# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S1297
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

818 MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS

rightly lays much stress and importance upon the proper use of
audio-visual aids; and

Wuereas, Lengthy negotiations with Concordia Publishing
House for an audio-visual aid branch office in Minnesota have
proved futile; therefore be it ;

Resolved, That we, the members of Trinity First Lutheran
Church of Minneapolis, respectfully petition Synod to instruct
Concordia Publishing House to open an audio-visual branch office
in Minnesota, preferably in the Twin Cities. -

Triniry First LuTHErRAN CuHurcH

ALvin F. Fexaner, Pastor
Harotp L. Rasmussen, Secretary

Norr.—In this connection Unprinted Memorial 76 was also con-—

sidered by Committee 14, which presented the following resolution,
adopted by Synod.

Resolution 10
Wuereas, The matter of distribution of visual aids belongs in
the department of the Board for Visual Education; therefore be it

Resolved, That these memorials be placed into the hands of
this Board for study and consideration.

Report of the Concordia Historical Institute
(Memorial 1004)

Concordia Historical Institute, founded by interested pastors
and laymen of Synod in 1927, received a formal sanction of its work
from the Delegate Synod of 1929. Since its foundation the Institute
has been loyally supported by a small but growing membership.
It has been able to publish its official organ, Concordia Historical
Institute Quarterly, without interruption.

It must be evident to every one that the collection and preser-
vation of our historical antiquities must not be neglected if we wish
to keep alive in the hearts of coming generations an appreciation
of the work of our synodical fathers. We believe that this work
undertaken by the Institute will prove its worth to Synod more
and more as time goes on, and we earnestly bespeak for it the
continued prayers and support of the members of Synod. We can
assure Synod that every precaution is being taken to safeguard
the items that are being entrusted to our care.

With sincere thanksgiving to the Lord of the Church we are
able to report to your venerable body that the work of our Insti-
tute has made further progress during the past triennium.

‘Many members of Synod have sent us items of historical in-
terest, such as congregational histories, congregational constitu-
tions, documents, letters, conference minutes, journals, diaries, etc.

MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS 819

e are gradually getting our catalog up to date. We have been
able to assist students of church history by making our collection
available to them for their special field and by helping them to

“obtain material from other sources.

A great loss was suffered through the resignation due to illness.
of Dr. Karl Kretzmann, first full-time curator, in January, 1948.
This gifted scholar stood in the front rank of historians in the
Lutheran Church of America, and when he went to his eternal

:. home, our Institute and Synod suffered a loss which was keenly
felt also far beyond the confines of our synodical body. -The Rev.

August R. Suelflow, assistant to Dr. Kretzmann, became his suc-
cessor, and he is serving in that capacity today.

For the benefit of delegates not conversant with the work of
a historical institute we list the following details of services
rendered.

1. The Institute is becoming ever better known as a research
organization for our pastors and local congregations. Historians
of congregations and institutions apply for the names and biograph-
ical information of pastors and teachers, and information on their

‘early history. Genealogists have also been helped in their studies

through information which they obtained from our Institute.

2. Our Seminary students and postgraduate students are mak-
ing use of our research library more than ever before. For some
our Institute furnishes the only information available to them for
their thesis topics.

3. Students at State universities writing theses on the Lu-
theran Church in America invariably turn to our Institute for
‘information on Lutheranism in a particular area, or on certain
problems which confronted the Lutheran Church in the past, as,
for instance, slavery and the race question.

4. Visitors to the campus of the Seminary make it a point to
see the historical collection and museum pieces in our Institute.

5. Our Quarterly enjoys a wide reputation as a Lutheran his-
torical magazine. Also secular universities have shown their in-
terest in it. Now in its 23d volume, it has become a wonderful
storehouse of historical information otherwise unobtainable.

6. Unique service is rendered to Synod itself, since we are

_doing a particular job for our Synod which no one else is doing,

our aim being to collect and preserve everything which pertains to
the history of our Church. Since we are the official depository
of Synod, many invaluable and precious documents have been
placed into our archives. a

The Institute’s usefulness to the Church is determined by the
means placed at its-disposal. We, the Board of the Institute, expect