# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1853_S252
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 252 —

4. The complete break between the two synods — confirmed by the Synod of
Missouri now assembled in Cleveland — since by refusing this offered path
to peace they wish to persist not only in obstinate impenitence, in
unchristian violence and self-help, in self-judging and encroachment on
our office, but then also to persecute and brand us, knowingly and
willfully, as a Cain-church, though they themselves confess us to be
brothers standing on the same confessional ground.

May merciful God bless this our faithful rebuke and admonition, that we
may win the Venerable Synod of Missouri as Christian, Lutheran fellow
brothers, in that they hear us. Amen!

Buffalo, May 27, 1853.

J. Andr. A. Grabau. — G. A. Kindermann. — Joh. Friedr. Winkler. —
H. C. G. von Rohr. — F. J. Müller, pastor. — F. Wm. Wier, pastor. —
E. A. H. Lange. — G. Türk, pastor. — C. A. Schröer, pastor. —
J. G. Böhm, pastor. — C. Kühn, pastor.

The congregational deputies:

Carl Gottlieb Valentin Wehser. — Martin Taute. — Heinrich Stäger. —
Daniel Page. — Christian Haseley. — Friedrich Reh. — Friedrich
Heidtke. — Christoph Köhn. — Philipp Müller. — Philipp Rauch. —
John Laible.

In the name of the highly praised Holy Trinity. Amen.

The German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other
States to the Venerable Synod of Buffalo.

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus
Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and in love be with us. Amen.

We have received the letter addressed to us by the Venerable Synod of
Buffalo, dated the 27th of last month. However great the hopes that the
very arrival of such a letter had to awaken in us, and however soothing
to us the moderate tone in which it was composed, it had to grieve us
deeply to learn from it that the conviction — that no Christian
conversation about the existing doctrinal differences can be held
without a prior retraction of the wrong charged against us — is now
shared by the whole Venerable Synod of Buffalo together with Pastor
Grabau, and that we are therefore now rejected by this entire venerable
body in our request for a *Colloquium* [formal doctrinal conference],
and are called upon first to acknowledge that we are in the wrong. This
we must reject as contrary to the Word of God. Our simple reason is
this: we could only be convinced of having wronged the Venerable Synod
of Buffalo if it were shown to us that it does not hold the errors in
doctrine, and does not follow the conscience-burdening practice on
account of which we have received into our fellowship those who
separated from it. The Venerable Synod of Buffalo now indeed believes
that, for its refusal to deal with us for the present concerning the