| Summary: | 3>li 29 NORTH DAKOTA REPORTS expert, having been the first pastor of Thingvalla Congregation, and .remained its pastor for twelve or thirteen years, and that he taught, as witness understood him, "that all the Bible was God's inspired word." Witness does not attempt to be specific on the subject. Rev. Thorlackson was called to testify to the belief of Rev. Bjaranson in 1889, and states: "I can't say what his inspiration theory was or is, but I can state that he believed in the word of God as revealed in the Bible, the true word of God in its entirety. I mean that he accepted the Bible and the whole of it and as fully inspired, as the word of God. .1 have held the same position, and that is the position he has been holding ever since I have been acquainted with him. I do not know that the synod has had any other position. . . . The reason that nothing is said of inspiration in the confessions is that the confessions are based on scriptural principles, adopted that the Holy Bible was the supreme authority of the confessions, rested upon the Holy Scrip ture, and was presupposed as being such. It is presupposed that all Scripture is the inspired word of God. This is based upon the testi mony of the Scripture itself and of our Lord Himself. I refer to the passage in 2 Timothy, which has been quoted here. I construe it to mean that all the Scripture of the Old Testament canon are inspired. The phrase 'Word of God' is synonymous with 'Scripture,' and means the canonical books. I will say that the phrase of, 'Bible is the word of God,' and this 'the word of God as revealed in the canonical books of Scripture,' mean the same thing. I have understood it to be so accepted and taken by our church. I have been a pastor in the Ice landic Lutheran congregations in this country since I was ordained in 1887. I fully understood that the congregations which I have served at different times in this country have been obliged to conform to the confessional or doctrinal standards of the Church of Iceland as ex pressed in the confessions adopted by the Icelandic Church, as well as by the congregations that I have served in the synod to which I belong." Witness expressed his opinion that in passing the resolution of June 5 this congregation would not be acting in conformity with the doctrines of faith of the Lutheran churches having for their con fessional documents the same as Thingvalla Congregation. On cross-examination witness testifies that the synod "was organized to teach the Lutheran Christianity taught at that time in Iceland and according
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