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The Americanization of the Finns

John Wargelin, A.M.,

President of Suomi College and Theological Seminary

Chapter VIII.
Cultural Life of the Finns. (Continued)

c) Church.

The Finns are religious by nature. Before their conversion to Christianity they worshipped many gods. Nature was animated with various kinds of spirits. The god of the forests and game was ''Tapio"; of the cattle, "Kekri"; "Wellamo" dominated in the watery realm; and "Tuoni" or "Mana" had dominion over the gloomy regions of the nether world. "Ukko" was the supreme deity who reigned over all space and other spirits. Most of the gods were supposed to have female companions, who were worshipped to some extent with them. The worship consisted of prayers and sacrifices to the deities. No temples were built, the sacrifices being offered on altars built on mountain tops or near some living springs. The Finnish epic, "Kalevala", gives a very good general understanding of the religious life of the pagan Finn. Juhani Aho, Finland's most gifted modern writer (died in 1921), has written a most fascinating book, entitled "Panu", on the pre-Christian life and customs of the Finns. In general we may say that the Finns have lived close to nature and have always been open to the mysterious suggestions and whisperings of the spiritual world. There exists a great resemblance between the old Aryan mythology of India and that of Finland.

About ninety-nine per cent of the inhabitants are classed as Lutherans. They were converted to Christianity in 1157 by Bishop Henry, an Englishman sent by King Erick the IX, of Sweden, to convert the Finns. After a severe battle, where better arms and higher civilization triumphed, the Finns were conquered, and those that remained from the battle, were baptized at the "Spring of Kupitta", a place near Turku, Finland. After that Finland remained in union with the Roman Catholic Church until the time of the Reformation. In 1527 Sweden adopted the new faith for the whole Kingdom, and Finland became a Protestant country. The new faith found no opposition in Finland for many of the leading men had studied at Wittenberg, Germany, the seat of Protestantism, and had brought with them the new spirit into the Church; then, also, the remoteness of the country from Rome had protected it against many of the evils found in countries where papal influence was greater.

Webster defines a Lutheran as one "who accepts or adheres to the doctrines of Luther or the Lutheran Church". In this sense the Finnish Lutherans in America may be said to be one, although in external government they compose three distinct bodies, namely, 1) The Finnish Lutheran Church of America or Suomi Synod, 2) The Finnish Evangelical National Lutheran Church in America, and 3) Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church of America. We shall give briefly the statistics of each of these bodies.

Suomi Synod. This Synod, which is the oldest and the largest, was organized in 1890 at Calumet, Michigan. In 1922 it had a membership of 9,396 men, 9,837 women, and 16,836 children, total membership 36,269. Besides these members in the congregations that are actually affiliated with the Synod, the pastors serve several independent congregations, so that the total membership thus rises to 41,500 persons. In 1922 the Synod had 206 Sunday Schools, with 1,570 teachers, and 8,675 children. Last summer there were in operation 70 religious summer schools for children, with 76 teachers, and 3,980 pupils. There are 87 church buildings, valued at $473,707; 59 parsonages, valued at $91,200; other church property valued at $87,578; total valuation of property $652,485. The number of ministers at present is 55; out of these 10 have received their education in Finland, nearly all of the others have been educated at Suomi College and Theological Seminary. About fifteeen years ago the proportion was vice versa, only a very small number being educated in America. This fact shows that Americanization is gaining very rapidly in this Church.

The work is well organized and directed. Work among the young people is progressing very satisfactorily. Home-Mission work is done among the Finns that are scattered here and there throughout the country. A special Superintendent has charge of the work. The work is being jointly supported by the United Lutheran Church in America and the Suomi Synod. Foreign Mission work is done jointly with The Missionary Society of Finland in the mission fields of China. The Synod took part in the Campaign, conducted by The National Lutheran Council, for the relief of sufferers in Russia. Another important department of work is organized under the name of The Finnish Lutheran Book Concern, of Hancock, Mich. We have already stated that this Concern publishes various church papers and periodicals e. g. "Amerikan Suometar", "Paimen Sanomat", and a Sunday School paper for children. Last year a branch office of this concern was established in Astoria, Oregon, for the purpose of reaching the thousands of Finns in the Western states that are outside of any Church. For this purpose a paper, printed in Finnish, "Lännen Suometar", was started last April. The Finnish Luth. Book Concern does extensive outside printing work yearly. For example, the 1923 Annual of The Michigan College of Mines was printed and bound here. It also distributes and prints yearly thousands of volumes of good educational and religious books. This branch of the work is very important in connection with the study of the Americanization problem. The Finnish Lutheran Book Concern has been a great factor in giving thousands of Finns a right understanding of American ideals. The same thing may also be said of the National Synod publication work, which is carried on on a smaller scale.

The Suomi Synod owns and supports Suomi College, and the president of the school makes a yearly report of the work at the annual meeting of the Church.

The officers of the Church are: Pres., Rev. Alfred Haapanen, A. B.; Vice President, Rev. John Wargelin, A. M.; Secretary, Rev. Victor Kuusisto; Notary, Rev. Lauri R. Ahlman; and Treasurer, Isaac Wargelin.

A great deal of the preaching in the churches is still done in Finnish, because so many of the older members can understand only Finnish. But the young people are fast demanding the use of English, and many of the churches have introduced English jointly with Finnish. The programs of the Young Peoples' Societies are largely conducted in English.

All this shows that the Finns are passing through a period of transition in their church work.

We add here the statistical table of the congregations affiliated with the Suomi Synod, and their membership.¹

The Finnish National Synod. This Synod was organized in Ironwood, Mich., in 1898. The Synod numbers 24 ministers, 59 congregations, and 7,992 members. The total valuation of church property is estimated at about $200,000. The Synod is also engaged in different departments of work. About four years ago a Theological Seminary was opened up at Ironwood, Michigan; no preparatory department has been attached to it. The enrollment in 1922 was four students. The institution has been closed since then because of lack of students. Foreign Mission work is done by giving aid to the Gospel Society of Finland, which has a field in Japan. A church organ, by the name of "Auttaja", is published at the printing establishment owned by the Synod at Ironwood, Mich. A Sunday School paper, the "Lasten Ystävä" (The Children's Friend), is also published there.

The officers for the year 1921 were: President, Arne Wasunta; Vice President, Rev. M. Wiskari; Secretary, Rev. P. Miettunen; and Treasurer, Erick Kangas. The Rev. K. E. Salonen has been in charge of the Theological Seminary.

Finnish Apostolic Church. The churches going under this name are not organized into any so-called Synodical system. They are united in doctrine. No official annual meetings are held, and the church has no elected officers. The government of the church rests with the congregations and thus may be said to be Congregational in organization; but otherwise this body has nothing in common with the Congregational Church of America. The Apostolic Church does not believe in a paid ministry and is therefore nearly entirely dependent on laypreachers. They rank second to the Suomi Synod in number of congregations and church members. It may be said that some of the earliest Finnish immigrants, who came to America from Norway, Sweden, and the northernmost part of Finland, were members of this group. This sect is generally known in Church History by the name of Laestadians, taking their name from Lauri Levi Laestadius, a preacher who labored in the northern part of Sweden about the middle of the last century. In America his followers have adopted the name of Apostolic Lutherans.²

¹ The Yearbook of the Suomi Suomi Synod, 1923, in Finnish.

² These facts have been gathered from the Year-book of Suomi Synod, 1922 and 1923, Year-book of the Churches. 1921-1922; and the Lutheran World Almanac for 1922, with additions by the writer.
The statistics of the Suomi Synod were given in full for the purpose of showing where Finnish churches are found in general. The National and Apostolic Synods are found represented mostly in the same communities.

Publication: John Wargelin, The Americanization of the Finns. The Finnish Lutheran Book Concern. Hancock, Michigan 1924, 185 pages.

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