# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1931_S26
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

26

THE LUTHERAN PIONEER

Comparative Statistics of Our Missions According to Fields.

1929 and 1930.

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Remarks on Our Statistical Report.

The usual annual statistical report on our Col-
ored Missions is printed on pages 24 and 25 of this
number of the Lurmrpran PionEEr. The report
clearly shows that the Lord has again abundantly
blessed the labors of our missionaries. In several
departments there has been an unprecedented in-
crease.

According to this statistical report our Missions
now have 64 organized congregations and 11 preach-
ing-places, three preaching-places less than in the
year 1929, but two additional congregations. The
statistical report does not include the stations at
Piney Woods, Miss., and Little Rock, Ark. In these
64 congregations and 11 preaching-places our mis-
sionaries are serving 7,070 souls, or baptized mem-
bers. This is a net gain of 542 souls, the largest in-
crease in the history of the missions. -

The number of communicant members is 3,756,
or 221 more than in 1929. 3,185 children are at-
tending the day-schools, 135 less than in 1929.
The Sunday-schools, however, have 4,367 pupils,
which is 177 more than in 1929.

During the past year 596 persons were baptized,
5 less than during the previous year. Our pastors
confirmed 401 persons, exactly the same number as
in 1929. This number of confirmations has never
been surpassed in our missions.

There were 11,808 guests at the Lord’s Table,

an increase of 1,290. ‘This is a decided record-
~ breaker.
_ partook of the Lord’s Supper more than three times
' during the year.

On an average every confirmed member

While this is a decided improve-
ent, there is still room for further improvement.
During the last year 29 couples were married,
decrease of 20. This is probably a reflection of

the financial depression under which our colored
people are suffering. The number of burials was
only 58, a decrease of 6. The death-rate in our
missions is surprisingly low. ‘The Negro death-
rate throughout the country is approximately 18 in
a thousand, while in our missions it is just a trifle
over 8. Here we have a plain proof of the fact that
our members lead an entirely different life as com-
pared with that of the average member of their
race. God says: “Godliness is profitable unto all
things, having the promise of the life that now is
and of that which is to come.”

The contributions amounted to $30,765.45,
which is $287.73 less than in the previous year,
and this in the face of the prevailing depression,
which affects our colored people more than the
whites. This is exclusive of $320.55 contributed in
our Buffalo congregation. If this amount is in-
cluded, the total contributed in 1930 was larger
than in 1929.

The Lord is causing our colored Lutheran
Church to assume larger proportions from year to
year. To Him be all honor, glory, and praise!
May He graciously continue to bless our Colored
Missions ! C.F. D.

A Great Comfort that Is Also a Warning. —
For us pepole who have only one or two talents and
who, because of our limited means and abilities, are
not able to show great figures either in sums con-
tributed or in souls saved through us, it is a great
comfort to know that the Lord will greet us at the
gates of heaven with the cheering words: “Well
done, thou good and faithful servant!” But, dear
brother and sister, there is also an earnest and
heart-searching admonition and warning in these
words of the Savior. Do you see these?