# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S1165
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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634 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS

On Engagement
(Memorial 633)

Wuereas, Synod’s Catechism, Question 61, teaches on the basis
of Scripture that “Marriage . . . is entered into by rightful be
trothal, or engagement”; and

Wuereas, In harmony with this definition the faculty of our
Springfield Seminary has declared (December 19, 1949): “We are
bound by Gou’s Word, therefore, to give as our firm conviction
that ‘betrothal’ and ‘marriage,’ as spoken of in the Word of God,
are identical in essence and differ only as does the Possession of
privileges and their use”; and

WuHereas, On the other hand, the faculty of our St. Louis
Seminary has asserted (Opinion of May 24, 1949): “It is our opinion
that betrothal, or engagement, must not be regarded as tantamount
to marriage”; therefore be it

Resolved, That we request Synod at its 1950 convention to
declare what it holds to be the teaching of the Word of God on
engagement, to reject the contrary teaching, and to require that
any contrary teaching be retracted; and be it further

Resolved, That we request that this overture be printed in
the Boox or Memortats for the 1950 convention.

Trinity LUTHERAN CHURCH
Oak Park, It.
E. L. Krert, Secretary

Investigation of the St. Louis Faculty
(Memorial 634)

Waereas, A communication, signed by 127 pastors of our
Synod, was in 1946 addressed to the Board of Electors of the
St. Louis Seminary, requesting an investigation of five professors
of that Seminary; and .

Wuereas, The then chairman of the Board of Electors, who
was also the chairman of the St. Louis Board of Control at that
time, in a letter dated May 29, 1946, rejected the request in these
words:

“Pastor ———, a member of the Board of Electors of Con-
cordia Seminary, St. Louis, has forwarded to me as chairman of
the Board of Electors the 23 mimeographed documents signed by
127 pastors of our Synod, asking the Board of Electors to proceed
with an investigation of five professors of Concordia Seminary.

“According to synodical Handbook, 1945 edition, p. 76, IV, 2a,
the signers must address themselves to the Board of Control of
the Seminary before they approach the Board of Electors. If the
Beard of Control finds the charges to be true and valid, the Board