# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1956_S 3
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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FOREWORD

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For the first time in its history The Lutheran Church — Mis-
souri Synod met in the city of St. Paul, Minn. The congregations
of that city, together with those of Minneapolis and supported by
the whole Minnesota District, served as hosts. The sessions lasted
from Wednesday, June 20, 1956, to Friday noon, June 29, 1956, and
were held in the theater section of the St. Paul Auditorium.
Preliminary committee sessions were held at Concordia College,
St. Paul. Seventeen sessions were held in the convention hall, in-
cluding two evening sessions. Several evenings were kept open
for committee meetings. The President had appointed seventeen
floor committees to bring in resolutions taking care of all the reports
and memorials before the convention. The Committee on Nom-
inations was appointed by the Selections Committee elected by
the last convention, and the Committee on Appeals was elected
by Synod. Under the leadership and guidance of the President,
Dr. J. W. Behnken, the convention was kept on a high spiritual
level. There was a definite determination not to depart from the
old paths of sound Lutheran doctrine and practice, without any
legalism but in a truly evangelical spirit. This was the note that
was sounded in the opening service, in which Dr. Arnold Grumm,
Second Vice-President of Synod, preached on 2 Thess. 2:13-17,
calling upon Synod to stand fast in the divine truth and to respond
to the challenge God has set before us with the courage that flows
from our faith in Christ, our Savior. This was emphasized again
in the Convention Communion Service on Friday evening, in
which Dr. Henry Grueber of Milwaukee, a former Vice-President
of Synod, delivered the confessional address and the Rev. Erwin
L. Paul of Forest Park, Ill., preached the pastoral sermon and over
one thousand delegates and visitors partook of Holy Communion
as guests of Trinity Church, Minneapolis, the Rev. C. H. Pauling,
pastor. The rally on Sunday afternoon in the large Auditorium
was well attended by the delegates and many visitors, especially
from the Twin City area. Dr. Behnken delivered a stirring address,
commemorating the centennial of the Minnesota District.

A deeply spiritual note was struck in the sermonets delivered
in the daily devotional opening services. After President Behnken
on Wednesday afternoon had delivered his address on Heb. 10:
19-25, with the theme “Infinite Grace Provokes Wholehearted
Dedication,” the Rev. H. W. Baxmann, President of the South Wis-

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