The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1927, Page 105

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

105

by ghosts. These spirits are either good or bad, but
most of them are bad. They cause and cure sickness,
they control the growth of the crops, and even deter-
mine births and deaths.

The birth of twins is considered perfectly proper
by these people, but if ever triplets are born, the
event is regarded with such horror that no time is
lost in choking them to death by filling their mouths
with ashes.

To date very little mission-work has been done
on the whole island of Mindanao, and Satan holds
almost complete sway over its people. It will
probably be some time yet before direct mission-
work can be undertaken among them. But in the
mean time we should remember them and _ their
spiritual plight in our prayers and ask God to open
a way for the Gospel of salvation also to them.

F.J.L.

Great Need for Missions
among the Spanish-Speaking People
of the Southwest.

The southern parts of Texas, New Mexico,
Arizona, and California teem with a great Mexican
population. A recent estimate of Mexicans in these
border States gives the figure as 1,175,000. The
number is increasing rapidly, since the quota law
does not bar immigrants from the neighboring
Republic, and also because Mexicans have many
‘children. They are largely the poor class, often
living in conditions of extreme poverty. Many are
migrants, but others settle down permanently.
A large number are American citizens of the second,
third, or fourth generation, and among many of
them the English language is unknown. There
are also Spanish-speaking citizens of high cultural
and social standing. The most appalling fact is
that the vast majority is entirely unchurched.

Well-equipped missions for Mexicans with corps
of Mexican pastors and workers and trained
Spanish-speaking missionaries, nurses, and social
workers are established all along the border by
Presbyterians, Methodists, and other denominations.
These have been successful in reaching the Mexi-
cans. The Roman Catholic Church is doing some-
thing; but thus far in a very meager manner.

Our own Church has only begun the work
among these thousands and hundreds of thousands.
And yet here is an opportunity offered us such as
would be hard to duplicate elsewhere. It would
surely be a great pity if we of the Church of the
pure Word and Sacraments should leave to others

‘

the reaping of the rich ripe harvest among the
Mexican population of our great Southwest. Los
Angeles, Phoenix, El Paso, San Antonio, Houston,,
Dallas, these and other cities in California, Arizona.
New Mexico, and Texas offer our Church great:
opportunities.

Even if the Roman Catholic Church should
undertake thoroughly to cover the field, they could
not reach the vast number of Mexicans who, because
of political conditions in Mexico, have become hos-
tile to the Church of their fathers. It would seem
obvious that our Church has a real duty toward
these unchurched people and that we can easily
gain access to them.

Is not this a matter that should be earnestly
considered by our Church?

Letters of Appreciation from
Foster-Parents.

We bring below a number of letters sent to

- Superintendent H. F. Wind, of Buffalo, by people

who adopted wards of the Lutheran Children’s
Friend and Hospice Society of New York. These
letters effectually answer the question so often
asked by people, “Do adopted children really bring
as great joy and happiness into a home as children
who are born into the family?” Every one who
is active in child-adoption work knows that the joy
which comes from an adopted child is just as great
as that which one derives from children born into
the family, indeed, often even greater. The above-
named society has yet to experience a single case
in which the foster-parents were not highly de-
lighted with the child given them and did not show
the same affection toward the adopted child as
they would have shown toward a child of their own.
Here are a few extracts from the letters : —

“Words can hardly express the joy and happi-
ness that is ours as a result of the addition of little
Bobby into our home and hearts. We feel more
and more every day that the Lord has blessed us
abundantly. Bobby continues to advance wonder-
fully. Aside from a slight cold I can’t say that
he has been sick one day. Every now and then -he
adds a new word to his vocabulary.”

“Our baby girl now has a tooth and weighs
seventeen pounds. She certainly is a bright little
thing, and every one who sees her admires her very
much. I would not part with her for the world.
I am sending you a snapshot of her, which is rather
cunning as it shows her laughing.”