PRESS OF

REPORT PUBLISHING COMPANY.

LEBANON, FA.

158

839

A

1900

Minutes of the Special Meeting.

In accordance with the authority given the officers of the Ministerium, a special meeting of this body was called in St. Mark's church, Spring Garden street above Thirteenth street, Philadelphia, Pa., the Rev. Samuel Laird, D.D., pastor, January 2, 1900.

FIRST SESSION.

Tuesday, January 2, 1900, 10 a. m.

The President, the Rev. Samuel Laird, D.D., called the convention to order and opened the session according to the form for the opening of Synods. The President read the following report:

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT.

DEAR BRETHREN: At the last annual convention of the Ministerium held at Reading, Penna., after a partial discussion of the "Theses on the Ministry of the Gospel," it was

"Resolved, That the discussion close and a special convention of the Ministerium be held, shortly after the Christmas holidays, the time to be determined by the Officers of the Ministerium, for the consideration of these Theses and any other theological topics which they may determine."

Subsequently other topics were also referred to this meeting by the Ministerium itself. In accordance with the above resolution the officers called the convention for this day, as possibly the most convenient time, St. Mark's church, Philadelphia, having been offered for this purpose.

The following are the subjects proposed for our consideration at this time, in the order in which they were referred to the special convention: Theses on the Ministry of the Gospel.

I.

II.

By-Laws for Congregations.

III. Relation of Conferences to the Ministerium.

IV. In connection with the third item the request of the Pottsville Conference for a more equitable distribution of representatives of the various Conferences on the Boards, etc., of the Ministerium.

V. Report of the Board of Presidents on Synodical Apportionment, found in English Minutes of 1898, page 99.

VI. Report of Committee to prepare a plan of action under the Resolutions referred to the Synod by the Lancaster Conference.

VII. Report of the Committee on distribution of the Minutes. Very important topics are here presented for our consideration. The conclusions to which we come in regard to them, will greatly affect the practical operations of the Ministerium. They demand, as doubtless they will receive, serious thought and discussion from minds imbued with "The wisdom which is from above," which "is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy." In this spirit let us address ourselves to the duty before us. SAMUEL LAIRD, President.

Philadelphia, Jan. 2, 1900.

In the absence of both English and German Secretaries, the calling of the roll was omitted. The Rev. G. C. Eisenhardt was elected Secretary pro tempore. Shortly after the opening of the session the

Secretaries arrived and took their places. In the fifth session the roll was called and the following 158 clerical and 10 lay delegates were recorded as present at this convention.

ROLL OF THE MINISTERIUM.

Ministers.

Rev. J. A. Seiss, D.D., LL.D., L.H.D. Rev. H. B. Strodach.

E. P. Xander.

I. B. Ritter.

"H. D. Spaeth.

President Laird retired and called the Rev. Dr. Schantz to the chair, who presided to the close of the session.

The first order, as presented by the President, was the consideration of the "Theses on the Ministry of the Gospel." On motion of

the Rev. Dr. Repass,

Resolved, That those Theses be considered which have special ref

erence to the call and ordination.

Accordingly Theses VI and XX were taken up for consideration. Pending the discussion, Synod adjourned to meet at 2 p. m. Prayer was offered by the Rev. S. A. Ziegenfuss, D.D.

SECOND SESSION.

Tuesday, January 2, 1900, 2 p. m.

Rev. O. E. Pflueger. The minutes were read and approved.
The session was opened with devotional services conducted by the

was very generally discussed during the session.

On motion, Thesis XXVII was taken up for consideration and

On motion of the Rev. Dr. J. Fry, it was

Resolved, That the subject for discussion tomorrow morning be the report on the "Relation of Conferences to the Ministerium."

Resolved, That the consideration of the "By-Laws for Congregations" be made the special order after the consideration of the third and fourth items referred to the special meeting of Synod.

On motion of the Rev. Dr. A. Spaeth it was

Resolved, That the consideration of the report of the committee on the "Resolutions of the Lancaster Conference" be made the order of business for this evening.

The death of the Rev. B. E. Kramlich, Kutztown, Pa., was announced to the assembled Synod. On motion of the Rev. H. A. Weller, the President was instructed to appoint a committee to attend the funeral on Friday, at Kutztown, Pa., at 12.30 p. m.

Adjourned at 5 o'clock to meet this evening at 7.30 o'clock. Prayer was offered by the Rev. J. W. Hassler.

THIRD SESSION.

Tuesday, January 2, 1900, 7.30 p. m.

The session was opened with devotional service conducted by the Rev. G. C. Eisenhardt. The minutes were read and approved.

The order of business for this session was taken up. The resolutions of the Lancaster Conference referred to this convention (Eng. Min., 1899, p. 74) were read, and the Committee, through the Rev. J. F. Ohl, Mus. D., presented the report of the Committee on the resolutions of the Lancaster Conference.

The report was received for consideration and the various items discussed. After a protracted discussion, on motion of the Rev. Dr. G. F. Krotel, the following action was taken:

Resolved, That this report, with the entire matter embraced in the resolutions of the Lancaster Conference, be referred back to the same Committee, with instruction to revise and complete it, and present it for action at the next annual convention of Synod.

Adjourned, with the Lord's Prayer, led by the Rev. W. J. Andres, to meet tomorrow at 9 a. m.

FOURTH SESSION.

Wednesday, January 3, 1900, 9 a. m.

The session was opened with devotional service conducted by the Rev. J. H. Kuder. The minutes were read and approved.

The President appointed the following Committee on Excuses: Revs. J. A. Scheffer, J. E. Nidecker and G. A. Kercher.

The order of business fixed for this session was the consideration of the "Relation of Conferences to the Ministerium." The Secretaries read the action of Synod in English and German. (Eng. Min., 1899, pp. 25-26.) On motion of the Rev. Dr. Krotel, the declaration