Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-06
LUTHERAN UNITY
PLAN SUGGESTED
Bishop of Latvia Tells World
Convention Need of an
Organization.

COPENHAGEN, July 6.--The time
has come for the Lutheran Church II
establish an organization which could
advise the Church and its members In
matters pertaining to Church discipline
to the proper conduct of the pastoral
ONCE and to doctrinal questions, when
they seek such advice, asserted Right
Rev. X. Tribe Of Riga, Bishop Of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church Of Latvia
before the Second Lutheran World Con-
vention.
"Such an organisation" he said
could not exercise judicial legal pow
ers, but undoubtedly It could be a
moral authority for such as might turn
tosit for help. It would be most desir-
able, for 1t cannot be a matter of in.
difference how individual church bodies
now solve important problems pertain
ing to the welfare Of the whole Church.
Regardless Of national and racial diff.
ferenceS, Lutherans all over the world
are one, and should recognize Their
unity through the establishment Of q
central organization to speak for oil
and present united front, DR.. Alfred
treasurer OF the Lutheran World Con-
vention, told the delegates.
Leaders for Unity.
"The delegates to this Second Ialth-
eran World Convention" said DR.. Jor-
genSen, ARE the natural leaders in
striving for united action, and the ex-
ecutive committee which shall be ap-
pointed must be the general STAFF.
Urging that all must tender the leaders
OF the proposed new movement toward
church unity both moral and financial
support. the speaker urged that q
fund or foundation be established al
once TO promote and carry out the idea
and to further the interests Of Luth-
eranism throughout the world.
DIR. Frederick M. Knubel Of New
York, president of the United Lutheran
Church in America, in an address pro
/ tested against three tendencies which
he said, menace the growth of thu
Church throughout the world. These
were, first, Syncretism, or the attempt tt
reconcile Christianity to other religious
bodies. such as, for instance, Moham.
mechanism. with which it Is irreconcil.
ably at variance; second, secularism, Oh
the onslaught of worldly philoSophie.
upon the Church and its teachings, and
third, the social gospel or social Chris
tianity, which attempts to enforce 1t:
teachings through coercion upon a stats
or nation.
Defining the three terms under con.
sideration, DR.. Knubel said: Syn
cretism says all religions ere true;
secularism says all religions are false
and also says the state must be lord
over the church; the social gospel says
the church must be lord over the State u
Friendliness Of Japan.
The Japanese government Is now very
friendly to Christian evangelism, anc
asks Christians to cooperate in uphold
ing Japanese national ideals and moral
life, Rev. Hajime Inadomi, secretary OF
the Evangelical Lutheran Church In
that country, told the delegates.
Dissatisfied with materialistic an6
hedonistic theories Of life, a great num-
Der of educated and intelligent people
in Japan are seeking true, living re-
ligion," he continued.
The publication in Japanese maya
zines and metropolitan newspapers OF
articles about Christianity. and in par
ticular about Martin I1ather, show. said
Rev. Mr. Inadomi. that Luther is be-
coming an influential hero FOR Japan.