# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1878_S55
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— p. 55 —

...remained the same. In 1876 and 1877, $900.00 less came in each year than
in the years before. The deficit now stands at $323.88. An appeal sent to
the synodical congregations several months ago has brought only momentary
relief. In 1874 the Synod resolved to earnestly request all pastors and
congregations within its body to take up at least one annual collection for
the *Emigrantenmission* [emigrant mission] a year; yet many places have not
complied with this request. Let this resolution therefore be recalled once
more. If an annual collection for this mission is taken in all our
congregations, it can easily be sustained and kept free of financial want.

From October 1, 1874 to May 1, 1878, the totals were:

expenditures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5600.76
income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5276.88

deficit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 323.88

2. In Baltimore.

From October 1, 1874 to December 31, 1877, 416 parcels were received
and forwarded, 392 letters and requests of all kinds came in, and 321
letters were written by the agent; 41 families and 49 individual persons
were assisted; several persons were provided with work and an honest
living, and many orders and requests were carried out with God's help, so
that, although immigration has fallen off considerably in the last four
years, the work among the immigrants has nevertheless remained not
without noticeable benefit and success.

In 1874, by synodical resolution, the congregations were earnestly
asked to make their members aware that by purchasing ship tickets through
the missionary, $2.00 of each ticket would benefit the mission fund. The
wish was therefore expressed that every member of our congregations keep
this in mind, so that when the opportunity presents itself, he may grant
the mission this benefit. Unfortunately our agent has had little
opportunity to direct this benefit to the fund. Only 8 times was he given
the opportunity to do so.

Contributions for the emigrant mission in Baltimore have come in so
sparsely that the Commission has felt compelled to reduce the agent's
salary — from $50.00 to $25.00 monthly on February 1, 1876, and to $10.00
monthly on April 1, 1877. Even so, in addition to the old debt of $186.53
(see the Synodal-Bericht of the General Synod of 1874, p. 71), the
Commission has had to incur a new debt of $129.83 in order to keep this
mission going.