The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1930, Page 44

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Philadelphia’s New Church. —In only a very
few months our colored Lutherans in Philadelphia
will be permitted to enter upon the full use of their
new church. We may well imagine with what a
measure of happy anticipation our colored Lutherans
of Philadelphia are looking forward to the day of
dedication.

Mobile, Ala. — Missionary Wolff has declined
a call to Paris, France, for a second time and will
continue to serve Mobile and Atmore.

Mansura, La.— On January 11 Missionary C.
P. Thompson, of Mansura, had an almost miracu-
lous escape when a truck ran into his auto and
almost completely wrecked it. Our missionary,
thank God! escaped without a scratch.

Piney Woods, Miss. — Our readers will remem-
ber the interesting report which Superintendent
. Geo. Schmidt gave of this colored institution in

our columns several months ago. Last month we
brought the sad news that a fire destroyed the girls’
dormitory of the school in the night of January 9.
The 140 girls were only able to save their lives by
a hasty flight. Two members of our board were
at Piney Woods at the time of the fire, as was also
Superintendent Schmidt. In response to the re-
quest of these three brethren the board immediately
sent help. Since the girls lost everything in the fire,
their need is still very great. Should any of our
readers feel inclined to help these poor students,
they may send their gifts to Treasurer Theo. W.
Eckhart, 3558 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, Mo. —
Director Drewes informs the writer that he expects
to be in a position to give our readers some very
good news in the near future.

An Aggressive District.— The Western Dis-
trict.of the Missouri Synod is doing most aggres-
sive Home Mission work under the efficient direc-
tion of Pastor Wm. Hallerberg, its Director of Home
Missions. At present forty-nine Home Mission
workers are active in this District, forty-two pas-
tors, six teachers, and one student. These workers
are serying seventy-seven mission-stations, nine of
which were just recently opened. — Another Dis-
trict that is doing considerable expanding, as far
as its Home Mission work is concerned, is the Cen-
tral District, under the leadership of its new Direc-
tor of Home Missions, Pastor H. Birkner, and its
zealous Home Mission Board. — There is yet much

_ work to be done, even in our oldest Districts, — yes,
particularly in our old Districts.

Our Day-Schools and Sunday-Schools as Mis-

_ sionary Factors.—In an abstract way it is prob-
able that most of us are ready to concede that our

THE LUTHERAN PION EER.

day-schools and Sunday-schools are missionary fac-
tors; but most of us will be surprised to hear to
what extent such is actually the case. The Northern
Illinois District of the Missouri Synod has more
than 13,000 children enrolled in its parish-schools,
and of this number 1,764, that is, 14 per cent., are
children of parents who have no church connection.
Of the children attending our Sunday-schools in the
same District 2,252 are non-Lutherans. Three day-
schools of the English District, located in Chicago,
have an enrolment of 296 children, and 133 of these
are children whose parents are not connected with
any church at all. The Sunday-schools of the Mis-
souri Synod have to-day an enrolment of 190,000.

KFUO.— The official bulletin of KFUO, the
Gospel Voice, is now being published every month
at the price of 50 cents a year. The mission-
ary value of our raido station may be seen from
the following words of appreciation recently re-
ceived: “Many thanks for the wonderful programs
which I have enjoyed so very much these five years.
You have no idea how very much I really have
enjoyed them all. I owe it to Station KFUO that
I have been baptized and become a member of the
Lutheran Church this past week. I thank you again
and again for all you have done for me.” — In this
connection it will not be out of place to call atten-
tion to the great number of broadcasts made at
various centers by our churches and pastors. It
speaks well for the missionary ardor of our people
when they take advantage of this offered opportunity
to bring the saving Gospel of Jesus into many a
home where the voice of Jesus was never heard
before. There is probably no owner of a radio in
any part of our great country who is not able to
listen in to one of our services every Sunday. What
wonderful opportunities are herein offered us! May
we never grow weary in entering the doors that
open themselves to us!

Foreign Missions of the United Lutheran
Church. — This body is carrying on Foreign Mis-
sions in India, Japan, China, Argentina, British
Guiana, and Liberia. It has 182 American mis-
sionaries in the field and 3,929 native workers. In
its 1,549 mission-congregations there are 146,818
baptized members and 63,047 communicants. In
its mission-schools over 7,000 pupils are being in-
structed. The field is raising $181,215 for its own
support.

Desperate Need in China.— The terrible famine
in China has already cost millions of lives. Indica--
tions are that there will be no abatement till the
coming summer. The sufferings of the children is