# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_April 1858_S106
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

106    Answer to a Voice from the Lutheran Church of Germany, etc.

vote — this we simply cannot conceive at all, nor, to our knowledge,
have we ever, whether by word or by deed, given anyone occasion to fear
such a thing from us. If indeed some article of faith and doctrine comes
into question, then Scripture alone is judge, the Symbols are the
witnesses, the minister of the Word sets forth the matter according to
Scripture and the Symbols, and the congregation assents and submits
itself. But should the flesh ever assert itself and raise opposition
against God's clear Word, then such resistant elements, in case of
stubbornness, are either put out, or they withdraw of their own accord,
or in the end they conform after all — at least outwardly and
hypocritically, which latter outcome it is, to be sure, in no man's
power to prevent, and which will in any case occur to a lesser degree
where the opposition can express itself and be at once contested and,
with God's help, overcome, than where it must fall silent, unanswered
and untaught, before the driver's goad. But that in matters of Christian
liberty the question is decided by majority vote follows from the right
of the fellowship, and is really self-evident. Hear, however, how our
synod has freely and openly explained itself on this in the second
synodical report of our Western District. There it says, on p. 32, under
the title "The Principle that in Matters of Christian Liberty the Truth
Should Govern," as follows:

"This principle stated above was explained somewhat more fully, in that
it was first asked whether it rests on a scriptural basis. To be sure,
it was said, no passage of Scripture states this principle directly. Yet
God's Word commands, in 1 Cor. 14:40, that all things be done decently
and in order. Now, many things can only be regulated by majority vote.
Wherever a social condition exists, among whatever peoples and at
whatever stage of culture, this principle finds its application in those
matters that are not already settled by the constitution of such a
society. But Holy Scripture is the proper constitution of Christians.
What God has already himself decided therein may nevermore be subjected
to a vote; in other matters it is the only reasonable way to establish
order by a majority, unless one wished to introduce a representative
system, whereby one would from the outset surrender one's liberty —
which will surely never occur to us. Such an order, made only by human
beings, the Augsburg Confession, Article XV, likewise teaches us to
keep, wherever it can be kept without sin. Where the majority yields to
the minority, it should be clearly conscious that it does this only for
love's sake, and not on account of any right belonging to the minority.
We would indeed strive, as far as possible, to attain unanimity; but
where it is evidently only the obstinacy and unlovingness of the
minority that prevents this, one should rather let everything go over
and under it,