# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1902_S67
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Tenth Delegate Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States, 1902. 67

be distributed among many different treasuries. Would it not be
advisable to recommend that the main portion of such collections be
assigned to the Home Mission treasury, and that the collections not be
broken up into too many parts?

"4. Finally we would like to remind once more that good help is being
given to the mission through the church-building funds already
established in various Districts. Through such church-building funds,
poor mission congregations are lent money interest-free, to enable them
to obtain a place for holding worship services, or the parish school.
Where such a church-building fund has not yet been established, its
establishment would be recommended.

"May the Lord our God be gracious to us and prosper the work of our
hands for us; yes, may He prosper the work of our hands."

II. "'Then you shall see and be radiant, and your heart shall thrill
and rejoice' (Isa. 60:5). What the Holy Spirit hereby promises to the
whole New Testament Church regarding the fruit of the preaching of the
Gospel and the spread of Christ's Kingdom throughout the whole world,
and concerning which He summons it to rejoice, holds in its measure also
of our mission work in Brazil. A little over two years ago it was begun
in God's name, and today already five pastors belonging to our Synod
stand in blessed labor among organized congregations on a mission field
whose extent and importance could not have been foreseen or guessed at
the outset of our mission work there.

"In 1899 the last Delegate Synod passed the following resolution:
'Resolved, that the request that our Synod now also take up the work of
Home Missions in South America, particularly in Brazil and Argentina,
since conditions there are presently very favorable, be placed in the
hands of the General Commission for Home Missions, with the charge that
it — the General Commission — give this matter its special attention
and act according to its best judgment as the situation develops. Should
the Commission, in consultation with the General President, come to the
conviction that the time has now come to begin Home Missions in South
America, it shall make this known to our congregations and at the same
time ask for the necessary funds.' (Report of the Ninth Delegate Synod,
p. 68 f.)

"Note. The latter took place at the time in the 'Lutheraner' [Der
Lutheraner] (vol. 55, No. 24, p. 217 ff.). The love of Christians proved
ready to support this glorious work with their gifts as well.

"In the sense of the above resolution and after careful consideration
of the situation, the Commission, in consultation with the Honorable
General Presidium, resolved first to send a so-called 'prospector' to
Brazil, whose task it should be to investigate the church conditions
there on the spot, if possible to organize congregations