Orthodox Lutheran Conference vs LC-MS: in court under oath

      The LC-MS Christian Cyclopedia surprisingly gives a report by Rev. Wallace McLaughlin (WHM) on the Orthodox Lutheran Conference (OLC, see also here) which had separated from LC-MS.  It represented the case that there were actual changes in the doctrine of the Synod, and especially on foundational matters for the Christian faith. The following is a public record of a 1954 civil court case in connection with a congregation attempting to change their affiliation from the erring LC-MS to the OLC. It exposes a controversy that was created by the LC-MS's willingness to compromise its own confession with erring Lutherans.
      The court record was later published by Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly which admitted that the "statements were made in court under oath" and therefore are a matter of public record.  So there can be no copyright claim on these statements and I am therefore publishing them to the world, for the benefit of the Church. Because there are several pages of testimony, much of it between lawyers and the judge, I am embedding it so that it does not take up so much screen space.  To aid the reader who wants to skim through for the most important testimony, I have highlighted the most important sections of the testimony given by Professor Paul Kretzmann. 

      What were the issues?  Kretzmann testified on Romans 16:17, the Common Confession (see also here), and also the added issue of "engagement" for marriage.  Towards the end, there is testimony by Wallace McLaughlin on other points of differences but he was not allowed the time to elaborate, which is a shame.
      For those who are familiar with the manner of lawyers and court proceedings, this can be interesting reading, although it can be somewhat confusing – the tactics of the lawyers are not always clear.  What does seem clear is that the LC-MS did not want to allow the notion that its doctrine had changed, at least not publicly, so that the laity could judge their erring spiritual leaders. 

      The following is a scrolling window of the 14-page article:

      The follow is an excerpt of the chief points of Prof. Kretzmann's testimony that were the basis of the OLC's defense against the mediating LC-MS:

"We believe, in opposition to the Common Confession,
(1) that the entire Bible, word for word, is inspired by the Holy Ghost. That is on inspiration.
(2) We believe with respect to the salvation of mankind that that salvation was complete on Calvary and that all mankind is included in that plan of redemption by our blessed Savior.
(3) We believe with regard to the conversion of man that it is solely and entirely the work of the Holy Ghost without any effort whatsoever on the part of man. We believe with respect to the … the election unto eternal life that God from eternity in his own gracious will selected certain men out of the total of redeemed humanity for eternal life.
(4) We believe with respect to the church that in its essence the church is invisible. The Holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints, and that there is no visibility to the church whatsoever although there are certain attributes of the church which are visible and those are the Word and the Sacraments.
(5) We believe with respect to church fellowship that there can be no church fellowship in the Biblical sense unless there is full agreement in all the doctrines of the Bible, both fundamental and non-fundamental."

      The external Synodical Conference brethren were also heavily involved at this same time in warning the erring LC-MS, but the testimony above was not from outside brethren but from those who had been inside the LC-MS… and then separated from it. — May this confession of the Orthodox Lutheran Conference, recorded in a public civil court, stand as a testimony against the LC-MS that desperately wanted to avoid having it on public record.  This is not the property of Concordia Historical Institute, it is public testimony.