The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1927, Page 21

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER. 21

The First Missionary.

Fully convinced of the importance of the task
entrusted to them, the members of the first Mission
Board at once took steps to begin the good work.
The first important task was the calling of a mis-
sionary. Their choice fell upon Rev. J. F. Doescher,
who had shown great aptitude for mission-work in
the Home Mission field of our Western States.
Rey. Doescher gladly accepted the call and was con-
secrated to his new work on October 16, 1877, at
the convention of the Western District of the Mis-
souri Synod at Altenburg, Mo. A few days after
his installation, Rev. Doescher delivered a sermon in
the interest of the new Negro Mission at New
Wells, Mo. A number of colored people was in his
audience. —

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Rev. J. F. Buenger.

Rev. Doescher Sets Out for the South.

In the fall of 1877 Missionary Doescher set out
upon a tour of observation, passing through the
States of Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Missis-
sippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. His instruc-
tions were to preach wherever and whenever the
opportunity to do so was offered him, closely to
observe the spiritual condition of the people, and
to mark those places which seemed most promising
as prospective mission-centers.

The First Colored Flock.

Rey. Doescher’s first objective was Memphis,
Tenn.; but not being favorably impressed with con-
ditions there, he soon left for Little Rock, Ark.,
where he found most promising conditions. Being
advised not to proceed farther South until January
on account of the yellow fever, he remained in
Little Rock and at once set to work. He soon had

a flock of colored persons gathered about him, all

eager to hear the Gospel, and his Sunday-school
numbered fifty pupils in a very short time.

Doescher Again Takes Up His Travels.

In January, 1878, Missionary Doescher again set
out for the South and in the latter part of the month
arrived in the northern river parishes (counties) of
Louisiana. Here he found a very large colored
population, eager to listen to his preaching. In the
parishes of Madison and Tensas, particularly, the
plantation Negroes showed great delight in the
Gospel preached to them. So white already to
harvest did he find these two parishes that he
reported to the Board that two missionaries would
find full employment in bringing in the promising
harvest. In fact, all the country parishes of
Louisiana which he visited gave promise of a boun-
tiful harvest if but the necessary laborers could be
furnished to gather in the ripening grain.

Doescher Arrives in
New Orleans.

In February, 1878,
the missionary arrived in
New Orleans and at once
set to work to ascertain
the prospects in this
metropolis of the South.
He found a colored popu-
lation of about 80,000,
of which scarcely one-
tenth was even nomi-
nally connected with any

Rev. C. F. W. Sapper.
church; more than 70,000 were steeped in deepest

spiritual ignorance and blindness. Without any
loss of time he secured a building in which he
would be able to preach the saving Gospel to such
of the benighted sons and daughters of Ham as
could be induced to listen to him. He was faith-
fully and ably supported in his work by several of
the pastors, teachers, and members of our white
congregations in the city, and in a very short time
he had the pleasure of seeing a goodly number of
dusky hearers gathered about him, who listened to:
the glad tidings of grace and salvation. It was
especially in the Sunday-school work that several
of the white brethren did truly yeomen’s service,
helping the missionary to usher a flourishing school
into existence. In a few months the Sunday-school
had an enrolment of 156 pupils, among whom there
were no less than thirty-five adults.

Doescher Wends His Way Eastward.
As the missionary’s “tour of discovery and ex-

ploration” was not yet completed, a local advisory
board was appointed in New Orleans, as had been