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REV. HENRY'S TIME HEN Rev. Henry came to take charge in Fridhem, in the first part of June, 1918, the congregation had been without a pastor but one day. Rev. Berg had only two days before gone to his new charge at Genoa, and there had virtually been no interruption in the church work by reason of the change of pastors.    The year 1918 was a year of great import for the United States. We had been in the war more than a year, and messages had long been coming telling of those who had laid down their lives for their country. The summer waned, fall came, and the portentous 11th of November dawned. This was the day the armistice was signed, and the whole world rejoiced. It was felt that the war was at an end. But the plague, that grim follower on the heels of war, had come, and his harvest was greater than that of the war itself. The "Spanish Influenza" had spread from the death-infected fields of Europe, until the graves of its victims dotted the whole earth. The Fridhem church was closed during December, 1918, and part of January, 1919, on account of the plague. It is true, the Christmas morning service was held by permission of the local Board of Health, but the Sunday-school's Christmas Tree Festival was postponed until it was deemed safe to hold it.     The war work had not been neglected by the congregation, and while there had been no flare up or blatant demonstration of patriotism, it was nevertheless there -- a silent plodding determination to serve the country to the ut-

most. While individual members bought Liberty Bonds, War Savings Stamps and gave to the Red Cross, the women's societies did their share. The Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary Society sent large sums of money to France and helped to buy a field kitchen for the soldiers' use. Nearly all the church members were members of the Red Cross. Many garments were sewn by the Martha Society and a large

number of bandages made. A branch of the National Lutheran Brotherhood, with 125 members, was organized. This society sent money for religious purposes to the seat of war. Among the miscellaneous charities of the church was the sending of $177.50 and four boxes of clothing to help relieve the suffering of those who lost their homes in the forest fires of Minnesota.

    In the beginning of 1919, the Fridhem congregation had been organized forty years. At the annual meeting it was voted to celebrate the event with a festival and to publish a history of its progress during those years. This is therefore the jubilee year, but it is a jubilee tempered

with sorrow, for it has pleased our heavenly Father to call to her reward the helpmeet of our beloved pastor, and the congregation mourns with its leader. While we stand with a bewildered, ''Why, O Lord?" before Him who shapes our destinies, we can but pray for a submissive spirit and for strength to exclaim, "Thy will be done." In our bereavement we may he assured of one thing: the hand that disciplines shall also apply the healing balm. A contributed article in Augustana, by Rev. J. A. Edlund, which follows in translation, and which contains, in chronological order, the main facts of Mrs. Henry's life and death, will probably throw the best light on this event of sorrow:

    "The 19th of March, 1919, was a day of joy in the Fridhem parsonage, at Funk, Nebr., when Rev. G. VV. Henry and Mrs. Henry were the objects of the surprise before mentioned in Augustana. The 28th of the same month, on the other hand, was a day of sorrow. On this day Mrs. Henry lay stark and cold in death. Her abode on earth had been short, only 27 years, 3 months and 6 days.

    "She was born of Christian parents near Malmo, Saunders county. Nebraska, on the 22nd day of December, 1897.* In her home and in the Swedish Lutheran church she received her Christian training.

    "On the 10th of October, 1917, she was united in marriage with Rev. G. W. Henry of Everett, Washington. But the stay of the happy couple in Washington was brief --only three months. Because of the failing health of Mrs. Henry they moved to the home of her parents, in Nebraska. There her health slowly improved, and on the 4th of June, last year, they moved to Funk, Nebraska. From there she soon took her last journey. On the 28th of March, 1919, her spirit took flight to that home above where sickness is unknown and death is no more.

    "During her long illness she received great comfort from the reading of the Word of God and especially from the 121st Psalm of David. The funeral services in Fridhem were held April 1st, when Rev. C. A. Lonnquist of Bethania preached a sermon on the text: 'And he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.' Rev. C. G. Olson of Holdrege delivered an English sermon on Mrs. Henry's favorite psalm (David's 121st psalm). Rev. C. T. Carlson read the obituary, also telegrams of condolence, which had arrived from many distant places. Rev. J. A. Edlund held a discourse on the words: "Jesus said unto her

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* See "Corrections" page

(Martha), I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he die, yet shall he live.' There were also songs by the choir, vocal solos and duets, all of which helped make the services impressive. Although it was a rainy day and the road were nearly impassable, many had come to take a last farewell of her who had stood as a helper to their leader. The church was fittingly draped, but not a black thread was visible. Thanks for this! Oh! if we could but lay aside black veils and crape at funerals and during the time of mourning. I am sure such things are not pleasing to the eyes of the Lord. We may weep with those who weep, but let us, even in our deepest sorrow, attire ourselves as befits Christians; we grieve not as those devoid of hope.

    "The following day the mortal remains of Mrs. Henry were taken to Malmo to he placed in their last resting place. The ministers who conducted the funeral services at Malmo were: G. E. Hemdahl, who preached on the words of hope in Rev. 21: 1-5, C. G. Samuelson on David's 23rd psalm and 4th verse, and W. X. Magnusson, who delivered a sermon in English on the 14th verse of the 13th chapter of Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews. A quartette, consisting of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Olson, H. W. Olson and Mrs. Oscar Nygren, sang three appropriate songs.

    ''Many, and beautiful were the floral tributes at both services, emblematic of the resurrection and life. Assisted by the visiting pastors. Rev. Magnusson performed the funeral rites over the dead. May her ashes rest in peace!

    "Mrs. Henry is mourned by her husband, Rev. G. W. Henry; by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Hanson; her brothers, Rev. Olof Hanson, Salt Lake City, Utah; Bert Hanson, Loveland, Colorado; Axel Hanson, Kackley, Kansas; Hjalmar and Elvin Hanson, Malmo, Nebraska, and by her sisters, Mrs. Simon Thompson, Malmo, Nebraska, and Mrs. Arthur Bruce, Kingsburg, California.

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    In order to help Rev. Henry forget, as far as this is possible, his intense grief and better to arrange his disarranged affairs, the church council granted him a four months' vacation. He was contemplating a trip to Sweden. Before he went, he came back to Fridhem and confirmed the class of 1919, on June 1st, and, as he had only a short time to spare, admitted them to the Lord's Supper that same evening. On the 5th of June he boarded the ocean steamer for Sweden.

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* Rendered into English by B. E. Bengtson.

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© 2002 for the NEGenWeb Project by Pam Rietsch, Ted & Carole Miller.