The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1930, Sheet 133

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

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as florists. His question received a negative answer ;
but he was encouraged to take a trip to Piney
Woods, make a personal survey of the situation, and
then report. This was done. His brother remained
at Piney Woods.

In July of last year the two brothers Johann
came to Director Drewes and told him that the
president of the Negro school at Piney Woods
earnestly wished that the Board would send a mis-
sionary to labor at the school and in its vicinity.
The report of the brothers was so very encouraging
that Director Drewes asked Superintendent Geo. A.
Schmidt to go to Piney Woods and look things over.
Since Pastor Schmidt, however, was not able to go
at the time, Pastor Westcott, his assistant, offered
to go in his place.

Pastor Westcott’s report was very favorable, and
as a result Pastor Schmidt was authorized to go to
Piney Woods and begin work there. Everything
indicated that the enterprise had most promising
aspects, but would require much tact on the part
of the missionary. Despite the fact that he already
was well supplied with work, Pastor Schmidt was
willing to take up the work at Piney Woods and
went there for the first time on September 20, 1929.
The trip from Selma, Ala., to Piney Woods, Miss.,
is 240 miles. é

After Pastor Schmidt’s very complete report had
been read, it was unanimously decided by the Board
to ask Pastor Schmidt to take up the important and
promising work at once. It appeared to all the
members of the Board that this field in Mississippi
would prove as productive as that in the Black Belt
of Alabama. While continuing to live in Selma,
Superintendent Schmidt drove to Piney Woods
every Thursday and stayed there till Monday. The
better he became acquainted with conditions at

“ Piney Woods, the more enthusiastic he grew. His

work at Piney Woods principally consisted in giving

_ religious instruction in all classes of the institution

and conducting all divine services. Many of the

. students have come to the knowledge of the truth

and praise God for His grace. About 300 young
men and women are attending the school. Besides
these there are 100 pupils in the elementary school

-eonnected with the institution.

Piney Woods is about twenty-four miles south-
east of Jackson, the Capital of Mississippi. It is in
the country. The school owns 1,500 acres of land,
part of which is under cultivation, while the rest is
covered with beautiful pine-trees. here are six
buildings on the campus. The girls’ dormitory,
which was destroyed by fire last winter, is being

replaced by a new building. The administration
building contains a roomy chapel, which affords
room for 400 to 500 persons. Besides the dormitory
for boys, a community house, and an elementary
school building there are several other buildings.
The main buildings form a crescent on an elevation,
from which one gets a fine view of the beautiful
country to the west and south.

Prof. Lawrence Jones, the president of the
school, would like to present the institution to the
Synodical Conference as he has learned to admire
our work. Several members of the Board visited
Piney Woods several months ago, and due to their
report and that of Pastor Schmidt the Board in its
plenary meeting last April decided to transfer the
latter to Piney Woods and secure another superin-
tendent for the Alabama Field. May God gra-
ciously bless this enterprise and prosper the work
of our hands!

Detailed Statistics of the Congregations.
ALABAMA.

1. Rosebud. Founded in 1916. Missionary:
L. R. Gauthreaux. Baptized membership: 204.
Decrease in last two years: 1%. Property: Combi-
nation church and school; parsonage.

2. Oak Hill. Founded in 1916. Missionary:
L. R. Gauthreaux. Baptized membership: 102.
Increase: 17. Property: Combination church and
school; parsonage.

8. Hamburg. Founded in 1924. Missionary:
L. R. Gauthreaux. Membership: 115. Increase: 12.
Property: Combination church and school.

4. Taits Place. Founded in 1919. Missionary:
Byron Skinner. Membership: 115. Increase: 1.
Property: Combination church and school; teach-
erage. .

5. Camden. Founded in August, 1924. Mission-
ary: B. Skinner. Membership: 71. Increase: 14.

6. Bashi. Founded October 31, 1929. Mis-
sionary: B. Skinner. Membership: 39. Needed:
Combination church and school.

7. Possum Bend. Founded in 1916. Mission-
ary: B. Skinner. Membership: 100. Increase: 14.
Property: Church-school; parsonage erected in
1928. Cost: $1,000.

8. Longmile. Founded in 1922. Missionary:
B. Skinner. Membership: 76. Increase: 21.
Property: Church-school.

9. Arlington. Founded in 1923. Missionary:
James S. Montgomery. Membership: 8%. In-
crease: 14. Property: Combination church and
school; parsonage, erected in 1929 for $1,000.