Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/476

 CHAPTER XXIV. GOODHUE COUNTY CHURCHES. Religious Influence — Norwegian Lutheran — Norwegian Metho- dist—Swedish Lutheran — English Lutheran — Swedish Mis- sion — German Churches — German Methodism — Swedish Methodists — Roman Catholic — Congregational — Presby- terian — Episcopal — Baptist — Swedish Baptist. Religious influence has ever been tremendously powerful in Goodhue county. Father Hennepin, a Franciscan priest, bore the crucifix when he landed al the foot of Barn Bluff in 1680. The stockade a1 Frontenac in 1827 enclosed a mission house of the Jesuit order. The first modern settlers of the county were the Swiss missionaries, Denton and Gavin. Their successors were Aiton and Eancock, Presbyterian clergymen. Wherever the pio- neers settled' they no sooner had their houses roofed over than they began to hold religious services. With so large a Scandina- vian and German population, it is natural that the Lutheran faith should hold a leading position in the county. Not all the people of Scandinavian and German birth, however, subscribe to the tenets of that faith, as the Swedish, Norwegian and German Methodists, and the German and Swedish Baptists are also repre- sented. The Roman Catholic church is important, and the Episco- pal and Methodist Episcopal chapels and churches are scattered throughout the county. There are also a number of Congrega- tional churches and one Presbyterian church. The Christian Sci- entists hold services at Red "Wing, and the Salvation Army has at various times endeavored to gain a foothold here. NORWEGIAN LUTHERAN. The United- Church of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran faith is represented in Goodhue county by twelve congregations. Lands (Zumbrota Chapel). Minneola, Holden, Dale, Vang, Urland, Vang's Prairie. Gol. Moland, Kenyon and Hoff. Holden Congregation was organized September 12, 1856, on lot H. section If), in Wanamingo township, in a grove where, in more recent years, the residence of Dr. Charles Gronvold was 404