# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1941_S391
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

ie Miscellaneous 891

has continued to give much work to your Committee. A paper
g:forth in broad outlines the method by which instruction
roceed in the case of lodge-members who desire to affiliate
us, and also outlining the various types of lodges as they must
e classified in relation to their use of rituals with religious
es, was submitted by Rev. Engelbrecht to the District Presi-
of our Synod in April, 1940. This statement was published at
quest of the District Presidents as a pamphlet entitled The
ge and the Church. Avoidance of the extremes of a legalistic
‘tolerant attitude regarding secret orders was emphasized
paper. The committee stresses the fact that, on the one
“we must take cognizance of the fact that many lodges
ye. changed their position and that a truly evangelical policy
ds that we consider each case by itself and decide what our
de must be,” while, on the other hand, in dealing with border-
cases, it has not always been made sufficiently clear to our
jple that not our Church but the particular lodge has changed
“that the person in question has only a business connection
th the lodge and will be subject to church discipline the moment
relationship becomes a fraternal one.”
The members of the Bureau have answered many letters
éaling with individual problems, and while officially its function
oes not go beyond that of supplying facts regarding the various
ers, advice is often requested as to the proper mode of dealing
dividual cases. The Bureau is impressed with the earnest
leavor of our pastors to maintain a sound evangelical practice in
ard to the question of secret societies. It has also come under
observation that areas in which there had been a more or
ss definite let-down in regard to the lodge the proper remedies
e been found and pastors as well as congregations are main-
xtaining the principles of our Church in this respect. We take this
eans of reminding our Church of the result of a study made by
‘your Bureau of our synodical literature, from the beginning until
900, on the attitude of our Church towards the lodge. This
etesearch, available in mimeographed form, brought out the fact
‘that from its beginning the expression cof our Church was unani-
mously against the lodge and against all toleration of lodge-
‘members but also against a legalistic, mechanical operation with
dge resolutions, paragraphs, and principles.
Contacts have been made with the National Christian Associa-
“tion of Chicago, which operates exclusively in the field of secret.
societies. Plans for an arrangement of exchange of new informa-
tion with this organization are under way but have not been

Respectfully submitted,
O. F. ENGELRBECHT THEODORE GRAEBNER

gut;