# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1905_S152
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

152 Proceedings of the 26th General or

...into one district, and to unite South Minnesota, South Dakota, and Montana into a second district.

"In the first vote, the proposal to divide in this way resulted in a tie, but was later rejected because it was not considered practicable to divide the State of Minnesota and separate the southern part from the mission territory and the institution at St. Paul.

"A division into three raised the following concerns at first: our mission in North Dakota would probably be greatly hindered in its progress if that territory were already organized now as its own district, since it is still almost exclusively a mission territory; such a division would also not solve the difficulty of housing the district; but this proposal was finally adopted by a small majority, and with that the deliberations on this important matter were concluded.

"On behalf of the district, I now hereby communicate to the Honorable General Synod the resolution of the Minnesota and Dakota District, recommending to the Honorable Delegate Synod a threefold division of this district by forming a Minnesota District with Canada as mission territory, a South Dakota District, and a North Dakota District, while permitting the brothers in Montana to join one of these districts, or the Oregon and Washington District." (Petition of the Minnesota and Dakota District.)

Resolved, that first a division into two of the Minnesota and Dakota District be undertaken, in such a way that the State of South Dakota be separated from the present Minnesota and Dakota District and authorized to form its own district under the name: South Dakota District, etc. North Dakota, on the other hand, with its large mission territory, shall remain with the present Minnesota and Dakota District, but with the understanding that this latter district be permitted to undertake a further division if it considers this necessary and beneficial to the building of the kingdom of God.

III. "The District Pastoral Conference of southern Illinois discussed, at its last session, the division of the Illinois District. After becoming convinced of the necessity of separating off southern Illinois, a committee was appointed to submit the matter to the Central and North Illinois Pastoral Conferences, with the stipulation that, if both of the conferences named should declare themselves in favor of this separation, the matter should be put to a vote among the congregations of southern Illinois. After both conferences had most emphatically