The Reading Warehouse

Edwin Lucas Kautz, born in 1891 in Budapest, was the fourth child of Rosa and Ludwig Kautz in a Hungarian Catholic household. His older siblings had died in infancy of diphtheria, followed by Edwin then six more healthy children. Facing the dire poverty of their homeland, Rosa emigrated to the United States hoping to earn for her family a better life. Working as a cigar roller in New York City enabled her to send money home so the rest of her family could follow. Edwin, only twelve, was her first child to arrive, making the trip alone on the steamship SS Bl cher. The rest of the family followed, and three more siblings were born in the New World. Through hard work and opportunity, the family was able to send Edwin to college, where he experienced two spiritual crises -- at first losing his faith and becoming an atheist, and then joining the Hungarian Baptists. His grit and determination led to a satisfying family life and remarkable career as a teacher, minister, and enthusiastic advocate for Christian pacifism. He encountered the wide spectrum of American values -- from the bright light of freedom and opportunity to the dark heart of American racism. Kautz offers honest, sobering, and ultimately hopeful reflections about his passage from impoverished immigrant to patriotic American and enthusiastic advocate for Christian pacifism.