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| The following is from The Allegan County News January 18, 2001
EARLY DAYS AT HOPKINS CHURCH REMEMBERED By Lil Duryee Special Coorespondent In early 1928, St. Paul's Evangelical Church Hopkins, was without a pastor until the Rev. Elmer Friebe of Broken Bow, Nev. said that he would come and arrive in early October. In the meantime the people of St. Paul's had equipped both the church and the parsonage with Dicio battery lights, which made a big improvement. When the Friebes arrved and were settled in the church we had a big welcoming party for them. That night, lights were strung around the yard so we could all be outside. My mother had died in May 1928 leaving nine children. The older boys worked, so seven of us went to the shindig: Pa, Esther, Ed, Lily, Bob, Alma and three-and-a-half-year-old Vivian. For some reason, Vivian clumg to me like aburr to a woolen sock. Later I found out why, much to my sorrow. After we had sat on chairs for a while, Vivi said she wanted me to give her a horseback ride. We had often done this for her at home, so I said okay and we made a few rounds where the light was showing, but where no people were sitting. I weighed 80 pounds and she 30 pounds, so it wasn't easy. We sat down and she was soon whining for more, so we did it again and again and again. I was very happy to see the men set up the wooden tables and see the ladies coming out of the house with white tablecloths The food was sandwiches, cake, relished, coffee and lemonade and possibly potato salad and baked beans. After everyone had eaten, we started home. After washing up a bit and listening to our evening doctrine, I went right to bed as I was one tired kid. October soon slid into Novemeber and November into December. When we children began to rehearse for our Christmas Eve Festival Service, the pastor's wife wanted to take care of the rehearsals. Her husband granted her request and so we began. The last rehearsal was in the church across the street. I don't know what lmy part in it was, but I remember that she selected three boys to sing, "We Three Kings of Orient," one very tal boy and one smaller one on each side. Then she stood in the aisle and directed them with her pointed stick. When Christmas Eve arrived, the children marched across the road singing, "O come little children, o come one and all." We all sat in the front benches and the congregation sang a Christmas hymn. The pastor had a prayer and oops! The lights went out, so we all went home. We had carbide lights at home, so we opened our gifts, had some hot cocoa and went to bed. We had been promised that we could have our Christmas Eve services as soon as the lights were fixed. I think we had church on Christmas Day as the church had clear glass window. The organ was non electric and if the pastor couldn't see well enough to read the scripture lessons, he could use a flashlight. The next Sunday evening, the lights had been fixed. The pastor's wife stood in the aisle directing the three boys how she wanted them to sing. Our neighbors, Dorothy Schwartz, who was a few years older than the rest of us, sat in the audience and laughed because she thought it was so funny. By 1930 electricity was supplied to the rural areas. Pastor and Mrs. Friebe left after a year and in November 1930, E.T. Lachner and his wife and children came and before they left they had five children. At Christmastime, it was too cold to play outside and the parsonage resounded with void. They were told to go over to the new church basement and play, but not to go upstairs. Forbidden things are fun to do, so after playing in the basement for a while, they played upstairs and got too close to the huge Christmas tree and tipped it over, breaking many of the brightly colord balls on the tree. The pastor and his family made a quick trip somewhere and bought enough trimmings to replace the broken ones. The Christmas tree stand was replaced with a much stronger iron stand, the same one that is used today. Many years have passed since then, but I don't think I'll ever forget giving little Vivi horseback rides at the Friebe party, and hear her yelling, "Giddeyup Horsie!" Dated: 2001 . |
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