LUTHERANS. 



505 



embraces the following eight district (exclu- 

 sively English) synods: North Carolina, Ten- 

 nessee, South Carolina, Virginia, West Vir- 

 ginia, Mississippi, Holston (Tenn.), and Georgia, 

 numbering 186 clergymen, 373 congregations, 

 and 33,641 members. There are within the 

 bounds of this general body, 1 theological 

 seminary, 5 colleges, 13 academies and ladies' 

 seminaries, and 1 orphans' home. The next 

 convention will be held in Wilmington, X. C., 

 Nov. 14, 1889. 



Independent Synods. The following twelve 

 synods carry on their church, educational, mis- 



wife of John P. Lankenau and the daughter of 

 the late Francis M. Drexel and M-ter of Fran- 

 cis A. Drexel. The building, eivrt.-d on the 

 grounds of the German Hospital, at Girard 

 and Corinthian Avenues, was liegun Sept. 20, 



1886, and the corner-stone was laid Nov. 11, 



1887. It has a frontage on Girard Avenue of 

 250 feet, with wings running south :>(n 



and an open court between the wings of 120 

 and 140 feet. The main entrance is in the 

 center of the Girard Avenue front, having an 

 archway 15 feet high directly under the chapel, 

 which forms the center of the building and is 



THE MARY J. DREXEL HOME, PHILADELPHIA. 



sionary, and benevolent operations independ- 

 ent of the four general bodies and of each 

 other: Joint Synod of Ohio, Buffalo, Nor- 

 wegian, Michigan, Norwegian-Danish Confer- 

 ence, Hauge's Norwegian Synod, German 

 Augsburg, Maryland (German). Danish, Dan- 

 ish Lutheran Union, Icelandic Synod, Imman- 

 uel's Synod, numbering 925 clergymen. 2. ""7 

 congregations, and 219,133 members, 9 theo- 

 l_'iral seminaries, 4 colleges, 8 academies, and 

 4 benevolent institutions. 



Deaconess Institution. A notable event in the 

 history of the Lutheran Church in America 

 was the erection and dedication of the Mary J. 

 Drexel Home and Mother-House of Deacon- 

 esses in Philadelphia. This is a memorial of 

 the lady whose name it bears, who was the 



surmounted by a steeple 175 feet high. The 

 building is of brick, with cut-stone trimmings, 

 and is three stories high. It cost $500,000, 

 and is the gift of Mr. Lankenau to the Lutheran 

 Church. It is to serve a threefold purpose : 

 1. As the mother-house for and the training- 

 school of Lutheran deaconesses, where Chris- 

 tian women will be trained for hospital, school, 

 and parish work as deacoiK"<-~. an office of 

 high repute in the Lutheran Church of Europe, 

 which has been adopted by the various de- 

 nominations in Europe and America: -. A 

 well-equipped children's hospital : 3. An asy- 

 lum for the aged and infirm. On Dec. 6. 1888, 

 this building was formally consecrated, ac- 

 cording to the liturgical form of the Lutheran 

 Church, and set apart for its special mission of 



