The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-06-10
COMMERCIAL CLUB ROASTED
Free Church Conference Says 1T
Failed to Keep Promise.

Free CnurCh conference says ~
Failed to Keep Promise.
Audubon, Mimi, June 10.-The CONNER
cial Club of Minneapolis came In for
some rough handling at the hands Of the
Free church conference on account OF the
failure of the club to raise the $4,000
which the public affairs committee had
pledged its best efforts to raise for the
new Augsburg building. About $4,000 has
been secured, largely through the efforts
of Professor Oftedal; $4,000 remains to be
raised. Resolutions giving the consensus
of opinion were passed and ordered sent
to the club, and the meeting resolved to
send committee to the club to get
definite answer as to inability or the lack
of willingness of the club to supply the
fund. The spirit Of the meeting strongly
leaned towards the opinion that the club
did not lack the ability but the willing
ness. In either case the meeting wanted
to know.
Rev. A. Holland, treasurer of Augsburg
Seminary, said that the club had made
the first approach in the matter in order
to keep the seminary from moving to:
St. Paul, which was offering inducements.
He was glad that the club had not been
begged to do what clearly was in It's own
interest. The Free church is not alto
gether dependent on Minneapolis, but the
business integrity of the club is at stake.
Theodore johnson, business man OF
Fergus Falls, humorously proposed to
send the Commercial Club an ultimatum Of
the Dom Paul Kruger. kind. .., H.
Rev. Mr.. sBroro of Fargo, N. D., de-
clared that the club evidently did not
know the strength Of the Free church,
and he could not understand that the club
was not long headed" enough to see
that 1T pays to keep a promise, in busl.
ness way. After some more hot shots of
similar caliber the meeting resolved to
NO.
subscription at once and $1,100 was raised
in fifteen minutes. 1t is proposed to have
the balance by July 8. The resolution
or request to the Commercial Club as
passed by the conference reads as follows:
AS the friends and supporters Of Augsburg
seminary who are vitality interested in the
success of this institution we extend to the
business men constituting the Commercial
Club Of the city of Minneapolis our thorough
appreciation of the interest your club has
taken in seminary by pledging your best
endeavors to raise the sum Of $4,000 towards
the erection of tie new seminary building
on condition that the Free church raise the
balance of $4,000 needed, and that the sem
mary remain in Minneapolis We regret
however, to learn from the report of the
board of trustees of the sem nary that your
club is yet So 900 short of having raised the
sum pledged and that the board Of trustees
is seriously embarrassed, as a consequence,
in the administration Of the affairs OF the
seminary. -
Encouraged by the generous pledge of your
club the Lutheran Free church by general
and persistent effort fulfilled the stipulated
conditions to make your pledge available by
raising the sum required, and more, on lts
| part and resolving not to remove the SEM
| mary from Minneapolis 1t remains for your
club to rase the $4,000 yet necessary to full
| fl your pladge Of honor. We do not doubt
90 ~, fn
| nor it's good will in the matter, but we de-
| plore remissness which was as unexpected
| as 1t is injurious to the interests Of the SEM
| mary. AS the supporter of Augsburg sem
| mary we have more or less during its thirty
years existence Minneapolis institution
cheerfully contributed our share toward the
upbuilding OF Minneapolis as the metropolis
| Of the northwest, and we feel that also on
| that account we have a right to urge your
esteemed body to redeem your generous
| pledge and to continue your good offices FOR
| the seminary in which we are so much In
| terested and on account Of which we are
doubly interested in the city of Minneapolis
| The important matter of a board or d.
! rectors for Augsburg Seminary was set
| tied Yesterday. This board will 'be" the
| connecting link between the seminary and
! the Free church. The board will consist
| of five member each with the president OF
| the seminary as one of five members. IN
conjunction with the theological faculty
it will pass on application to the theo-
logical department of the seminary, and
with the whole faculty plan the ctr1r RI
culum and elect the teachers. This new
agreement between the Free church and
the corporation of the seminary further
asks the corporation of thirty to enlarge
it's membership and to give the conference
| an opportunity to nominate new mem
bers. The seminary corporation has ex-
pressed itself willing to accede to these
requirements. ..
Rev. Gotfred Petersen a visiting mis-
sionary from Madagascar. lectured IN the
afternoon on Madagascar Before and
After the French Rule" Last evening
| English services were conducted" in the
CONGREGATIONAL church by Professor H.sW.
Hendrickson and o. Sletten. -. - :
The conference will close tonight.