# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1905_S105
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

11th Delegate Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States, 1905. 105

"As is well known, the question is now being widely discussed: How can the sad condition of the poor Negroes be improved? The only means by which the poor Negroes can be helped, both in time and in eternity, is the pure Word of God.

"Well then, let us confidently continue in this mission work pleasing to God — let us, who have been made so rich by God, bring to the poor Negroes, as much as we possibly can, the pure Word of God, which alone brings salvation, in church and school; then the Negroes will be helped both in time and in eternity. — There are about ten million Negroes living in our country — so we have here a great mission field.

"Oh, that a true missionary spirit would fill us for the poor Negroes as well, that above all we would pray for right and many workers for this so rich mission field, and that in this great mission territory we would not let ourselves be put to shame by the energetic activity of the Church of the Antichrist, and likewise by the zeal of the sects!

"It is and remains true, and must be emphasized again and again, that home missions in our country are and remain the chief task of our Lutheran Church; but for that reason other necessary missions commanded by God must not be neglected. Here too the rule applies: do the one thing without leaving the other undone. Experience teaches: the more zealous we are in the work of home missions, the greater, precisely because of that, the gain for foreign missions will be.

"The dear Christians within the Synodical Conference have now proven for many years by their deeds that they have not grown weary, despite the many other missions to which they have devoted their gifts, of also supporting the Negro Mission. And God has richly blessed the gifts of these dear Christians. Even if our Negro missionaries do not celebrate victories as great as those of the apostles in the first century, they nevertheless work with evident success. Here too there is no lack of those who rejoice from the heart in the preaching of the Gospel, and it is quite evident that the Lord has a little flock of elect among the Negroes as well, who are to be led to faith through the ministry of our missionaries.

"Negro College. Three years ago (1902), the Synodical Conference, in two sessions, discussed at length the question: 'Why should the Synodical Conference found an institution for training colored preachers and teachers?' Without reaching a decision on the establishment of a full seminary, the Synodical Conference adopted the following resolutions: