what
pertains to true Christianity, you certainly cannot reasonably desire
that a government, shall be forced upon the Church, of which no trace
can be found in the Bible." (B. 1824, Anhang 2.) Indeed, in their
aversion to any and every form of synodical dominion over the
congregations Tennessee frequently went so far as to create the
impression that they viewed with suspicion and as questionable, if
indeed not as directly objectionable and sinful, every form of
organization of synods into a _general_ body. On this point, also in
her criticism of the General Synod, Tennessee frequently ran riot. But,
though occasionally losing her balance and making a wrong application of
her antihierarchical doctrine, the principle as such was sound to the
core and truly Lutheran. When the North Carolina Synod, without further
investigation, annulled a ban of excommunication which David Henkel's
congregation had imposed, Tennessee repudiated the action as an
infringement on the rights of the congregation. "For," said they, "it
cannot be proven anywhere that a synod has authority to break the
decision made by the church council and the congregation. In such
matters a congregation has greater power than any synod." (B. 1820, 20.)
In agreement herewith the Fourth Article of the constitution submitted
in 1827 provided: "But this Synod shall have no power to receive appeals
from the decision of congregations, with respect to the excommunication
or receiving of members. For every congregation in this respect is
independent of the Synod." The German version adds: "Hence Synod cannot
change or annul a decision of any congregation pertaining to the
exclusion or the acceptance of a member." (R. 1827, 22; B., 21.) The
form in which this article was finally adopted (1828) reads: "But this
Synod shall have no power to receive appeals from the decisions of, nor
to make rules nor regulations for, congregations." (B. 1828, 19; R.
1853, 25.) Neither did the Tennessee Synod arrogate to itself the right
to appoint pastors to the congregations or to remove them. The Report of
1824 records concerning Adam Miller: "This young man displays strong
inclination for preaching; but since he has produced _no regular call
from a congregation_, he could not be ordained." (14.) The Tennessee
Synod claimed no power whatever over the individual congregations. The
minutes of 1825 record: "It is reported that this Synod, in 1821,
ordered all the congregations not to suffe