# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1874_S31
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 31 —

just as the size and extent, also the distance and uniformity of one diocese with another, are divided according to human will and human established right for reasonable causes, so that in a town or village so and so many houses, these and those, shall belong to this parish, those to that parish, and the division of the parishioners has commonly been arranged according to the nearness of their dwellings to the churches, or with regard to the convenience of getting there without hindrance and delay; for which reason also the particular congregations have their names, in that they are called, from the neighborhood and delimitation with the churches, dioceses, Paroikieen . . . : yet the definition has remained; for Diöcesis . . . still means a region of several particular churches which belong under a main church of a notable city or land, but a pastorate (or parish) a region of Christian inhabitants who are assigned to one baptismal font and one altar and receive the holy sacraments there. Just as from the nearness and neighborliness of the place where Christians live, diocese and parish gain name and division: so, according to circumstance and change of the neighbors (that their number has either increased, at times more churches been built and more parishes or church districts ordered and divided, but after a decrease of the neighbors, so that they could not maintain their own pastor, some pastorates have been joined together, or also, according to circumstance of the place, when in winter time, because of snow and water, some parishioners could more conveniently build their own church or go to another neighboring church), such parishes have been altered, transferred, united, separated or increased; as accordingly various regulations and ordinances are to be found in church law, namely on alteration of church-going districts or the lifting of the obligation, that the penitent hearers were henceforth released from the obligation to go to this or that church when they were hindered by winter, or storm and flood, or could not get there without great hardship. . . . So also common reason and the rule of law: that by which something is gathered, it can also be dissolved by the same. . . . It would be in keeping with Christian love, equity, prudence and neighborly friendship . . . that they let it stand with the ordinance made." (Wittenbergiſche Conſilien, II, 107–109.)

If, then, for example, in a region there is a congregation whose members are widely scattered, but little by little the region is more densely settled, a new congregation arises, but a stream flows between the two, and the new congregation wants all who live on this side of the stream to join it, while the older congregation does not want this, because it perhaps thereby becomes too small — what is one to advise then?

Answer: The special duties always take precedence over the general duties. For example, the general calling of a preacher is that he do mission work. But he may follow this only so far as his special calling from the congregation permits. So also here. The general duty is to look to the welfare of the whole congregation. My special duty, however, is first to care for my own soul and for the souls of my family. That stream can now be a great hindrance to me in getting to church. So I can confidently join the new congregation, even if the old church across the stream were quite near to me. Nearness ceases