# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1935_S131
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri; Ohio, and Other States. 1935. 119

one. sent. there who. can spend sufficient time on the ground to make
a. careful analysis of the field. cys

29. Then, too, let us not overlook our opportunities in. the foreign
fields with its teeming millions of heathens. It must indeed break
one’s heart that so little can be done. Just at the present time China
is in dire need of additional workers.

30. Then there is our sister republic: Old Mexico where we, it is
true, at present, under prevailing conditions, cannot send our mis-
sionaries to lift the spiritual darkness which enshrouds the entire
country.‘ But let us prepare so that we shall be ready when the day
dawns on which we can enter.

31. Be it suggested that Synod instruct the Board of Directors
together with the respective mission departments carefully and sys-
tematically to plan for the future development of our Home Missions
in. foreign lands, ‘specifically in South America, and

32. That we give our Foreign Missions, especially in China,
greater consideration as soon as our financial condition will permit.

33. Church Extension Funds. — The Church Extension Board is
the trusty handmaiden of the Mission Department. As we are con:
sidering the well-being of the growing, but frequently struggling
missions, we cannot but touch also upon the General Church Ex-
tension funds. .A closer coordination of the General and District
Church Extension boards and the Mission Department ought to be
effected.

34. The loans now past due the General Church Extension Board
from Districts, congregations, and mission-stations have in the’ last
triennium passed the half-million-dollar mark. That means that one
half million dollars are now not available to assist the struggling
missions to procure a place of worship.

35. We firmly believe that it will mean a decided improvement
in the financial standing of this department if henceforth loans will
be made only to Districts. Under present conditions all efforts -to
collect moneys received as loans from the @hurch Extension Board
is by correspondence. Under.the present arrangement the personal
contact, which, as every business man knows, is of great importance,
is almost impossible. Business houses have men on the ground not
only to watch that the loans are placed judiciously, but also that
they are repaid as they become due. If we make loans to Districts
only, we shall have the very men on the ground to safeguard the
interests of the General Church Extension Board, both when the
loans are granted and when the time of repayment has come.

36. Let us also realize that this arrangement will be a decided
advantage to the Districts and their missions; for if payments are
made more regularly, more loans can be granted.

37, As we consider the struggling mission-congregations and note