# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1878_S51
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 51 —

1. If now, however, someone, in spite of all instruction, cannot see the contrariness to Scripture of the marriage with a deceased wife's sister (*Schwagerehe*) and declares on his conscience that he sees nothing wrong in it, what should be done with such a person? Answer: one must leave it to his conscience. But mark well! a pastor must not now think: because the person cannot see it, therefore I will marry them. No! You shall not condemn the person on that account, but still you shall not make yourself a partaker of his sin. By the opinion of Spener appended, this was further elucidated:

"As to the question put, I consider in my simplicity that a father confessor, after he has done everything that he, to the best of his knowledge, has found serviceable for averting that which he fears in his conscience to be wrong, but this does not penetrate the hearts, but that which they have grasped for their opinion keeps the upper hand with them, may well give the absolution. For we are not lords over the faith of the souls entrusted to us, but their helpers. As I now, in other matters that consist in facts (in facto), about which I deal with the penitent, even though I have strong presumptions (praesumtiones) to the contrary, where he appeals to his conscience, must let it rest there and leave it to the Lord: so this holds no less when it is a question of law (quaestio juris), namely that — where we cannot lay before them the indisputable and clearest Word of God, which alone convinces the consciences with sufficient force, but it comes to this, that one needs consequences (consequentiae), and indeed such consequences as are subject to strong exceptions (exceptiones) —, we cannot press them further than as much as they find themselves convinced of the divine will. Since then they cannot recognize in themselves that this is God's commandment, and that not out of mere obstinacy and not without having laid before them strong motives, which we ourselves do not regard as so entirely insignificant, though we esteem the opposing ones stronger: so our authority goes no further and we must commend it to the Lord, who alone holds the hearts in His hands and can make them firm. I gladly remember in this connection the words of Paul, 1 Corinthians 7:6, 8, 10, 25, 40, where he advances such an opinion, which is supported with such reasons as are indeed in accord with the will of the Lord, yet, since he had no express command of the Lord to show, he does not wish to throw any further snare upon the consciences. So much the less should we, since we have all received a lesser measure of the Spirit than the dear Apostle, extend our authority further than this, that where the commandment of the Lord does not stand wholly undeniably before our eyes, we give our opinion and confirm it as well as we are able, but after that leave the matter itself to the consciences, which otherwise, if we wished to go further, would be strained to direct themselves not by divine commandment (for such they do not recognize in the matter) but by our own judgment. So it is