nection with the General Synod, and sought to suppress such
testimony on behalf of Lutheran truth and consistency as the Henkels had
begun to bear publicly. Aversion to faithful confessional Lutheranism
was the real reason why the Synod of North Carolina in 1816 refused to
ordain the young, but able David Henkel, which, even at that time,
almost resulted in a withdrawal of the Henkels and their delegates. The
tension was greatly increased when the Synod of 1819 degraded David
Henkel to the rank of catechist, on the false charge that he had
preached transubstantiation and other papistic heresies and thereby
given offense to the "Reformed brethren." As a matter of fact, he had
proclaimed the Lutheran doctrine of the Lord's Supper. The North
Carolina Synod made the entry into their minutes. "He [David Henkel] is
therefore no preacher of the Lutheran Church of North Carolina and
adjacent States." (G., 696.) A source of additional ill will was the
autocratic procedure of the officers in arbitrarily convening the Synod
of 1819, five weeks before the constitutional time (whence known as the
"Untimely Synod"), and that without sending out notices sufficiently
early, and for a purpose most odious to the Henkels and their adherents,
_viz_., to elect a delegate (Shober was chosen) to the convention of
the Pennsylvania Synod at Baltimore in order to participate in the
framing of a tentative constitution for the projected General Synod.
Resenting the arrogance and unconstitutional action of the officers as
well as the obnoxious resolutions of the "Untimely Synod," those members
of the North Carolina Synod who had been either unwilling or unable
(having been notified too late) to take part in the deliberations of the
"Untimely Synod," five weeks later, at the time prescribed by the
constitution, held a synod of their own at Buffalo Creek, in Stork's
congregation, where the "Untimely Synod" had been held, under the oaks,
near the church, Stork having refused them the use of the church for
this purpose. "The Synod," Stork declared, "has been held; and there is
no need of holding it again." He ordered his elders not to open the
church, but finally permitted them to hold services there, with the
express proviso, however, that no business was to be transacted in it.
(B. 1820, 21.) Philip Henkel was elected president, and Bell and David
Henkel were ordained. (21.) In the following year, a few months after
the so-called "Quarreling Synod" ("S