Collection › LCMS Convention Proceedings (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1926 · 33rd Convention, Holy Cross Church › Page 86
LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1926, Page 86

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

86 - Proceedings of Thirty-Third Regular Convention,

As each of the 28 Districts was organized, Synod said: “You have
God’s Word; it is your duty to preach it in truth, in purity, and in
rich measure.” Accordingly, each District began the work of Home
Missions within its own territory and has always supported it accord-
ing to its means. And in order to prevent any District from refraining
to do this glorious work, either because it did not have the necessary
means, or because it was small in numbers, our Synod elected a special

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| and, at the same time, the most important mission of our Synod.
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es Board for Home Missions in North America, whose duty it is to see
i to it that God’s Word is preached faithfully and diligently and thus
1 Home Mission work is carried on everywhere in our country.
jl Tt is now eighteen years ago since Synod called a special Board

for Home Missions in North America. At first its work was small..
Few Districts needed help, since few men were available for Home 4
Mission work. Small, too, were the sums with which the needy Dis- 4
tricts were subsidized. At the first distribution of money by the |
Board for Home Missions in North America only $3,742 was available.
In the first year the Board closed its books with a deficit of $4,643.
i Still it was God’s will to have His Word preached properly. And
De as children of the heavenly Father the Christians of our Synod also
7 desired to do His will. So God has given both to will and to do and»

time and again permitted us, in the course of time, to achieve glorious
BS suecess. He has provided ever more men for mission-work. As time
i went on, He even gave us courage and strength to send men to new
Be , fields. He has filled the hearts of Christians with love for the work
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of missions, so that they were willing to contribute larger sums in’
order that the budget for the needy districts might be increased year
by year.

Well we know that since a decrease of immigration has set in,
the increase in the number of new congregations and preaching-
stations is no longer so great. We also know that in our day the
great majority of immigrants are infested with modern unbelief and
rz therefore offer little usable material for our missions. In addition to
| i this we are well aware that the devil, the world, and our flesh are
A showing increasing enmity to the pure preaching of the Gospel, ‘and’
- therefore Home Mission work is much more difficult than it was in
ii former years. Still God’s Word prospers and gains victory upon
2 victory. From the Atlantic to the Pacific, from Alaska to Cuba and
i Porto Rico, aye, down into the heart of Mexico our Home Mission:
iz - work extends. If space would permit, we could report of mission
r opportunities in almost all, even the most distant, parts of our
country. ‘

That such an extended mission activity requires many men and
much money is apparent. But God has said to us Christians: “He.
that hath My Word, let him speak My Word faithfully.” This re-