The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1913, Page 45

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

45

The discussion took up quite a little time, but all
were greatly helped by it. Rev. Ford’s paper was
dispensed with until the next conference.

Extra sessions were held Tuesday night and
Wednesday morning, in order to discuss practical
topics relating to the mission work among our
people. And during these discussions some very
interesting facts were brought to light. It was
shown that not at every place where there are col-
ored people there is an ideal field for our mission,
because of the great opposition we often must en-
counter. As one brother put it: “Every negro is
more or less a Methodist or Baptist,’ and hence

One brother said that he had to walk two miles to
get wood in order to build a fire, so that he could
hold a service. After the people of that place had
locked the old schoolhouse door in his face, no one
would give him wood, light, or “even a match. —
Another thing that the missionaries must fight
against is unionism. All kinds of evil things are
said about you because you do not affiliate with
the other churches.

Many other interesting things relating to our
mission work were brought out in the extra sessions
of the Conference which we have not the time to
mention in detail here.

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BETHLEHEM SCHOOL, NEW ORLEANS, LA.

we should select that place where there is the least
opposition. And now among the six million
churehless negroes of the South, where is the proper
place to start? Where may we expect to get a self-
supporting congregation? And many other ques-
tions of like importance were asked.

The hardships that a missionary must endure
in opening new fields are generally unknown to
most people. And ‘these hardships the brethren
brought out in the discussion of the various phases
of the mission work. ‘The experiences as told by
the various missionaries were sad and yet, at times,
humorous. ‘They have had doors locked in their
faces, have been denied food and lodging, which
they could not procure for either love or money.

Conference adjourned Wednesday at noon,
March 28, to meet again at Concord, N. C., in
August. This was said by the brethren to have
been the best pastoral conference that they have
had in a long while. All-returned to their homes
feeling greatly benefited, and with new zeal to push
forward the work of the Master. And may God.
grant them the grace and power to fearlessly pro-
claim His eternal Gospel for the salvation of all
creatures ! R. O. L. Linn.

Ir is the rich comfort of the Christian heart
that the power and grace of Christ’s kingdom more
and more reach men and move them, and that we
can all have part in thus blessing men.