The Norwegian Synod took a very definite stand in the matter of dealing with secret societies. The annual meetings passed strong resolutions against lodgery, and the constitutions of most of the congregations contained a paragraph, stating that members of secret orders were not to be accepted as members of the congregation. No doubt, there was great laxity in many places in conforming with the official stand of the Synod in this matter. The Synod, however, never tired of testifying against lodgery at its regular meetings and in its official organs. This testimony surely has not been without effect.
On the preceding pages I have endeavored to give a brief survey of the most essential matters to be considered in determining the position of the Norwegian Synod as to doctrine and practice, from its organization until the Union of 1917. We are forcibly impressed by the earnestness and fearlessness with which our fathers testified in these important matters. What bitter struggles they endured in their earnest endeavors to establish a true Lutheran church among our countrymen! God did signally bless their testimony. He supported them in their struggles, and they really attained the goal for which they labored and suffered. A true Lutheran church body was an accomplished fact -- an orthodox Lutheran synod, in which the two fundamental principles of the Reformation were firmly established. And the church body which they founded was well equipped with the outward institutions and with the man power needed to work successfully in the future for the true spiritual uplift of our people and of the land of our adoption.
But what about the fruits of this glorious work of our fathers? Does the present generation stand in the ways and ask for the old paths, to walk therein? Does the present generation testify and contend seriously to maintain the stand formerly taken by the Norwegian Synod in these important matters?
Some may ask: Is it necessary to continue this testimony and strife indefinitely. Are not our people so well educated at the present time and so firmly established in Lutheran doctrines and practices, that from now on we are justified in the laying down of arms, and should unite all efforts in the internal and external upbuilding of the church? Ought not the Lutheran church of our land finally cease wasting her energy in internal strife, and rather use her strength to exert influence along broader lines than, formerly? Many take this view of the situation, and among them are many who formerly faithfully stood in the ways and asked for the old paths.
This contention, however, is by no means new. In his synodical address for the year 1864 President H. A. Preus says: ``When our zeal in contending for the true doctrine is met in the same way (as by the Pietists), while they repeatedly stress the importance of Christian living, giving as a reason, that in the Lutheran Church of our day the true doctrine is so well developed and so generally known and accepted that there can be no danger on that score, and that our zeal is therefore uncalled for -- in the face of this contention, I maintain that the very fact that such sentiments are so generally expressed is in itself an evidence which goes to show that the pure doctrine is not so well established in the Lutheran Church as many seem to think. A glance at the various church bodies that bear the Lutheran name will readily convince us that conditions are by no means ideal in this respect, and that the decadence, so far as pure doctrine is concerned, ought to urge us on, as a branch of this Church, to plunge into an earnest and zealous study of the true doctrine, and to endeavor by the grace of God to gain a clear and full knowledge of the truth. I believe that the circumstances in which the Lord has placed our little Synod here ought to urge us to consider it a special task to seek first of all to become well established in the true doctrine, in order that we, by preserving and accepting God's pure word, may save ourselves and our own kin, that we furthermore may learn to truly lead a sound Christian life, and finally, as God gives us grace and occasion, that we by means of the pure word of God, which we have preserved, may set others aright, and teach those who have fallen into error the true way unto salvation.''
If it was necessary at that time to seek anxiously to become firmly established in the knowledge of the truth, both for our own benefit, and for the purpose of setting others right, it is by no means less important today. Departure from divine truth is just as common today, and these errors are often proclaimed more boldly and defiantly than of yore. The need of clear and forceful testimony to the truth is, without doubt, as urgent today as it has ever been.
But what has become of those who have received as a heritage the fruits of the testimony and struggles of our fathers? We find the majority of them with the opponents. It cannot be denied that these opponents have learned some lessons from the testimony of our fathers. They do not challenge our preaching of the full, unconditional gospel with such effrontery as they were want to do at one time; they have learned to some extent to see the untenability of some of their former contentions. But they are still far from having accepted the position in doctrine and practice formerly held by the Norwegian Synod. Our former brethren who have entered the merger have thereby severed their fraternal relations with their former faithful Lutheran brethren of other synods, and they are now fraternizing with those who formerly were our most bitter opponents, whom our fathers would not recognize as faithful Lutherans.