# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1928_S55
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1928. 55

k. Philadelphia. Our mission quarters, a former store, have become too small, and our missionary Paul Trumpoldt urgently asks that more room be provided. The confirmed members of this congregation contributed on average $40 last year — a fine record. In the same block in which our building stands is also the church of one of our white congregations, which, probably because of the ever-growing Negro population, wishes to build in another place and therefore to sell us its property for $40,000. Since this price is in more than one respect too high for us, the Mission Commission, after thorough examination, asks for an appropriation of $25,000 for a church in Philadelphia. Should the said church be sold to a colored sectarian church (a preacher has already offered $35,000), that would mean the death of our congregation. There are good prospects that a large congregation will arise here, and indeed we get members here from the better class of Negroes. We would remind you once more of the success we have had in one and in two years with new buildings in Chicago and St. Louis. Plans for a church can be presented. — May God, who has showered our dear Lutheran Christians with blessing in things bodily as in things spiritual, make them now willing to hand over the gifts which he needs for the extension of his kingdom among the children of Ham!

We now wish to put together the individual needs briefly:

Chapel in Birmingham ......................................... $15,000
Addition to Alabama Luther College ............................. 6,000
Schools in North Carolina ..................................... 32,000
Building site and chapel in Pensacola .......................... 6,000
Building site and chapel near Catherine ........................ 1,200
Building site and chapel near Maplesville ...................... 1,200
Teachers' residences (five) in Alabama ......................... 3,000
Parsonages in Nyland and Tinela, Ala. .......................... 1,700
Chapel in Camden ............................................... 2,000
Parsonage in Camden .............................................. 850
School benches in Alabama ...................................... 1,500
Residence and dormitory building in Greensboro ................ 55,000
Classroom building in Greensboro .............................. 68,000
College church in Greensboro for all congregations ............ 30,000
Contribution toward the building of the Ebenezer congregation in Greensboro ... 7,500
Church in Philadelphia ........................................ 25,000

                                                              $255,950

To our highly praised Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be praise and thanks for the great, visible blessing which he has laid upon the work of our dear missionaries. May he fill their hearts with joy and love and perseverance in their toilsome but glorious and blessed work! But us all may he make ever more fervent in prayer and more cheerful in giving for this blessed mission work, which grows and increases from year to year. May he let us see already here in time and there in eternity that it is true what his holy mouth spoke through the royal singer David: "Ethiopia shall stretch out her hands unto God!" [German: "Mohrenland" — Luther's rendering of Ps. 68:31]

In the name and by commission of the Commission for Negro Mission
Christoph F. Drewes, Mission Director.