Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1917-02-07

contaminated an event which will
have more far-reaching effects to
the best interests of the Norwegian
Lutherans than the amalgamation of
the three largest Norwegian church
bodies which will be contaminated
next June. 3yj%5
Those who have followed the his
tory of these three churches dur
ing the last eight or ten years know
that during all these years decided
efforts have been made to reach an
agreement in doctrine acceptable to
all. These efforts were realized IN
1912 on the basis of a document
known as "Opgj0r"
The question of doctrinal differences
having been settled. the next step
forward was towards uniting the
forces of the three church organiza-
tions into one. Consequently, IN
1918, committees were chosen by each
church body for the purpose of or
parizine a so-called Union Commit
tee. whose task it should be to draw
no. if possible, Articles Of Union
which should meet the approval OF
the respective churches In 1914, the
Union Committee laid before the
comforting church organizations
two-fold document; "Articles and
Conditions of Union and proposed
Constitution for the New United
Church." With a few minor changes
this report of the Union Committee
was accepted by the three churches
at their respective conventions last
year. :,
The year 1916, therefore, marked
the formal close of church strife
which. during the last thirty years
or more, had done more than any
thing else to make the Norwegian
Americans stand as divided people.
But if the year 1916 marked the
end of the strife, dissensions and
separation of the best elements
among the Norwegian people in this
land and Canada, and, in so far
very significant year, the present
wear 1917 will go down in history
as real Jubilee year; for next June.
barring any unforeseen events, Will
find but one Norwegian Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America with
an aggregate membership of $780,
GOO baptized members united in con-
fession, in doctrine, in purpose and
in love.
The time and place set for the
consummation of this browning event
is Saturday, June 9, in St. Paul
From June 6 to 9, the three ne
gotiating Synods will hold their an
nual meetings in the Twin Cities
preliminary to the great Union meet
ing.
On June 8 the voting members of
the resnective conventions will meet
together/in FONT convention, "elect
temporary president and secretary OF
constituting meeting, ard elect per
manent officers prescribed by the
constitution y. And then the new or
ganization will be an established fact
snace will not permit the enun'-
eraration Of al the advantages and
BLESSINGS which will accrue from this
analgamatio1a Of farces
A conservative estimate of the TO-
tai ~ HrTNPgl9TF-Anle1lCnH t;oi'uleaSAoi
of the United States is 100000. Ap'
proximately one-third of the entire
Norwegian population will be direct
w affected by the union Of thf
three churches. And how many
thousands of those as yet not. aff7ll
ated with anv of these church DO
dies will be directly affected by the
new organization will depend great
w upon the successful distribution
of the united forces.
-:12e At present the total membership
of pastors and congregations in thu
d ( three organizations is 1850 and g.,
600 resnectively-
Heretofore, the church dlvlslo1
among the Norwegiars has great!
inpeded the work Of reaching tn
people. There are thousands upo1
thousands of Norwegians who, beins
church-loving people at heart, hav
been denied the privileges of tn
church because of lack of pastors
While other communities at the sam
time have had a super abundance
there being in many communities thre
Norwegian pastors Wfleie one ol' q
the most. two could do the required
work. While on the other hand man,
of the pastors on the Home Missio
field have up to fourteen congrega
lions where two or three pastors ar
needed to do; effective work.
But best of all, aside from tn
merely religious side, will be tn
change of spirit and of brotherl
love which the new organization Wi
foster in the hearts of the peopl
at large.
No longer will different church at
filiations form barrier to free an
easy association with those of tn
same faith and. nationality. Wher
hitherto, especially in the smalle
L