# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1924_S45
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1924. 45

there was already a Lutheran Negro congregation, which the late P. David Koontz had founded, probably in November 1883. For we have before us the following document: [Printed in English.] “Concord, N. C., November 24, 1883. We, the undersigned, promise to pay to Rev. D. J. Koontz the sums annexed to our names for the purposes of paying for the property purchased by him, on Corbin Street, Concord, for a colored Lutheran church, and to fit up the same for religious services.” Then follow the names of twelve persons, who together subscribed $102.

11. Grace, Concord. (Founded 1891. Missionary: Melvin Holsten,* since 16 September 1923.) The congregation numbers 208 souls and 116 communicant members. The people frequently own their homes and are therefore more settled. The Sunday morning service is attended on average by 30 adults and 10 children, the Sunday evening service by 62 adults and 20 children. Teacher Evan W. Reid and Miss Wilhelmine Harris taught 106 children last school year. The Sunday school is attended by 75 persons. Last year the congregation raised $644.50 in all. The young missionary has resolved, with God's help, to bring Grace congregation to the point of becoming self-supporting. Next summer the congregation will host the second general conference of the whole Negro Mission. By then it intends to have its church and school renovated and to raise the necessary money — about $400 — itself. Grace has the most voting members, namely 35. Since the business district of the city keeps coming closer to our property, the property has risen enormously in value. People would like to buy it from us. But our members appreciate the prominent location of their church and school, and as long as no good new site is found and we are not given the price asked, the property will not be sold. — It should also be mentioned that the congregation has the distinction of having in its midst probably the oldest Lutheran in the whole world. It is James Spencer. At the time of the war in the year 1812 he was a boy of about ten years and is therefore about 122 years old. — That our members stand in good repute with the whites is shown by the words of a prominent businessman, who once said to me: [Printed in English.] “If all the Negroes would be like the Lutheran Negroes, they would be all right.”

12. Immanuel, Shankletown. (Founded in September 1919. Missionary: Melvin Holsten.*) This is a branch of Missionary Holsten's. Shankletown is a suburb of Concord. Our little congregation there numbers 38 souls. The services are attended on average by 15 adults and 10 children, the Sunday school by 20 persons. A weekday school is wanted again.

13. St. Paul's, Charlotte. (Founded 1891. Missionary: John McDavid, since July 1905.) The number of souls has risen from 158 to 172 (increase: 14). The people are in poor circumstances and come and go. Only a very short distance from our church stands a stately sectarian church. The school went backward last year for two reasons: 1. Missionary McDavid had to be relieved of school work so that he could serve his four congregations; 2. the city has put up a large new school quite near our school (which is on the ground floor of the church). — Repairs have become necessary on our property which will cost about $150.