German
language to all the members of the Church. This would enable them to
detect the glaring frauds practised by men under the garb of Lutherans.
It was resolved that a more strict attention shall be paid to the
literary qualifications of those who enter the ministry than has been
done heretofore. A deacon should at least understand the language in
which he officiates with some degree of accuracy, and be able to make
the logical compositions in writing. A pastor ought, in addition to
these qualifications, be acquainted with the Greek, the original tongue
of the New Testament. Also an acquaintance with the Hebrew, the original
tongue of the Old Testament, would the more amply qualify him for the
sacred ministry. The Synod, however, do not think that there are not
also useful men in the ministry who do not possess all those
qualifications. For there are men whose manifold experience supplies
some literary defects. But when a whole body of ministers are
illiterate, they are not able to defend the truth of the Gospel against
the subtile attacks of enemies. Suppose false teachers were to make a
spurious translation of the Scriptures, how could such an illiterate
body of ministers detect the forgery? If the knowledge of the original
tongues should ever become extinct, the Gospel might soon become forged
and corrupted. It is to be lamented that there are too many young men
who wish to be ministers; notwithstanding, they are too indolent to
acquire a knowledge of the original tongues. They are infatuated to
think that they are immediately inspired from heaven, and that,
therefore, they need no literary qualifications. In order to check this
growing evil, and to oppose this fanaticism, it was resolved that every
candidate for the ministry shall stand a literary as well as a
theological examination, and be promoted agreeably to his industry. This
resolution principally respects young men." (11.)

120. General Mission Treasury Regarded Dangerous.--The Report of 1824
records: "Synod has not, and does not want to have, a treasury to pay
traveling missionaries." (8.) The "Remarks" appended to the Fifth
Article of the constitution, rejecting "any particular treasury for the
purpose of supporting missionaries and theological seminaries," explain
as follows: "There are but few, if any, young men in our country who are
not able to defray the expenses of their education either by means of
their property or industry. Yet if there be such