The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-06-30
\ JUBILEE YEAR.
Swedish LutheranS Honor
UpsaIa's Decree.
They Gather in Great Numbers and
Commemorate the Tri=Centenary
of the Reformation.


the Council of Upsala was promulgated
through out Sweden and Norway and by it
the Reformation was established in
Sweden. People of these northern nations
have not forgot wherever they have wan
dered over the earth that great event OF
centuries ago. They have raised up in one
grand body in every known land to COM
memorate it. In America their celebra-
ton has been unanimous from the At
iantic to the Pacific shures. and Bishop K.
III. G. V. Scheele, Ph.D., DID,, OF Visby,
Sweden, has been passing trumphantly
across the continent. and everywhere he
goes jubiees are held.
In Metropolitan Hall last evening the
tricentenary jubilee of the Swedish
Lutherans was concentrated by an i'm
mense gathering of Scandinavian people
and quite a large number Of German
Lutherans.
The hall was crowded from the stage to
The ceiling with highly respectable audi
ence, among whom were many ladies and
children. In front of the platform, stand
ing out prominently among profusion of
flowers, growing palms and magnolia bios
SONS. WAS large red cross in carnations
on ground OF white roses. The pictures
of the King and Queen of Sweden-N nrway
decorated the back walls, Martin Lutber's
likeness hung over the organlstS head and
above all were the flags of Sweden, No
way aud the United States.
Hon. ii. Luud, the Swedish Consul of
San Francisco. presided. Bishop Won
Scheele was given the seat of honor, W bile
around him were seated the local Lutheran
clergymen.
Rev. l.. g. Abrahamson of Chicago led
in prayer and gave a scriptaral reading in
Swedish Then male quartet sang
"Hvar morgoD, forr an haven GAL" and
Rev. Professor c. A. Swenson, AM, of
Lindsborg College, Kansas. delivered an
eloquent Grafton in English.
He sketched the history Of the Lutheran
church in his native country and declared
that that church is growing faster than
any other Protestant denomination in
America. That is because the Lutheran
people are humble. He said there are
So 900. 600 Lutherans in the world aud
they rank third in the Protestant denomi-
nations of America. 1t is. he said, the
great church of the Reformation, In his
opinion CaliforDians must put into their
commonwealth the spiritual forces that
will bring them to the commonwealth of
God.
Rev. M. Tarkkanen delivered an address
in Finnish, Rev. j. NJ. Buehler preached
in German and Rev. o. Gronsberg in Nor
egian.
Consul Lund read the royal commission
of King Oscar to Bishop Won Scheele as
delegate of the church to America. The
| presented 10 them and during the intro
duction of Bishop Scheele.
| This distinguished prelate congratulated
his people in California, ana stated that
| the only enemy to be feared now in his
| church is the growing spirit of unbelief.
He was surprised to see Swedish Lutheran
churches In America built in the modern
style. with pulpit behind the altar and
before choir, and he scored the men who
permitted the changes.
Ihere were various musical numbers on
| the programme. which closed with grand
chorus after the Bishop had pronounced
benediction on the gathering
| Bishop Won Scheele is doctor of phil
Osophy. r doctor of divinity. member and
commander of the royal order of the
North Star. He is a linguist familiar
with the literature and languages of
dozen countries, and a theological author
of ote in Sweden and Germany. His
principal work is on ''symbolics." pub
lished in three volumes. He is the first
Lutheran bishop who ever visited Amer
lea, and Is here as the official representa-
tive of King Oscar IL of Sweden and Nor
way, and head Of the Swedish Lutheran
! church.
BE is man of commanding presence,
with highly intellectual features and a
handsome face. As he stnod at a flower
bedecked rostrnm last night to deliver the
| jubilee Grafton he presented picturesque
| figure His garb is the conventional al black,
single-breasted coat without collar worn
| by ministers of the Lutheran church. A
| large plain gold cross, the insignia of his
| episcopal Office. was suspended by IA gold
chain around his neck, while Immediately
under his throat rested the magnificent
decoration fthe order OF the North Star
and on bis left breast that OF the knights
of the Cross.
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