# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1876_S26
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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they could also dismiss him. But that is an error. For it is God who calls through the congregation. Hence the divine character of the call. Before the election of a preacher the congregation may well say: we want this one, not that one. But the one called then stands there as God's representative. How foolish, therefore, when people think: as he who can create something can also destroy what has been formed, so a congregation too could make its preacher a layman again. A man can indeed create a marriage by taking a wife where he will, but once the marriage has come about, God must first give his yes to the separation. So also with the call. In Zwickau it was in particular the city bailiff Mühlpfort who, furious at Cordatus, made the whole citizenry rebellious; indeed, it was threatened that if he did not go, they would starve him out. Luther then writes

in a letter to Valentin Hausmann at Zwickau thus: "That you could well consider yourselves: where a good-for-nothing who has studied all his life, squandered his father's goods and suffered all misfortune, should be pastor at Zwickau, as they have let it be heard: that they should be lords and the pastor a servant, who sits all day on the swing; if Mühlpfort wanted it, he would stay, if not, he must go — no, no, dear sir, you shall not bring that about, but shall keep no pastor. We will neither do it nor suffer it, unless they confess that they do not want to be Christians. From heathen we shall and will suffer it, from Christians Christ himself will not suffer it. If those at Zwickau, or you yourselves, my dear lords and friends, will not feed your brother, you may well leave it. Christ is somewhat richer than the world, though he appears poor. It says: Esurientes implevit [He hath filled the hungry] (He fills the hungry with good things); we let it stand at that, and let those at Zwickau go further." (Letter to Valentin Hausmann at Zwickau 1532, when the people of Zwickau, namely at the instigation of Mühlpfort, the city bailiff, had dismissed Cordatus because of his rebuking sermon. XXI, 357.)

A congregation can no more say to its preacher: we dismiss you, than I have a right to say to my neighbor's servant: I dismiss you! For the preacher must say: I am not only your servant, but also God's servant. Prove to me that I am not God's servant, then you have even the duty to remove me. Of such grounds for the removal of a preacher there are three: 1) if he teaches falsely, 2) lives offensively, and 3) administers his office unfaithfully. Such preachers reject God's Word. Of them God says through the prophet: "Thou shalt not be my preacher." And Christ says: "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

Chemnitz writes about this in his Loci thus: "Also in our