# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1914_S45
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1914. 45

a period of expansion followed. And in recent years too the mission work has again developed noticeably, under God's gracious help. In the last two years reported, for example, 18 new stations and preaching places were founded. On the old stations too it has generally gone forward, though in places only slowly. God was again with us with His divine blessing. To Him be praise, glory and honor!

Mission Stations.
1. Arkansas.

Little Rock. This first and oldest of our mission stations — it was founded in 1878 — has now been without a missionary of its own for more than eighteen years. And yet the small flock of 31 souls and 12 communicant members, despite many attempts to lure it into apostasy, remains faithful to our dear Lutheran Church — a clear proof that our Lutheran Negro Christians are steadfast and true. In early June of last year Mission Director N. J. Bakke stayed briefly in Little Rock to determine whether a missionary should be appointed. His report was favorable. But since the need was greater in other places, and Pastor Ad. Poppe of the white congregation declared himself willing to go on helping out for the time being and to serve the little flock with Word and Sacrament, it has so far not come to the appointment of a missionary of its own in Little Rock; but, God willing, it will come to that this autumn. According to the latest census (May 1910), Little Rock has 14,539 Black residents, and the suburb of Argenta 4,210. Among them are thousands of colored people with no church. From Little Rock an attempt could also be made to begin mission work in the city of Pine Bluff in Jefferson County, 43 miles southeast of Little Rock. That city has about 6,000 Black residents, the county about 30,000.

2. Georgia.

Atlanta, St. John's. About seventeen years ago Georgia stood on the list of the states in which the Synodical Conference [Synodalkonferenz] had mission stations. But the mission work in Atlanta, Ga., was soon given up again. On his journey to North Carolina, which our Director made at the beginning of November last year, he stopped in Atlanta to visit a family that about twelve years ago had belonged as members to St. Paul's congregation in Charlotte, N. C., and, in connection with that, to explore the mission field in Atlanta. He found Atlanta, with its Negro population of 51,902, a promising field. He wrote to the Commission for the Negro Mission that in Atlanta three missionaries could be appointed at once and three schools filled with children within a few months. The family mentioned asked him that he would