Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1889-01-23
AN OLD CHURCH.
History Of the Old Swedish Meeting House.
Erected In 1895.

8Dtofy ot tut oiu SWE0lsu HlcFIluK HOun0k
Erected In 1895.
The most interesting feature of Will
mington is the old Swedes church,
standing on the outskirts Of the city,
near the Christina, just above the rocks
where in old days Minuit planted his
fort | am OF opinion that we have no
church quite so interesting, as regards
age, origin and architecture. Il is
probably the oldest which remains ex-
actly as il left the hands OF its builders;
''169S" is the date in iron letters on the
west gable. The building stands in a
wide place Of graves, little back from
Christina creek and mile west OF the
Delaware. The church is built of gray
stone, sixty feet long, thirty feet wide
and twenty feet high. The walls are
six feet thick at the base and three feet
at the windows. There are FIVE of the
latter, large, and arched in the style Of
the old Norman, as are the three heavy
doors. There are inscriptions on all
four sides in iron letters set into the
walls, the main inscription being on
the west gable
Within the church is as quaint and
old as when Dutch Peier, the battle
Scared sexton, hauled i've Goals from
the old cannon stove upon the brick
floor TO warm il. The old cedar roof,
fir pews and quaint pulpit, with its
high sounding board, are very inter-
esting specimens indeed Of early
church furniture.
The inscriptions recall tie very in
teresting circumstances under which
the church was built. After the cap
tire by the Dutch 1855, the Swedes
were very much scattered, and found
il extremely difficult TO secure pastors.
They were of the Lutheran faith of
the pure Augsburg confession and Sc
cured now and then q minister from
the churches at New York, their last
one from this source being the Rev.
Jacobus Fabritius, called in 1877, who
became blind and incapacitated in
1852. They made frequent but vain
appeals TO the home church TO send
them ''two ministers, with Bibles,
catechisms and other goodly books TO
protect them from the false teachers
and strange sects," by whom they were
surrounded. At last, in 1888, they APP
pealed 10 Charles XII, Of Sweden, an
appeal very interesting to us from Q
statement il contains that there were
then 1ss Swedish families, comprising
942 persons, living on the Delaware.
Charles was much interested by the
letters, hut the death Of his queei,
Ulrica Eleanora, soon after, and press
ing affairs Of state delayed the Ameri-
can matter for some time. In 1896 il
was revived. Andrew Rudman, q
candidate, was selected as missionary
10 America, and he in turn chose two
other godly men. Eric Bjork and Josias
Aurran, as companions and co-work-
ers. The king gave for their outfit
81, 800 copper mint" and 500 copies
of Luther's catechism, with Bibles,
pastils and church books, each bearing
the kings name in gilt letters. As the
three were about TO depart he granted
them personal interview, ut which
he gave them 500 silver myntp addi-
tonal for their voyage, and informed
thel that he had ordered the Swedish
ambassador in London TO procure pass
ports and see them safely on their way.
go now" he concluded, ''in the
name Of the Lord 10 the place to which
1 send you. God be with you and
fnake you indeed successfully" Fur
aished with q safe conduct from Eng
land they came safely 10 Maryland,
ebence they travelled overland 70 Will
nington and Philadelphia, Rudman
taking the parish at Wicacoa, near the
latter place, and Bjork that of Crane
Hook, near Wilmington. The people
sf Wilmington thought that a church
should be reared in their village; those
4 Crane Hook opposed any change;
ht last, as q compromise, il was agreed
b. place il on the banks of the Chris
tina, so that the people from the out
lying districts could come in boats In
summer and sleighs in winter, and
also for the protection afforded by the
fort John Stalcop, o church warden,
rave the land. They began building
on May 28, 1893. The edifce was con-
secrated as Trinity church, ON Trinity
Scnday, 1893. The occasion was made
. day Of great rejoicing. Governor
Markham was invited, but was unable
70 be present The feast was spread in
the house Of John Stalcop. All sorts
Of meat and drink, We ase told, were
oontributsd-wheat NAH, bread, hour,
hops wine, butter, nlgar. raiin4
sggs veal mutton, vsnison, chiokepA,
turkeyA turnips, etc. The congsegAr
bon ate the dinner together, 'fet6icing
and praising God" For yee1 nfIsr
the anniversary was observed Ohm
munions and baptiamAl services were
long celebrated with ths chalico and
plato sent over BY the copper work
eu Of Sweden 10 Pastor Bjork, and ehs
Rl,lo 1oo0 fs&o1 v<su that O5vnu ~