The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-26
HOME MISSION WORK
Its Discussion Occupies the Day at
the Baptist Anniversaries.
EFFORTS AMONG >sCANDINAvIANs
Growth in AllsThreeso of Scandinavian
Nations Reported by Mis-
sion Workers.

SoaulIloAS anu uScuS VI SPCCloi NSPoAc
ments of work were considered. Work
among the Scandinavians was the general
topic for the morning, that OF each or
the three nationalities included under the
general term being reported by one of It's
mission workers. Rev. N. L.. Christensen
of Minneapolis, for the Danes, told of the
growth from the founding of the first
Danish Baptist church in 1856 to the pres
ent status of fifty-flve churches with $500
members. One Of the problems of the
work is the language to be used. The
speakers view was that Danish must, be
used with immigrants and the older people
but recommended English for work among
the young people. He told impressively
of the Danish population of "a, in Utah
without a missionary and made strong
plea for the establishment Of Baptist
mission there.
Among the Norxvegians. -
Rev. G. w. Finwall for the Norwegians,
said he would make his plea for the
"countrymen of4the discoverer of Ameri-
ca He gave an elaborate statistical sur
vey OF the scandinavian immigration that
began in 1925 and Is now greater than
ever before. He laid much stress on the
devotional nature of the Norwegians, their
intelligence and inclination to agricul-
tural pursuits. He cited Senator Knute
Nelson as an admirable type Of the Ameri-
citation Of his adopted country is deep
and ardent. He found among the Nor
wegians many Of the strongest advocates
of temperance and said that as a race
they were faithful supporters and patrons
of the public schools and honest taxpayers
who did not attempt to dodge their obli-
cations to the government. or this race
of immigrants 100000 are wholly without
church affiliations and Mr.. Finwall asked
for them ha NP ho ir,fo
and labors of the society. These people,
he said, must be reached through their
own nationality. The specific request made
was for properly qualified general mis-
s1onaries to open up these fields in the
next five years:
Effects of Immigration.
Rev. Frank Peterson of Minnesota, in
speaking of the Swedish work, gave an en-
couraging view of the effect and purpose
or the great. mingling of nationalit1es
brought about by Immigration. He saw
Gods hand In the movements of nations.
Inc cosmopolitan nature of the American
people he believed to be its most impor-
tant endowment. The workable, plastic
quality of the mixed: race could never
have resulted irons an immigration of one
race alone. The northern immigration.
amounting to one-third Of all the Scandi-
naVlan peoples, had been splendid factor
IN the winning of the west. Among these
people no denomination had had greater
influence than the Baptist except the
Lutheran Mr.. Peterson told of his per-
sonal knowledge of the organization of the
hrst church in Rock Island in 1852 and
illustrated theSsteady and rapid growth by
means OF maps, the last of which showed
3l8 churches and $4,000 members. He af-
hrmed the assimilative qualities of the
race and told how quickly the Swedish
tod ich tn ~,
ices, but he believed that Swedish must be
IN use as: long as: immigration to the
united States continued, to get hold of
the newcomers and put them into touch
with American ideas and institutions.
Field Secretary Sums Up.
A summing up ofIthe Importance Of work
among lmmfgra nts, awas made by Henry@L.
Morehouse, field secretary of the society
VINO tried to Impress strongly upon the
audlence the paramount Importance of
the problem of, dealing with foreigners.
Inc north and west, he said, received
nlne-tenths of all immigrants and this
body was now greatly charged with the
1nnux OF illiterates from eastern and
southern Europe: He spoke Of the: fear
1elt by certain classes that Romanism
would yet dominate the country and said
ne did not share that apprehension, citing
the 1act that in spite of heavy immigration
- oth CatuoHc countries the Roman church
nad only held it's own in the past decade.
The Foreign Invasion of New Eng
land" was spokentof. briefly by Rev. How
ara b. Gross, who. gave as his opinion that
the Protestant churches were hav-
ing to struggle to- keep them
serves alive and were not able
to DO much in reaching out to Christianize
and Americanize' the newcomers but the
work, he said must be done.
Work In Santiago, Cuba.
Miss Barley gave an encouraging view
OF conditions in the Santiago district Of
Cuoa, where the church is growing toward
self-support. G,r 49, :
Al the afternoon. session NEGRO Educa-
ton, The Womans Home Mission So
c1ety" and "Quickening the Missionary In
terest Of the Churches were the topics
OF discussion. At the election of officers
there were few changes made. @
Joint Conference Tomorrow
To- morrow morning the Joint conference
OF the societies will be preceded by a
special meeting Of the missionary union to
complete some business.
i me delegates will begin leaving to-
morrow, the New Englanders departing .by
special train at Z p. m. The total en-
rollment has reached 1900.