The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1918, Page 13

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

The Lutheran Pioneer. 13

by all the missionary forces of North Africa for
fifty years previous, and it is from the children
attending their Christian day-schools that these
Christian workers expect to obtain the “nucleus of
their church-membership in North Africa.

That the Mohammedan understands the sig-
nificance of the move which the Christian forces
are making with their day-schools is proved by the
remark which a Moslem editor made to a missionary
some time ago: “We do not want you to open a
school. It will do no harm to preach to the old
people, for they are settled in their ways and faith,
and you cannot influence them; but we know very
well, if you take up with the children, they are lost
to us.”

The missionary forces at work in Africa are
largely Methodist, Presbyterian, and Congregation-
alist, and while writing the above, the thought came
to us how strange it is that churches have the proof
of the great value of the Christian day-school for
the upbuilding of the Church in heathen countries,
and yet refuse to give their own children the same
opportunity and great blessing at home. Their
own children get a few crumbs at Sunday-school
onee a week, but they give to heathen children a
full meal daily! Is this not very inconsistent on
the part of the Christian home churches? And
should not we Lutherans, who haye hitherto in
a practical way shown that we realize the great
value of the Christian day-school, continue to prize
then as inestimable and indispensable blessings?

F. J. L.

a —

Items of Interest from Our Colored
Mission Field.

Srattstics. — At the end of 1917 our Colored
Mission numbered 506 souls more than it did at
the end of 1916. Last year also showed an increase
of 205 in the number of communicant members.
The number of day-schools grew from 31 to 37, in
which 2,620 pupils are daily instructed by 16 male
_ and 23 female teachers. ‘The Sunday-schools are
attended by 2,304 scholars. Among the 283 that
were baptized, there were 47 adults; and of the
275 persons confirmed, 192 were adults, among them
one person seventy-five years old. Our missionaries
* solemnized 40 marriages and officiated at 36 burials.
Our Colored people contributed almost $2,000.00
more last year than they did in 1916, namely,
$8,416.00. Of this sum the day-schools contributed

almost $1,800.00, and the students at our two col-”

leges gave $1,400.00. Our two higher institutions
were attended by 84 students, an increase of two
over the previous year. The past year was signally
blessed by God. May all the workers and supporters
of the Mission be encouraged by God’s past blessings
to continue the work with increased zeal in the
future!

*Possum Benp, ALA.—Missionary G. A. Schmidt
expecis to organize a congregation at *Possum Bend
in the near future. ‘The school enrolment at this
new place is so large, that a second teacher will
probably have to be engaged. At the time of this

Rev. G. A. Schmidt.

writing the new building is about to be dedicated
at *Possum Bend. :

New Orteans, La.— Teacher Peter Robinson “
informs us that he is the proud and happy father
of a healthy daughter since the 5th of last month:
May God hold His protecting hand over mother and
child! — Teacher Robinson also told us in a letter
written some weeks ago that the hard winter is hay-
ing its bad effect upon his school attendance. Many
of his pupils are without shoes and the necessary
clothing. We have sent him two barrels to help
relieve some of the want, and think it a good idea
to call the attention of our readers to the fact that
there is an excellent opportunity to help out with”
clothing and shoes in practically every part of our

extensive field. Of course, the clothing ‘shoyld be ~ ty p

sent PREPAID! To go real sure that your help is