LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1932, Page 133

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192 Proceedings of Thirty-Fifth Regular Convention,

. A survey of the list of publications printed during the last tri
ennium as contained in the report of the Board of Directors ’
Concordia Publishing House will show that we have ereditabl. of
ceeded in offering our Church some of the “treasures of our Geman.
speaking forefathers in English.” We are continuing our efforts i
this direction. "

A text-book for the study of the Germ
to-day’s requirements is in we an language sdepted *°

A special committee is at work on a proposed new hymn-book

A new catechism, a single book or a progressive series is bei .
handled by a special synodical committee. , "e

A special committee is at work on a proposed music reader

Luther’s works in English has been assigned to a special com-
mittee, which, we think, will report through Concordia Publishi
House. "s

A new pastoral theology is practically completed in manuscript,
but has not yet been passed by the St. Louis Faculty. ,
A book on comparative symbolics has not yet been produced, but
is in work. ,

Many other details of our work could be cited, but it will prob-
ably suffice to say that we are, according to the best of our ability
and with the best of advice that we can employ, attempting to perform
the functions expected of us. \

A motion to increase the size of our Board will probably come
before Synod. We beg to make the suggestion that the increase be
not too great. A board of five is probably large enough and is
perhaps better than a board of three. Too large a board will in our
modest opinion impede the operations.

Respectfully submitted,
L. B. Bucuueier, Secretary.
With reference to this report, Committee 17 recommended this
resolution: —

WHEREAS, Present conditions do not make it advisable to ven-
ture into the field of general publishing of historical material; there-
fore be it /

Resolved, That we do not advocate the printing of additional
books in the historical field at this time; however, the Literature
Board is to be encouraged to go on with its task.

Since Memorial 510, 10, recommended that the Literature Board
be increased to five members, Committee 17 submitted this resolu-
tion: —

Resolved, That the personnel of the Literature Board be increased
from three to five members.

Both resolutions were adopted by Synod.

Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States. 1932. 193

Report of the Juvenile Literature Board.
(Memorial 505.)

In the year 1914 this Board was called into being for the purpose
of reading and recommending books for the children and young people
of our Church. For eighteen years therefore your Board has en-
deavored to do the work which Synod asked it to do. Regular monthly
meetings were held year after year, and so far nearly 4,000 books have
been read, of which about 1,400 were found worthy of recommendation
or mention ‘in the special Catalog of Adult and Juvenile Literature
which Concordia Publishing House publishes both as an appendix to
its regular catalog and in separate form.

Also during the past three years your Board has given con-
gcientious attention to its duties. Regular monthly meetings were
held from September to June and, in addition, special meetings, as
often as these became necessary. Your Board has read, discussed, and
rejected or approved the books submitted by Concordia Publishing
House or obtained by special request through its instrumentality. It
has read also a number of manuscripts submitted by writers either
within or without Synod. Of these only a few could be approved.
Your Board has also carried out the resolution of the last convention
and has added an additional member to its force, namely, Mr. V. CO.
Lang, principal of our Lutheran school at Maplewood, Mo. Since
Prof. W. G. Polack could no longer serve as chairman, Dr. J. T.
Mueller was elected in his place.

As your Board continued its task of reading, examining, and
recommending books deserving a place in our Christian homes and on
the reading desks of our young people, it became more and more
convinced of the vision and wisdom of those who recommended to
Synod the appointment of such a board. What the American people
reads to-day shows its dreadful decline in intelligence and morals.
The two outstanding themes that seem to fascinate both adults and
young people are crime and sex. Our present-day movies, to some
extent also the radio, have done much to drag down our reading
public to its present low level. People no longer wish to be instructed ;
their ery is for entertainment, entertainment which stimulates either
indecent sex reveries or excites the mind by the presentation of
criminal tendencies or acts. There are still some rather good adventure
stories, but also the adventure stories of to-day in most cases contain
objectionable features, while the humor of the American is becoming
more and more cynical. The question “What readest thou?” is cer-
tainly one of weighty importance, which no parent, no pastor, no
teacher, no congregation, dare avoid. Your Board is convinced that
the unwholesome literature of to-day is one of the worst devices of
Satan to injure, to an extent which cannot be estimated, both State

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