# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1886_S13
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1886. 13

But what if Scripture were of divine origin only by and large, only in its main points and not in all parts, not also in the individual expression; what if there were passages in it of human origin; what if it were possible that Scripture were afflicted with error, or that the individual words were chosen and set down thus by men — how would Scripture then stand for all practical use in faith and life? That would be the end of it altogether. An example may illustrate this. Would a probate court admit a human will if it had been drawn up partly by the testator, partly by the heirs and by others who have an interest in it, and moreover it were not distinguished what the testator himself and what the heirs and others had written? Would the court not throw such a document aside as useless paper? And no heir could gladly step forward and recognize anything as his inheritance that would be awarded him under such a will. No, there the strict requirement is that the testator, in full consciousness, acknowledge word for word by his signature as his own will, and before witnesses at that, so that it may be certain. Wherever there is any doubt after the death of the testator, the validity and force of such an earthly will lapses. And that concerns merely "this life's goods, a handful of sand, the care of minds." And we are supposed to have two testaments from God, in which the matter is goods worth more than heaven and earth, and these are supposed to have been given us in a form in which the divine and the human were mixed together and moreover it could not be distinguished what is divine and what human? — Again, when two men make a contract, they do not leave it to others to draw up the document as they please, but see to it that it is recorded carefully word for word in their own sense, that of the contracting parties. So also in the framing of laws; there too the expression is carefully weighed, so that the law may really state and prescribe what the lawgivers meant to say and prescribe. And no government would put up with being told: In the main points the law may be followed, but not in minor matters, for there are elements in it also that are not binding. How careful we are with congregational minutes, that every word render the facts! From where else can one learn the content of a document, if not from the expression?

Therefore, whoever takes this certainty from us, or whoever gives up this conviction that the Holy Scripture of the Old and New Testament is of divine origin in content and expression, takes from us the foundation of the Christian faith and gives it up himself.

Simple Christians might say here: I thought it was settled that the Bible is God's Word; I have never doubted it.