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In America. Dr. H. M. Mühlenberg is generally regarded as the founder of this church in America. Lutherans had settled in the country as early as 1621, and sent out probably the first missionaries to the Indians, but they remained unorganized till 1742 when Dr. Mühlenberg was induced to leave Halle, in order to organize the churches scattered throughout the colonies. The first synod was held in 1748, and others were held annually thereafter. The church grew rapidly under the care of its organizer. Schools were established, churches built, ministers ordained, and its numbers steadily increased till his death in 1787. The Civil War broke the church into Northern and Southern Synods, and doctrinal questions divided the former into two sects, but there is now a movement on foot to unite all bodies into one General Conference. Membership in 1890, 1,231,000.

The followers of Martin Luther. See Consubstantiation.