Willmar Tribune from Willmar, Minnesota • Page 2

iV WILLMAR TRIBUNE PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY WILLMAR, MINNESOTA, BY THE TRIBUNE PRINTING VICTOH B. tdkWflOW, CDITOR. Arc. o. a EDITOR.

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OFFICE IN TRIBUNE BUILDING. 208 Fourth Street. at the postoffice at Willmar, as second class mall SPECIAL CONVENTION EDITION. SATUKDAY. JUNE 8, 1901.

A NOTABLE GATHERING. The convention of the Lutheran Free Church, now in session in Willmar, is a notable gathering, not so much in point of numbers as in the interest and enthusiasm manifested. It is an interesting and impressive sight to look over that audience and study those characteristic faces, true types of the doughty race they represent. There are faces representing all kinds of temperaments, from the most highly nervous to the most phlegmatic. But over all rests that one common mark of a rugged earnestness and unwavering faith in their religion.

It is a faith that is willing to bear all kinds of burdens, suffer all kinds of privations for the purpose of forwarding the cause of that religion. It is a faith that can bear all this because it feels that the cause is the Lords, and therefore can not fail, but that it is a blessed privilege to be allowed to take part in that work. These men are not satisfied to enjoy their religion themselves. They feel that it is their duty to carry it to all who do not yet enjoy it. Missionary work seems to be the main thought in the mind of every man present.

They will have occasion to prove by their acts the earnestness of their professions. There will be no small demands made on them. Aug9burg Seminary will ask for contributions that might stagger older and numerically stronger church organizations. The foreign missions board will make an earnest appeal for large donations. But judging from the temper hitherto displayed it is safe to say that the appeals will not be in vain.

One pleasant feature of the meetings is the singing. The grand old psalms, whose tunes and words are so characteristic of a deep earnestness, are sung with a vigor that makes the en tire building vibrant. This music is thoroughly expressive of an earnest and sober religious conviction, and seems best fitted to the character of the people. The ragtime ditties so often masquerading as religious songs in this country would be entirely out of place in this gathering. It is to be hoped that the Scandinavians will retain their solemn and impressive psalms, and train the rising generation to sing them with the old-time vigor.

Professors Sven Oftedal and George Sverdrup, the men who for more than a quarter of a century have stood guard over the welfare of Augsburg Seminary, are here to renew their efforts for the school. Oftedal talks about his life-work beiDg soon over, but judging from the force and spirit displayed by this veteran he may yet for many years labor for his beloved institution. The burdens borne by these two men have been great and. at times enough to break down ordinary men, but their energy and unwavering faith in their cause Have enabled them to bear them. WILLMAR AS A CONVENTION CITY.

Willmar has achieved some note as a convention city, particularly of religious organizations. Situated in the central part of Minnesota, it is readily accessible from all portions of the state. As regards the NorwegianAmerican settlements the above is par- ticularly true. Here is the convenient meeting point for those living in the cities with the large Norwegian-American settlements of the western part of the state, north and south. And the large Scandinavian population of Willmar and vicinity provides at once a natural nucleus to sustain and entertain large representative gatherings of their countrymen.

While all do not have the same church connections, a creditable and neighborly spirit prevails, and there is no hesitation with division to assist in entertaining tbe gatherings of the otb- During the month of JUne last year, the Minnesota District of the Norw. Ev. Luth. Synod held its annual mteting at Willmar, when a hundred ministers and nearly a thousand other visitors were taken care of, the Free church people and others gladly Opening their homes to assist. Now the Synod people have the chance to reciprocate, which they are improving.

No better, class of visitors could be wished for than the people attending these church meetings, and it is hoped that none but favorable impressions of our town will be carried away, when the pastors and delegates leave for their respective homes. Willmar is this week also entertain ing the district convention of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, a synopsis of the proceedings of which we publish elsewhere. The lecture at the Presbyterian church last Thursday night by Miss Anna Downey of Chicago, was a splendid address, forceful and to the point. The weather during the past days has not been the most pleasant. The sudden and frequent showers on Thursday caught a good many unawares.

The cool temperature is in quite a contrast to the condition of the weather during the meeting at Willmar in 1895. Prof. Sven Oftedal. Prof. Sven Oftedal, the veteran Augsburgian professor, is an honored participant in the deliberations of the Free church at Willmar.

He was born at Stavanger, Norway, March 22, 1844. He graduated from a school in his native city in 1862, and completed bis theological studies at the University of Norway in 1871, having devoted a good long time to the study of ancient and modern languages, literature, philosophy, etc. He traveled through several European countries and spent one year in study at Paris. He accepted a call as professor in theology at the Augsburg Seminary in 1873, and has since then been untiring in his work for the school. He has labored early and late and has participated in the achievements as well as the troubles of the school during his connection with the same during the past 28 years.

He saw the endowment fund which had accumulated for the permanent support the school lost because of church dissension. In 1878 he was elected a member of the board of education, which position he held for ten years serving as president four years, when the public library of Minneapolis was chartered by tbe legislature, Prof. Oftedal was made a member of the board and has acted as chairman of the library committee for along period of years. Prof. Oftedal has taken an active part in temperance work.

He was one of the organizers of the first Norwegian temperance society in Minneapolis. He was one of the leading men in the Norwegian-Danish Ev. Lutheran Conference. He was the originator of the present high school system at Minneapolis, and the branch system of the public library. Prof.

Georg Sverdrup. Among the prominent men attending the convention of the Free church at Willmar one of the most conspicuous careers has been achieved by Prof. Georg Sverdrup, president of the Augsburg Seminary. We clip the following from Nelson's Biographies of Scandinavians, published seven years ago: "Georg Sverdrup of Minneapolis was born in Balestrand, Bergen stift, Norway, December 16, 1848. He received a careful training at home, graduated with the highest honors from the classical department of a Latin school in Kristiana at the age of seventeen, and completed his theological course at the University of Norway in 1871.

He had made a special study of the Oriental languages during his school career, and after his graduation he spent considerable time in Paris, France, for the purpose of further investigating his -specialty. For years the Norwegian Lutheran church in this country had suffered from many severe storms, bitter disputes had prevailed and rent the church asunder. At last, in 1870, the Norwegian Danish Evangelical Lutheran Conference was event which forms an epoch in the history of the Norwegian Lutheran churches of America. The Conference, of which the well known Rev. C.

L. Clausen was the first president, began at once the erection of Augsburg Seminary in Minneapolis, Minn. When SIX YEARS AGO. Rominlsooneos From theMooting Hold at Willmar Juno 26-SO, 1895, By the "Friends of Augsburg." The meeting of the Lutheran Free Church at Willmar brings to our city practically the same organization which held its annual meeting at Willmar in June, 1895. It was then known as the "Minority" Or as they styled themselves, the "Friends of Augsburg.

A great many faces then made familiar to those who attended the meetings are to be seen among us now. A few particulars from that meeting to serve as reminders may not be amiss in this edition of the TRIBUNE. There were then in attendance 61 ministers and 419 delegates and the sessions of the convention were held in the old rink. The following officers for the ensuing year were elected: Prof. G.

Sverdrup, president Rev. M. Gjert- sen, vice president E. E. Gynild, secretary: H.

Yderstad, assistant secretary. The subject, for a long and thorough discussion was "revival and laymen's work." The discussion was closed wfth a sermon by Prof. Sverdrup on the subject. A "peace committee" was appointed to attempt a settlement of the differences with the "majority" of the United Lutheran church, consisting of the following: Prof. G.

Sverdrup, Revs. E. P. Harbo and Peter Nilsen, Messrs. Olaf Hoff and Baard Anderson.

The following were consecrated to the ministry: Halvor Jenson. Benjamin Andreas Sand, Tobias Tekse, Eberg Christian Tollefson, Hans A. Urseth. The feature of the meeting was the visit of Missionary Skrefsrud. one who attended the open meeting on the lawn of S.

S. Glarum's residence, held there on account of the excessive heat indoors, will forget the touching farewell sermon delivered by the grand old hero from the foreign missionary field. The Willmar Seminary Boarding Hall. it wit completed, Sverdrup received a gian Lutherans IQ thja country. call to become professor of theology.

He accepted, and arrived at his destination and entered upon his new duties in 1874 two years later Prof. A. Weenaas resigned from his position as theological instructor and president of the institution. Sverdrup succeeded him in the presidency, and under his able management Augsburg Seminary has in less than twenty years become one of the foremost Scandinavian educational institutions in America, having now an average of 200 students, and employs ten professors. When the conference, in 1890, was merged into the United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America, Sverdrup was again chosen president.

of Augsburg Seminary. Rev. J. C. Jenson in his great work, American Lutheran Biographies, says: 'He is a nephew of ex-Minister Johan Sverdrup, for many years premier of Norway, and his father was a noted minister in the state church and a member of the Storthing of his native country.

Born of illustrious parentage, endowed with rare mental qualities, thoroughly educated, and having inherited no small degree of the family characteristics which have made the name so prominent, Sverdrup possesses in an eminent degree the conditions for being a leader among the AUGSBURG SEMINARY. Augsburg Seminary was founded in at Marshall, Wis Prof. A. Wonaas was placed in charge. The aim was to educate ministers for free Lutheran churches.

The idea was new to the Norwegians, and the school could not be modeled after the institutions of the established church of Norway. The school has, therefore, had more difficulties to contend with than the Seminaries established later. The supporters of Augsburg Seminary were at first connected with the Swedish Augustana Synod. When in 1870, they parted from the Swedes and organized the Conference, the school was left without buildings, and for about two years was conducted in a rented hall by Prof. Wenaas.

But the energetic and practical Rev. O. Paulson, at that time in charge of a church in Minneapolis, took up the work of securing suitable quarters. He obtained grounds in Minneapolis, raised aboui $4,000 in cash, and in 1872 had a tbree-atory brick veneered building ready to receive the school. This gave courage to the supporters of the Seminary, and the following year at the annual meeting of the Conference a second chair in theology was created, to which Prof.

Sven Oftedal accepted a call and began work the same year. In 1874 two more theological professors were appointed: namely, G. Sverdrup and S. R. Gunnerson.

The school now had a theological faculty, composed of four able, energetic men. But experience soon made it clear that a theological faculty, however able, was not enough to make the school equal to the demands made upon it But the lesson had to be learned through years of experience. The change, however, came gradually. The number of theological professors was in time reduced from four to two, and the number of college professors gradually increased: J. H.

Bugge was appointed in 1882 to a chair in the college. The result was satisfactory. In 1885 two more college professors were appointed namely, J. H. Biegen and Theo.

S. Reimestad. Then followed the appointments of M. Pettersen in 1886, and A. M.

Hove in 1887. J. L. Nydahl succeeded the late J. H.

Bugge in 1891, and H. N. Hendrickson succeeded T. S. Reimestad in 1900.

In 1890 Augsburg Seminary became the theological school of the United Norwegian Lutheran church of America, formed by the Union of the Conference, the Anti-Missoui'ian Brotherhood, and the Augustana Synod. Tbe United Church, however, withdrew its support in 1893, and established a new school. This led a legal controversy with the United Churjb, which was finally settled in August, 1898, Augsburg Seminary relinquishing its Endowment Fund on condition that no further claim should be made by the United Church against Augsburg Seminary. This leaves the school practically in the same condition in which it was twenty-five years ago, as far as flnarcial support is concerned: It is entirely dependent on its friends. Since the founding oi the school thirty-two years ago 129 have graduated from the college department, and 263 from the theological department.

Nearly all the graduates are engaged in religious work in the Lutheran churches in America or in foreign mission fields. The present board of directors of the Augsburg school are the following, with the time the term of each expires: Prof. Sven Oftedal, Minneapolis, June, 1901 Sever Larson, Madelia, June, 1902 Rev.O. Paulson, Blanohardville, June, 1903 H. Shipstead, Willmar, Minn June, 1904 and Olaf Hoff, C.

Minneapolis, June, lOOo. The faculty is Composed of the fol- lowing, mostofwhom are in attend- Brief History of the School at Minneapolis, and Its Aim and Purpose. ance at the meeting of the Free church at Willmar: Georg Sverdrup, President, Professor of Old Testament and Dogmatics Sven Oftedal, Professor of New Testament Exegesis and Church History J. H. Blegen, Professor of Greek and German A.

M. Hove, Professor of English and English Literature J. L. Nydahl, Professor of Greek and Nat ural Science M. Pettersen, Professor of History and Mathematics H.

N. Hendrickson, Professor of Latin ancf English Branches H. A. Urseth, English Professor in Theology. Augsburg Seminary now has three courses of study: a preparatory of three years, in which the common practical branches are taught a classical course of four years and a theological course of three years.

We notice the names of the following young men of Kandiyohi county among the students enrolled at Augsburg during the past year: In the preparatory department: E. J. Borsheim, year Ole A. Jacobsen, Irving, and Tonnes O. Knaben, a Adolph B.

Anderson, year. In the college department: Gulbrand O. Gilbertson, senior. In the theological department: Johan A. Pederson and Ditlef B.

Ross, year Edward J. L. Erickson and Trygve O. Gilbert of Willmar and Ole N. Nelson of year.

The aim of Augsburg Seminary is the education of ministers, qualified for work in a free Lutheran church. As soon as a young man enters Augsburg Seminary, he at once finds himself surrounded by religious influences, tending to lead him and guide him in his Intellectual development and his spiritual growth, so that during those precious years of youthful enthusiasm he may by earnest study and religious consecration become fitted and strengthened for the hard work and self-sacrificing life of a Christian minister. The example of the Master himself and his first devoted followers is daily self before tbe students in order that they may become imbued with the Truth and its saving power, and be filed with the desire to declare it before all men in order to satisfy the greatest wanti of the human soul. Spiritual life and Christian charac- importance than mere knowledge. amount of reading, no memorizing of facts, no mental or intellectual ability are of any real value to the Christian minister without personal experience of saving grace and firm and manly conviction of the truth as it is in Jesus.

A the same time there is needed the most thorough study of the Word of God, and no branch of human knowledge, which may prepare the student for his special work, or be helpful to him in it, can be considered indifferent. It is also an essential principle of Augsburg Seminary, that no so-called higher education, which tends to develop aristocratical or hierarchical tendencies among the students, is Christian in character or in accordance with the highest interests of a free people and its institutions. It is necessary always to retain the Christian conception of greatness: "Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant," and not use higher education as a means of intro duciog any caste-division among the people and especially of causing any estrangement between ministers and the believers in AugsburgiSeminary subordinates all its work, its whole curriculum, its management and its discipline, to these ter are considered of infinitely higher erintendent of schools besides being an active worker as pastor of a congregation at that point. principles." They are underlying and determining'every detail of the! work of the school. No branch of study is taken up, and no arrangement of time or work is made without this purpose.

Thus it is attempted to educate ministers, who combine thorough knowledge of the divine word with Christian character, and who know how to work in the spirit of brotherly love and sympathy with the people in the Prof. A. M. Hove, one of the founders of the Willmar Seminary and its first principal, is here as the representative of "Folkebladet," the official paper of the Free church. The paper is now under his management.

Since leaving Willmar some sixteen years ago Prof. Hove has been connected with Augsburg Seminary. When Prof. Hove was connected with the Willmar Seminary, the institution was known as the "Minnesota Lutheran Seminary and Institute." Prof. Interior of the ohapel of the Willmar Seminary where the sessions of the convention are held.

Hove finds the pre-ent Seminary building changed somewhat. In its early days it would not have accommodated a large church convention gathering. Among the delegates in attendance are several ministers who on different occasions labored in school and church work in this county. Rev. E.

P. Harbo, the new president, enjoys a large acquaintanceship in this part of the State. He has been for some time engaged in the work at the Zenith City. Others are Rev. M.

Rufsvold, of Marinette, and Rev. S. E. Odlund, of Maple Bay, Minn. From Moose Lake, Carlton county, may he mentioned a visitor in the person of Rev.

Nilson. He is sup- N. A. Jensen, a theological student, is among the former Kandiyohi county young men in attendance. He has been a student at Augsburg Seminary, Minneapolis.

He is accompanied by his father and sister. Of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, Eighth District of Minnesota, Held at Willmar Presbyterian Chureh, June 6 and 7. CONVENTION MOTTO: 'Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." The Thirteenth annual convention of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union of the eighth district met in Willmar June 5-7, with twenty-four delegates present. The program consisted of readings followed by discussion, recitations, music, business and two addresses by Miss Anna Downey, one of the national evangelists Of the organization. The following are the officers of the district, who officiated at the meetings: Mrs.

Ruth M. Barnes, president Mrs. Olive M. Young, vice president Mrs. Abba B.

White, secretary Mrs. Anna Moyer, treasurer. Vice presidents, Mrs. Ella Dunlap, Mrs. Angie Harper, Mrs.

Emmalyn Biddle, Mrs. Olive Young, Mrs. Sarah Morgan. Musical director, Miss Gerda Wennerlund. Chairman entertainment committee, Mrs.

S. E. Stansberry. The following was the program for the convention: PROGRAM. WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

2:30. Convention called to order by the President. Prayer and praise service. Roll call of Officers and Superintendents. Appointing of Committees.

Greeting, Mrs. Bessie Scovell. Welcome. Response, Mr. Bradford.

Music, Mrs. McClure. Introductions. President's report. Report of Secretary and Treasurer.

Report of Chippewa County, Mrs. Ella Dunlap. Some Glad Day, Martha Person. Our Promoted Comrade. Kandiyohi County, Mrs.

Olive Young. Meeker County, Mrs. Sarah Morgan. Miscellaneous business. Benediction.

WEDNESDAY EVENING. 8:00. Music. Bible reading, Psalm 48. Prayer.

Music. Recitations with music interspersed. Silver Dream Quartette. Instrumental music. Benediction.

THURSDAY MORNING. 0:00. Devotionals, led by Mrs. Handyside. Roll call of Delegates.

Scripture Texts. Minutes of previous sessions: Report of Renville County, Mrs. Angle Harper. Report of Swih County, Mrs. E.

Biddle. Election of Officers. Business. Paper, Miss Leighton. 12:00.

Noontide Hour. Doxology. Adjournment. THURSDAY AFTERNOON. 2:00.

Song, "How Firm a Foundation." Comrade Psalm 146th. Prayer. Reading minutes of morning session. Department Hour. Music.

Report of Committees. Resolutions and greetings. Reading of minutes. Adjournment. THURSDAY EVENING.

8:00. Music. Devotionals. Scripture Reading, Psalm 121. Prayer.

Music. Address, Miss Anna Downey. Free Will Offering. Instrumental music. Music.

Benediction. FRIDAY MORNING. 9:00. Consecration service, led by Miss Downey Experience meeting. Song, "God be with you till we meet again." 10:30.

Prayer and Benediction. The following resolutions unanimously adopted: RESOLUTIONS. We, representative members of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union of the eighth district, adopt the following resolutions: 1. deeply deplore the growing tendency in this state towards Sunday excursions and Sunday base ball games. The result of such practices cannot be otherwise than detrimental to the moral natures of the rising generation, and, in time, must bring about a very corrupt state of affairs.

2. We earnestly urge our members and the public at large to carefully consider the anti-canteen question in all its phases and to keep informed, during the year, of the state of public sentiment in this regard to the end that we may not be caught unawares and a bill passed through Congress restoring the sale of liquors in military posts and Soldiers' Homes believing, as we do, that thoroughly comfortable and commodious post exchanges can be maintained in these places for the convenience of our soldiers without the presence and sale of alcoholic liquors and that there is no necessity for our soldiers drifting into.