# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1888_S51
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1888. 51

"because with regard to such congregations there is as yet no definite expression of any agreement between our synods, the mixed conference of Manitowoc and Sheboygan County, Wis., asks a Rev. Synodical Conference to take this matter under consideration in order to reach such a desired agreement, and takes the liberty of proposing roughly the following:

"That such aforesaid congregations and preaching places as have been founded or hitherto served through the labor of one synod, and in the event of a vacancy turn to the other synod, shall, in accordance with love and order, be accepted only if the synod concerned itself either refers them to the other synod or declares that it cannot provide for them.

"In any negotiation between pastors or officials of both synods or of the synods themselves, the aim should always remain, in this matter, to care for the welfare of the congregations concerned and of those round about so that none of them be torn apart or harmed or fall into the hands of the heterodox."

Respectfully submitted to a Rev. Synodical Conference,
Cascade, Sheboygan Co., Wis., 18 July 1888.
G. Ph. Brenner.
J. Herzer, Secretary.

This petition was first referred to a committee consisting of members of all the synods concerned. After it had reported, the Synodical Conference adopted the following as the expression of its opinions:

Although we fully acknowledge the right of our congregations to call a pastor from any orthodox synod, we ought nevertheless all to work toward this, that each synod retain the congregations and mission fields served by it. Every pastor, therefore, when fields of another synod turn to him with the request that he help them obtain a pastor, ought first to testify to them that our synods are one in doctrine and practice, and accordingly to admonish them to let themselves be further advised by the synod from which they have hitherto been served. At the same time he should also inform the president [*Präſes*] of the synod concerned of the state of affairs. If it should then indeed turn out that the congregation, without any evidently improper reasons, nevertheless insists on being served by a pastor from another synod, such a field should rather be left to the other synod than that the congregation be harmed by delay in being served or even be in danger of falling into the hands of the false-believing.

If a congregation that has hitherto been served by one synod without having been connected with it as a member