# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1941_S209
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

“Reports and Action on Various Mission-Fields 209

__ You can readily understand that a report on the status quo
‘written at the end of March will be far from accurate and complete
he middle of June. Here are some statistics:

lains on active duty:

U.S. Navy, Regular nnn naan eneceneceeeeneneceeneeneenenee
U.S. Army, Regular .. _
U.S. Army, Reserve Corps" 3 ‘of these in CCC camps) ansensenenssneanee

0 | an

serve chaplains not on. active duty nen eee eee eens

SIR Bl Nwe

Total anseeuesseceneceecsecerenseecnseuensnsunenseeenentensnsnenuentcneepesceneeceenetensreremosenenennenene

19 pastors have received our ecclesiastical indorsement and
awaiting their Government appointment.

The Files

“In our office files at this date are 3,461 names of trainees. How

any names are missing we have no means of knowing. These
rainees may be found at 208 different camps in the United States,
at 37 camps in the United States Possessions. Some of these
camps are in out-of-the-way places. It must also be remembered
that most of the camps are located in places where our Church
“is numerically weak or not represented at all. But, with a few
“exceptions, the name of a trainee sent to the office is promptly
“relayed -to one of our chaplains on duty or some designated
‘civilian pastor. Experience has demonstrated that the best way
to reach the men in service is to have the names registered in
a central office. Chaplains of other denominations have nowhere
near the information about the whereabouts of their men that
ur men have.

_ In the office are two files. The one is an alphabetical file of all

names, giving the military and home address of the soldier. The
~ second is a “line file,” in which the names are listed alphabetically
“’ according to camps; and the camps, in turn, grouped according ‘
“to States in which they are located.
We believe the members of our Church expect us to be able to
render service to any of its soldiers. We are striving to render this
“service, but you must not expect 100-per-cent. perfection, nor
must you forget the limitations. We can’t get to every sailor on
‘a boat. But we would have you realize that our program entails
“an enormous amount of detail and office work.

Reports
Chaplains on active duty and “Lutheran directors of spiritual
welfare work” render monthly reports to the Commission. There
is a close and cordial relation between the Commission and
these men.
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