The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-11-11
MINNESOTA BAPTIsT's
AND THEIR FIELD WORK.
INTERESTING LETTER BY E. r
POPE OF MINNEAPOLIS.
Church Work Has Been Very Success
full in Villages Between Walker and
Bemidji-Writer Tells of Visit to
Good Falls Thank Offering of $4,000
Being Raised. ,s

The last issue of The Standard con-
tains an interesting Minnesota letter
by E. R. Pope of Minneapolis, telling
Of activity among Minnesota Baptists.
Mr.. Pope writes: =. ..s..
Between Walker and Bemidii, on the
Minnesota g. International railroad, are
three villages, Laporte, Guthrie and
Nary. About five years ago work was
started in these by District Missionary
Steinhof, and four years ago Rev. j. g..
Wlrth became pastor, and since that
time has labored faithfully and well.
A meeting house, begun by Mr.. Stein
hof, has been practically completed at
Nary, in spite of the fact that many
removals have seriously depleted the
congregations. At Laporte, on Sunday,
Oct. q, a neat building was. dedicated.
1t is located on (. commanding site on
hillside overlooking the town and is
well adapted to the place. It can &C
commodate about 1875 people and good
congregations greeted the preachers at
the. dedication. DR.. GA. Williams and
the writer arrived Saturday, late in the
afternoon; and that evening the former
preached to an interested congregation.
Sunday morning the building was we'll
filled, and Rev. E. r. Pope preached the
dedicatory sermon from Hag. "a, after
which the small amount of money
needed to pay all outstanding indebt-
edness' was generously and quickly
pledged; then the pastor offered the
prayer of dedication, and the building
was set apart as. d place Of worship.
The Sunday school and young peoples
prayer service were well attended, and
I the day closed with the evening ser
mon by DR.. Williams, which was pre-
paratory to the revival meetings begun
Monday evening, in which Rev. E. M.
Atwood, of Little Falls, assists Pastor
Wirth. ,.'> ,.@.,... !. .. ~" o..
This is the only church in the com
munity and indeed Pastor Wirth is the
only pastor; on the: three fields; He and
his wife have done and are doing an
earnest, self-sacrifcing, hard service,
and have reaped some, reward. Mrs.
Wirth has ministered in season and out
Of season to the sick for miles around
and is enduring hardship for the Mas
could not get on without her. -: Labor,
such as this brother and sister are do
ing, receives little pecunlary. reward
and is all too apt to be entirely over
looked by others on larger fields; but
it is a labor of true love and will never
be forgotten by Him who knoweth all
and giveth Justly at, last to all: *
On Monday Dr. Williams. returned to
Minneapolis and: the writer went. ninety
miles further north to the terminus of
the M. & I. railroad. at Big Falls.
Here is busy, thriving community of
about. 300 people, with a good country,
as yet largely undeveloped, about it
It is located on the Big Fork river,
which, flows northward, pen1pty wing $into
the Rainy river. At the site of the
town are falls of some thirty-fye feet
in a quarter Of a mile, that will furnish
excellent water power in coming years
and all around are, trees suitable for
] pulpwood needed In the manufacture of
paper, etc. The town is only a little
over four years old and the railroad
Preached it not a year ago and regular
passenger trains began service in July
| last. There are good number of
stores, seven saloons, an excellent hotel
local telephone system, with thirty.
| odd subscribers, and little Of the pho.
neer life is visible; modest news
paper, with the unique and suggestive
name of the Compass, has been: pub.
lished weekly for about four years. A
petition to divide the large county of
! 1tasca and make this the county seat
of a new county was filed, but because
of a prior and conflicting petition was
! thrown out. At the election on Nov
proposition to form new county
styled Koochichink, with international