I wrote Monday under the headline "Lutherans, chicken dinners & fowl play" about the fate of fat chickens purloined before they could be processed to feed preachers who were gathered in Chariton for a church conference that preceded dedication of the new Swedish Lutheran Church building on Oct. 4, 1903.
What I didn't do was transcribe the far longer article in The Chariton Herald of Oct. 8 about the dedication itself.
Then I noticed this outstanding photo of the church in the Lucas County Historical Society collection and decided to pair it with that article to provide another substantial dose of Lucas County Lutheran hustory.
The photo was taken by Lloyd Moore, but like most of his images in the collection is not dated. My best guess is ca. 1969, when the congregation celebrated its centennial.
Whatever the case, here's the text of the story as published under the headline, "Lutherans Dedicate."
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Last Sunday was another red letter day in the interesting history of the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran church of this city, when that beautiful building was formally dedicated. In 1869, the society was organized by Rev. J. Teleen, now a doctor of divinity residing at Rock Island, Illinois. On that day the Swedish speaking people in the community met in the old Baptist church that stood on south Main street, just north of Armory avenue.
Those living in this vicinity at the present time who were present at that time are J. F. Ekfelt, Mrs. Mary J. Holmes, Mrs. Alfred Johnson, P. J. Lindquist, O. Olson, J. Frederic Johnson's family, the Lauger family, Sutherland, Charley Brown of Derby and family, his son-in-law, A.G. Johnson, also of Derby, Tull, of Derby, Erlandson family, C. Rhamgren, Tapper family, Carl Larson family. Several families have taken up a residence elsewhere since then, among whom are the Swangrens, Rockford, Ill.; John Rydlund and sister, Kearney, Nebraska; Andrew Anderson and Andrew Peterson, Sioux City; Jacob and S. G. Olson and families, of Stanton; P. E. Anderson and Victor Munson families of Red Oak.
After their organization, the congregation held meetings regularly, whether a pastor was present or not, and for several months their meetings were held in the old brick courthouse, and students from Augustana College were given charge of the congregation when without a pastor.
The first regular pastor was Rev. M. Frykman, who served the people from 1875 for five consecutive years. In this time the old church was built and dedicated, and it was a mutual pleasure to the congregation and Rev. Frykman that it was possible for him to be present at the dedicatory service of the new church last Sunday and have a part therein. The students who have ministered to these people are J. C. B. Osterholm, J. A. Eckstrom, John Johnston and C. E. Benson. The ordained pastors are Rev. A. J. Ostlin, who served from 1882-84; P. A. Edquist, 1886-88; G. A. Swanburg, 1891-99. Other ministers who have had part in the early history of the church are Revs. Olson of Mt. Pleasant and Halland of Stanton.
The present pastor, Rev. J.P. Borg, began his ministerial duties the last day of March, 1900, and for three and one half years has served his congregation most acceptably and faithfully, and today the handsome and substantial edifice at the corner of 8th street and Roland avenue stands as a monument to his labors.
Last May, the 4th day, the corner stone laying thereof took place, the ceremony proper conducted by the president of the Iowa Conference, Rev. A. Norrbom, of Swedesburg. It was also his pleasure to have charge of the solemn and impressive dedicatory service just five months later.
The first part of the program last Sunday afternoon was in English, and Rev. Theodore Seashore, of Essex, delivered a splendid sermon based on a text taken from the 5th chapter of First Thessalonians. Special music was a duet by Rev. Hanson and Miss Lindquist, and a duet by the Westling sisters. Rev. Borg stated the amount of indebtedness to the congregation, asking for free will offerings to liquidate the same. After the subscriptions had been taken, the remaining amount was provided for by a liberal loan from one of the building committee, and the dedicatory service was then given into the hands of the president of the conference, Rev. A. Norrbom, who preached a scholarly sermon from the first part of the 84th Psalm, at the conclusion of which the choir sang this psalm. There were present at this service 23 visiting ministers, who assisted. Of former pastors, three were present, viz. Revs. Frykman, Swanburg and Benson.
The work of erecting the church was done by the day, superintended by Charles W. Johnson, and the excellent plans were made by Rev. Borg and the superintendent, assisted by the other members of the building committee, Messrs. C. W. Slattengren, A. Arvidson, Swan and Peter Nelson, Frank Peterson, John Larson, J.A. Carlson, Gus Clawson, J. E. Anderson, P. J. Lindquist and Andrew Swanson.
The fresco work was let by contract and awarded to Louis Syberkrop & Sons, of Creston, who planned the beautiful interior decorations. The handsome large windows were gifts. The east one was a donation from the Dorcas society, the west from the Concordia society and the south from the Luther League. The thirty beautiful choir chairs were a much appreciated gift from Messrs. Charles Ekfelt, of Ottumwa, and Fred Ekfelt, of St. Louis. These chairs were manufactured in the Mound City chair factory at St. Louis, of which Mr. Fred Ekfelt is the president and principal stockholder. These donors are the sons of our townspeople, Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Ekfelt, and were confirmed in the old church building and yet retain a very warm feeling for the church of their boyhood days.
The basement is finished nicely and furnished complete with kitchen and dining furniture, the gifts of the Dorcas and Concordia societies. The basement is also arranged so that school may be conducted there during vacation for the benefit of those who wish their children to receive instruction in the Swedish language.
All the plans from start to finish have been laid and carried out by those having charge of the same, and the result is that when the building committee turned over their work to the congregation it was satisfactory in every respect.
During conference and on dedication day, the ladies of the church residing in the country, near the city, provided and prepared the excellent dinners served each noon in the basement to the conference and visitors from a distance. Thus the work of entertaining for the town people was minimized and all were enabled thereby to attend the conference and dedicatory services. The visiting ministers were very much pleased with Rev. Borg's pastorate, and complimented him and his enterprising congregation upon the success of all their undertakings in the various departments of the church work. The present congregation is to be congratulated on having one of the handsomest church edifices in southern Iowa. It is at once a source of gratification to themselves and an ornament to the architecture of our city.
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