# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1914_S164
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

164 Proceedings of the 29th General or

It was especially through the unforgettable Walther celebration
[*Waltherfeier*] in 1911 that our faithful God made the hearts of many
Christians willing to establish a so-called Walther Fund for the
General Church Building Fund, through which about $40,000 flowed into
our treasury — even though a great deal of money was also being
collected at the very same time for other purposes of the Kingdom of
God within our dear Synod. Through this abundant inflow of money into
our treasury, your commission was put in a position to render splendid
service to a large number of mission congregations — especially in the
northwest of our country and in our great mission field in western
Canada — with interest-free loans against good security when a church
building was needed, so that over time more than 70 congregations have
been assisted, and these also generally make an effort to repay their
loans. In round figures, loans totaling $100,000 have been made to
these congregations since the fund's founding. What a blessing has
been bestowed through this will become truly clear only in the light
of blessed eternity, to the glory of our great God.

The blessing would, however, have been still greater if your
commission had had still more money in the treasury, for
unfortunately we could not satisfy every request, and your commission
was compelled here and there to borrow money in order to relieve the
most urgent need. That ought not to be, dear brothers! It is precisely
this Savior's fund that ought in the future to be remembered with
money still more generously than before. We find that even the sects
fill their church-building funds generously with money. Let it not be
forgotten: this money that flows into our church-building fund and is
loaned interest-free to poor congregations flows back into the
treasury after a few years and keeps working and circulating, even
after the kindly givers have long since fallen asleep in the grave,
and bears a thousandfold interest for eternity. Here too the Lord's
word holds true: "their works follow them," Rev. 14:13. But these are
the foremost works of Christians — that they spread God's Word and
Kingdom, and to that end help build churches and schools; thereby they
raise for themselves the most glorious monuments for eternity.

The commission therefore asks the dear Christians and congregations
of our Synod, most warmly and cordially, to continue remembering this
fund generously in the future with their prayers and gifts, whether
through an annual collection or through gifts, interest-free loans,
bequests, or legacies. To this end, may this cause of our God's
Kingdom also be brought up again and again at congregational meetings,
at conferences and synods, and on other occasions; for it appears that
the importance of this fund is not yet properly known to all the
brothers. Your commission has therefore also sent out circulars to the
individual congregations and district synods, and not without effect;
some brothers, too, have in a large-hearted way helped fill the
treasury through interest-free loans and bequests. But of late the
collections have fallen off considerably, and the requests