THE WAUPACA REPUBLICAN

September 5, 1902

 

DEDICATED  TO  GOD

Our Savior’s Evangelical Lutheran Church of Waupaca

Dedicated Sunday, August 31, 1902

 

            Only a few short months ago the members of Our Savior’s church under the leadership of the pastor, Rev. L. Johnson, decided to repair their house of worship.  What Mr. Johnson undertakes generally goes as he has able assistance in his worthy flock.  When he decided on the Orphan’s Home, here it came, and a fine Home was erected for the little ones.  When he decided the church needed a parsonage Dr. Claussen’s residence near the church was purchased and put in order.  But later when it was deemed necessary to repair the old Scotch Presbyterian edifice and over $3000 was raised to do the work, without any trouble, it was decided to sell the old building and build a church.

            Architect A. F. Gruenhagen drew the plans as suggested by Pastor Johnson and Carl W. Nelson took the contract to erect the building.  C. G Gmeiner had charge of the stone foundation, brick work and plastering.  Ground was broken and work commenced the latter part of April or the first of May, so that the corner stone was laid the first Sunday in June.

            The above cut represents the building as it stands on the corner of Badger and Division streets.

           It was dedicated on Sunday morning at 10 o’clock, August 31, in the presence of nearly seven hundred people.  Rev. A. L. J. Soholm gave the opening address, and Rev. G. B. Christenson, president of the Synod, delivered the dedicatory sermon.  Other local ministers of note were present.  There was also an afternoon and an evening service.  No special effort was made to secure a large sum at the dedication, however, we learn that the morning offering was over $100.  The services of preaching and song were very interesting and impressive.

            The church proper is seventy-five feet long and thirty-six feet wide.  The walls and ceiling are finished in light green and gold fresco work, which was done by the Nelson Painting company and reflects credit on their work.  The floors are of hard maple, the wainscoting, seats, pulpit and altar are of quarter sawed oak finished in rich oil or golden color.  The seats or pews are easy to the person and were made by the Manitowoc Seating Company.  The center aisle and choir platform are carpeted with a pretty design in rich maroon.  The windows are set in the wall in imitation of bevel stone work without casing.  The Wis. Art Glass Co. of Oshkosh furnished the windows, which are of leaded glass in rich, mellow tints and are really beautiful.  The front window design is a grand piece of work, representing a cross surrounded with olive branches.  Above is the dove, below the dove is a golden crown and from it a representation of God’s rays of sunlight which appear to be radiating both the cross and crown. It is all made of small pieces of cathedral glass fitted and blended in such a manner as to tell the story as would a magnificent painting.  The pulpit is made after the plan of those in the Lutheran church in the old country.  The altar and chancel is of pretty design and in the center of the altar above the chancel is a beautiful oil painting of our Savior, painted by an old friend of the local pastor, Rev. H. Jensen of Council Bluffs, Iowa.  Mr. G. Reuder of this city did the work on the pulpit and altar and it is fine indeed.  A side entrance from the parsonage is arranged off the altar room.  The front entrance is by several easy steps, the vestibule being in the tower.  The tower rises to the height of about eighty feet and is surmounted with an aluminum cross.  The doors and casings are of fine Georgia pine, oil and varnish finish.  The basement under the church has a lecture and Sunday school room 32 x 40 feet. It has a hard birch floor; that and the wainscoting being oil finished.  They use the old church seating benches in this room for the present.  In the rear of the lecture room is the furnace room which will soon have installed a Mueller, Milwaukee furnace, for wood or coal.  The basement is lighted by nice windows of opaque green glass.  The Waupaca Electric Light company have installed a metre and a fine series of lamps to furnish all he light wanted to fully light the church and lecture room.  A room under the vestibule will be converted into a suitable lavatory when a sewerage system is sometime installed..

            Altogether it is a pretty church and reflects credit on Contractor Nelson and all concerned in the prompt and able manner and in the excellence of workmanship.  The parking around the church will be seeded this fall and will eventually add to the beauty of the setting.