to them, or to please them. Now, if any one was agreed with
our doctrine, and hence felt free to hear our doctrine and to commune
with us, we could not hinder him. We do not regard the name of such
people, but what they believe." (1820, 25.) However, one will admit that
the practise of Tennessee at this early date does not appear to have
been fully consistent. The Report of 1820, for example, records: "With
the Evangelical Reformed David Henkel had no quarrel that we know of,
for many of them, who are members in good standing, receive Communion
from him." (18.) The following remark of the same Report uncovers a
similar inconsistency: "Should any one who has been baptized according
to Christ's command, and who has been confirmed in another church,
desire to commune with us and to be in fellowship with our Church, it
shall be permitted him, and he may be looked upon as a member of the
Church without being baptized or confirmed for the second time." (5;
1831, 8.) These shortcomings, how ever, do not dispute the fact that the
Tennessee Synod, in a manner most energetic and persistent, endeavored
to steer clear of, and opposed every kind of, unionism with the sects,
as well as with unfaithful Lutherans. In 1886, however, Tennessee,
untrue to its noble traditions, participated in the unionistic
organization of the United Synod in the South, and in 1918 she joined
the Lutheran Merger, which brought her into complete fellowship with all
the unionistic synods that constituted the General Synod, opposition to
which having been the primary cause of her separate organization in 1820.

TENNESSEE AND MISSOURI.

116. Mutual Attraction.--The doctrinal, confessional, and practical
position of the Tennessee Synod being such as described, it was but
natural that, as soon as Missouri and Tennessee became acquainted with
each other, both should sense their kindred spirits, and feel attracted
mutually. And such was the case in spite of the fact that Tennessee at
this time had practically sloughed off the German language, while
Missouri was thoroughly German, and continued so for many decades.
Immediately after the first contact with Tennessee, Missouri displayed a
lively interest in these early protagonists of genuine confessional
Lutheranism. They rejoiced in having found in the Tennessee confessors
flesh of their flesh and bone of their bone. With great satisfaction
they reported on the antiunionistic position which Tennessee held over