Rock Island Argus., 1894-11-05
LION OFTHE NORTH
Anniversary of Gustavus Adol-
phus Cele brated.
EXERCISES AT ANDovER SATURDAY

Augustana College Sends Large Deleea-
tion, and Its Chorus Gives a Grand Con-
cert-A joyful Occasion FItting,y Com
memorated.
The Swedish Lutherans OF An
dover. Orion. CISCO, Ophiem. New
Windsor, Cambridge, Woodruff and
Swedona united in a grand celebra-
ton of the 300th anniversary of the
birth of King Gustavus Adolphus,
the noble and heroic defender of Pro-
testantism in Europe. at Andover
Saturday. Notwith standing the
rain and general inclemencv of the
weather the day previous, large
concourse of people had assembled to
pay their tribute of love to the mem
ory of one to whom all Protestant
ism will for centuries do homage.
The Augustana college delegation,
mum bering about 200 persons. went
to CISCO over the R. /. & P, in a
special train. At CISCO they were
met by about forty carriages and
conveyed to Andover, distance of
four miles. At Andover, the exer-
cises were held in the spacious and
beautiful Lutheran chu, ,ch, which,
being founded as early as 1850, is the
Oldest church of the Augustana
synod. The handsome edifice was
suitably decorated, and presented
the appearance OF great festivitv.
The exercises of the forenoon were
opened by the singing of Swedish
hymn, "Let all the World in God
Rejoice" by the congregation. ac-
companied by the Augustaua college
chorus. The beautiful Swedish rit-
ual was next rendered bv Rev. j.
Jesperson. of Rock Island. which was
responded to by the chorus.
DIR. Oisson's Address.
Following this Rev. Prof. O. Ols-
son. b. d. Phi. D., president of Au-
gustana college, delivered an able
aud scholarly address on the subject.
The Diet of Worms" The speaker
said that at the time of the reforma-
tion in Germany, all Europe was
shaken by spiritual earthquake,
and the people had just began to
spell the word liberty. The declara-
tions by Martin Luther before the
Diet at Worms, were of far greater
Importance to the world than the
declaration of independence by the
American colonies more than a hun
dred years ago. This was the dav
which should decide Christianity: s
veal or woe. The battle cry of re-
llgious freedom not only aroused the
people of Germany, but of the world,
and the throne of Catholic Rome tot
tered and fell. Here the speaker
drew most vivid picture of the
blessing which true Professionalism
has brought to the nations of the
earth, closing his elegant and stirring
address by an earnest appeal to
Protestanism to cherish forever the
memory of its valient and noble de-
fender, King Gustavus Adolpbus.
Other Addresses
Then followed an able address by
by Rev. DR.. c. f. Lindberg. of the
Theological seminary at Rock Island.
on the subject, The Faith for Which
Gustavus Adolphus, and the Swedes
With Him, Fought and Hied." The
Rev. DIR. said that the Lutheran
church was born on the 31st day of
Oct. 1917, was confirmed july %,
1880, and reached its majority in the
year 1555. The faith Of the Luth-
eran church, said the speaker, ..was
be no means a new one, and the
church which Martin Luther founded
was not established by his DEGREES,
but had existed to a certain extent
in the church of Rome for centuries. -
Continuing, the speaker said: the
seed which was planted by Martin
Luther is now more than three hun
dred years old. and is still growing
and bearing glorious fruits for the
salvation of souls" The speaker
here paid glowing tribute to the
memory of Gustavus Alophus, and
said that it was doubtful whether or
not the people of today could proper
ly comprehend and appreciate the
value of the glorious work that he
performed for religious liberty, the
work for which he sacrificed his life
and that of thousand of Swedes
with him. The utter darkness in
which the church of Rome was con-
fined at that time must be consid-
cred in order to properly compre-
hend the value of present civil and
religious liberty. The speaker con-
by saying that the declara-
tions of Luther were of far greater
Importance to the civilized world
than the principles set forth in the
Magma Charta of England. Had
Luther done no more than written
his two catechisms, the world would
even then have owed him unspeaka-
bic gratitude" The faith and con-
fessions OF Luther were based upon
an open bible, and who will wonder
that Gustavus Adolphus would sac
alice his life for it on the battle field
of Lytzen.
The address was followed by an
other by Rev. DIR. N. Forsander, also
of the Theological seminary at Rock
Island, who had chosen as his sub
iect, s.Our Mission as Descendants