# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_M rz 1859_S77
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Extracts from Fr. Balduin's Tractatus De casibus conscientiae. 77

that he too had already forgiven him in the person of Christ, so that he
might not be overreached by Satan, 2 Corinthians 2:6-10. He thus
advises the readmission of such a person into the church.

In this matter, moreover, many stages were observed in ancient times,
five of which are fixed in the Synod of Antioch. The first was called
προκλαυσις [weeping]. Those to be readmitted were required to stand
for some days in black garments outside the church doors and to
beseech those going in to pray for them.

The second stage was ἀκροασις [hearing], when, after being let into the
church, they stood in a certain place behind the catechumens, so as to
attend the hearing of the Word. The third stage was ὑποπτωσις
[prostration], when the penitents were brought before the congregation.
The fourth, συστασις [standing-with], when they now stood among the
believers. The fifth stage, μεθεξις [participation], when they were
admitted together with the others to the Holy Supper. A similar
procedure may be read of in the Historia Tripartita, 9:35.

In our own day, when in every way the strictness of church discipline
has been relaxed, the reception of penitents proceeds somewhat
differently, concerning which one may consult the Church Order of the
Electorate of Saxony. The sum of it is this: when clear evidence of
repentance is at hand, the pastor reports it to the ministerium. The
banned person is summoned before it and honestly confesses his offense,
acknowledges that he was justly punished, humbly asks for absolution
and readmission, and earnestly promises to amend his life and to make
public apology. Thereupon the pastor calls the banned person into the
church on a Sunday; there he kneels down at a particular place, as one
who intends to make public apology.

The pastor announces to the congregation that the person previously
excluded from the church earnestly acknowledges his sin, apologizes for
his offense, and humbly asks to be readmitted into the bosom of the
church. Since the consistory has judged that he should be readmitted,
he then admonishes the congregation to forgive this penitent sinner and
to pray earnestly for him, that God would above all graciously receive
him again into favor and would henceforth keep this offense far from
him and from us.

After this the pastor reads to the banned person the customary
confessional formula, absolves him of his sins, and admits him, together
with other banned persons, to the Holy Supper.

Before all this, however, he prefixes a sermon suited to the occasion,
which shall treat partly of the wrath of God against gross sins
obstinately persisted in, partly of the gracious forgiveness of sins and
the mercy of God, which all truly penitent persons may expect.

Finally he shall be dismissed with a written certificate and earnestly
admonished not to despise this church discipline, but to...