This article first appeared in the Thursday, July 15, 1954 edition of The Giddings, Texas, News.



St. Paul's Lutheran Church at Serbin celebrated the 100th anniversary of the founding of Serbin by the Wends under the Rev. John Kilian on Sunday, June 11.

The congregation has been served by four pastors during the 100 years of its existence. The present pastor, the Rev. A. Arndt was preceded by the founder, the Rev. John Kilian; his son, the Rev. Herman Kilian; and the Rev. Herman Schmidt, a native of Serbin, as shepherds of St. Paul’s.

Thirty-five hundred descendants of the Wends who came to Serbin, 500 strong, in 1854, attended the religious services in English, German, and Wendish, and enjoyed the sumptuous barbecue dinner at noon.

The climax came in the afternoon service in the Wendish language by the Rev. Theodore Schmidt of La Grange, assisted by a mixed choir selected from local members and visitors who still remembered the Wendish language which sang the traditional Wendish closing hymn "Abide O Dearest Jesus." This was followed by the reading of Psalm 145 by the Rev. P. B. Fritsche of Denver, Colo.

The Rev. F. H. Stelzer of Thorndale listed the 2334 baptisms; 2336 confirmations, and 611 weddings among the many ways in which St. Paul's had served as a blessing to the new country settled by the Wends in Lee County 100 years ago.

The Rev. G. A. Zoch of Taylor recounted in detail the activities of the Wendish settlers and their descendants since the landing of the 500 at Galveston a century ago.

The Rev. Oliver Harms of Houston compared the work of Serbin’s founder, the Rev. John Kilian, to that of the Saxon fathers, founders of the Lutheran church in Missouri.

The Rev. L. A. Werner of Marlin encouraged the 1000 attendants at the German service to thank God for keeping them during these 100 years.

The Rev. A. Arndt read messages from Mrs. Henry Werner, 96 year old widow of a former teacher of St Paul’s Day School, the Rev. J. W. Behnken of St Louis, president of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod; and the many “daughter” congregations of St. Paul’s in Texas founded by descendants of the original 500 Wends to settle on the banks of the Rabbs Creek in Lee County.