# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1935_S251
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Ev, Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States. 1935. 2389

Censorship of Unofficial Periodicals.

The Conference of Lafayette and Saline Counties, Missouri,
asked that all periodicals which sail under the Lutheran banner, such
as the American Lutheran and the Walther League Messenger, which
solicit subscriptions among Missouri Synod members, be placed under

synodical censorship. Action of Synod

Upon proposal of Committee 17 this request of the conference was
rejected, since it contains matters beyond the province of Synod.

Catechism Text-Books.
(Memorial 504.)

The request by two pastoral conferences to Synod in 1926 “for
a revision or a substitute edition of our Catechism (Schwan)” was
supported by the committee in charge, but was tabled by Synod. (Pro-
ceedings, 1926, p. 163.)

A memorial of 1929, reiterating the request, resulted in the reso-
lution that the President of Synod appoint a committee of eleven,
which was to “make a thorough study of our Schwan Catechism with
a view to its eventual revision as well as the grading of the Catechism
material.” (Proceedings, 1929, p. 181.) In German the resolution
reads: “Dieses Komitee soll unsern Schwanschen Katechismus
gruendlich studieren zwecks einer eventuellen Revision desselben so-
wie auch das Material fuer Katechismen, die von den verschiedenen
Schulklassen gebraucht werden koennen.” (Bericht, 1929, p. 180.)

In its report in 1932 the Catechism Committee asked Synod “for
more specific instructions with regard to the nature of the revision.”
(Reports and Memorials, 1932, pp. 157. 158.)

Thereupon Synod resolved in 1932 “that we restrict the changes
in the new English Catechism to more suitable memory verses, idio-
matic English, simplification of answers, additional questions, a few
additional Bible-stories, etc. We recommend that the committee and
the Publishing House indicate grades of the Catechism by different
forms of print.” (Proceedings, 1932, p. 187.)

In view of the Catechism situation as here presented your Board
of Ohristian Education submits the following points for considera-
tion: —

1. The restricted revision of the Catechism will no doubt im-
prove the book, but not essentially change its present form. Nor
will the grading of the material make a substantial difference.

2. The question therefore arises whether Synod’s action to date
js sufficient to meet the demands which prompted the several overtures
in the past “for a revision or a substitute edition of our Catechism
(Schwan).”