good cause. The Vorsteher shall meet
once a month, and absent members are fined; they each preside in turn
for one month. In cases of importance the whole contributing membership
are called in, and not alone those who have held office as at Amsterdam.
Apart from these changes the provisions are the same as for the
Consistory at Amsterdam; questions of doctrine being decided by the
pastor alone, as at Amsterdam. Chapter II. Of the Call, Office, Salary
and Dismissal of Preachers. Except that the nomination and election of
the preacher is made by the whole contributing membership, and that
controversies concerning questions of doctrine are to be determined,
when they threaten the peace or unity of the congregation, by the
decision of one or three German Universities of the Lutheran faith,
instead of by the Synod, as in Holland, this article is taken bodily
from the Amsterdam book. Chapter III. Of the Call and Office of the
Deputy Church Vorsteher. Six Vorsteher are elected annually by the
contributing members, without previous nomination, to serve for two
years, and at the election when the names of those receiving most votes
are announced, an opportunity is given for objection to any of them to
be made, and if any be seriously objected to, a new vote shall be taken
in those cases. The provision for installation is omitted, so that in
all probability there was no imposition of hands. Otherwise, this
chapter is taken bodily from that concerning deputy elders at Amsterdam,
with the mere substitution of the word Vorsteher. Chapter IV. Of
Provision for the Poor. The Vorsteher shall appoint two of their number,
every two months, to take charge of the offerings, collections,
legacies, etc., for the poor. The offerings for the poor on Sunday were
placed in a separate vessel provided in the church. With some slight
variations the whole work of the deacons at Amsterdam is here renewed,
except that it is assigned to two of the Vorsteher, in turn, for two
months. Chapter V. Of the Sexton. That portion of this chapter which
refers to Koster and Knapp at Amsterdam is retained, and that concerning
the Ziekentrooster omitted. Chapter VI and VII are as at Amsterdam.

We here close the examination of the organization of Lutheran
congregations existing in this country when Muehlenberg came, of the
influences by which it had been produced, and of the European Lutheran
constitutions which then and afterwards formed the basis on which it
rest