Carl Aaron Swensson Born June 25, 1857, Chandler’s Valley near Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania (south of Jamestown, New York). Died February 16, 1904, at Los Angeles, California. Founder of Bethany College, October 15, 1881; Second President 1888-1904. Pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church, Lindsborg, Kansas: 1879-1904. Ordained into the ministry of the Lutheran Church, June 22, 1879

A. Swensson, giant of a leader. Although the founding pastor of Lindsborg was Swedish-born Rev. Dr. Olof Olsson, it was his successor — Rev. Dr. Carl Aaron Swensson — who was the person who gave rise to the development and exceptional strengths of the community of Lindsborg, Kansas, in the heart of the Smoky Valley in central Kansas. His original dynamic influences and leadership are responsible for much of what continues today on the college campus and in the community. The Lindsborg pioneer years 1879-1904 under the inspired leadership of Rev. Dr. Carl A. Swensson are nothing short of amazing. The Lindsborg community, Bethany College, and Swensson became deeply intertwined with each other for more than two crucible decades. It is no accident that his larger-than-life statue constructed of Italian marble, which was donated by the Lindsborg Commercial Club (forerunner of Chamber of Commerce), has been at the heart of the College campus since shortly after his death on February 16, 1904. Swensson’s strong charisma motivated Lindsborg residents and followers to achieve accomplishments far beyond their own dreams and everyday goals. His optimism and spirit were unfailing. Today his legacy-shadows seem impossible to replicate. His beloved College became paramount among his many leadership roles. Bethany College was at the center as he sought to empower the “flock” of his church parish, as well as members and leaders of the larger units of the Augustana Lutheran Synod (church) — to motivate the academy / college educators and students, to achieve high visions, and to promote religious faith and activities — while at the same time he also strengthened all that he knew and loved in “Swedish-America.” A life-long Republican, his considerable political activities were noteworthy achievements. Swensson died unexpectedly in Los Angeles, California, on February 16, 1904, while he was Bethany College president, pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church of Lindsborg, and an internationally respected church leader in the Augustana Lutheran Synod. B. The Swensson Lindsborg Years Newly ordained by the Augustana Lutheran Synod, Pastor Swensson arrived in Lindsborg in June 1879 to succeed Rev. Dr. Olof Olsson, who had moved to a position at Augustana College and Seminary in Rock Island, Illinois. For 25 years Swensson served church, community, state, Swedish-America, and (from 1881) his beloved Bethany College — until his sudden death. Swensson was only 22 years old when he became pastor of the Lindsborg community’s first church with 675 members, at the heart of the settlement. Residents had appreciated him from a year and a half earlier, when he was a member of the popular touring Augustana Silver Cornet Band. He came with high recommendations from Olof Olsson. There were major contrasts between Swensson — energetic, forceful, high-achieving, a natural leader — and Olsson, who was quiet, scholarly, mild- mannered. Both were committed Christians with läsare pietistic backgrounds. Swensson was American-born. But Lindsborg residents, who were mostly Swedish-born and with that background, soon discovered that his sermons (preached in Swedish during his entire ministry) were outstanding in content and excellence of language. He did have a thorough knowledge of the old country. On February 15, 1880, he married Alma Lind of Moline, Illinois — a highly talented musician, gifted leader, and a person who added greatly to her husband’s resources through faithful support and inspiration. They had two daughters, Bertha and Annie Theo. Swensson’s founding of Bethany College represented a great venture in faith. He recognized that early founding visions had come from Olsson and his Värmland beloved friends. But it was he who, after a summer 1881 meeting in Lindsborg by the national Augustana Synod, “could not rid myself of the thought that the right time was at hand” to build the school or “air-castle” as many called it. Swensson said: “I saw how God had blessed our settlements in this beautiful, flourishing, and liberty-loving state. But how our children and youth should obtain the necessary Christian education was a question….” The date set to open the Bethany Academy was October 15, 1881. J.A. Udden, a recent Augustana College graduate, was engaged as the teacher. [Smoky Valley People, by Emory Kempton Lindquist, Bethany College Press, 1953, Pp.86ff.] The college grew rapidly, and within five years enrollment was at 161. Then a large five-story Old Main building was constructed, even while many pioneer supporters lived in dugouts. (The story of the college early development can be left to another article.) On April 12, 1881, Carl Swensson was present in Rock Island for the first rendition there of Handel’s great oratorio, the “Messiah.” Inspiration for the oratorio society there had been brought by Dr. Olof Olsson after visiting London. It didn’t take long until Carl and his wife Alma soon had a chorus rehearsing in Lindsborg, and the first Lindsborg “Messiah” renditions were presented in March 1882, with orchestral help from Illinois. Who could have known the extent to which the Lindsborg tradition would grow, to become the major internationally-known festival and religious presentation of community and college? Swensson was always proud of his American citizenship, although he appreciated values of European culture, especially Swedish. The Bethany founder believed citizenship should not be a passive matter, and his entire life showed understanding of its dynamic quality. Swensson was a loyal Republican and was exceedingly conservative, even as judged by the time in which he lived. (Historian Emory Lindquist said: “…until the 1930s, Swedish Americans were overwhelmingly Republican in politics. Geographic factors, a natural conservatism, influences of the Swedish press in America…were important factors.”) Political activities of Swensson constituted a great crusade which he thoroughly enjoyed. He was a capable, untiring campaigner for causes, issues, and political party. He campaigned for public office only once, and in 1889 he was easily elected to the Kansas legislature from McPherson County. Like Olsson two decades earlier, he represented a constituency proud of his presence among Topeka lawmakers. He fended away efforts to make him governor or U.S. congressman, because he felt called to make his unique contribution through Christian higher education at Bethany College. He was Bethany’s greatest asset, and the college needed him. He served numerous roles in the Lutheran church, first of all as Bethany Church pastor. His sermons were simple but inspiring evangelical messages. He was active officially as an officer of the Kansas Conference of Augustana Lutheran Church. He was a champion of Lutheranism among Swedish American circles, yet he realized the future belonged to a united Lutheran Church with American orientation. As president of General Council of Evangelical Lutheran Church of North America, he said: “…the Lutheran Church of America needs today…spiritual awakening…a more sincere confession of sin, a deeper contemplation of God’s love, and a fuller and more real acceptance of Christ by faith…. Fanatic revivalism and dead formalism are the extremes….” Swensson produced an amazing range and amount of writing, including books, pamphlets, and hundreds of newspaper articles. He traveled widely and was a popular speaker, although sometimes controversial. Near the end he knew that his earth days would be short. A few week before his death, while in Brockton, Massachusetts, he said “I won’t live to be old. I have something wrong here,” pointing to his heart. Shortly thereafter Swensson was in California speaking to the California Conference of Augustana Lutheran Synod, and he helped lay the cornerstone for Ebenezer Lutheran Church in San Francisco. The following Saturday he became ill while enroute to Los Angeles on a train, was forced to cancel Sunday preaching plans at Angelica Church there, was taken to a nearby hospital, and was diagnosed with pneumonia and heart complications — but he continued to show his characteristic optimism. His nurse asked during the night “How do you feel?” and he answered “Oh, I feel splendid.” In ten minutes he was dead. The news reached Lindsborg by telegram the next day. “Grown men wept like children. Infants clung to mothers, sensing deep tragedy. People gathered in small, quiet groups. In Old Main on the Bethany campus Rev. Dr. Ernst F. Pihlblad, vice-president, met with board members and faculty. Students greeted each other without spoken words. Hundreds of telegrams — from President Theodore Roosevelt, from intimate personal friends, from casual strangers — brought sympathy messages to Mrs. Alma Swensson and young daughters Bertha and Annie Theo., to Bethany College, and to Lindsborg.” [Smoky Valley People, Pp.143ff.] Typically, Mrs. John Holmquist of rural Lindsborg wrote in her diary: “I can scarcely see to write…we are all enveloped in deep sorrow…It seems so strange that one who was so needed should be taken away from his place of service.” Three thousand people came to Lindsborg for the funeral and burial, February 22, a bright and clear day which people called a “Carl Swensson day.” The McPherson businesses closed during services at Bethany Church. A student honor guard stood by the casket in the “Messiah” Auditorium, while people passed in a continuous line for several hours. Sermons and eulogies were presented. The Messiah Chorus sang Dr. Swensson’s favorite “Worthy is the Lamb.” Sad people followed the funeral cortege to Elmwood Cemetery…. The Kansas City Star observed editorially: “It is scarcely too much to say that Dr. Swensson was at the time of his death the most famous man in Kansas, and his fame will grow as his remarkable achievements are revealed in the light of history. He accomplished what few men have thought of attempting.” Author/journalist Ernst Skarstedt said: “Swensson loved everything great, noble, and beautiful: poetry, art, and all that lifts and ennobles.” …Such descriptions as “Colossus of the Plains,” “The Great Giant from Kansas,” “the incomparable Dr. Swensson,” were more than words. They communicated meaning about an unusual person. The Lindsborg Record editor penned: “…His life has been a constant endeavor for good towards all. His life was unselfish, his whole ambition was for Bethany College, for the Swedish people, and for his country. Money, distinction, personal favor, and high station in life were as nothing to him unless it tended to elevate and to make better Bethany College, the child of his ambitions. His very life teemed with enthusiasm for Bethany, for Lindsborg and for the Smoky Valley.” Historian Dr. Emory Lindquist later wrote: “His great view of life was based upon his great Christian resources of faith and hope. His outstanding capacity for friendship, his unfailing optimism, his immense vision shaped a pattern of achievement that made for greatness. Swensson was a prominent public figure, but he always was most intimately identified with Lindsborg and Bethany College. His many activities were based upon their potential contributions to the great cause in the Smoky Valley. The people there knew him well, appreciated him, believed in him…. It is singularly true that no one person among the Swedish Americans established such a hold upon the imagination of the people as did Carl Swensson.” For Bethany College, the Swensson years — both in original founding and then while he was second president — laid the groundwork for all that followed. There were no feasibility studies, and the institution began as a labor of love and need. Today the spirit of Lindsborg and the Smoky Valley are unique and appreciated in large measure because of what developed as the community and college endeavors. Swensson was the fountainhead.