Augustana College - Rockety I Yearbook (Rock Island, IL)

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REV. T. N. HASSELQUIST. D. D. President, lB63-1B9l. Rev. Tnfv: N, Haxielquisl was lhe second President of Auguslana C011. and Theol. Sem. In him the insliluliun found a most able successor to szr. Eshjom, Ha began his ear1y education al a public schooi 1r Chr1:tianslad, Swadan. Ha gradualcd from the University all Lund at lhn ag: of eighteen. Lutcr he cominued his lheological sludies at 1h: same university and was ordained lo the miniairy En 1339. He 5mm became known as a preacheI who in devoulness and sincerity diEered widely Emm his colleaguas. His repulalion even nached Wig caunlry. Rev. Ethiom heard of il and as a result Dr. Hassclquisl was called In take Charge of the newly organized :angregalion al Galesburg. Ill. in l852. The call was accepled and for eleven years he worked with unceasing activity and never fail- ing energy in mi; field. In l555 he began me puhIicalion of Hemlandel and Rana Hmlandct, of which he was eclilm until IBSB. Besides all lhis work he began inslruc'ing young men and preparing them for lh: ministry. Ilrwas probably in this field Ihat he afierwarcls performed the. grealest work for our Synvdy In 1863 he succeeded Rev. Eshjorn a2 presidenl 0F Auguslana, which position he filled until lhe day of his dealh, February 4Ih, l39l. In cnnneclion wilh his duties as presidenl he was aho an aclive lilemry worker. a work which was laid away but shortly before hi5 death. To a very great extent lhe development of our school from il's humble Beginning Iu ilu pteeenl impurlance is due lo lhe able managcmcnl and lirelcas eEurts uf Dr. Hasselquisl. bul far more important was the inHuence Which came from his exemplary life of Faith. hope and love. 20

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?Bmgrapbical REV. Li PV ESBJORN. Auguslana's First President. Ta Rev. L. P. Eshiorn belongs the credit for having laid ihc foundation of the Lutheran church in America. Ordained VD !he minislry in 1832 h: served for sum: lime a5 paslor in Osler Wahia. Sweden; laler as paler and chaplain at Hiile. About this time : iarge number of Swedish people ware immigrating m Amcrica. Amung mm. were a number of devoul earnest Christians who urge Rev. Esbjurn to accompany lhem lo lhc land across the Alianlic as lhnir pastor, He complied wilh their request. and in Septcmber I819 he arrived in America with the Iillle band of chdesi in Oclnbcr Rev. Esbjam came to Anduver. lllinuis where a Swedish Ewingelical LuII-enm congregalion was a! onc: organized. in '555 he was callad In Vhe Standinavian pmfessnrship at the Illinuis Stale Universily. an institulion contrnlied by Ike Evangelical Lulheran Synod of Nonhcrn Illinois. In 1360 Ih: Augustana Synod was eslablished. The Synod resolved to found a schuol of iheir own al. which Ihose wha were lo carry an lhe work of Ihc Synnd mighl he preparedi Ravi Esbjam was calizd as superimendenl and instruclor in this school. Hence having founded our Swedish church in America F: Was caiicd upon Io prcfurm lhe responsible ciulies devolving upbn lhe Em president nf Auguslana Collcge, and Theol. Sam. In 1862 he relumed to Sweden. Here he remained umil his death, July 2. 1370. Rev. Esbjom possessed an enurmuus slrnnglh nf budy and mi and our Synod and schonl pwe- him a areal dabt of gratilude far his willing and indefatigable iabor in the very early days of these msIIlullnns. 19

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REV. O. OLSSON. D. D. President IB9I-I9UD. Dr. 0. Olsson who became president nf Auguslana Call. and Theol. 5cm. upon Ike dcalh of Dr. Hasselquisl. began his more advanced studies at Slackholm. Sweden in I355. Laler 11: spen! a year of sludy n! Lcipzig, Garmany. Hc gradualecl from the University at Uppaala in lel. Thcreupon he look up Ihe sludy uf lhwlugy and was ordained at Uppsala, l863. In 1569 receiving a call from the Auguslana Synod, he came Io America wilh a colany of pinnegrs and setlled in canlral Kansas. While serving the congregation in Lindsbmg. Kansas. he was sell! 133! the people of his counly to Ike Kansas lngislaturc and scrvcd lwo lcrms in Ibis capacily. In 3575 he declined 21 call to hecomc pru- fcssor at Auguslana College and Theological Seminary A second call was sent the following year. and this was accepted, Rev. Olsson moving ID Rock Island in I376. In 1579 he nmka 3 Eve Inumhs lour lhrough England. Germany aid Bohemia. In 1333 he resigned his position 3! Auguslana and assumed connecliun with Bethany Callege. 1n Ilse following year h: again visited Europe. Upon his return he 1:22am: pastor of Ike congregalion at Woodhull, Illinois. In l59l I25 was elected as president of Auguslana Cullege and Theolagical Seminary. The Board of Direclors cnnfel'red upon him lhc dcgre: of Dodo: af Divmlly in 1892. Dr. Olssan was an activu conlribulor l0 lhe various church papers Df Hue Synod as well as lhe ammo: of various wnrks of great value. Among these might be mentiunzd, AI lh: Cross. Greetings fmm Abroad, The Chrmian Hope. To Rome and Hume Againf' elc. Zl e 3ubiln, 919m,