# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_August 1858_S232
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

232 On the Transfer of Preachers.

...congregation is bound in conscience to release the man who has been called to the congregation where greater benefit is to be hoped for. We take the affirmative answer from the passage already cited:

"I. If the pastor is obliged in conscience to accept the new vocation as a lawful, divine call directed toward greater benefit for the church, it follows that they too may not, in fairness, hold him back against God's will.

First of all, also II, so that it may not give the appearance that they wished to arrogate to themselves an absolute lordship over the ministers of the church, but rather acknowledge themselves bound to leave a free path to the regular, divine vocations of preachers.

III. Because the patrons (representatives of the congregation who hold the right of calling) were formerly glad to see the princely authority release their pastor for his present church service, they should in fairness, upon a prior vocation, unhesitatingly let the same follow again for the aforementioned prince (as administrator of the church government, which among us here rests solely in the hands of the congregation), according to the rule of Christ, Matt. 7:12: Whatever you would that men should do to you, do also to them.

IV. Because experience testifies how it has gone when preachers were held back from a vocation that had come to them elsewhere — that they either did not live long, or otherwise fell into difficulties, as can be proven by many examples. Against this the patrons (representatives of the congregation) might object:

I. That they raised up this pastor of theirs at great trouble and expense, and are therefore not obliged to release him. — But if this were to hold, then no pastor could ever leave his first church service, since scarcely any pastor's installation happens without expense. Besides, they obtained him from that very same princely house (to which, in Germany, the administration of church government belongs — which here rests in the hands of the congregation) from which he is now being requested back. It is therefore fair that they release him with good grace — not to mention that, through prayer and the faithful discharge of his office, the pastor has already richly repaid such costs, 1 Cor. 9:11: If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too great a thing if we reap your material things?

II. That such a man is very much needed in that place, where one borders on other religious neighbors, and that such qualities have been found in him that, should he remain longer in that place, one might hope for still greater benefit for the building up and spread of the pure religion, and other good things.

Answer: That God the Lord gave them such a man previously, through regular means or vocation, in this pastor, they have—