It would be a congenial task to give a fuller account of these men and
of Ruperti, Vorberg, Raegener, Hennicke, Waetter, Foehlinger, Koenig,
Halfmann, Frey, Weissel, Beyer and others whose names and lives a few of
the older preachers will recall. Perhaps some who read this book will
accept the suggestion and write accounts of these pioneer workmen. What
a Ministers' Association they would have formed if we could have gotten
them together into a conference to discuss the terms of agreement. But
that was impossible thirty years ago.

A singularly interesting career came to a close just as I was concluding
these memorial paragraphs. Dr. Charles E. Weltner died in Brunswick,
Georgia, December 22d, 1917.

He was born in Wilhelmshoehe, January 28th, 1860, where his father
commanded a company of soldiers in the royal castle. In his early youth
he was sent to New York to meet a relative whom he never found. One
Sunday morning, homeless and friendless, he accosted me after service at
the door of the church. I offered him employment in my office and for
several years he was an efficient helper in the educational and mission
work of my parish. Although he was already suffering from defective
eyesight, which not long afterward resulted in total blindness, he
expressed an ardent desire to enter the ministry. Under the
circumstances this seemed to be impossible, but his earnest pleas
overcame every objection. In 1884 he entered Hartwick Seminary where he
was graduated with honor in 1888. Unable himself to read the text books,
his friends read them for him. Especially helpful to him in his studies
were Professor Hiller and his wife, the daughter of the sainted Dr.
George B. Miller.

Upon the completion of his course in 1888 he was ordained to the Gospel