USA > Illinois > Rock Island County > Moline > Jubilee album for the seventy-fifth anniversary of the First Ev. Lutheran Church, Moline, Illinois > Part 2
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was organized, however, and exists under the name of Grace Lutheran church, and is at present located between Moline and the college. An- other congregation was organized in 1890, called the Zion church, and their place of worship is located in Rock Island near the boundary of Moline.
Although the main church had been dedicated the building was not yet quite finished. The sacristy was finished at a cost of $104, stone
HIti
PULPIT AND ALTAR PAINTING.
steps for the two smaller doors were laid at a cost of $662, and in 1892 both church and tower were painted. At this time missions were also organized in the eastern and southeastern part of the city. In May 1892 it was decided to buy a lot in each place and build chapels. Each lot cost $700, and in the summer of 1892 the chapels were built at an outlay of $1,325, and a large field for preaching was thus opened. Rev. Lindeblad resigned in 1892 and preached his farewell sermon October 16th. He is now the manager of the Augustana Hospital at Chicago.
The following resolutions were passed during this period: That the
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THE SOUTH CHAPEL.
THE EAST CHAPEL.
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church shall not be opened for any gathering that requires admission fees ; that the church cannot be used for funerals by people not members, except in special cases, when the deacons shall decide; that the Lord's prayer be repeated by the whole congregation on communion Sundays. A new constitution was adopted in 1889; a monument to be put on Abraham Anderson's grave ; a collector to be appointed and a missionary called. The Illinois conference met here in 1888 and the Synod in 1889.
DR. CARL A. HEMBORG.
October 1892 to December 1900
The present pastor entered upon his duties October 23, 1892. If the times were restless during the services of the two former pastors we might properly say that the busy times commenced with his arrival here, for almost immediately requests came in for weekly services at both the
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chapels. To take charge of services five times a week, visit the meetings of the different societies, and perform all the other duties devolving upon a pastor could not be done by one person and therefore different students were called upon to assist. During the last eight years the as- sistants have been: N. E. Glad, C. Broberg, N. P. Sjostrom, A. C. H. Helander, A. Aaron, G. Erikson, A. W. Kjellstrand, J. W. Lundgren, J. F. Nordquist, Ph. Andreen, G. R. Peterson, and Fred Wyman.
PARSONAGE AT 1014 FIFTH AVENUE.
Dr. O. Olsson, Dr. C. E. Lindberg, and Prof. E. A. Zetterstrand have also assisted at the communion tables. Rev. Hemborg has also had charge of the congregation in Port Byron. There has been heavy ex- pense during this period also. When it was expected the Synod would meet here in 1893, the church was refrescoed at a cost of $1,000, the organ was repaired and new carpets put down. Mr. Lundahl painted and donated a new altar piece. Nothwithstanding the increased ex- penses, the debt on both of the chapels was soon cleared away. The south chapel was added to in 1896 and in September it was painted and papered. Improvements have also been made on the church and on the parsonage. The church's share of the Augustana college debt has been paid. March 29, 1894, it was unanimously voted to buy another
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place for a parsonage and the present splendid residence was purchased July 1, 1895, for $5,000. This handsome property is situated two blocks west of the church and the pastor has lived there since August 1, 1895.
The old parsonage was then rented out and the trustees were in- structed to sell it as soon as it could be arranged to do so legally, and it was sold last year for $4,000. During this period a new song book had been introduced and a new order of service adopted. A new church record is opened and all old certificates filed in alphabetical order. All old papers have been put in order by G. Lindahl. The synod met here in 1893 and in 1897 and the conference this year.
Everything old about the church and its work is disappearing and the new-times appear in a new garb. The old church, the old school and the old parsonage are with us yet as landmarks, as it were, of ye olden times. The little melodeon, to the strains of which the sturdy pioneers of the church sang, is in the museum at Augustana College, having been donated by Andrew Lind, and it is a treasured relic. The old bell is now the property of the Port Byron church and the old pipe organ was given to the church at Pullman, Ill. The old books are in the church library. A large number of the members who were here in the beginning have gone to rest in the valley, and a new generation stands at the entrance of a new time and at the door of a new century.
We extend a greeting to those who shall celebrate the Centennial in this congregation : "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."
The Lord be with you, dear congregation, on your pilgrimage to the heavenly Canaan !
May the following inscription on your church bell continuously re- mind you to come faithfully to the house of God :
"And the Spirit and bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." -- Rev. 22. 17.
May God, more and more, in our new homeland, reveal to pastors and hearers, to us and to our dear young people, the conquering pow- er of the divine glory of His Son, Jesus Christ, in order that our above all else on earth loved and with the divine truth's purest gold so richly endowed Lutheran Church, whatever fate and development may come, may faithfully "keep what she has" and remain a witnessing church for the world-conquering glory of Christ!
Moline, Illinois, December 1, 1900. Carl A. Hemborg, pastor.
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1900 to 1925
The Fftieth anniversary of the organization of the congregation was observed on December 1 and 2, 1900. A well-arranged program was carried out. Former pastors were present and many of the pio- neers remained to rejoice and praise God for His untold mercies. Twen- ty-five years have been added to the history of the congregation. Many. changes have taken place. Only a remnant of those who have been a- long during the past 60 or 65 years remains.
Dr. C. A. Hemborg continued to serve as pastor until October 4, 1904, on which date he, with his family, left for the new field of labor in Stromsberg, Nebraska. He gave to the congregation in Moline twelve of his best years, during which time he labored incessantly to take care of the work properly and conscientiously. He was a great and powerful preacher, poetic and forceful in delivery. During his pastorate, the work at the South Chapel and East Chapel reached its highest point of activity and prosperity. It was a common sight to see the main auditorium and the galleries of the church filled at morning services.
The English language was tried as an experiment at one evening service a month during the fall of 1902.
The Illinois conference held its annual convention and celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in Moline in May, 1903. At this convention Dr. C. A. Hemborg was elected president.
1904 to 19II Dr. L. A. Johnston.
During the vacancy Dr. C. E. Lindberg served as vice pastor.
Dr. L. A. Johnston accepted the call extended him by the First Luth- eran Church, Moline, and entered upon his duties as pastor on Novem- ber 10, 1904. He took up his work with years of ripened experience and successful labors in three of the larger congregations of the Synod. He was thorough, painstaking and orderly in all his work and a sympa- thetic and helpful pastor to young and old.
The work carried on in the South Chapel with great success for many years was ripening into a field for an independent congregation, which finally resulted in the organization of Salem Lutheran Church. The pastor and the board of the First church were of the opinion that
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this new congregation should be located south of Twenty-third avenue in order to take care of the work involved with the expansion of the city southward. In 1907 the Board of Missions of the Illinois Confer- ence petitioned the First church for the donation of a lot and the plac- ing of the South Chapel on the same for the new mission. The congre- gation responded by purchasing a lot on the south-east corner of Twen- ty-third avenue and Fifteenth street A. The offer of this location was
€
DR. L. A. JOHNSTON.
rejected and the donation withdrawn. The South Chapel and lot were sold for $1,800 in 1908. In 1907 the East Chapel was sold. The sale of these properties ended the Sunday-school work in these two chapels. The Salem congregation, which located its church on Fifteenth street and Eighteenth avenue, has grown into a strong, self-supporting con- gregation.
Dr. Johnston could now concentrate his efforts on the work in the church. An addition to the parsonage on Fifth avenue was made in 1906. Thirteenth street, on the east side of the church, was paved in 1907. The church was frescoed in 1908 by the Ladies' Aid society at a cost of $1,500. At the annual meeting in 1910 it was decided that two communion services in the English language should be held during the year. The Men's society was organized on January 18, 1910, with thirty-nine charter members, and Dr. Johnston was elected the first president.
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Dr. Johnston labored and prayed for the strengthening of the inner life of the congregation. We find in his reports at the annual meetings continuous appeals for ever-increasing numbers at the mid-week prayer service, emphasizing that a living church must be a praying church. His sermons were carefully prepared and their contents evangelical and up- building. He proclaimed to the congregation what he himself found in the study of the word of God and he offered to his hearers that which gave nourishment for his own soul.
He was a special friend of the sick and of the poor and gave them special attention and service, for which he is kept in precious memory.
He returned to the First Lutheran Church in St. Paul in 1911, from which field he had come to Moline.
IQII to 1919
Rev. A. F. Bergstrom,
After the resignation of Dr. L. A. Johnston, several pastors were called. On May II a call was extended to Rev. A. F. Bergstrom, which he accepted, and he entered upon the work as pastor on October 6 the same year. Prior to his arrival the congregation was served for a while by a former pastor, Rev. Henry O. Lindeblad. Owing to fail- ing health, he had to give up the work in the month of July.
Rev. Bergstrom carried on the work faithfully in the spirit of his predecessors. He was assisted in the pastoral duties by Rev. Nils Nord- gren, who retired from the active ministry in 1912 and located in Mo- line. Student help was also employed during the summer vacations.
Rev. Bergstrom organized the Swedish Bible class January 28, 1912, for the purpose of reaching the large number of Swedish young men and women, most of whom were recent arrivals from Sweden. The class met Sunday evening at 5:30 for Bible study. Refreshments were served after the program. The enrollment at times exceeded 150.
During Rev. Bergstrom's pastorate two confirmation reunions were held, one in 1912 and the other on September 3, 1917.
The Trinity Lutheran Church was organized in 1912. Nineteen communicant members from the First Lutheran Church became charter members.
The two chandeliers in the church auditorium were presented as a Christmas gift to the congregation in 1912 by Mr. Geo. W. Johnson and Mr. J. F. Freeman. The value of the gift was $300.00.
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At its annual meeting in January, 1913, the congregation adopted the constitution proposed by the Augustana Synod in 1907. The amend- ment proposed in 1915 was also accepted January 1, 1916.
The use of individual communion cups at alternate communions was adopted July 31, 1913.
The Illinois Conference held its annual convention in Moline March
REV. A. F. BERGSTROM.
4 to 9, 1913, at which time the conference celebrated its sixtieth anni- versary.
One of the monumental works of Rev. Bergstrom was the establish- ment of the Lutheran hospital of the Rock Island district in Moline. Years ago Dr. O. Olsson had worked for a hospital to be located in Moline or Rock Island. The result of his endeavors was the es- tablishment of the Augustana hospital in Chicago. Rev. Bergstrom pre-
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sented the matter of a hospital to the board of the First Lutheran Church, which took favorable action. Afterwards it was brought be- fore the Rock Island district, which also gave its support to the proj- ect and the work of establishing a hospital was begun. Rev. Berg- strom spent the summer of 1913 in the interest of the new hospital, raising subscriptions. The corner stone of the building was laid in 1915. It was opened for patients February 4, 1916. The dedication took place January 31.
The new institution has been very successful in its work from the beginning. It has established an excellent reputation.
On January 1, 1917, the congregation decided to have two English services a month, on the second and fourth Sunday evenings. The in- troduction of more English into the services was considered at the meet- ing in January, 1918. A plan was prepared and presented to all the members of the congregation, which resulted in the adoption of the use of the Swedish and English languages alternately on Sunday mornings and evenings.
During the World War in 1917-1918 many of the boy's of the church went into the service of our country. The members of the congrega- tion were active in Red Cross work, Welfare work and in the pur- chasing of Liberty bonds, and in contributing to the Y. M. C. A. and the Lutheran Brotherhood activities for the benefit of the boys at the front.
In 1918 the old organ was removed and the new organ was installed, a new altar was placed in the chancel and a new pulpit was placed on the raised platform, outside the altar rail.
Rev. Bergstrom handed in his resignation September 1I, 1918, and removed with his family in November to his new field of labor in the Augustana Church at Denver, Colorado.
1919 to --- Rev. C. O. Morland.
The congregation issued a call to its present pastor October 9, 1918. He accepted and arrived with his family on May 8, 1919, preaching his introductory sermon the following Sunday.
During the vacancy, Dr. Gustav Andreen, president of Augustana College and Theological Seminary, Rock Island, served as vice pastor and gave a considerable portion of his time to the care and work of the congregation.
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The confirmation class was instructed by Mr. Bernt Holmes, student in the Augustana seminary.
A number of professors assisted Dr. Andreen in conducting the Sun- day services.
The sale of the parsonage, 1014 Fifth avenue, had been authorized by the congregation and the deal had been consummated at the time the new pastor arrived. The sum received for the house was $7,900. A house at 1129 Eleventh street was rented for the pastor until the time when a new parsonage could be built or bought. During the summer of 1919 lots at 1305 Thirteenth avenue were purchased by the congre- gation and plans and specifications for a new parsonage were accepted and the work of building was begun. The new parsonage was com- pleted and ready for occupancy on May 6, 1920. The cost of the parsonage, including lot, was $23,450.
The official name of the congregation was changed at the annual meeting in January, 1919, from the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church to the First Evangelical Lutheran Church. Final action auth- orizing a change of name was ratifed at the annual meeting in 1920.
The single envelope system for collection of dues has been intro- duced and a minimum per member placed at $10 per year for men and $6 for women.
The individual cup at communion services is now used entirely. The pastor is usually assisted at communion services by some one of the pro- fessors belonging to the congregation.
It has been very difficult to continue the summer parochial school since the World War and especially since the Swedish language is no longer used in Sunday-school. The number of children attending has been so few that it has scarcely seemed worth while to engage a special teacher.
The choir has adopted the use of robes and the pastor is also using a robe since its use was adopted and recommended by the Augustana Synod. The congregation annually elects a music committee, which has charge of the purchasing of music for the choir and organ library, makes selection of all songs to be sung by the choir at services, all festive occasions and song services.
The new graded system has been introduced in the Sunday-school.
The following societies have been organized : The Woman's Home and Foreign Mission society; the Loyal Helpers; the Junior Sorosis; the Junior Lutheran Brotherhood.
An event which will especially be remembered was the visit of the
REV. AND MRS. C. O. MORLAND AND KATHERINE.
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archbishop of Sweden, Nathan Söderblom, on All Saints day November 4, 1923. The archbishop conducted the morning service in our church. It was an inspiring occasion. The church was crowded beyond capacity and many were turned away.
A number of campaigns for funds have been carried on for various purposes outside our own congregation. Several years in succession funds have been raised for the relief of sufferers in Lutheran lands across the sea. A campaign was carried on for the new building of the
NEW PARSONAGE, 1305-13TH AVENUE. ERECTED 1920.
Augustana Seminary, Rock Island, and also a campaign for the exten- sion of the Lutheran Hospital.
Elsa Bränstrom visited us in the interest of relief work among the war orphans in Europe.
One memorable occasion was the Sunday morning service at the time of the Christian conference February 13, 1922.
We are now celebrating our seventy-fifth anniversary. Three of the former pastors are still living, namely, Rev. A. G. Setterdahl, Norr- köping, Sweden; Dr. C. A. Hemborg, Los Angeles, California, and Rev. A. F. Bergstrom, pastor of St. Matthews Church, Chicago. The two latter have accepted invitations to attend the jubilee celebration.
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"I will make mention of the loving kindness of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us; and the great goodness toward the house of Israel which he hath be- stowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses." Isaiah 63. 7.
Moline, Illinois, December 1, 1925.
C. O. MORLAND, Pastor.
Reminiscences and Official Greetings Några minnen från hänsvunnen tid
FTER sex års studier vid elementarläroverket i Växjö, Småland, reste jag tillsammans med min broder, J. A. Hemborg, till Amerika på våren 1871 och samrådde med pastor Erland Carlsson i Chicago om ett och annat här i Amerika, och i synnerhet om den kyrkliga verksamheten. På hans till- rådan reste jag till synodens prästskola i Paxton, Ill., på hösten samma år. Efter tre års studier i Paxton avskildes jag till prästämbetet vid synodalmötet i Rockford, Ill., år 1874. Tavlorna under min nu fyllda 51-åriga ämbetstid äro rätt många i minnets tavelgalleri, men de flesta av dem äro urblekta. Och nu bor jag här i södra Californien, där "pepparn växer".
Mitt första arbetsfält fick jag i norra Iowa - i Dayton och Gowrie och omkringliggande trakter. På det fältet var jag under 18 års tid i nybyggareperioden och strävade med att komma fram över snödrivor och vatten sumpar vid grodors kväkande och myggens pipande. För att höja mitt sinne och öga över gräsöknens låga syner började jag stu- dera astronomi, ty den vackra och liksom med rubiner och diamanter beströdda stjärnhimlen vilade rätt ofta i all sin glans och tystnad över den vida slätten och lockade med sin gyllne skrift tanken och blicken upp "per aspera ad astra" (från besvären mot stjärnorna).
Det var i april månad år 1892 som ungdomsföreningen i Moline kallade mig hit ned för att hålla föredrag i astronomi. Emedan sön- dagen var nära, bad pastor Lindeblad mig att stanna kvar över söndagen och predika för honom; ogärna lovade jag det, men på hans enträgna och broderliga begäran åtog jag mig uppdraget. Jag predikade Mid- fasto-söndag med ingångsorden (Dav. ps. 40: 18) såsom ämne: "Jag är fattig och eländig, men Herren sörjer för mig." Icke anade jag då, att det var en provpredikan som jag skulle hålla, men det var så plan- lagt, mig ovetande.
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Vid påföljande synodalmöte i Lindsborg, Kans., tog pastor Linde- blad mig avsides och sade: "Här är ett brev till dig." - Jag öppnade brevet och läste, och se, det var en enhällig kallelse från Moline-för- samlingen. Jag vet icke om jag någonsin blivit så totalt överraskad, ty varken genom dröm, eller aning hade någon dylik tanke insmugit sig i mitt sinne. Genast gav jag Lindeblad följande svar på kallelsen: "En nybyggarepräst från Iowa's sumptrakter passar icke för Moline, som man plägar kalla synodens domkyrkoförsamling." Han bad mig sitta ned litet medan han orerade något angående Moline-fältet.
Det uppstod inte litet bryderi angående kallelsen. Jag hade under 18 års tid på fältet i Iowa haft mycket resande och många platser att besöka, men ändock lågo mig dessa nejder på hjärtat, ty där hade jag haft min ungdomstid i ämbetet, och mina kyrkorådsmedlemmar voro allvarliga kristna som både med bön och deltagande i arbetet voro mina medhjälpare. En och annan ämbetsbroder plägade fråga mig: "Huru går det för dig, Hemborg, med dina många präster?" - Det går väl, och de bådo mig stanna kvar. Jag tycker mig ännu höra den hänsovne vännen F-s ord: "Lämna aldrig denna församling."
I tanke på att jag så lång tid varit omgiven av nybyggarelivets be- svärligheter, trodde jag att det skulle bliva ett lindrigare arbetsfält i en stad, åtminstone i så måtto, att man blev besparad från att resa om- kring så mycket med häst och kärra. Efter mycket betänkande antog jag kallelsen.
Vid Iowa-konferensens höstmöte i Burlington, Iowa, bjöd jag kon- ferensen mitt farväl och tackade för den tillgivenhet och broderlighet som jag rönt såsom dess ordförande under flera år. Såsom minne gåvo de mig ett fint guldfickur som ännu med säkerhet tickar den astronomis- ka, borgerliga och kyrkliga tiden på min levnads eftermiddag.
Efter all den oro och villervalla som en flyttning har med sig, läm- nade jag och de mina Dayton på kvällen den 19 oktober, och efter en natts resa skred tåget över Mississippi-floden just i dagningen den 20de. Jag suckade och bad till Gud att han i sin nåd ville skänka mig en dagning - en morgonrodnad på mitt nya fält.
Så äro vi då framme i Moline och hämtas upp till pastor Lindeblads hem. Trötta voro vi efter nattens resa, men likväl måste jag på e. m. ned till kvinnoföreningens möte hos mrs Landee och hålla tal, och på kvällen hölls välkomsthälsning i gudstjänstlokalen i kyrkans nedra vå- ning. Bibelläsning och bön hölls av studerande - numera pastor N. E. Glad ; hälsningstal av dr O. Olsson, mr J. A. Godehn, mr A. J. Berg- blom och pastor Lindeblad. Dr O. Olssons tal var sympatiskt, "ty han
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visste", sade han, "vad det är att lämna en församling, där man under flera år haft en trogen vänkrets."
Påföljande söndag, den 19 eft. trefaldighet, höll jag min inträdes- predikan med sv. psalmens ord såsom ämne: "Du stad är säll, du land står bäst som Jesus får till kung och gäst." (Ps. 52: 3).
Nu var min arbetsdag börjad i Moline och arbete blev det fullt upp, ty samma höst som jag kom stodo kapellen på söder och öster färdiga för att i dem hålla regelbundna veckogudstjänster. Pastor Lindeblad tröstade mig med att i det yttre var allt nu färdigt och "nu får du en- dast predika." Men det blev en hel mängd göromål utom den offent- liga predikan. När jag genomser mina noteringar under alla år som jag var i Moline, kan jag icke begripa huru jag någorlunda kunde mö- ta uppgifterna. Jag måste allt emellanåt besöka församlingen i Port By- ron, besöka distrikt- konferens- och synodalmöten, och så mot slutet av mina år i Moline såsom ordförande för Illinois-konferensen hava bestyr om alla därtill hörande göromål. Till en början samrådde jag med studerande vid vår skola att hjälpa till vid gudstjänster och möten, då jag var av ämbetsgöromål förhindral. Omsider kom svar från skolan att jag icke fick taga någon studerande från arbetet under deras lektions- timmar. Då kallades någon viss studerande att påkalla. Vid högmässo- gudstjänster och nattvardsgångar stodo skolans lärare - tack vare deras villighet - mig till tjänst. Dr O. Olsson och dr C. E. Lindberg så- som medlemmar av församlingen voro merendels de som jag fick på- kalla.
Vi hade då icke vårt fält här i Moline uppdelat i flera församlingar såsom nu är förhållandet, vadan den stora kyrkan på golv och läktaren var fullsatt med åhörare vid högmässogudstjänsterna. Musikdirektör, dr Gustav Stolpe spelade preludierna och koralerna så mästerligt, att musikaliska personer kommo i hänryckning. Sångkören, mans- och Svea- kvartetten presterade härliga stycken.
Denna gemensamhetens tid på vårt kyrkliga område här i Moline var en storhetstid.
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