LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1917, Page 78

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78 Proceedings of 30th General Convention,

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64th Congress H. R. 19410, pp. 12.18), the Postoffice Department at
Washington has given the following advice under date of June 12,!
1917: —

““This Act makes unmailable all matter containing advertise-
ments or solicitations for orders for intoxicating liquor, without ex-
ception, concerning the use to which it is proposed to put such
liquors, and the Department will accordingly be compelled to regard
as unmailable all such matter, irrespective of the person addressed, or
the purpose for which the wine is sold, when addressed to territory
covered by the Act, on and after July 1st next.’

“Since such a law would make it impossible for pastors and con-
gregations in dry States to obtain communion wine, your Committee
recommends that the following letter be at once dispatched to the
President of the United States: —

“Milwaukee, Wis., June 23, 1917.
“Hon. Woodrow Wilson, ‘
President of the United States,
Washington, D. C.
“Dear Sin: — ©

“We, the undersigned, official delegates of the congregations con-
stituting the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and
Other States, representing over one million souls, assembled in
Triennial Convention at Milwaukee, Wis., petition Your Honor to
assist us and others in gaining relief in the following matter: — .

“According to an opinion rendered by the Post Office Depart-
ment through its solicitor on June 12, 1917, signed by Mr. W. H.
Lamar, Section 5, of Act of Congress, approved March 3, 1917, bear-
ing title: Public No. 380, 64th Congress, House Bill 19,410, ‘makes

unmailable all matters containing advertisements or solicitation for

order for intoxicating liquors without exception, concerning the use
to which it is proposed to put such liquor,’ ‘the Department will
accordingly be compelled to regard as unmailable all such matter,
irrespective of the person addressed, or the purpose for which the

_ Wine is sold, when addressed to territory covered by the Act, on and

after July 1st next. The opinion by Mr. Lamar, by reason of
questions, literature, and stationery submitted, also makes it appear
that not even a bill of lading for wine shipped upon private and un-

solicited orders could be sent through the mail. This clearly makes

it a practical impossibility for our and other Churches and pastors,
in many of the dry States covered by the Act, to secure sacramental
wines, which is our only interest in the matter. But this is of vital]
import to us, since it is one of our religious tenets, and a belief based
upon what we are convinced is a Biblical and hence a divine. com-
mand, that in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper nothing but wine,