Rock Island Argus., 1895-12-07
AUGUSTANA COLLEGE,
Miss Agnes Branney Writes on the oues-
tiOn.

Miss Agnes Branney Writes on the oues-
tiOn.
There is an old saying that a
prophet is not known in his own
land. The truth of the adage APP
piled to Augustana college has been
unquestionable, but there is hope
that our college may. like Byron,
awake some day to find herself IA
mous-in her own town. A short
historical sketch, setting forth the
most important incidents since its
birth, will perhaps reveala past with
which few are familiar.
uistorioaI.
Augustana seminary was the name
OF an institution organized and tenn
porarilv located at Chicago in the
year 1860. Owing to the great influx
of immigrants from Sweden and Nor
way which began in 1915, there arose
4 great demand for ministers and
teachers who could preach to them
in their dear old mother tongue.
For time the universities OF Sean
dinavia supplied the want, but it
soon became evident that the Ameri-
can church must educate it's own
pastors. With this object in view,
then, theological seminary was es-
tablished which embraced at first a
preparatory and theological de part
ment. Rev. l.. P. Esbjorn, who had,
during the two years previous, held
the Scandinavian professorship at
the Illinois State University, was
elected the tirs: professor of Angus
tana seminary. The name is a pecu-
liar one. Investigation shows that
it is derived from the Latin name OF
the principal confession OF the Luth-
eran church. the Augsburg Confes-
sion. This was called Confessio
7: Augustana because it was delivered
by the Lutherans to Emperor Charles
, V. at the Diet of Augsburg in 1860.
During tho Firs. Years.
During the infant years of Au-
gustana the courses were necessarily
! incomplete and students often pur-
sued studies in both the preparatory
and theological departments. FL
nancial support was received in the
main from the congregations of the
, synod, aided by occasional gifts from
friends. In 1868 the seminary was
removed to Paxton, Ill. To the sor-
row of everyone connected with the
school, Prof. Esbjorn now resigned
his professorship and returned to
sweden. To fill the vacancy Rev.
T. N. Hassel9uist who had lately ar
rived from Europe was elected to
serve until permanent professor
could be secured. This permanent
professor proved to be Rev. Dr. Has
selquist himself who held the posi-
ton until the time of his death,
which occurred in February, 1891.
While the Institution was located at
Paxton handsome gift of SO, 100
was received from the churches of
Sweden with the consent OF King
Kari XIV This gave a new i'm
petus to the work. In 1868 the
school was incorporated under the
general law of Illinois, aud after
, wards by special act of the legisla-
ture in 1865. charter was granted
which was amended by a supple
mentary act in 1869. The name was
also changed to Augustana College
and Theological Seminary. During
the time that the college was situ-
ated at Paxton it became evident that
more central location was desira.
BILE. Through the activity of the
| synod which controls the 10 iostitution
extending in SO many directions.
| another site was procured with the
result that the fall term of 1875
opened in Rock Island Sept. %.
Instruction was given in college
classes as early As 1866. but it was