# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1926_S250
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

336 Proceedings of Thirty-Third Regular Convention,

In this way we have been able to get along thus far without clerical
assistance. * ;

Our bulletin has been widely quoted. In seventeen instances the
larger architectural journals have reprinted articles appearing in our
bulletin, several times with favorable editorial comment. Several
brethren have requested us to enlarge the bulletin to eight pages so
as to permit a more exhaustive discussion of timely subjects per-
taining to the building and furnishing of churches, and also to
allow the use of larger half-tone illustrations.

Stereopticon Slides. - A set of about 150 stereopticon slides has
been made. This set includes the best churches of our own circles,
as well as a number of other recently built churches, regarded by the
best authorities as excellent. We endeavor to keep this set of slides
down to date by making additions as fast as photographs of new
churches become available. There is a greater demand for stereop-
ticon lectures on the part of congregations of Synod than our time
permits us to fill.

Investigations. — A large number of the best-known churches in
America have been visited by members of your Committee, at no
expense to Synod. These have been studied at first hand, and in
a number of instances photographs have been made of them and notes
and measurements taken. In this way we have endeavored to study
the work of the foremost church architects of America.

During the summer of 1925 your Secretary visited Europe, at no
expense to Synod, devoting his trip exclusively to the study of the
famous old Gothic, Norman, and Saxon churches in England,
Western Germany, and Northern France. Many photographs were
taken, measurements and notes made, and connections established
with several European architects and authorities. While the visit
was almost too brief for much practical value, yet the possibilities
suggested are enormous. Much of the best work on the Continent
has been swept away because of the ravages of warfare. But many
parts of England have been more or less spared from such destruction
and are extremely rich in admirable churches, many of them very
small, but exquisite in design and models of enduring construction.
A more leisurely study of the older churches of the Old World would
be a thing of decided value.

"Results. —The work of your Coramittee is yet in its infancy,
and whether or not results can be shown might be a matter of indi-
vidual opinion. We are confident that we have saved the congrega-
tions of Synod considerably over $100,000 on one item alone. Before
we had acted in an advisory capacity to many congregations, we
discovered that almost every congregation builds much too large. ;
The most extreme case that comes to mind is a congregation in “a
a small village far removed from conditions where rapid growth’ *