For many years I have been sorry to notice the great denominational dishonesty which, under the guise of piety, and with the most strongly religious statements, has gained entrance and won standing among our people. I am thinking primarily of the conscious cheating attitudes adopted by the Episcopalians in their work among the Swedes, and the Congregationalists in their work among the Norwegians. They let the people understand that theirs is really the Lutheran way of faith. The Lutheran Church never has sought any advantage by using the name of any other religious denomination.

I do not intend to mix into the discussion between Reverend Solberg and the man who replied from the side of the "free church". From the two articles it is evident that Reverend Solberg is able to produce proofs, while the 2other man cannot do so; the former gave a logical presentation; the latter confined himself to the raw sententiousness which Jesus condemns, together with the usual phrases to which the sect-makers ever turn when caught cheating: "We are saving souls". Even the fact that Reverend Solberg is using the songbook of the "free churches" is utilized by his antagonist as a means of attack, while any sensible human being should be able to realize, from the facts mentioned, that Reverend Solberg did not write from a sense of ill will.

My aim is to throw light on the issue itself; in the long run it will not do, before thinking people, to cover denominational dishonesty by "spiritual" talk. My opposition to religious strife (and especially in the press) has caused me to keep quiet for years in regard to these matters; when, however, I find a brother minister attacked as dishonest because he calls attention to the facts mentioned above, I find it wiser to throw some light upon the subject. If anyone from the other side intends to reply, then I plead that, 3"faithful to truth, in love," they will keep from judging hearts and keep to the issue in question. In other words, the question here is not who are saving souls; first of all, no intelligent can or woman believes, nowadays, that any church holds a patent on the way of salvation; and, second, we Lutherans believe that we cannot save a single soul; we do not attempt it at all. We believe that only Jesus can save souls, so that our purpose is simply to preach salvation in Him. The Spirit saves.

The question at issue is simply one of plain human honesty, and it seems that honesty may be expected even of those who are so spiritual that they cannot remain members of the Lutheran Church. I intend to prove, then, that the so-called "Evangelical Free Church" among us Norwegian is acting dishonestly.

They call themselves a "free church". When the accusers of Jesus said to Pilate, "He claims to be King", they were speaking the truth, and yet they 4were cheating. For they knew that the word "king" in the ears of Pilate would misrepresent Jesus as if He sought a worldly kingdom. Thus also when the Norwegian Congregationalists call themselves "Free Church" they are speaking the truth, and yet they are cheating; for they know that the name is being used by them to get the recent immigrants and others to whom American conditions are not clear, to believe that the Lutheran churches are not free churches but belong to a state church. Cheating! Every church in America is a free church.

They call themselves "Lutheran". This is cheating unmixed, as far as the leaders are concerned. There are people in Chicago, in whom I have complete confidence, who have told me that Reverend M. Dyrnes has told them that he is a Lutheran. Are these people Lying, Reverend Dyrnes? A young intelligent Norwegian in Chicago who has studied theology to some extent, told me that he has attended Reverend Dyrnes' services, and that he has told Mr. Dyrnes 5that the latter is wrong in calling himself Lutheran. Is this man lying, Reverend Dyrnes?

One of your most eager and lovable young co-workers in the Salem "Free Church" informed me that he had been reared within one of these "free churches" (probably Salem; if in some other "free church" the fact only makes matters worse since that would indicate that things are as bad in other congregations). This man told me that he always believed his church to be Lutheran, that he himself wished to be Lutheran; he had thought that the main difference was to be found in more intense life in the "free churches"; never had his attention been called to the untruthfulness of using the Lutheran appellation to the "free churches". Is this young assistant in your congregation lying, Mr. Dyrnes? I am asking because I do not wish to do you injustice.

My impression is that the Norwegian (and Swedish) Congregationalists operate with the Lutheran name in regard to all those who love the Lutheran name, 6though these "free churches" openly oppose the Lutheran doctrine of the sacraments, the confirmation, etc. On the other hand, when these "free churches" seek aid from the missionary fund of the American churches they call themselves Congregationalists. Is this true or is it not? Is there one of the readers of Skandinaven who is so innocent that he believes that the American Congregationalists (who belong to the Reformed Church of which Luther said "You are of a different spirit than we") would use their Home Mission funds to build Lutheran churches among us? The Providence Norwegian "Free Church" in one year received $700 from the American Congregationlists as an aid to the congregation which had raised a non-Lutheran altar among our people. Does anybody believe that this was for the purpose of promoting a Lutheran church and Lutheran activity in Providence?

At their annual meeting the Norwegian "free churches" announced through resolutions that they oppose the Lutheran Church. Yet, in regard to those who are unacquainted with American conditions they use such sweet sounding 7phrases as: "We are not working against anybody; we are only interested in saving souls." Fortunately for the sake of truth, unfortunately for the sake of those who are cheating and who dishonestly decorate themselves with the Lutheran name when meeting those who love that name, the "free church" leaders have put in print their attitude, in such an emphatic manner that there is no need of explaining the meaning of the statement.

Evangeliston (The Evangelist), which we know as the official organ of the Norwegian Lutheran "Free Churches", on August 10, 1896 published an article with the following caption:

"Report from the sixth annual meeting of the western Society of Free Churches, held at Washburn, Wisconsin on June 29, 1896."

This article tells of a minister who had applied for permission to leave the Society for the purpose of joining the United Lutheran Church, and in replying 8to his letter the following resolution was adopted, the secretary being instructed to publish it in the Evangelisten. More official the reply could no be made. This resolution, adopted by the annual meeting, says about the retiring minister:

"The brother has stood with and by us (the "free churches" of course) and has fought manfully not only for our principles but also against the Lutheran Church."

The "free church" leaders agreed, then, in those words, "with us" and "against the Lutheran Church". Is it then a sin against the commandment about false testimony to say that it is "religious dishonesty" for religious leaders to adorn themselves with the Lutheran name when in an official document they have stated that they are opposed to the Lutheran Church?

I admit, of course, that it may be a temptation for these men to adorn 9themselves with a name historically as great as that of Luther. I myself am proud of this name which she Catholics in derision fastened upon us--not Luther himself; to do so would have been against his sense of humility. The Lutheran Church came to America after the Congregationalists, however; yet it numbers four times as many adherents as does the former. One must not be so over-awed by the external glory of a church as to adorn oneself with its name, while at the same time denouncing this church as "spiritually dead".

Here I wish to state that although I do not defend the activity of the Norwegian Methodists and Baptists who, by the use of American money are drawing Norwegians away from their childhood faith and church, yet I have to give the credit that, as far as I know, they have honestly stated that on certain points they disagree with the Lutheran teachings and that, consequently, they are not Lutherans. But the Congregationalists have not been thus honest. This I believe to have proven above, and this I also believe, have all the Lutheran ministers found, who have come in contact with the "free church" 10movement here in America.

Consider the despicable misrepresentation of the Norwegian people and of the life in the Lutheran Church and of the ministers of this church, which must have been made before the Home Mission boards of the American denominations, before the leaders of these would agree to transfer money from the Foreign Mission work to missionary work among those who have been baptized and reared in the Christian faith, while millions in Asia, Africa, and America never have heard of the name of Jesus.

.....Let us practice common honesty in our church work: let us hoist true colors. Do not reply to me that you are "saving souls" and that I am "envious" on account of this, for it is not my custom to be jealous, and in any event I would not envy those whose religious dishonesty I am ashamed of, because I am a Norwegian. In addition, I prefer to leave people in 11peace to seek and serve God according to their best convictions; for these reasons I have kept quiet for twenty years in regard to the matters discussed here. But when a brother minister is attacked as one who is envious and a liar because he accused the Norwegian (and I add, the Swedish) Congregationalists of flying false colors in calling themselves Lutheran and their activity Lutheran, then it would be sinful to be in possession of the sad facts concerning the question and yet keep quiet in the face of such "pious" nonsense....

I beg to request the answers to the following questions by whoever may be ready to do so:

1. Do not the "free churches" and their "ministers" sometimes use the name Lutheran for their faith and activity?

2. Is it true that you are Lutheran?

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3. Does your use of the name Lutheran derive from ignorance or from dishonesty?

I am ready at any time to produce more proofs if the above questions are answered logically. Personal attacks and loose accusations of evil intentions or of Spiritual death I have learned to refer to "Him whose judgement is righteous."