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STATE LIBRARY Usivsarck, ND 58505 Steeples Rise on the Prairies * ^ *# Hi B .STATE LIBRARY USiVSARCK, ND 58505 Steeples Rise on the Prairies CHAPTERS FROM THE HISTORY OF THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN NORTH DAKOTA By Martha Reishus rhe North Dakota District History Editorial Board—Harold B. Kildahl, Jr., Chairman; D. Leonard Orvedal; Mrs. H. A. Fischer; Rev. John Rotto; Miss Viola M. Bohn; ?ev. O. E. Dolven; Rev. K. O. G|ernes; Norman Brunsdal. North Dakota District The Evangelical Lutheran Church 1324 Third Avenue South, Fargo, North Dakota North Dakot* St»t« tihrxrv tinman Books by Martha Reishus THE BUILDERS THE RAG RUG HEARTS AND HANDS UPLIFTED STEEPLES RISE ON THE PRAIRIE Dedication For our forebears in the faith whose foot­ steps marked the Westward way toward which their hearts were bent; whose faith in God was certified by steeples raised where'er they went; for Christian men and women of years now long since spent, we give thanks to Him from whom all blessings flow. To the memory of pastors and people, the known and the unknown, who planted the church on the broad prairies of North Dakota, we dedicate this book. cp^l-^-r/tf /^U^C+^S^-• Foreword There are about five hundred congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, which are active in North Dakota today. Five hundred steeples rise over city, town and country. Each steeple represents a flock of God, which gathers for worship and Christian fellowship from Sunday to Sunday. Besides these steeples, there are many others where the work has been discontinued. In most cases, this has hap­ pened because families have moved away from the old farm community. Possibly they went west or they may have moved to a nearby town or city. The time came when there were not enough people left, to keep the program of the church going. Each steeple has its own story. Every story is filled with accounts of faithfulness, frustrations, heroism, sacri­ fice, hardships, sorrows, joys, defeats, victories, sweat and tears. If the full story were told about any one of these steeples, a volume such as this one would be needed to tell it. To tell the full story of the spiritual and physical heroism of the pioneer pastors, who rode long miles on our prairie roads to serve their people, would require volumes. To record the faithfulness of pastors' wives, who stood beside their husbands in good and evil days, would require other volumes. To tell of the nobility and the sacrificial spirit of our pioneer lay people, who made these "steeples rise on the prairies," would require the most volumes of all. This book makes no pretense of telling every story or of telling any story completely. It is well named, "Chapters from the History of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in North Dakota." The author has wisely chosen "Chapters" from many different parts of our District. The experiences related are typical of the experiences of other congrega­ tions in the same area. We are most fortunate to have such a competent author as Miss Martha Reishus, right in our own midst. Her former writings have been well received. We know that this production also will be treasured by our North Dakota church people and by many others, whose roots are in this prairie state. Miss Reishus has a fascinating style of writing and she makes the old pioneers live again. We hope that this volume will find its way into our homes, our churches, our schools and into many public libraries. We pray that it may prove to be a real blessing to our church and our people. As we finish reading it and lay it down, we will be quietly singing our 1959 Conven­ tion theme song in our hearts, "Now thank we all our God . Who wondrous things hath done." LOYAL E. TALLAKSON Acknowledgments I am deeply grateful, for criticism and encouragement, to the Editorial Board, to Dr. T. F. Gullixson, Dr. T. A. Hoff and Dr. N. Astrup Larsen—all former pastors of North Dakota parishes—to Dr. Carleton Qualley of Carleton College and to Mr. Edward Langemo and Dr. Roy Har- risville who guided me to forgotten journals and manu­ scripts. My deep appreciation to Dr. O. G. Malmin who assisted me in research and who took the time to share his coffee- break with me. My thanks too, for the courtesy shown me at the Luther College Library and the State Library at Bismarck. Contents CHAPTER PAGE 1. Steeples Rise on the Prairies 1 2. We Look Toward the Setting Sun 5 3. The Church Follows the Settler 9 4. Home Mission Work Begins 14 5. Out Where the West Begins 28 6. Ye Shall Be My Witnesses 3.5 7. Three Weeks in a Tent 39 8. We Follow the Gleam 53 9. In the Valley of the Sheyenne 61 10. The Church Marches On 66 11. The First Lutheran of Fargo 77 12. First Lutheran Church, Williston, North Dakota 81 13. The United Lutheran Church of Grand Forks 86 14. The Concordia Lutheran Church of Crosby . 90 15. Trinity Lutheran at Bismarck 93 16. The Trinity Lutheran Church of Jamestown 95 17. Our Schools 98 18. The Language Question 103 19. God's Word Is Our Great Heritage 105 20. Glad Tidings Are Broadcast 110 21. Our Missions—Home and Foreign 112 22. First Lutheran at Tioga 119 23. Medora Lutheran Church 122 24. Our Rural Life Commission 125 25. Our Charities 128 26. Our Minority Groups 131 27. Our Auxiliary Groups 133 28. Our Executives 142 Now thank we all our God, With heart and hands and voices, Who wondrous things hath done. In whom His ivorld rejoices; Who from our mother's arms Hath blessed us on our way With countless gifts of love, And still is ours today. O may this bounteous God, Through all our life be near us, With ever joyfid hearts, And blessed peace to cheer us; And keep us in His grace, And guide us when perplexed, And free us from all ills, In this ivorld and the next. All praise and thanks to God The Father now be given, The Son and Him who reigns With them in highest heaven; The one eternal God, Whom earth and heaven adore; For thus it was, is now, And shall be evermore! / Steeples Rise on the Prairies This little history of the North Dakota District of The Evangelical Lutheran Church is written to bring us living pictures of the past. It includes the history of our church and as such includes, to a lesser degree, men, movements and incidents. Providence is so often con­ cealed in the details of human affairs but becomes un­ veiled as we follow the generalities. Our 1959 Convention will, God willing, be the last District Convention of The Evangelical Lutheran Church. It does bring a lump in the throat and yet we remember that this has not been the first time a union has been consummated to the Glory of God. We do not purpose to come to this, our last, District Convention with a "eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow you may die" feeling, but rather we come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves! For sheaves they are. Numerically we have grown faster than any church in America. There are 500 Evangelical Lutheran churches in the state and a constituency of 130,000 souls. We have plunged into Mission work, Home and Foreign—stepping out on the promises of God. Our Stewardship Program has been noteworthy, and the prog­ ress of Evangelizing has been outstanding. In 1961 and on we shall be The American Lutheran Church. "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." We shall meet the love of our brothers with love. We have faith that the new church will discover that there are dormant seeds that have not deteriorated but will, with a new impetus, produce again and become effective in the work of the Kingdom. The 1917 merger saw a church emerge as a powerful and successfully rejuvenated organ­ ization. The three branches were like three rivers meet­ ing to form a mighty rushing stream toward the sea. It was a remarkable achievement characterized by doc­ trinal conservatism and pietism. We who lived and labored through the merger period will remember the feeling of sadness that persisted in being recognized. But now as we look back we realize the pangs were not so much of loyalty as selfishness. The problems that arose in the tangled corners were, for the most part, the result of personal follies and wrong doing. God is faith­ ful and led us out of the troubled waters and showed us how differences could be ironed out. God was in the cloud—only our eyes of faith were dim! The Psalmist said: "Behold, how good and how pleas­ ant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." It is a beautiful picture the sweet singer of Israel sees with his mind's eye—that of brethren confessing one faith dwelling together in unity and peace. Unity of faith and life is so surprisingly excellent that David does not try to measure its good and pleasure, but simply calls on us to admire this wonderful grace in order that by so doing the holy desire to share in its good and pleasure may fill our hearts and impel us to strive after the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. True concord among those who have a common Father and a common Savior, those who are children of one family, is the most fragrant and refreshing fact in life and a source of highest and deepest joy.
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