# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S413
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Radio Address ; ) 413

Radio Address’

Blue Network, June 30, 1944

Highlights of the Missouri Synod Lutheran Convention

In the Saginaw Valley, in Michigan, are four towns with tell-
james: Frankenmuth, Frankentrost, Frankenhilf, and Fran-
ust. ‘The tales they tell take us:back 100 years to a time when
igan was a land of tall forests, Ojibway Indians, and hardy
Serman settlers. The spiritual welfare of both the Indians and
: early German settlers was a matter of deep concern to one
elm Loehe, pastor of a country church at Neudettelsau in

“itheran preachers and theologians were sent 100 years ago as
sionaries to Michigan. Being themselves Bavarians, or “Fran-
n,”. the little colonies they founded received names beginning
th “Franken” and became known as the Franconian settlements.
‘2 little Lutheran congregations established there a. century ago
w rapidly and formed one of the tributaries which, with others,
ed together to form the main stream of one of the major Lu-
‘an bodies in the United States—-the Evangelical Lutheran
od of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States, to use its full and

od Lutherans this year came back to the Saginaw Valley and

hich has been meeting in the spacious Arthur ‘Hill High School
: Saginaw. . .

First, a few facts about the denomination. Its present com-
unicant membership is slightly over 1,000,000, divided into some
0 congregations. In both numbers and congregations the Church
shown significant gains in the past three years. Particularly
ng in the Midwestern States, the denomination is now func-
-tioning in every State of the Union with the exception of Vermont,
all the provinces of Canada, and in many foreign countries.

as Missouri Synod Lutherans are generally considered — both by
‘themselves and others——as one of the most conservative of our
rotestant denominations. Nothing transpired at the Saginaw

with other churches, for example. Full fellowship with non-
utheran religious bodies has long been sincerely opposed on prin-
ciple, because of doctrinal differences. That position still stands.
t how about other Lutheran bodies? How far can the Missouri
ynod go in co-operative work with them? This question came
efore the convention in the form of a number of memorials re-

ia, and, due largely to his efforts, a number of devoted young |

official name. In memory of their ecclesiastical forebears, Missouri .

esterday concluded their Franconian Centennial Convention, |

nvention to change that estimate. Take the matter of relations ©