The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-06-21
OFFICERS Of THE
|CELAND|C SYNOD
CA0NSER OF YEAR
Rev. B. B. Jonsson of Minna.
ota, Minn., is Elected
President.
ENTERTAINMENTS OF
CHURCHES ATTACKED
President in Opening Convention, Ar.
raigns Methods of Raising Money
For Work-Secretary Urges Moro
Work Among the Laymen.
(Times Special seryicel

Mountain. N. D.. June 21.-The
sessions here of the Icelandic Luther
an Synod of America are becoming
very interesting as the pastors and
delegates present are becoming better
acquainted and can work together
with more freedom. Officers were
elected yesterday as follows:
President-Rev. B. b. Jonsson,
Minneota. MINI.
Vice president-Rev. N. s. Thor
Jackson, Selkirk, Man.
Secretary-Rev. F. R. Hallgrimson,
Baldur, Mimi.
Assistant secretary-Rev. K. K.
Olafson, Mountain. N. D.
Treasurer-John ]. Vopin, winni-
peg, Man.
Assistant Treasurer-F. r. Freder.
ickson. Winnipeg. Man.
Raps Entertainments
When the conference convened the
president in making the opening SER
mon took hard rap at church meth
DDS of raising money. He deprecated
church fairs, sociables and similar en-
tertalnments as not in accord with the
true spirit of the church. One who
contributes at all should contribute
because he wants to do it voluntarily
and with no reward except that Of
satisfaction in having done q good
deed.
First Decturc Yesterday
The first lecture of the session was
delivered yesterday afternoon by the
secretary. Rev. F. r. Hallgrimson, on
the subject of Lay Activity" 1t was
a fine address. The necessity of more
work by the layman was very strong
~ brought out by the speaker. The
work of advancing the church should
not be left to the pastors and preach
ers alone. If a church is worth any.
thlng at all it should be a part Of
the daily life of the layman. The lay
man in time should participate ac-
lively in the plans of the church, the
lulhllment of those plans depends
beneficial.
Will Cover District
Tomorrow all the 1celandic churches
in North Dakota will be served by pas
tors who are attending the conference
thus giving the entire Icelandic popu-
latlon In North Dakota an opportunity
to know what is being done at the big
meeting. The pastors will also come
back with new ideas cleaned from
their Sunday sermons.
Those that are left at Mountain to-
morrow will hold services at that
place, Rev. N. S. Thorlackson preach
ing the sermon Of the day on the sub
1ect Modern Preaching And Its
Mode" This will be one of the
most important sermons delivered
before the conference. 1t will be
thoroughly discussed, the speech hav-
ing been sent out in advance to the
attending preachers. A sermon will
also be delivered by Dr. G. H. Ger
berding of Chicago, the official dele
gate from the general council of the
synod. He will address the confer
ence on general matters connected
with the church.
! Oldest Church
An interesting feature about the
conference is the fact that the sessions
are being held in the oldest Icelandic
church in America. This is the twen-
ty-ninth annual conference that has
been held in the church.
Growth Shown
According to the secretary's report
six new churches have been admitted
to the conference, making the total
81. These churches serve altogether
no less than 5000 people. Financially
| the conference Is in excellent condi.
tion.
The Icelandic population Of Ameri.
ca which is covered by the conference
IN its entirety is about 10000 scat
| tered through Canada and the United
States. The bigger percentage is in
Canada. Other settlements are on the
Pacific coast, in southern Minnesota.
in ePmbina. Cavalier. Bottineau and
Renville counties in North Dakota.