The Organization of the Congregation in the Early Lutheran Churches in AmericaSchmucker, B. M. (Beale Melanchthon)
History
The Organization of the Congregation in the Early Lutheran Churches in America
Schmucker, B. M. (Beale Melanchthon)
Lutheran Church -- United States -- History
11. In the Public Worship, the administration of the Holy Sacraments as
well as all other ministerial acts and ministrations, the Pastors shall
conform to the Agenda and usage, which have been introduced, until such
time as the United Ministerium and the congregation shall deem it
necessary and profitable to make a better.
CHAPTER II.
OF THE EXTERNAL GOVERNMENT OF THE CONGREGATION.
1. The congregation shall, by virtue of this new constitution, have the
perpetual right and liberty, to elect and confirm, in Christian order,
by a majority of votes, the officers and ministrants necessary for the
congregation.
2. The Church Council of the congregation shall hereafter consist of the
Trustees, six Elders and six Vorsteher, regularly elected or confirmed
by the congregation. (The Pastors were Trustees. In 1791 the Council was
made to consist of the Pastors, Elders and Vorsteher, the Trustees being
omitted.)
3. Temporary provision for the surviving Trustees.
4. The mode of election of Elders shall be as follows: 1.) The whole
Church Council shall assemble on the day before the election, shall
select from the members who have subscribed this constitution, according
to their best judgment, impartially, without respect of persons,
eighteen worthy Christian men of good repute, whose names shall be
distinctly written down and be presented to the congregation at the
election. 2.) At the election the congregation present shall have the
right and liberty to elect, by a majority of votes, six Elders out of
the eighteen persons presented. These six Elders shall be presented to
the congregation by the Pastors at the next public service, be reminded
of their duties, and their names be entered in the Church Record. 3.)
The aforesaid six Elders continue in office for three years, God
willing, if they demean themselves as becomes their office; but the
congregation shall always have liberty to re-elect them, if they consent
to allow it.
5. As regards the office of the Vorsteher, it shall be as heretofore,
except that there shall be six, instead of four, of whom one-half go out
of office after serving two years, and new ones are to be elected in
their place, in the same manner as is prescribed in the 4. for the
election of Elders. The Vorsteher also shall be presented publicly to
the congregation by the Pastors, be reminded of their duties, and thanks
be returned to those who go out of office. Should any person elected as
Elder or Vorsteher, decline, without sufficient reason, to accept the
weighty office, he shall not go free without paying a considerable
donation into the treasury; and then the person who received the next
highest number of votes shall be presented. If the vote for several
persons be a tie, the Church Council shall decide the case.
6. In the above described manner the Church Council is constituted of
Trustees, Elders and Vorsteher.
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