From June 12-13 I attended the South Dakota Synod annual meeting of the Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America in Mitchell.
I have no idea what the speaker said, but something reminded me of a Luther League area meeting of the mid- 1950s. Our family was living on our farm northeast of Hurley. We belonged to and attended Bethany Lutheran in Hurley.
This particular meeting was for high school youth from several Lutheran churches. The speaker, a professor from Augustana College, talked about the four questions every person asks him or herself: Who am I? Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going?
I sat there in a pew half way back on the left side of the church stunned. In all of my 16 or so years, none of those questions had ever occurred to me.
I thought there must be something wrong with me. I was aware that he was talking of one’s spiritual life, but that was no consolation. I was sure I had failed all my Sunday School and confirmation lessons. No teacher had ever mentioned any of these questions.
I remember nothing else about that meeting so long ago, so he did leave an impact on me.
For several years I thought about his four questions. Even now, well over fifty years later, I have no difficulty recalling the four questions.
However, since then I have realized that even learned college professors sometimes have silly ideas. They say things that they believe that not everyone else necessarily believes. Since I was not having a spiritual crisis, I deduced that I was doing fine without all the inner questioning.
I enjoyed my meeting in Mitchell. I met some interesting ladies, heard some interesting speakers and discussion, and enjoyed two great meals.
During conversations I was asked three questions, the first and last of which I rarely hear. Do live on the farm? Do you have children? Are you a minister’s wife?