# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1914_S35
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1914. 35

is a party. It has also discussed at length, for more than two days, the published articles of agreement, the so-called "Opgjör" [the Norwegian "Settlement"], one day in the presence of your Reverend delegates, and has examined it exactly by Scripture and Confession, since it concerns a union with a Norwegian church body which thirty years ago, and again and again since, has attacked and rejected the doctrinal position of the Synodical Conference, especially in the articles on conversion and election of grace [*Gnadenwahl*]. This examination of the "Opgjör" moves us, reverend, dear Fathers and Brethren, to ask you as heartily as urgently to give us a hearing on the three following points, so that with you as with us the one pure truth of the divine Word and of the Lutheran Confession may be definitely, clearly and firmly confessed, held fast and defended against all error, the consciences bound in God's Word and in the Lutheran Confession be quieted, and unity of faith among us all be preserved.

"'We therefore ask your Reverend Synod, for the sake of the Confession:

"'1. in Theses 1–3 on the election of grace to eliminate the equation of the so-called first and second forms of doctrine, since only the first is the truth of Scripture and of the Confession, the second having no ground in God's Word and in the Confession of the Lutheran Church and therefore no right to exist in the church;

"'2. in the theses to cause a rejection of human conduct, especially also of the omission of so-called willful resistance, by natural powers or powers of grace, as an explanation of why God has converted and elected some before others, as is taught by our opponents in the American Lutheran church, since the present conditions in the church demand such an antithesis;

"'3. to hold with us a Christian-brotherly discussion of the earlier theses on calling and conversion and of the present ones on the election of grace, according to Scripture and Confession, in truth and in love.

"'We pray and beseech God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the great and only Lord of the church, that he may grant a favorable hearing to our fraternal letter, required by duty and conscience, before your Reverend Synod, and direct the whole matter to the glorification of his name and to the salvation of many souls.

"'We have also appointed three delegates to present orally what we have written here.

"'In the name and by commission of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America, we sign:

"'(Signed.) C. Gausewitz, President.
"'Joh. Meyer, Secretary.

"'Saginaw, Mich., 19 August 1912.'