# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1902_S68
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

68 Proceedings of the 25th General, or

and thus lay the foundation for the mission our Synod was petitioned to
undertake. Rev. P. C. J. Broders was called by the Commission for this
purpose. With the consent of his congregation at the time, he declared
himself ready to go to Brazil in God's name in this capacity. He began
his journey at the end of February 1901. And God gave grace to his
journey and led him to a region in Brazil where a wide, open door had
opened for the intended mission. Four congregations could be organized
that requested pastors from our Synod.

"If we are asked: Why did you begin a mission in Brazil? we answer:
The duty of love drove us to it, to offer the preaching of the Gospel to
people without church care. But we can also say this: we were called to
it. A Lutheran preacher there, Rev. P. Brutschin, who had already
worked in Brazil for a long series of years, who knew and had read our
writings and declared himself in full agreement with us in doctrine, and
who has since joined our Synod as a member, had addressed to us the
request to send him a preacher whom he could introduce to the work there
and to whom he could hand over his field of labor, since he himself
wished, on account of failing health, to return to Germany. That was the
occasion for our mission in Brazil, specifically at first in the state
of Rio Grande do Sul.

"When the Honorable Delegate Synod declared itself in 1899 for the
mission in South America, it named Brazil and Argentina as the two
countries that should especially be kept in view as fields of labor. On
closer acquaintance with conditions it has now turned out that no other
region in the two countries could be better suited for opening our
mission work than precisely the state of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil.
Brazil far outweighs the neighboring republic of Argentina in importance
for our mission.

"...Our position across the whole territory of Rio Grande do Sul is,
according to the compilation of our mission director, Rev. P. Mahler, now
that all congregations that have issued calls have been supplied, as
follows: 1. in the northeast of the state, in the region of the old
colonies near S. Leopoldo: the congregation of Estancia Velha; 2. in the
south of the state, at S. Laurenzo: 4 congregations; 3. in the west of
the state, near Rincão S. Pedro and Jaguary: 5 congregations; 4. in the
northwest, in the immigration region: the congregation of Rincão dos
Valles; 5. in the heart of the state, at Porto Alegre: the beginning of a
congregation. — In addition, the following figures from the treasury
report regarding the mission in Brazil may be given:

"Total income up to February 1, 1902 . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9253.54
"Total expenditure         "        "       "       "      "   . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5029.68
                                                                  ___________
"Cash balance on February 1, 1902 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4223.86

"(Cf. the General Treasurer's report, p. 121.)