Evening star., 1895-06-01
LUTHERAN SYNOD
General Body Will Meet at Hagers-
town, Md.
IMPORTANT AFFAIRS COMING UP
Progress Of the Church as Told by
Figures.
M MARYLAND DELEG ATES

D. D., editor of the Lutheran Publica ton
Society of Philadelphia, Pa, will preach the
synodical sermon. after which an informal
reception will take place, and the intro
duction of those to be entertained to the
entertainers. Thursday morning. June g.
the organization of the new synod will
take place, by the election of officers for
the coming two years. The present Off
GERS are the Rev. Chas. S. Albert D. D., of
Philadelphia. president; the Rev. w. S.
Freas, D. D., OF York, Pa. secretary; and
Louis Manss. esq, of Cincinnati, Ohio,
treasurer. The roll of the coming new
synod is long one. The members from
the Maryland synod are as follows: Min
listers. Rev. J. G. Morris. D. D., LII. D.;
Rev. W. E. Parson, D. D.: Rev. Samuel
Domer. D. D.: Rev. S. w. Owen, D. D.;
Rev. J. H. Barb, Rev. o. c. Roth, Rev.
Luther Kuhlman, Rev. E. H. Delk. Lay
Yonce. J. NJ. Miller. w. H. Weaver. P. G.
Youck, A. F. Fox. Cornelius Eckhardt.
Appropriate Meeting Place.
1t Is altogether appropriate that the
synod should meet this time at Hagers-
town. The organization was made at this
place October a. 1920 with representative
from four synods only, and then. too, On
account of the anniversary of the church
in which it Is to be held. St. Johns, whose
congregation is now one hundred years
old. The first meeting or convention of
the general synod took place at Frederick,
Md, in 1921, the officers being at that time
the Rev. George Lochman. D. D., presi-
dent; Rev. D. F. Schaeffer, D. D., secre-
tary, and c. A. Barnitz. treasurer. The OFF,
GERS at the organization We're the Rev. j..
D. Kurtz d. D., president and Rev. Henry
A. Muhlenberg, D. D., secretary. These
names and the many good works of these
men still live in the Lutheran Church and
will continue to do SO to the end of time.
At the first called meeting held IN Fred
erick there We're but three synods repre-
sented, with six clerical and four lay dele
gates. At this, the thirty-seventh conVen-
ton. there will be twenty-five synods. with
delegation of one hundred and twelve
ministers and as many laymen.
Shown by Figures.
These different district synods, as they
are called, represent upward of eight hum
dred pastorates, LOO ministers. and pos
sibly over 10000 communicate members.
In this connection it must be remembered
that this does not represent the member
ship of the entire Lutheran church in this
country, as there are four other general
bodies, with a number of independent syn
DDS. The value of church property will. it
is estimated, far exceed $1O,EJ,0O. AS re-
ported at last meeting of the synod and as
shown by the report of the statistical sec
retary, the Rev. S. Stall, D. D.. the total
Indebtedness on church property is con-
siderabIy less than a million of dollars,
local expenses for all objects for the two
years preceding nearly three millions of
dollars and receipts for benevolence alone
nearly S450,OOO.
Notwithstanding the dull times and the
consequent depression of business every
where resulting therefrom the receipts for
the past two years will far exceed those of
any former year In the history OF the
synod, showing the growing interest In the
of he ohr ava
thorough working condition of the several
boards. While 1t Is to be expected that
there will be considerable business to
transact at the coming meeting, there will
be nothing out of the regular routine, un-
less sprung on the synod unawares.
State of the Church.
The report of the committee on the state
of the church is always looked forward to
with a great deal of pleasure and closely
followed by all during its reading. The in
dications are of a more general interest in
all the affairs Throughout. the entire church.
The prominent part being taken by the
laymen in the prosecution of the work.
and the unprecedented amount of money
contributed all goes to verify the belief.
AS matter Of course, differences do exist,
but these gradually grow fewer from year
to year.
Literary and Theological Institutions
The reports on the colleges and semin-
aries of the church will be fully up to the
standard. The number of students enroll
ed is large and ever on the increase. These
are Hartwick Seminary, New York; Penn
sylvania College and Seminary, Gettys-
burg, Pa; Wittenberg College and Semin-
ary, at Springfield, Ohio; Missionary In
lege Carthage, Ill: Midland College, Atchi-
son, Kan. All of these institutions are
keeping pace with the rapid development
Of all the departments of the work of the
church. The number of students in all the
institutions is far in excess Of any previous
year. An unusually large number of young
men are preparing for the ministry. In
this connection additional facilities for the
west will probably also be considered at
this coming convention.
The seminary in the west may be said to
have had beginning, as theological train
ing is now given at Midland College, Atchi-
son, Kansas. But it is necessary, it is
claimed, that the work should be placed
and operated on larger and broader basis.
of the Common Service.
At the last meeting of the synod the fol-
lowing resolution was adopted:
Resolved, That the common service COM
mittee be instructed to prepare an abridged
form of the common service for the use of
those who may not desire to use the full
service; that two active pastors be added
to the committee to assist it in carrying
out this instruction; that the abridged
service, when prepared, be printed on
leaves that can be laid in our hymnals or
hymn looks for present use, subject to the
action of the general synod two years
hence. it being underst tood that this action
shall in no way affect the present status Of
either service.
This committee. consisting of Revs. G.
y. Wenner, D. D.; F. w. Conrad d. D.,
LID; e. J. Wolf D. D.; S. A. Ort, D. D. !;
G, S. Albert, D. D.; ]. A. Singmaster, w
Fl. Dunbar. d. D.. and T. c. BiIlhefmer,
D. D., have prepared this abridgment,
and the same will be presented at this
convention for adoption or rejection If
adopted this will add another to the orders
of worship. making in all three. The old
order Of worship, called the Washington
service. adopted at the convention held here
In Washington in 1869, the common serv-
ice recently adopted. and this contemplated
abridGment OF this common service.
Several Matters of Importance.
The Washington Home for the Aged is a
young institution of the church, located at
tolI -, farr rtJ