Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-06-09
RINGING BELLS
TELL OF UNION
OF CHURCHES
Norwegian Synods consoli-
date at Great Meeting
in St. Paul.

This morning at 10 o'clock the bells
of the Norwegian churches in Grand
Forks pealed jubilantly to signalize
that the amalgamation of the three
Norwegian Lutheran churches had
been consummated in st. Paul. The
bells of nearly 5000 other church
throughout the United States were
ringing at the same time for the same
reason, allowance being made for diff
ference of time in the various parts
of the country. All over state OF
North Dakota Norwegians stopped
their work fora moment listening to
the glad tidings which h pealing
Of the bells announced.
Last evening it was announced In
st. Paul that a North Dakota man.
Banker Harald Thorson of Drake; had
given $4,000 to the endowment fund
of h new consolidated church.
In the church history of America
the happenings Of today in st. Paul
will constitute a remarkable chapter,
because the climax of many years Of
effort has been reached. and because
such a great number of Lutherans Is
involved in the change Of ecclesiastic-
al policy which has taken place.
The new unified church consists of
the former United church, the Nor
wegian synod, and the Hauge synod,
and it's members number nearly AGO.
900 distributed among more than 81
900 congregations. The United church
had 1850 congregations with 2S9,260
members; the Norwegian synod had
about $4,000 in upward of 1000 con-
%gregations, and the Hauge synod
numbered 290 congregations with A.
671 members. These different church
hndfnc hnN hmm ~o~x ~~ N~~o ~a1 ,na1xr
divided for nearly a generation ow-
ing to certain doctrinal differences
which at times seemed SO prominent
that the breach between the three
churches widened rather than mar
rowed. However. there were some
courageous clergymen and laymen
who took the matter of consolidating
the churches up for preliminary dis,
cussion about II years ago. In the
quested the two other Lutheran
bodies to Join a conference regarding
the practicability and feasibility Of
uniting h various congregations. The
Hauge synod refused to have anything
to do with the matter, but the United
church granted the request.
After four years of negotiations the
United church. in 1904 adopted a reso-
luton expressing regret that the Nor
wegian and the Hause synods were
unwilling to continue deliberations
regarding consultations.
Finally Get Together.
But next year the Hauge synod re-
quested the Norwegian synod and the
United church to appoint committees
for the purpose Of discussing an or
sanic amalgamation Of all three.
bodies. Since then. the negotiations
have been somewhat steadily contin-
ued although it often looked as
though all plans for the future would
be futile. And finally last year the
three churches voted in individual
conventions in favor Of consolidation.
This morning the union plans were
solemnly carried. into. effect and. to-
night a great song festival will take
place in celebration Of the important.
event which affects the religious life
OF nearly half a million people.
1t is said that there are more than
500 Norwegian Lutheran churches in
North Dakota; but, as a consequence
OF the amalgamation, this number La
likely to be reduced as there are rev.
eral churches in certain districts
where only one Is really necessary.
Nearly fifty Grand Forks citizens
are attending the meetings and fes-
tivities in st. Paul. and letters receiv-
ed here from delegates report that
an excellent and genuinely harmoni-
GUS sentiment characterizes the vari-
GUS sessions Of the great convention,