Pieces of Our Past

With this series, the Institute shares some of the interesting documents, artifacts and publications in our collection. Approximately every two weeks a message will be sent via LCMS eNews with an image of the featured item and a brief description. Larger images will be viewable through this page along with more extensive background information on the item that is featured where appropriate.

Items Published in This Series

No. 30: Louisiana Purchase Exposition Materials (1903–1904)
No. 29: Synod Gavel (1911)
No. 28: Baseball Challenge (1876)
No. 27: Crucifix (circa 1868)
No. 26: Lithograph of the Ev. Luth. Orphanage and Church, St. Louis County [Des Peres], Missouri (ca. 1868–1873)
No. 25: Ojibwe-English Dictionary (1903)
No. 24: Wedding Dress (1877)
No. 23: Photograph of Missionary Olive Gruen with seven orphans (1939)
No. 22: Map of German Lutheran Mission Work in North America (1848)
No. 21: Postcard of Concordia College [Theological Seminary], Springfield, Illinois
No. 20: Kettle Créche (Italy, date unknown)
No. 19: Concordia College Military Uniform (mid-1920s)
No. 18: Wooden Mask from Papua New Guinea (ca. 1967–1971)
No. 17: Index of Luther’s German Writings (1664)
No. 16: Mule Shoe (Concordia Seminary construction?)
No. 15: This Is the Life director’s chair, 16 mm movie reel, script and photograph (1954)
No. 14: Souvenir Baseball signed by the St. Louis Cardinals (ca. 1938–1939)
No. 13: Hindu Temple (model, ca. 1930s)
No. 12: Olbers Passenger List (First Cabin) (November 1838)
No. 11: Wedding Chairs (date unknown)
No. 10: Portrait of Dr. Alfred O. Fuerbringer (1974)
No. 9: Photograph, New Members, Saint Philip Lutheran Church (Chicago, Illinois, 1924)
No. 8: Chinese Dragon Mask
No. 7: The Johann Georg (oil painting by Rev. George H. Hilmer, 1937)
No. 6: Kirchen-Gesang-Buch für Evangelisch-Lutherische Gemeinden ungeänderter Augburgischer Confession (1847)
No. 5: Rev. August Friedrich Craemerʼs Marriage Certificate (1845)
No. 4: A Manual of Prayers for Soldiers (1863)
No. 3: Altenburg, Missouri, Parsonage Watercolor (1848)
No. 2: Theodor Walther camera and African American mission slides (circa 1920)
No. 1: C. F. W. Walther Passport (1860)