# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1947_S887
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

MISSIONS 387

THe Free CuHurcH rn ALSACE

The Evangelical Lutheran Free Church in Alsace was formed
after the First World War by a group of congregations that had
been members of the Horning movement. At the present time
there are eight congregations in Alsace and one in Paris belonging
to this group. They have approximately 500 souls, who are served
by four pastors. One of the parishes is vacant at the present time.
What has been said about the attitude of the laity in the Free
Church in Germany applies as well to the laity of this Free Church,
although here and there there are exceptions, which stand out
the more vividly.

The language question is one which is beginning to cause some
concern in the Free Church of Alsace. Most of the members speak
a German dialect, and their church services and confirmation
classes are conducted in High German, which varies considerably
from the dialect. However, French schools have, for the time
being at least, stopped teaching German, with the result that chil-
dren will be brought up without a reading and writing knowledge
of the language which they speak. The French, which they learn
in school, is a foreign language to them and for that reason not
really suitable for religious instruction and church services. Only
a feeble effort has been made so far to provide Lutheran literature

in the French language by the publication of the Synodical Cate-
chism and the Augsburg Confession in French. The work in Paris
is naturally conducted entirely in the French language.

FurTurRE ProGRAM

A mission policy for France should be built up on the basis of
utilizing the members of the Evangelical Lutheran Free Church
in Alsace as the nucleus. What has been said with regard to the
training of lay members in an “Each One Reach One” program in
Germany is equally true in Alsace and will cause no great difficulty
with regard to language because the German language can be used
there also. However, before there can be any thought of an ex-
pansion of our work in the interior of France, the necessary basis
for it must be laid by the creation of a Lutheran literature of devo-
tion and theology in the French language. Your Board has re-
quested that $5,000 be set aside from the Peace Thankoffering or
the Centennial Thankoffering for the establishment of a Lutheran
publication concern which will devote itself to the translation,
publication, and sale of this necessary literature.

The Church of the Augsburg Confession in the Alsace-Lorraine
(State Church) is facing a difficult period in the possibility of a
separation of Church and State coming about. During this period
the members of our Free Church are trying to influence those