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 John Alex: s 
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John Alexis Edgren 
 
 Soldier, Educator, Author, Journalist 
 
 A Biography by 
 
 L. J. AHLSTROM 
 
 CHICAGO 
 
 Conference Press 
 9 ] 2 Belmont Avenue 
 
COPYRIGHT 1938 
 
 BY 
 
 CONFERENCE PRESS -:- CHICAGO. ILLINOIS 
 
 PRINTED IN U.S. A. 
 
6 luA 
 
 An Introduction 
 
 Some things we do not forget, both because of the matter 
 itself and because of occasional or constant reminders of them. 
 Two of my schoolmates, Dr. Frank Peterson and Rev. Axel 
 Tjernlund reminded me often that I ought to write a story of 
 J. A. Edgren's life and labors. Tjernlund was the most insistent. 
 Some time ago I concluded that their advice should be heeded. 
 The members of the Historical Committee of the Swedish 
 Baptist General Conference expressed their satisfaction with my 
 decision and tendered me all the material in their possession, 
 bearing on the life and labors of Dr. Edgren. Dr. J. E. 
 Klingberg's personal contribution was very helpful. Dr. N. C. 
 Parsons and Rev. C. R. Osbeck have given valuable assistance 
 in various ways. 
 
 I am very grateful to the Edgren children, Mrs. Julia 
 Johnson-Coleman and Mr. Robert W. Edgren, for their 
 information of vital value — information that I could not have 
 obtained from any other source. 
 
 I appreciate Dr. J. O. Backlund's assistance in reading 
 through the whole manuscript, critically, for arranging various 
 matters in their proper order and preparing it for the printers. 
 Prof. Henry C. Wingblade has practiced his profession of 
 discovering and correcting flaws in the language. I express a 
 word of sincere thanks to him for his service. 
 
 May God add his blessings to this little contribution to 
 Baptist history. 
 
 L. J. AHLSTROM. 
 
 Minneapolis, Minn., October, 1938. 
 
INVITATION 
 
 to the first student, Christopher Silene of 
 Minneapolis. Minn., 1871: 
 
 "Come/ brother, God provides. 
 
 "J. A. Edgren." 
 
 + 
 
 APPRECIATION 
 "Edgren was a real saint — in the best sense 
 of that term." 
 
 — C. Silene. 
 
 "My father was one of the finest and most 
 generous men I ever knew. He gave his life 
 and almost his whole thought to the work 
 he considered most necessary." 
 
 —Robert W. Edgren. 
 
 "I have many tender memories of his won- 
 derful faith — his love and patience. ..These 
 are dear to me, and not easily put down on 
 paper." 
 
 — Mrs. Julia E. Coleman. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 An Introduction ....... 3 
 
 Invitation and Appreciation ..... 4 
 
 I. Ancestry and Childhood .... 7 
 
 II. Early Experiences at Sea . . . . 17 
 
 III. Under New Flags 2 7 
 
 IV. New Spiritual Allegiances . . . . 3 7 
 V. As Officer and Theological Student . . 49 
 
 VI. Military Service Until the End of the War . 59 
 
 VII. A Variety of Activities .... 69 
 
 VIII. A Day of Small Beginnings . . . 77 
 
 IX. The Seminary Getting Under Way . . 85 
 
 X. In Chicago and Morgan Park ... 95 
 
 XI. Reasons for Severing Old Ties . . . 103 
 
 XII. A Commencement Address . . . 113 
 
 XIII. Resigning and Forming New Attachments . 119 
 
 XIV. In St. Paul 127 
 
 XV. Going West 133 
 
 XVI. The Stromsburg Period . . . .143 
 
 XVII. Contending for the Faith . . . . 147 
 
 XVIII. Literary and Journalistic Ventures . . 159 
 
 XIX. Preacher and Pastor . . . .169 
 
 XX. Classroom Memories . . . .179 
 
 XXI. Edgren in California . . . . 191 
 
 XXII. Golden Jubilee Days . . . .201 
 
 XXIII. The Edgren Family .... 205 
 
 XXIV. Some Selections from Printed Pages . . 217 
 Index of Names . . . . . . .221 
 
CHAPTER I 
 
 Ancestry and Childhood 
 
 EDGREN is a name chiselled on the face of many 
 memorials of granite and marble; it is written and 
 printed in many valuable and permanent records 
 both in Sweden and America; it is found in the literature 
 of several languages, including Latin; photographs of 
 groups and individuals taken on memorable occasions 
 where an Edgren and kindred appear also indicate the 
 prominence of persons bearing that name. 
 
 "The Edgren family register/'* an illustrated volume 
 of 255 large pages, was printed in Stockholm in 1923. 
 In this book the names of Edgren and Unger occur most 
 frequently. In this Varmland family we find men and 
 women of unusual natural gifts. Among them are found 
 authors, educators, clergymen, doctors, sea captains, high 
 army officers, governors, and others in various lines of 
 activity where ability and reliability are indispensable 
 qualities. 
 
 The first known Unger lived in Orebro about 1650. 
 His son Berndt became inspector at Trystorp, Narke. 
 Berndt Unger's son, Johan Bernard, born in 1717, 
 became pastor of the Brunskog parish in Varmland, and 
 his son Magnus and grandson Jonas followed the father 
 and grandfather as pastors of the same parish. 
 
 Jonas Edgren is the first known ancestor of the 
 Edgren family, of which four main branches are recorded. 
 He was born in 1724 and lived at Maloga Inn, Ed's 
 
 *"En Varmlandsslakt fran Johan Edgren Harstammade Slakter.' 
 
8 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 parish, Varmlandsnas. He became steward of the 
 Uggleberg estate. Later he moved to Lappidan, By 
 parish, and married Christina Kjellquist of Ostergotland. 
 They had four children: Gustaf, Johan (Jan), Magda- 
 lena Christina, and Eric. It is from Johan, born February 
 11, 1761, that the second branch of the Edgren family 
 descends, and in this branch we find the subject of our 
 story. His education was begun by private home 
 instruction, was continued at the Lyceum of Karlstad and 
 later at the University of Lund. He was ordained to the 
 ministry in Karlstad in the year 1790 and became an 
 army chaplain in 1793. For a time he served as principal 
 of the Lyceum of Filipstad. Later he became dean in the 
 State church, besides filling many other positions where 
 ability and learning were required. Johan Edgren married 
 Sarah Kristina Swanteson, who died in 1841. He died 
 in the Koln parsonage on September 8, 1814. Johan and 
 Sarah Edgren had four sons: Carl, Johan Niklas, Eric 
 Gustaf, and Axel Hjalmar. The three first-named were 
 educated in Karlstad, Uppsala and Lund. Carl and Eric 
 became pastors of churches in Varmland. Johan Niklas 
 became a noted physician and served in the Serafimer 
 hospital in Stockholm. 
 
 Axel Hjalmar (the father of John Alexis) , the 
 youngest, was born August 26, 1813, in the Koln 
 parsonage. He began his studies in the Lyceum of Karl- 
 stad, but after a time engaged in more active occupation 
 in connection with the iron works at Gunnarskog. 
 Having studied in the School of Mines in Filipstad, he 
 afterwards served as bookkeeper in Ostana where he was 
 appointed steward in 1837. He was similarly engaged 
 at Bosjon in 1841. Mr. Edgren's business interests were 
 many and varied. He owned Agneteberg, near Arvika, as 
 well as valuable iron works and mining properties which 
 
ANCESTRY AND CHILDHOOD 9 
 
 had come to him through his marriage. He bought West- 
 gard in 1836, was a stockholder in West Varmland's 
 Savings Bank, and superintendented the drainage of Lake 
 Safsjon. "He was much honored and a trusted man in 
 many communal affairs." A heart attack, brought on by 
 the failure of his big drainage project from which other 
 stockholders had withdrawn before its completion, ended 
 his life, December 28, 1864, at Agneteberg. His widow 
 died April 4, 1878, at her home in Arvika. They are 
 buried side by side in the church yard of that town. A 
 granite monument marks the resting place of the remains 
 of these two, the parents of John Alexis Edgren and his 
 seven brothers and sisters. 
 
 In the family register previously referred to we find 
 about 150 Edgrens and 70 lingers. A few facts about 
 an uncle and three cousins of Alexis will indicate how 
 closely they were related, not only in name, but in other 
 ways as well. 
 
 His uncle, J. F. Edgren, pursued his studies at Karl- 
 stad and the University of Uppsala, where he earned the 
 degree of Ph. D. He taught in high schools and in the 
 Svea Artillery School at Stockholm. After his ordination 
 to the ministry in the Chapel of the Royal Palace, he 
 became house chaplain to His Excellency Per Gustaf 
 Ugglas at Forsmark, and tutor of his youngest son, Baron 
 Curt Gustaf af Ugglas, who afterward rose to the 
 position of State Councellor and Grand Governor. He 
 served also as chaplain of the Second Royal Life Guards. 
 In company with his distinguished pupil, the young 
 Baron Curt Ugglas, he spent several years in Germany, 
 Austria, Italy, Switzerland, France, and Holland. He 
 was an accomplished linguist, but especially proficient in 
 French. During his stay abroad, in 1838, he married 
 Louisa Carolina Wilhelmina Dethmar in Anholt at 
 
10 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 Emmerich on the Lower Rhine. From 1844 he was 
 pastor and dean in Morups parish in the diocese of 
 Gothenburg filling that office until his death in 1870. 
 
 Alexis* cousin, Julius Edgren, who was born in the 
 year 1839, was a skilled mechanic. Having received his 
 training in Hanover, Stockholm and Motala, he was 
 employed by leading machine manufacturing concerns in 
 Glasgow, Manchester and Gothenburg. He was also 
 interested in pulp manufacturing in Norrland. 
 
 Another cousin is Albertina Amelia Sofia Therese 
 Eugenia Adelheid Emelia Edgren (married to Adolf 
 Kjellberg) , born in 1840. She labored as an angel of 
 mercy together with her distinguished husband, Doctor 
 Kjellberg, in the hospitals and among the poor and needy 
 in Stockholm. She is more widely known, however, as 
 a most energetic collector of valuable objects of various 
 kinds for the Nordiska Museum in the Stockholm. Her 
 collections and donations have been grouped together in 
 a special department in that institution and have been 
 designated "Professorskan Therese Kjellbergs Donation." 
 
 Henning F. Edgren is another cousin, born in 1845 
 at Gillberga, Varmland. At fifteen he started out as a 
 sailor and became a captain at twenty-seven, commanding 
 several ships of the merchant fleet of Gothenburg. While 
 the biggest steamship in Sweden was being built at Stock- 
 holm, he was engaged as its captain, and continued as its 
 commander for fifteen years. We find the following in 
 the Edgren family annals, from Egypt: "In February, 
 1905, H. H. the Khedive bestowed on Captain Edgren 
 the Turkish Medjidieorder as an acknowledgment of the 
 ability and zeal through which, during his many visits in 
 Alexandria in the course of the last ten years, he has been 
 an example for seafaring men, besides winning for 
 himself a general popular esteem. " 
 
ANCESTRY AND CHILDHOOD 11 
 
 John Alexis Edgren was born at Ostana, Alvbacka, 
 Varmland, on February 20, 1839, the eldest child in a 
 family of five brothers and three sisters. His childhood 
 home, however, as he knew it, was Agneteberg, near 
 Arvika, to which place his parents moved before he was 
 two years old. Agneteberg was a large and beautiful 
 country estate in Varmland, that province of song and 
 romance. In his book "Minnen," Dr. J. A. Edgren 
 presents a picture of his childhood home. This picture 
 shows a sloop with sails set to the breeze, hoped for, but 
 not yet arrived. A jolly boat in tow appears at the stern, 
 all clearly reflected in the calm blue waters of a small lake. 
 Birches and other shade trees and the many-windowed 
 manor house with its wings and additions properly 
 arranged at the far end of a double-rowed lane of well 
 trimmed shrubbery appear in the foreground, and a grove 
 of forest trees in the immediate background with a treeless 
 hillside in the distance. The picture is a beautiful 
 product of a true artist and bears the legend, "The 
 Childhood Home." 
 
 The brothers Alexis and Hjalmar (next in age) were 
 very intimate as playfellows and schoolmates. In after- 
 years, too, they kept in close touch with each other. 
 Therefore we shall have to let them keep company in our 
 story so far as may seem consistent and necessary. They 
 were reared by loving Christian parents. Alexis many 
 times acknowledged that it would have been much better 
 if they had adhered to their parental instructions and 
 precepts. This is what he says: "My father was a man 
 of prayer, often in communion with God. I shall never 
 forget one night when I and my brother next of age slept 
 in father's room. About midnight I awoke. I noticed 
 that my father had arisen. He was on his knees at the 
 bedside. Such a prayer as he was offering, such deep, 
 
12 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 earnest pleading, interspersed with gratitude for answers 
 already received, such evidence of habitual and real 
 communion with God, I have hardly witnessed since. By 
 the side of his bed was always to be seen at night a chair 
 with the Bible, his watch, and a candlestick, and there 
 his Bible lay that sad morning, when his lifeless body 
 was found after he had passed away in the night, through 
 a heart attack." 
 
 Very early it became evident that the brothers longed 
 for adventure, and in their play their immediate sur- 
 roundings came to represent the whole earth. The frpnt 
 yard was a stormy ocean with sky-high billows; or a 
 calm sea, depending on whether the sandy or grassy parts 
 were smooth or rough. Their fleets became quite large 
 when the boys from the parsonage joined them on ocean 
 trips to strange countries, from which they returned with 
 valuable cargoes over the ponds in the backyard. Most of 
 their ships were sailing vessels. The winter sports and 
 skating excursions were most hilarious. Much of their 
 play included battles and wars. They were not only 
 familiar with Robinson Crusoe, the sailor, but had also 
 read about war heroes. They played in the ancient 
 manner of warfare with sword and shield. At times the 
 battles did not cease until someone was injured and the 
 glorious battle resulted in a swollen face. "Russians" 
 were usually the enemies encountered. These world 
 navigations and encounters with national foes took place 
 on the home premises where tutors were giving them their 
 first lessons from books under their parental roof. 
 
 The boys were sent to the Lyceum at Karlstad, a 
 long way from home, when Alexis was ten years of age, 
 and Hjalmar nine. For two years the Catechism, Latin, 
 and German were their main studies. The Latin and 
 German grammars were mastered. The old way of 
 
ANCESTRY AND CHILDHOOD 13 
 
 leaching did not always inspire the boys to their best 
 endeavor and they sometimes reverted to warfare. One 
 day when playing war they had loaded the toy cannon 
 with real powder and slate pencils, and had fired away 
 at a row of tin soldiers. At that moment their instructor 
 opened the door and found his pupils in a cloud of smoke. 
 Just then the real battle started and did not end until a 
 lasting peace had been concluded by the belligerents. 
 
 Alexis was the more restless of the two, and when 
 the boys returned home he continually begged his parents 
 to allow him to become a sailor. To this they finally 
 consented. Hjalmar was employed in a drug store. The 
 brothers parted for the first time when Alexis was 
 thirteen years old. He set out for the seaport of Gothen- 
 burg after his father had arranged with a friend in that 
 city to act as his guardian and keep him informed about 
 his boy. Alexis found lodging at a sailors' hotel kept by 
 an elderly lady, where sea captains would come when 
 looking for sailors for their ships. Here he met an old 
 captain from Risor, Norway. His ship was an old brig 
 which was being loaded with lumber for a port in France. 
 The captain liked the boy and took a fatherly interest in 
 him, but obstacles appeared. The boy's guardian had 
 informed his father that the old ship was unsafe. His 
 father had advised him to return home unless he could 
 get out to sea that autumn, and the guardian sought to 
 influence him accordingly. In the arguments with his 
 father's friend, who sought to persuade the boy to return 
 home, we discover the future theologian, for when he 
 felt that he was losing ground he finally said: "God can 
 protect the old brig at sea just as well as he can a new and 
 strong one." His guardian finally consented, and the 
 boy hastened to the captain with the good news. 
 
 Alexis' first lesson in sailing was disappointing. He 
 
14 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 found that he was not exempt from the old sailor customs 
 by which his weekly program as a ship's boy included 
 cooking peas and coffee fourteen times, and rye meal mush 
 seven times, in addition to keeping kettles and dishes 
 clean. The old brig soon set sail for the open sea; but 
 the beauties of the rolling billows and the exhilarating 
 sensation of skimming over the boundless main quickly 
 lost all their charm. The embryo sailor became seasick, 
 so the good old captain had to do the cooking — a duty he 
 had surmised was coming. But when the first spells of 
 seasickness had subsided Alexis was thrilled with the 
 wonderful sight of the stormy ocean, of men at work 
 with sails and tackle high up in the masts. He did not 
 realize the danger to which he was exposed, but the 
 captain did and ordered him to stay in the cabin. While 
 they were eating, a heavy billow washed over the deck, 
 and plates and cups with milk contents were lost in the 
 lurch. In the English Channel the young sailor beheld 
 the shores of England and France and began to realize his 
 boyish dreams of seeing foreign countries and sights, 
 different from those of his homeland. 
 
 But a boy is a boy even when he is a ship's cook. One 
 day he had neglected to have hot coffee ready at the 
 precise minute, and a brutal sailor cuffed his ears unmerci- 
 fully as a lesson in punctuality. 
 
 The old Norwegian brig made good progress. One 
 day a pilot came on board, took the helm and steered into 
 port of Morlaix, France. So this was the first foreign 
 country on which Alexis was to set foot. The buildings, 
 the customs of the people, the unceasing clatter of wooden 
 shoes in the streets, and the French speech — everything 
 was strange to him. As luck would have it, this was a 
 time of great national excitement, since this was the 
 coronation day of Emperor Napoleon III. The captain 
 
ANCESTRY AND CHILDHOOD 15 
 
 took his young cook with him to the Catholic church and 
 guided him through the immense throngs of people 
 crowding the city. From here Alexis sent a letter home, 
 telling his parents they might expect him back some time 
 in February. 
 
 While in Morlaix he learned that the argument he 
 had used in Gothenburg, which had resulted in his setting 
 out to sea in an old water-logged boat, proved to have 
 been a prophecy which had been fulfilled in a very 
 convincing manner. A new, well-built Norwegian ship 
 had been wrecked in a storm on the Atlantic, and its crew 
 had been rescued by a French vessel and landed in Brest. 
 These shipwrecked men were taken back to Norway as 
 passengers on the old brig. All landed safely at Lyngor 
 and soon arrived at Christiania (now Oslo) . 
 
 From here Alexis set out alone for Varmland. The 
 man he had paid to take him across the border into 
 Sweden stopped his horse and sled on a December mid- 
 night and robbed the boy of his money, leaving him 
 only enough cash for his fare from the next inn to his 
 home. Traveling night and day he arrived home 
 penniless on Christmas eve. The absence of money, 
 however, did not interfere with the Christmas joy in the 
 Agneteberg home. But after his fourteenth birthday his 
 restless spirit reasserted itself. The breath of early spring 
 with its woodland songsters urged him on to new 
 adventures. And so there is a tale to tell of a trip to 
 Egypt, England and the United States. 
 
John Alexis Edgren as a sailor, 1858 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 Early Experiences at Sea 
 
 A CLIPPER ship was still in the docks in a Baltic port 
 of northern Sweden, waiting for its crew, and 
 Alexis started out with the hope of finding a berth 
 aboard that ship. The sights along Gota Canal from 
 Gothenburg to Stockholm charmed him, and his few 
 days' stay in the capital city added to his boyish joy. On 
 the new ship he was to be an able seaman and was not to 
 serve as cook. He enjoyed the work of rigging the new 
 ship, a good practice for a new sailor. But some of the 
 crew were ordered to load planks on another vessel, 
 Alexis among them. As his strength was unequal to this 
 task he soon suffered a physical breakdown, and a doctor 
 ordered a complete rest. But in spite of a very kind and 
 urgent letter from his father and against the doctor's 
 advice, the heartless captain ordered him back to the 
 heavy task. After two days and nights of excruciating 
 suffering a peremptory order was issued to the captain 
 from the ship's owner, and the boy was released from 
 service on shipboard. But damage had been done from 
 which he was to suffer much in later life. He went to a 
 hospital in Stockholm, and from there he returned home. 
 After nearly a year's rest he was able to take up studies in 
 the navigation school at Stockholm. He was now fifteen. 
 After passing second mate's examination he returned to 
 another port in Norrland and took a position as deck 
 hand on a big, full-rigged, beautiful clipper, bound for 
 
18 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 London. On the way from the Baltic the boat stopped a 
 few hours at Elsinore, Denmark. His position included 
 duties as sailor and cook and various other tasks. This 
 mixture of service he decidedly disliked and determined to 
 leave the ship at the first opportunity. In a dream he 
 saw a small English vessel overhaul the clipper and carry 
 him along at high speed. 
 
 After landing in London a comrade told him that a 
 man on the wharf was ready to assist sailors who wished 
 to leave their ships. Under cover of darkness one evening 
 Alexis and two comrades followed this man. In a short 
 time they were speeding on a railroad train along the 
 Thames River and at dawn were greeted good morning in 
 a strange inn at Gravesend. "Good morning," and 
 "Breakfast is ready," were as strange sounds to their ears 
 as were the sights about them to their eyes. But as the 
 boys were hungry and as the tables were set for breakfast 
 the meaning of the strange words soon dawned upon 
 them. Alexis had studied English at home, but to hear 
 the language spoken in England was quite a different 
 thing. 
 
 Alexis and one of his comrades were hired by the 
 captain of the little English brigantine "Wild Wave" and 
 soon were at work. By word and sign Alexis was 
 ordered aloft and when he thought he was high enough 
 in the rigging he heard the strange command, "Come 
 down," and climbed upward still faster. As "down, 
 down," was repeated he tried a movement downward and 
 discovered the meaning of the last command. The 
 distinction between "up" and "down" was never for- 
 gotten. The boys soon learned enough sailor English to 
 get along in their work. "Wild Wave" was the ship of 
 Alexis' dream. 
 
 He felt happy and free on board this vessel, and in 
 
EARLY EXPERIENCES AT SEA 19 
 
 his sailing saga be quotes the skald's lines about the 
 viking ship Elida: 
 
 Like an evening meteor flashing, 
 On she speeds in joyous flight. 
 Like a mountain roebuck dashing, 
 Leaps the chasm, clears the height!* 
 
 After two weeks' sailing the ship passed Gibraltar, 
 and for the first time he beheld a new continent, Africa. 
 It was imperative that their cargo of powder should reach 
 the isle of Malta as quickly as possible, for the French 
 and English cannon were thundering against the Russians 
 in the Black Sea. "Wild Wave" dropped anchor in Valetta 
 Harbor on the day before Christmas eve. Martial music 
 from the men-of-war echoed from the high cliffs in the 
 evenings. 
 
 The work during the trip had been hard and the fare 
 scant and not of the best quality. Alexis suffered much 
 from his injured back and persuaded the captain to get 
 him into a hospital. This led to his discharge from 
 the brigantine. Here follows his own story: 
 
 "Homesickness, that severe, heart-rending malady, 
 gripped me on this distant isle, where once Paul after the 
 shipwreck had found rest among the barbarians. Very 
 little less barbarian than they had been at that time did 
 the Maltese appear to me in my distress, and if I could 
 have escaped from the hospital I would hardly have 
 known where to turn to get a crust of bread, for I had 
 nothing, except perhaps some clothes, to offer in 
 exchange." 
 
 ) Som ett stjarnskott uti kvallen, 
 
 skjuter hon sin fart i frojd, 
 hoppar som en bock pa fjallen, 
 over avgrund, over hojd! 
 
20 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 But he docs not tell the whole story in his "Minnen." 
 An epidemic was raging on the island. A boy in his 
 company died. Alexis left the hospital against the advice 
 of the doctor, on the condition that he was not to be 
 allowed to return. His trust in God gave him a quiet 
 mind and he felt safe as he went out among strangers 
 whose language he did not understand. 
 
 When "Wild Wave" had entered the harbor, he had 
 seen a Swedish brig, whose captain he knew, but in the 
 meantime it had disappeared. As he was making his way 
 through a vineyard, a Maltese man rose up suddenly and 
 struck him over the head with a club and stole his sailor 
 jacket, leaving him only money enough for a meal. After 
 a while he saw the Swedish brig in another port of the 
 island, clambered down the steep mountainside and went 
 on board. Here he found friends from Norrland who 
 treated him to a bowl of pea -soup — prepared just as he 
 himself used to cook it — without money and without 
 price. After eating this he felt better. The pea-soup for the 
 homesick Swedish sailor seems to have had the same effect 
 as "filbunke," which figures in the following hospital 
 story: A sick sailor was left in an Italian seaport and 
 bis vessel sailed away. There was little hope for his 
 recovery. In his delirium he kept calling for "filbunke." 
 The nurses supposed he was calling on the patron saint 
 of Swedish sailors. When they saw him recovering they 
 enrolled "Filbunke" among their saints. Cool, curdled 
 milk with unskimmed cream and powdered ginger and 
 sugar was the "Sancta Filbunke." 
 
 The captain secured a position for him as an ordinary 
 seaman on a Swedish barque, bound for Egypt. For one 
 week they were cruising near the mouth of the Nile 
 because of a terrific storm that made it impossible for a 
 pilot to approach the ship. Alexis had now seen the 
 
EARLY EXPERIENCES AT SEA 21 
 
 coasts of Spain, Italy, the verdant Grecian Isles, and the 
 sandy coasts of Africa. In the harbor of Alexandria he 
 saw ships from almost all parts of the world. 
 
 A cargo of brown beans was ready for shipment to 
 England, and Alexis was stationed on shore to receive 
 the bags of beans from the backs of asses. The Arabs 
 and Egyptians with their turbaned heads greatly inter- 
 ested the boy from the far north. An Egyptian woman 
 was selling some wares on the wharf and in a leisure 
 moment he attempted to get a view of her face but as 
 he tried to raise her veil a powerful hand jerked him 
 backward and immediately he was surrounded by an 
 enraged crowd of turbaned men. A young man 
 approached, striking his dagger several times and shout- 
 in in a threatening voice. An Arab who spoke Swedish 
 interfered and rescued him. Two days later the friendly 
 Arab invited him to a cup of coffee; but this was so 
 small that Alexis on invitation accepted one more. 
 Being assailed with violent pain after drinking the coffee 
 he suspected the Arab had put poison into it, thus 
 taking revenge on him for transgressing against the 
 Koran. After he was fully recovered he was convinced that 
 a small cup of coffee prepared the Arab way was 
 sufficient for one treat. Moreover, he was content to 
 remain ignorant of what was behind the veil. 
 
 When the cargo was in, the anchor was hoisted, 
 and strong winds promptly brought them back to 
 Valetta Harbor, where they took on a good supply of 
 water. With favorable winds they sailed along the 
 coast of Sicily and were soon in sight of Gibraltar, but 
 were twice driven back into the Mediterranean by severe 
 storms. After three months they finally arrived at 
 London, where the cargo was unloaded. At Shields they 
 took a cargo for Sweden. 
 
22 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 In spite of occasional attacks of homesickness, he 
 longed to see more of the world, at least one more 
 continent, before he returned north. Alexis and two 
 other sailors agreed to desert. Their plans were suspected 
 by the officers. So the deck was patrolled and the 
 sailors carefully guarded. The boys were tired after 
 the day's hard work and slept soundly. Alexis woke 
 up first and aroused the others. The watchman on 
 deck was friendly and promised not to give alarm. It 
 was still dark. From Malta to Alexandria and London 
 our young hero had worked as a common sailor but 
 now be was to act as the leader. The tide was rushing 
 in and the current was strong in midstream. When 
 the boys had clambered down the anchor chains into 
 the ship's boat one oar broke with a crash and the boat 
 nearly capsized. The two companions were ready to 
 give up their attempt to escape, but their leader prevailed 
 on them to stick to their plan and paddled ashore with 
 one oar. The fourth comrade, who had come with 
 them to take the boat back to the ship, they gave a pair 
 of shoes for his hazardous task. At daybreak the three 
 deserters had already had their belongings stored away 
 in a sailors' inn and were on their way out into the 
 country. They hid in an old ruin, where they ate their 
 scanty lunch. When they heard a police whistle they 
 agreed to separate and flee, hoping that one of them 
 might gain freedom. They soon discovered that the 
 danger signal was the innocent music of a shepherd's 
 pipe. They walked on and at nightfall took shelter in 
 a haystack on the bank of the Tyne. The next day 
 they walked to Newcastle. Here they crossed the river 
 and when they came back to Shields the Swedish 
 ship had sailed away. 
 
 At Shields Alexis shipped as able seaman on the 
 
EARLY EXPERIENCES AT SEA 23 
 
 full-rigged American ship "Embil," bound for New- 
 York. As he was only about the age when an American 
 youth of today usually graduates from high school, yet 
 at critical times could have gripped the helm as ships 
 mate, if called upon to perform such service, we do well 
 to relate his adventure in detail. The entire two-month 
 trip across the Atlantic was cold and very stormy. The 
 young sailor did not own clothes enough for proper 
 change and he was almost continually damp or wet. 
 The garments he did own were more in keeping with 
 the Mediterranean climate than with that of the North 
 Atlantic in late autumn. He often suffered intensely 
 v/hen, after performing his duties, he would lie down to 
 sleep, dripping wet. Being suddenly awakened and 
 called on deck for duty, which happened frequently, and 
 then unavoidedly drenched in a billow rolling over the 
 deck, he was sometimes seized with cramps. Here is an 
 incident illustrating our point, as it was told by the 
 young sailor in after years: "Well do I remember a dark 
 stormy night in mid-ocean. All the sails had been 
 reefed leaving only one, in order that the ship might be 
 maneuvered in the raging sea. Being tired out we lay 
 down to rest for the remainder of our free-watch. Sud- 
 denly the command thundered through the storm, 'All 
 hands on deck!' A giant wave had broken over the deck, 
 swept away the after hatch and torn away everything 
 that was fastened on deck. The water forced its way 
 into the interior of the ship, as wave upon wave rolled 
 along, and threatened to sink the heavily loaded vessel. 
 'To the pumps, quickly,' — while everyone was trying 
 to hold on so as not to be swept overboard while at 
 work." 
 
 Frequent repetitions of this kind of experience 
 made the sailor feel glad when on a beautiful day the 
 
24 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 storm-battered "Embil" was towed by a tug-boat past 
 Sandy Hook, then through "the Narrows" and into 
 New York harbor, where the masts of ships of all nations 
 of the globe appeared like a great forest. At that time, 
 late in 1856, there was no "Statue of Liberty" to bid 
 the stranger welcome to the shores of America. 
 
 Hardly had the ship cast anchor before it was 
 surrounded by a fleet of boats from which a crowd of 
 hotel runners and sailors' agents clambered on board. 
 His first contact with this kind of humanity on the new 
 continent convinced him that the common nick-name 
 for this class of men, "land sharks," was well deserved. 
 The voracity displayed as they sought their prey was 
 indeed most astounding. The chests from the "Embil" 
 were transferred into a boat and landed near Castle 
 Garden. Alexis accompanied a Dane whose appearance 
 impressed him more favorably than any of the others. 
 When he realized that his feet rested on solid ground 
 once more, he felt as happy as a bird let out of its cage. 
 He looked back at the ship and wondered how he really 
 could be as well and strong as he was after the terrible 
 hardships through which he had passed. 
 
 One of his early lasting impressions of the American 
 metropolis was created by its tall buildings. Of all the 
 big buildings he had seen in other countries, none com- 
 pared with those in New York. And yet this was long 
 before the "skyscraper" days. 
 
 We shall do well to follow this young lad from 
 Varmland, now farther from home than he had ever 
 been before, in order to get a closer view of his inner life 
 and thoughts. 
 
 His lodging was a garret room in a sailors' inn. His 
 unfavorable impressions of life in the big city were not 
 lessened when one day one of his comrades was attacked 
 
EARLY EXPERIENCES AT SEA 25 
 
 in the street and would have been robbed had not his 
 physical strength been superior to that of his brutal 
 attacker. Alexis enjoyed his freedom and felt happy 
 that he was so far from home. There were now no 
 home restraints to bother him and prevent him from 
 living a jolly sailor's life as freely as he pleased. He 
 was not concerned about the salvation of his soul, but 
 turned his back on the loving God who had so often 
 protected him and had even answered his prayers in 
 times of distress. But God had His plans for the boy 
 away from home. 
 
 One day, as he was sitting near the window in his 
 lodging, a young man came and asked him if he would 
 accept a tract to read. He assented. The stranger then 
 offered him one out of the basket he carried and asked 
 him what language he spoke. When he heard that he 
 was a Swede and had learned his name the stranger said 
 there was a letter for him from his parents at the Bethel 
 Chapel in East River. This greatly surprised Alexis. 
 His friend guided him to the Methodist Bethel Ship, 
 where he found a letter from home. His new friend 
 and the pastor of the floating chapel prayed for him 
 and urged him to turn to God for the salvation of his 
 soul. 
 
 When he began to read the tract that was given to 
 him, he found that it was similar to one he had in his 
 possession and which he had been reading in his leisure 
 moments during the voyage just ended. The messenger 
 with the assortment of mission tracts was Mr. C. G. 
 Forsberg from Karlstad. His younger brother, a univer- 
 sity student, was a tutor in a family in Arvika. Both 
 were acquaintances of the Edgrens at Agneteberg. All 
 these incidents so impressed Alexis that he was now 
 convinced that further resistance to God's call was in 
 
26 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 vain. From that moment he began to pray that God 
 would lead him into the right way. 
 
 Here we quote his own words regarding this exper- 
 ience: "Thus the Stars and Stripes had hardly begun 
 to float over my head before the warmest Christian 
 influences were thrown about me. Long may that 
 beautiful flag represent and protect the liberty of all 
 Christian activities!" 
 
 His fund of five dollars, which he had possessed at 
 the time of his landing, was now exhausted, and so he 
 went to sea again. 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 Under New Flags 
 
 YOUNG Alexis had become convinced that the long 
 distance from his home and from the influence of 
 his parents had made no difference with God, who 
 continually called him to repentance. He had always been 
 a dutiful son, keeping his parents informed about his 
 whereabouts. He had not, however, counted on God 
 following him so persistently wherever he went. But 
 now he had become aware of God's plan to meet him 
 at the right time and in the right place. His safe arrival 
 in port after a dangerous voyage, and the unexpected 
 visit of the man who brought him the good news of a 
 letter from home added more serious thoughts from 
 which he could not rid himself. 
 
 He hired out as a common sailor on an American 
 brigantine bound for the West Indies. As soon as the 
 ship was well out at sea such a terrific storm struck 
 it that every man on board, except one, Edgren 
 himself, became seasick. Soon Haiti and Cuba were 
 sighted. Just outside of Nuevitas, on the eastern point 
 of Cuba, the ship tacked back and forth for some time 
 waiting for a pilot. Alexis was charmed with the 
 prospect of perfect summer here although Christmas 
 was approaching. The captain was a true gentleman. 
 He provided a feast for his crew. Among other provisions 
 he sent aboard was a big sea turtle. A new dish awaited 
 the sailor from the far north, — turtle soup. This he 
 enjoyed greatly; but he observed that while they were 
 
28 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 eating the soup the beheaded turtle showed signs of 
 life. Tropical fruits of all kinds were provided in 
 abundance. The men were frequently allowed to go 
 ashore. At such times Alexis took the opportunity to 
 investigate the condition of the slaves he had observed 
 on these islands. Nature was beautiful and bounteous, 
 but he noted that man amidst all this bore the marks of 
 the despot or the slave. This was the Christmas season 
 of 1856. The ship took on a cargo of syrup, honey 
 and mahogany beams for the return trip. 
 
 While they were in the Gulf Stream the weather 
 changed very suddenly and storms accompanied by 
 darkness and flashes of lightning sprang up unlike 
 anything he had ever seen before. One day, while on 
 lookout duty, he reported in great excitement, "Shallow 
 water, captain." But the captain simply replied, "No 
 danger, my boy," and they sailed over the Bahama 
 banks without scraping the bottom. He observed how 
 the very sound of the waves striking against the ship 
 was different in the warm Gulf Stream. The sailors 
 enjoyed the sport of catching flying fish, in the follow- 
 ing manner: "A ray of light was thrown upon the sail, 
 and when the fish flew against it, they dropped upon 
 the deck, unable to continue their flight." 
 
 The sudden changes from tempest to calm, from 
 utter darkness to blinding light reminded him of the 
 Bible story when "darkness was on the deep." After 
 having followed the Gulf Stream with warm southern 
 winds they soon had to double Cape Hatteras where 
 they expected to encounter rough weather. Their expec- 
 tations did not fail them. The wind changed to north- 
 westerly and they soon had good skating on deck. 
 Within a couple of days they were removed from 
 tropical conditions into a real northern winter. When 
 
UNDER NEW FLAGS 29 
 
 the ship was towed up the New York Narrows it looked 
 like a crystal vessel. The deck was covered with ice, the 
 sides down to the water's edge was coated with it and the 
 ice-covered rigging glittered in the bright sunlight. From 
 the bowsprit, icicles hung to the water's surface and the 
 anchor had to be chopped out of the ice before it could 
 be lowered. 
 
 The mind of young Alexis was much like the 
 trip to Haiti, minus the occasional calm and sunshine. 
 During his few days in New York he looked up some 
 Christian friends and attended religious meetings. One 
 evening in the Presbyterian Mariners' church on invita- 
 tion he signified his desire for prayer. After this he felt 
 more miserable than ever. 
 
 Here we shall let the sailor relate an experience in his 
 own way: "Upon my return to New York I made a 
 short voyage in a barkantine to Virginia. While yet in 
 New York harbor, just before going to sea, one stormy 
 night in February, 1857, I had the following remark- 
 able and striking dream. I thought I was going in to the 
 little town near home, in order to spend an evening in 
 the pleasures of the ball-room, as was customary in 
 former years. As I approached a hill, over which the 
 road leads into town, I saw a great earthquake bursting 
 the ground open in the distance, and approaching. I 
 knew that the town would perish in that earthquake. 
 Still I thought I would pursue my course, have some 
 pleasures, and then perish with the rest. When I came 
 to the town's limit, I stopped and looked about. On 
 one side I saw the earthquake approaching; on the other 
 I saw a beautiful park, and in it many happy people, 
 the expression of whose faces told me, that to them 
 no earthquake could possibly come. In this moment 
 I also knew that, if I took one more step, so as to stand 
 
30 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 inside the limit of the town, I could never return, but 
 must perish. After some deliberation I determined to 
 turn away from that place and reach the happy people 
 in the distant park. I made the effort, but found myself 
 unable to turn about. Then I cried unto God for aid, 
 and immediately I received power to turn, and did so at 
 once. But so near had already the disturbances of the 
 earthquake come that, in turning, I was burned on the 
 right hip by the heat. I awoke from the sensation, and 
 awake, I felt as if a burning coal were in contact with 
 the hip." He sprang out of the bed, tore his clothing 
 open, but found nothing, though it took some moments 
 before the burning sensation ceased. 
 
 Then he went out on deck. The storm howled 
 and the snow whirled. It was dark and dismal. He fell 
 on his knees in the snow and prayed. Impenetrable 
 darkness enshrouded his soul. But just then, when the 
 portals of heaven seemed to be closed against him forever, 
 the light broke through when this passage of Scripture 
 came to his mind, "Him that cometh unto me I will in 
 no wise cast out." He believed the promise and received 
 assurance of God's mercy and love. His soul was filled 
 with new desires and the Bible became a new book to 
 him. When he told a seriously minded shipmate of 
 his new experience, he only received a look of astonish- 
 ment in response to his effort to lead him to turn to 
 Christ for salvation. 
 
 In a storm, while they were drifting along without 
 a sail, the captain had given up all as lost. At this time 
 Alexis had made God the promise that if he would save 
 them from perishing in the gale, he would give his life 
 to the gospel service, not entertaining much hope, how- 
 ever, that God would accept him. As the gale was 
 abating, they sailed past a capsized vessel over which the 
 
UNDER NEW FLAGS 31 
 
 icy billows rolled unceasingly. No life appeared in 
 sight. Alexis was the first to discover the wreck and 
 fully realized that only divine intervention had saved 
 him and his comrades from the fate of the men of this 
 ill-fated ship. 
 
 This was the crisis in the life of the youth who 
 was then eighteen years of age. From this time on this 
 narrative treats of him as a Christian. 
 
 At their destination the cargo was unloaded by 
 black slaves. The young sailor from a nation that had 
 not known slavery was interested in learning something 
 about these human beings in bondage. The slave master 
 appeared to be a very harsh man, and an irrepressible 
 feeling of compassion for the oppressed was aroused 
 within him. 
 
 The ship took a cargo to Providence, R. L, and the 
 return trip was very pleasant. From Providence, Alexis 
 took the train to New York City. Here his Christian 
 friends bade him welcome. He intended to return to 
 Europe, but the desire to see more new countries and to 
 advance in navigation experiences before going back 
 home, overmatched his intentions. He mustered in as 
 an able seaman on the large Boston full-rigger "South 
 America," destined for Valparaiso, Chile, determined to 
 make one more long trip before returning home. 
 
 In April, 1857, they lifted anchor and stood out 
 of New York harbor, and the big ship soon sped on 
 toward the warm Gulf Stream. This time Alexis made 
 closer observations regarding this natural phenomenon. 
 This gives us an insight into his studious mind. He 
 confirmed the truth of some characteristics of the Gulf 
 Stream of which he had read, namely, that its water was 
 warmer and of a lighter color than the water of the 
 ocean proper, and that its borders were so sharply defined 
 
32 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 that it was possible to see its boundaries as the ship 
 passed through it. He took special delight in observing 
 how, when the streaks of lightning played among the 
 sails and ropes, the electric discharges at the top of the 
 masts made it appear as though everything were on fire. 
 He realized the truth of Job's assertion that "God alone 
 stretcheth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves 
 of the sea" (Job 9:8). 
 
 As the ship continued southward at good speed the 
 sailor lost sight, gradually, of the friendly stars familiar 
 from early childhood. He wrote the following in his 
 "Minnen": 
 
 "The fresh winds blew and the speed was brisk, 
 always southward. When I left my Swedish home I 
 had agreed with my parents that we should look now 
 and then at the stars of 'Karlavagnen' — The Great 
 Bear — and think of each other. We might then be 
 looking at the same object at the same moment. But 
 as we were nearing the equator I was surprised to see 
 how the polar star, day after day, was sinking lower 
 toward the horizon until finally it was lost to view. 
 Soon the constellation that had been the connecting point 
 for our observation followed this star and I was cut off 
 from my loved ones in the North. No, not cut off, for 
 I had by this time learned to look up to another Star 
 — a star whose rays shine with a heavenly luster, enlight- 
 ening the dark corners of the earth. He who is called 
 'The bright and morning Star' had now become a closer 
 bond with home than the northern constellation had 
 been." 
 
 When they reached the longitude of La Plata River, 
 terrific hurricanes struck the ship. The Falkland Islands 
 were passed and wild Patagonia's snow-clad mountains 
 hove in sight. After seventy-two days' sailing from New 
 
o 
 o 
 
 in 
 
 <D 
 
 
 W 
 
 w 
 >* 
 O 
 
 J3 
 
 O 
 
 0) 
 
 PQ 
 
 
UNDER NEW FLAGS 33 
 
 York, they almost reached the South Polar regions and 
 were in sight of land. Cape Horn was rounded in a 
 snowstorm and head winds on June 21, 1857. 
 
 Like many other navigators Alexis failed to see any 
 proper connection between the name "Pacific," and the 
 new ocean he now beheld. After having been driven 
 about by contrary winds for two days the captain set 
 sail on the third day when the storm had abated some- 
 what. Here is a description of their experience: 
 
 "But when the watch in which I belonged turned in, 
 the storm broke loose again. Like a thunder-clap it 
 sounded through space. In the twinkling of an eye 
 the ship is lying on one side. We rush out on deck and 
 with difficulty clamber to the larboard side and hold 
 fast. Sails blow into bits. Spars are broken or cracked. 
 The jib-boom is carried away. Lucky for us, for now 
 the ship is righting, having almost capsized; it responds 
 to the helm and falls off to windward. In a few moments 
 the sea is covered with a whirl of salt foam driven higher 
 than the tops of our masts and so dense that one can 
 hardly see two ship-lengths. The waves rise to an 
 unbelievable height. They come rolling like long moun- 
 tain sides of snow. There is not a spot in which the 
 water can be seen in its natural color. All is snow-white 
 foam. For three days and nights the hurricane rages. No 
 description can portray its fury. In these powers of 
 nature the proudest ship is a helpless chip on the raging 
 deep." 
 
 In its crippled condition the ship moved on after 
 the storm abated and the storm-tossed sailors could 
 finally discern to the eastward the outlines of the South 
 American Andes. A little dove lighted on deck one day 
 to rest its overtaxed pinions. Finally a pilot came aboard 
 and steered the crippled ship into Valparaiso harbor. 
 
34 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 They landed their passengers and unloaded the cargo. 
 After a few weeks of repairs and eight more days of 
 sailing they arrived at their destination, Calao, where 
 the crew was allowed to land. Alexis made a visit to 
 Lima, Peru. At Chinchassa Island two months were 
 consumed in putting in a return cargo of guano. 
 
 Cape Horn was rounded during intermittent hail- 
 storms, and the ship was headed northward on the 
 Atlantic Ocean. The rains that usually fall at this time 
 of the year failed and the men were in imminent danger 
 of the dreaded scurvy. The rations of salt meat and 
 sailor's hardtack were eaten sparingly and washed down 
 with putrid water. The water supply was finally 
 replenished by copious rains out of the tropical skies, 
 but the equator was passed without any precipitation. 
 After four months of sailing the vessel reached the port 
 of Baltimore. Here Alexis Edgren boarded a railroad 
 train for New York City. 
 
 It would have been interesting to follow Alexis on 
 his voyages and to see him acting his part as a sailor 
 among sailors — and we are convinced that the crew on 
 that Boston full-rigger must have been capable seamen. 
 But we must take an extra close-up view of the one who 
 for more than a year had fought his battles singlehanded 
 as a good soldier of the cross. Ever since his first visit 
 at the Bethel ship in East River and from the moment 
 when he fell on his knees on the snow-covered deck 
 where he received the assurance from his Savior, that 
 "Whosoever cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out," 
 Alexis had not come in contact with any Christians 
 cither on sea or land except for a few fleeting moments 
 among some friends in New York. How did he fare 
 when storms of temptation swept down on him, notably 
 on the long voyage just ended? When his shipmates 
 
UNDER NEW FLAGS 35 
 
 found out that he was not like them, but that he was 
 a living, spiritual Christian, they turned the weapons 
 of ridicule against him, but they could not provoke him 
 to anger. One of his shipmates hated him and even 
 made an attempt to take his life. Later this man con- 
 fessed that he wished he also possessed the life of peace 
 that his young shipmate had. Alexis prayed earnestly 
 that God would forgive this man his murderous attempt. 
 During this lonely time, Alexis' mind was occupied 
 about a very serious matter. Why should not Christians 
 band themselves together for mutual edification and 
 for efforts to reach the unconverted and win them for 
 Christ? He knew nothing definite about the organiza- 
 tions of Methodists or Presbyterians; he only knew some 
 of them as individual Christians. Of the state church 
 of Sweden he knew only what he had learned as a child. 
 He prayed about these matters and planned for some 
 kind of an organization that he would propose to 
 spiritual Christian friends that he would meet. How 
 his worries about these matters ended and how his 
 prayers were answered we shall see in the next chapter. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 New Spiritual Allegiances 
 
 ALEXIS had been absent from home nearly four 
 years. After he had seen the hot sands of Egypt, 
 and snowstorms at Cape Horn, had shivered in 
 autumnal storms on the Atlantic, had crossed and 
 recrossed the equator, had suffered hunger and thirst in 
 various climes he finally decided to return to the scenes 
 of his childhood. 
 
 The year 1858 was an eventful year for the young 
 convert. For a few days he lingered in New York, 
 associating with his Christian friends. He felt most at 
 home with the Presbyterians because of their sound 
 interpretation of the Bible doctrines. One day an old 
 sailor had promised to bring him to a Presbyterian 
 meeting but when the evening came his friend did not 
 care to walk the distance because of inclement weather 
 and muddy streets. He suggested that they go instead 
 to the Baptist Mariners' chapel, which was near by. 
 The name reminded him of a sect of which he had heard 
 some years ago in Sweden. He had been led to consider 
 this sect as dangerous. He did not wish to miss the 
 blessing of an evening's meeting by going to such a place. 
 But out of respect for his friend, he accompanied him to 
 the Baptist chapel. He liked the spiritual atmosphere of 
 the service and enjoyed the brief gospel messages. In a 
 few words he told of his own conversion. 
 
 The gray-haired pastor appeared to be a serene, 
 happy Christian. After the meeting he surprised Alexis 
 
38 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 by asking him if he had been baptized since he had 
 believed. 
 
 "Yes," he answered to the strange question, "I was 
 baptized as a little child." 
 
 "Did you believe then?" came the next question. 
 
 "Believe — no, indeed not! I have never believed 
 until some months ago," was his answer. 
 
 Then the pastor asked: "Was your baptism according 
 to the Scripture then?" 
 
 "I have not investigated carefully. What does the 
 Scripture teach on that question?" 
 
 The pastor gave him a few New Testament references 
 and they parted. The new convert read them thought- 
 fully and wondered why he had not seen these truths 
 before, but wished to do the Master's will when I should 
 become clear to him. He sought his warm-hearted Meth- 
 odist friends for enlightenment but received no help. The 
 passages in the New Testament finally settled his mind 
 and on Thursday, April 29, 1858, John Alexis Edgren 
 was baptized by Pastor Ira R. Stewart in the Mariners' 
 Baptist Church. 
 
 After his baptism he made this statement: "My 
 prayer has been answered. I have been led into a church 
 whose principle it is to gather believers alone into its 
 membership, to edify each other and to work together 
 for the conversion of the world." 
 
 At the meetings in this church of warm-hearted 
 members he met the Swedish sea captain G. W. Schroe- 
 der, the man who had been the first to introduce Baptist 
 doctrines into Sweden. From Captain Schroeder 
 and Pastor Stewart Edgren carried greetings to the 
 renowned German Baptist pioneer Rev. J. G. Oncken in 
 Hamburg. Immediately after his baptism he shipped 
 en board a great ocean mail-steamer, plying between New 
 
NEW SPIRITUAL ALLEGIANCES 39 
 
 York and Hamburg, thus seeking to complete his 
 experience as a sailor before the mast. In a happy frame 
 of mind he left New York, homeward bound. After 
 a brief and pleasant visit with Mr. Oncken in Hamburg 
 be took passage by water for Gothenburg. On his 
 homeward journey he was in doubt at times as to how 
 he would be received when it would become known how 
 far he had strayed from the teachings of his forefathers. 
 This is the way he tells about his homecoming: "And 
 now I stood again on Varmland's soil, surrounded by 
 scenes of my childhood and reminded of the faith of my 
 fathers. My heart was full of emotions alternating 
 between hope and fear, joy and peace. No one had come 
 to meet me at the nearest station, only a couple of 
 schoolmates who happened to be there held out their 
 hands in friendly greeting, and then accompanied me on 
 the way home." As he approached the main gate to 
 Agneteberg, he waved his sailor cap and his father 
 recognized him and ran for his mother. Home again! 
 
 When Alexis told of his experiences while absent 
 from home his father was an attentive listener, except 
 when he related how he had been led to embrace Baptist 
 views. This grieved him, but he was glad that his son 
 had experienced a change of heart and now lived a true 
 Christian life. Alexis testified of the love of his Savior 
 among his relatives and won one brother to Christ. This 
 brother died in the faith while studying to prepare to 
 go out as missionary to heathen lands. One sister was 
 also converted. She organized a Sunday school in 
 Arvika and carried the work forward in the face of 
 severe opposition from the enemies of Christ. She 
 married a Christian minister of the State church. We 
 can hardly wonder at the feeling of disappointment 
 among the members of the Edgren family when we 
 
40 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 remember that among them were men in high offices in 
 the State church; and that Baptists were known only 
 as a very undesirable sect. Add to this that there was 
 no Baptist church in the whole province of Varmland 
 and that when the first church was organized in August 
 of that year (1858), every member was haled before a 
 court of law and fined for disturbing the regular order 
 of worship. Arvika and the surrounding country was 
 a hard field for Baptists and there was no church in that 
 city until twenty-four years later. The returned sailor, 
 John Alexis Edgren, did not put his light under a 
 bushel that summer. Although Baptist history in 
 Sweden makes no mention of his efforts Rev. O. N. 
 Lindh, who was born in Arvika, and later labored as a 
 Sunday school missionary in Varmland, found a few 
 people who knew of Edgren's pioneer work in Arvika. 
 Seriously reflecting on his past and feeling that he 
 had often caused his parents grief, Alexis now planned 
 to give them a happy surprise. And what could give 
 them more joy than to have their son prove his ability 
 as a student by securing a good certificate of graduation? 
 With this in mind he returned to the navigation school 
 at Stockholm for the purpose of completing a course of 
 study in which he still lacked two years. Later he said 
 about his determination: "Upon the help of the Mighty 
 One I built my hope of success, having left the matter 
 with Him." And the Mighty One did not fail him. 
 At that time there were two classes of captains in the 
 Swedish merchant marine. Here follows the record of 
 the young sailor's educational achievements: In one year 
 he completed a two-year course, receiving the highest 
 honors in his class, and the highest ever bestowed on a 
 nautical graduate in Sweden. He graduated as captain 
 of the highest degree, also passing an examination as 
 
NEW SPIRITUAL ALLEGIANCES 41 
 
 captain of steamers. The requirements in all these 
 studies were practically the same as in the Royal Navy. 
 His date of graduation was April 16, 1859. He was now 
 barely twenty-two years of age, too young, according 
 to Swedish law, to assume a position as captain. 
 
 During his time of study his funds had been 
 depleted, and he had been compelled to borrow money; 
 but when he surprised his parents with his graduation 
 certificates and his prizes for scholastic achievements, all 
 accomplished in one year, they became so happy that 
 his father paid all the debts which his brilliant son had 
 incurred. 
 
 During the summer he held the position as mate on 
 a steamer on the Arvika-Gothenburg route. In late 
 autumn he went to sea from Gothenburg as second mate 
 on a brig, bound for Boston and Charleston in America 
 and back to Gothenburg. On this first voyage at sea 
 as an officer he felt his responsibility very keenly, and 
 feared sometimes that he might prove a failure command- 
 ing old and experienced sailors. But we can easily 
 discover the source of his strength and courage. During 
 a gale on the North Sea, while the brig was in his 
 charge, a great fear took posession of his mind. But just 
 then he was put at rest by this question, "Did you ever 
 see anyone put to shame who trusted in the Lord?" He 
 almost turned to see from whence these words came. 
 His courage revived and he felt convinced that he could 
 fill his position well, for the Lord had spoken to him 
 in a time af need. 
 
 On Christmas Day, 1859, the brig was in mid- 
 Atlantic in a gale. The second mate, Alexis, had 
 received the captain's permission to call the crew and 
 passengers together for divine service. The inner cabin 
 table, decked with the Swedish colors, served as a pulpit. 
 
42 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 The captain and the crew were all assembled, except the 
 man at the wheel and the officer of the deck. The theme 
 was "The Lord's Lamentation over Jerusalem" (Matt. 
 23:37), "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would 
 I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen 
 gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would 
 not!" This was not the text prescribed by the State 
 church for Christmas Day, but it was the young 
 preacher's own selection. This Christmas Day is memor- 
 able also because it marks the beginning of Edgren's 
 career as a preacher. "On this voyage," he said, "I 
 preached my first sermon," and adds, "Shall there be 
 any fruit of that sermon in the day of the Lord?" As 
 far as we have any records this is the first time a Swedish 
 Baptist preached a Christmas sermon on the Atlantic. 
 
 His experience on this voyage had strengthened his 
 faith in God and His promises, and he had learned to 
 rely less on his own variable feelings. At the first 
 opportunity offered after landing in Boston he sought 
 the fellowship of Rev. Phineas Stowe of the Seaman's 
 Baptist Bethel. This friend of seafaring men gave him 
 a tract entitled, "Jesus the Sinner's Friend." In reading 
 this he realized more clearly that the ground of justifica- 
 tion and acceptance with God is Christ as the propitiation 
 for our sins, Christ in all the perfection of his person 
 and work for us, a foundation altogether sufficient for 
 our faith to rest upon. He describes his state of mind 
 in the following language: "This glorious truth gave 
 me fresh, and, I trust, life-long confidence. I was also 
 filled with a new measure of joy, so that as we sailed 
 from Boston all nature, the sky, the rolling waves, the 
 ship itself with its spars and sails-— everything seemed 
 vocal with the praise of God." 
 
 Their brig sped southward, and once again Edgren 
 
NEW SPIRITUAL ALLEGIANCES 43 
 
 found himself in the midst of slavery conditions in 
 Charleston, S. C. This time he made a closer observation 
 of the institution of slavery and was deeply moved when 
 he saw the actions and behavior of some white men 
 toward the enslaved blacks. He followed his natural 
 impulse of sympathy and aided an old mother in getting 
 aboard a schooner that was to carry her away somewhere. 
 She mourned over the loss of her sons who had been sold 
 from her. He was secretly warned not to aid slaves nor 
 show sympathy for them, lest he be mobbed and killed 
 before he could get out of Charleston. When he was 
 discharged from duty on the ship's return to Gothen- 
 burg, the captain praised him for excellent service 
 performed. 
 
 After a brief visit to the old home he went to 
 Stockholm with the intention of entering the Royal 
 Navy. He did not find any officers who could give him 
 advice and aid, his former teachers being absent, one 
 having gone to Lapland and one to Germany. The one 
 from whom he had received the certificate of graduation 
 advised against his entering the navy, for pecuniary 
 reasons. At the military school he was informed that 
 he was too old to be admitted except by special per- 
 mission from the king. With high hopes he went to the 
 Royal Palace, only to catch a glimps of the king as he 
 was descending the broad steps of the Palace, leaving 
 for a visit to Norway. 
 
 Alexis Edgren, now an experienced seaman, both as 
 a sailor before the mast and as an officer, usually could 
 secure a place suitable to his qualification. But here is 
 an instance when he failed. On two ships, one in 
 Sundsvall and one in Gothenburg, he was wanted as 
 mate for an Atlantic voyage west. In some unforseen 
 way, however, there had been miscalculations. He missed 
 
44 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 the ship in Sundsvall which went to sea first, and when 
 he arrived at Gothenburg his ship there was already out 
 of sight, headed westward. He sums up his disappoint- 
 ments in the following manner: "That the Lord had 
 his hand in these disappointments I have since learned. 
 The ship from Gothenburg, in which I had desired to 
 go, perished totally, no one being saved to tell the story 
 of the wreck. The ship from the north of Sweden also 
 perished, her crew, with the exception of one man, who 
 had been unable to endure the hardships to which they 
 were exposed, were picked up from their boats at sea, 
 after they had suffered severely from hunger and thirst 
 under the burning sun of the tropics. If I had found 
 a place in the navy I would probably have been diverted 
 from my future course as a laborer in the Gospel." 
 
 The lure of the sea held its spell over Alexis Edgren, 
 and there is the story of one more stirring voyage to be 
 told before we follow him into other activities. In 
 Gothenburg he met an old friend who was now the 
 captain of a barque. He had already secured his first mate 
 but offered Alexis a position as second mate. This he 
 accepted, as it was getting late in the season. The barque 
 made a voyage from Gothenburg to Boston and Savan- 
 nah. Once more Alexis was sailing over the choppy 
 North Sea and the stormy Atlantic. They sailed 
 southward in order to get the benefit of the warmer 
 trade winds on their course to America. In the vicinity 
 of the Bermuda Islands one night at 12:00 o'clock a 
 sudden change in the atmosphere was observed. A 
 cloudburst broke over the ship and suddenly the wind 
 began to blow with increasing fury directly against the 
 high rolling waves. The second mate describes it like 
 this: "In the twinkling of an eye every man is on deck, 
 Each attempt to hold the ship against the wind is 
 
NEW SPIRITUAL ALLEGIANCES 45 
 
 hopeless, and to reef most of the sails is impossible. The 
 masts are swaying terribly, and the yards are shaking 
 to the breaking point. All our efforts are insufficient 
 to accomplish what is needed. If the rigging goes, all 
 will soon be lost. 'A man to the helm!' roars the com- 
 manding officer and an extra hand responds. Another 
 order is shouted and is executed by the two helmsmen. 
 The ship responds and speeds on with the wind against 
 the waves. 
 
 "A crash sounds, as if the ship had struck head on 
 against a cliff and a giant wave half submerges the 
 trembling ship. But it rises again and continues the 
 battle in a sea where wind and waves seem to be in 
 deadly combat for the mastery. The ship continues 
 its battle and shoots onward through and over the 
 rolling waves. The night is dark and every man has 
 to hold fast to something so as not to be swept overboard. 
 
 "Again a giant wave and the captain is thrown 
 down and solidly wedged in among spars and beams on 
 the deck. Some men release him and carry him into the 
 cabin. The first mate now takes full command. Finally 
 the morning star twinkles and dawn appears. The 
 wind has compelled the waves to follow its unrelenting 
 force and the ship is still climbing to the crests of the 
 billows and plunging down into the deep valleys between 
 them." 
 
 That morning one of the oldest and most experienced 
 seamen confided to the young officer his fear that they 
 would not come through safely. Edgren's faith in God 
 and his life among his comrades drew them close to 
 Him in times like this. They finally sailed into Boston 
 harbor for a brief stay. While there, they heard rumors 
 of civil war. As they continued on their journey south- 
 ward they soon realized that there was more than rumors 
 
46 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 of war, for when they were in sight of land along the 
 coast of South Carolina they saw flashes of cannon fire 
 toward the west, and heard the reverberating reports 
 across the sea. It was the bombardment of Fort Sumter, 
 some of the first shots of the great war. After two more 
 days they passed Fort Pulaski and sailed into Savannah 
 harbor. Great excitement prevailed. Preparations for 
 war were everywhere. Men were drilling and practicing 
 for various kinds of military service. Ships from the 
 Northern States entering the harbor were detained and 
 again released. Foreign ships hurried out to sea as soon 
 as they had an opportunity to leave. The Swedish barque 
 also left when its cargo had been discharged and a return 
 cargo of cotton had been taken on. "We were glad," 
 said Edgren, "to leave for home and native land." 
 
 During the summer of 1861 Alexis Edgren held the 
 position of first mate on a steamboat plying between 
 Gothenburg and Stockholm. In the autumn he had a 
 tempting offer to go into partnership with another 
 officer to establish a Navigation School in America. But 
 as this would disrupt his plans of pursuing further 
 astronomical studies he felt quite unsettled about it. 
 After a season of earnest prayer about it he decided to 
 cast lots to determine his course. The outcome was that 
 he stayed in Sweden. Immediately he took up his studies 
 in Stockholm and on February 5, 1862 passed the exam- 
 ination as teacher of navigation. 
 
 Here we see plainly God's guiding hand. At this 
 time Edgren became acquainted with the Rev. A. Wiberg, 
 the foremost leader and organizer of Baptist work in 
 Sweden. Through Wiberg he became acquainted with 
 the Baptists in Stockholm. He took part in their meet- 
 ings and was invited to preach occasionally. For a time 
 he lived in the Wiberg home, assisting Mr. Wiberg in 
 
NEW SPIRITUAL ALLEGIANCES 47 
 
 his work. He declared that this was the happiest time 
 of Christian fellowship he had ever enjoyed. Mr. Wiberg 
 urged him to quit the sea and devote himself exclusively 
 to the Gospel ministry. The young seaman expressed 
 himself about this advice in the following manner: 
 "This was the first indication of God's gracious will 
 concerning my future. But as yet I felt too unprepared 
 for such a work, and too uncertain of God's will in the 
 matter." 
 
 Alexis' parents had been very disappointed when 
 rumors reached them that their son was preaching 
 occasionally in Stockholm and wrote to him about it. 
 He therefore decided to visit his home before leaving for 
 America. He tried to secure a hall in Arvika in which 
 to preach, but failed. His father became alarmed when 
 he heard about it, lest Alexis should bring disgrace on 
 the family, which at that time he surely would have 
 done, he not being a State church clergyman, only a 
 seaman, though a grandson of a State church pastor. 
 His father, however, promised him that he could preach 
 in the big parlor of the Agneteberg home. This made 
 Alexis feel happy. The parlor was filled with people, 
 and God's presence was felt in power, many weeping, 
 the proprietor of the manor among them. When the 
 meeting was over the father took his son by the hand 
 and said with deep emotion: "If that is the way you 
 preach, continue, my son, and God bless you!" 
 
 Other meetings were arranged, but the authorities 
 were determined to interfere. A messenger had brought 
 the preacher word that the mayor and the police wished 
 to know when and where the next meeting was to be 
 held. Alexis told the messenger and sent them a kind 
 invitation to be present. The police did not come, but 
 the mayor did. With cane in hand, pencil and note book 
 
48 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 he walked forward and took his seat in the "sittsoffa," 
 from which vantage point he could see who were present. 
 
 The sermon was an exposition of John 4:1-42. 
 This text he would not have chosen had he remembered 
 a certain fact. But evidently is was the right one for 
 this particular occasion. When he came to the incident 
 at Jacob's well, when the woman left her waterpot and 
 hurried to invite the people to come and see Jesus, he 
 noticed a smile on his father's face, and the solemnity of 
 the audience somewhat disturbed him. Then he remem- 
 bered the ridiculousness of the situation. The mayor 
 was always addressed as "Herr Borgmastare" but 
 usually spoken of by the townspeople as a "Kruka," 
 waterpot. "Kruka," in everyday parlance, means coward. 
 The would-be persecutor did not take full notes, but 
 left non-plussed at the end of the sermon. We shall 
 hear of this episode later. 
 
 Soon after this John Alexis Edgren left for America, 
 where his brother Hjalmar was serving as second lieu- 
 tenant in the 99th regiment of New York volunteers. 
 
Mariners' Baptist Temple, New York, where Edgren 
 was baptized in 1858 
 
 Anders Wiberg, an 
 early denominational 
 leader and co-labor- 
 er with Edgren. 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 As Officer and Theological Student 
 
 AFTER Edgrcn had concluded his studies in Stock- 
 holm in February, 1862, he returned to the old 
 home for a visit. This proved to be his last 
 meeting with his father, who passed away while his sons 
 were serving with the Union forces in the Civil War. His 
 younger brother, Lieut. Hjalmar Edgren, was already an 
 officer in the Army. Ever since his first visit in 
 Charleston with a Swedish ship, when he had been 
 impressed with the deplorable condition of the Negro 
 slaves, Alexis Edgren's tender heart had never ceased 
 to beat in their behalf. In respect to slavery he reminds 
 us of young Abraham Lincoln, who, when he saw the 
 slaves cruely treated on a Mississippi steamboat, said: 
 "If I ever get a change I will hit that institution hard." 
 Now Alexis determined to cross the Atlantic as a 
 passenger. Proceeding to Hamburg he bought a third- 
 class ticket on a big German sailing vessel bound for 
 New York. Without anticipating such a privilege, he 
 was given second-class passage, and the captain became 
 so attached to him and so interested in his marine 
 drawings that he offered him a place at his own table 
 where only first-class passengers dined. Besides this favor 
 he enjoyed the companionship of the captain on the 
 bridge and in his cabin, until they sailed into New York 
 harbor. After they had expressed their mutual apprecia- 
 tion of profitable friendship, in the native tongue of the 
 captain, and had bidden each other a hearty farewell, 
 
50 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 Alexis set foot once again on American soil. He found 
 no satisfactory explanation of the kind treatment he had 
 received except that he regarded it as a special favor 
 from God. 
 
 He boarded a southbound train to seek his brother 
 at Fort Monroe, Va. He soon realized that many of 
 the passengers were soldiers, some of them convalescents, 
 returning to the war area; others, who joined them along 
 the route, were journeying for the first time toward the 
 war front. At some places where men boarded the train 
 there were touching farewell scenes and at times patriotic 
 demonstrations with shouts of "Hurrah! Hurrah! 
 Hurrah!" as the train moved on. At Baltimore he 
 procured a pass that would admit him to the war 
 zone. While traveling on a river-and-coastal steamboat 
 he found himself in the company of officers and soldiers 
 whose conversations convinced him that they were now 
 approaching the scenes of battle. He experienced a 
 peculiar sensation one evening as they were speeding 
 along Chesapeake Bay. The sun was sinking in the hazy 
 west, where its light painted the heavens blood red over 
 the landscape, and the rippling waves seemed to whisper 
 to the warriors on board to hurry. 
 
 He soon was within the lines of action and here, 
 where danger and death were threatening, he began to 
 search for his younger brother. He found him in the 
 fortification Rip Raps near Fort Monroe. Their first 
 meeting can more easily be imagined than described. 
 Alexis could not tell about it in after years without the 
 deepest emotion. The visit was allowed to lengthen into 
 many days and the two brothers had time to recall their 
 childhood warfare with tin soldiers and wash-tub men- 
 cf-war. Here he also formed the acquaintance of some 
 other fine army officers. 
 
AS OFFICER AND STUDENT 51 
 
 One day the brothers visited Norfolk, which had 
 recently come into the possession of the Union forces. 
 They talked of how interesting it would be if Alexis 
 could be serving in the Navy in this vicinity while 
 Hjalmar was serving with the land forces. Their dreams 
 came true in the course of time. 
 
 We select bits of information about the combat of 
 the giants at Hampton Roads of which one of our 
 histories says, "On this battle hinged the fate of the 
 war"; not because of the well known historic facts 
 themselves but rather because of the intriguing personal 
 interest connected with the meeting of the two brothers 
 under these unusual circumstances. Hjalmar told Alexis: 
 "I had not only the good luck of being a spectator but to 
 some extent a participant also. In the company of 
 Lieutenant Colonel Helladay and others I had been 
 to Fort Monroe and at noon we were returning. We 
 noticed great activity on our ships. The ironclad rebel 
 battleship was coming out for its first trial. Alone it 
 attacked the frigates Congress and Cumberland. It 
 plunged into battle with our great frigate Minnesota and 
 several other boats. The Congress was spared until the 
 last because the captain of the ironclad had a brother on 
 that ship. After most of its men had been destroyed, 
 the ship being on fire, they raised the white flag. One 
 company of my regiment on board reported sixteen men 
 killed. After a night of suspense the morning came; also 
 the Merrimac. But why did it hesitate? Some object 
 was floating in front of it. What was it? It was the 
 Monitor that our countryman, John Ericsson, had con- 
 structed." — Ericsson was also from Varmland. The 
 direct quotation is from an address delivered by Hjalmar 
 Edgren in Gothenburg. 
 
 The brothers parted and Alexis returned to New 
 
52 JOHN ALEXIS EDGRHN 
 
 York and applied for service in the navy. His funds 
 were now almost exhausted and he prayed to God 
 for help. He missed an opportunity for a trip to 
 California. But soon he had a great surprise, a letter 
 from the Navy Department at Washington conveying 
 news of his appointment with a higher rank than that 
 for which he had applied. He entered upon his duties as 
 acting ensign. After preparatory drills, which were 
 mainly in line with his studies at Stockholm, he 
 was ordered to report for duty on board the U. S. steamer 
 "Young Rover" at Philadelphia. This was a barque- 
 rigged ship with a fine crew and capable officers. As 
 soon as they passed down the Delaware Bay on their 
 way to the North Carolina blockade, Alexis Edgren 
 was made sailing master. With nautical instruments, 
 charts, and books, he felt perfectly at home and enjoyed 
 navigating the ship. This was his first experience with 
 a war- vessel. After two days "Young Rover" dropped 
 anchor at Hampton Roads. Here Alexis met Hjalmar 
 who was still on duty at Rip Raps. Soon they proceeded 
 southward. On this voyage they encountered a storm 
 that almost threw their ship on her beam's ends, first 
 on one side, and then on the other. Off Wilmington 
 they lost one of their anchors and sustained other 
 damages in a tumultuous sea. While under fire from 
 a land battery one blade of their two-bladed propeller 
 broke. The machine power was shut off; every sailor 
 responded with alacrity. The white sails were hoisted 
 and "Young Rover" was soon out of the enemy's range. 
 An attempt to answer the fire of the land batteries would 
 have been futile. The commander of the blockade at 
 Wilmington issued orders for "Young Rover" to return 
 to Hampton Roads, where the ship occupied the same 
 place that formerly had been held by the Minnesota, 
 
AS OFFICER AND STUDENT 53 
 
 as guardship. Here most of the winter was spent, and as 
 Hjalmar was still in camp in this vicinity the wishes of 
 the two brothers were actually fulfilled, for they had 
 often the opportunities to meet. Alexis makes the 
 following notation: "How wonderful that the air castles 
 of our wishes should assume actual form! Here again I 
 must see and acknowledge His goodness who cares for 
 the very least of his creatures." 
 
 In the spring (1863) they went to Baltimore for 
 repairs and before they returned to Hampton Roads 
 severe fighting had taken place. Hjalmar's regiment had 
 been badly cut up and his men had fallen around him, 
 but he had come out of the battle unscratched. 
 
 "Young Rover" soon received orders to do scouting 
 duty outside the hostile coast between certain latitudes 
 in search of the Confederate privateer Alabama. The 
 heat was intense and Edgren suffered a sunstroke, 
 and was compelled to remain in bed for a time. After 
 recovering, it did not occur to him how much suffering 
 this was to cause him in later years. 
 
 Robert W. relates this to the writer about his father: 
 "My father did not care much about telling of the great 
 Civil War and his experiences." One of his tales is 
 the following about the Alabama: "I remember how 
 we laughed when he told me about this, and I asked 
 him if he found the Alabama. 'No,' he said. 'We 
 cruised around where the Alabama was expected to show 
 up, but we never saw her. It was probably fortunate 
 for us that we didn't find her, because very likely, with 
 her heavy broadsides she would have blown us clear out 
 of the water. Our only chance would have been a lucky 
 hit with one of our two big guns.' " 
 
 After returning from their cruise they were ordered 
 to do blockade duty off the hostile Virginia coast. They 
 
54 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 saw a stranded ship which had been set on fire by the 
 enemy. A friendly woman informed them of a plot by 
 which the enemy intended, under cover of darkness, to 
 take possession of their ship. Nothing noteworthy 
 happened. 
 
 When again their ship needed repairs, they were 
 ordered to Yorktown, the old fort where George Wash- 
 ington had won his decisive victory over the British. 
 Here his brother Hjalmar served as staff-officer, and 
 Alexis determined to visit him. The Confederates had 
 suffered a long siege at this place and when they 
 evacuated the unsanitary conditions were too horrible 
 for description. On the battlefield and its vicinity the 
 air was putrid from decaying bodies of men and beasts 
 and heaps of rotting food. He found his brother in a 
 small room, sick and feverish. He would soon have 
 succumbed if help had not arrived. His regiment suffered 
 in like manner. It had been reduced to 400 men, of 
 which at times only nine could report for duty. Men died 
 every day. Alexis rendered his brother assistance, 
 especially by bringing him much needed fresh water 
 from the ship. Hjalmar resigned, and fortunately his 
 resignation was accepted. Alexis had the satisfaction to 
 assist him on board a steamer that brought him up north, 
 where he regained his strength. Not long after this 
 Alexis also sent in his resignation and within a few 
 weeks' time he also was released from war service. When 
 Alexis climbed down the side of the barque-rigged 
 fighting steamer for the last time the friendly crew gave 
 their sailing master a threefold "Hurrah" With a glad 
 heart he sped north as fast as transportation could take 
 him and had the pleasure of seeing his brother on board 
 ship in New York, where he bade him farewell on his 
 homeward voyage. 
 
AS OFFICER AND STUDENT 55 
 
 The Rev.A. Wiberg of Stockholm had come to America 
 in the interest of Baptist work in Sweden. Edgren had 
 met him in Philadelphia and as he now was relieved 
 from war service and his brother safely on his way to 
 Sweden he returned to Philadelphia for a consultation 
 with his trusted friend and co-worker from the home- 
 land. These pioneer Baptists had kept in touch with 
 each other through correspondence. Again Wiberg urged 
 Edgren to quit the sea and devote his life to the Gospel 
 ministry. Through the influence of Mr. Wiberg and their 
 mutual friend, the Rev. T. Malcolm of Philadelphia, 
 Edgren gained entrance to the Presbyterian Seminary of 
 Princeton, New Jersey. Here he studied theological 
 subjects during the winter of 1863-1864. By spring his 
 financial means were low and as he was not quite sure of 
 the Divine call he felt compelled to seek some remunera- 
 tive employment. 
 
 He reapplied for a position in the navy, was accepted 
 and again appointed as acting ensign. Immediately 
 he was assigned to duty on a large steamer which was 
 being fitted out at the navy yard. The enemy was 
 making threatening movements northward. This neces- 
 sitated sudden changes of plans. Edgren was given 
 command to take a monitor in tow and report at 
 Washington. By the time they reached the open sea 
 the monitor was leaking and they had to return to 
 Philadelphia. From here he was sent on blockade duty 
 off Charleston, to report to Rear Admiral Dahlgren 
 at Port Royal, S. C. Judging by a note in his records, 
 Fidgren found himself in his right position: "Soon I 
 was on the way, and how glad and free I felt when for 
 the first time as chief commander I steered my course 
 ever the ocean billows." After a few day's sailing they 
 were in southern waters and in sight of the lightship 
 
56 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 outside of Port Royal. Catalpa's compasses had been 
 unreliable and had twice led them into momentary peril 
 and now they were in dangerous waters about to make 
 a very difficult passage into harbor. The sea was 
 enveloped in a dense fog and the coal supply nearly 
 exhausted. No one on board was familiar with the 
 waters and no pilot could be procured. They arrived 
 at that point at midnight. If the storm increased the 
 anchors alone could not save the ship from running 
 aground. It had neither masts nor sail. But the com- 
 mander was resourceful. A three-cornered sail was 
 shaped from an awning and attached to a stout, high 
 flagpole. This served to hold the boat steady and made 
 it possible to linger in the vicinity of the flagship over 
 night. The storm and the dense fog remained unchanged 
 in the morning, when the commander called a council 
 of officers. There were many lives in imminent danger 
 and it was decided to sail in, despite strict order not to 
 bring ships in over the shoals during a storm. Men on 
 both sides of the ship were sounding the depth, steam 
 pressure was increased, the ship passing close to the light- 
 ship from which a message was thrown on the deck, 
 wrapped around a spike, giving directions which aided 
 them in passing safely from buoy to buoy through the 
 narrow channel. At times guided only by the plummets, 
 the ship moved on through the white foaming breakers 
 into calmer waters. The coal supply being completely 
 exhausted, the only available fuel was the woodwork 
 of the ship, but progress was made even under these 
 difficulties. Through the dissolving fog, ships in the 
 harbor were sighted. 
 
 When Edgren eventually anchored near the flagship 
 a messenger came on board immediately with orders for 
 him to report to the admiral at once. He obeyed 
 
AS OFFICER AND STUDENT 5 7 
 
 promptly, and was ushered into the presence of Admiral 
 Dahlgren in his cabin. 
 
 With a frown on his countenance the admiral asked: 
 
 "You have come in over the shoals?" 
 
 Edgren replied: "Yes, Sir." 
 
 Dahlgren: "You understand that this was against 
 my orders?" 
 
 Edgren: "Yes, sir, but with the coal all gone, nearly 
 all my woodwork burned and so little steam left it was 
 cross the shoals or lose the ship." 
 
 Dahlgren: "Go back to your ship and await orders." 
 We shall hear the echo of the colloquy later. 
 
 Edgren' s first orders for picket duty included 
 destruction of any torpedo nearing the flagship, even 
 though his boat be sunk in the effort. The smoke of 
 battle between the contending forces was visible here 
 and the booming of cannon was heard when a Union 
 ship approached too closely to the shore. The young 
 naval officers wished for more serious work than picket 
 duty and soon had this desire satisfied. 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 Military Service Until the End of the War 
 
 THE young officer wished to be relieved of picket 
 duty and assigned to a battery of heavy guns 
 which the navy was constructing on Morris Island, 
 at Cummings Point, to operate against Fort Sumter. 
 His application for transfer was approved. On his first 
 visit to the battery he discovered that it was within 
 range of the enemy's sharpshooters. While he was 
 talking to a corporal standing by, an eleven-inch cannon 
 a rifle ball barely missed his head. The men often ducked 
 behind earthen mounds. 
 
 He relates an incident which occurred one day while 
 he was making certain surveys of the grounds. A general 
 in company with a couple of ladies and some staff 
 officers arrived. Partly to silence the incessant musketry 
 from Fort Sumter and partly to please the ladies with 
 the sight of actual warfare he gave orders to open fire 
 from two small cannon. The aim was so excellent that 
 the balls struck the upper edge of the wall of the ruined 
 fort, compelling some workmen to scramble down for 
 safety. One after another the balls fired hit their target 
 and silenced the annoying shapshooters. Presently a 
 puff of white smoke was seen from Sumter and a ten 
 inch shell fell within the Union fortifications. Then 
 several more followed in close succession. One burst 
 overhead with a terrifying sound, scattering a shower 
 of iron missiles within the enclosure. The ladies ran 
 into a vault for safety but a piece of steel hit the door. 
 
60 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 The terrified visitors, escorted by staff officers, took their 
 departure, and as they passed Edgren and the men, who 
 were serving their guns against the enemy, the ladies 
 were heard to exclaim: "Never shall we come here again." 
 During the cannonading the enemy had dropped 180 
 heavy projectiles against the Union advanced battery 
 and not a man had been hit or a cannon damaged. One 
 big shell had fallen close to the powder magazine, but 
 the fuse had blown out and the shell did not burst. 
 
 Most of the officers and a large number of the men 
 here were ordered to embark on steamboats for Port 
 Royal. Edgren was in command of a section of a 
 howitzer battery under Lieutenant Commander E. O. 
 Mathewson. Their objective was Grahamville where 
 they had orders to sever the enemy's railroad connections 
 between Savannah and Charleston. A whole naval 
 brigade joined a detachment of the army here. After 
 some drilling, about six thousand men moved up the 
 river on ships one night. By morning the river had 
 become narrower. It was not very long before they 
 found out how hard were the enemy's balls when one 
 hit the trunk of a tree. Their rations were raw salt pork 
 and hardtack and coffee made from water scooped from 
 ditches in fields or along the roads. When they halted, 
 Edgren made a fairly comfortable bed of two fence-rails 
 placed with one end resting on a cannon wheel and the 
 other on the road. On this he slept. 
 
 "To arms," was sounded in the dark of the night. 
 It was a false alarm, however. As Edgren was in charge 
 of the lightest guns, he was the first officer called on for 
 quick moves and long marches. The most desperate 
 contest for position was at a crossroads. A strong 
 cavalry troop was advancing toward them through the 
 woods, but could not be seen because of the thick under- 
 
MILITARY SERVICE 61 
 
 brush. The well-aimed howitzers found the unseen 
 enemy and checked the advance. An adjutant reported 
 that it was the quick work of the sailors that saved the 
 crossroads. At another desperate encounter Edgren said 
 they were determined on victory or death. In his 
 "Minnen" he says: "Just at that moment we saw a 
 regiment of Negroes approaching with unfurled banners 
 and in closed ranks. It was the first black regiment I 
 had ever seen. Never had the sight of a troop been so 
 welcome to me. This was our troop, our succor. Now 
 we breathed tenfold easier." The armies were now in 
 deadly conflict, the contested crossroads defended only 
 by the batteries of the distant fleet. Again we shall let 
 the young officer speak: "The musketry fire sounded 
 like the roar of the mighty Niagara. At times thunder- 
 ing 'Hurrahs' were heard when a bayonet charge was 
 ordered or a fresh regiment went into action. The 
 cannon brought out both the awful solemnity and the 
 dreadful hideousness of war." The Confederates received 
 fresh troops from Savannah and the struggle continued 
 until midnight. "The contest had lasted seven hours. 
 About eight hundred of our little army lay killed or 
 wounded." 
 
 One evening they were ordered to break camp, and 
 within a few hours were on board the ships and gliding 
 over the waters. Farther up the river the artillery was 
 taken ashore. Some pieces of artillery became mired in a 
 swamp and the infantry, which had been under fire for 
 two hours, began to waver. The appeals to hurry were 
 repeated more frequently. As Edgren's battery was 
 swinging into action an incident occurred that haunted 
 him for many years. A wounded rebel begged the young 
 officer from the north to throw a cover over him as he 
 was getting cold. Edgren, however, could not stop, but 
 
62 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 told him to ask the assistance of some passing wounded 
 man. Between sympathy and duty he chose the latter. 
 Many a time he said he could not forgive himself for 
 this refusal to aid a suffering man. 
 
 The enemy artillery opened up within a few rods 
 of their front and Edgren soon withdrew his fortified 
 position on the railroad. The next day the battle raged 
 again. This time his battery was exposed to a withering 
 crossfire. Many times he aimed at the unseen enemy 
 in the thickets, guided only by the streams of bullets 
 whizzing by, and he remained in the same place for 
 hours. His regular ammunition was exhausted, but he 
 had another kind that could be used in case of necessity, 
 by moving closer to the enemy. He was thankful when 
 ordered out of that hail of bullets although he had to be 
 prepared to face the enemy at closer range. The battle 
 raged again the following day. 
 
 His thoughts at this time he expressed thus: "I 
 thought often of the ways of peace and was deeply 
 impressed by the contrast between Christian mission 
 work and war. I felt that the dignity of an admiral is 
 small when compared to being a true witness for Christ, 
 and a proclaimer af the glad, heavenly messages." 
 
 The story is now becoming monotonous; the only 
 difference in the battle of "tomorrow" was that Edgren 
 was not engaged in it as he had expected. The combat 
 continued, but rumors reached them that General 
 Sherman was nearing Savannah. The night between 
 December 14 and 15, 1864, was quiet, but the opposing 
 armies were resting on their arms and at midnight the 
 order of battle was whispered through the ranks. In a 
 moment the weapons were glistening in the bright 
 moonlight. As by magic the air was vibrating with 
 "Hurrahs" along the whole army front, and echoing 
 
MILITARY SERVICE «3 
 
 through the stillness of the woodlands. A national salute 
 thundered from a battery. General Sherman had arrived. 
 Fort McAllister had fallen and Savannah was threatened. 
 The next morning all was quiet and the men rested 
 again. 
 
 After nearly three weeks of strenuous service during 
 part of November and December, Edgren became seri- 
 ously ill. He had endured hardships of many kinds, 
 without shelter, in all kinds of weather, on the highways, 
 on the battlefield and in stinking swamps. Rations 
 consisted of salt pork, bread, and coffee made from ditch 
 cr swamp water. Only one day during those three weeks 
 of struggle had the rations been changed when they 
 received boiled beans from one of the ships. Well 
 founded hopes of coming days of peace were entertained 
 when they saw scouts from Sherman's army near 
 Coosawatchie. By this time Edgren had become so weak 
 that he could barely carry his sword. Greatly in need 
 of medical care, he was sent to a hospital, where he 
 remained until January 2, 1865. Savannah had fallen, 
 the troops to which he belonged had been withdrawn, 
 the naval brigade was disbanded and he was returned 
 to the camp at Morris Island. Here he listened to the 
 distant booming of artillery indicating General Sherman's 
 movements, which told of Charleston's impending doom. 
 It came after the naval attacks of the fortifications at 
 Stono, south of the doomed city. 
 
 As soon as Edgren could report for duty he was sent 
 with part of his command to take charge of a howitzer 
 battery to protect disembarking troops. A small fleet 
 was soon in motion northward, headed by the admiral's 
 flagship, the following morning anchoring at Bulls Bay. 
 They failed to carry out their first plan to land. On the 
 second day Edgren was in charge of some boats landing 
 
64 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 artillery. In the midst of a successful attack he received 
 orders to cease, and return to the ships. He was sent on 
 a reconnoitering expedition with his battery to South 
 Edisto River, far south of Charleston. In an expedition 
 of two boats during the night between February 17 and 
 18 they forged up the river near an enemy forti- 
 fication where lively signaling was in progress. The 
 Confederate troops were evacuating and were marching 
 northward in great haste. 
 
 A happy birthday. On February 20, 1865, good 
 news reached the two boats. A dispatch boat had brought 
 the information that Charleston had fallen. The young 
 officer tells his joy in the following way: "It was 
 February 20, my birthday. Hardly ever before had I 
 celebrated so happy a birthday. Victory, finally, after 
 so much toil. What a sensation of joy possessed us all. 
 The riggings of the Pawnee were manned and a double 
 three cheers expressed our feelings and proclaimed to the 
 other ship that good news had arrived." They steamed 
 northward and anchored among other ships of the South 
 Atlantic squadron in Charleston harbor. 
 
 The following day they passed by Fort Sumter, 
 where the enemy's first shot has been fired. The fort 
 was now in ruins. Edgren said it was depressing and 
 yet satisfying to behold the ruins of the fort and the 
 rebellious city where the sword had first been drawn 
 against the Federal Government. Here this truth impressed 
 him very forcibly, "He that draws the sword shall 
 perish by the sword." John Alexis Edgren had the 
 satisfaction of being present at the celebration at Fort 
 Sumter April 15, and here is the way he describes that 
 event, one of the most inspiring events in American 
 history: "On the 15th of April all the ships in port 
 were profusely decorated with flags. One steamer after 
 
MILITARY SERVICE 65 
 
 another landed loads of passengers at Fort Sumter. From 
 the army and navy many officers congregated. I was 
 among the latter. I saw General Anderson hoist the old 
 tattered flag, which four years earlier he had been com- 
 pelled to haul down. After his last words, 'Glory to 
 God in the highest! And on earth peace; good will 
 towards men!' loud cheers were heard from the whole 
 multitude present, and a thundering salute was fired 
 from the parapets of Fort Sumter and from every naval 
 ship in the harbor. America's great orator, Henry Ward 
 Beecher, was present and delivered his memorable address. 
 I for one felt that it had been a sublime calling to wield 
 the sword in the great war by which the shackles of four 
 million slaves had been stricken off forever." 
 
 For a short time he commanded a steamship captured 
 from the Confederates, and then resigned. The scowling 
 countenance of Rear Admiral Dahlgren, after Edgren had 
 acted contrary to his orders at Fort Royal, never troubled 
 his conscience. But his application for release from the 
 service was held up in the Navy Department before it 
 was granted. The admiral had sent a special commun- 
 ication to the Navy Headquarters, highly praising him 
 for meritorious service, with the recommendation that 
 he be retained in the Navy and advanced to higher rank. 
 By this recognition Edgren felt highly complimented 
 but very courteously he declined the proffered advance- 
 ment. His services as a soldier were at an end. When 
 the officials wished to know why he refused to remain 
 in the service for which he was so well qualified and in 
 which he was assured of advancement, he frankly 
 informed them that henceforth he would be a preacher 
 of the Gospel. He was now ready at all hazards to give 
 himself wholly to the Gospel work. "Woe unto me if 
 I preach not the gospel," was his final decision. 
 
66 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 We close this chapter with a tranlation from the 
 Swedish of J. A. Edgren's personal views on the question 
 of war as he stated them in his "Minnen" : 
 
 "You probably ask how, on the whole, I regard 
 war, since I could so freely take part in it. I have con- 
 sidered the question you ask and have weighed it during 
 the din of battle, and my language has become altogether 
 different from his (referring to Charles XII), who 
 exclaimed, when the bullets began to whistle around 
 him, 'This shall hereafter be my daily music!' Never 
 have I felt so clearly, as during the first battle in which I 
 took part, that war is the result of men's sinful passions 
 alone, that it is a fearful evil. 
 
 "Let therefore the Gospel of peace cover the earth, 
 and wars shall cease. The sword shall be changed into a 
 plowshare, the spear into a scythe and the soldier into a 
 peaceful workman. Then shall all jealousy and dissen- 
 sion between nations cease and their hearts shall beat in 
 love toward one another and the true God. But until 
 then the declaration stands fast: 'I will overturn, 
 overturn, overturn it; this also shall be no more, until 
 He come whose right it is; and I will give it to him' 
 (Ezekiel 21 :27) . Until then war must draw its bloody 
 furrows through the nations, and such things happen in 
 which the noble citizen feels it a duty to draw the sword 
 against unrestrained violence." 
 
 In the records of the U. S. Navy John Alexis Edgren 
 appears as having been commander of five warships with 
 the title of sailing master. 
 
 If the legend is true that the Chicago fire of 1871 
 was instigated by old foes from the South, then revenge 
 was completed as far as it concerns the hero of our story, 
 for all that he could find of his scabbard and sword 
 among the ash heaps in the basement of the Swedish 
 
MILITARY SERVICE 67 
 
 Baptist church on Oak Street was the useless, twisted 
 blade, the scabbard and the hilt having been consumed, 
 together with many valuable personal possessions stored 
 there for safe-keeping. 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 A Variety of Activities 
 
 WHEN Edgren gave his last command on board 
 ship and said farewell to his comrades-in-arms, 
 he forsook all secular pursuits. Henceforth he 
 was wholly committed to religious work, as preacher, 
 teacher, and writer. He was 26 years old at the time. 
 
 The initial steps in laying a foundation for a religious 
 education had been taken in the Lyceum of Karlstad. 
 In that institution it was obligatory for the student to 
 commit to memory the advanced, or "long" catechism, 
 so called. Not only the formulated questions and answers 
 but also the Bible passages in connection had to be 
 memorized and recited. We have already seen his practical 
 application of this knowledge when arguing providential 
 protection with his elders, even before he was fourteen 
 years of age. 
 
 There is no available record of his scholastic standing 
 in the Princeton Seminary (1 863-' 64) but whenever 
 he mentioned that institution it was always with praise, 
 especially for the textbook used in systematic theology. 
 He studied at a Baptist school, Colgate University, at 
 Hamilton, New York, 1865-'66, in a class of ten, among 
 whom we find Hubert C. Woods, who in after years 
 took special interest in Edgren and his educational work. 
 His teachers were Rev. G. W. Eaton, Ebenezer Dodge and 
 Dr. Albert N. Arnold. Dr. Arnold was one of the 
 foremost New Testament Greek scholars of his day. 
 When Edgren left government service, he was 
 
70 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 engaged immediately by the American Baptist Publi- 
 cation Society as a colporter in New York City. The 
 Mariners' Baptist church issued a license for him to 
 preach. He was very happy while thus devoting his full 
 time to Christian work, and continued in that service 
 until he entered the university. While a student at 
 Hamilton, he preached occasionally in several places. The 
 Swedish Baptist church of New York City has his name 
 on its records as one of the first preachers in that field. 
 
 Three events of major importance in the life of 
 Alexis Edgren marked the year 1866. On April 10 
 he married Miss Annie Abbot Chapman, in Hamilton, 
 New York. On their wedding trip they viewed the 
 majestic grandeur of Niagara Falls. That Baptist pioneer 
 Captain R. E. Jeanson, of New York City, had occasion 
 to make this notation in his diary: "May 20. Brother 
 Edgren arrived today with his young wife." A few 
 days were spent in the big city while arrangements were 
 being made for their departure to Sweden. The next 
 outstanding date is June 10th. In the afternoon of that 
 day Edgren preached in Swedish in the Mariners' Baptist 
 church, and that evening, in the same place, he was 
 ordained to the Gospel ministry. The third notable date 
 is also a memorable day in Baptist history. Col. Broady, 
 Capt. Edgren and the Rev. A. Wiberg had been commis- 
 sioned by the American Baptist Missionary Union as 
 missionaries to Sweden. In the book, "Swedish Baptist 
 Work in Iowa" we find the following remarks 
 concerning this event: "On June 16, 1866, Col. Broady, 
 Capt. Edgren and A. Wiberg and their families were at 
 Pier 44, North River, to embark on the steamer "Aetna" 
 at 12:00 o'clock M, for Stockholm." R. E. Jeanson 
 rays concerning this: "Perhaps never before has a more 
 important embassage left New York to go to Sweden. 
 
A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES 71 
 
 We who now leave these loved ones with a heartache, 
 hope to see their labors crowned with success in our 
 beloved fatherland." 
 
 Immediately after the party had landed in Gothen- 
 burg Edgren set out for a visit to his old home town, 
 Arvika. His father had died in 1864, but his mother 
 was living, and his brother Hjalmar was staying at home 
 with her. At this time Hjalmar had the opportunity to 
 welcome Alexis and his young wife to the old home in 
 Varmland. He had engaged a fine orchestra for the 
 occasion, which rendered several selections of the best 
 American music, in honor of his brother's American 
 wife. 
 
 Stockholm was the center of Baptist activity, and as 
 soon as the Edgrens were settled there, Mr. Edgren 
 engaged in preaching both in the city and in various 
 places in the surrounding country. 
 
 The Baptist General Conference convened August 
 25-28. At the close of 1866 the membership was less 
 than 7,000, in 183 churches. At this meeting the 
 Baptist Bethel Seminary was founded, being the first 
 school of its kind in the kingdom established by a 
 dissenting religious denomination. J. A. Edgren was 
 elected a member of the faculty. During 1866-1869 he 
 taught mathematics, physics, geography, and astronomy. 
 He also served as pastor of the Second Baptist church 
 for a time and one summer made a preaching tour to the 
 Isle of Gothland in the Baltic. 
 
 Several matters combined to make him plan for an 
 early change. He felt that his labors in the school were 
 of a more secular nature than was satisfactory to him. 
 He wished to devote his undivided time and energy to 
 Biblical subjects. When Dr. Warren, secretary of the 
 Missionary Union, visited Stockholm, he expressed the 
 
72 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 opinion that there were more men concentrated at the 
 Capital than there ought to be at that time. Edgren 
 resigned from his position in the school and moved to the 
 university city of Uppsala and devoted himself to the 
 pastoral labors in the Baptist church there, being sup- 
 ported financially by American money in the hands of 
 the mission board at Stockholm. 
 
 Another serious matter intervened. Mrs. Edgren's 
 health was impaired and she was longing for her native 
 land. Pastor Edgren resigned from his charge and with 
 his family moved to the old home at Arvika. While 
 there they sought medical aid from the best doctor in 
 Christiania, Norway. They kept moving westward, 
 however, and during the winter of 1869-1870, Edgren 
 labored together with his schoolmate from Hamilton, 
 T. Truve, in the church of Gothenburg. 
 
 Edgren's preaching tours and his pastoral work 
 received ample approval by his brethren, and were 
 attended by the blessing of God in the conversion of 
 souls and the stablishing of the Christians in the faith. 
 From his pastoral work in Gothenburg he has recorded 
 the following story: "One time a woman of very noble 
 appearance attended a meeting at which she heard a ser- 
 mon on the ten virgins. She had the form of being a 
 Christian but realized that she was one of the five 
 foolish virgins who had no oil in their lamps. She 
 turned to the Lord in prayer. He answered and gave 
 peace to her soul and she became a happy worshipper. 
 One day I went to visit her where she lived with her 
 little ones in a garret chamber in the outskirts of the 
 city. Her husband was away from home, away in more 
 than one sense, and the mother had with great effort 
 provided for her children and herself. When I entered 
 the little room I saw at once that the woman's face 
 
A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES 73 
 
 shone with joy. She immediately related how a couple 
 of days before there had been no food left. Their last 
 crust of bread had been divided. 
 
 "The following morning she had nothing to give 
 her children. With a heavy heart she asked them to 
 be patient, while she was trying to find some work, 
 which she had failed to find the day before. One of the 
 children looked up into the mother's face and said: 
 'Why do you need to go without breakfast? Have you 
 not told us, mother, that Jesus hears prayer, and can we 
 not ask Him for food?' Then they all knelt and prayed. 
 While they were praying they heard steps in the old 
 stairway outside and finally someone rapping on the 
 door. They opened the door and behold, there stood a 
 stranger with a basket full of food which he set down 
 on the floor, explaining that it had been sent to them. 
 I need not tell that they were very happy at this answer 
 to their prayers." The memory of that happy incident 
 the pastor carried with him when he left on his journey 
 west. 
 
 His feelings were identical with F. O. Nilsson's 
 about leaving the fatherland. He wrote: "To me it 
 seemed trying, at times, to think of leaving the mission 
 in Sweden, although I loved America and at times longed 
 for that country; but my wife's health seemed to demand 
 that we return. In the spring of 1870 we undertook the 
 journey to America." And so, after nearly four years 
 of teaching and preaching, he left his native land. 
 
 The ocean trip and a visit among relatives and friends 
 in the East were beneficial to Mrs. Edgren's health. Mr. 
 Edgren had never been as far west as Chicago, but after 
 staying in the East awhile he received a call from the 
 First Swedish Baptist church of that city to become 
 its pastor. He accepted, and on August 19, began the 
 
74 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 work in his new field. That church was very much in 
 need of an experienced and capable man, and the mem- 
 bers rallied around their new pastor with a will to work. 
 Their first pastor, the Rev. J. Ring, had moved to Trade 
 Lake, Wisconsin, in the spring of the year before. A 
 mission team was organized for visiting in the homes 
 in the neighborhood, for street meetings and for helping 
 the people who were constantly arriving from the old 
 country. It was also decided to build a basement under 
 the church structure and provide rooms to rent out as 
 a source of income to aid in the work, as well as to 
 make certain improvements in order to make their house 
 of worship more attractive. When the pastor realized 
 that they could not raise the required money directly, 
 either among themselves or among the American Bap- 
 tists, a plan was devised to organize a stock company 
 and sell shares. This plan was well received, money 
 began to come in and the outlook for its success was very 
 promising. The property was well protected by insurance. 
 It was not long before Mr. Edgren began to realize 
 the need for more efficient Gospel workers in a con- 
 stantly enlarging field. He also felt that a publication 
 bringing denominational information and other inter- 
 esting reading would be very helpful to the scattered 
 members of the churches. In addition to pastoral work 
 and development of the plans just related, within less 
 than a year he had also evolved plans for establishing a 
 theological school and founding a Baptist magazine. 
 He suited his actions to his faith. In the month of May, 
 1871, the first issue of "Zion's Waktare" was off the 
 press. His library moved to the south side near the 
 Baptist University and Seminary for use at the opening 
 of the fall term. This was providential; for when the 
 destructive conflagration consumed most of Chicago's 
 
A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES 75 
 
 north side he lost everything, as did his church members, 
 with the exception of his library. "Zions Waktare" 
 could not rise out of the ashes. The church members 
 were scattered, but as soon as they could reassemble, 
 services were resumed. Their old friends, the Danish 
 Baptists, owned two church buildings, one on Union 
 Street and the other on Noble Street, and in one of these 
 the little group held meetings. 
 
 Pastor Edgren's time of service is of special interest 
 because it dates back to pioneer days. But his salary is 
 not typical of those early times. August 19, 1870, is 
 definitely known to be the date when he assumed his 
 charge and began his pastoral labors. The first pastor, 
 John Ring, had received a yearly salary of $150, but 
 the church has no record of the salaries paid the pastors 
 immediately succeeding Mr. Ring, among whom we find 
 Rev. Mr. Edgren. Our old reliable friend, "The 
 American Baptist Home Mission Society" sends the 
 writer the following helpful information, quoting from 
 its records: 
 
 "November 1870, J. A. Edgren — to the Swedes in 
 Chicago, Illinois — 12 months from September 1, salary 
 $400. 
 
 "Records of September 1871: J. A. Edgren to the 
 Swedes in Chicago, Illinois, — 12 months from Sept. 
 1, 1871, salary $400, the church to add $600. 
 
 It is safe to assume that the church had paid its share 
 of $600 the first year also, because the Society required 
 that a church pay a part of the salary in addition to what 
 the Society paid, before a grant would be made. After 
 the devastating fire, some of the members who remained 
 soon began to earn wages and contribute toward the 
 pastor's support. Edgren's labors were highly apprec- 
 iated and he was the best pastor the church had ever had. 
 
76 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 He has stated that he continued as pastor for one and 
 one half years. The Society paid its part of the $800 
 for the two years, according to the promise, up to Sept. 
 1, 1872. So even if the church had not paid anything 
 after the fire the pastor had received for his year and a 
 half of service about $1,400 — the highest salary of any 
 Swedish Baptist pastor in those days. And let us remem- 
 ber that we are considering the times when most of our 
 preachers 
 
 Took degrees at hauling logs, 
 
 And breaking up the land. 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 A Day of Small Beginnings 
 
 THE preceding chapter closed with some facts and 
 figures about finances that make us wonder how a 
 man with open eyes who had just "stepped out of 
 the frying pan" was ready and even eager to "jump into 
 the fire," — figuratively speaking; for Edgren had no 
 money when his pastoral labors ended and no assurance 
 of any assistance in his educational undertaking. If his 
 publication, "Zions Waktare," had any significance, 
 financially, it was as a liability and not as an asset, and 
 his list of subscribers was undoubtedly obliterated by 
 the flames. Had it been necessary to carry out the plan 
 first contemplated to open the school in the church on 
 Oak Street, it would have failed, for that shelter had 
 become a heap of ashes and broken bricks. 
 
 The founder of our school was a man of implicit 
 faith in God. Involuntarily our mind reverts to the 
 words in Hebrews 11:12: "Faith is the assurance of 
 things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen. For 
 therein the elders had witness borne to them." 
 
 Let some facts and figures convince us that John 
 Alexis Edgren was a hero of faith. At the beginning of 
 1868 there were 16 Swedish Baptist churches in our 
 land with a total membership not exceeding 700. There 
 had been 18 churches but the one in Chicago, organized 
 in 1853, and the one organized in New York City at a 
 somewhat later date had been disbanded. There 
 
78 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 were a lew additions by conversions and baptism, and in 
 the spring of 1869 about 300 Baptists arrived from the 
 province of Narke, Sweden, which by 1870 increased the 
 membership of our churches to about 1,000. The exact 
 number of ministers at that time cannot easily be 
 ascertained, but we do know that most of them were 
 'self-supporting" according to the process stated in the 
 last lines of the foregoing chapter. The Danish Baptists 
 at this time numbered about 450 and the Norwegians 
 about 75 in 13 churches, with 17 preachers. If we add, 
 for good measure, 75 more that may have been found 
 somewhere in the land, then we have 1,600 Scandinavian 
 Baptists here in the year 1870 — small groups scattered 
 over several states. The Swedish churches were organized 
 into two conferences, "The Illinois and Eastern Iowa" 
 and "The Minnesota Conference," the Danish churches 
 into one, "Den Ostlige Konferense." These, then, were 
 the people for whose benefit Edgren proposed to establish 
 the school and from whom he was to expect moral and 
 financial support, as well as young men to prepare for 
 the Gospel ministry. Let us pause for a moment to 
 emphasize another fact concerning the year 1870. The 
 Swedish Baptist centers of today, Minneapolis, St. Paul, 
 and Duluth, had no churches at the beginning of 1870. 
 In May, 1870, the First Church of Minneapolis was 
 organized. 
 
 At this point we will introduce a pioneer student, 
 John Matson, a young man from Raymond, Wisconsin. 
 He had studied in the Baptist Seminary, but he soon 
 allied himself with the Seventh Day Adventists and 
 caused some strife among the Danish Baptists. He was, 
 as far as we know, the first Scandinavian student with 
 which the Americans had become acquainted, but their 
 disappointment in him served to accentuate the need for 
 
A DAY OF SMALL BEGINNINGS 79 
 
 the department for which Edgren was laying the 
 foundation. 
 
 We have now reached the autumn of 1871 and 
 observe that the founder of our school has himself entered 
 the seminary as a student. His own statement concerning 
 this fact is very interesting and also contains elucidating 
 information regarding the condition of churches and 
 ministers of that time. He had found some excellent 
 Gospel workers, although men of meager education; but 
 unsound doctrines had gained entrance into the churches, 
 such as soul-sleeping, soul-annihilation and Judaizing 
 tendencies. He concludes thus: "When I saw all this 
 and knew what an advantage it would be for our 
 missionaries and pastors to possess more theological 
 knowledge for their work, and because I knew the great 
 need of preachers in the wide fields that were whitening 
 to harvest, I burned with a sincere desire to be able to 
 impart to others what I myself had already learned in 
 theology, and more also if I could acquire it. Therefore 
 I entered the theological seminary in Chicago and 
 graduated there. Meanwhile, I began, on the invitation 
 of the faculty, to give instruction to Scandinavian 
 students." The records show his graduation date as 
 May 9, 1872. 
 
 Edgren's first student was the 21 year old Chris- 
 topher Silene from Minnesota. Here we are reminded of 
 the proverb, "Where there is a will there is a way" and 
 that "God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to 
 perform." O. Bergstrom, a Baptist minister from C. 
 Silene's home parish, Hassela, met him in Minneapolis 
 and advised him to devote himself to the preaching of 
 the Gospel. But young Silene answered that he lacked 
 schooling for such a career. Bergstrom then showed him 
 an article in "Zions Waktare" in which Edgren stated 
 
80 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 that the Swedish Baptist church, Chicago, would provide 
 room for two students, and free board for one. But 
 better still: "Free room and free tuition in the 
 seminary" — a later statement in the same issue. His 
 friend from Hassela also wrote to Prof. Edgren, recom- 
 mending the young man, but the answer was slow in 
 arriving, and in the meantime Silene had set out in the 
 company of August Malmsten and A. H. Nelson on a 
 trip down the Mississippi. Here he planned to earn 
 money with which to begin his ministerial education. 
 But he became ill with a severe fever, and his funds, 
 instead of increasing, dwindled down to nothing. Just 
 then he received word from Edgren that he would be 
 v/elcome to enter the school. He had to answer that he 
 could not come because he lacked the means for support. 
 Edgren answered, "Come, Brother, God provides." His 
 companions, Malmsten and Nelson, prevailed on him to 
 undertake the trip to Chicago and lent him money for 
 the fare. He arrived, sick and tired, at the time when the 
 great fire began to be somewhat under control; but all 
 was still confusion and disorder. The panic was 
 indescribable. Soldiers had been called out to keep order. 
 And where was he to look for Edgren, when the north 
 side in which the Baptist church was located was all in 
 ruins, with whirling smoke and ashes filling the air? 
 
 He found his way to the First Baptist church on 
 Wabash Avenue, which had been opened for refugees. 
 This haven was filled with sick and wounded. A man 
 of friendly appearance approached and asked where he 
 came from. Silene told him he just came up from the 
 South. When the man perceived by the speech of the 
 stranger that he was a foreigner and unacquainted with 
 the real situation, he warned him not to tell that to 
 anybody, for it was commonly believed that the fire had 
 
Mrs. J. A. Edgren, 
 i, Annie Abbot Chapman 
 
A DAY OF SMALL BEGINNINGS 81 
 
 been caused by Southerners as an act of revenge. Silene 
 found a pew in the balcony where he could recline and 
 obtain much-needed rest. The northern climate was 
 beneficial to his health, and judging from the first dose 
 of medicine he had received he must have had a good 
 constitution. A countryman of his, Mr. Carlstedt, 
 found him and took pity on him, sent for another 
 countryman, Dr. Karlen, a veterinarian, who gave the 
 patient a "horse-cure," with good results. On the follow- 
 ing morning Mr. Carlstedt brought him to Dr. Edgren's 
 home. Here he was cared for by Mrs. Edgren, who had 
 been an army nurse, until he was fully recovered. There 
 was formed a bond of friendship which grew stronger 
 between teacher and pupil as time went on. Silene was 
 the only student during the fall term. When was he 
 to get a comrade? We shall know soon, but before we 
 put that on record we shall let one of Edgren's sons tell 
 us of an experience his father had shortly before Silene's 
 arrival : 
 
 "When the great Chicago fire came they had just 
 moved to another part of the city. Their small belongings 
 were stored in the Baptist church on Oak Street, where 
 my father had been preaching. He went through the 
 burning city to try to rescue some of the most valuable 
 objects. He was in the building making up a package 
 when he felt increased heat. Stepping outside he saw at 
 a glance that the fire, driven by a hard wind, had leaped 
 blocks of buildings and was all around him. The church 
 was burning. Tops of buildings all around were in 
 flames. The fire had passed him and gone on down the 
 street, where no one now was in sight. Rushing back 
 into the church he picked up the package he had prepared 
 and started out, but a gust of wind swung the door 
 closed and it jammed. He rushed back, got an ax, and 
 
%1 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 chopped the door down. Then seizing what he thought 
 was his package he ran down the street, nearly overcome 
 by smoke and heat. Reaching the Van Buren Street 
 bridge, he found it jammed with loaded trucks deserted 
 by their drivers, the horses frantically piling up and 
 everything in great disorder as the last of the fleeing 
 crowd was struggling to cross. 
 
 "There was no chance on the bridge. Being a sailor 
 my father did not hesitate. He swung himself down 
 under the bridge and crossed the river by swinging and 
 climbing along the rods of the supporting ironwork, in 
 some way managing to hang on to his heavy bundle. 
 
 "Across, he sat down to rest, and looking at the 
 bundle for the first time, and finding it of strange 
 appearance, he opened it and saw that it was only a roll 
 of heavy blankets. He always laughed when he got to 
 this part of the story." 
 
 At Christmas time Silene got his first comrade when 
 Nicholas Hayland, "Niklas Haglund," arrived. He began 
 to study in both the English and the Scandinavian 
 departments of the seminary. He had studied in higher 
 institutions of learning in Sweden during 1861-1870 
 and could without difficulty enter any class in the English 
 department. He distinguished himself in Hebrew and 
 Greek. He graduated with the A.B. degree in 1873, the 
 first graduate of our school. He was a fluent speaker, a 
 fine singer and musician. His first field of labor was 
 Kansas, western Iowa and Nebraska. Later on he went 
 to the Pacific coast. Silene continued his studies during 
 1871-1875. While a student at the seminary he over- 
 came a slight tendency to stutter. His preaching was 
 much on the expository order. Greek was his favorite 
 subject and he seldom preached before he had prepared 
 himself by first carefully studying his Greek New Testa- 
 
A DAY OF SMALL BEGINNINGS 8* 
 
 mcnt. While at school he assisted Professor Edgren in 
 his literary labors and teaching. Both of these early 
 students were Baptists from Sweden. 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 The Seminary Getting Under Way* 
 
 WE have already told of how Alexis Edgren 
 successfully navigated his ship through dangerous 
 waters at Port Royal under unfavorable weather 
 conditions, with only a flagpole for mast and an 
 improvised sail made from an awning to hold it steady, 
 and how he finally outrode the storm, reaching his goal 
 and reported to Admiral Dahlgren. And here we deem 
 it proper to ask the question: Was he to prove himself 
 equal to the task now set before him? The answer will 
 be found in the following pages. 
 
 The school had already been started with two 
 students, and the founder had the assurance that more 
 were coming. Being convinced that God had led him on 
 thus far he adopted a few foundation principles which 
 
 *) For the benefit of the reader who may not be familiar with 
 the Baptist institution we refer to as the University of Chicago the 
 following information will be helpful. This university was located 
 near the west side of Cottage Grove Avenue between 34th and 35th 
 Streets. The University building faced Lake Michigan eastward. 
 The Baptist Union Theological Seminary was located west of the 
 university campus with a narrow street between the two properties. 
 The seminary was moved to Morgan Park, twelve miles south of the 
 center of Chicago. The first school session in the new building here 
 was in the autumn of 1877. Prof. Edgren was the head of the 
 Scandinavian Department, six years in Chicago and seven years in 
 Morgan Park. Dr. G. W. Northrup was the president of the B. U. 
 T. S. all these years. 
 
86 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 have been reiterated by speakers and writers about our 
 schools until this day. 
 
 "One is our Master, but we are all brethren," was 
 Edgren's motto, first and last. Here follow the four 
 principles: 
 
 1. "Those who wish to gain entrance into the 
 seminary ought to be conscious of a true conversion and 
 a call from God to become proclaimers of the Gospel. 
 
 2. "The preacher ought to possess as much knowl- 
 edge as possible, but of all knowledge Bible knowledge 
 is the most important for him. We therefore take up in 
 the school such subjects as contribute to a true knowledge 
 of the Bible, while the Bible itself, as carefully as time 
 will allow, will be gone through from beginning to end. 
 
 3. "The preacher ought to have as much culture as 
 possible, but of all culture the development of the 
 spiritual life is for him the most important. Hence we 
 make, especially in connection with the study of the 
 Bible, edification a main aim in the school, while 
 through the order of the courses and the completeness of 
 the subjects reasoning power may be developed and the 
 store of knowledge increased. 
 
 4. "The relation between teacher and pupil shall not 
 be that of commander and subject, but one of true 
 friendship and helpfulness, remembering that 'one only 
 is our Master, but we are all brethren!' ' 
 
 Our hearts are truly "burning within us" as we 
 catch the spirit of brotherly love in these constitutional 
 declarations. And there was no turning aside from the 
 trail blazed by our pioneer teacher during the period of 
 his leadership. But more than that; in the Golden 
 Jubilee volume of the seminary we find the statement 
 that Edgren's four principles had been sacredly adhered to 
 "during the whole history of the seminary, and we hope 
 
SEMINARY GETTING UNDER WAY 8 7 
 
 it shall thus continue." The present writer has personal 
 knowledge of the fact that the founder's hope still holds 
 good. 
 
 As there were only two students in 1871-1872 and 
 as the teacher had to leave on account of ill health 
 before the spring term was completed, the seminary 
 catalog does not have a special page for the Scandi- 
 navian department, but after that time we find the 
 regular record of studies pursued: 
 
 Swedish Grammar and New Testament. 
 Biblical Geography and Archaeology. 
 Evidences of Christianity. 
 Systematic Theology. 
 
 Here we quote from the catalog of 1873-1874: 
 
 "Principles of Interpretation with numerous applica- 
 tions of Scriptures, and essays on important doctrines 
 and passages of the Bible by the students. 
 
 "Homiletics, with essays by the students on the 
 spirit and method of the Lord Jesus and his apostles in 
 preaching; examination of sermons by eminent modern 
 preachers; sermons and criticisms by the class; extem- 
 poraneous preaching in public, and criticism on the same 
 in the class room; exegetical and inferential study of 
 portions of the Old Testament. This last exercise, the 
 most important and delightful of all, has been devotional 
 as well as didactic, accompanied by singing, and by 
 prayer on the part of both teacher and class, and 
 continued about an hour every morning. A series of 
 lectures on astronomy has also been delivered to the 
 classes." Lectures were also given on universal history. 
 
 Some of the school activities now related are a little 
 in advance of the first year, yet they come within tho 
 first five-year period. 
 
88 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 There were breakers ahead, and we discover that the 
 captain was deficient in one important point; he had not 
 correctly gauged his own physical strength. Before the 
 first school year ended, his health failed. We can easily 
 discover the reason when we remember that he was 
 studying to complete his own theological course, and was 
 still serving the Swedish Baptist church as pastor while 
 he was teaching his students and providing for his own 
 family, after all their earthly belongings with the excep- 
 tion of his library had been swept away in the fire a few 
 months earlier. Listen to his own story: 
 
 "During the spring term of 1872 my health failed 
 me suddenly on account of too strenuous labor. Hence 
 it became necessary to break away from my studies, my 
 teaching, and my pastoral responsibilities in the Swedish 
 church in Chicago. My family had gone to Massachusetts 
 after the fire. I had been short of money, but now there 
 was provided for me, without my efforts, money enough 
 to join my family. I had a slight stroke on the right side 
 of my brain. Being advised to make a trip across the sea 
 I made arrangements for passage to Sweden where I 
 rested during the summer and received medical care at the 
 watering place of Marstrand. Afterward I stayed at my 
 dear mother's home and in midwinter returned to 
 America over a stormy ocean. On the way, in possibly 
 the worst storm I have seen, I received the most precious 
 answer to prayer. The third night of the storm, when it 
 seemed that neither ship nor people could endure much 
 longer, I prayed most earnestly that God would let the 
 strom abate and permit us to reach some haven. In a 
 little while we had a perfect calm. We were then about 
 halfway across and after that our trip was pleasant until 
 we landed in New York." A Christian young man had 
 joined him in prayer also. A fire started, but was 
 
SEMINARY GETTING UNDER WAY 89 
 
 extinguished. The ship's doctor had been thrown down 
 and had some ribs broken. 
 
 Edgren needed the extra strength and reassurance 
 that the answer to prayer had brought him, for in New 
 York the news met him that during his absence their 
 young daughter had died and the mother had taken a 
 position as nurse to earn some money and alleviate her 
 sorrow by daily employment. He remarks: "The situa- 
 tion appeared intolerable, but I had to bear it." 
 
 When Edgren left Chicago he had two students. 
 When he returned in the early spring of 1873 he had 
 four, and the following fall term seven. He was without 
 money, but ready for the task before him. The seminary 
 had a real friend in a Captain Wilson of Menominie, 
 Wisconsin. Professor Edgren accompanied the secretary 
 of the seminary on a visit to solicit money for the 
 Scandinavian department from the captain. The 
 mission was a success. Toward spring Edgren was able 
 to send for his family, still in the East. During his 
 absence in Sweden the students had assisted each other in 
 their studies and some instruction had been given by 
 professors of the university. 
 
 The results from the first five years' sacrifices and 
 prayers were so substantial and convincing that the man 
 at the helm could plainly see God's approval of the 
 course he had pursued. They can be presented in figures 
 as follows: sixteen students had matriculated — one 
 Norwegian, four Danes, eleven Swedes. In the year 
 18 75 -'76 there were five entrants. The missionary 
 labors performed by students during these years was no 
 small item, but cannot be shown in figures. Besides 
 Silene and Hayland, who will always stand as the first- 
 fruits of Edgren's educational labors, we have N. P. 
 Jensen who became the foremost educator among the 
 
90 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 Danish Baptists, John Ongman whose labors in pioneer 
 days are well known, and Niels Tychsen, organizer of 
 the Daneville church and well known throughout the 
 Dakotas as one of the most influential members of the 
 Constitutional Convention of the Dakota Territory. 
 
 But will the founder ever see the day when he can 
 muster as many young men as Elisha could spare — fifty 
 to search for the departed Elijah? It appears doubtful. 
 In 1876 he really doubted that it was God's will that 
 he should continue. In the East he had failed to get 
 financial support. Friends had made appeals through 
 the Baptist press with some success, but not sufficient 
 to enable him to continue. He needed rest and made 
 a visit to the Rev. C. Silene, in Galesburg. From a 
 historical address by Silene, published in "The Standard" 
 in August, 1884, we get information on the critical 
 situation then prevailing. 
 
 "In the summer of 1876 it seemed very hopeless for 
 the school, and I shall never forget the visit I then had 
 from Prof. Edgren. His courage was very much dimin- 
 ished, for he had just returned from the eastern states, 
 where he had hoped to receive aid for the school, but 
 had been disappointed. He spoke of discontinuing, and 
 again seeking employment on the sea. His doctor had 
 also given him that advice on account of his health. He 
 was uncertain of God's will. We prayed, and, as I went 
 out I met a messenger with the following telegram: 
 
 'Theological Seminary, Chicago, Aug. 26, 1876. 
 
 'Rev. J. A. Edgren: Just returned. Captain Wilson 
 Mall do same as last year. 
 
 'T. W. Goodspeed.' 
 
 "The telegram which meant a promise of $400, still 
 exists, and on its back Prof. Edgren wrote: 
 
SEMINARY GETTING UNDER WAY 91 
 
 Hold the fort for I am coming, 
 
 Jesus signals still. 
 Wave the answer back to heaven, 
 By Thy grace we will.' 
 
 "Now it was our turn to praise the Lord for this 
 hint to continue. We went to a district meeting in 
 Canton, Illinois, and there we were further encouraged." 
 Here individuals contributed some money "and," con- 
 cludes C. Silene, "our dear Professor went home more 
 happy, and I believe more healthy, and has ever since held 
 the fort." 
 
 Thus encouraged in a financial way he also felt the 
 added satisfaction of a goodly number of new students 
 applying for admission at the opening of the school year 
 1876-1877, seven in all. Among these were the Rev. 
 Frank Peterson, the Rev. August Johnson as well as the 
 first Swedish student from Wisconsin. 
 
 In spite of improvement, Prof. Edgren's health was 
 not robust. Beginning with the fall term a student, N. 
 P. Jensen, relieved him of teaching first year Greek. 
 This lightening of the teaching load was absolutely 
 necessary, but did not work out favorably for some of 
 the new students. It was a problem that could not be 
 solved with equal fairness to all concerned. The follow- 
 ing year it led to another change which brought about 
 still another move, less wise than the first. The situation 
 presented the following complication: The grammar 
 was Greek-English and the teacher was a Dane. This 
 entailed no difficulty for C. J. Johnson and J. A. H. 
 Johnson, who were Norwegians and spoke the same 
 language as the teacher; but Frank Peterson and L. J. 
 Ahlstrom were Swedes, though neither of them had seen 
 a Swedish grammar before they came to this school, 
 where the whole Swedish was given in six review lessons. 
 
92 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 It soon dawned upon them that it would be difficult 
 under these conditions to acquire a comprehensive knowl- 
 edge of the original New Testament language, and 
 Peterson withdrew from the class before Christmas. 
 This was a real disappointment to Prof. Edgren and to 
 one of the classmates; but Ahlstrom stumbled through 
 to the end of the spring term. This situation was no 
 discredit to the teacher, for Jensen was a good student; 
 but he had had only one year of Greek himself and was 
 in the midst of his own school course; he was also 
 preaching, and writing articles for the new Danish 
 Baptist magazine, "Oliebladet." It was a time when 
 we needed to practice in spirit and in deed the founder's 
 fourth constitutional article; "One only is our Master, 
 but we are all brethren." Subsequent history proves that 
 the fourth article was no dead "letter." 
 
 A printed letter was sent out in December, 1876, to 
 awaken more interest in the churches for the school. In 
 this letter the following items of information appear; 
 
 "When the students preach, they are not allowed 
 to use written sermons." Opponents to the school had 
 circulated stories that when the Baptists would be 
 supplied with schooled ministers the people would only 
 hear dry, uninteresting written sermons such as they had 
 been compelled to listen to in the State church in 
 Sweden. 
 
 "In the spring of 1876 a library of 370 volumes 
 had been acquired for the school and hope was expressed 
 that Baptist publications in Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, 
 and Icelandic might also be added. 
 
 Some of the results of the labors of the students after 
 the first five-year period are summed up as follows; 
 From some extensive revivals 282 converts have been 
 baptized, 100 added by letter, the Second church in 
 
SEMINARY GETTING UNDER WAY 93 
 
 Chicago organized and some Sunday schools started. 
 
 The closing paragraph begins with this information: 
 "Now it remains only to mention that the school is, as 
 it often has been, entirely without means. When this 
 report is issued there is hardly a dollar left for support 
 of the teacher, and some of the students are in need of 
 help." 
 
 In the autumn of 1877 the seminary began its work 
 in the new building, — later called Morgan Hall — at 
 Morgan Park. Seven new Scandinavian students were 
 enrolled and we were now fifteen in that department, 
 Edgren and Jensen teaching. Before school began I told 
 Dr. Edgren that I did not wish to continue language 
 study on the same plan as before and asked his permission 
 to take Greek and Hebrew in the English Department. 
 At a faculty meeting it was decided that we three class- 
 mates, C. J. Johnson, J. A. H. Johnson, L. J. Ahlstrom, 
 and the new entrants should study Greek and Hebrew 
 in the English department. All but one dropped out of 
 the Greek classes before Christmas. Only one entered 
 the Hebrew class. 
 
 Prof. Edgren's health was not the best at this time, 
 and we readily understand that such problems as those 
 related here, problems that could not possibly be satis- 
 factorily solved, did not help his physical condition. The 
 Rev. C. Silene informs us that Prof. Edgren labored the 
 first seven years without any assured stated income. And 
 during these seven "lean" years he had received 35 
 students to prepare for the Gospel ministry. 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 In Chicago and Morgan Park 
 
 THE opening of the school year 1876-1877 had 
 fortunately been announced in "Zions Waktare," 
 and in addition to this Prof. Edgren had published 
 the four-page letter which was sent out to pastors and 
 churches in December, 1876. From that communication 
 we have already extracted some information. From this 
 source we have also learned that C. Silene had done most 
 of the work on the 'Z. W.," that A. B. Orgren had 
 printed a monthly paper which was distributed gratis 
 by the First church in Minneapolis as a tract; N. P. 
 Jensen had published his treatise "Efter Doden," a 
 refutation of some erroneous Seventh Day Adventist 
 doctrines. 
 
 When it became impossible for Edgren to continue 
 publishing "Z. W. f " the Rev. K. A. Ostergren assumed 
 this work. He soon enlarged it to a weekly paper of 
 somewhat pretentious size and named it "Facklan" (The 
 Torch), issued from St. Paul. The Baptist constit- 
 uency was not able to sustain this excellent publication 
 and its light went out during 1877. But before this 
 misfortune overtook us Prof. Edgren had inserted an 
 article concerning our Scandinavian theological school in 
 Chicago in which he again emphasized what kind of men 
 were wanted : 
 
 1 'The school is altogether designed for persons who 
 know themselves called to preach the gospel and who 
 are impelled by such motives as Paul names in II Cor. 
 
96 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 5:11-14; I Cor. 9:16; I Thess. 2:8: "Knowing there- 
 fore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men,". . . "For 
 the love of Christ constraineth us," . . . "Yea, woe is 
 unto me, if I preach not the gospel." 
 
 It was fortunate for Prof. Edgren that the Danish 
 Baptist magazine, "Oliebladet" continued to live when 
 the Swedish paper had succumbed. In this periodical 
 he made an appeal for the school, in which the reader 
 could not but note the author's burning zeal for an 
 educated ministry versed in the Holy Scripture. Here 
 follow a few sentences translated from the Danish: "A 
 preacher must above all else have a comprehensive and 
 profound knowledge of the Bible. But an accurate 
 knowledge of the Bible cannot be obtained except 
 through study. How shall a man be able to know God's 
 will and way, which is revealed in the Bible, unless he 
 himself learns it from the Bible. One cannot learn much 
 without hard study and much prayer. He who will not 
 apply himself to acquire the truth in God's word will 
 not get many of its imperishable treasures. Such is the 
 law of God's kingdom. If we obey God's word God 
 will reveal Himself to us and we shall come in possession 
 of true wisdom and joy. If anything is of importance 
 for the preacher, it is the possession of a thorough knowl- 
 edge of the Bible from beginning to end. In all, first 
 and foremost, emphasis is placed on being taught by the 
 Holy Spirit, for without that teaching no true progress 
 can be made, nor can one without such knowledge 
 become qualified for the great task." 
 
 In the foregoing statements we can assuredly feel 
 the heart-throbs of an instructor who loved the word 
 of God; and should there be any lingering doubt about 
 this it will be dispelled by the testimonies of a few of 
 the "Old Guard." 
 
Baptist Union Theological Seminary, Chicago 
 
 Morgan Hall, Morgan Park, 111., 
 for many years the home of the seminary 
 
IN CHICAGO AND MORGAN PARK 97 
 
 As a consequence of the rearrangements of studies 
 in the fall of 1877 the school year 1878-1879 had no 
 junior class and only one full-course graduate. Some 
 students did not return because of their inability to 
 adapt themselves to the new order of things. The Danish 
 historian, Prof. Lawdahl, also takes cognizance of that 
 fact. 
 
 The board of examiners for 1879 consisted of three 
 former graduates, N. P. Jensen, John Ongman, and J. 
 B. Sundt. "The Standard", which had always been 
 very friendly toward Prof. Edgren and his educational 
 work, carries the following statement about the com- 
 mencement exercises in 1879: "The orations of the 
 graduates having been delivered, Prof. Edgren addressed 
 in the Swedish language those who have completed their 
 course in his department. It was an 'unknown tongue' 
 to most of those present, but it was a pleasant thing to 
 think of in that connection, that our seminary places 
 itself in relation with one of the most interesting and 
 valuable of our foreign populations, and sends forth 
 yearly these who shall preach the Gospel to them in their 
 own language." The sentiment expressed concerning the 
 work among the Scandinavians was shared by the 
 American Baptists throughout the country at the time. 
 The remark about the "orations" of the graduates can 
 be credited to the fact that the writer for the "Standard" 
 did not understand either Swedish or Danish, for there 
 were no "orations" and only one graduate. Two 
 Norwegian brethren, L. Johanson and I. Larsen, had 
 attended classes only a few months. But if the work 
 may be measured by the result of the labors of these 
 short-course students, the time had certainly been used 
 profitably both by teacher and students; for Johanson 
 became the pastor of Swedish churches, with exception- 
 
98 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 ally long and successful service, and Larsen likewise in 
 Danish and Norwegian churches. C. G. Gustafson and 
 family from the First Swedish church in Chicago were 
 the only visitors from the Baptist churches in the city, 
 and this marked the first time any member of a Scan- 
 dinavian church had been present at any commencement 
 exercises of the department, after it was moved to Morgan 
 Fark. Floral decorations for the room in which the 
 exercises were held consisted chiefly of wild apple- 
 blossoms gathered by a student from the woodland in 
 the vicinity of the school. Thus ended the first eight 
 years in a setting which was characterized by the sim- 
 plicity of a countryside rather than the surroundings of 
 a big city. 
 
 The three graduates of 1880 were Axel Tjernlund 
 of New York, N. F. Norlin of Kansas, and E. S. Sundt 
 of Minnesota. From Sundt we soon heard echoes from 
 the hills of Norway, where he engaged in Gospel work 
 among his own people. As a student Tjernlund had the 
 peculiar ability of reciting Edgren's lectures sentence by 
 sentence, line by line, in the class room, provided he got 
 started on the right word. Among Baptist preachers 
 he became known as one of the most eloquent pulpit 
 orators in the Swedish language. And he deserved that 
 distinction. 
 
 By this time the Rev. E. Wingren had arrived in Chi- 
 cago and had been added to the faculty, teaching Swedish 
 grammar and composition; and Ahlstrom continued 
 with the class in Swedish until the end of the spring 
 term of 1880. After ten years the course of study was 
 lengthened to four years. 
 
 While there had been feelings and utterances of 
 uncertainty and disaffection, yet the school work went 
 forward under the leadership of the founder, with one 
 
IN CHICAGO AND MORGAN PARK 09 
 
 of the early students, Prof. Jensen, as his main assistant. 
 The number of students increased steadily until the 
 break-up came. 
 
 The following is an interesting record of growth: 
 1880-'81, ten students, 1881 -'82, eighteen students, 
 1882-'83, twenty-eight, and in 1883-'84, thirty-two 
 students. Among these we find such prominent names 
 as Julius Jensen, Eric Sandell, O. P. Peterson, E. L. 
 Myrland, Eric Halvarson, F. O. Nelson, representing 
 the three Scandinavian peoples. They had come from 
 eleven states, Minnesota having the largest representa- 
 tion, and the other states in the following order: Illinois, 
 Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, New York, Mass- 
 achusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Pennsylvania. A few 
 bad come directly from Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. 
 As yet we had no churches on the Pacific coast, or in 
 Canada. 
 
 There was pressing need for woman missionaries to 
 work among the Scandinavian people in the large cities, 
 and Prof. Edgren invited young women who felt called 
 to this line of missionary effort to enter a special Bible 
 study class in the seminary. The first one was Miss 
 Elizabeth Johnson from the First Swedish Baptist 
 church of Chicago, 1879. Anna B. Nelson from Rock- 
 ford entered in 1880. Thus this new departure antedates 
 our American Baptist Missionary Training School at 
 Chicago by about two years. Now we can give an 
 affirmative answer to the question in Chapter IX; "Will 
 Edgren ever get the number of students up to fifty," 
 for by this time about 90 students had matriculated, and 
 most of them completed three or four-year courses. 
 
 Let us close this chapter by relating what the 
 founder did in the interest of the school by way of 
 writing and public speaking to create interest for the 
 
100 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 institution and keep it moving forward. What he wrote 
 in Swedish, if printed, would make a good sized volume 
 and some of it was also translated into Danish. It will 
 he sufficient for our purpose to make some extracts from 
 his address on "Our Work Among the Scandinavians," 
 delivered before the Baptist anniversaries at Saratoga in 
 May, 1880, in which we also see clearly his views on 
 some vital New Testament doctrines. In these paragraphs 
 we can yet feel his warm-hearted appeal for the cause of 
 sound ministerial education: 
 
 "There are already over one million Scandinavians 
 in this country, and immigration is greater than ever. 
 The Swedish press raises loud protests as it is feared that 
 some parts of the Scandinavian Peninsula will be depop- 
 ulated. Those who come are mostly young, strong, 
 honest, but unconverted, having been taught regeneration 
 through baptism. Another line of doctrine has also had 
 its influence, equally dangerous, that Christ in His death 
 on the Cross did not die in the sinner's place, bearing the 
 sinner's guilt and its penalty, thus in infinite love by 
 His blood covering our sins that they might not be laid 
 to our charge, this under the influence of men, who, by 
 their merely moral view of the atonement rob the Gospel 
 of its very kernel, and our peace of its very foundation. 
 But the newcomers very generally reverence the Word 
 of God. It is evident that the conversion to Christ of 
 the foreign element in our population is also the salvation 
 of the Republic. Upon the labors of our Scandinavian 
 department we have seen God's gracious favors. 
 
 "The Home Mission Society is now aiding a number 
 of our men in the field. I could tell you of a Swedish 
 brother from our school who won souls to Christ and 
 organized a church in Chicago. An elderly man, a 
 drunkard, was converted and became a deacon, studied 
 
IN CHICAGO AND MORGAN PARK 101 
 
 in our school a year and then went to Kansas and became 
 very successful as a soul-winner and organizer of Baptist 
 churches. A Norwegian brother is now pastor of a 
 little, but growing, Norwegian church in Chicago, a 
 model of Christian spirituality and love. A Dane is 
 pastor of a Danish church in Chicago, a successful author 
 and editor among his countrymen. Our men arc now at 
 work in several states. About twenty men have gone 
 out and have baptized about five hundred converts. But 
 our work needs enlargement. The Lutherans have 
 several institutions of higher instruction, and several of 
 a lower order. The one nearest to us has nine teachers. 
 Here we are with one single teacher, who is still largely 
 responsible for his own support. Yet the seminary is 
 indeed very cordially doing all it can for the work." 
 
 Towards the close of his address, when he had 
 surveyed the great mission fields, he said: "Yet these 
 fields, as far as we can judge, are responsive to the Gospel. 
 Whenever we have visited any one of them, perhaps never 
 to be able to visit it again, we have found the people so 
 anxious to hear, that we have with difficulty been able 
 to tear ourselves away to return to our regular and 
 pressing duties. How are these to be supplied with the 
 water of life?" 
 
 In his appeals he always kept the school work and 
 its needs and opportunities before the audience, showing 
 how men from the seminary had wrought successfully 
 and how that institution must be sustained in order to 
 gain the best results in mission work. Outside, as well 
 as inside the school, his labor knew no languor in his 
 appeals for support and hope for continued success. 
 
 After about thirteen years of strenuous educational 
 labor in the class room and by oral and written appeals 
 in English and Swedish among American and Scandinav- 
 
102 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 ian Baptists a change bad become imperative, in the 
 judgment of the founder, and we read the following 
 notice in "Evangelisk Tidskrift": 
 
 "On July 14 (1884) I sent in my resignation to 
 the Seminary at Morgan Park in order, through God's 
 assistance, to found an independent school further west, 
 to which we invite our brethren this fall. More later on. 
 
 "J. A. Edgren." 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 
 i 
 
 Reasons for Severing Old Ties 
 
 WHEN we have accepted as a settled fact that we 
 are "saved by grace alone" and that we must 
 "walk by faith," we should also remember that 
 we are dependent on material things for our physical well- 
 being. Overestimating or undervaluing these conditions 
 in which we find ourselves may lead us into difficulty, 
 impede our progress and perhaps wreck our most 
 cherished plans. We need both courage and caution. 
 
 In the most important qualities required of a leader 
 for an institution like the one with which we are 
 concerned, Edgren's leadership was well maintained. In 
 matters of scholarly attainment he always ranked 
 high in the estimates of those who knew him best and 
 who are qualified to pass judgment. As an unselfish, 
 self-sacrificing Christian gentleman one rarely meets his 
 equal. These outstanding excellent qualities have always 
 engaged the attention of his friends and commentators, 
 and if they have discovered aught but the very best they 
 have hardly even suggested it. 
 
 In order to get a true estimate of Edgren's ability to 
 cope with certain contingencies existing in the pioneer 
 days of our educational endeavors we shall find it both 
 interesting and profitable to take a backward glance at 
 now almost forgotten pictures,— lest we forget "the rock 
 out of which we are hewn." 
 
 The general appearance of the immigrant from the 
 land of the midnight sun was so different from that of 
 
104 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 the American that the one was not easily mistaken for 
 the other. Within two or three years, however, this 
 difference in outward aspect had in most cases dis- 
 appeared. But the inward change in the newcomer did 
 not come about as easily or suddenly. 
 
 Conditions existed under which neither party was 
 able to make proper allowances to enable them to work 
 together in harmony. For instance, in the mind of the 
 newcomer the American was rich, the newcomer poor, 
 usually very poor. This on the whole, was generally 
 true, but often exaggerated, to the detriment of both 
 parties. The new-comer often thought, and sometimes 
 said, "Why should not the rich American brother do 
 more for his struggling brother of foreign birth?" But 
 even after the newcomer was able to do more, he some- 
 times held back because of the hoped-for help that did not 
 materialize. 
 
 And there was another difficulty. We take the case 
 of Captain Wilson. He had experienced financial reverses, 
 it is true, but his acquaintance was with such Scandinav- 
 ians as were the least susceptible to Gospel preaching 
 as presented by the Baptists. After he had given 
 514,800 to the school during a period of four years and 
 could see but very small results among those in his part 
 of the state he would give no more. 
 
 As the years went by and the Scandinavian churches 
 profited by the excellent work of the school, the Amer- 
 ican Baptists expected to see more interest manifested in 
 the work by larger contributions from our churches. 
 This was reasonable. Add to this the fact that stubborn 
 opposition from some of our own men was still in 
 evidence and we are convinced that the man at the 
 head of the school found himself between two fires. If 
 Edgren had not been fully qualified for his position 
 
REASONS FOR SEVERING OLD TIES 105 
 
 and a man of perfect trust in God, the Scandinavian 
 Baptists would not under these circumstances have had 
 an educated ministry to carry on the work. 
 
 If the reader wonders why any Scandinavian Baptist 
 could ever harbor any opposition to an educated ministry, 
 let him remember that they had become heirs to this 
 prejudice very naturally. For was it not the educated 
 ministers of the established church who had been their 
 tormentors and most persistent persecutors? 
 
 While these various elements were more or less 
 evident, the school work went forward uninterruptedly 
 and attracted students in increasing numbers. Labors 
 and responsibilities continued to increase until the man 
 at the head found the burden unbearable, unless an 
 increase in appreciation and consequent relief could be 
 obtained, and his load lightened. 
 
 But soon another disturbing factor appeared. The 
 conviction that we could carry on the school independent 
 of the assistance of our American brethren had become so 
 well established with Prof. Edgren and some of the 
 ministers that it finally became impossible for them to 
 change their minds on this subject. We realize that this 
 idea had its inception with Prof. Edgren, for it was his 
 original intention to begin the school on his own 
 initiative while pastor of the Swedish Baptist church of 
 Chicago in 1871. Now, after years of practical experience 
 with the school as a department of an older institution, 
 he had become convinced that the best success could not 
 be gained unless a separation was brought about. While 
 this agitation in a way spurred the churches on to greater 
 interest it also led to the adoption of immature plans 
 for the work. Naturally that did not add to the health 
 and physical vigor of the leader. 
 
 By this time the reader has become aware that lack 
 
106 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 of financial support has been a major problem, and 
 perhaps he has now a settled suspicion that it will 
 continue to be so until the end. ' 'Seven years" has been 
 written in such connections as to leave it fixed in our 
 memory. So let it remain and let this serve as the place 
 to study our financial history of the first seven years. 
 This is almost the first half of the time Prof. Edgren 
 spent as head of our school. It is also proper to take 
 this inventory now because it will help us to correct 
 some impressions quite prevalent in the past, that the 
 amounts Prof. Edgren received were extremely small. 
 Whether the compensation was adequate or not we need 
 not argue. This glance backward will also aid us in 
 obtaining a more correct estimate of certain natural gifts 
 which he possessed, but which have not always been 
 given due prominence. As our list of figures in dollars 
 and cents is brief they may impress us the more if we 
 drop them for a moment while we refresh our memory 
 relative to Edgren's intense labors, self-sacrifice, prayers, 
 and implicit trust in God. He began his course of 
 theological studies in Princeton, continued in Hamilton, 
 and finished in Chicago with the scholastic standing of 
 Bachelor of Divinity. This last year he was also teaching 
 in the seminary of shepherding his little homeless flock 
 called the First Swedish Baptist church of Chicago. In 
 1883 his alma mater conferred upon him the degree of 
 Doctor of Divinity. 
 
 When his health failed in the spring* of 1872, a 
 friend offered to advance him money for a voyage to 
 Sweden. When he returned the next spring he still 
 owed that money. He was now back in Chicago, and 
 
 *Dr. Edgren has stated in his handwritten "Fakta." that he left 
 in February, 1872, and returned in February, 1873. 
 
REASONS FOR SEVERING OLD TIES 107 
 
 this is what he put on record: "By the seminary in 
 Chicago I was formally appointed to the position I had 
 left, as teacher, but under obligations to raise my own 
 support. I accepted the appointment. There seemed 
 nothing else to do, if the work was to be continued." 
 We already know about his trip to Menominie, 
 Wisconsin, in company with Dr. Baily, secretary of the 
 seminary, for the purpose of raising money for his 
 support. Here he was a total stranger — had never been 
 in the state before. His faith and patience were sorely 
 tried. After his interview with Captain Wilson he made 
 this notation: "Day after day passed without a reply. 
 Then one morning, after committing my cause to the 
 Lord, I opened my Bible accidentally to Psalm 107:4-8. 
 The words in verse 7 made a vivid impression on me: 
 'He led them also by a straight way, that they might go 
 to a city of habitation.' " That day the captain promised 
 him support. Edgren's strong personality and his implicit 
 faith in God's promises so impressed the rich man, that 
 it secured for him a proper salary for tw T o years in advance 
 and even a goodly portion for his support for two years 
 more. And now back to our story. 
 
 After Prof. Edgren's income from the American 
 Baptist Home Mission Society, and the church in Chicago 
 had ceased, we have reliable records, gathered from 
 Baptist periodicals, of money contributed to the school 
 for the first seven-year period: Captain Wilson's gift, 
 contributions through special efforts by Dr. J. T. 
 Morgan and Mrs. Edgren, and from Scandinavian 
 Baptist churches make a sum total of $7,415.00; an 
 annual salary of $1,060 including one year's absence in 
 Sweden. 
 
 In this connection it is of interest to quote from a 
 report by Prof. Edgren in Evangelisk Tidskrift: "All the 
 
108 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 Conventions (Conferences) last summer (1875) voted 
 in favor of the school, and the churches in answer to an 
 urgent appeal have, during this year of study, furnished 
 $800 toward the support of the teacher, and something 
 besides for the support of students. This was done in 
 an emergency." This was thus far the largest sum 
 obtained from the Scandinavian churches in one year, 
 and the only time Prof. Edgren had the pleasure of 
 making such an encouraging report while connected with 
 the old seminary. 
 
 Any one interested in searching for facts and figures 
 about salaries of Baptist pastors and missionaries during 
 the years 1870-'77 will become convinced that they were 
 below what we have stated here. In 18 70-' 71 the Rev. 
 O. Lindh was pastor in Moline, Illinois, then the largest 
 Swedish Baptist church in the land, with an annual 
 salary of $420. 
 
 We have found one instance where a larger salary was 
 paid. Captain R. E. Jeanson received a quarterly salary of 
 $375.00 as pastor of the Swedish Baptist church in New 
 York City in 1868, from the American Baptist Home 
 Mission Society. But in his report he states that he 
 received this from his business. And so he must also be 
 classed as a "self-supporting" preacher. 
 
 The movement toward an independent Scandinavian 
 Baptist institution of higher education began definitely 
 and officially in 1881. The General Conference 
 convened for its third annual meeting in the Danish 
 Baptist church, Council Bluffs, Iowa, on September 15- 
 17. The churches were well represented. As soon as the 
 preliminaries were over and the meeting was open for 
 business, by motion the regular program was set aside, 
 and Prof. Edgren was given opportunity to present the 
 
REASONS FOR SEVERING OLD TIES 109 
 
 school situation as completely as be desired. The gist of 
 his presentation was as follows: 
 
 During his visits among the churches to raise money 
 for the building fund he had become convinced not only 
 of the benefits of an independent school but also of the 
 possibility of carrying out such a plan just now. He also 
 pointed out that this step must be taken at this meeting, 
 otherwise we must build at Morgan Park and then we 
 would be bound there. If such action were taken the 
 interest among our people would become greater for 
 mission work and for educational activities. Minneapolis 
 would be the most convenient place for a school owned 
 by the Scandinavian Baptists. 
 
 After Edgren had assured the meeting that he would 
 be willing to teach and conduct the school, even if he 
 would have to get part of his subsistence by his own 
 hands, it was decided "That the Scandinavian Baptists 
 establish their own school for the training of preachers, 
 that this be located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and that 
 J. A. Edgren be appointed to establish this institution 
 and lead the instruction therein." 
 
 Prof. Edgren drew up a resolution of thanks to the 
 seminary at Morgan Park and to the Students' Aid 
 Society for assistance given the past ten years. This was 
 adopted by the meeting, signed by its officials and 
 immediately forwarded to the proper authorities. 
 
 As a result of this action the seminary authorities 
 took action at once. So did the Baptist Ministers' 
 Association of Chicago, deploring the steps taken at 
 Council Bluffs. Several annoying matters were cleared 
 up at Morgan Park and a promise made, assuring 
 Edgren of a living salary and financial assistance for his 
 helper, N. P. Jensen, if he would stay and continue his 
 work. But the argument that weighed most with Edgren 
 
110 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 was the appeal not to hurt the seminary, for if the 
 Scandinavians withdrew, the seminary would suffer 
 financially. It had often been a winning appeal for aid 
 that the institution was carrying on this educational 
 enterprise for the Scandinavian population. And so 
 Greatheart succumbed. 
 
 Then Edgren had to notify the Scandinavian 
 churches that everything was settled favorably, and the 
 school would continue as before, in fact, for all future. 
 
 But this relief from worry about finances gave him 
 such extra joy that he undertook more work than was 
 good for him. By April, 1883, he had completed his 
 treatise on Hermeneutics, had his classroom lectures 
 printed, an extra advantage to the students, and for the 
 third time had completed his Bible expositions, verse by 
 verse, in the morning classes with the whole department. 
 The number of students was now larger than ever and 
 the examinations in May were very satisfactory. 
 
 A movement had been under way for some time to 
 raise money for a new building for the growing depart- 
 ment. Prof. Edgren had been promised a large sum for 
 this purpose by a rich eastern man of Swedish descent. 
 But this liberal giver-of-promises and the seminary board 
 decided that the new building should be for all the 
 students and cost about $10,000. 
 
 Prof. Edgren had in cash on hand, collected from the 
 churches, $868.23, and as no protest was made by the 
 donors after due notice had been given, he turned this 
 amount over to the seminary authorities in the autumn 
 of 1883, thinking this to be the best course to pursue. 
 
 During the period from 18 11- 84 the contributions 
 from the churches for the running expenses of the school 
 amounted to $2,983.01. The largest sum any one year, 
 1880, was $585.85; the smallest, in 1884, only 
 
REASONS FOR SEVERING OLD TIES 111 
 
 $107.31. A yearly average of about $423.00. 
 
 Our financial figures up to this time have been based 
 upon records in a large scrapbook, preserved by Prof. 
 Edgren, and in his monthly magazine, "Evangelisk Tid- 
 skrift." There is also a handwritten document entitled 
 "Fakta," which contains certain statements relative to 
 financial support given by the old seminary. These 
 would not add any new light to the subject as a whole, 
 and we consider it best not to try to explain them. We 
 are in possession of some facts, however, supporting our 
 impression that during the last part of Prof. Edgren's 
 connection with the old seminary, his remuneration 
 amounted to about $1,200 annually, received in irregular 
 amounts and at uncertain dates. 
 
 We cite here a brief statement: "Thus it continued 
 until I had been connected with the institution of 
 learning as sole teacher for ten years. Now my strength 
 was badly overtaxed. I could not continue alone as 
 teacher in all branches and in addition be burdened with 
 worries for my own support." 
 
 During the summer of 1879 some friends in Nebra- 
 ska, at the initiative of the Rev. N. Hayland, had collected 
 $145 among several churches as a surprise gift for Prof. 
 Edgren. 
 
 At the commencement exercises, held in the First 
 Swedish Baptist church, Chicago, June 14, 1884. Dr. 
 G. W. Northrup, head of the Seminary, opened the 
 meeting and gave a hearty acknowledgement of the work 
 of the Scandinavian department, telling of his great faith 
 in the missionary work among these peoples. Dr. Edgren 
 gave his address in Swedish. This, translated, will 
 constitute our next chapter. 
 
Dr. G. W. Northrup, 
 
 president of the 
 
 Baptist Union 
 
 Theological Seminary 
 
 Dr. T. W. Goodspeed, 
 
 Secretary of the 
 
 Baptist Union 
 
 Theological Seminary 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
 A Commencement Address 
 
 // A s I now address you in behalf of the seminary 
 £X and out of my own heart, I do it with mingled 
 ^ ^ emotions, partly on account of the farewell 
 moments which are always touching at such occasions, 
 and partly because you constitute the tenth outgoing 
 class, which gladdens me in the highest degree. I had 
 hardly expected to live to see the tenth year from the 
 moment the first student went out from the school, nor 
 to see a class like this enter the field. But, praise be to 
 God, this has happened. So let me now, brethren, as a 
 word of farewell, impress upon your hearts some truths, 
 already well known to you all. Take them with you as 
 a remembrance from this hour. 
 
 1. "Preserve soundness in living and doctrine. Bear 
 this in mind, in the inspired words of Paul to Timothy: 
 'Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine/ You 
 are now going forth to lead others from darkness unto 
 the light, and then to guide them in the light. You 
 yourselves ought therefore above all to be lights in this 
 world's darkness. This you can be only through 
 preserving a true and living faith in Christ, and learning 
 of Him. As He walked, so ought you also to walk. 
 Behold how meek, how loving, how holy He was. Learn 
 also from the writings of the inspired apostles. You 
 have now really gone through the whole Bible in the 
 class room, but you have by that also learned to under- 
 stand how inexhaustible are its riches in all spiritual 
 
114 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 instruction. You need to continue this study throughout 
 life. But because Bible study without the power of the 
 Holy Spirit would be of small profit, you need also to 
 pray continually. Keep yourselves constantly in intimate 
 communion with God, and He will freely give you, in 
 rich measure, the indwelling power of His Spirit. Then 
 shall such life, as far as possible, be what it ought to be. 
 
 "The Christlike life must, of course, be given the 
 first place, but doctrines in conformity with the Bible are 
 of greatest importance. Let us never think that anything 
 that God has ordained, or given for our guidance should 
 be treated with indifference. Besides this, doctrine is, to 
 a great extent, the underlying structure for life itself. 
 What is the cause of the life we see in the Catholic 
 church, with all its superstition, its enmity against and 
 imreceptivity toward the saving truth? The explanation 
 lies, for the greater part, in its false doctrines. There are 
 also other large denominations that suffer greatly by 
 reason of unbiblical doctrines. In our own churches, how 
 much do we not need to guard against unsound views of 
 the atonement so common in our time. We must continue 
 to work against Judaizing tendencies. Other deviations 
 from the truth will perhaps first appear so insignificant 
 that we discern their falseness with difficulty. Two 
 trains may appear to be running alongside each other, on 
 tracks which seem to be parallel. After a couple of hours, 
 however, each will have lost sight of the other, and the 
 tracks prove to lead to widely separate destinations. 
 Brethren, see to it, that you are on the right train. 
 
 2. "Be wise in your labors. Remember Paul's word 
 to the Corinthians: 'In mind be ye perfect.' Certain 
 irregularities had come into the Corinthian church. 
 Among these was speaking with unknown tongues, 
 accompanied with very little edification. Paul pointed 
 
A COMMMENCEMENT ADDRESS 1 I 5 
 
 out the error of their way, saying that he, in the church, 
 would rather speak five words with his understanding 
 than ten thousand words with tongues. Brethren, when 
 you set out to proclaim the Gospel, do not use language 
 that is not well understood, do not attempt to be 
 altogether too 'eloquent.' Present the truth as plainly 
 and clearly as possible; because this is the truest eloquence. 
 Let it be seen and felt that you do not have your own 
 praise among men as your aim, but always the glory of 
 God and the welfare of souls. But if you are to speak 
 with such results, you must speak in such manner, that, 
 what you do say can clearly be understood and with 
 God's blessing be accepted unto salvation. Never attempt 
 to make an impression for yourselves, but always for 
 Christ and His truth. This is true wisdom in your 
 preaching service. 
 
 "But you need also to be wise in your daily inter- 
 course, in your conversations, in your dealing with men 
 and women. You must acquaint yourselves with all 
 possible conditions and do what seems best according to 
 the word and spirit in each individual case. How tender 
 you must be toward some in order to rescue and console 
 them and lead them to Christ; at the sickbed, at the 
 deathbed, for example. On the other hand, with what 
 severity you sometimes must admonish others, when 
 nothing else helps, rebuking them sharply, as Paul 
 commanded Titus concerning the Cretans, in order that 
 they may become sound in the faith. In this respect you 
 need a special measure of God's grace, and you will 
 receive it, if you pray for it, believing, not doubting, as 
 James says. Lastly, in regard to the whole field, you 
 must use wisdom in your management of the greater 
 matters of the church. May the Lord lead you in this. 
 In regard to your remaining in a field of service I will not 
 
116 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 advise you to stay as long as you possibly can, nor to 
 move as soon as you possibly can, but rather advise you 
 to go when the Lord plainly calls you to some other 
 field. Follow carefully, therefore, in this case, the leading 
 of the Lord, the movement of the pillar of cloud. 
 Consider the great denominational undertakings, because 
 they are, at present, our best means of furthering Christ's 
 Kingdom. Consider foreign and home missions, the 
 school for ministers, our periodicals and the distribution 
 of our books. Pray for all these undertakings and 
 promote them in your most effective manner. 
 
 3. "Through all life's trials, endure unto the end. 
 Remember Paul's admonition: 'Suffer. Fulfill your 
 service.' It now seems pleasant to go out into the great 
 field and begin in earnest your life's work. But be assured 
 of this, that you will soon meet difficulties and trials of 
 which you have now very little conception. Severe 
 external trials may come, possibly poverty, when you 
 may hardly know wherewith to clothe yourselves or 
 from where the next dollar will come. You may have to 
 suffer severe sickness. Those who have preceded you 
 have already experienced all of these trials and they have 
 endured. At such times the tempter stands at the door, 
 speaking as did Job's wife when she spoke like 'one of 
 the foolish women' saying, 'Renounce God and die/ I 
 believe your Christianity is so genuine and so deeply 
 rooted that you will not, for a moment, even in an hour 
 of suffering, desert your faith by bidding God farewell. 
 
 "But unspeakably greater testings than these may 
 come through inward sufferings, sorrow of heart of every 
 sort. Greater trials than one could have imagined may 
 result from the conditions of those to whom one is most 
 closely related. I hope this will never happen to you, 
 but it may. At such times it behooves you to stand fast. 
 
A COMMMENCEMENT ADDRESS 117 
 
 Among your most painful experiences, may be the 
 discovery that persons in whom you have had the greatest 
 confidence as Christians are unworthy of such trust. 
 Then, brethren, when by your side may be some Judas 
 who, while he kisses you, betrays you to your enemies, 
 you will understand what the heartache is of which we 
 have been speaking. May this never be your portion. 
 But if it happens, remember that it also happened to the 
 Master; and still he continued at His task. Think not, 
 then, to desert your calling, no matter how great trials 
 you may have to encounter. The Israelites were tried in 
 the wilderness that God might see if they would serve 
 Him. One who always sails in calm waters may never 
 become a sailor, but rather he who has weathered many 
 storms. No songs are as beautiful as songs in the night. 
 Believe in God even in the night of trials, and praise Him 
 by doing His will, even then. Paul was in dangers at 
 sea, on rivers, among robbers, among false brethren, was 
 stoned and beaten nearly to death and in shackles during 
 the long years of his time of labor; but he remained faith- 
 ful in his devotion to God and to His work in the Gospel 
 until his head fell under the blow of the executioner's ax. 
 Look upon Christ, the author and finisher of the faith, 
 who because of the joy that was set before Him, suffered 
 the cross, not considering the shame. 
 
 "However, your life will not consist entirely of trials. 
 You will experience much joy through associating with 
 true children of God. Many precious bonds of friend- 
 ship shall be tied which shall not be dissolved through 
 eternity; and possibly you may see in this life the fruits 
 of your labors, souls won for Christ and made happy for 
 time and eternity. At last, when you have reached the 
 blissful goal, fruit, much fruit, will appear which you 
 have not had the privilege of seeing here. The word of 
 
118 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 God that you are proclaiming shall not return void. May 
 the Lord guide, protect and bless you and bring you 
 through your brief time of service to an everlasting joy 
 o^ victory. This is the sincerest wish of your friend and 
 brother." 
 
 This proved to be Dr. Edgren's farewell address to 
 the old school. 
 
CHAPTER XIII 
 
 Resigning and Forming New Attachments 
 
 WHEN Dr. Edgren delivered the commencement 
 address of his tenth graduating class, and when a 
 little later President G. W. Northrup and the 
 Secretary of the Seminary, T. W. Goodspeed, addressed 
 the farewell meeting of the Scandinavian students in the 
 First Swedish Baptist church of Chicago, just before the 
 summer semester began, everyone appeared to be satisfied 
 with the school and its working program. 
 
 Some state conferences held their annual meetings the 
 first part of the summer, at which resolutions of endorse- 
 ment were passed, highly commending the school and its 
 head, Dr. Edgren. At the Kansas meeting he was present, 
 and the following resolution was adopted: "We are 
 thankful to God for our mission school at Morgan Park 
 and for the work which has already been done through 
 the same, and it is with joy we see the leader among us 
 at this meeting. We will pray and labor for the success 
 of the school." Edgren was also present at the Iowa 
 meeting, being a special guest at the Captain R. E. 
 Jeanson's country manor at Swea, on the shore of Eagle 
 Lake. His address to the meeting concerning the school 
 was very inspiring and the following resolution was 
 passed: "Inasmuch as we have seen that the work has 
 been richly blessed during the years our mission school 
 has been in existence, so that 80 preachers have gone out 
 into the mission field, and that these brethren have, 
 through God's help, been the means in His hand for the 
 salvation of many sinners, and that they have in the 
 
120 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 course of about ten years baptized 2,000 persons, be it 
 therefore resolved that we commend this school, with its 
 teachers and students, to our churches for their prayers 
 and financial support so that it may be able to continue 
 to develop and send out efficient laborers in the Lord's 
 vineyard." Other conferences had adopted similar resolu- 
 tions, giving Dr. Edgren well deserved praise. 
 
 During the summer, however, it became quite gener- 
 ally known among the constituents of our churches that 
 plans were in the making for establishing an independent 
 school, and hopes were expressed that this might be done 
 soon. During this time there was never any question as 
 to who would be the leader of the school, for whatever 
 might happen, Dr. Edgren would carry on our educa- 
 tional work. 
 
 In this connection we must also take account of 
 certain matters at the fountain-head of our blessing, and 
 our worries — the school at Morgan Park. Perfect 
 harmony did not always exist among the faculty 
 members. As early as 1879 Prof. W. R. Harper had 
 asked one of his students if he would entertain the 
 proposition of taking Dr. Edgren's place in the faculty 
 in the event a change should be made. This student 
 informed the kind brother Harper that he could not 
 consider such a suggestion as he was incompetent for the 
 task because of his lack of education in Swedish and in 
 the knowledge of Swedish affairs which the head of the 
 Scandinavian department must possess in order to fill 
 such a position. 
 
 Some of the disagreeable things that at times caused 
 trouble could probably have been avoided if a portion of 
 sanctified diplomacy had been used by the parties 
 concerned. 
 
 When it became known that Dr. Edgren had actually 
 
RESIGNING AND NEW ATTACHMENTS 121 
 
 severed his connection with the old seminary, some 
 unfriendly brethren brought grave charges against him. 
 This caused him much distress. Certain leading brethren 
 were offended because Edgren had very plainly expressed 
 his disapproval of the careless life of members in the Bap- 
 tist churches, and had deplored the tendency to worldli- 
 ness and lack of conformity to the plain New Testament 
 teaching relative to church discipline. With our knowl- 
 edge of his upright and true Christian conduct we are 
 convinced that in matters of this kind he was actuated by 
 the purest motives for the welfare of the church. But his 
 friendly warnings were not always accepted in the kindly 
 spirit in which they were made. At the time in question, 
 the Baptist press occasionally pointed out the simplicity 
 and uprightness of Scandinavian church members, com- 
 mending their earnestness in prayer and worship in 
 contrast to some of the American churches. 
 
 Dr. Edgren's mind was so completely filled with 
 Bible truths, and he was so open-hearted in all his 
 dealings that he could not understand how any Christian 
 men could be members of secret orders in which Christ- 
 less religion was practiced; and he expressed his 
 disapproval of this and warned against the tendency 
 among church members to join secret orders. Dr. Edgren 
 was not alone in this attitude, for at that time there were 
 prominent Baptist ministers who had openly confessed 
 that they had withdrawn from fellowship in Free Mason 
 lodges. It is difficult to judge intelligently and justly in 
 questions of this kind, and as fanaticism sometimes 
 manifests itself in criticism, Edgren was charged with 
 bigoted narrowness by some of his brethren. This he 
 never deserved, for there was no fanaticism in him. 
 
 The following incident will aid us in passing judg- 
 ment on this matter. In the summer of 1879 Professor 
 
122 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 Edgren and the writer went together on a steamboat trip 
 down the Mississippi from St. Paul when our conversa- 
 tion turned to the question of Free Masonry. The St. 
 Croix Valley Baptist Association of Wisconsin was to 
 convene at Prescott, where I was going as a delegate from 
 the Swedish Baptist church of Trade Lake. When the 
 meeting was to elect a new treasurer for the association, 
 there appeared divergent opinions about secret orders. In 
 our book, "Fifty-five Years in Western Wisconsin," we 
 find the following statement on page 278 with reference 
 to two annual meetings of the Association just men- 
 tioned: "At this meeting (1878) no definite decision 
 was made, but at the meeting in Prescott (1879) the 
 debate became more heated. The treasurer of the 
 Association was a member of a secret order. At the 
 election of a treasurer the question revolved around the 
 position of the candidates toward secret orders. The 
 debate became quite sharp and the election was decided by 
 a rising vote. The meeting was divided almost evenly, 
 but the candidate was re-elected. A special committee 
 was appointed to try to even out the difficulties in order 
 that no church might withdraw." The reader can 
 conclude from that reference, the spirit of the times and 
 the injustice of antagonizing Edgren for his stand. 
 
 At this time an unfair criticism was launched against 
 one of his books. Most of his books were published in 
 Swedish, the language of the majority of his students. 
 However, after five years of daily Bible study in the 
 classroom with his entire department, he had accumulated 
 such an abundance of comments and notes on the subject 
 of the second coming of Christ that he decided to publish 
 the results of his studies in the English language. He 
 called the book, "Epiphaneia." He gives the following 
 information in the preface: "Epiphaneia is a Greek word 
 
RESIGNING AND NEW ATTACHMENTS 123 
 
 and means a becoming visible, an appearing, a manifesta- 
 tion. It is used in the New Testament with regard to the 
 visible return of the Lord Jesus to this world. The 
 following pages present, in outline, an investigation of 
 this important, and to many, so precious subject, the 
 actual and visible return of the Lord Jesus." 
 
 When it had become known that he intended to 
 publish this book, the president of the seminary advised 
 him not to do so, as it had been understood that his views 
 were very extreme, and it would not be to the credit of 
 the institution that a publication of this sort by a 
 professor in "Biblical Literature, Interpretation and 
 Theology" should appear. The advice was not heeded 
 and Epiphaneia was in the book market in the early part 
 of 1881. From the author's point of view it was a 
 matter of conscientious duty to disseminate Bible truths. 
 And he was certainly within his right in this. 
 
 To make as clear as possible the position in which 
 Doctor Edgren was placed before the Baptists by 
 Baptists, in the year 1884, we present the following 
 quotations from Baptist periodicals at the time, with the 
 explanation that we do not consider it necessary to give 
 the names of the publications, nor the names of the 
 writers, except those friends who came to his defense. 
 
 In a very fair and friendly article the editor of "The 
 Standard" says that Dr. Edgren's resignation, tendered 
 July 14, 1884, had been accepted by the seminary board. 
 The Standard also explains that "It is to be understood 
 that the Scandinavian department in the seminary is 
 neither transferred nor abandoned." 
 
 One Baptist journal says, "Dr. Edgren is un- 
 American in his sympathies, distrusting American piety 
 and disliking American life." He is establishing a school 
 
124 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 where the pupils will be freed from all contact with 
 Americans. 
 
 "Our board organized the Scandinavian department 
 some ten years ago, and has carried it on to a high degree 
 of prosperity at an expense of some $30,000, and it feels 
 bound to continue the work." 
 
 According to one writer Dr. Edgren is now becoming 
 the head of a "new and rival institution/' He says that 
 "the seminary" — at Morgan Park — "has had in view 
 as its ultimate policy, the Americanizing of all foreign 
 born people at the earliest possible date," but that "such 
 a seminary as this is likely to be, should be opposed by 
 every man who desires to be at once a loyal Baptist and 
 a loyal citizen of the Republic." 
 
 The Standard again comes with a friendly suggestion 
 en September 11, 1884: "It might be proper and 
 becoming to hear what Dr. Edgren himself may have to 
 say, before charging him with originating a movement 
 that involves at once both heresy and treason." 
 
 The National Baptist deplored that statements had 
 found their way into the public press that Dr. Edgren's 
 views were unbiblical. In the same paper Dr. J. R. Boise, 
 teacher of New Testament Greek in the seminary, gave 
 the following statement: "The personal attacks upon Dr. 
 Edgren are utterly groundless. We believe him to be a 
 man of scholarly attainments and of Christian character, 
 and a devout, godly, prayerful servant of God. He is not 
 a pessimist; he does not try to keep the Scandinavians 
 separate from the Americans; and he is not unsound in 
 his theology. We deem these few words an act of justice 
 to an injured and innocent man." 
 
 In one of the Baptist papers, Dr. J. T. Morgan wrote 
 October 16, 1884: "During seven years, 1874-'81, I 
 was a colleague of Dr. Edgren, knew him and his work 
 
RESIGNING AND NEW ATTACHMENTS 125 
 
 well. We are safe in saying that in 1881 he was not 
 considered a pessimist, un-American, or a heretic. Nor 
 was he so characterized until he had again resigned. He 
 had all arrangements completed for organizing the new 
 school three years ago, and during this time the matter 
 had been under careful and prayerful consideration. 
 
 "Edgren is a devout Christian man, an earnest student 
 of the Bible, unselfish and self-sacrificing, a good scholar, 
 an able teacher, greatly respected and beloved by his 
 Scandinavian brethren, looked up to as a father by 
 many students whom he has trained; revered as a bishop 
 by the churches, and he is entitled by his long and 
 eminent services, as well as his godly character, to at least 
 justice at the hands of his American brethren/' 
 
 We will now let Dr. Edgren say a few words in his 
 own defense: "In a ministers' meeting of St. Paul and 
 Minneapolis accusing letters were read and I was called 
 upon to defend myself at every point. — True, I do not 
 see how Christians can be members of secret societies, in 
 which a Christless religion is practiced. True, I believe 
 in the premillennial coming of Christ, but I am no 
 extremist, as my book will show, but, I trust, thoroughly 
 scriptural. The statement of my 'un-American spirit' 
 and aims is false. I have risked my life for America in 
 the last war and have given the best of my strength for 
 the religious advancement of a part of her population, but 
 I have grieved over unexpected worldly, and in my 
 regard, un-Christian tendencies here and there in the 
 churches. I have loved the good in America, but not the 
 bad, and this, I judge, is rather American than un- 
 American." 
 
 During the summer, Dr. Edgren had made some new 
 acquaintances. Among these was H. Hallander of Arthur, 
 Iowa, who was brave enough to invite Dr. Edgren and 
 
126 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 his wife for a visit and a rest at his farm home before the 
 school opened in the autumn. They came and enjoyed 
 the hearty hospitality of these country folk. Dr. Edgren 
 was very happy over the prospect of an independent 
 school to be located in St. Paul. Mrs. Edgren also looked 
 forward to better times. I had been in the Edgren home 
 in Chicago and in Morgan Park, and Mrs. Edgren had 
 always been sympathetic and considerate, like her 
 husband, for the welfare of the students. I had never 
 beard a word of complaint from her about economic 
 matters, nor did I hear it now, except a remark that she 
 hoped the future would be brighter than the past. Soon 
 after the visit to Arthur and Kiron, the Edgren family 
 moved from Morgan Park, Illinois, to St. Paul, Minne- 
 sota. From here we shall hear about the school in our 
 next chapter. 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 
 In St. Paul 
 
 IMPORTANT changes have now taken place. The name 
 of the school and its location are new. It is now 
 Swedish instead of Scandinavian. But the head of 
 the institution remains the same. The Swedish students 
 who had attended the school at Morgan Park came to St. 
 Paul and continued their studies without interruption, 
 forming the nucleus of the student body at the new 
 location. 
 
 Mention had been made during July in the Swedish 
 Baptist paper about the prospective school work. Corre- 
 spondence between individuals and churches had been 
 carried on until all was ready for an official statement as 
 follows : 
 
 "The Swedish American Bible Seminary, was 
 organized in St. Paul July 31, 1884. Preparations for its 
 opening have been made. We begin with the usual Bible 
 and theological studies, and intend, as fast as it can be 
 done, to organize classes in academic studies. Brethren 
 who are preaching, or those who wish to devote them- 
 selves to gospel service, might write to the undersigned 
 after the middle of August so that rooms may be secured 
 in time. 
 
 "Prof. J. A. Edgren." 
 
 This appeared in the first August issue of the 
 "Evangelisk Tidskrift." Next issue, also in August, 
 carried the following information: "Now it is done. The 
 
1 28 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 Swedish American Bible Seminary was organized in St. 
 Paul July 30. 
 
 "A. B. Orgren, Secretary." 
 
 While it was generally understood by this time that 
 the school would be opened in St. Paul or Minneapolis, 
 the announcement created a sensation. This the secretary 
 had expected, for he adds: "It is very likely that brethren 
 are found here and there who cannot fully conceive that 
 we have done right in establishing the school where it is 
 now located, and this because they cannot understand all 
 the conditions connected with such an undertaking." 
 
 Yet the news about the new departure was accepted, 
 on the whole with good grace. There were many 
 expressions of gratitude heard from various quarters for 
 the venture with scarcely a voice of doubt about the 
 wisdom of the move, for the brethren leading this enter- 
 prise forward to a definite beginning of an independent 
 institution were well known as capable and reliable men. 
 Everyone had perfect faith in Dr. Edgren as a competent 
 and successful educator. During the summer a large 
 number of Baptists had become personally acquainted 
 with him, which added confidence in the undertaking. 
 After meeting and hearing him speak they had become 
 convinced that the praise usually given him by his 
 students, who by this time were well represented as 
 pastors of churches and on mission fields, was justly 
 merited. The desire so often expressed that the school 
 might be located farther west had now been satisfied. 
 
 We can now put on record that the First Baptist 
 church of St. Paul, Minnesota, opened its house of 
 worship to welcome and shelter the first institution for 
 ministerial education established by Swedish Baptists in 
 America. The warm-hearted and aggressive pastor, John 
 
IN ST. PAUL 129 
 
 Ongman, had recently had the satisfaction of dedicating 
 the new church building and he and his people invited 
 the school to take possession of as many rooms as were 
 suitable for classrooms. The auditorium also was opened 
 for larger gatherings in the interest of the school. On 
 reading through the history of this church one becomes 
 convinced that an unmistakeable blessing attended this 
 act of Christian generosity, for in the winter of 1884-'85 
 a gracious spiritual revival visited the church and many 
 new members were added. Teachers and students proved 
 to be a great help in leading souls to Christ. Even today 
 members who still remember that particular season of 
 ingathering speak about it in a spirit of thankfulness, but 
 seldom mention the inconveniences and annoyances that 
 their hospitality at times involved. Church members also 
 opened rooms for students and teachers at very reasonable 
 renting rates and most of them were accommodated in 
 close proximity to the church. 
 
 An enthusiastic meeting in the interest of foreign 
 missions was held during the winter. The meeting was 
 addressed by Mrs. Edgren's mother, Mrs. Chapman- 
 Harris, who was home on furlough from the mission 
 field in India. 
 
 The financial secretary succeeded in interesting 
 furniture and hardware merchants to donate, or sell their 
 wares at reduced prices. Within a short time he had 
 nine bedsteads and sixteen mattresses, eight commodes, 
 ten stoves, many tables and chairs, carpets to cover several 
 rooms, sixty-two quilts and blankets, two hundred and 
 twelve sheets and pillow cases and thirty-two pillows. 
 Provisions were forthcoming: groceries, vegetables, beans, 
 potatoes, flour, chickens, pork and beef, and syrup — all 
 for the boarding club—and seven cords of wood for the 
 kitchen stove. 
 
130 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 Dr. Edgren also reported, as follows: "Our people 
 bad shown great interest for the Seminary's financial 
 support. The school began its work without having one 
 dollar cash on hand. Furniture, food and clothes, have 
 come from American churches and individuals as well as 
 from our Swedish people. For running expenses we have 
 received $1,200, subscriptions for the endowment fund, 
 $23,000 bearing 6 per cent interest, wills for $12,000." 
 
 The school term opened October 1, 1884, and closed 
 April 14, 1885. Forty-two students had registered, 
 including those from Morgan Park, a larger number than 
 ever before. Certainly a splendid endorsement for Dr. 
 Edgren after he had been the head of the Scandinavian 
 department of the old seminary for thirteen years. There 
 were five graduates at the end of the spring term. The 
 faculty consisted of seven members: J. A. Edgren, pres- 
 ident; N. N. Morten, Dr. O. Sohlberg, John Ongman, 
 Frank Peterson, Miss Julia Edgren, and A. B. Orgren. 
 
 Here follows the president's farewell address to the 
 outgoing class: 
 
 "The preparation received through the school is a 
 help, though a higher preparation is of the greatest 
 importance. I believe you can say with Paul, that Christ 
 has made you able. This leads our thoughts to his saying 
 in 1 Tim. 1:12, 'I thank him that enabled me, even 
 Christ Jesus our Lord, for that he counted me faithful, 
 appointing me to his service.' Let these be your memory 
 words from this moment. This was Paul's determina- 
 tion by God from eternity. We cannot harbor any doubts 
 about that. This has been true in later times. We think 
 of a Winfried, Waldus, Wycliffe, Muss, Luther, Calvin, 
 Spener, Wesley, Whitefield, Judson, Spurgeon, Muller. 
 Wiberg. These and ten thousands of others, less known, 
 had their destiny determined by God for the good work 
 
IN ST. PAUL 131 
 
 they have accomplished. So even now. And you, if 
 you have been made able through Christ, have your 
 specially appointed course whereto God in His provi- 
 dence has led you, and shall further lead you. 
 
 "But more than a mapped-out cours2 is found in 
 Paul's words; it was a trust that he had received of God. 
 And you, provided you have been determined by the 
 Lord for this service, have also at this moment an 
 important trust from God: rightly to divide the Word of 
 God and to guide souls. Thus far you are entrusted 
 with the eternal destiny of immortals. What a responsi- 
 bility! To you is also entrusted an influence for good in 
 a wider sphere, inasmuch as you have to deal with the 
 development of churches, yes, with the denomination. 
 The effect of your influence does not end with time; it 
 will extend into eternity. 
 
 "How then, ought you to conduct yourselves in your 
 daily intercourse, in private life, in public 3 Think of 
 that which is most private — your inner life which God 
 alone sees. How you need to watch over your own 
 thoughts so that your talking with yourselves and your 
 quiet determinations may be such that God can approve 
 and reward them. If you give way to temptations and 
 if you lose your temper you will not succeed in the more 
 difficult battles in life. If David, when he was alone by 
 himself, had not slain the bear and the lion he could not 
 have appeared before the Israelites and the Philistines and 
 slain Goliath. But consider what is contained in the 
 words of Paul. He thanked the Lord for the trust he 
 had received, in that he had been determined for the 
 service. And this he did while bound in chains in Rome. 
 Can you also give thanks for the trust and the appoint- 
 ment the Lord has given you? Can you do this under 
 all conditions, in joy and in sufferings, in success and in 
 
132 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 adversity, in peace and in strife? In order to do this, 
 faith, love, and hope is needed. 
 
 "Now may the Lord give you such faith, such love, 
 such hope, that you may always be able, in the spirit of 
 Paul, to take his words as your own: 'I thank our Lord 
 Jesus Christ who has made me able, that he considered 
 me faithful in that he determined me for the service/ " 
 
 This proved to be Dr. Edgren's last address to a 
 graduating class. 
 
CHAPTER XV 
 
 Going West 
 
 WE may begin this chapter, which necessarily must 
 contain an amount of brick and mortar, with a 
 touch of poetry, and leave the more serious and 
 difficult parts to be taken care of as the situation may 
 demand. The writer has in mind certain lines of a poem 
 found on page 476 in "Swedish Baptist Work in Iowa," 
 dedicated to The Pioneers, written by Dr. J. E. 
 Klingberg: 
 
 A spirit strong, gigantic; 
 Possessing boundless power, 
 Swam over the Atlantic, 
 To this good land of ours. 
 He built on sunlit mountains 
 His home of pearls and gold, 
 He drank from crystal fountains 
 Where mighty waters rolled. 
 
 His heart was a volcano, 
 A whirlwind were his wings, 
 With voice of a soprano 
 To all the world he sings 
 Of order, law, and beauty, 
 Of what is true and good, 
 Of sweet and pleasant duty, 
 Of peace and brotherhood. 
 
 In a previous chapter we have seen how attempts had 
 been made to provide a building fund and bow this had 
 failed on account of the enormous amount required: ten 
 
134 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 thousand dollars. But the time had now come when 
 something must be done. 
 
 At the annual meeting of the General Conference in 
 Minneapolis, October 9-12, 1884, the question of 
 providing a proper school building was one of the most 
 important matters that engaged the minds of the leading 
 brethren because it was evident that the arrangements for 
 the housing of the school in St. Paul could be for only 
 the year now begun. Naturally the financial secretary, the 
 Rev. A. B. Orgren, was the most important person in 
 seeking the best solution of this problem. His main plan 
 was the acquisition of a large tract of prairie land in the 
 southwestern part of Minnesota, which could be secured 
 on very easy terms. Here suitable buildings could be 
 erected at less expense than in the city, a farm opened on 
 which students could be employed during vacation time, 
 and the whole project become a valuable support for the 
 institution. Well do I remember how disappointed the 
 promoter of this plan became when one of the younger 
 men successfully opposed him, and the suggestion was 
 dropped as impractical. The secretary was ready to 
 resign and withdraw from the work altogether. When it 
 became known that the concern that had made the offer 
 was a company of land swindlers, the secretary and 
 everybody else were glad that the plan had been defeated. 
 Dr. Edgren had taken no active part in this debate, as 
 the whole proposition appeared to involve too much 
 speculation, and for that he had no interest. 
 
 When we look over some of our Conference records 
 while our school activities were "Scandinavian," a sort 
 of "Calmar Union" for ministerial education, we realize 
 that Orgren's plan was not a new one. 
 
 The Minnesota Conference, June 13-15, 1878, 
 "appointed a committee to communicate with commit- 
 
GOING WEST 135 
 
 tees of other conferences about how best to acquire good 
 land in Minnesota or Iowa to make our school secure. All 
 realized that it was imperative for the denomination to 
 secure real estate for the school if it was to endure. The 
 Rev. John Anderson and the Rev. O. Okerson were sent 
 down to the "Illinois and Eastern Iowa Conference" the 
 following week to report and stir up the brethren to 
 action. They were successful in their mission and this 
 Conference chose the Rev. John Ongman of Chicago, C. 
 J. Ericson, and P. Olson Earl of Village Creek "to confer 
 with committees of other conferences with reference to 
 buying of land for the mission school." We have not 
 found any record of what this committee did, but we 
 have personal knowledge of John Ongman's consulta- 
 tions with Danish brethren in Chicago about the land 
 proposition in Iowa, of which the Danish Conference 
 preserved a record. And so we turn to the "History of 
 the Danish Baptists" by Prof. N. S. Lawdahl. In the 
 chapter dealing with the school question we find this 
 subheading: 
 
 "The Scandinavian Period, 1871 -'84." Under this 
 we find the following valuable information: At the 
 conference in Racine, Wis., 1877, "Prof. Edgren was 
 present and spoke for the school." This year the Rev. N. 
 Tychsen collected money among Danish Baptists in 
 Dakota for the proposed school building in Morgan 
 Park. At the Danish Conference in Raymond, Wis., 
 1878, Prof. N. P. Jensen spoke. In his address the spirit 
 of the pioneers impresses us very favorably: "An inde- 
 pendent Scandinavian school is desirable. This has been 
 impossible up to date, but now the outlook is brighter. 
 An emigrant company has offered the Scandinavians 
 ground for buildings in Swea, Iowa, and 300 acres of 
 land outside the village. The offer ought to be accepted 
 
136 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 for the following reasons: It would be cheaper for 
 students to live here; the land would contribute toward 
 their support; the teachers' salaries could be reduced 
 because it would cost less to live there than in Morgan 
 Park; it would be practical to move the school west where 
 our people live. Under the present arrangement the school 
 does not stand in the proper relation to our people; they 
 do not feel that the school is theirs. If the Scandinavian 
 people had the management in their own hands there 
 would be more interest for it." Jensen's closing appeal 
 to the Danish Baptists was that they should be united in 
 the effort of "erecting a building in Swea."* 
 
 The author of the history adds: "Independence is the 
 watchword. Truer words than these, spoken by Jensen 
 at the close of his address have never been uttered about 
 the school." 
 
 The Swedish Baptists continued in the spirit of the 
 Scandinavian period of 1871 -'84. 
 
 But now the school board was forced to take imme- 
 diate action. During the year 1884-'85 these men were 
 busy and the secretary's enthusiasm was undiminished 
 about acquiring grounds and a building for the school. 
 Dr. Edgren believed that the twin cities of Minnesota 
 would be the best location; but he had implicit faith in 
 the secretary in all material affairs and usually after 
 expressing his opinion on a given proposition acquiesced 
 in Mr. Orgren's plans. 
 
 In a two-column article published in "Nya Wecko- 
 Posten," February 18, 1885, the secretary says of a 
 canvassing trip to Stromsburg, Nebraska: "The subscrip- 
 tion for the school fund was bigger here than at any 
 
 *) This offer of land came through Capt. R. E. Jeanson of 
 Swea, Iowa. 
 
GOING WEST 137 
 
 other place, and great interest was manifested for the 
 school. The church and the community would like to 
 see the school located here." This made him very happy. 
 He expressed great enthusiasm about it and later wrote: 
 
 "The School. To Stromsburg all seem to be inclined. 
 And it is posible the Lord will lead us there. We have 
 decided to move there, provided they will give us the 
 advantages we are hoping for: a building, 40 by 100 
 feet, three stories high, and 40 acres of land close to 
 town." 
 
 Dr. H. C. Woods, who for several years was pastor 
 of the First Baptist church of Minneapolis, was well 
 acquainted with the Baptist mission work among the 
 Swedes in Minnesota. From the time when he and 
 Edgren had been classmates in the Seminary at Hamilton, 
 N. Y., Dr. Woods had taken a special interest in Edgren 
 and his educational work. It was a matter of real concern 
 to him when he realized that Dr. Edgren had severed his 
 connections with the seminary at Morgan Park. As soon 
 as Dr. Woods learned of Orgren's plan he expressed 
 himself through an article published in "The Standard" 
 as follows: 
 
 "But the question of a permanent location must soon 
 be settled. Liberal offers come from Nebraska. A Swede 
 town offers forty acres of land and $10,000, and will 
 possibly add a new building. But the school ought not 
 to leave this locality. That offer may be tempting, but 
 its acceptance would be a great mistake. I only wish that 
 the Baptists of these two cities might make a generous 
 offer to the institution, which would be gratefully 
 accepted." 
 
 Just about this time Dr. Edgren also expressed his 
 opinion through the "N. W.-P." and said it was not 
 decided yet where the school was to be permanently 
 
138 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 located. About the middle of April the school board 
 met and the location was discussed. On May 6th, Edgren 
 wrote: "Our Bible seminary will move to Stromsburg, 
 where it gets its own building." 
 
 In July, building operations began. Mr. John Ekeley 
 had given the 40 acres promised, and the secretary gave 
 the information that it would be possible to realize up 
 to $15,000 on these acres. 
 
 Dr. Edgren spent part of the summer with the old 
 Scandia church on Clear Water Lake, Minnesota. Here 
 he succeeded in inaugurating a better plan for raising 
 money for the school than the one usually followed. 
 This was adopted in many places. He was happy to 
 take part in the July 4th celebration here. He declared 
 that this day the Scandia church had made a good 
 beginning for the support of the Swedish American 
 institution for missions and education. 
 
 There has been an impression abroad that there was 
 unanimity among our people for the removal to Stroms- 
 burg, but this is not correct. Yet, before we record any 
 argument about this it is best to let the following 
 statement, quoted by the Rev. A. P. Ekman, be admitted 
 in favor of that location. In a statement to Dr. G. W. 
 Northrup about matters in Stromsburg in May, 1888, 
 Ekman says: 
 
 "About three months after our settlement in Stroms- 
 burg, the Rev. A. B. Orgren, who was then financial sec- 
 retary of the new school, came out here looking for a new 
 location for the institution. This was a great surprise 
 to us as we had the impression from the start, that 
 Minnesota was the only place for it after leaving Illinois, 
 since we had our strongest conference in that state. But 
 Orgren assured us that there was absolutely no chance 
 of getting a permanent location in Minnesota and that 
 
GOING WEST 139 
 
 unless Stromsburg would receive the school it could not 
 exist another year. And when the brethren here were 
 convinced that the only institution we had for the 
 training of our ministry was in danger of extinction, 
 it was decided to do. our utmost to prevent such a 
 disaster." 
 
 The school board in Minnesota appointed an exec- 
 utive committee in Nebraska, with Pastor Ekman as 
 chairman, to work out the details, when it was found 
 that the Stromsburg proposition was so promising. 
 
 Since our aim has been to get as complete and true a 
 story of our leader as all available sources of information 
 can give us, we shall allow ourselves a little digression 
 here. When a few years later a new interest was awakened 
 in favor of establishing an Academy in the Twin Cities, 
 Mr. Adolph Allen of St. Paul took the writer to view 
 a school building in St. Anthony Park that could be 
 purchased very reasonably. I interested Dr. F. Peterson 
 in this property. He invited Mr. Olof Swenson, also of 
 St. Paul, to accompany us, and we went through the 
 building and looked over the premises. Mr. Swenson 
 pronounced against the building as impractical for our 
 purpose. Then he brought us to a place on Como Avenue, 
 where we rested under a shade tree, the very place where 
 Bethel Academy was later erected. At this time Mr. 
 Swenson expressed his deep regrets that Dr. Edgren did 
 not hold out more persistently for remaining in St. Paul. 
 He also told us that Pastor John Ongman favored the 
 Stromsburg move. Ongman soon regretted this and 
 carried his regrets with him to Sweden, where he 
 admitted to Dr. G. Arvid Hagstrom the great mistake 
 the Baptists made when they moved to Stromsburg. 
 There are several men yet living in St. Paul who can 
 vouch for the correctness of this statements. 
 
140 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 St. Paul bad made an offer of eleven acres of land 
 somewhere in the Midway district, a fine location be- 
 tween two cities. In his address at the opening of the 
 new seminary building in Stromsburg, Dr. F. Peterson 
 stated that this land was worth $.1,500 per acre at that 
 time. 
 
 In July building operations were begun in Stroms- 
 burg, and by the 27th of February, 1886, everything 
 was ready for an auspicious opening of both the school 
 and the new Baptist church building. The Rev. G. W. 
 Harris of Omaha preached the dedicatory sermon of the 
 church. The Rev. Frank Peterson of Minneapolis gave an 
 address on the topic "Historic Record," the history of 
 the Swedish Baptist educational work, closing with the 
 following words of appreciation: 
 
 "It would be a lack of a sense of appreciation on my 
 own part and on the part of the denomination were 
 I to close this sketch without a special mention of the 
 brother, who, through the guidance of God, has been 
 the mainspring in moving the wheels of this noble work. 
 Moved by a desire to live and labor for God and His 
 Kingdom, he has at times shown his willingness to 
 sacrifice every temporal comfort that he might impart 
 instruction to those who were called of God to become 
 heralds of peace and bearers of the Lord's message to 
 their countrymen. The humility and purity of his spirit 
 have, as a leaven, permeated the whole; the incalculable 
 blessings which have come to us as a people, through his 
 love and labors, will make him a central figure in the 
 history of our denomination. He has been faithful to 
 the truth and zealous for the cause. We now rejoice 
 with him that he has seen the day when his wishes for 
 a school based upon Biblical principles have been real- 
 ized, and the work of those whom he has had under 
 
GOING WEST 141 
 
 his care has been so honored and blessed. In their 
 confidence in him the whole denomination is a unit. 
 May God bless Dr. Edgren." 
 
 The subject of Dr. Edgren's address was "The Prin- 
 ciples and Aims of the School." 
 
 The Rev. Christopher Silene preached a sermon in 
 Swedish in the church. 
 
 Prof. N. N. Morten reported that the libraries of 
 Captain G. W. Schroeder and the Rev. A. A. Linne had 
 been procured for the school and were housed in the 
 new building. 
 
 The Rev. A. B. Orgren gave the financial report. Cost 
 of building, $10,820.96, of which Stromsburg had given 
 SI 0,5 00. John Ekeley had donated 40 acres of land. 
 Furniture and heating plant had cost $2,000. The 
 Endowment fund stood at $28,000. Since work began 
 in St. Paul, 1884, $5,341.41 had been received and 
 cash outlay had been $4,229.59. 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 
 The Stromsburg Period 
 
 THE annual meeting of the General Conference 
 convened in Chicago the latter part of September, 
 1885. At this meeting Dr. Edgren expressed great 
 hope for the school at its new location, Stromsburg. If 
 the churches would adopt the plan of giving one dollar 
 per member for school purposes, a complete course of 
 studies with good teachers would be the result within 
 one or two years. The Conference accorded him a 
 resolution of thanks for his tireless and successful labors 
 in carrying on the educational work. 
 
 When the Edgren family arrived at Stromsburg, in 
 October, their first experience was very pleasant. Pastor 
 Ekman and the church had arranged a surprise party for 
 Mrs. Edgren on her birthday. The train that brought 
 them arrived late in the evening, and the following 
 morning they saw the new school building for the first 
 time. 
 
 When it became known that the building could not 
 be ready for occupancy in time for the fall term, 1885, 
 Dr. Edgren received the information in an optimistic 
 spirit and told the news through the press in his usual 
 pleasant way: "When this was reported at the meeting 
 of the school board, we had to decide to let the first term 
 pass by. But for gaining the great advantage of our 
 own splendid building on our grounds, the school can 
 well afford to lose one single term. The next term will 
 begin at the end of the week of prayer (after the first 
 
144 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 week of January, 1886). We hope our students will be 
 satisfied with this, as it is unavoidable and since it will 
 mean, after all, a great forward move for the Lord's 
 cause." The unavoidable delay was accepted by all in a 
 friendly way, and school work began as soon as possible. 
 
 At the meeting of the school board on May 13, 
 1886, Dr. Edgren made his first quarterly report. As 
 this is his last official report on record we quote it in full, 
 as far as regards students and teachers: 
 
 "The following pupils have studied in the school. In 
 the first academic class Miss A. W. Erickson. L. A. 
 Erickson, A. A. Hedblom, J. L. Hedblom, O. N. Lind, 
 
 A. W. Nelson, J. A. Swanson, E. G. Soderberg. 
 
 "In the first special class of the theological depart- 
 ment: A. Anderson, Miss A. H. Dalgren, E. A. Ericson. 
 I. Hedberg, J. A. Huggerth, G. Johnson, O. F. Karlson, 
 E. Lindstrom, A. Olson, E. O. Olson, L. J. Peterson. 
 
 "In the second theological class: A. Anderson, P. E. 
 Anderson, A. P. Blomgren, L. Ekelund, A. Johnson, 
 E. A. Johnson, A. Karling, C. Nelson, C. E. Palm, M. 
 Poison." 
 
 We are unable to state whether the name of Ola 
 Hanson is left out inadvertantly or if he did not attend 
 during the term now reported. The records show that 
 he studied in St. Paul, 1885, and that he both studied 
 and assisted in teaching at Stromsburg at the beginning 
 of 1887. The history of the Seminary, published 1921, 
 makes the following notation about O. Hanson. "C. 
 
 B. S. 1886-'87." 
 
 "The following teachers have taught the subjects 
 here mentioned: 
 
 "J. A. Edgren, universal and Bible history, Bible 
 antiquities, proofs of the truth of the Bible, the laws of 
 
THE STROMSBURG PERIOD 145 
 
 Bible interpretation, systematic theology, Bible exposi- 
 tion every morning, the harmony of the gospels. 
 
 "N. N. Morten has taught English grammar, reading 
 and spelling, Latin grammar and reading, Greek gram- 
 mar and New Testament, physiology. C. A. Wenngren 
 has taught Swedish grammar. C. A. Lindstrom has 
 taught arithmetic and managed the students' boarding 
 club." 
 
 Dr. Edgren's class work for the last term of 1886 
 was reported by Prof. N. N. Morten to the General 
 Conference at Moline, June 2, 1887: "Proofs of the 
 truth of the Bible, the laws of Bible interpretation, 
 systematic and pastoral theology, Old Testament, 
 Hebrew, morning Bible exposition in the Epistles." 
 
 This report also records the names of six new 
 entrants for the fall term and the names of ten graduates 
 on May 12, 1887. "Twenty-four pupils have studied 
 this year," 1886-'87. 
 
 "Peace and unity has prevailed. During the last 
 term, however, we have greatly missed our beloved 
 president, Prof. Edgren, and our prayer is that his health 
 may be restored so that he may soon be able to return to 
 his place." 
 
 Professor Morten and Pastor A. F. Palm of Hamil- 
 ton, Nebr., addressed the students at the commencement 
 exercises. 
 
 Dr. Edgren has also recorded the following resolu- 
 tion from that meeting of May 13, 1886: "The school 
 board also decided that J. A. Edgren for the present, with 
 such assistance as he may be able to command, take charge 
 of the work of the financial secretary and all the corre- 
 spondence concerning the school. All money received 
 shall go through his hands to the treasurer, so that both 
 
146 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 Edgren and the treasurer will keep record and render 
 account of the money received for the school." 
 
 When we think of the hoped-for relief for Dr. 
 Edgren, our mind voluntarily reverts to 2 Cor. 11:28 
 where the Apostle Paul says: "Beside those things that 
 are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care 
 of all the churches." Constantly more responsibility 
 and labor was added, so that the restoration of his health 
 and the recuperation of his physical strength became 
 impossible. 
 
 We are not in a position to state positively how many 
 students attended the school during Dr. Edgren's leader- 
 ship, but we feel sure that our figures are fairly reliable. 
 One or two of the last class of 1886 think that Dr. 
 Edgren did some class work at the beginning of 1887. 
 But even if this be true, it must have been so little that 
 we can safely say that his active labors as teacher were 
 ended at the close of 1886. Relying on the Rev. Silene's 
 statements in his address before the school, 1884. we 
 have these figures: Whole number of students, 89. Of 
 these 63 were Swedes. 17 Danes, 9 Norwegians. Since 
 that time until the beginning of 1887, about 140 
 students had matriculated. 
 
 In spite of all his past experiences of overexertion 
 and the consequent physical breakdowns, he would not 
 give up until he had received his physicians' final warn- 
 ing that if he did not quit his teaching and speaking he 
 would soon lose his voice entirely. He was advised to 
 seek rest and quiet in a warmer climate. The warning 
 was heeded and in the early part of 1887, Dr. Edgren 
 went to southern California. His hope of being able to 
 return and continue his teaching and his labors as leader 
 of the school failed. He sent in his resignation and in 
 his correspondence with the brethren in authority he 
 
THE STROMSBURG PERIOD 147 
 
 advised them to call the Rev. E. Sandell to take his place 
 in the fall. They accepted his resignation and called Mr. 
 Sandell, pastor of the Second Swedish Baptist church 
 of Chicago, to take charge of the school temporarily. 
 
 We are not in possession of information in regard to 
 the salary that was promised Dr. Edgren by the board of 
 the old Baptist Union in Morgan Park, 1881. It 
 probably continued unchanged until 1884. The only 
 thing we know positively, we gather from a remark by 
 him in "Evangelisk Tidskrift" to the effect that he had to 
 wait a long time, one year, before he received his pay. As 
 his time of service is now coming to a close, it is of 
 interest to know what his salary has been during the time 
 he served the Swedish General Conference. We have 
 found no official records on this score, but we know by 
 inference that his salary was twelve hundred dollars per 
 year while the school was in St. Paul. A statement was 
 printed in "Nya Wecko-Posten" that the school board 
 voted to raise his salary to fifteen hundred dollars at the 
 time the school was to be moved to Stromsburg, but that 
 Dr. Edgren declared he would be satisfied with one 
 hundred dollars per month. This was his salary in 
 Stromsburg. At the time when his resignation was 
 accepted, in 1887, the school board was somewhat in 
 arrears with his salary. It is of interest to know that 
 neither Pastor Ongman in St. Paul nor Pastor Peterson 
 in Minneapolis had as large a salary at that time. And 
 they were very likely the best paid pastors of Swedish 
 Baptists in the land. 
 
 During the last school term in 1886, certain matters 
 developed that made Dr. Edgren act upon the exhortation 
 of the Apostle Jude: "Contend earnestly for the faith 
 which was once for all delivered unto the saints." This 
 will engage our attention in the next chapter. 
 
CHAPTER XVn 
 
 Contending for the Faith 
 
 DR. Edgren's career as a teacher began in the Baptist 
 Bethel Seminary in Stockholm, Sweden, 1866, 
 and closed in the Central Bible Seminary at 
 Stromsburg, Nebraska, 1886. This chapter will deal 
 with some of the most important events at the close of 
 that twenty-year period. 
 
 The Rev. A. P. Ekman, a graduate of the Morgan 
 Park seminary, 1878, was pastor of the Stromsburg Bap- 
 tist church. Through a revival shortly before the incidents 
 related here, many new converts had been added to the 
 church which, by this time, numbered about two 
 hundred members. The influence of teachers and students 
 of the seminary had been quite marked in the religious 
 activities of the church. When the pastor in a series of 
 discourses presented views on the doctrine of the atone- 
 ment not in harmony with those generally held by 
 Baptists, neither students, teachers, nor church members 
 kept their silence. They expressed their opinion on 
 questions raised by the pastor's sermons. Dr. Edgren, 
 true to his teaching in the classroom, where he empha- 
 sized Christ's injunction to correct a brother privately, 
 tried this method with Brother Ekman. Dr. Edgren was 
 both tender and firm in performing duties of this kind, 
 and it may have had some effect. 
 
 Being confronted with doctrinal differences we shall 
 neither give these undue prominence nor attempt to evade 
 a fair discussion of them; for either course would be 
 unwise; the latter decidedly out of place here. We are 
 
150 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 speaking of men who ere this are counted among "the 
 spirits of just men made perfect" (Heb. 12:23). And 
 we do well to heed the admonition of the sacred poet: 
 "Touch not mine anointed ones, and do my prophets 
 no harm" (Psalm 105:15). 
 
 Dr. Edgren had valid reasons for hesitating to take 
 an open stand against the pastor. He was a man who 
 appreciated and acknowledged friendship. He would 
 never cause trouble to a brother who had shown him 
 kindness. Pastor Ekman had on several occasion done 
 his former teacher favors in word and deed, and it was 
 well that Dr. Edgren did not accede to the wishes of 
 those who urged him to speak up sooner. But a time 
 came when he felt compelled to choose between human 
 friendship on the one hand and the defense of the true 
 interpretation of the Scriptures on the other, and then he 
 did not hesitate. 
 
 One chilly Sunday forenoon in November men kept 
 their overcoats buttoned while the pastor delivered his 
 sermon from Col. 1 :24: "Now I rejoice in my sufferings 
 for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is 
 lacking of the affliction of Christ in my flesh for his 
 body's sake, which is the church." 
 
 At the close of the sermon Dr. Edgren rose from his 
 seat, doffed his overcoat and made some pertinent re- 
 marks, taking issue with the pastor's interpretation. Then 
 he invited any one who wished to do so to come to the 
 Seminary Hall and listen to a discourse on the doctrine 
 of the atonement. A goodly number accepted the 
 invitation. 
 
 It will aid us to a correct comprehension of the situa- 
 tion before us if we bear in mind that Stromsburg with 
 its Baptist constituency and its Central Bible Seminary 
 at that time occupied the same important position in the 
 
CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH 151 
 
 denominaion as St. Paul with its Swedish Baptists and 
 its Bethel Institute is occupying today. 
 
 When we consider Dr. Edgren's open and unreserved 
 stand that Sunday morning, we naturally ask the ques- 
 tion, what other action could we expect from a man who, 
 when only thirteen years old, had argued the question of 
 providential protection and won over his superiors; or 
 when, as commander of a warship he had gripped the 
 helm and in a storm navigated his ship over the treacher- 
 ous shoals into safer waters against the orders of one of 
 the nation's greatest admirals? To Dr. Edgren's mind 
 such matters were of small consequence compared with 
 those now at stake. He could not remain in submissive 
 silence when such attitude on his part might be inter- 
 preted as an admission that his pastor's preaching was 
 scriptural. When men have questioned the wisdom of 
 his methods that Sunday morning, our minds have 
 instinctively reverted to Jehovah's assurance to Samuel 
 (1 Sam. 16:7) : "Jehovah seeth not as a man seeth; for 
 man looketh at the outward appearance, but Jehovah 
 looketh on the heart." There was a struggle in his heart 
 during that worship hour that God only knew. What 
 men might think of him was of small consequence as 
 compared with his duty before God, and His approval. 
 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." 
 
 Soon after these disquieting incidents the church 
 called a council to assist in allaying the troubles. I do 
 not remember the names of the brethren called, except 
 two, Pastor L. Johnson of Oakland, Nebraska, and 
 L. J. Ahlstrom of Sioux City, Iowa. Only Johnson 
 heeded the call. He acted as chairman of the meeting and 
 afterwards gave some conciliatory advice to a group of 
 leading brethren. 
 
15? JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 I am not sure of the date when the church at one time 
 had been contemplating calling a council, but I do know 
 that Dr. Edgren's advice not to call a council composed 
 of men from both American and Swedish churches was 
 followed. He was then considered a wise and trusted 
 member. 
 
 On March 7 a new church was organized composed 
 of members of the First church. It adopted as its name, 
 "The Regular Swedish Baptist Church of Stromsburg. ,, 
 This church soon sent out a call for a council of recogni- 
 tion. The following pastors were invited and responded: 
 Eric Wingren and Eric Sandell of Chicago; L. J. Ahl- 
 strom of Sioux City; Frank Peterson of Minneapolis; A. 
 F. Palm of a neighboring Baptist church in Nebraska. I 
 have a distinct recollection of having received two com- 
 munications from Pastor Ekman. To his second letter I 
 replied that although I did not heed the first call I would 
 come now. I have no recollection of the official call from 
 the churches. It is evident, however, that one had been 
 issued in a proper way. To my best recollection, Frank 
 Peterson was chosen moderator of the council and L. J. 
 Ablstrom secretary. 
 
 Just a word here about the personnel of the council. 
 I think we were all fair-minded men. Palm and Wingren 
 would be classed as very orthodox; Sandell and Ahl- 
 strom as young and inexperienced; Peterson was known 
 never to stress purely theological points, but was safe and 
 wise in practical matters. Wingren bad been a pupil 
 under Edgren in Stockholm, in the pioneer class of 
 1866; Peterson, Ahlstrom and Sandell had been his 
 students in the old seminary at Chicago and Morgan 
 Park. 
 
 The church that had asked for our counsel consisted 
 of fifty-two members, many of them old Baptists. When 
 
CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH 153 
 
 the council was set, Pastor Ekman kindly offered, or 
 consented, to take part in the proceedings, and he both 
 answered and put questions which were helpful to the 
 council in arriving at a decision. His church also invited 
 the council to investigate their side if they wished to do 
 so. We find the following statement in a communica- 
 tion from Ekman to a friend about the meeting of the 
 council: "We spent a couple of hours in a Biblical and 
 theological conversation, which seemed to interest the 
 large congregation immensely." It did. It was a 
 beautiful spring day. The windows were open, and 
 many were on the outside listening. Pastor Ekman puts 
 it correctly when he says that it was "a Biblical and 
 theological conversation." It was not a professional hair- 
 splitting doctrinal debate. No one of the council 
 manifested any desire for such procedure. I am of the 
 impression that the time consumed was more than two 
 hours. Editor Wingren gives the date of our meeting as 
 March 23, but the history of the church gives it as 
 March 30, 1887. This, of course, is immaterial. 
 
 On the proceedings of the council, I wrote the 
 minutes. The council's findings were delivered to the 
 proper persons. I kept no duplicate copies. The council 
 was unanimous in recognizing the new organization as a 
 regular Baptist church. It was also unanimous in 
 censuring Pastor Ekman for disseminating unsound 
 teachings on the doctrine of the atonement. Shortly 
 after the recognition the church increased to seventy-four 
 members. 
 
 The council had no communication or advice from 
 Dr. Edgren about any matters pertaining to the questions 
 with which we had to deal. 
 
 Dr. Edgren had delivered his lecture on the doctrine 
 of the atonement as announced. This was printed in the 
 
154 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 Swedish Baptist weekly, "Nya Wecko-Posten." At its 
 close the publisher and editor, the Rev. E. Wingren, gave 
 notice that he did not wish to continue the controversy 
 in the paper. And there it stopped. 
 
 A pertinent question : What did the pastors think of 
 the situation at the close of 1886? We have a very 
 enlightening communication from the Rev. F. Peterson to 
 the Rev. Eric Halvarson, then of Des Moines, la., on that 
 question, dated Minneapolis, January 14, 1887. This 
 letter is still in the possession of Mr. John Halvarson of 
 Minneapolis. From this we conclude that E. Halvarson 
 was of the same opinion as the rest of the pastors, but 
 the writer asks him the question: "How do you think 
 Ahlstrom stands?" Then he goes on and tells Mr. 
 Halvarson that he had heard from Pastors C. Silene, C. 
 A. Sandwall, Axel Tjernlund, John Ongman, and 
 several Chicago pastors that "they are all firm in their 
 faith and conviction and think that Ekman acted 
 unwisely." He mentions only one minister in Minnesota 
 who to his knowledge favored the other side. 
 
 From six ministers, all of them now past seventy, 
 who were students at the Central Bible Seminary in the 
 autumn of 1886, we have received expressions bearing on 
 the questions under consideration. Only two of these 
 have said anything about Dr. Edgren's course which 
 might give us occasion to note exceptions to the unani- 
 mous testimony in his favor. We quote the severest, 
 unqualified criticism first: "Personally I don't believe 
 that the way Edgren started the defense of orthodoxy 
 was the wisest. — C. E. P." The second one is equally 
 divided between the two: "Ekman was unwise in 
 delivering his discourses on the atonement in order to 
 influence the students in favor of Waldenstromian views 
 on this important theological question, especially as he 
 
CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH 15$ 
 
 had his former teacher as a member in the church of 
 which he was the pastor and since he knew that he could 
 not win him over to his views. But it was just as unwise 
 to take up this controversy in behalf of the school — 
 O. E." But we must also add that the praise of these 
 two, outside of their mild criticism, was whole-hearted. 
 The comments of the other four were complimentary 
 only. 
 
 Pastor A. P. Ekman was a Christian gentleman of 
 very high order; a man without reproach. In a letter to 
 a friend, within a year and a half after the events now 
 related, we gather information of real interest. He 
 complains that some of the members had been called by 
 the church before the division had taken place and that 
 they had not responded at the time. His disappointment 
 on that score was very keen. One cannot wonder at that. 
 The council's act of recognizing the new church and its 
 criticism on his preaching was a hard blow. But his 
 Christian character and fortitude, and his immovable 
 stand against the temptation to tell his side of the 
 controversy through other channels than the Swedish 
 Baptist press are worthy of high praise. He was held in 
 high esteem everywhere, since he had served the General 
 Conference and traveled extensively among the churches 
 and he was determined not to write one word in the 
 public press. He took his treatment at the hands of his 
 brethren bravely and remained calm. Nay, better than 
 that : he allowed his bitter experience to act as a corrective 
 to bring him back to a more thorough study of the Bible 
 until he rested solidly on the old doctrine of the atone- 
 ment as taught in our school. In less time than a year 
 we met and talked over our experiences when he said that 
 he was convinced that the only theory that could be 
 accepted as truly in harmony with the Bible was the 
 
156 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 substitutional doctrine of the atonement. When Pastor 
 Ekman preached the Golden Jubilee sermon in the Grove 
 City church, he dwelt with emphasis on the atonement. 
 Dr. Frank Peterson and myself listened to the sermon 
 very attentively. At its close Dr. Peterson remarked, 
 "Why, Brother Ekman stands so straight on the doctrine 
 of the atonement that he almost leans backward." 
 
 Some years ago Prof. Adolf Olson and Dr. C. G. 
 Lagergren of the Bethel Baptist Seminary wished to have 
 me explain how to harmonize the council's decision 
 against Ekman with his statement to Dr. Northrup that 
 he held to the doctrine of the atonement as taught in the 
 seminary at Morgan Park. I asked them at what time 
 that statement had been made, and received the answer 
 that it was made more than a year after the act of the 
 council. To this I replied without hesitation that 
 Brother Ekman was back again on the old doctrine of 
 the atonement in less than a year. I have made this 
 statement quite explicit in order that the interested reader 
 may feel sure he is reading facts and not fiction. As far 
 as I can remember, all the men of bygone years who have 
 reasoned with me about Dr. Edgren's last days of 1886, 
 except Olson and Lagergren, have "crossed the bar," 
 including the members of the council. Hence a reference 
 to any of these would have no binding value as proof 
 of my veracity. 
 
 Dr. Edgren could look back with satisfaction on the 
 closing events of his career as leader of our ministerial 
 education. His determined stand for sound interpreta- 
 tion of Bible truths had in a large measure produced the 
 effect of saving the denomination from a continued 
 irritating doctrinal dualism. And on his stand he had 
 received the hearty endorsement of his brethren. 
 
 We can listen with profit to what Jehovah says 
 
CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH 15 7 
 
 about our thoughts and ways: "My thoughts are not 
 your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. For as 
 the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways 
 higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your 
 thoughts" (Isa. 55:8, 9). 
 
CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 Literary and Journalistic Ventures 
 
 WE have always recognized God's guiding hand in 
 directing the Rev. G. Palmquist to establish our 
 first church at Rock Island, and now it has 
 become our privilege to acknowledge his watchcare over 
 us as a denomination in placing in our ranks one who 
 was well qualified to lay the foundation for our litera- 
 ture. Nearly all of Dr. Edgren's most important literary 
 products were published in the Swedish language. We 
 desire to call attention to these very briefly, but still 
 sufficiently for the reader to judge his peculiar fitness for 
 labor in this field. It will enable us to understand what 
 an important part this literature has played in developing 
 and stabilizing the work of the Swedish Baptists. 
 
 First in regard to journalistic literature: We are 
 aware that statements have been made by some writers 
 that in 1859 a group of Swedish Baptists published 
 "Fribetsvannen" in Galesburg, Illinois, which continued 
 only a short time. In 1860 "Evangelisten," an avowed- 
 ly Baptist periodical, was also started there. L. Ahnberg 
 was business manager and S. Kronsjo, editor. According 
 to a persisting tradition the editor was rather caustic in 
 his attitude toward some unscrupulous opponents of the 
 Baptists. The life of this paper was too short to be count- 
 ed by years. Whatever merits these attempts may have 
 had, they can in no sense be classed as a part of Swedish 
 Baptist periodicals according to our present conception. 
 Neither can Dr. Anders Wiberg's literary work, begun 
 
160 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 in Philadelphia, 1852, be understood in the same way as 
 Dr. Edgren's, for Wiberg was engaged by the American 
 Baptist Publication Society for the Baptist cause in 
 Sweden. Dr. Edgren's undertaking came about by his 
 own initiative and design. 
 
 Dr. Edgren's journalistic labors in our country occur 
 within the period 1871 -'80 His first venture was a 
 monthly magazine called "Zions Waktare" (Zion's 
 Watchman) , Chicago. Its first issue appeared in May, 
 1871, six months after his arrival to assume the pastoral 
 care of the First Swedish Baptist church of that city. 
 The last issue was that of September. The editor's copy 
 for October and his list of subscribers vanished in the 
 great Chicago fire. 
 
 At the Diamond Jubilee in Chicago, Dr. Frank 
 Peterson gave us the following information about the 
 first issue: "The first page was devoted to devotional 
 matters; the second to the inspiration of the Bible; the 
 third to news from the mission field, home and foreign; 
 and the fourth page contained the Children's Department 
 and was edited in the English language." It is safe to 
 say that in spirit and aim this first issue can be taken as 
 an index to those that followed. This opens to us a vista 
 of events of special moment. It was the first bona-fide 
 effort of its kind among the Swedish Baptists in Amer- 
 ica; it was a bi-lingual messenger; a copy of this 
 magazine became the means, under extraordinary circum- 
 stances, through God's guidance, to make the founder of 
 the school and his first pupil known to each other, an 
 incident of great significance. Beginning with the 
 destruction of the copy for the October issue the Baptists 
 were deprived of their valuable little messenger for more 
 than one year and a half, or until Dr. Edgren returned 
 from Sweden in the spring of 1873. During this 
 
C. Silene, 
 iirst student in the seminary 
 
 N. Hayland, 
 first graduate of the seminary 
 
 L. I. Ahlstrom, 
 
 oldest living graduate and 
 
 author of this book 
 
 Dr. Ola Hanson, 
 renowned Edgren pupil, mis- 
 sionary in Burma 
 
LITERARY VENTURES 161 
 
 summer he assumed the task of re-establishing and 
 publishing the magazine. This time he named it "Zions 
 Wakt" (The Watch of Zion) . The leading features of 
 this new venture were the same as those of ''Zions Wak- 
 tare." It set forth the Baptist views of Bible doctrines; it 
 urged the readers to support Christian missions among the 
 oncoming throngs of immigrants. It kept the cause of 
 ministerial education prominently before the people. In 
 a carefully preserved copy of this denominational mes- 
 senger, Pastor O. Hake of Trade Lake, Wisconsin, found 
 the correct address when in 1876 the church was to send 
 its first student to ' 'Captain Edgren's school." The 
 printed word of Swedish Baptists "was precious in those 
 days." 
 
 When Edgren was compelled to relinquish publish- 
 ing "Zions Wakt" because of lack of time and overtaxed 
 strength the work was taken over by the Rev. K. A. 
 Ostergren of St. Paul, who enlarged it to a weekly 
 publication and named it "Facklan" (The Torch). Dur- 
 ing the money panic of 1877 its light was extinguished. 
 
 As the year 1877 marks a very important, definite 
 date in the history of our literature, we must pause for a 
 moment, analyze the situation and obtain a new estimate 
 of the leader. In those days we had no general confer- 
 ence, and none of the state conferences had evolved any 
 tangible plan by which a new publication could be 
 launched. But the exigencies of the times had led to the 
 organization of "Tryckforeningen" (The Printing 
 Society). We might call it "The Printing Board." This 
 sounds businesslike, anyway. The board met somewhere 
 in Iowa, presumably in Village Creek, during the 
 summer. The goal set— the raising of an amount suffi 
 cient to start a new publication— was not attained. To 
 the assertion by the good brethren that they would stand 
 
162 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 by him if he would undertake to publish a twice-a- 
 month magazine Edgren answered with a positive "No," 
 the only reasonable answer he could give. After the 
 changes in the school work in the fall of 1877, noted in 
 a previous chapter, he saw an opportunity to change his 
 "No, I cannot," to "Yes, I will." And this gives us one 
 more occasion to observe how God leads His servants on 
 to success, in spite of obstacles. While it is true that some 
 of the students became losers in their classroom work on 
 account of unavoidable changes, yet when it comes to 
 summing up their labors in the mission field after the 
 dose of their school terms there was perhaps no visible 
 loss sustained. At any rate this loss was amply offset by 
 the greater gain in a denominational way, by the new 
 start Dr. Edgren was enabled to make in producing a new 
 and larger magazine than he had done at any time before. 
 Here again he steps forth as the courageous rescuer in the 
 hour of a crisis. For when "The Torch" had failed, 
 when the state conferences had failed, when the last hope, 
 the Publishing Board, also had failed to render the help 
 needed, then he felt compelled to draw on his seemingly 
 inexhaustible working capital — his faith and courage. 
 Here I will adopt Dr. J. O. Backlund's rather unpoetic 
 expression at the celebration in New Sweden, Iowa, 
 1931. Referring to Dr. Edgren and "Zions Waktare" he 
 said: "He placed his neck under the yoke and gave our 
 denomination 'Evangelisk Tidskrift,' (Evangelical Jour- 
 nal) ." The first issue appeared in November, 1877, a 
 monthly publication of sixteen pages, double column. 
 With this first issue we connect our leading Swedish 
 Baptist journals in an unbroken line of monthly, bi- 
 weekly and weekly publications up to the present time ; a 
 period of more than sixty years. Bearing in mind that 
 Dr. Edgren was also the head of our school, it is 
 
LITERARY VENTURES 163 
 
 interesting to note as a coincidence that as the last item 
 in the first issue of "Evangelisk T*dskrift" is found the 
 statement that $171.73 had been received for the school. 
 
 The motto chosen for the new journal is character- 
 istic of its editor, "Love, Truth and Peace" (Zak. 8:19). 
 In the editorial announcement he says: "Its aim is to be 
 a good and thorough religious journal." Also the 
 explanation: "Mark the order: truth and peace. Truth 
 first, but also peace; never peace at the expense of truth." 
 This reminds us of what his son Robert W. wrote: 
 "When I was a small boy my father often talked of 
 honesty and honor. One thing he said was this: 'A 
 gentleman never tells a lie through fear, or for his own 
 profit.' " 
 
 In the April issue, 1880, Edgren's name appears for 
 the last time as editor and publisher. Thus we note that 
 from May, 1871, to April, 1880, Dr. Edgren produced 
 whatever periodical literature we possessed, with the 
 exception of the months when "The Torch" gave forth 
 its light. In the May issue, the Rev. E. Wingren appears as 
 editor and owner. Here is his greeting to the readers: "We 
 shall do our best that 'Evangelisk Tidskrift' may 
 continue to prove itself worthy of its fine name." This 
 is an acknowledgement that the name and the contents of 
 the magazine had been in harmony. Wingren speaks 
 with authority, for he had been familiar with Edgren's 
 publication even in Sweden. 
 
 The outstanding quality of Dr. Edgren's journalistic 
 productions is that of being doctrinal, convincingly 
 Biblical, and unmistakably Baptistic. The pattern of the 
 Christian church is the one found in the New Testament 
 as presented by Christ and the Apostles, without any 
 taint of ecclesiastical influence, either of that day or of 
 the centuries following. 
 
164 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 A prominent place is occupied by a score of Gospel 
 sermons on various topics and Scriptural texts, from 
 living, active Scandinavian Baptist preachers of that 
 time. This department gave the publisher real satisfac- 
 tion. Most of these discourses may be classed as 
 awakening sermons. One is a Thanksgiving sermon by 
 the Rev. O. Okerson, delivered in the Norwegian Baptist 
 church at Halfway Creek, Wisconsin, on Thanksgiving 
 Day, 1878. He waxes eloquent when he speaks of the 
 blessings of the perfect religious freedom we enjoy here as 
 compared with the conditions prevailing in some 
 European countries. 
 
 The readers of this journal were also informed 
 through several articles from the pen of the editor of the 
 pioneer Baptist work in Sweden. 
 
 Secondly, we shall consider Dr. Edgren as author of 
 books. He became known as an author while a teacher in 
 the Baptist Bethel Seminary, Stockholm. During 1867 he 
 published the following treatises: "Efter Doden" (After 
 Death), "Den Oppna Kommunion i Skriftens Ljus" 
 ( Open Communion in the Light of the Holy Scriptures) , 
 "Sabbaten och Herrens Dag" (The Sabbath and the 
 Lord's Day) , "Bibeln en Gudomlig Uppenbarelse" (The 
 Bible a Divine Revelation) . While Dr. Edgren was in 
 Sweden to improve his health, in 1872, he had no time 
 to waste, but as a means of rest and relaxation he wrote 
 and published his "Minnen fran Havet och Kriget" 
 (Memoirs from the Sea and the War) in book form. As 
 far as we know, the publications now mentioned were 
 the only ones published in Sweden. 
 
 Dr. Jacob Bystrom of Stockholm writes of a recent 
 date: "Dr. Edgren was to most people here an unknown 
 person; but he has become known to many through his 
 activities as an author." 
 
LITERARY VENTURES 165 
 
 "Minnen fran Havet, Kriget och Missionsfaitet" 
 (Memoirs from the Sea. the War and the Mission 
 Field) was published in Chicago, 1878. The author 
 says in his Foreword that the book is published at the 
 expressed wishes of friends in America. Much of its 
 contents appeared in "Minnen fran Havet och Kriget," 
 with one new chapter added, that about the mission 
 field. A copy of this, fresh from the bindery, was 
 presented to the writer by its author. It is in this book 
 he has found the best material for some of the chapters 
 in the first part of this story. It is properly classed as an 
 autobiography. It is a book of action. It presents the 
 author as a boy at home and at school, as sailor, soldier, 
 preacher, teacher and writer; it reveals his predominating 
 inclination and aim: never to lay aside the pen until he 
 has led the reader to contemplate some Biblical truth for 
 his own benefit, and for the exaltation of the Creator's 
 name. His description of nature's beauty and grandeur 
 invites us to linger for a moment in the Strait of 
 Gibraltar, the meeting place of the Mediterranian Sea and 
 the Atlantic Ocean. From this vantage ground he 
 describes some of nature's wonders; the water of the 
 Mediterranean is of a beautiful dark blue color, and the 
 sky above this sea is usually clear and dark blue. The 
 hue of the water is due to the great quantity of salt in it. 
 In spite of all the great streams from three continents that 
 flow into it and the immense volume of water from the 
 Atlantic, its surface is lower than that of the Atlantic. 
 Why? Because thirsty warm winds sweeping over it 
 carry the moisture far and wide over vast parts of the 
 earth to make them habitable for man and beast. He 
 also bids us take a look at the world map and observe 
 how a part of Africa juts out westward into the Atlantic 
 and how from the South American coast a point of land 
 
166 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 projects eastward, opposite, and how all these arrange- 
 ments on a grand scale contribute to regulate ocean 
 currents and winds in proper proportions for the benefit 
 of the dwellers of the earth. Then he surveys the majestic 
 mountain ranges of Asia, Europe, North and South 
 America, and tells what functions they perform. But 
 why these digressions from the story of the author's own 
 adventures and achievements? Seemingly for the purpose 
 of leading up to a grand climax that calls for a question 
 and its answer: "Who can fail to see in all this the marks 
 of His wisdom 'who hath measured the waters in the 
 hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with a span, 
 and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and 
 weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a 
 balance?' (Isaiah 40:12)." 
 
 The book closes with this effusion by the author: 
 "To God be eternal praise for His great patience, His 
 gracious leading and His unspeakable love." 
 
 "Bibeln Guds Bok" (The Bible, God's Book), 131 
 pages, Chicago, 1880. The author greets the reader with 
 this motto: "Buy the truth, and sell it not" (Prov. 23: 
 23). On the next page he says: "These pages are 
 dedicated to my former pupils. They will remind you 
 of former days in the class room and of the importance 
 placed upon the Word, whose divine origin is herein 
 proven. Let the motto on the foregoing page always be 
 your motto. The Lord be with you." These quotations 
 are taken from the third edition, published in Oakland, 
 Calif., 1890. In his introduction he expresses his joy 
 over the fact that the former editions had proved to be 
 of blessings to some souls and that Christians had been 
 strengthened in their faith. 
 
 The author refers to his work in the class room in 
 the old seminary in Chicago and Morgan Park. There 
 
LITERARY VENTURES 167 
 
 the Swedish Bible served as text-book. But in preparing 
 the manuscript for "The Bible, God's Book," he had 
 consulted the inspired Word in the original language and 
 several early translations. He had also gathered informa- 
 tion from more than forty of the most erudite Bible 
 scholars of many lands and languages representing 
 several religious denominations. 
 
 The contents are divided into nine chapters: 1) 
 Introduction; 2) Nature's God; 3) False Views; 4) The 
 Possibility and Necessity of the Revelation; 5) The 
 Genuineness, Integrity and Reliability of the Bible; 7) 
 Miracles and Prophecies; 8) The Bible in History; 9) 
 Inspiration of the Bible. 
 
 "Bibeltolkningens Lagar" (The Laws of Bible 
 Interpretation), 183 pages. Oakland, Calif., 1890. In 
 the introduction to the second edition the author informs 
 the reader that "The work is founded on many years of 
 study of the whole Bible, as well as of hermeneutics and 
 isagogics in general. Intended for a text-book in a 
 Scandinavian department of an American theological 
 seminary, it found demand in many other institutions 
 cf various denominations and now it may become of 
 more general benefit." 
 
 "Biblisk Troslara" (Biblical Doctrine of Faith) , 
 second edition, 248 pages, Chicago, Illinois. This work 
 also came about in the same manner and for the same 
 purpose as the two preceding books. Here any one of 
 the early students under Dr. Edgren recognizes his course 
 of theology as taken down by dictation from the lips of 
 the professor in the classroom. It is a reminder of the 
 early days of preparation for his life battle with the 
 "Sword of the Spirit." 
 
 "Epiphaneia: A Study in Prophecy," 105 pages, 
 Chicago, 1881. This was the only book published in 
 
168 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 the English language. We have called attention to it in 
 a previous chapter and pass it here without further 
 comment. 
 
 "Pa Livets Hav" (On the Sea of Life), 208 pages, 
 Oakland, Calif., 1898. Within the covers of this book 
 we find a collection of writings on various topics, twelve 
 in all. The first is a sermon from which the book gets 
 its title. 
 
 Dr. J. E. Klingberg has been a most zealous collector 
 of Dr. Edgren's writings. Among material for Edgren's 
 biography is a neatly written book of twenty-four pages 
 listing Dr. Edgren's writings, entitled "Bibliography on 
 Writings by Dr. Edgren by J. E. Klingberg." In Dr. 
 Klingberg's "Litteraturhistoriska Studier" he gives the 
 titles of fifteen books and treatises by Edgren. 
 
 Dr. J. O. Backlund in his "History of Swedish 
 Baptists in America" makes the notation about Dr. 
 Edgren that "he found time to write a number of books 
 on theological subjects, some twenty titles in all." 
 
CHAPTER XIX 
 
 Preacher and Pastor 
 
 BY selections from various addresses the reader has 
 formed an opinion of Dr. Edgren as a public 
 speaker. But as he was an ordained minister we 
 shall also present him in the role of preacher, expounding 
 the word of God from the pulpit. The selections which 
 follow are from sermons we heard delivered and which 
 were later written out and preserved in print. Although 
 these selections are very brief we hope that through them 
 the reader may in some measure understand why Dr. 
 Edgren was "a preacher who was listened to with 
 interest/' 
 
 There was always an air of dignity about him in the 
 pulpit. The audience felt at ease in his presence. His 
 public prayer impressed the listener with a feeling that he 
 was on intimate terms with God. He offered up an 
 intercessory prayer for each individual. The closing of 
 the prayer was as natural as the beginning. Amen was 
 pronounced with a confidence that it had been received 
 at the throne of grace. 
 
 In the open Bible before him was a brief outline of 
 the sermon, seldom referred to. He usually stood still, 
 hardly moving a foot, making gestures sparingly. When- 
 ever he used an illustration it clearly served the purpose 
 intended, 
 
 From a sermon preached in the Morgan Park Baptist 
 church, Illinois, 1878. Text: "How beautiful are thy 
 
170 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 steps in sandals, O prince's daughter!" (Song of Solomon 
 7:1). "Have you ever noticed how a person's thoughts 
 and emotions, his innermost soul give form and 
 expression to his being, so that, as in the text, even his 
 way of walking indicates his character? Here we have a 
 woman, beautiful in appearance, and this beauty reveals 
 her innermost being. This Song of Songs is an inspired 
 poem. It is a prophetic allegory portraying Christ's 
 love for His church, His bride, and the bride's love for 
 her heavenly Bridegroom. The woman in the text is 
 the church, consisting of all redeemed, saved souls, 
 'enrolled in heaven' (Heb. 12:23). Her stepping 
 forward and her march through a hostile world is 
 beautiful. Sandals were not used in the homes nor in the 
 king's palaces. No, this woman is coming up from the 
 wilderness, she has not yet entered into the palace of her 
 beloved. The church is still on earth, still passing 
 through the wilderness, surrounded by dangers on all 
 sides. Like the bride in the song she is 'swarthy, but 
 comely,' for she is sunburnt. Her march through the 
 centuries is beautiful. This gives us the topic: The 
 Conduct That Is Characteristic of the Church of Living 
 Christians. 
 
 "The church is noted for her devotion to the Lord. 
 She is like the slave girl, who, when bought and told by 
 her buyer that she was free, fell at his feet and exclaimed, 
 'Sir, I am yours for all time!' The Son of God in his 
 deep compassion came to redeem, and by his own blood 
 to save. What he did he did for all. But by this 
 salvation the church does not only receive her freedom 
 from sin, but much more; she is betrothed to her 
 heavenly King forever. She can heartily exclaim like the 
 bride in the Song of Songs: 'My beloved is mine, and I 
 am his!' 
 
PREACHER AND PASTOR 171 
 
 "The living church realizes that she is forgiven, 
 renewed, and an object of her Lord's deep love and care, 
 and in her innermost being she is devoted to Him. 'He 
 is the fairest in ten thousand.' He is white and red, 
 white in his innocence, red in his life power, 'chiefest of 
 ten thousand.' No language is too strong to describe his 
 perfections. Here is a devotion stronger than death, 
 extending beyond the present and into eternity. 
 
 "The church is marked by her submission to the 
 Lord. The woman in our text comes up from 'the 
 wilderness, leaning on her beloved.' She is loving, 
 trusting, submissive. So is the church with regard to 
 Christ. The Christians are not perfect. They may 
 make mistakes, but one thing is certain: all real Christians 
 have on the whole the same view of the great doctrines of 
 salvation, founded not only on God's word, but also 
 in their Christian experience, which is very much the 
 same the world over. 
 
 "Our text teaches us that the church possesses a high 
 spirit of nobility. She is the daughter of a prince, of the 
 eternal King through the power of the Holy Spirit. A 
 higher origin is not possible. One time I had audience 
 with the Swedish princess Eugenia, who was a humble 
 Christian. I shall never forget the fine impression I 
 received from her simple ways, her open-heartedness, her 
 meekness. Yet she had a noble bearing, something that 
 marked her as a person of royalty. This is exactly what 
 we notice in our text: a womanly beauty and a royal 
 bearing so that the beholder exclaims: 'How beautiful 
 are thy steps in sandals, O prince's daughter!' She walks 
 as a child of heaven, whose steps always lead upward. 
 'Nearer, my God, to thee!' " 
 
172 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 A sermon preached in the Second Swedish Baptist 
 church on Butterfield Street, Chicago, Illinois, Novem- 
 ber, 1877. Text: "For what shall a man be profited 
 if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? 
 or what shall a man give in exchange for his life?" 
 (Matt. 16:26). 
 
 "Man is essentially selfish. To set aside one's own 
 will for God's, to forsake love for one's self instead of 
 love to God, to forsake all to glorify God is not an easy 
 matter. But unless this happens one cannot be a follower 
 of Christ. No, he who lives for self only must lose his 
 life; but he who loses his life for Christ's sake shall find 
 eternal life. Thus the Lord speaks to his disciples. 
 Christianity is not only a belief, but also a life which 
 follows on such belief. We cannot separate deeds from 
 true belief. They are the fruits of true faith. No one 
 can become a Christian unless he earnestly forsakes 
 selfishness. The prodigal son must display an earnest 
 desire to get away from the 'far country' and start for 
 home. Do you wish to become a Christian? Do you 
 wish to be a real Christian? Examine those questions 
 in the light of the text. 
 
 "To understand our text we must consider the value 
 of a soul. The soul dwells in the body as in a tent, 
 which one day shall be taken down. The soul is in 
 reality ourselves. It is also called spirit. When the body 
 is dead the soul continues to live, either in heavenly 
 glory or in the woes of hell. The soul develops more and 
 more in conformity to God's will and becomes more and 
 more blessed. Its condition knows of no ending! O, 
 what height the human spirit may attain! Only the 
 measuring rod of infinity can suffice to measure it. 
 
 "On the other hand, there is a downward grade. 
 Man may become more and more selfish, more unright- 
 
PREACHER AND PASTOR 173 
 
 cous, until his whole being is possessed of an open hatred 
 to God, and impudently tramples God's commandments 
 under foot. Finally the day of grace will end in a night 
 of darkest despair. Woe unto the soul from which God's 
 spirit has for ever departed! Woe to that soul when the 
 conscience is awakened to a full realization that all hope 
 is forever cut off, when the fiery arrows of the Almighty 
 pierce the heart! What thought can fathom, what tongue 
 can tell the torments of eternal death? Who can 
 measure the depths of this abyss? The plummet of 
 eternity can find no bottom there. 
 
 "We must all be found, either in glory, beholding 
 God and doing his will, or in the darkness of hell, 
 eternally wicked, for ever cast away from God's presence. 
 The difference between those two conditions is for each 
 of us the value of our souls. Once we shall fully realize 
 this. 
 
 "Behold how God values the soul. His Son gave 
 His life to redeem it. He had to step into the sinner's 
 place if the sinner was to be saved on justifiable grounds. 
 Christ had to give Himself as a ransom for our souls. 
 When God thus considers the worth of the soul, how 
 great must that value be! 
 
 "What would it profit a man if he were to gain the 
 whole world and in the attempt lost his own soul? How 
 much is the world worth when a man realizes that he is 
 sinking into eternal perdition? Nothing, absolutely 
 nothing! But who can gain the whole world? I know 
 of only One to whom it was offered on the condition 
 that He fall down and worship the one who made the 
 offer. We know the answer: 'Get thee behind me, Satan.' 
 But Satan has deceived many. One is offered a throne 
 if he will obey him. Another is offered riches, if he will 
 only gain them by deception and lies. Another is offered 
 
174 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 the praise of man. and he forgets God and loses his own 
 soul. Others sell their souls at much greater bargains. 
 Once a company of people visited Niagara Falls. A 
 woman in that group caught sight of a flower on the 
 edge of the cliff close by. Against the warning of her 
 companions, she picked the flower but was caught by 
 dizziness and tumbled down into the deep below. She 
 gained the flower but lost her life. 
 
 "When a man has lost his soul because of sin and is 
 summoned before God's judgment seat, what ransom 
 shall he offer for his soul? Silver and gold do not follow 
 their owner beyond the grave. Only the blood of 
 Christ has redeeming value. Regret and repentance do 
 not help. He has rejected salvation and now he must 
 realize the truth of the Lord's word: 'Because I have 
 called, and ye have refused; I have stretched out my 
 band, and no man hath regarded: but ye have set at 
 naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 
 I also will laugh in the day of your calamity; I will mock 
 when your fear cometh.' The mountains have fled and 
 cannot hide the sinner from the wrath of the Lamb. No 
 escape, no salvation possible now; all is lost! Will this 
 be your experience? Just think if you who have 
 confessed Christ, enjoyed the Gospel message, should 
 finally lose your soul! You have been near the kingdom 
 of God but finally will find yourself in hell. O, what a 
 fall! From the portal of heaven down to perdition. It 
 will be less suffering for Sodom and Gomorrah than for 
 such a soul. 
 
 "Would you know how to be saved and become a 
 
 child of God? Just accept the Lord Jesus. His blood 
 
 cleanseth from all sin. This is sufficient." 
 * * * 
 
 An illustrated sermon delivered in the Swedish 
 
PREACHER AND PASTOR 175 
 
 Baptist church at Kiron, Iowa, in August, 1884. Text: 
 "Examining the Scriptures daily" (Acts 17:11). 
 Theme : On the Sea of Life. 
 
 "The Jews in Berea were commended for their 
 readiness to search the Scriptures and accept the truth. 
 Sincere Bible study brings its reward. To believe is the 
 beginning of eternal life. Let us learn something from the 
 Scriptures which we can illustrate with scenes from the 
 sea. This is natural for me to do, as in my younger days 
 I followed the sea long enough to advance from cabin 
 boy to captain. 
 
 "First we can learn something about a sinner's salva- 
 tion. Here is a burning ship at sea. The ship is the 
 world. The world will be ravaged by fire. This we 
 know by the Bible. You see a man on the burning ship. 
 How shall he escape? To plunge into the sea is death." 
 
 By this time the preacher had become a black-board 
 artist, his illustrations developing as natural and as fast 
 as his thoughts and speech, elucidating the truths 
 presented. This continued for an hour. 
 
 "How shall that man on the burning ship be saved? 
 'By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.' All 
 should surely live right, but there is no foundation for 
 salvation in that. Is there hope of rescue? Yes, a ship 
 is approaching. Its name is the Gospel. It has come 
 through many a storm, but not a sail is rent, not a spar 
 broken. 'Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my 
 word shall not pass away,' saith the Lord. This ship has 
 been sent out by the King of Gloryland to rescue the 
 shipwrecked. In the symbol of the cross on its flag we 
 read, 'God is love.' On behalf of the King it signals: 
 'Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: 
 for I am God, and there is none else.' 
 
 "The lifeboat of atonement has been let down on the 
 
176 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 sea and is come near the stern of the burning ship. The 
 man just drops into that and is saved. Do thou likewise, 
 sinner. Confess and forsake your sin and cast yourself 
 upon Christ, through whose merits God justifies the 
 ungodly. Listen to the song of the rescued man as the 
 life boat is speeding away: 'I am persuaded, that neither 
 death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things 
 present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor 
 depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate 
 us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our 
 Lord." 
 
 "Some lessons about the Christian life. We have 
 now been born anew. This life is a life of faith, of love 
 and hope. We have much to learn. The Bible as a 
 mariner's chart shows us the way. We see a coast, a 
 harbor, a river, a city. It is the haven of peace, the river 
 of life, the new Jerusalem with its pearly gates, its 
 foundations of precious stones, streets of transparent 
 gold, 'The glory of God lightens it, and the lamp thereof 
 is the Lamb.' A ship out on the Sea of Life is pointing 
 its prow toward the glorious goal. Many hidden rocks 
 and shoals ahead. The chart shows the safe direction. 
 The Holy Spirit who has inspired the words of the Bible 
 also dwells in the Christian. Here is an indwelling 
 power. When our will conforms to God's will, then 
 we steer the right course. Favorable winds blow, 
 Watchfulness and Joy are at the helm Soon a storm of 
 passion breaks loose, but 'Christ was tempted in all 
 things' and conquered. Our navigator, whose name is 
 Faithful, acts according to sound principles and steers 
 away from temptations; he also helps others. 
 
 "Loving-the-world-stream runs with broad billows 
 through the sea. It widens and leads far away from the 
 
First Swedish Baptist Church in St. Paul, Minn., the home of the 
 seminary 1884-'85 
 
 
 The seminary building in Stromsburg, Nebr., 1886-'88 
 
PREACHER AND PASTOR 177 
 
 heavenly shore. Many have followed this, but Faithful 
 has avoided it and sails on in safe waters." 
 
 After having given a warning to the mariner not to 
 steer into the shallows of Formalism the preacher called 
 attention to the dangers of the Maelstrom of Covetous- 
 ness. With his burning words and his blackboard 
 illustrations he created a tense interest. There were 
 several men in the audience who had exchanged the 
 occupation of sailors in the old country for the more 
 profitable life of farmers of the rich land in western 
 Iowa. Some men were already being drawn into that 
 dangerous whirlpool. The preacher said: 
 
 "Have you set your heart on uncertain riches? Has 
 the longing for money become a passion? Then you are 
 covetous. It will go with you as with chips in a stream. 
 You will be carried with greater and greater force toward 
 the center of the whirlpool until you are overcome with 
 dizziness and finally carried down into the deep. 
 
 "When the Christian is losing his efficiency, let him 
 investigate what might be the cause of this. If it is the 
 loose sand of the fear-of-man, or the sticky clay of 
 indolence, or the frail shell of lack-of-faith, or lack-of- 
 love, then steer out into the deep water of faith, love, 
 hope, zeal, and keep at work for the Lord until you 
 reach the safe harbor. 
 
 "Faithful is now nearing the current running along 
 the coast of the Gloryland. This is the River of Death. 
 When the tidal wave of feelings follows the current, the 
 passage is fairly easy. But when the tidal waves set 
 against the current the crossing is difficult. When Faith- 
 ful went down between the billows, the tops of his masts 
 could hardly be seen above the crests of the waves. All 
 his comrades have crossed over safely. The different 
 colors of the various groups of faithful mariners have 
 
178 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 disappeared in the perfect light that met them on their 
 arrival. An array of sails, whiter than the snow, greeted 
 them in the harbor. These were angels, sent by the 
 King to pilot them into port. The whole heavenly host 
 bade them welcome. They had watched them in their 
 struggles over the Sea of Life (Heb. 12:1). 
 
 "When I lived in a place on the Atlantic coast some 
 friends went with me in a small sailboat for a pleasure 
 trip. But our venture turned out to be a test of seaman- 
 ship, for a storm struck us when we were quite far out 
 on the ocean. I had both physical strength and experience 
 to cope with the situation. And we needed it. We made 
 the turn-about safely. When our gallant little craft had 
 climbed to the crest of some high billow we could see 
 people on shore spying over the ocean. We knew why. 
 The group on shore increased to a throng. We began to 
 see them waving at us and finally heard them cheering. 
 We reefed our sail and landed safely. 
 
 "Friends, let us do as the Bereans did, examining our 
 chart daily, for then shall we safely reach the longed-for 
 haven." 
 
CHAPTEB XX 
 
 Classroom Memories 
 
 To any member of a class of theological students 
 under an efficient teacher the classroom becomes a 
 place of sacred memories which, as the years roll by, 
 grow more and more precious. A few incidents which 
 center around Dr. Edgren within that sacred precinct will 
 give the reader some additional light on his character and 
 his way of guiding young men in their preparation for 
 the Gospel ministry. The time I refer to is 1876-'80, 
 with additional testimonies from members of his last 
 class of 1886. Going to the classroom Dr. Edgren's step 
 was always quick and firm, even when his countenance 
 betrayed a troubled soul within his well built, athletic 
 body. His high, uncommonly broad forehead attracted 
 the notice of all. To the new student his whole bearing 
 at first meeting was an invitation to advance and meet a 
 friend. 
 
 The morning hour of study and prayer placed him 
 before us as the ideal Bible teacher. But it was not only 
 at the morning exercises that the professor opened his 
 heart in prayer in a manner that the students could never 
 forget, for at any class hour, when his mind and body 
 needed added strength, he would begin the work with 
 prayer. Sometimes he would call on one or two of the 
 students to join him in supplication before the throne of 
 grace. After this there seemed to be no uncertainty about 
 the Holy Spirit's cheering presence. "One is our Master, 
 
180 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 but we are all brethren." would at such times be the 
 pervading atmosphere of the little group. 
 
 Dr. Edgren was always ready to tell of his own 
 experiences, even of his shortcomings, to help illustrate a 
 lesson before the class. When we were studying Paul's 
 story in 2 Cor. 12th chapter, and other passages about 
 being filled with the Holy Spirit, he told how his prayers 
 were answered while he was laboring in Stockholm. He 
 had felt much depressed, and for some time had been 
 praying and longing for the joy which has been promised 
 to the believers. While earnestly engaged in prayer at one 
 time he experienced such an overwhelming joy that he 
 realized it was an altogether new experience. After a 
 time he had to ask God to give him relief from this 
 ecstasy, for he feared that otherwise his earthly body 
 would succumb. His prayer had been answered and his 
 faith strengthened. 
 
 One morning at Bible study we were considering 
 Christ's injunction against swearing, as it is found in the 
 "Sermon on the Mount." We all agreed that the Amer- 
 ican law allowing the word "affirm" instead of "swear" 
 was very appropriate for those who had scruples about 
 making an official oath before the courts. As we drifted 
 into the subject of swearing among men in general, 
 Edgren told of his own sad experience as a warning in 
 times of overwhelming temptation to swear. During 
 one of the battles in the last year of the Civil War when 
 he commanded a battery of marines, the enemy made a 
 terrific charge against his position. When his men began 
 to fall, some became panic-stricken and failed to obey his 
 commands. Then he jumped up and shouted his orders, 
 reinforced with an oath and served a cannon himself. At 
 his unexpected language his men rallied, obeyed the 
 commander and beat back the enemy so effectively that 
 
CLASSROOM MEMORIES 181 
 
 they did not attempt a second attack. At this spontaneous 
 confession we could almost smell the smoke of battle, 
 and with one accord we were ready to absolve the officer 
 from any intention of using improper language. One 
 student even ventured to explain, to the satisfaction of 
 the class, at least, that this was providential and was 
 perhaps the only means that could give the panic- 
 stricken men a shock that would react on their nerves and 
 bring them back to their senses and make them obey the 
 command. For Edgren's men had never heard an oath 
 from his lips before. The professor did not reply to the 
 students interpretation but told us of the struggle in 
 prayer that his grave fault brought on, whereupon he led 
 us back into our Bible study. 
 
 "Be not righteous overmuch" (Eccl. 7:16). If this 
 advice of King Solomon is meant to be taken literally, 
 then I think it applies exactly to the case of Dr. Edgren. 
 When we were considering the Bible teaching about the 
 wrong of cheating and deceiving, he told us of his own 
 conscientiousness in a certain transaction in which he 
 considered himself an unwilling party to a gross decep- 
 tion. When he returned from Sweden in 1870 he 
 accepted employment drawing illustrations for one of the 
 big American magazines. One day he was asked to do 
 his best to produce a description of a shipwreck on a 
 coast in India, during a storm. All he had to guide him 
 was a telegram about the disaster and the kind of ship 
 lost. If his work was accepted it would mean extra good 
 pay for the artist and a boost for the magazine. When 
 the next issue was printed Edgren's drawing bore the 
 legend, "Drawn by an eyewitness." He received his pay 
 and was assured of more work, but he felt so grieved on 
 account of the deception that he never drew another 
 picture for that publication. 
 
182 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 In all sorts of difficulties that beset a student's mind 
 Edgren seemed to be ready with help — except one: 
 doubting the Bible as the word of God. For a time I 
 belonged to that class. This was brought out during the 
 study of the authenticity of the Bible and kindred 
 subjects. Any question raised that revealed a doubting 
 mind was promptly dismissed with the remark that this 
 was gross rationalism, or that it was almost infidelity. 
 This discouraged the questioner. Dr. Edgren himself had 
 never had a doubt of this kind, either before or after his 
 conversion. 
 
 But there were other troubles with students that had 
 lo be adjusted. There was one who made a bad break. 
 This student was very unselfish and self-sacrificing, with 
 a heart as tender as the professor's own. From an article 
 written by a student some years ago we gather the 
 following information about a classroom difficulty: 
 "The brother in question was a good student, but at one 
 time he was too honest and straight-forward to please 
 his schoolmates. Our theoretical knowledge in homile- 
 tics was to be demonstrated in a practical way in a public 
 meeting, at which Dr. Edgren was the leader. The 
 student was prepared for an half-hour sermon, but after 
 ten or fifteen minutes his thoughts became somewhat 
 confused and so he said "Amen," and sat down among 
 the other students present. Dr. Edgren was a wise and 
 practical leader, and after having made some appropriate 
 remarks called for testimonies and prayers. The congre- 
 gation was not aware that this meeting was a part of our 
 school course. After a while the student arose and 
 triumphantly informed the meeting that his memory was 
 now cleared and that he was ready to finish his sermon 
 before the class. He stepped up to the platform and 
 finished. In spite of this blunder, Dr. Edgren tactfully 
 
CLASSROOM MEMORIES 183 
 
 kd the meeting to a proper and solemn close. In the 
 classroom the following day we expected the professor to 
 give a sample of well-deserved corrections to the delin- 
 quent student, but his heart was too tender for that. 
 Instead, the rest of us were advised not to add to the 
 burden of the brother's heavy load of grief because of his 
 mistake. 
 
 "But this same student made another blunder which 
 was treated in a different manner. He was required to 
 write a sermon; another student was given the task to 
 prepare a written criticism on it. After that the professors 
 and the entire class were to give oral criticism on both 
 the sermon and the written criticism. The sermon writer 
 received mostly praise. One teacher, however, had a 
 grave suspicion of which he told Dr. Edgren. When the 
 student was called to explain how he could have written 
 such a good sermon he confessed that he had translated 
 and condensed a sermon of Mr. Spurgeon into Swedish, 
 for he was unable to produce one of his own that would 
 be worth reading before the class. Then Dr. Edgren 
 made him understand that he must confess his deception 
 before the whole class and ask both God and his brethren 
 for forgiveness. This he did, weeping, was assured of 
 forgiveness, and solemnly promised that he would not do 
 it again. And he did not. This happened during my 
 first school year. Dr. Edgren had no student who was 
 more attached to him as a true friend for life than was 
 Dr. August Johnson, whose school work was criticized in 
 the classroom as here related." 
 
 While these tear-and-mirth provoking incidents were 
 still fresh in our minds, Dr. Edgren took occasion to 
 emphasize certain important points during our homiletic 
 instruction: "Never plagiarize, never imitate, and if you 
 are so impressed with another man's sermon that you 
 
184 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 must give the same message yourself, then inform the 
 audience about it, if you would expect God's blessing 
 and approval." All of which was an advice against 
 dishonesty. He also added: "Never read your sermon 
 from the pulpit. In your preaching remember that the 
 well prepared expository sermon is the most effective. In 
 your pastoral work, home visitation and personal work 
 is the labor that brings the greatest blessings to both the 
 pastor and the church." 
 
 "After you have prepared your message by study and 
 prayer you may suddenly be tempted to choose a different 
 text or theme when you face your audience. This is a 
 severe test. Assure yourselves as promptly as possible 
 whether the suggestion comes from the Master or from 
 his adversary." Then he told us about his experience in 
 his father's home, related in chapter four, how the mayor 
 of the town of Arvika had appeared as censor and accuser 
 of the preacher, prepared for mischief. Although Edgren 
 knew of the mayor's nickname, "water pot," it never 
 occurred to him in what predicament he might place 
 himself facing the audience with the mayor in a most 
 conspicous place. His mind was so disturbed for a 
 moment — but only for a brief moment — that he almost 
 despaired as to an honorable outcome of the situation. 
 Suddenly he saw his own cowardice, remembering that 
 under all conditions he was Christ's ambassador. He 
 therefore delivered his message as originally intended, in 
 spite of the presence of the highest official in town whose 
 nickname, "Kruka" (water pot), was so conspicuously 
 interwoven in the discourse. This advice concerning 
 moral courage was remembered by the students with both 
 pleasure and profit. 
 
 When occasion called for mentioning pioneer 
 preachers, Pastor A. Wiberg was number one. For F. O. 
 
CLASSROOM MEMORIES 185 
 
 Nilsson Dr. Edgren had the highest regard as a hero of 
 faith under persecution. His wavering on some important 
 doctrines he attributed largely to the lack of sound 
 theological training. And he proved his friendship for the 
 exiled brother by printing his statement of his Christian 
 faith in full in "Zions Wakt," 1875. 
 
 Dr. Edgren oftentimes expressed his satisfaction at 
 the position taken by A. Wiberg and the pioneer German 
 brethren on the communion question at an early Baptist 
 conference in Stockholm. He deplored the loose and 
 unsound sentiment on this doctrine by the Baptists in 
 England. 
 
 In Dr. Edgren's private study in the new school 
 building at Morgan Park the big window faced south. 
 At that time this was the only building on the premises. 
 Later it was called Morgan Hall. For the sake of quiet 
 and convenience the professor had a bed put into this 
 room. Whenever he was able to he would be in the 
 classroom. Oftentimes it seemed to the students that the 
 only thing that gave him the vitality he needed for the 
 class hour was the prayers which preceded it. 
 
 At intervals, for whole days, he was confined to his 
 bed. But he had to continue his literary labors, for his 
 students needed textbooks. During the winter of 1 879- 
 '80 he appealed to me for assistance. He lacked the 
 strength to hold a book and read while in bed. and his 
 wife was not always strong enough to help him when 
 his severe coughing spells came on. We planned a 
 schedule that worked out fairly well and, as for me, I 
 could use the night hours to get my lessons. I also had 
 the physical strength needed to attend to my patient, who 
 was no lightweight. He was preparing the manuscript 
 for "The Bible, God's Book," and while most of his 
 work had been done, he had yet to familiarize himself 
 
186 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 with the contents of a big volume on the history of 
 philosophy. Most of the time he sat in his bed, propped 
 up with pillows. As I read he would say, "Check that 
 and bend the corner." The book was new, but by the 
 time I got through with it, it did not appear like new. I 
 think I sometimes used better judgment than the profes- 
 sor, for when he had calmed down after a coughing spell 
 which had almost thrown him into hysterics, he would 
 immediately order me to start reading again. Sometimes, 
 1 did not obey promptly. Without his knowledge, I 
 obeyed Mrs. Edgren instead of him. He was the patient 
 and I was both the doctor and nurse. At times we ran 
 into real debates which would be very interesting. In 
 the course of theology he had never been able to make 
 me see through the so called ontological proof about 
 God's existence, so as to make me perfectly satisfied with 
 certain conclusions; but in the sickroom he felt that he 
 had me cornered and would make that proof clear to me 
 beyond the question of a doubt. This diversion was rest 
 to him. 
 
 I have seen writers tell about the sunstroke Alexis 
 Edgren suffered while helping his brother Hjalmar get 
 away from Yorktown, as the cause of his recurring break- 
 down. They say nothing about his physical breakdown 
 at the age of sixteen under extreme heavy labors on 
 ship-board in Norrland. But after severe attacks of pain 
 when he would try to rest on his hands and knees, his 
 face buried in the pillows while I steadied him in that 
 position until the coughing spell ceased, he would speak 
 regretfully about the harsh treatment to which he had 
 been subjected in loading planks on a big ship. That 
 brutal treatment of a willing boy had damaged his spine 
 for the rest of his life. I never heard him mention this 
 except in the sickroom. That back-breaking labor in his 
 
CLASSROOM MEMORIES 187 
 
 boyhood and the sunstroke he suffered during the war 
 left their baneful marks on him so effectively that they 
 could never be removed. Medicine he used sparingly and 
 as far as I can remember no doctor visited him while I 
 acted as nurse. 
 
 About this time a discovery had been made of the 
 healing qualities of sun-rays passing through blue glass. 
 My patient had secured a large sheet of this kind of glass 
 and had it suspended in the big window of his study and 
 sat in the healing light as much as possible. I was hard- 
 hearted enough to express my doubts about the efficacy 
 of this new light cure. 
 
 The Lord put His stamp of approval upon his labor, 
 and the little volume, "The Bible, God's Book," of 131 
 pages had to be printed in three editions, as told in a 
 previous chapter. 
 
 Our best paper-weight in the Professor's study was a 
 piece of bomshell which had been hurled from Fort 
 Sumter against the U. S. Marine Battery on Morris 
 Island, and had exploded at his feet without doing any 
 damage. 
 
 I am exceedingly fortunate in having the opportunity 
 to finish this chapter with statements from members of 
 the last classes under Dr. Edgren's supervision; the fall 
 term of 1886. These messages are too lengthy to be 
 inserted in full, but selections have been made which are 
 in harmony with the spirit of the whole. 
 
 "Bellingham, Wash., August 24, 1936. 
 
 "To me, when I came to the seminary, Dr. J. A. 
 Edgren was like a good father, a loving brother, an 
 ardently pious Christian, a good teacher, but too highly 
 educated to convey his knowledge to such an ignorant 
 pupil as I was. To me he was perfect in all things, as far 
 
188 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 as I could know him. Even today he stands forth as 
 the wonderful man of God and teacher in our seminary. 
 
 "Charles Asplund." 
 
 "Los Angeles, Calif., July 9, 1936. 
 
 "Dr. John Alexis Edgren. I stand in greater obliga- 
 tion to this teacher and brother in the Lord than to 
 anyone else with whom I have come in contact during 
 my life as a Christian. Dr. Edgren's humble and brotherly 
 conduct toward me and other students when we arrived 
 at Morgan Park remained with me during my whole 
 time at school. Nothing austere about him in the class- 
 room. His prayer and study of God's word attracted 
 me to his person more and more as the years went by. He 
 conversed with God as a friend and saw possibilities for 
 solving problems in the dark moments. Edgren perceived 
 that a harvest for God's kingdom could be brought 
 about, but for this task men with training and warm 
 hearts were needed. 
 
 "O. Ellison." 
 
 "Los Angeles, California, September 9, 1936. 
 
 "It was only a short time I had Dr. Edgren as my 
 teacher, 1886 and part of 1887. I consider myself happy 
 to have had the opportunity to sit at the feet of this 
 richly gifted and to-God-devoted teacher. The morning 
 Bible study and prayers were precious moments. Dr. 
 Edgren had a wonderful insight into the word of God, 
 and the Holy Spirit made it living and inspiring for those 
 who heard him. He suffered much from sickness. I 
 saw him several times walk back and forth outside his 
 rooms and audibly call upon God for help. It was for 
 him the greatest grief to think of having to quit teaching, 
 his most cherished occupation, on account of sickness. 
 Edgren was a brother among his brethren, willing to 
 
CLASSROOM MEMORIES 189 
 
 sacrifice all for the welfare of others and for the further- 
 ance of Christ's kingdom. He lives, although he is dead. 
 
 "C. J. Almquist." 
 
 "Concordia, Kansas, September 12, 1936. 
 
 "Dr. Edgren was an ideal for us students. Meek as 
 a child in mingling with the students. If there was 
 discord among the students it was settled in the Bible 
 study class in the morning. His lectures on theology were 
 a real treat. Dr. Edgren was a profound thinker. He 
 was a man of God and he will have a rich reward 
 according to the promises in the Word. 
 
 "J. A. Huggerth." 
 
 "Ephraim, Wisconsin, May 2, 1938. 
 
 "Time was limited, subjects crowded, but it was the 
 best that could be done under the conditions. If Dr. 
 Edgren had had college graduates in his classes he would 
 have gained a reputation as one of the best of teachers. 
 Personally I learned more of humility from Edgren's 
 example than from any other human being. 
 
 "Chas. E. Palm." 
 
CHAPTER XXI 
 
 Edgren in California 
 
 IT would be correct to say that with the beginning of 
 1887 the most important part of Dr. Edgren's labors 
 had come to a close, but it wuld not be correct to say 
 that his work was finished, for he had yet many years to 
 live and labor. These were spent in California, where he 
 first settled in Monrovia. 
 
 In company with Mr. Wenngren, from Stromsburg, 
 be founded Linne, a Swedish settlement in San Louis 
 Obispo county, a few miles from Paso Robles. Here a 
 Baptist church was formed. He visited Los Angeles and 
 by personal work gathered the Baptists there. The 
 history of the Swedish Baptist church of that city has 
 Dr. J. Alexis Edgren as its founder, 1887. His first 
 seminary student, the Rev. N. Hayland, and the Rev. C. 
 M. Nelson, were soon on this field, and by the time L. J. 
 Ahlstrom visited there in 1890, a neat chapel had been 
 erected. 
 
 The California climate was beneficial to Edgren's 
 health. He had to provide a living for his family, and as 
 he was an artist he took up photography and photo- 
 graphed much California scenery, thus getting the full 
 benefit of life out-of-doors. His son Robert W. was 
 quite a strong lad by this time and helped his father carry 
 the heavy camera and tripod into nature's beauty spots. 
 His efforts netted him some cash. Dr. Frank Peterson 
 collected some money from the churches to apply on his 
 salary, part of which was still due. The sale of his books 
 
192 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 began to yield some income. Individual friends back 
 east also sent him some money. One of these was Pastor 
 C. J. Almquist, who gathered a love gift in Arthur and 
 Kiron, Iowa. Edgren's sermon on "The Sea of Life" 
 yielded dividends among these people. There was also 
 a new rivulet of temporal blessings beginning to trickle 
 into the family treasury, but we reserve that story for a 
 subsequent chapter. 
 
 In a letter from Dr. C. M. Nelson* I find this state- 
 ment: 
 
 "Dr. Edgren came to Oakland, 1889. He could do 
 very little because of broken down health. His finances 
 were meager. I did what I could for him, and with the 
 assistance of an American brother we found a position 
 for him with a real estate firm in Red Bluff. When this 
 firm closed its affairs Edgren was without a position. I, 
 together with some brethren, assisted in closing a land 
 deal that netted about one thousand dollars. We let 
 Edgren retain this. That helped him a great deal." 
 
 But this troubled Edgren's conscience and he 
 protested. He had acted as the agent and made out the 
 papers. He had only written a few lines and only used 
 a few minutes of time for this. Some time afterward 
 when he had a little hard earned money he offered to pay 
 back some of it to Nelson. After Nelson's refusal his 
 conscience seemed to be at ease. 
 
 Referring to the Edgren Family Register mentioned 
 at the beginning of this story, we infer by some incidents 
 found in that record that honesty was a family trait. 
 Alexis was probably an extreme example of an honest 
 soul — a finished product. One Unger and two Edgrens, 
 
 *) Nelson quit the ministry in 1896 and devoted himself to 
 the healing of physical ills. 
 
EDGREN IN CALIFORNIA 193 
 
 near relatives of Alexis, had a real estate deal on hand. 
 They had an offer of 22,000 kronor for Berga in Lysvik. 
 Should they accept the offer? After due deliberations 
 they finally concluded thus: "We will sell it for 20,000; 
 we do not wish to have anybody say that we got too 
 much." 
 
 For many years Edgren had been legally entitled to 
 an income of which he had been unaware. "Some one 
 had blundered," which happens both during and after a 
 war. But in spite of blunders something was salvaged, 
 finally. When the most skillful physicians had diag- 
 nosed Edgren's ailments they discovered that the original 
 cause for his nervous breakdown was the damage done 
 by a sunstroke. He applied to the government for 
 pension, but was refused because the stroke was suffered 
 by the applicant while he was visiting his brother 
 Hjalmar at Yorktown and was not in active war service. 
 It is very probable that he had suffered from the heat at 
 that time and that what had happened then was so 
 indelibly fixed in his mind in connection with the visit 
 to his brother that that date was put in the application. 
 In his "Minnen" he says nothing about this, but in his 
 English version about some of his experiences he makes 
 this statement: "When off Fort Monroe this time (spring 
 of 1863) the heat was very intense, the thermometer 
 registering 109° in the shade daily on board the ship. 
 One of these hot days I was sunstruck, had to take to my 
 bed, but recovered gradually while on a cruise on the 
 Atlantic in search of a Confederate privateer. I had 
 little idea then what the effect of this sunsroke would 
 be in after years." He certainly was in active service at 
 this time. 
 
 General J. T, Morgan, Dr. Edgren's staunch friend 
 from Morgan Park, was at this time a member in 
 
194 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 President Harrison's Cabinet, and through his assistance 
 and explanation of Ensign Edgren's case, Congress passed 
 a bill allowing him a pension of $15 per month. 
 
 The following telegrams, still preserved in our 
 archives, plainly show that Edgren retained a solicitous 
 interest in the development of the school and that the 
 brethren responsible for leading the work foreward 
 sought his advice on important questions: 
 
 "Chicago, 111., Sept. 10, 1888. 
 
 "J. A. Edgren, Red Bluff, Cal. 
 
 "The Swedish Baptist General Conference sends you 
 their greeting of brotherly love, profound sympathy and 
 high esteem. Your suggestions as to the school followed. 
 K. A. Ostergren, secretary." 
 
 Edgren's advice as to his temporary and permanent 
 successors, Sandell and Lagergren, had been followed. 
 
 The second message: 
 
 Chicago, April 17, 1890. 
 
 "Rev. J. A. Edgren, D.D., 1126 13th Avenue, 
 Oakland, Cal. 
 
 "Accept our Christian salutation and sincere recogni- 
 tion of your work in establishing and shaping, under 
 God, the destinies of our Institution. In behalf of the 
 faculty, students and visitors Swedish Department. 
 Lagergren, Silene." 
 
 After Dr. Edgren settled in Oakland he determined 
 to undertake a critical translation of the New Testament 
 from the original Greek into Swedish .The Rev. C. Silene 
 took a special interest in this and interested other brethren 
 in support of the undertaking. In course of time the 
 American Baptist Publication Society became interested 
 in the project and gave financial assistance for the literary 
 labor and printed the Gospel of Matthew. The brethren 
 who promoted the work of securing advance subscript 
 
EDGREN IN CALIFORNIA 195 
 
 tions for the book did not meet with the expected success, 
 and Dr. Edgren's health failing, the undertaking had 
 finally to be abandoned. Enough was accomplished, 
 however, to indicate Edgren's eminent fitness for giving 
 the Swedish readers a true translation of the inspired 
 New Testament Scriptures. Mark, Luke and part of 
 John's Gospel were also translated. 
 
 Here we cite some statements by Edgren: "One can- 
 not make Bible translations as easily as writing news- 
 paper articles and I would not be careless about the work. 
 I do not only take into consideration the Greek text I 
 translate, but at times all of the material of text- 
 criticism. I also study many of the most important 
 ancient and present day translations. The result is the 
 best that can be obtained. I intend that my work shall 
 be thorough and true to the word of God. 
 
 "It took about one and three quarter years to complete 
 the Gospel of Matthew. It may not take more time for 
 Mark and Luke together. One can count on about two 
 years for each volume. It would be grand to be permitted 
 to live and to complete the Gospels at least — yes, and 
 then the remainder of the New Testament." 
 
 We quote the following statement from a writer for 
 the American Baptist Publication Society: "Of Dr. 
 Edgren's fitness for such a work those of us who know 
 him well can have no doubt whatever." 
 
 From a Swedish religious journal: "Edgren's Bible 
 translation. Because this work is of especially high 
 worth, we submit it most earnestly to all ministers and 
 Bible readers. After each division of the text, which is 
 not a revision or an improvement of former translations, 
 but a new and independent translation, there follow 
 expositions of every verse, quite complete, yet plain and 
 easily understood. The reader will find these notes 
 
196 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 spreading an unexpectedly clear light on many obscure 
 and difficult passages. The author seems to have 
 succeeded well in this respect. The teachings of the text 
 follow naturally. These are no general phrases and 
 expressions, but clear-cut thoughts presented in an earnest 
 and simple form. The translation itself is faithful. It 
 is not forced to conform to old pre-conceived opinions 
 and views. Nor can we find that consideration has been 
 taken to old ways of expression and word-forms. Our 
 opinion is, that very few occasions for criticism can be 
 found." 
 
 Another Swedish religious journal says: "The first 
 part is now printed. In the introduction we find an 
 account of the most important original manuscripts and 
 translations of the New Testament, and textual criticism. 
 It is a new translation of the New Testament, accom- 
 panied by explanations. We have read both the transla- 
 tion and expositions with pleasure. The latter are plain, 
 brief and direct and are distinguished for that soundness 
 and evangelical spirit for which the author has always 
 made himself known. May the Lord guide and bless 
 Brother Edgren in his labor and grant him time, health 
 and strength to complete the work he has begun." 
 
 Dr. Edgren's knowledge of oriental languages was 
 wide and thorough. This was one good reason why his 
 translation was reliable. The names of some of these 
 languages are familiar from classroom days and most of 
 them are mentioned in a previous chapter. Here follows 
 an interesting list: Hebrew, Greek, Syriac, Egyptian, 
 Coptic, Ethiopian, Armenian, Chaldean, Samaritan. 
 Arabic, Assyrian, also Gothic — twelve in all. When his 
 son Robert asked him how many languages he knew he 
 studied for a while and then handed the boy the answer 
 in writing: "Sixteen spoken and sixteen unspoken." 
 
EDGREN IN CALIFORNIA 197 
 
 When Robert said that that was a great many, his father 
 answered, laughingly, that his brother Hjalmar probably 
 spoke thirty-two, and he had no idea how many 
 unspoken languages he had studied.* 
 
 The Rev. C. Silene took special delight in telling the 
 following incident about the Archbishop of Canterbury 
 and Dr. Edgren. It happened about the time Edgren 
 was engaged in his Bible translation. One day he received 
 a letter from some English scholars asking him to give 
 them his interpretation of some recently discovered 
 ancient inscriptions found on a monument in Egypt. 
 After a careful study he wrote out his translation and 
 sent it to the Englishmen. After some time he received 
 a complimentary letter from the Archbishop of Canter- 
 bury with the information that the scholars who had 
 disagreed finally were convinced that Edgren's interpre- 
 tation was the correct one and that this marked him as 
 one of the foremost authorities of Egyptology. 
 
 After the Publication Society had spent a considerable 
 amount and when Dr. Edgren's health was failing, the 
 translation of the New Testament had to be left 
 unfinished. 
 
 One of Edgren's pupils wrote that "he was an 
 incessantly active man," and by this time the reader 
 knows that that was true. But near the close of his book 
 "On the Sea of Life," we find it stated that he actually 
 had a period of rest. His health was badly shattered in 
 the spring of 1896. At that time some American friends 
 provided for a voyage for Dr. and Mrs. Edgren from 
 San Francisco to the Hawaiian Islands. This lasted two 
 and a half months. He probably left his artist's easel, 
 
 *) In Encyclopedias and Swedish Uppslagsbocker the reader may 
 find interesting information about Hjalmar Edgren. 
 
198 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 brushes and paints at home, but not his pen. For a 
 closing word of this chapter we present the reader with 
 a selection from Dr. Edgren's pen-pictures: 
 
 "A tug boat brought us through the Golden Gate 
 and well out seaward, after which we steered southward 
 under sail in strong wind and high waves. After a few 
 days we had reached the trade winds and could steer a 
 straight course toward the islands. Light clouds are now 
 sailing over the clear heaven and the playful purple-blue 
 waves break their foam in the same manner as they have 
 done for thousands of years, and sing their old merry 
 song. At night the sky appears richer, and among the 
 bewildering array of stars the Southern Cross is already 
 showing its rays. Finally, at noontime on the thirteenth 
 day out from San Francisco, we discern the first hazy 
 contours of Hawaii's high volcanoes. In the afternoon 
 the blue tops of the Mani mountain appear above the 
 clouds which hide the lower parts of the island, and 
 during the night we sail along the shores of Molokai, 
 where the leper colony is located. The next morning we 
 observe on our starboard Oahu's mountain ranges. In 
 blue, red and brown colors they are reflected against the 
 light clouds. Two extinct volcanoes are in sight. Beyond 
 one of these, called 'Diamond Head,' lies Honolulu. 
 
 "We pass the volcano and are nearing the goal of our 
 journey. From the purple blue sea we are entering 
 between coral reefs, first over a strip of dark-green and 
 after that through light-green water and snow-white 
 breakers. A beautiful landscape spreads out before us: 
 the city with its palace, its church spires and buildings 
 appearing between a leafy vegetation of the richest 
 tropical growth with a background of a high mountain 
 range." 
 
 After having devoted several pages to a description of 
 
EDGREN IN CALIFORNIA 199 
 
 sea and land that places him in a high rank as a pen- 
 artist, he finally arrives at the subject nearest his heart: 
 Christian missions among the pagan inhabitants of the 
 islands. He tells us that a native king, Kamehameha, 
 had become friendly toward Christian missions and 
 missionaries, thirty thousand natives had learned to read 
 and write, by 1832 the New Testament had been trans- 
 lated, by 1839 the whole Bible. Heathenism had 
 become tabu. 
 
 On their return trip they experienced several days of 
 calm weather. One of these beautiful summer days 
 Edgren preached on the text: "I know that my 
 Redeemer liveth" (Job 19:25). Quite a different setting 
 from that of his first sermon on Christmas day, 1859, 
 as noted in a previous chapter. 
 
CHAPTER XXII 
 
 Golden Jubilee Days 
 
 EARLY in the season the Baptists on the Pacific coast 
 had set the bells ringing in the year of Jubilee. At 
 the conference in Tacoma, the Rev. G. A. Osbrink 
 declared that in 1864 there were only eleven small 
 churches in the land and now, 1902, there were 21,767 
 members, 27,007 enrolled in the Sunday schools and "a 
 good school for ministerial education." The Rev. Fredrick 
 O. Nelson Jr., informed the meeting that the West coast 
 was "empty and void" as regards Swedish Baptist 
 churches at the beginning of 1880. Some changes had 
 taken place since that time, for now the Swedish Baptist 
 Conference of California had elected Dr. Edgren a 
 delegate to the General Conference and the Golden 
 Jubilee. He undertook the journey. The Lord sustained 
 him, and he arrived in fairly good health, mind alert and 
 ready to perform his part on the program. The business 
 sessions of the Conference were held in the First Swedish 
 Baptist church, Chicago. By special vote of the meeting 
 Dr. Edgren was invited to occupy a seat on the speakers' 
 platform, to which he was immediately escorted, while 
 the delegates rose and remained standing. When he 
 expressed his appreciation of the honor shown him, we 
 realized that his voice was not in the best condition. 
 
 As a delegate, Dr. Edgren was intensely interested in 
 the proceedings of the meeting, but he seldom attempted 
 to take part in the discussions. It was a real pleasure for 
 him to meet his first student, the Rev. Silene, and that 
 
202 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 brilliant sailor-student, the Rev. Sandell, who had been 
 pressed into service as temporary leader of the school at 
 the time his own health failed. When he saw the large 
 number of ministers present and listened to the delibera- 
 tions on questions of importance, he was impressed with 
 the fact that the men he had taught and trained still 
 constituted an important group among the denomina- 
 tional leaders. He gave utterance of his sincere thanks to 
 God for the part that he had been allowed to play in the 
 early development of the denomination. 
 
 As soon as the business of the annual meeting had 
 been finished the Jubilee sessions began in the Emanuel 
 Baptist church at 2316 Michigan Avenue, Chicago. The 
 seating capacity of the main auditorium, the platform 
 and the steps leading from that to both sides of the 
 balcony formed an appropriate place for the chorus of 
 three hundred singers. The whole setting was beautiful 
 and artistic. When the Baptist pilgrims from the various 
 parts of the land, and representatives of the Chicago 
 churches had filed into this temple of worship the sight 
 that greeted the honored guest from the extreme west 
 filled his soul with praise to God. The singing by the 
 big chorus surpassed anything he had ever heard before 
 among his people. 
 
 When the venerable "bond servant" of the Lord had 
 been presented to the Jubilee meeting by Dr. Frank 
 Peterson and invited to deliver the message of which his 
 visible emotions indicated that his heart was brim full, 
 then we realized the full import of his physician's warn- 
 ing at Stromsburg in 1887, for with his best efforts he 
 could not raise his voice enough to be heard in all parts 
 of that auditorium. Yet, in spite of that, or because of 
 it, that audience of sympathetic friends, old and new, 
 was so impressed and hushed that the very stillness added 
 
GOLDEN JUBILEE DAYS 203 
 
 to the solemnity of the hour. Dr. Edgren's long time 
 friend, Captain R. E. Jeanson, was also introduced and 
 spoke at this time. The Rev. A. Tjernlund wrote about 
 this: "Among the many testimonies that were given, 
 those of Dr. Edgren and Captain Jeanson awakened the 
 greatest interest." 
 
 "Now on the last day, the great day of the feast," 
 Dr. Edgren sat among his brethren, the pastors of the 
 Swedish Baptist churches of Chicago, at the communion 
 service in which three thousand members took part, up 
 to that time the largest number of Swedish Baptists ever 
 gathered in solemn assembly to commemorate the death 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ. At the close of this service, 
 Dr. Frank Peterson rose and proposed that we prove the 
 genuiness of our words of appreciation by taking up an 
 offering for our beloved brother, Dr. Edgren. Upon this 
 friendly suggestion scores of deacons present vied with 
 each other for the privilege of serving. The amount thus 
 reached was $432.00. Later this sum was increased by 
 individual gifts. 
 
 Pastor Eric Rosen, who presided at the communion 
 table, took occasion to give some advice to the recipient of 
 the love-gift: "Now, Brother Edgren, be careful and do 
 not give away your money on the journey back to 
 California, but keep it and apply it toward procuring a 
 home for you and your wife in your declining years." 
 
 The services of that Sunday, September 28, 1902, 
 ended the Golden Jubilee celebration. But in Dr. 
 Edgren's honor there had been a special arrangement 
 made for a gathering at the University of Chicago and at 
 the Morgan Park Seminary the following Tuesday. 
 
 We gather a few facts about this group of educators 
 and ministers, preserved by the pen of the Rev. A. Tjern- 
 lund. At the university the president, W. R. Harper, 
 
204 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 introduced Dr. J. A. Edgren to assembled friends. Dr. 
 Edgren closed the line of addresses in his usual calm and 
 thoughtful manner by bringing his listeners back to the 
 days of small beginnings, ascribing to God the honor for 
 what had been accomplished in the past. About the 
 gathering of former and present professors and students 
 at Morgan Park, Mr. Tjernlund said: "Dr. Edgren, who 
 long ago founded the school but had not visited the same 
 for many years, was naturally the hero of the hour." 
 
 Dr. C. G. Lagergren had written a fine poem in 
 honor of Dr. Edgren, which he read before the notable 
 assemblage. 
 
 The Baptists of Sweden, Norway, Denmark and 
 Finland had sent representatives with greetings to the 
 Golden Jubilee. As Dr. Edgren's name was well known 
 among the Baptists of these countries the opportunity of 
 meeting and becoming personally acquainted with these 
 men gave him much joy. This joy was shared by the 
 visitors from abroad. 
 
 We glean one more item of special interest from this 
 celebration. The Baptist magazine, "Evangelisk Tid- 
 skrift," founded by Edgren while he was the head of the 
 seminary at Morgan Park, had been enlarged into "Nya 
 Wecko-Posten" (The New Weekly Mail), which at this 
 time celebrated its 25th anniversary. In a historical 
 sketch, written for the Jubilee issue, the Rev. A. P. 
 Ekman says about Dr. Edgren: "The importance of his 
 labors for the denomination during this time can be 
 fully appraised 'only in the light of eternity.' ' 
 
 This marks the last time that Dr. Edgren ventured 
 thus far from his California home. 
 
CHAPTER XXUI 
 
 The Edgren Family 
 
 OUR story would not be complete without a last 
 word about the Edgren family and home life. 
 Here is a brief family register: John Alexis Edgren 
 and Miss Anna Abbot Chapman were married at Hamil- 
 ton, N. Y., April 10, 1866. Mr. Edgren was born at 
 Ostana, Sweden, February 20, 1839. Miss Chapman 
 was born September 29, 1846, at Becket, Massachusetts. 
 Their children: Julia Mathilda, born January 22, 1867, 
 at Stockholm, Sweden; Robert Wadsworth, born 
 January 27, 1874, at Chicago, Illinois; Leonard Hjal- 
 mar, born January 10, 1880, at Morgan Park, Illinois; 
 Verna, born April 1, 1882, at Morgan Park, Illinois; 
 Anna Alice, born July 22, 1889, at Oakland, Califor- 
 nia. All married and with their families reside in 
 California. Leonard died at San Mateo, at the age of 38. 
 
 From the following brief sketch of Mrs. Edgren the 
 reader will understand that the man whose life story has 
 been related on these pages had been blest with a life 
 companion well suited to fill her place as his helpmate. 
 
 Mrs. Edgren was a direct descendant of William 
 Wadsworth who came on the ship "Lion" from Eng- 
 land, reaching Boston harbor Sunday, September 16, 
 1632. He was a man of means, educated in English 
 universities. He settled in Cambridge, then called 
 "Northtown," buying and building his home on what is 
 now part of the grounds of Harvard University. Among 
 the numerous descendants of that family were many 
 
206 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 notable people, the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 
 being one of them. Longfellow was a cousin of Julia E. 
 Wadsworth, Mrs. Edgren's mother. Julia E., married 
 Theodore Chapman, who died, leaving her as a 
 young widow, with three children, Anna Abbot, 
 Theodore Stillman and Julia. The widow, Mrs. Chap- 
 man, married Norman Harris, a Baptist missionary from 
 Shwgyin, India. Anna A. and Theodore S. were sent 
 to Rockford, Illinois, in care of a Harris relative; Julia 
 was taken along to India where she died at the age of six 
 years. Mr. Harries founded a Bible school among the 
 Karens and in his labors was ably assisted by his wife. 
 While laboring in this mission field they were blest by 
 the birth of a son, Edward Norman Harris. 
 
 Anna and Theodore left Rockford and returned to 
 the East. In Philadelphia Anna studied in Miss Bonney's 
 school for young women. Theodore studied law and 
 became a lawyer and banker. For some time he served as 
 president of the Illinois State Senate. 
 
 While on a vacation trip to America, Mr. Norman 
 Harris died at Hamilton, N. Y., 1884. Later his widow 
 brought with her to America five Harris children with a 
 former marriage, her own son, Edward N. Harris, and 
 two Karen boys and had them educated in American 
 colleges. She wrote an interesting history of the work 
 among the Karens and gave lectures in the interest of 
 foreign missions. While on a visit to her son-in-law and 
 daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Edgren, in St. Paul, she gave an 
 inspiring address on missions before the students of the 
 Bible seminary in the First Swedish Baptist church of 
 that city. 
 
 In the course of time Mrs. Edgren's half-brother, 
 Edward N. Harris, returned to the land of his birth, 
 
THE EDGREN FAMILY 207 
 
 India, and carried on his father's work as head of the 
 school, which still bears the name of its founder. 
 
 By the historical facts now set forth, we see how 
 the names Wadsworth, Chapman, Harris and Edgren 
 are related; also how Mrs. Edgren's environment from 
 early childhood brought her in close contact with the 
 spirit of missions and self-sacrifice. During the Civil War 
 she had labored as volunteer nurse in an army hospital. 
 Judging by the praise C. Silene bestowed upon her, it was 
 largely due to her skill and her tender, motherly care in 
 the Edgren home that he recovered from his severe illness. 
 
 Mrs. Edgren's interest in her husband's work was 
 whole-hearted. On one of her trips for soliciting funds 
 for the Scandinavian Department, she became ill and had 
 to take to the sick-bed for some time. But this was not 
 the last time she exerted herself in behalf of the school. 
 
 In the four-storied wings of the old seminary in 
 Chicago, there were comfortable homes for the families 
 of the professors. The Edgren family lived in an 
 apartment of the south wing. When Mrs. Edgren was 
 engaged as librarian for the seminary, some changes were 
 made so that she could conveniently pass from the 
 apartment to her office in the library. Here she compiled 
 a catalog of all the books and kept the records of books 
 coming in and lent out. For this service she received a 
 small salary. She served as librarian for several years. 
 
 A lady who remembers the time in question says that 
 "the faculty children played in the park in front of 
 the building with strict orders not to go onto the Chicago 
 University grounds just across the street." Little Miss 
 Julia Edgren probably had a hard task to keep her 
 brother. Robert, who was born in the south- wing apart- 
 ment of the seminary, from breaking the prescribed rules, 
 
208 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 when he became old enough to play on the seminary 
 campus.* 
 
 When the family moved to California, Julia stayed 
 in Minnesota. She married Andrew J. Johnson, a 
 grandson of "Engelska Johanson," a pioneer Baptist of 
 Stockholm, an old friend of Dr. Edgren's. Later they 
 moved to California. Mr. Johnson died April 29, 1901. 
 Mrs. Julia Johnson married S. W. Coleman of Berkeley, 
 California, in 1904, where the family now resides. 
 
 When Dr. Edgren left Stromsburg for California in 
 the early part of 1887, he had some hope of being able 
 to return the following autumn and resume his former 
 position, but his hope failed him, for he never regained 
 sufficient strength for that task. 
 
 Robert W. was the eldest son in the family and he 
 became the working companion of his father in his out- 
 of-door activities. Of the Edgren children, I knew him 
 best. I met him first in Chicago, when he was a small 
 boy, and the last time in Oakland, California, when he 
 was about sixteen. One of his realistic descriptions will 
 introduce some of the finishing touches of this chapter. 
 From his home on the shore of the Pacific Ocean, where 
 icicles do not form in a man's mustache, he sends this 
 illustrative statement: "All I remember of those Chicago 
 days is a vision of my father stamping in through the 
 doorway one night and standing laughing before the fire, 
 turning to let me see long icicles hanging from his 
 mustache. I couldn't have been more than two or three 
 years old, yet I can see a picture of him as he looked that 
 night, with black curly hair and laughing blue eyes." 
 When the seminary students for a period of sixteen years 
 
 *) Robert W. was born while the Edgren family lived in the 
 seminary on Rhodes Avenue. 
 
Prof. J. A. Edgren, 
 as his students knew him 
 
 Prof. N. P. Jensen, 
 Co-laborer in the seminary 
 
 Dr. Eric Sandell, 
 Dr. Edgren's temporary suc- 
 cessor as dean 
 
 Dr. Eric Wingren. 
 
 Dr Edgren's successor as 
 
 journalist 
 
THE EDGREN FAMILY 209 
 
 have testified to the friendly attraction of that open 
 countenance with the "laughing blue eyes," we can well 
 understand what it must have meant to the children who 
 called him father, and to their mother. 
 
 Once when Robert went along to carry the tripod for 
 his father, who was taking pictures of California scenery, 
 and was climbing a stone cliff beside a waterfall in Santa 
 Anita Canyon, a water moccasin within a yard of him 
 struck the heel of his shoe, recoiling for a second attack. 
 The boy, paralyzed with fear, let out a shriek and was 
 unable to move. "Jump" shouted his father. The boy 
 jumped into the deep pool below the waterfall and his 
 father pulled him out. The venomous serpent had 
 wriggled down into the water. "If that ever happens 
 again, jump first and yell afterwards," said his father, 
 whose quick thinking probably saved the boy's life. 
 
 Robert tells a story of an incident that occurred in 
 Monrovia shortly after the family had arrived in Cali- 
 fornia. It is characteristic of the man whose life was 
 spent in thinking of others, and who so seldom wasted a 
 thought on himself. 
 
 Dr. and Mrs. Edgren had gone to the regular 
 Wednesday night prayer meeting. When the contribu- 
 tion plate came around Dr. Edgren felt in his pocket and 
 found only one coin. It was a ten-dollar gold piece, and 
 as it happened, all the money he had at that moment in 
 the world. 
 
 Dr. Edgren fumbled in his pocket again, found 
 nothing else, and the coin went into the collection plate. 
 
 There are many fine people in the world. You find 
 them everywhere. Early next morning a carpenter came 
 around to the Edgren house and said: "Dr. Edgren, I 
 saw you put a ten-dollar gold piece into the plate last 
 night, and I know you can't afford it. I told some of 
 
210 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 the boys and we've chipped in this ten dollars and want 
 you to accept it as a gift from us." 
 
 Dr. Edgren tried to refuse, but the carpenter wouldn't 
 let him. And if there had been tears in the house on the 
 night before — not because the mother lacked the father's 
 hope and faith, but because the problem of feeding a 
 hungry family on nothing, with little more in immediate 
 prospect, was pressing her hard again as it Oiten had 
 before — that was to be the last time the tide was ever at 
 so low an ebb. 
 
 Dr. Edgren's assurance to his first student that "God 
 will provide" was often heard in the family circle where 
 love was a dominant factor. After the friendly carpenter 
 had departed, Edgren would explain the incident in the 
 following way: "Well, beloved, don't you see how God 
 sends his blessings when we obey Him. The mission 
 needed the money, I had it and I gave it — I lent it to the 
 Lord. After a night's rest with a good conscience it was 
 paid back in full before breakfast." 
 
 Robert was now about thirteen years old and he 
 determined that the family should not come to such 
 extremities again if he could help it. He got a job in a 
 store and sold books outside of school hours. Then he 
 worked as office boy in a real estate office. He got better 
 jobs and higher pay in stores and sawmills. He ran a 
 small printing office and a photo shop during his high 
 school years. 
 
 When Robert learned that the land company for 
 which his father had been colonizing at the upper Sacra- 
 mento River had neglected to pay his salary for the last 
 four months, amounting to $600, he suggested a suit to 
 recover the amount due. "No," said Dr. Edgren, "if 
 they are not honest enough to pay me, I want no further 
 contact with them, not even in a court of law." 
 
THE EDGREN FAMILY 211 
 
 One day, while the family lived in Oakland, Dr. 
 Edgren gave an extraordinary and impressive exhibition 
 of his skill at fencing which he had learned in Stockholm 
 and Paris. Robert had just returned from New York 
 and they were sitting in a front room, talking. Dr. 
 Edgren was expressing worry about a man living in an 
 apartment on the floor above, who had been acting 
 queerly. 
 
 "I think the man must be going crazy," said Dr. 
 Edgren. "He says we are killing him watering our lawn 
 and he has been making trouble. 
 
 "There he is now," said Dr. Edgren, suddenly 
 jumping up and going down the steps from the front 
 door. 
 
 A man stood on the walk, yelling curses and waving 
 a revolver. In an instant Dr. Edgren was walking 
 quickly toward him, quite calmly, with his hands at his 
 sides. When he was within a couple of steps the man 
 swung the gun down to shoot, but Dr. Edgren leaped 
 straight forward, struck the gun with one hand and the 
 man's wrist with the other, sent the gun flying across the 
 lawn, and had the man down and was sitting on him 
 before help could arrive. In a few minutes an ambulance 
 came and the man was taken away to a hospital, violent- 
 ly insane. It was quite a feat to disarm and render that 
 dangerous maniac helpless in an instant, without striking 
 a blow or doing him any harm. It was the only time 
 that any member of the Edgren family saw the father use 
 physical force — but there had been no time for argument. 
 
 That same disarming trick, learned in back yard 
 practice with wooden sticks, became very useful to 
 Robert, and twice may have saved his life. Once it 
 stopped a dope-crazed footpad who demanded money on 
 a San Francisco street, and instantly thrust at him with a 
 
212 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 knife. Again it was used successfully on a Spanish 
 soldier who attacked him with a bayonet knife on a 
 narrow, dark street in Havana, after the blowing up of 
 the Maine. The soldier fled and Robert picked up the 
 weapon on the cobbles. It still remains among his curios. 
 
 Robert, like his father, is known for his absolute 
 honesty. In one of the greatest athletic events years ago, 
 all parties concerned agreed on him as the stakeholder, 
 and the man who turned over $700,000 to his care 
 refused to accept a receipt for it. 
 
 In the Edgren family there was much talent for using 
 pencil and brush. Alexis Edgren showed talent for 
 drawing in his earliest years. Mr. Edward Moran, one 
 of America's greatest marine painters, chanced to cross 
 the Atlantic in a ship on which young Alexis was one 
 of the mates. Mr. Moran's voyage was for the purpose 
 of making studies of the sea. Finding that the young 
 sailor was watching his work, and had made some clever 
 drawings himself, Mr. Moran became interested and gave 
 advice that was eagerly accepted. In fact the artist was 
 so much interested that he made a return voyage in the 
 same ship and continued his instruction. 
 
 In his later years, Dr. Edgren studied painting with 
 Ferdinand Rickardt, the famous Danish painter who was 
 sent to America as court artist, to make paintings of 
 Niagara Falls. Mr. Rickardt never went back to Den- 
 mark. He finally settled in California, where he and 
 Dr. Edgren became close friends. 
 
 When Mrs. Edgren was a pupil in Miss Bonney's 
 school in Philadelphia, she studied art, for which she 
 showed much talent. Her daughters, Julia and Alice, had 
 a knack for drawing and coloring. Robert went from 
 the University of California to Mark Hopkins art school 
 in San Francisco and from there into a newspaper art 
 
THE EDGREN FAMILY 213 
 
 department. For several years he was well known as a 
 cartoonist in San Francisco and New York. Through 
 his writings and illustrating he became well known both 
 in America and abroad. Leonard, Robert's younger 
 brother, also had much talent along the same line as 
 Robert. 
 
 Robert D. Edgren, Robert's son and Dr. Edgren's 
 grandson, is another artist, and also a well known writer 
 for papers and magazines. Unlike the others, he has his 
 grandfather's love for languages. He has traveled all over 
 the world in pursuit of his studies and in search of 
 material for his writing. 
 
 During his many years of study, writing, teaching 
 and other work, Dr. Edgren had one relaxation. He 
 would shut himself in his study for a day or two or three 
 days, and make a drawing of the sea. Some of these 
 drawings, still in possession of the family, are perhaps 
 among the finest work of its kind in existence, and have 
 been much admired by modern painters. 
 
 Dr. Edgren never acquired any real property in 
 America. He took no active part in politics. But Mrs. 
 Edgren was an ardent Republican and he depended on 
 her judgment. 
 
 One day when Dr. Edgren's little granddaughter, 
 Julia Johnson, was talking with him, she told him she 
 had no Bible. Then he gave her his study Bible. The 
 picture of the blank leaf tells the story and also gives us 
 samples of his handwriting in his later years. This leaf 
 was sent us by the child's grandmother, Mrs. Coleman. 
 Iu brings vividly to the memory of the writer Dr. 
 Edgren's earnest prayers on his sick bed for his family 
 many years ago. 
 
214 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 Dr. Edgren did not escape the experience that comes 
 to some very active men whose declining years must be 
 spent in inactivity, because of waning physical strength. 
 He sometimes talked of his efforts as only failures. But 
 God provided some relief. One of Edgren's last students, 
 the Rev. Chas Palm, was pastor in San Francisco, and 
 after a visit from him, Mrs. Edgren asked what he 
 had done to Alexis, for he had become very happy and 
 cheerful after talking with him. Palm never failed to 
 make his former teacher understand that God had signal- 
 ly blessed his efforts and that his good work was 
 permanent. Even after Palm moved away, his corre- 
 spondence with the Edgren family would bring good 
 cheer. 
 
 Another friend close by was Dr. C. M. Nelson. I 
 quote the doctor's own words although they include some 
 repetition: "The eldest son, Robert, began to work, and 
 all that he earned he gave to his parents. In this way 
 their finances improved. In their last days they fared 
 quite well. Dr. Edgren suffered from hardening of the 
 arteries. I treated him for a year without charge. The 
 family appreciated this very much." 
 
 Among some of Dr. Edgren's writings we find the 
 most fitting words with which to close this chapter, and 
 for that matter, the whole story, which has now been 
 told. We have no definite date to guide us, but it does 
 seem that the longed for haven could not have been very 
 far off for the aged mariner : 
 
 "And now, O God, my loving Savior, I commit 
 myself to Thee, trustfully, for what remains of life, for 
 death, and for eternity. And to Thee I also commit 
 those nearest to me, dear wife and children. Bless them 
 for all their kindness to me. Bless them temporally and 
 e'ernally. And all my friends and brethren in the 
 
THE EDGREN FAMILY 215 
 
 Christian churches. God be with them, prosper them 
 and all Thy spiritual Israel for Thy name's sake. Amen." 
 
 In his home at Oakland, surrounded by members of 
 his family, John Alexis Edgren received the Master's 
 summons to enter into his reward, January 26, 1908. 
 Mrs. Edgren was called on January 7, 1909. Their 
 earthly remains rest side by side in the Berkeley cemetery. 
 
 The Swedish Baptist General Conference erected a 
 memorial stone on his grave. This was unveiled during 
 the annual meeting of the California Conference in Oak- 
 land, 1910. Dr. C. G. Lagergren, the Rev. C. Silene, the 
 Rev. A. P. Ekman and Dr. E. Schmidt took part in the 
 ceremonies. Dr. Edgren's children presented their father's 
 oil painting of the Royal Palace of Stockholm to Dr. 
 Schmidt at that time. It is now in the library of the 
 seminary at St. Paul. 
 
CHAPTER XXIV 
 
 Some Selections from Printed Pages 
 
 Historik over Svenska B apt is tern as i 
 Amerika Teologiska Seminarium: 
 
 "Dr. Edgren was an incessantly active man, a 
 fervently praying man, a very humble man before God 
 and man; a man with a steadfast and immovable faith, a 
 man of peace." — Eric Sandell, D.D. 
 
 "Dr. Edgren was a profound student and Bibk 
 interpreter, an interesting speaker, a capable teacher well 
 versed in his subjects, a good scientist, a splendid author 
 and a richly talented artist. But we remember him above 
 all as the faithful friend, the tender-hearted brother, the 
 noble, Christlike leader and — to use C. Silene's words in 
 their best meaning — 'a real saint.' 
 
 — Emanuel Schmidt. Ph.D. 
 
 Jubileumsboken: 
 
 "The indefatigable Edgren realized that the denomi- 
 nation needed an organ and therefore such an organ must 
 come into being." — J. O. Backlund, D.D. 
 
 "Did not God, His Holy Spirit, inspire the great hero 
 of faith, the genial and finely cultured John Alexis 
 Edgren, with the idea to publish "Zions Waktare" in 
 Chicago and to establish a Scandinavian school of 
 prophets, a theological seminary? And has not this 
 
218 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 school, like a living fountain, now for fifty-six years 
 (1871-1927) received and given forth — operated as a 
 power station in the denomination, as a light distributor 
 spreading the Gospel light not only over this great land, 
 but also into Canada, Brazil, Sweden, Finland, Spain, 
 Greece, Africa, India and China?" 
 
 — C. G. Lagergren, D.D. 
 
 Femtio Ar — En Revy: 
 
 "We shall always owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. J. 
 A. Edgren who set in motion the instrument that has so 
 effectively assisted to develop, and in an intelligent way, 
 order our work . . . During these years Dr. Edgren has 
 displayed such Christian heroism, faith in God and 
 devotion to our mission that nothing like it is found in 
 the records of our history." — Frank Peterson, D.D. 
 
 Svenska Baptisternas Historia: 
 
 "To the promoter of the Swedish Baptists in Amer- 
 ica — the founder of the Seminary for Swedish Baptist 
 ministers — the faithful Bible interpreter — the denomina- 
 tion-loving and friendly Dr. J. A. Edgren, this little 
 volume is dedicated with veneration and love by the 
 author." — A. G. Hall. 
 
 Seventy-five Years of Danish Baptist 
 Missionary Work in America: 
 
 "J. A. Edgren was a man of noble character; he was 
 both honored and loved by all Danish Baptists. Danish 
 Baptists are very grateful to him, as he is really the first 
 pioneer among us in educational work." 
 
 — Rev. M. C. Carstensen. 
 
SELECTIONS FROM PRINTED PAGES 219 
 
 De Donske Baptisters Histori© i Amerika: 
 
 "The Scandinavian Period, 1871 -'84. J. A. Edgren, 
 a Swedish Baptist preacher began, like the church father 
 Augustinus in Hippo Regius or Julius Kobner in Copen- 
 hagen, to instruct such as visited him in his study and 
 wished to be taught the way of preaching. In 1871, the 
 Scandinavian department was organized. J. A. Edgren 
 was the organizer of the school and its first teacher. . . . 
 Now (1884) ends our direct connection with the 
 Swedish Baptists as regards the seminary and here we 
 must say farewell to the department and its leader, J. A. 
 Edgren. . . . Brother Edgren was well beloved by the 
 Danish Baptists and they owe him much appreciation 
 for what he has accomplished for, and among them in 
 those early days in regard to ministerial training. Now 
 when he is dead and departed we remember the former 
 days, thank the Lord for him and say, 'Blessed be his 
 memory.' " — N. S. Lawdahl. 
 
 Litteraturhistoriska Studier: 
 
 "Dr. Edgren's image is pure and everything he did 
 was performed in a true Christian spirit. He was a useful 
 man, in the highest degree. He lived for others and the 
 word selfishness was not found in the vocabulary of his 
 experience. His whole life was a series of sacrifices. His 
 life history is the tale of a hero that can be written on a 
 beautiful sunset's flaming evening sky for the whole 
 world to read. In the corridor of the Swedish Baptist 
 denomination the whispering of his mighty spirit is 
 heard." — J. E. Klingberg, D.D. 
 
Index of Names 
 
 Ahlstrom, L. J. 91,92,93,98, 
 
 122, 151, 152, 154, 191 
 Ahnberg, L., 159. 
 Allen, Adolph, 139 
 Almquist, C. J., 189, 192. 
 Anderson, Andrew, 144. 
 Anderson, August, 144. 
 Anderson, General, 65. 
 Anderson, John, 135. 
 Anderson, P. E., 144. 
 Arnold, Albert N., 69. 
 Asplund, Chas., 188. 
 
 Backlund, J. O., 162, 168, 
 
 217. 
 Baily, Dr., 107. 
 Beecher, Henry W., 65. 
 Bergstrom, O., 79. 
 Blomgren, A. P., 144. 
 Boise, J. R., 124. 
 Bonney, Miss, 206, 212. 
 Broady, K. O., 70. 
 Bystrom, Jakob, 164. 
 
 Carlstedt, M., 81. 
 Carstensen, M. C, 218. 
 Chapman, Annie A., 70, 205, 
 ^ 206. 
 
 Chapman, Mrs. Harris, 129. 
 Chapman, Julia, 206. 
 Chapman, Theodore, 206. 
 Chapman, Theodore S., 206. 
 Charles XII, 66. 
 Coleman, S. W., 208. 
 
 Dahlgren, Miss A. H., 144. 
 Dahlgren, Admiral, 55, 57, 65, 
 
 85. 
 Dethmar, Louise, 9. 
 Dodge, Ebenezer, 69. 
 
 Earl, P. O., 135. 
 
 Eaton, G. W., 69. 
 
 Edgren, Anna Alice, 205, 212. 
 
 Edgren, Axel Hj., 8. 
 
 Edgren, Carl, 8 
 
 Edgren, Eric, 8. 
 
 Edgren, Eric Gustaf, 8. 
 
 Edgren, Gustaf, 8. 
 
 Edgren, Henning F., 10. 
 
 Edgren, Hjalmar, 11, 12, 13, 
 
 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 
 
 71, 186, 193, 197. 
 Edgren, Johan (Jan) 8. 
 Edgren, J. F., 9. 
 Edgren, Johan N., 8. 
 Edgren, Jonas, 8. 
 Edgren, Julia M., 130, 205, 
 
 207, 208, 212. 
 Edgren, Julius, 10. 
 Edgren, Leonard, 213. 
 Edgren, Leonard Hj., 205. 
 Edgren, Magdalena C, 8. 
 Edgren, Robert D., 213. 
 Edgren, Robert W., 53, 163, 
 
 191, 196, 205, 208, 209, 
 
 210, 211, 212, 214. 
 Edgren, Therese, 10. 
 Edgren, Verna, 205. 
 Ekeley, John, 138, 141. 
 Ekelund, L., 144. 
 Ekman, A. P., 138, 139; 149- 
 
 157, 204, 215. 
 Ellison, O., 155, 188. 
 Erickson, Miss A. W., 144. 
 Erickson, L. A., 144. 
 Erickson, C. J., 135. 
 Ericsson, John, 51. 
 Ericson, E. A.. 144. * 
 
 Forsberg, C. G., 25. « 
 
222 
 
 JOHN ALEXIS EDGREN 
 
 Goodspccd, T. W., 90, 119. 
 Gustafson, C. G., 98. 
 
 Hagstrom, G. A., 139. 
 Hake, O., 161. 
 Hall, A. G., 218. 
 Hallander, H., 125. 
 Halvarson, Eric, 99, 154. 
 Hanson, Ola, 144. 
 Harper, W. R„ 120, 203. 
 Harris, C. G., 140. 
 Harris, Edw. Norman, 206. 
 Harris, Norman, 206. 
 Hayland, N., 82, 89, 111, 191. 
 Hedberg, L, 144. 
 Hedblom, A. A., 144. 
 Hedblom, J. L., 144. i 
 
 Helladay, Lt. Col., 51. 
 Huggerth, J. A., 144, 189. 
 
 Jeanson, R. E., 70, 108, 119, 
 
 136. 203. 
 Jensen, Julius, 99. 
 Jensen, N. P., 89, 91, 92, 93, 
 
 95, 97, 109, 135, 136. 
 Johnson, A., 144. 
 Johnson, Andrew J., 208. 
 Johnson, August, 91, 183. 
 Johnson, C. J., 91, 93. 
 Johnson, E. A., 144. 
 Johnson, Elizabeth, 99. 
 Johnson, G., 144. 
 Johnson, J. A. H., 91, 93. 
 Johnson, Julia, 213. 
 Johnson, L., 97, 151. 
 
 Kamekameha, King., 199. 
 Karlen, Dr., 81. 
 Karling, A., 144. 
 Karlson, O. F., 144. 
 Kjellberg, Therese, 10. 
 Kjellquist, Christina, 8. 
 Klingberg, J. E., 133, 168, 
 
 219. 
 Kronsjo, S., 159. 
 
 Lagergren, C G., 156, 194, 
 
 204, 215, 218. 
 Larson, I., 97. 
 
 Lawdahl, N. S., 97, 135, 219. 
 Lincoln, Abraham, 49. 
 
 Lind, O. N.. 144. 
 Lindh, O.. 108. 
 Lindh, O. N., 40. 
 Lindstrom, C. A., 145. 
 Lindstrom, E., 144. 
 Linne, A. A., 141. 
 Longfellow, Henry W., 206. 
 
 Malcolm, T., 55. 
 Malmsten, Aug., 80. 
 Mathewson, E. O., 60. 
 Matson, John, 78. 
 Moran, Edw., 212. 
 Morgan, J. T., 107, 124, 193. 
 Morten, N. N., 130, 141, 145. 
 Myrland, E. L., 99. 
 
 Napoleon III, 14. 
 Nelson, Anna B., 99. 
 Nelson, A. H., 80. 
 Nelson, A. W., 144. 
 Nelson, C, 144. 
 Nelson, C. M., 191, 192, 214. 
 Nelson, F. O., 99, 201. 
 Nilsson, F. O., 73, 184. 
 Northrup, G. W., 85, 111, 
 
 119, 138, 156. 
 Norlin, N. F., 98. 
 
 Okerson, O., 135, 164. 
 Olson, A., 144. 
 Olson, Adolf, 156. 
 Olson, E. O., 144. 
 Oncken, J. G., 38, 39. 
 Ongman, John, 90, 97, 129, 
 
 130, 135, 139, 147, 154. 
 Orgren, A. B., 95, 128, 130. 
 
 134, 136, 137, 138, 141. 
 Ostergren, K. A., 95, 161, 194. 
 
 Palm, A. F., 145, 152. 
 
 Palm, Chas E., 144, 154, 189, 
 214. 
 
 Palmquist, G., 159. 
 
 Peterson, Frank, 91, 92, 130 
 139, 140, 147, 152, 154 
 160, 191, 202, 203, 217. 
 
 Peterson, L. J., 144. 
 
 Peterson, O. P., 99. 
 
 Poison, M., 144. 
 
INDEX OF NAMES 
 
 223 
 
 Rickardt, F., 212. 
 Ring, John, 74, 75. 
 Rosen, Eric, 203. 
 
 Sandell, Eric, 99, 147, 152, 
 
 194, 202, 217. 
 Sandwall, C. A., 154. 
 Schmidt, Em., 215, 217. 
 Schroeder, G. W., 38, 141. 
 Sherman. General, 62, 63. 
 Silene, Christopher, 79,80,81, 
 
 82, 89, 90. 91, 93, 95, 
 
 141, 146, 154, 194, 197, 
 
 201, 207, 215. 
 Soderberg, E. G., 144. 
 Sohlberg, O., 130. 
 Stewart, Ira R., 38. 
 Stowe, Phineas, 42. 
 Sundt, E. S., 98. 
 Sundt, J. B. ( 97. 
 Swanson, J. A., 144. 
 Swanteson, Sara K., 8. 
 Swenson, Olof, 139. 
 
 Tjernlund, Axel, 98, 154, 
 
 203, 204. 
 Truve, T., 72. 
 Tychsen, N., 90, 135. 
 
 Ugglas, Curt Gustaf 9. 
 Ugglas, Per Gustaf, 9. 
 Unger, Berndt, 7. 
 Unger, Johan B., 7. 
 
 Wadsworth, Julia E., 206. 
 Wadsworth, William, 205. 
 Warren, Dr., 71. 
 Washington, George, 54. 
 Wenngren, C. A., 145, 191. 
 Wiberg, A., 46, 47, 55. 70, 
 
 130, 159, 184, 185. 
 Wilson, Captain, 89, 90, 104, 
 
 107. 
 Wingren, E., 98, 152, 153, 
 
 154, 163. 
 Woods, Hubert C, 69, 13 7. 
 
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