# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1911_S293
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 79 —

to alienate the Indians from us. But so far the Lord has not let him
succeed in doing us any substantial harm, and, judging by all present
prospects, his agitation against us will probably remain unsuccessful
in the future as well.

During the past three years we had only one missionary, Pastor
J. D. Larsen, in our mission field. His work was confined chiefly to
the stations of Red Springs and Morgan. At the two other places —
Zoar (where there is a frame dwelling house, a log schoolhouse, and a
frame stable on a piece of land given to us on a lease by the
government for educational purposes) and Keshena (government school)
— our missionary lacked the time to work. That we conducted no
mission at Zoar, where Pastor Larsen formerly stood, during the past
three years happened for the following reasons:

1. No suitable man, and still less a suitable wife, could be found
for this so difficult a post.

2. There is only little mission material there. All told, no more
than 15 children can be mustered for our school; for, first, not
many Indian families live there, and, further, some families also
move to other reservations, remain there for extended periods, and
often return only after years, if at all. Pastor Larsen, who worked
there for over two years with all faithfulness, testifies that this
place is wholly without prospects.

3. Staffing this post would cause an annual expense of $1500.00 to
$2000.00, and under the circumstances prevailing we did not consider
it advisable to take this step. The Presbyterians have already asked
us whether we would be inclined to sell them our buildings at Zoar.
We did not, however, venture to act on our own authority in this
matter. What is to be done with this post will be for this year's
Delegate Synod to decide.

Our mission at Red Springs and Morgan is presently in good
condition. It has shown gratifying growth over the past three years.
During this period, 58 children and 26 adults were baptized. 17
children and 12 adults were confirmed. Our mission has 59
communicant members. In the fall of last year diphtheria broke out
in our school. Yet by God's grace no one succumbed to this dangerous
disease, although the quarantine cost us almost $200.00. Otherwise
the state of health at our mission station was good. It should also
be mentioned that the Stockbridge reservation was allotted to the
Indians about a year ago. Some of the Indians are now, unfortunately,
selling their land to whites, squandering the money, and thereby
becoming wholly impoverished. Others, however, remain living there
and say they will never move away. If a considerable number should
leave this area, however, that would affect attendance at worship
services and also our enrollment,