# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1941_S298
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

206 Intersynodical and Doctrinal Matters

resulted in many meetings, extending over many years, until finally
in 1929 our committee presented to our Synod doctrinal theses
upon which all parties concerned (representatives of the Missouri,
Wisconsin, Iowa, Ohio, and Buffalo synods). had agreed. The
efforts put forth did not result in uniting the synods which were
represented in the discussions at the committee meetings.

In 1935 the proposal, referred to at the beginning of our
report, made by the American Lutheran Church for renewed efforts
toward agreement in doctrine and practice, was received and, as
reported, favorably acted upon.

At our St. Louis Convention in 1938 our committee submitted
a lengthy report, whith may be briefly summarized as follows:

Our committee held six meetings with the representatives of
the American Lutheran Church. What is known as the Brief
Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod (drawn
by order of Synod in 1929 and accepted as its own in 1932) had
been made the basis of discussion. The representatives of the
American Lutheran Church did not unqualifiedly accept the Brief
Statement but in a lengthy Declaration of their own summarized
their convictions as a result of mutual deliberations. This Declara-
tion was presented to our St.Louis Convention. Committee 16,
which reviewed the entire situation, reported to Synod, that it
had found “first of all an agreement in the doctrinal statements
concerning teachings disputed in the past or still in debate in
some sections of the Lutheran Church of America, notably in
the doctrines of inspiration, predestination, and conversion, Sunday,
and the office of the public administration of the means of grace.”
(1938, p. 228.) Committee 16 added these remarks: “While the
phraseology employed was sometimes not that which we use, we
feel, especially in view of the explanations by our Committee on
Lutheran Union, that these statements contain the truth as ex-
pressed in the Scriptures and our Lutheran confessional writings.
We have accepted these statements as the sincere expression of
the American Lutheran Church representatives.” (P. 231.) The
committee furthermore reported that “in some non-fundamental
points concerning the doctrine of the Last Things the Declaration
of the American Lutheran Church representatives asks tolerance
for certain teachings and interpretations which have been rejected
in our circles.” The committee also reported that the report of
the American Lutheran Church speaks of “a visible side of the
Church.” The committee made the following recommendations to
Synod, which after having been discussed in four sessions, were
adopted: : :

“1. That we raise our grateful hearts and voices to the Triune
God, thanking His mercy for the guidance of the Holy Spirit by