The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1926, Page 150

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

1911.

150

Last fall the mission-school was reopened. The
church must serve as school.

12. St. Paul’s, Charlotte. (Founded in 1891.
Missionary: John W. Fuller, since August 9, 1925.)
Pastor John McDavid, who received his training at
Springfield, Ill., and served this congregation for
twenty years, was transferred to Los Angeles, Cal.,
in August, 1925. Missionary Fuller, till then in
Spartanburg, S.C., became his successor. There
has been only a very slight increase in membership
in the past two years. Baptized membership, 174

gain, 2); communicant membership,.68; voting
membership, 28. The people in the vicinity of our
station belong to the poorest class and seldom live
long in the miserable huts of the neighborhood.
Because of this continual migration it is hard to
build up the congregation. Only two blocks away
from our property the city of Charlotte has erected
its beautiful public buildings. This has greatly
increased the value of our property and will prob-
ably change the appearance of this part of the city.

13. Mount Zion, Charlotte. (Founded in 1896.
Missionary: J. W. Fuller, since August 9, 1925.)
The baptized membership has slightly increased ; it
now is 66; communicant membership, 27. The
members of this station are better situated in a
material sense than are the members of St. Paul’s.
They own their own homes, and the value of these
has greatly increased because this neighborhood ad-
joins the most beautiful part of the beautiful city of
Charlotte. Missionary Fuller writes: “The condition
of this station is satisfactory, with some evidences
of growth.”

14. Bethel, Charlotte. (Founded in September,
Missionary: J. W. Fuller, since August 9,
1925.) The missionary writes: “This congregation
has a future, though at present it is not growing.
We have here a number of aged members who cannot
come to St. Paul’s. I serve these.” Because the
teacher was ill last fall, the school was closed.
Baptized members, 37; communicant members, 22.
— The union of the three congregations in Char-
lotte could not yet be realized, though continued

' efforts to bring this about are still being put forth.

15. Bethlehem, Monroe. (Founded in 1900.
Missionary: J. W. Fuller, since August, 1925.)

_ Monroe is twenty-five miles southeast of Charlotte.

A few years ago this church had dwindled down to
a very few members; but the number of baptized

"members has again reached 40, and the communi-
_ cant membership is 24. Missionary Fuller writes:
_ “The property stands in need of some repairs, which,

I believe, the members will take care of.”

"1923.

THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

16. Mount Calvary, Mount Pleasant. (Founded
in 1893. Missionary: Frank D. Alston, since July,
He lives in Charlotte.) We here own a
church and a parsonage, but they are situated be-
hind a forest, which separates them from the town.
At one time this congregation had more than a
hundred members; but many have moved away, and
now only 42 are left. However, we are pleased to say
that those who left Mount Pleasant have not been
lost to the Church, since they have joined our con-
gregations at other places.

17. St. Peter's, Drys Schoolhouse. (Rural charge.
Founded in 1897. Missionary: Frank D. Alston,
since July, 1923.) Baptized members, 30 (loss «) ;
communicants, 25 (loss 1). Missionary Alston says
in his report: “The people are faithful. Sunday
before last it poured down from 10 to 12 o’clock.
When I turned from the main road, my auto stuck
in the mud. I got out and walked about a mile to
the house of one of the members, took his horse, and
drew my auto out of the ditch. I finally arrived
at the church drenched to the skin and an hour and
a half late. The faithful band had built a fire and
was waiting for me. Despite the fact that I felt
most uncomfortable in my wet clothing, I preached
them a sermon before I hastened to the next mission-
station.” “We can expect growth only from within at
this place. But to the honor of the people it must
be said that they are faithful and willing Lutherans.
No matter whether the pastor is here or not, they
meet in their church every Sunday, have their
Sunday-school, and sing hymns. You may rest
assured that all those who do not move away will live
and die in the Lutheran Church.”

18. Mount Calvary, Kannapolis. (Rural charge;
one and a half miles from town. Founded July 6,
1902, by the sainted Superintendent J. P. Smith.
Missionary: F'. D. Alston, since July, 1919.) Of all
the congregations in North Carolina this one grows
the fastest. During the last two years the baptized
membership has grown from 107 to 150. four years
ago there were only 49 baptized members. This
would be a growth of 206 per cent. This is what the
missionary writes concerning this flourishing con-
gregation: “The outlook is very encouraging. The
attendance at divine service is very good and we have
here a spirit of cooperation which will surely bring
its fruits. The pity is that I haven’t the time to
work here as much as I should. I always feel as if
the time which I spend at my other two charges
should be spent here. If this could be done, the
results would be great. I expect soon to report the
reception of several new members. Almost every —