# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1914_S94 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 94 The Lutheran Pioneer. heard a paper by Rey. A. O. Friedrich on “Com- forting in Afilictions,’ which occupied the entire forenoon session, after which adjournment took place in the usual manner. Friday afternoon we met again. to take up business matters at once. ‘The Commit- tee on Themes made its report. From this re- port Conference made the following assignments: 1. Bible History: “The Tower of Babel”: Teacher Thompson. 2. “How to Teach Arithmetic”: Teacher Wiley. 3. Cathechisation for Primary Department: Teacher Pollert. +4. A Model Catechisation (theme optional) : Teacher D. Meibohm. 5. “Worldliness of the Day’: Rev. A. O. Friedrich. 6. “Faith Cure”: Rey. E. R. Berger. 7%. A Report on Colored Missions in General: Field Secretary N. J. Bakke. Next in order was the report of the Committee on School Calendar, September, 1914, to June, 1915. The report submitted was adopted. The report was followed by an interesting. and earnest discussion as to how we might make our open sessions more interesting. We want more pub- licity, and we also want the members of our con- gregations to get up and talk. We are to meet again next year at about the same time. The Secretary was instructed to send a letter of remembrance to ‘Teacher N. Seeberry, who is recuperating in Denver, Colo. It was decided to give the Reformation Collec- tion to the Mission Board. Conference closed its sessions with the Lord’s Prayer. Friday night Rev. Ed. Schmidt spoke on Con- version in the second open session. -November 1, Sunday, we celebrated a joint Ref- ormation festival at Bethlehem. Rev. E. R. Berger was the first speaker. His theme was: “The Chief Blessing of the Reformation of the Church. First, Wherein it consisted. Secondly, What we must do to retain it and, with it, all the other blessings of the Reformation.” He was followed by Rey. A. 0. Friedrich, who showed that Luther’s Reformation finds its focus in his reassigning unto Law and Gospel their divinely appointed position in the plan of salvation. ~ The Conference Choir enhanced the evening services with sacred selections, having prac- ticed for that purpose between sessions. ‘The banner attendance we had at the night ser- vice, 300 people listening with rapt attention to the speakers. ‘The collection, however, was easily lifted by the two collectors. It was decided In conclusion it may be remarked that all‘ papers read and the sermons preached gave evidence of great diligence on the part of the respective brethren. The conference, therefore, was profitable in more ways than one. Above all, we are resuming our work with renewed strength and zeal. Reporter LUTHER CoNrEeRENCE. Items of Interest from the Colored Mission Field. Mount Preasant, N. C.— Missionary John Alston reports that his school is greatly in need of desks. Perhaps some congregation has a supply of usable desks which it would be willing to present to our mission school at Mount Pleasant. We are sure that the gift would be greatly appreciated. PassaGe or A Pernicious Bint Averrrep. — During the last session of the South Carolina legis- lature a certain Mr. Fortner introduced a bill pro- hibiting the employment of white teachers in col- ored schools. ‘The passage of this bill would have been a calamity for the missions among the freed- men of the state. Luckily the bill did not pass, and now the people have shown their dissatisfaction with the author of the bill by refusing to elect him to a state office for which he was running. Necro Morrauiry 1x tHE Sourn.— Recent reports on the great mortality of negroes in the larger cities of the South ought to open the eyes of the people, and induce them to improve the sani- tary conditions of the houses occupied by colored’ people. For social reasons colored people are able to rent only the poorest houses. The owners of these houses are generally averse to putting these houses into proper condition, and the city authori- ties often neglect to compel them to do so. The consequence is that the death-rate in the larger cities, such as New Orleans, Baltimore, Atlanta, and others, is twice that of the whites. In some of these cities the rate of deaths is more than 30 per thousand. It is about time that these cities begin to realize, not only their duty to the negro, but the fact that this high death-rate among the ‘colored people is a menace to the white population as well. F. J. L. ———oo>—__—__ Tr is astonishing how soon the whole conscience begins to unravel if a single stitch drops. One single sin indulged in makes a hole you could put your head through. — Charles Buxton.