Collection › LCMS Convention Proceedings (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1941 · 38th Convention, Fort Wayne › Page 295
LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1941, Page 295

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

Intersynodical and Doctrinal Matters 295

“having been appointed by said American Lutheran Church
‘with us.
Synod at Cleveland took the following action:
Whereas, Our Synod has always recognized the duty and
bility of ‘the conservation and promotion of the unity of
fue faith (Eph. 4:3-6; 1 Cor. 1:10)’ and a united defense
inst schism and sectarianism (Handbook, p. 1); and
Wuereas, God-pleasing, Scriptural external union and co-
tion i is based upon internal unity, oneness in faith, confession,
e, and practice; therefore be it
esolved, That we declare our willingness to confer with
utheran bodies on problems of Lutheran union with a view
ds effecting true unity on the basis of the Word of God
the Lutheran Confessions.
“Resolved, That a standing committee of five, to be known as
oe ‘committee on Lutheran Church Union, be appointed by the
r to conduct these conferences.
“Resolved, That the terms of the members of this committee
three years, successors being appointed by the Chair on the
piration of each term, at least two members succeeding
\émselves.
“Resolved, That this committee confer with the other members
the Synodical Conference and keep them informed in this
atter.” (Proceedings 1935, p. 221.)
= Such action was taken not only in accordance with one of
purposes of our synodical organization, as expressed in its
Constitution, recognizing the desirability of “the conservation and
romotion of the unity of the true faith (Eph, 4:3-6; 1 Cor. 1:10)
and a united defense against schism and sectarianism,” but also
‘accordance with our practice in past years. Eighty-four years
ago, in the year 1856 (not quite ten years after the organization
of our Synod), our sainted Dr. C. F. W. Walther proposed that free
mferences be held “with a view towards the final realization
of one united Evangelical Lutheran Church of North America.”
When the Synodical Conference was organized in 1872, it specified
as one of its purposes “the uniting of all Lutheran synods of
America into one orthodox American Lutheran Church.” (In its
revised Constitution, presented at the current convention of our
Synod, the wording has been slightly changed, but not the meaning:
“to strive for true unity in doctrine, and practice among Lutheran
church-bodies”). In 1917 our Synod, at the request of pastors
of the Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio, and Missouri synods, who had held
“a number of informal conferences, elected a committee which,
“among other things, should “be prepared to treat with similar
“committees representing other Lutheran synods.” This effort

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