# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1848_S40
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 40 —

...course of action from the Synod. The congregation I visited in the
past synodical year is the one served by Pastor Scholz, at Minden,
Washington Co., Ill. It gives me particular joy to be able to report to the
Synod, as the result of this my first visitation journey: first, regarding
the young fellow minister named, that I found him, in doctrine, life, and
conduct of office, to be a zealous and upright servant of our church; and
second, regarding the congregation, that it shows itself on the whole
willing to be led toward the goal of being a truly Christian Evangelical
Lutheran congregation. I found nothing from which I could have concluded
that Pastor Scholz was not striving in all earnestness to meet the
requirements our Synod sets for each of its members who hold church office.
It is true that, during my presence in the said congregation, I learned
that some former members of it had raised several grievous complaints
against Pastor Scholz; I therefore arranged, under the authority granted to
the Präses, for a congregational meeting through the church council to
investigate the matter and, if possible, reach an amicable settlement of
the dispute that had arisen — but unfortunately an amicable settlement
could not be achieved. As far as I was permitted insight into the matter,
however, I could not find the fault for the dispute to lie on the pastor's
side. — As to the Vice-Präses's visitation journeys, I have to report that
he visited Pastor Jäbker's congregation in Adams County, Ind., on the past
Sunday Jubilate, and was there convinced that this dear fellow minister
faithfully serves his Lord Christ, and that his labor, too, is not in vain
in the Lord.

IV. Regarding the travels of the so-called "visitor" [Besucher] whom we
sent out this past year for the purpose of seeking out abandoned Lutherans
here in the West and founding orderly congregations among them, I refer the
Venerable Synod to the reports which he has sent me from time to time, and
which I hereby submit to the Synod. In advance I will only note this much:
our visitor has carried out the assignment given him with great
faithfulness and self-denial; it has, however, turned out that northern
Illinois and southeastern Wisconsin, which he traveled through, do not
warrant the great hopes that were placed in them for the church.

V. Our Mission Commission, too, has not been idle this past year. It
has first of all made it its business to obtain such writings as provide
the most reliable information about the numbers and condition of the
heathen inhabitants, especially of this our new fatherland, and about the
manner in which one might gain access to them. It has directed its
attention first to the Oregon Territory, and has already issued public
appeals to the Christians of this land for support of the mission cause
through prayer, counsel, and action, suggesting that the establishment of
Christian colonies in the midst of the Indian territories would likely be
the most suitable means of clearing the way for the mission work and
giving it a foothold.

VI. In accordance with a resolution of the Synod in its sessions last
year, by which its entire district was divided into ministerial-conference
districts, four different pastors' conferences took place this past year.
An excerpt from the minutes of the conferences of the St. Louis and
Fairfield districts has already been...