The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-08-05

creased little during the six years
he served. On the 29th OF March
1880, an extra meeting brought the
members together and they voted to
call Rev A. Anderson of Vasa, Mimi,
to become pastor of this church, and
the church in West Mankato, at a
salary of 5000 per year, the Bel.
and the pastor to give one. third OF
| his time to the church work here.
He accepted the call and came here
at New Year, 1881. He served the
two congregations seven years with
much satisfaction to both. AS pas
tor he was greatly esteemed by his
Pensioners. The land for our ceme-
terry was bought in 1887 from Mr..
Hult for $24. 90. 1t was dedicated in
Conference Rev. A. Jackson. During
1887 and 1888 we were served by Rev.
o. ]. Siljestrom. Prof. e. ]. Werner
Prof. C. J. Carlson and students from
Gustavus Adolphus College st. Peter.
At this time an organ was bought.
In the spring of 1889 a pastor was
again called together with the newly
organized Swedish Evangelical Luth-
cram Emmanuel Church at Mankato.
Rev. S. G. Franzen was unanimously
chosen. He arrived in December the
same year. While he was our pastor
the church was enlarged and reno
waited After five years Of hard and
faithful work he resigned in Noyem-
Der 1894. Again we had to answer
the question:: Who shall be our new
pastor? Finally Rev. A. e. Erickson
was extended a call with salary Of
$4,000 a year from the two churches,
the Belgrade church to pay $250.00.
Rev. Erickson began his pastoral
work in January 1895 and the follow
ing year the church celebrated its
twenty fifth anniversary. This was a
great event for us all. There were
sermons and addresses by prominent
men of the Minnesota Conference.
Carl L. Farm read a history of the
Belgrade. A music band from st.
Peter gave a program. 1t was a great
home coming of our friends, and a
big gathering OF people from all
around. It is spoken of as "Our Big
Celebration Of 1885," and is never to
Ie forgotten.
The church was incorporated 1891
and the church edifice dedicated Aug
ust 80, 1891, by the president Of Min
nesota conference, Rev. DR.. P.
Sjoblom.
Mr.. and Mrs. Adolph Johnson and
family came to Belgrade in 1859 and
are among the charter members OF
the church.
Rev. Erickson was our able and be-
loved pastor for ten years. In 1904
he resigned and left, much to our re-
gret. On July 9th 1905, Rev.. N. p.
Tulin preached his first sermon as
pastor of Mankato and Belgrade
churches. His labor among us was
characterized with much zeal and
faithfulness, with tenderness of heart
he sought the progress Of the King
dom of Christ. However. he did not
remain very long though he was
much esteemed by all. In 1909 he
was granted a six months vacation
to visit his parents in Sweden. In
September, 1910, he moved to North
Dakota. Rev. E. ]. Nystrom, Of st.
Peter, was elected vice pastor and
January 81, 1911. an extra meeting
was held at which Rev. Nystrom was
chairman, and Rev. o. j. Arthur, from
Gideon, Minnesota. was called as pas
tor. Rev. Arthur made US visit and
everybody hoped and waited for an
affirmative answer, but when it came
| 1t was negative. Again we took
and thus prevailed on him to come.
He came to Mankato and Belgrade
August /. 1911, and Is yet our pastor,
and we hope and pray that he will
SO for many years to come, and thus
continue his arduous labor in the
Masters service and for the upbuiId-
ing of the Church of Christ and the
Church of Reformation.
Five years ago, OF 1916, the church
There was a big concourse Of people.
The Conference President. Rev DR..
P. A. Mattson, gave the festival ad-
dress. Other speakers were Rev.
Gust Peterson from Hinkley, Alfred
Torngren, the old veteran and hardy
pioneer, told the tale Of trying days
and frontier life. Mr.. Carl L. Farm
also read a very interesting narration
Of the church activities and colonies.
Happiness and thankfulness were the
vibrating cords in full harmony in the
hearts of the people.
Mr.. Carl L. Farm has been Sunday
school superintendent for nearly
fifty years. The English language is
now used entirely in the Sunday
school, and Mr.. Gilbert Person is sup
erintendent. There is also big
Bible class: Until Of late there has
AS secretary of the church, Mr.. Carl
l.. Farm has served for forty seven
years. The church membership at
this time is sixty. Three of our
young men served in the World War,
Henry Roust, Walter Farm, and
Ruben H. Johnson. All returned
home at the close of the war.
Today after fifty years, we have
only a few left of the first settlers.
Among these Is our dear old friend,
John Quick, now ninety years old
No one now living among us has
suffered more hardships and adver-
sites than he. 1t gives great pleas
ure to all of US to have him with us
on this our Great Jubilee. Then we
have also Mr.. and Mrs. John Peter
son, and Mrs. John Kron who is now
eighty years old. In Joy and sorrow
they have been with us faithfully,
patiently, loyalty for fifty years.
May the evening of their life's day
be peaceful, and a benediction to
them and to US. Many of the pion-
GERS have gone to their rest. Their
labor is done and their children are
now taking their places, yes, even
their children's children are beginn-
ing to fall In line. Some OF the old
families have moved to other places,
and some to Mankato. We would
like to have them all with us today,
and especially our former pastors,
Franzen, Erickson. and Tulin, but
the arrangements did not materialize.