The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1923, Page 60

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60

because we have few Colored people here in com-
parison with Japanese and Chinese. And I sup-
pose that the Chinese people have become closer to
us young people since the Walther League has en-
deavored to arouse our interest in foreign mission
work. I think the Walther League should also
arouse the young folks’ interest in the Negroes,
and, no doubt, it plans to do that very thing.

“There is one statement in your article that
I shall not forget very soon: ‘Worry because of
the work that they are obliged to leave undone is
eating out the hearts of these faithful workers. If
they were the laborers of some other denomination,
they would be made much of? There surely must
be something wrong with us. I can hardly under-
stand how we ever allowed things to get into such
a condition.

“T have been trying to build up a bank account,
and every month a certain sum must go in. But

I hardly think the clerk at the bank will miss me ~

if I fail to show up for a month or two, so in due
course this money will reach the Negro Mission
field. Inasmuch as Selma, Ala., is so much in need
of a school, I think it would give me the most
pleasure if I knew my small gift was helping there.
So I shall ask Rev. kindly to designate Selma
when forwarding the money.

“T hope you will be able to continue giving us
so much valuable information on’ Colored Missions,
and J also sincerely hope that it will dous some good.

“It is my sincere wish that the Lord may
strengthen the missionaries in their great task,
especially those working among the Negroes, while
we who have everything may learn to give up a few
of our luxuries to supply funds for the Black Belt
of our country.”

Now, isn’t this a beantiful letter, indeed?
Don’t you think that such a letter must make every
friend of missions rejoice? When once our young
people, our young men and young women, will be-
come fully interested in the work of missions, then,

‘we feel sure, a new day will come, a day when the
Lord will grant the Gospel many glorious victories
over the/powers of darkness. F. J. 1.

Church and School Badly Needed
in Atlanta, Ga.

_ Both the pastor and the members of St. Mark’s
“Mission at Atlanta would very much like to have
@ church and school. The buildings now used are
Imadequate for the fast-growing work in this city.

4

The Lutheran Pioneer.

About a month ago, during our devotion in the old
building used for a school, the floor gave way. Our
school-building, therefore, has been condemned and
cannot be used another season.

Our membership is not very large and is made
up of humble people, who are not richly blessed
with this world’s goods. However, each Sunday
our little chapel is well filled.. It has a seating
capacity of only one hundred and fifty. You can
readily see that for the Negro population of Atlanta
— 80,000 — this is far too small.

Once we can get these poor people into our
church to hear a sermon from a Lutheran pulpit,
they are always anxious to come again. At first,
when they move here from the country, they are
afraid of our church which they call “a new church.”
They know of no church but the Baptist.

One-Room Schoolhouse in Atlanta.
Now condemned by the authorities.

Besides, our church is poorly located, and the
strects leading to it are in such bad condition that
upon the occasion of several deaths of members, the
undertaker refused to bring the bodies of our dead
to the church.

Although our attendance at services is very good
because of an overflow of people driven from the
country on account of the ravages of the boll weevil,
which has made work scarce and wages low in the
rural districts, we are unable to provide the build-
ings so greatly needed, and must call on our friends
in the North to help us.

A student of Concordia College, Springfield, Tll.,
reading an account of the crowded condition in our
church, sent us a dollar to start a church-building
fund for Atlanta. Who will be the next one? May
God open many hearts to hear the ery of Macedonia
and come over and help us! ‘This is the only mis-
sion we have in the State of Georgia.

JOHN ALSTON.