The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1932, Page 37

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER

gathered almost seven dollars, in addition to its

regular contributions and collections, for a needy

sister; and for another shoes and clothes were pur-

chased, so that she might venture out on the street.
E. H. WILpervBe.

Our Colored Missions.

Statistics of the Eastern Field for 1931. — Bap-
tized members, 2,929; communicant members,
1,542; voting members, 398; baptisms, 255; con-
firmations, 199; Sunday-school enrolment, 2,049 ;
day-school enrolment, 741; marriages, 22; burials,
82; communed, 4,883; visits made by pastors in
the field, 30,633; visits made by teachers, 3,015;
total receipts in church and school, $15,983.85. Net
gain for the whole field, 257.

An Alabama Chapel and School.

Statistics of the Louisiana Field for 1981. —
Baptized members, 1,963; communicant members,
984; voting members,-175; day-school enrolment,
1,046; Sunday-school enrolment, 981; baptized,
150; confirmed, 100; communed, 2,705; receipts,
$5,096.54. Net gain for the field, 214.

Eastern Field -News.— The largest attendance
registered in our Washington mission to date has
been fourteen adults and five children. In Balti-
more the average attendance for 1931 has been six-
teen, but it is steadily climbing up. The Sunday-
school has an enrolment of fifty. In Springfield,
Til, a class of four children is being prepared for
confirmation. Two of these catechumens are from
non-Lutheran families. St. Philip’s, Chicago, has
a class of twenty-five adults preparing for confirma-
tion. The children’s class numbers twelve. Surely
two fine classes! At Buffalo the new church is
under roof. A spirit of good cheer pervades. all.
The services and the sessions of the Sunday-school
are better attended than before.

’

37

Alabama Field News. — A number of stations
report accessions by baptism and confirmation. The
young people at Tinela have organized a Walther
League. The new Bashi chapel-school was dedi-
cated on January 10. The dedication services were
very well attended. This new building, by the gra-
cious blessing of God, will help the growth of this
station. F.J.L.

How Pao Brought the Gospel to Lifu.

The southern half of the great expanse of the
Pacific Ocean is dotted with thousands of islands.
These are so many oases in the vast area of water.
Most of these islands are marvelously beautiful, and
in their tropical glory they impressed their early
visitors as habitations such as Eden must have been
in the days of our first parents’ purity. But better
acquaintance with the denizens of these island gems
that stud the vast bosom of the Pacific soon brought
home the fact that they were wild cannibals, who
delighted in shedding blood and whose favorite dish
was human flesh. Bishop Heber’s words here found
full application : —

Where every prospect pleases
And only man is vile.

One of these many island groups is that of the
Loyalty Islands, and one of this group is Lifu, the
scene of Pao’s missionary activities. Pao was a
native of Rarotonga, one of the Hervey group of
islands and famous. in missionary history as the
scene of the labors of John Williams, one of the
most famous of Gospel-messengers in the South
Sea. Pao grew up a heathen boy, for the Gospel
was not brought to his native island till he was
grown to manhood. He grew up a typical heathen
and was initiated into all the vices of paganism.
Things it would be a shame only to mention were
done by Pao without qualms of conscience; for he
had never seen or heard of better things. His one
ambition in life was to become a great warrior some
day and with great prowess to slay his hundreds and

thousands.
Pao Goes to Sea.

Just when he had reached early manhood, he
engaged to serve for three years on an American
whaler. On this whaler was a sailor who dearly
loved his Savior and felt the urge to tell others of
the great treasure he had found in Jesus. Because.
of his testimony of Christ this sailor was forced to
suffer much at the hands of his fellow-mariners.
But this treatment did not silence him. He was
greatly moved by the spiritual ignorance of Pao,