# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1890_S26
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

26 Proceedings of the thirteenth convention

fallen prey to death, for the whole rig was smashed to pieces. Through this accident, with which, however, a gracious preservation by God was at the same time connected, the missionary's entry into office was delayed by a few weeks, but can hopefully take place in the very near future. The number of souls at the station has risen in the last two years from 28 to 68, that of communicant members from 7 to 34. The services are attended on average by 75 persons. The Sunday school numbers 50, the weekday school 65 pupils. In money there was raised in the congregation $47.56.

7. Springfield, Ill.

At its last convention the Venerable Synodical Conference [*Synodalconferenz*] approved the taking over of this station from the hands of Prof. Wyneken. The first necessary step of the Commission for the station was the calling of a missionary. Candidate H. Knabenschuh of the seminary in Springfield accepted our call as a divine one and was solemnly ordained and installed in his office by the undersigned in the aula of the seminary on 23 September 1888, before a numerous assembly of Negroes, with the assistance of Pastor C. C. Schmidt of St. Louis.

The second step of the Commission, of equally unavoidable necessity, was the building of a mission chapel and school. The plans for it were drawn up free of charge by Mr. Architect May in St. Louis. The Commission appropriated $2400.00 for the building, interior furnishing included, with the express stipulation that this sum must on no account be exceeded. On 24 February 1889 the chapel was dedicated. Pastor H. Birkner of St. Louis and Prof. H. Wyneken of Springfield were the festival preachers. In the forenoon service 15 persons, among them 4 children, were baptized, and in the afternoon service 15 persons were confirmed. About 350 adult Negroes were in the church. The chapel is 45 feet long, partly 28, partly 32 feet wide, and has a tower 70 feet high with a vestibule, in which hangs a bell worth $100.00, like the one in Bethlehem, New Orleans, a gift of the Stuckstede bell foundry in St. Louis. The windows of the chapel and vestibule have colored glass, the ceiling and wainscoting are of oiled yellow pine wood and the walls are covered with fresco painting. Beside the tastefully arranged altar (provided by the congregation itself) there is on one side the sacristy, from which one can reach the school through a door, and on the other side a choir gallery with balustrades and a pipe organ, the latter a gift of the congregation in Bloomington, Ill. Shipping, installation and repair of the organ caused an expense of $90.00. The rear addition