Getting a syntax error when starting rsyslogd. "& stop" seems to be the culprit but I am clearly not understanding something.

1-run_rsyslog

$ cat /etc/redhat-release
CentOS Linux release 7.2.1511 (Core)

$ /usr/sbin/rsyslogd -v
rsyslogd 7.4.7, compiled with:
        FEATURE_REGEXP:                         Yes
        FEATURE_LARGEFILE:                      No
        GSSAPI Kerberos 5 support:              Yes
        FEATURE_DEBUG (debug build, slow code): No
        32bit Atomic operations supported:      Yes
        64bit Atomic operations supported:      Yes
        Runtime Instrumentation (slow code):    No
        uuid support:                           Yes

See http://www.rsyslog.com for more information.

$ /usr/sbin/rsyslogd
rsyslogd: error during parsing file (null), on or before line 93: STOP is followed by unreachable statements!
 [try http://www.rsyslog.com/e/2207 ]
 
# & stop in 4.conf below seems to be the issue

2-rsyslog.conf

# rsyslog configuration file

# For more information see /usr/share/doc/rsyslog-*/rsyslog_conf.html
# If you experience problems, see http://www.rsyslog.com/doc/troubleshoot.html

#### MODULES ####

# The imjournal module bellow is now used as a message source instead of imuxsock.
$MaxMessageSize 12k
$ModLoad imuxsock # provides support for local system logging (e.g. via logger command)
#$ModLoad imjournal # provides access to the systemd journal
#$ModLoad imklog # reads kernel messages (the same are read from journald)
#$ModLoad immark  # provides --MARK-- message capability

# Provides UDP syslog reception
#$ModLoad imudp
#$UDPServerRun 514

# Provides TCP syslog reception
#$ModLoad imtcp
#$InputTCPServerRun 514


#### GLOBAL DIRECTIVES ####

# Where to place auxiliary files
$WorkDirectory /var/lib/rsyslog

# Use default timestamp format
$ActionFileDefaultTemplate RSYSLOG_TraditionalFileFormat

# File syncing capability is disabled by default. This feature is usually not required,
# not useful and an extreme performance hit
#$ActionFileEnableSync on

# Include all config files in /etc/rsyslog.d/
$IncludeConfig /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf

# Turn off message reception via local log socket;
# local messages are retrieved through imjournal now.
$OmitLocalLogging off

# File to store the position in the journal
#$IMJournalStateFile imjournal.state


#### RULES ####

# Log all kernel messages to the console.
# Logging much else clutters up the screen.
#kern.*                                                 /dev/console

# Log anything (except mail) of level info or higher.
# Don't log private authentication messages!
*.info;mail.none;authpriv.none;cron.none                /var/log/messages

# The authpriv file has restricted access.
authpriv.*                                              /var/log/secure

# Log all the mail messages in one place.
mail.*                                                  -/var/log/maillog


# Log cron stuff
cron.*                                                  /var/log/cron

# Everybody gets emergency messages
*.emerg                                                 :omusrmsg:*

# Save news errors of level crit and higher in a special file.
uucp,news.crit                                          /var/log/spooler

# Save boot messages also to boot.log
local7.*                                                /var/log/boot.log


# ### begin forwarding rule ###
# The statement between the begin ... end define a SINGLE forwarding
# rule. They belong together, do NOT split them. If you create multiple
# forwarding rules, duplicate the whole block!
# Remote Logging (we use TCP for reliable delivery)
#
# An on-disk queue is created for this action. If the remote host is
# down, messages are spooled to disk and sent when it is up again.
#$ActionQueueFileName fwdRule1 # unique name prefix for spool files
#$ActionQueueMaxDiskSpace 1g   # 1gb space limit (use as much as possible)
#$ActionQueueSaveOnShutdown on # save messages to disk on shutdown
#$ActionQueueType LinkedList   # run asynchronously
#$ActionResumeRetryCount -1    # infinite retries if host is down
# remote host is: name/ip:port, e.g. 192.168.0.1:514, port optional
#*.* @@remote-host:514
# ### end of the forwarding rule ###

3.conf

$SystemLogRateLimitInterval 10
$SystemLogRateLimitBurst 100000

4.conf

$template docker,"<%PRI%>%TIMESTAMP% %HOSTNAME% %syslogtag%%msg%"
*.* @foo.rsyslog-server.net;docker
& stop

# If I remove & stop above the error goes away

I also got the same issue.