The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1900-07-06

'Ssme Of the Giants Of, the Lutherun
~ N ne "A IL a C0nference.s ~ y

= D. Is Z
Ssme Of the Giants Of, the Lutheran
n Conference.
Probably at none .:ef the eleven an
nual conferences has the United Nor.
wegian church SO fully lnerited:its title
as by the one which closed at Bethle.:
hem church, Minneapolis, recently.
The last vestfge of strife appears to
have been removed, and the church is
: now launched on prosperous and
happy work. Its mission is still to pro.
mote harmony and unity, and it is not
UNLIKELY that the majority of those
VINO sat In ;tlle conference which has
just ended Its labors may see I'LL or
NEARLY all the Norwegian Lltherans in
America gathered in one fold. Such
an idea would have been derided few
wears back, and, while traces of form
'er schisn ARE still observable, there
are many Happy a1lgeries for the fu-
ture. There are still four principal
xects. Of, rather, factions: but the
,preJudlces of the older members is
hardly shared by the younger genera
zion: quite certain it is that when the
English language prevails that COM
plete unity is not far distant.
The tendency to break into English
was noticed among many of the speak
ers, ana some made it a point to en-
ploy the language of the country every
time they spoke, and never once did
any one make any of the objections to
this speech, as the writer has heard in
years past.
Already two clergymen use English
exciIsively-the Rev. Gustav Stealns
OF milwaukee and Rev. HI. b. Kildahl
on Chlcago-While great many others
conauct services in English at least
once month, while the so-called Eng
nsa conference is growing rapidly. The
most active leader in this latter move.
ment is DE-. E. G. Lund. one of the pro-
fessors at the United Church seminary
in Minneapolis.
in the hands Of the lay delegates.
While the priests, of course. WELD q
powerful influence and do the bulk of
the talking, the laymen think in sepend
entity and vote according to the die
tates of their own common sense. They
are very interesting body. these Law
men. The majority are farmers, stur.
dy immigrants, who came to America
with hardly more than a pair of strong.
will ng arms. and havA by their own in
dustry, advanced themselves to posi-
tons of independence. while MANY
have acquired much wealth.
One Of these is Assmund Wing of
Goodhue county. who calls himself Il
farmer, but by others is ranked as Il
millionaire. He has many big farms.
and is also interested in other enter
prises. Adam Olson Of Long Lake,
Martin county. is not poor man, but
his greatest wealth is his family. All
of his eight children are married and
have large families. and when all are
gathered together, the venerable Law
man sees four genera lions around him.
Mr.. Olson is himself eighty-two years
old. but one of the jolliestgand most
active Of all those in attendance. and
he is proud OF his, family Of over one
hundred. among whom there has been
only one deatlIin fifty eight years.
Not all the leading men are farmers,
however. Halle Steensland Of Mali-
son. Wis. is the Swedisll-Norwegia
consul; Samuel Nelson is well-to-dO
merchant of Lanesboro; o. A. veblen
Is a banker of Blooming Prairie: N. 1.
Nelson is a wealthy merchant Of Little
Mills. Iowa; w. F. christensen is Il
big furniture manufacturer in Chicago.
Halle Steensland, who is invariably
called Consul" ia one IF the most
generous Of benefactOrs. To til, sc ,ool
building fund alone he has contributed
S5.0W. He attends every session with
the greatest fidelity. and. as chairman
OF the board of trustees. his work is
second only to that of President
HGy nue. in Importance. ,s<.,s,-.. ,.
President Ho!me is the master spirit
of the church and, without seeming to
do so. undoubtedly controls the body
with Il gentle hand and wise counsel.
He is a graduate Of Augsburg semi.
nary. and l,a. for years been located at
Eau Claire, Wis.
Another exceedingly valuable official
Is Rey..J. C.'Jensson- Roseland. the Sec
Rotary. To use ready phrase, he is
Saving wood" all the time, and in
addition to keeping an accurate minute
OF all the proceedings and caring for
the records and reports. he always has
full charge of transn0rtation matters.
ANY mention of the leading men Of ]
the United States would be quite IN
ccnrlete without reference to Rev.
1ver II. Dahl of Ratna. Iowa. With his
round. ,ruddy face, his great girth and
his mrtton-cllop whiskers, he is a per-
feet subject for the cartoonist's idea of
John Bull. None will he surprised to
hear fhrt he carries $50 pounds avoir-
d1lnoise with him wherever he goes.
Albert twenty-five years ago he was
n missionary in one Of the n tivestltes
in tia Madras presidency of India, and
sri 'Hsjn,fuleently when anyone sneaks
Of hot weather. for lie can remember
the fine when the Thermometers never
vert below 90 degrees. even ct night.
for three long. weary Nmonths. The IA
jatl Of the state With six names of five
or r:u1e ssy,llahles each. offered every
indrce1Eent to have Rev. MI. Dahl re.
nafn. ara even offered to make him
his minister: hut seven years of India
was al he wanted. ~
Their there is Rev, John Olson Of ST. !
Ansgnr, Iowa. It 's said OF him that
he never missed stated service in his
church for thirty years untN last, win
ter. His particular charge at present
n. n Is sff.J