of the church that he was much
astonished. But we could not help that." (_Tenn. Report_ 1820, 27.) As
Bell joined the Shober party, his ordination at Buffalo Creek was
declared constitutional and ratified as valid. Shober now reported on
his cordial reception by the Pennsylvania Synod and on the transaction
which led to the adoption of the "Planentwurf" for the contemplated
organization of the General Synod. The document, after its individual
paragraphs had been read and discussed, was adopted by the North
Carolina Synod by a majority of 15 to 6--a result which Shober had
forestalled in a letter to the Pennsylvania Synod assembled at
Lancaster, stating "that the greatest part of the members of the North
Carolina Synod had adopted the so-called Planentwurf," and expressing
the hope that the General Synod might be established. After adopting the
"Planentwurf," the North Carolina Synod elected Pastors Shober and Peter
Schmucker delegates to the convention of the General Synod, which was to
convene at Hagerstown, Md., October 22, 1820. Only a few ministers from
Tennessee being present, the Henkels resolved not to transact any
business at this time. (27.)

74. Doctrinal Dispute at Lincolnton.--The points disputed at
Lincolnton did not only refer to the autocratic actions of the leaders
of the Synod and their union schemes, but also to the doctrines of
Baptism and the Lord's Supper, regarding which the minority charged
Stork, Shober, and their followers with holding un-Lutheran and
anticonfessional views. The discussions on these doctrines caused James
Hill, a Methodist preacher who was present, to address a letter to
Synod in which he said: "For almost thirteen years which I have spent in
this county [Lincoln Co., N.C., where David Henkel preached], I have
understood that the greatest number of your preachers in the county have
taught that the baptism of water effects regeneration, and that the body
and blood of Christ is received bodily with the bread and wine in the
Lord's Supper, so that these doctrines, being so generally taught and
confessedly believed, confirmed me in the conviction that they are the
orthodox doctrines of the Lutheran Church. Last Monday [at the
discussion on floor of Synod], however, I discovered, or believed to
discover, that some members of your Rev. Synod entertained different
views. . . . Now, in order that I may know how to conduct myself in the
future toward so respectable a part of the Church