# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1926_S231
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Ey. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States. 1996. Q17

Your Committee, therefore, must heartily endorse the statement

made in Overture 611, which says that “our people could well afford
to raise the money necessary to carry on the work of the Lord.” In
other words, your Committee is firmly convinced that the financial
needs of Synod do not exceed the financial possibilities of Synod and
that, therefore, the reason for our deficits must be found in the fact
that not every member contributed regularly and frequently toward
defraying the expenses of Synod. Your Committee believes that this
is due to four facts: 1) that, after all, many of our Christians do
not sufficiently know what the Bible teaches about the Christian’s
duty of giving, as well as about its privileges and blessings; 2) that
many of our Christian people, because of the sinful nature that is
still within them and due to the influence of the materialistic spirit
of our age, fail to give that evidence of a large measure of love of
Christ and of His Church which the Lord expects; 3) that even now
most of our people are not thoroughly informed with reference to
the needs of the Church in its various branches of work and there-
fore, because of a lack of interest, are kept from supplying those
needs; 4) that in many instances the methods used to solicit and
collect moneys for the Church are altogether inadequate.
_ ° In view of the entire situation as your Committee has carefully
studied it, your Committee is convinced that the petition of the
brethren in Overture 611 should be taken very seriously, namely,
that Synod take some definite action both to relieve and to remedy
a situation which has been, and still is, a direct hindrance to the
Lord’s work.

The brethren in Overture 611 recommend that during the re-
maining six months of this year a Synod-wide collection be held for
the purpose of wiping out the present large deficit of more than
$600,000, or that Synod adopt some other resolution having the same
purport. and object. Your Committee cannot endorse the plan sug-
gested by the brethren in Overture 611 nor a similar plan presented

in two other unprinted overtures, namely, that an effort be made

g .this year to collect sufficient moneys to wipe out the present large

deficit. Your Committee doubts whether under the circumstances
this could be done and is convinced that’ even if it could be done the
financial situation in our Synod would thereby not be essentially
changed. Your Committee believes that Synod ought to take some
action which will strike at the root of its financial troubles in order
that the recurrence of our large deficits be avoided and that larger
sums be available for Synod’s work. Your Committee therefore
makes the following recommendations : —

1. Resolved, That an educational campaign, which shall include
Biblical indoctrination on Christian giving, information in reference
to the needs of the Church, and systematic, regular, and frequent