The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1919-01-29
AMERICAN LUTHERANS ARE
PREPARING TO LEAD LUTH-
ERANS OF THE WORLD


ERANS OF THE WORLD
Today is being held in Chicago a
Lutheran congress that is believed to
be historic and mark a new period in
the life of the Lutheran church of this
country and the world.
The congress is called by the Ma
tional Lutheran council to organize
a 100000 Reconstruction service
campaign. Leading Lutherans from
every state of the Union have been
asked to attend and shoulder part Of
the task for organizing the campaign.
The greater portion of the fund Is
intended for overseas service, part for
France, part for Finland, Esthcnia
and the Black Sea provinces, the re-
mainder for the other portions of
Europe in which there is need of as
sistance.
The significance of the campaign
does not lie in the mere fact OF rails
ing funds for reconstruction service
Ettheran leaders believe that the pro-
vidential hour has come when the
Lutheran church of this country must
take the lead for the Lutheran cause
throughout the world.
The sections of Europe in which the
Lutheran church is strong are today
anarchy that obtains, the Lutheran
churches of Europe till now have been
under state control, and are, for that
reason little prepared to cope with the
present dissolution Of ordered socie-
ty. 1t is said that the disintegration
of the Lutheran church of Europe
would be the severest blow to Pro-
testantism, because it involves more
than so million people in every coun-
try in Europe.
Lutheran leaders of America hold
that the American Lutheran churc
can and must cope with the situation.
They point to the fact that it has de-
veloped strong, vigorous church life,
Independent of state control and state
aid, that it has carried the Reforma-
ton ideal of spiritual democracy in
to successful and effective operation:
They consider it to be the hand OF
providence that while the church was
divided till recently, the war emer-
gency and the need Of following the
25O.0OO Lutheran boys in the army,
welded the separate parts together
into an effective powerful unity. To-
day they believe it stands ready and
is in a position to meet unselfishly the
greatest call for service and leader
ship that has come to a church body
in modern times. They feel that it
can and must bring to the Lutheran
churches of Europe the spiritual de-
mocracy which it has developed here,
that it must counsel, guide and assist
them into that independent dewmo-
cratic ordered church life which char
acterizes the Lutheran church OF
America.
That is the purpose for converting
the congress in Chicago today. 1t is
planned to organize an army of So
900 canvassers who will in the week
of February 1926, visit every Luth-
eran and appeal for his aid.
A national committee has already
been formed, consisting of DIR. +. IL
Knubel, president OF the United Lu-
theran church in America; Rev. J. A
o. Stub, executive secretary of the
National Lutheran commission and
Hon. Z. F. Ebert of New York. Head.
quarters have been opened at 437
Fifth avenue, N. Y. DR.. w. H. Gree.
yer and Rev. o. H. Pannkoke, are in
charge of the campaign. :.
The National Lutheran Council viii
meet before the organization meeting
with DR.. II. G.. Stub of st. Paul, its
president, in the chair. 1t will &c
over the whole situation and make ar
engagements to send commissions over
to Europe at once to study the situa-
ton first hand.
At the organization meeting, DR.
w. II. Greever and Rev. o. III. Pam
kcke will present the plans for the
organization of the campaign. Both
are considered to be the foremost cam
paign organizers within the Lutheran
church.
For the exening large mass meet
ing has been arranged to give public
expression to the work that is plan
ned. The speakers at the mass meet
ing will be DR.. c. j. Smith of New
York, and President l.. Doe of st
Olaf's college. DR.. Smith was over
In France as q member of the Luth
sran commission to France and Ia!
just returned.
Public men are taking great Interest
In the plans of the National Lutheran
council. They feel that its program
OF conservative reconstruction may
Prove a powerful leaven to restor'
order in those sections of Europ'
where chaos prevails today. They
point to the significant fact that while
the nation is bringing civic democracy
to the world, the Lutheran church hal
it, great opportunity to bring spirit
ual democracy. Many of them have
endorsed the plans in the stronges
terms. Among them are: Senator
Harry s. New of Indiana, William H
King of Utah, Thomas Sterling o.
South Dakota, Morris Sheppard Of
Texas, Miles Poindexter of Washing
ton, Howard Sutherland Of West Vir
giniaand Charles 8. Thomas Of Colo