Dedication Address

Norwegian English Lutheran Teachers College

Sioux Falls, Dakota Territory

October 13, 1889

Grace be unto you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

Dear fellow Christians, we've heard just now what an important ceremony it is which brings so large a crowd of countrymen and brethren in the faith together here today, and together we have asked God to bless the dedication of this new Norwegian English Lutheran Teachers College.

We made an earlier attempt to do something like this in connection with our Luther College in Décor-ah but it was unsuccessful.

The synod has therefore believed that it ought not spare the sacrifice which would be connected with establishing its own independent institution of this kind and it is a delight to know that a large portion of the contributions to it have come in through the so-called "bushel collection" from our children who in this way have displayed a beautiful testimony to the glory of God of their love for God and his Word.

"But why," someone asks, "why establish such a school with such great pains and cost? There are surely enough of the so-called normal schools here where teachers are trained and which naturally can be far better equipped than we are able to do through this school of ours without it costing us anything? Isn't it an unnecessary expense for the congregations, and at any rate, don't we give a bad impression by separa-ting ourselves in this way from the people to whom we belong, and from their public education? It surely cannot escape our attention that a dissatisfaction with this kind of thing is becoming apparent in high places, yes, how in individual states legislation is placing obstacles in the way of the separation of immi-grants from the realm of public education."

But, my friends, if we consider the purpose of this school of ours rightly, which its name surely already indicates, then we will be convinced of the necessity of our establishing it and of our right to do so!

It is of course going to train teachers who not only confess the Lutheran faith but who shall also be cap-able of instructing our children in it. Since the language of our churches is still Norwegian and religious instruction that with which we are especially concerned, the Norwegian language will still remain for a while the means of communication in our schools and thus it is an important subject at this school. Add to this instruction in the English language which as the language of the country is of so great importance, and the various secular  subjects in which they are taught in the common school. Then, everyone knows that there can be no talk of the teaching of religion in either the public normal schools or in the common school since all children in the country are entitled to access to them without regard to faith or the lack of faith. They must consequently be religion-less.

But as such they cannot satisfy the requirements which Lutheran Christians must place upon schools to which they shall entrust their children.

In such schools the children will of course not be taught and strengthened in the faith of the fathers, yes, not even in the basic truths of Christianity. The one thing needful will have to be missing there. Because of that the rest of the instruction will also come to be lacking in the life-giving element which must per- meate it, and through it the children if they are going to be willing to utilize the knowledge they acquire to their own and other people's good. Their education - and a school is an educational institution more than anything else, where the spirit and the heart are molded - will lack the foundation upon which all true education must rest, namely: the true fear, love and trust toward God.

Neither is it to be expected that the public schools advocate the Norwegian language as a general sub-ject of instruction so that our children would be able to acquire the necessary skill in its use, even if only approximately. Therefore, as Norwegian Lutherans we need to provide our own schools to which we can defend our sending them, before God and our children.

However, the great importance of this teachers' college of ours will become even more obvious to us through a consideration of the importance which these schools for children have and for which this tea-chers' college shall train male and female teachers.

I will therefore ask you, my friends, to dwell a little with me on the consideration of the importance of our  schools for  children, and along with that, The Importance of Our Teachers College for Our Chur-ches, Our Church, and Everyone.

Jesus Christ, who came into the world in order to save the lost, says: "Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them from coming. [Mt. 19:14] Jesus has redeemed the little children with his blood, so that they shall not be lost. It is therefore his will that they shall be brought to him in Baptism, be grafted into him, through union with him become a new creation, and freed from the power of sin and of Satan become partakers in this life and salvation which he has earned. It is his will that they should belong to him, just as he to them, so that they shall be his own as a special people and heirs with him of the glory of heaven. And they who have become his possession he does not want to lose again, but he wants them to remain in him just as they were grafted into him through Baptism. Therefore he also wants to come to them through the Word and that they shall be brought to him also through our prayers and intercession as soon as their understanding is sufficiently developed so that they can receive some instruction. He wants them to learn to know the great grace he has given them in Baptism so that their hearts have their comfort and true joy in him, that they shall learn how they can preserve and use this grace of his for thanking and serving him all the days of their lives. He wants them as well as older people to grow in grace and in the knowledge of God and to grow in faith as well as in physical strength so that they can be capable of every good work.

Thus he also wants us to lead these lambs of his to the Gospel's pleasant and green pastures and "bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." (Ep. 6:4.)

This command of the Lord about letting the children come to him and bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord is obviously given to the parents as the children's natural guardians and pro-viders to whose care God has entrusted them and from whose hand he will again require them. It must therefore also be laid upon the parents' hearts first of all to bring their children to Jesus and to preserve them in him through bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord through teaching them the truth unto salvation. In so far as this cannot occur adequately in the home, it is their duty to seek the necessary assistance for it. The school will generally best be able to give it. It must therefore be Christ-ian, that is, the word of God must govern in the school, in the discipline as well as in the instruction. The Word of God must not merely be an important course there, but the life-giving power which carries and permeates the other instruction, the foundation upon which the entire education in the school rests. The Word of God is to teach them to know their natural depravity as well as their daily sins more and more with abhorrence and sadness, and also the grace and sincere love of God for them. It is the Word of God which is to cleanse and sanctify their hearts in Christ Jesus, draw their childlike minds to Jesus and awaken and nourish in them the feeling for all that is good, beautiful and noble, and thus truly ennoble and mold their spirit and heart.

Luther expresses himself beautifully and well about this:

But where the Holy Scripture does not rule I certainly advise no one to send his child (What Luther Says. #1327). And again:

Above all things, the principal and most general subject of study, both in the higher and lower schools, should be the Holy Scriptures (Ibid. #1326).

And especially with regard to the higher schools he says:

But, you say, everyone may teach his sons and daughters himself, or at least train them in proper discipline. Answer: Yes, we can readily see what such teaching and training amount to. Even when the training is done to perfection and succeeds, the net result is little more than a certain enforced outward respectability; underneath, they are nothing but the same old blockheads, un-able to converse intelligently on any subject, or to assist or counsel anyone. But if children were instructed and trained in schools, or schoolmistresses were available to teach the languages, the other arts, and history, they would then hear of the doings and sayings of the entire world, and how things went with various cities, kingdoms, princes, men and women. Thus they could in a short time set before themselves as in a mirror the character, life, counsels, and purposes - successful and unsuccessful - of the whole world from the beginning; on the basis of which they could then draw the proper inferences and in the fear of God take their own place in the stream of human events. In addition, they could gain from history the knowledge and understanding of what to seek and what to avoid in this outward life, and be able to advise and direct others accordingly. [Luther's Works, American Edition, Vol. 45, p. 368-9.]

That, my friends, then, is the never-ending great importance of our Christian schools. They are to serve to our dear children being preserved  in Christ as his possession and being  blessed in time and in eternity!

Dear father and mother, is there any greater good which you can help your children in obtaining! Can you have any higher wish, any better goal to work for than to be able to present yourselves on that Great Day with your hosts of children before the Friend of Children, Jesus Christ, and to say: "Here am I and those whom you have given me. I kept them in your name"? (Jo. 17:11.12.)

What is all the worldly learning and knowledge, even the best and most sublime which you can impart to them, compared with "knowing God and Jesus Christ, whom he has sent"? (Jo. 17:3.) What are all the world's riches, power and glory which you can provide them compared with being a child of God, an heir of the glory of heaven? It is written: "The glory of man is as the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower thereof falls away: but the word of the Lord endures for ever." (1 Pe. 1:24-25.) And: "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his soul? Or, what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mk. 8:36.)

However, this is not the only importance our Christian schools have for the children, even if it is the most important. They are also to serve toward the children's varying gifts of the Spirit being developed in the proper way and useful knowledge being imparted to them with which they can serve God and their neighbor in various positions in life. Surely it is for this purpose that Christ has redeemed them and the Spirit makes them willing and able in the kingdom of Christ as his disciples through the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

But, my friends, the Christian school is of the greatest importance not merely for our children, but also for the church, and through it, to great numbers of people.

The church, the community of believers, is the institution of God, his kingdom of grace on earth. "You are the salt of the earth," "You are the light of the world," Christ says to his disciples. (Mt. 5:13.14.) Through the power of the Means of Grace he makes them more and more capable of fulfilling this high calling of theirs which blesses the world so richly.

But the parochial school is the  church's nursery. In it the children who are already enlisted under Christ's banner in Baptism are made familiar with the state of his kingdom in this world, with its work, its struggle and its tribulations, with its consoling promises and its glorious hope. Here they are taught and strengthened for the battle against their and the kingdom's enemies and trained in the use of spiritual weapons for both defense and attack. Here they are made capable of taking their places as men in Christ in Christ's battle array alongside the fathers who have gotten gray in the work and fight, or to take their place when God calls them from the Church Militant to the Church Triumphant after they have finished the course.

On the other hand, my dear friends, let the children grow up without the knowledge and nurture of the Word of God which is imparted in the Christian school. You shall soon get to see them forsake the fathers' good, old paths and be led astray in the world. You will see how, even if equipped with superior know-ledge, they use it in the service of the god of this world since they are following their own will and seeking their own glory and advantage but disdaining their spiritual mother, the church and its divine calling and work. Yes, then we shall soon be witnesses to the church bell calling our youth in vain to meet their God in his house to a greater degree than now, until it is completely empty and falling into ruins when the old folks have laid down their pilgrim's staff and have gone to rest. In vain shall people inquire then about the Lutheran Church which the Norwegian immigrants founded and cared for with great sacrifice under much toil when they came here. Unfortunately, things are going badly enough with it as it is, and the chief cause is the poor state of the parochial school among us.

A warning example for us is the Swedish-Lutheran Church which was formed in Delaware two and a half centuries ago. Its vestiges are now obliterated, its descendants are to be found among the American sects or among the world's unbelieving multitudes. They neglected the Lutheran school and with it, the Christian education of their children. Brethren, what a terrible responsibility for both parents and the church! Because it is also its duty, if the parents neglect it, to provide for and to see to it that the lambs of the flock are not led astray and starve, but are reared in the green pastures of the Word. The church also cries to the Lord: "Feed my lambs!" (Jo. 21:15.)

Finally, we have also to consider the great importance these parochial schools have for the people and the country to which we belong as citizens.

Through the prophet Jeremiah the Lord exhorts his captive people in Babylon: "Seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall you have peace." (29:17). How much more ought not we immigrants who have been accepted with open arms by the country's inhabitants, have found a homeland here, and who enjoy all the rights of citizens, seek the country's best interests!

Now the Lord says that "sin is a reproach to any people" but that "righteousness exalts a nation," (Pr. 14:34) and that "godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." (1 Ti. 4:8.) But it is certainly exactly that that we are striving for through our Christian schools, so that our children are brought up unto godliness so that they do not seek their own but their neighbors' benefit and best interest. It comes down to this that through the great grace of the Lord his Word is preserved in the Lutheran Church in its purity so that the Law is proclaimed in its severity and the Gospel without abridgement in all its sweetness as the heavenly message about the salvation of sinners by grace alone through faith in Christ. More than any other therefore, the Lutheran Church has both the underlying basis for and the promise that its work with the children in the Christian schools shall not be in vain.

Surely we all know by experience how dangerous even the best tool, such as a sharp knife or fire can be in the hand of a child or of a deranged person. It's the same in the spiritual realm. He whose heart is not disciplined and trained by the Spirit of God through the Word, will, through the use of his finely devel-oped understanding, his excellent knowledge and skills, not look upon other people's good and best interests, but driven by the selfishness and egotism which motivate him, will seek his own glory and ad-vantage, often to the harm and ruin of other people.

Unfortunately we do not lack warning examples of the ruinous and sad consequences of a godless edu-cation without the discipline and admonition of the Word and of a school without the influence of the Word of God on children and youths. The youth of our country who are growing up, as well as its adults, provide us such examples in abundance, from the millionaire down to the beggar.

We therefore, dear brethren in the faith, cannot render our new country and people a greater service, we cannot thank them better for the love with which they have met us and extended to us strangers the bene-fits of the rights of citizens, than by taking care that our children receive an instruction and education grounded on the Word of God through which their hearts and spirits truly are molded at the same time as they acquire knowledge and skills which afford them the means of fulfilling their duties as good, useful citizens. Because it's true: "The best Christian is also the best citizen."

Our teacher's college is now going to serve to that end, since its purpose is to train male and female teachers who can take over the leadership of such Christian schools.  

"But," someone will say, "these schools do, however, seem to be a thorn in the side of many of the people. In several states, in fact, regulations have been drawn up as legislation which affect them seri-ously." Certainly it cannot be denied that that is the case, in spite of the loyal character of these schools which are so beneficial for the citizenry. School-laws have been enacted in some states which will only serve to interfere with and destroy the parochial school and the private school generally, yes, make them impossible. That would undoubtedly be an encroachment on the part of the state upon the parents' divine right, and their freedom of conscience be violated, as well as their freedom to the public practice of relig-ion which is guaranteed every citizen by the country's constitution. So that these encroachments can be re-jected and rolled back in a proper manner, every thinking citizen, and especially every Christian who treasures the benefits of religious freedom ought to work by every legal means, namely by seeking to get men elected to such responsible positions who do not persecute Christ in his believers injudiciously or out of ill-will. It is certainly true that the state also does have a duty over toward the education of the upcom-ing generation. It has to watch out that indifferent, ungodly parents do not altogether neglect their chil-dren and let them grow up without any instruction or impart to them the kind of instruction which can be dangerous and harmful to the state. In the first instance the state is certainly entitled to assure such chil-dren the most necessary instruction even by force. In the latter instance it is entitled to see to it that prin-ciples which are dangerous to the state are not imprinted upon the children in the private school. Howev-er, the right of the state in this area does not stretch further than this either. If it wants to use force to a further extent, it becomes an intolerable tyranny.

The establishment of Christian schools is therefore as much a matter of right as it is necessary for Chris-tian congregations. However, since the people who belong to our Norwegian churches in many places live so far apart and are split up into a variety of church bodies, it will often prove impracticable, even if the will were there, to get such schools established where the children can be trained to be both good Christ-ians and capable citizens. In such cases it can become necessary to use the religion-less state schools alongside of the religious school so that the children can become at home in the English language so that later they can fulfill their duties as citizens.

Meanwhile, in order to lessen the danger of entrusting the education of our children essentially to the religion-less school with its diverse elements, it will be our duty to do everything possible so that such young men and women are placed as the male and female teachers at those schools, in whose training we can have the confidence that they will conscientiously watch over our children so that they are neither led away from the faith of their fathers by word or deed in the school and that no offense is given these little ones who belong to Christ either.

This teachers' college of ours will have an important work to carry out among our people also in this re-gard. One aspect of its work will certainly be that of training young people to be male and female teachers in the English common school as well as in the congregations' Norwegian religious school.

But of course, friends, the more important we thus have seen the task is which this teaching institution has to discharge, the more responsible it also is; the more will both diligence and ability be needed here, but above all else, faithfulness from those who are appointed to lead it and to instruct the young people! However, you, dear teachers, know that "our sufficiency is of God," (2 Co. 3:5) and that it is he who must give you grace to be faithful in deed, he, who is also present to forgive and to comfort when the work does not always correspond to what the spirit proposes and desires because of the weakness of the flesh. May he, our merciful God, preserve you in the Word and in faith and bless your work for the youth entrusted to you here so that it may bear fruit to the glory of his name and the growth of his kingdom among us!

Also you, dear students. We are delighted to see so many of you at the beginning of this school bless the Lord so that you may appreciate the great grace God shows you in that you can enjoy the benefit of the instruction and training in the Christian school of higher learning which the loving sacrifices of the con-gregations have built! May the Lord grant you grace to demonstrate your gratitude through hard work, willing obedience and a good performance, but above all, through loving your Savior, Jesus Christ! You are going to be made capable here of becoming guides of children, so that above all you can lead them to Christ. Pray without ceasing that God will let it go well! Then you shall be preparing for yourselves and us the joy of being able to take over the very important but also responsible work which is rich in blessing, as educators of the upcoming generation. Then even if you will find that many times your walk is full of thorns and not of the kind which always finds recognition and thanks in the world, then what the Lord promises faithful teachers shall however be your comfort, that those who have instructed others "shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever." (Da. 12:3.)

And then I offer the synod's thanks to the many young people who have assisted in building this college with gifts and work, and especially to the esteemed Building Committee for its hard and sacrificial work. May the Lord grant you much joy from it and allow you to see rich blessing from it; may that be your reward!

Yes, Thou, our God, for your mercy's sake, bless and preserve this house! Bless the teachers and stu-dents! Let them work toward the common goal in the love of Christ and let no bitter root ever shoot forth here! Let rich blessings go out from here upon our congregations, our nation and its people! Bless the synod with its congregations, whose sacrificial love has built this house!

And herewith be this college dedicated in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost! Amen in Jesus' name.

Kirketidende, Nov. 2, 1889; pages 685-693