St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1895-09-06

make our best citizens. They are
almost always Protestants. They
believe in God, the Bible, the Sabbath
and in civil and religious liberty.
They believe in our Republic. They
are intensely loyal. In politics they
are generally Republicans. They are
strong-framed, eager, apt, modest,
industrious, frugal, intelligent. Many
American homes are blessed with
quiet, cleanly Scandinavian servants,
generally honest and willing. The
men are in every profession, lawyers,
doctors, ministers, teachers; in every
business, bankers, merchants, arti-
sans, miners, farmers, day-laborers
They come to stay. They build
houses, buy real estate, establish
farming communities, and tens Of
thousands from the Land Of the
Midnight Sun" are following them
here.
In the words of another, contrast.
ing them with other foreigners, let
me quote: "They are not peddlers,
nor organ grinders, nor beggars
they do 1ot sell ready-made clothing,
nor keep pawn shops. Their religion
is not hostile to free institutions
they do not come here temporarily,
live foreign life, praying all the time
that their bones may lie in the land
from whence they came. They do
not seek to break down our Sabbath.
They don't use the United States for
a plotting ground against the govern
ment of their native land. They do
not foster amongus ideas at variance
with the precious interests of our
land. They wave no red flag. They
are Americans in manners, customs,
politics, and quickly become part OF
us, undistinguishable from us"
THEIR NEEDS AND OUR DUTY.
What then are their needs which
we must recognize, and our duty
towards such race with such a
showing? What ploughshares OF
intelligence must be driven through
such fields ready for best develop
ment?
The needs of the Scandinavian
work in the country when brought
to the financial test by which all mis-
sionary zeal and interest is tried, are
1st. Money for missionaries who
can preach in the Swedish and Danish
languages, as the adult population,
if they hear the Word and receive
teaching, must have it in their own
tongue.
2nd. Money for the education and
training of such missionaries.
3rd. Money for churches, that the
results of missionary labor may be
made permanent.
4th. The establishing of religious
and other papers for their especial
benefit.
Carleton College in Minnesota has
made special provision for this work
Chicago Theological Seminary has
taken an important step by providing
training department for foreign
workers. 1t has a Dane for the Dan.
ish- Norwegian department, Swede
in the Swedish department, a grad.
uate of Yale College and Chicago
Seminary a Norwegian as instruct
or of Scandinavian students in the
English language. In its second yea1
40 students had entered, more eager
for theological than for academic
training. Many Of these have taker
important positions in schools anc
colleges for foundation work.
Such knowledge as we have, if fol
lowed by giving, would enable this
growing branch of our population tt
strengthen and broaden our nation
Their necessities are many. Our uut,
is plain. What branch of Hom
Missionary work can appeal NOR
strongly than this, when the result
are assured, and the benefits meal
culable