# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1854_S290
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— Page 290 —

...mission to the heathen, since, after the departure of the former
missionary Auch from mission service, and because the mission
assistant Röder had also taken up his position only temporarily and
wishes, as soon as it can be done without harm to the heathen mission,
to be employed for a German congregation, our actual mission
teaching staff, on whom we could count in the future, is limited to
missionary Mießler and the young Heinrich Crämer — the latter in
hope, since he is indeed fully fluent in the Indians' everyday
language as in his mother tongue, but is still too young and not
theologically trained. — The commission then advises selling the
mission property at Shebahyonk, which consists of a frame house worth
about 380 dollars, a log church and a log stable, and 40 acres of
land, nearly half cleared. — At Bethany a schoolhouse has become
necessary, and about the sum of 120 dollars is required to build it.
— The commission also points out that for the mission property as a
whole there is still no proper title of ownership, which should
therefore be established in the near future. — It finally thanks the
Lord God that He has so undeservedly blessed the labor of His
servants in the mission field and has warmed the hearts of the
Synod's members more and more toward the mission to the heathen. It
also recalls with special thanks the women and young women who,
through special sewing societies, have clothed the heathen's
nakedness; noting, however, that through the generosity of the
various societies so many garments have accumulated that the
estimated need of the Indians will be fully covered for the next two
years. It therefore seems advisable that the respective sewing
societies henceforth sell their work and deliver the proceeds to the
mission fund. Yet the commission does not wish to leave unmentioned
how welcome gifts of beds, bed linens, table and hand towels, as well
as wool and cotton blankets would be for the mission families, since,
as is known, children and pupils too must be provided with such
things. Finally, the commission gives the budget of needs for the
Bethany station for the next half-year, whose total, including the
schoolhouse construction, amounts to 565 dollars. — The total income
of the mission fund in the year 1853–54 was 2252 dollars 15 cents;
the total expenditure 2171 dollars and 7 cents; thus the present
balance on hand is 81 dollars and 8 cents.

On the motion of the committee appointed to examine the above mission
report, the Synod resolved, among other things, the following:

1. to recommend the mission commission's request for further
contributions to the mission fund for the purchase of land for the
Indians at Bethany not yet provided with land, and for their expected
relatives, to the congregations affiliated with or connected to it,
for their consideration;

2. likewise to heed and recommend the commission's request for
provision to increase the mission teaching staff by sending capable
boys to the Bethany station to prepare for mission service;

3. to order the disposal of the property at the former mission
station of Shebahyonk at the lowest price;

4. to approve the commission's proposal to build a schoolhouse at
Bethany; and finally

5. to make provision for the incorporation of the mission property.