USA > Ohio > Richland County > Mansfield > A history of the Wittenberg Synod of the General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1847-1916 > Part 5
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2. Committee on Claims.
3. Committee to Audit Treasurer's Report.
4. Committee to Audit Treasurer's Report of Min- isterial Education.
5. Committee on Resolutions.
6. Committee on Examination for Ordination and Licensure.
7. Committee on Ministerial Education.
8. Memorial Committee.
9. Committee on Correspondence.
10. Committee on Minutes of Last Synod.
11. Committee on Minutes of other Synods.
12. Committee on Minutes of Conferences.
13. Committee on Vacancies.
14. Committee on Systematic Beneficence.
15. Committee on Formation and Revision of Pas- toral Charges.
16. Committee on Speakers for Next Convention.
17. Special Committees, to whom shall be referred all other papers.
Committees Nos. 1 and 2 shall be appointed at the open- ing session of Synod. All the others are standing committees and shall be appointed at the closing session of Synod, and shall report the first day of the next convention of Synod. Special committees may be appointed whenever necessary.
ORDER OF BUSINESS OF SYNOD.
I. Should the President or the Secretary be absent at the proper time for opening a session, the members present may elect others pro tem.
II. Prayer.
III. Reading minutes of previous session.
IV. Reports of Standing Committees, Directors of Col- lege, Trustees of Oesterlen Orphans' Home, Home Missionary Board.
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
V. Reports of Committees appointed at the present con- vention.
VI. Unfinished business.
VII. New business, including resolutions, vacant churches, election of delegates, directors, members to preach on special subjects, the time and place of next meeting, etc., etc.
VIII. Adjournment.
IX. Prayer.
RULES OF ORDER.
When to be made.
1. Motion to adjourn, to lay on the table, for previous or main question, to postpone indefinitely, to postpone to a certain day or hour, to refer to a committee, to amend, to suspend the order of the day, or to engage in a previously appointed order, to answer a question of order, to call for the reading of papers connected with the discussion, and to reconsider, shall be privileged motions, taking precedence of all others and of each other in the order mentioned. The motion for ad- journment, for the previous question, to lay on the table, to postpone indefinitely, a ques- tion of order, unless there is an appeal, shall be made without debate. No motion, whether privileged or not, shall be made whilst a mem- ber occupies the floor or a vote is taken.
What to be made without debate.
How a ques- tion or motion is put.
2. If the previous or main question is called for and consented to, then the pending amendments are first to be put in their order, and then the main question. If the calling of the main question is not consented to, the discussion shall proceed until such consent is obtained, or the matter is set aside by a priv- ileged question.
When amend- ments are in order.
3. Amendments to be in order must refer to the subject under consideration, and there can only be allowed an amendment to an
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
amendment. If an amendment to an amend- ment be rejected, then another amendment to the first is in order.
4. No motion shall be necessary to approve Minutes-how the minutes of previous meeting, unless ob- approved. jection is made. If no objection is made, then the President shall say, "The minutes stand approved."
5. When a question of order arises, and there is an appeal, no member shall speak ex- cept the President, and the member called to order.
6. No member shall occupy the floor longer than twenty minutes, unless special permis- sion is granted by vote, or speak more than twice on the same question, unless permission by vote is granted.
7. Should more than one member rise to speak at the same time, the President shall determine who is entitled to the floor.
8. All members are required when called on to vote, to declare their assent or dissent to the question pending, unless excused by Synod.
9. All questions, unless otherwise deter- mined, shall be controlled by a majority of votes.
10. All resolutions and reports of commit- tees must be presented in writing.
11. All reports shall be considered re- ceived when read, and unless objections be made they shall be read when offered. In case of objection, a motion shall be necessary for their hearing.
12. A majority of a committee shall con- stitute a quorum for the transaction of busi- ness.
Questions of Order-how dealt with.
How long and often members may speak.
Question's- how decided. Who entitled to the floor.
All to vote when re- quired.
Resolutions and reports must be written.
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
STANDING REGULATIONS.
Home Mission Board.
1. The officers of Synod shall constitute the Advisory Home Mission Board.
Committees to be prepared to report.
2. It shall be the duty of the Standing Committees and Boards to be prepared to re- port at the first session of Synod.
Report of State of Religion.
3. Each pastor shall furnish the President a brief report of the State of Religion in his pastorate at least four weeks previous to the convention of Synod.
Absentees- what required of them.
4. No minister or licentiate shall be ab- sent from the meeting of the Synod without the most urgent necessity. In case of his ab- sence, he shall, if possible, send to the Synod a written apology for his absence. Voluntary ministerial engagements shall not be regarded as a sufficient excuse. Anyone violating this By-Law shall be called to account by the President at the next meeting.
Letters, etc., to be ad- dressed to the President.
5. The written apologies for absence, as well as all other letters and papers intended for the Synod, ought to be addressed to the President.
Entertainment of ministers, etc.
6. The minister of the place in which the Synod is held, with the Church Council, shall endeavor to provide for the entertainment of ministers, candidates, and lay delegates by Christian friends.
When to meet for first session.
7. All the members of the Synod shall en- deavor to assemble on the evening preceding the day appointed for business.
Worship-when held.
8. Divine worship shall be held during the meeting of the Synod as often as may be con- venient and consistent with the business of the Synod.
Minister from other denomi- nation, ap- plying for membership.
9. No minister from another denomina- tion shall be received without a certificate of honorable dismissal or indisputable evidence
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
of his good standing, and passing an examina- tion similar to that required for ordination.
10. The applicants from other denomina- tions for membership in this Synod shall be requested publicly, at the ordination service on Sunday evening, to answer the following questions :
(a) Do you receive and hold with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of our fathers the Augsburg Confession to be a correct ex- hibition of the fundamental doctrines of the Divine Word, and of the faith of our Church founded upon that word?
(b) Do you promise by the aid of God faithfully to perform all the duties enjoined upon you in the Formula for the Government and Discipline of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and to submit yourself to its rules, and government, and discipline, so long as you remain a member of any Lutheran Synod? (Min., 1891, p. 21.)
11. The Treasurer shall pay over the Min- Treasurer to isterial Education funds as needed, to the pay over. Treasurer of the Education Committee, and forward the various benevolent and other contributions to the respective Treasurers of Boards or Societies.
12. The Secretary shall receive fifteen dol- lars for transcribing the Minutes into the Record.
The President shall appoint at each meet- Assistant. ing of Synod an Assistant Secretary.
13. The Statistical Secretary shall receive a compensation of $15.00 and expenses an- nually for his services.
14. The Statistical Secretary shall indicate by an asterisk and footnote in the Parochial Report all pastorates that have parsonages.
Secretary paid.
Statistical Secretary paid.
Parsonages re- ported.
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
Directors to report finances.
15. Directors of College shall embody in their report a statement of the financial con- dition of the College, together with a state- ment of the financial relation of this Synod to the Institution.
Mileage.
Excuse for non-attend- ance.
Synod should pay their traveling expenses in attending the meetings of the Board; and . for non-attendance the same excuse shall be required as for absence from Synod.
Vacancy in directorship.
16. If at any time between the conventions of Synod, a vacancy should occur in the Col- lege Directorship, or Trustees of Oesterlen Orphans' Home, either by death, removal, or the refusal to serve, the President shall fill such vacancy by appointing a substitute, who shall serve until the next meeting of Synod.
Elective office-length of term.
17. Any clerical member having served two consecutive terms in an elective office shall not be eligible for re-election.
Examination day before Synod.
18. The Examining Committee shall meet and examine all candidates for licensure or ordination on the day previous to the meet- ing of Synod.
Marriage and divorce.
19. No minister or licentiate shall perform the marriage ceremony for persons who were divorced except for such as were divorced for the Biblical reason (adultery), and then only the innocent party.
Supplying vacant churches.
20. Synod disapproves of the regular sup- ply of the pulpits of vacant churches by theo- logical students, believing it to be a detriment to both; all supply of vacant churches shall be under the supervision and direction of the officers of Synod.
Settling with retiring pastor.
21. A vacant church or charge shall settle its financial obligation with the retiring pastor before electing another, or engaging a stated supply, except in the judgment of the Presi- dent it should be otherwise.
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
22. The President of Synod, in the dis- charge of his duties relative to vacant charges and unemployed ministers, shall have his ex- penses paid by Synod. (Min., 1887, p. 27.)
23. The members of the College Board representing this Synod are instructed always to oppose the appropriation of any of the En- dowment Fund of the College to any other purpose than that for which it was designed. (Min., 1885, p. 31.)
24. The Treasurer of Synod shall be re- Bond of quired to give bond in the sum of five thous- and dollars ($5,000.00) for the faithful per- formance of the duties of said office.
25. The Treasurer of Synod shall select, with the written approval of the President and Secretary, a bank or banks in which the funds of the Synod shall be deposited, under such an arrangement for the payment of in- terest on such deposits as meets the approval of the officers of Synod. (Min., 1887, p. 13.)
26. Pastors and people shall be informed of the rule of Synod, viz., that all Synodical benevolent funds shall be paid into the hands of the Treasurer of the congregation, and that he place the same into the hands of the Treasurer of Synod.
27. All money ordered paid out of the Synodical Treasury for benevolent and mis- sionary work must be sent through the Treas- urers of the respective Boards.
Expenses of President.
Endowment Fund of College.
Treasurer.
Banks for Treasurer's account.
Benevolent funds-to whom paid.
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
RULES AND REGULATIONS of the
COMMITTEE ON MINISTERIAL EDUCATION.
Name.
1. This Committee shall be known by the name of the Committee on Ministerial Educa- tion of Wittenberg Synod (Const., Art. VIII. Sec. 2), and shall consist of three ministers and two laymen.
Organize, re- ceive and dis- burse funds.
2. This Committee shall organize annually by electing a Chairman, Secretary, and Treas- urer, and shall receive from the Treasurer of Synod the Ministerial Education funds, ap- propriate the same, and make an annual de- tailed report to Synod.
When to meet.
3. The Committee shall meet for business at the time and place of holding the annual meetings of Synod; and when necessary during the interim at the call of the Chairman, at such time and place as he may select.
4. All applications for aid must be made to this Committee.
Determine who and how much.
Direct course of study.
5. They shall determine the number to be aided, the amount each is to receive, the in- stitution at which they shall pursue their studies, and whether the applicant shall take a full or partial course of study.
Preference of applicants.
6. If there are not enough acceptable ap- plicants from our own Synod for beneficiary aid, the Committee shall give preference to young men coming from beyond Wittenberg College territory.
Statement re- quired of applicant.
7. They shall demand from any person making application for aid a written state- ment of the following facts, which writing must be certified to by his own pastor and
Number.
HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
81
Church Council, or by some other minister of Synod, viz. :
(1) The evidence of his conversion, piety and talents.
(2) The evidence of his call to the min- istry.
(3) His age, and whether he contemplates taking a full or partial course of study.
(4) How much aid he would need, and to what extent he can support himself.
(5) How long he has been a member of the Lutheran Church.
(6) Whether it is his serious purpose be- fore God to enter the ministry in the Lu- theran Church.
(7) Whether he has a sound constitution and enjoys good health.
(8) What has been and is at present his occupation.
(9) Does he use tobacco in any form.
8. The amount of aid granted annually to any student shall be paid in three installments, one at the beginning of each of the three terms of the school year.
The recipient of aid shall be required, upon the payment of each installment, to make and sign the following statement :
"I hereby declare that it is my solemn pur- pose to devote my life to the work of the ministry of the Gospel in the General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and re- spectfully ask to be continued as a beneficiary of the Wittenberg Synod; and, further, I obligate myself to continue and complete my studies under the direction of the Education Committee of this Synod until I become an ordained minister of this or some other Dis- trict Synod connected with the General Synod."
What the statement contains.
Beneficiary Aid-how and when paid.
6
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
Licensure of beneficiaries.
Our beneficiary students shall apply to the Wittenberg Synod for licensure.
Power to dismiss.
9. They shall have the power to dismiss from the funds any beneficiary, whenever in their judgment they deem it proper so to do.
Use of To- bacco.
10. No one shall hereafter be received or continued as a beneficiary who uses tobacco in any form.
Power to examine.
11. They may also examine all applicants upon the above points, or any others not em- braced, and may re-examine any of our bene- ficiaries at any time that it in their judgment may be necessary.
Receive character bills.
12. They shall receive the character bills of all the beneficiaries sustained by us, and in addition may obtain annually from their in- structors any written information they may desire.
Require a note.
13. They shall require of each applicant, who may receive aid from the funds, a prom- issory note upon the following conditions, viz. :
Conditions of the note.
(1) This note shall be drawn payable to the Treasurer of the Committee on Minis- terial Education of Wittenberg Synod, with- out interest, so long as the applicant contin- ues his studies as a student at the institution assigned him.
Conditions of note contin- ued.
(2) The Treasurer of this fund shall return to the student aided, or cancel all notes held against him, after ten years of faithful service in the ministry of the General Synod Lu- theran Church.
(3) All notes held against any beneficiary shall be collected, if the same shall demit the ministry, or enter the ministry in any other denomination or church before the completion of ten years' service in the General Synod Lu- theran Church.
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
14. They shall take, or cause to be taken, Collect money all lawful and honorable means to collect the due. sums due this Synod by persons coming under the provisions.
15. The Committee shall present annually to Synod a full and complete report (Art. VIII., Sec. 2) of its action, embracing es- pecially the following items, viz. :
(1) The number of beneficiaries sustained, their progress, etc.
(2) The whole number of persons within the bounds of Synod who have the ministry in view; how many of these have already entered upon a course of study ; how many design going to college during the next Syn- odical year; how many can and will support themselves, and the number of new applicants for aid.
(3) The names of the young men receiving aid, with the amount received by each one, shall be reported annually to the Synod.
(4) The notes given by the students aided shall be in the custody of the Treasurer of Synod.
16. This Committee shall fill all vacancies that may occur in their number during the interim of Synod.
17. No person shall be received on the funds who has not spent at least one year at Wittenberg College, and received the approval of the Faculty. In receiving applicants for aid, preference shall be given to such as are already in the Theological Seminary.
18. Any beneficiary who falls below an average scholarship of 8 (grading from 1 to 10), or below 61/2 in any study, shall be dis- missed from the funds of Synod.
19. These By-Laws, Rules, and Regula- tions may be altered or amended by a vote of two-thirds of all the members present at any annual meeting of Synod.
Report-what it embraces.
Custody of notes.
How vacancies shall be filled.
Must have been one year at College.
Grade of scholarship.
How amended.
8.1
HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
At the annual convention in Tiffin, O., in 1896, a motion prevailed and a committee was appointed to prepare a programme for the appropriate observ- ance of the fiftieth anniversary of the organization of Wittenberg Synod. This service to be held at the time of the next meeting of the Synod in 1897 at Bucyrus, O. The minutes of that year have this record of the anniversary observance. 16"At the time appointed, a large congregation had assembled to join in the fiftieth anniversary of the organization of Wit- tenberg Synod. It was a service long to be remem- bered by those who had the great pleasure of being present. Well prepared addresses were made by the following persons :
"Wittenberg Synod, her Educational Interests," by Prof. S. F. Breckenridge, D. D.
"Wittenberg Synod, her Missionary and Benevo- lent Work," by Rev. C. S. Ernsberger, D. D.
"Her Doctrine and Life," by Rev. G. M. Grau, D. D.
"Her Pastors and People," by Rev. H. L. Wiles, D. D.
Words of greeting were given by Rev. Drs. J. W. Goodlin, and A. J. Imhoff. Dr. Goodlin was the only member present who was a member of Synod 47 years ago. His words were a benediction to the young men of the Synod upon whose hearts was laid the work of making the next fifty years still grander in results. Letters of greeting were read from Revs. Sam'l Sprecher. D. D., LL. D .; I. K. Funk, D. D .; M. J. Fiery, D. D. ; D. Summers, J. G. Harris and G. N. H.
16 Min., 1897, pp. 25 and 26.
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
Peters. These addresses and letters have been placed in suitable forms in the archives of Synod for the use of the future historian.
CONFERENCES
The formula for the government and discipline of General Synod Churches provides for the holding of conferences the chief object of which shall be the preaching of the word and the awakening of a deeper interest in the great subjects of religion. Also for the transaction of any business referred to them by Synod or by individual congregations, its proceedings being always subject to examination and review by the Synod.
To properly organize the synod into conferences, -to determine boundaries,-and to maintain such in- terest in their sessions as is necessary to secure the desired results has presented some difficult problems in church work. Originally the Synod was composed of two conferences, and meetings were held semi- annually. Upon the recommendation of the President in the session of 1875 the territory was divided into three conferences so as to require less distance of travel and to reach a larger number of people in the aggregate. It was found however that the attendance was so small in the number of clerical and lay members present as to prove very discouraging and the Synod was redistricted again and placed into two conferences as before: and instead of holding two sessions an- nually, but one is held and that is convened in the spring or early summer months. This has proven so satisfactory as to have become a permanent ar-
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
rangement and in 1901 Synod fixed its conference boundaries as follows :
17"The boundary between the Eastern and West- ern Conferences shall be this: The Lucas and Ottawa County lines from Lake Erie westward to Wood County, thence southward alonsg the east county lines of Wood, Hancock, and Hardin Counties to Union County, thence west and south along the Union County line to the southeast corner of Logan County."
The attendance upon these sessions is very gratifying and the interest is being well maintained from year to year.
Figures are said to be cold and uninteresting, but when they bear upon the social, moral and material conditions of a people, they are invested with a new and striking significance. Facts respecting any par- ticular class of interest, especially such facts as can be stated in numbers or tables of numbers become doubly real when classified. They stand opposed to mere theory or imagination and are as useful in form- ing a correct basis of estimates, in religious conditions, as in any other sphere of activity. Reaching down through periods of time, they as statistics become a basis of investigation and comparison of conditions beyond which there is no dispute. No organization can be complete, therefore, without a Statistical Sec- retary. This was the conviction of our Synod when in 1901, the office of Secretary of Statistics was created. No office has been considered more important. His announcements settle all contentions and remove all doubt. The men hitherto honored with this office
17 Min., 1901, p. 27.
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
are: Revs. F. E. Leamer, H. G. Snyder, R. A. Hal- verstadt and A. E. Bell. Accuracy in numbers, pa- tience in computations and comparisons, and pains- taking labor, are pre-eminent requisites. It is safe to predict that this office will never pass or become vacant.
CHAPTER III
Period of Expansion 1840-1860
T HE history of General Synod Lutheranism in Northwestern Ohio presents a most interest- ing study. It embraces nearly all of the vexed problems that have exercised the thought and engaged the energies of our people. Problems of language, of doctrine, and polity, alike have been deeply involved. Methods and measures too, in the planting of missions within our border and in the promotion of our educational interests were severely and con- stantly put to the test. Notwithstanding all the diffi- culties, and the multiform obstacles that confronted the church, yet from the smallest beginning without wealth, or numbers, or social prestige, she arose in a quarter of a century to a commanding position of in- fluence and power, trebling her membership and com- mending her historic methods and Christian activity on all sides. Thoughout this period, from 1840 to 1860, there were added to the membership of the churches on our territory, annually, an average of 500 souls with an average net increase above losses of 300 or more. During this period also, a large majority of the congregations now included in our Synodical reg- ister were organized. For this reason, we have chosen to call it the "Period of Expansion."
(88)
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
We quote at some length from the autobiography of Rev. Dr. J. Crouse: 18"During the period referred to, our church increased in membership and in the number of congregations on the territory embraced in the bounds of East Ohio and Wittenberg Synods to an extent never before attained in the entire state in the same length of time. Men had toiled in the min- istry before, but had taken comparatively nothing and the reason of their meager success doubtless was that they attached the one end of the net to the shore, then rowed out and returned dropping the net as they went and made a kind of a semicircle from the shore. In other words, they were "coasters,"-they kept in sight of land and feared to venture far from terra firma. In the good providence of God the time came when the Church must launch out into the deep and let down her net for a draught there, and when she had entirely cut loose from the shore and had pushed the Gospel ship out into the deep and let down her net for a draught, the Lord of Hosts opened the windows of heaven and poured her out a blessing that there was not room enough to receive it. Existing organiza- tions were strengthened numerically, financially, and spiritually, not only, but new organizations had fre- quently to be formed in order to properly care for the new accessions to the Lord's soldiery. The Church had carried on a defensive warfare just as long as was good for her, to say the least, and she must now enter upon an aggressive campaign, must push the war to the door of every man's heart if she would take the world for Christ.
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