LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1932, Page 111

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148 Proceedings of Thirty-Fifth Regular Convention,

Regarding the question mentioned in this memorial, concerning

the following form: —

Wueregas, The controversial question in our China Mission re-
garding the term to be used for God is a highly complicated one, which
cannot be decided within the Space of a few days; and

Wuerras, Your Committee has Spent many convention hours
listening to the arguments of both sides, linguistic, theological, and
philosophical, without being able to arrive at a satisfactory solu-
tion; and

Wuereas, We consider the whole matter worthy of longer con-
secrated efforts toward ultimate solution; and

Wuenreas, Several of the protests include claims the correctness
or Incorrectness of which could be proved only by referring to minutes
reports, and correspondence which are not available to your Com.
mittee here at Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That Synod elect at this session a commitee of five im-
partial men who have as yet not dealt with the question, and that this
committee work toward an ultimate blessed settlement of all points at
issue; and be it furthermore

Resolved, That during the interim in which this committee now
functions all further agitation of this matter be dropped.

At the close of the report, Prof. M. S. Sommer was given an op-

portunity to give a brief report on the visit to India made by himself
and Pastor H. M. Zorn.

Report on the Immigrant Mission of New York,

Upon the advice of the Hon. President of Synod, early in 1932,
that the Board for Immigrant Mission in New York consider the
question of abandoning the Immigrant Mission work in New York.
and we make recommendations to that end, we, the Board for Immi-
grant Mission in New York, after a thorough survey of the work, ex-
préssed as our opinion that the work should not be abandoned.

Our Synod has been engaged in Immigrant Mission work for more
than sixty years. During that time our work has adapted itself to
the ever-changing immigration policy of our Government. A change
has taken place in the immigration policy in the last triennium. This
change, however, while it has brought about a decrease in certain
phases of our work, has increased our activities in other directions.
The following figures, covering the years 1929, 1930, and 1931, indicate
both the scope of the work of the Immigrant Mission and the change
in our activities, as we adapted ourselves to present conditions.

At the piers (immigrants) a total of 374 ships and of 7,773 immi-
grants was met, and the latter were interviewed and served. This

Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States. 1932. 149

"umber has decreased from 4,010 in 1929 to 599 in 1931, indicating

the manner in which the present restriction of immigration has af-
fected our work.

At Ellis Island (emigrants), 5,733 persons were served, this num-
ber increasing from 1,013 in 1929 to 2,443 in 1931, and actual pastoral
visits were made and spiritual interviews given, increasing from 467
in 1929 to 1,748 in 1931, indicating the manner in which our work has
jncreased due to present conditions. An average of from 250 to 350
attend the Sunday services at Ellis Island.

At the office (aliens) 2,177 called on us for help and advice, this
number increasing from 467 in 1929 to 913 in 1931. Office interviews
are given to serve a missionary purpose, and the opportunity is used
to give the appropriate comfort, admonition, and direction to our
churches.

Since immigration has been temporarily restricted to 10 per cent.
of the quota allowance and our missionary served a total of 599 immi-
grants at the piers in 1931, which is a fair gage of present immigration
conditions, the help of one female worker was dispensed with early in
1931. Since that time the missionary has carried on the pier work
without assistance. ;

Since the clerical work, bookkeeping, correspondence, averaging
4,500 letters received and sent a year, and other work in connection
with our mission-work: serving ‘Synod in missionary transportation
and money transfers; steamship-ticket sales, from which we derive an
income, etc., could not be done by the missionary in addition to his
actual mission-work, the help of the office assistant was retained.

Under present conditions our chief field of missionary activity is
on Ellis Island, which daily houses an average of 600 persons. Regular
services are held there. Week-day mission-work is similar to that
which was done among interned aliens during the World War. Our
Church met and welcomed immigrants who came to us in days of
prosperity, filled with hope. To-day our Church is on hand to comfort
emigrants and deportees who are broken in spirit and discouraged.
Many a one, humbled by misfortune, has been led back to the Savior.
Ellis Island has been a new field of opportunity for mission-work.

Thus, while not engaging in activities other than those set forth
in our constitution and charter, but adapting our work to changing
conditions, our mission continues to serve immigrants, emigrants, and
aliens, seeking to preach the Gospel, to admonish, and to comfort the
stranger within our gates.

Particularly with reference to Reports and Memorials for the
Twentieth Delegate Synod, assembled at Milwaukee in 1932, the Re-
port of the Board of Directors of Synod, B. § 4, page 174, we, the
Board for Immigrant Mission in New York, make the following ree-
ommendation : —