# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1849_S89
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 89 —

on account of the circumstances, would be doubtful — but that the
upkeep costs of the station would not be so considerable that the Synod
should hesitate greatly over taking it on.

As a result of this report, the Synod resolved, on the committee's
proposal, to appoint a committee and furnish it with the necessary authority
to settle the matter with the missionaries Auch and Maier, should they
apply for admission into our Synod, and appointed for this purpose
Pastors Crämer, Sievers, and Gräbner.

In the discussion of the needs of the Frankenmuth and Bethany mission
stations, the necessity — but also the inadequacy — of the interpreters
in dealing with the Indians became especially apparent. It seemed
highly desirable to the Synod that the missionaries themselves become as
proficient as possible in the relevant Indian language, and that Indian
boys be trained up for the service of the mission. Should
missionaries Auch and Maier join our Synod, the Synod felt it must
urge them earnestly to apply themselves with all diligence
to learning the Indian language.

Conference minutes.

Among the matters to which the Synod devoted particular attention
were the minutes of the ministerial conferences of the second
district, Chicago, and of the sixth district, New York. The proceedings
of several other conferences held in the past year had
already been reported in the *Lutheraner*. But since the minutes had not so far
been submitted regularly by all conferences, the Synod
resolved that it should be the duty of every conference belonging to it
to send its proceedings to the Synod in proper form.

The conference of the second district, Chicago, held its sessions on
November 2, 1848, in Milwaukee, Wisc. — present were Pastors
Keyl, Brauer, and Selle, joined also by Pastor Böhm. —
The next subject of their discussion was the condition of the
congregations concerned, and the means of recognizing and improving it. That
the latter must happen chiefly through the ministry of the Word was
accepted by the conference as self-evident. It further noted
that in the course of any house visits, conversation should be directed
principally toward religious matters.

This prompted several Synod members to share their experiences and
views on the subject, whereupon it emerged that
ministers should be strongly advised to refrain generally from
unnecessary house visits, and in dealing with members of the congregation
to guard, on the one hand, against useless worldly talk, and on the other, against
all affected religious conversation.

On this occasion the question arose of what a minister ought to do
if dancing took place at weddings and the like in his congregation.
The Synod was of the opinion that this would depend on the condition of the congregation,
as to how the minister should proceed in this respect. If the
congregation as a whole were still coarse and unrefined, and wild dancing in
taverns were among its evil ways, then this too must be taught
and preached against; but if it were already more under the discipline of the
divine Word, and dancing occurred only in individual families