# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1928_S50
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

50 Proceedings of the thirty-first convention

obligates itself to pay off annually at least 5 per cent of the purchase price. This contract shall further provide that, after the purchasing congregation has paid off 50 per cent of the purchase price and has become self-supporting to the extent that it defrays its own expenses and the pastor's salary, the Commission for Negro Mission shall hand the purchasing congregation the warranty deed and the purchasing congregation for its part shall give a note or notes, secured by a first mortgage and covering the remainder of the purchase price. These notes shall call for an annual payment in the amount of 5 per cent of the original purchase price.

(7) During the term of the contract of sale the purchasing congregation is bound to keep the property in good condition.

(8) All and every general taxes and special taxes after the date of the contract of sale must be paid by the purchasing congregation. — So far the proposal.

12. The Mission Commission. The terms of office of the following members have expired: Prof. Theo. Gräbner; Prof. O. C. A. Böcler; Pastor Theo. Walther; Pastor Walter A. Hönecke (Wisconsin Synod). — Only one layman belongs to the Commission — Treasurer Eckhart.

For some time a vacancy has existed in the Commission. The Commission has repeatedly discussed the question whether the person to be elected to fill this vacancy should be a pastor or a layman. The reason that speaks for his being a pastor is that he could take over the office of secretary. On the other hand it is rightly urged that he should be a layman, so that at least two laymen belong to the Mission Commission. It will be possible to obtain both a pastor and a layman if a certain rule of the Synodical Conference is changed. The rule which our *Synodalkonferenz* [Synodical Conference] adopted in the year 1912 concerning the office of a mission director reads in paragraph 11: "He shall be a member of the Commission." Under the circumstances the Commission recommends that the Synodical Conference adopt the following: "Resolved, that we amend the part of paragraph 11 concerning the mission director, adopted in the year 1912 and reading thus: 'He shall be a member of the Commission,' so that it reads: 'He shall be ex officio an advisory member of the Commission.'"

13. African Mission. Our colored fellow Christians have already collected more than $3,000 for a mission in Africa. In the treasury there is $2,463.97. When their ardent wish that our church might bring the Gospel to their heathen kinsmen in the Dark Continent was laid before the Synodical Conference at its last convention by the Commission for Negro Mission, the Conference resolved "to instruct the Mission Commission to keep the matter of a heathen mission in Africa in view, to gather all information about it, and to report to the Synodical Conference again later."

Our Commission resolved at its meeting on April 11 and 12, 1928, to draw the attention of the Synodical Conference at its convention in August to the people of the Sara in Central Africa, who number 200,000 heads and are still wholly heathen, as a people among whom mission work could be begun with promising prospects. The territory lies between the Shari and the Logone. The Commission recommends that the Synodical Conference send an exploration committee, consisting of two members, to Africa.