# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S1193
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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682 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS

Wuereas, Our joining the National Lutheran Co
create disharmony within the Synodical Conference;
to misunderstanding in Lutheranism in America and
tantism throughout the world; and ‘

Wuereas, Joining the National Lutheran Counci

interpreted as inconsistent with our Biblical doctrine
be it therefore

would lead
in Protes..

1 could be
and Practice;

Resolved, That we respectfully recommend to the Synodica}
Convention at Milwaukee in June, 1950, that at the present time
our Synod do not apply for membership as a participating body
in the National Lutheran Council; and be it further

Resolved, That we express to the National Lutheran Council] ©

not only our continued readiness and willingness, but also our
eagerness and earnest desire to work together with it in matters
which are mutually agreeable.

Signed by
Tae CoMMITTEE
Rev. Watter H. Meyer, Chairman
Cart A. GEIstT
Artaor L. MILier
Dr. LAWRENCE MEYER
Minority Report

Although the majority of your Committee advises against the
affiliation of our Synod with the National Lutheran Council, I find
it incumbent upon myself to dissent from their decision for the
following reasons: ;

The many discussions of the Committee have made it clear to
me that the majority report is based, to a degree, upon two
assumptions.

The first assumption is that we cannot pray with members
of the National Lutheran Council except under certain circum-
stances.

I must humbly confess that I do not comprehend the dis-
tinction between joint prayer and prayer fellowship.

I have been reminded by my associates on the Committee
that it is not the province of the committee to determine the
right or wrong of Synod’s resolution on prayer fellowship.

' Nevertheless, Synod’s resolution is one of the important and
decisive factors in the determination of the majority report.

My many contacts with laymen throughout our Synod convince
me that the large body of our laity does not accept a distinction
between joint prayer and prayer fellowship, and certainly it is the
constant task of all of us to measure all resolutions by the standard
of the Word of God.

Dec. 21, 1949

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INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS 683

venIn my youth I had the good fortune to attend a Lutheran
ochial school where the Catechism and the Bible were a part
our daily curriculum. In my Catechism appeared this question:
“Why are we to say, ‘our Father’?” It answers: “Because all
believers are in Christ the children of one Father and should

i her.” This concept has
“therefore pray for and with each ot .

aeomne and is a part of the thinking and life of many thousands
of our members. Therefore I have never been able to understand
-why my Church of the present day asks us to change our attitude

toward a fellow Christian simply on the basis of synodical
affiliation.

Moreover, I have read with considerable interest the reports
in our church literature concerning the devotions conducted at
the splendid meetings in Bad Boll. The reports of those meetings
indicate that the distinction between prayer fellowship and joint
prayer is unreal and untenable.

The second assumption is that our meetings and work with
the members of the National Lutheran Council would be con-

idered unionistic in nature. _.
° There are fears that the National Lutheran Council is leading

toward organic union of the Lutheran bodies. If this should come

to pass according to the-will of God, who are we to say nay to
such a trend? Whether the Missouri Synod will join in such a
trend is altogether a matter for our Synod to decide.

We need not separate ourselves for our protection. Our pro-
tection lies in the strength of our faith and in those doctrinal
principles to which we hold.

I have always been proud of the doctrinal integrity of my
Synod, and I am not one who wants to seé its doctrinal principles
watered down, nor do I think that that will happen when we
join the National Lutheran Council. I believe that the reverse
will be true, that we will remain strong in holding to our doc-
trinal principles and, in holding to them, strengthen others.

Synod, I am sure, wants our committee to view this question
from the standpoint of what is best for the building of the
Kingdom of God and the saving of immortal souls.

If my observation is correct, our people, by and large, do not
follow those who insist upon-our Synod separating itself wholly
and completely from other church bodies at the cost of diminishing
our effectiveness in the building of the Kingdom.

In joining the National Lutheran Council we will hearten

great numbers of kindred spirits in other Lutheran bodies, even ,

as they will hearten us. I refer to the many members who accept
the Bible as the inerrant Word of God, who subscribe to sola
Scriptura, sola gratia, sola fide as their tenet of faith, and who
proclaim the need of repentance and Jesus Christ as the sole and

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