| A History of STRUM and the TOWN OF UNITY by Roy Matson |
| THIS IS PAGE 40 | TABLE OF CONTENTS | PAGE BACK | PAGE FORWARD |
| phere. Then, also, a split by pastors over some insignificant doctrine created more serious rifts that in later years evolved into splits with most Norwegian communities having two houses of wor(s)hip housing separate congregations of the same faith. West Beef River Lutheran Church. (Picture-Description, not the original from book). In our settlement there was no dispute concerning doctrine that caused local division. Several members of that first organization wanted a place of worship. Others preferred to wait a few years. The result was that in 1877 the St. Paul’s Norwegian Lutheran Congregation was formed which included members from an older settlement of Norwegians from the Big Creek area. The site for their building, the very first within present village boundaries, was on the Carter Creek Road north of the river. A. J. Lyons donated enough land for the church and cemetery. Members acted quickly. Organization took place the last days of February and an adequate building was ready for a first worship service on May 18, 1877. Years later older people mentioned often that their building was the first with a belfry in the Beef |
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