# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1953_S1044
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

SEE ETERS BM ET HT

296
PARISH EDUCATION

sidered “secular,” w,

the co: i
involves some pase on a “call” to an office, it ie dion enever
of the preaching or teachin ota. i
8roup of congregations or Synod itself one Word oe
simi

tend a “calj” for iti
Public mince! Positions that involve Specific functig

them. Such ca if

us

ither direct or tacit, of the congregation, tu
an

Congregations are delegating the dischar. not such wees Jon the

tion to a Stroup of Christi
delegation of the discharge of then ane i

h ound of the T,
in The Lutheran Church — Missouri ‘So

PARISH EDUCATION ~ 307

‘rpose in this historical overview to judge the writers or
jucts. It is, rather, our purpose to present relevant state-
“incerning the status of the teacher that have been made in

al publications of the Church and by leaders of the Mis-
mod at selected time intervals. This section doesnot attempt
be how the principles enunciated were applied in the
ations of Synod.

e references used are indicated in the footnotes to this sec-
hese quotations and summaries are not exhaustive, but
sity a selection from the materials on the status of the teacher.
We believe, however, that nothing of primary importance has been
égerlooked in this presentation. ;
4feachers in the first Constitution of the Missouri Synod. —In
thé first Constitution of the Missouri Synod the teachers were
classified as advisory members! The relation. of Synod to the
tgachers was described in. the following objects of Synod: 1. The
supervision of the pastors and teachers of Synod with regard to the
performance of their official duties. 2. The conscientious exami-
nation of candidates for the office of pastor and of teacher. 3. The
training of pastors and teachers for the service of the Church. It is
to.be noted that in each of these matters both pastors and teachers
are mentioned.”

According to the Constitution of Synod, the individual pastor
had considerable authority in examining candidates for the position
of teacher in the congregation. It was assumed that the pastor was -
perfectly competent to conduct such an examination.

_ The regulations of Synod stated that each new school teacher
was to be installed in his office in a public and solemn service.’

It was also provided that the President himself was to supervise,
by personal visitation, the teaching and official activities of the
pastors and teachers of Synod.* * .

It was further made the duty of the teachers as well as of the
pastors to pay at least one dollar a year into the synodical treasury.
This money was to be used for the running expenses of Synod and

i for synodical institutions.5
Walther’s “Kirche und Amt.” —In 1851 Dr. C. F. W. Walther
submitted to the Fifth Convention of the Missouri Synod the draft
of the treatise entitled “The Voice of Our Church on the Question
Concerning the Church and the Ministry.” This essay was a

1 Lutheraner III (Sept. 5, 1846), p.3. _
2 Ibid., p.3.
8 Ibid., p. 4,
4 Ibid., p. 4.
5 Ibid., p.6,