The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1926, Page 169

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER. 169

our country.” During the coming year this mission
will be able to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of
its existence. This event should be fittingly cele-
brated, not only in the Negro congregations, but
also in all the congregations of our Synodical Con-
ference. The Board has appointed a committee,

_ consisting of Vice-President F. J. Lankenau and

the writer, to work out suitable plans for the cele-
bration and to present them to the Conference.
A history of our Negro Missions is also to be
compiled. :
2. Missions in Africa. — Our Negro Christians
have contributed a chapel to each of our foreign
fields, China and India. They have a warm heart
for missions among the blind heathen. At the
second General Conference, which convened last

~ August in Concord, N.C., the representatives of

our Negro congregations unanimously and with
great enthusiasm resolved to ask their Mission
Board to present their wish of establishing a mis-
sion in Africa to the Synodical Conference. Their
wish is herewith being complied with. In order to
show that they are sincere about it, they have lifted
a collection for the contemplated Africa Missions.
The sum collected amounts to almost $2,500.

8. The Second General Conference of our mis-
sionaries and representative laymen, which con-
vened August 12—17, 1925, in the congregation of
Missionary Melvin Holsten in Concord, N.C., was
fraught with much blessing and gave general
satisfaction. These conferences, which are held
biennially, are a preparatory school for a future
synod. ‘The next conference, in 1927, will be a
jubilee conference and will convene in Selma, Ala.

4. Contributions of Our Negro Christians. —
Our Lutheran Negro Christians are neither rich
farmers nor well-to-do business people nor workers
with large wages or salaries. They are mostly
servants and small tenants. And yet they were able,
during 1925, to collect the very astounding sum
of $31,648.47, in two years a total of $60,223.50.
On an average, each confirmed member, whether
young or old, contributed $11.77 during the past
year for church purposes. The great pleasure they
take in giving for the spread of the Gospel plainly
shows their gratitude for-the rescue work we are
doing for them and their children. It happens
that an old Negro “auntie” may be seen going to
town on Saturday, carrying a chicken under her

~ arm, which she intends to sell, so that on Sunday

she may lay the proceeds on the altar for the dear
Savior. :

5. Remarkably Low Death-Rate. — According
to the census of 1920 eighteen out of 1,000 Negroes
of our country died. In our Negro Missions, in
1925, only nine out of 1,000 died. This is a further
proof that the Negroes who become Lutherans live
entirely different from their countrymen. ‘Their
transformation is thorough. Our Lutheran Negro
is not to be compared with the average Negro. He
is entirely different. The color of his skin, of
course, remains the same, but otherwise the word
of the apostle is verified: “Therefore, if any man
be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are
passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

6. Granting the Right of Purchase.—In view
of the approaching golden jubilee of our Negro
Missions in 1927, the Mission Board of the Synod-
ical Conference recommends that our older and
more thoroughly indoctrinated congregations be
given an opportunity to purchase the mission
properties which have been used by them and to pay
for them on the instalment plan. In doing this,
they should be credited with the sums they raised
for the original buildings, repairs, ete. The con-
gregation as well as the Board shall be represented
when the present value of the property is estab-
lished. Both parties shall appoint a third mem-
ber. We believe that this arrangement will spur
the congregations on to come nearer to the goal of
self-support.

%. The Mission Board wishes to ask if it is the
wish and desire of the Synodical Conference to —
borrow money in emergency cases and to mortgage
the property. This has heretofore not been its
practise. ;

8. The Missouri Synod, at its convention in
June, took into its budget our Negro Missions and —
passed the following resolutions: —

“Resolved, That the Board of Directors be, and
hereby is, authorized and directed to include the
following activities or treasuries in the synodical
Budget, to wit: Board of Support, General Church
Textension, Contingent Reserve Fund, Deaf-mute
Missions, European Missions, Foreign Missions,
Foreign-tongue Missions, General Home Missions,
Immigrant and Seamen’s Missions, Indian Mis-
sions, Jewish Mission, Negro Missions, South
American Missions, Synodical Treasury, and
Synodical Building Fund;

“That all synodical boards and commissions
whose activities are included in the Synodical
Budget, be, and hereby are, authorized and directed -
to include in their budget requests to the Board of ©