Some Pioneers and Pilgrims on the Prairies of Dakota: Or, From the Ox Team to the AeroplaneReese, John B.
History
Some Pioneers and Pilgrims on the Prairies of Dakota: Or, From the Ox Team to the Aeroplane
Reese, John B.
Frontier and pioneer life -- South Dakota
We have mentioned Reverends Nesse, Graven and Eielsen as pioneers in
laying the foundations for the Church in these settlements. Among
those who gave many years of service in the formative period of church
development should also be mentioned Rev. Carlson, who followed
Graven, who wrought for many years and at last found his resting place
near one of the churches he had so long served. We cannot refrain from
offering, altho a far too inadequate tribute, to one who has given the
years of her life for the brightening and bettering of the lives of
others; one who, altho not a pastor, yet as one pastor's devoted
daughter and equally devoted as the wife of a succeeding pastor, gave
the years of her young womanhood as well as the maturer years of her
life to the service of these people--Mrs. C.T. Olberg, nee Carlson.
For many years as a teacher in the parochial schools and continuously
as a worker in the various activities of the church, especially among
the younger people, and later as the pastor's wife, going in and out
among the people, she has exerted an ennobling, Christianizing
influence which only the angels of God and the far-off shores of
eternity can estimate or measure.
There are many more, both men and women, lay-men and clergy, who have
labored for their Master in this region, whose names I shall not be
able to dwell upon, but whose names and records are in the Book of
Life in Heaven and also written deep in the book of human life touched
by them here on earth. Just to name two or three, there was Rev. Dahl
of Gayville, who has put in a lifetime there. Then among the many
visiting clergymen were Rev. G. Norbeck, Governor Norbeck's father,
and a goodly number of others, lay and clerical preachers.
There were in the earlier years extensive "revivals", generally
promoted by outsiders, often of other denominations, such as these of
the middle eighties and middle nineties. There were other movements by
laymen, both Lutheran and of other denominations. There were bitter
controversies at times between the leaders of these movements,
especially those promoted by men of other denominations than the
Lutheran and the more strict adherents of the local churches. There
were also bitter doctrinal controversies between members or adherents
of the various branches of the Lutheran faith. Of the words said and
the things sometimes done on these occasions none of the participants
would be proud now, and I shall not perpetuate them by repeating what
ought to be forgotten. The word "scorpion" is not just the right
substitute for "Christian brother", but I distinctly recall that it
was thus employed even between Lutherans.
Suffice it to say, there was often narrowness and intolerance on both
sides, both as between denominations and between branches of the
Lutheran Church itself. There was some good in most of these revival
efforts and there were also some features which could justly be
criticised.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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