# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1887_S19
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Fifth Delegate Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States, 1887. 19

to preserve unity! For this much is certain: disunity among us, once it
arises, is bound to become far more dreadful and destructive than
anywhere else.

The district synodal assemblies have also been held regularly in the
past two years. The doctrinal discussions, since there were no so-called
burning questions, have turned more than usual to catechism truths.
Certainly not to our detriment.

We can without hesitation grant the requests of our congregations and
pastors both in Kansas and in California-Oregon to constitute
themselves as their own districts. The still small number of
congregations on the Pacific coast will, it is hoped, not be raised as an
objection to this. Experience has indeed taught us that the formation
of independent districts does not hinder the gathering and joining of
new congregations, but rather tends to promote it.

The Synod will be glad to learn from the "Lutheraner" that the
pastors and congregations of the so-called English Conference in
Missouri know themselves to be so closely joined with us in spirit that
they have now expressed the wish to be formally incorporated into our
association as well, specifically as an English district. Whether this
can be done without a change to our Constitution, and whether the
brothers would really gain so much more benefit from it than they
have now, ought, however, to be carefully considered beforehand.

Since from now on the General President will probably have to visit at
least thirteen districts every year, a plan for a better sequence of the
district synods has been worked out that seeks to make this possible,
and will, it is hoped, find approval.

Our educational institutions require our attention this year more than
usual.

As for the preachers' seminary [Predigerſeminar] in St. Louis first of
all, the report of the supervisory board brings us, along with the
assurance that everything else has gone its usual good course, also the
official sad news that two professorships there need to be filled. To be
sure, the remaining professors have promptly and on their own
initiative filled the gaps that arose, as well as it was in any way
possible. But this stopgap arrangement cannot continue much longer
without serious harm. The Synod will now have to decide whether the
filling of these posts should take place in the regular way, through its
electoral college, or whether, exceptionally, it should once again be
done by the present assembly itself. Perhaps both could be combined,
in this way: that the powers already present in the faculty be assigned
by the Synod itself the sphere of work and the position they are to
take from now on; while, on the other hand, the choice of the person
or persons newly to be called, unless sufficient