The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1930, Page 136

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136 THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

Once Again Three Remarkable Records.

That the membership of our Colored Missions
should have had an increase of 1714 per cent. is
already a remarkable record. But we are able to
call attention to further proofs of divine grace,
which give us reason to rejoice and be thankful.
The first record is

THe REMARKABLY Low DEATH-RATE
IN Our Mission.

We repeat what we have said on previous occa-
sions: Many people have no idea of the great change
which is wrought in and about those Negroes who
accept God’s Word and Luther’s doctrine pure.
They have actually, to use the apostle’s words,
“become new creatures.” Their heart, mind,
thoughts, desires, are changed, indeed, their whole
life. This profound change accounts also for the
low death-rate among our Lutheran colored people
when compared with the general death-rate among
Negroes. The average death-rate among Negroes,
according to the latest statistics to which we had
access, is eighteen per thousand a year. In our
Colored Lutheran Church the death-rate last year
was only nine per thousand. That is an astonish-
ingly low rate. And in this low death-rate we have
a plain proof that our Lutheran Negroes lead a dif-
ferent life from that led by other Negroes.

Our LurnEran Necrors ARE FREQUENT GUESTS
_ AT THE Lorp’s TABLE.

We are compelled once more to make a com-

parison. The average member of our Synodical

Conference. goes to the Lord’s Supper twice a year.

How about our colored Lutherans in this respect? .

By way of a preliminary remark let us say that
many of our members are not at home when the
Lord’s Supper is celebrated. Their work often
takes them from home for weeks and months at
a time. This fact would have a tendency to de-
¢rease the number of those communing.’ Then, too,
it must not be forgotten that the ancestors of our
members were in many instances unchurched or
members of sectarian churches. We have very few
families in which there are Lutherans of the third
generation. Despite these facts the attendance at

the Lord’s Supper among our colored Lutherans is.

_ better than among the whites. The total number
_ of colored communicants reported last year was
10,518. This would show that our colored Lu-
_ therans commune on an average three times a year.

Tf attendance at the Lord’s Table is an indication _

THE CoNTRIBUTIONS OF Our CotorED CurisTIANs.

First permit us to state that not all contributions
of our colored Lutherans are printed in the monthly
report of the Board’s treasurer. Thousands of dol-
lars contributed by our colored people for repairs,
light, fuel, support of indigent members, etc., are
not included.

Our colored Christians are not wealthy farmers,
well-to-do merchants, or well-paid mechanics. The
present lack of work is more acutely felt among the
Negroes than among the whites. Many a position
formerly filled by a colored person is now occupied
by a white servant. Despite this, however, the con-
tributions of our colored Lutherans have increased
in the last two years. In 1929 they amounted to
$31,063.18. This is surprising. That our colored
Christians are steadily growing in the grace of giv-
ing is to be seen from the statistics in our possession.
In 1919 the total contributions of all our congrega-
tions was $12,591; ten years later the contributions
had increased to $31,063. This is a gain of no less
than $18,472. Surely this is progress!

Of course, in the case of these contributions it
is just as is often the case in white churches: some
give very little, others give much. Missionary
Kramer of Bethlehem, New Orleans, reports:
“Among our members is a woman who contributed
$41.60 last year. The next highest contributor was
another woman, who does much to support her aged
mother and has no income beyond what she earns
at the wash-tub; she gave $29.15. A young man
contributed $29.75. One of our teachers subscribed
a whole month’s salary as her contribution to the
paving of the street in front of our church.”

All these facts show that despite their weak-
nesses and frailties our colored congregations are
making good progress in sanctification and good

works. For this reason our colored Lutherans enjoy ~

the good will and respect of their white and colored
neighbors. But for us there is an encouragement in
all this to continue in our work among them.
“Therefore, my brethren, be ye steadfast, unmov-
able, always abounding in the work of the Lord for-
asmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in
the Lord,” 1 Cor. 15, 58.

Our Higher Schools.

We have three higher institutions of learning
where colored pastors and colored teachers, male
and female, are prepared for missionary service.

1. Immanuel Lutheran College, Greensboro,
NW. GC. Founded in 1903. President since June,
1925: Dr. Henry Nau. The school has three de-