# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1888_S52
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

52 Proceedings of the twelfth convention

another synod directly, the pastor concerned shall be bound to act in the same way as with a synodical congregation. Before accepting the call he shall give notice to the president of the synod that has hitherto served the congregation and, in case of accepting the call, join the synod concerned. If the congregation has been served at different times by different synods, that synod has the precedence which served the congregation last.

The Conference further resolved: to request the presidents of the synods or districts to lay this arrangement before their synods or districts for eventual adoption, and to publish these resolutions in the synodical organs.

V. The Passing of the Late Dr. C. F. W. Walther.

The Synodical Conference adopted the following committee report:

"At the present meeting of the Synodical Conference there is missing from our midst the chief founder of our union, a theologian who — we say it with thanks to God — has earned high merit not only for our American Lutheran church but for that of all lands, the late Professor Dr. C. F. W. Walther. When we now think of the great loss that by God's will has struck us, we should like in our grief to hold the departed to be irreplaceable. But when we look at the gracious guidance and promise of our faithful God, we must grant to him who has been snatched from us the rest allotted to him and take comfort that the Lord will also in future be with us and by grace preserve to us his pure Word.

"May God give us grace that we emulate the faithfulness in confession, the devotion and self-denial of the highly favored man and let him be to us a model in the humble mind that wants to be nothing itself and seeks God's honor above all."

VI. Merger of the Synods Belonging to the Synodical Conference.

On this subject there was further discussion for some time, in connection with the last part of the doctrinal discussions. All agreed that the synods, through unity in faith, already stand in the unity commanded by God, and also that the merger in church government [*kirchenregimentliche Verſchmelzung*] could be undertaken only when all the synods and their individual parts considered the time for it to have come.