# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1921_S20
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

The Lutheran Pioneer.

a |

19

Fortieth Anniversary of St. Paul’s
Chapel, New Orleans, La.

On the last Sunday in January, January 30, we
at St. Paul’s Chapel celebrated our fortieth anni-
versary in two special services, at 11 o’clock in the
morning and at 7.30 o’clock in the evening.

Before describing these services, I believe it
would be in place first to give you a brief history of
St. Paul’s, which is the largest and second oldest of
our Colored mission-congregations in New Orleans.

Orleans from Little Rock, and began work at
St. Paul’s, January 26,1881. Regular services were
held every Sunday evening beginning May 29, 1881.
It is from January 26, 1881, when Teacher Berg
began work at our school, that we begin to count
time at St. Paul’s. As you have noticed, kind
reader, this was the second start. But no matter
how hard Missionary Doescher and his willing
helpers from St. John’s worked, the fact remains
that the work was given up for over a year, and then
taken up again by Teacher Berg and Pastor Bakke

After Fortieth Anniversary Service at St. Paul’s Chapel, New Orleans.

As early as March 9, 1879, Missionary Doescher
dedicated the old St. Paul’s Chapel, and Sunday-
school was begun with 17 pupils. A few weeks later
he began’ to preach regularly every Sunday and
every Tuesday evening. Later, conditions became
so discouraging that he discontinued the work and
advised the Mission Board to sell the chapel. How-
ever, thank God, no purchaser could be found.
Upon the arrival of the Rev. N. J. Bakke at New
Orleans, the middle of November, 1880, the mission-
ary work was resumed, the Board consenting to give
it another trial. He served the station till his re-
moval to North Carolina in 1891. In January,
1881, Teacher Charles Berg was transferred to New

in 1881. Only five children attended the opening
of the school, but in a short time Teacher Berg had
an enrolment of about 70. He was an excellent
teacher, and his labor was signally blessed. The
first members and founders of St. Paul’s were chil-
dren educated in his school. :
Rev. F. J. Lankenau, of Napoleon, 0., the
editor of the LurHreran PIONEER, was the suc-
cessor of Pastor Bakke, and served the congre-
gation most faithfully for 17 long years. Then
came Rey. Alb. Witt, who served the congregation
for about nine months. . His successor was the
Rey. Ed. H. Schmidt, now of Sheboygan, Wis., who
served most faithfully for about 84% years.. . -