# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1926_S9
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1926. 9

8. St. Paul's, Mansura. (Country congregation. Founded 1899.
Missionary: C. P. Thompson, since 1925.) Missionary Thompson, who
is a native of Mansura, was transferred last autumn from Napoleonville to
Mansura. Under his leadership the congregation is developing
well. It numbers 112 souls (26 more than two years ago) as well as
66 communicant members and 22 voting members. The school
enjoys good attendance. The 7th of May, on which I
visited the school, was a rainy day; and yet I counted six double
desks, in each of which sat three children. In the autumn more than ten
children within the congregation will reach school age. So
the question was discussed in the congregational meeting in my presence
whether the congregation could not build a large room under the
chapel. When I visited it, the congregation was in the process of
adding a sacristy and beautifying the altar. The cost
— about $300 — the people have met themselves. The beautiful words
in which an elder, before the assembled congregation, expressed their heartfelt
thanks for everything the dear white Lutherans in the North
have done for them and their children in these twenty-six years
— they will remain unforgettable to me. Missionary Thompson says in
his report: "The work is going forward nicely here. The prospects are
promising. I am at present instructing six adults, and soon
a still larger class will be started. Our members are
enthusiastic for church work. Their only desire is to become
self-supporting. I support them in this to the best of my ability." — Our mission
station lies about two and a half miles from the little town of Man-
sura. The district was formerly called Cocoville. But since the majority of the
people there have become Lutheran, they now call the place Luther-
ville. Consider and marvel: a quarter of a century ago
the whole district was still staunchly Catholic!

9. Augustana, Alexandria, La. (Founded in June 1923.
Missionary: E. R. Berger, since 14 September 1924.) The number of
souls has almost doubled; it has risen from 34 to 57, and that
in spite of the wretched building in which church and school are held.
Two years ago $6,000 was appropriated for a new
building. The group of children to whom this church and
school was assigned, however, has raised only $3,979.29. A
building site has been bought for $1,842. The Board,
in view of the emergency, has resolved that building shall go ahead, even
if the money has to be borrowed. — Rev. C. Gernannt and Mr. J. J.
Stehr of the white congregation in Alexandria, who rendered valuable
service in the purchase of the site, have promised further help.

The total number of souls in the Louisiana field is 1,192.

North Carolina.

The congregations in North Carolina — 22 in number — make up
the largest part of our so-called Southeastern Field.
The Southeastern Field also comprises the states of South Carolina,
Georgia, Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York. In this field
the Mission Board in the summer of 1925 made a new
arrangement: it elected a superintendent. This arrangement has proved very beneficial
on the Alabama field, where it was made at once. So,
after mature consideration, Prof. J. P. Smith of Greensboro, who has been in the service of the
Negro Mission for many years, was elected.