# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1898_S20
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

20 Proceedings of the seventeenth convention

one formulates this confession as clearly and sharply as possible, namely: This is the true body, this is the true blood. But if one speaks so at the distribution, then from the outset everyone is excluded from this communion of whom it is known that he does not believe this, but, when it is said, "Take, this is the true body," etc., would say in his heart: "That is not true." To our twofold confession in the Lord's Supper, first the confession that lies in the Lord's Supper itself, as the meal which Christ instituted for his disciples, and then the confession in the formula of distribution, there corresponds only the principle which some in the General Council have so far tried in vain to bring to full force: "Lutheran altars for Lutheran communicants only." From this it follows also that our way of requiring announcement for the Lord's Supper, especially where we have any doubt that we are dealing with an applicant who will be a worthy communicant, is fully justified; further, that we also do not set aside the *impedimentum externum* [external hindrance] that might stand in the way of a particular person's going to the Lord's Supper. It is not enough for admission to the Lord's Supper that we have no more doubt about the faith and right belief, that is, the right inward condition, of one who wants to go to the table of the LORD, if this person's going to the Supper would give offense to anyone and we know of it. If someone had lived for a long time in enmity with his fellow brother and came on Saturday very contrite and repentant to the pastor and declared: "I have now seen this, I have lived for a long time in enmity with my brother and would gladly be reconciled, and I recognize this as a grave sin, and thank God that he did not carry me away in the sin, but that, while I was still on the way with my adversary, I came to the right knowledge; I would like to go to the Lord's Supper," then one will not be allowed to say at once: "That is right; just come; for the Lord's Supper was instituted for penitent sinners"; but rather it will be said: "Fine, thank God that you have come so far! But have you also reconciled yourself with your adversary? Everyone knows that you live in enmity; have you told him of your change of mind? Have you also let him speak absolution to you?" And if he replied: "No, I have not done that; it is surely not necessary either, if I have only set the matter in order with God," then one will have to instruct him about it first, but one will also have to say, apart from the fact that this may still be a lack of his knowledge or repentance, which comes to light: "That will not do; even if you could partake of the sacrament worthily, you must not give offense. Your fellow brethren too are to learn that you are rid of your sin, have become a penitent sinner." And so in other cases, where through a