# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_August 1858_S231
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

On the Transfer of Preachers. 231

On this point the aforementioned Deliberation, approved by the Tübingen theologians, speaks once more: "When God the Lord has imparted to someone a gift beyond others, he wills that not one place alone should make use of it, but rather that others too should fruitfully enjoy it; and once he has observed that one man can accomplish more benefit in this place, another in that, he directs his call accordingly (note this) and sends him — especially when, according to his omniscience, he observes that the man, after much practice, might no longer be unfit to perform something higher."

13. If, then, the question is asked: from what, indeed, is one to conclude that a call is divine? — the answer runs thus: to this end fervent prayer helps, by which the heart is guided to the recognition of God's will; careful comparison of all circumstances, and in particular weighing of the greater benefit; examination of one's own character and gifts; and also the judgment and careful consideration of learned and pious friends — all of which God is accustomed nowadays to employ as wholesome means, since that immediate impulse and that wholly plain manner of calling, free from every doubt, by which he once took the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles into his service, has ceased.

And it carries the greatest weight when it is specifically the whole church that issues the call, and does so urgently, as it ought to be. Here the words of the Smalcald Articles on the power and jurisdiction of bishops deserve to be cited, which say, among other things: "Where the church is, there is indeed the command to preach the Gospel. Therefore the churches must retain the right to call, choose, and ordain ministers. And this right is a gift properly given to the churches by God, and cannot be taken away by any human power, as St. Paul testifies, Eph. 4, where he says: He ascended on high and gave gifts to men. And among such gifts, which are proper to the church, he numbers pastors and teachers, and adds that these were given for the building up of the body of Christ. Therefore it follows that, wherever there is a true church, there is also the authority to choose and ordain ministers." And directly thereafter: "This is also confirmed by the saying of Peter, where he says: You are a royal priesthood. These words properly concern the true church, which, because it alone has the priesthood, must also have the authority to choose and ordain ministers. This is also attested by the common practice of the churches; for in former times the people chose their pastors and bishops, and then the bishop of that place or of the neighborhood came and confirmed the chosen bishop by the laying on of hands," etc. And again, in the same place: "From this it is seen that the church has the authority to choose and ordain ministers."

14. But from this a new question arises: whether the former—