lowship, Lodges and Chiliasm.--Immediately at
its first convention at Fort Wayne, 1867, it became apparent that the
General Council was unwilling to take an unequivocal and decided stand
with respect to Lutheran doctrine and practise. At Fort Wayne the Joint
Synod of Ohio, through its delegates (G. Cronenwett, F.A. Herzberger,
G. Baughman), after stating that, despite the reception of the Doctrinal
Basis, "un-Lutheran doctrine and practise" were still found in some of
the synods connected with the Council, requested an answer to the
following questions: "1. What relation will this venerable body in
future sustain to Chiliasm? 2. Mixed communions? 3. The exchanging of
pulpits with sectarians? 4. Secret or unchurchly societies?"
"Especially," they declared, "would we earnestly desire a decided answer
with regard to the last item, inasmuch as the Joint Synod, for years
already, in view of certain relations in one of its district synods, has
had difficulties in consequence of four pastors belonging to secret
societies, and would not, therefore, again burden its conscience." The
answer was: "That this Council is aware of nothing in its 'Fundamental
Principles of Faith and Church Polity' and Constitution, nor in the
relation it sustains in the four questions raised, which justifies a
doubt whether its decision on them all, when they are brought up in the
manner prescribed in the Constitution, will be in harmony with Holy
Scripture and the Confession of the Church. That so soon as official
evidence shall be presented to this body, in the manner prescribed by
the constitution, that un-Lutheran doctrines or practises are authorized
by the action of any of its synods, or by their refusal to act, it will
weigh that evidence, and, if it finds they exist, use all its
constitutional power to convince the minds of men in regard to them, and
as speedily as possible to remove them." (_Doc. Hist_., 156.) In other
words: Unite with us, and then we shall see what can be done, according
to the "educational methods," with reference to the Four Points. A
similar evasive answer was given to the following petition of the Iowa
Synod: "In order to effect a union of the Church, and that we may all
truly agree in the principles of practise as well as of faith, without
conditions, the delegates [G. Grossman, S. and G. Fritschel] of the
Synod of Iowa propose, in accordance with the instructions of their
Synod, that the General Council shall expressly a