The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1931, Page 182

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182 THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

Lutheranism is spreading among the students.
Sunday, August 9, six of them were baptized in
a wonderful service. They were given a small
prayer-book by Rev. Schmidt. It was a beautiful
sight to see them proudly marching out, holding
in their hands their new treasure. The reaction
of others shows that soon many more will be bap-
tized and confirmed and received into membership
of the Lutheran Church. (Previous to this fifteen
others had been received into the Lutheran Church.)

People who lingered outside after the service ex-
pressed a desire to become Lutherans.

Some asked, “Who started this Lutheranism
around here?” Others replied, “Mr. Johann.” It
was through Mr. Johann, a Lutheran who had be-
come acquainted with this school that the Rev.
Schmidt came in contact with them.

I heard one man say, “Well, this Lutheranism
surely is spreading around here.” This man certainly
expressed the truth, for Lutheranism is very rapidly
spreading at Piney Woods. - And it will stay among
them by God’s grace. For these students cannot
forget all they have been told. When they go to
their various homes, no doubt they will tell others
what they have learned. In this way many
people will hear the glad tidings of great joy that
Christ, the Son of God, is the Redeemer of the
world. May God send His Spirit upon them, and
may many more be gathered in unto the praise,
honor, and glory of His name!

STUDENT JOHNSON.

Organs Needed.

Pastor George A. Schmidt at Piney Woods,
Miss., writes the Editor that he could use two or
three melodions that are still in good shape. If any
of our readers want to help along the wonderfully
promising work now being done in Mississippi by
Pastor Schmidt and his helpers in the way of send-
ing him a melodion,—freight prepaid, of course,—
write to him for further shipping directions.

How Can the Negro Become Respected
and Influential?

The biography of Ex-President Hayes contains
extracts from his diary written in 1880 during his
attendance at the Mohonk Conference, which was

called to consider the Negro question, and it is
| equally interesting and quickening to see how this
es ‘man, after he had left the Presidency and national

Christian sincerity to assist in the problems of
benevolence and reform. He writes: “The Mohonk
Conference is a tentative effort, whose aim is to
reach the truth on the Negro question and to assist
in the formation of sound opinions among the
people as to their duty on the whole subject.”
“Whether what we have said or done shall live or
die, our impressions, our convictions, are stronger
than before that the much-injured race in whose
behalf we have met has large possibilities, an im-
portant future, a part to play in the history of our
American society. It is said that this race has had
no history. That is not quite true. But whether
true or not, we have heard enough to be assured
that the gifts required to take a place in history
in large measure belong to them. We were told
of their success in weighty tables of figures by
Mr. Harris, United States Commissioner of Educa-
tion. President White told of the great men he
met in Santo Domingo, in Haiti, and other West
India islands. Let me add a small item to that
shining list of prophetic facts pointing to the pos-
sible future of the race. I was a few days ago in
Bermuda. The entrance to its port is a long, intri-
cate, difficult, and dangerous passage. The man,
a Negro, who has charge of the ship, taking it in
and out, can be no weakling.”

Hight years before this Mr. Hayes became a
member of the Board administering the Slater
Fund, and he said: “Industrial education as well
as religious education must have attention. To
make the colored people respected and influential,
they must be successful in accumulating property,
in doing the work which our civilization prizes so
highly. Let them be not merely bookish scholars,
but good mechanics and good business men. Let
them become architects, civil engineers, and the
like.” Thus clearly and wisely Mr. Hayes suggests
the giving of every opportunity to the Negro to de-
velop every talent and to make of him the most
useful man possible. Of course, as an administrator
of the Slater Fund he made little reference to a
religious or higher education. That fund is non-
religious, merely educational, and largely concerned
with the primary schools. It remains for Christi-
anity and Christian organizations to provide a re-
ligious education and to plan so that the Negro
shall have his own Gospel ministry.

There is considerable force in the remark of
Mr. Hayes that the colored man by accumulating
property makes himself more respected and influ-
ential. This fact should be emphasized by all edu-
cators and brought to bear upon industry, economy,

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