# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S494
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

520 CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS

Amend Rule Regarding Publishing of Memorials
: (Memorial 503)

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, 1947
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

Wuereas, The authority of the President to decide which
memorial shall be published in the Book of Reports and Memorials,
and to submit certain memorials to the convention only through
a committee, is capable of misuse and may have the result that
delegates do not receive vital information which they ought to have.
A committee may report only on one item, the request, and may
withhold and suppress other vital matters contained in the memo-
rial; and

Wuereas, A memorial addressed by a congregation to its sister

congregations assembled in convention at Chicago in 1947 read as
follows:

To the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Misso Ohio, and
opper States, in convention at Chicago, lines Suly 20—29,
Esteemed Brethren: .

_ WHerEas, The Lutheran Witness has publicly professed
serious disagreement with the official resolutions of the Mis-
souri Synod of 1938 on Lutheran Union (L. W., 1940, pp. 421,
275) and thus established the Missouri Synod as a house
officially divided against itself; and

. WHEREAS, 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’

CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS 521

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. Conc. 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-
ceedings, 1947, p. 559), but did not report to the convention
the reasons adduced by said memorial, which contained the
charges; and

Wuereas, The charge of false doctrine, raised against the
Lutheran Witness by a congregation and communicated by that
congregation to its sister congregations, was thus EFFECTIVELY
SUPPRESSED by authority of Section 1.25 of the Handbook; now
therefore be it

Resolved, That the undersigned congregation petition its sister
congregations, in convention assembled, to amend Section 1.25 of
the Handbook, striking the words “He shall decide which of,” and
replacing them with the words “Unless they involve libel or private
sins, these matters shall be published in the Book of Reports and
Memorials”; and be it furthermore

Resolved, That the last sentence of Section 1.25 be amended to
read: “However, all memorials or overtures sent to the President,
unless they involve libel or private sins, shall be submitted to
Synod through its convention committees,” and that Synod there-
fore instruct its committees to arrange that the complete text of
all memorials be presented to the convention; and be it furthermore