# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S1181
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

662 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS

convention assembled, declare its stern opposition to the
employed in the protest lodged; and be it further

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri §
convention assembled, place the strongest possible cens
aforesaid procedure; and be it further

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod reiter-
ate the law of Christian charity and brotherly procedure, and on
this basis request that the accusing brother in the present incident

remove the offense by an expression of regret to this convention,
=z.

Procedure

ynod, in
ure upon

RESOLUTION 2

1. We, the members of The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod, are assembled here in convention in Milwaukee, Wis., to
do the work of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who bore our
sins for us on the Cross and who lived and died for us so that
He might satisfy the righteousness of God; we are here to promote
the work of the Kingdom in His name. We are all interested in
that, but our actions do not always serve the best interests of His
kingdom.

2. There have been times during the past years when certain
things were done which individuals in their zeal thought to be
right and proper, but which did not prove to be for the best in-
terests of the Kingdom. Your Committee submits for your con-
sideration the fact that many things were done in an improper,
perhaps ill-advised, and certainly detrimental way.— To be more
specific: Controversial matters have been brought to public
attention; note well, your Committee does not say that controversies
should not be brought to public attention, but your Committee is
interested only in procedure. What happened last Thursday after-
noon was not proper. It was the result of a long series of unwise
and wrong courses of action. We should guard against the re-
currence of such regrettable incidents.

3. Many members of the Synod have been. disturbed by a great
mass of material, circularized among them, and by articles which
have appeared in various publications.

4. Your Committee believes in the freedom of speech and the
freedom of the press, but it submits for your consideration that
personal attacks upon brethren, members of the same church
body, either by a publicly spoken word or by the publicly printed
word, represent a sinful course of action and must be discontinued.

5. Before offering a resolution your Committee once more
reminds the convention that Jesus Christ, who desires that we
testify to the truth, that we confess Him and all that He stands
_ for, that we permit no one to defame His.name, doctrine, or work,

INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS 663

iso desires that we be charitable, that we do to others as we would
have them do unto us, and that we always proceed as Christians

- gecording to the law of love.

Your Committee offers the following resolution:

Wuereas, It is always in the interest of the Savior’s kingdom
that proper procedure be followed, especially when brethren have
differences; and

Wuereas, Brethren dishonor the name of God and sin against
the law of love when they do not follow the proper procedure; and

Wuereas, Synod has laid down rules of procedure which are
in accordance with the will of God; therefore be it

Resolved, That Synod remind its members of the rules of pro-
cedure when brethren have differences, to wit: .

1. When there are differences on the District level, Para-
graph 5.21 of the synodical Handbook be followed; ;

2. When there are differences on the synodical level, Para-
graph 5.81 of the synodical Handbook be followed;

3. When there are differences on the interdistrict level,
Paragraph 5.83 of the synodical Handbook be followed.

In this way God will be pleased and His name will be

glorified. Respectfully submitted,

Rev. Rupotpa REssMEYeEr, Chairman
Rev. H. Trerr

Mr. E_more BorcEer

Mr. Martin LUKER

Rev. Oxtver R. Harms, Secretary

.—The daily minutes (June 27, 1950) state: “In response to
questions from the oor, the Committee declared that the overtures
touching the same matter had not been included in its purview and. that
the brother who made the accusation had not been invited to. appear
before the Committee for a hearing because “everybody heard him.

inutes of June 29 we read: “The Rev. Paul Koch was given
the onivilege of making.a statement relative to his remarks about Dr. E.
J. Friedrich, as Synod had requested. Since that statement consisted
largely of questions, it was ruled out of order by the Chair, which ruling
was upheld by the convention.” °

Report of the Committee on Finnish Relations
_ (Memorial 648) ;

As a token of the unity of faith and confession existing between
the National Church and our Synod the undersigned was privileged
to attend, during the past triennium, all annual conventions of
our Finnish brethren, viz.: 1947 in Ashtabula, Ohio; 1948, in
Calumet, Mich.; and 1949, in Ely, Minn. This year he intends to