Decorah-posten., 1894-11-06

and refined and wear goves. cane and
sllS hats for prom nading. But LOOK al
tho c Q students Of 1861. who held out TO
the end Of the first year, and YOU wal see,
that every one Of them has proven TO be
a worker in lie in some vocation or an
other. One OF them. for instance a
minister In Otter Tail Co., MINI this
summer came on his bicycle 70 miles
TO the meeting of the Synod N Starouck
and left at the close Of the sessions at
) o'clock afternoon. and travelled 80
miles on bicycle being caught in a ram
storm and drcnched, arrived safely home
IN the night wet and cod, but hale n
hearty, and the next day continued his
work as usual. That is the kind of boys
and men we would always ike to see al
Luther College, sturdy and upright and
true to ther calling.
When the college removed to DEBORAH
the attendance constantly increased,
from II the first year, the second saw 3,
the third S. the All s.; but the
number of applicants for admission had
been much larger.
Owing 10 lack of room only a limited
number could be Accommodated: but when
the new building was dedicated in 1865
he attendance increased and In 1863,
its 8th year. we find 100 students and 3
professors. During the first decade and
a half there was always a lot OF WORK TO
be done beside the studies hewcrs OF
wood and carriers of wafer, dlggers and
carpenters, choreboys and mllk-malds
and many other were the uses TO which
the students were put. Most OF them
were poor and had to work their own
way through college; they understood
the value of true education and sought
It as a means to a noble end; they had
an aim in life and they worked for it.
They became sturdy and strong, hardy
TO bear suffering and want, energ tic IN
what they undertook and with a single
ness of purpose and a faith in their mis-
sion, which have made many OF them
heroes in life.
They sought not an education for dis
play or gain. for ornament and honor,
bu, for usefulness in life.
Hence many Of The things now taught
in the American colleges. were not
wanted. Too many things distract the
attention; if they were not al home IN the
byways Of modern literature. art and
philosophy music, athletics and sclen-
ces they were well versed n ancient and
modern h story, in the classical langut'
ges. in the use OF their mother tongue,
and in the teachings of Holy Scripture
What they learned, they learned vel
and they learned to make use OF It They
despised slang and cant, but honored
uprightness and thoroughn- IS. 1t is this
spirit of plain, frank manliness. Of truth
and honesty, of thorough knowledge
within a certain limited circumference,
OF childlike faith and energetic purpose,
which is the principle product Of a Luther
College education, and which we Ike &c
observe in many of its graduates. AND
thank God this spirit is llv ng today.
On this very day he ID h of Oct, some
5000 miles from US at ParNland, Wash.
here is dedicated another institution o
the same character as this, a true spirit
ual daughter of Luther College, it,
youngest, greatest offspring and at th'
head of that movements a son Of Luthe
College, its truest and best representa-
tive, Rev. B. Harstad.
While studying here, he was a lanl
uncouth boy, neither welldressed mo-
well appearing, but honest trustworthy
and dlligent. He helped in the kitchen
, carried wood and secured knives did thc
chores and MIXED two cows morning
and evening. and thus made his way a
: school. When through the Seminary
he received two calls, one from some ole
and large congregations in Fillmore Co
. Mimi, and another from the very out
skirts of civilization, from Goose River
North Dakota. just 20 years ago. Al
though tempted to taxi the larger ant
more pleasant call, he followed the ad
} vice OF the church council, who wanted
a good missionary in North Dakota, anc
accepted their call as missionary. g
miles beyond the reach of railroads wa
, his station, a dugout in a hill was HI
parsonage, VIII Oh he had to share witt
another family for a year, and his salar'
was clothing and food, but no money
/; for the people hid none. The t~erritor'
, through which he travelled and preacher
was 100 miles IN diameter, a trackles
waste and open prairie with a few
> scattered settlers along the creeks anC
|; timber lines. Grasshoppers and wan
! was their lot the first years. But from
|, that humble and small beginning yo,
. will find nov a great number Of flourish
!. ing settlements with numerous churches
/. schools and even academies built anC
: supported by u people. the fruit of tn,
spirit of Luther College.
. And not content with his work at Coos,
River alone. that trustworthy pioneer o
, the SYNOD has moved to Washington t.
|. plant among thoss ~skyreachlng fores
. giants an institution of learning anc
, Christian influence to perpetuate or tn,
: Pacific shore not Harstads name but tn,
: spirit and principles, the faith and tn,
|, teachings, which he imbibed in his owl
: youth at Luther College, DEBORAH Iowa
in spite Of great obstacles and opposi
tons through energy and faith h ha!
been able to complete the building. Wht
: can IN assure the influence of the worl
! of an institution like this?
. Like the seed of plants is waited b,
|, the winds from one state to the other
: and ever over sea and ocean to deser
!, islands and foreign continents, soon GOV
, ering The barren sol with verdure anC
bringing forth new forests. continuing
the transmigration of natures pioneers
SO the living word and the true idea!
; and principles, the seeds Of trutl
shall migrate and be transplantec
to distant states and shores and cont
: nents; the barren spiritual waste.
shall be clothed with verdure and gooc
F, fruits shall ripen under the influence O
|. the Son of God to his glory and praise
And this is the mission for which tuthei
College was established.
!, But let me not give the impression
, that all was we'll In the carly days of on
history. There is no undertaking her,
on earth which is o attended by il
. failures and trials. Just as finances Otter
. were embarrassing and debts were con
tracted in old days as well as now. S,
. the students did not always prove
source of JOY and encouragement. Ii
, the first year, when there were but /