# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1906_S28
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

28 Proceedings of the twenty-first convention

From the Discussion.

Here the difference between Church and State is well to be noted. In modern political life it seems to be the generally recognized theory that every state has interests which actually stand in contradiction with the interests of other states, and that therefore a wise and prudent policy consists in striving from time to time for an adjustment of interests, a compromise, in which then both parties must bleed. In the Church there is not a politics of interests in this sense. In a certain sense there are special interests in the individual synods. To this belongs the word of Scripture: "But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk," 1 Cor. 7:17. Whoever is called in a Minnesotan, Wisconsin, Missourian way, let him walk as he is called. The Minnesotans, the Wisconsinites, the Missourians should, for example, each care for their own institutions, etc. It is also possible that one changes his calling in this sense by going over to another synod. In this sense one may speak of special interests. But such oppositions as there are in the field of politics are not found in the Church. That comes from the fact that the Church is one body and one Spirit. We have only to see to it that we give expression to the Word and will of the one LORD. As we always hold fast to these mighty unities by God's grace, no opposition of interests arises. If 25 synods were united in the Synodical Conference [Synodalkonferenz], and we kept the one goal in view, no opposition of interests would ever come into play.

But how important it is to pay attention also to our conduct, precisely so that disunity may not arise! Luther says that, as of the Word of Holy Scripture, so also of the Holy Spirit and His working, that it cannot be divided. By this he means to say: The same Holy Spirit who works and sustains in us faith in the Gospel will also work in us love toward the brethren; when one opposes the working of the Spirit in this respect, He withdraws, grieved, offended, saddened, and the unity in faith falls away. Therefore let us guard against grieving the Holy Spirit by being careless about our conduct.

To achieve this, the unity and purity of doctrine must not remain external, but must become internal, that is, it must bring about a personal Christianity. For only then is the unity in doctrine put to its right effect in life. In cases where different synods have to act together, the joint action must always show that the synods are concerned only with the One thing: to save souls. In this, God's Word must of course always remain the objective foundation, because there is no right care for souls except one that agrees entirely with God's Word.