The St. Johns herald., 1892-10-20
ICELAND,S FAMOUS ISLE.
A Republic Which Has Flourished
 Undor Assembly Rule.
For Centuries Seat of Learning and a Home for Frcc InstitGtioaS-An In- tercsti1g Chapter on It's Set
 tlemcnt and Progress.

Tn the 1atterpart of thc ninth century, when Norway was disturbed by polit- ical animo6ities, many of her nobility quit their native land. their estates and homes, and settled in Iceland Here, on an isolated island in the broad Atlantic, they founded republic which for centuries 1ourished, free from the tyran- ny of kings or an alien government. It was a model republic. The legislative power was vested in the althing, an as l sembly where the more influential men met once a year to discuss national I questions. In this modest legislature some specimens of orGtory and states manship were displayed that have never been cIcelled. The althing vies with the immortal Roman senate for the glory of ancient legislation.
 The only religion of the Icclanders was the same as that of other Scandi- navian nations, their principal gods being Thor and Odin. Christianity was established in the year 1000, and the manner in which it was finally accom- plished was remarkable. All the nobles and leaders of the island had 1ocked with their retinues to the ahhing. Some of these had already adopted Christianity; the others were radically opposed to it. A discussion now arose as to which religion should be taken as the state religion. Both parties con- tended desperately for their principles and both prepared for battle, that the sword might decide, but at the last hour compromise was effected by se- lecting one man, man admitted to be the wisest of the land, who should de- eide the question. This person was Thorgier He betool1 himself to his own ''booth,' where he stayed for three days, not taking any food nor permit ting anyone to come near him. Having ! reached a conclusion, Thorgier arose and went to the althing to announce his decision. It was that Christianity should be the religion of the land. Both factions, true to their promise, submit ted to the decision.
 During this medieval period liter ature and learning 1ourished on the island and Iceland came to be known as the ''Land of the Sl1ald (poet) and Saga (history)." Hither resorted the historian, and even to-day all the Scan- dinayian nations draw their historical knowledge from facts preserved in the Icelandic language.
 It was in the tenth century that an Icelander by the name of Erie and called the Red, discovered Greenland Tn 10O1 his more famous son, Leifur 1T o.f FI,a al an unknown land on the west side of the Atlantic, which he called, from the abundance of vines growing there, Vim land. The point at which Jeff landed is now known to have been with in the present confines of the United States, probablyain Massachusetts or Rhode Island. Here the Icelanders formed q little colony, which struggled along for a few years and then vanished; but the fact remains that the voyagers from Iceland. were the earliest Euro pean settlers of our country.
 A period of decay in the Icelandic history begins when it was brought under the Norwegian scepter. Later on the island became a Danish province, and remains so yet. With the loss of independence begins a condition of op- pression from foreign government. A constitution given to the country in 1874, however, has greatly improved the recent political status of the country, and the island is at present making rapid progress both in commercial and industrial matters.
 Twenty years ago the Icelanders be- gan to imnigrate to America, and those in the United States and Canada now number ten thousand. Minnesota and North Dakota are favorite locations in the United States and Manitoba in Canada. In the city of Winnipeg. Man, there are no less than three thousand of them. Icelanders prove themselves to be desirable citizens and are everywhere acknowledged as an honest and indus triouS people.
 In the interest of these people there are now published in America three newspapers, one monthly periodical de- voted to ecclesiastical matters, and an annual pamphlet of the same nature They have synod of their own belong ing to the Lutheran church, to which church the larger number of the seat tered congregations belong. Prepara- tions are now being made for establish ing a higher institution of learning under the auspices of the Icelandic synod.
 Toilette Defined.