# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1914_S12
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

12

The Lutheran Pioneer.

a

On the Wing.

The Lutheran congregalion al Sandy Ridge,
N. G., consisting of a few farmers, has the distinc-
tion of being the first of our negro churches to
support a parochial school without any subsidy
from the Mission Board. Miss Addie Meier, a
graduate of Immanuel Lutheran College, Greens-
boro, teaches the children daily for five months in
God’s Word and in those branches commonly taught
in the public school. She has an attendance of 35

Chapel at Sandy Ridge, N. C.

children. These negro Lutherans have seen the bless-
ing which flows from a Christian school-training
to the children, the home, the Church, and the State,
and are willing to make sacrifices for the sake of
their children. Besides, this small congregation
contributes $5.00 monthly to the Mission ‘Treasury,
and defrays all expenses in connection with the
church-property. ‘To our knowledge it is the only
negro church in the land which maintains at its
own expense a Christian school. May God continue
to bless it!

Rev. G. W. Schwehn serves this congregation
from Concord. He has also opened a mission in

the home of a Lutheran at Kannapolis, a booming
cotton factory town, and Mr. James Cannon, Presi-
dent of the mills, has promised us a lot, worth
$300.00, whenever we shall be ready to build a
chapel.

In Concord, N. C., Rey. G. W. Schwehn has or-
ganized a Ladies’ Missionary Aid Society of 30 mem-
bers. More are expected to join later. ‘Ihe object
of this society is to engage in active missionary
work among the churchless people of the town, to
help the pastor in caring for the sick and the needy,
and to financially aid the congregation in repairing
and renovating the church and school property. It
is a laudable undertaking, the fruits of which will
soon be seen and felt both in Grace Church and in
the community. May God abundantly bless the
efforts of this Missionary Aid Society to the up-
building of His kingdom!

Rev. John Alston, of Mount Pleasant, N. C.,
some time ago, organized’a Luther League, of which
Mr. Irwing Heilig is president. ‘The pastor delivers
lectures to the League on the doctrines, practice,
and history of the Lutheran Chureh, which are
greatly enjoyed. During his recent trip to North
Carolina, the Field Secretary had the pleasure of
delivering a lecture, upon the invitation of the
Luther League, to a large and appreciative audience
on the past and present history of our Church.
May the new year bring to the pastor and people
of Mount Pleasant many blessings!

Lhe Pastors McDavid and Thompson, of Char-
lotte, N. C., have introduced into their churches
a Laymen’s Movement, which is worthy of imita-
tion. It is a sad fact-that the men take very little
interest in church work. ‘The ratio of those that
attend regularly upon divine services in negro
churches is about ten women to one man. The
object of the Laymen’s Movement in Charlotte is
to arouse the male members to a realization of their
duties and responsibilities as spiritual priests, and
to show them also how to discharge their priestly
duties at home and to their churchless fellow-men.
They meet semiweekly, either at one of the churches
or at the home of a member. Each member brings
with him a friend, to whom he has been speaking
of “the one thing needful.” When a friend is
gained for Christ and the Church, he, in turn,
brings another; then a class is formed and in-
struction begun by the pastor preparatory to bap-
tism and confirmation. At these meetings a paper
is read by one of the pastors or by a layman on