# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1908_S29
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1908. 29

refusing to yield anything in the article on the Holy Supper. "Help, God, how we had to hear that we had no Christian love, despised the servants of Christ, grieved the churches and threw them into confusion, etc.; and there were no sinners on earth but we alone and no saints in heaven but the enthusiasts [Schwärmer] alone; with them there was nothing but fire of love, with us nothing but ice of unmercifulness." (Erl. 32, 402 f.) He answered to this (Commentary on Galatians, on chap. 4:17) with the forceful expression: "Cursed be the love and unity which is to be preserved by letting God's Word come into misunderstanding!" (Maledicta sit caritas et concordia, propter quam conservandam periclitatur verbum Dei.)

From the Discussions.

In the discussions it was pointed out that in our time the lodges are also to be named among the communions that Christians must avoid. —

In polemics we should bear in mind that we too still have the old Adam in us; therefore we should not fall upon the opponent in a haughty manner, but rather, as with earnestness and decisiveness, so also in humility and friendliness, with heartfelt prayer to God, meet him. We should also not seek to overcome the opponent by mere disputing, but above all by clear testimony to the truth. We should also endeavor to win his confidence by pointing to the truth that is still to be found in him, in order to lead him on from there and bring him to conviction.

The carrying on of man's doctrine alongside God's Word is an abnormity; it is against the nature of the Gospel. The Gospel is the glad tidings in which the merciful God shows the sinner condemned to eternal damnation the way of life. There it lies in the nature of the matter that he who is conscious of his helplessness does not begin to speculate whether the way pointed out in the Gospel is also the right one, but simply grasps it without any brooding. (A drowning man also grasps at a straw.) —

We have special reason today to be watchful as regards the purity of doctrine. History shows, as Luther points out, that the preaching of the Gospel has seldom remained pure in one place longer than the memory of a man. We have now had pure preaching for 60 years. — There are three things that lead especially to false doctrine: self-righteousness, human cleverness, and the laying of stress on matters of church government. It is the last from which special danger threatens us. Therefore we should all be concerned about doctrine, that we may be well grounded in doctrine. Then we can also watch over the purity of doctrine.