FIRST CONSTITUTION OF THE CHURCH (1769)
Brief Constitution of the Evangelical-Lutheran Congregation at Baltimore-town as it was Deemed Necessary at the Time and was Drawn Up. June 10,1769.

In the name of the Most Holy Trinity

AMEN!

God's ordinance and the nature of public worship which Christians confess require good laws for the church to govern both teachers and hearers. Whenever these do not exist, the service of God can neither be duly held, nor can it be turned by the hearers to their welfare and their union with Christ. General edification and betterment of the Christian congregation is doubtless the only aim of our service of God, which cannot possibly be reached without Christian order. As all members are obliged to edify their own souls as well as those of the others and to prefer always the welfare of the whole congregation to their own advantage, they must pledge themselves to observe and preserve a godly order and discipline.

In our Evangelical Lutheran church of this town considerable disorder and neglect of the public service has been noticed. It is therefore necessary to remedy and to prevent to some extent this evil and all evils of the future and all threatening abuses. Considering this, the following rules and regulations are prescribed as a short church order, carefully deliberated upon and accepted by the congregation and intended for everlasting observance:
I. As Christian order requires many functions which cannot be demanded of the regular preacher without injury to his office, it is necessary that there should be elected from the members of the congregation three or four men, i.e., as many as shall be deemed necessary and worthy at the time, and who are of good faith and unblemished conversation, to serve as permanent elders,
as long as they shall continue of an upright conversation. Their names are to be entered upon the church register. It shall be their duty to strive after an edifying conversation and to attend to the functions entrusted to them with zeal and faithfulness, and to be helpers to the preacher in the wholesome administration of his office.

II. Order requires that every year two deacons and trustees be elected by the congregation. No member has the right to refuse to accept such office—not even the deacons in office, if reelected—except in case of insurmountable obstacles. These shall have supervision over church order and discipline and over the members of the congregation and their conduct. They shall provide carefully the necessaries of life of the preacher and shall see to the preservation
of public worship, and be faithful therein. 

III. It is proper that the deacons who have well served should be publicly discharged of their office and that those newly elected should be publicly presented to the congregation, and be reminded by the minister of their duties, the faithful and conscientious fulfillment of which they shall promise by answering yea!

IV. Once a year on a fixed day the minister shall call the meeting of the congregation according to the desire of the elders. The congregation is obliged to appear at the place designated for the meeting to examine the accounts of the church.

V. Both deacons shall for the sake of order give account to the elders in presence of the congregation. These accounts shall annually be entered in a book and be read by the preacher in church. 

VI. In all cases where there is anything to be brought before the congregation, a motion or a complaint, the congregation shall appear at the time and place which the preacher sets and announces.

VII. All complaints arising in the congregation, either against the preacher or the elders, or the deacons in office, or against a member of the congregation, shall for the sake of order be reported to the elders in love and modesty. These, after consultation and with the consent of the preacher, are entitled and obliged to investigate the same and to settle all discord in kindness.

VIII. All members of the congregation must see to it that peace and harmony shall be carefully preserved. Accordingly, no member shall be allowed to separate from church and congregation without grave responsibility and to sever his connection with it on account of some defect or abuse that may have crept into the church as into any society, or on account of certain de
ficiencies which one or the other member may show, in order that all disorder and discord be prevented in the congregation.

IX. No member of the church shall be allowed to make new rules of his own accord or to change the old rules or to abrogate them without the knowledge or consent of the congregation.

X. All members of the congregation shall, for the sake of equity, consider themselves obliged to pay quarterly the money subscribed by them as part of the salary of the minister, to avoid causing the minister unnecessary and un justified work. To that end it shall always be duly announced by one of the deacons on the last Sunday of the quarter after the service, in order that everyone may be able to prepare himself. Every Christian should duly consider the rule observed by St. Paul with the Corinthian congregation, I. Cor. ix: 5-7, and should obey it in order that he may do everything necessary for main tenance of the preacher and the service of the church, not with compulsion, or with avarice and unwillingly, but voluntarily, cheerfully, heartily, and for the sake of God's love, for the Lord loveth a cheerful giver.

XI. It shall be the duty of the deacons to collect the Sunday offering every Sunday and holiday at the morning service. No member shall neglect "to do good and to communicate," considering that every mite will well be repaid.

XII. It has been decided for the benefit of the congregation that each and everyone who wants to be buried in our graveyard and to that end has a grave dug shall pay to either of the two elders for a person of 12 years the amount of 2s. 6d. and above the age of 12 years 3s. 6d. In order that everything be done in good order, a grave shall not be opened until it is announced to the schoolmaster or one of the deacons, that they may know and record the person who shall pay for the grave and show the place where the grave is to be made.

XIII. It is for the sake of order very necessary that all members who in tend to take Holy Communion in due time and at the proper place, at least one day before confession shall give their names to the regular preacher; these names should be written down and the persons be reminded of the importance of their intention. Their conduct and Christian character shall be
inquired into. Their number shall be announced after the sermon. Those, however, who live in hatred and enmity with others or have anything against their neighbors shall appear one week before, in order that the parties may be reconciled either by themselves or in the presence of the preacher or, where it is necessary, also in the presence of the two deacons, in proper time
and in Christian spirit.

XIV. Those who through gross and shameful sins give offence to the Christian congregation shall be excluded from Holy Supper until they publicly do penance and promise to make peace with the congregation, in order that all scandal be removed and the other members may learn to fear such sins and to guard themselves against them. 

XV. The minister in office shall enter in the church record the time, the year, and the day of those born, baptized, and buried, and shall announce the number of them on New Year's day.
Now, all those that do not agree with these articles, and separate from public worship and from the congregation shall not be considered as members of the congregation, and shall be deprived of all rights and privileges of our church, and of all use of the Holy Sacraments, nor, to their disgrace, shall burial in our church-yard be accorded to them.

All members of the congregation have herewith pledged themselves to the faithful keeping and to lasting observance of these articles, and have subscribed to the same with their own hands.
June 10th, 1769, Baltimore Town.

Carl Wiesenthal Georg E. Lindenberger Christian Djel Wilhelm Hackel Wilh. Loble Johannes Schrimm Philipp Littig Andreas Rothaug Heinrich Blechroth Johannes Hahn Friedrich Kohl Mich. Eltrerbach

Johannes Schrand Wilhelm Rauch Peter Strinbock Friedrich Kirst Jacob Brown Sam. M. Dent Tobias Renner Joseph Miller Johannes Breitenbach Engelhardt Jaiser Peter Trombohr Jorg Fass

Nicolaus Heimer Mathas Brechtle Job. Georg Herrmann Wilhelm Schwarz Johannes Hermann Feydel Rock Ludwig Werdenberger Moritz Worschler Samuel Messer Smith Johannes Fiirst Jorg Loble

(On pages 69-73 of the old record book entitled Kirchen-Archiv, Pastor Kirchner wrote down this constitution in 1769).