# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1848 11 14_S45
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

45

remind them that they are to admonish those who have been censured according to the order of Christ. Only when this has been done and has borne no fruit is the preacher entitled, appealing to the witnesses, to proceed against the accused.

Second Session in the Afternoon.

It was mentioned that the Lutheran hymnals of northern Germany contain, besides the hymns of the church, also the Sunday Epistles and Gospels, the history of the Passion of Christ and of the destruction of Jerusalem. There, too, the custom prevails that the congregation, while the Epistles and Gospels are read aloud during divine service, read along in the hymnal. Many congregations here wish to retain this custom and have therefore expressed the wish that the pieces mentioned might be included in the hymnal.

In view of this the Conference resolved to request the Ev. Lutheran congregation at St. Louis to have the pieces mentioned printed as an appendix to the church hymnal published by it, for the benefit of the congregations composed of North Germans.

There was discussion of how indispensable the duty of one's own continued education is for a preacher. But since it is not possible for the country preachers, for lack of the necessary means, to procure the expensive theological periodicals, it was resolved to establish a reading society. Pastor Bünger was chosen as its director. The periodicals which it was desired to procure are: 1) that of Hengstenberg, 2) Guericke, 3) Harleß, 4) Schaff, 5) Reynolds. — All members of the Conference are requested to send their contribution, which consists of one dollar, to Pastor Bünger by Christmas of this year.

Of the German periodicals (that is, those published in Germany) the latest volume is to be ordered; the American periodicals are to be subscribed for from now on. The director will see to a suitable circulation of the same.

Our dear cause of missions was also made a subject of discussion. Great joy was aroused by a brotherly letter received by the Mission Commission from the Administrative Committee of the Protestant Central Mission Society for Bavaria, which holds out the prospect of a close cooperation in the future on the ground of our Confession, and has appropriated for the North American heathen mission the sum of 1800 guilders. Thus about 1000 dollars in all would be available for our mission. They indulged the hope that the carrying out of our mission to Oregon is no longer far off.

Since Pastors Ernst and Bünger were prevented from undertaking the mission journeys which the Synod had entrusted to them, the Conference called upon Pastor Lochner to make that journey, if possible, still this autumn, and to visit the cities of Quincy, Burlington, Bloomington, and if possible also Galena and Dubuque, and to inquire there into the condition of the forsaken Lutherans. For someone from Quincy had raised the reproach against us that we had not yet taken up the cause of the Lutherans there. Pastor Lochner declared himself willing to do so, provided he obtain the consent of his congregation for it. The Conference resolved to address a letter to the congregations of Pastor Lochner in this matter, and to request the President to furnish him with the necessary funds from the synodical treasury for his journey.

In general the necessity of such mission journeys was recognized. — "Why have you not yet visited us?" This reproach, which was made to us from Quincy, is certainly raised even now by many forsaken Lutherans. Hence it is our duty, as far as ever lies in our power, to seek them out, to learn their needs, in order to help them to preachers, teachers and Christian writings. The sad consequence, if this duty is neglected, is that our fellow believers, orphaned in the church, fall prey to unbelief or to Methodism.

Third Session on the 14th of October.

Already at the Synod it had been agreed to pray in our churches also for our oppressed fellow believers in Germany. As a suitable form of such an intercession, the words were adopted which are contained in a communication of Pastor Brohm, "Lutheraner," Jahrgang 5, No. 2, page 13: "Have mercy also, O LORD, upon our brethren in the faith in the old fatherland. Behold their great need and tribulation. Shorten the days of their afflictions. Equip them with steadfastness and patience, and deliver them at last according to Thy fatherly good pleasure." In the Löhe Agenda these words are best inserted, page 25, after the passage of the church prayer which begins with the words: All who are in affliction, etc.

As a lamentable evil, the difficulty of training servants of the church emerges among us, alas, more and more. Only few boys and young men are ready to devote themselves to the holy ministry and with it to take upon themselves poverty and persecution; most prefer the sure wages which other labor brings in here in this country. The Conference resolved to include in the church prayer a passage on this also, to be inserted in the church prayer of the Löhe Agenda after the words: Be pleased also — crown with blessing, and which might read somewhat thus: "Bless also in mercy all orthodox nurseries for preachers in this land, that faithful laborers in Thy Word may come forth from them; Thou knowest, LORD, how few such faithful laborers there are here in this land; therefore we pray Thee also, that Thou wouldest raise up for Thyself from among the youth very many who devote themselves to the service of Thy church."

The form of this petition is naturally not binding on others; if only the LORD is prayed to at all for relief from this need.

The preachers who stand alone and solitary complained of their distress, that they were so frequently assailed by melancholy, a temptation which proceeds from the baneful spirit of sadness, Satan. This is to be combated above all with diligent prayer and mutual intercession, with devout reading of the Holy Scripture, faithful work, constant occupation, correspondence with friends, etc.

In literary respects the Conference expressed several wishes. Thus we still lack a writing suitable as a gift for life to confirmands. A mere certificate of confirmation, such as some give, is too inadequate. In this gift there would be written, as appropriate, the memorial verse and name of the confirmand, the name of the preacher, of the congregation, etc. Woltersdorf's flying letter, Hunnius' Dogmatics, and suitable selections from Scheitberger were proposed for it. It would be most expedient if a small writing were composed expressly for this purpose, to serve Lutheran Christians as a guide through the American tangle of sects. It would have to demonstrate briefly and clearly, from the agreement of our doctrine with the Holy Scripture, that the Lutheran Church is the true one; encourage the youth in a heartfelt manner to love toward our church; and contain a collection of powerful sayings of comfort and of kernel truth for the various events of life. It was also recognized as very useful if an explanation of the Christian catechism questions were composed, which would give to those who wish to go to the Sacrament a brief but thorough instruction, and could be circulated as a tract.

(To be continued.)

(Sent in by P. Brohm.)

The General Synod and the Lutheran Standard.*)

We were not a little astonished and scarcely trusted our eyes when we read in No. 225 of the Lutheran Standard its exposition (explanation) of its union thoughts. It reports, namely, that the General Synod has the intention of inviting all Lutheran synods hitherto still separated from it to a grand union with it, and welcomes this project with unconditional applause, demonstrating with ten reasons why this union is not merely permissible but even desirable.

It is not unknown to the Standard, and it itself admits, that Lutheran orthodoxy

*) Just as we were about to write down the criticism, announced in the previous number, of the reasons which the Lutheran Standard has put forward for a union of all the Lutheran synods of this country with the so-called General Synod, we received the above elucidation. With joy we communicate the same in place of the one we promised, convinced that the readers can only gain thereby. The Editors.