The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-25
AT METROPOLITAN TEMPLE.

Over Two Thousand People Present at the
Midsummer Day Festivities.
Metropolitan Temple was crowded to the
doors last night with a representative as
sembly of swedes, who came together to
celebrate Sweden's national holiday-Mid-
summers day, it is called in that land of
the midnight sun. By o'clock over 1000
people were in the vast hall, and they kept
coming until there seemed no place for the
proverbial zone more"
A month ago there was trouble in the
ranks of the Swedish National League
over the manner in which Midsummer s
day should be celebrated. The result of
this was that the ministers and those in
sympathy with them Withdrew from the
league and formed themselves into an
organization called the Swedish
National Union. How rapidly and sue
cessfully they have worked, and that their
position on the question of celebrating the
day with wine and dancing met the hearty
approval of hundreds of Swedes, is attested
by the immense throng in Metropolitan
Temple last evening.
The stage was handsomely decorated
with bright flowers and ferns, while a
beautiful wreath of flowers, relieved with
evergreen, encircled the entire upper gal
lery. On each side of the stage, hanging
in graceful folds, were American and
Swedish flags. On the rostrum were seated
Rev. c. a. Anderson, Rev. A. Siolander;
Gottfred Johnson, the poet; Rev. A. NJ.
lie Veau, Rev. j. 0. Wahlberg, Consul
Henry Lund, Rev. L. Dahlgren, Revs. c.
gramme was rendered in the Swedish Ian
guage, except an address by Rev. E.
Nelander and the song America
The first speaker OF the evening was Rev.
Allfrid Slolander, pastor of the First Swed-
ish Baptist Church of Oakland. Mr. Sio-
l., l. y
nomination, having had charge of some of
its largest churches. He was for a number
OF years editor of the Missions Bladet, a
Swedish Baptist weekly, published at
Minneapolis. After expressing his thanks
for the honor OF having the privilege of ad-
dressing such large, enthusiastic and rep
resentatiYe assembly, the speaker stated
that the object of the meeting was twofold /:
First, TO celebrate the Midsummer even
ing in remembrance of the land of the
midnight sun; and second, to unite the
Swedish-American people, as far as pos
sible, for mutual aid, and to work for the
welfare of their adopted country. He COM
pared their love for their native land to a
dutiful sons regard for an aged mother,
and their love for America to noble hus-
bands affection for his bride. He also
gave poetical description of the midnight
sun, which he had seen many times in his
boyhood days.
Inc following is the programme rem
dered:
Music, A. C. Eckman; song, "All the World
Praise the Lord; song, by Mission friends
address, Rev. A. Sjolander; song, David's
twenty-fourth psalm, by seventy-tive voices;
midsummer poem, by Mr.. Gottfred Johnson:
song, America; address in English. Rev. E..
Eelander poem, "Nordman in America" Rev.
A. NJ. lie Neau; GRAFTON, Rev. J. o. Wahlberg;
quartet, Messrs. Lamar, Hjelte, Ludwig and
Lindstrom; song, "Dalkuller," national cos
TUNES; address, Consul Henry Lund; song, by
congregation; benediction, Rev. l.. Dahlgren.
Rev. c. A. Nelson was president of the
evening and he filed the office with credit
to himself and honor to those who elected
him. The following committee had charge
of the entertainment. A. Wistand (presi-
denD, P. M. Paulson (treasurer(. Rev. A.
Sjolander Secretary, Rev. E. Nelander,
Rev. J. O.. Wahlberg, Rev. G.. Anderson,
Rev. G. M. Nilsson. Rev. l.. Dahlgren, Rev.
C. A. Nelson, Rev. A. M. LIE Veau, w.
o. Peterson, W. Johnson, c. Anderson, A.
Shold, L. Stevenson, G. Stone, A. Strand
berg, C. Lundgren, C. Jacobson, J. F.
Nor5y, G. Peterson, Adam Swan, j. P.
Standberg.
The Swedish-American National Union
is only month old, yet its demonstration
last night showed no evidence of youth,
for everything moved with the smoothness
of axneripnce