# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1926_S141 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) THE LUTHERAN PIONEER. 139 patients every year in a room measuring 8X12 feet. Over 800 native students are studying medi- cine in mission medical schools. Mission-educated men were the leaders who helped abolish feudalism in Japan. Missions have stood against slavery wherever it existed. They have taught long-nailed Chinese scholars the sanc- tity of labor. In India they are lifting the caste curse. In a South India city a former carrion-eater, the lowest of the low, is now the Christian mayor of the community. Of the men ruling China to-day, 7,000 officials, merchants, and scholars are Chris- tians. Missionaries in Africa are the advisers of the native chiefs and have been able to abolish much cruelty and savagery. An honored member of the court of Siam is an elder of the native Presbyterian church. It was by missionary efforts that the first insane asylum was built in Asia. The first systematic care of lepers, blind paupers, the deaf and mute was instituted by missions. The earliest rescue home for women and the first refuge for poor opium victims were provided by missionaries. Missions built the first school for the blind in China, abolished. the burning of widows in India, and aroused public opinion against foot-binding, infanticide, polygamy, and child-marriage. In parts of Africa where no missions have as yet been established a wife can be bought with five glass beads. Instances are known where natives of Africa have sold their wives and daughters for two large potatoes. The first school for girls in India was opened by Baptist missionaries, and Japan and China also owe their first schools for girls to missions. : Missionaries opened the first school in Siam, and they founded the first industrial training- schools in many countries. They also founded the first kindergarten and manual training shop in South America. The first schools in India were started by missionaries, and to this day one-third _ of the college students of India are in Christian mission colleges. 5 FJL. Cleveland to Have a Colored Mission. Here is part of a letter which the editor received from Pastor A. F. Katt in Cleveland: “Would that I could take a flying trip to Napoleon, for I should like to have a good, long talk with you on a subject near to your heart. ... We are about to establish a colored mission in Cleveland. St. Peter’s is ‘month. inaugurating the move, endorsed by the Greater Cleveland Conference and supported by the Home Mission Board of the District. Our church is lo- cated in what is rapidly becoming the center of the colored section and is in a position adequately to house the mission. Our spacious assembly-hall, seating 200 with ease and not in use on Sundays, is being renovated for this specific purpose. “A house-to-house missionary canvass, conducted by about one hundred members of our congregation, gave us the names of about 350 unchurched colored persons living in the northern half of our immediate neighborhood. A similar canvass of the southern half, to be conducted shortly, will very likely yield similar results. A St. Louis student has been en- gaged to conduct services and Sunday-school and do personal mission-work under my direction during the next school-year. “The month of August is to be our publicity During this month the student, who will arrive here the end of July, is to look up all the unchurched, whose names and addresses we have from our canvass, introduce himself, state the pur- pose of his mission, and invite them to the opening service. During the same month our canvassers will canvass the southern half of the territory, stressing the same things. Cleveland’s three col- ored weeklies will carry our advertisements. A large canvass will be displayed on our premises during the entire month. On the first Sunday in Septem- ber we hope to have the opening service, which has been prepared for in the manner stated. I see no reason why it should be difficult to fill our assembly- hall for this occasion. No doubt, many people who are already affiliated with some church will also come, prompted by curiosity. If by God’s help we have a good attendance at this first service, I feel that much will have been done.” 3 Can the readers blame the Editor that he almost shouted for joy when he read this letter from Pastor Katt? The Editor’s joy was not only caused by the fine mission opportunity offered, but above all by the wonderful missionary enthusiasm of Pastor Katt and his people. Read over Pastor Katt’s letter once more and see how. much missionary spirit it reveals. Read it, too, and let it admonish you to look about for missionary opportunities and to pray the Lord to give you courage to take advantage of the offered opportunities as our Cleveland brethren did. And, finally, do not forget to ask God to bless most graciously this latest Colored Mission venture among us. ¥F.J.L.