not intend to be governed by (the Augsburg
Confession of Faith, nor vindicate the Lutheran doctrines contained
therein; for if they did, they would not by this clause have given
liberty to form other confessions of faith. Perhaps this may be one of
the reasons why they have nowhere promised in the constitution that
Luther's Catechism, the Augsburg Confession of Faith, nor the Bible
should be the guide of their body. They wish to have power to form a new
confession; perhaps more popular, and suited to the newfangled opinions
of this present age of infidelity. Were not the men such as Luther,
Melanchthon, etc., who formed the Augsburg Confession of Faith, as a
testimony against popery and other heresies, godly and enlightened men,
and to whose instrumentality we owe our light of the Gospel? Will any of
the votaries of the General Synod presume to say that this confession is
erroneous, heretical, and wicked? Can they form a better one? If they
answer in the affirmative, they are no Lutherans, as they call
themselves. If they answer in the negative, why, then, have they not
positively specified in the constitution that such should remain the
standard of the Church? Why have they given an opportunity to introduce
a new confession? It is known that all Lutheran ministers, when they are
ordained, are solemnly pledged as by an oath to maintain the doctrine of
the Augsburg Confession of Faith. But when there is an opportunity given
to propose and introduce other confessions, perhaps the very reverse,
what shall become of all the oaths made at the time of ordination?"
(24.) The German Report argues: "The Evangelical Lutheran Church already
has, for almost three hundred years, a confession of faith, to wit, the
Augsburg Confession. To this confession all Lutheran ministers are
pledged by an oath when they are ordained. Since the constitution
nowhere states that the Augsburg Confession shall be retained, and other
confessions of faith may be proposed, it is apparent that the General
Synod has the power to abrogate the Augsburg Confession entirely, and to
introduce a new and erroneous confession of faith, and consequently to
set aside the oath of ordination." (B. 1821, 22.) 7. A further objection
to the General Synod was based on Article III, Section V, which
provided, among other things, that the General Synod shall take good
care "not to oppress any person on account of differences in opinion."
After pointing out that this can only