# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1916_S74
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

74 Proceedings of the twenty-sixth convention

of the Synod is lacking, that the body has only advisory authority toward the congregations.

"When the United Church in 1890 omitted this provision in its constitution, Prof. Laur. Larsen declared in 'Kirketidende' that thereby 'the freedom of the congregations had been sacrificed on the altar of union.' (Kt. 1890, p. 459.)

"III.

"The Synod at Minneapolis is also significant because of the inconsiderate and unbrotherly conduct of the majority.

"By way of example the following may be cited:

"Delegates of the minority, lawfully elected, were denied seat and vote on grounds so obviously untenable that only party interest can have been decisive. On the other hand, in spite of protest a majority pastor was allowed to cast his vote before his congregation had been received into the Synod.

"To all committees of importance only majority men were elected by the convention.

"The conscientious scruples of the minority people were derided; it was declared that they could not be trusted, and they were compared with children who did not themselves know what they wanted.

"To intimidate the pastors and professors who are directly in the service of the Synod, the Church Council received the charge to see that they conduct themselves in accordance with the resolutions of the Synod.

"While they would not even ask the other bodies to take into consideration the minority's wish regarding changes in the 'Opgjör,' they made — without a thorough discussion being permitted — such changes in the 'Articles of Union,' which were not laid before the convention in the President's report and not expressly named in the notice of the synodical convention.

"At the last regular synodical convention in 1914 a Peace Committee had indeed been elected, which was to restore unity in the body. But the members of this committee from the majority refused to discuss the points which had caused the disunity, and at this synodical convention the majority would not even hear the complete report of this important committee.

"IV.

"What finally made this synodical convention so significant was the principled and dignified conduct of the minority.

"In the 5th Article and 4th paragraph of the constitution of the Synod it says: 'Questions of doctrine and conscience cannot be decided by majority