# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S532
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

534 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS

fields of missions, of education, of our Armed Services Commission.
-of our Emergency Planning Council. He has made our Church ah
active, vibrant, working organism. We do not believe that the
work of the Missouri Synod in the past decade would have been
done better, nor that we could have accomplished more, if we
-had been members of the National Lutheran Council. We believe
that in the very nature of an organization which acts for eight
different bodies there is an approach to problems different from
that of one closely knit church body.

The above statements are made in a spirit of deepest humility
and in the fullest knowledge and keen awareness that the Lord
has. made our Church. what it is and showered overwhelming
blessings upon us not because of any merit or worthiness in us,
but only because of His boundless grace and love. Soli Deo gloria!

What Would We GIVE?

To answer the question whether or not to join the National
Lutheran Council purely on the basis of what we could gain
-would be selfish. It is better to give than to receive. That applies
also to the question of membership in the National Lutheran
Council. What could the Missouri Synod give to the National
Lutheran Council? We frankly believe that at the present time
our membership in the National Lutheran Council would be a
continuous irritant. Our conscientious convictions would compel
us to label as unionistic so much of the program of the National
Lutheran Council that there would be few meetings at which
the Missouri Synod commissioners would not be in. conscience
bound to raise official objections. We refer to only one phase of
work. The largest item in the budget of the National Lutheran
Council is that for Student Service. It amounts to $175,000 a year.
. Visualize: the following situation: In the eyes of the world and
‘world Lutheranism. we would be members of the National Lu-
theran Council. At a certain university the National Lutheran
Council has a full-time student pastor, serving all students of the
constituent members of the National Lutheran Council. The Mis-
souri Synod also has a congregation and pastor there. However,
‘our Synod could not turn the spiritual care of its students over
to the pastor representing the National Lutheran Council, because
‘we are not in pulpit and altar fellowship with him. What an
anomalous situation that would be! This same situation would
obtain in the field of American missions — Jewish Missions,- Negro
Missions, Institutional Missions, etc. In view of the fact that the
National Lutheran Council is in reality functioning as a Church
in So many phases of its work, it is our opinion’ that there would
be little opportunity for the Missouri Synod to make any worth-
while contribution to it. The Committee is confident that the