The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1914, Page 20

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20

The Lutheran Pioneer.

College when that institution was in its infancy,
in days when it tried the souls of both professors
and students. The church, parsonage, and school-
house, situated on elevated ground, in a grove of
large oaks, present a pleasing appearance, and the
premises are beautifully kept. ‘The nomadic ten-
dencies of the people has decreased the membership
of Rey. Alston’s charge considerably, and as there
is no material for missionary work, the growth of
his churches depends largely upon the training of
the children in the nurture and admonition of the

Mission Chapel at Salisbury, N.C.

Lord. Most of the 30 children that attend the
school are baptized members of the church.

A trip to St. Peter's Church, known also as

Dry’s Schoolhouse, was made on a week-day, yet
a good crowd had gathered for the services. On a
hot August day, in 1898, the writer had a “big

meeting” under a large oak tree near the old school- _

house. Under that tree 24 were baptized and 34
confirmed, and the Iv. Luth. St. Peter’s Church
was organized. Since that day the tree has been
called “The Holy Oak.” It still stands unshaken
by the storms of years as a monument of the sacred
acts performed in the shade of its branches.

Salisbury is an old city with an interesting his-
tory, but time fails to give it a write-up. Rev.
W. H. Lash has served the Salisbury charge as mis-
sionary and teacher for more than a decade, and is
now beginning to reap the fruits of his labor. In
Mr. J. Thalley he has an able coworker. We spent
a day in the school which, by the way, is almost
an exact reproduction of the “chicken-coop,” the first
St. Paul’s Chapel in New Orleans. Of an enroll-
ment of 100 children, 88 were present, all crowded
together like sardines in a box. In this room,
3030 feet, Rev. Lash and Mr. 'Thalley are teaching
six grades. A commodious schoolhouse is badly
needed for the growing Salisbury school. Rey. Lash
is serving two stations in Catawba Co. and, besides,
preaches at Kernersville and Statesville.

Albemarle, Stanley Co., thirty miles from Salis-
bury, is a new station which is served by Rey.
Fred Ford. He conducts a school in a private house
which has room for about 35 children. Rev. Ford
has a hard field in that city, but he will reap in
due season if he faints not.

In the judgment of the writer, the Lutheran
Church has a promising future among the colored
people of North Carolina. May God give us men
and means with which to carry on His work.

N. J. B.

———-— ew

Items from Our Colored Mission Field.

Concorp, N. C. — “A local conference, having as
its object the mutual good of the congregations of
the vicinity, was organized in Grace Church, Con-
cord, on January 28. The conference is composed
of the pastors of Rowan, Cabarrus, and Mecklen-
burg counties. ‘Two sessions were held. Rev. W. HH.
Lash was elected chairman, and Rev. John Alston,
secretary. The communion service at night was
conducted by Rev. John McDavid. The practical
discussions proved very beneficial to all. The con-
ference hopes to meet again in the near future.”

Sr. Louis, Mo. — Missionary James Doswell, of
St. Louis, Mo., is an inmate of the Lutheran Sani-
tarium for Consumptives at Wheat Ridge, near Den-
ver, Colo. God grant that he may soon be able to
take up his work again!

Yonrenrs, N. Y. — Rev. W. 0. Hill’s new address
is No. 6 Locust Hill Ave., Yonkers, N. Y.

Statistics or Our Cotorep Mission. — Our
Colored Mission, at the end of 19138, comprised 29