# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1956_S 1
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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FOREWORD

sion presented itself, to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Presi-
dent Behnken’s ordination into the office of the holy ministry.
A special service was held in the convention hall on Sunday eve-
ning, June 24, 1956, the Rev. Alfred Doerffler of St. Louis, a class-
mate of Dr. Behnken, delivering the anniversary sermon. A special
book containing the original of hundreds of anniversary messages
was presented to the jubilarian, as well as a sizable anniversary
gift. Mr. John W. Boehne, Jr., spoke in behalf of the Board of
Directors, Dr. Andrew Zeile as representative of the College of
Presidents, and Mr. Paul A. Friedrich in behalf of the lay organi-
zations of Synod.

Toward the close of the convention, Vice-President F. A. Hert-
wig, D. D., who had asked Synod to excuse him from further serv-
ice, installed the President and the four Vice-Presidents into their
office. The convention, by a rising vote, extended its thanks to
Dr. Hertwig for his faithful services as Vice-President.

Dr. Behnken extended his personal thanks to the floor com-
mittees for their labors. He announced that he was soon embarking
for Australia to consult with our brethren there on important busi-
ness. The convention, by a rising vote, wished him God’s blessing
on his journey.

The convention came to a close on Friday, June 29, at 12:24
P.M., after the singing of “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the
King of Creation,” the reading of Psalm 98, a prayer, the Lord’s
Prayer, and the Aaronitic Blessing.

The outgoing Secretary read the following statement to the
convention on Thursday. The delegates responded by a rising vote
of thanks for his services and ordered the statement to be printed
in the PRrocEEDINGs.

Mr. PRESIDENT AND DELEGATES OF THE CONVENTION:

As I lay down my duties as the Secretary of Synod after thirty-
six years of service, I am deeply conscious of the grace of God
which permitted me to serve Him in an official capacity in His great
kingdom, even as I am grateful to the members of Synod for the
confidence they have placed in me by electing me to this important
office twelve times in succession, and for the patience they have
had with my shortcomings. Permit me to say that the duties of the
Secretary of Synod are far more burdensome than most people
imagine. But the burdens and trials of the office are far outweighed
by the consciousness of the privilege it offers to serve the Lord
in His kingdom without any thought of honor or remuneration.
As I see it, the duties of the Secretary can be summarized in four