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 48 LUTHERAN AUGUSTANA SYNOD 1948 
 
 S3 
 
Centuri) 
 lifednd^rowtH 
 
A CENTURY OF LIFE AND GROWTH 
 
 Copyright, 1948 
 By Augustana Book Concern 
 
 ITpkinted' 
 
 ||_IN USA_ 
 
 Graphic Arts Design and Engraving: 
 Heathcote Mann 
 
 Four-color Process Halftones: 
 Blomgren Brothers & Co. 
 
 Cover and Title Page Designs: 
 William G. Olson 
 John L. Ellingboe 
 
 Printing and Binding: 
 Augustana Book Concern 
 

 OSCAR N. OLSON 
 
 Historical Editor 
 
 GEORGE W. WICKSTROM 
 
 Publication Editor 
 
 PUBLISHED UNDER AUSPICES 
 OF CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE 
 
 Committee on Publication: 
 
 Thorsten A. Gustafson, chairman; S. E. Engstrom, secretary; 
 
 Birger Swenson, business manager. 
 
 Advisory Committee: 
 
 P. O. Bersell, Conrad Bergendoff, Knut E. Erickson, 
 
 Oscar G. Ericson, Wilton E. Bergstrand 
 
 M. .6* 
 
 
THE REVEREND PETRUS OLOF BERSELL 
 B.D., D.D., L.H.D., LL.D. 
 
 Ninth President 
 
 of the 
 
 Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod 
 
 of 
 
 North America 
 
 1935- 
 
A Century of Blessings 
 
 ONE HUNDRED YEARS is not a long period of time measured against 
 the milleniums of human history. Nevertheless, it is an appreciable unit 
 of the Christian era whose various stages of development we still desig- 
 nate by centuries. 
 For the Augustana Synod one hundred years is an all-important period be- 
 cause it includes our entire history thus far. Ancient Israel kept the year of the 
 golden jubilee at the end of each fifty-year period. As a Church we have come to 
 the end of a span twice as long. 
 
 So we enter now the year of our centennial celebration with joyful thanks- 
 giving to God for a century of blessings. 
 
 We turn our eyes to the past 
 
 In word and picture this volume tells the story of the transplanting of Swed- 
 ish Lutheranism to American soil. It's the story of an humble origin. It's the thrilling 
 story of the birth of an American Church that has, by the grace of God, through 
 Word and Sacrament and the labors of consecrated men and women of God, blessed 
 the lives of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of souls. It has grown large and 
 strong so that now it spans a continent with its nearly twelve hundred congregations, 
 and reaches into India, China and Africa with its missionary activities. 
 
 There is a tinge of sadness in our retrospect. Our song of jubilee must in part 
 be sung in a minor key, because of what might have been but was not. 
 
 We are about to enter our second century as a Church. It might as well have 
 been our fourth century as the oldest American Lutheran Church. For it was in 
 the year 1638 that Swedish Lutherans came to America and established churches on 
 the banks of the Delaware River. Some of these church buildings still stand as na- 
 tional shrines of our American colonial history. For almost two hundred years the 
 Evangelical Lutheran doctrine was preached in these churches, but almost simulta- 
 neously with the beginning of the new stream of Swedish immigration in the nine- 
 teenth century these churches were entirely lost to Lutheranism as they were ab- 
 sorbed by another denomination. Regrets now are in vain. The chasm was not 
 bridged. It is the new beginning, the new life that moves our song into a major key 
 in our thankful remembrance of the beginning of the Augustana Synod. This is 
 what we commemorate in our year of jubilee. 
 
It was not until the year I860 that the Augustana Synod was formally or- 
 ganized as a general church body. That action was, of course, of exceeding great 
 importance, but it was just an event in the progressive development of our Church. 
 The congregations that then banded themselves together had already for a decade 
 had a community of interests and one of the congregations had been founded even 
 earlier. That was the real beginning of our Church in America. For the Church of 
 Jesus Christ does not consist of synods or councils or administrative corporations. It 
 is found where the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity and the sacra- 
 ments are administered in accordance with the words and institution of Christ. 
 
 In the year 1845 a little group of Swedish immigrants came to the great 
 Mississippi Valley and settled in Jefferson County, Iowa. Significantly they called 
 their home in the new world "New Sweden." 
 
 They brought with them the Bread of Life. The greatest treasures in their 
 meager earthly possessions were the Bible, the Swedish psalm book, Luther's cate- 
 chism and a few other devotional books. In their minds and hearts they carried with 
 them a faith grounded in orthodox Lutheran teaching, a heritage of generations of 
 Church life in their native land. They loved the Church and felt a great need of its 
 ministration in their loneliness in a strange land. 
 
 Their evangelical indoctrination is reflected in their Lutheran concept of the 
 universal priesthood of all believers. With no pastor in their midst or within call 
 they chose in the year 1848 one of their own men to serve as pastor that they might 
 have the preaching of the Word and the administration of the sacraments. Thus a 
 Church was born in the new land. 
 
 We turn our faces to the future 
 
 It is not for me to tell the story here of pioneer privations, of heroic battles for 
 the faith, of the coming of pastors from Sweden, of the organization of new con- 
 gregations, of the growth of the Church until it stretched from "sea to shining sea," 
 and of the winning of souls for the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ with a present 
 net increase in membership of more than one thousand each month. 
 
 That story is unfolded in the succeeding pages which tell of a century of bless- 
 ings. As the events of the yesteryears pass in review may our hearts be filled with 
 unspeakable gratitude to God for His mercies and for the goodly heritage that has 
 fallen unto us through the heroism and consecration of our fathers and mothers! 
 May we appreciate the more what a priceless gift to us the Church truly is! 
 
 The past is prologue. The whole century just closing is but the preface to 
 another chapter, a new development, a greater achievement. God has given us the 
 equipment and the opportunity. 
 
 10 
 
We are not ashamed of our humble origin, for with it goes a divine destiny. 
 We would be entirely unworthy of our heritage if we had no historic appreciation 
 of the cultural and spiritual lineage of our Church in the direct line of succession to 
 the fruits of the ministry of the Lutheran Church in old Sweden. We will not forget 
 the pit out of which we were digged nor the rock from which we were hewn. We 
 have come out of centuries of the preaching and teaching of the evangelical faith, 
 and out of the great revival movements in Sweden during the latter part of the 
 nineteenth century. These have left an indelible impress on our Church. Perhaps a 
 century from now this contribution to American Lutheranism will be appreciated 
 still more, if we remain true to our trust and faithful to our mission. For the spirit 
 of our Church is unique in its blending of orthodoxy and piety, its heart-throb of 
 warm, evangelical Christianity, and its soul-expression of true ecumenicity whose 
 center and power is in Christ. 
 
 We are proud of our distinctive and distinguished name which comes from 
 "Confessio Augustana," the unaltered Augsburg Confession of the year 1530. It 
 marks us as a Church loyal to the truths of the Lutheran Reformation, "The Word of 
 God alone — by faith alone." In the swirl of rationalism, liberalism, humanism and 
 secularism our Church holds faithfully to its confessional anchorage. The anchorage 
 holds. It will hold. May we never cut loose from it! 
 
 We have emerged from the racial and linguistic isolation of the past. Our 
 membership now comprises descendants of all the racial stocks which have con- 
 tributed to the building up of America. In spirit and in texture we are truly 
 American. To help win America for Christ is our great mission. To plant the 
 Church in non-Christian lands is still our coordinated task. 
 
 In the family of Lutheran Churches in America we have taken our place and 
 are helping to foster comity and closer cooperation, looking to the day when in the 
 providence of God we shall be one Church, even as now we are one in faith and 
 spirit. 
 
 In the formation of the World Council of Churches the Augustana Synod is 
 taking a leading part, being the first American Lutheran general body to align 
 itself with this movement. We know that the communion of saints transcends 
 synodical and denominational cleavages. To be used as one of God's agencies in 
 making confessional, evangelical Christianity triumphant in Protestantism is our 
 heart's desire. 
 
 It is our prayer that our centennial celebration may be a rich spiritual experi- 
 ence for our Church, an inspiration point for a greater service in the second century. 
 Augustana has always been a Church of the people, pastors and laymen, men and 
 
 11 
 
women. Under God we move forward because of their faith, devotion, sacrifice and 
 labor for God has so ordered it. Seasons of refreshing and spiritual conquests 
 shall come according to the measure of the spirit of penitence, surrender to God's 
 will in Christ, and obedience to His program for the Church and the individual 
 that actuates our members. 
 
 This centennial book is now sent forth on its mission to give our members an 
 historical perspective that will enable them better to evaluate their Church. We hope 
 that it will be a real contribution to our Church life, resulting in a deeper loyalty 
 and a greater love and inspiring to a larger endeavor on the part of our entire 
 membership. 
 
 It is sent out without any pride in authorship. It has been a labor of love on 
 the part of many. It has grown out of many mutual consultations and much prayer 
 during these last preparatory years. To the editors and to all other contributors 
 I voice the sincere thanks of our Church. 
 
 A century of blessings! Bowing before our God in deep humility we confess 
 our faults and shortcomings — our sins. We have failed in so much, but the grace 
 of God has been abundant. That we as a Church have prospered is a mighty evi- 
 dence of the power of God. That power of God is at work in and through the 
 Church today. To God be the glory for the century of blessings. To His service 
 may we all be dedicated in simplicity of faith and unity of purpose! According to 
 the riches of His glory we will be strengthened with power in the inward man, and 
 Christ will dwell in us through faith and work through us for the advancement 
 of His kingdom on earth. 
 
 The work of our Church is just a continuation of the Acts of the Apostles. I 
 love to dwell meditatively and prayerfully on the words of Paul in his letter to the 
 Church in Ephesus, with timely and peculiar application right now on our Church. 
 
 "So then ye are no more strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens 
 with the saints, and of the household of God, being built upon the foundation of 
 the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the chief cornerstone; in 
 Whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in 
 the Lord; in Whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the 
 Spirit." 
 
 So mote it be, that this apostolic benediction may rest in truth upon and be 
 fulfilled in our beloved Church. 
 
 P. O. Bersell, 
 
 President of the Evangelical Lutheran 
 
 Augustana Synod of North America. 
 
 12 
 
Zable of Contents 
 
 A Century of Blessings 9 
 
 In the Beginning 15 
 
 Land of Promise 19 
 
 And Americanization 20 
 
 The Harvest 21 
 
 Why 'Augustana"? 22 
 
 Lutherans in America 23 
 
 The Founders 28 
 
 Uniting with Other Lutherans 32 
 
 Augustana Synod Founded 34 
 
 Spiritual Heritage 39 
 
 High Standards for the Ministry 44 
 
 From Sod Church to Cathedral 46 
 
 Building Upon the Rock of Ages 48 
 
 From Prairies to North Woods 49 
 
 A Glorious Country 51 
 
 Fertile Land 54 
 
 Valley Colonies Expand 57 
 
 In Old New England 59 
 
 Homesteaders in Nebraska 60 
 
 Colonists Help to Settle Kansas 64 
 
 In the Lone Star State 68 
 
 Goldseekers Build Churches 68 
 
 In Journeyings and in Perils 70 
 
 Forty-six Parishes in Canada 74 
 
 Homes for the Aged 
 Foreign Missions . . 
 
 Reorganization oi Home Missions 75 
 
 Intersynodical Relationships 80 
 
 Higher Education -. 81 
 
 Parish Education 97 
 
 Children's Homes 102 
 
 Comfort the Sick 104 
 
 108 
 
 Ill 
 
 India 112 
 
 China 113 
 
 Africa 116 
 
 Puerto Rico 117 
 
 Augustana Foreign Missionary Society. . 118 
 
 Woman's Missionary Society 128 
 
 Hope of the Future 132 
 
 In Brotherhood 134 
 
 Music and Art 136 
 
 The Printed Word 140 
 
 Constitutional Structure 147 
 
 Pension and Aid Fund 151 
 
 Stewardship and Finance 152 
 
 High Lights in the Synod's Years 154 
 
 Ecumenical Relationships 156 
 
 In Closing 158 
 
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 13 
 
Jn the fteginmng 
 
 they were strangers and pilgrims on the new earth 
 .... they brought with them only bread — the Bread 
 of Life .... those sturdy people who now march 
 across the pages of 100 years. . . . 
 
 M. F. Hokanson 
 
 IN 1948 the Lutheran Augustana Synod will 
 celebrate one hundred years of life and 
 growth. The story begins with the coming in 
 1845 of five families from Sweden to Jefferson 
 County in eastern Iowa, where they founded on the 
 banks of the Skunk River a settlement which they 
 ambitiously called "Stockholm" and, later, "New 
 Sweden." In 1848 they persuaded M. F. Hokan- 
 son, a layman who had once planned to be a mis- 
 sionary to the Laplanders, to become their pastor. 
 
 Mr. Hokanson told, many years later, how he 
 came to be the first preacher, though not the first 
 ordained pastor, of what was to become the Augus- 
 tana Synod. 
 
 "When I came to Jefferson County, Iowa," he 
 wrote, "I found the condition of the Swedes so 
 poor, and being accustomed to the life and activity 
 of Stockholm and a more comfortable manner of 
 existence, I found it quite impossible to stay there. 
 I therefore sold some of my unnecessary gold jew- 
 elry and clothes which I had brought along and 
 set out to return to New York. 
 
 "On the trip I became sick and lost my trunk 
 in which my money and clothes were packed, and 
 came to St. Louis with nothing but the clothes on 
 my back and unable to express myself in the lan- 
 guage of the country. I looked for work among 
 the shoemakers but could not find any. For seven 
 days I lived on a few apples which I picked up in 
 the streets and washed in the river, and slept in 
 the open at night. Now I had to sell my only coat 
 to get money to pay my fare to Burlington, Iowa, 
 where I found work with a shoemaker. Through 
 
 the wonderful providence of God, I received my 
 trunk back in a few weeks, untouched and in good 
 condition. But I was never well and could seldom 
 work; I had to pay for my board and room, for 
 the doctor and medicines; and my money soon 
 melted away. 
 
 "During this time some young Swedish men 
 visiting in Burlington advised me to go back to 
 Jefferson County and stay among the Swedes there 
 over the winter, since I could live more cheaply 
 there. Though I did not like the prospect at all, I 
 went there, but I found that was the right place, 
 which the Lord had selected for me and where He 
 wished to use me for His cause. 
 
 "The small and poor pioneer settlements in Iowa 
 could not secure an educated pastor. I was brought, 
 through this latest trial, to the conviction that I 
 must take care of them. Now, there were no earthly 
 advantages to be won by being their pastor; in- 
 stead of honor, there was united to my service a 
 certain disdain in regard to my person. 
 
 "Now, I myself did not seek the office, but 
 would rather flee from it. But just now it was 
 God's time to call and use me, at least for the time 
 being." 
 
 Mr. Hokanson, thirty-two years old when he 
 was chosen to sow the first seed of the harvest 
 which was to be the Augustana Synod, was de- 
 scribed in a letter to Sweden by Peter Cassel, the 
 leader of the New Sweden settlement, as a man 
 who could work on week days "the same as the 
 rest of us, because his remarkable preaching ability 
 makes it unnecessary for him to write his sermons." 
 When he preached for more than two hours, he 
 was "as fluent the second hour as the first." 
 
 15 
 
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 Copyright, by American Map Company, New York 
 
 Distribution of the Augustana Synod across the continent and north into Canada is 
 indicated on this map. Black dots represent self-supporting congregations. White dots 
 indicate the geographical location of beneficiary congregations, which are aided by the 
 Board of Home Missions. 
 
 Oscar A. Benson 
 
 D. Verner Swanson 
 
 Harold A. Smith 
 
 Vice-president 
 
 Secretary 
 
 Treasurer 
 
 
 16 
 
 
Augustatta Synod Presidents 
 
 T. N. Hasselquist 
 1860-1870 
 
 Jonas Swensson 
 1870-1873 
 
 Eric Norelius 
 1874-1881; 1899-1911 
 
 Erland Carlsson 
 1881-1888 
 
 THE REV. L. P. ESBJORN came to Illinois 
 in the fall of 1849. With 140 other 
 Swedes, some of them his parishioners in 
 Sweden, he traveled from New York City by boat 
 to Albany, N. Y.; by Erie Canal to Buffalo, where 
 the company took a side-wheel steamer through 
 the Great Lakes to Chicago. Many of the party be- 
 came ill of the Asiatic cholera and other prairie 
 fevers, and Esbjorn ministered to them spiritually 
 until they recovered, or until they died. He him- 
 self became ill of the disease. 
 
 While ailing, he was compelled to be seated as 
 he delivered his first sermon on his frontier mis- 
 sion field. His theme was, "When I am weak, I 
 am strong." 
 
 Reporting on his missionary labors, he wrote to 
 the American Home Missionary Society: 
 
 "Poor seed and drought have resulted in a poor 
 corn crop, a great trouble, indeed, to a people who 
 live chiefly on corn and cattle and pork. We have 
 not been able to finish our church building. There 
 is a roof on the church, but an opening in it of 
 ten feet square in the end, intended for a steeple, 
 and no floor, except in the basement, where we 
 have our meetings without a stove. This would 
 be of no use, as long as the warm air has a free 
 passage up from the basement through the church 
 and that open hole. 
 
 "We had boards for covering the hole, but we 
 were obliged to take them for coffins for poor per- 
 sons who died with the cholera. In the fall we tried 
 
 S. P. A. Lindahl 
 1888-1891 
 
 P. J. Sward 
 1891-1899 
 
 L. A. Johnston 
 1911-1918 
 
 G. A. Brandelle 
 1918-1935 
 
 17 
 
to cover the hole with cotton cloth, the only thing 
 we could procure, but after a couple of weeks or 
 three the wind tore it into pieces. 
 
 "Thus we have worshipped all the winter under 
 the open sky with nothing overhead in one part of 
 the church." 
 
 ■ff 4f * ^ ■7P 
 
 Today, nearly a century since the above was 
 written, there is a bronze marker at Andover, Illi- 
 nois, where the church without a steeple still stands 
 as a witness to the early beginnings of the Evan- 
 gelical Lutheran Augustana Synod of North 
 America. The one little church has multiplied to 
 
 nearly twelve hundred. 
 
 # # # # # 
 
 "The heavenly seed of the Word, planted in 
 the hearts of the people will come up and grow," 
 said the pastor of the church without a steeple and 
 without a stove. But the difficulties and the sor- 
 rows of the first sowers were many. 
 
 "On the eleventh day of July my dearly be- 
 loved wife, the faithful companion of my joys and 
 sorrows, departed this earthly life," wrote the Lu- 
 theran Augustana Synod's first ordained pastor, the 
 Rev. Lars Paul Esbjorn, from Andover in 1852. "I 
 need not say how she had abandoned the comforts 
 of her home, friends and relations, and gone with 
 me to the far, rough west, in order to help me to 
 build up the kingdom of Christ among our 
 countrymen. 
 
 "Besides this sad bereavement, the cholera has 
 been raging among us during this quarter. Large 
 companies of emigrants have arrived one time 
 after another, almost every one of them very poor 
 and very many sick with cholera. It is impossible 
 to tell what difficulties arise from such arrivals, in 
 a country settlement; what pains it costs to pro- 
 vide dwelling, food, medicine, nursing for them all. 
 
 "They have been lodged in the church, in barns, 
 in cabins; and, in the midst of my own distresses, 
 
 '•v 
 
 The little temple of the pioneers at Andover, Illinois, 
 Left, is preserved as a memorial shrine in the Augustana 
 Synod. Below, is the present Andover church. The Rev. 
 Everett L. Bexell is pastor. 
 
 18 
 
I have had four families of them in my house, 
 every person (but three) of them sick; and at last 
 three of them died with cholera. I had an attack 
 of the sickness myself, but I have done all in my 
 power to preach the Gospel, exhort and comfort 
 the sick and dying and admonish the living. 
 "We have, in all, buried at least forty persons." 
 Pastor Esbjorn's own wife was among those who 
 required the boards which would have closed the 
 hole in the roof of the church without a stove. But 
 they "worshipped all winter under the open sky," 
 for the men and women who laid the foundations 
 of the structure which now claims our affection 
 were people of heroic resolution in the faith. 
 
 Caud of Promise 
 
 BEGINNING IN 1840, there occurred a great 
 exodus of people from Sweden to America. 
 They were prompted by a variety of motives. There 
 were adventurers, good and bad; there were the 
 eager and strong — young men going west; there 
 were the land hungry, those whose highest ambi- 
 tion was to build a home on land they could call 
 their own; there were laborers and artisans. 
 
 Before and after Esbjorn, following his route 
 and others, thousands of Swedish immigrants came 
 and scattered planlessly over the prairies. Yet, by 
 the gravitational pull of common background and 
 shared religious and social ideals, they tended to 
 gather in communities and colonies, where the 
 first congregations were formed. 
 
 The earliest immigrants usually came in groups. 
 They took possession of the gently rolling plains of 
 western Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana; some stopped 
 
 Simplicity marked the interior of the immigrants' 
 churches, as may be seen in the Andover church of a 
 century ago. The sanctuaries were void of beauty, but 
 God was there to feed hungry souls and to comfort 
 lonely hearts. 
 
 in the valleys of New York; others discovered the 
 lakes and pine forests, so much like their home- 
 land, in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. 
 
 The motives of the Swedish immigrants were 
 varied, as they sought a new freedom in a strange 
 land, but the men and women who planted the 
 Lutheran Augustana Synod were spurred, among 
 other considerations, by two factors — anti-worldli- 
 ness and temperance. They were "pietists" who 
 chose to work out their salvation on the prairies 
 and in the forests of the Mississippi valley. 
 
 This is the story of men and women who were 
 weak in wealth, yet strong in their faith in God. 
 It is the story of the incredible hardships which 
 they endured, first to survive and then to spread 
 the grace of God's love in the wilderness and 
 among those who were "hungry to break the 
 bread of everlasting life." 
 
 Lars Paul Esbjorn, like 
 a Moses, led his people 
 through the early years, 
 1849-1863. He founded 
 churches and a college. 
 
 T u v e N. Hasselquist, 
 like a Joshua, became 
 the leader as preacher, 
 educator, editor, 1852- 
 1891. 
 
 19 
 
New generations: These students at Augustana College in 1948 are descendants of four 
 of the college's five presidents. In the picture, left to right, are: Curtis Swenson of Antioch, 
 California, great-grandson of L. P. Esbjorn; Betty Hasselquist of Moline, Illinois, great- 
 granddaughter of T. N. Hasselquist; Mrs. Greta Albrecht Fryxell, granddaughter of G. A. 
 Andreen; Beatrice Bergendoff, daughter of Conrad Bergendoff. 
 
 Md A^tcricamzatioH 
 
 THIS ALSO IS THE STORY of the Ameri- 
 canization of the Augustana Synod. Never 
 in the hundred years which have elapsed 
 since the Synod's first congregation was established 
 at New Sweden, Iowa, did the pioneer immigrants 
 intend to create a new Sweden. They became, as 
 rapidly as possible, American citizens; and they 
 confidently expected their children, if not them- 
 selves, to speak the language of the land. They 
 responded to the spirit of freedom as American 
 citizens and constantly sought the welfare of the 
 land of their adoption. They cooperated with 
 American Protestant churches, shared the respon- 
 sibilities of government, and willingly sacrificed to 
 maintain the American republic against destructive 
 forces. 
 
 In the presence of the everlasting hills a century 
 is not long. In the life of the eternal God, with 
 whom a thousand years are as one day, one 
 hundred years dwindle to the time of a candle's 
 
 flicker. Nevertheless, a church standing forth a 
 hundred years, bearing witness to the triumph of 
 the ageless Christ, affords a record over which 
 anyone may well rejoice. 
 
 One hundred years are but a small segment of 
 time, but the tremendous changes which have been 
 wrought in that century seem to remove the pres- 
 ent generation by several centuries from names 
 like Hokanson, Esbjorn, Hasselquist, Carlsson and 
 Norelius. Every generation has witnessed a marked 
 transition. A sizable proportion of the member- 
 ship of the Augustana Synod today is not Swedish 
 by ancestry; the majority of the members — per- 
 haps even a majority of the pastors — cannot speak 
 nor read Swedish. A service in Swedish today is 
 nearly as rare as one in English would have been 
 in early New Sweden or Andover. 
 
 The fourth, fifth and sixth generations have ad- 
 vantages and methods which were not possible in 
 that earlier day. All members of the Lutheran 
 Augustana Synod, regardless of ancestry, will take 
 pride, however, in the story of the life and growth 
 of an immigrant church into what it is today. 
 
 20 
 
Zke Ma west 
 
 THERE IS A CONTRAST between the seed 
 time and the harvest: 
 
 In 1848, one pioneer congregation of ten con- 
 firmed members. 
 
 In 1948: 1,175 congregations, with 306,786 
 confirmed members and 106,906 children, in 35 
 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada; 993 
 ordained pastors; 124 foreign missionaries; 19 
 homes for the aged; 3 invalid homes; 10 hospitals; 
 a deaconess institute; 12 hospices and rest homes; 
 12 children's homes; 5 colleges; work on college 
 and university campuses; a theological seminary; a 
 publishing house. 
 
 In the record of the first one hundred years, the 
 Rev. T. N. Hasselquist stands out among the 
 founding fathers as a man of vision and of un- 
 bounded energy. When Hasselquist came from 
 Sweden in 1852 to become pastor of a church in 
 
 Clerical garb followed the old country fashion. Dr. 
 Carl Evald was photographed in the familiar "prast- 
 rock" with cape. 
 
 Galesburg, Illinois, all the circumstances were dis- 
 couraging. He was not wanted by immigrants who 
 had become disheartened by hardships or who 
 had been made hostile by religious conflicts. It was 
 a dark night when he preached his first sermon in 
 a cabin room which had no ceiling, which was not 
 plastered, and which was lighted only by a few 
 candles held by members of the small congrega- 
 tion. 
 
 He chose his text carefully: 
 
 'And I, brethren, when I came unto you, came 
 not with excellency of speech or wisdom, declar- 
 ing unto you the testimony of God. For I de- 
 termined not to know anything among you, save 
 Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." 
 
 It is because the Augustana Synod has held fast 
 to that determination that it has enjoyed Life. 
 
 When the Augustana Synod was formally or- 
 ganized in I860, the Rev. Mr. Hasselquist again 
 chose his text carefully: 
 
 "Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them 
 stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: 
 spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy 
 stakes . . . My kindness shall not depart from thee, 
 neither shall the covenant of my peace be re- 
 moved, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee." 
 
 It is because the Augustana Synod has heeded 
 that resounding reveille that it has enjoyed 
 both Life and Growth. 
 
 The external history of a Church, the record of 
 its small beginnings, its growth in numbers, its 
 gradual change of personnel, its successive ad- 
 ministrations, its changing fortunes — all such facts 
 may easily be written on the pages of a book. But 
 the real history of a group of churches cannot be 
 thus recorded. Years and people and events in the 
 life of a synod come and go; but the fruitage of 
 its instrumentality in guiding immortal souls into 
 a true knowledge of the eternal God and into a 
 personal fellowship with Christ will continue even 
 when the printing presses cease to roll. The great- 
 ness of the lasting good accomplished by the Lu- 
 theran Augustana Synod during one hundred 
 years only heaven can measure. 
 
 21 
 
Why "Augustana 
 
 v d 
 
 T\7T HY DO SO MANY of our church in- 
 \\/ stitutions bear the name "Augustana"? 
 ' * Back in 1530 the followers of Mar- 
 tin Luther read a document before the Emperor 
 Charles V and the dignitaries of the Roman Church 
 setting forth the evangelical faith. It was the 
 Magna Charta of the Reformation. It was pre- 
 sented in the city of Augsburg, Germany, and is 
 known as the Augsburg Confession, in Latin, 
 "Confessio Augustana." 
 
 When our Synod was formally organized, in 
 June, I860, at Clinton, Wisconsin, the founders 
 wanted to emphasize the fact that they adhered to 
 the fundamental doctrine of the Lutheran faith. 
 Our Synod is not a sect, but a member of the 
 great family of the "Mother Church of the Ref- 
 ormation." The name Augustana, therefore, is 
 both a confession of faith and a badge of fellow- 
 ship with Lutherans throughout the world. 
 
 But our Church reaches beyond the Reforma- 
 tion to the days of the Apostles. By accepting the 
 three ecumenical creeds, the Apostles', the Nicene, 
 and the Athanasian, our Church is evangelical, 
 apostolic and catholic, a part of the universal 
 Christian Church, acknowledging "One Lord, one 
 faith, one baptism, one God and the Father of us 
 all." 
 
 Thirteen Conferences, each embracing the Augustana 
 Lutheran churches within one or more states, make 
 up the democratic union of the Synod. Each Confer^ 
 ence holds an annual convention and supervises the 
 work of the institutions within its jurisdiction. Some 
 of the larger Conferences have presidents who devote 
 all of their time to the duties of the office, while 
 other Conferences choose outstanding ministers who 
 continue to serve a congregation while in office. 
 
 
 Paul A. Westerberg 
 California 
 
 *£Jrj» & 'A 
 
 Gilbert T. Monson Carl A. V. Lund Oscar A. Benson 
 Canada Columbia Illinois 
 
 Malvin H. Lundeen Victor Spong Emil Swenson 
 
 Iowa Kansas Minnesota 
 
 Clarence P. Hall Karl E. Mattson Felix V. Hanson 
 Nebraska New England New York 
 
 *•* *„ 
 
 Ar*k 
 
 O. O. Gustafson 
 Red River Valley 
 
 T. E. Johnstone 
 Superior 
 
 Hugo B. Haterius 
 Texas 
 
 22 
 
 
BOARD OF HOME MISSIONS C 
 Till I ITHERAN AUGISTANA '-ISIl 
 
 Boundaries of the 13 Conferences within the Augustana Synod and the numerical size of 
 each Conference are indicated on the above map. 
 
 Cuthemns in America 
 
 JENS MUNCH was not only a good captain, 
 but also a good Lutheran in the spirit of the 
 seventeenth century. When he left Denmark 
 in 1619 with two vessels and sixty-six men to seek 
 a northern route to East India, he did not neglect 
 to take with him a Lutheran pastor, Rasmus Jen- 
 sen. The adventurous band reached Hudson Bay 
 and there "the holy Christmas Day was celebrated 
 jointly in a Christian manner, or had preaching 
 and the Lord's Supper." 
 
 The tragic story of how death through cold and 
 want claimed the pastor and all but three of the 
 crew cannot be told here. The interest in the story 
 at present is the fact that Lutherans were on the 
 American continent a year before the coming of 
 the Mayflower. 
 
 There were many Lutherans among the Dutch 
 in New Amsterdam, as New York was then called. 
 They and their pastor, Goetwasser, suffered much 
 because of the religious intolerance of that day, 
 but they, nevertheless, persisted in their faith. Later 
 other Lutherans, refugees from the Palatinate of 
 the Rhine, Germany, settled along the Hudson 
 River as far as Albany, N. Y. 
 
 In 1638 the Swedes established a colony on the 
 Delaware and called it New Sweden. Their story 
 is well known. The churches they built have been 
 in constant use for nearly two hundred and fifty 
 years. Served by pastors from Sweden, who were 
 unacquainted with American life and language, it 
 was inevitable that succeeding generations would 
 drift away from the church of their fathers. The 
 principal reason for their eventual absorption into 
 
 23 
 
The National Lutheran Council, in which the Augustana Synod is an active member, 
 brought the Word of God to war- industry housing centers and army camps during World 
 War II, and many of the chapels continue to serve and grow. Above is a Sunday School 
 scene at Vancouver, Washington. 
 
 another church affiliation was their failure to edu- 
 cate an American-born ministry. 
 
 The most significant event among early Lu- 
 therans in America was the coming of Henry 
 Melchior Muhlenberg in 1742. By that time there 
 was a large number of Lutherans in America, 
 mostly German. But they were scattered, without 
 organized spiritual leadership. Muhlenberg chose 
 as his motto "Ecclesia Plantanda," the church must 
 be planted. He at once set to work to form the 
 scattered groups into an organization, prepare con- 
 stitutions for churches and synods, forms of wor- 
 
 Dr. Abdell Ross Wentz, former president of the 
 American Section of the Lutheran World Federation; 
 Dr. P. O. Bersell, president of the Augustana Synod; 
 and Dr. S. C. Michelfelder, European Commissioner, 
 were photographed at meetings of the Provisional 
 Committee for the World Council of Churches at 
 Geneva, Switzerland. 
 
 ship and ministerial acts. He was in close fellow- 
 ship and collaboration with Provost Wrangel of 
 the Swedish churches. 
 
 With the large influx of Germans into Penn- 
 sylvania and other states, the work of Muhlenberg 
 expanded rapidly. Pennsylvania played an im- 
 portant role in Colonial history and, through the 
 leadership of Muhlenberg and his gifted sons and 
 others, the Lutheran Church had a large share in 
 early American history. The Ministerium of Penn- 
 sylvania of the United Lutheran Church celebrates 
 its bicentennial in 1948. The story of the Salz- 
 burgers in Georgia (1734) is equally interesting. 
 
 From the days of Muhlenberg to the middle of 
 the nineteenth century there was little Lutheran 
 immigration to America. In the meantime, a great 
 spiritual awakening had passed over America. It 
 was a time of religious fervor, great revivals, camp 
 meetings, and emotional intensity. But it also was 
 a time of doctrinal laxity. The Lutheran Church 
 was influenced by these movements. But the year 
 1817, the tercentenary of the Reformation, 
 brought about a renewed interest in Lutheran 
 doctrine. There was a drawing closer together of 
 Lutherans in the formation of the General Synod 
 in 1820. The population was increasing and with 
 it came the expansion of the Church westward, 
 the formation of new district synods, loosely held 
 
 24 
 
together in the general body, organized in 1820. 
 
 In 1839 a new wave of German immigration 
 came. The new arrivals came from Saxony, Ger- 
 many, dissatisfied with religious conditions in the 
 homeland. They adhered to a strict Lutheran or- 
 thodoxy. Under the strong leadership of C. F. W. 
 Walther, they grew into the large and compact 
 body of the Missouri and affiliated synods. Other 
 groups of German immigrants formed the Buffalo 
 Synod (1845), the Iowa Synod (1854), and the 
 Synod of Ohio (1833), now merged into the 
 American Lutheran Church. The influence of these 
 new groups of Lutherans was to strengthen con- 
 fessional Lutheranism also in the older synods. 
 
 Then came the Scandinavians. The first Nor- 
 wegian pastors in America were ordained in 1843, 
 and a Norwegian Lutheran Synod was organized 
 ten years later. This grew rapidly and was for a 
 while affiliated with the Missouri Synod. The fol- 
 lowers of Hauge and other evangelistic leaders 
 formed independent synods, while some joined the 
 Swedes in the Synod of Northern Illinois and later 
 the Augustana Synod. 
 
 In 1848 the First Swedish Lutheran Church 
 was organized, as has been noted, in New Sweden, 
 Iowa. The first ordained pastor to arrive was L. P. 
 Esbjorn. He came in 1849 and organized a church 
 at Andover in 1850. Other churches organized be- 
 fore 1856 and still existing are: First Lutheran, 
 Moline; First Lutheran, Galesburg; Immanuel Lu- 
 theran, Chicago; Geneva; Knoxville; Wataga; 
 Center City, Minnesota; First Lutheran, St. Paul, 
 Minnesota; Scandia, Minnesota; Chandler's Val- 
 
 Above — One of the many Lutheran Service Centers 
 was located in Hotel King George, San Francisco. 
 
 Below— Trailer camps like this welcomed workers of 
 the Division of American Missions of the National 
 Lutheran Council. 
 
 " 
 
 25 
 
Some National Cut her an Council Ceaders 
 
 
 
 ,-»^l (**■ fl 
 
 
 A 
 
 jfe^ 
 
 
 '"' ' " ' ^H 
 
 P. O. Bersell 
 President, 1941-45 
 
 G. A. Brandelle 
 President, 1925-33 
 
 Carl E. Lund-Quist 
 
 Executive Secretary, 
 
 Division of Public 
 
 Relations 
 
 H. Conrad Hoyer 
 
 Executive Secretary, 
 
 Division of American 
 
 Missions 
 
 Ruth C. Wick 
 
 Executive Assistant, 
 
 Student Service 
 
 Commission 
 
 ley, Pennsylvania; First Lutheran, Rockford, Illi- 
 nois; Princeton, Illinois; Vasa and Red Wing, 
 Minnesota. 
 
 The Scandinavian groups represented a type of 
 Lutheranism that was strictly confessional but at 
 the same time pietistic because of the evangelical 
 revivals which swept Norway, under Hauge, and 
 Sweden, as the Rosenian movement. The Danish, 
 Finnish and Icelandic elements came later. 
 
 Here were various groups of Lutherans brought 
 together with different antecedents and different 
 characteristics. While nationalistic and linguistic 
 interests isolated them from one another, there 
 was, nevertheless, an interchange of influence that 
 was preparing the way for future unity and coop- 
 eration. In this process, broadly speaking, the older 
 
 A pastor of the Lutheran Service Commission serves 
 Communion to a soldier. 
 
 Lutherans in the East, represented in the General 
 Synod, helped to Americanize the later Lutheran 
 groups, while these in turn strengthened the con- 
 fessional reaction in the older Lutheran synods. 
 The crisis between a neo-Lutheranism and confes- 
 sionalism came later and the tension still exists, but 
 it may safely be stated that the Lutheran groups 
 of the nineteenth century definitely determined the 
 conservative and evangelical character of the Lu- 
 theran Church in America. 
 
 How was it possible for the Lutheran Church 
 to survive in the welter of American denomina- 
 tionalism? The immigrants were poor, strangers in 
 a strange land, unused to American ways. Raised 
 in state churches, they were inexperienced in the 
 habits and procedures of free churches. Exposed 
 as they were to vigorous proselyting, many were 
 lost to other faiths, but it is remarkable that not 
 more fell away. The explanation lies in their 
 thorough indoctrination; they were deeply rooted 
 in the Lutheran faith and the religious life that 
 grew from it; they were devotedly attached to their 
 hymns and forms of worship, orderly, spiritual, a 
 heritage from past generations; they were pietistic, 
 but their piety was fed by an earnest use of the 
 Word of God and not by a superficial emotion- 
 alism. 
 
 With their gradual Americanization, the va- 
 rious Lutheran groups became conscious of their 
 strength and their mission in American church life. 
 They had a definite contribution to make. Their 
 confessional loyalty guarded them against extreme 
 liberalism, their orderly worship against subjective 
 revivalism, their evangelical freedom against legal- 
 
 26 
 
Some National Cutkeran Council Representatives 
 
 * 4^4 
 
 1. Clifford A. Nelson, European Commissioner; 2. Erik W. 
 3. Otto H. Bostrom, European Service Pastor; 4. Alva Maj 
 Switzerland; 5. Nels E. Bergstrom, 6. Greta Wiking, and 7. 
 proach to the Jewish People. 
 
 ism, their views of life as a divine calling against 
 religious narrowness and fanaticism. 
 
 A movement toward unity among Lutherans 
 has in a measure existed from the very beginning. 
 It has gained momentum in the process of Ameri- 
 canization, stimulated through outward events. 
 Smaller groups of similar background have merged 
 into larger and more homogeneous groups. 
 
 Among the five million Lutherans in the Unit- 
 ed States, there are at present three major groups: 
 the United Lutheran Church of America, consist- 
 ing largely of the synods that grew out of the 
 Muhlenberg foundation; the Missouri Synod and 
 affiliated bodies, almost entirely of German origin; 
 the American Lutheran Conference of 1,500,000 
 members, composed of the Augustana Synod and 
 other original Scandinavian groups and of the 
 American Lutheran Church of German origin. 
 With the exception of the Missouri Synod, these 
 groups form the National Lutheran Council, a 
 functional agency of rapidly increasing scope and 
 influence. Thus, through a growing unity, the Lu- 
 theran Church is becoming a greater force in 
 American Protestantism. 
 
 When the American Lutheran Conference, now 
 representing 1,500,000 church members, was or- 
 ganized in 1930, Dr. P. O. Bersell was elected 
 secretary and he has served continuously as a 
 member of the executive committee. He also is 
 a member of the American Committee of the 
 World Council of Churches together with Profes- 
 sor N. A. Nilson of Upsala College. He will repre- 
 sent the Augustana Synod at the organizational 
 meeting of the World Council of Churches in Am- 
 
 Modean, Secretary, Department of Public Information; 
 ;nuson, Secretary to Dr. S. C. Michelfelder, Geneva, 
 Harold T. Floreen, Department for the Christian Ap- 
 
 sterdam, Holland, during the summer of 1948. 
 Mr. Otto Leonardson has been treasurer of the 
 American Lutheran Conference since it beginning, 
 and Dr. Oscar A. Benson is now vice-president. 
 Dr. E. E. Ryden served four years as president. 
 
 Augustana was represented in Lutheran World 
 conventions in Eisenach, 1923, Copenhagen, 1929, 
 and Paris, 1935, and at conferences of Lutherans 
 of the world in Stockholm, 1925, at Oxford 
 and Edinburgh, 1937. The Augustana Synod 
 also had a delegation in Lund, Sweden, in 1947, 
 when the organization of the Lutheran World 
 Federation was consummated. 
 
 President Bersell was a member of the first 
 commission sent to Europe during World War II 
 to study the needs of Lutheran European relief, 
 and Dr. Clifford A. Nelson was sent as a com- 
 missioner to central Europe to administer the re- 
 lief work financed by American Lutheran 
 Churches. 
 
 American Section of Lutheran World Federation, 
 1947: Drs. Abdel Wentz. Ralph H. Long, J. A. Aas- 
 gaard, Ethan Mengers, F. C. Fry, and P. O. Bersell. 
 
 27 
 
The church in New Sweden, shown as it looks in its 
 centennial year, is now a part of the Lockridge, Iowa, 
 parish. 
 
 Zke founders 
 
 with the Church of Sweden. And there was Gustav 
 Palmquist, a lay preacher, who in 1852 became 
 the founder of the Swedish Baptist Church in 
 America. And Jonas Hedstrom of the Methodists 
 came and won some adherents among the Swedish 
 immigrants, including the settlement's leader, Pe- 
 ter Cassel. 
 
 In his utter confusion, even Hokanson consid- 
 ered abandoning the Lutheran Church. Much dis- 
 tressed by the waverings and desertions, he re- 
 signed as pastor. Those who remained faithful, 
 however, urged him to continue. Only after they 
 had ascertained through prayer and the casting of 
 lots, according to the apostolic method in Acts 
 1:26, did he agree to remain as pastor. 
 
 The bitter rivalry among the various denomina- 
 tions and the methods they used were typical of 
 the times. In every settlement the same denomina- 
 tional strife occurred, and the effects lingered for 
 decades. At almost every turn the historian of the 
 beginnings of the Augustana Synod meets Unoni- 
 us, Palmquist, Hedstrom and their counterparts. 
 
 THE PLACE IN EASTERN IOWA to which 
 Peter Cassel's band came in 1845 was 
 rough and unbroken country; only an 
 abandoned squatter's shanty marked the site which 
 they named with a certain grim humor "Stock- 
 holm" and, then, "New Sweden." The congrega- 
 tion which was established there in 1848 was 
 destined, as has been indicated previously, to be 
 the beginning of Augustana Synod history. 
 
 The shoemaker, Magnus Frederick Hokanson, 
 who became the lay pastor of the first Swedish 
 immigrants' congregation in 1848, extended his 
 labors to other fields, such as Bergholm (now 
 Munterville) and Swede's Point (now Madrid). 
 He was not allowed to labor in peace, however, 
 for denominational rivalries were intense. 
 
 Gustav Unonius of Uppsala, Sweden, a man of 
 education and talent, had established a small com- 
 pany of Swedes at Pine Lake, Wisconsin, near 
 Milwaukee, in 1841, with the intention that his 
 colony should be an economic Utopia. After the 
 impractical experiment failed, Unonius became an 
 Episcopal minister. Visiting Swedish settlements, 
 he sought to win over the immigrants to his 
 church, which seemed to him to be nearly identical 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Cassel were leaders of the Swede 
 Point (Madrid) colony. They were the first Swedish 
 couple married in Iowa. 
 
 The proselyters seemed to the early Lutheran pas- 
 tors almost as great an obstacle as illness and pov- 
 erty. 
 
 The pioneer pastor of the Synod, L. P. Esbjorn, 
 who came to Illinois in 1849, had been pastor 
 and school teacher at Hille, near Gavle, Sweden. 
 He had watched many groups emigrate to Ameri- 
 ca. As a company of 140, most of them from his 
 own province, prepared to leave, he resolved to go 
 
 28 
 
with them in order "to serve them spiritually and 
 in order that their children might not fall into 
 heathendom for lack of spiritual care from their 
 own church. I am moved to take this step at the 
 urgent request of my countrymen who have em- 
 igrated thither and bemoan bitterly their spiritual 
 distress." 
 
 Having received royal permission and authoriza- 
 tion from the Swedish Missionary Society, which 
 furnished the money, Esbjorn left Sweden, where 
 his efforts in behalf of temperance and legalistic 
 pietism had made him unpopular with the authori- 
 ties. An ominous shadow of the trials awaiting him 
 came in the death of one of his children as their 
 ship was rounding southern Sweden. 
 
 In New York Esbjorn met the Methodist Bethel 
 ship preacher, Olof Hedstrom, who directed the 
 party to Illinois, where Hedstrom's brother, Jonas, 
 was working for Methodism. A land company 
 
 The Rev. Richard W. Engstrom 
 has been pastor at Lockridge and 
 New Sweden since 1946. 
 
 with offices in New York had secured land in Illi- 
 nois for the purpose of establishing a Congrega- 
 tionalist colony and had called the place Andover. 
 Many Swedes, former members of the ill-fated 
 Bishop Hill communistic Utopia nearby, already 
 had settled at Andover. 
 
 On the way to Chicago, another of Esbjorn's 
 children died; the canal boat stopped and the 
 father carried the dead form of his child to its 
 
 The interior of the New Sweden Church is typical 
 of many rural churches of the Augustana Synod in 
 the nineteenth century. 
 
 burial place on the bank of Lake St. Clair. While 
 the rest of his party continued to Andover by canal 
 boat and on foot, the Esbjorn family remained in 
 Chicago to recuperate from illness. 
 
 When Esbjorn reached Andover in October 
 1849, he found that many of his party had been 
 influenced by the Methodist pastor, Jonas Hed- 
 strom, to move to Victoria. Esbjorn was greatly 
 discouraged. Sickness prevailed and many were dy- 
 ing of cholera; the people who remained were too 
 few and too poor to support a pastor, and there 
 was no Lutheran synod in that part of Illinois to 
 which he might turn for financial help. 
 
 A congregation was organized, nevertheless, in 
 Andover March 18, 1850, with ten charter mem- 
 bers. Esbjorn, whenever he could procure a horse, 
 conducted services in Galesburg, Berlin (Swedo- 
 na), Moline, Rock Island, Princeton and at other 
 places where a few of his countrymen had settled. 
 His was arduous work under most discouraging 
 conditions — sickness, poverty, sectarian confusion 
 and fanaticism. Some encouragement came, how- 
 ever, through efforts of Dr. W. A. Passavant of 
 Pittsburgh in 1850. That great pioneer Lutheran 
 missionary, touched by the needs of the Scandina- 
 vian immigrants streaming into the Middle West, 
 recognized the importance of winning them for the 
 Lutheran Church; he espoused their cause and 
 made repeated appeals on their behalf in "The 
 Missionary," of which he was the editor. Some con- 
 
 29 
 
tributions for a church in Andover were received. 
 A box of clothing from a Ladies' Missionary So- 
 ciety came all the way from Rowe, Massachusetts. 
 
 Dr. Passavant persuaded the Rev. Mr. Esbjorn 
 to undertake an unusual trip. In the spring of 185 1 
 Esbjorn traveled 3,500 miles, down the Mississippi 
 to St. Louis, up the Ohio River to Cincinnati, 
 through Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Massa- 
 chusetts, back to Michigan and Illinois. Esbjorn, 
 collecting money for his missionary work in the 
 West, found Swedes in almost every city along the 
 Great Lakes and in many regions in the Central 
 and Western states. Of the $2,200 which he col- 
 lected on the trip, $1,500 was given to his cause 
 by Jenny Lind, the celebrated Swedish Nightingale, 
 then touring America. 
 
 Appalled by the magnitude of his task, he ex- 
 pressed the wish that with "the trumpet of an arch- 
 angel I might call to every pious minister in my 
 native land: 'Come over and help us'." In answer 
 to his prayer some zealous pastors, such as Has- 
 selquist, Carlsson, Andren and Swensson, did come. 
 
 When Esbjorn's wife died on July 11, 1852, he 
 was left to care for five surviving children. His 
 second wife and a little babe passed away in Sep- 
 
 
 Jenny Lind, world-celebrated singer, gave gener- 
 ously to the missionary and educational funds of the 
 Swedish immigrants. 
 
 tember 1853. Despite his sorrows, his work went 
 forward ten years more. 
 
 Esbjorn returned to Sweden in 1863. It was, 
 therefore, not Esbjorn but another founding father 
 who was destined to make the greatest impress 
 upon the Augustana Synod and its institutions. He 
 was the Rev. T. N. Hasselquist. 
 
 Hasselquist, arriving in Galesburg in 1852, 
 plunged into the work with great enthusiasm, and 
 extended his preaching to Knoxville, Wataga, Al- 
 tona and other neighboring places. During the 
 cholera epidemic of 1854 the young pastor and his 
 wife worked untiringly to aid those stricken. He 
 became the Synod's foremost leader as president, 
 preacher, editor, college and seminary president. 
 
 Erland Carlsson came in 1853 to Chicago, 
 where the Immanuel Lutheran Church had been 
 organized and where today there are thirty-eight 
 Augustana Synod churches. Carlsson served church- 
 es in the Fox River Valley, at Geneva and St. 
 
 First Lutheran, Moline, Illi- 
 nois, was the first "city" 
 church. The Rev. C. George 
 Engdahl now serves as the 
 pastor of this historic Augus- 
 tana Synod church. 
 
 
Charles, organized by Hasselquist in 1852. Jonas 
 Swensson came in 1856 on a call to Sugar Grove, 
 Pennsylvania; he also served Jamestown, New 
 York. O. C. T. Andren came to Moline in 1856. 
 
 These pastors had all been ordained in Swe- 
 den. A number of men who had studied in Swe- 
 den with the ministry in view also responded to 
 the urgent calls for workers in America. Among 
 them were Eric Norelius, Andrew Andreen, P. A. 
 Cederstam, and Peter Sjoblom, who were later 
 trained and ordained in this country. 
 
 These pioneer pastors were tireless in their ef- 
 forts to gather the ever-increasing number of im- 
 migrants into the fold of the Church. Their labors 
 were made more difficult because they and their 
 people, trained in a state Church, were wholly un- 
 acquainted with free church life in America. Many 
 of the immigrants, because of separatistic move- 
 ments in Sweden, were prejudiced against the Lu- 
 theran Church. This prejudice was intensified in 
 the United States by denominational rivalries. 
 
 Below — Ordination of Augustana Seminary gradu- 
 ates as pastors at the 1946 convention, held in Duluth. 
 Of 367 men ordained in the last 17 years, only 18 were 
 born in Sweden. 
 
 Above — Altar paintings, such as this one in First 
 Lutheran. Moline, showed the influence of the old 
 homeland. Young people's and men's societies and 
 the first melodeon were introduced into the Synod in 
 this church. 
 
English, German, Swedish and Norwegian Lutherans 
 united 90 years ago to build a college at Springfield, 
 Illinois. They called it "Illinois State University." 
 
 Uniting with Other Cut Iter ans 
 
 ESBJORN RECOGNIZED from the beginning 
 the need of uniting with other Lutherans. He 
 had become acquainted with a Rev. Paul Ander- 
 sen, pastor of a Norwegian Lutheran Church in 
 Chicago. This pastor had been ordained in the 
 Franckean Lutheran Synod, but soon became dis- 
 satisfied with its doctrinal laxity. In a letter to Pas- 
 savant, Esbjorn wrote in 1850: "The article con- 
 cerning a Scandinavian Evangelical Lutheran Syn- 
 od gives me an opportunity to declare that I have 
 not yet united with any Synod, for I want to ex- 
 amine the religious matters in this country. I have 
 the hope that a Lutheran Synod may be opened in 
 Illinois and I would be pleased to unite with the 
 same, with the provision, however, that it stand 
 firmly on the Augusburg Confession." 
 
 On his eastern trip Esbjorn took Eric Norelius 
 to Capital University, at Columbus, Ohio. This 
 school, founded in 1850, belonged to the Synod of 
 Ohio, to which Esbjorn at the time felt himself 
 much attracted: A gift of $1,500 was made to that 
 institution by Jenny Lind for a Scandinavian pro- 
 fessorship. The school, however, was too remote 
 from the Swedish settlements, and the plan was 
 never realized. 
 
 In the meantime, plans were under way to or- 
 ganize a new synod in Illinois and to open a school 
 in Springfield, Illinois. The Synod of Northern Illi- 
 
 nois was organized September 18, 1851, and the 
 Illinois State University was opened in Spring- 
 field in the spring of 1852, Esbjorn being one of 
 the trustees. Esbjorn joined the newly-formed 
 Synod at its organization meeting, but only after 
 making a reservation on the confessional basis. 
 When Hasselquist came in 1852, he joined the 
 Synod, as did Erland Carlsson in 1853, and the 
 other pastors who followed. The Norwegian mem- 
 bers of the Synod formed the Chicago Conference 
 and the Swedes the Mississippi Conference, but 
 they also met jointly in a united conference. The 
 Swedes greatly outnumbered the Norwegians in 
 the Synod, a fact which called for much tact and 
 mutual consideration; but, on the whole, harmony 
 was maintained. The position of the Norwegians 
 within the Synod was constantly attacked by the 
 larger body of Norwegians affiliated later with the 
 Missourians. However, the Norwegians' union with 
 the Swedes continued until 1870, when the asso- 
 ciation was peacefully dissolved. 
 
 The Scandinavians were a conservative element 
 within the Synod of Northern Illinois. They suc- 
 ceeded for a time in counteracting the liberalizing 
 tendency and thus helped to put the Synod on a 
 sound confessional basis. 
 
 The need of pastors made the establishment of 
 a Scandinavian professorship urgent. Esbjorn was 
 called in 1856 to gather funds for this cause. Con- 
 gregations were asked to contribute $25 a year for 
 the professorship. Funds also were needed to sup- 
 port students preparing for the ministry. The 
 
 Lutheran World Action Committee: Seated, Thor- 
 sten A. Gustafson, S. E. Engstrom (Director), C. Oscar 
 Leonardson; Standing, P. O. Bersell, S. Hjalmar Swan- 
 son, Otto Leonardson. 
 
 32 
 
Swedish churches responded according to their 
 means. Other members of the Northern Illinois 
 Synod were less responsive, since the professorship 
 was to be controlled in the main by the Scandina- 
 vian conferences. An appeal for funds to the 
 Church of Sweden in 1858 brought no results. 
 
 In spite of discouragement, spurred on by the 
 urgent need, and trusting in God, Esbjorn was 
 named as Scandinavian professor in 1857. His 
 election was confirmed by the cooperating synods 
 and the board of directors at the Springfield insti- 
 tution. Esbjorn accordingly entered upon his duties 
 in September 1858. 
 
 The arrangement was not well planned. The 
 duties were not clearly specified and the question 
 of authority was not well denned, nor was the fi- 
 nancial plan satisfactory. The result was misunder- 
 standing and friction. Difficult as these problems 
 were, the actual cause of the eventual split in 1 860 
 was to be found in the realm of doctrinal differ- 
 ences. 
 
 In Sweden Esbjorn had been greatly influenced 
 by the pietistic revival movement and by the Meth- 
 odist leader, George Scott. Esbjorn was, in his own 
 words, "quite Methodistic" upon his arrival in 
 America. His immediate conflict with the fanati- 
 cisms of the period soon forced him to restudy his 
 position, with the result that he grew increasingly 
 conservative and confessional ly Lutheran. This po- 
 sition he uncompromisingly maintained in the 
 Synod of Northern Illinois. 
 
 The influence of Neo-Lutheranism seemed to be 
 
 Centennial Committee on Local Celebrations: Pastors 
 Ragnar Moline, Arthur O. Hjelm, J. Walton Kempe, 
 Einar J. A. Oberg, George P. Bernard. 
 
 on the increase at the university. Feeling himself 
 hampered in various ways, he came to the conclu- 
 sion that he could no longer in good conscience re- 
 main. He tendered his resignation, March 31, 
 I860, and left Springfield, the Scandinavian stu- 
 dents following him. 
 
 While a schism was undoubtedly inevitable, the 
 sudden and drastic manner in which Esbjorn's de- 
 parture took place caused embarrassment and con- 
 troversy. The Scandinavian conferences, however, 
 at a meeting in Chicago, April 23, I860, endorsed 
 the step Esbjorn had taken, and took action toward 
 removing the professorship to Chicago and toward 
 organizing an independent Synod. 
 
 :zzt 
 
 4 
 
 I :i* 
 
 ,5'-J1 
 
 y.v. 
 
 a i iS ft . i. <0 
 
 Forty veteran pastors and laymen attending an anniversary celebration of the Augustana 
 Synod assembled for this picture in 1898. 
 
 1)0 
 
I III 
 
 The birthplace of the Augustana Synod was a rural 
 church, pictured above, near Clinton, Wisconsin. 
 
 An interior view of the Jefferson Prairie Church 
 near Clinton, where the name "Augustana" was chosen. 
 
 Mgustana Synod 
 founded 
 
 THE ORGANIZATION MEETING of the 
 Augustana Synod was held at Jefferson 
 Prairie, Clinton, Wisconsin, June 5-8, 
 I860, twenty-seven pastors and thirteen laymen 
 being present to represent thirteen Norwegian and 
 forty-nine Swedish congregations with 4,967 com- 
 municants. The Rev.- T. N. Hasselquist was 
 elected president. The choice of the name "Au- 
 gustana," suggested by Eric Norelius, indicated 
 the confessional stand of the new Synod. This is 
 also reflected in the constitution adopted, pre- 
 pared by Esbjorn and Paul Andersen, which in the 
 main followed that of the Synod of Northern Illi- 
 nois and which, with slight modification, is still in 
 effect. A constitution for Augustana Seminary, "for 
 the time being located in Chicago," was adopted. 
 The purpose of the seminary was thus stated, "to 
 train young men for the holy ministry in the Lu- 
 theran Church, especially in congregations belong- 
 ing to the Augustana Synod, and also to train 
 school teachers." 
 
 Remarkable unanimity characterized this con- 
 vention in view of the far-reaching importance of 
 the issues involved. One is impressed by the 
 breadth of vision and insight manifested in the 
 formation of decisions and documents. In this re- 
 spect, the connection with the Synod of Northern 
 Illinois and the General Synod had proved a valu- 
 
 able education in the importance of Americaniza- 
 tion. 
 
 The separation from the Synod of Northern Illi- 
 nois was not based purely on nationalistic consid- 
 erations, but on doctrinal grounds. The founders 
 of the Augustana Synod were not concerned about 
 building a Swedish Church; but they sought an 
 American Church true to the Lutheran confessions. 
 "We long and pray for a united Lutheran Church 
 in America on its own foundations," Hasselquist 
 wrote on January 29, 1861. Norelius received his 
 education at Capital University of the Synod of 
 Ohio. Joseph Esbjorn attended the same school. 
 Contact with other Lutherans at the State Univer- 
 sity at Springfield was not without influence upon 
 the Scandinavian students. 
 
 An attempt to form an inclusive Lutheran Synod 
 in Minnesota was made in 1858, largely at the 
 suggestion of Passavant, and through the efforts of 
 "Father" C. F. Heyer, noted India missionary, then 
 carrying on English home mission work in the 
 Northwest. Norelius seemed friendly to the idea. 
 Practical considerations, however, prevented the 
 Swedes in Minnesota from joining the proposed 
 Synod, as it would separate them from their breth- 
 ren in other sections. Erland Carlsson voiced the 
 sentiment of the Illinois men in a sharp letter to 
 Norelius: "As a people we have so many other in- 
 terests in common that we ought under no cir- 
 cumstances to separate. How shall we administer 
 the affairs of our Church among our people if we 
 are drawn into separate synods?" 
 
 "We felt the compelling force of the argument 
 that we Swedes must stand united," said Norelius; 
 
 34 
 

 y 
 
 if-Z-*^ Mtr/ fsn A" CAal €&i*jt- / '/a *-/~~ &/y n<~tf<? ^j 
 ^#L+-''?i>^i*~<4L--u* <*-</ a. a3"A*, ,^ / <3U<.oC ftr>r^^/~' 
 
 0--t-v.^x J^>S fe { # ^tt <~€ t>Cj t-«-^ 'Ajl & //u: *■ iSZ/,tr /* /'r*( 
 
 
 T 
 
 
 Above is a facsimile of the declaration of faith adopted by the 62 congregations which 
 formally banded themselves together as The Lutheran Augustana Synod. 
 
At a "jubilee" in Rockford, Illinois, in 1885, ten pastors and one layman who had 
 signed the Augustana Synod constitution 25 years earlier were present. They are, left to 
 right: Seated, P. A. Cederstam, Peter Carlson, Erland Carlsson, T. N. Hasselquist, M. F. 
 Hokanson, Eric Norelius; Standing, John Erlander, Johan Beckman, John Pehrson, Hakon 
 Olson, Gustav Peters. 
 
 not, however, for the sake of nationalism, but in 
 order to carry on the work of the Church more ef- 
 fectively. To meet the needs of the situation, the 
 Minnesota Conference was formed within the 
 Synod of Northern Illinois, October 7-8, 1858, 
 while the Americans and Germans organized the 
 Lutheran Synod of Minnesota in July 1858. 
 
 The founders of the Augustana Synod were 
 not isolationists, as their association with the Nor- 
 wegians and the General Synod proves. The 
 leaders were men of broad education. No religious 
 persecution in the homeland or separatistic tenden- 
 cies had forced them into a narrow sectarianism. 
 They had a broad outlook upon the work of the 
 Church, but they were zealous to build on solid 
 confessional Lutheranism. In establishing the 
 Augustana Seminary they contemplated "three or 
 more professors, one of whom shall be Swedish, 
 one Norwegian, and one English." They recog- 
 nized the need of teaching and preaching in the 
 English language and, if the need was not always 
 met as speedily as desired, it was mostly owing to 
 the lack of men, means, and materials. 
 
 English gradually predominated in the Sun- 
 day schools; English confirmation classes were 
 
 formed as early as 1880. The first English Lu- 
 theran church in the Synod was organized in 1883. 
 The first English hymnal was published in 1901. 
 The Association of English Churches was organ- 
 ized in 1908. In January 1882, the Augustana Ob- 
 server appeared, with C. E. Lindberg, C. J. Petri 
 and Albert Rodell as editors. It was published in 
 Philadelphia. Its introductory number contained 
 the statement, "Although there are six Swedish 
 papers published within our Synod, this is the first 
 English paper, and everybody who is impartial 
 must admit that we need an English paper." 
 
 The organization of the Augustana Synod in 
 I860 was looked upon by many as presaging the 
 breaking up of the General Synod. Doctrinal lax- 
 ity was causing that body to disintegrate. The break 
 came in 1867 with the formation of the General 
 Council. The Augustana men saw in this a justifi- 
 cation of their own action seven years earlier. They 
 naturally were drawn to this new Lutheran align- 
 ment on a sound confessional basis. Delegates 
 were, from the first, sent to the Council's conven- 
 tions, although formal affiliation did not occur un- 
 til 1870. The reasons for not joining immediately 
 may be found in certain problems especially af- 
 
 36 
 
fecting the Augustana Synod. Those problems 
 were mainly two: English home missions and the 
 establishing of a theological seminary. 
 
 With the rapid progress of Americanization, the 
 need for mission work in English became urgent. 
 Passavant was eager to win the Northwest for 
 Lutheranism. He was also a great friend of the 
 Swedes. Through the General Council he was 
 eager' to promote English missions in the North- 
 west. The Augustana Synod was in full accord 
 with this desire and, lacking men to care for this 
 great task alone, welcomed the assistance of the 
 Council. But the Augustana men also foresaw pos- 
 sible difficulties. They did not wish to see the Eng- 
 lish work carried on at the expense of their own 
 members, especially their young people. Hence, 
 the Synod demanded, as a member of the Coun- 
 cil, that English work undertaken by the Coun- 
 
 cil's Home Mission Committee within Augustana 
 territory should have synodical or conference ap- 
 proval and that the workers should be members 
 of the Augustana Synod. The constitution of the 
 Council's executive committee on home missions 
 provides that "this committee shall not establish or 
 have control of missions within the territory of a 
 Synod in regular connection with the General 
 Council, except in cooperation with, and through 
 the agency of the executive committee of such 
 Synod, or with its consent." Passavant argued that 
 because the Augustana Synod was national in ex- 
 tent, the rule was not applicable. While the in- 
 tent of the provision was correct, it had its limi- 
 tations, as later events demonstrated. The eventual 
 formation of the Lutheran Synod of the Northwest 
 had as one of its results the acceleration of English 
 missionary work in the Augustana Synod. 
 
 Offices of the president and other officers and the workrooms of many boards and 
 committees are in the above headquarters building of the Augustana Synod at 2445 Park 
 Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 
 
 37 
 
The Synodical Committee on Life and Growth, pictured above, has been at work since 
 1942 planning special celebrations and extending Augustana Synod activities. A number of 
 Centennial publications have been issued under the direction of the committee. 
 
 Another problem arose in the proposal that the 
 General Council establish a theological seminary 
 in Chicago. This also was a part of Passavant's vi- 
 sion of a united Lutheran Church. As a means of 
 furnishing needed pastors it would further his mis- 
 sionary plans. But the Augustana men recognized 
 a potential rival to their own seminary. They 
 pointed out that although the older seminaries, be- 
 longing to district synods, would not be affected 
 by a seminary in Chicago under the Council's con- 
 trol, such a seminary would affect the Augustana 
 institution then located at Paxton, Illinois, and the 
 establishment of it might cause the Synod to with- 
 draw from the Council. 
 
 The Augustana Synod won its point to this ex- 
 tent that the Council would not establish or con- 
 trol a theological seminary; if an institution were 
 established, it must be under the control of dis- 
 trict synods. The Chicago Lutheran Theological 
 Seminary, supported by a number of district synods 
 now part of the United Lutheran Church of Amer- 
 ica, was founded in 1892. 
 
 Those problems did not, however, seriously dis- 
 turb the relations between the Augustana Synod 
 and the General Council. Cooperation was main- 
 tained in foreign mission work until 1918, when 
 the General Council, the General Synod, and the 
 United Synod of the South joined in forming the 
 United Lutheran Church of America. While the 
 Augustana Synod did not join in the merger, it did 
 
 not withdraw its participation in missionary work 
 in India and in Puerto Rico. 
 
 The use of the English language within the 
 Augustana Synod increased rapidly after the turn 
 of the century. In 1908 the English Association of 
 Churches was formed and virtually constituted an 
 English conference within the Synod. World War 
 I greatly accelerated the use of English, in some 
 instances through drastic state actions, since the use 
 of any foreign language was considered "un- 
 American." It is interesting to note that the 
 Augustana Observer as early as 1882 officially 
 urged the exclusive use of the English language 
 in the General Council. 
 
 Use of the Swedish language was maintained 
 longest in the East and in certain midwestern sec- 
 tions among the later immigrants. Since immigra- 
 tion from Sweden has virtually ceased, the Ameri- 
 canization of the Synod has been complete. Today 
 the Augustana Synod is an American Church in 
 language, as it always was in spirit. 
 
 This should not be interpreted to mean that the 
 Synod is indifferent to its Swedish origin, history 
 and culture. In relation to other Lutheran bodies, 
 it strives for unity and eagerly looks for an inclu- 
 sive American Lutheranism and true ecumenicity. 
 In respect to its national origin, it prizes its rich 
 spiritual and cultural heritage and seeks to make 
 it an effective contribution to the life of America, 
 a nation made great by diversity of talents. 
 
 38 
 
Old Immanuel Church on 
 Superior Street was the 
 first of 43 Augustana con- 
 gregations in Chicago and 
 nearby towns. 
 
 Spiritual Met it age 
 
 THE RELIGIOUS LIFE IN SWEDEN in 
 the middle of the nineteenth century was 
 characterized by a spiritual awakening. While the 
 established Church was not without earnest spirit- 
 ual leaders and pastors, it is true that in many parts 
 rationalism and worldliness had invaded the 
 Church. The sheep were not properly fed. Here 
 and there the Lord raised up great preachers, 
 whose powerful sermons reached the consciences 
 of many. The result was repentance, a fear of 
 divine judgment and a legalistic outlook. But that 
 gave no peace. 
 
 Then came others who preached free grace in 
 Christ, which gave release from bondage under 
 the law, but often went to the extreme of hyper- 
 evangelicalism. Among the latter may be counted 
 the followers of Erik Janson, who formed the 
 Bishop Hill Colony in Illinois in 1846. 
 
 It was a period of spiritual tension and un- 
 rest. Efforts to regulate the religious movements 
 by the application of the Conventicle Act of 1726, 
 which prohibited private gatherings for religious 
 purposes, except for family devotion, only inten- 
 sified the unrest and provoked opposition to the 
 established Church. The act was abolished in 1858. 
 
 Foreign influences also were at work. Thus 
 Methodism was introduced by George Scott, and 
 later Baptist appeals were made under the plea 
 of championing religious freedom. These efforts 
 were subsidized by British and American Churches. 
 
 But there were also many, both pastors and 
 Christian laymen, who grieved over the "hurts of 
 Zion" and welcomed a spiritual revival, but who 
 were not carried away by either extreme. Among 
 them were such well-known men as Peter Fjell- 
 stedt, P. Wieselgren, and C. O. Rosenius. They 
 were thoroughly evangelical, but conservative, 
 loyal to the established Church, while eager to 
 
 39 
 
i860 1865 1870 1875 I8S0 1665 1890 1895 1900 1905 1910 191* 1920 1925 iOM >9ib 1940 1941 1942 194 V 1944 1946 
 
 -»o.*oo 
 
 550.000 
 
 soo.ooo 
 
 I860 l8t>5 I870 1875 I8S0 1885 I6POI895 1900 1905 1910 1915 1020 1025 1930 1955 1940 1941 1942 1945 1944 1945 
 
 I.00000O 
 
 MO 000 
 
 
 
 
 
 cc 
 
 TOTAL 
 )NTRIE>UTI 
 
 Dt 
 
 IS 
 
 j 
 
 — - 
 
 
 
 
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 / 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 / 
 
 
 \ 
 
 / 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 % I*GO — 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 3 ER CAPITA 
 
 
 / 
 
 N 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 CC 
 
 N 
 
 1 K 
 
 1 c 
 
 >u 
 
 IV 
 
 J\--l 
 
 5 / 
 
 
 
 \ 
 
 / 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 \ 
 
 / 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1650 1855 1870 1475 1880 188! 1840 1845 1400 1405 1410 1415 197.0 I<1IS 1450 1955 1440 1941 14*1 1945 1944 1945 1840 1865 1870 1875 1880 1885 1840 1845 1400 1405 1410 191* 1470 1975 1950 1455 1440 1441 1941 IWIW 144' 
 
 Growth of the Lutheran Augustana Synod to nearly 1,200 congregations, over 400,000 
 baptized members, and a per capita contribution lately increased to over $28 are among the 
 things illustrated by the above graphs. 
 
 40 
 
In Hessel Valley, now Chandlers Valley, Pennsylvania, Swedish immigrants congregat- 
 ed as early as 1846. Exterior and interior views are shown of the church home of the first 
 congregation in the New York Conference. 
 
 further a spiritual renewal in Church and nation. 
 Fjellstedt aroused interest in foreign missions; 
 Wieselgren was a champion of temperance. Rose- 
 nius, trained for the ministry, but, never ordained, 
 labored through the spoken and printed word to 
 promote spiritual life. His paper, "Pietisten," exer- 
 cised wide influence among all classes. The foun- 
 ders of our Synod were closely associated with these 
 men and maintained a frequent correspondence 
 with them. The Swedish pietists were helpful in 
 securing pastors and ministerial candidates for ser- 
 vice among their countrymen in the new world. 
 
 The various separatistic movements and tenden- 
 cies produced a deep cleavage in the religious life 
 in Sweden. The immigrants, being mostly of the 
 poorer classes among whom the religious revival 
 had taken deep root, brought this confusion with 
 
 them to America. Here sectarian proselyting 
 flourished to an intensified degree. As has been 
 seen, the Swedish settlements became the scenes 
 of bitter religious controversies. 
 
 The fanaticism of Erik Janson soon burned it- 
 self out. Unonius, who had started his colony at 
 Pine Lake, Wisconsin, and then had become an 
 Episcopalian priest, attempted in vain to bring the 
 Swedes into that fold, as had happened earlier with 
 the Swedes on the Delaware. 
 
 The Methodists were more successful. They 
 were greatly aided by the two brothers, Olof and 
 Jonas Hedstrom. Olof Hedstrom carried on a mis- 
 sion among immigrants on board the famous 
 Bethel Ship in New York Harbor. In this strategic 
 position he gave much valuable assistance to the 
 immigrants, and also used the opportunity to seek 
 
 41 
 

 J73II 
 I 
 
 t J 
 
 
 "^P^" •'■^?""375 
 
 
 Centennial Executive Committee: Seated, Otto E. 
 Leonardson, President P. O. Bersell, Dr. Oscar O. Gus- 
 tafson; standing, Christopher Hoff, Dr. Knut E. Erick- 
 son, Dr. Frederick Peel, Dr. Oscar A. Benson. 
 
 to turn them to Methodism. His brother, Jonas, 
 served as Methodist pastor in Victoria, Illinois. To 
 this place many immigrant parties, among them 
 the Esbjorn group, had been directed by the broth- 
 er in New York. A struggle for souls began at 
 once. The experience was the same in other settle- 
 ments. The Baptists also came. A sailor, O. Nils- 
 son, who had been converted to the Baptist faith 
 in America, returned to Sweden and there started 
 a Baptist movement. Expelled from Sweden, he 
 started to seek recruits among the Swedes in Amer- 
 ica. Gustav Palmquist, who had previously moved 
 among the Lutherans as a friend of Esbjorn and 
 Norelius, joined the Baptists. He created consider- 
 able excitement and won enough followers to or- 
 ganize at Rock Island, Illinois, the first Swedish 
 Baptist Church in America in 1852. 
 
 Then in the 1870's came the Waldenstromian 
 controversy concerning the atonement and the 
 Church. In Sweden it split the evangelical 
 ranks in two: the Fosterlandsstiftelsen and the 
 Mission Covenant. The controversy reached Amer- 
 ica also and resulted in the formation of the 
 Swedish Mission Covenant in America. The strug- 
 gle was especially intense in Lindsborg, Kansas, 
 where Dr. Olof Olsson vigorously defended the Lu- 
 theran doctrine on the disputed question. The 
 leader in the movement in Sweden was P. P. 
 Waldenstrom, an able and dominating personality. 
 He had been called in 1862 to be the head of the 
 Augustana Seminary but had declined the call. 
 
 Against this background, the beginnings of the 
 Augustana Synod must be viewed. This will make 
 clear the difficulties which confronted the pioneer 
 pastors in their efforts to build the Church on the 
 basis of the Lutheran faith. They became trained 
 apologists in defending their beliefs. 
 
 Objections were raised against the use of the 
 clerical garb and the church handbook as savor- 
 ing of state churchism. The leaders kept a wise 
 middle course, however, yielding when no com- 
 promise was implied, patiently instructing the ig- 
 norant and preaching the Word, in season and out. 
 In this situation, the leaders, themselves, at first 
 influenced by new spiritual movements, were 
 forced to re-examine the foundations of their own 
 faith in the light of the Word of God and the con- 
 fessions of the Church. The process made them 
 more conservative. To this result, their experiences 
 in the Synod of Northern Illinois also contributed. 
 
 While the Synod developed a strong doctrinal 
 consciousness, it did not lose its evangelical pietism. 
 Sin and grace, the law and the gospel were the 
 central themes in its preaching; the importance of 
 the sacraments was emphasized. Conversion and a 
 new life of sanctification were stressed, perhaps at 
 times in a too legalistic spirit. On the whole, the 
 Synod avoided the extremes of a barren orthodoxy 
 on the one hand and a loose evangelicalism on the 
 other. 
 
 In its church polity and organization it followed 
 the synodical-congregational system. This was 
 mainly owing to the influence of earlier Lutheran 
 churches in America, partly also to the general 
 pattern of American Protestantism. Experiences in 
 and prejudices against the State Church in Sweden, 
 with its episcopal government, made the estab- 
 lishment of an episcopal system here unthinkable. 
 Any tendency toward high churchism or hierarchy 
 would have met strong opposition. But, on the 
 other hand, an inherited respect for the ministerial 
 office and good order has prevented the Synod 
 from an extreme Congregationalism. This is seen 
 in the provisions for a properly trained and or- 
 dained ministry and a sufficient degree of central- 
 ization and delegated authority to function effec- 
 tively. There always has been an effort to find a 
 proper balance between centralization and de- 
 
 42 
 
This committee is in charge of the national and re- 
 gional phases of the 1948 Centennial celebration. Seat- 
 ed, Dr. Oscar A. Benson, Dr. P. O. Bersell, Mrs. Daniel 
 T. Martin, Dr. Conrad Bergendoff; standing, Birger 
 Swenson, Dr. Knut E. Erickson, Centennial Thank 
 Offering director, Pastor Malvin H. Lundeen, and Pas- 
 tor Thorsten A. Gustafson, executive secretary of the 
 Centennial Committee. 
 
 centralization, between clergy and laity, and 
 among Synod, Conference and congregation. 
 
 Although the Synod patterned its policy on the 
 American model, it followed the Church of Swe- 
 den in its form of worship. It is true that in the 
 beginning there was great freedom and simplicity. 
 The sod church or one of rough logs was not con- 
 ducive to liturgical worship, but the immigrants 
 brought, besides the Bible and the postils, the 
 Swedish psalm book. Not all were satisfied with 
 the official edition of 1819, but preferred a ver- 
 sion made by Thomander and Wieselgren ( 1849). 
 This was later adopted as the Synod's hymnal 
 (1893). 
 
 The pioneers sang the familiar hymns in the 
 new land while dreaming of the old. But many of 
 the people had also learned to love songs of a more 
 subjective character, such as "Sions Sanger," "Mose 
 och Lambsens Vistor," songs by O. Ahnfelt, Rut- 
 strom, Linderoth, Lina Sandell and others. In 1856 
 Hassekjuist issued a collection of fifty spiritual 
 
 songs, the first of its kind in the Synod. Other 
 collections followed, principally Hemlandssanger 
 ( 1 860 ) and song books for the Sunday school and 
 young people. To meet the demand for an Eng- 
 lish hymnal, the Hymnal and Order of Service was 
 published in 1901. It was superseded by the pres- 
 ent hymnal in 1925. 
 
 Liturgical worship was considered "dead formal- 
 ism" by the revivalistic elements in the Church of 
 Sweden. True spirituality was made synonymous 
 with a "free" worship service such as was practiced 
 in the "conventicles." The introduction of the litur- 
 gy caused considerable disturbance both in the 
 Norwegian and in the Swedish congregations. One 
 church went so far as to decide that "no preacher 
 be allowed to use any kind of special garb or cere- 
 monies, as this is very harmful and wounds the 
 consciences of many." To such objections the 
 Synod replied by referring to the Lutheran Con- 
 fessions, pointing out that such matters belong to 
 the sphere of "adiaphora" and Christian liberty. 
 The Synod has followed the principle, however, 
 that while liturgical usages belong to the sphere 
 of "adiaphora," uniformity is desirable and it dis- 
 courages "the tendency to discard historic forms 
 and practices in favor of new ones of reformed 
 origin." In general, the liturgy of the Swedish 
 Church was followed with such minor changes as 
 circumstances required from time to time. The 
 same liturgy is still in use, although with the 
 transition to the English language, the trend has 
 been toward a common Lutheran service. The 
 church year is observed and the services are as 
 impressive and as worshipful as conditions and 
 resources of talent permit. 
 
 Dr. V. I. Vestling Rev. C. W. Johnson 
 
 Past and present statisticians of the 
 
 Lutheran Augustana Synod 
 
 43 
 
r\Of W^'C 
 
 Some of the students of the Paxton, Illinois, period of Augustana College and Sem- 
 inary had their picture taken 75 years ago with their president, Pastor T. N. Hasselquist. 
 He is the third from the left, first row. 
 
 Migh Standards for the Ministry 
 
 THE MINISTRY in the Augustana Synod has 
 from the beginning set for itself high stand- 
 ards. The founders were not only men of deep re- 
 ligious experience, but five of the pastors, Esbjorn, 
 Hasselquist, Erland Carlsson, Jonas Swensson, and 
 O. C. T. Andren, were university trained. While 
 the great need of pastors made it necessary to li- 
 cense suitable laymen to perform ministerial func- 
 tions and to ordain men with a minimum of edu- 
 cational preparation, the aim of an educated min- 
 istry was never forgotten. The attempt to train the 
 pastors in cooperation with the Illinois University 
 did not prove satisfactory, but the aim remained. 
 Augustana Theological Seminary is as old as the 
 Synod itself. While some of the Reformed Church- 
 es discounted education, considering it a hindrance 
 to spirituality, the struggles and sacrifices of the 
 Augustana pioneers to build educational institu- 
 tions were nothing short of heroic. It is not diffi- 
 cult today to point to deficiences and lack of cul- 
 ture and refinement in many of the pioneer pas- 
 tors; the marvel is that with the means and equip- 
 ment available they accomplished as much as they 
 did. These men lived with their people; shared 
 their struggles and poverty; of them the words of 
 Paul are true, "in labors more abundantly, in 
 journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of 
 
 robbers, in perils from my countrymen, in perils 
 from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in 
 the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among 
 false brethren; in labor and travail, in watchings, 
 often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in 
 cold and nakedness," and they could also add, 
 "daily anxiety for all the churches." 
 
 The educational requirements for the Augusta- 
 na pastor have increased with the growth of the 
 Synod and the improved quality of its schools. Be- 
 sides the A.B. degree, the equivalent of three years 
 of resident theological study and one year of prac- 
 tical training on the field (internship) is required 
 for ordination. 
 
 The Augustana pastor is becoming more and 
 more responsive to the social implications of his 
 calling without, however, losing sight of the prim- 
 acy of his spiritual mission. The zeal of Wiesel- 
 gren in Sweden for temperance was reflected in 
 the founders of the Synod. Esbjorn reports in 1850 
 that "a temperance society has been organized at 
 Andover, of forty-three members" and, in 1852, 
 "nearly all members pledged themselves to tem- 
 perance." The Synod has continued to support 
 temperance and other social welfare movements. 
 
 The founders of the Augustana Synod were 
 strongly anti-slavery in sentiment and supported 
 President Lincoln and his party in the Civil War 
 Two of Esbjorn's sons enlisted; one of them, Wil- 
 
 44 
 
liam Paul, was killed in action in the battle of 
 Lexington, Missouri, in 1861. Many pastors gave 
 direct support to the cause and were active in ren- 
 dering material and spiritual aid to the soldiers in 
 camps and in the field. The loyalty of the pioneer 
 pastors to their adopted country in times of war 
 has been inherited by succeeding generations. This 
 has been demonstrated by the number of pastors 
 who volunteered to serve in the two world wars 
 and by others in their cooperation with other Lu- 
 therans in giving aid to the men in the armed 
 forces. 
 
 Fifty-two Augustana Synod pastors served as 
 chaplains during the late war and fourteen others 
 served their country as Lutheran Service Center 
 pastors under the National Lutheran Council. The 
 latter are Fred J. Benson, C. O. Bostrom, Otto H. 
 Bostrom, C. E. Carlstrom, Alex E. Falk, Elmer Fried- 
 lund, Arthur R. Franzen, N. Everett Hedeen, G. A. 
 Herbert, H. Clarence Johnson, P. Arthur Johnson, 
 Paul V. Nelson, Paul V. Randolph and P. N. Sjo- 
 gren. 
 
 The Augustana pastor is democratic. As the 
 pioneer pastors shared the privations and the 
 problems of their people, so their successors meet 
 their members without hierarchical pretension. 
 While afflicted with the common human failings 
 and the special ones of their profession, the Augus- 
 tana pastors maintain a commendable esprit de 
 corps. With due respect for authority and good or- 
 der, they, nevertheless, display considerable inde- 
 pendence of judgment and action. Yet, without 
 sacrifice of individual freedom, the Synod has pre- 
 served its unity. 
 
 Without this unity, symbolized in a single semi- 
 nary, fostered through annual conventions and 
 democratic forms of administration, sectional dif- 
 ferences and interests would have 
 broken the Synod into smaller units 
 or district synods. That this did not 
 happen is the more remarkable when 
 it is remembered that the pietistic 
 revival in Sweden represented dif- 
 ferent types, depending on locality 
 and leadership, differences which the 
 immigrants brought with them. 
 Various trends, however, may be 
 
 CHAPLAINS 
 
 WORLD WAR II 
 
 
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 im'f ^ 
 
 
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 ;^f; 
 
 vis ▼sH * ^j 
 
 ;'/: 
 
 Frank A. Anderson R. H. Anderson 
 
 C. H. Anderzon 
 
 A. B. Bengston 
 
 Fred J. Benson 
 
 Milton E. Berg 
 
 Reuben G. Berg 
 
 J. E. Bergquist O. L. Bergquist 
 
 
 4k±*ML 
 
 G. L. 
 
 Bongfeldt 
 
 45 
 
 Oscar F. Bohman Raymond Borg Harry S. Carlson 
 
discerned, such as liturgical, or churchly, evange- 
 listic and Schartauan. Many of the pastors in the 
 early period had been influenced for the ministry 
 by the pietistic movement in Sweden. Some had 
 attended the preparatory schools of Peter Fjellstedt 
 and P. A. Ahlberg. They were mature men when 
 they entered Augustana Seminary. What they 
 lacked in theological training they made up by 
 Christian experience. It is interesting to note that 
 in 1927, out of a total of 822 pastors, 500 were 
 born in Sweden, but only 18 of 367 ordained from 
 1932 through 1947 are Swedish born. 
 
 It is to be expected, therefore, that the Augus- 
 tana pastors of today differ in many respects from 
 those of earlier periods. This is seen even in the 
 matter of the clerical garb. The "prastrock" (long 
 coat) has disappeared; the "bands" are increasing- 
 ly being discarded and the stole has come into 
 general and preferred use; the Luther robe is here 
 and there making way for the cassock and surplice 
 and even the chasuble has been used, though in a 
 very few instances. 
 
 ?rom Sod Church to Cathedral 
 
 IT IS A LONG CALL from the sod church on 
 the Nebraska prairie to some of the more pre- 
 tentious churches in which our people worship to- 
 day. There is something deeply moving in the sto- 
 ries of those pioneer churches, built by devotion 
 and sacrifice. They were crude and simple, but so 
 were the dwellings of those who built them. They 
 were void of beauty and comfort, but God was 
 there in word and sacrament to feed hungry souls 
 and comfort lonely hearts. The altar was a common 
 table; its only appointments a white cloth, a couple 
 of candles, perhaps a simple cross, or the Bible, 
 but it helped to lift hearts in prayer and worship. 
 The pulpit, if there was one, was made by the local 
 carpenter, but from it was preached the Word of 
 God, which changed that humble dwelling into a 
 glorious temple of God. 
 
 But these pioneers had not forgotten their an- 
 
 Joseph Conrad Joseph C. Elmer Carl Elwood 
 
 Bertil A. Erling Hj. M. K. Fahnstrom Alex E. Falk 
 
 
 A. M. Frieberg B. D. Harris. Jr. Carl E. Haterius 
 
 L. W. Holmberg R. Y. Johansson Birger C Johnson 
 
 \ %% 
 
 &ii* 
 
 Ernest A. Lack Donald S. Leaf Philip A. Leaf 
 
 46 
 
 
J. O. Lindquist W. C. Lundberg H. W. Lundblad 
 
 1 "**> ill* a*--*^ * Wsm-L 
 
 A. R. Nordgren Carl S. Ohman O. Karl Olander 
 
 L. E. Olmon D. L. Ostergren G. A. Ostergren 
 
 kN*L 
 
 -*- * 
 
 *» *-» ', 
 
 J. Arthur Palm Neal Pearson C. T. Seburg 
 
 cient and often beautiful churches in Sweden. 
 With increasing wealth, they have built worthy 
 houses of worship, according to means and needs. 
 Sometimes these recall the Swedish parish churches, 
 but more often they follow prevalent American 
 types. In the early predominantly pietistic period, 
 the pulpit was made central and above the altar, 
 with choir and organ in the chancel. The church 
 was built for preaching rather than for worship, 
 following the "Reformed" style. In the same way, 
 liturgical forms were frowned upon. However, 
 sentiment gradually changed and Lutheran con- 
 cepts of worship asserted themselves. 
 
 With more consistent use of the liturgy, the 
 form of the church architecture also changed. The 
 altar was given its rightful place and made more 
 elaborate, usually including an altar painting. This 
 reveals a Swedish influence. Thanks to the work 
 and influence of the late Professor Olof Grafstrom 
 of Augustana College, scores of Augustana church- 
 es have beautiful altar paintings. Baptismal fonts 
 and other appointments have become more church- 
 ly. Some churches have beautiful art glass win- 
 dows. 
 
 The earliest musical instrument used in the 
 pioneer churches of the Augustana Synod was the 
 Psalmodikon, a stringed instrument, invented by 
 the Rev. Johan Dillner in 1830. He was pastor in 
 Oster Walila parish, where Esbjorn served as as- 
 sistant pastor in his early ministry and, on his re- 
 turn to Sweden, as rector from 1863 to his death 
 in 1870. At the very first meeting of the Mississippi 
 (now Illinois) Conference, in 1853, the congre- 
 gations were urged "to establish singing classes ac- 
 cording to Dean Dillner 's system." Then came the 
 melodeon and the reed organ, and today most 
 churches have elaborate pipe organs or electric 
 organs. 
 
 The sound of the bell in the parish church 
 tower as it floated out over the countryside in the 
 homeland had gone deep into the soul of the im- 
 migrant. A church without a bell was not com- 
 plete and soon the sound of church bells was 
 heard over the prairies in every Swedish settle- 
 ment. Neither was a church complete without a 
 spire, pointing heavenward and seen as a land- 
 mark far and wide. This has given a rather dis- 
 tinctive style to the Augustana rural church. In 
 
 47 
 
the cities one meets with more varied church archi- 
 tecture. The Synod has now a Commission on 
 Church Architecture. Congregations planning new 
 churches are counseled to consult the commission. 
 
 ftuilding Upon the Rock of Jges 
 
 TN THIRTY-FIVE STATES of the Union, in 
 J- the District of Columbia, and in Canada live 
 the 413,692 men, women and children who have 
 their spiritual home in one of the 1,175 congrega- 
 tions of the Lutheran Augustana Synod. Those 
 congregations vary in membership from a hand- 
 ful of the faithful, living in sparsely-settled rural 
 areas, to large metropolitan churches such as Zion 
 of Rockford, Trinity of Worcester, First of New 
 Britain, First of Jamestown, Mt. Olivet of Minne- 
 apolis, and Irving Park of Chicago, all in excess of 
 1,700 confirmed members. 
 
 Thirty-seven Lutheran Augustana Synod con- 
 gregations have a thousand or more adult mem- 
 bers each. A few congregations, on the other hand, 
 are only the scriptural three or four persons gath- 
 ered in His name, and He is also in the midst of 
 them. Regardless of a congregation's opportunities 
 for growth, each is of equal concern to God. After 
 a century of sowing, the Lutheran Augustana 
 Synod has an average membership of 261 adult 
 communicants in its nearly 1,200 parishes. 
 
 Since the days when the Church was planted in 
 the small settlements in the Middle West, the 
 Augustana Synod has expanded through its home 
 missionary work into thirty-five states, the District 
 of Columbia and Canada. From a mother church in 
 each new region, others developed and grew. In 
 the twentieth century, this multiplication of 
 Augustana Synod congregations has been most 
 notable in the large cities. 
 
 Chicago and its immediate suburbs have 38 Lu- 
 theran Augustana Synod churches; Minneapolis 
 has 19 and St. Paul 10. Other metropolitan centers 
 having three or more Augustana Synod congre- 
 gations are: New York City, Brooklyn and sub- 
 urbs, 24; Duluth, 11; Rockford, 8; Boston, 7; 
 Los Angeles, San Francisco, Omaha, Worcester, 
 Jamestown, 5 each; Des Moines, Moline, Kansas 
 City, 4 each; Denver, Superior, Spokane, 3 each. 
 
 All of the Synod's congregations have their in- 
 
 J. E. Sutherland H. E. Soderberg E. S. Swanson 
 
 J. Sabin Swenson M. L. Swenson P. G. Wahlstrom 
 
 E. U. Youngdahl K. E. Zetterholm C. A. Zimmerman 
 
 dividual histories and it would be well if all could 
 be mentioned in this story of the Lutheran Augus- 
 tana Synod's life and growth. But that is impossi- 
 ble. All that can be related in this brief history is 
 how the work was started in each region. 
 
 The Augustana Synod is the fruit of home mis- 
 sions. The pioneer pastors were missionaries. Their 
 interest in the spiritual welfare of their emigrated 
 countrymen brought the first pastors from Sweden 
 to America. Driven by missionary zeal they en- 
 dured incredible hardships in gathering the scat- 
 tered sheep in the vast wilderness of the West. 
 This missionary spirit was engendered and fostered 
 by the revival movements in Sweden, especially 
 by such men as Wieselgren, C. O. Rosenius, Ahl- 
 berg, and Fjellstedt. Their zeal was shared by 
 many of the immigrants, who in Sweden had taken 
 
 48 
 
part in religious meetings and conventicles, con- 
 ducted mostly by laymen or colporteurs. Such ex- 
 perience became valuable in the new American 
 settlements before congregations could be organ- 
 ized or pastors secured. Those hungering for the 
 Word would gather for devotion with some lay- 
 man conducting the service and reading a sermon 
 from a postilla. 
 
 $M®m. 
 
 dP> It 
 
 
 An Esbjorn memorial tablet was placed at Andover 
 November 15, 1936. 
 
 3rom Prairies to North Woods 
 
 EARLY CONGREGATIONS of the Synod 
 were organized in western Illinois at An- 
 dover and Moline in 1850; Galesburg, 
 1851; Knoxville, Wataga and Geneva, 1853; 
 Princeton and Rockford, 1854; and Geneseo, 
 1856. 
 
 A Scandinavian congregation had been organ- 
 ized and a church building erected in Chicago in 
 the 1840's by a free-lance preacher posing as Lu- 
 theran. The preacher departed with the funds, a 
 storm damaged the unfinished church building 
 and the congregation broke up. A Norwegian pas- 
 tor, Paul Andersen, came and in 1848 organized 
 a Norwegian Lutheran congregation, which bought 
 and repaired the wrecked church. Andersen was 
 helpful to all. He was especially helpful to a group 
 of Swedish immigrants who, after they had been 
 abandoned on the docks at Sheboygan, Wisconsin, 
 without food or protection, finally managed to 
 get back to Chicago, many of them sick. Grate- 
 ful for the help they received, they joined Ander- 
 sen's church. 
 
 In 1849 Gustav Unonius came to Chicago as 
 pastor of the newly organized St. Ansgar's Epis- 
 copal Church. When Hasselquist and his party ar- 
 rived in 1852, Hasselquist was sick and was cared 
 for in the home of the Rev. Mr. Andersen. While 
 a number of Swedes attended Andersen's church, 
 he grieved to see many joining Unonius' church. 
 Therefore, Andersen and many of the Swedes ex- 
 acted from Hasselquist a promise to come at the 
 earliest date and organize a Swedish Lutheran 
 church. This he did in January of 1853. They also 
 urgently desired that he become their pastor. This 
 he declined, but assisted them to secure through 
 Dr. Fjellstedt in Sweden, the Rev. Erland Carlsson, 
 who arrived from Sweden in August, 1853. 
 
 There he began a most fruitful ministry. Of the 
 eighty persons who had been enrolled in the Im- 
 manuel Lutheran Church, only a few were left 
 when Carlsson came. As a motto of his ministry 
 the young pastor wrote on the first page of his 
 diary, "Relying upon divine assistance I am de- 
 termined to declare the truth openly and faith- 
 
 49 
 
^^-l-rfri 
 
 Augustana Hospital, pictured above, is one of the largest and best of Chicago's hospitals 
 and an outstanding achievement of the Illinois Conference of the Augustana Synod. 
 
 fully, whatever difficulties may be thrown in my 
 way." 
 
 Pastor Carlsson was a man of earnest piety, en- 
 ergetic, determined and possessed of a great prac- 
 tical judgment and organizing ability. He won the 
 people's confidence and was unsparing in his efforts 
 to render spiritual and temporal help to the hun- 
 dreds of immigrants who turned to him. The bur- 
 dens were especially heavy in years when the dread- 
 ed cholera raged. His home was at times a verita- 
 ble hospital. Chicago was the gateway to the West. 
 Through it passed thousands of immigrants who 
 needed help and direction of every sort. The con- 
 gregation grew. It outgrew the old church, which 
 the congregation had purchased from the Norwe- 
 gians. A new beautiful church was built. It was 
 just completed when the Chicago fire in 1871 de- 
 stroyed it. Only smoking ruins and a heavy debt re- 
 mained and many of the members were homeless. 
 But with unparalleled faith and loyalty, pastor and 
 
 people pledged themselves before God to rebuild 
 the temple and to pay their debt. This was done. 
 
 Immanuel Church became the mother church 
 to many not only in and about Chicago, but also 
 elsewhere. Carlsson extended his services to Ge- 
 neva (1853), Rockford (1854), Pecatonica 
 (1857), DeKalb (1858); he also organized the 
 first Augustana churches in Indiana at LaPorte 
 (1857), Attica and Porter (1858). For many, 
 Chicago was only a temporary stopping place. But 
 impressions gained from Pastor Carlsson and the 
 Immanuel Church went with them and bore fruit 
 in distant places where the immigrants found 
 more permanent homes. 
 
 In the 1870's Michigan attracted large numbers 
 of Swedish immigrants. The mines and forests of- 
 fered plenty of work. The mining and lumber 
 camps were not very inviting, however, for the 
 missionaries who ventured into them. Men still 
 living tell of the drinking, the gambling, the fight- 
 
 50 
 
ing that enlivened the little town when the lum- 
 berjacks came in from the log camps. But the 
 forests are gone; charred stumps or cultivated 
 fields have taken their place and the little villages 
 have become centers of industry, where churches 
 and schools are found in abundance. 
 
 The first church to be organized in Michigan 
 was at Sparta, Kent County. In the early 1850's a 
 group of some ten families had drifted into the 
 woods there and had remained. In 1859 Erland 
 Carlsson visited them, "the first time that they had 
 been gathered for a service and to receive Holy 
 Communion since they came to this country." A 
 congregation was organized in 1866. Farther north, 
 at Ishpeming, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, a 
 congregation was organized in 1870 and became 
 the mother church for a number of congregations 
 in surrounding towns. 
 
 Missionaries pressed through the forests from 
 camp to camp and along the shores of Lake 
 Michigan and congregations were organized at 
 Whitehall (1872), Grand Rapids (1873), Tustin 
 (1874), Ludington (1874), Cadillac (1874), 
 
 Bethany Lutheran, at Ishpeming, Michigan, was the 
 first of the Synod's churches in the Upper Peninsula 
 and the first in the Superior Conference. 
 
 St. Joseph (1875), and Muskegon (1875). 
 During the depression following 1893 Swedes 
 came from Chicago and other places and began 
 fruit farming. 
 
 Within the confines of the Illinois Conference, 
 which includes 27 churches in Michigan, 13 in 
 Indiana and others in Wisconsin and Iowa, there 
 are today 159 congregations, two hospitals, four 
 children's homes, three homes for the aged, four 
 other charitable homes, a college and seminary, 
 and the Synod's publishing house and book store, 
 Augustana Book Concern. 
 
 From the pioneer parishes in Michigan and 
 Wisconsin, the Superior Conference was formed. 
 It now has 62 congregations. A home for the aged 
 is maintained by the Conference at Marinette, Wis- 
 consin. 
 
 ^^ 
 
 Ni~y, si 17 
 
 A (flow us Country 
 
 THIS MINNESOTA is a glorious country, 
 and just the country for northern immigrants 
 — just the country for Scandinavians. What a glo- 
 rious new Scandinavia might not Minnesota be- 
 come! Here the Swede would find again his clear, 
 romantic lakes, the plains of Skane rich in corn, 
 and the valleys of Norrland." Thus wrote Fred- 
 rika Bremer in October 1850. It was a prophecy. 
 The first Swedish settlers in this "New Scan- 
 dinavia" were three young men, Fernstrom, Roos, 
 and Sandahl, who on October 15, 1850, built a 
 little cabin at Marine (Scandia). A monument, 
 raised in 1900, marks the spot. The first permanent 
 settlement was at Chisago Lake (Center City). 
 Here a party, of which Peter Anderson was a 
 leader, came in September 1851. "Here is plenty 
 room," wrote Anderson, "room for several parishes; 
 the climate is wonderful and healthy." 
 
 As the number of settlers grew, the need of a 
 church became urgent. Appeals were made for a 
 pastor, but there was none to send. Preachers of 
 various types came and went. Finally in 1854, 
 Erland Carlsson came and on May 12 organized a 
 congregation, which was served by Eric Norelius 
 that summer, then by P. A. Cederstam. In 1858 
 C. A. Hedengran was called as pastor. A congre- 
 
 51 
 
Bethany Children's Home at Duluth is one of the Minnesota Conference's 
 many institutions of mercy. 
 
 gation was organized in Marine also in 1854 and 
 a Scandinavian Lutheran congregation was formed 
 in Sr. Paul on May 6, 1854, but for some years 
 made little progress. The Center City congregation 
 may, therefore, rightly be considered the mother 
 church of the Minnesota Conference. 
 
 Immigrants continued to pour into the Minne- 
 sota territory and new settlements were formed. 
 The paddle-wheel steamers, loaded with people, 
 cattle, household goods and implements, crept 
 slowly up the Mississippi to St. Paul. From there 
 the various groups treked through the forests or 
 made their way along the rivers. Missionary pas- 
 tors followed the pioneers, and congregations were 
 formed at Red Wing and Vasa (1855), Cannon 
 Falls and St. Peter (1857), Spring Garden 
 (1858), at Union, Carver County (1858), Tay- 
 lors Falls (I860). The pioneer pastors, besides 
 those already named, were Beckman and Boren. 
 
 The picturesque figure of Peter Carlson and the 
 thrilling story of his "adventures for Christ" has 
 often been presented. The life and labors of No- 
 relius, for over forty years pastor at Vasa, deserve 
 a volume by itself. He served as a home missionary 
 in Indiana and in Minnesota. By his ability as a 
 leader, editor and writer, during a lifetime which 
 spanned the history of the Synod for almost three- 
 quarters of a century, he labored in molding the 
 form and character of the Synod. 
 
 When Peter Carlson in 1857 visited Minne- 
 apolis, he found there only seven Swedish per- 
 sons besides the family with whom he stayed. By 
 1865 the number had increased to fifty. On April 
 16, 1866, the Augustana Church was organized 
 with twelve communicants. The congregation went 
 through some unhappy experiences until in 1872 
 C. A. Evald became its pastor. He became the 
 son-in-law of Erland Carlsson and in 1878 also 
 
 52 
 
his successor as pastor of the Immanuel Church 
 in Chicago. The Augustana Church in Minneapolis 
 has been guided by able pastors, C. J. Petri serv- 
 ing the longest term. It has developed a strong 
 missionary spirit, conducts a "colony of mercy" 
 and has become the mother church of a large fam- 
 ily of congregations: Bethlehem (1874), Emanuel 
 (1884), St. Paul's (1887) and others. Of the re- 
 cent congregations organized, Mt. Olivet has at- 
 tracted the widest attention, because of its many 
 activities and rapid growth. 
 
 The settlements along the Minnesota River 
 came into early importance through the labors of 
 Cederstam, Carlson, Hedengran and others. A con- 
 gregation was organized at St. Peter in 1857; this 
 was followed by four others in 1858: Scandian 
 Grove, East and West Union and Vista. From these 
 settlements came a number of men who played im- 
 portant parts in both Church and State: A. Thor- 
 son, Andrew Holt, A. Stomberg, M. Wahlstrom, 
 Henry Benson and others. 
 
 In the late fifties a number of pioneers had 
 settled around the lakes west of the "big woods" in 
 what today constitutes Willmar District. Peter 
 Carlson organized a congregation there in 1859- 
 In 1861 Andrew Jackson was ordained as pastor 
 to scattered pioneers in this region. Then came a 
 tragic Indian massacre in 1862 in which eighteen 
 adults and six children were brutally killed and 
 their homes destroyed. A monument at New Lon- 
 don tells the story. When the Indians were sub- 
 dued after the war, settlers returned and congrega- 
 tions were reorganized. Some twenty-three church- 
 es are found in this district, of which New Lon- 
 don (1859) is the oldest. Others include Tripolis 
 (1868), Mamrelund and Litchfield (1869), At- 
 water and Svea (1870). Willmar, the largest con- 
 gregation, has 734 confirmed members. 
 
 Many settlements sprang up around Lake Mille 
 Lac and congregations were organized. Brainerd 
 was founded in 1882. The largest in this region is 
 Milaca, with 438 confirmed members. The church 
 at St. Cloud was organized in 1882 by J. D. Nel- 
 senius. Most of the twenty-four congregations in 
 this district are small. 
 
 On the Wisconsin side of the St. Croix River 
 many congregations were organized, the oldest 
 ones being Stockholm (Sabylund 1856); Fred- 
 
 Luther W. Youngdahl, governor of Minnesota, is an 
 active member of Messiah Lutheran Church, Minne- 
 apolis. Governor Youngdahl is a graduate of Gustavus 
 Adolphus College. 
 
 crick ( 1 870 ) . The largest congregations are at 
 Superior and Ashland. 
 
 Reaching the western border of Minnesota, sett- 
 lers moved into South Dakota. The first missionary 
 pastors to labor there were S. P. A. Lindahl, O. 
 Siljestrom and Carlson. The Ahlsborg congrega- 
 tion was organized at Elk Point in 1870, Dales- 
 burg, near Vermillion, in 1871, while in North 
 Dakota the first congregation was formed in Bis- 
 marck in 1883. In the southern part of Minnesota, 
 East Sveadahl at St. James, was organized in 1870 
 and West Sveadahl in 1873. In the Cokato Dis- 
 trict the first congregation, Gotaholm, was or- 
 ganized at Watertown in 1858 and the ones at Co- 
 kato and Buffalo in 1866. 
 
 Cederstam was the first Lutheran pastor to visit 
 Duluth, and he founded a church there in 1870. 
 The city today has eleven Augustana churches. 
 On the western side of the St. Croix River, con- 
 gregations were organized as early as 1864 at 
 Cambridge, followed by Fish Lake (1867), Rush 
 Point (1870), and North Branch (1874). In the 
 southwestern part of the state, churches were or- 
 ganized at Walnut Grove in 1872, Balaton in 
 1873, and Worthington in 1876. 
 
 The Minnesota Conference, which also includes 
 some churches in Wisconsin and South Dakota, 
 
 53 
 
The Lutheran Home for the Aged at Madrid is main- 
 tained by the Iowa Conference. 
 
 A coffee party in one of the living rooms of the Iowa 
 Lutheran Home for the Aged. 
 
 today can count 318 congregations, a child place- 
 ment agency, three children's homes, four homes 
 for the aged, one home for invalids, two hospitals, 
 a college, and a Bible school within its borders. 
 Minneapolis is the headquarters of the Synod's 
 president, Dr. P. O. Bersell, and of most of the 
 synodical offices. 
 
 In 1883 an indefatigable missionary, L. G. Ho- 
 canzon, came into the Red River Valley. This vast 
 valley in northern Minnesota had begun to fill up 
 with settlers, attracted by its good wheat farming 
 opportunities. Congregations were organized at 
 Hallock and Warren in 1881. In other sections of 
 what is now part of the Red River Valley Con- 
 ference congregations were organized at Alex- 
 andria in 1877, Battle Lake in 1871, and Fergus 
 Falls in 1877. 
 
 The Red River Valley Conference consists of 87 
 congregations in Minnesota and 29 in North Da- 
 kota. The Conference owns and directs a home for 
 the aged and a children's home at Alexandria, 
 Minnesota, and a hospital at Warren, Minnesota. 
 
 for tile Cand 
 
 Past and present Conference presidents: Dr. C. J. 
 Sodergren, Dr. Emil Swenson and Dr. C. Albert Lund. 
 
 GLOWING LETTERS from Peter Cassel pub- 
 lished in Sweden caused many immigrants 
 to come to Iowa. The little community of New 
 Sweden spread to other points — to Munterville- 
 Bergholm (1856) and Swedesburg (1866), 
 where better land gave promise of a prosperous 
 settlement. Ottumwa (1871) also attracted immi- 
 grants and soon developed into an important city; 
 coal mines in the region brought some of the im- 
 migrants there. 
 
 In the Madrid (Swede Point) settlement, be- 
 gun in 1846, on the Des Moines River, a congre- 
 gation was organized in 1859. The Dalander fam- 
 ily, founders of the community, continued to play 
 an important part in its history. 
 
 Stratford (Swede Bend, 1859) was the first 
 Swedish settlement in Webster County, where la- 
 ter the prosperous communities of Dayton ( 1868) 
 and Gowrie (1871) grew up. The building of 
 railroads brought many immigrants to take up 
 land on the Iowa prairies and gave rise to such 
 communities as Alta (1874), Albert City (1873), 
 Manson (1871) and Pomeroy (1873). 
 
 Fort Dodge, formerly an Indian and army post, 
 became the county seat and an important railroad 
 and business center. Its first Lutheran church was 
 organized in 1870. Sioux City, on the Missouri 
 River at the juncture of three states, received ad- 
 ded importance as the gateway to South Dakota 
 and the gold fields in the Black Hills. When Des 
 Moines, which in 1847 was only a military post, 
 became the capital of Iowa, it grew rapidly. A 
 Swedish Lutheran church was organized there in 
 
 54 
 
1869. As pioneers in the state, the Swedish immi- 
 grants and their descendants have exercised no 
 small part in building up the prosperous Hawk- 
 eye state. 
 
 With the completion of the Burlington railroad, 
 attention was directed to the excellent farm land 
 along this road in the southwestern part of the 
 state. B. M. Halland, the pastor in Burlington, be- 
 came interested in the formation of a Swedish 
 colony in western Iowa. Seeking no personal profit 
 but only the welfare of his people, he succeeded in 
 spite of misunderstanding, criticism and many dif- 
 ficulties, in his efforts, and today the prosperous 
 Halland settlement stands as a monument to his 
 foresight. Early congregations were organized in 
 Stanton, Nyman and Hepburn (1870), Creston 
 (1871), Red Oak (1872) and Essex (1876). 
 
 For half a century the Iowa Conference main- 
 tained a large children's home at Stanton, but the 
 home was closed when changing conditions in- 
 dicated that the rural home had fulfilled its 
 mission. 
 
 In Iowa, where the pioneers found fertile soil 
 and built prosperous communities, most of the 67 
 
 Iowa Lutheran Hospital, Des Moines, has been de- 
 veloped by the Iowa Conference since 1914. 
 
 The Stanton, Iowa, Mamrelund Church, visible on 
 its hilltop for many miles, registers and welcomes by 
 name a score of strangers who each Sunday come to 
 see the church and to worship in it. 
 
Above— Bethesda Hospital, St. Paul, 
 Minnesota, was opened 66 years ago It is 
 operated by the Board of Christian Service 
 of the Minnesota Conference. 
 
 Left— Moline Lutheran Hospital, founded 
 in 1916, is directed by the Rock Island 
 District of the Illinois Conference. 
 
 Below— Trinity Lutheran Hospital of 
 Kansas City, Missouri, is owned by the 
 Kansas Conference. The hospital was es- 
 tablished in 1906. 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 iJl 
 
 Si 
 
 1 
 
Augustana Synod churches can turn back the 
 pages of their histories to the nineteenth century, 
 only 1 1 of the congregations having been founded 
 since 1900. The Iowa Conference, which includes 
 one parish in Missouri, supports a home for the 
 aged at Madrid and a large hospital in Des Moines, 
 participates in the Lutheran Welfare Work in 
 Iowa and helps support Augustana College. 
 
 Valley Colonies Expand 
 
 ON THEIR JOURNEY from New York to 
 the West, immigrants usually came by the 
 water route up the Hudson River, the Erie Canal 
 to Buffalo, and then over the Great Lakes. One 
 group, arriving in 1848, was left penniless in Buf- 
 falo, and became scattered. By a strange incident 
 some came into what is today Chandler's Valley, 
 then named Hessel Valley. Hasselquist visited the 
 place in 1853 and a church was organized the next 
 year. To this settlement Jonas Swensson came as 
 pastor in 1856. The colony expanded and resulted 
 in numerous congregations: Jamestown (1856), 
 Mayville and Kane (1870), Warren (1871). 
 
 The name of C. O. Hultgren is closely associ- 
 ated with Jamestown. Ordained as pastor of the 
 church, he labored here to the end of his days. He 
 was followed by Julius Lincoln, during whose min- 
 istry the present cathedral-like First Church was 
 built. 
 
 The New York Conference was organized in 
 1870, with only three pastors, four congregations 
 and 1,063 members. The work among the immi- 
 grants in the mines and mills in western New 
 York, Pennsylvania and Ohio was hard, and the 
 few pastors on these fields often grew discouraged. 
 But their heroic labors have borne fruit. The six 
 districts, Jamestown, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Wil- 
 liamsport, Wilcox and Warren number today 61 
 congregations. The name of G. Nelsenius should 
 be remembered as the tireless missionary who or- 
 ganized over thirty congregations and built more 
 than twenty churches. 
 
 Church work in the New York metropolitan 
 area, and especially among the descendants 
 of an immigrant population, presented peculiar 
 problems of its own. There the old and the 
 
 First Church is the oldest of four Augustana Synod 
 congregations in Jamestown, New York. 
 
 The Immigrant and Seamen's Home, New York City. 
 
 57 
 
new met; there the conflict between different 
 cultures was the sharpest. Dr. M. Stolpe as 
 pastor of the Gustavus Adolphus Church repre- 
 sented largely the Swedish cultural background; 
 Pastor Otto H. Bostrom, who recently com- 
 pleted his ministry in New York City, represent- 
 ed the Swedish culture Americanized. Around 
 the oldest churches, Gustavus Adolphus in 
 New York City ( 1 865 ) and Bethlehem in Brook- 
 lyn (1874), a number of other churches have 
 grown up, 20 in New York, 13 in New Jersey, 2 
 in Pennsylvania. 
 
 In Philadelphia, where "Old Swedes' Church," 
 built in 1699, still stands, our Synod has one con- 
 gregation (organized in 1874). Others are in Bal- 
 timore, Maryland (1889), Arlington, Virginia 
 (1945), and in Washington, D. C. (1918). 
 
 By 1880 the New York Conference had grown 
 to 11 pastors, 27 congregations, 3,101 communi- 
 cant members; in 1890 there were 47 pastors and 
 58 congregations. This was before the organization 
 of the New England Conference. 
 
 The 110 Augustana Synod churches of the New 
 York Conference of today are located in eight 
 states, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, 
 Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Alabama, and in 
 the District of Columbia. The Conference main- 
 tains, in Jamestown and Brooklyn, three homes of 
 charity, including two for the aged and one for 
 children, and shares in supporting Upsala College 
 at East Orange, New Jersey. 
 
 Augustana Church in Washington, D. C, is the 
 spiritual home and reunion place for Augustana Synod 
 people who come to the capital. 
 
 Gust Sanborn 
 
 Dr. L. B. Benson 
 
 Two veterans of a half century of service in the Lu- 
 theran Augustana Synod ministry are portrayed at a 
 happy reunion. They are Pastors J. W. Eckman and 
 C. J. Sodergren. 
 
 John Billdt Dr. C. A. Hultkrans 
 
 Representative of many leaders in charitable work 
 are the above superintendents, past and present, of 
 homes and institutions in the Augustana Synod. 
 
 58 
 
Grateful for their 
 blessings, many mem- 
 bers have given gen- 
 erously to help those 
 less fortunate. Such gifts 
 have helped make "the 
 sunset of life" more 
 pleasant for many. 
 
 Jn Old New England 
 
 THE NEW ENGLAND CONFERENCE was 
 until 1912 a part of the New York Confer- 
 ence. The two Conferences are still united in the 
 ownership, control and support of Upsala College. 
 
 New England industries, requiring skilled labor, 
 attracted the Swedish immigrants from the begin- 
 ning of the 1870's. The mother church of the New 
 England Conference is the one at Brockton, Mas- 
 sachusetts, organized in 1867. Through the ef- 
 forts of the American Minister to Sweden, W. W. 
 Thomas, a Swedish colony and church were or- 
 ganized in New Sweden, Maine, in 1871, with an 
 interesting history all its own. 
 
 Many immigrants landed in Boston. The Swed- 
 ish "Fosterlandsstiftelsen" placed a missionary, C. 
 F. Johanson, formerly of India, there. He served at 
 the Seamen's Mission in Boston and later became 
 pastor of the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Bos- 
 ton, organized in 1874. The oldest Augustana 
 Synod church in Connecticut is Zion, Portland, 
 Connecticut, organized 1874; and in Rhode Island 
 the First Church in East Greenwich and St. Paul's 
 in Pontiac were founded in 1874. Worcester, Mas- 
 sachusetts, with its many industries offered special 
 inducement for skilled workmen. The First Lu- 
 theran Church there was organized in 1881; to- 
 day Worcester has five Augustana churches. This 
 was the home of John and Thilda Jeppson, 
 through whose generosity and that of their son, 
 was made possible the erection of the New Eng- 
 land Conference's comfortable home for the aged 
 located there. First Church, the largest in the Con- 
 ference, has now united with Calvary and Bethany 
 Churches to form the Trinity Church, which has 
 
 In memory of John 
 and Thilda Jeppson, 
 shown here, funds were 
 given by their son, 
 George Jeppson, to build 
 and maintain a home 
 for the aged at Worces- 
 ter, Massachusetts. 
 
 a confirmed membership in excess of 2,500. In 
 addition, Zion and Emanuel Churches serve re- 
 spectively the constituency in the northern and 
 southern sections of the city. 
 
 Hartford, as the capital of the state, and New 
 Britain, with its many factories, attracted large 
 numbers of immigrants at the turn of the century. 
 First Church, New Britain ( 1881 ) , has over 1,700 
 members, while Emanuel, Hartford (1889), has 
 over 1,500. Bethesda Church in New Haven was 
 organized in 1883 and served as the spiritual home 
 of many Augustana men who have been teachers 
 and students at Yale University. 
 
 In Rhode Island the churches of Pontiac and 
 East Greenwich were organized in 1874, the earli- 
 est of the 14 churches in the Providence District. 
 Gloria Dei in Providence is the largest, with over 
 1,100 members. 
 
 The 84 churches of the New England Confer- 
 ence today are found in Massachusetts, Connecti- 
 cut, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire and 
 Vermont. The Conference has four thriving insti- 
 tutions, including Upsala College, a children's 
 home, a seamen's home, and a home for the aged. 
 
 i II II IU 
 
 i 
 
 First Lutheran, at Brockton, Massachusetts, was the 
 first congregation of the New England Conference. 
 
 59 
 
M owes leaders in 
 Nebraska 
 
 NEBRASKA, part of the Louisiana Purchase 
 (1803), was in 1850 an unbroken prairie, 
 divided by the Platte River. The eastern portion 
 constitutes good farming land; the rest was, prior 
 to irrigation developments, more or less arid. It 
 was the home of buffalo herds and Indians; then 
 came the larger ranches and the cattle barons; the 
 buffalos were exterminated and the Indians driven 
 into reservations. Omaha was an important trad- 
 ing post, the gateway for the overland trails for 
 the far west. In 1867 Nebraska acquired statehood 
 and, with the completion of the Union Pacific 
 railway, homesteaders began to pour into the 
 state. They built their homes of sod and, despite 
 frequent visitations of grasshoppers and drought, 
 the prairies were turned into fertile fields. 
 
 The Rev. S. G. Larson was called in 1868 by 
 the Synod to "make a missionary tour through the 
 western part of Iowa, through Kansas, and, if pos- 
 sible, parts of Nebraska and Missouri, in order to 
 visit the many settlements of Scandinavians, and 
 minister to their spiritual wants." He accepted the 
 call and began his labors in Omaha. He may right- 
 ly be called the "pioneer father" in this part of the 
 Synod. Soon others followed: J. S. Benzon, L. P. 
 Ahlquist, Nils Nordling, J. Torell, J. E. Swanbom, 
 E. A. Fogelstrom, J. E. Nordling, S. M. Hill, F. N. 
 Swanberg, C. H. Sodergren, P. J. Brodine, C. F. 
 Sandahl, C. O. Gulleen. 
 
 The Immanuel Lutheran Church, Omaha, was 
 started in 1868. Under the leadership of able pas- 
 tors, the congregation experienced a steady growth. 
 The Salem Church was organized in 1889 and the 
 Zion Church in 1902. The work expanded and in 
 1903 the Ebenezer Church, Florence, was formed. 
 This was merged in 1915 into the present Trinity 
 Church, and in 19 16 the Bethel Church was or- 
 ganized. A congregation at the Deaconess Institute 
 was formed in 1890. The Immanuel Church found 
 itself in an undesirable section of the city and in 
 1936 merged with Zion to form the Augustana 
 congregation. 
 
 A number of Swedish Lutherans from Illinois 
 settled in 1868 around Oakland. Missionary Lar- 
 
 son organized a congregation there, the second old- 
 est in the Conference, in 1869- From this center 
 other congregations were formed, including Mead 
 in 1870, Swedesburg and Wahoo in 1883. Luther 
 College was founded at Wahoo the same year. A 
 congregation was begun in Lincoln, the state cap- 
 ital, as early as 1870. 
 
 In 1872 some twenty-eight persons, former 
 members of the Varna congregation in Illinois, 
 came to Nebraska and settled in Polk County. Here 
 they built their sod houses and dugouts. They 
 named the place Swede Home. They experienced 
 the usual hardships of pioneer life. In 1878 a dev- 
 astating prairie fire swept over the community, 
 causing death, injuries and great loss of property. 
 After some difficulties, a congregation was organ- 
 ized in 1873. As the settlement expanded, congre- 
 gations were organized at Hordville ( 1880), New- 
 man Grove ( 1889) , and a number of other places. 
 The Rev. J. E. Nordling was pastor at Swede Home 
 for twenty-eight years. 
 
 Arthur A. Christenson K. G. Wm. Dahl 
 
 C. A. Lonnquist Aurora Swanberg 
 
 Builders of Bethphage Mission at Axtell, Nebraska. 
 
 60 
 
The miracle of the prairies, Bethphage Mission, at Axtell, Nebraska, was founded on 
 prayer in 1913 and has continued since then, through faith in God's mercy, to receive the 
 financial help it needs to give loving care to helpless and nearly-helpless invalids. 
 
 A number of persons from eastern Iowa had 
 been persuaded by land agents to come to Nebras- 
 ka. They settled in Kearney and Phelps Counties 
 in the "grasshopper year," 1875, living in sod 
 houses and dugouts on their homesteads. In 1876 
 Bethany Church at Axtell, the first to worship in 
 a sod church, had its beginnings. Bethany became 
 the mother church for others: Holdrege (1877); 
 Fridhem, Funk (1879); Trinity, Axtell; Nazareth, 
 Minden. The remarkable Bethphage Mission is lo- 
 cated at Axtell. The Saron Church, Saronville, was 
 organized in 1872. 
 
 When a railroad was opened in 1881 between 
 Sioux City, Iowa, and Norfolk, Nebraska, a num- 
 ber of Swedish farmers from Illinois and Iowa 
 bought land in the fertile region in the early 
 
 1880's. The Salem congregation at Wakefield was 
 organized by J. Torell in 1883 and became the 
 progenitor of several other congregations: Tabor, 
 Wausa (1885); Concord (1885); Bristow 
 (1894). 
 
 Nebraska Conference has three congregations 
 in Wyoming, with the one at Cheyenne, organ- 
 ized in 1884, the largest, and two in South Dakota. 
 
 Between 1868 and 1886 there were twenty-nine 
 congregations organized in the Nebraska territory; 
 since then forty-five have been formed. In the 
 course of its history some twenty-five congrega- 
 tions have been dissolved or merged with others. 
 
 The congregations west of the Mississippi were 
 organized in 1868 into the West Mississippi Con- 
 ference, which in 1870 was divided into the Iowa 
 
 S. G. Larson founded 
 the first parishes and 
 built the first churches 
 in Nebraska. His life 
 often was threatened by 
 rough frontiersmen. 
 
 Lars A. Hocanzon or- 
 ganized 17 congrega- 
 tions in Minnesota, Tex- 
 as, Montana and Iowa 
 during 49 years of ser- 
 vice in the Synod. 
 
 61 
 
fl 
 
 ET-. 
 
 i m 
 
 ,-■*• 
 
 ^fe>' 
 
 '. PI 
 
 as 
 
 
 Immanuel Deaconess Institute, established at 
 Omaha, Nebraska, in 1890, is a collection of many 
 institutions of mercy on a single site — a training 
 school for deaconesses, a general hospital, an in- 
 valid home, a home for the aged, and a children's 
 home. Above is a picture of the Deaconess Home. 
 Dr. Samuel M. Miller, right, is director of the 
 vast institution of 30 buildings and more than 
 COO employees. 
 
 and Kansas Conferences, the latter including also 
 Nebraska, Missouri, and, later, Wyoming and 
 Colorado. As the number of congregations in- 
 creased, those in Nebraska petitioned to be per- 
 mitted to organize as a separate conference. After 
 some opposition from Kansas had been overcome, 
 the petition was granted by the Synod in 1886. 
 
 The Nebraska Conference now consists of fifty 
 congregations. It has within its borders the Deacon- 
 ess Institute at Omaha, Luther College, the Beth- 
 phage Mission at Axtell and a children's home. 
 The Conference has been characterized by a zeal 
 for foreign missions and has furnished large num- 
 bers of missionaries for the various fields. 
 
 62 
 
Some of the buildings of Immanuel Deaconess In- 
 stitute, Omaha, Nebraska, are shown on this page. 
 Above, the Immanuel Home for the Aged; left, the 
 home for invalids; below, left, Alfred Bloom Hall, an 
 auditorium, and the Immanuel Deaconess Church. 
 
 
 63 
 

 rxsu 
 
 fir ft 
 
 ,-fe^'iM 
 
 
 
 
 The Oratorio Society of Lindsborg has brought international fame to Bethany College 
 and to Kansas. Lindsborg's "Messiah Chorus" has been the subject of articles in national 
 magazines, and music lovers travel hundreds of miles to hear the chorus, which was or- 
 ganized in 1882, and which has broadcast over nationwide radio hookups. 
 
 Colonists Melp to Settle Kansas 
 
 NEAR LINDSBORG, KANSAS, rises a series 
 of hills called Coronado Heights, revealing 
 the presence of the Spaniards in the section four 
 centuries ago. But the Indians retained undisputed 
 rule for the next three hundred years. About 
 1822 the first prairie schooners came along the 
 Santa Fe trail. Kansas became a "territory" in 1854 
 and was admitted to the Union as a state in 1861. 
 Its population then of 8,500 rose to 364,000 by 
 1869, when the first railroad was built across the 
 state. 
 
 Mission work among the Indian tribes had been 
 carried on from about 1820 by Catholics, Presby- 
 terians, and Methodists. The first Lutheran service 
 was held in Leavenworth by the Rev. Josiah B. 
 McAfee. He was helpful in directing the Swedish 
 immigrants into the state about 1868 through 
 contacts with the railroads, which had secured 
 large tracts of land. There was also, of course, free 
 government land, awaiting the settlers. 
 
 The first group of Swedes to come to Kansas 
 were those who constituted the "Mariadahl settle- 
 ment." John A. and N. P. Johnson had come from 
 Sweden in a company of immigrants to Andover 
 and Galesburg, Illinois, in 1852. Hearing of the 
 free land offered in Kansas, these brothers and 
 others, set out in 1856 on the long and lonely trek. 
 With oxen and prairie schooners they traveled 
 along the Mormon trail through Iowa and Mis- 
 souri to the Blue River Valley, near where Man- 
 hattan is today. In honor of the mother of the 
 Johnsons, the place was named Mariadahl (Mary's 
 Valley). 
 
 Seeking a pastor, John A. Johnson wrote to 
 Hasselquist, who sent to them the Rev. John John- 
 son, who was serving the church in Princeton, Il- 
 linois. He came and after a stay of some six weeks 
 organized a congregation in 1863. This is the 
 mother church in the Kansas Conference. The 
 pastor described his visit to Kansas in Hemlandet; 
 the article, read by many in Illinois, induced many 
 Swedish immigrants to migrate to Kansas, where 
 there was plenty of cheap land. 
 
 While Mariadahl was the first, the Smoky Hill 
 River settlement was the largest and most notable 
 of the Swedish immigrants' colonies in Kansas. The 
 first Swede to come, about 1855, was an eccentric 
 person by the name of Carlberg, who lived a 
 hermit life. L. O. Jaderborg, after various adventur- 
 ous experiences, came to Salina in 1858 or 1859. 
 In the following years a number of small groups 
 arrived from the northern states, stopping at Law- 
 
 The Mariadahl Lutheran Church, the mother church 
 in the Kansas Conference, is a pretty, white stone 
 structure and nestles in a lovely valley. 
 
 64 
 
rence, Junction City and other places, picking up 
 work, especially in railroad construction, or settling 
 on claims. Some came to Salina, which then had 
 only two loghouses and a sawmill. Some of the 
 Swedes drifted into the Smoky Hill Valley, liked 
 the looks of the land, went back to Junction City, 
 where the land office was located, and filed claims 
 for 160 acres apiece. In a short time their dug- 
 outs were ready. 
 
 That was the beginning of Lindsborg. Indians 
 and cowboys roamed over the settlers' first patches 
 of corn; other difficulties had to be faced, but the 
 pioneers persevered, other settlers came, and the 
 colony grew. 
 
 The largest influx of settlers in this part of 
 Kansas came through the First Swedish Agricultur- 
 al Company of McPherson County, a land com- 
 pany organized in Chicago and chartered in 1868. 
 The company contracted with the Union Pacific 
 Railroad Company for 16,000 acres of land for 
 $29,629.00; homestead land was also preempted. 
 The land was sold and settlers came rapidly into 
 the colony. While the company was a commercial 
 enterprise, the organizers contemplated a colony of 
 Christians of the Lutheran faith. High moral 
 standards were to be enforced. The settlement was 
 named "Lindsborg" from the names of the organiz- 
 ers, Lind, Lindgren and Lindahl. The company do- 
 nated 80 acres of land for a Lutheran church. 
 
 A second land company was formed in Gales- 
 burg by men who sent a committee to investigate 
 possible locations for colonization. The choice fell 
 on Kansas and in 1869 many came to the Smoky 
 River Valley. The Rev. A. W. Dahlsten, then pas- 
 tor in Galesburg, who was among those interested 
 in the colonization enterprise, came down to look 
 after the religious needs. He organized congrega- 
 tions in Fremont and Salemsborg. The stream of 
 settlers continued flowing for a number of years 
 into the valley, resulting in many new communi- 
 ties in which congregations were eventually or- 
 ganized. 
 
 Some of those congregations have large mem- 
 berships; from all of them have come men and 
 women who have contributed materially and in- 
 tellectually to the life of the state and have ex- 
 erted much influence on its social and political 
 as well as on its religious life. 
 
 Western Kansas seemed to offer some oppor- 
 tunity for colonization. A land company was 
 formed in Lindsborg, known as the Southwestern 
 Swedish Colonization Company, sponsored by 
 some of the pastors as well as by leading laymen. 
 A number of people moved into this part of the 
 state, congregations were organized in Page City 
 (1887), in Sharon Springs (1888), Stockholm 
 (1888). The colonies flourished in 1889, but hot 
 winds soon scorched the fields, drought and crop 
 failures discouraged further efforts at colonization 
 with the result that the congregations have re- 
 mained comparatively small. 
 
 One of the leading spirits in the Swedish Colo- 
 nization Company, organized in Chicago, was John 
 Ferm from Varmland, Sweden. He wrote to friends 
 in his home community, inviting them to come to 
 America to join the company. Among those who 
 responded were Carl R. Carlson, Jan Johnson and 
 N. Anderson and their families. They were "pie- 
 tists" and friends of Olof Olsson, then pastor in 
 Sunemo, and known as an earnest preacher of the 
 pietistic type. Olsson was at that time very un- 
 happy over the sad spiritual conditions prevailing 
 among both clergy and laity within the State 
 Church and the harsh and hostile attitude toward 
 all who manifested deeper religious experiences. 
 The spiritual revivals, then strong in the province 
 of Varmland, were already beginning to show ten- 
 dencies toward separation in the formation of "con- 
 venticles." There were many thinking of forming a 
 "free Church of true believers." In bidding fare- 
 well to emigrants to Kansas, Olsson is reported to 
 have said: "If you find a place in America where 
 the children of God can live in peace and worship 
 God according to their heart's desire, let me know, 
 and I will follow you." 
 
 The party arrived in Lindsborg late in 1868. 
 They took Olsson at his word, invited him to come 
 and bring others with him. In accepting the in- 
 vitation, however, Olsson had in mind not only to 
 serve the group in Kansas, but also to minister to 
 the liberated Negroes, in whose spiritual welfare 
 he had become interested. Olsson brought his fam- 
 ily and a company of 250 others. They were not 
 only interested in finding a new home, but also in 
 organizing a church untrammeled by the inter- 
 ference of state control. 
 
 65 
 
Dinner time in the Bethany Home for the Aged at 
 Lindsborg, Kansas. 
 
 Exterior views of the buildings of Bethany Home 
 for the Aged. 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Olsson and his company arrived 
 in Chicago in 1869- There Olsson met Erland 
 Carlsson and, together with his old schoolmate, 
 the Rev. A. W. Dahlsten, Olsson attended a meet- 
 ing of the Augustana Synod in Moline, Illinois, 
 where he was welcomed, and at which meeting he 
 preached. From there he went to Kansas and at 
 once became the leader in the steadily growing 
 community. 
 
 In Kansas, as elsewhere, pioneering meant 
 hardship, sacrifice, disappointments. Life in the 
 dugouts and shacks was primitive. Grasshoppers 
 often destroyed the fruits of much labor. Texas 
 cattle herds often overran the land; there was con- 
 stant fear of the Indians, who, while ordinarily 
 friendly, had massacred some settlers. To pay for 
 their land the men worked on railway construc- 
 tion, for the Union Pacific and the Santa Fe were 
 pushing their tracks through the state. 
 
 But in the midst of the labors and their hard- 
 ships, their religious interest did not lag. The ma- 
 jority were from Varmland; they were Lutherans, 
 but children of the spiritual revivals that ran 
 through that province. They were one in spirit in 
 desiring freedom from religious and political op- 
 pression. They were poor, but they enjoyed, at 
 least, social equality. 
 
 On August 19, 1869, the Bethany Church, 
 Lindsborg, was organized. Ideals of a pure church 
 are reflected in the constitution adopted. While the 
 members accepted the Lutheran confession as the 
 rule of faith, they wanted to maintain a friendly 
 relation with those of other Protestant faiths; 
 members were to be received and admitted to the 
 Lord's Supper only after "they have been examined 
 
 by the pastor and the deacons according to the 
 Word of God concerning a genuine conversion." 
 Even under such discipline, human imperfections 
 creep in, as was manifested when the question of 
 the location of the church was to be settled, an 
 issue which threatened the unity if not the exist- 
 ence of the church. The first church was finally 
 built in 1 874 after much controversy. The growth 
 of the congregation made it necessary to rebuild 
 several times in the course of time. Large families 
 were the rule; the Esping family, for example, 
 which received words of congratulations from 
 President Theodore Roosevelt, included fifteen 
 children. 
 
 The peace of the church was disturbed also in 
 1874 by the Waldenstromian schism, to the great 
 sorrow and distress of Pastor Olsson. Many per- 
 sons left the church, among them some of Pastor 
 Olsson's closest friends of many years. In his ef- 
 fort to stem the movement, Olsson was driven to 
 a re-examination of the Lutheran doctrine of the 
 atonement. His studies attracted the notice of the 
 Synod to him, as a theologian, and prepared the 
 way for his call as professor in the Synod's theolog- 
 ical seminary in 1876. With his acceptance of this 
 call, his work in Lindsborg was concluded, but his 
 influence and the fruits of his labors remain. 
 
 The name of Carl A. Swensson, who was called 
 to be Dr. Olsson's successor in Lindsborg, has be- 
 come so intimately associated with Lindsborg, that 
 the two are almost synonymous. Olsson had laid 
 a good foundation, but there were many elements 
 of conflict in the new settlement. A strong per- 
 sonality was needed to direct developments and to 
 achieve unity in the enterprise of community 
 
 66 
 
•heabenlg # 
 
 Homes for sailors and immigrants were among the 
 early responsibilities of the Augustana Synod. Above 
 is the Lutheran Seamen's Home, East Boston, Massa- 
 chusetts. 
 
 Christmas Day at a Lutheran 
 Service Center. 
 
 building. Such a personality was found in C. A. 
 Swensson. The eminent gifts of this man, amount- 
 ing almost to genius, and his prodigious labors and 
 the results achieved have made him a heroic figure 
 in the history of our Church. 
 
 About a hundred miles south of Kansas City, 
 Missouri, a Swedish settlement was begun in 1869 
 on land that had been opened to settlers in 1868. 
 A number of families came there from Farmers- 
 ville and Knoxville, Illinois. Most of the land had 
 been bought under the impression that it was gov- 
 ernment land. It turned out, however, that this 
 land had been granted to the railroad. The set- 
 tlers were therefore compelled, in spite of protests, 
 to buy a second time the land they had already 
 improved. Scourges of grasshoppers were especially 
 severe in 1874 and 1887. Many had to seek work 
 in coal mines near Fort Scott, many miles away. 
 Roads were either non-existent or often impassable. 
 
 The first pastor to visit this settlement was the 
 Rev. A. Andreen in 1870. An interesting com- 
 munication was addressed to the Kansas Confer- 
 ence in 1871 as follows: "We need, we wish, we 
 desire to be visited by pastors, but if this will not 
 avail, we demand it, because we belong to the body 
 of the Swedish Lutheran Church of America, and 
 consider ourselves in no way severed from it, al- 
 though we are now living in a spiritual desert." 
 The records indicate that a number of pastors 
 made visits here until a congregation was organ- 
 ized January 16, 1872, by the Rev. S. J. Osterberg 
 
 Above — The Immanuel Women's Home of Chicago 
 provides rooms and meals for girls and women who 
 otherwise would be without such Christian influence 
 in the big city. 
 
 Below — The Augustana Young Women's Home, Min- 
 neapolis, Minnesota. 
 
of Kansas City. The church was called "Friends 
 Home," from the Swedish "Wannersborg." 
 
 After a hard and sometimes bitter struggle of 
 almost ten years, the congregation was at last es- 
 tablished and could worship in a church built by 
 the members' own hands. The congregation has 
 given the Church three pastors and one deaconess. 
 
 The Kansas Conference, including a portion of 
 Colorado, has 55 churches, three institutional 
 homes, a hospital at Kansas City, Missouri, and a 
 college, Bethany at Lindsborg, Kansas. 
 
 Jn the Cone Star State 
 
 THE AUGUSTANA CHURCHES in the Lone 
 Star State, which now constitute the Texas 
 Conference, were previously part of the Kansas 
 Conference. The Swedes in Texas have, however, 
 an independent history. The beginnings reach 
 back to 1838 and center about S. M. Swensson, 
 and his uncle, Svante Palm, Swedish vice consul, 
 who came to this country about 1844. The former 
 had an adventurous career and amassed a consid- 
 erable fortune. He was a slave owner, but being 
 opposed to secession, he sold his slaves and fled to 
 Mexico at the outbreak of the Civil War. He man- 
 
 aged to save part of his fortune, and at the close 
 of the war, moved to New York and engaged in 
 banking. He was instrumental in bringing a num- 
 ber of Swedes to Texas. After the war Swedes 
 came in large numbers to Texas on "labor con- 
 tracts." They suffered many hardships in working 
 off the debt for their passage to America. 
 
 The Synod's attention was called to Texas by a 
 letter from there in 1868. Again in 1873 the need 
 of work among other Swedes in that state was 
 urged. In 1875 S. P. A. Lindahl and L. A. Hocan- 
 zon visited Texas and helped to form congrega- 
 tions in Austin and Round Rock. In 1876 the Rev. 
 M. Noyd was ordained as missionary to Texas and 
 served there many years. New Sweden Church at 
 Manor was organized in 1876, followed by Gal- 
 veston (1892), El Campo (1893), Hutto 
 (1892), Lund (1897). Churches also have been 
 organized in Houston (1898), Fort Worth 
 (1905), Avoca and Dallas (1906). 
 
 Of the pastors who have labored on this out- 
 post of the Synod, Dr. J. A. Stamline is the most 
 outstanding. He died in 1928 after serving in Texas 
 for fifty years. Largely through his initiative, Trin- 
 ity College at Round Rock was organized in 1906, 
 and, although it eventually ceased to be, its mis- 
 sion certainly was not in vain. The Texas Confer- 
 ence has sixteen Augustana Synod congregations 
 and a growing mission field. 
 
 At Bethel Lutheran Church of Ericksdahl, Texas, 
 Dr. Hugo B. Haterius has been pastor since 1919. 
 
 Qoldseekers Wild Churches 
 
 IN THE 1870's the discovery of gold brought 
 many goldseekers to Denver, Colorado, a 
 central point in the Rockies. A number of Swedes 
 camped around Golden and there a congregation 
 was organized in 1873. The church building re- 
 mains, but the congregation has disappeared. 
 
 The Mission Committee of the Synod sent pas- 
 tors, Winquist, Auslund, Rydholm and Lagerman, 
 to visit this territory. A congregation was organ- 
 ized in Denver in 1878. In 1880 John Telleen be- 
 came pastor there and laid the foundation for 
 future work. Dr. G. A. Brandelle, former Synod 
 president, served there many years. The church at 
 Longmont was organized in 1878; its first stone 
 church is still standing. Other important Synod 
 centers are Greeley, Loveland, and Pueblo. 
 
 68 
 
Ladies' Aid Societies long have been important affiliates of Augustana Synod congre- 
 gations. Women's groups such as the one above combine spiritual programs with plans for 
 helping to raise money for a new organ, new carpeting, or other church building im- 
 provements. 
 
 The goldrush of 1849 brought many Swedes to 
 California. Some sold their farms in Illinois and 
 Iowa and followed the trail in oxcarts or on foot 
 to the Pacific Coast. Some returned while others 
 stayed to become the foundation stones of future 
 congregations. Pastors J. Auslund and C. P. Ryd- 
 holm spent some time on the coast. Peter Carlson 
 came later but found little response to his efforts. 
 It was not until 1882 that a congregation was or- 
 ganized in San Francisco by J. Telleen. Churches 
 organized in the 1880's were San Jose, Oakland, 
 Templeton, Kingsburg, Los Angeles, and River- 
 side. 
 
 The California Conference today includes thirty- 
 five congregations of the Synod and many are 
 growing rapidly as thousands of people move to 
 new homes on the Pacific Coast and as home mis- 
 sion activities expand, not least in and around the 
 great San Francisco Bay area and in other parts 
 of northern, central and southern sunny California. 
 
 Peter Carlson may well be called the "apostle" 
 to the Swedes in the great Northwest. The reader 
 has met him before, in Minnesota. In failing 
 health, he planned to go to Colorado to recuperate 
 at an age when many thought his active days 
 were at an end. Then the Synod called him in 1879 
 to spend a year on the West Coast. The one year 
 grew into many. 
 
 Adventurous Swedes had pressed on through 
 forests and over mountains to the Pacific. They 
 were a motley crowd of individualists. By necessity 
 or choice they shared the rough life of the wild 
 West, little troubled by either religion or conven- 
 tionalities. Their morals and habits were not above 
 reproach. They worked in the forests and sawmills, 
 mines and fisheries, and on small farms. They came 
 from all quarters and were held together only by 
 accidental circumstances and shifted easily from 
 place to place. It was out of this material that the 
 missionary was to build the kingdom of God. Of 
 course, there were also those who felt a hunger for 
 the Word and the sacraments; most of them re- 
 membered something of the catechism they had 
 learned back in Sweden. 
 
 After an adventurous journey, the first among 
 many to follow, Carlson arrived in Portland, Ore- 
 gon. Renting a small Episcopal church at $10 a 
 month, Carlson gathered what people he could 
 and after two months was able to organize a con- 
 gregation, December 28, 1879. Other places visit- 
 ed were Tacoma, Seattle, Vancouver. For Astoria, 
 Oregon, he built the first Augustana church on the 
 West Coast in 1880. By incessant labor and jour- 
 neys many and in dangers without number, he 
 sought out the Swedes in every place. In Moscow, 
 
 69 
 
First Immanuel Lutheran Church of Portland, Ore- 
 gon, was the first congregation of the Columbia 
 Conference. 
 
 Idaho, he eventually made his home. At the age 
 of 86 years, he was laid to rest in 1909. 
 
 To follow Carlson on his missionary journeys 
 would be to write the story of the beginnings of 
 what today constitutes the Columbia Conference. 
 He has himself told this story in his reports in a 
 realistic manner that for drama rivals fiction. He 
 labored long, alone, with patient tenacity and de- 
 votion. Eventually other laborers came and the 
 work grew. 
 
 In 1880 the Cordelia Church, Lenville, Idaho, 
 was organized and in 1883 a church was built. 
 That same year Dr. E. Norelius came to the West 
 Coast as missionary superintendent for a year, and 
 greatly encouraged the work. In Spokane, a con- 
 gregation was organized in 1886. 
 
 Dr. Erland Carlsson, then president of the 
 Synod, visited the West Coast in 1882. He recom- 
 
 mended that the six congregations then existing on 
 the coast form a district. This was done at a meet- 
 ing in Portland, Oregon, on April 7, 1883, and 
 was known as the West Coast Mission District, 
 under the supervision of the Synodical Mission 
 Board. The newly formed district was divided into 
 a northern and a southern division. In 1888 the 
 district became a conference, which again was di- 
 vided in 1893 into two conferences: the California 
 and the Columbia. The work has continued to ex- 
 pand on the Pacific Coast and constitutes today one 
 of the Synod's most important mission fields. 
 
 In the course of time the picture of the Pacific 
 Coast has changed. Large numbers of former 
 church members from the eastern and middle 
 western states have moved to the coast, either to 
 the larger cities, or to form small colonies in fruit- 
 raising areas. 
 
 The Columbia Conference today is composed of 
 54 congregations in five western states and in Can- 
 ada. The Conference maintains a hospital in As- 
 toria, Oregon, a hospice in Seattle, and a home for 
 the aged. Emanuel Hospital in Portland stands as 
 a living monument to Augustana Lutheran love 
 and devotion in the great Northwest. Seamen's 
 work has for years been conducted by Augustana 
 Lutherans in Seattle. 
 
 Jh floumey'Mgs and in Perils 
 
 ^"pHE RED RIVER VALLEY, Superior and 
 
 J- Columbia Conferences had their beginnings 
 
 in the missionary work begun by those who 
 
 braved the North's blizzards as early as the 1850's. 
 
 The pioneer pastors looked upon themselves as 
 missionaries. Their labors were not limited to the 
 particular congregation they served, but extended 
 as far as their strength and traveling conditions 
 permitted, and the congregations were very willing 
 to permit their pastors to bring the Word and sac- 
 raments to their countrymen elsewhere. There was 
 little need for rules and regulations. The growing 
 missionary needs were discussed constantly at the 
 conference meetings. 
 
 When the Synod was organized in I860, a 
 mission committee was appointed and Eric Nore- 
 lius was chosen as a full-time missionary; others 
 
 70 
 
were called for longer or shorter periods to visit 
 the increasing number of settlements. Pastors were 
 requested to spend a month or more on new fields; 
 gifted laymen were licensed to preach. Repeated 
 appeals were sent to pastors in Sweden to "come 
 over and help us" but with meager results. 
 
 In 1870 the Augustana Synod realized the need 
 of organizing its mission work more definitely. 
 The task was overwhelming. No fewer than 34 
 new congregations were received into the Synod 
 that year; there were other fields "whitening unto 
 harvest." But where to find laborers? Dr. Has- 
 selquist was that year in Sweden in the interest of 
 the expanding work. Several candidates came, but 
 more were needed. After serious discussions, im- 
 portant decisions were reached. A fundamental 
 one was that "missions are no longer regarded as 
 a side issue in the program of the Church" to be 
 carried by a few individuals or a society, but are 
 a vital part of the work of the Church itself, fun- 
 damental to its very life. "The Church is the true 
 and best missionary society." 
 
 The new plan adopted by the Synod provided 
 for a Central Home Mission Board, whose duty it 
 was "to see to it that our widely scattered country- 
 men are provided with the preaching of the Word 
 and the administration of the sacraments," with 
 the right for this purpose "to call and commission 
 itinerant preachers, catechists and colporteurs." 
 "Each conference of the Synod shall constitute a 
 mission district," the president of which shall rep- 
 resent the central boards and together with two 
 pastors and two laymen, elected by the conference, 
 constitute a conference mission board. The con- 
 ference shall hold monthly meetings or be divided 
 into smaller mission districts for this purpose when 
 the cause of missions shall be the subject of ser- 
 mons and discussions. The conferences shall also 
 endeavor to find suitable and qualified men as 
 missionaries and recommend such to the Central 
 Board. The conferences shall also gather funds for 
 missions and benevolent institutions. The congre- 
 gations shall hold "prayer services for missions 
 once a month" and adopt a "systematic program 
 of benevolences," and "the church council in each 
 congregation shall as far as possible constitute the 
 mission board of the congregation," and "promote 
 the cause of missions by organizing sewing socie- 
 ties, gathering mission funds, and conducting 
 
 prayer services for missions." These provisions 
 were well calculated to meet the needs. 
 
 The Central Mission Board called a number of 
 men to serve in various directions. Thus P. A. Ce- 
 derstam served in Minnesota, S. P. A. Lindahl 
 made extensive journeys in the West. G. E. Ber- 
 gren served in New York Conference, S. G. Larson 
 in Kansas and Nebraska, C. P. Rydholm in Colo- 
 rado, J. Auslund for some time in San Francisco, 
 Peter Carlson in Minnesota, and later in the Pacific 
 Northwest. The individual conferences also called 
 missionaries to labor within their respective terri- 
 tories. G. Nelsenius, for example, worked with 
 great results in the New York Conference, organ- 
 izing more than thirty congregations. 
 
 The plan, however, tended in the direction of de- 
 centralization. The conferences were given greater 
 responsibility for their missions. They naturally re- 
 alized their own great needs and were likely to 
 let these take precedence over those represented 
 by the Central Board, especially as the new plan 
 provided that "the mission board of each confer- 
 ence shall have the right to use more or less of the 
 home mission funds which it collects on its own 
 field." It was usually more, with the result that 
 the Central Board found itself handicapped in its 
 work for lack of sufficient funds. Both in home 
 mission and other activities the conferences became 
 practically district synods. Conference presidents 
 became mission superintendents; field secretaries 
 were employed until finally all that remained for 
 the Central Mission Board were fields that were 
 
 Augustana Central Home in Chicago is the head- 
 quarters of Inner Mission work of the Illinois Con- 
 ference. The home provides board and room for 65 
 guests who seek a Christian home away from home. 
 
 71 
 
outside of conference boundaries, such as the Inter- 
 Mountain Districts, Utah, Alaska, Alabama and 
 Florida. 
 
 With the rapid growth of the Synod during the 
 peak of immigration and as long as the missionary 
 spirit animated pastors and people, this plan was 
 probably the most effective. But when immigra- 
 tion practically ceased and congregations began to 
 become more self -centered, missionary interest 
 lagged. Then with the language transition a new 
 missionary problem arose. It became necessary not 
 only to minister to the Americanized children of 
 the pioneers, but also to neighbors of other na- 
 tional extraction. This problem arose first in the 
 Minnesota Conference, and then came into the 
 General Council, a general Lutheran body, organ- 
 ized in 1867, which the Augustana Synod joined 
 in 1870. The plan created considerable complica- 
 tions and ultimately resulted in the formation of 
 the Synod of the Northwest. But the stimulation 
 to take up English home missions was given and in 
 1908 the Association of English Churches of the 
 Synod was organized with its own field secretary. 
 The process of Americanization, especially after 
 the first World War, was greatly accelerated and 
 in 1936 the association was considered to have 
 fulfilled its purpose and was discontinued. 
 
 By 1920 the membership had become almost 
 static. Shifting population with a drift toward the 
 cities caused rural congregations to dwindle and 
 some to dissolve. Few new congregations were or- 
 ganized or new fields occupied. The annual statis- 
 tics tell the story. The matter became the object of 
 prayer and earnest consideration. 
 
 The heroic missionary zeal of the Synod's pio- 
 neers and their untiring labors on behalf of their 
 countrymen is an inspiration for those who later 
 have entered into their labors. But their earnest 
 cry for help from the mother church in Sweden 
 was almost fruitless. Even such friends of our 
 Synod as Wieselgren dared not write a pamphlet 
 as a guide for emigrants for fear it might be con- 
 strued as an endorsement of emigration. While 
 many in Sweden were interested in supporting 
 missions in Asia and Africa, only six ordained men 
 had responded to the call from America, and of 
 those two had returned. The men who offered 
 themselves for service in America and who were 
 
 trained at the Lutheran Augustana Synod's ex- 
 pense, came mostly from the Ahlberg and Fjell- 
 stedt schools for missionaries and colporteurs. 
 
 The missionary interest in America was not 
 limited to serving Swedish immigrants. Dr. Olsson 
 had come to America with the intention of doing 
 mission work among the liberated Negroes. And, 
 perhaps inspired by the example of a John Campa- 
 nius of the Swedes on the Delaware, the Synod was 
 for a number of years in the 1870's interested in tak- 
 ing up mission work among the American Indians. 
 Fields were investigated, negotiations were under-' 
 taken, money collected and a missionary called. 
 Two Indian youths were enrolled at Augustana 
 College as possible future missionaries, but the 
 idealistic plan could not be realized. 
 
 There were nearer tasks at hand. Immigrants at 
 eastern ports were poorly cared for, without 
 spiritual guidance, bewildered, often the prey of 
 unconscionable agents and "runners." Moved by 
 these conditions, pastors in Brooklyn and New 
 York, E. A. Fogelstrom and A. Rodell, did what 
 they could to assist. Similar conditions prevailed 
 in Chicago. Eventually the Synod established an 
 immigrant mission service, with A. B. Lilja in New 
 York and C. A. Landfors in Chicago as mission- 
 aries. C. Schuck served the New York home a 
 number of years. A missionary who served well 
 and long in New York is Axel C. H. Helander, 
 now retired from active work. 
 
 The work was for a time carried on in connec- 
 tion with the General Council. Efforts to gain as- 
 sistance for this work from Sweden failed, al- 
 though the "Fosterlandsstiftelsen" contributed 
 some to this work and to the seamen's mission 
 carried on by C. F. Johansson in Boston. While the 
 mission has passed through many struggles, due to 
 misunderstanding, lack of funds and other causes, 
 it has performed a service which cannot be meas- 
 ured in material or visible results. The hospitality 
 of the seamen's homes, the friendly welcome and 
 kindly helpfulness of the missionaries have been 
 greatly appreciated by thousands. 
 
 In the 1850's the Mormons were carrying on 
 propaganda in Scandinavia. Their glowing pictures 
 of America, with free land and other inducements, 
 attracted many. The Mormons' practice of polyg- 
 amy and hierarchical system of government natur- 
 
 72 
 
Peter Carlson labored 
 50 years as an Augus- 
 tana pastor and found- 
 ed 32 congregations in 
 Minnesota and the far 
 west. Some of his par- 
 ishes were 620 miles 
 long. 
 
 Gustaf Nelsenius es- 
 tablished 32 congrega- 
 tions and directed the 
 building of 21 churches 
 in the New York Con- 
 ference during 31 years 
 of work there. 
 
 -ally were not mentioned. Sweden had in 1858 
 passed a law of religious freedom; attempts to pre- 
 vent the Mormon agents from proselyting would 
 have been construed as an attack on the religious 
 freedom for which Baptists, the liberal press and 
 separatists generally had been fighting. According 
 to the report of the mission board in 1887 "nearly 
 half of the Mormons in Utah had formerly been 
 Lutherans," many of them being Swedes. Upon 
 their arrival, they soon found themselves deluded, 
 but there was little turning back after they once 
 were within the embraces of the Mormon organiz- 
 ation. 
 
 The official attention of the Synod was called 
 to these unfortunates at a meeting in 1881. On the 
 basis of an investigation made by Telleen in 1882, 
 S. M. Hill was sent as the first missionary to Utah, 
 and he organized a congregation in Salt Lake City. 
 He published a paper called "Sighs of Sodom" to ac- 
 quaint the Synod with the true condition. He found 
 the field most difficult. A small beginning was 
 made, but as missionaries stayed there for only 
 short periods, progress was slow. J. A. Krantz was 
 called in 1885, and for some years the work was 
 quite promising. A. P. Fors, F. A. Linder, A. P. 
 Martin, P. Peterson, A. Grunberg, P. E. Asler, E. 
 Rydberg, O. A. Elmquist and others labored on 
 this field for longer or shorter periods. The lack 
 of men and means and opposition from the Mor- 
 mons made the work discouraging. Work was also 
 begun at Ogden, Provo, and other places. 
 
 Since the admission of Utah as a state, condi- 
 tions have greatly changed; but Mormonism is still 
 active. Few Lutherans are recruited, but compara- 
 tively few are reclaimed for the Lutheran faith. 
 A slow but steady growth, however, marks the pres- 
 ent situation on this outpost of our Synod's mis- 
 sion, now part of the Columbia Conference. 
 
 From Utah and elsewhere Swedes came to Idaho 
 in the '70's. Occasional missionary visits were made 
 in 1880 to Idaho Falls, Boise and other places. 
 Peter Peterson was the first missionary in these 
 parts. Congregations were organized in Idaho 
 Falls (1898), Firth (1898), Boise (1906) and 
 Blackfoot (1904). 
 
 Montana, as its name implies, is largely moun- 
 tainous with rich mines. Its largest cities are Butte, 
 Helena, Anaconda, and Great Falls. Swedes and 
 Finns had reached Montana already in the early 
 '80's. The life in mining towns, with no Sunday 
 observance, was usually drab and rough; mission- 
 ary work was difficult. Norelius visited a camp here 
 in 1882 and found conditions very primitive. "A 
 flour barrel covered with a buffalo hide served as 
 a pulpit, and also as a bunk in which I slept," he 
 wrote. 
 
 Peter Carlson preached in Helena in 1885; in 
 the '90's the number of Swedes greatly increased, 
 but not until 1895 was a missionary secured in the 
 person of Augustus G. Olsson, who did not remain 
 long, however. A congregation was organized in 
 Helena in 1895. Some sort of an organization was 
 formed in Butte in 1896. Seven calls were issued 
 by the mission board before one was accepted. C. 
 E. Frisk was in 1900 our only pastor in the state, 
 serving the Helena congregation, without a church. 
 "There is not, according to my knowledge, a single 
 English Lutheran church in Montana. If we now 
 only had a church, we could also serve these, our 
 English speaking brethren in the faith," wrote 
 Pastor Frisk. In Butte the veteran missionary, L. A. 
 Hocanzon, came in 1900 and succeeded in building 
 a church there. He also visited Anaconda, Mis- 
 soula, and Great Falls, where eventually congre- 
 gations were established. "There are at least 20,000 
 Swedes in Montana," reported Hocanzon. "Most of 
 
 73 
 
Worship at the Columbia Conference 
 Home in Seattle, Washington 
 
 these are scattered and have no interest in church 
 work." 
 
 In 1901 P. A. Fair came to Helena and labored 
 there for some years with good success. In Mis- 
 soula C. J. Bengston served for some time and 
 was optimistic about its future. Many pastors, 
 L. E. Jones and others, as well as many students 
 have served these fields, which have by no means 
 been easy. 
 
 The fifty-four Augustana Synod congregations 
 of Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, Idaho, 
 Utah and Montana are now embraced within the 
 boundaries of the Columbia Conference. 
 
 Soon after the Civil War Swedes found their 
 way to sunny Florida. Two brothers, William and 
 Joseph Henschen, experimented with an orange 
 ranch in the early 70's. The oldest colony is Up- 
 sala, where land was donated for a "Swedish 
 church" and a congregation organized on a non- 
 denominational basis. Cedarstam reported in 1891 
 that Upsala had 117 Swedes. A congregation was 
 organized in Pierson in 1884. Later work was start- 
 ed in other places. 
 
 In 1896 the field was turned over to the New 
 York Conference, but in 1906 it was returned to 
 the Home Mission Board of the Synod. Since the 
 reorganization of this board in 1938, however, the 
 field is again a part of the New York Conference. 
 There are eight congregations with a membership 
 of about 800. 
 
 At the turn of the century, a number of Swedes 
 were caught in the frantic gold rush to Alaska. The 
 Synod commissioned Dr. S. P. A. Lindahl to make 
 a trip to Alaska to investigate its missionary possi- 
 bilities. Work was begun in Douglas, Juneau and 
 Skagway, but the work made slow progress and 
 was ultimately abandoned. 
 
 Jorty-s'uc Parishes in Canada 
 
 THE VAST STRETCHES of the Dominion of 
 Canada contained immeasurable natural re- 
 sources, offering opportunities for millions of set- 
 tlers. Inducement were given by the Canadian gov- 
 ernment for immigrants of all nationalities to col- 
 onize and exploit the vast resources of farms, for- 
 ests and mines. Since 1880 an increasing number 
 of Swedes have emigrated to Canada, either from 
 Sweden directly, or from the United States, especi- 
 ally from the northern states. They did not settle 
 in larger colonies but scattered over the provinces 
 of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British 
 Columbia. This has made misison work among 
 these scattered groups difficult. 
 
 L. A. Hocanzon, the intrepid missionary, visited 
 Canada in 1883 and preached to the Swedes in 
 Winnipeg. In 1885 the Synod decided to take up 
 mission work in Canada and called its first mis- 
 sionary, Svante Udden. In 1886 the Synod re- 
 linquished this field to the Minnesota Conference, 
 of which Canada's congregations were a part until 
 they were constituted an independent conference 
 in 1913. 
 
 In 1886 land was reserved for Swedish coloniza- 
 tion at New Stockholm and Scandinavia. The first 
 Swedish Lutheran congregation was organized in 
 New Stockholm, Sask., October 3, 1889- The fol- 
 lowing year a congregation was started in Winni- 
 peg, of which Svante Udden became the pastor, 
 the first Swedish Lutheran pastor to settle in 
 Canada. 
 
 In order to care for the work on this vast field, 
 L. P. Bergstrom was called in 1907 as missionary 
 superintendent, in which capacity he served for 
 many years. In May, 1913, in the mother church 
 in New Stockholm, the Canada Conference was or- 
 ganized, with Bergstrom as president. The Minne- 
 sota Conference sponsored the undertaking 
 through an annual contribution of $5,000. 
 
 The work in Canada has suffered from many 
 handicaps: hard winters and difficult travel, con- 
 gregations small and poor; pastors few and chan- 
 ges frequent, progress slow and discouraging. 
 
 The Synod has forty-six parishes in Canada, but 
 only five of the congregations have more than one 
 hundred members. Because of the vastness of the 
 
 74 
 
territory, the Conference is divided into four dis- 
 tricts: Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and North and 
 South Saskatchewan. 
 
 One of the most promising fields for future de- 
 velopment is that of Canada. The Augustana 
 Synod has always had to face the difficulty of pro- 
 viding ministerial leadership for its congregations 
 in Canada. Men from the states, trained at Augus- 
 tana Seminary, are reluctant to become Canadian 
 citizens and, after a few years of service, return 
 south. The need of colleges and a seminary in 
 Canada has long been felt. Cooperation with 
 other Lutheran bodies seemed to offer the only so- 
 lution. This has now been achieved by association 
 with the Lutheran College and Theological Semi- 
 nary at Saskatoon, Sask., with Professor Gilbert T. 
 Monson, who is also serving as president of the 
 Canada Conference, representing the Augustana 
 Synod. 
 
 At its 1947 convention, held in Kansas City, 
 Missouri, in June, the Synod gave unanimous en- 
 dorsement to a plan to establish a Lutheran theo- 
 logical seminary on the campus of the University 
 of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, for the training of 
 pastors for the Canadian ministry. The seminary, 
 which will be built at an estimated cost of $250,- 
 000, will be conducted cooperatively by the Lu- 
 theran Augustana Synod, the United Lutheran 
 Church in America, and the American Lutheran 
 Church. 
 
 Pastor S. E. Engstrom 
 is executive director of 
 the Board of Home Mis- 
 sions. 
 
 Reorganization of 
 Monte Missions 
 
 The Home Altar. 
 
 IN THE YEAR 1938 the need for a national 
 rather than a sectional approach to the home 
 mission opportunities demanded attention. Al- 
 though the idea of a synodical home mission board 
 had been studied for several years previous, this 
 important project was undertaken as the first great 
 step in the administrative reorganization program 
 of the president of the Synod, Dr. P. O. Bersell. 
 Immediately after taking office in 1935, Dr. Ber- 
 sell began plans for this much-needed reorganiza- 
 tion. In the spring of 1938 all but one of the var- 
 ious conferences approved the new plan, and at 
 the synodical meeting of that year the new Board 
 of Home Missions of the Lutheran Augustana 
 Synod was created. A historical statement pre- 
 pared by Dr. Bersell in 1939 states: 
 
 "Our home mission history might be divided in- 
 to four periods, or four 'opened doors.' 
 
 "The Judean Period — During these early years 
 the greatest concern of our Church was for the 
 large contiguous colonies of our own people ("be- 
 ginning at Jerusalem' ) . 
 
 "The Galilean Period — Stretching our hands 
 out a little farther, we tried our best to reach all 
 the Lutheran Swedish immigrants scattered 
 throughout the land. This was our first and great 
 responsibility and opportunity. It is still our pe- 
 culiar and specific field in the family of Lutheran 
 Churches. 
 
 "The Samaritan Period — As the country grew, 
 our Church grew. It now became natural for us to 
 bring into our household of faith those with whom 
 
 75 
 
REGIONAL 
 DIRECTORS 
 
 Carl G. Anderson 
 
 Minnesota and 
 Red River Valley 
 
 Leslie A. F. Carlson 
 
 Kansas, Nebraska, 
 
 Texas 
 
 Henry J. Hokenson 
 Columbia 
 
 Allan L. Langhoff 
 California 
 
 Anton A. Nelson 
 Canada 
 
 Roswell V. Peterson 
 
 New York and 
 
 New England 
 
 Stanley Sandberg 
 
 Illinois, Iowa, 
 
 Superior 
 
 Thomas W. Wersell 
 
 Minnesota and 
 
 Red River Valley 
 
 we naturally came in contact, in the neighborhood, 
 through personal friendships, intermarriages, and 
 so forth. We became more and more 'cosmopolit- 
 an,' or American, in the great 'melting pot.' As 
 yet, however, this program of reaching out to 
 others was more or less incidental. 
 
 "The American Period — Now we have come 
 to accept the challenge, 'Go into all the world' — 
 all nations. We apply this to our own nation, peo- 
 ple of all nationalities, not forgetting our own pe- 
 culiar responsibility because of heritage, but reach- 
 ing out, through a synodwide program of activity, 
 to the great unchurched multitudes in America. 
 Already in our membership a score or more of 
 races are represented by thousands of people." 
 
 To meet the expanded opportunities of this 
 American Period, the new Board of Home Mis- 
 sions was created. President Bersell has served as 
 chairman of this board since it was organized. The 
 thirteen Conferences, the Woman's Missionary So- 
 ciety, and special mission projects are all coordinat- 
 
 ed in one unit so that together we may "approach 
 America for Christ and His Church." 
 
 The Rev. S. E. Engstrom, at that time field sec- 
 retary and director of stewardship of the Iowa Lu- 
 theran Conference, was called to be the executive 
 director of the new board and since January 1, 
 1939, he has served in that capacity. 
 
 Seven regional directors make up the staff of 
 field supervisors and administrators. At present this 
 staff consists of Pastors C. G. Anderson, Minnesota- 
 Red River Valley area; Leslie A. F. Carlson, Kan- 
 sas-Nebraska-Texas; Henry J. Hokenson, Colum- 
 bia area; Allan L. Langhoff, California; Anton A. 
 Nelson, Canada; Roswell V. Peterson, New Eng- 
 land-New York; Stanley Sandberg, Illinois-Iowa- 
 Superior area. 
 
 In 1946 an assistant regional director was ad- 
 ded in the Minnesota-Red River Valley area and 
 this office is now held by Pastor Thomas W. Wer- 
 sell. 
 
 At the time the Board of Home Missions was 
 
 76 
 
n 
 
 C\ f% 
 
 ^^±± 
 
 ft jt*tf 1 1 ? jtt f 
 
 Twenty-nine members of the Board of Home Missions were assembled in Minneapolis 
 when the above picture was taken in 1946. 
 
 reorganized, 439 congregations petitioned for aid. 
 For 1947, only 252 congregations petitioned for 
 financial aid from the board in order to balance 
 their budgets. Included among the 252 congre- 
 gations are 40 which have been organized since the 
 establishment of the board. In the last eight years 
 237 congregations have become self-sustaining by 
 progress, realignment, reorganization, or merger. 
 
 The responsibilities and privileges in the field 
 of home missions have increased. Home missions 
 is more than an administrative program involv- 
 ing aid to small congregations. The challenge calls 
 for activity by every congregation in the Synod. 
 The task of home missions today is regarded as in- 
 cluding: 
 
 Parish evangelism — The program of parish 
 evangelism presents a renewed emphasis on soul- 
 
 winning, which calls for the enrollment of all 
 lay-members and all congregations, together with 
 all the pastors, in an intensified program of bring- 
 ing Christ to the unchurched multitudes in 
 America. 
 
 Extension — The establishment of new missions 
 will continue to be a responsibility of the Board 
 of Home Missions. 
 
 Supervision and administration — The need for 
 guidance, encouragement and assistance will con- 
 tinue to be met through the efforts of the director's 
 staff. Such supervision and administration include 
 not only the regular program of the beneficiary 
 church but the administration of the Church Ex- 
 tension Fund, building projects, community sur- 
 veys, selecting of church sites, and the like. 
 
 Michael Saavedra, Mexican representative from an 
 Augustana Home Mission field in Bell, California, is 
 welcomed by Chaplain David Ostergren at the 1946 
 Synodical convention in Duluth. 
 
 The committee on Rural Missions: A. D. Mattson, S. 
 E. Engstrom, Emil Swenson, Arnold E. Carlson, C. Eniil 
 Bergquist, Carl E. Benander. 
 
 77 
 
ADDITIONAL PROJECTS ZBHBB3 
 
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 Copyright by Rand McNally & Company, Chicago 
 
 Locations of Synodical institutions are indicated by 
 numbered disks on the map and are identified below: 
 
 Synodical and Conference Jnstitutions 
 
 SEMINARY AND COLLEGES 
 
 1. Augustana College and Theological 
 
 Seminary Rock Island. 111. 
 
 2. Bethany College Lindsborg, Kansas 
 
 3. Gustavus Adolphus College St. Peter, Minn. 
 
 4. Upsala College East Orange, N. J. 
 
 5. Luther College Wahoo. Nebr. 
 
 HOSPITALS 
 
 6. Ashland General Hospital Ashland. Wisconsin 
 
 7. Augustana Hospital Chicago, 111. 
 
 8. Lutheran Hospital Moline, 111. 
 
 9. Iowa Lutheran Hospital Des Moines, Iowa 
 
 10. Trinity Lutheran Hospital Kansas City, Mo. 
 
 11. Columbia Hospital Astoria, Oregon 
 
 12. The Emanuel Hospital Portland, Oregon 
 
 13. Bethesda Invalid Home St. Paul, Minn. 
 
 14. Warren Hospital Warren, Minn. 
 
 15. Bethesda Hospital St. Paul, Minn. 
 
 16. Immanuel Deaconess Institute Omaha, Nebr. 
 
 (Home for Aged, Deaconess Home, Hospi- 
 tal, Children's Home, Home for Invalids) 
 
 HOMES FOR THE AGED 
 
 17. Augustana Home for the Aged Chicago, 111. 
 
 18. Salem Home for the Aged Joliet. 111. 
 
 19. Swedish Lutheran Old People's Home. .Worcester. Mass. 
 
 20. Iowa Lutheran Home for the Aged Madrid. Iowa 
 
 21. Bethany Home for the Aged Lindsborg. Kansas 
 
 22. Salem Home for the Aged Kansas City. Mo. 
 
 23. Bethany Home for the Aged Alexandria, Minn. 
 
 24. Lutheran Home for the Aged Grand Rapids, Mich. 
 
 25. Luther Home for the Aged Marinette, Wis. 
 
 26. Mankato Lutheran Home Mankato. Minn. 
 
 27. Columbia Conference Home for the Aged. Seattle, Wash. 
 
 28. Bethesda Old People's Home Chisago City, Minn. 
 
 29. Canada Conference Home for Aged. . Wetaskiwin, Alta. 
 
 30. Augustana Home for Aged Minneapolis, Minn. 
 
 31. Augustana Home for the Aged Brooklyn, N. Y. 
 
 32. The Lutheran Home for Aged Jamestown, N. Y. 
 
 33. Lakeshore Lutheran Home Duluth, Minn. 
 
 children's homes 
 
 34. Lutheran Home for Children Joliet, 111. 
 
 35. Lutheran Home for Children and Farm School 
 Andover. 111. 
 
 36. Lutheran Children's Home Avon, Mass. 
 
 37. Bethany Children's Home Alexandria, Minn. 
 
 38. Bethany Children's Home Duluth, Minn. 
 
 39. Augustana Children's Home Minneapolis, Minn. 
 
 40. Vasa Children's Home Red Wing, Minn. 
 
 41. Gustavus Adolphus Children's Home ..Jamestown, N. Y. 
 
 42. Mariadahl Children's Home Cleburne, Kansas 
 
 43. Augustana Nursery Chicago, 111. 
 
 44. Children's Home-Finding and Placing Dept. 
 St. Paul, Minn. 
 
 immigrant and seamen's missions 
 
 45. The Lutheran Seamen's Home East Boston, Mass. 
 
 46. Immigrant and Seamen's Home New York, N. Y. 
 
 hospices 
 
 47. Immanuel Woman's Home Chicago, 111. 
 
 48. Augustana Lutheran Mission Home Chicago, 111. 
 
 49. Augustana Central Home Chicago, 111. 
 
 50. Augustana Mission Colony Minneapolis, Minn. 
 
 51. Augustana Young Women's Home ..Minneapolis, Minn. 
 
 52. Lutheran Hospice Colorado Springs, Colo. 
 
 53. Augustana Lutheran Home Denver, Colo. 
 
 54. Augustana Lutheran Women's Home ..Omaha, Nebraska 
 
 55. Lutheran Home for Young Women New York, N. Y. 
 
 56. Augustana Inner Mission of Chicago Chicago, 111. 
 
 publication house 
 
 57. Augustana Book Concern Rock Island, 111. 
 
 independent institutions 
 
 58. Bethphage Inner Mission Axtell, Nebraska 
 
 59. Lutheran Bible Institute Minneapolis, Minn. 
 
 60. Lutheran Compass Mission Seattle, Wash. 
 
 61. Lutheran Welfare Society Tacoma. Washington 
 
 62. Salem Lutheran Home for the Aged ....Oakland, Calif. 
 
 63. Swedish National Sanatorium 
 
 Englewood (Denver) , Colo. 
 
 64. The Zion Society for Israel Minneapolis, Minn. 
 
 79 
 
J ntersy nodical Relationships 
 
 ONE OF THE GREAT ADVANTAGES of a 
 synodical home mission board is its ability 
 to engage in cooperative relations with the other 
 Lutheran bodies. The Lutheran Home Missions 
 Council of America, which had existed for many 
 years, was superseded by the Division of American 
 Missions of the National Lutheran Council in the 
 fall of 1942. Pastor S. E. Engstrom was the first 
 chairman, serving until 1946. This Division of 
 American Missions includes in its membership the 
 executive directors of home missions in the eight 
 Lutheran general bodies of the Council. Under the 
 division are twenty-nine regional home mission 
 committees supervising a like number of terri- 
 tories in the United States and Canada. 
 
 Through the activities of the Division and its 
 regional committees, the general bodies of the Na- 
 tional Lutheran Council are pledged to avoid any 
 further duplication of effort and to endeavor to 
 overcome existing duplication wherever possible. 
 The establishment of a new mission by one of the 
 participating bodies now requires the approval of 
 the Regional Committee involved. Once that ap- 
 proval has been given, no other general body in 
 the Council will, by agreement, establish a com- 
 petitive or an overlapping program. 
 
 The Division of American Missions made an 
 excellent record during the war in conducting a 
 defense industry area ministry. On behalf of the 
 participating bodies, the Division sponsored a 
 spiritual ministry in all of the strategic war in- 
 dustry areas of the country. 
 
 The Division will have as part of its structure 
 various departments. One of these is now estab- 
 lished and is known as the "Department for the 
 Christian Approach to the Jewish People." The 
 bringing of the Gospel to the people of Israel is 
 one of the great responsibilities of the Church of 
 Christ. Since April 1, 1947, the Lutheran Church 
 of America has had its first co-ordinated, church- 
 directed program for this purpose. 
 
 Undoubtedly the next department that will be 
 established will be the "Department of Special 
 Missions" in which all the missionary work among 
 special racial groups, such as Negroes, migrants, 
 Mexicans, Orientals, will be coordinated. 
 
 In a schoolhouse on Superior Street, Chicago, the 
 first classes of Augustana College and Theological 
 Seminary were held in 1860. 
 
 Augustana Seminary students of 1862 in Chicago. 
 
 The main building of Augustana College during its 
 Paxton period, 1863-1875. This building was called 
 "Valhalla" by the students. 
 
 80 
 
Presidents of Augustana College and Zheologieal Seminary 
 
 CONRAD BERGENDOFF 
 Since 1935 
 
 GUSTAV A. ANDREEN 
 1901—1934 
 
 OLOF OLSSON 
 1891—1900 
 
 Higher £ ducat ion 
 
 IT HAS OFTEN BEEN SAID, sometimes trite- 
 ly, that Lutheranism was born in a university. 
 Luther was a professor at Wittenberg when 
 he wrote his famous ninety-five theses. He pleaded 
 for education for the common man in order that 
 he may become an intelligent Christian and free 
 from spiritual bondage. This also called for an 
 educated ministry. 
 
 The first pastors of the Augustana Synod were 
 university trained men. The Church of Sweden has 
 from earliest times been the fostering mother of 
 education. With the growing need for pastors to 
 minister to the immigrants, the pioneers looked to 
 the mother country for spiritual leaders. Failing 
 of adequate response, the pioneers realized the ne- 
 cessity of educating their own pastors. 
 
 Already in 1850 contact was made with Capital 
 University, Columbus, Ohio, belonging to the 
 Synod of Ohio. The first theological student of the 
 Augustana Synod, Eric Norelius, was educated 
 there in 1851-1855. The Synod's first venture in 
 higher education was to establish a Scandinavian 
 professorship in connection .with the State Uni- 
 versity of Illinois at Springfield, Illinois. This in- 
 stitution was partly owned and controlled by the 
 Synod of Northern Illinois, with which the first 
 churches of the Augustana Synod were affiliated. 
 
 The institution hardly measured up to its rather 
 pretentious name, but the name is at least signifi- 
 cant as to the ideals and high standards for minis- 
 terial training that were in the minds of its found- 
 ers. The student body was made up of at least 
 four national elements: American, German, Swed- 
 ish and Norwegian. Dr. L. P. Esbjorn was elected 
 Scandinavian professor and served from 1858 to 
 I860. With so many divergent elements, it was 
 hardly to be expected that perfect harmony would 
 
 Augustana College architects planned five buildings 
 such as this one for the ultimate campus. The first 
 classroom building and professors' apartment house, 
 above, later became a men's dormitory and cafeteria. 
 After 60 years of use, it was razed in 1935. 
 
 81 
 
Augustana Seminary Professors 
 
 iwl i 
 
 Eric H. Wahlstrom Carl A. Anderson A. D. Mattson Carl G. Carlfelt Hjalmar W. Johnson G. Everett Araen Paul M. Lindberg 
 
 prevail. When eventually the doctrinal divergence 
 became acute, a split became inevitable. This oc- 
 curred in March I860, when Esbjorn and the Scan- 
 dinavian students left Springfield for Chicago, 
 where instruction was continued in a schoolhouse 
 of the Immanuel Lutheran Church. 
 
 At a conference of the Scandinavian churches 
 held in Chicago April 28, I860, the action of Es- 
 bjorn was upheld and the following resolutions 
 adopted: "(1) That we, Scandinavian pastors and 
 congregations who have hitherto been united with 
 the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Northern Illi- 
 nois, herewith peacefully withdraw from our 
 churchly union with said Synod, and (2) that we 
 hereby decide to meet on Tuesday, the 5 th of next 
 June in the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran 
 Church in Clinton, Rock County, Wisconsin, in 
 order to organize a synod." A committee was ap- 
 pointed "to prepare a plan regarding cur profes- 
 sorship and the establishment of our own schools." 
 This committee reported at the June meeting that 
 "while our Scandinavian professor, Dr. L. P. Es- 
 bjorn, has relinquished his position as professor at 
 Springfield, our professorship has not thereby been 
 discontinued, but simply been transferred to our 
 institution; consequently, we hereby declare and 
 appoint said L. P. Esbjorn as Scandinavian and 
 theological professor at Augustana Seminary in 
 Chicago." 
 
 The Rev. O. C. T. Andren, then pastor in Mo- 
 line, was selected to make a visit to Sweden and 
 there solicit help for the new institution. He suc- 
 ceeded well in his mission, in spite of coolness on 
 the part of the higher ecclesiastical authorities. 
 Two annual collections in all the churches of 
 
 Sweden were granted, amounting to some $12,000, 
 besides some 5,000 volumes donated from the 
 royal library and by others. 
 
 Esbjorn, with little help, carried on the work 
 at the seminary in Chicago. In the meantime, 
 much attention was given to the problem of a per- 
 manent location of the institution. A number of 
 land offers and colonization projects were investi- 
 gated. Finally a proposition from the Illinois Cen- 
 tral railroad was accepted and the school moved to 
 Paxton, Illinois, in 1863. Owing to ill health and 
 personal disappointments, Esbjorn returned in 
 1863 to Sweden, where he died in 1870. Like a 
 Moses he had led his people through the first pi- 
 oneer years. From then on a Joshua in the person 
 of T. N. Hasselquist, who had already proved his 
 ability, became the leader. 
 
 The institution remained at Paxton for twelve 
 years. The faculty was increased with the grow- 
 ing number of students. The management and spi- 
 rit were quite patriarchal, conditions primitive, and 
 life simple. The emphasis was religious and the 
 main aim to prepare men for the ministry, while 
 
 
 
 :'; * 
 
 \ ff%l^ * , ME HI 
 
 - 
 
 • 
 
 Augustana Seminary graduates in 1879. 
 
 82 
 
"■was 
 
 ■ 
 
 Jllfi'.-J 
 
 wKt^^m* _.JK nE*"?^'' 
 
 
 73 
 
 tsJsft^ 
 
 % 
 
 Above — The Augustana Seminary chapel, as seen from the lower terrace of Augustana 
 College. Not shown are the seminary classroom building and the seminary dormitory, 
 which is attached to the chapel by a cloistered walk. The bell tower, foreground, is a 
 duplicate of a typical "klockstapel" in Sweden. 
 
 Below — Andreen Hall, college men's dormitory, on the fourth and highest terrace 
 of the campus. 
 
 
 >-•»»■ 'V. 
 
 ■ .<l.v V 
 
 A* 
 
 'W. 
 
 v* -:«^« 
 
 "* MIS 
 
 ■7..V* ■♦• 
 
Old Main, completed in 1889, is the second oldest of the 15 buildings on Augustana's 
 50-acre campus. From its dome the Mississippi Valley sections of the quad-cities — Rock 
 Island, Moline and East Moline, Illinois, and Davenport, Iowa — are visible. The college is 
 in the geographical center of a metropolitan area of 200,000 population. 
 
 the goal of a college of the American pattern was 
 ever in sight. The great need for pastors made a 
 low minimum requirement for ordination neces- 
 sary at the beginning. Through contacts in Swe- 
 den, a number of students who had received pre- 
 paratory training at Ahlberg's and Fjellstedt's 
 schools were received. In 1868 a Norwegian pro- 
 fessor was added to the faculty. The Norwegian 
 students, however, were in the minority. For this 
 and other reasons the Norwegians withdrew in 
 
 1869 and started a seminary of their own, and in 
 
 1870 the Danish-Norwegian Augustana Synod 
 was organized. 
 
 The location at Paxton did not prove satisfacto- 
 ry. It was not central to the larger Swedish settle- 
 ments; hopes for a large colony and financial re- 
 turn through the sale of land did not materialize. 
 After again considering various proposals, the 
 Synod chose a new site for the school in Rock Is- 
 land, Illinois, and the first buildings were erected 
 there in 1875. 
 
 Upon Esbjorn's leaving for Sweden in 1863, 
 Hasselquist had to assume the guidance of Augus- 
 tana Seminary and College. In the meantime, ef- 
 forts were made to secure some schoolman from 
 Sweden. Thus P. P. Waldenstrom was called in 
 
 84 
 
1862 and P. A. Ahlberg in 1875. S. L. Bring and 
 O. C. T. Andren were also called. As all of these 
 declined, Hasselquist was continued in office until 
 his death in 1891. Upon his death Dr. Olof Olsson 
 was elected president; he also died in office, in 
 1900. Dr. Gustav A. Andreen served as president 
 from 1901 to 1935, when Dr. Conrad Bergendoff 
 succeeded him. 
 
 The first graduation class from the college was 
 that of 1877. The school has had a constant 
 growth and enjoyed the confidence of its constitu- 
 ency, who repeatedly have manifested their loyalty, 
 providing the institution with means, buildings 
 and equipment to carry on its work. While minis- 
 terial training was its prime aim, this became more 
 exclusively the function of the theological semi- 
 nary as the college and other departments devel- 
 oped more and more in line with other liberal 
 arts colleges in America. 
 
 The second school of higher education to arise 
 within the Synod was Gustavus Adolphus College, 
 St. Peter, Minnesota. As it was deemed necessary 
 to organize the Minnesota Conference in 1858, so 
 it soon became desirable to have a school within 
 the Conference, partly for the training of school 
 
 The Augustana College gymnasium was built in 
 1917. At the right is an outdoor bulletin board on the 
 walk leading to beautiful Denkmann Memorial Library. 
 The 1,304 students in the College of Liberal Arts in 
 1947 came from 30 states and six foreign countries. 
 
 Elaborate floats entered by sororities, fraternities, 
 independent groups and classes parade at the college 
 homecoming festivals in October. The above float 
 memorialized the late President G. A. Andreen. 
 
 85 
 
I 
 
 . ftJi 
 
 Above is a tentative architect's sketch of the entrance to a proposed Augustana music 
 and fine arts hall and auditorium. The cities of Rock Island, Moline, East Moline and 
 Davenport — the quad-cities — have contributed $400,000 toward a $750,000 fund for a met- 
 ropolitan community auditorium on the Augustana campus. 
 
 
 'fe. >«-■ 
 
 Because the Augustana College enrollment now exceeds 2,000, more dormitories are 
 urgently needed. Above is an architect's sketch of a proposed enlargement (left half of 
 picture) of the present Andreen Hall for men. 
 
 Below — An enlarged library and archives building has been planned as part of the 
 Augustana Seminary group of buildings. 
 
 % 
 
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 US *l tf# 
 
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 glcracntarffulfl i SRinnrfota. 
 
 tf» rrttjjrtlff 
 
 kr|8 aoclooiS o4 nsrmaronBr M»B»>afi: 
 
 V3 uppPfjfl af ffitiintlcioteiimtnftii 
 ffrfulwe 
 
 Imh Wilt t- 
 
 mid >u»> ;w. 
 
 St. Ansgar's Academy was the forerun- 
 ner of Gustavus Adolphus College in 
 Minnesota. Above is a reproduction of a 
 St. Ansgar's Academy bulletin of 1874. 
 
 teachers and partly to prepare prospective candi- 
 dates for the theological seminary. Eric Norelius 
 was the prime mover in these undertakings. A be- 
 ginning was made in 1862-63 when some eleven 
 young men were instructed by him at Red Wing, 
 Minnesota. In 1863 the Minnesota Conference de- 
 cided to establish "Minnesota Elementar Skola" at 
 East Union in Carver County, and elected Andrew 
 Jackson president. Its first building was a log 
 church, remodeled into school rooms and living 
 quarters. The name was changed in 1867 to St. 
 Ansgar's Academy. Its relation to the Augustana 
 Synod was recognized through the securing of its 
 authorization and rendering to this body an annual 
 report, thus in effect placing it on a par with 
 Augustana College, although it was under direct 
 control of the Minnesota Conference. The school 
 days at St. Ansgar's Academy were filled with 
 hardships that only an enthusiasm born of Chris- 
 tian faith was able to endure. 
 
 It soon became evident that East Union was 
 not the proper place for the growing school. While 
 many reasons pointed toward the Twin Cities as 
 the logical location for the school, the financial of- 
 fer at St. Peter, through the efforts of Anders 
 Thorson, an influential layman, was accepted by 
 the Conference and the institution under its new 
 name, Gustavus Adolphus College, was moved to 
 St. Peter in 1876. 
 
 Old Main, built in 1875, is held in affection by 
 students and alumni of Gustavus Adolphus College, 
 St. Peter, Minnesota. 
 
 Above — Beauty on the campus: four coeds of Gus- 
 tavus Adolphus College. 
 
 Below— Uhler Hall, built in 1929, at the left, and 
 the gymnasium, 1921, right. 
 
Disappointed because of the removal of the 
 school from East Union, a small group carried on 
 a private school there until 1885, and others, dis- 
 appointed because the school was not located in 
 Minneapolis, continued to agitate for a reversal of 
 the conference decision. While these efforts were 
 renewed later, Gustavus Adolphus College has re- 
 mained at St. Peter, and developed into one of 
 the leading colleges in Minnesota. Andrew Jack- 
 son was followed by J. P. Nyquist as president. 
 He was succeeded in 1881 by Matthias Wahl- 
 strom. P. A. Mattson served until 1915, when he 
 was followed by O. J. Johnson, 1915-1943, Wal- 
 ter A. Lunden 1943-44, and Edgar M. Carlson, 
 since 1944. A complete four-year college course 
 has been offered since 1889. 
 
 The hope for a school in the Twin Cities did 
 not die. In 1889 a number of interested persons 
 started the Emanuel Academy, which was closed, 
 however, in 1894. Ten years later the Minnesota 
 Conference authorized a committee to take "steps 
 to start a school (in the Twin Cities) as soon as 
 means can be secured," and in October 1904 Min- 
 nesota College was opened with twenty-seven 
 students. The following year property was bought 
 and buildings erected. E. O. Stone, P. M. Magnu- 
 son, and Joshua Larson served as acting presidents 
 until 1907, when Frank Nelson was elected pres- 
 ident of the institution. Through shifting fortunes 
 it carried on until in 1930, when it was closed by 
 action of the Minnesota Conference. 
 
 On November 10, 1883, the 400th anniversary 
 of Martin Luther's birth, the first building of Lu- 
 ther College, at Wahoo, Nebraska, was dedicated. 
 This school, now belonging to the Nebraska Con- 
 
 
 A monument to the memory of the man for whom 
 the college was named has a place on the Gustavus 
 Adolphus campus. 
 
 ference, a "Reformation Jubilee child," was con- 
 ceived in the minds of a number of pastors and 
 laymen in Saunders County. When Nebraska sep- 
 arated from the Kansas Conference in 1885, Lu- 
 ther College became a conference institution. It had 
 behind it able men such as E. A. Fogelstrom, J. 
 Torrell, M. Noyd, its first president ( 1 883-1 887 ) , 
 J. E. Nordling, S. M. Hill (1887-1902); laymen 
 
 Qustavus Adolphus College Presidents Since 1876 
 
 Edgar M. Carlson 
 Since 1944 
 
 Walter A. Lunden 
 1943—1944 
 
 O. J. Johnson 
 1911—1942 
 
 P. A. Mattson 
 1904—1911 
 
 Matthias Wahlstrom 
 1881—1904 
 
 J. P. Nyquist 
 1876— 1881 
 
 88 
 
Rundstrom Hall, a women's 
 dormitory, at Gustavus Ad- 
 olphus College. 
 
 such as Johannes Olson, its first treasurer, who 
 also pledged the first $200 for a school building. 
 O. J. Johnson was president from 1902 to 1913. 
 Dr. A. T. Seashore served as president from 1915 
 to his death in 1934. Professor Paul M. Lind- 
 
 berg served from 1935 to 1942, when he was suc- 
 ceeded by Floyd E. Lauersen. As a junior college, 
 Luther has served its constituency and the Synod 
 well; it has maintained high ideals and a Christian 
 spirit with a strong missionary emphasis. 
 
 BHiJir.ns^^^'^'HBirB 
 
 
 Two buildings of modernistic design have been planned for Gustavus Adolphus Col- 
 lege. Above is an architect's drawing of the proposed library and below is a design for 
 a science hall. 
 
Views from the campus of Luther 
 College, Wahoo, Nebraska. Above, 
 the main classroom building; left, 
 A. T. Seashore, president, 1915- 
 1934; right, Paul M. Lindberg, pres- 
 ident from 1935 to 1942, and Floyd 
 E. Lauersen, president since 1942; 
 below, a representative group of 
 Luther College students. 
 
The list of defunct educational institutions of 
 our Synod is tragically long. One might be temp- 
 ted to say of their sponsors that they had more 
 zeal than wisdom. Much money and energy have 
 undoubtedly been wasted, measured by material 
 standards; but who shall say that these abortive 
 efforts were not productive of spiritual gains? 
 
 When a school was started in the Red River 
 Valley at Fergus Falls, Minnesota, in 1888, it was 
 given the name Hope Academy. It was turned over 
 to the Alexandria and Red River Valley districts 
 of the conference in 1892. It was well named, 
 for it was more a hope than a reality and in 1896 
 it ceased to be. 
 
 Lund Academy, Melby, Minnesota, begun in 
 1897, suffered the same fate in 1899- 
 
 Northwestern College, fathered by S. J. Kron- 
 berg and J. Moody in 1901, fared somewhat bet- 
 ter. It was located at Fergus Falls and, while in- 
 tended to serve our churches in the Red River 
 Valley, it was owned by a corporation. Buildings 
 and equipment of considerable value were ac- 
 quired and strenuous efforts made to keep the 
 school alive. It was finally compelled to give up 
 the struggle. 
 
 Another school, North Star College, begun in 
 1908 for the purpose of serving "the young people 
 of our beloved church in the great northwestern 
 section of Minnesota as well as the northeastern 
 section of Dakota and central Canada," was locat- 
 ed in Warren, Minnesota. North Star College was 
 owned by a corporation and received support from 
 the Red River Valley Conference until 1930, when 
 support was withdrawn. It was soon compelled to 
 close its doors. 
 
 In 1906 the Swedish Lutherans in Texas, then 
 a part of the Kansas Conference, felt the need of 
 an institution of learning and organized Trinity 
 College at Round Rock. It continued until 1929, 
 when the undertaking was abandoned for lack of 
 funds. A similar venture was started by J. Jesper- 
 son, for many years manager of Augustana Col- 
 lege, Rock Island, who secured the endorsement 
 of the Columbia Conference in 1907 for Coeur 
 dAlene College at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Jesper- 
 son was a man of much ability and an optimistic 
 faith. But after some years, the school had to be 
 abandoned. 
 
 All five colleges owned and supported by members 
 of the Lutheran Augustana Synod contribute some of 
 their men graduates annually to Augustana Seminary, 
 where college graduates receive four years of theologi- 
 cal training. Above is a picture of the chancel in the 
 seminary chapel. 
 
 Another school casualty, begun in Chicago in 
 1893, was the Martin Luther College, which was, 
 however, shortlived, closing its doors in 1895. 
 
 Having long felt the need of a school that could 
 serve the rapidly growing churches on the East 
 Coast and inspired by the celebration of the 300th 
 anniversary of the Diet of Uppsala, a group of men 
 from the New York Conference founded Upsala 
 College in October 1893. It was cradled in the 
 old Bethlehem Church, Brooklyn, and later moved 
 to better quarters in the St. Paul's Church, former- 
 ly an orphanage. 
 
 Accepting an offer of land at Kenilworth, New 
 Jersey, the school was moved to this place in 1898 
 and buildings were erected. The location proved 
 unsatisfactory, however, and in 1924 the institu- 
 tion purchased a set of buildings and land at East 
 Orange, New Jersey, at a time when Upsala Col- 
 lege, after years of "growing pains," had reached a 
 degree of maturity and stability providing bright 
 promise for the future. The institution was guided 
 during its infancy and youth by L. H. Beck, a man 
 of outstanding scholarship and unselfish devotion. 
 He has been followed in the presidency by Peter 
 Froeberg, C. G. Erickson and Evald B. Lawson, its 
 present head. 
 
 Starting as an "Institute of Learning," Upsala 
 
 91 
 
Upsala College at East Orange, New Jersey, is 
 'homelike" place of beauty. Above, Old 
 
 Main 
 
 Upsala's 
 
 became a full-fledged college in 1902. Serving 
 youth of a later generation of immigrants, it has 
 sought in its thoroughly American curriculum, to 
 preserve not only the Swedish heritage, in part 
 through the Gustaf V professorship of Swedish 
 language and literature, but also to advance the 
 Christian ideal in the American scene. In spite of 
 the fact that it draws a considerable percentage of 
 
 its large enrollment from other racial backgrounds, 
 it, nevertheless, stands as a beacon light of the Lu- 
 theran faith on the East Coast. Now the largest 
 college in point of enrollment in the Augustana 
 Synod, Upsala possesses among its treasures one 
 of the finest Lincolniana collections in the coun- 
 try. Its cultural impact in the arts, not least so in 
 music, and sciences is noteworthy. 
 
 92 
 
When the town of Lindsborg, Kansas, was laid 
 out in 1871, a provision was made that 160 acres 
 be set aside for "church and school purposes." The 
 first pastor, Olof Olsson, planned a preparatory 
 school for teachers. Carl A. Swensson, who became 
 Olsson's successor in 1879, was a man of more 
 ambitious plans. Endorsed by the pastors of the 
 Smoky Hill District, Bethany Academy was begun 
 in 188L with J. A. Udden, later one of the nation's 
 foremost geologists, as teacher and one student. The 
 enrollment rose, however, to twenty-seven the first 
 year. A school building was bought in 1882 and 
 placed upon ground donated by the congregation. 
 A board of directors was elected and E. Nelander 
 chosen as president. 
 
 In 1884 the Kansas Conference adopted the 
 school. The following year the name was changed 
 to Bethany Normal Institute. The name again was 
 changed, in 1886, to Bethany College. In 1891 
 Bethany had developed into a complete college 
 with a number of other departments. New build- 
 ings were needed, money was scarce, but the op- 
 timistic faith and dynamic personality of Swensson 
 were usually able to obtain the needed funds. 
 While generous sums were given by C. A. Smith 
 
 Upsala College Presidents 
 
 Evald B. Lawson 
 1938— 
 
 L. H. Beck Peter Froeberg C. G. Ericksor 
 
 1893-1911 1913-1920 1920-1936 
 
 An architect's plan for the new Upsala College 
 chapel is shown below. 
 
 Some of the Upsala College buildings were formerly 
 large residences, a fact which lends charm to the 
 campus. Above is Kenbrook Hall. 
 
 •fa 
 
 
 
 ■-* 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 Fredrika Bremer Hall, above, is named in memory 
 of a Swedish author who wrote, 95 years ago, of her 
 travels in America. 
 
Bethany College's Old Main behind a statue of its 
 founder, Dr. C. A. Swensson, is shown in the top photo 
 and also below as seen through a tree-bowered ap- 
 proach. 
 
 and other persons of wealth, it was the devotion 
 and the sacrifice which Swensson inspired in the 
 people of the community and the conference that 
 gave the greatest support to his daring ventures. 
 The school has been in an unusual way the child 
 of faith, prayer and sacrifice. Swensson's death in 
 1904 caused profound sorrow in wide circles. 
 Would the school long survive its founder? Its 
 development under Ernst F. Pihlblad's presidency 
 gives the answer. Emory Lindquist is now its able 
 president. 
 
 The Messiah Chorus has given Bethany inter- 
 national renown. Inspired by hearing the great ora- 
 torio in Crystal Palace in London in 1879, Dr. 
 Olsson ventured to render it at Augustana College 
 in 1880. Here Dr. Swensson received the inspira- 
 tion and in 1882 the Messiah was given at Bethany 
 for the first time. The story of this musical Oberam- 
 mergau in America reads like a romance. From this 
 cultural center on the Kansas prairies has also gone 
 forth the art works of Birger Sandzen, rugged inter- 
 pretations in brilliant colors, and etchings of the 
 Rockies and the Southwest. 
 
 Outwardly the relations between Mother Augus- 
 tana and the daughter colleges may not always 
 
 94 
 

 J$t>\ 
 
 
 have been harmonious. The polemics in news and 
 church papers of the day are not always edifying. 
 But the real cause of this was not so much personal 
 jealousies as conflict of policies. Some favored one 
 central institution, while others believed that con- 
 ference schools would better serve the Church. It 
 was another phase of the tension between central- 
 ization and decentralization. As the Conference 
 schools grew, the cost of their upkeep seemed 
 often to be at the expense of the central institu- 
 tion. Repeated efforts were made to sever Augus- 
 tana College from the seminary, making the latter 
 the one common institution, while turning Augus- 
 tana College over to the Conferences that had no 
 schools of their own. 
 
 Although earlier proposals for separation failed, 
 the Synod at its 1947 convention adopted a con- 
 stitutional change which makes Augustana Semi- 
 nary and Augustana College separate institutions, 
 each with its own administrative officers and board 
 of directors. The seminary will remain an obliga- 
 tion of the Synod as a whole, while the college 
 
 Right — Present and past 
 presidents of Bethany. 
 
 Below — Presser Hall, the music building, and the 
 campus bell tower (inset) at Bethany College. 
 
 <ifM 
 
 *^^m*mw?m%. 
 
 The library of Bethany College, owned ana sup- 
 ported by the Kansas Conference of the Synod. 
 
 Emory Lindquist Carl Swensson Ernst F. Pihlblad Edward Melanc 
 
 1942— 1892-1904 1904-1941 1882-1889 
 
 
 ' '&'&?<* 
 
presumably will come under the special juris- 
 diction of the Illinois, Iowa and Superior Confer- 
 ences. Those three conferences have for several 
 years contributed the total amount for the support 
 of the college. The college and seminary, however, 
 will continue to share the same campus in Rock 
 Island, even though they have separate adminis- 
 trations and charters. 
 
 An effort at unification of the Synod's higher 
 education was begun in 1886 by an appointed 
 committee. Its aim was to establish uniformity of 
 policy and courses within the respective schools 
 and establish some sort of correlation between 
 them. Such objectives are now sought by the 
 Augustana Synod's Commission on Higher Edu- 
 cation. 
 
 Among the cooperative educational projects of 
 the Synod is notably Pacific Lutheran College, 
 Parkland, Washington. This West Coast college is 
 supported jointly by Evangelical, American and 
 Augustana Lutheran Churches. Cooperative efforts 
 also extend to Texas Lutheran College at Seguin, 
 Texas. 
 
 Religious work has been undertaken by the 
 Augustana Synod among Lutheran students in non- 
 Lutheran schools. Realizing the duty of the Church 
 toward its members on all college campuses, the 
 Augustana Synod joined the United Lutheran 
 Church in the support of pastors giving part-time 
 service at a number of universities. In 1930 the 
 American Lutheran Conference made this type of 
 
 work a special part of its program. Cooperation 
 with the U. L. C. A. was established. 
 
 The Luther League Council cooperates with the 
 Lutheran Student Association of America, both 
 having similar aims — namely: "To promote the 
 conservation and development of the Christian 
 faith of Lutheran students at institutions of higher 
 learning other than those owned and operated by 
 the Church and to win non-Christian students in 
 such centers for Christ." 
 
 The Lutheran Students Association, organized 
 into thirteen regions, maintains chapters also at 
 Lutheran colleges. The association has conducted, 
 since 1936, a number of successful Ashrams for 
 more intensive study and spiritual growth. 
 
 In 1944 both the American Lutheran Confer- 
 ence and the United Lutheran Church, on recom- 
 mendations of their respective boards, decided to 
 transfer the Lutheran service work at universities 
 to the National Lutheran Council. The Council 
 accepted the offer in 1945 and placed the work 
 under a Commission on Student Service headed by 
 Dr. Morris Wee of the Evangelical Lutheran 
 Church and Dr. Ruth C. Wick of the Augustana 
 Synod, assistant executive director. 
 
 iMnifflif(ffii»iifi!' f 
 
 Above — Augustana College students of 70 years ago 
 organized a band, although some folks thought instru- 
 mental playing was sin. 
 
 Left — Modern students talk to Carl Sandburg, poet 
 and biographer, as he inspects Upsala College's excel- 
 lent Abraham Lincoln collection. 
 
 96 
 
Sunday schools were 
 organized as early as 
 1850 in the churches of 
 the Augustana Synod. 
 
 Parish Education 
 
 THE PROBLEM OF EDUCATING their 
 children properly, especially in Christian- 
 ity, presented itself to the pioneers at the 
 very beginning. Parents did the best they could in 
 the home with the help of catechism and Bible 
 history and such devotional books as they had 
 brought with them. The public school was slow 
 in reaching the frontiers. The Sunday school had 
 reached Sweden from England and America, but 
 mostly through Reformed and separatistic sources 
 and the idea did not at first appeal to the Luther- 
 ans. The parochial school as developed among 
 the Roman Catholics and the German Luther- 
 ans seemed preferable. But Esbjorn reported as 
 early as May 1850 to the American Home Mis- 
 sionary Society, "Sunday schools have been or- 
 
 Dr. J. Vincent Nord- 
 gren served as Synodi- 
 cal Director of Parish 
 Education 1931-1947. 
 
 ganized in Andover and Galesburg and are prom- 
 ising." But he found it difficult to secure teach- 
 ers. In January 1853, the Mississippi and Chi- 
 cago Conferences urged the congregations to "es- 
 tablish Sunday schools, singing classes according to 
 Dean Dillner's system, and Bible classes." But, in 
 January 1854, the joint conference called attention 
 to the fact that "the Romanists are most actively 
 engaged in providing for the religious training of 
 children and are endeavoring in all our large cities 
 and towns to wrest portions of public funds from 
 their common use to themselves" and therefore ex- 
 pressed the opinion that even if home worship be- 
 came more common and the instruction of children 
 in them better cared for, and even if "district" and 
 "free" schools and Sunday schools were common, 
 there is and still would be a great need of Chris- 
 tian folk-schools, parochial schools or Christian 
 day schools. 
 
 It was this ideal and the training of teachers for 
 such schools that prompted the Minnesota Confer- 
 ence to resolve in 1862 that "whereas the need of 
 school teachers in our congregations is so press- 
 ing that we can no longer endure it," Norelius is 
 requested "to assume the duty of instructing such 
 young men as the congregations may send to him," 
 resulting in Ansgar Academy and eventually in 
 Gustavus Adolphus College. However, the lack of 
 teachers, the unwillingness or inability of parents 
 to bear the expense and the coming of "the white 
 
 97 
 
Ut the GatUfleaaiiati 
 
 !ii:lmnls 
 
 
 Manning 
 
 hr Priuiiani 
 
 omes 
 
 w ith the church 
 . elontnent oi I he 
 
 uliiishimj 
 
 Leacher 
 
 Trainintj 
 
 Some of the work of the Board of Parish Education has been explained in a pamphlet, 
 
 from which a page is reproduced. 
 
 school house" even to the frontier made the real- 
 ization of this ideal impossible except to a limited 
 degree. 
 
 The religious instruction of the children outside 
 of the home came to depend more and more upon 
 the Sunday school, vacation Bible school and the 
 confirmation school. The latter was the topic for 
 discussion already in 1853, when the conviction 
 
 was expressed that "catechization and confirmation 
 are churchly usages which we would not give up 
 at any price; an opportune means not only to fur- 
 nish youth with a systematic knowledge of the 
 Christian faith but also to awaken and revive in 
 them a spiritual life and consciousness of church 
 membership." 
 
 That the Sunday school has furnished a valu- 
 
 98 
 
^y 
 
 e 
 
 ?V 
 
 lien hum the Field 
 
 s information .. i ce rh.it 
 
 Promotional actn ■ 
 it; is also carri< 
 tliroug sending 
 
 ; specially prc- 
 
 . ■ . • ... e . i 
 
 -. and forth concerning countless Jctail> 
 task oi reaching ever; person with c hristian 
 . 
 (Mi Parish ! \jluc in helping the 
 
 Hiiililini] and Equipmenl 
 
 ■ rship and j suitable lull tor fellowship, hut 
 
 >mi and equipment tor their 
 
 • Manv, however, .ire planning to pro- 
 
 i« \v ar The Board oi Parish 
 
 to help churches contemplating 
 
 ilding h\ assisting them to analyze their needs 
 
 >cstions in line with hot t-Jnc.inon.il 
 
 ncedures and trends in construction 
 
 Additional activities of the Board of Parish Educa- 
 tion are explained, above. 
 
 ,.o" ov 
 
 
 THE iSMHiZJL 
 MAKE AWHG 
 JOURNEY 
 
 1 
 
 A few of the publications of the Board of Parish 
 Education make an attractive display. 
 
 Train up a child in the way he should go and in his 
 old age he will not depart from it. 
 
 able opportunity for Christian lay service and that 
 deep spiritual influences have been received is, of 
 course, undeniable. But it has also suffered from 
 many weaknesses. Good will often has served as a 
 substitute for ability to teach. Teaching materials 
 were meager and methods were practically non- 
 existent. Eventually, graded lessons were intro- 
 duced. The English language became predominant, 
 making greater and more suitable materials avail- 
 able. 
 
 In 1920 the office of Synod Sunday School Sec- 
 retary, later Director of Parish Education, was es- 
 tablished, first filled by Dr. George A. Fahlund and 
 since 1931 by Dr. J. Vincent Nordgren. In 1924 
 
 Summer Bible schools once combined the study of 
 Christianity and the Swedish language. In the last 20 
 years new highs in enrollment in the summer parochial 
 schools have been reached. 
 
 99 
 
<*! 
 
 i 
 
 Vacation Bible schools and Sunday schools have 
 new textbooks and new methods which make most 
 children eager to attend. 
 
 a Board of Christian Education and Literature was 
 elected; in 1943 it was reorganized into the Board 
 of Parish Education. The task has been to fur- 
 nish needed textbooks, Sunday school papers, and 
 other materials for an efficient church school, to 
 publish teachers' helps and methods and to con- 
 duct study groups and seminars for Sunday school 
 teachers. In response to a general desire for greater 
 unity among Lutherans and to avoid unwarranted 
 duplication of teaching materials, the Augustana 
 Synod is at present cooperating with the United 
 Lutheran Church of America, and the American 
 Lutheran Church in producing a course of Sunday 
 school texts known as the Christian Growth Series. 
 While the daily parochial school did not take 
 root in our Synod as it did among the German Lu- 
 therans, especially the Missourians, the vacation 
 Bible school, first carried on mostly in Swedish, 
 reached a peak in 1903 with 21,900 pupils, 
 dropped to 8,622 in 1922, and has since rallied, 
 with the use of the English language, to a new 
 high. Students as well as other qualified persons 
 serve as teachers and the results are quite satisfac- 
 tory. Whatever weakness from an educational 
 point of view may adhere to vacation and Sunday 
 schools, they serve to prepare the way for the more 
 thorough instruction of the catechetical classes, 
 which is the "sheet anchor" in our system of Chris- 
 tian education. 
 
 The Augustana Synod, the United Lutheran and the 
 American Lutheran Churches are cooperating in pro- 
 ducing the "Christian Growth Series" of texts for Sun- 
 day schools. 
 
 Children's choirs, special services for young people, 
 and the use of young men as acolytes and ushers 
 draw boys and girls closer to God in His temples. 
 
 From Cradle Roll department to the age of 15, when 
 they are confirmed after a year of intensive study on 
 week days and Sundays, girls and boys are prepared to 
 become communicant members of their church 
 
 100 
 
O n 
 
 The Board of Parish Education. Seated, Gladys Pe- 
 terson, John Helmer Olson, president, Ruth C. Wick, 156 
 secretary, J. Vincent Nordgren; standing, Victor E. 
 Beck, Arthur O. Arnold, Wilbert E. Benson, D. Verner 143 
 Swanson, R. L. Fredstrom, Paul M. Lindberg, treasurer 
 
 Parish evangelism teams visited districts of the Lu- 
 theran Augustana Synod in October 1946, to promote 
 programs of soul -winning in local congregations. The 
 Board of Home Missions and the Board of Parish Edu- 
 cation cooperated in the venture. An intensive follow- 
 up in the fall of 1948 is planned as a part of the Cen- 
 tennial year observance. 
 
 In many quarters there has arisen a movement 
 for religious instruction in connection with the 
 public schools, but on so-called "released time." 
 In so far as this is an acknowledgment of the in- 
 sufficiency of education without religion, it should 
 be welcomed; but it cannot relieve the Church 
 from the duty of teaching its children the funda- 
 mental doctrines of its confessional faith. A 
 Church that emphasizes the doctrine of the priest- 
 hood of all believers must also be zealous to give 
 its adults as well as its children such insight into 
 the Word of God and understanding of present- 
 day life as to make each ready to give a good an- 
 swer for the faith that is in him. 
 
 THOUSANDS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 236 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 208 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 182 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 s 
 
 169 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 A 
 
 
 
 
 / 
 
 
 156 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 / 
 
 / 
 
 
 
 143 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 W 
 
 
 
 / 
 / 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 if 
 
 
 
 / 
 
 
 
 
 117 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 V 
 
 
 > 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 #' 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 # 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 *? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 # 
 v 
 
 
 
 nTMEMBERSf 
 
 \\f 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 sy 
 
 ^uiSf t " u, L 
 
 
 
 
 39 
 
 
 
 
 / Ay 
 
 * 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 26 
 
 
 
 
 
 s / 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 13 
 
 
 
 
 'A' 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 g*^ 
 
 J"^ 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1870 
 
 Growth of the Augustana Synod in communicant 
 members is illustrated by the above graph. City 
 churches have grown more rapidly than the rural 
 churches since 1900 as the nation's population has be- 
 come preponderantly urban. 
 
 Leaders of Parish and Christian Higher Education: 
 Dr. Conrad Bergendoff, Dr. J. Vincent Nordgren, Dr. 
 Gould Wickey. 
 
 101 
 
Vasa Children's Home at Red Wing, Minnesota, grew 
 from the early work of Eric Norelius and "Aunt Brita" 
 in 1865. 
 
 Above — The Augustana Nursery, Chicago, provided 
 shelter and care for 86 babies last year. Twenty chil- 
 dren were placed in good Christian homes. 
 
 Below — Bethany Children's Home of the Red River 
 Valley Conference at Alexandria, Minnesota. 
 
 Children s Homes 
 
 THE FIRST APPEAL came from orphans. 
 Often cholera took away the parents, leav- 
 ing the children homeless. A number were 
 sent to Passavant's Orphanage at Zelienople, Penn- 
 sylvania, to which the Scandinavians made contri- 
 butions. In 1865 Norelius found four little waifs 
 on the streets of Red Wing, Minnesota, whom he 
 took to Vasa and housed in the church basement 
 in care of good 'Aunt Brita." This was the begin- 
 ning of the first orphanage. The Minnesota Con- 
 ference assumed charge of it in 1876. Though de- 
 stroyed by a tornado in 1879 and by fire in 1899, 
 it has lived on, and today is endowed by generous 
 gifts made possible by such individuals as Profes- 
 sor and Mrs. Alexander P. Anderson. In Jesus' 
 name, Vasa Children's Home continues to serve 
 the fatherless and motherless. 
 
 Through the influence of Dr. A. W. Passavant, 
 the Synod decided in 1863 to establish an orphans' 
 home and school farm at Paxton, Illinois. Land was 
 secured and money gathered, but for various 
 reasons the orphanage eventually was opened in 
 Swedona in 1867, instead of Paxton, with Mr. and 
 
 102 
 
The Augustana Children's Home in Minneapolis is 
 another of the 60 institutions of mercy within the 
 Synod. 
 
 Mrs. S. P. Lindell in charge. Through the efforts 
 of the Rev. Jonas Swensson, a farm was bought 
 in 1870 in Andover, which now became the home 
 of the institution. It later was turned over to the 
 Illinois Conference. 
 
 Through the efforts of Dr. O. Olsson and the 
 Rev. A. W. Dahlsten, land for an orphans' home 
 was donated by the Union Pacific Railroad in Fre- 
 mont, Kansas, in 1875. A children's home was 
 opened at Mariadahl, Kansas, in 1880. The Rev. 
 B. M. Halland sought to obtain a similar conces- 
 sion in 1870 from the Burlington and Missouri 
 River Railroad in Stanton, Iowa, but was not suc- 
 cessful. A tract of land was purchased, however, 
 
 The Mariadahl Children's Home at Cleburne, 
 sas, was founded in 1879. 
 
 Kan- 
 
 Above — Children's welfare services have increased 
 within recent years. Pictured here is the headquarters 
 of the Child Placing Department, St. Paul, Minnesota. 
 
 Below — Since the establishment of the Augustana 
 Nursery in Chicago in 1917, more than sixteen hundred 
 infants have been given shelter and care. The Augus- 
 tana Inner Mission, which maintains the nursery, plans 
 to erect the building sketched here. 
 
 igi to 
 
 • Cu si SO 
 
 i it »« m *■ « pu 
 i£i si si iS.Si 
 
 AUGUSTANA NUR5CRY 
 
 m m m m ;m:°: 
 
 103 
 
and an orphanage opened by the Iowa Conference 
 in 1881. For more than half a century this home 
 carried on a blessed work before it was discon- 
 tinued. 
 
 In 1886 the New York Conference established 
 a children's home at Jamestown, New York. The 
 Illinois Conference decided in 1886 to open a sec- 
 ond home and industrial school. This was located 
 in Joliet, Illinois. A children's home was opened 
 at the Immanuel Deaconess Institute, Omaha, 
 Nebraska, by the Rev. E. A. Fogelstrom in 1901. 
 Since the home at Jamestown, New York, being 
 located in the westtrn part of the Conference, 
 could not serve well all the churches in the New 
 England states, a children's home was opened in 
 Avon, Massachusetts, in 1907. In 1916 the Min- 
 nesota Conference established an orphanage in Du- 
 luth, Minnesota, and in the same year another 
 home was started in Alexandria, Minnesota, in the 
 Red River Valley. The Mission Association of the 
 Augustana Church, Minneapolis, has maintained a 
 children's home since 1896 in connection with its 
 Colony of Mercy and in 1917 the Inner Mission 
 of the Illinois Conference established a Nursery 
 for Infants in Chicago. 
 
 Much excellent and needed work is now being 
 done within the Synod in child placement and in 
 children's welfare service. Increasing emphasis on 
 staff and facilities is noticed throughout the whole 
 Church. 
 
 Each year the 12 children's homes in the Synod 
 will care for about seven hundred boys and girls, 
 and will place more than two hundred in Chris- 
 tian private homes. 
 
 Comfort the Sick 
 
 The Lutheran Children's Home at Avon, Massachu- 
 setts, was opened in 1907. It is operated by Lutheran 
 Social Service, Inc., of the New England Conference. 
 
 THE STREAM OF IMMIGRANTS passing 
 through Chicago in the 1860's carried with 
 it much sickness and suffering. The ravages 
 of cholera were especially severe. The Rev. Erland 
 Carlsson was overwhelmed with ministering to the 
 sick and his home was like a hospital. By the help 
 of that great philanthropist, Dr. Passavant, and 
 some Christian women, a hospital, primitive in- 
 deed, was opened in 1865. This was, however, de- 
 stroyed in the Chicago fire in 1871, and not until 
 1882, and then through the inspiration of Olof 
 Olsson, was the interest for a hospital revived 
 among our people in Chicago. After much delay a 
 hospital was eventually opened in Dr. Erland 
 Carlsson's home in 1884. This was the beginning 
 of the Augustana Hospital. Its growth has been 
 continuous, with new buildings added from time to 
 time. It ranks today as one of the largest and best 
 hospitals in Chicago. Dr. L. G. Abrahamson served 
 as chairman of its board over 50 years. D. M. 
 Wahlstrom served for many years as superintend- 
 ent. Its present head is T. E. Erickson. 
 
 While the men in the Illinois Conference were 
 considering plans for a hospital, the men in Min- 
 nesota also were busy and through the energetic 
 work of the Rev. A. P. Montan, encouraged by 
 Passavant, property was secured at Lake Como and 
 the Bethesda Hospital was opened in 1882, under 
 
 104 
 
the auspices of the Tabitha Society. Financial em- 
 barrassment and lack of interest compelled the 
 hospital to close its doors in 1883. In 1891 in- 
 terest was revived, and the Rev. C. A. Hultkrans 
 was called as superintendent. Through his efforts 
 it became possible in 1892 to reopen the hospital 
 in St. Paul. Since then the hospital has had a 
 steady growth. Dr. L. B. Benson has had a large 
 share in this noteworthy ministry of mercy for the 
 past quarter century. 
 
 Dr. E. A. Fogelstrom occupies a unique place 
 in the history of our Synod. It was he who intro- 
 duced the feminine diaconate among us. As pastor 
 of the Immanuel Church in Omaha, he was im- 
 pressed, through visits among sick, with the need 
 of a hospital. Passavant already in 1849 had es- 
 tablished a deaconess institute in Pittsburgh on the 
 plan of Fliedner's Kaiserwerth, Germany. On a 
 visit to the Augustana Synod in 1864, Dr. Passa- 
 vant made an impressive speech on the office of 
 the female diaconate. Not until 1887, however, 
 did the first fruits of this plea appear when Fo- 
 gelstrom could send Bothilda Swenson to the Mary 
 Drexel Deaconess Motherhouse in Philadelphia 
 and later to Stockholm to prepare herself for this 
 new calling. 
 
 "The Evangelical Immanuel Association of Mer- 
 cy" was formed by Fogelstrom and a few friends in 
 1888. The Immanuel Hospital was built in 1890. 
 Through personal sacrifice and perseverance, 
 against much opposition and misunderstanding 
 Fogelstrom carried on; the institution grew, the 
 number of deaconesses increased, new avenues of 
 service were opened, the vision of one man was 
 
 This hospital is one of the many institutions of mercy 
 on the grounds of the Immanuel Deaconess Institute, 
 Omaha, Nebraska. 
 
 gradually shared by many and in 1903 the Synod 
 took over the institution. Since then this work of 
 mercy has branched out in many directions. Im- 
 manuel Institute is a complex organization with a 
 working staff of 500 persons, housed in nineteen 
 buildings with an expenditure of over $600 per 
 day. As superintendent, Fogelstrom was followed 
 in 1907 by P. M. Lindberg, in 1920 by E. G. Chin- 
 lund, and in 1946 by Samuel M. Miller. 
 
 From this time on the number of hospitals in- 
 creased, their usefulness was realized more clearly, 
 money was available, and more freely given for 
 charitable purposes. A hospital was begun in War- 
 ren, Minnesota, in the Red River Valley, in 1905. 
 Trinity Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri, was 
 opened within the Kansas Conference in 1906. 
 
 On the West Coast, at Portland, Oregon, a 
 group of interested pastors and laymen established 
 in 1912 the Emanuel Hospital, which since has 
 been owned and controlled by the Emanuel Hos- 
 pital Charity Association of the Portland District 
 of the Columbia Conference. It was at first in 
 
 Columbia Hospital in Astoria, Oregon, was estab- 
 lished 20 years ago. It is owned and operated by the 
 Columbia Conference. 
 
 The hospital at Warren, Minnesota, is owned and 
 maintained by the Red River Valley Conference. It 
 was opened in 1905. 
 
The 112 students in the nurses' training school of 
 Lutheran Hospital, Moline, Illinois, live in the fine old 
 mansion known as Seven Acres. The student nurses 
 came this year from 13 different states. 
 
 Below — Emanuel Hospital, Portland, Oregon, has 
 grown rapidly in its 35 years. Now the largest hospital 
 in the Synod, it has 425 beds for patients and 508 em- 
 ployees. 
 
 charge of deaconesses but has since, to meet the 
 growing need, established a school of nursing. The 
 names of C. J. Renhard., David Lofgren, A. M. 
 Green, C. A. Morland, W. W. Hendrickson, and 
 Paul R. Hanson are closely associated with this 
 growing institution, which is now the largest 
 hospital in the Augustana Synod. 
 
 In 1914 the Iowa Conference established the 
 Iowa Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, and 
 in 1916 the Rock Island District of the Illinois 
 Conference started the Lutheran Hospital at Mo- 
 line. These, like most institutions of this character, 
 had to face financial difficulties in the beginning, 
 but are now well established and enjoy well-de- 
 served patronage. In 1927 a hospital at Astoria, 
 Oregon, already in operation, was offered to the 
 Columbia Conference. After much hesitation and 
 persuasion it was finally accepted under the name 
 Columbia Hospital. It proved, however, to be a 
 heavy undertaking for a small conference and fi- 
 nancial difficulties arose. Timely assistance by the 
 Synod saved the situation and gradually the hos- 
 pital has won the confidence and support of doc- 
 tors and public. 
 
 The most recent addition to the chain of ten 
 hospitals in the Synod is Trinity Hospital in Ash- 
 land, Wisconsin. It was taken over by the Minne- 
 sota Conference in 1946. 
 
 uM6*n» 
 

 ■ 
 
 ,„y$*y>~»mm. 
 
 ■L 
 
 
 nf~ 
 
 d 
 
 The ten hospitals within the Augustana Synod 
 treated 58,682 patients last year. The ten proper- 
 ties and equipment have an aggregate valuation of 
 $7,048,800. Gifts from congregations and individ- 
 uals to the hospitals totaled $89,000 in 1946, a 
 representative year. 
 
 The Church has more than a mere humanitarian 
 interest in establishing hospitals. Its objectives are 
 primarily spiritual. Hence, at all these institutions 
 a regular chaplaincy service is maintained. In line 
 with modern trends, this service is given a new em- 
 phasis that promises a larger measure of blessing 
 to both patients and the Church. 
 
 < 
 
 Typical hospital scenes and nurses are pictured here. 
 
 Below — Trinity Hospital, Ashland, Wisconsin, operat- 
 ed by the Minnesota Conference. 
 
Ease and comfort in Christian surroundings are pro- 
 vided for guests at homes for the aged. A gardener 
 has beautified the grounds of this Augustana Home for 
 the Aged in Chicago. 
 
 Monies for the Aged 
 
 HOMES FOR THE AGED were late in be- 
 ing established in the Synod. The im- 
 migrants were generally young when 
 they came, and the aged were cared for in their 
 own homes or the homes of their children. Perhaps 
 the idea of an "old people's home" was too closely 
 associated with a "poor farm" or "fattighus." Be- 
 sides, the early communities were mostly rural, 
 where living conditions were not crowded and 
 where old people may be usefully occupied. 
 
 Gradually, however, the need for homes for the 
 care of the aged was felt. While these homes of- 
 fered a refuge for the poor, they are not to be 
 considered as strictly charity, nor do they relieve 
 the children from the obligation to their parents. 
 Under modern conditions these homes offer to the 
 well-to-do as well as those of small means com- 
 forts and care that make the evening of their lives 
 peaceful and secure. 
 
 ■ 
 
 Top — Home for the Aged at Mankato, Minn. Ida E. 
 Grinager is matron. 
 
 In circle — Salem Home for the Aged, Kansas City, 
 Mo. Mrs. Ida L. Hedeen is superintendent. 
 
 The first home of this kind was established by 
 the Minnesota Conference in 1904 at Chisago City. 
 It was organized under the hospital board and is 
 known as the Bethesda Home. In 1906 the Iowa 
 Conference decided to establish a home for the 
 aged at Madrid, Iowa, on a tract of land donated 
 by the St. John's Lutheran Church of that place. 
 
 Columbia Conference Home for the Aged, Seattle, 
 Wash. The Rev. L. E. Jones, superintendent. 
 
 Lutheran Old People's Home, Worcester, Mass. Sis- 
 ter Lillie Carlson is the matron. 
 
 108 
 
Bethany Home for the Aged is located at Alexandria, 
 Minnesota. Miss Ebba Anderson is matron. 
 
 In Jamestown, New York, is the Lutheran Home 
 for the Aged, Sister Marie Nelson matron. 
 
 The Salem Home of the Illinois Conference was 
 built at Joliet, Illinois, in 1908, on a park-like plot 
 at the edge of the city, and later a children's home 
 was built on the same ground. The need of a home 
 in Chicago was met in 1911 when the Illinois 
 Conference opened the Augustana Home for the 
 Aged. To accommodate the old folks in Michigan, 
 the Illinois Conference started a third home at 
 Grand Rapids in 1924. 
 
 The New York Conference established the 
 Augustana Home in Brooklyn in 1908 and erect- 
 ed a second home in the western part of the Con- 
 ference at Jamestown in 1930. The Kansas Con- 
 ference established the Bethany Home at Linds- 
 borg in 1911, and the Salem Home in Kansas City, 
 Missouri, in 1921. 
 
 The Superior Conference established the Lu- 
 ther Home at Marinette, Wisconsin, in 1917, and 
 the New England Conference was able to open 
 the doors of the beautiful Swedish Lutheran Old 
 People's Home at Worcester, Massachusetts, in 
 1920. In the same year the Columbia Conference 
 established a home for the aged at Seattle, Wash- 
 
 ington. This was followed in 1925 by the excellent 
 Salem Home at Oakland, California, established 
 by Pastor C. A. Lundquist and others, within the 
 California Conference. 
 
 The Red River Valley Conference also pro- 
 vided for its old people in the Bethany Home at 
 Alexandria, Minnesota, built in 1916, while the 
 Minnesota Conference built an additional home 
 for its aged at Duluth in 1930. The Missionary 
 Association of Augustana Church at Minneapolis 
 also maintains a home for the aged, and the Min- 
 nesota Conference has a home for the aged at 
 Mankato. The Texas Conference is supporting an 
 Institute of Mercy at Round Rock, in buildings 
 formerly part of Trinity College. The Canada 
 Conference has established a home for the aged at 
 Wetaskiwin, Alta., Canada. 
 
 Mention should be made of the hospices or 
 more temporary homes. Two are maintained by 
 the Woman's Missionary Society, one in New 
 York City and one in Chicago. The Augustana 
 Lutheran Woman's Home at Omaha was organ- 
 ized by Marie Hoiness in 1887. The Immanuel 
 
 Bethesda Old People's Home is situated at Chisago 
 City, Minnesota. Miss Eleanora Slattengren matron. 
 
 A view of the Augustana Home for the Aged, Minne- 
 apolis, Minnesota. Sister Luella Olson is matron. 
 
 109 
 
Lakeshore Lutheran Home for the Aged is at Du- 
 luth, Minnesota. Mrs. Signe Ekblad is matron. 
 
 Oakland, California, has the Salem Home for the 
 Aged, Dr. Carl O. Lundquist, superintendent. 
 
 Women's Home in Chicago and a similar institu- 
 tion at Denver, while not under direct Church 
 control, nevertheless, are closely associated with 
 the Church. 
 
 An Immigrant and Sailors' Home was estab- 
 lished by the Synod in New York City in 1895. 
 Among its faithful missionaries has been the Rev. 
 A. C. H. Helander. Another home of this kind 
 was opened in East Boston in 1905, but was 
 turned over to the New England Conference in 
 1938. Rev. Theodore Hjerpe is now in charge of 
 this work. A Sailors' and Loggers' Mission was 
 opened in Seattle, Washington, but was relin- 
 quished in 1929, from which time it has been car- 
 
 ried on privately as The Compass Mission with 
 the Rev. O. R. Karlstrom in charge. 
 
 The Bethphage Mission at Axtell, Nebraska, 
 was begun by the Rev. G. K. Wm. Dahl in 1912. 
 Its aim is to care especially for epileptics and feeble 
 minded. While it is owned and controlled by an 
 independent association, members of which belong 
 to the Augustana Synod, Bethphage is closely re- 
 lated to the Church. Its development justifies the 
 title given it, "A miracle of the prairies." Dr. C. A. 
 Lonnquist was for many years its superintendent. 
 The Rev. Arthur A. Christenson is its present su- 
 perintendent. The Swedish National Sanatorium at 
 Denver, Colorado, is an interdenominational insti- 
 tution for the care of persons afflicted with tuber- 
 culosis. It has been endorsed and has been assisted 
 by our Synod for many years. 
 
 Above is a view of the administration building of 
 the Augustana Mission Colony, Minneapolis, Minne- 
 sota. Sister Elfreda Sandberg is matron of the home. 
 
 At the left, the former Bethesda Hospital, now Be- 
 thesda Invalid Home in St. Paul, Minnesota. Miss 
 Emma Torngren is house mother. 
 
 110 
 

 Pastors Thor M. Matsen and Oscar R. Rolander stand here before the 
 Ushora Lutheran Church and some members of the congregation in 
 Tanganyika Territory, East Africa, one of the Augustana Synod's mis- 
 sion fields. 
 
 ^ foreign Missions 
 
 1& (j° !f e un ^° a " w e world* •• 
 
 in 
 
Zhe Jirst Mgustana foreign Missionaries 
 
 AUGUST B. CARLSON 
 
 RALPH D. HULT 
 
 A. W. EDWINS 
 
 PETER FJELLSTEDT may well be called the 
 father of foreign missions in Sweden. Him- 
 self a missionary, he awakened by his per- 
 sonality, his sermons, and writings, interest in 
 Sweden for foreign misisons. Missionary prayer 
 meetings were held. Missionary societies were or- 
 ganized, and mission institutes started. 
 
 Befriended by Fjellstedt, the first pastors of our 
 Synod shared his missionary zeal. Already in Feb- 
 ruary 20, 1850, Esbjorn reported, "At the monthly 
 missionary prayer meetings the congregation con- 
 tributed $9.03 for the mission in Lapland." It was 
 no small sum for those poor immigrants. In 1856 
 the church at Andover resolved to make an annual 
 collection for foreign missions. At the very first 
 annual meeting of the Augustana Synod it was re- 
 solved to appoint a foreign mission committee and 
 it reported in 1862 that $223.61 had been re- 
 ceived, $100 sent to the Swedish Missionary So- 
 ciety in Stockholm and an equal amount to the 
 Hermannsburger Mission. In the following years 
 contributions were also made to missions in India 
 and Africa through "Fosterlandsstiftelsen." When 
 the Synod became a part of the General Council 
 in 1870, it shared in the mission work of that body 
 in India. 
 
 Our India work was then and for over fifty years 
 in charge of the Mission Board of the Synod, a 
 
 board which thus cared for both home and foreign 
 work. In 1909 a board was established to care for 
 the mission in China and in 1923 all our foreign 
 mission work was consolidated and a Board of 
 Foreign Missions created. 
 
 Mdia 
 
 The Rev. A. B. Carlson was the first missionary 
 from the Augustana Synod, serving in India from 
 
 In India, patients are brought to Lutheran hos- 
 pitals in bamboo-pole stretchers carried by friends 
 on their shoulders. 
 
 112 
 
Three prominent Chinese Lutherans are Ai Nien 
 San, pastor of a church in Sian, Shensi, oldest city in 
 China; Mr. Wang, a Christian business man, and Dr. 
 Peng Fu, president of the Lutheran Church of China. 
 
 1879 to 1882. He rests in India's soil. Of pastors 
 who followed him, H. E. Isaacson and E. A. Olson 
 also died in India, the former in 1893, the latter 
 in 1921. Of the women who have answered the 
 call to India, Charlotte Swensson died in India in 
 1908. 
 
 In 1875 the question was raised of starting a 
 mission of our own. The great demand for home 
 missions among the immigrants, as well as the 
 commitments to the General Council's India Mis- 
 sion, prevented the realization of this plan for a 
 long time. Plans to take up missionary work in 
 Alaska and among the colored people in Florida 
 and Texas were discussed. In 1879 the Synod took 
 steps to establish missionary work among the 
 American Indians. Recalling the labors of Johan- 
 
 nes Campanius, among the Delaware Indians in 
 the days of the New Sweden Colony, the Synod 
 stimulated considerable enthusiasm for the project. 
 Pastors J. Telleen and M. Wahlstrom were chosen 
 as missionaries, and funds gathered, but the proj- 
 ect proved impractical and was given up. Mission- 
 ary work among the Mormons, which was looked 
 upon as "foreign missions," claimed both men and 
 means. 
 
 China 
 
 The Synod's desire for a field of its own was 
 kept alive, however. In 1902 an organization was 
 formed in Minnesota and in 1905 both the field 
 and the first missionary were chosen: China was 
 the field and Pastor A. W. Edwins was the mis- 
 sionary. Like most enterprises of this kind, this 
 venture was one of faith by an interested group 
 or society, but in 1908 the Synod decided to take 
 over the China mission. 
 
 From that time on the work grew steadily in 
 spite of many difficulties, political disturbances 
 and other dangers. The revolution of 1927 bore 
 down heavily on the mission. Two of the mission- 
 aries were captured and held for several weeks by 
 bandits who overran the country. Most of the mis- 
 sionaries were forced to leave. Of those who re- 
 mained, Dr. C. P. Friberg, Dr. E. Lindorf and Pas- 
 
 Here are the Woman's Missionary Society leaders in the Lutheran Church of Sian. 
 Pastor Ai is in the center, with Mrs. Ai second from the left, in the front row. Seated at 
 the right is Mrs. Liu, outstanding women's society leader. 
 
 113 
 
Above — Home life in Africa: Little eyes glisten as the children await a stew prepared 
 by Mama. Behind the mother is another child, whose hand clutches Mama's dress. 
 
 Below — A village school conducted by Augustana Svnod missionaries in India. 
 
 114 
 
Above — Seated between Pastor John L. Benson and Dr. A. J. Colberg are two guerilla 
 leaders who saved the Augustana hospital at Hsuchang from the Japanese. Standing are 
 five Chinese nurses who returned to the hospital after the war. 
 
 Below — A Christmas festival at Lankalakurupad, India. 
 
 115 
 
Pastor V. Eugene Johnson is shown here baptizing 
 some babies of Africa. Below — A patient, nurse and 
 native assistant at an African mission hospital. 
 
 
 tor J. J. Lindell died in service. Peace having been 
 restored, missionary work was resumed. In 1932 
 a spiritual revival was experienced and it brought 
 far-reaching results. 
 
 After four decades we behold a Church with 
 twenty Chinese pastors and about 200 native 
 workers, 80 organized congregations, 36 out sta- 
 tions and about 100 preaching places, a number 
 of parochial and Sunday schools, besides more ad- 
 vanced schools: The Hasselquist and Emmy Evald 
 schools, a Bible school and a nurses' training 
 school and four hospitals and dispensaries caring 
 annually for more than 50,000 patients. In co- 
 operation with other Lutheran missions there is a 
 publication plant for books and papers, a school 
 for American missionaries' children and a theolog- 
 ical seminary. 
 
 World War II brought chaos and devastation to 
 a land already dying from famine. The Japanese 
 overran and occupied the whole area of our mis- 
 sion. Some of the missionaries were interned. 
 Others escaped through a hazardous flight into 
 West China. The pioneer, Dr. A. W. Edwins, died 
 at sea after release from internment. Many of the 
 Chinese also fled westward and the work was 
 left to itself. With the end of the war it became 
 possible for the first missionaries to return in the 
 fall of 1945. In 1946, twenty-one missionaries 
 went out and four others in 1947. The schools and 
 hospitals were reopened and once more the work 
 is moving forward. Our Chinese Christians organ- 
 ized during the war two new self-supporting con- 
 gregations in Shensi province. 
 
 Africa 
 
 While still a student at Luther College, Wahoo, 
 Nebraska, Ralph Hult had felt himself called to 
 become a missionary. In 1917 he presented him- 
 self to the Synod for work in Africa. The Synod 
 accepted this as a call from God to go into the 
 dark continent with the light of the gospel and 
 Hult was ordained as its first missionary. War, 
 however, prevented his going until 1919- For two 
 years he explored the possibilities of a field in 
 French Sudan. But in 1922, following World War 
 I, he was requested to help take over the former 
 German Lutheran Leipzig mission in East Africa 
 
UJLU^m&jqj& 
 
 Students of Ruruma Girls' School, conducted by Lutheran Augustana Synod mission- 
 aries, are pictured at play on the school grounds. 
 
 in the Tanganyika territory, from which the Ger- 
 man missionaries had been expelled. There Hult 
 was joined by several new missionaries and work 
 was carried on until 1926. 
 
 German missionaries returned in 1924. Shortly 
 afterwards the Augustana board of missions de- 
 cided to return the whole Kilimanjaro field to the 
 Germans and accepted instead in 1926 a practical- 
 ly untouched field among the Iramba, almost 300 
 miles farther inland. Our work among these peo- 
 ple has made phenomenal progress. After less than 
 twenty years, the mission had nine congregations 
 of which six had more than a thousand mem- 
 bers each, and 883 children were enrolled in prim- 
 ary schools and 2,831 in chapel or "bush" schools. 
 We have a training school for teachers. Hospitals 
 at Kiamboi and Iambi give over 20,000 hospital 
 days and about 100,000 out-patient treatments a 
 year. At the dispensaries more than 125,000 treat- 
 ments are given annually, including 20,000 to 
 lepers. Native leadership is being developed. 
 
 World War II brought many added responsi- 
 bilities. Three large German missions became 
 orphaned when their 172 missionaries were in- 
 terned. The Augustana mission applied to govern- 
 ment and received the authority to assume care 
 and supervision of these missions. The American 
 Section of the Lutheran World Federation and 
 
 afterwards the National Lutheran Council supplied 
 funds for this gigantic undertaking. Swedish mis- 
 sionaries also came to the rescue. In spite of limit- 
 ed staffs these missions have gone forward and 
 now have a baptized membership of about 150,- 
 000. In educational work progress is made to- 
 wards an indigenous church with three training 
 schools, a secondary school and a theological 
 seminary, the latter two started in 1946 and 1947. 
 
 Puerto Kico 
 
 In 1898 during the Spanish American War a 
 student from Augustana College, G. S. Swenson, 
 chanced to be at San Juan, Puerto Rico. On his 
 own initiative he started a Sunday school and 
 preaching mission in a hired hall. This was the be- 
 ginning of Lutheran mission work on this island, 
 which was ceded to the United States by Spain. 
 During the first years the work was carried on 
 largely by members from the Augustana Synod, 
 while officially under the General Council, of 
 which our Synod was a part. 
 
 Pastor Alfred Ostrom was called in 1905 and 
 supervised the mission for many years; Pastor A. 
 P. G. Anderson was called in 1907, and a num- 
 ber of devoted women also gave valuable service. 
 
 117 
 
At the organization of the United Lutheran Church 
 in 19 18 the Puerto Rico mission was transferred 
 to the West Indies Mission Board of this body. 
 While the Augustana Synod was represented on 
 this board, the Synod sent no more workers but 
 transferred its main interest to its fields in China 
 and Africa. The Monacileo Chapel and Missionary 
 residence in San Juan built by the Augustana 
 Woman's Missionary Society remain as monuments 
 of the Augustana Synod's efforts on this island. 
 
 Augustana foreign 
 
 Missionary Society 
 
 FOR MANY YEARS the Synod's interest in 
 foreign missions expressed itself mostly 
 through contributions from individual congrega- 
 tions. Such funds were then during our first dec- 
 ade dispensed through various foreign mission 
 agencies in Europe or America. 
 
 In 1879 Pastor A. B. Carlson had gone out to 
 India under the General Council. His death on 
 the field in 1882 stirred many to more serious 
 thought for the cause of foreign missions. On 
 April 10, 1886, students at Augustana College or- 
 ganized the Augustana Foreign Mission Society. 
 One of the society's charter members, Emanuel Ed- 
 man, became the second missionary from our 
 Synod to go into the foreign field, in 1889- From 
 
 The Gospel is preached in Africa in God's outdoor 
 tabernacles. 
 
 This is the Lutheran higher elementary school in 
 Sattenapalle, India. 
 
 a students' organization, the society grew until it 
 became synodwide. Its aim was primarily to stim- 
 ulate interest in foreign missions and to gather 
 funds for the cause, but also to urge upon the 
 Synod to begin "independent mission work among 
 non-Christian nations." A petition on the subject 
 was directed to the Synod in 1889, but as the 
 Synod already was committed to the General Coun- 
 cil's India mission, the petition was refused. 
 
 It was evident that the Synod was not united 
 on this issue. However, in 1897 the Synod gave 
 warm endorsement to the society and authorized 
 it to "receive donations and legacies for the Synod's 
 foreign mission." This society had a very active 
 part in the launching of our work in Africa. It was 
 upon its petition that the Synod took action to 
 send Pastor Hult. 
 
 Through the years the Augustana Foreign Mis- 
 sion Society has continued to promote missionary 
 education and interest and has given considerable 
 financial support to the cause. While synodwide in 
 its influence, the society is centered among the 
 students at Augustana College and Theological 
 Seminary, Rock Island. The year 1946 marked its 
 golden jubilee. 
 
 Active missionary societies are found on the 
 campus of Gustavus Adolphus College, where one 
 of the older and more successful societies of its 
 kind is in existence, on the Bethany campus, at 
 Luther College, where Missionary Hult got his 
 start, and at Upsala College, where Missionary 
 John L. Benson, China, Elmer Danielson, Martin 
 C. Olson and the late Martin Bystrom, Africa, re- 
 ceived their college training. 
 
 College and Seminary missionary societies gave 
 $3,230 to the $500,000 foreign missions budget 
 of the Synod last year. 
 
Board of 
 
 FORE1CN 
 
 MISSIONS 
 
 These men and women di- 
 rect the foreign missionary 
 work of the Lutheran Augus- 
 tana Synod. Dr. S. Hjalmar 
 Swanson is executive director 
 and Pastor C. Vernon Swenson 
 is the promotional secretary of 
 the Board of Foreign Missions. 
 Other officers are N. P. Langs- 
 joen, president, N. P. Benson, 
 treasurer, and A. C. Lindholm, 
 secretary. 
 
 S. Hjalmar Swanson 
 
 N. P. Benson 
 
 f^*\ 
 
 P. O. Bersell 
 
 r 
 
 I 
 
 M&M 
 
 N. P. Langsjoen 
 
 A. C. Lindholm 
 
 Theo. Rydbeck 
 
 &f~ ' 
 
 *fA 
 
 E. T. Rydell 
 
 C. Vernon Swenson 
 
 
 1 ^ 
 
 .■ 
 
 dA ikti 
 
 Mrs. Walter Ekelund Mrs. J. V. Ericsson 
 
 Constant Johnson 
 
 
 #=* »• 
 
 
 Mrs. D. T. Martin 
 
 T. N. Maurtiz 
 
 Leman Olsenius 
 
 
 \ 
 
 Philemon Smith 
 
 D. L. Tilderquist 
 
 K*fe 
 
 E. H. Wahlstrom 
 
 119 
 
ca 
 
 Harry C. Alden Mrs. H. C. Alden Dorothy Anderson 
 
 Ebba Anderson Geo. N. Anderson Mrs. G. N. Andersor 
 
 1 
 
 Il\ /'ill 
 
 Juliet Anderson L. M. Anderson P. E. Anderson Mrs. P. E. Anderson H. B. Bengston Mrs. H. Bengston 
 
 Raymond Bolstad Mrs. R. Bolstad Ray Cunningham 
 
 Mrs. Cunningham E. Danielson E. R. Danielson 
 
 Mrs. Danielson Herta Engelman Helen Erickson Daniel Frit-erg 
 
 120 
 
 Mrs. D. Friberg J. B. Friberg 
 
4i 
 
 %fc 
 
 Mrs. J. B. Friberg Margaret Friberg Vivian Gulleen 
 
 M. Halvorson C. W. Hedman Mrs. C. Hedman 
 
 c 
 
 
 Ida M. Jacobson V. E. Johnson Mrs. V. E. Johnson Velura Kinnan Edythe Kjellin Mabel Larson 
 
 Herbert Magney Mrs. H. Magney Thor M. Matse 
 
 Mrs. T. Matsen N. L. Melander Mrs. N. L. Melander 
 
 Edna Miller Stanley Moris Mrs. S. Moris Anna C. Olson Howard S. Olson Mrs. H. S. Olson 
 
 121 
 
AFRICA 
 
 Martin C. Olson Mrs. M. C. Olson O. A. Olson 
 
 Mrs. O. A. Olson M. Palmquist Mrs. M. Palmquist 
 
 i'M 
 
 ^ 
 
 \ 
 
 s 
 
 R. A. Pedersen Mrs. R. Pedersen Leslie Peterson Mrs. L. Peterson M. Peterson 
 
 R. W. Renner 
 
 Richard Reusch Mrs. R. Reusch 
 
 Selma Swanson S. H. Swanson Mrs. S. Swanson 
 
 O. R. Rolander Mrs. O. Rolander Edna Rolands 
 
 .'** i 
 
 Helen Koester Ruth Tollefson -Margaret Wall 
 
 122 
 
CHINA 
 
 Ethel M. Akins A. K. Anderson A. E. Anderson 
 
 Esther Anderson Myrtle Anderson J. L. Benson 
 
 Mrs. J. L. Benson Minnie Tack W. B. Benson 
 
 Mrs. B. Benson Gustav Carlberg Mrs. G. Carlberg 
 
 l v ^L J 
 
 Emery Carlson Mrs. E. Carlson Stella Carlson 
 
 A. J. Colberg Mrs. A. Colberg Dorothea Edwins 
 
 D. Ekstrand Astrid Erling Viola Fischer Anders Hanson 
 
 123 
 
 Mrs. A. Hanson Hanna Hanson 
 
M. B. Hanson Mrs. M. Hanson F. E. Johnson 
 
 Thyra Lawson J. W. Lindbeck 
 
 Mrs. J. Lindbeck Mrs. S. Lindell Reuben Lundeen Mrs. R. Lundeen Virgil Lundquist Mrs. Lundquist 
 
 Donald Nelson Mrs. D. Nelson Russell Nelson 
 
 
 Mrs. R. Nelson Ingeborg Nystul Anna Olson 
 
 Lillian Olson Elvira Person V. E. Swenson Mrs. V. Swenson David L. Vikner Mrs. D. L. Vikner 
 
 124 
 
CHINA 
 
 'M \W: i 
 
 David W. Vikner H. Zimmerman Mrs. Zimmerman 
 
 
 
 INDIA 
 
 Agnes Christenson Paul E. Holmer Mrs. Paul Holmer 
 
 Verna Lofgren Betty Nilsson Ruth H. Swanson 
 
 fleiv Missionaries 
 
 President Bersell. in his report to the Synod in 
 1947, said: 
 
 "A Church that serves in love knows no geo- 
 graphical limitations nor racial distinctions in the 
 outreach of her love. Therefore the Augustana 
 
 Synod has, even in her infant years, been interested 
 in world missions. Her foreign mission fields are 
 in India, China and Africa. Ten years ago we had 
 64 missionaries, including wives. Now the num- 
 mer is 132. 
 
 "We have prayed for 150 new missionaries 
 during these centennial observance years. Last 
 year we sent out 2 to India, 9 to China, and 17 to 
 Africa in addition to 19 veteran missionaries, a 
 total of 47. Many more are preparing to go. The 
 number of congregations sponsoring foreign mis- 
 sionaries with annual appropriation of S 1,000 or 
 more, over and above the budget, is increasing, 
 the number now being 32. One of these congre- 
 gations sponsors five missionaries. Perhaps this is 
 an indication that there is sufficient love for mis- 
 sions in our Synod to support an intensified mis- 
 sionary effort, both home and foreign." 
 
 A Native Church 
 
 The Telugu mission in India, in which the 
 Augustana Synod is co-operating, is directed by the 
 Board of Missions of the United Lutheran Church. 
 This mission is now organized into a self-govern- 
 ing native Lutheran Church and the foreign mis- 
 sionary now comes there as a guest on the invita- 
 tion of the native Church and he works under the 
 direction of the native church. 
 
 This is of course the goal towards which the 
 Synod strives in all missionary work. The mission- 
 ary's aim is to build up an indigenous church and 
 eventually "work himself out of a job." Mission- 
 aries, however, will be needed on this field in 
 India for years to come, as men and women who 
 can serve as helpers in the administration. 
 
 Foreign missionaries, home on furlough, were photo- 
 graphed while being interviewed over the radio. 
 
 125 
 
Above— Mrs. Elmer R. Danielson and children were 
 among those miraculously rescued when the mission- 
 ary ship Zamzam was torpedoed in 1941. 
 
 126 
 
Special emphasis was 
 placed on foreign missions 
 in 1945 as part of the Life 
 and Growth program. Al- 
 most every congregation 
 was visited by a mission- 
 ary, home on furlough be- 
 cause some fields were in- 
 accessible during the war. 
 And the prayers for more 
 laborers were answered. 
 
 Five missionaries com- 
 missioned at the Synod's 
 convention in 1947 are 
 shown at the right. 
 
 Eleven young Christians were commissioned as foreign missionaries at the Lutheran 
 Augustana Synod convention held in Duluth, Minnesota, in June, 1946. 
 
 127 
 
The Woman's Missionary Society, 
 which contributes as much as $300,- 
 000 a year to home and foreign 
 missions, maintains the above build- 
 ing at 3939 Pine Grove Avenue, 
 Chicago, as its national headquarters. 
 The building also serves as a home 
 for missionaries on furlough who 
 visit Chicago. 
 
 Woman's Missionary Society 
 
 AT THE SYNODICAL MEETING in 
 Lindsborg, Kansas, in 1892, a group of 
 women petitioned the Synod for the 
 privilege of organizing a woman's missionary so- 
 ciety. The Synod's answer was the following re- 
 solution: 
 
 'Whereas missions are the great and most im- 
 portant concern of the Christian Church; and 
 whereas we as Lutherans owe a debt of gratitude 
 to God for His great mercy to us as individuals 
 and as a denomination and feel it to be our calling 
 to take part in the missionary work as far as we 
 are able; and whereas the needs on the home and 
 foreign fields are so large that all our resources are 
 needed to meet them; and whereas women have 
 always taken an active part in the extension of the 
 Kingdom of Christ; and whereas, at this meeting, 
 fifty women from distant parts of our church have 
 gathered in prayer to God and have decided to or- 
 ganize an evangelical Lutheran Woman's Society 
 with the object in view of aiding the home and 
 foreign missions of our Synod; therefore, be it re- 
 
 y nM 
 
 
 
 } 
 
 
 Br 
 
 
 — ^ M&mffijm 
 
 
 Mrs. Daniel T. Martin, W. M. S. president, presents 
 a $50,000 check to President Bersell for the Synod's 
 post-war emergency work. 
 
 Miss Augusta Highland 
 Editor, Mission Tidings 
 
 Mrs. Linda Lindstrom 
 Manager, Mission Tidings 
 
 128 
 
Mrs. Daniel T. Martin 
 President 
 
 Mrs. Samuel E. Johnson 
 Vice-President 
 
 Mrs. Vernon E. Ryding 
 2nd Vice-President 
 
 Mrs. Theodore E. Matson 
 Recording Secretary 
 
 solved that: 1. The Synod rejoice in this move- 
 ment and grant the new society undivided recogni- 
 tion; 2. The Synod recommend this society to the 
 pastors and congregations for all encouragement 
 and support they can give it." 
 
 The society's first president was Mrs. Emmy 
 Evald. Mrs. C. A. Swensson was its first secretary. 
 Through the energetic and efficient leadership, 
 commendable loyalty and deep devotion of the 
 women of our Synod, this society has to its credit 
 remarkable achievements. It has been responsive 
 to every need and has extended its ministrations 
 into many fields. 
 
 In its organizational development, the synodical 
 society gave rise to conference societies: these in 
 turn developed district societies in which the local 
 congregational societies are represented. Close con- 
 tact is maintained through annual conventions and 
 a central board. After fifty years the Woman's 
 Missionary Society in 1942 numbered 1,334 socie- 
 ties, including adults, young women's and junior 
 organizations and a total membership of 57,495 
 
 A Golden Jubilee gift of $50,000 for home and 
 foreign missions was given as a fiftieth anniversary 
 gift in 1942. In 1947 the synodical treasurer re- 
 ported that the receipts for the year were $330,- 
 860.96. The total membership at the close of 1946 
 was over 73,000. 
 
 The society has in the field of home missions 
 given support to a few beneficiary congregations, 
 made surveys of new fields by special workers, sup- 
 ported work among migrants and Mexicans in 
 California, and among the Orientals in Vancouver, 
 B. C, and has regularly contributed to the work 
 of Jewish Missions. The salaries of nineteen home 
 missionaries are paid by the society. Since 1938 the 
 society has had two voting members on the Board 
 of Home Missions. 
 
 To the work in India the society has supplied 
 both means and missionaries. The Charlotte 
 Swensson Memorial Bible School, built in 1927, 
 and the Augustana Hospital at Bhimawaram 
 (1931) are monuments to the society's interest 
 in India. The name of Dr. Betty Nilsson always 
 
 Mrs. Walter Ekelund 
 Corresponding Sec'y 
 President, Minnesota 
 
 Mrs. J. V. Ericsson 
 Treasurer 
 
 Mrs. Ernest F. Olson 
 
 Statistician 
 
 Mrs. Peter Peterson 
 
 Historian 
 
 Past President 
 
 
 129 
 

 H^ </W. 5. Conference Presidents, March 1947 
 
 '*% 4>r M^ 
 
 \ 
 
 Mrs. O. M. Bloom Mrs. Leslie Carlson Mrs. Waldo Ekeberg Mrs. F. J. Ellman Mrs. O. O. Gustafson Mrs. J. H. Johnston 
 Texas Kansas Iowa California Red River Valley Illinois 
 
 will be associated with the hospital in Rajah- 
 mundry. In China the society, besides giving finan- 
 cial suppott to the general work, has built a hos- 
 pital at Hsuchang and the Emmy Evald school for 
 girls at the same place. On the Africa field the 
 society has provided the cost of the hospital at 
 Kiomboi and another at Iambi, a number of dis- 
 pensaries and a girls' school at Ruruma. The so- 
 ciety pays the salaries of thirty-eight missionaries 
 and workers. 
 
 The society publishes Mission Tidings, a month- 
 ly magazine, with a circulation of more than 29,- 
 000. Mrs. C. A. Swenson was its first editor. 
 Through Prayer Day Offerings, Boxes of Blessing, 
 Christmas Cheer, Dime Books, My Missionary for 
 a Day, Life and Honorary Memberships and In 
 Memoriams, the society sustains a wide range of 
 benevolences. In the field of inner missions, the 
 society has supported the Lutheran Home for 
 Women in New York, erected a chapel at Beth- 
 phage Mission, Axtell, Nebraska (1930), and a 
 similar chapel at the Immanuel Deaconess 5 Institute, 
 Omaha, Nebraska (1925), each costing over 
 $50,000. It also contributed about $110,000 to the 
 Women's Dormitory at Augustana College. 
 
 Mrs. Emmy Evald was for 43 years president of the 
 Woman's Missionary Society, serving from its found- 
 ing in 1892 to 1935. Mrs. Evald was the daughter of a 
 pioneer pastor, Dr. Erland Carlsson, and she became 
 the wife of her father's successor as pastor of Chi- 
 cago's first Augustana church, Immanuel. In that con- 
 gregation Mrs. Evald organized, in 1880, a missionary 
 society which became the pattern for similar groups 
 in nearly 1,200 parishes. 
 
 Mrs. Carl Lof 
 Nebraska 
 
 Mrs. Clyde S. Oakes Mrs. A. E. Rehnstrom Mrs. Carl E. Rydell Mrs. A. Stenstrom 
 New York New England Columbia Superior 
 
 Mrs. 
 
 J. A. Vikman 
 Canada 
 
T)epartmeHt Secretaries and Staff, March 1947 
 
 Mrs. Victor Beck 
 Christmas Cheer 
 
 Mrs. John Benson, Jr. 
 Home Missions 
 
 Mrs. H. T. Johnson 
 Prayer Day 
 
 Mrs. A. F. Schersten 
 Missionary for a Day 
 
 Mrs. Victor Spong 
 Dime Books 
 
 The society gave the first installment of its 
 Centennial gift to the Synod at the convention in 
 1946, a post-war emergency fund of $50,000, hon- 
 oring the men and women in the service of our 
 country safely returned, and in loving memory of 
 those men and women who gave their lives in 
 that service. It plans to present a like amount at 
 the Centennial in 1948. 
 
 The remarkable achievements of this organiza- 
 tion are in a large measure due to a consistent 
 policy, reflected by the fact that in its entire ex- 
 istence it has had only three presidents, Dr. Emmy 
 Evald, Mrs. Peter Peterson and the incumbent, 
 Mrs. Daniel T. Martin, and other long-term offi- 
 cers. 
 
 The society has its headquarters and home for 
 missionaries on furlough at 3939 Pine Grove Ave- 
 nue, Chicago. 
 
 In New York City, the Woman's Missionary 
 Society maintains the Lutheran Home for 
 Women at 318-320 E. 82nd Street. 
 
 Mrs. Victor Karman 
 Inner Missions 
 
 Mrs. Henry F. Miller 
 Boxes of Blessing 
 
 Burnice Fjellman 
 
 Secretary of 
 
 Missionary Education 
 
 Marion Pillman 
 
 Young Women's Work 
 
 and Promotion 
 
 Mrs. Edwin A. Elmer 
 
 Secretary 
 
 for Junior Work 
 
 131 
 
A Board of Youth Activities, shown above, was created by the Lutheran Augustana 
 Synod at its convention in Moline, Illinois, in June, 1945, to supervise, promote and cor- 
 relate the activities of young people of the churches from their confirmation to age 30. 
 Officers during 1945-1947: Pastor Melvin A. Hammarberg, president; Mrs. Clarence T. 
 Nelson, vice-president; Lloyd Schwiebert, secretary-treasurer. 
 
 Mope of the Juture 
 
 DR. ERLAND CARLSSON, then president 
 of the Synod, said in 1888, "The youth 
 are the hope of the future." This was a 
 true saying, but it took many years before the 
 Synod fully realized it. Language and environment 
 often estranged the young people from the Church 
 of their fathers. To organize them into societies, it 
 was feared by some, would create a "church within 
 the church." The question often was touched upon 
 in synodical reports. In the meantime, a few young 
 men had organized "a young men's society" in the 
 Freemount Church of Lindsborg, Kansas, about 
 1875. The best known of the early societies was 
 the Young Men's Society at First, Moline, Illinois, 
 organized in 1877 and opened to women in 1882. 
 In 1877 a young people's paper, "Ungdomsvan- 
 nen," was started. The year 1878 saw the estab- 
 lishment of a Young Men's Society at Augustana, 
 Minneapolis, and First, St. Paul. 
 
 The programs were "literary" and religious, and 
 generally in the Swedish language. Where the 
 pastor showed sympathetic understanding he could 
 count on the loyalty of the young people. When 
 the opposite was the case, the movement easily 
 
 fell under leadership that caused dissension. The 
 increasing use of the English language among the 
 young people became in many cases a vexing 
 problem. While in the beginning, the programs 
 were generally serious in tone, the young people's 
 desire for entertainment and sociability often be- 
 came dominant. This trend is, however, success- 
 fully met where Bible studies and Luther League 
 topics are consistently used. 
 
 As local societies increased, district and con- 
 ference leagues were formed. Thus the Kansas Lu- 
 ther League was organized in 1903, that of Iowa 
 in 1905, Illinois in 1908, Nebraska in 1909, and 
 so forth in the other Conferences. This led to the 
 proposal of a synodical league. A committee ap- 
 pointed in 1905 reported favorably on the plan in 
 1907, but inasmuch as the report also suggested 
 "organized and official connection with the Na- 
 tional Luther League of America," an organiza- 
 tion started within the General Council in 1887, 
 and with which some local leagues were affiliated, 
 the recommendation was not adopted. 
 
 The conservatives feared the affiliation might 
 prove to be an open door to outside influences. 
 However, with this point omitted, the report was 
 adopted in 1908. A constitution for the Luther 
 League, a name which was adopted without refer- 
 ence to the national organization, was approved 
 
 132 
 
Wilton E. Bergstrand 
 has served since 1937 as 
 executive secretary of 
 the Luther League and 
 since 1945 in a broader 
 field as youth director. 
 
 in 1910, and the league formally organized De- 
 cember 3, 1910, in Chicago. Dr. Frank Nelson 
 was elected as its first president. Conventions were 
 to be held every two years. 
 
 The sy nodical league was reorganized in 1924 
 into the Synodical Luther League Council, with the 
 sanction of the Synod, and in 1926 the Council 
 was officially recognized as representing the young 
 people's work. This Council, composed of the 
 presidents and one other delegate of the various 
 Conference leagues, elects its own chairman and 
 submits an annual report to the Synod. Dr. Con- 
 rad Bergendoff was the Council's first president, 
 followed in 1928 by Dr. Joshua Oden. Others 
 who have served as presidents include Pastors S. 
 E. Engstrom, Malvin H. Lundeen, Theodore E. 
 Palmer and the incumbent, Dr. Edgar M. Carlson. 
 
 In 1927 it became evident that if the Council 
 was to function properly, an executive secretary 
 giving his full time to the work was necessary. 
 This step was sanctioned by the Synod and in 1929 
 Pastor P. N. Sjogren was called to this position. 
 He served until 1937, when he was succeeded by 
 Pastor Wilton E. Bergstrand, who is now the youth 
 director of the Synod. 
 
 A series of Christian conferences have been ar- 
 ranged by the Council, attracting synodwide at- 
 tendance of thousands of young people. Some of 
 these were held at our colleges — at Augustana, 
 1921, 1926, 1935; Bethany, 1929; Gustavus 
 Adolphus, 1931 ; Upsala, 1933. Others have been 
 held at Minneapolis, Omaha, Rockford, Jamestown 
 and Los Angeles. The Council has published con- 
 siderable literature in the form of programs, study 
 topics and other materials; also a manual, a book 
 of daily devotions, Conference publications, and 
 edited a Luther League department in the Lu- 
 theran Companion. 
 
 Summer camps are held by the various confer- 
 ence leagues where courses on the Bible and other 
 subjects are given. Apart from serving their local 
 churches, the Luther Leagues also are interested in 
 the broader work of the Church, such as the sup- 
 port of missions, scholarships at our educational 
 institutions, and other benevolences. During war 
 time the leagues engaged especially in various ac- 
 tivities for the men and women in the armed 
 forces. 
 
 Financial help has been given by the Augustana 
 Synod Luther League to Lutheran youth work in 
 Europe (notably in Hungary and among the Es- 
 thonian exiles), and in China, as well as other 
 parts of the world. The Augustana Luther League 
 was the first group anywhere to contribute to the 
 newly created Youth Department of the World 
 Council of Churches. 
 
 In 1945 a Board of Youth Activities was 
 authorized by the Synod for the purpose of pro- 
 moting, correlating and supervising the activities 
 of youth from their confirmation to the age of 
 thirty. 
 
 Sixty Luther League Bible camps are sponsored 
 by various districts and Conferences throughout 
 the Lutheran Augustana Synod. Camp Augustana at 
 Lake Geneva in Wisconsin is one of the large and 
 popular summer vacation spots, where Christian living 
 and study increase the joys of outdoor sports. 
 
 133 
 
F. A. Udden 
 President 
 
 C. Oscar Leonardson Harold A. Smith 
 
 Executive Director Vice-President 
 
 Philip A. Nelson 
 2nd Vice-President 
 
 V. E. Johnson 
 Secretary 
 
 L. Milo Matson 
 Treasurer 
 
 P. O. Bersell 
 Ex-ojjicio 
 
 Adolph Hanson 
 Past President 
 
 T. A. Gustafson 
 Advisor 
 
 fa brotherhood 
 
 IT HAS BEEN STATED that the first "men's 
 society" was organized by Dr. P. J. Svard in 
 the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Omaha in 
 1897. However, a young men's society had been 
 formed twenty years earlier in the First Lutheran 
 Church, Moline. Many congregations had men's 
 organizations for mutual sick benefit privileges 
 and other purposes. 
 
 The first specifically men's group organized 
 throughout the Synod was that formed in 1915 for 
 the purpose of gathering $500,000 for the Minis- 
 terial Pension Fund, of which Senator Henry N. 
 Benson, St. Peter, Minnesota, was the chairman. 
 
 Then came World War I, during 1917 and 
 1918. For the purpose of soldiers' and sailors' wel- 
 fare the Lutheran Brotherhood of America came 
 into being, almost spontaneously. Many of the 
 Augustana Synod men became affiliated with the 
 movement. It performed a magnificent job. After 
 
 the war this movement was transformed into the 
 Lutheran Brotherhood Insurance Company, and 
 could no longer function as a strictly Church or- 
 ganization. Hence, in 1919 the Lutheran Brother- 
 hoods and men's societies in the Iowa Conference 
 organized themselves into a Conference Brother- 
 hood, with C. J. Cederquist of Madrid as president. 
 The same year this group petitioned the Synod to 
 form an Augustana Synod Brotherhood. The Synod 
 favored the petition and a committee was elected to 
 propose plans. 
 
 But the Pension Fund Committee was not yet 
 dissolved, and in 1920 it petitioned the Synod "to 
 organize an Augustana Layman's League for the 
 purpose of carrying on the collection of money in 
 sustaining the finances of our Synod." The Synod 
 favored the proposal and a committee was appoint- 
 ed. As both these proposals sought the same ob- 
 jective, it was but natural that the two committees' 
 should cooperate and map out a program that 
 would incorporate the views of both. This was 
 done in 1922. They jointly recommended the or- 
 
 134 
 
Programs of the Lutheran Brotherhood include 
 many panel discussions, such as the one above on the 
 sponsorship of Boy Scout troops. 
 
 ganization of a synodical Brotherhood. This was 
 approved by the Synod and the Augustana Lu- 
 theran Brotherhood was formed. Henry N. Ben- 
 son became its first president. 
 
 From the synodical Brotherhood, conference, 
 district and local Brotherhoods were organized. 
 These include both pastors and laymen, though 
 one object is to offer a larger opportunity for lay 
 leadership in the church. While the emphasis is al- 
 ways on the spiritual life, the Brotherhood seeks 
 especially to foster a sense of Christian steward- 
 ship. The problem of providing worthwhile pro- 
 grams in which the men will participate has al- 
 ways proved difficult. Much depends on good 
 leadership. 
 
 An important part of the Lutheran Brother- 
 hood's activities has been its support of boys' work. 
 In this field Judge Eskil Carlson, Des Moines, 
 Iowa, has been especially active under the Chris- 
 tian Citizen Program. While at first hesitant about 
 endorsing Boy Scout work in our churches, the 
 Synod later sanctioned such organizations under 
 the auspices of the Brotherhood. 
 
 Seven scholarships were awarded in 1947 to 
 worthy young people for college study and twice 
 as many scholarships will be offered in 1948 by 
 the Lutheran Brotherhood. 
 
 In 1925 the Lutheran Brotherhood felt the need 
 of a full-time executive secretary. Dr. Julius Lin- 
 coln was chosen for this position, which he filled 
 for three years. J. A. Christianson of Chicago 
 served as part-time executive secretary for several 
 years. In 1945 the Brotherhood, with the sanction 
 of the Synod, again engaged an executive secre- 
 tary, the Rev. C. Oscar Leonardson. Under his 
 leadership Brotherhood work has continued. Boys' 
 work, youth scholarships, and strengthening of the 
 pension plan are among the objectives. 
 
 In 1927 the Lutheran Brotherhood of America 
 
 was reorganized into the American Federation of 
 Lutheran Brotherhoods. The Augustana Brother- 
 hood became one of its units. "Every man a 
 Brotherhood man by 1948" is the slogan for the 
 Centennial year. F. A. Udden of Hayward, Cali- 
 fornia, has been elected president of the Synodical 
 Lutheran Brotherhood for 1948. 
 
 Summer camps, Scouting, 4-H Clubs and Future 
 Farmer of America groups are agencies through which 
 the Lutheran Brotherhood hopes to make the world 
 of tomorrow a better world by helping the boys of 
 today to develop a strong faith in God and to create 
 in them an interest in social service. 
 
 Several of the 13 Conferences of the Augustana 
 Synod are conducting boys' summer camps and have 
 appointed directors for the work. Pastor Walfred E. 
 Nelson is chairman of the Synodical Lutheran 
 Brotherhood Boys' Work committee. 
 
 135 
 
Spiritually appealing and artistically attractive in 
 their simplicity are the chancel and altar of Emanuel 
 Lutheran Church, Hartford, Connecticut. 
 
 Music and Mt 
 
 LUTHER PLACES "MUSICA" next to the 
 gospel. The spirit of the Reformation was 
 sung as well as preached into the hearts of 
 the people. The Lutheran Church has always been 
 a singing Church, the mother of congregational 
 singing. This was true in Sweden also. In 1853 the 
 Mississippi Conference at a meeting in Moline rec- 
 ommended establishing "singing schools." The 
 first melodeon in our Synod was used in the church 
 in Moline. The Andover church bought an organ 
 for $90, but was disappointed. The trouble, how- 
 ever, seems to have been with the organist rather 
 than with the organ, for in the minutes for De- 
 cember 7, 1857, it is stated that "the one who 
 formerly played it perhaps did not know enough 
 to open the swells and therefore the sound would 
 naturally be light and suppressed." 
 
 The pioneers loved their Swedish psalm books. 
 The thumbed pages bear witness to faithful and 
 constant use. In the sodhouse and log cabin, as 
 well as the worship services in the church, the 
 pioneers sang, often with quivering voices, the be- 
 loved hymns. True, not all liked Wallin's psalm 
 book of 1819, but preferred the revision made by 
 H. Thomander and P. Wieselgren which eventu- 
 ally became the official hymnal of the Synod in 
 1893. The Synod under T. N. Hasselquist was am- 
 bitious enough to plan a psalm book of its own. 
 The matter was close to Hasselquist's heart, who 
 possessed no small musical ability and a deep in- 
 sight into that which constitutes a true hymn. But 
 his hopes were not realized. Another type of hymns, 
 of a pietistic character, also was loved by the pio- 
 neers. They were the hymns of "Mose och Lamb- 
 sens Wisor," "Sions Sanger" and those written by 
 Lina Sandell, Rosenius, Linderoth, Betty Ehren- 
 borg and others, made familiar through the melo- 
 
 136 
 
"Augustana College down in Rock Island, Illinois, maintains the most impressive under- 
 graduate body in the United States," a music critic wrote after hearing the Augustana 
 Choir again in April, 1947. "Henry Veld, the director, is an acknowledged genius." The 
 Augustana Choir sings in the largest music halls of New York. Philadelphia Boston, and 
 Chicago, and makes records for RCA-Victor. All critics acclaim the choir, which sings 
 sacred, and classical music. 
 
 dies composed and sung by O. Ahnfelt. In 1856 a 
 collection of "Femtio Andliga Sanger" was pub- 
 lished by Hasselquist. Norelius and his relative, 
 Jonas Engberg, also published a collection called 
 "Salems Sanger." These were followed in I860 by 
 a more official collection, "Hemlandssanger," loved 
 by our Swedish folk to the present day. 
 
 Our first English hymnal appeared in 1899 and 
 was published in 1901 with music and an "order 
 of service," Dr. C. W. Foss being editor. It was a 
 provisional work. In 1925 our present hymnal was 
 adopted, the result of many years of work by com- 
 petent hymnologists. Work on a cooperative Lu- 
 theran hymnal is now in progress under the di- 
 rection of Synod's Hymnal Committee. 
 
 Choir singing came early into use in our church- 
 es. It found especial encouragement in the Synod's 
 schools. The colleges trained many of the churches' 
 organists and choir leaders. Hasselquist's singing of 
 "Davids Psalmer" by Wennerberg became a tradi- 
 tion. Olof Olsson possessed marked musical talents 
 and became the father of the Augustana Oratorio 
 Society at Rock Island and the famous Messiah Cho- 
 rus at Lindsborg, Kansas. Inspired by hearing this 
 masterpiece by Handel, rendered in the Crystal 
 Palace, London, 1879, he organized the first Mes- 
 siah Chorus at Augustana College, in 1881. The 
 performance was repeated at Lindsborg in 1882. 
 
 From this beginning has grown the internationally 
 renowned Messiah Week at Bethany College. 
 
 The first church choir was organized at Gales- 
 burg in 1855 with Jonas Engberg director. Later 
 he directed the Immanuel choir of Chicago, which 
 sang "Queen Esther" at the opening of Augustana 
 College at Paxton in 1863. 
 
 An interesting traditional peasant art existed in 
 Sweden. It was cultivated in the humble cottages 
 as well as in the homes of the well-to-do land own- 
 ers. It consisted of handcraft in wood and weav- 
 ing, linens and embroidery. Especially interesting 
 were the painted wall hangings representing Bib- 
 lical subjects naively presented in local Swedish 
 costumes and scenery. The walls and ceilings of 
 the churches, too, were elaborately decorated with 
 religious motifs. In a period lacking in art appreci- 
 ation these were covered by whitewash. Today they 
 are being gradually restored. With memories of 
 the churches of the homeland with their ancient 
 art, the pioneers did the best they could to make 
 their houses of worship as beautiful as possible. 
 But the influence of the puritanic simplicity of the 
 "meeting house" of neighboring denominations is 
 also noticeable. 
 
 Olof Grafstrom, who for many years was art 
 instructor at Augustana College, produced some 
 two hundred or more altar paintings in our Synod. 
 
 137 
 
Alois Lang, of the Oberammergau Passion Play, 
 carved in wood the above scene of the Lord's Supper 
 in the chancel of First Lutheran Church, Ottumwa, 
 Iowa. 
 
 Birger Sandzen, occupying a similar position at 
 Bethany College, has produced some religious art, 
 but is mostly noted for his lithographs, etchings 
 and colorful paintings, of sunny Kansas, the Rock- 
 ies and the Southwest. 
 
 It is hardly possible to speak of a distinct Augus- 
 tana Synod architecture. The dominant type is 
 probably the Gothic with an occasional effort to 
 copy old Swedish style, of which Bethphage Mis- 
 sion in Nebraska is a notable example. 
 
 Within the past year 70 congregations, plan- 
 ning new churches, have sought advice from the 
 Synod's Commission on Church Architecture, of 
 which Pastor O. V. Anderson is chairman. A 
 64-page booklet entitled, "When You Build the 
 House of God," was in much demand, and the 
 commission will publish a revised edition. Con- 
 gregations are giving more attention than ever 
 before to adequate housing and equipment for 
 parish education. Consideration is given both to 
 ecclesiastical beauty and to the functional needs 
 of each congregation. 
 
 Dr. Gustav Stolpe, who served as musical director 
 for many decades in New York, Moline and Rock 
 Island, Illinois, is representative of an older group of 
 men within the Synod who made church music their 
 life work. 
 
 I x 4 V,\\ 
 
 "<\ 
 
 
 Below — Dr. O. N. Olson treasures as a relic of the 
 early years of the Augustana Synod a psalmodikon, 
 one of the few which have been preserved. 
 
 .138 
 
Church architecture is changing to accord with 
 setting. A modern log church (1) at Big Sandy 
 Lake, Minnesota, is reminiscent of a pioneer 
 church (2). Mount Olive Church (3) at 
 LaCrescenta, California, is in the Western mood. 
 A typical Swedish-style church (4) at Mahtowa, 
 Minnesota, contrasts with Salem Church, Brook- 
 lyn (5) . Inset — First church of Bethany congre- 
 gation, Lindsborg, Kansas. 
 
140 
 
S. P. A. Lindahl 
 Former Editor 
 
 L. G. Abrahamson 
 Augustana, 1908-40 
 
 E. E. Ryden 
 
 Lutheran Companion 
 
 Since 1933 
 
 A. T. Lundholm 
 Augustana, Since 1940 
 
 IN JULY 1850 Dr. W. A. Passavant wrote in 
 the Missionary, of which he was the editor: 
 "The suggestion made by Brother Esbjorn 
 concerning a tract for distribution among Swedish 
 immigrants upon their arrival in New York is a 
 good one, and as twenty or thirty dollars will print 
 a large edition of a four-page tract, we hope some 
 benevolent person will furnish us this amount." 
 The money was soon received and in 1851 the 
 tract, En W alkomst-Halsning Till den Svenska, 
 Nor ska ocb Danska Emmigranten (Welcome 
 Greeting to the Swedish, Norwegian and Danish 
 Emigrant" ) appeared, published in New York. To 
 meet the efforts of proselytizers, Esbjorn issued an- 
 other tract in Swedish, Some Simple Questions and 
 Answers Concerning Baptism. The minutes of the 
 Chicago and Mississippi Conference, January 4-9, 
 1854, printed by a Chicago printer, contained also 
 a circular letter from the conference to "the breth- 
 ren in the faith and countrymen scattered here and 
 there in the vast land of America." Attention is 
 called to the existence of Scandinavian churches, 
 loyalty to the faith of the fathers is urged, family 
 devotions and gatherings in the homes for worship 
 and reading of some postils are suggested, and of- 
 fers to help them organize congregations are made. 
 The need of a newspaper was urgently felt. The 
 matter was discussed in 1854; a paper was planned 
 with Erland Carlsson as editor, and to be known 
 as "Svenska Posten." Overwhelmed with other du- 
 ties, Carlsson was unable to start the paper. In 
 January 1855, however, Hasselquist in Galesburg 
 undertook the job. The name of the paper was the 
 
 more appealing one, Hemlandet, det Gamla ocb 
 det Nya. The first issues were printed in local 
 plants, but soon Hasselquist set up a printing press 
 in his own home. The prospectus of the paper set 
 forth a comprehensive program. One marvels at 
 the breadth of vision and undaunted perseverence 
 displayed in this new venture. 
 
 As it was not found practical to combine sec- 
 ular news and religious matter in the same paper, 
 Hasselquist started in 1856 a second paper, Det 
 Ratta Hemlandet, with religious contents. A num- 
 ber of pamphlets were printed by "Svenska Bok- 
 tryckeriet i Galesburg," the first Swedish print 
 shop in America. Among these pamphlets were 
 F emtio Andliga Sanger, Luther's Small Catechism, 
 Augsburg Confession, Doktor Martin Luthers 
 Sandebref till tvanne Kyrkoherdar — Om Weder- 
 dopet, 1528. 
 
 First home of Augustana Book Concern. 
 
 141 
 
Volume I, Number I of "Homeland," the 
 first newspaper-magazine of the Synod. In- 
 set—The first publication house, at Galesburg, 
 Illinois. 
 
 142 
 
C. J. Bengston 
 
 Former Editor 
 
 1915-33 
 
 A. G. Anderson 
 Manager, 1889-27 
 
 J. G. Youngquist 
 Manager, 1927-45 
 
 Birger Swenson 
 Manager, Since 1945 
 
 As editor, Hasselquist exerted a wide influence 
 on the Swedish people in America both religiously 
 and politically. Norelius says of Hemlandet, it 
 was edited with "eminent tact and ability, used a 
 dignified and Christian language which everybody 
 could understand and in a spirit in which the 
 Christian people recognized themselves." 
 
 In the fall of 1857 E. Norelius started a paper 
 called Minnesota Posten. It lived only a year. It 
 was merged with Hemlandet January 1859, with 
 Erland Carlsson and E. Norelius as editors, and 
 moved to Chicago. 
 
 The merger took place in connection with the 
 organization of the Swedish Lutheran Publication 
 Society in America. To obtain capital to buy press 
 and types for his printery in Galesburg Hassel- 
 quist had asked an extra fifty cents from each sub- 
 scriber with the understanding that the press 
 would become the property of the Swedish Con- 
 ferences. P. A. Cederstam, J. Engberg, A. R. Cer- 
 vin were his assistants in his publication enterprise. 
 But he found the duties too arduous and so in April 
 185-8 the above-named society was formed "to 
 continue the paper Hemlandet, to enlarge the 
 printing plant and to handle and circulate useful 
 books in general and especially Christian books, 
 preferably of the Lutheran Confession." It was 
 first planned as a stock company, but as this did 
 not succeed, the Swedish conferences constituted 
 themselves as the publication society and became 
 the owners of the publications, printery and book 
 store, reimbursing Hasselquist in the sum of 
 S350.00. The business was set up in the school- 
 house and later in the basement of the Immanuel 
 
 Church, Chicago. E. Norelius and Erland Carlsson 
 were chosen as editors, but after nine months 
 Carlsson was left to manage editorship, printing 
 and book store alone. In 1864 A. R. Cervin be- 
 came editor of Hemlandet. He was followed by 
 P. A. Sundelius, 1868, and J. A. Enander, 1869. 
 
 Hemlandet had started with 400 subscribers. 
 In 1858 it had 1,000. The principal publications 
 were the Swedish "psalmbok," Hemlandssanger 
 ( 1 860 ) , Catechism, Bible History and Church 
 Manual. Then came the Chicago fire in 1871 and 
 everything was lost. Recovery from this stagger- 
 ing blow was slow. Carlsson grew discouraged and 
 in 1872 the Synod, which upon its organization 
 in I860 had taken over the business, placed its 
 publishing business in the hands of the board of 
 Augustana College and Theological Seminary. The 
 financial crisis of 1873 was already beginning to be 
 felt; the school was hard pressed. To save the 
 school, then located in Paxton, Illinois, it seemed 
 advisable to accept an offer of $10,000 for Hem- 
 landet made by Enander and Bohman of Chicago. 
 When the Synod decided to move the school to 
 Rock Island, Illinois, and funds were needed, the 
 remainder of the publishing business was sold to 
 the Engberg, Holmberg and Lindell firm in Chi- 
 cago for $17,000, September 24, 1874. This firm, 
 in the course of fifteen years, put out more than 
 seventy different books, some in several editions, 
 nearly all for service of the Church. 
 
 In 1876 the Synod decided to publish Concordia 
 Pia and in 1879 a revised edition of the Catechism. 
 This was considered a violation of the contract 
 made with the above-named firm. However, the 
 
 143 
 
Augustana Book Concern, Rock Is- 
 land, Illinois, has for 63 years done 
 most of the printing for the churches 
 and organizations of the Synod. The 
 interior of the publishing house was 
 remodeled in 1943. 
 
 copyright of the Catechism was held by the board 
 of Augustana College until it was some years ago 
 sold to the present Augustana Book Concern. The 
 Synod's official church papers, Augustana and Mis- 
 sionaren, and other printing was done by various 
 private concerns. 
 
 In 1877 a publication society was started 
 by professors and students at Augustana Col- 
 lege under the name Ungdomens Vanner. Its 
 object was to promote "the spiritual and temporal 
 welfare of the children and youth by publishing 
 a children's paper in Swedish to begin with." As 
 such a paper already existed, Barnvannen, pub- 
 lished by Joseph E. Osborn, a son of L. P. Esbjorn, 
 the society turned to publishing tracts and books. 
 In 1878 it published Vid Korset, by Dr. O. Olsson; 
 in 1879 the society started Ungdomsvdnnen and in 
 1880 took over Korsbaneret, begun in 1879 by O. 
 Olsson and C. A. Swensson. This publication has 
 been published ever since without interruption. In 
 1883, the four hundredth anniversary of Luther's 
 birth, the society published Luther Kalender, 
 largely O. Olsson's work. The Olive Leaf, a Sunday 
 school paper, was also started. The society was re- 
 organized as the Augustana Tract Society and se- 
 cured interest in the printing plant of Thulin and 
 Anderson, Moline, Illinois. 
 
 The venture was not successful and in 1884 re- 
 organization again took place and the Augustana 
 Book Concern was formed, "for the benefit of 
 Augustana College." It was, however, a private 
 
 stock company and operated without any synodical 
 sanction or action. Back of this venture was the 
 thought of regaining for the Synod some of the 
 publications sold to the Engberg and Holmberg 
 firm. Negotiations to purchase the latter concern 
 fell through. The new corporation in various ways 
 obtained concessions to publish synodical publica- 
 tions, including the church papers. As this seemed 
 to be an encroachment upon the rights purchased 
 by the Chicago concern, many were dissatisfied and 
 withdrew from the venture, among them Hassel- 
 quist and O. Olsson, who had been one of the 
 original group of Ungdomens Vanner. The new 
 company, however, carried on and published a 
 number of good books, such as Tonder-Nissens 
 Kyrkohistoria and Hasselquist's Commentary on 
 Ephesians. It was inevitable that the competition 
 should cause considerable ill feeling. There were 
 other publication ventures here and there to add 
 to the general confusion. In the meantime the 
 affairs of the new concern were not good. No 
 financial benefits came to Augustana College, as 
 had been promised. 
 
 Then in 1889 the Synod took an important 
 step to remedy the publication muddle by voting 
 to establish a Board of Publication, "to bring about 
 greater unity in the use of textbooks in the paro- 
 chial schools as well as our educational institu- 
 tions and to publish and offer for sale such books 
 and periodicals as the Synod shall decide on." 
 After some negotiation this board took over the 
 
 144 
 
business of the above mentioned Augustana Book 
 Concern and a new corporation was formed, 
 owned by the Synod, and known as the Lutheran 
 Augustana Book Concern. The board was also in- 
 structed to negotiate for the purchase of other 
 publishing interests and consolidate competing 
 publications. Thus Augustana College turned over 
 the synodical periodicals to the new concern. The 
 leaders in these transactions were S. P. A. Lin- 
 dahl, M. C. Ranseen, C. J. Petri, and the laymen 
 C. G. Tholin, C. G. Chinlund, N. Nelson. The of- 
 ficers in the new organization were Lindahl, pres- 
 ident, N. Nelson, secretary, and A. G. Anderson, 
 manager and treasurer. Lindahl served until his 
 death in 1908 and Anderson until he passed away 
 in 1927. 
 
 In establishing a Board of Publication the 
 Synod had voted "that this Board is instructed to 
 arrange affairs in such a manner that its activities 
 shall stand in friendly relation to Engberg-Holm- 
 berg and other book publishers." This seemed an 
 act of fairness in view of previous agreements, but, 
 unfortunately, was not achieved. The competition 
 continued and remained a source of irritation un- 
 til it was finally brought to an end by compro- 
 mise in 1917, when the Engberg-Holmberg in- 
 terests were bought by the Augustana Book Con- 
 cern for $21,200. The deal was economically 
 advantageous to the Synod, while it also "satisfied 
 a long-felt sense of justice and fair play." 
 
 Hasselquist had resigned as editor of Augustana 
 in 1889. After the reorganization of affairs the pa- 
 per was to be greatly enlarged. Norelius served 
 as editor for a short period and was followed by 
 S. P. A. Lindahl, who served until his death in 
 1908. Through the medium of Augustana and as 
 president of the Synod and numerous boards, Dr. 
 Lindahl exercised great influence in the Synod. 
 While his policies were not acceptable to many, he 
 
 
 
 
 
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 9 
 
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 The board of directors of Augustana Book Concern. 
 Dr. A. D. Mattson is president. 
 
 Thirteen employees of Augustana Book Concern, 
 with a total of 549 years of service. 
 
 was recognized by all as an able, energetic church- 
 man and a skillful editor. He was succeeded as 
 editor by Dr. L. G. Abrahamson in 1908, who for 
 thirty-two years through his editorials did much 
 to mold synodical opinion on vital issues. He was 
 succeeded by Dr. A. T. Lundholm in 1940. 
 
 Of more important publications we may men- 
 tion the History of the Swedish Lutheran Churches 
 and the Swedes in America by E. Norelius; a 
 Biography of Hasselquist, also by Norelius. He 
 was also the editor of Luthersk Kvartalsskrift, the 
 precursor of Augustana Quarterly. 
 
 The first periodical in English was the Olive 
 Leaf. Professors and students at Augustana Col- 
 lege published the Alumnus in 1892 and the same 
 year the Observer made its appearance. Both these 
 periodicals were taken over by the Augustana Book 
 Concern in 1895 and in 1906 became one weekly. 
 The name was changed to Young Lutheran Com- 
 panion. The paper received a full-time editor in 
 1915 when Dr. C. J. Bengtson took charge. He 
 served until 1933. The name was changed in 1911 
 to The Lutheran Companion. Dr. E. E. Ryden is 
 the present editor. 
 
 The Augustana Book Concern has supplied the 
 texts and papers for the Sunday schools, Luther 
 League and other publication needs of the Church, 
 such as hymnals and church manuals. An Eng- 
 lish Hymnal and Order of Service was brought out 
 in 1901 ; the present enlarged Hymnal was pub- 
 lished in 1925. Ungdomsvannen, a Swedish paper 
 for young people, was discontinued in 1918. A 
 Swedish annual, Prarieblomman, an excellent 
 book, was published from 1900 to 1913. Augusta- 
 na and Korsbaneret are the only Swedish publica- 
 that have survived the rapid process of American- 
 ization. 
 
 145 
 

 
 the Olh-eLeaf 
 
 >\ 
 
 Tiu>"Vo\ii\.$ Peopl 
 
 1M 1 
 
 
 ISTANA 
 QUARTERLY 
 
 This display shows some of the many weekly, monthly and 
 quarterly publications and a few of the books printed by 
 Augustana Book Concern. 
 
 The volume of business has steadily increased, 
 the number of periodicals, tracts, pamphlets and 
 books printed annually runs into a high figure. 
 
 The Lutheran Companion has 41,000 subscrib- 
 ers. The Home Altar has a circulation of 60,000 
 copies each quarter. The Augustana Book Concern 
 rental service of motion picture films, recently 
 turned over to Audio- Visual Service in Minneap- 
 olis, is being increasingly used by congregations. 
 
 A theological journal, Augustana Quarterly, of 
 which Oscar N. Olson is the present editor, has 
 run into 26 volumes. 
 
 In 1898 a new brick building replaced the 
 frame building, 7th Avenue and 38th Street, Rock 
 Island, in which the business began. An addition 
 was added later and a warehouse built. Equipment 
 and bookstore have been modernized and in- 
 creased. The net worth of the publishing plant has 
 grown from about $6,000 in 1889 to $589,216.78. 
 
 It was the intention from the beginning that 
 Augustana College and Theological Seminary 
 should be the beneficiary of profits from the Book 
 Concern. This has been adhered to. It is estimat- 
 
 146 
 
Within a few years after they came to the new world, the pastors of the prairie churches 
 began publishing religious books. Covers of three early publications, long familiar and 
 loved, are reproduced here: Luther's Small Catechism, Fifty Spiritual Songs, and Hand- 
 book for Sunday School with psalms and hymns. 
 
 ed that in royalties and in outright grants the pub- 
 lishing house has paid to the school in excess of 
 $150,000. Appropriations to the Augustana Pen- 
 sion and Aid Fund and other synodical purposes 
 total more than $200,000. 
 
 The institution is governed by an elected board 
 which constitutes the corporation. A. G. Anderson, 
 its first manager, was succeeded in 1927 by J. G. 
 Youngquist. Birger Swenson, the present manager, 
 has served since 1945. The total number of per- 
 sons employed averages about 100. Some of these 
 have served for many years. A pension plan for 
 the employees has been established. 
 
 For many years all publication matters were 
 handled by one board. Feeling that more atten- 
 tion should be given to Sunday school literature, 
 the Synod chose a committee to give study to this 
 matter. This eventually resulted in the creation of 
 another board known as the Board of Christian 
 Education and Literature. Considerable confusion 
 and overlapping between the two boards made a 
 clearer definition of the functions of the respective 
 boards necessary. As a result, the Board of Parish 
 Education was formed, of which Dr. J. Vincent 
 Nordgren has most recently been the Executive 
 Director, and worked in close relationship with 
 the Augustana Book Concern. 
 
 Constitutional Structure 
 
 THE FIRST CONGREGATION of the Augus- 
 tana Synod consisted of Lutherans trained in 
 the Church of Sweden. They were organized on 
 the basis of the Lutheran Confessions. In the min- 
 utes of the organization meeting of the church in 
 Moline, December 1, 1850, it is stated, "We accept 
 the fundamental doctrine that the Old and New 
 Testament of the Holy Scriptures are God's writ- 
 ten word; that this word is the highest authority 
 and contains a sufficient and perfect rule for the 
 faith and lives of men — also that the Lutheran 
 Church's symbolical books contain a correct sum- 
 ming up and presentation of God's word, where- 
 fore we proclaim and accept them as the ground of 
 our faith and doctrine next to the Holy Scripture." 
 As Esbjorn, who formulated this statement, re- 
 ceived support from the American Home Mission- 
 ary Society, a Reformed organization, he was 
 moved to add that "only those who give satisfac- 
 tory assurance of a true change of heart and study 
 to live according to God's word will be received as 
 members in this congregation." This paragraph re- 
 flects a certain Methodistic influence which may 
 be traced to Esbjorn's experiences in Sweden. 
 Dr. Erland Carlsson prepared a constitution for 
 
 147 
 
On July 13, 1930, a marker was dedicated at the spot where the Lutheran Augustana 
 Synod was organized at Clinton, Wisconsin. Professor C. L. Esbjorn, son of the first presi- 
 dent, was seated, the third from left. 
 
 the Immanuel Church in Chicago in 1854, parts 
 of which were incorporated in the "Constitution 
 for Evangelical Lutheran Congregations in North 
 America," adopted by the Chicago-Mississippi 
 Conference in Chicago, March 18, 1857. This has 
 remained in effect throughout the Synod's history, 
 except for such changes and revisions as have from 
 time to time been found necessary. While member- 
 ship was more restricted in the early history of our 
 Synod than it is today and church discipline more 
 puritanic, the Synod always has insisted that mem- 
 bers "walk worthily of their high calling" and ex- 
 emplify the pure doctrine they profess. 
 
 The administration of the congregation is vested 
 in the Church Council, consisting of a Board of 
 Deacons, who "exercise general supervision over 
 the spiritual activities of the congregation," and a 
 Board of Trustees, who "shall have charge of the 
 property of the congregation and the general man- 
 agement of its business and fiscal affairs," and a 
 general Board of Administration, consisting "of the 
 pastor, the deacons and the trustees." The congre- 
 gation is a corporation and is autonomous except 
 in so far as it is governed by its membership in a 
 conference and synod, in whose decisions it has a 
 
 part through duly elected representation. The con- 
 gregation is free in its choice of pastor within the 
 provisions of the constitution. For the sake of good 
 order the call of a pastor should be on the recom- 
 mendation of conference or synodical authority- 
 While the congregation possesses great freedom, 
 its relationship to the Synod and acceptance of its 
 authority saves it from an arbitrary Congregation- 
 alism and preserves the unity of the Church. 
 
 While members of the Synod of Northern Illi- 
 nois, the Swedish congregations were governed by 
 the constitution of this body. As conferences within 
 that body, they formulated such rules and regula- 
 tions as the situations required, while major deci- 
 sions were submitted to the Synod for approval. 
 When the Scandinavian churches organized the 
 Augustana Synod in I860, a constitution for the 
 new body was prepared. This was not an easy 
 task. Here were two traditions or systems of church 
 government, the episcopal and the congregational. 
 On the one hand, there was the influence of the 
 Church of Sweden, with its bishops; on the other 
 hand, the freer system in America. Influenced by 
 the free-church movements in Sweden as well as 
 by their association with the Synod of Northern 
 
 148 
 
Illinois, the framers of the constitution of the 
 Augustana Synod followed closely the latter. 
 While fundamentally congregational in local 
 self-government, it also preserves a central 
 unity in the synodical provisions, especially 
 as regards the pastoral office. The Synod is 
 not a federation of congregations or conferences, 
 but a united body consisting of "all pastors and 
 congregations regularly connected with it." This 
 recognizes the ministry in the Church as divinely 
 instituted and not merely a creation of the congre- 
 gation. In reserving to itself the right of ordination, 
 the Synod has established a strong bond of unity. 
 This is further strengthened by a single synodical 
 theological seminary. Efforts to weaken this central 
 unity by giving the Conferences the status of dis- 
 trict synods have so far been unsuccessful, al- 
 though by establishing schools and home mission 
 work of their own, they have become more and 
 more autonomous. This tendency toward complete 
 decentralization was partly checked by creating a 
 Synodical Council in 1879, in which all the Con- 
 ferences are represented, since 1894 by their pres- 
 idents and one layman. A further step toward cen- 
 tralization may be seen in the Home Mission Plan 
 of 1938 providing for an executive and regional 
 
 directors. Making the office of president a full-time 
 position on a four-year tenure in 1922 also tended 
 toward coordination of the various activities with- 
 in the Synod. 
 
 With the expansion of the Augustana Synod 
 over the North American continent, it was found 
 necessary to divide it into conferences. From the 
 three in I860 — Chicago, Mississippi and Minne- 
 sota — they now number thirteen. Three of them 
 have full-time presidents. Their constitutions are 
 similar to that of the Synod and in harmony with 
 it. The Conferences, again, are divided into dis- 
 tricts, a total number of eighty-three in the Synod. 
 Responsible for much missionary activity within 
 their area, they also serve for edification and dis- 
 cussion of common problems. 
 
 The Synod is thus a closely integrated organiza- 
 tion with the leaders having the function of bish- 
 ops (overseers) but without the title. Yet, with 
 all this, the spirit of the Synod is democratic; its 
 constitutions aim at effective service rather than 
 regimentation and strict discipline, seeking to avoid 
 too great centralization of authority, on the one 
 hand, and laxity and individual caprice on the 
 other. 
 
 Certain problems have especially given rise to 
 
 Nearly sixty years ago, at a convention in Chicago's Lincoln Park in 1888, the above 
 picture of some of the Synod's leaders was taken. Gustav Andreen, who was to become 
 president of Augustana College and Theological Seminary, was the youth in the second 
 row, second from the right. 
 
 149 
 
"People who do not revere the deeds of their an- 
 cestors will never do anything to be remembered by 
 their descendants." The above monument is dedicated 
 to the pioneers who organized the Minnesota Con- 
 ference October 8, 1858. 
 
 much discussion and legislation. One of these re- 
 lates to what is called "adiaphora," matters of 
 secondary importance. Although doctrinally the 
 Lutheran Church has considered such often-dis- 
 cussed things as the proverbial trio of the theater, 
 dancing and card playing, in themselves matters 
 of conscience and Christian liberty, the pietistic 
 attitude of the pioneers looked upon them as sin. 
 In regard to the liquor traffic and other social 
 and moral evils, the Synod always has taken a 
 consistent stand. While recognizing war as an evil 
 and inconsistent with the spirit of Christ, the Synod 
 has not assumed an ultra-pacifist position. The 
 pioneers of the Synod were definitely opposed to 
 slavery and many served as volunteers in the war 
 to abolish it. 
 
 In 1869 the question of secret societies became 
 an issue. It continued for many years to disturb 
 the Synod. The question has continued to be 
 moot in the various parts of the Synod, while in 
 others it is considered secondary. 
 
 The constitution of 1857 limited voting mem- 
 bers to "all males who are in full union with the 
 church as communicants, subject to its discipline, 
 and contribute to its support"; in 1907, the priv- 
 ilege of voting was extended also to the women, 
 and they may act as delegates to conference and 
 synodical meetings. 
 
 The guiding principle in writing and revising 
 constitutions in the Synod is well expressed in the 
 words of Dr. Erland Carlsson in a report to the 
 Synod in 1870, "The principles that have guided 
 us in preparing our constitutions have been: 1. To 
 see to it that not all nor too much power is placed 
 in the hands of a few, by which the Christian lib- 
 erty and spiritual development of the congrega- 
 tions and the members would be curtailed or suf- 
 fer, but also that there be established good church 
 order and government lest caprice and individual- 
 ism destroy everything. 2. To follow the historic 
 development of the church and not create dis- 
 turbance and strife in the congregations by many 
 changes or new customs and regulations." 
 
 The Augustana Synod today is as concerned as 
 ever about a consistent Christian profession on the 
 part of its members, but relies on exhortation and 
 example to encourage virtues, rather than on 
 church discipline. 
 
 150 
 
Board of Directors, 1946-1947 
 
 O. T. Engquist 
 Executive Sec'y 
 
 Knut E. Erickson 
 
 Karl J. Olson 
 
 Pension and Aid ^und 
 
 INSTITUTIONS GROW out of human needs. 
 In 1865 Pastor J. P. Carlsson Boren died, the 
 first among the pastors of the Synod. In response 
 to the need of help this created, the Synod decided 
 to "establish a fund for pastors' widows in need." 
 The benevolent proposal met, however, with scant 
 support. Only $6,000 was paid out for aid the first 
 thirty-five years of the fund's existence. As a "poor 
 fund" it was not successful. It was reorganized on 
 a new basis in 1898 with both insurance and pen- 
 sion features. Since then its progress has been 
 steady. 
 
 In 1915 an ingathering, sponsored by the lay- 
 men of the Synod, and completed in 1922, 
 strengthened the fund by $500,000. To provide 
 for more adequate pensions and place the fund on 
 a firmer financial basis, a new pension plan was 
 adopted in 1934 and became operative in 1938. 
 At present this actuarial plan provides an insur- 
 ance of $1,000 upon the death of a member of 
 
 the fund and $200 per year to the widow and a 
 pension of at least $400 per year to a disabled or 
 retired member. As pastors and workers in reli- 
 gious institutions are at present outside of the so- 
 cial security provisions of the government, it is but 
 common justice on the part of the Church to make 
 proper provisions for its servants and their de- 
 pendents, especially as the regular salaries are 
 comparatively low. Incidentally, it is generally 
 recognized that a pastor or teacher will serve 
 more efficiently and with greater joy if he is not 
 burdened with worries over the on-coming years. 
 The accepted rules of the Synod that no pastor 
 should engage in any remunerative profession or 
 business apart from his calling and the fixing of 
 the retirement age at seventy years, place upon the 
 Church a moral obligation to provide an adequate 
 pension system. At the 1947 session of Synod the 
 Augustana Lay Pension Plan was approved. 
 
 The Rev. O. W. Ferm should be given credit 
 for placing the fund on a sound basis. He was 
 followed by Dr. C. A. Lindholm and Dr. A. T. 
 Conrad. Pastor O. T. Engquist is the present ex- 
 ecutive director of the fund. 
 
 Reuben C. Anderson A. Leonard Smith 
 
 Carl O. Lincoln 
 
 151 
 
 N. J. Holmberg 
 
 Otto Swanson 
 
Otto Leonardson, the 
 Synod's first secretary 
 of stewardship, is now 
 the synodical director of 
 finance, treasurer of the 
 Board of Home Missions, 
 Centennial Committee, 
 and the American Lu- 
 theran Conference. 
 
 Thorsten A. Gustaf- 
 son is director of stew- 
 ardship. The merits of 
 proportionate giving are 
 being emphasized as part 
 of the Centennial pro- 
 gram. 
 
 Stewardship and finance 
 
 From an annual per capita contribution to the 
 total work of the Church of $2.95 from 203 con- 
 firmed members in I860, the annual per capita 
 contribution of over 306,000 confirmed members 
 has risen to $28.68 in 1946. Total annual contri- 
 butions for the local and general work of the 
 Church had risen from $14,684 in I860 to over 
 $8,600,000 in 1946. 
 
 In 1927 after' a discussion of many years' stand- 
 ing a synodical Finance Committee, now Board of 
 Finance, was established and a budget system in- 
 augurated. This system has met with increasing 
 success during the past twenty years as the churches 
 of the Synod have sought to harmonize their two 
 main currents of giving to the work of the King- 
 dom, viz., the voluntary offering principle and the 
 budget. The consciousness grows increasingly that 
 the Church of Christ, local and general, is one 
 Universal Church. Problems at home and abroad, 
 interwoven in the same pattern, call for mutual 
 consultation and solution as the Augustana Synod 
 moves more and more into the main current of 
 American church life. 
 
 Serving as Synod's first secretary of stewardship 
 and now as its director of finance, Otto Leonard- 
 son has rendered a distinctive and much-appreci- 
 ated work since 1928. Pastor Thorsten A. Gustaf- 
 son has served since 1944 as director of steward- 
 ship in this growing department of Synod's mani- 
 fold activity. 
 
 A great forward step in stewardship occurred in 
 1943 when the Centennial Thank Offering was 
 received for the work of the Church at large. Un- 
 der the direction of Dr. Knut E. Erickson, over 
 
 $2,200,000 has been realized through this "grati- 
 tude to God" venture. In addition, the churches of 
 Synod have contributed cheerfully and willingly 
 large sums to Lutheran World Action, the latest 
 sum for 1946-47 well over the allotted $1,164,- 
 000 for European and Asiatic reconstruction and 
 necessary relief work in America. In the scales 
 have also been put from time to time larger sums 
 for the prosecution of the work of Christian 
 Higher Education. During 1947 the sights were 
 leveled by the Conferences concerned at a com- 
 bined goal of over $3,000,000 for the colleges in 
 the Synod. All this has been done by the congre- 
 gations of the Synod in addition to the building 
 and maintaining of larger and more serviceable 
 houses of worship, educational and recreational 
 units, and a more efficiently staffed ministry of the 
 Word and of mercy in all the walks of life in the 
 local community. 
 
 "We call the attention of our membership," a 
 synodical resolution adopted in 1947 declared, "to 
 the opportunities for Christian growth found in 
 the practice of tithing. We recommend tithing as 
 an evangelical starting point for proportionate 
 giving." 
 
 Financial reports submitted at the 1947 con- 
 vention revealed that the total amount raised by 
 the Synod's congregations for all purposes in 
 twelve months was $8,611,128, of which sum $2,- 
 679,686 went to missions and benevolences. Both 
 figures marked an all-time high point in contri- 
 butions. 
 
 " For all this we thank God sincerely," Presi- 
 dent Bersell said in his report to the 1947 con- 
 vention of the Lutheran Augustana Synod. "We 
 are happy to note this upward trend in giving. 
 The total is two and a half times as large as it 
 
 152 
 
1946—1947 
 
 Lloyd Burke 
 
 O. L. Nordstrom 
 Secretary 
 
 Carl W. Segerhammer 
 
 Richard B. Pearson 
 
 Merrill R. Tarnstrom 
 
 Reuben G. Thoreen 
 Chairman 
 
 L. F. Tidrick 
 
 was 12 years ago and the total in the benevolence 
 column is four times as large as it was then. 
 
 "Our people are beginning to learn the Christian 
 art and grace of giving. That is all we can say. We 
 cannot boast of our generosity. For the good of our 
 souls, it is well to remind ourselves of three things. 
 The first is that we are at a peak of earning power 
 such as no other nation has ever known before. 
 The second is that the dollar we are giving is 
 worth only half its value of a decade ago. The 
 third is that tithing should mark the beginning of 
 our New Testament standard of the stewardship 
 of means." 
 
 A Commission on Stewardship Education pub- 
 lishes and distributes booklets and posters, graphs 
 and motion picture films, and provides packets of 
 materials for use by congregations in their annual 
 Every Member Canvasses. Stewardship institutes 
 
 are being planned for every District within the 
 Synod. 
 
 The Benevolence budget, prepared by the Board 
 of Finance, includes funds for home missions, 
 foreign missions, church extension, Augustana 
 Theological Seminary, parish education, youth 
 activities, the Canadian Seminary, Lutheran Stu- 
 dent Service, Immanuel Deaconess Institute, the 
 Immigrant and Seamen's Home of New York, 
 and intersynodical activities. 
 
 A valuable financial agency of the Church has 
 been the Augustana Lutheran Foundation. Mr. 
 Otto Leonardson, the synodical Director of Finance, 
 has been active in the administration of the affairs 
 of the Foundation since its beginning. Interested 
 businessmen in the Synod have rendered a definite 
 service through their membership on the board of 
 directors. 
 
 153 
 

 Jubilee Hall was built on the campus of Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois, to 
 serve as an auditorium at a synodical festival in 1910, when the 50th anniversary of the 
 formal organization of the Augustana Synod was observed. 
 
 Highlights in the Synod's years 
 
 T 
 
 HE YEAR 1883 was Luther Jubilee Year, 
 when the Lutheran Church throughout the 
 world observed the 400th anniversary of 
 Martin Luther's birth, November 10, 1483. The 
 Augustana Synod joined in that celebration. A 
 great jubilee festival was held at Rock Island, No- 
 vember 8-9, which was attended by several thou- 
 sands of people. A special Jubilee Hall was built 
 for the occasion. The festival was climaxed by two 
 concerts given by the Augustana College Oratorio 
 Society, then two years old, an organization still 
 existing. It was an occasion long spoken of by 
 many "as one of the dearest memories of my life." 
 The Minnesota Conference observed the same year 
 its twenty-fifth anniversary, and the Illinois Con- 
 ference, as the continuation of the Mississippi Con- 
 ference, could celebrate its thirtieth anniversary. 
 That part of the Kansas Conference which today 
 constitutes the Nebraska Conference raised a me- 
 morial for the occasion by establishing a school and 
 giving it the name Luther Academy. The year also 
 marked the thirty-fifth anniversary of the organi- 
 zation of the Synod's oldest congregation, New 
 
 Sweden, 1848. And as a literary monument of this 
 festive year the Augustana Tract Society published 
 the Lutber-Kalender, to which Dr. Olof Olsson 
 contributed a number of excellent historical 
 articles. 
 
 The year 1893 also stands out as a high point 
 in Augustana Synod history. It was the 300th an- 
 niversary of the Diet of Uppsala, which definitely 
 committed the Church of Sweden to the Lutheran 
 faith. Perhaps inspired by the World's Columbian 
 Exposition held that year in Chicago, the Augusta- 
 na Ministerial Association of that city petioned the 
 Synod to invite two bishops from Sweden to come 
 and have a part in the Synod's celebrations. Bishop 
 G. K. von Scheele was appointed and was officially 
 charged by King Oscar II to bring His Majesty's 
 greetings to the Synod. The bishop came, the first 
 official representative from Sweden. He was a 
 "bishop in his glory." By his imposing personality, 
 he aroused much enthusiasm wherever he ap- 
 peared. He was himself impressed by what he saw 
 as he traveled from coast to coast and spoke in 
 hundreds of churches. He became the life-long 
 
 154 
 
friend of the Augustana Synod. Twice again he 
 visited the United States, in 1901, when Yale Uni- 
 versity conferred upon him an honorary doctor's 
 degree, and in 1910 at the Synod's half-century 
 celebration. The festive year of 1893 brought out 
 two books, the large, volume Jubel-Album, edited 
 by C. A. Swensson and L. G. Abrahamson, and 
 Forgat-mig-ej, by C. A. Swensson. The New York 
 Conference established its college that year and 
 very appropriately gave it the name Upsala. 
 
 The year 1910 marks in a sense the end of an 
 era in our Synod. The Synod was fifty years old. 
 It had reached maturity; the pioneer days were 
 over. Three men who were present at the organiza- 
 tion of the Synod stood on the platform in the 
 large tabernacle erected on the campus of Augus- 
 tana College at Rock Island for the semi-centen- 
 nial celebration. They were Norelius, Peters and 
 Erlander. It gripped the hearts of all as Norelius 
 
 said "Peters is blind, Erlander is deaf, and there is 
 not much left of me." They were the veterans, the 
 rear guard of an army that had already crossed 
 the Jordan into camp ground. 
 
 It was a great celebration, highlighted by the 
 presence of notables from both sides of the Atlan- 
 tic. Institutions of higher learning, Church bodies, 
 and governmental authorities were represented 
 either by personal delegates or by official greet- 
 ings. There was an outpouring of oratory and mu- 
 sic, the like of which has not been witnessed since. 
 The attendance was large and enthusiasm ran high. 
 The joint celebration lasted ten days, June 5-15. It 
 is but giving just credit to state that Dr. G. A. An- 
 dreen's exuberant energy and enthusiasm gave 
 the main inspiration to the occasion. The literary 
 fruits of the festival are preserved in three vol- 
 umes: Minnesskrift, Augustana Synod, 1860- 
 1910, and Minnen frdn Jubelfesten. 
 
 On the American scene the Lutheran Church moves forward to capture new fields 
 for Kingdom work and to build new churches in urban and rural areas. The Gospel of 
 Christ will become a more potent voice in American and Canadian affairs in the measure 
 the Church extends her influence in the unchurched communities of the land. 
 
 155 
 
The Hasselquist Centennial was observed in 
 1916 in connection with the synodical convention 
 at Galesburg, Illinois, and the following year, 
 1917, the Synod shared in the observance of the 
 400th anniversary of the Reformation. The meet- 
 ing at Rock Island was marked by an address by 
 Dr. Theo. E. Schmauk and the presentation by the 
 Oratorio Society of a Reformation cantata written 
 by Dr. E. W. Olson. 
 
 The visit to America of the late archbishop of 
 Sweden, Nathan Soderblom, in 1923 gave occa- 
 sion for many celebrations in various parts of the 
 Synod. The one at Rock Island was marked by the 
 dedication by the archbishop of the newly erected 
 seminary buildings. In 1929 Bishop Hjalmer Da- 
 nell from Sweden visited the Synod and its insti- 
 tutions. Bishop Edward Rodhe and Bishop Ljung- 
 gren also have been guests of the Synod and took 
 part in various festivities, notably the tercentenary 
 celebration in 1938 of the landing of the Swedes 
 in Delaware. 
 
 The seventieth anniversary of the Synod was 
 observed at Rock Island in 1930, which also was 
 the 400th anniversary of the Augsburg Confes- 
 sion. In 1935 the seventy-fifth anniversary was 
 marked by the publication of an historical volume, 
 After Seventy-Five Years. The eightieth anniver- 
 sary was noted at the synodical meeting at Rock 
 Island and at that time the educational work of the 
 Synod was given special prominence. Conferences, 
 institutions and congregations have observed fre- 
 quent anniversaries as expressions of thanksgiving 
 and as means of inspiration and to foster greater 
 loyalty to their Church. 
 
 The Augustana Synod is an American Church. 
 From 1910 to the present the Americanization of 
 the immigrants and their descendants has been 
 rapid. We have identified ourselves with the in- 
 terests of the nation of which we are a part. This, 
 however, does not need to imply any lack of ap- 
 preciation of our ancestral origin and our inheri- 
 tance. Hence, we welcome those who bring greet- 
 ings of goodwill from the land of our fathers, 
 whether it be by a visit by Crown Prince Gustaf 
 Adolf in 1927 or persons of lesser eminence. There 
 are many evidences that this sentiment is increas- 
 ingly reciprocated in the Church of Sweden. 
 
 Scumemcal Relationships 
 
 THE AUGUSTANA SYNOD has from the 
 very beginning been ecumenical in spirit. The 
 first pastors and the congregations organized by 
 them accepted aid from the American Home Mis- 
 sionary Society, a Reformed organization. They 
 did not consider this relation as "unionism" nor a 
 denial of their Lutheran faith, which they deeply 
 cherished and safeguarded by a special reservation. 
 Though themselves poor, out of their meager 
 substance they contributed to missions and the 
 American Bible Society. They early affiliated them- 
 selves with the Lutheran Synod of Northern Illi- 
 nois, which embraced four nationalities: English, 
 German, Swedish and Norwegian. When in I860 
 the pioneers of our Synod felt constrained to sep- 
 arate themselves from the General Synod they 
 were not motivated by a sense of nationalism but 
 did so rather as a protest against doctrinal laxity. 
 Hence when the General Council was organized 
 in 1867 the men of Augustana were in sympathy 
 with it and formally joined it in 1870. Two pas- 
 tors of our Synod served as presidents of that body: 
 C. A. Swensson and M. C. Ranseen. Our pastors 
 and churches were associated with Norwegians 
 and Danes from the beginning until 1870. 
 
 When the United Lutheran Church in America 
 was formed in 1918 there were many in our Synod 
 who were ready to enter the merger. While this 
 did not occur, our Synod continued, however, to 
 cooperate with that body in its foreign mission ac- 
 tivities, especially in India. During World War I 
 our Synod joined with other bodies in providing 
 chaplains and camp pastors for the armed services 
 and for the soldiers' and sailors' welfare in other 
 respects. In the postwar relief work in Europe 
 Dr. S. G. Youngert, long a professor in Augus- 
 tana Seminary, was the Synod's commissioner 
 for rehabilitation of Lutheran churches. Our 
 Synod not only united with other Lutherans in a 
 common task, but also established bonds of fellow- 
 ship in a common faith and heritage. This found 
 expression in our own country in the formation of 
 the National Lutheran Council, of which Dr. G. A. 
 Brandelle and Dr. P. O Bersell have served as 
 presidents, and Dr. Peter Peterson as secretary. At 
 the present time our Synod is represented in the 
 
 156 
 
\J0* 
 
 I 
 
 In keeping with her history, the Augustana Synod has her eyes on the larger service 
 "in the Ministry of the Word, the Ministry of Mercy, and all the walks of life." Augustana 
 Audio Visual Service indicates through word and picture in the above illustration the 
 intersynodical and ecumenical interests of the church we like to call "our own." 
 
 Council, besides the elected commissioners, by the 
 following persons in executive positions: Carl 
 Lund-Quist, Public Relations; H. Conrad Hoyer, 
 American Home Missions; Ruth Wick, Student 
 Service. During the past eventful years this agency 
 of the Church has performed a most blessed ser- 
 vice at home and abroad. 
 
 Out of this agency, and especially through the 
 labors of its general director, Dr. J. A. Morehead, 
 the Lutheran World Convention came into being. 
 Its first meeting was held at Eisenach, Germany, 
 in 1923, the second in Copenhagen, Denmark, 
 1929, the third in Paris, France, 1935, and the 
 fourth in Lund, Sweden, 1947. The exigencies of 
 war had brought the Lutherans of the world to- 
 gether for the first time. Cooperation in a service 
 of mercy revealed also a unity of faith. The vision 
 of a world Lutheranism has taken form in a Lu- 
 theran World Federation. World War II has 
 demonstrated in a most tragic manner the neces- 
 sity of such a federation. The response of our 
 Synod to the Lutheran World Action appeal is an 
 
 evidence of an ecumenical spirit. Directly connect- 
 ed with this work have been the president of our 
 Synod, Dr. P. O. Bersell, and Dr. Clifford A. Nel- 
 son, who assisted in directing relief work in East- 
 ern Europe, and the Rev. S. E. Engstrom, who has 
 served as campaign director within our own Synod. 
 
 With the disappearance of nationalistic and 
 linguistic barriers the way has become open for 
 greater Lutheran unity. To further such unity the 
 American Lutheran Conference was formed in 
 1930 with our Synod as one of its members. Our 
 Synod has consistently labored for a closer unity 
 among the Lutherans in America as expressed in 
 "Pulpit and Altar Fellowship." 
 
 Our Synod co-operates with other Lutheran bod- 
 ies in the support of Pacific Lutheran College, Lu- 
 theran Seminary in Canada, and in producing a 
 series of textbooks in religious education. Our Syn- 
 od has also shared in intersynodical conferences in 
 higher education, Lutheran Editors' Association, 
 conferences of theological professors, Lutheran 
 Brotherhoods, Lutheran Students Association and 
 
 157 
 
Students' Service at non-Luthetan campuses, ash- 
 rams, missionary and deaconess' councils, commis- 
 sions on a common hymnal and a common liturgy 
 and church orders. 
 
 World War II and the postwar world problems 
 have challenged the Christian church as never be- 
 fore. Our Synod has faced this challenge. In re- 
 sponse to the Lutheran World Action appeal for 
 relief in Europe and on the "orphaned" mission 
 fields of the world, our Synod has shown a com- 
 mendable sense of responsibility. The staggering 
 task of rebuilding a world in ruins has brought us 
 into touch with other Christian groups and agen- 
 cies. Unity of action has replaced individual effort 
 even when this has meant stepping out of the us- 
 ual denominational boundaries. This has brought 
 our Church into contact with the Federal Council 
 of the Churches of Christ in America, Home Mis- 
 sion Council, Foreign Mission Conference, Inter- 
 national Religious Council and the United Stew- 
 ardship Council. Our Synod is also a member 
 of the World Council of Churches now in the 
 process of formation. As such our Synod shared in 
 establishing a confessional rather than a geograph- 
 ical basis of representation and membership in 
 that body. Participating in the ecumenical move- 
 ments of our day does not imply any deviation 
 from our historical faith, rather an acceptance of 
 the opportunity to bear witness to the truth once 
 delivered to the saints and to seek that unity of 
 faith in the bond of peace for which Christ prayed 
 when he said, "I pray for them also that believe 
 on me through their word, that they may all be 
 one." (John 1:21). 
 
 Jh Closing 
 
 W/E HAVE REVIEWED the life and growth 
 W of the Augustana Synod during a century. 
 This is a short period when viewed against the 
 background of the history of Christianity. But 
 when viewed in the light of its small beginnings 
 the growth and achievements of a century may 
 well fill our hearts with wonder and gratitude. It 
 is the work of the Lord and marvelous in our eyes. 
 We will not boast of numbers, for the Lord 
 can perform His marvels with few as well as with 
 many, nor shall we glory in the works of our own 
 hands, but we are filled with thankfulness that 
 God has been pleased to use the humble immi- 
 grants and their children to build up His King- 
 dom in this new land. Truly He "hath chosen the 
 weak things of the world that He might put to 
 shame the things that are strong, that no flesh 
 should glory before God, but that he that glorieth, 
 let him glory in the Lord." 
 
 In thus reviewing the past we see the pilgrim 
 host marching down the years toward that bet- 
 ter land of which they were ever mindful — the 
 "True Homeland" (Det Ratta Hemlandet); we 
 see "the general assembly and church of the first 
 born who are enrolled in heaven and the spirits 
 of just men made perfect" as a "cloud of wit- 
 nesses" to spur us on to run with patience the race 
 that is set before us. As our work could not be 
 accomplished without those who have gone be- 
 fore, so may we believe that they with us rejoice. 
 
 "For all the saints who from their labors rest, 
 Who Thee by faith before the world confessed, 
 Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed! 
 
 "Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress, and their 
 Might, 
 Thou Lord, their Captain, in the well-fought 
 
 fight, 
 Then, in the darkness drear, the one true Light. 
 
 "O blest communion, fellowship divine! 
 We feebly struggle, they in glory shine; 
 Yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine. 
 
 Alleluia!" 
 
 158 
 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA 
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