# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1887_S73
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Fifth Delegate Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States, 1887. 73

be given: because no buyer has yet been found who is willing to give
even approximately what they are without doubt worth.

"8. This large holding of the Synod ought now to be managed in such
a way that the Reverend Synod would always have the property itself
in hand. The simplest way would probably be for the Emigrant Mission
Commission to be elected and charged by the Synod, under the laws of
the State of New York, to incorporate itself legally as trustees of
the Emigrant Mission of the Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other
States. Until now it could not be done otherwise than that the
existing properties were legally deeded to individual Committee
members: the "Pilgrim House" to the present treasurer, Mr. Farr; the
property in Brooklyn to Mr. J. Morch; and the land in Westchester
County, from the forced sale, to Pastor H. Sieker.

"9. One point in our treasurer's report deserves the Reverend
Synod's serious attention, namely the mission account. It shows a
steadily growing deficit. The explanation for this is surely to be
found in the lack of interest in the emigrant mission work. Until now
the Committee could view this calmly, since all expenses could always
be covered by commission income. But now our situation is quite
different. With the "Pilgrim House" we have taken on a heavy debt
burden and heavy expenses. The resolutions adopted, to our joy and
relief, by almost all the District Synods approving the purchase of
the "Pilgrim House" and calling for the steps needed to pay down the
debt, have not yet had the desired effect. The collections received
up to January 1, 1887 amount to $9955.50. The debt still resting on
the "Pilgrim House" amounts to [printed without a dollar sign] 38,000,
which alone requires a sum of $2200 in annual interest. So large an
establishment always entails new purchases and repairs. We shall have
to proceed very frugally with our uncertain surpluses, since the only
secure income is the rent already mentioned of $600, less taxes and
administrative fees, and a further rent of $660 a year, which a
building on the rear portion of our Pilgrim House property brings in.
That is about $1060 in secure income as against $2,794.50 (interest
$2,200; fire insurance $34.50; taxes $578.23; lighting, water, and
other expenses of at least $160) in unavoidable expenses. There we
feel the aforementioned deficit painfully. One consequence of this
state of affairs that has already occurred, and is certainly to be
regretted, is that our missionary has had to restrict himself greatly
in his work of love among the very poor and needy. Collections for
the emigrant mission should therefore be taken up everywhere and
gladly, at least until the debt on the "Pilgrim House" is entirely
paid off. If immigration then continues its usual course, and our
congregation members also make use of the services of our willing
missionary, then

[SCAN: faint word-fragments show through on the left margin from the facing page (p-078); not transcribed.]

[PRINTED-ERROR: (1) "beträgt 38,000" is printed without a dollar sign, alone among the page's
figures; that $38,000 is meant appears from printed page 75 ("debt on 1 January 1887
$38000.00"). (2) The bracketed items $2,200 + $34.50 + $578.23 + $160 come to $2,972.73, not
the printed total of $2,794.50. Both left exactly as printed.]