erals, we are not surprised that some of our
ministers are liberals in both doctrine and practise," says Brenner in
_Dangerous Alliances_, 1917. "What is to be thought of the orthodoxy of
a General Council minister who says: 'God spoke to the Christians of
that day through their experience no less clearly than through the words
of St. Paul'? _Lutheran_, March 29, 1917, p. 7. What about the soundness
of the faith of a D.D. who can recommend _Hastings's Bible Dictionary_
as a reliable work of reference? Rev. M.S. Waters recommends a book that
is full of the worst heresies; but the president of the New York and New
England Synod, Rev. W.M. Horn, when his attention is called to the
matter, bluntly declares: 'I will do nothing in the case referred to.'
On request of the District Synod of Ohio, the president of the General
Council appoints a committee, with Dr. Joseph Stump of the Chicago
Seminary as chairman. The committee investigates. It reports that 'The
General Council at this stage has no jurisdiction in the case.' The
charges were not denied. This question has not been settled, and so far
as we know, no effort has been made since the General Council met in
Rock Island, two years ago, to settle it. On the evidence submitted to
him, Dr. T.E. Schmauk, president of the General Council, stated in his
report: 'I am convinced that the man's views are unevangelical and
thoroughly subversive of the principles on which the General Council is
founded.' Gen. Council Minutes, 1915, p. 23." (_L. u. W._ 1917, 465.)

EQUIVOCAL ATTITUDE.

140. Maintaining a "Wise" Neutrality.--In the controversies of the
Lutheran Church in America the General Council has persistently and on
principle refused to take a definite stand. "The General Synod," says
Dr. Singmaster, "has wisely refrained from making minute [!] theological
distinctions, and has thus obviated much useless discussion. Apart from
the special activities already alluded to, it has made few [quite a
number of false] special doctrinal deliverances." (_Dist. Doctr._, 60
f.) Doctrinal neutrality was the policy also of the United Synod in the
South and of the General Council. The _Lutheran_, April 24, 1902, stated
that, over against the General Synod, the fathers of the Council
insisted on an unequivocal doctrinal and confessional basis, while, over
against Missouri and other synods, they left room for divergence in the
application of certain principles. "Kiss and make up," was the adv