John Kilian facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Kilian
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| Born | March 22, 1811 Doehlen, Kingdom of Saxony, Confederation of the Rhine
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| Died | September 12, 1884 (aged 73) |
John Kilian (born March 22, 1811 – died September 12, 1884) was a special kind of church leader called a Lutheran pastor. He is famous for leading a group of people known as the Wends of Texas to a new home. These Wends were from a part of Europe that is now Germany.
Who Was John Kilian?
John Kilian was born in a place called Doehlen, in the Kingdom of Saxony. This area is now part of Germany. After finishing school, he went to the University of Leipzig to study theology. This means he learned how to become a pastor.
He worked as a pastor in different towns from 1834 onwards. Kilian was very dedicated to his faith. He did not agree with some new ideas that were becoming popular. These ideas, called "rationalism," tried to explain everything using only science and reason. Kilian believed that the Bible and faith were most important. He even translated many German writings into the Sorbian language for his community.
A New Home in Texas
In 1854, something big happened. About 558 Wendish Lutherans asked Pastor Kilian to lead them on a long journey. They wanted to move from Europe to Texas in America. Many people in Kilian's church were unhappy with the new ideas of rationalism spreading across Europe. They felt it was trying to replace their religion with science.
Besides religious reasons, there were also economic problems in their home country. People found it hard to make a living. Kilian also felt a strong desire to be a missionary in a new land. So, he agreed to lead his followers.
Their journey took them to Galveston, a city on the coast of Texas. From there, they traveled inland. They finally settled about 55 miles east of Austin, in a place that is now Lee County.
On March 25, 1854, before they even left Europe, a new Lutheran church group was formed. This group would become the foundation for the large Wendish move to America. Pastor Kilian was chosen as their leader. Their new settlement in Texas was first called Low Pin Oak Settlement. Later, it was renamed Serbin.
One of the first things Pastor Kilian did in Texas was to join the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. This was a new group of Lutheran churches in America. St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Serbin became the very first Missouri Synod church in Texas. It was also special because it had the only school in America that taught in the Wendish language.
Kilian was also a talented writer. He wrote many hymns, which are religious songs, that are still remembered today. He also wrote poems and speeches.
Kilian's Lasting Legacy
John Kilian's influence can still be seen today, especially at Concordia University Texas. The university has a road named Kilian Road. There is also a very old bell, over 150 years old, at the entrance of one of their buildings. This bell was brought by Kilian and his followers on their long journey to Texas. At the university's old campus, their first building was even named Kilian Hall, showing how important he was to their history.
Images for kids
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John Kilian
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Interior of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Serbin, TX
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J Kilians gravestone
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Weißenberg Kotitz - Jan-Kilian-Straße - Jan-Kilian-Denkmal 02 ies
