The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1917, Page 10

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10 The Lutheran Pioneer.

tion Necessary?” and Prof. F. Berg set forth the
difference concerning the means of grace as taught
by the Lutheran and Reformed Churches. The
conference was attended by about seventy pastors,
teachers, delegates, and guests. — We hope that we
may be able to bring a full report of these “big
doings” at Concord in our next issue.

Confirmation Service at Midway, Ala.

Seven miles northwest of Camden, situated on
the Louisville and Nashville Railroad and the
county-seat of Wilcox County, Ala., and nine miles
southeast of Catherine, a station on the Southern
Railway, right-on the bank of the Alabama River
and midway the distance from the source of the
river to its mouth, on a leyel plain, lies a large
plantation owned by Judge B. M. Miller and known
as the Midway Plantation. Here a branch of the
great Lutheran Chureh has been planted amid a
large Colored agricultural population.

Work was begun here on February 15th of this

year, and its progress and success has been a wonder

in our eyes. On Sunday, June 24, a large class
could already be confirmed at Midway. arly in
the morning the people began to gather from the
remote sections of the surrounding communities’ to
witness this confirmation service. Rey. N. J. Bakke,
our kind and faithful superintendent, conducted
the service, which continued for four ‘hours.

First, each catechumen was examined by Pastor
Bakke. [The members of this class of catechumens
had been prepared for their confirmation by Miss
Young. — Eprror.] After the examination, Pastor
Bakke preached a glorious and heart-searching
sermon. Then he baptized twenty-three persons,
five adults and eighteen children. After the bap-
tism of this large number of persons the door of
the great Lutheran church stood ajar, so to speak,
and forty penitent, contrite, and humble souls pre-
sented themselves for admittance and were con-
firmed.

After the confirmation of all these people
Pastor Bakke set the Lord’s Table and administered
Holy Communion to those who had made confession
of Christ. After Communion a hymn was sung and
Pastor Bakke pronounced the benediction.

The service proper having thus been brought
to an end, Pastor Bakke gave a very timely and
fatherly talk, submitted to the new members a con-
gregational constitution, and organized Mount Car-
mel Lutheran Congregation.

The entire service was conducted with so much
solemnity that not only our own members, but also
members of other churches said that it was a glo-

rious service, and it was the topic of conversation

for many days.

The little body of Lutherans here are proud of ,

their Church, and give promise of proving loyal
and faithful by the grace of God. Besides, all the
better class of people, even though they are in some
cases members of other *churches, concede that the
Lutheran mission here is the greatest asset of Mid-
way, and freely express their willingness to help
foster the great cause.

At this writing a new class of catechumens,
numbering no less than forty-eight persons, is being
prepared for confirmation. Please pray that the
Spirit of the living God may continue with us, and
provide means and friends for our good Mission
Board’ to carry on this great work among our Col-
ored people.

Yours in Christ,
Rosa J. Youna.

Items of Interest from Our Colored
Mission Field.

We Are Growrne! — During the past eighteen -

months our Colored Mission has had a phenomenal
growth. The number of baptized members has had
an increase of over 500, the number of communi-
cant members shows an increase of almost 300, and

our Sunday-school enrolment has been augmented —

by the addition of 750 pupils.

Arrention!— The Colorec, Mission Board ex-
pended $65,970.44 last year, while its receipts from
all sources amounted to no more than $61,366.07.
I rejoice in thinking that our Board has had an
opportunity to spend so much money in the great
cause of Colored Missions, and that God is opening
the door for us in so many localities; but I regret
to learn that the receipts of the Board did not keep
pace with the expenses. It is very probable that
it will only be necessary to tel). our people the cir-
cumstances, in order to induce them to increase
their contributions to this most worthy cause.

TRANSFERS AMONG THE WorKERS. — Pastor
Peay has been transferred from New Orleans to
Alabama. He took up the work in his new field
on the first of August.— Teacher Robinson has
been transferred from Trinity School, New Orleans,
to the school in Carrollton. — Missionary Berger is
expected to move to Alabama in the near future;