# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1877_S14
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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itself, that from the lack of schools an irreplaceable loss arises for the Church itself. Therefore the pastor of the church must be most carefully concerned that the school in the places entrusted to his pastoral care be committed to capable teachers. But where the villages are not such that they can support a schoolteacher, he must at least take pains to find respectable members of the congregation who will instruct the youth during the winter, inviting them to this work through some compensation, however small, from the church treasury. For without the help of the schools divine knowledge and godliness cannot be planted in any way, so that many pastors, where no schoolmasters were to be had, have taken on this so necessary, so salutary work, driven to it by their conscience, especially in wintertime. But where schools have been established, the visitation of them by the pastor is absolutely necessary, partly so that the schoolmaster may be encouraged to tireless diligence, partly so that the manner and way in which he is to conduct the instruction faithfully and with fruit may be shown him, partly that especially what is lacking in catechetical instruction may be supplied, and partly finally that the youth themselves may be spurred on to make greater progress every day."

For the second and third reasons visitation is of course not so necessary among us, since we have young people enough who have diligently prepared for school service for years and are therefore well able to teach competently.

Fecht continues: "The pastor of the church must not let the disgust at the burdensome labor deter him from sitting frequently for whole hours among the little ones in the school; he must also not merely listen to the teacher's instruction but must himself put his hand to the work, praise the diligent and rebuke the lazy. For so he lays a firmer foundation for the catechetical instruction to be given later in the church itself. Likewise he must be daily concerned to awaken the careless parents, who are often little concerned for their children, as though these might grow up like the animals without any knowledge of God. He must put before them the account which they will one day have to give, and the divine curse that will pour over their whole household if they neglect their duties here, and on the other hand the blessing if they bring up their children in the fear of the LORD, to which they are chiefly guided in the school. At first glance this part of the pastor's office seems to be of little importance; but let him be sure of this, that by this part above all one can distinguish a true pastor of the church from a hireling, and a pastor in name only from a real one. For how can one who takes no care for the foundation be seriously concerned for the building itself?" (Instructio pastoralis, ed. a G. F. Fechtio, fil. Ed. II. 1722. pag. 199. seq.)