G. Armstrong is literary secretary. The secretary has secured 30 subscribers to the LUTHER LEAGUE REVIEW. After the business session the topic, "The Dark Ages," was taken up for consideration, upon which Mrs. Charles A. Homan read a carefully prepared paper, which was followed by an interesting discussion of the subject by John H. Early and the pastor, Rev. M. C. Horine, D.D.

Schuylkill County District

- The Luther League of St. John's Church, Tremont, Rev. J. W. Klingler, pastor, was very active in assisting to entertain the delegates to the Bible School Convention of Schuylkill County, held in that church on February 22. Eight young men, members of St. John's Lutheran Congregation at Auburn, have been installed as subdeacons. These young men are all active and energetic Church workers, and are working in a union church, in which Lutheran service is held every second Sunday by Rev. H. H. Weller, pastor of St. John's Congregation.

-- The Young Men's Verein of Zions Congregation, Minersville, Rev. Carl G. Karsch, pastor, is but a little over a year old, and has a membership of 83. Its meetings are held in the afternoon of the first and third Sundays of each month. On Sunday afternoon, March 19, they were addressed by Frank L. Brown of Auburn, president of the Schuylkill County District Luther League.

WEST VIRGINIA

One year ago the Luther League was organized in Zion's German Lutheran Church, Wheeling, Rev. S. B. Stupp, pastor. There are now 83 members, and there is over $50 in the treasury. There are 75 copies of the LUTHER LEAGUE REVIEW distributed every month. The exercises are mostly conducted in the German language, though English is used also. "Unser Liederbuch" is used at all meetings. There are two week day meetings held each month for business and sociability. Devotional meetings are held every Sunday night at 7 o'clock, when a paper is read on the topic for the day. The papers are all well prepared, interesting and instructive. The meetings are quite well attended. The officers are: Pres., H. A. Nolte; vice-pres., George Beneke; sec., Mrs. Amanda A. Stupp; treas., Miss Lizzie Pebler; pianist, Miss Lena B. Meyer. members regret very much that it is not possible to become associated with some District League.

OHIO

The

The Ohio State Luther League Convention, owing to a number of ecclesiastical gatherings that take place in June, will not be held until some time in August or September.

A Luther League of 50 members was recently organized in the Lutheran Church at Chatfield, by the pastor, Rev. D. F. Schultz. They expect shortly to increase this number to 75.

A Junior Luther League has been organized in the Grace Lutheran Church at Conneaut, Rev. Charles E. Blethen, pastor. The League is studying the Topics. This congregation is still in its early youth. A new church building

MÖLLER,

is just finished and will be consecrated the week after Easter.

Akron District

The City Luther League of Akron and vicinity held its annual meeting in the Lutheran Church at Barberton, March 21. Mrs. A. W. Kraus is the president. It was one of the best sessions of the organization, both in attendance and excellence of the programme. The service was opened with prayer by Rev. W. G. Dressler, Findlay. Rev. E. W. Simon, Akron, made an address on the purpose of the organization. Miss Alpha Carlson, Akron, gave an excellent paper on "Motives and Methods of Keeping Young People in the League and Church." Mr. E. H. Grafton, Barberton, "Young Lutheran Know Thyself, Be of the Church, by the Church and for the Church." Prof. J. W. Pfeiffer, Akron, very ably spoke on the "Grandeur and Enlightening Influence of Lutheranism in History." Rev. E. L. T. Engers, pastor loci, briefly addressed the convention. The election of officers resulted as follows: Pres., E. H. Grafton; vicepres., Miss Alpha Carlson; sec., Miss Mabel P. Shuman.

ILLINOIS

Fox River Valley District, North

The fourth annual convention of the Fox River Valley District Luther League, North, was held in the Swedish Church at Aurora, Rev. Alfred Ostrom, pastor, January 31. The afternoon session was devoted to reports, transaction of business and election of officers. The reports were full of encouragement, showing increased membership, interest and activity throughout. There are now ten societies in this League; seven Swedish, two Norwegian and one English, with a total membership of 673. They were represented at the convention by 61 regular and 6 ex-officio delegates. It was voted to con tribute $10 to the support of the State League; a like sum is to be sent to the Lutheran mission in Porto Rico, to which the League's retiring president, Rev. Alfred Ostrom, has been called. The recommendation made by the National Committee on Resolutions at Buffalo with regard to a per capita tax throughout all the Leagues for the General Secretary's salary fund was adopted. The election of officers resulted as follows: Pres., Rev. Paul Wagner Roth, Elgin; vice-pres., Chas. Michaelson, Batavia; cor. sec., Anna Peterson, Elgin; rec. sec., Ella Olson, Aurora; treas., David Roodstad, Elgin ; fin. sec., Victor Freeberg, Geneva. At the close of the afternoon session the Luther League and ladies of the congregation served a bountiful dinner to the delegates and visitors. The evening session was presided over by the newly elected president, Rev. Roth. After a short inaugural address by the president and music by the ladies' and male quartettes of the Church, Rev. Alfred Ramsay, professor of historical theology at Chicago Theological Seminary, gave an address on the history of the Lutheran Church in America. In an able and interesting manner he traced the history of the Lutheran Church in America back to the sixteenth century. As early as 1519 there was Gospel ministration in the Hudson Bay Colony, according to the principles resurrected by Luther, and long before Penn made

his treaty with the Indians they had had friendly intercourse with the Lutherans on the Delaware. Thus he proved his claim for the Lu- · theran Church that it is not а "foreign Church," but a distinctively American Church, and the one destined, ultimately, to set the standard in spiritual things over all the rest. After the close of the session an hour spent in social intercourse with refreshments in the church parlors passed all too swiftly. Adieus were said at a late hour and the Aurora League pronounced a royal host.

- Delegates from about 15 Luther Leagues and young people's societies of Goodhue, Rice and Nicollet counties met March 11 and 12 in convention at Red Wing for the purpose of organizing a District Luther League. The Red Wing Luther League committee, with the assistance of the pastors, had arranged a most interesting programme for the first annual convention. Saturday p.m. a temporary organization was formed. The chairman was Prof. E. O. Ringstad of the Red Wing Seminary, and secretary, Miss Minnie Gullickson of St. Olaf College. Committees were named on credentials and on constitution. The programme of the afternoon was especially interesting to the earnest League workers, and the papers read before the meeting were an inspiration. The titles and writers of the papers were: "Relation of Young People's Societies to the Local Congregation," Mr. H. J. Glenn of St. Olaf College; "Character and Purpose of Religious Meetings," Miss Hannah Jorstad of Holden Congregation; "Character and Purpose of Social Meetings,' K. Olaus Finseth of Kenyon; "Luther League Preparation," Ida Norby. In the evening, after devotional exercises, there was an address by Prof. J. J. Boraas on the formation of a permanent organization, and the organization was effected with the following officers: Supt. Julius J. Boraas, pres.; Prof. E. W. Schmidt, vice-pres. ; Miss Hannah Jorstad, gen. sec.; Miss Minnie Gullickson, stat. sec.; K. Olaus Finseth, treas. At the session Sunday afternoon the following papers were presented: "Hindrances to Young People's Society Work," Miss Anna Munson, Cannon Falls; Helps to Young People's Society Work," Miss Clara Sanders, St. Peter; "Young People's Societies and Local Problems," C. A. Erickson, Red Wing. In the evening there was a grand rally meeting in the Swedish Lutheran Church, with addresses by Rev. G. F. Gehr of Chicago, Rev. G. Rast, Professors Mortvedt and Boraas and Rev. A. J. Reichert, the four last named from Red Wing.

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The singing of four choirs helped inspire the assembly of about 1000 people. Long will the Leaguers remember the first annual Tri-County District League meeting. It was decided that the second convention shall be held in the latter part of October, 1905, at such date and place as the Executive Committee may decide.— HANNAH JORSTAD, General Secretary.

Twin City District

The Luther League of St. Mark's Church, North St. Paul, is one of the smallest Leagues in the Twin City District, having only 20 members. Meetings are held every two weeks at the homes of the members, 12 to 18 members out of the 20 being present. The Luther League Hymnal is used. The League has just furnished the church with electric light. Recently the League had charge of the Sunday evening service. Mr. A. Johnson, the general secretary of the Twin City District League, delivered an interesting address on League work. Chas. M. Lawson is the president.

- The Luther League of St. Mark's English Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, Minn., held an open meeting recently, at which a most instructive as well as interesting address was rendered on the subject of The Luther League Colors." The topic, Watchfulness," was also discussed, which was followed by an essay on "The Lenten Season."

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SOUTH DAKOTA

At Aberdeen, March 1, 1904, steps were taken to organize a District Luther League for the James River Valley. February 25, 26, 1905, seven societies of the Aberdeen-Webster circuit sent delegates, visiting Leaguers and pastors to Webster, S. D., at which place the formal organization was completed, and the title "James River Valley Central Luther League' adopted. The following officers were elected: Pres., Rev. O. Glesne, Aberdeen, S. D.; vicepres., Rev. O. Grimsrud, Gem Trop, S. D.; cor. sec., Augusta M. Oyhus, Aberdeen, S. D.; rec. sec., Elmer Hangen, Webster, S. D.; treas., Gena Bjerke, Lily, S. D. The sessions of the convention were held in St. John's Church, Rev. Mr. Hafstad's charge. The watchwords of the convention were "Christian Work" and "Christian Fellowship." Papers on the following subjects were presented and ably discussed: (1) "What Constitutes Christian Work," Rev. O. Grimsrud, Gem, S. D.; (2) "By Whom Should Christian Work Be Carried On?" Rev. P. Skartvedt, Tislo, S. D.; (3) Means of Christian Work-Individual," Augusta M. Oyhus, Aberdeen, S. D.; (4) Christian Work --Organizations,' Alvida Morine, Gem Trop, S. D.; (5) "The Relation of the Luther League to the Congregation," Prof. O. Jorgenson, Bath, S. D.; (6) "Christian Fellowship," Rev. Hafstad, Webster, S. D.; (7) "Scial Relations of the Luther League,' Mr. Nordby, Frederick, S. D.

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On the evening of February 24 the Aberdeen Luther League held its sixth annual social and literary meeting. There was a very large attendance and the annual was a success in all its features. A carefully prepared programme was rendered, the immense crowd was royally served, and a delightful social Christian time was enjoyed by all.-H. A. MELGAARD, president; ANNA LINDBOE, secretary.

NEBRASKA

- The Luther League of Hooper was organized October 23, 1904, and now consists of 42 members. About 60 people are usually in at

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The last six days of Lent are known as 'Holy Week," or "Passion Week," and are kept in remembrance of the six closing days of Jesus' earthly career, as the church's "week of prayer." The days follow "Palm Sunday," and reach their yearly climax in the night of the Last Supper and the betrayal of our Lord; the day of the cross of Calvary, "Good Friday," and the day of the sepulchre. Lent ends with the " Eve of Easter."

Easter

The flower of the passover of the Old Testament bursts into bloom in the Easter of the New Testament, and sends forth into the glorious light of day the fragrance of love. The old Jewish name, "the Passover," was significant of protection or deliverance; and combined with it a feast of unleavened bread, or the opening of the harvest season, that was kept for seven days. The season closed with Pentecost, or the Feast of Weeks, fifty days later.

The ideas of sacrifice and purification were always connected with Easter, and the Apostle Paul shows how Christ, our "Passover," is "sacrificed for us" (I. Cor. 5:7).

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Easter is the Anglo-Saxon name, derived from a Greek word for the dawn of day (as "East" is the point of sunrise). It was used in the title of "Eastre or Ostera," the heathen female deity of the spring, in early Germanic life. As the festival is always kept by Christians upon the Lord's Day to commemorate His resurrection on the first day of the week, and the Jewish dates were regulated by the moon's course, it is possible for Easter to occur on any date between March 21 and April 25.

The purpose of Lent is not reached by any mere degradation of the human body to tests of endurance in fasting, or its weakening for lack of proper food; but in true humiliation of self-sufficiency; not the temporary holding in check of the base passions, nor the mere

hypocrisy of a slavish work, but the grateful appreciation and loving, loyal devotion of soul and life to a Saviour so needed and a Redeemer so perfect as Jesus. The aim of a true Easter is to make us Christlike in spirit.

The strengthening of our dependence, the renewing of our vows, the purification of the prayer spirit and the girding up for the battles with temptation are all prompted by the fact that we are not healed by our own punishment, not pure in our own righteousness; but that Christ is "all" to each of us in all cases, and hath won our everlasting victory and brought life and immortality to light. Many emblems are used as symbols of Easter and the resurrection, since the time of Passover is become the time of Christ's victory over death both in Himself and for us. Three flowers (the "Rose of Jericho," a Mexican club moss and a marigold) are specially known as the Resurrection Plants." The sun, the open sepulchre, the egg from which the living songster will come, the Lamb of God," the flower of the passion, the chrysalis, the illuminated cross, are all typical of the great change that transforms our sorrow into joy; and the death of man into the victory over the last foe of man, by the resurrection from the dead.

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