The Joint Synod of Ohio, which before its con nection with the Synodical Conference had main tained an independent existence for half a cen tury, withdrew from this general body in 1881 on account of the doctrine of predestination which prevailed in the Conference. It is divided into ten districts.
The Synod of Iowa is a large German body, founded in 1854, mainly by missionaries whom L6he of Neuendettelsun sent to this country. It antagonizes 'Missouri' mainly on the doctrine of the Church and the ministry, 'Iowa' holding that the ministerial office "was given to the Church in its totality and that the Church pos sesses the office in and with the means of trace. not in the spiritual priesthood." A number of smaller divisions of Norwegian Lutherans were merged in 1889 in one organiza tion under the title The United Norwegian 'M iller/in Church, embracing abbut one-fourth of the entire Norwegian population of America.
There are three independent Norwegian bodies, five independent German bodies aggregating 100 ministers and 21.000 members, two Danish synods, one Finnish, and one Icelandic. There are 85 congregations, mostly German, embracing 25,000 members without synodical connections. The General Synod is mostly English; the United Synod of the South entirely so; the General Council Synodical Conference and the independ ent synods have but a small percentage of Eng lish churches.
Cllunen POLITY. All Lutherans recognize the congregation as the primordial and formative unit of ecclesiastical organization. It is the source of whatever authority is exercised by the representative bodies, and the final court of appeal. Congregations have formed themselves into synods for the sake of mutual assistance and oversight; but the synods have no power except that which the congregations have volun tarily conferred upon them.
Vet no Lutheran body in America can be said to be strictly or purely congregational. The
Missourians adhere to this polity more closely than others, excepting perhaps the Joint Synod of Ohio, their congregations remaining indepen dent and self-governing. A synod was organ ized by pastors and lay delegates as representing. congregations, no others having a vote, but the synod has no legislative or judicial power over the congregations, which decide all matters per taining to themselves in congregational meetings. The synod is merely an advisory body, all synod ical action, even the election of theological pro fessors• requiring ratification by the congrega tions. All this holds, of course. in the ease of the general body, the Synodical Conference, formed by the Missouri Synod with several other . synods.
The General Synod, the General Council, and the United Synod of the South, without impugn ing the sovereignty of the congregation, have to some extent followed Presbyterian polity, the congregations delegating a variable measure of authority to the synod. Lay eldership generally obtains, but not is of divine warrant. The clergy with the lay deputies—who may be other than elders—form synods, which prescribe the tials of a constitution required of congregations seeking membership. exercise a degree of over sight over them, and have full authority over 'ministers. The general bodies, in whieh a another of synols have united. determine respec tively the confessional requirements made of ministers in their connection, and the publica tion of catechisms. hymnals. 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 hods and unite with another. or assume an independent relation, they do not lose their Lutheran character.