Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-02-18
STUDENTS AT BIER
Delegation From Augustana Goes
to Attend Funeral of DR..
SWenSSon.
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Rev. DIR. Norelius, President Of Swe-
dish Lutheran Synod, to
Conduct Services.

d. ]. Norling, c. E. Lindgren. L.
Malmberg. d. Friedlund, c. Segerha-
mer, Axel Anderson, F. Hanse and c.
Pearson, students at Augustana col
lege, left last evening for Lindsborg.
Kans.. to attend the funeral of Rev
DR.. c. \. Swensson. which is to take
place Tuesday Of the coming week.
The services viii be conducted by Rev.
DR.. Norelius, of Minnesota. president
of the Swedish Lutheran synod of the
United States, assisted by DR.. Abra-
hanson, of Chicago, and DR.. G.. A.
Brandelle, of Denver, president of the
Kansas conference. y message of
coincidence has been sent to the be-
reaved family by President Roosevelt.
DR.. SwenSsOn. who was the presi-
dent of Bethany college at Lindsborg,
was known the country over to Swed-
| ISL people as a great. writer. and he
has been prominent in politics, having
campai9ned the country on severa!
occasions. He was Il regular CORE
| spCndent to Svenska Tribuene and
FOrterlandet. two Of the leading
Swedish papers of the country. and
was the editor and publisher of the
Lindsborg Poster. DIR. Swensson had
written three books which have be-
come widely circulated. Two were
written after his return from a visit
to the old country. having made two
trips there. The first book. Il Sver
ige" lin Sweden). was the result of
his first visit, and the second. "Ater l
Sverige" (Once More in SweGen). was
Oft h., III
trip. Another book written by DR..
Swensson which has had general cir
culation is "Vid Hemmets Hard cat
the Home Fireside).
DR.. SwenssCn is incurred by Il wife
and two daughters. besides many
friends. The bereaved family were at
their home in Kansas at the time of
his death.
Founded Bethany College.
From his first entrance to the min
istry he gained Il worldwide reputa-
ton as a preacher and orator, fluently
speaking in both the English and
Swedish languages, and in Il few years
was recognized as the leading minis
ter of the Augustana synod. After his
ordination he received call to Linds-
borg. Kans.. and with a residence of
only two years he saw the future for
educational work in the growing and
enterPrisfng Sunfiower state. and in
the year 1881 promoted and founded
! Bethany college. which has grown to
national reputation, its students
filling positions of trust all over the
/ United States. DR.. Swensson was
president, financier. theological in
S-fP of a
| institution. besides filling the duties
of pastor of the local church. and to
his untiring energy and enthusiasm,
as well as his popular and magnetic
+ influence is due the success Of Beth
any college. and the growth of the
! town where it is situated.
Services in Legislature.
! DR.. SwenssOn was an intimate friend
Of w. w. Thomas. minister to Sweden.
and on two occasions was entertained
by him and presented to King Oscar
as the leading Swedish-American of
this country. which title he justly
earned. He was an able lecturer and
! preacher, and was more sought after
for public occasions than any other
| Swedish minister in this country, and
for that reason travelled great deal
and was known in every Swedish com
munity from the Atlantic to the Pa
cifc.
He was an ardent republican in pol
itics and during the populist wave in
Kansas stumped the state from one
end to the other. At one time he was
| a member of the Kansas legislature,
and it has been limited that he could
have been elected governor of the
state il he had desired to aspire to
things political.
His services were always solicited
for campaigns by the national repub-
lean committee. He was a broad
minded, conscientious and public-spir-
tied citizen, always ready TO do any
thing or go anywhere to advance the
interests Of his church. his college and
his countrymen.
He will be missed i'm Swedish Ameri-
can circles and his place viii he hard
10 fill. He was subject to call for ded-
icatiOns of churches, installations of
preachers and for patriotic ceIebra-
tiCns all over this country. He belieV-
ed it was his duty to respond and as
sist to place the banner of the cross
or the flag of patriotism where il
would float to inspire and benefit all
mankind.