Omaha daily bee., 1910-05-22

The privations and sacrifices of the min
listers were great and it is hard for the
present generation to understand how they
could bear 1t. The present president of the
synod DR.. L. Norelius, lived at Vasa
Minn in a single room, which also served
as church. The furniture consisted of a
bureau, a stove and a bed. Later on thew
moved TO better quarters-a house pro-
vided with tent-roof. When it rained
they slept under umbrella. When they
moved to Red Wing there was no room to
be had, and In all good faith man told
them: II don't know anything else but
for you to move into my pigsty for the
present" 1t was a new one however, ana
had not been used for its purpose as vet.
But his hospitality was not put in requisi-
ton.
In the year 1850 the Scandnavians with
drew from the northern Illinois synod and
organized an independent synod. They
held conference in the Swedish Lutheran
church OF Chicago, April 2S-2s This step
marks a new beginning in the history of
the Scandinavian Lutherans OF America.
At the meeting at Clinton, Wis., where
the final organization of the synod took
place. 1t was also decided to establish a
school OF their own and Augustana ri
college and theological seminary, now To-
Rev. Hasselquist was elected president OF
the synod and Prof. Esbjorn president OF
the school. The school was first located
at Chicago, but later moved to Paxton,
Ill. Rev. o. C. T. Andren was sent to .
sweden to gather funds for the new school =
and succeeded well. The sum raised was
10000 crowns, or $1Os46.45 The king, Carl
XIV, donated over 5000 volumes that had
belonged to the library of his father In
1875 the institution removed to Rock
Island, Ill. 49,, =
In 1870 the Norwegians withdrew from
the Swedish Augustana synod, united with
the general council, organized in 1867.
The men who have served the synod as
its presidents are DR.. T. N. Hasselqulst,
1S6O-1s1O; Rev. Jonas Swenson, 1870 to his =
death in 1873; DIR. e. Norelius 1s74-1Ssl; DIR. :
Erland Carlson, 1SSl-lSSs; DR.. S. p. A. .
Lindah 18SS-1S91; DIR. =. j. Sward, 1891 1899, K
and again Dr. Norelius from 1899 to the
present time.
TO give a brief review of the history of
the Augustana synod II might be stated
that when DIR. Esbjorn, on March IS, 1850,
organized a Swedish Lutheran congregation
in Andover, ILL.,, it consisted Of ten conn,
municant members. Ten years later, on
June s. 1860, there were thirty-six Swedish
congregations, with seventeen pastors and
the latest available statistical reports,
covering the time up to January /, 1909, the
synod then consisted OF 163473 communl-
cant members, with total membership OF
254645. The number of congregations was
1902, and of minister's Gil The value OF the
church properties $S077 ,s62, and the
total annual expenses were S1,6O7,2 200, There
were 3,1H students enrolled in It's nine edu-
cational institutions. Its charitable in
afhf faa .N atry
four homes for the aged. three hospitals.
! two deaconess institutions and two i'm
migrant homes. Its missionary activities
home, foreign and inner misslons-are car
ried on extensively, and its publication
house, the Augustana Book Concern, Rock
, Island, with branch offices at Minneapolis.
Chicago and New York. is doing a great
work in the interest of the synod.
AugustanA college also celebrates it's flf-
tieth anniversary with great festivities in
June. 1t is the largest educational insti-
tuition OF the synod. embracing also it's only
theological seminary. Dr. Gustav Andreen
is its present president. He is man OF
untiring energy and has done great work
for the school in personally leading the
movement for soliciting the $4,000 endow-
ment fund that is just being completed. It
, is to a great extent due TO his sacrificing
2 and incessant labor for the placing on a
sure foundation the college OF which he is
o. president. that Augustana will forever
Q be the central institution Of learning OF the
r synod Its rank Is high among colleges
and many Of its alumni hold prominent po-
Z sitions in church and state.
. One OF the finest libraries OF its kind in
9 the country is now being built in the mem
Q DRY OF Mr.. and Mrs. F. c. A. Denkmann.
. late residents Of Rock Island, and donated
: by their sons and daughters. The cost OF
5 the building Will be considerably over $780,
900 when completed.