Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-09-23
SWEDEN.

sisters to vote.
SWEDEN.
A new ladies' normal school has
been dedicated at Landskrona.
Careful tests made in Germany have
demonstrated that iron ore imported
from Norrland is superior to that
Imported from Spain. This result
means great deal to the mining in
dustries of Sweden.
The customs duties and taxes on
certain luxuries averaged the follow
ing amounts for every person in
Sweden during the year 1901: Whis-
key, $1.64; wine, II cents; coffee, tea
and chocolate, 20 cents; sugar and
syrup, IS cents; tobacco, "a cents;
total, 1924.
At the national ministerial confer
ence many speakers admitted that
the ministers of the state church OF
Sweden are not in such close touch
with the common people as they
ought to be. Professor Sjoholm was
the first speaker on this subject, and
no snok Ike mainly as follows: II am
sorry to say that IL 1UUhs +lo~eh
q great chasm is separating the
church from the deeper strata of the
people. The church is accused Of
existing only for the higher classes.
In the cities we see how the masses
God. But the ministers ought to en-
deavor to fill up this chasm. They
ought to speak in such manner that
their preaching becomes plain to the
people, and uney ought to avoid alb
stractions. In our daily life we
ought to approach the masses of tho
people more closely, know their feel
ings, take part in their struggles and
aspirations. None of the cultured
classes ought to be more closely in
touch with the people than the min
isetr. We ought to be less of fathers
than of brothers in our congrega-
TONS" A number of others spoke
Rev. Widner of Copenhagen, ex-
pressed himself thus: II wish to
God that we ministers could step
down from our pedestals and become
servants and brothers all! Com
plants are made about the labor
movements of our times, about the
labor unions. We see how the people
are gliding out of our hands. But
/ say, Praise God because there ara
labor unions! In Copenhagen there
are from $4,000 to 10000 Swedish
workmen, and the best ones of them
are members of labor unions. I hope
you will pardon me when I main
tain that we ministers ought to be
a little revolutionary. We should
not think from the top, as public
officials, we should think from the
bottom, as workmen. And as to the
young people: they are gathered in
by the free religious churches and
the Social Democrats, but they ara
gliding out of our hands. Indeed,
we have the Y. M. C. A. and similar
organizations, but they can not con-
stitute any factor in the life of our
people. We should meet the young
people half way and give up some
of our stilted solennity. The min
listers also ought to contribute to tho
solution of the labor problems of our
day, they ought to be peoples trib-
Ones in the best sense of the word. Ho
who has the poor oil his side has tho
whole world on his side." Though
the conference was held in church
many ministers applauded the speak
ers by clapping their hands, and no
one seemed called upon to contradict
what was said on this important SUBJ
ject.
The ministerial conference, which
was held before the national con-
vention of the Church of Sweden.
passed resolution in which the lat
ter was requested to memorabilia tho
government to have competent par
ties write new explanations of tho
fundamental truths of the Christian
religion for the use of children, Luz
TIERS smaller catechism to be used az
= basis for the work. .... III y = = vi Ut
The export OF llngon (small, red
berries)~' from Sweden to Germany
was so heavy a few days ago that
some steamers had to make special
trips from Trelleborg to sassnitz.