The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1924, Sheet 77

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The Lutheran Pioneer. 15:

reduced this number to 92. Though she is strong,
“she could not be expected to teach the large number
of pupils.she had before. Teacher Theo. Schroeder,
the only white teacher in our whole Negro Missions,
has charge of the upper classes, while Andrew
Seraile has charge of the intermediate room and
Miss Ethel Johnson of the primary room. — On
June 15 the Lord called home His faithful servant
D. Meibohm, who had taught in Mount Zion School
uninterruptedly for almost twenty-nine years. Hun-
dreds of Negro boys and girls learned of him the
way to Jesus and life eternal. — Mount Zion has
the largest Sunday-school of our Mission. While
two years ago the Sunday-school had an enrolment
of only 80, this number has now grown to 220,
because the mission-workers have consistently in-
sisted that the pupils of the day-school also attend
the Sunday-school. — Pastor Beck is at present can-
vassing a certain territory of the city with the in-
tention of opening another station.

3. St. Paul’s, New Orleans. (Founded 1879.
Pastor E. H. Wildgrube,* in charge since March,
1922). This is the largest congregation of our
Negro Missions, having a baptized membership of
398. Gain in two years, 41. The preaching of the
Word and the administration of the Sacraments
have not been in vain. The members have appar-
ently grown in the knowledge of God’s Word and
in faith. One person had to be excommunicated.
Though the church attendance is not what it should
be, there is some improvement. The missionary
has been successful in introducing regular family
worship in many homes. — Though 18 persons be-
longing to the congregation died during the last
two years, there has been a net gain of 41 persons,
21 of whom are confirmed members. The pastor is
instructing six adults at the present time and ex-
pects to be able to confirm them before the end of
the year. ‘The school has an enrolment of about
150 children, who are being instructed by three
teachers. ‘The upper grades are taught by Teacher
Wm. Seeberry, the intermediate classes by Teacher
A. Berger, and the primary grades by Miss S. Ray-
mond. ‘Teacher Secberry’s class, which until last
fall occupied one of the rooms of Luther College, is
now domiciled: in a portable building (385X25X12
feet), which was procured by the Board at a cost
of only $1,739. This is the first trial made with
a portable building by the Board, but the indica-
tions are that in the future such portable buildings
may be utilized under certain conditions also in
other places.

4. Trinity, New Orleans. (Founded 1913).

This congregation is served by Pastor Wildgrube *
of St. Paul’s. There has been practically no growth
at this place. In two years the congregation had
a net gain of four persons. It now numbers 53 bap-
tized and 42 communicant members. Some of the:
members are diligent churchgoers and frequently
partake of the Lord’s Supper. They are also liberal
contributors, most of them giving a quarter at every
service. Other members of this congregation are:
very dilatory and cause the pastor much trouble.
They are mostly young people, whose parents are:
not members, and who therefore care little whether

these young Christians attend church or not. The: ~

school, which is in the care of our efficient Teacher
A. D. Johnson, is making fine progress and has:
almost doubled its enrolment during the year. Many
of the day-school pupils attend the Sunday-school-

Our New School, New Orleans.
Teacher Wm. Seeberry and His Class.

5. New Station at Pailets Land. Pastor Wild-

grube* began work here August 5, 1923. The
home of this mission is a private dwelling. Here
services and Sunday-school have been regularly held
since last fall. During the winter and spring
months twelve adults attended the services, but
since warmer weather set in, counter-attractions, in
the way of picnics and the like, have had a bad
effect on the attendance. The Sunday-school has
an average attendance of twenty children. For
these children a summer school was conducted dur-
ing the month of August, which, itis hoped, may
eventually develop into a regular day-school.

G6. Bethlehem, New Orleans. (Founded 188%.
Pastor G. M. Kramer,* since August, 1907.) There:
has been only a slight increase in the membership.
of this congregation. While always new members
are added, many of the older members move away..

Thus the members of the little congregations at .

Santa Monica, Cal., and in Philadelphia: are mostly
former members of Bethlehem. ‘The day-school is:
in a fine condition; 261 pupils are efficiently in-

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