# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1850_S133
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 133 —

b. Instead of the traveling preachers formerly sent out every year,
two colporteurs shall be appointed, one in New York and one in New Orleans, who shall also be
charged with the duty of approaching such
men in Hamburg, Bremen, and Havre as are willing
to distribute among the emigrants small tracts and the like
that we send them.

c. Every preacher of our association is charged with the duty, so
far as he is able and as widely as possible, to work for the spread
of the Church in the vicinity of his congregation through preaching, the sale
of tracts, and the like. If this is done, the burden
of mission work does not fall on one congregation and one preacher
alone, the Synod's treasury is spared the considerable travel costs,
and the difficulty is also prevented that newly founded
congregations stand so isolated, without the natural support and the closer
relationship to a mother congregation.

Mission to the Heathen.

The following report of the Mission Commission shall, in accordance with a resolution of the
Synod, be communicated here:

When we look back on the past synodical year, we indeed
have the most urgent cause to praise and glorify the Lord
for the great things he has done for us. He has blessed the faithful work of his
servants in the difficult mission work, so that they were permitted
to receive a number of souls into his kingdom through holy baptism. He
has also brought two new stations to our Synod, namely Sibiwaing,
with Missionary Auch, and Shiboyangk, with Missionary Maier.
May the Lord continue to let our mission work
prosper for the blessing of many heathen.

1. Sibiwaing.

This station, under the direction of Missionary Auch, possesses eighty
acres of land, for which the deed has, however, not yet been issued, a dwelling house
and schoolhouse. The school numbers 8 to 16 pupils. Nearby
there are over 100 still-heathen Indians whom their chief has forbidden
to become Christians. However, the chief and his band have
lately become more favorably disposed toward the missionaries and send the children
fairly regularly to school. It would be very desirable if
the children could be taken entirely into the missionary's care, so
that they would live together in his house, and in this way enjoy a Christian
upbringing. They would then, of course, also have to be fed and clothed,
which would increase the costs by $50–100 annually. —
The interpreter from Shiboyangk is also used at this station.

2. Shiboyangk.

This station is under the direction of Missionary Maier. The
Christian congregation gathered there from among the Indians consists of about
forty baptized persons, who on the whole willingly submit
to the Word of God. This station has only six acres of land and a church, which
was dedicated on August 30 of this year. It is furnished with a beautiful cross