Rev. J. A. O. Stub reported that the Lutheran Commission had sent two official representatives to France, each carrying greetings to the French Lutheran Church. The instructions to the representatives were as follows:

"Instructions and Authority of the Commissioners

"As the representatives of the Norwegian Lutheran Church to the Lutheran Church in France, you will be charged with the following duties:

"1. To convey to the Lutheran Church of France the sincere greetings of the Lutheran Church of America.

"2. To ascertain the conditions of the Lutheran Church of France, with especial reference to the ability of the French church to minister soldiers of the American Army now serving in that country.

"3. To discover in what manner and to what extent the work of the French Church can be aided by the church in America, remembering, however, that the National Lutheran Church Commission cannot in any way bind the American Church to make good losses entailed by the destruction of Church property during the war, or to guarantee the support of projects for reconstruction after the war.

"4. To report back to the Lutheran Commission the results of these inquiries which shall be communicated to all affiliated Lutheran bodies.

"5. To invite the Lutheran Church of France to send a mission to America, accompanying you on your return.

"The Greeting to the French Lutheran Church

"In these days of grievous trial, when God is proving the nations and sifting the hearts of men, dividing those that have been as one and joining together 3those that have been apart, the Lutheran Church of America send greetings to the Lutheran Church in France.

"Our countries have in the past shared many great traditions and many high ideals; today they share one purpose. Our Churches, though divided by a difference in language and separated by many leagues of land and sea, have had a common origin and have shared in a single Gospel; they have borne a single name. Today they are united in a common duty. Our sons, by many thousands, are now upon the soil of France, toiling and fighting for the same high cause in which so many of your own already have laid down their lives. The ground on which their blood is shed will henceforth be to us sacred soil and the name of France will ever awaken in us memories of heroic sacrifice.

"Of you, who have suffered far more than we have yet been called upon to do, we ask what we can do to help; and to you we commit the young men of our people and our nationality who have been raised in the same faith with you, 4knowing that you will give them what care and comfort it is in your power to bestow. Our prayer is that the peace which follows victory may suffer no delay, and that the new bonds of sympathy and understanding between our Churches, which this war will forge, may unite us in a lasting fellowship of faith, and of all good works in our Lord Jesus Christ."

[Similar greetings were sent to the French President, the American Ambassador, and to General John J. Pershing.]