The record-union., 1891-10-13
SCANDINAVIA.
Something About the Land of the
Midnight Sun.
Rev. DR.. HANNA Describes What He
Saw and Learned in That Pic
turesque Country.

Scandinavia, or the Land of the Mid
night Sum- was the subject of lecture
given last evening at the Congregational
Church for the benefit of the English
Lutheran Church, by Rev. NJ. w. Ham
ma of New York. There were about two
hundred and fifty persons in attendance,
and they were treated to as interesting a
discourse on the beauties of nature in
Norway as they could wish to have heard
from the tongue OF any speaker.
The lecturer has a fine voice, and
speaks with such distinctness that it is al
most impossible for the listener to mis-
understand any word he utters. With
the aid OF magnificent stereopticon views,
and by his excellent descriptive powers,
Rev. HANNA held the attention Of his
audience for nearly two hours.
Scandinavia, he said, was a beautiful
country in the far north. stretching from
its southern point northward eleven hum
dred miles to the Arctic zone, and meas
ur1ng in breadth about four hundred
miles. 1t is the land of the Norseman,
is strlklngly picturesque, for its mead
owed valleys, so green and beautiful, its
vast and numerous glaciers, and its many
mountains conspicuous for their almost
perpendicular slopes.
The lecturer designated it as the
most unique country in the world, whose
unsurpassed beauty he claimed to be able
to show by the time he completed his
course Of lectures.
To begin a tour Of Norway properly.
one should start from Christiania. He be-
gan his trip from that city one year ago
last July, and examined the country in
detail. tie learned that the people were
devoted to their ruler, King Oscar II,
ana he IN turn was an exceptionally con-
sluerate monarch-in fact, considered by
many to be one of the most cultured and
learned IN Europe. Though the country
is kingdom, the system of government
partakes more of the nature of repub-
llc. The people are an independent
class, and the ruler knows that their
wishes must be respected.
Inc speaker said that the inhabitants of
the country looked upon the education of
the child as OF the greatest importance,
est IN per cent. ofilliteracy of any nation
III the world. The Lutheran was the
generally established religion
Ihe highways were the finest possessed
by any nation. They were built by the
Government, and it then devoIved upon
the owners of the property bordering on
the roads to keep them in the best Of repair
AOL Oh IAIe. Ieeu pOSCS, WIN placardS
on which were inscribed tie names of
landowners, are placed along the roads,
and by this means a traveller is enabled
to report any negligence on the part of
the property owners to the Government
authorities.
The speaker described the various We
hicles used for the conveyance of travel
ers and freight, and portrayed the modes
OF life Of the classes, from the lowly fish
erman to the wealthy land-holder. The
homes were described in detail, and the
dress OF the people on ordinary occasions,
and also on occasions of ceremony. The
hospitality shown by all was striking
characteristic, as well as their kindness
to their beasts of burden, which were
petted almost (but not quite as much as
the American pug dog.
Rev. HANNA will tell tomorrow night
what he saw in Sweden