# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1956_S778
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

778 CONVENTION MINUTES

convention, responded to Rev. Gamber’s greeting, and the conven-
tion acknowledged the other addresses of welcome by singing
“God Bless Our Native Land.”

Followed the President’s report, which gave a brief summary
of the meetings attended by the President and Vice-Presidents; the
efforts made to ease the strained relations in the Synodical Con-
ference; the present status of the Common Confession, the influence
of the Bad Boll conferences, now being carried on with members
of our sister synods in Europe and a limited number of invited
guests; and the prospective business of the convention. Greetings
were received in person from the Rev. Oscar Naumann, President
of the Honorable Synod of Wisconsin, who called upon our church
to remember that the Word of God is the power of the church in
order that our witnessing may be in demonstration of the power
of the Holy Spirit. Greetings were also received from the Con-
ference of Missionaries in India, brethren in Japan and Argentina,
and from Rev. Frederic C. Kreiss for the Free Church in France,
from the German Free Church bodies in fellowship with us, the
American Lutheran Church, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
After our President’s greeting had been read, Dr. Behnken led the
convention in a prayer for the President’s restoration to health.

The program of business proposed by the President was
adopted.

On recommendation of Committee 1, Synod by resolution
thanked God for the success granted to our efforts to train servants
for the work of the church. Gratitude was expressed for the efficient
work of the Board for Higher Education and the Executive Sec-
retary. Thanking the faculties for their diligent work in the class-
rooms, the convention besought the heavenly Father to continue
to endow them with the strength and wisdom needed by those
who prepare our pastors and teachers. The findings of the Board
for Higher Education and the Manpower Commission are to be
presented graphically by means of slides at an opportune time.
Action on items B and C of Resolution 3 (TB:15) was postponed.
Resolution 4 (TB:15-16) was recommitted. Synod urged all con-
cerned to conserve manpower by establishing a mutiple-parish
arrangement wherever possible. In order to offset, at least in a
measure, the ministerial and teacher candidate. shortage, the Col-
lege of Presidents was authorized to appoint a committee which is
to analyze the places requesting candidates through the Committee
on Assignments in order to make certain that the available can-
didates will be placed to the best advantage.

Delegates intending to commune were requested to file their