The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1921, Page 45

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

45

this. But I like the Lutheran Church, and I'll
come back to services even here. But do try to get
a better place.” Mr. Seymour has been a regular
attendant-since that Sunday, and he and his family
in all probability would become members if a decent
place of worship could be provided.

The same is true of others. Parents who send
their children to our school have.declared that they
will not let their children be confirmed until we
have a permanent home for our flock. Worshiping
as we do in so disreputable a house, it is really a
marvel that decent people come at all. Only a few
weeks ago a man who is not a member of any church,
but who himself has attended our services, told our
mission-teacher that he would under no circum-
stances have his daughters attend our services in the
hall, where they would be exposed to the disrespect
and insults of low people that are always sitting
around in the hall during our services.
“You do not know this place. I know the class of
men who gather here, and if you knew the situation
as I do, you would no longer hold services and
Sunday-school here.” '

Now, under the circumstances what are we
to do? Shall we discontinue our work in Plaque-
mine altogether? Shall we abandon the hundred
and more children that have come to our school?
Shall we forsake those souls that have already joined
our Church? We are sure that you will say: “No,
never!” ‘There are dozens of people in Plaquemine
waiting for the time when we shall put up a chapel
for them. Shall we disappoint them? We have
here not a few young people who have already been
instructed for confirmation, but who have not joined
because their parents refuse to give their consent so
long as our place of worship is in the Odd-Fellows
Hall. Children whose parents have tried to force
them to join other churches have told their parents
that they would join no church but the Lutheran.

Dear reader, have we made it plain to you that
a chapel in Plaquemine is an urgent need? We have
a lot, but the lot will help us none without the
chapel. You do not want us workers, after months’
of hard work, to give up all we have won, do you?
Will you not listen to the ery of all these children
that are attending our mission-school and who are
longing to hear of Jesus? Shall these young people
that are asking for a place of-worship and their
parents plead in vain? Oh, do not say, “No.”

We have another paragraph to add to the above.
Since January a private school has opened its doors

He added:

in opposition to ours in the same building in which
we are. Day after day our children: are being
molested by the children of the other school, and
day after day they are compelled to listen to obscene
and profane words out of the mouths of the pupils
of the other school. Shall we let this go on? Shall
we permit the children of our school to be exposed
to these insults and these offenses? Surely not! For
the spread of the Lord’s kingdom and the saving of
the souls of many Negro children here in Plaque-
mine, may God make many of our Lutheran Chris-
tians willing to give of their means to erect a chapel
and school in Plaquemine this summer!
C. P. Txoarpson.

Alabama Notes.

April 15 and 16 the pastoral conference held its
monthly meeting at Mount Olive Congregation,
Tinela. All the brethren were present, and every
one seemed to have enjoyed himself very much. On
Friday night Rev. Peay of Oak Hill preached a very
inspiring sermon to a packed house. The speaker
used as a text Acts 20, 28. ‘The gist of the first part
of the sermon was that the pastor should “study to
show himself approved of God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the
Word of Truth.” The second part of the sermon
was summed up in the words that he should preach
the Word in season and out of season, rightly ad-
minister the Sacraments, and faithfully visit his
members. After the sermon the Rev. Carter, of
Rosebud, read his paper on “Infant Baptism.” In
the first part of the paper he showed the meaning
and efficacy of Baptism, and in the second part,
“Why Baptism should be practised upon’ infants,”
the following points were brought out: Because of.
their spiritual condition without it; because of this
conditign they need Baptism; because of God’s
command so to do; because of God’s holy promise
concerning Baptism; because of the nature, power,
and effects of Baptism itself; because without Bap-
tism children are outside God’s plan of salvation;
because New ‘T'estament usage and the practise of
the Church Fathers favor it. Every one enjoyed the
paper very much, and from the discussion which
followed it was apparent that there are still some.
“hard-boiled” who refuse to yield to the teachings
of Scripture. ae

Saturday morning the brethren assembled for