# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1962_S123
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

122 RESOLUTIONS — COMMITTEE 6

publication, The Walther League Messenger, are either
unsubstantiated, vague, or irrelevant; and

Wuereas, In isolated instances, where an activity or
publication was open to misinterpretation, the Walther
League has taken appropriate, corrective action; and

Wuereas, The Lord has continued to bless our Synod
through the program and publications of the interna-
tional Walther League; therefore be it

Resolved, That the executive board of the interna-
tional Walther League, under the guidance of the Syn-
od’s Board for Young People’s Work, be urged to con-
tinue to fulfill its purpose of building up the faith and
consecration of our young people through its programs
and official publications, being careful to avoid offense;
and be it further

Resolved, That the executive board of the interna-
tional Walther League be commended for its past and
present efforts toward the fulfilling of this salutary
purpose.

Action: This resolution was adopted.

“Handbook” Change Regarding Joint
Executive Officer for the Executive Board
of the International Walther League
and the Board for Young People’s Work

RESOLUTION 5-04

Report 501 and Memorial 502, pp. 218—226,
Reports and Memorials

Unprinted Memorial 505, p. 19, Today’s Business

Resolved, That the following Handbook change be
made: Under “G. Synodical Board for Young People’s
Work,” Section 7.73, “Functions,” add paragraph “i” as
follows: ,

ji. The Board for Young People’s Work may engage an
executive officer and such assistants as are authorized
by the Synod, subject to the approval of the President
of the Synod.

Action: This resolution was adopted.

“Handbook” Changes Made Necessary
by Adoption of Resolutions 5-01 and 5-02
RESOLUTION 5-05
Report 501, pp. 218-225, Reports and Memorials
Resolved, That the following changes be made in the
Synod’s Handbook:

a) Under “G. Synodical Board for Young People’s
Work,” section 7.71, delete paragraph “a” and substitute
for it the following: ;

a. The Board for Young People’s Work, consisting of
two pastors, two teachers, four laymen, and a seminary
professor, shall be elected by the Synod.

b) Under “G,” section 7.11 b, change “Executive Di-
rector” to “president.”

Action: This resolution was adopted.

COMMITTEE 6 — Constitutional Matters

Constitutionality of Resolution 9
of Committee 3 of the 1959 Synodical
Convention
RESOLUTION 6-01
Memorials 611, 612, pp. 272, 273, Reports and Memorials
Unprinted Memorial 601-A, pp. 81, 82, Today’s Business

Article If — Confession, Reports and Memorials, “Ref-
erence Materials,” p.3

Resolution 9, Committee 3, Reports and Memorials,
“Reference Material,” pp. 21, 22

Wuereas, The confessional basis which all members
of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod are bound
to accept without reservation is set forth in Article I
of the Constitution of the Synod, namely: the Holy
Scriptures and the Symbolical Books of the Lutheran
Church (see Reports and Memorials “Reference Mate-
rial” [yellow], p.3); and

Wuereas, Article VI of the Constitution of the Synod
prescribes that one of the conditions for acquiring and
holding membership in the Synod is: “Acceptance of
the confessional basis of Article Il,” which Article pre-
scribes only the Holy Scriptures and the Symbolical
Books of the Lutheran Church; and

Wuereas, The Synod at its 1959 convention, in an-
swer to a question as to the binding force of statements
on doctrine and practice, passed a resolution known as
Resolution 9 of Committee 3, declaring that the Synod’s
pastors, teachers, and professors are held to teach and
act in harmony with every doctrinal statement of a
confessional nature adopted by the Synod, as a true ex-
position of the Holy Scriptures, which are to be re-
garded as public doctrine (publica doctrina) (see Re-
ports and Memorials [yellow], “Reference Material”
p. 22); and

WHEREAS, Questions have been raised as to whether
this resolution, by making such doctrinal statements
binding on members of the Synod, is not thereby re-
quiring members of the Synod to subscribe to doctrinal
statements additional to those which are required by
the Constitution of the Synod and therefore has the
effect of amending the Constitution by a simple resolu-
tion; and

Wuereas, Article XIV of the Constitution of the
Synod provides that an amendment of the Constitution
requires a two-thirds majority vote of all votes cast and
submission to all congregations of the Synod; and

Wuereas, The Synod has been requested to declare
Resolution 9 unconstitutional because (1) it has the
effect of amending the Synod’s Constitution and (2) was
not submitted as an amendment as required by Article
XIV; and

Wuereas, The doctrinal content or the Scriptural
correctness of any doctrinal statements is not. being
judged or questioned in the consideration of the consti-