Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1927-07-07
IN MEMORY OF
WALTER PETERSEN

nature. 1t is not our task, by cold
logic. to reason out why this tragedy
happened. We know 1t had to be So.
The ways of God are stranger than
the thoughts of man. Walters earth
ly life was translated to that of a
higher service
| William Ellery Charming wrote
composition which he entitled my
symphony" 1t reveals so much of
Walters life that I would like to in
clude it in this little article. This
is the content:
| To seek elegance rather than luxury
and refinement rather than fashion.
| To be worthy. not respectable. and
wealthy, not rich.
To study hard. think quietly, talk gent
| ly and act frankly.
To- liste to stars and birds. to babes
| and SageS, with open heart,
To bear all cheerfully. do all bravely.
await occasions. and never hurry.
| In a word. to let the spiritual, unbidden
and unconscious grow up through the
| common.
Walter was great nature lover
He loved the out doors. He hated
anything that had limits or that could
not grow. He also loved literature
Oh! how many wonderful times have
we not had together with Walter in
our literature classes?
| There were two things Walter
would often talk about when he was
at his best; and they were God and
death. Walter guested the church,
was baptized and confirmed there.
But his God was not embodied in cold
theology or in sectarianism. No, his
was universal and loving God, a
friend of the lowly and distressed.
God is everywhere" These were
Walters exact words. He saw God
in nature and like Wordsworth he
could pick up a flower and say, IF
understand God" Like Emerson in
the "Rhodora" he could say: Tell
them, dear, that if eyes were made
for seeing. then beauty is its own
excuse for being.-The self-same
Power that brought me there brought
you."-Or like Bryant in ITO a
Waterfowl
| He who from zone to zone
| Guides through the boundless sky thy
| certain flight,
| In. the long way that l must tread alone
VIII lead my steps Alright.
And then death. We often talked
about that There was for a while
Walter could not believe in an Eternal
Life but by feeling and not by reason
he later became an ardent believer
of life hereafter One of the poems
he loved so we'll was the wonderful
one written by Bryant, "Thanatopsis"
Ga greek word meaning: death), clos
ing with these beautiful, memorable
words:
| to join.
The innumerable caravan that moves
| 70 that mysterious realm. where each
shall take
His chamber in the silent halls Of
| death,
Thou. go not, like a quarry slave at
scourged to his dungeon. but. sustained
and SOOthed
By an unfaltering trust, approach thy
Like one who wraps the drapery of
| his couch
About him. and lies down to pleasant
dreams.
Walter is here no more. He has
joined the great Invisible Choir over
Yonder. He will be missed by many.
In this great hour of sorrow his leave
will be keenly felt by his parents
and sisters. His old classmates and
friends will grieve over his loss. Only
time can heal the deep cash in our
hearts that has been inflicted by
death. But we believe in Bright
Morning when we shall meet all our
friends again.
There is especially one poem Walter
often was fond of quoting Many of
his friends can testify to that; and
that is Tennyson's Crossing the Bar"
Sunset and evening star.
| And one clear call for me.
And may there be no moaning on the
bar.
When 1 put out to sea.
But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
| Too full for sound or foam,
When that which drew from out the
| deep
Turns again home.
| Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness Of
| farewell.
When l embark;
For tho from our bourne of time and
place
The flood may bear me far.
| | hope to see my pilot face to face
When L have crossed the bar.
| Such was Walters faith. He had
| high ideals and noble aspirations but
God could use him in a higher ser
vice. 1t seems strange why he should
be taken away in so youthful an age,
but by that Walter has inspired us
on to take up the work that he was
not permitted to finish. This is our
challenge! Shall we meet it?
So shall it be at last, in that bright
morning.
When the soul waketh. and life's
| shadows flee;
o in that hour. fairer than daylight
| dawning,
Shall rise the glorious thought
| / am with Thee.
| (Harriet B. Stowe).
| HARALD B. JOHNSEN.