# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1884_S94
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

92 Proceedings of the tenth convention

to the dear Christians: Your gifts we will gather as a fund, so that, if God suddenly assigns us this work also, we shall then already have means in hand.

In connection with this, the establishment of an institution for foreign mission was also brought forward by a member of the Conference. Here it was pointed out, however, that we already have such institutions in Milwaukee, Springfield and St. Louis. For what is still specially needed by a missionary, besides the regular training for the holy pastoral office? The Leipzig Mission Society also proceeds from the same thought. One might at most consider it necessary that such a candidate destined for the foreign mission should stand for a short time under an experienced mission director and be introduced by him more into the particulars of such missions. For this, however, no special institution is needed for the present.

Finally the question was also raised whether it is wrong, if we have no foreign mission of our own, to assign the funds intended for it to such existing mission societies as are not at one with us in doctrine. While on the one hand this was affirmed and grounded on the point that we have no calling to support heterodox communions, since we should then also support their false doctrine; so on the other hand it was remarked against this that the missionaries to the heathen of the Lutheran societies that are opposed to our doctrine preach among the heathen nothing other than we also, namely Christ and his gospel, and cannot enter into the relevant differences in doctrine; hence one might well turn the funds over to such. But against this attention was drawn to the experiences that one has had with such societies. Where the right spirit is not, it also often turns out very sadly. And that would be very discouraging for our congregations if they had to see and learn that they had thrown their money quite away.

VI. Examination of Several Synodal Reports of the Synods Belonging to the Synodical Conference.

Regarding this matter two things were remarked, namely first, that the committees should never forget to name the doctrinal subjects discussed in the synodal reports, and secondly, that it would be better if it became the usage among us to express no praise of the synodal reports, for what we alone want and ought to know is whether the doctrine conducted in the reports is right and in accord with the Word of God.

The committee reports submitted this time now follow: