The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-05-25

. IL Is In the klwanlS CluD tnat IL
has. been my privilege to know
Ralph Jensen best. When the club
was organized in 1921 he was made
tee. At our charter presentation.
he delivered an address on 'Kiwan-
is Ideals that swept the audience
of its feet. and was pronounced by
visiting Kiwanis officials as one of
the finest things of the sort they
had ever heard. He has made sim
liar talks to eight or nine other XII
wants clubs. and il was only because
Of some outside considerations that
he was not asked 10 fill place on
the program OF the International
convention at Atlanta this month.
The international program commit
tee wanted him. hut found a minor
obstacle in the way, much 10 the
regret Of all the kiwanians in the
northwest
"The Mankato club wanted him
for our president in 1922. hut he had
undertaken the work of the Forum
committee in the Civic and Com
merce association. and he. begged
off He was elected president for
this year. however. and no group
in Nankato. not even his church.
feels a greater sense of loss in his
leaving US than do We in Kiwanis.
1T seems to me that we in Man
kato can profit by the example that
this man has furnished us. Here Is
a man who has won success and the
universal esteem Of this commun
lily, as evidenced by this gathering
here tonight. and who is now called
To greater work and a broader field
Of achievement. What are TIE
qualities in him which have helped
to bring this about?
RESPONSIBILITY To Community.
ABILITY? OF course. Energy? Lots
OF il. But to me the outstanding
quality in Ralph Jensen which has
won our universal respect and ad-
miration is his sense of his respon
sibility to the community. and his
Willingness TO accept that respon
sibility and TO accept his commun-
ity duties and perform them cheer
fully and well
LET us accept Ralph Jensen's
ideals as our own-to work earn
estly and cheerfully for the good
of our community, to view with
tolerance the ideas and the effort 5
OF our fellow citizens. to preach
and practice brotherly love and the
advancement of mankind in Man
kato. so that when Ralph comes
hack here from year to year as we
want him to. he will see developing.
bigger and better Mankato-big
ger and better not only in a ma
terial way. but bigger and broader
in spirit. richer and fuller in its
community life, and he will be
proud to say,
Here is community that /
helped to build, and that helped to
build me-"
DIR. ]. A. Hancock. speaking for
the different clubs of the city and
the board of education, paid high
tribute to the work of Rev. Jensen
both as an active citizen tof the
community, and an advanced work
er in the church.
The speaker said that Mr.. Jen-
sen Is one of the preachers of the
modern type, who does not stop at
the mere saving of souls, but be
lieves in carrying the teachings OF
Christ into every day ife.. He Is a
man who realizes that Christianity
times advance the church must
meet the growing necessities of the
worlds advancement. The speaker
styled Mr. Jensen as being friendly
without becoming over familiar: a
good sport without being vulgar:
and his ideals of religion are that
the community should figure in all
church work. He has been a hum :
orist, without being sarcastic. He
carried his ideals into his work in
the Civic and Commerce associa-
ton. the board OF education. the
Kiwanis club and all other organi
cations to which he belonged.
Now like st. Paul, he is going to
10 Enldo andoavor and
achievement. The. speaker predict
ed great success for the popular
young clergyman. but warned him
against over work. so that his good
Christian influence may bless the
congregations to which he is as
signed for many years to come with
his high idealistic work, for such
men are needed today in the worlds
work
Churches Were Represented. :
George NJ. Palmer speaking for
he churches OF Mankato, said that
he thought he was voicing me sen
city. and the community at large
when he stated that it was the am
bition of Mr.. Jensen at all times tc
build up the work OF the church. To
illustrate this. the speaker dwelt a,
some length on the activities OF
Rev. Jensen since his advent into
this city five years ago. He said
that he knew the honored guest of
the evening in the Civic and Com
merce. association and the KiwaniS
, club. but he knew him best in the
church. Mr.! Palmer said that he
was indeed sorry that more peo:
pie in Mankato had not had the
privilege OF listening to the elo-
quent and scholarly sermons Of Mr.
Jensen. AS far as his congregation
is concerned, these eloquent dis
courses will be cherished in mem
DRY as the. teachings of preacher
of the doctrines of Jesus Christ.
The value of the church doctrines
as expounded by as able man as
Rev. Jensen is hard indeed to es-
! innate, Mr.. Palmer said. The speak
.er said that he was very. much in
! terested in the recent interviews
printed in The Free Press as to the
Great Need of Mankato" All OF
| the interviews were good. but r..
| had failed yet to see single refer.
ence to the great need of religion
One of the greatest problems Of
any city is the proper bringing III
of the young people, for they are .
! city's greatest asset.
| Mr.. Palmer said that one o.
Mankato's greatest needs is to have
| that spirit which prompts every
man, woman and child to join forces
| for the common good of the com
munity. Had we such com
munity, the accomplishments would
be great. In the development Of
IL 90 -, intaracta tho eair;f ~