The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-26
SECRET ORDERS BARRED OUT
AIAsoNs, ODD FELLOWS AND THE
LIKE DENIED MEMBERSHIP
IN THE CHURCH
EFFECTS OF THE ACTION
Many Ministers and Laymen Feas
They May Be Disastrous to the
Standing and Influence of
the Denomination.

ILL Wal EN-, Mlnn., rep. 25.-(SpeS
clal.)-A momentous question came be-
rore the Swedish Lutheran conference
at the afternoon session today, namely
that of permitting men and women to
JOIN the church who belong to secret
societies of any character whatsoever
ana 1t evoked a discussion which will
long be remembered by delegates and
others who were in attendance The
conference decided by a vote of 1O5 to
42 that members OF secret societies cam
not belong to the church. and follow
ing the action of the conference this
evening ministers and laymen alike from
St Paul, Minneapolis and elsewhere
said they feared the action Of the con-
ference would bring on dire results. but
they hoped something would be done to
remedy the matter, before the close of
the conference.
One or two minor matters came up for
consideration at the opening of the ses-
sion and everything moved along har-
mon1ously until a call was made for a
report Of the committee appointed to
frame resolutions, suggested in para
graphs mentioned in the annual address
of the president. A majority and a
minority report were presented the
majority report being signed by twelve
and the minority report by three. those
signing the minority report being Rev.
s. E. Sundqulst, OF Dakota; Mr. Andrew
Barquist, of Minneapolis, and Mr.. c. M.
Ali, of Duluth. Members of the conf
m1ttee explained that the division among
members of the committee arose on the
question of secret societies. and the con-
ference decided to take up the majority
report and it was adopted section by
section. The resolutions covered in the
first seven paragraphs dealt with church
matters and favored that all applica-
tions for help from churches should
ccme before the conference and not be-
fore the executive committee or mission
board as has heretofore been the case.
The next paragraph stated that when
delegates from Minnesota to the synod
meeting held in Iowa, stated that the
Minnesota conference favored applying
the constitution in matters relating to
secret societies or revising It, It was not
the feeling of the conference and that
the question voted upon and decided at
the conference meeting held in Cam
bridge last year, was merely to apply the
constitution and not to revise it,
DELEGATES WARMED UP.
AS soon as this paragraph had been
read delegates clamored for recognition
and heated debate followed, which
was not altogether free from personal
tiles
Rev. Carl ]. Petri. of Minneapolis. Sc
vored a revision of the constitution upon
this particular point. He stated that in
the cities there are all sorts of orders
and unions and that literal transla-
tion of the constitution as it stands to-
day means that no member of any or
ganization, either fraternal, insurance or
labor organization, could belong to the
church. He said he didn't open wide his
doors to members of secret societies OF
all kinds but he didn't believe in clos
ing them, when every congregation had
secret society members in their mid t.
Cries of no." mo- mo-" came from
all parts of the house and delegates
clamored for immediate vote but Pres
ident Fremling stated that Rev. Petri
had the floor. and must be heard He
stated that he had no Masoss. no
knights of Pythias, and no Odd Fellows
in his congregation, but had number
of members belonging to fraternal insur-
ance orders and labor unions and he
didn't believe in keeping them out He
stated that members of the conference
had gone before the synod asking that
the constitution be either revis o. en-
forced, these members representing the
MINNESOTA conference, and he for one
wanted the conference to take action in
some manner
Scores of other pastors and laymen
took part in the discussion and one of
the delegates suggested that the vote
upon adopting the paragraph be by ball
lot, bnt his suggestion was declared out
OF order and the conference proceeded
to vote. The president announced that
the paragraph had been adopted. but
there were cries for "division," and a
rising. vote was taken. The vote stood
105 in favor of adoption and 43 against
adoption.
The next paragraph was a sticker,
no
shall apply the constitution as it now
reads. This had no particular reference
to secret societies, but took in the ell
tire constitution, but delegates said it
vas unquestionably inserted to cover
secret society laws as now laid forth in
the constitution. After the motion to
adopt that paragraph had been put dele
gates were again asking for recognition
and heated discussion arose. Some (
favored striking out the entire para
graph as unnecessary, declaring that
there was no one who would say THAI 4
the constitution is not being lived up to
at present. Others insisted upon it's
adoption as a record that the conference
did not want its church members to be
members of secret societies. The whole
discussion practically devolved upon the
secret society feature and Delegate Bar
qlist, of Minneapolis, arose and asked
the president if the paragraph meant
that members of labor unions could not
become members Of the church.
SECRET ORDERS BARRED.
President Fremling admitted his in
ability to answer the question, but Dr.
Norelius, the president of the synod,
arose and gave the synod's view of the
case. He said that 1t was well known
that the synod did not exclude all Sc
cret societies, but only those denying
the divinity of Christ and those holding
religious services A motion to strike
out the paragraph was voted upon, but
was lost by vote Of 1O4 to 4S, and the
paragraph was then adopted, and the
conference went upon record as opposing
secret societies. Now comes the ques-
ton of whether or not the constitution
will be lived up to in this respect, and
ii so just what the result will be. This
Is the question that delegates asked
themselves and others and was not
framed by your correspondent
A resolution of sympathy was adopted
for all pastors, who during the past year
hod Iost wife or child bv death and n