El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-08-09

tinued Misrepresentation Of Ameri-
can LutheranisTn concerning its rec
ord in American history and its posi-
ton and service during the recent
war. He says the public is constantly
led to believe that Lutherans are Ger
mans, and that they sympathize with
German ideals more or less openly.
The council. of which he is secret rs,
represents the United Lutheran
church, alone containing a third OF
the 100000 Lutherans in this coun-
try, and all Of the Independent syn
DDS. Norwegian. Swedish, Danish and
others. making up another third. OF
the remaining third. memberships Of
the synodical conference, leaders
speaking for them say even they are
not German, and maintain larger num-
bers Of English speaking cOngrega-
tons than any other
Secretary Larsen says there are in
America 1900, 600 Lutherans who are
not OF German ancestry. and because
OF recent war history. may be expect
ed TO be hostile to all German ideals
To confirm his AmerfcauiZation claim
for Lutherans he gives some striking
facts in American history. He claims
the setXon who rang the Liberty bell
on July 4. 1875, was a Lutheran; that
the first news Of the declaration was
published in a Lutheran newspaper;
that Betsy Ross. who made the first
flag was descendant Of the Lutheran
~
SWedes and belonged 10 the women's
organization Of a Lutheran church
and points to the historic facts that
the first speaker Of the house of rep
resentatives was Rev. Frederick a.
Muhlenbergs a Lutheran minister, and
that the memorial services held by
congress on the death Of Washington
We're in Zion Lutheran church, Phil
adelphia.
See New Fields.
Whether ratified nv rha T~r,fszT
States senate or not. the Paris peace
covenant puts upon three religious
bodies heavy burdens for the mana ge-
ment and maintenance Of Christian
missions in colonies formerly German.
but now taken away from Germany,
a1f in entente and other countries
forerly maintained by the great mis-
siOnary societies Of Germany. The
bodies virtually affected are the
Catholic, the Reformed and the LII
theran. Many millions Of dollars in
properties are involved, and some Sc
100000 a year expenses are in the
balance So far as known, the Ger
man societies are wholly out, and
are 10 remain 50. Trustees must be
named, to be OF the same body to
which respective missions owed al
legiance. and II the missions do not
and pushed Apart from Caroline,
Marshall and other Pacific islands,
formerly German, and the German
African colonies, there were great
missions in China, India, Turkey and
Palestine.
American Lutherans are Just now
holding a conference in Chicago. COM
posed of officers Of synods embrac-
ing twO-thirds OF all Lutheran con-
gregatiOns in America to determine
what is American Lutheran response
bility- There is involved between S3.-
600. 600 and $4,000, 900 annual expendi-
ture. a very large sum in comparison
to that contributed by all religious
bodies in Amerca to foreign missions.
II is thought TO be likely. however,
that Lutherans here viii take over the
work and do the best they can Their
difficulties are considerable for many
more than half Of their congregations
are not German in descent or sym
patty. and the only appeal is that
Of Lutherans- No action has yet been
taken by the Reformed church in the
United States, while the Catholic res
possibility, II assumed, win be from
action taken in Rome, and not in
America
Conferences Popular.
The summer conferences this year
have broken all records in number OF
those held, in attendance especially OF
men. and in the attention devoted TO
them by church officials The con-
ferences formerly conducted by the
Missionary Education movement were
this year taken over by the Inter
church World movement and officials
Of the latter were sent in large num-
bers TO conduct them The after-War
era for reconstruction brought out
the women who formerly comprised
95 per cent Of those TO attend. to-
gether with a lot Of young men re-
turned from the service and imbued
with the religious spirit Mortified.
Silver Bay, those held in the Land o.
Sky. Lake Geneva, Denver and Cali
fornia, all report tremendous success
es. Besides these Episcopalians took
up the idea and have this summer
doubled the number Of their confer
ences, all with numbers attending far
more than expected
The topics for this year were recon
structiOn, especially the work at home
among foreign speaking peoples; the
training Of lay people for volunteer
work. especially relating to methods.
and the world movement as taken
over by the new world organization
Reasons why church officials have at
tended this year in such numbers have
been that officials are now more or
their Jobs than formerly. so It Is said,
and a new recognition Of the place
and power Of summer meetings 10
arouse enthusiasm and make nlans
for the year. The chautauquas are
'Go reporting larger numbers presen-
at them. and larger numbers enrol
ing in studies. It seems to have tax
en- this form of Christian effort no
time at all 10 recover from war time
conditions
Churches Help Veterans.
Col Arthur Woods, assistant TO the