The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1932, Page 184

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184

THE LUTHERAN PIONEER

learned from the Bible. They take part in the
festival services, such as Christmas and Easter, in
which they hear only about the Savior of sinners,
not man-made doctrines. They come not to be
entertained, but to be instructed.

To-day this Sunday-school numbers fifty-five
children. More have been enrolled, but we lost
some because of removals, etc. But can you say our
work in behalf of Negro Missions is not worth
while? Consider the inestimable good that has gone
forth from this mission alone. Its influence has
already reached many homes during our brief stay
here. Through these children we have come in con-
tact with the parents and have induced many of
them to attend our services. As time goes on, God
will permit us to reap a harvest in this direction
also. Also the literature that comes into the hands
of the parents is doing good work, which we can
verify from actual cases. And the children love
their new Sunday-school. Why? Because it ex-
tends to them something which is woefully lacking
in many of the other churches of our day. They
are really learning something; they have found the
pearl of great price — Jesus Christ. Their parents
and others have borne witness to that. How, then,
dare a true Christian say our cause is in vain?

Therefore, dear reader, let us not become weary
of well-doitig in a time like this, but know that
our labor in the Lord is not in vain. It may mean
a sacrifice, but is it not a wonderful sacrifice? In
eternity you will see what joys you have brought
to others. Be loyal to Christ and His Church.
Pray for the cause of missions and do for them what
you can: It is truly a worthy cause. J.S.

Church of Our Savior, Buffalo.

Our readers may remember that our colored
congregation in Buffalo was permitted to dedicate
its new house of worship last spring, to be exact, on
April 3. Since then the congregation has made fine
progress in every way. At a recent annual meeting
of the Lutheran Institutional Missions of Buffalo,
an organization to which the local colored church
owes its founding and which has shown it much
Kindness and helped it in every way, Pastor Pflug,
the missionary in charge of Our Savior, gave the
following gratifying report: —

“This evening we would take the opportunity
to say “Thank you!’ to that organization which first
conceived the idea of a Lutheran colored mission

_ in Buffalo and then proceeded to sell that idea to

our Lutherans in and about this city. While the
whole project was not a matter of human foresight
or planning, as its brief history clearly shows, God
used the superintendent and visitor of the Lutheran
Institutional Missions as His instruments to begin
and to carry on the work.

“T don’t think you can fully appreciate what
the Institutional Missions organization has meant
to our colored mission in Buffalo, which is not only
a child of this organization, but which has actually
nursed and weaned this child. Pastor Wind super-
vised the work from the very beginning. Miss
Menard’ organized the Sunday-school and is still
active as its superintendent. She also organized
the Ladies’ Aid and the Junior Guild and withdrew
from these organizations only a few months ago.
Miss Mattil, matron of the Buffalo Hospice, has
been with us for years as Sunday-school, Saturday-
school, and vacation-school teacher and acted as or-
ganist for several years.

“The office worker of Institutional Missions has
always shown a willingness to type all reports,
letters, ete.

“Do you wonder why we feel so strongly about
the part Institutional Missions has played in foster-
ing this work? .Once more we say, “Thank you,
and may God bless all your efforts in the field of
missionary endeavors as He has blessed this par-
ticular one!’

“We hope the following figures will lend en-
couragement to continued effort in the Lord’s
service.

“The child has grown during the past year. The
communicant membership has increased from nine-
teen to thirty-seven in spite of the loss of six mem-
bers by death, due to removal and to other causes.

“Twenty-four adults were received into mem-
bership since September 1, 1931. Of these eighteen
were confirmed, five were received by baptism, and
one was readmitted. .

“Our baptized membership rose from sixty to
ninety-one during this period. Fourteen children
were received into God’s kingdom through Holy
Baptism.

“Communion was celebrated ten times, and a
total of 112 communicants confessed their faith in
the crucified Savior by appearing at the altar to
receive the Sacrament.

“During the past twelve months 108 services
were held, which were attended by 6,567, an average
of sixty-one per service.

“The Sunday-school to-day has an enrolment
of 129 as against seventy-seven for September 1,