# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1853_S259
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 259 —

J. N. J. [In Nomine Jesu — In the Name of Jesus]

"People loved darkness more than light, because their deeds were evil."
John 3:19.

In its last answering letter of 11 June 1853, the Venerable Synod of
Missouri once again claims:

"It would violate their conscience to release from their fellowship our
excommunicated congregation members whom they have received."

For, they say, we hold unscriptural doctrine, they scriptural doctrine;
we a conscience-burdening practice, they none; we would first have to
prove that we had done no wrong, without which they would not be
convinced that they had wronged our synod. Without agreement in
doctrine, judgment on individual cases of practice would likewise never
be reached. Moreover, they say, they did not make our assent to
Missouri's doctrine, or an admission of a hierarchical practice, or the
reinstatement of those they considered unjustly excluded by us, a
condition of the colloquy; rather

they asked only for a meeting in which, first of all, the disagreement
in doctrine that had caused the schism should be resolved.

Therefore, they conclude, the Synod of Buffalo could hold a *Colloquium*
[formal doctrinal conference] with the Venerable Synod of Missouri with
an unburdened conscience, because Missouri asked for something
permissible (a mere conversation about doctrine), while Buffalo demanded
something that violated conscience (the dismissal of the excommunicated
members it had received)!

Reply.

The Venerable Synod of Missouri has accused our pastors, ever since 1843
(when it was not yet properly a synod), of unscriptural doctrine, but
has never yet proven it; rather, with all its supposed proofs, down to
the most recent — from its critique of the Hirtenbrief [Pastoral
Letter] to its tabular survey — it has fallen into nothing but slander.

Since 1843 it first accused us, on the basis of Bürger's slanders, of a
conscience-burdening practice, and from then on built factious
counter-altars against our Lutheran churches in every congregation. To
this day it has never proven its right to do so, for with all its
supposed proofs it has in the end landed only in the slanderous sidecar
[i.e., merely tagging along behind the slander].

What has not yet been proven cannot be the basis for anything. Since the
Synod of Missouri has proven neither unscriptural doctrine nor a
conscience-burdening practice, it cannot base on this the claim that it
would be against its conscience to release again the excommunicated
members it has received from us; on the contrary, conscience demands
exactly this.

For we have proven, often and abundantly, that our doctrine and practice
agree with the holy Word of God and with the Symbols [Confessions] of
the Church — for instance in the doctrine of the holy preaching office,
of the Church, of the office of the keys, of the spiritual priesthood,
of Christian liberty, etc. Indeed, so many proofs from God's Word have
been laid before the Synod of Missouri on our part that it needs no more
from us, if it will only give them its fair attention. Our synodical
letters, the *Kirchliches Informatorium* [Church Informatory], and also
this correspondence...