SEPARATE LUTHERANS are those followers of Luther who in Prussia refuse to unite with the state church. In 1817 Frederick William III. formed a plan for uniting the Reformed and the Lutheran churches; but many zealous Lutherans were opposed to it, and found a leader in Johann Gottfried Scheibe!, professor of theology at the uni versity of Breslau. In 1830 two cabinet orders, designed to further the scheme, caused an opeu breach. Several distinguished men, many ministers, and nearly 300 families, joined Scheibe]. He was soon driven into exile, and died at Nuremberg in 1842. His followers adhered to their principles. The government employed against them both policemen and soldiers. Ministers were imprisoned, laymen fined, and religious meet ings dispersed. Many families emigrated to America, lint the enthusiasm of the'rest increased. In 1840 Frederick William IV. released the ministers from prison, allowed the congregations to organize themselves, and in 184:5 recognized their right to unite under their own officers free from the control of the state church. The official acts of their ministers were to he acknowledged in law, and their church registers to be received in evidence. Under these provisions a high consistory was constituted as the supreme ecclesiastical authority for separate Lutherans in Prussia. It consists of 4 members, and
has charge of the spiritual welfare of the church, of receiving new cougregations, of parochial relations, the appointments of clergymen, the ritual, censures, complaints, and the calling of synods. The processes of discipline are admonition, requisition of apolo gies, and excommunication. The church service is conducted according to the received forms; preaching on free texts requires permission from the high consistory, and the Lord's supper is an essential part of the chief service. Lutherans are not compelled to send their children to the united schools. In 1847 the high consistory had under its charge 21 congregations with 19,000 members. A. very large number of Lutherans, influenced by the king's concessions, remained iu the state church. The great political movement of 1848 gave a powerful impulse to the separate Lutherans; but as it also encouraged their brethren in the state church to strive within it, rather than out of it, for greater independence, the alienation between the two parties was increased. In later years the separate Lutherans have been divided themselves. In 1861 two parties were formed, the one conservative and the other radical, between which friendly inter Course ceased.