Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1910-06-08
THE NORWEGIAN SYNOD
TwO Hundred and Fifty COngrega-
tiOns in Lutheran Synod of :,
Iowa.
HISTORY OF THE SYNOD
Some Interesting Facts Concerning
Church Institution to Which
So Many of Our People
Belong.

The Iowa district of the Norwe-
gian Lutheran Synod was in session
at Bode, Iowa, during the past
week, and writer in the Register
and Leader gives some historical
facts concerning the organization
which are good enough to reprint:
The Iowa district of the Norwe-
gian Lutheran Synod is one of the
five districts of the synod, and COM
prises all churches of this denomin-
alton west of the Mississippi, south
of the Minnesota line, and east of
Wyoming. Seventy pastors and
ESQ churches are connected with
this district. The total contribu-
tions for general church purposes
from this district during the past
year were $4,000.
The parent synod was organized
near Orfordsville, Wis, Oct. 5, 1853
by six pastors and delegates from
seventeen churches. From this
humble beginning the synod has
grown, until today it has a mem
bership of over 1000 churches with
400 pastors and a membership of
10000.
The synod has theological
seminary for the education of can
didates for the ministry at st. Paul,
Minn., with faculty of four pro-
fessors and an annual enrolment
of fifty students. The seminary can
not supply the great demand for
ministers. Luther College, at De-
corah, Iowa, is the college of the
synod. 1t is one of the oldest col
leges in the state, having been
founded in 1861. The faculty
numbers twelve. One hundred and
seventy students attend the college
annually. The graduates of the
college are nearly 500, about 23O
of whom have entered the ministry
Among the graduates are Hon. L. s
Swenson, United States minister tC
Switzerland; Hon. r. B. Anderson
formerly United States minister tc
Denmark; DR.. l.. Hektoen, one OF
the leading physicians of Chicago
The diploma of the college admits
to the leading universities of thi:
country and Europe.
The synod also conducts the
Lutheran Normal school at Siou,
Falls, which has won a solid repu
tation for scholarly and thorough
training of teachers, equipped tt
teach both in the state schools and
the schools of the church. Mr.. Us
trud, superintendent of schools o1
South Dakota and one of the lead
ers among the republicans of thai
state is a graduate of this institu
ton.
In addition to these educationa
institutions there are twelve high
schools and academies within the
synod. owned by it's members, witt
100 professors and 1000 students
The total amount invested in edu
catiOnal institutions by the synot
and it's members is over one millior
dollars, and all this amount ha:
been raised by the voluntary con
tributions of it's members. The to
tai contributions for all genera
church purposes last year were
$1:O,00O.
The splendidly equipped Luther
hospital at La Crosse, WIS.,, Luthe'
hospital at st. Paul, Mimi. and thu
Lutheran hospital at Mankato are
conducted by members of the synod
together with German Lutherans
These hospitals represent a value o
100000 and furnish accommoda,
tions for 100 patients.
Three orphanages are conducted
by the synod, furnishing schoolin:
and homes for some $50 orphans
Two homes for homeless old people
are also included in the charitable
work of the society.
For several years the syond con
Quoted the only Lutheran mission
in the country among the Indians
Today its mission school at Inger
soil, Wis, is being recognized as {
powerful agency for the civilization
and moral training Of the younger
generation of Indians.
The synod is the pioneer amons
the Scandinavian immigrants at New
York More than one Scandinavian
young woman has been saved from
the human hyenas who prey on the
unsuspecting immigrants in thai
harbor. by the immigrant mission
ary of the synod
The society established the first
Lutheran mission among the Es-
kimos of Alaska and is still alone
in this field. 1t conducts a mission
among the Mormons in Utah, a mis-
sion among the colored people OF
the south, and mission among the
Zulus of South Africa.
The society has always occupied
a very conservative stand in mat
ters of doctrine, the Greek word on
the great seal of the synod, Gre
graptai," ct Is Written), being
of its unflinching ad-
herence to the Bible. 1t demands
from its members unconditional be-
lief in the verbal inspiration of the
Bible and adherence to the Augs-
burg confession, the original creed
of the Lutheran church. On ac-
count of this firm. stand In doctrinal
questions the society has had sew
eral controversies with those who
hold other views, whether within
the synod itself or outside.
Long pastorates are favored
within this church body. instances
in which a pastOr has been in