# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S4
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

ca ' aa $
wh President’s Address ©
4 of an wo

“-'... Betoven Co-woricers ‘nv THE Kincnom or Curist:
on The Franconian Centennial Convention of’ our Synod occurs
"| during one of the most critical periods. in the history of the world,
' ~. During: these days and weeks political conventions, under God

are ‘chart the political future of gur country. On European,

ocial, racial; ‘and’ religious future of the world hangs in

ce... During: such days of world upheaval the Church,

: , esu Christ tmust carry on its God-appointed work. We tremble
% at’ the’ ‘very: thought of these ‘tremendous responsibilities; . The

‘atmosphere’ charged’ with* unpredictable possibilities emphasizes
the enormous importance of our conyention. In all seriousriess
we must-ask ourselves: ‘Are we the people God expects us to be?
Are we. pursuing’ the right course? “Are we. properly equipped -
for ‘the enormous task?. This convention ‘naturally will con-:
sider the marvelous blessings which ‘God ‘has: bestowed upon our —
Church especially also in. this section of our country during the .
past ‘century, However, a time such as this demands not merely
-. 0: aoretrospective, but, as far as this’is possible, also a prospective
°). < and above all an introspective ‘look, Hence permit. mé to improve
we 8! this. solemn occasion and plead _with you in. the language of
ve ‘** our text: . Soe BE yt ES
NEI ~ Let Us Search and Try Our Ways.
a 1.. With ‘respect to soundness of doctrine. - moo
wy 2. With respect to godliness of life. | ge
3. With respect to activity in Christ’s Kingdom:

t

.'.: The past several decades have again emphasized the.-urgent
‘-need of soundness of doctrine. Lutheran bodies have centered
‘Aapon repeated negotiations ‘to. arrive ‘at: doctrinal unity. and re-°
‘sultant: pulpit and’ altar fellowship: All these ‘efforts ‘certainly
should have resulted in thorough knowledge of ‘doctriné.: Repre-
.. “sentatives of our Synod, even -as. in all. previous’ negotiations
with other Lutheran bodies, insisted upon ‘sound Scriptural doc- -
trine before there could be fellowship." We. emphasize doctrinal
‘unity as! the only basis for union. | But, what does the term doc-
‘ttinal-unity mean to us? Has: it come td. be a mere matter of —
ynodical ‘terminology? We ‘have been accused ‘of: being mere.
aditionalists, ‘who rigidly hold to certain - terminology because
: ‘oury-fathers expresséd themselves thus. Is this.'true? Are we

Moa

«
i .

dnd’ South éstern* Pacific battlefields the’ political, eco- | ,