| Summary: | 306 29 NORTH DAKOTA REPORTS The first requisite in determining whether there has heen a depart ure from the original faith is to determine what that faith was with particular reference to the doctrine of plenary inspiration now assert ed to have been a part of it, the abandonment of which is the alleged heresy. Plenary inspiration as a doctrine means more than that the Scriptures are inspired. American Encyclopedia 1914 ed. vol. 11, under "Inspiration," and vol. 13, same work, subjects "Lutheran Church in America," and "Lutheranism," Nelson's Encyclopedia, vol. 6, "Inspiration." Century Dictionary defines plenary inspira tion thus : "What is meant by 'plenary inspiration V A divine in fluence full and sufficient to secure its end. The end in this case se cured is the perfect infallibility of the Scriptures in every part, as a record of fact and doctrine, both in thought and verbal expression." It is defined by experts called herein as meaning that the Scriptures were written by men so fully inspired that whatever they wrote was the word of God himself and without error. Upon this doctrine is predicated the conclusion that no human, therefore, has the right to reject as fallacious or erroneous any portion of the Bible, the perfect work of the Divine. The Bible is therefore above the right of private judgment as to either its authenticity or its verity. This constitutes the doctrinal claim of the advocates of plenary inspiration. On the contrary, defendants recognizing the Scriptures as inspired, advocate the right of private judgment as to all matters of Holy Writ, and deny the doctrine of plenary inspiration, and assert that plenary inspiration was never a doctrine, fundamental or otherwise, in either their asso ciation or of the Lutheran Church of Iceland, from which it sprang and to which it is alleged to be in conformity according to its very constitution. This leads to the documentary evidence of the fundamental belief of this society and its parent church of Iceland, followed by a consider ation of its relations as a congregation to this synod, its withdrawal from it, and validity of any action taken by the synod in the matter. The constitution of the congregation as originally adopted is now set forth: Article 1.—Name. The name of our congregation is Thingvalla Congregation.
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