# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1916_S112
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112 Proceedings of the twenty-sixth convention

2. The following two reports were accepted by resolution, although they were signed by only one committee member:

Minnesota Synod, 1910: "The Importance of the Doctrine of the Divine Inspiration of Holy Scripture with Regard to Scripture Itself."
Karl J. Heuer.
Minnesota District (Missouri Synod), 1915: "The Doctrine of the Forgiveness of Sins."
E. E. Kowalke.

3. The following report was read and referred for printing:
"To the Honorable Synodical Conference of North America.

"The undersigned committee, on commission of the Honorable Presidium, has conscientiously examined the report of the Southern District of the Missouri Synod of the year 1915. The subjects of the doctrinal discussions were: 'Cain and Abel' (Gen. 4) and 'Religious Indifference.' [The latter title is printed in English.] Of the latter the committee testifies that it has found nothing in it that would be contrary to the Word of God and the confession of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

"With regard to the paper [*Referat*] 'Cain and Abel' the committee takes the liberty of pointing out that in it a questionable manner of interpreting Scripture is followed. The essayist draws, from all sorts of conjectures and false premises, conclusions from which definite historical facts and definite teachings of Holy Scripture result for him, while Scripture in no way confirms the results of such conclusions; e.g. p. 13, where from God's pleasure in the sacrifices of Abel and of the patriarchs the conclusion is drawn: 'From this we must conclude that God had already commanded Adam and Eve to sacrifice. Thus Cain and Abel also had God's command for their sacrificing, which Adam, their father, had handed down to them.' On p. 20 it is determined that Cain was persistently impenitent, in despair and damned, whereas God's Word is silent about it. The committee holds this manner of interpreting Scripture to be questionable and dangerous, since in it one must leave the ground of clear Scripture. From premises of probability only conclusions of probability can at most be obtained, but neither historical facts nor definite truths of Scripture.

"That it is said on p. 20, at the bottom, of Cain's fratricide that it served Adam and Eve to strengthen their faith, is unfortunately put.
"A. H. Kuntz.
"Johannes Plocher."

"St. Paul, Minn., August 4, 1916.

4. An examination report on the synodical report of the Wisconsin Synod of the year 1914 had been addressed to the "Deutsche Evangelisch-Lutherische Synode von Wisconsin u. a. St." [German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Wisconsin and Other States]. The secretary was instructed to deliver it to that body.