# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1969_S439
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

SPECIAL MINISTRIES AND SUNDRY MATTERS 439

and cooperation in order to present a common witness to
lodges (such as the Order of Freemasonry) or societies
which deny the historic truths of Christendom; and be
it further

Resolved, That this matter be expedited through our
synodical Commission on Fraternal Organizations.

Minnesota SouTH DISTRICT
Geruarp C. MICHAEL, Secretary

(11-06)
To Give a Common Witness
to Lodges Through LCUSA

Wuereas, The Lutheran Churches in the Lutheran
Council in the U.S. A. officially express a united witness
against societies of an unchristian or anti-Christian
character; and

Wuereas, The Lutheran churches in LCUSA desire
to express a common witness to the world: therefore
be it

Resolved, That we petition The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod in convention to request the Lutheran
Council in the United States of America to initiate and
promote an educational program in the Lutheran bodies
belonging to the council, presenting the Lutheran wit-
ness against unchristian or anti-Christian societies, in

particular the lodge. = yqywwesora SourH DistRIcT

Geruarp C. MICHAEL, Secretary
(11-07)

To Revise “Position Concerning Lodges”
(Bylaw 14.07)

Wnereas, Christian lodge members are found guilty
by association; and

WuereEas, No doctrine is involved in admitting to the
Lord’s Supper such Christians as belong to fraternal
organizations (lodges); and

Wuereas, The Synod has witnessed against these in
the past and has set restrictions and qualifications upon
the membership regarding these; and

Wuereas, Only the individual congregation and its
pastor can decide questions of practice; and

Wuereas, The chief concern of the church must be
to gain also lodge members for Christ and Christian
fellowship by evangelical approach; and

Wuereas, A Christian belonging to a fraternal orga-
nization can be admitted to Holy Communion according
to “Exceptional Cases” (Bylaw 14.07 g., Synod’s Hand-
book, p. 214); and

WuereEas, Such practices utterly confuse not only
laymen but also pastors as well; and

Wuereas, Many pastors of the Missouri Synod have
neither the heart nor the will to enforce Section 14.07 d
of the Handbook; therefore be it

Resolved, That Section 14.07 be deleted from the
Synod’s Handbook; and be it further

Resolved, That the following paragraph be substi-
tuted for the deleted article:

It shall be the practice of The Lutheran Church — Mis-
souri Synod not to admit to Holy Communion —

a. those who are known to be ungodly and impenitent;
b. those who have given offense and have not removed it;
c. those of a different faith, since the Lord’s Supper is a
testimony of the unity of faith.

Zion LUTHERAN CHURCH

Lorain, Ohio

Ourver R. Grunau, President

G. J. Scumint, Secretary pro tem

(11-08)
To Revise “Handbook” Section on
Lodge Membership

Wuereas, There are religious services and rites in
the lodges which are neither Christian in nature nor
right in spirit, especially regarding the dead; and

Wuereas, Fraternal lodges can informally and in
their ritual promote a dependence on “being good” and
thereby obviate the need for God’s Savior, Jesus; and

Wuereas, The Synod has witnessed against these in
the past and has set, as it should, restrictions and quali-
fications upon the membership regarding these; and

Wuereas, However, there are quite different degrees
and types of membership in all groups today, and the
significance of that membership has greatly changed
(even in the church); and

Wuereas, Members of Missouri Synod congregations
belong to lodges, tolerating the ritual but continuing
their membership for other and not objectionable ends;
and

Wuereas, The type of membership which any appli-
cant for church membership may have in a lodge can
validly be evaluated only by a local pastor and congre-
gation under more specific guidelines than the general
denegation of the synodical Handbook; and

Wuereas, Many pastors of the Missouri Synod have
neither the heart nor the will to enforce Section 14.07 d
of the Handbook; and

Wuereas, The California and Nevada District, meet-
ing in convention, April 15—18, 1968, has urged the
submission of this overture to the synodical convention;
therefore be it

Resolved, That Section 14.07 d be dropped from the
Handbook; and be it further

Resolved, That the Handbook be revised to eliminate
the binding of a pastor’s conscience with regard to the
distribution of Holy Communion; and be it further

Resolved, That Sections 14.07 f and g be dropped and
replaced with articles that reflect the following princi-
ples:

A congregation would deny membership to lodge
members for whom such membership constitutes, in the
judgment of the pastor and congregation, a religious
pursuit.

Members of lodges accepted into our congregations