GERMAN EVANGELICAL PROTESTANT CHURCH. The name given collectively to a number of independent German churches in the United States, mostly west of the Alleghany Mountains. No general organization of these churches has been instituted; but a union of ministers has been formed, which is called 'The German Evangelical Protestant Ministers' Asso ciation of North America.' This body is of comparatively recent origin, although some of the churches whose ministers are affiliated with it are old. It is founded on the basis of the principles of the United Church of Prussia of 1817. Its purposes, as set forth in its published organs, are to furnish a worthy representation of the German Evangelical Protestant Church in North America; to promote the association of the ministers, for mutual assistance, advance ment in knowledge, and greater practical effi ciency for their work and for the benefit of their congregations; and to secure the preservation of the independence, while promoting the connection, of the German Evangelical Protestant congrega tions and ministers. The doctrinal principle of the union is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, the interpretation of which is left to the judg ment of the believer, enlightened by the Chris tian idea. The Association is composed of three district associations — those of Cincinnati, of Pittsburg, and the Western District Association —and is under the management of a central board, or Behorde, consisting of a president, a treasurer, a secretary, and three trustees. The
congregations have no part in it. It maintains an orphans' home and a home for the aged. near Pittsburg; aids in the support of the Prot estant orphans' homes in Cincinnati and Saint Louis; and assists other benevolent institutions when required. Preparations are making for the establishment of a ministers' seminary at New Bremen, Ohio. The periodical organ of the Association, the Kirchenzeitung, is published weekly at Cincinnati and monthly at Pittsburg. A periodical for youth, the Christlicher Jugend freund, is published semi-monthly. The book list of the publishing house at Cincinnati com prises a small number of books of elementary religious instruction, devotional books, and the Protestantiseher Volkskalendar. The present (1902) number of ministers in the Association is about one hundred, some of them having charge of two or more congregations; and the number of members in the congregations is estimated by the secretary o4 the Central Behorde to be about 20,000.