# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1848_S42
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 42 —

...list contained at the front of this report shows, to which we refer
readers for names and other details.

The reception of the many pastors and congregations who applied for
it, some in person and some by letter, took up the greater part of the
first sessions — though only one colloquy actually took place, since the
others had either already been examined by the Synod prior to their
ordination, or presented such credentials as made a colloquy unnecessary.

The petition for admission from a few pastors who had applied to the
Synod in writing for this purpose could not, however, be granted outright,
since they simply lacked satisfactory credentials; the Synod therefore
charged some of its members with entering into closer correspondence with
them, in order to obtain the necessary information and report the outcome
to the Präses.

The question arose whether a congregation could join the Synod without
its pastor, or remain within the synodical association without him, on
which the Synod, after discussion from several sides, finally gave the
following statement:

"that congregations may also join the Synod as advisory members
without their pastors — in agreement with what Chapter III, §3 of the
Constitution already contains."

Then the question was raised as to how the Präses should handle the
reception and ordination of pastors who approach him about it during the
course of the year, on which the following resolution was adopted:

"that in urgent cases the Präses may also carry out the examination
required before ordination by means of written questions — in such a way
that he draws up certain questions and sends them to the ordaining
minister, in whose presence the candidate for ordination must answer them
in writing."

Further, there was the question of how, at the ordination of a pastor
called by a congregation, his competence in doctrine [Lehrtüchtigkeit] was
to be determined, on which the Synod decided:

"that the ordaining minister shall satisfy himself of the doctrinal
competence of the candidate by requiring a sermon, for which the Präses is
to select the text."

On a motion by Pastor Fick, the Synod further issued the following
declaration:

"Since several members of the Ev. Lutheran congregation at Neu-Melle
[New Melle], St. Charles Co., Mo. — which already declared its joining the
German Ev. Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and other states last year —
are apprehensive that their rights and liberties are being threatened by
their joining it, the Synod hereby declares that the said congregation may
obtain its release from the synodical association at any time, and that,
should this occur, the bond of faith and love would not necessarily be
severed thereby."

Appointment of Committees.

The Präses communicated to the Synod a list of the petitions received
by him and of other matters before it for deliberation, and appointed the
following committees to examine and prepare those matters requiring it: