Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-06-22
SYNOD HONORS
OTTUMWAM MAN
c. j. EKFELT ELECTED TO BOARD
OF AUGUSTANA COLLEGE
BY LUTHERANS.

c. j. Ekfelt of this city was elected
director for term Of four years of
Augustana college and theological
seminary at the annual meeting of the
Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Syn
cd of North America, which came to
close Tuesday evening of this week.
This college is one of the largest
Lutheran colleges in this country and
Is located at Rock Island, ILL.,, where
the convention was also held. The
number of students this year was $40.
The property value of the institution
is 100000, and the endowment funds
amount to $4,000. The Denkmann
memorial library, erected at cost of
s222,00o. the gift of the Denkmann
family OF Rock Island, and the gym
nasium, just completed at a cost Of
$4,000, are the equal of any buildings
at any college in the country. The
synod this year authorized the board
to erect two new buildings for the
seminary department at cost Of
5000, 900.
Many ~ Convention.
This was one of the largest conven-
lions Of the Augustana synod ever held
on account of the celebration of the
quadri-centennial of the Lutheran
reformation. There were about 600
accredited delegates and several thou
sand visitors from all parts of the
United States and Canada, and from
the mission fields of the synod, which
are located in India, China, Japan,
Africa. Porto Rico and South America.
The sessions were held in the audi
forum Of the new gymnasium, which
has capacity of 5000.
Herbert Swanson Ordained.
Twenty-one young men were ordain.
to the office of the gospel ministry
Sunday afternoon. Among them was
Herbert Swanson. who during the past
two summers has been assistant pas
tor Of the First Lutheran church OF
Ottumwa. He becomes pastor Of the
First Lutheran church of Flint, Mich.
taking up his duties August 1.
Last Thursday evening he was
married to Miss Regina Rosenberg of
Rock Island. On their return from
visit of several weeks in Rev. Mr..
Swanson's parental home in Hepburn,
they will also make brief visit in
Ottumwa
Former PdStor GIecte0.
Rev. S. G.. Youngert, Phi. d., D. D., OF
Hartford, Conn.,, was elected fifth pro-
fessor in the theological seminary,
after the synod had balloted an entire
day. DR.. Youngert was pastor Of the
First Lutheran church Of Ottumwa
from 1897 to 1900 and has large num-
Der Of friends and admirers here.
There was long list Of candidates for
this office. The other leading candi-
dates were DR.. P. NJ. Lindberg Of Oma-
ha and Rev. Oscar N. Olson Of Sioux
City.
Loca! Society 10 Large.
The Women's Home and Foreign
society Of the synod met
simultaneously, holding its meetings
in the First Lutheran church of Mo-
line and the Zion Lutheran church OF
Rock Island. This society this year
celebrated it's silver jubilee. The pres
dent OF the society announced that
Ottumwa had one OF the five largest
societies in the synod. the list being
is follows: Lindsborg, Kas.. 343;
Jamestown, N. Y, $50: Emmanuel, Chi
,ago, 2S2: Ottumwa. ZIG. and Angus
ana. Minneapolis, 200.
The following Ottumwans were pres
mt at the convention: Rev. and Mrs.
?. o. Bersell. C. A. Hagberg, Mr.. and
Mrs. C. ]. Ekfelt. Samuel Johnson.
Charles Jepson, Mrs. Anna Nelson and !!
Miss Emma Anderson. /