The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-02
CONSIDERATION OF A TABERNACLE.
trinity Lutherans Formally Open a New
Church-Reforma alton SUNDAY.

trinity Lutherans Formally Open a New
Church-Reforma alton Sunday.
Inc conservation of the new tabernacl of the
Evangehcal Lutheran church of the Holy Trim
lty-Rev f. +. Keever, pastoral Seventh and
Union streets, took place yesterday afternoon at
Z:lo CLOCK, before a large congregation
yesterday was Reformation Sunday" the an.
nlversary OF the founding OF the Protestant re-
| hgion by Luther in 1917. The exercises at the
conservation consisted of the beautiful and i'm.
pressive conservatory service Of the Lutheran
church. They opened with chorus by a spe-
clal choir, consisting of MissHeggardt soprano;
Miss Mary Heggart and Miss Bessie g. Keever,
altos; MI Henry, tenor; and Mr. F. Erickson,
bass.
The ministers and the church council then
proceeded up the aisle to the altar and re-
peated the proper introit. As soon as thew
reached the chancel the congregation arose and
sang the Gloria Patri and chanted the response
alter the salution by the officiating minister
Alter the Introductory prayer and exhorta ton
by the pastor the Scripture lessons from l. Kings
yii:22-So and 54-5s, Ephesian ii:1l-22 aud
Hebrews x:l9-29 were read by the Rev G. A.
Anderson, OF Tacoma. The Apostles Greed was
then recited, on the basis of which faith the
church, with its pulpit tsiGnifying the word of
God), its altar and bsptismal font (signfying
the saeraments of the church), was consecrated
This part OF the services, as well as the conse
cratory prayer, was led by the pastor solo
was sung by Mr.. F. Erickson, and the offerings
were gathered by the deaeons. Luther's battle
hymn, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" was
sung with power and spirit by the congregation.
The conservatory sermon was preached by
Rev. NJ. l. Zweizg, of Portland, Or, who dis
coursed on the text:
Ephesans v:32-T speak of Christ and the
church"
His theme was, "The Origin OF the Church;
Its Present Work and Its Future" Rev. Zwei-
zig is an eloquent speaker and impressed his
hearers fRyOrQhly- ha nf
sermon the congregation arose aud sang the
hymn, snow Thank We All Our God" and the
services closed with the benedietion.
This church society was organized temporarily
two years ago. ION October 81, 1885, with nineteen
members, the day being commemorative of the
occasion when Martin Luther nailed his theses
on the church door at Wittenberg, in 1917, and
thus began movement which eliminated the
great reformation of the Sixteenth century, the
fruits OF which the world enjoys today. The
pastor OF the church, Mr.. Kesver, is q mission
airy of the general council of the Lutheran
church in America One year ago permanent
organization was effected with forty-thrse men,
beers. Since then the church has grown much
in membership and in usefulness, but in quiet
and modest way.
Within the past year lot was purchased at
the corner OF Seventh and Union streets and q
building erected for temporary use until the
congregation 10 Die to build q more imposing
structure.
The chancel furniture in the present building
Is very fine, and was manufactured bya Seattle
firm. Rohlf * Schoder The pulpit was the
present OF the Woman's Mission Society OF
Trinity church, Reading, Pa The lecturn was
given by Mrs. Sarah Robson and family: the
chairs by Mr.. Louis Schismsnn and family and
Mr.. James Hickcox's class in the Sunday school
The altar was paid for by private subscription.
The Lutheran church did not originate in sec
tariansm or schism. Luther and his associates
never intended to found q new church. 1t was
the Church OF Rome that broke the unity Of the
church by its departures from the faith OF the
apostles. But the corruptions were so manifest
that the reformers, having the care of souls in
their charge. were compelled to warn against
the current soul-destroying errors. These errors
had never received the official sanction of the
church at large, but were recognized and &C.
cepted by the Roman church in the decree Of
the council of Trent in 1861 which became the
confession of the Roman church, and is there
fore not as old az that of the Lutheran church,
whose confession was laid before the Emperor
Charles V. in 1880.
The Augsburg confession, then, was the orig
inal platform of Professionalism, and il the yari-
Gus Protestant denominations ever attempt to
unite, there is no broader, farer and more
scriptural platform than this document
The Lutheran church lays chief stress upon
purity OF doctrine, and holds that this alone
effects unity in the church Methods OF church
government. FORMS such as liturgies, etc, how
ever desirable, are OF secondary Importance.
As to its extent, it is found in about thrty-fve
states and provinces IN Europe, in North and
South America: while her missionaries, always
jealous and active, are found in all quarters OF
the earth. Professionalism is generally estimated
as numbering 10o,000,0O0. Of this number the
Lutheran church claims one-half. or about
5O0o0,O00. In this country her people speak ten
different languages, while her growth has been
phenomenal. Her gain in percentage
of members is ca per cent. in the last ten years,
while the percentage of the regular Baptists Che
next highesD is A per cent The Lutherans
build church for every day in the year. In
education this church is foremost, her univer-
sites ranking the highest in the world, her pro-
fessors of the most intelligent and conservative,
and vet progressive, and her people among the
most advanced III mental culture. The percent
age of ignorance in countries where the Lutheran
church prevails is comparatively small.
Her position with respect to other churches is
"that wherever the word OF God is preached and
the sacrament administered even though ii be
in the corrupt church of Rome, she believes
that there are true children OF God" But the
degree of purity in the administration of the
word and sacraments, she holds, must affect the
degree of efficiency in administering such or
dinances
ALL SAINTS DAY.