# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1888_S36
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

36 Proceedings of the twelfth convention

Business Proceedings.

I. Negro Mission.

Sixth Report of the Commission on the Negro Mission [*Negermiſſion*; the period's term "Negro Mission"] of the Evang. Luth. Synodical Conference [*Synodalconferenz*] of North America, covering the period from August 1886 to July 1888.

The Mission Commission takes the liberty of submitting to a Rev. Synodical Conference the following report on its activity, as well as on the state and progress of the Negro Mission during the last two years. We report first on the individual stations.

I. Little Rock, Arkansas.

At this our first and oldest station, founded already ten years ago, the mission work continued its quiet, peaceful course. Yet this mission still seems not to have recovered fully from the damage that came upon it from the earlier frequent changes in mission personnel; in the ten years of its existence no fewer than 14 persons have worked here in the service of the mission. Missionary Pastor Allenbach, however, has now been working on for nearly four years unwearied and steadfast. A progress, especially with regard to the inner building up of the congregation, is not to be mistaken. In February 1887 the missionary received an assistant teacher (a woman); but as she gave up her position after four months, he has been working alone again since that time. A dear brother in office who, at our request, made an occasional visit to the mission in Little Rock some months ago, reports that he found the school in a very good condition and that it stands, both as regards discipline and as regards knowledge, on a level with our best white mixed [*i.e.*, mixed-sex] congregational schools. The worship service also proceeded in a very dignified manner. Since last year there is also in the small congregation a fund for the poor and sick, into which the members give freely and according to their means, to support the really needy, as has also been done for some time in New Orleans.

The American sects are making quite tremendous efforts, through opposition churches and schools, to do damage to our mission. Besides, the blacks here are very much filled with distrust against the whites, and they still cannot believe that in the mission among them we are not seeking our own advantage, which would in the end have to turn out to their ruin. And unfortunately the conduct of the whites toward them