The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-08-04
ABLB1 SCANDINAVIAN THEoL oGIAN
Estimate of His Character bv a
Lutheran Minister.
TRANSLATED BY REV. GEO. ARCTANDER
Famous NorSeman Has Been a
Voluminous Writer.

The Irish Standard is indebted to
Father George Arctander, assistant
pastor OF St. Charles church, of this
city, for the following interesting
sketch OF Rev. Krogh Tonning, D. D.,
the famous Lutheran rector of Old
Aker parish, Christiania, and admittedly
the most learned Protestant thcologian
i'll the Scandinavian peninsula, who re-
Gently resigned his Office, one OF the
most rcnumerativc in Norway, to be-
come Roman Catholic:
DR.. Krogh- Tonning was a, clergyman
OF the Lutheran state church of Nor
way and is OF mature age, being now 81
years old. AS thcologian his rcputa-
ton is known throughout Europe. His
works are written in the Norwegian,
German and Latin. His "Dogmatic
Theology" a work in five volumes,
elected high praise from all sides for
the deep research and clear reasoning
displayed by the author. AS pulpit
orator he ranked among the first in his
church. At the beginning OF the year
nc resigned his position as rector of one
OF the leading parishes in the capital of
Norway, and last June he formally ac-
ccptcd the Catholic faith and was re-
ccived into the church by Jesuit priest
at Aarl1us, Denmark. lie is at present
leading a retired life, and is in very
poor health.
His step has caused quite a stir in
Norway among the cl,urchmcl, all of
whom compliment him on his eminent
ability and earnest sincerity, but most
OF them try to minimize the Importance
Of his conversion and to check the in
flucnce it might exert on the Luthcrans
OF Norway OH the ground that it was
the result OF many years Of careful con-
sdcration and reflection, and therefore
not witness in favor Of Catholicism.
In other words, had he jumped into the
church on the impulse of some scnti-
mcnt instead OF as result of mature
and deep study, his conversion would
have been Of some importance and
might have influenced others!
The editor OF the Morgenbladct, the
leading daily paper OF Norway, who is
Lutheran minister, virtually admits
that logical reasoning led the Newman
of the North into the Church OF Rome,
and that prejudice or religious atmos-
phcres' keeps others from following
him. In other words, they acknowledge
that the position OF the Church of
Rome is one Of logic, whilst the Prot
cstants base their faith on sentiment.
In the course of leading article on the
| sub jcct the Lutheran minster-editor
says:
Among those who have not had the
opportunity to follow the interior de-
vclopmcnt Of DR.. Krogh- Tonning's life,
as this development has revealed itself
in his literary productions, it goes with
out saying that the step which this
| prominent theologan and highly re-
spectcd clergyman now has taken, must
have created quite STIR not only in the
church in our own land, but also in
circles far from home. So far as we
know this is the first time since the
! Reformation, that man who has occu-
pied SO prominent place in our church
| has become Catholic. We have, Of
! course, as is we'll known, had several
instances of prominent clcrgymen leav-
ing the state church, but these men
have either remained on Evangelical
Lutheran ground, or have at least re-
manned Protcstants
But beside the mere passing atten-
ton that DR.. Krogh- Tonning's CONVEX
sion has awakened, it is also probable
that it has created deep impression
1t may have produced in many souls who
earnestly search for the truth, painful
sensation of uncertainty as to the
claims OF that church which they for
mcrly looked upon as the clcarcst ex-
preston OF revealed truth. Many per-
sons in our church may think like this:
This man has the reputation of be-
ing highly gifted and scholarly theo-
Logan, of being clear and keen
thinker; and to this may be added that
all those who know him look upon
him as an intensely earnest Christian,
whose life and work give evidence of
more than ordinarily pure, profound
and truthseeeking mind. When now
such man, after the severest trials,
has come to the conclusion that he