Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1950, Page 42

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42 Proceedings of the Forty-First Convention,

We are assured there will be fruits in season, Gal.6:9. By faith
we look into the future and see a growing congregation at Rockwest
as well as in many other communities in Alabama. Mr. Nathaniel
Richmond, vicar, has been serving the congregation since August,
1949, when Pastor W. J. Pledger accepted a call to Baltimore.
Tait’s Place, Ala.

Zion Congregation had its beginning in a log cabin in 1919,
when it was organized by Rev. G. A. Schmidt. At present there
are 46 souls, 20 communicants, and 4 voters. It is now being served
by a vicar. Our Christian day school has an enrollment of 18. Our
chapel-school is located in the interior of a plantation four miles
from the public road. Years ago cabins were thickly scattered
over the large plantation (twenty-four square miles), and cotton
growing afforded plenty of work. Today pasture fields and mech-
anized farming have taken the place of most of the cotton acreages.
Consequently our people have moved out to cities, and there
is little encouragement for our mission. It seems best to combine
the membership with Rockwest, which is only four miles away.
The good seed sown through these years, however, has not been
sown in vain; in God’s way and wisdom the souls from this congre-
gation and from others in similar circumstances in Alabama have
taken the Gospel with them when they moved to cities, and they
have been the means of strengthening Lutheran congregations
there and in some cases have proved to be the very nucleus needed
for founding a Lutheran congregation. “The Word shall not return
void,” Is. 55:11. W.H.LE.

Vredenburgh, Ala.

St. Andrew’s Church is located about four miles north of the
village of Vredenburgh in a sparsely populated lumbering com-
munity. It was begun in 1916 and now numbers 29 souls, 16 com-
municants, and 6 voters. There is little prospect for growth.
The congregation is now served by a vicar. Mrs. Lottie Dumas is
the teacher of the day school, in which 19 children are enrolled.
Seven dollars a month is raised toward the vicar’s salary.
Midway, Ala.

Mount Carmel Congregation, Midway, was established by the
opening of a Christian day school by Miss Rosa J. Young, March 18,
1917. Since its beginning there have been 114 Baptisms and
90 confirmations. Most of these converts have moved away, and
now the list of souls numbers 36, with eight communicants. Many
of those who moved away have proved themselves to be faithful
witnesses in carrying the Gospel message with them. In this way
not only were the Lutheran congregations which they joined
strengthened, but in some cases new stations were founded.

The chapel is located more than a mile back from the highway
on a plantation near the Alabama River. ‘In rainy seasons it is not
accessible on account of flooded fields. Plans have been made to
move the chapel toward the highway. To that end the plantation
owner has been kind enough to grant a deed to a choice acre for
the new site. The fertile valley is still quite well populated, and
our mission should be continued. Miss Rosa ‘J. Young labored