# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1888_S53
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1888. 53

VII. Inquiry of the Rev. Synod of Minnesota and Other States.

The secretary of the said synod had sent in the following:

"From the minutes of the session of the Rev. Synod of Minnesota of 3 July 1888: 'Resolved: our delegates shall direct the following inquiry to the Rev. Synodical Conference [*Synodalconferenz*]: 1. What does it understand by state synods [*Staaten⸗Synoden*]? — 2. Does this project of state synods still exist and is it recognized?'"

In discussing this inquiry it was first pointed out that the expression "state synod" does not occur in the constitution of the Synodical Conference. There it is only determined that it shall be our aim to put an end to the condition that synods of the same faith are intermingled. An authentic interpretation of this part of § III of the constitution is given by the Synodical Conference in its Fifth Report, 1876, pp. 44–48. There the state boundaries are recognized as the natural boundaries. Yet a territorial delimitation, as the constitution determines it as an aim to be striven for, can also embrace smaller or larger areas. — To the question how we conceive the state synods we cannot respond as the Synodical Conference; that is a matter for the synods concerned. The individual synods, however, have already expressed themselves on the "how." Minnesota says: "We recognize the formation of independent state synods as the goal." (6th Report of the Syn. Conf., 1877, p. 38 at the bottom.) Wisconsin says: "That it heartily approves and endorses the original plan of uniting all orthodox Lutherans within the Synodical Conference into self-reliant, independent state synods." (Ibid., p. 41, at the bottom.) Missouri, on the other hand, says: That it "heartily approves the proposal of the Synodical Conference for the formation of state synods and is ready to enter into it, provided that the individual state synods are not cut off from the possibility of joining one of the existing general synods, so that their self-reliance and independence remain preserved to them." (7th Report of the Syn. Conf., 1878, p. 53 f.) While, then, all synods declare themselves for territorial delimitation into state synods, we do not find among them full agreement in the conception of what is meant by state synods. The Conference did not wish to enter now into a discussion of the "how" of the merger into state synods. So it was

resolved: 1. that we inform the Rev. Synod of Minnesota that it may regard as the answer to its question what the Synodical Conference dealt with in its fifth, sixth and seventh conventions in the years 1876, '77 and '78, as written in its reports; 2. that we leave this whole matter to the future and commend it to the dear God.