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LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1938, Page 200

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

200 Constitutional Matters

expressly that all members of Synod shall be invited to nominate
suitable candidates for the various offices, stating the reason for
nominating them. —

There is, according to our regulations, one exception to this
rule on nominations. It pertains to the nomination and election of
some officers for our higher institutions of learning; but the
stipulations are not quite clear and harmonious and have repeatedly
been misunderstood and not observed. A committee of Synod at
the last convention reported: “The question concerning the elec-
tion of members for the Board of Electors for colleges and sem-
inaries, which was referred by Synod to Committee 15, needs more
checking up than can be given by your Committee at this time.
Your Committee therefore recommends that this question be re-
ferred to the standing Committee on Constitutional Matters. Action
of Synod: This report was adopted.” (Proceedings, p. 213.) Your
Committee on Constitutional Matters is of the opinion that the
existing discrepancy should be removed by resolution of Synod.
At present the regulations are these: “Every District shall, in the
meeting held prior to the meeting of the Synod, take a ballot for
the purpose of nominating two slates of candidates for the institu-
tion or institutions, including the Publishing House, which may be .
within its own territory. The Secretary of the District shall send
the list of nominations to the Secretary of the Synod. The Sec-
retary of the Synod shall tabulate the names received from all
Districts and as soon as possible send them to the appointed Com-
mittee on Elections, which shall then present the list of candidates
to the Synod for the purpose of having it ratified or amended be-
fore it is printed on the official ballot. Whenever a District has
failed to nominate its candidates, or if the nominated candidates
cannot serve, the members of that District present at the meeting
of the Synod shall nominate the candidates.” (Synodical Hand-
book, p.61.) This rule refers seemingly to all institutions of Synod
and all its officers (Boards of Control and Boards of Electors).
However, this is not the case. On p.73 the following regulations
are printed with regard to the election of the Boards of Electors:

“J The Boards of Electors for the so-called electoral colleges
of the Synod shall consist of the President of the Synod or one of
the Vice-Presidents, the local Board of Control, which shall have
one collective vote, and five additional members, three of whom,
if possible, shall be chosen from the District in which the college
is located and two from adjacent Districts.

“9 The Board of Electors for the seminaries, including the
normal schools, shall consist of the President of the Synod or one
of the Vice-Presidents, the local board, which shall have one col-
lective vote, and five additional members, whom the Synod itself