# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1894_S63
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1894. 63

have gone through, and who are diligent and quite well gifted, are studying at the seminary in Springfield, supported by us, and a third, from the Springfield Negro congregation, so far at his own expense. In addition we have to support two missionaries' widows with 5 children. With that we come to the other hindrance in our mission work, the lack of the necessary funds. This is explained, to be sure, partly by the present oppressive state of business; but among many of our Christians and among whole congregations the desirable zeal for our mission seems to be lacking too. So it came about that we often had to sit together in our monthly meetings in anxiety and at a loss. We are to carry on the mission work, which is indeed your work, and have no means for it. Our treasury is to pay out about $900.00 monthly, of which often only $300.00 is on hand. And this sad condition has now lasted over a year. The accompanying treasurer's report will show that we do not complain without cause.

Some buildings resolved by the Synodical Conference [*Synodalconferenz*] two years ago as very necessary, such as the building of a new church for the Mount Zion station in New Orleans and at least one more church in North Carolina, could not be carried out for lack of money; likewise the resolution to begin a new station in New Orleans. On repeated occasions we were in the sad position of being unable to pay our mission workers the salary that was due and necessary for their support, or to make due payments for buildings begun, without taking out loans, which was bound up with great difficulties. The old debts, which we were charged two years ago to pay off, are still outstanding in the amount of $1700, in spite of a legacy of $1000 paid out to us from the late Heinrich Hecht of Pleasant Ridge, Ill. Your Commission has therefore deliberated earnestly whether savings could not be achieved in our current expenses. Our missionaries have of their own accord taken over their schools wholly or in part. The costs of the station in Springfield have been considerably reduced by the self-sacrificing work of Professors Herzer and Wessel. In addition we have laid out our state of distress in the "Missions-Taube" [Mission Dove] and in various organs within the Synodical Conference and before individual district synods, and asked for more generous support, but unfortunately so far without the desired success. The thought already arose in us of letting some of our stations lapse; but we could not decide to do so, because it would be a lamentable thing to let the blessing won at such great sacrifices and effort wither away again. Also we thought we had no right to this, but wished to let the venerable Synodical Conference itself decide about it. We have, to be sure, let the station Trinity in Carrollton-New Orleans lapse, but only because the success after nine years of conscientious