The Icelandic Canadian - 01.09.2004, Blaðsíða 26

24
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Vol. 59 #1
Letters from FriSjon FriQriksson
Translated by Sigurbjorg Stefansson
Fridjon Fridriksson
Letter #15
Gimli, pt.Winnipeg, May 16, 1877
Dear Rev. Jon Bjarnason:
Many thanks for your letter written on
the 27th of last month.
Not long ago I wrote two letters to
you, one after the other. Soon after that
meetings were held in every community
throughout the colony. These meetings
failed to produce an agreement concerning
who to accept as a minister or ministers.
The people of "Micklaey" (i.e. The great
Island) and "Fljotsbyggd" (i.e. The com-
munity along the river) all agreed (except 5-
6 dissidents) to attempt to get a minister,
unpolluted by the "Synod", and promised
to pay him $4.00 each (i.e. each head of a
household) for three years. The inhabi-
tants of Arnes joined hands in asking for
Rev. Pall Thorlaksson as a minister - pro-
vided that he made it absolutely clear to
them that no decisive difference could be
found between the doctrines of the
"Synod" and those of the Icelandic
Lutheran Church. Rev. Pall is in the
process of convincing them that there is no
difference. The Inhabitants of Vidines - I
am one of those - were divided into two -
almost equally big -groups, one group ask-
ing for Rev. Pall (because he is not asking
for any payment) the other group support-
ing the idea of trying to get an Icelandic
minister, preferably you, since I expressed
your willingness to come here- provided
you were offered acceptable salary.
Different individuals promised differ-
ent contributions, depending on their
financial conditions, ranging from 1 to 10
dollars. I prefer that kind of arrangements
to the one practiced in the northern part of
the colony, (i.e. all making equal contribu-
tions). On Ascensioin Day,we,the people
of Vidines, had a meeting and discussed
this matter. The conclusion was that since
we are so few - only 59 families - and our
contribution amounts only to $152.00, we
are unable to ask for a private minister.
Rather, we have to join the people of Arnes
and Miklaey and ask their minister to serve
us and deliver sermons to us once in a
while.
The meeting appointed a committee
whose role is to seek co-operation with the
committee for church affairs in the north-
ern districts. These two committees are
then, together, to request that you become
our minister.
I am a member of this committee, but
since I left for Winnipeg (for business pur-
poses) on the same day as the committee
was appointed, I have no way of knowing
what it has accomplished. I trust that these
two committees will collaborate on a letter