The Record-courier. [volume] (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1904-current, 1917-07-20
BY REV. +. L. MARTENS

c0nnrmed members OF the whole
Lutheran Church In the United States.
Or it may be that the Head of the
Church" to whom reference is made,
Is president of the Nebraska district
one of the larges synods, in which
case he would be the head OF only
of the Lutherans In Ne
braska. The man referred to Is. there
fore. by no means the Head of the
Lutheran Church."
AS to the attitude of the Lutheran
Church toward the government. can
say that, as an organiza-
tion, the Lutheran Church is true and
loyal to the principles on which our
great republic is founded and to the
constitution of the United States.
1t is very natural that among the
followers Of the Lutheran
Church will be found some who are In
sympathy with Germany. just as a
mong the French some followers of
the Lutheran Church would be In
sympathy with France il the United
States were at war with her. But
surely this sympathy Is not the result
OF their being Lutherans, but Is the
result OF their birth and civil train
ing.
The Nevada Lutheran Churches
embrace seven different nationalities.
This is the international character Of
the Church throughout. From which
IL can be plainly seen that the inter-
national character of the Church It,
self would prevent the organization
either as a whole or in part, from
every playing into the hands of a
foreign power. BY the very reason
of its international character, aside
from still more important grounds
it must be impartial toward all.
II has been stated In the dispatches
that the Church has not
taken single step to organize for
any branch of war work. And yet
the Norwegian branch of the Luth-
eran Church, now one of the largest
single organizations in the world, at
Its convention just held, passed
resolution IN which the loyalty of it's
has been plainly set forth.
In this connection. 1t 1t also be not
ed that Evangelican Lutheran synod
OF Missouri and other states. at its
just held in Milwaukee,
dropped the name German" rot so
much because of the war as because
the mime has long since ceased to ap-
ply. this synod working in twenty
two languages and diclccts.
AS to organizing for war work. the
of our constitution demand
that Church and state be and remain
separate. According to the princi-
pies and declarations of our constitu-
lion. for the Lutheran Church of any
other church to organize for war
work, either In whole or In part mill
Iates against the complete separation
of Church and state. War is a work
Of the government; and II churches
are to organize for this government
work. As the state Is not to inter-
fer In or do that work which belongs
peculiarly and alone to the church,
SO the church is not to take up that
work which belongs peculiarly and
alone to the state. And war is
governmental matter: It belongs in
The province of governmental mat
lers and activities in all its phases.
While the Lutheran Church teaches
loyalty to the government, il has al
ways strictly adhered to the princi-
pie Of absolute separation of church
and state work. because 1t holds this
10 be Bible doctrine 1t refuses to
interfere in city. county. state or
national legislation or work; unless
proposed legislation or work would
interfere with the scriptural rights
and privileges of the church as. for
in the case of such prohibit
ton as would make wine for sacra-
Dental purposes unattainable. As q
church, the Lutheran Church has
refused to cct for or a.
gainst the making of laws concerning