Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/412

 344 HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY form to a small, old church in the old country, situated in the southern part of the town.' 'From the time of Mr. Mattson's account, as above, up to 1860. a large number of Swedes arrived, partly from Sweden direct and partly from the older states of the Union, and filled up not only the town of Vasa but also parts of the surrounding townships, such as Leon, Cannon Falls. Belle Creek, Goodhue, Featherstone. Burnside and Welch. Quite a number settled in Red Wing from the beginning of Swedish immigration to Good- hue county. The most of them were of the Lutheran profession, at least nominally. 'The organization of the Swedish Lutheran churches at Red AVing and Vasa stood in connection with a missionary tour to Minnesota, which I made in 1855, in the months of August and September, I at that time being pastor of several Swedish churches in Tippecanoe and surrounding counties in Indiana. From my diary kept at that time I may here transcribe some items. "1855, August 31. Landed at Red Wing at 12 o'clock at night; took lodging at a miserable hotel; tried to sleep, but could not for mosquitoes. September 1, made an attempt to scale Barn Bluff before sunrise, but was recalled by the breakfast bell. I made some inquiries to find out if there were any Swedes, but I obtained no information. After a while I met a Swedish servant girl, who told me that there were quite a number of them in Red AVing and gave me directions how to find them. After having spoken to several of them and explained the object of my visit, I proposed to hold a service in the evening if a place could be had. They told me that the Presbyterians had a meet- ing house, a shanty, in the burgh, and that we might possibly get it. I then went to the Presbyterian minister, the Rev. Mr. Hancock, introduced myself and asked for permission to use his chapel, to which he consented, provided I would preach the sound gospel. In the evening I had about one hundred hearers, among whom, no doubt, were hard cases. One poor fellow told me that 'the old devil may run after preachers, but he would not.' However, not a few seemed to be edified and desired me to hold as many services as my time would permit. "September 2, the Lord's day, I remained at Red AVing and preached in the afternoon in the Presbyterian chapel, the house being full ; and making a new appointment for Monday night, I got a horse and a guide in the evening and went out to Vasa, word having been sent before, for divine service in the forenoon on Monday. AVo went up the Spring creek valley and got over the prairies to Carl Carlson's after dark. Carlson lived in a log house a little to the northeast from the present brick church.