# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1851_S170
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 170 —

and finally an afterword, meant to show the application of the theses to
the present doctrinal differences. In support of the theses the author
gives citations from (a) Holy Scripture, (b) the symbolical books, (c)
the most recognized and proven teachers of our own church and of the
ancient church, so as to reject as forcefully as possible any appearance
of novelty in the doctrine, to show the agreement of the whole Church
from the beginning with our own, and to set this agreement in an ever
clearer light through a fitting arrangement of the many testimonies. The
character of the whole paper was to be more apologetic (defensive) than
polemical (combative), so as to invite calm examination all the more,
and to heal in love the rupture that threatens. The Synod declared
itself entirely in agreement with this plan, and also approved the
apologetic method of teaching chosen by the author, so far as it would
give due proof of the untenability of the opposing errors.

The dear author then communicated the individual theses, to each of
which the Synod gave its assent. Since the book itself will appear
shortly, however, it would be superfluous to give a detailed report of
them here. The reading itself and the discussions on church doctrine and
practice that followed from it took up, with few interruptions, 8
sessions. This was unquestionably the part of the proceedings that
proved most fruitful, filling the hearts of all with great joy over the
scripturalness, clarity, and loveliness of our doctrine, and letting
them feel how the peace of the Spirit of God is the sweet, delicious
fruit of true unity and certainty of faith.

If, however, the reader also wishes to learn at least something of these
blessed proceedings, the present writer finds himself in something of a
predicament. For on the one hand he ought not, through unclear fragments,
anticipate the impression of the forthcoming book, which presents the
doctrine of church and ministry [Kirche und Amt] clearly and lucidly in
its whole context; on the other hand, he would not wish to send the dear
readers who were not present at the Synod away quite so empty-handed.
Let him therefore be permitted to relate at least a little of it.

The cornerstone on which the worthy author has built the structure of
his book is the eternally firm truth: the Church is by its essence an
invisible one, the congregation of those truly believing and holy, to
which no unregenerate person, hypocrite, or ungodly person belongs; its
existence, however, is made recognizable, according to Article 7 of the
Augsburg Confession, by the pure preaching of the Word and the
Scripture-conformable administration of the sacraments; and this
invisible Church is the true possessor and bearer of all the heavenly
goods, rights, offices, and powers that Christ has given to his Church.

It came up here how Article 7 of the Augsburg Confession is often
wrongly interpreted, as though it gave at the same time a description of
the visible church — as though the whole crowd of hearers to whom the
Word of God is proclaimed purely and clearly were to be taken for the
true holy Church of Jesus; whereas the Confession means to say no more
than that, by the pure Word and sacrament as certain, infallible marks,
one recognizes that the true holy Church of Jesus lies hidden among the
crowd of hearers, because the Word of God carries the infallible promise
that it will always find hearts in which it comes to power and life. And
only these are they who belong to Christ and