out the practices current in American synods. Although there was also a proposal (made by J. W. Eloheimo) that a bishopric.; be established, the synod idea won out, and the Synod was established on 7 November 1889. At that time were laid down the decisive power of synod meetings and the duties of the consistory, and these directives have remained in force to the present. With each representative at synod meetings to have one vote, and decisions to be based on majority decision, the only exceptions to this rule were to be in questions concerning the constitutional basis of the synod itself, where any changes would involve threefourths of the votes to be enacted, and in the appointment of members to the consistory, the naming of teachers of the faith, and budgetary matters, where a two-thirds majority was to be required. Furthermore, the number of pastors to be allowed to vote at meetings was to be limited to one-third of the delegates present at meetings; if there were not enough pastors present to make this proportion, the chairman was to have sufficient votes to make up the difference, but this measure never had to be taken, and the regulation was removed from the books in 1894.

By 1890, four congregations had joined the Synod, so that the minimum number to make the new body operative was assured, and J. W. Eloheimo was elected temporary chairman of the consistory; J. K. Nikander, secretary; K. L. Tolonen, treasurer; and J. J. Hoikka, notary.

This new church body received a cool reception in many quarters, and the Kansan Lehti and the Työmies attacked it in strong terms, claiming that the Synod would levy such big sums that church members would be impoverished; other criticisms were directed at the power of the clergy within the Synod, and still other objections were directed at the very name `synod' which seemed to suggest the autonomous power of the Russian Orthodox Church.

It was not until the turn of the century that the Suomi Synod began to grow significantly. In 1906 it consisted of 110 congregations, with a total of 24,989 members and 26 pastors, and property consisting of 41 churches and 17 parsonages. Ten years later, there were 138 congregations with 28,569 members, 30 pastors, 89 churches, 19 parsonages. In 1925, there were 181 congregations, with 35,280 members, 56 pastors, 143 churches, 39 parsonages. In Minnesota there were 33 Synod congregations in 1952.

376