# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1849 07 10_S181
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181

3. Came up for discussion:

Whether it is right to introduce certain ceremonies against the will of the congregation or of a part of it, and whether those sin who repeatedly fail to appear at the congregational meetings where such matters of indifference are to be discussed?

Answered: That in ceremonial matters one should not act without the congregation, should have patience with the weak, and should direct the chief attention not so much to a fine outward arrangement of divine service as to the pure Word of God, since, if this is rightly handled, the rest will follow also.

4. It was asked:

Whether one should insist that the same Agenden be introduced everywhere and be retained unalterably for all later times?

Answer: One should not bind consciences by commandments of men, however good such may be; wherefore the question is also to be answered with No.

5. To the question:

How a preacher who has accepted a temporary call from his congregation should conduct himself, if the same will not be dissuaded from the notion that its preacher is hired, and thus is its servant?

it was answered: that the conditions should be laid before the congregation under which alone a preacher can remain with it, and if it will not agree to these, the congregation is to be left as soon as possible.

6. Information was requested on this:

Whether a pastor should by virtue of his office attend the congregational meetings, and whether he has a vote in them?

and it was replied: that he has this right according to the Word of God, which expressly calls him a "ruler," wherefore also the congregation may do nothing without him.

7. To this was joined the question:

Whether he has a part to take in the election of a ruler?

which was answered to this effect: that not merely a vote in it is due him, but even the decision, chiefly because he bears the responsibility before God for the congregation entrusted to him.

8. The question was put:

Whether it is to be permitted that elders or deacons be appointed in our congregations?

Answered: that this may indeed be done, but the office of deacon, etc., must never be regarded as one specially instituted by God and therefore necessary in a congregation, nor should the care of souls be committed to such an elder, etc., because this must be joined with the office of him who labors in the Word and doctrine.

9. Thereupon an inquiry was made with regard to

church discipline.

It happens frequently that laymen omit to rebuke their neighbor, whom they see sinning, because they fear that he would not accept their rebuke. Then the preacher is often expected to undertake the office of rebuking in their stead, and the question is:

May the preacher consent to this?

Answered: No! He should rather direct the one who makes the report to him to rebuke his neighbor himself beforehand, and if the latter then does not repent, to take with him yet two or three witnesses, that these also may make their attempt. Only when such a procedure has borne no fruit may the report be made to the preacher, that he may then proceed as a public officer and in the name of the congregation. — To make report to the congregation of what has happened is the preacher's business; therefore the layman should also always turn to him and not directly to the congregation, when the third step of admonition becomes necessary.

Yet the passage Matt. 18, 15—17. is not applicable where a public offense has been given; in such cases the sinner is to be rebuked publicly at once, and if he repents of his misstep and also promises amendment, he must make public apology before the congregation, if he wishes to remain in the congregation or to be admitted to the Holy Supper, that no one may be offended on his account.

10. This gave occasion for the question:

How is one to deal with such a manifest sinner (e. g., a drunkard) who, upon repeated rebuke, has repeatedly promised amendment, yet has not ceased from his ungodly way?

and the decision was: that such a one must be excluded from the congregation; whereupon

11. the further question followed:

Whether a preacher may leave his congregation if it will not exclude manifest, persistent sinners?

which was answered with No! The preacher is in such cases only to keep his conscience clear by decidedly refusing the Holy Supper to the wilfully wicked sinners, by preaching the Word of God to the congregation clearly and purely, and in particular by publicly rebuking it for its lukewarmness in the exercise of church discipline.

Should, however, such a congregation wish to compel its preacher to act against God's Word, then he must by all means give up his office.

12. The question:

Whether it is advisable to have the laymen who wish to attach themselves to our congregations subscribe the entire Book of Concord?

was decided to this effect: that it suffices if such new members subscribe the Augsburg Confession and Luther's Small Catechism, since otherwise they would easily subscribe something they never read, and because they might easily afterward come into distress of conscience over it.

These were the principal points which were discussed in today's conference; besides this there took place a communication of the brethren's mutual, in part very sad, experiences in office. May God let all that has been transacted turn to our instruction and comfort. Ludwig W. Habel,
as Secretary.

Proceedings of the Pastoral Conference at Fort Wayne, Ind.

Thursday, the 14th of June 1849, evening.

Pastor Dr. Sihler was elected Chairman, Pastor Habel Secretary.

1. The following questions were raised:

a. Is a congregation in this locality to be called Lutheran which indeed bears a Lutheran name, but formerly, through ignorance, received into its midst Reformed persons who, although they concede that our doctrine is the right one, yet will not perceive and admit that the Reformed doctrine must therefore be false, and if these cannot without further ado be put out of the congregation, for the reason that the members mentioned have acquired a certain right to vote in the congregation?

b. May one recognize such Reformed persons as voting members of the congregation? and

c. May one admit them to the Holy Supper?

Answered: a. that such a congregation, if it does not perhaps require of its pastor that he administer the Holy Supper to these Reformed persons — is indeed to be called Lutheran, but the circumstance mentioned is to be regarded as a defect; b. that such members as will not acknowledge the Reformed Church to be a false one, although they accept the Lutheran doctrine as right, could not be entitled to vote, and c. that they are not to be admitted to the Holy Supper.

For it was not possible to convince oneself that such souls, who acknowledge the Lutheran doctrine as the right one, but yet will not reject the Reformed as false, could have a thorough knowledge; rather one had to give room to the supposition that, if such persons made request to be recognized as members of our congregation, this occurred as a rule only on account of earthly advantages, as experience also has already repeatedly proved. Their persistent entreaty would therefore be nothing else than "an intruding into a congregation in which they have no share." Therefore one should instruct them thoroughly, and if they then still will not bow under God's Word, and in particular will not subscribe a purely Lutheran constitution, one should declare to them that they have themselves relinquished all claims upon the congregation.

2. Information was desired on this:

Whether a preacher may with a good conscience leave his congregation, if such