The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1917, Page 92

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92

The Lutheran Pioneer.

a very instructive paper on “How to Teach Arith-
metic.” It was intended for primary teachers.
The reading of this secular paper was in keeping
with a resolution of Conference to have one such
paper read in a closed session at every convention.
This was found necessary because of the fact that
our mission-schools have to compete with a very
complete system of education in the public schools.
Now as never before the public school authorities
are bending their efforts to improve the conditions
of the Colored publie schools, and to make them
attractive to hoth parents and children. Some of
the members of their faculties hold college degrees.
Our teachers, with three and four grades assigned
to one room, have much to do to keep abreast with
he rapidly improving conditions, and the strides
that the Colored public schools are making.

On Wednesday night, the Rev. W. Tervalon, of
Mansura, read an interesting paper before the open
meeting on “The Lutheran Confirmation.” He told
of the origin, the preparation, and the yow. Pastor
Tervalon emphasized the great difference between
. the Catholic “Holy Communion,” with which many
empty ceremonies are connected, and the Lutheran
Confirmation, which involves months of serious and
thorough spiritual preparation.

On the following night Pastor E, Schmidt read
a timely paper on “The Necessity of the Reforma-
tion.” It was well adapted to prepare the minds
and hearts of the attentive hearers for the great
Quadricentennial celebration which was soon to fol-
low. I shall give some account of this celebration
in paragraphs that follow.

Heretofore our female teachers have not had
access to our closed sessions, but by a resolution of
Conference passed during this session the bars have
been let down. ‘They are to be invited to attend
the morning sessions, and will be requested to read
papers and participate in the discussion of them.
This resolution also, like the other one I men-
tioned, was made in view of the advancement of
the Colored public schools round about us, and the
opposition that our schools as well as our lady.
teachers themselves are “up against.”

In our sessions this year we noted with regret
the remoyal of two familiar figures from Luther
Conference, the Rev. H. Berger, of Napoleonyille
and Johnson, and Teacher Geo. Demouy, of Napo-
leonville. These brethren have been transferred to
Alabama. We wish them God-speed in their new
field of labor. At the same time we have the
pleasure of receiving Brother C. P. Thompson into

our midst. Pastor Thompson is tiow serving the
congregation at Napoleonyille, froin where Pastor
Berger was transferred. — i

Now to come to the grand celebration of the
Four-hundredth Anniversary of tie Reformation.
Never since the beginning of Lutheran mission-
work among the Colored people of New Orleans
was there any celebration on such a grand scale
as this one on Sunday afternoon, November 11. It
was a gala day for Colored Lutherans, a day on
which their hearts and voices were uituned to songs
of thanksgiving and praises to Goi for the bless-
ings of the Reformation. For weeks preparations
had been made for the celebration. Printed posters
had been distributed broadcast. A great chorus of
children and another great chorus of adults were
thoroughly drilled.

The celebration was scheduled for 2.30 o’clock,
but it was about 3.80 before we could begin. People
came from near and far to see what the Colored
Lutherans were about. In the audience were men
representing various professions, sectarian preachers,
doctors, and lawyers. It was a glorious picture
when the curtain arose upon this great gathering,
met to give glory to God for His wonderful and
blessed work of the Reformation. ‘Seated upon the
stage in front were the pastors and teachers, as well
as the speakers of the day, while massed directly
behind them was the great chorus of mixed voices.
Down in the parquet were hundreds of. upturned
faces. In the boxes were the families of pastors
and teachers. Above in the gallery was the large
chorus of schoolchildren, happy and eager to “do
their bit” in singing songs of praise and thanks-
giving. Sounds like a description of a theatrical
performance, doesn’t it? But it isn’t. It is just
this. Conference had rented a local theater, with
a seating capacity of 700, to take care of the large
attendance which was expected, and which really
did present itself.

I shall not attempt to describe the singing. You
can well imagine what it must have been. Suffice
it to say that it thrilled the heart. ‘The festival
songs sung by both choruses were both written and
set to music by Teacher Wm. B. Seeberry. ‘Teacher
Seeberry was also musical director. He was ably
assisted in drilling the children by Teachers Vix
and Lange.

The Rev. A. Wismar, of Gretna, Jua., delivered
a masterful address, giving a “Historical Survey of
the Reformation.” The undersigned also spoke on
“he Benefits and Blessings of the Reformation.”