Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-08-28
BIT GRANT HULTBERG.

~ general COUNCIL Oh ltAc L@ttA4t~- ga
church which begins its biennial con
venuon in Rock Island Sept. g, is q
council OF synods. 1t federates on
the basis of a common faith num-
Der OF synods, each OF which mas and
conducts It's own work in its own
way.
These synods which are connected
with the council al the present time
numbering 10, represent in about
equal proportion mainly three Ian
guages. English, Swedish and Ger
man. There are, however, connected
with the council congregations using
q number Of other languages. Among
these are sloyak, Finnish, Lettish.
Magyar, Siebenbuerger, Italian,
as also Icelandic and Danish Luth-
Grams are found in the general couu-
Gil. This is d suggestion of the poly
gIot character of the Lutheran church
which in some sections Is looked upon
as German church. while others
think il is Scandinavian, when the
fact is il is the most polygIot protest
ant denomination in the world.
The general council itself was a re-
action from loose practices which had
crept into the Lutheran church of so
years ago from the influence Of the
various sects and what was known as
new measure It was the direct re-
suit Of O. protest Of the old PennsyI-
vanIa minis1erium, the oldest synod
Of the Lutheran church in America,
against the admission into fellowship
Of the general body. the general synod
Of the F'rankean synod which did not
subscribe to the Lutheran creeds and
for this reason was not properly rec
ogn}zed as a part of the great Luth-
eran church.
This fact led the body TO emphasize
the historic creeds Of the church. all
OF which are found in the book Of con
cord and which have come down TO the
present generation as a great historic
legacy from the reformation period in
the 18th century To these have been
added as a guiding principle OF
faith and practice, the Fundamental
Principles Of Faith and Church Pol
fty.' This is a remarkable document
and seals she unity of the faith Of
this body which has long since passed
the point when there we're any con
troVersies as to what is the true faith
Their work is rather the discussions OF
the problems Of propagatng that
faith and developing the various works
which are the logical fruits Of it,
The sEn0ds which today comprise
the general council are as follows The
miristerium Of Pennsylvania. which is
the oldest Lutheran body in America
and which has in its connection some
Of the old religious organizations of
any creed on the continent This old
synod was founded by the patriarch
MUehtenberg, who was assisted in the
founding by the Swedish Lutherans
on the Delaware so that through this
old synod Swedish and Germans have
been linked from earIist times. even
as today they are bound with the Ger
mans into union with the English
which makes a triumvirate Of great
power and influence in Lutheran
circles. This old syHod is today one
of the active and strong bodies of the
Lutheran church 1t has furnished TO
the general council many Of its great
leaders including its present eminent
president. DR. Theodore F.. Schmauk
oil Lebanon, Pa. With him there viii
be T. delegates TO represent this old
synod at Rock Island They repre-
sent . synod which numbers 406 pas
tors, So congregations and 10000
communicates This old synod fur
nished to the United States many emf
ueHt men including General Peter
MuhIeuberE Of Revolutionary fame, his
brother. The first speaker Of the Unit
ed States house Of representatives as
well as the brother Of these two one
of Americas most noted hotanisrs-
These three eminent men were sons Of
the founder of organized Lutheran
work in America Their record should
establish the right Of Lugherans TO
claim true Americanism and to a part
i'm the credit Of having made our
country.
The New York ministerium is snoth-
or historic body. II is the second old
est Lutheran synod in America. Three
times it has swarmed. sending of
strong English synod each time. 1t is
today a large body with more than half
OF its congregations using English and
some OF them among the strongest
parishes numerically in Greater New
York. Among its 30 delegates will be
some Of the representatives of the
Metropolitan pulpit With this dele
cation and working in Comuietpsr har-
mony with he the New York and New
England synod delegation This is the
English child Of this Ger
man mother synod, which has con
nected with it a chain of magnificent
city churches stretching from Buffalo
to Boston
The Pittsburgh synod, often styled
the Missionary synod, is Of special
interest at this time for two reasons.
Among its founders was the late Rev