# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S305
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

396 CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS

ments — 2” (pp. 439 and 440, Proceedings, 1947) W,
would rather put the authority to make necessary exe.
tions into the hands of two thirds of the Board’s me a
bership. .

4) 8115d. We prefer the present charge of one
annum to “a one-time administration fee of
It seems to us more equitable.

5) 8115f. Districts should not grow into completely inde.
pendent corporations. Synod shall know whether its funds
are being wisely invested.

6) No action was taken on Memorial 507 (p. 438, Proceedings
1947) because our recommendations do not include merg-
ing of the Church Extension Board with the Board for
Missions in North and South America.

Commirrer on Co-orDINATION oF SyNop’s Worx
Oscar Doerr, Secretary
Water VietH
Ricwarp MELZNER
HERBERT BERNER
Arnotp H. Grumm, Chairman

[503]
Amend Rule Regarding Publishing of Memorials

Wuereas, The Handbook, Section 1.25, reads: “He [the Presi-
dent] shall decide which of these matters shall be published in
the Book of Reports and Memorials, a copy of which shall be
mailed four weeks prior to the convention of Synod to each pastor
and teacher of Synod and to each elected lay delegate. However,
all memorials or overtures sent to the President shall be submitted
to Synod through one of its convention committees”; and

Wuereas, The Book of Reports and Memorials for the 1947
convention did not contain certain communications which some
congregations had addressed to their sister congregations, but
merely stated that “similar memorials” had been “submitted” by
-a number of congregations (cf. Reports and Memorials, 1941,
p. 402); while in reality many of the memorials, though treating
the same subject matter; were altogether different; and

Wuenreas, These memorials were not even read to the conven-
tion by one of its committees, as provided by Section 1.25 of the
Handbook; and

Wuereas, It is not in harmony with the Scriptural principles
of our fellowship to withhold a formal declaration or request of
a member of Synod from those to whom it is addressed; and

Per cent per °°
One per cent” °

CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS 397

eas, The authority of the President to decide which
shall be.published in the Book of Reports and Memorials,
and to submit certain memorials to the convention only through

amittee, is capable of misuse and may have the result that

; 4 jegates ; do not receive vital information which they ought to have.

mittee may report only on one item, the request, and may
d and suppress other vital matters contained in the memo-

-Wuereas, A memorial addressed by a congregation to its sister
ie regations assembled in convention at Chicago in 1947 read as

./Tq the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and
“* “Other States, in convention at Chicago, Illinois, July 20—29,
_Esteemed Brethren:
“2” Wnereas, The Lutheran Witness has publicly professed
“serious disagreement with the official resolutions of the Mis-
- 'sduri Synod of 1938 on Lutheran Union (L. W., 1940, pp. 421,
215) and thus established the Missouri Synod as a house
officially divided against itself; and
. Wuereas, The Lutheran Witness has been creating dis-
unity within our synodical fellowship by its persistent propa-
- ganda for false union and by defaming as schismatics and
destroyers of the unity of the Church those who will not
concede that doctrinal difference is not divisive of fellowship
(L. W., 1940, p. 275); and
Wuereas, The Lutheran Witness teaches, falsely, that the
Church is “the visible body of Christ on earth” and that we
have “divided His body and delayed His coming” (L. W., 1944,
. p.51; 1945, p. 278; 1947, p. 29; cf. Cone. Trigl., p. 227); and
Wuereas, “The orthodox character of a church is estab-
lished . . . by the doctrine which is actually taught in its
pulpits, in its theological seminaries, and in its publications”
(Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri
Synod, § 29); now therefore be it :
Resolved, That the Lutheran Witness be discontinued as
a publication of the Missouri Synod. ,
Respectfully submitted
St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church
Clinton, Iowa
Signed: Joe Roode, Secretary; and

Wuereas, Said memorial charging the Lutheran Witness with
false teaching was handed by the President to the Committee on
Constitutional Matters, No. 6; and

Wuereas, Said Committee on Constitutional Matters reported
to the convention that “Unprinted Memorial 2” (the memorial in
question) asked “that Synod resolve: ‘that the Lutheran Witness
be discontinued as a publication of the Missouri Synod,’” (Pro-

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