The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1928, Page 119

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

119

which flow from these nurseries into the cabins here
in the Southland where ignorance and sin have
reigned supreme. Just one concrete example:
A thirteen-year-old girl who had attended one of
our schools in the backwoods was bedridden, being
a consumptive. There were no prospects for her
recovery. Though efforts were made on the pari of
sectarian people to shake the little girl’s faith and
move her to join another church, she remained
faithful, begging that her Lutheran pastor be called.
We had occasion to visit this child as she lay on
a bed of suffering in a typical Alabama hovel. On
one occasion she asked, “Pastor, please read that
hymn for me.” We knew which hymn she meant,
for she had asked for it before. So again we read
these words to her: —

Chief of sinners though I be,

Jesus shed His blood for me;

Died that I might live on high;

Lived that I might never die.

As the branch is to the vine,

I am His, and He is mine.

Hundreds upon hundreds of little children have
learned our Lutheran Bible History lessons, our
Catechism, our hymns; they have learned to
know that

There’s a Friend for little children
Above the bright blue sky;

A Friend who never changes,
Whose love will: never die;

Unlike our friends by nature,
Who change with changing years,
This Friend is always worthy

The precious name He bears.

And what these children learn in our day-
schools they often speak of at home and: among
relatives. Thanking God for, the blessings of our
Lutheran day-schools, for the little children en-
lightened by means of these missionary agencies,
let us keep in mind the thousands upon thousands
here in the Black Belt living in remote corners of
the counties who know nothing of Jesus and His
love. May He, the Friend of Children, stir us to
greater zeal for the work of spreading the Gospel
rays in these dark corners, where so many precious
souls still walk the road to eternal ruin.

We have thirteen pastors in the Alabama field,
four white and nine colored. In all, then, we have
(counting the matron in the college at Selma)
fifty-four workers in Alabama.

Collections in Alabama have increased from
year to year. This year, so far, is no exception. The
total amount collected in five months is $4,035.19,

‘every four members one is a man.

. of his support while at school.

as compared with $3,436.57 for the same period in
1927, a gain of $598.62. Our Easter collection this
spring netted nearly $800. In this way, too, our
members are proving the sincerity of their love for
Him who first loved them.

And now a few miscellaneous figures. The
reports show that our workers made 7,306 visits in
the first five months of 1928. While this number is
not insignificant, we hope to stimulate love for souls
and an increased interest in using more “shoe-
leather” by endeavoring to open a reading course
for all workers. The material for this course is to
consist of books dealing with the lives of great mis-
sionaries: Mary Slessor, Mackay, Carey, and others.
This matter will be brought up at our conference in
Atmore, August 22—26.

Running true to Lutheran form, we have in our
congregations 284 voters. This means that out of
i The average
attendance at divine services at all places each Sun-
day is 1,424.

To Him who in spite of our feeble efforts and
our failings has so wonderfully blessed the preach-
ing and teaching of His Word be glory and honor!
May He strengthen our weak knees and feeble hands
and consecrate His children everywhere for the
glorious and lasting work of rescuing the lost! He
gave Himself for us; may we spend ourselves for
Him! : G. A. ScHripr.

i

Cleveland Items of Interest.

On Sunday, August 5, at 3 Pp. m., Candidate
Ernest Mueller, of Dashwood, Ontario, Canada, and
a graduate of our Seminary at St. Louis, is to be in-
stalled at Cleveland, as missionary among the colored
people of that city, by Rev. A. F. Katt. Candidate
Mueller did supply-work for a year in Cleveland
a year ago, and his work was so satisfactory and it
was so signally blessed that those who have been in
charge of the work rejoice to hear that Mr. Mueller
will accept the call. Student Karkau, who has most
acceptably served as temporary missionary among
the Negroes of Cleveland since last fall, will return
to St. Louis this fall to complete his studies.

We are happy to report that this new mission in
Cleveland is already sending a student to Immanuel
College this coming fall, where he intends to
prepare for the ministry. His name is Nathan
Q’Bryant. The Cleveland Conference is taking care
F. J. L.