The following is from Saleste, Paul H., Ninetieth Anniversary of Saint John's Evangelical and Reformed Church, January 1, 1935.
The eighth minister was Rev. F. Lenschau. Illuminating is an abstract from a letter written to a friend. He says, "My church has three windows on each side. Below is the church basement, low and rather small, also somewhat damp. In this basement room are rows of home-made desks, at each of which six or eight pupils sit on benches without back-rests. Here I am to conduct the vacation German School. The church proper is a plain room, but has a gallery in the rear for the choir. In the middle of the auditorium is a great big stove, which gives an immense amount of heat, when it is going full-blast. When it really burns, members twist and squirm, and eventually move ten or twelve feet further away." Members twisted and squirmed too when those old time ministers when full-blast, you may be sure.
This is a bit of undisguised annotation, descriptive of that early church. An account of the church-activities and church lie would be still more colorful. During Rev. Lenschau's pastorate it became more and more evident, that the congregation was ready for a newer, larger, more modern church home. The congregation numbered 103 families. In the Sunday school were 125 children. Anent beginnings of this auxiliary agency of the church, we may recall that the first Supt. other than the minister was L. Wolfarth. He was followed by P. Rissler, W. Duerr, and A. Kallmerten in order. The church willingly followed Rev. Lenschau's suggestions, and drew plans for a new church on the same site. So the building was sold, moved to Fourth and later to Fifth and Adams and used as a soap factory. One of the mothers commenting on this use of a venerable and beloved building said: "It is better that it got to be a soap-factory than a saloon. Souls were cleansed in it for twenty-five years, now they make soap in it for the cleansing of bodies." For many years it defied the ravages of time, but was later dismantled. Thus comes to an end, the first period of the history of our church.
From a small but vigorous beginning Saint John's had now grown into a strong and commanding organization, ministering effectively and affectionately to the spiritual needs of an ever-widening circle of German-speaking members of the community. The church was doing well. It had survived the hazards of youth, had passed through the dangers of periods of "storms and stress," and was coming into a period characterized by the consolidation and use of power. It had grown to the point where it was ready for steady and prolonged effort. It was not as plastic and radical as the first church, but more settled and reliable.
It found itself, too, in a period when civilization had not yet so encroached upon the lives of man, to demand first-line attention to material things, at the cost of the spiritual. "Man shall not live by bread alone" had a deep significance. The Sabbath was God's Day, and that day was to be spent in his courts with praise, and spending that day in his courts was a happy task.
The second church was built on the same ground, which had been consecrated by the twenty-five years of service of the first church. Rev. F. Lenschau, its builder was possessed of a regenerated heart, a benevolent intention, an indefatigable zeal, and a unique gift of organization. The second church stands to this day, as a memorial to his vision for an expanding church, reaching out more and more to a greater and greater number of German-speaking Christians. I am told by one of the members still living, and remembering the zeal of the former days, "that there was possibly no beam or pillar, brick or mortar, which he did not reverently handle and assign its place." Another member says, "I still remember how Pastor Lenschau and my father, went day after day into the woods not far away, with axe and saw, to prepare the timber that was to be used." So the minister carefully directed the work of building the house of God, in the spirit of Haggai, who heard these words from heaven, "Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Go up to the mountain and bring wood, and build my house: and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified therein." Haggai 1:8. And with the same response of that ancient people, the members went to work. A vein of quicksand was uncovered in the work of excavation, and many a wagon load of rock was poured into the quivering sands, that the house of God might be both physically and spiritually founded upon a Rock.
The dedication of the church was on June 25th, 1871. It was a glorious summer day. Three inspiring services marked the celebration of the first day. In the morning, Rev. Theo. Dresel of Louisville, Ky. former pastor preached the dedication sermon. Rev. Kroenlein of Loudenville, assisted at the altar. In the afternoon service Rev. Quinius of Indianapolis, a friend of the pastor, was guest minister, assisted by Rev. Seybold of Hayesville. In the evening the ministers Piritt, M. E. Hall, Presbyterian, and Fairfield, Congregational, brought the greetings of sister churches in Mansfield. The offering was $616.61.
Because the second church was built on the same site as the first church, and the congregation hampered by the absence of a house of worship during construction days, the new church was used as soon as possible. We find therefore, that the church became a place of worship a early as November of the preceding year, with the first service being held on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 1870. The cost of the completed structure is given as $21,000, of which the major portion was paid on the day of dedication. You will observe this trait of Saint John's all through its history, to pay for its buildings and obligations at once, and to remain out of debt at all costs. And that means sacrificial giving.
The following is from Saleste, Paul H., One Hundred Years of Saint John's Church, Evangelical and Reformed, January 1, 1945. (Spelling and grammar as in the original.)
First about the leader of the venture, Pastor Lenschau. "He possessed a regenerated heart, a benevolent intention, an indefatigable zeal, and a splendid gift of organization." I am told by one of the members of that day, and still living, "that there was possibly no beam or pillar, brick or mortar, which he did not reverently inspect, handle and assign to its place." Another member adds, "I still remember how Pastor Lenschau and my father went day after day into the woods, not too far away, with axe and saw, to prepare the timber that was to be used." So this consecrated man of God acted in the spirit of that passage in Haggai, which he knew so well, "Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Go up to the mountain and bring wood, and build my house: and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified therein." Haggai 1:8. When a vein of quicksand was uncovered in the work of excavation, they hauled the rock by many a wagon full, and filled the spot, that they might sing in the church in years to come with genuine confidence, "How firm a Foundation, Ye saints of the Lord." They desired it to stand immovable and sure, "when the rain descended and the floods came, and the winds blew, because it was founded upon a rock."
The first service of the church was on Thanksgiving Day of the year 1870, on November 24th. The structure was still quite incomplete - except that the basement had been prepared - and from then on until the dedication on June 25, 1871, the services of the congregation were held there.
A very gratifying by-line says, "a few of the founders of the first church - charter members as we would say - from 1845, were present at the Dedication, and were the most jubilant and enraptured of them all." Too bad they neglected to leave a record of their names, this remnant of the faithful forty of 1845.
They entered their new house of worship joyfully and lustily singing, "Tut mir auf die schoene Pforte" (Open unto Me the Hallowed Portals). The dedication sermon was by Re. Theo. Dresel, pastor of the church (1855-57), who together with Pastors Kraus, Kroenlein (Loudenville), and the Pastor Lenschau impressively dedicated the new sanctuary to the service of man and the glory of God. There was a second service in the afternoon and final festivities in the evening, with Pastors Kroenlein, Seybold (Hayesville), and Quinius (Indianapolis) sharing the service.