Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 12.djvu/623

* LUTHEBANISM. 553 LUTHERANISM. congregations delegating a variable measure of authority to the synod. Lay eldership generally obtains, but not as of divine warrant. The clergy with the lay deputies — who may l)e other than elders — form synods, which prescribe the essen- tials of a constitution re(iuired of congregations seeking membership, exercise a degree of over- sight over them, and have full authority over Biinisters. The general bodies, in which a number of synods have united, determine respec- tively the confessional requirements made of ministers in their connection, and the publica- tion of catechisms, hj-mnals, and liturgies used within their bounds. Cases may arise where congregations are sub- jected to discipline for disregarding synodical action, but if they .see fit to dissolve their con- nection with one general body and unite with another, or assume an independent relation, they do not lose their Lutheran character. The Common Service. The Lutheran Church u.ses fi.xed forms of worship. While it does not regard them as essential, or hold uniformity in rites and ceremonies necessary to the true unity of the Cliurch. the desirability of a common form for all congregations was recognized by Luther and his colleagues. Various circumstances in the United States contributed to a striking di- versity of forms not only in the different bodies, but in different congregations connected with the same body. This was widely deprecated as an evil, and the bodies embracing the American ele- ment agreed in 1S81-83 to unite in the prepara- tion of a Common Order of Service '"on the basis of the common consent of the pure Lutheran liturgies of the sixteenth centurj'." The result, under the name of The Common Serrire. was unanimously adopted by each of the three bodies the General Synod, the General Council, and the United Synod of the South, along with the state- ment: "If at any time or place the use of the full service is not desired, it is in entire con- formity with good Lutheran usage that a simpler service may be provided and used, in which only the princi]ial parts of the service in their order are contained." The English Synod of Missouri has since adopted the same service, as have also the Norwegian-English churches. The service begins with the Cotifessioii of Sins and the Declaration of Grace, by which all wor- ship is grounded on the atoning sacrifice. Then follow the Iiitroit with the Gloria Patri. the Kyrie, the Gloria in Excrhis. the Salutation and the Response, the f'olhct. the Epistle and the Gospel, the Creed, the ])rineipal lltjmn. the Ser- mon, the Offcrtorii, the General Prai/cr, culmi- nating in the IIoli/ Communion. The Common Service contains also an order for vesper services and for matins, consisting of psalmody, lessons from the Holy Scriptures, and prayers. The iluyniftcat and .Yinic Dimittis belong to the even- ing service, the Te Deum and Benedict us to the service for the morning. Theolooicvl Semix.rie.s. Lutherans maintain a high standard of ministerial education. Thor- ough indoctrination is held to be an essential prercf|nisite for preaching. Not less than twenty- five theological seminaries are found in this coun- try. Their professors are bound by the confes- sional requirements of the respective synods by which they are supported, and doctrinal and ex- egetical theology receives chief attention. Some of them have a meagre equipment and quite a Vol. XII.— 36; number are connected with prci)aratory schoolg. Eleven are English, others are German or Scan- dinavian, and not a few are bilingual. The lead- ing institutions are: (1) The Seminary of the General Synod, located at Gettysburg, Pa., found- ed in 1820. The (General Synod cho»e as the first professor Kev. Sanuicl S. Schmueker. Us cur- riculum covers the usual course of three years' resident stud.v, requiring the degree of A. 15. for admission, and it has two special courses lead- ing up to the degi-ee of B.D. Besides lectureships, there are five regular professorships. (2) Wittenberg Seminary, a litcrarj- and theological institution foimded at Springfield, Ohio, in 1842. for the education of young men for the ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. It is supported by five synods connected with the General Synod. The course of study covers three full j-ears under three regular pro- fessors. For a long time Rev. Samuel Sprecher, D.D., LL.D., stood at the head of this .school. (3) Concordia Seminary. The most largely attended Lutheran theological seminary is the Concordia, located at S.-iint Louis, Mo., which was established at Allenburg in that State in 18.39 by a number of Saxon pastors and congre- gations. With the organization of the Missouri Synod it was transferred to Saint Louis. There are six regular professors. For more than a generation Rev. Carl F. W. Walther stood at the head of this institiition. (4) The Practical Seminary of the Missouri Synod was formerly an adjunct of the Saint Louis Seminary, following an abridged curricu- lum, the same professors lecturing to the stu- dents of both sennnarics; but in 187.5 it was re- moved to Springfield, 111. It maintains five professors, with an attendance of over 100 stu- dents. (.5) The Mount Airy Seminary. Philadelphia, was established in 1804. under the guidance of men who were identified with the (iettysburg Seminary, but who were dissatisfied with Dr. Schmucker's type of theology and with the fail- ure of that school to make adequate provision for the wants of German congregations. The seminary was opened in Octotwr, 1804. In 1880 it was removed to Mount Airy, on the northern edge of the city. The seminary is under the care of the Synod of Pennsylvania, the Synod of Xew York coilperating. (0) The Augustana Theological Seminary was established by the Augustana Synod (Swedish) at its organization in 1800. It was located in Chicago, with Rev. L. P. Esbj.irn as president and regular professor. In 1803 it was trans- ferred to Paxton, 111., with Rev. T. X. Ilassel- quist at its head. In 1S7.5 it was united with Augustana College at Rock Island. 111., the pro- fessors in that institution teaching also theo- logical branches in addition to the three regular professors. In the seminary the Swedish and English languages are used about equally, and most of the graduates of recent years are able to preach both in English and Swedish. (7) The Chicago Seminary was chartered in 1891. The directors, originally appointed by the General Council, are a self-perpetuating board, whose successors are chosen from synods in strict harmony with the doctrinal position of the seminary — which is the same as that of the Gen- eral Council. The institution owes its existence to the zeal and liberality of the late Rev. W. A.