Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1917-06-28
PASTOR AND WIFE
MEET WITH FRIENDS
Anniversaries of Many Events on
Same Day and Thousands of
Friends Assembled to Do
Them Honor

June 25th is day that brings hap
piness and JOY to Rev. and Mrs. G
B. christensen, of Ebenezer church
west of this city, with each succeed
ing year. Last Monday marked the
10th year of his residence in the
| United States, their 36th wedding an
anniversary, his seth year in the
ministry, his 25th year as president
of the Danish Lutheran church in the
| United States and his 18th year as
| pastor of Ebenezer church.
In order to properly observe these
anniversaries their many friends were
invited to a celebration that was held
in large tent in the church. On
Sunday his C, aggregation and friends
held special services in commemor-
alton of the 400th year of the Refor-
nation. Many from a distance came
to attend this service and remained
for the celebration on Monday.
In the Afternoon DR.. Kepford, of FIT.
Dodge, leader of the Red Cross Soci-
ETY. of Iowa, was invited by Rev.
Christensen to address the people
in a large tent at the church. On
about one thousand 1t was the last
day of the big drive to raise the one
hundred million dollars in the United
States for a Red Cross Relief Fund.
Rev. Christensen though a native
of Denmark, is one of the truest and
noblest of American citizens. He is
so in love with the work of the Red
Cross that he felt delighted to offer
this opportunity to Mr.. Kepford to
present the work of the society at the
time when a celebration was being
carried on in his honor
A number of the friends of Mr.. and
Mrs. christensen in this city care
fully planned to take part in the cell
ebration and Joined together in pre-
senting him with a beautiful leather
reclining chair, and his good wife
handsome and comfortable easy
chair. The cards appended to the
chairs bore the names of the 22 dom
ors. These tokens of remembrance
were presented to Mr.. and Mrs Chris
Hansen by Rev. T. B. Greenlee, pas
tor of the Presbyterian church. Rev.
christensen made happy and most
pleasing response and assured all that
the gifts were received in the same
spirit in which they were given.
Mr.. and Mrs. Christensen had
prepared a beautiful little folder.
printed in red. white and blue. on
which were printed the dates of the
anniversaries, and on the inside pages
The Star Spangled Banner" and
MY Country! 'Tis of Thee" These
were fastened to beautiful Ameri-
can flag and served as souvenirs.
Several hundred of these souvenirs
were given out.
Rev. christensen is one of the
best known pastors of the Danish
Lutheran church in the United States.
He was born October 81. 1851, in
Middlefest, Denmark. He gradu-
ated in the public schools of his nat
i've city and studied to become a pri-
yate teacher, vocation which he fol-
lowed for two years. His ambition.
however, led him to desire a wider
field of activity, so he came to Amer
lea at the age of 26 years. He ma
circulated from Augsburg college.
Minneapolis. where he studied four
years. In 1881 he was ordained as
minister and for four and one half
years was minister of a church in
Council Bluffs, later going to Albert
Lee, Iowa, where he remained about
the same length of time Soon after
he was elected president of Trinity
Seminary. Blair, Nebr., which posi-
ton he held from 1890 to 1895. when
he went to preach in Omaha. Nebr.
where he remained until 1904, when
he accepted the call to preach at Eb-
enezer church, where he is still pas
tor. In 1896 a signai honor was be-
slowed upon Rev. Christensen when
he was elected President of the
United Danish Evangelical Lutheran
Church of America, which position
he still holds.
In June 1881 Rev. Christensen
and Miss Lena Larsen. of Denmark.
were married She was born in the
same town, attended the same school
and was confirmed at the same time
her husband was. They are the par
ents of seven children. Herman. the
eldest. lives in San Francisco. Calf.
Mrs. Bernard Eskelsen, of Hampton.
Nebr., Carl, of Elk Horn; Christian.
of this city; Johannes, of Lincoln.
Nebr., Mrs. Martin Kjer, of this city
and Joseph, of Brush. Colo All of
the children were given educational
advantages in the schools of Blair,
Omaha and Elk Horn.
In the year 1913, "Ridder af Dan
nebrug" a degree of honor for the
efficient service as a minister, was
conferred upon Rev. Christensen,
by the King of Denmark. But re-
CARELESS of this signal honor he is an
American citizen of the truest type.