Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-06-14

Toward the close OF yesterday. AFTER
Moons session of the Swedish Lutheran
Evangelical Synod of North America, at
Augustana College. one of the delegates
introduced he following
RESOLUTION
which was decided out of order:
WHEREAS, The temperance question is
moral question. and as such of the
greatest Importance to all christians of
every denomination. And
WHEREAS. The Swedish Augustana
Synod of the Lutheran church has al
ways so con sidered it. Therefore be it
ResOtUed. That the Augustana Synod
sympathize heartily with the temperance
movement ia Pennsylvania and does ex>
press as its unanimous hope, that the
election on The 18th instant may result
favorably to the temperance cause.
ResolOed. That copy of these resolu-
tons be spread upon the minutes of this
Synod and also furnished to the asso-
ciated press
A splendid sermon was preached at 2
o'clock by the Rev. P. A. Cederstron.
At 8 O'Clock the Synod resolved itself into
Theological convention for the discus
sion on the Theses on the holy ministry.
The question discussed was this; THE
first of the Theses says that Christ him-
self has inst tuted the office of the holy
ministry in the church" The Rev.
Almen, of Minnesota, the great temper
ance worker. was requested to open for
the defense, which he did in an able
manner.
Rev. Fordander said that all christians
belonged to the universal priesthood of
the church, but that in addition to this
there was Il special office appointed by
Christ for tie preaching of the gospel and
administering of the sacrament. The
two are al Ike in this instance, that
minister of The gospel should Away be a
member of the ministerial priesthood; e,
believing christian, but all christians
are not called to preach and administer
the sacrament.
This ques ion is of great importance in
the synod, as large part of the synod,
with the noted Rev. P. Sjoblorn as
leader, does not believe in any special
ministry. They claim that minister of the
gospel holds only the delegated right of
the members of his church. and members
of the universal priesthood, and this
merely to secure the proper order in the
work of the church.
The Rev. Norelius called attention to
the fact that as the synod laid great stress
upon the call of the individual church to
the candidate for ordination, to his
way of thinking it should also be laid on
ordination. The two are necessary. The
speaker raised the question whether
Christ had given the holy ministry to
the individual church at large as gen.
eral body. The speaker held the latter
view, and showed by argument that it
was necessary to do so so at least.
In reference to the foreign field where
there are 10 individual churches that
could extend calls to candidates, while
| the spe aker does not believe in apostolic
succession n the field of the Lord, he
called attention to the fact that those TO
be ordained had always been ordained by
those who were always in the ministry.
| Rev. Erickson held the old conserva :
tive view of the ministry, the same as
Rev. Norelius. who preceded him. and
spoke strongly and with logic in its favor.
Christ is the shepherd. Every pastor is
also a shepherd accountable always to
Christ and not to the individual church
The congregation should understand that
it is the first duty of every christian min>
lister to please Christ rather than man.
The Rev Malln did not think in this
day due attention was paid to holy writ.
1t was twosfold important for churches
and pastors to join hands in work and
remember that Christ is the head of the
church and its ministry. The discussion
of the sub. ect of the afternoon did not
hold full house of delegates, the audi,
ence being considerably less than the
morning session.
THIS MORNINGS SESSION
opened with prayer by Rev. Weidner.
The discussion on the new constitution
was resumed The Rev. Hatcrius moved
the previous question; carried almost
unanimously. The vote was then ors
dered and resulted in the defeat of the
new constitution by an overwhelming
ma jority. The vote, as announced by
the secretary, was yeas 80. nays 173. The
vote necessary to carry the measure
would be q two>thirds vote OF all dele
gates present. The friends of the meas
ure were all present expecting vote, and
those opposed did not show up in their
full strength, which accounts for the
small majority in opposition to its adop-
ton. This is question which has dis
turbed the synod for many years.
THE TEMPERANCE RESOLUTION,
introduced yesterday afternoon, wa
adopted.
The states of Nebraska and South Da
kota were added to the Synod as con
ferences.
A resolution was offered and adopted
unanimous y as follows:
Resolped. That the Augustana Syno
stands unanimously in favor of mora
and christian temperance, but not in favo
of political temperance.
The last resolution, from our Unite,
knowledge of the Swedish language