Trail Markers A Newsletter of the Baptist General Conference History Center
May 2010
Volume 9, No. 2
ISANTI: Beginnings and Celebrations In the fall of 1859, Olof Eastlund was 25 years old, an immigrant of just three years from Halsingland in Sweden. Having been baptized in 1858 in Chisago Lake, Minn., and now part of a Baptist minority in his community, Eastlund made a survey trip west to Isanti County; there he identified a settlement site on a small creek about a mile east of the Rum River. In March of 1860, he returned to the tract to build a cabin for himself and his wife Lovisa. In that simple home on June 17, 1860, the Eastlunds and 12 other Swedes formed the Baptist Church of Cambridge. The chartering group included Andrew P. and Elizabeth Norelius, who had been baptized by F.O. Nilsson in 1856, and whose son— also named Andrew—pastored the church from 1862-1865. Another son was Lutheran theologian Eric Norelius, who founded Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn. The young church grew, but was almost immediately threatened—first by the departure of Eastlund and several other young men to serve in the Civil War, and second by a theological controversy over Sjodin’s Doctrine of Utter Sinlessness. Church membership dropped from 57 in 1865 to 11 in 1867. However, by Christmas Day of 1870, the Robert Venneman has been pastor of South Isanti Baptist Church since 1984. Prior to serving at South Isanti, he was involved in planting a church with the Great Lakes Baptist Conference in Tomahawk, Wis.
Jonathon Larson has been pastor of North Isanti Baptist Church since 1981. He grew up in southern Minnesota.
congregation was able to move into its first building, the Tamarack Church, about 1.5 miles northeast of the Eastlund homestead. In 1873, under the leadership of farmer pastor Erick Loden, a daughter church began at Fish Lake. Then, with the growth of Cambridge as Isanti County Seat, the now 28-year-old congregation gave its name and 36 members to a new church in town—First Baptist of Cambridge. Adopting the name Isanti Baptist Church, the original congregation decided to move about four miles farther southeast of Cambridge, where they erected a new church building. However, there was never a true consensus on this change, and after a period of discussion and debate, 71 members, including Eastlund and Loden, withdrew in 1893 to form a new congregation meeting in the Tamarack Church. Thus, the old church at the new site became known as South Isanti Baptist—retaining the original charter—and the new church at the old site became North Isanti Baptist— retaining the current pastor, Olof Engberg. Perhaps to avoid ruffling any feathers, the conference annuals continued to list both congregations as originating in 1860, and joint anniversary functions have occurred over the years. Both South Isanti and North Isanti churches are marking 150 years of ministry this year. South Isanti Baptist,