# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1956_S542
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

542 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS '

and not agree with those who maintain false doctrine” (Formula
of Concord, Concordia Triglotta, p. 1060). It is because we realize
what a grave matter it is that confronts us at this time, that we
are making every effort to persuade Synod to follow an altogether
different procedure than that which it has followed in the last
three conventions on doctrinal matters. We ask Synod to let its
member congregations which are deeply concerned about these
matters know exactly where it stands on all the doctrines on which
contrary positions have been or are being advocated, and reject
these contrary positions and require a retraction.

~ Since the necessary supporting evidence for -the matters re-
ferred to in this memorial, in almost every case has already been
presented to Synod in memorials which were before previous
conventions, and is found in the Proceedings of those conventions,
only the essential facts need to be called to the attention of this
convention once more, with the fervent hope of persuading Synod
to take action this time by which “only the pure doctrine will
actually prevail” (Synod’s own definition of an orthodox body).
May God in His mercy grant it!

Trinity Ev. LurHeran Cuurcn, Crete, Itz,
W. R. Depert, President
H. F. PIEPENBRINK, Secretary
A. T. Krerzmann, Pastor

Memorial 608 also came into consideration:

Clarifying Our Position on Prayer Fellowship
(Memorial 608)

In the matter of Prayer Fellowship, according to Proceedings,
1935, p. 293, the 1935 convention of The Lutheran Church — Mis-
souri Synod accepted the following statements:

“Scripture very plainly prohibits compromise of the truth, in-
difference to doctrine, unionism, and giving of offense and there-
fore forbids every kind of prayer-fellowship which involves one
of these objectionable features.— There are in the domain of
casuistry cases where the question whether unionistic prayer-
fellowship is involved cannot be answered in advance.”

The matter of praying, or of not praying, with those who are
not in affiliated fellowship with the Missouri Synod has been under
discussion within the Missouri Synod in one way or another time
and again in the more than one hundred years of its existence.
It has become very specifically a matter of intense consideration
since 1938, following approaches for church fellowship between