LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1932, Page 121

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168 Proceedings of Thirty-Fifth Regular Convention,

Synodical Sanction N ecessary for Private

Enterprises under Lutheran Name.
(Memorial 414.)

Since several private Lutheran enterprises, undertaken by well.
meaning and enthusiastic members of our Synod, did not materialize
according to their fond hopes, which has cast some unpleasantnegs
upon our dear Church, Concordia Congregation, Berwyn, IIL, in meet-
ing assembled F ebruary 12, 1931, passed this resolution : —

Resolved, That we as @ congregation protest against any group’s
using the name of the Lutheran Church for the promotion

or by the Synod.
Asking Synod to take action in this matter, we are,
Sincerely yours,
Concorpia Ey. LurHeran Cxurcu, Berwyn, Int.
W. J. Scnarmer, Chairman.
O. D. Kren, Secretary.
Regarding this matter, Committee 18 brought in the following
resolution: —
Resolved, That, though Synod realizes the need of caution in
using the Lutheran name in connection with private enterprises, no
definite action be taken because the memorial is too vague.

Division of the Iowa District.
(Unprinted Memorial 67.)

Regarding this memorial, Committee 15 reported that it was not
in a position to submit any resolution because the memorial adduced
no reason for the division of the District.

Synod adopted this report.

Separate Incorporations within the Synod.

The Board of Directors in its report (Memorial 601, B, 10, p. 175)
brought up this question, concerning which Committee 15 submitted
the following resolutions: — ,

Wauereas, There seems to be some doubt as to the advantages of
having our institutions and boards not only depend upon the Synod’s
incorporation, but to have them incorporated also in their respective
States; therefore be it

Resolved, That the President of the Synod be requested to appoint
& committee to examine into the legality and the advantages or dis-

advantages of Separate incorporations or charters of institutions,

boards, and Districts within the Synod and that this committee be
requested to report its findings to the next convention of the Synod.
Synod adopted this resolution.

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Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States. 1932. 169

Report of the Bureau of Information Regarding
Secret Orders.
(Memorial 404.)

Upon recommendation of the Committee on Lodges, this Bureau’
was elected by the convention of 1929, a similar bureau having been
appointed in 1926. (See Proceedings 1929, p. 117.)

The purpose of this Bureau is to furnish our Missouri Synod
with information regarding the various secret orders, particularly
with reference to the religious element which characterizes their
ceremonies. The source of information is contained in authentic
rituals published by the various orders, in reprints of such, especially
those issued by the National Christian Association, in the various
annual reports and monthly and weekly magazines published by the
various fraternities, in the direct correspondence with lodge head-
quarters, and in the information which has come to us from pastors
and laymen of our Synod. This accumulation of data on secret
orders has steadily grown during the last triennium. Both at
St.Louis and in Milwaukee the files of the Bureau have reached
something like completeness regarding the chief fraternal orders; :
and this material has been organized, indexed, and catalogued. Many
extracts have been made of significant portions of the rituals and
other authentic documents, and these extracts, also in case of necessity
the originals, have been sent to those of our pastors who needed
this information.

At the present time there is reliable information available con-
cerning 128 secret orders, or lodges. Of this number 72 were not
treated in the handbook Secret Empire, but constitute new informa-
tion by the Bureau. Regarding 21 orders, investigations are still
under way, and new material is being received constantly.

The work of the Bureau has consisted in 1) a study of the lodge
material in our possession; 2) making extracts of significant por-
tions, those relating to the principles and religion of the lodge;
3) arranging and classifying the material; 4) preparing a complete
catalog of all documents in the collections of the Bureau of Informa-
tion; 5) correspondence with many pastors and laymen of our Synod
who requested information on the various secret orders; 6) cor-
respondence with lodge headquarters for the purpose of determining
the character of the order. 7

All classifying, cataloguing, and making of extracts as well as
‘correspondence with hundreds of our ministers has entailed only:
4 moderate monthly allowance for secretarial assistance. Office equip-
ment has been furnished free of charge.

Owing to limitations of time and funds no consistent effort has’
deen made to reach the various lodges directly with inquiries regard-