Bethel University - Spire Yearbook (St Paul, MN)

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THE ACORN i tjanarinna, namligen Alpha Beta Literary Society. Jag kan aldrig glomma dess for-sta mote i mitt hem, da en af de p-A pro-grammet uppsatta var sa blyg, att han kom af sig, nar han skulle trada ham for pul)liken. Han blcf scnare foreningens president, graduerade friln skolan med goda becyg, bar sedan graduerat Iran en annan. skola och r i dag en lieder for Bethel Academy. Vi sago afven fra mat i begynnelseus dag och liinglade ut till storre mark och storre rum. Dct vackra landet i St. Anthony Bark blef v rt, och planerna lades till det hus, som, ehuru litet, betrvggade skolans framtid. Och afven detta blei ju ett trappsleg till del som battre iir. Det vore mycket smatt och godt att saga om “den ringa begynnelsens dag,” men orden m ste rftknas och de aro mojligen redan for ni nga. Men jag far dock sanda en hjartevarm hSlsning till dera som raot-tes i oktober 1905 och troget stodo hi i kri-tisk grundlaggningstid. Stye iFirsl (Thaprl els Soneson Next fall in the month of October it will be ten years ago since Deiliel Academy began its important service as an educational institution, founded by the Swedish Baptists of America. As it is an institution established for the purpose of serving God's plan, in helping those in need of development, it could net accomplish this high and noble service without singing praise to God and without asking Him for wisdom, help and guidance, and hence the daily Chapel. The writer has been asked to say something about The First Chapel . As wc are not in possession of any notes of any kind t'rcm the time we have to rely entirely upon our memory. The school had no building of its own at that time; the chapel was held in the sundayschool as-semblyroora of the Elim Swedish Baptist Church, N. 10. Minneapolis, with which church the school Tor two years had its temporary home. The leader of “The First Chapel” was the honored and beloved first principal or the school, Dr. Arv. Gordh. The number of the song we have forgotten, but not the personality of him who announced it. In the audience we find Prof. J. O. Booklund, who during the first two years of the school faithfully served as teacher. The first students of the school were also present at this precious hour. Three ot' the audience have graduated and gone to their eternal reward. The other students we find in various occupations of life as farmers, contractors, lawyers, dentists and ministers of the gospel. Rev. V. E. Hedberg, for many years tire beloved and successful pastor of the Elim Swedish Baptist Church, was the Chaplain. He read from the book of Joshua, the first chapter. The message which he brought us we find in the 9th verse of the chapter and reads as follows: Have no; l com- manded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not affrighted, neither be thee dismayed: for Jehovah is with thee whithersoever thou .gocst. God said he had made plain to his servant Joshua that he had great work for him to accomplish, if he should be able to perform (his he would need pay attention to God s will and so God would be with him. “Bethel Academy,” said Rev. Hedberg, has a great work to accomplish and hence needs to adhere to the will of God, in order that His promise might he fulfilled with regard to the existence of the school.” How wonderful has not this prophetical message, spoken by the chaplain at “The First Chapel” in Bethel Academy, come true in the existence and mission or the institution? Yes, Jehovah has indeed been with the work and we believe that in the years before us, we shall be able to realize more and more the truth of God’s word spoken at The First Chapel.”

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b THE ACORN religious caro of their countrymen in America. Moved by an unswerving conviction on this question, I sought to make clear the situation to the Conference, which was then in session at Stromsburg, Nebraska, with the result that it was unanimously decided that a Committee he appointed, of which, unfortunately, I was made the Chairman, to look further into this matter and to present plans and recommendations at the next annual Conference. Dr. Sandell had been given a kindred subject for discussion, and, singularly enough, be too reached the conclusions l had set forth, and even suggested that Minnesota was the logical location. The report and suggestions of the school committee, given at the General Conference held at Kansas City, the following year, were unanimously adopted. The schcci committee was enlarged, made more representative, and given full authority to act in the name of the Conference. The first term began in a modest way, in the lecture room of the Klim Baptist Church, Minneapolis. But since 1907 the school has enjoyed its own home in St. Anthony Park. It has long since outgrown the capacity of the building. New and commodious quarters are now being erected to receive the students for the autumn term. The scope and character of the work accomplished during the first ten years ot its existence have more than justified the actions taken by the General Conference in bringing this institution into existence. Its students are already enriching and strengthening our denominational life. iSrijmtttelsnts 3ax$ Arvid Gordh Begynnelsens dag! — ja, den li-gger nu tio ar bakom. Af senapskornet liar blifvit ett betydande trad, sft att t. o. in. him-melens faglar” kommit for att bygga slna n sten pa dess kvistar. Grunden, som lades. har ha Hit att bygga pd, bar hdllit att bygga sjalfva samfutulsskolan pit. Pd den ringa begynnelsens dag hade den nya skclan intet eget hus. Men den lick rum i Elhns hitrberge i Minneapolis. Har vfintade dock ej fiirdiga skolsalar mod nutidens utstyrsel. De forsta elever, som kommo for att sdka kunskap, funno tvenne In rare och en pastor s.vsselsatta med att satta upp vaggar och tillverka svarta tailor m. m. dyl. Nitr arbetet sedan l'rampft morgonsidan var fardigt, skulle man run-nit donna trio i det gastfria pasiorshuset omkring kaffebordet. Nasta dag sago dessa handtverkare gan-ska respektabla ut. och dd matrikulerades — for att anvanda ett ldngt ord om cn enkel handling — dc lorsta eleverna 1 svenska haptisternas i Amerika forsta biro-verk. De kommo redan nu Iran ganska skilda trakter: frail Minnesota och Dako- ta, fran Wisconsin och Michigan, Iran Illinois och Kansas och Nebraska och Connecticut. Nar de alia voro samman, upp-gick antalet till ett och ett lialft tjog. en mind re. Och pd delta material profvade liastan cerfarna larare sina formagor, och af detta material har det blifvit goda man och kvinnor — aklrig framdragna ill ail Un-da utan denna begynnelse. Det bor jades med att arbeta ofvertid, och det fortsattes det ocksa med: tv at'ton-skolor krafde alia formdgor och krafler, sem slodo till buds. Var ieke dagskolans elevkar s stor. voro aftonkurserna sa rnycket slorie. Klasser i engelska och svensk bibel pagingo i Elirn, och bibelklas-ser hollos afvensd. i St. Paul och St. Anthony Park. Entusiasm praglade detta ar bete. Akademien vann vanner och sluden-ter. fdrsaml ingen vann niedlemmar och Herrens sak gynnades. En skola slcall noturligtvis ha forenin-gar, isynnorliet litterara foreningar. Och var skola var icke mftnga veckor •.•animal, da denna fr ga dryftades. Grunden lades till en forening, som vlsat slg vara en god

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s THE ACORN a lit' UU'tlu'l of a nil ay . Ufred J. Jf in o'blade In writing this article we are not predicting what Bethel Academy will he in the bright years to come, not yet are we relating what she has been in the ten years that are past, but our task is to tell what Bethel Academy is today. We shall write briefly oi' some of the things which stand out most noticeably. First the building. It is conspicuous because cf its smallness. Some one has called it the beehive. It is “chuck” full of busy bees. Everywhere they can lie seen. In the vestibule, on the stairs, in the halls, in the office, in the reading room; all busy and all happy. But happier will they be when a larger building will furnish better accommodations for study and recitation. And the grounds. We are like the Holy Land in one parliculai at least. We are situated between Egypt and Babylonia. When Egypt goes to war with Babylonia she insists on a passage thru the Holy Land and vice versa. We are situated between the southland and the northland When small boy of the south clashes arms with small boy of the north the conflict ground is sure to be somewhere in our territory. Whistling lad who trudges »o schco!. gro n man who hastens to work, maid cn her way to the grocery and lady hurrying to catch a car, all invade our domain. And we have not barb wire nor patience enough to intercept all. We must say ‘Clod Bless You' and continue our task It will not be with unmingled sorrow that we move to a more suburban campus. Next the students. We here are hundred this year. We have wondered wh it should be even one hundred. Perhaps the number refers to the doxology. We are thankful for what God can make of nil cf them, it takes a good man lo make a living in these war times, even if ho devotes his full time to liie task. It takes a better man to make a living and besides spend as much time in present unproductive labor as does the student. Therefore the selfsupporting student is to be greatly admired for his courage and initiative as well us for his energy and pluck. Wc have in Bethel a large percentage of such students. That our neighbors in the park appreciate their services, we could easily know by noting the phone calls for help which ccme to our office any school morning. Further proof that our students arc busy bees can also be found by their busy occupation in many kinds of work all ovev the park cn any fine afternoon. Of organizations we have eight in Bethel Academy. Four of thorn are literary, one physical, and three religious. That these organizations look after the needs of the Undents in the various fields, no one needs lo doubt. Yet we do not think they seriously encroach on each other. We have also another organization which we have not included in the eight above mentioned, namely Hie Boarding Club. Thus far this ( lie has been for men only. The increase in number of out young ladies will force us to make arrangements for them also. Our publication the ACORN is known everywhere. It lias now completed its seventh year. Modesty will perhaps keep it from changing its name for that of a .sturdier and maturer one. These are touches of what Bethel is today. We have here a busy workshop. The product of our employment is character—Christian character. We are workers together with Gcd. Who can judge of tins product!