# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1924_S42
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

42 Proceedings of the twenty-ninth convention

5. The Station in Pailets Land. On 5 August 1923 P. Wildgrube* founded a mission station in this northern part of New Orleans, in a rented private house in which he holds worship and Sunday school every Sunday. In the winter and spring twelve adults were present at the services. "But now, since summer has come, there are also dances, picnics, and so forth, and the adults are hard to get to church." Missionary Wildgrube writes interestingly about "Experiences in Pailets Land" in the August number of the "Missionstaube" [the "Mission Dove"]. The Sunday school is well attended. An average of twenty children come. A summer school was set up for them in July. The pastor says: "Perhaps something will yet be accomplished in Pailets Land through the children. We want to ask God to be with us and bless our work."

6. Bethlehem, New Orleans. (Founded 1887. Missionary: G. M. Kramer,* since August 1907.) "If one looks at the figures," says P. Kramer in his report, "Bethlehem has made little progress since the last meeting of the Synodical Conference in 1922. I would not say that a standstill has set in; for we gain some members every year; but we keep losing members through moving away and so forth. Most of the members of the Negro congregations in Santa Monica and Philadelphia come from Bethlehem. — The weekday school is in fine condition and enjoys a good reputation far and wide." Four teachers work in it: Aaron Wiley, Felton Vorice, Osborne Williams and Bernice Craig. Last winter these taught 261 Negro children. The Sunday school too has grown in the last two years. The Sunday-school pupils all stay for the morning service. Attendance at the Sunday evening services has likewise increased and is good. The people are diligent churchgoers. "Our people," says P. Kramer, "show a lively interest in their church. They are constantly trying to bring others to church. They defend their church against high and low, white and black. And — what is better still — they are not ashamed to confess their Savior. White people for whom this or that member of our congregation works have often said to me: 'You have a fine man or boy or a fine woman in such-and-such a person. And what we particularly admire is that they think so much of their church and tell us everything.' Repeatedly such white people have come to our church to see for themselves how things go with us. And our people also give to their church. The year before last a man and his wife (she is mostly sick) contributed $104. Last year a poor widow and washerwoman contributed $51. This widow usually puts $5 to $10 into her extra envelope for Christmas and Easter. Most members have increased their contributions in these two years. Last summer the congregation had its church and school repaired and painted, and at its own expense. The young people spent $70 on electric lighting. This summer we are having the inside of the church and school painted. — The congregation will probably go on at a slow pace in the future as well. At present I have three people who would join at once if they did not belong to the lodge. But God's Word seems to have taken hold of them, and with God's help we may perhaps free them from the net of the lodge." The congregation numbers 209 souls and 116 communicant members.