# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1876_S42
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 42 —

really has the intention to give the office to someone, and in doing so does something which it should not do, but becomes aware of it afterwards, then such a called person has in fact been only a layman (theologically regarded). For he was not called as such a man as God wants to have him called. We have to hold fast: whoever was called immediately by God could be called for a time, as Jonah was called only to go to Nineveh and preach repentance there. But now, when only mediate calling takes place, a temporary call is not admissible, but we must call for as long a time as it pleases God. The essential part of a call lies in this, that someone administer the public office in a definite local congregation on behalf of the community. One can also well be called as vicar of a whole territorial church, on the condition that he help out everywhere where a preacher falls ill. Such a one moves now hither, now thither, where he is needed. The legitimacy of his call, however, lies not in the temporary helping out, but in the perennial call from the whole Church to do this always. So also a synod as a whole body can call a preacher on the condition that he help out where it is necessary, and such a one could travel about the whole world, only he might not officiate outside the boundaries of his synod.

The preaching office forms a life vocation for definite persons, who exercise it as long as they do what God bids them. How long one is to stand at a congregation, that one can never know beforehand, but one must leave it to God, who makes it evident through later circumstances how long it is to be. It is merely a formal difference when a temporarily called man, after the expiry of his time, wants to remain pastor longer and take another congregation, or afterwards breaks stones. That a whole synod, however, has power to call a preacher follows from the fact that a single congregation has power to appoint a catechist, an afternoon preacher, or a so-called churchyard preacher; so, when all the congregations unite into one body, the whole has the same power to call a person as the single part, and can therefore also appoint a man for certain labors. Such a one then works as one called by the whole synod. So it is right when in the Bavarian territorial church one appoints vicars for sick pastors. If such a one has no post because no case of illness has occurred, he is nevertheless maintained, for he stands in the service of the whole Church, and this involves the obligation to give him also his bread. No preacher shall do anything else to provide himself his bread. If a congregation does not give its preacher his livelihood when it could, it commits an ungodly act for which God will punish it severely. Christ wills that his preachers in the office have their bread, so that they are not through cares of livelihood led into temptation.