# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S544
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

544 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS

membership in the National Lutheran Council, to the President
of the Missouri Synod, and to the President of each Synodical
District, requesting their further favorable consideration of this
matter; and

That again in 1950 the English District respectfully petition the
Missouri Synod to apply for membership in the National Lutheran

daca C. F. DanxwortH

Secretary, ENciisH District

[658]
Reject Membership in the National Lutheran Council

Whereas, The “Synodical Committee Report on the Question
of Synod’s Becoming a Participating Body in the National Lutheran
Council” says: “The National Lutheran Council is actually fung-
tioning as a Church” (page 6), and “the National Lutheran Council
is in reality functioning as a Church in so many phases of its
work” (page 10); and

Wuereas, The Constitution of our Synod lists as its first
objective “the conservation and promotion of the unity of the
true faith (Eph. 4:3-6; 1Cor.1:10) and a united defense against
schism and sectarianism (Rom. 16:17)”; and

Wuereas, The Brief Statement, reaffirmed at the Chicago Con-
vention as the doctrinal position of our Synod, states: “All Chris-
tians are required by God to discriminate between orthodox and
heterodox church bodies, Matt. 7:15, to have church fellowship only
with orthodox church bodies, and, in case they have strayed into
heterodox church bodies, to leave them, Rom. 16:17. We repudiate
unionism, that is, church. fellowship with the adherents of false
doctrine, as disobedience to God’s command, as causing divisions in
the Church, Rom. 16:17; 2 John 9—10, and as involving the constant
danger of losing the Word of God entirely.” 2 Tim. 2:17-21
(Par. 28); and .

Wuereas, The Synodical Catechism, Question 186, says that
“we use the doctrine of the Church properly .. . when we avoid
all false churches”; and

_ Wasereas, The Lutheran Witness in 1925 rightly said: “To
beware and to avoid does not mean to pray with them” (p. 434); and

Wuereas, The Word of God, Rom.16:17 and similar passages,
does make it “sinful for the Missouri Synod to sign” and become
a participating body in the National Lutheran Council; now, there-
fore, be it

Resolved, That we petition The Lutheran Church — Missouri