The German Baptist Church
Louisville, Kentucky
The Baptist Argus, 1897The German Baptist brethren of Louisville, Ky., are vigorously striving to meet their indebtedness of $10,400 by April 1, 1898, the date agreed upon by their creditors. The pastor has visited during the summer and fall sixteen associations and churches too numerous to mention, in all parts of the State representing the cause and appealing for help. We gratefully acknowledge the willingness of pastors and churches to come to the rescue, some beyond expectation. Over $4,700 have been contributed in cash and pledges, but there is yet $5,700 to be provided for, and that in five short months, upon condition that every dollar must be subscribed before we can expect and therefore make any payments at all. This insures success of the enterprise. When paid, the church is willing to transfer the property to the State Board to hold it in trust for us. This insures the property to the Kentucky Baptists and guarantees safe investment of every dollar.
Foreclosure; as threatened in case of failure means: Total loss of property, $7,000 Baptist money already invested, dissolution of church organization and abandonment of our prosperous work. Will 175,000 Baptists in this State consent to such an ignominious end of the only German Baptist church in this city working among 30,000 foreign population, and which has been in the past and will be in the future a feeder to American churches? Please send to undersigned for tract describing the German Baptists of North America.
In view of the importance of our work and the graveness of our situation we fervently ask for the co-operation of every pastor whom, and whose church we are unable to visit personally, and earnestly beg not to delay appeals already sent, or being sent to their respective churches, but to subscribe such an amount as the churches are able to pay by April 1st and to send the pledges to the undersigned at the earliest convenience for record in subscription book and deposit at Louisville Banking Company. This enables calculation for success of enterprise. We must absolutely know as early as possible what amounts to be sure of, or we may fail in spite of intended willingness to help. A full report of amounts received from churches will be published at the successful end of campaign. Most fraternally,
Wm. Ritzman, Pastor,
For the German Baptist Church, Louisville, Ky.========== [From The Baptist Argus, November 11, 1897, p. 5; via Baylor U. digital documents. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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