# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1938_S199
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

ITE — OO

Constitutional Matters 199

vention of Synod in an endeavor to reduce the number of elective
offices to the utmost minimum and otherwise to simplify our elec-
tion system so as to enable the conscientious delegate to exercise
intelligently his right and duty of suffrage.” (Proceedings, p. 212.)

The standing Committee on Constitutional Matters has given
considerable thought to this matter, but finds itself unable to make

important committees. They should not be appointed by an in-
dividual (President of Synod) or even a group (President and
Vice-Presidents, College of Presidents, Board of Directors), but
elected by Synod itself. If Synod desires to decrease the number
of elective offices and make some of them appointive, as has
been done with regard to one committee by stipulating that the

tion with the Vice-Presidents, it might extend this procedure to
some of the boards and committees mentioned in the Synodical
Handbook, p. 21, Nos. 10-17, namely, to the Juvenile Board, Student
. Welfare Committee, Juvenile Literature Board, Committee on Con-
stitutional Matters, Chronicler, Statistician, Correspondent for the
Lutheran Church in Foreign Countries, and Railroad Secretary.
The difficulty mentioned in the resolution is real, but it is ex-
perienced by all conventions following the system of electing its
boards and committees. Our present mode of procedure provides
that for the offices of President and Vice-Presidents no nominations
are to be made, but that for the election of the Secretary, the
Treasurer, the Board of Directors and all other officers, boards, and
committees the Committee on Nominations shall nominate can-
didates. This Committee on Nominations shall be elected by seven
persons (three pastors, three laymen, and one teacher) elected at
the last preceding convention and is to consist of fifteen persons
(seven pastors, five laymen and three teachers), men who are well
acquainted with the members throughout Synod and represent, if
possible, the various Districts of Synod. (Synodical Handbook,
pp. 99—62.) This Committee on Nominations does the work as-
signed to it before and during the convention. It might be sug-
gested that this committee should meet some months before the
convention meets, that it should then make the nominations and
publish the names in the church-papers or in the book of Reports
and Memorials; but aside from the fact that it is a large committee,
coming from all parts of Synod, it seems to us that they would be
handicapped by lack of information, which they can best gather
shortly before and during the convention. Besides, it is stated