The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1930, Page 86

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86 THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

Although the novelty will soon wear off, yet we be-
lieve that the desks, books, walls, etc., will always
receive very careful attention and that the rooms
will always be clean and in order because the chil-
dren have now been placed in an environment that
is extremely sensitive to the least sign of slovenli-
ness. Rough plank seats need no care, nor do they
Teceive any. W. H. G.

Why Grace-Luther Memorial Church,
Greensboro, Was Built.

Grace-Luther Memorial Church, which was
recently dedicated, fills a long-felt want. For almost
two years, Grace Congregation met in the audi-
torium of Immanuel Lutheran College, a place used
for plays, lectures, and other purposes for which the
Lutheran church generally is not used.

The old quarters of Luther Memorial were alto-
gether undesirable. We hesitate to turn our backs to
the building since under its roof a small number of
people who are now good Lutherans have learned to
know their Savior and consequently are attached to
that building. Humble as it is, it at one time served
as the place where they heard of Jesus, where they
gathered in His name.

Another reason why a church was necessary was
that our future pastors need it. The work in the
theological seminary was carried on for many years
under a tremendous handicap since no representa-
tive colored’ Lutheran church existed in the im-
mediate vicinity of the college where students might
observe practical church-work.

Besides, the students of the Normal Department
never had the opportunity to see a completely fur-
nished Lutheran school. Some of them have never
‘seen a Lutheran school.

Moreover, the time is rapidly approaching, in-
deed, is here, when only heroic measures can save
our schools in the larger cities of North Carolina,
‘since this State is making very rapid forward
strides in elementary education for the colored. The
average city school now compares very favorably
with the schools for white children with respect to

accommodations provided for pupils. Only recently
a high school which would be a credit to any city
was completed here in Greensboro, which at present
_ has an enrolment of over seven hundred students.

_. Since’ our day-schools are attended mainly by
* aah as are non-Lutherans, they must keep pace with
_ the state schools in the secular branches, or they will
ly die for want of pupils. The fact that we
the Catechism will not attract children whose

parents are themselves not ready to confess that the
fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and
that godliness is profitable unto all things. Only
recently thirty-eight parents were asked, “Why do
you send your children to our school?” The most
common answers were: “Your school is nearer than
the public school.” “Our children are making better
progress in your school.” “We like the Lutheran
ways.” One woman is sending her children because
she in her youth attended a Lutheran school.

Now, that is not a gloomy prospect for that
particular school. Rather, it is a golden opportunity.
For regardless of what the motives of the parents
are, we have the children. We have the opportunity
to train them. And the children, without a single
exception, attend our Sunday-school. All the older
children are being prepared for confirmation and
are as joyfully looking forward to their day of con-
firmation as the children in our white schools. But
to continue the good work in the cities, efficient
schools approaching the model school in Greensboro
are necessary. This is not equivalent to saying that
exceptionally liberal appropriations are necessary in
every case.

Notes on Grace-Luther Memorial Congregation.

Grace-Luther Memorial Church, as the name in-
dicates, is a merger of Grace Church and Luther
Memorial. The first building of Grace Congrega-
tion was a frame church- and school-building, which
was dedicated on May 2, 1897. According to a letter
sent to the Greensboro Record in May, 1897, the
building cost more than $1,400. It was built in a
kind of suburb of Greensboro, which at that time was
known as Warnersville. Since then Greensboro has
grown several hundred per cent., and Warnersyville
has become a part of the city. The intention of the
Mission Board of that date was to use the building
for a number of years for both school and services.
At a later, date a church was to be built. The first
pastor was the Rev. John C. Smith. However, ser-
vices were held and school was conducted in this
building until November, 1928, when a fire of un-
known origin broke out during an evening service
and almost totally destroyed the building. Since
that date the congregation has met in the chapel of
Immanuel Luther College, and this school, because
of the inability of the board to obtain suitable quar-
ters, had to be discontinued.

Luther Memorial was founded by Prof. Hans
Naether, who for the last two years taught at Atlanta
University. Regarding the opening of this mission,
Professor Naether wrote: “The work of Luther