# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S921
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

336 ' APPEAL MATTERS

Synod. A committee elected at the convention in 1941 to study
the St. Stephanus appeal recommended that this appeal be upheld,-
whereupon Synod turned the entire matter over to the new Board
of Appeals. The Board held a hearing on this matter in Detroit;
following this hearing, the Board, through a subcommittee, made
earnest efforts to effect a conciliation by meeting with the voters:
of St. Paul’s and urging them to return to St.Stephanus. The
members of the latter, on the other hand, declared that they would
cheerfully forgive them and gladly grant them releases to sister
Congregations. While a number of families of St. Paul’s returned
‘and were received back by St. Stephanus, St. Paul’s Congregation |
as such refused to follow the Suggestion of the Board that it dis-
solve, and the Board rendered a decision upholding the appeal of
St. Stephanus Congregation. St. Paul’s then applied for member-
ship to the Michigan District of the Wisconsin Synod, but an
intersynodical committee, which investigated the case, came to the
same conclusion as the Board of Appeals. :
Synod also in 1941 referred to the Board of Appeals the appeal
of Dr. O. H, Pannkoke from a decision of the English District up-
holding the sentence of self-excommunication Pronounced upon
Dr. Pannkoke by Trinity Congregation, Oak Park, Ill. Two hear-
ings were held in this case, with the result that the Board asked
Trinity Congregation to rescind its action as not in accord with
the principles laid down in Matthew 18. The Board offered Trinity
Church to supplement orally before the congregation the findings.
contained in the Board’s Opinion and to aid the congregation in | '
disposing of the case. The skeleton convention of the English
District in 1943 decided to appeal from the Board’s decision to
Synod. Subsequently Trinity declined the offer of the Board and
notified the Board that it would lay the case before Synod.

In the matter of the Smith Case Reporter, also referred ‘to the
Board of Appeals by Synod in 1941, two hearings were held. In
its decision the Board held that Dr. Pannkoke had violated the. .
Eighth Commandment in the columns of the Smith Case Reporter
and called upon him for apologies to “Hometown Church,” to.
President “I. M. Busy,” and to Synod. Dr. Pannkoke has’ submitted
the following apology.

“In 1940 and 1941 I published the Smith Case Reporter to help
bring about a more evangelical administration of Matthew 18 and
a reform of our judicial system. In certain quarters the Smith
Case Reporter was criticized. Synod in 1941 turned the matter
of the Smith Case Reporter over to the Board of Appeals, with
the direction to recommend what action, if any, should be taken.
The Board considered the matter on the basis of a protest against
the Smith Case Reporter. -