# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1879_S23
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 23 —

it still exists in Germany, is intended only for a mission church, according to Luther's opinion; but its goal should be the right kind of evangelical order, in which one could recognize, punish, correct, exclude, or put under the ban those who did not conduct themselves as Christians, according to the rule of Christ, Matt. 18.

One must also insist that a congregational meeting is not held merely every year or half-year, to conduct elections and the like: otherwise little will come of the care of the congregation in this respect. In school and in confirmation instruction the children should be impressed with what a congregation is there for, namely to proclaim God's Word, to watch over one another and, as St. Paul writes to the Thessalonians, to build one another up. The synods should, by establishing the institution of visitation, create for themselves the opportunity to watch that church discipline is in force in the congregations, and that the arms of the pastors belonging to them be strengthened in it. —

For the comfort of those preachers who take it seriously also in the matter of church discipline, but cannot yet carry it out in all its stages, especially in new congregations, it should not be passed over that, for lack of a church discipline carried through in every particular, a congregation does not yet cease to be a Lutheran one. Church discipline is not so necessary as the Gospel, and a congregation is therefore not to be robbed of the Gospel by impetuous pressing for church discipline, because God does not make salvation dependent on the fulfilment of the commandments. We receive for the most part such people from outside, who know nothing of church discipline and therefore do not want it either. Shall we then leave these people in the lurch? Certainly not! Admittedly the neighbouring preachers should, before the congregation calls, instruct it regarding the announcement for the Lord's Supper; but only if a congregation declared from the outset that it would absolutely not submit to the practice of church discipline should one not accept it, or serve it only as a mission post without the Lord's Supper. But if this is not the case, then a preacher should not turn such people away, but serve them as a congregation and do first what he can, that is: he should only not burden his conscience by not doing what he can.

What a preacher can always do in a congregation, and therefore also should, Luther teaches in the following passage: "We have set up no other ban as yet, except that those who live in public vices and do not desist are not admitted to the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ; and this can be maintained by our giving the holy Sacrament to no one unless he has first been examined by the pastor and deacon. We also cannot see how