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.

Pastor Steimle died in 1880. He was a devout man, a rugged personality,
beloved by his people and esteemed by his colleagues. His congregation
in Brooklyn, now served by the pastors Kraeling, father and son, is one
of the strong churches of the city.

One of the early members of the congregation, whose support meant much
for his pastor, was Jacob Goedel. He subsequently returne