# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1860_S62
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— Page 62 —

The Synod adopted this result and resolved to carry out the union of
the two seminaries in the manner indicated, if possible by September
1, 1861. As for the means and methods of carrying it out, the
deliberation of these was entrusted to a committee, whose report on
the matter was discussed in one of the last sessions and adopted
with some amendments. For further detail — especially regarding new
instructors still to be appointed and new buildings to be erected in
Fort Wayne — see Dr. Sihler's "Denkschrift." Let it only be mentioned
here that the Synod resolved to establish a building committee for
the new building to be erected in Fort Wayne, to consist of two
pastors appointed by the Synod and five expert laymen elected from
their own number by the congregation in Fort Wayne; and that it
charged Director Saxer, once all preparations for the start of
construction had been made, to travel to Fort Wayne, to inspect the
site and the building plan in person, and to give his advice on the
matter. — The two pastors elected to the building committee are Dr.
Sihler and Pastor M. Stephan, the latter serving as building
inspector.

A question raised concerning the planned union of our seminaries —
namely, whether the Synod could resolve anything in this matter
without first having submitted it to the congregations — was answered
in the affirmative under the Synodical Constitution, chapter 4,
section 9, since such a resolution does not encroach on the
self-government of the congregations, in that no congregation is
thereby compelled to take part in supporting it, but it is left to
each congregation's own recognition of its duty how far it wishes to
participate. It is, however, proper that the congregations in St.
Louis, Fort Wayne, and Altenburg, as those especially affected, also
be asked about it in particular. The Synod likewise recognized it as
desirable to hear the joyful assent of all the Synod's congregations,
and therefore resolved to have them send in this assent to Dr. Sihler
in Fort Wayne by Easter at the latest.

Another concern — whether the union would not result in the complete
discontinuation of the practical seminary, which is indispensable to
our circumstances and will remain so for a long time yet — was
resolved as follows: what is at issue is not a merging of
the two seminaries into one, but a union of location only,
and no one supposes that the practical institution is to be brought
to ruin by the union; rather, so long as God grants us young men who
need to be practically trained, so long shall the practical
institution continue to exist. Once the union comes about, a
constitution must be drafted for both institutions, in which precise
provisions on this point are to be made.

A third concern, finally — namely, whether the union, and the
relocation of our seminaries bound up with it, would not run counter
to the terms of the deeds of transfer issued, on the one side, by
Pastor Löhe, and, on the other, by the congregations at St. Louis and
Altenburg, and would therefore have to be abandoned on that
account...