# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S287
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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864 MISSIONS

mission personnel. Then there are material needs, such as by;
ings of a more permanent and. comfortable: nature and whateye,
other appurtenances would belong to a new mission effort in.
completely new country. A landing field for airplanes should he

constructed. A small hydroelectric plant should be set up to pro. :

vide electricity for the homes of the missionaries, but more espe.
cially to provide power for a sawmill which will then prepare the
lumber for the building of homes, chapels, schools, and so forth
Provisions should be made for medical care and similar needs,

Mohammedan Mission Work

This is the third new development of the last three Years,
Again the authorization for this effort stems from. your last con.
vention. As a result of your resolution two missionaries were
called for this work and given special years of preparation. Dr
Henry Nau was borrowed from the Missionary Board of the
Synodical Conference and on behalf of our Board undertook a
tour of exploration of mission possibilities in Iraq and Iran. When
the possibilities for work in that area seemed very doubtful, the
Board decided to postpone a mission effort in that part of the
world and to make a first beginning of this new mission work
along the Malabar Coast in South India. Dr. Nau then proceeded
to India and made a survey of that field, in part of which he was
accompanied by the Executive Secretary of the Board. Mission-
aries John Gall and Henry Otten and their wives have now pro-
ceeded to India. For the first they are to live at Feroke, a few
miles south of Calicut. It is hoped that Dr.. Nau will be able to
stay with them long enough to help them to a good beginning of
this difficult task. Synod might well extend a vote of thanks to
the Missionary Board of the Synodical Conference and to Dr.
Henry Nau personally for the splendid spirit of co-operation they
have shown and for the manner in which Dr. Nau plunged into
this. task. It entailed no slight difficulties for a man of his age.
However, God has given him special talents for this kind of work,
and his zeal for the cause would stop at no obstacles. A second
vote of thanks is due the Society for the Promotion of Mohan-
medan Missions, which provided for the post-graduate studies of
our missionaries and is currently gathering funds to buy them
a car for their work in India. ,

Summary
All in all, what a thrilling story of mission experiences, new
advances, mission opportunities! Surely this will be a powerful
stimulus to Synod to go forward with this blessed work. The glo-
rious. final effort by the members of Synod at the close of the
last fiscal year should give us courage and confidence, first of all

MISSIONS 865

» promises of God and then in the willingness and ability of
people to meet the compelling challenge and brilliant oppor-
& of the present time for a determined mission advance in the

2 .“Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give -
icy; for Thy mercy and for Thy truth’s sake,” Ps. 115:1.

Miscellaneous Items

‘On July 1, 1948, Dr. F. Brand retired from the office of director
gud general secretary of foreign missions. He had served since
$920, and in view of his services he was given the title Director
{meritus. He was not to carry this honor long, however, for on
January 1, 1949, the Lord called him to his reward. We are thank-
ful.for the blessings which came to the Church and to our for-
‘eign mission enterprise through the contributions he was able to

; jake to the cause.

wy On January 16, 1950, the Lord called home one of the veteran
spembers of our Board, Mr. Theodore Struckmeyer. He had served
the Board for more than twenty years very faithfully.

-+ The Centennial Convention had elected Mr. Paul G. Bouman
as.a member of the Board. When he found himself unable to
aecept the election, he was replaced by Mr. Louis Dau, who has
served through the triennium.

The 1947 convention also authorized the Board to secure the
services of an Assistant Executive Secretary. The office was ‘filled
on October, 3, 1948, when the Rev. Herman H. Koppelmann of
Jacksonville, Iil., was installed into that office. The added man-
power in the home office has filled a definite need. Pastor Koppel-
mann’s able services enabled your Board to carry on the. ex-
panded work of the past triennium without faltering after the re-
tirement of Dr. F. Brand and during Dr. O. H. Schmidt’s 1948
visit to the new fields in the western Pacific. Again, when the

, development of our work in India and Japan required a visit by the

Executive Secretary early this year, the presence of the Assistant
Executive Secretary made it possible for the home office to continue
with efficiency its important part in the work of foreign missions,

R. G. Lance WILtiaM ARNDT
Chairman L. G. Hout
HERBERT BERNER’ Pau. MEHL

Secretary T. W. StTRrerer
H. O. A. Kemwath = HERMANN H. KopreLMANn
Louis PRANGE Assistant Executive Secretary
H. F. Vorrrman O: H. Scumapr
Louis ‘Dau Executive Secretary