# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1898_S7
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1898. 7

Thesis VII.

Insofar as the church life of a congregation and its members also takes shape as a life in fellowship with other congregations and their members, the congregation and its pastor have, first of all, to take account of this communal character through conscientiousness in the practice regulated by God's Word.

If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. When things stand badly in one congregation with regard to practice, other congregations are thereby affected in some way to their disadvantage. Indeed, a disorderly practice in one congregation can lead to grave offense and great harm for a whole circle of sister congregations; while on the other hand, where a congregation sets a shining example in these matters of church practice, other congregations thereby experience strengthening, benefit, encouragement and many kinds of blessing.

Here, then, first follows the plan according to which we intend to treat the thesis, so that the individual items that come into consideration are known in advance. We therefore deal with

Conscientiousness in the Practice Regulated by God's Word.

I. With regard to public worship and acts of worship, namely with regard to
    1. baptism;
    2. the Lord's Supper;
    3. officiating at services with or for false believers or unbelievers;
    4. participation of congregation members in the services of false believers or unbelievers.
II. With regard to church discipline, namely
    1. church discipline in general;
    2. church discipline in particular, and here again
        a. in dealing with sinful occupations;
        b. in dealing with sinful amusements;
        c. in dealing with sinful associations;
        d. in dealing with such sins as fall under none of these categories or under several of them.