The Saint Paul globe., 1896-11-18
DEEDS OF THE NoRsEMEN.
Historical and Interesting Lecture
by Rev. DIR. Smith.


Rev. DR.. Smith delighted an audience
of Scandinavian extraction, last even
ing, at Thirteenth and Broadway, in an
address of a historical nature upon
the great deeds of the Norsemen and
their latter day descendants. The
speaker, being a deep student of hlsto-
ry, drew some original conclusions
from his perusal of it's pages, and the
meat of his address last evening was
that the Norsemen, dating back to a
time long before William the Conquer
or, practically controlled the history,
the art, the literature and the destlnleS
of Europe, that their influence, and not
the influence of the Saxon, was what
made free institutions in Europe and
America possible, and that the Saxons,
being two-thirds Morse, took their pre-
dominating characteristics from the
Mortimer. The speaker even declared
that the pilgrims, who came over in
the Mayflower, bore Morse blood in
their veins for generations, and that
their love of liberty and free institu-
tions was the direct heritage of their
Morse descent Plymouth Rock, said
the speaker, was not the property OF
the Yankee only so far as the Yankee
blood is removed from that OF the
Morse. Even when the scandinavian
people in the United States claim the
protection and the benefit of the free
institutions of America, they only
claim, the protectionn Of the institu-
tions the Morse influence and Morse
blood made possible. The speaker lik-
ened the incurSions of the Scand1na-s
Wan people to America to the incur
sions Of the Morse into all the coun-
tries of Europe under Charles the
Twelfth only that the Scandinavian
invasion into America had been one OF
peace. 1t was conQuering invasion
nevertheless. Speaking OF the Scandl-
navians in the United States, Rev. Mr.
Smith said that they belonged to race
which easily adapted itself to any cir
cumstances, and any country. They
were natural hnguists. They were nat
ural artists In them was born a Ia
tent desire for freedom, which burns
just as f1ercely now as 1t did IN the
olden days when the kings Of the
Morse marched unstayed through Eu-
rope from Russia to Constant1nop!e.
The Englishman, said he, was only
one-third Saxon and two thirds Morse.
This assertion was based upon histori-
cal facts of unquestioned authenticity.
The speaker told how 10000 sturdy Morse
men had invaded the island Of England and
had subdued a population OF 2OC0,OOO people.
The Morse introduced the French language,
French art and French customs, and ruled
the island for years. The Morse became
settled, and their influence can be easily
traced since that date. The Morse, he said,
were cultured and were for the most part
physique The SaXons were coarse and IL
literate.
The same Norsemen went to Italy with
few hundred soldiers Of sturdy mould, ana
although the pope, at the word Of the emperor
of Germany, sent army of 10000 against
the Morse, the latter hewed their way to
success and captured the country, and settled
under the blue skies Of Naples. Under Roger
was developed the kingdom Of the Two
Scicilies, whose art, manufactures and liter
ature had never then been equaled. The
1t, hrT16 Vad 4n1
lowers at his back, made an excursion to
Constantinople, for the first time in 1900
years, and as result, frequent pilgrimages
were made in quest of the tomb of Christ.
Peter the Hermit made the first great crusade
into the Holy land, and into that portion of
Europe, and did more to develop modern
art literature and science than any other
influence, any combination of influences.
From the year 1900 to 1920. Sweden came
into prominence in Norwegian affairs. Dur
ing that period many remarkable men were
developed, and among them Charles XII,
who carried the conquering sword into nearly
all the countries of Europe, crushing the
union of Russia, Poland and Denmark. which
was created against him. Charles in his
| younger days was a drunkard, and
| victim Of many vices, but when he felt the
crown pressing upon his brow, the great
| Gothic strength within him came to the
| front and he became the greatest soldier
and leader Of centuries. With an army of
| 5000 men he whipped Peter the. Great, Of
| Russia with 1eO 900 men, and pressed on.
| Charles was beaten in a second battle, and
| then went to Constantinople and intrigued
with the Turks. whom he knew to be the
hereditary foes Of the Russians But the
| Turks were subsidized by the Russians and
| Charles was compelled to give UP his hope
| OF making an alliance against that nation.
| But his spirit was not broken. He journeyed
| LOO miles back to his country, and in seven
| teen days was amassing another army which
| battle.
The speaker showed how the Morse blood
had been an important factor in European
| history andl events 1t developed the English
| gentry. 1t developed French art, Italian
| literature, and American independence. He
| believed that every man who had trace of
Morse blood in his veins should feel his chest
| swell with pride.