# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S467
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

474 MISSIONS

Resolved, That the Board of Home Missions of Synod
the project and furnish the information and guidance to the D
boards for the organization of such work; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Board of Home Missions of Synod take
the necessary steps to provide tracts and other materials for mail.
ings from funds to be appropriated for this purpose, or at the
expense of the Districts using the materials.

Study
istrict

Our Savior Lapres’ Missionary Am
Erne. F. Sporteper, Secretary

Cuicaco ENcLIsH LUTHERAN PasToRAL ConrEREnce
HERBERT H. Nacet, Secretary

Our Savior LuTHERAN CHURCH
or Norwoop Park

Geo. L. Luecke, Pastor

W. A. Scnumann, Secretary

ACTION

Upon recommendation of Committee 2, Synod adopted the

following resolution:
Resolution 20

Wuereas, The distribution of tracts, pamphlets, Bible portions,
and other Christian literature has proved itself an effective means
of Gospel propagation; and

Wuereas, Various agencies in the Church, such as the Amer-
ican Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Walther League, Lutheran
Women’s Missionary League, Student Service Commission, Armed
Services Commission, the Department of Publicity and Missionary
Education, the Board. for Parish Education, Concordia Publishing
House, and others have for many years published such literature
gratis or for sale, to promote greater interest in the work of our
Church; and ;

Wuereas, It would appear desirable and advisable that these
agencies in Synod co-ordinate their efforts and initiate a unified
tract production and distribution system; and

Wuereas, Such an effort could be successful only if the cost
of such tracts is reduced to a.level within reach of our congrega-
tions for mass distribution; therefore be it

Resolved, That a committee be appointed by the Praesidium
to give careful study to this proposal, including the production
and distribution of such literature at cost to our churches and
submit its findings to the Praesidium and the Board of Directors;
and be it further

MISSIONS 475

Resolved, That upon approval of the Praesidium and the Board
of Directors such a program be initiated and that Synod make the
necessary funds available; and be it finally

Resolved, That the overture dealing with the establishment
of a mailing mission be turned over to this committee for con-
sideration and implementation if the Praesidium and Board of
Directors give their approval for the establishment of such a tract
mission.

Medical Missions

(Memorial 414)

The Lutheran Medical Mission Association is an organization
of professional men and women of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod who are interested particularly in the fostering and sup-
porting of the medical phase of mission work. Our pastoral adviser
is Dr. O. H. Schmidt, Executive Secretary of the Board of Foreign
Missions.

In view of recent developments and trends affecting our mission
work in foreign countries we wish to focus the attention of Synod
on the need for medical missions.

A

Reasons for interest in medical missions may be cited as
follows:

1. The furtherance of medical missions tends to increase the
rapidity with which the Gospel is spread. Although our primary
interest centers around the dissemination of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ, nevertheless healing of the body makes the soul more
receptive for spiritual matters: Christ Himself often used this
adjunct in the healing of souls. Twenty-one such instances are
mentioned in the Gospel of St. Matthew alone. Missionaries attest
to the practicability of this approach.

2. In developing medical missions we are also heeding Christ’s
command that we love our neighbor as ourselves. The plight of
people in foreign lands is well known and frequently described
in detail by returning missionaries.

3. Medical missions act as living evidence and fruits of our
Christian faith. At the present time people in foreign lands are
skeptical of Christianity because missionaries are unable to demon-
strate the practicability of our faith. A medical mission would be
a visual demonstration of the contrast between the self-centered
heathen religion and the altruistic and unselfish Christian faith.

4. The development of medical missions would command the
interest and support of numerous groups in this country, in par-
ticular the various members of the medical profession and, of