Bethel University - Spire Yearbook (St Paul, MN)

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THE BETHEL HERALD 19 going to Sweden. He is an authority on, eschatology and his writings on the subject are very much in demand. Did you meet or hear of any other classmates while there?” No. I didn’t. O, yes, I did too. The family I stayed with were related to the Sandberg girls. They told me Alice was principal of schools in Kalamazoo. Mich, and had revolutionized the school system. Pedagogues all over the land were studying her methods and introducing them into their work. Alice is married. I can never remember names, but she is married to a prominent business man of that city. Wouldn’t it have seemed strange twenty-five years ago for the wife to work like that? But that is common now, you know.” Wliat about Hannah? Where is she?” Hannah became vitally interested in the Jewish question shortly after she left college. She became so enthused over the return of the Jews to the Holy Land that she secured employment in the Zionist movement, and now she has headquarters in Jerusalem, superintending the relief work among the Jewish peasants who are flocking to the golden land of promise.” As Jacobson finished speaking, the office door suddenly opened and without any undue ceremony a handsome, dignified, stately looking man stepped into the room, and was recognized immediately as being none other than, the president of the class, Eric Lindholm. If anything he was more dignified than ever. Joyous greetings were exchanged all around, and all held him to strict accountability. What kind of tribunal is this that I have dropped in upon.” he said. Are you planning an insurrection, a campaign for the elimination of the eat habit, or a tennis game? Well, I suppose I better give an account of myself, since you demand it.” “He doesn’t need to,” exclaimed Dr. Peterson. Gentlemen, I want to introduce you to Dr. Lindholm, poet laureate of the United States, lecturer without equal on the philosophy of life, and an author of the first rank. You should have heard him in Boston Orchestral Hall a few weeks ago. Poetic prose and prosaic poetry flowed from his lips with an eloquence that held his audience spell-bound for two hours and a half. We are certainly proud of you. Eric, and welcome you into our august presence. How are you faring?” “Well you nearly took my breath away, Pete, but I am glad to say that the world is treating me quite well. I am quite contented, and why shouldn’t I be, For what is so rare as a day in June, Then if ever come perfect days.” “There he goes again. But say. I am going to tell Mrs. Peterson to serve us a regular Bethel Boarding Club dinner tonight for old time’s sake, so you’ll excuse me. won’t you?” Dr. Peterson soon returned and informed the company that his wife had anticipated him and dinner was all ready to be served in the dining room. They repaired thither and were soon seated round the festal board. When grace had been said all insisted that Jacobson continue liis -story where he had left off. Well my next destination was Saint Paul. I found that city stirred to its depths In the greatest revival they had since Aid-rich was there many years ago. A large tabernacle seating 20,000 persons was not large enough to hold the crowds that clamored to get in. The campaign was being conducted by the Hamlin Evangelistic Party, and none other than our friend Martin was preaching in good old Billy Sunday style. He has held large campaigns, not only in this country but in. Europe and Australia, and has had remarkable success. “From St. Paul, I sailed across the Rockies and made a landing finally in San Francisco. Here I was entertained most royally by another one of our classmates, Eric Danielson. Eric is Superiutendan.t of Missions on the Pacific Coast, but besides being prominent in religious work, he holds an influential place in the political life of the Pacific Coast States and his word goes a long way in any controversy that arises. He is the same Eric as of old, just as enthusiastic and zealous as ever.” How long were you in San Francisco?” Eric asked. I was there two weeks. I also heard about Astrid Palm while there. She is married and lives in Seattle, Washington. Her husband is a prominent physician, and owes much of his success to the splendid co-op-

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18 THE BETHEL HERALD Fine. Pete, excuse me. Dr. Peterson, just fine. I have no reason to complain ' This is Mrs. Peterson. Mr. Jacobson. These are the youngsters. Aren't they a husky looking bunch. Well, come right into the office and we’ll talk things over. Thanks. Say, do you know it will be twenty-five years ago this month since we graduated from dear old Bethel. Yes. much has transpired since then. You have traveled a good bit since then. Won’t you tell of some of your experiences? You must have met some of our classmates in your wanderings. Well. I have traveled quite a bit. In fact, just to try out one of my own airplanes I made a trip around the world in it. and you can rest assured it was quite exhilarating at times.” “Tell us about it.” I left New York a year ago last month. Washington was my first stopping place. There I met none other than our genial and resourceful vice president. Olive Martin. “Was Olive in Washington? What was she doing there? Don’t you know she is President of the Women’s Elective Suffrage League and is a most influential woman, not only nationally hut internationally. All the women in Congress look up to her as their leader. By the way, Olivo told mo that another classmate is also in Washington, a Mrs.— O. I forget the name, but we knew her best by the name of Myrtle Pahlby. Myrtle is unique in the history of our country, being the first woman to be chosen to a portfolio in the President’s cabinet. She is Secretary of Domestic Relationship, the new bureau established recently.” Well, well, times do change. Who would have thought back there in 1919 that woman would advance so much in the course of a quarter-century?” “Well, from Washington I had a delightful trip across the country to Chicago. I made the trip on, a rare day in June, sunshiny, bright, and just breezy enough to be comfortable. Over the mountains, rivers, and plains I sailed with nothing to mar the journey nor hinder me, and in record time I arrived in Chicago. I haven’t been in Chicago for years. I suppose it has grown, considerably. Well, sir, you would hardly know the village. It has now a population of 10.000, 000 and is crowding New York out of first place among the cities of the world.” Francis, there is some one at the door.” It was Mrs. Peterson who was calling. Dr. Peterson admitted a large, brawny, sun-browned man. The man had a genial grin on. his countenance that stretched from ear to ear. His head resembled nothing so much as a ball-room floor. Fortunately. Providence had provided him with a luxuriant beard which covered his face and made up for what was lacking on the head. Hello, there. Jake, my dear boy, how are you? Is it possible that this is our dear farmer boy from Lake Sarah. Well, Emil, I am certainly mast glad to see you.” Dr Peterson chimed in: What are you doing in Boston, and what have you been doing all these years? You must give an account of yourself.” My story is soon told. After leaving Bethel I did some pioneer work on the mission fields in western Canada. While there 1 was studying about conditions in South America, and it made my blood boil to read of the way the Catholics were holding that people in ignorance and darkness. I resolved by the grace of God. I would go down there and do my bit toward bringing the sunlight of the true gospel to these poor people. We have had wonderful success there, and after a few months rest I hope to go back to continue my work.” Wc are certainly glad to hear of your good work. You are just as sincere and noble as ever. You must come to my church on Sunday and tell my people about your work.” I shall be glad to do so, Pete. My wife and I just came in on the South American” today, and expect to continue to Chicago next week, where we left the children when we went south.” That reminds mo, Jakie, you had just arrived in Chicago. Did you meet anyone there you knew.” Yes, 1 met Linus Johnson there. L in.us is one of our most influential pastors, and is in charge of a large church in Ohicago. lie is a leader in denominational work. Fortunately for us, he changed his mind about

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20 THE BETHEL HERALD eration given him by his modest, helpful little wife. Before her marriage she was in charge of the Domestic Science Depart-men,t in the Seattle schools.” “Did you go to South America from San Francisco?” Mr. Carlson inquired. “No. I didn’t. I sailed straight to Australia. But before leaving San Francisco I heard that Ycrnice Holniqiiist was In Lima, Peru.” “Vernice Holmquist in Peru!” all exclaimed in chorus. Yes. You know Vernice, our modest little Vernice, is now a noted Journalist. She has surely made a name for herself. She has been almost all over the world. She is correspondent to the International News Service and is at present in Peru, studying the life of the Inca Indians.” “Well,” said Dr. Peterson, “when she gets done she’ll be able to write a book even more thrilling than Sir John, Mandeville’s Travels. “No doubt.” “Where did you go in Australia? Did you meet any Bethelites there?” “Yes. and you will be surprised when I tell you I met Huldah Tniedson in Melbourne. I met her on the main street one day and she introduced herself as Mrs., well don't ever expect me to remember names, but anyhow, she blushed in her own characteristic manner as she told me of her experiences. They had come to Australia, she said, to study religious problems on the small continent, and endeavor to solve them, if possible. She seemed very happy in her work, and I had the pleasure also of being the guest of honor at their home a few evenings later, when this impression was very much confirmed.” “Don’t forget to eat, gentlemen,” said the genial Mrs. Peterson. “Talk about women, but when you men get together, you can talk as much as any woman.” “Thank you, we won’t forget, Mrs. Peterson,” said the ever polite Lindholm. “But you must finish your tale. Jake.” “Well, to cut a long story short, I sailed from Australia to India, from India via China and Siberia to Petrograd. Here I found a beautiful capital city, the head of the ideal Russian republic which has risen to such prominence in the last ten years. From Petrograd I went on to Paris. But I forgot to say that I met one of our classmates in India, too. Wb have a fine Baptist College there, and on visiting it one day, I was very much astonished to run across our old friend and classmate, Lillian Lind. She is teacher of Advanced English in the school, and it surely was a joy to meet her again. She still speaks in the same determined. serious-minded, yet humorously inclined slow speech, and it did my heart good to hear the charming drawl again, which the years had, fortunately, not eradicated. She has the same high, noble aspirations and ideals as when she mingled with us at dear old Bethel. “I suppose you met our classmate in Paris, too, didn't you?” asked Mr. Carlson. “You mean Hildegarde Hellcrstedt. Yes. I met her under very auspicious circumstances. I heard her playing the piano in a concert of artists, and I tell you, her playing was simply marvelous. She just took that Paris audience by storm. I met her after the concert, and we had a long talk over old times back in dear old Minnesota. You know she studied music with some of the best teachers both in the United States and Europe and is now a finished artist, let me tell you.” You surely must have visited London on your trip, too. didn't you?” Indeed. I did, but I thought my days were numbered before I got there. That was the most exciting part of my whole trip. Just off the shore of France I ran head-on into another aeroplane, bound inland. and I thought it surely was all up with the Big Swede. My plane turned turtle about a dozen times, and was just about to drop into the ocean when I managed to right it and it shot ahead and was able to rise again. If ever my heart was in my throat, it was then. I continued on my way across the English Channel. I noticed another airship just ahead of me. We both landed at the same place, and imagine my surprise when I found the driver to he none other than our great scientist, Charlie Olson. We greeted each other most cordially, you may be sure. Charlie said this suggested something to him. I didn't know what he meant, but he told me he had just returned from an exploration expedition in South Africa. He had been sent there by the Smithsonian