Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-06-25
MIDSUMMER DAY.
Another Festival Occasion al
Augustana.
TINE HoNoRED CUSTOM ADOPTED.

A New Departure In the Way Of Celebra-
lions and the Large Attendance Present
Outline OF the Exercises and Theil
significance-AH Happy Event.
Yesterday, Midsummer day. was
the Inauguration of another day OF
festivities at Augustana college.
The idea of celebrating the oath day
of June as s.AIidsummer dav' is an
old one in a number of European
countries. Especially is it celebrat.
ed by the people of the Scandinavian
peninsula. That a celebration OF
this kind was to be given at Angus
tana yesterday could readily be sur
missed. as early in the morning ex-
cursions came into the CITY from
Cambridge. Orion. Andover. Gene
SEQ, kewanee. Woodruff. Ophiem,
New Windsor and Swedona, who
gathered on Zion's hill. where pic
mic dinner was served. The excur-
sionists from the towns mentioned
numbered several hundred. of
whom about two hundred came in on
special train on the K. l. & p. at
noon.
The Exercises.
Exercises proper began at 8 p. m,
and were in charge of Rev. A. p.
Fors, of Geneseo, who from the band
stand delivered few Introductory
remarks, extending the assembly q
cordial welcome. The speaker then
explained how the idea of celebra-
|
him. that its purpose should always
be to annually gather the young and
old around the throbbing heart Of
the Augustana synod - Augustana
college. Rev. Asterberg. of Swe-
dona, then read the scriptures and
offered prayer. Then followed q
song by the mail choir of Rev. Fors'
church, the pastor leading his choir.
President OLSON, of the college, was
next introduced. His address was
principally a heartfelt welcome on
behalf of the institution. to the visi-
tors. He deplored the fact that our
otherwise green hills now were dry
and parched. but hoped this was not
true of the hearts of his audience,
who had shown their love for the in
stitution by laying aside their daily
tolls to celebrate this day here. Con-
tinuing, he said he was dreamer.
and like other drcamers had dreamed
dreams. The dream which he was
now about to relate, had been in his
mind since 1877. 1t had, during
these many years, been his earnest
hone of an annual celebration in
which the young people Of the sur
rounding churches, could be gath
cred at Augustana college every
year. At last his fond dream had
been realized in manner which was
now apparent.
Humorous Aiiusion.
Rev. j. L. Murphy, Of Grace Luth-
eran church, was the next speaker.
Mentioning the fact that he was
speaking in behalf of the English
speaking people of the faith, he
humorously related some of the talks
he overheard during q meeting of
the synod, about himself and a gen
tlcman whose Hebraic name and face
made people wonder how he became
a Swede. Speaking for himself, Mr..
Murphy said the phenomenon was
easily explained. He got most of
his blood from Germany, and his
name from the Emerald Isle. He
was born in the south, got his wife
among the Norwegians of Minnesota,
and living as he does in Rock Island,
near Moline. de must certainly be a
Swede. Speaking of the Swedish
people of America, he said that
wherever they are settled, there is
found thrift and contentment.
Scandinavians do not come to Amer
lea with hand-organ and monkey.
Instead they turn their attention to
the improvement and tillage of the
soil. That they prosper is proof of
their industry and economy, as we'll
as their foresight Various ingre-
dents are necessary to make good
blood, and no better blood can enter
into the make up of the American
nation than that which comes from
the Scandinavian provinces. Provi-
dence surely inspired SO many men
of Northern Europe to turn their
hearts to America, for their coming
/ CduhOG OuO ICSultSs
Lutheranism stands for civilization,
principle, and q faith peculiar to
itself, and he predicted that if the
younger element in the church would
display the same foresight and devo-
tion during the next so years which
has characterized their fathers, the
Augsburg confession will largely
shape the religious thought of the
American continent.
Prof. Bartholomew, who has Just
returned from an extended visit in
Germany and the fatherland of Luth-
eranism, discoursed entertainingly
of the impressions received by him.
Many things had he seen. but moth
ing so strongly impressed him as the
evidence on every hand that Germany
is the fatherland OF the faith OF which
Lutherans in America represent.
He found there a we'll developed
Lutheran national church. and all
the peculiar type Of the religion
| which il a faith which ia not for n