Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-06-11
ONE REASON WHY REV. o.
ouALEN REFUSED TO CON.
DUCT FUNERAL SERVICE.
A. o. U. w. ASSISTED
POOR NICK JoReENsEN
When Fellow Member Had Back
Broken Lodge Helped Him Finan-
eialIy by Benefit Dances--Norwesian
Pastor Will Not Participate in Fun
erai With Any Lodge.

Partially because the A. o. U. w.
lodge gave benefit dances for poor
Nick" Jorgensen. member of the
fraternal organization who had the
misfortune to fall and break his back,
Rev, CLAUS Qualen, pastor of the Nor
wegtan Lutheran church, refused 10
conduct the, funeral service, as was the
wish of the family. and as publicly an
nounced. The fact became noised
about among the members of the A. o.
U. w, and has created an endless
amount of comment
mick Jorgensen fell while at work
at his trade at Galena Junction. ILL.,. on
July II, 1906, and sustained a fracture.
of the spine. He was brought to this
city and taken to ST. Thomas hospital.
where he was a patient for several
weeks. An operation was performed
by surgeons in the hope that the spine
could be wired together, but the de-
stroyed section of the vertebra was so
a union.
LOOKS FORWARD TO Oeatn.
With his back broken, and unable to
move from the hips down, Nick Jor-
gensen was cared for at the hospital
as long as there was anything the sis
tiers and nurses could do for him.
Then he was taken to his home to die.
The man calmly awaited death with
the fortitude of a man at peace with
his maker. Never a word of complaint
was heard out of him at the hospital.
The nurses caring for other patients
remarked at the mans cheerfulness
when he knew, as we'll as they that
there was nothing in store for him but
death.
Lodge Helps Him.
The A. O. U. w. lodge helped Jor-
gensen. as he was entitled under the
rules of the order. But there was a
limit to the financial assistance under
these rules, and when this period OF
indemnity had expired the lodge
adopted the method of holding ben
eft dances to raise money to help the
family, which comprised several small
children. The money, no great sum in
any instance, was turned over to the
family, and went to buy the necessar-
les of life.
A few days ago the end came, and
mick" Jorgensen bade his good wife
and. seven children farewell until he
should meet them on the other side.
1t was announced in the papers by the
the family that Rev Mr. Quaien would
conduct the funeral.
Pastor Refuses to Act.
But Mr.. Qualen's views were not in
accordance with the wishes of the
family Mr. Qualen told Mrs. Jorgen-
sen that he could not act with lodge,
which was to have charge of the serv-
ice at the grave. The interAent service
by the lodge was desired by MIR. Jor-
gensen, and by the family. Hence the
family looked to some other minister
and Rev. James MCGEE, of the First
Baptist church, offered prayer and
consolation to the bereaved family.
Would Not Act With Any Lodge.
Mr.. Qualen, when questioned con-
corning the case, explained that he
would not act in conjunction with any
lodge on a funeral, and that he could
not conscientiously do so. He said that
he did not believe in dancing, and did
not believe in the A. O. U. w. holding
benefit dances for Jorgensen. He
thought the lodge could have raised the
money in some other way, for dancing
was wrong. Mr.. Qualen said that If a
member of his church should die, and
that the Masonic fraternity should
conduct the burial service, he would
have to refuse to act. II know / will
be censured, and called fanatic and
narrow minded said Mr.. Qualen, "but
can stand all that can not con-
scientiously act with any lodge in a
funeral
When asked. when he said he OBJ
jected to the lodge furnishing assist
ance thru holding dances, if he had
personally lent financial assistance to
the Jorgensens, Mr.. Qualen said that
he, had not. He said he was under no
personal obligation to Jorgensen, as
the man was not a member of his
church, but that he did go to the coun-
lty, and intercede in behalf of the fam
lilly, to secure financial aid for them.