Oak Leaves Newsletter of the ELS Historical Society Volume 18 May 2014 Issue 1 Please register early for memberships, and for tickets to the June 15th program, “In Their Own Words” (see insert). Thank you. “In Their Own Words” their work. And what better way to do that than to allow those people to speak for themselves through The June, 2014, Program the legacy of written works they have left us. of the ELS Historical Society by Mark O. Harstad A program committee consisting of Lois Jaeger, Erling Teigen, and Michael Lilienthal has been at It will be difficult to come up with a program that work for several months. Lois and Erling have will top the interest generated by the 2013 pro- culled key quotations from the writings of Linka gram. Michael Lilienthal’s play “The Oak Trees Preus, Elizabeth Koren, Herman Amberg Preus, Still Stand” proved to be one of the Historical Jacob Aal Ottesen, Ulrik Vilhelm Koren, and oth- Society’s most successful ventures in terms of the ers. Diaries, letters, and more formal writings number of people involved in the production generated by these pioneer figures provide the (cast members, support crew, and musicians), and content for much of the program. Correspondence the record number of people who attended. The they received from prominent people of their play provided an opportunity to gain insight into time, including Dr. C. F. W. Walther, will also be the circumstances that led to the reorganization of featured. the Synod at Lime Creek in 1918. Instead of cav- ing in to the various pressures to conform to powerful social trends, and march in lockstep with majority views at the expense of doctrinal integrity, the little group of a dozen pastors and about 200 lay people heeded the words of the Prophet Jeremiah (Ch. 6:16) which were featured in the sermon delivered by Bjug Harstad: “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.” This year we will be peering even farther back into our historical roots. We will be looking into Last year’s talk back after Michael Lilienthal’s play, the lives and thinking of the earliest leaders of “The Oak Trees Still Stand.” the Old Norwegian Synod, their spouses, and Seminarian and Historical Society board member other contemporaries. Our purpose is to uncover Michael Lilienthal will again put his theatrical the qualities of those people that shaped the char- skills to work to shape the material into a “Read- acter of the church body which developed from ers’ Theater” format. The effect will be to have — Oak Leaves – Page 1 — these characters “come alive” and speak to us It is then signed by five members of the faculty: Christo- pher Hansteen, Christian Boeck, through their own words. One piece in particular J. Keyser, Matthias Blytt, and Frederick Vibe. which is sure to delight the audience is a piece of correspondence written by Dr. Walther to Pastor At the far right, an official University ribbon has been Ottesen. The light-hearted and jovial nature of attached to the document. the letter will put a very human face on the ven- erable Dr. Walther. The program will be presented twice this year; on Sunday, June 15, following the Synod Sunday Service in the chapel and evening meal in the college dining facility, and again on Tuesday evening, June 17. The venue will be the Sigurd K. Lee Theater in the Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center. As the 100 th anniversary of the reorganization of the Synod approaches in 2018 the ELS Historical Society is striving to present many programs which will aid our constituency and all interested parties in understanding the unique history of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod. ▪ At the center bottom of the document is the Universi- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ty’s official seal. It is the image of the god Apollo playing a lyre, surrounded by the words “Universitas Regia Fredericiana”. A Very Special Ottesen Artifact In each of the four corners, additional papers have by Becky DeGarmeaux been added. In the two upper corners are Ottesen’s grades from December of 1845 — in essence, his re- Tucked into a corner of the Ottesen Museum is a large port card. It is complete with the signature of Christo- framed document. Amid beautiful italic Latin, and in pher Holmboe, the Dean of the Philosophical faculty. very large script, is the name “Jacob Aall Ottesen.” At first glance it appears to be a diploma, complete with In the lower left-hand corner is a list of grades from an official ribbon and seal. On closer examination, August of 1844. Since this was also signed by the however, it’s something quite different. Housed in a Dean of the Philosophical faculty, these seem to be simple wooden frame is J. A. Ottesen’s document of grades from his entrance exam. It appears that he did acceptance to the Royal Frederick University, now especially well in the subjects of German and Reli- known as the University of Oslo. gion, receiving the grade “Udmerket gudt” (Excellent- ly good) in each. Translated, the document reads as follows: Finally, in the lower right-hand corner, is a small piece May it be happy and prosperous [for you]! of paper written entirely in Norwegian. In translation it In the Royal Frederick University reads: — Jacob Aall Ottesen — has been admitted to the number of That Candidate of Theology Jacob Aall Ottesen today academic citizens, having shown himself, by me in Oslo church was ordained to by examination, to have progressed administer the pastoral office for the Norwegian praiseworthily in literature and liberal arts, Lutheran congregation in Manitowoc and area in the and, by giving his right hand, United States in North America and having promised that he would preserve the princi- accordingly sworn in, [I] testify hereby. ples from the standard venerably entrusted to him. Oslo Bishop’s residence, 22 June 1852. In trust of this matter, he has received this letter, J. L. Arup Bishop in Christiania confirmed by the great seal of the University and signed with our names. Beneath the Bishop’s signature is his official wax seal. Written at Christiania, 1 September 1844. — Oak Leaves – Page 2 — This is just one of many artifacts housed in the Otte- daughters were Ellen, Linda, Patty Jo, Debra, Kathy, sen Museum which ties us to the early Synodical fa- and Vicki; and he had one son, Barry Scott. thers. A new display will feature the lives of Pastor Ottesen as well as Pastors Koren and Preus, the fa- Funeral services were thers of the Old Norwegian Synod, and their wives. It held at the English will be in place in time for Synod Convention in June and will remain up for about a year. Lutheran Church, Cot- tonwood, on Tuesday, If you are in Mankato in the next year, you are wel- January 24. The Rev. come to come to the Ottesen Museum to see this dis- Paul Anderson con- play as well as the rest of the permanent display. Reg- ducted the altar ser- ular hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 1:30pm - vice and the Rev. Vic- 3:30pm or contact Museum Director Rebecca De- tor Theiste officiated at Garmeaux at [email protected] for an appointment. ▪ the committal. Rev. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Norman Madson preached the sermon, basing his message on a text previously re- A Service Message quested by Pastor by Rev. G. Weseloh Weseloh, Phillipians 4:4 “Rejoice in the English Lutheran Church, Cottonwood, MN. Lord alway: and again Published by Armed Service Commission I say, Rejoice.” of The Evangelical Lutheran Synod. No. 146, May, 1966 The Best Place to Go For Help! Gerhard Herbert Weseloh was born on July 7, There is no place 1917, at Fairhaven, Minnesota. He was the like home, and it youngest child in a family of seven children, the may well be that son of a Lutheran minister, Henry Weseloh and his there is no time wife, Minne (Elfers). Baptized in infancy, his earli- est childhood was spent in Fairhaven until the in the year when family moved to Carlos, Minnesota, where he a serviceman resided until he finished high school in 1936, and realizes this that fall he attended business college at St. Cloud. more fully than He then worked in Fairhaven, Chicago, and on the when a special West Coast. holiday such as Christmas or He and Lois Johnson were married in 1941, and to this union were born seven children. In the fall Easter rolls around. The of 1942 he and Lois moved to South Haven, Pastor Weseloh and Minnesota where he managed a Farmers Coopera- Confirmands 1963 more he thinks tive business. about the good times he used to Believing he could better serve in the Lord’s king- have at home on such occasions, the more home- dom by becoming a pastor, he entered Bethany sick and lonely he is apt to become. Lutheran College in the fall of 1953. In 1958 he was graduated from the Bethany Lutheran Semi- nary. In June of 1958 he and his family moved to Right now we are near to a day which can also Cottonwood where he became the pastor at bring fond memories of some warm and beautiful English Lutheran Church. In 1964 the Zion days in the past. Mother’s Day brings thoughts of Lutheran congregation, Tracy, Minnesota, was Mother’s love and devotion, and of how wonder- added to his flock. ful it was when she was at our side.