# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1853_S240
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 240 —

— occupies, keeping each of them individually in view and taking it into
account, along with the hindrances and impediments to more vigorous and
effective activity that naturally arise from this.

In my humble opinion, then, we must take particular care that these
obstacles be removed not only by dividing the Synod into district synods,
but that, through granting the districts the greatest possible degree of
independence, the development of all the gifts and powers entrusted to
them, and their unrestricted use within their own sphere, be promoted in
free and unhindered motion. At the same time, however, it will also be
our task to see, through a firm and close bond joining the individual
synods into one organic whole, to the preservation and growth of a living
awareness of unity, and to the common, harmonious working-together of
all the powers and gifts of the individual parts toward shared purposes.
And could a better means be found for this last-named purpose, as well
as for the necessary oversight — without thereby excluding others — than
the appointment of a general visitor? If, even with our Synod's smaller
membership, it was already considered wholesome and expedient, indeed in
a certain sense necessary, to place such a general visitor at the head of
the Synod in the person of its president, then I must honestly confess
that, with the growth of the Synod and its division into district synods —
where in any case the estrangement of the individual parts, and the
emergence of a false direction within a district existing on its own, become
more easily possible — I cannot see the necessity or expediency of entrusting
the oversight office to the general president once again while at the same
time cutting off his ability to exercise it properly, by stripping him of the
character of general visitor, as has been done in the draft constitution
submitted to the St. Louis Conference for the drawing up of a constitution.
On the contrary: if such an office seemed necessary to us at that time, we
can only regret that it has so far proved impossible for the president,
because of the excessive burden of his twofold office — which he has had
to administer both as pastor of a congregation and at the same time as
president of the Synod — to carry it out in such a way as to produce the
benefit intended at its founding; and it seems to me that, under the
circumstances that have now arisen, such an office is doubly desirable,
indeed indispensable, for as long as it remains at all possible to keep our
present synodical arrangement.

How highly Luther esteemed this office, how he lamented its decline,
how he wished for and worked toward its restoration, is known to the
honored brothers; nevertheless I would like to cite a passage from his
preface to the Instructions for the Visitors.

"Who," he says, "who can tell how useful and how necessary such an
office is in Christendom? One may perceive it from the harm that has
come from its having fallen and been perverted. Indeed, no doctrine nor
estate has remained right or pure; instead, so many horrible factions and
sects have arisen — as many as there are foundations and monasteries —
through which the Christian Church has been thoroughly suppressed,
faith extinguished, love turned into quarreling and strife, the Gospel
shoved under the bench, and empty human works, doctrines, and dreams
have ruled in place of the Gospel. The devil, to be sure, has made good use
of this, since he brought this office down and under his control, and set
up nothing but spiritual masks and monkish calves in its place, so that no
one resisted him — even though it takes great effort, even when the office
is exercised rightly and diligently —