# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1904_S45
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1904. 45

then the congregation too has something against him. It cannot and may not tolerate that its members offer sacrifices on side altars. Membership in a congregation has its basis in the confession of One doctrine and One faith, and before he stands again in sacramental fellowship with the brother, a decisive, actual break with the lodge must be demanded and have taken place.

But then one often hears: "That is not how the congregation stands. The pastor does not want the lodge people. The pastor is bitterly against the lodges. The congregation would have nothing at all against it if a lodge man were admitted to the Holy Supper. There can be no talk of the congregation 'having something against him'!"

Should such an attitude on the part of the congregation, which unfortunately is not so very rare, leave aside everything else that speaks against it, induce an orthodox, conscientious pastor to administer the Sacrament to a lodge brother? Here comes into play what the Apostle warns against in 1 Cor. 10:16 ff. The congregation would be offended. Such a congregation obviously lacks proper knowledge. It does not recognize the ungodly nature of the lodge, or it does not recognize how an orthodox congregation must act and take its stand against such a nature for the sake of God and his Word. Often there may be other reasons too. The lodge people in question are influential, well-to-do people who do much to support the congregation. One would not like to see them offended, or even to lose them, and therefore does not want to agree to a refusal of the Sacrament. May regard for the congregation now determine the preacher to refrain from refusing? That would be a false regard. As said, here the congregation would be offended; it would be made still more offended than it already is. In its knowledge of what is objectionable in the lodge system it would not be advanced; on the contrary, it would be confirmed in its opinion that the lodge system is not as bad as the pastors always make it out to be, when it sees that a lodge brother can have a share in the highest goods of the Church. From its reprehensible practice of closing one eye where it seems advantageous, of regarding the person when it brings profit, where according to God's will judgment is to be given without respect of persons, it would not be frightened back, no, it would positively be encouraged to it. Such a congregation is steering toward a false course, and this must be remedied if the congregation is not to perish. A pastor who comes into such a congregation must render faithful pilot's service. He must be like the pilot who comes aboard a ship and sees that the ship has taken a false course and been wrongly steered, and who now with a calm and firm hand takes hold of the helm, throws the wheel about and brings the ship into the right course, so that it arrives safely at its goal. The Church's goal is to create true disciples, and these are such as hold to Christ's word, who know the truth and who the truth free