The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-11-08
From Mondays Daily.

progress and growth was celebrated
in the Mankato Swedish Lutheran
church by special services on Sat.
urday evening and yesterday. The
services were largely attended and
the speakers created a spirit of en-.
thusiasm and energy which will
without doubt carry the work of the
church much farther.
The program on Saturday even.
ing consisted of special music by
the choir, vocal solo by Professor
Carl FranZen of Mason City, who is
a son of the first resident pastor OF
the church, and sermon. Rev. c.
B. L. Boman of Bernadotte, Mimi,
president of the st. Peter district
of the Swedish Lutheran conference
of Minnesota, delivered the sermon,
talking on "The True Preparation
for a Jubilee Service" His sermon
was most fitting and able one for
the opening service of so suspicious
an occasion as this Jubilee
The Sunday morning service was
addressed by Rev. S. A. Lindholm
OF Lafayette, Mimi, who spoke on
1.-The Requisites for True Happi.
ness" Rev. Mr.. Lindholm used 1.-THE
Sermon on the Mount" for his text.
There was special music at this ser.
vice also.
Some Historical Facts.
At the afternoon service yesterday
Rev. o. J. Arthur, the resident pas.
tor, gave an historical sketch of the
church. Some very interesting facts
were shown The church was or.
ganized in 1888 by Rev. S. Ander.
son, now of st. Paul. There was a
charter membership of twenty-four
about ten of whom are still members OF
the church. Rev. Anderson remain
ed for three years and was succeed.
ed by Rev. S. c. Franzen, now OF
Charlton, Iowa. Rev. Mr. Franzen
remained here four years as resi-
dent pastor and during his passionate
the church was erected.
Rev. A. r. Erickson now of Phil.
adelphia, succeeded Rev. Franzen
and remained ten years Rev. N. p.
Tulin then became pastor and re.
manned until 1910. During Rev
Tulin's pastorate the church was fin.
ished on the interior, new pews
were put in, the altar placed, and
it was during that time also that
Gustaf Widell presented the church
with the beautiful pipe organ. This
gift was made in 1902.
Rev. o. J. Arthur came to the
church in August 1911, and during
his year as pastor the church has
gained more than 100 new members
There is now total membership OF
over 500.
Rev. C. S. Franzen gave an ad.
dress in Swedish, reciting some of
his experiences as pastor here and
since he left this charge.
C. E. Bredeson gave the last ad.
dress of the afternoon, speaking in
English. Mr.. Bredeson gave very
able talk in which he paid high trib-
ute to the memory of Martin Luther
and to the memory of Gustavus
Adolphus of Sweden whom he called
"The Preserver of Religious Liber.
ty." Mr.. Bredeson closed his ad.
dress by appealing to the young PEG.
pie especially to be loyal Lutherans
and loyal tScandinavians. "
Greetings were read from Rev. A.
e. Erickson of Philadelphia, Rev. N.
p. Tulin of Sheyenne, ~ D., and
former pastors of this church
The evening service was given in
in the English language and was at
tended by many Americans as we'll
as the members of the congregation.
The church was completely filled
with interested listeners. Lamm's
six piece orchestra rendered four Sc.
lections, Miss Mamie Skuse gave a
wonderfully we'll executed pipe or.
gan solo, Miss Mallgren played a
selection on the piano, and there
was special music by the mems and
young ladies' choruses.
Professor A. A. Stomberg of the
University of Minnesota delivered
the address of the evening, speaking
OF the growth of the church and of
civilization through the church He
said in part: ''The main function of
the Christian church is to save souls
for eternity, and it has won vic
tories throughout the ages because
of its high ideals. You can resist
an army, but you cannot resist the
great ideas that come upon us. The
progress of the church is the result
of this fact.
"The Christian church is the
mightiest power in the world today.
Christ has become more and more
living force among men.
1.-The Protestant reform of the six,
teenth century was a battle of great
ideas to fight abuses and ignorance.
Worldly means were not used. Lu-
Their went forward in the name of
the Almighty God and taught His
Word. Luther stood at Worms the
personification of great truth, stood
before the greatest men of that
time. He proclaimed the truth in
the consciousness that it was an
eternal truth he was uttering. 1t is
the silent forces which win victories.
But sometimes there will be physi-
cal contests, forces of evil and forces
OF Righteousness must clash. Luther
saw that the time would come when
his followers must resort to swords,
and prayed that he would be taken
from earth before that time. His
prayer as answered.
"Gustavus Adolphus was great
general, but he was greater still as
a man. His work is not forgotten.
Every year we bring to mind this
great service and commemorate his
memory. 1t has been truly said of
him "He loved God, he defeated his
enemies, he exalted his race, and he