# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S534
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

536: - ‘ INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS

» Wuereas,: ‘The overwhelming majority of all boards and com-

missions in the: Missouri Synod are not in favor of participation
in the work of the National Lutheran Council as far as’ their

specific fields of labor are concerned; and

Wuereas, Joining the National Lutheran Council would be
of little advantage to the Missouri Synod as an organization, but
would multiply its problems; and

‘Wnuereas, Our membership would be an irritant rather than
a help to the National Lutheran Council; and

Wuereas, Our joining the National Lutheran Council would

create disharmony within the Synodical Conference; would lead

. to misunderstanding in Lutheranism in America and the world;
and in it world Protestantism would be misinterpreted; and

Wuereas, Joining the National Lutheran Council could be

interpreted as inconsistent with our Biblical] doctrine and practice;
be it therefore

Resolved, That we respectfully recommend to the Synodical
Convention at Milwaukee in June, 1950, that at the present time

our Synod do not apply for membership as a participating body

in the National Lutheran Council; and be it further

Resolved, That we express to the National Lutheran Council
not only our continued readiness‘ and willingness, but also our
eagerness and earnest desire to work together with it in matters
which: are mutually agreeable.

- Signed by

wage THE ComMMITTEE
Rev. Water H. Meyer, Chairman
Cart A. GEIst

be ; ArtTaur L. Mmcer
dx: Dee. 21; 1949 Dr. LAwrENcCE MEYER

— Minority Report

Although the majority. of your Committee advises against the
affiliation of our Synod with the National Lutheran Council, I-find
it incumbent upon myself to dissent from their decision for the
following reasons:

The many ‘discussions of the committee have made it clear to
me that the majority report is based, to a degree, upon’ two
assumptions. \

The first assumption is that we cannot pray with members
of the National Lutheran Council except under certain circum-
stances,

I must humbly confess that I do not comprehend the dis-
tinction between joint prayer and prayer fellowship.

INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS 537

I have been reminded by my associates on the Committee

that it is not the province of the committee to determine the

right or wrong of Synod’s resolution on prayer fellowship.

Nevertheless, Synod’s resolution is one of the important and
decisive factors in the determination of the majority report.

My many contacts with laymen throughout our Synod convince
me that the large body of our laity does not accept a distinction
between joint prayer and prayer fellowship and certainly it is the
constant task of all of us to measure all resolutions by the standard
of the Word of God.

In my youth I had the good fortune to attend a Lutheran
parochial school where the Catechism and the Bible were a part
of our daily curriculum. In my Catechism appeared this question:
“Why are we to say, ‘our Father’?” It answers: “Because all
believers are in Christ the children of one Father and should
therefore pray for and with each other.” This concept has
become and is a part of the thinking and life of many thousands
of our members. Therefore I have never been able to understand
why my Church of the present day asks us to change our attitude
toward a fellow Christian simply on the ,basis of synodical
affiliation.

Moreover, I have read with considerable interest the reports
in our church literature concerning the devotions conducted at
the splendid meetings in Bad Boll. The reports of those meetings
indicate that the distinction between prayer fellowship and joint
prayer is unreal and untenable.

The second assumption is that our meetings and work with
the members of the National Lutheran Council would be con-
sidered unionistic in nature.

There are fears that the National Lutheran Council is leading
toward organic union of the Lutheran bodies. If this should come
to pass according to the will of God, who are we to say nay to
such a trend. Whether the Missouri Synod will join in such a
trend is.altogether a matter for our Synod to decide.

‘We need not separate ourselves for our protection. Our pro-
tection lies in the strength of our faith and in those doctrinal
principles to which we hold.

I have always been proud of the doctrinal integrity of my
Synod, and I am not one who wants to see its doctrinal principles
watered down, nor do I think that that will happen when we
join the National Lutheran Council. I believe that the reverse

will be true, that we will remain strong in holding to our doc- —

trinal principles and, in holding to them, strengthen others.

Synod, I am sure, wants our Committee to view this question
from the standpoint of what is best for the building of the
Kingdom of God and the saving of immortal souls.