Obituary: Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin: Albert Robert Gustav FRIEDRICH ************************************************************************ Submitted by Carri Bohn, Jan. 2006 © All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************************************ This article was found in a file folder at Wisconsin Conference Commission on Archives & history of the United Methodist Church in Sun Prairie, WI OBITUARY OF REV. ALBERT ROBERT GUSTAV FRIEDRICH (Name of paper unknown) He was born Oct. 18, 1852 in the Mark Brandenburg, Prussia. His parents reared him in the Christian Faith according to the rules of the State Church. He was instructed in the catechism of Dr. Martin Luther. Thus the foundation of his faith and knowledge was established. As a young man of seventeen years, he came with his parents and brothers to America, locating in the county of Guthen, MN, where they remained for five years. Here he came under the influence of the Gospel through the instrumentality of the sainted Brother Von Eshen and was soundly converted to God and became a happy child of God. Soon after his conversion, he heard the call of God to become a minister of the Church of God and with Paul "He was not disobedient to his call." In the year 1873, he came with his folks to Wisconsin and located in Fond du Lac. Here he entered into the activities of the Church with zeal and enthusiasm and thereby attracted the attention of the Congregation of his ability. They realized that God had a greater work for him and a broader and wider field for him. They there upon recommended him for the Christian ministry. In the year 1877, he came as an applicant to the Wisconsin Conference and was then licensed as a preacher on probation. His first and second year, he was sent as an Assistant with Brother William Zickerick and J.L. Runkel to the large and extensive Calumet Circuit. Here he did some real pioneer work and proved faithful. Thus he did on all the fields that he subsequently served. From Calumet Circuit, he was sent to Shawano, Morrison, Brandon, Batavia, Dunn County Circuit, and Portage Mission. At this time, our church was looking for a collector for our church debts and Brother Gustav Friedrich was elected to this office. He gave himself with zeal and earnestness to this hard and strenuous work for five years. The debt being diminished, he again took up the pastoral work and was stationed at Forest Junction then Ebenezer and followed by Friendens In Milwaukee. (Friendens became Concordia Evangelical. There was a fire and it was not rebuilt. Was located at about 3rd and Concordia in Milwaukee, WI - Wava Belter 1988) After serving his full time in Friendens, he saw himself under painful necessity, on account of his health, to locate. He did that very reluctantly. It was a blasting of his ambition and hopes, but the Lord sustained his Servant. He remained a member of Friendens Church and assisted in the work as much as his condition would permit. He was a very acceptable Sunday School teacher and taught the Friendens Sunday School Class for over six years and preached whenever he was called upon to do so. Brother Friedrich proved faithful in all things entrusted to him. He was a faithful son of the Church, he was loyal to the enterprises of the Church and whatever the Conference enacted, he was determined to carry out. Brother Friedrich was a naturally gifted man, a born speaker, never at a loss to express himself, clear in his logic, stating facts as he knew them. He was a man among the people, he sought and made friends and maintained them. He was a powerful preacher on repentance, he delighted in evangelistic services and protracted meetings. He wept with those who wept and rejoiced with those who rejoiced. He led many precious souls to the kingdom of God. "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament: and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever." He will be of blessed memory in his Conference because he was faithful in all things. He acknowledged the confidence and Conference placed in him and was eager to justify that trust. When elected as delegate to General Conference, how anxious that he might be worthy representative of the Conference. In the year 1879, he entered into Holy Wedlock with his now sorrowing wife; with her he lived in happy wedded life. This union was blessed with four daughters. As husband and father, he was deeply interested in the welfare of them all. With the means at his disposal, he managed well, he embraced all the opportunities that the Church offered. How thankfully he embraced the blessings of the Superannuation Fund. Brother Friedrich rests now in peace. He leaves to morn his departure, his beloved wife, four daughters, three sons-in-law, all of whom feel keenly their loss, but not as such as have no hope. They know that he has overcome and is safely at home with Christ and loved ones gone before. Their loss is his eternal gain. Besides those named he leaves many relatives and friends.