# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1879_S39
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 39 —

is more than doubtful whether black sectarian preachers can be turned into Lutheran missionaries in a short time: it would therefore be necessary to think of the training of young Negroes for mission service, and indeed of such boys as have been schooled and confirmed among us, of whom some will no doubt soon come forth from our mission school in Little Rock. For this a favourable opportunity offers itself in Little Rock, where there are considerable young teaching forces who are fired with enthusiasm for the Negro Mission. A preparatory school could be established here without great cost for such young people as would be prepared for a theological seminary. It would seem all the more fitting to keep this matter in view already now, since the Honorable Synodical Conference [*Synodalconferenz*] will perhaps not meet again until two years from now.

"South St. Louis, Mo., in July 1879.

"In the name and on behalf of your most devoted Mission Commission
its Secretary
C. F. W. Sapper."

The deliberation on the proposals made in this report had the following result:

Point 1 was dropped.

On Point 2 the following was resolved:

a. Since our missionary, Pastor Döscher, has accepted a call to a German congregation, the Synodical Conference finds itself obliged to dismiss him from the service of its mission;

b. that we appoint a missionary for New Orleans again. — To the inquiry of a member of the Mission Commission whether it could also appoint other persons standing outside the Synodical Conference, if one were convinced of their orthodoxy, in the service of the Negro Mission? the answer was given: No; yet such persons could easily be admitted to a colloquy and enter our communion;

c. that the manner of employing Teacher Polk for our mission be left to the Mission Committee.

On Point 3 it was resolved: that we, since the wife of the Lewis mentioned in the committee report is a Methodist, refrain from training him as a missionary, unless he provides the means for it himself.

On Point 4 it was resolved: that the work of the mission be taken in hand in Mobile, Ala., also, and a missionary appointed for it, however in proportion to the means on hand.

On Point 5 it was resolved: that the Synodical Conference recommend to its missionary Mr. Berg that, in connection with the teaching forces in