# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S498
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Sth
=

gs
a
BE
ee
a F
4e
ci
Ag
ca er

528 CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS

Wuereas, The original German Constitution, in accordance
with the Lutheran Confessions and in harmony with the Word
of God (cf. Walther in Synodalbericht, Iowa District, 1879, page
44 ff.; also Die rechte Gestalt (pages 35—36) gives to the local
congregation “supreme and final jurisdiction” by declaring: “jg
a congregation finds a resolution not in accordance with the Word
of God or to be unsuited to its own conditions, it has the right to
permit the resolution to be disregarded and, respectively, to
reject it’; now therefore be it

Resolved, That Article VII of the Constitution of The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod be amended so as to conform to the
original German Constitution and to read as follows: “Synod is in
respect to the self-government of the individual congregation
merely an advisory body. Hence no resolution of the former if it
imposes anything on the individual congregation as a synodical
resolution has any binding force on the latter. Such a resolution
of Synod can only then first have a binding effect when the indi-
vidual congregation has voluntarily adopted it and has itself ratified
it by formal resolution of the congregation. If a congregation finds
a resolution not in accordance with the Word of God or unsuited
to its own conditions, it has the right to permit the resolution to
be disregarded and, respectively, to reject it.”

IMMANUEL EvANGeLicaL LUTHERAN CONGREGATION
Missourr Synop
Micurean Crry, Inn.
Cartes E. OLMSTEAD
Recording Secretary of the Congregation

The same memorial was submitted by

Trinity Ev. Luraeran Cuurcu or Crete, In.
A. T. KrerzmMann, Pastor
W. J. Brase, Chairman
R. E. Prepensrinx, Secretary

Sr. Jonn’s Luraeran Caurcu, Wanaran, Ino.
Rev. A. V. Kuster, Pastor
Wiii1am Breseke, Secretary

First Lutaeran Cuourcu, Hanna, Ino.
Rev. A. V. Kuster, Pastor
Russet, Lone, Secretary