Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1874, Page 50

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after considering the matter, it was finally resoſved, that ‚the President of
this conference send its fraternal greetings to the Synodical
Conference, with a view of finally becoming part of that
body.‘ . . . .

There is another matter that I would present, to which, I think, it is im-
portant that the Synodical Conference should give some attention, viz: English
Church and School Books. We are about establishing a parochial School
in our Congregation here, (and it is probable that other Congregations may
wish to do the same soon,) and we find it impossible to get suitable school books
for this purpose. Would it not be advisable for Conference to take measures to
provide that suitable books for church and school purposes be published at as
early a day as practicable? . . . . May the Great Head of the church abundantly
bless our mutual efforts to build up His Zion „in dieſem Abendlande“, is the ardent
prayer of your unworthy brother in the Lord, Amen.“

Hierzu wurde noch mitgetheilt, daß dieſe Lutheraner im ſüdlichen Miſ⸗
ſouri mit uns durchaus im Bekenntniß einig ſeien. Nur weil ſie noch wenige
ſeien, hätten ſie ſich den Namen einer Conferenz beigelegt. Ihrem Anſchluß
an den „Engliſchen Diſtrict der Ehrwürdigen Allgemeinen Synode von
Ohio“ ſtehe ihre Armuth entgegen, welche weitere Reiſen nicht ermögliche.
Sie beabſichtigen ſich als Synode zu organiſiren. Es fragt ſich nun, ob man
ſie hierzu oder zum Anſchluß an eine andere Synode unſeres Verbandes er⸗
muntern ſoll. Man dachte hierbei zunächſt an eine Vereinigung dieſer
Lutheraner mit der oben erwähnten Concordia⸗Synode von Virginien. Aber
es wurde von anderer Seite die auch hier beſtehende weite Entfernung als
Hinderungsgrund einer Vereinigung angegeben. Demnach erſchien vor⸗
läufige Selbſtſtändigkeit ſolcher kleinerer Synoden — mit gegenſeitiger Stär⸗
kung — am gerathenſten.

Die zweite Bitte dieſer Lutheraner des Südens veranlaßte eine längere
Beſprechung des Uebelſtandes, daß wir keine lutheriſchen engliſchen Bücher
für unſere Gemeindeſchulen haben.

Die ganze Sache fand endlich in folgenden einſtimmigen Beſchlüſſen
ihre Erledigung:

1) Beſchloſſen, daß die Synodalconferenz den Brief des Herrn Paſtor
Moſer mit Freuden angehört und den Gruß der Liebe herzlich erwidere.

2) Beſchloſſen, daß ſie die engliſchen Brüder im ſüdlichen Miſſouri er⸗
muntere, ſich zu einer Synode zu geſtalten und zur geeigneten Zeit ihren
Entſchluß, ſich der Synodalconferenz anzuſchließen, auszuführen.

3) Beſchloſſen, daß die Herren Profeſſoren M. Loy, F. A. Schmidt, C. A.
T. Selle, H. W. Diederich, Th. Brohm und Paſtor R. Lange beauf⸗
tragt werden, ſich darüber näher zu berathen, was für engliſche Kirchen⸗
und Schulbücher am dringendſten nöthig ſind und auf welchem Wege
das Herauskommen derſelben am geeignetſten beſchleunigt werden könne.

4) Beſchloſſen, daß die Herren Profeſſoren M. Loy, F. A. Schmidt, C. A.
T. Selle, H. W. Diederich, Th. Brohm und Paſtor R. Lange eine

— 50 —
after considering the matter, it was finally resolved, that ‚the President of
this conference send its fraternal greetings to the Synodical
Conference, with a view of finally becoming part of that
body.‘ . . . .

There is another matter that I would present, to which, I think, it is im-
portant that the Synodical Conference should give some attention, viz: English
Church and School Books. We are about establishing a parochial School
in our Congregation here, (and it is probable that other Congregations may
wish to do the same soon,) and we find it impossible to get suitable school books
for this purpose. Would it not be advisable for Conference to take measures to
provide that suitable books for church and school purposes be published at as
early a day as practicable? . . . . May the Great Head of the church abundantly
bless our mutual efforts to build up His Zion „in dieſem Abendlande“ [in this Western land], is the ardent
prayer of your unworthy brother in the Lord, Amen."

[The letter above is printed in English in the original.]

In addition it was communicated that these Lutherans in southern Missouri are in complete agreement with us in confession. Only because they are still few, they had given themselves the name of a conference. Their poverty, which does not allow further journeys, stands in the way of their joining the "English District of the Reverend General Synod of Ohio" [*Engliſcher Diſtrict der Ehrwürdigen Allgemeinen Synode von Ohio*]. They intend to organize themselves as a synod. The question now is whether they should be encouraged to do this or to join another synod of our federation. One thought first of a union of these Lutherans with the above-mentioned Concordia Synod of Virginia. But from another side the great distance existing here too was given as an obstacle to a union. Accordingly, provisional independence of such smaller synods, with mutual strengthening, appeared most advisable.

The second request of these Lutherans of the South occasioned a longer discussion of the evil that we have no Lutheran English books for our parish schools.

The whole matter finally found its settlement in the following unanimous resolutions:

1) Resolved, that the Synodical Conference [*Synodalconferenz*] hear the letter of Pastor Moser with joy and cordially return the greeting of love.

2) Resolved, that it encourage the English brethren in southern Missouri to constitute themselves a synod and, at a suitable time, to carry out their resolve to join the Synodical Conference.

3) Resolved, that Professors M. Loy, F. A. Schmidt, C. A. T. Selle, H. W. Diederich, Th. Brohm, and Pastor R. Lange be charged to consult more closely on what English church and school books are most urgently needed and by what way their appearance can most suitably be hastened.

4) Resolved, that Professors M. Loy, F. A. Schmidt, C. A. T. Selle, H. W. Diederich, Th. Brohm, and Pastor R. Lange a