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


be called upon to resign their pres
ent charges. Of course, it is i'm
possible that personal desires, likes
and dislikes should not play part,
since it involves human nature. But,
after all, to those who are pastors
indeed, and not mere "hirelings'',
who are in the ministry solely "to
do the will of Him that sent them,
it should not be looked upon as
sacrifice if, for the betterment of
the cause, they be asked to leave
an old field for a new. To him who
seeks only the will of God it mat
tiers little where he labors. He should
be willing to go north or south, east
or west, to the home-mission fields
or to the foreign. There is work
to be- done, souls to save wherever
he may be sent. And the saving
of souls should be the pastors first
and last concern.
AS to the congregations the same
rule should hold good. The real
purpose for congregation calling
a pastor is to have "watchman'
to keep watch over their souls, teach
the people what to believe and the
way they must walk in order to in
herit the Kingdom of God. Now all
pastors are not equally good "shep-
herds" But all true pastors are
"shepherds'' efficient for the per-
Torrance Of their pastoral duties,
according to the "gifts Of grace" be-
slowed upon them by Him who sends
them.
And when it comes home to the
local congregation that a personal
sacrifice on their part will rebound
to the golry Of God, will be for
the betterment of the church at
large and their brethren in faith,
few congregations will be found
which will not enter into The spirit
Of good will, and give up their own
desires for the good of many.
In such instances where it is diff
fcult to decide which Of the two
or three pastors should be retained
all the local pastors might resign
and make way for a new man who
would be acceptable to the combin-
ed members of the united congre-
cations.
But whatever minor difficulties
may arise in perfecting the ANAL
gamation of the three church bodies
they will be small and insignificant
compared to the countless blessings,
the added strength, the wider scope
of an awakened, peaceloving and
Greater United Norwegian Lutheran
| Church.
Returning again to the great con-
vention to be held next June in ST.
Paul, two musical numbers will there
be given which will go far to make
this convention one long to be re-
membered. ta
The Observation-Disclosures of North
field writes as follows:t G6jaf
"Perhaps the greatest celebration
of a religious nature that Norwegian
Americans have ever attended in this
country will be the festivities to be
held in the St. Paul Auditorium ir
June, concentrating the 400th an
niversary of the Luther Reformation
This festival will be observed during
the combined annual conventions Of
the Norwegian Synod, Hauge's Sy.
nod, and the United Church, in ST
Paul.
No other auditorium could accom-
modate the big crowd that will
gather in June, 1917, to witness thu
amalgamation of these three synods
hitherto separated, and at-'the same
time observe the 40Oth Reformation
festival of the Lutheran church as ;
whole.
On Sunday, June 10, the festiva
cantata, composed for the occasion
by F. Melius Christensen, will b.
sung by a chorus of 1000 accom-
panied by the Minneapolis Symptom,
Orchestra. The Lutheran church i
; singing church., and this great mu
steal event will aid greatly in slim
ulating to marked degree choi
singing WlCnln the ranks Ol Cll
coming Norwegian Lutheran Churc'
of America.
'The musical setting is for orches
ira of usual Instrumentation an
| chimes, three solo voices (baritone
t tenor, and soprano), mixed, and fe
5 male choruses. The form is the usue
| oratorio syle. On account of tn
historic character Of the words, tn
t music had to be written in thre
E distinct styles, that of the Old Test
ament, of the Middle Ages, and c
: modern tonality. All choruses ar
? broad and simple, SO that our churc
> choirs can easily master them.
!, is expected that at least two thousan
: singers will enroll in the festive
l chorus. The soloists will be M
r Gustav Holmquist, Chicago; Mr.. Cal
stem Woll, Northfeld; and Miss Mi
/; dred Romsdahl, Moorhead. The Of
n chestra will be fifty men from tn