# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1953_S404
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

404 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS,

answered in an affirmative way, because the educatign®
children is really the task of the parents of the church
this as it may, we will always take the standpoint that bes
teaching in the name of the congregation the Word of Gog
tions only as a helper to the minister.” 5® Buenger emg
that the teacher’s office is a part of the divine office, an‘
minister, and that the teacher is a helper to the ministe
Another essay ‘based on Walther’s “Kirche und Am:
Mayer, in an essay delivered before the Southern Ilinoig
convention in 1939, quotes verbatim Thesis VII of Waltki
office of the ministry is the highest office in the ch
which flow all other church offices.” Mayer asserts that
of the ministry is the only office instituted by God: He
this from the fact that God has given His Church only:
mand: Preach the Gospel. Since this is so, it follows
is only one office of the Church. He also points to
names and titles for ministers (“Prediger’) which denoté
office. He comes to the conclusion that all titles point
office, whether the titles are bishop, pastor, apostle, BH
servant, or elder. Mayer maintained that these differdt
simply point to the fact that our Savior has provided ~ thi
with different gifts and functions. The names do not;’
indicate that different offices have to be established
gregation.5® ’
Mayer asserts that the office of the ministry has *
duties: 1. It should proclaim the Word publicly, especi:
congregation: should teach the children, and those wh
teaching, the Word of God; should admonish those who hk
should comfort the sorrowing; should administer the Sa
and should rule the congregation. 2. The office of the
should further exclude the impenitent sinners. He s
only the “Predigtamt,” instituted by God, performs these
in the name of the congregation.
In addition, Mayer states that there are other fune
church which flow from the ministry. He refers to 1 Corint#@
where the Apostle describes gifts of the church and ma
tinction between the office of the apostle and the
auxiliary offices, the incumbents of which had only a
apostolate. In such an auxiliary office each one must perf
those functions pertaining to the auxiliary office. He re

58 Theo. Buenger, “The Three Last Theses of Walther’s Ki
Amt,’ Proceedings, Iowa East, 2 (1939), p. 22.
59 F, E. Mayer, “Das Predigtamt ist das hoechste Amt in.
Proceedings, Southern Ill., 20 (1939), pp. 33—35.