# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1898_S21
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1898. 21

offense would be given by someone's going to the Lord's Supper, one will insist that this going to the Supper be postponed until the offense is removed; for it stands in Scripture just as surely: "This do ye, as oft as ye do it, in remembrance of me," as also the word: "Take heed that ye give no one offense."

That the Lord's Supper is a confession, even insofar as it is to be given only to those who know what it is about, Luther says in the writing on the Mass of the year 1523: "But here one should have just the manner and order that is kept at baptism, namely, that first it be made known to the bishop or pastor who those are who wish to receive the sacrament, and they themselves should ask that he be willing to give them the holy sacrament; and afterward, even though they ask for it, he should still not admit them until they have given an answer concerning their faith, and in particular have given account on the question: whether they understand what the sacrament is, what it benefits and gives, and for what purpose they wish to use it, namely whether they can recite the words of the sacrament with their explanation by heart."

"But I think it is enough that he who desires the sacrament be questioned and examined in this manner once (one time) in the year; indeed, he might be so understanding that he need be questioned only once in his life, or not at all. For with this order we wish to prevent that worthy and unworthy together run to the table of the LORD. . . . But we wish those who do not know how to answer the points mentioned to be altogether excluded and separated from the fellowship of this sacrament, as those who lack the wedding garment."

Ibid.: "For the partaking of this sacrament in the congregation is a part of the Christian confession, through which those who go to it confess before God, angels and men that they are Christians."

"Second, no one shall be admitted to the sacrament unless he has first been with the pastor. He shall hear whether he is rightly instructed about the sacrament, whether he also needs counsel," etc. (Visitation Instruction of 1528.)

"One shall also let no one go to the holy sacrament unless he has been examined individually by his pastor as to whether he is fit to go to the holy sacrament; for Paul says (1 Cor. 11) that those are guilty of the body and blood of Christ who take it unworthily. Now not only do those dishonor the sacrament who take it unworthily, but also those who negligently give it to the unworthy."

In his Church Postil Luther says: "Therefore I say again, although hitherto, according to the old custom, everyone who came was let go to the sacrament; yet from now on it shall not remain so, but be so ordered, that whoever wishes to take the sacrament, one shall henceforth ask what the sacrament is, and what he