Home
Their 1879 "Swedish Mission Church"
formation by former Bethany Lutheran Church members
due to the "atonement" issue
~ An account by Dr. Emory K. Lindquist ~ Part 2 of 2
formation by former Bethany Lutheran Church members
due to the "atonement" issue
~ An account by Dr. Emory K. Lindquist ~ Part 2 of 2
The account by Dr. Emory K. Lindquist from his 1953 Smoky Valley People
Chapter 2
"A Church is Founded"
Pages 25-31
Chapter 2
"A Church is Founded"
Pages 25-31
"While progress was being made on the construction of the new church building, the congregation was torn asunder by the intense strife caused by the differences in belief about the atonement. 4 The controversy was no episodal affair; it involved deep-seated issues that divided congregations and disrupted close friendships. Its origin came be traced primarily to the views of Peter Paul Waldenström of Sweden, who succeeded Carl Rosenius as the editor of Pietisten, a devotional publication which was read widely in Sweden and in America. [Paul Petter Waldenström - Wikipedia]
"The differences of opinion on religious issues appeared, however, shortly after the Bethany Church joined the Augustana Synod in 1870. Some of the members who believed in a free-church concepts soon became dissatisfied with the affiliation which they interpreted as a threat to their freedom. As early as in 1871, an itinerant preacher, the Rev. H. Bloom, Des Moines, Iowa, was invited by some of the members to preach in Lindsborg. Pastor Olson was disturbed by Bloom's doctrinal position and warned his members not to be misled by these teachings.
"One day Olsson entered the general store which was owned by C. R. Carlson and D. Johnson and noticed on the counter a copy of Pietisten, the devotional journal edited by Waldenström. He opened the volume and saw the text for the Twentieth Sunday after Trinity, with a commentary by Waldenström. This statement defined the latter's position on the atonement and was read and quoted widely. Olsson was disturbed by this interpretation, and especially, when he learned that some of his members were accepting it as correct. Following the sermon on the succeeding Sunday, Olsson urge all members of the congregation to meet with him that evening because he had several very important items to discuss with them. On that occasion, the Bethany pastor read Waldenström's sermon on the atonement. When the reading was completed, Olsson asked if anyone had observed the great errors in Waldenström's discourse. When there was no response, he declared: "Well, if you assent to this, then it is time that I hand in my resignation." John Ferm, a leader in the community, who was excommunicated from the congregation the following year for his unacceptable doctrinal views on this issue, arose and declared: 'What Waldenström here teaches is a doctrine from blackest hell.'
-------
"Two important events now brought the issue into the stage of decisive action. The first one witnesses the parting of the ways between C. R. Carlson, the former school teacher from Värmland and close friend of Olsson, the man most responsible for the latter's decision to come to Kansas, and the pastor himself.
"It was a rather unusual situation as described in the records of the deacons. The Carlson asked for dismissal from the church for the following reasons: "1. They had been warned and criticized for taking into their home some preachers who were not Lutherans but nevertheless Christians. 2. Carlson had been severely criticized by the congregation for misinterpreting its Holy faith and doctrine. 3. He had never been willing to be loyal to the Augustana Synod."
-------
"On March 27, 1874, Carlson addressed the following letter to the Bethany congregation: "The undersigned request here to withdraw their membership from the congregation. The reasons are as follows: When the congregation was organized, we were newly-arrived, liberally-minded pietists (lasäre) from Sweden who could give no approval to any churchly intolerance or conflict with other Christians. Therefore, after careful consideration, the second article of the congregational constitution was proposed which was adopted unanimously and became especially acknowledged by the Synod when the congregation joined it. But now the largest part of the congregation has changed its free conviction to a bitter intolerance, and since I will not approve this conduct but wish to adhere to the congregation's free constitution, I am singled out and regarded as a bad and harmful member who opposes and destroys the congregation's Holy faith and doctrine while at the same time I am compared to an unfaithful wife who receives her lover against her husband's wishes and protest. And since this bad accusation does not cease but continues with unabated strength, so has this sad circumstance forced us to request our dismissal from the congregation."
"In a statement addressed to the deacons, Carlson declared that he would continue his membership in the congregation if he could take into his home without criticism such preachers as he chose, who appeared to be Christian; that he could support Missions where he desired and as he thought necessary; and that the pastor and board of deacons would be invited to hear such preachers as he invited to determine their doctrinal soundness.
"The issues involved were seriously considered by the deacons who on April 10, 1874, took the following action; "The church council cannot on its own behalf (or in behalf of the congregation) grant Mr. Carlson's request. The persons who have made this request are therefore dismissed from the congregation, but if Carlson or any other wish to rejoin the congregation without putting up reservations, they will be welcome to do so."
"The spirit of the deacons was tempered with moderation. The door was still open to Carlson and his associates. After considering the matter for two days, they closed it by their own decision. The withdrawal of Mr. and Mrs. Carlson and 14 others occurred on April 12. The time for decision had come and earnest men and women, friends and neighbors, members of family with different points of view, affirmed the faith as they understood it. The small town of Lindsborg was shaken by the strain and tension of conflict over fundamentals of the faith.
"Gustaf Johnson, a charter member of the Bethany Lutheran Church, recounts according to Dr. Alfred Bergin his response to these issues: "I never thought of leaving the congregation, but one day John Train, a deacon came and said that he was sent by Pastor Olsson in order to ask us, if we would quit reading Pietisten, otherwise he would have us read out of the congregation." Johnson then answered simply: I have come to America in order to gain religious and civil freedom." On the following Sunday when the Johnsons went to church, Olsson announced from the pulpit that they had been expelled from the congregation. Olsson later regretted this action, and while the Johnsons never again affiliated with the Bethany Lutheran Church, there was a reconciliation between them and Olsson.
"The final episode in these dramatic events occurred in May, 1875. At a meeting of the deacons on May 19, Carl Carlson, G Magnuson, J. Train, P. Hendrickson, B. Fallquist, and Pastor Olsson were present. Following prayer and reading from the works of Martin Luther, the group turned to the serious business of the evening--the errors in the doctrine of of two members of the congregation, A. John Nilson and John Ferm, both leaders in the community. Pastor Olsson initiated the discussion. He listed the six issues and in so doing, gave a concise and interesting summary of the cause of the conflict that split the community of Lindsborg and many other Swedish American settlements and Lutheran congregations. The statement was as follows: " Waldenström's interpretation of the doctrine of atonement is unbiblical and un-Lutheran--"1. Because P. W. segregates the attributes of God, making love alone a characteristic of his heart and being, with the exclusion of righteousness and divine faith; "2. Because P. W. denies the suffering of Christ as a punishment for our sins; "3. Because P. W. denies propitiation in the Lutheran sense; "4. Because P. W. denies that Christ was a Mediator between God and man; "5. Because P. W. denies that God is merciful to us for Christ's sake. "6. Because P. W.'s book on the Atonement and his sermons in general run counter to and subvert true Lutheran doctrine."
"A lengthy discussion followed the presentation of these issues. Nilson declared to the group: "What I wish to insist on is that P. Waldenström's position is like that of Rosenius in his time. It is only a spiteful interpretation of P. Waldenström's writings, and that is not the case, it is a lack of understanding and appreciation." The partisans of Waldenström's had cooperated carefully in presenting to the deacons their version of the controversy. Their statement, which was prepared and written by C. R. Carlson, is detailed and required 18 closely written pages. Both sides had studied Swedish and German theological works to establish the correctness of this position. Earnest men pleaded with earnest men that their point of view be accepted. The session continued far into the night. When the verdict was reached, it read as follows: "Resolved that John Ferm and A. J. Nilson, though having been warned privately and admonished by the Church Council, they still persisted in their statements, are hereby excommunicated from the congregation, on the ground that they hold, defend and seek to disseminate a doctrine foreign to this congregation, namely P. Waldenström's teaching on the atonement, and that in this manner they have forsaken, misinterpreted and openly opposed the holy faith of our church."
"The decision of the church council reflected the official action of the pastor and individuals entrusted with the responsibility of preserving the doctrinal position of the congregation. These developments were tragic for Olsson, who believe that in 1869 he had founded a "pure congregation." Action was taken only after serious and prayerful consideration, because the future of the congregation was at stake. No other decision was possible if the congregation was to remain Lutheran in doctrine.
"The issues were not only discussed in the solemn atmosphere of the official meeting of the church council. The general participation in the debate and discussion cannot be fully grasped by a later generation, which has become so secularized that doctrinal matters are not considered of great consequence. The situation in the Lindsborg community during 1874 and 1875 was quite otherwise. It was a common practice to place the Bible on the seat of the wagon or buggy as the owner drove around the settlement or to Lindsborg, because it was needed in advocating or defending the position adhered to in the atonement controversy. Residents might meet along the narrow road, and the Kansas prairie became the forum for a long debate until the gathering shadows foretold the end of a day and the need for doing the chores at home. A Bible would be found on a store counter, and, in the midst of a heated argument, it's pages would be carefully scrutinized as to the meaning of various passages. Olsson is said to have declared: "If I preach against the heresy on Sunday, there is preaching in favor of it every day in the store." Neighbors would gather in homes, and occasionally the discussion and argument lasted until sunrise as it did one night in the residence of John Train. The tenseness increased and with it great grief for Pastor Olson, who became seriously ill. It is even reported that prayers were uttered that the Lord might remove him from the land of the living.
"It is not possible to comprehend fully the nature of the controversy which set neighbor against neighbor and friend against friend without understanding the deep religious interest and convictions of the people. The Bible studies were not cursory experiences, but genuine seeking for truth and meaning. Religion was central in their lives. The doctrine of atonement dealt with the nature of God and the role of Jesus Christ in salvation. They believe wholeheartedly in the promises of God as they understood them. There is admiration for their zeal but regret that it had to be so divisive.
"The individuals who withdrew or were excommunicated retained identification as Lutherans for many years. The group which organized a congregation northeast of Lindsborg in 1874 and one in town the following year were known as members of the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Mission Society. In 1885 the Mission Covenant Church was organized on a national basis.
"The future of the Lindsborg congregation might have seemed insecure following the atonement controversy since fourty-two (42) members withdrew or were expelled in the period, 1874 to 1876. However, the statistic show another pattern. In 1874, fourteen (14); in 1875, seventy-two (72); and in 1876, fifty-eight (58) new members joined the congregation making a total of 144. In the three previous years, only ninety (90) members had joined the church. The explanation is found in the new zeal of the members in building and strengthening the church following the serious threats of the Waldenström controversy. While the membership showed a gain, the Bethany congregation suffered a great loss. The anxiety and distress produced by this conflict with old friends and associates grieved pastor Olson and impaired his health. Early in 1876 he requested a leave-of-absence for one year to serve as professor at Augustana College and Theological Seminary. The request was granted. Olsson never again served as pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church, although he and his family returned to Lindsborg frequently and spent long periods of time in the community which owed so much to them and which they loved so dearly."
"The differences of opinion on religious issues appeared, however, shortly after the Bethany Church joined the Augustana Synod in 1870. Some of the members who believed in a free-church concepts soon became dissatisfied with the affiliation which they interpreted as a threat to their freedom. As early as in 1871, an itinerant preacher, the Rev. H. Bloom, Des Moines, Iowa, was invited by some of the members to preach in Lindsborg. Pastor Olson was disturbed by Bloom's doctrinal position and warned his members not to be misled by these teachings.
"One day Olsson entered the general store which was owned by C. R. Carlson and D. Johnson and noticed on the counter a copy of Pietisten, the devotional journal edited by Waldenström. He opened the volume and saw the text for the Twentieth Sunday after Trinity, with a commentary by Waldenström. This statement defined the latter's position on the atonement and was read and quoted widely. Olsson was disturbed by this interpretation, and especially, when he learned that some of his members were accepting it as correct. Following the sermon on the succeeding Sunday, Olsson urge all members of the congregation to meet with him that evening because he had several very important items to discuss with them. On that occasion, the Bethany pastor read Waldenström's sermon on the atonement. When the reading was completed, Olsson asked if anyone had observed the great errors in Waldenström's discourse. When there was no response, he declared: "Well, if you assent to this, then it is time that I hand in my resignation." John Ferm, a leader in the community, who was excommunicated from the congregation the following year for his unacceptable doctrinal views on this issue, arose and declared: 'What Waldenström here teaches is a doctrine from blackest hell.'
-------
"Two important events now brought the issue into the stage of decisive action. The first one witnesses the parting of the ways between C. R. Carlson, the former school teacher from Värmland and close friend of Olsson, the man most responsible for the latter's decision to come to Kansas, and the pastor himself.
"It was a rather unusual situation as described in the records of the deacons. The Carlson asked for dismissal from the church for the following reasons: "1. They had been warned and criticized for taking into their home some preachers who were not Lutherans but nevertheless Christians. 2. Carlson had been severely criticized by the congregation for misinterpreting its Holy faith and doctrine. 3. He had never been willing to be loyal to the Augustana Synod."
-------
"On March 27, 1874, Carlson addressed the following letter to the Bethany congregation: "The undersigned request here to withdraw their membership from the congregation. The reasons are as follows: When the congregation was organized, we were newly-arrived, liberally-minded pietists (lasäre) from Sweden who could give no approval to any churchly intolerance or conflict with other Christians. Therefore, after careful consideration, the second article of the congregational constitution was proposed which was adopted unanimously and became especially acknowledged by the Synod when the congregation joined it. But now the largest part of the congregation has changed its free conviction to a bitter intolerance, and since I will not approve this conduct but wish to adhere to the congregation's free constitution, I am singled out and regarded as a bad and harmful member who opposes and destroys the congregation's Holy faith and doctrine while at the same time I am compared to an unfaithful wife who receives her lover against her husband's wishes and protest. And since this bad accusation does not cease but continues with unabated strength, so has this sad circumstance forced us to request our dismissal from the congregation."
"In a statement addressed to the deacons, Carlson declared that he would continue his membership in the congregation if he could take into his home without criticism such preachers as he chose, who appeared to be Christian; that he could support Missions where he desired and as he thought necessary; and that the pastor and board of deacons would be invited to hear such preachers as he invited to determine their doctrinal soundness.
"The issues involved were seriously considered by the deacons who on April 10, 1874, took the following action; "The church council cannot on its own behalf (or in behalf of the congregation) grant Mr. Carlson's request. The persons who have made this request are therefore dismissed from the congregation, but if Carlson or any other wish to rejoin the congregation without putting up reservations, they will be welcome to do so."
"The spirit of the deacons was tempered with moderation. The door was still open to Carlson and his associates. After considering the matter for two days, they closed it by their own decision. The withdrawal of Mr. and Mrs. Carlson and 14 others occurred on April 12. The time for decision had come and earnest men and women, friends and neighbors, members of family with different points of view, affirmed the faith as they understood it. The small town of Lindsborg was shaken by the strain and tension of conflict over fundamentals of the faith.
"Gustaf Johnson, a charter member of the Bethany Lutheran Church, recounts according to Dr. Alfred Bergin his response to these issues: "I never thought of leaving the congregation, but one day John Train, a deacon came and said that he was sent by Pastor Olsson in order to ask us, if we would quit reading Pietisten, otherwise he would have us read out of the congregation." Johnson then answered simply: I have come to America in order to gain religious and civil freedom." On the following Sunday when the Johnsons went to church, Olsson announced from the pulpit that they had been expelled from the congregation. Olsson later regretted this action, and while the Johnsons never again affiliated with the Bethany Lutheran Church, there was a reconciliation between them and Olsson.
"The final episode in these dramatic events occurred in May, 1875. At a meeting of the deacons on May 19, Carl Carlson, G Magnuson, J. Train, P. Hendrickson, B. Fallquist, and Pastor Olsson were present. Following prayer and reading from the works of Martin Luther, the group turned to the serious business of the evening--the errors in the doctrine of of two members of the congregation, A. John Nilson and John Ferm, both leaders in the community. Pastor Olsson initiated the discussion. He listed the six issues and in so doing, gave a concise and interesting summary of the cause of the conflict that split the community of Lindsborg and many other Swedish American settlements and Lutheran congregations. The statement was as follows: " Waldenström's interpretation of the doctrine of atonement is unbiblical and un-Lutheran--"1. Because P. W. segregates the attributes of God, making love alone a characteristic of his heart and being, with the exclusion of righteousness and divine faith; "2. Because P. W. denies the suffering of Christ as a punishment for our sins; "3. Because P. W. denies propitiation in the Lutheran sense; "4. Because P. W. denies that Christ was a Mediator between God and man; "5. Because P. W. denies that God is merciful to us for Christ's sake. "6. Because P. W.'s book on the Atonement and his sermons in general run counter to and subvert true Lutheran doctrine."
"A lengthy discussion followed the presentation of these issues. Nilson declared to the group: "What I wish to insist on is that P. Waldenström's position is like that of Rosenius in his time. It is only a spiteful interpretation of P. Waldenström's writings, and that is not the case, it is a lack of understanding and appreciation." The partisans of Waldenström's had cooperated carefully in presenting to the deacons their version of the controversy. Their statement, which was prepared and written by C. R. Carlson, is detailed and required 18 closely written pages. Both sides had studied Swedish and German theological works to establish the correctness of this position. Earnest men pleaded with earnest men that their point of view be accepted. The session continued far into the night. When the verdict was reached, it read as follows: "Resolved that John Ferm and A. J. Nilson, though having been warned privately and admonished by the Church Council, they still persisted in their statements, are hereby excommunicated from the congregation, on the ground that they hold, defend and seek to disseminate a doctrine foreign to this congregation, namely P. Waldenström's teaching on the atonement, and that in this manner they have forsaken, misinterpreted and openly opposed the holy faith of our church."
"The decision of the church council reflected the official action of the pastor and individuals entrusted with the responsibility of preserving the doctrinal position of the congregation. These developments were tragic for Olsson, who believe that in 1869 he had founded a "pure congregation." Action was taken only after serious and prayerful consideration, because the future of the congregation was at stake. No other decision was possible if the congregation was to remain Lutheran in doctrine.
"The issues were not only discussed in the solemn atmosphere of the official meeting of the church council. The general participation in the debate and discussion cannot be fully grasped by a later generation, which has become so secularized that doctrinal matters are not considered of great consequence. The situation in the Lindsborg community during 1874 and 1875 was quite otherwise. It was a common practice to place the Bible on the seat of the wagon or buggy as the owner drove around the settlement or to Lindsborg, because it was needed in advocating or defending the position adhered to in the atonement controversy. Residents might meet along the narrow road, and the Kansas prairie became the forum for a long debate until the gathering shadows foretold the end of a day and the need for doing the chores at home. A Bible would be found on a store counter, and, in the midst of a heated argument, it's pages would be carefully scrutinized as to the meaning of various passages. Olsson is said to have declared: "If I preach against the heresy on Sunday, there is preaching in favor of it every day in the store." Neighbors would gather in homes, and occasionally the discussion and argument lasted until sunrise as it did one night in the residence of John Train. The tenseness increased and with it great grief for Pastor Olson, who became seriously ill. It is even reported that prayers were uttered that the Lord might remove him from the land of the living.
"It is not possible to comprehend fully the nature of the controversy which set neighbor against neighbor and friend against friend without understanding the deep religious interest and convictions of the people. The Bible studies were not cursory experiences, but genuine seeking for truth and meaning. Religion was central in their lives. The doctrine of atonement dealt with the nature of God and the role of Jesus Christ in salvation. They believe wholeheartedly in the promises of God as they understood them. There is admiration for their zeal but regret that it had to be so divisive.
"The individuals who withdrew or were excommunicated retained identification as Lutherans for many years. The group which organized a congregation northeast of Lindsborg in 1874 and one in town the following year were known as members of the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Mission Society. In 1885 the Mission Covenant Church was organized on a national basis.
"The future of the Lindsborg congregation might have seemed insecure following the atonement controversy since fourty-two (42) members withdrew or were expelled in the period, 1874 to 1876. However, the statistic show another pattern. In 1874, fourteen (14); in 1875, seventy-two (72); and in 1876, fifty-eight (58) new members joined the congregation making a total of 144. In the three previous years, only ninety (90) members had joined the church. The explanation is found in the new zeal of the members in building and strengthening the church following the serious threats of the Waldenström controversy. While the membership showed a gain, the Bethany congregation suffered a great loss. The anxiety and distress produced by this conflict with old friends and associates grieved pastor Olson and impaired his health. Early in 1876 he requested a leave-of-absence for one year to serve as professor at Augustana College and Theological Seminary. The request was granted. Olsson never again served as pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church, although he and his family returned to Lindsborg frequently and spent long periods of time in the community which owed so much to them and which they loved so dearly."
* * *
"Let Us Remember Them"
* * *
Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
"Let Us Remember Them"
* * *
Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
