The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-10-04

October lO-ImpOrtnn Church Leg
isIatiOn 10 BE COnsIdcred-Distin-
Euished Member From sweden.
PHILADELPHIA. oct A-Lutherau in
tCrest for the next week OF ten days will
be centred on Lima. Ohio. where. ON Oc-
tober 10. in St Pauls Church. the bieu-
NAL convention of the General Council Of
the Lutheran Church will open. The in
t,rest is manifested because this is the
highest legislative body in the American
Lutheran Church. and because Of the
keener interest of the various wings Of
LuJheranism in the general work of the
entire denomination. among whom the
General Council occupies middle ground,
being both conservative and progressive.
The spirit OF tolerance manifested in all
denominations is reflected among Luth-
Grams. who show a decidedly more fra
ternal interest i'm the gatherings of the
different representative bodies than form
erly. This is made evident by the send
ing and receiving Of frsterUal delegates
from one body to another.
Some of the more important legislation
of the approaching meeting OF the Cen
eraI Council will tend toward the uuifca-
ton Of Lutheran interests. and toward Sc
concert Of effort in educational and home
mission work. The most notable action
toward this end viii be the final adoption
Of a uniform translation of Luther
Smaller Catechism" and Common Min
isterial Acts" TO supplement the Com
mon Service which for q number OF
years has been the official liturgy Of all
English speaking Lutheran churches 1t
Is believed that when these Iiturgic3I
forms are uniform. and the text of the
catechism is Identical. these services will
prove the uuifying power and source of
strength in the American Lutheran
Church. as the Book of Common Prayer
is among EpiscopaIians.
The General Council, led by its chair
man on Sunday school work. the Rev.
DR. T. T. Schmauk. Of Lebanon, Pa, has
taken most advanced position regard
ing Sunday school literature. and is the
pioneer in establishing graded courses of
instruction. The General Synod. another
Lutheran body. heretofore using the in
ternational lessons. believing that graded
text books are to be preferred, and hay
ing made Overtures looking toward CO.
operation in Sunday school work receiv-
cd at its annual meeting the Rev. DIT.
Schmauk as f-aternaI delegate from the
General Council and his report 10 the
latter body viii be one Of the interesting
features Of the coming session. The Gen
eral Committee on Sunday School Work
viii also have an interesting report OF
great Importance to the Lutheran Church
and its educational interests.
Missions. home and foreign. will occu-
by much Of the time Of the council. as
both are being vigorously pushed through
the boards directing the work Several
synods have recently been organized as "A
direct result Of missionary effort. and
that Of the Pacific Coast. which VIII be
formally received at the coming meeting.
promises to become one Of the strong
syEOds OF the council The work in that
section has been carried on under the di-
rection Of the Board OF Home Missions
FOR several years The headquarters OF
thu board is in Philadelphia. with the
Rev DIT. Seiss as chairman. and +. Au-
gUstus Miller as treasurer
The reception of this Synod. and the in
auguratiOn Of the $4,000 Luther League
Church Extension Fund. started by the
young people Of Lancaster Pa. are both
enCoura glug features Of the missionary
work Of the General Council and, sIuSu-
larry enough. both trace their origin 60
the Keystone state. where LUtheraUS are
The report of the Foreign Mission Board
/ Is also expected 20 treat OF lmpDrL4u M
questions especially those involving the
reorganization OF the work In India and
the material enlargement Of the work in
Porto Rico. where the efforts Of Luther
ans have been signally successful This
board also makes It's headquarters IN
Philadelphia with the Rev. DR.. William
A Schaeffer, Of Germantown, as secTs-
tary.
The attitude Of the General Council to-
ward the Luther League is 20 be more
clearly defined than heretofore at the
Lima meeting. The intention Is 10 define
it's authority as an Orgs ulzatIou, its lin
its as To the general bodies Of the church.
and its relations 20 other young people s
organizations.
Marriage aud divorce viii also engage
] the attention Of the council. and. In view
/ and more strict laws governing these. the
discussion which will follow the reading
[ % theses on th- subject viii be watched
with much interest
/ important discussions regarding charit-
able works VIII also take up some UI the
time Of the council These have received
a recent impetus by the bequest Of over
81 "".UJD 90 deaconesses. and hospital work
I by a Philadelphia, the late John ID. Ian
keuau.
Lima is name quite familiar 90 Luth-
Grams. carrying with it the memory of a
famous church trial. which resulted iu
/ discussions and disaster Today. however
! the General Council viii find three LII
! th.rau c1ugUg cations and "A thriving col
! IeE. I'm this Ohio city st. Pauls Church
] viii entertain the council 10 has hand
: some stone ediice. the finest church
/ building I'm the city Those who once de-
] fined the position Of the Luthcraus befor,
! tho courts viii rejoice 20 give Lima peopI,
/ the evidence Of an harm puiOus. c1uscrva-
= tive, and progressive body planning AK
| gTsssive work
Many notable men II the Lutheran
! Church are on the programme OF a.,
/ meeting The Rev. DIT. Seiss viii preach
! before the council ON Sunday morning
! The most distinguished guest will Doe the
/ Right Rev Bishop Won Sch-cl,. Of Nishy
! Sweden He comes Co America as the OF.
/ Cial visitor of the King and Church al
/ Sweden. and viii attend the bicrut-uuia
| Of Yale Univ, rsity as wei as the Genera
! Council meeting and before ~ return.
/ will investigate the WUrl, Of the American
J Lutheran Churches and report To- III.
/ King as 70 the methods and conditions Do
/ this country. His visit is significant as
/ showing the close relations now existing
! between Scandinavian LuJhyTaus iu The
I United States and iu the fatherlaud. and