August Kavel: Difference between revisions

==Training and Earlyearly Ministryministry==

Kavel was born in [[Berlin]], where he attended the ''[[GermanyEvangelisches Gymnasium zum Grauen Kloster|Gymnasium zum Grauen Kloster]]'' 1798school and went on to study theology. In 1826, he was [[ordained]] and installed as the [[Pastor]] at the church in the village of [[Klępsk|Klemzig]], located near the city of [[Sulechów|ZuellichauZüllichau]] (Sulechów) in southeasternwhat as then the German state of [[ProvinceKingdom of BrandenburgPrussia|BrandenburgPrussia]] in theand Germanis statenow of[[Klępsk]], [[PrussiaPoland]]. Between 1798 and 1840, the [[ChristianProtestant]] churchchurches in Prussia had been subjected to a number of changes, brought about by the decrees of King [[Frederick William III of Prussia|Frederick William III]]. These decrees were intended to unify the Lutheran and Reformed Churches into one [[Prussian Union (Evangelical Christian Church)|Evangelical Christian Church]]. By 1826, there was some opposition to the intentions of Frederick William. This escalated in 1830, when Frederick William announced a number of changes that outlawed the traditional [[ritesChristian liturgy|rite]]s of the churches and prescribed a form of [[worship]] which many Lutherans believed was against the [[Will of God]]. It was in this environment that dissent against the decrees of Frederick William arose.

Pastor Kavel was not initially one of this group, who had come to be known as the [[Old Lutherans]]. Frederick William's revised edition of the worship agenda, which was released in 1829, was voluntary for usage in congregations, as was the first edition. Pastor Kavel used this worship order until 1834 when, under the influence of the writings of [[Johann Gottfried Scheibel]], he ceased and joined the ranks of the dissenters. Kavel wrote to the King in January 1835, informing him that he would no longer use the worship agenda. On [[Easter]] Monday 1835, Kavel was removed from the ministry and was prohibited from practising as a pastor. His congregation likewise were prohibited from using the church premises, and participating in any worship services presided by suspended Pastors.

Pastor Kavel began to look for avenues to lead his congregation in an exodus from Prussia to a place where they could worship in freedom. In early 1836, Kavel travelled to [[Hamburg]] to enquire into the possibility of migrating to [[Russian Empire|Russia]] or the [[the United States]]; however, both of these options were not possible.

While in Hamburg, Kavel was informed of the possibility of migrating to [[Australia]]. He travelled to [[London]], [[England]], to meet with [[George Fife Angas]], the chairman of the [[South Australia Company]], which was searching for emigrants to settle the land acquisitions it had in [[South Australia]]. Kavel was received favourably by Angas, who sent his chief clerk, [[Charles Flaxman]], to Prussia to meet with Kavel's group and to prepare them for emigration. Kavel remained in London, ministering to the [[Germany|German]] community.

Financially, the migration was expensive. George Fife Angas had lobbied the South Australia Company to provide funding for the Lutheran dissenters, arguing that the character of the people was the ideal type for the new settlement in South Australia. However, due to financial problems within the Company, the request by Angas, which had initially been approved, was now denied. Many of the Prussian migrants had also encountered financial hardship due to the extended emigration application process. A migration to Australia now appeared to be impossible.

George Angas decided to personally provide funding to Kavel and the Klemzig group. Four ships were chartered on their behalf: the ''[[{{ship||Prince George|1828 (ship)|Prince George]]''2}}, the ''[[Bengalee (ship)|Bengalee]]'', the ''[[Zebra (ship)|Zebra]]'' and the ''[[Catharina (ship)|Catharina]]''. The ''Prince George'' and the ''Bengalee'' left Hamburg on 8 July 1838 with about 250 of the emigrants. They travelled to [[Plymouth]], where they picked up Pastor Kavel, and then continued on their journey until they arrived in [[Port Adelaide]] on 20 November 1838. The ''Zebra'' left in August 1838 with 187 on board and arrived in [[Holdfast Bay]] on 28 December. Eleven people, six adults and five children, died on the trip. The ''Catharina'' left in September 1838 and arrived in January 1839. In all, this group of ships transported 596 migrants from Prussia to Australia.

==[[German settlement in Australia|Settlement in South Australia]]==

Pastor Kavel, as the leader of the group of immigrants, acted as a negotiator for securing land for the settlers. These new migrants rented {{convert|150|acre|km2}} from George Angas and established their first settlement in Australia at [[Klemzig, South Australia|Klemzig]]. On the arrival of the third ship, the ''Zebra'', the town [[Hahndorf, South Australia|Hahndorf]] was established. A third settlement of the Prussian migrants was established at [[Glen Osmond, South Australia|Glen Osmond]] by many of the passengers of thefrom ''Catharina''. atOne of Kavel's followers, [[GlenJohann OsmondFriedrich Krummnow]], Southtaught the girls en route but was deemed "not completely satisfactory and the community did not allow him to teach in Australia".<ref name="Nutting">{{cite web |Glen Osmond]]url = http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/dnutting/germanaustralia/e/krummnow1.htm | title = J. F. Krummnow | last = Nutting | first = David |publisher = Teachers on the Web | year = 2001 | access-date = 31 October 2012 }}</ref>

On 23 and 24 May 1839, Kavel convened a meeting of the [[Elder (administrative title)|elders]] of the three villages. At this meeting, the constitution of the new [[Lutheran Church of Australia, synodical history|Australian Lutheran synod]] was adopted. At the following synodical gathering in 1840, a letter was drafted and subsequently sent to the "Old Lutherans" in Prussia. Its purpose was to encourage others to emigrate and, most importantly, have a second pastor immigrate to Australia. On 28 October 1841, 224 further Prussian immigrants arrived in Adelaide on the [[Skjold (ship)|''Skjold'']], among them Pastor [[Gotthard Fritzsche]]. This group formed the main part of the settlements at [[Lobethal, South Australia|Lobethal]] and [[Bethany, South Australia|Bethanien]]. Krummnow, who was now a naturalised English citizen and therefore able to purchase land, was provided by the settlers at Lobethal with funds to establish a community; Krummnow wanted this community to be based on his own principles of shared property and fervent prayer.<ref name="Nutting"/> The Lobethal settlers rejected Krummnow's vision and legally disputed his right to the land titles.<ref name="Nutting"/> In 1842, [[Tanunda, South Australia|Langmeil]] was settled. Kavel remained in [[South Australia]] until his death.

*"[https://web.archive.org/web/20070927053258/http://www.wlsessays.net/authors/W/WesterhausEmigrations/WesterhausEmigrations.pdf The Confessional Lutheran Emigrations From Prussia And Saxony Around 1839]", Westerhaus, Martin O.

*"[https://web.archive.org/web/20050705045902/http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/dnutting/germanaustralia/e/zebra-pass.htm Captain Dirk Hahn and the "Hahndorf" passengers to South Australia]", [httphttps://wwwweb.archive.org/web/20051025011152/http://teachers.ash.org.au/dnutting/germanaustralia/index.htm German Australia], David Nutting

*"[https://web.archive.org/web/20050619030632/http://www.lca.org.au/resources/archives/achivesscope04.pdf Records from the following Lutheran Churches]", Lutheran Church of Australia Archives

[[Category:JubileeGerman 150emigrants Walkwayto Australia]]