# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1874_S34
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 34 —
Thesis 8.

Since parochial boundaries were not originally determined by God, and are therefore not of divine right in themselves, they can be altered pro re nata (according to circumstances), that is, a parish may be divided into several, branch congregations turned into pastorates of their own, several fused into one, larger or smaller parts of a parish detached from it and added to another. Or, as the membership grows, various auxiliary offices for the various functions of the pastor may be established, as at Jerusalem (Acts 6:1–7).

Compare here the testimony of the Wittenberg theological faculty already cited under Thesis 7.

Would to God that our congregations studied this thesis properly! Where everything still goes on intermingled in disorder, many congregations think: it has always been so with us, so it must remain. No, the aim should be that more and more everything be rightly ordered for the salvation of many souls. To be sure, one should not drive rashly and heedlessly through changes. But here in this country we have the precious freedom to govern and extend ourselves. God has given us this freedom, and we shall have to answer for it if we do not use it to build, extend and found God's kingdom aright. For example, even now in many regions smaller changes could be made without disturbance of the peace, which would be of great importance and benefit.

It is further a true abomination that often a mass, sometimes of six to ten wealthy large congregations, has only one pastor, while each of them could quite well have and maintain a pastor of its own. Only belly-priests [*Bauchpfaffen*] will fail to recognize this and work against it with all their might. Only stinking avarice can be the cause in such congregations if they hold to this arrangement. Whenever a congregation grows too large in membership, more regard should be had to its dividing into two or more congregations rather than its staying together and building one large, showy church. For how can a pastor work properly and faithfully among so many souls! He is not only to be a preacher of the Word, but also a shepherd of souls. But if too many souls are entrusted to him, many are neglected, and without doubt thousands are lost on that account too. Naturally this dividing of the congregation also depends on the terrain. If the congregation is confined to a small area, the division of a very large congregation is often impossible. Then, however, as our thesis says, auxiliary offices should be established. To be sure, the other extreme is also to be avoided, too much dividing. For the side-by-side existence of many far too small congregations also brings forth much evil. Our thesis therefore also draws attention to the opposite. An equally great evil here in America is it when every congregation, however small