# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_May 16 17 1974_S2
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

District Constitution Committee, and had stated that there were no set rules for a congregational split
clause but had suggested several possibilities which congregations had been using. The Commission
ratified the reply.
106. California Doctrinal Concerns, Inc. (Ag. 532): Mr. E. A. Weise of San Leandro, California at the
suggestion of President Jacobs had asked the Commission to review the Articles of Incorporation of this
organization. The Secretary had called attention to the fact that individual laymen were not qualified to
request a ruling from the Commission. This reply was ratified by the Commission.
107. Term of Seminary President (Ag. 588): The Commission also ratified his reply to Rev. Edward G.
Olson suggesting that that individual might wish to submit his proposal calling for a four-year term for
seminary presidents as an overture to a convention, since the Commission has no jurisdiction in this
matter.
108. English District Pastoral Conference Request (Ag 589): The Commission took note of and ratified
the Secretary's reply to a request for a copy of the Commission's ruling on N.O. Res. 3-09 for a
conference discussion.
109. Bylaw 1.27c and New Orleans Res. 3-12 and 3-12A (Ag _5_92): Rev. David B. Joeckel of
Arlington, Texas had asked for a ruling on the constitutionality of Resolutions 3-12 and 3-12A in answer
to Overtures 3-161, 3-162, 3-163$ -164. The Commission formally resolved to reaffirm its earlier ruling
that it had indeed been proper to include the contested overtures in the Workbook for the New Orleans
convention.
110. Advisory Members (Ag. 593): Rev. Mervin A. Marquardt of the BPE staff had inquired about the
status of such staff members with reference to their official standing at synodical and District
conventions. The Secretary had sent a detailed letter explaining the proposals that had been made by the
Committee on Organization but which had been held up for recasting in clearer language. So until the
next convention really takes action on the renewed proposals, which had failed to receive action at New
Orleans, the present bylaws by a previous ruling of the Commission permit such a staff member to be
eligible both as a staff member and as an advisory member of the Synod for selection to serve as a
representative to a synodical convention. The Commission ratified this reply.
111. COP Resolution (Ag. 594): The Commission took note of the resolution of the Council of Presidents
in April regarding the placement of candidates.
112. Overture Re Reporting of Tally (Ag. 477): The Commission decided to present the following
overture to the 1975 convention of the Synod:
To Require Reporting of Tally in Elections
WHEREAS, The 1973 convention resolved (Resolution 5-02) that the tally of the votes cast
for each candidate should be announced following each ballot in all elections; therefore be it
Resolved, That this provision be incorporated in the Bylaws by adding the following
paragraph to Bylaw 2.125:
c.

The tally of the votes cast for each candidate shall be announced following each
ballot in all elections.