The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1926, Sheet 71

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

tion of the city which could be rented for mission
purposes, just when we were about discouraged,
the Lord moved the heart of a member of Emmaus
Congregation to offer us the use of a large house
located on Jefferson and Woodlawn Avenues, free
of charge until May 1. Surely, this is the Lord’s
doing, and we believe that through such blessings
He places His stamp of approval on the enterprise.

“This house is ideally located for Colored Mis-
sion purposes and well fitted and arranged. The
second floor is not used at present, but would make
a fine home for a colored pastor. We are hoping,
praying, and laboring that we may soon welcome
a colored worker in our midst to take over the
entire work.

“On New Year’s Day the Colored Mission was
formally opened with a reception and a brief ser-
vice. But little preliminary work had been done,
and it was therefore very gratifying to see twelve
colored people assembled for this first service. On
the following Sunday eighteen were present at the
service. The Sunday-school opened with an enrol-
ment of 8 on this Sunday, which increased, how-
ever, to 22 on the following Sunday. Eight people
are registered in our mid-week Bible class.”

It will interest our readers to hear that the
young colored man who may be regarded as the
actual founder of our mission in Buffalo is now
preparing himself for the ministry at Immanuel
Lutheran College, Greensboro, N.C. We learn that
the good people of Buffalo are taking care of the
needs of this student and that one Christian brother
has assumed the whole burden of paying for the
student’s board and books. F.J.L.

+ Director Martin Luecke. +

The Editor has just returned from Fort Wayne,
where he attended the funeral of a dear friend,
Director M. Luecke. In him our Negro Missions
have lost a staunch friend and supporter. He de-
parted for the better life on Tuesday, April 13,
after an illness of only a few days. His was a rich
life of service in the Lord’s kingdom. For twenty-
two years he served as pastor of several congrega-
tions in Illinois, last the important congregation
at Springfield, where one of our theological semi-
naries is located. Twenty-three years ago he was
called to the presidency of the oldest higher school
of the Missouri Synod, Concordia College, Fort
-Wayne, Ind. It was as director of this institution

69

of higher learning that he was able most richly to
use those peculiar gifts with which he had been
endowed. And he never was sparing in their use.
He was one of those who had learned from his
Master that we are in this life not to be ministered
unto, but to minister. And God bountifully blessed
his service; for during his incumbency of the presi- ”
dency of Concordia College the enrolment was al-
most trebled.

In his death the Church sustains a great loss:
a faithful member, a zealous official, a conscientious
executive. Society is the richer because of his life,

+ Director Martin Luecke. +

for he set before it a bright and shining example of
that unselfishness which dwells in those whose
natural talents are sanctified by the indwelling of
Christ’s Spirit. The cause of missions has lost in
him a fearless champion, one who was ever ready
to plead its needs and wants whenever the oppor-
tunity to do so presented itself. May the memory
of Director Luecke live long among us! F.J.L.

+ John Philip Smith. +

Our heavenly Father has called another one of
His children home. On Friday evening, March 26,
at half past eight o’clock, John Philip Smith, the