BETHESDA CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH ANTELOPE

Title

BETHESDA CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH ANTELOPE

Creator

Milton Walth

Coverage

TOWNSHIP 137N RANGE 91W

Text

BETHESDA CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH ANTELOPE

When families started settling in Stark County in the late 1800's, the settlers, because of their
religious convictions, gathered together on Sundays in homes for worship and prayer.
On June 2, 1897, at the home of Christian Lemke, a small group of people decided to become an
organized church. The name decided upon was The German Bethesda Congregational Church.
Charter members were: John and Maria Schumacher; Jacob and Friedrika Aisenbrey; Christian
and Dorothea Pipke; Christian and Christine Lemke; Gottfried and Lydia Siewert; Michael and
Friedrika Schweitz; Christian and Magdalena Fries and Michael and Maria Specher. Chairman
was Christian Pipke and secretary was Michael Sprecker.

On March 23, 1898, the group incorporated under its original name and purchased 40 acres from
the Northern Pacific Company, in Section 9-137-91. Buying price was $ 1.25 an acre.
On February 25, 1899 a building committee was set up consisting of John Schumacher, William
Schultz and Michael Specker. A church was built with the Sanctuary 22 ft × 32 ft., the altar 14 ft.
× 16 ft. and a vestibule 10 ft. × 10 ft. Fredrick Terres was contracted to build the church for
$960. It was completed July 1, 1899 with dedication on July 2nd. More than 400 persons
attended the dedication with Pastor Daniel Neuensehnandle, Fessenden, dedicating pastor. The
first pastor of the church was J. C. Schwabenland. In order to pay for the church $300 was
borrowed from the C.C.B.S. to be paid back and William Schultz paid off the rest of the debt and
members with land ownership to pay $10 a year until these debts were paid. Non-land members
did not have to pay. Records show that possibly this debt was paid back in the first few years.
First baby baptized was Martha Pipke on July 26, 1896, daughter of Christian and Dorothea
Pipke The first couples married were Daniel Lemke and Mathilda Diedrich and Emanuel Dittus
and Sussana Schatz on July 8, 1900.

Membership increased and by 1929, a need to enlarge the church was expressed, but then the
depression came along and many members had to sell their farms and move to other parts of the
nation. So the church building stayed the same except when a basement was dug out to put in a
furnace.

Services were held every Sunday morning and Sunday afternoon until the church closed in 1954.
Sermons were in both German and English except the last few years. Christmas programs were a
big attraction each year.

The last baby to be baptized was Betty Lou Hirning, daughter of Walter and Erma Hirning, on
Oct. 18, 1953. The last couple married were Ernest Harrison and Bernice Schwartzman on Oct.
30, 1952. The last minister was Henry Scheer.

With decreasing membership, the church was closed and the remaining members became part of
the Newburg Congregational Church, Mott, in Hettinger County.
By Milton Walth