__________ A long time ____ _____ ____ appeared, in 1881, to locate _____ _____ _____ 21. But time has been _____ _____ _____ going down hill on _____ _____ _____ 1881 there were wide expanses of prairie, with settlers few and far between. Money, necessities and conveniences were scarce; no autos, no electric lights, no telephones. still, people were living and enjoying life as well as now. But quite a number of those then young and vigorous have since ceased to enjoy life, and to bear the burdens and toils of life. Among the things that helped to better the condition of living in Nebraska , no doubt, ws the founding of churches for spiritual welfare and of the secular papers for social and political welfare, side by side, in peace and good will, without interfering. Years ago one of the old settlers, who was not a church member, sent the pastor of our church a sack of apples, saying that not a single apple had been stolen from his orchard, and he thought the activity of the church had something to do with that fact. And so, on the other hand, the activity of the press, especially also of the Hebron Journal, has very much to do with the fact that our church enjoyed her liberty of faith and conscience in all her work unhampered. Our congregation was organized in October, 1881, with 16 members and at the same organized a church school as the only practical and efficient way to care for her children.

   Religion that brings salvation being the right relation of man to Deity, is not considered in the Lutheran church as having its origin in the emotions or reasoning of the human heart but in the revealed word of God, taking effect in the intellect and heart of man. A real Lutheran is not satisfied with mere forms or formulas, but considers catechism, creed and theology as the saving gospel, taken from the Bible only and brought into system so as to teach and preach the whole counsel of God to salvation in the most effective way. And because a real school ought to be and is an institution also to make the pupils grow up as useful citizens of their country, fit to serve the community, our church from the beginning saw to it that all the common secular branches were taught as also the official and business language of our country. In this way a neighborhood has developed where people are living in godliness with contentment which no bolshevism etc., can thrive and people are also living in general prosperity, no longer being obliged to go to town or church afoot or on lumber wagon only., but having autos and many other commodities at their disposal.

REV. JOHN MEYER

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