The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-23
LOVE FOR HEATHEH
Is SHOWN BY A REFUSAL TO
ABANDON MISSIONS IN NADIA
GASCAR.
UNITED LUTHERAN CHURCH
WILL CONTINUE ITS WORK ON THE
ISLAND IN THE INDIAN
OCEAN.
MUCH ELOGUENCE WAS USED
On Both Sides of This and Other
Questions That Came Up at the
Meeting.

The conference Of the United church,
at its forenoon session yesterday, dis
posed of one of the most important
questions before the conference. A
number of years ago the United church
established a mission of it's own in
Southern Madagascar. The work has
been fairly successful. The funds. too,
at first were more than sufficient to
cover the expenses. the balance IN the
treasury Of the Madagascar mission be-
Ing at one time as much as $4,000. This
amount, however, has been eaten up.
The expenses Of the past year were
So, 900, while the contributions were
only $50 So far there is no deficit,
but these figures point to a possible de-
felt next year. These prospects had
discouraged Rev P. Dreyer, Of Har-
mony. Mimi, to such an extent that he
proposed to turn the property and the
missionary field of the United church
in Southern Madagascar over to the
mission society of Norway Rev. Kill
dahl made a telling speech against Rev.
Dreyers motion. He branded such a
course as the one proposed, as coward
ly the United church having pledged
itself to carry on the work in question.
The rebuilding of the temple by the
Jews after their return from the Baby
lonian exile, and the church work
accomplished by the poor Norwegian
Immigrants in this country, were cited
as instances Of the success of brave,
manly action in achieving something
great in the face of towering OBJ
stacles Rev A Wright was also in
favor of maintaining the work once
commenced. Rev. Belsheim thought
the proposition of Rev. Dreyer was too
humiliating to be seriously entertain
ed by the United church. The United
church five years ago asked the mission
society of Norway, for permission to
establish an independent mission in
Madagascar. The request was COM
piled with. The idea of asking the
mission society of Norway to resume
the work in that particular field! The
speaker also thought it might be a
good idea to continue the work in order
to fight the Jesuits. Rev. NJ. G. Holm,
of Folsom, Wis, questioned the ability
Of the United church to properly man
age the work in Madagascar. The Unit
ed church has "a hundred irons in the
fire while the mission society of Nor
way has absolutely only one thing to
do. He thought the mission society of
Norway could manage the work in such
a manner as to accomplish greater
results by the same amount of money.
Rev o. Nilsen, Of Scandinavia Wis,
had been against this work at the start.
But the success of the work in NADIA
= gascar had been so signal that he would
not abandon 1t at this stage. The
speaker also called attention to the
fact that eighty churches had been
burnt down. and several missionaries
had been killed in the field Of the mis-
sion society of Norway, so that said
society may have enough to do to keep
It's own ground. Rev. E. ]. Homme,
of Wittenberg. Wis, had been surprised
that the United church would choose
Southern Madagascar rather than some
other place Why go to South NADIA
gaScar where the Jesuits are sweeping
everything before them? Why not go
to a field where there is nothing but
the devil to fight? The Norwegian i'm
migrants also need a great deal of
attention for years to come. The home
missions must be number one, the
foreign ones number two" Rev. A.
Oefstedal held that the United church
had placed itself under grave moral
obligations to continue the work in
Madagascar. Rev. N. c. Brun would
take no backward step. The motion
in question was based on cowardice
and unbellet. 1t showed a lack Of knOWl-
edge Of the general principle that all
beginnings are difficult. Rev Brun
also touched the political side Of the
question. The members of the United
church are citizens of the United States
one Of the great powers, while the mis-
sion society of Norway is backed by
small and weak nation. In really ser
ious troubles. the speaker thought,
the above difference would be greatly
in favor of maintaining the present
work in Madagascar. President Hoyme
was sorry that Rev. Dreyers motion
had come before the house. The diff
culties Of the work ought to be a spur
later activity. Rev. J. OefstedahI
the motion as an attempt
Of promise against the
Of Norway. Rev. l.
obey the command
never grow weary
"idahl expressed
would be
t disap-
by a