# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1884_S32
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

30 Proceedings of the tenth convention

Abraham; but if one went to them from the dead, they would repent. He said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." With this the blessed Abraham in heaven has solemnly declared: Scripture is so perfect that nothing may be added. Even if someone came from eternity and preached to men, it would still be no means for bringing them to faith, if the written Word of God does not do it.

Rom. 16:17: "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences beside the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them." It does not say here: "against the doctrine," but: "beside the doctrine." So if a doctrine did not contradict Scripture, yet were not taken from Scripture, we would nevertheless have to tread it underfoot if it were to be forced on us as divine truth. Thus many fantasize much about the nature of heaven, but beside Scripture. Even if it were possible that heaven is constituted as the fantasts say, but one wanted to make us believe it, we would have to contradict and say: You are an enthusiast. Whoever, then, takes a doctrine from the Fathers and cannot prove that the Fathers drew this doctrine from the Bible, him one should reject, however beautifully he may speak of it. All knowledge of the faith is to have flowed from Scripture.

Gal. 1:8: "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." Here the apostle does not say: whoever preaches against my Gospel is accursed. No, whoever preaches even merely otherwise than I. Though it may seem to reason that the doctrine brought in beside it harmonizes excellently with Scripture, it is accursed if I cannot prove that Scripture compels me to teach so; and at the same time I must then also be able to show it to my hearers in such a way that they must see it. For that first is a right expositor. What use is my preacher to me, though he himself be ever so certain of his cause, if he cannot make me certain, so that I can die upon it?

Rev. 22:18–19: "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." With these words the whole Holy Scripture closes. In Moses already, that is, at the beginning of Scripture, we are commanded to add nothing to it, and at the close it is impressed once more: add nothing. One should