Rock Island Argus., 1916-05-22
COUNSELS CLASS
IkPREPAREDNESS
DR.. u, 4. Andreen breaches BaccaIau-
reate sermon to Graduates of
Augustana college.
CAPACITY OF CHAPEL Is TAXED
President OF School Uses State of Ma.
ton In Military Way to Illus.
trate Life'S Battles.

Christian preparedness" was the
thought of the baccalaureate sermon
Of the same name delivered by DR. G
4. Andreen, president OF Augustana
college, to the 154 students who re-
ceive their diplomas from the Luth-
eran college this week Taxing his
text from the sixth chapter Of Ephes-
ians, verses l0-1S, DR.. Andreen preach
ed a very scholarly sermon on the
aruor Of a Christian and his prepar-
edness to meet the world with ali its
selfish sins and besetting temptatiOns
College chapel, in which the exer-
cises were held. was crowded to ca
pacity. The program OF song bv Pro-
fessor /. B. Canterbury and the Wen
neTberg chorus, as well as HYMNS bv
the audience and an organ prelude by
Professor J. Victor Berguuist. proved
delightful. DR. Edward F. Bartholo-
NEW and Professor Adolf Hult re-
peaied the liturgy for the occasion.
Dr. AndTeen said:
Graduates of 1916: During these
DAYS there has been a cry throughout
the length and breadth of our land
for preparedness. 1t is proclaimed
with great yehemenCe that our feet
is not in first class condition: that it
is inferior in size and insufficientIy
manned: also that our army is la
mentally weak, both when we com
pare il with the size and wealth of
our nation, when we consider what
other peoples are eXpending and sac
rifcing in order 10 maintain an eff
cient soldiery, and especially when
we are confronted with dangers which
threaten the honor and welfare of
our nation and perpleX those intrust-
ed with the guidance of our common
wealth. Great popular demonstra-
tons have already taken place in
some of our American cities in favor
Of naval and military preparedness,
and during next week We expect to
see the inhabitants Of numberless
communities gather in their respective
Centers not for a meaningless parade
or idle display, but to strengthen the
hands Of congress and the president
in their deliberations and to inform
the whole world that we believe in
girding our lOins and preparing as a
strong man for battle, in order to
ward off danger, defend our rights,
and in the end to advance the possi-
blllty Of bringing about a rightfuI and
peaceful international cooperation
The time may come in the history
Of any nation when in the words of
one Of the songs of the north, 1t must
pitch the soldiers camp that peace
may be obtained If even in this re-
spect nation be not rightly prepar-
ed il may suffer ignomy and even an
initiation. When the militia was
lately called out on our southern bOr-
der it was to our dismay found that
not all Oheyed the summons. that the
equipment was entirely inadequate for
those who came, that uniforms were
lacking, that arms and ammunition
could not he quickly furnished in suf-
fcient quantities, that the COmmissar-
lat was not so organized that it could
supply the necessary provisions, that
equipment in general was scanty and
the transportation facilities made
quate, and worst Of all that the men
were not trained to endure the hard
ships Of a soldiers life and that so
large proportion Of them did not
measure up to the military require
ments as to physique and morale. No
wonder a grOan Of deep anxiety went
up from the hearts OF the American
people No wonder that the cry of
preparedness is reverberating as the
sound of many waters. from city to
hamlet, from forest to mountain, from
prairie to coast throughout our land.
AS nation, We must be prepared In
the hour Of danger, the greatest eff
cheney is required Of free and liberty
loving citizens in the defense of their
country and the advancement OF right
dealing among nations.
Lessons Pointed Out.
Graduates, as we are gathered here
tonight, We are not expected to speak
or you 10 ponder on the subject of
political or international aspects of
military preparedness. But as we feel
thlS mighty problem gripping the
hearts Of every citizen and appealing
even to the ardent and imaginative
youth in our homes as we'll as in our
nails Of learning, the question spOn-
taneously comes to our minds: What
does this great movement toward pre-
paredness teach us with reference to
our duty TO flt ourselves and be fitted
for LIES work and for Christian ac-
uviues? The years Of school life
which lie behind US have been years
OF preparation, years Of training, dur
Ing which We should have become