The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1930, Page 56

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56

THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

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the committee is led to believe that it would be to
the best interests of the colored brethren connected
with this synod to be allowed to form themselves
into a synod; and we therefore recommend such
action on the part of this synod as is necessary to
this end. The committee is assured by the colored
brethren that such is their wish.” (Minutes of
1889, p. 25.)

The colored ministers and delegates on their
part petitioned that synod to the same effect. “We,
the colored ministers and delegates, members of the
North Carolina Synod, petition your honorable body
to appoint a committee composed of three white
ministers, with instructions, at as early a day as
practicable, to organize the colored brethren and
congregations now belonging to our synod into a
colored Evangelical Lutheran synod, to be based

St. John’s (White) Lutheran Church
in Cabarrus County, N. C.
Here the Alpha Synod was organized in 1889.

Rev. C. Malloy, of Charlotte, in front of church.
upon the doctrinal basis of the United Synod and
to be governed by the constitution of the North
Carolina Synod. ...” The petition was signed by
Samuel Holt, Nathan Clapp, and D. J. Koontz.
“The most pleasant relations existed between the
white and colored workers in the North Carolina
Synod,” says Rev. B. S. Brown, Sr. This statement
finds corroboration in the parting remarks made by
President W. H. Peschau. “Whereupon President
_ Peschau made some kind, touching, and appropriate
remarks, bidding them Godspeed in their new
capacity and assuring them that no people on the
face of the earth would more deeply sympathize with
them in their troubles or rejoice over their success.
He urged them to lead pure lives, ever to preach
the pure doctrine of our dear Church, and to labor
faithfully for their race to the end.” (Minutes for
1889, p. 34.)

4,

“Together with some laymen they met at the
beginning of the year 1890 in Cabarrus County,
N. C., and organized the Alpha Synod.” (Page 49.)

This meeting of colored ministers and laymen
was not held in 1890, but a whole year earlier, in
1889. Neither was it held “at the beginning of
the year,” but in the month of May. We read
in the minutes for 1889, page 34: “We, your
committee, appointed to organize the colored Evan-
gelical Lutheran Synod, met in the council-room
of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Congregation,
Cabarrus County, N.C., Wednesday, May 8, 1889,
at 11.30 a. xt. The colored brethren were organized
and constituted under the name and tile of “The
Alpha Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
of Freedmen in America.” ... Rev. D. J. Koontz
was then elected president; Licentiate W. P. Phifer,
recording and corresponding secretary ; Rev. Samuel

Holt, treasurer.” '

“The officers elected were: David Koontz, presi-
dent, and W. Philo Phifer, secretary, he being the
only one who had learned to read and write.” (Our
Colored Missions, illustrated, p. 49.) There are two
mistakes in this statement. 1. Rev. Samuel Holt
was elected an officer — treasurer. The omission
of his name has occasioned a joke. 2. Phifer was
not the only one who had learned to read and write.
Koontz was a schoolteacher and also a good penman,
as may be seen from his writing in the family Bible.

6.

“Shortly after the adjournment of the Alpha
Synod, President Koontz died, and the Alpha Synod
died with him.” (Page 50.)

Rev. Koontz died May 27, 1890, more than a
year after the Alpha Synod had been organized.
Nor did the young synod die with him. Clapp,
Holt, and Phifer held together. Phifer continued
to act as secretary.

Rev. Geo. H. Cox, an old member of the North
Carolina Synod, wrote in 1914 that his synod “made
a mistake in not retaining control of the new
[Alpha] Synod. Had we done so, we might now
have quite a large constituency among the colored
people.” He also claims that, when the Alpha
Synod went over to the Synodical Conference, “it
followed a beckoning finger and obeyed a persuasive
voice.” (Lutheran Church. Visitor, October 15,
1914.) There is not a scintilla of evidence to prove
this statement.

The Lord has blessed our feeble efforts in North