It will be necessary to consider briefly the doctrines for which the Norwegian Synod contended during these years. The first conflict arose among the Norwegian immigrants concerning lay preaching. Before the arrival of the first regularly ordained pastors from Norway, Elling Eielsen and other lay preachers had conducted religious meetings in various settlements. This fact in itself is not to be censured. On the contrary, it was very desirable that the word of God might be preached among the scattered pioneers, who, in some instances for a long time, lacked the established office of the ministry. But these lay preachers had not from the homeland acquired a clear conception of the truth of the Gospel, and they became still more confused by coming in contact with the Reformed churches in this country. These lay preachers assumed a hostile attitude toward the ordained pastors when these attempted to bring about order in the church work. They wished to continue their activity throughout the settlements even after regularly organized congregations had been established.
There arose a bitter conflict in many localities. The organizers of the Norwegian Synod endeavored to inculcate the true Scriptural doctrines of the Church and of the office of the ministry. They held that everything is to be done ``decently and in order'' in the church of God. The local church is a divine institution. God has entrusted to it the office of the keys, which functions through the preaching of the Word and the administering of the sacraments. The local church alone has the right and the duty to appoint pastors and teachers. Only such teachers are to he appointed who have been tried and found competent according to the requirements that are very clearly defined in the word of God. No individual has the right to usurp the authority which rests with the local congregation alone, on the plea that he has received a direct call from the Lord. Only in cases of special need are others then properly tried and appointed teachers warranted in preaching the word of God publicly; and even in such instances those who are ministered to should extend a call to these workers, if they are at all capable of doing it. This position of the Synod does not militate against the Scriptural doctrine of the spiritual priesthood of all believers. This spiritual priesthood may and ought to function to its fullest extent without conflicting with the divinely instituted office of the ministry.
For many years this position of the Norwegian Synod was assailed not only by these pioneer lay preachers themselves, but also by all the other Lutheran bodies that were later established in opposition to it. These synods have continued to defend lay preaching, more or less, up to the union of 1917.