# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1911_S88
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88 Proceedings of the 28th General or

had thought it best to give their answer to our commissions' request
not in writing to the commissions themselves, but orally and directly
to the General Synod. Mr. Wagenhals conveyed the message "that it
would greatly please the Presidents if the synod would appoint a
committee(1) in every port that could enter into personal contact
with the President. Such committees would be received cordially in
Washington, and every effort would be made to remove all
difficulties for our missions in the ports."

Resolved, that our heartfelt thanks be expressed, through the
General Secretary of the synod, to President Taft and Secretary of
Commerce Nagel for the attention shown to the synod by sending Mr.
Wagenhals, and for the friendly assurances given.

Resolved, that a diligent collection for the emigrant mission be
taken in all our congregations.

bb. Particulars.

Emigrant Mission in New York.

The commission for emigrant mission in New York submitted the
following report to the synod:

The emigrant mission in New York has, in the past triennium
(1908–1911) too, under God's gracious care, been able to continue its
undisturbed and blessed progress. It is true that German immigration,
particularly from Germany, has fallen off considerably compared with
earlier times, but there is still plenty of work for our missionary.
We therefore cannot even consider discontinuing our work in this
mission so far, especially since all the larger church bodies have
their representatives at the immigration station, Ellis Island.

Soon after the last delegate synod, P. O. H. Restin, who was already
provisionally administering this office, was

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(1) Since then, with the approval of the General Presidium, such
committees have been formed in our ports, to represent this side of
our emigrant work in particular and, where necessary, to make
representations together with the General Secretary of the synod to
the government in Washington concerning obstacles to our mission
work in the ports. — The committee in New York consists of Pastors
Chr. Merkel and O. H. Restin; in Baltimore, of Pastors D. A. Steffens
and R. Eirich; in Philadelphia, of Pastors E. Totzke and H. Brauns.

It should be noted that the accusations raised against Commissioner
Williams and Secretary of Commerce Nagel, which unfortunately also
appeared in the German-language press, were investigated by a
committee appointed by Congress and found to be groundless. Our
emigrant missions had therefore rightly disavowed those attacks on
the Department in advance.

It should likewise be reported that our emigrant mission, so far as
the federal government is concerned, may continue its work exactly
as before.