# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1914_S70
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

70 Proceedings of the 29th General or

[continued from the previous page] ...longer sermons, so-called endurance sermons, should first, for a week or two, receive instruction from someone versed in vocal culture in the proper use of the speech organs.

Why say more? It is beyond dispute that we can send our candidates well equipped in this respect too into their fields of labor — that is, knowing how, even under demanding work, to spare the throat and voice and to use the speech organs correctly. If we do this, self-inflicted throat trouble arising from ignorance will no longer hinder so much blessing or make the work so much harder.

In our view, suitable instruction on this subject should be given at least at the institutions from which our pastors and teachers go directly into office — that is, in St. Louis, Springfield, River Forest, and Seward. Some preparatory work could be done at the preparatory institutions.

How could this instruction be given? On that point we wish to make no definite proposals. In any case, it would not be enough merely to give or hear occasional lectures on vocal culture in passing. The matter must be practiced. If we have suitable men among the professors of the institutions concerned who are genuinely able to lead in this field, this question would be solved. If that is not the case, the money spent on the resulting costs would not be wasted if a professor used one or even two of the long vacations to have himself trained for this instruction at a suitable place, at the Synod's expense. Or perhaps a teacher of vocal culture could be found who, in the last year before the final examination, would instruct and guide the students concerned at each of the four institutions for two and a half months, if that period proves sufficient — or however else it is judged best.

Committee report: We do not consider it practical to introduce such instruction at our institutions in the proposed manner. We recommend the following resolution: the teachers at the institutions concerned should themselves take this admittedly not unimportant matter in hand and see to it that, where necessary, individual students receive advice and guidance in the proper use of the speech organs. Any costs of such instruction, however, should be borne by the students themselves. (The recommendation was raised to a resolution.)

Instruction in Organ Playing at Our Pastoral Seminaries.

To the Reverend Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States, assembled as a Delegate Synod at Chicago, Ill., in May 1914.

At the request of the Pastoral Conference of Northwest Missouri, the Western District, at its last meeting (see the 1913 Report, p. 94), resolved to bring the following motion before this year's Delegate Synod: