Religion > Churches > St. Pauls Evangelical and Reformed Church > Pastors > Rev. Elias Hergert

Rev. Elias Hergert

Elias (Eli) Hergert was born June 22, 1878 in Brunnental, Russia, and was confirmed there in 1893 by Pastor Stuber. In 1900, he married Maria Elisabeth (Mary) Liebrecht. Elias Hergert worked as a teacher in Omsk, Russia (in Siberia). After a diphtheria epidemic in 1907 resulted in the death of three children, Elias and Mary decided to follow his siblings who had come to America. Elias's brother Jacob immigrated to the United States in 1893 and he was serving as pastor of the St. Pauls Evangelical and Reformed Church, which he founded in 1904. Upon arrival in Portland, Elias initially worked as a salesman. He was not fully satisfied with this work and felt a strong desire to become a minister.

Portrait of Elias Hergert taken during his studies at the Eden Theological Seminary. Photograph obtained from and used with the permission of the Eden Theological Seminary Archives (July 2015).

In 1912, Elias entered the Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. The Eden Seminary was established in 1850 by German pastors who were serving the American frontier. These pastors soon formed the German Evangelical Synod of North America and all theological courses were taught in German through the early 1900s. The German Evangelical Synod served primarily German Protestant congregations of mixed Lutheran and Reformed heritage. Although the ethos of the Synod was largely pietistic Lutheran, it was not a Lutheran denomination. Despite this fact, it was not unusual for congregations to use the word "Lutheran" in their name. Throughout the span his ministry work, Rev. Hergert only served congregations who were members of the German Evangelical Synod.

1889 drawing of the Eden College of the German Evangelical Synod of North America.

Following Rev. Hergert's graduation in 1913, he was ordained on his birthday in the newly founded St. John's Evangelical and Reformed Church (known as the Peace Church or the German Evangelical Reformed Church) in the Sellwood district of Portland. Rev. Hergert served this congregation until 1916. This church was located at 610 Tacoma Avenue (now 1522 SE Tacoma Street). The building remains in use as a private residence (2015).

Rev. Elias Hergert.

In August 1916, Rev. Hergert resigned his post at German Evangelical Church and accepted a call to serve as a home missionary in Sheridan, Wyoming. An article in The Morning Oregonian noted that Rev. Hergert was very popular with his congregation and they regretted losing him. From his home base in Sheridan, Rev. Hergert also served missions in Hardin, Montana and Claremont, Wyoming. In 1918, Elias wrote the following article that was published in the German language newspaper Die Welt Post:

In 1916 I went with the Evangelical Synod of North America as a missionary to the states of Wyoming, Montana and Portland, Oregon. My home was Sheridan Wyoming. In the spring of 1917, many German people moved to South Dakota, Montana and Washington. I then went to Hardin, Montana about 80 miles north of Sheridan.

In 1917, I was called to Okeene, Oklahoma. My brother, Pastor J. Hergert of Portland, Oregon took the call to Farmington, Washington for the Iowa Synod.

In 1918, Rev. Hergert is listed in the Hardin, Montana City Directory as pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. When he first built the church, seven families attended. One year later 35 families formed the congregation. Sometime in 1918 he was called to be the pastor of Evangelical Zion Church in Fort Collins, Colorado and served there until 1925. In the first three years of his pastorate the congregation increased in size from 65 to 175. Rev. Hergert recalled one great revival meeting in particular when 54 persons were converted.  

Rev. Hergert was called to Portland to serve the St. Pauls Evangelical and Reformed Church in Portland following the death of his brother, Rev. Jacob Hergert in 1923, but he did not accept this call until 1925.

Rev. Hergert was one of the Portland pastors who helped lead the charitable efforts of the Volga Relief Society in the early 1920s. This organization raised funds to help family and friends in Russia who were facing starvation. Rev. Hergert wrote a poem about his home village of Brunnental which served as a solicitation for funds.

This photograph was taken inside the original sanctuary of the St. Pauls Evangelical and Reformed Church. From left to right: Rev. Elias Hergert, Rev. John Hopp, Rev. Dr. John Jacob Braun?, Rev. Jacob Hergert and Rev. ? Photograph courtesy of Herbert L. Hergert.

In 1938, Rev. Hergert led an effort to enlarge and remodel the St. Pauls church. The addition created a new and larger sanctuary and a steeple was placed above the relocated entry door which was lowered to the ground level. On November 6, 1938, a Kirchweihfest was held at the church. The Kirchweihfest is an ancient religious festival and celebration that is traditionally held upon the consecration of a Christian church building.

Well known throughout the Northwestern German Evangelical churches, Rev. Hergert organized evangelistic meeting in variety of places. He was a very good vocalist and hymn writer. He is probably best known for the publication of his song book, Der Köstliche Schatz (The Precious Treasures), which was published in at least three editions and can still be purchased from a publisher in Germany (2013). This book was used as a supplementary hymn book in many German Congregational churches.

Cover page of "Der Köstliche Schatz" (The Precious Treasures) which was compiled by Rev. Elias Hergert. Courtesy of Steve Schreiber.

Rev. Hergert served as pastor of St. Pauls Church from 1925 to 1939. On June 2, 1940, Rev. Hergert accepted a call to serve the St. Paul's Evangelical and Reformed Church in Lingle, Wyoming at an annual salary of $600.00. Pastor Hergert returned to Portland in 1943 on the advice of his physician to improve his health. Sadly, his condition did not improve and he died in Portland on March 31, 1944.

A Report of Installation for Rev. Elias Hergert in Lingle, Wyoming in 1940. Document obtained from and used with the permission of the Eden Theological Seminary Archives (July 2015).

A well attended funeral was held on April 5th in the St. Pauls Evangelical and Reformed Church. Rev. Heinrich Hagelganz, a friend and fellow countryman of Rev. Hergert who served the Second German Congregational Church, preached in German while the local pastor spoke in English. Altogether nine Lutheran pastors and six clergymen from neighboring German Congregational churches were in attendance. After the funeral his body was taken to the Rose City Cemetery for burial. In his obituary Rev. Carl Pfeiffer wrote:

His own compatriots will remember his name a long time via his pastoral works among themselves and through his publishing and often‑used songbook "Der Köstliche Schatz" (The Precious Treasures).

Although Rev. and Mrs. Hergert suffered the loss of three more children during their time in the United States, they did have four children who survived to adulthood: Elias Jr. (bornin  1910), Solomon (Sollie) (born in 1915), Jacob (Jake) (born in 1918), and Mary (Mrs. Joseph Greenwald born in 1922).

Grave marker for Rev. Elias Hergert and his wife Mary Elisabeth at the Rose City Cemetery in Portland. Source: Find-A-Grave.com.

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Sources

Hergert, Herbert L. "The Hergert Brothers." The Brunnental Village Newsletter, November 1998, pgs. 4-10.

Holl, Scott. Eden Theological Seminary Archives, 475 E. Lockwood Ave., St. Louis, MO 63119. July 2015.

Millar (née Schott), Virgina. "Memories of St. Pauls Evangelical Church." May 1, 2002.

Pfeiffer, Rev. Carl. "Obituary for Pastor Elias Hergert." Der Friedensbote, St. Louis, Missouri, April 30, 1944 

"City News In Brief." The Morning Oregonian [Portland], August 29, 1916. pg. 9.

"Rev. Elias Hergert Proud of Reconstructed Church." The Oregonian [Portland], 1939.

Portland City Directories.

Last updated February 22, 2017.