LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1917, Page 45

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Ey. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States. 1917.

3. Regular call of pastors and teachers, and regular election of
lay delegates by the congregations, as also the blamelessness of the
life of such.

4. Exclusive use of doctrinally pure agenda, hymn-books, and
catechisms in church and school.

_ 5. No congregation shall be admitted to membership until Synod
has convinced itself that its constitution, which must be submitted,
contains nothing which is contrary to the Scriptures or the Lu-
theran Confessions.

6. Pastors, teachers, candidates for the office of the ministry
or that of a teacher in a arochial school, not coming from recog:
nized orthodox ehurch-bodies, must, before they can be received
into membership of Synod, submit to-a colloquium.

7. Congregations, pastors, teachers, or candidates for the office
of the ministry or that of a teacher in @ parochial school are,
as a rule, received into membership at the meetings, of the Districts

of Synod; but they may also be received at the meetings of Synod.

Article VII. — Relation of Synod to Its Members.

In its relation to its members Synod is not a governing body,
exercising legislative or coercive powers. In all matters involving
the Christian congregation’s right of self-government, Synod is but
an advisory body. Accordingly, no congregation shall be bound by
any resolution of Synod that imposes something which is either con-
trary to the Word of God, or that to such congregation appears un-
suited to its condition.

Article VIII. —Synodical Meetings.

A. Time and Validity of Meetings.

1, Synod convenes every three years for a regular meeting.

2, Synod shall be duly qualified to transact business, if the
meeting has been constitutionally convened and at least one-fourth
of the constitutionally elected representatives who are entitled to
vote are present. :

B. Special Sessions of Synod,

1. Synod may, under circumstances, decide to call a special
session, if two-thirds of the duly qualified representatives present
po vote.

2. In case of urgent necessity a special session may be called by
the President with the consent of two-thirds of the District Presi-
dents, or by three-fourths of the District Presidents without the
consent of the President; provided, however, that all congregations
and other members of Synod shall, thirty days prior to such special
convention, be notified as to its purpose.

C. Validity of Resolutions.

All matters of doctrine and of conscience shall be decided by
the Word of God only. All other matters shall be decided by
a majority vote. In case of a tie vote the President may cast
the deciding vote.

Article IX. — Representation.

The synodical meetings are composed of regularly elected and
delegated representatives and of certain individual persons, as speci-
fied in the By-laws, to wit: —

1. Representatives of congregations entitled to vote;

2, Advisory representatives of the advisory members of Synod;

3, Advisory representatives of boards, commissions, and edu-

cational institutions, and all others whose official duties require
their attendance at Synod.

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