# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1953_S1113
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

434 MISSIONS
in our mission program is largely due to the i
leadership of Dr. F.C, Streufert, ‘who is celebrating his 2004 able
versary as Secretary of Missions and who also has aoni-
Executive Secretary of the Board for Missions in North and co as
America as well as Executive Secretary of the Church Ex South
Board of Synod; therefore be it tens

ion

Resolved, That we express to God our dee i

; ti
service and leadership which He has given us through ine tor the
of Dr. Streufert; and be it further © Service

Resolved, That we express to Dr. Streufert i
. our sincere thanks
for the time and service which he has i
beloved Church. %° Unselfishly given

Report of the Board for Missions to the Deaf

(Memorial 409)

Your Board for Missions to the Deaf has hel
ings during the past triennium. Many problems wane roles
portant decisions were made, advice and support was given to the
men in their respective fields. God has been with our work, .
and has graciously protected them on all their missionary journ ve
Thanks to God, we have not lost one man since Synod met in 1950,
neither by death, nor by resignation, nor by being called out f
our Mission. God has been very gracious to us. Quarterl 4
annual reports were submitted by each missionary. Progress 1
seen all along the line. Praise be to God for giving us faithful
Stewards of the mysteries. of God.

ichly our Lord has blessed this wor
deaf-blind. The following figures will beet this cate © deaf and

Missionaries Commu- Baptized

to our

Year Full-time Part-time nicants Adults children marmed tute
breed 27 4 3,434 98 100 170
Tees ——.. 29 4 3,549 72 121 17
— 32 3 3,751 89 105 182
Contributions:
Year Home Purposes Outside Purposes Totals

1850 ————.._ $45,359 $ 6,485 $51,844

teen —-——- 46,516 8,110 54,626

53,249 15,896 69,146

Praise God for Our Goodly Number of Workers

At the time of this writing we have, thanks to God, thirty-two
full-time missionaries, including the Executive Secretary, three
part-time workers, one of whom also works for arid among the
blind. At the present time we have two vacancies, and these must
be filled as soon as possible. In His grace God always has granted

us men for this work, and He will provide als
and future needs. o for our present

MISSIONS

gy Praise God for Congregations and Preaching Stations
ota our Mission there are 35 organized congregations, the three
targest being the Detroit congregation with 43 voters and 179 com-
‘nicants, the Oakland congregation with 16 voters and 133 com-
ynicants, and the Los Angeles congregation with 20 voting and
124 communicant members. All congregations are being subsidized
excepting the Milwaukee congregation with 40 voters and 106 com-
municants. All congregations are urged to increase their salary
sdges from year to year. Salary pledges have increased 74 per
cent from 1949 to 1952. Aside from these congregations there are
935 preaching stations. The collections of these stations have in-
creased by 277 per cent from 1949 to 1952 according to our treas-
urer’s report. These offerings are divided thus: 75 per cent for
traveling expenses and salaries and 25 per cent for the District and
Synod budgets. In these congregations and preaching stations our
men minister also to eighty-two deaf-blind. The statistical report
given above shows the increase in the number of communicants
and also the number of adult baptisms and confirmations. Indeed,
God has abundantly blessed the preaching of His Word also among
the deaf. Many are brought to Christ. We thank Him for these
blessings!
Praise God for Our Work in Schools for Deaf
In the United States there are 277 schools for the deaf with an
attendance of nearly 21,000 deaf boys and girls. Among these
schools are ten Catholic and two Lutheran schools, one in Detroit
and the other in Mill Neck, Long Island, N.Y. By the way, these
are the only Protestant schools for deaf in the United States. In
28 State schools and 17 public day schools and in two schools for
mentally retarded deaf children our men conduct religious classes
with ‘a total enrollment of 1,730. In eleven State schools for white
children our workers address the assemblies, reaching about 2,300
deaf, and in eight schools for colored about 870 are spoken to. Thus
the precious seed of the Gospel is sown into the hearts of many
deaf boys and girls. .
Praise God for New Workers and Expansion
Again many changes have taken place during the past trien-
nium. Pastor R. W. Mackensen, Missoula, Mont., was installed in
Delavan, Wis., in 1950; Candidate Donald Simon, St. Louis, was
installed in Columbus, Ohio, and Candidate Victor Mesenbring,
St. Louis, in Des Moines, Iowa. In 1951 Candidate Delbert Thies,
Springfield, was ordained and installed in Memphis. In 1952 Candi-
date Wm. F. Reinking, St. Louis, was placed in charge of the
St. Louis field; in the same year Pastor E. Rische of South Dakota

was called to, and installed in, the newly created Chicago field, |

especially for the work among the colored; Candidate Laurence