# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1926_S28
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

28 Proceedings of the thirtieth convention

(1925) altogether the truly astonishing sum of $31,648.47,
in two years $60,223.50. On average each
confirmed member, young or old, has contributed $11.77 a year for church
purposes. Their great liberality clearly shows how thankful
they are for the work of rescue that we are carrying on among them and their
children. It happens that an old Negro aunt on
Saturday goes to town with a hen under her arm, which she wants to
sell, so that she can lay the money on the altar for the dear Saviour on Sunday.

5. Astonishingly Low Death Rate. According to the census
of 1920, 18 out of every 1,000 Negroes in our country died. In our
Negro Mission, on the other hand, last year (1925) only 9 out of every 1,000
died. This is a further proof that the Negroes who
become Lutheran live quite differently from their other fellow countrymen.
Their transformation is thorough. One should not picture our Lutheran
Negro like the ordinary Negro. He is quite different. His
skin colour indeed remains the same; but otherwise in
his conversion the word of the Apostle proves true: "If any man be in Christ, he
is a new creature. Old things are passed away; behold, all things
are become new."

6. Granting of the Right of Purchase. In view of the approaching golden jubilee of the Negro Mission in the year 1927
the Mission Board recommends to the Synodical Conference (*Synodalkonferenz*) that our older
and better-informed congregations be given the opportunity to purchase
the mission property used by them and to pay it off in installments.
In doing so they should be credited with what they have raised for the
original building, for repairs and for purchase. In determining the present value of the property
the congregation as well as the Board should be represented. Both
parties elect a third member. We believe this arrangement
will strongly spur the congregations on to come closer to the goal of self-support.

7. The Board herewith inquires of the Synodical Conference
whether it is in accordance with its wish and will, in case of need, to borrow money and to encumber property by
mortgage (English word "mortgage" given in parentheses in the original). This has not been done so far.

8. Inclusion in the Budget. The Missouri Synod at
its last delegate convention included our Negro Mission in its budget
and resolved:

"That the Board of Directors be hereby authorized and instructed to include the following items or funds in the synodical budget:
the Pension Fund, the General Church Extension Fund, the
Reserve Fund, the funds for Deaf-Mute Mission, European Mission,
Heathen Mission, Foreign-Language Missions, General Home Mission,
Immigrant and Seamen's Mission, Indian Mission, Jewish Mission,
Negro Mission, Mission in South America, as well as the Synodical Fund and
the Synodical Building Fund;

"That all synodical boards and commissions whose work
is included in the synodical budget are hereby authorized and instructed to include in their budget request, which they submit to the Board of Directors,
any and every foreseen necessary expense
connected with the successful carrying out of their work, unless provision has otherwise been made for it;

"That those in the one [sic, sentence continues overleaf] by the Board of Directors and the Finance Conference