# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S276
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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342 MISSIONS

of the three pastors in Finland have failed to bring in much fruit ;

mainly because of the local situation (Lutheran State Ch

which is similar to that of Denmark. This makes Prospects Ny,

growth extremely slim and the hope for any large-scale e: a
of mission work very doubtful. For that reason we have planned
our future program along the same lines as proposed for Denmark

D. France

1. Alsace.—JIn this area, with its German-speaking Popul.
tion, we have seven congregations with a total of 440 Souls, 325 com.
municants. The past two years show a slight loss in the total
membership. This loss, while extremely small, when coupled
again with a local situation where a Lutheran State Church exj
prompts us to place Alsace, France, in the same category as Den.
mark and Finland:

2. French-Speaking Field. — Among the French-speaking
people of France we have but one congregation, in Paris, 58 souls,
31 communicants. Some gains have been made, but they might
well have been greater but for the fact that the local pastor
cannot give his full time to mission work. He conducts also a Ly-
theran Children’s Home and carries out much of the contact work
for the French Lutheran Hour.

Since July of 1949, a missionary at large, Pastor Jean Bricka,
has been employed surveying promising fields in France and
Belgium. Preliminary reports on several locations which have
been surveyed show such promise that France (in the French-
speaking areas) should definitely be placed in the category of
a field for immediate missionary expansion. We shall need,
immediately, at least two missionaries, native to France in language
and culture, with an adequate theological background and training
in missionary methods. As the field expands, more native mis-
sionaries will have to be recruited and trained.

Through the efforts of Pastor Bricka there are, at this writing,
two men available for immediate placement. One is a high school
teacher who needs further theological training. The other is a fully
trained theologian who needs additional training in the doctrine
of our Church, such as a postgraduate course at St. Louis would
supply. Both men should be ready to assume a charge by the
middle of 1951.

There is a great need for French religious literature. Only

two missionary pamphlets and tracts in the French language exist. .

Catechetical material, the synodical Catechism (Schwan), has been
translated by Pastor F. Kreiss of the Paris congregation and can
be reprinted, if necessary. The Augsburg Confession exists in

MISSIONS 848

three’ translations, all different, the Smalcald Articles in one

anslation. There are no acceptable dogmatics or theological
monographs. Those which do exist are not thoroughly sound in
doctrine. There is no Lutheran hymnal. The one in use is a joint
production of Reformed and Lutheran churches. The “Common
Service” exists in a French translation together with introits,
collects, and prayers. Le Lutherien, a periodical, is published in
a small edition by our Church. Reforme, a weekly, is published by:
the French Protestant Federation and is rather Reformed in spirit.
The translation of Graebner’s Outlines of Theology and other
standard textbooks should be considered, as well as selections
from Luther’s works. Pastor Hobus, the new French-speaking.
missionary in Brussels, has the qualifications to carry on a planned
program of tract production.

In order to train missionaries for the long-range program,
it will be necessary to establish a school at which prospective
missionaries can be trained for six months to a year in technique
and theology. At Senlis, one hour’s bus ride from Paris, we have
a building which would seem to be suitable. At the present time
it is being used as a children’s refuge, but it can be converted
in whole or in part for such a school. Eventually it will become
necessary to establish a theological seminary for the non-German.
speaking fields in Europe. The building and grounds at: Senlis
would be adequate to take care of such expansion. As more
mission stations are opened in France, we shall need more places’
of worship, more living quarters, etc. Future surveys will indicate
the location and needs of such new stations.

E. Germany

In the Breslau Synod there are 52 pastors serving 34 congrega-
tions with 383 preaching stations. Membership totals 42,987 souls,
29,788 communicants. In the Saxon Free Church there are 44 pas~
tors serving 51 congregations, with 132 preaching stations. Member-
ship totals 15,184 souls (communicant total unknown). During the
past year all German Free Churches, with two minor exceptions,
entered into doctrinal fellowship, practicing co-ordination of
effort in the maintenance and establishment of mission places.
Since the late war some ten to twelve million refugees have re-
settled in the Western Zone of Germany, which has resulted in
some considerable gains in the membership of some of the
German Free Churches. In the Breslau Free Church, for example,
the membership increased by 15,000 souls in one year, an increase
of almost 50 per cent. Such figures place Germany in a class by
itself as a mission field, which should be developed with all possible

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