# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1912_S7
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1912. 7

that we preserve what He has given us through our fathers. May He also let us not lose sight of the goal of the Synodical Conference [*Synodalkonferenz*]: "Union of all Lutheran synods of America into one orthodox American Lutheran Church."
With sincere reverence in cordial love,
Franz Pieper.

Opening Sermon,

delivered by Dr. F. Pieper.

Text: Romans 16:17-18: Now I exhort you, dear brethren, that you watch out for those who cause division and offense contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them! For such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by sweet words and fine speech they deceive the hearts of the innocent.

Venerable fathers and brethren! Dear hearers, beloved in Christ!

When we survey outward Christendom, a most distressing phenomenon confronts us above all: its disunion. Those who equally call themselves by the name of Christ are split into a number of armed camps that fight one another. This condition is rightly lamented on all sides as a misery and described as a deep injury to church and world. We too join in this lament with full conviction. But we are moved to approach the matter more closely when we hear and read the accusation that we Lutherans of the Synodical Conference, by our churchly position, bring about and perpetuate division, namely by demanding adherence to all parts of Christian doctrine and not practicing church fellowship with those who teach otherwise. We reject the accusation raised against us as unjust and assert on the contrary with all decisiveness that by our churchly position we work not to divide but to gather and unite. Who decides in this conflict of assertions? God's Word. God's Word answers and decides clearly all questions that are to be answered and decided in the Church until the Last Day. This is also the case with regard to division within the Christian Church. The whole Scripture is full of instruction on this point. In the text read we have

The Apostle Paul's Instruction on Division in the Christian Church.

From this instruction we bring out especially three points: how division arises, how it is to be judged, and how it is removed.