# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_August 1905_S377
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Kirchlich⸗Zeitgeschichtliches. 377⁷7

Die Allgemeine Eyangelisch⸗Lutherische Conferenz betreffend schreibt re Lu⸗
heran Ohurch Revienu: „The Lutheran Church should rejoice in the exist-
ence and in the successful work of the International Lutheran Confeèrence.
It is, Missouri to the contrary notwithstanding, a model of sound organiza-
tion on sound Lutheran doctrine. It was born in Germany, and, with greatly
enlarged scope, met at Rostock last fall; and has hopes of coming to Amer-
ica at some time in the future, and of attaching to itself the Lutheranism of
this new world. Not that American Lutheranism has hitherto been excluded
from the International Conference. The General Council has been connected
with this movement, at least as an appendix, from its very start in 1868. At
the second Convention in 1870, and at the third Convention in 1879, the Gen-
eral Council was represented. At the fifth Convention in 1887, at the tenth
Convention in 1901, and at the last Convention in 1904, the General Council
was again represented. The President of the General Council, ex offleio, and
the delegate of the General Council to the International Conference are mem-
bers of the Ezecutive Committee of this International Conference: so that
both historically and actually there is a close relationship between the All-
gemeine Konferenz in Europe and the General Council in America.“ Das
Concil identificirt sich also ganz mit dieser unionistischen Conferenz. Und der Aer⸗
ger darüber, daß sich Missouri mit dieser Conferenz nicht einlassen will, verleitet die
Church Revieu dazu, den Missouriern das Folgende in den Mund zu legen: We
are the real Lutheran Church in the world, there is no other; therefore rep-
resentation, recognition, and fellowship is not to be thought of outside of the
Missouri Eoclesiastical government.““ Die Cyurch Revien bedient sich sogar
bei obigen Worten der Anführungszeichen. Ob sie sich wohl dabei bewußt war, daß
sie die Unwahrheit redete? Daß aus dem Plan, die nächste „Allgemeine Ev.⸗Luth.
Conferenz“ im Jahre 1907 in America abzuhalten, wohl nichts werden wird, gibt
jetzt auch die CMurch Revien zu. Sie schreibt: „It does not now look as though
the Allgemeine Konferenz would have a successful meeting in America in
1907; and therefore it is not probable that it will decide to come. The Gen-
eral Council did, indeed, resolve that it was highly desirable that one of the
meetings in the near future, possibly in the year 1907, be held in America,
making it a truly International Conference of Lutherans from the whole
world,' and did appoint à delegate to go to Europe for this purpose. But
in view of subsequent developments, the object which the General Council
had in view, viz., making it a truly International Conference of Lutherans
from the whole world,' is not likely to be attained. It is true, also, that the
General Synod in its closing hours passed à resolution, brought in by a
committee not in touch with the situation, favoring the said meeting. But
What is there, outside of these two facts, warranting the hope that the meet-
ing will attain the object for which it was designed?“ Die Gründe, welche
die CWxurch Revie hierfür anführt, sind folgende: 1. Die Synodalconferenz und an⸗
dere Synoden verhalten sich ablehnend. 2. Die deutschen Synoden selbst im Gene⸗
ralconcil seien apathisch. 3. In Deutschland seien viele Glieder der Conferenz nicht
für America, sondern für Süddeutschland. 4. Die englischen Synoden im General⸗
coneil würden eine große Enttäuschung erfahren, da die Sprache auf der Allgemei⸗
nen Conferenz die deutsche sein werde. 5. Der Enthusiasmus innerhalb der Gene⸗
ralsynode werde verschwinden, sobald man sich klar gemacht habe, daß gliedliche
Betheiligung an der Conferenz die Annahme aller lutherischen Symbole voraussetze.

F. B.