A June Wedding 50 Years Ago

"What is so rare as a day in June?"

Sunday, the fourth of June this year was, indeed, a rare day for Chris and Bena Freeman, who, on that day 50 years ago, were married in Vancouver, B.C.; and for their 13 children, their numerous grandchildren and great grand-children, in-laws and many friends, who gathered in the Free Church, Unitarian, in Blaine, to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary.  The exact date of their wedding is June 5, 1911.

The social hall of the Free Church, Unitarian, had been beautifully decorated for the occasion, as the guests enetered they were greeted by the genial and heart-warming Freeman smile beaming from the faces of Chris and Bena where they sat at the center of a long table, and flanked on either side by their 13 children, who by their united effort had created this memorable scene to honor their father and mother and to give expression to their love and gratitude.  Looking around from the central figures, one found oneself surrounded on all sides by the same pleasant Freeman smile.

The party being in the form of an open house (from 2 to 5 in the afternoon) there was no set program and no master-of ceremonies, yet certain coluntary contributions to the festivities, that might have fitted into such a program, should be mentioned.  For instance, two telegrams were read, one coming from a former minister of the church, the Rev. Fridrik A. Fridriksson and his wife Gertrud, now in Husavik, Iceland, and the other from Emil Gudmundsson now in Alaska.  Miss Joy Bergmann, a grand-daughter, sang a solo, "The Lord's Brayer," very sweetly and touchingly. The arrangement mentioned above, of the honorees sitting at a table, flanked by their 13 children, was simply a stage setting for the chorus made up of those children only, to sing a couple of songs, appropriate for the occasion, to their parents.  The artistic inclination and ability for music and drama runs strong in the Freeman family.  Rev. Kristjansson addressed a few words to his friends, the Freemans, closing with a short prayer.

Visiting the Freeman home a few days after the the golden wedding the attention of the writer of these lines was called to a brand new and fine fireplace, which had been build since his last visit. "Built by the boys, as a golden wedding gift," said Mrs. Freeman.  How thoughtfully appropriate, and characteristic of the Freeman clan, I thought to myself, for they are the most closely knit family that I have known, and "Home" and Hearth" means a great deal more to them than to most people in these days.  Grateful for having been admitted into such a home as a friend, I ask God's blessing upon it and upon all those who still make it the center of their loyalty and love.

--A. E. Kristjansson