Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-02-10
LUT||HERANS
RAISE FUND
Meeting May Be Held in
Grand Forks ip Near
= Future.

It became known today that plans
are. being considered for a meeting
which may be held here perhaps dur
ing the present week for the purpose
of starting a Lutheran drive for funds
with which to help in reconstruction
date are not available today, but will
be made known later by O.. Bridston,
community chairman for Grand Forks
city, and A. I. Widlund, chairman for
the county campaign. During the last
week a series Of Lutheran campaign
meetings were held in Fargo where
various phases Of the plan were dis
cussed; Rev. David Stoeve and Rev.
Fl: B. Thorgrimsen were among those
who represented this city at the Fargo
meeting. February 16 to 26 is the
period set for the campaign. gsr
Worh League Planned.
A world league of Lutherans, the
opportunity for which has developed
from the war. is sought by the Luz
embarking upon an extensive pro-
gram Of help to the shattered con-
gregations of that faith of Europe.
American Lutherans, it is expected,
will take the leadership of such a
league if it is formed, and will assist
in recasting h entire Lutheran body
on the democratic basis Of congrega-
tional autonomy which prevails here.
/. The immediate task is to find a So
luton for the present situation Nnd to
help bring order out Of chaos. The
program of the National Lutheran
council for reconstruction in Europe
has been called a program Of conserv-
anarchy on the one hand and reaction
on the other.I 1t proposes to reach the
Lutheran leaders of Europe. and find
GU from them conditions in detail and
at first hand. Then it proposes to out
n the democratic organization Of
the Lutheran Church of America and
offer every aid and assistance to es-
tablish the Lutheran Church of Eu-
rope on a similar basis.
The National Lutheran Council. the
agency entrusted with. this work, has
already received strong intimation
that it's program and assistance are
welcome. Prominent public men have
endorsed it purely from the thought
of what it will NEAR for re-establish-
ing the order Of Europe.
Lutheran leaders believe that a
world league Of Lutherans growing
out of this present program is more
than a bare possibility. They believe
it to be the natural and necessary Sc
quence. They insist, however, that if
it will come it must come on the plat
form Of the American Lutheran
church, strict adherence to the Bible
and Lutheran confessions, absolute
acceptance of democratic church or
ganization.
This Lutheran world league would
mean the most powerful alliance for
spiritual service ever attained within
Professionalism. There are nearly 80
million Lutherans in the world, more
than half Of all Protestants.
While American Lutheran leaders
are still indefinite as to the form and
objects of such a world alliance, they
are thinking of a Lutheran World
Council with elected representatives
and a small permanent executive COM
mittee and subcommittee for various
parts of the program. The two main
fields for common action are the field
of foreign mission and the help in
solving the social questions. Both of
them are held to be general and to
afford peculiar advantages for COM
mon action. It is believed that COM
mon action in these fields on the part
of all Lutherans would mean a new
day for the expansion and influence
of Professionalism. IS