# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1899_S97
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Ninth Delegate Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States, 1899. 97

Latvian and Estonian Mission.

"Among the various missions carried on here in the East of our
country is also the mission among the Latvians and Estonians. Before
1896, Pastor A. Biewend in Boston, Mass., served a number of Latvians
who, Lutheran by upbringing, wanted to hear Lutheran preaching. After
a small congregation had formed, it called the candidate [seminary
graduate awaiting a call] H. Rebane. He came and was installed in
Boston. At first his work extended only to the East of our country. With
great diligence he sought out the Latvians and Estonians and within a
short time founded congregations in Newport, Philadelphia, and
Baltimore.

"But there are also colonies of faithful Lutheran Latvians and
Estonians in other parts of our country. Soon letters came to Pastor
Rebane from the North and West of our country, asking him to visit and
serve them. Our missionary therefore undertook his first great mission
journey in 1897 and visited his fellow believers, who for years had heard
no Lutheran preaching. In Cleveland, O., in Chicago, Ill., in South
Dakota, in Medicine Head and Josephsburg, Assiniboia, Canada, he
visited the Latvians and Estonians. In all these places he founded
congregations, had officers elected, installed them, and set up
*Leſegottesdienſte* [reading services] so as to supply the people with
God's Word in this way. He baptized their children and distributed the
Holy Supper, which many received with tears of joy. In 1898 Pastor
Rebane visited all these congregations, which held faithfully to
Lutheran doctrine and raised his travel money with great sacrifices.
Besides the congregations already named, founded in 1897, he visited a
colony in Lincoln County, Wis., and another in Marathon County, Wis.
Here too arrangements were made for God's Word to continue in use.

"This year Pastor Rebane received invitations to visit Latvian and
Estonian colonies in North Dakota, Minnesota, Ontario, Oregon, and San
Francisco, Cal., and to preach to them and administer the sacraments.

"So from the small seed a great tree has grown, and this mission,
with its small beginnings, has found a home not only here in the East
but also extends over the North and West of our great country. Although
the people are mostly poor, they give very generously to support their
missionary and to pay for his travels.

"What has been reported here was also laid before the synod of the
Eastern District, assembled at Brooklyn, N. Y. After hearing it, that
synod adopted the following resolution: 'To ask the General Synod

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