# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1876_S31
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 31 —

in a kindly way, which I mean faithfully. For it is God's admonition. But if you will not hear nor mend, then we must let you go, and nevertheless see how we withstand the devil, at least so far that we do not burden our conscience with your sins, nor do the devil's will therein. Into the ban we may not put you, you put yourselves in it, whereas we would gladly and much rather have you out of it. And even if you could get another pastor (which is far off), you could nevertheless not become Christians, nor partake of any piece of Christian grace and life; so also no one will accept it against the visitors' will and command. And who would want to go to such denied Christians, who have such evil report that they drove out their pastor with violence and wrong, and yet are called Christians and would bear such a name to their shame? You would get a fine name in all the world from this and become a real example. Finally: be reconciled, I counsel in Christ, with your pastor and live in a friendly way with him; let him rebuke, teach, comfort, as God has commanded him and as lies on his conscience; as it is written in Hebrews 13:17: 'Obey your teachers and follow them, for they watch over your souls, as those who must give account, that they may do it with joy and not with sighing, for that is not good for you.' For what you intend is an evil example, that any official, judge or councillor might want to drive a pastor out wantonly according to his whim, when he has no warrant, right or cause; God will not and cannot suffer it. God grant that you do not experience it." (Earnest Writing, that a faithful pastor is not to be deposed because he sharply rebukes public vices. From the year 1543. [They wanted to remove the preacher with the help of the visitors.] X, 1898—1902.)

Here again a question was raised, namely this: Is not unfitness of the preacher also a ground for his removal? Can a congregation not say in such a case: You were called under other presuppositions, we must therefore now take back the call? As an answer the following was remarked:

If it can be proved that someone has crept into the office by crooked ways who is not fit to administer it, he is to be removed from his office. But if someone has acted from ignorance, in good faith that he was called by God, and it nevertheless turns out that he is unfit for such an office, as is often the case here, then he is not to be deposed from his office, for that involves a penalty and is something disgraceful. From such a one the office is only to be taken away.

This is a very important point for us. For there are hundreds in this country who are not fit to administer the office, and yet