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laws were adopted and the following became while traveling over the steep and winding members of the congregation: Mr. Chris Nelson, mountain roads. Mr. William Nelson, Mr. Ole Ingavardsen, Mr. ' Bernhard Henricksen, Miss Marie Madsen, Miss The Rev. P.O.. Thcreby served Bethesda from Emma Henricksen, Miss Christine Nelson and Jahuary 1908 until March 1916. Pastor Thoreby Mr. D.P. Ohlsen. The tm'st officers of the came from Falmouth, Maine and many of his congregation were Soren Madsen, President; parishioners there came to Eugene with him. ' N.H. Holm, Treasurer; J.P. Olsen, Secretary and Pastor Thoreby encouraged the growing Trustee; Peter Juhus Hansen and~iels Johansen, congregation to move to a more favorable Trustees; and D.P Ohlsen and J.P. Otsen, location, in keeping with their growing Deacons. community. In 1908 the church was moved using rollers and a winch to it's present location, The congregation united with the Danish then Elmira Highway, now Royal Avenue. - Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in (l~oyal Avenue was named for another area i901. On July 1, 1901, the Rev. P.L.C. Hansen prgperty owner, Royal Gick, who lived on was called as the first pastor of Bethesda El~a Road.) A parsonage was also built next Congregation and served until 1903, receiving to the church for the pastor and his family. --'.i $300 a year. Hans Nielsen, the historian who PaStor Thoreby's emphasis on growth led him[tfq'i I · wrote the early history, of Bethesda in 1950, said: orgamze two additional Danish Lutheran "As is often the case, the founder of a settlement congregations in Eugene (one in MeadoTM View usually becomes the target of severe criticism. Pastor Hansen was in no way exempt from ;~'.:;"':" · , :.i. i' 'i '~.:,. ·; ..~,-. .: . :..:.r:,::;, :..-: criticism. Dissatisfaction on the part of some of the early settlers caused him considerable grief." In 1901 Pastor I-Iansen donated three acres of land on DanebO Road. J.P. Olsen was awarded a contract to build the first church for $1450.00. Generous contributions from both church members and Eugene businessmen brought the work to completion. This property is currently West Lawn Cemetery. Bethesda congregation still retains a section of the cemetery. The Kev. P.' Rasmussen served Bethes~ from ...:... April 1903 until October 1907.'His starting i salary was $350 per year. The income from a 10 paStor Thoreby in I912 with group from church acre tract of land and rent-free parsonage was added along with small increases in salary. The which quickly closed) and Emmaus Lutheran Rasmussens had eight children and lived on less Ctlurch in 1914. This decision was. the cause of than 90 cents a day! Under Pastor Rasmussen's much controversy and divisiveness. Pastor leadership, Bethesda increased its membership Thoreby departed in 1916 leaving the and became stable and better equipped for future congregation in turmoil. work. Pastor Rasmussen often traveled by stage to Cushman and Mapleton in order to bring the It iR interesting to note from the Eugene Gospel to people there. Hie described being roped Register-Guard articles we have in the archives; .:::::-:: into the seat of the stage to keep from falling off that in 1914, the farmers of Danebo organized the Eugene Farmers Creamery, and at about the same time set up a pasteurizing plant which 2 61