# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1928_S52
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

52 Proceedings of the thirty-first convention

of Pastor Th. H. Albrecht (Wisconsin Synod) at Lake City, Minn., and a friend of the Negro Mission, made this mission the sole heir of her property. After her blessed death our treasurer Eckhart received $3,670. — Some months ago Pastor E. H. Bertermann of Wausau, Wis., wrote: "On December 17 of last year, shortly before Christmas, the treasurer of the North Wisconsin District of our Synod, Mr. W. H. Dicke in Merrill, Wis., sent the Commission for Negro Mission a money order for $1,000 together with the following information: 'This sum was collected by our women's societies in Lincoln and Marathon Counties, Wis., at their annual gatherings. This gift represents a Christmas present from these women to the Negro Mission and is designated for the erection of a chapel in Ackerville, Ala.'"

Thus our rescue work among the poor, despised children of Ham has friends who, out of love for their Savior and out of compassion for these poor people, offer great gifts. May the Lord be to them a rich rewarder and by their example move many others to follow! May he also bless the many dear Christians, young and old, who out of their poverty bring real sacrifices for this holy work of missions!

17. Needs. Last, but not least. On this point all true friends of missions who have read this report this far have long been waiting. We name first the old needs, for which appropriations were made two years ago, but for which the funds have failed to come in.

Old Needs.

a. Birmingham, Ala. In order that this station may obtain a building site and a chapel-school, $15,000 was appropriated. We have here a congregation of 70 souls or baptized members, of whom 56 are confirmed. They still have — for three years now — church and school in a long, dark building, for which $30 rent is paid monthly. Almost 100 children are taught by two women teachers in one room. Birmingham, with its 180,000 inhabitants, is a city in which a large Negro congregation can be built up. The prospects are good. There are thousands of unchurched blacks here, and Lutherans from our rural congregations in Alabama move annually to this big city. A suitable building is an urgent need. Our colored Christians in Alabama, who know the need in Birmingham, collected $800 in their churches this year at Easter for a building site. This will naturally cost more than $800. The extra cost will be raised by the small flock in Birmingham. The gratifying successes that we have experienced in the last two years with new buildings in the large cities of Chicago and St. Louis speak very strongly for the proposition that $15,000 should be appropriated and raised for Birmingham.

b. Two years ago the Synodical Conference appropriated $6,000 for an addition, which had become necessary, to our Alabama Luther College in Selma, Ala. We have here an institution with four high-school classes and one class in which women teachers receive special instruction for work in the mission school — normal class. Five classes and three classrooms! Speedy relief is absolutely necessary here.

c. Schools in North Carolina. $32,000 was appropriated. But there was no money to build even one school. The situation of our schools in North Carolina has become so unfavorable,