Second Session

the old man from the fields of the land of Canaan coming into the royal splendor of the court of Pharaoh, and when Joseph brings him in to see the king of Egypt, at that time the greatest monarch in the world, the dear old man raises his hands and pronounces a benediction. Did he not feel that "I am the head of the Church of God"-the Church b:essing the State?

In the one picture you have the Church bl sing the Government and the in the other the Church putting itself under the protection of the Government, and I think these two pictures give us our idea of what our relation is between the creed and the flag. I would like, if I had time, to bring out the story of how Christ put to confusion the man who tried to confuse Him: "Render unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's, and unto God the things which be of God.' The Church must have regard for the Government and do all she can to foster a proper governm nt. The Government must defend and protect the Church against persecution and that which would break up the religious life in the Church. What would the American nation be if it had not been for Luther at Augsburg, so many centuries ago?

I am reminded of that saying of our Lord when He was asked which was the great commandment, "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

I want to bring out this point: How can this Luther League, gathered in Albany, make this theme really full of power? I can only say, rally around both, rally around your creed and rally around your flag, and the reason is that there are forces at work just now, for the last year, that seem to have as their aim the breaking down of that free and independent government we have and bringing that gov.rnment under the dominion of a foreign power. I am not an alarmist; I have among the Catholic people some of my warmest friends, but since Spain and Italy are gone and there is only Austria left, it seems to be their aim to get our country beneath their power. Rally around your cr.ed and rally around your flag, because just as soon as that or any other Church comes in to dictate to Congress what shall be the politics or policy of our Government, that soon our nation will fall and go back to those ages that are long since passed. Th refore, you must rally around your creed, you must rally around your flag. You are meeting tonight in a time that is full of possibilities. We are all in need of great changes, and shall you and I as Lutherans stand back and take no part in the tremendous forward movement to spread Christianity? The Lutheran Church stands for the proper relation between Church and State, creed and flag. That cannot be denied. You know that we are the greatest of the Protestant forces, numbering far more than all the other Protestant branches of the Church. Our history is great and you know that no movement has ever been started that has had the push of the centuries behind it. We have that push and it seems between the push behind of four centuries and the tremendous future which opens up before us, there ought to be such a push and pull that would cause every Lutheran to stand by his flag and creed and not rest until he plant that flag, which is the emblem not only of America, but everywhere. On the staff of the flag put the star of Bethlehem and then you will have the proper union of the cr ei and the flag.

After Dr. Fry's address, the audience, which crowded the church so that it was necessary to fill all available space with chairs, joined in singing the hymn, "For the Mercies of the Day," and reciting the Lord's Prayer. The excellent music of this session was under the direction of Miss Gainsley, of the Church of the Redeemer.

Under the auspices of the ladies of the various Lutheran churches of Albany, a collation was served the delegates and visitors in the parlors of St. John's Church.

The second session of the convention opened promptly at 9 o'clock on Wednesday morning with devotional services. Rev. Lloyd Steckel, of Platteville, Wis., conducted the morning devotions. They consisted of the "Morning Suffrages" or the "Morning Prayer of the Household." The hymns, "Come My Soul," and "Lord! in the Morning Thou Shalt Hear," were sung. The business session of the convention opened promptly at 9:30, the entire convention joining in singing "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name." In the absence of the Statistical Secretary, Mr. Paul B. Mattice, of Middleburgh, was appointed Secretary pro tem. The report of the General Secretary, Rev. Luther M. Kuhns, for the biennium was presented as follows:

General Secretary's Report.

To the President, and Members of the Tenth Biennial Convention of the Luther League of America: This convention marks seventeen years in the history and progress of the Luther League of America. During this time much has been accomplished by it in fostering the spirit of loyalty and stimulating increased Christian activity. Until the organization of the Luther League of America there was nothing distinctively Lutheran and under the management and direction of Lutheran Churchmen to fill the need of utilizing the latent force and wasted energies of our own young people. Says Leonard Woolsey Bacon: "In no denomination of the American Church was the social influence of an efficient Young People's Society more needed than among the Lutherans. From comparatively small dimensions, this denomination has grown, within a few decades, to be one of the most numerous of the American sects. It has been aggrandized by a great tide of immigration, in which have mingled currents from four principal nations, Teutonic and Scandinavian. Its new recruits are under the necessity, within a generation or two, of unlearning their ancestral language and learning English; and the danger is a grave one that in this transition, losing hold of patriotic and family traditions, they will make shipwreck of faith. But even if faith is saved, there is danger that the German or Scandinavian immigrant, in becoming American will lose his hold upon the church relations of his ancestors. And in the case of the Lutheran Church there is more to lose than in the case of some others. There is a great treasure of hymnody, the richest in Christendom, which must in any case be almost a total loss in the process of translation. But, besides this, there is a great history, reaching back into the ages before the Reformation; and a church polity which combines to a remarkable extent the elements of episcopal and classical authority and of congregational liberty; and a definite and characteristic theology, the ripe fruit of many generations of the highest scholarship; and venerable liturgical traditions, the outgrowth both of the studies of theologians and of the experience of saints. The leaders of the Lutheran Church in America have other and nobler reasons than those arising from mere sectarian emulation, when they study methods of organization that shall hold the youth of their congregations in social union, and promote their interest in the history, the worship and the activities of the Lutheran communion." remarkable, coming as it does from a New England source. Experience has demonstrated the worth of this society at critical periods of Church membership and has proved its value in impressing upon our youth the duties and obligations of Church membership.

This is

During the biennium official visitation was made of societies in South Dakota, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana and Wisconsin. Through the cooperation of the presidents and executive committees of the various States I have been enabled to attend

almost every State convention held during this time, and also a large number of district conventions. In accordance with the action of the Pittsburgh convention a month's campaign was conducted in the Chicago District League with the co-operation of the district officers and resident members of the executive committee of the Luther League of America. Societies in forty-nine congregations were reached. The work of the Luther League was presented to the students of Gettysburg, Chicago, Trinity, Mt. Airy, Hartwick, and Midland Theological Seminaries, and to the students of Dana College of the United Danish Lutheran Church, Jewell College of the Hauge Synod, Augustana College at Rock Island, Ill., and Augustana College at Canton, S. D. In addition to these I had the pleasure of meeting a number of Lutheran professors and students at the Nebraska, Iowa and Wisconsin State Universities, to whom the work of the Luther League was presented. Visits to these educational centers cannot fail to be of benefit. Michigan was likewise visited and at meetings in Detroit preliminaries were arranged for the organization of a Michigan State Luther League. In a large majority of these meetings instruction in the work of the Luther League, demonstration of the conducting of business and devotional meetings, the asking and answering of questions and the opportunity for the presentation of problems with an attempt at their solution, constituted the program. In each instance a followup campaign was advised the officers and committees. One thing developed in these visitations was an almost persistent, continued ignorance, or else a studied disregard in some quarters of the spirit, aims and methods of the Luther League work on the part of those who should know the principles and nature of the work. Many workers among our young people utterly disregard the principles in the Handbook authorized by previous conventions of the Luther League of America. This we believe can and should be corrected, as it is subversive of organization.

It was my privilege to participate in a number of special church services in various places, and in Lenten and Easter services under the auspices of the Luther Leagues. Where the Lenten and Easter services have been provided by the Luther Leagues, they have met with favor and have been regarded as beneficial.

There has been marked growth during the biennium in Junior work in certain localities. Increased and wider spread interest has arisen throughout the Church generally in this department of the work. is not without its difficulties and perplexities, but ever since the inauguration of this work at the Cincinnati convention in 1900, Junior work has been growing. The report of the statistical secretary will show to what extent it has developed.

Among the activities of our young people's societies the following may be enumerated: The establishment of lyceum lecture courses, the raising of funds for mission colleges, contribution to orphans' home, hospital funds, to increase the benevolent contributions to synodical and congregational funds, home and foreign mission funds, for the payment of old church debts, electric lights, the purchase of carpets, communion sets, money for the purchase of organs, to put Church papers in the Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A., starting of a library, reception to students and Church people, sunshine fund for the sick, flower fund, and entertainment for boys. In one State League six societies report eleven candidates for the ministry, five Leagues state that nine of their members are preparing for the ministry, one League has two of its members preparing for the work of the deaconess, one League has one member doing the work of the deaconess, one League has three of its memhers in the foreign field, one League supports a missionary in the foreign field, another supports a child in India, another supports a mission at home, sixteen Leagues have separate committees whose work is to visit the sick, decorate the church, distribute flowers and secure and interest old members.

Better organized and equipped the Luther League faces the future for more aggressive work than in the past. It would enlist the sympathy and co-operation of all our Lutheran young people. Being non-synodical in character, the legitimate place for Luther League work to be effective, the place to put the emphasis for its ever growing activities, must be found in the local societies. This is where the real practical benefits of its stimulating influence for Christian activity must be felt. It has cultivated the religious spirit; into many a home it has introduced a greater love of good

reading and the things of Christ have been more prized and appreciated, and at the same time by insisting upon a higher type of personal piety in its members, the Luther League has proven its right to exist by awakening in its members a clearer consciousness of Christian faith and producing greater fidelity to their own Church. Affirming the superiority of the spirit ual and the inferiority of the material, it would now, as ever in the past, foster loyalty to the Church of which Christ is the great head and fidelity to the pastor who is the under shepherd of the flock. The experience in the past is assuring for the future.

Upon the request of the officers of the State League the territory of the Iowa Central District was visited, and this district was reorganized. The State work in both Nebraska and Kansas has been reorganized, and the Nebraska State Luther League and the Kansas State Luther League apply for membership. Application for membership is made by the Luther League of St. Mark's Church, Baltimore, and by the Luther League Central of Baltimore and vicinity. These applications have been referred to the Credential Committee for action. Indiana and Ohio State Leagues have adopted new constitutions, based on the model constitution for State Luther Leagues. Uniform regulations governing the application for membership in District, State and National Leagues should be ob served. It should also be declared officially that, as far as feasible, the organization of the Luther League into State and District bodies shall be confined within the boundaries of the State lines, so that where Locals are received into Districts or States beyond their borders it shall be with the understanding that when such States effect organizations these societies may be demitted to enter their own geographical District or State organization.

At no time in its previous history have the pros pects of the Luther League been more auspicious. The future is rich with promise. The conventions of this year have been exceptionally good, and the various State Leagues are well officered. This is very important, for the efficiency of the National work de pends upon the good work done in the States, and State Leagues to aid in perfecting the National organization and impart to it permanent and solid organization for steady growth should be in closest touch and sympathy with the general work of the Luther League of America.

The following tabulated summary is submitted: Sermons, addresses and round tables... Conventions attended

271

33

25.00

To traveling expenses, account 1910 convention

To printing and stationery.

255.47 98.20

On motion the reports of the Treasurer and Statistical Secretary were ordered printed for distribution.

The finance committee reported as follows: Your finance committee would respectfully submit the following:

The efforts of the committee, during the blennium, have been devoted largely to the carrying out of the resolution adopted at Buffalo and reaffirmed at Canton, Chicago and Pittsburgh, requesting each local society to contribute ten cents per capita annually for the support of our General Secretary's salary fund.

The total receipts for the two years, from the various local societies in response to this request, were $2,281.60; an average of about 23% cents per member annually. With the receipts from the other sources as shown by the treasurer's report, the total income for the two years was $2,850.10.

This total of receipts includes $127.55, which was received in response to an appeal to individuals, authorized by the executive committee in October, 1911, in an effort to place the national organization upon firm financial basis.

Despite an increase in receipts during the bienntun. of $574.30, and owing to the fact that during the previous biennium the General Secretary was upon an extended furlough-doing, however, Luther League work at no expense to the Luther League-we are confronted today with a deficit of $74.92.

About 60 per cent. of the various local societies have failed to respond in any way to the request made in the resolution providing for the support of our national work.

A few societies have failed, either through neglect or otherwise, to meet in full the pledges made to our committee for this work. The total amount due and unpaid is $196.70.

Your committee wishes to again record its appreciation of the financial aid rendered by THE LUTHER LEAGUE REVIEW; the amount received from THE REVIEW was $150, all of which has been applied upon. the General Secretary's salary fund.

Further, we urge that the officers of our local societies shall see to it that their financial obligations to the Luther League of America be discharged as a first obligation to the support of our work, and this prior to the making of any contributions for other purposes.

After a solo by Miss Florence Degen, "Hold Thou My Hand," Rev. David A. Davy, of Chicago, delivered an address entitled "Serving the State, Serving God":

Serving the State, Serving God.

God's It is true government is by divine sanction. word declares it. Human experience confirms it. Whoever helps to realize and maintain just government "Serving the State is Serving God." Our subject rightly makes the service of God the paramount consideration. Who is the real ruler of the nations? Not President William Howard Taft, or President-elect Woodrow Wilson; not the Governor General of Canada, not King George of Britain. God is our King. King George, the Governor General of Canada, President William Howard Taft and President-elect Woodrow Wilson, as chief magistrates, if truly they are serving the people, are but subjects and servants of the King of Kings. The oath of office required of and taken by those called to responsible positions in the State is based upon a recognition of the fact that the ruler of the State should administer his office as the servant of God, realizing his ultimate responsibility to God the ultimate ruler.

Abraham Lincoln realized this when in his first inaugural speech he said: "You have no oath registered in Heaven to destroy the Government, while 1 shall have a most solemn one to preserve, protect and defend it." We do not wonder that "calling God to witness in all he did or said he was the servant, not simply of human law, but also of divine justice." He went forth as one who was set apart to the service of God.

Not always has there been, nor everywhere today is there this conception, "That the individual serving the State serves God."

There are those who look upon all human forms of government as essentially bad and unworthy of the Christian's support. Their attitude is that of nonparticipation or passive resistance. Only a theocracy would seem to them deserving of their active support and service. They do not understand that a new theocracy is, age by age, being established on this continent and that it will be a reality when the mass of the people will have been so molded and moved by the Word of God that "Vox Dei" becomes "Vox Populi." The time was, and in parts of the earth may even be today, that rulers regarded neither God nor the natural and inalienable rights of their subjects. Christian men rightly questioned 'as to whether they might consistently with their faith, be obedient to despots and be the law abiding subjects of godless monarchs.'

Luther and Melancthon in drafting article sixteen of our peerless Lutheran Confession gave utterance to the fundamental teachings of scripture and expressed that right attitude of Christians toward their governments and governors, which is universal in its application and which is a true guide for the Christian citizens of these United States of America and of the Dominion of Canada; yes, and for Christian citizens everywhere today and throughout all time.

Society today is so organized and man has become so associated with his fellow man in the industrial and social organism that today we must evangelize the social organism before many can be brought to consider their individual and personal relations with God.

To save many we must eradicate protected vice and licensed evil, which make sections of our cities and many homes miniature hells, and which make many men and many women veritable devils. God's purpose

is the regeneration of the race by the regeneration of the individuals of the race. God is ready to do His part, but He is hindered by our delay to redeem the city, the state, the nation. There is a social regeneration which must precede the individual salvation. Through the State Christian men and women must enact laws which will aim to give to each an equal opportunity and a fair chance to be saved. What think you? Does the child born in a brothel and reared in ignorance and poverty and vice, have

half a chance? Think of the multitude of children who are without a fair chance to be saved, are growing up to a Godless life and going down to a Christless grave. Will not the Christian men and women

of this nation, with something of the compassion of the Son of God, who became son of man, rise up in their might and serving God through the enactment and the enforcement of just laws make possible the salvation of the individual through the redemption of the city; that to those who are "down and out" morally, socially, spiritually, there may be given an equal opportunity to know and receive and live for Jesus Christ and be saved.

He who, with the love of God toward man in his heart, with the fire of God's spirit in his soul, with the mark of Christ upon his forehead, goes forth to the political arena and battles against the wild beasts of greed and graft and lust and vice and crime, which seek to rend the body politic; he who enters legislative halls or occupies the judge's bench, who accepts public office and as a real servant of God, becomes the true servant of the people, resisting and bating the forces of injustice; he who, as a statesman, wisely directs the destinies of the nation and through the nation influences the world for God, is no less a servant of God than the minister who from the sacred desk proclaims the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ.

com

true

The church cannot do without the state. The state cannot do without the church. Each is necessary to the other and both to the well being and highest life of man. The church must provide the moral dynamic necessary in order to just government. The state must afford protection to the church. The state should not and must not dominate the church. By legislation and the compulsions of law, men cannot be made truly religious and Christian. The church should not dominate the state. History proclaims that su h domination has been disastrous alike to true liberty and to true religion. The American church and the American state must be kept separate. But if the nation is to long endure, the morality and honest, and equal justice and righteousness and love, which are the inevitable outward expression of the inner life and spirit of the true church, must become so incarnated in the lives of the men and women who constitute church and state that these qualities shall permeate the American state.

Given a great people, with a free church and a free state each exercising its proper functions and neither infringing upon the rights and prerogatives of the other; the state providing true liberty under law, the external condition amid which the church may do her perfect work.

The church as the conscience of the state, providing the moral dynamic without which a just government and equal opportunity are impossible. And you have the ideal nation. To this we in America have in a measure and more and more must approximate.

Young Lutherans and old Lutherans and all Lutherans and all Christians, as true servants of God must enter into the activities of the state, infusing into the state and its workings the love and justice and righteousness of God. Too often the grafter and the corrupt politician are dominant in the state while church men mistakenly stand aside and have naug't to do with practical politics, lest they soil their holy hands. Guided by the word of God, inspired by the spirit of God, church men must, under God, dominate the state in order that the state may fulfill her Godgiven mission.

Here on this continent where civil and religious liberty, made possible by the signal service for God and for humanity, rendered by Dr. Martin Luther, has reached the largest fruition, here on this continent it has seemed that true religion and just government are to have highest expression in law and in life. Young people of the Dominion of Canada and of these United States, what a blessed heritage you have in this remarkable American freedom. What a sacred trust. What reasons you have for gratitude to Almighty God and to the men and women, who, in the bygone days on this continent and across the seas, serving God, transformed the state and made possible this precious American freedom, political and ligious. But even here in free America there is danger that unpatriotic and godless men shall by unholy means prostitute this freedom in order to gain their selfish ends. Our form of government is ideal. But however ideal the form of it may be, prostituted by

re

unscrupulous men to unholy uses, the danger to our free institutions is that a crafty and grasping hierarchy or the unscrupulous politician, the bribe giver, the bribe taker, the corrupt boss and an unscrupulous trust, will exercise a power which will deprive the mass of the people of their just rights and prerogatives. So that even in this free land and more especially in this free land it is necessary that the honest citizen and the genuinely patriotic and the truly Christian shall be concerned about matters of government and shall see that every man enjoys true liberty under law. Preeminently is it true that in a republic like ours whoever would truly serve God must sincerely and self sacrificingly serve the state.

Today our American state is face to face with new and profound problems which are calling for solution. There is the influx of a vast foreign population, unfamiliar with our democratic institutions and bringing with them the habits and customs of continental southern Europe. The congestion of this foreign population in our cities adds greatly to the awful city problem. The very ends of the earth seem to be coming hither. America has been well called "the melting pot of the nations." Seemingly in the provi dence of God these United States of America and the Dominion of Canada are to be the training school of the nations in self government for God.

There is the industrial problem resulting from the growth of trusts and trade unions. There is the race problem, with the freedman as the chief factor, as yet unsolved. There are the corrupt politicians and the corrupt capitalists. There is the godless socialist with his disregard of private rights and personal prerogatives. There is the anarchist with his red flag and his hatred of all government. Problems and foes from within and from without threaten the perpetuity of our free institutions. Tremendous issues are involved. Government of the people, by the people, for God on this continent, is on trial. The need of the hour is for God quickened men who, serving the state shall serve God.

The church has not been providing sufficient of moral dynamic. As a result in the state there has been injustice and misrule with technical evasions of just laws. Many church members have not counted service for the state as service for God. Selfish motives too often have dominated. Many having feigned religion in the church have manifested none in the state. Many church men have shirked their political duties.

A

But the conscience of the nation is being aroused The quickening power of the gospel is at work. new day is dawning when men shall "do justly, love mercy and walk humbly before the Lord," a new day in which the true church man, impelled by dynamic of the indwelling Holy Spirit, through the Word of God, with love to God and to his fellow man shall go forth to be the true statesman and servant of the people.

The greatest statesman, other things being equal, is the man, who, recognizing that he is a God commissioned man, becomes the greatest servant of the people. The old idea was that "to the victor belongs the spoils." The new idea is that the victor belongs, not the spoils, but a great responsibility, a sacred and a holy obligation to God and to all people. To America, "the land of the free and the home of the brave," the nations of the earth are looking. America seemingly is to be God's instrument to bring the world to the foot of the cross.

"As goes America so goes the world." "Our Country, God's Country," and "the World for Christ" must be the slogan of the Lutheran young people ot America.

The future of America rests with her young people. Young people of the Church of Luther, you who have received the heritage of this priceless civil and religious freedom, you who should hold your citizenship in free America, as a sacred trust; serving the state, serve God. Serving the state serve God as private citizens at the polls. Serving the state serve God by the acceptance and administration of public office as a public trust. Serving the state, serve God by the enactment of just laws. Serving the state, serve God by the enforcement of just laws.

A paper was then read by Robbin B. Wolf, Esq., Pittsburgh, entitled "Lutheranism Vindicated in American Liberty."

Lutheranism Vindicated in American

Liberty.

We are led to believe by friend and for alike and we do believe that it was Martin Luther's brave resistance even at the risk of excommunication and of death, that forced the issue and made the Reformation possible in his day. This fact was at least conceded by his enemies who called al Protestants Lutherans as an epithet of reproach.

The Reformation did succeed and has endured. The Protestant churches grew by leaps and bounds and the mother church was forever shorn of glorious unity.

its

As to whether or not, from a doctrinal point of view, Luther was justified in making this attack on the established church, I am not at this time concerned, but I am here to discuss whether this Reformation, this Lutheranism has been vindicated in American liberty, or, as to what is the relation of the inalienable rights which we enjoy under our Constition, to the Reformation of Martin Luther.

First: The Reformation gave to the individual the right of autonomy. Prior to the Reformation the despotic power of the Pope was absolute.

Men were

His

kept in subjugation to the church by the fear of punishments, which the church imposed in life and threatened to impose even beyond the grave, and as a result the believer was the suppliant of the church. Luther's brave spirit could not and would not endure this surrender of self to any earthly power. zealous resistance led others to follow and self respect grew apace. Minds once loosed from their accustomed yoke, developed as never before, deve.oned inventive capacity and energy of character which gave rise to marvelous achievements in science, political action and in every work where self reliance and personal force are called for. This idea of autonomy rapiary spread over the continent of Europe and the explorers brought it with them across the Atlantic.

Second: Lutheranism favors universal education and education insures liberty. Prior to the Reformation learning was confined to the clergy and even to them was permitted only such learning as had passed the papal censorship. Original research into new fields of learning was inconsistent with the church's previous holdings of infallibility. The bitter persecution of Galileo, persecution which followed even beyond the grave, shows how the mother church stifled independent thought. But Luther soon saw to it that through the timely invention of the printing press the Bible was published abroad through the land and the German peasants thus got their first taste of good literature and the naturally resultant thirst for more. The growth of learning was phenomenal and today Lutheran Germany leads the world in education and in both Germany and Scandinavia we have no i literates. When these German and Scandinavian Lutherans and their offspring came to America they invariably provided that the school house should go up side by side with the church.

Third: Lutheranism, while primarily intended to obtain religious liberty, eventually brought civil liberty. Kings and emperors had long yielded to the supremacy of the Pope, in both ecclesiastical and civil affairs, but when they saw the absolutism of the Pope broken in the church, they began to desire independence in matters of state and to yearn for the rights and prerogatives which had long been denied. Luther inspired in his followers the love of personal rights and the consequent high regard for the rights of others. And having learned to know these rights all Protestants alike saw to it that these rights were secured to them in their forms of government and in legislation. The Catholic church, on the other hand, has always seemed willing to endure any form of gov. ernment, however popular, so long as that government remained servile to the church, but as a matter of fact, in most cases we find Rome the ally of arbitrary forms of government.

Fourth: Lutheranism in this country has always stood for religious toleration. Many sects that came to colonize in America brought with them their religious bigotry and intolerance. The early Dutch Lutherans on Manhattan Island were for a long time denied the right to maintain public worship according to their own forms. It remained for Gusta us Adolphus to give the first order for religious tolerance toward their neighbors to the Swedish Lutherans on the banks of the Delaware. Thus was inaugurated that most precious of American liberties-the right to

Finally, the Reformation of Luther demonstrated that a bloodless revolution is the most effective and its results most permanent. Whatever may be gained for a season by the victories of war, liberty that endures is obtained only by appeal to the hearts and consciences of men. Legislatures may enact laws without limit, commanding what is right and forbidding what is wrong; czars and emperors may issue decrees backed up by the power of standing armies, and perhaps avail nothing permanent, but when by Christian education men are taught to know the right and do the right, and when to "love thy neighbor as thyself" is indelibly written in the hearts of men and made the governing principle of men's daily lives, then, and then only, do men learn to live and let live.

Would that time would permit me to call to your attention in grand array the long list of Lutheran champions who have contributed to the cause of freedom in the United States-of soldiers in both the Revolutionary War and in the Civil War who fought well because they loved their cause; of teachers who were well informed and had the power to impart; of judges who showed mercy and who could not be corrupted; of governors who ruled righteously; of bankers who by their rugged honesty built up business confidence and established a stable system of finance, and of the men of God who have given the full measure of their devotion to the uplift of the downtrodden and to the perpetuation of civil liberty by preaching the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. Lutheranism stands in history as the upholder and guardian of civil order and as the inspirer of those political ideas which secure human rights. It took the government of the church from the control of the clergy and put it in the hands of the laity, where it rightly belongs, and this plan of popular government, as created in and by the Protestant churches, served as a powerful guide and example to the framers of the American Constitution and is embodied therein. It began by the education of the masses and has ever since advocated universal Christian education. Having overcome the intolerance of the papal authority, it displayed its broad mindedness by showing a spirit of Christian toleration to those of other creeds, and finally, it did not work by slaughter and bloodshed, but by the power of ideas.

As I intimated before, the discovery of America just nine years after the birth of Luther was not a mere coincidence, but part of the divine plan; the newly discovered country belonged by right of discovery and conquest to Roman Catholic Spain, but it was not ordained that the Government of Spain should long endure in the free soil of America. The Lutherans, with their love of liberty, came over soon after the discovery of America and a mighty host of Lutherans and of other Protestants, nearly all of whom now acknowledge their debt to Luther, have been coming ever since. They had neither the means nor the might to win control at once by the power of arms, but while conservative they were doggedly persistent and their ideas of liberty of speech, liberty of conscience, freedom of the press and the abolition of tyranny eventually prevailed.

And when, in 1776, the yoke of England was shaken off, the very watchword of the new republic was "Liberty." That liberty, as I endeavored to show, was the direct offspring of the Protestant Reformation. We may decry that the church of Christ has been rent in twain, we may bemoan the blood that has been shed in the establishment of a new faith, but we are compelled to own our debt immense of endless gratitude to Martin Luther for a great measure of the liberty which we Americans today enjoy. That liberty, the fathers have willed to us as their richest legacy; to preserve it and most important of all, to deserve it, is the solemn duty and bounden obligation of us who remain.

A baritone solo from "Stabat Mater" was rendered by Mr. John Dreslein.

The President appointed the following committees:

Resolutions-Rev. M. J. Bieber, Canada; Hon. Lewis Larson, South Dakota; Rev. G. H. Bechtold, New Jersey; Miss Annette