476 



LUTHERANS. 



the time of its organization there were four 

 synods in existence, each independent of the 

 others. The first steps to effect a close union 

 of these bodies were taken in 1818. The 

 efforts met with success in October, 1820, 

 when the present body was organized at Ha- 

 gerstown, Md. The Rev. Dr. Sprecher, of 

 Wittenberg College, delivered an address on 

 the influence which the General Synod had 

 exercised upon the Church, which seemed to 

 be manifested in a revival of the grand prin- 

 ciples of the Protestant Reformation of the 

 sixteenth century. 



The most important subject that occupied 

 the attention of the General Synod was that 

 of the publication of a new edition of the 

 "Book of Worship," with the forms of wor- 

 ship, the "Augsburg Confession," the Cate- 

 chism, and the Family Prayers omitted. It 

 had been regarded as a topic upon which 

 division might occur. The discussion was, 

 however, amicable, and was terminated by the 

 passage of a resolution instructing the hymn- 

 book committee "to publish, in addition to 

 the Book of Worship, as ordered by the Gen- 

 eral Synod, in Washington City, an edition of 

 smaller size, containing only the hymns, For- 

 mula of Government and Discipline, and the 

 usual indexes." This book will also be called 

 the Book of Worship. It was ordered that 

 the publication of the old hymn-book in all its 

 forms be discontinued. The action of the 

 Synod was regarded as favorable to greater 

 freedom in the services of the congregations. 

 It was decided, also, that the explanation of 

 the manner in which the General Synod re- 

 ceives and holds the Augsburg Confession, 

 adopted at its session in York, in 1864, be ap- 

 pended to the Confession as given in the Book 

 of Worship. But a motion to omit the last 

 seven articles of the Confession was unani- 

 mously voted down. 



The receipts of the Board of Foreign Mis- 

 sions since the last meeting of the General 

 Synod were $14,401.70; expenditures, $11,- 

 762.64. The India mission was reported in a 

 prosperous condition, with the work vigorous- 

 ly prosecuted. The African mission is weak- 

 ened by the death of the Rev. Mr. Cornell, of 

 Muhlenberg Station, South Africa. After 

 some discussion of the best met/ a of supply- 

 ing the African field, the Missionary Board 

 were instructed to sustain pious young colored 

 men of ability, whether of American or African 

 birth, in such institutions as may be ready to 

 educate them for this work. The Board were 

 also authorized to send female missionaries in- 

 to the foreign field, upon condition of proper 

 persons presenting themselves. The support 

 of widows and orphans of missionaries was 

 left to the discretion of the Board. The Board 

 of Home Missions received, during two years, 

 $23,063.79. Fifty missionaries were supported. 

 Thirteen new missions were undertaken. The 

 English language is spoken in thirty-six of the 

 missions the Swedish in four, the German in 



five, and the English and German conjointly 

 in seven. Eleven of the missions became self- 

 supporting, six were abandoned. The number 

 of members added through the missions is 

 1,731. Several missions under the District 

 Synods have not as yet been transferred to the 

 Board. 



The Board of Publication reported a net 

 capital stock of $24,895. 



The subject of revision of the Liturgy was 

 returned to the committee having it in charge, 

 with instructions to complete the work, and 

 lay the result before a second committee, who 

 shall perfect and publish it. 



The state of the Church was reported one 

 of growth, large accessions of membership 

 having been made, with revivals of religion to 

 an unusual extent, and with increased atten- 

 tion to Sunday-schools and the cause of be- 

 nevolence. 



The General Council of the Evangelical Lu- 

 theran Church met at Rochester, 1ST. Y., on the 

 2d of November. The Synods of Pennsylvania, 

 New York, Pittsburg, the English Synod of 

 Ohio, the English District Synod of Ohio, the 

 Michigan Synod, the Augustana Synod, the 

 Iowa Synod, and the Synod of Canada, were 

 represented. The Danish-Norwegian Augus- 

 tana Synod having adopted the fundamental 

 principles of faith and church polity, its dele- 

 gates were admitted provisionally, admission 

 to full membership being reserved till the 

 synod adopts the constitution of the Council. 

 The Synod of Indiana has also adopted the 

 fundamental principles of the Council, but was 

 not represented. The withdrawal of the Syn- 

 ods of Minnesota and Illinois was discussed, 

 but no action was taken on the subject. The 

 publication of a new edition of Luther's small 

 Catechism in English and German was pro- 

 vided for. The book is to contain: 1. The 

 text of Luther's Catechism as contained in the 

 Church Book ; 2. Luther's questions and an- 

 swers for those who propose to receive the 

 Lord's Supper; 3. The text of the Catechism, 

 in connection with an analysis of the same 

 under the text which it analyzes, together 

 with the proof-texts given in full. 



The action of the last convention of the 

 General Council, disapproving the action of 

 the Church Book Committee, in adding to the 

 rubric, concerning the confession of sins, in the 

 morning service, the words (" so the people may 

 join in saying the confession "), was rescinded 

 to the extent that the rubric is allowed to re- 

 main. But the disapproval of the alteration 

 of any part of the Church Book without the 

 consent of the General Council was retained. 

 The preparation of a series of family prayers 

 continues in the hands of the Church Book 

 Committee. Forms for the ministerial acts are 

 to be printed and submitted to the next Gen- 

 eral Council. 



The statistics of the Lutheran Church in the 

 United States in 1871 were, according to the 

 Church Almanac for 1872, as follows : 



