Podcast Episode 11
Minnesota Locust Epidemic
with Kristi Warne & host Nick Walters
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This Week in Christian History continues with another in-depth exploration of the people, events, and stories that have shaped the Christian tradition across the centuries. Each episode follows the same structure: an interview with Nick Walters, founder of the Center for Christian History; a Deep Dive with a subject matter expert; and two historical highlights from the same week in the Christian calendar. The goal of every episode is to help viewers understand how Christians in different eras responded to challenges, opportunities, and cultural change, and how their choices still influence the world we live in today.
The Deep Dive for Episode 11 features author Kristi Warne, who has researched the remarkable statewide Day of Prayer proclaimed by Minnesota Governor John S. Pillsbury on April 26, 1877. Minnesota farmers had endured several years of devastating grasshopper infestations that threatened to destroy crops and livelihoods throughout the state. Pillsbury’s decision to call for a day of prayer became one of the most memorable public responses to the agricultural crisis. Listeners who want to explore Kristi Warne’s writing can visit her official Amazon Author Page at https://www.amazon.com/stores/Kristi-Warne/
To represent this event visually, this episode features an image of the historical marker at Assumption Chapel, often called the Grasshopper Chapel, in Cold Spring, Minnesota. The marker commemorates the destructive locust plagues of the 1870s and the community’s response. Image citation: Assumption Chapel (Grasshopper Chapel) historical marker, Cold Spring, Minnesota — commemorating the 1870s locust plague. Photo available via HMdb.org (public domain / free-use). Original source: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=78124
The first historical highlight for this week is April 25, 1800. William Cowper, whose name is pronounced Cooper, was a British poet and hymn writer who composed more than sixty hymns. Living in Olney, England, he collaborated with pastor John Newton to produce the Olney Hymns, the hymnal that first published the widely known hymn Amazing Grace. Cowper’s best-known work is There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood. Later in life he struggled with depression and dementia, believing these afflictions were a form of divine punishment for his sins. He died on April 25, 1800.
The second historical highlight is April 27, 1960. In Nowa Huta, Poland, Communist officials attempted to remove a cross from a church construction site as Marxist control tightened. Women from the community protested the removal, and men soon joined to protect the women from police force. The confrontation escalated into riots, and the rioters burned the Communist headquarters. These events were part of a larger pattern of religious resistance in Poland and helped pressure Communist officials to allow a limited degree of religious tolerance.
This episode continues the series’ ongoing effort to connect modern audiences with the people and events who shaped Christian faith and practice in places as diverse as England, Minnesota, and Poland. By bringing together historical analysis, expert insight, and weekly highlights, the series offers a resource for anyone interested in learning how Christian history continues to influence today’s world.
