1944: 95TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH

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Yesterday I published duplicate posts on the above graphic. In the post. Naturally, I nuked the one that had descriptive text requesting any visitors to enlighten me on whether the "Trenton Evangelical Lutheran church was the same entity as the German Lutheran Church. Thanks to fellow genealogist/historian Alan Wildblood, I have received the following note:

Alan wrote 2 REPLIES TO THIS REQUEST FOR FURTHER INFO:

REPLY 1:

I am not an expert but have an opinion. Here in Germany the Protestant state church goes by Evangelisch. At first I wanted to translate that as Lutheran. The German Protestants, or at least some of them, nowadays like to translate that simply as "Protestant." One reason is that "Evangelical" sounds like a bunch of right-wing, redneck Bible Belt fanatics. This religious and political wing of Christianity has a bad press, certainly here in Germany. Lately I have been tending toward "Evangelical Lutheran." I think it is like the Protestant Episcopals dropping the Protestant and the Methodist Episcopals dropping the Episcopal. In old newspapers you also see "German Lutheran" and "English Lutheran." I am sure that just means the language used in the services. In other words, I would be willing to bet you a brew that Trinity Evangelical Lutheran at some point dropped the "Evangelical." If nobody gives you a more authoritative view, it wouldn't be that hard to figure it out by comparing addresses in old articles.

REPLY 2:

Here is a little more on Trinity Lutheran. An 1964 article says it was founded in 1849. The 1964 address was 189 South Broad Street.

In 1863 Trinity Evangelical Lutheran was on Broad Street with a service in German at 10:30 a.m. and in English at 3:30 p.m.

…1885 we again find Trinity Evangelical Lutheran.

…1897 through 1912 Trinity German Lutheran on South Broad near Livingston, and that included a 1906 sauerkraut supper enjoyed by 100 people.

…1922 Trinity Lutheran was cited at Broad near Livingston.

... 1924 pulpit notices only have St. Paul’s Lutheran using “Evangelical,” with Church of the Saviour at Front and Montgomery no longer using “Evangelical” as it had in 1908.

... 1963 Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church sold lots at 30 Livingston Street to J. B. Van Sciver.

From the 1929 History of Trenton published under the auspices of the Trenton Historical Association, I quote:

The first Lutheran congregation to come into existence in Trenton was that of 1849, which is to be identified with the present German Evangelical Lutheran Trinity Church on South Broad Street. … In 1849 the Rev. Charles Augustus Brandt came to Trenton and organized a German-speaking congregation, to which was given the title "St. John's Congregation of the Augsburg Confession of Trenton and South Trenton." The first services, 1849, were held in a room of the City Hall and afterwards in Scott's Hall opposite.

Polish Lutherans still cite the Augsburg Confession in official references to their denomination.