# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S155
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

a.

Some of our mission districts have sustained serious losses,
cause ‘so many of the outstanding men so necessary ‘for: the
furtherance of the work in the respective districts were called to
‘other fields. . As good stewards we will endeavor to. place our man-
power to ‘the best advantage and look not only to the best interest
of a given congregation but also to the needs of the church at large.

Serious consideration; and that the College of Presidents be urged
to’ adopt such measures as will be in keeping with the doctrine of

“helpful to place the available manpower to the best advantage.

ism — we have it in our country; we have it in Mexico, in South
_ America; we have it the world over. Mexico for Mexicans, Africa

‘for Africans, and America for Americans, Foreign thought, foreign
“ideas, foreign rule, is shied at everywhere, Self-government, self-

-: nations. Nationalism, with all of its implications, confronts also the
. Church.

, -Brazil has already enacted laws’ which forbid the entrance of
_pastors coming from foreign. countries except they be natives. of
Brazil. In Mexico none but natives are permitted to preach and
. perform ministerial acts among Mexicans. And this trend is
spreading the world over: And facing ‘that issue, it must now
more than ever be our policy to build for a national Church.
_ This must, therefore, be our definite aim in ‘countries in which we
‘have already. begun missions, i.e., in South America, in Europe,
in China, in India, in Africa. And it must be our goal as we look
to the future and begin missions in other countries.-

‘The training of a native ministry and the laying of a founda-
tion of a native self-governing Church in foreign countries is es-
sential. To meet present-day trends a change of mission policy
is imperative. After nearly fifty years we have 14 ordained pastors
and 13 evangelists in India. After thirty years we have in China
"7 pastors and 9 evangelists. With the ever increasing spirit of na-
tionalism, with that handwriting on the wall, we must redouble
our: efforts to train a native ministry in foreign lands. We know
not how long we as a foreign people will be permitted to ‘preach
the Gospel on foreign soil. “To preserve the Gospel i in- \fotelgn: lands,
we must train a native ministry,

“In Brazil ‘and in’ Argentina we’ ‘have colleges and ‘serninaries.

ment ' is above 80 students: ° ‘At t Crespo ‘and at Buenos: Aires, Ar-

‘Missions ABB

PA ‘Be it therefore suggested that the College of Presidents be
requested to appoint a committee from its midst to give this matter

the divine call, preserve the rights of the congregation, and yet be .

Nationalism and the Training of a Native Ministry. — — National-

rule, is the one great topic of the press; it is the talk of the:

In | Brazil at:the Seminario ‘Concordia, Porto Alegre, ‘the énroll- .