Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-01-21

except faith and hope in God and the
future, in high ideals, in Willingness
to sacrifice-in these respects they
were rich indeed. Their work has at
tracted the attention and commanded
the respect of all. who have beheld IT,
And in common effort for strengthen
ing the hands of Augustana at its semi
centennial jubilee, the children OF the
old pioneers have shown that they.
too, are in earnest, filed with the zeal
engendered by the fear of God and
the love of learning.
These stones have for us today
peculiar and touching significance in
that they bear testimony now and
ever to the noble lives OF parents, to
whom not alone the children yield a
glad tribute of f1lial love and rever-
ence. but whose memory is warmly
cherished by the community they with
signal grace and success helped to up
build, and whose names are mentioned
today by grateful hearts in ten thou
sands of homes from ocean to ocean.
Deeds Shall Live.
These stones speak to us of Mr..
and Mrs F. C. A Denkmann, whose
mortal remains are hid in yonder
Chippiannock yet their deeds live
after them as a continued blessing
from generation to generation The
forebears of Mr. Denkmann lived in
Altmark's ancient capitol, the nucleus
around which grew up Brandenburg
and Prussia, and a united Germany.
Some 900 years ago his ancestors
stood shoulder to shoulder with the
men from the north. reddening the
water of the Elbe with their hearts
blood in a common struggle for liberty
and for the right to worship God &C
cording to the dictates of ones con-
science. Shortly after his arrival to
this country Mr. Denkmann found his
home in Rock Island. If he were
alive today, he too, would celebrate,
a 50th anniversary. for during this
year it viii be just half century ago
since Mr.. Denkmann began the great
work with which we associate his
name. He made the very Mississippi
carry tribute to our home town. ---eil
did he plan and build IN the work that
was his. These stones testify especial
ly to the idealism which famed bright
iy in the hearts both of Mr. and Mrs
Denkmann, leading them over to deeds
Of generosity and kindness. This
quality of heart has come to the heirs
as the most precious heritage. This
heaven-born idealism gives life and
significance to these stones, joining
them together to rear a temple to the
Most High where knowledge of Him
and His creation may ever be imbued.
With thanksgiving 90 we today lay
the cornerstone of this building dedl-
Gated to the memory of Mr.. and Mrs.
F. c. A. Denkmann
Memory Shall Be Blessed.
During the days of his activity MI
Denkmann was a near neighbor of our
institution; exceeding joy and ardent
gratitude fill the hearts of us all ut
the thought, that the sons and daugh-
ters have decided to join the 50th an
niversary of the great life-work of the
father with the semi-centennial cele-
bration of Augustana. and have for
ever united the names of beloved and
noble parents to our home of learning
Unborn generations shall arise to bless
their memory.
What mean these stones?' There
is one more answer that comes to
our lips from holy writ itself: These
stones shall teach us to know the hand
OF the Lord that it is mighty. that we
may fear the Lord God forever We
thank God today for His guidance in
the past, for the blessings which
through Christ are bestowed upon US
now. and pray that His spirit may
abide with us from generation to gen
Grafton"
DIR. W. H. Blanche of Davenport led
in scripture reading and prayer, after
which the Wennerberg chorus sang
Wennerberg's famous masterpiece,
Stand Strongi" The address of DR..
W. S. Marquis of the Broadway Pres
byterian church, Rock Island, followed.
He said:
we are here today to lay the cor
nerstone of library. Upon this foun-
dalton will rise a noble and beautiful
structure to be the home of the books
which this growing institution will
gather into 1t. Here will come TO
dwell the mightiest and best spirits
of the past and present. From the
dust,heaps which bury the glory of
e-lDClOhL lazy IOAAs lie al AT
chiTes of Amenoph1s ". at Sel ell
Amarna. from the palaces of Perse-
polls and the temples of hundred
gates Thetes, will come priests and
poets and potentates to tell us the
story OF the long ago In the dawn of
civilization.
From the shadows of the fnimitable
Acropolis will come Scion and Socra-
ties, Plato and Perciles, Aristides and
Aristotle, with many lesser lights.
Rome will send it's Virgil and Horace,
its Seneca and Cicero and versatile
Caesar, to weave around our minds
the destinations of the Mistress of the
World.
And we will not be satisfied with
all these. Germany and France,
Sweden, Nennarlz, Norway and merry
old England must send us the choicest
spirits they have produced - their
Goethe and Schiller, their Victor Hugo