# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1853 06 21_S145
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Der Lutheraner.
(Rev. John 14: 6. 7.)
"God's Word and Luther's doctrine shall pass away neither now nor evermore."
Published by the German Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio and other States.
Edited by C. F. W. Walther.
Year 9.  St. Louis, Mo., June 21, 1853.  No. 22.
Terms: Der Lutheraner appears once every two weeks at the yearly subscription price of One Dollar for out-of-town subscribers, who are to pay the same in advance and bear the postage. - In St. Louis each single number is sold for 5 Cents.
Only those letters which contain communications for the paper are to be sent to the editor; all others, however, which contain business matters, orders, cancellations, money, etc., are to be sent hither under the address: Mr. F. W. Barthel, care of C. F. W. Walther, St. Louis, Mo.

The New Constitution

or

Constitution

of the German Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio and other States.*)

Chap. I.

Grounds for the Formation of a Synodical Union.

§. 1. The pattern of the apostolic church. (Acts 15, 1-31.)

§. 2. The will of the LORD that the manifold gifts should prove themselves to the common profit. (1 Cor. 12, 4-31.)

§. 3. United extension of the kingdom of God, and the making possible and promoting of particular churchly purposes. (Seminary, Agenda, hymnal, Book of Concord, school books, Bible distribution, mission work within and without the church, etc.)

§. 4. Preservation and promotion of the unity of the pure confession (Eph. 4, 3-6. 1 Cor. 1, 10.) and common defense against separatistic and sectarian disorder (Rom. 16, 17.)

*) Since this new constitution was adopted by the members of our Synod during its last sessions, held from the 1st to the 11th of June of this year in Cleveland, and must now be laid before the congregations concerned, it is hereby communicated.  D. R.

§. 5. Protection and safeguarding of the rights and duties of the pastors and congregations.

§. 6. Bringing about the greatest possible uniformity in church government.

Chap. II.

Conditions under which affiliation with the Synod may take place and fellowship with it may continue.

§. 1. The confession of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as the written Word of God and the only rule and norm of faith and life.

§. 2. Acceptance of all the symbolical books of the Ev. Luth. Church (namely: the three ecumenical Creeds, the unaltered Augsburg Confession, its Apology, the Smalcald Articles, the Large and Small Catechism of Luther, and the Formula of Concord), as the pure, unfalsified explanation and exposition of the divine Word.)

§. 3. Renunciation of all mixing of churches and faiths, such as: the serving of mixed congregations, as such, on the part of the servants of the church; participation in the divine service and sacramental acts of false-believing and mixed congregations. Participation in all false-believing tract and mission activity, etc.

§. 4. Exclusive use of pure church and school books (agendas, hymnals, catechisms, textbooks, etc.) If it is not feasible for congregations to exchange existing heterodox hymnals for orthodox ones, then the pastor of such a congregation can become a member of the Synod only on the condition that he promises to use the heterodox hymnal, etc., with a public protest, and to work in all earnestness toward the introduction of an orthodox one.

§. 5. Regular (not temporary) call of the pastors and regular election of the deputies by the congregations, as well as blamelessness of the conduct of the pastors and of the deputies.

§. 6. Provision for the children of the congregations with Christian school instruction.

§. 7. Exclusive use of the German language in the synodical meetings. Only guests may speak to the Synod in other languages, if they are not masters of the German language.

§. 8. Unknown persons cannot enter as members of the Synod unless they can duly legitimate themselves as regards doctrine and life.