# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1902_S64
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

64 Proceedings of the nineteenth convention

and evening services, as well as in the weekday services, the pure, saving doctrine of the divine Word from all pulpits. In the Bible classes, which are held on various evenings with the adults, the same pure Word resounds again. Daily hundreds of children are instructed in the wholesome doctrine in the congregational school. Many enjoy the bread of life diligently and regularly. A good number of our Negro Christians have already entered into the dwellings of peace, behold our God face to face, and join with all the saints in singing one song of praise after another to the Lamb of God.

Oh, how can and will we measure the blessing which our dear missionaries have already established by God's grace? They rejoice therefore also with David: "The works of the Lord are great; sought out of all them that have pleasure therein." At all stations, with few exceptions, growth is to be recorded for the last two years. What was emphasized in earlier years, however, must be emphasized again now, namely: "We cannot report mass conversions, but your Commission is of the opinion that the present state of the Negro Mission is such that this mission should awaken interest among all our Christians." All the missionaries report that their work at the various stations is not in vain and promises at any rate a harvest, if not a quick and rich one. Compare our Negro Mission once with other heathen missions and one will be able to convince oneself that much has already been achieved in the Negro Mission. All members in the congregations, all teachers, pastors and professors of the Synodical Conference [*Synodalconferenz*] would certainly, even if they still have some prejudices against the Negro Mission, soon let these fall if they could only see once with their own eyes how things go in the Negro schools and churches. In short, so much is certain: God the Lord has in the last 25 years laid his great blessing upon this his work.

Two years ago it was reported from Charlotte, N. C., that our former Negro pastor Phifer had left us and had set up an opposition congregation against Missionary Bakke. Unfortunately he had drawn almost the whole congregation along with him. Only a few families remained with Pastor Bakke. Today the latter writes: "The Charlotte station is again increasing gratifyingly, so that for the last two years there can be recorded an increase of 25 souls, 12 communicants, 2 voting members, 45 Sunday school pupils and 28 day-school pupils. In all the number of souls comes to 35, the number of communicants to 16, of voting members to 4, of Sunday school pupils to 70 and of day-school pupils to 72."

Of his station Meyersville the same man writes: "This station was completely ruined in the year 1900 by Phifer's defection. Only two of the old members have returned. By God's grace the congregation has now today become almost as strong as it was before,