Evening star., 1926-10-20
LUTHERANS SCORE
UN|ON|ST BODIES
DR.. F. H. KnubeI of New
York Reelected Head
at Richmond.
BY the Associated Press.

ny phe Associated Press.
RICHMOND, Va, October 20.-A
disposition TO withhold full indorse
ment of unionistic movement among
church denominations is revealed in
the report of the executive board of
the biennial convention of the United
Lutheran Church of America.
Three phases Of unioniSm efforts
are criticized by as many different
Lutheran commissions. These reports
were presented to the convention to-
day through the executive board
DR.. +. II. knubel of New York was
reelected head by a vote OF 395 to ~.
The three agencies which failed to
receive the approval of the Lutheran
commentators are the Federal Coun-
Gil of the Churches of Christ in Amer
lea, which claims to represent some
20.000.000 Protestants; the Universal
Christian Conference and the pro-
posed World Conference on Faith and
Order.
The report concerning the Federal
Council of Churches was prepared 10y
board of visitors composed OF the
ReV. DrS. W. II. GreeV"r of Column
hia. :. e.. G. +. w. Hoppe Of SaNan-
nah. Ga. ana j. w lIvrinr OF Column
ba, s. &.
This commission reported that it
found that the Federal Council is
sentative of the constituency for
which 1t seeks and acts" The con
stituent bodies of the council appear
cd to the commission "tO be used as
o supporting constituency for a com
paratively small group of men, who
enjoy large degree of assumed in
dependence, so orga niZed as TO
make Il practically -perpetuating
through chosen personnel
In nd n
Government. tho Federal Council ap-
poared TO the commission to 'Go far
In attempting in the name of Prot
estantism what it condemns in 2O-
mansm."
"Tho Federal Council." the report
added, "throuEh the multiplication of
commissions is projecting its activi-
ties and is building up machinery to
such n degree that only one OF two
things can result in the not distant
future. It must collapse within. or it
must he recognized as a super-churCh
body" Along certain lines, however,
the Lutherans found the Federal
Council had been an efficient agency
in promoting legitimate cooperation
among groups of churches. in Culti-
waiting Il better public sentiment and
in modifying governmental policies
where the rights Of the church were
involved.
Delegates Are Disappointed.
Frank disappointment was voiced
by Lutheran delegates 81 The Stock
holm conference. because .f the fail
Ure of the conference to lead the
way to the application of Christian
ethics To pr"sent-day problems"
Your delegation feels the report
said. that the world has a right to
expect at least some clear, strong
pronouncement upon the great social,
industrial and international questions
in which all men are so deeply inter
ested today The conference adopted
a message to the churches, but not a
single utteranCe of the kind was
made"
The Lutheran commission to the
world conference on faith and order
proposed to bring about greater unity
in Christendom-t took issue with the
draft of the agenda prepared for con-
sideration at that conference. A re-
vised draft Of the agenda was sub.
mltted TO the agonda committee, it
reported. striking out the whole pre-
amhle and a section asserting that
utmost cndeavorS should be made
to restore the present day church to
the condition of the days of the
apostles. when the only churches
were the local parts of one church.
While concurring with the pro-
posal in the agpnda that the united
church should reaffirm the truth of
the Apostles and NiCene Creeds, the
commission asserted I'VE cannot
accept those creedS as a sufficient
basis for n union Of the separated
churches. Further agreements in be-
lief are n necessary condition of such
Il union"