KinSource - Tale of the Week - The Pioneer Preacher

KinSource

Minnesota Tales

New Richland Star, July 7, 1916, p. 1

THE PIONEER PREACHER

Rev. L. A. Hocanzon of St. Paul, 80 years of age, who spoke at the Swedish Lutheran picnic Midsummer Day, recalled that it was 45 years ago that he came to the church in Otisco and preached his first sermon. He said that Waseca was then the nearest station and on the day when he was to come he missed the morning train and had to wait for the evening train. One of the church members had started out early in the morning, driving a yoke of oxen, to meet the pastor. He had neither food nor money with him and could speak no English. So he waited at Waseca all day without anything to eat for himself or his oxen.

There was no parsonage at that time and Rev. Hocanzon and family had to live with another family for a whole year in two small rooms. The congregation treated him with great kindness and the members helped to weave cloth for clothes for his children.

The winter after he came was a cold one, and just then a revival was started and he was called to go from house to house and talk with the distressed. A great many were converted, some of whom are still living.

One day when Rev. Hocanzon had been out for several days making calls and owing to a terrible snow storm he was unable to return home when he intended. When he did reach home he found the kitchen of the house filled with snow and his children in the next room unable to get out. All his turkeys were frozen to death sitting upon the chimney.

Mr. Hocanzon told of many interesting things which showed us that people lived in no ease in those pioneer days.