LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1965, Page 233

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8. YOUNG PEOPLE’S WORK 233

a hardship especially on pastors of congregations not
having access to the aid of deaconesses and Christian
day school teachers, since it demands several extra
teachers’ meetings a month to cover the selected
texts; and

WuereEas, The present practice of not following a
sequence of texts according to the alignment in the
Bible deprives children of the advantage of being
strengthened in the knowledge of the Bible sequence
of events; and

WHEREAS, The Nursery lessons according to the
present practice of repeating a lesson every two weeks
encourage Nursery teachers to absent themselves from
teachers’ meetings and tend to promote drabness and
drag in presenting repeated lessons; therefore be it

Resolved, That the synodical convention urge the
committee selecting the Sunday school lesson texts —

1) to follow the Bible sequence as much as prac-
tical in observing the church year when selecting Sun-
day school lesson texts;

2) To follow the same sequence for the Nursery
lessons as for the Kindergarten through the Junior
High lessons;

3) To use unified texts from Nursery through Junior
High lessons; and be it further

Resolved, That the synodical convention compliment
the committee —

1) on the fine style of presentation of the lessons,
aside from the above-mentioned criticisms;

2) on the fine Intermediate High course.

East St. Pau, Circuit
MINNESOTA SoutH DistTrRIcr
Donovan A. BAKAtyar, Counselor

8. Young People’s Work
[8-06 Un]
To Replace Editor of “Arena”

Wuereas, Arena, formerly the Walther League Mes-
senger, is the official organ of the Walther League and
should have as its purpose the development of Chris-
tian manhood and womanhood; and

Wuereas, The youth of our church today will be the
leaders of our church tomorrow; and

WHEREAS, Arena, under its present editorship, has
radically departed from the high principles and lofty
goals established by the founders of the Walther League
Messenger and carried out so successfully by the sainted
Dr. Walter A. Maier, editor of the Walther League Mes-
senger, 1920—44; and

Wuereas, Arena has in some of its articles become
a propaganda medium for liberalism, both in the politi-
cal and theological arenas — even teaching outright
false doctrine (cf. Jan.-Feb. 1965 issue, article “A Lu-
theran Looks at the Jews”); and

Wuereas, Subscriptions to Arena have fallen from

70,000 subscribers under Dr. Maier to less than 6,000
under the present editorial policy, indicating the dis-
satisfaction of our clergy, youth counselors, and our
young people with this periodical; and

Wuergas, All letters of protest by concerned parents
seem to be ignored; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Detroit convention of The Lu-
theran Church — Missouri Synod replace the Rev. Al-
fred P. Klausler as editor of Arena with someone who
will return to and continue with the high standards
and policies of the late Dr. Walter A. Maier.

Our Savior’s LUTHERAN CONGREGATION
Ridgecrest, Calif.

KENNETH R. KoEetHEr, Chairman
LOwELt A. PAULSEN, Secretary

Rev. Pau C. Nerep, Pastor

[8-07 Un]

To Cease Publication of Magazine “Arena”

Wuereas, Our church publications for our youth
should strengthen the faith of our young people and
encourage them to rely with full confidence on the Holy
Scriptures; and

Wuereas, The official Walther League publication
Arena has been publishing articles which tear down
rather than build up the faith of our young people and
deny plain Scriptural truths (e.g., “A Lutheran Looks
at the Jews,” by Wayne Saffen, and “Interracial Mar-
riage,” by Paul G. Hansen); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Walther League be requested to
cease publication of the magazine Arena or to replace
the present editorial staff with responsible and conscien-
tious Christian leaders who are faithful to the Word of
God and loyal to our Lutheran heritage.

St. JoHN LuTHERAN CHURCH

New Haven, Mich.

WIL.iAM ScuILiine, Pastor

Frep C. Krause, Youth Counselor
Douctas RENwIck, Chairman
ARTHUR TESCHLER, Secretary
ADELBERT HuMMEL, Elder

ERWIN SEIFFERLEIN, Elder

[8-08 Un]

Statement and Suggestions re “Arena”

As shepherds of the entire flock and those interested
in the study materials of all of our members, we would
like to make some suggestions concerning the Walther
League magazine Arena.

In studying several back issues, we noticed with con-
cern that the Arena “Commentary & Report” was dedi-
cated almost entirely to news splashes on the World
Council of Churches, the National Council of Churches,
United Brethren bishops, Roman Catholic nuns recom-
mending books, Pope Paul VI, the Episcopal Church,
the international convention of Christian Churches, the