# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S919
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

334 APPEAL MATTERS

elected by Synod in the matter of Pastor H. J. Fuhrmann hereby -
presents the following findings:
“1. Pastor H. J. Fuhrmann himself is responsible for the split
that has occurred in the congregation at that place, and since the:
efforts to effect a reunion were not successful entirely because of
his attitude, he alone must bear the guilt for the continuation of
this split. . ak
“2. At first Pastor Fuhrmann retracted his disgraceful libels -¥
of Synod and its officials but later repeated them anew and con- -
tinued to maintain them to the end.
“3. Pastor Fuhrmann by his dishonest action as well as his
rude behavior has made all further dealing with him impossible... |
“4. Pastor Fuhrmann, therefore, according to our judgment
is no more to be considered our’ brother.” Report, 1914, p.178,
The Board furthermore was compelled to devise a proper
procedure in conducting its own business. The regulations of
Synod gave some indications of what Synod expected of its Board..
In Point 8, page 274, Synod had decided: “Every appellant shall
at the time of taking an appeal provide the appellee with a written
copy of his appeal... . All pleadings shall be in writing, and a
copy shall be furnished the appellee and the Board of Appeals,
This does not exclude personal appearance and oral presentation.”
Point 10 stated: “The ‘Board of Appeals shall be governed in its
acts and judgments in accord with Christian principles by the
generally accepted rules of justice.” One of the fundamental
principles is the rule that each party to a case is entitled to know,
read, or hear every claim or charge of the other party. This rule
is so self-evidently just that it requires no defense. The Board, :
therefore, decided to adopt this principle as one of the guiding
principles for its procedure. An appellant was asked to state
definitely to which action of the District he took exception and *
for which reasons he felt that this decision had been wrong. This
statement had to be given in writing to the Board of Appeals, and
a copy of this document had to be sent to the appellee. The
Board further required the appellee to formulate a reply to this
statement of the appellant and to furnish a copy of this reply to
the Board and to the appellant. The procedure enabled the Board
to determine just which points were in issue between the two
‘parties and to study the documents. from this point of view.
Another fundamental Principle of justice, which is also in
accord with Christian principles, is the rule that ‘every person.
should be enabled to present his case in the most complete manner,
Nobody should be penalized for his lack of education or training:
along certain lines, Therefore the Board from the beginning agreed ..