# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1874_S44
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 44 —
So it came about that the entire above proposal of the committee was rejected, and it was resolved that another one, already submitted, be brought into the most suitable form by the next session.

This proposal read, after it had been discussed point by point and finally adopted, as follows:

1. The Synodical Conference [*Synodalconferenz*] declares itself gladly ready to take part, for the purpose of reaching an understanding, in the free conference, proposed by the Reverend General Council, of those Lutherans who confess the Augustana without reservation.

2. The Synodical Conference declares, however, at the same time that it cannot recognize in advance as such bodies those synodical bodies whose members may take part in such a conference, which confess the Augustana without reservation.

3. The Synodical Conference leaves it to the Reverend General Council to make the necessary arrangements concerning place and time of the said conference.

4. The Synodical Conference moves that those persons who will appear to take part in the intended conference themselves determine the procedure to be observed there.

As to the discussions held on this, the question was raised at point 1: what would we do if it turned out that people from the General Synod were also invited? To this it was answered, we must in any case first seek to become one with those who stand nearest to us. That is not the General Synod. With it the confessing of the Augsburg Confession is manifestly only apparent. To hold a colloquy with nominal Lutherans [*Namenlutheraner*] of this kind, none of our synods has so far considered salutary, especially if a third party is also involved. Or can we wish to have our opponents as comrades-in-arms? That would be plainly unlutheran!

But attention was also drawn to the fact that point 1 is indeed so formulated by us that individuals, for their own person, even from the General Synod may come to the conference with our consent and take part in the proceedings. For we have to do only with the individuals, not with their synodical bodies.

It was further asked: how is this to be understood: "The Synodical Conference accepts the invitation"? Is that to mean: the Synodical Conference appoints delegates? The answer was given: this is of course to be understood in no other sense than as it is proposed by the Council, namely, that not the Synodical Conference itself participates officially, but that individuals appear only as private persons, yet with the declared approval of the Synodical Conference.

Finally an explanation was requested concerning the expression "without reservation"; which was given to the effect that, if someone should say, he