United Danish Ev Lutheran01

Waupaca Record

June 11, 1908

THE UNITED DANISH EVANGELICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH

What the Organization Is and a Short Sketch of the History In America

The United Danish Evangelical Lutheran church honoring our city by holding its twelfth annual convention amongst us, the guest of both the Lutheran churches here, is the largest church organization amongst the Danes in this country, having a membership of about 18,000, divided into 150 congregations, served by 100 ministers and with a large missionary field before it. It was in the year of 1896, when, in Minneapolis, Minn., two separate Danish Lutheran Synods – “The Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church Association in America” and “The Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church in North American” – were, after due consideration, united into one body under the name of “The United Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America”, and in its confession of faith as well as form of worship being in accordance with the mother church in Denmark with whom friendly connection is kept up thru a board, although the United Church is in every way an independent organization.

While, of course, the United Church finds its main work among the many Danes scattered abroad in our land, to bring our Danish-American citizens the gospel in their mother-tongue, to establish Lutheran educational institutions, build orphans’ homes and hospitals – and publish clean and Christian literature – its heart has been enlarged towards others in need of the gospel instruction, and has found money and men to establish a successful mission among the Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma and another very progressive mission in Japan. Missionary work among the Mormons in Utah and Idaho is also being done.

“Dana College and Trinity Theological Seminary” of Blair, Neb., is the property of the United Church and is a first class institution of learning. Three high schools and colleges, besides, are owned and controlled by men in the Church, and all the schools are doing well, each having a large student body.

Two Orphan Homes – one on Berlin Street in this city and the other at Elk Horn, Ia. – are operated by the church.

The publishing house – an up-to-date institution – is located at Blair, Ne., and publishers four papers in the Danish tongue.

The officers of the United Danish Church are:

President – Rev. G.B. Christiansen, Audubon, Ia.

Vice President – Rev. A.L.J. Soholm, Royal, Ia.

Secretary – Rev. L. Johnson, St. Louis, Mo.

Treasurer – Prof. C.X. Hansen, Blair, Neb.

Trustees – Mr. P. Claussen, Albert Lea, Minn., Mr. N.S. Nielsen, Des Moines, Ia.