Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-12-03
LUTHERANS PLAN
BIG WAR DRIVE
Continued from First Page.l


$150,O00 every year while the war
lasts.
Nothing like this effort on the
part of the Lutherans has been at
tempted by other denominations,
although others, notably Presbyte-
rians, Methodists and Episcopalians.
all have war commissions. To-day's
meeting, under the chairmanship Of
the Rev. S. w. Herman, pastor of
the Messiah Lutheran Church,
marked the entrance of Eastern
Pennsylvania into the vast national
movement, which includes every
branch of the Lutheran Church, this
comprising a total membership in
the country of over two and three
quarter millions, with affiliations of
ten millions. The aim is to raise
$2,50O, 900, the campaign starting
January /.
There is hardly a doubt" said
Mr.. Herman to-day, that the Lu-
theran Church will not be successful
in this great movement To begin
with, it has already brought to-
gether, as one, all the various divi-
sfons of our church, and it must be
remembered that Thirteen languages
are represented in the Lutheran re-
gime. OF these, it certainly is
worthy of note that the German
Lutherans are most strenuous in
urging enlistment and in supporting
this big endeavor There are no
more loyal people in the country.
And the Norwegian element have
proved their sentiment by thus far
raising $150,000, while the Swedes'
contribution up to date is over $780,
0O0."
In embraing on this crusade the
Lutheran Church takes the attitude, it
bers of the committee, that while the
y. NJ G. A. is doing a great work for
the spiritual welfare of the soldier,
nevertheless men of the Lutheran
faith should have help from their own
denomination.
Church Influence
mo denominational emphasis can
be placed on the work of the Y. NJ. c..
A." explained Mr.. Herman. The Lu-
thern Church will wor right along
with it; we have an understanding.
But we want to bring our church di-
rectly to the trenches and for this
end we must provide every sort of
equipment, shacks, comforts and
books. This means that the church
must defray the expenses of regular
and civilian chaplains and take care
of charges that must be deserted, pay
ing the salaries of me nwho go to
the army. There are now a couple
hundred thousand Lutheran boys in
service, and it is for their definite
spiritual welfare that we are making
this campaign"
The system planned to-day for COW
ering Eastern Pennsylvania includes
a chairman and a committee for each
county, and every congregation will
be taxed. bit of good news this
morning was the receipt of a $4,000
check from a woman in Philadelphia.
The executive committee organized
as follows: President, William H.
Hager, Lancaster; vice-president.
Harry c. Miller, Philadelphia; secre-
tary. George b. Remensynder, Sun
bury; treasurer. ohm +. Dapp Harris
burg. Other members of the eXecu-
tive committee, who made up the first
and very enthusiastic meeting, were:
p. A. Elsessen, York; Frank f. Colvin.
Bedford: Charles A. Wilde, Loysville; /;
C. A. Schimmelfeng, Warren; =. H.
Leenhuis. Erie; Judge Reber, Roches-
ter. n. Y; Robin B. Wolfe, Pitts
burgh: the Rev. w. G. Keiter, Phila-
delphia, and the Rev. c. X. Fagley,
secretary of the sttae committee.