Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1921-02-23
PROF.C.A.NAESETH
PASSED AWAY
Well known and Beloved Luther. Col
lege Professor Passed Awa<
Thursday, After Illness .
From Heart Trouble
IMPRESSIVE FUNERAL SERVICE
HELD MONDAY AFTERNOON
Prof. Naeseth Had Served Luther
College for Forty Years, and
Was One of Our Best Citizens

Il, as the proverb has it, "An
honest mans the no blest work of
God" then for certainty, the col
lege community and the city of De-
corah, has, during the last week, lost
one of the Makers noblest works.
On the morning of the 17th of Feb
ruary, last Thursday, the final sum-
mons came to Professor Christen
Andres t. Naeseth.
Professor Naeseth was born in
the Koshkonong settlement in Wis
consin on the 1st of March, 1849. He
was serious minded young man
early sought to broaden his mind for
the purpose of solving some of the
graver problems of life. With this
end in view he came to Luther Col
lege in 1869. President Preus of Lu-
ther College was at that time stu
dent at the College and speaks with
vivid memory of the school days of
Professor Naeseth. Even though a
young man, his mind had already
matured, in fact, it seemed that he
was born with those qualities of mind
and bearing which most men attain
to only with age. Among his teach
ers he was recognized as an unusual
student; among his classmates he
was given that recognition which a
group of boys will give to the one
who has the courage to practice his
moral convictions. After completing
his Bachelor Degree, Professor Nae
seth took work eliminating in the
Masters Degree in 1874. From 1874
IT he attended Concordia Seminary
in St. Louis receiving the degree of
Candidate of Theology. The following
year was spent at the University of
Christiania in Norway. Returning to
the United States he was ordained as
a minister of the Gospel and accept
ed a call from congregations in Rock
county, Minnesota. In the ministry
he fully realized the expectations
his teachers had for him. Professor
Preus says that he has seldom had
a more pleasant experience than
last summer, when travelling For
some time time in Rock county, he
heard first from one and then from
the other of the older people kind
words and good wishes for the old
man who as a young minister had
served them forty years ago.
After a stay of four years in Rock
county he was called back to his
Alma Mater as teacher. After a
wears teaching he attended John
Hopkins University in Baltimore,
Maryland and Cornell University at
Ithica, New York, for one year.
Since his subsequent return to Luther
he has been a diligent and faithful
servant of the institution. His first
teaching program consisted of Eng
lish Literature, Anglo-Saxon, Augs-
burg Confession, and the Greek New
Testament. Later he was chiefly pro-
fessor in English. In 1909 he was re-
lieved of his teaching duties and has
from that time up to 1920 held the
position of College Librarian. For
many years he was also Treasurer
of the College and Secretary of the
Luther College Corporation.
The funeral was held last Monday
from his home in West Decorah, al
200 D. m. and from the +. N. E. L.
church at $3.50. Rev. /. B. Torrison
spoke a few words at the house, the
chief address being given at the
church by Doctor o. +. Brandt, OF
St. Paul. Doctor Brandt chose as his
text 9 Cor. 1873: "And He said unto
me. NV Grace is Sufficient for thee
for my strength is made perfect IN
weakness. Most gladly therefore vii
/ rather glory in my infirmities, tha'
the power of Christ may rest upoi
me. These were the words whlcf
were used as a text at Professor
Naeseth's ordination in 1878 and has
been ..eed as the life motto OF the
deceased. For him the grace oi
Christ has been sufficient in al
things. Professor o. "A. Tingelstac
spol1e few words in English; Presl'
dent c. X. Preus brought to the lam
ily the thanks of the college tol
long and faithful services of Profes
ser Naeseth to the institution u
which he had dedicated his lie
Rev. Torrison read greetings to the
family from the Rt. Rev. H. G. Stub
President of the Norwegian Luther
an church of America. Rev. Wilhelm
Naseth of Rochester, son OF the de
ceased, brought the thanks of the
family to all the friends who have
been of assistance to his father II
his later years, and especially tcc
.Prof. Enoch f. Peterson and Prof.
Karl t. Jacobson, who have beer
of particular assistance to Professor
Naeseth in his work as Librarian
Besides Wilhelm Naeseth, Professor
Naeseth is survived by his wife
Caroline Mathilda Koren Naeseth
and his two daughters, Elsa Of thi'
city. and Henrietta Of Grinneil Col
lece. and they have the sympathy O
a multitude of friends IN their loss.
Interment took place in the Luth
eran cemetery, Rev. Torrison per