The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-06-17
THE AUGUsTANA SYNOD
English Conference May Be Organ
ized-Other Matters.

English Conference May Be Organ
fzed-Other Matters.
Ishpeming, Mich, June 1.-THE Angus
tana synod of North America, which is in
session here, is progressing rapidly with
its work and expects to finish to-day.
The various institutions and organizations
of the synod have been considered and
provisions made for the coming year. A
long discussion developed on the question
Of making membership In the ministerial
aid fund compulsory for clergymen and
professors. Hitherto but small per-
centage have paid their dues After this
all are expected to become members and
pay their annual dues before June L, next,
and assessments thereafter as the. d.
rectors may require to aid the widows and
children of deceased pastors and teach
ers, or to aid poor and aged members.
No one can hereafter receive aid unless
he has met his obligations to the society.
Dr.. G. w. FoSs and Rev. j. Il. Erlander
were made directors. 70. r.
The church extension society, which
has as it's aim to aid by loans or gifts poor
congregations in building churches, re-
ported poor support during the year.
Only S603.95 had been received in contri-
buttons. Rev. August Johnson, DR.. G. A.
Hemborg and V. R. Bohman were elected
directors.
The publishing house of the synod at
Rock Island, ILL.,, reported a great busl-
ness. The net gain for the year had been
$9,256.45, and sales of books had amounted
to s54,579.6S. Augustana, the of1cial
paper, had Melted a gain of S2,5oo.91. re-
sources s13s.53539. To date the publish
ing-house has printed over 100000
copies. The salary of the editor of
Augustana, DR.. S. P. A. Lind'ohl, was
raised to 1900, and that of his assistant,
Rev. C. J. Bengtson, to $1,000. Dr. 5. +.
A. Lindahl. editor. A. Schon of Chicago
and DR.. J. S. Carlson of Minneapolis, were
reelected members of the board OF d.
rectors.
The synod decided to bear its part of the
expenses incurred by the meeting of tho
general council at Lima, Ohio, and the
printing of it's minutes. The whole ques-
tion of the synods connection with the
general council, as well as the question
of English work may come up during tnls
session. It Is possible that the synod
may recommend the organization of an
English conference. .
The Augustana synod. devoted yesterday
to q consideration Of it's vast missionary
field. A long and lively discussion arose
over the recommendation of the synodical
council that the missionary board be au-
thorized to call a superintendent OF mis-
sions, whose duty should be to work for
the increase of missionary zeal in the
synod inspect the fields and raise money
for the work. The recommendation of the
synodical council failed to carry, but by
the use Of some skilful diplomacy on the
part of DR.. S. P. A. Lindahl the same
object was attained. He asked the synod
to state, if in its opinion the mission
board already had been vested with power
to secure such a superintendent, and II
was almost unanimously voted that the
board possesses such power.
The missionary board reported On its
work. More missionaries had been on
ho Ra1H han NJ
portant points of missionary activity are
Butte, Anaconda, Helena and Great Falls,
Mont; Salt Lake City, Provo, Eureka,
Mercur, Ophir, Utah, Idaho Falls, Idaho,
and Douglas Island, Alaska. Rev. l.. A.
Hoconzon, who had been stationed at
Butte for two years, resigned during the
year and will return to st. Paul, MINI.
The congregation at Anaconda asked for
admission to the synod. The mission
work in Alaska had suffered a great loss
through the accidental death of En-
gineer Farsbery from Cambridge, MINI.
COLUMBIA conference had received $l,OOO
to aid in the missionary work $3.50
Missionaries l.. A. Hoconzon and Ryd-
berg, the latter stationed at Salt Lake
City, Utah, gave interesting and en-
couraging reports. Missionary Hocon-
zon estimated the number of Swedes in
Montana at $4,000 and the tendency
among them to unite with the church is
becoming stronger. Especially en-
couraging was the report Of Missionary
Ryberg from Salt Lake City. The
Protestant churches were having re-
markable success and where some years
ago there were two churches, there are
low twenty churches. 1T Is estimated
that there are 5000 or 1000 Mormon
swedss in Salt Lake City. Polygamy is
practiced in out Of the way places and by
some wealthy men in Salt Lake City.
The total cash receipts for the mission
field during the year had been $7,870.53,
of which $1,000 had been by loan: Illinois
conference had contributed $1,313.14; Min
nesota, s747.7s; Iowa. s447.O7; Kansas,
$1S7.36. Nebraska, s626.65; New York,
$194.73; Montana, SITS; Woman's Mission
society, $3.50. A debt of $4,000 rests on
the board. The synod resolved to build
a church at Douglas Island, Alaska, and
a collection will be taken in all congre-
cations to raise money. To the surprise
of many, constitutional amendment
according to which the contributions fol-
the mission cause be apportioned among
the different conferences, carried without
opposition. The mission board for the
ensuing year consists Of Drs. G. E. Lind
berg, Rock Island, Ill; L. A. Abrahamson
Chicago; C. A. Hemborg, Moline; S. P. A
Lindahl, Rock Island Ill; G. W. F'oss
Rock Island, and Messrs. Victor Hedman
Geneseo, ILL.,, and G.. P. Soderquist, Bur-
lington, Iowa. go =
Dr. J. H. Hayster, who has served many
years as missionary to India and who sooI
will return to that field, gave an interest.
ing account of his labors and of conditions
in the far east .. 49,.
WASHINGTON, ID. c.,
Northwestern pensions have been granted a