Collection › LCMS Convention Proceedings (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1926 · 33rd Convention, Holy Cross Church › Sheet 95
LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1926, Sheet 95

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

ae 04 Proceedings of Thirty-Third Regular Convention,

The mission in Denmark is gradually decreasing. The last
| réport shows 215 souls, 156 communicants, located in 21 places and
| served at 9 preaching-stations. The number of missionaries in Alsace
has been reduced to three. There is little hope of increase.
t The 49 congregations of the Free Church, served by 44 pastors,
if total 11,469 souls, 7,855 communicants. Three congregations number
if about 600 communicants; eight, 200 to 300; twenty-two, 200 to 300;
sixteen, below 100. Contributions for home purposes, 185,204 marks
(34 marks per member); for Synodical Treasury, Home Missions,
Church Extension Fund, Foreign Missions, Zehlendorf, etc., 39,368
marks (6.36 marks per member).. Subsidies granted for pastors’
salaries, 70,000 marks. -Ten congregations are self-supporting; one,
93 per cent. self-supporting; two, 70 per.cent.; four, 60 per cent. or
more; eight, 50 to 60 per cent. ;. sixteen, below this mark. Most of
the congregations are old. The Free Church is celebrating its
seventy-fifth anniversary this year.

At the close of 1925 Alsace numbered 4 parishes, covering 138
eit localities; 507 souls; 387 communicants. Contributions for home
| a purposes, 19,604 francs; for missions, 14,231 francs. ,
| In a separate memorial the Central Illinois District petitioned
a Synod to help the Free Church as speedily as possible in its great
mission duty and its dire need for church-buildings.

In discussing the Free Church matter, a cablegram from Mr.
Theo. Lamprecht was read, in which Synod was earnestly requested
to support the work of the Free Church, especially in its new parish
of Bochum-Hamme, and to appropriate $25,000 for this purpose.

Dr. L. Fuerbringer also gave a vivid account of the great religious
movement which is taking place at Bochum-Hamme, where 8,000
members severed their connections with the ‘state church’ because. of
its liberal preaching, petitioning the Free Church to send them
a pastor, which request was granted them. These people are ready .
to do everything which God’s Word commands in order to found

im Free Church congregations. They manifest a real “famine of hearing

the words of the Lord,” an eager desire for the unadulterated Gospel.

The movement is spreading to adjoining places. At present they need

three pastors, who must be supported from America. The newly
 , organized Redeemer Congregation of Bochum-Hamme cabled its

i greetings to Synod. .

gE Resolved: — Action.
Ls 1..To adopt the proposal of the Board, viz., that the Rev. G.
EB Mezger, D.D., be definitely released to the Free Church in Europe

for the seminary at Zehlendorf; that, however, he be kept on the
salary- and eventually on the pension-list of our Synod as its repre-
sentative, and that § 6 of the respective resolutions of the Fort “4
Wayne Convention (1923, p. 105), stating that upon the return of a