# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1853_S265
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 265 —

...yield, the need for the blessing of church fellowship come forward
ever more strongly, so that a churchly convergence of the greater part
of the immigrated and immigrating Prussian Lutherans be brought about,
building thereby a strong dam against atheism, Romanism, and unionism.
Mr. Pfau has worked among these people for the greater part, and
however great his initial hopelessness was — as a result of earlier
experience among the Prussian Lutherans — just as fully was he filled,
in the course of his work among these our fellow believers, with the
best hopes for the future. Here he also sold the most and the best of
his books, especially Luther's postils and catechisms, Löhe's
*Samenkörner* [Seed-corns], etc., and in particular would have sold no
small number of copies of Professor Walther's book *Kirche und Amt*
[Church and Ministry], had he been supplied with it from the start.
Several fellow believers have already, as a result of Mr. Pfau's work,
asked for preachers and received them, and Mr. Pfau would certainly
have accomplished more had there not been various kinds of obstacles to
overcome. Being largely unfamiliar with the settlements, he could not
draw up a fixed plan of operations; added to this was the fact that his
territory was so large, while American colporteurs always travel only
small stretches, at the center of which they keep their dwelling and
their book depot. Further, the colporteur lacked, at the outset, an
adequate stock of books; the colporteur's horse was in poor condition,
and so on. The Lord is therefore to be thanked for what has been
accomplished so far. Further details on this matter will be reported in
the *Lutheraner*. Mr. Pfau is presently on his final tour in Wisconsin.
After finishing it, he intends, God willing, to travel through northern
Illinois, and then, as winter approaches, to turn toward St. Louis. With
that he will probably conclude his calling as colporteur and leave the
office to another, since by his nature he is not able to continue in it
any longer. It would be desirable if Mr. Pfau would then prepare himself
for the holy preaching office, since his peculiar course of life — in
which his calling to colportage appears like a waystation toward it —
together with his natural aptitude and preparation, entitle him to such
a step. The Synod considers this the best course for Mr. Pfau, and the
presidency (to which the oversight of colportage has generally been
entrusted) will fill his former position and reimburse him in full for
all expenses incurred so far. In consideration of his great frugality
and his anxious reluctance to burden the Synod with expenses for his own
needs, he shall also receive for himself a gratuity of 54 dollars 20
cents, a sum Mr. Bergmann has offered from the Book Fund of the
Synodical Treasury. Mr. Pfau shall also sell his present horse, which is
not well suited to his purpose, and acquire a suitable one, though he
should not be so anxiously frugal regarding the costs for his own needs.

Concordia College and Seminary in St. Louis, Mo.

Until now the institution has been served by only three teachers:
Professor Walther, Rector Gönner, and Professor Biewend. The following
theological disciplines in the seminary were taught exclusively by
Professor Walther, namely: dogmatics, church history,