# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S920
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

222 SEMINARIES AND COLLEGES

theran college there is only one effective approach through whic
such a program may conceivably be expected to yield the desired:
results: the regular and effective use of the means of grace.

It is perfectly true that an educational institution differs fror
a local parish in that it is not a congregation in the Scriptural sens
of the word. The means of grace, however, are the distinctive Lu:
theran approach to the problem of the individual human soul and
its spiritual development, and for that reason they should con-
stitute the center of attention in the designing of any program for
the development of our ministerial students’ spiritual life. In the
use of the means of grace, of course, the Word is paramount and
should be central in any program which is finally proposed and
adopted.

It should be observed also, that to be distinctively Lutheran,
it will be necessary to observe in all the areas of life at the school
the important and valid distinction between the Law and the Gos-
pel. This distinction is particularly valuable in the special areas
of guidance counseling and in discipline.

Spiritual Maturity Is Essential

It is the clear testimony of the Scriptures that God wants
those whom He calls to the work of the holy ministry to be sin<
gularly qualified for their supremely important task of teaching
and preaching the divine will. He expects them thoroughly to
know and sincerely to believe His revealed truths; to be able to
accurately distinguish divine truth from human error; and plainly
to manifest their Christian faith in an exemplary and highly spirit-
ual life. If we are to have the depth of personal ‘conviction based
upon absolute faith, and if we are to achieve exceptional conse-
cration to the divine will as well as spiritual vigor, vision, and
maturity, then it is only reasonable that we apply the God-given
means to these ends throughout the training of those who will
serve as ambassadors of the Lord..

It must be acknowledged, of course, that God has blessed our
Church with a host of consecrated ministers, but it must be ad-
mitted that marked spiritual growth has come to many only after
they have been repeatedly confronted with the evidence of the
power of the Word in the practical work of the ministry. All will
agree that much of our present effort to develop the students
spiritually leaves much to’ be desired in the effect achieved. In
order to attempt some improvement of these measures and results,
it is proposed that at the senior college level this almost complete
absence of a carefully prepared program for consciously and
methodically striving to achieve spiritual growth shall be supplied.

In conclusion, it should be said again that the successful com-