# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1857_S360
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 360 —

At the Synod's request, Mr. Römer, deputy of the St. Louis
congregation, gave a brief oral report on the current state of the
college building. The Synod had to lament that, for lack of the
necessary funds, this building could still not be completed, and it
called on the synodical congregations to help bring it to completion
through further contributions.

On this occasion the Synod further resolved that our heartfelt thanks
be expressed to the "Saxon Society" [Sächſiſcher Verein] for its
active participation in our church here.

The Catechism Matter.

To meet a pressing need, the Synod had, at its 1854 convention (see the
8th synodical report, p. 285), charged the ministerium of St. Louis
with carefully reviewing Conrad Dietrich's catechism; rendering it into
pure church language; supplementing, in those articles where its
provisions no longer sufficed for our time, according to the pattern
of sound doctrine; and submitting it in this form to the next general
Synod for final review. The ministerium in question had now undertaken
this work and had submitted it to the present Synod for evaluation.
The Synod assigned the review of the manuscript to a committee, with
instructions to examine carefully — and report to the Synod on — in
particular the treatment of the two doctrinal articles on the Church
and the Office of the Keys [Amt der Schlüſſel], which required fuller
exposition for our time. After the committee's report was presented,
the Synod resolved that the two articles in question be adopted and
accepted unchanged in their present form.

On the observation that the catechism was too sparingly supplied with
proof texts, the Synod assigned Professor Walther to complete their
number, and expressed the wish that the catechism be sent to print
quite soon, that as good paper as possible be used for it, and that
the format of the small hymnal be chosen for it.

Publication of the Altenburg Bible, Old Testament, in Two Parts.

Professor Walther also brought up the publication of the Altenburg
Bible's Old Testament, now that the New Testament's had been
completed, and recommended the work's circulation as a great blessing
for congregations and households. He noted, however, that to bring
about the printing of the Old Testament as well would require
considerably greater participation and a larger number of subscribers
than had so far been found for taking up the New Testament.

The Synod expressed its earnest and lively interest in this matter.
Mr. Wiebusch, who was present at the Synod, gave, on inquiry, an
estimate of the cost and price. The Old Testament would have to be
published in two parts. The capital needed to begin printing one part
would come to $2,000, and both parts to $4,000. The price for a copy
of each would have to be set at $2, or $4 for both. The easiest way to