Elim Moravian Church. (By Rev. I. Richard Mewaldt.) The first Moravian services in Melville township were held by the Rev. Theodore Sondermann of Carver county, Minnesota, who in 1880 came up occasionally to conduct services in the homes of Moravians who had settled in Melville township a short time previous. The Elim Moravian congregation was organized February 7, 1882. The charter members were: Mr. and Mrs. Henry E. Wolff, Mr. and Mrs. Ferdinand Wolff, Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Wolff, Mr. and Mrs. August Hedtke, Mr. and Mrs. Philip Kirchner, Mr. and Mrs Chas. Zupke, Mr. and Mrs. William Wolff, Charles, Otto, David and Anna Wolff. The church was erected in Melville township in 1882 and dedicated July 23, of the same year. The same building is still in use. There is no parsonage in connection with this parish. The pastor used to live in Hector, but at present he is a resident of Bird Island and serves the Bird Island Union charge in connection with Elim. The following pastors have served the congregation: Reverend Messrs. Theodore Sondermann, Henry Reusswig, Allen E. Abel, Augustus F. Ploetz, C. A. Meilicke, Rudolph J. Grabow, C. V. Seifert, W. C. Schattschneider, C. R. Meinert and I. Richard Mewaldt. The first baptism after the organization of the congregation was that of Alma Lydia Wolff, daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Ferdinand Wolff; the first marriage was that of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wolff; and the first death was that of George E. Wolff, son of Mr. and Mrs. Willam Wolff. The Elim congregation owns a church farm of forty acres located to the east of the church building.