other, and debate the points
in dispute publicly, according to the rules of decorum.--Whereas we
are informed that you intend to hold your next synod in St. Paul's
Church in this county, on the first Sunday in next May, why we wish to
try your doctrines, and why we wish you to try ours by the Augustan
Confession and the aforesaid symbolical books, is because the important
question in the dispute is, Who are the genuine and who the spurious
Lutherans? For it is known that Lutheran ministers are pledged to
maintain the Augustan Confession. But if you should at said meeting
declare that the Augustan Confession contains false doctrine, and that
Dr. Luther erred in any of the doctrines which are here proposed for
discussion, we shall then, in that case, be willing to appeal
exclusively to the Holy Scriptures.--Whatever private misunderstanding
may have existed between us heretofore, we notwithstanding intend to
meet you in a friendly manner, without attempting to wound your feelings
by personal reflections. That we intend publicly to contradict your
doctrines as erroneous we beg you not to consider as an insult, as we
expect and are willing for you to treat ours in the same manner. We pray
you as our former brethren, do not despise and reject those proposals,
as a compliance with them may have the salutary effect to convince
either the one or the other party of the truth, and we are confident it
will be beneficial to many of the hearers.--We are willing to forgive
all private conduct which we conceive erroneous and criminal in you. You
ought also to be willing to forgive what you consider the same in us.
But as we differ with you in the fundamental doctrines of the Christian
religion, an ecclesiastical union is impracticable until the one or the
other party be clearly refuted and convinced.--We remain yours,
respectfully, Daniel Moser. David Henkel." (R. 1827, 27.)

101. Probing Orthodoxy of Pennsylvania Synod.--In the interest of
doctrinal clarity and Christian unity the Tennessee Synod, in 1823,
addressed to the Pennsylvania Synod the following questions: "1. Do ye
believe that Holy Baptism performed with water, in the name of the Holy
Trinity, effects remission for sins, delivers from death and Satan, and
gives admittance into everlasting life to all such as believe, according
to God's promises? 2. Do ye believe that the true body and blood of
Christ are present, administered, and received under the external signs
of brea