# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1947_S58
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

58 SEMINARIES AND COLLEGES

we believe the following considerations to be of particular sig-
nificance:

Pastors and teachers are gifts of the resurrected and ascended
Lord to His Church for the upbuilding of the body of Christ.
The Church seeks to train the more gifted and talented among
her sons for the office of pastor and teacher.

Not all pastors and teachers have, nor do they need to have,
the same talents and gifts. Rather, as in the Parable of the
Talents, the Lord gives to the one more than to the other. Con-
sequently we find among the pastors and teachers of the Church,
present and prospective, men with particular gifts in particular
fields. The Church has need and use for all these gifts, and it
would be a calamity for the Church if through the force of cir-
cumstances her most gifted servants were to bury and lose their
gifts, Rather, the Church should help to develop these gifts to
the utmost in order that they may be used for the upbuilding of
the body of Christ. Men of outstanding gifts and accomplish-
ments are in constant demand for important work in the church
at large. The need becomes particularly apparent when professor-
ships are to be filled in Synodical institutions, Here not only
gifts of nature and grace are required, but also development of
these gifts through appropriate training and schooling.

We would therefore suggest that the following be held eligible
for these fellowships offered by the Institute and that selections
be made in the manner indicated:

a, Carefully chosen graduates of the seminaries and teachers’
colleges, the nominations being made by the faculties and selection
being made by the governing body of the Institute;

b. Particularly also men already in active service of the
Church as pastors, teachers, and professors. Nominations may
be made by the faculties of synodical schools, by conferences, or
synodical officials, or application may be made directly by indi-
vidual pastors, teachers, or professors. Selection shall be made
as under a. Appointments would be for a specified period of
time — six, nine, or twelve months. Incumbence of fellowships
would be under the supervision of the Institute, including those
whose fellowships are applied in institutions outside our Church.
Renewal of a fellowship is contingent on the quality of the work
performed. Of course it is also understood that the awarding
of a fellowship does not imply the promise of any particular
position in the Church, such as a professorship.

We suggest that the financing of the Institute be by synodical
appropriation or endowment, or both. Money grants to partici-
pants will be involved in the form of fellowships in the research