# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1953_S1081
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

. 370 YOUNG PEOPLE'S WORK

Resolved, That this Conventi affirm i direc
1950 convention; and be it further . a“ tive of the

Resolved, That this Convention encoura

2801 ge the Stud, Vice
Commission to meet its present witness-bearing ope Se

through Commission-controlled and Synod-fin

establishment of Commission-controlled and Synod
of religion in Strategic locations,

Resolution 10

LOANS FOR STUDENT SERVICE FACILITIES

swerve The Synodical Board of Directors solve
v aciities problem of several Districts thr

of “Conquest for Christ” funds on a long-term vineriias aad Swation

Wuereas, The problem of adequate facil;

Resolution 11
COMMENDATION OF STUDENT SERVI
‘CE COMMI
AND ITS EXECUTIVE SECRETARY SSION

Wuereas, God has again visibl
Student Service Commission; and iy Blessed the mori of the
Wuereas, These blessin

gs are reflected j icati
nine new student centers ars ohn of

during the past year; therefore be it

student activities of our Church.

MISSIONS 871

IV. MISSIONS

Report of Secretary of Missions

Pe (Memorial 401)

riot I am once more privileged to submit a report of the Secre-
tary of Missions Department, I cannot but reflect upon the years
fe by during which I could be the co-worker in the greatest
gone A eye

and noblest work on earth, in the rescue of perishing souls. I can-
jot but say in deepest humility with Jacob: “I am not worthy of
tlie least of all the mercies and of all the truth which Thou hast
shdwn unto thy servant,” Gen. 32:10.

With trepidation, with fear and trembling, I heeded the call
of Synod’s Board of Directors in 1931 as one of the members of
their Mission Committee to survey the missions of our subsidized
Districts, to visit typical mission stations of each District, to consult
with the mission boards in the various Districts, to observe their
missionary methods, to consider their needs. I was also to meet
with all mission boards of the general Synod. At that time it meant
to consult with the Board of Missions of South America, and with
the Board of Home Missions, the Board of Foreign Missions in
the Orient, the European, the Indian, the Jewish, the Foreign-
Tongue, and the Immigrant and Seamen’s Missions. :Two and
one-half months. were spent to make this survey and analysis.
Fifty-seven meetings were held with mission boards and pastoral
conferences. .

One of the underlying reasons for this survey was the depres-
sion. The financial stringency made it necessary to confer with
the brethren to fit the work of the Church into the frame of
a budget which had to be reduced by nearly 25% or 33%. The
financial crash had come. During this crisis the synodical conven-
tion met at Milwaukee in 1932. All were very much depressed
and not at all in a frame of mind to make any appropriations of
any kind. Almost invariably the requests were turned over to the
Board of Directors with power to act if and when funds could be
made available. In a truly miraculous manner, at the very depth
of the depression, all obligations at the banks were met. Yes, an
indebtedness of nearly $1,000,000 was gradually liquidated. All
loans were repaid in full. - SS

Then came World War II. But this, too, was a means in the
hand of God for good. Again the Lord did not only sustain us
in a most remarkable manner, but He permitted us to extend and
to expand His kingdom at home and abroad. The very. means
Satan had invented ‘to halt the preaching of the Word were then
means in the hand of God to extend the preaching ‘of the Word