The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1929, Page 134

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134

THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

just about filled this church. On Easter, to accom-
modate the crowds that would come, we arranged
two services for.the morning, one at 6 A. M., and the
other at 11 a. M.; but even that was not satisfac-
tory, for over one hundred crowded their way into
‘our store.

Membership and Sunday-school enrolment could
both be larger if the pastor could do some intensive
mission-work; but the present pastor has been pre-
‘vented from doing any intensive mission-work or
much canvassing for the past three years because we
have no place to put the people and children that
would come were we to get them. Still, the merciful
God has been sending new members and children.
Because of our lack of accommodations we dare not
too strongly urge the children to regularity in Sun-
day-school attendance; for if they all come, we have
no room for them. . Likewise, we cannot urge the

St. Philip’s Colored Sunday-School, Philadelphia, Pa.

children to attend services; for if they come, there
will not be enough room for the adults. Time and
time again the pastor has been compelled to hear the
remark: “We should like to come to your church if
‘we knew we should get a seat.”
Realizing the urgent need for larger and better
‘quarters, the Mission Board purchased the present
property about three years ago, when we were in
danger of being put out and had no place to go.
Our lot being irregular and not able to accommodate
a church of proper proportions, the Mission Board
purchased a piece of the adjoining property from
the Board of Education, thus giving us a regular
and fair-sized lot on which to build. At the last
meeting of the Synodical Conference, held in
‘Omaha, Nebr., in 1928, $25,000 was appropriated
* for a chapel here. Mr. Steinmeyer, of St. Louis, was
“then instructed to prepare the necessary plans. That
_ was done. A modest chapel, to be constructed along

olonial lines, in keeping with the history of our

city, is to be built, God willing. But for this project
the money is still lacking. The Mission Board feels
the need of starting here at once if all the time and
money already expended are not to be a total loss.
Because our membership is still comparatively small,
we cannot shoulder the whole load ourselves, though
our members are doing what they can for their new
church and have promised to do what they can in
the future. In this connection it might be said that
each communicant member’s contribution has aver-
aged $38 a year for the past two years.

Not being able to carry the entire burden our-
selves, we urgently appeal to our fellow-Lutherans
everywhere to help us. You, Christian friend, who
Sunday after Sunday are permitted to hear the
Word of your Savior in a real church-building, and
one big enough to accommodate your members and
friends, please help us by contributing of your
means for this worthy cause that our
church may be built soon. Christian
friend whom the Lord has blessed with
earthly goods, here is an opportunity for
a sound investment, which will bring
greater interest to you than any other in-
vestment you can make. You, in whose
heart the love for missions and mission-
work pulses, here is an opportunity for
you to show your love. Whatever you may
be able to do will not only be sincerely
and gratefully appreciated by us, but will
graciously be rewarded by the Lord of the
Church Himself; for He tells us that He
will regard every work of love done by us
as being done for Him and to Him. That our God
Himself may bless my appeal to you and cause our
fellow-Lutherans to extend their help to us for Jesus’
sake, is the prayer of our Philadelphia Mission.

P. TRUMPOLDT.

A Box of Clothing.

Another shipment from the kind Ladies’ Aid
Society of Zion Congregation, Ottawa, IIl., the Rev.
H. Oldsen, pastor, brought cheer into several gloomy
nooks and corners of our Mount Zion Congregation.
The children’s clothes, including a few hats and
shoes, fitted out the “family of eight children” for
Sunday-school. The mother is in the hospital, the
father earning twelve dollars a week. A suit of
men’s clothes reinforced the sexton, all of whose
clothes were stolen several months ago and who on
account of sickness is unable to fit himself out at the