawn for a county jail.

  The homes and businesses along the dirt roads were heated with wood or coal stoves; lanterns and candles provided light for the extended families living together.

  New Ulm lost 190 buildings and had a very large number of widows and orphans, due to the Dakota Conflict of 3 years earlier.  Friends provided the only support these victims had, in addition to the $3 per month state stipends.  One doctor provided medical attention in the homes, as there was no hospital.

  Voters supported the election of Abraham Lincoln by a wide margin and celebrated the Union victory at Richmond.  Two local men died during the Civil War.  A memorial service for Lincoln was held at Turner Park.  They also supported the right to vote for Negroes.   The militia and battery held regularly scheduled military drills for the defense of the city.

  Two cornerstones were laid that year.  On July 4^th Turner Hall started to rebuild, and on September 3^rd the cornerstone was laid for our congregation, “The Evangelical Lutheran Reformed St. Paul’s Congregation in New Ulm, Minnesota.”  A Methodist Church had been built earlier, and the Catholic Church had not started reconstruction.

  The years prior to 1865 saw the small group of Christians meeting in their homes and studying their Bibles, singing hymns from the song books with the verse only, and using the prayer books that were brought with them from Germany.  All churches were viewed with suspicion and open hostility, as the majority of the people in the community were “free thinkers” or atheists.  With the hardships and major problems of the day, our forefathers turned to their faith for the strength to build our congregation and the city.

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