# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1876_S23
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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have accepted the Lutheran confession, regard it as a Lutheran congregation. For it does not follow, because a congregation was Unionist yesterday, that it cannot be Lutheran today. On the day of Pentecost three thousand, who the day before had still been Jews, became Christians through one sermon of Peter. So it can also happen today, through a single sermon, that a Unionist congregation becomes Lutheran. It may happen that some are still found in a Lutheran congregation who have a Unionist disposition, but as soon as this became evident one would have to take such people under discipline. If, therefore, a Unionist congregation comes to us and applies for admission into the synodical body, we have to say to it: You are not condemned to remain Unionist forever. If you now want to become Lutheran and accept our confession, you are heartily welcome, even if there were still among you a number of such as have no right knowledge. Such a change can well take place overnight, especially among those who come from over there, from regions where the Lutheran Catechism is still retained. Such people have until then been deceived by Unionist preachers. If they turn about quickly, that is no wonder; they are only shaking off their former fetters.

According to the Formula of Concord we must regard it as a necessary requirement of a Lutheran congregation that it be at one with us in all articles of faith. Whether all members are at one in all articles of faith is another question. In judging a congregation, whether it is Lutheran or not, we have to go by looking at what exists by right in it and has the dominion in it, and not, say, to take the part that has to be pastorally dealt with as our standard in the judgment. Often no clear judgment may be possible. Yet we should not buy any congregation in the sack, but say to it, when it calls a Lutheran preacher: Consider well what you are doing! A Lutheran preacher turns away all who are not Lutheran, and does not suffer that such be received. If it declares itself content with this and it nevertheless later becomes evident that it wants to have it otherwise and a pastor thereby comes into distress, then there happens only what happens everywhere where one will not submit to the Word of God: the one has this trouble, the other another trouble, which he has to overcome.

Hereby it is by no means to be denied that there can be special cases in which a so-called serving might take place. For example: someone has become, out of error and blindness, the preacher of a congregation in fact Unionist; finally he wakes up and comes to a clear knowledge. Of such a one we do not require that he leave his congregation at once. He has rather, because he had first led the congregation astray, now a double obligation before God and must try the utmost to bring the members of the congregation to the same knowledge, to move them to give up their Unionist constitution, and with