The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-04-21
EVENT IN CHURCH (
DATED APRIL 27
EVANGELICAL LUTHERANS
OBSERVE ANNIVERSARY
Seventy-five Years Ago Synod Of
Missouri Was Formed; Special
Jubilee Services Will Be Car
ried Out; Statement Regard
ing Missions.

Evangelical Lutherans of Manka-
to will observe the seventy fifth
anniversary of the founding of the
Evangelical synod of Missouri on
April 26 Of this year. Also the event
will be observed by Lutherans
throughout this country for the
synod is represented in every state
in the union and has branches in
Canada and South America. Spe-
clal jubilee services are to be held
in all OF the churches and joint
mass meetings in the larger cities.
The jubilee will also be celebrated
in far off China where missionary
work Is being done.
In 1847 a mere handful of men
met in Chicago for the purpose of
bringing the conservative Lutheran
churches in the central states into
Closer utilization. Twelve congrega-
tons were represented by their
pastors and lay delegates, and these
togtber with 4 few other pastors
who joined as advisory members,
organized what was destined to be-
come the largest individual Luther
an Synod now extant, numbering
at present about $500 congrega-
tions, with nearly 5000 pastors,
over $4,000 communicate members
and a baptized membership of more
than 100000. The value of the
church property owned by member
congregations is approximately
s55, 200, 900. and the various educa-
uonal institutions Of synod repre-
sent an additional investment of
SO 900, 900.
Intense missionary activity un-
questionably is largely responsible
for the continued numerical pro-
gross of the organization. At the
present time $50 pastors are en-
gagged in this work, serving 1850
missions. Foreign missions are con-
Quoted in India and China, England
Brazil, Argentine, France, Germany
and other countries.
Extensive Charity Work
The Missouri Synod has always
laid special emphasis on the cardin-
al doctrine Of the Scriptures that
man is saved by grace alone through
faith. At the same time, however, it
always stresses the point that saw
ing faith most naturally will be act
i've in corresponding works OF char
ity after the manner of the Mastei.
Accordingly prov ision is made for
the care of the sick and the help
less and the needy. Fifteen hospi-
tails and two sanitaria are located
in larger centers of population. hav-
ing sprorerty value OF S4,0S7, coo
and giving treatment to some $4,000
patients annually, much of which is
charity pure and simple, Nine or
phanages, valued at $550,000, shell
tor $50 children. Thirteen home
finding societies gather up sbme
200 waits. a year and place them in
Christian homes for adoption. Two
training schools for neglected chill.
dren, school for deaf mutes, a
home. and school for epileptics, are
other institutions of mercy conduct
ed for the benefit of poor and af-
fiicted children. Nine homes for the
aged provide hospitable shelter for
nearly 400 helpless old people. and
five hospices or homes, chiefly for
working girls, are conducted, be-
sides hospices for transients in
every large city. The disbursements
for all organized charitable purpos-
es during the past year were ST.
54S,716.