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LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1926, Page 106

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106 Proceedings of Thirty-Third Regular Convention,

Message from India. .
Reverenp FaTuHers AND BELOVED BRETHREN : —

We, your far-distant missionaries in the district in and around
the capital city of Trivandrum, in the state of. Travancore, South
India, crave a few moments of your valuable time to lay before you
for your prayerful consideration the heartening opportunity of con-
verting many thousands of blind, misled heathen to our gracious
Savior, a door wide open now as never before in our memory, before
which we stand almost helpless and all but unable to enter because
of the lack of the necessary number of Gospel-heralds.

’ You know in a general way from newspaper reports that the
people of India, for many centuries, either weakened by poverty or
sbsorbed in abstruse meditation, have now begun to stir, An in-
dustrial awakening is changing the face of the country; education
has extended to many thousands, who are making use of it in its
higher branches; and politically there is a wide-spread and insistent
demand for independence and self-government. .And particularly in
the native kingdom of Travancore most striking changes are evident.
Not long ago Travancore was called by a Hindu leader “India’s
Insane Asylum” on account of its extreme caste customs, such as
“distance pollution.” But now the Hindu population is steadily de-
clining from census to census, while the Christian population is in-
creasing. People of many different castes are turning away from
Hinduism and are open to Christian teaching. Our brethren in the
other two fields, convinced of the greatness of our opportunity, have
sent us one of their missionaries to help us. But the forces in the
field are still far too small.

There was a time in our mission history when for many years we

prayed for our first convert, and later we sighed for many years

because we had so few converts to instruct. But now the tables are
turned; we cannot give even the most meager instruction to all who
apply; and many more are coming. We are working day and night;
we have trained ‘catechists and teachers, and every available man is
pressed into service. The young native Church is responding as well
as can be expected to this demand on its help.

Recognizing God’s answer to our earnest prayers in this un-
heard-of opportunity, dare we refuse men and means for the Chris-
tianization of. these thousands? We confidently appeal to you for
more men to preach the Gospel where people are asking for it; for
more money, so that young men willing to go may not be refused
permission ; for more prayer, so that our weak work may receive the
divine blessing, without which we can do nothing.

In the name and by resolution of
Tye TrivANpRuM DisTRIicT CONFERENCE.
(Signed.) A. C. Fritz, Chairman.
(Signed.) G. OBERHEU, Secretary.