The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology - Saint Mary ...

In the United States she has fourteen Theological Seminaries, sixteen
Universities and Colleges, nine Female Academies, sixteen Academies,
and various societies for Education and Publication. The Periodicals
devoted to her interests are, nine English, fifteen German, two Norwegian,
two Swedish.
Missions.
Nor has the Lutheran Church been satisfied with meeting the wants
of her own children. She has been, and is a Church of Missions. In 1559,
Gustavus Vasa, of Sweden, founded a mission among the Laplanders,
which was continued with renewed earnestness by Gustavus Adolphus,
Denmark also aiding. Thomas von Westen (died 1727) was the apostle of
this mission. Heyling, of Lübeck, without any aid, labored as a missionary
in Abyssinia, (1635,) and others, of the circle of his friends, engaged in the
same cause in various parts of the East. Frederick IV., of Denmark,
established the East India mission at Tranquebar, (1706,) for which
Francke furnished him two devoted laborers, Plützschau and Ziegenbalg,
the latter of whom translated the New Testament into Tamil, (1715.) The
labors of this mission were also extended to the English possessions.
From the orphan-house at Halle went forth a succession of missionaries,
among whom Schwartz (died 1798) is pre-eminent. An institution for the
conversion of the Jews was established at Halle, in 1728. Egede of Norway
(died 1758) commenced his labors in. Greenland, in 1721. In 1736, he
returned, and established in Copenhagen a mission seminary. Though the
larger part of the Lutheran Church is unfavorably situated for Foreign
Missions, the work has ever been dear to her--and her missions have been,
and are now among the most successful in the world.
Church Constitution.
Many embarrassing circumstances prevented the Lutheran Church
from developing her life as perfectly in her church constitution as in her
doctrines and worship. The idea of the universal priesthood of all believers
at once overthrew the doctrine of a distinction of essence between clergy
and laity. The ministry is not an order, but it is a divinely appointed office,
to which men must be rightly called. No imparity exists by divine right; an
hierarchical organization is unchristian, but a gradation