# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1887_S68
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

68 Proceedings of the 20th General or

[continuing from the previous page] -milies and boarding houses, expose the lies of the Talmud and reveal
the glory of the New Testament, has quarreled a great deal in his own
house with the Jews, as they call the disputing, but he did not grow
weary in his love of proclaiming the Gospel to his brothers after the
flesh. But let him report from his own work in his own words:

"'Since the Jewish mission began I have distributed 1500 German and
Hebrew tracts, and they reached good hands; further, 50 Hebrew
Bibles, 80 Hebrew New Testaments, 70 Hebrew Psalters, over 100
German Bibles, 80 English Bibles, 150 German New Testaments with the
Psalms, 80 English New Testaments — in all, 2110 pieces of writing. If
I am to give a rough figure, I have certainly spoken with over 1000
Jews who have heard the truth about Christ. Nine young people have
been baptized, of whom 2 are studying at the teachers' seminary at
Addison; of two others I hear now and then, the rest have
unfortunately fallen away. I have work enough, if only I had had more
strength. Among the families, especially among my many
countrymen, the Lord has opened door and gate to me, so that I can
proclaim Christianity there undisturbed, and am a guest among them.
I must certainly act wisely and become a Jew to the Jews, that I may
win them. Many fathers of families are convinced that, according to
the Bible, the Christians are right, and that Christ must be the
Messiah, and dispute this even with other Jews; but for the sake of
their wives, children, friends, and relatives they stop there, and
their outward circumstances hold them back from being baptized. But
I believe that God's Word will not return empty. The Jewish mission
is harder than the mission to the heathen, and one must ask God for
much patience. But I am happy that I am a missionary to the Jews, and
that I have been found worthy to preach the Gospel to my brothers
after the flesh, whom I love with my whole heart. Has not the faithful
Savior converted even me, and so I am certain and sure that the Lord
still has some even among apostate Israel who will not bend the knee
before Baal, and such I will seek out.'

"So much for the missionary's report. — As for the financial side,
since we had to make a decision before May 1st, we found ourselves
obliged to rent the house at 95 Ave. D for another year, since, even
if we gave up the hostel, the rent for suitable lodging for the
missionary would not come much cheaper, and he must have a dwelling
where the Jews can visit him and talk with him. In this we did not
wish to anticipate the Reverend Synod's decision as to what it will
determine regarding the Jewish mission, or rather its continuation.

"The contributions from all quarters of the Synod have generally
come in so abundantly that we were in no financial want; only in the
past year have they not flowed in as freely as before.

[SCAN: faint word-fragments show through on the right margin from the facing page (p-075); not transcribed.]