New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-26
TIE GENERAL SYNOD or THE LUTHER1N
CHURCH,

MEETING or TIIE SYNOD At BALrIM0RE-UNtoN OF
THE DENOMINATION ADVOCATED.
The General Synod Of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church will meet to-day at Baltimore. The
Synod was to have been held In wiamsport, Penn but
in consequence Of the burning Of the Lutheran Church
there Baltimore was selected the place Of assembly
Tho General Synod stands, numerically. as the third
Lutheran body in this country the synodca Conference
ranking first the General Council second 1t Is COM
posed of 20 synods with 769 minister's 1928 churches
and III O29 communicates Six OF the synods arc in
Pennsylvania, three in New-York and New-Jersey, two
In Maryland and tho rest In the Western States Uni
versa interest attaches to this session OF the General
Synod, because 1t will take action ON the "Colloquim
question.
The Lutheran Church in this country is broken up into
divisions which involved in constant controversy
with ono another There four large bodies known
as the Synodical Conference, the General Council the
General Synod and the General Synod tsouth). There
are also eleven independent synods containing from SOO
to 900 communicates each. One OF the synods has
only four Minister'S another only nine yet they all main
tain separate organizations. The General Synod was
organized in 1920 tho purpose Of uniting In gen
era body the particular synods and to prevent If posi-
BILE further scbisms With this end in view its platform
was made broad enough it thought, for all Luther
ans only requiring of those who are attached to her
connection that they hold the fundaenai doctrines OF
all minor points leaving them unrestricted" by the
III
that futherans could be united, and differences in doc
trina views. usages language or natlonaiy harmon
At its last session at Canton. Ohio. in June, 1873 the
General Synod authorized It's Committee on Ecclesiast
cal Correspondence to communicate with other general
Lutheran bodies, invite interchange OF dele
gates and of fra,onal greeting with the General Synod
YEAR UPON receiving the invitation to friendly relations
expressed readiness To hail all proper efforts to bring
Der it's That
Outstanding, ultimately leading to closer union can DC
ahn mt nv ~
delegates but by candid and fraternal comparison OF
views that al may clearly ascertain the points OF d
unity Of spirit" The Council therefore proposed col
pointed "in which all Iutherans who accept the una
tered Augsburg Confession may compare views IN regard
that Confession " the action OF the participants not 10
be binding either upon themselves their synods and
and the conference TO be confined from time To time
which uneservedly accept the Augsburg Confession to
join III making arrangements for holding the coioglln
of scholarship and knowledge OF the questions at ISSUE
and OF the character and spirit to render the discussion
pacific and profitable The General Synod lsouth) unan
mously approved Of the coloquum but the success OF
the plan depends upon the action Of the General Synod
North at Baltimore: There isapparently strong party
in the General Synod in favor Of the conference and
majority Of the Church papers advocate 1t but some
TIA that dSnrsS 1 sFG' S he 81 E
s anS os'P po Synod has deney
its basis clearly that needs no coloquuIn TO ascer
tain what and instead OF fruitless debate and sharp
theological distinctions which have ragged for more than
800 years should address itself to the Masters work
Those who favor the cOl01uium say the General synod
cannot refuse approve II without violating It's record
and postponiDg least for generation the union OF
Luhcrans.
The Synodical Conference last year refused to take
any action body leaving its members to decide i9r
themselves whether to accept reject the invitation 10
the co,loquum Besides this important question OF fra
ernal relations the General Synod will examine re-
vised constitution district synods and new forms OF
liturgy prepared by committees appointed at the last
session. The number OF delegates sent to the General
Synod by the % synods Is above $50, clerical and lay
Among the prominent names those of Dr. Conrad OF
Philadelphia editor of The Lutheran Observer; Messrs
StrObel and Wedekind Of NewYOrk, and Stadtler anu
Vaian Of Mar