The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1907, Page 84

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84 The Lutheran Pioneer.

Festival Day at Salisbury, N.C.

Among the colored Lutherans of Salisbury the
15th of September was a day on which every heart
throbbed with gratitude to God, who is the Giver
of every good and perfect gift. As is known to the
readers of this paper, our Lutheran chapel in Salis-
bury was destroyed by storm a few years ago. By
the grace of God, through the missionary zeal of
His servants, another building has been erected in
which to glorify His name. On the above date

ColoredLutheran Chapel in Salisbury, N. C.

every heart wus attuned to the psalmist’s song of
praise: “This is the day which the Lord hath made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it! Let us come before
His presence with thanksgiving, and enter into His
courts’ with praise.” :
Corner-stone Jaying, dedication, and confirma-
tion were the features of the day’s exercises. At
10 o’clock in the morning Rev. McDavid, of Char-
lotte, N. C.; preached an instructive sermon based
on 1 Cor. 3, 11. At the close of this service the
pastors and the congregation went outside, where,
with an appropriate and impressive service, the
corner-stone was fitted into its place. After this
service the congregation again took their places in

the church. The Rev. Prof. Koiner, of Conover,
N. C., then preached from Acts 20, 20. 21. At the
3 o’clock service the Rev. Prof. N. J. Bakke, Presi-
dent of Immanuel College, came before the people
with the Lord’s message as contained in Acts 9, 6.
The pastor, Rev. W. H. Lash, then examined a con-
firmation class of 7 young persons. They showed
an extensive knowledge of the Catechism and a deep
interest in the same, and proved themselves well-
grounded in the Bible doctrines of our dear Lu-
theran church. The pastor then confirmed the class
and delivered to them a very touching address based
on John 6, 67: “Will ye also go away?” At night,
Rev. McDavid closed the day’s exercises with a ser-
mon from Phil. 3, 20. The congregation brought
as a thank-offering collections amounting to $83.16.

The chapel is a neat, comfortable little structure
of which the pastor and people are duly proud. It
is a frame building 28 by 36 feet, with a seating
capacity of 150. It is pleasantly and also advan-
tageously located. We hope that from the vicinity.
many sheaves will be brought in to fill the Lord’s
storehouse.

It was indeed a festival day for our people in
Salisbury. The occasion, the services, and every
feature made a deep impression upon the writer.
It caused him to reflect upon the possibilities of
the Lutheran church among the colored people in
the South. It caused him to realize how good the
Lord is, that God’s Word and Luther’s doctrine
pure is freely dispensed among the freedmen of
these states.

Let us pray the Lord to bless and continually
prosper the work which now, beyond a doubt, has
a firm hold upon the hearts of many of the colored
people in this land. M. N. C.

They Do Not All Pray.

An aged Christian one day took dinner at a
house where he found himself in the company of
a number of young and jovial people. When sitting
down at the table, he silently offered up prayer
to God.

One of the guests, intending to have some fun
with him, said: “I suppose at your house all pray,
do they not?”

“No, not that I know of,” was the reply.

“What, do not all pray there?”

“No, I have two hogs in my pen — they never
pray when they are fed.”

The young man was silenced.