General Council
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. .MINUTES. OF THE ♦ Twenty-Fifth Convention OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE Evangelical Lutheran Church in North America, HELD IN St. John’s Church, Easton, Pa., OCTOBER 9-15, A. D. 1895. MILWAUKEE: King-Fowle-McGee Co., Printers. 1895. The City of Easton, Pa., is situated at the confluence of the Le¬ high and Delaware rivers. It has a population of about fifteen thou¬ sand, and there are as many more in the adjoining towns of South Easton, Pa., and Phillipsburg, N. J. In these communities there are nine Lutheran Churches—English and German—of which the oldest is St. John’s, Easton. Organized in 1740 as a German Church, St. John’s became entirely English, when, in 1872, Zion’s German Church was established. St. John’s owns a venerable Church building, on Ferry street, near Fourth. It has also a model Sunday-school building, or chapel. It is the strongest Lutheran parish in the city. Half a block away is Christ Church, and at Eleventh and Ferry, St. Luke’s, both English churches. These congregations, in conjunction with St. Paul’s, South Eas¬ ton, and Grace and St. John’s, Phillipsburg, N. J., united in enter¬ taining the General Council. They are all connected with the Allen¬ town Conference of the Ministerium of Pennsylvania. The lower Lehigh Valley, with its rich agricultural counties and numerous manufacturing cities, such as Bethlehem, Allentown and Catasauqua, is a Lutheran stronghold. MINUTES. OPENING SERVICE. St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Easton, Pa., Wednesday, October 9, A. D. 1895. The Twenty-fifth Convention of “The General Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in North America” was held in St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Easton, Pa., Rev. J. A. Whitteker acting pastor, commencing at 10 A. M., Wednes¬ day, Oct. 9, 1895. The opening service was conducted by the First Vice-Presi¬ dent, Dr. T. L. Seip, assisted by Rev. W. K. Frick, of the Eng¬ lish Synod of the Northwest, and consisted of the Order for Pub¬ lic Confession, followed by the Order of Morning Service, com¬ mencing with the Introit. The sermon was preached by Dr. Henry E. Jacobs, Dean of the Philadelphia Theological Semi¬ nary, on Rom. i, 11-18, “An Aggressive Christianity.” The Holy Communion was then administered to the members of the Council and visiting brethren. FIRST SESSION. St. John’s Chapel, \ Wednesday, October 9, 2:30 p. m. j The first Business Session was opened, in the absence of the President, Rev. Prof. C. A. Swensson, by the First Vice-Presi¬ dent, Dr. T. L. Seip, according to the Order for the Opening of Synods. The roll of Synods was called, and the delegates presented their credentials as follows: EASTON, PA.] 4 ROLL OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL. 1. Evangelical Lutheran ninisterium of Pennsylvania and Adjacent States. CLERICAL. Rev. Prof. Theo. L. Seip, D. D., ex-officio. “ “ Adolph Spaeth, D. D. “ “ Henry E. Jacobs, D. D., LL. D. “ Joseph A. Seiss, D. D., LL. D., L. H. D. “ Samuel Laird, D. D. “ Prof. Stephen A. Repass, D. D. “ Mahlon C. Horine, U. D. “ Prof. Matthias H. Richards, D. D. “ Franklin J. F. Schantz, D. D. “ Theodore E. Schmauk. “ Solomon E. Ochsenford. “ Oliver P. Smith, D. D. “ Frederick W. Weiskotten. “ Samuel A. Ziegenfuss. “ Daniel K. Kepner. “ George Ph. Mueller. “ Charles J. Cooper. “ George W. Sandt. “ John E. Whitteker. “ Philip Pfatteicher. LAY. William H. Staake, Esq. James G. Finley. E. Augustus Miller, Esq. Prof. Daniel S. Boyer. Jacob Fegely. Daniel W. Moser. Alfred G. Saeger. John B. Zimmele. Tilghman H. Diehl. Prof. Robert K. Buehrle, Ph. D. Hon. Cyrus R. Lantz. George K. Moser. Amos W. Potteiger. George H. Moller. Chas. P. Ulrich, Esq. D. D. Fritch, M. D. George H. Reinoehl. Oswin H. Henry. II. Evangelical Lutheran Ministerium of the State of New York and Adjacent States and Countries. CLERICAL. Rev. George C. F. Haas, ex-officio. “ John J. Heischmann, D. D. “ Prof. John Nicum, D. D. “ Edward F. Moldehnke, Ph. D., D. D. 5 [1895. Rev. John A. Dewald. “ John C. J. Petersen. “ Gottlieb C. Berkemeier. “ Jacob W. Loch. “ John A. W. Haas. “ John Brezing. “ Christian G. Fischer. “ Daniel W. Peterson. “ Frederick A. Kaehler. “ Gustavus A. Bierdemann. “ Hugo W. Hoffman. LAY. Bernhard F. Nutzhorn. John Sutter. George Happ. John W. Salzmann. Marx Wintjen. Charles Conrad. John A. Prigge. John J. Levin, M. D. Fred. Kracke. George Moller. III. Pittsburgh Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. CLERICAL. Rev. Jacob C. Kunzman, ex-officio. “ Edmund Belfour, D. D. “ A. L. Yount, D. D. “ David H. Geissinger. “ Henry W. Roth, D. D. “ Alfred Ramsey. “ Duncan M. Kemerer. “ John G. Reinartz. “ Philip Doerr. “ F. W. E. Peschau, D. D. “ R. G. Rosenbaum. LAY. J. B. Kaercher. Prof. William M. Swingle. J. Boyd Duff, Esq. S. L. Newmeyer. IV. Evangelical Lutheran District Synod of Ohio. CLERICAL. Rev. Albert F. Siebert, ex-officio. “ George W. Mechling. “ Hiram Peters. LAY. Christian Becker. John J. Weimer. Alfred Ridenour. EASTON, PA.] 6 V. Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod. CLERICAL. Rev. Prof. Olof Olsson, D. D. “ Lawrence A. Johnston, D. D. “ M. C. Ranseen. “ John Telleen. “ George E. Youngdahl. “ Theodore Kjellgren. “ Carl A. Blomgren, Ph. D. “ Gustaf Nelsenius. “ Julius Lincoln. “ A. J. Enstam. “ Goeran E. Forsberg. “ Prof. Lars H. Beck, Ph. D. LAY. Prof. A. W. Williamson, Ph. D. “ Philip A. Andreen. “ Alfred Holmes. VI. Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Canada. CLERICAL. Rev. Albert R. Schulz, ex-officio. VII. Chicago Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. CLERICAL. Rev. Prof. Wm. A. Sadtler, Ph. D., ex-offcio. “ Martin L. Wagner. LAY. D. J. Miller. *VIII. English Evangelical Lutheran Synod of the Northwest. CLERICAL. Rev. Prof. Wm. K. Frick, ex-officio. LAY. Charles A. Smith. Delegates present: 65 Clerical, 40 Lay; total, 105. *See President’s Report for statement concerning Texas Synod. 7 [1§95 • WITH PRIVILEGE OF DEBATE. Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Iowa. (No delegate present.) OFFICIAL VISITORS. From the General Synod. Rev. Samuel W. Owen, D. D., Hagerstown, Md. From the United Norwegian Church. Rev. Prof. Emil G. Lund, Minneapolis, Minn. NAMES OF VISITING CLERGYflEN IN THE UNITY OF THE FAITH WITH THE GENERAL COUNCIL. William J. Andres. John A. Kunkelman, D. D. Benj. F. Apple. Geo. G. Kunkle. Prof. J. A. Bauman, Ph. D. Jacob W. Lazarus. James L. Becker. Robert B. Lynch. F. Berkemeyer. Jos. W. Mayne. U. S. G. Bertolet. A. M. Mehrkam. R. C. G. Bielinski. Asher P. Pflueger. Ernest R. Cassaday. Oscar E. Pflueger. Prof. Albert T. Clay, Ph. D. J. G. Pfuhl. John T. Cressman. Myron O. Rath. Jesse S. Erb. J. C. Rausch. Asapha E. Erdman. J. S. Renninger. Prof. Henry N. Fegley. Edward F. Ritter. Josiah B. Fox. Jer. H. Ritter. David L. Fogleman. William E. Roney. S. A. K. Francis. Charles E. Sandt. Frank F. Fry. Wm. Ashmead Schaeffer. Ernest M. Grahn. John A. Scheffer. S. L. Harkey, D. D. George M. Scheidy. Theo. Heilig. William F. Schoener. Charles H. Hemsath. Frank M. Seip. Charles J. Hirzel. R. R. Morris Smith. Fried. Holder. Henry B. Strodach. W. Hoppe. Joseph Stump. F. K. Huntzinger. J. H. Umbenhen. Wm. D. C. Keiter. Jacob Q. Upp. Paul J. Klingler. O. F. Waage. Hiram J. Kuder. J. H. Waidelich. John H. Kuder. A. C. Wuchter. \ EASTON, PA.] 8 In the absence of the President, Rev. Prof. Carl A. Swens- son, the English Recording Secretary, Rev. George W. Mech- ling, read the REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT. Fathers and Brethren : The Church of Christ must always on earth remain a Church Militant. Its very existence is ever threatened by a multitude of foes, attacking it upon every side. It must battle in earnest for every success; it must fight with determination for its continued and increasing life. But particular times have their special troubles and burdens. The years of financial revolutions, of downtrod¬ den hopes, of unexpected reverses, through which our country has passed since the meeting of the General Council at Fort Wayne, have been very trying to every interest in our Church. Our Colleges and Seminaries, our Institutions of Mercy, and our Home Missions have experienced Difficulties not soon to be forgotten. Empty treasuries, heavy burdens of indebtedness, and a feeling of general discouragement have thrown their cloudy, disheartening shadows across the face of a threatening to-morrow. Even in the old, well established fields the life of spiritual activity is depressed and the contributions for the general purposes of the Church are entirely inadequate. A feeling that expenses should be decreased, even at the sacrifice of efficiency, is pleading for admission in many places. The af¬ fairs of the Church, its needs and prospects, are in danger of neglect. The hard times have weighed more heavily because of spiritual drowsiness and lethargy, which are the more dangerous, and full of terrible consequences, owing to the unwillingness of many to look at present conditions among us in the true light. There seems to be a daybreak near at hand, however. By this I do not refer primarily to the improved financial condition in our country, gaining ground continually, but to the beginnings at least of a Clearer Conception Among Our People of Their Duty to themselves, their God and His Church. In times of need and of great difficulties God Himself raises up friends and supporters of His work, willing and able to carry it on, not so much by fair 9 C189 5• words and airy promises, but in fact and in deed. I look upon the growing interest in Confessional Lutheranism and Liturgical forms of Worship as very encouraging. The uprising of our young people and their organization into Luther Leagues, founded upon the unaltered Augsburg Confession and conduct¬ ed along conservative lines, give much food for reflection and are a great cause of joy.