# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1905_S153
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

11th Delegate Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States, 1905. 153

...had spoken in favor of such a separation, the matter was put before the congregations of southern Illinois. The result of that vote was as follows: 5 congregations voted against the division; 7 congregations voted that this division project first be submitted to the Illinois District for deliberation; 36 congregations voted decidedly for the said division, respectively separation.

"In accordance with a further resolution of the District Pastoral Conference of southern Illinois, a petition regarding division or separation was, on the basis of this outcome, to be addressed to the Delegate Synod, which the committee hereby takes the liberty of submitting to the Honorable General Synod.

"Although we have for many years experienced, to our benefit, the usefulness and blessing of a synodical fellowship between southern Illinois and Central and North Illinois, we are nevertheless now of the opinion that the overly large Illinois District is fully ripe for a division, indeed, that it will be to the benefit of all parts. There is scarcely a church left that can hold the great mass of the synodical members, and even if this has so far still been possible, it was nonetheless impossible for all the official participants to follow the proceedings, since only a part of them could understand what was being discussed. This, however, impairs the common benefit of a synodical gathering.

"Although, further, the hospitality of the Chicago congregations was so admirable that up to now all guests have still been accommodated, this could only happen by the greatest sacrifices. Given the constant growth in the number of synodical guests, it must come to pass within a few years that they can no longer be accommodated. We therefore believe that, precisely for love's sake, the first move toward a division or separation should come from us in the South, who have never borne these burdens.

"We therefore move that the Honorable Synod permit southern Illinois to form its own independent district, in which all the congregations are included whose pastors belong to the Conference of southern Illinois. Were the boundary drawn further north, it would hardly be possible to find congregations able to house the Synod." (Petition of the District Conference of southern Illinois.)

Resolved, that the Synod permits the division of the present Illinois District, after the latter has itself adopted this as a resolution.