# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1947_S407
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

MISSIONS 407

of these blind children in order to learn what interest there is in
a Lutheran school for the blind. This, however, will require further
investigation.

An encouraging note is this: A husband and wife, both
qualified and experienced teachers in one of our State schools for
the blind and both members of one of our churches, have expressed
their great interest in a Lutheran school for the blind and have
offered their services, in case such a school can be established.

7. Our Sunday Schools to Become Interested in Our Blind
Mission

It is well for our sighted children to become interested in our
Blind Mission and to lend support to the same, especially in ap-
preciation of their own sight.

a. Efforts should be made to interest all the children of our
Sunday schools throughout Synod in the work that is being done
among the blind children.

b. One Sunday a year could be set aside as “Blind Sunday”
or “Bartimaeus Sunday,” when in all our churches and Sunday
schools special attention should be drawn to our Blind Mission.
Information and suggestions could be sent out each year to show
how such a Sunday should be observed.

8. Reaching the Blind Who Cannot Read Embossed Type

Blindness occurs more frequently in the later years of life, as
is clearly revealed also in our recent census. This explains, in.
part, why so many blind never learn to read embossed type. Only
25 per cent can read embossed type; the other 75 per cent cannot.
The question arises: What can be done to bring the Word of God
also into the homes of this majority?

a. Someone can read to them.— Our sighted Christians could
render a wonderful service to the blind by visiting them in their
homes at regular intervals and by reading to them — the Bible and
other Christian literature.

b. The so-called talking books are, without doubt, an answer
to our problem of bringing the Word of God also into the homes
of those blind who cannot read embossed type. By means of these
talking machines and talking books it is possible for the blind to
have the whole Bible and other good books read to them by capable
readers. This equipment, however, is still somewhat in the ex-
perimental stage. The Government is trying to perfect a new type
of talking machine and a new type of talking record. An employee
in the Blind Department at Washington, D.C., is keeping our Board
well informed on these developments in the Government. When