"All the ministers and one deputy from each congre- gation form the district synod (the Scottish presbytery), which meets yearly under the superintendent, who is
elected lieelv for six years by and from the members Of
the synod. His most important duties are— tl
of the ministers and presbyteries, the administration of the property of the congregations in the district, the ex- crrj-o of discipline, the information and encouragement of the members as to the home mission work of the dis- trict, and the preparation for the next provincial synod. The superintendents, along with deputies from the dis- trict synods (each of these sending one minister and one elder i,' form the provincial synod, the president of which is elected for six years, and which has for its special func- tion to watch over the doctrine and the Spiritual affairs of the Church. The proceedings of the synod require, however, to be confirmed by the competent authorities of the Mate. The provincial synod meets every third year, but on extraordinary occasions it may be convened by the president. The control of the affairs of the Rhenish and Westphalian church is in the hands of the minister of worship, the Consistory of Rhenish Prussia, and that of Westphalia, and the government of the province. The superintendents of Khcnish Prussia and Westpha- are appointed by the king, act along with the ries, but are independent of them, laden similar provincial or diocesan and general have existed since the union in 1-^1. The dio- 'nods are held every third year, the general every seventh. Two thirds of the body of the diocesan synods are ministers, and only one third laymen, who are not elected by the repn-seutatives of the congregations, but by clertoral'districts. To the general synod two dioceses send
one minister, and the ruling elders Kirclicmjciticinih-nitho Of four dioceses send one lav man, who. however, must be a member of a representative body of the Church. The grand-duke nominate- a president, a theological professor of the University of Heidelberg, and some lay and minis- terial member-, to the Supreme Church Council
chenrath . The synod has a legislative, disciplinai \ . and consultative character, and it has the initiative in the gov- ernment in the church. Without its concurrence no law- can be enact) d bearing on the government, doctrine, and worship of the Church.
••In Wiirtemberg yearly diocesan Byuode were insti- tuted by the edict of Nov. is, LS54, to take can- of the
moral and spiritual welfare of the congregations and of the poor throughout the dioce-e, to control the ministers and the elders, and to consult on matters of importance. These are composed of all the ministers, and of as many elder- id' each congregation as it. has ministers. These are to be elected by the representative body of the con- gregation, the so-called Church councillors. A select committee has in the interval the direction of the affairs of the dioceses.
••In Bavaria on the other side of the Rhine, according to the union deed of 1818, there are diocesan and general synods. The number of the lay deputies varies with the if the evangelical inhabitant- of the diocese, so that the lay element preponderates. The yearly diocesan synods have partly a function of oversight, and partly of consultation. The general synod meets every fourth year, and lias the right of resolution, and expressing its wishes when there is a vacancy in the consistory.
'• In Bavaria on this side or the Rhine yearly diocesan
ire held for consultation and for the election to al synod. The whole of the ministers and an
equal body of elders, elected by the officials ofthe congre- gation, lib' part. The general synod is composed ol
ministerial deputy from each diocesan district, one eldet
from every two diocesan districts, and one deputy of the theological facility of Krlangen. The general Synod ha-
only the right of advice, resolution, and protest
'•'similar distt neral -\ Is are in Lutheran
Oldenburg, Heese, and Mecklenburg. The Lutheran Churches of the province of Hanover and of Nassau.
though their territory belongs now to Prussia, have still i themselves.
gen en fia, wl
syn.
"II. Statistical Notices.— (A.) Churches.— (X.) Ecanpclical Church. — {a.) Prussia.— On Dec. 1. 1875, the German em- pire had 4'J,,.,li,!'ln inhabitant-, of whom 25,600,000 were Evangelic.,!-. 14,900,000 Catholics, and 512,000 Jews.
'•In the eight old Prussian provinces were, in 1871, 1'2.'27.V27'2 Kvangelicals, of a population of 20,246,671, and
M.V2 Kvangelie ,1 paii-he-. t ■ ) i •_' Kvangc e.,1 churc and
chapels, and 65S1 ministers. Rhet -h I'm-sia ab.i.e n,,- hen/ollern included ba 90S,*;:;: i . ,i . . - out of ::.i;)1.'.ii'.'i.4.m> Kvangelical pat i-in--. :.i,i K\ ai gelical church- es and chapels, and .V4 Kvangelical ministers. Westpha- lia alone had B06.404 Evangelicals out of 1,755,175, :;'.'•.' Evangelical parishes, 436 Evangelical churches, and 4-2'2 in the churches of the eight old Prussian pi . >\ mm ■<•-, t here were 1304 per- -oii- to one church, !-f.'. to one minister: in Rhenish
Prussia there were 1620, in Westphalia l-aii, t ie church,
and 1530 in Khcnish Prussia and 1911 in Westphalia to one minister. In the old provinces there are 413 electoral districts (the array districts included . and :-:*<• districts for
By I-: in Rhenish Prussia and Westphalia alone there
are 20 superintendents.
■■(if the new Prussian provinces, Hanover (in 1-71 had 1,713,711; '.»c; Kvangelical parishes, 1573 Evangelical churches, mi Kvangelical ministers, and 102 superintend- ents. Each parish bad an average of 1817, each church or