Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-10
Swedish Lutherans Dedicate Their
Place Of Worship.
PROMINENT CHURCHMEN PRESENT
Two OF the Pastors Who Were There
Now Hold High Positions in the
Church = A Great Day
for Lutherans.

B
was dedicated Sunday afternoon.
Dgnitaries i'll the church were present,
among them being the president of the
general conference. which is the high
est Office in this church in the country,
who presided over the morn
ing service. Three services We're
held, morning, afternoon and evening,
and all were we'll attended. The church
was nicely decorated with cut flowers,
ferns, palms and ported plants, the
majority of which We're artistically ar
ranged around the altar, pulpit and
choir loft. Aside from the interest in
the services, all eyes We're turned to-
ward the magnificent painting at the
rear of the altar, copy of Raphael's
TRANSPORTATION by Zabinski. AS a
work of art, judges say, it ranks we'll
with anything found in other places of
this character and usually they are of
a high order.
The congregation at the exercises in
the afternoon taxed the capacity of the
church, it being necessary to place
chairs in the aisles in order to accom-
MEDIATE ALL Preceding the sermon in
English by Rev. DR.. l.. A. johnson, of ST
Paul, Rev. M. P. Oden, of Alta, presi-
dent of the Iowa conference of the
Lutheran church, preached sermon
in Swedish and performed the litur-
gical exercises.
DR.. johnson took for his subject
The Evangelical Lutheran Church."
The speaker said that the mother
church is the Lutheran church. All
others owe something to her. 1t was
an established church when others
We're just beginning. 1t was distinct
name. The name of Evangelical was
commonly accepted but the name of
Lutheran was thust upon it and now
proudly worn. AS to the doctrine of
the church, Rev. johnson said that
Z they accepted the Bible without any
conditions. The Augsburg confession
of faith which was formulated in 1880,
at Augsburg, Germany, is the charter
OF the church and contains an epitome
of the Bible. Here the speaker di-
crossed to quote what eminent divines
both historic and modern say of it. and
without exception their verdict has
been that the confession embraces all
that is good. The speaker quoted from
the confession at length and applied to
the every day affairs of life consistent
with being good churchman and a
good Christian. DR.. johnson said that
the church believes in baptism and
Reaches that it is necessary. 1t is not
taught that new birth takes place at
that moment but that by the act be-
ginning is made. The Lutheran
church is true to her confessions; she
has known nothing but Christ and
fallible guide.
The worship Of the church is litur-
gical but personal liberty is recog-
nized to suit the place and people. The
lutheran church did not break away
at the Reformation. The church year
has been retained. The festivals are
both movable and immovable and are
kept to this day.
Coming down to the progress of the
church Dr.. johnson said that there
are 52,0O0,000 Lutherans and services
are said In more languages than in any
other denomination. There are 7,OOO.-
600 In the United States and Canada,
one-fourth OF whom are communicates.
1t has doubled its membership five
times. From 1883 to 1893 the per cent
OF gain in congregations in the Luther
an church has been 60 per cent; in the
Episcopal church As per cent; Presby-
terrain 80 per cent; Baptist 81 per cent;
Congregational SO per cent, and Meth
odist 80 per cent. The Lutheran
church now has 43 colleges, IL semina-
ries, 40 acadamies, 166 periodicals, 43
orphan asylums and ten homes. In
its Sunday schools are numbered $780,
600 scholars.
The first Protestant church erected
in this country was in Wilmington in
1888. The Lutheran catechism was the
flrst to be translated into the Indian
language and taught to the Red men.
The church is established in about
thirty-fiye countries in the world and
her rise has been wonderful. May
we safeguard the treasure" said the
speaker. May we be worthy to per-
petuate its glory and may we cling to
the old church, recall its history and
contemplate its glorious future.
Rev. S. G. Youngert.
Following DIR. Johnson's sermon,
( Rev. Youngert made few remarks
and said that this was a day of rejoic-.
ing for the Swedish people. The work
of improving the church has been fin
ished and is neat, as was intended
without making it elaborate. This
church is so years old and its present
Importance is due in great measure
to the care with which its former pas
tors. two of whom are present, laid
the foundation. The church has a
Large membership, much too large for
the old edifice. Now it has been COM
Pleted and has cost between SC, 900 and
$1,000, of which about $4,000 is unpaid.
He made mention of the work done by
the different societies of the church in
paying for the stained glass windows,
the altar decorations, the painting of
the TRANSPORTATION, the carpets and
pews. Envelopes were distributed at
the morning service and these were
collected, filled with the offerings of
the parishioners. A large sum'was re-
A allied. People as thrifty as those who
are members of this church may be re-
lied upon to wipe out the indebtedness
after short time and then the Luth-
Grams OF this city will own monu-
lnent dedicated to the cause of better
I, ing the world that will serve its good
use for many generations.
. - lf Il -