# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1914_S78
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

78 Proceedings of the twenty-fifth convention

To the Reverend Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America.
Dear Fathers and Brethren in Christ!

Your (enlarged) committee, fully assembled, has carefully examined the report of the committee commissioned two years ago with the examination of the synodical report of the Reverend Synod of Michigan and Other States, and gives it its approval without any difference of opinion. The same therefore herewith goes back to you.

Your committee has also discharged the further commission, namely "to deal with the question how far the criticism of a synodical report may extend to wording and expression."

In § 3 of its constitution the Synodical Conference [Synodalkonferenz] states the "purpose and aim" of its existence first as follows: "Outward expression of the unity of spirit of the synods concerned; mutual strengthening in faith and confession; promotion of unity in doctrine and practice and removal of occurring, threatening disturbance of the same, etc." On the basis of this paragraph the fifth convention of the Synodical Conference in the year 1876 made the regular review of all synodical reports appearing within its circle a standing rule. In the grounds given for this step it says, among other things: "For what is published in a synod is, in a manner, acknowledged by all the other synods of the Conference, if no one raises protest. Everyone will ascribe the doctrine dealt with in the individual synods to the whole Conference. Now it might well happen that something in the synodical reports could not be approved by all members of the Conference. And in the resolution that established this order it says: "Which report is also at the same time to call attention to anything possibly questionable." The Synodical Conference thus wants to express unity of spirit outwardly, wants its members to strengthen one another in right doctrine and practice and to guard against disturbances of the unity of spirit, and is aware that all members are responsible for the public utterances of any member of the Conference. It therefore wants to be informed what has been dealt with in the individual synods, and to have attention called to "anything questionable" in the reports of the individual synods. The Lutheran Church pledges itself to its Confessions in rebus et phrasibus [in matters and in phrases]. We are therefore of the opinion that in the reports on the proceedings of the synods attention should be called:

a. to all actual material departures from pure doctrine — in rebus;

b. to all considerable departures from the customary manner of speaking and teaching — in phrasibus —, which, according to experience in church history, easily become the starting point of material departures;

c. to all expressions and statements of which it is certainly to be expected that they will be taken by weak brethren as an offense, by