August 23
1723 Increase
Mather, one of colonial America's most famous clergymen,
died (b. 21 June 1639).
1727
Carl Magnus Wrangel, Swedish Lutheran pastor in America,
was born in Molinta parish, Vastmanland, Sweden (d. 12 June
1786).
1820
Polycarp C. Henkel, first president of Concordia College
(Conover, North Carolina), was born near Conover, North
Carolina (d. 29 September 1889).
1828
Karl F. A. Gützlaff (1803–1851)
of the Netherlands Mission Society landed in Bangkok,
Thailand.
1829
William Shrubsole, hymnist, died at Highbury (b. 21
November 1759, Sheerness, on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent,
England).
1896 Paul William Zanow was born in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin (d. 22 July 1985, Milwaukee). He
graduated from Concordia Seminary (Saint Louis) in 1923 and
served as a professor at Concordia College (Milwaukee,
Wisconsin) from 1929 to 1969.
1928
Russell Kelso Carter (b. 18 November 1849), American
Methodist clergyman and hymnist, died.
1943
Karl August Johannes Fritschel, professor at Wartburg
College for over fifty years, died (b. 24 June 1863, Saint
Sebald, Iowa).
1952 Sir
Frederick George Kenyon (b. 15 January 1863), British
archeologist and philologist, died.
1976 Martin J. Neeb Sr. died in Saint
Louis (b. 1 October 1906, Augsburg, Ontario). Neeb served
the Missouri Synod’s higher education program from the time
of his graduation in 1929 from Concordia Seminary (Saint
Louis). He earned an M.A. degree from the University of
Texas in 1937 and later served as a visiting instructor
there. In 1945 Neeb became the first executive secretary for
the Board of Higher Education of the synod. He upgraded the
educational programs of the synod’s fourteen colleges and
seminaries and sought regional and professional
accreditation for the synod’s colleges. Neeb developed
expansion plans for the synod's ministerial education
program to include a final two years of college-level
training and a B.A. degree for students entering the synod’s
seminaries during his years with the board. His efforts led
to the development of the senior college program. He was
elected president of the school in 1954, and under his
leadership Concordia Senior College (Fort Wayne, Indiana)
became one of the most respected church-related colleges in
the country. For his work Neeb was awarded honorary
doctorates by Concordia College (Seward, Nebraska) and
Valparaiso (Indiana) University.
1982 Martin H. Scharlemann died in Saint
Louis, Missouri (b. 28 December 1910, Nashville, Illinois).
He did his undergraduate study at Concordia College (Saint
Paul, Minnesota) and Concordia College (Fort Wayne,
Indiana). He graduated from Concordia Seminary (Saint Louis)
in 1934 and served congregations in Minnesota, Indiana,
Missouri and Wisconsin. Scharlemann earned M.A. and Ph.D.
degrees from Washington University (Saint Louis) in 1936 and
1938, respectively, and a Doctor of Theology degree from
Union Theological Seminary (New York City) in 1964. In 1941
he became an Air Force chaplain and served for eleven years.
He remained active in the Air Force Reserve until retirement
in 1971, attaining the rank of brigadier general. He served
on the faculty of Concordia Seminary (Saint Louis) from 1952
until 1982 as a professor of exegetical theology. During his
tenure he was director of graduate studies from 1954 to 1960
and was acting president for three months in early 1974. For
the Missouri Synod he served on the Commission on Theology
and Church Relations, the Social Concerns Commission and the
Commission on Church Literature. Scharlemann wrote nearly
two hundred journal articles ranging from military
chaplaincy manuals to scholarly theological papers. He also
served as an editor for military and church publications.
1982 Clarence Golisch, executive director
of Bethesda Lutheran Home (Watertown, Wisconsin) for sixteen
years, died at Ann Arbor, Michigan (b. 2 January 1905,
Wausau, Wisconsin). Golisch joined the staff of Bethesda in
January 1950 and became superintendent in July. In 1956 he
was named executive director, a position he held until
retirement in 1972. During his tenure the home added nursing
and social service departments and various therapies and
training services and built six new buildings. Enrollment at
the home rose from 339 to more than 600 mentally retarded
persons.
