Our Churches and Institutions IN SOME OF THE LARGE CITIES New York Christ Church, Rev. G. U. Wenner, D.D., pastor, announces the purpose to build a parish house on a plot beside the church edifice on East Nineteenth street. The needs of the congregation have long demanded the services of assistants to the pastor, but the expense of living in this great metropolitan city has limited the number to one, a deaconess. It is expected that the possession of the parish house will enable the church to support an adequate corps of workers. An assistant pastorate has already been decided upon, with a view, especially, to developing the English work of the congregation. The thirty-fifth anniversary of the Church will occur in October next. - Bethany Church, in the Bronx, Rev. J. F. W. Kitzmeyer, pastor, recently liquidated its second mortgage, and observed the event with appropriate exercises of rejoicing and thanksgiving. -Trinity Church, Rev. S. A. K. Francis, pastor, has paid off its mortgage of $10,000, and on January 8 the event was happily celebrated. - Christ Church, of which Rev. G. C. Reese is pastor, has purchased a valuable lot in addition to the one on which the church is located. Chicago St. James's Mission has purchased and paid for a lot in the past 17 months. The cost was $760. - Wicker Park Church, Rev. A. D. Crile, pastor, has been redecorated and was reopened on Christmas Day. -Covenant English Church, which is being regularly supplied by Rev. Dr. Gerberding of the Seminary, has extended a call to the Rev. C. K. Solberg of Vermillion, S. D. The debt of the Salem congregation has been reduced during the past year by $2016.17. A benefit was given at the Christmas season for the Passavant Hospital, which resulted in over $3000 toward the floating debt caused by the recent addition. The hospital is very popular on the North Side, is crowded with patients and badly in need of additional young women to enter the training school. Washington -St. Paul's, the mother Church of English Lutheranism in Washington, Rev. F. W. Moot, pastor, celebrated its sixtieth anniversary on January 4. Buffalo The English Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity, Rev. F. A. Kaehler, D.D., pastor, is to erect a new building on the west side of Main street, on a lot 110 x 218 feet, and is to set back from the front lot line about 30 feet. The plans contemplate a stone building in the Tudor style of Gothic architecture. The Sunday school, which adjoins the church at the rear, is 97 x 56 feet, with class rooms on the first floor and in the gallery, all of which by sliding doors and partitions may be thrown into one large room with excellent light and ventilation throughout. The basement will contain rooms The Scandinavian Lutheran Church, Elizabeth, N. J., was dedicated on Sunday, January 18, services being held in the afternoon and in the evening. The neat little edifice was built some time ago, and there remained a mortgage of $750. This was paid off before the dedication occurred. The pastor, Rev. I. Tollefsen, was assisted by Revs. R. Anderson, M. H. Hegge, L. H. Kjaer and C. M. Tollefsen of Brooklyn, and Frederick C. Krapf of Elizabeth. - The Lutheran Church at Centre Brunswick, N. Y., recently reconsecrated its church building after renovation, costing about $3000. Rev. J. H. Weaver is the pastor. A third English Lutheran Church is to be organized at Mansfield, Ohio. Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cambridge, Ohio, Rev. O. F. Harshman, pastor, was dedicated on Sunday, December 21. Dr. Ort of Wittenberg College preached the ser mon. The foundation has been laid for the new church building to be built by the Lutheran congregation at Warren, Pa. -A site for a church has been purchased by the Lutheran congregation at Oil City, Pa. The price to be paid for it is $2200. One-half of this sum is already paid over. St. James' Lutheran Church, Reading, Pa., Rev. Dr. M. C. Horine, pastor, has become heir to the entire estate of the late Harry M. Fox. who recently died at Pottstown, Pa. -Trinity Lutheran Church, Mechanicsburg, Pa., celebrated, in December, its fiftieth anniversary. St. Mark's Lutheran Church of Atchison, Kan., Rev. L. S. Keyser, D.D., pastor, has assumed self support, and has sent suitable resolutions of thanks to the Board of Home Missions for generous help in the past. -A new Lutheran mission, with 24 charter members, was organized in Vancouver, Wash., on December 14, by Rev. W. F. Holl and Rev. J. A. Leas, president of the Pacific Synod. -Newberry College, S. C., is taking a great step forward. It has decided to add to its present equipment a much needed $25,000 building. - Mr. G. H. Knollenberg, Richmond, Ind., has recently donated the sum of $1500 toward the endowment of the German Department of the Western Theological Seminary of the General Synod, at Atchison, Kan. -An unknown donor, a member of the Lutheran Church at Lancaster, Ohio, has sent an offering of $500 to the General Synod Board of Foreign Missions for the support of the Muhlenberg Mission in Africa. -By the will of the late Caroline Justine Freudenberger, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Pa., receives the sum of $1000. Five Good Books (Continued from page 19.) work, but he has secured remarkably accurate information down to very recent date, which, together with a large number of illustrations, give one an exceedingly intelligent idea of the magnitude of the mission work done by our Lutheran Church in all the world. In view of the active campaign planned by several of our Foreign Mission boards, we know of no one book by any of our own writers that will so inform, interest and enthuse Lutheran people on the subject of Foreign Missions as will this modest book of Brother Laury's. It deserves a wide circulation throughout the churches, Sunday schools and young people's societies, as it is admirably adapted for all these purposes, as well as for a fairly comprehensive reference work. He who reads it will surely run faster the way the Master commands. See page 29 for prices of these books. Book Notes MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. Translated from the German of George Christian Dieffenbach by Charles E. Hay, D.D. Pp. 238. Cloth, 75 cents net; with gilt edges, $1 net; imitation morocco, $1.75; Turkey morocco, $2.75; special prices by the dozen. Lutheran Publication Society, 1424 Arch street, Philadelphia. Here is provided a daily Scripture selection, with a meditation thereupon and a prayer for the entire Lenten season. The Passion history is covered, the Sunday Gospels and Epistles, and various other passages of the Bible most closely related to Christ's Atonement. A harmonized history of our Lord's Passion from the Four Gospels closes the book. To those who know anything of Dieffenbach's devotional nature and writings this book needs no further commendation than to say that the translation has been done by one of much experience in such work and that his best effort has been expended thereupon. Every Lutheran pastor will do his people a service by urging their purchase and use of the volume. It will certainly become one of the most-used devotional books for Lent in America. The Lutheran Publication Society has issued nothing for which they are more to be thanked than for this. New Service to California On January 4, 1903, the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, in connection with the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific railways, established through car service between Chicago and Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and California, with three daily trains in each direction. Equipment consists of Pullman First-Class and Tourist Sleeping Cars, Buffet Library Smoking Cars, Dining Cars, and Free Reclining Chair Cars. For detailed information, for rates, time tables, sleeping car reservations, call on your nearest Ticket Agent or address Geo. J. Lincoln, Commercial Agent, 818 Chestnut street, Philadelphia, Pa. Luther League Conducted by 1. S. RUNYON SEND IN THE NEWS.-Under this heading we aim to give the fullest reports possible of all District and Loc: 3 Leagues. Secretaries and other officers are earnestly solicited to send in reports and items of news promptly. LUTHER LEague of NEW YORK STATE. LUTHER LEAGUE OF PENNSYLVANIA. LUTHER LEAGUE OF KANSAS. Pres., REV. A. M. L. HERENIUS,. Sec'y, Miss JOSEPHINE MAEDEL,. LUTHER LEAGUE OF NEW JERSEY. Pres., Rev. F. C. KRAPF, 48 6th St., Cor. Bec'y, MISS AUGUSTA NEUBECK, 46 De Hart Place. LUTHER LEAGUE OF ILLINOIS. Pres., PROF. C. O. SOLBERG, Sec'y, Miss MAY C. MELANDER, LUTHER LEAGUE OF OHIO. Pres., REV. F. G. GOTWALD, Sec'y, CHARLES RIBBLE, LUTHER LEAGUE OF WISCONSIN. Sec'y, Miss LILLIAN L. FRICK. LUTHER LEAGUE OF INDIANA-KENTUCKY. Philadelphia. Pa Chilicothe, O Lima, Ohio. Zanesville, Ohio. Mansfield, Ohio. LUTHER LEAGUE OF IOWA. Pres. REV. S. R. ELSON, Sec'y, REV. O. G. U. SILJAU, LUTHER LEAGUE OF NEBRASKA. Pres., REV. LUTHER M. KUHNS, Cor. Sec'y, MISS MARGARET PIERSON, LUTHER LEAGUE OF SO. DAKOTA. Pres.. KEV. C K. SOLBerg, Cor. Sec'y, REV. PROF. FRIDA BU, LUTHER LEAgue of CentRAL CONNECTICUT. Cor. Sec'y, MISS SIGNI ISAKSON, Iowa City Northwood. Omaha Lincoin. Vermillion. Dell Rapids. Minneapolis. Northfield. Organized New Haven - New Haven. Prosperity. Pomaria. Pres., PROF. E. D. BUSBY, Sec'y, PROF. H. H. AAKER, The General Secretary's Itinerary Arrangements have been completed for an Inaugural Meeting" or introduction of Rev. Luther M. Kuhns as General Secretary of the Luther League of America in St. Paul's Church, Twenty-second street, above Columbia avenue, Philadelphia, on Friday evening, February 13. The meeting will be under the auspices of the Executive Committee of the Luther League of America, and President Stoever will preside. On Monday, February 16, a meeting will be held in Baltimore with the pastors and young people of the Lutheran churches of that city, with a view to interesting them in the organization of a District Luther League in Baltimore. President Stoever and Mr. Eilert also expect to attend this meeting. Arrangements have been made to hold a meeting in Holy Trinity Church, Jersey City, on Friday evening, February 20, at which the Leaguers of New Jersey will greet the new Secretary. Monday evening, February 23, the Luther League of New York City will hold a meeting in New York City to formally present the new Secretary to those who first began the work of organizing our Lutheran young people. The meeting will be held in St. James's Church, Seventy-third street and Madison avenue. During the week of February 23 meetings will probably be held in Pittsburgh and Buffalo, and in the following week at Columbus, Louisville and Chicago. During the month of February the General Secretary requests that all communications be addressed to him at P. O. Box 876, New York City. Luther League of America Guarantee Fund for the Support of the General Secretary. The Finance Committee of the Luther League of America has issued the following appeal to the friends of the League of America. We publish it in this column for the information of the League in general and with the hope that it may meet with a response from some friends of the League who may not be reached by the Finance Committee. Any person willing to become one of the guarantors of this fund will please send his name, address and the amount of his pledge to F. A. Hartranft, Esq., Chairman of the Finance Committee, 1215 Stephen Girard Building, Philadelphia, Pa. PHILADELPHIA, January 1, 1903. To the Friends of the Luther League of America: It is imperative for the League to have a General Secretary in the field. A man can be secured, and we believe that the larger part of his compensation and expenses can be provided for out of the general revenues of the Luther League of America and the LUTHER LEAGUE REVIEW. But it has been thought best for the satisfaction of the General Secretary and all concerned that his compensation be assured in advance. The Executive Committee proposes to provide a Guarantee Fund of $1,000, to be called for only in the event of the other revenues proving insufficient, and then only in the proportion of the amount guaranteed by the subscribers to the amount of the deficiency. We earnestly appeal to you as a friend of the League to assist us in raising this Guarantee Fund at as early a date as possible. lowing have already subscribed: E. F. Eilert.. Wm. C. Stoever. John F. Dinkey. C. A. Smith.. Rev. Geo. H. Schnur. Horace W. Bikle. Wm. L. Henrich. York The fol .$50.00 50.00 50.00 50.00 50.00 50.00 25.00 Luther League of Holy Trinity, New 66 50.00 50.00 50.00 25.00 25.00 25.00 10.00 The Secretary of this last named League says: 'Our League passed a motion some time ago authorizing our Treasurer to pay $10 annually for the support of a General Secretary." This is therefore our annual contribution. Other Leagues might profit by this example. FRANK A. HARTRANFT, Esq., Chairman, 1215 Stephen Girard Building, Philadelphia, Pa. J. MARTIN ROMMEL, JOHN F. DINKEY, GEORGE D. BOSCHEN, LOUIS VAN GILLUWE, Finance Committee. Please address reply to chairman. K NEW YORK STATE New York City -The annual meeting of the Luther League of New York city occurred on Monday evening, January 19, at St. Mark's Church, 323 Sixth street, Rev. George C. F. Haas, D.D., pastor. The reports of officers and committees indicated a reasonable degree of success in the year's work. A significant feature was the report, in detail by the Literature Committee, of a plan for a course of normal instruction for Bible students and teachers. The preliminary work of this course is to be taken up this season, lectures by Rev. C. Armand Miller, Rev. F. H. Kneibal and Rev. J. A. W. Haas, D.D., being given at St. James's Church, Madison avenue and Seventy-third street, Tuesday evenings, beginning February 10. Upon the president's recommendation there was adopted a resolution providing for the gathering and compiling of statistics of the district League. The Executive Committee was authorized to arrange a reception to the newly elected General Secretary of the Luther League of America, Rev. Luther M. Kuhns, to be given him at St. James's Church on a convenient date in February. Plans for the next State convention, which will be held in this city, were discussed. The officers of the League were re-elected as follows: Pres., I. S. Runyon; vice-pres., Henry D. Brandes; rec. sec., William Gaskell; cor. sec., Frank E. Jackson, 323 East Twenty-seventh street; treas., Frederick Bohlig; trustees, William H. Rose, George A. Kuhirt and William M. Suhr. The Luther League of the Church of the Redeemer, Yonkers, Rev. J. W. Smith, pastor, was received into membership. - The illustrated lecture report of the convention of the Luther League of America was delivered at Bethany Church on Wednesday, January 21. The slides and their manipulators, besides the lecturer, received the well merited applause of an appreciative audience of about 200. Messrs. Bunger, Naegele and Runyon, the latter of whom delivered the lecture in Mr. Eilert's stead, have the sincere thanks of Bethany. Albany District - The Luther League of the Church of the Redeemer, Albany, the Rev. H. Douglass Spaeth, pastor, has devoted its meetings largely to literary exercises. At the last regular meeting the exercises consisted of a discussion upon the life and works of Gustavus Adolphus, which proved to be very instructive. A sketch of his life was given by Mr. Clarence E. Krumbholtz, which showed deep thought and careful preparation. An essay, entitled "His Aid to the Lutheran Cause," was read by Miss Emma Smith, and was well received. Miss Minnie D. Lehmann then gave a good criticism of the work of Gustavus Adolphus in and for the Church, and his influence on the political conditions of Europe. The discussion was open to the society, Reverend Spaeth gave a good outline of the Thirty Years' War, in which the "Lion of the North played such an important part. Mr. Karl O. Strenge then spoke of the death of Gustavus Adolphus and his brave and heroic character, which should be an inspiration to those professing the Lutheran faith. At the next regular meeting, which will be held February 16, there will be a debate on "Resolved, That the task of maintaining the Union (1861) was greater than that of establishing it (1775)." The speakers in the affirmative will be Fred W. LUTHER LEAGUE OF AMERICA Schwartz, Louis C. Smith and Rev. H. Douglass Spaeth. The speakers in the negative will be Jacob H. Smith, Fred W. Smith and John H. Strenge. Delaware and Hudson District -The Luther League of the English Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Rev. M. J. Bieber, pastor, elected the following officers for the year 1903: Pres., Fritz Ingwall; vice-pres., Fred. Lofstrom; rec. sec., Miss May Bradt; cor. sec., Miss Almae Kneppel; treas., Miss Edna Marthis. The League was one of four parties to defray the expense of frescoing the church recently. Buffalo District -At the annual meeting of the Luther League of Buffalo, held January 21, the election of officers resulted as follows: Pres., Edwin F. A. Kurtz: vice-pres., C. G. Graner; rec. sec., C. Oliver Schaefer; treas., Frank A. Kalmbach; finan. sec., Miss Jennie Sticht. There are eight societies represented in the Central. The League has guaranteed the Luther League of America an amount of $25 toward the maintenance of the General Secretary. Nearly $600 has been raised toward the fund for the support of the League's missionary to India. At its meeting, held January 13, the Luther League of the Church of the Atonement, Rev. T. W. Kretschmann, pastor, elected the following officers: Pres., Fred. G. Kiesel; vicepres., Miss Elizabeth Ernst; sec., Philip Rohrbacker; treas., Miss Elizabeth Grauer. The League raised $100 by personal subscription during 1902 toward the support of the foreign missionary to be sent out by the Buffalo League. The February literary meeting of Holy Trinity Luther League, Dr. Kähler, pastor, will be held at the home of the president, Mr. C. O. Schaefer, 239 Masten street, on the 13th. Offerings at these meetings will be used to furnish the League parlor in the new church. At the December meeting it was suggested that each member present hold himself responsible for the attendance of three others at the next meeting. In consequence the January meeting was very large. If the plan is followed out there will be three times as many at the following meetings. A very good kind of endless chain. New members are: Miss Annette Kähler and Miss Christine Sticht. NEW JERSEY Miss Prudence Kerr, of Atlantic City, treasurer of the Luther League of New Jersey, was married in January to Mr. R. H. Krueger, a young business man of Camden. Communications to the treasurer should be addressed to Mrs. R. H. Krueger, 673 Fairview street, Camden, N. J. The Luther League of the Augustana Church, at Passaic, Rev. A. Aaron, pastor, has a small membership of very zealous workers. On January 6 the annual meeting was held, and officers elected as follows: Pres., Carl J. Swanstrom; vice-pres., Axel Olson; rec. sec., Herman Lindeberg; cor. sec., Mrs. A. Aaron; finan. sec., August Johnson; treas., Nels Griel; critic, Hans Nelson; librarians, Olga Nelson and Jennie Swenson. The Dorcas Society of this con MÖLLER. 27 gregation is really the Junior League, whose officers were elected January 2, as follows: Pres., Judith Nelson; vice-pres., Anna S. Nelson; rec. sec., Ruth Johnson; cor. sec., Hildur Lofquist; finan. sec., Hildur Wahlstrom; treas., Jennie Peterson. Miss Edith Tobin of Portland, Maine, was elected an honorary member. One of the first additions to the library was the LUTHER LEAGUE REVIEW. The Augustana Society of Paterson held its annual meeting January 2, when the following officers were elected: Pres., Fritz Julander; vice-pres., William Johnson: rec. sec., Miss Mary Linquist; finan. sec., Miss Anna Holmberg; treas., Miss Ida Carlson. This society is preparing for application to membership in the State Luther League, and hopes to entertain the State Convention this year. - The annual meeting of the Tabitha Society, Paterson, was held January 3, and the election of officers resulted as follows: Pres., Celga Lieberg; first vice-pres., Edith Johnson; sec. vicepres., Mabel Johnson; rec. sec., Ruby Olson; cor. sec., Jennie E. Larson; finan. sec., Ignaz Lindguist; treas., Gena Lieberg; organist, Edith Johnson. Vera Johnson of Rush City, Minn., was elected an honorary member. Mrs. A. Aaron, wife of the pastor, is superintendent. The Augustana people in New Jersey have been somewhat slow to take up the young people's society idea, perhaps more than any other reason because of their characteristic caution. The motto, "Try the spirits whether they are of God," to which we are informally bound, necessarily limits our readiness to accept a good idea while it is being employed to save us from a weak one. Loyalty to fixed principles often involves delay in accepting a new idea which upon test is proven to be not a violation of those principles. Another reason for the Augustana churches' lack of speed in the development of this branch of work in the East has been that we are weak in numbers. But now we have brought this form of organized activity into our churches and have begun to advance steadily. It is with pleasure that we invite Rev. Lorimer in Jersey City, Rev. Sandahl in Montclair and Rev. Swenson in Arlington with their societies into the State League. There is a district association of Augustana young people's societies embracing those in New York and vicinity, but this will not work against the Luther League rather, it will speed the final association with it. We thank the President of the Luther League of New York City, who is also an associate editor of the REVIEW, for the kind invitation to join, and hope before long we may be able to do so. A. AARON. -The Young People's Union of the German Church at Elizabeth, Rev. C. G. Fischer, pastor, has arranged for the illustrated report of the National League Convention by Mr. Eilert, to be given at their rooms on Thursday evening, February 26. It is probable that also Holy Trinity League, Jersey City, Rev. E. E. Nuedewitz, pastor, will hear the report in the near future. The article on "Björnstjerne Björnson in the January number of the Critic is by John Nilsen Lauwik, a member of the League of Holy Trinity Church, Elizabeth. Builder of Church, Sunday School, Concert and Parlor Pipe Organs. HAGERSTOWN, MD. |