There were church splits in 1848, 1856 and a large split in 1876. In 1876 the synod founded by Eielsen numbered 24 pastors, 59 congregations, and 7,500 members. That year a split occurred and many of the clergymen and congregations left the Eielsen Synod and organized the Hauge Synod. Elling Eielsen and his supporters continued the synod under the 1846 church constitution in Jackson, Minnesota.