# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1898_S23
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1898. 23

Calvin himself says: "Through a mixed distribution, through a confusion in the distribution, the holy Supper is profaned (*profanatur*)." His pupil Beza writes: "Will you admit everyone? Nobody does that even in his own house, that he admit to his table anyone at all who gives himself out as his servant. God has earnestly forbidden that one bring strange fire upon his altar. Since the pastor will have to give account for his sheep, he cannot in good conscience admit strangers and those unknown to him."

Count Frederick of Württemberg, after the Montbéliard colloquy between Andreä and Beza, had been talked about as though he had granted the Reformed refugees access to the Supper. Thereupon he defended himself in a special statement, in which he says the following: "For we have by God's grace attained such knowledge in spiritual matters concerning the salvation of our souls that we well know that the Lord's Supper was instituted and ordained by Christ among many other things for this purpose too, that one can recognize by it, as by a field sign and landmark, to which faith each person is devoted. For whoever celebrates the Supper with a church, let it be now and be called what it will, thereby gives to understand that he also adheres to the same church's doctrine, and does not side with those who profess another doctrine, but thereby publicly separates himself from it. . . . Therefore we have always held, and still hold, that one is not to trifle with the reception of the holy Supper of the LORD, so that one should confess one thing by the public reception of it and have another in the heart."

Ibid.: "If they acknowledge and hold our doctrine, faith and confession to be right, true and Christian, then they may well receive the holy Supper with our people."

Luther too emphasizes that the Lord's Supper is a confession, and that Communion fellowship is church, faith and confession fellowship, when he says in the writing On Councils and Churches: "Third, God's people, or a Christian, holy people, are recognized by the holy sacrament of the altar, where it is administered, believed and received rightly according to Christ's institution. For it is also a public sign and precious holy thing, left behind by Christ, by which his people is sanctified, since it also exercises itself in it and publicly confesses that it is Christian, as it does with the Word and with baptism." . . . "Where you now see such a sacrament administered in right use, know for certain that there is God's people, even though some false and unbelieving Christians are secretly among them; but these do not profane the people of God, especially because they are secret; for the church, or God's people, does not tolerate the open ones among them, but punishes and sanctifies them too, or, where they will not, casts them out." (XVI, 2788 f.)