The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1930, Page 69

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

69

two graduates of this institution. He graduated
from the Normal Department of Immanuel in 1907.

In the fall of the same year he was engaged to
teach the upper grades of the elementary school
connected with the college. But when the mission-
school at Charlotte demanded the engagement of a
teacher for its lower grades, Alston was transferred
to that school and taught there for years at the side
of Pastor John McDavid.

In 1911 he married Miss Willette Mosley. The
only issue of this union is a son, Frank, Jr., about
eighteen years old. Mrs. Alston, who had received
a normal training, was able to be a great help to
her husband in his work.

In the fall of 1914. Alston reentered Immanuel
as a student, this time to take up the study of
theology and thus prepare himself for the ministry.
Because of his previous study and training he was
able to graduate at the end of the school-year, May,
1915.

His first pastorate was at Spartanburg, 8. C.,
where he began his labors in the fall of 1915, hav-
ing been ordained by Pastor McDavid in September,
1915, at Concord, N.C. In Spartanburg, Pastor
Alston was compelled to hold his services in a di-
lapidated shanty, measuring 10X16 feet. Here he
conducted services, Sunday-school, and day-school
for about two years. After somewhat more than
two years the shanty was replaced by a more suitable
building, but Pastor Alston was not permitted to
use it very long; for he had contracted a throat
trouble, which compelled him to move to Greens-
boro. After teaching a preparatory class at the
college for a short time, he was compelled to sus-
pend all his activities for a period of ten months.
In August, 1919, he accepted a call to serve Salis-
bury and Kannapolis. After four years of faithful
service at these two places he was relieved of Salis-
bury; but two other stations were added to his
parish, Mount Pleasant and Drys Schoolhouse.

His labors at Kannapolis were signally blessed.
The little handful of only twenty-eight baptized
members in the course of a few years grew to be the
second largest congregation in the Southeastern
Field. An addition to the church, made necessary
by the growth of the membership, was almost wholly
paid for by the congregation. Superintendent
Frank Alston’s congregation set the other congrega-
tions of the field a fine example of liberality, the
last mission-day collection of the church amount-
ing to $200.

Pastor Alston’s congregation was often pointed
to by whites and blacks as a model congregation.

This fine condition of the congregation was due to
the faithfulness of its pastor. He was a father to
his people, and they were the continuous objects of
his care and prayers.

Because of his good judgment and faithfulness
the Board for Colored Missions appointed him to
the superintendency of the Southeastern Field, and
he served the mission as superintendent for a period
of four years.

For the past one and a half years, Pastor Alston
was compelled to put himself under the almost con-
stant care of a physician. Since February he was
confined to his home. The doctor diagnosed his
condition as extremely dangerous and ordered him
to spend some time in a hospital. But at his urgent

Superintendent Frank D. Alston.

request he was soon brought back to his home.
When he noticed that his end was near, he sent for
his brother, Rey. John Alston, of Atlanta, Ga. He

expressed his willingness to depart and be with

Jesus, and on March 20, a little after ten o’clock -
at night, the Lord called His faithful servant home.
He had served his Lord for more than twenty-two
years as teacher and pastor.

The funeral services were held at Kannapolis on
March 24. The venerable Prof. F. Berg preached
the sermon and also addressed a few words to the
large assembly in the name of the Mission Board.
Pastor W. O. Hill was the spokesman of Immanuel
Conference. The pall-bearers were the departed
brother’s fellow-pastors. The interment was made
at Charlotte, where Pastor M. Holsten officiated at
the grave. Among the mourners are the loving wife
and son of the departed, a brother, and a sister.