The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-23
IS SHOWN BY A REFUSAL TO
ABANDON MISSIONS IN NADIA
GASCAR.
UNITED LUTHERAN CHURCH
ISLAND IN THE INDIAN
OCEAN.
On Both Sides of This and Other
Questions That Came Up at the
Meeting.

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 its 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 nilsson be-
Ing at one time as much as $4,000. This
amount, however, has been eaten up.
The expenses of the past year were
$4,000, while the contributions were
only S. go. 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.
Dreyer's motion. He branded such
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 it 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
its 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
y
Oefstedal held that the United church
had placed itself under grave moral
obligations to continue the work in
NADIA ascar. Rev. n. c. Brun would
take no backward step. The motion
in question was based on cowardice
and unbelief. 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. Dreyer's motion
had come before the house. The diff
culties Of the work ought to be a spur
to greater activity. Rev. j. Oefstedahl
looked upon the motion as an attempt
at a breach of promise against the
mission society of Norway. Rev I.
NJ Eggen would obey the command
of Cod to work and never grow weary
Of doing good. Rev. Eidahl expressed
the hope that the motion would be
voted down. And he was not disap-
pointed. the motion being lost by
vote Of about 2S5 to 40.
L
sessions of the previous day again
caused some delay. Several points
were defective, and after a short de-
bate it was resolved to eXpunge the
whole account Of an unsuccessful at
tempt to have a committee Of one elect
ed to draft a resolution Of thanks to
Prof. Boeckman for deciding to remain
in the service of the United church,
instead of removing to Norway Some
of the speakers were anxious to have
It understood that the motion failed
to carry because Prof. Boeckman him
self objected to such a resolution of
thanks as the one proposed.
A number Of minor resolutions on
the Madagascar missions were adopted.
The most important, perhaps was one
authorizing the committee to apply the
funds according to it's own judgment,
excepting, however, such contributions
as were given for a stated purpose.
At the opening Of the afternoon ses-
sion the floor was given to Mr.. Hook
land, a delegate from the Covenant
English church in Chicago, who spoke
of the work accomplished by that
church during it's brief existence Of
the 10000 people Of Norwegian birth or