Evening star., 1954-10-09
S4 Million Requested
To Expand lutherans'
Missions in America
By Cospor Nonnes
Stor Stoff Correspondent

TORONTO, Oct. 8. - The
United Lutheran Church in
Americas Board of American
Missions will ask the denomina-
tion's 18th biennial convention
today for more than 81 million
to extend its work throughout
the United States and Canada
in 1856 and 1857.
Carrying out a directive of
the church's 1852 meeting in
Seattle, Wash, to survey needs
for increasing its work during
the above years. the board re-
quested budgetary allotments Of
S1.514,800 for current mis-
sion operations and $2,579.500
for church extension capital
funds.
The nearly TOO delegates of
the 2,150,O00-member denomina-
ton are expected to approve the
boards request.
Evangelistic Campaign.
Meanwhile, the delegates yes
terday voted for plans to conduct
an evangelistic drive during 1856
and 1857 that will cost $528,974.
The extensive campaign will be
directed by the Board of Social
Missions and emissions Lutheran
evangeliStic missions during
those two years in each of the
denomination 4,300 congrega-
tions. The period between now
and the start of the drive will
be occupied by intensive prepa-
rationS.
In another significant action
the assembly accepted the Board
of Social Missions report declar-
ing there was neither theologi-
cal nor practical objection to the
inclusion of pastors in old age
and survivors insurance" (act
passed by Congress at the last
session. since there is a provi-
sion for complete voluntary
choice on the part of each pas
tor" with regard to taking part
in the program.
The United Lutheran Church
has been one of the church
bodies concerned with possible
violation of the separation Of
church and state tradition. Its
earlier biennial meetings have
been heSitant about permitting
ministers to take part in the
Social Security Act, but the pro-
vision making the participation
voluntary and on a "Self-em-
ployed basis" not binding future
ministers of a congregation
voided these objections for many.
Yesterday the delegates voted
. to extend the powers of the
presidency. 1t approved the re-
ports recommendation that the
president-the current incum-
bent is DR.. Franklin Clark Fry
of New Rochelle. N. Y.-be des-
1gnated as the denominations
leader and counsellor in mat
tiers spiritual and temporal" 1t
also denoted the president as the
chief representative of the
church in official functions, and
gave him power to supervise
and direct" policies of the de-
nomination as we'll as to be the
superior of the secretary and
treasurer.
Delegates Veto Plan.
The delegates later nullified
to large extent this action by
vetoing a plan to give the
churchs Executive Board power
to act on important issues be-
tween conventions.
The vote against this move,
291 to 257, came after an hour
long debate during which OPP
ponents charged it was step
away from the democratic way
of doing things in the church.
Another action having similar
import resulted when the dele
gates voted down a proposal to
make the Department of Evan
geliSm independent of the Board
of Missions, of which it is now
a tributary, by designating it a
Board of Evangelism. The vote
was 259 for the change, which
would have placed it under the
supervision of the Executive
Board, and 319 against.
All the actions on the re-
organizations issue are subject to
later action by the convention.
but the meetings present temper
indicates the structural revision's
heart probably will be cast aside.
Baltimore Synod delegates (the