It has not been my purpose to embody in these pages a record of the exceedingly interesting and prosperous work among our German brethren, as their branch of Methodistic labor in the State has developed an Annual Conference of its own, and richly deserves a volume for its proper presentation.  But as our Norwegian brethren are connected with our own Conference, a brief reference to their work will not be out of place.

It will be recollected that in a former chapter reference was made to the beginning of the work in our State.  We will now refer to the opening of the good work in Milwaukee.

In the spring of 1864, the writer was holding a protracted meeting in the Spring Street Methodist Episcopal Church.  At one of the meetings there came to the Altar as seekers, two Norwegians.  As the meetings progressed, others came with them, until there were some twelve persons on probation and in full membership, who used the Scandinavian language.  During the following summer, it was deemed advisable to form them into a class by themselves, and as they resided in the vicinity of the Asbury Church, put them in connection with that charge.  Rev. P.K.  Rye, then stationed at Racine, came down a few times and furnished them services in their own language.

At the ensuing session of the West Wisconsin Conference, in which the Scandinavian work was then placed, Milwaukee was connected with Racine charge, and placed under the care of Rev. A. Haagenson.  The society was duly organized by the new Pastor on the 25th day of March, 1865.  Brother Haagenson was greatly blessed in his labors, and before the end of the year purchased the German Baptist Church, located on Walker Street, between Hanover and Greenbush.  The cost of the building and lots was eight hundred dollars.  Brother Haagenson remained until 1868, when he was succeeded on the Milwaukee and Racine Mission by Rev. N. Christopherson, who remained until the close of 1870.

In 1871, Milwaukee and Ashipun were put together, with Rev. C.O.  Trider as Pastor.  The erection of a new Church, twenty-eight by forty-five feet in size, was commenced in December, and in May, 1872, the lecture-room was dedicated by Rev. A. Haagenson.  At the present writing, Brother Haagenson is the Presiding Elder of the Norwegian District, and has also charge of the Station, having in the latter portion of his work Rev. O. Hanson as an Assistant.

Brother Haagenson is a man of deep piety and earnest purpose.  Studious and laborious, he furnishes an excellent type of a Methodist Preacher.  His labors are onerous, but his work is in a highly prosperous state, and is making a record of many conversions.

On the fourth of January, 1872, we celebrated our silver wedding.  We had made a note of our wedding anniversary with considerable regularity from year to year, but had never until now celebrated any of the epochs which are so often made to divide the years of married life.  In this instance we deemed it advisable to depart from our usual custom, since twenty-five years seems to be a point from which both the past and future may be seen ordinarily with considerable distinctness of outline.  And further, it was now probable that the whole family could be brought together, an event which could not be looked upon with any great degree of assurance as probable at any future time.