Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-06-01
HEARD VAN SAINT
Former Minnesota Governor Ad-
dresses Students of Au.
gustana College.
MORNING EXERCISES HELD
Alumni Banquet at Manufacturers This
Afternoon - Conservatory
Graduation Tonight.

X van SAINT, of Minnesota. being with
the cOllegians and delivering to the
graduating class the commencement
address The graduation of the senior
class of the collegiate department took
place this morning, and aside from
the address by the governor there was
the presentation of the diplomas and
the comforting of degrees by President
Andreen, and the valedictory by Err
nest w. Carlson.
The alumni banquet is being held
this afternoon at the Manufacturers
hotel in Moline, and this evening the
graduation exercises of the conserva.
tory of music take place.
Gov. Van SAINT.
In addressing the class and the stu
dents. former Gov. Van SAINT spoke as
follows:
"Augustana college is no stranger to
me. have observed with pleasure its
growth and development Ny oppor-
tunlty for doing this has been excel
lent as Rock Island was the place of
my birth and the home of my youth
In fact. so tender are the ties. so in
innate my associations with the famed
had never moved away"
After paying tribute to ~Augustana
college and the Swedish-American as
citizen he continued:
Il am a firm believer in the so-called
small colleges. The students come
more intimately in contact with the
heads of the institutions and the men,
berS of the faculty We learn not only
from books, but from association and
observation and this daily, almost
hourly contact with their instructors.
Is most beneficial to the young men
and young women during college life
In its best sense l believe in de-
nominationalism. Men do better work
tied to some distinctive organization.
The true soldier loves his regimental
colors, answers roll call at his own
company quarters and goes into bat
tie touching elbows with the comrades
with whom he drilled and marched.
The true citizen has his party: is loyal
to it and has no sympathy with the
idea that men should not be in politics.
He believes that for the peace, pros
perity and defense of his country, it is
his duty to ally himself with some or
ganizatiOn that deals with the ques-
tions of government. ~ =
AbhOrs Narrow Spirit. ~
Il make this statement in order to
prepare the way for what | am about
to say. that while believe in the Evan
gelical Lutheran church, | believe also
in the militant church in all its branch
es and abhor narrow sectarian spirit.
1t is gratifying to know, that Angus
tana in spirit of liberality, character
istic of the age. pursues no narrow pol
icy, but admits to her privileges stud
entS of all denominations. This is
proper. for Christianity's platform is
broad enough for all to stand upon.
ut is the most potent influence in
the world today. There are strong
governments and great standing ar
mics, but all must acknowledge the
sovereignty of the Prince of Peace
THE future will show a marvellous
increase in the number of his followers,
for enlightment is the sword of his
conquest. The world would be poor
indeed without the blessed Redeemer
There is no spot on earth where his
life and death have not made a sweet
er, happier existence.
His teachings have tempered every
tyranny and enlarged the joys of the
oppressed in every land. You cannot
write history, but his name appears on
every page or between the lines. You
cannot found a government, you can
not build a city. without a tacit ac-
acknowledgement of the laws which he dis
h.,
ance of mankind.
Roman philosophy taught men how
to die, but it did not teach them how
to live. Every heart beats truer, ev-
cry song is more joyful, every mind is
more clearly attuned, every soul is
more hopeful because of the glad It'd
ings brought us by the Son of David.
These things being true, who can OBJ
ject to the Christian college
Must lot Always Dream.
I'VE cannot spend all our time
thinking of heaven. Such course
would make of US idle dreamers. This
is the most practical age the world
has ever known. Does it pay? more
often asked than ever before Does
Christianity pay? Yes, and nightly.
Ii pays the individual and pays the
state. The individual escapes the pit
falls of life, if devoted to his faith,
and the Christian citizen is the highest
type of man. 1t should be understood
that the man who leads a moral up
right life, gets rich reward here. If
every man were a Christian, our jails
and prisons would be empty. We
would then have a most splendid citi-
zenship and model state.
'The teacher and the patriot. the
schoolhouse and the flag, how natur-
ally we link these together as we study
our country's history AS / stand be-
fore you. | recall my school days prior
TO the war, in Rock Island No more
patriotic body of men and women ever
lived than the school teachers of the
early COS: mine was no exception: he