Lögberg - 19.05.1938, Qupperneq 3

4
LÖGBBEG, FIMTUDAGINN 19. MAl, 1938
An Appreciation
It was nearing the hour of mid-
night; the ringing of the telephone
aroused me from a sound sleep.
"Winnipeg calling,” said the opera--
tor. “Séra Björn died this morn-
ing," ,oame over the wire.
"I sit tonight as audience to my
thoughts,
W'hich to a panorama treat my vision
Of days long past . . .”
As in a dream, bygone days pass
in review. The imind spans the
years, and the days of our youth
present familiar although half-for-
gotten scenes and places, forms and
faces.
"Eg get ei sofið. Sækir mér
Að sjónum það sem liðið er,
Og heitra þanka bjartan brand
Eg ber í svefnsins fölva land.”
Two-score and five years ago, I
was seated one Sunday in a hall in
Minneota, facing an open, unadorn-
ed platförm on which stood a young
man in his early twenties, alert, fine-
appearing, intellectual. He was a
theological student preaching his
first sermon in Minneota to a con-
gregation of his countrymen. In the
forty-five years that have elapsed
since that Sunday, the writer has
listened to many sermons and
frankly admits that he has forgotten
nearly all of them, but of the
sermon referred to here there
lingers a vivid Lmpression. Of
course, I have forgotten what the
sermon was about and only recall
one ilhrstration used, or statement
inade by the youthful exhorter. He
was talking about the Saviour’s love
for humanity and said that it seemed
to him as if Christ held with one
hand thé hand of God and with the
other reached down to earth and
grasped the hand of man. It was a
well phrased, forceful, impressive
illustration. I mentioh it because [
think that it contains the essence ot
all of Rev. Jonsson’s religious
plhilosophy.
•
For twenty years it was my
privilege to listen to him praach,
to enjoy his companionship, to know
him intimately. I watched his religi-
ous development; I saw him broaden
intellectually and spiritually. He was
not the kind of man ever to rest
on his oars. Constantly he was
forging ahead. Tó him, education
was not a thing that ever could be
completed. It goes without saying
that his views underwent changes,
that he developed spiritually as well
as intellectually. There was nothing
narrow about him. I feel that he
never assumed the attitude that anv
creed, any sect, any particular school
of thought, had a monopoly on
truth. I referred ábove to the state-
ment he made in his first sermon
in Minneota as containing the
essence of his religious philosophy.
I have had many talks with him on
religious matters and constantly
found hiim more and more inclined
to minimize differences of opinion
on what he considered non-essentials
and more and more insistent upon
the truth of tíhe statement he so
often made to me, namely: “Jesus
Christ is the one iaiid only essential.”
It seems to me that his creed and
his attitude toward life in general
could almost be summarized in- the
hytmn-couplet: "More about Jesus
would I know, more of his love to
others show.”
It must not be understood that I
aim not fully aware of the fact that
Reverend Jonsson engaged in some
religious controversies. He had con-
victions both in politics and religion
and was never afraid to defend his
opinions. But in all controversial
matters his viewpoint was ever
broadening and he became less and
less inclined to war over unessentia!
differences.
His was a keen mind, and he gen-
erally was abreast of''the times and
not infrequently ahead of his day
and generation. Sometimes his
ability to see ahead led to contro-
HIÐ SANNA HLUTFALL
milli
$355,931.20 skattgreiðslu Winnipeg Electric félagsins til Winnipeg
borgar og þeirra $66,751.74 sem City Hydro borgar til bæjarins
Hefir Mr. Glassco rétt fyrir sér nú, eða liafði hann rangt fyrir sér 1934?
i ársskýrslu hans yfir raforkufrarr.leiSslu bæjarins (City Hydro) fyrir áritS 1934,
4 2. bls. stendur—“Annar stór úUr.ialdaliður, sem aðeins að nafninu telst ekki til skatt-
sroiðslu, sem er lan'frun fyrir vatnsorku og vatns skipulagningu.”
1 auglýsingu, sem City Hydro birtir 11. maí 1938, þar sem vitnað er til sömu út-
gjalda, segir—“Enginn skyldi láta sér detta í liug að telja þessa borgun sem skatt,
heldur aðeins sem borgun fyrir sérstök réttindi fyrir orkustöðina og kostnað viS tempr-
un vatnsins á öllu vatnstemprunar svæðinu.”
Þessar tilvitnanir eni tilfærðar vegna þess að Mr. Glassco dregur inn í auglýsingu sxna vatnsrentiina,
sem borguð er til fylkisstjórnarinnar, til þess að draga athygll ínaiuia frá spursmálinu um hversu mikil að
sé skattgreiðsla Winnipeg Electric félagsins til bæjarins.
Mr. Glassco gerir að umræðuefni í undirrltaðri skýrslu sinni, vissar upplýsingar, scm gefnar voru
hluthöfum vorum á ársfundi vorum fyrir tíu döguin, viðvíkjandi starfra kslu vorri á árinu 1937. Skýrsla
Mr. Glassco neyðlr oss til að eyða nimi til þess að taka upp og birta AI/T það í skýrslunni, er þetta átriði
áhrærir.
Eftir mér er haft:
“Þér veitlð þvl athygli að skattbyrðin fyrir áriö 1937 var $585,764.60 að meðtöldum fimm
prósene skatt á heildarinntektina af járnbrautinni, gasolíu skatt, skatt á aðstoðarfélög og vatnsrentu.
“1 þessari upphæð er innifaldir $355,764.00 borgaðir til Winnipeg bæjar á árinu 1937, eða 7.5
présent af heildarinntektum félagsins I Winnipeg, sem var $4,722,800.00.
“City Hydro hefir auglýst og gefið út, að heildarinntektir sínar hafi verið á árinu 1937,
$3,661,914.77 og skatturinn hafi numið $86,677.37 og af þessari upphæð var borgað til Winnipeg
bæjar $66,7 51.84, eða 1.82 prósent af heildarinntektunum.”
Skýringar minar innihalda þetta til viðbótar:
"Þi'ss Ikt að gæta að City Hydro er iuuhuiþcgið frá vlssiim Doiuinlon <><- Provincial sköttum,
scin Winnlpog Elcx-.tric félagið verður að borga, og a-tti því að liafa betrl aðstöðu til moii-i Irainlaga
til bæjarins. " ' " '
“VV’innipeg Elcctric félagið hefir þessvegna af heildarinntektum, sem eru aðeins 29 prósent
meii'j en City Hydro, lagt meira en fimm sinnuin eins mlkið eins og Oity Hydro, til bæjarins.
Það skal tekið lrani að þetta tillegg frá Winnipeg Electric var af heildarinntektuin þriggja fé-
lagsdcilda, livar af tvö, gas og strætabrautin, eru miklii melra liáð hrörnun og niikhim viðlialds-'
kostnaði, en raforkndoildin. og liærri kaiiplHirgun sérstakh'ga á strætlsvögnuiium. Hinn ósann-
gjarni llnmi prosent skattur á heildariiintektum af starfriekslu strietisvagnanna er flestum ljós.”
Skýrslan var algjörlega rétt og í alla staði réttmætar staðreyndir, sem áttu að vera ttarlega skýrðar
fyrir hluthöfunum á ársfundi félagsins.
SVAR!
Ijátið yður eigi glepjast sýn á því. City Hydro
borgar engan SDÍKAN skatt. VVinnipegborg, er
ieggiir skattinn á, og sem eigandi City Hydro,
leggur ekki skatt á sjálfa sig.
City Hydro borgar lieldur ekki skatt af inn-
tektum til Sambandsstjórnarinnar, eins og Win-
nipeg Electric gerir. Inntcktaskattur Winnipeg
Electric 1937 var $26,365.49, sem borgaðist ein-
gtiiigu af electric deildinni.
City Hydro hefir lagt jioninga til biojarins af og
til, en borgaði þó engan skatt sem slíkan, sem
viðurkennlngu fyrir hlna ákvcðnu eignavirðlngu,
en liyrjaðl árlð 1931 að leggja til bæjarins upp-
lia*ð sem samsvaraði lögboðnum virðingarskattl
þeim er Winnipeg Electric liorgar, samkvæmt
fastelgnavirðingii og einnig lagt til bæjarins upp-
liæð sem mun jafnast á við eigna og starfsleyfis
skatt þess.
The City Hydro lætur og f ljós að það liafi
f hyggju að leggja íram $150,000.0$ á árinu 1938
til að jafna tckjiiliatln bæjarins (síns eigandn)
sem er samt sem áður algjörlega frjálst tillag.
og er ekki í nokkun-i nierkingu sem skattur.
Eins er með hina lögákveðnu virðingu, sem á
einungis við Winnipeg Electric og sem er til þess
að þurka ekki að virða eignir á strætunum og
önnur orkuver sem félagið á. ..Clty Hydro borgaði
til bæjarins sömu upphæð á þessa sérstöku liði
árið 1937, eins og Winnipeg Electric, en verðmæti
eigna þelrra er TVéiI-’AI/r VIÐ VEKÐMÆTI
EIGNA WINNIPEG EIÆCTRIC I/IGHT AND
POVVER UTIDITY, og samanburður á heildar-
inntektiim £ bænuin er sem fylgir:
City Hydro
$2,876,656.13
Winnliieg Electric
(Electric Utility only)
$1,798,099.00
Samkvæmt þessu ætti City Hydro að borga
héruinbil tvisvnr sinntim eins niikið í stnðinn fyr-
ir þá skatta er Wlnnlpeg Electric félagið borgar.
HYORT HELDUR BORGAÐ SEM SKATTUR
EÐA TIIÆEGG, ÞA ER STAÐREYNDIN SÚ
SAMA, AÐ VVINNIPEG EIÆCTRIC SEM FíÆAG
STARFR.EK.JANDI ÞRJAR DEIUDIR BORGAR
7.5 PRÓSENT AF HEIIiDARINNTEKTUM
STARFRÆKSUU SINNAR f WINNIPEG f
SKATTA, ÞAR SEM CITY HYDRO BORGAR
EINUNGIS 1.82 PRÓSENT AF HEIDDARINN-
TEKTCM SfNUM SEM TILIiEGG TIU VIÐHAUDS
BORGINNI.

President,
VVINNIPEG EIÆCTRIC COMPANY
versy, but almost invariably time
ancl theVend of events justified his
position. He was a born leader and
it was easy for him to rally men
around his standard. He was a
brilliant spelaker, equally eloquent
in his native tongue and the English
language. He combined a poetic
and dramatic nature, and his ser-
mons and speeches were frequently
charmingly beautiful prose poems.
He had an unusually keen sense of
humor and enjoyed to the fullest
the society of kindred spirits.
But to revert again to his years in
Minneota, let me say that it was
there that I knew him best and as-
sociated with him most intimately.
Although he was pastor of an Ice-
landic Lutheran Church, he asso-
ciated freely with the people of the
community regardless of nationality
and creed. ~iHis personality won for
him fa’vor with all, and people
generally looked upon hiim as one
of their own. He and the priest of
the looal Catholic Church were
bosom friends, and their attitude
toward each otiher had much to do
with the spirit of friendliness and
tolerance that has ever characterized
the community.
Reverend Jonsson’s charge in
Minneota was not an easy berth.
When he ' took up his work and
residence there in the early nineties
of the past century there were no
automobiles, nor were there any but
mud roads. He served four churches,
and three of them necessitated many
miles of travel to reach. Many were
the days he faced blizzards on the
open prairie behind a team of horses
or drove for hours through rain and
mud in tiis effort to serve his
parishioners. Hardships never
hindered him, and he was at the
service of his people regardless of
his own comfort.
For twenty years he entered into
the joys and sorows of the coim-
munity. For twenty years he
baptized, confirmed, married and
buried members of his flock. He
latighed with the gay and he wept
with the sorrowing. He was in and
of the life about him. He made
friends easily. He was not onlv
liked but loved, and his cheering.
presence dispelled the gloom in
many a home. The sick felt en-
couraged by his visits and the dy-
ing felt their faith susbained and re-
vived by his prayers and benedic-
tion. No profession touches life at
so many points as does that of the
pastor. He is expected to enter into
all tihe activities of the people about
him. He is their spiritual guide,
their advisor in matters of the soul,
and he is expected to have an interest
in all their affairs and evince
sympathy in the troubles and tri-
uimps of young and old. A man
must be many-sided, wise, patient
and long-suffering even to approach
success in a calling so exacting, so
difficult, so responsible.
Iti all the trýing turns of this
soul shepherding, Reverend Jons-
son reached a high level of effi-
ciency. By unselfish devotion to
duty and a remarkable capacity for
understanding people and meeting
situations well and wisely, he en-
deared himself both within and
without his congregations.
Although it is now a quarter of a
century since he left Minneota and
so many of those who were near
and dear to him have passed away*
during that time, the memory of his
years of service is fresh in the minds
of all who lived and labored with
him during the first twenty years
of his first pastorage. He is re-
membered, bonored, loved, by a
people who today bow in grief at
realization of the fact that he who
was so imuch to them, did so much
for them, entered so fully into their
lives for a long period of years, is
no more. Yes, Minneota will long
remember the pastor who came as
an untried youth and left as an able,
experienced, middle-aged man.
It is probably evident that this
appreciation is written by a friend,
written by one who sees with eyes
of admiration. It is cheerfully ad-
mitted tihat such is the case. But
likewise it is insisted that the writer
knows his subject and speaks trulv
even though the words come from
a heart filled with gratitude to one
who meant so much to and did so
much for him.
Yes, “B. B.”—as he was often
familiarly called — was a friend
of mine. Altihough we were both
past the first score of years when
our paths joined, I feel that I may
truly say that we grew up together.
He was slightly my senior in age
and greatly so in experience, educa-
tion and abilitý. He encouraged, in-
spired and directed me in many
ways. He influenced me deeply in
a religious way and he helped me to
an understanding of many problems
that puzzled and baffled. He was
a true, loyal friend, and I owe him
much. I venture this personal allu-
sion because I know tihat in doing
so I voice thoughts, sentiments and
experiences that hundreds who have
come under the influence of this
man will underscore as their own.
President James A. Garfield said
on one occasion: “There is nothing
in all the earth tihat you and I can
do for the dead. They are past our
help and past our praise. We can
add to them no glory — we can give
them no immortality. They do not
(Framh. á bls. 7)
Erlent trúboð
Allir söfnuðir kirkjufélags vors eru beðnir að minnast þess
að styrkja eftir megni hið erlenda trúboðsstarf þess á þessu vori
og að senda tillög ,sín til féhirðis kirkjufélagsins, hr. S. O.
Bj^rring, 550 Banning St., Wjinnipeg, fyrir 10. júní næstk. Einnig
er athygli sérstakra félaga innan safnaðanna vakið á þessu málefni
og þau beðin um liðsinni á hvern þann hátt, sem þeim er unt. Þá
eru einnig margir einstaklingar, sem á liðnum árum hafa sýnt þessu
málefni trvgð og styrkt það af efnum sínum. Það er vonandi að
þeir og margir fleiri nú aftur leggi þessari kristilegu hugsjón lið.
Trúboðarnir, séra S. O. Thorlaksson og kona hans eru nú nýkomin
til Ameríku til ársdvalar og væntunr- vér þess að njóta þeirra á
kirkjuþinginu er sett verður í Argylebygð 17. júni. Það þarf ætíð
að vera ógleymanlegur þáttur Guðs ríkis hugsjónarinnar að gera
allar þjóðir að lærisveinum. Minnist þesS, kristindómisvinir, og
látið starfið njóta þess.
K. K. Ólafsson, forseti kirkjufél.
Business and
Professional Cards
PHYSICIANS and SURGEONsT
DR. B. J. BRANDSON
216-220 Medical Arts Bldg.
Cor. Graham og Kennedy Sts.
Phone 21 834—Office tímar 3;4.3C
Heimili: 214 WAVERLET ST.
Phone 403 288
Winnipeg, Manitoba
DR. B. H.OLSON
Phones: 35 076
* 906 047
Consultation by Appointment
Only
Heimili: 5 ST. JAMES PUACE
Winnipeg, Manitoba
DR. ROBERT BLACK
Sérfrœðingur 1 eyrna, augna, nef
og hálssjúkdómum.
216-220 Medical Arts Bldg.
Cor. Graham & Kennedy
Viðtalstlmi — 11 til 1 og 2 til 5
Skrifstofuslmi — 22 251
Helmili — 401 991
Dr. P. H. T. Thorlakson
205 Medical Arts Bldg.
Cor. Graham og Kennedy Sts.
Phone 22 856
Res. 114 GRENFELL BUVD.
Phone 62 200
Dr. S. J. Johannesson
Viðtalstlmi 3-5 e. h.
21« SHERBURN ST.
Slmi 30 877
DR. A. V. JOHNSON
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Phone 94 668
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Offices:
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