The Washington herald., 1913-08-23
LUTHERAN.

To save the child and adult alike from
the grind of industry and the dangers
of questionable recreation in one of the
country's greatest industrial centers Is
the task to which the Lutheran Settle
ment House, at 1888 Frankford Avenue,
Philadelphia, has addressed itself. An in
teresting account of its work appears in
the North American.
J The weapons with which II fights the
evils of long hours of labor in insani-
| tary surroundings include a modified
milk station, penny saving bank, moth
ers' meeting, and hot weather relief in
the shape of regular outings and camps.
Against the many saloons and cider
houses Of the neighborhood, the settle
nent sets splendidly equipped gymna-
| SUM, the Northeast Boys Club the
Northeast Girls Club. community festi-
walls, Boy Scouts, Camp Fire Girls. daily
| kindergartens, and many other activities
The first annual report of the society
| showed an attendance of 5000; the sec
ond showed 1900 and the third, which
will shortly be compiled, is expected to
pass the 5000 mark.
In the innumerable points at which they
touch the community. these social work
ers, headed by the Rev. Ambrose Her
ing, the director, believe that unless they
lead their people to the church their work
will have been in vain. And every i'll of
the community sooner or later becomes
their i'll.
Besides the resident director, the dea-
coness, and three men residents, the set
tlement has a group of twenty-six nom
resident workers who assist in the work
OF instruction and group leadership, do
home visiting and other community
work.
In the three years Of its existence. at
first under the supervision of the Inner
Mission Society and latterly in an inde-
pendent capacity. the settlement has
made pronounced impression on the
community. Even the large groups of
Hungarians and Slavs constituting the
most recently immigrated element, are
being drawn into the various phases Of
the work.
The Lutheran Church (Missouri synod.
a branch of the Lutheran synodical con-
ference, the largest Lutheran body in
the United States), is contemplating the
founding of a Lutheran university in the
year 1917. in commemoration of the Re-
formation, begun by DR.. Martin Luther
four hundred years ago. One of the
districts (Atlantic) of the church in its
recent convention in New York City, in
May, passed resolution to petition the
general convention in 1914 to consider
ways and means for founding such a uni
versity. The Lutheran Church has al
ways been very much in favor of edu-
cation, and to its parochial schools, COL
leges, and seminaries it attributes its
marvellous growth of the last twenty
years. wherein it surpasses all other
church bodies, the Roman Catholic not
excepted. The latter, according to DR..
Carrolls statistics. increased 90 per cent,
and the synodical conference by 1l5 per
cent. Considering the recent accomplish
ments In educational lines in the Luther
an Church. the new college at BronxviIIe,
n. Y, costing some s2O0,OO0 which amount
was raised and cleared in three years by
practically one district of the Church
comprising the New England States, New
York, and New Jersey; and at present
the building of a large teachers semi
nary in River Forest, Chicago, costing
sl5O,Oo0, which amount, too, has almost
all been cleared by subscriptions-consId
ering these recent accomplishments and
others, the founding of a Lutheran uni
versity may yet be realized by 1917. The
rounding of such a university would open
another avenue for the uniiication of the
Lutheran forces Of America