Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1958, Page 84

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84 Proceedings of the Forty-fifth Convention

be instructed in preparation for membership in the Lutheran Re
Church. I am satisfied that we shall have a fine nucleus for Re
a start in Accra.

While in Accra I met the “Assemblies of God” man stationed
there. He stated that in this year and a half he has opened fifteen
churches within forty miles of Accra, all of them oing excep-
tionally well.

While in Accra, I carried out the instruction of the Mis-
sionary Board by making provision for a place of worship for
Rev. Asante and the people. I was able to get a fine home and
school building for £ 20 per month ($56 U.S. currency). I made
arrangements to rent the same for four months and paid the
rent in full, namely £ 80 ($224, U.S. currency). So that should
take care of things until August 1958.

May the Lord direct us and may His will regarding our 3
future in that land be done! P

On June 5, 1958, the executive secretary of the Missionary
Board received a letter from Pastor Asante in which he commented
at length on Dr. Schweppe’s visit to Ghana. We shall present
a few excerpts from his letter: Z

By the grace of God, the Lutheran Church in Accra is still
developing rather very wonderfully and I can assure you that
your efforts and the keen interest you have in our work in Ghana
will not be in vain in the Lord.

It is a pleasure to know from you that you want to assure
me that you are “deeply interested in the development of Lu-
theranism in my particular area.” That expression alone, as
stated in your letter, has really given me the fullest assurance 4
and certainty that, God willing, the establishment of a Lutheran 4
Church in the new Independent State of Ghana, will be ma- 4
terialized and become a living reality.

If the work in Ghana should be linked with that of Nigeria,
then Ghana becomes a midway between Nigeria and Liberia.

May God continue to bless the good efforts of the Mission-
ary Board and the Synodical Conference of the Lutheran Church
in the United States of America!

Upon receipt of Rev. Asante’s first letter in early July, 1957,
the executive secretary of the Missionary Board, Dr. Kar] Kurth,
addressed the following letter to Dr. John S. Bradac, President
of the Synodical Conference:

Dear Dr. Bradac:

This morning we received a letter from the Rev. Samuel K.
Asante of Ghana, West Africa, When I read the letter I was
reminded of the petition which came to the Synodical Confer-
ence prior to 1934 to come and proclaim the basic Truths of
Scripture to small groups in Calabar Province of Nigeria. As we
read of the beginnings of our missions on the Dark Continent,
we see that the Lord in a wonderful way directed us to our
present field where, by His grace, we have accomplished great
things for Him.

Now we are confronted again with a petition! Humbly and
imploringly, the Rev. Samuel K. Asante appeals to our general
church, through the President, to supply him with the various
church materials and also to take full control and supervision
of the “baby Lutheran work” which he has so faithfully and
courageously established in the country of Ghana for the glorifi-
cation of God. We are enclosing a copy of Rev. Asante’s letter
to you for your perusal and reaction. It seems that the Lord
again is speaking to the Synodical Conference in loud, accented