# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1850_S140
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 140 —

turns away the children of members of other confessions, thereby clearly
hinders them from coming to Jesus, and therefore has it on its conscience if
the little ones fall into false doctrine and are lost.

The Synod does not approve the view expressed under 3, that the
ban is not necessary, etc., since it does not lie within our discretion whether
to exercise the ban commanded by Christ or not. It would rather have
seen the question of the ban answered thus: that while it cannot be said
that the Church no longer exists where the ban is not exercised, the
congregation that neglects to exercise the ban sins against the command
of the Lord Christ.

on 5. Regarding the publication of the mentioned guide, the
members of the Chicago Conference are encouraged to carry out the
plan they have undertaken as soon as possible and to submit the completed
work to the Synod for approval or, if need be, improvement.

on 9. As for the days of penance and prayer proclaimed by the
President of the United States or the Governor, etc., it should be
noted that these are not commanded but only recommended, and therefore
it is not itself a violation of a civil command if one does not observe them.
Yet one should be all the more willing to comply with such
recommendations from the authorities, since, on the one hand, we do
recognize in them a certain religious interest on the part of the authorities, and, on the
other, must also see to it, out of Christian love, that we do not offend
others who do observe such days. Only then would we have to resist,
if the authorities wished to command such holidays, etc., of us, since this
would be a mixing of the spiritual and secular governments.

on 10. Regarding participation in the American Bible Societies,
the Synod believes there is no cause for it at all, since the
Lutheran Church is very well able to found its own Bible society.
This would, however, not be necessary at present, since through Mr.
Bergmann (see the section "Publishing Society") Bibles can be procured
and, if necessary, depots could be established in various places,
such as Cincinnati, etc.

on 12.a. Professor Walther has been asked to publish an essay in the
"Lutheraner" on the relation of John's baptism to Christ's
baptism.

on 12.b. The Synod is of the opinion that more can be said for than
against the self-communion of pastors, and that it can hardly
be proven that Luther, in his later writings, wrote more against it
than for it. On the remaining points the Synod agrees with
the conference.

The New York Conference, in its minutes of August 28–
29 of this year, expresses the request that the Synod permit it,
in consideration of its local circumstances, to form a branch synod, or unite
it into a conference furnished with certain privileges. In
general it notes that the danger of a one-sided tendency in such
closed circles need not be feared; that the edification of smaller circles might
rather promote the edification of the whole. — Reference is made to the
indifference of the congregations toward the Synod and its deliberations,
which must result if they only ever hear of everything as if from a very great
distance; and to the sad necessity for a preacher
in the East to stand so unsupported and without any oversight by
church authorities. The excellent institution of visitations does not extend as far