LUTHER LEAGUE OF AMERICA (1 e'the r leg Ov a-mer-l-ka).
This organization is in connection with the Evangelical Lutheran Church, whiell is the old est and largest ot Protestant communions in the world. (See LUTHERAN CHURCH, EVANGELICAL.) 1. Various YoungPeople's Societies. With the rise and spread of the "Endeavor" move ment very many of the English-speaking Luther an churches immediately followed their example, while others adopted a somewhat similar meth od. called the "Luther Alliance," and still others continued their young people's societies. Those organized on the line of "Christian Endeavor" have since formed a national association that meets in connection with the International Unit ed Society; those of the Synodical Confereqce organized the "\Valther League," which allows male memhership only; and a third class,.notably those of the larger German churches in Ncw York and Brooklyn, moved in the direction to ward a national association that should embrace all the different young people's societies of Lu theran congregations that could at all affiliate on a common platform.
2. Organisation of the Luther League of America. Years passed on before an agreement was attained. Neighboring societies and sections of states had meanwhile organized themselves in to local associations, and during the year 1895 the call for a general meeting at Pittsburg was cor dially responded to. On the thirty-first day of October the delegates from eastern, western, cen tral and southern states met and effected an or ganization to be henceforth known as The Luther League of America.
(1) Bond of Union. As to its faith Art. II provides: "We acknowledge as the bond of our union the Word of God as the only infallible rule of faith and practice and the Unaltered Augs burg Confession as the correct exponent of that Word." (2) Objects. Article III specifies: The objects of this League shall be to encourage the formation of the Young People's Societies in all Lutheran congregations in America, to urge their affiliation with their respective State or Territorial Leagues, and with this League to stimulate the various Young People's Societies to greater Christian ac tivity and to foster the spirit of loyalty to the Church.
(3) Membership. The membership is regu lated in the fourth article of its constitution thus: Any society of whatever name, connected with a Lutheran congregation or a Lutheran institution of learning, and all District and State organiza tions, whose admission shall have been in con formity with Article II of this Constitution, and recommended by the committee on credentials, are entitled to membership.
Each society admitted to membership shall be entitled to one delegate, each District Associa tion to three delegates, and each State or Terri torial organization to ten delegates in all conven tions.
(4) Officers. The officers elected under this Constitution were: President, Mr. E. F. Eilert of New York; general secretary, Mr. Leander Trautman of Pittsburgh; recording secretary, Mr. W. C. Stoever of Philadelphia ; assistant record ing secretary, Miss Vesta E. Severinghaus of Chi cago ; treasurer, Mr. Cornelius Eckhardt of Wash ington, D. C.
(5) Meetings and Relations. The "Luther League" meets biennially, and has thus far met at Pittsburg, Chicago, New York and Cincin nati. It has not yet succeeded in absorbing all the young people's societies of the Lutheran church, partly because of its conservative char acter, which keeps many of the existing Endeavor Societies from joining it, and partly because of its Americanism which does not please the "Wal ther League." As to our synodical divisions there are represented in it most numerously the young people's societies of the General Council, the General Synod,the Norwegian United Church, the United Synod of the South, and the joint Synod of Ohio. All these cooperate in the State Leagues of New York. Pennsylvania, Kansas, New Jersey, Illinois, Ohio. Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana Kentucky, North Carolina, Nebraska, South Dakota ; and the District Leagues of Cen tral Connecticut, South Carolina and South At lantic Region.