USA > Tennessee > History of the Evangelical Lutheran Tennessee Synod > Part 21
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"Take, and eat ; this is the body of your Savior, Jesus Christ, which is given for you ; this do in remembrance of him."
"Take, and drink ; this is the blood of your Savior, Jesus Clirist, which is shed for you, for the remission of sins; this do in[remembrance of him."
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The words, "May it strengthen and preserve you in the true faith, unto life everlasting, Amen," may be used after the giving to the whole or any part of the communicants present at the altar, but never in the act of giving and re- ceiving either element.
The committee, consisting of Revs. T. Moser, J. R. Peterson, and M. L. Little, appointed to report resolutions on the death of Rev. P. C. Henkel, D. D., submitted the following :
Whereas, It has pleased Almighty God in his wise providence to remove our dear brother from his labors in the Church militant to his reward in the Church triumphant, be it
Resolved 1. That in the death of Brother Henkel the Church has lost an able and valiant defender of her time- honored doctrines, the Synod a most faithful and devoted member, society an excellent neighbor and loyal citizen, and the bereaved family an exemplary Christian husband and father.
2. That we humbly submit to this dispensation of our Heavenly Father, that we devoutly cherish the memory of our beloved brother and fellow-laborer, that we hereby ex- press our appreciation of his labors, toils, and sacrifices for the cause of Christ, and that we lay seriously to heart the solemn lesson addressed to us.
3. That we tender the family of the deceased our sincere sympathy in their sad bereavement, and commend them to the care of the Good Shepherd and Bishop of souls.
4. That a copy of these resolutions be sent the afflicted family, and that a page of our Minutes be inscribed to the memory of our departed brother in Christ.
Five churches were received.
Three ministers were ordained to the office of Pastor, and two were received, and eight applicants for the ministry were taken under the care of Synod.
In regard to the History of the Tennessee Synod, it was, Resolved, That this Synod hails with delight the forth-
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coming History of the Tennessee Synod, by Rev. S. Henkel, D. D .; that it commends it to the hearty reception of its pastors and people ; and that it make earnest effort to sell it among our people.
According to the Parochial Report, there were 35 min- isters, 105 churches, 660 infant baptisms, 70 adult baptisms, 462 confirmations, 9,426 communicants, and 14,323 souls.
During this decade, which lacks one year of being full ; that is, nine years instead of ten, there were 6,040 infants baptized and 469 adults, and 3,653 confirmed, and 8 minis- ters received.
Synod adjourned to meet in Mt. Calvary Church, Page County, Virginia, on Friday, 10 A. M., before the fourth Sunday in October, 1890.
According to the Parochial Reports, which do not, as heretofore indicated, give much more than two-thirds of the actual numbers, there were, from the organization of the Synod down to the close of its session in 1889, 42, 150 infant baptisms, 6,542 adults, and 795 slaves, and 20,712 confirmed.
Obituary of Rev. Polycarp C. Henkel, D. D .- On the 20th of August, 1820, was born the oldest son of Rev. David and Catharine Henkel, in Lincoln County, North Carolina. That son was the Rev. Polycarp C. Henkel, D. D., who is a descendant of a long line of dis- tinguished Lutheran ministers. He inherited very great physical and mental powers from both his parents.
He was early dedicated to God in Holy Baptism, and was received into full communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church with St. Peter's congregation, Catawba County, North Carolina, having been catechised by Rev. Daniel Moser and confirmed by Rev. Adamı Miller. On the 5th day of September, 1843, he was married to Rebecca Fox, of Randolph County, North Carolina, daughter of David Fox. The issues of this union were two sons and one daughter. The youngest son preceded his father into the spirit world. The other son, Hon. David S. Henkel. of New Market, Virginia, and Mrs. Catharine C. Lail, of Conover, North Carolina, and his aged widow, survive him, to mourn their loss.
He died at his late residence in Conover, North Carolina, on the 26th of September, 1889, after a few days of intense suffering, at the age of 69 years, I month, and 6 days, and was buried at St. Peter's Church, Catawba County, North Carolina, September 28, 1889. Rev.
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J. M. Smith preached the funeral from 2 Tim. 4, 6-8, in the presence of hundreds of people who came from far aud near. He was followed in brief, appropriate addresses, by the pall-bearers, Revs. Yoder, Schaid, Koiner, Beruheim, Little, and Rudisill.
Dr. P. C. Henkel was an extraordinary 111an, and unique in his character. He has been so long and so favorably known in this country, that anything like an attempt at a sketch of his life, would seem useless; yet we offer these few liues as a tribute of respect to his inemory. As a husband and father, he was kind and devoted to his wife and children, anxious for their welfare, both temporal and spirit- ual, aud supplied them with both precept and example.
As a neighbor and citizen, he was kind and obliging, always ready to do a favor, if it were in his power, frequently disobliging himself aud fautily to oblige others.
Intellectually, he was a powerful man. He was an original thinker and a fine logician. He would clinch every argument, and in debate aud controversy was a formidable antagonist. He would consider well, make up his opinion deliberately, and when once miade up, was very decided. He was immovable from an opinion which was the result of loug and careful consideration. He would never, for any consideration, go back on liis word. His word was as sacred to him as a most soleuin oatlı. In his manners he was humble and unas- suming. Humility was manifest in all his intercourses with his fellow man. Integrity was also a salient point in his character. He was rigidly honest and truthful.
As a miuister, he was a power. His style of preaching was ex- pository, plain, and forciful. He entered the ministry of the Evan- gelical Lutheran Church of the Tennessee Synod in 1843, having been ordained iu Green County, Tennessee. He preached for forty-six years without interruption, and wholly in the Tenuessee Synod, except a few years, while in the State of Missouri, where he led in the orgaui- zation of the Euglish District of the Missouri Synod. He labored exceedingly hard in the vineyard of the Lord. At one time he had pastoral charge of fifteen congregations. He did an immense amount of missionary work, traveled thousands of utiles, in cold and heat, and rain and storm, in obedience to the call of the Master to this work. He never shirked from duty, but was always puuctual, and ready to speak the word of encouragement to the weak, the word of couifort to the sorrowing. the word of life to those seeking a knowledge of the way of life. He was an uncompromising antagonist of error, and boldly and fearlessly denounced it wherever he utet with it.
As a theologian, he was very profound. His rauge of study was broad, and his investigatious were intense and searching, and desceud- ed iuto the very depths of theological problems, perhaps as far as
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human mind could go. His chief text-books were the Bible and the Confessions of the Lutheran Church. On Dogmatic Theology he was a11 acknowledged authority, in the Lutheran Church in the South, at least.
As a writer, he showed the same originality of character as in other fields. His ideas were original, and his style bold and vigorous. His writings are not numerous, but the treatment of the subjects he handled is exhaustive. It is to be regretted that he could not devote more of his time to writing, and thus transmit to generations to come, the results of his deep researches in theology.
His influence in all the relations in which we have mentioned him, as husband and father, as neighbor and citizen, as a man and as a preacher, aud as a theological writer, was very great. In the Lu- theran Church of the South, he was, perhaps, the greatest man in its history.
He labored hard and made great sacrifices to establish our school, Concordia College, for the Tennessee Synod, in which the Word of God should be recognized as a factor in education, and in which the Bible and Luther's Catechism should be tanght daily. His influence is felt far beyond the limits of his own Synod, even thronghont the whole Southern Church. He was in the midst of his earnest labors, both writing and preaching, to raise the Lutheran Church of the South to a higher plain of doctrine and practice, when the Master called him to his reward. Thus ended his work. A good and great man has fallen.
Obituary of Rev. Henry Wetzel .- At his residence, near Cal- vary, about two miles west of Woodstock, Shenandoah County, Vir- ginia, March 3, 1890, after a complicated illness of three or four months duration, Rev. Henry Wetzel departed this life; aged 74 years, 2 months, and 20 days.
His funeral services took place from Mt. Calvary Church, March 5, at Io A. M., Rev. P. C. Wike officiating. His remains were then conveyed to Ziou's Church, a distance of six miles, and laid to rest by the side of his consort who preceded him to eteruity.
He was born in Southwest Virginia, near the Tennessee line, of Christian parents, who brought him np in the nurture and admonition of God. He prepared himself for the Gospel ininistry, and was or- dained to the office of pastor, by the Evangelical Luthieran Tennessee Synod, at its session hield in Rader's Church, near Timberville, Rock- ingham County, Virginia, in the year 1841, and continued in the active services of the ininistry until within a few months of his death, -a period of forty-nine years. During his ministry, he served co11- gregatious in Augusta, Rockinghamı, aud Shenandoah Counties, Vir- ginia, as well as congregations iu West Virginia, doing much missionary
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work. He also served a congregation in Baltimore, Maryland, for several years.
He was a man of strong mind and indomitable energy, an able and impressive preacher, both in the German and English languages, sound iu the faith, and ever ready to promulgate, inaiutain, defeud, and perpetuate the true doctriues and usages of the church, iu their purity and simplicity. He was au able, fearless, formidable debater, full of zeal and perseverance.
By assiduous effort and close application to study and iuvestiga- tion, he attained an eminent degree in literature aud theology, as well as in church history and dogmatics. He was one of the ablest minis- ters in the Valley of Virginia. He possessed an extensive library, aud he really used it. He took great delight in reading the Coufessions of the Church and Luther's Entire Works. He was quite familiar with thiem, frequently making translatious from them.
When the translation of the Christian Book of Concord, or the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutherau Church, into the Euglish language, was undertaken, he was selected to make a purely literal translation of the Epitome; so, too, wheu Luther's Church- Postil on the Epistles was trauslated for publication in the English, he was selected to prepare a similar translation of the third volume.
He was a son of George and Margaret Wetzel. He entered into the estate of matrimouy with Miss Mary C. Staubus, daughter of Christian and Mary E. Staubus, of Augusta County, Virginia, Decem- ber 5, 1839, with whom he had seven children,-six daughters and one son.
He leaves two daughters and several grand-children, with numer- ous other relatives and friends, to lament his departure. Having fiu- ished his course here, he has now gone to the spirit world, to enjoy, as we trust, that rest and those rewards prepared for the faithful.
As the following papers were submitted to Synod for its action, it was deemed proper to give them a place here.
Basis of Union of the United Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the South.
I. THE CONFESSIONAL BASIS.
I. The Holy Scriptures, the Inspired Writings of the Old and New Testaments, the only standard of doctrine and church discipline.
2. As a true and faithful exhibition of the doctrines of the Holy Scriptures in regard to matters of faith and prac-
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tice, the three ancient symbols, the Apostolic, the Nicene, and the Athanasian Creeds, and the Unaltered Augsburg Confession of Faith. Also the other Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, viz .: the Apology, the Smalcald Articles, the Small and Large Catechisms of Lu- ther, and the Formula of Concord, consisting of the Epitome and Full Declaration, as they are set forth, defined, and pub- lished in the Christian Book of Concord, or the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, published in the year 1580, (see EPITOME of the Compendious Rule and Standard, and the Sol. Declaration-Preface), as true and Scriptural developments of the doctrines taught in the Augs- burg Confession, and in the perfect harmony of one and the same pure, Scriptural faith.
II. THE OBJECT AND AIM.
Outward expression of the spiritual unity of the Synods concerned ; mutual strengthening in faith and confession ; unification of all Lutherans in one orthodox faith, and mutual co-operation in the promotion of the more general interests of the Church; as, books of worship, liturgies, theological seminaries, charitable institutions, immigrant missions, foreign missions, and important home missionary operations.
III. ITS POWERS.
Its powers shall be only of an advisory and recommend- atory character in all matters, except such as pertain to the general interests or operations of the Church, as already indicated. In regard to these, it shall be invested with such powers as the Synods composing it may delegate to it.
IV. ITS SPHERE.
In its operations, it shall not interfere with the legiti- mate work of the Synods in its connections.
V. ITS CONSTITUTION.
Its Constitution shall contain nothing that is in conflict with this basis of union.
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Constitution of the United Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the South.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
I. NAME.
The name of this body shall be The United Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the South.
II. DOCTRINAL BASIS.
The Doctrinal Basis of the organization shall be,
I. The Holy Scriptures, the Inspired Writings of the Old and New Testaments, the only standard of doctrine and church discipline.
2. As a true and faithful exhibition of the doctrines of the Holy Scriptures in regard to matters of faith and prac- tice, the three Ancient Symbols, the Apostolic, the Nicene, and the Athanasian Creeds, and the Unaltered Augsburg Confession of Faith ; also, the other Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, viz .: The Apology, the Smalcald Articles, the Small and Large Catechisms of Luther, and the Formula of Concord, consisting of the Epitome and Full Declaration, as they are set forth, defined, and published in the Christian Book of Concord, or the Symbolical Books of the Lutheran Church, published in the year 1580, (see the Epitome of the Compendious Rule and Standard, and the Sol. Declarations-Preface) as true and Scriptural developments of the doctrines taught in the Augs- burg Confession, and in the perfect harmony of one and the same pure, Scriptural faith.
III. OBJECT AND AIM.
The object and aim of this Synod shall be outward expression of the spiritual unity of the Synods concern- ed; mutual strengthening in faith and confession; unifi- cation of all Lutherans in one orthodox faith, and mu- tual co-operation in the promotion of the more general interests of the Church ; as, books of worship, liturgies, theological seminaries, charitable institutions, immigrant
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missions, foreign missions, and important home missionary operations.
IV. COMPONENTS OF THE BODY.
I. This body shall consist of delegates from all Evan- gelical Lutheran Synods, having adopted this Constitution, who may present themselves properly accredited by the presiding officers of their Synods.
2. These delegates shall be chosen in the following ratio: one Minister and one Lay-Delegate for every one thousand communicants or fraction thereof:
3. A majority of the delegates elected, provided a ma- jority of the Synods are thereby represented, shall constitute a quorum.
V. OFFICERS.
I. The officers of this Synod shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. They shall be elected by ballot. Ministers alone shall be eligible to the offices of President and Vice-President, but both clerical and lay-delegates to those of Secretary and Treasurer. No one shall be elected President for more than two conven- tions in succession.
2. The President shall act as chairman of the conven- tion. He may give his opinion, and, whenever the delegates shall be equally divided upon any question, he shall have the casting vote. He shall subscribe all letters, written advices, resolutions, and proceedings of the body. In ex- traordinary cases, and by request of any one of the Synods belonging to this organization, made known to him in the form of a Synodical resolution, he may call special conven- tions of the body, of which not less than six weeks' notice shall be given.
3. If, for any cause, the President is unable to dis- charge his duties, the Vice-President shall take his place.
4. The Secretary shall keep a journal of the proceed- ings of this Synod, and write, attest, and take care of all its documents. He shall also make known the time and place of meetings through the Church papers, published
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within the bounds of the body, at least three months before- hand. In case of special conventions, such as provided for in Section 2 of this Article, he shall make known the time and place of meeting as soon as informed by the President. Should the duties of the Secretary become too burdensome for one person, the President, at his suggestion, may ap- point an assistant secretary.
5. The Treasurer shall keep an account of the receipts and expenditures of the body. He shall give receipts for all funds put into his hands. He shall make no disburse- ments except by resolution of the Synod and upon the written order of the President, attested by the Secretary .- At every convention he shall render an account.
6. Should any officer of this body, in the interim of its regular conventions, depart this life, resign his office, or become incapable of executing the same, then the other officers shall appoint some capable and faithful man to serve in his place until the next regular meeting-save in the case otherwise provided for in Section 3 of this Article.
VI. POWERS.
The powers of the body shall be only of an advisory and recommendatory character in all matters, except such as pertain to the general interests or operations of the Church, as already indicated in Article III. In regard to these it shall be invested with such powers as the Synods composing it may delegate to it. In its operations it shall not interfere with the legitimate work of the Synods in its connection.
VII. BY-LAWS.
This body shall make such By-Laws as it may deem necessary. No By-Law, however, shall be adopted which conflicts with any article of this Constitution.
VIII. AMENDMENTS.
I. The Doctrinal Basis of this Constitution shall ever remain unaltered.
2. No alteration of other parts of this Constitution
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shall be made except with the consent of two-thirds of the Synods connected with this organization. An exact copy of the intended alterations must be sent by the Secretary to the Presidents of the District Synods in connection with the body, with the request that they submit them to their re- spective Synods for decision. If, at the next convention, it shall appear that two-thirds of the District Synods are in favor of the alteration, it shall be declared adopted.
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CHAPTER VI.
ITS POLICY.
IN VIEW of the clear teachings of the Augsburg Confession, article twenty-eight, in regard to church gov- ernment, that "the two governments, the civil and the ecclesiastical, ought not to be mingled and confounded," but kept distinct from each other, and in view of the posi- tion taken by our Revolutionary fathers, based on the prin- ciple evolved in the Reformation of the sixteenth century, in the establishment of our State governments, and dreading whatever savors of the union of Church and State, the Ten- nessee Synod pursued a cautious and judicious course in her policy, lest it might give occasion for some of the evils and calamities with which the church had been afflicted in different ages and in different countries, by a combination of civil and ecclesiastical powers. So cautious was the Synod in regard to this matter, that several writers have presumed to charge it with adhering too closely to "the Jeffersonian principles of Democracy." Be this as it may, its policy seems to be, in many respects, closely in accord with the teachings of the Bible, as set forth in the twenty- eighth article of the Augsburg Confession. And possibly there was great reason for caution at that time, from the fact, that none of the Synods then recognized that article, and that there was a move to effect a union of the different, principal Protestant denominations, and have that recog- nized as the State Church.
I. In its policy, it took the position, in the outset, that the rules and principles of church government are contained in the Holy Scriptures, and that no Christian organization has the right to make any rules or regulations which are not strictly in accord with the Bible. It condemned and rejected all human traditions, or rules or regulations im-
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posed on the Church as necessary to Christian fellowship, which are not well and clearly founded in the Holy Scrip- tures. It even denied the right of a majority to decide or control matters relative to doctrine and church discipline. The only standard by which such things can be decided, is the Word of God. The fact, that a majority might decide against a doctrine clearly taught in Divine Revelation, should be no sufficient reason that the minority should re- ject or denounce such doctrine.
2. Its position is, that synods are only advisory bodies, and that they have no right to receive appeals from the decisions of congregations, or to make rules or regulations which are absolutely binding on the congregations. Of course, synods may recommend certain regulations for the conduct of congregations, and advise them to adopt such rules, but they have no right to enforce them contrary to the will of the people. The chief business of synods, ac- cording to its position, is to impart useful advice, to employ the proper means for the promotion and perpetuation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to detect and expose erroneous doc- trines and false teachers, and, on application, to examine candidates for the ministry; and if they sustain a suitable examination, and there are applications for their services in a congregation or congregations, to ordain them to the office of the ministry, in a regular, churchly way. Synods are composed of congregations, represented by ministers and lay-delegates; and when persons representing these classes are present, the one class shall not transact business without the presence and co-operation of the other. The right to examine and ordain candidates to the ministerial office, does not, however, belong exclusively to synods. Congregations have the right to choose fit persons for the ministry, and individual pastors have authority to ordain them to such office.
3. It was opposed to the incorporation of synods by civil government, or of their holding, as incorporated bodies, any institutions. For this would be blending of civil and
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ecclesiastical authority. It would give synods power to sue and be sued, and to levy taxes on their members, and to compel them to pay them, just the same as any civil incorporation. It is amply sufficient for the best interests of the Church, for civil government to protect the property of the Church by its acts of legislation and incorporation of certain individuals as trustees, to hold its institutions, against damage and infringement, for the purposes for which they are intended. The incorporation of a synod, holding within its own corporate limits certain property, is one thing, and lending its influence and patronage in favor of colleges, or other institutions so incorporated and held by trustees, for certain purposes, without any legal claim on synods as incorporated bodies, is something very different, and can lead to no conflict between the Church and the State.
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