"I dreamt in a most realistic way that uncle, while thinking about leaving San Francisco, had died from a stroke."

My good friend Ed Suelflow continues to translate very interesting documents pertaining to the early presidents of the LCMS. This letter gives an idea of how close President Heinrich C. Schwan was to his uncle, Friedrich Wyneken. Sihler was pastor at St. Paul, Ft. Wayne. By the way, Ed is now translating the biography by Sihler mentioned in the letter.

Pastor H.

SCHWAN TO SIHLER

Translated by Ed Suelflow

Cleveland, May 9, 1876

Dear honored Doctor:

It is time to prepare proposals for our Synod. One of these should deal with the discussion we had last year concerning the internal condition of our congregations. I would ask you herewith to take over this project.

I am not familiar with the “whys” and the “wherefores.” Twice we had similar discussions, in 1856 and 1858, on the basis of reports that have been considered. The impression that remained with me is that, even though the discussions were fruitful, they were more personal opinion rather than substance based on the reports. The reports themselves were rather useless, because of the sheer volume of questionable judgments expressed by individual Pastors – an extraordinary disproportion. How can we avoid it this time? And is there a way to discuss the matter without these reports?

Further, it is likewise unclear to me which specific issues concerning the life of our congregations we are to discuss this time – the same ones, to prove progress or lack of it – or are there other issues? Some of these should not be included, even though this topic was deemed important by the Pastoral Conference: “Theses Concerning the Doctrine of Sin”. Certainly this was the cause of somewhat idle but interesting conversation at the Conference. (I will appoint Pastor Koehler as reporter and Carl Schmidt as co-reporter.)

I have no other counsel except to ask you to select both the subject matter as well as the way to handle it.

Your son, with whom I visited yesterday, shared with me the plan to wait for the beginning of the college semester until November, so the new arrivals might escape the unfortunate fever. Also all vacations and other free days would be cancelled. This seemed plausible to me. I asked him to draw up a memorial to that effect, that, if it were accepted by the teacher college board of regents (Aufsichtsbehoerde), to present it then to the Synod.

No doubt you already heard by telegram that the body of my uncle is on its way from St. Louis and will probably lie in state here next Sunday. The congregation has invited Walther to preach the funeral sermon. As far as I know Pastor Nieman has invited you to participate. If you cannot come, surely you will write Wyneken’s biography for Der Lutheraner. I dreamt in a most realistic way that uncle, while thinking about leaving San Francisco, had died from a stroke. I sat down then and wrote him a letter of encouragement. It appears that he actually died at that exact time. I am satisfied that he is at rest, which was his desire, but I miss him more than I had originally thought.

It has been necessary for my wife to be bed-ridden for months. I am waiting for the first warm days to take her into the country. It will be good medicine for her.

Yours truly,

H.C.Schwan

218 Erie