Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-04-23
REV. WIN. RASMUSSEN HONORED.
Members of Congregation Gather at
His Home Last Sunday.
(Waukon Standard.)

| Last Sunday afternoon the men,
bers of the congregation of the Nor
wegian Lutheran church carried out
plans for a complete surprise on
their pastor, Rev. Rasmussen, by
gathering at the parsonage home in
a body and rendering their respects
and appreciation of his diligent ser
vices as pastor of that church. They
good wife with a fine set of dining
chairs, dishes, a buffet and a bed
room suite. DR.. Svebakken gave an
address covering the sentiments of
the congregation in their apprecia-
ton of the work of the pastor and
family, and Rev. Rasmussen replied
in a short address. 1t was an occa-
sion that will long be remembered
among the pleasantries of the Ras
mussen home, and one in which the
congregation took great delight in
thus honoring their beloved pastor.
DR.. Otto o. Svebakken made the
presentation address, part of which
we desire to publish. 1t was address
sed to Rev. Rasmussen and family as
follows:
I'm behalf of the St. Johns Luther
an Ladies Aid and the congregation,
have been requested to deliver this
message and explain the purpose
of this gathering.
Our purpose is least a two~fold
one; first, we are gathered here today
to personally bid you a welcome and
to thank you for accepting our call.
We feel that under the Guiding
Spirit, as you formerly said you
seemed to be directed by God to take
this calD, which you accepted our
association, and the christian en-
thuSiasm you have shown in your
work will bring fruit among us,
and that we may receive such bles-
sings of God as is obtained through
the teachings of his word; the eX-
ample of Christ; the guidance of the
Holy spirit and your good, christ
ian admonition.
We are pleased with your work
and pray that the Lord will help us
so to prepare the soil in our hearts
that the good seed may bring a
bountiful harvest.
Secondly: we gather here today
that we may become personally ac-
quainted with you. We already begin
to feel as though we knew you, and
have learned through your sermons
so that We wish to form a still clos
er association. We want you also to
become acquainted with us. We wish
to work together in unison for the
growth of our church and spiritual
development of ourselves. We want
to share kindly and lovingly the
good and happiness, as we'll as we
must the bad and sad lot of our
life. We have come to say that we
want you to be an intimate integral
of our home, member of our family.
our spiritual guide through the word
of God, and we want to be your help
and friend. Through such association
our church should grow in numbers,
in strength and in spirit as eXempli-
| fed in the teachings of Christ and the
founder of our church, Martin Lu
Their.
We wish also in a small way to
express our gratitude and good will
in material way. We have brought
you these dishes and furniture that
may add to your convenience and
comfort. The ladies have brought
well-filled baskets for our appetites'
sake that all of us may be filled with
even more than joy today. We want
to come again; hope that we can
participate in these joyous gather
ings until we, like these dishes and
furniture, one by one, are broken
and laid away.
Following this presentation Rev.
Rasmussen gave an expression of
thanks in an able address in which
he held out that kind deeds and
such encouragements did much to
spur one on the their way and gave
them better strength to do their
work, and how much it helped for
every church member to be faithful
to the pastor.