# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1911_S103
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

13th Delegate Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States, 1911. 103

On the Atlantic coast, especially in the large cities of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, as well as in many small places in between from Maine to Maryland, our oldest missionary, Pastor H. Rebane, works with success. A visitation trip through this territory has shown that the blessed work is everywhere making good progress and that the little congregations, though slowly, are steadily growing — not only in number of members but also in knowledge. To be sure, like all the other congregations of these missions, they will still need our Christians' financial support for years to come. But capital so invested bears good interest.

In the Northwest, in Canada and in the Dakotas, Pastor J. Sillak works; he is placed specifically under the subcommittee elected by the Venerable Synod (Prof. C. J. Heuer, chairman). The subcommittee's chairman made an extensive visitation trip through this large territory this past year. He stands at the missionary's side with counsel and help. His report to the Commission testifies that Pastor Sillak works diligently, even under difficult conditions.

On the Pacific coast stands Pastor J. Ballod, a man no longer young in years but faithful and untiring in the work, who spares no effort and makes long journeys in the mission's service as far up as Oregon, everywhere finding a few countrymen to whom he can break the bread of life. His work at present consists less in founding congregations — for the Latvians on the West Coast live too scattered for that — than in preaching God's Word at set times to small gatherings everywhere, ministering to them as a church, and keeping them in their faith.

In sum: four missionaries currently serve the Latvian and Estonian mission, ministering to 57 congregations and preaching stations with a combined 2,311 souls.

II. Lithuanian Mission.

When the Venerable Synod made the Lithuanian mission its own three years ago, two missionaries stood in its service: Pastors H. S. Brustat and P. Drignat. That the number is still the same today is not because there is not enough work for more missionaries, but because no more suitable men can presently be obtained for this mission. Since, however, a Lithuanian young man is currently studying at our theological seminary in Springfield, the Commission hopes to be able to appoint a third missionary before too long.

The territory of the Lithuanian mission is divided into two parts. One territory — New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania — is served by Pastor Brustat, who works faithfully with great diligence and skill. The Lithuanian congregation in Brooklyn, N. Y., owns its own church property, and although it will still take years, it is nevertheless on the way to becoming self-supporting — a goal every...