# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1910_S60
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

60 Proceedings of the twenty-third convention

2. With the present series of pericopes alone it is difficult to preach on all
the doctrines of Holy Scripture, for many doctrines receive
little or no consideration in it (examples: the doctrine of the
sacraments, of the personal union, of election [Gnadenwahl]).
If it is nevertheless to be done, the text must be done violence to and the
matter, as it were, dragged in by the hair.

3. The way out, taking free texts to help, leads to
all kinds of disorder. It requires first of all a constant search
for texts. In doing so the real needs
of the congregation are also very easily lost sight of and favorite texts chosen.
Finally the congregation is also always in uncertainty about what is to be preached
until the text has been read.

4. The relatively small number of texts that are available to us in
the present pericopes leads all too easily to pastors
not, as they ought, proclaiming the whole counsel
of God to the congregation, but getting into a certain rut, becoming monotonous and indulging in generalities, whereby the hearers
then all too easily lose interest in the sermon and suffer great
harm to their souls.

All these evils could, in our opinion, be
remedied by having a number of further series of pericopes compiled and adopted by the Synodical Conference.

The objection that every pastor is free to preach on any
text and that the whole of Holy Scripture is at his
disposal is already partly answered in point 3. Added to this
is that then a systematic exegetical and homiletical treatment
of the texts cannot take place. That can happen only if these Scripture portions have been arranged
and established by the whole Church. In order that the great blessing of this arrangement
may benefit the whole orthodox Church, we believe that
the Synodical Conference should take the matter in hand.

We therefore ask urgently that the Reverend fathers and brethren concern themselves
with this important matter and, if possible, undertake the necessary
steps for its execution.

In the name and by commission of the Mixed Conference of Central-North
Nebraska, we sign in all respect.
Its committee:
                                         J. Holstein.
                                         J. Witt.
                                         A. Merz.

Appendix.

Of the present pericopes D. A. Brömel writes in his preface to "Homiletische Charakterbilder" [Homiletical Character Studies] (vol. 2), among other things: "Concerning the ancient-church pericope system much has already been
written from the Reformation on. But has what has been said about the shadow sides