LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1962, Page 55

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SLE SEED DLE PLIES CLE MELEE DIELS E PEN EEEA S LOREAL AN ORNL TEBE MEETUP i

MINUTES OF THE CONVENTION 55

for the privilege of making a statement. He hoped that
the Synod would realize that it had acted here only
on a constitutional question and that this action did
not indicate that the Synod is not in accord with the
Brief Statement, the Statement on Scripture, and the
Common Confession. He emphasized that there is
a need in our day for statements to make our stand
clear on current issues. It may become necessary for
the Synod to make definite statements on the central
teaching of justification by faith alone, on Law and
Gospel, and on other important doctrines.

Elections Committee

The Elections Committee informed the convention
that Dr. Arthur Nitz and Dr. George Wittmer had been
elected Vice-Presidents. The chairman addressed words
of congratulations to all four men. The ballot for the
ranking of the Vice-Presidents was distributed.

Committee 6— Constitutional Matters

The Committee on Constitutional Matters continued
its report. A resolution was adopted calling for the
preparation of a manual of synodical operations (TB
167,2). A resolution (TB 180,3), called for the creation
of a Commission on Theology and Church Relations
and gave detailed Handbook revisions for the same.
An amendment to delete the words “appoint or” from
line 33, page 180, failed to carry by a rising vote of
253—277. Another amendment to add the words “and
unity” on lines 6 and 9, page 182, also failed. The reso-
lution itself was then adopted.

Committee 17 — Nominations Committee

With Dr. Wittmer in the chair, all slates proposed
by the Nominations Committee for the various Boards
of Control of our synodical institutions were adopted
with the following additions: Mr. Edw. Kuhlmann
(Springfield), Dr. Harold Riggert (Seward), Mr. Albert
Herbert (Austin), Mr. John Boelke (Milwaukee), Mr.
Walter Czerwinski (Porto Alegre). The committee an-
nounced that Manfred Mueller was to be removed from
the Oakland slate.

The session adjourned with a table prayer spoken
in unison.

Session 5
June 22, Afternoon

The opening devotion was conducted by Vice-Presi-
dent George Wittmer.

The minutes of the morning session were adopted
as read.

Elections Committee

The Elections Committee reported on the election
for the ranking of the Vice-Presidents: First — Roland
Wiederaenders; Second — Theodore Nickel; Third —
George Wittmer; Fourth — Arthur C. Nitz.

Committee 4— Parish Education

The convention went on record favoring school
opportunities for more children (TB 216,1), the contin-
uing education of our parish teachers (TB 216,2), the

raising of standards in our parochial schools (TB 218,3),
the giving of special attention to the problems and needs
of inner-city and rural schools (TB 219,4), the recruit-
ment of more youngsters for church vocations (TB
220,5), a greater stress on the responsibilities of parents
and congregations in Baptism (TB 221,6), the organiza-
tion of Nursery Rolls (TB 221,7), the enlistment of
Sunday school teachers in ongoing training programs
(TB 222,8), the providing of more hours of Christian
education for children in the parishes (TB 224,9), and
the establishment of more vacation Bible schools
(224,10). The resolution concerning Nursery Rolls (TB
221,7) was amended in line 36 to read “children from
the church rolls” and to contain the additional para-
graph after line 9: “Whereas, The Cradle Roll has been
demonstrated to be a powerful mission agency for chil-
dren of unchurched parents.” During the presentation
of this report, newly elected President Oliver Harms
took the chair.

Committee 12 — Public Relations

The convention resolved to encourage the greater
development of the public relations program (TB 231,1),
to commend the 700 public relations workers (TB 231,2),
to encourage the wider showing of the motion picture
Question 7 (TB 232,3), to approve the national advertis-
ing undertaken by the Lutheran Laymen’s League and
other agencies (TB 233,4), to continue the appointment
rather than the election of the Board for Public Rela-
tions (TB 246,6). It was also resolved to establish
a public relations regional office in Chicago (TB 241,5).

Committee 3— Doctrinal and Intersynodical Matters

After recess Dr. Behnken returned to the chair for
the report of the Committee on Doctrine and Intersyn-
odical Matters. The convention continued the discussion
of the resolution dealing with doctrinal conversations
with Presbyterians (TB 200,5). Two amendments ask-
ing our men to take the initiative in making any ar-
rangements for such meetings and calling upon our rep-
resentatives to conduct themselves properly failed to
carry. A motion to table the resolution for one day
also failed to carry. After much additional discussion
a motion was offered to close debate. When those who
had called for the floor had either spoken or yielded,
Resolution 5 was put to a vote and was adopted. A reso-
lution endorsing the work of the Exchange Study Com-
mittee (TB 251,6) was referred back to the committee.
Memorial 345 was declined since in the opinion of the
convention its concern is already adequately satisfied
(TB 251,7). Memorial 347 was referred to the editorial
committees of our church periodicals (TB 252,8). With
reference to the supervision of doctrine and practice
the convention declined to take the extraordinary action
requested in several memorials and reiterated the pres-
ent provisions set forth in the Synodical Handbook (TB
253,9 replacing TB 199,4). All members, servants, insti-
tutions, and teaching personnel of the Synod were
pledged to the preservation and promotion of pure and
correct teaching (TB 254,10).