Photos: Mr. & Mrs. Clayton V. Hamilton, Marian Merhiy Shoemaker, Wild Rice Boys and Girls playing, Melvin Maudal, Selma & Alma Maudal.
Letter to the Confirmants (May 1931)
"My dear Children: The time for confirmation will soon be here. We are very sorry that we can not be present on this very important day, nevertheless, our thoughts will be of you and we shall remember to pray for you.
"It seems that you children have met with interruptions and difficulties all through the year. Just after you were well into you work, your Pastor Rev. Opdahl, resigned and moved away. Rev. Aanestad was then called to give a helping hand and took over the work of instructing you. A short while ago, the disastrous fire destroyed your Home and sent you to other Homes where you again changed instructor. Few of you were further sent on to relatives and private homes, and resumed your studies in new classes with different tutors. By this time your original class is pretty well scattered and will, undoubtedly, be confirmed at different times and places. Even though you have been scattered and interrupted so many times, I hope that you will all have the courage and will power to work hard to prepare yourself for "the day when you shall stand before God and promise that you renounce the Devil and all his works, and all his ways, and that you will believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, and that you will, by the grace of God, continue steadfast in this covenant of thy Baptism, even unto the end."
"Before the next issue of the Wild Rice news reaches you hands, most of you will be confirmed. We, therefore, will take this opportunity to congratulate you, and our wish is that you all will, by the Grace of God, be faithful to your promises. We can express our wish in no better way than does the following old prayer which has been handed down to us: "Almighty and merciful God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Thou who through the Holy Spirit dost begin and perfect the good work in us; we thank Thee that in Baptism Thou hast granted these young servants of Thine the gift of regeneration; we thank Thee that through the enlightenment of Thy Word Thou has enabled them to acknowlege Thy saving grace. Perfect, we beseech Thee, what Thou has begun. Grant them an everlasting knowledge of the salvation Thou has prepared in Christ. They are weak, strengthen them with Thy might. They are to meet a dangerous world, guide them with Thy counsel. They are to experience manifold temptations; do Thou help them to resist and to overcome. In every hour of need and sore trial, comfort them with Thy Holy Spirit. Help them to watch and pray, and to seek diligently in Word and sacrament the nourishing of Thy grace, to the end that, in sanctification of the Spirit, together with Thy faithful people, they may before all the world, in word and deed, confess Thee with the Son, and Holy Spirit." Amen. Sincerely, Mrs. & Mrs. J.R. Orvedahl (May 1931)
No comments:
Post a Comment