German Evangelical Synod

Ax Akhok, May 31, 1880. Edito:; Aücrs: De$r Sir- Perndt me to commmiicate to you the expression of Ihanks which our ecclesiastical body voted to yon in consideration of tlie kind attentlon pald tii it in the last numberof the A'.:;rs. The body fonns only :i part of the eccleaiastical body called the Germán Evangolical Synod of North America, being the third district thereof. The Synod lias seven districts. comprises all the ïforthern States, and uumbera about 600 congre ;ationa attended to by about 4 ..".) ministers. The Synod is a brancïi of the Evangelical Church of Grermany, wbicb was constituted according to the personal desire of tlie father of the present Germán Em'perorafter the liberation of the old fathe.rland l'rom tlie deapotic rule of Napoleon the Great. Frederick William III. then thought it wholesomè that not only the Germán States sliould unite into one strong confederation, in order to l'onn a stronghold against the old bitter enemy, bnt that'also the Lnther:in and Reformed churches should unite. Ilis desire was published in the Germán papers, and was honored and obeyed at once. One month after its publication the Ltitheran and Ileformed congregations united in their respective churches to commune together, and since those days a great number of the Lutheran and Heformed, congregations have remained united, forming llms the evangelical church of Germany, -which ie in fact the Sikte's Church of the Northern States of Germany. At the close of the fourth deceimial of this century many of the emifrrated evanatelical Germán citizens of tlic rnited States desired toestablish their own church in töieir new home?, asked th( Germán church to provide for them evangélica! ministers, and theüprayers were heard and answered. Anno domini lS4ö four ministers settled in anc aronnd St. Louis, Mo., and commencec the work which was so Rreatly blessed that in the coiirse of thirty-five years the church has spread its Wings ovei al) the Northern States, The Synod early established an eoclesiastical seminnry at Marthaaville, JIo.. not far from St. Louis, in whidh already a great number of ministers have been educated. The Synod also opened a pro-seminary, in which young men are prepared for theologicaï studies ás well as for théir vocatlon as teachers. The church is trying hard to watk among the Gemían emigrante, and lias the wel] wish of all good people and true ('iiristians. The ministers and delop:ates of the district, are greatly pleased with tlie hospitality, which they have reeeived from the hands and hearts of the citizens of Ann Arbor, and v, ish also to expresa their thanks to Profs. D'Ooge and Hanington of the University for favora conferred apon them, and especially from the members of the Bethlehem Lutheran church. The Synod in pleno visited the Observatory on Friday evening, and were mos1 kindly welcomed and instructed by Prof. Harrington ar.d his assistant. Mr. Schaeberle. On Saturday afternooii the members visited the University. and were made acquaihted with the different branches by Prof. W alter and Bteward Bennett. The Synod also wishes to extend its thanks to the Michigan Central and Toledo & Ann Arbor raüroada for f a vors conferred upon it by permitting hall' fare ratea.