# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1911_S287
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 73 —

2. The work of an emigrant missionary is of the greatest benefit to
our Synod. The missionary writes down the addresses of our fellow
believers as they immigrate and sends them to our pastors, in whose
parishes the emigrants intend to settle, so that the pastor can look
them up at once and give them churchly guidance. A good many
letters from pastors of our Synod have reached the writer of this
memorial, informing him that they have won for their congregation
not only the immigrant but, in many cases, the family to which he was
traveling as well. From March 1910 to March 1911, 724 emigrants were
directed to our congregations, and 221 pastors were given their
addresses.

3. Philadelphia is becoming ever more important as a port city.
The government has purchased a large tract of land in Gloucester,
N.J., across from Philadelphia, and will build a landing place for
emigrants there. As soon as this immigration station is built, still
more steamship companies intend, as the writer has been informed by
well-informed people, to establish Philadelphia lines, because Ellis
Island in New York has become too small and landing fees in New York
are so high. Since Philadelphia, as far as the landing of passengers
is concerned, has become the second most important port city in the
country, our Synod ought to have an emigrant missionary here who can
devote his whole time and strength to this blessed work.

The conference named above therefore proposes:

1. That the Reverend Synod appoint an emigrant missionary in
Philadelphia at a salary of $1000.00 a year (together with
reimbursement of the costs of telephone, postage, and streetcar
fares). This missionary should try to obtain the agencies of the
various lines, so that he could sell steamship tickets and thereby
considerably reduce expenses. The writer already holds the agency of
the North German Lloyd;

2. That the Reverend Synod elect a Commission for Emigrant Mission
from the pastors and laymen of the Philadelphia congregations, which
would direct and supervise the missionary's work.

This petition for the appointment of an emigrant missionary was
also supported by the Baltimore District Conference, which charged
the local conference named above with addressing a corresponding
petition to the Reverend Synod. The resolution of the district
conference reads as follows: "Resolved, that the Baltimore Pastoral
Conference recommend to the next General Synod that it take over the
emigrant mission established in Philadelphia, appoint a missionary,
and assume full responsibility."               E. Totzke.
                                                  A. H. Winter.
                                                  H. H. Brauns.
                                                  A. W. Lange.