Archives: Transcription of Letter by Frederick Schmid to the Wruttenburg Seminary August 1833 Transcribed letters are held in the collection of the Zion Lutheran Church Archive Ann Arbor, Michigan "Sunday morning, September 22, was a friendly, lovely day on which occasion the poor Germans came from as far as ten and fifteen mils in order to take the communion of the Lord and hear the proclamation of the Word of God which was something new and, in a measure, a privilege to many of them. On Saturday evening they had arranged for a spacious schoolhouse where we held our services, but when we wanted to enter it on Sunday morning, the key was not available. One of the gentlemen, a Catholic, who had something to say about this, had disappeared with the key in order to put the Lutherans in a dilemma. A messenger brought me the news that the Germans had congregated in front of the building but couldn't enter. No other building was available, and the people were assembled. I asked whether or not there was a barn to which we could go. This was feasible. We went there, prepared everything as well as we could, and I must say that I have never experienced the splendor of the Lord in His Blessing as here. The old barn became a temple and alter of God. It became filled with poor sinners among whom many of them sought mercy and joined in a beautiful German hymn. I experienced compassion for them. Many had to remain outside because of the large number, which was a surprise to everyone since no one had ever seen all the Germans congregated before, but they all heard the Word of God, even those who couldn't find room within. A table was brought in upon which the wine and bread for communion were placed. Even though we didn't have a chalice and such holy vessels as you have (Instead of a chalice we used a tumbler)."

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