# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1874_S36
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 36 —
The holy Apostle Paul writes in Gal. 2:4, 5 thus: "For when certain false brethren had crept in with us and sneaked in beside us, to spy out our freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might take us captive, we did not yield to them for an hour in being subject, that the truth of the Gospel might remain with you." There are, however, such strange people who take offense at the so-called *Adiaphora*, that is, matters indifferent, for example, they do not want a crucifix in the church, they take offense at the pastor's chanting before the altar, etc. Now if a congregation, by a large majority, has introduced such things and it has existed for some time by right, but then someone comes and, on account of these indifferent matters, wants nothing more to do with this congregation, but demands that his name be struck out and that he be dismissed, then a Christian congregation can do neither of the two, namely, it shall neither abolish the order, nor give the departing member a certificate of dismissal. The pastor of the neighboring congregation may not receive such a person. A congregation is not to be guided by every confused and willful head. Paul is set before us here as an example. Being circumcised was at that time still an *adiaphoron*. It would have been no sin if all Christians had had themselves circumcised at first. But when false teachers came and said: you must be circumcised, then, says the Apostle, we did not yield to them for an hour in being subject, that the truth of the Gospel might remain with you.

Some Guiding Principles Concerning the So-called Opposition Congregations [*Oppoſitionsgemeinden*].

§ 1.

The Synodical Conference [*Synodalconferenz*] entreats and adjures all pastors and congregations concerned to consider well what an abomination before God, and how scandalous before the Church, indeed before the world, it is that pastors and congregations who have already mutually recognized one another as orthodox, or at least ought to recognize one another, still go on and on biting and devouring one another.

§ 2.

The Synodical Conference warns, in this connection, first of all in the most earnest terms against premature attempts at union, which, as experience has amply taught, make evil worse; it advises, on the contrary, in such cases where an embitterment or irritability of minds still prevails, to be content for the time being that both sides carefully avoid everything that could pour oil on the fire.

Here the question was asked: What is to be understood by "premature union"? The expression was explained to mean that by premature union
[Pencil marginal notes in the left margin, illegible; some lines underlined.]