The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1923, Page 30

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30

The Lutheran Pioneer.

St. Louis and Springfield whose bank contributions
usually range between four and five dollars at each
opening.

These incidents show again that where the
Gospel is brought, there hearts are turned to the
Savior in faith and love. May these incidents serve
as examples for us, inducing us to fill the Lord’s
mission-coffers to more than capacity, — to bulging!
—so that many more blood-bought souls may be
rescued from the power of darkness and brought
to the Savior’s bosom! HeErpert C. Craus.

A Letter from Lidderdale, Iowa.

The undersigned just received the following
letter from Lidderdale, Iowa: —
DeEar BROTHER : —

Shortly after four o’clock yesterday afternoon,
when I was sitting in my study and had finished
reading about half: of your article in the Concordia
Junior Messenger, one of our schoolboys, who is
also a member of my confirmation class, rapped at
the door.

Opening the door, I immediately noticed that
he had an unusually broad smile on his face. Ergo
— he must be glad to come to me at this time. He
was. He promptly handed me a five-dollar bill,
saying: “I want to give this to the poor.” I said
to him: “Have you any particular poor in mind
to whom I am to send this gift?” I was pleased
to hear his answer: “I read that long letter in the
Junior Messenger last night, and would like to give
this five-dollar bill to the poor Negroes in Alabama.”
Say, that made me glad, and I believe the smile on
his face jumped across to mine. Rather pleasantly
astonished, and not thinking of anything better to
say, I asked: “Why, Ottomar, how did you get so
much money for this good purpose?” His smile
grew broader as he said: “I raised a few geese last
summer and sold them now. But when I read that
letter in the Juntor Messenger, I thought I would
give the money to the poor Negroes in Alabama.”
That pleased me still more. I realized that the boy
not only gave in the right spirit, but had also
brought a real sacrifice. ;

The little donor is Master Ottomar Fricke.

May the Lord, our Savior, bless both you and

“your work in Alabama!

Yours,
H. P. Sonar.

The smile of that little boy not only did some
jumping in Lidderdale, but it has been jumping
to other places. It jumped to the face of the under-
signed, and will also jump to the faces of those
whom the gift helps.

May many of our readers catch the spirit of this
boy, a spirit which will make us willing to lay down
in sacrifice at the feet of our Savior the gifts that
are needed in the building of our Lutheran Zion,
in bringing the saving Gospel to blood-bought souls.

G. A. Scmaupr.

em

For Those Interested in Mission-Schools.

Mount Zion School is the oldest Colored school
we have in New Orleans. The beginnings of this
school go back to the days of the old “Sailors’
Home,” out on the river front. This is the school that
Messrs. Vix and Meibohm made famous throughout
the Colored population of New Orleans. Mr. Vix
taught in this school for almost forty years, and
Mr. Meibdhm spent about thirty years of his life
in teaching the intermediate grades of this institu-
tion. Mount Zion School has an enrolment of about
250 pupils, who are taught by Mr. Schroeder, Pastor
Beck; and Miss Ethel Johnson. Here is a descrip-
tion of Miss Johnson’s room that will be encourag-
ing and also discouraging to the friends of our
Colored Missions : —

“She has four classes — chart, C,B, and A. Her
enrolment was 145 some time ago. We urged her
to reduce the number of pupils. Now she has 127
on the roll. Wighty-two of these were present on
the Monday morning when we visited her class.
The day was gloomy, and it soon began to rain.
The desks in her room are double desks. However,
I counted no less than sixteen desks in which three
pupils were seated. Miss Johnson told me that she
has had as many as 124 children present — four
children in most of the seats, and one pupil occupy-
ing the teacher’s chair! Tvery available inch in the
room is being used. The rear desks are close up to
the wall. When I entered the room, I saw three
children at each rear desk, sitting, kneeling, or
standing up, and doing arithmetic work on the rear
blackboard. In one corner of the room there is an
old square piano, and on it were piled the wraps
and hats of the pupils. On either end of the piano
sat a large girl figuring on the blackboard. Oh,
that we had more room in Mount Zion School!
At the noon hour three new pupils were standing

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