The First LCMS School

  I feel compelled to tell you the story of the very first school of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The story is very special to me.  The marker shown in this picture was taken this morning on my property behind my barn.  It designates the location of the log cabin school which was located there from 1839-1842.
  In the early 1800's in what is now Germany, the state church was Lutheran.  It was governed by the royalty.  During this time period, there was a movement to unite the Lutherans with some Reformed church bodies.  As a result, Lutheran churches were mandated to make changes in how they were worshiping and what they were teaching.  There were some Lutherans, sometimes referred to as "old Lutherans", who, being dictated by their consciences, would not tolerate such changes.  After years of fighting against this movement, a group was organized which had the goal of leaving Germany to go to a place where they could maintain their confessional beliefs.  An immigration society grew to about 700 people who left Germany in late 1838 to come to America so that they could enjoy  freedom of religion.
   The story of this immigration is filled with stories of hardships.  However, despite the difficulties, these immigrants survived, establishing a colony in Perry County, Missouri.  During their first year, this group decided it was important to build a school so that their faith could be taught to their children.  You see, one of the reasons they left Germany was because they thought it was important to pass their doctrinal beliefs on to the next generation.  A small log cabin was built at the location above which opened its doors in 1839 to eleven students, which consisted of 7 boys and 4 girls. Classes were taught in German, but English as well as several other languages were part of the curriculum.  The log cabin still exists today and is on display at the Lutheran Heritage Center & Museum in Altenburg, Missouri.
   Part of this story is that the first Lutheran church in Perry County was built in 1845.  That's right.  A Lutheran school was built BEFORE the first church was built.  Church services were held in a pastor's parsonage during those first years.  Just think about that for a moment.  The Lutheran school was considered so important that it was built well before they got around to building a church.  They certainly valued the Christian education of their young ones.
   Today, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has several thousand early childhood centers, elementary schools, high schools, and colleges.  It all started behind my barn.  I confess that I am rather proud of that.  God has granted countless blessings to proceed from that humble beginning.  Those immigrants did not just see their school as a nice thing to have.  They considered it to be a NECESSARY part of their church and community.  God bless Lutheran schools.  Let's start more of them.