# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1956_S435
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

MISSIONS 435

and in Japan, while even in Formosa and Hong Kong significant
moves took place in that direction. Theological seminaries were
established or developed in Japan, in the Philippines, and in For-
mosa, while the seminary in India for the first time added national
pastors to the list of instructors. The work among Mohammedans
in India took on a firmer. status. The Lutheran Hour broadcasts
exhibited a remarkable development and are proving a splendid
missionary agency.

Statistics will indicate something of what transpired on the
Foreign Mission Fields. At present there are in our missions —

Commu- Mission- National Confirma-

Souls nicants aries Pastors Baptisms tions
India — 26,241 10,098 42 90 1,718 1,166
Hong Kong 2,160 551 9 — 672 152
Formosa ———----- 873 421 8 1 334 73
Philippine Islands 2,007 539 14 2 228 106
Japan __.._:1,100 900 25 1 200 25
New Guinea ——- — —_ 19 _ — —

When judging statistics one should remember the background.
Thus the number of adult confirmations in Wheeler, Ind., have
a meaning different from those in Nagaoka, Japan. In America
they usually represent hitherto unchurched or heterodox parties
of mixed marriages or people of former church families or people
influenced by Christian neighbors, by the Lutheran Hour, the
Lutheran TV presentations, or similar measures. They in almost
all cases spoke a language in which the instructing pastor moved
with ease. In almost all cases the families of the respective new
adult confirmand rejoiced in that step or tacitly agreed to it;
but how different in Japan, where the new candidate for member-
ship almost always faces the united and embattled bitter opposition
of the family and friends, where the influence of a Christian half
of a mixed marriage will be negligible or nonexistent, where
they would go against age-hallowed traditions and customs, where
the instructor speaks Japanese as a stranger would speak it, and
where it is very difficult to understand what he is trying to teach
and for him to understand the needs of the candidate for con-
firmation.

The last three years saw considerable changes in personnel,
a number of missionaries leaving the service, usually for reasons
of family or of health. Nevertheless the net gain in the strength
of the Foreign Mission personnel between March 1953 and March
1956 is 110—122. A very significant feature of the work in New
Guinea was the fact that seven young men of the Walther League
came over to New Guinea for a two-year term of service as