THE WAUPACA REPUBLICAN

May 5, 1905

 

THE HOLY GHOST CHURCH

 

The Cornerstone to be Laid Sunday, May 7.

 

            The Corner Stone of the new church of the Danish Lutheran or Holy Ghost Church will be laid on Sunday at two-thirty o’clock with the usual ceremonies incident to the occasion, Rev. Jersild pastor of the Danish Lutheran Church of Neenah will be present to assist in the important ceremony of the occasion and who, will also assist the pastor Rev. Simonson in the morning services at the old church.

            A history of the church organization of the Danish people in this city dates back to when Waupaca was a small village and the Central School building was the little one which is now occupied as a residence by Simon Larson, and there is where services were held.  There appeared two factions in the church in Waupaca in those early days of the 1850s and 1860s.  It was called The Danish Evangelical Sion Congregation and a minister named Michelson from Scandinavia, came down for a while and served part of the congregation, and M. F. Sorenson the Episcopal minister here served the other.

            In 1871 The Danish Evangelical Lutheran society was organized, which was under the supervision of a committee in Denmark who saw to it that proper pastors were supplied and June 1, 1873, the corner stone was laid to the church which had done service all these years and will continue as a place of worship until the new premise of worship is finished, the coming summer.

            The Danish name of the church society is “Den Danske Evangelisk Lutherske Helligaands Menighed,” meaning “Danish Evangelical Lutheran Holy Ghost Congregation.”  The name of Holy Ghost was added because the church was dedicated on Pentecost Sunday.

            The first minister was Rev. Rasmus Anderson who served six years when he went to Brooklyn, N.Y., where he still resides.  He was followed by Rev. Anderson and was ordained here by Rev. Neilson of Cedar Falls, Iowa.

            Next came Rev. A. L. J. Soholm who served from 1878 to 1897 and then was called to Elkhorn, Iowa. He was succeeded by Rev. Lang who served six months and was called by death.  Rev. H. N. Jersild was called and served four years and a little over when in Oct. 1902 Rev. N. Simonsen, the present able pastor took the charge, Rev. Jersild moving to Elkhorn, Iowa, where he is interested in college and church work.

            In the early days of the old church there were seventy families interested and about 300 souls.  Although Our Saviors Church congregation has been largely recruited from among its members the membership remains about the same if not larger, and the church is in good circumstances, so much so that they have $6,000 in sight to build their new house of worship.

            The first Board of Trustees of organization were Hans Peterson, Ole Hansen, Fred Larsen, Hans Jensen, Peter Hansen, Jacob Nelson.

            Of these there are now still living Jacob Nelson (now a member of Our Savior’s Church) and Hans Jenson who lives in Lind.

            The present Board of Trustees are:

                                    President – Carl W. Nelson

                                                Vice President – John Madsen

                                                Secy. – Jens Rassmussen

                                                Treas. – F. E. Lund.

                                    Chris Jensen, Jacob Hansen, and John R. Nelsen.

            The names of the members of the Building Committee of the new church are:

                                    Rev. L. P. Simonsen, Chairman

                                                M. E. Hanson, Supt.

                                                Fred Jensen, Sec’y

                                A. P. Anderson, L. Peterson, J. Dorfler.

            A few days ago the corner stone of the old church was taken out and the tin box containing articles opened.  Dampness had injured some of the papers but on the whole things were in a fair state of preservation.  Rev. Simonsen took it in charge, and the things will be redepostited with other things at the laying of the corner stone next Sunday.

            Following is the old list of articles which have lain in the corner stone of the old church almost thirty-two years:

                                    “Helligards Kirken,” copy of Lutheran Catechism,

                                                Small book – report of church meeting in Denmark, 1869, where a committee was appointed to look after Danish Lutheran congregations in America and send ministers where needed.

                                                Constitution of Congregation from 1872, at time of organization, also its history.

                                                Bible in Danish

                                                List of first Trustees, 1873.

                                                Copy of the “WAUPACA COUNTY REPUBLICAN” C. M. Bright, Editor.

                                                First eleven numbers of the Danish Church paper named “Kirklig Samler.”

                Copy of Danish Newspaper printed at Omaha Neb, the PIONEER.

                Several Danish, Swedish and American coins; ¼ Regisdaler, 2 pieces Mark, 3 skillings, 2 skilling, 3-1/2 skillings, 1 ore, 1 mark, Kurrant, very old coin, 1 skilling containing the face of Fredrick VII of Denmark, 1 Swedish skilling, 2 strange foreign coins.

                Three cent piece, American coin.

            The old box containing the above articles will be replaced as before, and the additions in a new sealed case will be placed in the new cornerstone as follows:

                                    Bible and Lutheran Catechism.

                                                The present constitution printed in Danish.

                                                Outlines of the history of the Congregation written in Danish.

                                                Copies of the Republican, Post, and Record.

                                                A late copy of the Danish newspaper The Danskeren published at Blair, Neb.  Also a copy of the Danish Church paper The Kirke Uadet, published at same place.

                                                Record of things in old box and list of the Donors for the new church.

                                                Names of present Trustees

                                                Names of building Committee of both church and stables

            The new church will stand on a prettily shaded lot on the corner of Maple and Waupaca Streets, which was formerly owned by W. Chady and where the foundation for the church stands  Mr. Chady’s house once stood.  Our Savior’s Church Society bought the property consisting of house and two lots some two or three years ago and moved the house to the north side of the lot which is used for the parsonage. The foundation walls are all up and ready for the building which contractor Hans Knutson expects to push right along to completion.  The masonry of the foundation is of large boulders faced and well laid and stands some five or six feet above ground making a high ceiling, the whole being well lighted with furnace room, wood room and a large audience room for Sunday School, school room, Church officials, etc.  Also the pastor wil have a fine study room there.

            The dimensions of the building are:  Main body of church 32 x 52 ft.  Chancel, 14 x 20 ft.  Tower entrance 12 x 12 ft.  The walls are to be veneered with Waupaca red brick.  Other details of the edifice will be noted more at length when completed.  It is safe to say, though that it will be in every particular as good as any church building in the city.

            We congratulate the members of this church on their prosperity and the fact that they will soon have such a fine monument to their faith and devotion.

 

W. Republican  September 13, 1889 – W. Chady had decided to live over his store, consequently Dr. J. O. Scott will soon be seeking headquarters for his dental rooms down toward the center of this portion of the city.