# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1905_S85
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

11th Delegate Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States, 1905. 85

...have not enjoyed? Who is to point them to the Savior, who is to free
them from the nets of false prophets, who is to bring them out of
societies and associations dangerous to the soul, who is to go after
them on their wrong paths? — How important it is, then, that our
Synod, in heartfelt compassion, has put messengers and workers into
the field who take on the difficult work among these wretched people!

"That these missionaries of ours work under particular difficulties,
everyone is surely convinced. They do not wish to fall under the
judgment of encroaching on another's office, and therefore do not go
among those who have already been sought out and gathered by
others. How laboriously they often have to search out those who still
belong to no church! And once the missionary has found one or more
such people, how hard it is then for him to win their trust! He must
then often, with painstaking effort, teach them sign language or
perfect their knowledge of it. How difficult is instruction in saving
doctrine for people to whom even the simplest concepts are often
entirely foreign! How hard it is to hold together what has been
gathered! How rarely does their gathering number more than a few —
often they hold services with only a handful. How the sects work
against them almost everywhere, and often do not shy from the most
contemptible means to lure their little sheep away again! There is, for
example, a missionary among the deaf-mute of that sort who arranges
dances and balls with them and himself stands at the door selling and
collecting admission tickets, and others who belong with them to their
social clubs and lodges.

"Despite all this, however, our mission among the deaf-mute has,
by God's help, not only continued but has made blessed progress in
this triennium as well. Although we cannot report large numbers won
through this mission, there are nonetheless, in a good many places,
individual souls — and every soul is, after all, in our Savior's own
judgment, worth more than the whole world with all its treasures. Five
pastors are in the service of this mission, namely Pastors Arthur L.
Reinke, T. Wangerin, A. Boll, J. Salvner, and N. F. Jensen. Besides
these, Pastors Theo. Claus, H. Hallerberg, and O. Böcler are also active
in this mission. The mission numbers 4 organized congregations with a
combined 55 voting and 116 communicant members. The number of
preaching places, however, is far greater; regular preaching and
instruction is given in 45 places, and in a whole series of other places
the bread of life has been broken for the deaf-mute once or several
times. Our missionaries have access to 6 state institutions for the
deaf-mute, and are