Martin S. Reppe 1870-1930

REPPE, BERG, YOST, ERICKSON, WARD

Posted By: Ann Krumme (email)
Date: 7/26/2008 at 16:18:15

PROF. MARTIN S. REPPE
Advent Review, Aug. 14, 1930

Martin S. Reppe was born Jan. 5, 1870, in Allamakee County, Iowa, and died after a few days illness, May 13, 1930.

The lifetime of Brother Reppe was filled with activities for the cause of God. He believed in what he preached. He was born into the message when only a young man about seventeen years of age. He, together with his father, was baptized while living in Allamakee County.

For a time he attended our schools at Minneapolis and Battle Creek, Mich. In the year 1894 he was united in marriage with Dora Berg of Minneapolis. These thirty-six years his faithful companion stood by his side and helped him in all the problems and experiences that came in their pathway. It was a most happy life they spent together.

In the early years of Brother Reppe’s public ministry, he labored with such faithful burden bearers as J. F. Anderson and Fred Johnson throughout the Minnesota Conference. Many precious souls rejoiced in the message as a result of his efforts. Some are still among the living and others have gone to their rest.

Brother Reppe attended Union College four years. About twenty-five years ago he was ordained to the gospel ministry at the Minnesota camp meeting. In 1907 he was called to Union College to teach in the Scandinavian department. After spending some years there as a teacher, he was given a leave of absence to study at the university in Oslo, Norway.

He served two years as editor of the “Evangeliets Sendebud.” He was called back to Union College, and remained there until the establishment of the Hutchinson Seminary in the year 1910. He spent twenty years of faithful work in that school carrying many and heavy responsibilities. He served as editor of the Northern Union Reaper for many years, besides doing faithfully his work in the school up to the time of his death.

While carrying on his regular work in the school he completed the sixteenth grade of school work and later had a year’s leave of absence to attend St. Olaf College at Northfield, Minn., receiving his B. A. degree, also taking some extra work later at the Norwegian department of the University of Minnesota.

As a literary man Brother Reppe ranked high among us. His pamphlets, tracts, and articles appearing in our own papers, always gave good, sound, spiritual instruction.

He was taken ill on the 6th of May, and brought to the hospital at Hutchinson. He fell asleep peacefully in the sure hope of a part with God’s people, after making all arrangements for his funeral. We do not understand this experience, but can only leave it all to an all-wise and loving God.

Those left to mourn him besides his aged mother of Minneapolis, who was unable to be present; a brother, C. J. Reppe, of Keewatin, Minn.; and three sisters, Mrs. Frank Yost of Winifred, Mont.; Mrs. Hannah Erickson of Minneapolis, Minn.; Mrs. John Ward of Boulder, Color.; besides a host of friends and believers in the faith of Jesus.

At the funeral words of comfort and hope were spoken in English by N. P. Nielsen and in Norwegian by C. Edwardson. Elder L. Halsvick read the scripture and offered prayer. The writer read the obituary and gave the committal at the grave. Elder A. A. Dirksen offered the closing prayer at the grave as our dead brother and co-worker was tenderly placed to rest until Jesus comes to claim his own.
N. R. NELSON

~Allamakee Journal & Lansing Mirror; Nov 5, 1930