Theodor Halvorson Dahl

Background

Theodor Halvorson Dahl was born on April 2, 1845 at Baastad, Mellem Borgesyssel, Norway. He was the son of Halvor Thoreson Smaadal and his wife Anne Maastad.

Education

After attending Gjertsen’s Latin School at Christiania for three years, Theodor emigrated to America, where after two years of study at the (Scandinavian) Augustana Theological Seminary, Paxton, he was ordained a Norwegian Lutheran minister in 1867.

Career

Conspicuously successful as a home missionary among the scattered Norwegians in America, Theodor was rapidly transferred from New London, Minnesota (1867 - 68), to a post near Litchfield, Minnesota (1868 - 73), and then to Green Bay, Wisconsin (1873- 81). Eight congregations sprang up in the two latter places. His last pastoral charge was at Stoughton, Wisconsin, where he served (1881 - 1903) until he was elevated to the full-time presidency of his synod. When he was ordained in 1867 the synod was called the Scandinavian Augustana Synod.

In 1870 the Norwegians and Swedes of this hody effected an amicable separation into the Swedish and the Norwegian-Danish Augustana Synods.

The majority of the latter body in 1870 joined a small group of other pastors and formed the Norwegian Danish Conference. That young Dahl entered actively into these union movements is amply proved by the fact that he was made a visitor of the Conference, 1873-76, and again, 1890-94.

In 1876 he became secretary of the Conference and in 1881 its president, serving in the latter capacity until 1886. In 1887 the so-called Anti-Missouri Brotherhood withdrew from the Norwegian Synod, and after due negotiations entered into a union in 1890 with the conference and the latter’s twin sister of 1870, the Augustana Synod, thus forming the United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America. In this work of union Dahl was conspicuously active, writing a brochure, Fred, og St rid (Peace and Strife), in 1894 in defense of the union.

From 1894 to 1902 he served as vice-president of the U. C. , as it was familiarly called, and from 1902 to 1917 he served as its president.

It is fitting that his presidency terminated with the existence of the U. C. , this body uniting with the Norwegian Synod and the Hauge Synod to form the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America in 1917. His declining years were spent as rector of the Fairview Lutheran Hospital, Minneapolis. Dahl was too busy to write a great deal. He translated Lys fra Katakomberne (Light from the Catacombs) in 1876, and in 1890 wrote a brochure, Saloonforretningen (The Saloon Business). He also wrote numerous reports as president and secretary. In all his work he was ably seconded by his devoted wife.

Achievements

• Dahl was active in forming the United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America and then erved as its president.

Personality

As a pastor he showed untiring zeal, an unfailingly affable and considerate spirit, and a devout sincerity. As a preacher he had marked mannerisms of voice and gesture, but never failed to draw large and attentive audiences.

Connections

Dahl married Rebekka Oline Gjertsen in 1867.

Father:

Halvor Thoreson Smaadal

Mother:

Anne Maastad

Wife:

Rebekka Oline Gjertsen