The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1931, Page 93

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER

93

result was a legitimate New Year’s social and
supper. Since then we have had no more dances,
drinking, gambling, or questionable amusements,
and the religious life of the people has been more
marked.

We feel now that the work is again in a hopeful
condition, and though we have had no accessions to
our roll, yet the year has been blessed. Sunday last
we had our first Communion service and ordained
an elder.

Items of Missionary Interest.
(By the Eprror.)

Expansion at Luther Preparatory School, New
Orleans. — At the last plenary meeting of the
Mission Board it was decided to give Luther Prepa-
ratory School a full high-school course.
teacher will be added to the faculty.

Salisbury, N. C. — Jonathan Udo Ekong, whose
home is in Nigeria, West Africa, but who is at
present attending a school at Salisbury, N. C., be-
came a member of our church at Salisbury the last
Sunday in March. Director Drewes, before his
death, carried on a correspondence with Jonathan
Udo Ekong and his Nigerian compatriots concern-
ing the possibilities of opening a mission among
them. Letters from Nigeria to us ask, “When are
you coming?” Other letters say, “Send us litera-
ture. We want to learn.”

Buffalo, N. Y. — Our Buffalo mission is con-
sidering the erection of a chapel. We understand
that there is $4,300 on hand for the purpose, and
the local Church Extension Society has put $2,700
at the disposal of the mission for chapel-erection
purposes.

St. Philip’s, St. Louis, Mo.— The Sunday
morning average attendance at St. Philip’s for
March was 186. On Palm Sunday 253 adults were
in attendance.

St. Philip’s, Chicago, Ill.— The members of
St. Philip’s are trying hard to live up to the motto,
“Every member get a member.” On Easter Sunday
the chapel, which has a seating capacity of only 135,
was obliged to find room for 168!

A Missionary Returning. — From India the
sad news comes that Missionary Paul Heckel is
seriously ill and that he is returning to America
to regain his health. Missionary Kuolt and family
are likewise coming home on a year’s furlough.

A Volunteer for Service in China. — We learn
that Miss Clara Rodenbeck, a member of the
graduating class of the Fort Wayne Training-

Another

school, has volunteered to do deaconess work in
China. Our Foreign Missions in China and India
are greatly in need of woman helpers. — Lutheran
young ladies who wish to take deaconess-training
should apply to Rev. B. Poch, 2916 Fairfield Ave.,
Fort Wayne, Ind.

What Helps a Mission Grow. — Speaking of a
former Home Mission charge in Nebraska that has
now grown strong enough to take care of itself,
the pastor, W. F. Peters, writes: “Let us review
briefly once more the elements which made a con-
gregation in Sidney possible in spite of seeming
impossibilities. There was above all the blessing of
God, the divine dispensation whereby He builds His
Church on earth, and the success which He grants
the simple preaching of the Gospel. There was the
loyalty of the members, who kept on faithfully,
although often discouraged, who paid and paid, even
when they had to borrow the money at ten per
cent., until the membership grew more sizable. And
let us not forget it, there was the Mission Board,
which stood by in the time of need, supplying the
difference in salary by subsidy, ready at all times
to lend a helping hand. There was advice and
moral support which it gave the missionary and the
people. There was the General Church Extension
Fund, which made it possible to build the chapel
and the parsonage and, by extending the payments
of the loans, also the schoolhouse and enabled us
to purchase the vacant lots which now serve as
school-grounds.

“There was — and we say it with deep convic-
tion — the Christian day-school, which proved to be
the finest missionary agency, without which the
congregation would scarcely have reached even its
present status, which also causes the future to loom
up brightly. The money spent there reaches a big
total, but withal could not have been better invested
than in the children. Thus the congregation as
such is feeding the lambs of Jesus.

“Although we did not gain as many unchurched
as, it seems, we should have, there has been growth.
Sidney is a church town, having seven regular
churches, and very few people disclaim church con-
nections. We have lost many likely prospects by
our strict lodge policy and our refusal to practise
unionism. i

“Thus by the grace of God we are what we are.
But we are also deeply grateful to the many fellow-
Christians who by their prayers for missions and
by their offerings made the congregation in; Sidney
possible. We appreciate the splendid and- untiring:
work of the Mission Board and of the, Church, Eix>