# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1956_S578
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

578 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS

Paragraph f. (Please note that the entire paragraph is copied here
—our revision is underlined [here italics]):

“Tt is, and shall be, the practice of Synod not to administer
Holy Communion to members of such lodges nor to admit such
persons to communicant membership in our congregations, since
Holy Communion is by its very nature a triple fellowship of:

1. The elements with the body and blood of the Lord;

2. The Lord Jesus with the communicant;

3. The communicants with one another.”

Briefly, we feel that this addition helps to re-emphasize the
great spiritual implications involved in our church’s consideration
of this problem.

A motion was made, seconded, and carried that we submit to
the St. Paul convention the following revision of Section 14.03,
Paragraph g: .

“A conscientious pastor may encounter exceptional cases when
he is called upon to administer Holy Communion to a person who
is still outwardly connected with such a lodge.

“Such exceptional cases are limited to those instances when
the individual involved has renounced to his pastor and/or church
council the unchristian or anti-Christian teaching of the lodge
of which he is a member, but has not as yet become persuaded
to sever his outward connections with the lodge.

“Even in such exceptional cases the pastor should earnestly
beware of procrastination and of giving offense, both to the mem-
bers of the congregation and to brethren in general. For these
reasons he should put forth continuous effort to bring the indi-
vidual to an early decision.”

A letter dated December 23, 1955, from Rev. George Beider-
wieden confirms his agreement with the action of our committee.

Srecrat CoMMITTEE TO REVISE
Section 14.03 uv Synoprca “Hanpsook”
Encar Frirz, Secretary

ACTION

Committee 7 recommended and Synod resolved (revision of

Resolution 5):
Resolution 8

Wuereas, The members of our Synod are being increasingly
exposed to the pressures of the various recruitment campaigns by
unchristian or anti-Christian lodges; and

Wuereas, The constant purpose of the Church must be to win
individuals away from unchristian or anti-Christian associations
for undivided service to the Lord; and

Wuereas, Some members of our Synod have expressed fears

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