The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1930, Page 138

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138 THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

New Buildings Erected During the Past
Two Years.
CHAPELS.

1. Ackerville, Wilcox Co., Ala. Here a chapel-
school was dedicated in December, 1929, a gift of
the ladies’ aids of Lincoln and Marathon Counties,
Wis., which had collected and sent in $1,000 for
the purpose.

2. Catherine, Wilcox Co., Ala. The chapel-
school at this place is the gift of Mrs. J. Firzlaff and
her sister,-Mrs. A. Heinecke, both of Sheboygan,
Wis. These two friends of our Mission devoted a
bequest which had come to them from their uncle
and aunt to the erection of a memorial chapel to
their honor. The building bears the name “Dr. and
Mrs. J. Elfers Memorial Chapel.” It was dedicated
January 12, 1930.

8. Yonkers, N.Y. The colored congregation at
Yonkers erected a parish-house at a cost of $12,000,
which was dedicated November 10, 1929. The con-
gregation has paid $8,000 of the cost and still
owes $4,000.

4. Greensboro, N.C. This beautiful new church-
school, for which $30,000 was appropriated two
years ago, was dedicated May 11, 1930, to the ser-
vice of the Triune God. Site, building, and furni-
ture cost $32,427.07.

At this time new buildings are Tene erected in
Birmingham, Ala., and Philadelphia, Pa. The pro-
posed chapels at Ghani and Maplesville, Ala., have
not yet been built.

PAnSONAGES.

1. Tinela, Ala., in 1928. Two years ago $850
was appropriated. However, it was found that it
would not be advisable to build for that sum. Cost:
$1,034.05. It is our hope that this action of the
Board will be approved.

2. Possum Bend, Ala., in 1929. Cost: $936.36.

8. Arlington, Ala., in 1929.. Cost: $1,000. Ny-
land was granted $850 for a parsonage two years
ago. However, circumstances seemed to indicate
that the building would be of greater service if
built at Arlington, which is in the same parish.

TEACHERAGES.
1. Tilden, Ala., in 1928. The appropriation was
$550, but the cost was only $541.89.
2. Buena Vista, Ala., in 1930. Cost: $1,000.
The gift of the sisters J. Firzlaff and oa Heinecke,
of Sheboygan, Wis.

ADDITION.
oe Mount Zion School, New Orleans, was enlarged
if in 1928.

This necessary addition to the school cost -

$2,000. The unprecedented growth of Mount
Zion’s membership through the school will, we are
sure, justify this expense in the opinion of all
friends of our Mission.

Our Mission-Schools.

We have 52 mission-schools; the total enrol-
ment was 3,320 at the beginning of 1930. These
thousands of children receive daily instruction in
religion and a thorough training in secular branches.

It may interest you to hear a few quotations
from a letter written by one Horance M. Bond of
Fisk University, Nashville, Tenn. He is connected
with the distribution of the Rosenwald money,
National Department. Recently the State, upon
request of Wilcox County officials, took a census of
educational conditions in that county. Mr. Bond,
a colored man, came South to make investigations.
He says in his letter, in part: —

“What I saw of your schools convinced me that
they are doing a most remarkable work, and the
romantic story —to me, as a Negro—of the way
in which the Lutheran Church has come into this
much-neglected territory and done such great things
was, believe me, a heartening and thrilling story.
I know that the work must often be a thankless one,
unappreciated by those for whom it is performed
and attended with great stress and trial. You will
permit me to wish you and your work the continued
success which its thorough character so richly
merits.... I cannot end this letter, however, with-
out telling you how much I enjoyed a visit to the
Zion School (I believe) over which Professor Rivers
presides. Both the religious and the class recita-
tion exercises were characterized by an aptness,
celerity, and intelligence I have seldom seen equaled
in a schoolroom. The proficiency of the chart class
in the Catechism was a religious experience worth
going far to enjoy.’”

Through our mission-schools many colored chil-
dren have been brought to their Savior and into His
Church, though we must admit that here and there
the fruit is very meager. For years the congre-
gation at Salisbury, N.C., was the cause of much
worry, but last Easter Missionary Vorice baptized
seventeen children and confirmed four. Missionary
Holsten at Concord, N. C., wrote last Master:
“Here in Concord we rejoice because of the great
blessing which our school is experiencing by God’s
grace. Teacher McDowell told me to-day that all
but four of his pupils are Lutherans. On Easter
Day I baptized four schoolchildren and confirmed
sixteen children and three adults, whose children