members; however, it took almost a decade before the church officially joined the Synod and took as its name the CokatoFrench Lake-Albion Finnish-American Evangelical Lutheran Church. By this time the congregation had its own cemetery, too (a two-acre plot of land purchased in 1900 for $80) and there was talk of building a church and of using one corner of the cemetery lot for a building site.

However, when it was learned that the Catholics in French Lake wanted to sell their St. Ignatius church, the Lutherans in 1907 bought it for $350 and moved it at a cost of $400 to a half-acre plot purchased for $75. This building was in use up to 1925, by which time storms had torn down half the steeple and made the building itself ready for abandonment. However, even when a new church was put up, material from the old building was still salvaged and used again, and although building costs had increased to make this new church cost $3000, a good part of it was covered by a $2500 bequest by J. W. Schwartz.

This church has always held

confirmation classes in Finnish, and Sunday school and summer classes have always given the children both Finnish language and religious instruction. Even in the years after World War II there have still been about 15 children in Sunday school studying their lessons in Finnish.

Pastors of this church have been Niilo Saastamoinen, D. A. Samanen, Antti O. Kuusisto, Carl Tamminen, Aarne Juntunen and J. Wargelin. From its founding membership of 22, the church increased in 1906 to 50 members; 1911 to 85; 1926 to 135; 1950 to 169.

In addition to these two churches, a third joined the ranks in 1904 when a National Congregation was established, owned its own meeting house since 1905, and enjoyed a membership of about 100 in 1911, although that membership dropped to 26 by 1950.

Other Activities : The churches, however, were not the only organizations fostering moral and ethical education and guidance among the Finnish immigrants, for the temperance movement also played an important role.

Old church at Cokato-French Albion.

Lake

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