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A minister sues his congregation
The $45,000 defamation suit — about $1.2 million in 2015 dollars — brought by the Rev. Charles L. Janzow, pastor of Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church, against 18 members of his congregation in 1904, was withdrawn by mutual consent. Erich E.A. Mueller and his “Christian socialist” writings were a factor in the suit. The Synodical Proceedings of 1907 mention the controversy. Janzow himself was removed from the Missouri Synod but apparently was later restored. This is Janzow’s obituary from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Friday, May 5, 1911
Clergyman who sued flock for $45,000 is dead
Rev. C.L. Janzow Succumbs to Complication of Diseases
Rev. C.L. Janzow, for 24 years pastor of the German Evangelical Lutheran Bethlehem Church, who created a sensation a few years ago by suing 18 members of his flock for $45,000 damages for alleged defamation, died at 4 a.m. Friday at his home, 2922 Barrett Avenue.
Death was from a complication of diseases. Rev. Mr. Janzow was 63 years old, and for more than 40 years was associated actively with the Missouri Synod.
Janzow’s troubles with his congregation continued over a period of many months, during which time he was accused of being a heretic and aspiring to be a “little Pope.”
 Bethlehem Lutheran Church as Erich E.A. Mueller would have known it ca. 1904. Dedicated October 29, 1893, the church was destroyed by fire three months later. It was immediately rebuilt, following the original plan and style. When the twin steeples were destroyed in the tornado of 1927, they were not rebuilt but simply squared off. Theory Upon Which He Sued
At the time of the suit, Rev. Mr. Janzow explained his action with this statement: “I took the position that a Christian has the right to invoke the aid of the civil courts as an instrumentality of government ordained by God as a means of avenging the acts of evil doers, and that the courts established by governments, being a part of the Government itself, are also God’s instruments for protecting people in their property rights and in their character — especially the latter — and upon that theory I brought suit.”
The suit was dropped by mutual consent.
For a number of years, Rev. Mr. Janzow had served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Concordia Publishing Company, and otherwise was prominent in commercial and religious circles.
He had been ill for several weeks. Surviving him are his widow, three sons and four daughters.
Charged Defamation
The pastor’s famous suit was for $20,000 actual damages and $25,000 punitive damages. He also sought a restraining order to prevent the defendants from interfering with him in the discharge of his ministerial duties.
In his suit, Janzow alleged that some of the members who withdrew from the church falsely and maliciously concocted and published certain charges against him, so that his value as a pastor was impaired. He alleged that the charges were investigated by the congregation at 12 meetings and that he was upheld every time.
Some of the charges he enumerated in his petition were that he had distorted the Word of God, had taught false doctrines; that he was a heretic and a false prophet; that he wanted to be a little Pope; that certain of the defendants had lost confidence in him; that he was connected with a certain paper which published anarchistic doctrines; that he was not truthful or honest; that he lied, and that he had arranged a warm nest but had spoiled it and must get out.
Transcribed from a photocopy of the original St. Louis Post-Dispatch article, provided by the Concordia Historical Institute.
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