# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1898_S14
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

14 Proceedings of the seventeenth convention

Antwerp [*Antorſer*] Church Order of 1567: "Parents shall ask as sponsors those who in particular will bring the little children to the Lord Christ with their prayer, in whom they have the confidence that they are devout Christians and can pray in spirit and truth. Open non-Christians, . . . indeed also obstinate and blasphemous Anabaptists, papists and Calvinists, shall not be asked to be godparents, nor, if they come to the baptism, be admitted by the baptizer. But if it were known that they were such papists or Calvinists as err in non-essentials and do not blaspheme, of whom one also hoped that they might yet be won by God's grace, the baptizer may admit them; yet that he first remind them of their error and exhort them to repentance, with the notice that, if they do not convert, they will not be admitted another time."

"Care shall also be taken both by the parents and by the pastors (and held to by the Christian authorities besides) that as godparents there be admitted not frivolous persons who are obstinately entangled in public vices, but honorable, God-fearing people devoted to our pure doctrine, without any sought-after outward advantage."

Württemberg Church Order: "Furthermore, at baptism no one shall be admitted to the sponsorship unless he is of our true and Christian religion and not ignorant of the articles of faith and of prayer."

Hessian Church Order: "It is only right that one choose and ask as sponsors or godparents upright, true, devout, God-fearing and believing people. . . . Therefore, when the minister notices that people are chosen as godparents who do not understand the Christian faith and life, and cannot ask grace for the children with understanding and devotion, . . . he shall not admit as godparents those who do not hold all Christian fellowship with the church, above all at the holy Supper, unless they give evidence of true repentance."

Lower Saxon Church Order: "And the pastor shall be notified of the baptism in good time, and the godparents also named, so that he may attend at the proper time, and, where he knows of some defect in a godparent's Christianity, summon him, speak with him about it, and, after explanation and assurance, know how to conduct himself as to whether he can admit him to the baptismal font or not, and so that no great fuss and disputing be needed in the church at the baptism. For it is right that godless and unchristian people, who do not gladly hear the Word of God, do not use the holy Supper with diligence and devotion, or walk in a public, scandalous and impenitent life, not be admitted to sponsorship."

That in many church orders the question whether those of another faith are to be admitted to sponsorship was not gone into had its reason