Post: Readers Respond

It is with sadness that I write to you about the passing away of my dear husband, Wayne Balch, on August 12, 2003. Although he was English in background, he long ago adopted my wonderful Swedish heritage! For more than 38 years that has been reinforced in numerous ways. This was due greatly, and gratefully, to North Park College and to the wonderful introduction we and our two children had to Sweden and to the great Missions-förbundet (Covenant of Sweden) family! Dorothy Balch, Seattle, Washington.

Remembering Willard Berggren. People depended on Willy Berggren. Soon after he came from the West Virginia mission to Community Covenant Church in Minneapolis, we had a Sunday night coffee at our home for him and some friends. In came a phone call for the “Pastor” “What Pastor?” “Well my Pastor, Berggren.” The man could not wait; he had to talk to Willard immediately. What did he want? Willy came back into the living room with a big smile relating the man’s question in a West Virginia accent: “Where is the oil and what do I do?” They were still depending on him in West Virginia. Marlys Q. Wahlberg, Edina, Minnesota.

20 October, 2003. It is heartening to see the name Pietisten still being used many years after my Grandfather, Rev. Dr. George Scott (1804-1874), had used it in Sweden. I have collected books on Rev. Scott’s work in Sweden, by Erikson and Westin which have portraits of him in both his younger and later years. He was referred to as an English Pastor in the interview with Carl Olaf Rosenius. George Scott was Scottish [emphasis Ed], born at Edinburgh, 18 June, 1804 to Robert Scott and Margaret (nee Lumley). Thanks for posting the article.

30 October, 2003. Many thanks for mentioning Karl A Olsson’s book, By One Spirit, of which I have acquired a very good copy from a bookseller in Uppsala Sweden, the same bookseller from whom I obtained copies of Gunnar Westin’s book, George Scott Och Hans Verksamhet I Sverge. These early volumes were paper backed bound and not trimmed, so they were in excellent condition for books of 75 years. I have had them hard bound since.

I have enclosed a portrait of Scott that was in Westin’s volumes, and you can see the likeness in the caricature of him that Karl A Olsson had mentioned in By One Spirit and which is reproduced in the Metodismen I Sverige by J.M. Erikson.

I have enclosed two photo copies of articles on Scott from books that I have in case they are not available to you. Dr. Margaret Batty of Edinburgh has done an excellent job of putting together the story of Scott in the Scottish Methodism, as much of the work had entailed translating the Swedish text from Westin’s book. The copy that was in Beyond the Boundaries and by Peder Borgen is another fine piece of work on Scott.

George Scott’s nephew, by his sister Margaret, was the First Commissioner of the Salvation Army, George Scott Railton, Booth’s Lieutenant. I have enclosed a copy of the article that was in the Scottish Methodism in 2000 on the Railtons. I hope these are of interest. Leonard J. Hill, Melbourne, Australia.

Enclosed is my subscription to Pietisten. My former husband, Chaplain Kenneth Strom, and I were subscribers and thoroughly enjoyed reading about old friends whose friendships we had enjoyed over many long years. In July of 1988, Ken went to his eternal reward.

On October 18, 2001, I was united in marriage to a very dear friend of ours, Chaplain Roger O. Braaten, who served with Ken in the Chaplains Service of the Veterans Administration in Washington, DC. Roger is a Presbyterian clergyman, 1944 graduate of Augustana College, graduate of the Seminary of Dubuque University, and Doctor of Humane Letters, University of Dubuque. He moved to Denver and we live at Covenant Village of Colorado. Ken was a moving spirit in its establishment. Keep up your good work. We enjoy each issue. Arlene Strom Braaten, Westminster, Colorado.

This is the least we can do for all the effort you put forth to put out a great publication—especially for those who have been far removed from any Covenant contact for many years. Robert P. Anderson, Ransom Canyon, Texas.

Pietisten came today. The front page article on the friendship of Mampel, Tredway and Carlson was outstanding; Mampel’s poem is powerful. It says what I think friendship is about. I agree with Bruce—give us more time together. True friendship can work through the tough stuff. That’s why I say: “Give me more time with my friends.”

Phil’s reflections on the basketball teams of the past was a good and tender piece and his report on Krister Stendahl was superior. My wife, Joyce, liked Glen Wiberg’s remembrance of Winnifred Larson. Winnifred stayed at their home in Superior, Wisconsin and Joyce has spoken of her often.

Karl Olsson is as contemporary today as when he wrote. He knew how to put words and ideas together in a way that grabbed the sleeve and worked their way into the heart of the matter!

Elder’s fine piece “Heretics” was fine! I realized, after reading, that I am much more kin to Pelagius myself. Good to be in the company of heretics.

Thanks for your excellent job on Pietisten. Ralph Sturdy, Lincoln, Nebraska.

You have a very news worthy printing and we really enjoy Pietisten. I am ordering tee-shirts for my grandsons and a gift membership along with my renewal. Use the difference for whatever you need. Russell Peterson, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

I want to thank you for helping me find the official translation of the Johan Olof Wallin psalm for Saraband. …Many thanks for your help! And Merry Christmas. Jennifer Evans, Translator, Sveriges Television AB, Stockholm, Sweden.

[Ms. Evans contacted Pietisten after reading Glen Wiberg’s “Sightings” for Fall, 1998 on our website. She requested an English translation of a verse from the song “Where is the Friend for whom I’m ever yearning” for the English version of Saraband, Ingmar Bergman’s latest television play. Glen directed her to The Augustana Hymnal (1925). —Ed]

A note from Europe. I am in Prague for a couple days, which is a really pretty and interesting Gothic architecture town. The friends I am with and I are trying to make the best of our relatively isolated Christmas together....we bought each other small gifts and put them under a branch of a pine tree we cut off and put up in our hostel room.... just like home.... I just finished Catch 22 (funniest and best satirical book I have, and think I will, ever read) and I am about half way through Michael Moore’s Stupid White Men, which is a very liberal, but interesting read. We are going to Barcelona tomorrow.

I hope that you are surrounded by a lot of love these holidays. Cheers, Don Teed, University of Birmingham, England.

Thank you for Pietisten received. The journal has a wide range of interests! The pieces also seem to suggest a kind of community with traditions and concerns expressed politely. In thanks for being on your list, let me send you my newest little book [How to Read the Bible to Hear God Speak: A study in Numbers 22-24]. Calvin Seerveld, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

What a nice write-up you put in Pietisten! Thanks so much. And also for sending me over the years this unique publication. I wonder what PPW would have thought about its humor—not to speak of the Zinfandel on page 20 of XVIII:1 (2003). Krister Stendahl, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Thank you for the salmon recipe with the cucumber sauce. We tried it and it was great! Jackie Mampel, Seattle, Washington.