The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1915-10-14
LUTHERAN CHURCH
HAS NEW PASTOR
REV. 3. A. BENSON OF ALExAN.
DRIA, MINI, ACCEPTS CHARGE
AT BRooKINGs
REV.. R. A. BRUCE IS RETURNED HERE
Methodist Minister Will Continue
Work at Bookings and Trenton
Presbyterians Hold Synod

iNCf' II. "a DCiiooh iolC vi <hiSAoiA
dria, Mimi, has accepted the pastoratt
of the Norwegian Lutheran church
and was installed Sunday morn
ing by Rev. Henry Voldah
of Volga. During the pas
four months the Lutheran church has
been without a pastor. Rev. H. Eos
ness, who held the position here fol
five years, accepted the p%astorate a
Northwood, Iowa. Rev. Benson will
also have charge of the congregation
at Sterling and installation services
were held at that church Sunday after
noon at three O'Clock.
Rev. Benson comes to Brookings
with the best of recommendations and
was pastor of the Lutheran church al
Alexandria for fifteen years. His fam
lily consists of himself and wife and
two sons, Reuben, aged eleven, and
Clifton, aged seven, who have entered
the Brookings schools. The family
moved into the parsonage north of the
Lutheran church Monday.
Rev. Benson was born in Dane coun
ty, Wis, and entered the Dodgeville
high school. in 1888. He later attend
ed ~Stoughton and Mt. Horeb &C
ademies, graduating from the latter in
stitution in 1896. During his vacations
he taught in the public schools of Wis
consin and at various times held Offices
of trust in his home county. He at
tended the college of st. Anthony Park
at st. Paul, graduating in 1900.
He was ordained to the ministry on
September 6, 1900, and accepted the
%pastorate of the Lutheran church al
Alexandria. Rev. Benson vas also
pastor of other small churches near
by and was active in mission work. Al
the time of his resignation seven diff
ferent churches were under his control
After his resignation the district was
divided into two p~astorates, two
churches and two p~arsonages were
built and two ministers secured to
carry on Rev. Benson's work. In Alex
andria he was a member of the library
board for nine years and for a mum
Der of terms was presiding elder for
the Fergus Falls district of ten pas,
torates. When Rev. and Mrs. Benson
left Alexandria they were rendered a
banquet by their friends and presented
with a writing desk. chair and cut
glass berry dish as tokens of the es,
TEEN in which they were held by Alex.
andria residents. ,
Regret His Leaving
In speaking of Rev. B~enson's depart.
ure the Alexandria Post News said:
"Rev. B. A. Benson delivered his
farewell sermon to the people of his
parish last Sunday morning. Despite
the rain which fell steadily all the fore.
noon, the church was crowded with
young and old who had come to listen
to their pastors parting words and to
bid him Godspeed to his new field of
endeavor. The sermon throughout
and the greetings which followed be.
spoke the close fellowship which has
existed between pastor and people.
"Mr. and Mrs. Benson and children
left Tuesday afternoon to drive by
automobile to their new home at
Brookings, S. D. Before leaving for
his new home Mr.. Benson spoke feel.
ingly of the many kindnesses which
he had received in his labors. Mr..
Benson wished to express his deep ap-
probation and heartfelt thanks for all
the good things which had come to
him and to his family during his pas
toral work in Douglas county. How
ever successful his future may be, his
labors at Alexandria will long be re.
membered with pleasure"
Rev. Bruce 10 Returned
Rev. R. A. Bruce was returned as
pastor of the M. E. church in Brook.
ings at the thirty-irst annual confer.
ence of the Methodist Episcopal church
of South Dakota held in Sioux Falls
last week. He will also have charge of
the congregation at Trenton as in the
past two and one-half years.
This will be Rev. Bruce's fourth
year in Brookings. being transferred
here from Gettysburg. s. d. During his
pastorship here the membership has
almost doubled and his many friends
in the city are rejoicing over his re.
turn.
At the Sioux Falls conference 1t was