The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-10-22
Big Difference
| in CHURCH WAR
TEST CASE IN NORTH DAKOTA
AFFECTS THE ENTIRE ICE.
LANDIc CHURCH.

Grand Forks, N. d., oct. 22.-Nt
church controversy in recent wears in.
wolves such exceedingly intricat,
points as are involved in the actor
commenced by the trustees of tho
Ihlngvalle Icelandic Evangelistic
Lutheran church in Pemhina comfy
against the church in Pembina ount1
certain members of the congregation
IN which the right to hold the church
property is contested. Not only Is
the question one of local interest for
the members of the congregation but
1t also indirectly involves every Zee
landic congregation in the United
States and Canada, and even in lee
land.
For several years there has been
creeping into the Icelandic church a
difference of thought along certain
lines, and out of this difference there
mas come the creation of two different
factions, known as the liberals" and
the conservatives" The liberals are
those who have accepted, as it were,
the teachings or findings of the high
er critics; the men who have deIved
into the foundation of church doc
trine and who have set forth new
ideals in the teachings of the gospel
The conservatives, of course. form
that wing of the church believing in
the doctrine as 1t is written. and IN
the holy scriptures without any ex
ception.
Conservatives Win at Synod.
When the liberals gained a majority
Of the congregation of the ThingyalIe
church in Pembina county, they de-
cided that they could best get along
without the services of the pastor,
Rev. Kristenn K. Olafson, and at
meeting draw up formal resolutions
to that effect, inviting the pastor to
terminate his pastoral charge at the
end of six months or sooner If he so
desired
Soon, however. there was held the
meeting of the general synod in Win
hipeg, this being last June. Dele
gates were elected from the liberal
faction as well as from the conserv-
ative faction, and came before the
synod That body, however, is con-
trolled by the conservatives, a ma
jority Of the individual churches be-
ing of conservative faith. AS a re-
suit, the liberals were refused recog-
milton, while the conservatives were
given power, by the synod, to resume
the work of the church. which since
August of the previous year. has been
in charge of the liberals.
But the liberals failed to see where
in the synod had any jurisdiction and
have refused to turn over the church
and they still maintain that
position. Since the liberals gained
they have Incorporated The
church under the laws Of the state of
North Dakota.
Test for Entire Church.
The action commenced in the Penn
bina county district court will be
test for the entire church, both in the
United States and Canada, as well as
Iceland. For that reason the far
reaching effect of the decision, which
ever way it goes, it at once evident.
The conservatives in their COM
plant allege that by their departure
from the church doctrine and the ac-
ceptance of the liberal views. the
members Of that faction are guilty of
heresy, and are therefore not entitled
to continue holding possession of the |
church property. They also offer ex-
hibits Of a deed in which the trustees
Of the church, who are conservatives
and who are the plaintiffs in the ac-
ton, were made custodians of the |
property set aside for the cemetery, |
and which the liberals have taken |
possession Of |
AS attorneys for the plaintiffs. the |
Gislason & Arntson of
Minneota. Mimi, and S. johnson of
Cavalier are acting, while the attor-
aeys for the defendants, the liberals, |