USA > Illinois > Rock Island County > Moline > Jubilee album for the seventy-fifth anniversary of the First Ev. Lutheran Church, Moline, Illinois > Part 3
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På grund av försvagade krafter, fick jag av läkare det rådet att an- tingen taga tjänstledighet ett år, eller också upptaga arbete i en liten lättskött församling.
Utan att veta huru framtiden skulle vända sig, resignerade jag från församlingen och konferensen på sommaren 1904. Kallelse kom från Newman Grove och Stromsburg, Nebraska - jag antog Stromsburg- kallelsen.
Tisdagskvällen den 4 oktober bestego jag och de mina tåget för att
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resa genom Omaha till Stromsburg. En hel mängd församlingsbor voro nere vid stationen på kvällen, och det språkades och sjöngs. Svea-kvar- tetten sjöng stycken: "Skaldens blomma," "Mitt hemlands dal", och "Klara stjärna". Tåget signalerade sin ankomst - tack - tack, farväl - Gud med oss !
När jag reste över Mississippi-floden, då jag kom till Moline, lyste morgonrodnaden, men när vi nu från Moline reste på sena kvällen över floden, var aftonrodnadens ljus släckt, men stjärnorna lyste.
Det är nu 21 år sedan vi flyttade från Moline, och vi bära med oss många minnen av högtidliga tillfällen som vi hade under den tid, som vi bodde där, den tillgivenhet och kärlek som vi rönte, samt även den minnesgodhet som vi även sedan haft från eder.
Några särskilt festliga tillfällen äro minnesvärda:
År 1893 firades festlighet på Augustana College, då biskop K. H. Gez. von Schéele predikade på f. m. ordinationssöndagen.
År 1897 firade församlingen min minnesdag, då jag fyllde 50 år. Jag blev helt plötsligt nedkallad till kyrkan, som stod i festskrud. Dr O. Olsson och dr C. E. Lindberg höllo tal, och församlingen förärade mig med en guldkäpp och ett fint bokskåp.
År 1901 var åter biskop von Schéele hos oss och predikade vid en hög- mässogudstjänst.
År 1910 hade vi festligt även i Moline, då Augustana-synoden vid vår skola firade sitt 50-års jubileum.
År 1912 var jag bjuden till Moline för att närvara vid en konfir- mandreunion, då all konfirmationsklasser från församlingens början representerades. Det var en stor högtidsdag söndagen den 9 juni.
År 1915, då jag var i Rock Island för att bjuda farväl till mina släk- tingar, innan jag reste till Californien, blev jag bjuden till mansför- eningens möte. De gåvo mig en minnespokal (Loving cup) samt upp- togo mig såsom hedersmedlem av föreningen.
År 1917, då synoden vid vår skola firade 400-årsminnet av den lu- therska reformationnen, var jag här på inbjudning av mansföreningen och höll tal.
År 1921, då jag och min hustru på genomresa från Gowrie, Iowa, voro här, tillställdes en afton överraskning på oss i Sorosis lokalen.
År 1924 (förlidet år), då jag fyllde 50 år i prästämbetet, kom order från Moline till en blomsterfirma i Los Angeles att uppsända till mig blommor på min minnesdag.
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Gratulation och 50 exemplar av de finaste och dyrbaraste blommor (American beauties) anlände. - Inga blommor dofta skönare än vän- skapens rosor - Tack!
Ett av de mest ingripande och betydelsefullaste minnen från Moline är naturligtvis firandet av församlingens 50-års jubileum den I och 2 december år 1900. För att sammanbinda detta skede i församlingens historia med firandet av 75-års jubileet, torde det kanske vara intressant att här meddela programmet som då utfördes:
LÖRDAGEN DEN I DECEMBER KL. 2 E. M.
Bibelläsning, Davids 104 psalm.
Tal av pastor G. Peters: Om gamla tider och forna år, samt ett ord till församlingens äldre medlemmar.
KL. 7 E. M.
Hälsningsord av församlingens pastor.
Tal av dr E. Norelius: Om våra församlingar och vårt samfunds betydelse i detta land under de flydda 50 åren, samt vad vi böra vänta av dem för framtiden.
Tal av pastor Lindeblad.
SÖNDAGEN DEN 2 DECEMBER KL. 9:30.
Skriftetal av pastor G. Peters: Vårt festfirande vid Herrens bord.
Högmässopredikan av dr L. G. Abrahamson: Högtidshälsning, "Se din konung kommer till dig."
Allmän nattvardsgång.
KL. 2:30 E. M.
Söndagsskolfest.
Tal av dr N. Forsander: Om församlingens betydelse och uppgift med avseende på det uppväxande släktet i detta land.
Korta tal till barnen av närvarande pastorer.
KL. 7 E. M.
Ungdomsfest.
Tal på engelska om församlingens ungdom.
Tal på svenska av dr C. E. Lindberg: Om våra skolor och vår ung- dom.
Hälsningsskrivelsers uppläsande.
Avskedsord av pastorer som varit församlingens lärare.
Emedan pastor Peters var den äldste närvarande pastorn, fick han i
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uppdrag att hålla minnestalet över flydda år. Jag nedtecknade några anföranden därur som följer: Ämnet var: "Låt åren tala."
De tala om Guds godhet och nåd under de flydda åren - de tala om frihet, framgång och mission - de tala om utvidgandet av din pauluns tält - de tala om kyrkomakt i den gamla tiden här (t. exempel, en kvinna kom hit från Sverige och hade där hört pastor O. C. T. Andrén, och på hennes råd blev han kallad hit) - de tala om kolera, fattigdom och motstånd i vår lutherska verksamhet - de tala om villiga arbetare i församlingen - de tala till eder, I gamle, att vi få nedlägga alla våra synder vid Jesu kors.
Det minnesalbum som utgavs till 50-års festen är ett av de första i Augustana-synoden. Det krävde icke litet arbete att få ihop materialet, ty anteckningar ur små böcker och blad voro här och där strödda. Jag förmodar, att medlemmarna nu leta rätt på albumet ur gamla gömmor.
Vi hava mottagit församlingens vänliga och hederliga inbjudning att vara med eder under firandet av edert 75-års jubileum, och om hälsa och krafter medgiva att företaga den långa resan, vilja vi med Guds nåd vara hos eder vid det högtidliga tillfället.
Vi tacka för gammal kärlek och ständigt förnyad vänskap.
Los Angeles, California.
CARL A. OCH MRS HEMBORG.
Memories and Experiences from Moline
Moline, on the banks of the Father of Waters, is well known as an industrial city, the home of the plow, the implement which has meant more for the development of agriculture than any other. Moline is also noted for its excellent schools and numerous fine churches. More than half of its population hail from the land of the Midnight Sun. This fact accounts for the large number of beautiful homes dotting the hills and covering the bluffs. It also is an important factor in the general cleanliness and good order found everywhere in the city.
To this city I came with my family the first days of October, 1911, to take charge of the First Lutheran church as the successor of Dr. L. A. Johnston, then president of the Augustana Synod, who after five years
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of 'labor in Moline decided to accept a call to his former charge, in St. Paul, Minn. I was no stranger in Moline, for no pastor in the Augus- tana Synod is a stranger there. I had spent almost ten years as a stu- dent at Augustana College and Theological Seminary and during that time attended services regularly in the big church of Moline where Rev. H. O. Lindeblad and Dr. C. A. Hemborg preached. During that time I had also learned to know a number of the good folks of Moline who now received me most cordially as their pastor. Here we labored to- gether until the last days of November 1918. During that time the great World War was fought. Great changes took place in the world at large and also in the churches. Our mission was to preach Christ whose life and teaching never change. The Spirit of God was active among us and many were brought to the Lord Jesus. Among them were several young men who have been a great blessing to the church and some of whom are still very active in the good work.
It was also during this time that the saloons of Moline were closed. This was not done without effort on the part of the church people. Much hard work and worry preceded the closing of the saloons and much rejoicing followed the historic event.
Our years in Moline were filled with great events, one after the other. Never shall we forget the enthusiasm kindled among our people by the organization of the Swedish National Association and its success- ful Midsummer Festivals in Prospect Park where thousands of people of Swedish birth would assemble for a day of real joy and fellowship. The programs were always the best. The resolutions adopted always brought results. Thus we succeeded in getting good Swedish books " into the Moline Library and the Swedish language was made a subject in the High School.
When in 1917 our beloved country declared war on Germany, patri- otism ran high among our people. Mr. William Axelson, president of the Luther League and one of the enthusiastic Sunday-school teachers, volunteered his services to his country and with him about fifty young men of the church enlisted in the service of the A. E. F. The various ladies' societies of the church under the direction of the Red Cross were very busy sewing and knitting for the soldiers. Patriotic meetings were often held in the church. Many will remember the farewell meeting to the soldier boys and also the occasion when the D. A. R. presented the Sunday-school with a beautiful silk flag which ever since has had a con- spicuous place in the church.
Another great event was the gathering of funds for and the erection
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of the Lutheran Hospital. In one week in September 1913, under the direction of the Greater Moline Committee, the people of Moline pledged some $30,000 for the proposed Hospital. The mayor, the com- missioners, the bankers, the businessmen and factory officials were out in large numbers soliciting money. One day toward the close of the campaign a collection was asked for and received from the working men in the factories. This collection amounted to about $1700, if I remember correctly. Everybody was helping along giving of his time and money. It was indeed a privilege to work together with such peo- ple. It goes without saying that such an undertaking could not be started and pushed to a successful completion without opposition. But the foes of the Lutheran Hospital were overwhelmed time and again and finally began to feel ashamed of themselves. To the credit of the First Lutheran Church of Moline it must be said that as far as we know there was not a single member who opposed the efforts to estab- lish the Lutheran Hospital. It was a great day in the church when the congregation took the lead in the work and after the morning worship in a few minutes subscribed over $4,000. Remember that this took place before we knew anything about the war drives for big sums of money. The success of the hospital movemeent was really a surprise to many. I did not know how to explain it until the venerable deacon Andrew Peterson, that really great man of God, told me on his death bed that for years he had been praying to God that He might open a way for the building of a Lutheran Hospital in Moline and that many of those prayers had been offered on his return home from work, even- ings, on the very grounds among the trees where the Hospital now stands. When I heard him speak thus, then I knew why God had so abundantly blessed every effort put forth in the interest of that hospital.
The day the new pipe organ, pulpit and altar were dedicated must be counted as a red-letter day in the history of the congregation. The changes in the church necessitated by placing the altar and pulpit prop- erly were decided upon by unanimous vote of the members. There are many churches in Moline but none excels in exterior and interior beauty the old First Lutheran church. She is by far the most conspicuous building in the city to strangers and visitors. The big clock in the tower, visible to a very large portion of Moline and serving as time keeper for the whole central business section, has for several generations preached to thousands concerning the importance of time, reminding them that now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation.
Another very important event was the organization of Trinity Lu-
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theran Church which took place in the basement of the First Lutheran Church. The need of an English Lutheran church in Moline had been felt for some time but to start that organization was a rather delicate matter. The mother church had to give most of the members who constituted the nucleus of the new organization. It was also feared that a large number of our younger families and young people would join the new church. This fear, however, proved to be unfounded. The important step was taken just in time. Through the efficient and faithful work of Trinity church, hundreds have been saved for our Lutheran church who otherwise would have drifted into the various reformed churches or away from all churches.
One of the happiest events of our life took place July 3, 1913, when a daughter was born to the pastor and his good wife, completing the quartette of two boys and two girls. All four of the children started school in old Irving. The oldest child started first grade and finished the eighth grade before we moved to Denver.
One thing Moline was sadly in need of in those days was some worth- while organization for boys. John Hauberg of Rock Island was really the only one in the Tri-cities who was doing anything of a constructive nature for the boys, but his organization was naturally limited to a small number and did not affect very much the large number of boys roaming around on the streets of Moline after school hours and during vacation periods. I saw the great problem but did not know how to solve it. A few men like John Hauberg with the same interest in boys and the same willingness to sacrifice of their time and means would have solved the problem for Moline. There is no doubt but that such men could have been found if a real effort had been made. The Boy Scout movement was rather new in Moline and not very well under- stood by our people in those days. Perhaps it is different now.
Armistice Day in Moline as in every other city in the world was one of the happiest days of our life. We never expect to live through an- other day like it.
But all our days in Moline were not days of sunshine. Very often the clouds obscured the sun. As in nature, so in the work of the church. The year 1916 will never be forgotten beacuse of sickness and trials of various kinds. But God and good people stood by faithfully and helped us through it all. To the Lord be honor and glory for the success in the work in Moline. To us belong the mistakes and faults, and it be- hooves us therefore to be humble at all times.
A. F. BERGSTROM.
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Reminiscences
BY DR. JOHN TELLEEN.
Mr. Carl Chilberg, father of Consul Andrew Chilberg, Seattle, Washington, came to America in the 1840:s. He came from Knäred, Halland, Swe- den, and settled in New Sweden (Bergholm), Iowa. In the early fifties he visited Sweden and returned to America in 1853. With him came a goodly number of emigrants. They left Halmstad for Gothenburg in a steamer, and left Gothenburg for Boston, Mass., in a wooden sailing vessel, that required seven weeks DR. J. TELLEEN. to cross the Atlantic ocean. The victuals gave out and the water soured. The art of making ocean water palatable had not then been discovered. In a storm that lasted nearly three days the vessel came near sinking.
Passenger coaches were not plentiful so the emigrants were stowed away in freight cars part way westward. West of Chicago we could go by train only as far as Sheffield. From there we were conveyed to the Mississippi river, where a steamer took us to Rock Island, Illinois, where we landed in the evening. Someone stole our little trunk in which we had our few valuables. Our family numbered five: father, Swan Anderson; mother; Nellie; three sons, Carl, 10 years old ; John, seven years old; Andrew, five years old. Father had fifty cents, ten cents for each of us.
We repaired to Moline, and rented an upper one-half story from Mr. Olof Bengtson, a Methodist, across the street from the Swedish Lu- theran church. When father and mother would not join the Metho- dists, it was thought best that we move.
Our Lutheran church had at that time no settled pastor, but received visits from Rev. L. P. Esbjorn, who was then pastor at Andover, Illi- nois. These visits, I think, were two each month.
Mr. Carl Lindman, a prominent layman, conducted the services, when we had no pastoral visit. A son of Mr. Lindman, who attended Sunday-school in the early days, is living, but I am unable to find his address. Before our own Sunday-school was organized we attended the Congregational Sunday-school, if my memory serves me right.
Rev. O. C. T. Andrén and his wife came to Moline in 1856. He was a gifted, learned and pious man. She played and sang sweetly. Moline at that time was not an easy field. The pastor had enemies.
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False accusations were hurled at him and the church. A baptist, Mr. Kniberg, was a prominent persecutor. Some young men had planned bodily violence, but were disarmed during a talk with the pastor's good wife. His salary was but a few hundred a year. The parsonage was a gift by a young man. The house had but three rooms and kitchen added. In those days coal was hauled from Coal Valley. The roads were often very bad. The wagons got stuck. Large chunks of coal were often dumped by the roadside. These any one who wished might pick up. Yet persons were found who talked ill of the poor pastor if he carried a piece of coal found outside his house.
Miss Helen laughed in church, but when the pastor's piercing eye caught her she wept. One evening as he was making house-visits he met two young women on their way to a dance. This he did not know, but greeted them pleasantly. When they had passed one said to the other, "I can not go." The other answered, "I can not either," and both returned home.
Rev. Andrén visited among the people very much, going from house to house, "gathering 'home picked fruit' " as it has been called. If any were destitute he would give the needy his last dollar. Once he found my mother sick with fever and ague. When he learned that she had no doctor and no money, he gave her his only dollar to buy "calisaya," saying, "you need this ague cure. I don't need the dollar now." When I visited Sweden in 1906 and called at Asarum I told this story to Mrs. Andrén and gave her a new bill. On the day he left Moline for Sweden in 1860, together with his family, he took time to go to church and spend some moments in prayer, praying for the congregation. His prayer is answered.
The Moline pastors were lovers of the children and the young people and therefore did all they could in Sunday-school and parochial school work, and were my personal friends in the early days, when I followed them from Moline to Rock Island, where they also preached and taught. But Moline had also splendid laymen, such as Mr. Peter Han- son, John Larson and others. And godly women not a few, who would visit the parsonage in the early morning to be present at the family devotion. If some came a little late, such would sit down on the kitchen steps and listen. How often I accompanied my mother ! Precious visits !
Once I said, "Mother, I wish I were the pastor's son." She asked, "Is it because we are poor?" I answered, "No. It is because I could then feast on his books. I love reading more than eating or playing."
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Miss Smith, my public school teacher, had seen this, and said, "Johnnie, you are very fond of reading. To never need glasses, wash your eyes in cold water eight or ten times a day, always inward, toward your nose." I started, have kept it up, am now in my 80th year, and never had need of glasses.
Mr. Fritz Nathanæl Andrén, oldest son of Rev. O. C. T. Andrén, lives at Berwyn, Cook Co., Illinois.
In Asarum, Sweden, Mrs. Andrén showed me a path, under the shade of trees, where her husband was wont to go and pray and say, as in Moline, with a play on his name, "O se te Andreen" == O. C. T. An- drén.
But I must come to a close. Could write a book on Moline, if I were to tell it all. God bless Moline! Pastor and people! Not least your dear pastor, who has the expressive name (Mor (e) land=the wide world for Jesus! Amen and Amen.
First Church! Be ever true to your high calling! Then you shall celebrate in Heaven forever.
One of your own boys, JOHN TELLEEN.
A Pioneer Letter by Nels Brattlund1 to Rev. Olof Olsson, Värmland, Sweden. Translated by ADOLF HULT.
Rock Island, Ill., May 6, 1868.
My dear Pastor Olsson :
Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ is my hearty wish and my prayer for all saints, and most especially by these lines for 'yu and yurs famelye.'
I would thank you for the letter I received. It gladdened me much to have a greeting of peace from 'yu' which was there not only as a form. I hear 'yu' have received a call from Professor Hasselquist to come across here, and that 'yu' have nothing especially against that, but
I) Nels Brattlund, grandfather of Rev. Adolf Hult, was asked by our well known [Dr.] Rev. Olof Olsson, then pastor in Sweden, what the circumstances of life, outlook, and the like were in America. Rev. Olsson contemplated mov- ing to our country. Mr. Brattlund attended the First Lutheran, Moline, but lived in Rock Island. He uses some English words spelt according to sound.
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wished to know various things about the every-day life. And as long as we are not lifted above human needs we must be concerned about those matters, too, and the Spirit of the Lord will doubtlessly teach us how far we may go in that line. So we can confidently call down the blessing of God on our undertakings.
In the Swedish church here [Moline] where I am, the pastor has $600.00 salary, not gold dollars but paper, for in all business and in- tercourse paper money is used. When any one wishes gold this is bought for paper, and the price rises and falls. Since I came here it has risen and fallen betweeen $1.26 and 1.52 in paper for $1.00 gold, about "2 riksdaler and fifty 'ore' " Swedish. Money -- (there are 100 cents to the dollar.) A working-man who has $1.50 a day and steady work, which makes about $450 a year, gets along well with a family. And 'yu' may believe the working-man here eats just as well as I think 'yu' would desire to do. For there is a rich blessing of means of life here. Such is the custom that all belonging to the same house eat at one table. No distinction is made as to class or circumstances. They who have dirty work always wash before meals and comb themselves, though without any further change of clothes until the day's labor is finished, When you board yourself and keep house one can live right well on is $4.00 a week, and it is the same for whatever person, since at the boarding houses only one table is served. But if one buys a single meal they probably charge forty to fifty cents. When one travels you pay about so. Second breakfast and late supper [after European custom] are not used. Breakfast comes at 6 a. m., dinner at 12, and supper at 6. When you board yourself and keep house you can live right well on $2.50 to $3.00 a week. A man with wife and three or four children can, indeed, live rather well on five or six dollars a week. This de- pends on various circumstances, according to each one's ways and choice.
The commonest food is wheat bread, coffee, meat and potatoes. As to finer food one can do as you please. Coffee is common at all meals, but not between meals except among some Swedish women who find it hard to lay aside their strong coffee habit. A sack of good wheat flour weighing 47 pounds, which is two and one-half "Lbs." Swedish, costs $2.40 and $2.50, up to $3.00, now costing $2.65. One bushel potatoes now $1.00 to $1.40 can be bought in the fall for 75 cents. They have quite good potatoes here. A sack of fine rye flour is bought for forty to fifty cents cheaper than wheat. They never buy grain and bring it to the mill, except farmers who raise the grain. One pound pork is 12 cents. If you buy a whole hog, seven, eight, nine cents. Live hogs
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sell at five and a half to seven, according to weight. Other meat, 8, 10, 12 cents. Coffee 30 to 35 cents. Sugar 17 to 20 cents. Dried apples about 7 pounds for a dollar, and are had at all times during the year, and are much used as dessert. They are rather refreshing. In summer butter is 15 to 20 cents, in winter 35 to 45 cents; eggs, sum- mer 15 to 20, winter 30 to 40 a dozen. Larger and just as good apples as the Swedish fresh apples can always be bought. In the fall we pay 75 cents to $1 a bushel. Now they cost $1.60. Apples are generally good. Milk is 20 to 25 cents a gallon. A gallon is about one and three- eights Swedish "cans," one bushel about 8 "kappar." I forgot to state that smoked meats are bought at 16 to 20 cents (I paid to-day 17). Pork is always eaten fresh, except that they smoke such pieces as are without bone or tallow. These cost now 25 cents.
Linen and woolen goods of all kinds are not at all dearer here than in Sweden. A sack of corn meal, weight as above, costs one dollar to one and ten. But you can not bake bread of it alone .... But it is used for many other good purposes. Now I have spoken of a few articles of food, but a good many others are also used, of course.
I hear 'yu' desire a farm. Farmers do right well, because the soil is very fertile and easily cultivated. Land alongside cities is about $100 an acre, five to ten miles from a city $25 for uncultivated, and for cultivated land with houses, from $40 to $75. That is the price here in Illinois, because the State is quite settled. But in Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota just as good land is had for $5 an acre because it is not as yet bought up. Yet it is swiftly being bought up, so that a few years from now it will be just as expensive. In these states there are many Swedish settlements, but at almost all of these there is still plenty of land. Then it costs about $4 to "break" an acre, that is to say, to plow it the first time. But one does not need to hire to break all, at once. But if one can afford to do so, it is no doubt profitable. A farm of 80 acres is "plenty" enough to cultivate-where you do not need to pas- ture the cattle in the summer on it. Such a "main" [spelt "mann"] building as 'yu' spoke of would cost, I might say, about $500. But then it is neat and nice and according to the best manner of building, though a frame structure. I built myself a little home here last spring. which costs-if I had hired for the labor-$250. And one double as large were sufficient according as 'yu' intend. And I have also painted it on the outside. But there are many things that can vary the cost : for example, I bargained with painters what they would charge, and
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