# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1926_S107
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Ev. Luth. Synod of..Missouri, Ohio, and Other States. 1926. 93

St. Louis permitted him to remain another year. The brethren now
request that Dr. Mezger be definitely dismissed to them, but that as
representative of the Missouri Synod he remain on the salary list,
and eventually on the pension list, of. the Missouri Synod. Our
Board recommends this. _

Lack of means prevented our sending an additional representa-
tive to Europe. The sums. appropriated served only to meet the
most crying needs of the Free Church.

In 1923 practically all congregations received subsidies from the
Synodical Treasury; April, 1925, only 10 of 38. congregations were
self-supporting. Money was lacking for the erection of necessary
churches and parsonages.

The Board sought to awaken interest for the mission-work in
Europe with the help of the Board of Publicity and by means of
illustrated lectures. 19 sets of slides are circulating, and 70 lectures
were delivered. Dr. Mezger attended various District conventions.
In 1925 Dr. Koch delivered many lectures in congregations ; occa-
sional articles appeared in our papers.

The Free Church Aid Society no longer. supports the Seminary
of Zehlendorf. Accordingly, Synod has paid $4,000 for professors’ !
salaries since January, 1925. a

The Board, during 1923, expended $20,864.16; in 1924, $33,863.37; :
in 1925, $44,249.05. The Free Church hopes to raise $77,000 annually i
itself and requests a subsidy (including Zehlendorf) of $85,000. The
sum exceeds that of the preceding years because it includes work in
important mission- fields, salaries, and rent for 68 pastors as compared
with 44 in 1924-25.

Money required for urgent, building needs amounts to $480,000;
for pressing cases, $90,000; for. desired instances, $85,000. Later on
it was reported that a beautiful church could be bought in Dresden
for $60,000, worth three times as much. It has been repeatedly em-
phasized that our Free Church congregations should get out of their
prayer-rooms.. The congregations, however, which are unable to de-

» fray their own running expenses, cannot possibly raise the moneys
-.. needed for buildings. .

The congregation at Planitz, which is building a new school,
comes with a special petition for assistance. This is the only parish-
school in the Free Church. Three teachers instruct 111 children ;
20 new pupils announced at Easter. The congregation has 20,000
marks, but 100,000 are necessary to erect a modest school-building
which meets the requirements of the state. The old building is too
‘small, and it is so dilapidated that it may be closed by the state at
any time. The Board. cordially endorses the request of the con-
gregation. ,

SSS