The Icelandic Canadian - 01.12.2003, Qupperneq 28

70
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Vol. 58 #2
letter, signed by 51 heads of households in
this town, containing a complaint about
not having an Icelandic minister.
Furthermore, this letter included a request
to the committee to hire a minister, prefer-
ably you - as you can see from the copy of
this letter which I hereby send to you. I
have learned from your letters - which
came here yesterday from Milwaukee - that
you have decided against serving Icelanders
here - maybe you have already accepted
another and more attractive job. Even
though we are going to suffer from your
decision not to come here, because we do
need a well educated and truly Icelandic
spirited minister, I tend to be happy for
you because of this decision since I am
afraid that Icelanders would not show you
due respect and provide you with adequate
payments. I fear that theory and practice
would not go hand in hand. Even though
only a handful of people failed to sign the
letter of request, I am afraid that many
would prove themselves stingy in terms of
paying their minister. Anyway, the com-
mittee has promised to present this request
to you. John Taylor, however, has nothing
to do with this request, because, for one
thing, he has not been asked yet since most
think that he wants to serve as minister
himself. Most do not like that idea because
he does not have the same religious beliefs
as we. Moreover, he is not willing to bap-
tize babies resulting in others having to
perform baptism since most want their
children to be baptized. I find it abom-
inable to allow any busybody to handle the
sacraments because either they are their
sacred phenomena not to be treated like
common, everyday things, or they are mere
vanities which we had better abolish than
see treated by some common clown. Please
let me know as soon as possible whether or
not you are interested in coming here and
what conditions you find acceptable. I am
in charge of some land, half a mile north of
town, - it is 150 acres, beautiful land, avail-
able to you if you are interested. We could
start to work this land for you soon, and
build a house there - maybe you would
prefer a house in the town? I do not think
that that would be as attractive.
I have been chopping wood on my
land today. Therefore, I am tired, lazy and
my hands are shaking - not exactly in a
good shape for writing. I, therefore bring
this letter to an end, and ask our Lord to
look after you.
Your friend,
O. Olafsson (from Espiholi)
Letter #8
Gimli, Jan 12, 1876
Most honourable
municipal Government:
As you know we, approximately 240
Icelanders, including many children,
moved here last fall. Many of our children
( approx. 10 years of age) have had no reli-
gious education. Furthermore, most of us
Pjodraeknisfelag Islendinga \ Vesturheimi
PRESIDENT: PAUL WESTDAL
Support Icelandic culture and heritage
by joining your local chapter, or contact:
The Icelandic National League
#103-94 First Ave. Gimli, MB ROC 1B1
Tel: (204) 642-5897 • Fax: (204) 642-7151
inl(a mts.net