The Rock Island Argus and daily union., 1922-05-31
ATTEND
CORNERSTONE
4 LAYING RITES
1ngastnna Friends See LaHnchfng
Of Building Projects Synod
Offioers Assist.

Twelve hundred persons witness
ed the laying of the cornerstone o.
the new seminary building at Au-
gnstana college yesterday AFTER
noon.
Hundreds OF friends and mem
5ers of the Augustana synod saw
the beginning OF an actual Work
which has been their dream for
years and for which the synod re-
Gently raised $4o0 900 endowment
fund. Prominent men of the synod
from all parts of the country were
present at the ceremony, including
Dr. Alfred Ostron, San Juan, Porto
Rieo, DIR. C. ]. Petri, Minneapolis,
DR.. S. w. SWenson of the Red R1V-
er Valley conference, Warren,
MINI, G. L. Eckman, jamestown,
n. Y. DIR. G. a. Brandelle, presi-
dent of the Augustana synod; C. e
Iindberg, dean of the seminary at
-Angustana, and DR.. G. A Andreen.
president of 3Angustana college.
In his address of welcome, DR..
Aridreen said, II bid you all most
welcome as we gather here on
Zion hill TO take part in the laying
of the cornerstone OF the seminary
buildings here to be erected where
young men are to be trained for
the ministry OF the gospel. During
the So years of our existence as
synod we have indeed given place
and classroom5 to our theological
students, but today for the first
time in our history we begin TO
erect special buildings, devoted e1-
1t, 70 niras,
In his address DR.. G. A. Bran
. delle said in part: For more than
half a century they have been shift
ed from one building to another,
from one room to another, ever on
friendly terms with their surround
ings, but never in a place which
they could call their very own. And
yet our men have not baked, but
have patiently waited for the COM
ing of the new day. The fruition
OF their hopes is at hand, and more
glorious day, day when the theo-
logical seminary of our synod shall
be housed and cared for as well
as any other theological seminary
of the Lutheran church OF our land
is at hand.
Our field is constantly growing;
that cannot be gainsaid. In order
TO hold what we have, we must get
more men, and in order to do still
more and better work, We must
have lot of more men. To facili-
tate this it is necessary to supply
our men with accommodations in
all lines similar to those offered by
the churches round about US to the
ministerial candidates.
Need of Capable Trimming.
."The building which we propose
to erect at this place is for the
education of ministers of the gos-
pei for our church. The training
of ministers the world over is a
great task. More care is bestowed
on this work than ever before.
There was a time when the min
lister was easily the leader in the
matter of intelligence and learning
That is not always the case today
Not that the minister has deterfo-
rated, but that the layman has
caught up with him, and in some
instances, even passed him by. The
slogan of the times is better min
listers and better preaching. The
preacher who today gives the true
biblical message in an understand
ing manner is a power with whom
the leaders of the community must
reckon. no matter what might be
their financial, intellectual, or So
cfal standing. 1t is ours SO to train
the young men that eventually come
here that they may be able to cope
with others of their kind. 1t must
be ours SO to educate our ministers
OF days to come than in intellectual
Lines they yield to none.
This institution stands for Chris
tan Life It is possible to be a very
eloquent and powerful preacher al
together orthodox, too, and never
theiess. be poor representative of
the Augustana synod and of this
theological seminary"