# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1916_S13 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) The Lutheran Pioneer. 13 if our work is to be continued. The question is this: Shall we abandon the field, and send the more than hundred children we have in our school out into the streets again, from where we have gathered them during the past three years that we have been working there? Pastor Kramer writes that the nearest public school is almost three miles distant. Le also in- forms us that, when our school was first opened there, children nine, ten, and thirteen years of age came who had never attended a school before, who could neither read nor write, and who knew nothing of God nor their Savior. The school soon num- bered over a hundred pupils, and if there had been room and a greater teaching force, the num- ber could have been increased, for there were still not a few children who were spending their days on the streets. Of course, the services have not been attended by a large number of grown people, despite the numerous invitations extended to them; but this may, to a certain extent, be attributed to the dilapi- dated condition of the old hall, which has been the home of our mission during the past year; and this indifference of the adults should not discourage us as long as we have so large a nnomber of chil- dren to work upon in our school. St. Paul’s Mis- sion in New Orleans, to-day our largest Colored congregation, in its first years did not grow through the direct work of the missionary among the grown people, but rather through the work done in our school. ‘The adults, however, came later. And we do not doubt that eventually not only the children, but also the adults will be drawn to us in Car- rollton. Surely, it would be a great pity were we to give up our field in Carrollton, as long as we have the opportunity to reach more than a hundred children daily through our school. Let our kind readers consider the case carefully, and we feel certain that they will have to come to the conclusion that there is but one alternative: namely, that of providing an adequate home for our mission in Carrollton as soon as possible, in order that the good work may goon. ‘F. «J. Ta. Always Hear Good Sermons. “Some folks,” said Rastus Johnson, an old Colored deacon, “go to church with a pitchfork; and they pitch a little piece of the sermon first ‘at one acquaintance and then another, till there is none left for themselves; and then they find fault with the preacher. I like to see folk take a rake with ‘em and draw up all the little bits that do *em good and take *em home with ’em. Those that do this always hear good sermons.” ——_—___—9-. Items of Interest from the Colored Mission Field. GreEeNnsBoro, N. C.— On January 1, Rev. Lynn received a new adult member into his Grace Church by Holy Baptism. ‘I'wo others, who were to be re- ceived at the same time, were prevented from ap- pearing on account of illness. God willing, these will, however, be received in the near future. New Or.eans. — We rejoice to be able to tell our readers that Rev. Ed. Schmidt, of St. Paul’s, has declined the call to Jonesville, Ind., but are sorry to be obliged to say that Rev. Friedrich, of Mount Zion, after conscientious consideration, has come to the conclusion that he must accept the call of the white St. John’s Church at New Orleans. Rey. Friedrich has been a faithful and successful worker, and his departure will be a decided loss for our Colored Mission. ALABAMA. — Our readers will rejoice to hear of the promising new field which has been opened for us in Alabama. Field Secretary Bakke lett St. Louis on the 11th of last month to take tempo- rary charge of the field. Illness prevented Rev. Lane from accompanying Rey. Bakke, but he was able to follow a few days later. ATLANTA, GA. — At last Atlanta is to have chapel! The contract for the new building, whicl is to cost $900, was signed a few wecks ago, and we hope that when this reaches our readers the workmen may be busy. , Mount Preasant, N; C.— The parsonage at Mount Pleasant is to get an addition at a cost - of $190. Sraristics oF Our CoLorep Misston. — At they end of 1915, the total number of members in our Misssion was 2,221. ‘I'he communicant member- ship was 1,164, a gain of 120 over the preceding year. ‘The yoting membership was 276. Our schools had a total enrolment of 2,262, a gain ‘over 1914 of almost 300 pupils. The’ number of bap- tisms was 143, a gain of 41 over the year before. The number confirmed was gratifyingly large, 172 ! Neen ccccmmnmcnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeeeee nV