# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1873_S27
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 27 —

...so, unfortunately, all too often kill the weak spark of faith in weak Christians, but others, who, probably the majority, do not appear so openly, probably do still more harm in this direction precisely for that reason, through the unchristian spirit by which they are nonetheless wholly governed. Through the reading of them the moral sense is quite imperceptibly dulled, the longer the more, and contempt for the authorities, as well as hatred against political opponents, are likewise produced. Thus these papers also report on the dreadful vices of our time in such a manner that, instead of hatred and abhorrence of them, rather pleasure in them, or at least indifference toward them, is produced. Mere warnings and admonitions do not suffice to check vigorously the terrible damage which Satan thus does through the godless press to so many thousands of souls, even within our own congregations. A very important means toward this would certainly be if we could offer our people wholesome reading and thereby displace the bad among them, for which, however, a single small synod cannot do much. — Although the Conference now recognizes the terrible damage which the godless press does to the Church and is well aware to what great danger the latter is exposed through the former, also for the future, the longer the more, and how it must be counteracted with great earnestness; nevertheless it cannot bring itself, as the Synodical Conference [*Synodal⸗Conferenz*], to publish for this purpose a political paper written in a Christian spirit. Not to mention that such a paper could not satisfy the differing local requirements of the readers of our circles, our body must avoid even the slightest evil appearance of wanting to exercise a political influence. In the meantime, in order to displace the "scandal sheets" as far as possible, let people only spread the good that already exists, as, God be thanked, there is by no means a lack of really good reading, and by no means are all political papers of our country papers of Satan. — Finally the Conference agreed in this matter on the following resolution [*Beſchluß*]:

"The Synodical Conference earnestly recommends to the members of its congregations, especially in the large cities, and indeed in their capacity as citizens, to join together in societies in order, by founding and publishing good political newspapers, to oppose the soul-destroying press, meanwhile and besides, however, to subscribe to the good weekly papers already appearing.