Evening star., 1948-10-14

Include an effort TO deepen the
spiritual life of every congregation
to establish the family altar, and
to win more people to membership
in the church. The campaign will
coincide with q Sunday school drive
next year and in 1850 to raise the
enrolment to 100000 in these
schools from the approximately
800, 900 now registered.
DR.. Franklin Clark Fry of New
Rochelle, N. Y. president of the
Church body, told the gathering to-
day that If America ceases to be
q bulwark for Christianity, then
Gods strongest potential human
ally will have fallen out Of the fight,
Theb United Lutheran Church in
America has an amazing range OF
activity, but evangelism is behind
each one Of them"
The convention last night was
stirred by receipt of telegram from
the American Lutheran Church
meeting at Fremont, Ohio, express
ing willingness to receive and con-
slider resolutions which may ema.
nate from the United Lutheran
Church in America"
Union Seen Possible.
DIR. Fry said the United Lu-
theran Church will SEND q telegram
to the American Lutheran Church
giving the resolution adopted by the
church body here and rejoicing "at
the present trend toward Lutheran
unity and offering to organize q uni
fed church on the basis of an en-
tirely new constitution.
THE United Lutheran Church re-
spends gladly to the sentiment Of
the American Lutheran Church and
expresses eagerness that there will
be early conferences looking forward
to o closer approach between the
two bodies," the wire said.
Several officials Of the church
felt the American Lutheran Church
telegram indicated opening steps to
possible union among various Lu-
theran bodies.
Next Meeting in Des Moines.
The convention yesterday decided
to hold its 1850 meeting at Des
Moines, Iowa. The United Euth-
eran Church, largest of the Luth-
eran Church bodies in the United
States. has 1880, ,628 members, 4.070
congregations and 50 synods. The
American Lutheran Church has
669, 900 members, 1891 congregations
and 1,75s ministers.
The convention today passed 4
motion authorizing the saving Of
$17,500 each year for 1S4S, 1949. 1850
and 1851 to finance the costs Of
having the 1852 United Lutheran
Church 18th meeting in Seattle,
Wash.
Record Seen Approved.
The convention yesterday author
lied the Executive Board Of the
church to ask executive heads of
member bodies OF the Federal Coun-
Gil of Churches to meet with O
view towards considering possible
revision of the constitution of the
proposed National Council Of the
Churches of Christ in the q. 8. A.
Earlier, the United Lutheran
Church had indicated It was not
ready to apply for membership in
the proposed national council, be-
cause the suggested constitution
contained provisions unacceptable
to 1t.
The proposed National Council,
the initial meeting Of which Is
scheduled for May, 1850. will be
formed from eight general agencies
of the churches. The present Fed
eral Council of Churches Is expected
to be one of the agencies included
in the new body. The United Luth-
eran Church now holds a consulta-
tive membership in the federal
council. Some of the church's
boards and auxiliary bodies are af-
filiated with several of the inter-
agencies involved
in the contemplated merger.