# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S694
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

110 . MISSIONS

Argentina

The situation in Argentina is not quite so grave. Two candi-
dates were sent down there. Candidate Paul Laabs left in August,
1941. However, throat trouble compelled him to return to North
America in December of the same year. Candidate Raymond Ernst
went by Clipper, leaving March 20, 1942. His wife was with him.
Both arrived safely. He is at work. Two other candidates, Martin
Pullmann and Bernard Pankow, were getting ready to go, when
your Board was advised from Argentina not to send any more
candidates until further notice.

The laws of Argentina make it impossible for us to have our
own parochial schools. A news report in the St. Louis Post-:
Dispatch states: “The government also decreed obligatory Roman
Catholic instruction for all primary and high school students, except
‘those whose parents manifest express opposition by reason of mem~
bership in other religious sects. The decree said that the Catholic
religion is the state religion in Argentina.” Your Board called
the brethren’s attention to this decree, urging them, if it should
give our Church an opportunity to establish our own parochial :
schools, by all means to avail themselves of it.

The abnormality of the times and also the difference in lan-
guage of Brazil and other South American countries made it im-
practical to send future pastors for Argentina to Porto Alegre for
their seminary training. That is why we now have a seminary
in Argentina,

The brethren, though still preaching German, are preparing
for the future. That is imperative also because of the fact that
Spanish, the language of the country, will more and more be the’
language of the people we now serve. Furthermore, the brethren
do not intend to limit their activity to any particular group. They.
are aware of the fact that they are debtors to all people of their
country. We mention, in passing, that Spanish is the language of -
all countries in South and Central America, except Brazil.

Paraguay
Our great work in Paraguay lies in the future. We now have
one man in that country, the Rev. Vernon Harley. He serves
a number of stations. Reports indicate a very promising field in
Paraguay.
Uruguay
Uruguay is one of ‘the most advanced countries of South
America. Our Church has found entrance to metropolitan Monte-

video. The Rev. E. Jauck is our first resident pastor of that:
country,