# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1908_S5
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1908. 5

S. Deuber, J. Engel, S. Jeske, J. Bauer, C. F. Kock, H. Paustian,
A. F. Winter, J. C. Albrecht, G. Albrecht, J. P. Scherf, Th. Engel,
A. Dasler, J. H. Naumann, H. Meyer; Professors J. Schaller,
A. Ackermann, F. Reuter, A. F. Reim, J. E. Sperling, O. Montgomery,
E. R. Bliefernicht; Teachers F. W. Blauert, W. Müsing, W. Hellermann,
C. Holzinger.

From the Wisconsin Synod: Teacher A. Stindt.

Doctrinal Discussions.

The Glorious Treasure of Fellowship among Brethren in the Faith.

(Essayist: Dr. F. Pieper.)

I.

All Christians stand in an inner, invisible fellowship with one another, because they all, through the working of the Holy Spirit, believe in Christ as their Savior, and through this faith are joined with Christ, the one Head of the Church, and with one another into one spiritual body. In this fellowship there stand also those Christians who are found in erring church communions (unitas ecclesiae interna sive fidei in Christum).

II.

It is God's will and order that those who believe in Christ in their hearts should also enter into outward, visible fellowship with one another, by joining together first of all into local congregations in which the Gospel is purely preached and the sacraments are administered in accordance with the divine Word, and, beyond that, by recognizing and treating as brethren in the faith those Christians elsewhere who confess the right faith (unitas ecclesiae externa sive professionis fidei). The purpose of this outward fellowship is the preaching of the Gospel in the world, the spread of the Church, and mutual refreshment and strengthening in faith.

III.

Because many Christians, through weakness in the knowledge of Christ, do not obey His command to hold only to His Word, but contrary to Christ's prohibition form fellowship with false teachers, they thereby separate themselves from the fellowship among brethren in the faith ordained by God, and this fellowship comes into practice only among those Christians who hold to the Church according to Christ's order, that is, who confess the pure doctrine of the divine Word and avoid false teachers.