# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1953_S317
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS 317

Revision of Section 14.03 re Communing
Lodge Members

s, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod is firmly
to lodges or societies of an unchristian or anti-Christian
and has laid down certain principles and practices in
-with this question in Section 14.03 of the By-Laws to its
ition, which it earnestly urges pastors, congregations, and
s to observe; and

as, Paragraph f of Section 14.03 states that it shall be
tice in Synod not to administer Holy Communion to mem-
such lodges and paragraph g of Section 14.03 states that
sientious pastor may make exceptions to this practice in
al’cases; and

EAS, Instances are known where congregations have ad-
such lodge members to communicant membership as excep-~
m@ases under paragraph g, in the hope that such closer
aeship with the Christian congregation and regular partici-
‘in the Sacrament will convince them in time of the irre-
lable conflict between such lodges and Christianity, with the
at they will renounce their lodge membership; and

eas, Such procedure would seem to be due to a mis-

ding or misinterpretation of the intent and spirit of
14.03 and in conflict with Synod’s position;

w, therefore, we, the undersigned voting members of various
ations in Baltimore, Md., affiliated with The Lutheran
=~ Missouri Synod, hereby

tion Synod to make its position unequivocally clear as to
é intent of paragraphs f and 8 of Section 14.03 by revising
le so that they shall hereafter read as follows:

is, and shall be, the practice in Synod not to administer
mmunion to members of such lodges nor to admit such
communicant membership in our congregations.

‘conscientious pastor may in cases which present unusual
rendering their classification difficult, administer Holy
on to a person who is still outwardly connected with such
But in such a case the pastor shall earnestly beware of
ting and giving offense, and to this end he shall freely
ientiously consult with his church council and congre-
brethren in the ministry, and with the officials of Synod,
e may be. It is not intended, however, that such excep-
include the administration of Holy Communion publicly