THE FORGOTTEN CHURCH AT MELROSE, FLORIDA

Now an addendum to my investigations of Lutheranism in Marion County. I mentioned that one of the early missionary pastors to Marion County was W. A. Julian. Local records show that he had performed a wedding in Marion County on February 21, 1865, of John W. Randall and Louise B. Todd.  (I am wondering if the bride was any relation to Pr. Bernheim’s wife, Jane Todd.)  That’s the only evidence about his presence other than the fact that he isn’t listed in the 1860 census. I have now discovered that from 1854-1863 he was serving Beck’s, Pilgrim, and St. Luke’s churches in Lexington, NC. (Pr. Bernheim served the same churches in 1874-1878.) Pr. Julian was back in North Carolina at Zion, Coble from 1865-1870 which leaves the years between 1863 and 1865 when he could be in Marion County.

We know he was back in Florida serving Bethlehem in Columbia County, 1893-1898.  There he had to contend with the great storm of 1896 which blew down the church. At that point I lost track of him until I found a reference to him living in Melrose, Florida in 1904.  Melrose is a town straight north of Ocala in Putnam County near the Alachua-Putnam County line. As far as I knew, there weren’t any Lutheran churches in Alachua County until the 1930s. I wondered if Pastor Julian had given up on the Lutheran Church. Not so. The GainesvilleThe Daily Sun has several references to the Lutheran church in Melrose.  There is certainly no mention of a Melrose church in the History of the Florida Synod and it wasn’t one of the preaching points for Missouri Synod Lutheran Pastors. Where did this one come from? The answer is the Pittsburgh Synod.

Why would a northern synod have a church in Florida? Perhaps there was a touch of “brand consciousness” involved. This Pittsburgh Synod belonged to the General Council. Three of the existing Lutheran Churches belonged to the Missouri Synod, and the other two to the United Synod, South.

Here’s most of the story taken directly from History of the Southern Conference of the Pittsburgh Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church by Wm. F. Ulery and Adolphus Le Roy Yount  Adolphus Le Roy Yount, 1903.

In the autumn of 1890, Rev. A. H. Waters resigned his position as superintendent of the Soldiers' Orphans' School at Jumomille, Pa., and went, with his wife, to spend the winter in Florida. He settled in Melrose, where he found a few Lutherans, who, as well as himself, desired to have church service. At the request of these people he held services, and as the interest was awakened, they were continued, and on the l0th of February, 1894. a congregation was organized with eight members, under the title of "St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church." A constitution was adopted in harmony with the doctrinal basis of the General Council and Mr. Francis Obenhoff and Mr. Wm. A. Vogelbach were elected as elder and deacon respectively. During the time when Rev. Waters has his residence in Melrose, he conducts regular services on every Lord's Day: during his absence in the summer months he provides for occasional supplies.

In 1894 a move was made to build a church. Plans and specificat1ons were secured and adopted, and the contract was let for the building. As soon as the foundation was completed the corner-stone was laid, the Services being conducted by Rev. Waters.

Early in 1895, the church was finished and was set apart to the worship of God. Rev. J. Bowman, D. D., was present on this occasion and preached the dedication sermon, and the pastor performed the act of consecration.

The church is a very neat frame building, 28x42 fact in size, gothic in its architecture, and is handsomely finished, and furnished in a corresponding manner. It has fine stained glass windows and beautiful chancel furniture. Two of the large windows are memorial; the one for the youngest son, and the other for the wife of the pastor. The one representing the Good Shepherd, and the other the Angel of Praise. Both are fine  specimens of art. The church is beautifully situated, overlooking Lake Santa Fe, and presents a very phasing appearance. The lot on which this lovely church stands, was donated to the congregation by Rev. A. H. Walters, and, with the exception of a few donations from friends and some gifts of the Ladies' Aid Society of the First Lutheran church, Pittsburg, he paid for the building of the church. The membership is still small, but there has been a gradual increase in the last few years. It was organized with eight members, its present communicant membership is 23.

The church is deservedly popular in the town, and is exerting a good influence on the people who are associated with it, and has proved a source of great comfort to the Lutheran people who have taken up their residence in Melrose. It has had only one pastor, Rev. A. H. Waters, who founded it, and has had charge of it from its organization till the present time.

The final chapter to the story was soon to be written. Pastor Waters died May 24, 1903. It appears for a time Pr. Julian served the church, but a notice appeared in The Daily Sun, March 16 1904. “Rev Julian has accepted a charge at a Lutheran Church in Fitzgerald.“ I haven’t located Fitzgerald yet, let alone a Lutheran church. I find no further references to St. Luke church after this date, so I suppose that the church closed. I have to check with friends in Gainesville to see if they know where the building is (or was).


I am away on vacation next week, so there won’t be another blog until June 25.


May the Lord bless you on your journey and greet you on your arrival.

Wayne


JUNE 22 UPDATE


I visited Melrose yesterday. St. Luke's Church was converted to a residence for John McLeod in 1925. 

Here's a picture ca. 1910-1920

Here's a picture of it today.